What choice do you make when there's no wind?

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Sep 21, 2009
385
Hunter 34 Comox
Hello fellow 34 sailor. The thing about sailing around the west coast at this end is that the best sailing is in bad weather but fear not, when the summer north westerlies set in you will get some good days. Up at the end of Howe Sound where Stretch and I dock, we get the afternoon inflows sometimes to 35knots which can be a little unsettling to say the least but when the wind dies down, on Friday evenings a number of us sail out on the tail end of the inflow, raft up, start the barbecues and share some tall stories and laughs as the sun goes down. You should make a trip up this end of Howe Sound, we have a 50ft wide channel dredged into the inner harbour finally and if you call our Port captain we can usually supply a slip for the night. six 0 four 8 0ne 5 nine 5 three three. Dave, Cliff or Paul will answer.
 

YVRguy

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Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
Up at the end of Howe Sound where Stretch and I dock, we get the afternoon inflows sometimes to 35knots which can be a little unsettling to say the least
Thanks! I will venture up there soon. How many places in the world do you get no wind for miles except for one little inlet where it howls? Have to admit I will be a bit nervous heading up Howe Sound. The 34 is so tender and I haven't quite mastered handling her in heavier air. This little icon about sums it up :eek:
 
Jul 24, 2012
9
Catalina C-22 Heron Lake
Make the most of it.

So here I am looking out the window Saturday morning at the start of what will be a beautiful Canada Day weekend. We have planned for a while to go sailing but the forecast has just been revised - "Winds Light." Bummer.

What do you guys do when the wind dies? Do you go out and enjoy your boat anyway? Or make other plans and wait for the wind to come?

As a new sailor I just love being out on the water - wind or no wind - but I feel badly asking my GF (or anyone else) to go out and just putter around.

Thoughts?

If you are new to sailing, make the most of the dead air time by practicing your docking skills and maybe other maneuvers with your outboard. Or just go out and troll--pretend you're Humphrey Bogart motoring down a jungle river with Katheryn Hepburn.
 
Jul 24, 2012
9
Catalina C-22 Heron Lake
P.S. from Mokres

Oops! I didn't look closely at the boat you sail. Forget that comment about outboards. But with a boat that size, practicing docking should never get old.
 

YVRguy

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Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
Or just go out and troll--pretend you're Humphrey Bogart motoring down a jungle river with Katheryn Hepburn.
I rather like that image... Come to think of it, my Yanmar sounds a lot like the African Queen. :) I won't share this with my lady though.. last thing I need is for her to start pouring out all my booze
 
Sep 21, 2009
385
Hunter 34 Comox
I have found, and you may already know to reef early with ol 34. I'll run my main and110, which was the stock sail, up to about 18 knots, I would have the reef in at 15. This is good to around 20, then its time to drop the main and sail under headsail alone. With a masthead rig, and for some reason this one more than some, the power is in the headsail and the main is a throttle. I make use of the traveller a lot, especially in gusty weather. When I go sailing with the admiral and don't want to give her a heart attack, I just sail with the headsail only. I have a light 133 that I love to use in lighter winds, 5-15. Its amazing how much power there is in that sail. On an apparently calm day it will still get you moving in a puff. They say that the best sailors are the ones that can sail in little or no apparent wind. It also works well alone, maybe better than the 110. In any event, when you venture down our way, you will have pretty consistent winds til you round Watts Point. If you see about a 100 kite boarders out, you may want to drop sail and motor in. If you need any guidance, email me. I will be out and about July ninth tuned to channel 16. Cheers
 

OldCat

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Jul 26, 2005
728
Catalina , Nacra 5.8, Laser, Hobie Hawk Wonmop, CO
Wind = go sailing.
No Wind = go kayaking. Get some exercise. I have a 17' Perception sea kayak. An Airframe inflatable is great if you want a kayak that can be carried aboard the sail boat easily (http://www.advancedelements.com/).

