- Felicite's track.
- Sailing 13 to 15th June 2012.JPG (54.08 KiB) Viewed 7526 times
Usually there are a lot of things to do before getting to the boat, shopping charging batteries etc so it is usually early afternoon before I get to the boat. This trip was no different.
I've been wanting to get back out to sea but with 4m seas it wasn;t gong to be possible. Everything on the boat is about to ready to go. I heard a rattle in the prop shaft, the anode has come loose again but the water is too merky with all the rain and its too cold just yet.
The system of dropping out the sail slugs to reef was too cumbersome, even though I'd been using it for 20 years. On most boats its just a simple split pin or an R pin across the track.
Toms system on Tales using a gate was recommended but its too complicated for me to install. KISS is the best principle.
I got underway late and the sun was setting. I thought I still had plenty of light. Wrong. By the time I got to Pulbah Is the sun had well and truly set. I’d been rained a couple of times, quite heavily in fact and thought this is going to be a good night. When I got to the Island the public mooring was taken so I headed for the other end of the beach, not wishing to crowd the other boat as we were the only two boats on the island. I dropped the pick, dug it in with a “Cruising Drop” and all seemed to be ok.
I tried some fishing with the super lure that the fishing tackle salesman said worked really well. I’ve used it about 4 times and caught nothing! Old fishermen still lie even when they’re salesmen!
Time for dinner. I’m trying some canned meals, sorry Di but it’s the easiest way to make a meal for one. (The spam is still in the food locker). I tried a tin of “all day breakfast” that consisted of baked beans and sausages and 3 slices of thinly cut mushrooms. The easiest way to serve this is to, open the tin, and empty it straight into the Porta Potti. It cuts out the middle man. Boy was it rough. I’ve still got another tin on board for guests, that I want to get rid of !
The rain continued for a little longer with a couple of heavy showers, as predicted. Then it cleared about 2000hrs. The night was clear and without a moon the sky was spectacular. Although I was about 3 ½ miles from the sea the surf was extremely loud.
Thursday
The morning was cold and clear. I went for a walk on the island, stretched the legs checked out the beach. There didn’t seem to be many razor clams on this end of the beach. They’re taking over in a lot of spots. I was talking to a waterskier and he was saying that they are spreading rapidly throughout the southern section of the lake. Scientists are saying that their proliferation is indicative of a healthy lake. You’ve gotta be careful and wear sandshoes when getting out of the dinghy. There are recipes for them and they cook up like oysters I’m told.
In the morning there was no wind so I tried to remember how the storm sails are rigged. The storm main went on pretty much as I remembered. The storm Jib was supposed to tie over the top of the furled No 2 but it wouldn’t slide over the sail. The UV strip is weathered and rough. I’ve got to take the No 2 off and put the storm jib up the track. Might look at that idea of putting a sleeve over the sail on the luff. In the racing rules they require that the storm sails must be able to fit over a furler. That is because an out of control spinnaker pole can hit the furler section crimp the sail luff and not allow it to be taken off the furler. Logical I suppose.
After noon and there was still no wind. I motored back to the club. Wind warriors remote control yachts was cancelled again. I had dinner at the club, couldn’t face another tin of Pal.
I motored over to the lee of Green Point, a noreaster had come up to about 10 to 15 knots. It was rapidly getting cold and the air was feeling heavy. The port lights were dripping with condensation INSIDE the boat. I don’t know how to beat the condensation on the portlights. Later that night there was low fog hanging over Toronto again.
Friday
The noreaster had hung in all night. I sailed to Marmong Cove, tacking in all the bays and working the wind shifts around the various headlands. I checked out Bears boat at Croudace Bay, Yep it was still on the mooring! Did you know it’s a Mk 1? They’re supposed to be the prettiest MK of all. Beauty is in the eyes of the Bear holder. Oh dear! You’ve been at sea too long Mr Christian !
A 35ft centre cockpit boat came out of Marmong Marina as I got there. He set sail and gybed down the lake with me. Only 2 boats on the lake and we’re having a race! Typical. Felicite held her own to Toronto where he put up a Code Zero and managed to squeeze past me at Coal pt. To gybe he had to furl the sail by pulling the sock down the sail, re hoisting it on the new side, hoisting the sock and resheeting the sail.
It was a 10mile sail dead square with the poled out genoa. Felicite was doing between 2 and 5 knots in the Nor wester. I sailed right down into Crangan Bay to Gwandalan where I turned around. The other boat motored past me into the wind with his in-mast furling main 80% out. It was jammed and he was in a spot of bother. He went into the lee of Pulbah Is where he spent about an hour fixing it. Keep it simple!
I sailed all the way back to the mooring without even getting the gunnel wet. That is one of the best sails I’ve had in a ling time.
Winter sailing can really be great, you’ve just got to rug up for the cold nights. There are some great nights and there’s not many people about. Don’t tell anyone how good Lake Macquarie is, I’m not.
