Archive: Creative Wind Scoop idea for #sailing #sailboat
RichC | September 5, 2019
Saw this on a sailing forum and thought it would be a great sewing tidbit to add to an Encore project list. Looks simple and compact enough.
Wasting time fixing a cheap quartz clock to put back on Encore
RichC | March 19, 2019
Nothing like getting bogged down in wasting a weekend trying to repair a quartz clock that should just be replaced! I had the best of intentions on Saturday morning as I was up early and had my weekend project list ready to start. Initially I started to organize my workbench after ordering new bearings and […]
Enjoyed a few days of Florida sunshine aboard Encore last week
RichC | February 10, 2019
I enjoyed the warm sunshine and working on a few project on Encore this past week. It was a delayed trip due to a flight cancelation, but thankful my schedule is pretty flexible. It would have been nice to stay longer and to have had Brenda with me, but "ya got to do what you […]
Thinking about and planning another sewing project for 2019
RichC | December 8, 2018
Read up a little bit more on upholstery last weekend while in Florida while thinking about a couple possible projects. I’m not sure about tackling something as big as a couch and loveseat (slideshow below), but perhaps a couple chair pillows and condo dining room chair cushions are do-able? My projects in the past have […]
Archive: Just a little condo rental prep and Encore upkeep
RichC | December 3, 2018
Only one little piggy had a bad day down in Florida. It was unusual for me, but decided to wear the Sperry watershoes rather than leather boat shoes while working on Encore … basically just cleaning and getting her back to pre-hurricane prep form. Unfortunately we have not been sailing enough to justify even owning […]
Tinkerbelle – An inspirational book and story when I was a boy
RichC | August 6, 2018
I was reminded in a tweet last week (below) of an inspirational book and story I read as a young boy growing up in Ohio. The book and story was that of the transatlantic voyage of Tinkerbelle (book of the same name) was made by Robert Manry back in 1965. He was a copywriter at the Cleveland […]
Looking back at to our early years of sailing Brenich #TBT
RichC | July 12, 2018
While adding a photo to a post about Katelyn, Drew and Annalyn on Put In Bay earlier this week, I had a few more from our pre-kid days that might make for a good Throwback Thursday #TBT post. So here are a couple more sailing on Lake Erie from 1985 aboard Brenich our Baba 30. […]
A great idea: Who hasn’t lost a part when working over water?
RichC | June 23, 2018
I think I’ll archive that idea as a reminder since I always have an umbrella in the back of my Van, 300D or BMW X5 35d … one of those cars is generally at the marina with me! This might be the perfect post to archive my Father’s Day gifts from my kids! A new […]
An Encore dodger repair with Tear Mender and Sunbrella patches
RichC | June 2, 2018
Although it rained constantly over the Memorial Day weekend and practically the entire time I was in Florida working on the kitchen update, I did squeeze in a couple of minor hurricane prep items aboard Encore. The canvas (spray dodger and bimini) is starting to show signs of wear, but a little tear maintenance will […]
Will motion exercises on land aid in preventing seasickness?
RichC | June 1, 2018
Tom Hoskins wrote an interesting article on "Overcoming Seasickness by Habituation On Land" and although parts of it seems humorous (lamp shade and swings), the testing of motion sickness on land makes a good deal of sense … especially the testing the meds one might try when going sailing. Better to know in advance how […]
Sailing Archive: A knot from Captain John’s Skipper Tips
RichC | May 27, 2018
There is always a need for "another knot" when sailing. Here’s one for joining lines together with a few pointers from Captain John’s Skipper Tips. Anytime you join one line to another, you want a knot that will hold under a shock load. Think of any line like a rubber-band. Boat wakes, tidal rise and […]
A few Marlinspike knot tying terms from BoatSafe.com
RichC | May 8, 2018
Bitter end: the free end of a line Standing part: the longer part of a line which is fixed during the tying of a knot Bight: The part of the rope between the end and the standing part. A loop formed by folding the rope back on itself Turn: a loop formed around a post, […]
Dreams are possible when you devote your life to them
RichC | April 19, 2018
Throwback Thursday #TBT: A lot of my free time in high school and college was spent dreaming about sailing living on a sailboat. I read and reread stories, the monthly magazines and bookshelves of accumulated nautical books about cruising, seamanship and maintaining a sailboat — I was focused on “would be possible for me to […]
Dolphins, sharks and whales visit sailboats, but polar bears?
