Splashing her this week

[jlillie]

Well, its been awhile since i've posted here but that doesn't mean I haven't been busy.
The time is finally here after 2.5 years of a restore. This coming Thursday, pulling her from Cape Coral, FL down to York Road Marina, St James City, Pine Island, FL. Will get the mast stepped with my gin pole setup and get her all rigged up and ready. Friday morning, York Road marina will put her on the travel lift and into the water on the Monroe Canal. Rented a slip just 1/2 mile down the same canal (Two Seas Marina) leading out to Pine Island Sound, San Carlos Bay and the Gulf.
I'm excited and nervous. An old salt friend of mine will be along with me on Friday, to make sure I don't screw anything up (I'm really good at screwing things up). He'll go with me on my first sail. Supposed to get breezy end of this week which makes me even more nervous.
I'll post the pics early next week. I'm sure I'll be busy with the boat until then.
Cheers,
John

 

[Justin_NSA]

I'm sooo jealous. We just hauled ours out Friday for the winter and demasted her for some repairs.
Have a great time!

 

[SailormanDan]

Congrats! Will be good to finally be out.

 

[jssailem]

Sounds very exciting. Congrats on the splash after 2.5 years and enjoy the experience. It is not often we can rebirth a boat.

 

[SoundWave]

Way to stick with it, and for completing your project.
You are in for a great weekend!

 

[jlillie]

Thanks for all the encouraging replies Weather man says 25mph winds and 4-6ft seas on Friday - yikes. Doesn't sound like an optimum day for a shake down cruise. Might have to stay on the inside. Whatchall think?

 

[SailormanDan]

Do what you feel comfortable with to get to know her and how she reacts, and call it a win. Reef before you leave, if you'rfe thinking you should, can always shake it out later.

 

[Jackdaw]

Thanks for all the encouraging replies Weather man says 25mph winds and 4-6ft seas on Friday - yikes. Doesn't sound like an optimum day for a shake down cruise. Might have to stay on the inside. Whatchall think?

Don't sail. Too much too soon.

 

[kito]

Got to admit, when I get my 3 year old project in the water for a shake down cruise, I will wait for calmer conditions than yours. I will be stressed out enough..........

 

[shemandr]

Don't sail. Too much too soon.

+1. Make it a positive experience. Get the launch done. Get her secured. Test all the systems. Have a nice dinner and stay over. Enjoy!

 

[jlillie]

ya'll was right. Should not have gone out.but......my old salt friend seemed confident it would be ok. He's been sailing since he was a kid (must be around 65 now). Owns a 38' Teyana - Sea Mist. So we get things all setup and headed out. York Island is just below St James City. Farther south is Sanibel. We planned to stay between York and Sanibel (on the inside). Wind was east north east at 25 steady, gusting to 30. We headed down wind. Reefed out the 130 head sail without main and was doing 7 knots easy. Tried to get the main out and reefed but with the wind from behind we couldn't do it. As we started to approach the mangrove islands off Sanibel, we attempted to get her turned around with only the head sail but this proved impossible. We tried several times but started getting to close the the islands and shallows so we turned the little 10 horse motor on and still strugged to get her pointed up wind. Finally, got her pointed in the wind and that little motor struggled to get 2-3 knots up wind. Few hours later we made it back to cover and the canal to my slip. I'm just super glad the motor never gave up. Dave commented on the way back in that the standing rigging must be off. A sloop rigged boat should be able to get turned around with just the head sail. We got back he showed me that the mast is canted back some in reference to the water. I'm going back today to adjust and do some other maintenance.
It was a hell-of-first sail. At one point we put the port rail in the water trying to turn up wind. She came back but wow.
Tomorrow gonna take the wife out but we'll just motor out to some cover and anchor. She and me will just hang out, have some lunch and some wine and get to know our boat.
Cheers

 

[SFS]

There are boats that will not come up when flying only a headsail in higher winds.

 

[jssailem]

JLillie, as SF says you need balance in your rig. The 130 head sail does a great job catching and pulling you down wind under a bit of control (think parachute). When you make your turn it starts to stop the boat as the bow comes into the wind. All of the pressure is on the bow. If you cannot convert the downwind speed to the turn the sail catches the wind and stops the turn. Know that the boat turns around a point somewhere near the mast.

It is like a teeter totter. If you position your pressure near the pivot point it is ease to move up and down. Put the pressure near the end and the weight of a little girl can stop you from moving the teeter totter.

When you have the Main up you can balance the pressure around the pivot point. Then you can turn the bow through the wind, and when the bow goes through the wind you can back the jib to complete the turn. Bring the jib across on the lee side and you pick up speed.

A few more outings and it will all start to make sense.