Orion Jr enters the water by forklift at Sunset Boating Center It’s been over 3 years since Orion Jr has been in the water, so it was a momentous day when she finally floated again. We’ve spent much of the time since then scrambling to get her ready to travel, and helping our friends Steve and Linda get ready for their wedding.
Into the Water – And Out – And In Again
“Honey, there are bubbles coming out of the exhaust. Maybe we’re back a little too far. “
Not a very good exchange as you are backing your boat down the boat ramp in preparation to launch. The truck could stall, leaving us stranded with a 3 ton boat and trailer halfway in the water. However, this was the situation we found ourselves in as we attempted to launch Orion Jr from the trailer one Wednesday afternoon. Attempting to float her from the trailer at mid-tide in Sunset Creek in Hampton, we had a simple plan. Launch at mid-tide rising. Motor a short distance up this quiet tributary of the Hampton River to our slip. Tie up and call it a day. No problem, right?
Into the Water – And Out – And In Again
“Honey, there are bubbles coming out of the exhaust. Maybe we’re back a little too far. “
Not a very good exchange as you are backing your boat down the boat ramp in preparation to launch. The truck could stall, leaving us stranded with a 3 ton boat and trailer halfway in the water. However, this was the situation we found ourselves in as we attempted to launch Orion Jr from the trailer one Wednesday afternoon. Attempting to float her from the trailer at mid-tide in Sunset Creek in Hampton, we had a simple plan. Launch at mid-tide rising. Motor a short distance up this quiet tributary of the Hampton River to our slip. Tie up and call it a day. No problem, right?
Backing down the ramp into Sunset Creek With high tide due around 6pm, we aimed for a launch between 3 and 4. Recognizing it would take us an hour to get her ready to launch, we arrived just before 3 and backed halfway down the long driveway leading to the ramp. Working through our checklist, with Dave on the ground and Cathy up on the boat, we readied Orion Jr for her launch and short inaugural journey. By 4, we thought we were ready. The engine, rudder and tiller were mounted, lines and fenders were rigged, straps removed, etc. The final step was to extend the trailer tongue we use for launching and attach it to the hitch pin. As we backed her into the water, it became apparent the ramp at mid-tide wasn’t steep enough to get her to float, even with the extended tongue. While Dave released the winch from the bow, Cathy pulled with the dock lines from the dock, no movement. Orion Jr wasn’t budging.
Extended tongue in place We took some time to study the situation and decided the ramp was steeper as it rose. A launch near high tide might give us the water depth we needed. Since we had to wait an hour, we decided to take a walk to the marina and check out the slip we would be assigned. The afternoon heat was enough to convince to take refuge in a Food Lion store to cool down on the return trip. We made it back in time to try again, but short of submerging the truck beyond a safe limits, this was not going to happen here. Our sense that the ramp was steeper was an optical illusion. Given that it would take us almost as long to ready the boat for the road again, we decided to cut our losses, pack up and head back to Steve’s. However, whatever we did, it was unlikely Orion Jr would be launched down a ramp. We needed some extra help.
Note the blocks in place to protect the depth sounder With help from a fellow boater who happened upon us at the ramp, we located some reasonably priced options around Poquoson, where Steve lived. We had settled on one of these – Dare Marina in Yorktown, that would launch us for just $85 – when we got a call from Sunset Boating Center back in Hampton. When they offered us a free launch and haul out, we committed to return on Monday to have them put Jr in the water. Using a forklift with extra long arms and more than 2 story rise, the boatyard workers studied their options. The full bunks made it too tricky to use straps under the boat, so instead they decided to lift her like a power boat. The wrinkle in this plan was the location of our depth sounder. The solution? A block of wood on the forklift arms to protect it. Sure enough, the boat was easily lifted and placed in the water. After a check for leaks, we were good to go.
