The goal this week was to get Isola Naida off her mooring ball and get a feel for how she handles under power and sail. We invited our friends Charles and Roxy aboard to join us on the inaugural adventure.
Solar vs Refrigerator
When we arrived on Isola Naida Friday evening we decided to power on the refrigerator system to monitor the energy consumption throughout the weekend. Neither of us are very familiar with solar panel setups, so we are getting a feel for how much energy our 600 watt solar setup can recover, and on the other side of the equation, get a feeling for how much energy devices onboard use when operating.
On Saturday morning, as the sun rose high enough to start feeding the solar panels, D’Arcy watched the system begin to generate power; but noticed one of our larger charge controllers connected to a 200W panel was show a status of “Off”. At first, we put this down to shade coverage on the panel, but as the sun climbed higher, the issue persisted.
D’Arcy checked the connections from the panel to the MPPT charge controller, and from the MPPT to the bus bar. Everything looked fine, except one wire connecting the panel to the MPPT was slightly oversized for the connection port which, combined with some weathering on the contact, made it difficult for the wire to fit snugly into the connection port. We suspect this may be the culprit, but he wasn’t able to seat it any better, and couldn’t get the device to start charging again. Since we have 400W of panels working across three other charge controllers, we decided to put this off until later in the week when I’d have more time to troubleshoot the issue.
Guests Arrive
Our friends, Charles and Roxy, arrived at the marina around 11:45. Charles and D’Arcy sailed and deployed together in the Navy and have been close ever since. They work well together, and we knew that if we needed a hand with anything, they could easily communicate what needed to be done; a huge positive when things get busy aboard. Noelle made halloumi cheese tacos with pineapple – a tasty, light meal perfect before casting off. After our meal we decided it was as good a time as any to start up the motor and get off the mooring ball.
D’Arcy ran through the checklist, double checked that all of our electronics were powered up and that the engine cooling seacock was in the open position. After a quick departure briefing, he took the helm, Charles was on the mooring lines, and Noelle was helping us to communicate. We dropped the lines, gave a quick shot in reverse to ensure we kept clear of the lines and dinghy, then turned to port to make our way out of the mooring field.
We motored south for a few minutes before deciding to raise sail. With winds were blowing from the north-northwest, we headed upwind to assist in hoisting the main. Our inexperience made it more difficult that it should have been. Lines that should have been running free were, at times, left cleated on, the batons became caught on the lazy jacks as the winds shifted, and the weight of the sail was more than others we were familiar with. Noelle took the helm so that D’Arcy could head forward to help manage halyard tension. We eventually got the mainsail up, then began rounding downwind to unfurl the jib. Once both the main and jib were flying, we cut the engine and raised the mizzen.
After our struggle, it felt liberating to relax with full canvas up, coasting downwind. We were making 3-5 knots in 8-10kts of breeze. As Frog Island lay off our starboard beam, Noelle and Roxy spotted something in the water off our starboard quarter – a pair of Harbour Porpoises! We were so caught up in the moment that we forgot to take photos. They breached several times before diving beneath the keel, and we could clearly see them beneath the water’s surface.
A Gusty Return
We continued sailing south and rounded Birch Island, where Roxy spotted the Quaker Island Lighthouse off to the east. Sitting on (appropriately named) Quaker Island, the lighthouse marks the entrance to Chester, Nova Scotia. We altered course to get a better look, sailing across Mahone Bay toward it.
As we passed the island, the wind picked up — gusts reaching 19 knots from the north. Isola Naida heeled over for the first time, just enough to send something tumbling in the salon. But she held her line well, and we were all impressed with her performance.
As we made our way between Saddle Island and Snake Island, the gusts became more sustained. Not wanting to push the boat, ourselves, or our guests any further than we already had — and with the afternoon slipping away — we decided to head back. Charles and Roxy still had a drive ahead of them.
Crossing back south of Birch Island, we considered the upwind leg that awaited us and whether our crew (and current experience level) could handle it smoothly. We decided not to tempt fate. We pointed upwind, dropped sails, and motored back to the marina.
A Relaxing Evening
Re-entering the mooring field was uneventful, helped by the fact that many boats between us and the outer edge were out sailing. With a clear approach, we made the pickup smoothly. After securing lines and powering everything down, we settled into the cockpit for some drinks and snacks to cap off the trip.
We didn’t expect our first day out on Isola Naida to be smooth and mistake-free—and it wasn’t. But despite a few operational hiccoughs, we had a successful first sail and were grateful to share it with good friends.