tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71036049504463948752024-03-05T14:21:30.653-05:00Lake Ontario SailingThe perfect place for Lake Ontario sailors to gather and exchange ideas.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-29877098597979379612013-06-12T18:03:00.001-04:002013-06-12T18:03:33.413-04:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The time is now... I have re-written <a href="http://www.lakeontario.com/">www.lakeontario.com</a>. You must click on the link and check it out. I also have a new facebook page for Lake Ontario Sailing. It is located at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lakeontariosailing">www.facebook.com/lakeontariosailing</a>. You can also check that out while you are surfing. I have a new blog page on the new website. I need more people that will respond to my comments or comments from others. I am also looking for ideas for more content on the website. Drop me a not from Contact Me on the website. Have a good season sailing!!!</span>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-21012118150350292112012-05-11T07:41:00.002-04:002012-05-11T07:41:33.122-04:00Sailing Season is upon usI have received notice that the first race at Genesee Yacht Club is a the 22nd of May. I crew with Capt. Bill Thompson, proud owner of Flicker, a Pearson 30. Last year was my first time crewing with Bill, and I had a wonderful time helping out. We won several trophies, and plan on winning more this racing season. Look for us Tuesday nights out on Lake Ontario.<br />
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On another note; Water Colors has been launched and sits at her home berth at Dock C9 at Shumway Marine. I hoisted the mainsail and finally got the jib to turn the right direction on the roller furling. The older I get, the more difficult it is to remember how things are supposed to go at spring-time commissioning.<br />
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My plans are, now that it is getting warmer, to get everything ship-shape and take some photos of the interior. It is getting more difficult thinking about selling her, but I need to if I plan on getting a dock at GYC next year. A smaller boat should fit into my plans nicely.<br />
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As for this weekend... I will be sanding, waxing, and getting ready for the first sail of the season on Water Colors. Stop by and say hello.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-59697885478141255732012-03-17T08:11:00.003-04:002012-04-07T08:00:00.615-04:00Water Colors is for sale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjVncBNs3PX3GbcJsc7wcF0ZUP8VaPwn9FYN8g153P1rktQGdfSx9uiHN0L-n9xIM8mdgxqMRiT46FfqoS9DTFlQDHNCCRV6Y7GyuDORSIrT8E38W8JNlmC0Li1sJE-M5LGPMU7mkep97/s1600/dockside.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; width: 320px; height: 240px; text-align: center; display: block; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5728627295259988898" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjVncBNs3PX3GbcJsc7wcF0ZUP8VaPwn9FYN8g153P1rktQGdfSx9uiHN0L-n9xIM8mdgxqMRiT46FfqoS9DTFlQDHNCCRV6Y7GyuDORSIrT8E38W8JNlmC0Li1sJE-M5LGPMU7mkep97/s320/dockside.jpg" /></a><br /><div>Yes, that is the same "Water Colors" you see at the heading on my website <a href="http://www.lakeontariosailing.com">www.lakeontariosailing.com</a>.<br /><br />Ruth and I have talked about selling her for over a year now. It was a tough decision, but we are getting older, and she has become a bit too large for the two of us.<br /><br />Are we getting out of sailing? I doubt it. I will still be crewing with my friend Bill Thompson at the GYC Tuesday night's races. I will also keep my eye out for perhaps a smaller boat that will be easier to maintain and that I can dock at the club next year.<br /><br />I will be creating an on-line poster with pictures and specifications very soon, but here is a short list of features:<br /><br />An exception to the rule in headroom, the Hunter 33.5 has a full 6' 5" headroom that has value regardless of your height. She certainly seems more like a 35 than a 33.<br /><br />The tall powerful rig makes the 33.5 a joy to sail whether day sailing or for club racing. Great sailing boat!<br /><br />My asking price is $40,000. Truly a lot of boat for the money!</div><div><br /><br />If you have any interest, please send e-mail to <a href="mailto:kpalmer@lakeontariosailing.com">kpalmer@lakeontariosailing.com</a> or call me at<br />585-978-2115.</div>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-44631338722855997092011-07-11T13:37:00.011-04:002011-07-11T14:33:20.432-04:00July Cruise<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqjUN-tTRuo-0z6i7NcREK-5ROig8LY91x_QlqKH_D_ak-rU8vsaiqe9M8_-YFI3yTCQ__RzbR3c_w4RT4CICIB6yko7QAR8ZE-IonxNvPa2VpAwkOfqQcTS5VqK9BYA5s2-M88UcQqu6/s1600/20110711_112.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgqjUN-tTRuo-0z6i7NcREK-5ROig8LY91x_QlqKH_D_ak-rU8vsaiqe9M8_-YFI3yTCQ__RzbR3c_w4RT4CICIB6yko7QAR8ZE-IonxNvPa2VpAwkOfqQcTS5VqK9BYA5s2-M88UcQqu6/s320/20110711_112.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628161945105695746" border="0" /></a><br />This is me after 1-week of not shaving.<br /><br />Ruth and I usually take a 2-week Lake Ontario cruise every year. This year we were blessed with no rain, and that meant no wind also. We also had our share of boat problems.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqZXN_WG-krREt0KtM2yIjGLap7J6Z8fGYchgQJwQsYGHNwkIdL6YASRCoCMH2-06leTr3JDtGn3MuztkV1ZbX18vAwHTi5Wnb5uQbfxZgFwiqifZTnoxP_-6J0wxR296jSoCAzgSkjUo/s1600/20110711_6.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfqZXN_WG-krREt0KtM2yIjGLap7J6Z8fGYchgQJwQsYGHNwkIdL6YASRCoCMH2-06leTr3JDtGn3MuztkV1ZbX18vAwHTi5Wnb5uQbfxZgFwiqifZTnoxP_-6J0wxR296jSoCAzgSkjUo/s320/20110711_6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628159335319797970" border="0" /></a><br />Here I am growling because I broke a part on the filter.