So, after many several false starts and attempts to get some ocean time, everything finally lined up today!
Got to the dock about 9am, plenty of time for max ebb at the gate [1030].
off the dock at 920, wind in the esturary was unusually N and fresh 12-15.
motored to the mouth of the estuary while I rigged the boat... T'd up both the 1 and the 4 since it looked like a little of both according to the forecast.
Saw several other boats heading for what looked to be a beat to Vallejo, but I had my own agenda...
Sails up at 1020, wind N 12-15, with a 2 knot ebb pushing me toward the Bay bridge. Full main and 4 was a little underwicked, but we weren't racing.
by 1050 I was nearly up to Blossom, and the wind was down to 5-7, still from the North.
swapped the 4 for the 1, and kept heading for the gate. Winds light and variable, mostly Northerly, and the ebb gave enough breeze direction to steer to.
1140: off st Francis, mid channel. Ebb pushes me from the light Northerly into 12 knots of westerly breeze. By the time I tack over toward Blackhaller, the breeze has built a bit and I can feel the swell pushing in through the gate. Change back down to the 4.
Continue out under the gate... clear Bonitta about noon, and the wind and swell ramp up to 17 knots and 8-10 feet.
head out the south bar... very steep and breaking seas with the ebb, but I manage OK with hand steering and mostly manage to not slam the boat too much.
I Mostly parallel the channel markers, handsteering over the bar.
Meanwhile the wind had built to about 22 sustained at the first channel mark, so I tucked in a reef and carried on.
Played with the AP in wind mode once things calmed down a little around the 2nd channel bouy... did pretty well, once the slamming potential was removed.
Got to the light bucket, or there abouts, at 1330, and decided that was enough bashing into the wind and seas.
Turned around and started the reach back... AP did fine with the large swell on the quarter. never really had an angle to set the kite, and with the big swell running I was happy enough to reach back.
I thought I would set the kite at Bonnita, but the wind transitioned from NW to N as I got to Mile Rock, so I continued to reach in until I got to the Bridge...
Once I was inside the bay, the wind dropped to 12-14, and I had the angle to set the Kite... no problems with that, and I sailed all the way down to Alameda on a dying breeze with the kite pulling all the way to Jack London...2 or 3 jibes, no issues.
got back with enough time to hose down the boat, have a couple of beers and get home in time to make dinner.
Nope, doesn't suck.
not one little bit.
DH
Got to the dock about 9am, plenty of time for max ebb at the gate [1030].
off the dock at 920, wind in the esturary was unusually N and fresh 12-15.
motored to the mouth of the estuary while I rigged the boat... T'd up both the 1 and the 4 since it looked like a little of both according to the forecast.
Saw several other boats heading for what looked to be a beat to Vallejo, but I had my own agenda...
Sails up at 1020, wind N 12-15, with a 2 knot ebb pushing me toward the Bay bridge. Full main and 4 was a little underwicked, but we weren't racing.
by 1050 I was nearly up to Blossom, and the wind was down to 5-7, still from the North.
swapped the 4 for the 1, and kept heading for the gate. Winds light and variable, mostly Northerly, and the ebb gave enough breeze direction to steer to.
1140: off st Francis, mid channel. Ebb pushes me from the light Northerly into 12 knots of westerly breeze. By the time I tack over toward Blackhaller, the breeze has built a bit and I can feel the swell pushing in through the gate. Change back down to the 4.
Continue out under the gate... clear Bonitta about noon, and the wind and swell ramp up to 17 knots and 8-10 feet.
head out the south bar... very steep and breaking seas with the ebb, but I manage OK with hand steering and mostly manage to not slam the boat too much.
I Mostly parallel the channel markers, handsteering over the bar.
Meanwhile the wind had built to about 22 sustained at the first channel mark, so I tucked in a reef and carried on.
Played with the AP in wind mode once things calmed down a little around the 2nd channel bouy... did pretty well, once the slamming potential was removed.
Got to the light bucket, or there abouts, at 1330, and decided that was enough bashing into the wind and seas.
Turned around and started the reach back... AP did fine with the large swell on the quarter. never really had an angle to set the kite, and with the big swell running I was happy enough to reach back.
I thought I would set the kite at Bonnita, but the wind transitioned from NW to N as I got to Mile Rock, so I continued to reach in until I got to the Bridge...
Once I was inside the bay, the wind dropped to 12-14, and I had the angle to set the Kite... no problems with that, and I sailed all the way down to Alameda on a dying breeze with the kite pulling all the way to Jack London...2 or 3 jibes, no issues.
got back with enough time to hose down the boat, have a couple of beers and get home in time to make dinner.
Nope, doesn't suck.
not one little bit.
DH
Days like that can put an extra lightness in your step that linger for a long time.