First Launch on Windy Day
Posted: Tue May 20, 2008 3:01 pm
Today was my maiden voyage!
Well I certainly learned a lot, and nobody got hurt and nothing got damaged!
I launched to day on a Tuesday so that there would be no traffic on the ramp and there wasn't, but we were feeling the remains of yesterdays small craft warnings. The winds were fresh with gusts over 20 Kts. and some iwhitecaps in the harbor.
Rigged her without issue on dry land. I attached the Jib halyard to the bow pulpit for safety while attaching the forestay and discovered a neat trick. I found that having my son pulling down and back on the jib halyard hooked onto the bow pulpit, along with the mast raising system tight made attaching the forstay under high pressure a piece of cake.
Couldn't power the boat off the trailer with the outboard so did a "reverse mac bump" and the boat slid off but not completely clear of the trailers rear vertical posts. Wind was from the aft starboard corner. I had planned for the wind to blow me onto the dock on the port side, but I didn't count on the bow pivoting around the port upright post which it did real quick, man what freeboard on this boat!!! It sails with no sails up! Good thing I had my son with me to catch the boat and save the prop from smacking the dock. Lesson learned, watch the posts.
Used a bow spring line setup to allow me to reverse out, into the wind and away from the dock, worked like clockwork. I have read several posts about folks dragging boards and rudders so I kept mine up. What I wasn't ready for was the total limp noodle handling of the boat with only the 50HP suzuki and no fins in the water, yowza! The boat was like a dishrag and I was sawing back and forth at harbor speed trying to stay on course. As soon as I could I dropped the dagger board 2 ft in, and set the port rudder, and PRESTO boat handled like a charm, through the chop and wind, just like my Grady White!
I didn't get a chance to sail her but I can't wait for round 2 this weekend!
Well I certainly learned a lot, and nobody got hurt and nothing got damaged!
I launched to day on a Tuesday so that there would be no traffic on the ramp and there wasn't, but we were feeling the remains of yesterdays small craft warnings. The winds were fresh with gusts over 20 Kts. and some iwhitecaps in the harbor.
Rigged her without issue on dry land. I attached the Jib halyard to the bow pulpit for safety while attaching the forestay and discovered a neat trick. I found that having my son pulling down and back on the jib halyard hooked onto the bow pulpit, along with the mast raising system tight made attaching the forstay under high pressure a piece of cake.
Couldn't power the boat off the trailer with the outboard so did a "reverse mac bump" and the boat slid off but not completely clear of the trailers rear vertical posts. Wind was from the aft starboard corner. I had planned for the wind to blow me onto the dock on the port side, but I didn't count on the bow pivoting around the port upright post which it did real quick, man what freeboard on this boat!!! It sails with no sails up! Good thing I had my son with me to catch the boat and save the prop from smacking the dock. Lesson learned, watch the posts.
Used a bow spring line setup to allow me to reverse out, into the wind and away from the dock, worked like clockwork. I have read several posts about folks dragging boards and rudders so I kept mine up. What I wasn't ready for was the total limp noodle handling of the boat with only the 50HP suzuki and no fins in the water, yowza! The boat was like a dishrag and I was sawing back and forth at harbor speed trying to stay on course. As soon as I could I dropped the dagger board 2 ft in, and set the port rudder, and PRESTO boat handled like a charm, through the chop and wind, just like my Grady White!
I didn't get a chance to sail her but I can't wait for round 2 this weekend!
in on Sunday morning and immediately lowered the center board (about 6” of line) and the SB rudder. Plenty of room at the ramp and we were the only ones launching. We also filled the ballast, as our plans were to first check out the job of my carb rebuild ( ran GREAT). Second to learn the area around the inlet we moor at ( Cradle Creek, Rhode River, West River off of the Chesapeake). Then last but not least if the wind was light enough maybe raise the main to get some experience.