<br /><br />The first problem was having the motor die as we were pulling up to Brockport Yacht Club. My first guess at troubleshooting was right on target: The fuel filter was clogged. Trying to fix it, I caused the second problem by breaking off the plastic bleeder screw on the filter case. We sailed back to the creek entrance, and towed the rest of the way by the BYC Committee boat. Larry met us there and helped with the tools and part I needed to finish the repair.<br /><br />Off to Canada for a great sailing vacation. The trip over from Brockport had 20 knot winds and seas 3 to 5 feet on our rear quarter. We ended up motor-sailing once again. Getting through customs and entering the Murray Canal was a blessing because it got us off the rough lake. We motored through to the CFB Trenton Yacht Club for the night.<br /><br />The next morning we left for the Bay of Quinte Yacht Club for 2-nights. I spent the day washing the boat and walking the dog through the large park nearby. We also had a chance to watch a group of men sail their small radio-controlled sailboats, racing them right next to where we were docked.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5ajUDi7CnBfDWjVYALqUxIQFu4AaVngGtEPXXfUoObB_0DDFELfPY60VhhxaTQGJsnVt2fKEHNMl396rVD4B9fWf3gz1ghWtx1W9rVQ1cJeuESLU_cmSyhNln-QU-0dyI3LRyWqk-JRq/s1600/20110711_95.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV5ajUDi7CnBfDWjVYALqUxIQFu4AaVngGtEPXXfUoObB_0DDFELfPY60VhhxaTQGJsnVt2fKEHNMl396rVD4B9fWf3gz1ghWtx1W9rVQ1cJeuESLU_cmSyhNln-QU-0dyI3LRyWqk-JRq/s320/20110711_95.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628159703002722914" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8EQwp8YSiUWjS8rP1J0qhovbezvdO8MJ3fb1WDlTwuezWh-Gp9pgCYkRz5D8NqZm2ogDFOVeAuF7wR21ZbWB0gvI0KPiKmClOWNVGxnBMHn9-lvIO1DElacYP_7Q3eN73zmEWssOYe8iZ/s1600/20110711_88.jpg"> </a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIH-9EVCQ-FnORBC9ZkMfjbAeDXM0pucJ67ilCj0x-kiRhKEtKkfdV6NPSziYGbetL8yDBjymP4HaFpFOMUcp8hLqCJJTqBdoSD3z-bYGMLHYoBXsAYDUcJlybHDUfhcjJSOElRf-hjY2/s1600/20110711_88.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgIH-9EVCQ-FnORBC9ZkMfjbAeDXM0pucJ67ilCj0x-kiRhKEtKkfdV6NPSziYGbetL8yDBjymP4HaFpFOMUcp8hLqCJJTqBdoSD3z-bYGMLHYoBXsAYDUcJlybHDUfhcjJSOElRf-hjY2/s320/20110711_88.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628164257596149554" border="0" /></a><br /><br />After listening to the weather report, we decided that the winds were not going to help us along our journey, so we decided to back-track through the canal and head west to Cobourg. Once there, the westerly winds would help us cross back to Rochester. Cobourg is a nice place to visit with good facilities and the town nearby is an easy walk. We had lunch at a favorite restaurant and bought food at a store about 1/2 mile away. We watched the Dragon Boaters practicing out in the basin, and welcomed some fellow GYC members the second day.<br /><br />After fueling up at Cobourg, we started off only to have our second problem. No water from the engine exhaust. This is a common problem for us in Canada with the weeds that proliferate there. My first thing to try was the water filter, but it was clean. What else could it be? I hoped it wasn't the water pump. Close inspection showed that the belt to the water pump was slipping. Tightening it up did the trick. Off we were to motor sail back to Brockport. The weather forecast predicted more hot and windless days.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGufozUrpLkcluMuzpiDFtbZ5U6mCuWHrpZ9mbNj-UzWu9pLLi0EErhcgdLKy4AxilljhH9iMHib84xZEGsjn6fodjN2wuYIVlZES3Jamn9XRhaUj48u1j4mPw4Dz9sNEjslajP6HM1PTK/s1600/20110711_122.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGufozUrpLkcluMuzpiDFtbZ5U6mCuWHrpZ9mbNj-UzWu9pLLi0EErhcgdLKy4AxilljhH9iMHib84xZEGsjn6fodjN2wuYIVlZES3Jamn9XRhaUj48u1j4mPw4Dz9sNEjslajP6HM1PTK/s320/20110711_122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628161514578798690" border="0" /></a><br />Ruth having a little talk with Ernie.<br /><br />We stayed at Brockport one night, and motored back to Rochester. What we hoped would be a good sailing vacation turned ot to be a motoring vacation. Oh well, there is always next year.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-13136722147034288692011-06-19T07:52:00.001-04:002011-06-19T07:54:51.030-04:00Five Miles Out<div>Yesterday was the third attempt to get a good sail in this spring. The forecast was positive for a breezy sail with 15 knot winds at the end of the pier. The wind meter on Water Colors indicated a little over 15 knots, so I decided to raise the mainsail in the reefed position.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><div>All was good, and before you knew it, we were 5 miles north of the port. The winds had subsided, so I shook out the reefing and we came about. The wind slowly declined and that made our hull speed about 2.5 knots. It was nice though, and we enjoyed watching the racers returning from the GYC Scotch Bonnet Race.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><div>I decided to furl in the jib when we approached the river. I pulled the furling line, and it sure did pull easy. Pulling the line and looking at the sail, I discovered the jib wasn't furling in. I went forward to investigate, and found that three screws that hold the furling drum to the rest of the furling hardware had somehow come unscrewed and were missing. That meant that the drum was turning, but not the top part of the furler.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><div>I decided to just take the jib down to make it easy to get into the dock. Once docked, I found 2 of the missing screws in the anchor locker (the furler drum in located below deck in the anchor locker). I put the 2 screws in place and used a longer screw for the third. The jib rolls in nicely now.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><div>One less thing to go wrong when we are cruising in July.</div>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-57430352943194842992011-05-22T17:29:00.000-04:002011-05-22T17:30:12.444-04:00<div>A good weekend for working on my tan, and oh yes, working on the boat. The essentials are done, having put the sails up as well as the cockpit canvas. The hot water tank is ready to fill and the refrigerator ready to turn on and fill with pop and beer.