We took Common Sense out today to test the new sails and electronics. We hadn’t even left the slip when the first problem emerged – no Radar! There’s supposed to be a tab on the Home screen on the whizz-bang “Multi-function Display” that says “Radar” but it wasn’t there. So the radar’s not talking to the MFD. Malcolm from Bluewater Algarve is coming tomorrow to look at it, as it apparently was working fine last week so it’s probably a loose connection somewhere.
Well, it’s not crucial in the daytime so out we went anyway. On board were Michael and Rhonda Cheston from Raven, an X-yacht 46 and Tim Szabow off Kinship, who came across the Atlantic with us. (another Maryland boat, like Common Sense). Michael is the sail guy who organized our new sails for us.
We got to the bridge, which we had asked to be opened and to my utter amazement, some goose in a 30-odd footer moved out from the welcome dock, about 100’ downstream from the bridge, and made to go through. Bit hard when I’m already lined up to go through. I’m sure he could see me but he just sat there like a roo in the headlights. Because he was so close to the bridge, I had to get through, then as soon as my topsides were clear swing out to the right to miss him.
Anyways, out we wandered in next to no air – maybe 6 to 8 knots. We’d come to look at the sails so up they went and we were actually managing 3 knots in 8 knots of wind, way better than we would have done before. The old sails would have seen us simply sitting still.
We bobbed around for a bit and then got some more wind and headed out a little. Two party boats headed for us from the East. The first, a cat, was way to seaward from us by several hundred meters. The other was on a collision course. We were under sail, they had their motor on so we were the stand-on vessel. Problem was, there were 8 bikini-clad girls on the foredeck with 1 (yes, one) guy. He was also on the foredeck and there was no one on the wheel. One of the girls must have said something to him and he bolted for the cockpit and turned away with a big wave. Obviously not concentrating on keeping an appropriate lookout.
No harm done but we weren’t getting anywhere fast so we turned in to the shore down near Alvor and put the sails away. We motored in and had a very nice lunch at anchor on a sunny coolish day and just enjoyed ourselves.
A bit of wind came up, to about 14 knots, so we upped the anchor and headed off with all sails out. They were fantastic – the boat is very well balanced with them and even steered itself (look ma, no hands!). The motion was easy and it made way at about 5.7 knots in 15 knots of wind.
We tacked once to get some more sea room and closed on the Lagos breakwater. We then headed in up the Bensafrim River and put Common Sense away without banging anything on the way into the slip. All in all, a nice day on the water.
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