Sailing with Lili from Winthrop Harbor, Lake Michigan

 

Air and Water show

 Aug 15, 2010

Sailing with Mark 

Kenosha, WI

I love Kenosha lakefront; 

such a nice place to go out for lunch, 

but I also feel so isolated from the world there 

-- no amount of pretty replaces being with friends.

I was looking forward to go to Milwaukee tomorrow, 

too bad that fell thru.

Fishing with Trevor and Brian for salmon and trout

This little fishy (King Salmon) was about 17 pounds and gave me a hell of a long the fight!

We went fishing 0ff the Wind Point, Lake Michigan, it is about 1 hour North from my home.

Thanks to Trevor and Brian for taking me. 

Trevor caught a King Salmon almost as big as mine; altogether, I took home about 8 lbs. of cleaned fish filets, which is about $80.00 value or a dozen meals.

Two Happiest Days of The Boat Owner's Life.

Many people told me there are two happiest days in the boat owner's life: when they buy the boat and sell it.

I am not sure it is true for real sailors; I have seen many happy long-time owners, but there must be something to it since this truism is repeated so often.

So far the ownership was nothing but an extreme stress to me. I mean extreme.

Below are some of the problems I was dealing with since I bought her.

After I put her on the water she was was leaking. I was worried: Will she sink? Will I come back in the morning and see the mast top breaking the surface? The bilge pump is not automatic, should I visit/pump her every day? (1 hr. trip, each way). I just talked to a guy whose boat sunk in the port. Two weeks later I realized that she is tight, the water particles tend to plug up any small cracks. She does not leak any more. I did install an automatic bilge pump.

The masts had to be taken down to pass under the bridges in Chicago; I had to pay to take the mast down, then wait in Belmont for a week, and step back up—a pretty expensive adventure.

The engine transmission does not work. Should I look for a mechanic to fix a tranny, or to install the outboard?
The first outboard did not work. I made many trips from Chicago to the suburbs and back, each time installing, removing, and carrying the heavy (85 lbs.) engine. The second, new, engine is very expensive!

The masthead broke off with the backstay, the fix is VERY expensive and time-consuming. Will the mast on supported halyards alone fall and break some other boat, sink my boat?

Most of all every daily trip to the store seems to cost $250, like magic, always.


- outboard bracket $230
- new wire-to-rope halyards $250
- new shackes and exit plates $250
- new mast head fix $300 + much headache
- rigging labor $400 + $300 + $180
- mast up/down/up $400
- battery-to-engine cables and misc stuff $250
- automatic bilge pump and wire $100
- engine $3200

I don't want to scare the potential boat owners, but this sport is not for a faint-of- heart. 

Consider becoming a crew before you drown all your savings in a boat.


I will keep the boat because I have dreams of sailing to Canada, 30,000 islands of Georgian Bay, maybe Lake Superior in next couple of years.






I also dream about the Pacific, French Polynesia, Galapagos ...

Broken masthead on Lil Walkabout

After a heavy-weather sail, I came back the next day to the marina to find a backstay lying on the boat. Since the wind was still strong, I was terrified that I would get dismasted.

Thankfully, the mast was stabilized thanks to the good habit of tying the halyards as if they were stays.

It took quite a lot of time and money to get it fixed, you can read about it in my later posts labeled Lil Walkabout.

Backstay broke

I will describe the broken masthead saga in the following posts.

There is value in having a very long boat, it is faster and easier on the waves.

But there is also value in having shorter rigging with less pressure on it. 

On the shorter rig things are cheaper and easier to fix.

I wonder if ketch rig or yawl would be a better cruising option.

Lil Walkabout visiting air show in Chicago

This is about halfway between Chicago and Winthrop, IL (North Point Marina).

You may see how much smog there is over Chicago, part of that was caused by hundreds of boats and the air show.

42°12'07.0"N 87°37'31.5"W

The trip took from about 1:30 PM until 8 PM, and the average speed was about 5.8 knots. 

The water was almost flat all the way. 

Steve on his Pearson sailboat

Steve is doing the usual great job of single-handling his Pearson sailboat. 

This is just outside the Belmont harbor.

41°56'36.9"N 87°37'51.8"W

Jim "Posh" on Walkabout

Having friends and fellow skippers onboard is one of the main attractions of sailing. 

It is a way of life.

Note that Lil Walkabout had a fuel cell inside the cockpit for the outboard, I should have installed it inside, but it did not bother me then. I was just happy to go sailing.

Heavy Weather Sailing

Here are some of my notes..

Observe the weather report:

- if the wind is over 15 mph, prepare the mainsail reef

- if the wind is over 30 mph, say in the harbor

Observe the waves:

- If the waves are too big (4+ feet) and short in length (NE wind on Lake Michigan), try to run with them at the angle, making the waves longer.

- you may not be able to sail against the tall waves, which is also a very uncomfortable roller-coaster ride

When the boat heels over 20 degrees (look at the compass, it has a tilt scale on the bottom)

- furl the jib to about 20% or large handkerchief size; do not fold it all the way, as it will help maintain the balance of the boat

- tighten the Cunningham to flatten the mainsail vertically

- tighten the outhaul to flatten the mainsail vertically

- tighten the boom-vang so the boom is not lifted up when the wind puff blows

If sailing towards the wind:

- point closer to the wind and release the main sheet, this will spill the wind and reduce the heel

- keep the mainsail tightened only slightly past the fluttering (loose)

- move the traveler to the lee (lower side)

If sailing with the wind (running):

- bring the main sheet and traveler in to lessen the angle of the mainsail and to spill the wind

Reefing the main:

- have a reefing line prepared BEFORE you go sailing

1) easy the boom vang

2) easy the main halyard

3) put the reef grommet on the reef horn

4) pull in the reef line and secure the new clew

5) tighten the main halyard and Cunningham 

6) tie in the excess sail

7) tighten the boom vang

Articles:

http://www.sailingusa.info/weather_and_reefing.htm

Sailing with Fairwinds' Dragons

Captain Uki ..

