The Grey Seal Huon Seal

[dopeydriver]

HS is home again , the little bits and pieces sorted out , ready for repainting and anti foul .
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Well , the antifoul is on , most on the bottom of HS , but a fair bit on me and my clothes , trying to paint in and under HS , on the trailer.
But I reckon I've done a good job .
Just some other touch ups to do , and wait for a reasonable day to put her back in , maybe Sun/Mon.
I've rang my usual band of Portland old timers , I've very grateful for their help , they will be there.
So , another summer of sailing and trolling on HS , possibly the last.
I'll probably give her away , and get myself a Tassie cray boat.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Its far too windy to put HS back in to the water , so its a waiting game.
Put another coat of "prop shield" on though .
This time I did it as I would Lanolin based harness dressing , I heated it up , and painted it on , over the 1st coat.
Has anyone else used it ?.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

I've got HS down to the Portland yacht club , got the mast up, and now sorting out the spagetti of lines , halyards , stays , topping lift , lazy jacks.
Its all coming together , just missing one shackle.
I'm enjoying taking my time , sorting it all out . I'll go down tomorrow , and finish it off.
Hopefully launch day will be Thursday.
I'm pretty familiar with the little gal now , but I can't help but feel this might be the last time I launch her in Portland.
Next time might well be on the Swan , and she will start the next faze of her existance .
She is a class act , and I know she has many years of giving pleasure yet , both in her performance , and visually.
Even today , on the trailer , there were a lot of people coming down and photographing her.
She is good for the soul , even just messing about on her.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

I've got HS set up really great now , launch should be in the morning.
But one very disappointing thing , some low life stole my new auto tiller !.
Dunno how , HS was locked up , behind a high fence in the yacht club yard .
But I suppose locks are only there to keep honest thieves out.
Very disappointing though.
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Well , the launch was easy , we are getting better at it each time.
Quite a swell running , but no problem really.
Started immediately , and ran like a clock. Obviously she was really in need of that new compass bearing !.
So , she is on her mooring again , and we take her out fishing under sail tomorrow.
Oh , it feels good !.
What was pleasing , was the number of younger people , even teenagers , who came down to compliment us on the boat.
She draws a crowd , its nice to see a young crowd.
Rob J.

[wavedancer]

Yes it is pleasing to see yunguns out and looking at someting other than their play stations or what ever they call them now. Hope to get similar reactions this weekend at the Newport boat show.
Rob don't forget its whale season and for some reason they can't hear boats under sail .
Ian L

[wavedancer]

Rob sorry to hear about the auto pilot. I still have the tiller pilot I took of the 26' steely. I intend to use the computor stuff on WD one day but have no use for the tiller acuator. I can't remember what bred it is, will try to remember to drag it out and check this week end.
Ian L

[dopeydriver]

I've been in a few close calls in 'couta boats , whales breeching very close , but not in HS , so far.
She seems to get more than her fair share of attention from seals though , and dolphins love to play around her. Doesn't do the fishing much good !.
Yes , its good to see young'uns taking an interest in a classic sailboat . There were plastic and tin fishing boats going in and out , but they were ignored , all of the attention was on the wooden boat.
And of course all of them were taking photos with their phones , so no doubt HS is on facebook too.
Thats fine.
If a kid shows that interest when I'm going out alone I'll take them out too.
But its fishing with an old mate tomorrow , one of the blokes that helped me get HS back on the water.
Regards Rob J.

[wavedancer]

Speaking of dolphins, freinds on a plastic yacht had 3 playing around their boat in Broken Bay the other day ( I must admit this is rare), and the couldn't wait to show every one the pictures. I had a hard time biting my tounge and not blurting out " thats nothin', in Bass Straight a couple of years ago I sailed the steely through of school of about 200. I have been accussed,and guilty as charged, of "black cating" once to often. Rob I am just green with envy, bring on retirement.

[dopeydriver]

This photo was taken just after a close encounter with a whale , which breeched right in front of us.
Bloody cold that morning , going from Port Fairy to Portland for the Admella regatta .
Regards Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

A fantastic day on the water , a slow start to the trolling , but we came home with heaps.
And HS purred along like a kitten , the new bottom making her very slippery
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

It was such a glorious day today , I took HS out this morning.
When I was setting up my tender , there were a group of kids sailing or canoeing off the beach also .
I've seen them in the harbour often , once swimming all of the way from the Lee breakwater to the old marina , probably at least a KM.
And often training too , putting in a lot of hard hours in the water.
I thought they must be some elite athletic school group , or adventurers or something .
Nope , they were the kids from the special school in Portland !.
Damn , they were having fun !, and they were fit , and knew what they were doing alright !.The boats were all sponsored by local businesses , more power to them !.
Anyway , I've offered to take small groups out on HS , trolling under sail . The teachers/aids were rapt , but we have to wait to see what the boss says.
Anyway , a very pleasant morning on the water.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

Well , I'm crippled , again.
Can't bend my left elbow , both wrists are very "iffy" , and my hands aren't much better.
I guess I'll have to find a new boat , that I can put electric winches on.
Rob J.

[dopeydriver]

One little piece of advise that I regret not taking up on HS , was to have a 3 way arrangement on the water intake in to the cooler on the lombardini .
It would mean I could run the engine on dry land , by hooking up a garden hose.
I'm going to rectify that , if I can.
My arms are too bad to go out alone at the moment , probably won't go out till late in the week.
Rob J.