Potential New Build On The Horizon?

[backinblue]

I wouldn't rush to buy too much till you get more experience and see what you need. Of course you need required safety gear. Not sure I'd worry about gloves at this point. Good rain gear and boots maybe at some point, but if you only plan to day-sail in good weather, those are probably optional too. Lessons? Only if you really think you need them. If you know the book-theory, the rest will come from experience. At least that's how I learned. Good luck and enjoy!

 

[KnotYet]

Yes, a 16-ft cat boat isn't going to put much load on the sheet.
Maybe bring a canoe paddle in case your Torqueedo's battery dies...

 

[backinblue]

Paddle is not a bad idea, though the Torqeedo will likely get you home as I doubt you'll be sailing 10's of miles from home and have the wind quit. Battery range should be plenty for pushing that boat when needed.

 

[Blues]

Sailing gloves and a sturdy plastic bucket.

 

[Peter B]

Sailing gloves and a sturdy plastic bucket.

Yep. Remember, the best bilge pump, is a frightened man, (or woman), with a bucket..!

Oh, and definitely take a paddle - two even...

 

[Blues]

Yep. Remember, the best bilge pump, is a frightened man, (or woman), with a bucket..!

Oh, and definitely take a paddle - two even...

If you ever have to paddle a catboat in you will want to learn to be a better sailor Around here the law requires you to have a paddle on board.

 

[backinblue]

He has an electric motor that should be enough for his needs as long as it's charged. A paddle should be a last resort.

 

[N4061]

Accessories

Thanks all for your inputs (some are funny). Since the boat does not have scuppers (not self-draining) I will carry a bucket with scoop edge. We would never go very far outside the harbors but San Diego Bay with all the summer traffic can dish out some large (3') swells.

Plan was to launch the boat (first time) yesterday, but the dang temperatures dropped back down to 60 which is cool for Mary. Looking at Sunday but who knows. This is typical every time I build a new boat - the weather turns cold and it rains more than usual. When we took delivery on our first N40 we had the coldest winter and more storms in 20 years. We had taken the boat to Ensenada, Mexico (70 miles south of San Diego) for six months the storm surge ate thru an entire set of dock lines in 3 months.

 

[N4061]

Fenders from the Netherlands ?

Well, after a 3 week wait our rope covered fenders finally arrived from the Netherlands and I'm pleased to say they matched exactly what was in the catalogue. I was concerned the color (dark blue) would arrive lighter and not match the hull and we would have to return them, but everything worked out. Initial inspection confirms the overall quality appears very good, but we will need to use them for a season to confirm. Only issue now is Mary says they are too nice to use and get covered with salt water. Fortunately, I thought ahead and purchased two fenders from West Marine for the mid-section of the hull rub-rail (wood trimmed) which will be in contact with the dock. This leaves the two decorative rope fenders for the bow and stern areas providing a nice custom look to an already beautiful boat. Photo below was taken at night in the garage resulting in the shiny finish to show the color lighter than it actually is.

I could honestly see these new fenders covered in black rope on a new Nordhavn. Wonder if there is anyone out there possibly with a new N68 completing commissioning reading this post??

John T

 

[backinblue]

Never seen a rope covered fender. What's something like that cost? Rope is not abrasive against the hull? Even if impregnated with salt water? Not trying to be negative, they looks nice enough, just wondering if they are practical and functional as well. Also, with a small trailerable boat, how much time will you be against a dock?

 

[N4061]

How much?

Never seen a rope covered fender. What's something like that cost? Rope is not abrasive against the hull? Even if impregnated with salt water? Not trying to be negative, they looks nice enough, just wondering if they are practical and functional as well. Also, with a small trailerable boat, how much time will you be against a dock?

All great questions and as you can guess they are a little expensive ($229 for two small fenders including shipping). Definitely not something anyone needs and found in a boat boutique store in the Netherlands. Dang internet continues to cost me money I shouldn't be spending.

I'll be perfectly honest and admit I never knew you could even purchase this color rope with the finish on it. Very unusual and likely something made for a James Bond movie to make his Sunseeker look sexy? Practicality is yet to be determined but as mentioned above Mary doesn't want them getting dirty so they will likely remain for show (stern and bow) while at the boat ramp or when showing the boat a potential boat show (different story for another day).

