Kids, kayaks and dog. Very good day!
Father’s Day
Author: eebe4
I like boats that sail, particularly those made of wood.
2 Short Sails
Finally took Chick back out over the past few days. Diving revealed she had little growth, but a scrubbing removed some scum and let her slip along even better still. The water was a perfect temp. Did some reading and napped in the shade of the cockpit afterwards. As the days heat up, late afternoon sails have been delightful too. Look here:
Memorial Day Afternoon
Sailed all through the grey weekend and then the sun came out finally Monday afternoon. This short video clip shows the sensation of “speed” in a little boat when your tailbone is riding at the waterline. Getting to know this boat has been fun.
Camille’s Reprise
Took a break to sail a wonderfully well-behaved little boat, Camille, a little fatty who’s grace holds no surprises. On her clothesline mooring now, she waits for this weekend’s fun and the weather looks obliging.
Made a short video playing with the phone’s iMovie app. Upon seeing a partial clip, my buddy Jay says, “Dogs really do like cats!”
What’s in a Name?
Our Tartan 27 has already proven to be a capable little vessel. The small sturdy bird commonly referred to as a “Chickadee” seemed an appropriate name for our tiny ship. Additionally, my momma used to call her 4 babies “chickadees”. So, yesterday we made it official.
Afterwards we took a short sail upriver and back.
In studying the sail plan, I realized the shrouds were backwards. Added to that, the spreaders were sagging as their support rod going through the mast was upside down. 2 of my sons cranked me up the mast to fix the latter. The fix required disconnecting the various shrouds while suspended and healing the boat to counteract the loose rigging.
Chickadee’s rigging is happy now. It’s not drooping and is properly tensioned. Her main sheet is new. The other was half the needed length! (That escaped my notice in surveying.) The Cubic Mini stove install is nearing completion. So, we’re making small improvements while keeping her working. Very satisfied with the boat! More later.
Getting Things Right
Running the engine to charge batteries is a poor solution at best to deliver amp hours back into the cells. A shore powered multi stage charger is far better. So, I added a Powermania 12 amp 2-bank “smart” charger that plugs into an appropriate extension cord led forward in the cabin and up through the bow dorade to pier supplied electrical power.
Other adds/fixes are:
- Battery monitor: Xantrex LinkLite. This effectively a true amp hour “fuel gauge” to know the state of the batteries.
- 12 volt/ USB outlets for all the 12v components now used from phones, cameras, speakers, handheld VHF, GPS, etc.
- Bilge pump switch works now in manual mode, but automatic mode will require a float switch of some sort. I’ve a Water Witch switch from Luna that may serve. The wine glass bilge may be a challenge. We’ll see.
- VHF Radio: a Uniden waterproof (overkill?) VHF radio is now mounted and powered. The masthead antenna will have to wait for a Spring haul out.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
May need a few more breakers as instruments and autopilot are added, but for now the boat is much improved. More later-
Wonderful September
This clip was a stocking stuffer for my daughter. Met her in the PNW this past September. Finally put together some of the memories.
Tartan 27 Specifications
Hull Type: Keel/Ctrbd Rig Type: Masthead Sloop
LOA: 27.00 ft / 8.23 m LWL: 21.42 ft / 6.53 m
Beam: 8.58 ft / 2.62 m Listed SA: 376.00 ft2 / 34.93 m2
Draft (max.) 6.33 ft / 1.93 m Draft (min.) 3.17 ft / 0.97 m
Displacement: 7,400 lb / 3,357 kg Ballast: 2,400 lb / 1,089 kg
Sail Area/Disp.1: 15.89 Bal./Disp.: 32.43 Disp./Len.: 336.14
Designer: William Shaw at Sparkman & Stephens
Construction: Fiberglass
First Built: 1961 (Chickadee is hull #471 built in 1974 at Douglas & McLeod in Grand River, OH)
RIG AND SAIL PARTICULARS
I: 34.65 ft / 10.56 m J: 9.83 ft / 3.00 m
P: 30.50 ft / 9.30 m E: 13.50 ft / 4.11 m
SA(Fore.): 170.30 ft2 / 15.82 m2 SA(Main): 205.88 ft2 / 19.13 m2
Sail Area (100% fore+main triangle): 376.18 ft2 / 34.95 m2
Sail Area/Disp.2: 15.90 Est. Forestay Length.: 36.02 ft / 10.98 m
Chilly Chickadee
I’ve too many excuses with little reason behind any of them to explain my love of boats. Simply, I feel dead without them. (I apologize here and now Luna). Last summer I saw a boat advertised for sale that I’ve long admired, the Tartan 27, “classic plastic”. She was in Annapolis. Couldn’t get up there. By chance a month or so later, a family wedding was nearby. The boat was still available. Hmm. Perhaps I could escape during the reception? No one was going to ask me to dance. I’m a bit of a one trick pony and the Chicken Dance is out of fashion (was it ever?). Would have been bad form I know, not the dance, the disappearing. I suppose all was for the best. Luna needed a new home first. It seemed a long 3 months getting that done. Was quick really. Once accomplished I felt maybe I was done with “in-the-water” boats for awhile. The best day in a boat owner’s life … No such doing however. In short order I began thinking about the little Tartan. Yet, the ad had disappeared and I had lost the contact. So, I joined a T27 group to inquired of others on the market. Sadly, most were dogs or too much in the “project” category. Then favor shined. The son of the summer boat saw my post. “Faith” was still waiting. After several calls, 2 trips north and2 minutes of deliberation, the sweet little girl became ours. Getting her is a long 3 day journey. Add our December weather to the mix and none of it makes sense.
The first attempt was aborted after I got the rental car loaded. Optimism didn’t prevail. “Faith” became “Chickadee” and one week later a 3-day window opened. It was quite cold with small craft warnings, but no rain. The clear skies brought winds from the starboard quarter to offer a firm push home. Lunacy! Here are our 2 days getting south. A third is to come. Merry Christmas!
Au Revoir Luna
I’m afraid Luna’s brightwork got the best of me. Call it “varnish anxiety”. Its a real thing! As much as I worked toward it, her brightwork exterior was shaping up to be a losing battle. In some respects it resulted from poor product selection (8 coats of Le Tonkinois finish didn’t), but honestly I was short changing the time she deserved. Initially, my reaction was to sail the boat (boy can she) and forget about the shine, but that is no way to treat a beauty you’ve been given stewardship over. While I had improved some things: new sails, engine, cabinetry, etc., her varnished edges outside her full length cover were taking a beating. I had considered finding a barn to house her until some other projects got out of the way. Ultimately, I elected to put Luna on the market hoping another would look after her now. Not surprisingly, the first prospective buyer who laid eyes on her became the next steward. He’s retiring, will have more time and, I believe, earnestly wants to take this lovely vessel on. The new owner lives only 30 minutes from where Luna was moored. Perhaps, as some consolation, I can look forward to seeing her revived and all dressed up once again. I hope so.
Here is our last sail together. Bittersweet to say the least.
Lingering Lunacy 