When I had my mast pulled, the yard did a crappy job with the mast boot. It split before they finished the other work and the repaired version pulled away from the mast collar after about a month.
With the rain coming, Wendy and I made some time to seal up the hole. We bent a strip of inner tube over a pipe clamp and sealed between the mast and the rubber with silicone.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Off to the Drag Races -- The Great Pumpkin Race on Luna Sea
Wendy, Debbie, Jim and I jumped on Dan Knox's Islander 34 (Luna Sea) for the Great Pumpkin Race. I borrowed Jim's dress -- sparkled like a disco ball. Liberating and breezy -- prevents overheating while grinding.
We took 3rd place overall for the day.
We took 3rd place overall for the day.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Inedible art...
At the pumpkin carving contest last weekend someone submitted a pumpkin shaped into a pair of hands squeezing a poop from a buthole. Many people disapproved (they pooh-poohed). I thought it was a stroke of genius. Here's more of the same....
http://sprinklebrigade.com/ turns dog poop in to art.
If you didn't think much of that either, then check out:
http://www.wambie.com/foto_br-272.html turns fruit into carved art.
http://sprinklebrigade.com/ turns dog poop in to art.
If you didn't think much of that either, then check out:
http://www.wambie.com/foto_br-272.html turns fruit into carved art.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Pumpkin Fest Sail to Half Moon Bay
Wendy and I sailed down to Half Moon Bay with Club Nautique this weekend. We met up with the Bear Boat crew in Sausalito on Thursday. We hadn't met the others and were relieved to find that the skipper (Steve) and the other crew (Jim and Mike) were the fun and mostly sane people they seemed like in their emails.
On our previous outing out of the gate, we've both had rough rides in the past. Today though, the weather was fine, clear and warm. We left the dock around 8am on Friday, ran the mile and met the club's flotilla of 14 boats going out of the Gate. Within about an hour, the wind died and we gave up the race, motoring the rest of the way to Pillar Point. For about half an hour on the way, we were surrounded by ten or more porpoises -- seems they're attracted to the sounds of The Police. Another boat we spoke to later said they also saw a sunfish floating around on the surface.
We got some CoNav practice on the way down and back. I sat the course two years ago but got deported before I finished and never got around to taking the test. Someday...
At Half Moon Bay, we checked out the yatch club and a then couple of the local bars. At the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, a mom and son balloon twisting team were doing the rounds and provided entertainment for a couple of hours while we sat around the firepit. This was entertaining not because anyone was particularly interested in balloon twisting but because of the curious mom-and-son-in-trade partnership. Mom was busy teaching the higher level points of balloon twisting (minimize balloon usage, visit as many punters as possible, find a hook and don't waste time if they're not going to shell out cash) . Later in the night the appearance of a older man in a checkered suit whom we all took to be some kind of balloon twister's pimp only added to the interest. As with flower sellers, some people don't take kindly to being harassed away from their beers or made to look cheap in front of their partners. We weren't sure whether the guy in the suit was just the father of the family, or whether his appearance meant that someone had refused to pay for their giant balloon beer mug and were about to receive an education on the advanced applications of high-speed balloon inflating pumps.
Next, we made our way to the Old Princeton Landing. This is more of locals bar and chock full of crazy characters. Jim convinced one of the locals tried to smoke a tampon. Later when he stood up next to me I came face to face with his penis poking out of a slit in his jeans that looked like it was there to, well I don't know, attract the ladies?
Friday night was a late night. We got up too late on Saturday to get to the Pumpkin festival, and in any case, I had other plans. Saturday was my dad's birthday. He died last year. I collected some flowers, made a posy, and Steve let us take the boat out for a short while so that I could drop them in the sea. So long dad. Happy birthday.
On Saturday afternoon the club arranged a cocktail contest. Jim cooked up BearBoat's entry: a hot mix of spiced rum, Goldschläger and hard cider. Delicious. We named it the "Pan Galatic Schlager Baster." And, later, "Pretty on the Inside" after we realized that the drunks were having problems casting their votes for our first name. Shockingly we failed to place in the cocktail contest. I suspect that some people took offense at Wendy's and my OCSC caps. Some Club Nautique scapegrace swiped them off our heads never to be seen again. I guess that's what we get.
Despite this perversion in the judging, our "Mike the Knife" managed to snag first place in the pumpkin carving for the second year running.
During the judging at the yacht club, I found a litter of feral kittens living in the rocks. Cute, cute, cute. I suspect they won't last through winter though unless someone takes them in.
On Sunday morning, we ate breakfast and then made our way back to San Francisco. No winds again so we motored the whole distance. We heard mayday reports from the Coast Guard of a capsized sailboat outside of Horseshoe Cove - interesting especially because that's where one of the Coast Guard stations is. Maybe they slept in.
