Sailing Siam Gulf with *Hobie One*
Close hauled, with a few tacks thrown in, going south from RVYC ( www.varuna.org ) the Ocean Marine Ltd. Harbour was reached after nearly two hours. The guard at the entrance demanded "visitor's" pay for visiting the chandler, and as an amount of about US $ 0,75 did not seem tempting(never offered though, but as Frank Dye told me: "Never spoil a good story by telling the truth!"), we landed free of charge 250 meters further south on the beach of a nice restaurant, and had a wonderful lunch there, and felt thankful of the guards denial of our visit.
Most often the wind gets up to about 18 - 20 knots from noon to about 16.00, so the use of 'trysail'(the multicolored jib) was decided since La-iad as pre-W-season-training would steer, balance and catch the surfing-pushers and tackle the 'white-grinning' breakers' on the way back. After about 15 min. and a couple of near 'flipping-overs' due too late/too weak rudder-actions, and too light weight at the windward sidebench, she calmly stated, not near mutiny at all: "It is too long way back, my nerves will not stand this much longer!"
So heave to, stay hove to, which a 'trysail' will make possible, but NOT a jib up front, change of helm and before that change the 'trysail'(the jib) to go outside to the lee of the shroud, thus making a nice camber-curve - beam winds - when sheeting back around the lee, aft gunwale corner. A lot of 'rock-roll' demanding firm, 'robust' and fairly precise helming, while hoping the rudder pintle would not break! Happened for the three of us, Ken jr., La-iad and I, in the same condition a few years back, but luckily we had a 10 foot long bamboo-stick(secured at our landing at the island of Koh Sak), which with more careful steering-balance and sail-trimming brought us home to a surprised shore-crew.
Same crew awaiting us nervously this time as they could not see our arrival due the point blocking the view southwards. The spray and at time surprising washers did not invite the use of cellphone nor camera while sea-borne. Anyway very pleasing to see their happy faces and smiles as we came in for landing! Well, thruthfully probably the good guys were mostly relieved that they could head for home about 20 min. later in stead of go looking for us!
Photos: New W-Year greeting by the photographer La-iad, pre-sailpreparations, "An Gaan" alias shapy buttocks/rump island, landing for lunch, Ocean Marina Ltd. skyscraper with clubhouse at ground floor and hotel over, windy palmtrees 'reef' automatically, well fed(deciding 'trysail' !) by lovely food and cool fluids, and the point, back at RVYC. Just a real Marvellous Siam Gulf Sailing day that we easily could wish You All !
La-iad and Ken t.o.(W1348,"Maitken")
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