Bristol-Blue Lake Michigan Sailing Adventures

I've been chugging away on the Genoa project bit by bit here.  So I'm throwing up some more photos of the project. Corner reinforcement patches. Equal lots of layers. I use my basting tape sparingly, placing it so it is some what off center.  This way I will not have to sew through it.  I figure 4 or five layers of tape could really add up and I don't need any more layers to sew through.  Each corner's vertex is six layers of Dacron thick.  Once I got all the layers on, I drew some light lines on the top patch so I could see where to sew.  This will secure the whole patch. The clew is one of the most complicated assembly's.  To start, I cut and melt the nylon strapping to the right size. The clew will have a steel ring embedded into the corner.  The first step is to cut out a space for the ring.  I recommend sharp scissors.  See earlier (6 layers). It actually cuts pretty easily. The next thing I do is lay out my straps and bast them int...

Today, I started sewing up a new Genoa for Kraken .  This summer, I patched and taped the old Genoa several times.  It is ripping down the luff seam, the foot seam and it is pretty thin in several other spots so it is well past time for the old sail to be retired.  I believe the Genoa may have come with the boat in 1978.  Happy birthday to me and the boat; at 38 years, we are the same age.   This is my second sailrite sail. A few years ago, I built a working jib. Here's a link to that project.  The previous owner built a main and a storm.  So this will fill out the sail inventory with all sailrite sails.   Over the last few weeks I've been working on getting a sewing machine fixed and tuned up.  It has been interesting as I have pulled apart and checked the timing on my machine. I even made a few modifications to beef it up a bit and allow for some extra clearance at the base plate.  Friday the kit from sailrite arrived! This wa...

A Dacron Tooth Fairy Pillow for the kids first loose tooth.  This way the tooth fairy can easily find the tooth in the dark.

Today we got our first real snow of the winter.  We have had a few splatters here and there but today we got slammed; schools closed businesses closing early. I got down to the marina and took a few pictures this afternoon once the roads were starting to clear up.  Truth told it was still pretty ugly out there.  The express way must be closed because a ton of truck traffic was coming through town.  Regardless the effort was worth it. Kraken is holding up well under her cover and the supports under the tarp are holding up well.   I peeked my phone in for a few quick photos.  Nice and dry! We also got out and hit the dunes for a little sledding.  Myles helped me edit a video so we added it in here at the bottom just for some fun.  Wow is it windy down by the lake. Small Light House at the Marina Frosty Boat Yard Frosty blanket Cold but Dry Inside