Reenie K

Chesapeake Bay Sail

2007-08-12T13:50:35Z

I was down in Maryland for another reason and took the Reenie K with me. My older son and I put in at th Bear Creek Ramp near Dundalk on August 10. Weather was a little unsettled and after a week in the area, I saw how fast storms can come up in the area. It was overcast and threatening rain, so we used the motor to run over to Baltimore's Inner Harbor. The bay is really busy! We got caught up in some traffic and had to dodge a couple of tugs that were running about. It got interesting, to say the least. Cool place to visit! We saw the Constellation - old square rigged ship, a Coast Guard cutter that is the last surviving ship form Pearl Harbor and a really cool wooden square rigged boat sailing out of Philadelphia. On the way back, we ran up the sails, which also was interesting. Most of the sail back was uneventful, running a combination of broad reach and wing and wing. The fore stay is a bit loose, I think and needs to be tightened, but the jib furler stood up well. The wind picked up about 2/3 of the way back and we ended up turning into the wind to get things back under control. With a slightly loose fore stay and the wind at our stern, I was really worried about a gibe that could have been a serious problem. We furled the jib and sailed most of the way back under only the main, with our single casualty being Rob's hat went overboard. We are gonna be in a few scrapbooks. I did see a couple of tourists take our picture! We also saw a huge cruise ship on her way to berth, from about 100 yards away. That was plenty close enough thank you very much! We tried going under a bridge (major highway - Route 695) under sail but the wind was not from the right quarter, so we dropped the sails and motored the last 1/4 mile. Good time, but the bay can get pretty busy and pretty choppy. Next time I go out, I am going to avoid "tugboat alley" however.

The last hurrah!

2007-08-13T03:05:59Z

At least the last hurrah of the vacation. I put in at Keyport again today. Weather was PERFECT. Bright sun, not too hot and a nice light breeze. I had no particular destination in mind. I sailed out into the bay and just putzed around for a few hours. Very light winds made it a relaxing day on the water. I made 2.5 knots max speed, tested the jib furler again (it's working great, but in heavy winds, we might want to hank the the jib to the forestay to takes some of the strain off the sail wire. Good time, and probably the last solo sail of the season.

Pre LaborDay Sail

2007-08-27T01:30:16Z

I'm on call next weekend, so Brian and I went out this weekend. We got a WAY late start, so we didn't get into the water at Keyport until about 8:30 at night - another milestone - a night launch! The evening started very calm as we anchored near Keyport Yacht Club basin (thanks to them for letting me drop the hook there). About 3:30 am, the wind changed and picked up - a lot. It was an interesting ride for about an hour. At 5:30, when I woke up again, the sea was dead calm. The bay looked like a mirror! At this point, it's to early to take the tent down and make coffee, so I go back to sleep. At 8:00, when I got up for the last time, there was a bit too much chop to cook on board. I had to take the tent down, raise the anchor and beach to get my coffee and make breakfast. After breakfast (eggs and sand, sausage and sand, English muffins and sand), we launched and saild out into the bay. The wind lasted just long enough to get us out there. Then it QUIT! We launched about 9:00 and putzed around for a while, but gve up about 1:00 and motored back to the docks. It was a long day - I think I was awake every hour form 1:00 am to 6:00 am! (and no way to make coffee on the boat!) I'll post an assortment of pictures soon.

Old Pics I finally got around to uploading...

2007-08-30T01:27:34Z

Pics from the first camping trip


	Brian Swimming


	Sunset

Pics from the second camping trip


	Sunrise

	Ensign flying!

Last but not least, finally a good shot of a spinnaker

Adventure Saturday

2007-09-09T00:44:41Z

My crew deserted, the scurvy knave! (He went to the beach with a friend). I launched at about noon and got under way under sail, then spotted a Hobie cat in trouble. Mast down, crew on deck - so at least no one was overboard The Reenie K was not handling as well as she has in the past, so I furled sails and offered assistance, as per the ancient and honorable laws of the sea. A few minutes of getting ready, and the Reenie K towed Ralph and crew member Zack to the beach at Keyport. It took a while but was no problem. Only crossing the channel made me a bit nervous. Once we were beached, I took the opportunity to adjust the stay and shrouds. Something is out of balance (maybe the captain is unbalanced?) because I have excessive windward helm on one tack and lee helm on the other. I think I need to balance the shrouds equally, then adjust the rake of the mast again. Fun Fun Fun! That might have to wait til next year. I don't know how many more days I'll have on the water. Maybe tomorrow though? In any case, it was nice to be able to help someone else after al the help I've gotten. Ralph and Zack, fair winds and calm seas!

