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Spring Cruising

It’s time to get cruising again. Our cruising club is planning some cruises, mostly overnighters, around the lake for this summer and fall; but for our first cruise this year, we are taking a really short cruising shakedown to Mandeville. In the past, PYC has been very friendly towards us and has helped us coordinate the best days for our cruise, docking, using their grills and other club facilities, etc. I mentioned shakedown because almost every boat discovered some major flaw in their vessel during the first cruise of the year. I had a dripless stuffingbox seal that had my bilge pump running twice before I reached the seawall to leave Mandeville. I had to turn back and make repairs. The Barnadas’ ran out of fuel and Cliff wasn’t doing well and Shirley sailed the boat back with an escort from Daman Adams. Sol had a problem getting back to Madisonville at the causeway, and I believe got a tow part way. I think almost every boat had some minor and some major problems. Truth be told, we weekend sailors and Wednesday night racers are not as prepared for even an overnight cruise. Engine problems, sail and rigging problems, electrical problems show up very quickly when you use your boat for even a short extended period.

SAVE THE DATES June 14, 15, 2014. We will be cruising to Mandeville. The manager of PYC, Kaia, has advised me that they have no major boating events that weekend and that they have a fathers day brunch that we are invited to attend. It $15 per person and she assures a large spread. Of course there is always The Broken Egg a short walking distance along the seawall.

We should plan to sail together and we should try for a 9:00 AM start. The seawall at the yacht club is city owned and first come first docked. If there is a south wind the waves from the lake can affect you unless you are north of the gazebo. There is electrical and water hookups all along the wall.

Let me know if you are going, or need a ride, I will be keeping in touch with Kaia as she would like to know how many of us will attend their brunch. So far I see no sailing conflicts for these dates at either club

Let’s CRUISE
Bob Owen

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