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Sailing Season 2007 was officially
launched for me today when I uncovered Chip Ahoy from its winter
hibernation beneath its tarps. As winters go, this past one was
very bad, but I'm nonetheless thrilled that it's behind us at last and
life moves on. (Mar. 31, 2007) |
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Though it's still cool (low 50s for a high today),
at least the sun was out and the weather has no snow in its forecast,
only a slow and steady warming. Yesterday I uncovered Wally
Riddle's "Carpe Diem" (in the background), which I'm soon going to buy
from him, for his newer trailer; then sell "Carpe Diem" on my older trailer. |
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Once the tarps were stored away until next fall, I
removed Chip Ahoy's PVC skeleton frame and stored its "bones" away as
well. |
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We're ready to roll back out front of
the house for another spring of
maintenance, repairs, and more upgrades -- let the work and fun begin!
(Mar. 31, 2007) |
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Today I moved Chip Ahoy out to the front of the house,
ready for the work to begin. It's really starting to feel like
spring in New England at last! Eventually I want to pull Carpe
Diem (in the left background) out to where Chip Ahoy sat for the winter,
once I buy it from Wally. (Apr. 1, 2007) |
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Ah well, what can we expect for spring in New England?
It's been overcast and chilly (in the 30s and low-40s) since the
day after I moved Chip Ahoy out front, occasionally raining. The wood stove is working
fulltime again. Yesterday and last night the rain turned to light
hail and sleet, then a dusting of snow. (Apr. 5, 2007) |
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This morning my buddy
Vaughn McGrath ("French Curves") came by and
lent
a hand taking Chip Ahoy's mast off the boat and setting it on the
sawhorses alongside, making work on both easier in the weeks ahead; the
next step in Season 2007. This season's projects begin today with
removal of the handrails to make room for the new rope clutches and
perhaps winches. We also got "Chip Mate," the dinghy, uncovered
and moved out front: work on it too is ahead before I can again
subject it to the seasonal rough-and-tumble of the town dinghy dock down
the street. (Apr. 7, 2007) |
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The first step in installing the new Spinlock XAS/2 power
clutches was to remove the handrails along the top of the cabin, so I
can cut off one rung on each side to make room for them. Easier said than done
I learned. (Apr. 7, 2007)
The Rope
Clutches Project |
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"Red in the morning, sailors take warning; red at night,
sailors delight," the old nautical saying goes -- and this morning's pre-dawn was
awfully red. We've got a nasty blow coming, "one of the 5 or 10
the most powerful nor'easters in 50 years, the weathermen are
predicting. (Apr. 15, 2007)
See "The
Patriots Day Nor'easter" |
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The weather has finally broken, the rain has stopped,
it's sunny today and -- about 70° if you can
believe it! First thing this morning, I added the new jaw-clamps
and stainless steel O-rings to the bow pulpit, the 1/4" line I had spliced into one of
them. (The starboard side line clipped to the pulpit is my anchor
trip line, applied when an anchoring situation warrants it: I tie
a fender to the free end for retrieval. The carabiner end clips to
the twist shackle on the
anchor.) Apr. 21, 2007 |
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This should neatly solve the problem of securing my Delta
anchor from the pulpit while on my mooring, prevent another
accident from loose knots
in nasty weather.
(Note the damage to the bow from the anchor after the last knot
slippage!) Then, it was on to the
Rope Clutches Project,
also completed today.
-- See
the anchor attached -- |
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NEXT |
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It's never-ending ... but Sailing Season '07 has officially begun! |
