Grateful Red upgrades...

Maybe I should be sorry to say this, but alas, it makes the Captain happy!...we have made some major domestic upgrades on the boat. If you look closely, this picture is NOT a shower at this time. It is, indeed, a high-tech keg-er-ator ready to fulfill your every desire (when it comes to beer comsumption). One unfortunate fact...it will, most likely, only last one race at a time. Hence Captain Ken's attraction to Schooners Wharf and Avelina and her unlimited source of restocking! All she asks is that we spend SOME time in her bar and run a reasonable tab during race week! Easy to do!

Testing the new Whisper Pole

At the new Sunday meeting spot, Matt from JWorld Racing School, Stu his co instructor describe thier recent sail from Newport to Key West in Stu's 40 foot racing boat a CX40 while consuming Bloody Marys. Winds of 50 plus waves over 30 feet they hove to for two nights before deciding to go to Bermuda to lay over. Took over 10 days to go from Newport to Bermuda (by the way Bermuda is 200 miles further from Key West then Newport). Can't wait to do the Charleston Bermuda race! Stu, Matt and their third instructor Graham (Canadian from Nova Scotia) had only one student for the week in JWorld racing school - Larry. So they invited Larry and wife to sail with us on the Grateful Red on Tuesday. 80, sunny, winds of 15 + ...... beautiful sailing. Sailed upwind to beyond the reef, hove to to eat lunch (Matt and Stu were experts at teaching this technique) then downwind. First with the symmetrical spinnaker and pole, then the new whisper pole and wing on wing sailing with the 150 genoa. Always sailing eight plus knots, good fun and three excellent teachers. At Conch Harbor we removed the dacron sails to prepare for Race Week, drank rum and made plans. Perfect day! Now back at Kegonsa - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday high temperatures of less then zero. Why do we return! kj

Testing new blog skills

Hi all,
Occasionally, you get a new "toy" that requires some basic intuition on how to make it work. If that basic intuition fails, you read the manual. Today I am trying my basic intuition with our new blog site, hoping you will get a e-mail invite to read...

We are hoping that this blog will be fun, and informative as Grateful Red continues it's journey. It is set up to "flag" you when there is a new post. (you, being the crew members that will participate in some part of 2009 transatlantic voyages). As you read the old posts, keep in mind, we were "feeling" our way around what a blog can do. We are still "building" it, but comments are welcomed as to what you would like to see, aside from the daily titter I might come up with!

Gad! Back to 20 degrees and snow. So glad to have missed the freezing rain, but our turn will come I am sure. Key West was wonderful and it felt like going home. The boat is pristine and ready to sail. New whisper pole included and tested. Also tested Heave-to process. Allowed us time for a great lunch on-board. Wish you all were there.

At home in Key West! Sunday, 1/4/09

Nothings better than sitting on the boat, with the sun about 20 minutes from setting, and trying to decide whether wine or a hearty rum and coke will do. Ken and I worked most of the day on the boat. I scrubbed with new cleaner to remove rust, grim and such. Ken worked on, well, all that other stuff. Logging the time it takes for the battery to get to the point of needing to be recharged, finishing the repair on the roller-furler (thanks Tom), and cursing the many hired professionals that have claimed to have fixed the out-haul. One new discovery today, Sunday's at the White Tarpon they have (from noon to 4pm) Make your own Bloody Marys! Quite the "salad-bar"! Liza, you have to see it! Almost as good as the The Grape Escape in Galena!!!
kf