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July 30, 2008
Family Weekend
We received news that Chis' twin, Eliz, would arrive from in New York from London via Ajijic, Mexico (dear South African friend Graham said "do you Canadians know what a map is?"), and that brother John-Mark and wife, Nancy, would arrive in Stamford, CT. All in time for the weekend, and with some luck, a sail or two with Prana.
Last weekend, we had left Prana in Huntington with the dealer. Yes, still experiencing some engine issues. We were reassured that things were running fine. Before leaving Huntington Saturday morning, we called Nancy & J-M to say we would be in Stamford by 11:30am. The engine started fine, and off we went.
There was less than a knot of wind, so we motored across the sound. About mid-way to Stamford, the high temperature alarm went off on the engine, and we shut it down. Chis went below to investigate. Our engine coolant had dropped. Not just a little. There wasn't a drop. It was all in the pan below the engine. We had no spare aboard, so we called the dealer and said "what #$&^%* now?". He called SeaTow, who came an hour later and towed us into Stamford. We arrived shortly after 2, and found Nancy & J-M standing on the dock waiting for us.
I asked the dock assistant to see if there was an engine mechanic nearby. Of course, they had all left for the day. I called the dealer and asked him to send someone over immediately. Not until Monday. I was livid. Spitting nails.
Sunday morning, Chis and I set to determine the source of the problem, and quickly discovered that the manufacturer/ dealer had not tightened the drain cock on the coolant, and so it vibrated loose and spilled it everywhere. We mopped it up, tightened the drain cock, and refilled the coolant. We started the engine, and sure enough, it worked like a breeze. No coolant leaks. Nothing. We decided to go for a sail.
Eliz had arrived Saturday night and had stayed in our apartment. We had touched base, and put her on hold pending resolution of our engine issues. I called her and suggested she get the next train to Stamford. She arrived to great glee and fanfare, engine running. Despite what was turning out to be a disappointing weekend, it turned out that we had a lovely sail and an even lovelier visit with all.
Here are a few photos from the weekend...
Nancy, Dave & Chis sailing Long Island Sound
Captain Eliz
Setting the Genneker
Nancy & JM
Posted by dave at 07:32 PM | Comments (0)
July 22, 2008
Port Jefferson
Chis decided to take Friday off to work on getting the final bits and bobs on the boat. I went up mid-day Thursday on the train, and tinkered with the endless list of to-do's that comes with boats. Chis arrived around 8, and we enjoyed a pleasant dinner in the cockpit.
On Friday morning, we walked to the chandlery to pick up a few things. It was blazing hot. We took a cab back. By afternoon, the marina office called to say that a delivery had just arrived for us. It was our 45-pound anchor, 75-feet of steel chain, 150-feet of anchor rope, and some other, significantly lighter things.
We set ourselves to the task of getting our ground tackle set up. We used the spinnaker halyard to get the anchor onto the boat, then lifted the pail of chain, which easily weighed 100 pounds. Once in place, we connected the bits together and fed the line through the windlass (the winch on the bow that is used to raise and lower the anchor). We had chosen the hottest day of summer yet, allegedly in the mid-90s, to heave around heavy equipment and work in small, cramped spaces. Once complete, we enjoyed a well-deserved cold beer.
Saturday morning, we left Stamford and headed for Port Jefferson. Chis has a cousin that lives very close to Port Jefferson, and he invited us to dinner. Away we went. Once out of Stamford harbour, we discovered about 8 knots of wind. We decided to set our genneker. Like a spinnaker, but you don't need a pole to set it. Really, it's an asymetrical spinnaker.
The wind died, so we put the sails away and motored. As we approached the entrance to Port Jefferson, the wind picked up to 15 knots. Isn't this always the way it is.
We decided to take the boat back to the dealer in Huntington to have the engine looked at again, as it was giving us some grief. We had a spectacular sail out of Port Jefferson, but then the wind died. We motored the last bit, and as we rounded up in to Huntington harbour, the wind picked up. Of course.
Next weekend, we plan to sail to the Thimble Islands to meet Toby and Will on Synergism.
Posted by dave at 02:31 PM | Comments (0)
July 14, 2008
Sail Away
After an incredible yoga class last Friday morning, I hustled through the farmer's market and Union Square and returned home to fetch the weekend's gear. The backpack was so heavy, I opted to take a taxi up to Penn Station to catch the train to Huntington. I managed to catch an earlier train than planned, and arrived at the boat with plenty of time to put things away, and run to the grocery store and the chandlery.
On my return, I discovered several boxes of new gear that I had purchased online had arrived. Perfect timing. Chis was planning to leave the office early and meet me there, so I puttered about, not working too diligently because it was a little like opening everyone else's presents on Christmas morning. The hours ticked by, and Chis called to say he would catch the 7pm train. Egads! So much for early departure plans.
By the time he arrived, I had opened all the boxes, put all the gear away, and made dinner. Speedy Dave.
It turned out to be a warm and humid evening, so we dined in the cockpit and enjoyed the breeze.
