How to follow this Blog (and others)

How to Subscribe

Subscribing to a blog means that new posts are delivered to you instead of you having to check if there there’s anything new. This page explains some of the most common ways to subscribe to this blog or most others.

There are two easy ways to stay tuned: using your web browser or using one of the web sites made for that. It’ll take you some time to get everything set up, but in the long run it saves time and effort.

Using a web browser

Many web browsers can be used to follow feeds. I personally use Safari to follow blogs. Don’t get confused by some technical terms, it’s actually really easy! Here’s links to instructions for different browsers:

• Firefox (YouTube video)
• Safari (Youtube video)
• Google Chrome (YouTube video)
• Internet Explorer

There are also programs made exactly for this, but in most cases using a web browser works just fine.

Web sites

There are web sites that can be used to track blogs. You will need to set up an account and add the blogs you want to follow. Typically, following a blog on these these sites makes it rate better there, so it’s a good way to support your favorites blogs.

My recommendation is Technorati. It’s a famous blog search engine. To follow a blog, just add it to favorites.

A Little Lovin' for Lil'Wheels

We painted the interior with topside white.  It is glaringly white.  We have doubts about this choice, but we'll go with it for a while and see if it doesn't fade with time. (Does white fade?  Actually, I think it does with oxidation.)The Captain found an idea for a wheel on the back of a dinghy in Good Old Boat.  We are attempting to add this feature.  It still requires some work with fiberglass resin to make it seamless with the original keel.  In hindsight, making a resin mold would have been better than shaping it in place.  We'll post our final results soon!

Writing!

So, on a personal note, we have been blogging for about 6 months now.  It is the overflow from our hearts to share our experiences.  But, we both, the Captain and I, have a fascination with writing.  Hence, the "Pimp My Novel" and "Writes in the City" on our blogroll.  We all have our projects and our side projects.  I must say that the commitment to a blog does require tenacity.  We have plowed our way through a couple blocks so far.

This post is to announce our SHEER EXCITEMENT and TEMENDOUS JOY to be attending the Cuesta College Writers' Conference this September.  We have signed up for 4 classes each.  There were 32 to choose from. 

The Captain is taking:
1. Creative Non-Fiction: One Theme, Many Voices
2. Marketing, Publishing & New Media
3. Infusing Historical Research into Your Writing
4. Getting Your First Novel Published

The First Mate is taking:
1.  Editing: An Acquisition Editor Polishes Your First Pages
2. Publishing Nonfiction: Strategies to Make it Happen
3. Spiritual Writing for Today's Marketplace
4. Personal Essay: How Deep Do We Dig?

Aren't you on the edge of your seat too?  I can't wait!!!!!

New Gear: The Tiller Tamer

After having Training Wheels for almost a year now, I have gotten pretty good at the tiller tag. This game happens anytime I need to go to the bow (front) of the ship while motoring or sailing. It only takes about 60 seconds before the wind, current, or weather-helm (tendency for the boat to turn into wind) moves the boat in a different direction and I am racing back to the tiller to get back on course. Then back up to the job I was doing and back again. You get the picture. I installed a Tiller Tamer on the Training Wheels to allow a larger window of time away from the tiller while moving. It's not really an autopilot but it does the basic part I need and fits in well with my goal to avoid any electronic components.

How it works: a line is secured on both sides of the boat at least 12 inches from the tiller and runs through a tension device mounted on the tiller. Set the tiller on the course desired and tighten the lines to hold the tiller in place. I installed the tension device on the bottom of the tiller because I wanted to mount the cam cleat holds for the line near the bottom of the cockpit.


So far the tiller Tamer has done the job but as I have said it's no autopilot. It only lasts about 3-4 minutes before the boat is off course since constant adjustments are usually required to go straight in a channel.

Two Notables: Morro Rock and the Power Plant

The two most recognized landmarks in our town--and in the Bay--are the Morro Rock and the Dynergy Power Plant.  These sisters have quite the history. 

The Morro Rock is 581 foot tall volcanic "plug" located at the mouth of the bay.  Climbing on the rock or disturbing its wildlife is strictly forbidden.  The Chumash tribe considers it sacred ground.  Birders love the rock for the peregrine falcon reserve.  Winds change direction erratically when travelling around the rock, creating difficult sailing conditions immediately around the rock.  This means that sailboats must motor in and out of the bay.  Sailing out of the bay, beside the rock, is difficult. 

