Last Sail

[rnlivingston]

Sally and I took our final sail of the season yesterday on Webster Lake here in Massachusetts. It was cold and blustery, but we had a great time. We packed up the boat and brought it home. This morning it was covered with snow. That's New England.

When I bought the boat a few weeks ago, I knew the sails were blown out. The foot of the sail actually hung over the boom. Although I have new sails on order, I decided to try recutting the main. Yesterday, I tried it for the first time and it looked great. Probably won't sail this set again, but I liked the challenge.

Roger Livingston
DS 6872

[Peterw11]

I hauled mine out of Lake Waushacum, up in Sterling, October 30th.

Too gusty to sail comfortably, that day, so I stuck my 4hp kicker in the water and motored over to the ramp to meet my buddy with the trailer.

She's on the trailer in the back yard. I've got a few things to address before I wrap her up for the winter. I'm going to give my brightwork one more coat of Bristol Finish, and repair and refinish my floorboards so she's ready for the spring.

I miss it, already.

BTW, I'm definitely going to give Webster a try next season. Maybe Singletary, a time or two, as well.

[rnlivingston]

This has been a very gusty fall. It has been a challenge every time we have been out with the new Day Sailer. I'm in the process of refinishing the coamings and building a new piece for the aft end. In the spring I have some glass work and painting on the inside and outside. The trailer needs to be stripped down and painted also. Lots of work.

Definitely plan on coming to Webster Lake. You can sail out of the club as my guest.

Roger Livingston

[ctenidae]

Pulled ours a couple weeks ago, and started missing maybe not actually sailing but the ever present option of it immediately.
Will have to do a few bits of work prior to launching next spring, but nothing major. Pulled all the brightwork off, stored in the garage, gets a quick re-coat with teak oil and remounted in the spring. Have to clear off the barnacles from having the bottom paint be 2 inches too low (though 2 inches above the original boot stripe).

Other than that, could probably put her back in the water and sail in a couple of hours.

[jdoorly]

ctenidae, where did you keep your boat? I bought a years access to the ramp at Veterans Park, but I live in Bethel. The cold snaps and blustery weather has me frustrated but I'm still hoping for some 'Indian Summer' sailing. I've still got a dry suit from my kayaking days where I used to poke around the islands until the ice got too thick. I capsized once in 5 Mile River on Dec 27 and made it back to 2cd Street put-in (near Overton's) with not a single shiver (water was 40 deg)!

[ctenidae]

We keep it on a morring at Harborview- across from Calf Pasture Beach behind Peach Island. At least, in the summer we do. Now, it's next to the garage.

[jdoorly]

Thanks ctenidae, I know the area well. I must have run the west side of Peach a hundred times, in a kayak. I usually keep to the channel side of Peach in the DS.

[Peterw11]

"Definitely plan on coming to Webster Lake. You can sail out of the club as my guest."

That would be great. As I said, I'd like to gve it a try. Waushacum has a lot of advantages. I have a free mooring (my friend's beach), it's about 15 minutes from home, and overall, has steady, somewhat predictable wind.

Unfortunately, at about 175 acres, it can get a bit boring over time.

Webster, at about 1400 acres, is like the ocean in comparison.

I've gone to the WSA website and read pretty much all of it, including the newsletters, and it seems like it'd be a pretty nice change of pace for me. It is a bit little bit further away, but I imagine it's well worth the trip.

It sounds like a really nice sailing lake, although the larger area brings it's own problems, what with increased traffic and stronger winds, and I've also heard it's variations in depth and underwater obstructions can be a concern.

Well, I guess there's only one way to find out. I look forward to giving it a go next spring.

[Skippa]

Had my last sail of the season a couple of weeks ago on my home pond, Lake Nokomis, one of the "City of Lakes" popular sailing lakes in Minneapolis. There were four of us aboard, three experienced crew and one "cadet". Like much of our fall weather it was a clear crisp fall day, Wind was 15-18 with gusts up to 28 according to the airport weather records. With a reef in the main and the standard jib we tracked across the lake several times with the rail inches from the water. I had my GPS with and we did a little "speed trimming". Reached 6.9 MPH a few times but never hit 7 as hard as we tried.
She is now tucked away in the shed, cleaned and covered and waiting for spring. A list of projects await me.
This was my first season in this new to me boat. I am more impressed with her sailing qualities each time I take her out.
Looking out my window now as 5 to 12 inches off heavy wet snow falls covering everything in sight, my thoughts are of the next sailing season.
Boat Show in mid January and hopefully a late April launch.

[rnlivingston]

Here in the northeast, I continue to sail in the winter in a skeeter class iceboat. The season usually starts in mid December and last through March. A little traveling is needed to find good ice, but well worth it.

Roger Livingston

[ctenidae]

Thanks ctenidae, I know the area well. I must have run the west side of Peach a hundred times, in a kayak. I usually keep to the channel side of Peach in the DS.

Not a bad idea, keeping to the channel side- there's usually at least a foot or two at low tide in the middle on the east side, but not always. Our mooring is the furthest north, so actually just north of the tip of Peach, so we usually leave heading north and then jog east over to the channel.