Chris sails

SOPA STRIKE!

2012-01-17T19:24:00.000-08:00

WRAL Raleigh TV Story on McCotter's

2011-09-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

Also Bath, Goose Creek Park, and Many Beachings

Several Power Boats in Trouble at McCotter's Marina

2011-08-31T11:44:00.000-07:00

Some Boats Swamped By Hurricane Irene

My heart goes out to the folks who have lost their homes in Irene in NC, and I wish speedy recovery for the towns that suffered most in the storm. After retrieving Paul and Piper's boat Delphine from Broad Creek, I took a little Dinghy around to get a closer look at some of the powerboats damaged during the destruction of the boathouse at McCotter's.

Here, Equinox, a blue hulled beauty lies partially submerged at her slip. She may have been held down by docklines or debris, or possibly holed by a piling as she settled down, as happened to Mariana.

This unknown powerboat (name "I Got Mine"?)was floated onto the dock and is awkwardly perched above the water. I would like to know the names of any vessels that any readers recognise from the photos, I hope the owner is safe and sound.

Here A 29 foot powerboat, "Beautiful Day" appears to be whole with a shredded canopy, a minor miracle from the look of the boats around her. Smart or lucky captain, can't tell which, yet.

"Animal Lover" out of Peekskill, NY is sunk at the dock, perpendicular to the normal berth, doubtless floated over the dock and came down sideways, swamping in the process. She will need to be hauled and refitted, but that can't happen at McCotter's just yet, they must repair their boat lift dock.

Once you have the urge to go out, know that navigational markers may be damaged, moved or gone. This is Red "6" just in Broad Creek, giving an idea of the storm surge (although it was higher). At the end of the spoils section out in Pamlico River to the East, Marker Red "10" is missing completely.

Please let me know if your boat is featured, or if you have questions. Almost all of the boats on stands at McCotter's Marina are safe, I only saw one in the back yard that had moved. Different story at Captain Sam's Boat Yard next door, they have much lower elevation it turns out. Numerous, perhaps fifteen boats were on the ground there, including a giant cruiser in the road. I am in Carrboro, NC and took all photos on Monday August 29th.

Athena up in the Air

2011-08-30T08:47:00.000-07:00

Orion Appears to be in Good Shape

Met the owner of Athena, briefly. Like Marshall, he spent the night on his boat at the dock, but things got complicated. He' is going to need a crane to get this baby off of the dock.

Katherine the Grate is in a tight squeeze as seen here, but perhaps is not as bad as she seems. Paul and I both commented on how tough fiberglass boats can be, until they aren't.

Here's a general view from the north of the chaos Irene left behind.

In regards to Paul, an owner, who requested information, I have added a photo of several well-tied boat, among them Orion on the South Dock, which appears, from sixty feet, to be in good shape. I know some boats were retied due to the massive storm surge, and many docklines parted in the storm, so there may have been rubbing or other damage, all I can see is what's in the photo here. Hopefully she fared well.

I have some more photos coming, I am hearing from many owners about boats they own and hoping for good news. I have photos of Delphine, Orphan Annie, Antidote, Beautiful Day, Orion, Animal Lover, Island Time, Equinox, Princess, and some others, including a Catalina 36 from WYC which dragged mooring through the far end of the fuel dock. Here's hoping your boat is OK, can be fixed, was insured, or needed hauling out anyway. Peace, Chris.

Awesome Dude at Marina Saves his Home

2011-08-29T21:51:00.000-07:00

Link to a terrific interview, where Marshall Harris of Key West describes his attitude about protecting his property. "Not the smartest thing to do". I don't know, Marshall. Seems pretty smart to me. Also, can we borrow your metal detector? Paul and I found no CQR anchor when we went out into Broad Creek to retrieve Delphine. Seems a sailboat got tangled in one of three anchors that Paul and Piper had positioned and chafed through the line. I know you hate CQR's, Marshall, but that metal detector you mentioned when we met you might do it. How else can we find the anchor, chain and line?

Click link below to meet Marshall.

Flood worries and some relief in Irene's wake | The Courier-Journal | courier-journal.com

Sea Licious Survives, Mariana Probably A Loss

2011-08-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

>Many Boats Damaged as Hurricane Irene Roars Through Broad Creek

Two boats at McCotter's have captured my special interest, and I first want to let reader Julian, owner of SeaLicious, a Pearson 303, get a gander at his rig, which appears below.

Looks great Julian. You are a lucky sailor, since right next to your boat were so many wrecks I couldn't count them. Most of the boats that were in the remaining boathouse were lost or damaged, as you can see below. Pictured below is (I think) Happy Sails, a Columbia 24, and Caroline. Both were damaged, but not sunk. Also, behind Happy Sails is a San Juan 28 which lies buried under tin roofing from the former boathouse. Even further back is Athena, which stands completely upon the dock!

Mariana is a Sam Crocker "Amantha" Class Cutter belonging to Don Justin, who made the difficult journey to see his sailboat. I met him on shore, and ferried him out to his boat, which was inaccessible from shore. She had risen on the amazing 8-10 foot storm surge, and settled down, fatally, on a piling. Only this prevents her from sinking now. She once belonged to G. Gordon Liddy. Don peers into the cabin to retrieve a souvenir, an irreplaceable knife from his Navy service.

Hurricane Irene has probably put an end to this beautiful and historic boat. The loss of a boat is a sad thing, but not knowing could be worse. I hope I have helped to put a few minds to rest.

I have many photos of other boats, most have survived, some have not. I will be happy to provide photos to anyone requesting information. Washington, NC has restored electrical service to many areas, fuel seems to be available, and McCotter's is open. The lift dock is damaged and must be repaired before any boats can be launched, or pulled out to be inspected for damage. The small boat ramp is also blocked by debris. Let me know if I can be of assistance as recovery from Hurricane Irene continues.

Hurricane Irene Slams Marina

2011-08-28T05:24:00.000-07:00

McCotter's Marina Damaged by Irene

Another Boathouse Gone

Once again, McCotter's Marina suffers losses, this time from the Category 1 Hurricane Irene. I only have local news reports to go by, and I will confirm this information when Paul and I return to retrieve Piper and Paul's boat from Broad Creek.

