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New Years Sailing!

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 01/05/2004 : 13:48:17

Hi, I decided to start the new year off right, and attempted to sail every day during my 4 day holiday.

Dec. 31 I was able to leave work early (3:30 PM) and sailed in light air and grey skies until dark. I am now wearing my association sweatshirt, and an insulated GoreTex coat, plus my harness/life jacket - it's cold when it gets dark! And I took down gloves (but didn't use them).

Jan. 1 Beautiful sunny, warm day. Tee shirt weather. Ultra light air. I managed to make 3 knots under a beam reach. Left a 30 foot something boat like it was standing still offshore (Newport 30?). I think the smaller/lighter boat is faster in light air when boats are way under hull speeds. Ocean was calm. Dolphins were just outside the Mission Bay jetty. Birds diving, observed many fish on my new fish finder. Winds came up to about 10 knots for 1 hour. Sailed back wing and wing.

Jan. 2 Strong winds with storm front approaching. Kept the genny rolled up to about a 100%. Put the flattening reef in the main. Sailed above 5.5 to 6 knots all day. Large swells 4 to 6 feet with a 1 foot wind wave on top. The swells were large but the period so long I barely felt them. However, it was interesting to note that at times I could not see a C250 that was about 100 yards away - only the top of his mast when we were both at the bottom of a swell. Sailed about 3 miles due west and then gybed around and raced the storm front back in. Coming back, I surfed some of those big swells. I had a great deal of difficulty getting the genny rolled up properly while sailing downwind in winds gusting to about 15. Blew the first docking approach in strong cross winds (bow blew downwind as soon as I turned for my slip - almost ended up in the next downwind slip). Put the boat away before the rain started (rained all night). Dolphins still right outside the jetty - with babies.

Jan. 3 Entire family went down for a picnic. Sunny, winds over 20 knots, gusting higher. Seas very rough after the storm. Great day to eat lunch and then walk the dogs around the harbor.

Jan. 4 According to the automated wind and bouy data, it looked like a nice day with winds 5 to 10. But I was too tired. Stayed home and watched the Packers. Tough to go back to work!

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - JimB517 on 01/05/2004 13:50:23

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2004 : 15:00:42

Sounds like great fun, Jim. As always, your posts make me hurt with envy. Keep them coming.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2004 : 19:38:51

Not trying to make anyone experience envy - I enjoy reading sailing stories as well as learning how to fix things on this forum. I assume you winter bound sailors would like to read about sailing a C25 if you can't sail one!

2003 Sailing year in review.

I bought my C25 in April 2003. Looking at my log, in 2003 I've logged 31 days at sea (voyages over 4 hours). I sailed at least 45 more days less than 4 hours. Major offshore voyages have been : Long Beach to Dana Point, Dana Point to Whites Landing (Catalina), Dana Point to Isthmus (Catalina), Dana Point to Newport, Dana Point to San Mateo Point, Dana Point to Mission Bay, Mission Bay to North Coronado Island. Those major voyages equal about 330 nautical miles (rhumb line). In addition, I estimate an additional 200 miles day sailing and fishing (those 45 additional days).

In this year I went from having never sailed and motoring everywhere to leaving the slip under sail, sailing all day, and docking under sail at the end of the day. I went from winds under 5 knots being my level of comfort to winds of around 15 knots being ideal and exciting (I still prefer a light air day, sunny, warm, and gentle seas). I've learned that the C25 will round up before getting knocked down! You can't learn that from a book or web site! I've gone from needing a full crew just to leave the dock to enjoying single handing, even in strong winds. I've done a marine salvage under sail (rescued an errant kayak).

Thanks to you all, I've learned to repair my Honda OB, back out of the slip, roll and stow the main, fix window leaks, heave-to, hank on the jib (I learned that I prefer the roller furling jib when single handing), mount my new fish finder, and lots more.

I love my little boat, and I have worked hard on upgrades and improvements: recovered interior and cockpit cushions, mounted propane stove, barbeque, cockpit table, rewired charger and some electric circuits, rigged queen sized bed for salon, fixed window leaks (2 more to go), installed new roller furling head sail, modified anchor locker, changed interior lights to halogen, installed additional interior lights, installed solar panels, installed oil lamp, remounted pedestal table to cure wobble, installed fishfinder and GPS mount, sewed and mounted bags to hold all lines led to the cockpit.

I've taught my daughters and their friends to sail, tack, gybe, grind winches, and steer.

During 2003 my wife became your web master and I became your Tell Tail editor.

My goals for 2004?

Lead 2 to 3 week cruise to Catalina Island in August. Circumnavigate Catalina. Circumnavigate Coronado Islands. Spend sailing weekend in Oceanside Harbor. Spend weekend at anchor in San Diego Bay. Form the San Diego C25/250 fleet with Gary. Make the Tell Tail better. Sail 5 days per week Spring/Summer/Fall. Get the jib poled out. Log 60 days at sea. Learn to fly the spinnaker!

