Interesting day on the water
Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:30 amFrom: Karl010203 (Original Message) Sent: 18/01/2008 03:31
I need to mention at this point that my note below re: trip to Noumea can now be fully revoked and removed after my trip this morning !
I was to sail to Bulwer wreck, Moreton Island, from Mooloolaba a total trip of 26nm before picking my brother, and co-owner in the boat, up and spend tomorrow heading to Scarborough and then over to tangalooma.
The BOM forecast was 15/20kts ENE perfect! and the seas 0.9m.
Anyhow long story short - dodged breaking waves on the bar, even though a high tide, only to be greeted by a rather chunky and tall sea. I was crashing over waves, spearing down the backs of them and punching the bow into the following waves... so I thought well over the 0.9 - ha ha ha.
Kept going for 20 or so minutes and then got realistic about the conditions... single handed no lifelines and smashing into this for the next 5 hours or so turned around and headed back in.
I wouldn't have believed anyone that told me, but I actually partially surfed / surged the way back in... a bit out of control and I can see the need for a drougue offshore now!, I think possibly even getting up to around 8 knots. The bar crossing back in was through dodging broken water - mainly sideon - and attracted a crowd on the end of the local rockwall I think eager to see me hit the end of the rockwall.
Anyhow, I got home to check our local waverider bouy and found it was actually just short of 4 metre swells... I will check that wavebouy first next time!
I learnt a couple of things. One, it is still a 25 foot boat. Sounds silly but I was beginning to think it was indestructible. In a swell like that a bit of extra length takes the wild ride out of it.
Two, the outboard only cavitated on the most extreme waves - basically as we dropped off the back of a wave. A long shaft in the well.
Three, I need to set the boat up better for singlehanding, the staunchions are week, and I had no harness or lifeline.
Four, I regretted for these conditions, removing some of the weight of the boat, it has handled better previously with a lot of weight forward, lots of chain in the anchor locker etc.
Five, the boat can handle it, and I have no doubt a lot more, but it is not fun and not something you would choose to do unless you like bruising
Anyhow, no breakages or damage a good experience but wishing I was sitting on the boat at the moment with my can of beans and noodles !
I need to mention at this point that my note below re: trip to Noumea can now be fully revoked and removed after my trip this morning !
I was to sail to Bulwer wreck, Moreton Island, from Mooloolaba a total trip of 26nm before picking my brother, and co-owner in the boat, up and spend tomorrow heading to Scarborough and then over to tangalooma.
The BOM forecast was 15/20kts ENE perfect! and the seas 0.9m.
Anyhow long story short - dodged breaking waves on the bar, even though a high tide, only to be greeted by a rather chunky and tall sea. I was crashing over waves, spearing down the backs of them and punching the bow into the following waves... so I thought well over the 0.9 - ha ha ha.
Kept going for 20 or so minutes and then got realistic about the conditions... single handed no lifelines and smashing into this for the next 5 hours or so turned around and headed back in.
I wouldn't have believed anyone that told me, but I actually partially surfed / surged the way back in... a bit out of control and I can see the need for a drougue offshore now!, I think possibly even getting up to around 8 knots. The bar crossing back in was through dodging broken water - mainly sideon - and attracted a crowd on the end of the local rockwall I think eager to see me hit the end of the rockwall.
Anyhow, I got home to check our local waverider bouy and found it was actually just short of 4 metre swells... I will check that wavebouy first next time!
I learnt a couple of things. One, it is still a 25 foot boat. Sounds silly but I was beginning to think it was indestructible. In a swell like that a bit of extra length takes the wild ride out of it.
Two, the outboard only cavitated on the most extreme waves - basically as we dropped off the back of a wave. A long shaft in the well.
Three, I need to set the boat up better for singlehanding, the staunchions are week, and I had no harness or lifeline.
Four, I regretted for these conditions, removing some of the weight of the boat, it has handled better previously with a lot of weight forward, lots of chain in the anchor locker etc.
Five, the boat can handle it, and I have no doubt a lot more, but it is not fun and not something you would choose to do unless you like bruising
Anyhow, no breakages or damage a good experience but wishing I was sitting on the boat at the moment with my can of beans and noodles !