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Sails: 135LP genoa and Interrupt main and spinnaker.

The winds had been forecast to be force 3 or 4 out of the north, but this morning there was very little wind indeed. Aware that a long motoring day might be ahead, decided to add fuel rather than have the concern of running low or out. Added 2.976 gallons of diesel. Motored until Tolly Point Shoal which was 13:38. Wind from the north at about force 2, decided to fly the spinnaker rather than listen to the motor all day. Winds forecast to increase in the afternoon. Acting out of hope.

Tried to raise the spinnaker. Made the mistake of taking the halyard directly to the starboard side bag, so the halyard was lead from its block, round below the headstay, to the bag. Not good. Sail would go only part way up before the wind pulled the head to leeward enought to create too much drag across the underside of the headstay. Dropped the sail onto the foredeck. Repeated the same mistake, after checking the other lines. Figured it out before the third attempt at a hoist. Sixteen minutes of messing about, looking the fool in front of a fishing boat.

Spinnaker up by 2PM (see photo). Wind filled in from the north-north-west. Wonderful fifty minute, five mile, spinnaker run from Tolly Point to a spot half a mile from shoal water. The first mile of the run had less wind and boat speeds of Wind rose till the apparent was as much as thirteen knots (see iPhone screen capture). Whitecaps coming down the Bay towards me. Dragging a wake. The rest of the run was six knots or more, hitting 7.1. Single-handing, sailed a bit higher than would otherwise be the case to minimize rolling and the chances of a broach. Near the end of the run, the boat tried one mild windward broach, let off the spinnaker sheet and recovered easily.

Not wanting to gybe in this much wind, coming to half a mile of shoal water, unable to drive further off the wind without sailing by the lee, decided to drop the spinnaker about a mile and a half before Bloody Point Light. Hearing thunder in the distance provided additional incentive. Ugly drop. Ended up with the spinnaker on top of the water. Failed to control the halyard well enough during the drop. With both hands gathering sail, its hard to manage the halyard as well. Need to practice or find a method to allow for control of the spinnaker halyard. Four minutes is far too much time for this maneuver.

Sailed the mile and half to Bloody Point Light, under main alone(?), with a top speed of 6.4kts. By now there was enough wind to drive the boat at upright hullspeed (6.2kts).

After gybing at Bloody Point Light and opening the Eastern Bay, winds stayed up. Decided to single reef the main and roll out the 135LP (five minutes work at 15:20). Whitecaps coming down the Eastern Bay. Time to tack up to Prospect Bay. First board, port, three miles in 30 minutes. Second board, starboard, 3.7nm in 44 minutes. Then, 1.5nm in 17min; two miles in 25min. Settled the boat by furling the 135LP and sheeting the main on centerline for nearly twenty minutes in somewhat of a lee behind Parsons Island. Winds had dropped somewhat, but kept the reef. By now its 16:40. Four more short boards to make Prospect Bay.

Lovely, lively beam reach to G "K1", the mark for Kerwin Creek. Arrived at 18:57 in the late twilight. Dropped and flaked main, packed spinnaker, and cleaned up the items on the cabin sole before proceeding.

Took 45 minutes to thread my way in the dark, under genoa alone, to the rafts of the Fall Cruise in Kerwin Creek. Folks expected that I would motor in. Tied up portside to the Palmers Block Island 40 with four fenders out, bow and stern lines, and bow and stern springs under the direction of John Maliszewski.

Finished the evening off voting for "Best Pumpkin" contest, won by Meredith and Christian, and relaxing in the cockpit with the winners. Very nice. Need to do more of this.

GPX formatted, complete track . Estimate distance: 30.73nm, estimated average speed: 4.32kts, duration: 7:06
GPX formatted, sailing only track . Estimate distance: 24.52nm, estimated average speed: 5.55kts, duration: 4:25 (4:54 less 29 minutes).

Speed Histogram During Spinnaker Run

Count Speed (m/s)
1 2.4
4 2.5
3 2.6
8 2.7
11 2.8
16 2.9
7 3.0
17 3.1
19 3.2
24 3.3
17 3.4
31 3.5
17 3.6
6 3.7
4 3.8
2 3.9
2 4.0
2 4.2