4-28.

The day before finals week is obviously the best day to go sailing.  And it was a great day for sailing!  My dad and I tested the Swan in the windiest conditions she's seen yet and she did quite well.  I don't know if I've mentioned it in a previous post, but one slight flaw is that water sloshes in through the centerboard case when she's moving at a good clip and the centerboard is all the way down.  If you raise the centerboard just a bit, the incoming water generally abates.  Today we took a few waves over the gunnel to add to the water from the centerboard; nothing to worry about, just enough to keep our feet cool.  

Videos from today:

Swan Sailing Pelicans

Swan Sailing Big Wave  I was a little concerned there was going to be a man overboard while my dad was filming this one.  He was leaning back, sitting on the deck, with one hand on the camera and one hand (occasionally) around the mast.  When we hit a few bigger waves, he was looking a little precarious, but he's an old salt and remained on board!  

Swan Sailing Centerboard Up and Sail Out!  

Swan Sailing Bow Wave

I dropped Daddy off at the beach and made some passes so he could take pictures and video.  High tide allowed me to sail close to shore without scraping the bottom.  

We practiced a jibe today, and experimented with tacking.  The boat has a tendency to stall as the bow comes into the wind, unable to finish coming about.  We tried letting the sail way out as we started to tack, which seemed to work better than pulling the tiller hard to the wrong side to steer backwards.  It also helped to push the boom over as we came into the wind to force the sail to pick up wind and finish the tack.  

I can already feel the wave motion in my body before even laying down.  Guess I'm tired after a fun day.  I have to make up for lost study time tonight, though.  Biochem will be a rocking good time...  

4-21.

We had a breezy day for sailing on Kelli's birthday.  Took the Oystercatcher and the Swan down to the lighthouse.  Instead of heading out past the channel into the Gulf like we usually do, the wind was right to head up the East River.  We were actually able to sail out of the canal.  We stayed to the edge or just outside of the channel as much as possible as there were lots of motor boats out speeding by, and stayed clear of all oysterbars!  Saw one bald eagle sitting on a bar, but he flew away before we got in photo range.  

Joe and Kelli both took a turn at the tiller.  In my boat there was a mutiny and Mom started calling herself "Captain."

Although the wind never seems to be consistent on our gulf coast, it was blowing enough most of the time for us to have some fun and actually sail!  We were really only becalmed once, after which we were hit by a gust and my mom exclaimed "we're tipping over!"  Proof is in the photos that we were nowhere close to tipping over!  Rather, we were sailing.  

A photograph being photographed.  The Oystercatcher overtook us to do a photo shoot of the Swan for a picture to send to WoodenBoat's launchings, finally.  

And here's the Oystercatcher as they passed us:  

I think the Drascombe looks like a pirate ship. Its crew was friendly enough, though.  

To watch a video of the Swan sailing go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4AxBV0rGrk&feature=youtu.be

When we got back to the canal, we had to row in, and the no-see-ums were atrocious!  Wish we could have stayed out on the water longer...