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BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Initially Posted - 09/05/2012 : 19:04:23

Dear Forum -

After a few months of prep and legalities, Knot So Fast is in the water and ready for her maiden voyage with her new, inexperienced crew. Our experience is with small sailboats (Sunfish & Hobies) so any words of advice? We are on a small lake in CT so we shouldn't see too much trouble. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. So far all the hardware and minor repairs/maintenance appear to be sound. Aside from some pesky water leaks when it rains, I've mananged to figure out all the gear and rigging. Outboard works well so that will be out backup plan. Wish us luck.

Regards,

Brian & JoAnne Gleissner
Knot So Fast
1984 Catalina 25, SR/SK
Traditional Interior
Lake Candlewood, CT

Edited by - on

Ape-X
Admiral

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USA
662 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2012 : 19:29:05

enjoy! I learned on a sunfish as well. many have found those learning on a small boat have abetter understanding and "feel" .vs. the big boat beginners. The C25 really can handle quite a bit, while getting a feel for a keelboat took us some time to understand

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2012 : 19:52:55

Agreed, a lot of us learned on much smaller boats (Sunfish & Dolphins for me before I moved up to catamarans like Hobies), and if you can sail a dinghy, you're a long way toward being able to sail most larger boats. Things just don't happen quite so fast as on a sailing dinghy.

The boat can handle more than you can, so don't worry about it too much. Make sure you have all your safety gear on board and everyone knows where it is & how to use it.

Go out & have fun. You're going to make mistakes, we'll try not to laugh at them too much. Everyone here has a story that hinged on some sort of inexperience (like the first time I launched my C-250) that's amusing in hindsight but wasn't so funny when it happened.

Edited by - on

Arlington
Navigator

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USA
196 Posts

Response Posted - 09/05/2012 : 21:18:32

Congratulations Brian and JoAnne!
Ask one of your fellow sailors with a similar boat, there is more in common than you imagine, (a littler longer or shorter, a Catalina 22, or even a different manufacturer would be okay) to go with you. Or ask him to let you both join him on his boat 1st.

You are going to have fun. But It can be a lot better start for you, to have a little coaching 1st. If you don't have a buddy yet, no problem go down to the docks and look for a sailor with a boat that has not been crashed. Talk to the skipper, you will quickly find one that you will be comfortable to have give you a hand. They will be glad to welcome you as new sailors!
Motor 1st, sail 2nd. Be patient, practice coming back in before you go out too far.
Doug

Edited by - on

OLarryR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3477 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 03:16:18

Have a great time. Experience on small boats is your best preparation. Main things that are somewhat different is depending on the any shallow areas where you launch or sail, keeping an eye on the depthfinder. Also, when you return, just be aware you have a boat that is in excess of 4000 lbs and it is not going to stop on a dime. Also, if the wind is blowing away from the dock/slip, ensure when you approach that you can easily get onto the dock and pull/maintain the boat alongside the dock/slip. A line that is midships that can be grabbed will help hold the boat alongside.

Edited by - on

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 06:57:08

...and remember the $+!nkp*++er's First Law of Docking: "Never approach a dock any faster than you're willing to hit it."

Your small-boat experience is valuable--about the only really "new" thing you're about to experience might be your jib sheet winches. In "normal" conditions, two wraps (always clockwise) are adequate--three when the wind gets stiff. And watch the angle at which you pull the sheet off the winch (called "tailing")--it will control the position of the coil on the drum. You want to pull at a slight upward angle. You'll probably learn about "overwraps" after a little experience. (Hint: You want to avoid them, but when it happens, luff up a little and then undo the mess.) And when easing a sheet by letting it slip on the drum, keep your fingers away from the drum!

Something to experiment with, which is nice for gusty, windier days, is sailing with the genoa/jib alone. It produces more drive with less heel than the main, and can make for a very pleasant day on the water. With a roller furler (?), it is especially nice--we sometimes never took the cover off the main--pull one string (a sheet) and you're sailing, pull another (the furling line) and you're all done!

That reminds me--if you have a furler (?), keep a little tension on the furler line (it's good to use a glove) as you pull out the genoa/jib, so the line wraps evenly on the furler drum. If you don't have one,..... well, maybe some day!

Best of luck, and have fun!

Edited by - Stinkpotter on 09/06/2012 07:03:22

Joe Diver
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1218 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 07:16:53

I advise you to raise the sails, try to fill them with wind, and don't worry about anything else but having fun. Doesn't matter if you do it perfectly, trim it for that extra 1/2 knot, look cool to everyone else.....just go and have fun. Wear old clothes. Leave the fenders out. Turn up the radio. Do YOUR thing......whatever that may be.

Edited by - on

PCP777
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1225 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 08:04:48

Dave has already mentioned docking, very wise words there, it's the hardest part of keel boat sailing to me. The other thing I would recommend is to make sure you are very familiar with the operation of your motor and always make sure you get it started before you take down your sails at the end of the day. Otherwise the C-25 is like a big dinghy in many ways, it's a great first keel boat and pocket cruiser, you're going to love it!

Edited by - on

JohnP
Master Marine Consultant

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1520 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 12:33:20

Off topic -
When I lived in the New Haven area years ago, I was driving up route 64 early one morning towards Woodbury, where you apparently live, and saw a 5 foot long snapping turtle SLOWLY crossing the road. His shell was about 3 feet long. He was heading for Lake Quassy from some other pond nearby.

Snapping turtles live in lakes and ponds all around the region. They are essentially prehistoric reptiles that had no need to change. They sit in the mud on the bottom and leave their mouth open with the slender, white tip of their tongue wiggling, and when a fish bites it, they close their mouth. Out of the water they are defensive and dangerous, but in the water they are hard to find.

