Coffee klatch

Ian took Westy, I took Kirsty Ann, Kate and Sandra and Ozzie signed on as crew.  It was a lovely day for a sail over to the pier. Rob and Mary from AYC were out walking on the pier and saw us heading in. Tieing up with assistance didnt go so well, it is one of those cases where well meaning help can confuse everybody. I sailed off and tied up at the inner landing. It was a nice spot for a coffee. Heading off we got tangled in fishing lines off the pier, but i managed to sail us backwards and disentangle them. I hope no cameras running, both incidents would be bonehead boaters material. But it was a nice outing. I think I might try some solo outings for a while though.

Pier review

 

Ian got out his 14 trailer sailer "Westy", Paul came with me in the Core Sound, and in light airs we sailed over and moored at the pier. It was surprisingly choppy there despite the relative lack of breeze. We got coffees and sat in the sun on the steps congratulating ourselves on our good fortune.

An older gentleman with grand daughter in tow distracted our departure communications and Paul cast off too soon, and got left behind on the dock, but I gybed round and picked him up reasonably smoothly. The two boats in those conditions are relatively closely matched, but we managed to slowly overhaul Westy on the beat back to the reef mark. Coming back to the ramp, once again we got a bit confused, Paul jumped out before I got stern line on, Oz got excited and made a leap for the jetty, missed, and went for a swim. That is the third time. I definitely need to get better on crew communication.

I went to the Dinghy Shop and cleared out my bank account buting fibreglass and some assorted screws. Then spent a couple of hours syringing epoxy into the laps between the planks of the Skerry. 

All in all, a really good day.

Daylight

 

Gerard came over this morning for a cuppa, and I enlisted him to help me turn the boat.

In the afternoon I tweaked and tightened wires. The instruction book says there should be "no gaps or light showing".

Oh well. I tack welded the garboard to the bottom panel. If there is any distortion in the hull, it is there for good.

Trial fit

 

Today it was past time to tackle the garden. Grass was ankle high, bushes growing from either side meeting in the middle. So a few hours mowing, clipping and sawing, and at least we can get around.

After lunch I got down to Williamstown chandlers to buy some 413 west system epoxy filler. It says it has excellent gap filling qualities. After contemplating my trial fit of decks, and oberving the daylight between various bits, I think I might need them.

Head start

 

It was the Stern Chaser race on Saturday. Thanks to my dismal performance in racing to date, I got off about 5th in the fleet, calculated by the handicapper to be fifth slowest. I managed to take a lead over Paul, who had been calcuted to be as bad as me, and overtook Penny who had been deemed two minutes worse. I got past the other two boats and for about a lap had the totally novel experience of leading the fleet, but on the last lap the fast boats, cats and lasers and Impulses, came thundering past. But I managed to stay ahead of the rest of the Sabres, just, despite various errors and loss of focus caused by my hat continually blowing off. Back to the end of the fleet for me for the rest of the season.

I was hoping to go to the WBA Rye sailing day, but I was stuffed after yesterday and Oz seemed unwell last night and kept waking me up. So I stayed home and finished wiring the hull of the Skerry. It is much stiffer now. Turn over tomorrow, shouldbe interesting.

New baby

 

I wired together the remaining pieces of the hull of the Skerry today, and suddenly, there is a boat in the shed. No one would give me any prizes for my woodwork, but I rekon it will come together ok with some judicious application of epoxy and paint.

I feel like a proud parent.

Rabbeting on

 

I tackled cutting the rabbets on the egdes of the planks today. Lots of potential for stuff ups but I think I got them right. Finished the gains, drilled lots of little holes, and at last the assembly has begun. I only got in about a dozen of the copper wire ties. Probably a few hundred to go, but all journeys begin with a single step.

I really dont mind the lockdown, it gives me a chance to focus without being distracted. But I do miss sailing. Sandra sent through some fantastic photos from last week's outing.

She got one of me talking to Roman, the other altona Bay cat ketch owner. So I now have photographic proof that boat exists. I have made contact with Roman subsequently via the WBA, and look forward to some cat ketch outings.