Annapolis

Since we got the boat and cradle ready for haul out a couple of weeks ago, we took the opportunity to take a road trip to the US Boat Show in Annapolis, Maryland.   We left Friday morning and 10 hours later, arrived in Annapolis.  Saturday, we ran into a bunch of people from QCYC who had also made the trip, and joined them at Pusser's for their famous Painkillers (not me - designated driver), and dinner at Phillip's Crab Shack.  


The boat show was great with an opportunity to see boats we'd never see here in Toronto.  I finally got to see a Morris Ocean series 46, but didn't actually like the interior layout. With a base price of over $1 million, it's probably customizable.  My favourite was the Outbound 46, and at about $600,000, it seemed very reasonably priced compared to some of the boats we saw.

David

On Sunday, we had breakfast at Chick & Ruth's Delly, a place with lots of character, where I had an amazing crab omelette.  We wanted to tour the US Naval Academy in town, but didn't have our passports with us, which were required id for foreigners.  Later in the afternoon, David picked us up in his dinghy, and brought us and a few other QCYC folks over to his boat Anahata, anchored in Back Creek.  We had seen David during our cruise this summer, and he is now on his way south, before sailing off into the sunset.  We've added a link to his blog, Floating Classroom.  While Ed and David sorted out some electrical problems, the rest of us lounged around in the cockpit.  Dinner with David was at a local place - Davis Pub - which had been featured on an episode of triple D.  A bit of a change from the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, but what a great trip.

A great way to close out the season

On September 6th and 7th, we had a couple of the best sailing days of the season.  On Saturday, we thought we'd try to get to Bronte, but the wind started to die out, and as we were deciding whether we should stop at Mimico Cruising Club or Etobicoke Yacht Club, the wind shifted, and we decided to enjoy a fast sail home.  The wind was so brisk that we had to put a reef in the main and roll up part of the headsail, and were still making 7 knots, which is really fast for our boat.  
On Sunday we went out again, and enjoyed another 5 hours on the water with beautiful sunshine and a good breeze.  It was great to close out the season with such a great time on the water, because we didn't really get much sailing time this year.   We did get to visit one more yacht club, though.  Andrew and his friend Chris sailed in to Lakeshore Yacht Club this past weekend, and since we had a car, we dropped by to visit.  We'll definitely have to visit there next season. As I write this, the sails have been taken down, the mast has been taken down, and the cradle is ready for haul out.  Just in time, too, because curling season starts in less than a week!

2014 Labour Day weekend

What a great Labour Day weekend!  On Friday night, we gorged ourselves on corn and hotdogs as the pigs were being prepared for Saturday's pig roast.  
Emily and her friend joined us for the pig roast, and after a morning thunder storm, the weather was great.  
On Sunday, the forecast had originally not been very favourable.  Monica and Dave had arranged to come for the day, and after a cloudy start, we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon and evening.  We had a good wind and warm weather, and our sail brought us to a great position to watch the Snow Birds at the airshow.  I never get tired of the view from the water, especially when the planes come right overhead as they are turning.   

A Foggy Evening

My cousin Zaza has come from France to visit her daughter, Lucie, who moved here a couple of years ago.  Before this visit, I hadn't seen her in over 35 years, since my only visit to France when I was 14 years old.  Zaza had spent a year in Canada when she was in her late teens.  It's been wonderful getting to spend time with her, and what could be more relaxing than an evening sail at the end of the work week.  My niece Magda and her boyfriend Alec also joined us.  

We headed out on a beautiful, sunny, late afternoon.  We raised the sails just after going through the eastern gap, and turned off the engine.  There was little wind, but our guests were happy to be on the water.  While I was below preparing some snacks, Ed said I should come up to see the mist rolling in.  We don't get a lot of fog in Toronto, so this was strange.  The wind picked up just enough that we could actually feel that we were moving, and we thought we could still stay out on the lake, when suddenly, we were enveloped in really thick fog.  Visibility went down to a few dozen feet almost instantly.  We started the engine, got the sails down, and I went forward with the air horn to keep an eye out for shore and other boats, and to signal our position.

