Let the Sailing Begin

Breeze On was put into the water last week and we went for our first sail of the season on Saturday. We had to wait weeks for the weather to cooperate so that George could apply a few coats of bottom paint. While he was waiting for the weather to improve he changed the zincs; cleaned the propeller; put a protective coat of paint on the propeller; polished the hull; recaulked the joint between the toe rail and the hull; repaired a small ding in the rudder; and built a railing for our finger pier at the condo.

Cleaned propeller

Propeller with anti fouling paint

Ding in rudder. We think it happened in our slip during a very low tide.

Rudder patched with West System.

Old caulking.

When Jimmy at Generation III launches our boat he usually does it himself and puts the boat in her slip by using a push boat. Last week he called us to come down to help because the push boat was in the shop. I was a bit nervous about driving the boat out of the launch area because it is really narrow and we had a pretty strong cross wind. Once Breeze On was in the water and we started the engine, there was no raw water coming out of the exhaust. That is a bad thing because the engine is water cooled and it can be ruined if it doesn't have water running through it. We doubled-checked the water intake through-hull and it was indeed open. Jimmy asked me to start the engine, put it in neutral and rev it up a few times. Still no water. We tried that a few more times without success. Jimmy finally got the push boat out of the shop, launched it and used it to get Breeze On out of the launch area and into her slip. I was disappointed that the engine didn't work but relieved that I didn't have to drive Breeze On out of the launch area and into her slip in the strong wind.

Breeze On in travel lift ready to by launched.

The next day Chuck at Generation III had already fixed the engine and replaced the raw water impeller by the time George arrived at the marina. Phew! We were afraid it was going to take him weeks to get to it. George had also asked Generation III to install a tricolor light at the top the mast. The light is required by the World Crusing Club as a safety measure before our trip to the Bahamas with WCC in the fall. Our plan was to leave Breeze On at the marina until the light was installed. We rigged the sails and reef lines while at Generation III. When the staff didn't get to the tricolor by the weekend, though, we decided to move Breeze On to her slip at our condo and get her loaded up with the mattresses, linens and other supplies we had removed in the fall. While we were moving her early Saturday morning, with the help of our friend Ray, we took her out for a brief sail and checked to see it the reef lines were properly rigged on the mainsail.

Ray driving during our first sail of the season.

Bev sitting on life jackets. The boat was wet due to earlier rain.

George and Bev

We were so happy to have Breeze On in her slip at the condo. It is SO much easier to work on her. Since the slip is so small it is also much easier to get on and off. The new railing that George built is also a big help. I should also mention that we thoroughly enjoy looking out or window and seeing her right in front of our building.

Breeze On as seen from our balcony. You can see the new railing on the finger pier.

Mother duck and ducklings hanging out near Breeze On.

 

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