The real take away here is when you but a boat on the very low end of your budget you can afford to have fun and play around with toys you wouldnt normally purchase. Trawlers (for most of us) do not fall into this category. I know when we built our trawler's we stretched the budget (a little) to get what we wanted outfitted the right way. No regrets but never had the budget to "play" with things we didn't need. We played it by the book, enjoyed all the boats, stayed within budget and had the times of lives.

I'll let you know how they work (OK, hanging off the side of the boat while the West Marine fenders do the real work) if we ever launch the boat. Today did not heat up enough so we are now looking at Wednesday for our maiden voyage. Coastal temps expected to be around 75 degrees. Definitely having fun with the Sandpiper.

John

 

[backinblue]

Thanks John and good luck. Just be careful with the toys because you'll run out of room to carry them soon! It's supposed to be in the single digits here the next couple nights so enjoy the warm weather.

 

[N4061]

First Launch

A break in the weather brought a more typical San Deigo winter day of full sun, light breeze and 75degree temperature on the water. Deciding boating was more fun than work I concluded it was now or never to get Mary aboard and introduce her to the boat. After loading up the boat and hooking up the trailer to the Ridgeline we were on way to Oceanside Harbor, Ca. 13 miles away. No sooner did we exit our small, gated community and got on a main road we received the first of three "thumbs up" from other drivers. This is starting to become the "norm" while trailing the Sandpiper and something we will need to get use too.

When we arrived the launch ramp, we were surprised to see the level of activity for a weekday. Getting this little boat ready for launch takes more time and effort than our Mako 22 Center Console (20 years ago). My first attempt to raise the mast didn't work out well as the boat was parked on a slight angle and I had to move the truck / trailer. The silicone spray applied to the mast hinge worked great. With the mast raised, rudder and tiller installed and everything else loaded into the boat we backed her down the launch ramp at low tide. The new rope finished fenders worked out fine forward and aft but the West Marine fenders mid ship fenders did not. I will need to purchase the flat / square fenders to protect the wood finished run rail.

Installing the Torqeedo OB took two minutes and we were ready to go. Backing out the first time in a cross wind did not go well and I decided to hand walk the boat to the end of the dock. Once we cleared the dock and started down the channel, I started playing with the Torqeedo control and tiller / rudder. It only took us about 10 minutes to have everything dialed in and feeling confident with handling the boat under power. We stayed out 45 minutes and only used 10% of battery capacity.

A few observations are below:
1. The boat feels much larger than 15' 6" due to its large beam and very safe underway. She glides through the water as one would expect and handled a few good size swells on the transom very well.
2. Steering with a tiller is both fun and interesting with the barn door rudder
3. The side mounted Torqeedo appears to work just as well as a traditional transom mount. I could not feel any pull to either side possibly due in part to the large rudder which for trawler owners may open the door for some back-up power options??
4. Never needed to exceed 50% power even while going against the current. Average speed around between 5 - 6 knots
5. Cockpit design is about as perfect as you would expect for a boat that has been around of over 100 years. Everything from the height of the seats to the back rests to access to the tiller and lanyards is perfect.
6. Plenty of storage room forward under the boat deck (glade we did not go with the mini cabin design which takes away from the boats great looks)
7. Center Board was not required for directional stability while under power

Being able to place my hand over the side and touch the water while underway felt great and something I have been missing the past few years.

Getting the boat back on the trailer required a repositioning of the trailer (I went in too far) and realizing you need to use the winch and strap to pull the boat up the final few feet versus "driving the boat up" as most people do on the west coast and we did with our 22' Mako CC. Preparing the boat for trailing takes a little time and something we will improve over time.

We had five people stop by ask questions about the boat including one sailor who knew about Cat Boats, knew this was a Maine built boat and knew of the builder. Compliments were amazing on this little boat.

