2007 Unofficial Summer 'SAILSTICE' Rendezvous

The Fleet:

What started out to be 4 boats became a group of 3 as the crew of ?Rosebud? was unable to join us. We all arrived at the Hingham launch ramp at various times Friday night,with our boat,?Spice? being the late arrival at 9:45PM. Rigging can wait til morning! We awoke to a brisk WNW wind that seemed very promising for a speedy downwind run to Cohasset. Everyone was up bright and early,and we went for a great breakfast at ?Stars? across from the ramp. The launch went very smooth,and we quickly had all three boats in the water,using the great launch ramp provided. After launching,we motored the boats about 400ft over to the town dock,to retrieve launch vehicles etc.

And then the plan changed?

Spice is off the dock,ready to go. Mildred Rose is ready. At Ease is dead in the water! Now, Harry had just had major service done by the capable folks at 3A Marine,there in Hingham,only a day before. And the boat fired up fine on the launch ramp,but here we are?At Ease is dead at the dock. With the limited tools and info we had,Paul narrowed the problem down,but we still didn?t have an answer. After a quick trip to 3A, Harry arranged for ?road service? right there at the dock. Their guy had it figured out pretty soon and ran off to get the parts. Back in no time,he?ll be done quick and we?re getting ready to go! And then the new part breaks!

Well,it?s another dash to 3A to get a part,and finally? we have 3 boats ready to go. The motoring procession starts out,headed to Hull Gut and out to a wonderful day of sailing. If you have never run the channel in Hingham Bay,it?s really interesting. It seems to wander all over the bay,like a snake dotted with red and green cans,but it?s very well marked,and a pleasant ride out, past moorings and yacht clubs.

The sail down was excellent, with the weather cool and breezy,and the warm sun shining on us. More like a fall day than a summer day. We all wandered down towards Scituate,some wing and wing,some tacking, using as much ocean as we could. As a matter of record,yes,Spice had an accidental gybe,and we pulled a great 360o spin to recover-yahhooo! It?s moment like that that make sailing fun.

With the late start,we decided to go straight to Scituate,bypassing our Cohasset stop. About a half hour out of Scituate ,I hailed the folks at Satuit Boat Club,who informed me that our moorings were ready and we would be greeted at the Number 8 can. Wow?escorted into our mooring! We arrived in Scituate about 6:30PM,as the breeze started to slack,and the sun began a slow drop into a beautiful sunset. A perfect backdrop for the picturesque Scituate Harbor.

As we settled in,the launch came around to collect mooring fees,and it was a déjà vu moment. Bob,the friendly harbormaster at Hingham,also runs the launch at Satuit! Small world, isn?t it?

So, we all piled into the launch,and it?s off to T.K. O?Malley?s for dinner on the outdoor deck. And?if anybody asks?this is where the Bow Babes Calendar idea was hatched! (That?s all I?m saying on that!) Nancy,Millie and Linda can fill you in !

Mildred Rose led the way,providing an anchor for us to raft up for a long and leisurely lunch. Our stowaway passenger,Wally the Parrot, came out to entertain before lunch,as he?s often done in the past. We had an assortment of food that would rival any buffet table,and with a little Jimmy Buffet,and the warm sun beating down,everyone was in snooze mode soon after. I could resist any longer ,and went in for a dip,and a swim around the boats in the brisk 62o water. No trip to the beach is complete without a swim!

Now we could have stayed there indefinitely,but we still had several miles of beating to the wind ahead of us,and it was time to go. At Ease and Mildred Rose stayed in and Spice went out looking for wind. Well,shortly after the wind quit inside,we lost ours too,and it was time to ?motor on?.

Shortly after 7 we arrived at the ramp,again greeted by a beautiful sunset. With no wind,retrieving boats was easy,and by 9 we were on our way.

A wonderful weekend of sailing with NE-TS friends.

Dan Lacey SV?Spice?