The adventures of Adagio - A tempo having slow movement; restful at ease.

[jthatcher]

After a fair amount of consideration, my wife and I adopted the name Adagio for our  new ( to us) com-pac 23.   The lettering is not on the transom yet, and with the boat in the water already, it may be next year till we officially name her, but, in our minds - the boat is already named...   I am quite sure that there will be days on the water when vivace or perhaps even presto might better reflect the sailing conditions, but the image of moving along at 5 or so knots in a steady breeze and then anchoring - sitting in the cockpit with a hot cup of tea in our hands as we watch the sunset  is the one that sold my wife on the idea of buying a boat, so I think that we will stick with Adagio  

The purchase of the boat is the direct result of a sick day that I had back in March.  I spent the day alternating between searching for sailboats on the internet and reaching for another tissue.  When I saw the listing for the compac located in the Tom's River area of New Jersey the idea of having a boat at the shore quickly began to take shape in my mind.   Even though I continued to search for other boats, some bigger, some more expensive and a few less expensive, I kept returning to the listing for the compac, knowing deep down that this was the boat for us.   

Within a short time,  I had traveled to Tom's River ( a three hour trip ) for an initial inspection.  After making an offer, my wife and I returned for an introductory sail with Rich, the owner.  the deal was sealed when we returned to the dock.    Owning a boat is a major commitment, and owning one  3 hours away from our home is even more daunting, but I am convinced that it will open the door to many adventures that we will share together as we continue down the pathway of life!   

    This past weekend I did a solo trip to Tom's River.   Adagio was resting easily in her slip.  There were still many boats on the hard waiting their turn to be launched for the season.   There were jobs to be done, but the first, and most important appointment for the day was a visit from Bob 23 - a fellow compac 23 owner from the Barnegat Bay area whom I met on this board..  we had a great chat, comparing notes on numerous topics ranging from sailing to cycling to construction..  all common interests that we share.   After Bob left, the first task was to clean the rudder which had quite an accumulation of growth on it.   It is plastic and unpainted, and the boat has been in the water since last season.   As I was inspecting it,  a neighboring boat owner showed up and introduced himself  - took a look at the brush that I had in hand and suggested that a paint scraper would be a much more effective tool.   I took his advice - went to the store and bought some tools and spent an hour scraping the barnacles from the surface of the rudder..   

  With the rudder back in place, I confronted the reality that it was time to take the boat out.   I must admit to some slight trepidation as I started the motor and undid the lines..  Most of my sailing experience has been on sunfish, and the bigger boat sailing that I have done has always been as crew..  not only was I the captain this time, but I was also alone..   I figured that I had better get used to this idea since it is likely that, at least in the immediate future, there will be numerous times when I will be single handling the boat..   and - perhaps it is better to work out some of the kinks before my wife joins me for the first time

   There was hardly any wind at the dock to complicate the necessary maneuvering  through the marina, but it is fair to say that the tempo of my pulse was slightly faster than Adagio..  the former owner was on his new boat a few slips away and cheered me on as I slipped by - but also offered the advice that I probably would want to close the forward hatch if I intended to use the jib -  right - how delicately put -  certainly a useful piece of advice!    I motored out to where we had raised the sails a few weeks before and headed the boat into the wind..  The reefs that we had put in before were still tied, so the raising of the sail was not quite as smooth as I anticipated     I smiled at the folks relaxing in the cockpit of a boat anchored near by and asked if it looked like my first day on the water as I drifted by them,  working at the reef knots with the sail halfway up the mast..  they were gracious..    I decided to sail with just the main for a while..   light winds.. directly astern..   made good progress with only one  unintended jibe..     it would be fair to say that I made a boat load of mental notes during the trip!   Of course, the return was directly into the wind.. with  the added excitement of darkening clouds closing in..   I dropped the sail and motored back.   

