Skylark

Across the Way

2012-02-10T18:34:00.000-05:00

We made it!

Since bringing Skylark down to Jacksonville, I have been in the same slip on dock C, the floating dock, since I have been here. Although I am a fan of floating docks, here at Fleming Island Marina, dock C is rather exposed to the NE winds that come barreling down the river. The waves pick up and tend to make things wet rather quickly. I decided to move just across the fairway over to B dock where the ride is a little easier and certainly dryer. So with the help of a few friends I brought her over to the new slip this morning. Luckily (sort of :) Fred had his camera and snapped a few shots of the long journey over. Looks like my line handling is a little out of practice.

I think this is the spring line

Winter in Jacksonville, FL

2012-02-09T17:59:00.000-05:00

New addition to Skylark

Sorry I have been so quiet, but I haven't had too much new to report lately. I am still waiting for a few things to wrap up and get done so I can cross them off the list. I've been down on Skylark since Feb 1 and have been trying to get things in order and planned for the upcoming season. The kicker is though, the weather has been spectacular since I have been here. It feels like it IS the new season. A little cooler today, but it has been in the low 80s the first half of the week, just incredibly nice days to help wash away the winter blahs. It's been wonderful to be in shorts again, I have missed it being in the 40 degree North Carolina mountains. Although no matter how cold it gets, I will never give up my flip flops, I refuse.

I have also been able to see Zachary almost every day I have been here, so that's been great as well. Looking forward to another weekend of baseball practice and relaxing. Although, Zachary has landed himself his first paying job and will be assisting one of his buddies washing and waxing his Grandfather's boat here in the marina. Hoping the weather holds for this momentousness occasion. :) It will be fun to watch...from afar...with a beer. :)

So what am I working on? Current projects include fixing or replacing the Adler Barbour refrigeration unit that has been sitting inoperative since I bought the boat. We are going to see if it can be repaired since it's a good unit and worth fixing. If it is DOA, then one of those new swap and drop units will be installed. Everything has already been fitted, so replacing shouldn't be that hard.
The water tanks are still at the top of the to-do list but might require a bit more time since we found them to be basically glassed in. Won't be as easy as originally thought (what ever is), but nothing that can't be handled.
Also keeping my eye out for a tiller pilot and a used dingy. And of course the solar panels once I get them, so all in all, pretty busy.

More to come...fair winds.

Skylark is Going Green

2012-01-11T11:33:00.000-05:00

Yup, you heard right, Skylark will soon be off the grid and just a bit closer to self-sufficiency. I do like the sound of that. By adding a 75w panel, I should be able to produce all the power I need without running the engine or the generator. At this point, I really have very limited power needs not having a refrigerator, but if that changes, I can just an additional panel to make up the difference.

For the panel, I came across a great deal for a brand new Siemens SP75 on Craigslist. The specs are here. As of now, I will probably mount it on the deck until I have an arch or a set of dingy davits to mount on top of.

In addition to the panel itself, you need to have a charge controller to manage the flow of current to the batteries. The controller will make sure you don't overcharge or inadvertently discharge your batteries. I went with the SunForce Charge Controller. It can handle up to 10Amps of current and up to 150 Watts. They have good a deal at Defender.

I will post pics of course once everything is installed.

Little by Little Progress is Made

2012-01-10T11:37:00.002-05:00

I got back to the cold weather on Sunday after spending a week down on Skylark. The weather was fantastic and it was really nice being in the warm sun after a few weeks of freezing temperatures. It actually felt like spring but I know the cold stuff is still on it's way. Between now and then though, there are a few things that are in the works and I hope to have it all done by the end of January.

Good Old Boat Shirt Pic

As I mentioned previously, the engine work is basically finished although there are a few things that still need to be tweaked. That should be wrapped up this week though and I can officially cross the Atomic 4 refurb off the list. Skylark already seems happier that her innards are back together. She sits so much better now that the 400 or so pounds are back where they belong. When the engine was out, we bobbed like a cork in any bad weather. But between the engine and a full fuel tank, she is so much more stable. It's amazing what adding a little weight to a boat will do to her feel.

