[Rhodes22-list] 1st Sail of the Season

[R Orkin]

With a tale like that it does sound tempting.. :-) Got up to about 50 today
here  all the way down south.
North wind would give us an easy shot to Oxford but they closed the Robert
Morris Inn so there nowhere for our ususal quest for rum drinks and french
fries ..
       Just had a wonderful dinner with Fred and Mary Lou in St Michaels..
No sailing involved, just sailing talk :-)




Leland wrote:
> 
> Rory,
> 
> I think "soon" may be today.  If yesterday was exciting and fun, today was
> perfect.  Replaced my stocking cap with ear muffs and a baseball cap, and
> replaced my mittens with gloves--didn't get uncomfortable at all during
> about 2 hours of sailing and 30 minutes of motoring.
> 
> The forecast was for a 2 mph wind, which usually means a zero mph wind as
> it changes directions.  However, wind was steady out of the north at 5
> knots and chop was less than a foot.
> 
> Starboard tack, full main, Genoa to outside shroud (130%?), board up,
> poptop up, tiller locked at 3 degrees to the wind, 70 degree close reach
> measured by compass, 3 degree heel, speed at 3.5 knots.  Literally did not
> touch the tiller for an hour until it was time to tack.
> 
> Port tack, same conditions except about a 6 degree heel due to the motor. 
> Let out the full Genoa to 170% and speed picked up to 3.8 knots.  Didn't
> touch the tiller again until I was back at the marina.
> 
> Cruise control almost the entire way.  There can't be an easier boat to
> sail than a Rhodes.
> 
> Forecast for tomorrow:  a little more warm and a little more windy.  I
> think it's time you put her in the water.  Oxford might even be warmer.
> 
> Lee
> 
> 
> 
> R Orkin wrote:
>> 
>> A brave soul in this weather.. :-)
>> We just looked at all that wind and said "soon"
>>                        Rory
>> 
>> 
>> Leland wrote:
>>> 
>>> Whenever my boat is dry-docked, we seem to get unseasonably perfect
>>> sailing weather.  This year I decided to keep my boat in the water and
>>> haven't been sailing once since early November.  Today I swore I'd go
>>> out come hell or high water.
>>> 
>>> The hellish part was mostly that my motor wouldn't start, but after
>>> losing a socket and screwdriver bit in the water (I need a big magnet to
>>> fish those things out), I was able to pull start the motor to life.
>>> 
>>> Temperatures in and out of the water were about 45 degrees, although
>>> even with the wind chill I was quite comfortable in ski clothes.  We had
>>> some gusts but the wind was pretty steady between 10 and 12 knots, and
>>> chop was manageable at about 2 to 3 foot.
>>> 
>>> I had forgot how much fun sailing is.  I had the poptop up and too much
>>> sail out for the conditions, but I never broached and the excessive
>>> heeling rarely slowed me down below 5 knots.  It was that exciting kind
>>> of sailing where it's more fun than scary.
>>> 
>>> As easy as the Rhodes is to sail it's still a two-handed job.  I'm
>>> recovering from some minor hand surgery and it was not a pretty sight
>>> when it came time to furl-in the sails.  Now that I know I can use my
>>> teeth to hold a furling line, I may never need to put my beer down
>>> again.
>>> 
>>> Weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday looks even better.
>>> 
>>> Life is good.
>>> 
>>> Lee
>>> 1986 Rhodes22  At Ease
>>> Kent Island, MD
>>> 
>>> 
>> 
>> 
> 
> 


-----
Rory Orkin
Tilghman, Md
2000 Recycled  Rhodes 22
Duet ll
-- 
View this message in context: http://www.nabble.com/1st-Sail-of-the-Season-tp22629377p22641447.html
Sent from the Rhodes 22 mailing list archive at Nabble.com.