Doug, Thanks for the CBC2006 report. Sounds like the 25# Bruce I had on Carpe Ventum would have come in handy. I miss the boat, but it was just more than I could handle to rig and launch alone. If I ever get another, I think an M15 would suit both my needs and physical capability.
The wild ride must have been a bit frieghtening. One of those experiences it's fun to tell about later, but no fun while it's happening. I've had a couple of experiences along that line in my racer. If you ever travel through this way, please know that you have a place to stay on a stop-over. With warmest personal regards, Clarence ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Kelch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Montgomery" <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, June 23, 2006 12:09 AM Subject: M_Boats: Synopsis of Chesapeake Bay Cruise 2006 > The attached word doc has the same content as below so > take your choice for format. > > Synopsis of the Chesapeake Bay Cruise for 2006 > > Saturday - all 8 boats arrived and we all had a good > kick off diner at a local restarurant with really > friendly watresses. 3 of us slept in the boats on > land the rest in the water. > > Sunday a nice down wind run with nice winds, cloudy > skies, a sprinkle or two but a nice enjoyable day. > This was the first chance to see how the SunCat 16 > fared against the Montomeries. What a good show!! > That gaff rigged cat boat pulled away from the M15s on > the downwind runs and pressed the M17s all the way to > the bridge. > Went through the draw bridge and into a nice little > anchorage. Some of the friendly locals motored out > and shared the local histoy and had a "gam". > We had an 8 boat raft up and as Al realated it became > a 5 boat raft up as the 1, 11 lb Bruce couldn't hold > the 8 boats in the strong winds of the thunderstorm. > Had to have a cold supper that night. > > Monday - on again off again rain. After the showers > went through we moseyed over in light winds to Queens > creek. The last 3 through the bridge sailed downwind > through the drawbridge opening. We split into two > groups for the night and didn't really raft up. The > shore line was close enough for the very friendly > locals to chat. They offered rides to the store, > showers and whatever else we needed. Nice. > > Tuesday - Al and Stan split off to head back up the > Piankatank river while the other 6 boats headed into > the bay in the teeth of a 15 to 20 kt northerly. A > tought slog for me in my M15 with a storm jib and > reefed main into the 2 - 3 ft waves ( 4 - 6 trough to > peak). Rick and I cut the corner on the turn up the > Rapahanock river and had a rough ride through the > shallows. Then it was a wild sleigh ride at hull > speed on a broad to beam reach down the center of the > Rapahanock. > We were all ready to for a rest after a long tough > day of sailing and had a very pleasant raft up in > Irvington. Much to our surprise there was not a > restaurant to be had except for the Tides Inn Marina > at a forecast price of $60 - 70 per person for dinner. > Needless to say we ate on the boats. John had gone > in for ice and discovered the lack of facilities, but > a friendly local offered a ride to the store about 8 > miles away so it worked out ok. > That darn gaff rigged SunCat out pointed the M15s and > pressed the M17s hard even up wind. What a great > little cruising boat. May be it was just the superior > sailing skills of Frank Durant that made it look so > easy. > > Wednesday - sailed up the Corrotoman creek and stopped > at the only Marina for ice, and trash deposit. Ice > was cheap, dumping the trash was free and the people > were real friendly. - Continued up the river looking > for a beach to swim from as it had gotten hot and the > wind was gusting in hammer blows - a steady 10 kt with > gust to 25 kts - smack! Smack! Smack! Very unstable > air. We did not raft up for fear of thunderstorms. > > Thursday - no winds in the AM. Took 6 people in the > M15 for a motor tour up the east branch of the > Corrotoman. 6 people are not recommended in the M15 - > it was top heavy and squirrly. > Winds came up about 11 but were light and we had a > long way to go. With the light winds the group became > pretty scattered. I stopped for swim during one of > the many flat calm periods to dive under the M15 to > free up the centerboard. That darn gunk sure gets in > the hole of my centerboard. > The sun came out strong and made for some strong > thunderstorms and we all got caught out to various > degrees. I probably fared the worst - boat heeled to > starboard at about 60 - 70 degrees with the jib > halyared loose, the jib flogging like hell, the > mainsail out of the sail track with the halyard loose, > the boom popped off of the mast, the mainsail flying > like a spinnaker, while the boom sawed back and forth > on the lee shroud, torrential down pour so I couldn't > see more than two boat lengths, but saw some pilings > going by at 3 kts. - well I lived and those near > death experiences sure make you fell alive! > We all made it to Deltaville but Tod was too late for > dinner. The Marina manager was a very friendly lady > who made a fine recommendation for diner. By the time > we had finished the dinner and 5 bottles of wine she > showed up at the bar and was very very friendly. A > good time was had by all. > > Friday - almost no wind so we motored from Deltaville > back up the Piankatank and rafted up in secluded Cobb > Creek. The real friendly locals came out and offered > their homes for showers, cars for runs to the grocery > store - what ever we needed. > > Saturday - winds kicked up during the night and was > blowing 15 - 20 from the Northwest. Of course we > were heading NW. Most of us motor and those that > sailed finally gave up when the winds were gusting > into the 25 kt range. > > We all made it back to the launching ramp by 2 pm, > packed up and said the sad farewells to end another > superb cruise. > > Thanks > Doug Kelch > "Seas the Day" > M15 #310 > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! 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