In article 2YA5j.11566$xB.3947@trndny06,
"Sir Thomas of Cannondale" wrote:

I was wondering if I accidentally did any acid in the '60's, but I can't
remember the '60's.

Was the 60's disco ? Noo... oh,,

That's the problem with giving up alcohol and buying a sailboat..

You can never remember what it is that you are trying to forget that made
you go out and get a boat.


Yesterday I ... ??

****, I've already forgotten.

Yesterday, I moved my boat.

To be nearer to my home..

It was only about 30 miles away, but that makes the difference between
driving for 3 hours, or driving for half an hour, and with all the
maintenance and fiddling about, it made perfect sense.

Outside the old mooring place is a swing bridge, being replaced by a
solid bridge with 90' horizontal clearance. I hailed and hailed on 13,
16 and 9 whilst circling and got no reply. A passing crab boat (who
passed under the bridge earlier) told me that the swing bridge was now
shut forever, and to go round via the ICW to gain access to the lake.

It was an extra 10 miles but had no choice.

So off I went out to the Gulf and toward New Orleans on the ICW (which
wasn't marked on my GPS!).

Got to Chef Harbor and turned in toward the lake, even tho my chart said
min depth was 5' and I drew 5' 2", but it was only for a few yards
before I gained to 9', so I thought 'maybe I can barrel through those
few yards, it's only a sandy bottom'.

Got to the point where I thought I could get thro, but no. Tried three
more places, still no go.

I called BoatUS who (eventually) told me to go up the ICW to the MR-GO,
thence to the Industrial Canal and out to the lake that way. It was
another 15 miles but hey, it's a nice day.

Only problem was I didn't have a chart for those extra miles -

Anyway, off I go and got to the last but 3 swingbridge, and again hailed
and hailed to no effect. On one circling go-round there was a telephone
number posted on the bridge. I called and was answered by' Are you that
sailboat outside?'

'I've been watching you for half an hour'

'This isn't a swingbridge, its a bascule bridge'!!!

'Opening up now'.

By this time its getting dark.

I go through the bridge and am in the last half mile of canal.

The railway bridge is open so I head gingerly toward it.

The final bridge is in sight but the width of the Canal is now 30' wide,
down from 150', and the tide race is such that I'm being drawn toward
the (closed) bridge.

I bang in max reverse to slow down and (as usual) the hull starts to
back round toward the port side. This has the effect of presenting the
entire starboard side of the hull to the tide race and I am suddenly in
a white water ride in a 39' sailboat toward a solid stone bridge.

I am still turning when the mast hits the bridge.

The boat lists to 60degrees and I'm clinging to the wheel for grim life.

I kick the throttle to 'forward' and the boat creeps forward against the
tide accompanied by crashes, groans and other expensive noises from up
top.

With the engine screaming I gain more space and creep over to the side
of the canal in 21' of water. Drop the hook, plus add one other out the
starboard rear quarter side as a stabilizer. My mouth is full of cotton
wool.

It is now pitch dark so I can't see anything up above, so turn in for
the night.

Down below, everything that could move, has moved. The salon is full of
debris on the floor, and I notice diesel in the bilges.

I suck out the diesel and pick up CD's, DVDs, cushions and tools from
the floor.

Snuggle up to a half bottle of Courvosier.

Next morning at daybreak, I'm up top and see the anchors have dragged in
the night and I'm now 6' from a seawall behind me, and cosied up to
another wall on the starboard side. Luckily it's lined with wood and
plastic crash barriers, so no damage there. I wonder why I didn't go
completely backwards? I found out later the forward anchor had snagged
an old steel cable.

Using a rope and boathook, I free the anchor (Thank God for electric
windlasses), and look up.

I can't see any damage!

At all!

I am amazed, but instead of completing my journey, I am told there is a
marina back up the canal. I had passed it in the dark. If I had known it
was there, I'd have moored there.

Get to Seabrook Marina - nice, but v. expensive., moor and have a good
look up top. I still can't see anything bent or out of shape. How can
this be?

Wife comes to collect me. I find I ache in every muscle in my body -
even my palms hurt!

I shall be off this morning to complete the journey, in the daylight,
refreshed and fed, with only 3 miles to go....

--

Molesworth

In article , Molesworth wrote:

Yesterday, I moved my boat.

To be nearer to my home..

It was only about 30 miles away, but that makes the difference between
driving for 3 hours,

Three hours for thirty miles? What is your car, a bike?... actually, if it *was* a bike, it shouldn't take you any more than two!

