Hove to off Swan Point – Page 38 – and sailing as slow as I can….

Sailing pics at last.

Went out for morning sails yesterday and last Saturday.

Bob McHugh joined me yesterday for his first sail on the bay in several years. Cool enough for a fire and some sausage bread at the sizzle. Wind was from the NNE about 5 to 8kts. Sailed down to Julia Island (near Reedy Creek) and hove to on Port tack for about a hour. Delightful sail with a down wind landing.

Sailing and garden pics follow:

Bob
Bob McHugh enjoying a beautiful Spring morning.

Ready
Ready to leave last Saturday.

Pond
Hove to at Beaton’s. The wind was from the west and reasonably steady. I was able to come up almost to the dock by heaving to on alternate tacks from Swan Point.

Breakfast on deck.

Osprey
Osprey aloft.

Spanish Bluebells and Tulips in our backyard.

Tulips
Tulips starting to go; no shame in showing their naughty bits.

Happy Spring all….

Back from a quick trip to Maine

to see my brother and his new home. It’s not only on the water, it’s over the water. A perfect spot for his growing fleet. We had remarkable weather, as did the entire NE.

Still no sailing this month, mostly due to low water and nasty Nor’easters.

Sure signs of spring upon our return. Here are some pics from our Maine trip (Flickr Album) and other odd ones from the last few weeks.

landing
The Landing, site of the old Sedgwick to Little Deer Isle Ferry. It was made redundant in the 1920’s with the completion of the Deer Isle Bridge.

Landing
Julia on the dock at the Landing. Deer Isle Bridge in the background

Julia
Julia on top of the world. Brother’s friend Matthew showed us this local site above Eggomogin Reach. The spot’s reached after a short climb through a Spruce forest.

Matt and Jane
Matthew and Jane, friends of my brother, with Casco, a three month old Lab.

Lean
Leaning Brother

Labs
Speaking of Labs here’s a brace of them. Casco’s on the left and Bobs Jett is on the right.

Julia and Aphrodite, totally re-built by Brooklin Boatyard.

S&S
Here’s one of the current projects at Brooklin Boatyard. She’s an S&S design based on Olin Stephens classic Stormy Weather.

Lotus
The new /old lighter Lotus. She was built in 1926, re-built by Beaton’s in 1984 and lightened by them in 2006. With her racing, the A-Cat Fleet could put 13 boats on the line this summer.

Shop
Finally, here’s a new Sneakbox Centerboard case being finished.

Hope to have some sailing pics next time.

Flatfish progress

and a return to regular Sjogin visits, complete with sizzling Joe Leone sausage bread.

Serena is just about done. Spar work and hardware fitting are all that’s left absent a pre-launch varnish coat. A June 9th launching is anticipated. Perhaps Charlotte will join her on Launching Day. Imagine the two of them sailing along side by side, the crew in each transfixed by the mirror image of a perfect boat, brought to life by the Master Boatbuilders of David Beaton and Son’s (and grandson’s and nieces and nephew’s).

Started on Spring garden chores; mostly bed clean-up and planning for dividing and transplanting. Will try to work on making the lawn edging more permanent, maybe more slate or stone of some kind.

Pics follow:

Sizzle
First sizzle and tea since returning.

Serena Aft
Serena’s aft deck, note the house and club flags painted on the inside of the transom.

Bow
That perfect Herreshoff hollow bow.

G Boat
Deck progress on the G Boat.

Transom
Sublime.

Garvey
A sure sign of Spring; the freshly painted Yard Garvey.

Below
Down below last Sunday.

Lowlight
Last Thursday, late afternoon. Post work sailing soon.

We’re back…..

from our almost annual BVI Charter with friends Dave and Cheryl. We had 10 beautiful days under sail visiting the usual spots. Two days at Leverick Bay and at Anegada made it a very relaxing cruise.

Our trip was extended by 3 days as last Friday’s flight home from San Juan was canceled due to the storm in the Northeast. Apart from the chest cold I picked up at the Airport we had a pleasant time exploring Old San Juan.

Some trip photos follow; more at our Flickr page.

t sea
Driving to weather along the north shore of Tortola.

Downwind
Sailing back from Anegada.

D&C
Dave and Cheryl at Loblolly Bay on Anegada. Could we be any happier?

Lunch
Waiting for Lunch at the Anegada Reef Hotel; trying to find our boat.

Our home for 10 days, the strangley named HMS Jennifish

Here’s some more from Dave and Cheryl:

D&C
Themselves.

J&C
Cheryl driving; and well at that.

Taht big
I swear the fish was…..

Nice little sail

yesterday with John Haas. He brought his Sandpiper to Beaton’s to have navigation lights installed and joined me for a sail. Looking forward to evening cruises this summer down behind Island Beach.

Wind very light to start; filling in to 4 to 7, gusting to 10. Had two “practice landings”, first time in a while.

The new owners of Serena were down for a visit. A June launching is planned.

Jeff was back for a visit mid-February and we managed to arrange a day in NY together.

Pics for all follows:

Haas
John driving out of Beaton’s

Reaching home.

Ready
Ready to put her to bed.

Tom
Tom Beaton and new deck beams for the G-Boat.

Serena
The Serena family. Check out the varnish on the transom. Classic Beaton quality.

