SHIP'S LOG:
Yes indeed boys & girls, we got snow yesterday! Bloody, flippin' SNOW!And ABISHAG is still in the water! SNOW!
I never realized how long the line was to get haul or how slow this yard was. True, the got rid of 25 boats that had been abandoned for years in the yard so they could accommodate more winter hauling, and true they are filled to the point that they won't take anymore boats, but I have been sitting in the water since Columbus Day for crying out loud. Nothing I can do about it except wait. I have a sneaking feeling that they have not much experience with a twin stick rig and are trying to figure out how to haul it. That doesn't inspire a lot of confidence! Hey but what did I expect for a mere $25/foot! Ah, the fun of boat ownership!
Friday, October 28, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
Not Yet
SHIP'S LOG:
ABISHAG is still wet. Evidently her place in line was farther along than I thought. The yard is also still trying to figure out how to haul a ketch. SO we wait.
ABISHAG is still wet. Evidently her place in line was farther along than I thought. The yard is also still trying to figure out how to haul a ketch. SO we wait.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
A Very Good Day
SHIP'S LOG:
God gave me a beautiful day to take the sails off ABISHAG. This little task has to be done while ABISHAG was still in the water as unfurling the sails while the boat is on land, on stands, would be dangerous. A bit of wind and the boat could literally tip over off the stands. Even when the boat is in the water the evolution can be a bit of a difficult task. Once the sails are unfurled, they will flutter all over. The greater the wind, the greater the flutter, and getting whacked in the head with the metal ring in the clew of a sail can ruin your whole day.. In addition, once each sail is down,it has to be folded up and stuffed in a sail bag. The wind will cause them to fight being folded and it becomes especially difficult when you are doing trying to do it on the boat.
There wasn't a breath of wind in Portland this morning! Thank you God! All the sails came down without a problem and got folded up and stuff in the bags as easy as pie. I could not have asked for more. Now the boat will be hauled in a day or so and after that, the winterizing will be done and ABISHAG will be ready for a long winter's nap. AH! The joys of boat ownership!
God gave me a beautiful day to take the sails off ABISHAG. This little task has to be done while ABISHAG was still in the water as unfurling the sails while the boat is on land, on stands, would be dangerous. A bit of wind and the boat could literally tip over off the stands. Even when the boat is in the water the evolution can be a bit of a difficult task. Once the sails are unfurled, they will flutter all over. The greater the wind, the greater the flutter, and getting whacked in the head with the metal ring in the clew of a sail can ruin your whole day.. In addition, once each sail is down,it has to be folded up and stuffed in a sail bag. The wind will cause them to fight being folded and it becomes especially difficult when you are doing trying to do it on the boat.
There wasn't a breath of wind in Portland this morning! Thank you God! All the sails came down without a problem and got folded up and stuff in the bags as easy as pie. I could not have asked for more. Now the boat will be hauled in a day or so and after that, the winterizing will be done and ABISHAG will be ready for a long winter's nap. AH! The joys of boat ownership!
Monday, October 10, 2016
NOAA Nothing
SHIP'S LOG:
Well ABISHAG is up[ in Portland ready to be hauled this week. I was part of the TYC Cruise to Essex and it looked like it was going to be very good, weather-wise. NOAA forecast that Saturday would be winds about 10knots our of the Northeasst making the trip a broad reach all the way to Saybrook.
Well, they got the wind speed right but it shifted around making it a dead downwind. So rather than slog downwind, Fred and I tacked across the Sound and then back to Saybrook, and it was a broad reach, and a good sail. We got to Essex about 2:30 making it a 3 1/2 hours trip. When we got to Essex it started to rain. An occasional and scattered showers were forecast late in the day, but these began early and didn't stop until last night(Sunday).
The run up the river was cold, wet and a real slog. The wind was 30mph the whole was, with some higher gusts. There really is no way to stay dry on such a trip, no matter how great your foul-weather gear. The rain and the cold always finds a way in. It was a 3 hour trip and Fred and I had to hand off the helm about every thirty minutes. But the trip got done.
The rain and the wind prevented us from taking the sails off the boat so that will be delayed for a couple of days but probably be the end of the week, ABISHAG will be high and dry. The summer is over!
Well ABISHAG is up[ in Portland ready to be hauled this week. I was part of the TYC Cruise to Essex and it looked like it was going to be very good, weather-wise. NOAA forecast that Saturday would be winds about 10knots our of the Northeasst making the trip a broad reach all the way to Saybrook.
