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Great day sailing

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Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/20/2009 : 18:22:36

With only a week to go before the haul out (maybe I can forestall it a little longer), we had the most exciting day of sailing, and my daughter agrees!

With a steady 12 kts out of the west, I sailed at first with the genoa 2/3rd of the way out and the main on the 1st reef. We heeled to 10 degrees.

Then we went for broke. We took the reef out and opened the genny all the way, and we were heeling at 15+. The GPS indicated that we were doing ~6.2 kts consistently.

Very awesome. As Dave Bristle says, western LI Sound really comes to life in the fall. I'm hoping to get out again on Thursday, but tomorrow Cathy and I are off to the Submarine Museum in Groton CT.

She gets claustophobia big time. I guess we'll have to wing it.

Bruce Ross
Passage ~ SR-FK ~ C25 #5032

Port Captain � Milford, CT

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/20/2009 : 21:02:35

You would've been heeled a little further over here today... I took a group of visitors out--a Q boat (a sleek, classic, all-wood 50-footer) flew by us with spray flying off the bow.

<center>

Q boat Hayday</center>

The season is drawing to a close.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/20/2009 21:04:00

SEAN
Admiral

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USA
772 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2009 : 15:29:00

i was out tuesday ..great day !!

Edited by - on

bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2009 : 18:50:22

If Brandy was still in the water suppose to be 69-70 here in upstate N.Y. tomorrow, winds 15-20 out of the southwest. Season was over on 3 Oct though for us.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/21/2009 : 21:54:28

I am aiming to go out on Thursday for a last sail of the year.
Weekend looks wet and too windy, and I take her up to her winter home on Wednesday morning.
I plan on going out early tomorrow so I can take advantage of the entire day.
Sun sets at 6pm straight up, so I should be home in time for dinner.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2009 : 18:22:41

We are holding out for the 10/31 - 11/1 weekend as our last hurrah of the season!

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2009 : 19:31:04

I got out before noon and the sun was very warm, the breeze was puffy at first, but then it settled down to about 9-12, which was PERFECT!

I was sailing at 5 kts at 60 degrees apparent wind, I didn't really care which way I was going. Just about 2 o'clock, the phone rang, it was my son. "Dad, my car broke down and . . . "

Sail was over. Ouch. I'm hoping that I can do some more sailing on Sunday or Monday.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/22/2009 : 20:44:19

Three letters: AAA.

Edited by - on

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 06:12:50

Bruce, sounds like a great day you had with your daughter. I am a little jealous as mine gets sea sick and really wants to only motor. We do however has a favorite spot that we anchor at and go swimming.
Weather here is still ripe for sailing as its warm and nice local breeze. I will be out this weekend. I know my son will not call me with car problems as he has AAA-I paid for- but if he did and would say, sorry I am out sailing.
Steve A

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 07:35:46

We're forcast for 5" of snow tonight and Saturday and it's been raining or raining and snowing for the past two weeks. An unusual fall to be sure. I ended up tarping the boat for 4 1/2 hours in a rain/snow storm. Fortunately winds were very light. I usually try to wash, wax, and finish any projects left over from the summer. No way this year. I'll just have to wait for a "global warming" week next year.

Edited by - aeckhart on 10/23/2009 07:36:43

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 08:12:10

Dave B - we have AAA Gold! Yet, 'Dad, I need to borrow the car'. Today, he's renting one until the bomber gets fixed.

Steve - My daughter enjoys sailing, but she's still a bit unsure skippering solo. She's pretty fearless crewing though.

I'm a lot jealous because we can't go swimming without a wet suit now as water temps are in the low 60s along with air temps (on a good day). And they're only going downhill in New England as Al Eckhart alludes.

I love Newport Beach marina & area and have a buddy who used to live nearby (now he lives in Tuscany Italy, but that's another story). If home prices ever level out (they won't) between CT and CA, I'd love to live on the lower left coast.

But for now, I'll savor the last waning days of Autumn and dream of May.

edit: Yes Dave "Awwww", I get this way every year about this time....

Edited by - Voyager on 10/23/2009 08:13:27

piseas
Former Treasurer

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USA
2017 Posts

Response Posted - 10/23/2009 : 12:55:48

Bruce, up until a few weeks ago, water temp was 70! The Admiral even jumped in. Sadly those days are gone. Current sea temp 68, brrrrrr.
Hey, but if you are ever in the area, look me up.
Steve A

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/24/2009 : 19:26:02

I would love to. Orange county may very well be in my territory for my (fingers crossed) new job!

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2009 : 18:22:21

Today was a BEAUTY ! ! 10 knots steady - 60 deg air temp...big issue was the MOB at the Moriches inlet, we listened on the VHF...the Guard scrambled a helo and RIB...SeaTow actually got there first and made the rescue...the water is pretty cold by now, that had to be scary...BUT the sunset was spectacular :)

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2009 : 21:05:54

Water temps in LI Sound are approx 58-60 degrees F. Cold shock is not a problem for most people at that temp, and loss of manual dexterity begins within an hour. Loss of consciousness takes place within 2 hours.

A Crew Overboard with a lifejacket on is in a certain amount of danger provided they can be rescued within an hour, while without a lifejacket, survival chances are not good after about 15-30 minutes.

In CT, kayakers are required to wear a lifejacket from Oct 1 to May 31. This is a very wise regulation.

