It can be said with some certainty that I was not a model student. I know that for my parents, who were both teachers, this was quite vexing. I was also brought up in a Catholic home, where both of my parents, my aunts and uncles, many cousins, and nieces and nephews had been subjected to an educational experience that is Catholic school. I even had a cousin who was not only a nun, but taught at a Catholic school. So when a friend of mine sent me this joke, I could not help but burst out into laughter. It is not often that I will pass along jokes, many are too adult in nature to post in a forum such as this one, but I hope that everyone will enjoy this one as much as I did.
Little Zachary was doing very badly in math. (that part sounded very familiar)
His parents had tried everything.... Tutors, Mentors, flash cards, special learning centers. In short, everything they could think of to help his math. Finally, in a last ditch effort, they took Zachary down and enrolled him in the local Catholic school.. After the first day, little Zachary came home with a very serious look on his face. He didn't even kiss his mother Hello. Instead, he went straight to his room and started studying. Books and papers were spread out all over the room and little Zachary was hard at work. His mother was amazed. She called him down to dinner. To her shock, the minute he was done, he marched back to his room without a word, and in no time, he was back hitting the books as hard as before. This went on for some time, day after day, while the mother tried to understand what made all the difference. Finally, little Zachary brought home his report card. He quietly laid it on the table, went up to his room and hit the books. With great trepidation, His mom looked at it and to her great surprise, Little Zachary got an 'A' in math. She could no longer hold her curiosity. She went to his room and said, 'Son, what was it? Was it the nuns?' Little Zachary looked at her and shook his head, no. 'Well, then,' she replied. Was it the books, the discipline, the structure, the uniforms? 'WHAT WAS IT ALREADY?' Little Zachary looked at her and said, 'Well, on the first day of school when I saw that guy nailed to the plus sign, I knew they weren't fooling around.'
Have a wonderful day and God Bless.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Of Patience, Painting, and Hot Water Heaters
Another weekend is drawing to a close, and it is time once again for news, observations and commentary from the cockpit.
After much thought, (actually much cussing and frustration) tonight's main topic is patience. I have learned over the weekend that patience takes many forms, has many facets, and that there are various levels of patience. Take for instance, the patience of a parent. I thought I did well with this, you nuture your children, guide them as best as you can, and stand by while they do everything they can to get away with as much as they can. As they stray, you guide them back on track, pat them on their bottoms (read as spank) and set them on their way again. There is a rhythm to this, and as a parent you get used to it and can even begin to predict patterns that will try your patience. Now that is a topic for a whole other blog, trying ones patience. We will not delve into that tonight, but it is an art all of its own. From a young age, I knew I would have patience as a parent, because I tried my parents patience all the time. So - I had practice. I knew the drill. And I knew many of the tricks and pranks that my son would try, because I had tried them all myself. (disappearing report card anyone? I invented that, and hold the patent rights on it to this day) So, my parents had the patience of Saints. Growing up in a Catholic family, I knew the Saints had patience - I was reminded of that at least every week. But one thing I discovered this weekend was a new type of patience - painting patience, and in specific - boat painting patience. This type of patience is of a level all its own. There are so many minutae that conspire to try your patience as you paint a boat that it borders on the ridiculous. Take for example the soothing roll of the boat on the swells of the harbor. A nice, peaceful, serene rhythm, that can be quite soothing and theraputic, until that is you are trying to paint. Ever try flying a kite in a hurricane? That is what it is like trying to hold a steady line with a detail brush as it seems the boat is bucking like a bronco at the county rodeo. Or bugs. Bugs seem to have an affinity for freshly painted surfaces. I have not seen 10 bugs this year aboard my boat, it must be something about the wind and currents down on my end of the marina, but today, after the first finish coat of paint had been laid down, every insect for 5 square miles arrived to inspect my paint job. So here I am waiting for the paint to dry, so that I can brush the bugs out of the finish, and that is when I realized why there is that old saying "like waiting for paint to dry".