Take away: We have enjoyed many "first launches / cruises" over the years and everyone is special. Something about this boat was even more rewarding possibly because it was our first sailboat and a totally different journey. The boats classic styling, color and woodwork along with its beautiful fit and finish is also something new to us (not to say our trawlers were not nice boats). Being able to reconnect with the water and touch it while underway felt great capped a great day.

Looking forward to many additional outings under power while we schedule the sailing lessons for the spring (I'm not in any rush).

You will notice that our year away from boating shows up in the photo of us underway with the fenders still tied (ouch), good thing the sails were not up or else we would really be a spectacle for other sailors to laugh at.

John

 

[backinblue]

Looks beautiful John and glad you had a good maiden voyage. I've owned a few sailboats but only 1 that was trailerable and that was only once in the spring and once in the fall. In the summer it stayed in the water. I am envious of your simple joy of sailing and being in touch "literally" with the water. I just hope the work to raise and lower the mast and trailering doesn't discourage you from regular use. I think that would get old for me, but I never owned a true day-sailer. My first boat was a 19' with a small cuddy cabin. Never spent a night on it, but it did house a porta-potti and some shelter from the nasty weather and that leant it to be able to enjoy for a full day on the water and not have to deal with rigging and trailering for each use. Regardless, I wish you the best and am glad you are enjoying your new baby.

 

[Peter B]

John, don't lose any sleep over leaving the fenders over the side. Frankly in a boat that size, where preserving precious room is paramount, leaving them over the side is fine - just not trailing in the water. I often smile when my wife and I watch the odd episode of the UK series, "Escape to the Country', and see how the UK boaters proudly display theirs and appear to never bring them in. Maybe they are paranoid about being bumped as well, as it is nothing to see a 30 footer with up to 8 fenders along each side as they glide by on one of their canals or waterways.

Even on our CHB34, because I hated the side deck being cluttered by the things, I took heart from the above, and used to bring them (3 each side) in under, and then up and over the top rail, so they hung outside the safety lines, protected the cap rail/hull against a 'bump in the night', but were well clear of the water. They looked nice in their black fender socks, and were there ready to deploy when we got back in, and it kept the side decks clear. In rough weather we brought them in - but in the rough stuff no-one was going to be going along the side decks anyway.

 

[N4061]

Teak Flooring or ?

No sooner did we get the boat in the water and tied to the dock Mary and I looked at each other and said, "are we wearing these dirty sneakers in the boat"? We had forgotten our basic rule "no shoes in the boat". OK, maybe not totally true, on our trawlers shoes are removed and stored on the aft deck. Slippers inside the boat and a clean second pair of boat shoes for walking on the boat decks.

Back to the Sandpiper, we decided to remove the sneakers and go bare foot on this trip. This brought up the discussion "how do we keep the cockpit sole clean"? I mentioned that Geoff (builder) had photos of one boat with the artificial teak flooring which looked nice and possibly something we could add but then you have to worry about keeping that clean. Mary suggested we ask Jeddy (our interior guy for the trawlers) to make us a couple of custom carpets which we could easily remove to clean or when not required. We decided this make more sense and plan to meet with him next week.

The next subject Mary brought up (I knew it was only a matter of time) during our short 45minute cruise was "what if we have too many margaritas during lunch and need to use the bathroom"? I pointed to the numerus rest rooms and restaurants along the harbor which was not well received. Then she asked about our 22' Mako Center Console which had the perfect size forward locker for a portable head (just in case). To be honest it worked well and when you'r a few miles offshore no major issues. But on a 16'day sailor privacy takes on a new meaning. A little research confirmed Dometic has a line of portable heads for "cars" (who would have known?). These smaller units are more high-tech than I could imagine and may just work. With the addition of a custom dodger / canvas we may just be able to make this work? I'm still holding out for the "please use the restroom prior to coming aboard" but time will tell.

Next item being discussed is naming the boat and if we can add a name plaque seen in a few photos of east coast boats. I reached out to Geoff who provided the website for the wood maker in Maine who hand crafts these traditional plaques. Upon review I realized our little Sandpiper does not have the space on the transom above the tiller cut out to fit anything of size so we will continue to think about this one.

