Spoke Too Soon

It's really just starting to hit me now that the water is gone 

and power is back on.  I may need to go cry for awhile.

If this is the worst thing I have to do....

It wasn't even raining real hard and the water was

already overflowing from the upper gutters.  Something

wasn't right.  The heavy bands haven't arrived yet, just 

a couple of shots off the bow.  A lull in the downpour

presented an opportunity to squeeze out my daughter's

bedroom window and survey the problem.  A clog in the

upper downspout was causing the overflow and explained

the trickle of water running into the lower gutter.  Might

as well clean out the lower one while I was there.  6:00

and we're as ready as we're gonna be.  Everything is 

already up from the basement floor, except the furnace

and water heater.  The new bilge pump will be working

overtime for sure.  Cocktail hour has officially begun.

Proper Class

Now this is America's Cup sailing.

Not a helmet or trampoline in sight.

Like Butter

Softened, melted, or better still, clarified.  My solids have

risen to the top.

Are You Ready For Some Pointy?

Halla Frickin Looyah!

Anchor Start Saturday

Torch

Torch and Mary Ann, the oldest A Cat at 87.

Raven

Raven, the eventual winner.  Let's go, Vang!

Hard alee!

Witch

Vapor, Mary Ann and Lotus

Wasp

I never get tired of watching these beauties.  And I felt

even more compelled to watch this race knowing that

the World Ducks will go on without me this year.  If

you have a chance, get down to Mantoloking on Friday,

August 26th.  Another true Barnegat Bay classic.

Photos courtesy of Braveheart

Friday with Charley

A typical summer Friday at Beaton's:  Raven getting her weekly 

bottom wash.  There would be others after her.  These classics 

don't use bottom paint.  Who'd want to slop that goo onto such

a gorgeous sailing machine?  Saturday's the anchor start race

at Ocean Gate.  Beside hauling the anchor and hoisting the 

football field-sized main (well not really, but..) as fast as the 

crews can at the sound of the cannon, a smooth and slimeless 

bottom will help these beauties get under way and around Good 

Luck Point for the long weather slog southward to the '40' marker 

just beyond Cedar Creek.  More on this unique race on the next post.  

It may seem to us like just a job, but I really think these guys 

understand the history and the tradition of the A Cat class that is 

being upheld, and they really do take pride in their work.

Upon hearing me wax on about how much I loved the A Cats and

the smoothness of Raven's hull, one of the guys suggested that I 

turn around and feast my eyes on 'Silent Maid', the immaculate

reproduction of the original, berthed and maintained at this mecca

of American boatyards.  I will never grow tired of this boat and will

always find yet another angle from which to snap a varnishy shot.

Talk about a pampered boat.  I think she's out of the water just

about as much as she's in.  Deep pockets in this case is an

extreme understatement.  

Russ in the big shed getting 'Speedwell' ready for her new sprit rig 

and possible entry in this year's World Ducks.  He was in the process

of inflating his flotation bags and had the lifting bridle attached, but 

I didn't know what was about to transpire a mere hour from then.  

Okay, so I finally sauntered over to the place where Charley Best

was supposed to be.  This is Marie Darling's houseboat.  On the hard

for years, the bilge in this boat is still below sea-level, and the shiny

floor proves it.  Shoulda got a photo.  I was too excited being here to

snap every detail.  We climbed the stairs and had a seat.  From that 

upper deck, our view was priceless and I found it hard to pry myself

from the rocking Adirondack chair I had occupied.   

Charley has been coming here for the last fifty or so years, and

lately splits his time between here and the Florida Keys.  He and 

I hit it off immediately.  We share many points of view, and it 

seemed as if I had known him before we ever met.  He told me

his Dad actually helped to dig many of the ditches and canals that

criss-cross the marshes surrounding Beaton's and West 

Mantoloking.  As a kid, my cousin and I would motor

our wooden rowboat in and out of many of these same ditches,

never even thinking about who or what may have created them.  

Raven being towed back to her mooring after a good scrub.

There's nothing like watching an afternoon go by from Marie

Darling's porch.  There was a nice fresh East wind blowing

into Beaton's harbor, and there was nowhere else I wanted to be.

Back to the dock for lunch.

