Big Pine pt 2
Posted: Mon Mar 17, 2025 10:48 am
Pt 2
I listened to the forecast during breakfast. E-SE15-20 with 20 in the afternoon, then tomorrow SE 20-25 before the frontal passage. There was supposedly a period of lower WNW winds which I knew wouldn’t last long until we had NNE winds of up to 30, near gale, they claimed, then maybe lower E-SE winds later in the week. If I remained here, I’d be here until that time.
I secured everything below. It was breezy but not outside the possibility of motor sailing with a double reefed main. Sailing alone was going to be difficult for the reasons of heavy chop in Hawks Channel and…Seaweed. There’s a lot of seaweed here. One must constantly clear the dagger board and rudders. This combined with the wind and chop was going to be too much effort. The boat rode fine with this arrangement but I think I hit the daggerboard briefly on something on the way out. It was certainly very choppy, 3-4 ft probably. I could just barely fill the main sheeted in flat on my current course. Speed was 3.5 at 1500 rpm. Not burning too much fuel and trying to be easy on the boat. She was dry but not overly happy out here. I’m not sure what type of boat this size could do this under sail alone that didn’t have at least a 4ft draft. A contessa 26 would be my choice. And she’d be horribly wet. My 23 ft keel boat was averaging 15 miles made good a day when I dealt with similar conditions in this location. It took me 5 days to return from Key west. The short chop is brutal. Out front of Bahia Honda the water is 30 ft deep. Fortunately the tide was lee going. Else it would have been exceptionally unpleasant here. As it was the engine was coming out of the water occasionally. It was calmer in the shallows near the 7 Mile Bridge. The tide was still coming in, trying to sweep me into the bridge pilings. I struggled to maintain course to the channel. But once under, the waves diminished completely and I was able to hurriedly set the jib. Without that chop I could sail. And we did. 4.5 knots, reefed main and a smaller jib. Even that was too much sail, really. I needed a 3rd set of reef points. Boat handled fine and would even tack without engine assist. Very weatherly in the flatter conditions and with a lot of wind. I could easily hold the course that had been a struggle with the main and motor. There was also a lot less seaweed now that I was on the Gulf Side. Keep that in mind if you come here. The seaweed is big issue with these boats. Even a little bit on her rudders or keel will knock performance way down. This is one reason why I added that stud keel that allows me to do a little bit above a beam reach even in these crappy conditions, with no board down. Getting the seaweed off the rudders is easier than the board. It’s a PITA to have to do it 10 times an hour.
Anyway, I only had to clear the board a few times while sailing under the lee of marathon. It was really windy. 25 for sure, and fluky. I stopped to walk the dogs at a little key I’d been to before, right NE of Rachel Key. Both are small detached little islands. But this one seems more popular with the locals for hanging out near. There were several large open fishermen boats, big heavy boats with multiple outboards which are popular now. I anchored and brought my dogs for a walk, and the occupants of one of those boats gave me the stink eye. There are very few sailboats in locations where day trippers from the nearby shore gather. Before I got back under way, I wanted to switch down to a smaller jib. Many of you are probably asking why the hull I didn’t just stay with the main and motor. It was working fine, right?? Well because I really prefer to sail. I have this boat not because she’s good motor sailor, (and she is) but because she’s a sort of passable very shallow water sailor. The jib I bent on turned out to be just a crappy sail I’d got somewhere. It set poorly, the top third fluttering no matter how it was sheeted. I left it, annoyed with myself that I had put that sail out for use, and not the one I knew I had, pretty sure. I did, didn’t I? I thought I saw it somewhere…
That fluttering jib annoyed me until dusk when I anchored in the lee of long key, after having motored a mile directly into the blazing winds to seek some respite there. That giant anchor lets me not worry about getting blown out into bay while I make sandwich, feed the dogs and turn in. I was exhausted. The first thing I did when I got up was look for that other sail. It was still blowing blazes, they were still calling for 25, with stronger winds after the front. However a peek out the hatch revealed that it was a little more southerly. I wanted to be in Tarpon Basin when that front passed through. That meant making good speed. I tore apart the Vee Berth storage and found that smaller jib under several life jackets. Thank God. This one was the one I wanted. It was smaller and set very well. Speed was into the high 4’s and after an hour I picked up the board and gained a half a knot without losing my course. Light on the helm and responsive and in control, this is the sailing I live for. A bit later my course was even off the wind slightly. Speeds into the mid fives towing a dinghy, not bad. Keep In mind, I have running backstays and they are set up just for conditions like this. It keeps the headstay tight for better jib shape. Boat was going good. Ideally maybe the larger jib and a third reef. But a nice few hours of fast sailing anyway. There were a lot of very fast, center console sport boats, Miami vice style things, which passed me at one point. And a woman from a large catamaran who yelled something at me as they overtook me while motor sailing with their Genoa rolled out. Either she knew someone who had a MacGregor, or they used to own one, or, she thought I was I insane to be out here sailing in one. I didn’t quite catch it. Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.
I anchored in tarpon basin not an hour later. Ill probably be trailering the boat soon, I think. I need to do a couple more things like swap out the rubber brackets, and redo the nonskid which has needed attention for several years. But I’ll be remembering the last few days while I accomplish them.
