I GOT HOSED! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

SHIP'S LOG:

The thunderstorms didn't materialize. That should have been my first clue. Ken and I were able to been on the Jib and Main without any major problem. That should have been my second clue. I was able to back ABISHAG out of her slip with no difficulty whatsoever and that should have been my third clue. Needless to say, i ignored or didn't pick up on any of these clues and got hosed in Fishers Island Sound 3/4s of the way to TYC in New London.

The engine won't rev up far enough to get us up to 6 knots which we did without a strain all the way from Annapolis last fall. Eventually the engine heated sufficiently to cause steam to rise into the cockpit and just as I was going to shut it down it seized and shut down on its own. After realizing that we were going to have to be towed, either to TYC or back to Mystic, I called the shipyard in Mystic and told them of the problem. They said come back and so I called Tow Boat/US. After our little engine adventure way back in August on the trip up, I had upped my limit to "unlimited towing" at the Newport Boat Show. A truly wise move on my part. So I put in a call to Tow Boat/ US and said "Help."

Strangely, about a quarter of a mile from us was one of their craft and after a phone exchange, the guy hailed us on the radio and came over. With great efficiency, to took us in two and inside of an hour we were back at the Mystic Shipyard, securely ensconced in a new slip, about 10 away from where we began the day. Ken and I did receive a complement from the Tow Boat/US guy. H e said he had been watching us for about 20 minutes before he received the call and after he got us back to Mystic, he said that we were the calmest and most relaxed people he had ever seen in similar situations.

I drove Ken back to New London to get his car (see we did go from Mystic to New London) and returned to the boat. A half hour later, the yard manager( who was thrilled to see me so soon again) and the weekend mechanic descended on the boat and announced that a hose, possibly two Which lead from the radiator, through the hot water tank, had split and would need to be replaced. They could get to it on Monday . . . .. . first thing. That is probably true because I was now occupying the last free slip and the guy renting it was showing up Tuesday!!!! AH!!!! The Fun Of Boating! ! ! !

MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:

Well nobody got hurt and the boat is safe and sound, if in need of some repair. It is more than a little disappointing that this happened but better here in the friendly confines of home waters than somewhere else. As a mechanic friend of my likes to say, "We can fix it. We have the technology," and I am sure that this major minor problem will be rapidly corrected. You can worry or get upset about things beyond your control. Hey, i got to at least drift out on the water today and it was spectacular ! ! ! ! !!