[Rhodes22-list] Michigan City to Chicago

[Ronald Lipton]

I was able (without any real problem to arrange a transfer to the South
end of Monroe harbor.  It is more expesed, will take longer for the tender
but has a much better view.  My knee is just bad enough to get out of
cutting
the grass yesterday. Should be fine in a day or two.

Ron

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Glen & Dorene Barrera" <dbarrera at comcast.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 19, 2004 8:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Michigan City to Chicago


> Way to go Ron! Sounds like a breezy passage but you had to feel pretty
good
> finally pulling into Monroe.
> We had the same feeling when we first pulled into our new slip at Burnham
> Harbor, the most northeast corner of the harbor. We had lost the view of
> downtown we had with the stardock (McFetteridge Dr. is between), and
> fireworks from Navy Pier. However, there were enough pluses to keep us
there
> (good dock mates and relative quiet at night being the most important). It
> sounds like you may not have many pluses...
> Hope your knee is okay. We'll see you on the water.
>
> Glen
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ronald Lipton" <rlipton at earthlink.net>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list at rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, May 18, 2004 9:37 PM
> Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Michigan City to Chicago
>
>
> >
> > We sailed from Michigan City to Monroe Harbor Chicago yesterday. It
> > didn't
> > start off very well.  We splashed the boat on Sunday and motored to a
> > transient
> > slip to raise the mast.  I have a circa 1989 A frame mast raising
> > system. I am
> > a little bit paranoid about the stresses on the cabin top since there
> > is evidence
> > that a section of the top was ripped of by a previous owner. I tried to
> > help
> > the mast along since Becky was pulling the mast up with the block and
> > tackle
> > arrangement.  I put some weight on my shoulder and my knee collapsed -
> > an old
> > ACL injury.  I should just trust good old mechanical advantage.
> > Another voice
> > from on high saying "you are getting older ...".  It was not too bad
> > and I am
> > able to hobble around OK.
> >
> > We got an early start the next morning - late afternoon showers and
> > thunderstorms
> > were predicted in Chicago and we wanted to beat them into the city. Got
> > up at
> > about 5:00 but still didn't get to the boat until 6:30.  We got about
> > 15 yards from
> > the slip when the motor died.  The wind pushed us into an empty slip
> > and I found
> > that the hose had pulled itself out - no big deal but not the best
> > start.  The wind
> > was really blowing...
> >
> > The rest of the sail went pretty well. We had gusting winds 15 - 25
> > knots almost
> > all the way.  It was 80 on land but only about 50 degrees and hazy
> > offshore.
> > We had to change the amount of sail every 20 minutes or so.  Went from
> > furled main
> > only to full main and almost full 175 and back over and over.  The wind
> > started from
> > the South and moved to southwest as we neared the city so it was mostly
> > a beam
> > reach.  We saw no other boats with the exception of two large lake
> > freighters going
> > into Burns harbor.  The helm was almost completely neutral under all
> > conditions. I
> > sailed with an experienced racer and she was very impressed with the
> > boat.
> >
> > Chicago came into view through the haze about 10 miles out.  There is a
> > building
> > with an angled roof at the corner of downtown area and with the sun
> > angle at that
> > time of day (about 1:00) it reflected like a beacon - a beautiful view
> > but I did not
> > have my camera (arrgh ..).  As we neared the city the wind really
> > picked up - around
> > 30 knots so we came in past the Shedd Aquarium with handkerchief sails
> > flying.
> >
> > The sail took 7 hours and 45 minutes - breaking my old record (and only
> > other passage)
> >   by 3 hours.  My only disappointment was my mooring assignment.  it is
> > at the far
> > North end of the harbor, which is well protected but not more than 30
> > feet from the
> > Columbia Yacht club boat.  It blocks the view North (fireworks - Navy
> > pier ...) and will
> > subject us to hundreds of affluent spectators every time we come in.  I
> > am thinking
> > of requesting a change.
> >
> > __________________________________________________
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>
>
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