What makes challenging sailing?

[Breeze Way]

points and shore lines

I had an impossible time trying to get around a point because of the heading, wind direction, and by boat drift at one time. I also got blown over from trying to follow the shore line to close on a run with the sails on the away side from shore then tacking away from shore. Whoops! I knew that was coming.

 

[Tray Till]

Key West

One of my most challenging sailing adventures occurred 2 years ago when I trailored my Catalina 22 (#10928) to Key West. I was actually supposed to be in Brunswick, Ga. but unfortunately I missed the exit from I-95 and could not turn around until I found an appropriate exit. Oh well!! I was sailing through the turning basin in front of Mallory Square heading towards the channel reef entrance in 10-12 knots of wind when I encountered the current moving from the north. That sucker almost pushed me into several fishing boats which were anchored at the edge of the channel. Unfortunately the only way to beat the current was to fire up the kicker. I was solo sailing and the current hit so fast that I barely had time to respond. It was a great week down there and you know, on the trip back to South Carolina I passed many exits suitable for correcting my earlier blunder of the missed Brunswick exit. I wonder how I missed them??!!

 

[Rob R.]

Continuing to Learn...

The more I learn about sailing, the harder I push my boat and myself. When I fist started on my C-27, 15 kt winds made me uncomfortable. Now I'm comfortable in 30 kts - challenged, but comfortable. But more importantly, each time I go out, I find myself constantly trying to improve, to use a new technique, to get that extra bit of power out of my sails.This website really helps me find areas that I need to improve on. So what makes sailing challenging? Finding the next thing to learn about, and then working on it.Rob

 

[henkmeuzelaar]

Too many challenges to recall....

Here are my personal top-10 challenging sailing situations (in no particular order and of the top off my head):(1) being becalmed on a foggy night in the busy Santa Barbara shipping channel with a broken engine;(2) nearly being run over by a Japanese freighter near the equator in broad daylight (with both co-captains in the cockpit.....);(3) being heeled over on our beams ends *(without any sails up) in a narrow channel in the Upper Chesapeake Bay by a thunderstorm with lightning and hail;(4) being struck by lightning twice in 2 months while in the Havre de Grace City Marina in the Chesapeake Bay;(5) promising to make our first Vanuatu landfall in Port Vila (because a friend of a friend happened to know someone there) while our only detailed harbor charts are for Luganville instead.....;(6) trying to escape the lee shore of the Great Barrier Reef in 30-35 knot Trades and having to beat back to one of the few reef openings we have charts for (for details; ask George Kornreich);(7) getting blasted by the Venturi effect in the Alenuihaha Channel between two of the world's tallest mountains (Mauii and Hawaii);(8) getting williwawed off the coast of Maui by reverse Alenuihaha Channel winds blowing during the 1997 El Nino (and seeing the top of the furled genoa starting to peel off);(9) trying to anchor on the reef outside Sea Lion Rock near La Paz and managing to get our bow anchor stuck in a cave at 100+ ft and our stern anchor between rocks at 70+ ft (took most of our planned dive to square this mess away); and (10) demonstrating 40 years ago how it is possible to sail a gaff-rigged sloop with a 25 ft tall mast and all sails full and by under a 15 ft tall bridge (which failed to open at the expected time)and come out on the other side with only one broken shroud.To be honest; the list goes on and on and on. Isn't sailing a lot of fun; or what?? )Flying Dutchman

 

[Paul Vermillion]

Hells Gate East River N.Y.

Last spring I went through Hells Gate surfing south on my Hunter 27 at a GPS reading of 12 Knots!!! I was in rapids 2 to 3 feet. With only a 8hp universal I had very little contol of the helm. The large vessels that were heading north leaving wakes in there path made things more nerve racking. I delivered my boat from Mystic seaport, C.T. in the future I will venture out on the ocean side of Long Island to get to my home port from now on. I can take wind and waves but the Rapids belong to yhe kyackers.

