Mike Pennington

I am going sailing in the morning, solo, until the afternoon, when family will join me. Hopefully the wind will be up and I'll get to hang ten. I have all ways chickened out and let the main out at the last moment. So I still don't know if the Vacationer will spill her wind, righting herself before going over. :wink: Maybe I'll go fit another piece of blueboard in some where :roll: Larger Genoa, repaired, too! I'll have a few new pics for you soon.

And you guys think I am nuts I have contemplated at what point the Vacationer would go over. I have had the lower rub rail in the water, the mainsail reefed and not at different times. I have to admit I am a bit timmed though, I don't want to go swimming in these waters. But the question is still there, just how self righting are these boats? :wink: I get nervous in one foot swells not to mention a foot and a half. Of coarse I am speaking lakes not coastal, so for the wind to produce a one foot swell over a relative short distance means the wind is definately blowing. That means, I am headed for the lee of an island or cove. I have also heard following waves are something to watch out for with the Vacationer or Weekender. How about that Coastal Skippers, Opinions please? Just how rough and tough are our boats? Dare I go beyond the Spit at Homer? Will I need a survival suit to go all the way to Soldovia? :roll: These names are places I have sailed before on the south central coast of Alaska. I have been wondering just how salty the Vacarioner is? So far I am just taking baby steps, but we'll see.

I was born in Texas, came up to Alaska in 68 with my step dad, during the pipe line days. Stayed. I have returned to Texas a few times to reafirm I can't take the heat no more. The winters are not so bad these past few years, depends where you live, some spots have fairly mild weather during the winter. But I have no complaints, I'll take the good with the bad.

The temp is ranging in the high seventies in the shade. Out on the water we ware light colors, sun shades 8) and on breezey days I loose a hat now and a again. :roll: Yep! I got to tell you though, I was real tired by the time we sailed into the boat launch. We both were tripping over our feet, an acident waiting to happen, lucky only a bruse or two and a pulled muscle Fare trade in my book! I got a leak in the stern corner :evil: that I am agressively after, and a few minor trailer improvements, hopefully, I'll be back on the water this tuesday for Harding Lake. Closest body of water for surious sailing. My Genoa is repaired, the little taste I got of top hull speed is calling for a repeat performance. One of these days I'll get a real camera, then I'll show you just how big of a show off I am. :shock:

This is for folks that are nice people, may you have a journey as great as this day was soon. My friend Lars waiting to assist us at the landing on Nancy Lake. We rafted the Vacationer off the Loon for an easy ashore due to shallow water. Lars and Angelika Opland reserved this cabin from the park service for their camping trip. Not having their own cabin built on their boat they were not gentley rocked to sleep as me and the firstmate. We did share the picnic area for a fire and a cook out. Some of the locals came to dinner too

Well I guess I better take this oportunity to say something nice about those sails. Since they have carried me across a number of those fine Alaskan Lakes. And for a few more to come. They work good, rain or not, they keep their shape. Not a stitch has frayed, nor a gromet pulled and besides a few wrinkles from to much storage time :oops: the surface is in good condition too! I bought them three summers ago, on a rush order, the rush part was generously extended by Ye Old Sail Maker, Paul. :wink: Believe me, I have made a few tarp sails, not the same! But if you like crashing through rigging or branches on shore for a quick raid on some unsuspecting island, tarps good.

Take two sailing trips, get lots of rest down below, and drink lots of fluids

JT I'll look into that brand, as much as I like rowing :roll: I will need one if I ever put out of Homer or Valdez. Further more, good for you, I am glad to here you scored with Bruce's boat. I beleive you may have got a real treasure, certainly some quality workmanship. Mike

Yes, I will eventually mount a small kicker. My transom is one inch thick just waiting for the extra weight. I don't need a motor for the lakes, the oars do just fine. But If I want to sail the bays such as Ketchimak off Homer, I will need a motor. I would like a four stroke, but as you know the companies making them are taking advantage of the consumer do to the change over. Very spendy! If I find a second hand 2 stroke I will buy it until the four stroke prices come down to reasonable price gouging, not plain piracy. It is like the first VCR's or DVD's, outrageous at first, then down to less than a hundred bucks. I can wait Meanwhile, every body thinks I am salty, because I don't use one. :roll:

One last pic before I get some sleep. This is Nancy Lake, a fun little lake that will challenge a skipper. Long, twisting, surrounded by steep hillsides with narrow channels between the larger portions of the horse shoe shaped lake. Got the chance to try out the new bed in my cabin, 8 inches of foam, very comfy!