On rare occasions I will go for a motor tour with the C22 in outboard mode.

OC
 
May 9, 2013
55
Catalina 310 Oyster Bay, NY
Messing about in boats

YVRguy,

This past weekend, the Admiral and I sailed across Long Island Sound from our home port, Sagamore Yacht Club, in Oyster Bay, NY to the American Yacht YC in Rye NY for an overnight. On the way there we were above 7 kts in 17 kt winds, heeling past 20.
Yesterday, on the way home, heading straight into a 10 kt SE wind and not wanting to spend the day tacking with an impending storm forecasted, we motored.
My point? We were on the boat.
Keep in mind the immortal words of Ratty to Mole, (from "The Wind In the Willows"), as quoted below -

"There is nothing — absolutely nothing — half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. In or out of ‘em, it doesn’t matter. Nothing seems really to matter, that’s the charm of it. Whether you get away, or whether you don’t; whether you arrive at your destination or whether you reach somewhere else, or whether you never get anywhere at all, you’re always busy, and you never do anything in particular; and when you’ve done it there’s always something else to do."
[FONT=verdana, helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]
Fair winds and following seas,

Alan Schaub
S/V "Concerto In Sea"
Catalina310 #189
 
May 31, 2013
1
Coronado 25 Everett Marina, WA
So here I am looking out the window Saturday morning at the start of what will be a beautiful Canada Day weekend. We have planned for a while to go sailing but the forecast has just been revised - "Winds Light." Bummer.

What do you guys do when the wind dies? Do you go out and enjoy your boat anyway? Or make other plans and wait for the wind to come?

As a new sailor I just love being out on the water - wind or no wind - but I feel badly asking my GF (or anyone else) to go out and just putter around.

Thoughts?
If your GF gets board on your boat, when you have snacks, beverages, a deck of cards or games, something interesting to say, some tiunes, sun or clouds, and it gets boring to her, then,
SHE'S NOT YOUR GF!!! And She's Not a Sailor!!!!

REMOVE HER LIFEJACKET AND GIVE HER THE DEEP SIX!!!

THE IRISHSTORM
 
Apr 23, 2007
3
Beneteau 331 Rock Hall, MD
Will motor when destination driven. Otherwise, will get quickly to a cove, drop the hook and cool out. Nothing beats that on the Chesapeake!
 
Apr 23, 2007
3
Beneteau 331 Rock Hall, MD
If your GF gets board on your boat, when you have snacks, beverages, a deck of cards or games, something interesting to say, some tiunes, sun or clouds, and it gets boring to her, then,
SHE'S NOT YOUR GF!!! And She's Not a Sailor!!!!

REMOVE HER LIFEJACKET AND GIVE HER THE DEEP SIX!!!

THE IRISHSTORM
On the money, Irishstorm!
 

YVRguy

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Jan 10, 2013
479
Hunter 34 Vancouver, BC
If your GF gets board on your boat, when you have snacks, beverages, a deck of cards or games, something interesting to say, some tiunes, sun or clouds, and it gets boring to her, then,
SHE'S NOT YOUR GF!!! And She's Not a Sailor!!!!

REMOVE HER LIFEJACKET AND GIVE HER THE DEEP SIX!!!

THE IRISHSTORM
Killed myself laughing at this. I showed her right away :)
 
