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Venturing Offshore

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Tray
Navigator

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Namibia
224 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/02/2002 : 09:35:32

Having been assured repeatedly that the 250 is fine for coastal sailing, and given a forecast of smooth inland waters with only 1 to 3 foot seas, I am going to leave to protection of our Sound today.

Hopefully I'll have a pleasant sea story tonight.<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle>

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"
<img src="http://members.sailnet.com/profile/uploads/weenybean/2002_0428AF.JPG" border=0>

Edited by - on

Tray
Navigator

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Namibia
224 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2002 : 20:41:30

Just got back a couple hours ago. What a great sail!<img src=icon_smile.gif border=0 align=middle> The wind was steady 10-15 knots all day. A nice seabreeze allowed us to beam reach the whole way out to the Sound. The admiral kept the helm all day, leaving me free to tweak the sails. We got out to the jetties, and there weren't any seas at all. It was really fun, but I don't think it counts towards offshore experience, since we didn't have any swells to contend with, but that first hurdle is behind us, kind of like the first time I hoisted both sails in the river. That has become routine. I'm still amazed how few sailors actually sail in the ICW of the Amelia river. I pass them all the time towing their dingies under power. Once in awhile I'll pass a boat with it's jib up while under power, but that's about it. Anyway, here's a snapshot tacking through the jetties.

<img src="http://members.sailnet.com/profile/uploads/weenybean/2002_0602AD.JPG" border=0>

We were close hauled on the STBD tack, then we'd shoot across the channel on a beam reach on the PORT tack and then tack back again. I hope everyone else had a good day. I can't wait to get back out there, maybe we'll get some small swells to try.

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"
<img src="http://members.sailnet.com/profile/uploads/weenybean/2002_0602AT.JPG" border=0>

Edited by - on

Ben - FL
Admiral

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880 Posts

Response Posted - 06/02/2002 : 21:29:25

As they say, "any sail you come back from is a good one!"

Glad you had a good experience. My only time going out Cumberland sound was the one I mentioned in the Hove-To posting. Twenty-five knot winds and eight foot seas and rougher than a corn cobb in the inlet.

I didn't get out this weekend, but here are some pics from last weekend when I stayed two nights on-board to go to the Bonnie Raitt concert at Metro Park.

<img src="http://www.members.aol.com://benraye/pictures/concert.jpg" border=0>
Chick-a-pea @ Metropolitan Marina w/ Atell Stadium in background

<img src="http://www.members.aol.com://benraye/pictures/concert2.jpg" border=0>
This is her w/ the city police and fire boats dock behind. You can just see the peaks of the stage tent in the upper right.

<img src="http://www.members.aol.com://benraye/pictures/concert3.jpg" border=0>
and this would be where the stage is

<img src="http://www.members.aol.com://benraye/pictures/concert4.jpg" border=0>
Saw an old friend and his daughter exploring the docks so had to show off my Chick-a-pea. She climbed all over the boat and had to try the head too! Very smart girl.

<img src="http://www.members.aol.com://benraye/pictures/captcook.jpg" border=0>
and I now have a new mascot for my boat. This is a crow I've named Capt. Cook that is a juvenile and fell out of his nest.



Safe voyages,
Ben, FL s/v Chick-a-pea C250wk

Edited by - on

ssteakley
Captain

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USA
467 Posts

Response Posted - 06/04/2002 : 23:12:22

Tray,
those of us sailing on lakes love to here about the 250 managing the ocean, PLEASE be sure to post any further coastal experieces. And the pictures are great,
Steve Steakley
Canyon Lake Texas
Moon Chaser #385 WK

Edited by - on

Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 06/04/2002 : 23:29:09

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Tray,
those of us sailing on lakes love to here about the 250 managing the ocean, PLEASE be sure to post any further coastal experieces. And the pictures are great,
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>
Diddo.
Tray ,and anybody else that would care to share sea stories on a 250. I have plans to sail in Block Island Sound next summer and would sure like to hear how seaworthy the 250 is in real life situations.

Ray Seitz C 250WB #628

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2002 : 12:11:23

Ray, I have coastal cruised my c250 w/b on the Great Lakes now for several summer vacations from Texas. The Great Lakes while not blue water... offer some challenge. The c250 seems well suited and has handled some tougher conditions with little problem.