I mentioned The Big Lake Sailing Club in another post. But the members were so cool 8) I had to give them an endoursement and a proud thumbs up. This group recently bought the property, previously on lease and about to expire, and donated the land to the Sailing Club, so that the local group would have a place for sailing on Big Lake. They are very friendly and and it seems always ready to help out a fellow sailor. Commador Dave Johnson said to me, "Sailing is what we are all about!" The return inventation meant alot to me, I was also asked to participate in the Labor Day Regatta. Many of the members seemed very interested in the Stevenson design's, of coarse I did us proud in the few friendly sprints about the lake. My wife says I am a hopeless show off. :roll: Never the less, I say a Grand Hats Off to the Big Lake Sailing Club and their hospitallity.

Then there were these fine people, so friendly, they even showed me their lours. Not to mention the Dolly Varden Trout!

This ones for you Ray!

Almost ready to go in the morning, I have been waiting to take this pic of the mast down.

Well, I must admit it has been awhile since I climbed out of the water on a rope ladder. I always prefered the fancy folding ones for comfort. I built the ladder for the Mermaids, they keep jumping over board, then wanting back on deck. So they can do the blonde on the bow thing. :roll: Lord I hope I don't ever have to actually use it. But to be plain and simply smart, I go with the PFD. My favorite of coarse is the flotation coat. I also have a sterns flotation vest and a variety of others for Guests. Comfort, has a lot to do with getting every one to keeping them on. I'm kind of picky about crew obeying orders, I read them the Articles before we leave port. I miss this boat, but I still got the coat. I was checking out the nice survival suits on line, for crazy off shore and bay hoppers, they are not really priced all that bad.

This stern wake is on a light day, I am a good swimmer, but I would be hard pressed to catch Wolfy if she didn't come up into the wind on her own.

I thought that anchoring it low would be best. Since I use a tiller, my lazzerett is open at the bottom. I used a 2x8 for the bottom stern gusset :roll: standered Penn overkill. Anyway, I thought that would be a good place to start, then I can go to one side or the other. Almost ready for the road trip, packing, loading, going over the check list. How much more can a Vacationer hold? Sure wish I had time to install that forward hatch that I have been neglecting.

I was wondering about that myself, interesting post. Jumper Cables! I had thought about tossing the steal cables and go to line and eye blocks. But the grease monkey in me likes the jumper cables. Well folks got to go water the garden, the Wife just reminded me

Last month, my friend Lars and I discussed getting back aboard the Vacationer if someone were to accidently or purposely goe in the water. Stable boat, but high side. Cold water, how long before one looses their energy before hypothermia sets in? A good boarding ladder is the solution. Hung ready to be grabbed from the water if single handing. I added a trailing tail to this one, I will find a smaller float in a day or two. Six rungs for easy assent, close together and one up over the rail. Now all the mermaids can go for a swim and come back :wink:

Looks good to me! Keep those wheels churning folks. I promised to go sailing this week and work on the hinged base the last part of June. I'll make my big discission then. So I am delayed on this project but.... I like the counter weight design submitted by Barry best for KISS reasons. However my fabricating Son, likes the spring design, I believe Craig suggested something along those lines. Ike, promises me he can make the Mast say Bong! as it snaps up. Never mind the backstays cutting the operator in half on the way up AND I won't forget the cameras!

Amen, to what Jim said! Raise the base, put the tabernackle below the hinge. Makes a nice package with an A frame on the stern. Helps keep all the stays and lines managable for an easy lift. I believe the Weekender is designed this way. Also you won't regret the head room, that heavy boom is a real Koncker :shock: It will ring your bells!

Well I got to vote, "Yes, he does!" Because, he is really going to get it! The next thing he will know is .... A lot of work goes into these little sailors, but wow, they make great deckhands.

I am using plain old closet dowels. I have the option of going with the club or two jib lines. I have completed my new Genoa, for this weekends little trailer sail to Big Lake, 300 miles one way. Going to meet the Loon and her crew for a sail off. I will be sailing Nancy Lake, Monday, then back to Fairbanks to do Harding Lake. Refit Refit! Gets better every day. The tree wasps are trying to move in the Vacationer, but I've been keeping up the good fight. 8) I did make an 8 foot pole for the Genoa, a plastic boat pulled one out on me last time out and almost got away. Now the Wolf has a new trick! The 8 inch foam bed is the cats meow, so nice. Dominates the cabin but I don't care. Camping sure gets better. Long way to go yet, Thank you Lord, what would I do if there were no boats to play with?

Oh, Yeah! Good Idea! Oops is now dark blue, but a rolled on coat of bed liner on the bottom is not a bad idea. My dory is 18 feet, a lot of bottom. Last I bought a gal it was $45. I Rino'ed my Dodge truck, bed, under side, and lower outer side panels. Like new. Good way to detail out an older truck too. I sold my old 91 Ford to build the Vacationer. I got a lot of extra cash for that extra care. But thats a good idea, :idea: I am going to do that for my river boat. Thanks!

Well I was wondering wether their would be a difference between the weekender and the Vacationer. I guess I should have kept my mouth shut. I stand admonished :oops: