Memorial Day cruising

[Dennis]

Sailing on the Hudson

saturday---Sailed my Oday 22 with Wife and two guests.....Sunday crewed for a race on a Catalina 30.....Monday---Single handed my Oday 22 Monday evening Club commissioning (Chelsea Yacht Club) Won first prize for my covered dish SECRET MEAT BALLS. The weekend was a 9.9

 

[Doug Merrill]

Two Countries

It was a great weekend for sailing - the weatherman was wrong again, the rain did not materialize!Left our base in northern New York on Friday and headed north to Kingston, Ontario. Thrilling is one way to describe it - not sure my wife would use the same words -25 to 30 knots of wind and 4 to 6 foot seas. Great ride, averaged 6 knots for the trip. After Kingston on to the Thousand Islands for a couple of relaxing days. Monday morning the wind Gods smiled again - winds northeast 10 to 15 knots. Downhill all the way home.One of the best weekends ever!Doug Merrills/v Dream Catcher

 

[schaefer]

she wouldn't let me

just returned from tampa dry tortugas back to tampa sail...on weds. was pushing it to get even a two hour daysail on monday...but the long island sound was full of sails so i snuck a short sail in..it was great to be back in the north east after that hot florida sun...

 

[Bob O'Brien]

Shakedown Cruise

My wife, 3 daughters and I took our new boat, a 1992 Hunter 375, on a 70 mile shakedown cruise in Long Island Sound from the dealership in New London CT to our home port in Norwalk. We tested her in 15 - 23 knot winds in our face on Saturday, and light 5-10 knot breezes from behind us on Sunday. We developed a new appreciation for tidal currents during the first 4 hours of our trip, as we battled 7 feet of tide leaving the Sound through the area known as the Race. Along the way, we saw two great sunrises and my old boat sailing up to its new home.

 

[Doug]

Dark and stormy night...

Thank God for libation. Saturday to the Pamlico Sound (with a date new to sailing) to take advantage of the "small craft warnings". Motored (wind from the wrong direction) into a cove to duck the 20Kt Southwester. Wine and dinner. Foul bottom (the anchorage, not my date). MAJOR lighting storm at midnight for two to three hours on what's now a lee shore. Anchor holds, date doesn't. Anchor watch all night. Crack of dawn, off to a tiny, known creek for sleeeeeeep. Sunday afternoon and four hours of sleep and lunch down the belt. Back into the Sound and heading East (wind from the East), motoring three hours, to another, "cozy" anchorage. Hook over the bow, deer swiming in the creek, no jet skis, lots of red wine, bugs not too bad, fish not biting (who cares?). Play/Snooze. MAJOR LIGHTING STORM - VERY CLOSE!!! Only lasts three hours. Good news: not struck by lighting; not struck by date; no hail; no tornado(s); good holding bottom (anchor, not my date). Now it's sunrise. Head back to the docks 12 miles away. Wind has clocked around and now is on the nose at 20Kts and gusting. Date becoming VERY pessimistic. Four hours later (after making a stop for needed fuel), back at the dock. Huge bags under my eyes but not hungry (or thirsty). Date can't wait to leave (some people!). Going sailing next weekend - want to go..?!

 

[John Jopling]

Cruising Florida's First Coast

Another beautiful weekend on north Florida - but a bit hot and still. Sailed with my wife, brother and sister-in-law out of St. Augustine, thirty miles up the coast to Mayport, then north on the ICW to a great anchorage on th Ft. George River. Great steaks, bourbon and gorgeous sunset. Came back Sunday on ICW all the way since we needed diesel, pumpout, water, ice, etc.Good trip, though we had to motor more than wanted with light winds on the nose most of way both days. Also had to do a little skindiving in the ICW after crew member dropped anchor line overboard and it got snared on the prop . . . live and learn.

 

[John Owen]

Memorial day: Spectacular weather at home, lot's of air moving through the trees. When I arrived in Barnegat 90 minutes later, I was greeted by 30+ kts (gusting to 35) and a bay full of steep witecaps. I saw one brave (foolish?) soul cruising out the channel in a 25' oday with an outboard -- but he was the only one. The rest of my marine neighbors stayed in their slips, from 15 footers to 50 footers. What a great day to stay in the slip and enjoy "messing about in boats!"J.

