Dave shows Steve features of his Garmin chartplotter
Independence Day Celebrations
Although we didn’t see any fireworks over Independence Day weekend, we did have a great time celebrating with family and friends. On Friday, we took a ride on Bay Dreamer with Steve and some of his friends to get a closer view of Norfolk’s Parade of Sail. It was an unbelievably great sailing day – cool with a steady breeze, so rare for July. So we joined the parade, sailing behind the 4 tall ships and the many smaller boats up the Elizabeth River toward Waterside. After a couple of hours sailing south toward Norfolk, we turned back toward home and didn’t power up until the entering the Hampton River.
Although we didn’t see any fireworks over Independence Day weekend, we did have a great time celebrating with family and friends. On Friday, we took a ride on Bay Dreamer with Steve and some of his friends to get a closer view of Norfolk’s Parade of Sail. It was an unbelievably great sailing day – cool with a steady breeze, so rare for July. So we joined the parade, sailing behind the 4 tall ships and the many smaller boats up the Elizabeth River toward Waterside. After a couple of hours sailing south toward Norfolk, we turned back toward home and didn’t power up until the entering the Hampton River.
The next day was equally cool and pleasant, which made it a great time to spend outdoors at a barbecue at our son’s house. Adam graciously made the trip to Hampton to pick us up and bring us home, allowing us to spend the weekend with his and Bonnie’s family. We spent most of the day in the yard with the kids and then spent the next morning in church before a farewell brunch with the family.
Bay Dreamer under tow approaching the dock.
Bay Dreamer's Woes
Our neighbor, Steve, has had a rough month on Bay Dreamer. After sailing out into the Bay to watch fireworks on July 4th, he returned to the dock to discover water up to the floorboards in his bilge. He began pumping the water out and looking for the source of the leak, which he located at the drive shaft seal. It was after midnight before he headed home, his head spinning with possible solutions for the problem. On Monday, Dave helped him repair the drive shaft, such that Steve felt good about heading out on the weekend with us for a planned trip to Mobjack Bay.
It wasn’t destined to be that simple however.
Although we managed to take advantage of the building southwesterly winds to travel north to Mobjack Bay, our return trip was going to rely on the motor, as the winds were almost non-existent for most of the trip south. We arrived well ahead of Bay Dreamer back at the dock, but we had barely tied on the dock lines when we got a call from Krista, saying that Bay Dreamer’s engine would not go into gear, so Steve had put up the sails and was trying to sail back as best as he could, with the hope that he could use the engine or a tow for the final trip into the slip. However, with little wind and opposing current, he was barely making 2 knots. It would take him hours to get back to the dock. Dave described a way for him to use his dinghy to “tow” his boat, but this was going to be a tricky maneuver underway in the Bay. Instead, Dave solicited the help of Paul on Beaudacious, a new arrival on the dock, who had his dinghy with 15hp motor on davits (therefore easily launched), to head out to Bay Dreamer to offer assistance.
After meeting up with Steve and Christa just off Fort Monroe, Dave and Paul tied the dinghy to the fore and aft cleats of the boat, and then began to use the dinghy to provide the power that Bay Dreamer needed to move up the Hampton River. Using the big boat's helm to steer, Steve maneuvered her into the harbor toward the slip. At the last minute, the dinghy was released to allow the boat to back into the slip, acting as a tiny tug to nudge Bay Dreamer’s bow around, lining her up between the pilings. With the help of a few hands on shore, she was secured in a matter of minutes. The next day, after 24 hours of imagining the worst (i.e. most expensive) solutions for the problem, Steve was relieved to discover, with Paul and Dave’s help, that the solution was a simple key that had disintegrated. That solution removed several zeroes from the possible cost of fixing it. Whew!
Steve hopes to have the mechanic at Deltaville Boatyard look over the engine and help him make sure everything is OK when he joins us for the trip north in a few weeks.
Our neighbor, Steve, has had a rough month on Bay Dreamer. After sailing out into the Bay to watch fireworks on July 4th, he returned to the dock to discover water up to the floorboards in his bilge. He began pumping the water out and looking for the source of the leak, which he located at the drive shaft seal. It was after midnight before he headed home, his head spinning with possible solutions for the problem. On Monday, Dave helped him repair the drive shaft, such that Steve felt good about heading out on the weekend with us for a planned trip to Mobjack Bay.
It wasn’t destined to be that simple however.
Although we managed to take advantage of the building southwesterly winds to travel north to Mobjack Bay, our return trip was going to rely on the motor, as the winds were almost non-existent for most of the trip south. We arrived well ahead of Bay Dreamer back at the dock, but we had barely tied on the dock lines when we got a call from Krista, saying that Bay Dreamer’s engine would not go into gear, so Steve had put up the sails and was trying to sail back as best as he could, with the hope that he could use the engine or a tow for the final trip into the slip. However, with little wind and opposing current, he was barely making 2 knots. It would take him hours to get back to the dock. Dave described a way for him to use his dinghy to “tow” his boat, but this was going to be a tricky maneuver underway in the Bay. Instead, Dave solicited the help of Paul on Beaudacious, a new arrival on the dock, who had his dinghy with 15hp motor on davits (therefore easily launched), to head out to Bay Dreamer to offer assistance.
