Some news from Nathan
Posted in Sailing, Boats, Minimus Sailing Team, Boys and Girls Club, News on January 8th, 2009Splicing and Thawing and Preparing
Spoke with Chris Parker about the weather and a good window to leave. Chris is an expert in Bahamas weather and writes for ocean navigator. Looks like Saturday or Monday are the twp possibilities. Don Kerstens was very kind to donate the money to take advantage of
Chris’s amazing weather knowledge. I feel much better being able to get such good advice from him.
The boat is almost ready to go. we put the mast up yesterday and got the deck and below cleaned up. Sails are bent, and I just have a few tweaks and repairs to make before we are ready for the off. Had to splice a new bobstay and do a few things that I had to wait to thaw before I could do.
Provisions are aboard and the layout down below is all set up for departure. (Things tend to change a lot once we start sailing.
I keep getting lots of question about the boys and girls clubs of canada, and I always smile when people are so interested about how the kids at the club are involved. I take pride in telling people about the fundraising, learning about the ocean and what it means to be a leader. I hope the kids at the club are following along on this adventure. (To Brandy and the LIT Group: Leave a comment on this site, and I will will do my best to answer.)
The Hampton Inn are helping us out with a better rate for my stay at the hotel. James Brown called them up to tell them what I am up to and they have graciously offered a reduced rate and flexibility with my departure date. Hotels are not used to weather windows… (Ironically, the Hampton Inn is the choice of many a sailor down here. Great hotel and the most reasonable rates in Coconut Grove.)
The team at home have been very busy helping to get communications out to folks as well as thinking about the quickly approaching trip to Europe. The classe Mini have recently published the calendar for the coming racing season and it is really important that I get my choice of races submitted before I go. WE are also getting further into the logistics for getting the boat to Europe.
So things are truckin right along. We are a little behind our scheduled departure date ,but that was pretty much to be expected. I’m glad that the boat is starting to look like a proper sailboat again and that things moving along. I just can’t wait to get out there and get sailing!
More soon,
Nathan