A "mid winters" day in the north Queensland tropics - 24C , blue sky and a 15 knot easterly about perfect for a sail to test the sweep oar (yuloh) on the Fatty Knees 8.
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| At the Palleranda ramp, 1500hrs on rising half tide. (Brand new tyres fitted to trailer.!) |
The week before, I fitted a small cleat and a 5mm braided line to the inner transom, the line is looped over the sweep oar and cleated inside. The aim was to prevent another sweep-oar lost overboard scene like last trip (it washed up fortunately). It was the first test to see how it works in an onshore breeze with a small shore break. It's needed for shallow water sailing as the rudder is a fixed blade type.
Regarding lost items overboard, i also identity marked loose items like oars, life jackets, fenders so an honest finder could contact me if they went overboard and washed away.
Another test was to try "Teria's" 2 fenders as dinghy beach-rollers. They work ok, to get the dinghy from the trailer to the waters edge without a scratch.
So
Jaidee trip #35 began
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| The sweep oar ready, small lashing to hold it on. (beach rollers in bow) |
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| Launching |
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| Clearing shore break, sailing without centre board, alot of leeway but enough to clear the shallows |
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| Center board in - going upwind and into deeper water |
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| sailing with the sweep oar |
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| The sweep oar gives good control when going about |
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| Sailing with sweep on the starboard tack |
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| In deep enough water - hove-to shipping the rudder |
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| Rudders fitted. |
The launching went well, the lashing held the sweep in place and the boat sails ok with it. It does take a bit more concentration to control the sweep though. The direction is a bit harder to keep than with a rudder. still it does the job. While crawling along under sweep oar i snuck up on a small sea turtle, it was about 1-2m off the bow, at surface before realising my presence and diving away.
Once offshore, the wind allow a course to the north east for the middle of Magnetic Island. This was also the direction toward more sheltered waters in the lee of the Island, makes it easier to go upwind as smaller waves there. I spotted a far off beach, maybe another day..
Cape Palleranda fell away to Leeward and the coastline opened up to the north west, a magnificent view into the sunset for 10's of km. Shelly beach national parks steep hills met the sea. Small open fishing boats were out there, one came trolling for mackeral about 200m to leeward of me.
Tacked back and headed south towards Rowes Bay. Close reaching is one of the best points of sail of a catboat rig, sheets eased a bit. Setup the tiller lashings - for hands free self steering. Time for a coffee break and some eats while cruising along.
Allot of Kite-surfers were out, they launch about 1 km south of the Palleranda ramp. I headed into their area and was soon met by one. no ordinary one either.
It was a "KiteFoil" - a hydrofoil kiteboard... the rider/pilot flew by in the opposite direction doing about 15 or more knots with barely a ripple for a wake. His board was flying about 1-2 feet above the water, levitating effortlessly above the wave tops and in seconds he was far away.
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| Barely a ripple in the wake of the high speed kite-boarder |
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| He's flying!! |
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| A small trimaran anchored in shallow waters. |
A fast looking trimaran was anchored off the beach at the stinger-net (rolled away) area. A multi-hull has the advantages of speed and shoal draft, good for inter-tidal cruising. It can be anchored in shallow waters and could dry-out at low tide on a sandy beach without worry. This one has twin roller foresails and a flared accommodation cabin.
The return to the ramp went well. The sweep oar can be stowed ready upfront, protruding forward like a bowsprit until its needed as shallow water approaches again.
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