Interesting day ... Never had such an experience. The wind was very very light and changing. The swell was high enough that the boat was rocking and rolling, with the sails banging left and right. There were many times when I couldn't figure out where the wind was coming from. I'm sure there is a technique to sail these ULDBs in very very light wind and choppy seas but I haven't found it ... Going downwind was a misery ... Like 0 knts kind of misery.
The funny thing is that because the forecast was calling for a strong breeze (incl. small craft advisory) I went out with a reefed main and number 3.
I spent what seemed an eternity having the sails banging around, being mostly paralyzed. I'd never know what was going to happen next, as far as the sails moving around and the boat's movement. I pretty much sat there for what may have been a couple hours if not more. Very frustrating ... I could feel all the negativity come up from the inside ...
I had planned to do head sail changes and I couldn't muster to get on with it when all that was going on. Later in the afternoon all the boats came out of the harbor for the beer can race and it was nice to see all those boats. But they were moving and I wasn't ... I inched closer to shore and wind picked up; swell subsided significantly.
I decided to finally carry on with my head sail change, to at least achieve something today. I went down to a #4. I'm sure folks watching me must have been thinking I was nuts but I didn't feel confident to try with the # 2. I did it 4 times (3 to 4, 4 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 3). Nothing went as expected:
1. The spin and the jib halyards would get entangled and get stuck at the clutch, multiple times. Yes, I need to coil these nicely to avoid that. But I kept forgetting.
2. The first time I raised the # 4 I was all proud of myself and went to take pictures. That's when I realized that it had gone up without sliding into the foil ... it somehow had popped out. Ooops ... down it went. See second picture below.
3. I need to figure out how to bring the halyards with me to where I need them so I can initiate the hoist and avoid the problem described above.
4. A few times I forgot to move the second jib sheet to the new clew. Fun tacks ...
5. I wonder how all this would work out with a boat heeled 35 degrees or more, in a seaway. Being so tall and the boat not so big I think the only thing that makes sense for me is going 4WD. I've got knee pads for that.
I'll admit that I haven't made friend yet with how things are rigged. The jacklines are not working where they are; they get in the way of everything. I can see things snapping in the future. I need to continue to think about these.
Of course I realize that I will need to get over that paralysis. I find that a good description of myself lately is: fearful human ...
And as usual I continue to mess up the boat out and into the water process ... hitting the back stay and getting the boat off center on the trailer is becoming a habit it seems.
I had also taken a spinnaker with me to try that out ... It'll have to be for another day. Bottom line for today? The journey will be long ...
Looking at the main it doesn't look right ... If any of you could take a look at the picture below to let me know your thoughts I'd appreciate it. It doesn't show a nice flat luff to leech surface. And that's with barely any luff nor back stay tension.