After meeting up with Steve and Christa just off Fort Monroe, Dave and Paul tied the dinghy to the fore and aft cleats of the boat, and then began to use the dinghy to provide the power that Bay Dreamer needed to move up the Hampton River. Using the big boat's helm to steer, Steve maneuvered her into the harbor toward the slip. At the last minute, the dinghy was released to allow the boat to back into the slip, acting as a tiny tug to nudge Bay Dreamer’s bow around, lining her up between the pilings. With the help of a few hands on shore, she was secured in a matter of minutes. The next day, after 24 hours of imagining the worst (i.e. most expensive) solutions for the problem, Steve was relieved to discover, with Paul and Dave’s help, that the solution was a simple key that had disintegrated. That solution removed several zeroes from the possible cost of fixing it. Whew!
Steve hopes to have the mechanic at Deltaville Boatyard look over the engine and help him make sure everything is OK when he joins us for the trip north in a few weeks.
Bay Dreamer in the Severn River
Where'd that boat go?
Despite its dramatic end, our trip to Mobjack Bay was a good time. Since the winds were going to be up overnight, we headed into the SW branch of the Severn River to anchor with more protection than our usual anchorage at the mouth of the river. Once we were both anchored, Steve and Krista dinghyed over to join us for cocktails and dinner. Not long before sunset, the anchorage population increased by 50% when we were joined by one other boat, Hooyah (can you guess which branch of the service he hails from). Other than that, the anchorage was quiet, and we were congratulating ourselves on an uneventful and delightful day.
But, as forecast, the winds howled overnight as a front moved through, and we were awakened around 4:30 the next morning as our anchor drag alarm was sounding. We were holding, but our anchor had slid almost 50 feet in the higher winds across the hard bottom, as had Bay Dreamer. Worse yet, Hooyah had moved across the channel and appeared to be in shallow water on the other side, although not obviously aground. A couple of hours later, their status had changed for the worse, since their waterline was showing higher, as they settled into the shallow water off the channel. Dave and Steve went over to see if there was any was they could help, but it was going to be a waiting game, since they were firmly aground, until the tide rose or BoatUS came, whichever happened first. The good news was that by 10am, they were floating again and on their way.
Nothing like a low-tech solution to the problem. But perhaps we'll look for another anchorage to get out of weather next time.
Despite its dramatic end, our trip to Mobjack Bay was a good time. Since the winds were going to be up overnight, we headed into the SW branch of the Severn River to anchor with more protection than our usual anchorage at the mouth of the river. Once we were both anchored, Steve and Krista dinghyed over to join us for cocktails and dinner. Not long before sunset, the anchorage population increased by 50% when we were joined by one other boat, Hooyah (can you guess which branch of the service he hails from). Other than that, the anchorage was quiet, and we were congratulating ourselves on an uneventful and delightful day.
But, as forecast, the winds howled overnight as a front moved through, and we were awakened around 4:30 the next morning as our anchor drag alarm was sounding. We were holding, but our anchor had slid almost 50 feet in the higher winds across the hard bottom, as had Bay Dreamer. Worse yet, Hooyah had moved across the channel and appeared to be in shallow water on the other side, although not obviously aground. A couple of hours later, their status had changed for the worse, since their waterline was showing higher, as they settled into the shallow water off the channel. Dave and Steve went over to see if there was any was they could help, but it was going to be a waiting game, since they were firmly aground, until the tide rose or BoatUS came, whichever happened first. The good news was that by 10am, they were floating again and on their way.
Nothing like a low-tech solution to the problem. But perhaps we'll look for another anchorage to get out of weather next time.
Cathy prepping the magazine rack for the last coat of varnish.
Boat Stuff
Cathy spent a week sanding and varnishing a new magazine rack that is a welcome addition to the cabin, organizing an unsightly pile of publications into a much neater cubby on the Main Saloon bulkhead. She has also started updating the boat inventory, an on-line record of the contents of all the hidden spaces on the boat. Although we update this throughout the year, it helps to do a more methodical review every so often.
Cathy spent a week sanding and varnishing a new magazine rack that is a welcome addition to the cabin, organizing an unsightly pile of publications into a much neater cubby on the Main Saloon bulkhead. She has also started updating the boat inventory, an on-line record of the contents of all the hidden spaces on the boat. Although we update this throughout the year, it helps to do a more methodical review every so often.
Dave installing fuse box in engine room.
