Looking Back - Launch Day 2002

After numerous weekends and Tuesday nights work, Bluster's launch day had finally arrived.  Most amateur boat builder would likely agree, finding the time (away from young family) and money to complete the dream seems oh so daunting at times.  I had never in my life taken on such an ambitious project so I was feeling rather proud of myself when the basic boat was done. 

Without yet spars, sails or rigging we decided to take her to the water.  We chose the public boat ramp at Stave Lake, not too far from my folks' farm where I had been completing the work.  Lisa, Jacob, Sam and my parents joined me for the occasion.  I remember being just thrilled as she settled smartly in the water at the dock and then easily carried the whole crowd for a short cruise around the end of the lake.

My parents are both now gone.  Jacob is now taller than me and Sam not far off.  We have had many happy family times with our little boat and expect many more to come. 

And I am still proud of her.

Cover Girl

While attending the Sucia Small Boat Rendezvous http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Sucia/ back in July of 2006 we anchored Bluster in Fossil Bay while camping ashore.  Josh Colvin, editor of the wonderful Small Craft Advisor magazine http://smallcraftadvisor.com/ snapped this photo from the cockpit of his boat one morning.  I think it is just magical and apparently SCA did too as it graced the cover of the Sept/Oct 2006 edition. 
Thanks Josh, I bought eight issues!

Dock Time

As trailer sailors we rarely get to experience the "hanging out on the dock" scene those folks with the bigger boats enjoy.  This past summer I splurged and booked Bluster into a slip in the Gibsons Marina. This allowed for me, alone or with guests, take her out for a spin without the rigging, launching, etc. and spend the nights at our cottage just down the road.

The challenge is making a sharp ninety degree turn into our slip during a cross wind in an 20 ft.unballast centreboard sailboat with the five hp outboard mounted directly aft of the rudder (good forward, wanting reverse).  Dock her in one shot and you look like a pro. Anything other that this makes for good neighbourhood entertainment.  Grabbing our lines and fending us off is how we met a lovely couple with a Nonsuch 26 in the adjacent slip. 

Late one day we headed down to the marina for an evening of drinks and socializing aboard Bluster and to enjoy the bustle of the marina and those pesky Canada geese.

Not Really Marine Equipment, But Useful on a Small Sailboat Post #2

Shower Radio

This little battery operated portable AM/FM radio was purchased years ago at a local drug store for $15.  I enjoy listening to the radio and I thought that a radio designed to operate in the shower would be more likely to stand the rigors of a life a sea (so to speak).  When they were youngsters my boys would get a kick out of hanging out in the cabin and listening to music and so it was left on board and eventually lost in a bin for years.  Whilst on a recent outing I finally made time to tidy things up below and rediscovered the radio.  I cleaned off the surface mildew and was surprised to find it still worked.  Hanging it on the boom allowed me to enjoy local CBC talk radio while puttering away on Bluster in a pretty anchorage - smugly enjoying the rush hour traffic reports!

Not Really Marine Equipment, But Useful On A Small Sailboat Post #1

Counter Top Collection Bin

I think these are just great for organizing gear around the cockpit and cabin.  It is an approximately 6" x 8" by 8" deep beige plastic bins with lid but the best thing about this is the lip on the rim that allows you to hang the bin on any vertical surface 7/8" wide or less.  Unfortunately the lid is not 100% water tight but it is fine for keeping out a bit of spray or dew. 

Lee Valley Tools - $11.50

http://www.leevalley.com/en/garden/page.aspx?p=67384&cat=2,40733,40734&ap=3

A Midweek Break - Exploring the South Shores of Gambier Island

My work schedule this past week offered me up a couple of midweek days off and with a good weather forecast I decided to slip in a mini cruise near my home port of Gibsons Landing BC. 



