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

Season ‘07 is officially over!

- Page 44 -

Description

Chip Ahoy's back in the yard for the next several months and yesterday I began unloading it for eventual winter storage.  It's times like this when I wish it was like a VCR, where I could just replay fast-reverse instead of hauling everything down the ladder again!  (Oct. 14, 2007)

I've already begun my "To-Do Wish List 'o8" -- but everything's pretty much bought and paid for.  What's to-do are almost all projects I've already done, just maintenance.  I do love my new LoadRite trailer (only a few years old); what an improvement over the old one.

I've given up on the idea of another boat -- a fin keel C22 -- mostly thanks to Tommy at the boatyard who asked for another chance to perfect Chip Ahoy's swing keel; for me to give it "one more season" before I start all over again.  The more I look over Chip Ahoy, the more I realize it's done or darned near to it, that it'd be a sin to abandon it now.  (Oct. 14, 2007)

My long-lost buddy J. Tobias Reiley found me recently; saw that I had room to spare for another boat and contacted me.  His is a 32' Jonesport (Maine) built lobster boat that he and his partner use as a committee boat for juniors racing in Marblehead's Pleon Yacht Club.  We made arrangements, and he had it trucked over today.  Jocelyn Marine Services (boat haulers) out of Salisbury, MA -- a good crew for sure to be able to back their big truck and long hydraulic-assisted flatbed around my wood racks, trees, and house back into that tight open space beneath overhanging branches.  (Oct. 22, 2007)

Whoa, Toby had better be careful, having named his boat "Firewood" -- I wonder if he knows what I heat my home with, especially come late February?!?   The wood racks and three cords stacked should have given him a hint!  He cut down some of the dead branches and will be back to take down a few more, and repair the slight scrape in the pear tree's trunk.

Today we trailered out Michael Sullivan's "Carpe Diem" over on Winter Island in Salem, across the harbor from Marblehead.  As seems almost appropriate, if not as-usual this time of year, it was a raw, wet morning when he and Alan brought the boat over at about 10:15 am.  My job was to have Mike's truck and trailer waiting for recovery, back it down the ramp when they got in close.  (Oct. 25, 2007)

Getting Carpe Diem on the trailer went smoothly, but by then I was glad I'd donned long underwear this morning for the first time this season and was bundled up with a sweater and my foul-weather jacket.  The trailering went so perfectly I didn't even have to get my feet wet this time!

Up in the Winter Island parking lot we went to work readying the boat to drop the mast.  We're all getting pretty good at this by now, had it prepared to come down in about 20 minutes.

Alan (left) and Mike with the mast down and almost ready to roll out of the lot.

My new IdaSailor "Unifoil High-Performance Kickup Rudder" arrived today from FedEx, like a Christmas present.  After the warning from Kent Kokko on the list about delivery of his and the damage done, I was cautious upon receiving it, took a photo -- was prepared for the worst before even thinking about opening the box.  (Oct. 30, 2007)

While the box was damaged, the rudder appeared to be in perfect condition as I dissected the packaging forensically.  So I took it out and tried it on the boat.

It fit perfectly, gudgeons to pins.  Slipped right in.  The new tiller has the pin installed for the tiller-pilot, so it should be set to go.  I may need to add a couple coats of varnish to the tiller, to get it up to snuff.

Can't ask any more than this -- and each pintle has a hole drilled through it for a pin.  I was going to request from Joel Santarone that one be put in the bottom pintle -- I thought I'd thought about everything.  It was done despite my non-request.  It doesn't get any better!

Now all I've got to do is patiently await next spring to see what a difference it'll make -- but with a new mainsail coming, it's going to be hard to tell which makes the bigger . . . !