Etant bloqués depuis 1 semaine à la marina de la New Rochelle avec Pascal, nous avons eu le temps de commencer à bien faire connaissance. Beaucoup de gens m’ont souvent posé la question suivante : « mais, tu penses que ça va le faire avec ce mec que tu ne connais pas ?! » ; et ma réponse a toujours été la même : « oui, le courant est bien passé au téléphone, et je le sens bien » , et ce « good feeling » a très vite été confirmé lorsque je l’ai rencontré avec sa femme à New York.
J’ai donc toute confiance pour notre 1ere navigation qui nous emmène vers la marina de Westbrook.
Les prévisions sont bonnes, nous avons laissé passer la tempête annoncée pour naviguer sous soi-disant 20-25 nœuds en début d’aprem, diminuant en cours de soirée.
Le départ se fait (enfin!), nous sortons tranquillement de notre marina, montons la GV, puis la trinquette (petite voile avant) avec vent arrière de 15 nœuds. C’est une découverte pour moi, j’ai très peu d’expérience en navigation et suis là pour tout apprendre. Pilote auto en route, Pascal en profite pour effectuer une réparation à l’intérieur. C’est bien évidemment à ce moment-là que le pilote auto décide de décrocher (il n’est plus capable de maintenir son cap et ne sait donc pas quoi faire).
J’observe, tranquillement, Pascal, manoeuvrer pour nous remettre dans le bon sens, j’apprends à ressentir ce bateau que je ne connais pas et dont je peux seulement dire, à ce moment là, qu’il est stable. Je mentirai si je disais que je n’ai pas d’appréhension, c’est toujours impressionnant de giter et voir la mer à 45 degrés sur un voilier de 45 pieds. Je reprends confiance, le pilote nous lâche 2 ou 3 fois mais je commence à me sentir à l’aise, ; malgré un vent forçant vers 20 nœuds.
D’un coup, tout arrive en même temps : rafale à 40 nœuds, chariot du rail qui s’arrache du rail (ce qui ne devrait pas arriver !!), en conséquence écoute de trinquette totalement au vent, qui nous fait des rafales jusqu’à 35 nœuds, Pascal tentant de récupérer l’écoute de trinquette qui s’est défaite du winch. Je tente de l’aider du mieux que je peux, c’est là que je peux ressentir toute la puissance du vent dans ce morceau de corde que je tente de maitriser pour le remettre sur le winch. De toute manière cela ne sert à rien, il ne tient pas dessus. Pascal tente de maintenir le cap au moteur, qui se décide lui aussi à tomber en panne… Que dire ? Le stress commence à monter chez moi, paniquer ne changerait rien, alors j’espère juste qu’il trouvera la panne pour se remettre sur le bon cap… Ce n’est pas gagné, mais il semblerait que j’ai décidé de naviguer avec la bonne personne ; il remet tout d’aplomb et décide d’affaler la GV (vent trop puissant pour permettre de naviguer avec) afin de continuer au moteur. Une fois le moteur en route, tout devient plus simple et nous sommes juste secoués par la houle et un peu le vent. Nous apprendrons le lendemain à la marina que le vent est monté jusque 45 nœuds.
Je fais ma 1ère navigation de nuit, en surveillance d’instrument pendant que Pascal fait une petite sieste. Puis il prend le relai et nous arrivons vers 3h du mat à proximité de notre destination et descendons l’encre pour finir la nuit et arriver tranquillement le lendemain midi à la marina.
Ce baptême, bien que secoué, me permet d’apprendre à ressentir le bateau et en découvrir sa stabilité dans la « tempête », et de connaître le capitaine en situation de difficulté (de mon point de vue), je suis donc confiante pour traverser l’Atlantique, ce qui est important pour nous 2.
Egalement, même si prenons du retard (départ prévu 26 mars), et à certains moment rongeons notre frein, ces évènements sont tous liés ; le changement de la GV nous permet de voir les torons du câble de génois cassés, le retard de la réparation de l’auto pilote nous faisant traverser une journée plus ventée que prévu, permet de réparer facilement et non pas en pleine mer certaines pièces défectueuses (écoute) et d’effectuer un départ totalement serein.
