Elise : Taking the boat back to the Club

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Taking the boat back to the Club

The whole idea was to sail downwind as long as possible; then turn around where we are about to hit land and come back.

Which we did.

So we faced a long upwind. The wind instruments were not connected so I don't know how much wind we got but I would guess no more than 15 knots tops and mostly less.

Ebb Gods were with us so it was a fast upwind. Alcatraz.

You know what they teach you about sails? Either have it up (so you can trim it, control it, power or depower it) or have it down (so it is out of your way, you can stow it away, lash it down, whatever, anything so you don't have to worry about that sail anymore).

There is a reason for it.

When I wanted to take down the Twins as they are now called and because I hadn't figured out how to put the hanks, the sails would go down ungracefully but it was still powered up so tough to disconnect the poles, even with the sheet eased up because of the fact that it flies so beautifully symmetrically, with or without poles... - I lowered the halyard a foot to reduce some of the power, then proceeded to heat up the boat to depower one side of the twins and disconnect that pole - except the other side loaded up because I forgot to uncleat the sheet when doing that (you know the thing I would do when dropping a spinnaker??) and caught onto something which broke the pole.

I am now officially an idiot. Anyway, only had to uncleat that sheet just a bent pole that will be replaced in the next few days and a good lesson for me to no do it again and I think that I now total up to 4 or 5 poles bent in action while trying clearly clever things. Other than the one time when the pole broke apparently of its own accord, all the other times it was something stupid I did, like allowing the boat to round down or things like that.

This is just one more of these days!!

There is also a reason why poles are designed to break before masts do. It is for the sake of idiots like me!

Trimming Elise's jib for her upcoming long upwind leg. You'll note the color coordinated gear. This is not a coincidence.

Trimming Elise's main for her upcoming long upwind leg

Then realizing that since the sails are trimmed for upwind, I might as well sail the boat upwind.

Checking that the autopilot is on :)

Coiling the jib halyard after giving it a bit more tension as the breeze cooled down and got a little stronger. Looking at the jib luff line to assess whether things look right (next I will be looking at boat speed indicator and I am also 'feeling' the boat. It's incredible but you can tell when your boat is 'slow' for a given set of conditions after you get to know it well)

Taking the helm back from the autopilot with a big smile on my face as the boat starts to take off, like she usually does. A bit more fun than the sedate 'Twins' sailing style.

I only took a #3 with me since downwind sailing was my goal and I am glad that the breeze picked up to at least 'medium' as the air cooled down toward the latter part of the afternoon. Would have been way underpowered otherwise and it would have been yet another sedate leg!

OK, time for a drink now. Wait, what am I drinking? What is the snacktician doing???

Elise proudly sailing back to port

Some artistic shot by Serge - note how the lifeline is the horizon line...Or maybe it was an accident while putting the camera away. We will never know...

The Golden Gate Bridge on the horizon

Time for a jacket! Ooo, sailing is so cool...

I told Serge that he would be better off with foul weather gear but since I was single handed that he had to stay below so that I could practice 'moving around the boat' when I am on my own...so I guess he survived.