 

[Dan]

SHORT TACKS

I normaly leave the motor on my Newport 20 stowed, and have to work my way in and out of the dead-end of my marina. If the tide is low, then I have a two-mile dredged chanel to negotiate. Typically it's all windward work, with a whole bunch of coming about in about 2 boat lengths. Fortunately, my little gem will track well at low speeds and shifting apparent wind angles. The turbulence from masts and big boats sometimes leaves me running narrow fairways with the main luffing and the jib backed, praying for at least a momentary lift before we completely "fall out of the sky".The landings are normally "not a problem", except that I land under full sail in stem christie fashion in front of the marina restaurant, followed by backing into the slip all standing. It requires going from two or three knots close hauled, down to zero-and-step-off in about a 20 foot, 6 inch turning radius.I have about 125 hours on the "steam gage", in mostly 1-2 hour hops, over the past 4-5 months, so that's a lot of short tacks.

 

[the Pirate of Sha-lin]

a challenge & a pain in the b--t

The most challenging sailing I do is trying to sail to weather in heavier air with my stretched-out mainsail. I even have to adjust the set of my jenny to compensate. However, sailing downwind is a joy, and it didn't keep me from winning the last series of races I was in. New main time!

 

[Jack DeMambro]

Woods Hole

Don't try it against the current! 4-6 KT with a following breeze makes a wonderful chop and something not for the weak of heart. A bunch of turns and if you get across the current, go back to the beginning and wait for a fair current. Even going with the current, there are those who will traverse the hole against the current in the narrow channel, making for an interesting passage. Only place where I hit a rock. About a foot behind a mark. The marks are mostly unlit.

 

[Chris Hyland]

Buzzards Bay in General

Jack, The whole Buzzards Bay area can get ugly.Basically much of the tidal waters from Cape Cod Bay drain through the canal and if you get a southerly wind fighting the tide, you're in for a real lumpy ride.I hit 12 to 15 footers crossing that last year.Regards,Chris

 

[Chuck Graser]

Northern California

San Francisco Bay and the Northern California Coast are fun and challenging. On any given day, you can go from calm to 25k or more. This means that you get plenty of practice reefing and furling, and you usually have plenty of boat speed. This has caused us to rig the boat for short handed sailing with sail adjustments done from the cockpit. Holding on while moving about the boat is also good muscle building exercise. Now, if only we didn't ever need to use the head in those brisk conditions. Chuck "Columbine" C-30 Fleet I

 

[Mac]

Lake Sailing

I sail on a small lake, approx 3.4 miles long and 1/2 mile wide at the widest point, the lake is on an 'L'. The banks are high with a high stand of trees and there are a number of coves. To say the least the winds are squirrelly and in especially in light wind more than challenging. Last year I sailed 1000 miles and probably had 15,000 tacks. This after living in Hawaii where I could go sailing all day most often with just three or four tacks.

 

[Doug Rodrigues]

Beyond the Golden Gate Bridge

I kept pushing the learning envelope in my very first boat, a Venture 2-22. The time came where I just had to be crazy enough go to sea under the Golden Gate Bridge in my little boat (only one day after a storm with 50 mph winds). Nobody told me about bow waves from large container ships...heck, I didn't know. I was teaching myself how to sail! That ship seemed to be going so-o-o slow. So in combination with the swells, the first bow wave was a real surprise! Thinking about it afterward, I could have easily body surfed it! Scared me! Stupidity; yes. Education; yes. Excitement; yes. Would I go out in those same conditions again...no.

 

[SailboatOwners.com]

Final results

Final results for the Quick Quiz ending 4/21/2002:The most challenging water I sail in is caused by: 39% Wind 25% Current or waves 23% Boat traffic 13% Fog 791 owners responding

 

[Andy Bogaart]

Hey Paul

Hey Paul, are you still out there? We have been wondering where you've been. If you are, email me at solutions@corellianconsulting.comAndy Bogaart