Sunday I soloed in the rain. It was a beautiful day though a bit threatening with the cloud cover. I wasn't really aware of the rain, thinking it was spray, until I looked up and saw water running down the mast. I drove straight to Coney Island on the fastest tack the boat would take, fairly close to the beach for safety, though with less than ideal trim to moderate the speed. Once I reached the amusement park, I turned around. The waves are notably larger once past the protection of Breezy Point. It's a rough, bobbing sail in that kind of water. The rest of the day I spent in the protection of Ft. Tilden/Breezy Point, racing back and forth for speed only, without going over. Testing whether to turn up, turn down, or release the sheet for speed moderation.
The highway traffic through Coney Island was bad in the afternoon on my way out at 3pm. I am convinced that the backups occur because the Belt Highway goes by 2 beaches. At one there are fancy kite performances and at the second there are kite-boards, each creates a backup of slowing, staring drivers. While caught in this, I was listening to an NPR show about the atomic bombing of Japan. One of the planes was renamed "Necessary Evil" after the fact by Hollywood propagandist, to improve the chances that the bombing would view as necessary to end the war.
I thought this might be a good name for my boat. I've been wrestling with ideas for a name since I got the boat. It seems like something that normally comes naturally to me. And I even requested names from Facebook friends. Nothing is really sticking. In honor of the blog, the current best candidate is Veribold, as a twist of Variable and Very Bold. Still not certain though.
Sunday also marked my 16th time out sailing since I got Veribold, 8 weeks ago. I am happy, but I want to set a goal to move toward. A cruise to Fire Island? Sandy Hook, NJ? The Verrazano Bridge?
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Saturday, August 14, 2010
trust
I picked up the trapeze handle the other day it just fell off into my hand. The cable had rusted through. I decided to buy all new standing rig, after consulting with the Hobie forum. The normal suggestion was to replace every 3 years or so.
I also bought a few quick-release shackles and pins to replace poorly working ones.
The entire kit was $350., and I ordered it from Sailsport Marine in Traverse City, MI.
The new rigging is slightly different than the old ones, creating a much greater mast rake. The forestay is longer and the shrouds are shorter. This seems to be an acceptable alteration of the original design. It seems that the new boats are set up this way.
I'll include more information on the mast raking and the feeling of trust apparent or lacking in this situation and in relation to the rest of life.
I also bought a few quick-release shackles and pins to replace poorly working ones.
The entire kit was $350., and I ordered it from Sailsport Marine in Traverse City, MI.
The new rigging is slightly different than the old ones, creating a much greater mast rake. The forestay is longer and the shrouds are shorter. This seems to be an acceptable alteration of the original design. It seems that the new boats are set up this way.
I'll include more information on the mast raking and the feeling of trust apparent or lacking in this situation and in relation to the rest of life.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
beach dragger
The hardest part of sailing: dragging the boat back up the beach. Especially alone.
My boat moving system is this:
- Three 10' x 4" pvc pipes as rollers.
- Put the boat of 2 of them, the 3rd one in front. drag boat at the dolphin striker until the rear pipe comes out.
- Put that pipe in front, repeat. Its tedious, but a good workout.
The pipes aren't even mine. My boat's previous owner told me it was fine to use my neighbor's pipes. I've never seen that boat moved.
Soloed today, light winds, practiced buoy turns, a motor boat played chicken with me until I turned off. Some rouge waves and quick wind direction shifts. Just puttered up and down in front of the marina.
Sailing alone is beautiful, and to me feels very organic. No one is watching, so frustration over badly performed turns or lack of wind or a luffing jib never gets expressed. I just live with it, not even really noticing my mistakes. I'm beginning to feel more suited to being alone.
Re-rigged the forestay and the shrouds before I went out. Shortened the forestay as much as possible, while still attaching the jib below it. Then tightened up the shrouds so there wasn't so much slop in the rig. Pulled the jib halyard pretty tight, and everything seemed to work better. There is still a ton of rake. The main sheet is still block to block and you have to lay entirely flat to get under when tacking.