The Power Plant was built back in the 1950's by Dynergy.  It was previously owned and operated by PG&E.  Currently, it creates reliable power for the central coast by natural gas.  The future of its tall stacks are unknown.  New plans to modernize the plant include removal of these "eye sores".

Morry Bay Yacht Club and other local resources . . .

he Morro Bay Yacht club is one of the most happinin' places in town!  Here is a little photographic tour of other local offerings.  We love our little fishing village!  We hope you do too!

Second Careen, Second Look at the Seacocks

As the Lakers corral the Celtics back in LA and we all get annoyed with the South African horn blowers,

the Captain careened the boat last night with the goal to:
1.  Make sure rudder is straight
2. Clean the bottom of boat
3.  Disconnect Head for removal.

#1&2 accomplished. #3 still pending . . .

Introducing Our New Dinghy/Day Sailor, "Lil' Wheels"!

We bought a soft-sided, inflatable 10' dinghy about 6 months ago, but it was just too cumbersome.  We figured we would never be able to inflate it at sea.  (This one will be for sale on craigslist very soon!)

Since the first inflation, the Captain has been searching craigslist for a new dinghy.  He found the perfect one last week!  It is a Sabot daysailor, but we can use it as a dinghy too.  We are excited to bring Lil' Wheels to life!

Neighbor "Wilson" and Dock Drama

We've grown kinda attached to our dockmates.  One man, we have named "Wilson" for blog purposes, has been particularly endearing.  He offers pearls of wisdom on a daily basis.  He owns a 27' sailboat in the slip next to us.  He is all the crusty mirth one would hope for in a neighbor!  Wilson loans us all kinds of stuff: lines, ladders, polish, twine, tools. 

He has even taken up our battle with the FINCHES!  Can you believe it!?!  The finches made a new nest in our sail!!!!!  This would be the 3rd nest!  Count them. Three.

We're afraid we've created a monster.  Are they like homing pigeons?  I think it is time to get the sparkly used car saleman lot flags!  What did you call them, Captain V?

Morro Bay Yacht Club spring race

Morro Bay Yacht Club ocean fleet had the "spring 2" race today. The second ocean sailing race of the spring was intended to be a Bermuda start 12 mile course race. This may not be an exact definition but a Bermuda start is where the handcaps for all the boats are taken into account at the start of race instead of after the race. A formula is used to determine how long each boat has to wait to start the race based on the boat's handicap. Kiskadee, the boat I crewed on, is supposedly the fasted boat in the fleet and has the lowest handicap. So we started last at 12:38. Unfortunately, light winds turned the race into only a 4 mile race to first marker and back.  Voyager captained by Wayne Ratcliff came in first. Captain Ratcliff got a really nice coffee mug, his 1st place prize!

I crewed for Captain Peter aboard Kiskadee which is a really nice 40ft  Hinkley. We started off strong, but got tired of the flapping sails and slow going after an hour and half into the cruise which we only made about a mile headway. We opened the beers and turned on the motor back to port. On the way in we saw Guyacanna aground hard and being pulled off by the kind harbor patrol.

I got some new ideas for reefing line confinguration from the other crew and how the Hinkley was set up, don't be surprised at a new post about that soon.

Memorial Day in Morro Bay

It was a gorgeous weekend for sailing last weekend!  The Bay was full of activity: kayakers, paddle boarders, day sailors, cruisers!  The Yacht club was bustling.

We went out of the bay onto the open ocean.

How Did I Miss This?

I've been reading everything online about sailing and sailboats for the last year.  How did I miss this?

CNN's page MainSail

All things CNN on sailing, sailboats, sailors!
How did I miss this?

Memorial Day Weekend a.k.a. Eviction Day!

With Papa Finch and Mama Finch watching . . .

Preparation for the festivities of the three day weekend started with EVICTING the FINCHES!  This was not a fun task!  I cannot state that enough.  It was not a fun task!  There was lots of tweeting and flying and flapping of wings.   Lots of poop.  Lots of poop.

Let me just say, "Lesson learned."  I would probably never let a finch build a nest in my sail again.  The sail is still a little green after washing it.  The deck is a little yellowed.  We will wash it all down again next weekend.  The babies were cute, no doubt. 

We did make it out for two BBQ/Sail/Cruise in the Bay trips with friends!  We had a blast!  Glad to have our boat back!