SHIP'S LOG:
In that ABISHAG is almost 70 miles distant and I have not heard anything to the contrary, I am presuming all is well with her. I contacted the Insurance company and they had not gotten an estimate from Captain's Cove Seaport as of yet, so they were going to contact them. It seems to be a cases of everybody involved waiting for everybody else, or somebody else, to blink first and make the first move. I am not sure what everyone is waiting for but I am not worrying about it as there is nothing I can do about it . . . except enjoy the snow, "spend" lots of imaginary Marine Units, plumb the depths of the mysteries of electricity and make plans for projects for the Spring.
Along with Christmas Cards, I am getting besieged with offers from various financial institutions to "lend me money." Actually, the basically want to refi my mortgage. They say I am pre approved but they will drop that as soon as they find that my condo 1.) is not a full-time residence( and so is considered an "investment Property); and/or 2.) that one entity owns more than 10% of the condos in the complex; and/or 3.) the condo hasn't been off the market for their criteria of days. No one likes a tease! At lease I am able to block the offers that come by email.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Well, this certainly the scenario I had in mind at this time last year. Out of dangerous curiosity, i check the weather down the ICW. Virginia - l0w 60's; North Carolina - mid to upper 60's; South Carolina - upper 60's . . . I stop there as I didn't want to perform any more self-torture. Truth be told though, I am pretty peaceful about it all, as there is really nothing I can do about it except accept it and go with the flow. I spent as hour watching it snow yesterday and as "a living in the moment" moment it was rather fine. Now if I can only get a chance to experience a "Green Flash" before Christmas 2009, that would also be very fine.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Thursday, December 18, 2008
The Days Will Soon Be Getting Longer! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
It is sad to say, but unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere somewhere, this is the awful part of the sailing season. Boats are out of the water and all wrapped up. All the stuff from the boats is stuck in garages, storage units or someone's attic or basement. The boat is usually too far distant to make regular, accidental, "just-happened-to-be-passing-by" visits. And you start to develop what good friend and sailing mentor, John Plante, called "flange foot," a terribly debilitating illness that can only be cure by walking the deck of a boat - preferably in the Caribbean!
It is also a time when you start spending Marine Units (MUs) like they were Monopoly money. If you are wise, however, you only spend them in your mind and not in reality . . .any that's where a lot of sailors find their minds at this time of the year, not in reality!
A new set of closed cell foam cockpit cushions to replace the old vinyl covered foam ones that came with the boat 31 years ago and retain water like a sponge - $1,200 + or -! 2.1MU!
Reupholster the interior cockpit cushions - $1,800 or so 3.2MU!
Charts from Bock Island Sound to the Canadian Border - $125 (cheap!)
Bottom Paint - $250 ( relatively cheap!)
New spinnaker Halyard - $160 with thimble and snap shackle
New Secondary Jib Halyard - $160 with thimble and snap shackle ( both halyards would be cheaper if I did the work myself, but I hate working with double braided line, but triple twist line stretches too much. It's a cost-benefit-ratio thing!)
Replace the four(4) deck hatches - $3,000 give or take - 6MU!
New Wind Speed/Direction Indicator System - $750 for the Unit PLUS $450 to drop the mast so the wring can be installed and putting the mast back PLUS $65 - $85 per hour for the installation - figure 5 hours minimum $325 - $425 = $1,525 - $1,625 or about 3 MU.
Two 85 watt Solar panels and installation kit - $1,500 or 3MU
Well, you get the idea. Nothing worse that a computer, a catalogue, a credit card and an itch at this time of the year! O course, I am lucky, well sort of, as I am going to have to come up with $1,600 again to pay the deductible sometime soon. And if Tow Boat/US and my insurance company can't come to an agreement as to whether it was a tow or a soft salvage or a hard salvage, I'll be on the hook for some or all of the $5,529 Tow Boat/US is looking for. That can put a real damper on any and all spending beyond the necessities. But then as the great American Sailor-Philosopher - Singer Jimmy Buffett notes, "Need is a relative thing these days, it borders on desire...."
