Spent all day getting a Mack Pack installed. I realize the mainsail is not going to fall fully flaked into a bag I can just zip up. I'm not that gullible, but I am hoping I can pound that crispy sheet of Dacron into some shape that will fit in the bag. The sail cover method doesn't work for me, especially on this boat. The boom is too high, and my legs are too short. As long as we've had this boat, I have been climbing the mast on those pop out footholds, and hugging it while I tie up the sailcover with one hand. I was an accident waiting to happen.
While at the boat show in 2009, Deb noticed this Mack Pack, or the guy standing next to it. Eight hundred dollars later, and I had some canvas and line in a box, with a CD that showed how easy it was to install. The guy in the video said it would take about two hours. Two years later, and we've got it done. We're a little slow.
Sails are on, the canvas is up, and I think we're going sailing tomorrow!
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Blogging from the water
Friday they put our mast up, parked her in our slip, and left her for us to clean and rig. The only reason I knew the boat was ready, was I saw from the web cam a tall mast at the end of the docks. Customer relations, a concept untested in many places.
Spent Friday night under the stars, on a clear and cool night, thinking how an un-rigged, cluttered, dirty boat, can make all the stress of the week just melt away. It's good to be back.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Still waiting
I know some of you are asking why we even bother with sailing up here, as most of y'all have been sailing for at least a month by now. I'm really not sure anymore. This is the worst it's been for us, in a while. We are still waiting for the mast to be raised, and it will at least be another week before we actually get her out sailing. The wind was too strong the last two days to get the mast up. So, what's next? Too sunny, Hang nail, Forgot my sunscreen, Got the hiccups? This is getting absurd.
Might be time to blow out of here.
Might be time to blow out of here.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Stickless
We are floating! About friggin time eh!
So, the marina has this list. You call when your boat is ready, and they assign you a number. When it's your turn, you get launched. Sounds simple enough. So we signed up. Never thought to ask what the number was. I tell my buddy that we have signed up for launch. He also signs up for launch 3 days later. So here we are Memorial day weekend and they tell us we will be in AFTER the weekend. That was a real bummer, but no problem mon, we find something else to do. We stop by the boat last Friday, and find my buddy sitting in his slip all nice and rigged, and getting ready for the weekend. WHAT THE F...!!!
So we decided to head out to Sackett's Harbor and ride the bikes around town, and enjoy the day, and sample some micro brews. Very nice. We had a great time, and we forgot about getting screwed over.
After stewing about it all day today, I had someone check the secret launch book ( I have connections), and it looks like I was number 126, and my buddy was 96. How the f%#$% does this happen?? There appears to be some shenanigans going on with the launch book. Now that I think about it, there appears to be quite the number of yacht club burgees flying in the marina. Hmmm. Maybe the Thurston Howell crowd gets priority.
Today I call the marina, to ask why they did not respond to my e-mail. I thought I was very polite in that e-mail, just so you know. Maybe a bit sarcastic, and maybe some bitterness, but polite. I ask when we will be launched, and they say we're in the water already. Huh? Well, what do you know, a little whining and magically we are in the water. I'm starting to like this squeaky wheel method. Maybe from now on, I'll just get things done my way, yes sir. Damn straight I will. This is the new Captain Paul. He's a tough little troll, better see it his way.
"only one problem Paul, you see, our yard guy, hurt his back today, so your mast is not in. Hopefully we'll get some good news from our guy tomorrow, and get you all set up. Have a nice day!"
DOH!!
So, the marina has this list. You call when your boat is ready, and they assign you a number. When it's your turn, you get launched. Sounds simple enough. So we signed up. Never thought to ask what the number was. I tell my buddy that we have signed up for launch. He also signs up for launch 3 days later. So here we are Memorial day weekend and they tell us we will be in AFTER the weekend. That was a real bummer, but no problem mon, we find something else to do. We stop by the boat last Friday, and find my buddy sitting in his slip all nice and rigged, and getting ready for the weekend. WHAT THE F...!!!
So we decided to head out to Sackett's Harbor and ride the bikes around town, and enjoy the day, and sample some micro brews. Very nice. We had a great time, and we forgot about getting screwed over.
