Shakedown sail...

[ssullivan]

In retrospect, this is an extremely boring post! Please don't read on unless you have nothing better to read. Just a status report, really.

Here we are, a tiny way down Long Island Sound today. We are in the Norwalk area, anchored off of Sheffield Island. The shakedown sail wasn't too bad. It is taking some used to not having paper charts. I am used to seeing the chart at all times, but now I have to just rely on the GPS(es) to faithfully get me from waypoint to waypoint. Still prefer paper, but I guess it's time for this dinosaur to move on.

We are at anchor right now, and it's going down to the 30's tonight due to a freak Canadian high pressure ridge. The Little Cod woodstove is on, and we are cozy.

Next stop, the CT river and a haul out to do the spring work. From there, back to the Hamptons and the beginning of the season.

[PBzeer]

I was thinking of getting a Little Cod stove. How do you like yours? What do you burn in it?

[CaptainK]

Hey Sean.

Do you have plenty of wood to burn on board?

[Lightfin]

Sean, how far up the CT River are you going?

I have fond memories of cruising up the river to Essex; staying in a slip there overnight and exploring Essex shops and ice cream parlors!!

Hope all goes well on your shakeout and haul, and that have a prosperous chartering season.

[ssullivan]

John - I couldn't be more please with the Little Cod or Andrew (they owner of Navigator Stove Works) customer service. The unit has been more than enough to heat our 26,000lb displacement sailboat.

CaptainK - We are running out of wood now. It's getting pretty warm here now so it should be ok, but when is full summer going to be here?? We burned the stove a few nights ago while up on stands and out of the water. Was kind of weird looking.

Rick - I have a redundant system of no less than 3 GPSes running at a time (think space shuttle - ha ha ha). I do my chartplotting the evening before, programming in waypoints to all 3 GPSes, including multiple routes and possilbe "bail out routes" in case of quickly deteriorating weather. As much as I would prefer to have all paper and no computers, the world is not really going that way. I also like the fresh data the ENC charts provide. If I have to navigate a harbor entrance or go up a river, I print out that chart the night before and have it handy in the cockpit. Ideally, I want to get a 2nd waterproof touchscreen in the cockpit, but that's not in the cards this year. Maybe next year.

Lightfin - We are way up the Connecticut River. We stayed in Essex one night (fantastic town!) and went even further up to Deep River. I would tend to bet that atmosphere you are talking about around here hasn't changed at all. Wonderful place with friendly, helpful people. Great cruising destination. For me, Essex also holds a special place in that it was one of my first memorable experiences aboard a sailboat. I came down to visit a friend and his dad and went over to Three Mile Harbor from here many many years ago. You should come back for a visit!

[CaptainK]

Good to hear about it warming up there Sean.

Last Monday. It got up to 99 F here. 1 degree from 100 F!!

It's almost that time of the year for the triple digits to return. By this time next month. It'll be in the 100's again, here in Phoenix, Arizona.

Would you like some of my dry heat, Sean?

[ssullivan]

99??? You seriously need to get out to Moss Landing and get aboard that new boat of yours.

You helped me to realize I was working too hard a while back. Maybe I can sound the alarm for you when it gets too hot in AZ? ha ha ha

[CaptainK]

Actually Sean. Hee hee hee!!!

I will be starting my new job tomorrow!!!

Where it's 60 F in the room all day long 24/7!!

[CaptainK]

Also to note.

If the places where the jobs are at, where closer to Moss Landing. I would move to Moss Landing.

But the reality is they're not. I would have to drive over an hour to get to work. If I moved straight to where Kai Nui lives at in Moss Landing!!