Cleaning and finally a test sail....

More cleaning, more cleaning more cleaning...... I was getting sick of cleaning the boat.  But in the end sailing her was worth the effort.  Here's her decks finally cleaned off, and the cockpit teak cleaned for oiling.

Teak Cockpit cleaned.

Port-side hull

Starboard side hull

 Starboard Side Deck

Port-side Deck

The cushions all cleaned and now bunks are made, and the cabin is cleaned.

 Dinette with Robert Thomas Original Painting

 Navigation Station

Pullman bunk

With everything in decent order we decided to go out for the day on Saturday.  Kevin Rhodes my long time friend and crew-mate, his son boom-butt Taylor, his daughter Sarah, and my friend Lee all joined Kona and I for the day sail up the Columbia River to the I205 bridge.  We left about 3:30pm, winds were 5-8 heading out of the southwest.  We motored out of Salpare Bay passing the dry-dock on the Washington side of the river before putting up sails.  We set the jib, and the staysail, then hoisted the main.  

 Taylor and Kona with the jib and staysails.

We were doing about 3-5 knots until the wind picked up to 10-12kts.  Once that wind picked up the Carol-Marie really took off up to 7.3knots (8.5 mph).  Which to non-sailors is not that fast, but few of them actually steer a 25 ton vehicle with no brakes.  She was flying!

Kevin, Kona and the back of Sarah

Kona proved to be a great sailor, at as far as Lee was concerned.   Kona has a significant tell to explain his mood, specifically his nose.  You see his nose turns red as he becomes more exhausted.  About an hour and a half into the sail Kona's nose was bright pink.   It was about the same time we had decent winds.  As we turned around near the I205 red buoy, we turned from a reach to a slight beat, having to tack down river.  With two nice chairs in the cockpit, one each for Kevin and Lee, Kona had no where to lay and get rest; at least no where he saw fit.  So being the plush prince of the decks he decided to take advantage of the tacks to steal the chair of the lee-ward side of the tack.  By stealing the lee-ward side, he was always against the edge of the cockpit as the boat heeled and he wouldn't slide out of the chair.  I noticed Kona seated in the chairs, but never saw how he was getting in them.

About mid-way back, Lee said to me, "Terry you've got an excellently trained sailing dog."

"really?"  I retorted.

"yeah," Lee explained, "Every-time you say, 'Helm's Alee', he gets up.  Then while we are bent over the wenches controlling the sails he sniffs our bottoms, until we turn around then takes the chair of his choosing."

I guess some animals too are born sailors.

We tied up about 6:30pm, and put the boat away.  Great first sail.

Sla'n - Terry