Only three days this week but such different "Three Bears" winds.
Wednesday, expecting light winds, I headed out to sail with the Wednesday afternoon group, but no one showed up -- except Bennett. After lunch we sailed for about two hours. And the winds were light but enough to move the boat, actually hitting 5.1 knots of boat speed, briefly. We used the genoa and main and managed to furl the head sail quickly while directly into the wind before falling off on the other tack and letting it out. We got close to Great Neck, first east of Stepping stones and them west of that obstacle, before heading home. With no waves or wakes it was a beautifully sunny warm day. A peaceful pleasant relaxing interval on the water with a good companion. A few knots of wind more would have been nice, but be careful what you ask for.
Saturday I sailed with three of the four folks who had won the ride at a Goods and Services auction at my Congregation. The fourth guest, alas, was sick. Ardelle, Janet and Alan were great guests and I fed them well, pursuant to the offered Auction item and the vegetarian ethos of one of them. Fortunately, this eating took place on our way out, it being too rough to eat, much less to prepare food on the way back. We were underway from about 11 am until 5:30 pm and then Lene met us at Bistrot BK for a French dinner ashore. We got out quickly to about four miles east of Matinecock, off the North Shore of L.I. and it took a lot longer to get back. The wind had been forecast for 8 knots rising to 14 during our time but the reality was different. We started with near zero and motored for the first 5 minutes, though the sails were up. Then the winds came up quickly to 15 knots and we switched from the Genoa to the small jib. But the wind continued to rise and it hit 32 knots in gusts before we got back. And the way back was a beat. The crew took turns at the wheel, but they are not experienced helmspersons and I made the decision to not put a reef in the main underway in all that wind, which was a mistake. We were overpowered so I furled the jib but our progress over the water was painfully slow, less than three knots with all that wind! Near the rocks off the islands off New Rochelle we lost steerage and I turned on the motor to tack us away. I put out half of the small jib and it gave us more speed. We almost had a serious injury but it ended with bruises to forehead and knee: when we tacked, Janet fell from the new high starboard side of the cockpit, onto the new low port side. All guests were very good sports about this whole day. Alan was a big help in grabbing the pickup stick at the mooring, after which we shared some wine. More wind than we bargained for.
Sunday was the Club's Third Annual Honor Veterans Day. ILENE was one of four boats who took out the approximately 30 guests: veterans and their spouses and kids. This was after a continental breakfast and before a lunch of sandwiches, fries, salad and cookies, catered by the Club for all participants.
I had two club members, who, like me, are Vets: Gene and Brian. Also, five people among the veteran guests: a big ex marine with his young son, an army man with his wife and a aircraft carrier aircraft launcher who keeps a small powerboat in our area. Eight souls, all in all. All of the five vet guests were new to sailing. All took a turn on the wheel. All had a good time and were very thankful and learned a lot. The lad called the launch. The winds varied from 13 to 20 knots. I reefed the main before we started and we used the genoa on the first course, to the south side of the Throgs Neck Bridge, and achieved 8.5 knots. After furling that huge sail for the tack, we deployed the small jib for the rest of the journey: to the far end of Hart Island Sound, to Throgs Neck and back.
Three days with different winds and different guests. Life is very good!
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