Todays sail was supposed to be a pleasurable affair with my daughter and a young friend but it turned into an adventure. The idea was a short sail then tea and biscuits followed by hot chips after we got back to the berth. However we had such good wind going up the river that we went a bit further than I intended...the boat moorings at Fingle. The wind was on the nose on the way back so the outboard copped a bit of use. We were on the last and narrowest section of the channel and we ran out of 2 stroke. The word bugger was used amongst others because there was no way we could sail back into the berth. Not that we could try anyway because try as I might I could not get a decent run over the last section. The decision was made to run back up the river and find some fuel and we headed for Fingle boat harbour. The wind was gusting to around 25 kts so I ended up up stream from the boat harbour and had to beat back. This proved ridiculously difficult to do and at one point we came stunningly close to hitting rocks, more than one occasion actually. I finally got a good run in and we dropped anchor. Druen, the young lad with us jumped over the side and took a line to the shore and hauled us in till Redwing touched bottom. I grabbed the fuel tank and decided to hitch to Chinderah servo. This is where the day started to improve...a bloke stopped but he saw the fuel tank. Pointed out he wasn't allowed to carry such items but relented and dropped me off at the servo. The trip back was just as lucky, no sooner had I put my thumb out than a woman in a van picked me up and dropped me back at the boat harbour. I got the outboard running and Druen and I got Redwing afloat again. Apart from hitting the dock a bit hard as we came into the berth (Northerly blowing us in) the trip back was uneventful. Some very challenging sailing I can tell you. I don't know what speeds we got up to but at times it had to be 6kts plus.

Gary Pick wrote:One thing I've noticed is for windward sailing the sheet is eased more than would be normal on a BM rig.

Yes, on most of my boats, I have sheeted the sail in so that the clew is just above or inside the rail. Remember, there I no jib in front of the sail to pre-bend the airstream.

Good luck!

Arne

We managed some very nice sailing yesterday, still on the river but we had some good runs. The flood tide and variable breeze meant that we were tacking backwards and forwards on the same spot at times. According to the GPS we hit a maximum speed of 6.7kts but that may have been with the 1-2kt current. The wind was around 10-15kts.
I have a few creases in a couple of panels still so I might try putting a couple of HK parrels back on.

Gary, well done, another nautical milestone. What's the next?

Annie Hill wrote:Good work, Gary.  I hope the outboard proves a success and you can get on with enjoying sailing Redwing after so much hard work.

Thanks Annie, it's a very basic structure but I think it will be just what I need. I haven't sailed since late June but I've been invited to sail in tandem with another yacht to Moreton Bay in the New Year so I have a goal to aim for.