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Post by yachtsmanwilly on Aug 17, 2018 7:56:01 GMT -5
Where the HELL is the "on" switch on this bozoputer? Took a few weeks off and lost all my techno skills! I guess the joke is on the next generation haha. We actually pulled outa TR two weeks ago this morning. A 1-2 foot sea for 75 miles across to Frankfort and we burned just about 100 gallons of gas @ 2600rpm/17MPH. Filled up here before we left so we go a good tally for the trip for a change. So halfway across, we hear this loud CLUNK, and look astern to see my 7 foot antique Chris Craft boat hook bobbing in the water. The wind had picked up and I had doubts about finding it. It wouldve been a good drill to hit the MOB on the GPS, but in a panic I just turned 180* and followed the rhumb line back from whence we came. After about 15 minutes we called the search off and resumed our original plot and then Pat yells out "THAR SHE BLOWS!" That SOB was laying right along side the boat. She steps onto the swim platform and plucks it outa the water. A lucky save indeed! We landed at Jacobsens in Frankfort and after a mis-communication on their part, got us a handicapped dock right next to the pool. That was kinda cool as Pat hit the hot tub then we did dinner. Went to a place just in front of the marina (some kinda pizza joint) that also had steaks etc on the menu... I ordered a blackened prime rib but had a communication problem with the blonde mulatto valley girl. Never seen one before but she was loaded with jailhouse tattoos. She should keep her daytime job or go back "inside". A real lousy server; I asked her how the blackened PR was done and she said she didnt know. She just serves them and never really looks at them. Hmmm. Glad it wasnt a Buffalo fish! All the old time small towns are now accessible by road within a 4 hour drive and they have all become trendy. That really SUCKS. Its SOOOO changed in the last 10 years; its un fathomable. The boating up there is still good however... The next morning after fueling ( a dollar more per gallon in Michigan!) we took off for Suttons Bay, another 75 mile trip. Started out dicey but flattened out and was a ride on the mill pond.. ws Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by Avenger on Aug 17, 2018 15:14:20 GMT -5
Isn't it amazing how hard it is to recapture a fun time when you go back to someplace. I guess it's partly because things change, and because our expectations are more than what was there in the first place. Oh well, at least you still had a good time and recovered the rare, collectable X-Craft boathook.
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Post by yachtsmanwilly on Aug 18, 2018 7:32:00 GMT -5
Yeah man! That was due to Pats ol' eagle eyes! I expected the mahogany pole to be floating vertically with the brass hook end being heavier, but it was flat. So the next morning with Nor'Westers that like to kick up unexpectedly, we peeled out of Frankfort and headed north. Suttons Bay is another 75 mile run. We cleared the outer harbor walls and found there to be about 100 guys out fishing for Steelheads, plus a bunch of sailboats trying to figger out how to tack with all the fisherman, and a few big guys coming out and heading to Traverse Bay and Charlevoix. The lake was a tad snotty and overcast, but after an hour or so we passed Point Betsie light, and it laid down nicely. Then Mr. Sun showed up, along with some heat and humidity. We were ready to duck into Leland if it got bad, but was smooth all the way to Cat-Head Point. We rounded the point of the peninsula which put us right down the slot of Grand Traverse Bay. Honestly, Ive never seen it that flat. Its a long narrow bay with a 35 mile fetch and winds outa the south can provide an interesting ride. This time the winds were only about 5Kn and just a ripple on the water. So we easily made the 15 mile run to Suttons bay and called the harbor mistress (!). Seems there was a starving artist fair going on so the little town of 3,000 now had to support an extra 20,000 vacationers. Wall to wall traffic, people and kids in strollers and teens texting walking into the streets kinda spoiled that part. We had reserved a slip (#27) close to shore for the handicapped folks which the even called us on by cellphone as we approached the harbor to confirm. Those bastards put us in #79 which is 1/4 mile walk to the parking lot and then into town. Outa touch and outa wifi range. The other issue is I couldnt use my "Been here 30 years ago card" and had to suffer with the masses. Had some meals that were OK, but the general rule was a cheeseburger is about $12.00. We struggled with it and were promised the closer slip "tomorrow". Tomorrow came and while we were headed for Traverse City to pick up a car, they rented out our closer slip AGAIN. Again, they overbooked and we were not at their beck and call so they sold that slip. "You werent around and we had boats lined up..." Too friggin' bad. They did rectify that the next day and our rental car was parked right behind the boat, and all the starving artists went home, packed up in their Escalades I'm sure LOL. Maybe next time with a dinghy, we'll use SKY's method and hang on the hook. More to follow... ws & Ppat Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by yachtsmanwilly on Aug 20, 2018 18:28:32 GMT -5
