This season I had been out a few times sailing on my own, I find sailing on just the genoa easiest when on my own, being overpowered when sailing alone is more of a problem with only a tiller pilot to steer if having to get a reef in.
I went out on Tuesday 10th of October, I was keen to get over this hurdle and pull up the mainsail but in the end chickened out. I dropped the mooring at 1105hrs with a forecast of SW force 2-3/ force 3-4 later, motored out of Gillan and set just the genoa, sailing east to round the Nare Point and southeast towards Manacle Buoy. With stronger wind of the point Elektra slowed again once rounded. I decided a bit of mainsail would be better. So pulled up the main with one reef, already the tiller pilot wasn’t copping well but once the sail was set I could take over the helm and steer a better course. Elektra was going well between 5-6kts SOG against the neep tide, when we passed the Manacle Buoy at 1200hrs having logged 4nm the sea started getting very lumpy with spray coming over and I wasn’t wearing any waterproofs.
I thought this is a good time to turnaround and promptly went about, sailing north now towards Falmouth, Elektra’s speed had slowed but I could use her tiller pilot again. At this point I decided to eat and drink, I kept her on this course for another 6-7nm before deciding I should head back. On the first tack we were heading west for Meanporth, I wanted to get in close to the coast as Elektra performs better when beating in flat water. But there on her bow was a fishing cove boat pulling up pots, so I tacked earlier than I planned.
Once tacked and heading south again, Elektra was on her ear doing about 4.5kts SOG, the tiller pilot couldn’t cope again, I thought a reef in the genoa would be good. So I let the sail go and pulled in the first reef and sheeted in, now sailing a little more upright, Elektra was now logging 5.5-5.8kts, only going to prove Elektra sails faster with less sail. I sailed Elektra on south to near the Nare Point before tacking again. Like always a southwest wind turns into a west wind direction in the Helford River, so our next tack took us on a north westerly course. I sailed her on until north of the Dennis Head before tacking south again. In the shelter of the Dennis Head I started her engine and rolled away the genoa and motored into Gillan, picking up her mooring at 1440hrs having logged 15nm.
Love Sailing 