Sailing Solo on Toronto Lake (Kansas)...

   With trepidation mixed with a healthy dose of adrenaline and optimism I put the Snipe in the waters of Toronto Lake in Kansas.  I was a little concerned for various reasons.  The lake was extremely low and even when sailing on the north side thirty feet from shore my daggerboard was scraping the mud bottom.  I should have trusted the signs-- "Warning Lake Dangerously Low For Boating"...  The telltale tops of dead trees sticking out of the water here and there like shards of glass where foreboding enough when I had to beach launch from the boat ramp.  I also was a little freaked-out  that there wasn't a lake marina to call for help if I capsized or worse yet, "turtled".  I had the local sheriff's number in my waterproof cell phone--as if that would even help if something went wrong... The wind was fairly strong.  I would put it at 15mph with gusts to maybe 20.

So... "Screw it",  I thought.  I just need the experience and the worse that would happen--as the wife said---would be to ditch the sailboat and swim to shore...! What...??? really??? ditch. the. boat. ??? no way! I love the, "Grape Escape" and this is just a lake not the ocean, and a small one by Lake Michigan, standards.

Off I went.  I had one of the best times ever while sailing.  It was a blast.  Solo was great. The sailboat was flying and I felt it was sailing better than ever...

It was the BEST when I picked-up my wife and we sailed together on long beats for thirty minutes at a time and sailing fast....!  She said it was her best time sailing and therefore it made it mine...!

Cheers,

Todd Pipia

Now this is sexy.... New Jib Sheet Cars....!

I hope this makes a difference... Then again... it has to, because my Snipe never had them before...!

Sailing the Snipe 5/23/10

Sailed today. the winds were gusty and shifty with average wind speed of about 15mph with gusts up in the low twenties. The racecourse was a "M" course in two laps Starboard rounding. It was overcast and a nice air temperature in the 80's with the lake water warm enough not to be shockingly cold when sprayed.

I chose to rig the sidestays a little looser (two holes up from the bottom) and the forestay was in its normal position. Operator error in the first race when my jib luff line was not pulled all the way in, and I didn't use enough vang or adjust outhaul, cunningham was to tight/loose maybe...? -sail trim could be an issue.

I need to figure out why the Snipe isn't pointing high as it should: loose daggerboard? Sidestay tension incorrect? traveler setting wrong? disappointed with my race placement, but i had a blast with Zeke Henry and he did a great job--especially for the first time ever...!

things i need to change on Snipe:
get jib sheet cars and track
split traveler
re-work skipper hiking strap
new boom blocks
new tiller
new sails

Snipe Sailing Life...

Close-hauled on the Snipe. Mast foward, side-stay tension high, no vang... going at nice click. She was pointing really well that day....

Sailing the Snipe in October 2009 and stealing wind...(as well as breaking it-thanks a lot chilli dogs). Hit the mark and had to take a penalty turn-- I would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids....

Racing solo in the Summer of 2007 at Shawnee Mission Park Lake. Just bought "new" (to me anyhoo) sails and tried them out for the first time. Anyone that claims that new sails don't make a difference are FULL of it--they just don't want you to beat them!