This photo seems to show the wreckage at the docks of the marina, east of Washington, NC

A combination of hurricane force gusts and storm surge likely caused this collapse, I doubt anything could have been done.

The storm surge on the western shores of Pamlico Sound was predicted to be massive as this map of risk indicates.

The red areas are in the Neuse River, and the Pamlico River near McCotters is the shaded in brown, indicating nearly as severe a risk of flooding.

With that in mind, Paul's family and I zipped down to McCotters to ensure the safety of their 29 foot Columbia, Delphine. Our strategy was to anchor her out in the creek, where she could ride over the storm surge. At dock, she would likely be damaged by surge and waves and it was too late to have her hauled out. She had been up on stands for the previous two years. Also the flood might float her off of any stands that the staff might set up.

Here she sits on stands in October.

Below, after Hurricane Irene has passed, a boat is stranded blocking the road; this sort of damage is the reason there is currently a curfew in Washington, NC.

In a photo also from the Washington Daily News, boats in slips ride out the storm while the docks are awash.

Finally, from the WDN, from the Washington waterfront is this well-anchored sailboat with a branch, riding safely on the Pamlico River.

With Luck, Delphine is fine, Piper and Paul actually used three anchors to secure her. If no trees or boats ran into the sailboat, then she will be as we left her on Thursday. The eyewall of Irene was around 25 mile from McCotter's Marina, so no one could be confident of complete protection. I'm sure the staff did all they could to protect their property and that of clients. I hate to see property damaged, but the most important thing in a dangerous situation is to protect life and limb, and once again, no lives were lost as McCotter's suffers their continuing bad luck.

Springtime Sailing Preparation

2011-04-06T08:10:00.000-07:00

I contacted the former owner of my San Juan 21 (Slick) to get a notarized bill of sale. He quickly returned the needed document, and I easily registered the boat at the local marina. Merritt's Marina is 15 minutes north of Carrboro, conveniently off I-85 and not near any water. Now if I can get my little four-horse Yamaha going...

YouTube - Coast Guard Assists Grounded Sailing Vessel

2011-02-22T14:32:00.000-08:00

What can I do to avoid this situation while sailing, you ask? Be sure to avoid leeward shores.Solo sailor rescued off Great Barrier - NZ

Finally, the Loss of Tahiti Belle

Brisbane, Australia : Lost yachts rounded up | Courier Mail

2011-01-21T13:04:00.000-08:00

As Brisbane and surrounding areas clean up from the floods of the last week, helpful souls are attempting to return some wayward boats to their owners. The Marine Safety Officer reports in the article below that identifying some of the pontoon docks and dinghies will be difficult. I am a firm believer in the value of a permanent marker or spraypaint to mark your name on your property that is near the water in the case of it wandering. It will keep the honest people honest. I remember what the fellow in Chatham County told me as he dragged my canoe to his house after a flood swept it away from my land on the Haw and hid it for several weeks. His wife told him "you know you can't keep it." He spotted my number written inside, called me and of course I rewarded him. The paddles were even in it!

Mark worked hard with me to salvage the deck and the canoe in the background from the impending doom of being swept down the river in November of 2009.

Below is a link to the original and complete news story

High and dry: Lost yachts rounded up | Courier Mail

Haw Riverfront Land For Sale $17K per acre

2011-01-18T14:18:00.001-08:00

Lot C Shoccoree Ridge Rd.

20.6 Acres

Haw River Frontage

In Orange County, NC

In southwest Orange County, situated directly on the Haw River with a septic permit on record, 250 feet of river frontage with canoe landing, mostly wooded with some fields and old roads, a small bridge allows access to all areas of the property, small structures already situated on the property and only twenty minutes from Chapel Hill.

Wake up to the sunny Haw River and enjoy this quiet stretch of Piedmont river.

Available for $17,000 per acre, flexible terms

For Sale By Owner, Contact Chris Marthinson 919-819-9980

Map Link Below

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&safe=off&q=shoccoree+ridge,+chapel+hill&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Shoccoree+Ridge+Rd,+Chapel+Hill,+Orange,+North+Carolina+27516&z=16

Luxury yacht snared amid debris | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast Chronicle

2011-01-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

Good story about a yacht saved from the flood by some teenagers.

Luxury yacht snared amid debris | Fraser Coast News | Local News in Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast Chronicle

Brisbane River Flood Destroys Many Small Craft

2011-01-12T18:13:00.000-08:00

Major disruption and much misery in Australia has been caused by this flood. An even worse flood hit Brazil during the same time period.

YouTube - Runaway boat floating down Brisbane river

Eyewitness Account of the Marina Fire at McCotter's from WCTI News

2011-01-12T11:55:00.000-08:00

Description of the experience of McCotter's Marina fire

Couple Speaks On Marina Fire - News Story - WCTI New Bern

Most boats sank but a couple survived badly damaged but afloat, as seen in this WRAL video still.

Also some actual footage of the fire from AP News

Click for video

1925 Elco Motor Yacht Lost in Little Washington Fire.

2011-01-08T20:25:00.000-08:00

This boat was apparently lost in the massive blaze at McCotter's Marina early the morning of January 7. It is described as a Hermione Charters historic 56 foot 1925 Elco Motor Yacht.

Click to see Classic 56 foot boat lost in blaze

It was a fine-looking vessel, and I am sad to hear it was lost.

Major Marina Fire

2011-01-07T13:25:00.000-08:00

McCotter's Marina Fire Destroys 25 Boats

Before Paul and I went down to Ocracoke to sail the Bike Car, we went to the marina to winterize Delphine and secure her as she sat on land. Paul and I toured the marina extensively, including the big boathouse. Well, the boathouse burned last night. I wanted to post some pictures of some of the boats that were within that boathouse. Many were beautiful antiques. According to fire officials, the fire was worsened by the heat trapped under the roof. To look at the damage, there is no evidence that there was a structure at all!