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><div>Only a few inside jobs to finish. The woodwork on the outside needs a lot of TLC. Sanding, cleaning and applying Cetol will take time and patience. I hope that I can start that before the cotton balls are flying in the wind.<br /><br /></div><div> </div><div>Next weekend is Memorial Day weekend and our GYC Fleet Review on Sunday with a picnic to follow.</div>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-66890972950556965582011-05-10T19:56:00.000-04:002011-05-10T19:57:19.749-04:00Water Colors is launchedThe clouds over Rochester finally parted, giving me enough time to perform my spring commissioning on Water Colors. We missed our original launch date because of the cold wet spring, and now, two weeks later we are in the water.<br /><br />What I see now is more work ahead of me. The birds had a field day using my deck as a poop deck. A good scrubbing is in store for the near future. Then there are the usual things like putting the sails up and sanding the wooden trim.<br /><br />Ruth and I have decided to do a little club racing this year, so I figured that I would practice with somebody that really knows how to race. I hope to crew with my friend Bill Thompson on Tuesday night club races. Ruth and I will race the more relaxed Saturday races along with the Thursday Pizza Races every so often.<br /><br />I guess that is about it for now. Hopefully I will blog more often than in the past years.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-87163260039632931582011-04-02T08:56:00.003-04:002011-04-02T09:20:40.243-04:00Waiting to launch<div>Another year has passed. Looking back on my blogging history, I see that I didn't keep my promise to blog during the sailing season in 2010. Will 2011 be different? I hope so.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Last year I was busy as Commodore of the Genesee Yacht Club, and for 2008 and 2009 I was Vice Commodore. Those tasks were accomplished because I had retired from my real job at Harris RF Communications. However, the recession hit, and so was my retirement account. I went back to work for RF Communications over a year ago, and still working even though the retirement account is healthy once more.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>The working interfered with everything else I wanted to do, including sailing. Ruth and I managed to take two weeks to get in some cruise time on Lake Ontario and some day cruises when we could.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Now I am free from the GYC duties, but still not free from work. I guess we will make it one day at a time; sailing, house jobs, and maybe a short vacation south. Hopefully, keeping up this blog will also be on my to-do list. Oh yes, I must also remember to include pictures.</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div>Cheers, and have a great sailing season....... Ken</div>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-25782154316506418922010-06-13T06:47:00.003-04:002010-06-13T07:26:54.590-04:00Lesson LearnedLast fall I took my bimini to the local canvas repair shop to have the window replaced. This is the 14"X24" plastic that is used to look up at the masthead while sailing. It was less than 5 years old and starting to get UV damage as well as some scratches from accidentally having the boom too close.<br /><br />A week ago my dear wife Ruth picked it up at the shop, expecting to pay less than $200. Guess again. The price was $400. She brought it home and presented the small cash register receipt to me. I hit the roof. $400 to replace a window? That's outrageous.<br /><br />I went to the shop a few days later and asked for a copy of the work order. They replaced the window with 40G plastic, made a Sunbrella cover with Velcro on 4-sides, Repaired a binding and zipper, and installed a leather chafe patch where the boom had rubbed a bit. Material cost was $74. Labor charged was $371 for 4.25 hours at $70 per hour. Tax was $30. They had reduced the labor from 5.5 hours to 4.25 and didn't charge for the leather since I had not requested it (I suppose).<br /><br />I told Tony that I was very unhappy at the charge. $400 TO REPLACE A WINDOW!!!<br /><br />I tried to maintain cool, but was stone-walled by Tony, shrugging his shoulders saying that it is normal to spend half a day on that type of a job. I walked out of the shop very unhappy but with a lesson learned....Get a quote before having the job done. In my defense though, who would have thought that it would be so expensive?<br /><br />I am willing to share the name of the shop with anybody that asks. Just send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:kpalmer@rochester.rr.com">kpalmer@rochester.rr.com</a> and I will give you the name of the place not to go to.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-9624187911946298262010-05-28T06:49:00.002-04:002010-05-28T07:03:33.174-04:00What's wrong with this picture?Memorial Day is just a couple days away, and I still don't have Water Colors ready to sail. She is in the water but without her mast. The mast is at GYC sitting on saw horses waiting to get the new roller furling installed. A combination of procrastination, weather, room at the club, and just plain fear have been the reasons.<br /><br />I finally got a clear place on the lawn after most other members launched and stepped their masts. Once I put the mast back together, installed the halyards and spreaders, I started on the roller furling. The instructions are far from ideal, not written for the mechanically disadvantaged folks like me. I found the I needed to replace the lower fastener on the bottom turnbuckle of the forestay. I read in the instructions that the part should be available at a local marine store... NOT! I ended up calling the furler company in Florida and ordered the correct part for over-night delivery. As my luck would have it, they typed my address incorrectly, and it didn't make it. After several calls to the manufacturer and UPS, I am told it is on the delivery truck today.