We did our first real cruise with Diamond Girl this summer after 3 summers of bopping around locally on the Bruce Peninsula and doing no more than 3 day trips. 2 weeks in the North Channel of Lake Huron (wish it was more). The boat did really well and if its of any interest to others, I have some thoughts and do-differents for next year:
The Yanmar 3GM engine is outstanding - thrifty on fuel and more power than the boat really needs. The engine will start with an almost dead battery as well (I tried it on an almost dead house battery - still had cranking battery in reserve) Batteries - we need a 2nd house battery as refrigeration sucks it down fast. On the other hand refrig does not always need to run. A block of ice in the cooler was still substantially there after two weeks even with refrig shut off some nights. Motomaster marine batteries - very disappointed - house battery is only two years old and it was not great. A good lug sanding and tightening and it was better though ... need to check SG and solve house battery issues for next year. Cranking AGM battery (1 yr old) no issues at all but then it was only lightly used. Raymarine E7 chartplotter is one year old and already parts of the touchscreen don't work - very disappointed in this because otherwise it was solid. In for repair! Raymarine Underdeck autohelm - outstanding as I already knew but did confirm conditions under which you need to helm yourself, ie larger quartering seas. I did find the response adjustment helped, and that it seems to reset to standard response when powered off. Sails - we only have a furling #3 for cruising - all others are racing sails. We have no #2. This was a PITA. Need furling #2 for cruising. #1 is way too big a sail to be folding up after use when cruising. Broke 2 lugs on main on high wind day - thanks to all for comments, I now know how to repair. Thanks to John Read for recommendation on 2nd reef - I put it in over the winter and it proved essential. Max wind conditions on our trip were gusting 35-40 knots true - some to weather, some reaching and downwind. Several times sailed in sustained 30 knot true winds. Boat sailed well to weather with 2 reefs and #3 with a couple of times #3 rolled down to a scrap of a sail. Standing and running rigging - no issues - the boat is well laid out with everything brought into cockpit. Boat handling - I was very happy with how the boat handled in big seas. Max about 6 feet at times which on the great lakes can be very nasty due to short wave periods. The boat did lose a lot of speed at times climbing the bigger waves and we had to motorsail a few times to help it keep its speed. Otherwise would drop to 3-4 knots and only slowly get its speed back. My wife is now very comfortable on the helm and can manage the following/quartering seas very well. Cabin layout - no complaints at all except for size of head on the 34. At provisioning stops one is very happy to use a regular bathroom. New Jabsco plunger and joker valve - awesome - thank goodness after problems last year - highly recommended! A pumpout lasted us 4 to 5 days - on the 5th day one time we sailed for several hours in big seas with a full tank and it did not back-leak at all. Sunshower worked fine if you had some privacy outside . . . Canvas - we have none - DG was always a racer. Took a big beach umbrella which worked very well at anchor and also a golf umbrella better suited to a breeze. Both were fine. Boom tent for rain - all did their jobs. Maybe a dodger for next year. Ground tackle - definitely some issues here - we mostly set one or two anchors depending on wind forecasts and holding ground quality. My 35 lb Bruce was great but the 30 lb Delta - so so - it dragged once, and one night in high winds both anchors dragged slightly - very disturbing! We set a stern anchor or tied to shore a few times but more to conform with what other boaters were doing. Need a kellet for next year and also rig up a float to show location of anchor(s). 5' 10" draft - not ideal for cruising the north channel. A couple of minor bumps at anchor and one hard one entering a channel - I envy all you folks with 5 ft or less . . . The North Channel - my first time back there in many years - cruising heaven! Except for some mosquitoes here and there. Cheers, Steve Hood S/V Diamond Girl C&C 34 Lions Head ON _______________________________________________ This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album http://www.cncphotoalbum.com CnC-List@cnc-list.com
