It has been one full year since Bluster has been in the water. With work, family and home commitments as well as my other activities this just did not happen. Adding to my frustration was the fact that I was not getting to the maintenance and cleanup activities which I enjoy. Some years are like that.
Moving forward I was happy to have a nice clear extra-long BC Day long weekend to do some boating. Launched Bluster nice and early at the Gibsons Landing ramp and also secured a slip for two nights in the marina there. It was already becoming a hot day when I touched down at the Granthams Landing public dock to pick up Lisa and Farley. We spent the morning and afternoon sailing and motoring around the southern bays of Gambier Island.
After a long downwind run we turned to tack back upwind when I discovered my centreboard jammed in the case. We were still able to tack but not as high nor come about as smartly as we should.
After a long downwind run we turned to tack back upwind when I discovered my centreboard jammed in the case. We were still able to tack but not as high nor come about as smartly as we should.
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| A hot day |
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| Lookout #1 |
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| Lookout #2 |
I noticed last year that my reliable Honda 5 hp outboard was have trouble with slow speed and idling and this did not by some miraculous means resolve itself over the winter. It is OK if I run keep the revs a little higher at slow speeds but think it is time to pull and clean the carburetor.
Well sun baked and satisfied at the end of the day we motored back to the marina. With the engine troubles requiring higher revs it felt like we were entering the marina and little fast so just at the breakwater I throttled down just a hair and (naturally) the engine died. I was thankful for cork-like Chebacco design and my quick thinking, skillfully wielded boat hook crew fending us off the barnacles until I restarted. Without further ado we found our slip and secured the ship for the night.
The next morning we headed out early to avoid the heat of the day on glass like seas for a three hour motor cruise around Shoal Channel.
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| Early morning cruise |
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| Pretty Keats Island cottage |
Back to the slip for Bluster and on to our activities ashore.
Early the next morning haul out and back to the storage lot. I like to avoid the launch ramps at peak times and with my current tow vehicle I aim for a high tide retrieval.
Not a lot of sailing this weekend but enough to rekindle our enthusiasm. Now, to the lists…
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