There I am finishing up the last bits of sanding, and getting ready to paint. I had taped off all the gear on deck, removed the companion way hatch, the doors and set up all my supplies in the cockpit. I got out a few old cans to mix paint with, and set to laying down the first coat of primer. It was then I realized that I have been alot of things in my life, held alot of varied jobs and gained tons of worldly experience, but I am no painter. I have a new found respect for painters, not those artist type guys that use little brushes and can paint a portrait so real it looks like it could come to life, but the beer swilling, tobacco chewing, belching kind of guys that you see in every neighborhood bar, wearing painter paints, painters caps and have 8 different colors of paint speckled all over them. The kind of guys that can take a 4 inch brush, and a 10 inch roller and coat a surface with paint so even and true it looks like it was sprayed on. I toiled all day on about 40 square feet of surface, and yes, there are 2 coats of primer on it and 3 coats of finish, but I am no where near done, in fact, I am only partly finished. If I were a true painter, a real painter, I would have finishe not only the topsides, but the hull, the deck, and the neighbiors boat as well in the same amount of time. Next week will bring more sanding and more painting, and more prep work and finishing. So, with all that said, my patience today wore very thin, and I could not wait for that last brush stroke of the day. 10 hours of painting, and I have about 1/3 of the topside done. Kind of makes me wonder if I should hire a painter to do the other 2/3.
Now we come to the hotly debated (well I debated it with myself at great length) subject of an onboard hot water heater. Earlier this week I got a bee in my bonnet about needing a hot water heater for the boat. It conjured up visions of warm showers aboard the boat on cold mornings, hot tap water for washing dishes just like I was at home on land again, and all kinds of neat and convienient things the advent of a water heater would bring the boat. So, I went to West Marine, got a great price on one, left with the dimensions of a, get this, 5 gallon water heater. I have space for it, aft under the cockpit, I found that it indeed would fit through the manhole cover in the cockpit floor with not much trouble, I even looked and found that running electric to it and coolant from the engine would not really be all that much work at all. (for informational purposes, boat water heaters use a 110 volt element when you have a generator - I do not - or when you are hooked to shore power. They also have a heat exchanger that uses engine coolant to heat the water in the tank when the engine is running.) So, with all the needed info in hand, I went back to West Maine to buy MY hot water heater, and it was GONE. Now mind you, there are others, but this one had been on the shelf for upwards of 3 weeks, and I was dead set on getting a hot water heater NOW. I was told there will be one coming on the truck on Wednesday, but as I was forced to pause in my water heater project, I began to think about why I needed one, and that started me thinking about all the reasons that I didnt need one. For one thing, I am headed south, so there won't be too many cold mornings this year. The water heater takes up space that I could certainly use for storage of many other things. It only holds 5 gallons, but that is 5 gallons out of 80, and that 80 gallons does not last long enough as it is. And considering I won't be tied to a dock during my cruise, I would need to start the engine everytime I wanted hot water, thus wasting fuel as well as fresh water. The purchase would use funds that I could use for other things, and, it would require the installation of a pressure water system that would incur more cost, not a hard job, but I can see the dollar signs starting to rack up in droves. And lastly, I have gone 11 months now without one, why do I so desperately need one now? So in the course of one hour or so, I completely talked myself out of getting the water heater and had begun to plan on other expenditures. Now do I really need a radar.....
After much thought, (actually much cussing and frustration) tonight's main topic is patience. I have learned over the weekend that patience takes many forms, has many facets, and that there are various levels of patience. Take for instance, the patience of a parent. I thought I did well with this, you nuture your children, guide them as best as you can, and stand by while they do everything they can to get away with as much as they can. As they stray, you guide them back on track, pat them on their bottoms (read as spank) and set them on their way again. There is a rhythm to this, and as a parent you get used to it and can even begin to predict patterns that will try your patience. Now that is a topic for a whole other blog, trying ones patience. We will not delve into that tonight, but it is an art all of its own. From a young age, I knew I would have patience as a parent, because I tried my parents patience all the time. So - I had practice. I knew the drill. And I knew many of the tricks and pranks that my son would try, because I had tried them all myself. (disappearing report card anyone? I invented that, and hold the patent rights on it to this day) So, my parents had the patience of Saints. Growing up in a Catholic family, I knew the Saints had patience - I was reminded of that at least every week. But one thing I discovered this weekend was a new type of patience - painting patience, and in specific - boat painting patience. This type of patience is of a level all its own. There are so many minutae that conspire to try your patience as you paint a boat that it borders on the ridiculous. Take for example the soothing roll of the boat on the swells of the harbor. A nice, peaceful, serene rhythm, that can be quite soothing and theraputic, until that is you are trying to paint. Ever try flying a kite in a hurricane? That is what it is like trying to hold a steady line with a detail brush as it seems the boat is bucking like a bronco at the county rodeo. Or bugs. Bugs seem to have an affinity for freshly painted surfaces. I have not seen 10 bugs this year aboard my boat, it must be something about the wind and currents down on my end of the marina, but today, after the first finish coat of paint had been laid down, every insect for 5 square miles arrived to inspect my paint job. So here I am waiting for the paint to dry, so that I can brush the bugs out of the finish, and that is when I realized why there is that old saying "like waiting for paint to dry".
