As promised in my last blog, we started the grand adventure on Tuesday, July 13th. Sometimes these things just have a plan of their own. Join us on an alternate grand adventure. Read More
CODELOCK:
July 19, 2010
Le Grande Aventure:
July 13, 2010
We have launched Regal Jug for the summer season this last weekend. Neil and Renee with Granddaughter Georgia joined us for an overnight outing. We got in a couple hours of hot sailing both Saturday and Sunday. Here are some things that we learned… Read More
More Seals
August 20, 2009
It is Thursday and we are on our way to a church campout this weekend in Chehalis, WA. Now one of the advantages of having a home on wheels is that you can schedule your maintenance on the way to these events. We were due to have the oil changed and the chassis lubed. I scheduled this event for Thursday around noon at Pacific Power in Ridgefield. Now that would give us time to seek a campground if all went well and leaves us a whole extra day if things implode.
Mid-summer Update:
August 11, 2009
Last report left you in suspense. Does the boat still leak? Will he try to re-caulk the windows?
We will find the answer to the first question this week. We are going to join friends and sail down the Columbia River from St. Helens, Oregon to Astoria, Oregon.
Sure and be-gory, me favorite weather prognosticator, Mr. Murphy, is going to be sure that we get a good test of all systems. Apparently a low pressure system is going to camp out over our area for the next few days.
The Smoking Gun
July 20, 2009
Often after a sailing trip we find something to fix on the boat. This time it was a pesky leak. It got the carpet wet and each day we had to mop a cup or more of water from off the cabin sole. Of course in a larger boat there would be real bilges and a bilge pump. Our little pocket cruiser requires many things to serve double duty. Thus the hull of the boat is our cabin sole and any leaks immediately get the carpet wet. We eventually tossed the whole soggy mess out and kept a sponge handy. Most disconcerting was that some days the leak would get things wet and some days it didn’t bother. We would all get our hopes up and say, ‘Oh yes it must have been that big wake we had to plow through yesterday.’ Then we would have a quiet day and the leak would dump a cup of salt water on the cabin sole and quietly snicker at us.
Trip Report
July 14, 2009
At the end of seven days and six nights aboard the Regal Jug, a 23 foot “Pocket Cruiser,” we were still speaking and still friends. Dave and Adrian each took one of the pipe berths and Judy and I had the Vee berth in the bow. Each night was the routine of shuffling the daytime equipment out of the way and laying out the cushions and sleeping bags for night. Several of the nights we were in marinas so we could get showers and use the on-shore restrooms. That does make it a little easier.
San Juan Islands
July 8, 2009
After an almost unbearable hot spell in Hillsboro we have taken our 23 foot sailboat, Regal Jug, to the San Juan Island Archipelago in Washington State. We were immediately rewarded with complete relief from the oppressing heat; perhaps even a bit too much of a good thing. It has been cold and drizzly both days that we have been here
New Bicycle
June 29, 2009
Back on June 10th I reported that my creative juices were surging and I was busy designing a new recumbent tandem bicycle with electric assist. Well today I can report the first piece of the new bicycle is complete. I can hold it in my hand.
Sailing
August 16, 2008
Today we took some friends sailing on the Columbia River. In the early morning our Pastor, Rev. Marilyn Allen joined us at the boat in the early morning to beat the predicted 100 degree heat. We had lovely winds and the temperature was delightful at about 65 degrees. We motored out into the center of the channel and popped out the sails. We first sailed up wind and down river about three miles. Read More
Wind Power:
July 31, 2008
How would you like to travel 140 miles on a half cup of gasoline and a big friendly dose of wind? We have just finished up a trip with several of our friends using a centuries old mode of transportation, sail power. We gathered up our flotilla at the city docks in front of the Columbia County court house in St. Helens, Oregon. The wind was right on the nose at 10 to 12 knots. (That’s miles to a sailor; however, you get a 12 percent bonus over land miles)
