I like having a motor on my sailboat. I appreciate the ability to drop the sails when the wind is too high, or too low… or to navigate the mooring field on my limited sailing skill. I don’t enjoy listening to it. Or buying gas for it. Or changing oil and spark plugs and all that.
Enter: Electric. Quiet and sun-powered.
Renogy 100w solar panel and charge controller kit (though I’ve now purchased a smaller 50w panel for the upcoming season)
Last summer brought so little rain that I didn’t realize until October that the window seals had eroded. The first fall rains seeped into the cabin and soaked the interior cushions.
Rubber seal along the top of the window had turned brittle and weak.
Well, SHIT. The narrow top and bottom edges peeled away easily, but the plexiglass extends several inches beyond the window opening, and was secured with thick rubbery glue. Snap!
Scraping away the old sealant.
Cleaning the sealant off the glass also meant removing the black backing.
I’m not sure this the advised approach, but it’s what I’m going with for now: SPRAY PAINT.
A little epoxy, a little spray paint… not perfect, but good enough for now.
Well, all in all that went pretty terribly. I decided that for the other window, I’d simply run a bead of clear outdoor silicone sealant around the outside… not a permanent solution, but it’s all I have in me for now.
So, now that I have a boat, I need a parking spot for it. A wet one.
The Massabesic Yacht Club membership grants me access to a mooring location, but I need to provide and maintain the equipment. It just so happened that a retiring member was willing to sell me his equipment in place… so I don't need to worry about assembling and dropping it before I can launch next spring.
Most of the equipment is at the bottom of the lake, so I won’t get to see it until the spring inspection. But here’s the gist:
Mushroom anchor. We have a muddy lake bottom, so these mushroom-shaped anchors dig themselves in to use not only their weight but also suction to keep your boat tethered.
Heavy chain offers drag against the bottom.
Lighter chain extends from the bottom to the surface.
Various shackles and swivels.
I have the surface pieces in storage in the basement… a mooring buoy and a pickup buoy. I’ll give them a little spring cleaning and refresh the marking paint and they’ll be good to go!
Well, it’s been great to spend the last week getting on the water as much as possible, and now it’s time to put the It’s About Time to bed for the winter. MYC requires that all boats and mooring balls be removed by Wednesday, so this weekend marked the last sail of the season. Now I get to spend the winter studying, playing the learn-to-sail app on my phone, shopping for sailing gadgets and gear, and attempting to sew stuff for the boat.
What a fabulous week. My second and third informal sailing lessons came on clear blue days with a gentle breeze, with a smattering of other boats dotting the horizon.
My club sponsor and sailing instructor and all-around awesome neighbor, Bill.
Michele rode her bicycle along the rail trail that skirts the lake and took pics.
My shiny new sail!
I love the crisp clean white sail against the deep blue sky.
Windmill boats spin around Massebesic in an informal race.
I finally have access to the only working boat launch in town… YAAAAAY! Even though I won’t have much time this season, I’m excited to get a few days on the water before I have to put her away for the winter. Luckily my boat draws only 18”, so I’m able to get into the water and past the rocks that foil bigger boats.
We launched the boat, stepped the mast, and got it all rigged. Now that it’s all put together, leaving it in the water makes it easier to quickly get under sail. Bill & Michele have already pulled their boat (bigger, draws 4’), and offered their mooring so I can more easily enjoy my boat for the short time before Dock-Out later this month. I’ll get my own mooring next spring and be set for the whole season!
The Massabesic Yacht Club has the only boat launch in town that hasn’t been rendered useless by this year’s drought conditions. Luckily, I have membership sponsors Bill & Michele just a couple doors up the street from me. The board voted to approve my membership, and Bill met me at the club to give me keys and show me around.
Public launch ready to bury any boat trailer into the sand.
Clubhouse and outdoor barbecue pavilion.
Stakes marking the dropping water level.
Bill & Kate at the MYC boat launch.
Legit! I’ve got my paperwork done and my bow numbers attached.
With a few weeks before I can put the boat in the water, I figured I’d get some minor maintenance done. First order of business: cleaning and re-treating the teak. Since the woodwork has been aged enough that I can’t get it completely clean, I figured I’d go for the darker ‘Classic’ teak color to even out the overall look.
Dry brush to remove flaking polyurethane.
Bleach scrub
Oxalic acid scrub
Looking better already!
Sealant
I opted for Classic, which matches the woodwork inside the cabin.
Most of the time the internet is a very useful tool. Regardless, a little common sense tells you to question it occasionally. When asked what the difference is between a halyard and a sheet, Google replied:
So I figured I’d go old-school and get a book. You know… with pages. I’ve been sitting with my bookmark and highlighter and paging through every section of The Complete Trailer Sailor by Brian Gilbert.
I know no book can beat hands-on learning, but I have to make due with this dry land substitute until I can put the boat in the water.
Time of day, time of life, time spent enjoying.
Say hello to IT’S ABOUT TIME.
She’s a 1986 O’Day 192 that purchased from a gentleman who used to be an engineer for O’Day. (Actually, he reminded me of Gil, with his gray mustache and Navy veteran hat.) He’s kept it in impeccable condition, with new sails, lines, and rigging in the last two years.
Check out these O’Day marketing materials from the mid-80s… gotta love the wood-paneled station wagon demonstrating how easy it is to tow.
Introductions and explanations
Getting the tour
Off we go!
We may need the boat to get home if this rain keeps up.
Home safe
Maddox doesn’t know she has a surprise waiting outside
Maddox in her PFD and Jolly Roger collar
All my pirate booty splayed across the yard