Sold! Fare thee well, little boat.

Raced (in the rain, again) last night with Jack and Mike. It was a wet ride because of the spray and chop. We hoisted the spinnaker twice last night. And we came in NOT last!

Committee duty went very well, thanks to all the help I had. PJ, Jack, Mike, and Dan came out to the start and Uncle Larry came by just as we finished dinner.

The wind was howling and the waves were big. So big that the bow was nearly dipping beneath the peaks when big sets came through. If we had thought to bring our surfboards we could have had even more fun.

After we started the race, we went below to warm up and eat some dinner. Fried chicken and Jojos washed down with some nearly ice cold beers. Just as we finished, Larry came by on the Mako. He came on board and we all watched the racers come around X, go back to 9, and return to the finish.

Back to the raft-up at Lewis Circle while Larry and Mike picked up the X-mark. That was a big hookup as we could have had a little trouble getting the mark picked up on the roller coaster Persuasion had become.

A good time had by all as Mike H. and Mike D. tabulated the results. Then we ate, drank, and were merry.

It seems like if it's not raining, it's blowing like hell, and today it did both.

I cleaned the boat today, sweeping and cleaning the cabin from top to bottom. I even cleaned the bilges (without soap).

Since it was so windy, I put the cushions on deck, so they could get some air.

I also picked up the gear for race committee on Thursday.

Pretty boring entry, I know.

Raced last night in the first race of the first series of the season. Jack drove and did main, Mike and I did the headsail, and I did the foredeck (sort of). It was very, very windy when we went out to the course, so we started out with a reef and a little bit of the jib rolled out.

Even as we paced the start line the wind began to die down. After the start we shook out the reef and rolled out the rest of the jib. With the three of us on the boat, we balanced it out nicely.

As we got closer to 6 the wind picked up again and we had a good sprint back to the Invisible X Mark (it was on the other side of the committee boat). After we went back to 9, and decided not to put up the spinnaker, we tried to pole out the jib. Unfortunately the track came off the mast, at the very top, so using the pole was out of the question. We managed, though, and finished with some dignity, sails full and a bone in our teeth.

Went over to Lewis Circle for some beers with the fellas, checked out Hugh's new Flying Scot, and then returned to the slip.

We came in DFL (Dead F/n Last), which is what I expected. But who cares, we had an excellent time.

Next week is committee duty.

• Sail ho!

• Moved the boat into its new slip (next to the old slip).
• Since the Jeep got broken into, I couldn't do any sanding, fixing, tightening, loosening, waxing, or painting.

• Jack calls to see if I still want a slip behind Janet's house. One of the guys who had one backed out and so I will be able to dock at Janet's, where I was for the winter.
• I'll be in the middle slip, which will make it slightly more difficult to load gear, but when I complain remind me about the $900 I saved by being back there instead of up the block (see 1 April's entry).
• In other news, my car got broken into on Monday night. Thieves got my circular saw, my toolbox(!), and some other trinkets.

• Washed the boat. With soap!
• Waxed the cabintop.
• Pumped and washed the bilge (no soap).
• Aired out the cushions.

• After racing in a 10k, PJ comes out and we go for a sail. It was pretty windy, so I had the reef in and just enough jib to turn the boat. And windy enough to learn some stuff about the boat. I think I learn something new about the boat and about sailing every time I go out.
• Run out of the creek and sail almost all the way to the bridge. See Mike Duffy sailing One More Time, sail back to 9, into Babylon cove, and then go back to the bridge along the north shore of the Bay. See Jim Glynn in Patricia Anne. Back to Babylon cove and clean it up.
• When we get back to the dock the hose had been turned on! Rinsed the boat of its winter beard of salt and dirt.
• So, as the winter sailing season comes to an end, I thought I might give you a tally of how it went: I sailed 4x in November, 1x in December, 3x in January, 2x in February, 1x in March, and 2x so far in April. 13 total trips. It was definitely worth keeping the boat in.
• (I added a link to the weather for each day sailed. Look to the bottom of each weather page for the chart of the wind speed and a table for direction and average/max speed.)

• Cold and windy when I got to the boat, with thunderstorms predicted.
• I wanted to wash the boat, but no water running at the dock. Bummer. Scrubbed the waterline for the buzillionth time.
• Organized the cabin, bringing off winter-sailing gear, and all sorts of stuff I had not used, and likely would not use when sailing (like KC's tent, etc). And I organized the line "locker."
• Suddenly it looked like a twister was coming, so I gathered all the tools and toolboxes and hid inside the cabin. Just rain. While I was hiding out I installed some battery-powered lights in the v-berth.
• Once the rain stopped, and along with it the chilly wind, I went for a quick sail out to 9 and back.
• Spoke to J-Dubs (I rented a slip from her last year) and she is willing to have me back this year. For a $650 hike in price! $1750 for this summer. Time to get a pad in the village so I can get a spot on the public dock for $400 (April-November).

• A beautiful day! Again.
• Cleaned and repacked the starboard jib winch. Now it works.
• Motored out of the slip, out into the cove, and sailed to the bridge. Decided to go to 6, tack and go back to 9. The wind was pretty steady from the south, so I was able to run back into the cove.
• Once I got in to the cove, I rolled up the jib, dropped the main and cleaned up the boat (and sat around nursing an ice cold Budweiser®) for about 40 minutes.

• A beautiful day!.
• I used the 8hp today - it started after a couple of pulls and ran like a champ.
• Sailed through the bridge, tacked around 6, back under the bridge and made a line for 9. As I got closer to 9 the wind got gustier, so I bailed out and broad reached back into Babylon Cove.
• I couldn't decide when to drop sail and put the engine back in. It's heavy and awkward and I was by myself. So I kept putting it off - sailed past the town dock, past the condos, and into the open area of the creek. I still couldn't decide but the wind was pretty light up in the creek so I said, fugit, and dropped the main and rolled in almost all of the jib. Made a few loops just outside the slip to kill some speed, alternately pulling the jib tight and letting it loose. Made one final loop pretty much right where Salt Shaker docks and then carried that speed into the slip.
• And docked without crashing at all. I have to say I was feeling pretty salty. Until I saw the nasty smudge the main had on it from the line that stretches across the length of the slip - luckily the main wasn't ripped. Next time I will at least throw some sail ties around it to keep it from falling over, getting snagged, or stepped on, etc...

