But switched out my jib for my boat's brand-new genoa and went out anyway, since it looked like there might be little bits of wind. There weren't any, but the good news is that swapping out the jib for the genoa was not as hard as I was afraid it was going to be. Also finally added tell-tales to the shrouds. And benefitted from the adjustments I'd made to the tiller yesterday so that it clears the seats. Still having issues with the wind instruments. Need to figure that out tomorrow.
Century Club: Richard Turman
Wednesday, November 2, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Colleagues on another boat in the Round Bay fleet reached out to let me know that they'd be out sailing on Wednesday afternoon and asked if I was interested in joining. I moved some things around on my schedule and was able to go out. their Catalina Capri 22 had a genoa on it while I had only my jib, but I was nonetheless able to keep slightly ahead going upwind. Started out with them pointing higher, but having another boat to pace myself against allowed me to adjust things so I could point about as high. After tacking, went on a beam reach home, and I was able to catch up and pass them after several hundred yards. They then sent some fab pictures, which was so kind!
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Love having the boat in the backyard on a lift so I can take it out spur of the moment at 5:30 and sail until 6:45 -- after the sun goes down. 5-7 knots of breeze, and I had a great single-hand evening ghosting along.
Sunday, October 30, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Great fall colors on the trees and wind ranging from 6-9 knots from the SE in 61-degree weather gave me a great time to practice going upwind, where I managed to consistently go 5 knots in 8 knots of true wind. Ran a course starting at E and ending at N and then ran home, going 3-4 knots wing-and-wing all the way to the Red channel marker. Then shot into Valentine going 5 knots and furled the jib and ghosted all the way to the slip. Really a beautiful evening. Tightened the top batten, so hopefully we'll lose the pucker there going forward. We'll see.
Saturday, October 29, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
7-8 knots from the South with a high temperature of 62 but sunny proved great sailing conditions to take Lark out with a buddy. First he steered and I crewed and then we switched. He caught up and we passed a Catalina 42 going upwind, which was fun!
Saturday, October 22, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
8 knots from the south was enough to draw 8 sailboats out to Round Bay on the Severn on a fall afternoon with 70 degrees. Took Lark out with a performance-minded buddy and was able to get the main to go up a little higher, and find that the windex was mounted slightly off-center. And that the apparent wind angle shown on the instruments isn't equivalent on both tacks. Seems I need to re-configure some things. Great day to be out, though, regularly getting 3.7-4 knots in 7-8 knots apparent. Lovely day!
Sunday, October 16, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Took my wife on my new sailboat for the first time, and drove her around the neighborhood. Low sixties with little of the South wind affecting us on Valentine and Plum creeks. Nice to drive around with a depth gauge for the very first time in waters I've been plying for nine years now, but never with a depth gauge. Really helpful! Then dropped my wife back at the dock and took the sailboat out in 6 knots of breeze from the south, gusting to 10. As more and more clouds rolled and it looked like rain, headed home and got the boat onto her lift straight after the second try, cleaned her up and put everything away.
Saturday, October 15, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Visited the (sailboat!) show in the morning with a buddy looking for a 35' cruiser for his family. Lots to see, but awfully pricey.
Came home and drove my powerboat off my neighbor's lift and brought it from the Severn River over to my dock. Then got my sailboat rigged and ready, and took it out with said buddy in 11-13 knots of breeze, while being followed by the Tartan 245 distributor driving my powerboat and taking photos of us sailing my new boat. Buddy drove and I handled the sheets, and we tacked and jibed back and forth well over a dozen times so good 'action' photos could be taken. Once that was done, powerboat went back to the dock, as did we. So Tartan distributor could join me on my boat and help me understand rig tune and set-up. Headed out into Round Bay in 12-14 knots, and had a beautiful spirited sail with two of us on the rail. Set a new speed record for me in this boat upwind -- previous record was 5.5 knots last weekend in 10 knots of wind, and this time we got it up to 5.8 knots sustained. Really fun!
Then returned to the dock so buddy could drive home and distributor could install transom netting while I drove powerboat back to neighbor's lift.
Four boat rides in an afternoon was exhilarating. And I slept well.
Friday, October 14, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Had a great evening sail, if short, after finishing up zoom calls and finally getting out to the dock by 5:30 and leaving the dock by 5:50. Had a nice ride in 6 knots of wind, managing 3.5 knots upwind headed to race mark B and then turning around and coming home. It was the first time I'd been out there single-handing, and I enjoyed the opportunity to tweak the settings on the main and jib to try to get sail settings to produce the fastest results. Made some progress, but have lots more to do. Beautiful evening in the mid-60's -- which isn't going to last.
Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Number of days:
1 day
Drove like a bat from DC to get home by 5; ended up getting home by 5:09 and leaving the dock by 5:28. Had a great sail with my neighbor on my new T245, Lark, in 9 knots of S wind. Returned to the dock by 6;35, and got everything buttoned down just as the last light left the sky. Perfect timing, but also showing how little time we have after work these days to go sailing, sadly.
Lark performed nicely, getting up to 5.3 knots upwind in 9 knots true. Ran 2/3 of the way down Round Bay, circled around a Catalina 31 heading north, and turned north ourselves, and went downwind about 4-4.8 knots, easily passing the Catalina. A great evening for experimentation. And I finally got the clearance lights to work with the steaming light. And the engine started right up, no problem.