SUBMITTED by Susan Peterson Gateley, Silver Waters Sailing (12-Oct-2009)
Fall update from Silver Waters / Whiskey Hill Press
With the first gales and killing frosts of fall the sailing activity at Silver Waters concludes. We now shift into writing and publishing mode. It was a different sailing season this year with far more lessons than charters. Many of the dozen or so charters were with either ex-sailors who wanted to get out on the water again or with repeat customers who have sailed with us in other years. Perhaps the economy and weather combined to reduce the 'impulse' purchases of boat rides. In the end it turned out to be quite a satisfactory season. Titania had some splendid outings though a few were a tad damp. She sailed with college profs, elementary teachers, a software engineer, retirees, a horse trainer from the Finger Lakes track, medical folks, grandmothers and kids and others who enjoyed Titania's company as they sharpened their sailing skills.
Sara B as detailed on her website had a quiet summer after her cruise and attending July's classic boat gather in Sodus Bay. As of this writing, her tranny repairs are proceeding. The machinist's latest e-mail update reports he has the clutch lining material on hand along with most of the needed rivets. He was fabricating a puller to remove the last bearing. Knowing how “profound” the engineering of the Thornycroft water pump was that we had to disassemble in our first summer with the boat, we now appreciate the mix of delicacy and force involved in the tranny job. It is real easy to screw things up if you don't know what you're doing (we sorta bent the shaft on the water pump and luckily were able to straighten it again) and it would be really pricey to fabricate a replacement for any of those tranny parts that did get damaged. Experience skill and considerable ingenuity are highly recommended. I kinda think it was a job for the “pros”maybe this time around.
Sara B and Titania are scheduled for haul out this week. However we hope to make some progress on Sara B's deck re-do and possibly the engine re assembly before winter. The “co-op” ownership experiment, now in its third year went quite well considering her shortened season. People pitched in on painting caulking lead mining, and also helped keep the liquidity level up in her checking account. The “tug” experiment tested the five most stalwart members pretty severely. They all appear to be willing to still sail with Sara B, but I think everyone is looking forward to having faithful old Thorny back.
On the literary front we participated in a very successful Fall Story Fest held at the Pleasant Beach Hotel. Seven presenters told tales of cars on ice, sailing stormy lakes, cows and bulls, living room ghosts, the singing schooner, and more. A grand time was had and the open mike portion of the day yielded a couple of real hair raisers. We will definitely do it again next fall.
I'm now scheduling illustrated programs and readings for classroom and other groups based on my latest book. On 29 October 2009 I'll appear at the river's end bookstore in Oswego with a circumnavigator named Beth Leonard who is plugging her latest book. I have a sailing memoir of sorts of my own in the works this winter for possible release in 2010. It will NOT detail 60 knot williwaws and Cape Horn adventures such as those experienced by the Leonards! Rather, it's an exploration and tribute to poking along on the edge in “green water” shallows. And later this week I'll be posting an update on the 710 MW offshore wind farm Trillium is planning for Main Duck Island's shoals. On Labor Day weekend we visited the island and saw the met tower now gathering information on the weather there.
Drop by www.silverwaters.com and www.sarab.brownroad.com for updates later this year and into next. Enjoy the fall...
PHOTO: wind tower
Fall update from Silver Waters / Whiskey Hill Press
With the first gales and killing frosts of fall the sailing activity at Silver Waters concludes. We now shift into writing and publishing mode. It was a different sailing season this year with far more lessons than charters. Many of the dozen or so charters were with either ex-sailors who wanted to get out on the water again or with repeat customers who have sailed with us in other years. Perhaps the economy and weather combined to reduce the 'impulse' purchases of boat rides. In the end it turned out to be quite a satisfactory season. Titania had some splendid outings though a few were a tad damp. She sailed with college profs, elementary teachers, a software engineer, retirees, a horse trainer from the Finger Lakes track, medical folks, grandmothers and kids and others who enjoyed Titania's company as they sharpened their sailing skills.
Sara B as detailed on her website had a quiet summer after her cruise and attending July's classic boat gather in Sodus Bay. As of this writing, her tranny repairs are proceeding. The machinist's latest e-mail update reports he has the clutch lining material on hand along with most of the needed rivets. He was fabricating a puller to remove the last bearing. Knowing how “profound” the engineering of the Thornycroft water pump was that we had to disassemble in our first summer with the boat, we now appreciate the mix of delicacy and force involved in the tranny job. It is real easy to screw things up if you don't know what you're doing (we sorta bent the shaft on the water pump and luckily were able to straighten it again) and it would be really pricey to fabricate a replacement for any of those tranny parts that did get damaged. Experience skill and considerable ingenuity are highly recommended. I kinda think it was a job for the “pros”maybe this time around.
Sara B and Titania are scheduled for haul out this week. However we hope to make some progress on Sara B's deck re-do and possibly the engine re assembly before winter. The “co-op” ownership experiment, now in its third year went quite well considering her shortened season. People pitched in on painting caulking lead mining, and also helped keep the liquidity level up in her checking account. The “tug” experiment tested the five most stalwart members pretty severely. They all appear to be willing to still sail with Sara B, but I think everyone is looking forward to having faithful old Thorny back.
On the literary front we participated in a very successful Fall Story Fest held at the Pleasant Beach Hotel. Seven presenters told tales of cars on ice, sailing stormy lakes, cows and bulls, living room ghosts, the singing schooner, and more. A grand time was had and the open mike portion of the day yielded a couple of real hair raisers. We will definitely do it again next fall.
I'm now scheduling illustrated programs and readings for classroom and other groups based on my latest book. On 29 October 2009 I'll appear at the river's end bookstore in Oswego with a circumnavigator named Beth Leonard who is plugging her latest book. I have a sailing memoir of sorts of my own in the works this winter for possible release in 2010. It will NOT detail 60 knot williwaws and Cape Horn adventures such as those experienced by the Leonards! Rather, it's an exploration and tribute to poking along on the edge in “green water” shallows. And later this week I'll be posting an update on the 710 MW offshore wind farm Trillium is planning for Main Duck Island's shoals. On Labor Day weekend we visited the island and saw the met tower now gathering information on the weather there.
Drop by www.silverwaters.com and www.sarab.brownroad.com for updates later this year and into next. Enjoy the fall...
PHOTO: wind tower
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