KOINONIA SAILS AGAIN

[Bob23]

   Finally, finally, finally Koinonia was launched for the 2011 season and her sails given a test-out. That infamous NJ pirate Pedro G. was on hand for the shakedown cruise this wednesday past and showed up with 6 friends of his all named Sam Adams. Well, we made room for them all and they proved an essential crew.
  Winds were flukey and we floundered about for a while until the winds decided to stay from the south but didn't get much higher than 10 knots. Still, we bested 5.8 gps knots...what a difference new sails can make. It is a strange feeling in a Compac 23 seeing all the other sailboats astern and getting further away. Nothing like usable horsepower!
   Today, she'll be sailed, or motored as there is hardly any wind as I write this at 0444 hrs, to her summer mooring in Surf City. Here, as taken by the photo-pirate Pedro, are some photos of the shakedown. I think he photoshopped those fenders in as I would never, repeat, Never sail with fenders on!





Till we meet on the water,
Bob23

[Tim Gardner]

Amazing these days to see how freely Bob puts his mug on shots of Koinonia.  As far as the fenders go, it IS the mark of an Amanure to leave them out. ( the rats nest knot at the lifeline could also be seen in the top picture, Bob, no photo-shopping here! I know, you were hacked and just pulling a Wiener?).

Looks like you were having fun.  The new sails look very nicely trimmed.

TG

[Bob23]

   "Rats nest". Those were the exact words that Pirate Pedro G. used when he stepped aboard and saw the wires. Ok, guys- I take the hint- I'll clean 'em up somehow. There are many more imperfections on my boat but today we motorsailed down to her home port and she swings happily at her mooring.
   The fenders are there because when I enter or leave the boat slip in the marina, it resembles Tommy the Pinball Wizard! I seem to bounce off anything that can't move. The fenders are stowed away as we speak...I value my reputation here!
   "A Wiener?" I hope I'm not as stupid as him. No, I freely confess to the rats nest and I take full responsibility for my actions.
Bob23...let's see, what photo can I post?

[brackish]

I'm not going to comment on the "rat's  nest", but I hope that is a locking winch handle.   First sail down in Mexico Beach, lost my one and only winch handle, needed to replace it, story of "worst Marine" in Panama City,"Best Marine, in Pensacola.  Bought two at the Defender price for pickup in Pensacola, don't even want to talk about the Panama City experience.  Looks like the one in your picture, floaters for we of failing manual dexterity.

Hey glad you're on the water, give us an update on the new sails when you have some experience with them.

[Bob23]

   Thanks for not rubbing it in about the rats nest. I took a good look at it today and, yeah, it's pretty bad. Don't know how I'm gonna tame that one- it may have to wait till fall
   Being aware that Murphy had stowed away down in my bilge and is just waiting to pounce, that is a floating and locking winch handle, Lewmar I think. One of the original bronze handles acts as a spare.
   I'm hoping to sail tomorrow after work so I'll try to get the bugs out. Looks like I need to make a trip up the mast- I have to install a cheek block for the genoa sock. I put a block on that ring on the forward part of the mast head but it interferes slightly with the halyard for the sock.
   More later....just glad to be in the water,
Bob23
(ps: Looking at a neglected older 16 to buy...wife doesn't understand...is there any counseling available for wives that don't understand?)

[jthatcher]

hi bob,
    nice to hear that the boat is in the water..   great pics..   apparently, we have some colleagues here who have keen eyesight..  i might not have noticed some of the "flaws"   that they pointed out..   i just see a boat and capt  happy to be on the water once again!
   i was up in maine for the week on a school trip - saw lots of great boats and was hoping to go out on a schooner yesterday, but the fleet was stuck at the dock - there was a huge bank of fog sitting just at the mouth of camden harbor, and it was not budging..   they all wanted us to sign up for today, but, we were on the road at 8:30 this morning, headed back to PA.
   i have summer school duty next weekend, so it may be two weeks till i get back down to jersey..  thanks for the warning on the jelly fish -  i hope that the boat is still there when i make it down!

   how far is it from our marina to where you moor  Koinonia?   are there any guest moorings nearby?  maybe that would be a fun destination for our first overnight trip??   see you in a couple of weeks..  jt

[Bob23]

Hi JY:
   My boat is full of flaws, not the least of which is her skipper. She tolerates me, though.
There are no guest moorings. We each put a mooring in for our own boat. It's not a formal marina that I stay in, rather just a cove with a bunch of sailboats there.
   It's probably a minimum 4 hour sail down to Surf City. I've made it to Tice's Shoals in 2 2/4 hours but that was cooking with a perfect wind. Toms River is further. I'm sure we'll get together somehow...maybe at Tice's sometime.
   Ok...it's off to work for me,
Bob23 out

[Tim Gardner]

Bob,  Whew! I really touched a nerve with the rats nest comment - maybe a little too close to home for some folks. (now come on - that's a joke!).

As to your wifely philosophical problem # 16.   From many of your past posts, I assume your wife doesn't really like to sail, maybe because she doesn't like the Heel ( not you , the listing of your 23).  If that's the case I know the solution - A 19!.  A 19 doesn't heel over as easily as a 16 or 23 due to it's inherent initial stability, and you know, you could always go up to an Island Packet Motorsailer. 

Now, wasn't that easy?

[jthatcher]

I am quite certain that the "rat's nest" comment was a friendly jibe..        i just wish that i were that observant!   i am sure that we all agree that the main point is that the boat is in the water!   bob has all summer to work out the details
jt

[Bob23]

Tim:
   My but you do have a way of simplifying the most complex of problems! No, it's not the heeling issue, she just doesn't like to sail...doesn't see the sense in it. To which my reply is: why does something always have to make sense? I mean, she married me, right? quite possibly the most nonsensical thing she's done yet!
JT:
   The details to be worked out this summer are where, when and how long to sail. Admittedly, I do very little work on the boat once she's in the water. There isn't much to do except evict the rats, oh...I do need to make a trip up the mast to install a windex that Pirate Pedro is gonna give me and to sort out a block/line intereference issue. Never been up the mast before...note to self: bring a camera!
   Hopefully going out today,
Bob23