Another day of sailing come and gone.
Leaving the marina, the winds were light, but forceful enough to make about 3 timid knots. It helped to move the traveler windward - I guess it must have loosened the foot of the sail, increasing depth of draft, hence maximizing the airfoil effect of the sail curvature. It wasn't an exciting ride, but after two previous sails where even light airs were as rare as a duck in a desert, the gentle embrace of steady breeze was at least satisfying. That being said, the wind was blowing almost due south. Our point of destination was, as you might have already guessed, due north.
After impatiently tacking through light winds in our effort to make it to Maury Island the air went progressively stagnant. Although still a little early in the day, we made the most of the time we had and unpacked the food! (There's nothing quite like a picnic lunch on quiet boat in serenity of the middle of the Sound!) I luffed the main, backed the jib and tied the tiller leeward just in case the breeze returned. We then sat back and enjoyed lunch bobbing up and down in the calm waters.
Although "sailing" hove-to, we made no progress whatsoever. When motor-driven boats passed, the boom would swing wildly from side to side as we rocked back and forth. I secured it midships to keep the boom from giving one of us a really nasty headache not expecting what was to come next.
Suddenly a wind raced gracefully over the water the water, filling the main and (as I had the sail secured) heeled the boat over to about 20 degrees. I didn't see it coming, but once it hit, it was impossible to ignore. Lunches slid from starboard to port as I lunged for the mainsheet. A quick tug released the main and the boom sped to leeward. Grabbing the tiller, and with my wife and youngest son working the jib sheets, we were able to put the boat on a beam reach in a steady wind of what was probably 15 kts. Finally, some action!
Suddenly a wind raced gracefully over the water the water, filling the main and (as I had the sail secured) heeled the boat over to about 20 degrees. I didn't see it coming, but once it hit, it was impossible to ignore. Lunches slid from starboard to port as I lunged for the mainsheet. A quick tug released the main and the boom sped to leeward. Grabbing the tiller, and with my wife and youngest son working the jib sheets, we were able to put the boat on a beam reach in a steady wind of what was probably 15 kts. Finally, some action!
The water off Brown's Point was a garden of sport fishing boats, so we were careful to keep to deeper waters. The spritely Martin pulsed with each wave that it crossed and the sound of water over the hull kept no secrets - we were moving quickly! Lyuda, my wife, had never sailed in such conditions, so she was excusably frightened by the experience, but soon learned to relax and enjoy the ride.
Quartermaster Harbor was ahead, but unfortunately we were running out of time, so we decided to to use the time we had left to practice tacking and jibing. We made it as far as the buoy that marks the southern tail of the east passage and lapped the open waters.
Docking, the most anxiety producing component of the the sailing experience for me, went perfectly. I'm getting more and more confident each time out. And better than that, my wife (who previously was frightened just to climb aboard a boat) has caught the bug. Suddenly, she's talking about sailing down the west coast.
This is a good sign.
