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As he approached I watched what
appeared to be some confusion across there. Then I saw him drop
sail and come to a rest. |
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After about fifteen minutes of
inaction, I called him on my cell phone to find out what was
happening. Hey, what do you know? There are no docks for him
to tie up to -- they were taken out some time ago! I decided to
drive around to Winter Island in case he needed a hand. He didn't
think he would, but would sure like me to take some photos of him
trailering out. |
 |
About twenty minutes later of driving through Salem I
arrived. John had a plan, sort of. He'd tied Malacass to the
closest mooring he could find (fortunately he had plenty to choose from,
it being December and all), paddled ashore, and moved his truck and
trailer down to the end of the ramp. |
 |
He paddled back out to bring Malacass in to the ramp. |
 |
Now this is where John's sailing minimalism gets a little
extreme for my taste: He didn't bother with the outboard that's
given him so much trouble that it probably wouldn't start again anyway.
Instead, "Chief Hiawatha" planned to tow his sailboat in to the ramp and
trailer using the canoe! C'mon, that's a bit extreme in the
extreme methinks! While he was on his way out to Malacass, I moved
my Blazer to the top of the ramp, left it running with the heater
blasting. |
 |
What a sight! He should have been wearing a
seagull-feathered headdress. He just lucky it was dead calm or
he'd never have pulled this off. |
 |
He tied Malacass to a piling (where the face dock used to be,
before it was pulled out for the winter) until he could back his trailer
in. |
 |
Back at the ramp with his faithful canoe pulled aground
and out of the way. Note the tide at 2:00 pm is three hours past
dead low, not the best time for trailering out but better than an
outgoing tide. |
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Instead of a solid trailer tongue extension, John's
devised one using chain that worked very well. His
custom-improvised rear-wheels chock also was impressive: It lifts
when he pulls the truck forward. On a ramp this steep, chocks are
essential. That's my warm and cozy Blazer sitting at the top of the
ramp. |
 |
A closer view of John's chain extension with
the trailer's jack wheel
down. |
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It's never-ending ... but Sailing Season '08 has ended! |
