Sea Trials

Adventure Location: Copano Bay, Texas

It was time to give the Tribe 11.5 some serious sea trials.  The Yakking Team headed over to the Copano Bay Public Boat Launch.  With the wind from the land it would give us cover if the wind got too much for the Moder (the OFM).

The launch point is very good. We launched to the side of the concrete ramp so we could stay out of the way of the power boats.  The Tribe handled well again and we go under way without any excitement of the unplanned variety.

This would be out into some very open waters with the ability to duck back close to the wind protected shore if needed. The OFM likes to take small steps to adventure until he is very confident in him and his equipment. After we were well clear of the ramp, we turned and looked at where we launched the Tribe.

The OFM once years ago in his bullet proof and invincible youth did not look back at where he came from as he was leaving the launch.  It proved to be a bad mistake that has not been made since. It is important in a boat to be able to identify where you need to head back to from out on the water.

This launch is very close to where the new bridge is being built. We had wondered how they got all that concrete out to the bridge site for pouring the columns. Here is the answer. They take concrete trucks out on a barge from the construction dock. This is the barge heading back to the construction dock for a refill.

We chose to head for the construction dock just because. Along the way we passed several piers that stuck out into the bay from private homes. This particular one had a few friendly folks on it fishing.  We exchange waves and howdy with them as the Tribe slid quietly past the pier.

Next on the route was a bulkhead that is left from some development in the past. It is not a good place to land from a yak and the sign does not welcome you anyway.  It would be a very difficult task to climb up the bulkhead from a rocking yak.  It is doubtful that the OFM could do it at all.

Next along the route was the construction dock.  We chose to stay away from it as there was a lot of activity.  Being as how we are the smallest boat out there, getting run over would hardly be noticed by the rest of the equipment.

By now the Moder was ready to head back. We got turned around and looked for the launch point.  Later it found that we were only a half mile away from the launch point.  Being very low to the water in a yak does have its own special troubles. But we spotted the launch point so we could cut across the open water for more testing of the Tribe.

The launch point is in the red circle.

As it turned out the Tribe is very capable in the open water also.  Yes the wind was more of a factor but the Tribe handled it without an undo problem.  The cross ways waves had to be paid attention to but turned out to be a non-factor in the headway we made.

It was a safe journey and fun also.  Kayaking Copano Bay is another good way of trying to have tooooo much fun. TheOFM.