In addition, my buddy Trevor will be painting the deck, an item on the to-do list that desperately needs to be done. I have decided to go with white on white since the light blue got so hot in the summer, it was crazy. So after a recommendation from someone who has cruised all of the Caribbean, white on white it is (thanks Ralph.) I am really excited to see how she turns out. The hull had recently been done right before I bought Skylark and still looks good, so once the deck is clean, she will look real great.

On top of that, the fresh water tank will be fixed or replaced, so my water woes will finally be behind me. If all goes to plan, the next time I get down to the boat, I will be ready for the first cruise of the year. I know you can't see it, but I am smiling from ear to ear. Trevor and I have already figured out a few places to buddy boat while running sea trials. It's been way to long not being on the hook. I can't wait.

I also got lucky and found someone selling brand new, in the box 75w solar panels for a great price, so I picked one up. I don't have a cold plates at this point, so my power requirements are really low. A 75 watt panel should do me just fine until I replace the refrigeration sometime later in the year or next. I will post pics once it's installed as well as the type of controller I go with. Something simple should work for now.

So that's the update. I will post more pics of everything once I get things a little more sorted.

Fair winds...

Never Know What You Will Find

2011-12-30T19:14:00.001-05:00

While looking around in an antique store today, I came across this watercolor which I thought was very cool. Of course I had to get it. Just a reminder to sail more...enjoy.

Ready for the Count Down

2011-12-29T11:04:00.001-05:00

I certainly hope you all had a wonderful Holiday with family and friends. I was fortunate enough to have vacation days left that needed to be taken or lost, so I took off this week to spend with Zachary here in NC. We have been having a very good time and I look forward to the rest of our time here.

The plan now is to head down to Florida on Monday, Jan 2 to get Zachary back for school on the 3rd. I am going to stay a while as the engine work is complete and Skylark is now ready for sea trials. Yes, you heard me right, the Atomic 4, gas tank and wiring work has been completed, and we are good to go. Talk about the best Christmas present ever. I will post pictures of the new engine along with pics and footage from the sea trials. I am very excited to say the least.

Since we are approaching the new year, one of the resolutions I made was to sail more and worry about boat projects less. My on going list of "to-dos" is huge and unrealistic. I cut the list down to only a few essentials for this year and plan to enjoy rather than to be constantly working. I will pull Skylark out of the water and try to do everything in one shot, most likely in early to mid March. A bottom job is really needed anyway, so it made sense to complete everything while she is out of the water. I am thinking it will take about a week to finish the new list, a time-frame much more workable. Everything will be ready for the wonderful Spring sailing. If you are interested, the list now consists of:

Bottom job, zinc replacement
Fresh water tank replacement or cleaning
Tiller pilot install
Solar panel install
Adding 2 new batteries to house bank

Not too bad, right? Once that is done, I will be ready for some serious time on the water. I can't wait.

So with that, I hope you all have your to-do lists ready for the new year. Keep them short and sweet and get out on the water, there is always next year to work hard...or is that the year after. :)

Happy Holidays from NOAA

2011-12-21T12:44:00.001-05:00

Found this on one of the sailing boards, made me laugh. Enjoy!

Love this song...

2011-12-13T14:32:00.000-05:00

How great is this. A little something for those of you battling the cold.

Disappointing 2011, looking forward to 2012

2011-12-13T11:16:00.000-05:00

I guess life really does get in the way sometimes. In my case, this years sailing season came and went with little progress on my part. I did get a few small things done, and of course the 3 months I spent on Skylark with Zachary over the summer was fantastic. But in reality, it was still rather disappointing working through engine rebuilds and not getting away from the dock. Fortunately, the friends I have made make staying at the dock a lot of fun and good place to be, but as you can imagine, being out there is where we all want to be. Hopefully, this spring is my time.

