SHIP'S LOG:
The weather has been great for sailing and so I have been sailing. And sailing. And sailing. On my boat and other peoples' boats, just sailing, sailing, sailing.
I went out sailing with the CHARLES W. MORGAN. The MORGAN is the last wooden wailing vessel in existence and since 1941, it has been an exhibit at the Mystic Seaport. Somebody over there decided that it would be a wonderful P.R. stunt to restore it to sailing condition and then send it out on a tour of southern New England. They spent several years and a couple of million dollars and in May towed her over to New London so that she could be ballasted and all the proper gear and supplies could be put aboard. Had they do that at the Seaport, they would never have gotten her away from the dock as the Mystic River at that point is simply to shallow to allow it. After a couple of weeks of learning how to sail the ship, the crew took her on a tour of Newport, The Cape, the Elizabeth Island and Boston. They even took her out to the whale watching areas of the Cape where they launched on of the whaleboats and approached a whale. No harpoons were tossed but it made for some great pictures.
She came back to New London and for several days took VIP's with large checkbooks, out for a sail. And sail it was as the MORGAN has no engines! She was accompanied the whole time with a couple of support craft, including a tug which was with her for her entire journey as some days there wasn't enough wind to make her move. But she did sail most of the time and last Friday, I went out sailing with her, accompanying her in my boat along with several other boats. I out sailed her easily as she never topped 4.5 knots. The most impressive thing was watching them raise and lower the sails, of which there were approximately 15. You would never get me up the masts or on the foot-lines from which they furled and unfurled the sails. But all in all is was very impressive.
And I got my Merchant Mariner Certificate and can now legally operate the launch. It has only been since March.
Thursday, August 7, 2014
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Ah! Summer!
SHIP'S LOG:
Repairs and maintenance on a boat are never ending. I have plugged four holds in the aft bilge area that is covering a void, but water still keeps hydro-statically coming up into the bilge. So today, I will be looking for hole five and sealing that. It must be small for the amount of water it is bring in is small. Possibly I was able to drain most of the water fixing the last holes and perhaps. just perhaps, I will seal it completely this time. Then again, perhaps one of the fixes will pop and it will all start again.
I reposition the bilge pump. The main bilge has a deep section about two feet below the inside deck. There is a shelf near the top on which sat the bilge pump and sensor. this meant that there was always a foot or so of water in the deeper section. At the suggestion of pump-expert Fred, I put the bilge pump/sensor in the deepest part of the bilge. I had to lengthen a wire so that the pump could go that extra foot or so, but when I switched it on, it didn't work. i checked with Bill Turner and he suggested I look first at the wiring. As with all things British and electrical, it was the work of Lucas, Prince of Darkness, which meant that not only was it a poor arrangement, it was all but indecipherable. It was also corroded at the buss bar so it necessitated a trip to Defenders for a new buss bar, new heat-shrink butt connectors and a package of ring connectors. In other words, $40.37! After drawing a diagram on how the old connections to the buss bar were made, I disconnected them and reattached them to the new buss bar. In doing so, I found that one of the connections to the old buss bar had two ring connectors on it but only one with a wire still attached. IT was them a case of look for a disconnected wire. It took a bit of time as the bilge is a dark spot and even with a flashlight, the task wasn't easy, But eventually I found it. It most have broken at the connector when I moved the pump. It was too short to cover the distance and so I had to add a length of wire to make up the difference. Once it was reattached to the buss bar and the switch was thrown, it work just fine . . . sort of.
The pump, sitting two feet below the deck inside, has to pimp the water up about three feet to a point where the hose from the electrical pump joins the hose for the manual pump. when the sensor turns the pump on, it pumps the water into the hose and out of the boat if there is enough water. When the sensor reads dry, the water not far enough along in the hose slides back into the sump, where the sensor read "water" and starts the pump and it runs until the sensor reads "dry" and shuts it off and down comes the water. I am going to have to install some sort of "p" trap - like under a sink, or a "check valve" to keep he water from coming back and causing the sensor starting the pump. Boat repairs and maintenance are never ending.
Repairs and maintenance on a boat are never ending. I have plugged four holds in the aft bilge area that is covering a void, but water still keeps hydro-statically coming up into the bilge. So today, I will be looking for hole five and sealing that. It must be small for the amount of water it is bring in is small. Possibly I was able to drain most of the water fixing the last holes and perhaps. just perhaps, I will seal it completely this time. Then again, perhaps one of the fixes will pop and it will all start again.