<br /><br />The weather forecast looks good, and with a little luck, I can get the furler built and installed today, and maybe even step the mast if I am really lucky. Keeping my fingers crossed.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-12441368746153823242010-01-24T08:25:00.002-05:002010-01-24T08:34:51.577-05:00Only a couple months to launch!My, how the winter seems to drag on. We just came out of a week of continuous snow fall, and presently enjoying a January thaw. There is still some snow on the ground, but the sun has been shining and warming things up the past couple days. The forecast for the coming week is "dropping temperatures with rain turning to snow".<br /><br />I am beginning to think about my new roller furling that I have to install on Water Colors before launch. The mast is down and stored at the club, so it shouldn't be too difficult a task. If I run into any problems I always have my friends at GYC to help me out.<br /><br />I promise to address the blog more often as time gets closer to sailing season. I now have a nifty small camera to take with me so that I can post some shots here on the blog.<br /><br />Until then... enjoy the snow!Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-54995558123539403422009-09-16T17:40:00.002-04:002009-09-16T18:05:37.351-04:00Did you know?Our friends in Canada have gone all out to regulate boating; not only to make it safe, but a little too far in my opinion.<br /><br />Here is a quote from their official site at <a href="http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/obs/quick/quick_visitor.htm#a">http://www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/obs/quick/quick_visitor.htm#a</a><br /><br />Anyone who uses a VHF radio must follow the procedures described in the VHF Radiotelephone Practices and Procedures Regulations. Currently, all VHF radio operators are required to have a Restricted Operator's Certificate (ROC) with maritime qualifications. Canada recognizes the American Certificate."<br /><br />This has been tried in the U.S., and failed miserably. It would take an army to try to enforce this regulation. Granted, there are those nuts on the VHF radio that think it is CB radio, but on the most part, they are boaters communicating to other boaters in plain English. What if the government required all cell phone users to have a license?<br /><br />Does the USA have a similar requirement? Ask 100 people and you might get 95 that say "no". Well, there is actually an FCC rule requiring an operators license for VHF marine radio. It says A marine radiotelephone license isn't required for vessels on inland waterways. However, if you visit a foreign port (CANADA), <strong>it is required</strong>.<br /><br />I believe that a marine VHF radio plays a very important part in boating safety. We now have DSC (Digital Select Calling) which allows automatic Mayday calls with your current location (if you have a GPS receiver connected to your radio). Most folks however, use the VHF for chatting about fishing, weather conditions, what your plans are, and how is Aunt Sue doing?<br /><br />If you can't beat them, join them. I hope that the Canadian rules for VHD radio operations are in the books just so they can say they have rules. If they are not followed or investigated by the Coast Guard, what difference does it make?<br /><br />What do you think?Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-34566488965794864652009-09-12T07:48:00.004-04:002009-09-12T08:10:34.067-04:00Great holiday weekendRuth, Ernie (the dog), and I set sail for Brockport Yacht Club at a leisurely 10 AM departure. The winds were less then 10 knots from the south-east, just as NOAA predicted. We were joined by Paul and Sue Nielsen aboard Moonstruck. This was a great opportunity for me to once again try running with the spinnaker. Up it went, a red, orange, and yellow sail that just makes you want to sit back and smile. Paul flew his spinnaker also. We were able to go the entire trip of 13.5 nm just sitting back and enjoying the ride.<br /><br />The folks at BPYC were preparing for a wine-tasting charity event for one of their members that recently passed away. Everybody brought a dish to pass and the club grilled up some yummy chicken wings. It was quite a party, lasting into the evening. My thanks go to the BPYC members for their generous hospitality.<br /><br />As we left Brockport and Sandy Creek, we wondered how the sailing would be with the winds still out of the SE. Moonstruck and Water Colors both set sail with Water Colors heading a bit to the NE to get further out into the lake. We ended up tacking a couple times, and by the time we had Rochester in site we were sailing along at 5+ knots. Once again, we sailed the entire trip with no assist from the engine.<br /><br />We have decided to use the temporary jib until we are ready to haul in mid-October. I will take the mast down and store it at the club, and install my new roller furling in the spring. We still have a few weeks of sailing if the weather holds out. Maybe this weekend.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-36079360537407426182009-09-06T08:09:00.002-04:002009-09-06T08:18:21.016-04:00Roller Furling Has ArrivedA package was waiting for me Friday when I returned from my part-time job. My much awaited roller furling had finally arrived! I took a quick peek inside the main box and found the installation instructions. I tried digesting them Saturday morning when I was nice and fresh, but stumbled over the copied sheets and photos on a CD. The mast would have to come down again to do this job since it is a fractional rig and I would not be able to disconnect the headstay while the mast is up. My thoughts are to bring the mast back down when I am ready to haul and store it at the club facility. In the spring I can do the work and install the furling as I step the mast.<br /><br />On the other hand... I am also going to look into hiring the job out to more experienced people. Ruth and I will have to talk about that possibility.<br /><br />Today we are heading out to Brockport Yacht Club, a close-by port. They are having a wine-tasting party and charity event. A few of us GYC members hope to leave this morning. Yesterday was the annual clam bake at GYC and it went off very well. The weather was great and a good turn-out.