   As luck would have it,  the small storm swept in as I was nearing the marina.. just a smattering of raindrops but a definite increase in the wind.   The marina operator spoke to me as I motored by the fuel dock.. I have no idea what he was saying..  except when he said " watch where you are going"  - it was time to pay a little closer attention to the conditions at hand!   I gracefully corrected course, and I am quite sure that the fellow sitting on the stern of that powerboat was relieved that I did!     I kept hearing the words of the owner of the marina when we agreed to keep the boat in the same slip that it had in previous seasons " this is a protected spot - hardly ever any wind"   - right..  The wind was picking up and blowing directly across the slip.    There was no time to check my pulse, but if I had, it would have registered Allegro  for sure!   After my 4th attempt and what seemed like an eternity I lined the boat up and slipped into our spot..  no damage to the dock, to Adagio, or to any other boat =  a successful landing!   As I made fast the bow lines, i glanced around to see how many of my neighbors had witnessed the agony of that first solo landing..  if they had seen it, none were looking now      The wind died just as quickly as it had risen, and Adagio was resting easy in her slip...   

    I spent that night on the boat - my first overnight on a boat -  a boyhood dream that I have carried all of these years -  and awoke to a glorious morning.   What a day to spend at the marina - except that I had to be back in northeast PA  by 1 pm for an 8 hour rehearsal in the theater at the school where I teach.   So, after enjoying a quiet breakfast and a hot cup of tea in the cockpit, I thoroughly looked the boat over, checked the dock lines and slid the companionway hatch closed.  Looking back at Adagio as I made my way up the dock, I felt particularly pleased about my first adventure.   I can't wait to return!

   

[Billy]

great read! Reminds me of my 1st outing.

I suggest getting VERY familiar w/ Adiago before bringing the wife along. When the boat heels it can be scary for a newbe. If you are used to it & comfortable when it happens that will rub off on the crew. If you tense up when she heels the wife will get scared and it will be harder to get her to come along next time.
And as we all know.....
"Happy wives make happy lives"!

[jthatcher]

thanks Billy,
   as a young person, I always thought that people who were highly skilled were just born that way..  the perspective that 51 years gives me enables me to understand with considerably better clarity that  "experienced" is a euphemism for " having made mistakes in the past "       I agree that your thought about happy wives translating into happy lives certainly has merit..    there is no question that looking like  I know what I am doing will help to boost my wife's confidence!   Of course, I am balancing that with the desire to share the experience with her - she has been very supportive, and I suspect that things will go well.   We did have the opportunity  to heel the boat during our trial sail with the previous owner, and it helped to have her observe an air of nonchalance on our part when that happened.. 

    I love the name Adagio, and I do think that it fits the image that I have for most of our future sailing experiences - after all,  how fast can a compac 23 go?  on the other hand,  there is a certain excitement associated with the idea of the wind howling, reefs in the sail, the spray flying by ..  maybe we better save that for later! 

[brackish]

What a great first solo trip! Your butterflies are natural, I've sailed for forty-five years and owned four different boats several larger and one smaller than my 23, and I was anxious on my first sail on my new boat.  When I bought it, I had never sailed it, it was a day without wind when I went to look and give final approval, close the deal, and tow home.  Thing is, they all sail differently, so you are learning on any new boat.  Even with all my experience, I went out reefed the first couple of times even though the conditions didn't really call for it.  Did that so I could get familiar with the boat in very mild conditions.

I will pile on with the advice about becoming somewhat proficient before taking your wife out, unless she is an experienced sailor.  You want to be able to exude great confidence when you say "not to fear dear, that is completely normal".

[Billy]

reefing is good! even if you don't need it.