It makes you think about that oh-so-fragile balancing act between "real" life and life on the sea. It's very difficult to have both sometimes, but I always feel it is very much worth the fight. I talk to tons of people who feel the same way. Generally speaking, most everyone is waiting for one thing or another to start, finish or disappear before breaking away and starting their life at sea. And most everyone has a number they are working towards, the number of years before they can cast off the lines and not look back. 1 year, 5 years, 10 years. Whats your number, I know you have one. :) Of course there are the lucky souls that have hit their number and are out there doing it. They are the inspirations that keep us going and striving for that number. A warmth thanks to all of you!

But as a lot of folks know, life itself is one of the best anchors out there, it holds firm in all conditions and is extremely hard to break free once set. But it is worth the fight and we keep doing it and bottom line, it's all we can do. You hear all the time, "Go Now!" Unfortunately, reality isn't always that simple.

So now it's mid-December and we are on the door step to another year. I plan to do a lot of sailing this year. Good, bad or ugly, Skylark is getting off the dock and will be putting miles under the keel once again. It's the way it should be and I look forward to the adventures that are in store. (Needless to say, I have renewed my membership to BoatUS :) I will be sure to wave as we see you folks out there. If you see me anchored off somewhere, come on by, I can guarantee there will be a sundowner of one kind or another on board with your name on it.

And thanks for following along. There have been over 9,000 new visitors to the site from all over the world, it's wonderful to know you folks are out there. This coming year, I really hope there is more interesting stuff to keep you entertained. Thanks as always and if we don't chat in the next couple of weeks, have a very Happy New Year.

Back on Skylark

2011-12-03T00:41:00.000-05:00

...and it feels really good. Can't you see the excitement in my face? Came down, for a short visit so I can see Zachary's last baseball game of the year. Very much looking forward to it. Will be back before and after Christmas as well. Engine will be done by then so very happy to put that behind us. 2012 is looking good for some sailing. But with my luck, the Mayans will be right and we will all be dead anyway. Again, see the excitement in my face?

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T07:42:00.000-05:00

Santa's Vacation Pics...

Been a busy couple of months, but I wanted to wish everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Can't believe Christmas is right around the corner and this year is coming to an end. It's been a quick one to say the least.
Good news is the engine will be done by the weekend, so maybe, just maybe, I will be able to get out at least once this year. Being able to spend so much time on Skylark has been fantastic, think all together its been about 4+ months on board, but it's not the same. We both are longing for miles under the keel. Here's hoping to an agreeable 2012.
Enjoy!

Skylark has a New Atomic 4

2011-10-26T11:18:00.002-04:00

Just a quick update, the new Atomic 4 is back aboard Skylark and being installed as we speak. There are quite a few other tasks that need to be done as well, but hopefully, all should be good by the end of the week. I am excited to say the least. More info and pics to come.

Florida Nor' Easter

2011-10-08T16:12:00.000-04:00

Wow, it started Friday with sustained 15mph winds and rain. Today, we are getting creamed with 25-40mph winds and heavy down pours. Supposed to be just as bad tomorrow and Monday, they are calling for 50+mph winds and gusts. I tell you right now, these winds and waves are worse than the weather we got from the passing hurricane a few weeks back and we get the pleasure for 4 days straight.
Welcome to October weather in Florida.

Theres a Small Boat made of China, Going Nowhere on the Mantelpiece

2011-10-02T10:29:00.000-04:00

Challenge! What band sang the lyrics "There's a Small Boat made of China, Going Nowhere on the Mantelpiece"...No Google allowed.

Out with the old, in with the new

Well, Skylark is still not going anywhere either, but there has been a lot done over the past few months to get us where we need to be. Lets start with the question everyone keeps asking. Whats up with the engine? Well, the short answer is that it has been rebuilt and its ready to go back in. I have some pics that show the progression of what was done and then the final product. Wanted to be sure it was done right while it was out on the bench rather than deal with additional problems after the fact. Because of that, Scott changed out quite a few parts as well as all of the gaskets we could get our hands on. It has been a lot of work, but the end result is pretty darn nice. Now we just got to get it in.

