But, I never heard a Fat Lady sing, so we're leaving 'em in for a couple more weeks.
Went out last week, crewing for my buddy on the N5.0, in a blow. It was warm, water still 20C, & blowing, hard.
We decided to bring the GPS & see how hard we could whip the little Nacra. It was an upwind fight to get from the dock past the point, & only reef. Once clear we started reaching, but even double trapped we could not keep it level with the sails trimmed. The best sustained speed we got was 20.5mph, with one stretch of 6km,(3.5miles) where it never went below 19 mph.
The downside was we pitchpoled, twice! Since getting this boat it has only been pitched once, & we regularly flog the crap out of it. The middle lake buoy only showed waves as .6 meter,(2 ft)
It happened in the same spot, on different runs, so we went back to see why the end of Grape Is. was our personal Bermuda Triangle.
https://www.google.ca/map…1ea6f:0x7627672877e85557
The waves were certainly not 2', more like 6'-8', standing on the hull they were taller than I,(I couldn't see over them) & barely 3 Cat lengths apart, with steep faces.
A south wind gives about a 20mile fetch, but even blowing at 24mph that day, the waves should not be that big. After mucking about a bit it seemed the big stuff was confined to a fairly small area. I think the Island & Vic Pt creates a funnel effect, & combined with the echo off the shore stacks the water up. It also gets shallower there, about 20'. Previously I thought that depth would not create standing water, but two pitchpoles in 30 minutes makes me wonder.
The great thing about two up is how easy righting is. The GPS showed us stopped for just over a minute.
Today, I went up to pick up some diamond saw blades, as wifey wants some stonework finished at the other house. Heck, it's only been three years, whats the rush?
The water has cooled to 17C (63F), but it was sunny, warm, & windy...so I just had to hoist the rags & launch the Baby Nacra one more time. It's not as good as say, being in Dunedin, but it beats the hell out of TV & the couch. I got a new Cressi Semi Dry wetsuit, it was actually to hot.
Again, a south wind, & rough. I mucked about solo for an hour, kept it pointy end up, then headed into the bay for some calmer water. A Kite boarder came out to play, that was the only other thing I saw on the water.
Those guys are pretty fast, & they sure tack quicker than a Cat, but they can't keep up going to weather. He said it was to rough outside the point to be any fun.
Was thinking about dropping the mast for the season, but this new wetsuit is pretty boss, I think I'll wait another 2 weeks.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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Almost stuck a fork in it...
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- Rank: Chief
- Registered: Nov 26, 2009
- Last visit: Aug 10, 2024
- Posts: 2531
Posted: Oct 07, 2014 - 06:50 PM
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- Rank: Lubber
- Registered: Feb 12, 2010
- Last visit: Feb 18, 2016
- Posts: 77
Posted: Oct 08, 2014 - 09:45 AM
That has to be screaming on the 5.0!! I've yet to go out in winds that strong, but sounds like a need to buck up and give it try! How high winds do you take your 5.7 out in and what kind of speeds do you get on it?
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Steve - Texas Gulf Coast
91 Mystere 5.0 (sold)
04 Nacra 570 (sold)
08 Hobie Wave
00 Taipan 4.9
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- Rank: Chief
- Registered: Nov 26, 2009
- Last visit: Aug 10, 2024
- Posts: 2531
Posted: Oct 08, 2014 - 03:36 PM
The strongest wind on the 5.7 was 30mph, as measured at the mid lake buoy, about 10 miles from where I was sailing. It was more survival, & pointing/backing down for tacks...didn't dare gybe. I was solo that day.
The fastest ever on the 5.7 was 21.4 on the GPS, but that was only over a short distance. I have made sustained 21 several times, both solo, double trapped, & 3 up-wife & buddy on the wire, myself on the hull foot braced against traveler.
With 30 yr old sails & 20mph wind it will do 20mph, broad reach is the fastest & most stable, I can do 20, solo sitting on the back corner. That seems to be the safest, as I don't have foot straps & it's easy to get washed off or Peter Pan followed by flip if trapped out in rough water.
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Hobie 18 Magnum
Dart 15
Mystere 6.0XL Sold Was a handful solo
Nacra 5.7
Nacra 5.0
Bombardier Invitation (Now officially DEAD)
Various other Dock cluttering WaterCrap
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