Bill's Last Sail

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BarbofCapeCod
Posts: 30
Joined: Jul 15th, '08, 21:16
Location: CD-28 Cape Cod

Bill's Last Sail

Post by BarbofCapeCod »

Hi: I'm Barbara, BillofCapeCod's wife. Bill evidently posted a lot on this board in the year or so he owned our Cape Dory 28, Kudu (previously Kevin's Celtic Ray). Sadly, Bill passed away on July 27 of a heart infection.

Bill was a lifelong sailor. In 1974, we charted a 35-foot Pearson for our honeymoon--I had never sailed before on anything larger than a Sunfish. We then bought a Westsail 32 in our young, starry-eyed days when we were going to sail around the world. We didn't get far, and we traded in the Westsail for a house and a kid. After chartering some over the years, we were so happy to get back into sailing our own boat, and such a good little boat Kudu is.

Sunday, my son and I will sail/motor Kudu from Chatham to her winter home at Parker's in Cataumet. Yes, I know how to sail, but the diesel engine is a mystery--wish us luck. Bill was always checking a few things before starting the engine. Is there anything besides fuel level and oil that I should check? I do have the manual and some instructions Bill had typed up.

If I could figure out how to post a picture, I would, of Bill relaxing on the deck while the Cape Horn self-steering guided us back from Nantucket to Chatham. That was in mid-June, our last overnight sail together.
BarbOfCapeCod
Oswego John
Posts: 3535
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 20:42
Location: '66 Typhoon "Grace", Hull # 42, Schooner "Ontario", CD 85D Hull #1

Bill's Last Sail

Post by Oswego John »

Hi Barbara,

That was a very touching testimony you shared with us.

Let your sadness be lessened by the memory of the many moments you and Bill shared together. The memories of the good times with Bill will always be with you.

Peace,
O J
"If I rest, I rust"
Voting Member #490
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Michael Heintz
Posts: 197
Joined: Jan 22nd, '06, 07:21
Location: Macht NichtsCD 30 MK IICove MarinaNorwalk, CT Woods Hole MarinaWoods Hole, Ma

My best to you........

Post by Michael Heintz »

My best to you Barbara, and condolences as well. It's sounds as though you & Bill had some wonderful times together sailing.

I know your boat Kuda....AKA Celtic Ray....you couldn't have better history than my Irish brother Kevin......

Enjoy the sail with your son.....I sailed those waters with my Dad for years, in fact spread his ashes in Tarpaulin Cove.

Sounds like Bill had the engine figured out, check the oil and fuel and have fun!!!!!!

My best to you and although I did not know Bill...let him continue on his voyage!!!
Michael Heintz
Captain Commanding
SV Macht Nichts
CD 30 MKII 004
Norwalk, CT
Woods Hole, MA.

http://www.heintzwasson.com
The Artist is not born to a life of pleasure.
He must not live idle;
he has hard work to perform,
and one which often proves a cross to be borne.
He must realize that his every deed, feeling, and thought
are raw but sure material from which his work is to arise,
That he is free in Art but not in life.
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Joe Myerson
Posts: 2216
Joined: Feb 6th, '05, 11:22
Location: s/v Creme Brulee, CD 25D, Hull #80, Squeteague Harbor, MA

A touching tribute

Post by Joe Myerson »

Barbara,

Thank you for posting this touching finale to Bill's life as a sailor.

While we never met, I have seen your boat, since mine also spends the winter at Parker's.

Best wishes and deepest sympathy,

--Joe
Former Commodore, CDSOA
Former Captain, Northeast Fleet
S/V Crème Brûlée, CD 25D, Hull # 80

"What a greate matter it is to saile a shyppe or goe to sea."
--Capt. John Smith, 1627
Ron M.
Posts: 1037
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 11:32
Location: CD30c Harwich,Ma.

Post by Ron M. »

Barbara,
Please accept my condolences.
I almost had a chance to meet with Bill last spring, we had emailed a few times. I was interested in checking out the steering vane and we were going to meet while the boat was at Northside Marina, Sesuit Harbor. I guess something came up, he couldn't make it. I did see the set up on the boat.........he did a nice job. Enjoy your sail down the sound.
Ron
________
HAWAII DISPENSARIES
Last edited by Ron M. on Feb 11th, '11, 06:11, edited 1 time in total.
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Sea Hunt
Posts: 1310
Joined: Jan 29th, '06, 23:14
Location: Former caretaker of 1977 Cape Dory Typhoon Weekender (Hull #1400) "S/V Tadpole"

Post by Sea Hunt »

Hello Barbara:

My condolences for your loss as well.

You asked about things to check before starting the diesel. As anyone on this board will quickly tell you I know very, very little about anything, including diesel engines (I don't even own one yet). However, I have always been told to check the following (in addition to fuel and oil as already suggested) before starting the diesel:

raw water intake valve to make sure it is open

raw water filter(s) to make sure they are clean and allow water to pass
Fair winds,

Robert

Sea Hunt a/k/a "The Tadpole Sailor"
CDSOA #1097
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seajunkie
Posts: 250
Joined: Mar 1st, '08, 17:44

Post by seajunkie »

Hi Barbara,

Your husband had very thoughtful posts. I'm going to miss following his posts. I'm not sure if you know this, but if you look at his Profile you can look at all of his posts.


Here is a post about your Volvo
http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic ... ht=#117401

Here is a post of a picture of you on your CD28
http://www.capedory.org/board/viewtopic ... ht=#117401

Thank you for sharing this news.
Seajunkie
Neil Gordon
Posts: 4367
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 17:25
Location: s/v LIQUIDITY, CD28. We sail from Marina Bay on Boston Harbor. Try us on channel 9.
Contact:

Post by Neil Gordon »

Sadly, his time on this board was limited.

This is from his first post:

"Now, after checking the cd owner's association site, I find that, among praise for the Cape Dory's many virtues, is a dark family secret: the CD-28, and likely other CD models, can not be steered astern, ..."

Trust that Bill's spirit lives on here. Future generations of Cape Dory owners will read Bill's posts, as they search the archives using keywords such as the commonly queried "won't steer reverse."
Fair winds, Neil

s/v LIQUIDITY
Cape Dory 28 #167
Boston, MA

CDSOA member #698
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Cathy Monaghan
Posts: 3502
Joined: Feb 5th, '05, 08:17
Location: 1986 CD32 Realization #3, Rahway, NJ, Raritan Bay -- CDSOA Member since 2000. Greenline 39 Electra
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Post by Cathy Monaghan »

Here's a memory from one of the Bill's old postings:

<a href="http://www.nota.org/Kudu/IMG_Reefing.JPG" target="_blank"><img width="600" src="http://www.nota.org/Kudu/IMG_Reefing.JPG"></a>
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