Winter Haulout: 2019

Point Bay Marina, Charlotte, Vermont:  October 11, 2019 - April 20, 2020

Lucy III is all winterized and wrapped up for the winter.  Sue and I came up and did the final wrap.  We removed the cover to the liferaft box for refinishing.  Next is to remove the anchor windlass for repairs and a reinstall.  In fact there is a long list of items to carry out this winter weather permitting.  Lucy III has two excellent built in heating units for in-door work.  The cover/hatch is already ready for installation after 10 coats of spar varnish:

The anchor windlass has been taken home and rebuilt with a new motor, new base and new wiring.  I switched to a 110 volt motor that uses smaller wiring but requires running off of the inverter.  Not a problem with our Freedom 2000 Inverter.  I also purchased new mahogany planks for the gunwale modification.  These pieces will be the cap.

Numerous other projects have been completed including a redo of the 12 volt battery connections and solid aluminum hold down straps for the batteries.

Fall Cruise: 2019

28 September 2019.  Point Bay Marina, Charlotte, Vermont

Marc-  Early afternoon departure from the mooring to do some electrical work at the dock.  Cool weather is expected so I am continuing the upgrades to our heating system with the installation of a new built in automatic electric heater unit.  We have one unit that has been working flawlessly for 30 years but it does not keep up with the cooler Vermont weather.  The new unit is installed under the companionway steps in about an hour.  Last week we upgraded the refrigeration with a new Vitrifrigo drawer fridge replacing the old GE dorm style fridge.  It makes a tremendous difference and is very efficient.  Our portable Engel fridge / freezer will now be used as a freezer.  I load the provisions for the weekend including the ice cream.

Sara and her friends: Catherine and Kiran arrive at 17:00 ready to depart.  John and Mindy also arrive around that time to join us on a cruise to Kingsland Bay and North Bay.  Other boats in the RSYC are also leaving port.  We motor past the reef just South of the marina where a classic Chris Craft ran around earlier today.  The Lake level is 6 feet lower than it was in the Spring and currently in accord with the charted depths.  Unfortunately that reef is not in the charted location.  Once past the reef we set sail and proceed to Kingsland Bay.  Coquina also sets sail.  We find a mooring with several other RSYS boats nearby.  It has been warmer than usual and Sara dives in for a swim in the clear waters.  I start working on dinner preparations.  Coquina arrives with a tangled jib on the foredeck and rafts up.  Both Kiran and Catherine are excellent crew adapting quickly to boating needs whether at the helm, working with the sails or handling docking lines.  I take the dinghy around the Bay to invite fellow boaters for appetizers.  Before long we are all gathered aboard Coquina:  Susan and Roger, John and Mindy, Bob, Sara, Catherine, Kiran and myself in the large cockpit.  We discuss plans for a transatlantic crossing (Roger and Susan) and our own plans for a trip to Florida and the Islands in 2020.  Dinner is soon served aboard Coquina in their large main cabin around the great table.  Coquina, a Cabo Rico 38 is an excellent party boat.

Saturday morning we are off to explore the trails of Kingsland By State Park.  We took the perimeter trail along the rocky shore and along several cliffs all with spectacular views including Split Rock Mountain in the Adirondack Mountains of New York to the West.  We then went over to Basin Harbor to tour the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum as well as the Basin Harbor Club Resort.  The Resort was busy with two weddings being held that evening.  We enjoyed dinner at the Red Mill Restaurant.

Sunday was back at the Point Bay Marina to take down and fold all of the sails for the season.  We were lucky to have a sunny day and dry sails to put in storage for next year.  Lucy III is to be hauled out this week.

Cruise Week 2019: July 4-14

Cruise week 2019

4 July 2019, Charlotte, Vermont.  Point Bay Marina:

Marc-  We (Marc, Sue, and Stephanie) arrived to start up our vacation at 16:30 with temps in the 90’s and high humidity.  We brought the boat in to the dock to plug in the AC and cool things off.  The Donnelly’s invited us over for dinner and a good meal, as well as a great time, we had by all.  

5 July 2019, Mooring at Point Bay Marina.

Marc-  Sara arrives today from Montreal. Sue and Steph drove up to Burlington to greet her and do some last minute food shopping.  We departed for Kingsland Bay State Park at 16:00.  By 17:00 Lucy III had picked up a mooring in Kingsland Bay with the Royal Savage Yacht Club Cruise Week Fleet.  The water here is warm and provided excellent swimming.   Appetizers and drinks were enjoyed on a large new power boat in the Fleet owned by Charlie and Susie.

6 July 2019, Kingsland Bay Mooring.

Marc-  09:00 departure for sail over to Westport, New York.  Light winds and still hot and humid.  Our slip is in a good location.  We plug in to get some cooling from the AC.  It works rather well.  We meet up with Sara’s friends, Eric and Catherine for lunch at their home in nearby Wadhams.   After a nice lunch we all walked over to the Library to meet Liz who welcomed us in.  She has a complete collection of Sara’s published magazines (diary comics).  Liz also owns the hydroelectric plant that is across the Bouquet River from the Library.  She rebuilt the old hydro plant with her engineer business partner.  The River is more like a gorge here with a dam.  We sat through a thunderstorm here enjoying some of the books.  Afterward we returned to Westport for the Library book sale and the Westport 4th of July Parade (they postponed the fireworks due to the thunderstorms but not the parade).  It was fun to see all the floats and the candy being tossed to the kids.  Ice cream was one dollar during the parade.  The books at the book sale were 50 cents (I bought 6).  We had dinner later down at the marina with Eric and Catherine who were surprised to find both vegetarian and vegan items on the menu.

