Pulled in last night at 2300 hrs ADT.
What a week! Started on Tuesday, July 31 when another Sandpiper 565 owner
and forum member (not this newsgroup) insisted on flying down from Ottawa to
help me trailer up. He remembered that I backed out at the last minute last
year and was leaning toward the same this time. After a good nights rest we
finished preparing and finally hit the road at about 1030.
When we reached Woodstock New Brunswick (approx 500 kms from Halifax), we
noticed that the shackles supporting my springs had collapsed backward
lowering the steel fender against my tires. One new tire lost 2/3rds of its
life burning a hole throughthe heavy steel.
Found a truck spring shop and they figured I needed shorter heavier
springs. They came back with a 4k pound 23.5" leaf to replace the lighter
26" original springs.
Too short...so instead of getting a spring in-between, he installed a
heavier version of the 26" .
100kms up the road...same problem. Called the first garage and he directed
us to another spring shop near Edmundston NB. I think one guy spokeEnglish
in the shop...but that was ok because he was the owner.
Had the whole shop crew surround my trailer talking French in an amimated
manner.
Finally the owner came to me and said the'd fix the problem. Out comes two
grinding wheels, the welding gear etc.
The welder fabricated and welded new pivot points on the frame 1.5" aft of
the original. This allowed the new 26" heavy duty springs to work perfectly.
On the second day, we arrived in Ottawa for an overnight stay at a 3rd
Sandpiper owners house. The 3rd day arrived ane we set off early to pick up
another boat in Arnprior. We now had a convoy of four sailboats. What fun
towing 400 or so kms along 2 lane blacktop... up steep hills and through
beautiful small towns.
People seemed to get a kick out of our flock.
In the early afternoon we finally arrived at the beautiful Villeage of
Rousseau, on Lake Rousseau in the Muskoka Region of Ontario.
(very popular cottage country for wealthy Ontario residents and Americans.
Great time meeting & greeting while rigging/launching all nine boats.
First night spent on the boat at the town docks. Saturday morning we had a
nice sail tour of the lakes, while the 'host' gave a commentary on vhf,
pointing out various highlights. We made a loup of half the lake with many
cottagers coming out to wave as they watched us sail by and we ended up back
rafted up at his cottage dock.
The food was flowing, lots of beer...great time. He even had a wood fired
hot tub that proved to be popular...especially with the six women who
attended.
After a beautiful nights sleep on board we sailed over to a popular sandy
beach next to the cottage property of Goldie Hawn & Kurt Russell. Six of us
dropped anchors and rafted together. On guy raised his keel and beached his
boat while another anchored a bit off and the ninth boat wander off
exploring. Everyone shared food and swam in the refreshing cool water.
Later on we broke up and sailed back to the town dock for our 3rd & last
night on the boats.
Monday morning we started pulling boats, de-rigging and preparing for the
road.
The guy who came down to round me up for the trip invited me to eat supper
at his parents place and then stay Monday night at his cottage on another
lake about 350kms south east of the Rondezvous site. Good thing, I was
tired as hell & got very sleepy towing.
After eating two different types of cheesecake at 0800 (his sister-in-law's
house) I broke away on my own for the tedius long trip home. Tuesday went
well but after spending the night in a Quebec motel, it started raining by
0900, very heavy at times and didn't stop until about 2200hrs, about 60
miles from home.
The gang are already planning next years rendezvous.....maybe at Niagara on
the Lake, Ontario.
Boy... 5 days towing for a solid two days sailing ... plus
rigging/launching, the reverse etc. What to do next year?