Sailing Blog July 2010

Two most important questions in life.

Looking for something? Check the Site Map

Sailing Blog - July 2010

July 1

I spent the afternoon on the boat at the dock. I have a new power converter and I ran my computer off that for a couple of hours. The laptop battery was at about 40% when I started so it was actually charging (uses more power) and it all worked fine. The laptop batter charged up and I didn't draw down the boat battery very much (still at 12.34 volts when I was finished.)

I took some pics walking on the dock. Its and interesting walk, dodging goose poop and watching the fish swimming in the slips. Big fish.

	Big carp swimming in the slip. There are lots of these guys. Not all this big.
This is the worst I've seen the dock. Pathetic!

July 2, 2010

Went sailing with Jon Krieger. Very little wind. Jon was very understanding and we had a good time talking anyway. The motor was running good and I started it with the rope for the return back to the dock. It started on the second pull. I want to pull start it to save the battery for running my laptop ;-)

July 13, 2010

I spent an hour or so cleaning the cockpit today. It was a mess just from the dirt of sitting there and having been rained on. Its far from clean but looks much better. I just used clear water and a brush. The brush is on a long handle and I tried cleaning on the bottom of the boat but that didn't work from the dock. I really would need to be in the water to do it. Being on a sandy beach in Lake Erie would be ideal.. the beach on the East side of Catawba Island would be the perfect place.

July 17, 2010

Finally got back in the water today. Mrs. Boyd went with me for the first time and said she enjoyed it. It was very hot and I was feeling pretty run down so I only hoisted the main... never got the jib out. There was a very nice wind so we made good progress even without the jib. There is significantly more weather helm with just the main up though. Its manageable, it just keeps you on your toes.

We really did fine leaving the doc and returning. Mrs. Boyd is an able seaman for sure. She really did great.

I just wish it hadn't been so stinkin' hot so that we would have stayed out longer and I would have had the energy to hoist the jib.

I really want to try heaving to, but that requires the jib. Also on Clearfork Reservoir, I'll need to get out in the middle of the lake, away from the islands and trees as those really change the wind. When you get by the island toward the docks, the wind will change direction 30 or 40 degrees easily.

The last time I was sailing, I was docking to another sailor on the dock and told him I'd was just learning to sail. He said, "Well if you can sail here you can sail anywhere. The way the wind comes and goes and swirls and all the obstacles." I think he's right. I'd really like to try sailing on lake Erie just to have a nice open stretch of sailing where you a little more consistent conditions. At least I assume you do.