There I am finishing up the last bits of sanding, and getting ready to paint. I had taped off all the gear on deck, removed the companion way hatch, the doors and set up all my supplies in the cockpit. I got out a few old cans to mix paint with, and set to laying down the first coat of primer. It was then I realized that I have been alot of things in my life, held alot of varied jobs and gained tons of worldly experience, but I am no painter. I have a new found respect for painters, not those artist type guys that use little brushes and can paint a portrait so real it looks like it could come to life, but the beer swilling, tobacco chewing, belching kind of guys that you see in every neighborhood bar, wearing painter paints, painters caps and have 8 different colors of paint speckled all over them. The kind of guys that can take a 4 inch brush, and a 10 inch roller and coat a surface with paint so even and true it looks like it was sprayed on. I toiled all day on about 40 square feet of surface, and yes, there are 2 coats of primer on it and 3 coats of finish, but I am no where near done, in fact, I am only partly finished. If I were a true painter, a real painter, I would have finishe not only the topsides, but the hull, the deck, and the neighbiors boat as well in the same amount of time. Next week will bring more sanding and more painting, and more prep work and finishing. So, with all that said, my patience today wore very thin, and I could not wait for that last brush stroke of the day. 10 hours of painting, and I have about 1/3 of the topside done. Kind of makes me wonder if I should hire a painter to do the other 2/3.
Now we come to the hotly debated (well I debated it with myself at great length) subject of an onboard hot water heater. Earlier this week I got a bee in my bonnet about needing a hot water heater for the boat. It conjured up visions of warm showers aboard the boat on cold mornings, hot tap water for washing dishes just like I was at home on land again, and all kinds of neat and convienient things the advent of a water heater would bring the boat. So, I went to West Marine, got a great price on one, left with the dimensions of a, get this, 5 gallon water heater. I have space for it, aft under the cockpit, I found that it indeed would fit through the manhole cover in the cockpit floor with not much trouble, I even looked and found that running electric to it and coolant from the engine would not really be all that much work at all. (for informational purposes, boat water heaters use a 110 volt element when you have a generator - I do not - or when you are hooked to shore power. They also have a heat exchanger that uses engine coolant to heat the water in the tank when the engine is running.) So, with all the needed info in hand, I went back to West Maine to buy MY hot water heater, and it was GONE. Now mind you, there are others, but this one had been on the shelf for upwards of 3 weeks, and I was dead set on getting a hot water heater NOW. I was told there will be one coming on the truck on Wednesday, but as I was forced to pause in my water heater project, I began to think about why I needed one, and that started me thinking about all the reasons that I didnt need one. For one thing, I am headed south, so there won't be too many cold mornings this year. The water heater takes up space that I could certainly use for storage of many other things. It only holds 5 gallons, but that is 5 gallons out of 80, and that 80 gallons does not last long enough as it is. And considering I won't be tied to a dock during my cruise, I would need to start the engine everytime I wanted hot water, thus wasting fuel as well as fresh water. The purchase would use funds that I could use for other things, and, it would require the installation of a pressure water system that would incur more cost, not a hard job, but I can see the dollar signs starting to rack up in droves. And lastly, I have gone 11 months now without one, why do I so desperately need one now? So in the course of one hour or so, I completely talked myself out of getting the water heater and had begun to plan on other expenditures. Now do I really need a radar.....
