Odalisque - August 27, 2005 Log

Log 2005 - August 27th

Saturday August 27, 2005
High Summer day sail

Crew: Caleb, Jessica, Jean M.
Air temp: 82
Wind forecast: SSE 5 - 10
Actual wind: SSE 10 – 15 with gusts near 20

We all arrived at Nyack Boat Club around 1430 and were greeted by some whitecaps on the river, which were being whipped up by the SSE wind. Whitecaps are usually only visible unless the wind is in the 12 – 15 knot range. It is important to be able to gauge the speed of the wind by the sea state (Beaufort scale, Force 1 – 12 etc). This particular crew has been out together before and therefore has a good rapore and today would be no different.
After stowing gear, un-Schlangerizing (*) the main sheet, removing the cover we raised the mainsail. Then the engine was started and mooring lines and stick were cast off. All of this was precautionary because of the nearly 2 knot current that was sweeping up the Hudson. Our mooring is close to the edge of the field but when the current is flowing and the wind is blowing it can be challenging to try and sail around the few moored boats there were to avoid. Hoisting the main at mooring makes sense when it is either windy or choppy. The sail gives you some lift and stability against the wind and the current. This day I had the engine on and engaged while I navigated around our moored neighbors. I noticed how you really have to look ahead at the objects (boats) on the river to determine if you were going to hit them, or pass down or upwind of them. The set of the current made it such that I had to look ahead at all times until out of the mooring field.
Once clear of the moorings Jean unfurled the jib in a good breeze. I noticed that the Furlex roller furling had wrapped its line around itself 4 or 5 times during deployment. It must have been because we didn’t keep enough tension on the line while letting it out in this stiff wind. Jean cheerfully went forward and unwrapped the line and rethreaded the roller furlers control line. I then let my old friend take the helm knowing that I should have many more chances to do so. Jean wisely decided not to try going too far up or down river with all the wind and current. Instead we crossed the river 5 or 6 times and buzzed the Tappan Zee bridge (maybe 18 miles covered). While sailing we chatted about astrology, dysfunctional family relationships, growing older and wiser and we ate with a good heel even with the centerboard down.
It was a beautiful day with clouds scudding across the blue, high summer sky and only a few other boats out on the river with us. Odalisque charged along as she was bid and sometimes on her own. I felt bad for all the other boats that were tethered to their moorings; their owners unable to take them for a sail that lovely day. I am beginning to understand as a boat owner, why you mostly see boats moored or at dock more often then you see them out on the water. It is a bit like being out in the woods when a tree falls and you heard it; you have to be there to appreciate it. You wont see the other boats out on the water if you are not there just as you cannot hear a tree fall in a forest from afar. It is a special, random thing.

(*) un-Schlangerizing: my friend and co-owner Matt is a very clever fellow. Recently he and his son have taken to learning knots from a knot book. Now the end of every line on our boat has a monkey fist stop knot on it that I could not replicate. Also our main sheet cleat has a habit of becoming uncleated at mooring which allows the boom to freely swing from side to side so we have to tie off the main sheet back to the boom so the sheet wont slip out of the jaws of the cleat (I don’t know why we don’t just cleat the loose end to a horn cleat). In response to this challenge Matt often leaves overly complicated arrangements with this sheet to keep it tied off to the boom. In short: overly complicated knots intended only for their maker to undo which can take precious minutes instead of seconds.

— Caleb Davison