Là nous avons enfin donné un sérieux coup de nettoyage à l’extérieur du bateau qui était plein de sels. Les vagues ont déchiré le sac du Spi attaché sur le pont et ont l'a perdu. Je remarque une sangle qui reste qui semble elle déchiré aussi, un résultat du chariot cassé?
Il faut savoir prendre son mal en patience, ce qui devrait nous permettre de pleinement profiter de la traversée jusqu’au Azores puis en France !
Là nous avons enfin donné un sérieux coup de nettoyage à l’extérieur du bateau qui était plein de sels. Les vagues ont déchiré le sac du Spi attaché sur le pont et ont l'a perdu. Je remarque une sangle qui reste qui semble elle déchiré aussi, un résultat du chariot cassé?
Il faut savoir prendre son mal en patience, ce qui devrait nous permettre de pleinement profiter de la traversée jusqu’au Azores puis en France !
Pour ma part, je m’estime heureuse et très chanceuse d’être tombée sur une personne aussi ouverte d’esprit pour embarquer une inconnue inexpérimentée, et lui laisser la possibilité d’apprendre à réaliser un de ses rêves : naviguer.
New Rochelle - Connecticut, story of Célia
Being stuck for 1 week at the marina of New Rochelle with Pascal, we had time to get to know each other. Many people have often asked me the following question: "But, do you think it will do with this guy you do not know ?! »; and my answer has always been the same: "yes, the feeling is good over the phone, and it feels good", and this "good feeling" was quickly confirmed when I met with his companion in New York .
So I have all confidence for our first navigation that takes us to the Westbrook Marina.
The forecasts are good, we let the announced storm to sail under so-called 20-25 knots early aprem, decreasing during the evening.
The departure is done (finally!), We leave quietly of our marina, assemble the GV, then the staysail (small forward sail) with tailwind of 15 knots. This is a discovery for me, I have very little experience in navigation and am here to learn everything. Auto driver en route, Pascal takes the opportunity to make a repair inside. It is obviously at this point that the driver decides to pick up (he is no longer able to maintain his course and therefore does not know what to do).
I observe, calmly, Pascal, maneuver to put us in the right direction, I learn to feel this boat that I do not know and which I can only say, at that moment, that it is stable. I will lie if I say that I have no apprehension, it is always impressive to lie and see the sea at 45 degrees on a sailboat 45 feet. I regain confidence, the driver lets us go 2 or 3 times but I start to feel comfortable,; despite a wind force up to 20 knots.
Suddenly, everything arrives at the same time: gusting to 40 knots, the rail chariot that pulls off the rail (which should not happen!), Therefore we put totally into the wind, which gusts us up at 40 knots, Pascal trying to get hold of the staysail which broke the rail chariot. I try to help him as best I can, that's where I can feel all the power of the wind in this piece of rope that I try to control to put it back on a winch. Anyway it is useless, I cannot fix it on it. Pascal tries to stay on course with the engine, which also decides to break down ... What to say? Stress starts to rise at home, panic would not change anything, so I just hope he'll find the fault to get back on track ... It's not a sure thing, but it seems like I decided to navigate with the right person ; he puts everything right and decides to lower the GV (wind too powerful to navigate with) to continue with the engine. Once the engine is running, everything becomes easier and we are just shaken by the swell and the wind. We will learn the next day at the marina that the wind had risen to 45 knots.
I'm doing my first night navigation, instrument monitoring while Pascal takes a nap. Then he takes the relay and we arrive around 3 am near our destination and downed the anchor to finish the night's sleep and enter quietly the next noon at high tide at the marina.
This baptism, although I am shaken, allows me to learn to feel the boat and discover its stability in the "storm", and to know the captain in difficulty (from my point of view), so I am confident to cross the Atlantic, which is important for us 2.
