June 1st and 2nd 2019

After a long winter and a full weekend to repair/calibrate the electronic (thanks to Laurent), we finally can enjoy the pleasure to sail at high speed.

Saturday, despite a light wind prediction of the weather forecast, we really can feel the great potential of the boat, with its beautiful mainsail hoisted with no reef.
Fabulous sensations at 25knots in a perfect flat sea.
We have a little minus though, the helm is not smooth and we need to be very concentrated (and strong) to not let us taken by a hard point coming now and then at high speed. We MUST find out what the problem is ASAP.

Very short crew that day, but enough to enjoy every minute.
Ardic, Senol, Izzet, Levent (a new crew) and myself.
Better not forget the 3 scary “stop&Go” occurring at 25knots where the leeward hull AND the bow went way under water surface due to a late reaction bot at the mainsheet and the J1 sheet combine to a no-reaction at the helm. WOW. Bad luck no camera was running ;).
The J1 was replaced by the smaller J3 after the first alert and eventhough, we had 2 more …
The wind picked up in a bay West of our marina forcing us to take a reef (which became 2)

Sunday, the weather forecast announced a very light breeze and so it was from the morning to 2pm where we got a nice NNE of 10-12knots.
Same people as the day before plus Izzet’s gf until Ardic’s sister, Bike, and 2 of their friends joined, sailed by Bike’s motor boat.
A very nice ride with the maxi-genaker topping 20 to 21knots in very safe conditions.

A wonderful sailing weekend, except that we could not trust the B&G auto pilot which seemed to have worked pretty well the previous weekend.

Let’s see what the 15th&16th will have to offer.

Here are some pictures of the weekend
Check out the videos at the bottom

1) Saturday

2) Sunday

 

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Electronic weekend (18-19 May 2019)

Together with Laurent, our “witch” (wizard), this weekend is reserved for setting up and calibrating all electronic which had suffered bad treatment the past few seasons.
Lucky, the wind was very light and he (wizard) could “fly” some hours on top of the mast, enjoying the view.
The sailing itself was ….. not much fun for the crew as we deployed the J1 once for a very short period, unable to find wind enough.
Instead, we could practice flying the drone and take some few shots. Not top quality but unusual angles of Yasasin we had never seen before.

The crew:
Ardic
James  – Ardic’s British fellow (on Sunday)
Sena (on Sunday)
Laurent
Izzet
Senol
Levent (new on board)
Xavier
Kerem (on Sunday)

Saturday

 

Sunday

June 2nd and 3rd 2018

Saturday June 2th wind: up to 20-22knots ENE – NE
crew: Senol, Izzet, Kerem, Ali, X (+ taxi driver)
the expected wind does not come as the weather forecast predicted.
Very happy about that so we can hoist both genakers and look at them, check the drum-system and roll them properly.

Sunday June 3rd wind: 10-12knots NE – ENE – E
crew: Senol, Izzet, Kerem, Batuhan, Cem, X, Özlem and her son Ruzgar 5yrs old  (“wind” in Turkish)
The weather is mild and we cannot reach high speed even with full sails. We cannot go so far then, due to the time agreed with our driver, so we only manage a 40miles trip that day.
Still we have some good sailing, where Izzet non-stop keeps the helm with no rest.
That day, we have the visit of Ozlem and her son Ruzgar (5 years old). Second time for his mother, he needs long time to feel confident and let his mum away. With patience and convincing expressions, we manage to get him to play with all (see videos and pics). The way back to town will see a very tired boy falling asleep almost right away

Photos taken Saturday

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Video 1 (fast sailing): https://youtu.be/hCac3stMUsc
Video 2 (fast sailing): https://youtu.be/7ylvLyinBQ4
Video 3 (fast sailing): https://youtu.be/EEFuF0YfbVo

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Photos taken Sunday

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Photos from our new young sailor Ruzgar, taken sunday – slideshow

Some videos of Ruzgar’s day
Video 1: at the helm
Video 2: On the fordeck
Video 3: Single hand sailor?
Video 4: Winch handling practice
Video 5: Single hand hard work

