I get a lot of questions about the Cape Dory's offshore capabilities so I wanted to post a short trip report about my recent circumnavigation of the Delaware, Maryland and Virginia (DelMarVa) peninsula here on the east coast in my CD30 Cutter (Marieusz, #242).
I keep Marieusz moored about 10 miles south of Annapolis on the West River in Galesville, Maryland. We (three of us) departed on May 25th at 0400 expecting to reach the northern end of the Chesapeake by 2000 hours that evening. We had timed our departure/arrival to coincide with the tidal changes in the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal (C&D).
The wind blew a good 20 knots all day with occasional gusts of 25 or more. We made it to the Bohemia River just south of the canal entrance at 1500. With her new bottom, main and 140, Marieusz flew averaging around 6 knots (even with a pesky, large following sea).
We anchored, ate and rested until about 2330 and began motoring northward. We got into the canal around midnight and immediately encountered about 2 knots of current helping us along. We popped out into the Delaware River about 0130 in pitch darkness (not a good plan as the River is heavily traveled by commercial traffic). Unfortunately, our planning had been based on an average speed of 4 knots...we were going too fast!
Our trip could not have been rewarded with better weather. The day before our departure saw a strong low pressure system make its way east and a dominant high moved in from the west. We were rewarded with a funnel effect from the counterclockwise rotation of the low meeting with the clockwise winds of the approaching high pressure system. We got 20-30 knot winds mostly on the beam for 3 straight days.
Heading down the Delaware River and into the Delaware Bay, we made another fast passage and entered the Atlantic at noon on May 26th for what promised to be an exciting 24 hours in the ocean. The swell was readily apparent as was the salty ocean air and water. Seas were boisterous at 5-7 feet. At times we zipped along at over 7 knots for long periods and actually flew off the waves on rare (and scary) occasions. The boat did magnificently under double reefed main and a partially furled 140 (I had just bought a new furler and ordered the jib with luff tape so it would furl cleanly...beautiful set up).
At 1800 I was awakened by a loud BANG! and scrambled up on deck to find that the furling line had parted under the strain (the yard had not replaced the line with a new piece and I had told myself repeatedly to do it before we left...I was now faced with the manifestation of my laziness).
Having made some adjustments to the furler before, I knew there was no way to make the necessary repairs in the pitching seas and rapidly approaching darkness so we wrestled the 140 to the deck and hoisted the old trusty yankee in its place (while I had purchased two new sails recently, I wasn't dumb enough to go off without the old sails...I carried the old main as well). And, we were off again. lost time: 30 minutes.
We zipped along at over 7 knots for most of the night as the wind slowwwwwwwly backed from south to west to northwest. The true speed hit 7.9 knots at one point and the GPS registered a ridiculous 9.9. In any event, we were hitting speeds I was not used to on the Chesapeake.
We made the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel spans at 1600 on Thursday and motor sailed against foul wind, current and waves northward that day and into the night. We pulled into my marina at 1300 on Friday to the amazement of the yard folks and some friends. There were more than a few sceptics who accused us of anchoring out nearby for three days and sending in false position reports. I kidded my crew that we did it so fast we should go around the other way...
Totat Time (discounting the 8 hours waiting for the Canal current): 72 hours for a trip of about 400 miles. Not bad with an old heavy displacement tub, eh?
tadmcdonald@worldnet.att.net
Circumnavigation (DelMarVa)
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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John Martin
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Neil Gordon
Re: Circumnavigation (DelMarVa)
>>At 1800 I was awakened by a loud BANG! and scrambled up on deck to find that the furling line had parted under the strain ...<<
I had a conversation with a dock mate about that a week or so ago. We concluded that the furler should be fitted with some sort of preventer if the sail is reefed and a failure of the furling line would create a dangerous situation. Simply, a short line from a forward cleat to a secure place on the drum would keep the drum from rotating. You'd have to go forward to release it in order to make changes, but it could be a better alternative than having the sail unleashed at the worst possible time. With some thought, we could probably come up with a way to release the preventer from the cockpit.
Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
neil@nrgordon.com
I had a conversation with a dock mate about that a week or so ago. We concluded that the furler should be fitted with some sort of preventer if the sail is reefed and a failure of the furling line would create a dangerous situation. Simply, a short line from a forward cleat to a secure place on the drum would keep the drum from rotating. You'd have to go forward to release it in order to make changes, but it could be a better alternative than having the sail unleashed at the worst possible time. With some thought, we could probably come up with a way to release the preventer from the cockpit.
Regards, Neil
s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
neil@nrgordon.com