The new Finn mast gets a thumb's up!

[bamamick]

I have been practicing some with the new mast, and I can tell you that it has already made a difference in how I sail the boat, and it has made a big difference about how I feel about Finn sailing.

This is a stiff wing mast (carbon fiber) with an internal halyard. My old round carbon was sort of flimsy and the external halyard with the lock at the top of the mast was horrible. So far it looks like I am pointing a lot better, and the ease of raising the sail, plus the ability to drop the sail should there be a need is a great thing. This is probably the best $1500 I have spent on a boat that I can remember. I ordered a new sail today for delivery before the Masters in March. I am pretty happy with the Finn right now.

In other fleet news the rudder is back in the Dragon. We have a race next Saturday, so I will spend a day next week doing some painting on the bottom and finishing some rigging that I started weeks ago. I have to put out a memo on the Dragon Midwinters tomorrow or Saturday. Right now things do not look so good. We don't have very many confirmations and it may be that this event does not take place. It would absolutely break my heart, but you can't control everything. All I can do is offer and try to make things as nice as I can. I do understand that it is a long trip for anyone to make.

Spent an hour sanding and varnishing on the schooner today. I really need to get the cabin top painted and will plan on that for next week if the weather holds. I've also got to pull the Beetle out of the garage and scrub her down inside and out. I am trying to sell her and have some folks coming to look. The power boat and the Starboats haven't had much done to them lately. I need to get a price on having my friend spray the new Star. My tip and roll job on her last spring (just the sides. All of the gelcoat had been wetsanded off of her) did not turn out well. Probably the worst job I have ever done on a boat. She is a very fast light-air Star, and I need her looking good. Anyway, that's all accounted for except for the kayaks, and they are doing fine. My sister-in-law and nephew have taken over the kayaks and are having a blast with them on the river. As long as they are being used everyone should be happy.

That's my fleet update. I will let you know how the Dragon race turns out.

Mickey Lake

[Noah]

Nice! It's amazing how some new gear can change the way you think about a boat. Particularly in a tough OD class. We put a new kite on the Melges last summer, and we were super fast down wind. Went to the NewPort NOOD and we were very fast down wind. I think a new main is in the works for this summer, so hopefully we will be back in the OD game, instead of screwing around in PHRF here on the lake. The Melges is a good PHRF boat, but only in particular conditions. Under 7 knots we fly, and over 15 we really crank. Once it hits 25 or so we have a hard time going upwind in the short steep waves we get on the lake. It sucks when you race a boat with a 22ft waterline that rates equal to 35ft waterlines...