Monthly Archives: August 2010

I think I’ve somehow been transported to Seattle.  Not just me, but my surrounding mini-universe.  We’ve had almost 12 inches of rain at my house in the past 24 days.  And I’m seriously thinking about keeping a kayak at work.  … Continue reading →

I ran my first 5K yesterday. There were hills. I finished. I was not last. Sue has been running for a better part of the year, and went from zero to half marathon distance in about 14 weeks.  She has … Continue reading →

I’m in the market for a small, INEXPENSIVE daysailor for Sue to use for training (without me on board badgering her needlessly) as well as a boat suitable for Justin to sail.  Sunfish, Force 5, Laser, 420… that kind of … Continue reading →

Over the course of my sailing experiences, I’ve tried different things when it comes to cordage diameter.  Large diameter lines are easer on the hands, but they create more friction going through sheaves, blocks, and cleats.  Small line diameters are, … Continue reading →

First off, the Multihulls Magazine article: it’ll be in the online edition, as they currently aren’t running the print edition.  Knowing the costs of publishing, this is a wise move, plus it saves a lot of resources.  And, all those … Continue reading →

As I had mentioned in an earlier post ( https://claritysailingadventures.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/how-cool-is-this/ ), an editor at Multihulls Magazine caught wind of our Everglades Challenge plans, and asked me to write an article for possible inclusion in either their digital and/or print editions. Well….. … Continue reading →

It’s always interesting to follow the cascade of events that befall others, so I’ll share one with you.  It starts last night: The battery dies on Sue’s Amigo.  At a busy restaurant. I pick her up, pull the old battery, … Continue reading →

We just updated our wireless system at home so that Sue and Justin could use their new laptops… which, of course, caused me to lose MY connection on my trusty desktop PC! Not immediately, of course… but over the span … Continue reading →

I mentioned in an earlier post that one of the requirements to compete in the Everglades Challenge was that you must carry a SPOT personal locating device.  The SPOT tracker has multiple functions… it can send a “911”/SOS message to … Continue reading →

After letting the truck bedliner cure, it seems that the aerosol type doesn’t have what it takes to cure hard enough to protect the keel. SOOOO… it looks like I’ll go back to the tried and true system of using … Continue reading →

I’ve been thinking that all the oyster beds, rocks, sand, launch ramps and trailer events are going to take a bit of a toll on the hulls, especially the vaka (it’s already sustained some gouging from earlier in life…), so … Continue reading →

Well, it’s a wet, wet Wednesday here in not-so-sunshine drenched Florida.  Speaking of drenched, I’ve just come in from a downpour, having loaded a customer with 2000 lbs of pipe, and I’m soaked.  So the first thing I did was … Continue reading →

How many times has a sailor been asked that question by a non-sailor (formerly known as landlubbers, but the P.C. police probably don’t like the word…)?  I’ve been asked it a lot, and I’ve heard others being asked the question too. … Continue reading →

Reaching is a point of sail, a heading based on your angle to the wind as opposed to a compass-oriented direction.   A beam reach is when you are sailing 90º to the wind, a close reach is about 70º to the … Continue reading →

Working together, in a synergistic fusion of man and machine, makes your immediate world seem both larger and smaller.  Perspectives change, along with priorities.  The geopolitical foibles of a bunch of greedy, pompous, stuffed shirts seems far less important than … Continue reading →

“Those who think a thing can’t be done should never get in the way of those who are actually doing it.” You gotta love it!

The kayak/ama rack is essentially finished!  Justin and I bolted all the pieces together in the back yard last night.  Here’s a couple of pictures with Justin ably helping me get the job done…  The design decision in question was … Continue reading →

One item (of many) that we are looking to install on Clarity is a roller furling unit.  If anybody out there has a used Harken, Ronstan, or other small boat furling unit they’d like to get rid of, please let … Continue reading →

The Ultimate Florida Challenge: 1200 miles by small craft in 30 days or less. No motors, no cars, no outside help. This is the race for those who are looking for more of a challenge than the Everglades Challenge, a … Continue reading →