The lengthening daylight has worked it’s magic and the ice has left the Bay. Last weekend saw the last ice in the basin and now it’s time to continue off-season sailing.
One of my WoodenBoat Forum friends, Steven Bauer, is here from Maine on a family visit. He’s coming by tomorrow and we’ll try to squeeze in a sail, conditions permitting.
From last weekend. Meltwater on top of the ice make a perfect mirror. Looks calm though it was blowing over 25kts last Sunday. Here’s a bit of video:
It was neat seeing the gusts ruffle the melt water while the ice moved due to the wave energy. Getting thinner.
Here’s another one. What a perfect mirror.
Taken this morning. And now the Bay beckons. Maybe tomorrow will see my first sail of 2009.
The duckboat is Speedwell, our 1951? Phil Clarke duckboat. She needs a bit of work to get her back on the Bay. I’m going to give her a lug rig to make it easier to sail for those north of fifty. The standard rig is a cat with a leg-o-mutton sail with the foot almost as long as the hoist. The boom on the standard rig is only a few feet off the deck, which is fine for an eight year old. You really need to “duck” when tacking these boats.
The clouds reflecting off the ice is a really cool illusion. Look forward to more posts of cold weather sailing with the small stove. Keep it up.
– Lonnie Bruner