Views of the Texas 200

Day After the Texas 200

Day After The Texas 200

When Gene and I arrived back at the slip last night I had no idea how exhausted I was. I had to push myself to take a shower and get ready to go to supper. Gene learned that several other boats had dropped out and that the previous day several of the ducks had broken rudders, masts and a couple had actually capsized. All appaently had recovered and continued on with the regatta.

We invited Mare Ware, whose husband Dave is still in the Regatta to have dinner with us at my favorite restaurant Charlotte Plumbers. She said David was still upbeat about the regatta and planned to continue on to the end. In retrospect I'm glad Gene made the decision to turn in. I don't think either one of us realized how exhausted we were, and how stressed out we were about the possibility of the boat malfunctioning.

After a lovely dinner we returned to Sun Chaser with cool air and our familiar bed. I fell in to the bed and didn't wake up until 7:30 which is about an hour later than I or the dogs usually sleep. As I started to get up I was shocked at how sore every muscle in my body was. (I can now hear my sons saying...That's because you're not used to physical labor). They may be right, but sore is sore, and I am.

We left about 10:30 this morning to retrieve the truck from Magnolia Beach so we can begin the process of unloading perishables from Sun Dog. Friday we'll pack up everything from Sun Chaser and Sun Dog and Friday evening we'll return to Magnolia Beach to welcome those who completed the regatta and enjoy the shrimp boil...well I will, Believe it or not Gene doesn't like any kind of shell fish. He considers them fish bait. That's ok with be because it leaves more for me to eat.

 Saturday we plan to travel to Austin and stay at Zach and Sarah's. They will have left for Omaha, Nebraska by then for the College World Series. Zach is an avid UT baseball fan and will stay until they are out of the race or win. Since they are planning to come to our house for a few days after the series we're going to pick up their dogs Che and Oliver and take them with us to Missouri. So, Gene will have 2 dogs in the truck and I'll have 2 dogs in the car. Our lives may be a little complicated but it's always and adventure!

Day 3 The Texas 200

Day 3 The Texas 200

Day 3 of the Texas 200 has dawned. I didn't sleep all that well last night. First the dogs were restless. Cruiser kept talking in his funny little way. Hearing him Jazz then chimed in. I don't know if it was the full moon, or the fact that the boat kept bumping the bottom with a light thud but fter listening to them and to Gene snoring I got up gave them a treat and some water and they finally settled in for the night.

After getting up we prepared for he days sail. Today will be our longest day at 40 miles, but we are used to sailing for 5 days at a time without stopping so this doesn't present a daunting task. We're looking forward to stopping at Snoopy's in Corpus Christi for and finally having some cell phone service.

We leave well behind the pack of boats, but we really prefer being slightly out of the crowd. With a faster boat we usually catch up any way. As we take off we have a good breeze and enjoy the sail and the seeing some different sights.

Our rudder situation continues to be a bother. Every time it pops up the auto pilot has a harder time controlling our path, Gene has to either jerk on the rope to move it into the correct position, or get on the swim ladder and physically push it down with his foot.

We make good time, get into Snoopy's about 11:30, are ready for some good food and to replenish the ice box with ice. We easily slide into the dock and are ready to go ashore when we find out the health department will no longer let dogs at the outside tables. This means Jazz and Cruiser will get limited shore time only for a potty break.

After a great lunch, in air conditioning we grab some ice and a six pack of beer for me. We take the dogs for a walk and shove off to cross Corpus Christi Bay. Gene has decided to take a slightly different route from the rest of the group knowing that it will provide a little more protection.

With the wind steadily increasing Gene puts a reef in the main sail (ties it down to have a smaller wind surface) and also reefs the jib as best he can. The jib on this boat is not as sophisticated as many boats and its limits become obvious. When there is a smaller surface for the wind it gets slightly back winded and causes the forestay to snap back and forth with a loud banging sound.

As we cross the bay we are in a very large open area of water. The wind has picked up and sailing has gotten more labor intensive. Even with the reefs in the jib and main we almost have the rail in the water. For people looking at the boat it appears that we are about to tip over. Although a “knockdown” does occur once in a while when the wave and wind act in concert to push the boat over we are in no danger of that at the moment.

