November 23, 2011 |
| An End and a Beginning... |
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If you're a regular visitor to HBSAILING.COM you'll know that this site has been a platform allowing us to chronicle our travels and travails over these last four years. Posts, from foreign ports and diverse cultures, can sometimes make for an interesting read. Now that we are temporarily "terra firma" based not so much!
As of December 1st HBSAILING.COM will no longer be a SailingBlog. We will use this site to update progress on our HBArtworks project here in Charleston.
Thank you for allowing us to share this first leg of our "voyage". Our new course is taking us toward new horizons which promise much change and excitement. It's all good stuff.
Stay tuned.........
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November 17, 2011 |
| Em's Baby Shower |
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Where does the time go? It's coming up on two weeks since Em's shower. It was a "whirlwind" event with friends and family in town for a long weekend. I believe a good time was had by all. The shower was a success with great food and laughs for all. "Thanks" Amanda and Barbara for all the work you put into it! (editors note: last comment based on hearsay as it was a "testosterone free" event (ie. "no men allowed"). I stood on the outside peering into the glass front door watching everyone having fun :) :).
Anyway.....the nursery is complete and there's little room left for the actual kid!!! Just kidding....Em did a great job setting it up! Shopping is done and the baby's room is lookin' good so it's just a waiting game now. Can't wait.......gonna be fun!
Pictures will be posted shortly (hopefully). We've had some technical difficulties with the website.
Thanksgiving is on the near horizon and there's signs that the Christmas season will soon be upon us. What a great time of year! Looks like the planets are nearly in alignment!
Stay well.
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November 3, 2011 |
| Update from the editor... |
We made it!Thirteen days......seventy percent motoring, twenty nine percent motor-sailing and one percent actually sailing!! Cold at times, warm at others, a little rain and lots of fun! I think Mike enjoyed the experience and learned a good deal taking him closer to command of his own "ship"! All in all a great trip south.
Mike flew home from Georgetown on Tuesday and I took HB the remaining fifty miles yesterday. Our new birth is actually at the Wild Dunes Yacht Club (I think). I have to sort everything out over the next few days. Much going on with Emily's baby shower this weekend. Cindy (friend), Amy (niece), Debbie (sister in law), Robin (friend) and Pat (me wife) all arrive today. I have three weeks of laundry to do, re-provisioning, boat clean up and myriad other chores to accomplish. Guess it's time to go back to work!
We'll post a proper update after the dust settles next week.
Later ya'll........
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October 16, 2011 |
| Pat gets a new Ride! |
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The "HB Mobile" has been retired! We will miss her regal beauty and all the admiration (and envy) she elicited from passersby!%$#
With the Captain soon to reside at the "southern" base and the Admiral at the "northern" base we thought it best to upgrade. Sooner or later the aged HB Mobile was bound to fail leaving Pat stranded without her knight in rusty armor to save her..........(shut up....I can hear u!!)
It's a 1995 Mercury Sable in "like new" condition with low mileage. Literally "a little old lady's" car (and she lived here in Pasadena). That's right...the "little old lady from Pasadena". Unfortunately she's no longer able to drive and reluctantly had to sell it. Immaculately maintained and without so much as a scratch or dent she's a real beauty (that goes for Pat too)! She's happy.....the Captain's happy and the planets are in alignment.
I know, too, that you're thrilled to read this exciting blog!! Don't worry tomorrow I'll introduce you to "my" latest purchase....a used ball peen hammer I bought at the flea market. Betch ya can't wait can ya?
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October 8, 2011 |
| HB gets underway again.. |
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This will be us (fall migration south)
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Well fall is here and most of the work is complete on HB. It's been an interesting summer and refit. All in all, and in the end, all's well that ends well! Now it's time to head south and escape the inevitable colder weather on the horizon here in northern lattitudes.
We are entering a new life's chapter filled with change, excitement and a little trepidation. As planned Pat is remaining in York and will continue to deliver babies. York will be our "northern" base and Charleston our "southern" base. Routine trips "back and forth" will keep the seperation tolerable while we await the new arrival to the family.
That said; I will be leaving Stoney Creek on, or about, October 18th heading south. The trip will be all on the intercoastal waterway as the main sail has not yet been recut (to accomodate the rig redesign). It should take about ten days to make Charleston in the diminishing daylight hours. We don't (routinely) travel on the waterway after dark.
Good news that a great friend (Mike Buckingham) is making the trip with me. Pat is stocking the freezer with goodies and the "wine cellar" is well stocked. Transiting the east coast in October makes for beautiful vistas and some fantastic sights. A nature lovers paradise. Hopefully the weather will co-operate!
Emily's baby shower is the first week of November so Pat and friends will be in Charleston soon upon my arrival. I will be busy getting HB settled into the private slip we have arranged at Isle of Palms (minutes from Emily and Adam's place). All that, along with the "Artworks" project, will keep us busy well into the new year!
