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Stormy End

End of the season that is. We had to cancel the Mitchell Regatta due to a classic nor'easter forecast for Sunday and Monday. I seized the opportunity to haul the boat out at the Monahan's Dock ramp where we launched it, again with the help of Dan and Paul. Things got a little dicey when the trailer wheels went into the sand past the end of the ramp with it being low-tide, then the truck (rented U-Haul pickup) couldn't get traction on the wet part of the ramp. Fortunately, we were able to wave down a nice guy with a Tacoma and I had a heavy-duty 20-foot tow strap we used to connect to his hitch and a front tow-point on the U-Haul so we were able to pull up with the help of his truck. I carry the tow strap and some wheel chocks for just such trailer scenarios, so the we could chock the trailer wheels, lower the tongue jack, disconnect the trailer from the truck, then attach the tow strap to the trailer and truck hitch so the truck can pull the trailer from much further up the...
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Showers with Friends

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Our friend Paul had family visiting from out-of-state so we took them out sailing, but were quickly hit by a passing rain shower not long after leaving the mooring. Paul and the guests were able to take shelter in the cabin, while my friend Dan and I sailed. Luckily, it didn't last long and we were later treated to a beautiful sunset!
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Jazzed Up

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The Newport Jazz Festival is always a great time to have a boat. We anchored close again and enjoyed the music.
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More Good Folk

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We ventured across the harbor to the Newport Folk Festival again, getting a nice, close spot to anchor where we could hear great! A relaxing day of good music as usual.  
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A New Platform

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I finally had time to address the compression post support platform, so I brought the boat into a slip for the night for easy access to shore power. I got to work cutting out the damaged area. The aft edge of the platform held the mast compression post, but surprisingly, there was no support directly below the post and the 3/4" marine plywood had failed after 50+ years. I had been meaning to add a hatch to the platform since it was the last remaining area that was closed off with no access to the hull underneath, but I hadn't considered structural issues. I decided to simply use pressure-treated deck boards spanning the width of the platform, with a short section of pressure-treated 4x4 as a support post directly underneath the existing mast compression post. Luckily, the inside of the hull was built up with many layers of fiberglass to a level surface, since externally this section of hull is "v" shaped. This could have been done to facilitate a post like the one I ...
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Unposted

Along with my daughter and a friend of hers, we left Newport on Saturday around 0800 heading for Block Island, trying to get there ahead of (or not long after) the racers in the Mitchell Regatta, for which I am the organizer. It was a decent traditional southwesterly, with wind speeds around 15-20 knots and the seas were good size, up to 6 feet or so and oddly confused. We had a full main and a 100% jib which worked well. As we got past Beavertail, we decided to tack in by the Narragansett shore hoping for a little reprieve from the seas. As we neared Point Judith, my daughter yelled up from the v-berth "did you hear that bang?". I hadn't but looked around and noticed the leeward shrouds were unusually slack. As I was pondering the cause, my daughter yelled again "the post is moving!" I realized she was talking about the mast compression post, so I immediately depowered and doused both sails, started the outboard, and turned downwind back towards Newport. After ...
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Getting by with a little help from my friends

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With the help of friends Dan and Paul, I got the boat launched at the Monahan's Dock  ramp. With light conditions, we then motor-sailed to Newport where we had left a car for the return trip home. It went well! I neglected to take any photos, but here's one of the boat ready to go from a few days prior.
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