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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

How many more days out?

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5381 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/07/2009 : 21:17:34

The winds of October have really started clocking above 15 kts in the past few days.

On Sunday, Cathy and I went out and got no more than ~5kts out of the SW. The boat did less than 3kts most of the time. Cathy gets seasick under about 4kts.

On Monday, we got a frontal passage and the winds went to NW at 15-20 with gusts to 25. I went lake fishing in my kayak, and did pretty well, but there was no sailing.

Tuesday I went out and the SWerlies built up 10 to 15 with 20kt gusts. I shortened the main and partly furled the genoa, but the boat would either heel excessively (20+ degrees), or it would just poke along at 2kts and it would not point.

Today we had 20-30s with gusts to 45 kts (at 12:30 pm). Needless to say, I did not go out. I double tied the boat on the slip and added fenders. In the past few weeks, I've also been adding a separate wrap on the furling jib, just to keep it from unraveling.

Tomorrow, we will have NW winds between 12 and 15 mph, and gusts to 20. Invigorating conditions to say the least.

So I wonder, how many more days of sailing are left here in New England?

I realize some folks have already hauled out their boats, and I plan to haul Passage around the end of the month. Would really be nice to have a good handful of 70+ degree days with 8-12 kt winds before its all over...

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3467 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 03:13:31

We had heavy winds yesterday but today is supposed to be a great day. I am planning on sailing after work. May take off an hour or two early if i can manage it ! Great time of year right now as long as weather cooperates. Much less boat traffic out there making it easier if I have to tack up a channel.

My days for sailing are not ending...I sail throughout the year. We have flow agitators in the water. So, as long as temps are generally high 30s or above and the Potomac River does not freeze over and the passgae out of the marina is clear of ice, I sail. The other year in mid-winter, I took a look out of our office building and saw that the river was clear of ice, so I planned to sail. Got down to the marina and my slip area was clear of ice but just past my slip was a small sheet of ice that I would have to pass by and so I decided to go for it. Lot's of ice breaking noise ! Was starting to have second thoughts about going out...but turned out okay and a good sail. Then had to break through again getting back to my slip. Just this one 50 ft area had a sheet of ice otherwise it was clear. No damage to the boat....though, I may not do that again !

Edited by - OLarryR on 10/08/2009 03:19:08

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 04:36:18

We raced C-22's last weekend in our Oktoberfest Regatta, I crewed for a fellow fleet member. Came in first! Winds Sat. were 12-15 with gusts around 20. We have one more regatta in 2 weeks. Last regatta is the first weekend in December. Luckily we get some favorable impact from the warm gulf breezes.

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pfduffy
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 07:50:45

Sailed this past weekend on the Barnegat Bay. Conditions were great - winds about 5 to 8 and temperature around 70 degrees. Very few motorboats disturbing the peace (which is not the case in the summer on ol' Barney.)

I single handed for the first time. No damage to me, the boat or anyone else, so I am going to call it a success. Started making a mental list of required improvements to make single handing easier since my boat is rigged exactly the way it was when it left the factory.

I'm going to try to stay in until the end of November.

Edited by - on

Tom Gauntt
Navigator

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204 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 09:13:29

Sailed on Tuesday and headed to the boat right now.

Fabulous conditions on the Chesapeake this week.

Might sail tomorrow, might go to the Annapolis Boat Show and look at stuff I'll never be able to afford.

Toying with the idea of leaving the boat in all winter with an ice-eater. Something pretty neat about the possibility of a "New Years Day" sail.

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 10:10:59

Tom,

How about meeting at Sandy Point Light that day, weather permitting?

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 11:52:18

We stay in until the first week or so of November. This (Holiday) weekend is looking to be pretty good between mid Saturday and late Monday...we're planning a Greenport trip.

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5381 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2009 : 20:18:22

I got out again this afternoon and at first the breezes were light and I was able to let out full sails and tacked up about 5 miles. Then the wind started to build to a sustained 15 with gusts to 20.