• Sailed with Jack and Larry. NW wind, about 15. Gusty though. And some of the gusts were quite long. The LI weather channel said it was 15-20 with gusts to 30. Weather Underground says max gust was 24mph.
• Temperature was in the mid-20°s but it was very breezy so no ice. The only ice was in the slip.
• We used Jack's 4hp short shaft Evinrude.
• Sailed out past the pool, into the fresh breeze. Did a couple of laps and then headed back in.
• The Evinrude proved to be slightly under-powered so it looked like Larry was going to have to give us a tow with the dinghy, but the engine gripped better when we turned out of the direct face of the wind.
• Had some grog at the dock.
• Just after we said, "that wasn't so bad and it's kind of nice right now" the GotD (Gust of the Day) powered across the creek and chased us indoors.

• The blizzard. Jack took some photos.

• Went to the Race Awards. All the cool kids were there. Except the ones who weren't. (Cartoon is from here).

• Jack and I went out in very little wind. We managed to sail out of the slip and out of the creek, even though we had mounted Jack's outboard. Sailed toward the bridge and got a call from Larry who was coming out on the dinghy/tender. Sweet.
• Sailed around, practicing again on the South West Passage (by the pool). We scraped a bit, but as the tide was pretty low we determined a western edge of that channel.
• Put the chute up (shoddy bow work) sailed around and then sailed it right down Larry's creek and into the cul de sac.
• We tied up at Larry's and cleaned up the spinn gear and then all of us went back out for more sailing.
• Two fingers under the sun leaves you about 15 minutes until sun set (yeah?). More salt from Larry.
• Back in. It was a good day.

• Sailed with Jack, Larry and Dan McMillan.
• Planned to go to 9 and back, but the wind was very shifty. Just as we were about 2/3s of the way to 9, the wind shifted and we "decided" to go to Bergen Point-ish.
• Turned around and tacked back and forth for a bit. Then learned a new way across the sandbar by the Babylon pool. Pretty sweet. Going to practice it this winter, so I can use it this summer. Pretty crafty and so very very salty. Thank you Larry.
• Larry also dropped some more salty wisdom on us: if you think you are going to go aground, or might, go through the treacherous area with your boat flat. If you go through heeled over, then you have nothing else to give if you do go aground. With the boat flat and stuck, you can at least heel it over to get unstuck. That's salt, ladies and gentlemen.
• Back into the bay and pull out the (8hp) engine. Put the well-plug in (complete with 19th C. racing gear holding it down). Set up and pop the chute.
• Because it was so shifty we only had it up for about ten minutes. But we did have the chute up in 10kt's worth of 32° January breeze.
• Larry crisply short-tacked us up the creek.
• Dropped in the motor and that was that. Sailed for about three hours. Very nice. Weather Channel says the wind chill was about 24°. We are not from Wussbagia.

• Get to Jack's. PJ and I provision the boat with snacks and cold beverages as Larry arrives by boat. Got my Christmas present from Jack - a compass to mount on the bulkhead. Sweet. Thank you, Uncle Jack. Scrub the sides while Jack scrubs the bottom. Swap the 8hp for Larry's 3.3hp for today's race. The 8 is very heavy and awkward to move around, and we want to race with the engine out today.
• Cal Ripken Marty arrives for his 24th straight New Year's race, and we shove off. We put the outboard on the sink (it fits) and fit the outboard well-plug into the bottom of the well, held down with some 19th century racing gear (paving stones).
• Go over to the BYC to pick up Dan McM and crew of Almost Blue. They are racing Dan's Flying Scot and needed a tow.
• Hang at the Babylon Town Dock for a second and then get out to the race course. There are six boats: Ailanthus, Almost Blue, Filibuster, One More Time, Patricia Anne, and Persuasion. There was not much wind and we were fearing a repeat of the Turkey Race.
• Downwind start so we hoist the chute. Get out in front of everyone and catch a nice little ride once we get around the shadow of the pool. The wind goes forward enough that we decide to drop the chute and put out the jib.
• Get to 9, hit a dead patch, and have to tack twice to get around.
• Pop the chute again and head for the finish. By now Filibuster and Ailanthus are ahead of us. We make time for a New Year's Toast compliments of Marty.
• Finish strong with all hands concentrating and working us across the line in very light (and tight) conditions. Always remember, one hand for you and one for the boat (sorry, Almost Blue).
• Hang out on the dock, give a couple of tours, and clean up the boat.
• Back to the slip, finishing cleaning up, and get a present from Marty, a brand new kerosene lamp. Salty! Thanks, Marty.
• Head to Pier 44 for the Awards Ceremony and some fellowship. OOPS! Too late. Persuasion's crew missed the awards. So did the crew of Filibuster, Patricia Anne, and One More Time (note that that is four of the six boats racing).
• That sucked. And this just compounds for me my experience at the Creepstakes race - when I actually finished the race, but arrived too late for food and literally the very second the awards were starting. I guess the lesson is there's no place for the older, slower boats and less experienced racers.
• We came in 2nd! The best finish of the boat's career! Thanks to the crew!
• The trophy, a bottle of champagne, was waiting for us at the end of the bar. All the pics we took are here, and the SBCC photos are here.

Added this pic from the summer. I set it up as a rollover, so it changes between a painted (fun with photoshop version) and the real photgraph. Got the pic from Marty. Thank you, Marty.

Snow day.

• Jack and I move the boat from Larry's backyard. Go sailing up and down the creek. It's gusty but manageable.
• We decide to pop out into the cove, dip down to/by the pool and then back into the creek. The wind was similar to 11 November - we had a downwind leg out the creek and then had to short tack back in. Or we would have if we could have. Having the motor in seriously limits the turning radius one way and creates slower tacks, meaning you need a lot of room to tack.
• So we couldn't make it. Started the motor and drove back into the creek, tidying up as we went.
• Docked at Janet's and cleaned up the boat.
• Back to Larry's to pick up the Jeep. Took a ride on the Mako to clean out the fish wells. Cold but very cool.
• Posted this pic of Jack's boat from the BYC July 4th Regatta. And pics of the Turkey Race (26 November).

Call Janet to ask about a better rate. I do want to be on that creek because it doesn't get iced in as fast as the others, and has an ice-breaker come through to keep it open. The clammers still go out, apparently, during the winter. So if the path out to the bay is open and the bay isn't frozen over, I want to keep sailing. Keep hoping for a mild winter! I do appreciate Larry & Barbara's offer for winter storage, and the only disadvantage is the ice. Janet does make a reasonable offer, so Persuasion will be there for the winter. It's just up and around the bend in the Sampwam's Creek, behind Jack's place.

• Get to the boat and scrub the waterline while Michael greases the spinnaker pole. It's not too windy out.
• PJ arrives with a disposable camera.
• We leave the dock to pick up Larry at his place.
• Get out to the race course and there is no wind. After a 15 minute delay the race begins, but we drift along, against the current for over an hour. Still no wind.
• After deciding the race is a bust we: have a beer, eat sandwiches, and start the motor so we can manuever into a good position to put the spinnaker up.
• Get the chute up. Back to Larry's dock.