We started up the handheld GPS, and while it was acquiring a signal, we motored as slowly as we could in what we thought was the right direction for the channel.  Ed spotted the green buoy near the island, and the fog lifted enough so that we made it through the gap and into the harbour.  We were debating whether it would be safe to stay out a little longer when the fog thickened again.  Decision made.  We got back without incident and enjoyed some refreshments aboard before heading up to the club restaurant for dinner.  During dinner, the fog rolled in again, so thickly that we could hardly see the other side of the lagoon, but by the time we were done, the skies cleared and we got a great view of the Toronto skyline.

More curlers on the water

On Sunday, Derek, Hayley, and Emily came out for a sail.  Derek and Hayley had taken sailing lessons at Humber in June just before their vacation, and were happy to have a good breeze for a sailing day. This was probably one of the best weekends we've had this summer, weatherwise, with sunshine, warm temps and a nice breeze.  


Afterwards, as we were enjoying a refreshment in the cockpit, a couple of kayakers were paddling by, and Emily recognized Scott and Louise from the curling club.  We invited them to stop for a drink, and gave them a little tour of the clubhouse.  They're considering buying a boat, and are looking for a yacht club with a comfortable atmosphere.  Maybe QCYC will fit the bill.

Great race!

Deb and Andrew brought their new boat, Delta G a Hanse 37, to QCYC to join us for this year's Women Skippers Race.  It turned out that Prime Interest was one of only 4 boats in the 29 feet and over category.  We got over the line about a minute after the rest of the group, which was fine with me.  With the wind from the south, we had to tack through the gap, with a freighter approaching the outer end of the shipping channel.  With 3 boats tacking close to each other, I was pretty nervous and wanting to get out of the way of the others, but Ed and Andrew encouraged me to hold my course and we were able to get ourselves out of the channel with only one boat still ahead of us. 

Deb concentrating

 I couldn't believe we passed that boat, and rounded the Gibraltar mark first!  On the way back, the wind suddenly got really light going back through the channel, and it felt like we were stopped.  We managed to cross the finish line over 5 minutes ahead of the next boat, Wild Jasmine, but with our boat's PHRF rating (handicap), we ended up second on corrected time.  We later learned that Ascend, a normally fast racing boat, had a branch caught on their rudder, which is likely why we managed to pass them. The race flags for the WSR are usually handed out on the lawn after the race, but this year, the club is having special 125th anniversary race flags printed, which will be handed out at the Awards Banquet at the end of the season.  I guess we'll have to go this year. 

Heading Home

The cruise in to Niagara-on-the-Lake was a great way to finish off our vacation.  On the way home, we had our best sail of the trip, right across the lake to Toronto.  This was going to be a west end cruise, and ended up being a south shore cruise.  We didn't cover as much ground as we often do, but enjoyed staying a little longer at the various ports, and meeting friends old and new.

QCYC Cruise to Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club

We arrived at NOLSC on Friday evening, along with a handful of other QCYC boats.  The rest of the cruisers arrived on Saturday, most of them having motored due to lack of wind.  First thing in the morning, Eriks from Wild Jasmine came by with our 125th anniversary burgee, which had finally arrived when we were on vacation, and we had a visit aboard with Eriks and Jacqui.  We enjoyed a walk through town, and I managed to get a bunch of laundry done before most boats arrived.  In the afternoon, we had drinks at the tiki bar on the deck near our boat before joining all the cruisers for a potluck cocktail party before dinner.  In fact, with so many snacks, Ed and I didn't bother with dinner, and had a quiet evening.  
On Sunday, since we were finished breakfast early, we went to mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church, right near the yacht club.  It's a nice little church.  Later in the afternoon, we spent a little money at the art show near the light house, and met with the cruisers for a pint at The Olde Angel Inn just off the main street.  We enjoyed an excellent dinner at Corks Winebar and Eatery with Jacqui and Eriks, and finished the evening with a little rum tasting.

