Ron on The River

Ditch Sailing at its finest!

Vessel Name: Marcela
Vessel Make/Model: Coronado 27
Hailing Port: Delta Marina Yacht Harbor
Crew: Raymarine TP2000
About: Keeps to itself and is very hard working. Refuses to do foredeck in any conditions. Enjoys being at the helm for hours on end...without a complaint!
Extra: Member Stockton Sailing Club, Race Columbia 5.5's in the spring series. Planning a trip to Half Moon Bay 2011 or Possibly even Monterey
19 February 2011 | Sacramento River
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19 February 2011 | Sacramento River

Squalls

Been waiting for an opportunity to do some sailing. After the leading edge of a low moved through 2-16-11 I ventured to my boat to make sure it was still tied up. It was Raining hard at the marina and the wind was whistling through the rig, it had to be gusting 25knots or better. Started up my atomic 4 still undecided if going out alone was a good idea. With the rain coming down I took the mainsail cover off, untied the dock lines and, headed out. The autopilot had me heading into the wind and so up the mainsail went, slamming and, flapping wildly in the wind it looked as though the mainsail would rip apart before i could get the jib up. With halyards flying everywhere the jib went up. Before I could get back to the cockpit the wind suddenly gusted out of the west and, over the boat went, my first round up! The autopilot struggled to rite the boat, I disconnected it and took the helm, spilling wind off the main immediately to regain control. I was heading South on a close reach at 5.8 knots! As I moved away from that squall the rain started to lighten up but, to the West was another large squall moving in my direction. Being uncomfortably close to the windward shore it was time to tack West directly at the squall! As I sailed through the leading edge It started to rain, then a powerful gust of wind and the sky opened up with a blistering hailstorm! The hail was intense but brief, and hail laden squall moved East as I tacked South again. The last squall over Rio Vista appeared to be moving off to the East. Noticing a break in the weather and the fading light I decided to start heading back to the marina. With the sudden emergence of Sunlight a Giant Rainbow appeared directly off the starboard bow stretching from the Rio Vista Bridge to Brannon Island State Park. The Rainbow seemed to get brighter by the second and was a great finale to my 3 1/2 hour tour. With the Sun being engulfed again by clouds and the approaching horizon the rainbow vanished instantly as I made my way back to the slip.

Squalls

19 February 2011 | Sacramento River
20 knots, Rain,Hail
Been waiting for an opportunity to do some sailing. After the leading edge of a low moved through 2-16-11 I ventured to my boat to make sure it was still tied up. It was Raining hard at the marina and the wind was whistling through the rig, it had to be gusting 25knots or better. Started up my atomic 4 still undecided if going out alone was a good idea. With the rain coming down I took the mainsail cover off, untied the dock lines and, headed out. The autopilot had me heading into the wind and so up the mainsail went, slamming and, flapping wildly in the wind it looked as though the mainsail would rip apart before i could get the jib up. With halyards flying everywhere the jib went up. Before I could get back to the cockpit the wind suddenly gusted out of the west and, over the boat went, my first round up! The autopilot struggled to rite the boat, I disconnected it and took the helm, spilling wind off the main immediately to regain control. I was heading South on a close reach at 5.8 knots! As I moved away from that squall the rain started to lighten up but, to the West was another large squall moving in my direction. Being uncomfortably close to the windward shore it was time to tack West directly at the squall! As I sailed through the leading edge It started to rain, then a powerful gust of wind and the sky opened up with a blistering hailstorm! The hail was intense but brief, and hail laden squall moved East as I tacked South again. The last squall over Rio Vista appeared to be moving off to the East. Noticing a break in the weather and the fading light I decided to start heading back to the marina. With the sudden emergence of Sunlight a Giant Rainbow appeared directly off the starboard bow stretching from the Rio Vista Bridge to Brannon Island State Park. The Rainbow seemed to get brighter by the second and was a great finale to my 3 1/2 hour tour. With the Sun being engulfed again by clouds and the approaching horizon the rainbow vanished instantly as I made my way back to the slip.
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