The winds of change . . . . .

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 6:54 am

The winds of change . . . . .
Well, as sailors we all know the wind is a big part to a good day sailing. We hit the water with high hopes of the perfect breeze only to be at the mercy of the winds or lack there of! Yesterday was no exception for me! I took a family of 4 out on Destiny. We donate trips to the high school marching band and this was the last one that we had outstanding. With my daughter out of commision and my wife with previous engagements I was Captain and Crew.

We all boarded and had left the dock by 12:45. Snacks, sandwitches and drinks were all shared. As we motored around the jetty, the breeze was blowing about 10 out of the south west! Perfect! We unfurled the main and jib and set a course for the North side of Hatt Island ( Gednye Island ) As we closed on the Island I explaine dhow the island would create a wind shadow and we'd likely need to motor around the north West end of the Island. The weather gods saw it differently! As we slowly rounded the island at about 3 kts SOG the winds ( of coarse ) shifted. However it was to the South East! What? We broad reached around the island at 4.5 kts! WOW! That NEVER happens! We continued on that tack towards the far shore in hopes off getting around the island with only one tack. As we closed on the far shore, the winds shifted yet again. WOW! Again to our benifit! We tacked back towards Everett on the South side of Hatt Isalnd! Off in the distance was a nice Cataline 38 on the same tack. He promptly becaome our goal! I set the sails and we again broad reached towards home . . .. and the Catalina . . . It took us about half an hour to over run the Catalina! It was precious to watch that crew go from sitting and relaxing to continously adjusting their sails! We continued to gain and eventually passed them! As we passed, they prompted turned about and headed the other way! LOL! We continued to sail on at 6.6 kts!! Happy days! The weather was beautiful! I here it hit mid 70's yesterday! We had a great sail, sailed Destiny flat and fast, and relaxed all day!
A couple of things to note: Those wind shifts, I could have ordered them up more timely or more perfectly! Not only were they perfect but we literally sailed for 3.5 hours, out around and island, chased down a Catalina, and all the way back and we only tacked Destiny ONCE!
Yesterday was just about a perfect day of sailing as one could get around here!

To see our sailing grounds
Click Here
If you look to the lower right at the pick fork looking dock, that is the end of the river channel we exit and that also is the docks for the air craft carrier #72 Abraham Lincoln!

Bhacurly · Post by **Bhacurly** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 8:37 am

Sounds good to me!

But you weren't racing,,, just out for a day sail.... Right

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:23 am

Absolutely not! we were not racing at all!

Simply sailing faster!!!!

Scott

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 9:33 am

Anytime two sailboats are going in the same direction - a race happens.

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:37 pm

I got some friends out on my boat and another friend left about a half hour ahead of me and it took me about 45 min to catch him with his Karlsrona Viggin it is a Swedish boat and him with main and genoa running down wind and all I did was unfurl my 170 and passed him then later the same day my friend with a Bristol 26 fixed keel (clue) was out and we were on a port tack literally running at the exact speed so I went below and raised the keel and he asked me what kind of turbo I had on the boat as he had to start his OB to catch me and mine was tilted out of the water.

Alanhod · Post by **Alanhod** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 4:44 pm

EmergencyExit wrote:Anytime two sailboats are going in the same direction - a race happens.

It is a sailing imperative to overtake and pass a boat going in the same direction. Race, who said anything about any race?

Alan

lecker68 · Post by **lecker68** » Mon Jun 13, 2011 5:53 pm

Not a race Alan just human nature to get there first.

Capt. Bondo · Post by **Capt. Bondo** » Tue Jun 14, 2011 9:14 am

Memorial weekend the St. Croix was under No wake rules due to flooding. Their was much joy is the sailing community because almost all the sail boats could go faster than the power boats and there was no killer wakes from the pot-stinkers to deal with

But all good things must come to a end