Summer sailing and Corona

[5monkeys]

Maybe once I get her dolled up they won't care as much, but I doubt it.  That's a beautiful area down there.  We have very close friends that have a house in Whitestone. So been down there many times. Last summer we did our first overnight onboard swinging on the hook at Little bay near Oyster Creek, so just around the horn from you.

[Mas]

Maybe once I get her dolled up they won't care as much, but I doubt it.  That's a beautiful area down there.  We have very close friends that have a house in Whitestone. So been down there many times. Last summer we did our first overnight onboard swinging on the hook at Little bay near Oyster Creek, so just around the horn from you.

A pretty special anchorage indeed!

[Mas]

Forget Corona issues holding up sailing season, It's winter again! Was considering going down to check on Interlude and maybe get her ready to be splashed but....Small Craft Warning, record low temps, water temps still in the low to mid 50's, yada yada,. Heck it snowed over the mountain last night here and it got well below freezing. The high temperature today will be what the low temp usually is. The vineyards around here have already been hit hard this year with frost more than once but this is really gunna hurt.

Is it just me or is anyone else wondering about this pretty cold spring so far? It simply isn't motivating to think about sailing much between the 'Rona' and record cold temps. Never serve a whine before it's time, and I think it's time!

[Jim in TC]

Forget Corona issues holding up sailing season, It's winter again! Was considering going down to check on Interlude and maybe get her ready to be splashed but....Small Craft Warning, record low temps, water temps still in the low to mid 50's, yada yada,. Heck it snowed over the mountain last night here and it got well below freezing. The high temperature today will be what the low temp usually is. The vineyards around here have already been hit hard this year with frost more than once but this is really gunna hurt.

Is it just me or is anyone else wondering about this pretty cold spring so far? It simply isn't motivating to think about sailing much between the 'Rona' and record cold temps. Never serve a whine before it's time, and I think it's time!

I vaguely recall a warm day or two that got me putting Mehitabel together, but yesterday there was an inch of snow on the deck. Surely it will warm up enough to get us in the water soon...

[Mas]

I vaguely recall a warm day or two that got me putting Mehitabel together, but yesterday there was an inch of snow on the deck. Surely it will warm up enough to get us in the water soon...

Another frost advisory again for tomorrow here...the vineyards are taking a big hit as has sailing season. Forecast to be upper 80's by this coming weekend. Have made the decision Interlude will splash, yippee! Haven't seen her in over a month so gunna head down to our marina tomorrow to prepare her for splashing and just maybe get out on the water in a kayak.

Meanwhile will probably never hear Buffet's Margaritaville the same ever again!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6mBNVmocFeo

[Mas]

Well after a very productive 3 days down to our marina, Interlude is now cleaned, waxed, splashed, cloth and sails back on, water system and tanks cleaned, beer consumed in the cockpit, and tucked in her slip till our full plates have emptied a bit.

It does appear I will be shopping for a new sit upon kayak. Back in March I had gone down to check on things and noticed my kayak on the dinghy rack was not upside down as I always leave it. Needless to say it was full of crap, but hey flipped it over and went home. Fast forward to this past week and put it in the water and headed out to a local island. I quickly started having trouble keeping it stable. Figured it was a weird current, winds, something was not right so turned around and soon quickly realized I was sinking. It finally was too unstable and turned over. Yup ya gotta love getting some exercise trying to tow a partially submerged upside down kayak, with my backpack strapped to it, in rather chilly water!  Well 45 minutes later finally got it to shallow water near our marina, drug it ashore, and discovered the split in the hull that had slowly allowed water in it. Hmm...never had such a thing happen. Beginning to wonder if it had been compromised this past winter sitting right side up. The net result was I was cold and the beer in the backpack cooler was warm. A truly bad combination!  An hour later after a warm shower, re-chilling the beer, all was right again, cept now i gotta get another kayak!

...does make me re-aware of the nature and risk of solo water travel and a new commitment to being mindful and safe. Hope everyone is getting back on the water, though still a little early here to be getting in it!

[Bob23]

Well, Rick- you sure know how to live! I had a similar thing happen to a friend of mine who I gave a small plastic kayak to that I found. He's got a home on a lake in Maine and when his daughter was out, the dang thing did the same as yours did-headed for the bottom!  Seems the prolonged exposure to the sun's UV rays deteriorated the plastic! Who'd a thunk that?!