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am back into the books again, trying to comprehend the mysteries and magic of electricity. No matter which text I read and try to understand, no matter how the various authors try to explain it, it only seems to get more and more confusing. It doesn't help that ABISHAG is British built. After driving the MGB for all those years and dealing with the electrical system from Lucas Electric in it, I have already experienced that truth that the electrical system on ABISHAG is even more mysterious than on your average boat. After all, British car owners still refer to Lucas with expletives and curses, the mildest of which is to refer to the CEO as JOHN LUCAS - PRINCE OF DARKNESS in reference to cars with Lucas Electrical systems in them which have a tendency to just stop working at the most inopportune times. Hopefully, I will learn the proper incantations and spells by Spring.
It is sad to say, but unless you are in the Southern Hemisphere somewhere, this is the awful part of the sailing season. Boats are out of the water and all wrapped up. All the stuff from the boats is stuck in garages, storage units or someone's attic or basement. The boat is usually too far distant to make regular, accidental, "just-happened-to-be-passing-by" visits. And you start to develop what good friend and sailing mentor, John Plante, called "flange foot," a terribly debilitating illness that can only be cure by walking the deck of a boat - preferably in the Caribbean!
It is also a time when you start spending Marine Units (MUs) like they were Monopoly money. If you are wise, however, you only spend them in your mind and not in reality . . .any that's where a lot of sailors find their minds at this time of the year, not in reality!
A new set of closed cell foam cockpit cushions to replace the old vinyl covered foam ones that came with the boat 31 years ago and retain water like a sponge - $1,200 + or -! 2.1MU!
Reupholster the interior cockpit cushions - $1,800 or so 3.2MU!
Charts from Bock Island Sound to the Canadian Border - $125 (cheap!)
Bottom Paint - $250 ( relatively cheap!)
New spinnaker Halyard - $160 with thimble and snap shackle
New Secondary Jib Halyard - $160 with thimble and snap shackle ( both halyards would be cheaper if I did the work myself, but I hate working with double braided line, but triple twist line stretches too much. It's a cost-benefit-ratio thing!)
Replace the four(4) deck hatches - $3,000 give or take - 6MU!
New Wind Speed/Direction Indicator System - $750 for the Unit PLUS $450 to drop the mast so the wring can be installed and putting the mast back PLUS $65 - $85 per hour for the installation - figure 5 hours minimum $325 - $425 = $1,525 - $1,625 or about 3 MU.
Two 85 watt Solar panels and installation kit - $1,500 or 3MU
Well, you get the idea. Nothing worse that a computer, a catalogue, a credit card and an itch at this time of the year! O course, I am lucky, well sort of, as I am going to have to come up with $1,600 again to pay the deductible sometime soon. And if Tow Boat/US and my insurance company can't come to an agreement as to whether it was a tow or a soft salvage or a hard salvage, I'll be on the hook for some or all of the $5,529 Tow Boat/US is looking for. That can put a real damper on any and all spending beyond the necessities. But then as the great American Sailor-Philosopher - Singer Jimmy Buffett notes, "Need is a relative thing these days, it borders on desire...."
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am back into the books again, trying to comprehend the mysteries and magic of electricity. No matter which text I read and try to understand, no matter how the various authors try to explain it, it only seems to get more and more confusing. It doesn't help that ABISHAG is British built. After driving the MGB for all those years and dealing with the electrical system from Lucas Electric in it, I have already experienced that truth that the electrical system on ABISHAG is even more mysterious than on your average boat. After all, British car owners still refer to Lucas with expletives and curses, the mildest of which is to refer to the CEO as JOHN LUCAS - PRINCE OF DARKNESS in reference to cars with Lucas Electrical systems in them which have a tendency to just stop working at the most inopportune times. Hopefully, I will learn the proper incantations and spells by Spring.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
How 'Bout That Rain ? ? ?
SHIP'S LOG:
All things being equal, had I not pulled a Fernande Magellan( discovering new land), I would have spent the last couple of days either in the Delaware or Chesapeake Bays in some truly awful weather. Looks like God did know better than I as to the future and saw to it that I spent the time safe and sound and dry and warm and on land! A very good move on God's part, at least from my present perspective.
I was not planning to do any planning for the boat but after having closed her up, I began to reflect on what needed to be done to get her back in the water in the Spring. Not surprisingly, there really is very little.
1.) Find out why the mainsail jams and/or doesn't furl properly and fix. If I can't get it squared away, I might just remove the whole system. Luckily, the Facnor Furling System didn't require any disruption of the former Mainsail system. It would require re-adapting the mainsail, adding a Lazy Jack system and a Jiffy reefing system, but it would by simpler and less prone to complications. Best of all, it could be done for under one(1) Marine Unit.
