[Rhodes22-list] Michigan City to Chicago

[Ronald Lipton]

We sailed from Michigan City to Monroe Harbor Chicago yesterday. It 
didn't
start off very well.  We splashed the boat on Sunday and motored to a 
transient
slip to raise the mast.  I have a circa 1989 A frame mast raising 
system. I am
a little bit paranoid about the stresses on the cabin top since there 
is evidence
that a section of the top was ripped of by a previous owner. I tried to 
help
the mast along since Becky was pulling the mast up with the block and 
tackle
arrangement.  I put some weight on my shoulder and my knee collapsed - 
an old
ACL injury.  I should just trust good old mechanical advantage.  
Another voice
from on high saying "you are getting older ...".  It was not too bad 
and I am
able to hobble around OK.

We got an early start the next morning - late afternoon showers and 
thunderstorms
were predicted in Chicago and we wanted to beat them into the city. Got 
up at
about 5:00 but still didn't get to the boat until 6:30.  We got about 
15 yards from
the slip when the motor died.  The wind pushed us into an empty slip 
and I found
that the hose had pulled itself out - no big deal but not the best 
start.  The wind
was really blowing...

The rest of the sail went pretty well. We had gusting winds 15 - 25 
knots almost
all the way.  It was 80 on land but only about 50 degrees and hazy 
offshore.
We had to change the amount of sail every 20 minutes or so.  Went from 
furled main
only to full main and almost full 175 and back over and over.  The wind 
started from
the South and moved to southwest as we neared the city so it was mostly 
a beam
reach.  We saw no other boats with the exception of two large lake 
freighters going
into Burns harbor.  The helm was almost completely neutral under all 
conditions. I
sailed with an experienced racer and she was very impressed with the 
boat.

Chicago came into view through the haze about 10 miles out.  There is a 
building
with an angled roof at the corner of downtown area and with the sun 
angle at that
time of day (about 1:00) it reflected like a beacon - a beautiful view 
but I did not
have my camera (arrgh ..).  As we neared the city the wind really 
picked up - around
30 knots so we came in past the Shedd Aquarium with handkerchief sails 
flying.

The sail took 7 hours and 45 minutes - breaking my old record (and only 
other passage)
  by 3 hours.  My only disappointment was my mooring assignment.  it is 
at the far
North end of the harbor, which is well protected but not more than 30 
feet from the
Columbia Yacht club boat.  It blocks the view North (fireworks - Navy 
pier ...) and will
subject us to hundreds of affluent spectators every time we come in.  I 
am thinking
of requesting a change.