Hi Ron,
We're proud new owners of Cove Dweller, hull #111- we just purchased from the Harrisons. More info coming soon. Love our "new" Yankee Dolphin!
Mike Paredes and Nancy Law
Saltworks Creek,
Annapolis, MD
September 24, 2011. Mike posted the following report on the Forum (minor edits)
Wednesday, my wife, Nancy, and I had a sail planned. When we have a sail planned, I tend to pout if we can't go. We live on Saltworks Creek, off of the Severn River in Annapolis, and Cove Dweller (#111) just recently made her home in a slip at our little marina. Winds were forecast to be just 5-6 kts, but increasing a bit. We got down to the boat and it was still as glass, threatening rain, and totally gray. We questioned whether it was worth it to go out. Eventually, I convinced Nance we should just motor out to the river and see. She knew I would be grumpy if we didn't, so she capitulated.
Well, the sail was AWESOME. We got out there, and indeed, it was only 5 kts. But we were sailing. Slowly. Quietly. NOBODY was out there, save an anchored sailboat with a man and a boy on it. Cormorants burst from the still river, flapped their wings and took flight, again and again. Gulls swooped by with fat fish in their beaks. Nancy made slow arcs, easy tacks, relaxed jibes. Forty or so minutes later, I took the helm and guess what? The sun popped out. The wind picked up to 10 kts. Our "washout" of a sail turned nearly perfect. We sailed our first run (we just learned to sail in May).
After another 40 minutes or so of fun, we lowered sail and started the motor - brand new, but it took 8 attempts. We glided into Saltworks Creek. The sun went in and didn't return. It didn't have to, our awesome sail was coming to a close.
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March 1, 2012. Mike has posted on the Forum a request for comments/advice on his 'unseated rudder'. We have incorporated his posts and the subsequent exchange into our Technical/Rudders and related Section. Click here to go there
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