First Sail of the Season

[eryka]

Hey, let us know how that tank monitor works out. It's been on our list to install one also when we're in the Ches. this summer - getting tired of ripping up the bunks and V-berth every day to check diesel & holding tank levels.

[ekenna]

We had our first sail of the season yesterday. I went down to the boat on Saturday by myself to check on it since it was put in the water install a cd player and a few other odds and ends. I was very tempted to go out when done my work but it blowing 20+ gusting to 30. I figured I could get off my mooring and sail ok it would just be picking up the mooring again that would be the problem. I talked my wife in to going down on Sunday. It was 17 gusting to 20. After having a problem with the raw intake we finally got under way at 2. Did a reefed main and later put on the working jib. Saw a smaller sailboat come out of our marina and a larger sailboat that turned around at turkey point. It was cold. We were off the boat by 5:30.

Things learned:
The new bilge pump I put in the well under the engine over the winter is useless. I have it screwed into a piece of plastic and so it needs to have about 1.25 inches of water before it will do anything. When sailing and the boat is heeling the water just sloshes to the side and flows over the lip of the well onto the main saloon floor to the keel bolt stud. In 3 hours I had to take over 7 gallons out by hand.

Need 2 extra shackles for the head sails so I do not have to hunt through the genoa bag when I want to put the working jib up.

Need to take cds now that we have the player.

Hats are no good in the wind.

[chef2sail]

We were down at the boat all weekend. Friday eveing it was like a roller coaster in the slip. Winds gusting to 52, thank goodness right on the bow, but sleeping in the bow meant getting bouced against the ceiling.

Saturday we spent doing brightwork, installing a washdown pump, and finding out my one year old 40A truecharger from Xantrtex freind itself. GRRRRRRR. Oreder an IOTA 75 amp spartcharger and am trying to get some of the $ back from Xantrex.

Sunday we were headed out, but thought the better of it as it was still very gusty,,,and chilly with the high only 52. We hung out for the day. Cleaned and cleaned and then took a nap...Was a very restfull weekend... but alas no sailing.

Dave