buck Posted February 28, 2003 Posted February 28, 2003 I had a great wee sail with Malcolm Sinclair from Australia last week (who came and sailed my Weekender) and today Johannah's John is coming to stay. It was great to catch up with Malcolm who is in contact with most of the Aussie builders and had some very interesting tales to tell. John will probaly be the first person to sail a Weekender in 2 hemispheres! Weekenders are fast becoming an international class! Quote
Johannah Posted February 28, 2003 Posted February 28, 2003 So buck, are you enjoying your fame as an internationaly known yachtsman? Infamy perhaps? 8) Don't forget to put him to work. He's right useful. You can always get him to do some electron microscopy for you. handy huh? Quote
capt jake Posted February 28, 2003 Posted February 28, 2003 This is pretty cool!! I am sure both Jo and her mate are missing each other. But it is good to see brotherhood accross the large pond!! What is 'he' called anyway?? Mr Jo?? That doesn't sound right. Jo and her main man!!??? It will always be Jo, no matter how you cut it!! Quote
Bill Posted February 28, 2003 Posted February 28, 2003 I think sailing on a few weekenders from around the world would be great fun. definitely a cool source for notes. What woods where used, due to locality, price to build the boat, due to location and availability of wood, time involved in construction, due to weather constraints. One heck of a coffee table book, if nothing else. The photo's would be great. It is an International "thing" and to bring it all togather in a good looking scrap book would indeed be nice. Electron Microscopy...how bout John giving us the real low-down on the various glues and epoxy bonding. The Chemistry can tell us one thing, but a real close up shot on the penetration and bonding might add some new news to the mix. Maybe the electron end is to close for us, the interpretation from him, we might understand... I had a friend who was a rev/minister (I get the two confused) here in Maine about 10 years ago. She was working on her Doctorate. Her first name was the same as yours. Been here? Bill Quote
Johannah Posted February 28, 2003 Posted February 28, 2003 Bill, been there but never lived there. I'll bet she didn't spell it the way my family does, essentially a misspelling (there goes my mother, yelling in heaven again) because the Irish couldn't spell German names. I went to Andover-Newton Theological School in Newton, Mass, which with Bangor, Yale and Harvard are the schools for the Congos and Baptists plus a few other odd bods. Lots of the doctoral candidates are from ANTS but she is likely younger than me. There are an awful lot of us among the congos and their larger denomination, the UCC, because we began to ordain women in 1856. Yup 1856. Used to make the old lady pastors right peeved when younger women would speak of being pioneers. John of the perfect paint job, my fella was known as John the Beard for years to distinguish him from all the other Johns we knew and loved. Now he gets called Dr. Weisel (and hates it) much of the day and occasionaly gets stuck being dignified. I unstick him quick! "I'm not your colleague or your secretary, so don't take that tone with me, bub!" and words to that effect. He doesn't mean to sound stuffy, just very shy and spends too much time with medical doctors and academic types (he is academic, not medical). His research is on the structure of macromolecules in blood, creepy huh. Most people in his parents' generation didn't finish high school so he's a bit uncomfortable in the culture of the university (Penn). Really a mountain climber, white water man. Quote
buck Posted March 2, 2003 Author Posted March 2, 2003 Johannah I must protest! Surely you must be talking about someone else, not that endearing man who we have just spent a marvellous 48 hours with. If America ever needed and envoy or diplomat surely John Weisel is your man. We had a great time, Saw Albatroses, sealions and penguins went sailing (Yes John is the first person to sail a Weekender on both sides of the world! We have photos to prove it!) and today we went on a Bush walk at Bull Creek. So thanks Jo, for sending John and increasing this Weekender brotherhood. Its truly international. We learn't alot about the States and I'm more determined than ever to get to a Chesapeake messabout! Quote
Johannah Posted March 2, 2003 Posted March 2, 2003 Buck, hooray, news at last. John called before we got home from church (the time difference is driving us nuts) so we are agog for news. He is a real sweety; I was just messing with him! Cannot wait for more details and also do not have enough words to express my gratitude for your hospitality to my fella. This sabbatical is a long deferred dream for John who has never had one before after 21 years at the same university (they are usually taken every 7 or 8 years). When you're far from home, it's particularly nice to spend some family time so thanks, also, for loaning your kids. Now I have to figure how to keep the wild child on track 'til she leaves for New Zealand on the 19th. Have to bar the door to prevent early escapes. Probably you've picked up enough of my style by now to realize that the wild child is also a sweety. It is the style of the Irish to be colourful. 8) 8) We always have the guest room ready. Quote
buck Posted March 3, 2003 Author Posted March 3, 2003 We're a bit of an Irish City ourselves and your irony wasn't lost on me (perhaps we need an Irony emoticon) But we're hoping John might drop by again with your wild child, She would fit in neatly with my boys and I'm sure they'd have lots of fun. Once john starts filling up his weekends, 6weeks doesn't seem long at all. Now I remeber seeing pictures of the Chesespeake messabout. Whos site were they on. I recently read James Micheners book and got fascinated again. (I plugged John for lots of information. I am particulary fond of wetlands. Quote
Johannah Posted March 3, 2003 Posted March 3, 2003 Buck, the county in Maryland where we have a little house on the Chesapeake is 90% wetland, the whole county! Makes for a very flat place with nice biking if you can handle the biting insects. Marshes are the home for my soul as the mountains are for John but they are also the most productive ecosystem on the planet for energy turnover. Part of that rampant life in these parts is an astounding variety of biting, chewing insects after the blood of mammals. The seasons on the Chesapeake are often spoken of by what critter is biting. What we call Deer Flies in New England are called May Flies on the Eastern shore, look like tiny delta wing bombers and really bite a chunk of flesh. We use bug repellant spray but the locals just ignore them. It is such beautiful country. Early Europeans picked up the use of canoes from the Indians and traveled the length and breadth of this huge bay by canoe alone. When you come to visit, we can stick you in a kayak with a picnic and you can go anywhere, see eagles, osprey and vast expanse of marsh. There is also a stunning ocean side refuge nearby called the Assateague National Seashore which has miles and miles of sand beaches, seabirds, wild ponies (and biting flies, of course). If you enjoy water, boats and history, a month would not be enough to explore this area. The Chesapeake photos were on the BYYB forum in a thread titled "gaffers on the Wicomico", I think. Mike Stevenson also used one of those pics, with Dick Russell's battleship sized PC, our Weekender, and Tim Diebert's Skipjack, on his redo of the Stevenson Website entry page. Quote
capt jake Posted March 3, 2003 Posted March 3, 2003 Hey Buck, I caught your article on the other board. Very good enlightening story about sailing a Weekender. I really enjoyed it. :) Quote
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