A Quick Spring Sunday Sail
Winter is over. An incredibly beautiful and unseasonably warm Sunday afternoon
gives Hvit Skygge a chance to try out a new marina on the South River, one with easier access to sailing grounds.
Since the boat sits on the trailer almost fully-rigged with the mast stepped, launching is a matter of removing the cover and driving
the trailer down the hill to the ramp. Before launch the lazy jacks are connected to their halyards, the sheets and downhaul are adjusted and
we're ready for launch.
Once in the water, the boat is turned end-for-end and the bow and stern lines are made fast to the dock.
Next comes the major chore of filling the water ballast tanks. A five-gallon bucket is really too big to use completely full and it's an inconvenient size
to swing over the side. The ballast tanks hold nearly 35 gallons of water and take a long time to fill. Sometime in the near future, a much smaller
bucket and an electric pump will take over this chore, but today this is what we have.
The tanks are filled and the sail is up, so now it's time to release the stern line. The boathook makes this a one-person job.
Same for the bow line.
Free of our dock and being blown towards the others. Time to play with the sheet and rudder and make like a sailboat instead of a piece of
driftwood.
Out solo on the South River for the first time. A close reach.
Close hauled.
And a beam reach.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end. Running back to the dock after a pleasant sail around the river.
Everything worked. There's definitely room for improvement, especially filling and draining the ballast tank, but
the new marina is definitely easier access to sailable waters.
Page 1 - The Faering Cruiser Hvit Skygge
Page 2 - Modifications
Page 3 - So Now I Have a Cruiser
Page 4 - First Campout
Page 6 - Okoumefest 2016
Page 7 - Mid Atlantic Small Craft Festival 2017
Copyright © 2016 László I. Mórocz. All Rights Reserved.
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