Back to Petrel construction and other stuff.

It has been a while since my last post and I finally had a few minutes to jot down some thoughts. Since my last post, I had a chance to actually get out on the water. The Proa has been out for a couple of test runs, so far all is well with the rig modifications. John asked me if I wanted to help sail it to a new mooring and I responded with a resounding Yes! Being a lifelong mono-hull sailor, this was going to be different. The madness of "Madness" now makes perfect sense. It is an extremely efficient, fast and smooth sailing machine. We reached 12 knots under reduced sail and the boat was just loafing along like it was nothing. Under full power, Madness is going to be crazy fast.

Being removed form the project for a few weeks, I had a moment where I looked at all the new gear and thought to myself, "I really built all that"? It was a strange feeling of disbelief and pride all wrapped up into one, really cool moment. Later that week I ran into another old friend, the Windmill I refurbished last summer. Again it was the same feeling, just a few days later.

The Petrel resumed forward progress. The final strips were added to the deck without much fanfare. It was finally time to separate the the halves and put some stain on the hull. Needless to say, I made a mess on the shop floor. The blood red stain splatters resembled a crime scene. Luckily, I didn't get any on me.

I applied a seal coat to the hull, before adding the fiberglass. Normally I don't do that, but I was not happy with the transparency of the 6oz glass. I made a quick change, sealed the hull and reverted back to 4oz cloth. I applied a second layer of glass to the bottom only. A third layer will be applied to the keel, once the outer stems are applied.

I cut out the opening for the cockpit recess and again, made a slight modification. Since the maple boards were only available in 8' lengths, they were short by 3 1/2" of  spanning the entire length of the forward deck. Since I was book matching them, staggering to conform the the curve of the recess was not possible, The solution, lengthen the recess. Above is a good example of why I stuck to my guns with the book matching, the grain matches from strip to strip. 

I have started construction of the recess. It was then that I started to realize, that my ambition was going to get the best of me. To complete this boat in time for the WoodenBoat Show in late June, quality was going to suffer. The vision for this build, was and is, to build to the best of my ability. Rushing to meet a deadline would seriously derail the quality I expect of myself. It was a difficult decision, I don't like conceding. My energy and relationship with my girlfriend would not survive if I kept up at the pace required. Call it being older and wiser, I guess.

Paddling and insight

Now that I have cleared the plate, so to speak. I have time to do some paddling and expand my skills. I found a paddling instructor through an old classmate. I contacted her to get my stroke cleaned up and to help learn about boat control. Jay Gittomer of Blue World Paddle Sports is a great instructor and a true ambassador of the sport of sea kayaking. After a couple hours of instruction, I felt my forward stroke had been corrected and I was ready to put my new found skills into practice.

My opportunity would come with a trip to Connecticut, for a demo in Groton. I spent the weekend with Nick Schade, the plan was to kayak on Friday. We decided to make a quick trip up to Rhode Island to do some kayaking along the rocky coast near Jamestown. I had no idea of what to expect, but it is not often that I get a chance to paddle with someone of Nick's caliber. I should have been nervous, after all I was getting ready to dive head first into some fairly serious conditions (at least in my experience). I was completely relaxed, and looked forward to the unknown. 

We arrived at Ft Weatherill and the launch spot was beautiful. The wind was blowing steadily and we were headed out into open water. This was going to be fun. My boat of choice may be a surprise to some, but Nick had actually suggested bringing it. It was the Shearwater Sport, designed by Nick's brother Eric Schade. I was super excited about this boat and couldn't wait to get it out into tougher conditions than we experience on the Chesapeake Bay. I was about to get my chance.

We shoved off in the calm of West Cove, I was excited of the prospect of paddling in conditions I have not experienced. As we moved down the coastline, I noticed Nick was paddling about three feet off the rocky walls of the shoreline, this is where a day long lesson began. I started to emulate Nick, as much as I could. I lacked the fine control he has over a kayak, but crudely started to go where he went. We worked down the shore, sticking our boats into small breaks in the cliff walls and hovering next to the rock face. I was starting to see why this is so much fun. To feel an ocean swell rise and fall, while hovering next to an unforgiving obstacle, got the heart pumping and cleared my mind. I was now in the moment and totally focused on one thing.

As we forged ahead trying more difficult crags, my boat control started to click. My confidence grew and I was looking forward to more challenging places to risk my neck. We found a hole that was deeper than the rest, with an overhanging roof. This time I couldn't wait to go in. In the hole, there was a small tornado of sea foam that rose up about 12-18 inches off the surface of the water. There was an updraft that was carrying moisture up to the rock ceiling above, it was raining in the hole. Again, the power of the swells are inspiring as I was lifted and dropped. I was an insignificant object to the ocean, and it felt good.

 We Crossed Mackerel Cove and the shoreline changed. We were no longer paddling next to cliffs and the shore was more sloped. Nick advised that swells would carry an unsuspecting paddler up on the rocks, if they got too close. so we increased the distance to stay out of trouble. The swell had increased in size and were hitting us broadside. We approached the point at Beavertail Light and were greeted by a crashing surf   100 yards off shore. Nick advised to give it some room, there was a large rock that could make us another accident statistic in a real hurry. Making the turn gave us a chance to do a little surfing, it was then time to find  a place to re hydrate and eat some lunch.

It was a short break with an incoming tide. As Nick said, the parking meter was running out and it was time to move on. The trip back presented a whole new set of conditions. The wind and waves had increased in size and intensity. The reflecting waves made it like paddling in a sea of pop corn. Waves would lift the boat sometimes and crash on the deck, the rest. Water was streaming off the fore deck like it was being sprayed from a water hose. We would zig zag along the coast, taking every opportunity to use the swells as free propulsion. My surfing technique improved and I finally got everything together. A good swell picked me up and the boat surged forward. Water slid up the fore deck as the bow buried itself in the base of the wave. I finally got everything right and it felt good. 

The cliffs had changed with the rising tide and stronger wind. It was like a whole new set of obstacles had been placed before us, as a challenge. By then my confidence was running high and was about to get a lesson in the power of the ocean. I entered a small break after Nick had exited. The surge was more powerful and required more power to maintain position. I was back paddling as I had entered too deep to turn around. The water was surging in and this time it was strong. I pushed the paddle in reverse as the water switched direction. It turned my paddle into a lever and over I went. My first thought was don't loose the paddle. Second was find the boat. Getting knocked in the head by my boat, bobbing in a hole next to rocks as big as my house, was not in my game plan. Once I gathered myself and boat, nick nosed in for a T-rescue. The boat was bailed and I re-entered, with Nick's assistance, using the trusty cowboy re-entry technique. 

The rest of the trip went without indecent, but it highlighted the importance of practicing rescue techniques. I make a habit of dumping and reentering to ensure I can get back in the saddle in a variety of conditions. The other benefit, I now have a burning desire to keep improving and paddle in more difficult conditions. I have a lot to work on.

This trip also highlighted, the reason why I like to build my own kayak. It is a vehicle to freedom, in it's purist form. To go out and push your limits, in a boat that you created, is a feeling that can't be described. It can't be duplicated by any means. It is special, it is addicting and best of all, it only requires desire to achieve.