I reposition the bilge pump. The main bilge has a deep section about two feet below the inside deck. There is a shelf near the top on which sat the bilge pump and sensor. this meant that there was always a foot or so of water in the deeper section. At the suggestion of pump-expert Fred, I put the bilge pump/sensor in the deepest part of the bilge. I had to lengthen a wire so that the pump could go that extra foot or so, but when I switched it on, it didn't work. i checked with Bill Turner and he suggested I look first at the wiring. As with all things British and electrical, it was the work of Lucas, Prince of Darkness, which meant that not only was it a poor arrangement, it was all but indecipherable. It was also corroded at the buss bar so it necessitated a trip to Defenders for a new buss bar, new heat-shrink butt connectors and a package of ring connectors. In other words, $40.37! After drawing a diagram on how the old connections to the buss bar were made, I disconnected them and reattached them to the new buss bar. In doing so, I found that one of the connections to the old buss bar had two ring connectors on it but only one with a wire still attached. IT was them a case of look for a disconnected wire. It took a bit of time as the bilge is a dark spot and even with a flashlight, the task wasn't easy, But eventually I found it. It most have broken at the connector when I moved the pump. It was too short to cover the distance and so I had to add a length of wire to make up the difference. Once it was reattached to the buss bar and the switch was thrown, it work just fine . . . sort of.
The pump, sitting two feet below the deck inside, has to pimp the water up about three feet to a point where the hose from the electrical pump joins the hose for the manual pump. when the sensor turns the pump on, it pumps the water into the hose and out of the boat if there is enough water. When the sensor reads dry, the water not far enough along in the hose slides back into the sump, where the sensor read "water" and starts the pump and it runs until the sensor reads "dry" and shuts it off and down comes the water. I am going to have to install some sort of "p" trap - like under a sink, or a "check valve" to keep he water from coming back and causing the sensor starting the pump. Boat repairs and maintenance are never ending.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Yes, It Has Been Awhile
SHIP'S LOG:
When you are out sailing every day, it is hard to do other things. The weather, for the most part, has been wonderful for sailing and I have been using it to full advantage.
With the Sail Fest celebration and Fireworks this past weekend, we really lucked out. Last year low clouds and fog obscured the fireworks even from the people in Shaw's Cove outside of which the firework barges were moored. Nobody saw nothin' - except for some glowing colored lights. This year the weather was perfect and the fireworks were grand.
The day before, Friday, I sailed up to the city pier to see VIRGINIA. She is schooner of 110 feet and she came in under sail for the weekend festivities. She plied up and down the river with passengers aboard and all under sail. The crew can really maneuver the ship very well. At one point she got to dodge two regular ferries, the SEAJET ferry, plus a submarine with its gunboat escorts, and all under sail. It was quite remarkable as I would have found the whole situation rather difficult and I know the river. But the crew of the VIRGINIA - no muss, no fuss.
The first three days of this week were awful. No wind, no sun, lots of rain and fog and humidity. The so much no wind that we bobbed around at the starting line for the Wednesday night races until they finally called them off at 6:45. No wind and no prospects of any. That hasn't happened in years.
Every boat has leaks somewhere. It is a consequence of being in the water. I have found and eliminated most but one just defied locating. Fred came down to give me a hand locating and fixing same. This particular leak was sneaky because its source looked like it belong. Behind the aft cabin bulkhead, there is a small bilge area that would collect whatever water might drip from the rudder shaft or wherever else at the stern of the boat. Water collecting there would flow through the bulkhead by means of "limber holes" drilled through the bulkhead, and from there on down into the sump of the main bilge. My main concern was the main bilge which filled slowly over a day or so and then when the water tripped the sensor switch, the bilge pump would pump out a sufficient amount to bring the water level down below the sensor. I was trying to find out where that water came from and started with Fred at the bilge in the stern of the boat. Fred declared this was the source of all the water. He found that pressing on the bilge floor, water would appear. I drilled a 1/2" hole in the bilge floor and it filled with water. I vacuumed it out and it slowly began to fill again. Evidently, as Fred deduced, this area had been a void that the builders filled with foam and glassed over. Over the years, the tube for the prop shaft that ran through, developed some leaks, allowing water to infiltrate the foam. One of the previous owner was unhappy with the limber hole builder put in and drilled two of his own. Unfortunately in doing sow, he cracked the fiberglass seal at the bulkhead and this allowed the water, by means of "hydrostatic pressure" according to Fred, to pump into the bilge. It took an hours of probing to find the first leak and two to find the second. The first leak and the hole I drilled are filled and sealed. The second will be done today and then I see if there are anymore leaks. AH! The Joy Of Boat Ownership!
When you are out sailing every day, it is hard to do other things. The weather, for the most part, has been wonderful for sailing and I have been using it to full advantage.
