Sailing Adventures of Tarka & Beyond: First trip to Gibson's this year

Monday 28 March 2011

First trip to Gibson's this year

Finally set sail into the open waters (sort of speak). Sailed to Gibson, to visit my friend Robert McDonald. Going over was OK, with only light winds and we had to motor back due to no wind. The temperature was very cold, but with the right amount of clothes and coffee made it just OK. Lunch with Robert was great, he is doing very well. :)

Motored all the way home... a bit boring and cold... maybe next time Hank can fly the chute!

Til then.....

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Adventures of Tarka

A little about Me...

I'm a Paceship - Chance 32 sailboat with a blue hull, gray / white deck with yellow highlights... born in 1973, Nova Scotia, Canada. If my memory serves me right, I was trucked from Nova Scotia to my new home at the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, B.C.; my racing career began! Racing for well over 14 years; competing in the "Swiftsure Races", plus numerous other local racing regattas. I'm not sure what happened after my racing career, but I understand that a same sex couple adopted me for a short time and used me as a motorboat... humm! I'm a sailboat NOT a power boat!

My present family (Caroline and Hank) found me sitting very neglected at Horseshoe Bay. I must of sat there for many years, as my cabin covered in mold... windows, mast, deck fitting leaking, my bilge was black with mold. For the life of me, I wondered why anyone would adopt me in this state.

It was great that Hank, (my new dad), seen past the mold, worn out paint and poorly fitted out sailboat... and seen the potential old "Ferrari" sailboat racer underneath.

Hank started bring me back to my old sailing/racing self on Feb 2009.

Now... March 12, 2011,

I looking great now, new running rigging (halyards, pulleys, jack-lines, all steel work re-chromed), new lifelines, new sails, new drip-less drive train, new sewage system, new water tanks, new navigation gear, new plumbing system (holding tank, toilet, water tanks, taps, etc), new sound system, new propane system, reset the mast, added a steering wheel guard / cock-pit table, added a raised rear bench and bow bench and all new up-to-date safety equipment as per required racing standards, added a jennaker sock, new bug screens, on board computer system (DVD, music, navigationm etc.) basically I feel better now than in my maiden sail at Nova Scotia.

2010 Highlights:

- I'm finally racing again...in the West Vancouver Yacht Club - Wednesday night and Fall racing circuit, (came in third in my division, not bad for a 37 year old eh!)

- Attempted the Southern Straits race (race was canceled to due to excessively high winds)

- Race around Bowen Island

- Stag race to Silva Bay

- Jack and Jill Races.

- Taken Caroline and Hank on a two weekend cruise around the Gulf Islands.

2011 highlights:

- Took Caroline and Hank on a two week cruise to Desolation Sound, but only got to Pender Bay, due to bad weather.

- Numerous visits to Snug Cove, Elliott Bay, Gibson...

- Raced in the Wednesday racing at the West Vancouver Yacht Club.

- Raced in the Stag Race to Silva Bay (two day event)

As Hank is new to ocean sailing, I had to teach him a lot, i.e...

1.) I sail on water, not rocks, it wrecks my keel and paint job.

2.) I like to drink diesel, not air... My engine died while out at sea.

3.) Logs do damage the paint job, plus it will stop me "dead" in the water, when you hit one, or two.

4.) Engine fumes exhaust to the exterior of the boat, not into the cabin (exhaust manifold broke).

5.) Don't run over floating buoys, as skeg will catch their anchor line and stop you dead in the water.

6.) How to PROPERLY start up the Force 10 kerosene furnace.

7.) How to use the fire extinguisher and the mess it makes.

8.) ALWAYS check my exhaust port, to ensure that water is coming out! I get very heated up when my raw water intake is plugged.

But on the brighter side...

- I'm helping my new family make new friends.

- Taken my new family and their friends to many interesting places, places not too many people have seen.

- Smell the roses and enjoyed the peacefulness of life.

- Listening to the slap of waves while sipping wine or beer.

- Taken Hank and his friends to play with the dolphins, something he thought only was down south.

- Teaching new and wonderful things, somethings things thought were impossible to learn.

I overheard Hank plan the following outings / racing for this coming Season (2011)...

Racing: Wednesday night races, Stag race, Jack and Gill, Bowen Island and maybe the Swiftsure Classic

Cruising: Local waters to Gibson, Snug Cove, Desolation Sound, Nanaino, Victoria

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Monday 28 March 2011

First trip to Gibson's this year

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