..and after the perfect weather of last weekend when 'fortunately' I was otherwise engaged, I had a brief opportunity today to get out on the water and get the "washing up" for the first ever time on Sparrow...
Just a couple of hours as I was required to collect my little'un from school - she'd been doing a Duke of Edinburgh weekend up on the South Downs so I was keen to see what condition she was in......
Quite surprised at the weather I got which, at least for the start, was quite bright, if not actually sunny - more surprisingly we also had a SW'ly when I was expecting north... conditions were perfect, F2 maybe occasionally F3
Not without a little trepidation - well you are, aren't you - I dropped the mooring, fired up the trusty donk,and headed off down the channel - I had no intention of going much further to be honest- just wanted to see how she would sail...
As the halyards are not (yet) lead back to the cockpit I decided to go out to the main channel under engine - just off Northney Marina, where the channel widens, I wound out the jib - still stiff but better since I did the job on the fore-stay.. I then headed up into wind and raised the main - which went up quickly and easily... engine off and hinged up (fantastic to be able to do that, was one of the few downsides of the outboard well on "Papillon") and away we went....
We were sailing - and proceeded to do that for another hour and a half... massive tide so just a couple of knots heading down to main channel but big speed over the ground when going back towards the bridge... GPS showed 6 knots plus a few times...
Spotted one of my mates on my old long board when I go to the end of the channel - too far away to say hello but he was also going well - the board is a Fanatic Ultra Cat (a race board), with his own sail - an 11m2 monster
Scores on the doors:
Distance: 4.94 miles (cumulative total in the 2013 mileage tab at the top of the page)
Wind: Force 2 gusting 3.. south west
Sail Plan: Full jib and main - engine for manoeuvring..
Speed: GPS track says max speed was 5.9 knots but there's proof we were going faster just above! Either way this was under sail as we ran up the Northney channel.. average speed of 3.1 knots..
...and finally some movie footage - the main is borrowed my sail number is #109...
Just a couple of hours as I was required to collect my little'un from school - she'd been doing a Duke of Edinburgh weekend up on the South Downs so I was keen to see what condition she was in......
Quite surprised at the weather I got which, at least for the start, was quite bright, if not actually sunny - more surprisingly we also had a SW'ly when I was expecting north... conditions were perfect, F2 maybe occasionally F3
 |
| All the washing out and Sparrow slipping along nicely... |
Not without a little trepidation - well you are, aren't you - I dropped the mooring, fired up the trusty donk,and headed off down the channel - I had no intention of going much further to be honest- just wanted to see how she would sail...
As the halyards are not (yet) lead back to the cockpit I decided to go out to the main channel under engine - just off Northney Marina, where the channel widens, I wound out the jib - still stiff but better since I did the job on the fore-stay.. I then headed up into wind and raised the main - which went up quickly and easily... engine off and hinged up (fantastic to be able to do that, was one of the few downsides of the outboard well on "Papillon") and away we went....
We were sailing - and proceeded to do that for another hour and a half... massive tide so just a couple of knots heading down to main channel but big speed over the ground when going back towards the bridge... GPS showed 6 knots plus a few times...
 |
| Proof! |
 |
Nice board!  |
Distance: 4.94 miles (cumulative total in the 2013 mileage tab at the top of the page)
Wind: Force 2 gusting 3.. south west
Sail Plan: Full jib and main - engine for manoeuvring..
Speed: GPS track says max speed was 5.9 knots but there's proof we were going faster just above! Either way this was under sail as we ran up the Northney channel.. average speed of 3.1 knots..
...and finally some movie footage - the main is borrowed my sail number is #109...
Great to see you out and getting a feel for her. Will we be able to lure you out for a night at a foreign harbour this year?
ReplyDeleteUnlikely, Phil - I need to get the standing rigging done, before I do any serious cruising - light cruising in the harbour this year I think.... she's fast though... and when a gust of wind hits I don't have to let out main sheet where before I was.. she just leans a bit and then starts shifting!
DeleteA belated congratulations on her first sail under your command. I wish you many more.
ReplyDelete-Ross