Transatlantic: Azores to Portugal: Day 12 [Day 60]

The winds died, or at least died in the right direction.

We are getting close to Portugal, and the winds shifted to be on our nose (if we were heading East). For part of the day, we sailed North with the wind comfortably ahead of the beam (which translates into: barely past the beam). We can sail to windward, as long as our angle to the wind is somewhere between 70*-80* off the wind. I know this is equivalent to the wind angles that square riggers could sail upwind, but on our boat, we sail rather quickly and comfortably at this wind angle, be it almost a beam reach though!

Our speed holds just as well as if we were beam reaching, but the moment the wind comes further forward of the beam, everything stops! Our speed can be 7-8 knots on a beam reach, and if we try to turn up into the wind, our speed will quickly drop to 3-4 knots. Heading into the wind, the apparent wind on the sails is greater and should therefore generate more drive, but the boat does not want to go and everything comes to a grinding halt!

So, with this experience, we first set sail on starboard tack heading North, then we tacked onto port tack and began heading South. We were not really trying to get anywhere because there was no point. Sailing at these wind angles out in the ocean is the equivalent to parking your car and taking a coffee break. Wisdom was simply holding her position out in the ocean and waiting for the winds to change. Eventually they would and we wanted to be relatively in the same place; not too far North or South, and without drifting West in this East wind.

Now, if you are thinking that a full keeled cutter is dangerous because it can’t sail off a lee shore. Stop right there. 70* off the wind is sailing to windward and can sail off a lee shore. We have many times sailed to windward out of a harbor and that would entail sailing off a lee shore. We can sail much closer to the wind, going as high as 40* to the wind, and when you factor in Velocity Made Good (VMG) it ends up being about the same. Slow but upwind is a shorter route at a slower speed compared to Fast but less upwind with a longer route sailed more quickly. It all depends on which sails we are flying and how fast we want to go.

If we are leaving an anchorage and the winds are nice, we will set our jib and be pulled to windward with considerable speed. Suddenly, we can sail to windward as well as a sloop (being how they also have their only headsail tacked at the stem). If the conditions are pitiful, we are not about to set a full jib way up front at the tip of the bow. Instead, we reef down and fly the staysail and reefed mainsail or trysail. All of these sails move the Center of Effort (CE) closer to the middle of the boat and that also means that we are not being pulled along fiercely by the large jib at the front of the boat. Instead we are more like a well balanced cork floating through the water, staying steadily above the waves.

If we really needed the drive to windward, we could always set our jib with a reef in it like we have done in the past when we were in the Bahamas sailing to windward from one island to the next. It was rough, but it was effective. Pounding into waves at 6 knots made for a very smashing and wet ride, but it also got us to windward. Out in the ocean, we do not have the desire to be beat up like we were then, so we do not set the jib and merely float around as we wait for more advantageous wind in the middle of the ocean.

9 Things to Consider Before You Get Started with Bowfishing

Bowfishing is an exciting sport as it’s enthusiasts will tell you how rewarding and exciting it is to spend the summer bowfishing. As you observe how passionate your bowhunter friends are about this sport, you might think to consider giving it a shot yourself. If you’re worried that you won’t get the hang of it easily, don’t fear. It is not really rocket science. All you are going to need is a good bowfishing kit, a boat, and a good spot for hunting. 

If you are getting ready for your very first bowhunting trip, or want to compete in a bowfishing tournament, here are a few tips to take into consideration:

Tune your bow

Tuning your bow is important if you want to avoid missing the fish and if you want your aim to be true. You have several options like paper tuning, although it might be an unpleasant experience at first, it will prove useful at enhancing your aim. You can also do water tuning. Instead of using paper, you can aim at a leaf or anything floating on the water. If you arrow splashes or doesn’t go in a straight line, you can adjust the rest. If the problem persists, consider that the quality of the arrows you’re using is what may be causing the error. In this case, you’ll have to acquire better ones. This practice will bring you one step closer to perfecting bowfishing. 

Polarized glasses

If you have already been bowfishing, then you already know that having a pair of polarized glasses is essential. When the sunlight is very distracting or even blinding, these glasses will help reflect a great part of sun rays to help you see better. Make sure you acquire a good pair to avoid missed opportunities. Polarized glasses vary in their quality so pay attention as you buy them. They should also have straps to prevent them from falling into the water.

Reels

If you’re a beginner, then it is okay to use line spools or an inexpensive reel, but as you start getting better at catching fish, you will need to up your game and buy some top-shelf reels. Heavy catches will require a strong, durable reel that can hold heavyweights. They need to be strong enough to not break as you reel in your fish. You’ll definitely be able to learn more if you do some research online as well. There are really helpful tutorials and guidelines available. If you want some advice on how to reel in your catch successfully, Archery Edge offers comprehensive guides for beginners on the correct ways for reeling and everything bowfishing related. It’s important to get the angling for the reeling right, and also to be well informed on what the best spots are.

