Chasing the Chafe

(More Mainsheet Adjustments)

 and

Improving the Flow

(Hi-Flow Vent Construction)

HI-Flow Vent Modification

I finished up the Hi-Flow Vent construction today. All that remains is to test sail it.

Today I added a control handle that extends down into the vent trunk and will allow me to aim the vent whatever direction I want from within the cabin. 

Mainsheet Chafe Control 

Chafe evident on corner of Deck/Transom from Running Downwind

The other project I completed today was to try installing two fairleads in the mainsheet system. The mainsheet had drug across the corner of the deck/transom and gone right through the paint and fiberglass.

The goal is to keep the mainsheet up and away from dragging on the rudder stock and more importantly the top rudder gudgeon which became an issue when running downwind in strong winds for an extended time. At one point I was becoming concerned that the line might chafe through.  I used oversize fairleads, stainless steel lined, and through-bolted to the deck beam for strength. We'll have to see if this remedies the problem, or brings on another.

New Fairleads hopefully will direct mainsheet away from gudgeon

Yes, it will add a bit of friction....but much less than the mainsheet dragging on the gudgeon! 

And finally..... The decals indicating participation and/or completion of the Bosunator Challenge are done...and Scout got hers.  :-)

"Scout" sporting her "Green Paw" indication completion of the Bosunator Challenge 100% under human/wind power alone

Utilizing Info Learned During

The Bosunator Challenge

During the Bosunator Challenge I tried to make mental note of things that need to be adjusted, modified, etc, on Scout to make her perform better, and more comfortable for the crew (namely...ME! lol)   It was a good test at nearly 50 miles long, hours on all points of sail and sailing not only in the day but through the night as well.

One of the interesting things in a boat like this is that primarily, I will be to the only one aboard. This means that making mods to fit me and my personal taste are AOK. That's kind of fun. She truly is MY boat.

Ventilation

I live in one of the warmer locations....in the universe. The Paradox has a ventilation system cleverly built in, but with all those windows allowing the sun in....comes the warmth.  Even now in the fall....sometimes it's too much. I was perusing the Yahoo Groups Paradox Builders site and saw a technique another Paradox owner employed to increase the airflow through the cabin...and I did something very similar.

Vent hole in deck as per plans...works pretty well...but I wanted more breeze.

First, I had an unused 4 inch screw in inspection hatch laying around. I took it, removed the screw in lid, and sanded the threads out of the exterior ring. Then I got a standard 4" PVC 90 degree elbow. It fits with a perfect friction only fit into the deck-plate ring after the threads were removed.  A quick trip to the table saw and it is no longer a full 90, but instead just enough of an elbow to allow a forward facing scoop. When inserted, the scoop can be rotated to point into or away from the apparent wind. The plan is to fabricate a handle that will extend down into the vent box so that I can rotate the scoop from within the boat.

Modified inspection plate ring (not mounted yet )

Modified 4" PVC "elbow"

I think that this will greatly improve ventilation and temperature inside. I will have to sail with it and evaluate if it works as planned and make sure that it does not interfere with the tack strop...but I think it will be just fine.

Elbow inserted into ring...completely rotatable

Elbow rotated to port

Elbow rotated aft

Windex Illumination

Deck Level Windex with LED light and Bezel 

Bezel  mounted over LED

I also had a chance to sail all night long using the LED light I placed in the deck that illuminates the Windex.

Looking straight down  into the Bezel at the LED 

The light worked great, however, I was getting a bit of a glare from the light source itself , back in my face. So I am going to try a slight modification. I bought a $3 aluminum mini flashlight from the hardware store. I bought it because I wanted the aluminum bezel it had.



I took the light apart and placed the aluminum bezel on the LED Windex light fixture with a little silicone. The light fixture is now embedded within the bezel and should not be able to be seen from the cockpit. If it does not work, it's just a matter of pulling it off and throwing it away.

Human Propulsion

After using Nate's paddle board paddle, I determined that it was a success!
So I ordered a paddle of my own from West Marine and it will become a permanent addition to Scout along with the Yuloh. The two together give a nice variety in muscle use for extended rows.

Mainsheet

Couple of other deals I am working on too. I need to make a couple changes to the mainsheet so that sailing down-wind and off-the-wind it does not chafe on the top rudder gudgeon. I have a plan for that, that I will enact tomorrow.

