Hove to off Swan Point – Page 36 – and sailing as slow as I can….

Sjogin floats!

Beatons launched her Thursday afternoon. Swelling nicely; her own pump comes on every ten minutes or so. I have a back up sump pump on board, just in case. Gave Sjogin her annual cabin and cockpit scrubbing this morning. All clean now. Will move back in tomorrow and have the first fire of the new season. Still need to sand and varnish the spars, refinish the rudder and cut and fit the new hatch runners. Hope to be sailing by the 29th, the day of the A-Cat Worlds.

Float support
She floats….with a little help from the straps.

Old Lift at Beatons
Hanging in the straps Thursday evening. The lift was built by David Beaton in the 60’s?

On her own now. I bought a new Battery today so I’ll sleep easy tonight. That’s a N. G. Herreshoff E-Boat behind Sjogin.

The Glimmer Glass Bridge; now threatened with “improvement”. There’s a growing public effort to preserve the Bridge as it is now. I believe it’s the only one of its kind in the country. It’s hard to see from this angle but there are massive rollers on a curved track that are counter-weights to the Bridge deck. I’ve know it since I was a child.

Almost done

with Sjogin’s refit. All painting above the waterline is done; finished the rub rail today. When the Yard does the bottom work she’ll be ready for another off-season. Still need to seal, fill and paint the rudder. It’s pretty beat up after 45 years of service.

Photos of the progress as well as other items follow:

Varnish done
House top, trim and house sides painted, hatch frame varnished.

Deck Painted with Kirby’s finest. There’s a greenish cast to everything due to the skyklights in the shed.

South shed light
Evening light in the south shed.

Rudder work. Paint mostly stripped; setting up the rivets in the shop.

On Nimble
Stealing an hour on Kent’s boat.

Kent Mountford
Captain Kent

Done
Names on, almost done.

Beaton’s is restoring the first Sneakbox they built.

Nelson
Here’s a pic from last Sunday, when Nelson, Gerry and I sailed one of the Manhattan Sailing Club (MSC) G-Boats.

Sjogin progress and G-Boat activity

at Beaton’s today. I started on the rail repair, finding a precut piece of cedar scrap or two that just fit. Beatons’ are working on restoring Sneakbox Number 1, so lots of off-cuts.

While working on Sjogin this morning, Michael Fortenbaugh and the G-Boat entourage arrived. He had a few friends and members all for an introduction to sailing these great old boats. They all went out and back a half dozen times, some captured below.

Tomorrow I expect to take one of the G-Boats out with friend and MSC member, Nelson Garcez.

Enjoy your Labor Day Weekend all…

Ready to start fitting the dutchmen. When fit close enough with a dollop of thickened epoxy, it will see the rub rail through the winter.

First group of G-Boaters getting ready to leave.

Reaching in for another crew swap. Nice to see these venerable old boats being restored and used.

Luffing up to the dock
Good landing.

More tomorrow.

Back from Maine

and the Small Reach Regatta at WoodenBoat. We spent 5 days at Brothers place on Eggomogin Reach, spending time on all the boats in his fleet. Apart from having our flight canceled last Tuesday and having to drive up it was a great trip.

The Small Reach Regatta was a blast with 40 sail and oar boats participating. It started with a lobster dinner last Thursday night on the WoodenBoat grounds and continued with chase boat duties Friday and Saturday. We spent Friday shadowing the fleet in the fog with Bob on Boss Lady and Julia and I were alone on Katy D Saturday.

Needless to say we took tons of pics, mostly of the small boat type that’s difficult to capture on film. Here’s a few anyway with more on Flickr.

Boss Lady at rest
Boss Lady tied up at the Landing.

Elf through the window
Finding our charges in the fog by Conary Island. The boat ahead was built by Gavin Bauer, son of our friend Steven Bauer. She’s an Oughtred Elf sailed by Gavin and his Dad.

Brother driving. The large color chart plotter made circumnavigating Smutty Nose a piece of cake.

Fleeing the fog; on the right are Steven and Gavin.

Grizzled skipper keeps watch.

Boss Lady and Tendress on Saturday morning.

Julia in Katy D
Julia driving Katy D on Saturday.

All sorts
An Ian Oughtred yawl on the left, standing lug skiffs next, catboats et al…and all delightful. So much passion gathered together.

Coquina
Coquina, a Nathaniel Herreshoff cat yawl. Damn near perfect.

Julia driving Tendress. Look at that straight wake!

Jett
Jett, brothers seven month old Lab. A terrific dog, soon to be a sea dog.

Cocktails in Camden harbor. Bob motored Julia over to Camden in Boss Lady while I drove. A fine dinner ashore and then home on Monday.

Sjogin work resumes tomorrow.

Turns out I did have time.

Started stripping the rudder. Long overdue and I noticed it’s starting to get a little dodgy in spots. I’ll strip clean and set up the rivets to try to tighten up the slot for the tiller.

Lot’s of progress yesterday, sanded the toe rails, deck, house and coamings. Also finished sanding the topsides and spot primed the faired and sanded spots with finish paint. Ready for the Yard to get to work.

Should be almost done with the regular work by Labor Day.

Stripping the rudder

On a garden note, have seen what I believe are Swallowtail butterflies visiting this year. Here’s one on the Zinnias:

Zinnias

Next post will have pics of our service in brothers navy. See ya…

August Refit

Sjogin’s out for her annual refit. Nothing major this time except the need for a dutchman in the Port rub rail. It may be time for a new set as I assume they’re original. (45 years old) The topsides also need to be wooded as that hasn’t been for a dozen years or so. The jobs complement each other as I’m sure there will be dodgy bits behind the rails at the top of the sheer strake. Maybe this March when the Yard’s swapping A-Cats out of the shed. We’ll see.

