It's over

[Joe Myerson]

Yesterday, under clear skies, a strong northwest wind and chilly temperatures, I stripped Crème Brûlée for another season. The yard will winterize her systems and giver her a pressure wash, and she's scheduled to be hauled to my yard next Friday, the same day that I'll be heading to the CDSOA Annual Meeting in Pensacola.

High winds, squalls and showers delayed my heading to the yard until Thursday, when I had no choice. Gusts on Buzzards Bay were predicted to peak at roughly 30 knots, so I double-reefed my main and cast off from the mooring under power at a low but rising tide.

The windage from the tiny sail, which I initially raised in hope of being able to sail when I got out on the bay, was enough to force me aground--a great way to end the season. I dropped anchor, waited two hours and floated free, but the wind was howling. Sailing proved challenging, even with the reduced main, a handkerchief-sized jib and occasional assist from the trusty 1GM. I've rarely seen the waves this high on Buzzards Bay--usually they're short and steep, but these were just plain BIG.

So the question remains, as always: Do I haul by Columbus Day and miss some spectacular sailing, or do I wait longer and risk some unpleasant weather?

Anyway, now I'm ready to start discussing matters of serious concern, like whether or not to lock my prop, whether 'tis better to steer with a tiller or a wheel, whether 'tis nobler to sail with a hanked-on foresail or to use roller furling, and what pre-season repairs will delay my launch next year.

Fair winds to all.

--Joe

[Jim Walsh]

ORION was hauled Tuesday. There was a strong southwest wind piping up. It had to have been in the 30 mph range also. At this time of year the days for a pleasant sail are numbered. It really is time to winterize and make our plans for the coming season.

[pjust]

Columbus Day seems to be about the end of the season in Midcoast Maine. I left my Ty in the water until then, hoping for some late September or early October sailing. Fog, gale winds, high seas, and small craft advisories conspired to keep me ashore on pretty much every day I'd have been able to go out. Then came Columbus Day itself and everything was perfect: temperatures in the low sixties, breezes around 12 kts, seas between one and two feet, and a high blue sky. I got halfway to Vinalhaven before turning around to return to my home harbor, where I eased up to my mooring under sail and picked up the pendant at a dead stop on my first pass. It was an elegy. Later that day I was chatting with a salty old neighbor who told me that for many years he'd leave his boat in through the end of September, hoping to keep sailing, but almost always found he couldn't. "Columbus Day is about it," he said, "and even that is pushing it." Yeah. It's over.

[Skeep]

Your postings are making me very sad gentlemen. Winter arriving in the Southern USA brings with it some cooler temps and brisk winds for us as well, yet with also some brilliant sunny days and great sailing. We shall hold guard for our Northern tier and keep our Dories well-heeled for you all. Looking forward to some great photographs of the New England coast and the gorgeous Great Lakes!

[oldragbaggers]

Our engine comes out, again, today to be rebuilt over the winter. The shrink wrap goes on in the next two weeks sometime. Saturday I am going down, probably for the last time, to pattern all the settees and bunks so I can make new cushions over the winter. Other than that we hunker down, buy more gear, dream and wait.

[Dick Villamil]

This year I bowed to age, end of year chores and rapidly falling lake levels and hauled my 6 foot draft LAKE CHAMPLAIN BOAT IN MID SEPT, THE TYPHOON WAITED TIL THE FIRST OF OCTOBER AS DID THE CD10. For once, all boats were covered and stored/winterized BEFORE the leaves fell - making the spring tasks easier. Both boats kissed the muddy bottom as they were hauled - and the lakes dropped even further after they were hauled - guess I made a good decision so I could return to the workshop to get ready for projects and play the last couple of rounds of golf before the ground freezes up. I always used to leave the boats in the water until mid to late October (when I was younger) and then waited to cover them around the week before the first snows fell in November. Much easier when the hands stay warm while tying knots in the cover ties. Now I have time to go to lunch with the sailing buddies, play a few late rounds of golf and attend to the chores the skipper says that I never did this past year!!!! Now I have more time to clean up the computer, rake leaves and t=count the days until launching in spring after the hard phase of water turns into the liquid phase. I still like to keep the transmission in reverse while sailing to prevent the prop from spinning.