(and a tip about dinghy roll stability in waves)
Fifth day of the “Liguria Project”, with the intent to sail from East to West along the coast of Liguria, from Bocca di Magra to Bordighera, on MIRA, a homemade racing and cruising dinghy, class Goat Island Skiff.
- Day 1 – Bocca di Magra – Levanto
- Day 2 – Levanto – Sestri Levante
- Day 3 – Sestri Levante – Camogli
- Day4 – Camogli – Genova
- Day5 – Genova – Varazze
Video image can take a moment to load.
After the winter break the Dinghy Cruising Liguria project resumes.
The Story is more complete than the video – Gopro stopped working. Translated from the Italian (read original):
Rough weather forecast but let’s rig the Cruising Dinghy!
Friday 12 May . Bad weather but forecasts for a clear improvement for the following days: in agreement with Giovanni .. it goes! Start from Turin and in 2 hours drive we are at the Molo Giano in the Port of Genoa where MIRA awaits us, hosted by the local Lega Navale.
There are few people around and we carefully arm the boat with everything we need. From here you do not understand well the conditions at sea and prudently we take a hand of reefs already .
The following equipment includes: tent and sleeping bags, water supply, energy bars, various clothing, fishing equipment. We have safety equipment within 3 miles, VHF radio, compass, nautical charts and the inseparable GPS with route loaded.
The navigation plan for today plans to reach the small port of Celle Ligure , but if there is too much sea we will land at the safer port of Varazze (plan B). There is also a plan C, in case something goes wrong: the port of Arenzano , about half way.
Rowing out from shelter and coming onto the Ocean Waves – our boat is so small.
Parties. We are rowing to get out of the port and sheltered at the breakwater to protect ourselves from the strong wind. The sky is grey. We raise the mainsail and as expected we have to tack against the wind to gain the exit.
As soon as we pass the protection of the dam (Seawall) we can evaluate the state of the sea, the real potential obstacle: the waves are about half a meter high and I feel relieved.
We sail at roughly 5-6 knots on a sea rippled by the wind. Light comes from the clouds and the sea has a color between silver and lead . No other boat in sight.
Mira finds its way through the waves which, however, become higher and above all confused after about an hour. In order to keep the hull in balance,
I have to move constantly on my legs, which soon get extremely tired.
We decide to reef. We are drifting fast to the sea wall – so I use the newly purchased sea anchor – it works!
Editorial – Positions for greater stability downwind sailing
As you can see in the video Enrico and Giovanni are in the middle of the boat crouching low.
This might seem to be safer, but note how Enrico (steering is continuously moving to keep the boat balanced.
This is avoidable, simply by moving the crew to be one either side of the boat.
The further apart the crew are laterally the slower the action of the boat. Also for a given amount of wave energy the angle of rocking is less.
Smaller angles rolling and more time means it is easier to do small steering movements to keep the boat under the mast.
This DOES NOT mean that Enrico and Giovanni were wrong to reef. Prudence is always good and an easily driven boat like the GIS will still cover distance fast with smaller sail area.
Too much speed and we are still the only boat out on the ocean – Reefing!
Giovanni announces that we touch the 10 knots descending from the wave and we start to hear the wood moan under the forces of the sea, with creaks never heard before. It is clear that it is necessary to take another reef.
Operation is not trivial because it is necessary to lower the whole sail and therefore it remains dry at the mercy of the wind and the waves that now exceed abundantly the meter of height. We are helped by the new floating anchor that unexpectedly stabilizes the boat in the midst of that confusion. In addition to comfortably taking the reefs we also allow ourselves a few minutes of pause to refresh ourselves, in spite of the sinister roar of the waves that break downwind against the pier of the port of Ge-Sestri.
Wind Moderates – more speed to our destination.
Further on the navigation continues tranqulla and sent towards Varazze, while the sea slowly improves and the wind decreases.
We spot a large dark shape that plunges on our arrival, which we assume to be a turtle . Afterwards a fin appears a few meters downwind of us … we stand up to observe a … big moonfish (English – Sunfish?) that is playing with the waves! The pleasures of dinghy cruising.
“You were out in a SAILING DINGHY??”
After the reefs we arrive in Varazze at full sail. The docker, contacted by radio – a little surprised by the arrival of such a small boat – assigns us a good mooring for the jetty.
Where will we stay – camp on boat, B&B … ah, friends invite us!
But the surprises are not over yet. Where will we spend the night? Curtain? B & B? No, a last minute invitation at the home of friends Matteo and Kiki! Fine dining, some music and a guest room reserved for us!
Racing the Goat Island Skiff against Lasers
Just in case you thought the Goat Island Skiff was just for Cruising here is Enrico sailing a normal club race competing with Lasers equally.