Last sail for 2006

[Tom Hunter]

I pulled my boat last Tuesday, but took family and freinds out for one last sail. One of them took some really great photos, I'm going to look at these between winterizing and doing the rest of the work my not-yet-completely-restored boat needs, they help motivate me during the winter.

First 3 of us went and got the dingy.



And started rowing out from Wyman's Cove



Its a bit more than a mile to the boat, takes about 15 minutes to get there, I am rowing, Jimmy is keeping me from hitting the many moored boats we pass on the way.




The "sail cover" is for something else, I am not sure what, but it came with the boat and the sails are new so I press it into service inspite of the somewhat baggy appearance. The vintage 1950s powerplant is spewing coal smoke into the atmosphere so that Teddy Kennedy and Walter Cronkite don't have to look at windmills in Nantucket Sound.

On the boat we found the float switch had something jamming it so we spent a few minutes cleaning it up:



Then took the boat into the Village Street dock to pick up the rest of our gang.



I am calling the last of our party, who had not showed up when this picture was taken.

We started removing the sail covers:



And soon we were ready to go




But our last two guests had not shown up yet. Eventually they did, and Kristin explains why she is late:




Soon we are underway and heading out of Salem Harbor





We pass Fame heading in

[Hwyl]

Hey, I'm only an hour from Salem, you coulda invited me (actually spent weekend visiting Middlbury with daughter).

Thanks for the pictures, I'm extending my season a bit by keeping the compass between 180 and 250.

[Tom Hunter]

Continued...

The man smiling is Brandon Bruce, he took most of the pictures but we got this one of him as we left harbor.



My mother in law Clara took to the Cabin top to soak up some sun



All together we had 11 people on board.

After we got past the worst of the rocks in Salem Sound my freind Jimmy took the helm




And I got to spend time relaxing with my wife and daughter. It's always nice to sail with people who can take the boat for a while.



I named the boat for her, the dingy is named for my daughter Valeria, who is having a lot of fun with her mom.



Then we got to hang out on the bow for a while




We ran down towards Bakers Island



And had some lunch on the way




We passed a nice yawl on the way down to Bakers




Valeria keeps careful lookout, these are crowded waters




Then takes some time off to drag Yann dragging feet over the lee rail. You can do this with an older, low freeboard design.

[Tom Hunter]

Then she got down to some serious navigating




Bruce took a break from photography while we were reaching along the shore near Manchester by the Sea




Kristin took the boat over, she has a lot of North Sea sailing experience.





There was a cruise ship calling at Gloucester up the coast



It was in the distance as we headed down for the channel between Prides Crossing and Misery Island.

Bruce went forward and got a shot of most of the boat and most of us with Misery in the background. The boom is 29' long, just a few feet shorter than the boat. Around here that is no news, but most people find it suprising.





Heading back to Salem, just before the wind headed us and then died.



So we took down the sail and motored the last little bit home.





3 days later she was on the hard until next year.

[Tom Hunter]

Hey, I'm only an hour from Salem, you coulda invited me (actually spent weekend visiting Middlbury with daughter).

Thanks for the pictures, I'm extending my season a bit by keeping the compass between 180 and 250.

I knew that, so I didn't bother to call

[gert]

see, blonds do have more fun

gotta love family

[Nanoose]

Tom - what kind of boat? length?

Interesting that you keep her out on a mooring. With moorage rates becoming what they are, it is appealing.

But, is she wood? How do you keep her out of the water most of the year and not have problems?

[Tom Hunter]

Nanoose

She is an Eastport Pinky 31'6" on deck but the really important measurment is 10 tons gross which makes her a really big 31' boat.

She was stip built with epoxy and nails then glassed over completely at the time of construction. So far the only rot has been in the plywood decks, parts of which I have replaced.

When she is done she will go in the water in June and come out in October, which is more or less the usual in New England. Right now a combination of ongoing refit and work are causing me to get her in late and take her out early. What makes you think that I don't have problems? She is an old wooden boat, no matter what I do with her I have problems, take a look at my signature

This is the only picture of her under sail that I have, Thad Danielson took it a few weeks ago.

[uncas]

Tom H.
If I had not had to pull out Uncas for a colonostopy sp, I'd still be on him.
This is the best season to be out. Good until mid Oct.
Sailing season begins in early April...the months of April and May are fantastic on the Ches. June/July/August...too hot, no wind.
BNow the fall..... In MD, good until Thanksgiving at the earliest.

I hate thinking about what I am missing.

[Joe ( Cold Spring on Hudson )]

Tom H.

Thats an awesome family and an awesome boat. Thank you so much for sharing. Great Photos, and ya know how much I love photos

We are pulling Dove today. Alas to may sinkings out on the mooring to make it pleasurable. She will come in and we will find the loose spot and make the necessary repair. She will go back in April.

Its good because her mooring spot will be taken by Tidbit until the end of November, since Cold Spring's docks come out in a couple of weeks. But we will have a nice mooring for some great fall sailing.

All the best and like I said what a beautiful family and friends, thanks for the thread.

[Russ Manheimer]

Tom,

Thanks for the virtual sail. Lovely boat and crew. Sitting here at my desk under the harsh glow of flourescent lights, your photos gave me a smile.

My boat is out getting ready for the "off" season. I'm somewhat contrarian in that I take her out in August for her annual maintenance and launch in September, ready for fall, winter and spring sailing. Progress photos here.

Russ