Hi all, I know the weather is still iffy to say the least up north, and ice-out hasn't happened probably yet on the small Michigan lakes, so wanted to send some inspirational thoughts of summer your way. I took the 170 out for a great 5 hour sail on the lake yesterday. Putting in at the ramp, the water was still chilly-- "only" 65 degrees-- but again, this is relative. Motored out the channel from the ramp and into Lake Santa Fe around 11am- slight patches of breeze- cut the motor and she ghosted along assuredly. By around noon, the southeasterly breeze had totally filled in. Tacked back and forth across the lake a few times (it's 3 miles long but only 2 miles wide). The breeze came up to about 10-12mph and I actually considered reefing the main as gusts proceeded above that speed- but didn't. Just trimmed the jib flat, sat up onto the windward rail and carried on- spilling the main some as the boat heeled past 20 degrees. We topped out at around 86 degrees for air temp- with mostly sun ducking occasionally behind some fair weather clouds. Like a summer day on the Laser at my parents' lake house in Minnesota. Had a great time, and speaking of up north, spotted several common loons on winter vacation from the great north. On to my question- Does anyone have an efficient way to keep the 170's sails wing on wing during a downwind run? I was running yesterday before the breezes filled in and the jib would often jump back to the lee side- shadowed by the main. Any suggestions (aside from the obvious: obsessively checking astern to see what the shifting wind's doing every instant)? Thanks for any suggestions, and happy spring (next week)! Mike G.
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I don't want to give the impression that a wisker pole is a don't need item. I use mine to trip over and get in the way both on deck and below. It is a great motivator to get the boat cleaned up and generally keeps me on my toes. Now if I had one of those spinaker pole things I bet I could really get motivated. However, I hear that the racing community has come up with a "on mast" storage method and I'm a little leary of having something so specalized actually work as advertized and be easy to use/store too. It just wouldn't be right not having to fight with it very time I wanted to use it.
I don't want to give the impression that a wisker pole is a don't need item. I use mine to trip over and get in the way both on deck and below. It is a great motivator to get the boat cleaned up and generally keeps me on my toes. Now if I had one of those spinaker pole things I bet I could really get motivated. However, I hear that the racing community has come up with a "on mast" storage method and I'm a little leary of having something so specalized actually work as advertized and be easy to use/store too. It just wouldn't be right not having to fight with it very time I wanted to use it.
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