With the Sail Fest celebration and Fireworks this past weekend, we really lucked out. Last year low clouds and fog obscured the fireworks even from the people in Shaw's Cove outside of which the firework barges were moored. Nobody saw nothin' - except for some glowing colored lights. This year the weather was perfect and the fireworks were grand.
The day before, Friday, I sailed up to the city pier to see VIRGINIA. She is schooner of 110 feet and she came in under sail for the weekend festivities. She plied up and down the river with passengers aboard and all under sail. The crew can really maneuver the ship very well. At one point she got to dodge two regular ferries, the SEAJET ferry, plus a submarine with its gunboat escorts, and all under sail. It was quite remarkable as I would have found the whole situation rather difficult and I know the river. But the crew of the VIRGINIA - no muss, no fuss.
The first three days of this week were awful. No wind, no sun, lots of rain and fog and humidity. The so much no wind that we bobbed around at the starting line for the Wednesday night races until they finally called them off at 6:45. No wind and no prospects of any. That hasn't happened in years.
Every boat has leaks somewhere. It is a consequence of being in the water. I have found and eliminated most but one just defied locating. Fred came down to give me a hand locating and fixing same. This particular leak was sneaky because its source looked like it belong. Behind the aft cabin bulkhead, there is a small bilge area that would collect whatever water might drip from the rudder shaft or wherever else at the stern of the boat. Water collecting there would flow through the bulkhead by means of "limber holes" drilled through the bulkhead, and from there on down into the sump of the main bilge. My main concern was the main bilge which filled slowly over a day or so and then when the water tripped the sensor switch, the bilge pump would pump out a sufficient amount to bring the water level down below the sensor. I was trying to find out where that water came from and started with Fred at the bilge in the stern of the boat. Fred declared this was the source of all the water. He found that pressing on the bilge floor, water would appear. I drilled a 1/2" hole in the bilge floor and it filled with water. I vacuumed it out and it slowly began to fill again. Evidently, as Fred deduced, this area had been a void that the builders filled with foam and glassed over. Over the years, the tube for the prop shaft that ran through, developed some leaks, allowing water to infiltrate the foam. One of the previous owner was unhappy with the limber hole builder put in and drilled two of his own. Unfortunately in doing sow, he cracked the fiberglass seal at the bulkhead and this allowed the water, by means of "hydrostatic pressure" according to Fred, to pump into the bilge. It took an hours of probing to find the first leak and two to find the second. The first leak and the hole I drilled are filled and sealed. The second will be done today and then I see if there are anymore leaks. AH! The Joy Of Boat Ownership!
Saturday, July 5, 2014
Arthur
SHIP'S LOG:
Friday was a wash-out as the effects of Hurricane Arthur smacked the east coast. we got lots of rain, down pours of 10-15 minutes, followed by longer periods of light rain, followed by more down pours. The wind was in the high 20's with gust to the mid-30's, but with the track of Arthur, that was as bad as it got. Block Island, Nantucket, the rest of the islands and the Cape got bashed pretty good but the storm had weakened considerably by the time it got here ans was far enough off shore so we got but a taste.
I spent the night ashore in the clubhouse as I just wasn't in the mood for rock-&-roll all night long. I didn't sleep well on the floor, I guess I must be getting old. The wind is still up but the skies are clear and there is a Club Race today. They won't complain about lack of wind that's for sure. It should be a good time.
Friday was a wash-out as the effects of Hurricane Arthur smacked the east coast. we got lots of rain, down pours of 10-15 minutes, followed by longer periods of light rain, followed by more down pours. The wind was in the high 20's with gust to the mid-30's, but with the track of Arthur, that was as bad as it got. Block Island, Nantucket, the rest of the islands and the Cape got bashed pretty good but the storm had weakened considerably by the time it got here ans was far enough off shore so we got but a taste.
I spent the night ashore in the clubhouse as I just wasn't in the mood for rock-&-roll all night long. I didn't sleep well on the floor, I guess I must be getting old. The wind is still up but the skies are clear and there is a Club Race today. They won't complain about lack of wind that's for sure. It should be a good time.
Friday, July 4, 2014
Too Much H.H.H>
SHIP'S LOG:
There was too much "humdidity" in the air and so it has taken the leap to rain, and I mean downpours, thunder-&-lightning, and great wind. It looks like it is going to be an all day affair! A total Fourth of Julie washout. . And then sometime tonight, Hurricane Arthur will make his appearance though south and east of TYC. Hopefully, we will experience little or no serious effects.
