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Chesapeake Float 2016 ~ Arrivals

 Mike’s Melonseed “Pepita”

 

“Don’t wait for me.”

“Where are you?”

“Just pulling out of the driveway. Of course. Still a lot of things to fix.”

“Oh. OK, well, call when you get here. Not sure where we’ll stop, but we’ll be back sometime tomorrow.”

Two hours later, Freeport Landing looks deserted. The sun is low, throwing long shadows across the water. A row of empty trailers lined up near the ramp. One lone boat there. Hmm, maybe someone went along as crew and left their boat. And Mike’s Melonseed is anchored off the beach. Not a soul in sight, though. Sometimes people double up for company or to lend an extra hand.

 

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Steerage ~ Semi-final Rudder Repair

 

 

After seeing those new Lightnings up close, I got some ideas for how to do a few things on old #2833. Still much to learn, but it’s a start. And I got back early enough Saturday to get started. Then had all day Sunday. Two good days in a row, a new record. Main thing is to finish the kickup rudder. That’s essentially done.

John included the plans for the boat, and those came in handy for this. I could draw out the original rudder lines on plotter paper to see how Sparkman & Stephens intended it. Laying the parts down on the lines made it easy to make final decisions and adjustments.

 

  

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Lightning Potomac Regatta ~ Doc Gilbert 2016

Lightning Fleet #50 prepares for the Doc Gilbert races

 

With the Chesapeake Float coming less than a week off, it’s a bit disconcerting not to have had a chance for a single test sail in the Lightning. We set a record last week for most consecutive days of rain, weeks of rain, and that really set back progress on the boat. It may still be ready, barely, but I had hoped to have taken a couple of shakedown cruises by now. Lots of unknowns, and I keep finding ways to break things. Sunday morning it was the valve stem on one of the tires, which promptly went flat. I expect a handful of things to break the first time I try to sail in any wind.

I decided to try and see what I am in for, so took a drive to the near side of Washington, DC, to see some other Lightnings. Fleet 50 has an annual weekend regatta on the Potomac out of Leesylvania State Park, known as the Doc Gilbert. Was a couple of hours of driving, but well worth it. Many years ago I had some projects there with the CBYCC. The park has come a long way since then. Continue reading “Lightning Potomac Regatta ~ Doc Gilbert 2016”

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Lightning Repairs ~ Jib and Rudder

Bronze Jib Hank

 

With the Chesapeake Float and the Urbanna Small Boat Meet only two weeks away, time is getting short if this old Lightning is going to make a debut. Doesn’t help that it’s been raining for days.

I received a new set of used sails, suitable for cruising, from Gerry Paoli, who restored an old woody some time ago. It includes a newer mainsail with one set of reef points, and a full size jib cut to the modern racing size. They are in much better shape than the old original sails I have. The North racing sails have no reefs, so not sure how often I will use those. These received from Gerry may become my primary set.

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Mast Repaired, Sails Raised, Boom Tented, Glasses Raised

 

Progress continues apace, steadily if not speedily. Time spent doing rather than telling, and time is scarce.

Got the rotten place in the mast patched. Fortunately the problem was isolated, where water has been getting in around the spreaders and screws, and only in one strip of wood. Was fairly easy to chip out the soft stuff and file it back clean to the good wood. Epoxied in a fairly tight and clean plug, filled the old screw holes, and seal the area around the spreaders with Dolphinite.

 

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Spring Prep ~ Mast and Rudder

Working by the fire.

 

We’ve had the wood stove going all week, followed by another windy and cold weekend. Another hard freeze this morning. Last weekend we could see smudge pots flickering in the orchards up the hillsides at night, trying to keep the buds from freezing. Last Monday morning, on the way to work, I passed the smoldering remains of bonfires that had burned through the night in the vineyards. Big fans blew smoke down the rows, where it puddled like grey water in hollows and creek beds. The damage was done, though; none were burning last night.

And wind. A near constant wind storm going on two weeks now. Yesterday gusting to over 40, today to over 25. It blows for two days, pauses to catch its breath and blows some more.

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