Saturday, 17 March 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Truly a False Spring
We are having a very early Spring. the hockey playoff haven't even started and already folks are out in their shorts and shirt sleeves. We have Daffodils and Tulips pushing up in the yard. It feels like late April, and I have to keep reminding myself that this is only March.
But I've delved ahead anyway. I went and took the tarp off the boat, and strung a little 8' cover on the cockpit in its place. I've been out tinkering a few times already. I ordered parts.
Nothing says spring like ordering a box of boat parts and then waiting for their arrival. Its like you were saving up boxtops all winter and now the secret decoder ring will finally arrive. Soon. Canada Post does a good job of playing the suspense card and stringing things along until you think you just can't handle it anymore.
My parcel arrived today. In it there should be a new power panel to replace the one in the galley, and a life jacket for the dog, and some other odds and sods.
SWMBO says she picked it up already. She says the box is pretty small. I gotta head home and see whats in there!
But I've delved ahead anyway. I went and took the tarp off the boat, and strung a little 8' cover on the cockpit in its place. I've been out tinkering a few times already. I ordered parts.
Nothing says spring like ordering a box of boat parts and then waiting for their arrival. Its like you were saving up boxtops all winter and now the secret decoder ring will finally arrive. Soon. Canada Post does a good job of playing the suspense card and stringing things along until you think you just can't handle it anymore.
My parcel arrived today. In it there should be a new power panel to replace the one in the galley, and a life jacket for the dog, and some other odds and sods.
SWMBO says she picked it up already. She says the box is pretty small. I gotta head home and see whats in there!
Thursday, 15 March 2012
New & Commodore Approved!
A few weeks back I mentioned that Iris was relocating Lake Ontario, and that we were going to be playing at a new yacht Club.
We are one step closer. A cold wind was blowing off Lake Ontario, and waves crashing on the beach on Monday night when I parked at Whitby YC and let myself in the clubhouse. There was a meeting in the bar, and it looked like the Power squadron was discussing protocols, so I stood in the lobby, not sure where I was supposed to be going.
A handful of other sailors were in the lobby as well, and it quickly became clear that we were all waiting for an invitation to proceed upstairs to the executive meeting for our official welcome to the club. Most of the other sailors there had boats ranging from 30 to 35 feet, and most were retired couples. This made Iris and our crew a bit of an anomoly.
Eventually we were invited upstairs to the ballroom where the meeting was being held. Sail Georgina didn't have a ballroom. We had a tent in the fenced yard and that was where most of our social events took place. We also had a garden shed where our gear was stowed. Its a little different in a club with a Bar, and a ballroom (with another bar), and offices, and bathrooms with showers and changerooms. Maybe this will be nice.
The Commodore welcomed all the new members to the club and went round the table to give the executive a chance to introduce themselves. Then it was our turn. I introduced myself and mentioned that aboard Iris would be SWMBO, Chuck, Buddy, and Cuppa, and maybe Bernie the dog. The exec were shocked that that many people fit aboard a 25' boat.
We may be small on square feet, but we're big on love, we make it happen.
The exec made everyone feel welcome, reminded us of the value of service hours, explained how dues and slip assignment work and then we all headed home.
Looks like its official. Whitby will never be the same.
We are one step closer. A cold wind was blowing off Lake Ontario, and waves crashing on the beach on Monday night when I parked at Whitby YC and let myself in the clubhouse. There was a meeting in the bar, and it looked like the Power squadron was discussing protocols, so I stood in the lobby, not sure where I was supposed to be going.
A handful of other sailors were in the lobby as well, and it quickly became clear that we were all waiting for an invitation to proceed upstairs to the executive meeting for our official welcome to the club. Most of the other sailors there had boats ranging from 30 to 35 feet, and most were retired couples. This made Iris and our crew a bit of an anomoly.
Eventually we were invited upstairs to the ballroom where the meeting was being held. Sail Georgina didn't have a ballroom. We had a tent in the fenced yard and that was where most of our social events took place. We also had a garden shed where our gear was stowed. Its a little different in a club with a Bar, and a ballroom (with another bar), and offices, and bathrooms with showers and changerooms. Maybe this will be nice.
The Commodore welcomed all the new members to the club and went round the table to give the executive a chance to introduce themselves. Then it was our turn. I introduced myself and mentioned that aboard Iris would be SWMBO, Chuck, Buddy, and Cuppa, and maybe Bernie the dog. The exec were shocked that that many people fit aboard a 25' boat.