Justin.

--
Justin C, by the sea.

"Molesworth" wrote in message
...
Get to Seabrook Marina - nice, but v. expensive., moor and have a good
look up top. I still can't see anything bent or out of shape. How can
this be?

Duhh... you broke the bridge. The bill just hasn't arrived yet.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

On Dec 5, 1:11 pm, "Ernest Scribbler"
wrote:
"Evan Gatehouse" wrote

He's a total clown.

Maybe so, but he's out on a boat drifting around with his girlfriend, and
I'm sitting in a cubicle replying to a total stranger on usenet...


What keeps you in the cube, do you have children?

In the mid 70s I new a an early 20s guy who moved a 26-28' something
sailboat to a driveway next to a house in southern Oregon. He lived in
the boat on the hard. I asked why he was living on a sailboat sitting
on a driveway.......... he answered, I have to live somplace and its
the only way I can afford to buy a boat. instead of paying a boat
loan he just payed "rent" which he would have had to pay anyway. It
was a real chick bait too.

Bob

In article ,
Justin C wrote:

In article , Molesworth wrote:

Yesterday, I moved my boat.

To be nearer to my home..

It was only about 30 miles away, but that makes the difference between
driving for 3 hours,

Three hours for thirty miles? What is your car, a bike?... actually, if it
*was* a bike, it shouldn't take you any more than two!

You forget - I had to organise the wife... by the time we've set off,
driven the 30 miles of New Orleans traffic, then allow packing stuff up
and packing away, organise the wife again.. for the drive back. It has
always taken 3 hours (there and back).

Anyway, I am now snug in the Municipal Harbor in New Orleans. As they
have only cleared away the debris from Katrina,, but not restored any
services - it's free mooring! Yippee. Something free for mariners. Not
often you hear about that!


--
Molesworth

Anyway, I am now snug in the Municipal Harbor in New Orleans. As they
have only cleared away the debris from Katrina,, but not restored any
services - it's free mooring! Yippee. Something free for mariners. Not
often you hear about that!


--
Molesworth
================================================== ===============

From what I read, the free harbor comes with the New Orleans spice;
shootings, death, robbery.

I still feel the same about New Orleans as I've felt way way before the
hurricane.

A rotten stinking cesspool.

================================================== ============================

In article jzj6j.441$1p.311@trndny01,
"Sir Thomas of Cannondale" wrote:


Anyway, I am now snug in the Municipal Harbor in New Orleans. As they
have only cleared away the debris from Katrina,, but not restored any
services - it's free mooring! Yippee. Something free for mariners. Not
often you hear about that!


--
Molesworth
================================================== ===============

From what I read, the free harbor comes with the New Orleans spice;
shootings, death, robbery.

I still feel the same about New Orleans as I've felt way way before the
hurricane.

A rotten stinking cesspool.

================================================== ============================


Yep, but it's MY cesspool

--

Molesworth

Bob wrote:

In the mid 70s I new a an early 20s guy who moved a 26-28' something
sailboat to a driveway next to a house in southern Oregon. He lived in
the boat on the hard. I asked why he was living on a sailboat sitting
on a driveway.......... he answered, I have to live somplace and its
the only way I can afford to buy a boat. instead of paying a boat
loan he just payed "rent" which he would have had to pay anyway. It
was a real chick bait too.

The truth is that he wanted to take Larry's simulator to its
logical conclusion.

In article jzj6j.441$1p.311@trndny01, Sir Thomas of Cannondale wrote:


Anyway, I am now snug in the Municipal Harbor in New Orleans. As they
have only cleared away the debris from Katrina,, but not restored any
services - it's free mooring! Yippee. Something free for mariners. Not
often you hear about that!

From what I read, the free harbor comes with the New Orleans spice;
shootings, death, robbery.

I still feel the same about New Orleans as I've felt way way before the
hurricane.

A rotten stinking cesspool.

I'd still like to visit someday. Providing it's still the same cultural
melting pot. I'm Engligh, and I find the cuisine, culture, and music
almost impossible to resist. All the 'local' knowledge and stereotypes
other Americans have for NO pass me by, I suppose it's the movies, ...
and Dr John, etc. that give the city some appeal, but when I can
persuade SWMBO that an Atlantic crossing won't be so bad, we'll be
there... and many other places too!

Justin.

--
Justin C, by the sea.