 

[Brad Alston]

The Inland Ocean

I took the family to the Great Salt Lake, where we keep the C22 in the water, and sailed all afternoon on Saturday. Perfect weather but a little light in the wind department (5-7 knots).The kids enjoys trying to slow me down by dragging their feet in the water, my wife rolled her eyes at me when I explained I was trying to optimize the sail shape...she said something like "we're not out here racing are we?" We chased the buoys...seeing who could stick their leg out far enough to touch them as we passed.There were a number of other sailboats on the water looking like they were having as much fun as we were!Great day!

 

[Rick Sylvester]

Delivery of our new home

Although it was actually the Thursday and Friday prior to the weekend we delivered our just purchased '85 Legend 40 from Pensacola to St. Petersburg. With a 20 knot beam reach we carried full main and 150% genoa and covered 170 miles with ease in the first 24 hours. Jeez this thing flies. We saw nearly 9 knots repeatedly down the swells in absolute control. Oh boy, oh boy is this going to be a fun boat.

 

[Jim Kolstoe]

Memorial Day sacrafice

Or perhaps I should say parental sacrafice. We had intermittent rain saturday, easing into drier weather on sunday, with good wind throughout. During which we attended our daughter's soccer tournament and tried not to whimper about how good the sailing would have been. Oh well, she's old enought that they have a good level of play. And I've enjoyed reading about the sailing that everyone else did. Jim Kolstoe, h23 Kara's Boo

 

[Scott]

FL to SC - the hard way

Crewed on a 30ft Benetau in the Daytona to Charleston race. Took the direct route insted of heading out and riding the gulf stream. Don't know about finishing position but were probably killed by those that chose to ride the stream. Three days with a total of about 7 hours sleep. Switching spinnakers in the middle of the night. Exciting stuff.

 

[Don Hallden]

Gulf of Mexico Racing - Freeport, Texas

Sailed from Clear Lake to Galveston, TX on Friday night. Spent night on the hook in East Bay (Baffle Point). Departed 0700 hours Saturday morning, sailing out the Galveston jetties and a total of 61 nautical miles coastal cruising to get to Freeport and the Bridge Harbor Marina. Sunday morning, raced my Hunter Legend 37.5 to a first place finish in the Bridge Harbor Yacht Club Memorial Day Regatta. Monday morning, motorsailed the ICW back to Galveston and then when the wind came up, sailed under spinnaker through East Bay and Galveston Bay to Clear Lake. It was a most excellent weekend of sailing. Total miles sailed (including seven hours of motoring) 166 nautical miles.

 

[Dennis]

Sequim-San Juans

We sailed THE FIX up the Oregon and Washington coast a couple weeks ago so that we could drive up every other weekend to spend 4-5 day long weekends sailing the San Juans this summer. Memorial Day was cloudy but good sailing conditions up and back. We had 12-15 knot winds out of the west which meant beam reaching both directions at an easy 7-8 knots. Halibut season is on now and we sailed right by a pleasure craft harpooning an 85#'r. As we closed on to Lopez Island we were greeted by breeching Orca's and Bald Eagles. After cutting thru Lopez Pass we slid smoothly under power alongside one of my favorite places (Frost Island Cut) then on to Blind Bay at Shaw Island for a calm night. Next day off thru Wasp Islands to Friday Harbour (playing tour guide with newbees), then guickly out of there to Cattle Point for a great sunset and windy but calm anchorage. The next day across the Straits again but under power all the way back to Sequim. I guess I keep expecting warmer days, albeit a bit early, but already lookin forward to week and a half from now to get back up there!Good sailing season to all!!!