In the town of Cheshire, I saw a snapping turtle surface for a moment at our town pond one morning and he had a 1 foot long head and neck, a 3 foot shell and a 2 foot tail with ridges like a stegosausus! The pond is the town swimming beach, but I'm sure no one ever knew there was a powerful carnivorous reptile living there with the laughing kiddies in the water!

Back on topic -
Have fun sailing in Candlewood Lake! If you fall in there, the local snapping turtle will probably swim up and help you back in the boat.

Edited by - JohnP on 09/06/2012 12:34:36

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 18:25:40

To All -

Thanks for the great advice. We sailed for 4 hours today in it was awesome. Wind was light (maybe 5 knots) or non-existant at times. I was helmsman, my Dad handled the Starboard jib sheet and the depth gage, my buddy Ted was on the port jib sheet. We motored to the largest part of the lake which is the preferred sailable portion (there were 43 other sailboats there). We tacked, gybed, and even sailed downwind with the jib winged out. The progress was slow due to the light wind but we made plenty of turns and "fake" raced another 25 footer until he gave up. What a blast. We figured out all the lines and how to manage the 150% genoa. About 5:00 we packed it in, dropped the main and motored back to our sheltered cove. Not much wind or boats so docking wasn't really a challenge. As warned, the C25 has some serious momentum so I proceed with caution at a very low engine speed. A little forward, drop to neutral, proceed forward again, or kick it into reverse a tad. It feels like you a driving a dead whale. My Dad turns 80 tomorrow so I think he had an extra special time out on the lake we've lived on for almost 50 years. I got him a model of a 1938 Chris Craft Runabout for his 80th because he had one when we first moved there in 1965. Someday I'll add the real thing to my collection, hopefully while he is still arround. For now it will have to be more sailing.

PS: I loved JohnP's story about the snapping turtles, they do get quite large up here.

Edited by - on

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 18:27:46

Correction, 3 other sailboats there. I don't think our lake even has 43 sailboats.

Sorry,

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5429 Posts

Response Posted - 09/06/2012 : 18:33:47

Brian,
Saturday morning should be good weather - sunny with breezes from 5-10. Saturday afternoon we'll have building Southerly winds of 10-15, with gusts to 25! Overnight on Saturday, we should have a strong cold frontal passage and rain. Sunday morning may have some residual showers, and by Sunday afternoon, we'll have crystal clear skies with strong, gusty NWerlies. Tomorrow afternoon and evening ought to be fine, and Saturday morning.

[url="http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?marine=0&site=OKX&zmx=1&zmy=1&FcstType=graphical&cl=414021734715&CitySubmit=Submit&lat=&lon="]Danbury Forecast[/url]

If you'd like some company, please let me know.

Edited by - Voyager on 09/06/2012 18:35:44

Stinkpotter
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
9089 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2012 : 08:21:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BCG-Woodbury
 Correction, 3 other sailboats there. I don't think our lake even has 43 sailboats.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">I seriously wondered! (...have seen Candlewood.) And as for "racing", whenever there are two sailboats on the same tack on one body of water, there's a race going on!

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BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 09/07/2012 : 19:23:39

OK then, Saturday morning it is. We plan on getting out at 8:00 sharp and sail til noon. The Bethlehem Fair is on so we'll try to hit that before the rain starts.

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5429 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2012 : 09:17:21

Oops! Tornado warning at 12:00 noon on Saturday on Candlewood Lake!
Keep safe.

Edited by - on

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2012 : 10:09:04

Hey Bruce, we hit the lake around 8:30 AM and sailed up North between New Milford and New Fairfield. Quite windy but steady, not to much shifting. Seeing it was just Me and JoAnne I didn't try anything fancy. Sailed for about an 1 1/2 hours and headed buck to the dock. I furled the jib, dropped motor and motored back South. I waited until we were back in our cove to drop the main because it was mostly me. JoAnne kept us going into the wind until I was done. We left Brookfield about 11:00 and headed back to Woodbury. I just spoke to a friend in New Milford and a tornado was spotted over there. I guess we got out of Dodge just in time. It was nice to get out on the lake again. This week is going to be a bust because I'm too busy at work and it gets dark too early. Weekends are calm on Candlewood once Labor Day has passed although the marina near us still has most of the boats in their slips.

Regards,

Edited by - on

Voyager
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
5429 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2012 : 11:08:47

Glad to hear you got a nice sail in the morning and missed the twister!
Are you on a slip in NM? I thought you had a mooring. Slip is much nicer and easier.

Edited by - on

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 09/08/2012 : 12:51:32

We are on my parent's dock in Brookfield. The lake autority wouldn't let us put in the mooring so I was going to put her at the marina for this season. Then my Dad decided to sell his pontoon to free up the dock for me. I wanted to put her on the opposite side of the dock but my Dad didn't want any trouble from the neighbor that had expressed his concerns about blocking his strip of land (15') access to the lake. We are legally allowed to have boats on both sides but Dad wouldn't go for it. It is easy access in and out because the cove is pretty sheltered. She handles pretty well under power and so far I've managed to dock her 3 times successfully. The only downside is the low water (about 4' at the keel) so I have to raise and lower the keel every time. Not a big deal but I'm sure it will take a toll on the cable and winch. Next Spring I'll be changing the cable and reinforce the winch mounting which is a little buckled already (probably old stress damage). All and all I'm very pleased with the boat so far.

Regards,

Edited by - on

BCG-Woodbury
Mainsheet Editor

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USA
396 Posts

Response Posted - 09/14/2012 : 18:54:10

Thanks for all the great input and support from the forum. We hope to sail again on Sunday morning/afternoon. The forecast looks pretty good up here so far. Right now the skies are pretty clear and I think they are calling for upper 70's and a light wind for Sunday.

Thanks again,

Edited by - on

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