I went sailing today

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lustyslogger
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I went sailing today

Post by lustyslogger »

After almost two weeks of near 100 degree temperatures it was a high of about 80 today. Winds while light were constant in velocity but certainly were "variable", out of the North, as predicted, no wait, out of the East, Oops, out of the Southeast. Oops, out of nowhere, Wait wait, they're back, out of the East again.

But it was an interesting sail!!!
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Michel
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Re: I went sailing today

Post by Michel »

Are you sailing in my neighborhood? I think I recognise that wind! ;)
Michel Boulet
Ex: "Mari-Bell" Sandpiper 565 (18.5367454 ft)
Now: "Papou" Tanzer 16 dinghy
Montreal
"Let the world say what it will"
~~_/)~~
lustyslogger
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Re: I went sailing today

Post by lustyslogger »

Michel wrote:Are you sailing in my neighborhood? I think I recognise that wind! ;)

LOL

I sail on a mountain lake. Unlike ocean sailing the fetch is measured in feet rather than miles. Not only is the lake surrounded by mountains that divert the winds the tree line runs right up to the waters edge in the summer, further blocking and channeling the winds. The wind can be off your starboard at 4 knots and then you clear a spit of land the wind jumps to 10 kts off your stern. I sailed out to Persimmon Cove on Labor Day a few years back. I was close hauled almost the entire 6 miles, when I got to the channel to the cove the winds did a 180 and were now behind me. I had not changed directions of the boat. I have also seen no wind on one side of the lake and people reefed on the other side, about 1.5 miles away.

Well, at least I don't have tides to contend with
lustyslogger
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Re: I went sailing today

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I hate to admit this but I am still in the middle of reading "Holmes of the Humber". The book is not an easy read like say "Moby Dick" or "The Odyssey". The "problem" with the book is the George Holmes sketches or "blobs" as he calls them. They are full of detail and make up at least half of each page. You can spend hours looking at the drawings. Furthermore, the book is written in most places in Holmes own handwriting and he is like me in my logs where I will start out in cursive and then suddenly switch to block or vice versa. Anyway, its an extremely good book and one you will want to study, its not an afternoon get away by any means.

However, the reason I am writing this is because I mentioned tides in my last posting. In "Holmes of the Humber" he discusses many cruises he has taken on what appear to be rather narrow rivers in England. In almost every one the one over biding condition discussed is what direction the tide is flowing. Not being a tidal sailor I don't need to think about what effect the tides have on your sailing. It seems that they move by the current as much as they move by the wind (remember none of George's boats utilized a motor)

I am sure for those of you who sail in tidal waters you will look at this post and scratch your head and wonder how a sailor could be so uninformed. In any event I highly recommend "Holmes of the Humber" for the history as much as the sailing adventures.
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Michel
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Re: I went sailing today

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I only have to deal with the current in my usual sailing area (Montreal, down to Trois- Rivières, qc) The trick is to know the places where it is the less strong when going up.

I have felt the tide in the Quebec city region where it is already the "sea" in many ways. The water is already salted just down the île d'Orléan. It feels like a train ride when you take the tide to go upstream. To bad it doesn't reach my region!

I have now decided to ignore the wind previsions! Yesterday, I decided to go about 15 miles down the Saint-Lawrence and enjoy a nice westerly that would have made it easy to come back against the current one one tack. But it turned to a south/east beast making me choose between 23,458 tacks or using the motor to get home in the same month!

Here is a video of this trip. It doesn't look so bad after all! ;)

Michel Boulet
Ex: "Mari-Bell" Sandpiper 565 (18.5367454 ft)
Now: "Papou" Tanzer 16 dinghy
Montreal
"Let the world say what it will"
~~_/)~~
lustyslogger
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Re: I went sailing today

Post by lustyslogger »

But it turned to a south/east beast making me choose between 23,458 tacks or using the motor to get home in the same month!


LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL

I feel your pain!!

By the way, I have to work here and I just spent 10 minutes watching some of the best sailing video's around. You need to stop that Michel, I have to earn a living here so I can pay for my internet connection and my subscription to SCA!!!


Just kidding. They really are wonderful
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Michel
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Re: I went sailing today

Post by Michel »

Thanks Norman. I appreciate. :)
Michel Boulet
Ex: "Mari-Bell" Sandpiper 565 (18.5367454 ft)
Now: "Papou" Tanzer 16 dinghy
Montreal
"Let the world say what it will"
~~_/)~~
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