[Public-list] #521 Is Home

[John Riley]

After a LONG two month wait for a window in my work schedule, I finally 
got up to deliver #521 to her new home in SC.  A friend of mine went 
with me so we could push straight through, and a third friend from the 
area where she was rode the first 4 hours to provide some very welcome 
local knowledge.

We untied from the marina on the New River at 0530 Saturday.  After four 
hours of motorsailing, we tied up at New River Marina to drop off our 
local "pilot" and get some fuel.  Then it was under way again South 
along the ICW.

We motorsailed the ICW for 13 hours, slipped through Snows Cut right at 
dusk and hit the Cape Fear just after dark.  The Cape Fear River at 
night is like a football stadium with everyone taking flash photographs 
- flashing lights everywhere, marks, shore lights, range markers for 
multiple channels, etc.   After about 2.5 hours of intense 
concentration, we made it through and cleared the inlet at 1030 via the 
unlit Western Bar Channel.

Offshore, we initially had about 15 kts W wind, seas 3-4 ft and temp in 
the low 60s or upper 50's.  It was a beautiful night - 7/8 moon, not a 
cloud in the sky.  We stood generally SW across Long Bay toward the 
mouth of Winyah Bay.  After 17 hours of sailing, we arrived at the 
Winyah Bay sea buoy at 16:30 Sunday.  We had some rough conditions at 
the mouth and took three tries getting the proper line coming into the 
channel between the jetties (we had a wicked side-setting current and 
flukey winds right there), but did finally make it.  Motored up the bay 
and tied alongside at 1848 to spend the night.  We were underway 38 
hours, which includes that one 45 minute fuel stop.

Monday, I got my mooring situated and laid.

I am very pleased with the boat.  She handles herself extremely well and 
LOVES to sail.  We were holding 6+ kts closehauled in 15 kts of wind 
without problem under main and genny.  For a short period mid day, we 
had light air, about 7 kts or so, and she held 4 kts. 

She was worth every penny.

Fair Winds.

-- 
John


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