Appalachian mess-about

[Chick Ludwig]

Thanks Tiger. Just about done enough to go tomorrow. At 9:25 I still have to pack food and clothes.

[Blkskmr]

I am set.  I will see you all tomorrow morning. 

 

Regards 

[Blkskmr]

Don, Terry, Doug, Don, Chick and Graham, 

 

I hope everyone has had  or is having a safe trip home.  Hard rain rain here, but no red clay so that is a plus.    I enjoyed meeting everyone  and appreciate everyone's help with the the boat and motor.  Don and Terry,   thank you for allowing us to come to the trailer and warm up.  There is a lesson there for me. 

Chick,  I can't thank you enough for allowing me drive your boat all afternoon.  It was a helpful  introduction and has given me  lot of ideas.  Your boat is lovely. 

Graham thank you for bringing the sail tracks. I will be back in touch this week for windows.  Doug thanks for the offer of the Torquedo and more important the ideas on the motor mount. That looks very business like and functional.  I like it and will copy it.  Don thank you from rescuing us from the beach and taking us to Terry and Don's.  I hope you found some warm stuff last night.   Best Regards to all. I hope you can get to the photos on the link below.

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B2E9wYUlXTrBSjB2UnV4RmZDRzA

[Steve W]

Wow, those photos are awesome. Looks like a fun time was had. I wish I was there.

[Action Tiger]

I'll say! Great bunch of pics.

Hope you all had a blast.

My Missabout was WINDY and drizzly, which are perfect conditions to paddle around alone on a big lake...

[Don Silsbe]

Don R did indeed find some dry, warm clothing.  He also got an adult-sized sleeping bag, so he had a good night's sleep last night.  Today, Don and I were gunkholing around in my truck, and discovered another campground.  The campsites are awesome, but there's no beach for us to assault with our boats.  I'm thinking that we should stay with Sadler's Creek next year.  What do y'all think about meeting at the beach over by the launch, instead of the long sail to the beach we used this weekend?  

[Alex]

Looks like you all had fun. It is interesting to me that nearly all of you sailing were on the low side of the boat, is that because of lack of wind?

[Don Silsbe]

Alex-- It's a light air technique.  Rolling the hull up onto the leeward chine reduces wetted surface.  It also helps the sails maintain shape; this is particularly important when there's a lot of wave action.  With all the bass and pontoon boats on Lake Hartwell, we had a lot of prop wash.  

[Chick Ludwig]

I'll add my few pictures. Friday and Saturday morning was very light air. I'd say under 5 knots the whole time---except when there ere not any knots. But then KA-POW!!! A gale, hurricane, monsoon, deluge, whatever! More of the same forecast to come on Sunday, so the Breeze and i decided to hea home after a great Bar-B-Q dinner at Sadler Creek Bar-B-Q. Got loaded up, finished talking with Richard "Blkskmr". and Graham "Carlita" better known as "The Master", and away at 9 PM. It rained all-the-way-home! We had an awesome time talking boats and solving world problems when we weren't sailing. It's great getting together with "the guys". Looking forward to sailing with Don, the other Don, Doug, Graham, and Richard and I hope some others next year at the Second Mountain Messsabout, or, Second Southern Appalachian Messabout---whatever we'll call it...Also good to see Floyd. i hope he can have his boat ready next year.

 

     

 

     

 

     

 

 

[Action Tiger]

Well, at the urging of my ever patient wife, and my own bizarre impatient wanderlust, I have decided to build a dumb little boat just the right size to drag out there, if I were so inclined, which I am. Fingerpicking bluegrass on a uke on a small homemade boat (or around a fire) in the Appalachians? I'm in!

Not saying I'll be able to work out all the logistics of getting to the Messabout, but I AM building a boat I could camp in on the way out and back there...

It's a boat from "the vault", not a BandB, but so help me it IS stitchy goopy. To prove my seriousness, I already dropped coin on gallons of goop and miles of glass.

I may see y'all next year...

Funny that on opposite sides of the country we had the same weather. I mean, you described my day to a T. Except I had delicious, fresh caught bass, not bbq.

Anybody else with pics, please share. They're great.

[Steve W]

I just went back over the photos now that  had more time. I've been going home for lunch to glue stuff.....we are finally moving along nicely. I'm anxious to hear if anyone stayed aboard, about the boats performance, things you liked and didn't and any other stories you might have. With any luck I'll be there next year.

[Chick Ludwig]

Hey Steve. Yes, I stayed aboard even though the interior is not finished. I didn't have a filler yet in the area kinda like a V-berth. The berth is a bit narrow without it but I did ok. I already have the cushion made, just not the cabin sole that raises to form the filler.

 

As for sailing---all we had was "ghosting" kinda breeze, but she moved right along. Anchoring and sail chores were easy from the forward hatch.

 

Look forward to seeing you next year in whatever you can drag down!

[Steve W]

My goal is a Spring 2017 launch. So we'll see. I'm going to the Messabout in the fall with my Spindrift 11N.

[Designer]

Here is a shot of Chick learning how to load the boat from the Bass Boaters, see the big prop wash. Chick, "that is 2.5 hp not 250 hp".

[Designer]

Here is the picture.

[Designer]

Here is a shot of Chick getting downright agricultural. Is he in the rice paddies?

 

That is Richard in the upper right of the picture.

[Alex]

How did the centerboard end up? Graham mentioned some time ago that there was something wrong with it, being too short or misplaced or something. Has that issue been sorted out and everybody is happy with the performance?

I love the look of the power boat, can someone please tell me the design. Thanks.

[Chick Ludwig]

Graham. Hey, I DID learn from the bass-boaters---but at least I'll not run up on the back of the van with Mr. Zuki!  These Core Sounders are used to shallow water. All they need is a wet dew...

 

Alex. Graham felt that the board was a little small so the boat makes a bit more leeway when "hard on the wind". I think that only those racing or really "picky" will be bothered by it. i was satisfied with the performance and don't plan any changes.

[Steve W]

Chick, I love the colors. You should be so proud of your focus to get this done.

 

 

Blkskmr, I took a copy of your image from Google drive. I hope you don't mind. If so, please say so. It's now my new motivational desktop wallpaper.

 

Chick, I'll be interested to find out if in heavy winds there is ever an occasion to sit up on the rail. BTW.....what's next for Summer Breeze?

[Chick Ludwig]

Steve, I'm an old dude and just don't sit on the rail. I'd fall off! i don't have graham's balance and skills.

 

I gotta finish the interior before another sail. But first, all the jobs around the house that i've ignored. Next sail will either be back at Hartwell or down on the coast. Stay tuned to this station for updates.