Log of Alberg 30 #262 on 01 November 2018

Date: 01 November 2018 15.29 till 01 November 2018 17:55
Endpoints: Yacht Haven Annapolis Eastport MD to Yacht Haven Annapolis Eastport MD
Purpose: Day Sail
Complement: Yoni Bresler
Weather: S Force 4 in the Severn River, Force 5 in the Bay with sustained gusts into Force 6 WU with developed waves
Engine Hours: 186.3 to 187.3
Fuel: 1/4 tank
Chart: 12282 Chesapeake Bay Severn and Magothy Rivers

Started with a single reef due to the expected wind conditions. When sailing downwind, often wanted to shake out the reef. Needed to be reefed each time we turned back onto the wind. Did not bother taking the reef in and out each time. To do that, it would be nice to have a single line controlling both tack and clew reef cringles and to extend the sail track downward so that the slide could remain engaged when reefed. Currently, a single reef requires dropping two slides from the track, and the second reef requires dropping four slides.

Sailed down river. Spotted a Pearson 35? with a single reef and partially furled genoa on port tack to windward. By the time Constance reached the Bay, we were a couple hundred yards ahead to windward. Guess they didn't know we were racing.

About half a dozen Navy 44's came out to play. Spotted them headed upwind while we were headed downwind. Tacked around onto a parallel upwind course, started ahead of them and stayed there(?!). They could point higher, but did not choose to do so. The could sail faster but did not. Enjoyed playing with them. At the end of the day got a nod from one of their coaches in the chase boat.

Out in the Bay, in 19-21 knot winds, with a single reef in the main, the main and genoa sheeted a bit open, genoa cars with one hole open aft, the boat would heel up to 35 degrees at 35 degrees to the apparent wind and be making six knots upwind into the developed waves on the Bay. Rail was dipping in the water often going upwind. When the sails were sheeted slightly loose, could get the boat to balance well, and still be fast, 5.5 knots plus upwind.

Tried "parking" the boat in the Bay with 20+ knots of breeze by rolling in the genoa, sheeting the main in hard, and setting the traveller amidships. Worked well, as it does at lower wind speeds. The boat would fall of the wind more, before slowly coming back onto the breeze and gently tacking, speed was up at about one and a half knots, but otherwise the behavior was the same.

GPX formatted Track distance: 11.3nm, average speed: 4.7kts, duration: 2:26