Some positive news on the rope fenders is that despite one actually touching the salt water (say it's not so) there are no signs of discoloration or dry salt. This is even after a 24-hour delay rinsing it with fresh water (yes, I forgot about rinsing it when we arrived home). No signs of scuffing or scratches on the hull so these soft rope fenders actually do work. When I attempted to fill one with air, I quickly realized the pin on my handheld air pump was not going to work. A closer inspection of the fender revealed a small threaded insert which I need to screw in the handpump pin. Now where the heck will I find this style pin? I took a chance and wrote to the company I purchased the fenders from, explained my situation and offered to purchase a pin. Their response was "we will ship you out a pin tomorrow". Great customer service.

Thats about it for this morning. It's actually raining a little this morning so I will likely work on the boat in the garage with some good music. Ever listen to La Flex (DJ from Europe plays a lot of great remixes) or another interesting European Dance Song called "Straight to Number One". Dua Lupe and Elton John remix of Cold Heart is another good new find. OK, going off TF topic so best to end here. Boating, music and margaritas - life is good.

John

 

[backinblue]

Hi John,

Glad to see you are enjoying your new boat. It's great to hear your progress. I'll make a couple quick comments, not criticism in any way, just positive reinforcement. Firstly, some sort of head or other devices would be mandatory for me especially as I age. Sounds like you may have a possible solution but persoanlly I could not be on the water for more than a short period w/o some way to pee at least. Secondly, I would suggest not making too many "improvements" till you live with the boat for a little while and have a few more trips before you decide what might be best. When I bought my boat, it came with some custom carpeting that snapped to the floor and was made to resemble teak. I thought it was great but it wasn't long before we grew to hate it and threw it out. We eventually ended up having a synthetic teak floor installed and after several years, we still love it. With the classic look you are going for, I think carpeting would cheapen the look of the boat compared to a synthetic teak. The teak not only looks great but is maintenence free and very functional. Good firm non-slip flooring and very easy to keep clean. A removable carpet could actually be kind of dangerous in a small boat if you have to brace yourself against a sudden gust or having to make a quick change of direction, etc. I was happy to see you mention the teak, then frowned when I saw you were going to go with carpet. Take your time to make the right decision. Message me or respond if you'd like more info. Glad the fancy fenders are working well for you, but they would look much better sitting on a teak floor than a carpeted one. Just my opinion and we all have them, there is no absolute right or wrong. Anyway, good luck and keep moving forward with your adventure!

 

[bowball]

Not pretty, but they make pee cups for men and women to use while seated in small airplanes. Found in aviation supply companies.

 

[N4061]

Hi John,

Glad to see you are enjoying your new boat. It's great to hear your progress. I'll make a couple quick comments, not criticism in any way, just positive reinforcement. Firstly, some sort of head or other devices would be mandatory for me especially as I age. Sounds like you may have a possible solution but persoanlly I could not be on the water for more than a short period w/o some way to pee at least. Secondly, I would suggest not making too many "improvements" till you live with the boat for a little while and have a few more trips before you decide what might be best.

Thanks for the feedback and thoughts about carpet and teak flooring. We have (as you) gone overboard with carpet on some boats and learned our lessons that more is not always better. Similar lesson learned with canvas and something that went into our planning with our last trawler (H38E) and the Sandpiper. One concern I have with the teak flooring is resale. 99% of these boats do not have any flooring and used for sailing without worrying about looks. I'll admit I'm having fun "dressing up" this little boat as some would do with an antique car. My approach with the carpet is to lay it down when required and stored away when not in use. As you implied there is no wrong choose, only preference.

Today I will be returning the two white West Marine fenders and purchase a long, flat style fender to protect the wood rub rail. Also working on the best way to support the boat to the trailer without rubbing the hull or wood. This little task has turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Having a blast!

John

 

[backinblue]

Thanks for the feedback and thoughts about carpet and teak flooring. We have (as you) gone overboard with carpet on some boats and learned our lessons that more is not always better. Similar lesson learned with canvas and something that went into our planning with our last trawler (H38E) and the Sandpiper. One concern I have with the teak flooring is resale. 99% of these boats do not have any flooring and used for sailing without worrying about looks. I'll admit I'm having fun "dressing up" this little boat as some would do with an antique car. My approach with the carpet is to lay it down when required and stored away when not in use. As you implied there is no wrong choose, only preference.

