Tanzer 16 Dinghy Dock Repairs

Tanzer 16 Dinghy Dock Repairs  -- September 18, 2016  Mid September--it's rainy and cold on Puget Sound--so it turned out to be a good idea to tuck the boat in until spring.  Now to deal with the dinghy dock.  It's nice to go to the marina, just shove the boat in the water and sail.  Launch and retrieve twice year.

But the dock needs work.  Right now it takes two fairly strong guys and a two-speed winch to get the boat up on the bunks.  Thinking new rails, longer bunks and a couple of additional rollers will make it easier.  It would be sweet if I could launch and retrieve by myself.

Yes, it is a tad sad.

Tanzer 16 - Buttoned up for the fall and winter

Tanzer 16 - Buttoned up for the fall and winter  -- September 13, 2016  Took the boat out of the water yesterday--beautiful day--almost went sailing instead, but it's time to button things up until next season.

I'm luckier than most folks--we have a huge carport we call the covered bridge.  The boat fits in there nicely.  Plenty of airflow. The sails are stored in a heated garage.  The boat cover will live there too.

Took my time putting her away.  Checked everything, fixed a few pins on shackle pins.  Everything is ready to go for next year--1st or 2nd week of May.  I could fix a couple of paint dings--sometimes the starting line is pretty tight--but I will wait a another year or two and apply some more paint to the hull--maybe I'll flip it and paint the whole thing.  (Much easier than the cockpit and deck.)

Right of way issues--didn't protest.  Probably should have.  Bad form when
you are having a lousy day.

So nothing to do, but wait for spring--AND rebuild the dinghy dock ramp so I can launch and retrieve single-handed--AND  do a few fixes to the Catalina 22 sitting in the shelter that formerly housed the RV.

Next--racing round-up--kind of painful.  Think I will put it off awhile.

By the by, the latest version of the hinged mast requires 38 minutes to take the mast down all by yourself--no fuss, no stress, safe.  I could have done it faster, but why?

Tanzer 16 Light Air "Racing" in a mixed fleet.

Tanzer 16 Light Air "Racing" in a mixed fleet -- September 4, 2016  My crew couldn't make it. He picked a good night to miss. The forecast promised rain and no wind; the forecast was the reality.  It was cold too.  Nobody answered my call for crew so I decided to work on the committee boat.  There were a lot of boats so Jim F., the dinghy fleet captain, gave them a really long line.  Don't know why, but they all clustered at the end that was not favored--not that it mattered.  They weren't going anywhere soon.  Even the 420's and Lasers struggled to move.

This is one of two "clumps."

Eric, T-16 #1304, is usually quite competitive and he struggled to find air as did the two Harpoons that weigh even more than the Tanzer.

One of the Harpoon guys, Kevin, did adopt a strategy that worked well.  He put his big, burly crew guy up on the deck.  That lifted the stern clear out of the water.  Then he shifted his weight leeward and as far forward as his hiking stick allowed him.  It looked funny, but the boat moved.

Kevin celebrating his finish with his favorite beverage.  Kevin has been
known to smoke a cigarette, drink a beer, and manage a spinnaker while
single-handing his boat in a race.  He's a pretty good sailor!

Jim F, the dinghy fleet captain.  He is a wily competitor himself. He really
knows the winds and currents in Budd Inlet.  One good race strategy is just
to follow him and his Lido--if you can keep up.

So--one regatta to go (next Sunday) and then the boat goes back under cover until spring.  That's okay there is plenty to do on the new Catalina 22.