Last day of the year, sailing

Today we were luck enough to go sailing on Arpex, my broher and I. It was a pleasant sail. We sailed outside of the Bay, to a small, somewhat protected area, where we dropped the anchor to take a refreshing dip in the Ocean.

 I have lng video, which I need to edit.

Sailing - Christopher Cross

This song has come with me from back in 1979 and 1980, when it was launched, and when I was just 9 to 10 years old. From then I have heard it many times, indeed. And I love it. But I had never, until today, seen the face of Christopher Cross. My mental image of him was that of a flamingo. Look at the cover of his album, if you don't know why. I was happy to see a more recent video of an act, seemingly performed in 2013. After finding this video, I was happy to find also videos from the eighties, with his various hits.

Brief time out

These days I managed to spend some time on the boat. It would have been a shame not to tak it out a little, so I went, despite there was no wind, and despite a certain concern, which was credited to the fact that the water was not inviting for a swim, and therefore I did not clean the bottom and mostly important, the rudder blade. 

 I soon found out, that my oncern was valid, and the responsiveness of the boat to the rudder command was not amusing. Sure, I could still steer the boat. But at low speeds, in the feeble breeze and only with the jib, I was unable to do more than a reach. Add to that, my limited automomy with the electric engine, specially if steering into a slight breeze, I did not feel all too comfortable. I quicly decided, that I should better return to my mooring.  Which I did,

Back to my safe haven, I decided, that the best option is to have someone scrap the bottom of the boat, every Friday. As simple as that. Imust say, that I even enjoy the occasional scrapping work myself. however, if the water is not in a condition, or if time is short, the necessity to clean the bottom might become a damn nuisance. And I cann tell you; the growth rate of these marine creatures it very surprising! After two weeks of scrapping, a significant amount of fouling, about 1cm thick, is to be found. It has been 4 weeks since I last scrapped. So no wonder the boat was not a pleasure to sail. 

Unfortunately I will have to take the boat of painting pretty soon. Large patches of my protective coppercoating have delaminated. I suspect the primer did not find a good grip on the red paint, which was applied on top of it. The coppercoat went on top of the red. But the delamination seems to reveal the white hull. I will have to haul the boat out and paint it all again. Not something I look forward to. But there seems to be little alternative.

Mom, look!

Star Wars

December came in interstelar speed this year. At least if I think about it now, looking backwards. ... The end of the year is a time to look at what has been moved and achieved. But also time to see a new Star Wars movie!

I can say that I am thrilled, and look very much forward to it. This is a movie that has marked a great deal of my youth, and fired my imagination in a fabulous way. However, the concept for Arpex was not inspired a starship from the Star Wars movie. But it is not unfair to say that the subconscious might have been at work, when I was sculpturing the cabin layout and shape for the coachroof. The association with the X-Wing fighter came later. Specially in the first weeks and months, when I was putting the cabin together, people commented that it looked like a spaceship. And I had to agree. specially when I stayed at the yard until later, when it got dark, and the cabin was illuminated from within.