Today I will be returning the two white West Marine fenders and purchase a long, flat style fender to protect the wood rub rail. Also working on the best way to support the boat to the trailer without rubbing the hull or wood. This little task has turned out to be more difficult than I thought. Having a blast!

John

I was going to say something about the white fenders, but didn't want to criticize. lol.

Personally I wouldn't want loose carpeting in a small boat as it could cause someone to lose footing at a time you need to brace your feet against something solid. I also think that with the classic style of your boat, teak could add to the value not subtract from it if done tastefully. It would become permanent flooring that is maintenance free and very non-slippery, especially when wet. You might want to look into it some more before you make a decision. You can get samples in different colors to see what would go best with your boat. You can also help influence the design pattern, color of teak, color of caulk, etc. Done right I think it would be a nice upgrade. Here's the stuff I like personally:
https://www.permateek.com/products/

 

[N4061]

Commissioning Process

While not exactly the same process as with a new trawler we consider the steps recently accomplished and continue today to be part of the "new boat commissioning process". With a trawler it can take months and normally under some kind of time pressure (builder wants his final payment or boat needs to leave California to beat taxes or, or, or). With the Sandpiper it ihas been a relaxed process / feeling since the boat is safely parked in the garage and to be honest a little more fun. Any pressure I feel is solely the result of my excitement to get on the water but with winter upon us I know i have time.

Looking back at the last seven weeks (amazing how fast time moves) since we took delivery, we have delt with insurance companies, found a boat yard who did an excellent job with repairs, received fenders from the Netherlands, made at least six trips to West Marine stocking up on items, played with boat in the driveway and experienced our first launch. But we not done yet, today we purchased a marine toilet built by Dometic through West Marine and saved $70 since this model part number was just changed by Dometic (no changes except for price increase), we ordered a flat fender from Wholesale Marine and an air fill pin from the manufacture of the rope fenders. Today I asked the company in the Netherlands if they would build me a custom rope covered square fender so we can be consistent with our fenders and look while are the dock. We are still debating imitation teak flooring or custom carpet and designing a custom dodger for privacy when using the head. Looking to add more teak but not sure where. Still need trailer tie downs without rubbing on the boat, replace some trailer rollers and considering some springs to soften the ride. I know there will be more over the next year especially once we start using her.

Take away from this post: it doesn't matter how small or large the boat the commissioning process takes time, and it doesn't pay to stress over it, just enjoy it. It will get done when it gets done.

John

 

[BandB]

Take away from this post: it doesn't matter how small or large the boat the commissioning process takes time, and it doesn't pay to stress over it, just enjoy it. It will get done when it gets done.

John

Wifey B: Easy for you to say and perhaps do. I can't imagine my hubby ever doing it. Now, I'm not saying I'd be better or more patient, just he's got a longer history of proven pattern. Good thing is he knows himself so avoids situations not compatible with him.

 

[BruceK]

Well, after a 3 week wait our rope covered fenders finally arrived from the Netherlands and I'm pleased to say they matched exactly what was in the catalogue. I was concerned the color (dark blue) would arrive lighter and not match the hull and we would have to return them, but everything worked out. Initial inspection confirms the overall quality appears very good..

I could honestly see these new fenders covered in black rope on a new Nordhaven. Wonder if there is anyone out there possibly with a new N68 completing commissioning reading this post??

John T

What a relief the colour matched! They are reproductions of fenders of old. Regarded as maritime antiques, I recently saw one auctioned.

 

[backinblue]

San Diego in the winter. Must be hell dealing with those temps dipping into the low 70's!

 

[N4061]

New Cushions and more

This week we returned the two small white fenders from West Marine and ordered a single 3' x 2' flat fender which we believe will provide better protection to the rub rail and hull at midship location. The fender is light weight so attaching it to existing small hooks designed to tie down the tent cover that goes over the folded sail and boom (I believe this is what it does) should work. I'm also looking for very small brass tie downs but hesitant about adding too much to the deck area.