Paul checks on his boat in October to see all is OK. His boat was actually about as far from the fire as possible.

The fire at McCotter's Marina blazes out of control on Friday morning. Photo credit : Washington Daily News

Video from WITN with footage of interviews and the fire

Aerial photo of the damage from a WRAL video showing that the big boathouse is gone, along with numerous beautiful vintage boats

The large boathouse in the upper left is now rubble on the bottom of the Pamlico. Pauls boat is safe outside of this view in the lower right.

See McCotter's on Google Map

McCotter's Official Site

From the Washington Daily News

View of the outside of the large boathouse which burned Friday morning, during better days in October.

View from within the doomed boathouse

Paul and I walked out to the end of the big boathouse to catch a good view of the entire marina. I saw the table and chair from the helicopter view of the damage on WRAL, so I guess the end of the dock survived. Three boaters were rescued from the end of the dock by being towed away during the fire. A woman suffered from hypothermia after jumping in.

Table and chairs next to Paul in the above photos have strangely survived, as seen in the WRAL screengrab below. The large tarped cabin cruiser behind Paul in the October photo is now gone. It had hailed from St. Louis, Mo.

One of the beautiful cruisers lost to the flames Lady Larimar of Washington, NC

The striking deck of Mercedes III of Washington, NC, Also lost to the flames

Article from Local News

From Eyewitness News 9

:WASHINGTON, N.C – Investigators are trying to find out what caused an early-morning fire at McCotter's Marina that injured three people and damaged 25 boats along with a dock.

The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office says the 911 call came in around 12:30 Friday morning.

When crews arrived on the scene, they said the north dock was engulfed in flames. They worked to get boats out of the way of the fire but 25 of them were damaged with most being a total loss. A covered dock was also lost to the fire.

Three people were treated for minor injuries including burns and hypothermia.

The U.S. Coast Guard is on the scene to see how bad, if any, the environmental damage is from the fire.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Station Hobucken, N.C. got the word from the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department of a fire at the marina around 1 AM this morning. They immediately launched a 24-foot rescue boat crew.

A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Hobucken is still on the scene monitoring the situation and has placed boom in the area to contain any debris and pollution from the fire. They've also contracted a cleanup company to respond to the scene.

Pollution investigators from Coast Guard Sector North Carolina are on scene as well to assess the amount of pollution caused by the fire.

Fire departments from Chocowinity, Bath, Washington, Bunyan, Clarks Neck, Old Ford and Cherry Point responded. The investigation is on-going.

Crazy sinking-but-not-sinking boat

2010-12-27T11:34:00.000-08:00

I just want to make sure that I publish a new blog entry this year, it has been a real struggle to come up with new material. We have hardly sailed at all, because for the first time in eight years we missed our Maine trip. Click on the link below to see more about this craft.

Man Overboard! The Artistic, Globe-Trotting Sinking Ship | Gadgets, Science & Technology

Ocracoke Land Sailing

2010-11-21T14:23:00.000-08:00

I've been around watching Paul ( http://paulandpiper.blogspot.com/ ) get his bike car converted to a sailcar, and that has led to great fun zipping around town on this head-turning creation. When the first fall winds started gusting through town, Paul called me and invited me out to the Hank Anderson Park west of Carrboro.

Paul heads down the bike lane on North Greensboro Street.

Carrboro is a bicycle friendly town, with great bike lanes. Too bad more trucks don't occasionally take out the overhead branches. The mast rig on the bike car is 13 feet tall, and it does brush a few branches, but his clearance beats some of the taller trucks, so they do a pretty good job pruning the industrial way.

A short video I shot Of Paul Van Ness sailing his homemade Bike Car in the Carrboro park parking lot.

YouTube - Sailing the VanNess BikeCar

Later we took the rig to Ocracoke Island and had the length of the island and a stiff breeze to propel us.

Finally, we took out the stops and had a tear down this narrow dock at the coast guard station.

Another significant flood on the Haw River in North Carolina

2010-02-08T07:40:00.000-08:00

A winter storm passed through central North Carolina January 30th, dropping 5 inches of snow and sleet onto saturated ground. Heavy rains fell throughout the following week, capped by almost 2 inches on Friday February 5th. Between the heavy, steady rain and the thawing snow, a massive runoff was created. The Haw rose throughout the night and my crew and I headed out for a gander at the spectacle the following morning. We drove to the old highway bridge at Bynum, which is now a pedestrian bridge.

A 30-second video of a log racing downstream and nearly crashing into another large tree jammed into the bridge piling.

We went to the 15-501/Haw River Bridge and heard the thunderous roar of the water dropping 12 feet over the dam, which is several hundred feet wide there. Mark, Jennifer and I continued our flood sightseeing by driving northwest along the Haw to land owned by my friend David near Saxapahaw. A short hike led us to this view of the dam.

Mark owns a small parcel of land that includes a remarkable old mill house, built in the 1920's to provide electricity to a textile mill in Swepsonville, NC. His neighbors driveway crosses a bridge over a small creek, which had flooded, leaving them isolated. Fortunately they have a small boat to shuttle to the main road.

The river was flowing over a much higher wingwall. From inside the mill, we could peer out the window and see the raging current covering all the land normally in sight.

Inside the mill, the turbine openings in the floor were filled with brown flood waters almost to the floor level. Normally, these two pits are scary, dark, deep holes. On this day, they are two kiddy pools, only 15 feet deep!

Sunday, I drove out to my land on the Haw to take a look, and could easily observe the flood level by the debris hanging 3-4 feet up in the trees. My canoes were safely tied and the deck fared well, too.

Hobie Cat Graveyard

2009-12-14T07:30:00.001-08:00

in Virginia Beach at 84th St.

Greetings! Back from another road trip, this time to Virginia Beach to visit my parents. Jennifer and I went for a walk on the beach to beach-comb after the massive nor'easter associated with Tropical Depression Ida in November. It lasted for days and destroyed bulkheads, houses, roads and beaches. It caused leaks at my folks beachfront house, but since they rent, the stress was low.