[jthatcher]

Thanks for the support and the tips..    I got a little carried away with the writing this morning..  and I was tempted to add some reflections, but ran out of time and had to get to class!  This brings me to my first reflection on the weekend - work gets in the way!  Of course, this is not a revelation, and I am quite certain that most everyone who reads this would agree.. except for  those fortunate enough to be retired.   I was particularly disappointed to have to leave the marina so early on a beautiful Sunday morning.  But you are not reading this to hear me complain, and yes, as a teacher the potential of having the summer off does exist, although I only took full advantage of this opportunity twice in my career..  Now that my son's college tuition is almost paid, that may change! 

  so, now for the important reflections..    I tend to be a "figure it out when i get there" kind of guy..  on land, this can be an asset.   A few years ago I mentioned to my Geometry class that i was going to build a kayak and asked if anyone else was interested..  a student came up after class and said that he wanted to build a canoe..  a few months later we secured a temporary space in the basement of the dorm where I live, and we were working together, building a kayak and a canoe..   I vividly remember when he asked me a question about the construction process for which I did not have a ready answer..  I said, " we have to figure that out"  well, he was disheartened to find that I did not have all of the answers.   so I said.  " look, if we waited to start building till we knew everything, we never would have gotten started.."     I am applying the same logic to my current project - a house which I have been building for the last three years ( talk about single handling!)   that project is on another board http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=7107.0  - just in case you are interested    Needless to say, there have been many instances in which I have had to stop and figure something out!   

On the water, however, this particular trait may not be such a good thing.   In some cases, this will be a minor inconvenience -  cruising along, loving life but the snacks are below, and i have to keep my hand on the tiller - oh well....     in the extreme - it could lead to serious injury or worse..   Sure the sailboat maxes out at about 5 and a half knots, but still, when things go wrong,  they go wrong quickly..   this became painfully clear when it took 4 times to line the boat up for a landing...    the quarters were tight and, thankfully, most of the slips adjacent to mine were empty - no out board motors sticking out to snag!     

so, my resolution for the next trip is to try to anticipate as much as possible and to be prepared for what i did/could not anticipate.     The more preparation done at the dock - the more enjoyable the time on the water..    I expect that each new adventure will shed a little more light on the whole sailing experience..  it is going to take some time!

[Bob23]

Great stories, JT!
  I love and still get that wonderful trepidation every time I sail my 23 out. I love to sail on and off my mooring and have been known to tack 20 times in order to avoid motoring for 100 yards! Yeah, Stubborn. Plus it builds handling confidence. I won't eleborate here on the numbers close calls I've had with boats, markers and docks.
  What I've learned thus far: 23's like to be reefed early. They have a prankster side to them. They will get you back safely. Like all women, they are a little unpredicable. There is a certain undefinable feel when her sails are trimmed just right, the sun and wind are perfect, and the boat just seems to sail herself. It is magic!
  It was great meeting you...looking forward to some sailing together on the Bay!
Bob23

[jthatcher]

I am not quite sure if today's activities qualify as an adventure, though some might say so...    it is raining, and the forecast for the entire weekend is rather dismal.  I suppose that is ok, because I happen to be working the light board for our school's dance production this weekend, so a trip to Tom's River is out of the question.  Perhaps an element of fairness will come in to play, and we will have a lovely weekend at the end of the coming week to balance this one.  And, that would be just fine since I am planning a trip to the marina on Friday!

  So what does one do when anchored at home?   Well, the first item on the punch list is to clean and sanitize the porta potti that came with the boat.   For the uninitiated,  this may be considered one of the least desirable tasks associated with small boat ownership..  We happen to have a fair amount of experience with porta pottis, however ( we have been using one at the house that I am building for quite some time),  and the alternative of not having one,  which of course, leaves one with very few options at crucial times in life, is not something that we want to consider..    In fact,  the one that came with the boat is larger than the one we have at the house, and i think that we might be better off to switch the two units..  ours may fit better in the boat..  enough on that subject.

  the water tank also needs to be cleaned and sanitized.   it does not appear that the pump and sink on the boat have been used very much..  I am not all that thrilled with the idea of the sink draining into the bilge anyhow, so I am thinking of not using the sink at all and of storing the water elsewhere.   The tank is a 5 gallon hard plastic container ( does not appear to be original).   I am sure that we can use the space forward for storing other items..  We may follow the lead that the folks on Hideaway suggest and cook and clean in the cockpit.  I won't feel bad about that since we use biodegradable detergent, and we won't be doing all that much cooking and cleaning anyhow - our motto will be to eat simply on the boat..

