Out on a breezy afternoon

Wetteroth, Mike (Mike.Wetteroth@delta-air.com)
Mon, 11 Oct 1999 13:02:51 -0400


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Well I thought it was only breezy. Wx said it was 10-12kts. When I got to
the lake it was relatively calm. Just right for my lazy Sunday afternoon
sail. After launching in a power plant resevoir that is 6-8 ft low, I
headed out to main channel. It was a great sail running with the wind. The
lake dog legged in front of the cooling towers and that is when it hit me.
The wind did a 180 degree about face. The boat did a jibe that completely
took me by suprise. I needed to turn around anyway, so I started back.
That is when I noticed the whitecaps. The wind had created 1foot rollers
across the lake. It made for some really choppy conditions. Now I have
read on this BB of people reefing the sails, but as soon as I would try and
go forward another gust would immediately cause me to take action and dump
the wind. I have rigged a simple "tiller tender", but it could not hold me
into the wind long enough to allow me to reef. So I furled the jib and
turned on the Minn Kota 30 to 5 and tacked back and forth to the launch
ramp.

My question is this. The wind in my opinion increased to about 18-20kts
with gust far exceeding this. I tried to 'heave to". As soon as I thought
I locked the sails to hold me in that position, the wind would shift and I
would do a complete circle. This pretty much kept me in my seat. I know
the freeboard is fairly tall, but in this case it was like a sail. Mostly I
single hand. I was real leary of going forward into the cabin and lower the
main to reef. So I closed it up and used myself as balast the best I could.
I also dumped air as soon as the gust started. How can you reef in such a
condition.....? I would have reefed prior to going out if the conditions
warranted it...but, forcast was for 10-12kts. So here I am in the middle of
the lake with nothing but bass boats running for the ramp. In middle
Georgia, you just don't ask bass boaters for assistance. They cannot figure
out why anyone would even get on a lake without a "fishin pole" :)... I do
not have sail slugs and my boat is a 1998 P-15. I have taken the advice of
many of you in putting weight forward and sitting forward. I thank many of
you for your inputs on many subject matters. It has helped me by just
reading of all your experiences.

Thanks again for great reading on my lunch hour each day....

Mike Wetteroth
P-15 "Fifteen"