2.) Remove the Lectrosan system from the forward head. I don't envision going any place in the near future where I can use it and discharge the result. Just about all of the East Coast from Maine to the Keys is one large no discharge zone. It eat amps and is one more electrical problem waiting to break and be in need of fixing.
3.) Move the holding tank from the aft head to the the forward head. Right now, it is located at the foot of the starboard aft bunk. It is an unsatisfactory solution to the problem of needing to have a holding tank. Unfortunately, there is no locker storage space available in the aft spaces of the boat to accommodate it. I didn't put it forward due to the presence of the Lectrosansystem. With that becoming problematic and due to be removed come the Spring, moving it forward now becomes the best and most sensible solution. The best part, is that I basically have all that I need to do it already present in the old system. I will add a pump so that I can discharge overboard when necessary, when beyond the three(3) mile limit, and still be able to have it pumped out. I will return the aft head to a direct discharge, usualbe only when appropriate. Again, the cost will be less than one (1) Marine Unit.
4.) Correct the last of the electrical problems - make sure all the lights, bells and whistles work. I may never get all the ghosts out of the system, it is English after all(if you have ever owner an MG or Triumph, you understand), but I will chase at least a few more out.
5.) Fix or replace the anntenna cable and/or Anntena for the GPS. Way less than 5% of a Marine Unit.
Other than that, while there are a never ending list of things that can be done, there are no other "haves to be done" - at least at this time. But is isn't even Officially Winter yet, let alone Spring. Who knows what else "will NEED to be done" come Spring?
All things being equal, had I not pulled a Fernande Magellan( discovering new land), I would have spent the last couple of days either in the Delaware or Chesapeake Bays in some truly awful weather. Looks like God did know better than I as to the future and saw to it that I spent the time safe and sound and dry and warm and on land! A very good move on God's part, at least from my present perspective.
I was not planning to do any planning for the boat but after having closed her up, I began to reflect on what needed to be done to get her back in the water in the Spring. Not surprisingly, there really is very little.
1.) Find out why the mainsail jams and/or doesn't furl properly and fix. If I can't get it squared away, I might just remove the whole system. Luckily, the Facnor Furling System didn't require any disruption of the former Mainsail system. It would require re-adapting the mainsail, adding a Lazy Jack system and a Jiffy reefing system, but it would by simpler and less prone to complications. Best of all, it could be done for under one(1) Marine Unit.
2.) Remove the Lectrosan system from the forward head. I don't envision going any place in the near future where I can use it and discharge the result. Just about all of the East Coast from Maine to the Keys is one large no discharge zone. It eat amps and is one more electrical problem waiting to break and be in need of fixing.
3.) Move the holding tank from the aft head to the the forward head. Right now, it is located at the foot of the starboard aft bunk. It is an unsatisfactory solution to the problem of needing to have a holding tank. Unfortunately, there is no locker storage space available in the aft spaces of the boat to accommodate it. I didn't put it forward due to the presence of the Lectrosansystem. With that becoming problematic and due to be removed come the Spring, moving it forward now becomes the best and most sensible solution. The best part, is that I basically have all that I need to do it already present in the old system. I will add a pump so that I can discharge overboard when necessary, when beyond the three(3) mile limit, and still be able to have it pumped out. I will return the aft head to a direct discharge, usualbe only when appropriate. Again, the cost will be less than one (1) Marine Unit.
4.) Correct the last of the electrical problems - make sure all the lights, bells and whistles work. I may never get all the ghosts out of the system, it is English after all(if you have ever owner an MG or Triumph, you understand), but I will chase at least a few more out.
5.) Fix or replace the anntenna cable and/or Anntena for the GPS. Way less than 5% of a Marine Unit.
Other than that, while there are a never ending list of things that can be done, there are no other "haves to be done" - at least at this time. But is isn't even Officially Winter yet, let alone Spring. Who knows what else "will NEED to be done" come Spring?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
ABISHAG is all closed up and snuggled down for the winter. I was able to take the pictures above of the damage. Top is the stern of the keel, the center is the gouge along the side of the keel, the bottom is the front of the keel. Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!