After all the sweat and swearing, the next day I picked up Father Paul from St. Michaels church in SB. A kindly old salt of 82 gladly went for a boat ride to say a prayer, the one for burials at sea, for pops with the obligatory pagan gift from above. Gave the Padre a nice card with a "tip" (keep yer daytime job LOL) and was back in the slip in about 2 hours. Kinda weird or mushy, but I felt some relief after having been 30 years since the last time I did this. Pat kept us on station but the breeze turned us 180* and I hadnt realized it until we went a few miles and there was no return track on the GPS... thats what happens when you pray with yer eyes closed haha. Next day we drove up to Old Mission Point lighthouse and toured the MARI vineyards. The two brothers that do the treasure hunt thing on Oak Island Nova Scotia are key players in that. Its on the History Channel ... The best thing so far was private time with Pat and NO INTERNET. MAN! I needed this vacation... ws Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by yachtsmanwilly on Aug 20, 2018 18:32:29 GMT -5
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Post by Avenger on Aug 20, 2018 19:33:45 GMT -5
Looking good. Thanks for the pics and keep them coming.
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Post by yachtsmanwilly on Aug 27, 2018 16:04:07 GMT -5
Been a tad busy, then got L-A-Z-Y in a hurry. Still trying to shake that part. The 6 months prior to our trip caused a premature high speed blow out. I was sooo glad to just about finish the job and was happy the way the boat performed. I think ppat was a little surprised that we managed to pull it all together as well! So we pulled out of Suttons Bay on to West Traverse Bay and it was unusually calm. That made it easy to say goodbye to the old man. Who knows if we'll ever get back. The return leg outa the bay was a reciprocal course up to CatHead point, then a course change to pass north of the Manitou Islands and on line for Baileys harbor in Door County. It was pretty smooth sailing past the islands until we made the windward side and caught the 300 mile fetch of wind from the south. This leg was only about 65 miles, and we still managed to maintain our usual cruising speed, but we took our share of spray due to a 4-5 foot port forward quartering sea. The deep fore step on the Roamer loves that stuff. Only a hint of cavitation once or twice; just steady power. Got into BH and they had us stuffed way into the corner by the fuel dock. Its kind of a treacherous approach to the harbor with small red and greens privately set, but ya need to believe them. Its about an 8 foot channel in with 5-6 feet in the basin. I think its time for a dredge job. The souther wind at 30Kn. made for some fun maneuvering for a few guys in and outa the harbor, but we came in with Pat on deck forward, tossing a forward line to the dock hand, made fast and swung the back end in all in about 10 seconds. the kid even complimented me on a smooth job. Another 22 footer came in for fuel ahead of us and before ya knew it he had a 50 foot long wad of knots airborne to the gas guy with no fenders out and only banged the wall about 20 times. Didnt even take fuel, then was moved to another dock for the night; with the same faux pas. Had a "trendy" special chicken breast sammich for dinner at the Corner Stone pub for $20.00 each. Actual dinner was a microwaved plain white chunk-o-chicken with some special home made kettle chips that you had to cut with a knife and fork--- pure lousy. We sailed in the morning after fuel on LEFTOVERS from Suttons Bay. The flies were free LOL... The big blue tour boat was on the trailer and dry when we pulled in. With a load of people, in 12 feet of water this yo-yo fouled his prop on a marker buoy for a harbor shipwreck a whole 500 feet away. The marker was on a 3/8 cable for a divers lead. Gotta love "Captains". Hrumffff. By morning the wind switched to a northerly which flattened out the lake for a while before it became following.Home was only a 5 hour spin away... ws Attachment DeletedAttachment DeletedAttachment Deleted
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Post by badhattitude on Aug 27, 2018 16:41:41 GMT -5
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Post by yachtsmanwilly on Aug 27, 2018 18:02:51 GMT -5
Cant publish them LOL... ws
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