In addition to the engine prep, my Australian buddy and neighbor Ralph helped me finally get running water on Skylark. I am still in shock not having to fill my jug everyday, but I am sure I will get used it very quickly. We had taken a small road trip to St. Augustine to hit the mecca of used sailboat parts at Sailor's Exchange. If you are in the area and have not been to Sailor's Exchange, you really need to go. Check out the website for an idea of what they are all about. Sailor's Exchange. The deals you can find there are unreal. Among other things, I found a new single feed kitchen faucet which I got for $10 bucks. New, this faucet would have been north of $150. I don't know where they get their stock, but for these prices, I really don't care. They have anything and everything you could need. Worth the drive and the gas for the savings you will get.

Anyway, I now have running city water while at the dock. I still need to work out the fresh water tanks, but that is on the short list for the fall. In the meantime, no more water jugs.

Weather is starting to turn a bit cooler. We got down into the low 50's last night and only into the low 70's today. It's been a brutally tough summer, so the change is welcome. Hopefully I will be able to get out soon and enjoy some of this great weather. If all goes to plan, it should not be long now.

Atomic 4 Ready to Go Back In

2011-09-04T16:58:00.000-04:00

I ordered the last couple of necessary gaskets from Moyer Marine last week, so we should be good to go to get everything back together and in Skylark. If the weather cooperates, it looks like Scott will be able to come mid-next week or so. He figures it will take about 2 days. The first day he will tackle the new gas tank and the wiring that needs to be redone in preparation for the engine. The second day, he will set-up the A-frame and lower the new engine back in place. I can only hopes it goes that smoothly but regardless, no matter how it goes, Scott will get the engine back in and running great. If there is one thing I know for sure, Scott does not give up. If you need further clarification, please see the entry, Morehead City, NC to Jacksonville, FL. :)

Needless to say I am excited. We are just now starting to see a slight change in the weather, so the engine will be ready just in time for the best sailing of the year. I have been able to work through all of the other tasks needed before the first sail, so hopefully, this is it. YeeeHaaa. Well, except the bottom being cleaned. That needs to be done before the sea trials so it will happen soon. I am quite sure the prop looks like a bowling ball. The diver will have his hands full...

Does not include heel repair.

For all you Buffett fans out there, I came across a very useful bit of information the next time you "Blow out your flip flop, stepping on a pop top." Thanks to whomever created this wonderful new invention. :)

More to come. I want to thank everyone who has been following along and bearing with the nonsense in preparation for the engine install and the horizon. I can only hope I will have more for you now that things are back in order. It's been fun, don't get me wrong, but it will be so nice sharing pics from the cockpit underway.

Irene Update

2011-08-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

As Irene made her way north west off shore, we fared no problems as the very outer bands passed over Jacksonville. Other than a 2 foot storm surge and some 40 mile and hour winds Thursday night, we are all OK. We were lucky...

All my thoughts are with the folks up in North Carolina and beyond as Irene makes landfall. Good luck to you all and be safe.

Hurricane Irene

2011-08-25T21:08:00.000-04:00

Irene at 8:00pm Thursday

We got lucky with the track of Irene turning North East and keeping way off the coast of Florida. As of 8:00pm tonight, we have had quite a bit of wind, usually around 20 to 25 mph with gusts to about 45. Right now, a band is moving through with 30 to 45 mph sustained winds...pretty nasty. I am guessing this will be a rather rough night. I will sleep in the salon as the movement won't be nearly as bad there as in the V-birth.
The wind howling though the rigging reminds me of the horrible couple of nights anchored in North Carolina. At least I won't have to wake up every 2 minutes to make sure we aren't dragging.
Anyway, it should track more to the west as it moves up the coast. We are a lot more protected from the west, so lets hope it helps a bit with the waves.
Updates to come...

