Sailing in the Chesapeake and Beyond

So Saturday we really start our boating season. Head down to the MYC where Haleakula has rested quietly in the water all winter for our first overnight of the season, though in the slip. We are cleaning and putting things back in the boat we took home in the late fall. Stocking water, wiping down surfaces, checking bulbs and stuff in drawers. Detailing the inside. Donna has been working on the new cushions for 5 months. We have 26 seperate cushions all different sizes and angles and to make each is a painstakingly slow process. She has to pull apart the old cushion and label each panel to use as a template as they fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. In addition the "dots" on the new fabric have to line up. Then I cut the new foam and she sews away on the Sailrite LZ-1. She has 17 of them finished and the inside of the boat is strikingly different now. I have to take pictures. She is very exact and they look wonderful. We will " button" them over the summer as we are down on the boat.

So after cleaning all day, and a nap at 6 we went up for dinner at the Club and had the best one ever in 7 years there. Salmon Napoleon for her ( Layers of Salmon. smoked salmon, and pastry with a Champagne sauce. I got Beef Wellington and homemade Kugel ( an ethnic noodle pudding). Our clubs food is usually just norma restaurant food but the chef appears to have stepped up his game some. The club is a blue collar club and the oldest YC on the Chesapeake. No snoots or upturned noses allowed, jeans for dinner.

Our friends Hal and Cindy also satyed overnight. Hes got a beautiflul Tartan 3700 he got last year. We split a bottle of wine and lots of winter cathing up conversation with them till 12 midnight, then went back to Haleakula to sleep. Windy as hell ( 25 knotss) so Haleakula bounced around gently rocking in her 64X16 slip ( we are 35 ftX12 beam so we are a cork in the slip. We have this slip by seniority though and its a great one with the catwalk beside the boat the whole length of the 6 foot slip.

We both slept really well and late (9 AM) for us since we were just gonna keep cleaning Sunday. After our traditional Sunday Lox, Bagels and Kina coffee, the sun was barely out and no wind we decided to knock the slime off the underside of the boat and take her out for a motor shakedown run. main sail is on but the headsail isnt yet.

We pulled out of the slip and motored about 2 hours on the Patapsco. Was cold at 48 degrees, had some hot chocolate and brought her back in after taking her through her paces. Was nice to be out on the water again.

Left and came back home with the winter cover and the A frames and cross pieces for her storage.

And today------4 inches of heavt wet slushy snow...what gives.