Sailing and restoring #9874

Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Double-ended Main Sheet

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This project seems to get good reviews from everyone who's done it. If you're considering doing this, read Stingy Sailor's description and Joe Becker's in the C-22 Association's Technical Manual. On lazy light-wind days, we often sail with the bimini up; the forward sheet end isn't as useful then, but when we have the bimini down, it really rocks!

I actually spent just a bit more than the $222 kit from Catalina Direct, but got better parts and a new Salsa mainsheet in the process. Stingy used a double block on the aft end of the boom; I elected to use 2 separate blocks - one of them a ratchet block, the same as the CD kit. So the forward sheet end is held by ratchet pressure when it's not cleated, which is nice.

This system reuses the existing lower fiddle block w/cam. I might eventually replace with a new fiddle block with a ratchet on that end as well. If a day of weakness coincides with a good sale or eBay deal... :)

Mounting the aft blocks was pretty simple - just tie the soft-attach lines as described in the block's instruction sheet (using the existing eye strap for the aft block and adding another one for the forward block). Note that the aft block takes the full load of the sheet, but the forward block is at the end of the tackle arrangement and only sees ~1/3 of the load. So I was fine with just a simple eye strap for that one.
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Pivot Block: At the forward end (on the boom), Stingy used a Viadana 28mm pivot block. But it maxes out at 5/16" line, which seems really small for a mainsheet. CD uses what appears to be a Harken 140 (40mm sheave). Even that seemed small to me, and I went for a Harken 2135 instead (57mm sheave).
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The force on the pivot block will be sideways as well as downward; when I took a look at the block, I had 2 concerns:
1) The radius of the block's mounting plate is (unsurprisingly) considerably larger than our skinny C-22 boom. So the plate might tend to rock back and forth. I cut and sanded a little piece of black Starboard to match the 2 radii (you can see it in the picture above if you look closely).

2) I was a little paranoid about using only 2 small fasteners into the thin aluminum of the boom. Tapping threads into the boom or riveting - either one seemed like it might eventually work loose or pull out of the aluminum (again, because of the sideways forces that might tend to work the fastener free over time).

So I added a thin insert of G10 inside the boom and tapped threads into it. Threads in G10 should match SS bolt strength at ~1 bolt diameter of thickness - I.e., good threads in 1/4" G10 will match the strength of a 1/4" bolt. So tapping into ~3/8" G10 should easily exceed the strength of #10 screws.
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From memory, I believe I:
1) Laminated together 2 layers of 1/4" G10, approximately 5" x 1"
2) Sanded it down to match the interior curvature of the boom
3) Drilled and tapped a hole for one of the two mounting bolts
4) Drilled the first mounting hole in the boom
5) Wrapped duct tape around a long rod, sticky-side-out
6) Stuck the insert to that tape and used the rod to position it inside the boom (aligning the holes I'd already drilled in the insert and the boom); screwed the insert to the boom (anchoring it solidly for the next steps)
7) Drilled the second mounting hole in the boom and insert, tapping the latter
8) Mounted the pivot block

Sheet: 10mm Salsa single-braid. @Jackdaw swears by Maffoili Swiftcord, but I couldn't quite swing the $3.67/ft. When I found a 50' hank of NER Salsa for $1/ft, I went with that. It feels at least as nice as the thicker 1/2" Dacron it replaced, and the single-braid coils neatly. Recommended.

Time: 2.75 hours
Cost: $226

* Harken 2157 Pivot Block: $63
* Harken 2159 T2 Ratchet Block: $39 @eBay (all eBay blocks were new old stock items)
* Harken 2149 T2 Block: $29 @eBay
* Harken 2135 57mm ratchet block: $44 @eBay
* 50' 10mm Salsa line: $51 @Hamiltonmarine
I have absolutely no issue with NER salsa!
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
San Juans (Redux)

We just got back from a couple weeks in the San Juans (We loved last year's trip, and had to do it again).
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We elected to trailer up from Olympia to Anacortes (a full day of pull / unrig / drive / rig / splash on each end of the trip still beats 3 long days of motoring each way).

The kids managed to leave their kayak paddles on the dock in Olympia. Thankfully, we realized it before leaving Anacortes; we now have much nicer paddles, courtesy of Dick’s Sporting Goods. The extra trip ended up delaying us on the hard overnight, but the trip is infinitely better with kayaks available in port.