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-66939663333352904622009-08-29T09:42:00.002-04:002009-08-29T09:53:58.746-04:00Stepped the mast yesterdayI just couldn't stand waiting any longer for my new Roller Furling. I asked around GYC, and Tom said that he had a hank-on 110 jib from his Hunter 30 that should work for me. So, my buddies Paul and Doug and Ken helped raise the mast with my new headstay. The job went pretty well with nothing broken or lost.<br /><br />Having a tall mast with 2-pair of spreaders is a challenge because the center of gravity lift point is between the spreaders. There are a couple ways of rigging the gin pole, and we chose the one where the strap is held in place by a line tied off near the base of the mast to keep it from sliding up. Doug convinced me to also tie a line around the upper spreader so that the strap couldn't slide down. Anyway, it took an extension ladder to remove the strap from the mast once it was stepped and secure.<br /><br />I motored back to Shumway to finish putting everything back together when it started to rain. I finished for the day and went home to take a couple Tylenol to help with the aching muscles.<br /><br />Today it looks like rain all morning with some clearing in the afternoon. I hope so. Then I can finish getting the boat back to normal and see if the jib fits my headstay.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-80907048408263579542009-08-18T09:59:00.002-04:002009-08-18T10:16:07.246-04:00Hurry up and waitThat used to be the motto of the US Air Force, "Hurry Up and Wait". I think the world still revolves around those words.<br /><br />The repair to my boat has been going well; to a point. I had a new headstay built by the rigger at Shumway Marine. He fit the task in between a vacation and personal time off, and came up with one that looks great, and over $100 less then the Buffalo quote.<br /><br />Getting in a new roller furling is another story. I thought it would be shipped within a week from Florida, but when I called yesterday to inquire, I was told that parts were on back-order. I hate those words. It seems that they always tell you what you want to hear, not what the truth really is. Anyway, they were very kind to me and offered to sell me the top of the line furling unit rather then the one I ordered, for only $120 more. The new one however, has a lifetime warranty, is heavy duty, and normally sells for $2550. My price: $1000. How could I say no?<br /><br />Now that I am expecting my new furling unit sometime next week, I find that the winch used to raise my mast at the club is down for repair.<br /><br />YIKES! I may not have a chance to sail the rest of the season. Of course, I am a Capricorn, and I must worry about those things... it's in my genes.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-11643343906750996862009-08-12T11:12:00.004-04:002009-08-12T11:48:06.147-04:00Sailing & Repairing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroT4rH74oOdmOg27mMwKXKicEdo9Js8GFB8xwFXW_jLZdJmNvjwlcH3lKNYQb5Q-p0JRqRS-Bz9g3WFH8uPOT5Xnm9nViZ64WRPHDmcKipHxu1v_8i6dWUuuiQjxuLfFl4jKX8_v-KCu2/s1600-h/headstay.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgroT4rH74oOdmOg27mMwKXKicEdo9Js8GFB8xwFXW_jLZdJmNvjwlcH3lKNYQb5Q-p0JRqRS-Bz9g3WFH8uPOT5Xnm9nViZ64WRPHDmcKipHxu1v_8i6dWUuuiQjxuLfFl4jKX8_v-KCu2/s400/headstay.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369104073581632770" border="0" /></a><br />The summer has been flying by (all two days of it). You all know what I mean, with the coldest July in Rochester recorded weather history. Probably the wettest too!<br /><br />Anyway, to make a long story short, Ruth, Ernie (the dog), and I went on our annual 2 week cruise in July. We combined a Genesee Yacht Club cruise with a visit to the annual Lake Ontario Hunter Sailing Association Rendezvous in Port Credit, Ontario.<br /><br />We found out that if you wanted to avoid the rain, you had to leave early and arrive early afternoon. Doing that, we managed to stay fairly dry while exposed to the elements out on the lake. Saturday at the rendezvous was a wet afternoon. The scheduled race was canceled, so Ruth and I decided to do some shopping in Toronto.<br /><br />We had instructions on how to take the GO Train, then the Subway, and even a Trolley Car to get to where Ruth wanted to visit. The rain started when we arrived in Toronto, and continued for the rest of the afternoon. I had brought our large umbrella, so we kept fairly dry, walking between stores that sell buttons and bows and what-not. Going back to the marina, we decided to take a taxi after the GO Train to keep from getting soaked.<br /><br />It was a FUN adventure, even though it had nothing to do with boating.<br /><br />There were new places we sailed to. One was the Whitby Marina. On the way there, we had to motor/sail because lack of wind. We heard a "clank", then a horrible sound like like a chain or something dragging across the hull. We decided that the sound was indeed coming from somewhere "outside" the boat, so we had it hauled the next morning. We found that the zinc clamped to the propeller shaft had loosened, and slipped against the prop strut, causing the terrible noise. No damage done, thank goodness, and we were off again after replacing the zinc.<br /><br />Towards the end of our trip, sailing into Oak Orchard, I discovered that the jib was hard to pull in. Further investigated looked to be a problem with the headstay, inside the roller furling. (For those not familiar with these terms; Headstay is the 1/4 inch wire rope that is attached to the bow of the boat to the top part of the mast. This keeps the mast up, like a "guy wire" on an antenna mast. The roller furling is a device that rolls the sail in and out like a window shade).<br /><br />We motored back to Rochester, not wanting to put any strain on the mast. Besides, there wasn't much wind to start with anyway. Last Thursday, the GYC guys and I took the mast down, and discovered that 9 strands of wire had broken at the connection point. This left precious little to actually hold the mast up. WE WERE VERY LUCKY that the mast didn't fall down on us during the trip.