Log Entry In Pictures

Here are some shots from the trip.

Preparing the boat for sail.

Sailing to the dock to pick up the rest of the crew.

Some of the crew waiting.

The Skipper

Helmsman in training.

Forward shot.

Log Entry

For the first time in nearly four years, The Cat's Pajamas has set sail! We sailed upon Stony Creek Lake for about two and a half hours, with a full compliment. For the first time since I've owned this boat, I launched and retrieved it by myself. This in and of itself was important. The new winch proved itself out as well. At any rate I was able to run under power long enough to empty the tank of the stale fuel and to add fresh fuel to my "iron wind". It was a maiden voyage for a member of my crew as well, my 3 year old son, who seemed pretty excited about it and overall was a pretty good sport. After motoring around for a bit, we finally hoisted up just one sail, the Genoa. There was enough wind that we were able to manuever without a lot of trouble on just one sail. I was very pleased.

Some items that came out of this shakedown: I didn't have all my usual ropes but fortunately I had some other ones that came in handy. The electrical connection from the outboard to the deep cycle battery needs to be repaired. One of the bunks on the trailer needs to be refastened to the trailer. A brake light is out on the left side of the trailer. I need to get that hawse vent too, the cabin was too hot and stuffy.

New Bike

Last weekend I went into the local bike shop looking for parts and accessories for my existing fleet of bicycles. I am always amazed when I look at bikes in REAL bike stores because they are so hi-tech. This summer I've been able to get into bicycles again so I needed to replace the pedals on my very nice, second-hand department store ten speed. I bought this bike from my brother about 16 years ago. It was in great shape, almost new in fact, but still second-hand. One of the people in the store approached me and we began talking. I've always been a fan of three speed bikes because they are so rugged and low maintenance I even remember the name of the shifter on my brother's purple Schwinn three speed when I was a kid. Little did I realize what a legendary name "Sturmey Archer" was even then. At any rate, the guy in the store turned me on to a bike called a Townie 21. What a beautiful bike. I think that I will buy one of these bikes, that way I can say that I had at least one new bike before I shuffled off this mortal coil. The 21 is not an internally geared bike (like a three speed), but derailleur technology is so much better in the last several years (even my 16 year old ten speed is pretty reliable).

In related news, I had about a 27 year old three speed that was given to me last year by a relative, I had put new tires and tubes on it and used it as my neighborhood 'beater' but I decided to get rid of it. Well, my ex-neighbor's grandson was walking by the other day, a young man of about 18 who hasn't had an easy life thus far. At any rate, I gave him the bike. Just told him to take it and, he did. He seemd pretty appreciative of it, I've felt great about that decision, ever since.

Testing, Testing, One, Two, Three...

I tested my outboard today. With stale fuel from last year, she fired right up and purred like a kitten. I might even take a shake-down cruise tomorrow or Sunday.

I can taste the lake air.

Trip Down Memory Lane

Just thinking about boats in general always takes me back to my first one, an O'day Javelin. What a great boat!

New Com-Pac Sloop Design

Com-Pac Yachts (Hutchins Company) has on their news page an item about their new sloop to replace the old Com-Pac 16, they call it the Legacy

Picnic Cat Dilemma

I've been thinking about getting rid of my boat lately. I'm simply too busy with other things and the Com-pac 16 is just a bit more work than I want some days. I'm thinking about "downgrading" to a Picnic Cat.

Comments? Suggestions?

More Pirates And A Profile Update

Well, one of my faithful readers wanted a post, but since I'm still stalled on working on my boat (there were small craft advisories for Lake St. Clair this weekend so it was no loss really) I don't have much to say except I need to get my parts for the boat and wax the deck and the hull once again.

Anyhow, I did change my picture on my profile to the Jolly Felix.

And here is a picture of a pirate ship, since I cannot seem to get any of my own screen shots from my Pirates! game.

Pirates!