As we strolled toward Cape Henry, we watched cargo ships departing the Chesapeake Bay. On the way back, we strolled the strand line looking for things cast up by the tide. Here we found the Hobie Cat graveyard.

Hobie Cats are a common sight on the beach, and frequently become partially buried in the drifting sand over the winter, but these boats seemed mostly abandoned. Here, a red-hulled Hobie 16 actually has grass growing on top of the trampoline. A security-minded kayak owner is using the Hobie as a tie-down for his yellow craft.

This Hobie has been cannibalized for her trampoline, but I think the thiefs just wanted the metal, since the tramp fabric has been discarded between the hulls.

This Prindle seems intact save the rudder connector has been stolen, and the mast is missing. It seems like the missing mast could be a fatal problem.

Another Hobie 16 missing rudder parts and mast. It takes a real dirtbag to steal a mast for the money the metal would bring. It's no different than stealing an AC unit from a house, ruining a 2000 dollar unit for $40 worth of copper. It's kind of heartbreaking to see these boats left by trusting owners be stripped.

This yellow boat seems like the most beloved boat, with a complete set of parts, mast, lines, and a hula girl on the port hull. The owners should go sailing real soon.

East Saint Louis Bricks

2009-12-02T07:54:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving in the St. Louis area.

Jennifer's folks live in the Southern Illinois/ St. Louis area, so we made a roadtrip to visit. I wanted to get a closer look at the Mississippi River and the economically challenged town of ESL (pop. 30,000) on the east bank. We had to trespass railroad property and hop the floodwall to even see the river. Once over the wall, we saw that the river bank was littered with bricks of all description, so I photographed a few.

These curious items were on the beach; I think they look like dolphin skeletons. They in fact are insulators for high voltage lines overhead. They had a date of 1983 stencilled on each grey disc.

Annual Haw River Flood

2009-11-14T07:03:00.000-08:00

Jennifer and I took a few days to drive up to Paul's dad's place way up high on Bluff Mountain in Ashe County near the corner of NC, VA, and TN this week. As we departed, a terrific windstorm formerly known as Ida swept over NC, dropping loads of rain. We scooted far enough west to avoid the worst, but the rain filled the Haw River basin.

I saw the river crossing under NC 54 as we returned from the mountains to our area, and I decided to visit the parcel that I own along the Haw in Orange County. The river overflows its banks about once a year. Below, Jennifer views the Haw covering the canoe access near NC 54 in Alamance County

Jennifer drove me to the property, and I called Mark to have him join me and see the spectacle. I reached the water's edge and saw that the river was much wider than normal, covering much of the field stretching away from the river. My canoes were far out in the stream, but I needed a boat to tour the flood. I stripped down my clothes and waded out to the nearest canoe, finding it overturned and floating on top of a wooden staircase that allows access to the river in low water. The canoe was tied to an 8X8 deck, which in turn was tied to another canoe stretching downstream at the length of its painter. When I untied the upstream canoe, the deck and other canoe began to drift downstream through the trees. Fortunately, the deck became lodged between two trees, and the second upturned canoe was fast to the deck. I drained my canoe and began scouting around by boat.

Below, the Haw covers the road, leaving behind well-combed grass as it drops somewhat from its maximum flow.

The flood waters were well into the forest, with myriad bugs and spiders above the waterline. By and by, Mark marched down out of the woods (the road was impassable due to a foot diameter tree down). He and I embarked and went out to see the fast-flowing main stream of the Haw, and I pointed out the deck and second canoe in the woods, far from the clearing where I had placed them initially. We went and secured the extra canoe to a tree, and then attempted to tow the deck upstream while it floated in three or four feet of water. Amazingly, this worked, until we got the deck posts entangled in the stairs, which were floating at the end of an anchor line. I decided to go ahead and get wet, and was able to disentangle the lines and manually push the deck back upstream while Mark belayed the deck and me. We retied the deck to very near where it had originally been, and then cracked a well-deserved beer in celebration. When the river drops to within its banks, mud will coat the grass, debris will hang from the trees, parts of the bank may have slipped away, but the deck and all three boats were saved.

Above, a view of my wooden stairs floating just outside of the swift main flow of the Haw River

Below, Mark braces the canoe, with the deck secured behind him in the customary location.

Spring Sail to Bass Harbor

2009-11-04T13:30:00.000-08:00

The great thing about Deer Isle is that it is within striking distance of so many very beautiful islands and harbors along the Maine coast. After fixing the spreaders, Jennifer and I talked about where we might go. I really thought Mt. Desert Island was within two, and maybe only one, nights range. I gathered up the various necessary components for the Wayfarer, such as the paddle, rudder, anchors, sails, tools and buckets. I also loaded the forward compartment with the sleeping bags and pads, extra water, and clothes. We packed a cooler with beverages and snacks, plus our standard shipboard fare, which was a big cold dish cooked the night before, in this case, sesame noodles.

We drove Mary's 1992 Toyota down to the shore with Juliet in tow. It is a very beautiful drive, though only a half mile.

At the Beach at Old Ferry Landing, I disconnected the trailer and wheeled it down the sandy beach to the water's edge and checked the plugs, then launched Juliet by hand. Then Jennifer helped me drag the Pamco trailer back up to the grass in Gerald and Jean's yard.

Gerald and Jean's Inn at Ferry Landing

We carried the sails and heavy gear down to the boat and rigged her up. We used low plastic tote boxes that slide under the seats for easy access. Maps and rain gear, snacks, sandals, the camera, and other day use items are best stored in these totes, and in Ziplocs if sensitive to moisture. Ziplocs are handy. The sails were raised, the rudder installed, we donned our life vests, and Jennifer boarded the sailboat first. The water was cold, and I was careful to give a little shove out and step over the transom, quickly pushing the rudder down and steering away from a known rocky bar at the ferry landing. Jennifer grabbed the mainsheet to power the Wayfarer forward. Then the wind and calm take over. I got out of the way and Jennifer took the helm. We headed south toward Brooklin and Swan's Island.

A link to a nice cruising log.