We're soon in a cut that will take us past Ingleside and the Aransas Pass Area. We go under a bridge that leads out to the island of Port Aransas. We've crossed over it hundreds of times in our car and under it a few times in our sailboats. As we move along we pass the huge complex in Ingleside where they make oil rigs. It's quite an impressive operation. They fabricate the multi story structures on land by welding together large pipes. The structures are built on their side and even in this position are about 3 stores tall. When the structure is completed it is slid onto a floating barge and moved through the bay and the Gulf of Mexico to tis final resting place. We've seen them move one before and it's pretty amazing to see a multi level structure on it's side floating through the water. I've always wanted to see them uprighting one, but we've never been in the Gulf to witness the event. We have sailed enough in the Gulf at night to see the finished product all lit up. Areas of the Gulf look like small cities because of all the rigs. We would often use them as a way point to sail towards. The goal is to sail towards it but always sail around it.

As we pass the construction site we move along an area that is populated with sea side homes. We recognize the area because we have driven parallel to the area on the highway. It's always fun to see the houses from the water perspective. We see a series of of houses that are a quarter of a mile from the highway. We now get to see them up close and personal from the water. They are far larger than they look from the highway. What surprises us is that there are 2 multi-million dollar homes sitting within a few yards of one another. We agree if we had the money to build such a home we would prefer to have some privacy and not have line of sight into our neighbors bathroom.

We continue sailing and with the wind blowing hard the rudder is now popping up with increasing frequency and the jib seems to be pounding much harder. Both are inconvenient, but the forestay stability is what is starting to bother me. If the forestay were to break we would loose the mast and all control of the boat. With the high winds and rolling waves this would be a catastrophe.

We're now getting into even more familiar water near Rockport. Suddenly the rolling waves have increased to about 3 feet. Gene is straining to hold control of the tiller and we are nearing a point at the far end of Rockport. There is a long pier into the water from the land and Gene suddenly says “I'm not sure we are going to get around the pier”. This is not at all what I want to hear, and I'm mildly concerned. I put the dogs down below and consider putting their life jackets on.

As Gene fights the waves he sees the rudder has once again popped up. He has no choice at this critical juncture but to hand me the tiller so he can push the rudder down. I've watched Gene, who is considerably stronger than I am, fight with the tiller for the last 45 minutes. Now it'm going to be on point for keeping control of the boat. Gene soon realizes that because of the size and push on the waves he can't pop it up with the rope and decides he has to go out onto the swim ladder to get control of the rudder. Now, I'm beyond concerned, I'm scared. Seeing him go over the rail out onto the ladder with these rolling waves and knowing that I have to control the tiller is just short of terrifying. Thankfully Gene is able to hang on, go over the rail and stomp the rudder with his foot. Just as quickly as he climbed over he comes back and is once again safely in the cockpit and again at the tiller.

Gene now says, “ If we want we can take a left turn and just go to our slip.”. I had been thinking this for a while but I didn't want to be the one to bring it up. I say that this is really his decision. We continue on for a short period and I ask how confident he is that the forestay is going to hold with the beating it's taking. Gene says that he is really worried about that and says “this is no fun and we have nothing to prove. I would rather go in and be safe rather than continue and have something happen. Safety is most important.” The decision has just been made by the Captain. We will drop out of the regatta and head for our slip in Rockport.

As we slowly turn the boat we are now sailing downwind and it's like night and day. The wind is still heavy but we have so much more control over the boat. I have mixed feelings about not finishing the regatta, but as Gene pointed out he has fixed every manner of problem on our boats and boats that he was delivering and he has nothing to prove. For example, on one delivery as he was sailing into Louisiana at night he heard chatter over the radio warning other boaters there was a boat with no lights on sailing down the channel. As he looked around he realized they were taking about the boat he was sailing. Soon after that the helm actually came off in his hand. Funny to think about later, but not so funny in that moment. In each situation he was able to correct the problem and conitnue on. If our fore stay broke, there wold be no such fix.

So as we sail in Gene has promised me a nice meal and reminds me we get to sleep in our own bed with air-conditioning on Sun Chaser. Suddenly my emotions aren't so mixed. There is always next year!

Day 2 The Texas 200

Day 2 Texas 200

Dawn breaks and some of the puddle ducks have already started the days journey. Gene and I lag behind again. After a quick shore call for the dogs to do their business I fix Gene eggs and I have sauteed spinach and coffee. After doing the dishes and securing the galley we realize we are stuck in the mud. Since the wind has dropped to a mere breeze Gene has no problem moving us out into water where the boat will actually float.

