Solo Sail!

A very successful day today. This was after Saturday was botched. I was getting ready to go and I saw small metal threads coming out of the tire. I took it to Savannah tire and they told me my tire was seperating. Even though it looked new, it was 10 years old. I got two new trailer tires and this seems to have solved the trailer bounce problem. I was lucky, I never had a blow out. But my trailer is good to go now. Watch out world, here we come!

Kim helped me launch Orkia. I was on the water by 11. I took off out of Turner Creek and headed to Wilmington River. Once in the Wilmington River, I raised the main and sailed with just the main. The wind was blowing at about 10 knots. It would have been a great day for both sails, but without a roller furling, I was concerned about managing both sails. One sail was enough. I went east toward the Atlantic for a little bit. Just enough to get the hang of sailing with just the main. I think I like solo sailing with the genoa better. I turned back toward Thunderbolt and went all the way to the dock as I thought Kim was going to join me. In the end she didn't.

I came into Thunderbolt under a luffed sail. It was no problem. When ever the wind picked up, I would let it out.

When I realized Kim wasn't going to meet me, I turned back for Turner Creek.

Coming past the Wilmington Island Yacht club, I was under sail only (no motor) There were 5-6 sailboats maneuvering in the area. It was exciting to come through under sail with the other sailboats tacking all around me. What a beautiful day?

I successfully docked and trailered the sailboat once back in Turner's Creek. I docked about 4 and had the boat trailered by 5:15.

The lesson I learned today was to always dock into the current. Good lesson to know. It took me a while to get the sailboat ready for trailering, but I finally got it. One problem as I was taking the mast down, it fell. Luckily it didn't hit me or damage the boat. I was pretty lucky on that one@