Also, even if we are falling behind (planned departure on March 26th), and at some point in the making, these events are all linked; the change of the GV allows us to see the cable with 4 strands broken for the genoa, with the delay of the repair of the autopilot making us go through a day windier than expected, it can easily be repaired and not in the open sea! repairing some defective parts makes for a completely serene departure.
For my part, I feel very happy and fortunate to have fallen on such an open-minded person to take on an inexperienced stranger, and to give her the opportunity to learn how to realize one of her dreams: to sail.
New Rochelle - Connecticut, story of Célia
Being stuck for 1 week at the marina of New Rochelle with Pascal, we had time to get to know each other. Many people have often asked me the following question: "But, do you think it will do with this guy you do not know ?! »; and my answer has always been the same: "yes, the feeling is good over the phone, and it feels good", and this "good feeling" was quickly confirmed when I met with his companion in New York .
So I have all confidence for our first navigation that takes us to the Westbrook Marina.
The forecasts are good, we let the announced storm to sail under so-called 20-25 knots early aprem, decreasing during the evening.
The departure is done (finally!), We leave quietly of our marina, assemble the GV, then the staysail (small forward sail) with tailwind of 15 knots. This is a discovery for me, I have very little experience in navigation and am here to learn everything. Auto driver en route, Pascal takes the opportunity to make a repair inside. It is obviously at this point that the driver decides to pick up (he is no longer able to maintain his course and therefore does not know what to do).
I observe, calmly, Pascal, maneuver to put us in the right direction, I learn to feel this boat that I do not know and which I can only say, at that moment, that it is stable. I will lie if I say that I have no apprehension, it is always impressive to lie and see the sea at 45 degrees on a sailboat 45 feet. I regain confidence, the driver lets us go 2 or 3 times but I start to feel comfortable,; despite a wind force up to 20 knots.
Suddenly, everything arrives at the same time: gusting to 40 knots, the rail chariot that pulls off the rail (which should not happen!), Therefore we put totally into the wind, which gusts us up at 40 knots, Pascal trying to get hold of the staysail which broke the rail chariot. I try to help him as best I can, that's where I can feel all the power of the wind in this piece of rope that I try to control to put it back on a winch. Anyway it is useless, I cannot fix it on it. Pascal tries to stay on course with the engine, which also decides to break down ... What to say? Stress starts to rise at home, panic would not change anything, so I just hope he'll find the fault to get back on track ... It's not a sure thing, but it seems like I decided to navigate with the right person ; he puts everything right and decides to lower the GV (wind too powerful to navigate with) to continue with the engine. Once the engine is running, everything becomes easier and we are just shaken by the swell and the wind. We will learn the next day at the marina that the wind had risen to 45 knots.
I'm doing my first night navigation, instrument monitoring while Pascal takes a nap. Then he takes the relay and we arrive around 3 am near our destination and downed the anchor to finish the night's sleep and enter quietly the next noon at high tide at the marina.
This baptism, although I am shaken, allows me to learn to feel the boat and discover its stability in the "storm", and to know the captain in difficulty (from my point of view), so I am confident to cross the Atlantic, which is important for us 2.
Also, even if we are falling behind (planned departure on March 26th), and at some point in the making, these events are all linked; the change of the GV allows us to see the cable with 4 strands broken for the genoa, with the delay of the repair of the autopilot making us go through a day windier than expected, it can easily be repaired and not in the open sea! repairing some defective parts makes for a completely serene departure.
The waves we suffered tore off our Spi, which was well attached on deck. But the sun had seriously weakened the canvas of the bag and it tore and the sail disappeared. We had no indication of this loss, which must have taken place in the night, I just noticed the torn bag dangling overboard in the morning and a strap torn which could be the effect of the flying chariot.
We must know how to have patience, which should allow us to fully enjoy the crossing to Azores and France!For my part, I feel very happy and fortunate to have fallen on such an open-minded person to take on an inexperienced stranger, and to give her the opportunity to learn how to realize one of her dreams: to sail.