The weather was incredibly amenable - we only had to set up the Habitent (cockpit tent) once (and one other bit of rain overnight, but that hardly counts). And none of the traditional ‘fogust’ expected in the San Juans.

We made it back to James and Stuart islands, which were big hits last year. I managed to forget the crazy cross current when coming into the dock at James Island (the dock is in a cove that seems like it should stay calm, but the eddy current can run 3+ knots _straight across the dock!_). Thankfully, there were helpful dock neighbors to help us get in. Maybe in another 2 or 3 years I’ll remember that…
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We left Stuart in a small craft advisory :yikes: Perhaps that was unwise, but Breezy handled 15-25 knots and 4 foot swells like a champ. She balanced quite nicely with 1 reef in the main and our 120% genoa furled down to ~80%. Even her skipper wasn’t too upset with his performance! Nice to feel comfortable sailing in bigger water and wind than we’d tried before (we’ve motored through rougher, but only for a short stint, whereas this was several hours). And it helps my calm to know there’s a second reef available if needed.

The wind seemed to be building a little more, and we had some bigger water to cross, so we bailed to a marina for the night, and didn’t make Sucia til the next day, but I have no regrets about our choices (well, except for my failure to check the lashings holding the kayaks into our dinghy. We awoke after a bumpy nifght to find only one of two kayaks in their places; thankfully the other had washed up on shore).

Sucia and Matia (which we hadn’t seen before) matched their stellar reputation - great hiking, otters, etc. Fossil Bay even holds up to its name.
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Everything was especially busy this year - with the border closed, many of the boats who might have gone to Canada are jammed up in the San Juans. We saw 100+ boats in Echo Bay on Sucia! But we never really felt crowded, and we even got slots on the docks at most of the islands we visited (we anchored in Fossil Bay, but when a slot opened up, we pulled anchor in a hurry and ran to grab it - with 4 of us on a 22 footer, a dock and a shore-side restroom is a big advantage (even if the latter is only a composting pit toilet).
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On Matia, we got to try our stern anchor for the first time (with the help of my 12-year-old crew and his kayak). Unfortunately, we dropped it too shallow, and it wouldn’t catch in the grass. Bad Aaron - I’m not supposed to anchor there and tear up the seagrass. So, on about the 3rd try (in deeper water) we had a bow and stern setup, holding us in the middle of a tiny cove so pristine and quiet we could hear the seals breathing when they surfaced 50 feet away…

FWIW: we have a 10 lb Manson Supreme as a stern anchor. Not because I think we really need a new-design for a kedge, but because it came on a killer clearance a few years back - $20 for the 5-lb and $30 for the 10. I bought one of each, and decided to use the 10 as a stern / backup anchor.
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We spent a couple days in Friday Harbor so the skipper could work (not quite enough vacation time saved up). We picked up orca-emblem face masks (which seemed like appropriate souvenirs of a COVID-year trip).

We finished with a hike on Cypress on our way back to our launch point in Anacortes. A late-night drive got us back to Olympia. The next morning, we managed to splash and get Breezy back to her slip before the thermometer got to 90. Our own beds looked pretty good after 2 weeks in ~100 square feet.
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/threads/sailing-and-restoring-9874.195739/post-1601533
 
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Jul 13, 2015
893
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
You nailed it! Glad to hear the scene is still happening despite the mess. Will miss this year due to lack of crew (stupid pandemic! ). Thanks for the virtual cruise!
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
You nailed it! Glad to hear the scene is still happening despite the mess. Will miss this year due to lack of crew (stupid pandemic! ). Thanks for the virtual cruise!
Thanks! Hope your Couer D'Alene trip is similarly successful!
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Last weekend out

We got out for our last cruise a week or so ago, the same weekend @pclarksurf did; they had considerably better weather than we did (the benefit of living on the drier side of the mountains). Over in the South Sound, the predicted morning fog / afternoon sun / 70 degrees turned into light mist and low 60s (we got the sunset below as we motored up, but then didn't see the sun for the rest of the weekend). And no wind at all - we never even uncovered the main or pulled up the code zero. :(

But, for all that, I sure can't complain about getting in a boat weekend in October! We went back to Jarrell Cove, an old favorite.
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The highlight of the weekend was definitely watching my 9- and 12-year-old crew up on the bow, picking up a mooring ball. They managed it about as smoothly as I would have myself (well, if I'm honest, probably more smoothly). :dancing:

I realized the next morning that I really must trust them, as I'd never thought to go check their line management or cleat hitch before turning in for the night (to be fair, it is a very sheltered cove; if we were exposed to any swell, I'd have been triple checking and fretting over my own knots, and still sleeping terribly). The next morning, a slot opened up at the dock, and we jumped over to grab it.