  Maybe that's what happened to yours, too. Glad you are safe! I'm sending down a case of PBR to help nurses you back to health!!
Cheers,
Bob23

[Mas]

Well, Rick- you sure know how to live! I had a similar thing happen to a friend of mine who I gave a small plastic kayak to that I found. He's got a home on a lake in Maine and when his daughter was out, the dang thing did the same as yours did-headed for the bottom!  Seems the prolonged exposure to the sun's UV rays deteriorated the plastic! Who'd a thunk that?!

  Maybe that's what happened to yours, too. Glad you are safe! I'm sending down a case of PBR to help nurses you back to health!!
Cheers,
Bob23

Now given what PBR and a sit upon kayak have in common, both near water, I can see your thinking!

In my younger and immortal years I used to pursue whitewater paddling year round, clearly with wet suits and the occasional dry suit, but the banks of the river were always close by and unless trapped, easier to get out of the water if necessary. It was a little disconcerting to be well away from land, in cold water, and no one else around. Yeah, maybe sitting in the sun 365 for three years may have weakened it. I still have many whitewater boats but they are stored inside a barn here. Might have to use a sacrificial cheap tarp to cover the next one sitting on the rack there.

Now that Interlude is in the water it appears that the first named Atlantic storm is gunna be heading our way! Hope this doesn't signal an active season. Lot's of folks still stuck south of here waiting for the 'Rona' restrictions to ease. Our little yacht club has already had to cancel some activities but a few of us sat a fathom part under one of the pavilions consuming sanitizer (ETOH) and catching up with each other. My version of 'face'time! Hope we can do the same sometime.

[5monkeys]

Mas,
    Quite impressive that you got all that done in 3 days and still had time for a "swim".

[Mas]

Mas,
    Quite impressive that you got all that done in 3 days and still had time for a "swim".

Thanks Keith! Yeah I was in gittr dun mode. Having longer daylight hours than the usual April timeframe helped...so did the promise of a cold beer when daily tasks were accomplished.

A friend commented that with all of this 'Rona' stuff setting our lifestyle, he had become more like his dog, wandering around the house eating food when available, having someone say No when he got too close to a stranger, and getting excited about the prospect of a walk or car ride!

Y'all keep those smiles hoisted! 

[Mas]

Gunna spend next week on Interlude and taking a new kayak! Where has spring gone? We struggle to remember what day of the week it is and maybe that's a good thing. We have missed sailing much over the past year between injury and 'the Rona' but good things are worth waiting for. Hope everyone is finding their way back into' tricking the wind into moving your boats.' All of our little yacht club's events have either already been cancelled or amended. The on water events may still happen but the parties are on hold. Oh well. Kinda hard to feel sorry for someone whose yacht club parties have been cancelled when so many others are seeing their livelihoods cancelled. Hopeful that everyone will find their way back from this craziness.

[Finbar Beagle]

Mas,

What kayak model did you decide on?

I amusing an ocean kayak Yak board xl, surf kayak.  Slow but stable, and small 10ft I think.

Thanks,
Brian

[Mas]

Mas,

What kayak model did you decide on?

I amusing an ocean kayak Yak board xl, surf kayak.  Slow but stable, and small 10ft I think.

Thanks,
Brian

Hey Brian, actually gunna attempt a fix on the Ocean Kayak that split open but got a new:

https://www.perceptionkayaks.com/us/kayaks/tribe-95-2020

Very similar to the Ocean Kayak Frenzy that died. It appears they had a design flaw that could cause the damage mine sustained. Out of warranty however. 

Looking forward to some time on the water. Shuold be some days of good kayak weather and some good wind days for some sailing...or at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

[Finbar Beagle]

I used to own a canoe and kayak livery.  I kept an ocean scrambler tandem xl, to use as a tender, but have not had the opportunity.  She is a bit to heavy and bulky to car top.

Must be nice to have a rack near your slip...

All the nest,
Brian

[Mas]

Well it seems the heat is taking it's toll on my sailing more than the 'Rona'!

Truly the only way to sail with Corona....though I do lump it in with PBR!