Monday, September 28, 2009
Heading South
After much thought, some would say too much thought, others would argue not enough, I have decided this is the year to head south for the winter. Yes, Capn Jack is going to be a snowbird. I think that all along that has been the goal, if not to cruise indefinitely, at least use the boat for her intended purpose, to sail and see new sights, enjoy a warm winter (so far an alien concept for me) and get a true sense of freedom again.
Having made this momentous decision, I am now in the position to wonder "am I really ready? Is the boat ready? Have I done enough to prepare?" The answer to the questions is, and in this order, no, yes, and most likely no again. Having never made a voyage of such length, I ask myself if I have the experience I need to go forth and adventure. I am almost sure I do not, but taking what knowledge I have gained from my sailing to date, and all the reading I have done thus far, I probably have more than enough knowledge to see me through, and the actual raw experience I need I am sure I will gain - because I have to.
The boat is ready, she has been ready, and every little thing I do to her just makes her more ready. I am finally able to raise both foresails on their appropriate stay, I have run the running rigging aft to the cockpit, there are now 3 kerosene lanterns aboard and I am putting away spares, stores and supplies. The engine will be serviced before I go, fresh oil and new filters, and of course extra parts for as many of the systems as I can afford.
I am making lists of things I need to finish and tasks still undone before I go - an extra row of reef points in the main, maybe a set of reefs in the working jib, possibly a storm trysail. Do I expect to run into any major storms along my passage - not really - I fully intend on being a rather fair weather sailor on the way south, and then once it is time to cut east to the Abacos I will be in much warmer waters where the winter storms and weather do not have the effects they have here.
But when I sit back and look at all that needs to be done, and all the things I'd like to buy before I leave, I realize one major thing - There are alot of people that have sailed alot farther and alot longer with less gear and knowledge and on less capable boats than I have, and they made it through just fine. So, with a bit of luck, and a dose of common sense, I figure I will do just fine, and Arden will carry me and Spook safely to new places and new adventures.
So somewhere between November 1 and December 1, 2009, Arden will leave Solomons one final time for the season, and then we will return 4 or 5 months later - rested, tanned, and relaxed for another season of work on the water.
Having made this momentous decision, I am now in the position to wonder "am I really ready? Is the boat ready? Have I done enough to prepare?" The answer to the questions is, and in this order, no, yes, and most likely no again. Having never made a voyage of such length, I ask myself if I have the experience I need to go forth and adventure. I am almost sure I do not, but taking what knowledge I have gained from my sailing to date, and all the reading I have done thus far, I probably have more than enough knowledge to see me through, and the actual raw experience I need I am sure I will gain - because I have to.
The boat is ready, she has been ready, and every little thing I do to her just makes her more ready. I am finally able to raise both foresails on their appropriate stay, I have run the running rigging aft to the cockpit, there are now 3 kerosene lanterns aboard and I am putting away spares, stores and supplies. The engine will be serviced before I go, fresh oil and new filters, and of course extra parts for as many of the systems as I can afford.
I am making lists of things I need to finish and tasks still undone before I go - an extra row of reef points in the main, maybe a set of reefs in the working jib, possibly a storm trysail. Do I expect to run into any major storms along my passage - not really - I fully intend on being a rather fair weather sailor on the way south, and then once it is time to cut east to the Abacos I will be in much warmer waters where the winter storms and weather do not have the effects they have here.
But when I sit back and look at all that needs to be done, and all the things I'd like to buy before I leave, I realize one major thing - There are alot of people that have sailed alot farther and alot longer with less gear and knowledge and on less capable boats than I have, and they made it through just fine. So, with a bit of luck, and a dose of common sense, I figure I will do just fine, and Arden will carry me and Spook safely to new places and new adventures.
So somewhere between November 1 and December 1, 2009, Arden will leave Solomons one final time for the season, and then we will return 4 or 5 months later - rested, tanned, and relaxed for another season of work on the water.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
A Cast of Characters
Ok, from time to time someone other than me (Capn Jack) or Spook may enter
into the blog. Current prime candidates are:
Spook - First Canine. Spook is a boating natural, having taken to the boat like a duck to water. She has also taken to the water like a....rock in a puddle. Has her own lifevest, and harness, and is the Spokesmodel for Nautipaws nautical pet accesories. Will be the cruising companion of choice.
