Time Flies When You Are Having Fun

     Yes, it is true. t also flies when you are not having fun. It Flies when you are old. Time just plain flies.

     Since my last post . . . . back in August . . . .lots has happened. The season has ended; ABISHAG is still in the water; her motor is still not running; I have begun winterizing; I have stripped the sails and bimini; and I already have a whole sh*t-load of work to do come Spring. A couple of weeks ago, when had a sneaky, nasty storm that caught everyone by surprise. The surprise for me was that ABISHAG, safely secured to that dock, got battered. THe wind and wave action was sufficient to bust a couple of docklines which enabled her to rub against the dock. No serious damage but the topside paint on starboard got seriously scraped. Basically, it means that I have a number of gouges to fill-&-fair and then re-paint half of the hull. That will be a real joy. The yard-workers attached some of the dock lines to the winches for the mizzen(small rear) sail and the surge ripped them off. One is totally destroyed and the other partially so, which means both have to be replaced. Fin, Fun, Fun! I also have to replaced the docklines, all of them, not just the ones that were busted. Those that were busted are an obvious replacement, but even the one that didn't break, were seriously stressed and really can't be trusted in the future. I really hate unanticipated expenses.

     I will be wintering again at Ferry Slip.  Of course, it the engine had been repaired, I would have been up at Midway, safe and sound up the Connecticut River, but it wasn't and I am not. Hopefully, Eric will be able to work the deal again so that I won't get hosed on the winter storage.

     Speaking of "hosing," I am back at the sail loft, egaging in the most fun activity possible, wash sails. What makes it especially fun is that the temp is dropping and no matter how much foul-weather gear you wear, you always get wet. You just can't beat wrestling 90lbs of soaking wet sails in and out of tubs of cold water and then hanging them from the ceiling. Then you get to down and haul them upstairs to the loft.

      AH THE FUN AND JOY OF BOAT OWNERSHIP. Well, at least it is a day closer to spring!