Mast Wiring Deck Connection

I also need to change the wiring in the mast to exit topsides instead of going through the mast partners. Having to try to get the wires through the small wide spot in the mast partner opening while lowering the mast is difficult when balancing the mast mid air....and it could cause a loss of control, twisting of the deck and or a fracture to the deck before the mast is seated in it's shoe. I need to make a new exit hole in the mast above the deck and then install a removable electrical connector on the deck . This will also probably knock off a solid 5 minutes from the rigging time as this has been a bit of a hassle. I have tried to find ways to make it easier....but I think just biting the bullet and moving the exit hole is the best strategy so I do not inadvertently lose control of the mast and damage the deck.

Seating

I need to widen out the removeable bench seat to allow me to slide my butt forward and lean back, instead of sitting bolt upright. It was fine for a few hours....but after that it became uncomfortable.

Best part of making upgrades is going out to see how they work. Today would have been a beautiful day but I didn't make it out. I am off tomorrow and Friday as well.  Hope to find some decent breezes and get on the water then.

Bosunator Challenge - Recap

(2 video links at the end of this post)

"Scout" beating upwind on the last 14 mile leg of the trip

The Bosunator Challenge is in the history books. About 7 other boats took it upon themselves to join me and Scout and try the challenge.  What I intended to do was to try the first, engine-less sail of Scout that really had some distance, and also required multiple points of sail and possibly Paddling or Yulohing. I got exactly what I was looking for. :-)

The forecast was for winds to come out of the north, starting in around 8am and to blow all day and into the evening. The strongest breezes, as usual, were forecast for the late afternoon hours, then gradually diminishing through the evening. The forecast ended up being pretty close but not exact. Also, as usual.

   


The route was to sail most of the usable length of Lake Havasu. We would start at a local resort dock that is easy to sail in/out of, push off  and sail to the South end of the lake, and then back. Sometime during the trip, either the beginning or end, it was required to circumnavigate "The Island" which included traversing the channel under the London Bridge.  The skipper could make the call at what point in the trip to do this, but this task had to be completed before The Challenge was to be called complete. Some chose to do it right off the bat, others saved that aspect of the sail for the tail end of the journey.

The boat was allowed to be propelled by wind or any human powered means. That's it. Doing so would earn you a green Bosun Pawprint decal....indicating that you completed the challenge "green".

To make the journey more palatable we decided that should the need arise, for anchoring, docking, or safety sake..that a motor could be used for those purposes...so long as when the vessel resumed navigation down the course....the forward progress was resumed from the point where the initial application of motor power began.  In other words....no forward progress down the course was allowed under power. Following this rule, if the course was completed...and motor used.... a Black Bosun Pawprint decal would be awarded, indicating completion of the Challenge, although with the use of some external power.

For those that started the Challenge but did not finish, a Blue Bosun Pawprint decal would be awarded to indicate...that "hey!  They got our there and gave it a shot! " and joined on the adventure. And after all...getting out there is what its all about. There is no shame in not making it, especially it turns out with the size of some of the boats that decided to participate.

"Scout's" Trip

I elected to take advantage of the morning calm and to immediately paddle north through the channel, under the London Bridge and out into the North Basin of the lake. By the time I would arrive the forecast said I would have a North wind. Exiting the channel puts you at about the Northern most point of the course, So I figured , "Heck yeah, I'll paddle through during the calm....and then immediately exit into the North basin and be on a reach and downwind run for about 17 miles before having to turn to come back upwind.




 Well.... it kind of worked out that way...except the forecast was off by about two or three hours. I paddled the channel,

exited into the North Basin....and just kept paddling. No wind. Ended up paddling all the way around the island and a bit further South before a great North breeze filled in from behind. All in all I probably paddled 4-5 miles.

The boats that had started Southbound immediately were still in view, almost becalmed ahead of me about 5 miles. The breeze was perfect. Within minutes I was making a steady 5+ knots on a deep reach reeling them in. They had no chance as I was on the leading edge of the breeze they needed...and by the time the breeze reached them, I was only a half mile behind. Off we went.

