Our 2003 C310!

JRT

JRT

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Feb 14, 2017
2,048
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Well life got in the way for awhile so I realized I've not been active or updating much. We closed out the year with a few more trips around Lake Guntersville with little drama or issues. July and August was just too bloody hot. September and October we got some family sail days and enjoyed nice wind and warm temperatures. Abby and I also managed a few trips in November and then January, December just wasn't happening with family illnesses. February I took my friend out on our Friday off and had some pretty sporty conditions for his training. Finally this past weekend would have been perfect, we headed out, full family, and were greeted with gusting over 20+ and a few crashing waves over the bow to cockpit. I realize this is probably humorous to those with true ocean sailing areas but on our lake this is far from normal. Given my wife's comfort level and the conditions we made it a nice motor day around to exercise the trusty diesel. Hope to get some better reports up with the coming summer and wish everyone well.
 

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Alansails

Alansails

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Oct 3, 2011
827
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
We are still jealous!
Here on the Great Lakes we are still shrink wrapped and have not picked a launch date....YET!
We just got back from the 4 week road trip south to Key west and back, did some deep sea fishing but no sailing.
We have about two more weeks or better before we get SERIOUS about taking off shrink wrap etc..
But am getting the itch!
 
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JRT

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,048
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
I'm a bad owner, never got around to cleaning my winches but last time out they were major tough to use so a youtube video and some hints from SBO had me armed with knowledge. I cleaned the 2 jibs winches on the boat, and it took me a solid 3 hours to ungunk them, it was not pretty. Worn out I called it a day and saved the 2 cabin tops for next project.

Due to my Dad's health issues I'm not able to get out much, but had some free time and pulled the main sail winch and tried to use acetone as I forgot mineral spirits. This was a huge mistake, it ate my gloves and just wasn't cutting it. I decided to load the parts in my bucket and take home where I had mineral spirits.

Last night I soaked them in the container and that was an ah ha moment. This morning it look less the 30 min to get them gunk free and ready to install. I'm heading out now to install and will pull last jib side winch to soak tonight and hopefully install Sunday before heading out for a sail day this weekend.
20220422_082100.jpg
 
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marchem

marchem

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Nov 16, 2012
1,046
Catalina 310, 2000, #31 31 Santa Cruz
JRT said:
I'm a bad owner, never got around to cleaning my winches but last time out they were major tough to use so a youtube video and some hints from SBO had me armed with knowledge. I cleaned the 2 jibs winches on the boat, and it took me a solid 3 hours to ungunk them, it was not pretty. Worn out I called it a day and saved the 2 cabin tops for next project.

Due to my Dad's health issues I'm not able to get out much, but had some free time and pulled the main sail winch and tried to use acetone as I forgot mineral spirits. This was a huge mistake, it ate my gloves and just wasn't cutting it. I decided to load the parts in my bucket and take home where I had mineral spirits.

Last night I soaked them in the container and that was an ah ha moment. This morning it look less the 30 min to get them gunk free and ready to install. I'm heading out now to install and will pull last jib side winch to soak tonight and hopefully install Sunday before heading out for a sail day this weekend.
View attachment 204692
Click to expand
One of the best tools for cleaning winches (and all other sorts of gunky parts) is a cheap 1" bristle brush, with the bristles cut off to 1/2-1".
 
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JRT

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,048
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
May 27 Big Family Sail Day was a gift I didn't know would be the last time my father would be well enough to just enjoy life. My son graduated the day before from High School and my parents, sister's family and my wife's parents all made it to Huntsville. Dad received his leukemia diagnoses in Dec last year and started aggressive treatment in Jan staying with my sister north of Atlanta to have his treatment by Emory. We have been running back and forth since then helping take appointments for him and he was improving. It was a big deal he made it to Huntsville and stayed for 4 days, the longest and furthest from his treatment center in 6 months. The family all wanted a sailboat day so it ended up with 8 of us and unfortunately my daughter who can sail the boat had color guard commitments, so it was me with a group with no actual sailing experience.

The day turned out fantastic, I made it out of our new slip and we had a great time with several hours of actual sailing in 10 kts of wind and some gusting to 15. Dad pretty much camped out in the stern seat and loved us actual doing real speed in the 5 to 6 kts range. The capstone of the day ended with a pretty much perfect docking, that Dad told me was really impressive.

Unfortunately his battle was lost June 27. It was a bad 2 weeks up to that, but he actually improved a lot the weekend of June 25 while I was visiting, to the point of debating politics. It is still raw and we have a lot to wrap up. I did make it to the boat today to clear up since I had not been back since our last sail together.

IMG_20220527_130142159_HDR.jpg
IMG_0942.jpgIMG_0940.jpg

It's rough but this is a special memory thanks to RoseLeigh.
 
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Alansails

Alansails

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Oct 3, 2011
827
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
Sorry for your loss But what great memories of good times you will have forever!
I remember taking my Father in law sailing on our Catalina 22 and him falling asleep against the bulkhead!
forever to be known as the George West memorial bulkhead!
 
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JRT

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,048
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Life without my father has had a bigger impact then I ever considered. It has had a lot new commitments, including being available for my mom as she has a new home he built for her but wasn't finished. RoseLeigh has sat unused for months at a time which has made me sad and considering selling. We managed only 2 sails since the last outing with my Dad. I've always felt a sailboat should be used and taken care of by her owners. I have visited her monthly, cleaned and preventative maintenance and just a place to close up away alone for a bit.

My daughter, who has always been up for sailing, is 16 and has a boyfriend now, lord help me. He seems like a good kid, level headed and was up for a sailing trip a couple of weeks ago. We went for it, but unfortunately by noon the weather picked up to 20+ knots and some big rollers on the lake. Pictures show the calm time, we ended up returning back to our slip to enjoy lunch tied up as the wind picked up. So Abby and her boyfriend will crew at our first race this year and see if RoseLeigh can get some more consistent use in 2023
 

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Ward H

Ward H

.
Nov 7, 2011
3,651
Catalina 30 Mk II Barnegat, NJ
Hey John. Good to hear from you.
Hopefully you’ll be able to get out more in 2023.
 
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JRT

JRT

.
Feb 14, 2017
2,048
Catalina 310 211 Lake Guntersville, AL
Abby and I entered our first race this year, truth be told this was technically our first actual sail day since last year. So a bit rusty but had fun. Wind was 0 at start for over an hour, then we got open area with gust 18 to 20! Just 2 of us was a lot of tacking as the wind was squirrelly as heck too. Other more experience racers did say it was a tough race day by conditions for our usual lake. We stuck it out, finished last, lol so plenty to improve.
 

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BigEasy

BigEasy

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Jun 21, 2004
2,533
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
JRT said:
Abby and I entered our first race this year, truth be told this was technically our first actual sail day since last year. So a bit rusty but had fun. We stuck it out, finished last, lol so plenty to improve.
Click to expand
Obviously, you need new sails! (just kidding):p. Nice photos.
 
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Alansails

Alansails

.
Oct 3, 2011
827
Anam Cara Catalina 310 Hull #155 155 Lake Erie/Catawba Island
Or the crew was not used to the boat or the wind died off or the clouds were there or.....
When we used to really race... we had ALL those excuses... or than some and that was when we lost!
When we won.... :biggrin:
 
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