I'm Still Watching The Weather
SHIP'S LOG:
I am going to have to go down to ABISHAG today. Have to in that the weather in the next couple of days is going to be rather "wintry" and there are still a couple of things to do. The gas containers, along with the outboard and the generator really need to be removed from the boat. If the Genoa and Mizzen are still bent-on, they have to be removed and stored. The dinghy has to0 be removed and deflated and stored. The wind vane needs to be removed and I have to find my IPOD! O what fun ! ! ! ! ! ! ! If I can figure out just how they go, I might even put on the side-curtins that are suppose to be fixed to the bimini (the sun cover that goes over the cockpit) in some way . . .to keep the snow out of the cockpit over the winter.
I also want to take a few pictures of the damage. I doubt that they have begun work on the keel as I haven't heard that the Insurance company has gotten an estimate or approved the work as of yet. Then again, Bruce and Johnson began the work before they got the OK from the Insurance company figuring, quite rightly, that the work was going to be done n matter who was going to pay for it. I suspect that the same approach might be taken by the crew at Captain's Cove Seaport and that will also be right.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am not really excited to go down to the boat and finish off the unloading. It's not the work so much as it is going down and feeling stupid about being on the hard instead of being at this moment approaching the ICW. True the weather is nasty and going to get more so, but for a navigation error, I would, in all likelihood, be well on the way down the Chesapeake, heading for the sun. I am going to miss the Sun ! ! ! ! !
I am going to have to go down to ABISHAG today. Have to in that the weather in the next couple of days is going to be rather "wintry" and there are still a couple of things to do. The gas containers, along with the outboard and the generator really need to be removed from the boat. If the Genoa and Mizzen are still bent-on, they have to be removed and stored. The dinghy has to0 be removed and deflated and stored. The wind vane needs to be removed and I have to find my IPOD! O what fun ! ! ! ! ! ! ! If I can figure out just how they go, I might even put on the side-curtins that are suppose to be fixed to the bimini (the sun cover that goes over the cockpit) in some way . . .to keep the snow out of the cockpit over the winter.
I also want to take a few pictures of the damage. I doubt that they have begun work on the keel as I haven't heard that the Insurance company has gotten an estimate or approved the work as of yet. Then again, Bruce and Johnson began the work before they got the OK from the Insurance company figuring, quite rightly, that the work was going to be done n matter who was going to pay for it. I suspect that the same approach might be taken by the crew at Captain's Cove Seaport and that will also be right.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
I am not really excited to go down to the boat and finish off the unloading. It's not the work so much as it is going down and feeling stupid about being on the hard instead of being at this moment approaching the ICW. True the weather is nasty and going to get more so, but for a navigation error, I would, in all likelihood, be well on the way down the Chesapeake, heading for the sun. I am going to miss the Sun ! ! ! ! !
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
Well that settles that! I woke up this morning to a covering of snow on the ground. Boy, this was the last thing I wanted to see. I had hope, in my naivete, that by this time I would be sucking down the OJ and slathering on the sun screen. I guess that I missed that goal by just a little. Instead of being in Fort Lauderdale, a toasty brown, in shorts and tee-shirt, swimming in the morning, sailing in the afternoon, trying to decided between the Keys and the Bahamas, I am up in Connecticut, freezing, on the hard again, with no prospects of getting South before next Fall if ever. Yup, definitely missed that one by just a smidge!
Someone inquired about what exactly a Marine Unit was. Well, way back in this blog I shared the concept a friend of mine has that one would never spend the money necessary on a boat if you talked in real dollars. He developed and I adopted the concept of the Marine Unit. One marine Unit equals $500. It is a lot easier on one's psyche to spend only "2 Marine Units" on a repair or a piece of equipment than to spend $1,000! True, it is a silly ploy but it has probably saved many a boat owner from taking up golf. And so the haul out, storage and launching is costing 5 Marine Units. The Deductible is a little more that 3 Marine Units. The salvage operation a week ago Saturday was 11 Marine Units. And so on and so forth. Now you know why some boat owners take up piracy!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Today was the first day that I really, REALLY felt like I want to climb back into that saddle once again. Perhaps it was the snow, but whatever it happened to be, i am inspired to begin again. It's not like I am starting from scratch, there are only a few things that need doing, but it is the desire to do them. If not for the cold and snow and the approximate 80 mile one way trip, I would be there today . . . that an the fact that it is 144 days before she will be launched. No need in getting hr all dressed up as she's got no place to go . . . . right now!