Being that I was chasing a sloop, dead downwind was not their strong point as it was blanketing their jib. Meanwhile Scout's barndoor lugsail was out 90 degrees and catching as much wind as possible. I was able to crawl up to Doug and Katie's 25 Seaward....but then they started reaching and jibing to up their VMG...a good move on their part. We jousted back and forth for hours. Sometimes I could pass them, then they would catch and pass me. I was able to take full advantage of cutting close corners around beds in the lake not worried about shallow water. This went on for over 10 miles all the way to the turn mark at the South end. Imagine my delight that my 13'10" micro was footing a 25' er!  Max speed I saw was 5.6knots with an apparent windspeed downwind of 15.

Of course when we rounded the mark and headed back upwind (14 miles) that was a different story.

Although Scout seemed to be able to point with the big boat, there was a large discrepancy in speed. She walked away from us as you would expect. This was exacerbated when the apparent wind exceeded 25mph for about an hour. This built a pretty good wind chop in the larger basins we were sailing through. Although Scout had no problem staying on her feet and making headway....the constant wave bashing slowed us down to about 2 knots when pointing. Doug and Katie disappeared. LOL

After an hour or so the winds backed off a bit. it was getting into evening now. The sailing was superb. The water flattened out and our speeds again rose to about 3.5 knots hard on the wind. The sun set. Thing started getting dark, and then ...a beautiful full moon rose. It was incredibly bright and lit up everything. The shoreline was 100% visible as were the lee side telltales through the sail material!!!...just like in daytime!!!....it was that bright. Temps were perfect. My friend Jan caught up with me in his Balboa 20. He dropped his headsail to slow his speed and we sailed together through a perfect evening.

A radio call late that evening from Doug and Katie indicated that they were 3-4 miles ahead and in decreasing winds. Sure enough, an hour later when we arrived in the same location..the breeze started dropping. It continually slowed until we were ghosting along around midnight. At this point we were near Pilot Rock...probably 4-5 miles from the end. The wind died completely.

I broke out the paddle and yuloh and started paddling a beeline for the finish dock at the resort at about 1am. Jan had a set of long sweeps on his boat and did the same thing. We paddled together for about 2 hours. As we entered the last little bay, Thompson Bay, a little zephyr arose and we gleefully sailed the last quarter mile to the finish, arriving at 3am.

I had a fantastic time. I was beat dog tired....and actually pretty sore. I learned a lot about the boat...and myself and I am looking forward to the next long distance challenge. I plan on a few mods here an there based on what I experienced...and I will continue to work on my own conditioning. The paddling was tiresome for sure and I only paddled 9-10 miles. Of course, the Paradox is not the ideal paddle boat at nearly 1500lbs. LOL  I did jettison the water ballast for the last paddle episode but I was so tired I don't really know how much difference it made.

Thanks to Kiko Oliver and Nate Adler who made these two AWESOME videos and Jan Maslikowski for the photos of Scout.

Nate and Fred's video from "Club Fred"

Orange Crush's Bosunator Challenge Video

 I took a video and still camera , and multiple batteries for both planning on documenting the whole trip. Left the sd cards sitting on the counter at home.  UGH! 

It was a great time sailing with great friends. Learned a lot as always.  Plan to use some of what I learned to make the next time even better. Still lovin' the Paradox! 

Shakedown Cruise 4

Video from Aboard "Scout"

10-17 knots of wind

Nothing fancy here. Just ambient audio as I put Scout through her paces in the company of some friend's boats. Great sailing day. The shortened boom worked well....glad I did it. Sailed into the evening to try out the LED running lights...including a deck mounted vertical LED to illuminate the windex. 

All of this will be put to the test tomorrow as we sail the Bosunator Challenge. Plan is to leave the dock at sunrise, sail to Parker Dam and back...and around The Island and under London Bridge. Should be around 45-50 miles depending on tacking. 

Click the image to view the video:

Preparing for Darkness 

and 

The Bosunator Challenge

Bosun

1 week from today "Scout" will embark on her first challenge, "The Bosunator Challenge". I had come up with the idea to do this sail right before I lost my 4 legged sailing buddy "Bosun".


My friend Kiko asked if we could call the challenge, "The Bosunator Challenge", in honor of Bosun.  And so it is. He was known and loved by all that attended the Havasu Pocket Cruisers Convention, of which he was the ambassador. I miss him terribly.

It's not a huge challenge, but still one to test Scout's and my preparedness for longer events. Honestly, it will also evaluate my desire to participate in longer distance events in such a small craft.

