Almost August.  With summer speeding by my Hinckley is finally near launching.  As the Tartan isn't booked now I've decided to keep her on the hard once finished and show her there.  The Tartan will be done about a week after the Hinckley.  We are going to finish it once the Hinckley is splashed.

At the moment I'm staying on the Cape Cod Blue Chip.  The owners and I are close now, and I've been helping them here and there (they are elderly and climbing around the boat is pretty tough for them).  But the Hinckley is torn up at the moment in preparation for launching so it's nice to have the option to vacate.  

This is a very cool boat.  As I've said, not very roomy for a 30', but very solid and seaworthy.  This is a boat made for blue water.  The owners cannot keep her tho, and she'll be sold or donated at the end of the summer.  As I'm putting every penny into my two boats, I can't buy her.  But I wish one of you would...you'll thank me for years to come.  If sailing a full keel Hershoff design that has fantastic stability and will run like a freight train sounds good get her and check her out.  They are asking $15,000.   Get her to see her, I can take you for a sail.  See if she's for you.  The interior is like new, totally redone.  Simple but nice.  Sails in good shape.  Engine (Volvo 18) runs great.  This boat was custom built for my friends parents.  It was laid up with 13 layers of fiberglass (usually about 4 layers).  She could be dropped from a helicopter onto rocks and just bounce...lol...but seriously...if a 30 is what you would be happy with, don't let this one slip away.

Sailing, sailing

Hi all!  I've been occupied, crippled or sailing lately...but I'm still here. Allen and I just returned from Solomons via Knapps Narrows.  Great 4 days.  Good wind, blew a mixing elbow just as a violent Thunder-storm hit.   Experience saves lives. My friend Allen is 73 and has been on the Chesapeake all his life.  Now I'm good, but he has me by 30 years on the water at least.   Progression; Engine smokes so we shut her down (we had started it as we approached the entrance to Knapps Narrows.  We shut her down.   We we sailing on, and could have sailed into the pier had the storm held off...be we were hit 30 minutes out.   Allen said "here's what we are going to do....drop the main, pull in the Genny, then drop the anchor.  One, two three.  Batten down the hatches.   Ride it out.  The thing to remember about violent storms...they end soon.  Be cool.  Be prepared.   Be quick and sure of your actions.  So with all steps taken, anchor set, we had no problem.  

And I want to again urge you to check out "Boat Beacon".  GREAT app!  My service was only interrupted a couple times and they were short duration gaps.  The app sends your position to AIS receivers (of which all commercial vessels have), gives your speed, position (in lat/long) track and course heading.  And you can share your position, so essentially someone can chart your exact position anywhere on the net.  That is amazing, like watching my radar screen anywhere!  So pick it up...you'll be glad you did.   Redundancy is a good thing.