2009-11-03T12:44:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to a cruise that Dick and his friend Dennis sailed around Deer Isle in the opposite direction as Jennifer and I sailed.

2009 Maine Cruise: Dick Harrington's log - 1

We had run into them on Eggemoggin Reach as we made a shakedown daysail before our cruise. Dick has written and mapped out a terrific adventure which I know you will enjoy. I found it when I searched our sail number (W2414) and up popped a reference to the meeting in Eggemoggin. I shot a few digital pics, and present them here.

Dick and Dennis got a good look at our rig, and Dick mentioned he knew a few ways to speed things up for us. As we chatted, both over the gunwhales and the radio, I recognized that they were outpacing us, even with all of the camping gear they carried. We were nearly empty. Below is a photo of us passing in front of the Deer Isle-Sedgwick Bridge, a very beautiful edifice similar to "Galloping Gertie", which famously collapsed on film in the Tacoma Narrows in 1940.

Great Sailing Video

2009-10-29T12:01:00.000-07:00

Here is a relay Laser race with some excellent (hilarious) action.

6 uren from Floris Wijnbergh on Vimeo.

Weekend Trip to the City

2009-10-28T08:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings any and all readers from the fabulous Taj Mahal in New Jersey!

Atlantic City became our destination for the weekend when we opened our "junk mail" and to our surprise found that a casino had invited us for two free nights stay. The room was comped to us, that is to say, in exchange for playing card games at their poker room.

It takes us about 9 hours to drive each way, which we broke up by making a stop in DC to visit Mike, who kindly put us up on his fancy couch. He also invited me to a party across town, and even lent me the bike to get there! Mike's neighborhood is thriving and attractive, known as Mt Pleasant, and we frequently visit and Mike always accomodates us with gracious generosity.

Compare with the below picture of some row houses abandoned and boarded up (the Borgata Casino is behind them) in Atlantic City :

The view from the room of Absecon Inlet at the north end of the island includes the Lighthouse and a giant new casino under construction.

We brought a good bit of our own supplies to the hotel, since room service and drinks and what-not are often overpriced. But the modern room was very nicely appointed with a fridge. We brought fresh baked brownies, fancy beer and sodas, and garden grown flowers from NC to ensure proper decor and diet while there.

I approached the weekend from a wilderness camping perspective, since as soon as you walk out of your room, you begin to run into ways to spend money. But there are simple bargains, too, such as valet parking ($7 including tip), coffee (free in the room, around $1.25 by the thermos-full at service stations), and food at the poker table ($7 plus $2 tip for a large salad and order of onion rings).

Among the few recreational activities in Atlantic City are beachcombing, which is surprisingly interesting. Jennifer and I strolled up to Absecon Inlet and back, and easily could see significant erosion from the summer hurricane named Bill. Along the beach are numerous piers, jetties, groins, bulkheads, pilings, and all manner of failed construction. But at the NE tip of the island is a jetty which the locals fish from. It was very pretty fall weather, and we saw others strolling and biking, as well as fishing and surfing.

The drive back to NC was a long one, but I would definitely repeat the trip, and I felt good about keeping the trip simple and affordable, as well as the nice touches that made the trip more homey and low-key.

Minor repair for the Wayfarer

2009-10-20T07:16:00.001-07:00

Raising and lowering the mast on the Wayfarer can cause a lot of wear-and-tear. Trailering her along bumpy frost-heaved Maine roads doesn't help the situation much. The mast and spreaders receive much of that abuse. Last year as I put Juliet away for the winter, one of the spreaders cracked and broke into two. I looked closely at the spreader, and resolved to bring the needed repair parts with me in the spring when Jennifer and I returned to Deer Isle. On our drive north from North Carolina, I collected a few things I thought might come in handy. First I stopped at Hamilton Marine in Searsport, Maine. I thought I would be able to just buy a spreader arm or set. I only found some Taylor brand boots to put over the spreaders. So on to the next stop, the hardware store in Bucksport. There I found 3/4 inch electrical conduit that seemed like it might be a good backup plan.

Juliet had waited all winter on Deer Isle, way down at the bottom of Mary's backyard. Usually we stash the boat around a bend in the trees but last year we tried putting her in the old boathouse at the bottom of the yard. I found the boat and trailer stuck axle deep in mud. Instead of struggling against the mud, I used a couple of old boards under the trailer wheels and Juliet followed along like an obedient puppy, all the way up the grass yard.

In the driveway I got another look at the broken spreader. Now, how to fix the damage? It seemed like Juliet needed another spreader, and the conduit was going to be it. I measured the length of the spreader, and cut a piece of conduit to match.

Then I realized that I really wanted a splint for the broken outside end of the spreader. I cut the replacement spreader down by about four inches, so that it would act as a sleeve. I flattened and drilled a hole through the mast end of the conduit to screw it to the mast brace. Below, I am smoothing the burrs of the sawn ends of the newly fabricated spreader. The broken original spreader is across the port gunwhale.

After I got a screw through the new piece, I slid the old broken spreader into the new, and taped it up to prevent the sail from contacting anything rough. It worked pretty well. I only spent a little on the parts, although I plan to order the new correct spreaders for the Wayfarer. I like working on the Wayfarer, because anyone can see what is wrong when something is broken, and then repair it with a little creativity, even on the water.

The Alcort Sailfish, My First Boat

2009-10-18T17:36:00.000-07:00

Below is an old Instamatic photo of me and my stepbrother Harrison (hat) sailing our 1964 Alcort Sailfish in the summer of 1981. I often point out that my first car was a boat, and I think all children should have a chance to go boating. The shoreline is in the Chesapeake Bay, east of Lynnhaven Inlet. My stepdad Bobby got us this boat from somewhere, along with his whole quiver of other sailboats, such as Nacras, Hobies, and Sonars. We kept it on Chesapeake Beach from the time I was eleven till I was fourteen or so. Then we moved it onto the oceanfront of Virginia Beach.

