Busy Fall

After a summer of deliberation and chance I've focused on the Tartan 37, my beautiful "Pilgrim"and she is nearly ready to launch.   I decided to have the bottom shaved and reglassed which was the cause for delay.   Very expensive and extensive job.  Now Pilgrim has two layers of fresh 1808 DBM laid on with vinylester, and a 6 coats of Mil Spec industrial epoxy.  I had bought Inter-protect 2000/2001, but the bottom expert recommended the Mil Spec so I returned the Interlux product.   I have at the moment 4 coats on, 5th today, and last tomorrow followed by bottom paint.

Concurrent with the bottom we've been finishing the other projects.  All "stuff" works now.  All through hull hoses replaced.   Bilge pump and shower sump working.  fuel tank pulled, scrubbed and re-installed.   New pintle made and rudder re-made.   Chainplate area wetness cut out, repaired and re-caulked, cushions being re-done with recycled leather...

Still a long list, including installing the Espar diesel furnace.  All the rest can be done in the water though, and I'm planning on launching Tuesday or Wednesday.  

After launching, I really have no idea what I'll do...

This bottom procedure was performed by

Bayside Boatworks (baysideboatworks@yahoo.com).    410-271-2057

The owner and proprietor of Bayside, Jeff Hickman, invented the shaving machine he uses and is the best around.  If you have any blister concerns he's the man to call.

here are pics of the projects;

Boat/ Yacht Hauling

Hey Sailors!  Sorry I've been so quiet, I've been busy working on the Hinckley (which I sold to Hank Hinckley!) and the Tartan 37 which I've decided to keep.  We shaved the bottom (see pic) of the Tartan and are going to apply double layers of fabric this weekend.  

But to the point of this post, my friend Doug Morrison hauls boats/ yachts overland.  Up to 50 foot long and 20,000 pounds.  If anyone needs a boat hauled let me know.  At the moment Doug is in the San Francisco Bay area and is looking for a load to go north from the California to Washington....

So how was your sailing summer?  Tell us your sailing stories!

The best Chesapeake sailing is upon us, the next

month is spectacular...get on the water!  

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.

Tartan Progress

With the Cal sale complete focus turns to the Tartan 37.  Steve and His son Jeremy worked this weekend.  Among the projects is the repair of the soft core (small areas) around the chainplates and a stanchion base.   Here's a pic of the largest area, maybe 6" at the longest.

Tartan Progress

Steve and Karen, my Tartan members, spend all weekend working.  Captain Lou admonished me that I'm driving them too hard...so I asked if I was being bad.  These are sailors baby!  They are a couple tough cookies.  We really made great progress these last 3 days.  All the exterior of the boat scrubbed. All the exterior teak re-oiled. Steering quadrant taken apart and the rudder dropped.  Then we cut open the side of the rudder (pictured below) and removed the skin to scrape out the soggy foam filler.  We'll epoxy the inside and refill it with foam.  Lastly we'll barrier coat the rudder to prevent it soaking up water again. This is a major repair that increases the value of the boat by quite a bit.

Next weekend we should be able to get the bottom done.  Close to getting Pilgrim in the water!  How exciting!  Summer is swinging...come join us and you'll be swinging too!

Sailnet comment about Cal 29

Here's a thread I found, the question was how much headroom does a Cal 2-29 have;

the link: http://www.sailnet.com/forums/sailboat-design-construction/92708-do-you-own-cal-2-29-headroom-question.html

FWIW we owned a Cal 2-29 from 1976 through 2002 (and in a way I regret that we ever gave her up). I am (or at least was) 6' tall and I never had any difficulty with head room aboard the yacht (and my much better half, at 4'-11", none what-so-ever!). Note, however, that the sole of the yacht is not "flat". Accordingly, headroom along the centerline is greater than it is if one has one's toes up against the cabinets to starboard, or the seatee/berth to port. That said, however, one rarely has one's feet in such positions unless the yacht is heeled, in which case "vertical" is "diagonal with respect to the yacht. The only position where one might have an issue is forward of the salon, in the "head" compartment. On the other hand however, one of my routine crew was 6'3" and he never had an issue with "head room". We sailed the yacht all over the west coast, from as far north as San Francisco to as far south as Ensenada, and to heck's half acre in between, and finally brought her to Florida in '92, where we did the same between Ft. Lauderdale and Tampa Bay. The boat is a sweet, fast, strong, safe yacht that can take far more than her crew and come up pert and smiling. As, when, if we give up the "big boat" I shall look for another 2-29 as one cannot find many yachts with her qualities anywhere near what's asked for them these days. (And, for what its worth, I still get grief from my daughter about having sold the little yacht, even after 11 years. As we stood there on the dock at our club as the new owner pulled away, my daughter balled her eyes out. The yacht had been ours, and our holiday/vacation home, from the time she was born, and she couldn't forgive me for "selling part of our family!".) FWIW...