We may be small on square feet, but we're big on love, we make it happen.
The exec made everyone feel welcome, reminded us of the value of service hours, explained how dues and slip assignment work and then we all headed home.
Looks like its official. Whitby will never be the same.
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Strut Your Stuff
Some time ago, I invested in a kit from Catalina Direct which included 2 gas-charged struts to assist with raising and lowering the pop-top. On installation the plastic clips that attached the struts to the pop-top failed, but the kit sort of worked OK, and did make lifting the starboard side of the pop-top easier. The port side however, the one where the plastic clips were no longer holding the ball joint was only lighter if the boat was listing such that the gas charged strut stayed on its ball.
You kinda had to be there to understand.
It was like lifting a slab with someone helping on one side, but you were alone on the other, and things were always off balance. Catalina Direct wasn't able to replace the broken clip for me, so I thought I was on my own on this. That was until I noticed a number of uncannily familiar gas charged struts and ball joints at my local Princess Auto
Could it be that the part I needed was here at an auto parts store?? A discount auto parts store at that? A few days later I returned with the broken part, and realized that although the struts here served the same purpose, and were the same length, they weren't exactly the same. For starters, the clips on them were steel instead of plastic. Also, the part code on them was different, likely because they weren't a "marine application." I bought 2 that were the same length as the ones that came from Catalina Direct, and did what happens with most parts I buy - I put them on a shelf in the basement.
Today it was a glorious day of sunshine outside, so I took the tarp off the boat, raised the top, and replaced both struts. Apart from dropping the top on my head a time or two, and the concussion-like symptoms I am now suffering, the process was pretty simple and things are all together again.
The top now lifts and closes well. The new struts aren't as powerful as the ones from Catalina Direct, but that's not a bad thing. I still get enough support to make it easy to open the top, but now I have the advantage of not having to overcome the lift system when its time bring the top down - which was sometimes an issue before, especially for SWMBO.
I will have to keep an eye on the new struts for wear, and rust, and to be sure they stay lubed and no oil escapes them, but they seem to be working well after 1 hour of use. Oh and their cost was about one tenth the cost of Catalina's kit.
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Late winter update...
Here we are in late February, and spring is just around the corner. Most of the winter we have been dormant, not doing much at all with boat stuff. Actually, that's not true at all, Iris has been dormant, and the blog has been dormant, but we have not.
Over the course of the winter we have become increasingly aware that our house no longer fits our needs. Living over an hour from work is just silly with what gas prices are right now, and having 2 small boys and a teen means lots of extra-curricular activities that are very difficult to make it to once the commute is factored in.
To that end we have decided to move to new cruising grounds in the spring. In the coming weeks our home will be put up for sale, and Iris will be relocated. In order to make that possible, I have been faced with a few challenges. First to make our house more saleable, then to find Iris a new home and get her there.
In order to get the house market-ready, we have had to complete a number of projects and initiate a few small ones. New flooring, paint, and trim had to be installed. the boat stuff had to be cleaned up and the basement swept clear of debris. A contractor is coming in to finish up some small tasks, and by next week the house should hit the market. Call quick if you want to get the jump on it - 1.1 acres in rural York Region with an expected sale price in the middle $360,000's.
As for Iris, she will become a Lake Ontario boat. I still have to finalize where she will be going but I have a meeting with Whitby Yacht club, and I am 99% sure that will be her new home. We just have to dot the I's and cross the T's and its all done. Whitby makes sense for us since its not in the thick of Toronto, but you can get there in a day. Plus we can travel further east or south for adventures. Plus Whitby had a very active racing fleet, which should make for some good times. Here's hoping it goes well there.
New adventures to follow...
Over the course of the winter we have become increasingly aware that our house no longer fits our needs. Living over an hour from work is just silly with what gas prices are right now, and having 2 small boys and a teen means lots of extra-curricular activities that are very difficult to make it to once the commute is factored in.
To that end we have decided to move to new cruising grounds in the spring. In the coming weeks our home will be put up for sale, and Iris will be relocated. In order to make that possible, I have been faced with a few challenges. First to make our house more saleable, then to find Iris a new home and get her there.
In order to get the house market-ready, we have had to complete a number of projects and initiate a few small ones. New flooring, paint, and trim had to be installed. the boat stuff had to be cleaned up and the basement swept clear of debris. A contractor is coming in to finish up some small tasks, and by next week the house should hit the market. Call quick if you want to get the jump on it - 1.1 acres in rural York Region with an expected sale price in the middle $360,000's.
