Sailing with Dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico - Catalina 22 sailing video

We sail 15nm (17.26 miles) around Clearwater Beach and Caladesi Island on our longest trip since we brought Knot Enough home!

[@annamay6351]

You are amazing. You are learning a new skill and wonder of life, sailing. I remember when I first started I was always looking around to make sure no one saw my mistakes and kept my fears inside. You put everything online and don't edit those parts off. Hats off to you and that type of courage is what will make you succeed in sailing and in life!

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks!

[@arekkaniewski4442]

I remember starting on a tanzer 22. We were all worried as well. Now it's second nature. Good on you to try and go out there. The catalina 22 is a great boat to learn on.fair winds

[@bobhamilton298]

Just saw the video. Love the part where you are in the channel and questioning about a dozen diff things. We have ALL been there. Worried about running aground, worried about other boats in a small channel, worried about the wind direction, worried about the sails, wish we had brought more fuel, hope our mast doesn't hit the bridge! LOL

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks for that. After sailing more and more, things get easier each time.

[@Makemydayoutdoors]

You guys are awesome, i just subscribed! Keep it up, please don't stop making videos.

[@imaplaya]

Don't be "saturated with too many tasks". Just go out and enjoy the sail.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks for the advice!

[@CnCEndeavors]

I really appreciate your honesty about sailing. I've been sailing for about 5 years. Mostly a weekend warrior - and not every weekend. I'm now up to about 80 hours at the tiller and 100 hours or more as crew. I'm still learning and overcoming fears, but I recognized my beginner feelings in your video. It gets better. I know you know this now because you have your larger boat. But just wanted to say thanks for sharing in such an honest way.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks! I now think my fear was partly due to the boat. Our new boat can better handle where we sail, the waves and wind. and is much more secure feeling.

[@stephengilliss4790]

A little late, but starting out in in a small centerboard boat (no ballast) would have gotten you used to heeling in no time...

[@funkyfender1]

A couple of safety observations... close the companionway hatch when working on the coach roof or foredeck ... nothing worse than losing your footing or balance if a wave or wash from another boat hits you and finding yourself base over apex, injured lying in cabin after taking a tumble! Also, put a self inflating life-vest on when you’re not in the cockpit in choppy water, for the same reasons! Great sailing and enjoyed your commentary... fair winds!

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks! I got self inflating life jackets but haven't been sailing yet with them. Good points.

[@prqrsqtful]

I totally related to how you were feeling taking the boat out as a newbie. You'll feel more confident as you sail more. And btw, that Catalina can take a lot and be very forgiving. You'll grow to trust it more as you become more familiar with it. Fair winds! Enjoy the ride!

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks!

[@bullhippo9023]

Your fine, sailing at 10 degrees is a luxury! Get used to 15 degrees and occasional 20 to 25 on the gust. Use that traveler and boom vang to reduce heel and depower the main . Your doing great! Have fun..

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks! I have been using the traveler and the vang but that day it was pretty Gusty and I didn't move the jib cars back or just the traveler I just wasn't there yet but I am doing that now!

[@cwalke32477]

I sail an unballasted cabin cruiser at 15 degrees of heel. Your boat can handle plenty more

[@taggartlittle570]

@@AdventuresInParadisealso tension the jib halyard more on windy days to help flatten the sail.

[@tmm83093]

You guys are living the dream!

[@sailinslim402]

Congratulations on your new boat, your video skills and lovely sailing partner. You will get better skills with more tiller time and things won't seem so intimidating to you but those friendly clear waters can turn on you in a second. Please, please, please get some auto inflating life jackets and wear them any time you set out.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks for the good Advice! It's been over a year now and it's getting a little easier .

[@WarbirdPylonRacer]

Great video. LOL I have to admit when I first learned on a 26 ft sailboat I left the motor running as well to have that sense of security that if anything happened I would motor out of it. :-)

[@AdventuresInParadise]

We ran aground that day, and thanks to the motor idling while we came in the mismarked channel, we were able to get off the sand before we got stuck! Full throttle and full sail and we barely inched along as the keel dragged for a few feet.