  the third item for today was to prep the dory that we will be using as  a dingy for a paint job.   It has been two years since the boat has been in the water, and i neglected to cover it during the winter..   so, i hit it with a bleach solution this morning..  the rain will help to rinse it.  There will be some scraping involved and a little sanding and then some epoxy work to fill in any cracks..   that will all have to wait for some nice sunny, dry days since I have no option of working inside.   and then a coat of paint inside and out, and we will be ready..   I am hoping that the dory will work out as a dinghy..  It is a little large, but  there is no money in the budget to buy an additional boat.   If it proves to be too large, I have a second option - a dory skiff that I built 12 years ago.  it is a little smaller, but it is heavier, and, sorry to say, it needs some loving attention as well.   In either case, it will be fun to have a rowboat around the marina which has a place to store them and an easy launch site close by..   

   I guess that somewhere in between these jobs I also have to write up some tests for Monday - school is still in session - but not for long    I hope that the rest of the compac fleet is experiencing nicer sailing weather than we are in north  east PA this weekend! 

[HideAway]

We had a rainy afternoon too.  Planned on drilling a hole in a perfectly good boat after the boss said just get it done so we can go sailing - or words to that effect.   A check of the radar sent us to the new 30,000 sf West Marine store opening in St Petersburg instead.  Spent a half hour in the parking lot watching the out door displays blow away while our truck rocked by thunder and shaken by the wind kept us dry.

All that candy in one place left the HideAways lighter in the wallet and a bit glassy-eyed but it was a fun after noon - we needed all that stuff anyway -- yes we did -- really  M

[jthatcher]

Well,  another trip to the marina this weekend.  For the first time in a week, we had a bright, sunny day on Saturday.   I had some commitments in the morning, so I did not make it to the boat until about 3 pm, but there was time to get things in order and then to cast off.  The wind was out of the southeast - very calm in the marina itself, particularly where our slip is, so departing was quite smooth.     The large bank of clouds that appeared to be hanging in one spot looked a bit menacing about 40 minutes after departing..   I was quite certain that I would be drenched by the time I got back to the marina, but only encountered a few drops. 

overall - a successful trip - the boat seems to be behaving very well,  and I made it back into the slip on the second try..   much better landing than last time!   After seeking out the local Barnes and Noble - a favorite hangout for my wife and me ( 9 miles to the north),  it was great to spend the night on the boat..  the wind came up during the night, and, aside from a little clatter of unsecured halyards on neighboring boats I enjoyed the effects of gently rocking to sleep.. 

I met a fellow in a neighboring slip - he has an oday 25,  and left the dock just a few minutes before I did on Saturday..   On Sunday morning, we visited on his boat - good conversation.    One of my observations, however, was - the bigger the boat, the more stuff one tries to carry    this boat had all the comforts of home - TV, micro wave,  special effect lights , including the fake fish variety..   he is very comfortable when he spends the weekend on the boat!   But, he described himself as a day sailor -  he has little, if any, desire of striking out on a multi day  voyage..     In fact, I suspect that this describes the majority of the folks who dock boats at marinas..   and, at least for the time being  -  it will describe us as well!     

There was a stiff breeze on Sunday morning.  I am sure that a double reef would have been appropriate, and it looked like a lot of fun to be on the water, but there was work to be done, and my time was limited by commitments back at home later in the day, so I spent the time arranging and securing the line for shore power and washing the boat..   I got the cockpit area done before running out of cleaner and time - there is always the next trip!   

