CODA arrives home.

15 June 2023

Point Bay Marina 

Thompson's Point

Charlotte, Vermont

At her mooring in Town Farm Bay.

Marc- We were up early for a 08:30 mast raising.  Chip was right on time at the docks and CODA proceeded to the mast crane dock.  He asked Charlie if he would operate the crane.  This is definitely a captain and crew assisted operation although Chip definitely does all of the heavy lifting and clearly has expertise in getting the job done.  The mast raising went off without a hitch.  Unfortunately I found a lower stay that needs to be replaced (broken wire in cable) and a bent turnbuckle.  The marina prices have also gone up to match those at Hop-O-Nose Marina in Catskill.  The main difference is that in Catskill the boat owner/crew do not assist with the operation.  Our overnight stay was fine at new docks and the old 19th century stone warehouse that houses the store and bath/laundry facilities is charming.

The trip up Lake Champlain was beautiful until we reached Button Bay.  A rain shower became several showers and then a thunderstorm.  CODA kept us cool and dry in her Pilothouse.  The skies cleared by Diamond Island and the last have hour was uneventful.  We did have a warm welcome from Will and Kathleen Patton who were aboard their tug Rosie.  Sue arrived shortly after that.  We ended the day having dinner at the Backyard Bistro in Charlotte with Charlie, Suzy and their daughter Chrissy.  Nice meal made exciting by eating in a tent during a severe thunderstorm.

CODA: Back to Lake Champlain

14 June 2023

Chipman Point Marina

Orwell, Vermont

Arriving at Lock 12.

Marc-   We had a great day traveling with a Looper boat heading off to visit the Canadian Maritimes doing the Down East Loop.  They have already completed the Great Loop.  In any case we went through the Champlain Canal with some sunshine and some clouds with temperatures around 70.  No problems with any of the locks.  Good to be back in Lake Champlain with much cleaner water.  We had a few light  rain showers before arrival at Chipman Point.  This was definitely the place to stop for the day since a thunderstorm was passing through just to our North.  Tomorrow we will do our best to get the mast raised and then head back up the Lake to Point Bay Marina.

Canal cattle.

Great Blue Heron at Lock 12 looking for his next meal.

Another Great Blue Heron in the lock.

CODA: Into the Champlain Canal

13 June 2023

Fort Edward Yacht Basin

Fort Edward, New York

Fort Edward Yacht basin next door to the Scotties tissue factory (now owned by Irving Paper).

Marc-  Another day, another crew change.  John left this morning for Catskill where he had left his truck via taxi.  Thank you John very much for your help and company.  He was replaced by Charlie, a fellow boater from the Diamond Island Yacht Club.  We started off from Waterford after the crowd left.  Many went to go out the Erie Canal but 6 boats came here to Fort Edward on the Champlain Canal Route.  Almost every boat is flying a Looper flag.  This indicates that they are doing the Great Loop around the eastern United States via the East Coast, various rivers and lakes.  Charlie and I enjoyed dinner at a new restaurant in town: Dalias.

John waiting for his ride in Waterford.

The Park in Fort Edward.  Charlie on the far left next to CODA and hot air balloons over the Scotties factory,

CODA: Leaving Catskill for Waterford

   12 June 2023

Hop-O-Nose Marina

Catskill, New York

Streaming North on the Hudson with John Gilmartin at the helm.  Note the reduced speed fighting a 2 knot current.

Marc-  Crew change today: I will miss Bob a lot for his knowledge, technical expertise and friendship.  Welcome aboard John Gilmartin who drove down from Stamford, Vermont.  

Preparation is the key to success as well as tipping the help.  We were first to get our mast lowered in a long line up of sailboats either getting masts raised (heading to the Atlantic, or lowered headed inland).  The marina owner sent out his staff to see who was ready and CODA was picked.  Some boats had mast supports that looked like a house of cards ready to collapse.  Bob helped guide me in dealing with the many wires going to the mast instruments seen on the photos below:

Some wires are marked.

Most wires are not marked.

Bob suggested photos with hand drawn wiring diagrams.  You may think it easy, just match the colors, except the colors repeat in the same wiring harness.

We arrived at the Federal Lock at Troy at 19:45 but could not raise the Army Corps of Engineers attendant on the radio.  I found his phone number on line and he answered his cell phone immediately.  Next stop was Waterford where we found the last spot on a very long wall.  Fortunately boaters on the adjoining boats helped us back in to the tight spot.  John and I celebrated by going to McInveys, the local Irish Pub, for dinner.

CODA: Visit to Catskill (day-2)

  11 June 2023

Hop-O-Nose Marina

Catskill, New York

Two boats named CODA tied to the same dock.  The powerboat version is from Seattle, WA.

Marc-  Today is the preparation day for taking down the mast by crane in the morning.  Bob and I worked removing the sails, dismantling the boom and some rigging, then building the mast supports mostly from the Lucy III supports used on past trips.  

Jeanne came to rescue Bob for a trip down to Hyde Park and a night away from the boat.  I went walking downtown and saw some more artistic cats.

Mast supports and pads from old life preservers.

Another day in Catskill.

