08-13-2009, 12:58 PM
June 21st, the longest day of the year, we just had to make this our first over night on our Weekender Sans Souci. It is even better as we live in the arctic and our sailing waters are on Great Slave Lake where the sun barely sets on this day.
Annie and I are the crew and builders of Sans Souci and I write this to tell those that are new to sailing how we like our Weekender, give some tips we have learned from 25 years of camp cruising, and to spread the word that the arctic is a great cruising area. Photos of the trip can be viewed here:
http://web.mac.com/ryersonclark/Site_3/P...ight..html
We paddled our little tender out to Sans Souci, which was swinging on our mooring in light wind, about noon and loaded our gear aboard. After stowing all (we travel light), we got her ready for the sail out Yellowknife Bay with the intention of spending the night near Horseshoe Island, a trip of about 12 kilometers. Mid afternoon found us sailing downwind to the south on Yellowknife Bay, past Houseboat Bay where people live off the grid on simple to quite elaborate houseboats year round. In winter they can drive their trucks to their door, summer it is usually a canoe trip to town. Something we had never had to deal with before are bush planes landing and taking off in our sailing area. Looking up for danger was new to us! We were more used to looking for large container ships where we learned to sail so looking "up" is a new trick. At one point we have to sail right through a water "runway" area and boats have to give way to planes, which you see landing or taking off most of the day.
Like all good plans, they should be flexible when sailing a small boat. Halfway to Horseshoe Island we ran into flow ice and decided that even if we could beat through this, it would be cooler camping "out there" so we tacked back north until we found a nice sheltered cove and dropped anchor in 4 feet of water near a large reed bed. From here we could almost see our starting point, but who cares. We were alone in the cove except for birds and wildlife, the wind was dropping and it was a warm 20C under bright sun. We chose this spot because the next days forecast was calling for wind from the south so we would be sheltered. When the anchor went down we were on a lee shore, but it was then very light wind and even if it became strong (not in the forecast), we had room to beat out if need be.
We always leave the main sail up until we know the anchor is set and holding in case we need to sail around for another set if it doesn't hold. Once the main was down we set the boom in the crutch and hung the bug screen over it all so we didn't need to be uncomfortable with the mosquitoes. This takes no more then a few minutes. We also have a tarp we can put over the screen for sitting in the cockpit in bad weather, but this night we wouldn't need it. Once at anchor we use the cabin for sleeping or the porta potty and the cockpit for relaxing and cooking. When we turn in, the potty goes out in the cockpit leaving loads of room still for sitting or standing out there to check position during the night. On a calm lake you aren't going to drift, but we learned on a tidal ocean where things can change even without wind, anchors can shift or drag. We carry two anchors just in case.
Once we were "camp ready", we broke out the kitchen which we set up on the wash board in the aft cockpit. We use things like the wash board for two things, and it is a good idea to make as many items you carry or boat parts do more then one job. It saves space and that is important on a small boat. We like propane but any fuel stove will do. Our meals are always simple, but hot and filling. When we started camp cruising we used to take bacon, eggs, steak etc for the first few nights as a treat. We found this not to be the best way to do it as cleaning all those greasy pans was difficult to do with limited water in a very small boat. We were on salt water at the time, now on fresh water we may have a steak or two. Mostly we treat a camp cruiser like backpacking and use much the same gear and food. Each person will decide what they like to do and what is fun for them.
After dinner it was read and watch the sun go down, then to our bunk (floor) in the cabin where we slept about 6 hours, rising around 6am to bright sunlight and warm air. We use back packing gear like self inflating mats to sleep on, they roll and store out of the way when we want them off the floor. We don't like sleeping bags zipped up, but would rather us one under us and one as a cover. We don't like being zipped into anything on the water. Annie cooked breakfast which we ate watching a large moose having his breakfast in the reeds off our boat. We cleaned up and read some more until the wind started to ripple the water in our cove, then turned Sans Souci back into a magic carpet and raised anchor and sailed for home. We had our south wind for most of the trip home, but finally had to scull the last few hundred meters to our mooring as the wind died.
