I've done that one multiple timesI once accepted a tow from a Jet-Ski.
Where I am located in Florida, divers bring back abandoned anchors to sell. I bought a large and very-well-bent Danforth for $3.But I had a lot of trouble getting started. The boat ramp at my lake is in a little nook which is not very wide to maneuver in. There is no dock. Also, there are full grown weeds all around the perimeter of that nook except immediately in front of the ramp. Of course the wind was blowing directly into the nook.
Why did you put the rudder up? When I have had to paddles the sunfish home after the wind has dropped I have had the rudder down and have kept it straight by having the end of the tiller between my arse-cheeks (Sorry!, sounds weird but it works) It tracks along really straight.
(Your launch situation sounds really challenging BTW. Hope you figure something out.)
Can't you launch elsewhere?
I like this suggestion. You know why? Because it shows a total, 100% commitment to getting out on the water to sail. No matter what!Another option is to swim out and pull the boat if the wind isn't too strong.
I like this suggestion. You know why? Because it shows a total, 100% commitment to getting out on the water to sail. No matter what!
Hi Chauncy,
First of all, kudos for sticking with trying to develop a technique for getting out of that cove... which sounds like a real challenge! Don't give up on it... you'll be proud when you've figured out how to finesse your way out on to the water.
To that end, here's what I'd recommend you do step by step for leaving that cove when you've got a headwind to deal with. The following description is exactly the technique that I have used to launch Sunfishes from coves such as yours for decades when the wind is blowing straight on shore. Through thick weeds (eel grass), in shallow muddy water, out through congested areas of moored boats, long boat ramp areas with floats on either side, you name it.
- First, rig the boat fully on shore including raising the sail. This is just to make sure everything is ok and ready to go and, in particular, your halyard and main sheet are running through what they should be running through. If you have a block that the mainsheet runs through at the cockpit, tie a figure 8 knot on the end of the mainsheet then make sure you have your entire mainsheet laying untangled in a pile in the front of the cockpit. This is so that when you raise the sail and the lower boom wants to swing way out to one side, it will be free to do so because the mainsheet will be completely free to pay out with it.
- Now lower your sail to the deck, put the booms together, roll the sail up and put 2 bungees or velcro ties around it. Move the booms so they are sitting a bit diagonally across the boat, with the bow end of the booms sticking out to the left side (port) near the bow and the stern ends out the starboard side. Leave the mast up... if you feel that once you are on the water you can move around the mast to get on the bow area in front of the mast.
- If you don't feel like you can move past the mast once you are out on the water, pull the mast out and lay it along side the booms and tie everything down. Now see if you will be able to sit on the bow area with the booms and mast sitting slightly diagonal. Move everything more diagonal or everything further towards the stern if you need more room.
- Raise the rudder so it will be out of the water. Have the daggerboard ready laying on its side inside the cockpit. Get yourself off the beach and immediately start paddling from the bow. If you have the mast down as well, you can even kneel while positioned right over or just in front of the mast tube on the deck instead of sitting. The boat will want to swing back and forth with no daggerboard down below the hull so you will have to alternate strokes on either side frequently.
- As soon as the weeds allow you to, sink the daggerboard all the way down. You will now be able to paddle from the bow with the boat going in a straight line. Leave the rudder up and out of the water. Sit up on the bow and paddle with your canoe or kayak paddle. Why a long canoe or kayak paddle vs the shorter praddle? That's because the long handle and big blade will allow you to create much longer and more powerful paddle strokes. This will give you much more horsepower to motor out into the lake.
- Once you are way out there, stow your paddle and get positioned to raise your sail. Put the mast in. Do NOT put your daggerboard in yet and do not lower your rudder yet. This will leave the boat free to adjust to the sail being raised and staying on one side of the boat. If you put either your daggerboard down first, or your rudder down first or both together, the boat will immediately want to start sailing and turning and raising your sail then securing your halyard will be a pain in the rear end because the boat will start sailing in circles, heading up, heading off, tacking and jibing while you are trying to finish your rigging.
- Once you have the sail raised, the halyard cleated and everything neat and tidy and the main sheet in a clean pile and not tangled, lower your rudder first. Even with the sail luffing, the boat should immediately start to pivot around the rudder and begin to bear off the wind on its own on to a close reach then a broad reach... a broad reaching being where you want to start sailing from to get flow established over the daggerboard as quickly as possible. If the boat won't bear off and do this and the sail is still luffing, move the rudder/tiller to the center line of the boat, grab the boom with one hand and either push it away from you or towards you so it starts catching some wind. When you do this, the boat will immediately pivot around the rudder and begin to head off.
- When the boat is just about to be heading on to a broad reach heading, let go of the boom so the sail is completely luffing again and sink your daggerboard all the way down. With the rudder/tiller still on the centerline of the boat, slowly sheet in the main sheet and fill the sail gradually. This will get the water to start flowing over the daggerboard. If you sheet in too hard and too fast, the boat will want to head up and you will risk stalling the flow over the daggerbord. Once you are clearly sailing in a straight line... meaning, clean flow of the water over the daggerboard has clearly been established... sheet in all the way. That's it, you're sailing.
Keep us posted on further developments. And don't give up on trying to figure out how to get out of your challenging, weedy, spectator packed cove with onshore winds. You got this!!
Cheers,
- Andy
Do you have a boat dolly or the ability to lift the boat over a 2' wall? I know a spot for N/S winds near you that's free with good parking, but the fish cops purposely destroyed the old boat ramp. Next season you should buy the DCR season pass. It pays for itself in 7 or 8 days and you can go to Hopkinton or Natick boat ramps.