into the blog. Current prime candidates are:
Gary - a sail boat enthusiast of the most magnanimous magnitude. Gary loves all boats - big 
boats, tall boats, odd boats and small boats. I think more than anything though, Gary likes working on boats, and taking something from his mind, putting it on paper, and then making it happen to the current project boat. Gary is married to Alice, and together, they were the previous owners of Arden. Every boat Gary sailed, tinkered, toyed with or been associated with has been a tribute to Alice. (Sweet Pea, Little Alice, and my own Arden) Gary is friends with Jerry, who happens to be Dad. See Alice, Dad (Jerry), Edenton.
boats, tall boats, odd boats and small boats. I think more than anything though, Gary likes working on boats, and taking something from his mind, putting it on paper, and then making it happen to the current project boat. Gary is married to Alice, and together, they were the previous owners of Arden. Every boat Gary sailed, tinkered, toyed with or been associated with has been a tribute to Alice. (Sweet Pea, Little Alice, and my own Arden) Gary is friends with Jerry, who happens to be Dad. See Alice, Dad (Jerry), Edenton.Liz - My sister, and occaisional sailor. Blogger and the force behind this blog. Comes with me on bay sails and day sails. Liz wants a boat really bad, but sailing on Arden seems to be a fix for that for now.
Dad - (Jerry, Jeremy) If there is anyone that is at the true root of my boat addiction, it is Dad. Gary fed it, (see Gary) but Dad started it. As I grew up we built 2 boats, and always had a supply of boating, sailing, and boat building books and magazines on hand to fuel the need. I think the one true source for my problem was dad's subscription to Wooden Boat Magazine. Then there was the sail when I was 12 on the Bass River during a Cape Cod vacation....and the rest is history. Dad is Married to Mom, (see Mom, Sheila) and friends with Gary and Alice.
Mom - (Sheila) Mom loves the water, mom also loves Dad. I'm not sure if mom really loves to sail, but she does it because we do. There were adventures in Annapolis with Dad on the Flying Tern, and misadventures in Beaver Creek with dad and I. She has patiently put up with more shenanigans and misadventures because of us than most moms should. Most famous quote: "Jerry.....!!" See Dad, Jerry
Alice - (see Gary) Alice and Gary were the owners of Arden, and she is the namesake of not only my boat, but every boat that I know of that Gary has owned, had parked in his driveway or has worked on in the backyard. Alice is definitely Gary's bonding system, and together they are definitely a pair, having nutured my dreams and aspirations of sailing, and helping me along the way. I think Alice likes to sail the way Gary likes to work on boats.
Spook - First Canine. Spook is a boating natural, having taken to the boat like a duck to water. She has also taken to the water like a....rock in a puddle. Has her own lifevest, and harness, and is the Spokesmodel for Nautipaws nautical pet accesories. Will be the cruising companion of choice.best meal on our last sail - Frogmore Stew
Thanks to a recommendation from my boss, Emily, here is what we had for dinner while under way our first evening out Labor Day weekend. Other than needing to divvy up the stuff into more than one pot - it was the perfect thing and not too difficult to pull off (motor sailing entering the Choptank).
Does your tummy turn over when thinking about Frogmore Stew? Wondering how manyCopyright 2009, South Carolina Department of Recreation and Tourism - http://www.scprt.com/more frogs are required for this South Carolina specialty? Relax, there are NO frogs in Frogmore Stew – in fact, it is more of an event than a dish. That is Southern cuisine the South Carolina way.