After stewing about it all day today, I had someone check the secret launch book ( I have connections), and it looks like I was number 126, and my buddy was 96. How the f%#$% does this happen?? There appears to be some shenanigans going on with the launch book. Now that I think about it, there appears to be quite the number of yacht club burgees flying in the marina. Hmmm. Maybe the Thurston Howell crowd gets priority.
 |
| I'll see to it that we are in before Memorial day Lovey Darling. |
Today I call the marina, to ask why they did not respond to my e-mail. I thought I was very polite in that e-mail, just so you know. Maybe a bit sarcastic, and maybe some bitterness, but polite. I ask when we will be launched, and they say we're in the water already. Huh? Well, what do you know, a little whining and magically we are in the water. I'm starting to like this squeaky wheel method. Maybe from now on, I'll just get things done my way, yes sir. Damn straight I will. This is the new Captain Paul. He's a tough little troll, better see it his way.
"only one problem Paul, you see, our yard guy, hurt his back today, so your mast is not in. Hopefully we'll get some good news from our guy tomorrow, and get you all set up. Have a nice day!"
DOH!!
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Well, my mood has been better, but...
It appears that we have Prozac in our Great Lakes. You know, the place where we get our drinking water!!
When antidepressant pills get flushed down the drain, they do more than create happier sewers.
Scientists in Erie, Pennsylvania, have found that minute concentrations of fluoxetine, the active ingredient in Prozac, are killing off microbial populations in the Great Lakes.
Traces of antidepressants such as Prozac have been found in both drinking and recreational water supplies throughout the world, in quantities experts say are too dilute to affect humans but which have been found to damage the reproductive systems of mollusks and may even affect the brains of animals like fish.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/05/11052-prozac-drugs-water-great-lakes-erie/
So, knowing I am ingesting Prozac every time I quench my thirst. I decided to do a little research on the stuff. Found this little tidbit:
Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect with SSRIs. Specifically, side effects often include difficulty becoming aroused, erectile dysfunction, lack of interest in sex, and anorgasmia (inability to achieve orgasm). Genital anesthesia,[8] loss of or decreased response to sexual stimuli, and ejaculatory anhedonia are also possible. Although usually reversible, these sexual side effects can last for months, years, or permanence after the drug has been completely withdrawn.[9] This is known as Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction.
Now, I know how to counter the Prozac flushings, but somehow I don't think many little blue pills will make it into our sewer systems. At least not in their original form. But if they do find Viagra in the Great Lakes, let me be the first to renameNiagara Viagra falls.
Too diluted to effect humans. Right. Are Viagra sales higher along the Great Lakes?
I've been to Erie Pa., and if I lived there, I would be on Prozac too.
Still waiting for our friggin marina to launch our boat. Somehow we were skipped over on the "list". Might be time to change my attitude towards marina owners. The meek will NOT inherit the earth. They will get skipped over. Bastards.
I need more tap water!
When antidepressant pills get flushed down the drain, they do more than create happier sewers.
Scientists in Erie, Pennsylvania, have found that minute concentrations of fluoxetine, the active ingredient in Prozac, are killing off microbial populations in the Great Lakes.
Traces of antidepressants such as Prozac have been found in both drinking and recreational water supplies throughout the world, in quantities experts say are too dilute to affect humans but which have been found to damage the reproductive systems of mollusks and may even affect the brains of animals like fish.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/05/11052-prozac-drugs-water-great-lakes-erie/
So, knowing I am ingesting Prozac every time I quench my thirst. I decided to do a little research on the stuff. Found this little tidbit:
Sexual dysfunction is a common side effect with SSRIs. Specifically, side effects often include difficulty becoming aroused, erectile dysfunction, lack of interest in sex, and anorgasmia (inability to achieve orgasm). Genital anesthesia,[8] loss of or decreased response to sexual stimuli, and ejaculatory anhedonia are also possible. Although usually reversible, these sexual side effects can last for months, years, or permanence after the drug has been completely withdrawn.[9] This is known as Post SSRI Sexual Dysfunction.
Now, I know how to counter the Prozac flushings, but somehow I don't think many little blue pills will make it into our sewer systems. At least not in their original form. But if they do find Viagra in the Great Lakes, let me be the first to rename
Too diluted to effect humans. Right. Are Viagra sales higher along the Great Lakes?
I've been to Erie Pa., and if I lived there, I would be on Prozac too.
Still waiting for our friggin marina to launch our boat. Somehow we were skipped over on the "list". Might be time to change my attitude towards marina owners. The meek will NOT inherit the earth. They will get skipped over. Bastards.
I need more tap water!
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