Launch Day

[alsantini]

With the exception of applying Off the Wind decals to both sides of the boat, I am ready to launch - perhaps this weekend.  Since returning home from Florida on March 15th, I have reattached everything topsides that I take off for long distance travel.  Anchor, side stays, sails, covers, Bimini all come off and the outboard goes into the vehicle.  Last week during one of the better weather days I got her back to sail ready condition.  My "Off the Wind" decals came yesterday and I will apply them tomorrow.  I have a RAM mount sitting at West Marine for mounting my chart plotter that I might get today.  I am ready and I have paid the rest of my slip fee.  Saturday afternoon I should be floating in Pistakee Lake (northern Illinois Chain of Lakes) and tied up in slip 25 at the Bayview Marina.  Always look forward to sailing Pistakee.  Multiple islands and a few bays make for some interesting and sometimes challenging sailing.  Additionally there are 3 restaurants accessible via the water.  There is even a McDonalds with slips, although I have to drop the mast to access it. I will stay in the water for a month or so and then have some day trips planned up to Lake Geneva and Lake Mendota (Madison, Wisconsin).  Then it is back in the slip until CLR in July.  Any other Eclipse sailors going to CLR?  My first time, but all who have attended say it is worth the drive to Carlyle Lake (southern Illinois).  Good luck to all the rest of you getting in the water after winter.  Sail on....   Al

[kickingbug1]

   al, you should be one of three eclipses attending this year. a beautiful boat times three. cant wait until july.

[alsantini]

Will Capt Ron make 4, should he come?  It is almost a fleet, or a flotilla.  Or just a bunch of Eclipse's, I guess.

[captronr]

Well, this Capt Ron has it on the calendar and I tossed my hat in the ring to register, but still pretty iffy. 

At the rate I'm going, might be the next available time to splash my eclipse.


Ron