Dave relaxing on Bay Dreamer After saying our goodbyes in Jacksonville, we have made our way north to Virginia, spending much of our time in Poquoson with our friends Steve and Linda. It’s been a change of pace and a change of scenery from our time in Jacksonville.
Hampton Yacht Club sailboats on Hampton River Back on the Water
It only took a couple of days to find us back on the water, not on Orion Jr which sits forlornly in Jacksonville, but on Steve’s Bay Dreamer, which made its first foray of the spring on a Wednesday night as the racers made their rounds in the Hampton River and the tankers moved in and out of the Bay. With little wind, it was a motoring trip, but watching the sunset over the water made it worth the effort.
As talk of the upcoming sailing season ensured, there were some boat projects planned that consumed part of the discussion. A dodger repair. A new deck washdown. And some that quickly were added to the list. The stitching on the stackpack was starting to fail. The autopilot wasn’t turning the wheel as it should. The VHF wasn’t communicating to the GPS. Boat projects are half the fun of the sport.
It only took a couple of days to find us back on the water, not on Orion Jr which sits forlornly in Jacksonville, but on Steve’s Bay Dreamer, which made its first foray of the spring on a Wednesday night as the racers made their rounds in the Hampton River and the tankers moved in and out of the Bay. With little wind, it was a motoring trip, but watching the sunset over the water made it worth the effort.
As talk of the upcoming sailing season ensured, there were some boat projects planned that consumed part of the discussion. A dodger repair. A new deck washdown. And some that quickly were added to the list. The stitching on the stackpack was starting to fail. The autopilot wasn’t turning the wheel as it should. The VHF wasn’t communicating to the GPS. Boat projects are half the fun of the sport.
Bay Dreamer's stackpack under repair Over the next few weeks, Cathy pulled out her sewing machine and put the canvas back in good order. Dave helped research and ultimately procure a deck washdown system. Over the course of a Sunday afternoon, Dave and Steve installed the deck washdown, and with Linda’s help the autopilot may have been fixed (loose connection?). With Linda’s efforts to give the boat a good cleaning down below, the boat was ready for her first extended cruise to Cape Charles over Memorial Day weekend.
Boat parts for sale In the meantime, we had our own boat projects to take care of. Steve’s attic was housing Orion’s leftovers that we couldn’t use on Orion Jr. We hauled them out to take pictures and started posting them on craigslist and ebay. A few weeks later, the attic was emptier and we were a little richer for the effort. We were shocked to learn that one of the items we had picked up off a free table during our travels had more value than we thought. Who knew?
Dave putting air in trailer flat tire Feeling Flat
When we arrived in Poquoson, Steve’s yard was flooded from the days of rain that preceded us. So, after waiting for the yard to dry out, we went out to move the RV to its new location only to discover one of the tires was flat. When Dave tried to re-inflate it, he discovered there was a leak in the valve stem. That’s a new one for us. After watching some Youtube videos, we discovered that we might be able to simply replace the inner part of the valve stem with the tire in place. Cheap and quick. Great.
When we arrived in Poquoson, Steve’s yard was flooded from the days of rain that preceded us. So, after waiting for the yard to dry out, we went out to move the RV to its new location only to discover one of the tires was flat. When Dave tried to re-inflate it, he discovered there was a leak in the valve stem. That’s a new one for us. After watching some Youtube videos, we discovered that we might be able to simply replace the inner part of the valve stem with the tire in place. Cheap and quick. Great.
Using boards to jack up trailer tire However, when that didn’t work, we were faced with a more serious problem. We don’t have a jack that we can use for the trailer. They can be big and heavy, so storage was difficult. That sent Dave back to Youtube. This time the idea worked great. We could jack the tire up using boards under its mate on the same side. With the spare in place, the flat was easily repaired. And now we have a new method to handle a flat.
New elbow in place for fresh water system More RV (and truck) Stuff
As we made our way out of Jacksonville, we pulled into Camping World for a quick fix. The winterization hose was buried during the prior repair and we needed help to uncover it. However, when the technician went to take a look, there was no problem with the winterization port. It was just hidden behind the water tank. However, in the process of investigating, a connection on the fresh water system snapped. As a result, when we pressurized the system again, there would be a flood. We weren’t going to leave quite yet. The fix was simple – a 90 degree connector. It just took a few hours to get the busy shop to free up someone to make the install. By noon, we were on our way, just a little later than expected.
As we made our way out of Jacksonville, we pulled into Camping World for a quick fix. The winterization hose was buried during the prior repair and we needed help to uncover it. However, when the technician went to take a look, there was no problem with the winterization port. It was just hidden behind the water tank. However, in the process of investigating, a connection on the fresh water system snapped. As a result, when we pressurized the system again, there would be a flood. We weren’t going to leave quite yet. The fix was simple – a 90 degree connector. It just took a few hours to get the busy shop to free up someone to make the install. By noon, we were on our way, just a little later than expected.
Once in Poquoson, Cathy used the time to make some tire covers for the RV – a couple of single covers and one double-tire cover. When the temperatures dropped out of the 90’s, we took the time to wash and wax the RV and the truck. They both look so much better – at least on the outside.
The truck’s stereo system was starting to have some problems, so we began researching a replacement. (More youtube watching.) After installing it, we now have more music options (eg. Cathy’s music library) and can answer the phone through the system. Also, the backup camera displays on the screen, so we don’t need the separate display any more. It was a little nerve-wracking tapping into the wires for the reverse gear signal, but most of the installation went as smoothly as the videos showed. And we have a new toy to play with.
Grandparents with the birthday girl and her sister Family and Friends
On our way north, we managed to have the luck of timing to see our granddaughter Alexis on her birthday. A week later, we were surprised by a weekend visit from our daughter’s family. And then we were able to celebrate our son’s birthday with him and our grandson.
On our way north, we managed to have the luck of timing to see our granddaughter Alexis on her birthday. A week later, we were surprised by a weekend visit from our daughter’s family. And then we were able to celebrate our son’s birthday with him and our grandson.
We’ve also reconnected with our friends Sue and Steve and enjoyed some time at some Old Point Comfort Yacht Club events – notably Derby Day and Blessing of the Fleet. In between, we’ve been spending time with Steve and Linda, watching a couple of big puppies and taking care of 3 chickens. It’s been a good month.