Once the anchors have been brought in we're ready for day 2. With a light breeze behind us Gene has to rig up a whisker pole to keep the jib inflated with air. We begin moving with periods of going 5 knots . When the breeze dies we drop to 1.5 which is like crawling. At the point of our lightest breeze the row boat man passes up. Human propulsion trumps air. Amazing to be watching his stern in the distance as we baely move.

Today I've got the GoPro camera out to capture some video of the trip. Almost everyone has cameras and takes picture of us as we pass and we reciprocate. Most sailors seldom have pictures of their boat with the sails unfurled. We look forward to seeing what Sun Dog looks like to everyone else. A view we never get to see. Pictures and videos will be share at the end of the race.

As the day wears on our breeze suddenly goes away. If we were at sea in certain areas of the world this is called the doldrums...No Air....No Go. With a facid jib we are only being pushed by the current, and it's not happy. The longer we go without a breeze the warmer it gets. Our only amusement is listening to Jimmy Buffet and Roaul Malo and eavesdropping on the tugboat Captains. The are doing their daily job and suddenly here are sixy sailboats of all shapes and sizes on their super highway. One Captain to the other “There's a lot of little sailboats out here” Second Captain “I'll try not to run down too many”.

Then as suddenly as the air stopped it started again. It was literally a breath of fresh air, and we were once again on the move. We were skimming the water at 5.5 knots. Life is good! As we skim the water we are visited by a pod of dolphins. It;s hard to say exactly how many were in the pod because they were all over. I always know when dolphins are near because Cruiser's keen sense of smell alerts him long before they appear. Our challenge is to keep him in the boat. As soon as the smell hits his nose he on his hind legs looking over the side of the boat.

When we were crusing on Rainbow Chaser we went through a pod of dolphins. It started with 10 or 12 dolphins circling the boat and increased in size to several hundred. Zach, who was 11 at the time went to the front of the boat and sat on the bow. The dolphins jumped up seemingly to see what creature had their legs dangling over near the water. Others jumped and flipped next to the boat showing off for us and each other. This went on for some time and suddenly they were drawn to some other spot in the ocean, leaving us in awe of their numbers and abilities.

The breeze brings relief from the heat, and I again ponder all the puddle ducks who have no protection from the sun and can't decide if enduring this heat is heroic or just plain crazy! I will be the first to admit that I prefer “Diva” sailing. This requires a bimini, an auto pilot, some kind of recetacle for ice, and if possible water for a shower. I can get by without a microwave but no bimini for me is a no go.

As we cruise toward the anchorage we have only one episode of …. how can I say it.....marriage challenge. Our rudder which steers the boat keeps popping up. It's up to Gene to pop it back down which takes quite an effort. So as he's trying to pop up the rudder I'm watching and trying to steer. My version of the story is we suddenly are heading dead on to a channel marker. Gene's version is we were yards from said marker.....The end result was me screaming Gene, Gene, Gene....in an attempt to get his attension before we took out the front of the boat. Needless to say Gene wasn't pleased at my screeching and I wasn't pleased that he didn't appreciate our dire situation. In the end we didn't hit the post and I apologized but reiterated that sheer terror required loud communication.

As we neared the stopping point for the afternoon it became clear that the chart didn't match what we were seeing. Gene was giving me channel marker numbers that had no correlation to the chart. He of course attributed this to my inability to read the chart. In fact the map and the channel markers didn't correlate for some reason. What we did agree on was that the anchorage for the night appeared to have only 2-3 feet of water in it. For the smaller boats this isn't a problem. For us at 3 feet were digging into the mud. As we pondered this Gene came up with a plan for approach. I pointed out that all the other boats were going on an entirely different course. My comments went unnoticed and we went on a different path.

You know there is a problem when the depth gage hits 3.0 feet and then goes to dashes indicating it's too shallow to revcognize the depth. Hitting a little mud once in a while is no big deal. When you hear a loud crunch and come to a dead standstill, it's a big deal. Thankfully we weren't taking on water, and if we did we were in little danger of drowning since the water was only about shin deep.

Gene hopped out of the boat and began trying to push the boat off with little success. In desperation he decided to start the outboard which really struck fear in my heart. Here's Gene standing next to a whirling metal propellar in 2 feet of water. As an old trauma nurse I was seeing amputated parts and Gene bleeding to death in the water. None of this happened and Gene was able to skillfully get us off and head for deeper water, closer to the path that the other boats had taken.