The Bosunator Challenge is a self-imposed challenge. It's not a formal event, although once I announced I was going to do it,  numerous others crews decided it would be fun to do as well and have joined in. One crew already went out and did it on their own last week.

The course of the Bosunator Challenge

 It starts on Thompson Bay in front of a resort hotel on Lake Havasu. My rules (for me) are ...I will depart the hotel dock at sunrise, under sail or human power only (I won't have an outboard on board). Then I will sail South all the way to the South end of the lake near Havasu Springs Resort, a distance of around 14 miles. Rounding a buoy that is down there, I will then return Northbound, returning to the dock from which I started.  The resort where the dock is, is on an island. "The Island" is about 3.5 miles in circumference and is joined to the mainland by the London Bridge.....yes, I said the London Bridge, and yes it is the real one that was brought here in the 60's.

The London Bridge in Lake Havasu City, AZ 

 Sometime during the trip, (either the beginning or end of the trip depending on wind direction), but before returning to the resort dock and calling the challenge complete, I have to circumnavigate the island, including traversing the mile long channel that goes under the London Bridge.





 By the time this course is complete I expect I will be covering around 40-50 miles, depending on how much tacking I have to do. My goal is to do this challenge regardless of the wind forecast unless there are crazy winds that are just unsafe to sail in. The reason for that is to simulate something like the Everglades Challenge. The race starts when it starts. If there is no wind....it's time to paddle, scull, or whatever. I'm going to take the yuloh and also I am going to try propelling the boat with a stand up paddle-board paddle. It will be a learning experience for sure.

LED Bow lights

I expect that I will be out there overnight and thus the reason to get the boat's lighting handled. I have been out on Scout in the evening with just an all-around white light, and while that does meet the requirements for sailing her in international waters....it does not technically make her legal here. After researching it, it appears that she needs to have red/green bow lights, and white stern light while under sail. So now she does. The lights are LED to preserve battery power. I will remove the temporary white all around that I had mounted in the line chock that is built into the bow. I was initially worried that the leeward light would not be visible when Scout was heeling and working to windward, but evaluation of video of her working to windward in 20+ knots reveals that will not be a problem. Click here to see the video

 Scout in 20+ knots


I also installed lighting in the cabin. Necessary?  No, not really (as pointed out to me by a friend)...a flashlight could also be used. However, having sailed "Dauntless" at night a fair amount... I know the convenience of having adequate light without  having to hold a flashlight in your teeth. I am experimenting with a long strip of red LED's that are mounted under the deck, within the shelving area all the way around the cabin. It throws out a nice red light indirectly,  as you never see the actual led's...only their light. This keeps their glare off the windows.  The LED strips are ridiculously cheap off of ebay and put out a ton of light. I, of course, will also have the trusty red/white headlamp on my big fat head as well.

I also popped in a couple of $7 stick on LED white lights. These are battery powered by 3 AAA batteries each and literally run for days on a set of batteries, allowing me to place them in areas where running wires would be a pain. They have a "touch switch" which is simply two contacts next to one another. If you touch them both with a fingertip, the light turns on/off. The lights also rotate to aim the main beams. They are made by Sylvania.

Looking at videos of Dave Bolduc using his yuloh to propel "Enigma" , and photos of the boat, has led me to decide to try a similar yuloh mount on Scout. The mount protrudes from the side of the boat, moving the yuloh off-center. It also differs in that it uses a yoke-style oar lock rather than a pivot pin. I am thinking that this might put the yuloh in a more comfortable position and make it easier to get more aggressive with it without lifting it off of it's mount.  I hope to make the mount over the next couple of days.

I plan on using my SPOT gps tracker to track the Bosunator Challenge and I will post a "Share Page" online so that progress can be tracked. This is mainly so Jo can know where I am and what's going on....but anyone will be able to sign in and see how Scout is doing if they want. I expect of all the boats that are doing the challenge, Scout's 13' waterline will have her bringing up the back of the pack. I'll post the link just before the challenge.

Any boats that attempt or complete the Bosunator Challenge will be given the official "Bosunator Pawprint" decal. A Blue Pawprint will indicate a vessel that attempted the challenge but did not complete it. A Black Pawprint will indicate completion of the challenge but use of Aux. power somewhere along the way, and a Green Pawprint will indicate the goal, completion of the challenge 100% "green" with no aux power use of any kind other than human or wind, from beginning to end.