Call Rainbow Marine to see if they have winter slips available. Warren calls back and says they do. I call back but get the answering machine. Call Larry and he says that I can keep the boat back there for a week until I figure it out (all the last minute panic because Janet is asking too much and Judy wants me out of there two weeks ago). Thank you Larry and Barbara. Call Southard's but Mike is out and nobody else is there to help me. Sheesh. Take a picture of my future bowman, Jacob, sporting his Sailing Anarchy hat.

Get a message from Janet saying that the slip in her backyard is going to be about $1000. That's not doable, so I have to look for other options. If it's a grand I might as well haul the boat for the winter and do projects.

• Windy, sunny, and cool.
• Sailed back and forth between the town dock and the bridge. There was about 12 other boats out there, including Connor (of Mary Carroll's) and crew.
• Back to the dock. Short and sweet.

• Windy, sunny, and cool.
• PJ and I sailed back and forth between the town dock and the bridge.
• Put the sails away in Babylon cove and then motored up Larry's creek to say hello.
• Saw Larry and Laurence.
• Back to the dock, Larry came by in the Mako.

• Very windy, sunny, and cool.
• Sailed out into the cove. The wind was coming right down the creek, so I had to gybe back and forth until I could get outside the town dock. That was annoying.
• Tacked back and saw Ma-a-a-a-arty on the dock.
• Short-tacked up the creek and got as far as the gas dock. After that it got too tight, with the way the creek curves and narrows, and the angle of the wind so I started the motor and went in.

• Played hooky and went to the boat for some much needed cleanup.
• Took all the cushions off and set them out on the grass. I decided to take the vberth cushions home, probably forever, as I am never in the vberth and won't sleep there again. Maybe if I have guests. I am going to leave the yellow cushions and the quarterberth cushions on, just in case.
• Scrubbed the waterline (not so dirty) and couldn't feel any slime on the top of the bottom. It doesn't look like I am going to short-haul, so maybe one more in the water scrub (in a wetsuit) will be it for the winter.
• I almost went sailing, but it was superwindy, which would have been fine, but it was also supergusty on top of that. Weather Underground says the max gust was 30, even though the average wind speed was about 11, a recipe for no fun. And I wanted to do laundry of the stuff that got wet and moldy (my sea bag, the blankets, and rags).
• It was nice to hang out on the boat, in the sun, by the water.
• Saw Loon getting put away for a long winter's nap.

There was 14" of rain in October. The average is 3".

• Leave work immediately after 6th period, with Michael, and head to the boat.
• After a solid week of solid rain, and a solid week of solid neglect, the boat is a damned mess. Mold all over the place on the inside and goose crap all over the outside. My seabag is moldy, the cushions are fully soaked (probably cancelling any sleepover plans for next weekend), and the bilge was as full of water as I have ever seen it. I suspect the water came in the ports and in through the hatches. We had about 12" of rain during that brief monsoon season, so I guess it's to be expected.
• Wash the boat, the cushions, and try to clean up as best I can. Mike helps.
• Jack, Mike, and I go out for a sail. Just pop around in the Babylon Cove.
• Take Jack back to the dock behind his place and then Mike and I go back to the J-Dubs Compound.
• The story continues at: the home page.

• Scrub the waterline. The water is so clear. I have no idea why.
• Dan M and Jonas come sailing. Absolutely no wind so we motor over to Hemlock Cove. By the time we get there, there is a little bit of a breeze.
• Eat half our sandwiches (Jonas eats half plus a third of the second half) and have an ice-cold Budweiser®.
• Swim to shore, cross the road, and go swimming in the ocean.
• Back to the boat for the rest of the sammies and some more ice cold Budweiser®.
• Sail out the cove, down the Fox Creek Cut, and home. A great day.

• Up by 7am. Watched the sun come up. I slept really well. The boat was warm enough, and I actually had to kick off some blankets during the night. I had my ancient, crappy sleeping bag, my Nana's blanket, a fleece sleeping bag insert (from Dad and Marge for Xmas), and the Jeep's Mexican Blanket.
• Had a cuppajoe with Marty. He was up early enough to take pics of the sunrise. It was an amazing, beautiful morning. The water was so flat and calm it looked solid.
• Breakfast on Ceol na Mara - scrambleds, fried ham, nectarines, and more cuppajoe. They eat real nice over there.
• Leave right after breakfast to motor back to the dock (no wind) to pick up PJ.
• Sail. Anchor and eat. Sail back. Nice.

• Scrubbed the waterline, the water was colder than I expected.
• Went to Hemlock Cove. Sailed to Buoy 55, but then the wind was all ahead of me so I had to motor.
• Rafted up to Marty (in Kickin' Back) and Jack. Went directly to the party on the host boat. I forgot to bring my chips.
• Watched the sun go down and had a delicious dinner about Ceol na Mara. It was nice to eat a hot dinner as it was a little bit chilly out.
• Back to Persuasion and asleep by 10pm.

• The BYC-SBCC Challenge Cup was cancelled, so we had an opportunity to work on the boat. And it was really, really windy so I didn't regret not sailing.
• Jack and I rigged the reef line, rerouted the outhaul and topping lift, and installed a cleat on the mast for the spinnaker halyard. It sounds like it was nothing at all, but it's actually pretty complicated shite. Larry stopped by while I was making the obligatory pilgrimage to WestMarine.
• Then mounted the deck hardware required to actually run the spinnaker (and got bedding compound everywhere).
• Being able to put up a spinnaker is going to make the sailing so much more fun. And beautiful. Here is my favorite picture of Jack's boat with the spinnaker up. Jack & Kathleen are pulling lines in the cockpit, adjusting stuff, Lukeman is driving, and I'm on the rail trimming the spinnaker. Here's another, a few seconds later.

• Scrubbed the bottom. Then washed everything I could.
• Dan, Jonas, and Peter come out for a sail. Light and fickle wind to start.
• Fix a wrap of the spinnaker halyard and the roller-furling, uh, piece-at-the-top, for lack of a better term.
• Sailed to Bergen Point, turned around and down to somehere around 11. Turned back and went to the Anchoring-Spot. Swam and ate and drank.
• Back to the dock, pausing for a spectacular moonrise.
• Super fun day.

• Louis Orr race on Ceol na Mara.

• Sail out of the cove and catch up with Jack & Kathleen who are on Dan McM's Flying Scot. Everyone is all smiles.
• Sail to the bridge, but not under it. Back to just past Bergen Point and then back into the cove.
• The wind was annoying again today. From the north again, most of the time, but wild shifts, big puffs, and bizarre dead spots.

