Skipper

Despite owning some very good deck shoes and sailing boots, my preference is to sail barefoot.

In my experience, whether the deck is wet or dry, bare feet provide the best grip when underway. Since I used hank-on fore sails, I’m often on the foredeck changing sails, and haven’t found anything better.

I will wear shoes or sailing boots when the temperature are too low. Rule of thumb: If My Toes Go Numb, Time to Lace up.

The only hazard to sailing barefoot I’ve found is when guests, who may not be used to the motion of the boat, step on my toes.

With sunshine and temperatures in the mid 20’s, May is starting out to be a great sailing month.

And it turns out, if you look under things, there’s lots of sunscreen on the boat. So after slathering up the bare bits, I headed out with a 150% jib and full main to find some wind.

Madsu was doing 4.5 knots to weather, and 5.5 reaching in a confused seaway. There was quite a lot of chop, but also a NW swell of about 2 feet at the mouth of Howe Sound. Madsu’s main powers through the waves really well. The reach was a rollercoaster but fun.

When this vessel is coming up behind you, there’s no mistaking it. It’s loud and fast. Amia X is a crew / supply / offshore tug boat being used at Woodfibre. She’s 41 metres long with room for 90 passengers. The captain did slow down as he passed between Madsu and another sailboat, a welcome bit of seamanship as she throws a decent wake at speed.

Total miles today: 8.9 nm.

Westerly winds, sunshine, and another spirited sail in Howe Sound. These early season sails are my ‘shake down’ trips, making sure everything is working properly after a slow winter of sailing.

There was a lot more traffic today, a lot of sail and power recreational boaters getting in some sea time in the sunshine.

The best breeze was south of Passage Island (the the Georgia Strait side). The wind funnels around the island on the way into Howe Sound, so there’s always a bit more breeze around the bottom of Passage Island.

There was also a lot more chop with a low swell this afternoon, Madsu pushed through nicely doing 4.5 knots to weather, and a lively 6 knots on the reach back into Howe Sound.

There’s nothing like the sound of the water off the stern as the boat powers up on a reach.

Tunes onboard today – mostly Glenn Gould in tribute to Susan Englebert, who worked for him at CBC Toronto back in the day. Total distance: 7.8 nautical miles.