Lights

Since most bowfishing tournaments take place at night, competitors need to install several lights in order to see shallow fish. You can find different types of fishing lights, including halogen lights, LED lights, and High-Pressure Sodium lights. Consider installing one of these to improve your bowfishing experience.

Two-barbed and three-barbed tips

If you don’t want your catch to slip away, a three-barbed tip will make sure it’s secured and the fish won’t be able to work itself free. Two-barbed tips, on the other hand, will have a looser grip and can easily slip from the body of the target, especially if your bowfishing in deep waters. However, this is unlikely to occur if you’re bowfishing in shallow water. So, the best option here is to use three-barbed tips in deep water for their durable hold and two-barbed tips in shallow water since there won’t be much resistance.

Scouting

If you’re going to go bowfishing regularly, you will have to find new bowfishing areas for different types of fish. Don’t hesitate to consult the internet on the nearest spot for bowfishing or the best riverbank side location to catch a certain type of fish. Explore the maps of your area and even check your location on the DNR website where there is a list of bodies of water around you with the different types of fish you can find. You can also explore the environment around you to find out different local species and which waters they prefer to inhabit. This way, you will know where to go fishing for certain species.

GPS

If you don’t already have one by now, you should go to the nearest store and buy one! A GPS will help you come back to your favorite spots and determine where your favorite species of fish lurk. In addition to being a great aid in area scouting, a GPS will help you explore untapped waters where the number of fish is large. It will also help you if you’re a competitor in a tournament.

Practice shooting submerged targets

Practicing in the comfort of your backyard with paper is great, but as you start shooting targets under water, you will find the situation is quite different in the ‘battlefield’. As we all know, light refracts in water; thus, submerged objects appear shallower than they seem. Your first missed shot of a submerged object is likely to have taught you that. This relays how important it is to train your hands to shoot for a deeper target than the water actually shows you, with your muscle memory, you will be able to master shooting submerged fish in no time. 

Coves and creeks 

It is nice to always have the boat to go back to when bowfishing, but why don’t you try bowfishing someplace else? Explore the area around you and discover coves and creeks that cannot be accessed by boat. You are likely to find these places rich with different types of fish and you will find yourself going back for that designated place for more catch. The same goes for bank fishing. If you go bowfishing primarily from riverbanks, then you are missing out on a lot. You also don’t have to have an expensive boat, you can go bowfishing on a canoe, kayak, or rowboat.

Many people will find this sport to be agreeable and satisfying because even beginners can have multiple successes their first time around. Just pick the right gear and scout for the best body of water near you and start bowfishing because every arrow you shoot will help you in perfecting your aim at fish and getting a bigger catch.

Transatlantic: Azores to Portugal: Day 11 [Day 59]

Hope is in the air! And there is a lot of air to give us a good push towards our destination.

The reason we sailed so far North when we left the Azores was to ride across to the top of the Iberian Peninsula with a prevailing tail wind. Then we would sail downwind along the Portuguese coast until we found our harbor and could comfortably sail into it.

You can see that up here, we were able to ride the steady and strong wind straight to our destination without the need to beat into the weather. The course is long, but much easier on the boat and on the crew because it is downwind. As winds pick up speed, so do we which then lowers the apparent wind felt by the boat and us inside the boat.

30 knots of wind when sailing downwind at 7 knots feels like 23 knots of wind. If we were beating into that at the same speed, it would feel like 37 knots of wind! That is quite the spread and we much prefer to be on the calmer side of the spectrum.

Transatlantic: Azores to Portugal: Day 10 [Day 58]

You know that feeling you get when you are out in the middle of nowhere?

At this moment, we were equidistant to NOTHING! Everything was far away and the only thing we have seen for over a week are waves. Sunrise, sunset, and cloudy skies block out the sun. The only difference from day to night is the color of the sky, grey by day, black by night.

We left the Azores about 11 days ago and are now roughly as far from them as we are close to our destination in Mainland Portugal. The funny part is we are actually closer to Ireland right now than we are to any Portuguese territory!

Day in and day out, we have not really enjoyed this voyage as much as our sail to the Azores. That passage was full of warm days and beautiful skies. We spent most of that passage out in the cockpit relaxing, eating, and playing games. This passage has been cold, rainy, and rough. Watch is performed by poking your head out the companionway every so often to confirm that you are still alone out in the middle of the ocean with no one and nothing around you.

Transatlantic: Azores to Portugal: Day 9 [Day 57]

54 nautical miles is not anything to brag about! The winds were not pleasant, and we honestly resembled a cork more so than a yacht.

The winds were variable but the seas were rather sloppy from all the wind that has been in the area. Light winds with large seas is not my favorite time to go forward on the deck to put up more sail. Instead, I much prefer to simply wait it out until one of two things will happen:

1. The winds will return and it’s a good thing that I didn’t put up more sail.

2. The seas will finally calm down and I can comfortably go forward to put up more sail.

Being how the sky was perpetually overcast, it was a safer bet to count on the prompt return of wind instead of the absolute lack thereof. While we didn’t move very much today, we thankfully did move in the right direction!