A Month and a Week

2011-08-21T12:30:00.000-04:00

Been on Skylark for over a month now, can't believe how quickly the time has gone. This has been the longest I have spent on board at one time. Because of work and family matters Amy had to attend to, I had the opportunity to stay for a while. It's been tough in some ways, but we are both able to get our stuff done and get ready for some good sailing in September.
It is an entirely different perspective "living" on board rather than just coming for a few days or a week. You have routines that you get into, it takes a little time to acclimate, but once you do, they become the norm pretty quickly. I have things I do every day at about the same time and the same way. They become tasks you don't even think about, like loading the dishwasher, or putting on the lawn sprinklers. Through trial and error, you find the best way, the easiest way to do things and then stick with it. I thought it was a bit odd at first, a little "Rain Man ish," gotta take the tarp down, it's 4:00, gotta take the tarp down, but talking to the others who live aboard, it seems like they do very similar things. I guess you have to to some respect. The weather, the heat and a slew of other factors dictate the schedule. But the routines work and that's what makes it doable. Skylark is very comfortable to live on, but the routines help make it that way. It's funny, as I mentioned, there are others who live at the marina. You wind up running into them the same time very day on the way to the shower, getting water, ice or sitting at the pool pavilion having the first cup of coffee. It's good knowing there are always folks around to help if you needed it, and everyone would at the drop of a hat.

Talking about the pool, it truly is a god send with the weather the way it has been. Usually in the 100's with the heat index. On top of that, it has taken me a while to figure out the best ways to keep the boat cool in that kind of heat. Little things like keeping the forward hatch cracked an inch or so to let the heat escape. Also works best to shut the door to the V-birth so I am only cooling the saloon. I don't use the forward stateroom during the day anyway, so it really works well. The biggest trick though is the boom tarp. I have it going from the mast to the stern and it works wonders keeping the sun off the deck. It lowers the temps by nearly 10 degrees alone. And when it's really bad, I hose the deck off with cool water and let the evaporation do it's thing. Sounds like a lot of work, but I have it down to a science. By 4:00, the winds and storm come in, so I take the tarp down right before the big breeze hits, you can watch it come across the river and gives me a just enough time to get take it down and get it stowed.

Cap'n Z

I have really enjoyed the time I have spent with Zachary, I was lucky enough to bring him to his first day of 6th grade. Wow, the time just flies by. He really enjoys spending time here at the boat and the marina. Last weekend, we went out for a sail on a buddy's boat with his Grand kids, Trevor and his daughter. Fred's grandson is Zachary's age, and they get along very well. Went down to Green Cove Spring, about a 10 mile motor, had lunch at a locals place and sailed back. We were just a head of a storm the whole way back, but got a little wet at one point. Got lucky when a 10 minute window opened up and we quickly tied up back at the dock before the next wave of wind hit rather briskly. It was a lot of fun and very appreciated. All in all, we had a nice day and Zachary finally got to sail. Zachary even got to steer! Can't wait to get him out on Skylark. Trevor and I are planning a trip up to Cumberland, GA with the kids as soon as we get the chance. Think they will like the wild horses and all the hiking you can do up there. Fun stuff.

Lets see, what else has happened...Finally finished the teak in the cockpit, I am really happy with the way it came out. I will try to take another picture, but I have had no luck with the camera phone taking a decent shot. Have some clean up to tackle this morning but not much else. Zachary is sitting next to me killing zombies on the Xbox and doesn't look like he is interested in doing to much else today. It's a little after 8:00 am and I can already feel the heat building. Gonna be a real hot one I think. But the again, they are all hot ones.

Oh yeah, saw the weather last night and it seems we might have some of Irene to deal with towards the end of the week here in Florida. Will have to keep an eye on that but it doesn't seem like a real threat at this point. We are in a pretty good spot here in Jacksonville. From what I am told, this area has avoided the big stuff due to the typical flow of the storms as they come in from the Caribbean. Fingers crossed and knock on wood. Lets hope we keep being the exception.

Still waiting for the details to be nailed down with the engine. I have been so busy with work and have not been able to catch up with Scott. Hopefully this week the phone tag will end and we can figure out the next steps.

That's it for now. Hope you are all enjoying the last bits of summer and getting out on the water. Like Captain Ron says, "If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen out there."

