School's back in session cruise!

[Hayden Watson]

Now that Summer is over and the schools are all back in session, it is time to go cruising.

Leaving Wednesday evening to make the ebb current at Deception Pass which starts at 10:00 pm so we will go through in the dark and anchor in Bowman Bay. That is unless there is a big swell from the west and a nice breeze. In that case, we are likely to continue across to either Watmough or Hunter for the rest of the night. Have I ever mentioned that I love night sailing? .

 

[Terry Cox]

Have I ever mentioned that I love night sailing?

Hi Hayden. Just something about night sailing that brings back many fond memories of same. No worries in open waters, but snaking solo past crab/shrimp pot floats in busy harbors can test one's mettle.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Hi Hayden. Just something about night sailing that brings back many fond memories of same. No worries in open waters, but snaking solo past crab/shrimp pot floats in busy harbors can test one's mettle.

We often return to Oak Harbor on the evening flood which prevents us from getting us through Deception Pass until an hour or so before dark. On two of those occasions as we were approaching Strawberry Point in the last of the dying twilight, we were greeted by the sight of a thousand crab pots before us.

I have never been able to figure out when the Tribal Crabbing season begins but have twice managed to hit their opening day in full dark and they seem to prefer moonless nights!

On one of those nights, we had +30 knots on the nose and Papillon cannot motor into that much wind at much more than 1-knot. Fortunately, I have found that motor-sailing with a small bit of the jib sheeted tight will get her up to hull-speed with a very smooth ride. Not for the faint at heart blasting into a minefield in total darkness at 7-kts not being able to see the buoys until they less than a boat length away.

Sue needed to tuck herself in next to the bow pulpit with a flashlight to illuminate the buoys without blinding us with back scatter of light from the sails and deck if the light was not right on the bow.

Have I ever mentioned that I have a most excellent wife?!?!?!

 

[kloudie1]

My fave watch on long sails is the 2am to 6 am one.. I just really like the vibe of a cup of hot coffee and watching the array of stars that aren't normally visible.. The sounds of the boat moving and a little red glow from the cabin lights.. quite moving and poetic to me.

 

[jssailem]

Returning from Langley one evening, the night fell early. The Everett skyline was ablaze of lights reflecting on the sound as we passed Hat Island. The pots were strewn with abandonment across the water. The thought of catching one on my prop sent shivers through my spine.

Then a White Night appeared. Riding a huge bow wave the 40 plus sized twin engine stead came past us heading for the same navigational marker... The Green channel Marker off the Navy Pier.

If like magic this behemoth parted the waters and the crab pots. What did not get out of it's way were minced meat for the props.

Seeing this occur, the pot buoys being cast aside, left to float like flotsam upon the waters free from their rope and chains, I headed down the wake of this valiant steed.

We arrived at the Channel Marker and turned for home without Crab pot interference.

 

[Terry Cox]

Have I ever mentioned that I have a most excellent wife?!?!?!

Ditto here.

 

[Bob S]

Left Cuttyhunk Friday morning 1:05 am for Block Island. Timed it to be there at 7 am hopefully to grab a town mooring. It was the super moon/Blue Moon

Arrived in New Harbor 1/2 hour early.
Nothing like sailing at night!

 

[jssailem]

Nothing like sailing at night!

True, but it is best done on clear full moon nights with moderate wave and wind conditions.

I am sure @dLj has an opinion on night time sailing. Some of there current adventures were a bit hairy... if not frightening...

 

[kappykaplan]

My fave watch on long sails is the 2am to 6 am one..

Always enjoyed the transition from night to dawn to sunrise!

 

[plenny7]

Last weekend my friend and I went on a spur-of-the-moment night sail when we noticed the wind was picking up after dinner. It was set up perfectly to watch the nearly full moon rise ahead of us in 15-20 kt winds. I took the helm for the first half and he took the helm on the return. It was heaven.

 

[dLj]

True, but it is best done on clear full moon nights with moderate wave and wind conditions.

I am sure @dLj has an opinion on night time sailing. Some of there current adventures were a bit hairy... if not frightening...

Full moon nights are indeed lovely, but on a new moon, the milky way is incredible! It's going to be a hard call on which is best...

I will say, if it's going to happen - not only as Captain Ron said that it's going to happen out there - it's going to happen out there at 2 am with gale force winds and 12 foot waves....

dj

 

[Hayden Watson]

Ditto here.

Can yours do this? She made Star of Papillon for my birthday 12-years ago.

 

[Terry Cox]

Can yours do this?

No doubt.

 

[Hayden Watson]

No doubt.

You make your own sails also?

Designing and building that spinnaker was a very fun family project. It began life as a Sail Rite tri-radial spinnaker kit. I then modified their drawings to add the cross arms. My daughter was taking geometry that year so she worked out the angles required to get the center of the star to come out correctly. Once we had the line drawings, we each colored them in "Paint" using all of the available from Sailrite to come up with possible color schemes. Each of use printed out our individual three favorites and we laid all nine out on the diningroom table. From that selection each of us ranked our three favorites out of the nine finalists 1st to 3rd. In proper yacht racing tradition, lowest points wins.
The sail we built had a perfect score of 3 so everyone wins.
Then after we built the head, foot and clew corners, I laid them out on the floor and used 60" wide cloth to make the 30" wide cross arms by aligning the weave threads so that the angle between the head and the tow lower panels was divided into three equal-angle steps which actually makes the sail stronger than the original design due to the lower angles better aligning with the lines of stress.
Then My wife and daughter spent a week putting it all together.

 

[Hayden Watson]

We had a great sail across Roserio Strait making over 6.5-kts on a 90kt beam in flat seas.


As we approached Lopez Pass, we noticed a couple of whale-watcher boats stopped in front of us so we stoped and let the show come to us. we were rewarded by a pod of at least 6 southbound Orcas that passed by 50-yards to port and starboard.


This morning we are anchored on the sought side of Spencer Spit in heavy fog.

 

[Terry Cox]

You make your own sails also?

Nope. Original sails still in pretty good condition. Asym almost like new; used three times so far.

 

[Terry Cox]

let the show come to us. we were rewarded by a pod of at least 6 southbound Orcas that passed by 50-yards to port and starboard.

That happened to us over by Lime Kiln Point. Saw the pod of maybe 30 Orcas heading north as we were heading south. Stopped and shut the boat down and let them come through us. Some were 20 feet from our bow and stern. One I have a video of it swimming beneath our bow.

Up north, we were heading for Double Bay when a Humpback rolled up beside us. Startled the bejesus out me. I could have reached over the toe rail and touched him he was that close. Amazing creatures.

 

[Hayden Watson]

Sitting on with a dozen "friends".

 

[jssailem]

need a nighttime camera to distinguish what is around you. To me it looks like you’re among a swarm of fireflies.

 

[Hayden Watson]

It's a beautiful evening in Shallow Bay.