Launched!
I was itchy to launch already yesterday: the day was sunny and there was lots of wind. I went down to the harbor to take a look - and to measure wind.
11 m/s and 6 Beaufort…Well, a bit too much to my taste - especially for first-time launching of an unknown boat.
It will have to wait for tomorrow.
I secured the boat on its trailer and prepared her for these few kilometers road-trip to Rosättra shipyard. Weighted trailer tongue - should be around 55kg for optimal weight distribution. My boat seems to sit a bit too forward but I’ll fix that later, when she is in water.
It will do for this first trip.
The day after was Saturday. I agreed with Erik and Anders, boatyard owners, that they will leave the slip free of big boats, so that I can launch Louve early in the morning before they come to work.
I arrived before 6 a.m. None was there but a big boat was inside the slip! Luckily she was already launched so I could drag her out a bit, to make me place.
All went smoothly and without any problems: I winched my boat slowly into water and she floated!
There was no wind and still cold so early in the morning: I had iced windscreen on my car. For a while I wanted to postpone this to next week but… hell, I don’t want to wait any longer.
The plan was that I will launch Louve and just take a few turns around the bay, to check how she behaves. I had just some sandwiches and hot tea with me as breakfast.
I rowed out of the slip into open water.
It was so early that I did not want to destroy the silence with engine noise. I could not feel any wind but I set up the sail anyway. And she started to ghost in this very light air!
Terrific!
After about an hour of light-wind it died entirely so I started the engine and headed towards my home harbor.
Arrived in about one hour. Not that I was speeding but at some moments I really opened the throttle, to see how fast this hull will go on flat water. I reached ca 5 knots on half throttle, adding throttle further resulted just in cavitations so I recon that this is the max hull speed.
We arrived in home harbor, I dragged her out onto our slip for a photo session while waiting for wind.
An hour later arrived wind. It was northerly so I decided to beat against it in our narrow Vätösundet so that I can sail downwind after arriving in Björköfjärden. It always blows hard there so it will be a ride!
By this point I decided to make this maiden voyage as Vätö-round. I tend to forget how big my island is and how long it takes in a sailboat, even if sailing downwind. I should have provisioned more food and drink but now it was too late.
Beating against the wind in this narrow channel got me comfortable with using Ilur’s main sheet system: moving sheets between cleats at each tack is no problem once you get hold of the sequence. Just watch how Tim Cooke is doing that!
Helm impeder was functioning as intended so on longer tacks I could enjoy hot tea, served on navigation table!
Finally reached Björköfjärden - we went downwind with vengeance!
It was blowing hard, on the verge that I should have reefed. We were going most of the time close to hull speed, at one moment - when I went to the mast - the boat started to broach. Luckily the impeder gave up and she instantly started to turn into wind. I managed to release the sheet and regain control. No more walking to the bow at such rides!
It took a few hours to go down the fjärden and I was getting cold and hungry. Winter clothes went on. Upon entering Norrtäljeviken the wind turned so I had a moderate half-wind with some squalls a few times. It was a pleasant ride.
But I was getting really cold and tired so I called reinforcements: my family arrived at our harbor with coffee and food so I once again made a stop on the beach there.
Warmed and with filled stomach - life was good again.
Rest of the way towards Rosättra shipyard went on engine - I wanted to test it in going against hard wind. It did well! It’s 2.5 horses were not impressed by the wind and even on half throttle could we run at 4,5 knots.
Retrieving Louve went without any hassle too. Very smooth. She was back on her trailer by 18:30 so I was out sailing for 12 hours!
My first impressions are exceeding my expectations: she is very stable! At no point did I feel uncomfortable or worried. Having an engine as an emergency “iron sail” was also comforting - I did not use it as such but it was there.
Rowing on calm water was a pleasure. Sculling too!
Moving sheets between cleats - a few tacks and I got used of it, no problem at all.
So the first sea trials are performed, the boat ticks all points on my list.
And bilge was dry!
What a day!