[Rhodes22-list] Labor Day Overnight

Steve Alm rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org
Sun, 08 Sep 2002 02:09:30 -0500


Glen,

Let me guess...was it the "Wild Ones" with Marlon Brando?

On 9/7/02 7:39 PM, "G & D Barrera" <dbarrera@attbi.com> wrote:

> Slim
> 
> Zero cool is the ultimate. When Dorene and I were dating 31 years ago, we
> watched a "biker" movie on t.v. (we have tried but cannot remember the name
> of the movie). One of the lines in the movie (hero to his girlfriend) was,
> "zero cool, chickie babe". We have used this line throughout our years and
> currently have a car license plate "0 Cool", and our Rhodes, ChickieBabe.
> 
> Glen
> ChickieBabe
> Burnham Harbor
> Chicago, IL
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
> To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Friday, September 06, 2002 3:07 AM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Labor Day Overnight
> 
> 
>> Glen,
>> 
>> I'm not sure I've ever heard the expression "zero cool" before, but I hope
>> it means cool all the way down to zero degrees and hopefully not meaning a
>> total lack of coolitude.  ;-)
>> 
>> Slim
>> 
>> On 9/5/02 9:09 PM, "G & D Barrera" <dbarrera@attbi.com> wrote:
>> 
>>> Slim
>>> 
>>> zero cool
>>> 
>>> Glen
>>> ChickieBabe
>>> Burnham Harbor
>>> Chicago, IL
>>> 
>>> 
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Steve Alm" <salm@mn.rr.com>
>>> To: <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
>>> Sent: Thursday, September 05, 2002 4:58 AM
>>> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Labor Day Overnight
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Hi all,
>>>> 
>>>> Here is the report on my first single-handed overnight on labor day.
>>>> 
>>>> On the afternoon of Labor Day, we had winds of 19 gusting to 29.
> First,
>>> we
>>>> were out doing some real X-sailing.  We had the IMF reefed to about two
>>>> thirds and the jib reduced to the size of a hanky and were still
> washing
>>> the
>>>> rails and even taking some water into the cockpit!  It was lots of fun
> and
>>>> even though we were sailing her on her ear most of the time, we never
> felt
>>>> worried because the boat performed magnificently...I'd say it performed
>>>> better than I did  :-)
>>>> 
>>>> We went in for dinner and at about 7:30, the wind settled down to about
>>>> 12-14 so I decided to do the Joshua Slocum thing and go out for the
> night
>>> by
>>>> myself for the first time.  I took off about sunset with the girls
>>> standing
>>>> at the dock singing, crying (faking) and blowing kisses at my
> departure.
>>> I
>>>> sailed Lake Minnetonka late into the night.  I know the lake pretty
> well
>>> and
>>>> I stayed in areas where I knew I couldn't get into any trouble, staying
>>> away
>>>> from the buoys, shoals, etc.  I'll try not to break my arm patting
> myself
>>> on
>>>> the back but I was sailing the boat very well.  On a couple occasions,
> I
>>> was
>>>> even able to balance the boat so well that I could leave the cockpit
> and
>>> go
>>>> up on the fore deck to enjoy the view and splendor of it all.  A very
> kind
>>>> and steady wind and clear skies didn't hurt.
>>>> 
>>>> Every hour or so, I decided to take a short break for rest and snacks.
>>> I'd
>>>> sail up wind for a while and then heave to.  I had never done this
> before
>>> on
>>>> the R22 and found it to be incredibly easy.  I'd sail up on a close
> reach
>>>> then tack through the wind and simply NOT uncleat the lee jib sheet,
> which
>>>> then becomes the weather sheet and backwinds the main.  Then eased out
> the
>>>> main sheet, slowly brought the tiller to the lee and tightened up the
>>> tiller
>>>> tamer. In about 15 seconds I was comfortably hove to! I did this
> several
>>>> times for fun and practice and snacks.
>>>> 
>>>> I discovered that heaving to is the best way to reef the jib,
> especially
>>>> single handed.  With the boat stable, I could man the reefing line
> easily
>>> in
>>>> or out since the wind puts force on the sail and there's no need to
> "tail"
>>>> the sheets or anything.  I don't know why I didn't think of this
> before.
>>>> :-/  It's soooooooo easy!  Getting back under way is even easier...just
>>> cut
>>>> the weather sheet, let the jib blow over to the other side, sheet in
> both
>>>> sails and in about 5 seconds, poof, you're sailing!
>>>> 
>>>> I dropped the hook about midnight in a nice, sheltered cove called Boy
>>> Scout
>>>> Bay, off Boy Scout Island in the west upper lake.  I decided not to use
> my
>>>> steaming light for the anchor light since it's not 360 degrees.
> Although
>>> I
>>>> probably could have gotten away with that, instead I hung a kerosene
> lamp
>>> up
>>>> in the rigging suspended between the bow stay and the mast.  I hung out
>>>> below for a couple hours just fiddling with a few things and watching
> to
>>> see
>>>> that I was not dragging the hook and making sure the lantern was not
>>> blowing
>>>> out, and at about 2:00 AM, I went to bed.
>>>> 
>>>> Tuesday morning, I fixed eggs, pancakes and espresso and had myself a
>>> nice,
>>>> leisurely breakfast.  After KP and a few other chores, I got back under
>>> way
>>>> at about noon...musician's hours :-)  I still had that sweet, steady
>>> breeze
>>>> from the night before so I decided to sail for a few more hours.
>>>> 
>>>> Shortly, I ran across a friend of mine, Bill Watson who was out in his
>>>> Yankee Dolphin 24.  Note:  I almost bought this boat from him last year
>>>> before we bought our Rhodes.  I passed him, we tacked and I passed him
>>> again
>>>> and then again!  :-)  That's right...me, Slim, the rookie sailor
> finally
>>>> putting it all together and getting it right against a veteran in a
> bigger
>>>> boat!   Pat, pat, pat...boy, does my arm hurt when I do that. ;-)
>>>> 
>>>> I sailed until about 5:00 in the afternoon and then headed in and
> capped
>>> off
>>>> the voyage with a perfect landing.  21 hours alone and I loved every
>>> minute
>>>> of it!
>>>> 
>>>> Yours,
>>>> Slim
>>>> S/V Fandango
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
>>> 
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>> 
>> _______________________________________
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> 
> 
> _______________________________________
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