Trailer Sailing Geelong Melbourne Swan Bay

[@DocLois2010]

Neringa looks great, Mark. Beautifully set up. Way too much traffic in the race area for my tastes; you are braver than I. Great shots of Swan Bay, one of my favorite places in the world. Thank you for uploading.

[@TRAILERYACHTADVENTURES]

Thanks for the comment. I might not have been so brave but I had Mark the Yarra ferryboat captain at the helm while I took photos and video. He did a fantastic job at negotiating all the traffic. I really enjoy swan bay for its scenery, tranquility, bird life and tranquility. I tend to stop there a bit.

[@tonywoollcombe1799]

Another very enjoyable video. Did the extra lead ballast make Neringa as stiff as you wished?

[@TRAILERYACHTADVENTURES]

It wasn't fixed in place on this trip but it was in place to trial it out. And yes it did reduce the liveliness of the boat in gusty conditions especially on the 1st day in winds gusting to 30 knots. Healing was a little less and the motion was less twitchy. Having said this it is a hard thing to quantify. Taking the family sailing out of hobson's bay I would have also said the stiffness was improved and the general motion more comfortable.

[@CaptMarkSVAlcina]

Hi Mark, thanks for a great sail and looking over Neringa . The yacht at 2.35 has lost one of its mast in last week storm and another yacht went up on the rocks were you where anchored on the shoreline and a cruiser went up on the rocks and halfway up the warmies. And the day before that a yacht had sank in the area as well .

[@TRAILERYACHTADVENTURES]

That yacht lost the top portion of its mast on new years eve, gave us all a shock with a very loud crash. It was only a matter of time before the unsupported mast fell too. Those easterly gales are a bit of a problem for hobson's bay. Helen and I have just bought a property in Metung on the gippsland lakes. It backs onto boxes creek and has a private jetty. Boxes creek is one of the most sheltered anchorages on the lakes and no matter what gales turn up will be protected. Somewhere to retire to in the next 5 years or so.

[@CaptMarkSVAlcina]

mdedman100 My brother rents a house in Duck Arm every Christmas and loves it there.

[@brendanbarker2095]

a nice vid

[@TRAILERYACHTADVENTURES]

Cheers.

[@simon4043]

Thanks Mark for another wonderful video What do you think of your RL28? I've seen that you've increased the ballast next to the keel case. Has this made her stiffer in a strong breeze? (I have an RL24 which goes like the clappers, but is very tender, and I definitely haven't mastered heavy weather sailing in her)

[@TRAILERYACHTADVENTURES]

Hi Simon, both the RL24 and RL28 can be tender but in very different ways. The 24 is a very light boat for its length with very modest ballast and a flattish bottom. Really, its a big modestly ballasted dinghy that sails fast but knocks down easily when overpowered in strong winds. The RL28 is better ballasted but is tender in the first 15 degrees mainly due to its hull shape which is more vee shaped than many trailer sailers. Once heeled to 15 degrees the hull bouyancy in the cheek higher on the vee stabilizes the boat and heel slows considerably. The ballast I added at 140kg is between the 100 and 200 kg added to the survey built boats used for chartering and open water. It has stiffened the boat slightly to 15 degrees but has stiffened it to increasing heel beyond this considerably. As I like to sail at heels around 15 degrees I am very happy with the result. I also would like to start to sail more into Bass Strait in the the next couple of years and the extra ballast is also for piece of mind to increase the righting moment. The hull shape of the 28 is also more sea kindly in rougher condition and doesn't pound as much as other TS's I have sailed. I love my RL28, its not a racer but excels as a cruiser. Comfortable and roomy inside sits on around 6 knots in a 15 to 20 knot wind, although I have seen 7.5 knots on a flat sea in 20knots. It needs a lot of sail/tiller work in gusty conditions, more than some boats, but in average to steady winds they are a great passage maker. Cheers Mark

[@simon4043]

@@TRAILERYACHTADVENTURES Thanks Mark, that answers a lot of questions!