So - another successful trip on the boat,  I think that it is time for my wife to join me and for our first sail together!    Hopefully, that will happen in two weeks

[jthatcher]

It came as a pleasant surprise to find out that my wife and I could sneak away to the boat this weekend..   we left Friday after she was finished with school and made it to the marina while there was still light.    a nice cup of hot tea in the cockpit was a great way to finish the day and then we decided to turn in and see just how comfortable the V berth was going to be..    we don't have screens for the ports, but, just as the owner told me, there are very few mosquitoes at the marina, and we slept soundly..    the first item on the agenda for saturday was a hearty breakfast of granola that I had made on Friday, and then we set off on a 17 mile bike ride..   found that the riding was great and that there were a lot of folks out running and cycling at the same time..   we were riding through some marsh land, and it occurred to me that the was not at all the image of NJ that I have had all these years..   this was about as different from the Seaside Heights experience as one could hope for without traveling to Maine!    we rode to Berkley Island park  because we had been told that this would be a great destination for an overnight trip on the boat...  sure enough, there were a few boats anchored there..

   after lunch we headed into Toms River to check out the Seaport Society - found some interesting boats and very friendly folks who were happy to chat for a while..    Our plan was to head out on the boat later in the afternoon which we did when we returned from Toms River  -  the marina is actually located in Pine Beach - a quiet town with nice neighborhoods.   the breeze was pretty stiff, so I put one reef in the main sail...  found out later that i should have taken two..       we headed towards the bay, and, as we did the first couple of tacks, it was quickly apparent that we would need some practice..  but we made it through the first couple of bouys.   My wife was rather nervous when the boat heeled.  she was honest and said that she felt a little more secure when the owner of the boat took us out the first time.. my pride was not hurt - well, maybe a little, but I was being understanding...    so, I turned the boat around and we headed up river..   that was a good decision..  more protection - still plenty of wind, but the experience was much more "Adagio" like , and it was a great way to end our first sail together..   as we turned toward the marina, the former owner sailed by on his bristol, and gave an encouraging wave.    he preceded us into the marina  and watched as we made for our slip..   why does it seem that he is always around when i am bringing the boat back into the slip??    well, no problem..   we happened to make a very nice landing  - even if the bow did nudge the dock just a bit - ouch..     

    after dinner, we walked up to the next town, ocean gate, and found the boardwalk that we had heard about..  this was not a typical boardwalk - more like a wooden sidewalk that ran between homes and the beach..  how nice!    altogether, we walked 4 + miles and  closed the day with a cup of tea in the cockpit..    Sunday we had to drive back home for graduation..   so, we set the alarm for 6 am   and got up and rode our bikes into Toms River.  found some beautiful streets next to the river  -  great ride!    we are going to like this place a lot!     we made it back in time to iron my shirt and dash over to the line up for graduation..     what a great weekend

[Bob23]

JT:
   Great tale. Makes me want to pump up the tires on my Bridgestone RB-2 and ride. Pine Beach and Ocean Gate are wonderful towns. I wonder how many people watch that stupid "Jersey Shore" and miss the real state that we have here.
   As well has being well known for corrupt politicians, we have a rich sailing heritage here in NJ. Have you ever seen the Melonseed Skiff made my Roger Crawford? Legend has it that it evolved from the Parkertown Skiff which is a kind of variation of the Barnegat Bay Sneakbox. Parkertown is a few miles from my hometown of Manahawkin.
   I do hope we can rendezvous on the water some time. My boat will be in the water in about 2 weeks. Almost done with the teak refinishing and other projects.
   Be thankful that your wife likes to sail. Mine does not although she seems to tolerate my addiction.
Bob23

[jthatcher]

that is a great pic, bob...  last week we brought the camera.. my wife took one pic of the boat from way far away,  and 15 pics of the baby ducks that are swimming around the marina..  i guess i know where the boat stands in her list of priorities!  jt