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We got out the dinghy sail rig and do a little very-light-wind sailing in the anchorage (we call the dinghy Wisp; that's all we had, but we made do with that). My son can sail her solo without any trouble, and I got to do a little sail training with my daughter.
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I must admit to a bit of 3-foot-itis. We really like our little micro-cruiser, but when the weather is cool and damp, a way to cook indoors would be really nice... @Jackdaw's comments have me drooling over the Beneteau First 260 / 25.7 / 25s series. Standing headroom, great sailing, and still trailerable... (at least if one is willing to ignore the slightly overwidth beam). Of course, they seem to be really difficult to find on our side of the pond.

Most likely, we'll just hold out with the boat we have; in another few years, we'll be minus those aforementioned crew, and the C-22 will feel a lot roomier with just two of us. Maybe with 1/2 the clothing and other gear, I'll find indoor space for cooking.

Next weekend, it's back to the marina with a trailer to put her away for the winter. :(
 
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Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
Last weekend out

We got out for our last cruise a week or so ago, the same weekend @pclarksurf did; they had considerably better weather than we did (the benefit of living on the drier side of the mountains). Over in the South Sound, the predicted morning fog / afternoon sun / 70 degrees turned into light mist and low 60s. And no wind at all - we never even uncovered the main or pulled up the code zero. :(

But, for all that, I sure can't complain about getting in a boat weekend in October. We went back to Jarrell Cove, an old favorite.
View attachment 185998

The highlight of the weekend was definitely watching my 9- and 12-year-old crew up on the bow, picking up a mooring ball. They managed it about as smoothly as I would have myself (well, if I'm honest, probably more smoothly). :dancing:

I realized the next morning that I really must trust them, as I'd never thought to go check their line management or cleat hitch before turning in for the night (to be fair, it is a very sheltered cove; if we were exposed to any swell, I'd have been triple checking and fretting over my own knots, and still sleeping terribly). The next morning, a slot opened up at the dock, and we jumped over to grab it.

View attachment 185997 View attachment 185995

We got out the dinghy sail rig and do a little very-light-wind sailing in the anchorage (we call the dinghy Wisp; that's all we had, but we made do with that). My son can sail her solo without any trouble, and I got to do a little sail training with my daughter.
View attachment 185996

I must admit to a bit of 3-foot-itis. We really like our little micro-cruiser, but when the weather is cool and damp, a way to cook indoors would be really nice... @Jackdaw's comments have me drooling over the Beneteau First 260 / 25.7 / 25s series. Standing headroom, great sailing, and still trailerable... (at least if one is willing to ignore the slightly overwidth beam). Of course, they seem to be really difficult to find on our side of the pond.

Most likely, we'll just hold out with the boat we have; in another few years, we'll be minus those aforementioned crew, and the C-22 will feel a lot roomier with just two of us. Maybe with 1/2 the clothing and other gear, I'll find indoor space for cooking.

Next weekend, it's back to the marina with a trailer to put her away for the winter. :(
amazing trip!

would have been fun in a 260, but it looks like you rocked it in your 22.And that the best part is you went.Go small Go now.
 
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Jul 13, 2015
893
Catalina 22 #2552 2252 Kennewick, WA
Heck yes! Indian summer is alive and well. Now you can gaze at all those great pics until spring
 
Apr 11, 2017
571
Catalina C22 Solomon's Island, MD
Great report. Do you have a bimini top? It's great for rain as well as sun, and keeps the cockpit drier for cooking on the cockpit benches-
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Great report. Do you have a bimini top? It's great for rain as well as sun, and keeps the cockpit drier for cooking on the cockpit benches-
Good question. Yes, we have a bimini; it definitely helps keep the rain out of the companionway and the forward end of the cockpit. But I do almost all of our cooking on the BBQ, (BTW - a griddle on the BBQ grill great for eggs, pancakes, quesadillas, etc. - a big win. Except in the rain).

