Thursday was warm and round 10 knots predicted, so I wheeled the Pirogue down to the local beach and launched from there. It was lovely to launch off clean sand into clear water. My usual launching spot, in front of AYC club house, has become choked with seaweed, and the water is murky thanks to the grunge from a nearby drain outfall which has diverted to run parallel to the shore there.
The Pirogue sails nicely in flat water and under 10 knots, and we beat into a North Easterly out past Wise's Reef, and down to the mouth of Kororiot Creek. Another failed attempt to pick my way in there through the maze of sticks which are liberally scattered there. The water was crystal clear, and I spotted four banjo sharks basking on the yellow sand there.
Their camoflague is no good for broad patches of sand, they are visible from about thity metres away. I was dodging rocks and sharks, with the rudder up, when the Pirogue decided it was time to get out of there, and gybed round by itself.
Somehow I busted the lower rudder pintle again, so back to the drawing board on that one. And the rigging still needs some tweaking, but with a bit more work I think the Pirogue will be a great light airs shallow water explorer.
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