Friday, June 22, 2012

First Impressions


First Impressions from Cosmo


G-Dock - and our Observation Deck. 

  1. Sunset from G-35-Obsession.

This picture was taken from "The Tipsy Seagull" 
 Borden Light Marina in Fall River, MA,  is Obsession's home from September-June.  Once June comes around David and Janice are ready to begin a summer of cruising.  They return home (Borden Light Marina occasionally to clean the boat, make repairs, do laundry, re-provision and spend a little time with their friends from G-Dock.  Obsession's slip is G-35.  It is the 3rd to last slip at the end of G-Dock, making it fairly easy for them to get in and out.  Everyone on G dock is friendly and although most of them are power boat owners, everyone (including me) have one thing in common - we all like to be on the water.  I was lucky enough to spend an evening with most of them sitting at the dock, enjoying a drink or two and getting to know them.  A big trip for most of them is a trip to Block Island, and that will happen in mid-July.  Unfortunately, we will not be joining them, but I'm sure I'll hear about the trip later in the summer.
Some of the G-Dock crew doing what they do best - enjoying the sun, being on the water and a drink.



First trip - Newport, RI.  Janice and David have a mooring in the main harbor of Newport.  We visited Newport Memorial Day Weekend with Mike and Pam Mason from G-Dock (Out of the Blue) and Norm and Mal Hopkins from F-Dock (Galway Gal).  It was a gorgeous weekend - the weather was perfect.  Although we didn't put the sails up on Obsession, it was important to make sure that the engine ran well and that all the new electronics were working.  We even checked out the radar on the way home.  It wasn't really foggy, just a little hazy, but according to David that's the perfect time to check out a radar system; when you can see "targets" on the radar and recognize them on the water.  Unfortunately, that weekend Obsession's mooring wasn't available, so Oldport Marine let them raft on a mooring right in front of the Newport Yachting Center.  A great spot!  We took a dinghy ride all around Newport Harbor and into Brenton Cove, saw some of the changes that are being made at Sail Newport and Fort Adams for the America's Cup Series racing in late June, and enjoyed the Newport Scene. 

Pam and Mike Mason in Newport Harbor Memorial Day Weekend




One of the floating dock/moorings in Brenton Cove.  My seagull friends aren't going to be too happy when the boaters return.

David helping Oldport Marine find our mooring in Newport Harbor.





 I like Newport.  It has a lot of restaurants, an abundance of little shops, and a harbor bustling with sailboats, tour boat , fishing boats, and mega yachts.  There is always something to see and do.  Early morning flat calm, afternoon sea breezes and gorgeous sunsets.  This is a place this pirate could call home.
Some of the small sailing boats in Newport - Optis sailed mostly by kids under 10.


Second trip - Cuttyhunk.  This place, I've heard is Janice and David's favorite place.  We have now been there twice so far this season.   We have visited "The Mall".  This encompasses  the fishing shacks on the dock, the heads at the head of the dinghy dock, Bart's Cart, the Corner Store, and The Market up the hill.  Captain Bruce's fish store, an ice-cream shop (not open yet) and the Raw Bar land location are all in the row of fishing shacks on the dock.  Captain Bruce sells lobsters, and sometimes striped bass, schrod, scallops and ICE.  The ice-cream shop usually boats about 3-4 different flavors of ice-cream every week.  The famous Raw Bar not only has a land base here, but every night around 5:30 they come around the harbor in a boat, shucking and selling locally harvested oysters, little-necks, shrimp, chowder and stuffies.  YUM. We have quite a collection of Cuttyhunk Raw Bar cups.  They come in handy for many things - drinking cups for dinghy rides, and even as a bailer now and then.  I think I'll like Cuttyhunk more when the season is in full swing.  It was quiet and there weren't many boats or people around.
Janice says the sun always shines in Cuttyhunk.  So far I have to agree.

This is a painting/mural on the wall in the ladies' head in Cuttyhunk.  It's someone's interpretation of July 4th in Cuttyhunk.









