kdub
Member
I just got back from my fourth of July sail (testing out the new reef points that I had installed by a local boat shop) and it was the most exciting thing that I have done since sailing butterflies in gale force. I think that my reef points worked well to reduce my sail area but I found that the end of the boom was hanging closer to the deck than when I use the entire sail. I tried to adjust while on the water, but could barely get it to clear my evinrude lightwin. So we had the boom unexpectedly come about in a 20 mph puff, the boom got hung up on the motor, not allowing us to dump sail, and we were capsized instantly. It was here that I learned that I had committed cardinal sin, sailing without having my hatch cover closed. So my crew and I are under the sail and as he tries to throw our floating dry-bags. and miscelaneous stuff into the forward compartment I swam under to grab the centerboard. It took about three to five seconds for the boat to turtle entirely (I think this happened so quickly due to the bow taking in water because stupidly I hadn't secured the cover) during which time I was already hanging all of my weight off the centerboard, feet on rail . Once my crew joined me in the effort to right the boat it took about ten to fifteen seconds of us hanging but thankfully it righted itself (and rather quickly once it decided to). Lake superior is cold when you are out away from shore, we were happy to be back in the boat, but I was sad a I realized that I gpsmap 60csx was sacrificed to gichigumi. I had it on a lanyard tied to my belt, the lanyard was in tack so the plastic housing on the unit must have broken. We also lost a cooler, waterjug, some flipflops, and my nice metal pole for supporting the mast while trailing. With our new found respect for the puffs we had been previously playing upon so youthfully we decided to lower the jib and head to shore. We beached the boat, and walked up about a mile to get my crew's Starcraft and a plug wrench and some ether. This fourth of July has been one that this young sailor will never forget. Mistakes were made by me today that I will never make again in the future. Number one, always keep the dryhull-closed. Number two, tie down the cooler, better. Number three, bring a plugwrench and some ether, (spare plugs too) in the unlikely case the motor gets swamped it can be revived. Number four, when not using the motor close the vent on the fuel tank/disconnect the lines, because we had to bring some fresh gas out there as well. Number five, keep the gps below and use for navigation only if necessary, not worth dropping an expensive unit in the drink to see if we are making a new high speed record.
I now know that I need to make my boom clear that motor somehow if I am going to use the sail with reefing points. Did anyone else have this problem with having trouble raising the boom because of a reefed sail? I also know that I need to get a float for the end of my mast. I filled it with the foam as suggested but I now know that I need that float to feel safe again out on that lake, it is a scary one, but so fun (my adrenaline is still pumping as I recall the event more than an hour later). Is there a place online I can order one of them? Would this same place happen to be able to replace that nice steel cradle that I had to support my mast during travel?
Happy fourth of July, I have never felt more alive and thankful to enjoy this beautiful north shore, but I want to do it safely. Lessons learned, capsize w/ gear stowed properly=fun Turtle on superior recklessly=Scary, to say the least.
I now know that I need to make my boom clear that motor somehow if I am going to use the sail with reefing points. Did anyone else have this problem with having trouble raising the boom because of a reefed sail? I also know that I need to get a float for the end of my mast. I filled it with the foam as suggested but I now know that I need that float to feel safe again out on that lake, it is a scary one, but so fun (my adrenaline is still pumping as I recall the event more than an hour later). Is there a place online I can order one of them? Would this same place happen to be able to replace that nice steel cradle that I had to support my mast during travel?
Happy fourth of July, I have never felt more alive and thankful to enjoy this beautiful north shore, but I want to do it safely. Lessons learned, capsize w/ gear stowed properly=fun Turtle on superior recklessly=Scary, to say the least.