01/08/2010, Key Biscayne, Florida (United States)
Total Distance: 0 Miles Under Sail: 0
Average Speed: 0 kts
Conditions: Clear, 50-60 F, Wind South at 5-10 kts, Seas 1-2 ft
Hybernating - As you all can tell I have not been sailing much the last few months. That trend is going to get worse at least in the next 3 months. Why you ask? I am going for shoulder surgery next week to repair a bone spur, bursitis and rotator cuff tear. Not sure where/what I did to injure my shoulder but the pain and limited mobility is at a point I need to get it done. The only two places I can think where I injured my shoulder was a sailing accident I had in Cancun a few years back or work related. It doesn't really matter, it hurts and I need to fix it finally. The recovery time for this will be 3-6 months.
For the first time, I put Rhapsody in Blue to rest. It was a very sad event for me. All the food was taken out and given to my dockmates. The water tank was filled and clorine was added. I changed out or cleaned all the filters. The air conditioning screen was the hardest for some reason. Everytime I clean it the coils get an air lock. I almost couldn't get the air lock out. I tried all my tricks including using the garden hose in the intake. Nothing worked. In the end, I decided to reverse flush out the coils. Connecting the hose to the out-take hose at the thru hull, the air lock finally surrendered. This whole process almost made me late for my flight back home. She got a good cleaning inside and out. I took down all the sailing gear I could and stored them. When I left the only thing running was the air conditioner set on humitiy control and the battery charger. She will be lonely. I will be lonely too.
As you all know I hate my refrig. Gil and I were talking the other day about ripping it out and putting in a new one. If I am going to do it, now will be a great time while I am out of service. Gil said he will do it for me for a price. If Uncle Sam is kind to me this year I believe I will do it. Maybe, if she gets upgrade she will still love me when I return.
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12/29/2009, Key Biscayne, Florida (United States)
Total Distance: 12 Miles Under Sail: 12
Average Speed: 3 kts
Conditions: Clear, 65-70 F, Wind Northeast at 5-10 kts, Seas 1-2 ft
Soilditude - One good thing about sailing for me is it resets my soul. I have been running around like a chicken with their heads cut off with work, family commitments (sister got married over the weekend) and taveling back and forth to NJ. Rhapsody and I just went out for a little sail together getting ourselves back in sync.
The winds were real light when I launch out into the bay; less than 5 knots. With the wind coming downwind, it gave me a chance to play with my new spinnaker pole. Of course there is always drama when I try new things. The topping lift came undone, went up the mast, wrapped itself around the shrouds into one big mess. It took the better part of a day to undo all this without climbing the mast. Using the boat pole, a spare halyward and lots of luck I manage to keep some sanity in dealing with this problem.
Being a holiday week for both work and school, the sailing clubs were out in force for the day's races. The kids were out in full force in their Opti's while the adults were out in the Lazers, J-24's. The winds didn't come up unti after 1pm for racing and by 2 pm a full 15 knots gusting to 20. The poor kids were being recsue by all the parents boats (trust me there were all safe by the shear number of parents watching their kids race).
By the time the wind was blowing for a real nice sail, I had to head home to get ready for my trip that night to Aurba.
Still it was nice to be on the water. Any day on the water is a great day.
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11/30/2009, Key Biscayne, Florida (United States)
Total Distance: 12 Miles Under Sail: 12
Average Speed: 3.43 kts
Conditions: Clear, 75-80 F, Wind South at 5-10 kts, Seas 1-2 ft
Girls Day on the Water
It is so nice to meet friends who I have chatted on the internet for a time. Suky Cannon came to Miami area as crew on a catamaran. Another true female sailor. She is on her way to Cuba to do humanitarian work with the skipper of the boat she is on. Like Gary before, she is from the Boston area and of course knows Gary as well.
Suky and I launched out of the marina around 1 pm in very light winds' around 4-8 knots all day. This was going to be a ghosting along sail, nice and easy. Rhapsody in Blue handled the light winds in style, doing around 4-4.5 knots all day. She did me proud. This allowed us to perfect the "Art of doing nothing" in the cockpit sports chairs of doing nothing. We chatting along most of the afternoon, in girl talk. Glorious!
We raised the asymmetrical sail for the run home. I had the same problems as before with the sailing twisting coming out of the ATN sock. After some effort, I got the sail to fill and had a nice sail back home. I have been giving a lot of thought on this sail because also I have problems raising the sail, getting it over the head of the jib stay. The solution is not to raise the ATN sock running with the wind, but with the wind on quarter port bow to blow the ATN sock on the side of the mast to get the base above the jib stay. Stay tune for further developments.
After docking, with a gorgeous setting sunset, can we all say "Sundowers"!. Gill, Jay, Eduardo and Gariclia joins us toasting the day away. Fun time to be had by all. A great way to end a perfect day.
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