Edited by - on

Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2004 : 21:27:57

Politics, religion, sports, economics......there are many opinions, convictions and experiences that we want to explain and share with others. We'll talk untill we're blue in the face, sometimes wearing out our welcome.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">In this year I went from having never sailed and motoring everywhere to leaving the slip under sail, sailing all day, and docking under sail at the end of the day.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Some things we know can only be experienced by doing. When someone tells me why they don't like, or think they would not like, sailboats, I just smile politely.

Unlike the rest of this screwy world, at sea life always has been, and still is lived on realistic terms. It's a good place to be. "Wolken wind en water" (Clouds wind and water).

Oscar

Lady Kay 250 WB #618
Sunrise on the Neuse River...

Edited by - Oscar on 01/05/2004 21:35:04

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 01/05/2004 : 21:45:35

RRRRRRRRRRR!

I was out on the water the other day! A beautiful day, sunny blue skies, a few high clouds. Only this water was very hard

.

Had a realtor coming to the lake house to help estimate value after a significant expansion project, and all the water from the rain winds up on my driveway (one of the problems we hope the ex[pansion addresses) and I went out to blow the 2-3 inches of snow off the driveway.

Twice, not just once, but twice I went down onto the water.

Come spring, come!

Edited by - on

MattL
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 01:08:15

Not being quite as elagant, nor as good a speller as Oscar, I'll just want to let Jim know that we are all with him in spirit as he sail in his beautiful little boat. I'd also like to congratulate him on all of his accomplishments. I have a list equaly as long of desires, but my actual actions have been far from stellar. I know I have only myself to blame. Oh I could blame the wife and kids too, but you all would see through that.
Not soon enough our lake will have water in it, till them I am going to try and go on at least a trip a month with the boat starting next month. Possibly San Francisco, then who knows where.
Jim, once again keep up the good work.

Edited by - on

tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 03:43:02

Jim, thanks for sharing your adventures and discoveries. I think it is interesting how different our weekend was just a few hundred miles north. On the 31st we launched out of Morro Bay. In the morning it was warm but as the day progressed it was obvious a storm was approaching. Swells were small 6-7 feet and no wind waves. Wind was low I'd guess five knots. Kids had a great time - except my 8 year old son who believes that shorts are the only kind of pants to wear unless mom and dad make him wear long pants. He was pretty cold and then got sea sick and was over the rail. As soon as we got back to the harbor he was in great spirts again. New Years day it rained all day. Saturday and Sunday was sunny but COLD and I had to work

Edited by - tmhansen on 01/06/2004 03:44:52

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 07:19:42

Jim,

Don't think the envy I get from your posts and other winter sailers is a bad thing. It's great hearing about your voyages. It just makes me appreciate what I will have when the spring thaw comes. I particularly enjoy reading about your sailing/fishing adventures. Those are two of my favorite things. I can't tell you how many people I've told about "a guy on the Catalina board" who catches bonita, had a whale shark sniffing around his boat, and hooked into a mola mola. You are someone I want to sail with. Alas, I am stuck way over in Columbus, Ohio

Go Buckeyes!!

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 13:08:48

I hope I am not wearing out my welcome with you, Oscar, because you are one of the people I respect most around here.

Ben, you are welcome to sail with me any time you find yourself out this way. We'll put some fish on board, sail with dolphins, watch the seals, and catch a great San Diego sunset at sea! I never get tired of it.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 13:10:58

Oh yeah, Don, are you ready to try iceboat sailing? Looks like a ton of fun!

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 13:42:57

Thanks for the invitation Jim. If I'm ever in your neck of the woods, I'll definitly take you up on that offer.

Speaking of iceboat sailing, the wind chill this morning in Columbus was negative 2. Not as cold as a lot of places, but a lot colder than a lot more. I hate this time of year.

However, the silver lining is that the local sailing club I recently joined meets every Saturday in bitter months to go iceboat sailing on Alum Creek Reservoir (my home lake). That sounds like tons of fun.

Unfortunately, last week was freakishly warm, being in the 60's, so the water is not hard yet.

Edited by - on

osmepneo
Past Commodore

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USA
1420 Posts

Response Posted - 01/06/2004 : 14:49:23

Had the wind been blowing that day I would have been the ice boat.

The lake is frozen, but over weekend past, the rain we got and warmer temp (40 for us is warmer now) it looked like the ice was getting ready to turn. I haven't seem much winter ice stuff on the lake, actually only one snow mobile in the three years we've been here.

One friend says that because the lake is a resovior there are holes in the ice that occur as the ;lake level is dropped this time of year. the ice is currently at 768 feet above sea level, and when the lake is lowered, it is very high now, there will be 5 to 10 feet between the top of the ice and the surface of the lake. Not sure I want to fall 10 feet to the water . . .

The small lake near by doesn't suffer similar problems, and looks like it would be great for a small ice boat. Haven't seen any however.

Edited by - on

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