Mast down for the season

[alsantini]

Well,  Sad day as I pulled the mast down in the slip today.  With the weather turning and me facing foot surgery (minor), I figured it was time to pack it in.  I had three guys, who were dropping the mast on a Catalina 25 come over to watch.  They remarked that it takes three of them to do what I did alone.  The beauty of the Eclipse.  Wed, I will bring the trailer, motor over to a different marina and pull the boat.  After I remove the rudder I will go to the car wash across the street and with hot soapy water remove some of the grime while it is still wet.  Difference this year is I am not taking Off the Wind to Florida for Gulf of Mexico sailing.   We decided that with the virus and my foot surgery, we will not go down in the Fall.  Maybe after Christmas without the boat.     It was an abbreviated season with a few great sailing says.  Hopefully next year will be a return to normal, whatever that is.....  Sail on everyone.  Al

[Cpy23ecl]

Hope all goes well with your surgery.  Good luck!

Fred

[PalmettoSailor]

Best wishes for a full and speedy recovery, Al.

[crazycarl]

Miss Adventure never felt the water under her hull this year.   I have taken long summer daze out several times and her season is not over yet.  With everyone pulling their power boats this is my time to hit the water.  I love sailing when the red leaves hit the water.

Every year I introduce someone new to sailing, this year covid prevented that.

Good luck with your foot surgery.

[Roy]

I wish you well and have a speedy recovery. Sorry you can?t make it to Florida this year. Maybe next year we will meet up and  and go sailing on the Gulf. I just took ? little Dutch? My Legacy  to Masthead Sails yesterday To to install a Furler for my Jib.  They are located in St. Petersburg. Stay safe and sail on!  Roy

[waterwheels]

Maybe only a week or two left up here in Ontario too. Hope you recover well from your surgery Al.
Good idea taking mast down in water then rushing to car wash....that stuff comes off much easier when still wet for sure.
We are all hoping for a better sailing year ahead.

We just found out our big boat show up here in January was canceled today too.

Don
"Living Water"

[Fastdoc98]

Al, I'm sorry your season this year was a short one and I hope all goes well with the surgery.  I was thinking about you not heading to Florida with your boat this time as I was sailing in some fairly cool weather.  Temps here on the lake were about 60 degrees and felt pretty chilly in shorts and a hoodie with the wind blowing around 12-15 knots.  When the sun came out between clouds and hit my bare legs it felt awful nice getting warmed for a bit.  I was thinking about Florida because of the large flocks of pelicans that I was sailing by!  The last time I saw a live pelican was last fall when the wife and I were down in Cape Coral and Fort Meyers, well before COVID was even a thing.  The pictures are pretty crappy, but if you zoom in and look closely you can see the flock on the shore of an island and then there's one if you look close by the port side pulpit rail.

[alsantini]

FastDoc...  Is the picture an optical illusion or is your companionway around 10 inches tall?  I have searched for a pic on OffTheWind but can't find one that shows the companionway.  Your pic makes it seem like you would only have one board to fill the opening, whereas mine needs two?
Sail all winter, if you can.  Call if you pull the boat to Florida.  Love to sail together again.  We are planning on a late Dec trip without OTW.  Should be there there through mid April or so.  If not hope to see you at CLR, assuming one occurs.  If no CLR, I am planning on bringing the boat to Carlyle early summer for 5 days or so.  Love that lake.  Sail On    Al