KOINONIA LAUNCH DATE!

[Bob23]

Hey there, fellow 23ers:
   I finally schedule the launch date for my 1985 23. May 3rd. A bit early up here in NJ and I usually don't launch till later May. On June 25th, I'm scheduled to undergo a rotator cuff surgery so I'm trying to sneak in about 5 weeks of sailing before I go under the knife. One has to prioritise, doesn't one?
   She's just about done. Changed the pull-off doors to sliding doors. Added a t-track for a whisker pole, cleaned and revarnished the entire interior. Man, there is a mile of teak down thar!! Added a 2nd anchor line storage compartment with it's own deck pipe. Now I carry 100 feet 1/2 inch and 200 feet 5/8 inch. The list goes on and on. Oh, I also added a tiller extension. She asked for it last year and she got it. Gotta keep her happy; she treats me right!
   Ok, fellers and ladies. Gotta go. I can just taste the spray hitting me in the face as I write this.
  Bob23

[kchunk]

That's great news Bob, the launch, not the rotator cuff. I'm excited for you! I've read every one of your posts "on the hard" and I feel it's a shame you northerners have to put your boats up for so long every winter, but then I suppose that's why your boats appear far more bristol up there. My boat has sailed so much since I bought her in February, she could sure use a little time on the hard for a some spit-shine of her own, but I think we're still going to have a little wind again tomorrow!
We've had three GREAT days of wind down here in Central FL this week. Was out Thursday afternoon, solo. Had my hands full all day. Hardly even time for lunch, no less a couple beers and a cigar...but I managed  . We had a good 15 kts from about noon on, as well as a few pretty good gusts sprinkled in here and there. Managed to reef my main out of necessity for the first time. Only had the first reef point rigged and it went pretty well. I heaved to and had plenty of time and felt very comfortable and secure singlehanding the job. I've often heard that our boats sail better reefed. Many have described it as more "balanced". I never really understood that until now. With the single reef and the smaller genoa (I think my two furling headsails are about a 115% and a 140%, but I've never measured) she sailed beautifully into the wind. It took a little trust but I found eventually I was able to sheet the genny and the main all the way in, then dial in the rudder and lock it down with my "cajun" tiller tamer. If I had the rudder dialed in just right I could leave it like that and she would sail into the wind all day without touching a sail or the rudder. If the wind picked up, the reduced weather helm (from the reefed main) would kick in and turn the boat a little more into the wind. She would slow up a bit and the rudder would then take her back off the wind again and accelerate. "THAT'S what they mean by balanced" I thought! Was a great day. The new chartplotter logged a moving time of 5:11, distance 19.8 nm, average speed 3.8 kts with a max speed of 6.4 kts. I suppose the relatively low average speed was due to heaving to four or five times for lunch, change the music, refresh the beverage, you know, all the stuff the crew usually does for the captain!  lol

[Bob23]

K:
   Thanks. Yeah, we up here get a bit envious of you sourthern sailors, but that's one great thing about this site. We still get to communicate!
My 23 does seem to like a proper match between wind speed and sail area. I suppose most sailboats do. My old Seapearl sure did...if you didn't treat her right, you got wet!! I guess when you sense that most of the winds energy is going into heeling over, it's time to reef. I just got my main back with the 2nd set sewn in. Can't wait for 25 kts.
   Today, it's more work on the ship. I removed the sink a while back...never really used it. I have the plans in my head for a nav table but that ain't gonna get done before next Saturday. A lot of things won't get done but, by golly, we bought these things to sail, right? They aren't meant to just sit there and look beautiful like some marina adornment!
   Best to you, K. Drink a beer or two for us Northerners! A little known fact, however. If the Mason-Dixon line were to project all the way east, I'd be below it!!! Why, we're practically brothers!!!!!
   Bob23, gettin' itchy...real itchy!!!   

(ps. I have friends down near Tallahassee way...is that anywhere near you? )

[kchunk]

Tallahassee is about 6 hours drive from here.

[Mundaysj]

Congatulations!!
Tomorrow's your big day!  Hopefully they are not calling for rain.  I probably won't
get mine in till late May.
Smooth Sailing,
Sherie

[Bob23]

   The ship is just about ready and they are calling for a bit of rain just about the time she hits the water. Ooooo, I might get wet. Being an outside construction worker for alomst 30 years, the weather is just weather; I've grown accustomed to it and I actually like being outside. It's sort of addictive, if you know what I mean. I'd rather be outside than couped up in a flourescent lighted office!!!!
   Still deciding if I should rent a slip or keep her on her mooring, as I've done in the past. Each has thier own advantages. Guess I better decide today!
   Sherie- Do you plan on sailing Raritan Bay? Looks interesting- lots of room. I love that area. I lived in Hazelt for a short time as a kid and used to surf Sandy Hook.
   How is the bilge? Sweet, I hope.
Bob23, sleepless  and waiting to launch.