This is Relaxation???

2007-09-29T00:07:12Z

Well, like most adventures, this started out with the best of intentions and a plan. The intent was to adjust the mast rake to balance the helm again. Here's what happened: First, two lines were hanging off the side of the boat when I launched. Both wrapped around the trailer axle in a knot that made the Gordian Knot look like a granny knot! I had to re-rig the jib furler line but thankfully not the jib sheet. OK. There's always one adventure each trip, right? Umm Not this time. I motored out to into Keyport Bay, pointed the bow into the wind and raised the sails. I had adjusted the shrouds and forestay in shore a week ago, so I rather expected some lee helm. Bingo! As I was testing, I noticed the forestay was loose. This is a problem in stiff winds, as the mast tends to fall into the water. I lowered the sails and motored back to the dock as the wind was picking up. The wind was blowing into the bay, driving waves and me towards shore. Once tied to the dock, I adjusted the stay and shroud and went back out. The Reenie K got caught in the wind, and developed a major side slip. I think the centerboard is not lowering all the way. It made her virtually uncontrollable! She has a tendency to aim for very large, very expensive boats when she gets crosswise, too! I motored away from the anchorage and into the wind. This made the jib and main luff (flap to you landlubbers) really badly. As a result, I lost a pin on my jib furler (the device that lets me wind the sail up). So now I have a boat side slipping and a sail in the deep blue briny sea! As I went forward to retrieve my jib, the main sheet got all tangles in the engine, the boom crutch, the transom fittings AND the rudder, so now I have main sheet in the water near the prop, a main sail that I can't let free, a jib in the water and a boat that side slips, chop developing and a wind that wants to either flip me over or drive me into a fleet of really expensive boats! At that point, I doused the main sail (lowered it really fast), pointed into the wind, freed the jib and hauled it on board, turned my stern to the wind and went back to the dock! I can't wait to go out again!

Missed a BEAUTIFUL Weekend

2007-09-30T20:52:35Z

I wasn't on call.. The weather was GREAT! The boat was ready! I even had the urge to go out.. So why didn't I? This weekend's project was making 20 pounds of smoked venison sausage! YUM!

Much Better!

2007-10-07T02:40:08Z

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.

Season's End

2007-10-14T00:29:16Z

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....

Uhh Opps.. last entry was NOT the season end

2007-10-21T23:20:55Z

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!

A cure for the doldrums?

2007-10-25T00:26:54Z

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)

YAY! I got the pictures!

2007-10-31T00:12:15Z

I got the email of one picture of the Reenie K under sail! This will make a GREAT sweatshirt for the Captain and Crew.

The mark of a true sailor

2007-11-11T21:46:55Z

I have become a true sailor! This had nothing to do with passing courses by the power squadron or the Coast Guard. This had nothing to do with sailing across vast uncharted seas. I am a victim of "two foot-itis," a disease marked by the urge to get a boat just two feet longer. In my case, it's twice as bad - 4 foot-itis! I will be completing the purchase of a 20 foot Sovereign sailboat within the next week! The Reenie K will be offered for sale, I'm afraid. It's impossible to sail two boats at the same time. I'll probably sell her during the spring, so she'll spend some time in the back yard drydocks. Look for a new blog coming soon!

The Final Entry

2008-06-10T11:29:30Z

It is with great joy and a twinge of sadness that I am writing to announce that the Reenie K will be off to a new home soon. A young man with the dream of eventually living on a boat has purchased her as a starting point. By the end of the week, the sale will be complete and she will be off. He has to take the safe boating classes and register her, sao it might be a while before she is on the water. He's very excited and that makes me happy to have the Reenie K go to someone who was as excited as Brian and I were. May she provide him with as many hours of pleasure as she gave to us.

The Last Final Entry

2008-06-26T01:41:52Z

There she goes, on her way to her new home,. For the moment, she'll be somewhere near Budd Lake, NJ with an eventual goal somewhere on the Barnegat Bay. Her new owner is a young man with the eventual goal of living on a sailboat.

May she server her new owner and master as well and faithfully as she served me!