Sunday, June 20, 2021

Armada Relocation

 20 Jun 21:

Lots of bits to move as part of the Armada's relocation from Gulf Squadron assignment to the Mid-Atlantic Squadron. You might be asking yourself if our Thor Daybreak 22 RV SUPER POKEY can haul a 12x6 UHaul trailer to carry essential gear. The answer is...


Trust me, there were a few more items added before the containers departed, most importantly, 2 aquariums and one of Skipper's many wagons.


You might be asking yourself if a 5x10 Carry On brand from Lowes utility trailer can fit in a PODS container. The answer is...


SUPER POKEY safe and sound at the new casa.


Followed soon thereafter by PODS container #4. Important stuff on this PODS were the Boat Shop hand tools. Skipper's Sailrite sewing machine. Skipper's century old Singer treadle sewing machine. 




WILLOW's Marine Salvage Ops

 20 Jun 21:

We had some storm debris fouling the waterways near our house, a piling attached to a 2x6 joist. So we took WILLOW out to tow the debris to a safer spot. Skipper was in charge of the tow line for a bit then I took over. WILLOW had a great time.



Saga of CHIP

 20 Jun 20:

We wrapped up the last few items on our 1963 Alcort wooden Sunfish CHIP, a few weeks back reattached the keel strip and bow handle after touchup paint.



Punched a centering hole for the drill bit




Then we put CHIP in a shipping box. 



We padded, strapped, taped, pallete, etc and had a pickup scheduled with FedEx, but the short story is we got some info that shipping CHIP through several handling facilities risked damaging the boat, unless we added more pallets and more packaging. So we retreated and decided to use PODS to ship CHIP, that will happen in July.




Flotsam and Jetsam

 20 Jun 20:

We wrote a Trailer Tips article for Small Boats Magazine, one of our tips was to not load a light boat down with gear, it adds to the abuse the boat and trailer endures during road transit. We throw those bags of stuff in the tow vehicle.

A nice little emergency kit we bought from ACR, it has an electronic distress flare, flashlight, signal mirror, head lamp and the big orange day signal panel. All packed in its own ditch bag.


Flags of different Nations that Skipper's Patriot Pirate ancestor Pierre Surget was known to fly, to keep in good stead with whatever local authorities he came across in his travel. US, Spain, Netherlands, England and France came into use in the West Indies, Pierre was also known as Peter, Pedro and Petra. We also ship aboard rusty nav lights, a first aid kit, water jug and her signal flags. The grease gun is for the trailer and there is a small tool tupperware container with pliers and screwdrivers. Spare hats are essential, Capn Jack's list of items always included "2 hats." He lost one of his hats on one day sail and has a funny story about waiting it to wash ashore for a couple of hours, but it was recovered eventually. It was made of a wool blend, it shrank in size, so then it became Skipper's hat.


I was issued 2 of these green bags in Marine Corps Boot Camp, 1979. I'm not sure what they are made of, but they have lasted 42 years in some tough saltwater environments, even the metal zippers. Skipper did some seam repairs a few decades back, the Marine Corps did get slighted on the thread, they should ask for a refund.


Other items have included an electric motor and heavy battery, spare line, PFDs, a bigger tool kit, lunch bags, and anchors.

Spare line, a rescue line throw bag and some dry bags.


Nice first aid kit we picked up from West Marine.



Thursday, June 10, 2021

Sunfish Rigging and Parts Names

 03 May 21:

Those new to Sunfishing may find the following photos helpful in rigging their Sunfish, with names of the parts.

We start rigging the boat by running the halyard through the top of the mast.


Next we put the base of the mast through the gooseneck (boom ring) with the sail on the port (left) side of the boat. 


One end of the halyard runs through the halyard block (pulley).  The other end is tied to the upper spar.



The halyard is pulled down to raise the sail.


It helps to lift the boom (lower spar) while raising the sail.



The halyard is run around the halyard cleat.


And the looped back under itself to tie off the halyard.



We coil the excess line and tuck it under itself.


The forward end of the sheet, a control line attached to the boom (lower spar) runs through a fairlead, through the swivel cam cleat and then a Figure 8 knot is tied


Some early Sunfish have a simple open fairlead, also called a sheet hook.



The aft end of the sheet clips or tires to the line on the stern (aft end) called a bridle.


This is the rudder used to steer the boat. The long stick is called a tiller.


The straight board is called a daggerboard.


The tiller slides under the bridle.


The rudder attaches by pushing down the pintle and spring, then sliding the pintle into the notches on the gudgeon ( bracket on stern of boat).






The daggerboard goes through the slot in front of the cockpit. It has a line attached to it so that it does not float away after a capsize.




The bow is the front of the boat and we tie a bow line to the handle with a bowline knot.



Your Sunfish is now rigged and ready.






Fair winds!
Skipper and Clark