Great to finally get out sailing on my own boat again. Just enough wind from the South at 7 mph to get out from Valentine Creek into the Severn, but then as I rounded the nearest race mark the wind began to die so I quickly jibed around to run downwind for home. Worked until I got back to Valentine, at which point I had to scull, since there was no wind at all.
Beautiful night, though!
Since I'm between boats, hitched a ride on a Bavaria 46 for Round Bay's 2nd race in the first series for this year. Had a great time in winds that my previous Harbor 20 would not have been out in -- 14-18, with gusts over 20. Only five boats came out, and we placed in the middle of the pack on corrected time, but it was great to be on a big boat that could easily handle all that wind. Fantastic!
Had a nice kayak ride after work -- great to be able to ride around Valentine Creek in the evening!
Sunday April 24 was a nice warm day, so I got to take the winter cover off our SeaRay 205, put the battery back in and the bimini on, and put the drain plug in (which requires a kayak ride out to the stern of the boat, on its lift). And then see if it would start.
Luckily, it did, on the very first try --- due to the great winterizing service we get from South Shore Marine.
Took it out, and found that the engine's tilt mechanism was still frozen, in the partially-up position, so I couldn't get the boat up on plane.
Took it back to the lift, and stood on the outdrive after sozzling it with WD-40 while my wife activated the up/down switch. And just as the mechanic had predicted when winterizing it in November, it loosened right up and eventually moved up and down on its own.
Took her out and she performed beautifully.
Great to have the powerboat available again -- ready for spring.
Got to crew on a fellow Round Bay Sailor's boat while mine is being manufactured in Ohio, and it was a beautiful eveining with 6-10 knot breezes from the South, and on a Dehler 39, we were cooking. I've been beaten by this boat over a hundred times when in my Harbor 20, so it was nice to actually be on-board and see how easily she went 7-8 knots. Got to grind winches for the genoa and the symmetrical spinnaker pole. I'd never been on a boat that didn't fly an aysmmetrical spin, so this was all new -- and great to learn!
A great crew on a great boat with good wind and a nice sunset -- great way to start the season!
Took off a bit before sunset into 5-7 mph from the WNW in 68 degree weather, and had a wonderful time. Chatted over a dock with a neightbor who had just managed to get her mainsail and jib onto their furlers for the very first time, which is an exciting time for any sailor. Pushed on up Valentine creek toward its headwaters, into the wind, which had some substantial gustsl. Watched the sun set and then on my wayback downwind happened to look up and see a full moon rising. No boats about, and the only night noises were from a spirited volleyball game at Arden's nearby beach. Wonderful spring evening a perfect time for kayaking -- which brought me to five straight days on the water!
A storm came through about 5 pm, and after the front passed, I took the Sunfish out into a very gusty northerly, onto Valentine Creek off the Severn River. Had some really glorious rides upwind. Dinghy sailing is so exhilerating compared to larger keelboats, since the accleration from a puff is so immediate, and one's constant leaning in and out keeps things in control. Such fun, and so glad sailing is back in my life after the cold months of October, November, December, January, February, and March -- since I sold my keelboat in September and had to wait for everything to warm up before venturing out on my Sunfish. Glorious runs right to the end, when I had such a puff that it drove me so fast downind that it pushed us right up the beach. Fantastic!
Was able get out at 6 pm instead of 6:45 like the previous night, so had more time to really sail on the Severn and out into the middle of Round Bay on 5-8 knots of breeze on a South wind in the low 70's. Fantastic to really 'stretch my legs' and get the Sunfish up on the wind. Beautiful evening.
Light warm wind from the South in the 6-8 range provided a great reason to get out on the Sunfish for the first time this season. Had to scull from our home on Valentine Creek about 200 yards to the Severn, but once there, found great wind and had a fine evening of it.
Great to have 'shorts weather' again, bringing with it the chance to get out on the kayak for the first time in April.