Shakedown 1

We installed the keel and got the rigging sorted out today, which meant that there were no more major obstacles keeping us from sailing today. So we took the opportunity to give the boat its first shakedown, despite the heavy and unpredictable winds that we experienced. With the winds as strong as they were today, we were afraid to run up the main sail in this untested boat; so we decided to unfurl only the jib. We were shocked by the results. We managed quite respectable speed both upwind and down with only the jib in place, and she handled beautifully. Now we just can not wait to see what she can do with the main and the jib; unfortunately, a storm is moving in tonight which is predicted to hang around until at least Thursday -- so no sailing until at least then.

Oh and to make the wait more unbearable; Cliff, who owns the boatyard, saw us when we came back to shore and told us that with the main and the jib to the wind, this boat has the potential to plane. I, for one, absolutely can not wait to experience that.