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

Sailing Season ‘08 is here!

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Once home, the first order of business after 2-3 weeks of foul weather was airing and drying out the cabin and everything in it, before the mildew and mold set in and took hold.  (Aug. 17, 2008)

Barbara asked me to take her and our longtime friend, Pauline, out for a short cruise of the harbor today.  It's rare when Barbara wants to come out on Chip Ahoy, so naturally I obliged.  It was short, and we didn't even raise a sail before it was time to come back in to the dock, but I'm told that they enjoyed themselves.  Being out on the harbor, seeing the sights from a new perspective with a cool breeze on a hot and sunny day was what it was all about.  By the way, it's been nothing but sunny and warm since I got back from Maine -- perfect summer weather -- doesn't that figure.  (Aug. 23, 2008)

Barbara seems to be having a good time as we motored out toward Misery Island, then turned back in to the harbor.

Our friend Pauline enjoyed herself too.

John Graichen and his friend from work, Phillipe, aboard "Malacass," were coming in to the dock earlier as we went out, and were back at the dock when we returned.  They helped with Chip Ahoy's dock lines when we came in; John took the group photo above for me.  (Aug. 23, 2008)

Now back from my 19-day cruise to Chebeague Island on Casco Bay, Maine, I had to pull Chip Mate out at the dinghy dock down the street and bring it home.  John Graichen came by on Sunday in his pick-up truck on his way back from his boat and gave me a hand bringing it home.  It's now back on its sawhorses until the next cruise -- or until I get a ring for it down at the dinghy dock.  (Aug. 27)

Today my buddy Ted Tripp came by for our annual day of sailing.  The weather was beautiful; sunny, in the mid-70s, with a SE breeze at about 10 mph for most of the afternoon.  (Aug. 28, 2008)

We made it almost out to Misery Island, but had to do a lot of tacking, and managed to find the doldrums for half an hour west of Eagle Island.  By mid-afternoon, when the breeze returned the wind shifted to more out of the NE for our trip back to the mooring.  Back home, Barbara, Ted and I had our traditional post-sailing cookout:  My hamburgers and picked today corn on the cob that Ted brought again.

Heading back (Eagle Island in the background).

Last night I slept out on Chip Ahoy on its mooring to get an early start this morning, before the wind picked up too much again.  (Sep. 1, 2008)

With Hurricane (or is it now Tropical Storm?) Hanna bearing down on us -- or is that bearing up if you're in New England? -- I decided to leave Chip Ahoy on its mooring.  It's just too soon in our short-enough season to pull it out for the winter, and this one doesn't sound awfully threatening.  But you never know.  So I went out to my boat today to make it ready.  The first thing was to remove the anchor, to keep it from possibly chafing the mooring pennants.  Next, I secured the dinghy's tow-line to the mooring, then tied it off to a spare deck cleat, then moved the second mooring pennant from the bow eyebolt up onto the deck, securing it to the starboard side deck cleat.  (Sep. 5, 2008)

I left the mainsail (and roller-furled genoa) on, but tied them both down well.  The main sail I tied down over its cover.  Beneath it's bungied as usual.  I removed the radar reflector and stowed it below with the anchor.

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