Reenie K

My crew deserted, the scurvy knave! (He went to the beach with a friend).

I launched at about noon and got under way under sail, then spotted a Hobie cat in trouble. Mast down, crew on deck - so at least no one was overboard The Reenie K was not handling as well as she has in the past, so I furled sails and offered assistance, as per the ancient and honorable laws of the sea.

A few minutes of getting ready, and the Reenie K towed Ralph and crew member Zack to the beach at Keyport. It took a while but was no problem. Only crossing the channel made me a bit nervous.

Once we were beached, I took the opportunity to adjust the stay and shrouds. Something is out of balance (maybe the captain is unbalanced?) because I have excessive windward helm on one tack and lee helm on the other. I think I need to balance the shrouds equally, then adjust the rake of the mast again. Fun Fun Fun!

That might have to wait til next year. I don't know how many more days I'll have on the water. Maybe tomorrow though?

In any case, it was nice to be able to help someone else after al the help I've gotten.

Ralph and Zack, fair winds and calm seas!

Well, like most adventures, this started out with the best of intentions and a plan. The intent was to adjust the mast rake to balance the helm again.

Here's what happened:
First, two lines were hanging off the side of the boat when I launched. Both wrapped around the trailer axle in a knot that made the Gordian Knot look like a granny knot! I had to re-rig the jib furler line but thankfully not the jib sheet.

OK. There's always one adventure each trip, right? Umm Not this time.

I motored out to into Keyport Bay, pointed the bow into the wind and raised the sails. I had adjusted the shrouds and forestay in shore a week ago, so I rather expected some lee helm. Bingo! As I was testing, I noticed the forestay was loose. This is a problem in stiff winds, as the mast tends to fall into the water. I lowered the sails and motored back to the dock as the wind was picking up. The wind was blowing into the bay, driving waves and me towards shore.

Once tied to the dock, I adjusted the stay and shroud and went back out. The Reenie K got caught in the wind, and developed a major side slip. I think the centerboard is not lowering all the way. It made her virtually uncontrollable! She has a tendency to aim for very large, very expensive boats when she gets crosswise, too!

I motored away from the anchorage and into the wind. This made the jib and main luff (flap to you landlubbers) really badly. As a result, I lost a pin on my jib furler (the device that lets me wind the sail up). So now I have a boat side slipping and a sail in the deep blue briny sea!

As I went forward to retrieve my jib, the main sheet got all tangles in the engine, the boom crutch, the transom fittings AND the rudder, so now I have main sheet in the water near the prop, a main sail that I can't let free, a jib in the water and a boat that side slips, chop developing and a wind that wants to either flip me over or drive me into a fleet of really expensive boats!

At that point, I doused the main sail (lowered it really fast), pointed into the wind, freed the jib and hauled it on board, turned my stern to the wind and went back to the dock!

I can't wait to go out again!

I wasn't on call..
The weather was GREAT!
The boat was ready!
I even had the urge to go out..

So why didn't I?
This weekend's project was making 20 pounds of smoked venison sausage!
YUM!