CODA: Visit to Catskill

 10 June 2023

Hop-O-Nose Marina

Catskill, New York

One of a street full of artistic cats in Catskill.

Marc-  We awoke to dense fog at our PYC mooring that was more like attaching to a floating island of weeds than a standard mooring.  Fortunately we had not planned on leaving super early since we only needed to travel four hours to reach Catskill where we will have our mast lowered.  By 08:30 the fog had lived and we had finished breakfast.  The sun came out and all was well.  We even had a favorable tidal current for the first half of the trip.  I called the marina in Catskill to confirm that they could do our mast and have and overnight slip and the manager responded that they could not get to us until MONDAY MORNING.  Hopes of a quick stay were dashed.

Fortunately this little town is alive.  It has a growing artist community and has the annual artistic cats display on Main Street,  I went wild and took photos of every single cat statue.  I also picked up a few items at a local market.  Later in the afternoon we tackled taking the sails down, removing the boom and some of the rigging,  Tomorrow need to build the support staging for the mainmast.  I have brought along our Lucy III mast supports from previous trips.  The mast removal requires the tedious job go disconnecting all go the 30 or so wires,  The radar alone has 20 small wires.

More cats in the morning.

CODA : Heading up the Hudson (Day 1)

9 June 2023

Mooring field

Poughkeepsie Yacht Club 

Poughkeepsie, New York. 

All snug for the night on the Hudson (unfortunately the Amtrak trains pass nearby).

Marc- We departed Liberty Landing at 9:30 this morning to catch as much of the tide (a wave so to speak) up the Hudson.  Low tide was at 07:15 yet the tidal current did not change until about 11:00.  We left at 09:30 with some contrary current until we reached the George Washington Bridge and then, wonder of wonders, we rode the wave for the the rest of the day exceeding 8 knots.  The weather started out sunny and warm and ended cool and wet with a last minute clearing before sunset.  Our only stopover was at Panco Fuel at Grassy Point for a diesel fill up on tank number one.  Although we were not out of fuel the idea was to find out what our exact burn rate was per hour at continuous 2700 rpm.  The result is 1.75 gallons per hour.  The previous owner claimed 1.5 gallons per hour running at 2600 rpm.

An excellent helmsmen.

Hoboken, NJ shoreline with art.

Hoboken, NJ train and ferry terminal.

Manhattan shoreline.

Large bulk cargo ship passing us on the Hudson.

CODA passing a small trawler (a looper) on the Hudson.

CODA : Stopover in NYC while Sailing to Vermont

 8 June 2023

Liberty Landing Marina

Jersey City, New Jersey

View from the pilot house tonight.

Marc:  We had an early breakfast and were on our way at 06:35 this morning.  Skies were much clearer since an ocean breeze appears to have cleared away most of the smoke from the Quebec wildfires.  I am really impressed with the bow thruster and how it spins CODA around easily.  The Yanmar diesel did well all day. as well as the autopilot  When we reached the Throgs Neck Bridge the current turned in our favor and it really helped us along even getting our boat speed up to 11 knots near Hell Gate.  Bob did a terrific job at the helm in the East River once we disconnected the autopilot.  

Michael Gilmartin came to greet us at the marina and joined us for dinner in Jersey City.  It was good to walk around a bit.  

I-pad view just before we reached Hell Gate and saw 11 knots speed.

Added excitement as a seaplane takes off towards us on the port side of CODA in the East River.

Seaplane airborne after some effort.

South Street Seaport on the East River.

CODA :Sailing to Vermont

6 June 2023

Wickford Shipyard

Wickford, Rhode Island 

CODA ready for her first sail.

Marc-  CODA is our new to us Cabo Rico 40 and this is our first sail.  Bob Kirbach, a Vermonter with many years of sailing experience and super nice guy, has agreed to be crew.

We filled up on 100 gallons of diesel for $500 dollars.  Previous owner had left the fuel tanks low but the holding tank nearly full.  We motored out of the harbor and set the genoa all without issues for a nice trip out of Narragansett Bay.  At Point Judith we met contrary current and headwinds for the next 24 miles to Fishers Island, New York.  Anchored.

Watch Hill Passage at Watch Hill Light.  Taylor Swift's house in the background on the bluff.

_________________________________________

7 June 2023

West Harbor, Fishers Island, New York

Bob at the helm.

Marc-  Quiet night at anchor. I made scrambled eggs in the microwave since our stove is not working.  The toaster and the coffee maker were fine.  We were off at 06:45 and proceeded West without seeing a single submarine.  We did see a mast sticking our of the water but it belonged to a sunken boat.  Long Island Sound was fine despite West winds of 10 to 15 knots on the nose so to speak.  We decided to call it a day after hearing the weather broadcast of Southwest winds building to 20 knots and plumes of Quebec smoke turning the skies a bit toxic.  We called a Branford marina I had been to in the past with my parents and booked a dock for the night.  After we settled in and had lunch, we exited the cabin into toxic smoke.  Ouch......  we went back in for the masks and then went for a walk.  

Special mention to Bob for doing the lions share of helmsmenship and for precision docking. 

Irving and Electra Johnson's Yankee.

The sun poking through the toxic smoke from Quebec forest fires.