For real rain, we have a Habitent (a couple pictures in an earlier post). It keeps the cockpit much drier, and adds a second living space. But much more awkward to step in on or off the boat. The light mist we saw on this last weekend didn't justify setting it up, but when we've needed it, it's a huge help.
 
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Likes: Hardhead
Apr 11, 2017
571
Catalina C22 Solomon's Island, MD
You have a beautiful cruising area - memories like that will last a lifetime. Great for the kids to look back on-
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Dual-purpose horseshoe throwable

On a small boat, it's always good to find multipurpose items.

Our BBQ grill has flip-out legs, a great idea if one wants to cook on shore. But the rail mount is taller than the legs, which rather defeats the purpose (it would only sit level were I to unbolt the mount). But I recently discovered that it will sit nicely on the horseshoe throwable (and the bottom of the grill stays cool, so no fire danger). Presto, BBQ support.

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Cost: $0 (finally, I don't get to say that often about a boat project!)
 

AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Internal 8:1 Outhaul

Our old main (possibly original to our 1981) had a single reef point at 4'. Our new one had a single reef at 3', and we had a second added at 6', so we have more reefing options now. That means I have clew reefing lines running on both sides of the boom. To clean things up a bit, I moved the outhaul inside the boom. The routing is similar to the CD kit with a couple alterations:
1) I used all synthetic lines (which I can splice myself).
2) The control line in CD's design exits through a slot in the bottom of the boom and terminates at a jam cleat on the boom. I routed my control line through an exit box in the bottom of the boom, and back to the cockpit (via a turning block at the mast base and a deck organizer).
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So, whereas they needed a double block with becket, I substituted the combination of a single-with-becket and the exit box. Hopefully that is all clear as mud. I thought I'd taken more pictures of the project, but alas, apparently not.

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At the aft end, I used a Ronstan RF31712 'Series 30 high load exit box' (BL of 1760 lbs) (thanks to one of @CloudDiver's posts for that part). Mounting this block required a little cutting, filing, and shaping at the aft end of the boom. Trying to fit the exit block in while taking out as little material as possible. As you can see in the picture, I mounted it with 3/16" rivets.
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On the forward end, I used a Ronstan RF20711 (pictured above) I originally bought that one for the aft end, but decided it seemed too lightweight for the full load - note that the forward end is on the other side of the 8:1 cascade, so it only sees 1/8 of the total load. And using an exit block on the bottom of the boom keeps the tension more consistent through tacks than my original plan of an exit plate on the side and a cheek block on the boom.

Cascade:
--4:1 with a pair of Harken micro blocks: 405 single with becket + 406 double (SWL of 250 and 450 lbs respectively).
The control line is my normal 5/32" Endura 12, partly covered with Sta-Set. The 5/32" works nicely with the Harken micro blocks
--2:1 through a Ronstan 30mm and back to the forward anchor point (described below). 5/32" E-12 again
--Final outhaul line (from the Ronstan 30mm, through the aft exit block, and to the clew): 3/16" Amsteel (3/16" is overkill, but I had a scrap lying around).

Forward anchor point:
The 405 block and the forward end of the cascade line are anchored around a #10 screw, mounted across the boom about 8" from the gooseneck. Pictured above, with the forward exit block. The screw is covered (inside the boom) by a 316 SS stainless tube, to prevent chafing the lines on the screw threads.

Mounting that screw + tube was a little tricky - I had to 1) Put the block and the end of the cascade line around the tube; 2) Slide said tube into the boom and align it with the screw holes; 3) Slide the screw through the tube (all without dropping the block or cascade line off the tube). It took a couple tries. But, on the plus side, it justified buying a set of long needle-nose pliers. Always nice to add new tools to the rack.

For the clew attachment, I turned a dogbone from 12mm carbon rod.
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Yes, a shackle would have worked fine, but a CF dogbone seemed cool, and I wanted to try one. I turned my first try or two on the lathe, but when my cheap lathe went on the fritz, I found it was easier with a cordless drill and bench sander.
1) Chuck the section of CF rod into the drill
2) Turn on disc sander
3) With the drill on low speed, hold the (turning) rod against the (also turning) sanding disc, with the rod's midpoint at the edge of the disc. That takes off material quickly and evenly, forming the first half of the dogbone V.
4) Reverse the rod in the chuck and repeat for the other side of the V.

The dogbone was a fun little project, and the outhaul is working great.

