Posted by: dawesboat  read more »

I'm going out on a limb here and stating a truism: There is never enough stowage in a boat. No matter how much space you think you have, you'll fill it and want more (I think it's the reason people purchase bigger boats - they can have more stuff aboard).

In Pelican, there are three usable cabin sole openings. The forward one in the v-berth cabin is large enough to stow some wine and get to the knot meter for maintenance. There's one in the main cabin just above the keel and deeper area where I've put the holding tank and a third that gives access to the Walter V-Drive.  read more »

View up to cabin and "Babe". One recent project has been the creation of a turning lane. By widening one segment of driveway, I can make it easier to park and retrieve boats and trailers from the area below the cabin. So far this has required me to move several tons of rock and gravel. Additional gravel will be used to freshen the driveway and parking areas.  read more »

Posted by: dawesboat  read more »

Posted by: dawesboat  read more »

Here's what I get with a cross of my sailing "to do" list and sailing dreams... and maybe this also prefigures some New Year's resolution-like-wishful-thinkings.

* replace electrical harness on first doubled Sunfish trailer and mount replacement rear lights

* install inspection ports in rest of Sunfish fleet, do fiberglass repairs on Sunfish hulls and install replacement traveler bridles, get most of Sunfish fleet functional, perhaps order or make more rudder assemblies, possibly get more sails, get a second Sunfish trailer "doubled", look for a trailer that could be customized to transport four to six 'fish

* replace and re-locate through-deck turning blocks for Etchells traveler car and re-run traveler lines, replace Etchells upper shrouds, replace through-console vang turning block, replace port spinnaker cam cleat, other cleats as needed, apply Easypoxy to hull dings, install replacement manual bilge pump, install mast butt mover  read more »

Friday, May 23 -- Towed Etchells "Black Magic" to Heron Lake State Park in northern New Mexico. Despite ominous clouds and predictions of rain, the weather mostly held off and Gerald and I were able to rig and launch the boat. I sailed the boat to the marina, brought down the sails, and coasted into the slip, though switchy winds that went behind us made things tricky. We delivered some lumber and a large crate of solar lights to the marina. We noticed that the lake had risen substantially. Although it hardly counts, this was the 19th day I'd been sailing so far in 2008. Saturday -- This morning we cleared out food that time had forgotten from the fridge) then went to the state park and the lake.  read more »

General Update

My sailing counter remains stuck on five days of sailing so far in 2008.... 3 in January, 1 in February, and 1 in March, plus some race committee duty. No sailing this past weekend.

This past weekend we towed our MacGregor 26 to Elephant Butte Lake on Saturday to put her in storage near the lake. Our plan is to get the motor back from the shop (electrical work), replace the furling genoa, replace a fitting that supports the bimini top, and do some general boat clean up and cosmetic work.

We hadn't heard until Saturday afternoon that Zorro and Dino had actually made it to the lake, and by the time we were done with storing our Mac and grabbing dinner, Dino was already on the way back to El Paso. His plans to do some boat swapping had come as far as getting a Catalina 25 out of the water, but plans to launch the J/24 were blocked by high winds.  read more »

Posted by: dawesboat  read more »

Kettuvalloms or houseboats are country boats that were used in the early days for the transport of goods from the isolated interior villages to the towns. Kettuvallom or houseboat is a fabulous way to explore the fascinating beauty of backwaters. A glide in a kettuvallom through the backwaters of Alleppey is sure to rob your [...]