The never-ending project to fill my hole in the ocean while bailing it out

Sailing Season 2011 is here!

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I finally got a chance to get out sailing for a few hours today, after days of showers, downpours, and thunderstorms. I've been waiting to see if I got the boom adjusted properly, if he main sail would raise all the way to the top without bagging at the tack.

After hoisting it, it seems about perfect. I dropped the mooring at about 10:30 this morning, sailed out to Misery and Bakers Islands with an easterly breeze at about 10 mph, got back to the mooring at 2:30 pm, ahead of the approaching showers and thunderstorms.   (Aug. 9, 2011)

Oh boy, after a few weeks of ill health now we've got Hurricane Irene coming tomorrow or Sunday. I spent most of yesterday and today stripping down Chip Ahoy, driving it over and hauling  out onto Winter Island in Salem, am hoping for the best. (Aug. 26, 2011)

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Michael Sullivan and I relaunched Chip Ahoy on Tuesday. Trailering it from the spot where it was parked for the hurricane, I hit an overhanging branch and bent the roller-furler's foil. Fortunately a guy with a motorized lift was nearby working on the old Coast Guard seaplane hanger, gave me a hand straightening it out. Yesterday I got the boat re-rigged on its mooring.  (Sep. 2, 2011)

Today, after weeks of planning and postponements (my pneumonia then Irene's arrival and Chip Ahoy's trailering out) the Jacoby family and I finally got out aboard Chip Ahoy. (Left to right, Laura, Micah, and Caleb the sailor of the family. Jeff stayed ashore and visited with Barbara.) We had good conditions — a steady 12-14 mph breeze gusting to 20 — and the early clouds dissipated to sunny sky with high, thin clouds. There was a bit of a chop out in the Sound; the crowded cockpit made for difficult sail trimming.  ("Everyone down below now, please.")

Micah got to do his fishing with a short toy plastic rod, sort of a distraction all afternoon with his additional monofilament line towed behind and catching in the traveler and head sail lines. I was concerned he'd fall overboard leaning over the coaming. Everyone did well, though I had a minor problem with the outboard coming back into the crowded harbor; I switched gas tanks, but the problem apparently wasn't fuel but a length of kelp wrapped around the prop. I wish I could have given Caleb more tiller-time, but conditions didn't permit.

We spotted Friendship coming in between Misery and Bakers Islands just before we came about. It came alongside soon. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, a good afternoon of sailing, if a bit crowded aboard.  (Sep. 4, 2011)

Late Friday, with a great weather forecast for the weekend, I decided to take off for a long weekend up to Cape Ann; Gloucester or Rockport. Yesterday morning I called Brown's Yacht Yard, spoke to Greg, they had plenty of spare slips, "C'mon up."

I'm glad I grabbed this weekend to get away on the water for a few days. There won't be many if any more.  (Sep. 12, 2011)

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Today my old buddy Ted Tripp and I took Chip Ahoy out for some autumn sailing. We usually do a day sail every year but somehow missed it last season, and with summer gone it was time.

Fall is definitely in the air now. Today hit the low-60s but the gray cloud overcast this morning lifted just before noon, when the launch delivered us to Chip Ahoy on its mooring. The wind was 10-13 mph with gusts to 23 out of the NE all afternoon, shifting slightly more from the east late. Getting out of Salem Harbor into the Sound took a lot of tacking. Out on the Sound, trying to reach Misery and Bakers Islands dead into the wind (while of course dodging the lobster pot buoys) took more tacking and time.

As with my trip last weekend up to Gloucester into this same wind, I eventually furled the genoa and sailed under only the main sail. We got back to the mooring at around 3 pm. Though Ted had brought his usual gift of fresh ears of corn, Barbara wouldn't be home to eat so we kept our cookout simple, grilling hot dogs instead.  (Sep. 18, 2011)