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2016 Sailing Season on the Chesapeake

182K views 2K replies 63 participants last post by  TakeFive 
#1 ·
Another year, another late check in.

Best wishes to all on another New Year and a wonderful season for sailing.

Today is a boat work day for me.
 
#286 ·
The best dredging device I've seen is a small skiff with a 25 HP outboard nosed into the bank and run at 3/4 throttle for about 4 hours - you would be amazed how much mud that removes from the area. Many years ago, in the lower reaches of the Susquehanna River, there was a boat rental livery owned by Ray Spangler. Ray had a single launch ramp, one that silted in every winter when floodwater flowed down the river. By spring, the waters up to 30 feet from the end of the ramp were usually less than a foot deep. Ray could never get a dredging permit, so he merely tied up one of his rental skiffs to the launch ramp pier, fired up the engine and went to bed. By the time the boat ran out of gas, the launch area was usually deepened to 4 feet and no one had a problem launching.

The place still exists, but Ray passed away more than 2 decades ago, and everything is silted in again. The facility has been given back to Philadelphia Electric, they turned it into a municipal park with a free ramp, but upkeep is non existent. The dirt road to the park is deeply pocked and almost undriveable. What a shame.

All the best,

Gary :cool:
 
#290 ·
The best dredging device I've seen is a small skiff with a 25 HP outboard nosed into the bank and run at 3/4 throttle for about 4 hours - you would be amazed how much mud that removes from the area. Many years ago, in the lower reaches of the Susquehanna River, there was a boat rental livery owned by Ray Spangler. Ray had a single launch ramp, one that silted in every winter when floodwater flowed down the river. By spring, the waters up to 30 feet from the end of the ramp were usually less than a foot deep. Ray could never get a dredging permit, so he merely tied up one of his rental skiffs to the launch ramp pier, fired up the engine and went to bed. By the time the boat ran out of gas, the launch area was usually deepened to 4 feet and no one had a problem launching.:
This is exactly what a neighbor of ours suggested when I pointed out how Wes' boat sits on the bottom when the wind blows the water out of the river. I think he (the neighbor) is in jail or something now, though.
 
#287 ·
We were sitting about 3 feet below normal. Thank god the slip is usually 11 ft at MLW.

Hope fully we get some southerly winds to let the water back into o the Upper Bay

Rent one of those Bering Sea Gold Contraptions to dredge you slip. They could make a fortune on the Chesapeake

I agree about photobucket. The best way for me
 
#293 ·
I can handle the wind - I just can't handle the cold weather. I was at Port Annapolis Marina today visiting an old friend that works there. We had lunch at the club and just walking the 50 feet from the car to the restaurant I thought I would freeze to death. Damned winter is still with us.

Gary :cool:
 
#300 ·
Sunday morning is forecast to start out at 27F degrees in the Annapolis area.
Temperatures are forecast to remain below average until at least the middle of April, but much higher than the low's we've had over the last several days.
We're not looking at a real warm-up until the end of April.
 
#311 ·
I canceled my April 10 splash date. Also, I don't want the boat in a temporary slip while I'm traveling for 2 weeks. The travel blocks out the next window of good days, so now I'm looking at May 7-8 as the next window. Ugh! If May 7-8 are rained out, our boat will still be on the hard while we're charting in Rock Hall. It could be June before we're in the water, but fortunately we will have gotten in a week-long cruise by then.

My boat is not ready yet - it was just too depressingly dreary all week to do any work on it. So I worked on taxes instead. I kind of wish I left the covers on, but taking them off allowed me to touch up the bottom paint during the warm temps last week.
 
#316 ·
Annapolis Harbormaster and the Deputy were given notice today they will be fired in 5 days.

Must have been raiding the parking meters??????
No. They were terminated yesterday and have 5 days (from yesterday) to file a protest.

I truly don't understand this. I know Flip Walters and am acquainted with Bill Brookes. I can attest to Flip's character.

I want to know more but am coming up dry.
 
#315 ·
We made from Solomons to Deltaville today. Winds 20 to 25. NNW vs 15 to 20 W predicted. But cooooold.

Wife didn't like the ride much, ended up motor sailing. She couldn't go below and ended up really, really cold. Couldn't get her to put on the onesie work suit. German!

This was the first good workout for our new used CPT autopilot. Worked a champ on this 44' 20 ton boat.

Beautiful here this evening, had several loons in the anchorage. Will sleep good tonight.

Expect to try to run to Newport News Sunday, but that's to be even colder, 28F at daybreak.
 
#319 · (Edited)
Just looked out the window, snowstorm looks like a blizzard, huge, wet flakes hitting the ground but, fortunately, instantly melting. Just called the marina to put the splash date on hold until I can finish my rudder repair with JB Weld and paint it with bottom paint. Damned long winter AFAIC!

Next week will, hopefully, will be warmer and drier,

Gary :cool:
 
#320 ·
Just looked out the window, snowstorm looks like a blizzard, huge, wet flakes hitting the ground but, fortunately, instantly melting. Just called the marina to put the splash date on hold until I can finish my rudder repair with JB Weld and paint it with bottom paint. Damned long winter AFAIC!

Next will, hopefully, will be warmer and drier,

Gary :cool:
30 miles south the suns out but increasing winds . Looking north the sky is leaden
 
#323 ·
We were in Deltaville yesterday, nice morning, we dinked over to the museum, then all hell broke loose. No idea how much but BIG wind with hail. It snowed and hailed off and on most of the day. Damn glad we had our oversized Mantus down, it dug in real good. I had relatively short scope out. 4:1 or 5:1.

Jackson Creek entrance was a treat. Can't say I'd like to do that in the dark.

Motored to Hampton today, cooooold. Saw a few other hardy souls out, but not many.

We will be leaving the Chesapeake on our next hop. Here's hoping we leave the cold behind.
 
#324 ·
Yesterday was a beautiful day, but cold. Hardly any wind in the morning but it sure picked up toward the end of the day.

I got to my boat to do some work and found out the frame/tarp setup in the cockpit had blown over. One of the tarps held a full cockpit of water I had to bail out with a bucket. So, I helped another guy with a few things and rebuilt the cover on my boat.

Didn't get to do what I had planned but it was still a very productive day. It was also nice seeing all the activity in the marina. Don't think I've seen so many people at one time since I put my boat there. It was great.
 
#326 ·
Looks like from your pics you are at Old Bay Marina. Brian really packs the boats in! I'm over in the "side" yard with only one or two boats blocking me in, both of which have been painted. I was able to do most of my painting before this latest cold snap and just need to put another coat on the keel. I'm really hoping to splash this weekend. Hopefully the warmer, sunnier weather coming at the end of this week will help move things along. Once boats start getting dropped in, its amazing how quickly the traffic jam clears out.
 
#327 ·
I just checked the forecast and the balance of the week looks pretty good. I'll be putting on the bottom paint this week and we should be ready to go in. (not all projects complete but enough to splash!)
I'm hoping Brian can move them quickly.
 
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