Nov. TSCA

Phil Zuchman came to Red Dragon and shared highlights of his journey down the Delaware in a home made kayak. Elections were held, mostly by decree. Mike is President again, Wendy is VP, Tom is going to share secretary with a new guy. Ron will be treasurer one more year. Pete has officially stepped down from the getting programs spot. December's Christmas meeting and dinner is at the Cafe Gallery, movies by Phil Maynard.

Mid-Atlantic Small Craft Festival

The whole idea behind MASCF is messing about in boats and sharing that wonderful spirit of "rattiness" or enthusiasm about the water. Here's an England daughter launching off the museum;s steep ramps, next a couple putting the finishing touches on their pram - a first launch, then Roger Allen's crew from FL (Cuba, this time).





I love it when Chesapeake Light Craft brings their boats. CLC folks are very creative and usually have some new ideas every time. In the apprentice boatshop, there was a really nice old Leineir ducker. I like the color and the two tone effect on the following boat.







The log canoes are fascinating, but a tough way to build a boat, hacking it out of solid timber.Our own Karen Rutherford gave a well-attended watercolor demo, and it turned into a wonderful low key social event with painters littering the docks.

The usual Saturday sailing race used up the afternoon calm. Everone sailed out to where the wind dies, had a chat-up and drifted back in on the tide, just in time for the chantey folks from Delaware River Chapter and friends.

I paddled Pete's kayack in the women's long race since he was still drifting in on URCHIN. (I had sailed with Tom on MARION.)


Nice boats on the docks, Peapod.

I rowed out for the 3-legged race, tried to sail round the mark losing leeway to a stuck centerboard and rowed back for fun. Great weekend. I love St. Mike's and all the folks at CBMM who host this event.

Round the Island Race

Max & I sailed the "round Burlington Island" race from the Dragon. The Comet had a solo sail, a tow, turtling, I missed the boat twice, we started a half hour late and still didn't come in last. I am sure there are some funny pics from some of the folks on the beach.
It was a great sail though, nice wind, beat on the way up, run back, and then we reached for some fun & speed.

Three in a row

All the small boats from Maine.

Nice Pictures from Maine

from Eric Slosser

September Sail

Went out yesterday on the Delaware. Beautiful clear day, light wind, high tide falling. Rowed up past buoy 40, sailed back to the Dragon. Centerboard got stuck down. That's never happened before. I think some riverweed wrapped its way around some how. I tipped her on the beach, got it back in again.

ELF day two

Sailed on the Delaware with Bull&Bear's Racing team. Topsail & flying jib up. Mainsheet most of the time. Henry drove me around for these photos.

Elfing on the Delaware

Went sailing on Elf. Winds light & variable. Got the topsail set. Only four lines to topsail. There is about a half mile of running rigging on ELF and it is proving difficult to know which is which. Many of them are the same size and all are the same color. When they are lying on the deck they are hard to tell apart. The mainsheet is two tailed and hangs up on the aft ventilators, the deck blocks and the aft chocks. One accidental jibe. Elf's crew was on her dinghy taking photos. I hope they come out well. The TSCA guys are going out tonite.

torch

Evening racesa at SPYC.

Small Reach

Pictures from my new friends John & Pat Shinaberger. and a flick by Ron Paro. It really is the 2008, so now you know.

Maine

ME
Aug 14-17

Friends

Had a nice sail with Wood & Nicole. Wind was light ~ 5, but enough to beat the tide. Mostly west with some backing & heading. We sailed toward Beverly point and back a couple times.

Burlington Island & Back

Fri. Aug 8. Made a run up to Burlington Is, took the SE passage past Curtin's. Wind died, rowed against the tide down river, Sailed across to PA. Wind rizing. Row under the bridge on Pennsy side. BY now the wind is really blowing hard. 2-3' chop in the channel, rowing is a chore. Decide to sail across below the power station. Check the buoy data, the gusts are 25. Made 5.5 over the bottom according to GPS across the tide. Rowing against wind & tide 1.2.-1.5. Sailing up avg about 2.3 against the tide. Great data from bouy 41.
http://www.wunderground.com/MAR/buoy/2008/8/8/bdrn4.html

The vellow is upriver track, mostly running against the tide. Orange is the return mostly rowing, some beating, against turned tide and wicked wind.

Downbay Regatta

Little Egg Harbor hosted this one. Started out nice, Henry towed us out. I got to drive TORCH under tow, fun. Sails up, tacking around, lightning to the west. TAMWOCH, SPYDER, SPY, GHOST, VAPOR. Races cancelled, sails down, tow back in. We are offered BULL and take up the task. Sail her off the mooring, Lovely style. Beat out into the bay, not enough rail meat to press her, but we have fun. Roger Allen up from Cortez, John, Nick, Christian, Ed, & me. Lot more lines on the sandbagger.

Night Row

Last night, Peter & I took URCHIN upriver against the tide rowing doubles. Had dinner at Curtin's and rowed back at dead low & dark night. Got in around eleven.

A-cattin'

From DeRouville's Boatyard. John, Chuck, Matt, Newt, Nick, Judy, Christian, & I went sailin' TORCH. Rum results, but a great day sailing. Nice weather warm water, fluky wind especially around the weather mark. 8th, 7th, and 5th, and we only hit the committee boat once. 720º. Another time we were over the line before the start, so a 360 back over the line. SPYDER looked good. LIGHTNING was back out, WITCH, TAMWOCK actually won one, LOTUS, SPY, VAPOR made a day of it.

Newbie

Took Patrice out sailing on URCHIN yesterday. She enjoyed it very much. The wind was light, URCHIN behaved herself, not missing stays and tacking around well. The breeze (from the West) was just enough to beat the tide (going out). We sailed slowly to PA, ran across to the marshy bit by the power station and beat home with the tide back to the dragon.

Callahan Cup

Fri Jul 18
Sailed TORCH out of BayHead Yacht Club with John, Chuck, Bobby, Judy & Nick. The wind was on the light side, no reefs. Due to position and a hang up at one of the marks we got a third in the first race. During the second race there was a bunch up of sandpipers at the last course mark and we slipped by MARY ANN and SPY for a second place. GHOST came in first both races, SPYDER looked super out there, TAMWOCK hit the committee boat. Best of all I got a ride on BARNEGAT. She is a beautiful cruiser, very sexy lady. The sandbaggers sailed a couple races with a load of kids on board. There was a covey of sandpipers. These look like comfortable boats, a bigger beetle cat. Best of all, four sneakboxes were out and sailed close races.

Been Sailin

Burlingtom & back

Cape Cod Spring

Had a great time visiting Mom & Dad. Took URCHIN up on her trailer. It is just like having a new puppy, folks come over to see the boat. The whole family was there. We made a picnic trip to Strong Island with the whole floatilla. Later in the week, Marie ame up and we sailed (she paddled) over to Hog Island for another beach read. We all ended up reading in the boats though, because the greenheads and deerflies hatched out. The week before was great, no bugs.