Sunday, June 17, 2012

The IN's and INGs of Getting Obsession Ready for the Summer


Cosmo and Zin here – We have come to realize that owners of sailboats nowadays seem to have a lot of work to do before they have their boats ready to sail.  As Pirates, some of these chores are familiar to us, but others seem to mystify us.  We watched Janice and David and some of their friends at the marina performing these “–ING and –IN’” tasks starting in April right through the beginning of June.  Here’s our list:  (IN’ – Cosmo, -ING – Zin)


Cleanin’ – Both Janice and David spend a good deal of time cleanin’ the boat. They have their favorite cleaning supplies, and surprisingly enough they take great pride when something comes exceptionally clean.  The boat is mostly white, so it’s easy to see the dirt, whereas the Pirate Ships I’ve been aboard are usually dark, and we don’t really notice the dirt – on the boat or on us! 


Polishin’ – I watched David especially spend considerable time polishing the sides of Obsession.  It looked like very hard work, and if I do the math correctly he polished a total of 42 feet * 2 sides = 84 feet of wax on, wax off.  He complained later that evening of sore muscles.  I wonder why.

Scrubbing – Kind of fits in the same category as cleanin’ but some things, like the inside of the ice-box and refrigerator and certain areas of the heads needed a little extra elbow grease.  Hard work.

Scrapin’– David is the master scraper in the family.  He scraped off all loose pieces of bottom paint and scraped off all the barnacles from the propeller during his April school vacation.  He explained to me that the barnacles would slow the boat down if left on the propeller, and any loose paint needed to be scraped off so he could re-paint those areas.

Sanding – I was sitting close by while Janice sanded the varnish of the doors and flagpole.  She explained that it was the first time she had ever done anything like this, and that she was happy they don’t have much varnishing to do on the boat.  The finished product was nice, shiny, varnished doors and flagpole that we are happy to show off on the boat.

Varnishing – Janice had to be careful to only put a very light coat of varnish on the doors and flagpole or it would drip.  What seemed redundant is that once she sanded it and varnished it, she’d let it dry and then do it over again.  She did this 3 times.  I know what repetition is. “Polly want a cracker, Polly want a cracker, Polly want a cracker.”

Paintin’ – David really worked his “you know what” off April School vacation week.  Not only did he polish the sides of the boat, scrape off loose paint from the bottom, but then he painted the bottom and the keel with this black paint that went on very thick.  He used 3 gallons – and at over $100.00 a gallon, that’s not a drop in the bucket!  Janice is very glad that he wears these very old and paint spotted jeans and a long sleeve shirt when he paints.  But he still manages to get some in his hair, on his hands and even on his face.  When he finished though, the bottom of the boat was completely black, and Obsession was ready to be launched the very next day.


Emptying – Janice explained to me that last fall she and David emptied out all the water from the water tanks, the hot water heater and the heads, then poured in anti-freeze so any water left in the hoses or the tanks would not freeze and cause problems.  The anti-freeze is pink, and smells funny, so in the spring it has to be emptied out by filling and refilling the water tanks and the heads with fresh water a few times.  Looks like the anti-freeze worked – no leaky hoses, no leaky tanks, and the heads are working fine.

Swearin’ – Of course I would be the one to notice that occasionally both Janice and David use mild profanity – it goes with the territory.  I recognize the words, and also understand why they use them occasionally.   

Installing – I wasn’t aware of this happening, but I’ve overheard that all the electronics on Obsession were replaced over the winter.  I gather that Janice and David sailed through a few lightning storms, and last summer had a few problems with the gauges.  All new electronics are installed except a new wind-vane, and they are looking for someone to go up the mast to do this for them.  Janice refuses to hoist David up the mast, and their friend, Mike, a fireman, has also advised David not to go up.  Any takers?  I’m sure David and Janice would provide some sort of liquid  compensation for the good deed.

