Your Boat Stinks

Plenty of people have told me that my boat stinks, both literally and figuratively. Of course the boat has the usual boat smells. And the odor of a guy who has a hard time remembering his last shower.

One of the worst smells is when someone uses the head. Air is forced out of the holding tank and it smells like the worst fart ever.

All that was topped by the stink of the bacterial soup brewing in my garbage can in the July heat.

NYC Again

I've now been through NYC three times, but this was my first time going through from the North.

Saw the latest public art exhibit today.

I was a bit underwhelmed. Wish I had seen this instead.

I've seen a lot of warships on this trip. This is was the first peaceboat.


For a while, It looked like the Free Ikea water taxi and I were on a collision course.

Radio Days

Yesterday, I heard a Mayday call on the radio for the first time ever. The woman sounded quite frantic. It turned out that her boat was not sinking and no one's life was in danger. The boat had just run aground. Sheesh.

When I was near Cuttyhunk and Newport, the radio was full of Securite calls. These are usually only made by large ships to let folks know that they will be entering or leaving port or a small channel. The fog had rolled in around Cuttyhunk, and visibility was severely restricted. All these little boats were calling out their position and heading, especially if they were nearing a channel or high traffic area.

I got caught in the fog on the way to Newport. I was planning on using the Securite call when I got near the channel to Newport, but the fog cleared before then. Fog seems pretty common there, and a lot of the boats have radar. I don't.

Today someone (I assume accidentally) had their mike button pushed. They were broadcasting their music radio over their vhf radio. First they had a classic rock station playing, but then switched to adult contemporary. Among the playlist was Led Zeppelin's "It's been a long time", Matchbox 20's "If you're gone" and the Spin Doctors' "Two Princes". There were some guys talking in the background, but I couldn't make out the conversation. I imagine the guys looking something like the clown in the picture above.

Sunday Update

Today we had several children playing with the radios on their parents' boats. " hello hello hello googgoo lala". Also I forgot about the person calling the Coast Guard about the Great White Shark a few days ago in Martha's Vineyard.

Ah, Summertime.

Good News and Bad News

Which do you want first?

The good news is that it looks like I will make the Gemini raft-up this weekend. The weather forecast looks favorable and despite a lot of wind today, I was able to make a few miles down to Point Judith.

I've realized what a pussy I've become regarding wind. This morning the wind was gusting 20-25 knots. I ordinarily wouldn't go out in that much wind. But I knew this morning there'd be a windward shore preventing the waves from building up too much.

I also realized that I've never reefed a sail. (Reefing reduces the amount of sail exposed to the wind.) My M.O. is to lower the mainsail and go on a jib alone. That's fine, and I averaged 4-5 knots on the jib alone this morning. But maybe I ought to practice reefing the main.

More good news is that my engine is charging the batteries. When Lou was aboard, he pointed out that I ought to check some of the wiring on the engine, which I did. I've noticed recently that I've used my generator less often to charge the batteries, but I wasn't sure if this was because of the engine charging or some other factor.

And now for the bad news. My generator wouldn't start this morning. I know the outboard engine is charging the batteries because that's the only way I have any power now. It doesn't charge a lot, so I'm on restricted power.

The problem with the generator is no spark. I think I've narrowed it down to the electronic ignition. Now I just need to find where I can order a new one. That's it in the picture.

Martha's Vineyard Pics

The Harbormaster

I'm in Newport. I didn't mean to be here now. Circumstances dictated it. This is perhaps the center of the yachting universe, and I end up here in high season. Me and my boat don't belong here. We belong in some deserted gunkhole enjoying the sunset with throngs of mosquitoes. Not in Newport with throngs of million dollar yachts and people who look like they stepped out of J crew catalogues.

I thought of blogging about a few things the past week or two, but decided it best to keep my mouth shut. I don't know who reads the blog, but I know some people up here are keeping an eye on my broken down boat.

I was in a harbor in Martha's Vineyard when the harbormaster from another harbor on the island tracked me down and told me I wasn't allowed to anchor in his harbor (which I had done a couple nights earlier).

I feel like a guest here in New England during yachting season. I don't want to wear out my welcome. Last night I anchored in a tiny harbor full of moorings. All of the harbors here seem to be tiny and full of moorings. A few minutes after anchoring, the harbormaster dingied out to my boat and suggested that it would be best if instead of anchoring, I took one of the moorings. He did take pity on me and my boat, charging less than full price, because he "could see I was on a budget".

New England is in sharp contrast to the ICW and my trip through the southern states. Down there, I was mostly able to anchor in places which were deserted. And even in the crowded harbors like St. Augustine or Charleston, I'm not sure I ever met a harbormaster. Also in the South, any harbor of any size is full of abandoned junk boats. Perhaps that's the South's water analogue to the junk car in the yard.

I do want to give a shout out to Falmouth and its Harbormaster. Amy decided we should meet up there to offload her stuff from the boat. The guidebook mentioned a restaurant where we could tie up for lunch. When we got there, the restaurant option appeared unavailable, but I radioed the harbormaster and he gave me permission to tie up at the town dock to unload.

Amy says she wants to be a harbormaster when she grows up. I want to be a tugboat captain when I grow up. I think we'll be a good match if that ever happens.

Pic is of my new crocs. I bought them after my teva sandals broke. They were on sale at West Marine. I thought about blogging about how in addition to being stupid looking, they aren't that comfortable. But I decided no one could possibly be interested in hearing about that.