John--Launched at Taylor Creek and headed east to Hawkers Island. Turned south near Shell Point to the Cape Lookout Bight. Did the ocean route last year. Had light winds that day and the 3-4 ' swells would dump the air from the sails as the boat rose and then slipped off the side into the trough. I eventually motor sailed with just enough throttle to steer the boat near the tops of the swells which kept wind in the sails. On 6/21/13, John Tyner <tynerjr@md.metrocast.net> wrote:
Curious, Mike, did you go out Beaufort Inlet and across to Lookout or behind Shackelford and then between the islands? ---- John Tyner M-15 #412 "Chimpanzee"
On 6/21/2013 5:22 AM, Michael Murphy wrote:
After 21 days off the water I decided to make a day trip to Cape Lookout. Predicted winds of 12 to 16 knots were not perfect for sailing the narrow channels, shoals, bars, & barely awash islands of the route to the Cape but I couldn't resist that the tides would be favorable both ways. With 2 reefs & no foresail the M-15 was running 6.5 to 7.5 knots with the outgoing tide.
After anchoring I changed to an intermediate jib (40% less area than the standard jib). Still dipped the rail a bit in the gusts. Local wind station was recording winds of 18, gusts to 21 knots. Tide was coming against the wind so experienced soaking spray on the in the narrow Channel.
I plan to go back sometime in the Fall but hope to make it a 3-4 day/80 mile trip (with a car shuttle) from the an inland ramp down to the coast. Any East Coast Monty sailors interested?
Fionnula 15