As predicted, winds were at 5 to 10, shifting S in the evening. However, as is par for the course on Lake Erie this time of year it can taper off in the afternoon. And it did … totally. (Maybe I should have stayed home and gone paramotoring instead 8-/). One thing I should have done was gotten out of bed earlier as I got a late start on the water. It also seems I am not sailing the boat enough to maintain high proficiency during setup. I stared at the mast end of the side stays connection for at least a couple of minutes before I remembered how to hook it up - stop focusing on the revolving bit!
Got off to a comfortable start downwind before the wind starting tailing off. I am very stubborn when it comes to motoring on a sailboat, but the wind just died, and I was intent on making it to Cleveland to a safe anchorage or mooring before dark. So, on went the motor. The additional 50w photovoltaic panel and clear bright skies certainly made the 4 hours of motoring possible. Running on #3 provided 2.2 mph while not draining the batteries. The mini-fridge and marine radio were also plugged in. Later, running at #2 and #1 provided 1.5mph and 1.1mph with even less drain on the batteries. This is slow going though. Running at #4 or #5 would be faster but would drain the batteries at a rate the panels can’t keep up with; not a good situation. As you can see, the lower sun position this time of year creates shadows along the shoreline and does not allow for good video, but I tried.
It took the remainder of the afternoon to motor the last few miles to Cleveland and did not leave time for exploring the large inner harbor. Approaching the shoreline of Edgewater Park at sundown, I took advantage of the predicted wind shift to the south, dropped anchor, and made dinner. As the wind shifted to the south during dinner, I noted the boat was not tailing on the anchor line properly. After a quick look, realized when raising the centerboard I had snagged the anchor line - no wonder it seemed not to raise fully and didn’t “clunk” at the top … DOH! Pull on the line while releasing the center board and it was clear. Time for bed.
Explored a little bit of the inner harbor the following morning, and that little side trek haunts me later that afternoon as the wind dies again on the way back to Lorain. Starting at about the Avon Power Plant, motored for two hours at #2 and #1 to preserve battery. Very slow going. It was cloudy and the panels were not producing enough to keep up, especially at #3. Approaching the Sheffield Lake launch with another hour of boring, slow motoring ahead, and wondering if the batteries would hold, the wind suddenly really perked up and I quickly planned two tacks to position myself for drifting with the wind toward the launch, while dousing the sails, to reduce motor use.
While headed out on the initial tack I was on an interception course with the Coast Guard boat I had seen earlier headed east, now headed west, back toward Lorain, and towing a sailboat - engine issues? (There were high wind and wave warnings for late this evening and currently the wind was quite fickle, so maybe they chickened out and radioed for assistance? Sails were stowed and covered so they had evidently thrown in the towel. Not sure if I could do that.) Approaching quite closely at an acute angle going the same direction at 10mph or better before tacking, they were probably wondering what I was doing. Establishing my layline, silly. They maintained their heading as I tacked away - they probably had right-of-way due to them towing, so things worked out for both of us. Would have liked to film that sequence, with the windward ama flying, but the winds came up very quickly and without warning, the camera was in the cabin, my hands were full, and I was intent on sailing to the launch area to save battery and end the, what seemed, never-ending, monotonous motoring. There remained two hours until sundown and I didn’t want to be breaking the boat down in the dark; that is why I didn’t keep sailing with the wind blowing nicely.
After stowing the sails and while motoring in the last hundred yards, the brisk breeze began falling off. Being very conservative with the motor, docked nicely as the wind died again, and parked the boat at home with the last light of the day. Checked batteries the next morning and without panels or load they read 11.7v. That is the bottom limit for these batteries before the internal controls shut them off to protect them. Connected to the panels, in the waning light the previous day, my last reading was 12.1v.
There will be more fair days for sailing but I decided to put the new boat cover on and call it a season. The water temperature is already 5 degrees cooler than last year (61 vs. 66) and combined with much shorter days makes it less enjoyable. Colder water is really the limiting factor. Cold water is dangerous, especially if you get into trouble when single-handed. And I enjoy swimming when I go out.
Негізгі бет Gypsy Wind Trimaran - Lorain to Cleveland Edgewater Park
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