[Rhodes22-list] End of the Season

[Ronald Lipton]

As the Chicago harbors close October 14 I took advantage of the
good weather on Sunday to sail back from Chicago to Michigan
City.  It was pretty boisterous, with southwest (beam) winds
15-25 mph and 2-4 (and more) ft waves.  We started out a bit
overcanvassed, moving at close to hull speed but fighting more
weather helm than us old folks want to deal with.  We ended
up with about 50% main and 50% or less genoa.  This slowed us
down to about 4.5 knots but made the helm more neutral and
the journey much easier.  We tied my personal record of 71/2
hours.  Lake Michigan can kick up some impressive waves
even with only 10-15 miles of fetch...

Spent today hauling, washing, and tarping.  I had to do a half-job
to tend to my wife (Becky) who stepped on a yellowjacket nest
and now has a passing resemblance to the Pillsbury doughboy.
I will need to spend another day cleaning up in the next few weeks.
I single-handed the mast lowering (I have a circa-1989 A frame
style mast system which raises/lowers toward the bow.)  If the
swivel does not, the A frame can rip up the cabin top.  This happened
to the previous owner.  This time I ended up gouging a small section.
Some fiberglass work for next spring.  It is clear why Stan changed the
design.

The motor saga ... when you last tuned in I had bought a Nissan 6hp
4 cycle which burned oil.  This started an extended exchange between
Roger and Bill and the Church of the Lubricated Crankcase.  In any case
the dealer may actually have told the truth, the oil use seems to have
decreased.  I saw him in the parking lot as I has hauling the boat; he
told me about his new '72 Camaro used a quart every 100 miles for
the first month or so .... One would think engine tolerances would have
improved .  Anyway I gave him the engine to run in the tank.  I suspect
that it will be OK but you will have to wait (no need to bait your 
collected
  breath) to hear the exciting conclusion of the saga.

Ron Lipton
S/V Empress of Blandings
back in the backyard