While I'm refitting my boat, I have to get a sailing fix somehow. I've been doing that by playing the computer game Pirates! I'll have some screen shots of my game for giggles later.

New Link

Just wanted to let you know that I do occasionally update the links on this blog. Check 'em out. There is a new one at the top of the list. Best Quality Supplies. He's a member of my family so give him a look and some business.

Refit

I cleaned up the cockpit, stripped off the wood trim (except for the insert in the bowsprit), cleaned it up, oiled it and then...tried to put it back on. I've done this a few times over the years and I always suspected that I would encounter some problems one day, well this was the day. The hatch slides on top have been messed with too many times and although they look great, they are not cinching down like I want them to, so it's time to buy new ones. I've often thought I'd like a new hatchboard as well, in addition, it's time to buy a new hawse vent. I might even get new hatchboard slides as well. All-in-all, this will run a little bit over $100.00 buying these parts from the people at the Hutchins Company in Clearwater Florida. I believe, however that it is necessary to keep the boat looking and working in top condition. Here is the price list.

Progess

More progress was made towards (re)fitting the Cat's Pajamas for this season. I pulled all of the teak wood off except for the bow pulpit insert to be cleaned, brightened and oiled. I hope to have this task accomlished before next weekend. Meanwhile I also cleaned the deck and cockpit and applied a heavy oxidation compound to the deck and cockpit. I'm not sure if it has helped much and I had to quit because the day was ending but it DOES look cleaner to be certain. I'm sure when I'm finished, it will look much better. I have to take into consideration that the Cat's Pajamas is twenty years old this year. So by this weekend, I hope to have a cleaned up boat externally and then I can work in the cabin and get the battery installed and the other necessary gear.

Shake Down Preparations

The Memorial Day weekend has arrived and I have hopes of making a shake-down cruise on Stony Creek Lake. If I am successful it will be the first time that I've sailed or even putted around on my boat since 2002. Nearly four years since my son was born. I'm hoping I can take him out on the boat this weekend, but there is a ton of work to be done. Four years of sitting with just the bare minimum being done to maintain the boat. I shudder to think. I still haven't installed the new winch I bought a few weeks ago. Not that it should be earth shattering to install, but it should be installed and soon, this weekened in fact. The boat should be cleaned up, in fact I want to rub it out and use my new orbital buffer to clean up the boat. The woodwork needs attention, the cabin needs attention, and I gotta hope that the motor is still in good order even though last season I spent a couple of hundred bucks having it worked on. I didn't winterize it properly, shame on me. It's a lot to do. I am gratified to see however, that my boat is proving to be a fair "investment". I think I could sell it for what I paid for it at least, which means in real terms that I'm losing LESS money than I thought I would. But I have no intention of selling that boat, not now, not for a long, long time.

Wish me luck and have a great Memorial Weekend.

The Lottery

Well, for the first time ever, I missed the boat lottery. Never before, in fifteen years have I missed the lottery when I wanted to attend it. I arrived at 10:01 A.M. and they would not let me enter. There was already going to be one person who wouldn't get a spot and my entry would make it two, so rather than make a big deal about it, I decided that discretion was the better part of valor and I decided to just leave without incident. This of course will free up some money for minor repairs and to make myself feel better, I promptly went out and purchased a new winch and strap that I will install as soon as I obtain new nuts and bolts to secure it to the trailer.

Anchors Aweigh...

...well not yet. The time has come however to think about getting ready to sail. I think this is going to be a good year for sailing, especially given the price of gasoline. I want to make some minor repairs/improvements on the boat this year. A new winch for the trailer, possibly a new coupler too. On the boat itself, I need to work on the cabin, the teakwood trim, buff up the hull with my new orbital buffer.

Terra Incognita

It has been one month since my sister passed away. I cannot seem to convey or sum up how I feel about this event, since I believe I have been grieving for her for decades. Although I have serious doubts about god and religion, I suppose I could say that God managed to answer at least one of my prayers or desires and that was that my sister would go peacefully. It was only fitting that it be this way since the last 33 years of her life were such a tremendous struggle for her. I was pleased to have gotten my way on the back of her prayer card that was at the funeral home. The words spoke to me and I heard people say that they were very appropriate in this case.

