[Rhodes22-list] Great Sailing in the Inland North West in January

[KUHN, LELAND]

Caesar,

Your story makes me yearn to get out.  I motored out of my slip last weekend only to discover that our channel was still frozen over.  I felt more disappointed than stupid and I felt really stupid.

Congrats on single-handling.  Sailing with crew gives you a great feeling of freedom and accomplishment and it pales by comparison to doing it by yourself.  When first sailing solo I found the biggest challenge was furling in the mainsail in heavy wind.  Now I use the motor to point me into the wind but it still takes some skill to get the sail put away without falling off the wind.

You mentioned "tying off tiller in order to go adjust the topping lift."  If you actually are tying off the tiller I highly recommend getting one of Stan's tiller locks.  It's one of the most useful features on my boat.  I keep my topping lift completely loose when the mainsail is out.  I'm not sure if there's any reason to adjust it.

Right after a tack I put the tiller between my legs so I can steer and still have two hands free for the sheets.  If sailing had been around before we evolved we'd still probably have functioning tails.

Thanks for the motivational story!

Lee
1986 Rhodes22  At Ease
Kent Island, MD



-----Original Message-----
From: rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org [mailto:rhodes22-list-bounces at rhodes22.org] On Behalf Of Caesar Paul
Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 8:36 PM
To: Rhodes List
Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Great Sailing in the Inland North West in January

Hi Guys,

We are experiencing unseasonably warm weather here in the Inland North West, and I had my two best sailing days this winter on Friday and on Monday.  On Friday I sailed with a friend who owns a 45foot Gulf Star Ketch.  He had a great time on the tiller while I handle the sheets.  We sailed for about two hours tacking back and forth up the river against wind and current, doing an average of 3.5 knots.  The return leg was a run, wing on wing.  Lots of fun! Wind temperature was 51degrees.

On Monday I went out alone down river from the Marina and sailed for about 3 hours.  Again, lots of fun, and a great confidence builder.  Sailing single handed forces you to figure out ways of doing things alone, like holding the tiller to the lee, releasing the sheet, working the Genoa to the other side, and cleating off, tying off tiller in order to go adjust the topping lift. 

 I might be boring some of you with this stuff, but then again I might just nudge a few sailors to give single hand sailing a try.  What makes it even sweeter, is not just that you have the boat to yourself, but you might be the only boat in sight.

I don't know how long it will last, but those Rhodies in warmer regions cannot flaunt their warm weather sailing on us; at least not this year.  You hear that Art?

Caesar
Gentle Breeze
1986 / 2008
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