SAILING to Niagara-on-the-Lake

As we were leaving Port Dalhousie, we passed several ships which were anchored near the entrance to the Welland Canal, but otherwise, it was pretty quiet on the water until we got close to the Niagara River.  

QCYC had arranged a cruise in the Niagara-on-the-Lake for the August long weekend, and we had decided to join in from wherever we were.  We had to leave DYC at around noon, but needed to get to Niagara-on-the-Lake Sailing Club late in the afternoon, because the slip wouldn't be available until then.  With only 10 nautical miles to go, lots of time to kill, and having hardly sailed on this cruise, we decided that we would sail, even though the winds were very light.  We spent the first couple of hours bobbing along at about 1 knot, but then actually had a pretty good sail for a few hours.  By the time the wind really picked up, we were ready to start the engine so that we could finally get to NOLSC.  We got a great slip close to the clubhouse, and it had only taken us 6 hours!

Port Dalhousie

When it was time to move on from Wilson, we headed to Port Dalhousie, and with the light wind on the nose, we motored again.  This was our first stay at the Dalhousie Yacht Club.  We had heard that it can get quite bouncy in the river, but we had three very peaceful nights.  It was a great place for people watching, as there is always lots of foot traffic along the pier with casual strollers, serious walkers, fishermen, and photographers (especially at sunset).  

On the second day, a boat from Mimico Cruising Club pulled in behind us.  Ed thought Burin Star was a familiar boat name for some reason.  When he googled it, he found an article about the boat that he remembered reading some time ago.  The boat if for sale, and looks like a big, serious cruiser.

We had a couple of really relaxing days, walking around the neighbourhood, and across the river to old Port Dalhousie.  About the most excitement we had, was when we left a restaurant on Thursday, and I missed a step and fell flat on my face.  Didn't get hurt, just embarrassed.  

Happy Birthday

Dave and Denise needed to be in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Tuesday, and would be leaving early.  Since it was Denise's birthday on Tuesday, we thought we'd try out the oven on our boat, and bake her a birthday cake on Monday evening.  I hope you had a good day, Denise!

Bad Karma?

On Sunday, the wind was really blowing from the west, and with no particular place to be, we opted to stay in Wilson for another 2 nights.  Since IYC and Sunset Marina do not offer wi-fi, I walked over to Tuscarora to ask whether I could use their internet for an hour or so.  The senior steward apologized for not being able to allow that, and informed me that technically, I shouldn't even be on the grounds since I was not staying there, and was not a guest of anyone who was staying there.  I think that's the first time I've had anyone at any yacht club around the lake be less than hospitable.  
Ed and I thought we'd try the heated pool at IYC, only to discover that it isn't being heated this year.  I only got my ankles wet, but Ed managed to get waist deep before deciding it was just too cold to be fun.
Sunday night, storms blew through, and we were first blown onto the dock, then by morning, were being blown into the boat beside us.  Lucky we have lots of fenders.  We took a walk to Tuscarora YC to see what the sea state was, and the waves were really crashing into the channel walls.  We saw a crane at TYC, and thought it was an odd time for someone to be hauling anything with the winds as strong as they were.  It turned out to be a dock that was being  lifted, and we guessed that the strong winds must have ripped it off the wall or the stern piling.  Since these are not floating docks, we wondered whether any boats were damaged.

Old friends

We filled up fuel, and managed to fill our new propane tanks in Point Breeze before heading off to Wilson.  The waves were a little rough as we motored into the wind...again.  As we approached Wilson, we called the Tuscarora Yacht Club to see whether they would have any space.  They were having a cruise in from Ashbridges Bay YC, so no space for us.  We went up the bay to the Sunset Marina/Island Yacht Club (Wilson).  As we were debating whether we would fit into the slip assigned to us, two people on bikes stopped and waved to us.  It was Ian and Shauna from Blue Wing.  We had sailed in St. Martin with them a few years ago.  Ian retired from the Bank a couple of years ago, and Shauna only recently, so they were enjoying an extended cruise this summer. Ian and Shauna are out-of-town members at IYC which gives them reciprocal privileges around the lake, and an inexpensive place to haul out in the winter. We joined them for IYC's Friday night Fish Fry and $2 beer. 

