We had a good sail yesterday from Longboat Key to Venice inlet. Winds were from the southeast, 12-18 knots. At one point we were making 9 knots under sail! We let the main out a lot, so we weren’t heeling much and it was a very pleasant ride. I had butterflies in my stomach though. You realize out there just how powerful the wind and the waves are and how vulnerable you are in your little boat. I know in my head the boat won’t tip over and between the two of us we can usually figure out what we need to do, but I definitely lack confidence in my sailing abilities and decision making. Maybe we will never cross an ocean, but hopefully with experience I will gain more confidence in my abilities.
About an hour out of Venice the wind died to absolutely nothing. The Gulf of Mexico became flat as a pond, not a ripple in sight. We motored the last hour into the Crow’s Nest Marina.
After arriving, we made a quick trip to West Marine for parts. Tomorrow we will stop for a few days to do boat work and needed materials. The macerator pump that empties our holding tank has two screws that won’t tighten and it’s leaking just a bit. Smells on a boat are a no-go, so we got a new pump to replace it before we need to pump out again.
The mainsail jammed coming out yesterday so we are looking for solutions. What I’ve read indicates we need to ensure the boom is at a 90 degree angle to the mast and keep pressure on the outhaul while we roll it in. (I thought we did all that though, so still looking for solutions.) We had the furling line replaced before we left Clearwater, but it still seems to have issues too. It’s too slippery and it wants to slide in the winch. I don’t like it when Nick has to go on deck to roll the mainsail in and out. One of the selling points of this boat for us was being able to manage all the lines from the cockpit.
Today we had a short motor from Venice to Cabbage Key. It was calm with very little wind. I did the laundry on the way and we are anchored in a beautiful spot, so life is good.
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