[@erickstiner1668]

The sailing adventures start when you leave the dock. All the time spent onboard is part of sailing.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Good Point!

[@jimk4570]

All of us sailors experience the same thing. It is costly, labor intensive, boring and hot (when no wind) scary and cold (when wind whips up), there's cursing, swearing, and some physical injury. And then you get home and say 'wow, that was cool!' Hang in there my friends, thanks for being honest. I have a small sailboat (very small) and go through the same denial. But I could not live without having a boat and being to get out there on the water.

[@tracyroszak596]

Read up on the internet about using the depth transducer to shoot through the hull. People use plumbers putty, toilet ring wax, maybe silicone. Keeps the unit clean and the cables down below. Sails out until thy luff, then sheet in a small amount until they stop luffing. Heavier winds, flatten the sail using the vang, outhaul.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

I did the through-hull transducer like that in another boat I had, but in this boat, even a small amount of barnacles won't allow the transducer to see - so I found it better to mount to the sliding bracket.

[@rusty-oc2tj]

you can install depth finder sending unit inside the boat in the lower hull, get a short length of 6inch diameter or just a bit larger than the sender pvc pipe with a screw cap, epoxy it to the hull inside near bilge in any convieniant location below water line at lowest position possible, install the sender inside the pipe faceing downward, fill with water, a small notch will alow wire location so cap screws on, unit will work thru the fiber glass, its now protected inside the hull safe from damage and away from those busy little sea creatures

[@anonymous-dk1wb]

Awsome video i have a boat in Gulfport and in st pete fair winds have fun 😊

[@bullhippo9023]

One more thing and I will shut up , lol. Wind on the nose, sail all the way in . Wind at 10 to 2 , sails 1/4 way out. Wind on the beam , sails half way out. Wind behind the beam , sails 3/4 way out. Wind from behind, sails all the way out. With the wind from behind it is hard to sail the jib or genoa without a pole, you can gull wing them as you did, but it can be tricky. Unintended jibes are always an ussue plus the wind being on the wrong side of the sail. Personally I don't use a whisker pole for short day sails. I usually just adjust point of sail and go with the foresail.

[@JosephDeRoy]

Hey man, great video. I also have a Catalina 22', owned it for a couple years now but I learned how to sail when I was a kid. One thing I noticed was when you were sailing downwind, your leeward shrouds had quite alot of play in them. If you haven't already, I recommend buying a tension gauge and looking up the procedure for tuning the standing rigging on the Catalina 22'. I know when I did it I was amazed to see how tight they are actually supposed to be. Anyway keep at it, love the videos.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

thanks. About 15 months ago we sold it and got a O'day 28.

[@timburnett6729]

You guys rock

[@upspirate]

Another milestone...circumnavigating Clw Bch/Caladesi ! Will be getting out in ours next week and week after down in Tarpon/Dunedin/ Clearwater area My tiller/rudder was creaking, and I got some large SS fender washers to put between the tiller and Stainless part and also at the hinge area on the rudder. did away with the creaking. One thing I like to do is have the hatch slid closed when anyone goes forward especially to raise the main. If the boat rocks and you lose balance, you won't fall into the cabin

[@AdventuresInParadise]

All good info! Thanks!

[@hideawaysailing9078]

Beautiful ⛵️⚓️

[@bullhippo9023]

It appears your wind was on the beam ? Crank the main back in to about half way out. Your main is stalling your jib, pull the i by in until it bites in good.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

As we cruised down the long length of all the beaches the wind was directly behind us. At the end when we turn back in we had a beam reach and got some better power! Thanks!

[@billbehrens4487]

Fun buddy! You still have the sailboat ?

