The Newb went sailing for the first time solo

Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
I always check the weather reports before I go out. Sometimes I am surprised tho. ;)
At this point I am figuring out that the weather at the lake is fairly predictable:
8:00-12:00 relatively low to moderate winds
12:00-3:00 winds build with some gusts
3:00-4:00 winds with gusts of fear
4:00-5:00 fear with a chance of terror
5:00-6:00 I want my mommy

:)
 
Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
Don't newbs have a tendency to overestimate both heel and wind??

Some of us LIKE to sail with the rail in the water - slow or not.
The sheer terror is known as excitement!

The terror lessens with experience and you know better what your boat can really do.
Usually the crew gives up before the boat does :p

Boom roller reefing on early Ventures is USELESS. Just my findings.

Our Venture has bolts to lock down the pop-top tight. Not yours?

We switched our main - sheet from stock end boom to mid boom. Don't have a traveler installed yet but I have one - no point in installing it until we replace our blown out main sail. We still get around.

When the winds are up and the admiral has
B.O.A.T. You do know what that stands for right??
Not sure what a pop tight is. I do have a bolt to keep the boom from spinning at the mast. My Venture is an 81' that's not early is it?
Break Out Another Thousand
 
Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
Don't newbs have a tendency to overestimate both heel and wind??
I don't doubt it, but here is the wind graph for the last week... judge for yourself :D

Also this station appears to be in Gardnerville proper so it's in a valley several hundred feet lower and much less windy.... Not sure why I can't find one at the lake itself.
 

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Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
The terror lessens with experience and you know better what your boat can really do.
Usually the crew gives up before the boat does :p
This is good to hear....
I just need to empty the cabin of things I'd rather not fish out of the lake one day and figure out what the limit is. I still have the foam so it shouldn't sink:naughty:
On the other hand I'd like to wait until I may not get hypothermia if I need to swim to shore:dance:
 
Nov 23, 2011
2,023
MacGregor 26D London Ontario Canada
This is good to hear....
I just need to empty the cabin of things I'd rather not fish out of the lake one day and figure out what the limit is. I still have the foam so it shouldn't sink:naughty:
On the other hand I'd like to wait until I may not get hypothermia if I need to swim to shore:dance:
Remembre to get rid of the healing angle gauge. It just scares the heck out of people! They tend to stare at it.
If you can' get rid of it cover it up or remove the #'s and the white paint from the plastic marks.
 
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Piotr

.
Dec 6, 2010
848
MacGregor 25 Rock Hall, MD
Don't newbs have a tendency to overestimate both heel and wind??

Some of us LIKE to sail with the rail in the water - slow or not.
The sheer terror is known as excitement!

The terror lessens with experience and you know better what your boat can really do.
Usually the crew gives up before the boat does :p

Boom roller reefing on early Ventures is USELESS. Just my findings.

Our Venture has bolts to lock down the pop-top tight. Not yours?

We switched our main - sheet from stock end boom to mid boom. Don't have a traveler installed yet but I have one - no point in installing it until we replace our blown out main sail. We still get around.

When the winds are up and the admiral has had enough we go to mainsail only.

B.O.A.T. You do know what that stands for right??
a) we pretty much established the winds based on the wave action and the forecast (likely up to 22-25 kts in puffs)
b) My mother-in-law told me once :"where there's no brain, there's no feeling (of terror or otherwise):D
c) very true on the crew giving up. The skipper just has to LOOK calm and assertive.
 

Piotr

.
Dec 6, 2010
848
MacGregor 25 Rock Hall, MD
This is good to hear....
I just need to empty the cabin of things I'd rather not fish out of the lake one day and figure out what the limit is. I still have the foam so it shouldn't sink:naughty:
On the other hand I'd like to wait until I may not get hypothermia if I need to swim to shore:dance:
Very unlikely, unless you sail under the jib only and get your jib sheet stuck. Otherwise, the boat takes over and rights itself (you forgot THAT lesson already??? :cussing: ). And even then all you have to do is to cut your sheet lose.
 
