Paradise Cove...

[Skipper Dave]

Thats where we are headed this Friday afternoon.  About a five hour sail drop a hook and spend the night.  Other members of our yacht club arriving on Saturday.  It just happens to be my birthday this Saturday so we are in for some fun.  Oh in case you were interested Paradise Cove is just north of Malibu CA.  So anyway this is our first big outing this year and looking forward to it.

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This morning it looked so nice out I thought I'd leave it out.

S/V "Tina Marie" Cal 2-27

[Pixie Dust]

Skipper Dave...It is my birthday Sat. too!!   April Fools Babies.   :D
Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you... ( in singy voice)   ;D ;D
Make a big wish and blow all your candles out.   Have a wonderful weekend!

[LauraG]

I hope you both have super birthdays!

[Pixie Dust]

Thank you Laura!   :)

[Skipper Dave]

Connie,
I just knew there was something I liked about you... Aries are the best and April Fool's are the bestest...ha ha. 

Have one for me and I'll have a couple for you.  BTW I saw you pics and commented on them.

Happy Birthday Connie

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This morning it looked so nice out I thought I'd leave it out.

S/V "Tina Marie" Cal 2-27

[Skipper Dave]

Well the birthday went very well we woke up Saturday morning in the V-berth, "my favorite place to wake up" and I was showered with  presents by my lovely wife.  The day continued to get better with birthday wishes from friends and family.  We topped it all by having a great dinner at home followed by my favorite "Chocolate Fudge Cake and Rocky Road Ice Cream.  A toast (or two) to another wonderful year with my favorite beverage Chardonnay.

As for the trip to Paradise Cove... I took off work Friday to get the provisions and boat ready so when Tina got off work we could shove off.  We left the harbor at 3:00pm Friday with cloudy Sky's a little wind and a four hour sail ahead of us.  As we left the harbor under full sail we were not fast enough to get to our destination by night so we enlisted the assistance of our iron genny.  Passing the break at a steady five knots I felt confident we would be there before dark.  Exiting the harbor I did what I always do just as we leave and that is to turn on the music.  It has been a while since we have been out on a weekend cruise and I felt that excitement almost like it was our first time out.  We were moving along nicely with a beautiful panoramic view of the Santa Monica Bay.  Three hours later far in the distance I could just barely make out the pier at Paradise Cove.  A soft turn to starboard and we were lined up straight ahead two more miles to our destination.  How great it is going to be to set a hook kick back some coldies and enjoy the evening.  I was thinking how neat it will be tomorrow to see our friends from the club as they arrive one by one when all of a sudden the engine started to spit sputter ping tap and cough.  Within minutes she gasped her last and with not enough wind we sat like flotsam on the sea of life.  Now the wind is gone it is almost dark and we are two miles from shore.  I went down to do the obligatory look see and burn my hand on the engine block.  Nothing was going to get this baby started tonight.  So I did what I had to do and called Vessel Assist.  The owner is a member of our yacht club and just happened to be at the club when I called him.  Within minutes Tina's phone was ringing with friends at the club worried about us as if we were stranded hundreds of miles off the coast.  It's nice to know though that people care.  It would be two hours before they arrive so Tina and I got out the cards and played poker...too cold for strip poker.  Just before Ted arrived we both looked out across the bay at the city lights...what a magnificent a sight.  Where we live we have a view of the bay that is referred to as the "Queen's Necklace".  We were seeing it from a whole different perspective that few ever get to see... how lucky are we.  Well another two hour tow back to the marina and we were in our slip by 10:30pm.  As we were being towed I told Tina to remember this moment because this is the fastest this boat has ever gone and ever will...Life is good aboard the "Tina Marie".

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This morning it looked so nice out I thought I'd leave it out.

S/V "Tina Marie" Cal 2-27

P.S. I'll leave updates on the condition of our engine...keep your fingers crossed.

[Pixie Dust]

Skipper Dave- sounds like you had a great time even though...just a different route to a great weekend.  At least you had a designated driver back to port.  :D
Presents and chocolate fudge cake WITH rocky road.  The Best!!!!

[Skipper Dave]

Connie,

Got your message/update on your weekend or should I say never ending weekend.  I have never heard anyone pack so much fun into a weekend as you.  Good for you. 

Dave

[Zen]

Hmmmmmm.
I wonder if there is something to that leaving on a Friday business...

Glad you had a safe trip and enjoyed all the moments.

[Skipper Dave]

Hey Zen,

I completely forgot about that...maybe...I hope not.

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This morning it looked so nice out I thought I'd leave it out.

S/V "Tina Marie" Cal 2-27

[starcrest]

Every time I arrived at the Big Island ,in all 3 boats there was engine failure.even on the 90 footer,it was powered by a 35 hp outboard and the spider gear in the lower unit was worn.the first time on the ariel the outboard barely limped in,then on the triton there was sea water in the ignition coil.there is some thing to say about safety in numbers.even skydivers jump with two chutes.on my next boat there will be more than one engine to rely upon.on the triton I fashioned an auxiliary outboard mount out of a side mounted boarding ladder.its called necessity is the mother of invention.having engine failure even so close to shore could be disasterous---ya dont want the ability to walk home.then theres the opposite---it woulda' been lossa' fun if those santa ana winds kicked in------been there----done that---P.S.---I was at Tahiti marina in MDR for about 2 years---worked at Santa Monica Hospital till around 1992

[Skipper Dave]

Starcrest,

What part of the hospital did you work in?  I used to work in the O.R. at Wadsworth V.A. I was the material mgr for the O.R.  That was many years ago then I went from buying surgical supplies to selling them.  Hey, I like your thoughts on having a back-up motor.  After I get the diesel fixed I'm thinking of getting an outboard.

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This morning it looked so nice out I thought I'd leave it out.

S/V "Tina Marie" Cal 2-27

[starcrest]

I worked in the radiology department from 1990 till about 1992. they had an x-ray macine in the ER that was rite out of a frankenstein  movie.If I recall properly part of that hospital crumbled in a quake.think about some type of removeable outboard mount that can be utilized in a flash. its your boat.be creative.I have seen large racing vessels with no inboards at all utilizing a removeable stern mounted out board mount with minimal horse powerage.even a 4 hp outboard is all that is needed in no wind conditions to get off of a lee shore danger situation.I had a "tip down"type side mounted boarding ladder that with a little ingienuity and a few added parts was able to mount a 4 hp outboard in a flash.it was not for long term continuous use....but it was better than nothing.the 90 foot schooner I was on (it was ventura's tall ship the 'chrystal anna'--back in 1986) lowered an inflatable along side and its out board (35hp) was the main source of propulsion.necessity is the mother of invention.one tool that can always be used and never lost is experience.