We eventually got to the anchorage which was very shallow in parts and found a slightly deeper area to anchor in. With a nice breeze and a the anchor safely in the dogs got to do shore leave. I stayed on the boat to tidy things up and wash some of the salt out of the cockpit.

Tomorrow is our longest day at 40 miles. There will be a welcome respite coming into civilization ie Corpus Christi. We'll have a short stop over at Snoopy's, one of our frequent haunts on the water. We'll get lunch and some fresh ice before we continue on to our next anchorage for day 3.

Day 1 Texas 200

Day 1 Texas 200

We got up a little late today but finally got our things together. We took the dogs for a walk and made a short visit to the local bait shop for some coffee, ice, and little chocolate donnets (ugh) for Gene.

We threw the lines and were off at 9:46 am. With the wind a little beyond brisque we found ourselves really fighting to stay on course. The autopilot just wasn't holding and Gene found himself handsteering. It was quit a tussle. Gene decided that we needed to pull the jib in and have less sail only to find that the rollerfurler had gotten off the drum and was tangeled The rollerfurler brings the jib in and out and allows some control over the job. With the rop on the drum tangled we had lost control of it and it meant someone had to go forward and do the untangling. Watching Gene was wrestle with the tiller I was sure I couldn't hold the course so that meant I had to go forward.

Since this boat is much smaller than Sun Chaser the lifelines around the boat are also shorter. This meas there is nothing to stop you from going overboard if you stumble. Looking at the short lifelines and feeling the howling wind I opeted to go forward to the v-berth and crawl though the front hatch. This meant I would be crawing belly first to inch my way towards the roller furler on the jib. With the motion of the boat, and the almost non-existant lifelines at the front I was hoping that I could remain on deck. Once I inched up to the furler I immediately saw the problem. I was also picturing getting my fingers caught in one of the steel spokes of the drum and having them ripped off from my hand

It took a few delicate moments, but I was able to gingerly re-direct the line without loosing a finger. Mission accomplished! My retreat from the front was a little trickier and pretty uncomfortable as I retreated back I scraped my thighs as I inched back in the boat. This was just the first of what I'm sure will be many fix it on the fly that you learn to do when you're sailing.

Once I got back in the cockpit Gene suddenly realized why the auto pilot wouldn't hold and why the boat was wallowing on the waves. The rudder had popped up and was greatly hindering the steerage. With a little work Gene was able to get it properly seated in the water and suddenly he was able to steer the boat without much effort, and able to attach the autopilot.

While all this was going on the dogs, Jazz and Cruiser have made a nest down below and are comfortably in their travel comas. The both will occasionaly open their eyes as if to ask “are we there yet?” and then go back to sleep. Since this is there first long trip on the sailboat they are trying to acclimate to being away from the dock where they are accustomed to being on a much bigger boat.

Since we have some cloud cover and with the breeze the temperature is quite comfortable. With the rudder fixed we're making around 5 knots/hour and should easily reach our first distination before dark.

First Day Stop: We have traveled about 24 nautical miles. A nautical mile is about 10% more than a land mile. The first nights anchorage is at what are called fish camps or shacks in Texas. A series of shacks that go from mildly elegant to downright ramschackled or dangerous. They are owned by the Department of Conservation and rented by fishermen. I'm not sure how you get on the list or get assigned one, but with my luck I would get one with no floor. Our stop is somewhere in the middle condition and it is only a waypoint which allows a few to seek shade under the porch. The heat is opressive and everyone with any sense is covered from head to toe. We are keeping the dogs cool with a water mister and a constnadly full water bowl.

The first day of sailing is always tiring and a day of discovery. Discovering what works and what doesn't. Thankfully almost everything worked, but we were tired. If we were cruising across the Gulf we wouldn't have the luxury of stopping and anchoring. People often ask why we don't just drop an anchor. With the depth of the Gulf being hundreds of feet in some places you could never carry enough rope to hit the bottom. On long Gulf trips each person stands a watch. I am the overnight person, and it's my favorite time to sail. There is nothing more peaceful.