Well that settles that! I woke up this morning to a covering of snow on the ground. Boy, this was the last thing I wanted to see. I had hope, in my naivete, that by this time I would be sucking down the OJ and slathering on the sun screen. I guess that I missed that goal by just a little. Instead of being in Fort Lauderdale, a toasty brown, in shorts and tee-shirt, swimming in the morning, sailing in the afternoon, trying to decided between the Keys and the Bahamas, I am up in Connecticut, freezing, on the hard again, with no prospects of getting South before next Fall if ever. Yup, definitely missed that one by just a smidge!
Someone inquired about what exactly a Marine Unit was. Well, way back in this blog I shared the concept a friend of mine has that one would never spend the money necessary on a boat if you talked in real dollars. He developed and I adopted the concept of the Marine Unit. One marine Unit equals $500. It is a lot easier on one's psyche to spend only "2 Marine Units" on a repair or a piece of equipment than to spend $1,000! True, it is a silly ploy but it has probably saved many a boat owner from taking up golf. And so the haul out, storage and launching is costing 5 Marine Units. The Deductible is a little more that 3 Marine Units. The salvage operation a week ago Saturday was 11 Marine Units. And so on and so forth. Now you know why some boat owners take up piracy!
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
Today was the first day that I really, REALLY felt like I want to climb back into that saddle once again. Perhaps it was the snow, but whatever it happened to be, i am inspired to begin again. It's not like I am starting from scratch, there are only a few things that need doing, but it is the desire to do them. If not for the cold and snow and the approximate 80 mile one way trip, I would be there today . . . that an the fact that it is 144 days before she will be launched. No need in getting hr all dressed up as she's got no place to go . . . . right now!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
145 Days And Counting! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
It is 145 days until the first of May. the reason that this is significant is that ABISHAG has to go into the water by then. I am not quite clear on what will happen if she would not be ready but it would not be a good thing. It never is.
I did NOT receive a phone call from the yard Boss on Friday so I must presume that the winterization went off without a hitch. I am planning to go down early next week to retrieve the outboard, gas cans and anything else from the boat I overlooked in the unloading on Thursday. I can't think of much or anything really that I left behind, but it always pays to take a good look around. You never know what you will find . . . . maybe several Marine Units that I had forgotten about. I doubt it but, you never know. Maybe the Tooth Fairy has a cousin who works that boating industry or something. The complete winterization will run another probable 2 Marine Units, so here's hoping.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
They have used the "S" word on the weather forecasts several times this week, so perhaps pulling an Edward Smith, he of TITANIC fame, will turn out to be a good thing. After the first of the year, I can get into the serious planning stage for the Spring outfitting. There in little or nothing ABISHAG needs, but there are two or three things I want to change and perhaps continue on with trying to solve the mystery of her electrical system.. It is just a week now and while I am still quite down about the whole thing, I can already feel myself getting reved-up to get started again.It is just too bad that I have to go through the Winter to get to the Spring from the Fall. But who knows, perhaps, with sufficient study, I will be able to begin to make a start on understanding electricity. It is still magic to me!
It is 145 days until the first of May. the reason that this is significant is that ABISHAG has to go into the water by then. I am not quite clear on what will happen if she would not be ready but it would not be a good thing. It never is.
I did NOT receive a phone call from the yard Boss on Friday so I must presume that the winterization went off without a hitch. I am planning to go down early next week to retrieve the outboard, gas cans and anything else from the boat I overlooked in the unloading on Thursday. I can't think of much or anything really that I left behind, but it always pays to take a good look around. You never know what you will find . . . . maybe several Marine Units that I had forgotten about. I doubt it but, you never know. Maybe the Tooth Fairy has a cousin who works that boating industry or something. The complete winterization will run another probable 2 Marine Units, so here's hoping.
MASTER'S PERSONAL LOG:
They have used the "S" word on the weather forecasts several times this week, so perhaps pulling an Edward Smith, he of TITANIC fame, will turn out to be a good thing. After the first of the year, I can get into the serious planning stage for the Spring outfitting. There in little or nothing ABISHAG needs, but there are two or three things I want to change and perhaps continue on with trying to solve the mystery of her electrical system.. It is just a week now and while I am still quite down about the whole thing, I can already feel myself getting reved-up to get started again.It is just too bad that I have to go through the Winter to get to the Spring from the Fall. But who knows, perhaps, with sufficient study, I will be able to begin to make a start on understanding electricity. It is still magic to me!
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