Still lots to do...so back to work I go!

Mainsheet Manipulations

Sail - Evaluate - Adjust -Do It Again! 

After taking Scout sailing 4 times...I decided that the boom was quite a bit longer than this particular sail requires. I was going to leave it alone..until it showed that it could cause a difficulty.  So tonight we did a little surgery.

Swivel Snap Shackle to alleviate Twisting Line

The difficulty became apparent the other day. I was sailing and had excessive friction in the mainsheet. Looking aft..it became apparent that the two legs of the mainsheet that go to the boom from the port and starboard sides of the transom, were twisting up like a cinnamon twist. Even though the block on the boom was a swivel block...they refused to untwist. The twist was actually working itself into the line and the line was not able to relieve itself...so the twisted line then was manifesting into the two legs wrapping around one another. After some thought I decided to try installing a swivel at the attachment point where the mainsheet attaches to the transom, hoping that doing so would allow the twists in the line to work themselves out. The mainsheet had just been tied there with a bowline to a stationary pad-eye. I had a swivel snap shackle handy so, even though the job did not require a snap shackle, I used it to save some $$.  The outcome was great ...not one twist in the line last time out and mainsheet ran much more freely.

Section of Boom Cut off - it's Substantial

The issue with the boom came about on the previous sail when the mainsheet twisted. The end of the boom was so far off the end of the boat , that for me to reach out there to try to fix the issue...was way too far. In the smooth waters of my home lake, no problem.....but I don't want to be leaning that far over the back of the boat in the ocean swells if I need to get to the mainsheet attachment point. So....I took a deep breathe and cut off the excess.



 I had to make a new attachment bolt for the tang that the mainsheet and topping lift attach to as I epoxied that 4" bolt into the boom to make sure it did not come loose when the boom spun for furling. Even heating it with a propane torch would not release the old bolt...and I stripped the threads trying to force it out of the old piece of boom. At least I know that if I epoxy the new one in the same way it's not coming out. So I did!

Rotating Tang installed on new boom end..
mainsheet and topping lift attached. This system
has worked well to allow the boom to rotate freely
when furling/reefing the sail. 

This change will also add more downward pull to the mainsheet angle and I think that will be a good thing.

Scout - Working It All Out

I am striving to not just mindlessly go back and forth across a body of water in Scout when I sail her. I am trying to discipline myself to watch what I am doing...analyze it....change it up...and see what works and what doesn't, watching boatspeed and pointing angles closely.  The more time I have in her the easier it gets to start to do that. Initially I was more concerned with how stable she was..(i.e. "I was a little skittish") and whether or not I could get her to sail effectively on all points of sail (i.e... get her to go where I want, when I want).  I'm pretty comfortable now that she is pretty darn stable...and I can get her to go where I want.  Now comes hours and hours of sailing, analyzing and tweaking things to try to get the most out of her...and me.

I took a portable GPS the other day and used it to obtain Course over Ground information to try and decipher what kind of tacking angles I could get.  I am going to hold off on my judgement about this. 1. I am still learning this boat and sail rig and am sure that as I learn what she likes I can get better...and 2.  The tacking angles I have witnessed so far....lead me to doubt my results. LOL  Suffice it to say...I could not believe the numbers I was seeing the other day in 15 knots of wind.  The wind WAS shifty...so I am going with the fact that I had to have tacked on every header, even though that was not my intent. If I go out again with similar results I will report them...and you can be as flabbergasted as I was.  Remember ...Scout's bottom is FLAT...no keel, no centerboard.

Along with learning the boat comes customizing it to fit my tastes with gear and equipment that suits me and my style. I've added a few pieces of gear so far ...all experimental and none necessarily permanent.

Anchor light and Anemometer Cups

1. I installed a "mini-amp mega light" anchor light on the masthead. This actually will be permanent. This is and LED anchor lite that draws practically no amps and also has a photo electric switch to turn off automatically as the sun comes up. Since it pulls almost no amps the wiring is extremely lightweight.  As long as Scout is not powered by a motor I can get away with one white light....although eventually I want to be able to use my 2hp outboard...and then we will need full running lights.

Bicycle Computer reads out windspeed

2. I installed an "InSpeed" anemometer. This is a gee wiz toy...not necessary, but fun. It requires no external power and uses a LCD bicycle computer for the readout.  It gives me current windspeed, max windspeed, and average windspeed since it was last reset.  Works pretty well at speeds over 2-3 mph.