Anchoring at this stop proved simple, which was a blessing because it can become a contentious time in every sailing couples adventures. There have been many failed marriages because of anchoring. Ours has survived, but harsh words have been spoken in the past. This time Gene easily puts the anchor on the soft mud and then comes back to take dogs and me on shore leave.

The shore is sandy and the dogs are ecstattic to frolic on the beach even though it is hot and humid. We stay ashore for a short time to visit the various boat who all have different means of camping. It is an eclectic gathering of sailors who in 5 days will be able to say they sailed for 200 miles alont the Texas coast.

The most incredible boats are homemade vessels called “puddle ducks” They are about 8 feet long and vary in configuration, but the most basic boat you can imagine. Some are embellished with details like the one that looks like a 50's finned car to include the pink dice. Most are just yellow. The part that amazes me is that they have little or no protection form the Texas June sun. I have the utmost respect for these sailors who brave the gulf with just long sleeve shirts and sunscreen.

The sailor who gets real props is the man in a row boat, yes, a row boat. He plans to do the entire 200 miles rowing. The amazing thing is he is fast and consistant. A little crazy maybe but fast. He does have a bimini so he at least have protection as he rows.

After we return from our shore leave supper is on our new grill which works quite well despite the heavy breeze. We have basil lime chicken breasts and green beans. Even the dogs get some chicken for their first day of sailing.

After the sun went down I decided to rig up my new hanging shower. There wouldn't be any hot water, but I was already hot, sticky and salty. Since there weren't any boats near us I stripped and began enjoying the cool water. Just as I'm finishing I hear a voice from the shore about 20 feet away. It was some guy striking up a conversation. Needless to say I take my naked body downstairs as Gene begins a concersation with the intruder. Although Gene swears it was too dark for him to see anything it was light enough with the moon that I could clearly see the logo on his t-shirt....So much for privacy!

We soon retire to our berths listening to the whipping wind. Sleep was swift and sound until about 5am when the wind stopped. Suddenly it seemed like sheets were alive. Who knows where all these bugs came from, but they were everywhere. Thankfully none of them were mosquitos or biting critters, just crawley ones that came out of nowwhere with no wind to push them away. No matter a few swats and I'm back to sleep and wondering what lies ahead on day 2.

Final Prep Day

It's the final prep day before the start of the Regatta.  It was warm last night sleeping in the boat and then about 3 am we had a sudden, swift, and only momentary downpour.  Gene quickly got up and shut the upper hatch so nothing really got wet.  After the rain it did get cooler and the crew got some much needed sleep.
Gene had to be up early for a Captains meeting at 7am.  Jazz, Cruiser and I stayed on the boat.  Soon after Gene left I noticed that Cruiser was acting strangely and he suddenly had back to back seizures. Since he's had several before I knew there was nothing I could do but make him safe and let it pass.  Within the hour he was up and moving around the boat acting as though nothing had happened.
After the Captains meeting Gene began his drive to Magnolia Beach where the race will end.  He and the rest of the participants will be met by a bus that will bring them back to Port Mansfield. In his absence I took over organizing the boat to make it safe and get things stowed.  Luckily Sun Dog has lots of free space for stowing food and cloths.  As usual I may have brought too much stuff, but it's always good to have some extra supplies and cloths.
I'm trying some new things out this trip that weren't available when we have cruised before.  I bought "Snow Lizard" cases for our iPhones.  They are water-proof, dust proof and will protect the phone if dropped from 60 feet ( I'm not going to intentionally test any of this),  but I hope it will protect the phones.  The best part is you can actually use the phone while it's in the case andddddd....it has a solar panel on the back so it's continually charging the phone.  I'll report when we return.
I also got a Survivor case for my iPad.  Pretty much does the same as the Snow Lizard but without the solar panel.  It's the best case I've ever had to protect my iPad because it's very light, unlike my Otter case and you can use it while it's in the case. I got 2 cooling towels which the dogs are using right now.  They do seem to stay cooler than the Frogs I have used in the past and the dogs seem to like the coolness.    I also brought 3 Luci lights.  If you are a camper or an outdoors person you need one of these.  It is a small inflatable LED lantern with a solar panel on the top.  You can charge it during the day then inflate it at night for the best, lightest, most useable light we've ever had.  It has 3 settings low, bright and flashing.  I discovered them several months ago and fell in love with them.  The other great thing is they use part of the proceeds to send Luci lights to people who live in "illumination" poverty.  They send them all over the world so people can have renewable energy lights. You can buy them on line for about $13 at https://www.mpowerd.com or Amazon.
Tonight we're loading more ice and water and then getting a good nights sleep before the 200 starts tomorrow.  Many more boats have shown up, and the dogs and I are just waiting for the Captain to return.
I will blog each day, but posting will depend on the availability of cell service.

