Confession time.
So there was I hurtling towards Osborne Bay in a SE wind on a close reach with 900 sq ft of sail up. This was my first sail in my new boat and the game plan to make all my initial mistakes in private was about to be put into action.
The shallows of Osborne bay extended out further than I remembered which meant it was time for my first single handed tack. Not a problem thought I, should be a doddle with the auto tack feature in my hi-tech gyro stabilized AutoHelm 6000.
I climbed over the mainsheet track after hitting the tack button, picked up both genoa sheets and AND the Isle of Wight just got closer. Back behind the helm once more, I inspected the Autohelm display and found the tRack button but there was no tack button!
After a trip to the nav table I started thumbing through the auto pilot user guide in haste as the IOW got closer and the depth dropped to 5m. Fortunately the index and international graphics were good because the 10 + 1 button solution to my dilemma was quickly found.
So there was I hurtling towards Osborne Bay in a SE wind on a close reach with 900 sq ft of sail up. This was my first sail in my new boat and the game plan to make all my initial mistakes in private was about to be put into action.
The shallows of Osborne bay extended out further than I remembered which meant it was time for my first single handed tack. Not a problem thought I, should be a doddle with the auto tack feature in my hi-tech gyro stabilized AutoHelm 6000.
I climbed over the mainsheet track after hitting the tack button, picked up both genoa sheets and AND the Isle of Wight just got closer. Back behind the helm once more, I inspected the Autohelm display and found the tRack button but there was no tack button!
After a trip to the nav table I started thumbing through the auto pilot user guide in haste as the IOW got closer and the depth dropped to 5m. Fortunately the index and international graphics were good because the 10 + 1 button solution to my dilemma was quickly found.
