SO MUCH FOR THE SUNSHINE STATE February 27, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
Have not seen a sunny day in a week. The snowbirds are talking about it reminding them of home. Damp, chilly. No I did not go sailing. Did some help in moving the grandkid and her parents towards Panama City. We will see how that goes. Grandma is in a funky mood, but the grandkid is only a hour and a half away. It will be good to get back to a normal life.
The excitement in the next day or so will be our neighbor bringing in his 49 foot Hylas. Brand new. Looking forward to seeing a brand new boat, what they have on it, how it is done. They decided on this boat after looking at an Oyster. OooKkkk. Anyway, I am excited. They ordered it about a year ago. It is built in China and then shipped to Miami for commissioning and adding things like air conditioning and electronics. Have to admit I do not have the opportunity to clime around a brand new boat very often. It has been a while and then no where near this big.
Can you believe the forecast for next weekend is for rain. Summer is coming, I can feel it in my bones…, or is that more rain I feel.
INTERESTING WEATHER February 20, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
Why does one listen to the weather forecasts. We were to have a Gale on Saturday that was going to have winds at gale force till noon Sunday. Sunday was the beach parade that I wanted to take my granddaughter to see. Saturday was rainy and at times blustery, but no gale. When I got up around 6:30 Sunday morning, the water was like glass. The forecast? They did not change. Winds gusting to 40 before noon, then dieing to 35 in the afternoon. The wind was a little chilly, but again, no gale.
I am in a nice secure slip. It would not be wise to vacate that slip for a lee shore anchorage, and then leave your home to its own during a gale. I canceled. The wind at my slip did reach 7 knots, with a gust of 17. I missed the parade. I missed catching beads and moon pies with the grandkid. Next year.
THINGS TO GET February 13, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
My list got a little longer with the demise of the free life raft. It was really to big for the boat, 10 person commercial, but if you had to ditch, it would afford you living space. Now I am in the market of a 6 man. That is an addition $3k I was not expecting. At this point the stuff I need is; life raft, rib dingy and motor, water maker, bimini, windshield, hatch bars and spares. That should eat up the pre-cruising kiddy and then some. The good point is that I do not have to prioritize anything. With the time as it is, it is time to buy and help the economy.
Know all I have to do is shop. Hate that part.
AS FAR WEST HAULERS AND February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
AS FAR EAST February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
OUR ENCAMPMENT February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
THE DOOR COME OFF February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in Durbeck, FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
RACE WEEKEND February 6, 2012
Posted by sailingnightwatch in FL, Florida, ICW, Pensacola, Racing, Repairs, Restoration, Sailing, Sailing the ICW.add a comment
Before that, last Sunday at church our friend who is sailing in the Bahamas show up 2 rows in front of us. He was home to take care some business. It was great to see him and ask some questions. I could spend a day asking him questions.
This was the 48 hours of Sebring weekend. This is usually a great race. This year it was to big. To many entrants, to many people, to many cars on the track. The number of cars was unbelievable. The race class was divided into 3 groups of almost 90 cars each. As an example, in the Red Group, the fastest and presumably the best drivers, on parade laps and warm up laps the accordion effect caused by slowing for turns caused those at the back end to have to come at times to a complete stop. On practice races those at the lead were over a half lap ahead before those at the end were at the start line. The practice races did not have the cars grouped from faster to slower and therefore you had fast cars that were slow to grid trying to get through the slower cars on cold tires and breaks and some with the lack of knowledge of the track. Practice session one, blacked flagged on lap one because a car stuffed itself into the wall. Practice race to, same thing on lap 2. This does not include the cars off plowing the grass and only causing local cautions.
Similar thing were happening in the other race classes. Because of all the carnage, schedules were shredded and track times shortened.
The positive side is that all these cars mean the economy must be coming back. I have a suggestion. Next year have an early registration cut off date and then have a drawing of those who register to a keep the numbers at a manageable level. I have been at large events with half the number of cars in a race and its was still almost unraceable. Vendors. It was wonderful having the number of vendor there. But, they need to be placed off the main road at a very busy intersection. I spent my money with them and would find them no mater where they were located. It was at times dangerous driving through the people and there kids.
There was a tragic event that happened Friday evening when a 4 wheeler and a SUV collided at one of the intersections in the dark. The 4 wheeler driver had to be life-flighted out in critical condition. I understand from announcements that he was upgraded the next day. Yes there were all kinds of people speeding from 4 wheelers and other pit vehicles to haulers and motor homes. Yes we are all in a hurry to get the job done so we can go racing. The committee running the race has a challenge to come up with better set up on and off the course without coming up with a bunch of draconian rules that will rune one of the great fun events in club racing.
Us? We had clutch problems all weekend and ended up crashing out and going home early. It was a racing accident that officially was our fault. One is not to go down the track side ways where you collect other cars and get t-boned. Driver ok. Other driver pissed.
But he had no where to go and we were in the way. Still moving, just not in the correct attitude. No it was not a fun weekend.