A permit was required to keep it in VB, and mine read "58th-60th St Only." To sail her I would carry the sail spars, rudder, daggerboard and lifejacket down to the boat, untie it from the fence and then drag the whole boat down to the water's edge. Rigging the Sailfish was easy, and getting through the waves became second nature. As you can see, there is no cockpit at all, which let waves wash right over it. I would often sail out of sight of land, and at least once swam in the deepest, most remote water I could find, which was about three miles out and forty feet deep or so.
Eventually, I left Virginia Beach to attend Christchurch School in Saluda, Virginia. I took the Sailfish with me, and often sailed as part of the Christchurch Sailing Team in the Rappahannock River near the Chesapeake Bay. After I left to go to college, Bobby turned the boat over to a friend's son, and I moved on to other boats. I owe Bobby a huge debt of gratitude for introducing me to sailing.

Deer Isle Map from a postcard

2009-10-17T00:24:00.000-07:00

We commonly use postcards and handouts from the Chamber of Commerce to navigate.

Homeward Bound on Deer Isle

2009-10-16T13:25:00.000-07:00

Well, it has come time to wrap up circumnavigating Deer Isle in Maine. We were tired from two days of sailing, and the decision had been made to sail to the causeway at the very north end of the island. Mary's house where we keep our sailboat is only a quarter mile or so from the causeway. The winds were light and variable, which might have been frustrating if we had pushed on around Little Deer Isle. But I drank my last Ballantine and soldiered on, lightly sculling with the rudder.
Sometimes when the wind is very light, we will use our paddle briefly to gain some direction, and it does make the Wayfarer coast along for a few dozen feet, even when you only throw a few strokes in. It was like that this day. The coastline here on the NW side of Deer Isle looks very much like Acadia National Park, but with a bit more development.

I could write a whole post about the tides in Maine. You have to be careful with shorelines. If you beach the boat on a lowering tide, she can be stranded in just fifteen minutes. But I decided after talking it over with Jennifer that we could retrieve the trailer from Mary's house and load Juliet on the trailer by hand. After that, the boat would be left high and dry on the trailer. Then we would have most of the low tide through nightfall to figure out how to get Juliet and the trailer up the long sandy/gravelly beach. The causeway beach is the very first place you come to when you drive to the island, and there were a few vehicles and waders, sunbathers and children playing. We sailed straight up to the beach and jumped ashore with our "fun bag", which has a bunch of necessities for in or out of Juliet (the boat.) I threw a few totes and some gear on the beach. Then I tossed the lunch hook as far out as I could, so as to hold her of the gravel while I hiked for our car/trailer combination. This is how she looks at anchor on the Causeway Beach :
All that was left to do was get her out of the water and home. So Jennifer kicked back on the beach and took some pictures and sorted gear, and I jogged back to Mary's and retrieved the car/trailer. I unhooked the trailer and walked it down the beach to submerge it near Juliet. I slid a couple of long plywood strips under her wheels to keep them from miring in the sand. Then I pulled the anchor and centered her on the trailer and cranked her in. I rolled her and the trailer up the plywood planks and checked her as she sat for centeredness (new word?) The Wayfarer is a very light boat. A very nice man named Ed took interest in the whole operation and offered to help roll her up the beach. I said "I think I'll just tie a line to the car from where she sits and pull her from afar up the beach." He replied "I have my truck." "Man, I wouldn't drive my car down there." And he said "It'll probably be fine." So, he pulled his little 4X4 down to the waters edge and hooked me up, dragged Juliet up to our little wagon, and the boat was out for the winter. Jennifer and I had completely circumnavigated Deer Isle. It really seemed like a longer sail in concept than practice.

Want Chrissails Email Alerts?

2009-10-12T14:34:00.000-07:00

Of course you do, how else can you keep up? Just click on this link : Google Alerts to check out my latest post. Feedback is needed for me to improve my blog. I've already had dozens of visitors from all over the world, so thank you for supporting my first effort at publishing a blog!

UPDATED BLOG ALERTS

Corrected Google alert link at end of post.

Google Alerts

Wandering through the NC Piedmont: History for Sale

2009-10-12T12:27:00.000-07:00

The following is my first in a series of guest blog posts about where I live. It is not about sailing, but, well, I accidentally let a friend post an article to my blog instead of his. It happens when you share a computer. This is dedicated to Ed and Andrea, readers of my blog and good friends. Sail onward!

Wandering through the NC Piedmont: History for Sale

Quiz time for the sailors

2009-10-08T03:41:00.000-07:00

What is wrong with this picture? Anyone who guesses correctly will be held in high esteem by this blogger. Juliet, the Wayfarer has a lot of added parts screwed onto her. From this view, I can see the west shore of Deer Isle as we continue circumnavigating the Island and sail NE in Penobscot Bay Maine.

Shakori Hills Music Festival

2009-10-07T14:57:00.000-07:00

Eric and Cilenia came out to the Shakori Hills Music Festival and got in free by volunteering, we did the same.

This is our camp in the woods for the duration of the festival. You need a place to catch some sleep during the day as well as the night. A little campcraft helps. Like a small boat, less is more. A chair, a little food, some totes are enough stuff outside the tent. We kept a little fire going, but at more than one point someone took our firewood. Inside are all manner of sleeping pads, inflatable bed, bags, sheets blankets, cameras, beer, clothes, schedules, stickers, flyers, and camp gear. The music runs from Thursday, through late Sunday night.

photo copyright Todd Gaul

We are lucky enough to be working this weekend at a terrific music festival in Chatham County, NC. The web site explains more about it, but it will keep us away from Carrboro all weekend and in earshot of lots of great music. I'm not getting too much feedback from local sailors, because my blog is so new, but rest assured, if you comment and link a picture of your sailboat, I will feature it as a post. Shakori Hills Festival : http://www.shakorihills.org/

Carrboro Yacht Club

2009-10-06T10:39:00.000-07:00

I've decided to start a yacht club. I can think of a few potential members. Paul Van Ness: you are in. Eric Chupp is in. Jason Hoey wants in, but he needs a boat. Jennifer is in. Runyon Woods is probably already a member of some yacht club (Beaufort?) My tattooed friend Eric has a 24 ft Columbia; he's in. I'm going to collect a few photos of local sailors and begin my club. Anyone who is interested in joining may let me know. A photo of you or your boat qualifies. I'll find some more sailors. My next post is going to concern boat maintenance, which is my weak spot. Till then, I'm Chris Marthinson.