Well, they got the wind speed right but it shifted around making it a dead downwind. So rather than slog downwind, Fred and I tacked across the Sound and then back to Saybrook, and it was a broad reach, and a good sail. We got to Essex about 2:30 making it a 3 1/2 hours trip. When we got to Essex it started to rain. An occasional and scattered showers were forecast late in the day, but these began early and didn't stop until last night(Sunday).
The run up the river was cold, wet and a real slog. The wind was 30mph the whole was, with some higher gusts. There really is no way to stay dry on such a trip, no matter how great your foul-weather gear. The rain and the cold always finds a way in. It was a 3 hour trip and Fred and I had to hand off the helm about every thirty minutes. But the trip got done.
The rain and the wind prevented us from taking the sails off the boat so that will be delayed for a couple of days but probably be the end of the week, ABISHAG will be high and dry. The summer is over!
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Still Waiting For Matthew
SHIP'S LOG:
Well, Matthew doesn't seem to have lost any punch in the last 24 hours even running over Jamaica and Haiti. Dropped about 40 inches on Haiti. Just what they needed.
Matthew is moving north about 9 mph and it looks as though it will impact Florida in a day or so and will head up the east coast. It could get as close as right along the coast which will do a real job on the state. It then appears it will follow the curve of the coast at least as far north as Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. After that, no one is making any guesses or predictions, or I should say, everyone is making W.A.G. , Wild Ass Guesses, that send it anywhere north and or east of Hatteras. In other words, nobody knows nothing for sure.
Perhaps the only good news is that Matthew is expected to weaken as it impacts land and that since it is not expected to speed up, shouldn't get here until Monday at the earliest. If that holds true, I should be able to get ABISHAG up the Connecticut River and snugged down in Portland ahead of the storm. Of course, Matthew decides to go to Bermuda, everyone here will be very happy. However, we won't know for awhile. O the Agony Of Waiting!
Well, Matthew doesn't seem to have lost any punch in the last 24 hours even running over Jamaica and Haiti. Dropped about 40 inches on Haiti. Just what they needed.
Matthew is moving north about 9 mph and it looks as though it will impact Florida in a day or so and will head up the east coast. It could get as close as right along the coast which will do a real job on the state. It then appears it will follow the curve of the coast at least as far north as Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. After that, no one is making any guesses or predictions, or I should say, everyone is making W.A.G. , Wild Ass Guesses, that send it anywhere north and or east of Hatteras. In other words, nobody knows nothing for sure.
Perhaps the only good news is that Matthew is expected to weaken as it impacts land and that since it is not expected to speed up, shouldn't get here until Monday at the earliest. If that holds true, I should be able to get ABISHAG up the Connecticut River and snugged down in Portland ahead of the storm. Of course, Matthew decides to go to Bermuda, everyone here will be very happy. However, we won't know for awhile. O the Agony Of Waiting!
Monday, October 3, 2016
Waiting For Matthew
SHIP'S LOG:
It is funny how things work out sometimes. This coming weekend, Columbus Day Weekend for Italians and the politically incorrect, is traditionally the weekend when a large number of the TYC folk head to Essex/Hamburg Cove on the Connecticut River to party. Since it is a three day weekend, we usually leave on Saturday and overnight for two days and on Monday, half head back to New London to continue the sailing season a few more weeks and the rest head up river to one of the various marinas, depending on what you can afford, for winter hauling. I am planning to head up river because: 1.) Riverside in Portland is now the least expensive marina around; 2.) the weather is bound to get less warm and less stable the longer I wait; it's a 42 mile trip and being in Essex means I am half way there so why not go all the way. Good, smart, safe seamanship.
Now way down in the Caribbean, we have a Hurricane brewing which look to really clobber Jamaica, Haiti and Cub in the next 24 - 48 hours. It is currently a Category 4 and since the top is a Category 5, it is a monster. Unfortunately, it could end up right here come this weekend and that is a real cause for concern. While I doubt that even if it gets here it will still be a Category 4, even a Category 1 is a bastard. I can not leave before Saturday in part because my crew can't leave before Saturday and also due to the fact that I am running the Launch on Friday Noon to 6pm and it will be a busy time if Matthew is coming this way. Everyone will want to secure their boats, be it readying it to ride Matthew out on their mooring, or dashing off to a hurricane hole somewhere, or getting hauled at some marina. It will be a very busy and chaotic day.