 

3. Last time out my "yulohing" was not the best. It was breezy, I was in a tight area of the marina and after

pushing off from the dock,  numerous power boats crowded in near me. The wind was a crosswind and I needed forward speed to clear the area before being blown down onto a dock.  In my hastiness...I kept getting out of sync with the "falling leaf" stroke and lifting the leading edge of the yuloh, which in turn would cause the yuloh to lift off the pin. It was a pain and nearly caused me a big  headache.  I ended up using the Yuloh like an oar for a minute or two just to get clear. I made it..but it was not fun...and definitely not pretty. 

So I fabbed up a little temporary deal I can slide over the yuloh pin that will let me run a bungee over the yuloh and secure it from lifting...I think!  LOL  I have yet to try this but will next time out. It is easy to put the little bungee on and off , taking only a second or two to push/pull it over the brass balls. Will it work? Don't know yet!  If not I can remove it and throw it away, no harm no foul. 

4. The mainsheet started twisting on me causing a ton of friction when sheeting in and out. The line itself was getting twists in it and the end of the line was secured with a bowline to a padeye on the transom. As such...the twists could not work their way out f the line...and was causing the two legs of the mainsheet that traverse from the port and starboard sides of the transom to the end of the boom to twist up badly. To attempt a remedy I now am tying the bowline to a snapshackle I had on hand with a rotating head. I think that if this will swivel freely it will allow the twists in the line itself to work out and alleviate the two legs of the mainsheet from twisting themselves like a cinnamon twist.  If not, I will change the block at the end of the boom with a non swivel block to help keep the lines from twisting as well.

5. Windex.  I need a wind indicator for upwind work.  From advice given to me by the guru of Layden designs (next to Matt Layden himself), Dave Bolduc... I moved forward in the cabin when working upwind to drive the bow deeper into the water..and kept the boat flatter than in my recent video. When doing so...I can see out the windshield looking forward easily. If I lean back I can look up through the window in the sliding  hatch....but not as easily as out the forward window. So ..I am going to temporarily attach a windex up by the bow where I can see if out the front window and see how I like it up there. I used a ribbon last time out....but it kept tangling and wasn't much help.

Hope to get out on Scout tomorrow. Light winds predicted (click here) with heavier winds over the weekend.  Light winds for tomorrow would be good for me to get some Yuloh practice in before the bigger winds on Sat.  (I gotta work Thurs/Fri).

On the 18th I am planning my first over-nighter sailing about 40-50 miles or so (depending on wind direction). This will be with no motor and the longest sail I have attempted sans motor in Scout.  Between now and then I have some practice to get in!

Groundhog Day?

 Out of bed this morning and into my new reality. First thing I am supposed to do is to proceed to a stupid little machine. It's a little bastard and makes me bleed every morning. The long spring loaded spear pokes whatever finger I have chosen to sacrifice to it's blood thirsty appetite, I wince, and curse it. Of course I have already loaded the second half of the machine with a strip of "Magic" paper with a circuit board printed on it. I know that theses strips are magic, as the wizard that produces them will not turn loose of any unless someone parts with $75 for 100 of them. So in effect....  .75 cents of my sailing money just went down the drain. 

As my finger oozes I slide the paper strip into the red fluid which both provides me life, and apparently now...threatens to shorten it if I don't properly maintain its chemistry. The black box beeps indicating it has drunk enough....and I wait. My eyes focusing on the LCD screen...anticipating the coming number that will either praise my efforts, or tell me I am failing at my task of maintaining a safe glucose level.  This morning... 103. The best it's been so far. Holy shit..is all the working out, dietary change, meds, and everything that comes with it finally working? Won't know until I see it down between 80-100 regularly, but it's a start.  Even though 103 is "3" above normal....it's damn close...I'll take it.  Now...back to work. Prepare and eat breakfast, which I have never ever done prior to this new reality. I always skipped breakfast....but I'm not allowed to now. And then...exercise. First ...and the dog loves this...an hour walk with "the dood". He thinks it's great. I think..."there goes an hour of my day". LOL  Later in the day or evening...an hour in the gym...or on the bike.  Drop the weight is the mantra. Every day is groundhog day. 