May 28, 2013
31
macgregor Macgregor 26 M everett
im sure there is wind out there...do you have a spinnaker. i live in Everett, Wa. sailed out of Bellingham, Wa and Blaine, Wa for 8 year's. sailed up and around BC all the time. Winds usually seem just like they are down the block a bit...day may start off really light but about 1pm winds pick up till about 6pm (if anything else).
number one: DO YOU HAVE a spinnaker?
if not. BUY one.
even in the lightest of winds you can get your boat going...it's a lot of fun.
AS FOR THE GF...leave her home.
;)
have fun, don't worry bout 'no wind', the GF, etc etc....what's the problem?????
just go out on your boat, explore, have fun and quit worrying and come on buddy....is it that much of a pain in the brain to own a boat that you need to post a thing up here that you are WONDERING if anyone can take your hand and spoon feed you a great day????
heck, you know as well as i do that in our area there are the gulf i lsands, the san juans and you have a boat and a GF and so get out on the water...
here's another thing to consider...bring your bike. goto a new town and bike around.
bring a westuit go swimming...if you don't have one..buy one for you and your GF they are only $60.00 .
buy a knee board stock your boat with these things so you don't get board...so since you asked i will tell you what i stocked on my boat aside from regular stuff.
1. spinnaker
2. wetstuits
3. kneeboard
4. fold a bike
5. foldup scooters
6. skiff
26M with the PUGET SOUND AT MY DOORSTEP!!!
valhallasailingtv (google this and have fun!)
 
May 4, 2005
4,062
Macgregor 26d Ft Lauderdale, Fl
I have a 3 knt rule. if I can't sail 3knots ,I use the iron genny.


but that can bend in the winter if its a sunny day, and in no hurry.
 
Jun 6, 2006
6,990
currently boatless wishing Harrington Harbor North, MD
Course if you bring the GF and there is no wind you can try chasing her around the boat (for the exercise of course) I know when the Admiral was the GF she liked being chased. YMMV, if low then get a new GF
 
Jan 22, 2008
1
Oday 28 brooklyn NY
So here I am looking out the window Saturday morning at the start of what will be a beautiful Canada Day weekend. We have planned for a while to go sailing but the forecast has just been revised - "Winds Light." Bummer.

What do you guys do when the wind dies? Do you go out and enjoy your boat anyway? Or make other plans and wait for the wind to come?

As a new sailor I just love being out on the water - wind or no wind - but I feel badly asking my GF (or anyone else) to go out and just putter around.

Thoughts?
Any day on my boat is better than anything else. Without wind we still go out and motor to a nice spot to swim and fish. Have a bite to eat , swim and just enjoy.
 

Ross

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Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
After forty-two years in my home the inside and the outside are absolutely the best place to spend time. After devoting ten years making our boat just what we wanted it is the second best place to spend time. Folks ask where we will go on vacation and we tell them that we will stay home and go out with the boat. There are so many fine places to visit by boat on the Chesapeake Bay and home is so pleasing that there is no need to go away.
 
Apr 17, 2009
1
2 26 Mark II Millbay
A bad on the water beats a good day ashore any time

So here I am looking out the window Saturday morning at the start of what will be a beautiful Canada Day weekend. We have planned for a while to go sailing but the forecast has just been revised - "Winds Light." Bummer.

What do you guys do when the wind dies? Do you go out and enjoy your boat anyway? Or make other plans and wait for the wind to come?

As a new sailor I just love being out on the water - wind or no wind - but I feel badly asking my GF (or anyone else) to go out and just putter around.

Thoughts?
 

Ross

.
Jun 15, 2004
14,693
Islander/Wayfairer 30 sail number 25 Perryville,Md.
A bad on the water beats a good day ashore any time
Folks that use this cliché have not had the joy of beating up the Chesapeake when the wind is against the tide, the temperature is about 35°F and it is raining.
 
Mar 26, 2011
3,749
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Folks that use this cliché have not had the joy of beating up the Chesapeake when the wind is against the tide, the temperature is about 35°F and it is raining.
So many good answers. The above is one of the better ones! I've had a few bad days on the water, most of them in the winter, I guess.

---

Motor. It creates aparent wind, gets you some where, and...
* Give the engine some use.
* Burns potencial stale fuel.

My theory is that many more engines die from disuse and bad fuel than from hours. Every boat would be better off for burning though 1 tank pe year of fuel; you change the oil in the engine annually, right?
 
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