Pics follow:

Forward, August refit 2007
All of the chipped paint scraped off, sanded and primed. I’ll fair with WEST, then sand and prime again.

Aft
The rudder’s off for painting. I may strip it if I have time. Right.

Punky rail. I’ll fit a cedar dutchman and goop to get through the Winter.

More tomorrow.

Big Russ Day

Like the traditional Big Sea Day when the local farmers had a day at the beach when the summer’s labors were done. On Saturday I removed the sails, boom and running rigging to get Sjogin ready for her summer maintenance work. Of course Saturday morning was hot and still while Sunday was just perfect. Low humidity, a nice breeze from the Northeast. Since there was to be no sailing I made my first appearance on Squan beach with Julia and Jake, thus the reference to “Big Russ Day”.

Big Russ Day
Moi, Julia and Jake on my first beach visit of 2007. Usually I’m good for a few more.

Drying sails. Note the sweep on the side deck as I sculled her over to the Rigging (or in this case, the Unrigging) dock. All of the running rigging, boom and sails are removed and stored for a few weeks while the maintenance goes on.

Ready to get pulled
All stripped; ready to have the mast pulled and Sjogin hauled and put in her usual spot in the South shed.

Circa 1926
Looks like 1940’s or so. Two G-Boats, the Flatfish Serena and the catboat Irene Tansy. Tom Beaton was on the dock as I was getting Sjogin ready and commented that the inner basin was looking good this Summer. Have to agree.

Charlotte sailing and G-Boat racing at BHYC

More fine sailing today. Took a couple from Bay Head out for a trial sail on Charlotte first thing this morning as she is currently for sale. After dropping them off, Julia and our friends Zsa and Robert came out for a quick sail. Light winds and early boat traffic left us bobbing and weaving for a while before the sea breeze kicked in.

After putting Charlotte to bed, Tom and I went up to Bay Head Yacht Club for the introduction of the new (old) G-Boats. You may have noticed the restoration Beaton’s did for Bill Fortenbaugh on his G-Boat. Bill’s son, Michael, runs the Manhattan Yacht Club in NYC and will use the family G-Boat as well as one they found in Ohio to provide a different (much different) experience for the members. The boats will be kept at Beaton’s on moorings.

Michael had several members come down for the preview. Along with BHYC members there were a series of quick races. Tom and I, along with one of the Beaton regulars, John sailed one race and won handily. (Not due to any great skill but the Beaton boat was just faster today.)

Pics follow:

Nothing like a Bloody Mary for Elevenses. Courtesy of Zsa and Robert. Delicious.

Robert and Zsa

Bill Fortenbaugh and his Ghost

G-Boats
One minute to go. Racing in front of the BHYC. Note the cotton sails on G12.

Russ and Tom, racing again.

John
John, responsible for most of the restoration work on the Fortenbaugh G-Boat, enjoying jib duties. Check out those cotton sails.

Analog Fun

Here’s some pics from the sail I had last Thursday with four friends from the WoodenBoat Forum. We meet most often in the Digital world; nice to gather in the Analog one and go for a sail. We had a great day; humid but no too hot. Around 75 with a Southeasterly most of the day. Up and down, about 6 to 10 knots.

Joe Forster and Phil Heffernan drove down from Cold Spring on Hudson. Jim Ledger came from Long Island and Mark Barabas was local; he has a summer home in Monterey Beach just north of Lavalette.

Here’s a link to the WBF thread about Thursday’s sail. Most of the pics there are from Joe’s iPhone.

Phil and Joe
Phil Heffernan and Joe (CSoH).

Jim Ledger with Osprey nest
Jim Ledger and Osprey nest/Day Marker.

Russ steering from the bow
Steering from forward. New tricks for first time Sjogin sailors. iPhoto by Joe Foster.

Russ, Jim and Mark
Jim, Mark and yours truly. Where’s the tiller? Hove to yet again. iPhoto from Joe.

Joe (CSoH). (Cold Spring on Hudson)
Our Joe. I took this pic with Joe’s iPhone. So cool.

Rum
All good sailors need a pull on the ships grog now and then. iPhoto by Joe.

End of the sail
Back at Beaton’s around 4:30 after a great sail.

Pizza
Post sailing pizza.

Afterglow.

Story
Yet another story.

Sandpiper racing today

at our favorite spot, Seaside Park Yacht Club. Went racing with John Haas in his Sandpiper. Sailed three races in front of the club in a dry nor’easter. 12 to 15 knots, gusting to 18 or so. We had our moments of good boat speed but finished at the end of the three boat fleet in each race. Good sailing in any event.

Pics from today and yesterday follow:

A stern chase is a long chase. Good view of our competitors.

John and June
Skipper John Haas and crew June.

Main sheet man relaxes on the downwind run.

Raven
Raven on her way to the afternoon races yesterday.

Kent Mountford
Friend Kent, striking a Captain Morgan pose. Nice sail yesterday but with a challenging Northerly; up and down, backing and veering with no clear pattern.

Torch
Peter Kellogg’s Torch

Just arrived
Photo taken by photographer MaryAnn Westlund on Saturday. She was standing on the dock and took the photo while I was getting ready to lower the sails and put Sjogin in her slip. Here’s a link to MaryAnns’s web page.