First Sail

SUMB44

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Jun 19, 2018
51
O'day 20 Port Tobacco
The first sail in our 'new' O'day 20 is currently underway. The first realization I had is that I need more sailing lessons. Learning to sail 20 odd years ago and thinking myself capable today was clearly foolish.

The first warning sign should have been my father-in-law killing the outboard motor before we left the ramp. So no motor... I foolishly decided to proceed away from the standby dock at the ramp under mainsail only. After 1.5 groundings we are drifting around a small bay in the Port Tobacco River with intermittent light breeze and doldrums. What little breeze there is affords little headway, much less steerage, and serves little purpose than to push us closer and closer to the lee shore...

I anticipate a tow in our near future.
 

SUMB44

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Jun 19, 2018
51
O'day 20 Port Tobacco
After, at the marina pool, we got 'props', if you will, from the power boaters for getting underway under sail power alone from the ramp. They said, "We don't usually see sailboats on the weekends, much less sailboat launches... when your motor died and then you said 'damn the engine' and raised the sail and sailed right out... that was ballsy, and we were impressed." Earned some respect and street cred with the power boaters today.
 

SUMB44

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Jun 19, 2018
51
O'day 20 Port Tobacco
Our principal sailing area:
upload_2018-7-9_12-57-25.png

We have slip in Goose Bay (upper left).
 

Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
May I suggest carrying a short or extendable paddle aboard in case the wind and the motor die again.... to avoid that "lee shore" or get you back in your slip. I had a swim fin stashed away on my Nacra, which had no motor, just for that reason. I could lay on a pontoon with the tiller extension in the inboard hand and the flipper on the outboard one and make pretty good progress if needed.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
May I suggest carrying a short or extendable paddle aboard in case the wind and the motor die again.... to avoid that "lee shore" or get you back in your slip. I had a swim fin stashed away on my Nacra, which had no motor, just for that reason. I could lay on a pontoon with the tiller extension in the inboard hand and the flipper on the outboard one and make pretty good progress if needed.
I have an extendable paddle on my 192. And I have used it. I'll tell you one thing, if I'm totally becalmed, it'll take me a long damn time to paddle back to the marina! :tongue: Mebbe if I had 2 paddles and another person working the other paddle it would go more quickly...

So one time I'm out sailing my Force 5 (which is more or less a Laser.) BAM! My boom end fitting shears off, so no gooseneck connection anymore. I drift onto shore, get the mast pulled out so I can pull off the sleeved main and shove it into the cockpit. Walked up the shoreline a 100 or so yards, trying to put myself directly across from the marina, but realizing the closer I get to directly across from the marina, the further that cove goes distance-wise from the marina. Thankfully, the wind has started to die down. The 2 kayakers don't seem to understand the lunatic on shore waving a red PFD over his head means "Come help." The Hobie Adventure Island guy I see every evening went right down the middle of the lake, and he didn't see the lunatic on shore waving the PFD either. (I have to admit, I did not holler to them, because I was already ashamed to think about asking for help. So, it was a half-assed request for assistance! :cool:) Around that time, I decided to be self-sufficient, and laid stomach down on the foredeck with my legs astraddle the mast, and began my surfboard paddle back to the marina. I discovered that I'd paddle myself off the slippery, recently waxed deck, but that my feet could hook right over the forward cockpit lip to hold me in uncomfortable position. Guess my legs are just the right length. Well, I used to be a competitive swimmer, but not for a long time. Lemme tell you how very leaden my arms were after the half- or three quarters- mile surfboard paddle I did that evening! :yikes::yikes::biggrin::biggrin:

Glad SUMB44 made it back to the dock. There are times when something goes wrong, and you press on regardless because you were determined to go ahead with plans, and you find out after the fact that the decision to press on bites you really hard in the derriere...

If you had the motor running but it dies and won't restart, could be flooded. Just yesterday a woman in the club launched her Catalina 22 for the first time, and flooded the motor. She had to sail in to the ramp with limited wind and a paddle. Flooding can be fixed pretty easily by pulling the spark plug(s), blowing them off, and pulling the motor over a few times to clear excess fuel out the spark plug holes. Re-insert the plugs, and you're good to go. A plug wrench is a good tool to have in the on-board tool box. For that matter, an extra set of plugs can get you home if you're fouling.

Hmmm, that reminds me, I'm not sure if the spare plug on the boat is for the 5hp 4 stroke that's on the boat, or if it's from the old 2 stroke 2 HP Suzuki I sold with the old boat. I need to check that out!
 
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Joe

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Jun 1, 2004
7,999
Catalina 27 Mission Bay, San Diego
You can also just turn off the fuel valve, or disconnect the hose if you have an external tank. Pull the starter cord a few time to clear the cylinder and then reconnect.
 
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Oct 19, 2017
7,732
O'Day 19 Littleton, NH
Earned some respect and street cred with the power boaters today.
It's important to have some street cred with the power boats; you never know when you'll need one to tow you ashore.
Congratulations on the successful completion of your first sail.

- Will (Dragonfly)