Couch-Potato Sailing - Noel Diotte

Couch-Potato Sailing - Noel Diotte Video Clips. Duration : 3.70 Mins.

A short shake-down cruise from King Harbor to Paradise Cove on Thursday. I'd just added new mizzen rigging and a new staysail rig to see how it behaved. I left at 12:30pm headed out towards PV Cove out to sea then did a port tack headed towards Malibu Pier (17.5nm). For the 6 hour tack was done by a few mere adjustments using my pendulum/counterweight on the wheel. Although the title, "Couch-Potato Sailing" belies the notion of ease, that I did nothing during sailing. My whole concentration of the boat; worried about the boat, it's gear, direction, speed, sail shape, other boats and the sea-state. It's important to always be alert. Just sitting on a rolling boat will give you a work-out using your muscles to resist to the movement; your mind stressed a bit by the changing of constant horizon, wind and noise....will burn calories, Since the boat take care of herself (mostly), I make runs below for making coffee, meals or snacks, navigation. But, always popping out the hatch every few minutes looking 360 degrees around the sea. At around 8pm, the wind died. I knew I was closing in towards the Malibu Pier and I still had another 5nm to get to Paradise Cove. So, I dropped 100' chain on a 25lb CQR in 35 feet of water in front of the pier. I know this cove well. It's a great spot while the SW or West wind is blowing. But, at night the northeast land breeze leaves your boat abeam to the swell. I was too tired to row out on the dinghy to employ out a stern hook. Instead, I sat in ...