• Sail out to The Anchoring-Spot and scrub the bottom. Hang around for about an hour, watching boats go by.
• Sail back under the bridge and see Larry, Paula, and crew on Loon. We sail around each other for about 15-20 minutes. Very cool.
• Loon goes in and I sail out to Bergen Point and back. Go down Schaefer Creek and raft up to Loon. Pretty cool.
• The wind was weird today, light and variable and puffy and variable. Annoying.

• Check on the boat as I'm not sure what kind of an effect the winds and rain from Hurricane Katrina will be over here on LI. Right now the major part of the storm is over Pennsylvania.

• Sail with Aunt Carol on Jack's boat.

• Sail out to The Anchoring-Spot and take a nap. Wake up, eat lunch and take another nap.
• Wind builds all day.
• Back and race in the BYC Corinthian (makeup race) on Ceol na Mara.

• PJ comes sailing.
• Sail past the bridge in very light wind. Whitecap is right next to us for a while, but after we both get through the bridge he goes northeast and we go southeast.
• Turn north for a bit but then decide to anchor and have lunch. Sail wing-and-wing to The Anchoring-Spot.
• Eat and swim.
• Sail back to Babylon Cove in a brisk breeze.
• Race with Jack on Ceol na Mara.

• Varnish. If my calculations are correct this was the 5th coat.

• Went to the boat and prepared for varnishing. Clean up the interior. Scrub the waterline.
• Feeling better by the afternoon (I was ill yesterday) and was invited to sail, with Jack too, on Dan McM's Flying Scot. Pretty cool boat. Steady and sturdy.

• James and I helped Larry go aloft on Loon to wire the shrouds into the spreaders and put on spreader boots.
• Sailed east. Went through the bridge on one tack and kept going. Once I passed Red #8, my "most eastern point travelled" I decided to keep going.
• Made it all the way down to Red #32, off of Sayville.
• Rounded #32 and made it all the way through the bridge and into Babylon Cove on that one tack. Very nice, easy day of sailing. A good thinking day.
• The one dumb move, which I turned into an experiment to see if I could do it, was heading a little too far south and passing Red #8 of West Channel. There is a sandbar just west of that, that I would have to go over to get through the bridge. I made a line from #8 to the southern bridge support and just kept going. I wasn't sure where the sandbar started and ended, and I didn't want to take a break to look at the chart (2nd dumb move of the day).
• I never ran aground, but at points I thought I was close enough that I sat on the leeward side, to induce more heel and get the keel that much further from the bottom.
• And now I know pretty much what I can get away with and where the sandbar is in relation to West Channel #8 and #10, and Dickerson #4, #5, and #6.

• Sailed with Dan B. Strong-ish East wind. Went almost to #3, and then ran back to Bergen Point.
• Raced on That's All Folks. First over the start line and the finish line, but probably got a 2nd. Dan's new sail (a 153) is very nice.
• Sailed on Ericsean under the 99% full moon in honor of Kevin's birthday. Left the dock at 11.30 and returned around 1.

• BYC Men's Championship with my 'Uncle' Pete (of Sugar Magnolia). I did this race last year with Jack. Pics. We got 2nd!
• Sailed with Erin Collins. The traveller broke - the slide-stop came out of the end of the track and the car slid right off. Tied it down, centered, to the stern cleats. It actually works a lot better than it did and I wish I made this improvement sooner.
• Down to #6, anchored, swam in swells that we could have surfed on, and went back to the dock.

• Sailed in a strong steady wind from the SW.
• As I got to Buoy #6 I saw the racers from the SBCC doing the Pearsall Cup. They were aiming for #6 so I headed south to stay out of the way. It was pretty cool to see the boats march toward the mark, round it, and set chutes. Only two spinnaker boats, but about 12 non-spin boats.
• Watched the race and got down to Buoy #11. Turned around and went back to the bridge. Threw out the anchor, ate lunch, and scrubbed the water line. Paul and crew came by on Clipper.
• The anchor dragged so I just picked it up and sailed away. I probably didn't have enough line out. It was loaded with weed when I brought it up, so the flukes might not even have set very well, either.
• Sailed back right behind Whitecap.

• Sailed with Dan. The wind was really light when we started but got steadier and stronger as the day went on. Went to Bergen Point and then went to Buoy #6. Threw out the anchor and had lunch.
• Back to the dock.
• Raced on Ceol na Mara.

• Sailed down to Nicoll point. Got to Buoy #8 and turned around.
• Got to Buoy #6 and threw out the anchor. Ate lunch and went home.
• Raced on Ceol na Mara.

• Sailed!
• Went back and forth along the north shore of the bay. I was nervous about all of the repairs and the rig tuning, so I wanted to keep any motoring-after-a-disaster to a minimum. Once I built up some confidence in the rig and the stem head fitting I stretched out and went to the bridge and back to Bergen Point.
• Back to the bridge and anchored (under sail) to go for a swim and clean the bottom. It was pretty lumpy there so it was a little tough to get a good scrubbing done. The water was nice. I swam away from the boat, to see what it looked like, and it looks pretty cool. A salty little boat.
• Sailed back to Babylon Cove and got a visit from Erin Collins and the BYC sailing school crew in the BYC tender.
• Docked nice and gently, motoring, with a following breeze. Exactly like the crash day, but not as gusty.
• Washed the boat and cleaned up the cabin, putting away all the work gear and getting the boat ready to be sailed. A lot.

• Mounted and bedded the stemhead fitting. The headstay wouldn't reach the new fitting, and I couldn't figure out how to get it to be long enough to attach.
• Jack to the rescue (for the millionth time). He took the (roller-furler) drum apart and got the headstay attached. We had to take the jib down to do it.
• Put the drum back together, put the jib back on, and put the boom on (supported by the new topping lift).
• Went sailing with Jack and Kathleen. Out to #11 and then to the club for a beer. Larry comes by on the Mako.
• Afterward I go back to the boat and put the battens in the main, attach the booom vang, and put on the mainsail.

• Did the West Island race. Long spinnaker legs and then carried the chute all the way home. Nice.
• The part came. It looks really good. Slightly smaller and less stocky than the original but it's going to be just fine. He even cleaned up and polished the old one, which has been silver-soldered together. I'm definitely going to make another one right away so I won't have to wait for 6 weeks if this one ever gives way. Which it won't. $175.

• No part.
• Met Jack at his boat. He was cleaning the bottom (during the lightning storm) in preparation for tomorrow's big race.
• To the BYC to barbeque. Took a ride on Larry's Mako. Fun. Went up the Babylon Cut and back. Thanks, Larry.

