Averisera: November 2016 Archives

Thanksgiving Weekend

By Norman H. Martin on November 26, 2016 3:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

First of all: we love Thanksgiving Weekend for so many reasons, mostly it is family and all the good things family means. Thanksgiving Day was shared with our Cape Cod family. The days that follow, the weekend, are special since we do get together with more family, eat some more, tell some more stories and have fun together. Special thanks to Zach and Tab for hosting The Dinner.

Saturday, we took Marina and Zephyros out for a motor around on Averisera. It was cold so Marina was below most of the time and she made Norm a cuppa. Thanks. Z got fitted out in a PFD and a safety harness. This allowed him roam around on deck while clipped into the jacklines he rigged.

Laura took her two boys to Guadeloupe for Thanksgiving and sent back this picture of Marc and Luke. Thanksgiving, Caribbean style.

Caribbean Winter Sailing

By Norman H. Martin on November 22, 2016 4:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

What's happening down South for sailors? Lots, it seems. In 2004, Norm took a 45 footer, Rumor, to the Caribbean and "did the circuit." It was five main races and a couple of minor ones. There were a few pure race boats for charter. These days, not so. Some of the world's top racing yachts are competing. Now, there are over a dozen races including the five majors.

The major regattas are Grenada, St Thomas, BVI, St Maarten, and Antigua.If one rolls in the minors, a great cruising season presents itself. The minors aren't unworthy of attention, just not reported widely in the yachting press. Watch for the Mount Gay Around Barbados series to gain traction in the world yachting press.

Here's the Plan A:

Sail from the US East Coast to the USVI in October or November. Sooner is better if hurricanes permit. Race the races and cruise between regattas. What a winter!

Dates for 2016/17 season.

1. St Croix International: Nov 11-13
2. Jolly Harbour Antigua: Nov 19-20
3. St Lucia Mango Bowl: Nov 25-27
4. St.Maarten YC: Dec 2-4
5. Antigua YC high Tide Series: Dec 18-22
6. Jolly Harbour Antigua Pursuit Race: Dec 31
7. Around Barbados Regatta: Jan 16-24
8. Grenada Sailing Week: Jan 28-Feb 2
9. Jolly Harbour YC Valentine's Day Regatta: Feb12-15
10. Around Martinique: Feb 19-21
11. St Maarten Heineken Regatta: Mar 4-6
12. St Thomas International Regatta: Mar 25-27
13. BVI Spring Regatta:Mar 28-Apr 3
14. Guadeloupe to Antigua Race: Apr 29
15. Antigua Sailing Week: April 30-May 5
16. Nevis Booby Island Regatta: April 30-May 2 (Conflicts with Antigua Sailing Week)

Sail back to the USA for a rest and refit! You might even make it to Cape Cod in time for the FIGAWI Race on Memorial Day Weekend.

So: If you have a boat and the time, sail down in the Fall and sail back in the Spring and sail like crazy all winter. Except for the Antigua/Nevis conflict, a yacht can do them all. Some might even have a nice cruise between events.

Plan B? Make your own schedule: http://caribbean-sailing.com/

Averisera: The Winter Plan

By Norman H. Martin on November 18, 2016 4:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Winter! What to do with the boat. A few months to really figure that out. Maybe we will find suitable wet storage. Maybe we'll haul. Either one works.

Meanwhile, for the Fall of 2016, Zachary helped us secure a temporary slip. It will be a bit easier to work on Averisera. Also, we will haul the Nutshell pram and doll her up a bit. It is well within reason to think about a sail at odd moments when wind and weather are gentle. Thanks Zach.

Garage Refinished

By Norman H. Martin on November 15, 2016 1:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

We have an idea about refinishing the house and creating a new look. Seems that the house and garage were stained yellow when built in 1995 and have not been touched since. A month ago we had the buildings washed. Then E picked out some colors which we tried out in small places. Then we adjusted the choices.

It took the two of us about four or five days net to do the whole garage. Weather stretched out the gross time allocated by a few days. We had a lot of ladder moving to go along with sanding, filling, and painting three coats. The prime coat was soaked in quickly but decided against a second prime coat and went straight to the finish coat of Ben Moore Exterior Hot Springs Stone, if I recall correctly. The doors are getting a light color of Salmon Stream.

The test run on the garage is complete and here are some before and after photos. So far, we are satisfied.

This is the end state. Before, the doors were dark green and the trim was a washed off yellow/natural.

Before washing and painting and during the lush garden time of July, it didn't look too bad.

The house will get similar treatment. The front door is repainted with salmon color. A new storm door is to be installed shortly. The hand rails are coming down. They are newly painted just because the old brown color was so unattractive.

Note roving garden gnome/lawn ornament! When the flower beds die off, a lot of color is lost.

Before we painted the garage, we went for a short sail, our first together on Averisera since Sept 2014. It was a nice day on Nantucket Sound. We went home and had champagne.

Pretty Wychmere Harbor in the Fall of 2016.

Skerry: Winter Storage

By Norman H. Martin on November 5, 2016 11:06 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Skerry on trailer and car in garage. We thought about flipping the skerry so it would not fill with rain or snow. Then... it occurred to us that we could simply suspend the boat from the garage rafters. After all, Skerry only weighs about 90 pounds.

The car fits in right under the skerry. Next thing is to bring the Nutshell up from the yard and get to work on her. After being in the water for about two months without bottom paint and against a hard dock, Nutshell needs some love.

November 2016 Archives

Thanksgiving Weekend

Caribbean Winter Sailing

Averisera: The Winter Plan

Garage Refinished

Skerry: Winter Storage

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