Log Book of the S/V Serenity
Selected Reading
Spring of 97
We were at the lake one day when a beautiful (read BIG) sailboat came by under full sail. Myrtle
made the comment that sailing was always something she wanted to try. I confessed to having been sailing
twice before on daysails. Therefore, sailing was being seriously considered when...
7/2/97
Coming home today I passed a building with a "We Quit, Going out of Business" sign on it. Looking in the
rearview mirror after pasing the building I saw a sailboat sitting at the side of the building. I turned
around for a better look, and sure enough, the boat was for sale also. When I saw the asking price I went
and got Myrt, so she could look at it too. Needless to say, the deal was done and I hooked it to the truck.
When we got home, our neighbor (at the time, who had an Ensenada 20) came over (we had just found out a couple
of weeks earlier that he had it). He helped me step the mast, figure out the rigging, told me what he thought
was missing, and gave me an old West Marine catalog he had. That weekend I started gathering the things I
needed and called the Sailing Club to find out when the next course was being offered, and signed up for it.
8/3/97
I had completed all the repairs, that I thought were necessary, and was waiting for my sailing class to start
in two weeks when I decided a "float" test (to check hull integrety) was necessary. My neighbor, Myrt, and I
took the Victoria to the lake and launched it. When it became clear the hull was watertight, we hoisted the sails
and commenced the "sea trials". These ended about 4 hours later when we reluctantly put the boat back on the
trailer and came home.
8/11/97
Sailing Fever had bitten us after last week-end, so, Myrt and I took the Victoria out again. We did this on our
own and I do not think she will ever let me forget what I did to HER boat.
8/16/87
This weekend I took the Basic Keelboat Course and learned how to sail properly.
8/31/97
We took the boat out again this weekend and I did much better, until the wind started increasing. We had determined that
the mast and boom were not original but, not really anything to worry about. We could not reef, so we donned our life
jackets and headed for the marina. The boat was heeling pretty severe, and the weatherhelm was a bear, but we were making
progress toward the ramp. That is when the wind really hit and the boom broke into two pieces (did you hear an Oh $#*+ !).
We quickly(?) dropped the sails and were blown ashore on the opposite side of the lake from where we wanted to be. A Pontoon
boat towed us back to the ramp, once the wind settled down some. When we got to the ramp; I sat there trying to regain my
composure, Myrt was talking about how much fun it was, and how the windows needed washing anyway. Next time I give her the helm.
9/2/97
I could not believe the wall thickness of the tube used for the boom. An aluminum can is thicker. There was a piece of PVC pipe
inside the boom for added strength (I guess). I rebuilt the boom using 1 1/4" aluminum pipe and the rest of the season was spent
sailing every chance we had.
Winter
Once I got on the internet, information started slowly coming in about the Victoria 18. I found out that Dwyer Aluminum Mast Co. had
supplied the original mast and boom. I contacted them and recieved a schematic for the mast w/ the part numbers and a catalog. After
comparing the mast on the boat with the schematic of what was supposed to be there, I measured the existing mast carefully, and cut-off
the top five feet of the mast. This put the mast, I had, at the proper heighth. I ordered a new masthead from Dwyer since the part of
the mast I had cut-off was tapered and the old masthead would not work, and the new one would be an almost perfect fit.
I also ordered a motor mount from Spartan Marine and have installed it along with a Motorguide T-32 trolling motor. Oars are for canoes!
5/11/98
CHECK YOUR WINCHES!
We went sailing today. Two different weathermen on two different stations, two different forecast and neither one was correct. This was our
first chance to sail since I had "manicured" the mast and brought it to original specs. The shorter mast makes the boat look better without all
the extra mast sticking up above the sails. The trolling motor worked great. The wind varied from non-existent to 30+ mph and was either out
of the south or east. Needless to say this made the lake rough and sailing comparable to rollerskating on a cobblestone street. Last years
experience (this boat is hard to knockdown) allowed me to stay calm when the rub rail was underwater and waves rolling over the bow. We stayed
out for about three hours and only came in when we were running wing on wing and lost the port winch. We were running along quite nicely when the
retainer ring on the winch failed during a gust. The roller popped up and fell overboard before I could catch it.