Port Mansfield the Starting Point of the Texas 200

Gene, the dogs and I have arrived in Port Mansfield.  Port Mansfield is a typical, small, Texas coastal fishing town.  Port Mansfield is located at 26°33′20″N 97°25′52″W (26.555453, -97.431051).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.7 square miles, of which, 5.2 square miles of it is land and 0.5 square miles  of it (8.76%) is water. A navigational channel connects Port Mansfield to the Intracoastal Waterway, and to the Gulf of Mexico, cutting through Padre Island via the Port Mansfield Channel.  There are about 500 people who live in Port Mansfield and most are connected to fishing either commercial and private.

When we arrived there were about a dozen boats of all shapes and sizes.  There are about 65 boats registered and they come from all over the United States to participate in the 200.  This is the 7th year for the 200 and each year it gets a little bigger.

Within the next hour Gene will put up the mast and set the boat's rigging.  We'll then wait in line to splash the boat and we'll move it into the slip that we have rented for the next couple of nights.  Tomorrow Gene will take the truck and the trailer to Magnolia Beach, which is about 200 miles from here.  He'll leave the truck and trailer there and then will be brought back to Port Mansfield via a shuttle bus. Jazz, Cruiser and I will be staying with the boat trying to stay cool.

Right now the temperature is about 95 and we have a good breeze.  I'm hoping that the breeze continues through the night and that our little fans will offer us some air inside the boat.  My evening is going to be spent organizing and getting things settled into place.  Our ice box that Gene retrofitted to the boat is filled with ice and our perishable foods.  We've been doing tests with the insulated ice box and we're hoping that we'll have ice for most of the trip.  

More pictures as the "Puddle Duck" boats arrive.  

It's early Saturday morning, the dogs have been walked and Gene is still in bed (the Captain needs his beauty sleep).  I'm sitting in the galley of Sun Chaser and it is piled high with "stuff".  
Having prepared numerous times for cruising aboard Rainbow Chaser and Sun Chaser it never seems to get easier to be sure you have the right "stuff".
Provisioning for sailing isn't the same as buying groceries.  You actually have to have a solid plan about what you need for a week, or in some cases a year.  There's the safety "stuff", there's the food and food prep "stuff" there's the dog "stuff" and then there is just the fun "stuff".
It used to be that we would also load up on reading material, but now I have my mini-ipad loaded with Kindle and magazines in a supposedly indestructible waterproof, drop proof case.  I have to admit that I really enjoyed going to the different swap libraries on different islands to see what books had been left by other sailors and then deciding what books I was willing to part with to get new ones.  I also learned that it's not wise to start reading a series of books unless you have the whole series.  I started Clan of the Bear Cave in the Bahamas and found myself dying to know what happened in the 3rd book and I hadn't bought it.  Zach and I ended up walking all over Georgetown, Cayman looking for a book store that had the series only to find that I was going to have to pay 4 times as much for the paperback as I would in the states (it must cost a lot to ship books to an island!).
The biggest challenge any time you're getting ready for a trip is not to take too much "stuff".  
The first time we cruised on Rainbow Chaser we knew we were going to be gone for about a year.  We had it loaded to the gills with every imaginable thing and then some (knitting supplies and a banjo that Gene didn't know how to play and a bike tied to the top of the boat).  After a learning curve the second time we cruised our stuff was much lighter and different.  We also don't have Zach on board which required a whole other set of stuff like legos and school materials.  Fortunately the dogs Jazz and Cruiser travel light!
As we prepare to take the boat to Port Mansfield today I'm pondering all this "stuff" and hoping that I realize what I have forgotten before we throw the lines because there aren't any stores once we leave.
So, as I'm pondering our "stuff" and the limited space we have I wonder if Gene is taking the banjo.

The Great Dinghy Trial

May 12, 2014

Today another major milestone was reached in out preparation for the Texas 200.  Gene has been building a dinghy, and today was launch day.  The good news is that it floats.  For those of you who don't know Gene, there was little doubt that it would.

