At bleeding last.. the first sail on Sparrow for the new season - almost three weeks later than last year.. 😏
No major reasons or excuses for the delay, it was just a matter of weather and tides.. we had a stonking week of warm weather the week after I launched but there were no tides that week, and then a period of rain and cold settled in - hail, sun, wind, rain, repeat.. and then I needed to get the mast up.... and and ad.. If the weather gonks are to be believed next week we're getting a heatwave, I'll believe it when I see it..
Either way today looked to be the best bet to get the sails up and the first miles under my belt, and it turned out to be.... OK...
Don't get me wrong it was bloody awesome to get the sails up and go sailing, the new roller furler is an ABSOLUTE joy, but it was grey, and it was chuffing cold in the wind..
Anyway, on the boat for half 10 which was two hours before HT (12:40), sail cover off, tender secured to pickup buoy, engine started and cast off... with the wind being almost westerly (almost - there was a tadge of south in it), I took the opportunity to put the main up in the pool by the bridge, and then bore off for a gentle run down the ditch for the first time this year.. big tide - 4.7m - but even so we were seeing 3's...
Rolled the genoa out as we went - fantastically smooth - and just kept going, bearing up as we came round the corner by the beacon.. winds were a fairly solid F3, but every now and again something really fractious would come through, definitely higher F4. Tacked up and lit the afterburners to head back to Northney - despite what the GPS reports I was seeing 5.8/5.9 and 6 SOG (tide assisted 'natch 😏)
Tacked again - headed to Marker - almost got there, but it was so damn cold I bailed.. I had three layers on and it was still cold. Enjoyed that immensely, but now I'd like some warmer weather, please..
Sailing club duty tomorrow - I'm duty helm on the rescue boat for the second launch week.. should be fun but must remember a coat... 😁
Log:
Wind (Speed; Direction): F3 gusting F4; WSW
Sail Plan: Full main/90% genoa
Speed (Max/average in knots): 5.6 / 2.8
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