Saturday January 26, 2013, my youngest son, Steven, and I moved "Chariots of Fire" from Yachtfish Marine in Port Orchard, Wa back to her slip at Bremerton Yacht Club, Bremerton, Wa. The day was overcast with a cieling of maybe 1500 feet and ten miles visibility. The temperature was 41 degrees F with winds out of the south, south west at 3-5 mph. The trip was four miles with the first leg 2 miles east, 1.5 miles north under two bridges, and a half mile west to the slip.
Well as we passed under the second bridge motoring against a fading 1+ knot ebb the motor quit. I restarted it but it would only idle, just barely enough to keep us away from the bridge pillars. The wind had increased to maybe 5 or 6 mph so I thought, "Hey,this is a sailboat I'll just raise the genoa". Up to the bow I go. The zipper on the brand new jib bag was a bit stubborn but after a few tries it unzipped. Back to the mast to release the jib halyard and raise the sail. Halfway up something jams. Back to the bow and the flogging sail. The lower hanks were stuck on the forestay swaged fitting...a few tugs and they release. Back to the mast and continue to raise the sail. While cleating off the halyard I notice the brand new $78 jib bag blow overboard.
Jeez. Steven, is still at the tiller and I go below to get the boat hook. Wind is picking up. I take the tiller and give the boat hook to Steven and commence maneuvering to get the bag. Let the sail flog but the sheet jams and backwinds the sail...the boat hook slides across the bag. Pass number two...same result. Third pass I run over the bag. Where is the silly thing? Hmmm sutck on the keel I,m sure. I back down the bag pops up. The ebb and backwinded sail and barely idleing motor and Steven says, "Dad, getting pretty close to shore". Steven suggest I back down to the bag so I can see it better. Good call.
Fourth pass Steven abandons the boat hook and grabs the bag which is now full of water. Steven who was 5' 10" is now 6' 2" as he stretched to haul the bag aboard.
Now to get away from the shore and start sailing. The jib is fouled on the forestay and after several moments Steven has it clear. I sheet the jib and we are drawing nicely away from the shore. She sails so nicely. A lone observer on the shore claps slowly.
The wind shifts, right on the nose. Motor still idling I crank it up a bit. I fall off, motor sailing nicely.
Ok, just have to round the point 1/4 mile away and it is 300 yards to the slip. The wind dies. Making 1 kt against the ebb. We round the point and nice wind. We look great. We sail for 200 yards, I douse the jb, Steven backs into the slip.
Another great day on the water.
Well as we passed under the second bridge motoring against a fading 1+ knot ebb the motor quit. I restarted it but it would only idle, just barely enough to keep us away from the bridge pillars. The wind had increased to maybe 5 or 6 mph so I thought, "Hey,this is a sailboat I'll just raise the genoa". Up to the bow I go. The zipper on the brand new jib bag was a bit stubborn but after a few tries it unzipped. Back to the mast to release the jib halyard and raise the sail. Halfway up something jams. Back to the bow and the flogging sail. The lower hanks were stuck on the forestay swaged fitting...a few tugs and they release. Back to the mast and continue to raise the sail. While cleating off the halyard I notice the brand new $78 jib bag blow overboard.
Jeez. Steven, is still at the tiller and I go below to get the boat hook. Wind is picking up. I take the tiller and give the boat hook to Steven and commence maneuvering to get the bag. Let the sail flog but the sheet jams and backwinds the sail...the boat hook slides across the bag. Pass number two...same result. Third pass I run over the bag. Where is the silly thing? Hmmm sutck on the keel I,m sure. I back down the bag pops up. The ebb and backwinded sail and barely idleing motor and Steven says, "Dad, getting pretty close to shore". Steven suggest I back down to the bag so I can see it better. Good call.
Fourth pass Steven abandons the boat hook and grabs the bag which is now full of water. Steven who was 5' 10" is now 6' 2" as he stretched to haul the bag aboard.
Now to get away from the shore and start sailing. The jib is fouled on the forestay and after several moments Steven has it clear. I sheet the jib and we are drawing nicely away from the shore. She sails so nicely. A lone observer on the shore claps slowly.
The wind shifts, right on the nose. Motor still idling I crank it up a bit. I fall off, motor sailing nicely.
Ok, just have to round the point 1/4 mile away and it is 300 yards to the slip. The wind dies. Making 1 kt against the ebb. We round the point and nice wind. We look great. We sail for 200 yards, I douse the jb, Steven backs into the slip.
Another great day on the water.