Dauntless sits on her trailer in the yard. She almost left here, permanently. I had her up for sale and received a full price offer. I thought for a while we would move to a larger boat that we would keep in a slip at the coast. hahaha  Think again wizard. An education in slip rates for Southern California quickly threw that plan out the window. Since we will be staying in a "trailer sailor" there is no way I'm letting Big D go.  For one...she is ours. We owe nothing on her.  More importantly...She's tough. She can take anything I throw at her...and has. I know of no other trailer sailor in her size range that holds a 

candle to her abilities. Yes, some are faster...yes some are more modern, yes some might have more luxuries or try to make themselves look like a bigger boat with accessories.....but Dauntless is the real deal. Turn up the wind....and throw the chips down on the table....and she is in the game when the others are folding and throwing in the cards. I love that about her. One thing about sailing is there are no "posers". You can't fake it once you slip the dock lines. Your skills are on display for everyone to see...and mother nature makes no exceptions. That's why there are no blowhards that sail. They won't do it....because you cant fake it.  Boats are the same way. You can add stuff to make your boat look like more than she is....but the boats that kick ass are not the boats designed based around appearances...to be a condo at anchor or in the slip.....but those that are designed to be seaworthy. Form follows function. There is a reason Dauntless looks like the Gorton's Fishtick Fisherman's boat. It's the same reason the Gorton Fisherman is not out in the North Sea fishing in a Laser. Turn up the wind and see who's happy. 

I have spent years now where it seems I am constantly working on Dauntless. This gets frustrating sometimes. Lets face it..she is 35 years old. Things need to be repaired as they break...and then there are always upgrades to do. Would it be different with a newer boat? For a while , probably. But the newer boat is not new forever. Then what?  Over the years I have replaced her ballast, done a huge blister job on her, barrier coated her, put some new sails on her, completely re-worked her 12 volt system, upgraded electronics, put a new trailer under her, replaced 95 percent of the teak, built canvas covers, dodger and bimini, replaced standing rigging, running riggin, lighting...etc etc etc. And still she needs more. LOL  Every day is groundhog day

This winter, I am keeping Big D out of the water for a while. During that time she is going to get a workover on her interior. I plan on finishing installing beadboard panels and teak trim, new cushions, and varnish. I'd like to replace the aging AC electrical system with high quality stuff like I did the 12v system..and a few other projects. Of course the biggest hurdle to overcome on these projects will be $$. Every day is groundhog day.

Meanwhile....I have Scout. Scout will be my savior while Big D is down for maintenance.... and she is already showing me a new side to sailing. Big plans keep going around in my head of trips I can make on Scout. It is an exciting thing to ponder. Right now...Scout is in the shakedown mode and myself in the learning mode. She is quite different than anything I have ever sailed. Unique in ability and the style of sailing she demands. Scout is something I have NOT experienced before...and that is a good thing.  She's like a new t-shirt.....easy to throw on in a split second. We are gonna have some fun. 

While Scout keeps me in my "sailing fix", I will work with my old friend Dauntless. She will get a few months of attention right here in the yard. People will drive by and see "that cute little sailboat that that guy is always working on" and wonder "does that guy ever sail that thing?".  They will shake their heads knowing that sailing is boring, slow, etc. and wonder "what possesses that idiot to throw good money after bad into that tub?"  What they never see is where is that boat when she's not in the driveway. They would never believe it.

For when Dauntless is at her best,...when she shines....when she does what she does  .....only Jo and I...and a few of our closest friends ever see it. It's our secret.....the places we go, the adventures we share,  the excitement we experience.  Maybe that's a good thing. It's something we share with a select group.

We travel to places the average person will never know....we know the satisfaction of planning, navigating,  sailing, being self-sufficient,  and revel in taking responsibility for our own safety. We experience the incredible beauty of nature and interact with some of the most amazing wildlife the planet has to offer. (Click here to see some of the adventure) 

I'm glad Dauntless is staying with us. Where Scout is like a new t-shirt....Dauntless is more like a favorite warm winter coat. She will transport us to go to places we could otherwise never go, while keeping us safe, warm, and protected. She will continue to bring us adventures and allow us to join an incredible group friends that she has brought us to know and love. 

As I am typing this,  Ensign is staring at me....and staring........staring.....staring...

um ....I gotta go. It's time to feed the groundhog.