If Matthew is going to hit Friday, Saturday or Sunday, I will have to ride it out on the mooring at TYC. I had the chain replaced this spring. The anchor is well and deeply set in the bottom, so the mooring is as good as it gets. ABISHAG is strong and has already weathered IRENE and SANDY, so hopefully she can handle MATTHEW should he come calling. If MATTHEW comes Monday or later, I'll dash up the Connecticut Saturday to Riverside and snug down there. Or Perhaps I wait it out in New London. It really depends on the track. I am hoping that it takes a left at Cape Hatteras and heads way out into the Atlantic. The next 24-48 should give a good idea as to where the storm is going. The second most anxiety producing day is the day you head up river for winter haul out, the first being when you bring the boat down river at the start of the season. .The waiting for this hurricane, coming when it is, will be a killer. AH, the joys of boat ownership.
It is funny how things work out sometimes. This coming weekend, Columbus Day Weekend for Italians and the politically incorrect, is traditionally the weekend when a large number of the TYC folk head to Essex/Hamburg Cove on the Connecticut River to party. Since it is a three day weekend, we usually leave on Saturday and overnight for two days and on Monday, half head back to New London to continue the sailing season a few more weeks and the rest head up river to one of the various marinas, depending on what you can afford, for winter hauling. I am planning to head up river because: 1.) Riverside in Portland is now the least expensive marina around; 2.) the weather is bound to get less warm and less stable the longer I wait; it's a 42 mile trip and being in Essex means I am half way there so why not go all the way. Good, smart, safe seamanship.
Now way down in the Caribbean, we have a Hurricane brewing which look to really clobber Jamaica, Haiti and Cub in the next 24 - 48 hours. It is currently a Category 4 and since the top is a Category 5, it is a monster. Unfortunately, it could end up right here come this weekend and that is a real cause for concern. While I doubt that even if it gets here it will still be a Category 4, even a Category 1 is a bastard. I can not leave before Saturday in part because my crew can't leave before Saturday and also due to the fact that I am running the Launch on Friday Noon to 6pm and it will be a busy time if Matthew is coming this way. Everyone will want to secure their boats, be it readying it to ride Matthew out on their mooring, or dashing off to a hurricane hole somewhere, or getting hauled at some marina. It will be a very busy and chaotic day.
If Matthew is going to hit Friday, Saturday or Sunday, I will have to ride it out on the mooring at TYC. I had the chain replaced this spring. The anchor is well and deeply set in the bottom, so the mooring is as good as it gets. ABISHAG is strong and has already weathered IRENE and SANDY, so hopefully she can handle MATTHEW should he come calling. If MATTHEW comes Monday or later, I'll dash up the Connecticut Saturday to Riverside and snug down there. Or Perhaps I wait it out in New London. It really depends on the track. I am hoping that it takes a left at Cape Hatteras and heads way out into the Atlantic. The next 24-48 should give a good idea as to where the storm is going. The second most anxiety producing day is the day you head up river for winter haul out, the first being when you bring the boat down river at the start of the season. .The waiting for this hurricane, coming when it is, will be a killer. AH, the joys of boat ownership.
Monday, September 26, 2016
Winding Down.
SHIP'S LOG:
I have confirmation of a "warm and comfortable" spot for ABISHAG for the winter. It is a new marina though one that is actually next door to the old one. Yankee, for some reason unknown, raised their rate by $10 a foot. Actually, even if the reason was known to me, I could not afford to go there for another season. It would be $40 a foot. Hell, for $42 a foot I could haul out at Crocker's which is literally just down the street from TYC, but I don't have $42 a foot. Riverside in Portland is only $25. True, there will be more hands on work that I will have to do but at least I can afford it. And there are NO TREES IN THE YARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The last day of Summer will be October 9th when I will dock at Riverside and they will haul it the next day. It has been a short season but at least I had one. And next year will be different, it will be one of normal length. Like I said, no trees.
I have confirmation of a "warm and comfortable" spot for ABISHAG for the winter. It is a new marina though one that is actually next door to the old one. Yankee, for some reason unknown, raised their rate by $10 a foot. Actually, even if the reason was known to me, I could not afford to go there for another season. It would be $40 a foot. Hell, for $42 a foot I could haul out at Crocker's which is literally just down the street from TYC, but I don't have $42 a foot. Riverside in Portland is only $25. True, there will be more hands on work that I will have to do but at least I can afford it. And there are NO TREES IN THE YARD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The last day of Summer will be October 9th when I will dock at Riverside and they will haul it the next day. It has been a short season but at least I had one. And next year will be different, it will be one of normal length. Like I said, no trees.
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