• Did you ever just want to scream? Bristol Bronze is sending the piece first thing tomorrow. I should have it by Saturday. They are so slow. The polishing guy just got done with it today and they still don't know how much it's going to be. They are slow, but they are expensive.
• I got a phone: 718.483.4151

• Varnished the coamings, toe rail, and hatch trim.
• Updated Jacob's/my future lackey/bowman's site.

• Replaced the bail on the boom for a bigger one.
• Sanded for tomorrow's varnishing: toe rail, coamings, flag pole socket, hatch trim, and tiller.
• Tried to fix the head. The pump does not draw water in to rinse the bowl. It does take whatever is in the bowl out. I replaced the hose that connects the pump and the bowl for a better fitting one, but the problem persists. Jack thinks the pump just needs to be primed.
• Stowed the ladder under the cockpit. I step down on a cooler or a toolbox, or just fling myself down there anyway, so I barely use the ladder as it is. Even after a year I'm trying to figure out the most efficient use of space.
• Put anti-fouling on the outboard.
• Went for an evening sail with Jack. We left the dock at about 6p, watched the sun set, and roamed all around the bay - under the bridge, out to 11, back to Bergen Point, and then just as we turned for home the wind died. Night sailing is very cool.

• Spoke to Bristol Bronze. The piece is being machined and polished today and will be sent on Monday. I hope to be sailing by next weekend. July sucked.
• Posted directions to the boat. What else should be on the website?

• Spoke to Bristol Bronze. He's sending the piece on Thursday. I hope.
• The big trip is cancelled, postponed, whatever. Whatever.

• Removed the tape. The varnish looks good despite being sprinkled before being fully-fully dry.
• Go swimming to scrub the absolutely filthy waterline and slimy bottom. The slime from the bottom surfaced and promptly stuck itself to the waterline. By the time I was done the waterline looked like crap. From now on bottom will be scrubbed out in the bay.

• Removed bedding compound from around the coamings and did another touch up on the toe rail. Gave myself a blister underneath the scab from the last bedding compound work. Nice deep blister.
• Also removed bedding comppound from the starboard running light, the stern light, and the flag pole socket. From now on I'm going to wipe up any excess.
• Sanded the hatch trim teak.
• "Swept" the decks with the hand held scrub brush.
• Taped off and varnished the coamings, toe rail, and hatch trim teak.
• Swept the cabin.
• Larry came by and took me for a ride on the Mako. Went up to Marty's creek. Very cool to buzz around like that.
• Slept over on the boat: read from sunset to about 10p. From 4a-4.15 the sprinklers came on and scared the bejeebus out of me. At 5a the gas dock opened. At 5.01 the first fishing boats came by for gas.

• Went to the BYC and used the gin pole. Much easier. The mast went up without much of a problem. Took about 90 minutes.
• Raced on Ceol na Mara.

• Jack and I go down to the boat and promptly dismast it. Here's how it went down, literally: We attached the backstay and started lifting the very heavy mast. I stood on the stern and held it up while Jack un-bungeed it, put in the giant pin that connects the two hinge pieces, and made sure it was all clear. Then we both started lifting it from the stern. Jack moved to the bow, and using the spinn halyard, started pulling the mast up. As soon as it got to about a 45° angle, over the side it went. Fortunately it fell to the left, onto J-Dub's grass and not to the right, onto the power boat docked next to me.
• The mast sits on the boat on a big hinge. Think of a door, one piece of the hinge is on the door and one on the frame. Same with the boat, one piece on the mast and one on the boat. Once the hinge is closed, the mast is held down and in place with shrouds. These are the lines you hold onto when you move along the boat. Without the shrouds attached the mast is wobbly and could fall in any direction. The shrouds keep it in place. We never got a chance to get a shroud connected before the boat chop, the two of us moving around, and momentum knocked the mast over, bending the mast side of the hinge into a saddle shape and snapping it off of the foot of the mast.
• I was in a really great mood right then.
• Uncle Larry stopped by and viewed the carnage, and even though things looked bleak, he offered some encouragement.
• Back to Jack's place to bend the mast step into some usable shape. It worked! Amazing. I straightened the pin while Jack took a sledge to the plate. Thanks Jack!
• To the boat to put it all back together.
• Simple enough goal, but, of course, it's a sailboat, so the screws that were still in the foot of the mast wouldn't come out. Once we sheared off the heads, they wouldn't budge when we tried to pound them in, and when we tried drilling them out they wouldn't budge. And the screws that mount to the base of the mast were even worse. Finally, we get the foot screws out and make the pilgrimage to WestMarine (they make boating fun!) for the proper sized bolts.
• I remount the base of the mast step (the boat side of the hinge), while Jack replaces the mast side of the hinge.
• Tomorrow we will go to the Yacht Club to use the gin pole, an apparatus specifically designed to lift masts onto/into boats. Should have gone there in the first place, but neither of us thought of it, and if we had I would have vetoed it - thinking, "I took it down by myself, surely the two of us can put it back up."

• Sanded the toerail and coamings to prepare for another coat of varnish.

• Spoke to Bristol Bronze and they are going to make me an entirely new piece. Of course, the guy who makes the molds is on vacation until next Monday. After that it could take as long as two weeks to get the piece cast and into my eager hands.
• I'm going to use the down time to finish the boom, redo the ports, and finish the varnishing. I am also going to buy and install a traveller. I'd like as much to be ready as possible so I can sail once the part comes in.

• Took the top off the Jeep. That has nothing to do with Persuasion but it's pretty damn cool.
• Waxed the cabin top.
• Moved the mast back on the boat so I don't get evicted by J-Dubs.

• Using a handy little tool I got from WestMarine, I removed all of the excess bedding compound from the toe rail.
• Epoxied the last bung and some tiny cracks in the fiberglass from the crash.
• Washed the boat.
• Sanded the toerail and coamings to prep for varnishing, finally. The last good days for varnishing I raced, so I figured while the mast is down, and I can't sail on my own boat, I might as well get some maintenance projects out of the way during the sunny, nice days. In one way it's a killer, in another it's a blessing.
• Waiting for the deck to dry I installed the spreader boots and wrap the cotter pins where the shrouds meet the mast. Doesn't look right for some reason.
• I also installed the flag halyard padeye and block. It's going to be really great to have a fully functional mast (once it goes up).
• Varnish the toerail, coamings, inboard side of the hatchboards, and the trim for the main hatch.
• Installed the port side cabin light and put bulbs in both. They work!

