Mutiny Avoidance

[Grizz]

There were only 2 options on board Saturday July 23rd @ 11:30 AM CDT:

1. bake in the sun with nowhere to hide as the flies pounced on any exposed flesh, the knot meter and GPS in sync showing .5 boat speed and the wind speed holding steady at '0'.
2. bake in the cabin at a higher ambient temp, but out of the sun, flies pouncing on exposed flesh, the knot meter and GPS in sync showing .5 boat speed and the wind speed holding steady @ '0'.

This image captured @ hour 6 of 15 becalmed, an approved cooling R & R attempt to prevent crew mutiny and/or insanity. 68 miles in of a total 289. Ugh.

Eventually the wind filled after sunset, bringing thunderstorms, rain and big wind (creating an array of other challenges!).

Lovely.

 

[kari]

And . . . .

Well that's a great opening . . . . . I hope there is a chapter 2 . . . . .

 

[G Kiba]

Why the reefed main? Why not roll out the jib?

 

[Phil MacFarlane]

Why the reefed main? Why not roll out the jib?

I'll take a guess. Reefed main to stop it from slapping back and forth. Super light wind seeker jib.

 

[Christian Williams]

Sympathy.

Finally took some people out Sunday on the half-finished boat. Six knot breeze declining to 2 knots. Two foot slop waves. A hundred boats off the breakwater, slatting. Motorboats powering through making huge ignorant wakes.

Golf, anyone? Is it hard to learn?

 

[Rick R.]

Must have been in the air.

After two weeks away from the boat I convinced the Admiral to take an overnight trip to one of our favorite anchorages.

Leaving the the marina we had 5 knot winds on the nose so we motor sailed with a main only. An hour into our trip the biting flies showed up (first time all year). Then came thunder and lightning. Made it to the anchorage, pulled out the generator and ran the AC. Next day motored the whole way back to the marina and unloaded in 98 degree heat with 90% humidity. Lovely.

I have rediscovered golf and I am as bad as ever Christian.

 

[toddster]

Jeez. Every time I want to take noobs out, it's blowing 30. Well... Actually Arcturus does handle better in those winds with six people on board. Even if two of them are excreting masonry.

 

[Grizz]

+1 for Phil's answer

Windseeker tacked forward, hoping for laminar flow (attachment) of air over the greatly reduced sail area, even though there wasn't enough 'wind' to spin the cups at the mast head. Slatting of a full main defeats...everything. Slatting of a full main and full headsail is even worse. In this configuration, air became attached and we went from .2 to .4 SOG and eventually (a loooong time later) snuck out the headsail to approximately a #3, but only after SOG eclipsed 1 knot. Too early greed for increased sail area kills boat speed and you're forced to start over...


Picking a heading 90° to the wafting smoke from a lit cigarette also helped, a smoke & wind diving rod. Seeing a SOG increase of .1 on the GPS was inspiring, .2 was almost sufficient to induce a 'dance naked' celebration by all 7 on board, 'almost' the operative word.

Sunscreen, water & fluids and constant use of the fly swatters from 6 AM to 6 PM made for an unhappy day.

Eventually, the wind became sufficient (barely) to fly the kite on a still mirror flat lake. Ugh.

 

[G Kiba]

You have got to be kidding me. At my age, I don't have the time to waste sailing in conditions like that.
If you think you do...maybe you need one of these watches. https://theawl.com/death-watch-5190139797b6#.kyifunnkq

 

[Grizz]

Chicago to Mackinac Race

Unfortunately, these conditions occurred in the midst of the race, were predicted by the Weather Guru pre-race and our only mental salve was the knowledge that others in our Division were experiencing similar pain. Small consolation, but helpful.

Many 'Questions of the Universe' were asked while we suffered, very few were answered, 1 prominent and repeated was 'where do these friggin' flies come from 20+ miles from shore?'.

Another, unrelated and still unanswered, in response to a particularly loud and lengthy helm rant to the elements (and fortunately to no one in particular) is 'was that a soliloquy or a homily?'.

Perhaps indicative of Horizontal Lake Vertigo.