and sailing as slow as I can….
Here are some pics from this Christmas weekend:
We were 10 today for Christmas Dinner.
Sjogin has a new seat; a Christmas gift from my son, David. Suprisingly comfortable.
My other son Jeff and his girlfriend, Sasha. We went out this past Friday afternoon, after the Beaton’s Christmas party. Again hove to off Swan Point, stove warding off the chill.
Julia and Muriel, sharing secrets.
Had a near perfect late Fall/early Winter sail on Sunday. About 30 when I set sail. Bay water level down about a foot or so. Very light SW breeze; 2 to 5 kts at first, later up to 8 to 10. South going current so when hove to on the port tack, Sjogin stayed almost in one spot. Went below for about an hour, read another chapter in Mischief in Patagonia and had a cuppa.
Here’s some boat pics, also one of our Muriel:
Swan Point is visible between the mast and jib.
Some sun today, about a low as it gets at noon for the year.
Down below with the last of the tea warming by the stove.
Our very comfortable Muriel. Notice the mouse figures at the end of the arms.
Quiet day after our annual Christmas dinner party. Quick visit for a check on Sjogin and a fire and brew-up. Need to see what her leak rate is as I expect the bilge to start freezing in a few weeks. Left the pump off yesterday and about 2″ of water over the keel by this afternoon, about average.
Wind from the WSW at 12 or so but slackening. Damp and chilly; by the time the cabin was warm it was time to go.
Here are two pics from today and one of my wife a few weeks ago:
Today’s fire; a quick one using cedar and fir.
Bone chilling day.
My wife driving Sjogin at speed.
A quick visit this morning as we have a wedding to attend this afternoon. Clear and cold about 30 or so. Strong WNW winds 15 to 22 kts. Enough time for a brew-up and a bit of toasted sausage and provolone bread along with another chapter in Mischief in Patagonia
Tilman, tea and a quick fire.
Sjogin in her slip. Too much wind and too little time for a sail today.
The just faired cedar cabin beams on Lotus. The cabin decking will be two layers of glued 4mm pyl with carbon fiber stiffening.
Still cold, about 30 or so when I left at 9:30, wind SW 4 to 8. High clouds, mackerel sky. SAWMC. (Sky associated with major change.) Mostly hove to on St’bd E of Swan Point, then beat over to First Creek and HT on Port. Kept the hatch and drop board in place which helped the draw. No real puffbacks today.
Ran down to MYC and gybed over to Port for the reach home and a firm landing. Pics follow:
The catboat Myth, replicated by John Brady of the Independence Maritime Museum Boatshop in Philadelphia. The original was built in the 30’s and is the municipal symbol of Bay Head.
Myth off Swan Point.
A new technique for binding the tiller when hove to.
Iced tea anyone?
Here are some snaps from today. First seriously cold morning on Sjogin. Cranky fire and just enough wood smoke to season the cabin air.
A good draw, wind out of the WSW about 15 to 22. Note the ships hatchet on the chopping block to the left. Shop scraps and split fire wood cut into 3″ chunks feeds the Sardine.
Another H. W. Tilman book, Mischief in Patagonia. I’ve been working through his books over the last few years. Classic self deprecating, tongue in cheek, slogging on through the bergy bits Brit style. Great stuff.
Lotus, one of the original 1920’s A-Cats, currently entering the finishing stages of her weight loss program. Lotus has lost about 800 pounds, mostly due to the use of ply web frames and spruce and cedar framing. She was restored by Beaton’s in 1984 to original design. The slow tweaking of the A-Class fleet over the years has left her relatively heavier than her competitors and in need of her present transformation.
Note the lightening holes in the floors and the ply web frames. The only structural wood left over from her 1926 construction are her sheer and bilge clamps.
This is Sjogin’s woodstove. Manufactured by Navigator Stove Works . These stoves were originally found on small fishing boats and such; it’s been on board for three Winters now.
Sjogin’s lending “library”
Reaching for home
Another beautiful November Saturday. Wind 4 to 6 kts SSE.
Kent sailing by in his Herreshoff (Halsey) Eagle.
Sweep can be seen lashed up under the deck.
Curtis Point to weather.
HTYA (Hove to yet again!)
Here are some recent pics…..
One last look at Sjogin after putting her away yesterday. If you’re lucky enough to have a nice boat you find yourself always taking one last look.
Here’s Muriel, our quite large cat. She’s named after L. Francis Herreshoff’s “friend”.
Finally, here we are hove to on the Port tack (when the stove draws well) about a mile south of Swan Point. The bay was fairly empty.
Ah, with today’s Northwest wind Sjogin‘s stove drew well. Evidence of same below:
One of the Beaton Irregulars launched his 1956 Pacemaker Spearfish today after a 3 week refit. She will be kept in a covered shed in the water up at Johnson Bros. in Bay Head. Bob assumes a Captain Morgan pose next to his 1946 or so Dodge pickup.
Finally here’s a photo of the Herreshoff Columbia model Dinghy that Tom Beaton and I built in the early 80’s. To the left is the Beaton built Flatfish Charlotte, just returned from a Summer of sailing in Brooklin, Maine. In the background is one of the Beaton Sneakboxes, once one of the hot racing classes on Barnegat Bay. They still race, though with reduced numbers.
Another fine Sunday morning at Beaton’s