December 25 To January 25, With Only Two Afternoons On ILENE

 Damn, a whole month since last I last posted! Sorry, folks.

Work accomplishments on ILENE included tightening up the 2 x 4 aft “ridge pole” from the aft end of the boom to the radar arch that holds up the winter cover. I saw too much movement in the cover from whipping strong winds, so I braced it better against the two sides of the grab bar at the aft end of the dodger frame. Also, after a few hours of You Tube videos at home I figured out what each of the components of the system do that transport propane within its locker from the tank to the hose leading to the galley stove, and how to determine if there is a leak. Basically, the valve on the tank lets high pressure propane from the tank into the system. Next is a gauge. Its needle always pointed to 100 until the tank was empty, whereupon it pointed to zero. I never knew it’s purpose, which I learned is to test for leaks. I’d noticed a very faint odor of propane in its exterior locker last summer and based on the small amount of cruising we did in 2022, the tank ran dry way too soon. I tested the joints of all the other connections in the system, brass on brass,  connecting to and from the pressure reducer and the solenoid (which shuts off the flow to the galley unless electrified from the electrical switches near the galley). One was ninety degrees loose and I  hand tightened it. After taking out the tank and getting it filled in New Rochelle ($12) I reattached, opened the valve, saw the needle jump from zero to 100, closed the valve, and waited. If it still had a leak, the pressure would have crept down from 100. But it did not, so the potentially explosive problem was solved. 

I also tried the new mast boot sealing tape, supposedly self adhesive, but it adhered to nothing so yet another method must be used to prevent fresh water incursion into the cabin from around the mast.The two electronic components of the auto pilot came back from Florida with a charge of only $100 plus $30 shipping. Significantly less than I had thought I would be billed. Unfortunately, the experts found nothing wrong except for a bit of calibration so I’m now afraid that after all the effort the autopilot is still not fixed. I reinstalled the two components with lots of tiny wires that I could have screwed up, but in testing, the unit turned on and the buttons on the control pad seem to work. The motor, it’s heaviest unit, was to be reinstalled, but I had let the flashlight on and its batteries were dead so that task awaits me. I pumped out the bilge and did a bit of interior woodwork sanding with the new B&D Mouse sander too. But not much progress for two afternoons, and the fact that I only put in two of them in a month reminds me that I have a lot left to do.

At a Zoom meeting of the Joint City Island and Harlem YC cruising committee, they adopted my plan for a seven day cruise to depart on a Saturday in July. It is basically the same itinerary as last year’s eight day cruise, that none of them used, with Hamburg Cove and the two passages to and from it cut out, and a lay day added in Mattinecock, during which a tour of local North Shore wineries will be had. CIYC has several oenophiles who had a lot more info on the wineries than I do and will take care of the winery tour. Once the specific Saturday departure is selected, all I have to do is figure out the times of the favorable tides for each of the six passage days.

At the meeting I was introduced to a new member of their committee, who has a cruising boat and plans for Newfoundland. I have yet to meet him but that is in planning and we found we have a lot in common. In short, ILENE may have a  “Buddy Boat” for part of this summer’s cruise, which will be fun. He put me onto a new book by Paul Trammel “Sailing to Newfoundland: A Solo Exploration of the South Fjords”.  I said “new” and with a publication date of January 10, 2023, it is nothing if not that. Acquired by Kindle, I’m half way through and learning a lot about what we will experience this summer.  We should take our time on the way out, to not get to Newfoundland before July 1; let the place get warm after the winter. Additional clothing is also needed and Garmin In Reach to be explored as a better means of communications from deep in 1000 feet high fjords. Trammel, who has written several other books, began his blow by blow narrative in Florida and after 1200 NM made landfall in several ports in Maine and Nova Scotia. His description of them jibed with my recollection of our visits to them. Once he got to the fjords of Newfoundland, I had no personal experience of his anchorages, but the CCA Cruising guide has chartlets of them which enhanced my understanding of his descriptions of where he went. Reading the book put me in mind of my need to get the list of the Canadian Hydrographic Office Charts that I need to buy from Landfall Navigation in Connecticut soon.

Additional helpful info from Jamie and Lori, of Harvard snd the Manchester by the Sea YC, who have been to Newfoundland many times, during a dinner with them before their ballet. Other notable dinners with sailors included one with Bennett and Harriet in their Alpine home and with my book group at my house with a Polish themed menu to discuss a Mexican book “American Dirt”. My view is that the author, Ms. Collins, tried to win sympathy for the desperate Latin Americans fleeing north for freedom from the brutal drug cartels, as Harriet Beecher Stowe had done with considerable effect in winning sympathy for desperate black slaves fleeing north from the brutality of slavery in the US south.

Visits with others who sail with us (1) to the Players Club on Gramercy Square with Dana and Tom where her art was exhibited, (2) to the adjacent National Arts Club with Rhoda and Lloyd, for a showing of three excellent one act plays, (3) dinner with Elaine, an actor friend of ours (a colleague of Lene) after a movie and lunch with her after a visit at which she selected a rescued cat to adopt and (4) four two days with Tom and Marie including the New York Historical Society, while they were back east from their winter place in Las Vegas.

The first membership meeting of the Harlem of 2023 included reports on our successful efforts to increase membership and that our finances are also improving. Most of our hard working Board:

The meeting was followed by International Night, my favorite annual Club social activity, a modest fund raiser to which each family brings a dish to serve ten and our board does the serving.

All was not pleasure: I made a sad two day visit to the Chicago hospital bed of a friend and colleague since 1970, Harvey, a brilliant and honorable lawyer, who is quite sick. I may never see him again.

Another sad day was the New Jersey memorial service for Diane, wife of Past Commodire Bruce.