No more suffering or pain-
I'm now living.
Thank you for your unselfish giving.
I'm at peace and I'm in no pain.
I'll look down on you through sun or rain and pray that your sadness ends soon.
Look up towards the moon, but don't cry for me-Because I'm finally free.
I'll once and for all be me.
God will take care of me now.

I chose those words from the book of things that the funeral director gave for all of us to look at. Life will be different without my sister. More peaceful and predictable in some ways, poorer in others. Through the years she suffered a great deal from her illness, but also from lack of understanding, kindness and ignorance. I only have two regrets with my sister, but as the "cancer man" on the X-files once said: "Regret is a consequence of living". I am at peace knowing I was on balance, a good brother, loving and caring. I worried a great deal about my sister at various times. Those times that I knew she wasn't very safe, or getting proper meals or medical attention. Those times are the sources of my greatest regrets. A good friend told me when we were very young when discussing his father whom from my vantage point was not a very good father that he was "doing the best he can" and in fact at any given time we are all doing the best we can. My friend was always much wiser than I, wise beyond his years. I've always been a late bloomer. Wisdom is an expensive commodity, I realize people like my friend have paid for their wisdom dearly. My wisdom, coming much later is no less expensive. I did the best I could under the circumstances.

Meanwhile, I am also in the fourth week of my new job. A strange place, but I think it will be a safe harbor in the economic hurricane that is going to be Southeastern Michigan. All in all, I am visiting strange, uncharted places.

My new year has gotten off to a rocky start. I wish you peace and prosperity in your new year.

Christmas Shoals

Well, the Yuletide is only two weeks away and finally I realize how fragile the order of things are. This week we were finally, officially informed that the company is being sold. For me, this is a double-edged sword. There is a certain relief of knowing that what we all had known at work for months was true and now a certain anxiety knowing that in all likelihood, I would lose my job in X number of months. It now meant that the recent interview I had was not in vain, but now it meant that getting an offer was all the more important as well. There are manifold implications with these developments. It is clear to me now that business that depend on, or are automotive at the base are no longer going to be "employers of choice" and that I could probably count on having a bit of a declining living standard, working harder, perhaps learning more in the long run, but who knows? The notion of security is such an illusion. The only security you have is the very little that you can provide for yourself. I've learned the hard way that my father was right all of these years. Not that I ever really took issue with him or his ways but I haven't been abiding by his teachings regarding credit and money, etc. The older I get, the smarter he becomes. My father died with a total indebtedness to the world of under $60.00, not counting the usual bills one has for light, heat, phone, etc. It was an object lesson in how to manage ones affairs. My goal now, is to make it through Christmas without adding to my small pile of credit card debt. I hope to slay that dragon in the new year, probably before the end of it anyway. Barring any unforeseen events. Need to make myself more marketable, perhaps it's time to learn a new trade as well. I'm still in my early forties and all I've ever really done since for the last twenty years is computer related work.

It's scary out there now.

Fall Storage

Another season has come and gone and the Cat's Pajamas did not sail this year. We did however have the carb on the outboard rebuilt (at the cost of over $200.00) at Michigan Marine Gear and I acquired a new deep cycle battery as well. There are other improvements that are needed, but there simply isn't the will or the funds to get them done.

Well, there's always next year.

Log Entry

Well, Bandit finally had a successful sea-trial, at least in my presence. Of course we were plagued with bad weather and I had a support-call to try to deal with, but it was overall, uneventful, other than the lightning strikes on the horizon.

Here are some pictures:

Log Entry

I'm going to participate in another sea-trial this weekend. It will be interesting to see what the results are. Meanwhile, I'm planning to get the Cat's Pajamas out this weekend too. The weather from the previous weekend was not conducive to sailing, hopefully this weekend will be alright.