The water ballast version seems to be quite stable. It is resistant to hobby horsing. I balanced my rudder three years ago and added a small skeg and find the handling to be very good. She will sail in winds up to 30 knots under double reefed main. We motored last summer across a 5 mile section of the North end of the Georgian Bay with a 25 knot south wind and 8 ft swell. The XLS Honda 8 never spun her prop out of the water.

In some ways...that passage may have been foolish... There were only three miles of leeway... if the motor had failed... it could have been interesting. I did have the 2nd reef set and would only have needed to haul up the main for a beam reach across to safety. But, the c250 experiences a lot of leeway.

Though I have sailed in those winds before, the fetch was sixty miles and the swell was very lumpy near the lee shore.

Motoring in these conditions is not a question of having enough power...but rather in keeping the prop buried. In fact, I cut power back to perhaps a third for the 8 hp. Faster, is to fly off crest to crash into the troughs.

Of concern about the c250 and coastal cruising is the experience factor of the skipper. To profile c250 owners, some have moved up from Cats, day sailors, 22's etc., some have moved down...but there are also many for whom this boat is a first choice. Likely, not many of us have vast amounts of experience.

Experience is a valuable tool when conditions get tougher. The point I'm trying to make is, those who can see the potential of what can go wrong...will avoid it. If a skipper doesn't see potential hazards all over the place... beware...because they are there... and will bite... unless intentionally avoided. Even a lucky captain will discover the odds.

There are some things about the c250 to make her cruiser comfortable and safe. She is produced as a very basic boat. Reefing is high on the list. She must have a deep second reef. I'm not a believer that lines have to be to the cockpit...but that will depend upon the skipper or crews comfort level. If no one can go onto the cabin top with the boat in a seaway...then reefing and other lines must be led aft.

She should have a very dependable XLS motor that WILL rotate for steering. The rotation doesn't have to be full...but should be twenty degrees.

She should be kept away from lee shores and docks. She has a lot of leeway in a breeze...

IMHO... because she will be used for a lot of coastal work, perhaps sailed in a lot of new places because she trailers so easy, and again...is sailed by less experienced captains... she should have a fixed gps and a loud...depth sounder. A skipper like all humans can only process a given amount of input. If navigation (where the hell am I) becomes consuming...there is little time for other things to get noticed. Also, I would not want to think that I had to strain to hear or that I might miss a sounder warning.

Some sounders support external alarms... radio shack has some that you will not miss hearing ... and I'm talking even if Dire Straits are singing "The Walk of Life". Set as an anchor alarm...if you don't hear it at night... then it won't make a difference anyway...because your all ready dead.

There are many other things for safety and comfort. One Danforth...is not adequate ground tackle for cruising. There are some bottoms that it will not take hold. Fans, additional ice chest, grill, auto helm, etc... Even some little things, like a mosquito net are important to overall cruising enjoyment and safety.

The big picture is... the c250 has proven herself capable of my cruising needs... I've sailed her across 90 miles of open water...with plans to do again this summer. See ya on North Lake Huron or in the North Channel or Georgian Bay...

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224

Edited by - on

Tim
Deckhand

Members Avatar

USA
7 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2002 : 12:23:44

My wife and I regularly sail our C250 #467, "Natural Mystic", the 41 miles from Dana Point, CA to Two Harbors, Catalina Island, CA and have yet to run into anything the boat couldn't handle with ease. We're headed over again Friday night for the Catalina Wine Festival this weekend<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>. As long as you keep a good eye on the weather, you should do fine. It helps to have a tillerpilot (or autopilot if you have a wheel)and to keep the reefing lines rigged so that you can shorten sail from the cockpit if necessary.

Have Fun!

Tim

Edited by - on

Tray
Navigator

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Namibia
224 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2002 : 16:46:56

I still haven't completed my autotiller install. The forecast for this weekend is gloomy, so I may do it then rather than sail. The admiral and I have already begun talking about how nice it would be to have it on those long legs.

I agree with Arlyn concerning seeing dangers about. My problem is that I see danger constantly, and sometimes let that perception limit my growth as a sailor. With experience I am beginning to push my boundaries, but I won't go offshore in heavy weather, yet. I doubt if I ever would willingly. If I get caught in a storm, I'll deal with it, but I wouldn't want to seek out heavy weather offshore just to see what happens.

