Boat Launch Day (sorry, no kilts)

[Alan H]

For the past year, off and on, I've been finishing off a hull kit for a little 15 foot rowing and sailing boat from Chesapeake Light Craft. I purchased the 80% completed hull from the local Sea Scouts, the fellow who'd started the project got sick of it and gave it to them. I finished off the last of the woodwork, did some finishing touches to the hull, then did the varnishing and painting. I prepped the oars and oar leather. The sailing rig is slowly coming together in my garage, but it was time to get her wet, this weekend.

I couldn't have asked for better weather on Sunday; warm, almost windless, bright sun. Wow! We launched Vingilothiel at high tide at the Port of Redwood City, and christened her with Lismore single malt whisky....one for the boat, one for the skipper and one for....not Neptune, in this case, but Ulmo, Vala of the Waters in JRR Tolkiens legendarium.

Everybody had a chance to row her, and we had folks out rowing in single and three's from about 11:00 - 3:00. Most of the guests are sailing friends, two of which had built their own small boats, and one of which is my best bud, Synthia, who is also my sailmaker. There were four sailors on hand who've done the solo race to Hawaii, that I did (in a much larger boat) in 2008. It was GREAT day! On to the pictures, there will be more coming, I'm sure!

Port of Redwood City launch ramp....on January 8th, 2012. T-shirt weather in January in the SF Bay Area.



Yours Truly and the Mrs. on the docks...



Dockside, after the blessing and dousing with single malt...OK, actually this is later in the afternoon, but whatever...





The vinyl name didn't arrive in time, so the name is on there, printed on a piece of paper and taped on. Hey, you do what you gotta do.