On Saturday, as we were relaxing in the cockpit, Livin' Easy came into the bay looking for a mooring.  Sunset Marina has the wrong phone number printed in the Ports Guide, so we contacted the marina office, and were able to help Dave and Denise get a spot for the night. 

New Boats

Livin' Easy

We finally got to sail for a while between Rochester and Point Breeze.  The winds had been quite strong overnight, and were still blowing from the north as we were leaving.  Because of the tight mooring at RYC, Marv helped us off the dock, and we would have been fine...if another boat we didn't see hadn't been leaving at the same time.  With some quick maneuvering, we managed not to hit anyone.  Livin' Easy left shortly after us, and we crisscrossed paths for a while.  As we headed further west, so did the wind, and as a result we ended up motor sailing most of the way.

Anahata

As we entered Oak Orchard creek, someone came out onto a dock and was waving at us.  It was David from QCYC.  He has purchased a Passport 42 - Anahata - and is refitting her prior to going on a long term cruise to the south Pacific.  To avoid import duties, he won't be bringing the boat to Canada, and is doing the work at the Point Breeze Marina.
Our only disappointment was that the bridge we used to walk over to get to Brown's Berry Patch, is gone.  Going to the next bridge south would have added at least a couple of kilometers to our walk, so no ice cream for us.

New friends

With no wind, we motored to Rochester, going past the entrance to Irondequoit Bay, just to have a look.  Rochester Yacht Club was quite busy, but the dockmaster gave us a choice of slips.  We picked one that looked like it wouldn't be too hard to get in and out of, but the docked turned out to be VERY short.  A few minutes after we were docked, a National YC boat came into one of the slips which we had declined.  I walked around to invite them over for drinks, and it turned out that the boat beside them was from Etobicoke YC, so we invited them over too.  We met Marv and Kathy on Wet and Wilder (oops - no photo) from NYC, and Dave and Denise on Livin' Easy from EYC.  Turns out Dave works at Scotiabank, and deals with the department I just joined. 
Dave and Denise just purchased their boat, and were making their way to Niagara-on-the-Lake for a date with the customs broker.  The next day was rainy so we did some boat chores. We got another chance to see Ajay and Kathy for dinner at Schooners, and Dave and Denise were able to join us.

This year's sailing vacation begins in....Sodus Bay

We left Toronto on a Friday afternoon, with a forecast of light winds.  We wanted to begin our vacation in Rochester, but they were hosting a regatta the first weekend of our holiday, so we decided that since we were making an overnight passage, we'd keep going to Sodus Bay, and work our way west from there.  We've spent the last 2 summers at the east end of the lake, so I thought it was time for something different.  We had a great sail for about half an hour, then the wind died and we started the engine.  There was light wind all night, and what was there was on the nose.  The lake was flat and we made great time, so much so that I slowed us down at about 5:00 am so that we wouldn't arrive too early.  As it was, we got to the Sodus Bay Yacht Club at about 9:00, checked into the country at the video phone, then had a good breakfast and a nap.

Ajay and Kathy were hoping to bring Sara to Sodus Point for a beach day on Saturday, but circumstances prevented that, so Ajay came on his own to pick us up and take us to Webster.  The Webster Jazz Festival was on, but we didn't stay long because of the weather.  We spent a cool, rainy evening in the company of good friends, and on Sunday, went shopping while Sara attended a birthday party.  We only had a short visit aboard before going to The Bay Street restaurant.  We enjoyed it last year, and were glad to introduce Kathy and Ajay to the place, particularly as they have a fondness for the Florida Keys, and this place has a Key West connection.  
We spent a relaxing Monday in Sodus Point, walking the beach, and the small community around the yacht club, with dinner at Captain Jack's. 