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April 28th and 29th

2 different days are scheduled for this weekend
Saturday and its training session, fun and windy
and
A strange Sunday where the crew more than the weather will play a big role
Today will see Yasasin with 16 people on board with 5 teenagers who will enjoy every second

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Saturday’s videos

Video: Deck view
Video: Fordeck view
Video: Approaching traffic
Video: Speeding above 21 knots
Video: Total stability above 21knots
Video: West Marina approach

 

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Sunday’s videos

Launching March/April 2018 (West Istanbul Marina)

4 days weekend (30/03 to 1/04) for launching Yasasin, hoping to have a great season with the new mainsail delivered this friday (31st of March)

the videos
Launching 1  Launching 2
Dagger-board
Mast set

Thursday
A very cold and wet  to get on with the rig and the cockpit floor.
Batuhan is dedicating himself to the mast while Ardic and Sena concentrate on the cockpit.
At the end of the day, we are about ready to launch. Few details are left for tomorrow.
On the way to the hotel, we drop by North sails to see our new mainsail, as few details might be needed to agree upon.
We discover the loft, impressive building, and very nice people welcoming us all (we were 5 coming)

 

Friday
Weather much better, with sunshine and tshirt quite some hours.
After finishing some few details on the mast (top light) and secure the cockpit floor, the crane can start getting ready. It takes a while before we can lift up Yasasin.
A little panic moment happened when Yasasin was almost thrown up 1,5meter.
Lucky all, no damages (only light scratches)
The rudders are set, and the boat could be launched without any problems.
Then followed the dagger-board and the mast.
Rather quick operation, to end with loading the sails and several gears needed for sailing. (the container is quite far from the mooring spot we have)
We then sail Yasasin to our dock helped by 2 zodiacs and 6 people of the harbor. A perfect manoeuver.
Quickly we manage to hoist the J1 (solent), lash it and furl it.

Saturday
No wind at all and perfect condition to hoist the J2 (staysail) and later on the mainsail for the very first time.
The operation takes a while because the battens need to be ajusted, the travelers correctly mounted and so on.
No sailing as there is no wind, and that is fine because we need to leave the boat by 17.30

Sunday
The sea looks rough, and some of us a little worried to go out sailing.
2 reefs in the main to start with where we take several pictures, try to adjust the leech-line, the cunningham, and finally roll out the J2. Not that windy, we are from sailing fast, but the point is more to look at the main of course, and feel the boat, the helm.
The wind drops a little so we hoist to reef 1, and change to J1
On the way back, the wind increases suddenly letting us unable to bare away to roll the J1 not risking to broach.
A combination of few reasons leaded the J1 to get ripped off at batten 4 level.
1. no foil to leeward, 2. too much daggerboard down, 3. J1 not eased off enough to drop the speed, 4. main-traveler eased during bare off.
The lesson is taken, we will have to talk on land, with a white-board or at least in a calm place.

Conclusion for the mainsail is to take it back to the loft for some adjustments, and of course take the J1 as well, to get it fixed.

Next sailing weekend the 28th and 29th of April
Looking forward

Winter 2017 – 2018

Soon after the boat is on land, the new mainsail is ordered to get into production.
NorthSails Turkey is choosen, with NorthSails France standing for the design.
Lots of going on, mails and phone calls forth and back with both France and Turkey as to optimise the product we have decided to invest in.

At the same time, we prepare the boat for the new season. The propeler is refitted, the engine checked, and lots of ropes are changed.

Rendez-vous is taken after the winter to launch

 

 

Autumn 2017: season’s ending

25knots (trip from Didim to West Marina) (video)
Light wind on the way from Didim to West Marina (video)

After a rather easy trip back from Didim to Istanbul, we have a couple of sailing weekends from West Marina Istanbul where Yasasin has its new homeport.

Nice ride on board Yasasin (video)
Speeding on Yasasin (video)

Unfortunately, a mistake forces us to stop sailing as a line has gone (again) into thr propeler while about to sail in the harbour. Lucky the zodiac is strong enough to help us in.

Few weekends after, (end of October), we hoist Yasasin on land. The propeler has to be dismounted, and the operation can only safely be done out of the water.

A nice set up on land where the container, mast and boat are safely secured.