At that point, I was able to quarter on long downwind broad-reach tacks. With the waves building I got to do some surfing. It was a lot of fun.

I found I was not alone. There were several power boaters out fishing for stripers, and lots of sailors out and about.

I will be away this Columbus Day weekend [visiting inlaws!], but hope to have a few more mild days before the end of October.

Edited by - on

Chris Z
Captain

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452 Posts

Response Posted - 10/09/2009 : 05:08:30

No time left for my C25 this year. Did want to comment that the pulling of the boat was made much easier because of advise and ideas learned on this site. We had her ready to go down the road in just over an hour. The A-Frame mast raising makes it such a breeze.

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Nukey
Deckhand

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USA
13 Posts

Response Posted - 10/09/2009 : 12:56:53

I think I'm just going to throw in the towel...it just won't stop raining around here! I was trying to hold out for one more nice sail.

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KD4AO
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2009 : 05:54:25

Man I sure wish some of that cooler air would make it down here. We are in about a 7 day stretch of mid 90s heat, no wind and fairly high humidity. I have work to do on the boat but that is just too much. Now watch, since I have officially complained, the weather will turn instantly cold.
I do fondly remember the good old days growing up in Seattle area with all the cold and rain but I don't think I could go back to that. We used to joke about summer in Seattle being on Thursday this year.
All kidding side, it sure seems like you guys up north are having to put your boats away awfully early this year. And we are welcoming snow birds back here early. Did someone say Global Warming?

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 10/10/2009 : 06:23:04

Yeah Bob, it's the same in Daytona. Instead of waxing Bamboo's hull tomorrow I'll be fixing my washing machine at home ....... close to the a/c!

Edited by - on

ruachwrights
Captain

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USA
258 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2009 : 19:28:41

Looking forward to a nice sail tomorrow. May be one of the last sails of the season though. Need to figure out how to make a tarp frame out of PVC or something since I don't have the boat units for shrink wrap. This will take time and some seasonable weather.

Oh well, time to start looking for the winter sailing books I shall be soon skippering.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5381 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2009 : 19:45:46

If you're interested in putting a tarp over the boat, its good to know whether you plan to keep the mast up or take it down.

With mast down, prop the mast horizontal along the cabintop at the centerline of the boat, then get a 40'x20' tarp and maybe a bunch of 1"x2" 4 foot crossmembers and tie it down and you're done. It you pitch the crossmembers downward, most of the snow slides off. If not, keep the snow shovel handy to prevent weight buildup.

With mast up, I get two 16'x12' tarps and cover the fore with one and the aft with the other using the boom as a centerline in the aft and a 12 foot 1"x2" from the mast to the bow pulpit to hold up the tarp.

I overlap the tarps near the mast using eyelets I insert into the tarps and join them using string. Works great.

I use dark green or black tarps to absorb the sun's heat during the day, so the cabin will be warm if I need to do some work inside.

While shrink warp is a lot easier to do, once you come up with your method of tarping the boat, you've got something that works for about $50-$60.

Edited by - Voyager on 10/11/2009 19:48:04

John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 10/11/2009 : 19:50:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ruachwrights
 ...Need to figure out how to make a tarp frame out of PVC or something since I don't have the boat units for shrink wrap. ....<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I take the mast down and lay it on 2 stands, one in the cockpit and one on the foredeck so that the mast is level and can act as a "ridge beam". It's high enough to allow standing headroom n the cockpit and crawl space on deck. I then lace a light line from lifeline to lifelin over the ridge pole forming a web that can support a large poly tarp. It worked very well last year and didn't take much time to assemble or dis-assemble in the spring. I think the web was tied at around 18" intervals and took about 50' feet of cordage. The one thing that I'll improve this year over last is provided chafe protection for the tarp at stanchions and a couple of other areas along the mast. I'm planning to use thos swim noodle foam things.

That's my project for next weekend and if I remember, I'll try to get some photos.

Edited by - John Russell on 10/11/2009 19:51:23

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