Found a nice photo set on Picasa

2009-10-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

All Wayfarers from Denmark

http://picasaweb.google.com/monicalindhardt/Rantzausminde2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCMvaxLnWz-j6cg&feat=directlink&fgl=true&pli=1#

Back to Deer Isle

2009-10-05T07:51:00.000-07:00

Penobscot Bay offers views of Vinalhaven and the hills of Camden. There were a few boats milling around the Bay, and finally we had some open water to sail. It's a thrill to have a small boat cutting through the larger waves in the bay. Jennifer took the tiller for a while; we were tacking alot because the wind was out of the north. I like to take long tacks, because we don't spill our cocktails as much that way. The longest tack took us nearly to North Haven, which made for an enjoyable long crossing. As you can see the weather was wonderful, with clear skies and top winds around ten knots. I spent a little time working on the scuppers, which beautifully cleared most of the water and much of the trash out. I've always been afraid of my old scuppers, after all, they are holes in the bottom of the boat. But they work almost perfectly, and I watched an acorn drop into the scupper and ... disappear! Jennifer and I had a short discussion about whether to sail on around Little Deer Isle to actually return to the Old Ferry Landing. A much shorter way home was to sail to the Causeway between the islands. Both of us were tired, so that was our destination.

The Scariest Black Widow Picture

2009-10-05T07:37:00.000-07:00

Courtesy University of California-Riverside

I'm pretty much over the black widow

2009-10-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

I'll get back to sailing real soon. I'm still trying to get the story of sailing around Deer Isle finished, but it takes awhile. I will say that my health care experience was very positive. It cost me less than $100 to visit my doctor and get the prescription for the Oxycodone and Valium. It helped that I let them know that I had a huge deductible that wasn't yet met.
Another friend, Eric, just bought a 24 foot Columbia that needs a bunch of work. He plans to clean it up and live/sail it. I wish him luck and cannot wait to see it. Maybe I can do some before and after pictures of his project. I'd love to get some feedback on what the readers like. Thanks for keeping up with my blog, and I hope to make more connections with sailors this way.

Recovering from the Spider

2009-10-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

I'm feeling a little better, but I've still got a way to go. My arm was hurting badly last night, but the pain in my torso was less. I'd rather be sailing. I actually still have the spider in a bag. I can't see the red hourglass, but we did yesterday before we smashed it.

Bitten by a Black Widow

2009-10-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

This morning I was just sitting at Johnnys on Main St. in Carrboro, talking with Pete and Carter, when I noticed something in the sleeve of my sweatshirt. As I poked at the lump in the cloth I was bitten. I immediately pulled out a shiny black spider : a black widow! Carter jumped up from the table, then looked behind the apple where it hid and smashed it with a paper. It had a big red hourglass shape on it. Definitely a female black widow! And I was definitely bitten.
Carter took me over to her nearby house so we could read up quickly on the matter, Pete helped too. An emergency room visit might be warranted depending on the symptoms, we read. I called my doctor and they asked me about it. I didn't think it was quite as bad as a yellow jacket sting. The nurse reported that if I felt nausea I should go to the emergency room. Otherwise, just take a couple benedryl and keep the affected extremity (my left forearm) down, to restrict circulation. This I did for a while at Johnnys. Pretty quickly, pain began in my arm. Paul came by and sat with me a while, and Thomas gave me a ride home, so that I could rest on the couch at home.
I surfed the internet for two hours, and eventually got hungry. The pain wasn't too bad, so I ate some crackers, an apple with peanut butter, and some leftover salad. Mark gave me a call, and I invited him over to sit with me. We talked, and I started groaning and feeling worse. I called the doctor again to review the symptoms, and they invited me to come on over to visit them. After talking, she decided to prescribe some pain meds. I have never really felt sicker than this before, but the meds are kicking in now. Jennifer is coming home to take care of me now.

Day Two : Into Penobscot Bay

2009-09-26T13:36:00.000-07:00

Off in the north, Stonington sparkled like a brightly painted city of the sea. Jennifer and I were easily able to stow our sleeping bags and tent into the front hold of the Wayfarer. The only other item is one emergency gallon of water that stays forward and out of the way. To launch Juliet, we simply rig the sails and rudder, and lightly step aboard, shoving off at the last second. Immediately, the wind takes over from momentum. We had a straight shot northwest to the Deer Isle Thoroughfare from Rock Island. There was one minor shoal along the route, which I could see beneath the waves, but it was no threat. We shared the coffee left in Thermos as we enjoyed the view. Nothing beats mornings in the boat. In the channel is an island with a house designed to look like a lighthouse. It is connected by a bar to Crotch, making the south passage unnavigable. However, it made a nice shortcut due to the north wind. Jennifer was at the ready for the centerboard and we slid over the bar with no draft to spare. Juliet (the Wayfarer) is good about finding her way through a tight squeeze. Jennifer looked around at all the industrial boats and equipment related to the Crotch Island Mine, which is still in operation. Billings Marine makes a handy stop for sailors and other boaters as one heads from Stonington toward Penobscot Bay. Shortly we left the protected Thoroughfare and headed into Penobscot Bay, intending to work our way up the west side of Deer Isle toward home waters.

Morning In Stonington Harbor

2009-09-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

In the morning the boat was just fine, resting high on the sandy beach at the end of her anchor line.
Lucas' wife, Peg said that Lucas had to arise in the middle of the night to reset the tents and saw that my boat appeared to be riding her anchor just fine. He also reported being surprised that was the case because of the high winds and waves. Maybe he thought I was a landlubber, but I can set an anchor if need be. It was a beautiful morning and Jennifer slept in while I messed with the boat cleaning her out and schlepping gear around. Juliet had a few gallons of water in her; I don't know why. Breakfast was the coffee from the convenience store, yogurt and bananas. Lucas really slept in, because by the time we were ready to leave the beach, he was nowhere to be seen.