Gene was kind enough to build in an extra seat at the back of the boat me me to sit.  After the boat was launched he said it was a little "nose heavy" and he needed me in the back to ballast.  I'm pleased that he is going to use me for ballast rather than the anchor.

So, despite the fact that it was nose heavy and the oars need to be reset for length the great dinghy (as yet unnamed)  trial run was a total success..again, knowing Gene's ability not a big surprise.

Gene is besides being an extremely intelligent person is a true renaissance man.  His capability to craft, restore, build, and design never ceases to amaze me.  With his engineering background he can make any project look easy.  I on the other hand need directions to put a pen back together.  It comes down to ying and yang.  I'm aesthetics and he's function.  In the end it all works out well.  He builds the amazing and I decide on color,decor, and make sure his functional design is put to good use.

After the dinghy trial run Gene bolstered the chainplates on Sun Dog(for non-sailors the chainplates secure the mast to the boat.  Without strong chainplates the mast can become unstable and fall).  Gene's last task is to cut an opening under the V or front berth for storage.  You can never have enough storage on a boat for essentials like toilet paper, paper towels, extra food.....

So, with Gene's tasks being done I will go aboard tomorrow and put all the non-perishables in place, make sure we have all the safety devices required, and put the finishing touches on Sun Dog.

We'll be returning to Missouri for the last 2 weeks of May.  Gene has promised his 89 year old dad, Gene Sr, that he would drive him in his Model T in the Memorial Day Parade as a Veteran of WWII.
We will also be having our annual Logo Gruender Memorial Day BBQ.  Then it's back to Texas on the first of June for the final preparations for the race.

Tomorrow pictures of the inside of Sun Dog.  Also see the video of the dinghy launch on my FB page.

The Texas 200 starts 1 month from today.  To quote from an article by Ken Apel:
"The Texas 200 is a “Raid”-type event; that is, it involves a scheduled gathering of small boats traveling more or less in company from Point A to Point B over a period of several days, camping along the way.  2009 was the second year for the Texas 200, which goes from Port Mansfield Texas, on the Gulf of Mexico, north for five days and about 200 miles along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) to Magnolia Beach Texas." 

When Gene learned about the event from Dave Ware, who had done the race in the past, he decided he really wanted to participate.  We knew Sun Chaser, at 40 feet, was far too big for the race.  Since we are lucky enough to have a smaller sailboat Gene decided the "Baby Boat"  at 22 feet would be perfect for the trip.  

Since that time he has worked tirelessly to make it what I call "Diva" ready.  Meaning if I was to be a part of the crew I needed some basics, and Gene has far exceeded the basics.  We now have not only a head, but an ice box, running water and a beautiful new bimini.  He was also kind enough to install a led light for the inside.  

Aside from making the boat "Diva" ready he has added all the safety things so important, and required when sailing.  Bow and transom lights, an anchor light, compass, an an autopilot to just name a few.

Since our blow up dinghy would be too large to trail behind the boat he has built by hand a wooden dinghy which will be sturdy enough to get ashore, but light  enough to trail behind the boat.  This production has been under Dave's tutelage and has been produced in Dave's garage.  

My part in getting ready has been to buy sleeping bags for our berth, a propane stove, dishes, silverware, and all the other things we'll need for the 5 day sail.  Right before the race I'll do all the provisioning. Then I'll do a final inside the boat prep and make sure that all the items that we have on the list are aboard and stored safely.  

One of our other big decisions was what the boat would be named.  Since buying the boat in 2002 she never had a name other than Wynsom which was  done by the previous owner. Gene;s take on boat names is that it must be something that can be easily said and understood over the radio.  (VHF is the main means of communication)  Many of the names that I came up with were in Gene's opinion not "radio worthy".  We already had a Rainbow Chaser and now have Sun Chaser so those names were eliminated.  We considered Moon Chaser, Chasing the Moon, and several others, but none seemed quite right.  One afternoon sitting in Dave and Mary Ware's living room Dave suggested the name Sun Dog (which is a rare haze around the sun). After thinking about it the name grew on both Gene and me. So, the "Baby Boat" has been renamed Sun Dog. It's rumored that changing a boats name is bad luck unless you have some kind of ceremony...so, I see "some kind of ceremony" to make sure she doesn't live under a mariner's curse.

More to come as we get nearer to race time....Till then we'll be Sailing The Suns.