After this adventure and first overnight we can report we really liked the way the Weekender preformed as a camp cruiser. Our other boat we used for years was great and fully open (no cabin) which made us use a boom tent over all. This has good and bad points for us. It is more open under a large tent, but the cabin plus tent over the cockpit gives you two rooms. If one wants to sleep in a bit, the other can sit in the cockpit or start breakfast. The cabin is small, but if all you use it for is sleeping or relaxing, then you don't really need head room, that is what the cockpit with tent is for.Â
The Weekender as a sailboat has it's fans and detractors. I can tell you from experience that it isn't perfect, no boat is. It is a really good compromise between an open boat and a cabin boat, and for us, it works just fine, as fine as any boat we have owned. Sailing, it handles very well indeed. Quickly reaches hull speed in any amount of wind and for the most part doesn't give you anymore grief then other small cabin boat design. We reef early and head to cover if it gets too windy for us. I'm not a fan of all the blocks in the gaff rigging as to the plans and would make it much more simple if we had a gaff rig. We use a balanced lug main slightly larger in area then the gaff, and a jib on a roller slightly smaller then the plans. Our total sail area is about the same. This is personal choice as we feel it is quicker to set or take down ( let the halyard go and it comes down like a lead balloon in any wind) and we use less blocks and lines as well. The main sheet goes to one block only so we can dump gusts much faster. This means holding a bit more power that can make you tired faster if you're not used to it.
The best way to camp cruise is keep it simple and you'll have more fun. Sail with more then one destination in mind depending on wind direction and conditions. If you are on the clock, this is when you can get into trouble staying on the water when you should be at anchor (or even beached) waiting it out. If you don't have reef points in the main, get them!
Sailing on Great Slave Lake is a real treat and adventure. We learned to sail on the North Atlantic and it's sheltered bays and this lake can become as rough as an ocean, but there are many areas that are semi or fully sheltered from the main lake. It is wilderness but also there are many boats out there if help is needed. You should camp with bear spray aboard if beached or hiking from your boat. Fishing is very good, you can catch your dinner. The summer weather is usually very stable and sunny, darkness doesn't happen mid June to mid July and even into August it is only a few hours. The sailing season is best from mid June (if the ice is gone) to mid August as this has warmer days and nights. We day sail well into September, others until early October.
I hope this has been helpful and at least a fun read for the more experience sailors out there. Comments and questions are more then welcome.
Annie and I are the crew and builders of Sans Souci and I write this to tell those that are new to sailing how we like our Weekender, give some tips we have learned from 25 years of camp cruising, and to spread the word that the arctic is a great cruising area. Photos of the trip can be viewed here:
http://web.mac.com/ryersonclark/Site_3/P...ight..html
We paddled our little tender out to Sans Souci, which was swinging on our mooring in light wind, about noon and loaded our gear aboard. After stowing all (we travel light), we got her ready for the sail out Yellowknife Bay with the intention of spending the night near Horseshoe Island, a trip of about 12 kilometers. Mid afternoon found us sailing downwind to the south on Yellowknife Bay, past Houseboat Bay where people live off the grid on simple to quite elaborate houseboats year round. In winter they can drive their trucks to their door, summer it is usually a canoe trip to town. Something we had never had to deal with before are bush planes landing and taking off in our sailing area. Looking up for danger was new to us! We were more used to looking for large container ships where we learned to sail so looking "up" is a new trick. At one point we have to sail right through a water "runway" area and boats have to give way to planes, which you see landing or taking off most of the day.
Like all good plans, they should be flexible when sailing a small boat. Halfway to Horseshoe Island we ran into flow ice and decided that even if we could beat through this, it would be cooler camping "out there" so we tacked back north until we found a nice sheltered cove and dropped anchor in 4 feet of water near a large reed bed. From here we could almost see our starting point, but who cares. We were alone in the cove except for birds and wildlife, the wind was dropping and it was a warm 20C under bright sun. We chose this spot because the next days forecast was calling for wind from the south so we would be sheltered. When the anchor went down we were on a lee shore, but it was then very light wind and even if it became strong (not in the forecast), we had room to beat out if need be.