Time: 7.25 hours
Cost: ~$135
--Harken 405: $14
--Harken 406: $16
--Ronstan 30mm lashing head block: $16
--Ronstan 31712: $27
--Ronstan 20711: $29
--Stainless tube, 1/4" OD, .194 ID: $8 (Amazon)
--Line: ~$25
 
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AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
The Big Hit of the Year

A surprise for my sailboat-averse 10-year-old. It’s a huge win with the whole crew.

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So far as I can tell, there’s just no way to fit a standard hammock on the foredeck of a C-22, but this chair works great. Hanging from a spare halyard, and slung out to the forestay with a climbing sling (most of the weight is on the halyard, but I still want to spread the load on the furled jib).

Cost: ~$25 (Amazon)
Time: 10 minutes
 
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AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Swim Ladder Quick Release
A small project that I hope to never test in anger. My wife fell in at anchor last year, while climbing over the side into a kayak. That got me thinking about the stern ladder. We’d always held it up with a bungee cord, but that would be really hard to release from the water.

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I grabbed an old snap shackle that already had a pull-tab on it, and seized a length of 1/4” shock cord (with heat-shrink to keep the ends neat). It stays secure on the road and on the water, and releases easily when pulled. I hope would be usable from the water; hoping not to find out.
 

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AaronD

.
Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Small Boat to the San Juans, Edition III

Finally getting around to a trip report from last summer. Maybe it'll brighten up some of these winter days.

This is getting to be a habit, but it's a habit I don't want to break. For the third year in a row, we towed Breezy up to Anacortes, WA for a couple weeks in the San Juan Islands (see Pt I and Pt II).

First, the bad. This year's trip didn't start out so smoothly. Trust me, this isn't a sight you want to see.
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Going back a bit: Family events conspired against sailing this year, so our only opportunity was a 2-week slot for the San Juans. When I wrapped up work on Friday, we decided we were on vacation, and not to stress too greatly about the packing schedule or when we made it on the road; we ended up departing late afternoon on Saturday, planning to stay somewhere in Washington and proceed to Anacortes to launch on Sunday. Unfortunately, the planned destination in Tacoma was full, so we continued on. In the middle of Seattle, about 11 PM, and 4 miles from our planned stop, we saw smoke billowing from our starboard-side hub. Naturally, the freeway has no shoulder, so I took the immediate exit and tried to find a safe place to stop. Seattle's Capitol Hill district is not amenable to trailers...

Given the hour and the lack of safe parking, I elected to try to limp the rig on to a motel. That ~5 miles took us over an hour. We spent the night at the worst motel I've ever stayed at, trying not to discuss with the kids the commerce (and practice of the world's oldest profession) taking place on the street outdoors.

I had replaced the brakes and bearings last year , and we towed smoothly for about 1200 miles. We'd had a hard stop in traffic a few miles before; perhaps that damaged something. Having limped the trailer for several miles, I knew I didn't trust my limited mechanic skills to determine the scope of the issue; we clearly needed a wheel bearing, but whether the hub or spindle could be saved was beyond my ability. And all trailer repair shops were closed on Sunday. We arranged to leave the trailer where it was and found safer lodging for Sunday night.

On Monday, we contacted BoatUS and Tom-N-Jerry's Boat Center in Mount Vernon, WA. I can't say enough about how helpful they both were! Our BoatUS Trailer Assist policy was the best $14 I've spent in a long time - they cover towing up to 100 miles, which got us to our planned launch area. We chose Tom-N-Jerry's because they have ramp access, and agreed that if they couldn't fix the trailer immediately, we could limp across the parking lot to launch, and leave the trailer for repair while we got on with vacation. Their trailer mechanic took a look, found a used hub he could swap in, decided he could save the spindle, and had us on the road in 2 hours!

Side note: I'm really glad I bought an oversized trailer jack last year - it held up as the tow truck driver winched the trailer up onto the bed, and still seems to be operational!

The day still wasn't over; we started rigging at Washington Park, but knew we were too late to launch, so we boat-camped on the hard for the night.

Our son wanted to sleep in his hammock, but as we tried to rig that, he stepped on a yellowjacket nest, and we both got stung. Thankfully, he was only stung once, as he reacts more strongly than I do, invariably requiring steroids. That proved to be the low point, and our trip looked up considerably from there on.

