[Rhodes22-list] Labor Day Overnight
Steve Alm
rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Fri, 06 Sep 2002 03:07:40 -0500
Glen,
I'm not sure I've ever heard the expression "zero cool" before, but I hope
it means cool all the way down to zero degrees and hopefully not meaning a
total lack of coolitude. ;-)
Slim
On 9/5/02 9:09 PM, "G & D Barrera" <dbarrera@attbi.com> wrote:
> Slim
>
> zero cool
>
> Glen
> ChickieBabe
> Burnham Harbor
> Chicago, IL
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
> To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2002 4:58 AM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Labor Day Overnight
>
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> Here is the report on my first single-handed overnight on labor day.
>>
>> On the afternoon of Labor Day, we had winds of 19 gusting to 29. First,
> we
>> were out doing some real X-sailing. We had the IMF reefed to about two
>> thirds and the jib reduced to the size of a hanky and were still washing
> the
>> rails and even taking some water into the cockpit! It was lots of fun and
>> even though we were sailing her on her ear most of the time, we never felt
>> worried because the boat performed magnificently...I'd say it performed
>> better than I did :-)
>>
>> We went in for dinner and at about 7:30, the wind settled down to about
>> 12-14 so I decided to do the Joshua Slocum thing and go out for the night
> by
>> myself for the first time. I took off about sunset with the girls
> standing
>> at the dock singing, crying (faking) and blowing kisses at my departure.
> I
>> sailed Lake Minnetonka late into the night. I know the lake pretty well
> and
>> I stayed in areas where I knew I couldn't get into any trouble, staying
> away
>> from the buoys, shoals, etc. I'll try not to break my arm patting myself
> on
>> the back but I was sailing the boat very well. On a couple occasions, I
> was
>> even able to balance the boat so well that I could leave the cockpit and
> go
>> up on the fore deck to enjoy the view and splendor of it all. A very kind
>> and steady wind and clear skies didn't hurt.
>>
>> Every hour or so, I decided to take a short break for rest and snacks.
> I'd
>> sail up wind for a while and then heave to. I had never done this before
> on
>> the R22 and found it to be incredibly easy. I'd sail up on a close reach
>> then tack through the wind and simply NOT uncleat the lee jib sheet, which
>> then becomes the weather sheet and backwinds the main. Then eased out the
>> main sheet, slowly brought the tiller to the lee and tightened up the
> tiller
>> tamer. In about 15 seconds I was comfortably hove to! I did this several
>> times for fun and practice and snacks.
>>
>> I discovered that heaving to is the best way to reef the jib, especially
>> single handed. With the boat stable, I could man the reefing line easily
> in
>> or out since the wind puts force on the sail and there's no need to "tail"
>> the sheets or anything. I don't know why I didn't think of this before.
>> :-/ It's soooooooo easy! Getting back under way is even easier...just
> cut
>> the weather sheet, let the jib blow over to the other side, sheet in both
>> sails and in about 5 seconds, poof, you're sailing!
>>
>> I dropped the hook about midnight in a nice, sheltered cove called Boy
> Scout
>> Bay, off Boy Scout Island in the west upper lake. I decided not to use my
>> steaming light for the anchor light since it's not 360 degrees. Although
> I
>> probably could have gotten away with that, instead I hung a kerosene lamp
> up
>> in the rigging suspended between the bow stay and the mast. I hung out
>> below for a couple hours just fiddling with a few things and watching to
> see
>> that I was not dragging the hook and making sure the lantern was not
> blowing
>> out, and at about 2:00 AM, I went to bed.
>>
>> Tuesday morning, I fixed eggs, pancakes and espresso and had myself a
> nice,
>> leisurely breakfast. After KP and a few other chores, I got back under
> way
>> at about noon...musician's hours :-) I still had that sweet, steady
> breeze
>> from the night before so I decided to sail for a few more hours.
>>
>> Shortly, I ran across a friend of mine, Bill Watson who was out in his
>> Yankee Dolphin 24. Note: I almost bought this boat from him last year
>> before we bought our Rhodes. I passed him, we tacked and I passed him
> again
>> and then again! :-) That's right...me, Slim, the rookie sailor finally
>> putting it all together and getting it right against a veteran in a bigger
>> boat! Pat, pat, pat...boy, does my arm hurt when I do that. ;-)
>>
>> I sailed until about 5:00 in the afternoon and then headed in and capped
> off
>> the voyage with a perfect landing. 21 hours alone and I loved every
> minute
>> of it!
>>
>> Yours,
>> Slim
>> S/V Fandango
>>
>>
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>
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