Spring fever

Moderator: GreenLake

Spring fever

Postby Alan » Fri Feb 04, 2011 7:24 pm

We've had a series of near-70 degree days here in the south SF Bay Area, and I had my first day off in a month, and the boat was sitting there in the back driveway. Some observations:

Raising a hinged mast single-handed isn't all that hard, although it sure does look tall at the point in the process where it's secured only by the hinge pins.

It's better if no one's looking when you rig the boat for the first time in a long time.

Trailered sailboats look a lot less forlorn when they've got the mast and shrouds up. Raise a sail for the first time in months, and it's "Oh, yeah! That's why I do this!"

The Fundamental Law of Important Objects in a Gravitational Field: If something can fall off the boat, it will.

The Law's corollary: It's better if this happens in the driveway than on the water.

Now to find some time, and some water...
Alan
 
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Postby William » Sat Feb 05, 2011 11:11 am

I am green with envy. Here in the Northeast we are buried in snow and I can't even reach my boat without shoveling a path. Ah for the spring when boats are launched and halyards hoisted for their first sail of the season.
William in Millbury
1960? O'day Ospray
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Postby kkearns » Sat Feb 05, 2011 3:22 pm

I agree ... you really know how to make a guy feel envious! Here in Pittsburgh launch day is at least three months off. Still, I took vicarious pleasure reading about your launch and thinking, "spring is out there ... somewhere."

Oh well, we do have a certain football team that hails from Pittsburgh and has a habit of playing games in January and February. Perhaps I'll take solice in throwing another log on the fire and watching the Super Bowl tomorrow.

Happy sailing!

Kevin
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Postby GreenLake » Sat Feb 05, 2011 5:49 pm

70 degrees would be nice - but at least we don't have snow and I've attended the local winter series, held during a time before the weather deteriorates again around the equinox.

The first race, the dinghies didn't start due to a gale warning...

The following week, effectively the first time for me this winter, I found I had managed to forget everything about backing up with a trailer. Well, not everything, but the reflexes were certainly rusty. Rigging took so long that we didn't make it to the starting line in time in the light winds...

Last weekend, a keelboat tried to ram us from behind, and took out the clew of the main with their bow-mounted anchor; the outhaul got snagged and that ripped the endcap from the boom.

After we recovered from the initial shock, and realized the damage was localized, we put the reef into the sail, and were able to at least sail around and watch the race. I was glad I had the reefpoints and reefline and that I had practiced heaving to.

Without the boom cap, we suddenly had "mid-boom" sheeting, with nearly 3:2 reverse purchase (not 1:1 because one part of the sheet didn't pull straight down, but at a 45 degree angle) There was a bit of a blow that day and I noticed it was much harder to uncleat the main, compared to normal. Once we nearly went over, despite the reef, because with the high loads I couldn't get the main free.

This was the first time that I've sailed in this winter series, and pound for pound there seems to be more "adventure" in it than summer sailing :)
~ green ~ lake ~ ~
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