Here are a few sunsets from this evening in CT.

Looking West after Sunset

Looking South over the Wheeler Marsh toward Long Island Sound

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/25/2009 : 21:19:24

They were in the ocean side of the inlet, and we couldn't hear the distress vessel - just the responders - and don't know if they had PFDs. It was a gorgeous sun set, nice shots, you really captured the beauty...plus...THE YANKEES JUST WON ! ! !

Edited by - jerlim on 10/25/2009 21:20:16

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/26/2009 : 20:14:10

My last day out this year was out on LI Sound with light winds that went calm. The water was flat and beautiful, the air was cool and crisp and the sun was nice and warm as I motored in.

I took her back up into the river and we lighted at the slip at 5pm. I removed the sails and a lot of summer items which are headed for my garage loft.

Tomorrow I will motor six miles up the Housatonic River to her winter home, where she'll be hauled out on Wednesday.

I'll pull the engine, the rudder and the cushions on Thursday.

And so goes another summer season in Connecticut. There will still be a few more warm days, but once we change the clocks and get into the long slide down through November, it'll all be over.

Edited by - on

jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Response Posted - 10/27/2009 : 18:14:31

last night was a nice night :) don't know how many are left, but am certain there's only a few...

the bummer is that this was shot at 18:00 hrs...as they say " NON SEMPER ERIT AESTAS"

Edited by - jerlim on 10/27/2009 18:22:02

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5378 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2009 : 15:59:32

I took Passage up the Housatonic to its new winter home. The yard is fine, the price is good and I hope to spend a happy winter tinkering, fixing, adjusting and posting questions here.

It was a mini Oddessy. Two days before, I called Amtrak to schedule a bridge opening at a precise point in the tide. I had to check the charts, currents and tides to make sure I had enough water to make the trip through this skinny piece of water. I asked for an opening at 1600 hours to catch the rising tide upriver.

So finally, the time and day came. It couldn't have been much nastier weather-wise. 48 degrees F, drizzle, strong easterly winds. I put on my underarmor, polypro and fleece, then an outer shell of waterproof nylon. Wool hat, waterproof gloves.

At 3pm, I called the highway bridge and Amtrak bridge one hour before the promised opening. They both told me they have me on their list, but informed me I'd have company for the opening. Two other boats, one power with a tall flybridge "Queen Bee", and the other, a 34 foot older sailor named "Joint Decision", of undetermined manufacture.

The sailor was late, so they held us until he arrived. He was coming from about 8 miles away, but was motorsailing directly into 30 kt winds and spray so it took him a little longer than he thought. Not much fun.

Once they finally opened the bridge, I was in terra incognita - an unknown land. As I had never sailed this part of the river before.

I had consulted NOAA's online chart viewer to get the latest depth data. 28 foot at the bridge, 9 foot by the power plant, 6 foot by the condos, 1.5 at Oronoque Bar, 3 foot by the Sikorsky bridge. 25 feet at the marina. The shallow depths got me kind of nervous.

These are mean low low water measures. The tide chart gave me tide depths relative to low water. Low tide was at 1pm at 1.4 ft. High tide was at 7pm with 6.3 ft. So I thought that I'd be fine at 1/2 tide rising giving me about 3 feet more than reported depths.

As Joint Decision started up the river from the bridge I called him on the VHF and asked what his draft was. I was glad to hear that he needed 4.5 foot of water. I replied, you lead, I'll follow.

He said that he had done this same trip for the past few years, and felt fairly confident that we'd be fine but cautioned: "if you see me stop short, throw your engine in reverse!" He also had his plot in his GPS from the trip last year.

We made turns at every buoy on our way up the river, and then I saw him make a sharp veer in the shallowest spot. I followed instinctively. He called and told me a huge log had gotten stuck just below the surface here, and spotted it with about 10 feet to spare.

As we proceeded, I read 8.2, 7.5, 6.4, 5.8, 6.9, 8.0, 6.5, 7.6 . . . Either these were large stones or submerged logs or junk on the bottom. We both got through here with nary a clunk on the bottom. Better to be lucky than good I thought.

So now its 5pm and darkness is descending over the foggy, drizzly river. We both ran our nav lights, and the amber glow of kitchen lights from the houses along the shore brightened the river. We could still see fine, but wondered whether the fog would thicken up as darkness set in.

We finally made the last turn and saw the lights of the yard up ahead. It was about 5:30. At that point, we parted company but agreed to exchange info when we got to the dock. We both landed and got settled, then enjoyed an adult beverage to warm us up.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Nothing really earth-shattering or catastrophic happened, although there were a few tense moments. But ths story is about the fact that boating is fully engaging, and most boaters are generous of their time, info and help. That, to me, is what sailing is about.

All that goes into your planning, learning about new places and the active process of getting there ~ being on the way and what that entails ~ and meeting up with great people - this is what I like.

Sure its nice to arrive at your destination and enjoy the amenities, but the trip is the fun part.

Can hardly wait until next April when I get to traverse the river again. This time, I'll have my GPS track to follow on the way down!

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 10/28/2009 : 18:29:24

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Voyager
 ...Can hardly wait until next April when I get to traverse the river again. This time, I'll have my GPS track to follow on the way down!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">...but then the ice will have moved that log...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 10/28/2009 18:30:14

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