Now that February (the longest month with the shortest number of days) is behind us, we can plan for our spring opening and fleet readiness. Both of our Keel boats are at Holiday Marina in Hayes near Bena and will need their hulls sanded and painted for the season. For Wagtail, I’ve begun repairing some of the deteriorated wood and plan to refinish the cabin slats, tiller handle and replace the cockpit locker boards which have rotted. I will be looking for volunteers to assist sometime in late March early April. For our 30’ Islander Tranquility Base, there isn’t much to do other than a coat of paint, putting on some prop speed, a new zinc and checking over the systems.
The spring workday at the club will center around checking over the Lasers and Opti’s, dollies and chase skiffs so they will be ready when our Jr. Sailing program starts. Don’t worry if you have never worked on small boats before as there are plenty of us who have and can direct you on what to do. It’s also a GREAT way to learn about basic sailboat rigging. This year’s club Fleet workday will be Saturday March 30th starting at 9:30. Weather permitting, we will be working outside checking over all the club sailboats, skiffs and dollies to make sure they are in good repair and ready for the season. We’ll also be checking out sails, spars and blades in the loft and making any necessary repairs. Depending on participation there are many other items we could tackle such as engine oil changes and possibly painting the Carolina skiff’s bottom. Tools will be provided but please feel free to bring basic items like screwdrivers, wrenches, etc.
We should be finished between 1:00 and 2:00 PM and if you sign up prior to March 27, lunch will be provided by Nuttall’s! Signup is easy, just send an email to jgarret1@gmx.com or call me at 757-349-5980.
Thank you and I look forward to seeing you on March 30th at 9:30. I hope you will consider helping ………. we cannot operate the Club without our member volunteers.
Fair winds and steady seas,
Jim Garrett, Fleet
