A cross Sound delivery of FLO, a 43’ OUTREMER catamaran.

Looking outside the window I could see FLO straining her mooring lines, as whitecaps started to show in the protection of Setauket Harbor. Although it was under a brilliant blue sky and bright sun, it was always somewhat sad to see that boats were being pulled out for winter. FLO was as usual one of the last ones to go. Where once boats sat, only vacated mooring balls bobbed in the building breeze.

We had a great sailing season. Mostly solo sails and races, visiting various destinations in Manhattan, Long Island, Shelter and Block Island Sound, but also many memorable outings with family and friends. In the 9 months and nearly 3000 sailed miles, FLO never let us down, ran like a race horse and actually surprised in her low maintenance. Now though it was time where even she had to find a dry home on the hard.

Kirk a formidable sailing buddy and myself arranged to deliver FLO to Norwalk Cove Marina, Connecticut, one of the only boatyards with a travel lift wide enough to appreciate FLO’s 24’ beam. Also it was home of my old friend Rick, owner of Bristol Yacht Refinishing, who would conduct major cosmetic improvements on our beloved catamaran.

This would be a fast one I thought. Winds were predicted “moderate” out of NNW and our destination was just N of W. A very rapid close reach I thought. For the two of us, I packed 2 NY-style deli sandwiches, with enough filling to feed a crew of 5, some apples for good health and beers to keep us warm. The thermometer read 55 degree Fahrenheit but with the wind-chill and occasional spray more like 40. We powered out under full throttle to fight wind and tide, waved farewell to the house on the bluff, where so often my 2 boys greeted me coming back from a sail. 2 reefs in the main and a slightly furled jib propelled us at 12 knots through the nasty breakers past the Port Jefferson Harbor inlet. Realizing that the weather forecast was wrong as usual-you would think I learn! – the wind was almost on the nose: 25-30 out of 300. OK, I thought…it will be a slightly longer trip than imagined. FLO loved this stuff. Her high, well rounded bows dealt with the seas in most convincing fashion, while we – as always listening to Sting’s newest- were happy, pushing the Autopilots red + and – buttons. Old Field point was to our lee and we needed to stay as high as possible to clear it. Ok, both boards all the way down. Needless to say the tide was unfavorable and added to the upwind challenge. At 35 degrees apparent wind and lumpy seas I decided to shake out one reef to give FLO more power to deal with the elements. With peaks of over 14 knots this amazing cat ploughed through the seas to give us ear to ear grins. In the background the Airogen wind generator was howling with approval. The conversation switched to analyzing the 200 foot double wake and its intricacies. The Sound was ours, no one in sight, brilliant sunlight, life was great!

Norwalk Island and the familiar stacks of the power plant seemed to be closing in at a fast clip. Seeing the first of the many markers of the entrance channel, I had to think of the numerous family cruises, with visits to the old light house on Sheffield Island, the amazing Norwalk Aquarium and to the Children’s Museum. Here an important side note for sailing fathers of a novice family: Especially in the beginning, keep your trips short, have plenty of toys on board (lest you want your boat rebuilt by your own children) and always plan for a family attraction on land. Thank God, Long Island Sound and surrounding area has plenty of it.

Having arrived at Greens Ledge Light we lowered the sails and made our way through the long winding channel of the Norwalk Islands. There is a less conservative approach through Pecks Ledge but with the moderate conditions I felt it more prudent to enter Norwalk from the SW. I had previously warned the dock master at “The Cove”, that because of our wide beam, windage and single 40 HP outboard we had limited maneuvering ability and therefore kindly requested an end dock or something with easy access. Alas easy access we got. We had to tie up to a wooden dock, which bottom structure was more barnacles than steel and, which was only inches away from our topsides. The good thing was, it being an end dock it was easy to get to … but also totally exposed to the still animated conditions and the 2 mile fetch of the harbor. Tying the boat up into a macro-may of dock lines and using every possible fender as cushion we made FLO as comfortable as possible.

This was to be FLO’s last sail of the year. always comes in handy when I forget to buy my meds. Whenever I remember, I can order everything I need on the website. The support service works round-the-clock, so even making an order late at night, I can ask them questions bothering me. The service and the delivery are always top. Thanks for your job! During the 3 following days, lying at the dock and waiting for her turn to be pulled, she must have been visited by an adventurous family of rodents. My favorite Dutch salami was devoured and the entire galley contents rearranged…but that is a different story !

Text and Photographs by Gregor Tarjan