A perfect Memorial Day Weekend sail

and finally warm enough to make a cuppa out of the question. Left the dock at 9:30 or so; the last of the land breeze served well enough. Started in the WSW about 4 to 6; veering to the NNE about 10. I was off the bay before our “summer visitors” showed up. A couple of dawn patrol jet skis and that was about it.

Also some garden pics soon. Our Poppies are popping. We have an odd one that shows six black spots instead of the usual four.

Pics follow:

Randi
Another Shanghaied sailor. Randy joins me for a “harbor burn”.

Reading
Reading about sealing in the Kerguelen Islands while HTOSP*.

Myth and Peter
Myth and Peter heading for Bay Head for the season.

A=Cats
Lightning and Raven waiting for their sticks.

Russ

*of course…hove to off Swan Point.

Finally,

a dry Northeaster and a Saturday morning sail. Around here when there’s a Low over the Great Lakes we occasionally get a clear day with the wind at 8 to 12 out of the ENE. Great sailing, a steady breeze off the still cool (50’s) ocean. Plenty cool enough for a fire and brewing up a cuppa.

Here are some pics along with a Flatfish progess report.

reaching
Reaching back to Beaton’s where I was able to Shanghi some crew.

Kent
And here he is, my good friend Kent who made a pier head leap to join me for a lap around the harbor.

Lasers
Here are a couple of locals tuning up for the coming season.

At rest
And here’s Sjogin, ready for tomorrow.

Flatfish
Planking progress on the new Flatfish. The stock is in the foreground; Atlantic white cedar from the South.

Russ

Here are some recent photos

taken over the last few weeks in no particular order. Some progress on the new Flatfish at Beatons, some garden pics and whatever. Still haven’t gone for a sail since April 19th.
Also received several e-mails from folks in Finland, Belgium and Washington state. Nice to know someone’s reading this.


Still cool enough for a fire and a cup of hot chocolate. This was from April 30th, blowing about 18 to 20kts from the SE…..


and spitting rain.


Here is a nice pile of Atlantic white cedar getting ready to be used as planking stock for the new Flatfish. The keel and centerboard are in place and the rabate has been cut. The builders have plank patterns taken from the first Flatfish they produced.


The boat on the right is my Son’s C&C 24 Claire. She was just launched and is getting ready for the Spring racing season.


This is how we grow money! The pink plants are Lunaria or Money plant. They are biennial and spread willingly.


Sunrise on May 1st.


Things are starting to fill in. Soon there won’t be a need for mulch.

Russ

A quick sunset sail

accompanied by a fire in the woodstove and a cup of tea. Was out for an hour or so, cool enough on the water to have a small fire and brew some tea.


Jib backed to Starboard, ready to ease the topping lift and cast off.


Port tack, Swan Point ahead.


Ain’t it the truth… The book is Voyage of the Damn Foole, a hand lettered and illustrated collection of stories about cruising in a Town Class sloop in southern New England. The stories originally appeared in Messing About in Boats.


The new Mantoloking bridge, just to the north of Beaton’s.


Drifting up to the dock at a half knot or so. Classic dying sea breeze.


End of a fine sail. More pics at my Flickr site

Russ

Not much to report

and I haven’t gone for a sail since returning. Usual Saturday and Sunday morning visits and still cool enough for a fire and cup of tea. Also started on the perennial beds in earnest. Garden pics next week.
Here are some recent pics:


Nothing like shop dried Jersey White Cedar to start a fire.


Progress on the new Flatfish. Here the pattern for the sheer strake is being fitted. Note the glued on batten that mimics the shape of the molded Herreshoff sheer strake. This is done so the pattern bends in the same fashion as the actual sheer strake.


The Ospreys have returned. You can just make out one on the platform Tom Beaton, myself and other erected about 20 years ago. Although not a high as they prefer, good nesting sites are at a premium so we’ve had nesting pairs for the past few years.


Spring has sprung. Julia collecting Daffodils.

Back on the Bay

after a week plus sailing in the BVI. Julia and I went on a charter with our friends, Dave and Cheryl. We sailed a 47′ Beneteau out of Horizon Charters in Nany Cay, Tortola. This was our first experience with them and we were generally pleased.

Here are some pics from the trip as well as some shots of Sjogin and progress on the new Flatfish. More BVI pics can be found at our Flickr site.

Russ
Driving with my feet. Peter Island under our lee.

Sandy Sprit
Sandy Spit, a classic desert Island. Just off Little Jost van Dyke. We went over in the dinghy from our mooring at Foxy’s Taboo.

Tilman
Reading Tilman on the beach in Cane Garden Bay. The closest I was to ice was in my Painkiller.

Julia
Julia driving

Bubbly Pool
Bubbly Bath on the North shore of Jost van Dyke. The gap in the cliffs allows the surf to surge through and create a whirl pool. Truly bubbly. Best followed with a cheesburger at Foxy’s Taboo.

Tea
Tea and Tilman last Sunday. We returned from the BVI at 4:30am.

Sunset
Sunset at Beaton’s on the first day of Spring.

Flatfish
Floors being fitted on the new Flatfish.

Flatfish progress

as evidenced by a new set of white oak frames, rabbated stem and steamed keel. Pictures below.

Breezy again today, 18 to 22 NNW, about 30 degrees. Low water as you can see below. Note Sjogin’s shadow on the bottom. Had a fire, hot sausage bread and tea as usual, finishing another chapter in my current Tilman book.

Flatfish frames
The frames are attached to the molds when hot by using wire ties. The ties are cut off as the planking progresses.

Stem
The stem is laminated Mahogany.

Keel
The mahogany keel is steamed fore and aft before fitting.

Shadow of Sjogin
Clear late Winter water. There’s about a foot of water under Sjogin’s keel.

Mid-week fire

and tea today. Went down to pump Sjogin as its been chilly enough for ice in the bilge. I place a winch handle on the float switch to prevent the ice from lifting and keeping it up and causing the battery to run down. Only two inches or so of water. Natural seepage don’t you know. Here’s a pic of tonight’s new crescent moon, just visible through the shrouds:

unset
We’re paying attention to the waxing of this month’s moon as when it’s full we’ll be at Bomba’s party on Tortola.

No sailing this weekend…

as we’ve had winds over 25 kts along with temps in the 20’s and 30’s. Along with the strong westerlies we had water levels a foot or two below normal.
Had fires and tea on board yesterday and today. Finished the first section of Mostly Mischief with Tilman crossing Bylot Island and returning to England. Based on a mention in this book, I found a copy of Spring on an Artic Island, about a bird research expedition to Bylot in 1954. Looks interesting.
Here are some pics from this weekend:

Tilman 1964
This is the general map for the next set of voyages I’m reading about. Tilman starts this section describing the work done to keep Mischief’s dodgy frames from letting go. His boat is 60 years old at his point. Sounds familiar!

Fire
Sunday’s fire. Reasonably warm below, honking on deck.

Sjogin
Blowing 22 to 28 SSW

Fire 02.25.06
Fire at home on Saturday afternoon.

Sunny afternoon
Sunny afternoon, reasonably happy plants.