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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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First sail

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mcollard
1st Mate

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USA
38 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/30/2006 : 00:13:00

Well, while you are breathlessly awaiting the full story of Dennis’ thrilling adventures, you can read the much more boring tale of my first sail on the C25 I bought this winter. The Eagle is a 1984 TR/SK. After spending several weekends trying to do things to the keel and other areas that I learned about on this website, the big day was Sunday–we had a 10:00 appointment with the boat lift. My plan was to splash the boat, spend a little time checking the motor and rigging, and sail or motor 3 hours or so across Lake Winnebago, Wisconsin, to our slip. The teasers about djn’s “three hour tour” did not help me sleep better the night before.

Arriving just after 9:00 with my family, to give us time to wrap up a few things before launch, we found the marina crew already lifting the boat off its cradle. Wait! I at least need to slap some bottom paint where the pads were! Boat put into water without incident. Helpful marina guy: “You’d better check right away to see if any water is coming in.” I dash below to check all the possible points of entry for water, finding all to be dry, while the staff probably has a chuckle at my expense. Helpful marina guy: “You really shouldn’t let those wires to the motor drag in the water, and need to wrap those connections with electrical tape.” Me: “That’s one of the things I certainly would have done if you hadn’t lifted my boat an hour ahead of schedule.”

My two sons, ages 9 and 13, and I cast off, while my wife drives around the lake to meet us, with a stop at the mall in between. We motor out of the harbor and past a few hundred fishing boats crammed into a few acres of prime walleye real estate, and decide to lower the keel and raise the sails. “Cameron, lower the keel. What’s taking so long, Cameron? Any day now, Cameron.” “But Dad, this is really hard.” It turns out that raising or lowering a 1500-lb. keel is a lot more difficult than the 550-lb. keel we are used to from our C22. Who knew. When the keel is finally down, we raise the main, and off we go.

We have a gorgeous day for sailing. Clear skies, 80 degrees, and winds in the 10-15 mph range from the SSE, which should just allow us to reach our slip on a single tack. To our delight, we are making nearly 5 knots with the main alone. We don’t know the boat, so we don’t want to push it, but we start experimenting with the sails. Cameron and I figure out how to rig a single line reefing. We settle on a reefed main and 2/3 of the genoa as a comfortable sail plan.

One glitch is that the electronics suddenly cut out. Cabin lights, etc. also don’t work. I study up on the emergency pull start procedures for the motor. Eventually I decide that the main service switch in the DC panel is broken. Does anyone know the correct replacement part for this switch?

As we cruise across the lake, I am just glad that our long winter (we had frost last Monday) is finally and emphatically over. The sail is going so smoothly that I let the 9-yr. old take the helm for 20 minutes. Finally he loses control and we round up, probably hitting 20 degrees or so of heel. Since then Lucas has told everyone he meets that he was steering and almost tipped the boat over.

We reach entrance to our harbor in 2-1/2 hours, well under our expected time. We lower the sails, start the motor, and head for the bouy that marks the entrance to the channel. That’s where overconfidence set in. The channel should be deep enough, although with our C22 we usually raised the keel just to be safe, but cranking the keel on this one is such a pain in the patoot, I just thought we’d try skipping that step. The ensuing series of thuds and jolts quickly increased my motivation for cranking. The 5 coats of barrier coat I put on the keel now bear indentations from several rocks.

My wife is at an open spot on the sea wall, waiting to be picked up to go for a quick sail, but with the constant flow of fishing boats I have no room to approach the wall. I decide to head for the slip and pick her up there. As I approach the slip, I have to swing wide in the channel to make a sharp 90-degree turn into the slip. There is still a lot of power boat traffic coming the other way. I slow down as much as possible, hoping that traffic will clear and allow me to swing wide. At first I think it is hopeless, then at the last second I decide that I have just enough room. Well, in my C22 I would have. The C25 doesn’t maneuver quite as easily, so end up headed straight for a power boat, then almost hit a concrete wall.

My wife manages to jump aboard after I manage to just avoid a collision, and we head out for another hour or two of sailing on a beautiful day. I hope I have another 20 days of sailing as good as this one during the summer.

Mike Collard
Eagle
1983 TR/SK #4026

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2006 : 00:56:08

If your main switch was anything like mine, replace it. I had a standard switch controlling the whole panel. It would get hot when all the lights were on. It eventuall fried and made the whole electrical panel suspect. I re-wired it and installed an big red switch to turn the power off and on. 2 years later and no problems. It also gave me an extra place for a new circuit.

Tom.

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3521 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2006 : 05:16:36

Mike,

Nice story of first sail - It wasn't that boring ! LOL

Sounds like you need a depthfinder or fishfinder unless you have one and it was just that the power went out.

Anyway, have a nice second sail and beyond !

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2006 : 08:33:14

Congratulations on your first sail, Mike. It sounds like you had a good time along with the typical "oops!" and "oh geez!" associated with sailing an unfamiliar boat. I seem to remember having the same issues when I first sailed my boat, but the language was probably a little saltier.

Anyway, very nice story, Mike. It made for a nice breakfast read. Thanks.

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2006 : 10:52:11

Thanx for the tale. Its almost comforting to hear that I'm not the only sailor on this site that has to deal with late season frost.

That Keel is a great way for your sons to show Dad just how strong they are.
Have a great season.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2006 : 11:41:08

20 good sailing days in the whole summer! I'll have than many in June.

Nice story. Welcome to the fleet.

Edited by - on

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.