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Wally cranks Chip Ahoy onto the trailer as Jonathan lines
us up.
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It's official, Chip Ahoy is landed and I've lowered the
ensign. "Boating 2003" is over.
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Wally and I prepare to lower the mast.
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With Jonathan on a line holding the
top of the mast from coming down too fast, Wally and I lower it.
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The mast is down.
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Mission accomplished and done smartly (even with a bit of
trouble with the winch cable and boat-to-trailer alignment)! Left to
right, Jonathan, yours truly, and Wally. (Sep. 17, 2003)
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Chip Ahoy, landlocked again back where the adventure
started on July 7, a mere two months and a
week ago. "Boating 2003" was hardly a long enough season,
especially with the most miserable weather in memory. May King Neptune
provide for better in 2004! Oh yeah, it was a false alarm: Hurricane Isabel decided not to
assault us after all!
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The Post-2003 season after-action
report |
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Sometimes bad things (like hurricane
threats) happen for good reasons! After getting Chip Ahoy home after
prematurely pulling it out, I spotted a serious crack in the critical
masthead truck. Had it broken off completely I could have lost the
backstay, the entire mast
at sea ... and it didn't have far to go! Replacing it is now my top
priority.
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There wasn't much holding the backstay. I've
ordered a new masthead truck to replace this one.
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Crawling under the trailer, I found the keel
in much worse shape than I'd anticipated. Note
the gray discoloration at the bottom of the keel -- the trailing edge
when retracted. On my mooring, the keel would settle
some 4"-6" into the bottom silt at mean low tide. Once I
realized it, I started cranking the keel up a few turns each time I moored.
It's time for some serious work!
( Go to the Keel
Restoration Project )
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NEXT |
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It's never-ending ... and the best
times have ended again for now! |
