midwinter update

Not much progress has been made since my last posting. I have been trying to figure out how to repair gel coat in four small areas on the deck of the boat. Some of the things that have been going on is that I was able to pick up a Garmin 431s chart plotter. I plan to flush mount it in the bulk head next to the companionway door. I will be putting it where the existing depth sounder was. The new chart plotter will be able to measure depth along with chart plotting. I still have some wood to refinish in the boat and the bottom paint to do. But waiting for the paint to go on sale this Spring.

Some other things that have been going on are that I'm working to get my captain's certification through NauticEd. I have everything done but completing one of the weather classes. I've also completed US Sailing's Online Small Boat Course. I've also signed up for the ASA 105 Coastal Navigation through Northern Breezes. It's a six-week course starting March 12, all classroom learning. I'm also looking at some racing classes with the Wayzata Yacht Club.

One of the things that's still undecided is where the boat will live this Summer. One of the options is trailering it whenever we want to get it into the water. We are looking at a number of locations where we'd like to go this year, including the St. Croix Valley, Lake Pepin, and Lake Minnetonka. One of the options we're considering is trying to get a mooring buoy on Lake Harriet or Lake Calhoun. It's a lottery system, and I would be towards the bottom of the group that's picked, so no guarantee we would get to moor there. A couple of the big draw backs for the city lakes are that the lakes are smaller and we can't use gas motors, and would have to rely exclusively on sails to maneuver the boat, which could be nerve-wracking. I have also looked at trying to dock or moor the boat in Afton or Lake Waconia. The cost would be approximately half of what I paid for the boat, per year. And both are about an hour's drive from home. But as far as sail time goes, rigging the mast and taking it down take time as well, so it's a trade-off. The option I'm looking at right now is getting membership with the Wayzata Yacht Club. It is only about 15-minute drive from home. There is a public boat ramp along with a crane that could be used to put the boat in and out of the water. I'm looking at crewing for some of the races this year. They have races every Thursday and Sunday, and sounds like you can show up and get on a boat with someone. I'd be able to learn a lot more about sail trim and boat handling.

Even though it's only the end of February, I'm excited about getting back on the water with the new boat, and doing some weekend sailing trips with Lori and Jane.