Why Are We So Slow?

In order to time the fair current through the Canal, we didn't want to get to the Cape Cod Canal entrance until 19:00. That allowed us some time to walk up the Cuttyhunk hill. It was a foggy morning and there wouldn't be much of a view, but going for a walk appealed to us all.  We left our mooring and stopped at the fuel dock to top off our tank and then docked again where we had the day before.  After a walk up Cuttyhunk hill and stop at the market to get a few things,  we departed Cuttyhunk about 12:30.

Owl Moon docked at the empty marina.

View from the road on the walk up Cuttyhunk hill.

View (not much) from Cuttyhunk hill.

Preparing to sail once we leave Cuttyhunk Harbor.

With a brisk SE wind and extra time, I set a course for Quissett Harbor. It is a place I have wanted to check out and the course would allow us to sail on a fast beam reach.

We arrived Quissett about 15:00 and after a quick loop through the Harbor, we picked up a mooring near the entrance. The harbor was as described in the cruising guide...small and well protected. I would definitely stop here for the night some other time. Time for a nap!

Moored Boats in Quissett Harbor

Reviewing course for CCC exit to Portland...yes, we had paper charts aboard!

We left the mooring at 17:15, heading for the CCC. Now our heading was dead downwind.  With some time to spare and what seemed like enough breeze, we set the whisker pole to go wing and wing. I do bow for setting the pole, and on returning to the cockpit, I was discouraged to see our speed had not improved and that we would need motor assist to arrive at the CCC entrance on schedule.

Low visibility as we enter Cape Cod Canal

We didn't want to delay for a slow sail because we wanted to get out into Cape Cod Bay before sunset.  We were still trying to stay ahead of weather. Also, there was a forecast wind shift to the NW and we wanted to get N as far as possible before that happened.

I was a bit frustrated with the boat speed because the speed through the water also seemed slow in addition to the SOG. I didn't have full confidence in the paddle wheel measure of speed through the water and figured we had more adverse current than expected.

Eventually we took down the pole and furled the jibs, keeping the main up until we reached the canal entrance, right on time.  We had to turn upwind briefly to drop the main.

As the current turned in our favor in the Canal, we picked up speed, but I was still not happy with our SOG.  On exiting the Canal, our speed dropped below 6 knots SOG. How could this be? There should not be much current out here in Cape Cod Bay either with or against us.

I could see a smaller sailboat to the NW of us on AIS also going slow...slower than us. I really didn't know what to make of our SOG, but seeing another boat going so slow made me think it might be expected.

I finally decided to put the engine in neutral, we coasted to almost a stop, then I went into reverse and when we reached about 1 knot in reverse, I shifted to neutral again. Once the boat speed slowed to almost a stop, I shifted to idle forward. A float popped up behind the boat! It was the same pattern we had seen in Buzzards Bay on our trip from Quissett to CCC! We had been dragging the float and whatever had been attached to it since before the canal and all the way through the canal!

I don't know when or how we picked it up, but I'm guessing it was when we were distracted from watching while setting the whisker pole. I'm surprised it didn't come off when we turned upwind to drop the main or foul the prop...we do have a shaft shark for cutting lines near the prop.

I resumed full throttle forward and our speed increased to just over 7 knots (SOG and speed through the water). That was good to see! Now we were off into Cape Cod Bay into the night, heading for Portland.