Half-pint of water in the starboard hull. Need to look at my fiberglass repair from the weekend, but it seems to be holding up quite well. No water in port hull.
Need to sew on some new hiking straps.
Need to look into cat trax.
Is there a portable beach dragging system to use when cruising?
My boat moving system is this:
- Three 10' x 4" pvc pipes as rollers.
- Put the boat of 2 of them, the 3rd one in front. drag boat at the dolphin striker until the rear pipe comes out.
- Put that pipe in front, repeat. Its tedious, but a good workout.
The pipes aren't even mine. My boat's previous owner told me it was fine to use my neighbor's pipes. I've never seen that boat moved.
Soloed today, light winds, practiced buoy turns, a motor boat played chicken with me until I turned off. Some rouge waves and quick wind direction shifts. Just puttered up and down in front of the marina.
Sailing alone is beautiful, and to me feels very organic. No one is watching, so frustration over badly performed turns or lack of wind or a luffing jib never gets expressed. I just live with it, not even really noticing my mistakes. I'm beginning to feel more suited to being alone.
Re-rigged the forestay and the shrouds before I went out. Shortened the forestay as much as possible, while still attaching the jib below it. Then tightened up the shrouds so there wasn't so much slop in the rig. Pulled the jib halyard pretty tight, and everything seemed to work better. There is still a ton of rake. The main sheet is still block to block and you have to lay entirely flat to get under when tacking.
Half-pint of water in the starboard hull. Need to look at my fiberglass repair from the weekend, but it seems to be holding up quite well. No water in port hull.
Need to sew on some new hiking straps.
Need to look into cat trax.
Is there a portable beach dragging system to use when cruising?
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
you are more than you think you are
Lesson 1, 2, & 3: To learn how to sail, sail.
My great friend Erik started bicycle racing a few years after I did, and we went out on his first training rides together. He was strong and had great potential, but on those first few rides he couldn't keep up. A couple weeks later though, he was able to hang in the group with no problem. After his first feel-good ride, he said that he wasn't in better shape, but that before he just did not believe he could push himself that hard.
That's a beautiful sentiment, with no negativity, and telling of the human condition. We all have the ability to do things that seem impossible at first, but once tried, that difficulty is manageable.
It happened to me when I first went out to look at the boat I bought. I had all of the initial inabilities one would expect.
a.) My motor-control had atrophied, and I was all thumbs - I dropped the first shackle pin I opened into the sand.
b.) I had a hard time dragging the boat up the beach - my body was used to sitting in front of a computer, not dragging 300+ lbs. boats over the sand.
c.) I assumed things worked, sorta in an undo, redo, fix-it-later way. I didn't check every bolt and screw for security. And, of course, a bunch of them fell off during the first couple times out.
I can sail a sport catamaran, because I hopped onto a sport catamaran. My hands hurt, but I can pull a boat up the beach, I'm more careful, and I check stuff.
My great friend Erik started bicycle racing a few years after I did, and we went out on his first training rides together. He was strong and had great potential, but on those first few rides he couldn't keep up. A couple weeks later though, he was able to hang in the group with no problem. After his first feel-good ride, he said that he wasn't in better shape, but that before he just did not believe he could push himself that hard.
That's a beautiful sentiment, with no negativity, and telling of the human condition. We all have the ability to do things that seem impossible at first, but once tried, that difficulty is manageable.
It happened to me when I first went out to look at the boat I bought. I had all of the initial inabilities one would expect.
a.) My motor-control had atrophied, and I was all thumbs - I dropped the first shackle pin I opened into the sand.
b.) I had a hard time dragging the boat up the beach - my body was used to sitting in front of a computer, not dragging 300+ lbs. boats over the sand.
c.) I assumed things worked, sorta in an undo, redo, fix-it-later way. I didn't check every bolt and screw for security. And, of course, a bunch of them fell off during the first couple times out.
I can sail a sport catamaran, because I hopped onto a sport catamaran. My hands hurt, but I can pull a boat up the beach, I'm more careful, and I check stuff.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)