Spent yesterday cleaning up the boat and fixing what could be fixed without a trip to the store. Tried to watch some football too, but all I could pick up was a home improvement show on public television. I don't know if there's just nothing out here, or if the damage to the tv antenna ruined it's reception.
If you need to duck out of a storm on the lower Chesapeake, this is a nice place to do it. There is a public boat ramp and pier which I am tied up to. Lots of fisherman coming in and out yesterday. There is also gas and a small store with some fishing and boating supplies and munchies and beer. Everyone is very friendly. Also some porta-potties in the parking lot.
The pier is very small though, and there is really only room for a boat or two. There is nowhere to anchor in this creek. There are no depths, and if you get out of the tiny channel, you will run aground. When you enter the creek, the channel splits. Take the channel to the right and to the pier about 50 yards away.
Motoring to Norfolk today. I'll be there for a few days while I fix the rudder. There's supposedly a public pier with showers and laundry. Woo-hoo!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Day 11 Lat : 37.0954 Lon:-76.2947
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5 comments:
Scott;
Where could I leave a longer e-mail?
bob
Scott, if you keep up your informative log, you might want to think about writing a book about your voyage. Similar things have been done by folks hiking the Appalachian Trail and other similar adventures.
Hi Scott,
I've had a look at the photos of your broken rudders. One option is to repair the fibreglass (a boatbuilding shop would be best). However, although I can't clearly see the complete design, it seems they are deficient for the purpose, especially in the area where the stainless parts are attached. I suggest that you take them to a stainless steel workshop and have welded S/S tube cages made up for a permanent strong fix, ditching the fibreglass cases completely. It probably wont cost any more and will outlast the boat.
Hey guys, wrote todays blog partly in response to your comments.
Peter, you're right about the rudders. And I will take your suggestion about professional replacement into consideration. For the time being, I'm going to attempt a repair myself. I think it should be fine for going down the icw. Before I take the boat out again into any weather, I will thoroughly test my repair, and perhaps replace the rudder casing entirely.
This boat is definitely not a blue water boat. In addition to the fiberglass being torn to shreds, the vertical steel rod on which the rudder pivots is bent.
Hey Peter, I just got off the phone with the Gemini Manufacturer. I called them on the off chance that they would still have an old spare rudder housing. They did not. And the woman I spoke with told me that after my early Gemini was built, they switched from fiberglass to steel rudder housings.
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