Opua: stuff
Opua: stuff
Whenever the dodger is off HAWKE, I realize that I like her better without it. She is more open and less cluttered, although even with a dodger THE HAWKE OF TUONELA is the least cluttered boat around.
I didn’t have a dodger until I had one made for RESURGAM in Auckland twenty years ago. That, as is HAWKE’s, was the least dodger possible. Many people with great humongous dodgers ask how I can get by with such a small one. But I don’t spend much time on deck in heavy weather. That is what the Monitor is for. For me the primary purpose of a dodger is to prevent my getting a face full of water when I stick my head through the companionway to look around.
I won’t get rid of THE HAWKE OF TUONELA’s. But I do like her better without it.
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In yesterday’s photograph, I noticed something I’ve been looking at for ten years without seeing.
The chrome cap near the right edge of the photograph covers the telephone cord connection from when we lived aboard at Constitution Marina in Boston. We sailed from there ten years ago and it hasn’t been used since.
On the other side of the cockpit, but hidden beneath one of the line tail bags, is the 110 volt shore power cord connection. That hasn’t been used either. THE HAWKE OF TUONELA is a 12 volt DC boat. I did have a hard-wired inverter, which died of corrosion; and now rely on small inverters that plug into a cigaret lighter socket.
Having noticed this, I also realized that there are still four or five AC electrical outlets in the cabin, an AC control panel above the chart table, and many feet of vestigial wiring that surely could not be trusted if the boat ever were living in a marina again.
I like getting rid of stuff. I don’t ever recall regretting throwing something away, even when occasionally I might have later found a use for it.
Assuming that I don’t sell THE HAWKE OF TUONELA, I will probably some day remove the old wiring and fittings and cover the holes they leave.
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The light went flat just before the race start last evening.
The big sail is on LION NEW ZEALAND, which went out with between fifteen and twenty people aboard. She is twice the size of the anchored boats in the foreground. First to finish was the 18‘ skiff with the orange/red spinnaker to her left.
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Light fog again burned off this morning, and the afternoon is seriously perfect. I was on deck for a while an hour ago and am about to go back.
Thursday, March 17, 2011