barryhill Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Ahoy, been awhile. A beautiful first day of fall here on Lake Pepin. Temp. near 80, SSE breeze at 10-15 with gusts. Launched the Teal from the Sportsmans' Landing at 12:30. Cleared the pier and headed across the lake close hauled, then east on a reach. Repeated that several times over two hours and had the best sailing of the season. Gusting abated long enough to take a few photos. About the time I tired of paying such close attention and heading up the gusting came on and stayed. One last reach put me upwind of the landing. A little tricky downwind with this little double-ender in a stiff breeze but I've learned to tame her some over the summer. Did fine UNTIL 100 yards from the beach I rounded up to loosen the leeboard so it wouldn't be jammed to pull as I landed and to consider going to a starboard tack for the final approach. Never got to make that decision. Made my mistake as I turned to slide back to the tiller from the leeboard. The boat had gone sideways and before I looked up from the leeboard I grabbed the sheet, the sail filled with all my weight to lee and over we went. I slid down the flared side and went in feet first, hung on and crawled over around to the bottom and pulled her up......and over! The tanks in the ends were keeping her high but she didn't want to sit upright. Oh well.....just hang on and float in. Worst that can happen is to miss the beach and end up on the rip-rap pier that my spare life jacket and little pop cooler were headed for. About that time several fishing boats came up. Pro walleye guys headed for the Landing to weigh in. With a few attempts one got hold of my painter and towed me close enough to touch bottom. Another grabbed my PFD and cooler. Nothing damaged but my pride. Lost one oarlock (unfinished and not pinned in the socket or fixed to the oar). Pack with phone, camera and GPS stayed dry in the tank behind the Seadog hatch. After bailing, sorting and thanking the fisherman I realized my hat was on my head and bone dry! When I rode the Harley somebody told me "You ain't a biker 'til you take one down"..............so, Lessons learned; Pay attention and don't grab the sheet 'til you see what's goin' on. Gotta have a way to control the tiller and sheet for those times when hands are elsewhere. Get a painter that floats! On the positive side; The hatched tanks worked. Would have lost $500 in electronics without them. I did decide to quit when I was tired. Better to screw up in spitting distance of home than in the middle of the lake with the wind taking me to St. Paul and the current to New Orleans. Photo approaching Pepin,WI. The Landing is just to starboard of the marina. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisboats Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 'Bout time you baptized that thing properly ;D Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryhill Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 To say nothing of a bath..............me and the boat! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisboats Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 yeah...but YOU needed it....sniff...sniff...cough! You think folks would want to use the lakes we found for next year or should I stick with Spirit? Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryhill Posted September 24, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 I'm gonna start SMELL like a pirate day. The irony is that I'd cleaned up good the night before for a birthday party with the hipsters downtown. Now I smell of the Mississippi. Might be an improvement. Man, that's a tough one. For myself, I'd rather camp at Loon and trailer the hop to Spirit if the sailing warranted. Turns out one of the guys we talked to at Loon works at Fish and Wildlife where I picked up the duckboat that week. He's tight with the guy at the campground. Believes we'd be accommodated. Then, I missed a career in marketing by always being wrong. Biggest problem is getting those city folk that far out on the prairie. Might be cannibals out there Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dale Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Thanks for swallowing the ole pride and sharing. Things just seem to happen around boats. Got lots of stories myself. BTW- what is that you're sailing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryhill Posted September 25, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Thanks dale, Bolger Teal. Built last winter. Photo from Iowa Messabout at Spirit Lake in July. Steve, did pics of me sailing go away in crash? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P Doug (WA) Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 How does that Tyvek work for a sail? Is it better than the polytarp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lewisboats Posted September 26, 2007 Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Thanks dale, Bolger Teal. Built last winter. Photo from Iowa Messabout at Spirit Lake in July. Steve, did pics of me sailing go away in crash? No...I think they are still on my camera stick. I will look when I find the camera. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryhill Posted September 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2007 Doug, the tyvek worked great. Used it because I had it when I needed a sail and time and money were short. Drawn with Sailcut CAD and sewed with a home type Singer so its got some shape. Got a few small holes I believe are from abrasion trailering. Will try to make a "real" sailcloth one this winter and crutches to haul it in. It certainly is lighter than polytarp. Not sure it would last another season. Will miss the attention it gets! Great Steve. Love to see 'em. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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