7 July 2019, Westport Marina, Westport New York.

Marc-  07:15 departure for a Northward slog against a North wind 29 miles to Valcour Island.  Initially the Lake was calm and wind favorable to Split Rock Point.  It was rather rough between Split Rock and Essex, New York where is began to calm a bit.  Unfortunately we motored most of the way to Valcour Island arriving to anchor at Bluff Point South 13:00.  Valcour was beautiful and the Bay lively with families enjoying a Sunday out on the water and at the fine sandy beach at the head of the Bay.  We grilled a late lunch.  Exercise followed with a hike on shore.  I even found some wild strawberries.

More boats arrived later with Coquina rafting up with us and grilling dinner.

8 July 2019, Bluff Point South anchorage, Valcour Island State Park.

Marc-  Nice sail with spinnaker, main and mizzen from Valcour to Cumberland Head.  A little excitement by the Ferry crossing when the winds became calm.  Motored to Deep Bay, Pointe au Roche State Park.  Beautiful weather.  We went for a hike with our friend Susan D. on very nice trails (4+ miles).  Then swimming in the Bay. We did an appetizer get together on the Western Shore with the Royal Savage people.  Then dinner with the Donnelly’s on Coquina.  No Park Rangers in sight.  

9 July 2019, Deep Bay, Pointe au Roche State Park.

Marc-  Yet another nice swim in the Lake before departure this morning.  We started the generator to enable the coffee maker.  Several boats in the fleet departed before us including Coquina.  Eventually we left and sailed North for Alberg Dunes State Park.  The South wind and heat drove us to follow the others to North Hero Marina at Pelots Bay.  We completed our tank filling and emptying, as well as buying some ice before joining up with Coquina who was already anchored in Pelot’s Bay.  I inflated the paddle board and before long everyone was in the Lake for a cooling swim.  A get together was planned for North Hero Marina beneath some of their shade trees by the water.  This worked out well.  It was discovered that Coquina had taken a shortcut out of Deep Bay that did not work.  No harm done.  We went for a post appetizer walk along the shores of North Hero and saw several deer.  There are no good trails here rather dirt roads that are very dusty when a car passes by.  Sue, Sara, Steph, and I enjoyed dinner at the Tiki Bar before returning by dinghy to Lucy III.  Sara and Steph enjoyed visiting on board of Coquina and playing card games.

10 July 2019, Pelots Bay, North Hero, Vermont.

Marc- Departure at 0700 to make for the drawbridge opening at 0800 at Grand Isle.  This was a motoring event until we reached the bridge.  Two other boats reached the bridge before us but were holding back fro the span.  We powered ahead of both once we heard the Bridge Operator signal to get a move on to get through the bridge.  Once through the span we raised mainsail, Genoa and mizzen and sailed over to Burton Island State Park.  This was our best sailing of the vacation with speeds up to 6.9 knots with Sue at the helm.  We took a slip just inside the T and checked in.  None of the powerboats in RSYC made it to Burton Island this year.  This place is great.  

11 July 2019, Burton Island State Park, Vermont.

Marc-  A day to relax and enjoy Burton Island.  We hiked, went swimming, played games, ate at Wanita’s Place and then enjoyed a cook out at the fire pit.  Smores were also fired up by the pit for dessert.  

12 July 2019, Burton Island State Park, Vermont.

Marc-  Another day for fun at Burton.  I actually have time to read in the morning and enjoy a good cup of coffee.  We opted for breakfast at Wanita’s Place today.

13 July 2019, Burton Island State Park, Vermont.

Marc-  We are really enjoying Burton Island.  More games and reading here today.  Even rock painting is available today and then beer tasting, beer trivia with prizes (Steph won a frisbee and Sara won a cool tee shirt) and even a concert.   Another cook out smores night as well. We are the sole remaining RSYC boat here today.

14 July 2019, Burton Island State Park, Vermont.

Marc- Departure at 0710 for a sail over to Grand Isle and the Drawbridge.  We did start the engine to be sure to arrive on time.  The bridge operator did not respond to calls until 5 minutes prior to the hourly opening time.  The bridge opening quickly and we were the first boat through the span.  Unfortunately the winds were light and variable on the main Lake and we motored all the way to Schuyler Island before sailing over to Burlington.  The crossing was fine but increasingly hot.  We called the new Burlington Harbor Marina and were given a slip assignment.  This place is new and has the best showers and restrooms on the Lake.  We replenished the ice and plugged in both AC units to keep cool.    The girls headed off to explore Burlington.  Sue and I followed meeting up for dinner at the Flatbread Pizza Restaurant. The crew of Exit Strategy came over to visit in the evening after a cooling shower.

15 July 2019, Burlington Harbor Marina, Vermont

Marc-  0800 departure to Point Bay Marina, Charlotte.  We motored out to the seawall and then set sail on a glorious reach South.  Unfortunately the wind died off just South of Shelburne and we continued under motor and sail back to our mooring.