Great Sailing on the Magic Dragon!

8 October, 2011 - Lake of the Ozarks.

I left out quite a few tacks on the purple but you get the idea...

The Lake of the Ozarks (LOZ) is nicknamed the Magic Dragon.  It's a very commercialized and 'built up' lake in Mid Missouri with something like a 1000 miles of shoreline.   The Dragon name, which isn't known by many, was originally given to it due to the chinese serpentine dragon shape.

Winds were to be a stiff 15 mph with gust to 20.   We wanted to get onto the water and only had a day so I decided to head to LOZ since there are good ramps on the Gravois arm less than 50 miles from home!   I typically avoid this lake in the summer due to the number of people on the water--literally hundreds if not thousands of boats on a summer day.    Our 19 foot speed boat became too small for this lake as the waves can easily hit 3-4 feet high and a very 'confused' sea.   Galactica, I found out this weekend, holds her own quite well muscling smoothly through the water.  

Here's a Video Link showing a series of short videos from my 'Galacticam'!  Solo-Sailing the Magic Dragon in October!

The 'Galacticam'



In many ways, our Florida trip and sail on the ocean was a 'coming of age' sail for us.   I learned that this boat can do more than you'd think if you trust the boat and your own sailcraft!   It's opened a new chapter in our sailing experience.  

Coffman Beach Cove:  Main up, preparing to fall
off the wind and unfurl the Genoa!

Angie decided to stay home at the last moment due to our son coming home from college...being a great Dad, I said see you when I get home buddy! ;)   

I took the short trip to Coffman Beach Ramp and rigged Galactica!   The winds were fantastic and I raised full sails to enjoy!   Though October, there were still a lot of powerboats on the lake including some large 'cigar boats' racing which ignored or were ignorant of navigation rules and right of way....but that was far more offset by courteous boaters.  Some would come to an idle and simply enjoy watching Galactica sail past under full sails and a strong wind!

I was surprised to see dozens of sailboats on the main Osage channel!  

The Lighthouse Island is neat but my childhood memories of this lake are of a massive lake without commercial development and a 14 foot runabout could pull me as a kid, on skis to the dam and back.  That'd be suicidal now days... to many overpowered boats with young or intoxicated drivers who ignore or simply are ignorant of safe boating.   Lighthouse island was a tree covered island with the Hawaiian Island marina where we'd get gas and ice cream.   Now it's multi million dollar condos.

Lighthouse Island- formerly Hawaiian island.  
Dozens of sail barely visible in distance near Bagnell Dam!

I sailed sometimes under main only, sometimes both main and Genny along with a half dozen boats until I went into a bay which has the cove that my cousin has had a place at since the late 1950's.   I furled the Genoa and dropped in the iron-genny to powersail under full main into the tiny dock infested cove!



Prepare to come about!

This series of pictures I took after passing two outbound boats and while coming about in the narrow cove. :) 

Hard a Lee!



It was a fun manuever.... got some looks from some locals... :)

I got a lot of looks from people there as this big mid sized sailboat under sail ghosted into the narrow cove come about as I checked his dock and then sail back out!  :)

And through the wind into an opposite tack!

Once on the Osage channel, I switched back to genoa and main and sailed the journey back to the ramp in nearly one long tack on multiple points of sail!  

Great day on the water!!!

What a Great day sail on this lake!  These trips make it all worth it!   Fun, relaxing, challenging-soul cleansing!


Returning to the Gravois arm!



After a picture perfect docking maneuver, Galactica is awaiting me
to retrieve the Truck and Trailer rig for the journey home.



Miles Sailed:  14+ miles

Winds:  SSE 15 gusting to 20