Note the Canadian flag hat (!)

I am not trying to fall in love with clean, expensive sailboats, but it is hard not to.

Two new Beneteau used by Fairwinds:

Large cockpit:

Beautiful interior:

Delivery of "all-important" toilet paper to a another sailboat in the open water, Lake Michigan:

Lil Walkabout - Irwin 28 sailboat original interior pictures

Folding table on the bulkhead.

Overall, there was plenty of room for our family and occasional friends.

The navigation station is a little unstable and needs to be moved about a foot to the right:

The v-berth forward also had plenty of space.

First sail after stepping the mast

I got up early and drove to Chicago, it usually takes about 1.5 hours, but today, on Sunday morning, it was a breeze.

I went to the south side to pick up Art, the "professional" boat guy who was supposed to help me set up the rig. Since I arrived too early, I parked and waited politely until 9 AM, when I was supposed to call and wake him up.

Art picked after a few redials, he said he is passed out on his boat after drinking and smoking until 3 AM in Belmont Harbor. He also said he was going back to sleep. I asked him if he wanted breakfast, but he said no.

I turned around and drove to Belmont, some 50 city blocks.

Once I arrived, I realized I was stuck without any means of getting on my boat parked on the "star" dock in the middle of the port -- Art had the dingy and was asleep.

The Harbor Master office told me that Belmont does not have a tender service, the girl at the desk did not even know what it means. I offered to one of the workers $20 for a ride, but he refused to take it but was nice enough to give me to take me to the boat.

I decided not to wake up Art until 30 minutes before our appointment with the Harbor Master at the crane at 11:00. After knocking on his boat, he finally answered. Later, he asked me to postpone the appointment a little. I did not think that was cool, but there was no harm.

The setting of the rig went pretty well and amazingly quickly. Art was upset with me that I did not have any bigger pliers than the one I usually carry on the sailboat. He did so while drinking another beer.
He called himself a professional (rigger), yet he did not bring any tools.

After setting the sails, we decided to go out for a short sail to see how the boat would do, which was part of the deal. He was supposed to show me the ropes. Konrad, my brother, and Steve, a neighboring boat owner, joined us.

Even before we left the harbor, Art went below to rest. I thought that was cool, but soon, I asked him to come up because the waves were huge because of the Northeast wind that pushed them all the way from Canada (well, almost). Art did not surface but rather passed out on the settee. 

We took a real beating in heavy weather. We had too much sail for the wind, and an awfully choppy sea threw us around. Spray was broking on the bow and hit us in the face, which felt awesome.

Finally, we got the mainsail down and sailed on the jib only. Since we went out straight East on the port tack, I wanted to come about and sail back West. 

It was supposed to be only a 30-minute sail, but we were out much longer. Well, coming about in heavy seas is difficult; the waves push you right back. Art, in his sleep, told me to gybe, which did not cross my mind since I sail on small boats, and that would definitely capsize a dingy.

To my surprise, the gybe went very smoothly, and it became a little more comfortable. About half a mile from the shore, we tried to start an outboard motor that I borrowed from Art, and it died on me a few times.

Finally, we returned to the harbor on the jib only and with the motor in idle.

The story ended all good, but I realized a few things. 

First, do not expect too much of people. 

If all that Art doing is drinking, then it is likely that he will get drunk and pass out. He has done it before and did it this time, thanks to Steve, who has been sailing these waters and helped us bring the boat back. 

Secondly, I may not have Art on the delivery to North Point Marina, as he probably will repeat the act.

In Belmont Harbor

I have been staying in Belmont Harbor since Friday, August 8, 2008.

41°56'30.6"N 87°38'00.8"W

Need to step the mast (Sunday at 11 AM) and get the outboard Evinrude
15 HP on Tuesday.

Next weekend is the "Air and Water Show" in Chicago, and I am thinking to stay
and see it before sailing up to North Point Marina.

Sunday sailing class

In the morning I had the third of my sailing classes.

There was one more left on August 4, 2007.

The winds were very calm, but because it was a weather system coming from the North, the waves were bigger. The waves on Lake Michigan in the Chicago area are the biggest when the wind blows them all the way the length of the lake.

We practiced some tacks and gybes and the man overboard figure 8 drills. 

Then, we spent much time in the port practicing the peer approaches, which was scary because it always looked like you were going to hit it. 

We practiced the 90-degree approach with the swing and slid your butt (stern) to the dock. It is not unlike the car parking in a thriller movie.
Sliding the big boat to the dock slip is not easy either.

I came home so exhausted that I dropped and slept a few hours. My legs were hurting from last night's sail and today's waves.

Camp Sheridan, USMC

There are few things as refreshing as a mid-week lake shore in a remote place. 

Fortunately, I know such place. Ever since the Marines and my Reserves duty that followed I was visiting the beach in Camp Sheridan. 

42°13'21.7"N 87°48'27.0"W

Previously, it had the vehicle access the the beach, but now they closed it off with the big signs "Government Property" and the chain across the road, so it became nice and quiet.

Today, on it's two miles of the shore there was only on person there, locals occassionally come, but over all it is an assylum from the city crowd.

 
Welcome nature!

P.S. The area of Camp Sheridan was subsequently converted to suburb development, which is good, but it lost some mystique to me.