Finally. A final sail!

[Jackdaw]

After 4 sunday sails in November, half of them in shorts, we head out for a final trip across the lake. Amazingly the upcoming week coming looks OK, but I have a SKI weekend planned that I cannot miss. So Jo and I grab Jean and we head out. 34F and dense fog. Perfect.

Three boats over to maynards, for Bloody Mary's and apps.

By the time we are done the fog clear and we tight reach back in 13 knots. BlueJ and and S2 7.9 fight all the way back, and bury an O'day 25 in the race back to the bay.

We pull into the crane, and three more crew show up at 3pm to de-rig and haul. By 5PM BlueJ is ready for a 4 month sleep, dreaming about next year. In the mean time, Texas here we come!

Any other northerners STILL IN???

 

[justsomeguy]

So Jo and I grab Jean and we head out.

"With Jean and Jo and'a who knows who. This can't go on, baby".

 

[Jackdaw]

"With Jean and Jo and'a who knows who. This can't go on, baby".

Yea, that didn't come out that way I meant it to. ;^)

 

[Ron20324]

Yeah, I heard the 'fat lady sing', too. Although it was the National Anthem at a football game, I took the hint and started to de-frock the boat for winter.

 

[justsomeguy]

Gotta admit, at 34F, you people are bad-a**. After 20 summers in the Sonoran desert, I've been wussified.
Kudos!

 

[Scott T-Bird]

I sailed on Saturday, mostly sunny, 50's & wind gusting in the 20's. While we may have a few more weekends with decent weather, I was ready for the end. Sailboats on the bay have been very scarce in November. But there is a never-ending stream of sport-fishing boats in and out of the inlet, it seems. I pulled sails and cushions off the boat at the end of the day and am ready to be pulled out. Sorry, no pictures. I had all I could handle, being single-handed for the day.
We may be safer on the water, though. Sue and I went for a hike on the Shawangunk Ridge Trail up by Ellenville, NY yesterday. I wasn't thinking clearly enough in wearing my brown, deer-colored jacket. Sue, meanwhile was all dressed in black, like a bear. If I'm not mistaken, it is open season for deer and bear right now, rifle & shotgun. At one point where 2 trails merged, we heard 2 shotgun reports (at least I was hoping they weren't rifle) WAY too close for comfort. It was early afternoon so I was falsely thinking hunters would have gone home by then. We finished our hike without panic, but we were more than a little nervous in the few areas that had dense cover. We saw a few other hikers, wearing orange. Sue was probably more nervous when we passed through an area at the base of a cliff that looked ripe for bear dens. She was ready to trek off trail directly down the mountain, but I convinced her that it would not be a good idea, because she was not likely to intersect a trail further below.

 

[Justin_NSA]

Nice pics!. There is snow in our forecast next weekend

 

[Brian S]

Any other northerners STILL IN???

Well, maybe not "still in" but on Sunday, after my buddy helped me snake out some drains in the house, I didn't have enough time to go to the smaller lake to race with the Lasers. Instead, I pulled the Force 5 up to my regular lake. Later, as I was driving home, the car said it was 46º, so a light fleece layer under the dry suit was ok. Light wool socks under booties were letting my feet get cold, so I need to use thicker socks next time. It was mostly sunny out, so it wasn't terribly cold. Forecast was 9-16 knots NW, and what I got on looking at the report later on, was 12-18 knots. NW is such a fickle wind for us, shifty and puffy as all heck, so it keeps you on your toes. It didn't help matters that as I pushed off the dock, I leaned on my old Forespar adjustable hiking extension, and the end of the larger tube snapped off where they put a score line. I was ok, because the adjustable part didn't pull out. I was a bit worried it would come apart completely, but it didn't. Just as well, I hated that extension anyway. New Ronstan on order. I sailed for about an hour and a half, maybe 2 hours, then headed in. Despite the puffs, I did get a few good planing runs. There's this Venture 21 that was out. They were out last weekend too. Apparently they just got the boat, and they are dry sailing her to get maximum season. When I first got to the lake, they were sailing around on a rolled up genoa. Later, as the wind calmed a little and I buzzed past them, they shook out the main, and were still sailing as I hauled out and de-rigged.

 

[Monterey385]

Sailed yesterday (conditions were great), hauled today and will finish the layup chores next weekend. Sandy Hook Bay and NY Harbor were both beautiful yesterday.

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Amazingly the upcoming week coming looks OK, but I have a SKI weekend planned that I cannot miss.

Slim Pickens for skiing across the country so far. Vail's World Cup events had to be shifted to Killington, Vt this past weekend. The east is having a more or less typical start to the season, that is, there ain't much to ski yet, hoping for better coverage over the next month (but not counting on it). Vail has 2% of their area open as of today. Last year, the Back Bowls were open for Thanksgiving weekend, which was admittedly a once in a lifetime event.

 

[bawlmer]

I hope to get at least one more sail in later this week. I put up early last year and missed a few good sailing opportunities.