Confession time.
No matter how hard we try, we just don't seem to be able to get going very early when it comes to passage making between islands. Maybe it's because we know it's a day sail - although some are LONG day sails. Or maybe it's because we are in laid back, what's the hurry -cruiser mode. Or something else. We certainly weren't like this in our previous life. If we were leaving to go somewhere we were generally on time.
Anyway, leaving later than planned usually means we arrive later than we plan. In turn, this means we arrive into the next anchorage late. The challenges there are crowded anchorages and rapidly approaching darkness.
We discuss getting going earlier. We try to do as much as possible the night before in preparation of departure the next morn, we set an alarm and yet we still seem to get away later than we would like.
On our passage from Carriacou to Union Island it was a combination of waiting for customs to open at 8am so we could clear out, getting the dinghy and outboard hoisted and stowed securely and a sail issue.
We are still searching for the perfect way to secure the dinghy on the arch. You wouldn't think that would be difficult but it seems to be for us. There is a lot of motion on the boat on the ocean. Ha! But seriously, all this motion jiggles things loose below and above deck, this is true of the dinghy tie downs.
We are also still struggling with our mainsail furling and unfurling. The sail is new and so is the reefing line but we are still having issues and we are unsure of what those are. On this last passage we tried to unfurl the main before we even left Tyrrell Bay. We quickly dropped anchor again and spent 30 mins or so troubleshooting it. Results are mixed so further work is needed on that.
So.....for those reasons, we general depart later than we plan.
I know you have checked luff tension, but that is so often it. Also the multiple layers at head and clew on a new sail can cause the roll to expand and heavily drag on the inside of the mast. If it were us we'd give both sides of the reinforced sections a healthy spray down with Sail Kote and then do a half dozen furl/unfurl cycles. Also has your vang drooped? The air/oil cylinders eventually lose pressure (we had one flat out collapse). If the vang has drooped the furl geometry can get off a bit and very little droop can cause a lot of problems.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Will give those all a try. We worked on it a couple of times since. sigh
DeleteTom & Sabrina, we heard you checking in on the Coconut Net today and I remember you from the Caliber Yahoo group. We are LRC40 Hull 154. We are in St. John's now but headed toward the Grenadines. Hope to rendezvous with you. Ed & Cheryl.
ReplyDeleteI heard you that day. I have been listening for you since but have not heard you again. Please send me an email via this blog contact and then I can email you back directly.
DeleteHi Tom & Sabrina we are back in NZ and wanted to say how much we enjoyed meeting you in Carriacou.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy yr adventure and the Pat Metheney shirt. Keep pounding those skins Tom. Take care. Adam & Alessandra adam_watton@hotmail.com
We so enjoyed meeting you. Tom has worn his Pat Matheney shirt a couple of different times when it got "chilly" - 22C at night. ha! Please keep following us. I will send you an email so you have our email contacts as well.
Delete