As for Iris, she will become a Lake Ontario boat. I still have to finalize where she will be going but I have a meeting with Whitby Yacht club, and I am 99% sure that will be her new home. We just have to dot the I's and cross the T's and its all done. Whitby makes sense for us since its not in the thick of Toronto, but you can get there in a day. Plus we can travel further east or south for adventures. Plus Whitby had a very active racing fleet, which should make for some good times. Here's hoping it goes well there.
New adventures to follow...
Monday, 6 February 2012
He's in WHICH skating class now?!?!
Buddy had class one of session 2 of skating a few weeks ago. He no longer falls down every 3rd step, but when he does fall down, he waits for someone to pick him up. Anyway he shuffles around pretty well, and really enjoys "skating".
First class of session two, and they advanced him into the advanced group, skipping intermediate. When I questioned this, thinking that a mistake had been made, I was assured "he's green... coach said!" ok fine. (red = beginner, yellow = intermediate, and green = advanced. He gets a smiley face sticker in the appropriate colour for his helmet, and they'll slap a new sticker on fr another class if they feel that it is better for hoim). Buddy doesn't realize how far down the ice he's supposed to head, and sticks around in the yellow class. Then continues down the ice after hanging out there for a bit, trips on the blue line, slides across the ice, and lands in the middle of the advaanced (green) class, who are just about to do a drill.
The instructor comes over and picks him up, dusts him off, and sets him on the trail the kids are all skating along. He shuffles along with all the other kids piling up behind him. Its like watching granny drive on the single lane road. Once the entire class is lined up behind him, buddy wipes out, and sits on the ice. Then he rolls around to try to get up. in the process he flails his legs and wipes out the kid behind him - who hits the kid behind him, who hits the kid behind him. The entire senior class goes down like dominoes.
Buddy is set back on his feet, instructor slaps a yellow sticker overtop of his green one, Daddy & I are happy, because we know that this is where he belongs anyway, and points him down to the intermediate class. He shuffles over and the woman there tells him to get a teddy bear and find it a hula hoop. They have hoops set out for the kids to put the bears in, but every hoop already has a bear in it. The crate filled with stuffed bears is in the middle of the biggest hoop.
Bud skates all the way around, checking every hoop, then comes back to the first one, lifts the crate of bears out of the way, puts his bear in the hoop, and unceremoniously kicks the crate away.
Thats my boy. He prolly travelled more miles than any of the other kids tonight, and the timing on the slapstic comedy was perfect.
First class of session two, and they advanced him into the advanced group, skipping intermediate. When I questioned this, thinking that a mistake had been made, I was assured "he's green... coach said!" ok fine. (red = beginner, yellow = intermediate, and green = advanced. He gets a smiley face sticker in the appropriate colour for his helmet, and they'll slap a new sticker on fr another class if they feel that it is better for hoim). Buddy doesn't realize how far down the ice he's supposed to head, and sticks around in the yellow class. Then continues down the ice after hanging out there for a bit, trips on the blue line, slides across the ice, and lands in the middle of the advaanced (green) class, who are just about to do a drill.
The instructor comes over and picks him up, dusts him off, and sets him on the trail the kids are all skating along. He shuffles along with all the other kids piling up behind him. Its like watching granny drive on the single lane road. Once the entire class is lined up behind him, buddy wipes out, and sits on the ice. Then he rolls around to try to get up. in the process he flails his legs and wipes out the kid behind him - who hits the kid behind him, who hits the kid behind him. The entire senior class goes down like dominoes.
Buddy is set back on his feet, instructor slaps a yellow sticker overtop of his green one, Daddy & I are happy, because we know that this is where he belongs anyway, and points him down to the intermediate class. He shuffles over and the woman there tells him to get a teddy bear and find it a hula hoop. They have hoops set out for the kids to put the bears in, but every hoop already has a bear in it. The crate filled with stuffed bears is in the middle of the biggest hoop.
Bud skates all the way around, checking every hoop, then comes back to the first one, lifts the crate of bears out of the way, puts his bear in the hoop, and unceremoniously kicks the crate away.
Thats my boy. He prolly travelled more miles than any of the other kids tonight, and the timing on the slapstic comedy was perfect.
Sunday, 15 January 2012
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