When we got through the gate we saw another sailboat playing chicken with an oil tanker. It sailed in its path, tacked, fouled the jib and hung out in the shipping channel while we watched on and the tanker weighed around them, honking the whole way. Stupid.
Awesome weekend. Thanks guys.
Travelled: 60nm
Days aboard: 4
Night hours underway: 0
Items Lost: cell phone, car keys, hats, dignity
On our previous outing out of the gate, we've both had rough rides in the past. Today though, the weather was fine, clear and warm. We left the dock around 8am on Friday, ran the mile and met the club's flotilla of 14 boats going out of the Gate. Within about an hour, the wind died and we gave up the race, motoring the rest of the way to Pillar Point. For about half an hour on the way, we were surrounded by ten or more porpoises -- seems they're attracted to the sounds of The Police. Another boat we spoke to later said they also saw a sunfish floating around on the surface.
We got some CoNav practice on the way down and back. I sat the course two years ago but got deported before I finished and never got around to taking the test. Someday...
At Half Moon Bay, we checked out the yatch club and a then couple of the local bars. At the Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, a mom and son balloon twisting team were doing the rounds and provided entertainment for a couple of hours while we sat around the firepit. This was entertaining not because anyone was particularly interested in balloon twisting but because of the curious mom-and-son-in-trade partnership. Mom was busy teaching the higher level points of balloon twisting (minimize balloon usage, visit as many punters as possible, find a hook and don't waste time if they're not going to shell out cash) . Later in the night the appearance of a older man in a checkered suit whom we all took to be some kind of balloon twister's pimp only added to the interest. As with flower sellers, some people don't take kindly to being harassed away from their beers or made to look cheap in front of their partners. We weren't sure whether the guy in the suit was just the father of the family, or whether his appearance meant that someone had refused to pay for their giant balloon beer mug and were about to receive an education on the advanced applications of high-speed balloon inflating pumps.
Next, we made our way to the Old Princeton Landing. This is more of locals bar and chock full of crazy characters. Jim convinced one of the locals tried to smoke a tampon. Later when he stood up next to me I came face to face with his penis poking out of a slit in his jeans that looked like it was there to, well I don't know, attract the ladies?
Friday night was a late night. We got up too late on Saturday to get to the Pumpkin festival, and in any case, I had other plans. Saturday was my dad's birthday. He died last year. I collected some flowers, made a posy, and Steve let us take the boat out for a short while so that I could drop them in the sea. So long dad. Happy birthday.
On Saturday afternoon the club arranged a cocktail contest. Jim cooked up BearBoat's entry: a hot mix of spiced rum, Goldschläger and hard cider. Delicious. We named it the "Pan Galatic Schlager Baster." And, later, "Pretty on the Inside" after we realized that the drunks were having problems casting their votes for our first name. Shockingly we failed to place in the cocktail contest. I suspect that some people took offense at Wendy's and my OCSC caps. Some Club Nautique scapegrace swiped them off our heads never to be seen again. I guess that's what we get.
Despite this perversion in the judging, our "Mike the Knife" managed to snag first place in the pumpkin carving for the second year running.
During the judging at the yacht club, I found a litter of feral kittens living in the rocks. Cute, cute, cute. I suspect they won't last through winter though unless someone takes them in.
On Sunday morning, we ate breakfast and then made our way back to San Francisco. No winds again so we motored the whole distance. We heard mayday reports from the Coast Guard of a capsized sailboat outside of Horseshoe Cove - interesting especially because that's where one of the Coast Guard stations is. Maybe they slept in.
When we got through the gate we saw another sailboat playing chicken with an oil tanker. It sailed in its path, tacked, fouled the jib and hung out in the shipping channel while we watched on and the tanker weighed around them, honking the whole way. Stupid.
Awesome weekend. Thanks guys.
Travelled: 60nm
Days aboard: 4
Night hours underway: 0
Items Lost: cell phone, car keys, hats, dignity
Monday, October 13, 2008
Angel Island Burning (View From Emeryville)
After we were done sailing with Russ at Fleet Week, we went back to check on my boat at Emeryville. This was the view from the marina lawn.
You could see the trees exploding. Just one freakin huge bonfire.
You could see the trees exploding. Just one freakin huge bonfire.
Fleet Week on Good Grief
My engine's still being serviced so we we took up Russ' offer to go out for Fleet Week. He got a got in the action and out of traffic trouble all day long. Good work fella!
We had a ton of flyovers from where we were. Follow the link for more photos.
We had a ton of flyovers from where we were. Follow the link for more photos.
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