Ladies' Night 2014

After the annual Finance Picnic on the island (likely my last, since I just joined Global Risk Management), I had a few of the women over to the boat for the evening.  Cora, Jenny, Rebecca, Christine and I enjoyed some refreshments, snacks, and good conversation.  It's always nice to get together outside of the office.  The afternoon had been beautiful but the evening was a little cool, particularly by the time the sun was setting.  I forgot to factor in the race night crowds, and my guests couldn't get on the 9:00 tender.  Thankfully, the tender was making back to back runs, so the ladies weren't too late heading home.

Are they curlers or are they sailors?

Maybe they're both!  At the end of the curling season in April, my Tuesday team had arranged to go sailing on July 5.   With a short summer, and vacation plans, we have to plan well ahead.  The date was approaching, the weather looked good....but with two FIFA World Cup games, and Eugenie Bouchard playing in the Wimbledon finals on Saturday, Joe asked whether we could go sailing on Sunday instead.  Not ones to stand between sports fans and a good game, we agreed, although the weather forecast for Sunday was for strong winds and high waves.  

Ed and I went to QCYC's Ribfest on Saturday and who did we meet, but some more curlers. Kate and Marina had come to join Kate's sister Karen for the festivities.  Karen and her partner Richard, on Catspaw, just joined the club this season.  The High Park ladies tried our hands (or feet) at some line dancing ahead of the evening's entertainment.  I wish I could say we were great, but I think our Entertainment Chair Phil picked the hardest line dance lessons he could find on the internet. 

Before our guests arrived on Sunday, I warned them that we may not actually get out on the water because of the weather forecast.  Lynn was so keen to sail, that we agreed to see how things were on the lake.  We had a good breeze, but certainly not what had been forecast, and the waves were nothing to speak of.  George was surprised that he didn't need a licence to sail, and did great for his first time at the helm.  We had a quick sail, and it was only when we were returning to the club that the clouds rolled in and the wind picked up a little, but our captain docked us expertly, so no worries.

And here it is - Happy Canada Day

Harbourfront held their Canada Day fireworks show on June 30.  We had a great view from the lawn of QCYC.  The skies were clear, the CN Tower was lit up in red and white, and we enjoyed a great pyrotechnic show.

Today is hot and hazy, with storms forecast for mid day.  After breakfast we hoisted our huge Canadian flag which only comes out on this day each year.   

Anticipating Canada Day

Marysia and Ela were our first guests this season.  We had a brisk sail on Saturday, and both the ladies were great at the helm.

On Sunday, it was the first really hot and humid day of summer.  We had a 'snow' storm with the fluffies out in full force as the wind picked up before a thunder storm.  While it was still raining, we were treated to a beautiful full rainbow.

Sailpast 2014 - QCYC at 125

 The Queen City Yacht Club is celebrating it's 125th anniversary this year, and there are lots of special events planned throughout the season, starting with Sailpast.  The grand niece of the club's first commodore (Thomas World) was in attendance for the day, along with her son.


We've ordered special burgees for this year, but the company sewing them made a mistake and printed the wrong dates - not once, but twice - so we don't have our new burgee yet.

The weather for Sailpast was cool, but there was enough wind for us to sail without being overpowered.  I always find it stressful being in the harbour with so many boats in close quarters, especially for the first sail of the season.  Afterwards, Roel and Amy from Amelie, and JB from Eventide, came by to enjoy some refreshments.  We sat in the cockpit until the review of the fleet, then went below to warm up before going to the Commodore's Punch reception.

We're floating!

We launched on Saturday, April 26.  With the cold weather and late launch date, we were working to get all the boats launched in one weekend.  We had a couple of good days, and managed to get them all in, with the exception of a couple of smaller boats which still had work to be done.