Southern Cuisine: Lowcountry Style
Similar to the crawfish boils in Louisiana, this “Lowcountry boil” is best served on a newspaper-covered picnic table, eaten with the fingers and shared with family and friends.Also known as Beaufort Stew, some claim that this one-pot dish (essentially a seasoned mixture of fresh shrimp, newly shucked yellow corn, sausage and potatoes) best represents the essential simplicity of Lowcountry cuisine. According to the South Carolina Encyclopedia, Frogmore Stew originated in the Frogmore community on St. Helena Island near Beaufort, but the truth is that Frogmore Stew exists throughout the coastal regions of the south.Ready for more great Southern cuisine? Email this page to a friend, submit a recipe, or sign-up for our newsletter and Savor the Flavor.FROGMORE STEW RECIPEFrogmore Stew features two main ingredients, fresh shrimp and newly shucked yellow corm, but most anything that is good boiled, such as crabs, redskin potatoes, and even crawfish can be added. Two keys to making a successful Frogmore Stew are:1. Stagger the addition of the ingredients and2. Don’t overcook the shrimp!INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons crab boil seasoning per gallon water (or more to taste)
- several lemons, halved (optional)
- redskin potatoes (depending on size, 3 or more per person)
- spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1-inch slices (¼ pound per person)
- fresh corn, broken into halves or thirds (1 ½ ears per person)
- shrimp (½ pound per person)
- butter, melted
- cocktail sauce
- sour cream
- ketchup
PREPARATION:Fill a large steamer pot halfway with water. Add crab-boil seasoning (or more to taste). Several halved lemons may be added as well.When the seasoned water comes to a boil, add redskin potatoes and boil for 20 minutes; then add one-inch slices of spicy smoked sausage and boil for 5-10 minutes. Add the corn) and boil another 5 minutes. (Begin timing immediately. Do not wait for it to boil again). Then add the shrimp. Cook for 3 minutes, drain, and pile on a table.Serve with lots of paper towels and icy beverages, plus melted butter for the corn, cocktail sauce for the shrimp, and sour cream or ketchup for the potatoes.
How to...Make a beautiful boat ugly
Feel the need to improve your boat? I can help. Just read along and enjoy.
Having spent all day puttering on the boat, it occured to me this evening that what I had accomplished was not what I had set out to do...but instead I had made my beautiful boat ugly in just a few short hours, in just a few easy steps. So, follow along, read between the lines, and by the end of the day you can have an ugly boat as well.
Now, one might say that this is all in the name of progress - the goal is to give Arden a new coat of paint, but after many hours of sanding, many more sheets of sand paper, and just a mere gallon or so of paint remover, I realize now that what should have been a simple task of strip, sand, and paint has become a really major undertaking. Strip, sand and paint. Sounds easy enough, much like coloring between the lines. Believe me, I had been mislead, most probably by myself. Perhaps it is because what is under a perfect paint job, (or maybe nearly perfect, perhaps almost perfect, well heck, pretty good will work just as well) is not nearly as nice as what you see when you are done. It doesn't help forward progress when one is as easily distracted as I am. (and I am distracted right now, so bear with me) Lets face it, I am a glutton for punishment, perhaps bordering on masochistic, because I am a fool for brightwork. Nothing says nautical like Captains Varnish. Thats why is is called Captains Varnish. It isnt called farmers varnish or old crazy guy in the woods varnish. It is Captains Varnish, and it belongs on a boat. It is the key to any and all brightwork. So here I am stripping, sanding and looking forward to painting. Then I realized that the grab rails Gary had so carefully painted years ago, to avoid the painful process of frequent upkeep that is the backbone of good brightwork, were originally varnished, were most certainly made of teak, and by God, they should be varnished once again! So introduced another 2 or 3 hours of stripping, sanding, and waiting to paint. Notice painting has become waiting to paint. And as I was sanding on these handrails, I rememered my Dorade box in the galley had been leaking, was in the way of the sanding, and it too was originally varnished. So out comes the drill, the bungs covering the mounting screws are removed, and off comes the Dorade box. Can you see a pattern developing? A leads to B, B leads to K and from there we are off to Z. My dad taught high school math, and even though I am no whiz, I can see the Algebra in this. To think I had thought I would never, ever see a real world need for algebra, and lo and behold, here it is in the middle of a paint job. (shazamm!!!)
To make a longer story a bit shorter, as the day wore on, I kept on sanding and stripping, and had yet to start painting. Wasn't that the original goal? And to think I thought I'd be done by lunch. So hours later here I am, with a partially sanded boat, and not a drop of paint applied. But there is consolation in the fact I am making more improvements as I go, and improved boat was the desired end result in the grand scheme of things. So all is not lost, we are moving forward, aren't we?
Having spent all day puttering on the boat, it occured to me this evening that what I had accomplished was not what I had set out to do...but instead I had made my beautiful boat ugly in just a few short hours, in just a few easy steps. So, follow along, read between the lines, and by the end of the day you can have an ugly boat as well.
