Getting the boat ready

The clock is running on my new sail. The sail company sent me an e-mail stating that they were all set with the measurements I sent them. All I had to do was to pay half the cost of the sail upfront. That appears to be a pretty standard requirement for custom built sails. Not that they've been paid the clock is running. They said it takes about four weeks for them to finish. Full payment is due at that time.

The new registration sticker are on so the boat is legal.

Unfortunately, the battery appears to have died over the winter. Amazing how they seem to last just slightly longer than the warranty. Once that's replaced I'm going to drive the ¼ mile to the boat ramp. Nothing like having a boat at your own beach.

The lake is small enough that I'm not worried about using the old blown out sail while waiting for the new one. The trailer needs new tires and a new jack, but it'll be good enough for the short distance to the ramp.

Living up in the mountains of northern New Hampshire there's not a lot of marine supplies. It is possible to get a few odds and ends for fishing boats, but forget about sailboat supplies. I'll be joining a friend of mine who lives in Maine on a trip to Hamilton Marine in Portland Maine. It's good to go with a native guide. He knows the places with the best beer and food in the area.

Once the new sail comes in and the trailer fixed we'll trailer it all over New England. We are hoping to get back out to the “West Coast of New England,” Lake Champlain. It's a fun place to sail. Now that we have our passports we may even sail into Canada.

We aren't sure exactly what we'll do for a boat next winter, but in a pinch we'll have the good old Oday 19.

-Sixbears