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3 days solo sailing

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JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/13/2004 : 21:31:07

So Friday was an unexpected government holiday. Did yard work, got to the boat around 2 PM. Sailed until dark. New V-12 jib halyard broke - it's been getting really badly chaffed around 12 inches from the end, where it rides on the sheaves when the roller jib is pulled tight. Great emergency drill - pull the sail out of the water, hoist it on the spinnaker halyard, keep sailing! Sailed around looking for fish. Strong winds, rough seas.

Saturday, did yard work, met Spike in town for lunch, and then headed down for an overnighter. Sailing back from La Jolla, I got a strike from a really big fish. I was so excited, I cranked up the drag and it was stripping line like I hooked a bus. The fish dived for the bottom, kelp doesn't do that! I cranked up more drag and broke the 30lb line. I should have hove to and fought the fish. Big rookie error. Probably would have been my first yellowtail of the year.

Sailed back in and anchored out in Mariner's Basin. Barbequed steak, beans, chips / salsa, coffee and chocolate for desert.

Sunday morning I was up at 6. Coffee, warmed up a waffle (that I made at home Saturday AM), anchor up, main, out of the harbor by 7. The seas were very rough with a 4 foot west and 4 foot south swell and 2 foot wind chop on top of that. The morning was gray. Winds were 0 to 2 or 3 and coming from every which direction. So I motored slowly to the La Jolla kelp. By 10 the sun was out, the wind was up enough to kill the motor and troll downwind through the fishing fleet at about 2.5 knots (kept the jib rolled). No one was getting bit. Once past Scripps Pier, I noticed a sportfisher a couple of miles straight out. This was a beam reach for me (south winds were coming up), so I rolled the jib out and crashed through the 4 foot west swell at 5+ knots till I was out there. I boxed the area for nothing, but it seemed like he had a fish on. It was right over Scripps canyon - the depth went from 200 to 400 and then off the scale in less than 10 seconds.

OK, sailing was getting fun and there were no fish anyways so I boated all 3 lines and set course for MB. I was 8 miles downwind. About 1/2 way back there were whitecaps everywhere and lots of weather helm so I put in the 1st reef. After that the boat was still heeling to 30 and making 5+ knots but not rounding up. I had to take one big tack to the west (I held it for 12 minutes - should have been a mile), then I was able to make MB without further tacks. It was fun taking spray over the nose all the way to the cockpit as Indiscipline charged through those short period swells.

Back in the slip by 1, nothing further broke, but the car battery was dead because I left the door ajar. Fortunately it ran great on a marine gell cell (from the boat).

3 days - about 50 miles solo sailing with an overnighter in big waves, strong winds and rough conditions - in training for Santa Barbara Island (55 miles offshore). Loved every minute!

Indiscipline 1978 FK SR #398

Edited by - on

sterngucker
Navigator

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USA
169 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 17:55:16

Jim,
In anticipation of the arrival of my new 250WB, I have been trying to decide on my first real destination. Am I crazy for considering San Diego for the Forth of July? Of course, anywhere in SoCal is going to be crazy that weekend, but, new boat, four day weekend, can't stay home! The logs on your wonderful website certainly fired up my wanderlust. Is there an organized Cat fleet there? Any organized activities that weekend? Thanks for any and all info.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 06/14/2004 : 20:02:05

Mission Bay would be an OK destination for the 4th of July. There is an anchorage with at 72 hour limit (Mariner's Basin). You can dinghy or kayak to our marina, about 1/4 mile from the anchorage. I am sure it will be full, but there is always room in the anchorage for a C25/250. I can loan you a gate key and you can dinghy to our dock.

Perhaps I'll anchor out one night (or at least for a few hours) and you can use my slip (fill water, charge batteries, take shower, etc.)

Fleet 7 is the organized C25/250 Fleet in Mission Bay. You can contact me or Gary Norton for official information. We don't have any formal organized plans YET but I am sure will have a dock barbeque, race, fishing, and day sailing activities (as we do every weekend). I think you can see 3 different sets of fireworks from the Mission Bay anchorage, and the anchorage has a private sandy beach and access to the amusement park and to Sea World (who also has a private marina with guest slips).

Come on down, give me a private email and we'll help you plan, get launched, and spend a great 4 days.

Where you coming from?

Edited by - on

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2004 : 01:29:43

Hey, Charlie. China Lake? Up on the road to the Sierras? Have you considered Lake Isabella? Mostly a ski lake but I've known some folks who sail C22s on that lake and I'm sure there are some C25s that have gone there also.
As Jim said previously, we will be happy to help out and maybe several of Fleet 7 can anchor with you folks in Mariner's Basin, a great place to overnight. I plan on doing just that Tuesday and maybe Wednesday night (tomorrow night).
Jim, look for me single-handing Tuesday. I will leave before noon and should be already out on the water somewhere. I will have Channel 72 up and running so call when you get to the dock.
Hope to bring a kayak down and anchor in the basin and do some late evening paddling and early morning, too.
Got to start getting the boat ready.....
Hope to return this Friday so maybe we can sail to SD Bay again.

Edited by - on

sterngucker
Navigator

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USA
169 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2004 : 02:16:46

You mean Lake Isapuddle? Seriously, it's okay when the water reaches the end of the ramps but it sizzles in the summertime. It's already routinely hitting the century mark here in the desert and Lake Isabella isn't much cooler. It will be a good place to go this fall to practice docking and man overboard drills though. Typically you can count on the wind hitting 20 knots or so every afternoon.

To borrow from the Little River Band "It's time for a cool change." I have dreamed of sailing in the shadow of that beautiful San Diego skyline for quite some time. It's time to leave the armchair sailing behind.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2004 : 11:59:36

Charlie:

Have you considered attending the Catalina Rendezvous on the weekend after the 4th ([url="https://www.catalinayachts.com/randezvouse.cfm?part=West"]West Coast Rendezvous link[/url])? About 125 Catalina's of all sizes usually show up -- it's really a great event! It's about a 4 hour cruise from the boat ramp here.

Anyone else going?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 06/15/2004 : 17:59:19

found out why the jib halyard parted - Karen went up the mast at lunch time. One of the jib sheaves shattered and the jagged plastic pieces cut the line. I've got a temporary fix in place and can go sailing but bringing down the mast and putting in new parts is in my near future.

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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.