Finally got that boat day

[Frank B.]

to do the annual mop the bottom.  Motored out 2.5 miles to the only place I know of with a consistent shallow bottom, most places have a serious drop off whereby your bow is in the mud and your stern is in eight feet.  set two anchors moving them about until I had the boat in about thirty inches of water and could walk around it about waist deep, then got the long handled sponge mop and removed about 1/4" of organic material. Also evicted about fifty spiders from the rub rail slot along with their egg balls, need to try to stuff some backer rod material in there to keep them out.  Cleaned the hull, noticed that the three year old wax job is still beading water most places.

Wanted to get this done before Francine, will go up after and do the topside and inside, which will include removing a half dozen dirt dauber nests inside and spider and bird crap marks on the topsides.

Worth it? I motored out at my throttle mark that is indicative of about 40% in calm conditions and maintained about 4.2 knots.  I motored back into a very slight head wind, same throttle position and maintained a steady 4.8 knots.  There is no perceptible current, but I turned north just to check and still maintained 4.8.  .6 knots not a great amount, but as a percentage of what a sailboat can do pretty good. The clean bottom makes a difference particularly in light air.

Why now in September? Fall through spring is my season, the summer too hot, still, and crowded with power boats. After Labor Day they disappear and the heat breaks, wind picks up a bit. I saw two boats on my trip yesterday, one sail, one power. In June it would have been 22.

That outboard ran fine for the entire five mile round trip, including at "tickover" speed which I really need for control of docking in my very difficult slip. However it was a maintenance trip always does good then, waits for a recreational trip to act up. 

Unfortunately, my muscular/skeletal system did not do well, more sore last night and this morning than I can ever remember from dragging that boat around, mopping, and doing the final clean up with a face mask and sponge.  Makes me think I might be on the cusp of looking for a partially finished scamp to make owning a sailboat easier. At least I would have wise counseling in the regard.

[Riley Smith]

Yay! On the water is good even if there is work involved. I hope you got some of this rain 

[Frank B.]

Yay! On the water is good even if there is work involved. I hope you got some of this rain 

Getting it as I type, and it is welcome, breaking the drought.  Hope you didn't get too much. My family members in far eastern OS didn't seem too concerned when I talked to them yesterday afternoon.

[Riley Smith]

No worries on Wolf Ridge, other than leaves and twigs across the lawn. My kind of hurricane!!!