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Coming home

Paperwork done – she’s mine now. Time to get her to home port at Bodkin Yacht Club. Dean, the buyer of my previous boat Valinor II, volunteered to help with the delivery. We picked a favorable south wind day with lots of sunshine.

I previously completed all the setup of dock lines in the new slip and arranged them to ease the arrival. The slip is outside facing the creek making for a simple entry.

The sail up the Bay from below the Bay bridge at Annapolis met with varied wind conditions. The course was mostly straight north.

The Departure from the West River all the way up to the Bay bridge met with steady south wind around 5kts, so a motor sail trip. With engine and some wind assist, we made about 6kts over ground even with a slight outgoing tide. (Note: the plan was for a motor sail regardless of wind to test out the engine)

North of the bridge the wind picked to 10-18kts. That provided a good chance to take her off the downwind course and try out a fun beam reach … and fun it was. She sailed well and solid with moderate heel.

At the entrance to Bodkin Creek, we dropped sails and headed in through a narrow entry channel seeing a bit less than 6ft depth for our 4.5ft draft. Once through the entrance, it was an easy run up the creek to the Club and her home slip.  A few members on hand helped with lines and she was secured quickly — time for a beverage – or two – to celebrate!

Persistence Pays

That’s what I said in my last post, and for once I was right.  Success was achieved by following all reasonable sources in the yacht brokerage world on a daily basis. For some reason, the inventory of used boats is very low at this time. I speculate that, as we came to end of the covid ‘lock down’, folks decided the future was less certain and it was time to enjoy the present. Good decision to my way of thinking.

So, a new to me boat joins my list of things to enjoy NOW.   She’s a 1989 Hunter 33.5.   She’s exceptionally well equipped both for sailing capability and cruising comfort.  The short list of projects mostly revolve around detail cleaning and organizing while I learn a new boat – always an adventure.

Part of the transition process involves renaming, which means deciding on a name. Previous boats were Valinor and Valinor II – the name derived from Lord of the Rings in which Valinor was the undying lands to which the heros went at the end of the tale. Valinor III was an option but passed on as I didn’t want confusion with Valinor II now owned by a nearby sailing friend.  To stay in the same imaginative world, I picked ‘Mischief’.  For those that know the tale, you will recognize the ‘Mischief Managed’ quote which, when spoken, would instantly hide the printing on the Marauder’s Map. I will be very careful to avoid that with respect to nautical charts…….  There will, of course, be an appropriate renaming ceremony to avoid Poseidon’s wrath with all the right words and beverage(s).

So, for all those in the Chesapeake Bay area – look (out) for Mischief (the boat that is) on the water soon.