I have an inquiry into the company in the Netherlands whom I purchased the rope covered fenders, if they would dress up this new fender with similar rope. If not, we will likely purchase two additional traditional fenders to match the original two for added protection (and good looks).

The Dometic portable head has shipped from West Marine and expected within the next week. Yesterday we visited Jeddy's Interiors located in Dana Point, CA. (yes, home of Nordhavn main office) and had them look at making us a carrying bag for the rudder along with flooring. We are still considering the manmade teak floor but thought why not get a price for indoor / outdoor carpet. We were pleased to see a new material which is similar to the manmade teak, yet different enough to offer a different look and you don't have to glue it down. More like a rubber backed custom rug of sort. Hard to explain but we got excited and awaiting a quote. While we were there Mary worked on a few items for the house so overall a good trip. We did get to see an older N57 in the harbor which was neat since it's been years since we last seen that model. Still looks great.

Not sure about the weather this weekend but the boat is ready to go at any minute for launch #2. Having fun!

John

 

[N4061]

DMV & Rope Fenders

It was a busy week (so far) with a trip to DMV with the boat in tow for them to inspect the trailer and a second attempt at registering the boat. Fortunately, everything went smooth, and it only took three hours (ouch)! The downside to registering the boat is having to add all those 3" high letter and numbers to the forward section of the hull. Anyone know what the penalty is for not installing the registration sticker and numbers?

Last night I ordered two additional blue rope fenders! I will now have four fenders and the "black center section flat fender" Total of five fenders for a 15'6" boat, should be enough but we will see.

The head arrived and still in the box, need to open it up and perform a fit check. Just based on its dimensions it should work fine.

Weather is looking "fair" tomorrow with mostly sunny skies and 70 degrees on the water - possibly a day out on the water??

Keep you posted.

 

[backinblue]

It was a busy week (so far) with a trip to DMV with the boat in tow for them to inspect the trailer and a second attempt at registering the boat. Fortunately, everything went smooth, and it only took three hours (ouch)! The downside to registering the boat is having to add all those 3" high letter and numbers to the forward section of the hull. Anyone know what the penalty is for not installing the registration sticker and numbers?

Last night I ordered two additional blue rope fenders! I will now have four fenders and the "black center section flat fender" Total of five fenders for a 15'6" boat, should be enough but we will see.

The head arrived and still in the box, need to open it up and perform a fit check. Just based on its dimensions it should work fine.

Weather is looking "fair" tomorrow with mostly sunny skies and 70 degrees on the water - possibly a day out on the water??

Keep you posted.

Many boats around here post the reg sticker but not the numbers and have no problems. If you do put the numbers on, I'm sure you could get by with less than 3" even if that's the regulation. Personally, I usually don't bother with the numbers on my dinghy and even on my boat, they are smaller than regulation and are on my window instead of the bow. I'm sure it varies from place to place. At least where I am, the harbor police have better things to do than worry about letter size. With a small boat as yours, I think they'd allow some slack if you cheated on the size. As an option you may be able to come up with a wood panel that you can display over the side or attach and remove as needed if you don't want to put 3" ugly stickers on your hull.

 

[N4061]

Air Pump Pin

Thanks for the reply regarding the registration numbers. My plan for now is to purchase and save them in a bag on board the boat. We will see how lucky we are this season.

We received the Rope Fender air fill pin from the manufacturer this week. As you can see from the picture, they are different from what we are all use to using.

Weather is not cooperating this weekend with high temperatures on the water about 69 degrees which equals no boating for Mary and Sailor Blue (or myself). This is typical whenever we buy a new boat, the weather always turns bad for us (all relative I know - we could be in the Northeast this weekend).

At least having the boat in the garage provides me the opportunity to mess around with her anytime I feel like it. The home exercise equipment is working out well and I'm already seeing improvement with my arm strength. I started out with 10 chin-ups and pull-ups each and now up to 13 each in less than two weeks. A few years back I was able to do around 25 of each, not as many as when I was in Jr. High and did around 35 but still not bad for someone in his Mid 50's. The real test will be the next time I raise the mast and see if it's any easier. Appears my thought that sailing would help me get back into shape is starting to work out and we still have not even install the sails. Fun stuff.

