The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

The 2010 Haul-Out
November 11, 2010

Description

Today Chip Ahoy is scheduled to be hauled-out, but the wind's still blowing hard -- NE 15-25 mph with gusts up to 32 -- and the harbor's still choppy. I'd put it off until tomorrow, when conditions are supposed to improve as the nor'easter moves offshore tonight, but I have to be home tomorrow so my landlord and his real estate agent can show my house, which he's trying to sell. They can't/won't put it off so I don't have any choice but to give this my best shot and hope for the best. In the photo on the right, the boatyard and its crane are on the horizon; Chip Ahoy is on the right.  (Nov. 11, 2010)

When I brought the trailer over to F.J. Dion Yacht Yard at 10:30 this morning, the yard crew advised that we not attempt going out in their Boston Whaler and bringing Chip Ahoy into the dock until weather conditions improved. They'd just had a tough go of bringing in a J24 and didn't consider it prudent to try it again with a small 22-foot boat. "It gets pretty rough when you get away from the dock and out there," the yard chief observed. I reluctantly agreed to leave the trailer and let them tow in the boat whenever they felt conditions had improved sufficiently -- maybe later today or more likely tomorrow.

I returned just before sunset and found they'd hauled the boat and had it on its trailer, bottom cleaned -- they did a very nice job of it! I'll come back in the morning, with some help remove the outboard and rudder, strap the boat to the trailer and finalize preparations for the short trip home. Chip Ahoy is back aground:  Sailing Season 2010 is officially over, at last.  (Nov. 11, 2010)

This afternoon I drove over to the F.J. Dion boatyard and picked up Chip Ahoy on its trailer. We had a real hard time getting the outboard off -- had to break the mount screw to remove it. I also broke the outboard bracket's lift-control  handle in the attempt; parts that will need to be replaced come spring, argh.

But the boat is home for the winter again. All that's left to do is to empty and cover it, and that'll happen in the next week or so.  The seasonal "heavy lifting" is done, mission accomplished.  (Nov. 12, 2010)

Today was perfect for covering Chip Ahoy for the coming winter; it was chilly (25° when I went out at 9 am), but yesterday's wind had died down to manageable. After taking the measurements for the new 150 genoa I'm having Joe Waters build, I moved the boat around to the side of the house.

Vaughn McGrath is storing the mast for his "French Curves" out there for the winter too, so Chip Ahoy is parked alongside it. Next came wrapping the roller furler gear at the bottom of the mast (forward) and the mast truck, anchor light, and VHF antenna coax connector at the top (aft) with pieces of tarp and small bungie cords. I secure a strip of bended lattice over the steaming light with a couple more bungie cords to protect the tarp. I moved the PVC pipe skeleton frame from the back of the house . . .

With the skeleton from secured to lifelines, cleats, and the trailer, I wrestled the two tarps up over the mast and frame, then secured them to the trailer. Each year is surprises me how little time this takes to complete -- but each year it seems to get easier, especially with all the lines now cut to length and left attached to their respective grommets. The final line is a long length that I run to a tree limb well aft of Chip Ahoy, which provides covered entrance to the cockpit if I need access during the winter.  (Nov. 28, 2010)

Today the landscaping guys came by and blew all the fallen leaves from around the house out of the yard. It looked like a wave of leaves leaving Chip Ahoy in its wake as they cleaned around it. With the grass uncovered, I was able to empty the sail bags and properly fold the sails.  (Nov. 30, 2010)

Chip Ahoy ready for hibernation until Spring 2011