Doldrums

Webb seems stuck in the area of no or less wind. Overlaying his tracking info and the Earth site it is visualized:

https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=289.20,30.22,1810

Chiles departed

 Webb cast off to Bermuda islands. 

This is the tracking link:

https://my.yb.tl/gannet

From his blogpost:

https://self-portraitinthepresentseajournal.blogspot.com/2021/04/hilton-head-island-unstitched.html:

Cleat and plank-table

During last sail with Paul the mizzen-sheet slipped at the wrong moments. The plastic clam-cleat was not working 100% anymore, maybe because the sheet has been worn some. This called for a small project:

Made of ipe hardwood a pattern from "The Marlinspike Sailor" was was cut and sanded. It fits the sheet and it clamps satisfactorily on the hard. How it works on the water remains to be seen. The cleat is bathing in linseed oil for a few days after it was heated first and left to cool with the cleat in it. 

The centerboard can be nuisance in the middle of the boat for passengers. Especially the tackle for the centerboard. Also the water from the forward hole in the cb case splashes water onto the deck. The solution is to make a nice plank on top of the case, covering the tackle so that the passenger can have put your arm or leg on it without interfering with any lines. I want it strong enough for somebody to sit on while checking out the surroundings. This called for another project:

The forward section will be completely enclosed so that any splash water stays in the case. The aft part will have two struts. One is temporarily dry-fitted on pictures. 

The compass has moved on top of the planktable so that better bearings can be made. The original spot will be used for the mainsheet clam block. Also the clamcleat used for the centerboard uphaul has moved on top of the cb case, so the working end remains in line with the tackle blocks under the planktable.

Sail with Paul and trash tacks...

After too many months of interruptions Vanessa was finally on the water. 

She has undergone some minor mods. One of these included clam cleats setup change for the jib sheets. 

Another one was the addition of a new 3.3 hp Mercury outboard:

 

See previous posts for more info. 

Sail was enjoyable. Winds fluky between 20 and 28 knots. Small craft warning for west coast, just some extra wave action noticed. 

 

We hoisted jib and mizzen only. I am taking it easy and zero risks. I need to get comfortable with her again.  Easy does it. With this wind and with engine we will just go and have some fun on the water.

About safety: The life jacket I had on board for Paul did not fit him (another lesson), so I made him keep the flotation cushion with him all the time. We stayed close to shore and the fact that he can swim and sail made me comfortable to go ahead with him on board. Not having a boom as risk also made the risk much less. 

Here is the vid taken of the trip with the gopro (see first pic in this post). 

 

She is out of my life.

Loved that song of Michael Jackson. I heard it in my head, after I was informed of the USD50K asking price for the Cobra. I would pay USD5K for it, not more. Not going to bother with any counter offer since it would only insult the seller. 

Oh well. Good thing is I can let her go out of my mind now.

Blue stripe

Playing with colors, replace yellow with blue. The gelcoat on the red looks pretty good. A good clean polish will do wonders. The bottom does require a full scrape and epoxy body filler, prime and antifoul.

Windows 3D paint was used for editing.

Level and dry

Dazzler, Cobra 1050 hull #14, has been levelled. She was listed to port and pitched forward an agle or two. Bilgewater was removed and all holes on deck were taped up to minimize rainwater entrance. 

 

The bow was raised about 50cm after the list was corrected first. Her 7 tons were carefully jacked around bit by bit.

 

 

She is not my responsibility (yet) but I just could not leave her like this. With permission the bare minimum was done.