Dave spent some time upgrading the wiring in the engine room in preparation for some new electronics that we anticipate installing later in the summer. He replaced a small buss bar and several individual fuses that had served as the connection point for a number of electrical devices with a new fuse box that will make adding devices and changing fuses much easier.
The arrival of a new computer kept Dave busy configuring it to replace our existing household computer, which was starting to show signs of wear.
Other on-going maintenance doesn’t go away just because we are at a dock. Cathy started polishing the stainless steel. We hired a diver to clean the bottom and replace the zinc, which had disappeared. We changed the engine and transmission oil.
And then we had a few things that needed fixing.
The arrival of a new computer kept Dave busy configuring it to replace our existing household computer, which was starting to show signs of wear.
Other on-going maintenance doesn’t go away just because we are at a dock. Cathy started polishing the stainless steel. We hired a diver to clean the bottom and replace the zinc, which had disappeared. We changed the engine and transmission oil.
And then we had a few things that needed fixing.
Some of the canvas enclosure fittings had pulled loose, so Cathy re-seated these with larger screws. Our near-constant use of the Air Conditioning caused us to look into the strainer to discover it filled with seaweed. (We found ourselves lucky that we weren’t sucking in jellyfish like some of our neighbors.) We also discovered that it was plumbed “backward”, meaning that instead of sending the raw water into the strainer and out through the bowl to the condenser, the water flows into the bowl and then into the strainer out to the condenser. Dave took some time to re-plumb this the correct way, making it much easier to clean by just removing the strainer. And last, but not least, our Honda EU2000 generator needed some maintenance, since it was running very rough and would stall easily. After consulting the company where we purchased it, Dave learned that he simply needed to clean the carburetor with a carburetor cleaner spray. Apparently this is a common problem when gas sits unused in the generator. After he finished the cleaning, the generator started up and ran smoothly.
New Chartplotter
We tried for a week to sell a recently-acquired Garmin 5208 chartplotter on eBay. We found it at the Boater's World going out of business sale. However, it wasn't quite what we were looking for. We actually prefer the Garmin 4208. Since we've been unsuccessful in selling the 5208 that we purchased, we're starting to get our heads around keeping it instead. Dave installed the latest software and updated the charts to the most recent version. We won't mount it until we get to Deltaville, since we'll need to move some of our other instruments around at the helm. With the wiring changes and the updates to the unit, we're positioning ourselves to make the final install easier. We haven't completely given up hope of selling the 5208, but time is starting run out on that option.
New Neighbors
The newest addition to the dock was Beaudacious with Paul and Lynn, who had brought their Catalina 47 from San Francisco Bay to Hampton over the past 3 years. They had decided to leave the boat in Hampton while they went back to California for a while. We enjoyed meeting them and showing them around. We shared tips on getting access to services without a car, such as haircuts at the downtown Virginia School of Hair Design and the exercise facilities at the Old Hampton Community Center. They took us down to the Surfrider restaurant using their dinghy. We shared rides in Steve’s loaned car to the grocery store. And, of course, Paul was a big help to Steve on Bay Dreamer. We hope to see them again this fall when they return.
More Dock Time
We’ll be on the dock in Hampton for a few more weeks before moving north to Deltaville to start our boat work. We’ll do a little traveling off the boat as well. The summer has been milder than last year, so we’re enjoying the ability to walk over for a swim each day. And there’s always something to be done on the boat . . .
New Chartplotter
We tried for a week to sell a recently-acquired Garmin 5208 chartplotter on eBay. We found it at the Boater's World going out of business sale. However, it wasn't quite what we were looking for. We actually prefer the Garmin 4208. Since we've been unsuccessful in selling the 5208 that we purchased, we're starting to get our heads around keeping it instead. Dave installed the latest software and updated the charts to the most recent version. We won't mount it until we get to Deltaville, since we'll need to move some of our other instruments around at the helm. With the wiring changes and the updates to the unit, we're positioning ourselves to make the final install easier. We haven't completely given up hope of selling the 5208, but time is starting run out on that option.
New Neighbors
The newest addition to the dock was Beaudacious with Paul and Lynn, who had brought their Catalina 47 from San Francisco Bay to Hampton over the past 3 years. They had decided to leave the boat in Hampton while they went back to California for a while. We enjoyed meeting them and showing them around. We shared tips on getting access to services without a car, such as haircuts at the downtown Virginia School of Hair Design and the exercise facilities at the Old Hampton Community Center. They took us down to the Surfrider restaurant using their dinghy. We shared rides in Steve’s loaned car to the grocery store. And, of course, Paul was a big help to Steve on Bay Dreamer. We hope to see them again this fall when they return.
More Dock Time
We’ll be on the dock in Hampton for a few more weeks before moving north to Deltaville to start our boat work. We’ll do a little traveling off the boat as well. The summer has been milder than last year, so we’re enjoying the ability to walk over for a swim each day. And there’s always something to be done on the boat . . .