[jthatcher]

well, school is out and I am enjoying my first summer trip to the boat.   Yesterday was a first..  the wind was just right, and i was able to sail straight out the river to barnegat bay,  and then down the bay with very little trimming of the sails..  what a great day!   the wind was moderate, and the boat behaved very well.   Before I headed out i put my water bottle and a supply of gorp close at hand so the trip was total enjoyment!   I am using a hand held gps to keep track of my speed, it seems to be working well.  I need to spend some time with the gps in order to take advantage of all of its functions, but I am under the impression that it will work out very well and that I won't need to add a dedicated gps to the boat..     

did i mention that the previous owner always seems to be at the dock when i return to the marina??  well,  he was below on his bristol, but he must have recognized the sound of the motor.. up popped his head, and i could feel his gaze on the back of my neck as I passed by    fortunately, i am getting the hang of this docking procedure, and there was no wind to contend with, so the landing worked out quite well..  he came over and commented on a "picture perfect landing"  and i thanked him..    so far so good!     over all -  a very "Adagio"  like sail!

  this morning was more like the adventures of the  ancient nishiki..   i have a nice new road bike, but i still have a soft spot for my classic nishiki touring bike which I brought with me on this trip.   I left the marina a little after 7 and headed towards island beach state park..    it was fun finding my way through toms river and island heights as I made my way to the bridge that leads over to island beach.    In seaside park, i found a nice bakery and stopped for a pastry and a cup of tea and then back on the bike. and on to the park..   at the end of the road, i stopped and went out to the beach to find  a slew of boats just offshore and lots of fisher people along the shore....  as i found out through chatting with one of them, they were after stripers..    I did not see anyone catch anything, but the fish must have been there..    then back on the bike.  i was feeling a little tired, so I convinced myself that a stop at the bakery on the way back was justified    and then back across the bridge..  the head wind that i was bucking on the way out, was now pushing me along quite nicely..     I saw a sign for the barnegat bay festival  and decided to stop.. that was a lots of fun..   I talked with a boat builder who had his jersey rowing skiff on display  and found out about the pinelands dulcimer society..  as well as weekly bluegrass concerts in ware NJ -    what a cool place!   i have to take back all of those derogatory comments that i have made about new jersey over the years!     made it back to the marina and clocked 47 miles on the odometer..   I am going to feel the effects of that ride tomorrow morning..   my wife and step daughters are going to join me tomorrow..  on tuesday, i think that my wife and i will take the bikes out to the bakery in the truck.. do the ride at island beach state park.. and then relax at the bakery before driving back to the marina! 

  this afternoon the wind was blowing almost straight up river..  so i stayed in the river and practiced single handled tacks..  that was not such a bad thing..    there may be some rain this evening, but it should be nice for the next few days - not a great deal of wind, but that is ok...  I am looking forward to taking my wife and the girls out - should be fun!     

   i still can't get over the fact that this has all come about because I happened to have a sick day in the late winter when i happened upon the listing for a compac 23 in nj   

[Bob23]

JT:
   That all sounds great! I bet your Nishiki is lugged steel...maybe Reynolds 531? My old Bridgestone RB-2 is triple butted Ishiwatta chrome-moly. Oh, yeah, this is a sailing forum...almost forgot. I managed to log some serious miles on old RB, including 4 or 5 centurys. She still sits in my shed; sorta revamped for more upright riding including bar end shifters and my own wood-latform pedals..it's a fun bike.
   "Koinonia" still sits in my driveway but I have made some good progress in the last week or so. All exterior teak varnishing is complete and installed. I installed a new forward hatch support bracket. I got a coat of Epifanes handrubbed satin varnish on most of the interior teak. Man, there is about 300 miles of teak down thar!!!
   Albert Hall in Waretown is the best kept bluegrass secret in the world. If legend is true, the Albert Hall in England stole the name from us. Maybe we'll meet up there some saturday night. It's the most fun 5 bucks can buy!
   I bought my 23 under similiar circumstances. Was home with a broken bone or torn rotator cuff...don't remember which and on my 3rd cup of coffee while reading the classifieds, came upon the ad forr my 23. That evening, she ws mine.
Bob23...see you on the bay!