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
Not sure what a pop tight is. I do have a bolt to keep the boom from spinning at the mast. My Venture is an 81' that's not early is it?
Break Out Another Thousand

A 1981 Venture! Thats practically a MAC already. Hell, probably even have a liner! Compared to our Venture yours is a youngster.

Pop TOP. We lock it down TIGHT with bolts when its rough.

Maybe yours doesn't have one or maybe it was another thread around here that was discussing that. I get confused :confused:

I need a ride on a V21 someday. I haven't seen any 'round these parts.

Just remember - if they ain't squeelin' you ain't heelin'
 
Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
Very unlikely, unless you sail under the jib only and get your jib sheet stuck. Otherwise, the boat takes over and rights itself (you forgot THAT lesson already??? :cussing: ). And even then all you have to do is to cut your sheet lose.
Nah I didn't forget, I just want to "KNOW" when to say when rather than just getting scared into it.
 
Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
Remembre to get rid of the healing angle gauge. It just scares the heck out of people! They tend to stare at it.
If you can' get rid of it cover it up or remove the #'s and the white paint from the plastic marks.
I don't have one, but I was thinking about getting one.
 
Nov 19, 2011
1,489
MacGregor 26S Hampton, VA
Remembre to get rid of the healing angle gauge. It just scares the heck out of people! They tend to stare at it. If you can' get rid of it cover it up or remove the #'s and the white paint from the plastic marks.
Replace the numbers with F's from small to large

Fast
Faster
Fastest
F@%&
 
Apr 9, 2014
63
MacGregor 21 Topaz Lake
A 1981 Venture! Thats practically a MAC already. Hell, probably even have a liner! Compared to our Venture yours is a youngster.

Pop TOP. We lock it down TIGHT with bolts when its rough.

Maybe yours doesn't have one or maybe it was another thread around here that was discussing that. I get confused :confused:

I need a ride on a V21 someday. I haven't seen any 'round these parts.

Just remember - if they ain't squeelin' you ain't heelin'
I think it is technically a MAC 21... But everybody seems to call them Ventures still which stands to reason as they are about the same from what I have seen.
I have a slider top and a hatch door... The disconcerting part is that it's nothing like water tight. I'm not sure of the physics involved when water pressure is involved but I have zero confidence in cabin water tightness in the event of a knockdown.:naughty:
 
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
I think it is technically a MAC 21... But everybody seems to call them Ventures still which stands to reason as they are about the same from what I have seen.
I have a slider top and a hatch door... The disconcerting part is that it's nothing like water tight. I'm not sure of the physics involved when water pressure is involved but I have zero confidence in cabin water tightness in the event of a knockdown.:naughty:
"Knock down" means different things to different people.

Your cabin top/hatches aren't intended to be 100% water tight in all conditions, the idea is to keep BIG water from coming in fast. You would have to do some serious mods to make it water tight if the cabin happened to be in the water.

There are some sites that discuss "seaworthiness". A water tight cabin top isn't in the list. Having a bridge deck is, so is NOT having a one piece triangle shaped companionway hatch. Another is having a companionway opening that won't easily take water into cabin if cockpit is flooded. The list is long. I'll post some links when I have the chance. Many of the items are really overkill for lake sailors.

Personally - our boat is prepped the best I can in case of turtling - an event I doubt I will ever experience; but I prep for it anyway.
 

Piotr

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Dec 6, 2010
848
MacGregor 25 Rock Hall, MD
Kind of tough to B.S. the crew when your alone:doh:
When you are alone, you've got to practice looking calm. It's not to B.S. the crew - it's to stop them from panicking (I'm still practicing that one).
 

Piotr

.
Dec 6, 2010
848
MacGregor 25 Rock Hall, MD
Knocdown as I intended it is knocked on it's side. Mast in the water etc.
What TopCat said still stands - the idea is to prevent hundreds of gallons of water suddenly flooding into your cabin.