We always leave the main sail up until we know the anchor is set and holding in case we need to sail around for another set if it doesn't hold. Once the main was down we set the boom in the crutch and hung the bug screen over it all so we didn't need to be uncomfortable with the mosquitoes. This takes no more then a few minutes. We also have a tarp we can put over the screen for sitting in the cockpit in bad weather, but this night we wouldn't need it. Once at anchor we use the cabin for sleeping or the porta potty and the cockpit for relaxing and cooking. When we turn in, the potty goes out in the cockpit leaving loads of room still for sitting or standing out there to check position during the night. On a calm lake you aren't going to drift, but we learned on a tidal ocean where things can change even without wind, anchors can shift or drag. We carry two anchors just in case.
Once we were "camp ready", we broke out the kitchen which we set up on the wash board in the aft cockpit. We use things like the wash board for two things, and it is a good idea to make as many items you carry or boat parts do more then one job. It saves space and that is important on a small boat. We like propane but any fuel stove will do. Our meals are always simple, but hot and filling. When we started camp cruising we used to take bacon, eggs, steak etc for the first few nights as a treat. We found this not to be the best way to do it as cleaning all those greasy pans was difficult to do with limited water in a very small boat. We were on salt water at the time, now on fresh water we may have a steak or two. Mostly we treat a camp cruiser like backpacking and use much the same gear and food. Each person will decide what they like to do and what is fun for them.
After dinner it was read and watch the sun go down, then to our bunk (floor) in the cabin where we slept about 6 hours, rising around 6am to bright sunlight and warm air. We use back packing gear like self inflating mats to sleep on, they roll and store out of the way when we want them off the floor. We don't like sleeping bags zipped up, but would rather us one under us and one as a cover. We don't like being zipped into anything on the water. Annie cooked breakfast which we ate watching a large moose having his breakfast in the reeds off our boat. We cleaned up and read some more until the wind started to ripple the water in our cove, then turned Sans Souci back into a magic carpet and raised anchor and sailed for home. We had our south wind for most of the trip home, but finally had to scull the last few hundred meters to our mooring as the wind died.
After this adventure and first overnight we can report we really liked the way the Weekender preformed as a camp cruiser. Our other boat we used for years was great and fully open (no cabin) which made us use a boom tent over all. This has good and bad points for us. It is more open under a large tent, but the cabin plus tent over the cockpit gives you two rooms. If one wants to sleep in a bit, the other can sit in the cockpit or start breakfast. The cabin is small, but if all you use it for is sleeping or relaxing, then you don't really need head room, that is what the cockpit with tent is for.Â
The Weekender as a sailboat has it's fans and detractors. I can tell you from experience that it isn't perfect, no boat is. It is a really good compromise between an open boat and a cabin boat, and for us, it works just fine, as fine as any boat we have owned. Sailing, it handles very well indeed. Quickly reaches hull speed in any amount of wind and for the most part doesn't give you anymore grief then other small cabin boat design. We reef early and head to cover if it gets too windy for us. I'm not a fan of all the blocks in the gaff rigging as to the plans and would make it much more simple if we had a gaff rig. We use a balanced lug main slightly larger in area then the gaff, and a jib on a roller slightly smaller then the plans. Our total sail area is about the same. This is personal choice as we feel it is quicker to set or take down ( let the halyard go and it comes down like a lead balloon in any wind) and we use less blocks and lines as well. The main sheet goes to one block only so we can dump gusts much faster. This means holding a bit more power that can make you tired faster if you're not used to it.
The best way to camp cruise is keep it simple and you'll have more fun. Sail with more then one destination in mind depending on wind direction and conditions. If you are on the clock, this is when you can get into trouble staying on the water when you should be at anchor (or even beached) waiting it out. If you don't have reef points in the main, get them!
Sailing on Great Slave Lake is a real treat and adventure. We learned to sail on the North Atlantic and it's sheltered bays and this lake can become as rough as an ocean, but there are many areas that are semi or fully sheltered from the main lake. It is wilderness but also there are many boats out there if help is needed. You should camp with bear spray aboard if beached or hiking from your boat. Fishing is very good, you can catch your dinner. The summer weather is usually very stable and sunny, darkness doesn't happen mid June to mid July and even into August it is only a few hours. The sailing season is best from mid June (if the ice is gone) to mid August as this has warmer days and nights. We day sail well into September, others until early October.
I hope this has been helpful and at least a fun read for the more experience sailors out there. Comments and questions are more then welcome.