Oscar
First I’d like to thank my wife……

Jeff
And the Oscar for the Most Digital Son goes to Jeff……

Dad and Jeff on top of the world.

Next water photos will have a more azure nature……

First sail

of 2007 and truly sailing as slow as i could. Classic calm before the storm today, waiting for the arrival of the nor’easter. Sitting here before the fire; Julia in the kitchen fixing a salad. Breeze now 6 to 10 from the NNE.

Very light conditions, barely 5 out of the East, backing NE. Often complete calm but perfect ghosting conditions for Sjogin. Was able to sit off Swan Point on the Port tack for about an hour, reading and brewing tea. Frequent pauses to confirm position and chop wood for the stove.

Pics follow:

Skipper
A very quiet reach out of Beaton’s.

Brant
Brant sitting tight under Swan Point. Saw several flights join their cousins. Quiet enough to hear them land.

Sign
Ghosting home.

Ingrid Ann, one of the Beaton locals.

Smack
Illustrations of Michael Frosts Oyster Smack from my current on board read. Neat to read about him hove to off Foulness in a half gale while snug below hove to off Swan Point.

Iced in but still

cozy down below. We’re in full frozen bilge mode. The electric pump’s turned off and the hand pump’s seeing semi-daily use. Went down this morning to chip the ice out of the “sump” and pump her dry.

Progress on Serena, the new Flatfish with varnish build-up proceeding. Also evidence of work on the Fortenbaugh G-Boat, being restored by Beatons.

Pics follow:

Ice
Finally iced in. Seems like a period of ice makes for a normal winter.

pump
Hand pumping, about 20 strokes clears the bilge. I’ll pick at more of the ice tomorrow.

varnish
Varnish build-up on Serena, about half way there.

Randy
Randy, starting on another A-Cat half model.

Serena and the G-Boat share the wood shop. The G-Boat was designed By Charles Mower in 1936. They were raced on Barnegat Bay for many years, ending in the 70’s? When I first found Beaton’s in ’78 there was a G-Boat in one of the sheds that had seen better days. That particular boat is now at the Toms River Seaport Society. The one being restored by Beaton’s is owned by the Fortenbaugh family. Bill Fortenbaugh had the A-Cat Ghost built by Tom Beaton and crew in the early 90’s. As some of you know I had the pleasure (mostly) of helping to build her.

Some new snaps

Nothing special, just some new pics, happy to be back on line. Some lack of understanding between Windows and the Network. Connected now due to the presence of Steve Nash of Nash Networks of Wall. After massaging some properties here and there Steve fixed the problem.

Anyway, here are some new pics:

Calm
Calm last Sunday morning and ice free.

Skillet
New old skillet Julia and I found antiquing in Point. Perfect fit, leaving just enough room for the Pusser’s cup. Hope to try using it under sail soon.

Still no 2007 sail. Usually by now there’s been a warmer spell.

Ingrid Ann

Currently being re-read; Michael Frost’s Half a Gale, tales of post-war messing about in a 30′ oyster smack. Engineless sailing and heaving too as well. Takes place in the Thames estuary and in local ports and marshes.

Happy February.

Ice!!!

First ice of the season; just skim and slushy bits, nothing too solid yet. Though Sjoginâ€™s bilge has frozen over, the pump hasnâ€™t. It allows the electric pump to be used, followed by scooping out most of the slush. Fred, one of the Beaton irregulars, is keeping an eye on her between my visits.

The new Beaton Flatfish, Serena, is at the varnish build up stage. Her rudderâ€™s done along with the seats and margin boards. I expect the spar work should start soon.

The above and other recent pics follow:

serena
Getting ready for one of the half dozen varnish coats.

Claire
Sjoginâ€™s slip mate this winter, son Davidâ€™s Claire.

Sjogin
Last Saturday, blowing 30, about 20 degrees. Getting colder but no ice then.

Skim ice in the pond this morning. Should be gone with a brisk norâ€™wester.

Bilge
And skim ice in the bilge. Itâ€™s that time of year, though much later than usual. Just slush mostly, easy to scoop out with the bailer.

Donut
Ice donut on the stern line.

Ice crescents form around the pilings and then are set adrift. Not a bad day.

219
Early last Saturday morning.

Sneakbox
New hunting machine turned up this month. It’s towed to a likely spot and anchored. The sloping gray deck is said to be sufficiently camouflaged to not need marsh stuff.

No 2007 sailing yet.

Over the last two weeks either the waterâ€™s been too low or the breeze insufficient or no time. Still managed to have a fire and a cuppa every weekend morning. Today looked promising with a chance of showers and temps in the 40â€™s with a light mist but absolutely no breeze. Had a watch below, finishing Melvilleâ€™s Billy Budd.

Beatonâ€™s is making good progress on the new Flatfish, Serena. The cabin topâ€™s on and sheathed with the finish work in the cockpit started. Looking forward to an early Spring launching.

Pics follow:

drop
How appropriate for drinking tea and rum while reading Billy Budd

NAME
Quiet morning at Beatonâ€™s last Saturday. Just time for a fire and tea. Could have gone out but we went to see the NY Philharmonic with Dave and Cheryl. Very warm day; 72 in Central Park by the afternoon.