Out for a sail

9/24/2013

Today was a breakthrough for me.   Yesterday, I decided that all work and no play... well you know how it goes.   I decided that for every day of working on the boat I would go sailing for at least one day.   I really only have a couple of semi-major projects left on Spirit of Adventure and I did do the nice trip with my sis, but enough is enough.   

I got to the boat in the late morning and immediately started putting stuff away in preparation for a sail.   I would single hand today which is not a big deal and is something I should be doing regularly anyway.   As I was preparing the boat, Fred (of Later Gator fame) who owns the boat almost directly behind my boat, stopped by and inquired as to what I was up to.   Within about a micro second, Fred said he would take his boat out also.   

As I pulled out, he was about 15 minutes behind me and it gave me a chance to get outside the marina and to get my sails up and sailing.   Soon, I saw him behind me and so I slowed down a bit and we began communicating on the marine channel 69.   What I soon found out was that Fred had a great camera and before I knew it, he was taking both still and video of me sailing Spirit of Adventure.

Spirit of Adventure

The wind kicked up to around 15 knots and wow did we have a blast.   It really couldn't have been a more beautiful day sailing with my friend.

I believe that Fred not only did a great job of taking pics, but we are fast becoming friends.   We are talking about an around Catalina trip that we have both been wanting to do.   We will each take our own boats and single hand in tandem with the other.   We will plan it and do it.

An other interesting thing was that Fred was in Viet Nam just after I left and he plays the guitar.

Life is great!

Fred on Later Gator

It's getting colder here.

9/9/2013  New refrigeration on Spirit of Adventure

Dometic 55 qt cooler/freezer

After the shake down trip with my sis, we found that the ice cooler was really messy and only lasted about six days.  We had bought 75# of block ice and with the food floating in the water from the melted ice, having to empty that same water regularly and with the cooler slipping and sliding all around as we sailed.  To solve this challenge,  I bought and installed a 12v/120v Dometic 55 quart refrigerator/freezer.   I anchored it down so it stays in the same place no matter what the boat is doing.   It also uses very little power.   Fred, a friend of mine on Later Gater highly recommended this and says that it is the best purchase he has made for his boat.

I bought the thermal cover for it also.