Hope everyone has had a great summer and that all will enjoy the changing seasons as we move through this last quarter of 2011. Where does the time go???
Our heart felt "Thanks" to Robin and Dan Vannest who opened up their lovely waterfront home (and great slip) to Homeward Bound and her "wayward" inhabitants! As always you helped to make the summer another memorable one!
Onward and Upward......
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August 21, 2011 |
| Taking a little break...... |
PreScript: See Slide Show Here
We've hit a snag with the re-launching of Homeward Bound. Some how we have ruptured the shaft log (the channel through which the propellor shaft enters into the boat). It is "supposed to be watertight but when fractured allows the sea to enter the hull; NOT a good thing! While not fatal; it is a pretty big deal to fix and has a serious impact on our schedule. What with finishing the refit and attempting to launch HBSailing "Artworks" things are getting a little crazy. So.....we are, temporarily, suspending updates to the blog site. We will return in four to six weeks (or before if the urge to purge pops up). Stay well and, please stop back from time to time to see if we've survived!
Have fun and enjoy the balance of your summer!
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August 18, 2011 |
| We're launching tomorrow..... |
All land based projects are completed and we "splash" tomorrow midday! It will be great to float once again. Listen for the champagne cork to pop!!
New Pics Here
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August 13, 2011 |
| Rainy day at Oak Harbor |
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Nearing completion!
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Well….it’s Saturday morning and the weather threatens to bring considerable rain this weekend. Seems like a good time to update the blog.
We’re nearing the completion of those jobs requiring HB to be “on the hard” (out of the water). Somehow, living on a boat out of the water just isn’t right. Climbing up and down a ladder twenty times a day to fetch tools and supplies, while providing excersise, gets old real quick. We hope to launch mid next week. That will be a welcom change. We have only one final top coat to paint on the topsides then we’ll do the lettering and water line “boot stripe”. Then it’s reset the mast and rigging and we’re in the water! Pretty much a new boat on the outside!
All in all it’s been pretty much as anticipated. HB is looking “renewed” and happy for her makeover. Once back in the water we’ll move her over to Nabbs Creek at Dan and Robins. There we will finish up myriad small projects on the decks, cockpit and below. Should be seaworthy by early September.
Zach came down on Thursday and helped with the painting. After he left Robin stopped by and donned her painting clothes! She and Pat actually painted the bottom. Wow...this is a really crappy and dirty job! Can't believe they volunteered to do it. They are truly great women!!! Need your bottom painted? give em' a call!$%#@!)^&%$
Friday Pat went back to York for the weekend and will return on Sunday when we will continue with finishing details. Our future plans are coming together with HB returning to Charleston sometime in October. Our “Artworks” endeavor is moving along even with the diversion of the refit. We’ve sold a few pieces and the interest level is encouraging. I’m anxious to set up an actual workshop instead of using our living space as a makeshift work area. That’s when the fun will begin. Using the creative side of the brain, along with working the tools, is very theraputic. We’ll post more on that over the next few weeks.
Hope all is well with everyone and that “life is good” where you are!
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August 6, 2011 |
| Update..... |
Refit is going well albeit hot, dirty and tiring work. Thankfully the A/C is working well. Our computer crapped out and is in for repair so we've not been able to document our progress. We will update fully next week. With fingers crossed we hope to be back in the water by the end of next week....we'll see.
All is well and I'm posting this entry from York where I'm taking a "mini vacation" away from the "kaos"! More later.....stay well.
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July 13, 2011 |
| Brief update on boat refit... |
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HB getting her mast and rig removed.
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Our last post regarding the transmission and refit was from Solomons Island. We finally completed the installation of the new transmission on Friday July 1st. I then motorsailed HB back to Stoney Creek in light winds. It was slow (seventeen hours) but uneventful.
We spent an extended long weekend with Dan and Robin and had a brief visit back to York. Then, on Wednesday the 6th, I motored over to Oak Harbor where we were hauled out and placed "on the hard". The mast and rig was removed and the work began in full measure.
Three thru hulls have been removed for replacement. The bad wood on the mast step has been removed and is awaiting a fabricated 1/2" aluminum shoe to ensure there's no repeat of the wood rotting! The auxillary refrigeration is nearing completion. The entire rig is being replaced and updated. The hull is being entirely refinished as well as the house top and decks. All plumbing is being updated and replaced. The cutlas bearing will be replaced.
Quite a bit of work but she (HB) has certainly earned her "spa vacation" and will be like new when complete. We anticipate about another month out of the water.
Pat is working three days a week and returns to HB each week. We have numerous friends both from our cruising life as well as our many years spent here in Rock Creek and Stoney Creek so entertainment comes easily and reguarly.
That's it for now.......
New Pics Here
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2011
An End and a ...
October (2)