Century Club: Richard Turman

Finally made it back on to the boat two weeks running, and had a great time.

Wednesday, May 10 was our second race of the season, and we came in fourth out of eight, beating all the other boats in our start, but remaining behind past fleet champions in a Catalina 27 and two Johnson 18's.  Long upwind to Sherwood forest and back, which gave us a chance to best our fleet on the upwind and use our spin, for the first time in competition, downwind.  Did decently, though with practice should be able to get our angles better.  With 3 of our 4 regular crew and a great pick-up crew member, we're getting better about handling the boat.

Wednesday, May 17 gave us lots and lots of experience on sail trim changes with 6 or 7 mark roundings, and two downwind legs.  Our spin jibing got better as the night went on, and our upwind genoa handling continues to improve -- with better tacks each time.  Still had 3 of our regular crew with one ringer, who helped us a lot.  Beautiful night out with strong breeze throughout, including after the race was over and the sun went down.

On Sunday, May 7, I was working on my sailboat and happened to hear the bilge pump on my powerboat run about every 20 minutes.  Since it was in the water and not on a lift, I was worried it might sink before my mechanic could take it on Tuesday.  So I took the sailboat off of the lift, placed it on the dock, and drove the powerboat around and onto the lift.  The lift didn't break, but the bunks bent in a way they don't normally with the sailboat.  Received huge help from my neighbor and my daughter in this boat jockeying.

On Tuesday, May 9, I drove the powerboat to the Herald Harbor boat ramp once I verified that the mechanic had his trailer in the water there.  The bilge pump ran constantly, and continued to do so once we got the boat out of the water.  Found a nickle-sized hole in one of the bellows.  Frightening!

On Friday, May 12, met the mechanic at the boat ramp and was overjoyed to take possession of the boat again, though once I saw the bill I did a double-take.  Both bellows were replaced as was the trim sending unit, the seals were replaced on the hydraulic arms that control the outdrive's trim -- which was the problem in the first place.  The lower unit was also lubed.  Took my friend on a boat ride out into Round Bay; significant amount of chalky water coming out of the bilge but verified with the mechanic that this was because he'd washed the boat and this was the soap.  Whew!

On Saturday, May 13, drove the powerboat to Jabins' boat yard so she could get put into the boatel.  Took 10 minutes to get to Smith's to fill her up with 23 gallons of regular and then 20 minutes from there on a glorious ride across glassy water until I got to Annapolis harbor.  Got the boat battened down on the dock,ready to be forklifted out before the rain started.

Once I was able to connect with Torqueedo to get help getting my engine to work again (yay!), had a surprise chance to take Lark out on a Saturday afternoon where it had been forecasted to rain -- but didn't!  About 8 knots of wind scooted me right along with the genoa and the main; wonderful evening out there, and the wind held up well.  Sailed back into the slip for the 2nd time -- this time because we could, not because we had to.  

Found house battery completely dead so removed and took to get charged again.  No instruments or clearance lights, but that's fine.  Great evening, though!

Got my whole crew together on the boat for the first time and went out under main and genoa in 8 knots of breeze, with gusts in the 12 range.  Popped the spin up and she handled nicel all the way to Sherwood Forest from the top of Round Bay.

Luckily the breeze held up because on the way home the wind lessened so we dropped the genoa and pulled out the engine and it would not start.  At all.  No electronic readout on the controller.  :(. Luckily there was still wind so we sailed into the dock.