John

 

[backinblue]

It's pretty hilarious to some of us that 69 is too cold. There is a blizzard outside here with wind chill temps well below zero today. There are some live-aboards in RI with even worse conditions. 2+ feet of snow, hurricane force wind gusts, single digit temps. We would kill for sunny and 69! Anyway, I continue to wish you the best with your new boat and adventures. I would really be surprised that anyone stops you for not having registration letters displayed.

 

[N4061]

Second Launch

This weekend's weather not only made for a good Superbowl, but it was great for boating. We decided we would deal with the crowded launch ramps and plan for our second launch on Saturday. With the battery charged and the boat prepped the night prior we left around 11:00am for the short 13-mile drive to Oceanside harbor. Upon arriving we could see Catalina Island about 35 miles offshore and the ocean was flat except for a four-foot swell that was breaking nicely on the beaches.

I was anxious to lift up the mast since this would be the first time performing this task in over a month and since I started working out. To my surprise I found the mast to feel lighter and had no issues raising it into position. It appears my pull-ups, chin-ups and push-ups are paying off. Preparing the boat for launch went quicker than the first time and Mary and I were better coordinated with each other's responsibilities. With Mary on the boat ramp dock, I backed the trailer down and into the water before attempting to launch the boat. After a false start pushing the boat off the trailer, we realized I needed to back in a little further for the boat to float off the trailer.
Once the boat was afloat and tied to the dock (with the new flat fender centered at midsection - worked great) I parked the truck / trailer and paid for the parking ($10/day).

Returning to the boat with Sailor Blue (she was not happy) we all boarded, and I quickly set up the Torqueedo OB and untied the lines. Thats were the fun started (again). For some reason I cannot back up the boat with a cross wind without go in circles. Embarrassing - yes! After a few minutes we were clear of the dock and cruising the harbor in full control but "what is going on with myself and this boat"? Is it the hull shape combined with side mounted OB and large rudder?

Soon after we lowered the centerboard and "wow" what a difference in steering control. Despite the hull having a nice keel aft and large rudder I could not believe how much the center board assisted under power and at very low speeds. Another lesson learned!

We cruised around for almost two hours enjoying the weather and just being on the water. We took a few large swells from passing powerboats near the inlet to the ocean and the Sandpiper handled them better than I expected on the quarter transom. Minimum squatting when compared to our trawlers and the Sandpiper does not have a canoe stern. This is something I look forward to understanding more over time and apply to the next boat (assuming there is a next boat). Mary and I both feel safe in this little boat and look forward to sailing her in the ocean (on calm days) in the future.

When it was time to leave we landed at the boat ramp dock without any issues and let the wind carry us the final few feet. Upon walking up the ramp I realized I picked the ramp with a ton of oyster shells all over the place and thought this will be a good test for the new Honda truck and it's AWD. Realizing the boat trailer is not designed for "floating" the boat on my first positioning of the trailing was not deep enough and had to back in a little further. Walking on top the trailer to the bow of the boat to hook up the strap brought back memories. With the boat secured I put the truck in gear and slowly pulled the trailer & boat up the ramp without any issues (AWD is nice). Lowering the mast was easy but preparing the boat for the trip home took longer than planned due to all the people stopping by to comment on the boat and ask questions. Once at home it was time to wash the boat inside and out and put her back in the garage. While we knew a dark blue hull would look great and require care from the saltwater, we were both amazed how fast the saltwater dries and leave the white streaks (ouch), good thing we keep her on a trailer, and she is small.

I sent Geoff an email last night asking what I'm doing wrong backing out and he advised that Catsailboats are "not" best for backing up! Add in the side 'mounted OB and we will likely struggle a little. Well at least it's not just me forgetting how to steer a boat.

For those interested we ran the Torqeedo about 1 1/2 hours (between 30% - 50% power) and only used 12% battery capacity. These new batteries are amazing.

Looking forward to possibly my first day of sail training next weekend.

John