Captains Log :4: Sail Repair

We have been taking the boat out, checking on its performance a couple of times a week until we had our first incident. It actually wasn't to big a problem, but it did remind us that we are operating an old vessel that will have it's own issues. We were sailing as close as we could to the wind, seeing how far the boat would keel before losing speed and all of the sudden we started to hear a ripping sound, then in the matter of seconds the boom came crashing down with the bottom half of the main sail attached to it, and the top half of the sail flapping in the wind. The front halyard sail was still full of wind so we did not lose any speed until we turned out of the wind to access our damage. Sure enough the main sail had ripped on seam, and we were stuck with our first sail repair.



After doing a little research on the internet, we came up with the best approach for repairing the seam. We learned that there are a number of different ways to attack the job, fortunately for us we have a production room with cutting tables and heavy duty sewing machines at our warehouse, so we decided to take the main off of the boom and take into our shop. The next steps were taken as follows:

1. Insure cloth is salt-free and dry. Treat with alcohol to displace moisture, if necessary. Remove old thread pieces.

2. Pin out seam in original shape. Use needle holes, wear pattern, etc. to re-establish the original relationship of cloth edges. If the seam is not split yet, but is in danger of coming apart, FIX IT NOW! To do so, run pencil along seam edge, draw strike-off marks, then pull the seam apart and remove the broken threads.

3. Pin the seam out and put double stick tape on the bottom layer of cloth, pull off paper backer, and lay top cloth in place. When you are sure it is lined up correctly (no ripples in one layer, even tension on both pieces, ends of seams are same lengths as original), press top cloth down firmly smoothing cloth into place.

4. If sewing by hand, sew / / / / /, then back in opposite direction, using original holes, to form a zigzag stitch. This allows the stitch line to stretch with the cloth. If necessary, punch holes through thick areas of cloth with an awl. Use the awl to mark off holes at regular intervals of 1/4" or 3/8" for even stitching. Use appropriately strong thread, doubled if necessary. Pull tension on each stitch as you sew. If sewing by machine, sew seam, using original stitch holes if possible.

5. Cover repairs with adhesive-backed cloth tape if seam is in a high chafe area.

Once we finished the repairs, we brought the sail back to the boat, put it back on the boom and off we were chasing the wind around the bay again.

Captains Log :3: First Mate

We have been going into work earlier the past couple of days, so we can get can get off early and go sailing. The waves have been flat, but the wind has been blowing. Today we sailed down wind to Coronado Bridge, and then tacked back to our marina. It was an amazing and beautiful afternoon out on the water.

Word apparently is out that we are looking for a first mate, the competition is looking pretty fierce.

Captains Log :2: First Voyage

Yesterday was the day we moved our boat to its new home. It was still at Driscoll Boat yard and we needed to sail it out of Mission bay, around Point Loma, and into it's slip at Marina Cortez in San Diego Harbor. Everything worked fine, which was quite a relief.

The red line plots the course of our first voyage together as a family. We left the dock in Mission Bay around 9am and got to our new slip around 2pm. The winds were a light SE 10k wind. Which made for smooth sailing. The sky was overcast with a coastal Eddie till around 12pm. The total voyage took around 5 hours. It was just Lyndsey and I and we had a very nice time.

This is a view from the ocean of the beach town we live in, Ocean Beach. That is OB Pier and Point Loma in the back ground. Notice the seals on the buoy. This is pretty common. I like to think of them as the marina guardians, but most probably think of them as the harbor scavengers. If you leave a boat sitting to long by itself in the harbor. They might take it over.

This is a view of the Pinnacle, where Cabrillo National Monument and the Light House are on Point Loma.

And this is where the boats new home is at slip H49 in Marna Cortez.

Captains Log :1: Free Boat

It is hard for me to believe that ten years ago I was working on sail boats in a what use to be a small fishing village in Costa Rica. The plan at the time was to get a 6 pack captains license and work on boats for the rest of my life. Then I changed my mind and changed directions for a few years. I moved to Texas and opened a Vintage Clothing Store. The idea was that instead of working on other peoples boats, maybe one day I could have one of my own. Fast forward ten years. Fall in love, get married, move back and forth from San Diego to Dallas, ups and downs with business, a dog, fish, chickens, back in the waves with home grown salad mixes. And this week we got a boat.

A 25ft 73 American Sail boat. The manufacturer is a company named American. They are no longer in business but the were known for making good boats. They have a fancy step down into the keel in the cabin adding another 6 inches of head room, if you need it, when you are standing in the cabin.

We picked it up from Driscol boat yard because the price was right. The previous owner pulled it out of the water to paint the bottom. While it was out of the water it ran up quite a bill at the boat yard so the old owner skipped town and left the yard his boat. Two years later the owners of the yard want to use the space and needed to get rid of the boat. They would of like to of sold it for more that then we got it for.

The motor is a Mercury Force 50 Power out board. It is a little bit of an overkill for a sailboat this size so we are up in the air about what to do with it. I could hook it up and be able to motor anywhere I wanted. Or I could try to sale it for on Craigs List, buy a smaller motor and invest the rest into the boat. Seeing how it is a sailboat we most likely will just sale the motor.

We splashed it on Friday, and started cleaning it out. There was a lot of junk from the previous owner.

It is on a pier at the boat yard still. We have till Tuesday to move it. We are going to take over slip at Marina Cortez in San Diego Harbor on the first of the month.

We have enough work to keep us busy for quite some time, but she could be ready to sail by next weekend. It will depend on if I want to sand and paint the mast now or later.

The cabin has all the essentials for cruising or a live aboard. It has a burner, a spot for a fridge, a sink, a head, a bed and more. We are so excited about doing day trips and weekend cruises on this boat. We know that it will be a lot of time and work, however it will also be rewarding to have a boat in San Diego. We sit an watch the ocean every day from our balcony, it will be nice for us to get back out there.