• Jack and I took the mast off the boat and put it in JW's backyard, on sawhorses, so we could work on it.
• Attached the spinnaker halyard.
• Took the spreader boots off. Discovered the shrouds are attached at the spreader, so when we tighten the rig the spreaders are pulled down. 40 years of corrosion have made the ends of the spreaders a solid block of metal, so next year I may replace the spreaders and make it right.
• Removed the sock from the assymetrical spinnaker. It's a beautiful chute.
• Went to West Marine: spinnaker sheets, two padeyes (to mount on the stern for the spinnaker blocks) two snap shackles (for the ends of the spinn sheets), two shackle guards, cord for the burgee halyard, two cheek blocks for the boom (reef and topping lift), fasteners for (almost) everything, and a new, bigger bail (that the boom vang attaches to).
• Back to the boat. Attached a block and line for the topping lift (using the old assymetrical spinnaker sheet for line).
• Got the new(est) part from Bristol Bronze. No good, sir. Way too big, sort of. The size is fine, the shape is not. SO frustrated. (And a good thing, the thing cost $225!)
• Started putting together the Windex (a wind vane for the top of the mast) and the padeye and block for the burgee halyard when we got hit with a quick little thunderstorm. Cleaned up 5 toolboxes and a million parts as fast as we could and knocked off for the day.
• Back to Jack's to build (whip the sheets, attach snap shackles, and shackle guards) the spinn sheets and organize the deck hardware the spinnaker needs to go up.

• Spoke to Bristol Bronze and it sounds like he has a part that will fit.
• He is going to ship the part on Wednesday, and I should have it by the weekend.

• No more papers, no more books!
• The piece from Bristol Bronze is too small, by about two inches. The search goes on.
• Took off the bow rail, but I broke the stemhead fitting doing it. The boat looks good without the bow rail and I may keep it off for good.
• Scrubbed the bottom - the water was nice. The ring around the waterline was nasty (and had returned by the end of the day).
• Since I took off the fitting and the bow pulpit the forestay wasn't connected to anything. I tried to tie it down to the front cleat, but it was rubbing the deck. I put a sponge under it, but the bouncing of the boat kept moving the sponge away. I tried to tie it to one of the shrouds, and that didn't work either.
• So I decided to take the mast down. It had to come down anyway since I wasn't going to sail without a topping lift for the main. And taking mast down allows me to fix the top of the mast so I can use the spinnaker.
• I'm glad nobody was watching me take down the mast. The takedown was almost a disaster and at one point I was thinking, "I'm going to finish the job and make the boat garbage today." I did learn that the mast is too heavy and awkward for one person to do it, and impossible to do it at anchor. It was a miracle that nothing broke.
• I had to take the shrouds completely off, and at one point there was no stays holding the mast laterally - scary. I dropped it by holding the mast in one hand and the main halyard run around the forward cleat in the other. The halyard was attached the the ring on the mast and that made it too short. So I figured I'd run the halyard to the top of the mast. And of course, it got hung up on the top of the shrouds. Nice. At one point the entire weight of the mast was resting on the hatch. Somehow the hatch didn't explode into a million pieces of fiberglass.
• It was at this point that I realized that boats are expensive because boat owners are knuckleheads. Speaking for myself, of course. One little gust of wind sets off a series of compounding (and expensive) errors on my part.
• I put a bumper on the deck for the mast, shrouds, and the jib (still rolled up) to rest on. Looking at the boat is like looking at some footage from Storm Stories.
• Ultimately I'm glad that the stemhead broke. It forces me to fix the mast and rigging problems now rather than later.
• Raced on Ceol na Mara. Start of the BYC Invitational Regatta.

• That part was way too small. But Jack may have found me a proper part from a place called Bristol Bronze.
• Raced with Jack on Ceol na Mara.

• I think I found the part. Scroll all the way down to the stemhead fittings.

• I broke the boat.
• I had friends aboard for the first time, so of course it was a very windy day. I reefed the main before we even left the dock. Out past Buoy Six and back into the cove for some more relaxing and dry sailing.
• My love-affair with engine-less sailing ended today (Don Street can kiss it) after we crashed into the bulkhead at my slip. I wanted to sail into the slip after a fine engineless day. I did it last week with Parker and the week before by myself - had no problems either time.
• The wind was from the SSW and in the cove it was very shifty. As we came in for our landing I had the sails sheeted all the way in, thinking that since the wind was from behind us no wind could catch the sail. Then we got a little puff from the port beam. So I let out as much main as I could, to spill the wind and avoid really sailing into the slip. Then just as quickly, and just as we passed the point of not-bailing-on-the-docking-attempt we got a big ol' gust from behind us. The boat accelerated nicely, I must say, right into the bulkhead. I broke the (one) bolt holding the bow fitting (headstay fitting?) to the deck, but it doesn't look like I did any major damage to the fiberglass. We hit pretty hard - hard enough to leave a little dent in the wood of the bulkhead.
• It looks like the fitting is entirely busted, there is a crack between the part that is attached the forward part of the hull, a sort-of tang, I guess it's called, and the part that attached to the deck itself. I may be able to save it.
• To be safe I attached the main halyard to the forward deck cleat as a back up to the headstay.
• I'm not going sailing again until the traveller is replaced, the topping lift is attached properly, the main sail track is clean, and the engine is primed and anti-fouled. Might as well do the spinnaker halyard, spreader boots, and upgrade the Windex while I'm at it.
• In retrospect I should have sailed in with the jib only and had the main down. Since the wind was shifty (and kind-of) right behind me I could have rolled in some jib faster than I could have dropped the main.
• I also F-ing think I am going F-ing to put some F-ing grease in the F-ing main sail track so when I drop the F-ing thing it really F-ing comes down. I've had it with that F-ing thing.

• After checking out the nephew, I went to the boat and had a great sailing day. The wind was perfect, pretty steady and from the SW. In an effort to wean myself from the engine I took the opportunity today to push myself out of the slip and hoist the main in (almost) one fell swoop. I managed to get the boat mostly out of the slip and then raced to get the main up. It got jammed halfway up, but managed to catch enough wind to start sailing me into the dock. I'm sure it looked real ugly, but I managed to push off and get the main up and not hit any poles or other boats. So far so good. After watching my fire drill, Mike Duffy came by to see if I was okay. Man, he is one nice guy.
• Sailed to red #4, off of Timber Point and back. On the way back I practiced fetching marks and rounding bouys. It was a great sail.
• Let me not forget to mention that my brother Lukeman gave me his red Race Week hat to replace the one I lost last weekend. What a guy. His was in pretty much perfect condition so I get to start over fading it out and getting it just right. Thanks, Luke.

