Two day sails

There was a perfect (for me) wind forecast for Tuesday, winds around 10 knots, temperature around 20. I My friend Michael came along, and we set off for Williamstown.  Off course, the wind died, so we did a bit of rowing (I can get the boat moving around 2.5 knots with a bit of breeze helping) and a bit of motoring when we got into the shipping channel.

We tied up at Ferguson Street Pier, and wandered up for lunch in the sun at one of the cafes near there.

It was a bit of a gymnastic feat getting Oz up onto the doc, and more so getting him back down, but we did it.  The doc gives a good view of the top of Kirsty Ann's masts, the Dinghy Crusing pennant on the main mast, and the two crab pot float anti turtle devices on the mizzen.

Somehow, in the excitement of getting underway again, we must have knocked the line that holds the centreboard down off.  Michael was on the helm, and I was getting quite sharp in my instructions to point up, as we were missing every point we tried to aim for.  It wasn't till I took over the helm I realised the problem.  

We passed a mini colony of seals on one of the channel marker buoys and got back around 4.

Driving down to launch the boat, I bumped into a neighbour and friend I have been trying to get out on the boat ever since I bought it.  He looked longingly at it, and said "Tomorrow" - so I got organized and we went out again the next day.

The forecast was for around 10 knots again, and for the first hour or so, that was indeed the case.  At one point I was nearly going to ship the oars. But the wind shifted south westerly and kicked up.  At Laverton the nearest weather station to us, gusts of 21 knots were recorded, just about where I decided to turn around. It was an exciting run back, surfing along around 6 knots.

I remembered to take along a soft bed for Oz, and he is much happier crew when he can get comfortable and sleep.  But there was some spray over the bow today when the wind kicked up, and he definitely does not like that. I quite like having someone steering so I can lounge up the front giving gratuitous advice.

When I tied up the boat at Williamstown yesterday, there was a chap on the wharf watching.  He knew it was a Core Sound and was very complementary - "You've got it set up nicely" he said.  I think he might be right.

Now the weather is getting warmer I can see making some longer more adventurous voyages.