Buying – Sometimes I get to go along on the buying trips to West Marine and Defenders.  I noticed that they bought New Cruising Guides, an Eldredge, replacement parts for the grill, new bumpers, a new windscoop (the one that Peggy and Ralph gave them when they sold Seanile finally bit the dust), an air-conditioner, and a new foam mattress. 

Loadin’ – They are still bringin' stuff aboard.  I have noticed that the waterline is starting to go down.  Clothes, dishes, food, booze, ice, foul weather gear, books, DVDs, bedding, rugs, food, booze, clothes, ice.  Yes I did repeat myself.  It seems as if there is never enough clothes, food, booze and ICE. 


Finding – No matter how careful David and Janice seem to be in the fall, it seems that something didn’t get put away in the right place and they spend time looking for and eventually finding those things.  Right now they are looking for the Eldredge they bought at Defenders in March.  They say they need it to travel through Woods Hole and to the Vineyard, to Block Island and down the Long Island Sound and through the Cape Cod Canal to Maine.  I hope they find it – I can’t wait to visit those places.  (She did - with the new Cruising Guides in the bag under the chart table!)

Plannin’ – From my “bed” on Obsession I am privy to Janice and David’s conversations and plans for the summer.  I’ve heard mention of Block Island, Vineyard Haven, Woods Hole, Hadley’s Harbor, Newport, Stonington, Watch Hill, Greenport, Shelter Island, Port Jefferson, and Cuttyhunk.  The latter is a place I finally got to visit last weekend.  I understand now why it’s one of their favorite places, and can't wait to return.

Launchin’ – I helped launch Obsession!  I got to sit with George in the drivers’ seat of the travel lift.  It was exciting to see the boat actually hit the water.  David jumped on board and as soon as the boat was floating\' he started the engine, released the slings and drove away to our slip on G-Dock.  From what I understand boat launching day is one of the happiest days around here.

Enjoying, Meeting, Laughing – Cosmo and I have come to understand that Janice and David enjoy their boat very much.  They spend much time on their boat from the day it is launched until the day it is hauled.  We have had many visitors, and gone visiting with their friends from G and F Dock, and other sailing friends.  We can hardly wait to meet more of their friends this summer.

Hoistin’ – I was there the day Janice and David hoisted the jib and the mainsail for the first time.  They are pretty big sails.  David and Janice work well as a team – especially when hoistin' the main – David stands at the mast and pulls down on the halyard while Janice is in the cockpit tailing at the winch.  Then David comes back to the cockpit, and finishes hoistin' the main the last foot or so with the winch.  It works like a charm.


Remembering – Cosmo and I have heard so many stories of Janice and David’s past sailing adventures.  We enjoy hearing about their trips to the Vineyard and Cuttyhunk with Christen and Robert in their C&C 29.  As the summer progresses I’m sure we’ll hear more stories, and I’ll be sure to share them with you. 

So, you have heard about the IN’s and INGs of getting Obsession ready for the summer.  NOW, let the summer begin.  Aaaaargh…. That means Hello, good-bye, or can also be a sign of disgust.  In this case it means good-bye for now.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Meet Cosmo and Zin

This summer my blog will not be written in the first person, but from the point of view of our two companions, Cosmo and Zin. They are Lalapaloopsa dolls, originally bought for my granddaaughter Payton, but when I noticed that Cosmo was "born" on September 19, I immediately knew he was meant for me. You can see from the picture that he is a unique Pirate, with an eye patch, and dressed in clothes made from an "authentic" pirate flag. He has been observing us these past few months, watching and learning and listening as we were preparing Obsession for the summer season. He has a lot to share. His parrot friend, Zin, being considerably smaller and more portable, will serve as a substitute blogger when circumstances dictate that Cosmo can't accompany us. Plus, he will offer a different perspective and distinctive dialect to the blog. Their names? You have to ask how I named them? Well, just to be clear-Zin for the White Zinfandel wine I drink, (house wine on Obsession) and Cosmo for my favorite cocktail-Cosmopolitan.