Having Withdraws!!!!

[HeaveToo]

So it has only been a few weeks since I got back from my 7 day cruise.  I was irritated with having to cut it short due to weather but, it was still a good time away.

I am off on Monday and Tuesday and I am planning to go out for an overnight.  There are several nice places to head to for an overnight trip but I am leaning towards Bretton Bay.  Of course the wind will probably be out of the south so I may end up in Nonomi Bay.  These are all places on the Potomac River about 15 miles from Colonial Beach, where I keep the boat. 

The plans that I tend to use is that if the wind is out of the North stay to the Maryland Side of the river (North Side) and if the wind is out of the South stay to the Virginia Side (south Side).  This pays huge dividends when going out of the Potomac River.  It really helps when heading back home to because it keeps you on a better angle to the wind.

I still have a bit of time to take off.  I ended up taking a chunk off at the end of September.  I am thinking of taking another longer sail and I will probably leave my destination open because setting an agenda can get you in trouble!!

Anyone else Jonesing for a sail as well?  Any planned cruises?

[BruceW]

I haven't sailed in a month. Going to the boat Friday, hoping to sail Saturday; the original plan was to go along with former Com-pac sailor Jeff Tsai to Oriental. However, father in law health things are causing me to need to come back to Raleigh Sunday morning. This means a daysail Saturday, with possible anchor out close to the club.

Hoping the old badass recovers as I expect he will (he's only 93) and I'll be ready for another weekend cruise before long.

[crazycarl]

Our Compac hasn't left the driveway since we brought her out of storage.

This was going to be the year we go out every other weekend, yea, right.

Too much overtime and too many house projects.

However, it's all for the greater good.

We closed on the lake property in Missouri, and today we received the survey for the lot in North Carolina, and the check for the Missouri property.

We're pretty sure of the house we'll build, so as long as it will fit and still have enough yard for a wood shop, we'll close.

CC

[AislinGirlII]

Same here. Way too long between sails..over a year. Heading to Long Beach this weekend to swap out the shroud tangs for new ones, step the mast. Hopefully a quick maiden trip Sunday morning. Lots of projects left to do, but for now we will enjoy what we have.

www.svemergencyexit.net/aislingirl2

[HeaveToo]

AislinGirlII, you will like your new solid bobstay.  I did that modification last year when I broke a strand of my bobstay.  I think that it looks really good and it is a firm support, especially since I have a 22lb claw anchor up there!

[deisher6]

Hey HeaveToo:
I just returned Sunday from helping bring a '76 Tartan 34C from the Connecticut  River to DC.  We went up the Delaware, down the Chesapeake, then up the Potomac.  Got beat up some on the Delaware, the lower Chesapeake,  and lower Potomac.  However it was a good boat and we met the skipper's schedule.  A good experience in all.

I am very anxious to get our boat out again on the Neuse.

regards charlie

[HeaveToo]

That sounds like a good trip.  The Chesapeake Bay and Lower Potomac River can be tough spots in the wrong weather.  I am glad that you made your delivery okay and time went good.  You definitely went through some beautiful areas.  What places did you stop along the way?

[deisher6]

Hey HeaveToo:  On Long Island Sound, Bridgeport and just off of the Merchant Marine Academy at Stevens Point, anchored out both places.  On the Jersey Coast, Manesquan, Alantic City (2 days) and Cape May.  On the Delaware, Delaware City. On the Chesapeake, Still Pond (I think) and a nice tight anchorage about 5 km past the drawbridge on the right. I do not have that chart. And Pax river, across from the NAS. On the Potomac, Breton Bay and Mattawoman Creek, Capitol Yacht Club.  We were going to try to stay at Quantico, but the skipper did not have any permanent registration.

Skipper was also on a budget so we anchored out much of the time, which was actually pretty nice, peaceful.  My wife picked me up in DC and we stopped by Quantico on our way back to New Bern.  Q Town or the Base is not what it was in '70 when I was first assigned there.  However the National Marine Museum if worth a visit is you are short of Marine lore.

The most memorable thing that I saw was an old USNA boat that now belongs to NAS Pax River.  It was on the hard near where we tied up.  It had 12 winches, 3 on each side of the mast, 1 more on each side towards the end of the coach roof and 2 more on each side of the cockpit.  Beautiful boat named Valiant.

regards charlie

[AislinGirlII]

AislinGirlII, you will like your new solid bobstay.  I did that modification last year when I broke a strand of my bobstay.  I think that it looks really good and it is a firm support, especially since I have a 22lb claw anchor up there!

Good Point, I never thought about the benefit of resisting downward pressure from weight..Still not stepped and rigged. Weather forecast was 80% chance rain and thunderstorms, so postponed a week..not worth a 6 hour round trip to find out if weatherman was wrong

[HeaveToo]

Ack...That sucks!

I am heading down there tonight.  I plan to take off tomorrow for an overnight cruise.  I am thinking Canoe Neck Creek based on the weather forecast.  The weather is in a summer pattern with evening storms.  There is good holding in most of the anchorages I go to.  Who knows, I may go to Nonomi Bay but I like the water better in Bretton Bay and Canoe Neck Creek, just seems cleaner to me with a bit higher visibility.

Good luck when you get down there.  I am not sure when my next overnight trip will be.  When the weather gets above the 80s in the night it gets a bit brutal aboard.

[HeaveToo]

So I'm sitting here in canoe neck Creek watching some storms better heading my way. It is hot as can be aboard my boat as well. I guess this is all part of the adventure. I can hear distant rumbles of thunder and see lightning flashing.  On nights like these, I'm glad I have a very heavy anchor.

[HeaveToo]

I was just sent some really cool pictures by my Uncle who was out sailing his boat during the cruise.

Ok....So I managed to set the spinnaker and the wind built to 15 knots.  I flew it for a while and then dumped it like a pro (things actually worked out as I had planned).
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm199/HeaveToo/May%202015%20Cruise/Saga%20Spinnaker%202_zpso28asnwd.jpg
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm199/HeaveToo/May%202015%20Cruise/Saga%20Spinnaker%201_zps2kbyncps.jpg

In this picture I am entering the Pax River surfing some crazy waves.  I was going against 1.5 knots of current and the speed on the GPS read 7 knots when I was surfing the waves!  There was about 20 knots of wind behind me in this picture:
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm199/HeaveToo/May%202015%20Cruise/Saga%20Surfing_zpsboxwvpiy.jpg

This picture is just a nice sailing picture.  The crazy part is that I was in a jacket and pants because it was cool when I started my cruise.  It ended up HOT and the last cruise was extra hot!
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm199/HeaveToo/May%202015%20Cruise/Saga%20Sailing_zpsypz3arrw.jpg