Reenie K

I fear this is the last sail of the season - I'm on call next week and then it's really gonna start to get cool.

I launched today without mishap - no lines tangled in the trailer or anything!

A guest and I sailed out into Keyport harbor area and tested the balance of the boat. The sailboat pixies had not "magicked" the mast rake over the last week, so we went back to the dock.

(Note to self - do NOT try to dock under sails in a crosswind. It gets a little exciting!)

I adjusted the shrouds a bit and took her back out again. This time the balance felt much better - still not right but better.

We sailed towards Keansburg and anchored for lunch and a little break from all the strenuous work of sitting in a dry spot in the ocean and letting the wind push us around.

I adjusted the shrouds again and, since it was after 3:30, we started back to the dock. Everything seemed tp be fine until we got close to the moored boats in the Yacht Club basin. The Reenie K developed a LOT of lee helm, wouldn't turn into the wind and was heading for a really nice and really expensive sailboat.

On came the engine and we motored out of harms way. In retrospect, given my tendency to tack too soon and my desire to not put large gouges in a boat that cost more than my home, I think I was pinching the wind - trying to sail too close into the wind. I should have made one last tack. Unfortunately, in order to start making headway, I have had to steer closer to the boat.

Next time, I'll hold my course longer before I make the final tack.

Well, it was a day that I knew was coming sooner or later. I was just hoping for later, I guess.

I started emptying out the Reenie K today. I put her mast up one last time to check the alignment again, then started emptying her out.

I also started sanding the hull and deck and building a mount point for the motor. I found a bunch of cracks around the motor mount when I dismounted the motor. I need to reinforce the whole area this winter, then build a mount.

I want to get her all filled and sanded before winter, so early next spring I can paint her up real pretty.

Here's the list of winter chores:
Winterize the motor so I don't have a Nissan anchor next year.
Reinforce the transom
Design and build a new motor mount
Repair the centerboard pivot
Finish filling and sanding the hull and deck
Paint
Re-letter the ID and name lettering
Get a safety inspection done again
Redistribute the equipment to balance the motor (I think that's were some of the helm balance issues lie)

I already miss going out on the water....

I should have done a lot of things today, like clean my room and office, clean the kitchen, do laundry and blah blah blah..

Instead I took out the Reenie K again. What a day! Because i had started putting her away for the winter, it took a while to get squared away this time.

I saw Ralph and Zack as they were coming back in form a day of sailing as I was putting in.

I sailed out from Keyport harbor and checked the handling of the boat. All seemed well, except the forestay developed some slack at times. First chance I had, I tightened it up and all was well there.

No adventures, not exciting moments of Man's skill, grit and determination against the pitiless harsh seas. More like laying back in the sun and watching a LOT of boats out, For once, there were more boats gone from the moorings at Keyport than there were there!

As I was tacking about the bay, I was overtaken by a very nicely kept boat called the Shanghai (I found that out later - the name was in Chinese!). The captain hailed me and asked if the Reenie K was an American Fiberglass 16! First time anyone recognized her by name! Turns out he has one on a trailer! He thinks sail number 101, so about the same vintage as mine.

He tool some pictures of the boat under sail and promised to send the me. That would be great, cause I want to make crew sweatshirts for the Captain and Crew and put a picture of the Reenie K on them!

I was out last week on the Raritan Bay and saw this boat coming up behind me.
Notice the stern - looks like he found a solution for days when there's no wind.. Simply turn on the fan and off you go.

(I think it's really a wind generator - and no, I'm not adding one)

I got the email of one picture of the Reenie K under sail!

This will make a GREAT sweatshirt for the Captain and Crew.