projects:sailing:blog:3_first_outing
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projects:sailing:blog:3_first_outing [2024/01/07 07:14] – created tjhowse | projects:sailing:blog:3_first_outing [2024/02/12 04:53] (current) – [2023-12-26 Brisbane River] tjhowse | ||
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====== Our First Outing ====== | ====== Our First Outing ====== | ||
Soon after picking up the boat I enlisted Michelle' | Soon after picking up the boat I enlisted Michelle' | ||
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It was wise of us to try this in the comfort of our own front yard - it took us a few goes to work out the order of operation. We ran into problems with weight distribution on the boat tipping the trailer up, and how best to lift the mast. Our first attempt lead to the mast being dropped onto a U-shaped mast rest on the trailer and the top end banging into the ground. Unfortunately my torso was above the shorter, lower arm of the balance lever and I spent three weeks enjoying some cracked ribs. I cannot recommend. We eventually worked out a sequence of steps to get the mast up and down with minimum calamity. | It was wise of us to try this in the comfort of our own front yard - it took us a few goes to work out the order of operation. We ran into problems with weight distribution on the boat tipping the trailer up, and how best to lift the mast. Our first attempt lead to the mast being dropped onto a U-shaped mast rest on the trailer and the top end banging into the ground. Unfortunately my torso was above the shorter, lower arm of the balance lever and I spent three weeks enjoying some cracked ribs. I cannot recommend. We eventually worked out a sequence of steps to get the mast up and down with minimum calamity. | ||
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Now it was time to keep an eye on the weather forecast. We wanted a nice gentle 5-10 knots of wind and low chance of rain. Michelle and my sailing lessons were a few years ago now, and with two kids onboard a new-to-us boat we wanted to play it safe to build confidence before working up to some sportier sailing. Finally, on boxing day of 2023, we headed out for our first sail. | Now it was time to keep an eye on the weather forecast. We wanted a nice gentle 5-10 knots of wind and low chance of rain. Michelle and my sailing lessons were a few years ago now, and with two kids onboard a new-to-us boat we wanted to play it safe to build confidence before working up to some sportier sailing. Finally, on boxing day of 2023, we headed out for our first sail. | ||
- | ===== 2023-12-26 ===== | + | ===== 2023-12-26 |
- | Brisbane has a river running through it, dotted with boat ramps. River sailing is generally safer because there' | + | Brisbane has a river running through it, dotted with boat ramps. River sailing is generally safer because there' |
Our modest goal for the day was to get out on the water and make it about 1km downriver to the Colmslie Beach Reserve and back. We turned up bright and early, ribs aching, and stood the mast up in the parking lot. The boat and trailer combined are light enough for two adults to comfortably maneuver, even on a slippery ramp, so we unhooked from the car and wheeled it down to the water. We let it off the trailer and tied off to a cleat at the end of the dock. I got the sail situation sorted while Michelle hauled the trailer back to the car. | Our modest goal for the day was to get out on the water and make it about 1km downriver to the Colmslie Beach Reserve and back. We turned up bright and early, ribs aching, and stood the mast up in the parking lot. The boat and trailer combined are light enough for two adults to comfortably maneuver, even on a slippery ramp, so we unhooked from the car and wheeled it down to the water. We let it off the trailer and tied off to a cleat at the end of the dock. I got the sail situation sorted while Michelle hauled the trailer back to the car. | ||
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It was fucking fantastic. The wind was perfect, there was little traffic, and the kids were excitedly gabbling about everything that hove into view. Whenever a motorboat went past we'd steer into the wake and bounce up and down, laughing at getting splashed. We tacked back and forth up towards the < | It was fucking fantastic. The wind was perfect, there was little traffic, and the kids were excitedly gabbling about everything that hove into view. Whenever a motorboat went past we'd steer into the wake and bounce up and down, laughing at getting splashed. We tacked back and forth up towards the < | ||
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We made a straight run downwind back to the boat ramp. As we passed the incomprehensibly massive car carrier in the photo above the crew shouted out a merry Christmas from their deck 30m above the waterline. We caught the jetty and disembarked without incident. I dropped the sails (into the water, erk) and we got the boat back onto the trailer easily. In the car park I took out the bungs and we tilted the boat up. About five litres of water poured out of the < | We made a straight run downwind back to the boat ramp. As we passed the incomprehensibly massive car carrier in the photo above the crew shouted out a merry Christmas from their deck 30m above the waterline. We caught the jetty and disembarked without incident. I dropped the sails (into the water, erk) and we got the boat back onto the trailer easily. In the car park I took out the bungs and we tilted the boat up. About five litres of water poured out of the < | ||
- | In summary: Fantastic success. We did not hit anything or sink, we learned about our boat and how to make it go, and meet some nice people while out and about. The kids loved it and Michelle was enthusiastic about another outing soon. | + | In summary: Fantastic success. We did not hit anything or sink much, we learned about our boat and how to make it go, and meet some nice people while out and about. The kids loved it and Michelle was enthusiastic about another outing soon. |
===== Repairs ===== | ===== Repairs ===== | ||
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I was confused; only a little bit of water splashed over the front during our outing, when driving through wake from other boats. Finding no other leaks I took off the casting, prised the fibreglass apart a little bit and blorked in some construction adhesive and clamped it overnight. I then followed up with a liberal quantity of "roof and gutter" | I was confused; only a little bit of water splashed over the front during our outing, when driving through wake from other boats. Finding no other leaks I took off the casting, prised the fibreglass apart a little bit and blorked in some construction adhesive and clamped it overnight. I then followed up with a liberal quantity of "roof and gutter" | ||
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projects/sailing/blog/3_first_outing.1704611690.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/01/07 07:14 by tjhowse