Evanston: filling station
Evanston: filling station
Today was a lovely day. Yesterday was almost as nice. Neither had much wind. When I checked conditions at Winthrop Harbor this afternoon on the internet, the wind was 2 mph, with a maximum gust of 3 mph, which is some gust.
Yesterday the wind seldom rose above 5 knots and GANNET mostly sailed at 3 and 4 knots. At that speed we were moving decidedly faster than anyone else near us on the water under sail. Most sailboats were dead. Voices carried far in the stillness. But we kept gliding along.
GANNET has come with some good sails.
I set a North Sails Number 1 which has a warning printed on the foot that it’s upper limit is 20 knots. This was not in danger.
Racing sails are superior in their intended range over furling sails just as prime lens are superior to zoom lens. But not enough in my opinion, unless you are racing or a professional photographer, to outweigh the advantages of greater range and versatility. I am enjoying GANNET’s sails; but in time she will have furling gear.
I installed a small plastic cleat just forward of the backstay before we left the dock, having previously determined that the line I use to tie down the tiller can also be looped around the shaft of the Torqeedo outboard to pull it clear of the water.
Once under sail I did this and secured the line to the new cleat. After a while the battery turned sideways. Carol suggested that this could be prevented by also tying it to each pulpit. I used two mainsail ties to do so and this appears to be a problem solved.
We sailed to Wisconsin and back. Considering that the state line is just north of the marina, this is inevitable on any course north of east.
Carol steered, I steered, and the Autohelm tiller pilot steered.
One thing that surprises me about GANNET is that her genoa cars are not adjustable under load, as are those on THE HAWKE OF TUONELA. Yesterday this didn’t matter, as the wind was so light I could hold the sheet in one hand while I moved the car with the other. In time I will correct this.
We brought the Torqeedo’s battery home with us.
You see it above at the filling station.
Sunday, June 26, 2011