~ SUMMER CRUISING IN A TINY SAILBOAT (part 2) ~ Bucking Keel!

• July 31, 2025 by John Jordan Sailing and Sea Stories |
• Language: EN
• Play Time: 00:09:24
• SAILING YOUTUBERS

This is part two of an epic 11-day sailing adventure cruising the Pacific coast, SF Bay Area and the Sacramento Delta aboard my West Wight Potter 19, with not a single night in a marina.

Transcript...

We're off to an early start this morning. this time to catch the slack tide at the Carquinez Bridge Straight. So, I've completely lost almost all power on board. Now, I'll have to drastically curtail my use of the autopilot and the electronic charts.

I'm fine with hand steering. It's just those occasions when you need to leave the helm that become a problem. Still, it's certainly good practice to learn to do without the autopilot. The loss of the electronic charts, however, could be much more of a problem in these confined waters. I'll resort to using the charts on the fish finder which are quote unquote not meant for navigational purposes.

This peculiarity is still manned to this day.

The wide open expanses of the Suisan Bay.

Hoist sail me hearties?

By the way, Pittsburgh Marina is great. I stopped there for gas, trash, and ice. Such nice, helpful staff.

Heavy winds blew up around Bradford Island and caused me quite some consternation. After 4 days sailing back to back, I'm tired and the vessel is a mess. Somehow I prepare some food and eat and collapse into a heap.

Well, it's the 4th of July, Independence Day. Jonah's anchor is staying put today, or at least I hope it is. Today is most definitely a rest day. The fine folks on that boat you just saw are holding a party tonight. The margaritas were plentiful and free. What can I say? Images are blurred to protect the less than innocent. It became a moving feast and I eventually ended up back at my boat.

I've kayaked ashore to check out the levy. The surrounding farmland is some 20 ft below the top of the levy. I'm paddling over to explore the reed beds.

Absolute chaos. Oh boy. Now I've hit something. I'm taking on water and the boat's behaving really weirdly. The keel is bucking all over the place and the boat will not head up into the wind. It's blowing 20 knots out there and an adverse current to boot. Something stuck to the keel. What to do? I raise the keel, but it's not enough. I realize I'm going to have to raise the keel higher than normal. This I do by moving the winch bolt lower onto the keel. And miraculously, it solves the problem. I return to mopping up the water. Boy, was that a relief.

12 bucks 80 for two gallons of gas.

We're back sailing now and everything seems fine. The end of another testing day.

I'm not sure how much type two fun I can take.

Well, that's a mighty odd way for the anchor road to be. It's only gone and wrapped itself around the blooming keel. Jammed tight it is, and I cannot pull it free. Having a retractable keel has its benefits and the problem is solved with a quick bit of winching. First challenge of the day solved and so soon after breakfast.

There's no getting around it. I've got a full day of motoring to Winward today. It's a bit rough out, shipmates.

We arrive at Clipper Cove uneventfully, and I cook dinner.

John Jordan Sailing and Sea Stories

Storied adventures in small sailboats on the ocean, and vlogging my own outings multi-day coastal cruising in a 19' sailboat (S/V "Jonah", a West Wight Potter 19). Please subscribe to my channel as we travel the California coast, or simply subscribe for the sea stories!

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