Little/No Wind Home Port -- Staying Enthused?

Jan 13, 2009
391
J Boat 92 78 Sandusky
Dlochner- did you know you were breaking a rule of racing when you loaded sails on one side? O'K before prep gun not o'k after.
51
MOVABLE BALLAST


All movable ballast, including sails that are not set, shall be properly stowed. Water, dead weight or ballast shall not be moved for the purpose of changing trim or stability. Floorboards, bulkheads, doors, stairs and water tanks shall be left in place and all cabin fixtures kept on board. However, bilge water may be bailed out.
 

Bob J.

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Apr 14, 2009
773
Sabre 28 NH
One factor is matching the boat to the use that is most pleasurable.
That's the key. As we go through the stations of life, we change.
It's funny cause if I include 2 canoes & my dingy, I've owned 11 boats in my lifetime & truth is if I'm honest, some of those boats owned me...
At this point in my life I'm happy to just float like a leaf on the water.

I also think where one keeps their boat has alot of influence on how it gets used. If you're in a slip at a marina the tendency is to get out of there, I know I did. If you're on a mooring life is different.

We spent close to 90 days on our 28' boat this past summer. It really was one of the first times in my life I didn't feel compelled to run around the world with my hair on fire. Guess we learn a few things as we get older.
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Dlochner- did you know you were breaking a rule of racing when you loaded sails on one side? O'K before prep gun not o'k after.
51
MOVABLE BALLAST


All movable ballast, including sails that are not set, shall be properly stowed. Water, dead weight or ballast shall not be moved for the purpose of changing trim or stability. Floorboards, bulkheads, doors, stairs and water tanks shall be left in place and all cabin fixtures kept on board. However, bilge water may be bailed out.
Hey, I was just the hired help and did what the skipper told me so I didn't get yelled at. :yikes:
 

dLj

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Mar 23, 2017
3,373
Belliure 41 Sailing back to the Chesapeake
I know this is a sailing forum, but there are a while lot more people that own motor boats than sailboats... At least it seems that way to me from walking around a whole lot of Marina's...

Sailors love to sail. I'm convinced that that a limited number of people are really sailors. Maybe only something like 10% of the population (no idea what the real number is but it's not large).

For me, it's hard to describe, but when I motor out of the marina, get my sails all set, am under sail, and then turn the engine off - a kind of peace, or oneness with the earth or... I don't know, but there is a feeling that comes to me that simply comes from no other activity. I love to sail!

dj
 
Jan 19, 2010
12,362
Hobie 16 & Rhodes 22 Skeeter Charleston
...For me, it's hard to describe, but when I motor out of the marina, get my sails all set, am under sail, and then turn the engine off - a kind of peace, or oneness with the earth or... I don't know, but there is a feeling that comes to me that simply comes from no other activity. I love to sail!
dj
Right on brother!:thumbup:
 
Jun 21, 2007
2,105
Hunter Cherubini 36_80-82 Sausalito / San Francisco Bay
Yes, I do understand. Sailing (and owning the contraption in which to do it with) has other attractions besides the adrenaline rush of virtually fearing for one's safety while under sail during small craft advisory conditions. I also benefit from it doing double duty as a floating mini condo. With further advantage of not being tethered to a fixed foundation. And being in a marina, the whole scene definitely has more appeal than in a RV park or camp ground. I live a 20 minute mostly level bike ride from my marina. Even when not going out, getting on my bike and spending a few hours just futzing around the boat and the Sausalito waterfront is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. And if actually going out, takes me only about 15 minutes to ready the boat. Same 15 minutes after returning. (OK probably more like 20-25 minutes if I do a fresh water hose-down before leaving.)

The other day, when I was drifting instead of sailing, I did use the opportunity to experiment with an easier pull and release method for dealing with my lazy jack lines. They must be slack enough that a bungee cord from the mast clipped to the aftmost jack will pull that jack forward enough that the battens can't get caught when raising the sail. But then at the end of the sail, all three jacks on each side need to be quickly made just taught enough that the system will nicely catch the sail on the boom as it is doused. Think I got something that will be an improvement.
 
Mar 29, 2015
69
MacGregor 25 trailer sailer
Is the boat with the red sails your mac 25? I like the red sails! Great picture!
 
Aug 22, 2017
1,609
Hunter 26.5 West Palm Beach
If the wind dies, I usually either drift fish, swim, lobster dive, put up the boom tent & break out the cocktails/appetizers, or put some mileage on the sheets in the V-berth.
 
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RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Is the boat with the red sails your mac 25? I like the red sails! Great picture!
The boat in the photo is our Vagabond 17, which is our quick setup, single day, trailer sailer. the Elliot Pattison sails came with the boat and ARE very nice! thanks!
 
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RussC

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Sep 11, 2015
1,578
Merit 22- Oregon lakes
Wonderful picture. Taken from your drone? Like the red sails!
Yes. taken with the drone. just an UpAir One drone. not super expensive, as drones go, (300) but seems to do everything I want it to do.
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
I love to sail. Truly my passion. I love to share sailing with others that love to sail. But dLj is right - most folks don't. If I'm solo, I'm happy to drift along ghosting at 2 kts or so. With others on board I need the STW to be 3+ for it to be fun. If not? OK, no problem. On goes the motor, and we go looking for dolphin or whales. Somewhere in the whale search the wind typically comes up and that amazing moment when the motor is turned off happens. It's truly the finest moment: when the noise stops, the vibration stops, everything gets real quiet, and you feel the natural rhythms of the planet pulling you along.

Worst comes to worst... I've got keys to my neighbors powerboat. And we'll take that out. :) yup. I know, dark side and all that. I go both ways. A bad day on the water is still better than mowing the lawn.

Fun is where you find it. I'd have fun with an old spinach can with a mast stuck in it :)
 
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Jan 13, 2009
391
J Boat 92 78 Sandusky
Light air flat water days can be a lot of fun. Our 92 can go close to 4 knots in 4 knots true wind upwind. Really nice to be clipping along with barely a ripple on the water.
 
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Jan 11, 2014
11,323
Sabre 362 113 Fair Haven, NY
Light air flat water days can be a lot of fun. Our 92 can go close to 4 knots in 4 knots true wind upwind. Really nice to be clipping along with barely a ripple on the water.

Cocktail sailing. The drinks don't fall over. :)

We added a new headsail this season, with much improved performance. We'll hit 5 or 6 knots in 7 knots of breeze on reach to close reach. The only down side is you have to turn around and go back down wind eventually.
 
Aug 3, 2012
2,542
Performance Cruising Telstar 28 302 Watkins Glen
Drop the sails, throw out a drag line, inflate the floats, and swim while drinking a beer! We also bring a 16 ft Wahoo to the marina for light wind days. We are out on the water every day we are at the marina.