The holiday is starting off well..

[Konrad]

I bugged outta work at 1:00 this afternoon.

Got home and mowed the lawn so the whiff was happy.

Then I sanded the hell out of the 4 primary areas on the cabin and in the cockpit where plywood had checked.

None of these areas measueres more than about 8 x 8 inches, but collectively it looked like crap.

So that's all down to bare wood.  It was areas where I'd run short on glass.  (Don't do that, go get more.)

I also proceeded to cut most of the repair glass cloth for these same areas.  Finally, with the sun getting low, I applied the second coat of varnish to the woodwork that I've been repairing.  That's starting to shape up.

Lastly, the sun is going down, I have steaks on the grill, I'm on my patio with the wireless laptop.  It's dead calm at twilight, the bugs in the trees are singing, and my wife just gave me one of those "special looks" through the bedroom window...!!!

[Frank Hagan]

It doesn't get much better than that!

I have a good weekend coming up ... my brother is bringing Aslan back up for sailing lessons.  He will be here tomorrow afternoon, and I'll be able to admire his repairs, and we'll launch on Sunday for a lesson or two.  I'm looking forward to being in the cockpit of Aslan again.

[Greg Luckett]

Sounds like a great day, Konrad.

That should be fun, Frank.  Hope you have a great time.

Edith and the boys (the boys camped in the ravine beside the creek last night) just headed over to watch the TriState Regatta boats sail in from the Chicago to StJo leg.  Low winds made for slow sailing all night, but the weather is nice.  It is a BIG party at the club until late this evening, then the next race leg begins early on Sunday morning, heading for Michigan City.  It is a short leg and many are usually hung over too.    The final leg is Monday and back to Chicago.  For our boats, then the recrossing to StJo from Chicago on Tuesday and Wednesday.  It always ties up about a week for the crews to do this race, which is why I do not crew on the boats.  I often sail out to see them in or to see them off.  Heck, I may even get some time to work on the Spindrift this weekend too.

[Charlie Jones]

We are watching the NHC forecasts regularly. Laura just obtained 12 sheets of 1/2 plywood for us to have on hand should the need arise. It seems there is a possibility that Gustav may pay us a visit.

In the mean time , it's just a working weekend for us, since our weekends are Weds, Thurs, Fri every week.

Just now leaving the shop to drive down to Rockport to pull the headstay from a boat so I can rig a ProFurl on it.

[Greg Luckett]

I often think (worry?) about you and Laura, Charlie, and the nice home/shop within sight of the water.  Those are a lot of windows to cover.  What about your boat in the marina?

I bought 3/8 for the folks while in Alvin to cover their windows, but they have a brick home, relatively small windows, and are miles inland.  I was even thinking that 1/4 with some 2x2 or 1x2 on the edges would be sufficient.

I hope and pray that these storms miss you and my family too, or at least do not do any damage.

[lbrewer]

We're keeping an eye on Gustav here too, Charlie.  Looks like at the moment the forecast track has it going right between us.  At the rate it is intensifying in strength, it'll still blow our wood flour around.  Anyone here live in Vermillion Parish, LA?  I certainly don't wish it on anyone else.....maybe just wish it would go away.

Larry in Mobile

[Charlie Jones]

Laura and I have some very good friends who keep their boats at the Cypremort Point Yacht Club on Vermillion Bay. One couple lives in New Iberia, the others further inland..

Last time we traveled from Florida we came offshore from Vermillion Bay and came back in at Freeport Texas.

Durned storm has become a category 4 already and still has the whole GOM to cross

[Greg Luckett]

Is there any real hope it will lose energy once it gets into the cooler northern Gulf?

[Charlie Jones]

Possibly, but I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Here's a chart of the water temps in the GOM. That cold water eddy could slow it a bit, but how much will that hot water just NW of Cuba accelerate it before that??

[lbrewer]

NHC  just updated....the track is the same but getting there faster.  Where that chart has landfall at 2am Tues.,  the new one has it at 2pm Mon.  Earlier discussion spoke of probable shear that would debugger it in strength some.    This latest one says that probably won't happen in time.

[Steve Day]

Hey Guys,

We've been watching it too. I went down to the big boat and cut four new lines. If things look like the storm will trend east tomorrow, I am going to use those lines to "double" the lines already on the boat. I also will be taking abovedecks canvas and sails off the boat to reduce windage.

Of course, that is in addition to boarding windows and cramming stuff into the garage. Oh, what fun!

If the storm look like it is going on the present track or trending to the west, we will probably not do anything for Gustav.

Steve

[Greg Luckett]

It seems at this point that the whole Gulf Coast is in the target.  It is now Saturday evening, and with the storm moving faster, isn't there a higher probability land fall point yet?

[Charlie Jones]

Greg- easiest thing to tell you is to read this-

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1052&tstamp=200808

Dr. Masters is the cofounder of Weather Underground

edited to add-

And here's the latest discussion from the NWS-

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/at200807.disc.html

[Steve Day]

Looks like Gustav is coming ashore along the south shore of the Mississippi Delta and going inland from there. It doesn't appear too nice for New Orleans and that area. I saw a prediction for winds of 115 to 120 mph in the eye wall at landfall. Landfall is tomorrow.

We are looking at 40 to 50 mph in the Mobile area with a storm surge of about 6 feet. We are gearing up for relief operations, if they are needed.

Steve

[Ken_Potts]

I hope Gustav moves on through instead of moving in and staying for a while like Fay did.

[Steve Day]

The predicition I heard is that it is going to hang around for a few days in NW Louisiana and dump rain on those folks. Lotsa rain where they don't need it.

[Oyster]

The predicition I heard is that it is going to hang around for a few days in NW Louisiana and dump rain on those folks. Lotsa rain where they don't need it.

Among a lot of other folks in that region we are thinking about yu guys. I almost feel guilty with going out on the skiff today and had a good time.

Here is a bit of diversion. Please let us know if you need anything down the road.

This is a Whitehall rowiing dinghy with a guy and his wife playing princess in the stern.

This is a fellow in a local sail skiff=rowing skiff that was catching shrimp along the shore, a past time for some of the older folks.

This is a better shot of the boat.

This is another wooden sailskiff cooking along.

This is another unfamiliar boat under sail.

And of course some of the favorite guys living the good life in the wild!

And the prettiest sight I saw while out on the water, my little skiff and mamma enjoying the cooling affect of a swim on the beach withoout the holiday crowds.

[Tom Lathrop]

Mike,

You and Linda are having entirely too much fun goofing off around the Banks.  Liz and I are heading out to Okracoke Tuesday for a few days.  Hope to miss the crowds by going after Labor Day.  Haven't been out there for a while and haven't made the Core Sound loop this year yet either. 

[Steve Day]

Mike,

A fair amount of wind and 2.25" of rain since about 4:30 yesterday afternoon. We are hunkered down and "enjoying" the day off. Your pictures are a great reminder that these things are localized and that life goes on in other places. Gina and I both enjoyed your photos - particularly the horses.

I was looking at the models for Hanna and two of them have her tracking up your way. Better keep an eye on her.

Keep on keepin' on,

Steve

[lbrewer]

Just heard from a friend who lives right on the western shore of Mobile Bay.  In fact, his new house is a replacement of the one Katrina razed.  He says the water and waves have breached his bulkhead that usually is eight ft. above the water.  I'm about a mile inland.  There is not much excitement here.  (That isn't a complaint). 

I think I'll be able to get some sanding done on the rubrails of the little decorative boat I've been working on.    Steve, it's a modified version of the Jordan cradle like you built.  A friend wanted one for display at his Orange Beach home.

Larry