Viewing 6 reply threads
  • Author
    Posts
    • #67925
      Anonymous

      We all spend a lot of time (and money) fixing up these good old boats. For me the process has been extremely
      gratifying and educational. Even so, at least as gratifying is a reminder once in a while of what’s at the
      other end of that endless work list.

      This morning I sailed Silver Heels the 20-odd open water miles from Martinique to St. Lucia, beam-reaching
      across 15-20-25 knot trade winds under full sail: 135% genoa, yankee staysail, main & mizzen. It’s the first
      time we’ve had such ideal conditions since I started cruising last June, and friends, I’m here to tell you
      this boat can fly! Many of you already knew that, but it’s something else when your own boat gives you that
      kind of ride. Wow! At first I was thrilled to be maintaining 7+ knots for the crossing, the boat standing
      upright like solid oak, the decks nearly dry in spite of 4-6′ cross seas. She remained stiff as the breeze
      freshened and – are you ready for this? – kissed 8.3 knots half-a-dozen times and held 8 for credible
      stretches (photo attached). And that’s a boat fully loaded & provisioned for long-term liveaboard cruising,
      full water and fuel tanks, the dinghy in the davits, dragging a fixed, locked 3-blade prop, with the windvane
      steering. Speeds were GPS SOG readings, but any current was, like the wind, on the beam and not behind us. 8.3
      knots! I didn’t know 424’s could do that. What a ride! What a boat!

      Tor
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      Silver Heels, P-424 #17
      http://www.SilverHeels.us
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      _______________________________________________
      maillist mailing list

      https://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

    • #74977
      sumocean
      Participant

      Tor

      Once again you are the master! Inspiration just when it was needed most.
      We’ve had snow, cold and rainy dreary days for a much longer time than is
      normal here I had almost given up. Tomorrow it’s off to the boat to try to
      be ready for the warm when it finally gets here.

      Linus


      <.. snip>

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

    • #74978
      unabated
      Participant

      I’d  have to ditto Tors comment. I’ll be seeing Tor this morning for coffee in Bequia.
      I sailed up from Tobago Cays yesterday. I left Chatham Bay on Union Island with a reefed main and a full 135 Genoa. Closed hulled for almost 30 miles. without too much attention to the main ( I was reading a good book), we were doing speeds of 7.5 to 7 9.  Had the same ocean swells as Tor on the beam 4-6 feet, winds 18, 20 to 25 most of the way ( as Tor can attest too as he entered the harbour  here in Bequia.) The boat just sailed so nice. I’ve had some of the best sails down here in the trade winds and the boat just eats it up.
      come on down!
      alan
      UNABATED

      _______________________________________________
      maillist mailing list

      https://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

    • #74979
      madsailor
      Moderator

      Hey Tor and Alan (and everyone else),

      The first afternoon after I purchased Pelican sailing from Noank, CT to City
      Island, NY with beam winds of about 20kts and with a dirty bottom, shot
      sails, inexperienced crew and 3-5 foot chop she was traveling at 6.5 – 7 kts
      SOG with no staysail.

      Fast forward two and a half years. The other day sailing from Newfound
      Harbor at Big Pine Key to Stock Island (just east of Key West) I had 10 to
      20 on the beam, 120% jib, staysail, main and mizzen, full fuel and water
      tanks, dragging a dinghy and with the shaft generator running charging
      batteries and powering everything else I was going a steady 7 knots with
      touches of 8+ SOG in gusts.

      I’ve found the shaft generator takes about .6 knots.

      Never doubt the wisdom of the purchase of vessel you have. See attached
      photo. And if you’re near Key West let me know!

      Bob

      —
      Bob Fine
      s/v Pelican
      Pearson 424 Hull #8
      http://thesailinglife.blogspot.com
      Follow me at: http://www.tinyurl.com/WhereIsBobFine

      _______________________________________________
      maillist mailing list

      https://pearson424.org/mailman/listinfo/maillist_pearson424.org

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

    • #74980
      kalinowski
      Participant

      Our sea trial of Lady Leanne provided the same experience. We were in about 20k trades on 8′ rollers in the lee of Waikiki. With all the rags up (and an experienced crew, no staysail) we topped 8 on our GPS when we came out of the lee of Diamond Head. For a lake sailor, it was like discovering the fairer sex for the first time.

      Dan Kalinowski
      Lady Leanne II (#135)
      Honolulu

    • #74981
      Anonymous

      Easy Reach touched 10 knots once flying spinnaker, main, mizzen staysail, and mizzen. Full out on a slightly broad reach off the south shore of Lake Ontario. We started out with a light breeze off the New York shore gradually turning out all the sail we had rigging to carry. The wind kept buidling as we approached Rochester. Janet at the helm was screaming like a school girl. I had my hands full trimming. The wind built gradually and after the thrid dip to leeward in a gust it seemed prudent to shorten sail. We brought the spinnaker down with our ATN douser and Janet easing off alternately on the sheet and then the clew, which runs from a block off the anchor sprit back to the cockpit. We were not far off shore so there was little in the way of waves.

      Norris Larson, #206

      — On Wed, 2/17/10, Silver Heels <> wrote:

      Quote:
      <.. snip>

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

    • #74983
      unabated
      Participant

      Norris,
      You probably didn’t stop into Rochester,. I grew up there, learned to sail there and Sailed out Rochester for over 25 years…. Some really good Great Lakes sailing over the years.
      Alan
      UNABATED

      On Thu, 2/18/10, norris larson <> wrote:

      Quote:
      <.. snip>

      Post generated from Pearson424 Forum using Mail2Forum

Viewing 6 reply threads
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.