Ed removed the old stuffing from the stuffing box a couple of weeks ago.  This is the stuff which fills the little gap where the propeller shaft goes through the hull, so is basically keeping the lake out of our boat.  Changing the stuffing is a hard job because the old stuffing is jammed in pretty tightly, and you have to work by feel because the opening faces aft.  Once the old stuffing is all removed, it's time to replace it with fresh stuffing, and tighten the locking nut to jam it in place. 
Once we launched, Ed immediately checked the stuffing box and found a pretty steady stream of water coming in, which even I could hear when I poked my head in the companionway.  Out came the tools, as Ed worked to tightened the nut some more.  Since the bilge pump was able to easily keep up with the amount of water coming in, we decided that we'd be OK moving on to the dock, rather than asking to be hauled out again.  It took Ed an hour or so, and a good borrowed wrench, to tighten the nut enough to slow the flow down to a normal drip.  The boat was still floating when we arrived on Sunday to launch the remaining boats :-)

Spring - finally!

With Easter falling late in the spring this year, launch weekend was originally scheduled for April 12-13.  Unfortunately, the long winter has stretched into spring, with thick ice in the harbour well into March.  The decision was made to delay launch to the weekend after Easter, giving the ice time to melt, and us time to prepare the boat.  Good thing, as there was still ice in the lagoon on the 12th.  Somehow, the ice was gone by Sunday. 

On Saturday, Ed got the cover off the boat before I arrived, I took the frame apart, and we took turns sanding the bottom with the orbital sander.  We got the bottom painted on Sunday, with almost as much paint on ourselves as on the boat.  Thanks for the photo, Bev.

All that's left is getting the engine hoses reconnected, and we're ready to launch!

North and South

Approx 43.62 N  079.35 W

Over the last 2 weeks, we've been on the water both north and south of home - and both places were warmer than Toronto, where we've had a long harsh winter, and the harbour is still frozen over.

Approx 64.17 N  021.84 W

In Reykjavik, Iceland we went out on Andrea (on the North Atlantic, at night, in February) just far enough from town to get away from the lights of the city, in search of the Aurora Borealis.  We saw an arch of light in the sky, but not what you'd really think of as Northern Lights. Iceland was a fascinating mix of the modern urban, and barren expanses outside of town.  I'd love to go back in the summer, and maybe go for a real sail out of the Brokey Yacht Club.  We did see a few boats docked at the club with their sails still on, and one which looked like someone preparing for a serious expedition.

Approx 22.65 N  079.13 W

We were home for 36 hours - just long enough to switch luggage, and see Matt Andersen in concert - then headed off to Cuba where we sat on a beach for a week at the Playa Cayo Santa Maria.  In addition to a few outings on the Hobie Cats at the resort, we went out on a BIG cat, Centauro, for a day of snorkelling and a "dolphin interaction".  We did actually sail for about 15 minutes, but the winds were pretty light, and the engine came back on pretty soon.

Hull # 229 - The Golden Handshake?

Since there were only about 180 C&C Landfalls 38s built, we wondered why our boat carries the hull #229.  We got part of the story from Harry, the original owner of Prime Interest. 

Did we ever tell you about her early history and her nickname the "golden handshake"?
When we contacted C&C sales about a Landfall 38, they had one in the showroom. By the time we found financing, that one was sold. None in stock and next production run not till springtime. Not good for us as we wanted to put her in charter in the Florida Keys to help pay the bills. The salesman thought he had seen one sitting in the yard in Niagara-on-the-Lake but C&C 's inventory showed 'none'. He drove down to check the yard and sure enough in the back was #229. Notice the odd number? This all happened shortly after a bunch of monied hotshots had bought out Cassion and Cuthbertson. New management brought layoffs etc. Senior staff were given a boat of choice at cost as part of the package. The production manager at some point saw the writing on the wall and added an additional Landfall 38 to the next batch. Over time work orders were added for oversize winches, subtracted after installation, same with spinnaker gear, teak ceilings in the bunks etc. Doesn't say much for control. However, no one wanted to get rid of the production manager.- until the salesman walked in to the office and said "what do you mean you don't have a Landfall 38 in inventory?" Our purchase price was revised 3 times until I put my foot down. A full audit was done and we negotiated the final price. This story is hearsay of course, but she was called "The Golden Handshake" by the lads on the shop floor while she was there.

When boats were being built as part of these packages, the hulls were numbered sequentially, regardless of the model.  That's how we got #229.