Sailing Before the Storm - Sailing HideAway

In times of quarantine it's good to get away for awhile.  This video was shot last August as hurricane Dorian threatened our area.   May we all have the same good fortune as that day.

SMALL BOATS ROCK!

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Sailing HideAway- Installing New Trailer Guides- The Video

The proper way to bring in the New Year is a first day morning sail on the HideAway.  After a perfect launch sequence New Year’s Eve we tied off on a finger pier and went to our sailing club party.  Of course, we stayed for the World Famous Cooler Drop, a celebratory paper flute of champagne, and danced a jig or two before retiring aboard the HideAway. 

The first morning of the new decade brought sunny skies and light air- more of a float than a sail, but after exceeding the sailor’s allowed time ashore, we were happy to be aboard.

Recovery was a different story.  Overconfident perhaps, I don't know- but somehow, backing down, I jacked our new trailer away from the dock. Somehow, Linda didn't see it.  Somehow, the keel missed the keel board- landing between the trailer bunk supports which heeled the boat over- way over- towards the dock.  Somehow, I got too far down the bumpy ramp and put the rear truck wheels in the water up to the bumper.   Bob C. saw our predicament and came running to help.  He saved more than the day.  

Recently, we had non-sailor guests aboard for a sail on Boca Ciega Bay-Gulfport Fl.  We went over the usual safety list.  We explained that because of HideAway’s small size everybody is a crew member and that whomever is on the tiller is the Captain. The confirmed wind that day was 14-18 kn gusting to 23 kn. Because of this we may need to talk very loudly and that all commands must be repeated.  The boat will heel 25 degrees, but will not tip over, you may feel some spray and the rigging may howl.

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Sailing HideAway on Zazzle

Sailing Swiss Cheese Winds

 Like Swiss Cheese: The bay has holes in the wind or wind in the holes, depending on your point of view. You can be rail down one moment and in the doldrums the next.   There is nothing so frustrating as to see a boat only a hundred yards away with a bone in her teeth while you sit becalmed, although watching catspaws come close by only to fade two breaths away is in the running.

Sailing with Wide Eyes

Usually the higher wind is on the West side of the bay nearer to the Gulf of Mexico.  On this day the high velocity wind was on the East side.  That meant our never-been-on-a-sailboat guests, now promoted to crew, would have to learn early and fast on our cruise to nowhere.  It would be robust, wide-eyed sailing to the lighter winds on the West end of the bay.   

Never heard of Wide Eye Sailing?  Well, it’s a HideAway thing.  If we have new crew aboard the Captain and the First Mate watch their eyes.  The wider the crew’s eyes become the more conservative the sailing must be.   It’s time to come in if they get really wide, or missing that: If the wind in the rigging is not the source of the howling.

Returning to the same pier, Mr. E our ever hardy 28 year old outboard, coughed then ceased to function as we tied up.  The new Crew had fairly wide eyes and we were fairly worn out, so we decided to let the HideAway rest overnight.  

Now the Fun Begins

Hoping for calmer winds, we returned the next day to recover the boat. Mr. E ran for almost 10 seconds, decided he’d had enough, and quit. Usually, I can persuade him to start, but not this time.  In order to get back to the ramp we had to turn the boat 180 degrees through the 20-25kn wind and then approach the ramp under bare poles.  It’s not the sailing that's hard- it’s the concrete boat ramp that is the worry.

Richard W. came over from his boat.  It took the three of us to combat the wind, however we were successful in phase one of the project.   To gain better steerage I raised HideAway's kick up rudder slightly and shoved off.  Under no sail we gained more speed than necessary or comfortable. I fish tailed the rudder and held it askew to slow down.  Steve H. and Richard were at the dock ramp to prevent the fiberglass from meeting the concrete. 

Sailing HideAway Rudder Partially Raised 

The boat safely tied to the boat ramp dock, now all that we needed to do was put it on the trailer.  I brought the trailer around and started to back down the ramp, but by then the wind had blown HideAway's stern away from the dock. Aha! But this time I had the new trailer guides. (See the video below).   

Under normal conditions the trailer guide would be the fulcrum to lever the stern in. The wind, blowing well into the 20s, over powered both Linda and my efforts to center the boat.  Raising the white flag of surrender, I began to pull the empty trailer out when Ed M. and Steve saw our plight from the club house and came to help. Between the three of them they were able to hold the boat straight and the recovery was successful. The rest, as it has been said, is history.   

Sailing HideAway- High Wind Recovery

  

Even with careful planning and help from our heroic friends, recovering the HideAway has become too much of an adventure.

In the past we judged wind speed in terms of sailing the boat.  In both of these cases the wind and water conditions were within the boat’s capabilities.  Indeed, we have sailed much longer in much higher seas and wind conditions.  During the events described here we were under full sail with the 135 jib.  Reefing and a smaller jib would have made sailing less tiring, however, even with my full body weight I could barely pull the boat to the dock.

The sailing is not the issue

Now when we look at the wind forecast boat recovery must be in the equation.  The new trailer guides should keep us sailing for a long while yet. 

  

SMALL BOATS ROCK!!