[@jimslittleboat4388]

l kind of like that bracket for the transducer. I might do something like that myself. lf I use it on my channel, I will give you credit for the idea. :) Jim's Little Boat on You tube. A whisker pole is not an expensive item and reduces the aggravation on down wind runs.

[@imaplaya]

IMHO the transducer should be located in the front of the boat. The depth at the stern will let you know its too shallow after you hit bottom with the keel.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

@@imaplaya That's a great point.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Well, I think I bought it on Amazon, so I didn't mean to take credit for making it. I did have to cut off part of it to make it fit. The rudder hits it a little of you turn 100% but barely, and it just bends a few inches out of the way and seems fine. KV rider's point about having it at the front of the boat is good. After a close call this weekend, I'm not going to have the sails up in skinny channels anymore. I looked at whisker poles yesterday online and they seemed expensive. Maybe I was looking in the wrong place.

[@apom316]

Awesome video!

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks!

[@SvdaddysWreck]

Just sail.... that is perfect amount of wind, you guys would of been cooking it! Practice. Practice. More you do it, the better you'll be.... that little Catalina will handle more than you can show her! Dont stress so much. Enjoy yourselves, and learn how to trim those sails. Can't say this enough.... practice as much as possible!!

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thank you, good advice.

[@amcarru]

Hi, nice video. I see you are using a Dragonfly as chart plotter, is it good for your type of navigation, it's more a fish finder ?

[@AdventuresInParadise]

I got the version that's only the chart plotter, no fish finder as we do not fish. I've had it a few years and it works well. We got it for our boating trip to the keys as we didn't know the location but now I find I always use it. It's come in handy in some bad storms where we could not see the shore.

[@amcarru]

@@AdventuresInParadise Thanks

[@ud4458]

Would you say the Catilina 22 makes sailing more difficult than your larger boat? Or was it because you we’re new sailors? We are new at sailing , bought a catilina 22 , this video shows the exact difficulties we go through hahahah. All of it. It’s so hard to move around the boat. Will this change with boat with more room, and more experience?

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Susy and I talked about his last night when we saw your comment. We think the larger boat is way easier to sail, and safer. BUT.... if you figure in all the extra things to do, and problems that can arise, and maintenance... there's more there. I'd like to answer this in more detail in an upcoming video... why is it easier.

[@ud4458]

Awesome thank you. I enjoy the channel!

[@bullhippo9023]

I stand corrected, it does appear your wind is from behind...the flag and camera angle fooled me.. take care

[@stocksj]

If you have a swing keel it will kick up in shallow water. Your rudder also will kick up.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

I don't have a kick up rudder, I have the fixed version, but after the keel moved up, the rudder started dragging hard - and one time it dragged we barely had the power to keep moving and it was very wind. But the two sails had enough power to drag it through the sand and back to deeper water.

[@ryanbrazil7842]

@@AdventuresInParadise I just got the catalina 22 1980 and it has a kick up rudder. It actually is quite handy when you unexpectedly reach the shallow waters. The swinging keel is a dream too - this boat is great and i've only had it a week.

[@stephengilliss4790]

Why didnt you leave the dinghy tied at your mooring rather than dragging it along?

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Not really my mooring, just anchored. Plus sometimes we stop off at islands.

[@stephengilliss4790]

@@AdventuresInParadise okay..i misunderstood....i thought you said mooring.. makes sense

[@timothythomas1626]

I wonder what chances of boat being stolen while being Parked off the Cost? Is There a Boat Ring Camera or Alarms to deter thieves

[@AdventuresInParadise]

You could rig up a camera linked to a cell phone that texted you videos, but for the most part there isn't anything anyone would want. People aren't leaving the fancy boats out there.

[@jerrysalfi4474]

Add more tension on your jib halyard.

[@bertlbarm4374]

About the dinghy, why not get some water in it will not tip over so easily

[@intheworkseg6]

whats the program you are using in the beginning? (the one that shows gallons)....also love the videos!!!!!

