Norfolk, VA
To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.
Many boats are hauled out and winterized in the fall. In the frozen north, it's essential to prevent damage to all systems with water in them; specifically, freshwater, heads and engine. But in Middle Peninsula — Deltaville, VA — haul-out seems to be optional. Some days are a bit too chilly to …
Scott and Jeanie (from Joie de Vivre) dropped us a line via Facebook. We met them at the Whitby-Brewer Rendezvous. On their way south they were docked in Portsmouth. We took the ferry over and had dinner and a movie with them at the Commodore. ("Secretariat", a Disney spectacular on …
We didn't want much -- just a quiet sail around the river. We got my parents onto Red Ranger, out into the bay for a little sail and back to D-dock without mishap or problem. Luck, hard work, planning and experience all came together. It was a real privilege to share …
Davits for lifting the dinghy seem like such a good idea. And such a bad idea.
We've chartered many boats, and towed many dinghies. A towed dinghy has problems. At night, in calm waters, it can clunk against the hull. Stuff grows on the bottom. It's tempting to thieves.
Davits …
This is one of those "Can you really do that?" topics.
Our foredeck hatch leaks. We can replace it with a nice Vetus or Lewmar hatch. Or, we can have just the lens replaced by Atkins and Hoyle or Select Plastics. Gerry (of The Incredible Hull) suggests replacing the entire …
Wow, what a party.
We've been going to the sailboat show on and off for over 10 years.
Before going to the US Sailboat Show, we went to Annapolis just to hang around. Once, we went to the smaller Bay Bridge Boat show, which was probably our first time actually …
Wow, what a party.
The 2010 edition of the Whitby-Brewer Rendezvous was an absolute delight. First, boaters are fun folks because of the shared interest we have. Second, boaters with your model boat are more fun because there's less to explain and more to learn.
Monday night we had a …
We tried to make it to the Coan River on Saturday, October 2nd. We made sensible plans. We avoided dawdling. We didn't stay up late the night before.
We had our meals read. We had our departure steps detailed so we wouldn't waste time in the morning wondering if we …
Time for the annual Whitby-Brewer Rendezvous in West River Sailing Club.
It's about 100 nm up the bay. Red Ranger motors between 5 and 7.5 kn. That's anywhere from 13 to 20 hours of travel. She sails between 0 and 7.5 kn. At zero, we'll never make it …
The blistering heat of summer is behind us. The job list has nothing ranked "top" priority, or "pre-launch" or "critical". We're down to "improvements" and "nice-to-haves".
Further — and this is the important part — we're thinking about making a 100nm trip to Annapolis for the annual Whitby-Brewer Rendezvous in West River …
For the last -- I don't know precisely -- year, maybe two years, our dinghy has been sitting in the gravel parking lot, or over on the dinghy rack with other lost or abandoned dinghies. The lost dinghy collection is one of those forlorn marina things. Deflated inflatables. Puddles of dead leaves …
A chartplotter is insanely sophisticated. Installation of this high-powered computing device was shocking. Shocking. I had studied my wiring carefully to try and figure out exactly how to replace the old -- simple -- Garmins with this new, complex chartplotter.
The Standard Horizon CP300i has a complete GPS system (itself very complex …
It felt like a graduation day. Everything really worked the way it was supposed to.
The most important thing was a certain lack; a missing gall or burr; an absence of nagging worries.
On Sunday hosted the Previous Owners, Bob and Patty. Their life together -- marriage and three kids -- is …
Making final decisions can be hard. There's a fair amount of "buyer's remorse" from simply making the decision. And it's a religious kind of experience. A chartplotter represents a search for truth in a world of uncertainty. We're seeking confidence that we're doing the right thing. Really.
I started by …
Most folks only get to make one Sailrite Stackpack. We get to make two. Which -- if you like to sew -- might be a delight. We started small (with the 12' mizzen). Then we had to tackle the 16' main. Moving up meant a great deal of problem-solving. More than we …
Two of the Essential Questions are "Where are we?" and "Where are we going?"
Other Essential Questions include "When will we get there?", and "Will there be lunch?" After all, sailing is all about eating in new locations. But you have to get there before you can enjoy your lunch …
Most folks only get to make one Sailrite Stackpack. We get to make two. Which -- if you like to sew -- might be a delight.
The first of anything is a learning process. New materials, vast size, different engineering of the various fabric components. A lot to learn.
The Stackpack process …
Ordinarily, one doesn't care much about this. Until, of course, the current cut of the sail becomes a problem. Then we have to modify things. It's not a big job, and I took a few pictures to show how it works.
Also, we made a few mistakes, which helped is …
Sunday, we loaded the truck with stuff, ready to install the Sailrite Stack Pack cover on the mizzen. Two 10' pieces of 3/4" PVC pipe. Check. Stack Pack kit. Check. Tools. Check. Plan for managing the assembly process. Check.
The pipe is important for supporting the top of the …
Charts are absolutely essential. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Department of Commerce produces the nautical charts that sailors live by.
[Back in '95, crap like this was spewed: "Downsizing Government: Eliminate the Commerce Department". Only a complete idiot could claim that the Commerce Department isn't essential …