<br /><br />So, I am having a new headstay built, and purchased a new roller furling. Let's see... If I add all that with the haul-out at Whitby, the total is over $1400 for repairs this trip. YIKES!<br /><br />Now all I need to do is finish the roller furling installation and get that mast back up so that we can take another wonderful trip to Canada.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-43456954072535979782009-07-13T07:53:00.002-04:002009-07-13T08:14:28.558-04:00July... What a crazy month<span style="font-family: arial;">I cannot remember a July as wet as this one. Wet and cold. Most years we have started our 2 to 3 week cruise by now, but this year things are beginning a little later. Wet and cold is still forecast, but you gotta do what you gotta do.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Talking about crazy... last week Ruth and I went out for a short day-sail; kind of a check on the systems before launch. That is when the GPS receiver started reading over twice our speed as shown on the knotmeter. The heading also shifted some 45 degrees to the west. What the heck??? I have never heard of a GPS failing like that. I did the obvious troubleshooting, such as disconnecting from the data cable to the VHF radio and taking the GPS off of boat 12 VDC power system. Same results.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">I tried the unit in the car after the sail, and it appeared to work OK. I asked the question on the Hunter Owners website and received some interesting theories, but nobody had ever experienced the same thing I had. I tried to call Magellan Support, and was told by a recording that they no longer offer phone service for my 5 year old handheld unit. I went to their website and was able to send an e-mail explaining my problems, but no answer yet.</span> Come on Magellan; too much time troubleshooting those fancy car GPS units?<br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Yesterday was the first opportunity to get it back on the boat and try again. Guess what? It worked! Everything from lat-long data to the VHF radio to direction compared to the compass. My only explanation is that it was an anomaly as we used to call it in the radio service biz.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">My ST-60 Wind Instrument had also gone crazy that day, but that's another story. It also worked yesterday after a reset to manufacturer defalts</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">So, it looks like we are ready to start that cruise to Canada with everything working... for now!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Smooth Sailing..... Ken</span>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-82192508950788522122009-03-15T09:49:00.002-04:002009-03-15T10:06:05.651-04:00Looking forward to MayThe week of May 4th is the magic week for me. I now have a deadline to finish all of my dry-dock work before launch. One thing haunting me is the way Shumway stored the boats this winter. They squeezed a Beneteau to my port side with no more than three inches space at the widest part of the beam. There is certainly no room to get a ladder up for my spring-time application of Polly Glow. I talked with Mic at Shumway, and she said that they would look into it. I hope that they do it before the weather starts to warm up.<br /><br />I have a huge problem with scheduling cruising this coming summer. I am now back to work full time, and being a "new hire", I have no vacation time for one year. I will be working 10 hour days starting in June, with a 3-day weekend every week. That is what is what they are thinking now, but business is so good at Harris RF Communications, I would be surprised if they don't require more working hours this summer. Here it is, my first week at work, and I put in a 6 day week. They want more, but I figure that since I am new to the position, I wouldn't be able to offer enough for that overtime.<br /><br />There are also things to do at home. Free time is going to be a little scarce this year. That is a good thing though. The economy is the reason for starting back to work. We are affected like so many others, and the retirement funds are disappearing much faster than they should. Believe me, we have even talked about trying to sell the boat. OMG as they say... I hope it doesn't get that bad. The boat is the reason we worked those many years. I hope jobs open up for the unemployed and things pick up on the stock market.<br /><br />I will try to do some more postings on the blog with pictures once we get back to sailing.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-9099042392585702892008-11-12T07:32:00.002-05:002008-11-12T07:58:14.157-05:00What do sailors do in November?This is a difficult time for most sailors. Our boats are out of the water, sitting on the hard, and the weather is turning colder. Most of the leaves are off the trees, and we are waiting for the first snowfall of the season. The Buffalo snow belt already has been hit by Lake Effect snow, and the south-eastern area of Lake Ontario has also tasted it's first lake effect snow.<br /><br />I am a fair-weather-friend. I would rather sit in the nice warm house then to venture outdoors in the cold damp breeze. I wore my winter coat and gloves yesterday just to take our dog Ernie for a short walk. I know what is ahead of us, and I'm not liking it. We try to get away to the south for a short break from the winter every year, but this year the economy is heavy on my mind. I have seen my 401K lose 1/3 of it's value, so just like many Americans, I feel I cannot afford a winter vacation this year.<br /><br />So, I sit here at my trusty computer, working on website designs. I have just released a new version of the Lake Ontario Hunter Sailing Association website at <a href="http://www.lohsa.com/">www.lohsa.com</a>, and it looks pretty good (in my opinion). I am almost finished with my son Jay's photography website at <a href="http://www.photopalmer.com/">www.photopalmer.com</a> and only waiting for new images to publish the new version. I am also working on a new website for the Genesee Yacht Club at <a href="http://www.geneseeyc.org/">www.geneseeyc.org</a>. The present one is old and tired. The new one is exciting; easy to open and easy to find what you are looking for. I hope to get it up within a week or two.