Little Progess in the Cockpit

2011-08-06T12:54:00.000-04:00

Starboard side cockpit teak

Started early this morning and was able to sand the teak on the starboard side of the cockpit before the sun got under the bimini. Was also able to scrub the deck and cabin trunk before it was too hot to walk on. Nice breeze, so that helps a lot. That's it above deck for today though, will do the port side tomorrow morning. Once that is done, I will be using teak oil on everything from now on. The Florida sun is just too much of a killer on varnish. Zachary is going to his last sleep-over of the summer today, so I will be vacuuming, cleaning, washing and straighting below, at least until coldie time. :)
Enjoy your weekend. You can find me laying low in the clean cockpit listening to Radio Skylark.

First haircut in 3 years.

Gram, this pic is for you...I finally cut my hair.

3 Weeks and All is Well, but Nothing Done

2011-08-05T19:45:00.000-04:00

...things to come.

Monday will be three weeks here on Skylark. It's been an adventure in itself living on the boat with the heat the way it has been. Now I know it's August in Florida, but even the locals can't believe how bad it's been. For most of the week, the heat index was in the 110 degree range. OK, that is the last time I will complain about the heat, promise. But, I have not been able to do anything on the list, nothing. Especially as the tasks I had in mind for this trip were all above deck. Finishing the teak, painting the deck and just a good ol' scrubbing of the hull. You know what, forget it...all of it. The only thing possible out of the A/C is swimming and even that is tough when the pool temp is 97 degrees. No joke. A couple and their 3 year old daughter just came in from a long cruise down in the Caribbean and Mexico. They pulled in next to Skylark before I got here, so it was a nice surprise to have new semi-permanent neighbors. Anyway, they were telling me that the heat here has been worse than anything they have run across in the last 10 years down in the El Caribe. I am just saying...

So all of us live-aboards stay hidden below until the sun goes down and then make our way up to the pool for some breeze and a quick swim after dark. Maybe even light up the grill and make some dinner. We have had a lot of fun with the kids all playing together. There are a few kids close to Zachary's age and they all get along well. I got really lucky with the folks in the marina, everyone is great and there have been a few new folks that are just as nice. It's great not to have to worry about things like that. I really hope it stays that way.

So for the weekend, I am hoping to get to the teak and just brave my way through it. I guess we will see, thank God for the bimini and the tarp. Without them I would never go out, but then again, I am not going to complain about the heat. :)

Is it me...

2011-07-29T14:01:00.000-04:00

...or am I sensing a trend.

Guessing it will be hot and rainy the next couple of weeks. :)

Hot, Rain and a St. Augustine Cruise

2011-07-27T22:18:00.002-04:00

The weather in Jacksonville for the last week and a half has been horrible. Very hot during the days, usually upwards of 95+, and then violent storms blowing through around 4:00 or so. We had 50 knot winds rampage the marina last Thursday and a new Beneteau 34 got hit by lightning, about 4 slips down from Skylark. Fortunately no one was hurt and the only damage known so far was a lost antennae where the lightning hit. Actually, we are having some what of a rough night tonight. A lot of rain and wind again. Also seems as if the river is picking up a bit. That's the life on board at a marina, you never know what you are a going to get on a day to day basis.

We did however great a break in the weather last weekend and took advantage by taking a cruise down to St. Augustine. My buddy Trevor offered up his Hunter 30 for the adventure and we left Friday morning with the tide. With the winds directly out of the south, we decided to motor down the ICW, about 65 nm miles total. We had a good weather all the way and got in around 8:30pm, about 11 hours after we left. Needless to say, we were exhausted and basically crashed early. We had our choice of mooring balls on the north side of the bridge and were right off the fort. A very nice view to say the least.

We stayed Saturday and took in some sights. St. Augustine is a really nice town and I would recommend it to anyone cruising the area. I will say though you must be very vigilant following the channel markers. Even a few feet off and you will run aground, so keep one eye on your position and one on the GPS.

Sunday morning, we dropped the mooring and headed for the inlet, only about a mile or so from the anchorage. Another great reason to make St. Augustine a stop over, easy access and great facilities.

