Navigation #18 Le Lavandou-Cap Taillat, we used the spi wing on wing

-
We enjoyed 15 nautical miles and 3 hours of fun, trying out the spinnaker again and experimenting with other sail combinations, like wing-on-wing.

Nico securely fixed the solar panel onto the arch this morning before we left Le Lavandou.

We arrived at Cap Taillat by late afternoon and relaxed. The journey was faster than expected thanks to the spinnaker, but a knot in the sail prevented us from furling it properly, so we had to sail farther than planned.




The mooring was stunning, likely the best so far, though we haven’t explored enough to compare definitively.





The hike was very easy, no sweat, but offered breathtaking panoramic views:




Comments

Post a Comment

Let us know what you think!

Popular posts from this blog

Navigation #2: Cap D'Agde to Sète

-
Image
  We lost all the data from this navigation!! We left Cap d'Agde this morning at 9:45. It was supposed to be 12 nautical miles from Cap d'Agde to Sète, a trip of about 3 hours and 15 minutes. In the end, it took us 5 hours and 30 minutes—probably closer to 30 nautical miles because we were tacking the whole way. I think we averaged around 4 knots, peaking at 7 knots when Nico was at the helm. Preparation I prepared myself better this time. I put on more clothes, wore my seasickness bands, ate a proper breakfast, and layered up even more. But I was still cold! I placed a bucket in the cockpit in case I needed to vomit—I don’t want to clean up a mess on the deck at the end of every trip. In the bucket, I put a bottle of water and two apples, which I ate as soon as I felt nauseous. The water was there in case I threw up again. How did it go? The weather was cloudy, but the sea was very calm, so nothing fell over in the saloon. I didn’t get too sick this time—no vomiting!...
More Old Posts »»

Our very first solo sail!

-
Image
After coming back from our wonderful weekend in Leucate, the weather was so nice that we decided to sail the boat. It was our very first solo sail, just the two of us. We took the boat out without any issues. Nico mastered maneuvering out of our marina slip. We successfully avoided the sandbank at the harbor entrance. This time, we went all manual because Nico wanted to test the sails. He’s been trying to fix the mainsail and made some adjustments to the halyard, but the bearings still need to be replaced. I was steering while he worked to hoist the sails. We started with the genoa, and everything went smoothly. I’m learning to luff and bear away for the first time. I still struggle to feel or determine where the wind is coming from. It’s tricky to luff and then hold a steady course to maintain speed. Nico shouts directions using everyday words instead of proper nautical terms, which is frustrating since I’ve started reading maritime guides to learn the right vocabulary.   Next, we...
More Old Posts »»

Boat Driving Class on the Seine river

-
Image
We're approaching things a bit backwards, as we took our boat driving course before even passing the theory exam! And we did this practical course the very next day after our theory class... It’s quite unconventional. The usual process is to first attend the theory class, then take and the theory exam. Once you pass, you proceed to the driving practical class. After completing and passing the driving course, the instructor automatically submits your documents to the administration to process your final boat driving license. The reason for our approach was simply that there was only one available slot at that time.  We booked last minute, so we couldn’t be picky with the dates. Since we’re on a sabbatical, timing isn’t a concern for us. So, here we are on a chilly Friday morning in December 2024, standing on the banks of the Seine River, ready to learn how to pilot a boat. Naturally, we arrived somewhat unprepared. Any tips? Bring your candidate book for the instructor to fill ...
More Old Posts »»