Century Club: Tim Ford

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Friday, January 26, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
January 26 - Boat work and new slip prep

Got some more paint on the interior. Spent about 3-4 hours spiffing up the interior and brushing the crud off the bottom. Then up to the club to hang some dock lines in the awaiting slip.  That was a bit of a hoot trying to accomplish it from a kayak and I wasn't using the best judgement standing up against a piling and trying to control the kayak that was desparately attempting to be elsewhere.  Also wasn't smart in that there was not another soul within eyesight and the water temp about 39 degrees. 

But hey, I survived.

Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Jan 10th - DNR and bottom brush and paint
  • outhaul with fairly recent Harken cheek block

Another stint on the Cal-25.  With a big storm on the horizon I decided to take off the main sail cover and remove the main. It's not in great shape but I might get another season out of it.  There some old fittings that might have to be swapped out.

I do like a boat with a boom downhaul though!  Very old school.

I also went to the MD DNR to get the boat registered and title changed.  I officially own the boat now.

Also took the long brush to clean off the rudder - very foulded with slime but not too many barnies.

 

 

Friday, January 5, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Jan 5th - more work below

Made some progress with a sander and 80 grit pads, a shop vac and a nifty paint scraper we used on the floors of the house in 2022. 

Can't wait to paint - at least get one coat on this mess.

Wednesday, January 3, 2024
Number of days:
1 day
Jan 3 - boat work
  • have some work to do....

I'm going to use up most of my boat work days pretty quickly.

Sunny Day, high of 51 and I decided to head down to RAINBOW and assess and begin the sheer amount of work ahead of me.  The interior is just awful.  But with a scraper and a sander, I should be able to address the cosmetic issues.

Looks like a string of 50+ degree days ahead of us.

 

 

Thursday, December 28, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Last 2023 entry and Bought a Boat

OK, that's it for me.  I think it's 103 days total. 

Loved every one of them.  And leaving 2023 with a new boat that has furniture below.  Well, not a new boat. New to me.  It's 52 years old.  It's got an active One Design class.

And I can sleep on it at anchor somewhere. 

I'm the luckiest guy in the world.

 

 

Friday, December 15, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Dec 15 - Quick sunset paddle

Fought the Ritchie Hwy traffic up from Annap in time to get to PSA for a quick paddle.  Mercifully calm and not too cold, great way to end a very productive day containing way too many errands and obligations.

 

 

Tuesday, December 12, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Dec 12 - Springs mean Low
  • Closed until further notice
  • Heron tracks
  • I mean, really low
  • Fun chore in a kayak...me and the trusty tape measure

I put a kayak in to get soundings in a PSA slip.  Perfect timing, as today is a New Moon and it's "springs." So the tide was unusually low, I'd say at least 9-12 inches below MLW.   So the soundings in the slip were very low, but a great indication of what the worse case scenario might be for a boat of a certain draft.  I'd be lying if I said I had no personal reason to perform this task for the club.

Then I grabbed lunch and paddled out to one of my usual lunck spots. Closed due to lack of water.  But there's one just as nice around the corner.  For day 101 in 2023.

 

Friday, December 8, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
100 days of (Relative) Solitude
  • future cockpit?
  • Raccoon beach
  • winter light marsh
  • soltitude harbor
  • raccoon prints in the sand

Looked at a boat with more creature comforts than the i550 and then went for a paddle to think about things, including owning a bigger boat and all the complications that come with that responsibility, e.g., clothing, housing and feeding of such a beast. 

On one hand what a pain to have to haul and paint the bottom and inspect the rig etc, and then the joy of being able to spend a night or two on board in something other than the abject misery of the i550's coffin-like house. 

I don't know....but it was an interesting way to spend day number 100.

Monday, December 4, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Dec 4 - winter prep and paddle - DAY 99

Went down to put the cover on the boat for winter, and to remove any bilge water that may freeze and do damage.  Then I looked at the forecast for the next ten days and I figured, Hey! I might get a sail or two in (high temps mid to high 50's in the next week or so).  So the cover stays off for now.

With the tide being so high,  I put in a kayak with the idea of maybe having enough water to thrash thru the back of the creek to get to the isolated pond that is visible on Google satelite image.  Gave it a go and even got out of the kayak to scout the possibilty of making a short portage to this "lost" lake. Turns out there are two hurdles, not just one. Two built up thickets, and maybe a muskrat or nutria hutch, blocking the way into this isolated spot.  

I really love marsh and swamp landscapes especially in the winter.  So even though my goal was denied, it was still a very nice day on the creek.

 

 

 

Thursday, November 30, 2023
Number of days:
1 day
Nov 30 - Lo Tide Paddle

Very low tide, maybe one of the lowest I've ever seen on the Magothy.  A good time to get a visual on where the shoals are the worst. 

I think today was Day 98, so just two more to 100....should be easy to grab next week, weather permitting!

 

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