[kchunk]

Well?!?!?! How'd it go? It's 6 A.M. and I'm here eagerly awaiting your usual 5 AM report 

[Bob23]

K:
   Sorry for the delay. Computer not cooperating again. Koinonia took her first bath of the season without a hitch. As she hit the water, I thought I heard an "Ahhhhhh" from her. She just loves the water! Due to poor (100 yd) visability, we motored over to a nearby marina where we secured a transient slip for the week for 75 clams. Nice deal. Sometime this week, she and I will sail down to Surf City where she'll hang out at her mooring waiting for me to show up and sail.
   Being self-employed, I have to ask the boss for time off to sail. He usually agrees. I think he'll give me Tuesday off for a shakedown cruise to test out the upgrades and repairs. Not many repairs, she's a Compac after all.
   I just re-read some of your previous posts, K. Yes, we Northeners might have nice looking ships due to the extended time at port in the winter, but I'm a bit envious of you year-round sailors. Nonetheless, I like sailing here in NJ and learning more about the rich sailing history we have. Why, the melonseed skiff had it's origins only a few miles from where I now sit.
   It's really wonderful being able to hang out with other Compac-tors on this site. I feel like some of us really get to know one another. It sure will be great to meet some folks in person. (They may not say the same about me, but oh well!)
   I'm gonna try to keep a log this year of all my trips, adventures and mis-adventures. I'll hopefully get to do some writing while anchored out. and I'm trying to buy a super-cooler so I can keep the beer cold not to mention the Limoncello, which should be kept in the freezer. Quite nice after a meal, but don't plan on operating machinery.
   Bob23, in the water at last!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhh
   

[Mundaysj]

I am green with envy.  I spent Sunday in Jersey buying all the hardware needed for my mooring.  Ouch!!  My purse is still hurting!!  The harbour master said they will probably put the mooring in the water this week.  But I have work to do ... my bottom paint is not on yet .. I doubt "Blond Ambition" will hit the water until Memorial Day.  I think it is 20 days and counting.... 
Hope you have clear sailing!
Sherie

[curtisv]

Bob, Sherie,

I envy both of you.  Bob with his CP23 in the water and Sherie at least has the chance to work on her CP23.  Right now I'm in CA and my CP23 is 3,000 miles away on the other coast.  Some years its taken me until late August to get a chance to launch.

I'm hoping to do better this year and get the hull wet before August.  Sometimes life gets in the way.  My sailing is probably going to be limited again this summer but less so than the last few years.

Curtis

[Bob23]

Well, Curtis:
   If you find yourself back East with no Compac in the water, you are certainly welcome to crew on mine. Someone's got to hold the tiller while I open the beer!
   Do yo live in NJ?
Bob23

[Steve]

Bob,
Good to hear you are back in. I launched 2 weeks ago and have yet to sail. Ive been busy with yardwork. I need to get my projects done before the weather gets too good or they wont get done. I hope to get out this weekend. I'm pretty happy with how the hull turned out this year. I did a combination 3m HD compound / finesse it treatment. My 9 yr old dark blue hull still looks pretty good. I still need to do my usuage cetol application but I'll do that on the dock.

Where do you launch? I have been using Sunset Marina in Brant Beach with their travel lift for the last few years. Only on launch to paint under the bunks. I use the ramp in ship bottom when I pull it out in November.

[curtisv]

Well, Curtis:
   If you find yourself back East with no Compac in the water, you are certainly welcome to crew on mine. Someone's got to hold the tiller while I open the beer!
   Do yo live in NJ?
Bob23

Bob,

I don't live in NJ at the moment but I've lived in Cresskill, Rutherford, Hoboken, and Harrington Park, in that order.

I moved to CT 27 years ago.  I still own the house I bought 23 years ago and both of my kids grew up in that house and another I bought later 3 houses away.  K-12 in the same small town they were born in (well actually the hospital is in the next town).

One of the reasons I'm busy is trying to work half the time in CA and half in CT and keep up with issues at home.  My kids are in college now, give or take a few months.  My daughter is at UDel.  My son starts at UMass this September.  That and my CP23 is in MA.  I won't burden the list with the other reasons I've been busy lately.

Thanks for the invite to crew.  Maybe we could crew exchange.  I'll crew in Barnegate Bay and you can crew in Nantucket Sound.  If you can wait a season or two I might manage another two week sail as I did in 2003 in local waters and 2005 in the Caribbean (the latter doing the Boy Scout leader thing for my son's troop).

Curtis

[Bob23]

Curtis:
  Crew exchange idea sounds great. Yes, you do sound like a busy guy. Work (and life) has a habit of doing that to us. I guess that's one reason why we (I) sail. It forces us to slow down. No matter how impatient we might be tempted to be, we're only gonna go as fast as the winds dictate.
   Best to you, I'd love to sail in Nantucket Sound. Most, if not all of my sailing has been done in Barnegat Bay, NJ, a puddle compared to the sound.
   Bob23, getting ready for the first sail of the season!!

[Bob23]

Steve:
   Sorry for the delayed reply. Brain would'nt tack.
   I launch in Waretown by Jim's Mobile Marina at Holiday Harbor Marina. 50 clams to launch or retrieve. I never have submerged my trailer yet.
   I launch my Annapolis Wherry from the Ship Bottom ramp in the off season...too cheap to pay during the season. In the summer, I'll launch the Wherry off the bulkhead over at the cove, where the Compac is kept.
   Got out for my first sail on Wed. afternoon and looks like I'll sail her down to Surf City on Saturday where she'll hang out at her mooring for 5 weeks.
Hope to see you out there!
Bob23