<br /><br />All three websites are being developed using Microsoft Expression Web, which has replaced my old and not supported Microsoft FrontPage 2003. The learning curve is steep, but I am getting the grasp of the essentials. I wish I had a mentor here in Rochester to turn to with my many questions. Being self-taught, I have a DVD collection for learning Expression Web, and I have gone through 2/3 of it. But everything doesn't stick like it used to, and I find myself having to go over sections that I have already visited; again and again.<br /><br />I would love to see a users group for Microsoft Expression Web in town. It would be a plus for everybody. I have a fellow Harris retired co-worker that is just beginning his Expression Web adventure. We meet about once a month with other ex-Harris guys at lunch, and talk about everything under the sun. Maybe this could be the start of a web designer group.<br /><br />Anyway, I have really drifted off course on a sailing blog. But winter is coming, and what could be a better way to spend my non-sailing days. Stay warm my friends.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-38268835478285104182008-09-19T06:05:00.002-04:002008-09-19T06:27:27.493-04:00Sailing season is not overWednesday was a great day for a sail! Winds out of the south-west at 10 to 15 knots and little wave action. Ruth had to help my son with his photography business, so I had the afternoon to myself. I decided to finally carry through with a promise I had made to take one of our friends from GYC out for a day-sail.<div><br /></div><div>Ed is a sailor with no boat, having sold his sailboat after knee surgery, and having a difficult time sailing single-handed. Now he relies on his friends to take him out to enjoy his passion. This was the first time I have taken Ed out sailing, and he was like a kid at the wheel. We beat into the wind for the first half of the trip, heading towards a couple other sailboats off in the distance.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once we were close to them, Ed suggested that we come about and have a race. It really wasn't much of a race with the other boat flying only a jib and us with main and jib up. The speed of Water Colors reached 7.2 knots at one point, about the best my Hunter 33.5 can do.</div><div><br /></div><div>We reached the Rochester Harbor piers and decided to take the sails down before entering the channel. It was that point that I began to wonder about bringing the boat into her slip. Ruth is always at the helm when leaving and returning to our dock. I am the one on deck managing the dock lines. Now I needed to bring the boat in, only the second time this year, with Ed volunteering to grab the one dock line I have set up at the piling, and then throw it over the winch to stop the boat. I came in nice and slow, and Ed worked the line like an old pro. Once we were stopped, I stepped off to the dock and set the bow lines.</div><div><br /></div><div>Like I said, it was a great day for a sail, and a great day to be with an old friend. He said that I am on his "A" list now, and he feels safe sailing with me again.</div>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-78555421797826164292008-09-01T07:40:00.002-04:002008-09-01T07:58:30.924-04:00September 1st...Already!<span style="font-family:verdana;">Are you ready for the sailing season to end? I know that I'm not. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">We received the annual paperwork from Shumway Marine asking for a haul-out date. Last year I hauled around October 1st. I think that I wanted to be on land a little early so that I could get a coat of Poli Glow on the hull and get to the bright work that I put off all summer.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Do I try to cover the boat this year? Every year that I try to cover, it doesn't last the winter. Too much snow and wind either collapse the cover or break the framing. One year I had to replace one stanchion and have two others repaired when the wind blew my cover and wooden frame over.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">This year I think that we need a little more time on the lake. The water levels are high so that I don't have to worry about getting stuck at my slip (I hope). I can't believe that we didn't visit Sodus Bay this year. God forbid we miss a chance to dock at the yacht club and have the waves beat us to death. They sure could use a break-wall there.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Yesterday we had eight boats rafted up for a short time on Lake Ontario just east of the Summerville Pier. The waves from the power boats knocked the hell out of us, and we were forced to break the raft after an hour or so. Many of us met at the club afterwards to enjoy a nice cookout.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Hey... If you are reading this and want to add your comments... Please do! It should be an easy thing to do by just clicking on the "comments" link at the bottom of this post. Please give it a try if only to say hello.</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Also... If you would like to have your story or pictures show up on the website, drop me a line at </span><a href="mailto:webmaster@lakeontariosailing.com"><span style="font-family:verdana;">webmaster@lakeontariosailing.com</span></a><span style="font-family:verdana;">. </span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Cheers and have a good Labor Day!