BVI 1469 2005 #1
Thursday - December 29, 2005•Views: 7638••
After about four years' prep, Larking About IP40-63 finally went properly to sea. Here are some pics of the passage, which we later dubbed "BVI 1469", because from the mouth of the Bay (Bay Bridge Tunnel, southern channel) we logged 1,469nm thru the water.
Starting in Rock Hall, I sailed to Baltimore inner harbor to pick up Jimmy ('Neverland'- a Crealock 34 along the dock from Larking About in Spring Cove) Petey ('Rosemont Legacy' - Catalina 36 out of Havre de Grace) and Capt. Reiner, ex IP40 owner and fellow crewman of JFK on 5 earlier ocean "larks" on other people's boats.
Leaving Baltimore about 1400 EST on Sunday Nov 6, we motorsailed downbay against a Southerly breeze, pulled into West River for a sleep, and then continued motorsailing on Monday to Little Creek, pulling in about 1800. The downbay trip was uneventful, except for a couple of bullets dodged:
the Bay was steep chop and not a good ride under 95% prop 5% sail, so when I had failed properly to lash down the anchors (of course that was on the list of things to do while going downbay) one of them decided to go for a swim. Luckily I heard the chain paying out, and we caught it after about 60 feet had gone over the side out. Not easy getting that safely back aboard when the bow is going 8 feet up and down in a steep chop, and a good lesson learned. Also reminds that we should all be able to put a rolling hitch on a line or, in this case, a chain, with our eyes shut.
Next, the prop hit a crab float: one of those pesky critters that have two floats joined by six feet of line. Luckily it came away as we went gently astern with the prop, and no harm was done.
And just to make me feel good about the 45 hours or so it had taken me to fit the new watermaker: a crewman left open the hot water tap in the head when the pressure was off; and another came along, put on the pressure to use the galley sink and left the pressure on. Result: through the open head tap we emptied
Starting in Rock Hall, I sailed to Baltimore inner harbor to pick up Jimmy ('Neverland'- a Crealock 34 along the dock from Larking About in Spring Cove) Petey ('Rosemont Legacy' - Catalina 36 out of Havre de Grace) and Capt. Reiner, ex IP40 owner and fellow crewman of JFK on 5 earlier ocean "larks" on other people's boats.
Leaving Baltimore about 1400 EST on Sunday Nov 6, we motorsailed downbay against a Southerly breeze, pulled into West River for a sleep, and then continued motorsailing on Monday to Little Creek, pulling in about 1800. The downbay trip was uneventful, except for a couple of bullets dodged:
the Bay was steep chop and not a good ride under 95% prop 5% sail, so when I had failed properly to lash down the anchors (of course that was on the list of things to do while going downbay) one of them decided to go for a swim. Luckily I heard the chain paying out, and we caught it after about 60 feet had gone over the side out. Not easy getting that safely back aboard when the bow is going 8 feet up and down in a steep chop, and a good lesson learned. Also reminds that we should all be able to put a rolling hitch on a line or, in this case, a chain, with our eyes shut.
Next, the prop hit a crab float: one of those pesky critters that have two floats joined by six feet of line. Luckily it came away as we went gently astern with the prop, and no harm was done.
And just to make me feel good about the 45 hours or so it had taken me to fit the new watermaker: a crewman left open the hot water tap in the head when the pressure was off; and another came along, put on the pressure to use the galley sink and left the pressure on. Result: through the open head tap we emptied
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