We’re back from a thirteen day classic cruise of Maine; Portland, Boothbay, Southwest Harbor, Bar Harbor, Castine, Rockland, and return. It was memorable for even a full time cruiser despite being severely attenuated by issues of cats, door locks, cat sitters, and daughters. It just goes to show that, if you really want to get away, you have to leave cell phones, Internet, and all other forms of communication behind.
Barbara received her Helmsman merit badge this cruise, learning to keep Strider right on the line with the windward tell tale just lifing occasionally and controlling the heel nicely in the gusts. I realized during this cruise’s instruction that my efforts to explain steering to many people have been compromised by their sight picture of my hands on the wheel. I say, “Think adding and easing pressure, it’s not like steering a car.” However, that doesn’t overcome their seeing my hands on the wheel appearing to move it back and forth. It isn’t clear that my hands are just following the wheel in one direction.
I often steer a different way to ease the wear and tear on my wrists and this method demonstrates the proper technique very clearly. I had Barbara take this short video: (.92 meg Windows Media File)
http://www.cruisingonstrider.us/videos/Steering.wmv
We were pitching into a head sea at the time so there is a more helm action than would be the case in flat water where the wheel motion would simply be slower. Strider, with her big rudder, responds very well to letting the helm “float” through part of the pitching cycle. Eliminating the lift by letting the rudder trail also eliminates the drag that must always accompany an air or water foil exerting a side force. Some vessels will respond more to this than others due to rudder and hull configuration but the principle of turning the wheel in only one direction when close hauled is an almost universal technique of good close hauled helmsmanship.
We finished up the trip in grand style, a 45 mile day, not because we were in a hurry but for being presented with about as perfect a sailing day as the coast of Maine has to offer. We sailed off the anchor at the head of Johns River and down the bay to Thrumcap Island occasionally hitting power cruising speeds under the double reef I put in on raising the sail.
Hardening up around Thrumcap, we began a 30 nm, close hauled slant that took us between Fisherman and Damariscove Islands, across the Sheepscot (rather sporty, that leg), between Ellingwood Rock and Seguin, just clearing Hallibut Rocks off Cape Small, and then onto West Cod Ledge off Portland.
The wind began to ease and back at Small Point, ending in the perfect velocity for the full sail plan as we gradually shook out the reefs. It was still grand sailing when we began the beat up to Portland but dinner in a restaurant beaconed, I wanted to get back out and anchored without worrying about running over a lobster pot in the dark, and we had done as much great sailing as one could ask for in a day. So, we started the engine and ran up into Portland to end this great cruise.
Barbara received her Helmsman merit badge this cruise, learning to keep Strider right on the line with the windward tell tale just lifing occasionally and controlling the heel nicely in the gusts. I realized during this cruise’s instruction that my efforts to explain steering to many people have been compromised by their sight picture of my hands on the wheel. I say, “Think adding and easing pressure, it’s not like steering a car.” However, that doesn’t overcome their seeing my hands on the wheel appearing to move it back and forth. It isn’t clear that my hands are just following the wheel in one direction.
I often steer a different way to ease the wear and tear on my wrists and this method demonstrates the proper technique very clearly. I had Barbara take this short video: (.92 meg Windows Media File)
http://www.cruisingonstrider.us/videos/Steering.wmv
We were pitching into a head sea at the time so there is a more helm action than would be the case in flat water where the wheel motion would simply be slower. Strider, with her big rudder, responds very well to letting the helm “float” through part of the pitching cycle. Eliminating the lift by letting the rudder trail also eliminates the drag that must always accompany an air or water foil exerting a side force. Some vessels will respond more to this than others due to rudder and hull configuration but the principle of turning the wheel in only one direction when close hauled is an almost universal technique of good close hauled helmsmanship.
We finished up the trip in grand style, a 45 mile day, not because we were in a hurry but for being presented with about as perfect a sailing day as the coast of Maine has to offer. We sailed off the anchor at the head of Johns River and down the bay to Thrumcap Island occasionally hitting power cruising speeds under the double reef I put in on raising the sail.
Hardening up around Thrumcap, we began a 30 nm, close hauled slant that took us between Fisherman and Damariscove Islands, across the Sheepscot (rather sporty, that leg), between Ellingwood Rock and Seguin, just clearing Hallibut Rocks off Cape Small, and then onto West Cod Ledge off Portland.
The wind began to ease and back at Small Point, ending in the perfect velocity for the full sail plan as we gradually shook out the reefs. It was still grand sailing when we began the beat up to Portland but dinner in a restaurant beaconed, I wanted to get back out and anchored without worrying about running over a lobster pot in the dark, and we had done as much great sailing as one could ask for in a day. So, we started the engine and ran up into Portland to end this great cruise.