The maiden voyage for Russ Manheimer's new sprit rig.  

Out through the A Cats toward Swan Point and........

free of the moorings and into clear air.

The view of Beaton's from Marie's porch.  Charley's catboat

is in the foreground. Marie's motorboat lies just to starboard.

I sarcastically said, in her presence, that I forgave her for owning

that motorboat.  Either she ignored me and decided not to belittle

me, or it went right over her head.  I'm fortunate she didn't rip me 

a new one.  Who the hell am I anyway?  

Lee Marie in her slip.  A forty year old Marshall catboat

looking much younger than her age.  I'm not surprised, now 

knowing Charley, at how well she has been cared for.  

I mentioned that I was rigging a ring to my mast for a whisker 

pole, and before I was able to add that I already had the pole,

Charley opened the doors to his freight container and produced

three poles for my perusal.  I always love going into Best Marine.

BTW, I still may need one of them Charley!

Charley and Marie volunteered to refinish this Duck Boat for

the  Friends of Belmar Harbor sailing program.  Let's face it.

 Right then, at that moment on the Jersey Shore, and across 

the country, how many other people were so focused on 

such a seemingly ho-hum task of sanding the wooden deck of a 

widely unknown, rather heavy and slow-moving little sailboat?  

Especially with the hopes that the kid sailing that boat would 

race well, and most importantly have fun in the process?

  When I left that day, this was the scene:  Three weeks until the 

43rd World Ducks and there was still work to be done.  Belmar's

 lucky to have two folks that care so much about preserving this 

institution. And I hope Russ's experimental rig is allowed to compete.

Hey Charley, don't forget the T-shirts!  Both XXL, one long

and one short sleeve.  I'll get you back.  You're a good man....

Wait.......What?

Am I all alone, or do some of you cringe at the over-used phrases 

and expressions that clutter our everyday conversations?  I could 

name a couple dozen of them easily, but I'd like to ask my readers

(both of them) to weigh in and offer forth their least favorite, over-

used, and trite contributions to the All-American pastime of small-

talk. It's not like I'm asking them to design a burgee or anything.

Hey Nineteen

Schaefer - was the - one beer to have - when you - had one more
than one dollar.  For $21.20, we could score a 1/2 keg of the world
famous Schaefer Lager.  11 people with 2 bucks and we were set.
All the rest was gravy.  And there was gravy to go around.  And,
often beer to shampoo your hair with in the morning.

My wife and I met at Clarion State College in 1980.

To this day, we have a very very small, close-knit

group of friends from out there who stay in touch.  

This weekend, two of our old friends made the trip 

East from Pennsyltucky.  Mike, in the Steelers cap,

was a roommate of mine.  He and I have stayed very

much in contact over the years.  He came out Friday

afternoon from PGH with wines from around the world.

It seems Jack Davis had something caught in his teeth

in this picture.  I think I was out looking for floss in the 

bathroom  when this was taken.

Sucks when you get old, huh Mike?

Lainey was my wife's first roommate.  She actually introduced us

to each other, in the dark, campfire-side, in the woods.  Did I

mention that it was dark?  I was supposed to be Sheik Yerbouti

in this shot.  Doug was a Saudi intern with a bandana.  Hescher 

was a Lennox air conditioner repairman with a floppy leather hat.

Miodus was the space alien army dude, and I still can't remember

the guy in red's name, but that's okay. 

The five of us went out on the bay on Saturday.  Fluky West winds

and black flies from hell prompted most of us to jump in and escape

the onslaught.  Lainey and her fiancee Mike assured us that the 

water was warm and the boat looked cool from their point of view..

Schaefer keg party # 267.  Doug seems to be having a flashback

while Malcolm holds up the wall next to the door.  I'm pretty

sure I gave him the Wharfside and Lobster Shanty T-shirt.  Good

chance nobody else in Clarion worked down on Channel Drive

in Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey in a seafood restaurant.

Marlin with the cigarette was positively mesmerized.

Very possibly the next night in the same apartment.  Miodus is

using Doug's mouth as an ashtray, apparently with Doug's 

permission.  Malcolm chose to wear a forest green shirt for the

occasion.  We never wanted to be caught wearing the same

outfit twice.  That would just be tacky.