Gibsons Landing Marina



After working until midnight the previous night I caught to 0720 hrs ferry to Langdale which is just down the road from Gibsons Landing where we have a cottage (my wife's blog is http://cottagerswife.wordpress.com/) and I store Bluster on a trailer.  By 1000 hrs I had packed, launched and tied to the wharf at Gibsons Marina.  A gorgeous but cool fall day and quiet at the launch ramp which makes things so much easier when working alone.  The rough plan was to spend the day exploring the bays and shoreline along the south shore of Gambier Island and then end up a Plumper Cove Marine Park (http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/plumper/) on Keats Island where I would grab a mooring buoy for the night. 

 

Shoal Channel



Motored past the breakwater and into Shoal Channel where I set to mainsail and enjoyed a lovely broad reach with a little help from the Honda on occasion.  Upon reaching the head of West Bay I planned to anchor and prepare a hot lunch but a convenient float was just too convenient so I tied up. 

After lunch and some time tidying and organizing Bluster I then set off to sail, motor and motor sail around the corner to Centre Bay and Grace Islands.  Later, West Bay and the free float were calling me back so I skipped my plans for Plumpers Cove and returned there to spend the night.

Once the sun slipped behind the nearby hill the temperature dropping quickly and considering lack of sleep the previous night I was cozily tucked into my sleeping bag enjoying the warm light of a candle lantern by 2000 hrs.      

 



View from bed

 

Still air and mirror flat water greeted me the next morning.  By 0730 hrs I was motoring back to Gibsons and by 1000 hrs Bluster was back on her trailer and tucked into a stall in the dry land storage area of the marina.  I like to time my recovery with high tides to improve the odds of getting my 2wd car and trailer back up the ramp!



Return to Gibsons Landing

      

An excellent little cruise and a good opportunity for me to evaluate the Chebacco's potential for solo multiday trips.   Until now I had never been on an overnight cruise alone in Bluster and I must say I certainly enjoyed the luxury of the extra space!



Beginning in the Middle Somewhere

Welcome. 

This is my humble blog mostly about Chebacco sailboat, Bluster. She is a 20 ft. catboat yawl designed by the late Phil Bolger.   Unlike some boat building bloggers I am not starting this blog in the beginning, amongst the shavings and epoxy.  Bluster was actually launched in the spring of 2002 and fully rigged the following years.  This  blog will touch of some of the adventures as well as construction and modifications details and of course some of the fabulous folks we have met along the way.  Pass, present and future.

Now, how it  got started...

For the longest time I had a desire to own a small sailboat.   Small, not necessarily for economic reasons (which was true) but also for practical reasons like being able to quickly transport her overland to easily sample the variety of wonderful cruising at my doorstep.  I recognized early on that the large boat, off shore type of sailing was not to be for me.  I am a small boat coastal trailer sailor. 

Thus the search was on to find a boat.  Around this time (early 1990s) I stumbled upon an article in the Wooden Boat magazine about the Chebacco design.  I read and re-read this article to the point where this was the boat for me.  The Chebacco hit all the marks - trailerable, cuddy cabin, yawl design, traditional style but modern construction, etc. etc. The problem was that this was not a commercial available boat - you had to build it yourself or have someone built it for you.  I pondered this.  Re-read the article.  Got on to Bill Sampson's original Chebacco News newsletter (in the days of mail out newsletters!).  Bought the plans. 

I decided to pull the trigger and tell my wife I was going to build a sailboat.  Told her it is something I just have to do.  We were in the car heading towards a seaside holiday town in Washington state.  Ever the practical one she raised a few good points We had a one year old child and were in planning stages for more (I will work at night when they are asleep and how great would that be - sailing with the kids!).  We did not have lots of extra money (I will buy only what I need for immediate build).   No covered workshop (I will prefabricate as much as possible in our two car garage and do the assembly in my Dad's barn).  Never built a boat before (I am somewhat handy with tools and somewhat genetically programed to build stuff) My wife is a the best any man could have and she gave me the go ahead and has been a total supporter throughout the whole project. That was 1995...