</span><br /><span style="font-family:verdana;">Ken Palmer</span>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-70315900285517840472008-07-24T06:38:00.004-04:002008-07-24T06:44:27.723-04:00EPA Discharge Permit Requirement for Recreational BoatsCONGRESS RESTORES 35-YEAR EXEMPTION FOR RECREATIONAL BOATS FROM PROPOSED EPA PERMITTING REQUIREMENTS<br /><br />NO NEW PERMIT FOR BOATS REQUIRED<br /><br />ALEXANDRIA, VA, July 22, 2008 - In a remarkable display of bipartisan support for recreational boating, both the House and Senate today passed S. 2766, "The Clean Boating Act of 2008" which will permanently restore a long-standing exemption for recreational boats from permitting requirements under the Clean Water Act. The legislation now goes to the White House for the President's signature.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.boatus.com/gov/default.asp?WT.mc_id=100029">Go to Boat U.S. for the full story by clicking this line.</a>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-92022474836710321132008-07-23T07:44:00.002-04:002008-07-23T07:55:31.578-04:00Did I Say Rain?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjzQEOBTfjWbiRGLXMfUnL6UNNm9yr-O55KWktp2WYf1LO-astDHKNtwpWwnDDX0_zFY-q6q_cnn5Q5d8nNWu5ozP1htnM3vtTAQwblIuJhONu1swEtf67KU-gQ5fA4W8JzUHwLQgh0nF/s1600-h/clouds+at+bluffers.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226176797921374962" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYjzQEOBTfjWbiRGLXMfUnL6UNNm9yr-O55KWktp2WYf1LO-astDHKNtwpWwnDDX0_zFY-q6q_cnn5Q5d8nNWu5ozP1htnM3vtTAQwblIuJhONu1swEtf67KU-gQ5fA4W8JzUHwLQgh0nF/s320/clouds+at+bluffers.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9BH51CWA8WQ61GtY7C5aZXBCCTkMxYYaGdtz3oZfZMrwKZnKxL5Ml-d-33t3n3Mo-MYI2lhU3tufXBPo9uibh7gHe0K1gNv5pBbwZuNCjPzexLUg4OWD-rIsLsCDqDIx2ZYFBqGfpZoB/s1600-h/rain+hitting+water.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5226176796138792130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL9BH51CWA8WQ61GtY7C5aZXBCCTkMxYYaGdtz3oZfZMrwKZnKxL5Ml-d-33t3n3Mo-MYI2lhU3tufXBPo9uibh7gHe0K1gNv5pBbwZuNCjPzexLUg4OWD-rIsLsCDqDIx2ZYFBqGfpZoB/s320/rain+hitting+water.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>The daily forecast calls for rain. I am beginning to trust the weatherman now since it does rain every day. We must be stuck in some significant weather pattern.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>We arrived at Bluffers Park Yacht Club yesterday after an uneventful motoring trip. The only reason I raised my main was to dry it out from the day before.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Not too long after we arrived, we heard the thunder and watched as a storm rolled in (images above). Last night around 11 PM there was a another terrific thunder storm. The bluffs must amplify the thunder because it was really loud.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>There is the usual wildlife here like geese, swans, etc. but we thought we spotted a couple minks yesterday across the water behind our boat. I was so interested in watching that I forgot to get the camera out. Darn!</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div>Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7103604950446394875.post-55960746653427139922008-07-22T06:46:00.005-04:002008-07-22T07:28:44.636-04:00Yesterday's perfect stormWe left Cobourg around 9 AM. The winds were too light to sail, so we started motoring. The morning was partly cloudy with no indication of rain. Ahead of us were a couple other sailboats motoring west, and we finally caught up to the Catalina. We ran a parallel course when the wind came up a bit. I looked over to to Catalina, and he was raising the main and unfurling the jib.<br /><br />He started sailing, slower than motoring, but sailing. We unfurled our jib to test the wind, and started motor-sailing over 6 knots. Not to be out done, we raised our main also and shut the engine down. Ah, the sound of quiet.<br /><br />We sailed for about 10 minutes, then I looked at the sky over the shore. It was an ugly gray and black, and you could see the rain falling on shore. Ruth then heard some thunder, so we decided to stat the engine (sails still up) and motor-sail south, away from the storm. We left the Catalina, and when the clouds stated heading south also, I saw that the Catalina also turned south.<br /><br />Then the wind and rain hit the Catalina, and another boat that had been sailing east. Their sails started flogging as they tried to recover. It took only a few minutes before the storm hit us. I managed to furl in the jib, but the main was still up and it is a pain to take down. It had to be done though, so with PFD on, I climbed onto the deck holding on for dear life as Ruth continued motoring south, away from shore. I got the sail down, lashing it to the boom with a couple straps.<br />Poor Ernie was just shaking, so Ruth took him below to get him settled and get my rain jacket. I was soaked head to foot with the rain coming horizontally into the covered cockpit. The winds were gusting way over 20 knots, but I couldn't really see the gauge because my glasses were all wet. I had to turn to the north-west into the rain and waves to keep the rain out of my face. Visibility was very limited and I had to keep a sharp lookout because I knew there were two other boats out there somewhere.<br /><br />Finally, the storm blasted though and I could see a sliver of light on the western horizon. Just after it stopped raining, the Coast Guard announced the storm. Too little too late for us, but perhaps helping the poor soles racing the Lake Ontario 300. They have had rain every day I'm sure. I never did catch sight of the two sailboats that were there when we entered this storm. We motor-sailed to Whitby Yacht Club, arriving wet and cold.<br /><br />The folks at Whitby are great. They found us a nice slip for the night next to a Hunter 410. Our Hunter 33.5 looks like a toy boat next to theirs. The owners arrived later and we had a very nice chat. Ernie even met another snoodle from down the dock. This was a 6-year old female that didn't join in with Ernie's barking. I think she took on more of the poodle mix where Ernie has more schnauzer in him.<br /><br />No picture today. I'm really falling behind on my picture taking. Just a couple days to the Hunter Rendezvous at Port Credit Yacht Club. It will be nice seeing our old friends there.Dry Sailorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14603737682819790683noreply@blogger.com0