We stayed in the channel to the third marker before turning north and the run up to Mayport. The winds were light, only about 5-10 from the east. We had the sails up right away and were making about 4.5 to 5 knots. Seas were about 2 feet, so all in all a nice sail. Unfortunately, we lost the wind about half way up and had to motorsail the rest of the way. Around 2:30 pm, we reached the Mayport inlet and rode the flood all the way back to the marina, never falling under 7 knots.

We had a great trip and I was happy to be out on the water.

Next time, it will be on Skylark.

Back at Skylark

2011-07-19T00:41:00.001-04:00

So after a long time away, I am back on Skylark. Got in around 10:00 pm tonight and have everything nice and tidy as I type away while sipping on a beer. As usual, Skylark was sitting as she should be and all was well. Thought for sure I would have some mildew to contend with below, but there wasn't a speck anywhere to be seen. Really surprising as the weather from what I have been told was very hot and super humid for weeks. Skylark is a very dry boat, but I was pleasantly surprised regardless.

So I have a lot of things planned for this trip, including hopefully the installation of the engine. Don't exactly know how long I will be here this time, but it will be at least a few weeks or possibly more. I will keep good updates as a go along, but besides the engine, fuel tank and wiring, I am also thinking I will paint the deck, finish the teak, put up the jib and get the bottom scraped. If all goes well, I hope to get out for the first time since Skylark got here just over a year ago. Looking forward to that.

New (old) Atomic 4 Replacement Found!

2011-07-09T12:25:00.000-04:00

Just a quick update on the engine situation. Scott (gotta love Scott :) alerted me to a good condition Atomic 4 for sale and the arrangements have been made. The engine will be picked up next Saturday the 16th and hopefully installed in the following weeks. Very happy how this came together, lets hope it all goes to plan for a change.
More to come...

July 5th, 2011

2011-07-05T11:32:00.000-04:00

It's been a while now since my last post, sorry about that. I knew going into the summer that June was going to be a very busy month and I would not be able to spend much time at the boat. I mentioned in an earlier post that my son was going to spend June in North Carolina for a month long visit. We had a fantastic time here as well as a wonderful trip to New York to visit the family. I can't believe how fast that month went, but like life when you hit 40, everything seems to go fast now a days. :)

So it is now July 5th and time to get back to a bit of normalcy. I will probably be going back down to the boat sometime around the 3rd week of July. Have a lot to do to say the least. As a matter of fact, I woke up in the middle of the night and found myself writing out my to-do list for the rest of the summer before I forgot what I had been dreaming about. It's been on my mind a lot lately and I feel bad that I have waited this long to get it all done. But with the recent move, my sons visit and work, it's amazing I have even had time to THINK about it all much less do it.

Talking about July 5th, you might have noticed that 2 days ago, July 3rd, was the 1 year anniversary of moving Skylark to Florida. Talk about time flying. I look back at the year and I am pleased with at least some of the progress I have made, but cringe at the thought of the engine situation. To that affect, I have once again changed my mind about the re-power direction. I am not going to go into the months of thought behind this decision, but lets just say, I have decided to go with a A4 replacement...short and sweet, it just makes the most sense for me at this time. That's that. :) So Scott and I are back on track to finish this all up. I think we finally both have the time now to do it.

As you Floridians know first hand, the weather has been unbearably hot the last month or so, so to be honest, I am not that upset I have been up in the NC mountains. I am ready to get back though and hope the weather evens out a bit. But of course it's summer in Florida, and as I know first hand, it's hot regardless. I am very much looking forward to Fall this year as I know everything will be ready to go by then to enjoy perfect sailing conditions. In the meantime, I am lucky enough to keep up my sailing skills on my buddy Matt's Erickson 34 on Lake Norman, NC. We went out on the 3rd and had a wonderful sail. He has done an amazing job on the refurb and as soon as I get some pics, I will post them here.

That's it for now, thanks for checking in from time to time. I promise to have something worthy for you all soon. Fair winds to you sailors out there...and if you are in FL, stay under the bimini. :)