• Creepstakes - let me first start out by saying that I don't care for the SBCC rule forbidding duplicate sail numbers. If we're going to go by sail numbers, why bother naming the boat? Isn't the boat known by its name? I say all this because my sailboat's number is 4665 - it is hull #46 and was built in 1965. The sail number is 46 (it doesn't have to be just because the hull is the 46th built but that is probably why whoever bought the last set of sails chose that number). Unfortunately #46 is already taken by another member. So I registered in the SBCC as 460 but have no intention of adding the 0 to the sail. This is relevant to the Creepstakes because there was evidently some confusion about which boat was racing - the one in the yearbook with the sail number 46, Windstar, or the one on the race course with the number 46, Persuasion.
• It was a great day for a race. The wind started off light, pretty much from the west. We started downwind, poles out. I was last across the line and was so busy setting the pole I wasn't even sure I officially started the race (by staying on the proper side of the start pin). We sailed A reverse, which means we went to buoy #6 first, then 9, back to the starting mark, to 6 again, to 9 again and then finished off the yacht club dock.
• As we approached the first mark I was feeling pretty good. So far all my objectives had been met: Nothing was broken, I hadn't hit anyone, and nobody asked me, "what the hell where you thinking?" (So far, so good.)
• After the first mark the wind had shifted to the southwest and started to build. It was a fun race and I had plenty to do.
• I was the last boat to finish and was eager to see if I really finished last based on the handicapping system. Faster, bigger boats owe me time, since I'm small (I'm not sure if I'm slow).
• Get back to the club in time for the awards and the speeches, but not in time for food. Bummer. Jack came in third in his division. Nice!
• It turns out that even though they got my time on the course, I wasn't scored, or put into the rankings to see who finished where. Apparently the cutoff to be taken seriously is 25'. Persuasion's racing days are already numbered.
• Going back to the boat to make sure the lines are all working together to keep the boat off the dock, I discover someone tossed an empty Arizona iced tea can into the cabin. Nice.
• Had a couple of beers with the fellas and then dinner on Kathleen's brother-in-law Jack's power boat. Food was good. Boat is cool.
• And that was that. A really good sailing weekend.

• Took the boat to the Babylon docks for a fresh water bath and to work with other people around - Jack, Kathleen, Kevin (and Pat Halpin, but we haven't officially met yet).
• 50% varnish on the coamings and toe rail. It looks a lot better.
• Mounted the cleat for the roller furler to the outside of the port coaming.
• Day sail out to Buoy Six and back. Then back out on Ceol na Mara.

• Went to see my nephew, Jacob Alexander, who was born on Wednesday. I'm an Uncle! I mention this on the boat site only because someday he is going to be #1 crew.
• Came back and saw Larry working on Loon. Larry's in the purple shirt under the foredeck. Lookin' good, Larry. One more Loon. I should also mention that the boat just to the left of Loon, with the green main cover is John Holst's Whitecap. And another Loon.
• In the afternoon, I put up the jib while Parker organized belowdecks.
• Then we went to, or tried to go to Hemlock Cove - there was no wind at all when we left. But as we approached it got nastier and nastier. It was nasty - spray coming off the tops of the waves, lumpy and blowing from the SW. The motor rattled loose. My nicely faded red Race Week hat blew away. As we approached Hemlock we saw that all but two of the power boaters had left. There was some lightning, just before we turned around. A batten blew away. The hook for the reef was upside down. We got back to the dock wet and tired, but got lots of experience points. Maybe enough to go up a level. I returned to Jack's for a hot shower and lots of food.

• Saw Loon across the creek, waiting to get launched.
• Checked out my new digs a little more closely. Here's the view of the Babylon Cove from my transom.
• Tuned the rig.

• Installed jib tracks
• Bent on the mainsail, mainsheet, vang, put on the shroud covers, installed the roller-furling blocks on the toerail,
• Brought the boat home in crappy, cold weather.

• Boat is not on the island!
• washed the boat, put in the vberth cushions, the head kind of works - it sort of pumps water in, paid the bill, bunged the toe rail, sanded

• Boat is launched!
• Added pics of when the boat belonged to Laurie, the owner before Paula (Larry's sister)

• Mounted the toe rail - both sides. It looks good, but of course there's bedding compound all over the place.
• Mounted the tiller
• Sanded the coamings
• Waxed the sides once more
• Removed all non-essential crap from the boat. Most of it, anyway.
• The boat is ready to be launched. I told the yard owner to give it some green bottom paint and put it in this week. I am happy with the way it looks and all the work I got done this winter, but I wish I had another couple of days to just finish up and be 100% happy with the bottom and the way the outboard plug sits, etc. But I guess I'd never get in the water if I waited until everything is perfect. I'm not going to be able to keep up with the C&C 25s anyway, so what difference does a slightly pocked bottom make?

• dry mounted the starboard toe rail
• removed the port toe rail
• it doesn't look like the stern rail is going to fit so I am going to try to surface plane it so it will get more bendable

• Jack & I used the router to fashion the toe rails and the stern rail.
• borrowed Jack's disk sander and went to town on the winch stands to make them fit - the new, thicker coaming makes them sit just a little crooked.
• used the sander to take the inside of the hatchboards down to bare wood - all fresh varnish on the way. I love the sander!
• mounted the winch stands (epoxy and bedding compound and a bolt from underneath)

• mounted the switchbox and finished the wiring
• Jack fitted the outboard well plug a lot more nicely than I had it

• put the name on the transom
• continued and almost finished the wiring project
• sanded down the bungs and the coamings
• washed & waxed the hull
• gave serious thought to the toerail project

• it's raining
• continued wiring project
• it's raining
• cleaned up a little
• it's raining

• saw dust epoxy fill the stern rail
• epoxy and bed in the coaming wedges
• installed hatch trim, the rails, and actually remembered to put the sea hood onto the whole assembly before the bedding compound cured
• put the blocks on to the inner jib tracks
• installed the gudgeon
• painted the top of the shelf white
• varnished the sink cabinet and the circles
• reinstalled the shelf trim
• continued the wiring poject - mounted one of the PVC tubes under the cockpit for the wires to travel aft out of sight
• mounted the support pieces for the switchbox
• hung lines on the new rack
• put bungs in the coamings, glued with varnish and whacked once with a hammer

• to Home Depot: got a hole saw and Jack a router bit set.
• to West Marine: returned gel coat, caulk, a light, flex trim, and a piece of teak.
• to Panorama for the decal for the boat's transom.
• to the yard: cut the hatch trim - the pieces that go along the edges of the hatch itself. The old ones were pretty ratty and didn't match.
• cut new circles for the stern light and the flag pole socket. The others were a hair too short.
• sanded the winch stands.
• sanded the stern rail.
• sanded the coamings.
• varnished the hatch trim, the circles, the winch stands, the coamings and the coaming wedges with 50%.