A night on Rock Island

2009-09-17T08:19:00.000-07:00

We sat together with Lucas and Peg, chatting about the waters of Maine, and the darkness grew. Lucas owns one of the many workboats in the harbor, and even brought gear out to the island with the big boat, then moored it and returned in his motor skiff. His boat lay near the high tide line on a big Danforth. Eventually, while camping and in the dark, bed calls out. Jennifer and I set up the tent among spruce trees with sleeping pads and inexpensive sleeping bags, dragged our limited gear into the tent and fell asleep.
I never sleep all that well the first night of camping, but the wind in the trees persuaded me to stay in the tent, even though I should have been alarmed about the little anchor and Juliet. At four o'clock I finally ventured out for the usual reason, as well as to see whether my boat was even there.

Rock Island and Rest for the Weary

2009-09-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

Before Departing Deer Isle and Fisherman's Friend, I walked to the Harbor Mart for a few things. Top of the list: a Thermos of hot coffee; next, yogurt and bananas, plus a bag of pretzels and my all-time favorite convenience store purchase: Munchos. The late afternoon in Stonington left us with a few choices from the MITA book. Rock Island seemed the most obvious. I felt no rush, but a view of the harbor proves the sun was dropping fast.

To the east of Crotch Island lay little Rock Island. I'm pretty sure the name is a common island name in Maine, like Sheep, Long, Mark, and Harbor Islands. But it was there for us with a broad, sandy beach on her north side. The sun got away so fast that we were a bit disappointed to see numerous tents on the grassy shoreline, but nevermind. We had brought along a tent and sleeping bags and were not plannng on sleeping in the boat, as we has in trips to Castine, Vinalhaven and Bass Harbor. Lucas, a local lobsterman, greeted us as we hit the beach and asked if we needed help, but the beach was sandy and wide and we easily disembarked with our gear, glad to have decided on a final stop. I had really thought we were on a daysail, so I had made a silly error of not bringing Juliet's big Danforth, I only had the tiny lunch grappling hook. After the boat was cleaned ourt and we had all the gear, I looked at the beach and guessed it was wide enough for Juliet to anchor there for high tide (around 12:30 AM) and be afloat overnight. The grappling hook was buried in a hole in the middle of the beach and covered with an extra eight inches of sand above the natural grade. I washed off my hands and pretty well hoped for the best overnight. The lights of Stonington sparkled in the water.

Stonington Harbor for Dinner

2009-09-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

It wasn't a tough decision to sail to the beautiful harbor in Stonington. There is a fine seafood restaurant, Fisherman's Friend that is adjacent to the dinghy dock. Of course as we came around the southeast side of Deer Isle, the wind was from Stonington, but no matter. We ambled around the Stonington Archipelago to find better wind and encountered another small sailboat that was heading toward the north. As we neared Stonington, we saw the powerful workboats that the lobstermen use. On into the harbor, we saw the handy town dock, so we dropped sails and tied up. Many smaller rowing and motor dinghies also use the dock, but there is always room for one more.
Jennifer and I gratefully walked ashore and made a beeline to the restaurant, where we got a table and then took advantage of the head. I don't really want to talk about the head on the boat, but it obeys the maxim "less is more." The meal was good, I had excellent haddock with a baked potato and beer, Jennifer had alfredo pasta, which we both liked.

Juliet, our sailboat

2009-09-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Juliet is a sixteen-foot Wayfarer sailing dinghy. She has two large waterproof compartments and seats two very comfortably. We purchased her on a trailer for $1000 from Jean Wheeler of Deer Isle. Mostly fiberglass, she has a large marconi sloop rig, and draws only 8 inches with her centerboard up. One drawback is the lack of back support, but you can beach her on sand or gravel and get out to stretch and walk around. She is a breeze to launch and only slightly more trouble to recover. Her sail/hull number is W2414 which puts her in the '73-'74 range. I have grown to appreciate her sturdy construction and light weight. She obeys the adage "less is more".

Jericho Bay and Decisiontime

2009-09-14T12:00:00.000-07:00

So we set off from Torrey not knowing our destination, but it seemed to me we could get out into Jericho Bay and look around for a while. Jennifer volunteered that she could eat a meal. Crackers and cheese, GORP, beer and screwdrivers were about our entire larder, so it had to be some kind of restaurant. Stonington would definitely put us out of range to get back to the old ferry landing, so decisiontime had come at 1:30 in the afternoon on Eggemoggin Reach. Above is the view across Jericho bay and Blue Hill Bay toward Mt. Desert Island.

Torrey Island near Brooklin, Maine

2009-09-14T04:11:00.000-07:00

Connected by a bar to an island in the distance, Torrey Island makes a good picnic spot. Juliet can easily sail across the shoal into the little protected bay where we dropped anchor. The fine gravel on the beach felt like some kind of hot rock spa treatment that might cost $600 in a resort. At this point, Jennifer and I still thought we were on a daysail. As we left Torrey, the question of turnaround time came up.

Circumnavigating Deer Isle

2009-09-13T19:08:00.000-07:00

We were able to make it all the way around the island in two days, starting from the Old Ferry Landing on Eggemoggin Reach and ending at the Causeway, with a stop at Rock Island, east of Crotch Island, dinner in Stonington, plus rests at Torrey Island and another island at the entrance to Jericho Bay. Here, Jennifer waits at the old ferry landing.

2009-09-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here Juliet lies at the end of the Stonington City Dock, while Jennifer and I dine at Fisherman's Friend Restaurant.

Sailing in Maine

2009-09-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

To start things off, my wife, Jennifer and I have just returned from a trip to Maine. We have been to Maine quite a few times and finally decided to do some sailing; we let some folks know. A neighbor on Deer Isle offered us a chance to sail her little Wayfarer sailing dinghy. We bought it from her later in the summer and have been sailing it it twice a year for the last three years. This last trip was the best so far.