We sailed back without too much difficulty. Once again the boat
performered exceedingly well. The bungee modification to the rudder worked
very well, no problem levering the rudder back into position. We were
slightly over-powered in Racoon Straits with full main and lapper. Read to
20 degrees on the clinometer. Set out with lapper and reefed main on run
back to Richmond. Set wing and wing with a modified broomstick whisker
pole. I used a rubber truckers strap as a jibe preventer between the vang
attachment point on the boom and the cabin-top pad eyes for the short
stays. This worked really well, keeping the sail down as well as
preventing a full jibe. If it started to go over it slowed things down so
you could adjust to the wind. I found running with the lapper and reefed
main somewhat un-balanced with the following sea. After awhile I took out
the reefing and we had a faster, more stable ride. Since we had no motor
we sailed all the way to the dock. The hand reduced sail on command and we
came in at a dead stall, drifted in to the dock.
While we sailed I kept a close watch on water intake. There was none to
speak of until the return trip. Running with a following sea (2-3 ft) the
CB seemed to float about in the trunk and water just sluiced up,
particularly through the front of the board. I did not have a pin in the
board, and I had removed my last attempt at weather stripping. We took on
about a gallon or so in less than an hour. The marine tex repair I made
to the mast footing held up well, with no cracks. The interior hull
compartment was free of water-hooray!
Used the tilt set up again on retrieval and it worked perfectly, boat dead
center on trailer. Total time for trip elements: Pre load, 30 min;
Travel, 60 min; set up and launch, 45 min; Sail 5hrs, 45 min; retrieve and
pack up - 45 min; Travel, 60 min; washboat, unload etc. 30 min.
Eric Zilbert
Davis "not by the sea" California
P19 #621 "Riptide"