TRips 20 and 21 of the season - lots of spinnaker work

We try to pack in a lot of sailing that is facilitated by being able to walk home from work and straight over to the marina. This weekend we set out on Saturday with no particular destination. With winds from the SW we headed along the north shore for 18nm all under assym spinnaker, then turned and tacked back in building winds to home. Overall we put in a day of 40nm. On Sunday we knew the weather would turn bad so we head out early. We chased another sailboat around spectacle and managed to pass her as we jibed around the red buoy between spectacle island and long island.

We are practicing in all different conditions with the spinnaker – what’s the best and most efficient way to hoist….. Today we had her rigged and sitting on the port side, as we generally do, ready to sail on a starboard tack. But we were on a port tack. So we hoisted the spinnaker while on a port tack and let the chute lay against the genoa. We pushed the spinnaker in the chute around the forestay, rolled up the genoa and opened up the spinnaker. It worked very nicely. We sailed out into Presidents Roads, then jibed and headed down the Nubbles to George’s island. We managed to sail at 55 degrees off the wind with the spinnaker flying as we came through the channel.

We are definitely getting the feel of the spinnaker: we have sailed with her a lot in the past but now I am testing many conditions, ways to hoist, quick ways to dowse etc. so that I can give instructions to the crew on race day. It’s a pity they weren’t out with us this weekend. Without practice race night might be a disaster. But nothing ventured nothing gained.