Launch Day!

I'm skipping ahead in the blog posts, since I've been too busy building.  I'll post more about the last bits of construction when the sailing season is over. We successfully sailed in some light wind.  Didn't even get the wrinkles out of the sail, but was just enough wind to be great practice for the first time sailors like ourselves.  I should get more good sailing days in before it gets too cold and rainy.

The boat performed well, except ...  there was little too much weather helm I think.  I'm going to try to raise the CB slightly next time to cut down on that.  She floats a little lower than I anticipated.  Hopefully her scuppers won't be underwater with 4 people aboard.  (I'm going to test that next weekend.)  Also, the rudder vibrated at about 2Hz whenever we got up to speed.  I think it's because I didn't tighten the pivot bolt enough.  I tightened the pivot bolt and will see if that solved the problem next time out.  The rudder raising tackle needs some tweaking too.

I lost a bolt that attaches the boom vang, so I couldn't test that out.  I will next weekend though.

The neighbor snapped a pic of us driveway sailing on launch day.

Just arrived at the boat ramp.  The locals have a different philosophy regarding the size of a towing rig.

I felt the need to decorate the tow rig so it would appear more legit.

After the mast is stepped in the parking lot, the tow rig pulls around to the boat ramp.

Easing her into the water for the first time.

Bobbing up and down at the dock for the first time.

She floats high enough to not take water through her transom scuppers.  Whew!

Not enough wind to take the wrinkles out of the main sail.

The wife at the helm.

The wife tending the jib sheet.  She's on the leeward side since there isn't much wind.

Sailing by south waterfront of downtown Portland.