Chip Ahoy's 2006 Cape Cod Cruise

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Description

As you can see from my (sometimes now flukey) depth sounder, I covered a whole lot of deep water -- here it's registering 113 feet, which should have been accurate.  I just don't trust it to be accurate all the time any more, since the lightning strike.

Chip Mate towed behind Chip Ahoy.  While underway, I usually have the dinghy trailing behind about 18 feet on a 20 foot painter.  When I come into a marina or mooring, I'll pull it in accordingly.

Crossing Boston Harbor with the Boston skyline on the horizon.

Almost all the way home I motor-sailed at about 4-4.5 knots -- without the motor I was making maybe one-and-a-half pretty much into the wind.  Chip Ahoy and I made good time, reaching Marblehead by 3:oo pm.

I usually always sail with at least the lower cribboard in place.  I hold it in place with a bungie cord so it can't float out when I need it there the most.  All this just in case the boat gets knocked down and the cockpit fills with ocean.  It's only happened to me once, almost a second time, but I've never forgotten the experience(s).  If it's not there, it's too late when you need it, if you ever do -- just hope it's there if you do.

After hearing reports of a Catalina 22 going down fast when a cockpit hatch opened in an unexpected knockdown, I added the carabineers to the lazarette seat covers to keep them secured as well.  When I come aboard and remove the locks, the quick-release carabineers are ready to snap on.