We towed the now empty trailer back to Steve’s for storage for the month. Dave had the first opportunity to test his new brake controller on this very light load. The previous controller didn’t ramp up the braking, and would therefore lock the wheels with every brake application, sending smoke up as the rubber was dragged across the road. As he had been promised, the Tekonsha P3 allowed him to adjust the settings for the light load so no skidding occurred. Since the trailer had been dunked, Cathy took a morning to wash it thoroughly with soap and water and Dave sprayed it once again with Fluid film to protect against water incursion and corrosion. (He had done this just before our failed launch as well.) Finally, he replaced the trailer tire that had failed on our trip north, ensuring we had a spare for our return in a month.
We towed the now empty trailer back to Steve’s for storage for the month. Dave had the first opportunity to test his new brake controller on this very light load. The previous controller didn’t ramp up the braking, and would therefore lock the wheels with every brake application, sending smoke up as the rubber was dragged across the road. As he had been promised, the Tekonsha P3 allowed him to adjust the settings for the light load so no skidding occurred. Since the trailer had been dunked, Cathy took a morning to wash it thoroughly with soap and water and Dave sprayed it once again with Fluid film to protect against water incursion and corrosion. (He had done this just before our failed launch as well.) Finally, he replaced the trailer tire that had failed on our trip north, ensuring we had a spare for our return in a month.
Becoming a Sailboat Again
With Orion Jr in the water at the haulout slip, Cathy slid up to the outboard and carefully tried to remember the process for starting it. Lower the outboard, lock in place, prime the fuel line, choke out, press the ignition switch, into gear and we’re off. Or more correctly, try the ignition over and over and over and over. More fuel. More attempts. Dave repeats. And repeats. Since the engine was serviced only weeks before in Daytona and the fuel was only days old, we knew it had to be something we were doing wrong. Finally, Dave figures it out. The kill switch should have a clip inserted behind before the engine will start. It was missing. Oops. Once the clip was inserted, starting problems were resolved.
After maneuvering Jr into her slip, we set about the business of putting her systems and her interior into order. Cathy stripped the cushions from their bags and sorted through the debris that had accumulated in the main saloon. Meanwhile Dave worked on deck, setting it in order, hauling water and cleaning the water tanks before we started the big task for the day – raising the mast.
With Orion Jr in the water at the haulout slip, Cathy slid up to the outboard and carefully tried to remember the process for starting it. Lower the outboard, lock in place, prime the fuel line, choke out, press the ignition switch, into gear and we’re off. Or more correctly, try the ignition over and over and over and over. More fuel. More attempts. Dave repeats. And repeats. Since the engine was serviced only weeks before in Daytona and the fuel was only days old, we knew it had to be something we were doing wrong. Finally, Dave figures it out. The kill switch should have a clip inserted behind before the engine will start. It was missing. Oops. Once the clip was inserted, starting problems were resolved.
After maneuvering Jr into her slip, we set about the business of putting her systems and her interior into order. Cathy stripped the cushions from their bags and sorted through the debris that had accumulated in the main saloon. Meanwhile Dave worked on deck, setting it in order, hauling water and cleaning the water tanks before we started the big task for the day – raising the mast.
On the dock at Sunset Boating Center Carefully sorting through the standing rigging, Dave carefully routed each shroud and stay to its turnbuckle on deck, ensuring it would rise without tangling as the mast lifted up. Once he had put them all in place, we waited for Steve and Linda to help us with the actual raising. We guided the mast astern until the base was in line with the tabernacle. While Steve and Cathy supported it, Dave and Linda drove the pin through through the mast and tabernacle. After attaching the gin pole, Linda manned the block and pulley, while Dave managed the pole and Steve and Cathy guided the mast. With only minor snags, the mast rose easily and was quickly in place. Not bad work for our first day in the water. And unlike previous launchings, we didn’t have to rush to complete all of the remaining set-up tasks in a single day.
