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After a number of years with an open layout, I’m about to install a berth on the port side. While there’s enough room to sprawl about, a dedicated bunk has its charms. It’ll extend under the bridge deck and extend to just past the mast. I asked Tom for some cedar and he said there wasn’t any good stock left. He then pulled out a set of Sneakbox floor boards that they had made for a customer a few years ago but never claimed. Just enough stock to cover my needs.

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Mocking up the boards. It’ll be 17″ wide in the middle. The rest of me can lay on the existing ceiling.

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The supports will will be spiled and cut to length. A fascia board will cover the ends and extend slightly above the bunk flat.

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The view aft. That’s Little Toot with the cut down bulwarks.

and which one of the three is the co-leader in the A-Cat fleet Championship series? Raven (black) is tied with Witch going into the second half of the season. Hard to see in the video below but Lightning’s the red one. Interesting that the two black boats are tied for first.

Tacked through the moorings yesterday morning and took the following video from where the riddle arises.

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Driving by tiller line, standing by the mast. Useful for maintaining control while using the facilities.

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Had a nice beat up to Curtis Point with Sjogin in a groove. Was able to tie off the tiller and keep a nice angle on the wind. Fairly quiet with just a few of the undesirables in evidence. Fell off and reached over to Reedy Creek and hove to for a bit. The above pic was on the broad reach back. One gybe around Swan Point and home. Same as it ever was but it’s different each time.

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Beaton regular Bill on Louise, his very well kept Sea Sprite.

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Serena out for day’s adventure, pining for her stable mate Charlotte. Don’t think she’s been sold yet so there’s still time for someone on the upper Bay to bring her home.

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We had a good thunderstorm last night, dropping a 1/4 inch of rain. Perfect timing as the day cleared up after dawn with the fresh westerlies.

Went out for an hour or so this morning; no visit yesterday as the Privet demanded my attention. Light and variable today, backing from SSW to NW. Sailed down to Sloop Point (all of a half mile from Swan Point) and spent a pleasant half hour reading while hove to on Port. This should be one of the last sails of the season as Sjogin’s summer refit beckons.

Also enjoying the iPhone camera. When conditions are right the pics have a certain quality I find pleasing. Just another tool.

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Time to tack. With the west winds, the Bay’s down about a foot or so.

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Don’t drop it! Going to need a wrist strap for the new device.

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Done for the day, ready to warp around the end of the dock and put her away. One of these days I’m going to drop a line doing this and need to get the main up in a hurry. Such hubris. At least the sail cover’s not on.

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Joe, Annie and Bob heading out for a day on the Bay.

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Here are a few garden pics from the last few weeks:

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Nice show from the Kousa Dogwood this year. Still needs a bit of pruning.

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Last of the Rugosa blooms. I’ll let some of the hips mature and prune back the rest to encourage a second bloom later in the summer. It was a great year as the rainy June spread out the blooming times. Happy bees and such.

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A iPhone photo of my good friend Kent Mountford. As mentioned before, when conditions are ideal, the results can be quite good.

More pics on Flickr as always.

Nice breeze, about 6 to 10, gusting to 15 out of the ENE. Bob McHugh joined me for an hour’s tour of the upper Bay. Saw a few A-Cats at their moorings as the next BBYRA race is this Saturday out of Mantoloking.

I left my regular camera home so all of the following were taken with a new iPhone.

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Hove to off Mantoloking. Flat water, good breeze, perfect control. We just sat there as the houses drifted by.

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Bob enjoying a pleasant evening’s sail.

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Quest returns to her rebuilders for a mid season primping.

Here’s a first time video taken with my new device. Flip killer? Possible; it’s very simple; no adjustments, just point and shoot. Not ideal for all conditions but very watchable. (Not necessarily in this instance but the video quality’s pretty good.)

Here’s MaryAnn, ready for the second round of the Season tomorrow at Island Heights. She’s tied for first.

Taken with my new iPhone. Not too bad; click for a larger image.

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Tug action two weeks ago. One of the local dockbuilders moving stages. Nice to have a bit of a commercial “harbor”. There also a couple or crabbers that use the Pond. Reminds me of one of the tiny villages in Riddle of the Sands

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Went ashore to see if I could grab Tom for a quick sail. No such luck.

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I did grab a sail with Captain Joe on his boat The Gale. Went down to Reedy Creek and back in light and shifty westerlies.

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Happy Hydrangeas. Another iPhone pic. Video possibilities….hmmmmm.

Shane Eyre, a long time virtual friend on the WoodenBoat Forum, has gone walkabout from Western Oz and is our guest for a few days. He’s been here five weeks and is visiting the East Coast contingent of the Forum. Here’s a link to the Thread.

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Gnome, sweet gnome. The famous “Wild Dingo” (Forum name).

Hope to go for a sail this morning. We have a narrow window before the next front comes through. If nothing else, a walkabout at Beaton’s.

More later.

Julia and I went to the launching of the new Silent Maid last Sunday at the Independence Seaport Museum. Master boatbuilder John Brady has built a new Maid to the 1923 Francis Sweisguth plans. We drove down with Kent and Nancy Mountford. Kent’s parents owned the original Maid in the 60’s.

Owner Peter Kellog had asked all available former Silent Maid owners, sailors and friends to join the Museum in the launching a new Queen of the Bay.

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Silent Maid aweigh. The hull’s planked in Spanish cedar.

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Julia toasting a very dry bilged new boat. She be on the Bay this summer and hope to grab a sail. We both sailed on the Maid when Sally owned her. In fact we were in a Benjamin Mendolwitz photo of her under sail south of Swan Point.

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The Maid in the inner harbor at the Museum. That’s the Great White Fleet Olympia in the background.

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Also in the basin was the 1888 Elf, up from Chesapeake Bay. She’s been recently restored and the oldest American racing yacht. We expect to see her at Mystic next week for the WoodenBoat Show.

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Even this perfect little garvey was dressed for the occasion.

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Last fire of the season? Last Sunday morning was cool enough for a quick fire. With more rain and gloom forecast for Saturday, we may see a Solstice fire.

It stopped raining Friday and absent a chance of a shower, we’ve had a bit of dry weather. Too wet for too long. And too far backed up in garden chores. I can see the Bindweed marshaling its forces.

Had a quick sail Saturday morning and then finished the clean-up of the Cranberry Viburnums and made a dent in said chores.

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Very light air start, building to 6 or so when I came in. Mostly out of the ENE

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Just cool enough for a fire with the hatch open and breakfast on deck. I may spring for an alcohol insert for the stove to make this scene practical all year long.

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Varnish and paint build up under way. The varnished one will be the tender to the new Silent Maid. Tom came up with the name of Maid Servant. (I think that’s it.)

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Here’s something from my commute. This is a farm, just outside Clarksburg, that for years had sheep in the pasture by the road. The sheep disappeared last year and now we have some horses.

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Last Friday before I left for work. A promise of finer weather after le deluge’.

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Calm and bright. I try to come down to the lake each morning before my drive west and take a good deep whiff. Then off to the Cube Wars.

Perfect conditions this morning. More later.

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And later:

Smokin’ Reaching along the marsh.

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Happy Skipper; breakfast al Sjogin.

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Blue Moon ex Claire; son David’s ex cruiser/racer. Ready to do battle on the Metedeconk. Great PHRF rating, she’s a C&C24. Fin keel, spade rudder and ready to rumble.

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Pick of the Litter. The first boat had the first pick through the pile of Jersey White Cedar so she gets varnished. Her knotty sisters get painted.

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A very happy Tom Beaton, standing amongst his progeny. Nice work guys.