• cleaned up after all night of rain
• varnished the switchbox, the hatch rails, the circles (stands for the stern light and the flag pole) and the cabinet under the sink
• glass the shelf into place (on Monday I epoxied it onto the two small platform pieces, today I put a strip of cloth along the shelf and the hull)
• epoxy the line racks into place
• start to wire the navigation, interior and X lights. X because I don't know what the third switch is going to be used for - maybe an anchor light, if I decide to rig a permanent one
• cut out the stern rail
• painted the stern-bilge cover
• sanded the winch stands
• cut and sanded the two small wedges that go between the forward coamings and the boat
• fill a syringe with epoxy and fill in some holes and cracks, and reinforce some spots that are a little weak

• paint the inside of the sea hood white. lookin' good.
• cove stripe 2nd coat
• mounted the coamings
• sanded hatch slides/rails
• mounted the new hand rails on deck
• mounted the inner jib tracks, forgot to put the blocks on them, but I can get them after the bedding compound dries

• epoxy the holes left by the old coamings, the port side shelf into place, and the wood strip behind the sink
• scraped the bottom
• hand-sanded the bottom with 50 grit
• washed the hull
• the high tide of the century comes in and confines me to the boat
• made a lamination of the stern rail
• taped off most of the boat for the second coat of boot stripe and the cove stripe's first coat - run out of tape, so I have to make a trip off the island.
• go get tape, screws, a light fixture, bronze screws, paper towels, scrub pads and drill bits
• return and finish taping off. 2nd coat of boot stripe and 1st coat of cove stripe
• installed the cabin lights
• sanded the runners for the sea hood (main hatch cover) and washed it
• glassed the rudder
• 2nd part of stern rail lamination
• drilled and screwed in chainplate

• boot stripe coat one
• varnished the hatchboards, old handrails, and the switchbox
• dug a hole to remove the rudder - it ain't happening. the rudder is on a slant, so the hole has to get deeper and longer underneath the boat. Not an easy place to dig.
• put the final clamp on the head hose - now it is really done
• cut and glued the new port side shelf
• scrubbed and cleaned the cabin top, where the inboard jib tracks are set
• varnished the sink cabinet

• Babylon Hardware for bronze and brass fasteners
• West Marine: turnbuckle covers, shroud covers, putty, exchanged the flag for a bigger one, green boot stripe paint, and a battery
• Home Depot: respirator, safety glasses, plywood, and a ten foot length of PVC tube for the jury rigged anchor light

• Drained the sternmost bilge. All day.
• Installed the port/aft chainplate with 4200 (but not the bolts, so I may have to redo the bedding compound).
• Completed the switchbox
• Outboard plug: fitted, epoxied, and 4200ed the plug
• Screwed in and bedded the navigation lights
• Varnished: hatchboards, ladder mount, outboard mount
• Scarfed the coamings - they look terrible

• Went to Wood-Ply Lumber and got some teak. Very helpful, real smart about the product and what they had on the floor. I went in knowing nothing and came out smarter. I also went in with my WoodenBoat tshirt on so I might have looked like I knew what I was doing. Then I noticed I had it on and wondered if they noticed I had it on and that I didn't know what I was doing. I felt like a Giant Phony. They didn't let on, though.
• Home Depot for sawhorses and bolts, and got saw horses and wooden handles for the well plug. No bolts.
• WestMarine for Perko lights (never got the ones from ebay. USPS said they delivered them.). I got port and starboard navigation lights and a stern light. No more curfew. I also got some 18ga wire, two tubes of 4200, a gun for the 4200, and a flag that is too small.
• To the yard.
• There wasn't that much water in the forward bilge, but the stern bilge was full. Everything I had done to get the water out of there was erased. The boat is tilted to the port and stern, so I think all the rain water just gets back there no matter what. So the plan is to dry it out as best I can, but contain the leaks and then worry about the stern bilge. No sense in drying it out every time I go there if it's just going to flood during the week.
• Sanded and fit the outboard well plugs. They are both snug. Should be great.
• Epoxied the block of teak for the chainplate into place. I used very thickened epoxy to cement it to the hull. I used the same batch of epoxy to:
• fill in the gaps in the outboard well. I also chipped away all that I had done last week. It was a mess, so I chipped it away as best I could and then used my trusty friend, 36 grit, to take the rest down. I watched this batch very closely and it looked good when I left the yard.
• Sanded and varnished (second coat, 100%) the ladder mount, outboard mount, hatchboards.
• Took off the chainplate tops and rebed them with 4200. Proceeded to step in the 4200 and track it all over the deck. Beauty.
• Took off the old Perko lights and tried to mount the new ones. I didn't realize you had to buy the screws, too. Silly me to think they came with the hardware. So I figured I would just use the old ones, they were clean and looked great. I had the round ones and bought the bullet-shaped ones. Two of the holes for the round ones lined up with the two forward holes for the bullet-shaped ones. No problem. I figured I'd drill the after hole later. So I bedded the light into place, making sure the port light was on the port side, put the bolts into place and, of course, they are too short. They just reach through the boat with no room for the nut. Beauty. The term sailboat comes from the Latin twostepsbackwardus which means, "nothing is easy."
• Glassed over the chainplate block. What a freaking mess.
• Cleaned the v-berth.
• I had the gudgeon in my tool box all along. I am not satisfied with the fit and I think I should have just lit the $250 on fire. Would've kept my hands warm, at least. Or something.
• Set up a woodshop in my dining room. Took the fittings off the old coamings so I can use them as molds. Third coat of varnish on the handrails.
• Long day. Got a lot done. Satisfied but still overwhelmed.

• Took the sails and battens to Jimmy at Sailor's Choice
• Tossed the plastic tubes that hide the turnbuckles
• Brought the cushions to the car (thank you Uncle Jack)
• Wash the mud and sand from the deck and cockpit
• Took the trim off the shelves above the quarterberths
• Measured and sketched the quarterberths (so as to make the navdesk)
• Took off the (crooked) numbers (NY 6002 HG)
• Measured the afterdeck (so as to add a proper traveller)
• Took pictures
• Measured the outboard well (so as to make a proper cover so the hull will be smooth and flush when the motor is stashed below)
• Measured the area under the stair (so as to make a line locker, or a line rack, of sorts)
• Took the head apart
• Removed the fresh water hose (since I was there anyway)
• Measured the toe rail (3/4" high X 1 1/4" wide X say 25' long)
• Found the mast and the outboard (they were on the mainland, the boat is on the island)