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AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Small Boat to the San Juans, Ed III, Pt 2

I had added a small freezer for this season, primarily to re-freeze sealed ice packs for the coolers (avoiding bagged ice and the resulting soggy vegetables). It also meant a bit of ice cream for the crew. Our 200w of solar mostly keeps up with the freezer, but losing 2 days in Seattle (where I couldn't rig the solar) had consumed nearly all of our available battery power. We had to turn off the freezer in the morning. Ice cream at 8 AM! Breakfast of champions!

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Once we finally got into the water, it was - literally - pretty smooth sailing. We cruised on up to a lovely night anchored in Matia Cove (some pictures above; a couple more here).

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Then on to Fossil Bay on Sucia for a couple nights. Lots of harbor porpoises on that short hop (sorry - no pictures - I don't carry a lens long enough to really capture that).

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We had a beautiful reach from Sucia to Stuart; Breezy sailed flat and fast, and we hit a (current-assisted) 8.5 knots - definitely a new record for us! (The snapshot shows 8.1, but I know I saw a fairly steady 8.3 and a bump to 8.5 in a puff).

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We made the hike to the Turn Point lighthouse (unfortunately, the swing was cut down!?! Maybe the branch finally got too old for safety? The kids were nonplussed). Met a few new friends along the way, including the crew of Albion, who have been cruising these waters in a Balboa 26 for decades. Always fun to chat with other small-boat sailors!

A couple nights in Friday Harbor for resupply, pump-out, laundry, showers, and whale watching. If you find yourself in Friday Harbor, we highly recommend Mike's Cafe - even if you think you're averse to vegan fare. Yum!

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On the whale-watching tour, we got to watch a group of transients (from a safe distance, of course). Naturally, we chatted with the naturalist, who's headed off for a PhD studying Humpbacks off Antarctica. She asked a question or two of the group; hearing my Orca-obsessed son's detailed answers, she quickly said, "I'm off to talk to the group on the stern. If you have any more questions, he'll cover the group on the bow." :)

A marina also meant shore power, so re-frozen ice packs and a new stock of ice cream. The little 20-quart freezer fits 3 ice packs with enough space left for a few pints of Ben & Jerry's on top. Juice pops don't work so well, as they seem to melt every time we swap in un-frozen ice packs, leaving a bag of partly-frozen juice-mush. Conclusion: stick to real ice cream :)
 
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AaronD

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Aug 10, 2014
723
Catalina 22 9874 Newberg, OR / Olympia, WA
Small Boat to the San Juans, Ed III, Pt 3

Parks Bay was an unexpected delight. It wasn't on our agenda, but we ended up there after a later-than-expected departure. Lovely, protected from most directions (except the NW), a stunning sunset, and new friends! What's not to like?

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Our couple nights at Rosario Resort were slightly disappointing for the parents, as the rain intervened in our hiking plans. But the kids loved the pool, so we'll count it as a win. And the frogs were a kick to watch.

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We spent the last night at James Island, directly across Rosario Straight from the truck, so we could make the hop early in the morning, and head toward home as early as practical. The morning started too early, with racoons on the deck about 4:30 AM (Plus, I thought I'd located and safely stored all food items, but no - they found and ate my last couple fig bars. The #$#%&$# beasts!).

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When dawn arrived, it was beautifully clear, with a view of Baker across the water. Soon after we headed into the straight, a fog bank blew in, leaving us with about 100 yards of visibility. Eyes and ears all very focused! We raised our inflatable radar reflector (very handy to store on a small boat, and it tested highly when I was looking several years ago). Thankfully, in another knot or two, we motored out of the fog and were able to navigate visually to shore.

The normal unrigging-and-lashing-down operation followed, and Apple Maps estimated 5.5 hours home from Anacortes. But Apple Maps doesn't have kids or tow a trailer. I guessed 8 hours, and even that was a little optimistic - it took us about 9, but a shower and real beds felt renewing. That's it until next year.

Protip: A bit of general life advice, for future reference. Along with "Do you know where your towel is?" and "Never go up against a Sicilialan when Death is on the line," I'll recommend, "Never tow a trailer in Seattle's Capitol Hill district".
 
Apr 11, 2017
571
Catalina C22 Solomon's Island, MD
I don't know the science behind it -- but all truck and trailer calamities happen on Sundays. The good thing is it makes the trip unforgettable. Glad it turned out as good as it did.