The training ground I'm looking for is small sea state. I want to experience a few swells to see how the boat handles, and how I would handle the boat. I do intend to take baby steps first. It took experience for me to become comfortable with the boat heeled. No matter how many people told me the boat will handle it, I would still let out the main at the first sign of heeling. As I got comfortable with it, I began to enjoy it. The wife and I now take turns seeing how far we can get the boat over without losing speed. That confidence is what I hope to gain by heading offshore when the weather permits. I'll be sure to keep everyone posted on the results. A former skipper I had told me that it only takes a few hours to learn how to sail, but you'll spend a lifetime getting it right.

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"
<img src="http://members.sailnet.com/profile/uploads/weenybean/2002_0602AT.JPG" border=0>

Edited by - on

MarkTM
Navigator

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USA
178 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2002 : 17:03:13

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>The wife and I now take turns seeing how far we can get the boat over without losing speed.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

I added a Rieker double scale inclinometer soon after I bought my C250wb because I wanted to prove to my wife that were not, in fact, about to go over. She wouldn't believe me when I said we were heeling only 15º. Of course, it helps me, too, by giving me feedback on the heel angle when I'm trying to get the most speed I can out of the boat. For $30, you cannot go wrong.

Mark Melchior
C250wb "Lorelei" #384
[url="http://www.texassailor.com/"]<img src="http://www.texassailor.com/texas.gif " border=0>[/url]
(click flag to visit Central Texas Sailor)

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Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 06/05/2002 : 20:59:16

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote> The big picture is... the c250 has proven herself capable of my cruising needs... I've sailed her across 90 miles of open water...with plans to do again this summer. See ya on North Lake Huron or in the North Channel or Georgian Bay...

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224
<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Arlyn by any chance would you be sailing near the Les Cheneaux Islands (Lake Huron; southern upper peninsula) in the next to the last week of August? The CMDR has not reviewed or approved our travel orders yet, but I think we are headed thereabouts in Aug.

Ray Seitz C 250WB #628

Edited by - Ray Seitz on 06/05/2002 21:01:14

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2002 : 09:39:11

Ray, Not sure yet, my plans are for two sections of cruising in August with two different crews. I'm certain that the latter one will be Aug 25 - Jun 1.

Tentative plans for that cruise were either of two directions depending on winds... If other than north... we will likely sail north to Presque Isle Harbor (day 1), then cross to the Les Cheneaux (Snows - day 2), Hessel, Mackinaw Island, and then back home via coast of lower peninsula.

If we face a stiff North breeze the starting day... will likly depart Harrisville, Mi across to South Bay, Manitoulin Is, Ontario. on a beam reach. Its a 90 mi leg. Spend a few days at places in the Georgian Bay... then return.

Not much thought has been given to the earlier cruise which will likely be Aug 11 thru 22. Its possible that we might come out of the North Channel at Detour Passage and spend a day in the Snows prior to heading South which would put us there about the 18-19. As always...winds tend to dictate and alter plans.

The Les Cheneaux islands are a great cruise. Hessel is a nice quite place. The waters around the area are super.

Arlyn C-250 W/B #224

Edited by - on

Ray Seitz
Captain

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USA
416 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2002 : 21:25:19

Arlyn it sounds like we may be in close proximity to one another, in that time frame, perhaps we could meet you up there<img src=icon_smile_cool.gif border=0 align=middle>. I will e-mail you, if thats ok, once we make more definitive plans. Do you have any recommendations for cruising guides or other literature that are good resources to consult during the research phase. thanks

Ray Seitz C 250WB #628

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coldducks
Captain

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USA
342 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2002 : 23:43:27

tray, we feel the same way. baby steps are the way to go. but we are in boston harbor and get to go out into the open water. we get the swells and this boat can manage them. how long have you been sailing?

COLDDUCKS
FANTASY #409 C250WK

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Tray
Navigator

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Namibia
224 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2002 : 06:55:49

Since November '01. We just finished ASA Keel Boat Certification in April, but by the time we took that course, we had already taught ourselves the basics. The best part of the ASA course was MOB training. I am pretty confident now that if I went over, my wife would know what to do.

Tray
C-250WB #554
"Weeny Bean"

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