So I took Guizmo for a solo spin in the bay of Pto Pollenca. Incidentally, this was my first time solo on a keelboat.
Putting the main up took a lot of effort. I remembered why I liked sailing the International-14 so much: all the forces are barely manageable by regular arm power. On Guizmo, the forces are getting to the point where the winches are essential equipment. And trying to strongarm the sail can leave you with a back injury pretty easily.
Once the main was up, it was a quick push off from the berth I was sandwiched in, in between a giant Guardia Civil boat and another large boat being outfitted to travel to Trieste, off to the open seas.
The outboard engine does not work at the moment, so I was quite anxious about how I would return to the dock. I also did not know if it would even be possible to douse the sails easily. So I kept all the bumpers where they were and did not deploy a kite. With just a main and jib, and 4 knots of wind, the boat ends up reaching its hull speed of 5.5 knots in just 10 seconds or so. It's a very nimble boat! Kind of comparable to a skiff. And it can go much faster than this, essentially by skipping on the surface of the water, but that will require some extra sails, extra wind and extra effort from me.
Here's a 360 panoramic sweep while the boat is underway in the Bay of Pollenca on her "maiden" voyage (she's been around the block, has even been to Brazil in '05 minitransat race, but this is the first solo sail with me).
Putting the main up took a lot of effort. I remembered why I liked sailing the International-14 so much: all the forces are barely manageable by regular arm power. On Guizmo, the forces are getting to the point where the winches are essential equipment. And trying to strongarm the sail can leave you with a back injury pretty easily.
Once the main was up, it was a quick push off from the berth I was sandwiched in, in between a giant Guardia Civil boat and another large boat being outfitted to travel to Trieste, off to the open seas.
The outboard engine does not work at the moment, so I was quite anxious about how I would return to the dock. I also did not know if it would even be possible to douse the sails easily. So I kept all the bumpers where they were and did not deploy a kite. With just a main and jib, and 4 knots of wind, the boat ends up reaching its hull speed of 5.5 knots in just 10 seconds or so. It's a very nimble boat! Kind of comparable to a skiff. And it can go much faster than this, essentially by skipping on the surface of the water, but that will require some extra sails, extra wind and extra effort from me.
Here's a 360 panoramic sweep while the boat is underway in the Bay of Pollenca on her "maiden" voyage (she's been around the block, has even been to Brazil in '05 minitransat race, but this is the first solo sail with me).
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