Mounds of snow retreated to the sewers, the once frozen ground was now soft beneath my boots and the sound of a circular saw pierced the still morning air. All of this could mean only one thing: Spring had finally arrived at Jamestown’s Clark Boat Yard. And with that, it was time to get backContinue reading “Springing into the Boating Season”
Category Archives: Boat Ownership
4 Reasons to Love Woodworking
Tightly tucked into the corner of a snow-covered boat yard, the Karen Marie rests idly on a set of rusted blue stands, her canvas cover shielding her from the elements. Unlike last winter, the past few cold-New England months were not filled with a frantic boat project. There were no masts to build but alas,Continue reading “4 Reasons to Love Woodworking”
Reflection
With the Karen Marie now resting on the hard and the first season of sailing in my wake, I can’t help but shake my head and wonder, “where the heck has the time gone?” It feels like only the other day I was stumbling around the deck trying to raise the mainsail. OK, maybe thatContinue reading “Reflection”
8 essential items for beginning cruisers
All I had with me for the first night aboard the Karen Marie was a bottle of wine sans opener, a flannel blanket and a jar of peanut butter pretzels. Thankfully, during the course of my inaugural sailing season, I have acquired several simple items that have made a world of difference. Double-Sided Velcro ($5.27, HomeContinue reading “8 essential items for beginning cruisers”
Things that go bump (bump-bump) in the night
After a full day of sunshine and salt-spray, I crawled into the Karen Marie’s forward V-berth. The gentle rocking of the boat coupled with cool-summer air trickling into the cabin knocked me out almost immediately. I was enjoying peaceful boating bliss. Bum, bum, bum. Three knocks, not terribly loud but in quick succession and itContinue reading “Things that go bump (bump-bump) in the night”
Not just around the block to Block Island
I drive in the right lane over the Pell Bridge when traveling from Jamestown to Newport, not because I like following behind a parade of mini vans but because from the top of the bridge on a clear day you can spot the coast of Block Island (http://bit.ly/OQsnvY) peaking over the horizon. Having been toContinue reading “Not just around the block to Block Island”
Wandering in Wickford
It is said that it’s the journey, not the destination that matters. With all due respect to the journey, after two months of sailing Narragansett Bay only to return to my mooring in Jamestown, I was jonsing for a destination. At the advice of my colleagues from Cruising World magazine, I decided that my firstContinue reading “Wandering in Wickford”
Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned
Over the past few weeks I’ve gotten out sailing half a dozen times. Most days, I’m happy to report, progress was made and I’ve SLOWLYYYYY but surely been staring to figure out this whole wind-powered thing. Then there are days, like I had a few weeks ago that humble me in a hurry. On thisContinue reading “Mistakes Made and Lessons Learned”
Over the Top
My tiptoes screaming uncle, my arm stretched as high as it would possibly go but still I was forced to watch helplessly as my halyard (the line that lifts and lowers the sails) passed beyond my reach climbing up and over the pulley at the top of my mast. In a rush to clean upContinue reading “Over the Top”
Vindication
After months of toiling in the wood shop, weekends of sanding and painting and days spent pouring over sailing forums, it was finally time to put the Karen Marie to the test. My sails were aboard and prepped, the halyards were (re)attached and all systems were a go. It was time to go for aContinue reading “Vindication”
Boy and a Boat 