On the Ocean Wave...

[khiemtran]

Actually, on the Georges River, heading towards Botany Bay last Sunday. Have a look at the picture below. You can see there's a clear line ahead of the boat where on one side the water is choppy and on the other it is smooth.



This is most likely due to changing currents. When the wind and the current oppose each other, the waves become choppy. When they're in the same direction, the waves become smooth. The currents can be quite treacherous in this part of the river, thanks to all the sand banks.

Here's a side view of the divide. The line never moved, so I could sail back and forth across it, going from rough to smooth or vice versa. It reminded me a bit of the endless breaking wave in the film version of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.



Running with the wind back towards the clubhouse.



I still haven't found a way to really capture the sensation of riding the waves in a boat yet. The picture above doesn't really show the waves at all, but they were surging alongside me and the boat felt like it was flying. When you really catch the waves, there's this wonderful push and the boat seems to shoot along. Perhaps a video might be better next time. As it was, this photo was a little tricky because I had to make sure the boat didn't gybe while I was taking it. I was sitting on the floor of the cockpit with my legs in front of me and the tiller extension under one arm - not the best position to respond to a sudden gust or change in direction...

Comments

[carl-allery.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you were planing - nice job. With the weight at the back of the boat and the wind behind, you can get the bow up and suddenly the boat will be riding over rather than through the water which will of course make it go faster. It's a definite surging sensation and very noticeable. But yes, always vulnerable to a wild gybe, especially since you also tend to lose steerage way.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

At least the Quba seems to gybe very neatly. The boom is nice and high and it's quite easy to shift your weight in a hurry. I haven't had a genuine accidental gybe in it yet though. (One friend, when it was his turn to try it, actually fell off the back when it took off on him!)

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

they were surging alongside me and the boat felt like it was flying.

That sounds like pure bliss.

[khiemtran.livejournal.com]

At this stage, it's not quite bliss for me as there's still an element of heightened alertness. Whenever the boat is on a "run" (that is, sailing with the wind), it's less stable than normal, and I need to be extra careful it doesn't either start rolling too much or flick into an unexpected gybe (when the boom goes from one side to the other at great speed). But, it's certainly fun...