RichC | March 22, 2018
An interesting photo as this is not something you see everyday when on anchor watch! (from Sailing Yacht TV Facebook page)
It looks like SV Encore will be switching boat slips again
RichC | March 8, 2018
Encore lost her slip last year at Harbortown Marina when I haul for some TLC during hurricane season in 2017 and I was glad Daniel our dockmaster made room for us last month when we relaunched. It’s great to have Encore is back in the water, but I miss the quieter dock we had previously. […]
A mellow Music Monday: Some David Gates and a marina sunrise
RichC | February 19, 2018
Although I’m no longer enjoying the warm weather and beautiful sunrises (from Encore‘s cockpit on photo left), last week’s trip was a positive one as I accomplished what I indented to get done; a successful splash and back in the water, as well as checking on the Delray Condo renters and a visit with old […]
To salvage or not to salvage? An epoxy LED light repair.
RichC | February 18, 2018
Too many times in life I find myself fiddling to repairs something that really just needs to be thrown away. Case in point (see interesting idiom explanation below) … I brought home an LED fixture that replaced a higher wattage halogen bulb that works well in Encore‘s cabin, but for some reason the pin/plugs must have […]
Already missing my morning view
RichC | February 17, 2018
The irritation of “the week that was” has given way to the positive memories like waking up to this kind of sunrise view … even if it was in a marina. I’m thankful to have the out of water maintenance headaches behind me and can now look forward to “escaping” to our little corner of […]
The week that was – Encore is back in the water
RichC | February 17, 2018
To the non-boat owner, having a sailboat sitting out of the water "on the hard" might seem like an inexpensive way to "park" a boat for a while? Well let me tell you that is not even close to being true, at least at a working yard. Several months ago I had such grand plans […]
An old wooden ladder and memories good and bad
RichC | January 14, 2018
As my son Taylor said, “ladders will be our family’s downfall.” So true … The old wooden ladder I inherited from the late Harry McKee when we bought our first sailboat Brenich in the early 1980s is still in active service. It is no longer chained to the old boat cradle we kept in Huron, […]
Encore has a new dock space in February if she is ready?
RichC | January 13, 2018
Google Maps view of the space D-8 that will be Encore’s new dock After hauling Encore last year for some much needed out-of-water bottom work, I’m hoping to relaunch and have her back in the water in February for the improving weather this upcoming spring. But with such few trips and infrequent sailing, I’m torn […]
Last minute gift idea AND picking the right hose clamp #humor
RichC | December 20, 2017
Just in case there are a few men looking for last minute jewelry gifts to give to their sweetheart for Christmas, here’s a ring idea that will pretty much guarantee that you’ll never need to worry again – you’ll either be alone … or dead! And since I know there is sure to be a […]
Great Yachting World tip for anchoring near coral heads
RichC | September 24, 2017
Part of a 12-part sailing advice series by the UK Yachting World site is worth archiving.
Stock trades and boat woes – some plans work out, others do not
RichC | August 31, 2017
As the title and Robert Burns suggest, "the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry." Here are a couple Thursday lunchtime updates. On the upside, the Ford ($F) trades from a week ago continue to pan out and I exited half of my position on Thursday morning to book profits (for those […]
Sailing Brenich out of Vermilion Ohio in the 1980s #TBT
RichC | July 20, 2017
My son Taylor posted a few photos of his weekend with friends in Vermilion, Ohio and the background canals and homes triggered a Throwback Thursday #TBT memory for me. Before kids, Brenda and I owned a beautiful sailboat we named Brenich and kept it in Vermilion for the first year (subsequent in Huron) and haul […]
Encore is out of the water for some TLC
RichC | July 16, 2017
It has been a little while since Encore has been on the hard and the bottom paint is worse than I thought or expected. Really disappointed to see a couple blisters reappear after the "shave, skim and epoxy barrier" a few years back. Looks like I’ll need to work on grinding out, drying and patching […]
Pressure washing the antifouling paint on sailboats
RichC | July 5, 2017
Just wanted to archive some Practical Sailor “Waypoints” advice excerpted from Renee D. Petrillo’s A Sail of Two Idiots … good to remember about powerwashing. … we had a narrow canal to squeeze through to reach the Travelift. Then we were strapped into it and hoisted out of the water. We then made one of the most expensive […]
Getting hit or hitting something while sailing
RichC | June 29, 2017
One of the fears when sailing long distances across oceans is either getting hit or hitting something. Numerous stories have been told by those who survive hitting “something” … and who knows how many are never told? My phobia is striking a partially submerged shipping container, debris or log with our fiberglass boat on a […]
Once upon a time, we did sail on Lake Erie #TBT
RichC | June 1, 2017
After searching through directories of a couple older computers looking for a document unrelated to the photo above, I ran across this picture of our family on our sailboat Tulla from the miid-1990s. I may have posted something (???) in a sailing related post years ago, but don’t think so? Anyway ia #TBT (ThrowBackThursday) post […]
Great Balmar Altmount kit to Convert To Serpentine Pulley
RichC | May 30, 2017
Not that I have a Yanmar diesel on our sailboat, but love the kit from Balmar to convert an auxilary diesel from V-belt to Serpentine belt and pulleys.
