No photos but took the old girl out for a whirl yesterday. Went down and it was glassed out. Was about to go home but a few puffs appeared so took a punt. Wind filled in and so did the rain. Poked my nose out into the oggin and got flattened for my trouble. Belting rain and 25 knots. A bit much for the old girl, she stood up to it gamely but at 83 years young I thought best not to push it so we pottered around the estuary until the wind gave up the ghost again. PS have a photo of the office.
First time with a spinnaker today, with help from some mates. Light winds on Moreton Bay, so a good time to try it out.
The previous owner sold the boat with 3 spinnakers in 3 bags, and I didn't know which was which. We hooked up the one that looked like it had been packed the best, and it turned out all good.
It must be winter, this topic was 3 pages deep! Well with my new found warmth (recent heater install), I got the boat in and fueled and onto the public jetty. Prepping to get away in the morning, for a few days to the lower east coast (Tas). I'm hoping to pick up a few waves from the low off Sydney.
After about 6 months of the boat hanging off the mooring due to Covid restrictions and the inability to find a time when the weather was kind and I wasn't doing something else, yesterday we had a sunny 17 degrees with a bit of wind in the afternoon so myself and a mate went out and gave her a quick broom off and went for a sail down the river
It was nice to be back on the water again
www.facebook.com/don.kerr.3939/videos/2686755361536103/?comment_id=2686759534869019&reply_comment_id=2687493448128961¬if_id=1596349712196915¬if_t=feed_comment
Regards Don
Today, we didn't go anywhere on the boat.
Before anyone tries to kick me off this thread, let me explain. My wife and I had our first sleep-over on the boat last night. Because we are taking baby-steps, we did it on the berth in the harbour. If the worst were to happen, all we'd need to do is get in the car and go home. Thankfully, it didn't. Next time, we'll take the boat out and drop anchor overnight. The next time after that, we might venture a little further ... etc etc.
The first rule of boating is that if you scare the ladies, they'll never come back. So, keep it easy.
As an experiment, it was not a total success nor a total failure. It was nice to be able to get out of bed and stand up, which would have been impossible on my previous trailer-sailer (Austral 20, with the cabin roof at about chest height). You also get a different sense of space (or lack thereof), when you have more than one person sleep on board.
A footnote on ergonomics - the quarter berth on the Cavalier 28 is probably a really comfortable bunk, but it is a bit of a squeeze to get into. The best way to get into it is to sit and roll backwards - your head will pass through the cavity under the combing, which is set at just the right height for this mode of entry (the designer, Laurie Davidson obviously knew his stuff). However, because of all the fittings on the combing, including winches, there are a number of bolts protruding downwards, which will give your skull a nasty scratch if you don't duck down far enough. Not a problem on my boat, because a previous owner fixed the radio into the cavity under the combing, making it impossible to do the sit-and-roll-back manoeuvre. Unless your spine has been shortened by four or five inches. I'll need to relocate the radio, but I'll also need to do something with those bolts.
Brilliant effort right there Achernar, you will be the last to be kicked off this thread, rather you should be the boss of it so as to get more ladies involved in sailing.
I have never sailed a Cav28 but am having difficulty contemplating your gymnastics getting onto the quarter berth.............every 1/4 berth I have got into from 25ft to 38ft yachts has been attempted and achieved with feet first entry - so feet going in aft first. If I tried this with head going aft first I cannot imagine getting back out in a hurry - and would probably be totally overcome with claustrophobia......for instance during long passages in the 38footer where a crash chinese gybe had just occurred in the middle of the night ......but I might be missing something...................for sure all bolts protruding into this space above the 1/4 berth should be finished with dome nuts inside so as to not dent your skull - the bolts must be cut to a suitable exact length.
Ok great, thanks for clearing this up, you have made the advisedly difficult description seem easy. Yes there are no sky hooks inside boats - only on deck via halyards. For sure best to not singe one's ring before bedtime, and the stove would not have been designed for that load case as you say. Agree swiveling on the point of one's rear end would be a good solution to regain the head forward orientation. Sounds like the Cav28 1/4 berth could qualify for a double berth if the occupants were friendly...............
Wind SWS @ 10 knots, sea below 1 meter , boat speed 5 to 6 knots 35 degrees to windward, it was good day to test out the new main , boom and vang . I'm really going to miss mighty Icon!
Nice sails, great photos, Thanks for going sailing today and letting us share.
I can feel the telltales breaking on the genoa, your sailmaker is a gun.
Ceylay has now completed her first 240nm shake down cruise and now will be spending a few months on the hook while final preparations take place before next winters departure hopefully passaging towards the pacific islands.
Went down to North Rd Brighton with local Sea Scouts last Sunday. They purchased 8 Laser Picos about a year ago and are now getting back to sailing with covid restrictions easing. They are the second Sea Scout troop to buy Picos, easy to maintain, easy to use. Fun little boat in 10-15 knots and a bit of swell.
This is what happens when a stunning weekend is forecast! Friday night and already the anchorages are packed out.
Mmm...shall I head for Lucinda or the Sandhills in the morning?
Sailed from Port Hacking around to Botany Bay with a SE so easy downwind run, went wide to get angles around 130 degrees. Then sailed right up to Shell Point amongst all the older anchored boats. Plenty of Lasers and foiling moths whizzing by! Then a nice reach back to Frenchman's for a nite anchorage. Predicted NE Tomorrow, so should be equally easy run back home on Sunday!
Well I didn't go anywhere on my sailing boat but wandering around the moorings in Kogarah bay yesterday I met the owner of Granny Smith, the owner of this Currawong 30 in the video. Unfortunately Daisy his dog has passed.
Motor sailed down Canaipa Passage, out through the Seaway, turned motor off 15 mins out from Seaway, hove-to off Yamba for Ann hour, then turned motor back on 10 minutes before crossing Yamba bar at first light today.
At Iluka, i love it when a passage plan goes to script.