Sails and bimini back in place Over the next week, we put up the bimini and enclosure, raised the stackpack and sails, deployed the anchor, started up the refrigeration and re-activated the head’s compost medium -- to name just a few of the set-up tasks. Prior to launch, we had laid out the solar panels on the new bimini. Then Cathy sewed webbing to secure them. That allowed Dave to mount them easily once the boat was in the water. We scheduled a vessel safety inspection, which prompted us to review our fire extinguishers. The oldest was a refillable 5 lb one that registered empty. We took it to a local shop that said it was one year too old to refill. We decided to replace it with a new one of the same type, so we were in good shape when the inspector arrived the next morning.
There were some more unpleasant surprises that we had to deal with as well. The first was --- ants. First one, then a couple, then a couple more. Big red ants. It had taken several days for them to appear, but their numbers appeared to be growing. We fogged the boat a couple of times and we’ve seen none since. Since we also launched the boat before the rainiest week we had seen in a year, we also re-discovered some leaks. Although Dave had fixed a major one with some fiberglass work before we launched, every day seemed to reveal a new one. By week’s end, we had tracked down and repaired a few of them, but still a couple persist. After all, it Is a boat.
With a couple of days before heading out, we were feeling pretty good about being ready to cast off on schedule.
There were some more unpleasant surprises that we had to deal with as well. The first was --- ants. First one, then a couple, then a couple more. Big red ants. It had taken several days for them to appear, but their numbers appeared to be growing. We fogged the boat a couple of times and we’ve seen none since. Since we also launched the boat before the rainiest week we had seen in a year, we also re-discovered some leaks. Although Dave had fixed a major one with some fiberglass work before we launched, every day seemed to reveal a new one. By week’s end, we had tracked down and repaired a few of them, but still a couple persist. After all, it Is a boat.
With a couple of days before heading out, we were feeling pretty good about being ready to cast off on schedule.
Joe on Dreamtime Family and Friends
It was an excited call from Joe, our neighbor back in Reston. “I’ve finally bought my boat.” After 20 years of dreaming, he was days away from taking possession. Dreamtime, an Oceanis 37, sat in her slip on Little Creek in Norfolk and he would be arriving in a couple of days to pilot her north to her new slip in Deale. So, on the following Tuesday, we met him as he was loading supplies on his new pride and joy. We helped him with a few pre-departure tasks before heading out for a celebratory supper. His was a fast journey north, but within a couple of days, the boat was in its new home and he was looking forward to many more journeys aboard.
It was an excited call from Joe, our neighbor back in Reston. “I’ve finally bought my boat.” After 20 years of dreaming, he was days away from taking possession. Dreamtime, an Oceanis 37, sat in her slip on Little Creek in Norfolk and he would be arriving in a couple of days to pilot her north to her new slip in Deale. So, on the following Tuesday, we met him as he was loading supplies on his new pride and joy. We helped him with a few pre-departure tasks before heading out for a celebratory supper. His was a fast journey north, but within a couple of days, the boat was in its new home and he was looking forward to many more journeys aboard.
Three generations at the grill A couple of different weekends found us at Bonnie and Troy’s place in Jarratt, getting to spend time with them and our grandchildren. We even squeezed in a brief visit with Adam who has been busy finishing hiis school semester, and achieving the milestone of earning his Associates degree. Sue and Steve invited us to join them for a movie night at their church. And perhaps the biggest surprise was finding our niece in town with her oldest, allowing us to visit with them briefly for breakfast one Sunday before they headed home again.
Dave, Steve, Linda and Angus at the rehearsal And while not socializing and spending time on the boat, we were helping Steve and Linda get ready for their big day. The biggest task turned out to be getting Dave certified to perform the ceremony. It took him several days of trips to the local courthouse before he finally secured the coveted authorization for his role as officiant. And it was his (and Cathy’s) first time writing a wedding ceremony (other than their own). By the Wednesday before, he was able to help them run through a rehearsal until everyone was comfortable with the process. Who knows, maybe this will be the start of trend?
