Tag Archives: Catalina 22

No-sweat electric

Posted on October 28, 2007 | Comments Off on No-sweat electric

Finally got the new battery charger installed under the dinette table in the Catalina 22 family sloop. Now to complete the wiring to extend the power leads on the new Minn Kota 55 to the midships battery compartment. That it will all be worth the trouble was confirmed yesterday as I walked out on the dock to the boat. I passed a 25-foot sloop in which a young woman was sitting patiently in the cockpit while her date/boyfriend/husband strove to start his recalcitrant outboard so they could back out of the slip and go sailing. He was red in the face and looking angry as he pulled the starter at least twenty times before it finally caught. That’s what I’m aiming to avoid.

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Posted in Sailing

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No wind

Posted on September 23, 2007 | Comments Off on No wind

Not enough to sail, that is, this morning on Lake Travis. So I about blistered my fingers trying to start the Suzuki outboard. Finally caught but would only race. Turned it down to idle and it quit, so I started it again and let it race until it finally would idle. Still trying to find on Google why little outboards do that. Finally gave up on sailing and came home, bringing the wood backing for the swing-keel winch home to glue the laminate where it is coming off back on. Never a dull moment with a boat. Will try to sail tomorrow.

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Posted in Sailing

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Choice sail

Posted on August 29, 2007 | Comments Off on Choice sail

The outboard is still giving me trouble, but the breeze was 5 to 10 mph this morning so I couldn’t resist. Perfect light-air ghosting back and forth across Cypress Creek Arm on Lake Travis. Quiet out there with just one or two motorboats in the distance. The water-skiing kids are back in school, of course. I spent a happy ninety minutes on the stick (sailor-speak for tiller). Then, shortly before noon, the breeze quit. Outboard brought me back, then conked out on the approach to the slip, but the Catalina 22 had enough forward momentum to continue on in. Puffy cumulonimbus clouds were rolling over, per the forecast afternoon storms, but I got all the sails covered and went home before any rain fell.

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Posted in Sailing

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Today’s the big day

Posted on August 27, 2007 | Comments Off on Today’s the big day

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Mr. B. goes back to imitating a budding scholar, and I go back to imitating a leisurely retired person. While he’s trying to pay attention, and stay out of trouble, I’m going sailing.

Photo swiped from Miss Cellania

UPDATE: The crush at pickup this afternoon was amazing. More adults than children. I came a half hour early to be sure I could finding parking. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins. It’ll thin out by next week. Did last year. Mr. B. didn’t notice. He was bragging about getting more Xs, good behavior marks, than anyone else. Started good last year, too. Hope it lasts through spring. 

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Posted in Mr. Boy, Rancho Roly Poly

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Sailaway

Posted on August 26, 2007 | Comments Off on Sailaway

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This is from earlier this month, at the former Yacht Harbor Marina where Paul Schmidt, one of only two sailboat riggers on Lake Travis, did a superb re-rig of the family sloop’s standing rigging. Also the topping lift and lazy jacks. If I’d thought of it, he could have done the main and jib halyards, but I can go back for that in a few weeks when it cools off a little. I had the sails ready just in case, but I motored back to Anderson Mill without any problems. Looking forward to tomorrow morning, and the first chance I’ve had to singlehand it since the re-rig.

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Posted in Sailing

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Up she rises

Posted on August 18, 2007 | Comments Off on Up she rises

Lake Travis is getting an unfortunate boost from heavy Hill Country rains (12 inches in 24 hours along the Pedernales River which feeds the lake) generated by the remnants of Tropical Storm Erin. The LCRA is forecasting the lake to rise to 690 feet msl by Monday–and higher if we get more rain by then–which is about four feet too high for the dock extension to shore at Anderson Mill Marina. Six ninety is one foot below the height that the Army Corps of Engineers allows flood gates to be opened on Mansfield Dam to quickly lower the lake. Once again, lake levels are taking the family sloop out of our reach. At least we got the rerigging done. Too bad we can’t use it. What a year!

UPDATE  This morning, they revised the peak rise to just 688 feet msl by Sunday afternoon, still two feet too high for the docks at the marina. Also three feet below where they’d open flood gates, though they are running the hydrogeneration gates which lets some water out. So the 688 will linger awhile. Then, we’ll see if Hurricane Dean sends us a lot more rain to raise it still higher.

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Posted in Sailing, Texana, Weather/Climate

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Sloop’s getting rigged

Posted on August 1, 2007 | Comments Off on Sloop’s getting rigged

I left the Catalina 22 overnight at Sail & Ski Yacht Club, the former Yacht Harbor Marina, on Lake Travis, for the rerigging of the standing (wire) supports for the mast, and new halyards for the topping lift and the lazy jacks. Getting there was a chore. I swear the 11-year-old Suzuki 4 outboard is controlled by an Aztec god. It’s never satisifed until I’ve given blood, in the form of blisters and bruises. First it wouldn’t start at all, then it wouldn’t stay running. Finally got it going and set out on what proved to be a 2-hour trip. I had almost got there when the outboard quit again and wouldn’t start. Called the rigger on the cell and told him I would sail on but it would take longer as there was only light air. Hot as blazes. Poked along, trying the outboard now and then, until the it finally would stay running, then motored on in. He met me in a John boat, offering a tow. Wasn’t necessary. I can’t wait until the return trip home tomorrow afternoon. Not.

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Posted in Sailing

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