[Rhodes22-list] Labor Day Overnight

[Thena Carville]

Slim,
Sounds wonderful....now you know why the boat is often referred to as "the
other woman"....
Thena
----- 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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