7/7/98
We were going to get a few hours sailing in today since we did not go near the lake over the Holiday weekend. After reading the reports in the paper
this was definitely a wise decision on our part. We were on the water by 4:00 pm with an 8 to 10 mph wind which allowed me to relax and enjoy the ride.
We sailed around for a while and then decided we needed to get back in since there were no lights on the boat and it would be dark soon. About that time
the wind just quit. I mean like someone turned the switch off. We hoisted the electric genoa and headed for the ramp. We arrived there about 9:30 pm. I
guess you could say that this was our first night sail. I spent the next week working on the lights!
7/14/98
Our Victoria 18 gets her name..."Serenity".
We did our first "official" night sale today. When we launched, a little after 4:00 pm, the temperature was 107 degrees. With the lights now working I
was not worried about what time we came in. Let the wind die, we're prepared. The wind was 10 to 15 mph from the south and held up until almost
midnight. There was a big full moon and we had a blast! The thing about sailing at night is how quiet it is. There are no PWC's running around and the
fishermen are professional in the boat operation. We just ghosted around; looking at the stars, kicking back, and enjoying the serenity of it all.
10/25/98
"Serenity" is now in the backyard, where she has been for the last month or so, because of low lake levels. Due to the hot, dry, summer most of our sailing was
done at night. This gives a whole new meaning to the words "peace and quiet". We did as much sailing as we could, when we could, and added some crew
members. The granddaughters get a little bored and we have to accomodate them when we go on daysails (lots of swim time). Dee Dee (1/2 rot 1/2 chow)
seems to enjoy sailing even more than riding in the back of the truck.
6/10/99
Sailing today was more of a test of survival skills than sailing (for me anyway). All week the weather forecast had been calling for a chance of isolated
thunderstorms, of which none have appeared. We launched "Serenity" around 4:00 pm with full sail and 150 genoa in 10 mph winds. We had been out for about
2 hours when the wind suddenly shifted and started picking up. We had turned and were heading for the ramp but were soon overpowered. All I could due was
get on a broad reach and ease the main as far as I dared (to keep from poking a hole in it or tearing a spreader off) and head for shore. The wind kept
increasing and the waves kept getting bigger and bigger until "Serenity" was actually surfing. What excitement! What a rush! Too bad I was to; teeth
clenching, white knuckle scared, puckered-up to enjoy it. Myrt asked me where we were going (remember, she loves to sail on the edge) and I told her
somewhere out of the wind. When we got out of the wind; we dropped the sails, tied "Serenity" off, climbed into the cabin and waited out the rain.
About an hour later the storm had passed and the sun came back out. We then cast off and headed back to the ramp. We had not gone very far when the wind
shifted and rose again. Evidently the storm felt that it had not done enough the first time around so it reversed course and came back for a return engagement.
Thinking the situation over, we dropped the main and used the 150 genoa like a spinnaker to get back to the ramp. That night on the news we heard the wind had
been blowing 40 to 50 mph with gust to 65. I guess we did okay since; "Serenity did not sink, the rigging is still intact, the sails are not shredded, and we
survived to sail another day.
Spring 2000
We do not need to reef very often, and have survived without being able to reef the main at all, but it has not been the most enjoyable of times. For that
reason we ordered a factory boom from Dwyer. Granted it is a rolling reef (you roll the sail on the boom) but it beats not being able to reef at all.
Fall 2000
I LOVE being able to reef the main when the wind comes up. This keeps us from being overpowered and at the mercy of the wind. I think Myrt does too,
since I am not so disgusted from fighting the weatherhelm. This allows us to sail, more comfortably, in higher winds.
March 2001
We bought a Honda (2 hp, 4 stroke) outboard for "Serenity". The trolling motor, for the most part, worked great for getting us to/from the ramp and raising/
lowering the sails. There was a problem with strong winds overpowering it though. It also took quite a while to get back to the ramp when the wind died
and we were in the middle of the lake.
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