There was too much "humdidity" in the air and so it has taken the leap to rain, and I mean downpours, thunder-&-lightning, and great wind. It looks like it is going to be an all day affair! A total Fourth of Julie washout. . And then sometime tonight, Hurricane Arthur will make his appearance though south and east of TYC. Hopefully, we will experience little or no serious effects.
Thursday, July 3, 2014
H - H - H!
SHIP'S LOG:
The last two days it has been August! It has been HAZY! It has been HOT!! It has been HUMID!!!! And unfortunately, it has proven my lack of invincibility.
Yesterday, I opened the clubhouse at 6:30AM and it was an oven inside. It wasn't quite an oven outside but it was getting there. Collecting and dumping the garbage, washing the bathrooms, washing down the porches, putting all the tables and chairs back where they belong . . . doing everything took about two hours and I was ringing wet by the end. And then it hit me. I am not sure if it was heat exhaustion or simple dehydration, but even after my morning shower I was spent. I literally spent the rest of the day, sitting in a cool breeze out on my boat, consuming all the water I could. It was nasty. By about 4pm I was feeling close to normal again but I was still drinking fluids. I am siding with my "unprofessional diagnosis" of dehydration as I literally didn't have to hit the head until then and what came out didn't measure up anywhere near what I had put in. I am feeling normal this morning but the day is supposed to be a repeat of the last two and so I will be very careful.
I got a call from Doctor O'Donnell and he confirmed what the PA said, two torn cartilages. He doesn't want to rush to surgery so we' continue with the anti-inflammatories and possibly some physical therapy. Surgery might not totally alleviate the pain because of the arthritis involvement, but if it does happen, it will probably not be until the fall.
One of the things that the triple "H's" bring with them is fog, something all boaters hate with a passion. "Oh fatal vapor,
thrice accursed brew.
Thou gloom of doom,
thou deadly devil's stew."
-Shakespeare All Ashore That's Going Ashore, Act III, Scene I
Right now, there is fog in the river, but just in the river. It hasn't spread out. It is a river of fog on the river, filled with the ferries going in and out, blowing horns wildly. Some crazy sailor, sans radar, went sailing by awhile back, hope he makes it wherever it is he is going. Maybe a Hurricane Hole? Tropical Storm Arthur is now Hurricane Arthur and is around North Carolina. It appears that it will turn east and that it will miss us though we should feel some effects Friday evening - rain and wind and the like. O Joy!
Still no license from the Coasties yet. Glad this wasn't an emergency!
The last two days it has been August! It has been HAZY! It has been HOT!! It has been HUMID!!!! And unfortunately, it has proven my lack of invincibility.
Yesterday, I opened the clubhouse at 6:30AM and it was an oven inside. It wasn't quite an oven outside but it was getting there. Collecting and dumping the garbage, washing the bathrooms, washing down the porches, putting all the tables and chairs back where they belong . . . doing everything took about two hours and I was ringing wet by the end. And then it hit me. I am not sure if it was heat exhaustion or simple dehydration, but even after my morning shower I was spent. I literally spent the rest of the day, sitting in a cool breeze out on my boat, consuming all the water I could. It was nasty. By about 4pm I was feeling close to normal again but I was still drinking fluids. I am siding with my "unprofessional diagnosis" of dehydration as I literally didn't have to hit the head until then and what came out didn't measure up anywhere near what I had put in. I am feeling normal this morning but the day is supposed to be a repeat of the last two and so I will be very careful.
I got a call from Doctor O'Donnell and he confirmed what the PA said, two torn cartilages. He doesn't want to rush to surgery so we' continue with the anti-inflammatories and possibly some physical therapy. Surgery might not totally alleviate the pain because of the arthritis involvement, but if it does happen, it will probably not be until the fall.
One of the things that the triple "H's" bring with them is fog, something all boaters hate with a passion. "Oh fatal vapor,
thrice accursed brew.
Thou gloom of doom,
thou deadly devil's stew."
-Shakespeare All Ashore That's Going Ashore, Act III, Scene I
Right now, there is fog in the river, but just in the river. It hasn't spread out. It is a river of fog on the river, filled with the ferries going in and out, blowing horns wildly. Some crazy sailor, sans radar, went sailing by awhile back, hope he makes it wherever it is he is going. Maybe a Hurricane Hole? Tropical Storm Arthur is now Hurricane Arthur and is around North Carolina. It appears that it will turn east and that it will miss us though we should feel some effects Friday evening - rain and wind and the like. O Joy!
Still no license from the Coasties yet. Glad this wasn't an emergency!
Tuesday, July 1, 2014
This Is What Sailing In The Summer Is All About!
SHIP'S LOG:
It was a beautiful day to go sailing . . . . . and so I went.
It was a beautiful day to go sailing . . . . . and so I went.
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