Odalisque - June 19, 2005 Log

Log 2005 - June 19

Sunday June 19th, 2005
First sail on the Hudson for Noah and Isaac

Air temperature: 70 or less
Crew: Caleb, Jessica, Matt, Jackson, Noah, Isaac

Noah arrived in Nyack before us and had a chance to see the Schlanger’s new house. We arrived a little later at 1045 under cloudy skies and little wind. Between waiting for the launch and for everyone to get organized and down to the Nyack Boat Club I bought some ice to cool a few drinks and just in case we got lucky and caught a fish. There was to be no luck and just a little wind early on in our sail.
The wind seemed to match the ENE 5-7 forecast but seemed to me more ESE from where we were on the Hudson. We got no hits on various lures but we did get a whole variety of potty mouth (Jackson especially) and sass (Isaac) from the two sons on board.
It was a pretty sight to see the relatively flat Hudson with the sloping hills coming down to the river and the majestic rock faces of Nyack State Park towering above. We beam reached upriver and again towards the red outcroppings on the western river edge. There was a current running downriver at perhaps 2 knots. I forgot to bring home my Eldridge from Odalisque so I could figure out in advance which way the current will run at a given hour of any day so I report the current only by observation. I now have the NOOA web page with the tide times for Tarrytown saved on my desktop so I can tell when the low and flood are predicted (pretty accurately I might add).
We decided to head upwind with the current so we could get back easily enough to get Noah and Isaac off at 1500 for a barbecue at his house with his father and Aunt Chovy (from a word game the Isaac and Jackson played). The wind on the river was fickle and it got even lighter so we ended up by motoring around an abutment of the Tappan Zee and back towards Nyack.
Both boys had a brief hand on the tiller and the fishing pole but maybe the engine exhaust going downwind got to Isaac and he got a bit groggy and maybe queasy and lay down in the cockpit singing: “I am a little tea pot, here is my spout…”. We were almost home though and we were able to glide along the shore and spot Matt’s house (or part of it) through the trees. We made our mooring at a little past 1500, almost on time. We dropped the main and made ready for the launch to pick us up.
I got into the engine compartment in order to feel the stuffing box after we had been motoring. I could not visually detect any dripping (which is expected when the engine is engaged) and I felt a mild warmth to it. If anything we should loosen the stuffing box nuts a little until it drips. The water acts as a lubricant (and coolant) and if it is not present then the packing can rub a rut into the propeller shaft.
I had a good time and I believe that everyone else did too.
Ran bilge: 20 seconds.
I feel that the standing rigging is in ok shape and needs some adjusting and cotter pins. With the aft stay fully taught the jib seems to perform well enough in winds up to around 20 knots.

- Caleb Davison