Ix
I listened to the forecast during breakfast. E-SE15-20 with 20 in the afternoon, then tomorrow SE 20-25 before the frontal passage. There was supposedly a period of lower WNW winds which I knew wouldn’t last long until we had NNE winds of up to 30, near gale, they claimed, then maybe lower E-SE winds later in the week. If I remained here, I’d be here until that time.
I secured everything below. It was breezy but not outside the possibility of motor sailing with a double reefed main. Sailing alone was going to be difficult for the reasons of heavy chop in Hawks Channel and…Seaweed. There’s a lot of seaweed here. One must constantly clear the dagger board and rudders. This combined with the wind and chop was going to be too much effort. The boat rode fine with this arrangement but I think I hit the daggerboard briefly on something on the way out. It was certainly very choppy, 3-4 ft probably. I could just barely fill the main sheeted in flat on my current course. Speed was 3.5 at 1500 rpm. Not burning too much fuel and trying to be easy on the boat. She was dry but not overly happy out here. I’m not sure what type of boat this size could do this under sail alone that didn’t have at least a 4ft draft. A contessa 26 would be my choice. And she’d be horribly wet. My 23 ft keel boat was averaging 15 miles made good a day when I dealt with similar conditions in this location. It took me 5 days to return from Key west. The short chop is brutal. Out front of Bahia Honda the water is 30 ft deep. Fortunately the tide was lee going. Else it would have been exceptionally unpleasant here. As it was the engine was coming out of the water occasionally. It was calmer in the shallows near the 7 Mile Bridge. The tide was still coming in, trying to sweep me into the bridge pilings. I struggled to maintain course to the channel. But once under, the waves diminished completely and I was able to hurriedly set the jib. Without that chop I could sail. And we did. 4.5 knots, reefed main and a smaller jib. Even that was too much sail, really. I needed a 3rd set of reef points. Boat handled fine and would even tack without engine assist. Very weatherly in the flatter conditions and with a lot of wind. I could easily hold the course that had been a struggle with the main and motor. There was also a lot less seaweed now that I was on the Gulf Side. Keep that in mind if you come here. The seaweed is big issue with these boats. Even a little bit on her rudders or keel will knock performance way down. This is one reason why I added that stud keel that allows me to do a little bit above a beam reach even in these crappy conditions, with no board down. Getting the seaweed off the rudders is easier than the board. It’s a PITA to have to do it 10 times an hour.
Anyway, I only had to clear the board a few times while sailing under the lee of marathon. It was really windy. 25 for sure, and fluky. I stopped to walk the dogs at a little key I’d been to before, right NE of Rachel Key. Both are small detached little islands. But this one seems more popular with the locals for hanging out near. There were several large open fishermen boats, big heavy boats with multiple outboards which are popular now. I anchored and brought my dogs for a walk, and the occupants of one of those boats gave me the stink eye. There are very few sailboats in locations where day trippers from the nearby shore gather. Before I got back under way, I wanted to switch down to a smaller jib. Many of you are probably asking why the hull I didn’t just stay with the main and motor. It was working fine, right?? Well because I really prefer to sail. I have this boat not because she’s good motor sailor, (and she is) but because she’s a sort of passable very shallow water sailor. The jib I bent on turned out to be just a crappy sail I’d got somewhere. It set poorly, the top third fluttering no matter how it was sheeted. I left it, annoyed with myself that I had put that sail out for use, and not the one I knew I had, pretty sure. I did, didn’t I? I thought I saw it somewhere…
That fluttering jib annoyed me until dusk when I anchored in the lee of long key, after having motored a mile directly into the blazing winds to seek some respite there. That giant anchor lets me not worry about getting blown out into bay while I make sandwich, feed the dogs and turn in. I was exhausted. The first thing I did when I got up was look for that other sail. It was still blowing blazes, they were still calling for 25, with stronger winds after the front. However a peek out the hatch revealed that it was a little more southerly. I wanted to be in Tarpon Basin when that front passed through. That meant making good speed. I tore apart the Vee Berth storage and found that smaller jib under several life jackets. Thank God. This one was the one I wanted. It was smaller and set very well. Speed was into the high 4’s and after an hour I picked up the board and gained a half a knot without losing my course. Light on the helm and responsive and in control, this is the sailing I live for. A bit later my course was even off the wind slightly. Speeds into the mid fives towing a dinghy, not bad. Keep In mind, I have running backstays and they are set up just for conditions like this. It keeps the headstay tight for better jib shape. Boat was going good. Ideally maybe the larger jib and a third reef. But a nice few hours of fast sailing anyway. There were a lot of very fast, center console sport boats, Miami vice style things, which passed me at one point. And a woman from a large catamaran who yelled something at me as they overtook me while motor sailing with their Genoa rolled out. Either she knew someone who had a MacGregor, or they used to own one, or, she thought I was I insane to be out here sailing in one. I didn’t quite catch it. Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave.
I anchored in tarpon basin not an hour later. Ill probably be trailering the boat soon, I think. I need to do a couple more things like swap out the rubber brackets, and redo the nonskid which has needed attention for several years. But I’ll be remembering the last few days while I accomplish them.
Ix