 

[Mike Pajewski]

Maritime Bay, Lake Michigan

After three weeks of wrestling with fish tapes, wires and fibergalss dust, we spent the weekend washaing, waxing and launching my H26 "Loon" for her fourth sailing season. Memorial Day here in Northeaast Wisconsin was absolutly perfect for sailing. No fog, sun with a few clouds. Wind was out of the south at a steady 10 knots, no puffs or lulls. The waves were in the very comfortable one foot range. Rigging and launching went without a hitch, well almost. My electric start for the outboard didn't work, which I never messed with. Hmmmm. But, outboards do pull start, so off we went. The new VHF and GPS/Fish finder worked great. My wife's new favorite thing is looking for fish with the fish finder. All in all, it was the best first sail in my 8 years of sailing, and the summer looks to be a good one.Mike PajewskiH-26 "Loon"

 

[Tom Speitel]

Oahu-Molokai-Oahu in Catalina 28

My son & I sailed to Hale O Lono on Molokai. 45 miles as crow flies--took about 9.5 hours with wind coming off Molokai. 4-8 foot seas with 20 knot winds. The downwind return was done at night with plenty heat lightning. Great sailing.

 

[mike w.]

as did Jean Lafite, we.....

sailed south padre island jetties and enjoyed a nice sunday afternoon nap with my two boys in barracudda cove cove. we saw many dolphin curious to our motorless propellment and many tourist that wish they were on board.

 

[Chuck Graser]

Wine Country Cruise

Five C-30 Fleet I boats sailed from San Francisco Bay up the Napa River to the wine country city of Napa. It was a great cruise with enough wind and sun to amake it fun and comfortable. Due to lift bridges on the Napa River, arangments had been made in advance to open the bridges for the fleet. Our thanks to the Sea Scout Base that invited us to use their ship's dock.

 

[Gary Jensen]

S.F. Bay Cruise

On Memorial weekend Fleet nine (S.F. Bay 36 Fleet) did an around the bay double overnighter. Their first night was to Sausalito....There were five boats. They anchored out and went out to dinner. The following night the cruise took them to China Camp / Mc Nears Beach. That is where I joined them. We anchored out and rafted to shore where we BBQed and shared salads deserts etc. We then returned to one of the new boats in the fleet for viewing and cocktails.(a 36---2000)...A few members then came to my boat, a new to me (1998) 380...Anchoring was great. I used a Bruce 33 anchor with 45 feet of chain in 9 feet of water with a muddy bottom. The holding was great and I slept great!!!! We rafted in 4 rafts the next day to a creek that ran about 5 beautiful miles. I did have to tow one raft back as an impeller failed on the outboard. When I retreived the anchor before leaving, the wash down hose in the anchor locker worked beautiful. The weather cooperated and the weekend was great....

 

[Paul R. Mitchell]

More Sailing on the Hudson

Forecast was for one good day, with rain on Sunday and Monday. For once the forecasters erred in our favor -- three great sailing days (as long as sunshine isn't a priority).Dilemma splashed the previous week and went to the work dock to have the packing replaced. On Saturday we picked up Dilemma at Haverstraw Marina (west bank), checked her out and bent on the sails. My son and I headed out across Haverstraw Bay to Croton Yacht Club (east bank). My wife drove the vehicle back to Croton -- it was a tie!!!!! She had to move fast to meet us at the dock as we pulled in. Not bad. Great sail, port tack all the way!!!!Day sailed the next two days. Nice breezes, lots of fun. Few powerboats and no jetskis!!!! About the only way it could have been better is another 10 degrees F and a little sunshine! A beautiful begining to the new sailing season.Paul

 

[bill cunningham]

ship island

Blame it on El Nino (NINA), but theGulf area has had greatsailing weather this spring!!S. Louisana has not had a drop ofrain in May, and the winds have been constant! Based on this forecast, WhiteLightnin' left the Rigolets with a1-knot favorable tide and arrivedin Gulfport, Ms. in eight hours (45 miles). Stayed at one of the best Yacht Clubs on the Gulf (GulfportYacht Club)...walked to the GrandCaniso...paid $24 for a great all-youcan-eat buffet (for two), went to the"Piggy" machines and won our meal!Spent the rest of the night admiringthe Hartley Davidson convention...greatturn out...these "Hogs" are a grandgroup of people who enjoy their sportas much as us...and like sailors, havethe tatoos to prove it! Next day, picked up our 20-yr oldfriendship friends (o.k. old folks likeus) sailed to the fort and joined atleast 150 boats at anchorage....greatday...sailed back to port under #3at 6 knots...pool, food, drink,bliss! Louisana demands that no teacher gets that holiday off, soDon and Sheila helped me bring the boat back Monday while La. studentsexcelled with their usual 48 of 50placement ,,, Go Tell!