Thanking God for His artwork
RichC | April 29, 2017
Just as I was beginning to “once again” ponder the wisdom of keeping our sailboat in Florida while still working, taking care of a home and being pulled in different directions … an early morning walk back to Encore reminded me that it is healthy to slow down, de-stress and appreciate the daily paintings He makes for […]
Hammock time on a sailboat from Sailing Britaly
RichC | March 17, 2017
B-E-A-U– tiful boat!
RichC | March 3, 2017
Just a filler post from a photo from Spirit Yachts Ltd., Ipswich 50 “Roving Spirit”
A few more photos for the Encore archive
RichC | February 12, 2017
Posting a few leftover photos from my last trip to the boat. One is a waterproof fitting to bring the solar cable thru Encore‘s deck (eventually a new project) … and a couple more of an early morning sunrise at the dock at Harbortown Marina in Fort Pierce. Really the trip was a quick getaway […]
Archiving a couple Encore aft deck photos for future updates
RichC | February 7, 2017
It is hard to remember exactly where each rail, cleat and fitting is on the aft deck of Encore, so this post is to archive a couple photos as a way to remember. It probalby won’t help much as it is still hare to tell where there is space and where there is not. In […]
Time for some Whitlock Pedestal Steering gear maintenance
RichC | February 4, 2017
Spent a few days aboard Encore by myself this week doing a little (very little) needed maintenance. It’s amazing how "just sitting" is a killer for aging a sailboat! That’s not to say I’m ready to let her go, just that I need to give her more attention. One of the projects was to disassemble […]
Aviation and sailing in one great Shot of the Week photo
RichC | January 15, 2017
The quality of the photo isn’t the best, but the content is pretty impressive. The latest issue of the weekly Cruising Compass had this photo as the "Cruising Shot of the Week" … excellent! This busy shot of Boston Harbor from July 2013, with the Navy Blue Angels flying over the USS Constitution (Old Iron […]
Thoughts and a video on a rigging bag from Lin Pardey
RichC | January 7, 2017
While contemplating complexity vs simplicity in life and on sailboats, I once again stumbled on a precious morsel by Lin Pardey who has been land-based in New Zealand. Taleisin was sold to a young couple who now enjoys Lin and Larry’s “home” for over 30 years (mentioned before). Lin continues to write, appear at boatshows […]
Awning improvement ideas from another old sailboat
RichC | January 5, 2017
Although I just updated a few of the fittings on Encore‘s ShadeTree awning system, I’d prefer fewer bungee cords and fiberglass and vinyl wear points. After posting a comment to Eben Bruyns the new owner of Taleisin (Lin and Larry Pardey‘s boat), I noticed the D-ring fittings and cinch lines and figured I would archive […]
Archiving: Great sailing related article on reefing sails
RichC | December 30, 2016
There are much better places to save articles than a publicly available blog like Evernote, GetPocket, Google apps as well as locally archived HTML, Docs and PDFs, but I still occasionally enjoy having them on MyDesultoryBlog. So as with a few other archived articles on reefing (1 & 2), I’m saving this Cruising World Seamanship 101: […]
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
