Chrysler Sailors Forum

The weather man says is going to get up to 100 this week, and I do have a bit of color on the lower arms. I guess summer has snuck up on me.


Since pulling the boat late last fall, I have managed to:
Pull the mast step off, do some core repair under the mast step, reglass under step, install a hinged step with halyard plate, paint the cabin top in that area, paint the sliding hatch, fabricate wood slides for the hatch, pull-fill-redrill-rebed all lifeline stanchions, same for jib track with new wood plates under track, install a toppping lift, install a set of reefing lines, repair some dings in the rudder, replace the wood on the outboard mount, readjust the spreaders, and find a new lake to go sailing in.

Basically I have done everything BUT go sailing. Hopefully that is about to change.

If not this weekend, then definately next we'll be out there discovering all the things we forgot or never knew so well to begin with. My wife is looking forward to sailing in a lake without the current we've become used to in the Columbia; she thinks (and I hope) it will be a little less stressful.

Go down to Detroit lake, the temps will be a bit cooler, the winds should be great, and the lake is beautiful. I just went sailing there with a friend of mine a couple weeks ago, I had forgotten how beautiful the lake was for sailing. Usually I just drive on past it on my way to go fly fishing on the upper Santiam.

-Rich

edjeep, what is the core of the mast step made of? Is it wood? I have unscrewed the metal of the mast step. But the "box" below the metal I have not removed. There is a crack around this box after the previous owner tried to unstep the mast in the wrong direction. I am wondering if I should do some repeair.....

Haakon

I have not sailed at Detroit yet Rich. But people say I should check it out.

Did not make it out his weekend, too many last minute things to do. BUT we're full steam ahead planning on this weekend. We're also going to drop into a lake atleast once before putting into the Columbia, because we might decide to leave it in again this year.

As far as Detroit goes, I guess I still have pictures of all those stumps lying just below water level, and am afraid I would hit every one of them as I go over. Of course I can always stay deep.

dybis,

The previous owener had already taken off the "box" for the mast step, and did a partial repair on the core. On my boat, that area is flat with no buildup. What I did was pull the weak SS bracket (again previously modified), repaired some of his core repair, and properly scarfed the joint where access was gained. So my cabin top is virtually flat on top. I then cast some threaded inserts into the cabin top and mounted a halyard plate and a hinged tabernacle. This actually gives about the same height as from factory (judging by the fact that the rigging fits much better now). I also beefed up the compression post inside with a rather substantial, and over engineered aluminum tube. Well, not engineered, but at a great price (free).

No need to worry about those stumps for the most part. Except the "flats" most of them are under 20+ feet of water this time of year. I was just up there again this weekend, would have been absolutely fabulous sailing, wind was great, which it usually is due to the effect of it being in a canyon.

We just bought a cheap little run about and are hoping to take it up there this weekend. I've also got a 14' C-Lark I'm trying to get cleaned up and ready to take sailing up there sometime.

Also, if you want to go sailing on the Sound, sometime in late August would be good. My family and I will be up there the weekend before Labor Day weekend, and staying through till Sunday of Labor Day weekend. (Plus we will be up there the weekend before for a Club cruise, so that's 3 weekends in a row plus week in between that we'll be up there.) Let me know if you want to get together and sail.

So, did you get out and go sailing this past weekend??

I didn't see you at Detroit, but then I wasn't able to check out all the sailboats, as the little run about we were in wasn't liking the big chop in the open water, so we all headed to a calmer area.

Saturday definately would have been a GREAT day for sailing. Wasn't too hot, winds were great and the lake wasn't as crowded as the week before.

Hope you got to go out on the water somewhere.

I did get out for a few hours on Friday. I had the day off and told my dad I would take him sailing. This was maybe the 3rd time he has gone with me, and the first time it was just the 2 of us. The original plan was to go to Detriot, but we went to Hagg Lake instead (much closer to my place).

The winds were light, but the lake had very few boats in. This was my first experience in a lake, and I must say I was impressed, even with the light air. At times, I fealt like we were adrift in the lake, but at all times we had good steerage and could go where we wanted (just not as fast as we wanted). In the puffs, the cable even hummed a few times for 10-15 seconds at a time. It was relaxing and a great way to spend the day with dad.

This was a welcomed changed as the last 3 summers I only sailed in the Columbia and there is always a current; I'd gotten used to it, and learned how to adjust, but needed a break.

All in all, I think we're going to leave the boat on the trailer and try and hit some more lakes this year with it. I know that my wife will sure appreciate the change; the Columbia was at times stressful and she had started to doubt the enjoyment factor.

As a sidenote, my homemade gin-pole and bridles worked pretty well, the mast only needs stabilized by hand when it is virtually parallel to the ground, or a couple of feet off the mast support on the stern. I know I've got a long ways to go in making the setup and takedown effecient, but that will come with fimiliarity with the system.

Well, next time you should DEFINATELY try Detroit. There is almost always wind there. I'm not going up to Olympia this weekend, maybe we could go to Detroit together if you wanted.

Actually this weekend the wife and I have plans to go back to Hagg Lake. So this weekend is out of the question for Detroit. I'm convinced she will have a great time at Hagg, so I'll stick to that plan.

Hagg is so much closer, and big enough for a leisurely day sail, so we'll build confidence close to home and then branch out.

I've also heard good things about Yale Lake, which is actually closer to me than Detroit.

Okie doke. Have a good time then. I've been to Hagg once myself, it does look like a nice lake, and it's decent sized. Hope you have some good wind this weekend.