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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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New Year's Eve on the Chesapeake

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JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/01/2012 : 18:22:23

We had a nice, warm New Year's Eve yesterday, and I just had to get out on the Bay for the last sail of the year.

About half of the boats were on the hard in our marina.

It was blowing pretty hard - 10-15 knots from the west with gusts to 20 kt. It was gonna be fun!!! The Gypsy was ready to go! The outboard started right up in spite of the gas sitting for about a month since the last time I could go sailing.

Sailing on a broad reach at about 5 knots was peaceful and relaxing, and I was able to call a friend in the hospital and have a bite to eat. Then I called my wife's mom who has never gone sailing but loves hearing about my "maritime adventures" and the scenes from the boat, be it day or night.

I knew it would be a different story on the way back to the marina in the teeth of the wind! I put on my lined gloves and the fleece turtle neck.

I sailed eastward down the Magothy River about 5 miles to the mouth of the Bay. Upon coming about to tack back to the west, the boat heeled over, and the rail was buried more than once! Wahoo! Glad I had not invited the Admiral "to go for a pleasant sail" today!

There were a few other boats out. One guy followed me in a 35 foot boat of some sort sailing on a dead run under jib alone, and then turned around and tried to sail back home without his main. That boat seemed to tack back and forth across the mile-wide river without making any headway, and I left them way behind. I later learned from the skipper that the in-mast furling system broke somehow, and they could not use the main. His crew said they didn't enjoy having water splash over the gunwales!

I had no luck getting the outboard started on the way back in, and decided to sail in to the dock under jib alone. I had used fresh gas in November and added Stabil, but I guess some water in the gas line ended up in the carburetor, or something. I don't mind sailing in to my dock under good conditions.

I tied the main down and centered the 110 jib on the foredeck for reduced sail area and dropped it half way. The wind was still about 10 knots in the wind shadow of the houses near the marina, but it was from the west - the perfect direction to sail in to the dock. I needed to go southeast to the entrance then turn northeast into the marina, then turn southeast down the fairway and coast in to my slip. I could adjust the height of the jib to give the boat 1-2 knots speed until the last corner where I always coast to the slip. I dropped the jib there to glide in the last 200 feet.

I had to pass a boat stuck in the fairway with a broken inboard transmission system! I tooted the air horn. I came up to my slip at 1/2-1/4 knot and pulled the boat in with the boat hook. I tied up and put the sails away and realized I had not used my new sound system the whole time I was out sailing!

Sorry for no photos of the exciting part of the trip!

Happy New Year, and fair winds!

JohnP
1978 C25 SR/FK "Gypsy"
Mill Creek off the Magothy River, Chesapeake Bay
Port Captain, northern Chesapeake Bay

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Alan Clark
Captain

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406 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2012 : 07:41:15

Excellant Story, We are only 100 days until launch, But who's counting!

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redeye
Master Marine Consultant

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3476 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2012 : 08:44:56

I love that shot of the boats on the hard. It just looks so cool to see them all out on the cradles.

I've used a small can of butane sprayed on the carb intake to get mine to crank... the cans they use to refill lighters.

Cranking an engine that had been laid up a long time.

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DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 01/02/2012 : 13:01:05

Nice post John. Good job sailing to the dock! I don't know why I don't ever have any problems with my outboards, but I hadn't cranked my Tohatsu in 3 months and it started right up and never gave me a problem. And yeah Ray, it'd be nice to go check all those hulls out!

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.