Odalisque - 2006 Log

Log 2006

Friday April 7, 2006
“Spring engine maintenance”
Today Matt replaced the main swivel shackle on our ground tackle. He loves to wrap lots of wire on the shackles just for insurance so hopefully our mooring in Nyack will not fail us. He also helped me change the oil, spark plugs, distributor cap, ignition wires and rotor. After testing the newly setup ignition it would not start easily or at all for that matter. The cause ended up being that the rotor cap had broken; apparently it had not been firmly or correctly attached and broke immediately when tested. Fortunately we had the old one and she started up like a champ with the old familiar reassuring (and occasionally distressing) sounds an old engine makes. I am ordering some extra rotors and will replace the old one as soon as possible. read more

Sunday April 9, 2006
I am always amazed at how little I get accomplished in an afternoon preparing the boat for bottom painting and general Spring re-commissioning rituals. I have always been amazed that it all gets done, even if my arms and legs feel tired yet stronger.
I inspected the water pump impeller, as up close and personal as it could be, considering the location of said device. Said device, which was replaced by me in its entirety, two seasons ago, before Donald and I took Odalisque from Hempstead Harbor around to Huntington Bay, is in fine shape. read more

Wednesday April 12, 13 & 14th, 2006

"Pre launch prep work"

Taxes are due this year on the 18th due to an unusual confluence of holidays and like taxes and death, we were scheduled to launch Odalisque on the 15th. There were no scheduled launchings on the 16th , Easter Sunday in a nod to the Christian empire. Today was warmer than the past few and I wanted to get another coat of bottom paint on Odalisque in preparation for her impending launch. read more

Wednesday April 15 & 20th, 2006

"Spring launch and first varnish."

April 15th, 2006
“Spring launch and maybe a sail”
I woke the next day around 0900 in the tower room of Matt and Laurie’s house overlooking the river and the sun could not be seen. I contemplated the scene from my aerie on their roof. We finally got down to NBC around 1030 and got involved with the launching committee who were working hard getting boats into the water. Our number came up and we had our paint stirred and a roller ready for while we were on the lift. We dragged Odalisque up to the next finger pier and tied her up and I walked a few blocks to get us some lunch. It was nearly noon and I know that both Matt and I can get a little cranky when we forget to eat when we need to. read more

Sunday, April 30th through May 30th, 2006
“Owners sail" followed by "Schlanger family sail"

Crew: Caleb, Matt, Jessie, Noah, Nathaniel, and Jessie Smith
Something had been bothering me about how Matt and I share the skipper or captain responsibilities. It took the Smith’s clamoring on board to actually set me off though. Little Jessie Smith was cute when he said: “Daddy, you should call this Noah’s Ark.” But all the commotion on the boat made me nervous and I went off on Matt for releasing the jib before I asked for it. I think we do need to have some very static rules as to who orders what and when (racing may be excluded). read more

Sunday, June 4 & 14th 2006
“Solar panel install and couples in light winds”

Crew: Caleb, Jessica, Laurie and Matt

We set out in a tin boat with some of Matt’s friends from the club. They wanted to borrow our as yet unused bolt smasher and we willingly obliged. It is a working club and members do help other members if they can. Matt managed to arrange a play date for his son Jackson for that afternoon with the wife (Sharon?) right before we hit the water. Jessica, Matt and I boarded and found the bolt smasher for our tin boat friends and bid farewell. They were working on their boat at a finger slip off the main dock. read more

Wednesday, June 21 & July 7th 2006
“Late day sail” and "Another moonlight sail"

Wednesday June 21th, 2006
“Late day sail”
Crew: Matt and Caleb
This was our second Wednesday sail at least. Race night at NBC and many people were out on their sailboats. We got out late after the races had started. There was some wind (up to 10 knots) and a current (upriver, almost at high tide). My memories of this sail include trying to make some racing turns and trying to trim the sails. I can only assume that this was a nice short sail of about 2 hours on the Hudson as I can find no other entries in my logs to help describe it.read more

Sunday August 6th, 2006
“Couples sailing times 3 and full moon

Crew: Matt, Laurie, Caleb Jessica, Sam, Julie
Moon: expected to be waxing gibbous, 3 days to full
Wind: S – SE and flukey as usual, from 5 -12 knots
We departed via the NBC launch at 1800 on its last run.
We got back before 2330 so elapsed time was about 4 hours
Ran engine for around 15 minutes during docking, mooring and unmooring.
Distance covered sailing: less than 20 nautical miles (an estimate since we did not use the GPS).

Saturday August 19th, 2006
“Using our boat to entertain friends”

Crew: Matt, Laurie, Charlie, Eveline, Zoe, David Friedheim, Jackson, Julian, Caleb, Jessie
Wind: S/SE 10 – 15
Engine usage: minimal (< 10 mins)
Sky: Sunny with clouds at 1400 but gradually much grayer in the later afternoon with much cloud cover and an eventual drizzle
Propeller: we are worried that the prop may be compromised by barnacles (as happened last season) so we brought masks, snorkels, scrapers and swimming trunks. We did not get into the water on this day but we had fun anyway.

Matt took all his friends and their children sailing which I thought was quite brave, if not brazen. They had all been out on Odalisque for several hours by the time we got there in mid afternoon. We walked down to the NBC patio where we met Eveline and Laurie with their children: Zoe, Jackson, and Julian. I had not seen Charlie, Eveline and Zoe for at least a year and they all seemed fine. I noticed the ruddy hue on their otherwise white Dutch skin and knew that they got some sun on the boat. We said hello while the kids were served French fries until the launch pulled into her finger dock.
It became quite gray overhead with low clouds obscuring the high summer sunlight. There was an approaching front coming from the west in our forecast. The protection from high summer’s direct sunlight afforded by the clouds was quite welcome as the air temperature was a comfortable 80 or so. We sailed for about 2 hours this late afternoon and had a nice meal with old friends at Matt and Laurie’s house in the early evening. read more

Wednesday August 23rd, 2006
“Our first couple of races on Odalisque”
Crew: Matt, Caleb mostly

Since it was our first race we got there a little early to meet the competition and try to pick up some pointers. This was a good tactic. read more

Sunday September 17th - 27th, 2006
“Couples with no wind and a races with Ernie, Ritchie and Jack”

Wednesday October 4th & 7th, 2006
“Afternoon sail spinnaker trial and Bob Aaron on our boat"

Crew: Caleb, Jessica, Matt
Winds: <6 SW, rare gusts to 10
Depart: 1700 (5pm)
Arrive: 2000 (8pm)
Sky: cloud cover came and blocked the full moon

Sunday October 15th & 22nd, 2006
“October sail and another spin test and last race of the season"

Saturday November 12th, and December 9th, 2006
“Haul out and finish up”

Matt took the boom off the mast and motored Odalisque in to the NBC dock. I met him there. We had a very comfortable day waiting to be pulled out onto our cradle. I convinced Matt that we should disconnect the aft stay before the crane pulled us up. Several other owners had done this knowing that the top arm of the crane would bang into the aft stay as I had noticed happened to Odalisque the first haul out at NBC. The haul out committee was happy to hear that our mast is keel stepped and that we should not worry.