Best Sail Of The Season

[JWSutcliffe]

Today was a spectacular day of sailing, probably the best of the season. Perfect conditions, and a prime example of why I love sailing a Cape Dory - a good 15 mile sail upwind in 15 knot breeze, helm locked and such good sail balance I had no need to touch the helm nearly the whole time.

[Jim Walsh]

It was very pleasant. I sailed out of Block Island, made two tacks, and continued to Dutch Harbor on Conanicut in 17 to 20 knot winds. It's about a 20 mile trip. I was near or exceeding hull speed the entire time. I also had the benefit of a freshly scrubbed bottom. The boats, not mine.

[Neil Gordon]

20 miles motoring yesterday. Saturday though, we had a magnificent sail to Scituate. Wind NE at 15 kts, which gave us a two hour beat out of Boston Harbor, but then it's a series of gentle right turns. Close and broad reaching, the last ten miles were at 6 knots or better.

[s2sailorlis]

Sunday was very nice on Long Island Sound off Bridgeport with a fairly steady 10 knot breeze mid-day which is unusual for these parts this time of day/year....a friend sailed past and captured me working to windward...

[Neil Gordon]

Sunday was very nice on Long Island Sound off Bridgeport with a fairly steady 10 knot breeze mid-day which is unusual for these parts this time of day/year....a friend sailed past and captured me working to windward...

You're lucky! It's rare to get a great picture like that of your own boat! I got this one by email compliments of John Ring following a trip from Salem to Boston. http://bostonsailors.blogspot.com/

[c1josh]

Neil,

You sailed to Scituate Saturday? We must have passed each other. My wife, son and I, on our CD25 'Sunset' were returning to Boston from Scituate on Saturday and YES, that was a great day to sail.

Josh

[Neil Gordon]

Neil,

You sailed to Scituate Saturday? We must have passed each other. My wife, son and I, on our CD25 'Sunset' were returning to Boston from Scituate on Saturday and YES, that was a great day to sail.

Josh

Nope, didn't see you. We left about 11:30 and passed Harding Ledge about 2:20. It would have been easy to miss you before our last tack towards Harding.

[Gary H]

Rick,

Great photo - nice looking boat. I notice that you choose to sail from the leeward side and am curious as to your reason. I tend to only sit on the leeward side when the wind is light and I want gravity to help fill the sails.

Gary

[pete faga]

Josh
Hope Sunset had a nice stay in Scituate
Next stay ask for a mooring in the outer harbor a lot more peaceful
Nice to see a transit 25 come to my 'backyard'
Pete

[Neil Gordon]

I notice that you choose to sail from the leeward side and am curious as to your reason. I tend to only sit on the leeward side when the wind is light and I want gravity to help fill the sails.

As the boats get bigger and heavier, distribution of crew weight has less effect. I tend to sit on the side where I can best watch the traffic. I like the high side but also like being able to see what's otherwise blocked by the genoa.

[s2sailorlis]

Thanks Neil, yes I was lucky. If she had her "real camera" vs an iPhone it would have been even better!

Sunday was very nice on Long Island Sound off Bridgeport with a fairly steady 10 knot breeze mid-day which is unusual for these parts this time of day/year....a friend sailed past and captured me working to windward...

You're lucky! It's rare to get a great picture like that of your own boat! I got this one by email compliments of John Ring following a trip from Salem to Boston. http://bostonsailors.blogspot.com/

[s2sailorlis]

Gary

Somehow I missed you post.. Sorry.. Thx the boat passes the 50 foot cosmetic test...the teak is structurally sound but a mess..but totally restorable so that is goodness.

Re leeward position...the conditions that day were about 8-12 knots true. Mostly around 10. When it did get to 12 I moved to windward to lessen the weather helm..my last boat was incredibly balanced in 12-15 knots...finger-tip tiller balanced...this boat isn't quite like that...reason for leeward position was 1) a boat was approaching from port-side and heading close to me so wanted good view, 2) realized it was a friend chasing me down for a picture so I obliged and kept to leeward for that "classic" pose...

I estimate winds were prob 8-9 at time pix was taken and angle of heel maybe 20 degrees so no big deal.

Rick

Rick,

Great photo - nice looking boat. I notice that you choose to sail from the leeward side and am curious as to your reason. I tend to only sit on the leeward side when the wind is light and I want gravity to help fill the sails.

Gary