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Terry K Terry K is offline
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First recorded activity by BoatBanter: Jul 2006
Posts: 41
Default River sailing question

I sail a 29' bilge keeler sloop on the St. John river, in New
Brunswick. I keep it at my cottage in Evandale.

We are in the tidal estuary, so we get reversing tidal flows of 3-4 kt,
but water levels range only about 2' normally, thanks to the protection
offered by the reversing falls at the mouth of the river, in the port
city of St. John. I use a cable ferry to get out to the mooring, and
sail as often as I can, though this year I am recuperating from
pancreas surgurey, so the boat is on the back yard on it's trailer.

I use a self tending jib to make sailing easier and more efficient when
beating against the wind and current. The St. John is perhaps half a
mile wide in spots. The wind direction relative to the river varies
with location as the river winds a bit and it is turbulent near the
banks, all part of the fun.

We have not yet explored all that we might get to. We have spent weeks
at a time sailing our river and it's lakes. It is beautiful and
relaxing.

For day sails, we mostly go up current, and up wind to start, if
possible.

I look foreward to shooting the falls and going to the island of Grand
Manan, my wife's childhood home some time.

I hope you will enjoy sailing anywhere you go.

Terry K