The dealer arrived Saturday morning shortly after 10 as Chis and I were swapping their dock lines for ours, their fenders for ours, and putting away the remaining bits and pieces. We went through the entire boat, identified all the mechanical, electrical and plumbing bits, then left the dock for a sea trial. On returning to the dock, we grabbed some lunch, stowed our things, and left for our inaugural sail almost directly across Long Island Sound to Prana's new home in Stamford, Connecticut.
It was a delightful sail, a deep broad reach in southerly winds. Slightly anxious about the docking ahead of us, we talked our way through our docking plan, and proceeded to the marina. With no assistance, the two of us put the boat gently into her slip, tied her up safely, and settled in for a bit of relaxation and dinner.
Saturday morning was beautiful, and in true form, I woke with the sun's emergence. As Chis slept, I pulled out our new cruising genneker (an asymmetrical spinnaker) and worked on sorting out the rigging, and putting it in its sail bag. I cannot wait to try this thing out - a beautiful display of red, white and blue - decidedly American, but sentimentally French.
The forecast was for increasing winds, so we decided to head out for a sail shortly after breakfast. It was great to try out different sailing angles. We met up with Impulse, who, despite her longer water line, lighter ballast, and bigger sail area, was not significantly faster than us. We topped 8.5 knots sailing upwind in about 14 knots of breeze. Not bad considering the fact that we may not have even left the dock on Platina in 14 knots of wind!
It was a marvelous weekend of sailing, lounging, dining, and sailing. Way too much sun! And we get to do it all again next weekend.
Posted by dave at 05:12 PM | Comments (0)
July 08, 2008
July 4 Weekend in Huntington
We had a great weekend getting familiar with the boat, settling in with our gear, and getting ready for a summer of sailing in Long Island Sound. The weather didn't exactly cooperate, but we made the best of it.
Posted by dave at 01:18 PM | Comments (0)
Mind, Body, Breath
With an empty mind, there is an easy rhythm of joyful movement, and with this comes total awareness, effortless power.
Posted by dave at 12:37 PM | Comments (0)
July 04, 2008
Prana Launch
I didn't quite make it to Huntington in time to see Prana launched. I hired a driver to take me, and the 6 million bits and pieces we packed for the boat, some if which emerged from hibernation in our storage locker, to Huntington. On the Thursday before a long weekend, we got completely snagged in traffic, first at the Midtown tunnel, then, giving up there, on the FDR and Triboro Bridge. By the time we got to Queens, I had to pee something fierce.
When we were in La Rochelle, France, we contacted the boat builder and asked if we could watch Platina's launch. They found this to be a rare and odd request. They obliged. We watched, despite the cold, wind and rain on that January 20, 2005 morning. I must have taken 30 photos just as her keel kissed the sea. To me, that legendary moment is a show of respect for the sea. To be there for it, and connect with it, is important. A little histrionic, I know, but I'm like that. I'm okay with that.
I arrived yesterday too late for that monumental moment. I was a little sad to have missed the launch, but thrilled that she was in the water and the guys were working hard to get her up and running. Very exciting. We head back up to Huntington today, the 4th of July, to begin putting our personal touches on her and getting to know her.
This is a different experience than Platina. Platina was a big, blue-water, ocean sailboat. Before we left the dock in La Rochelle, we had read every manual, scoured every nook and cranny, understood every little thing about her before setting off on what became a 22-day voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. It was very emotional.
This is emotional in a different way. I can't really describe it. I guess it's a bit like having the second baby. You know what to expect.
Posted by dave at 08:02 AM | Comments (0)
July 02, 2008
Decompression
'Prana' will be launched tomorrow in Huntington, New York, on Long Island's north shore. A car is picking me up, accompanied by the vast array of gear heading to the boat. The dining room has been piled high for the past couple of weeks with all sorts of things - linens, pots & pans, cutlery, plates, tools, etc. The list is endless. And it all seems vaguely familiar.
In the summer of 2004, we had sold our house. While a select few were told that we had bought Platina and planned to sail the seven seas, most understood our motivation to "downsize" and move into smaller quarters in the city. Not entirely a lie, since we were moving into the spare bedroom in my sister's home while we waited for Platina to be built. Before we moved out of the house, we packed three steamer trunks full of gear. We hired special international movers, who understood the import tax implications of what we were shipping to France. In early September, the trunks, full of the few personal items we decided to take on our journey, wheeled out the front door and onto a ship destined for La Rochelle, France.
This time, it doesn't feel so intense. We're not selling everything and sailing the seven seas. Yet. But the lists seem endless, and I wander the aisles of the Container Store, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot, and West Marine pondering the things that I have forgotten.
Forgetting something on an Atlantic Ocean crossing can be devestating. Forgetting a toothbrush for the launch of Prana is not the end of the world. But, it is in my nature. I work from the completed project backward to today. I plan. I analyze. I execute.
But it doesn't take away from the excitement. As Chis explains it, when he is sailing, he is in his element. He is relaxed, calm, and he temporarily forgets the troubles that are back at the office. Sailing is his decompression.
With some luck, I will spend a bit of time tomorrow getting things put together on the boat. Friday, we will both head up and spend the weekend fiddling, cleaning, settling... decompressing.
Posted by dave at 06:15 PM | Comments (0)