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Boating HD it's called.. it lets you program in the parameters of your boat, like draft, speed, etc... I bought the upgrade and it's worth it. It's updated, unlike my main GPS, so I like both open.

[@arnehayn4354]

It is the Boating App from Navionics

[@jimk4570]

I would suggest you make it a habit to practice MOB (man overboard)exercises with sails up and no motor. Get the muscle memory down so you don't have a bad situation in the future. There are a couple standard MOBs on youtube you can learn. Your jib looks very worn out, but it's not a big deal. When going downwind with no whisker pole, just let out your jib sheets and try to get the jib shaped in a U shape as much as you can. Monitor channel 16 at all times. Get used to reefing the main because in a storm your little motor won't do much good. Good luck and have fun.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

Thanks, good tips. This is a 2-year old video, we have had our next sailboat (O'day 28) for more than a year now.

[@robinwells8879]

I can’t believe I am saying this dreadful cliche but it is the journey and not the destination. It’s the peace and tranquillity of the travels and knowing that you’re treading so lightly that you leave hardly a footprint behind unlike in your mobo which chops up the dolphins and manatees.😔 The perfect antidote for modern life.

[@mrnickbig1]

No whisker pole or preventer?

[@mrnickbig1]

Ah, he laments not having whisker pole near end of video.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

This boat didn't have one but our new boat does.

[@mrnickbig1]

@@AdventuresInParadise, I have a Sparrow 16, and have made it shockingly seaworthy. I have my own opinions on a lot of things, but am thanking you for the information about a kellet. I had installed a nice bow roller and Rocna anchor (plus 10' of chain), but had some misgivings about the anchor line. The ketter solves two potential problems, eliminating potential fouling and adding more springiness to the rode, without trying to use a snubber. The sparrow is a 5m (16.5') design, similar in layout to a Potter 15, but bigger, with a solid fiberglass hull 3/8"+, shoal draft lead weighted keel (about 2' draft), 7/8 Bermuda rigged. It has a sink, potty, 2 quarter berths, and can probably do everything Knot Enough did, plus be trailered by my PT Cruiser. I have a 5HP Tohatsu. Only about 150 were made, primarily because they were pricey compared to other boats in the size range, due to being much better built. I had previously made many of the same upgrades you made, and am trying to figure out how many 100W solar panels I can mount. I have some serviceable AGM batteries, but may go with LiFePO4. I am also rebuilding the rudder.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

@@mrnickbig1 Wow, sounds good!

[@mrnickbig1]

@@AdventuresInParadise , ho often do you practice heaving to, and how long did it take to determine the optimal setup?

[@fakiirification]

stop that jib from flappin and you might pick up a kt or two!

[@cwalke32477]

You're far too scared of heel and wake. I sail a 17" unballasted pocket cruiser. My little boat would have you throwing up...or huddled in fear. Your boat is far more capable, and can bury the portlights without capsizing

[@AdventuresInParadise]

I agree! I don't care about wake as the sailboat takes it way better than the powerboat, especially when the sails are full, but you're right... I'm too scared of heel and I just need to work through that, lol. It's comments like yours that help me realize I need to get over it, so thank you! We watch other sailors laughing and drinking their coffee while heeled over and wonder why they aren't terrified.

[@MrBcummings8521]

Learn to trim your sails. You should have been moving with those wind speeds.

[@AdventuresInParadise]

I have learned far more about trimming since a year ago when this was shot, but we were hitting 4.3 knots and slowing to a little over 3 knots... for the wind we were in which wasn't much, that seems good for this boat, especially when it has some growth on the bottom.

[@313barrygmail]

Relax a 15 year old girl crossed an ocean in that boat.... But you're always better to go with your gut feeling... Have fun let it lean to that 2024 wash the Windows relax...

[@AdventuresInParadise]

LOL - I know... but the Gulf of Mexico is big and the Catalina 22 is small! Being there is so different that seeing the video of it. What's this girls name?