Now, one might say that this is all in the name of progress - the goal is to give Arden a new coat of paint, but after many hours of sanding, many more sheets of sand paper, and just a mere gallon or so of paint remover, I realize now that what should have been a simple task of strip, sand, and paint has become a really major undertaking. Strip, sand and paint. Sounds easy enough, much like coloring between the lines. Believe me, I had been mislead, most probably by myself. Perhaps it is because what is under a perfect paint job, (or maybe nearly perfect, perhaps almost perfect, well heck, pretty good will work just as well) is not nearly as nice as what you see when you are done. It doesn't help forward progress when one is as easily distracted as I am. (and I am distracted right now, so bear with me) Lets face it, I am a glutton for punishment, perhaps bordering on masochistic, because I am a fool for brightwork. Nothing says nautical like Captains Varnish. Thats why is is called Captains Varnish. It isnt called farmers varnish or old crazy guy in the woods varnish. It is Captains Varnish, and it belongs on a boat. It is the key to any and all brightwork. So here I am stripping, sanding and looking forward to painting. Then I realized that the grab rails Gary had so carefully painted years ago, to avoid the painful process of frequent upkeep that is the backbone of good brightwork, were originally varnished, were most certainly made of teak, and by God, they should be varnished once again! So introduced another 2 or 3 hours of stripping, sanding, and waiting to paint. Notice painting has become waiting to paint. And as I was sanding on these handrails, I rememered my Dorade box in the galley had been leaking, was in the way of the sanding, and it too was originally varnished. So out comes the drill, the bungs covering the mounting screws are removed, and off comes the Dorade box. Can you see a pattern developing? A leads to B, B leads to K and from there we are off to Z. My dad taught high school math, and even though I am no whiz, I can see the Algebra in this. To think I had thought I would never, ever see a real world need for algebra, and lo and behold, here it is in the middle of a paint job. (shazamm!!!)
To make a longer story a bit shorter, as the day wore on, I kept on sanding and stripping, and had yet to start painting. Wasn't that the original goal? And to think I thought I'd be done by lunch. So hours later here I am, with a partially sanded boat, and not a drop of paint applied. But there is consolation in the fact I am making more improvements as I go, and improved boat was the desired end result in the grand scheme of things. So all is not lost, we are moving forward, aren't we?
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Report at the turn of the season 2009 aboard s/v Arden
from Capn Jack:
I find it really odd how the perception of the passage of time changes due to seasons, emotions, and other personal influences, but even so, it marches on inexorably, always plodding, and never ceasing.
What brought that thought on was observing today's weather, where it seems that fall has arrived prematurely, to looking back to last week, where Liz and I were sailing across the Bay to St. Michaels, then back a month to the 2nd week of August when it seemed that summer had finally arrived-the first really bad week of humidity and extreme heat. Rolling back even further through memories of the year past - my sail down the Chesapeake to see Mike, the sail up the Chesapeake to Solomons, wintering over at the Pelican Marina, the entire fall spent with Gary working on getting Arden ready for the water. It amazes me that a full year has passed since Gary and I first went down to Arden and began working on her, it won't be long before I can say I have lived aboard for a year.
So here are pictures of the last sail, across the bay over to St. Michaels, where there is a really nice Maritime Museum, where they rebuild and restore classic wooden Bay boats - Skipjacks, Bugeyes, Sailing Log Canoes - so many interesting wooden boats that have worked on the Bay. Then there was the Elf - an 1883 racing yatch, 30 feet on the waterline, 72 feet from bowsprit to transom, and flying 2500 sq ft of sail. I had read about her in Soundings or Spin Sheet, and there she was tied up to the seawall, and we (Liz and I) were invited aboard to look her over. Amazing wood work on her, I took lots of pictures of various parts of her, a truly interesting boat.
St. Michaels was an interesting town as well, now it is definitely built around tourism, and there were alot of people walking the streets there, lots of shops, restaurants, and cool places to see. Lots of historic houses, some dating back to the 1600's, one had a railing alot like the hand rail to the Hotel Sperryville, brought back memorires for me and Liz. I really enjoyed seeing the sights there, was well worth the sail. So here are the pictures, another great sail aboard Arden, and of course, my new first mate, Spook. (she is the furry blonde one, I think everyone knows Liz)
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