What a year this has been!  I was very slow on reporting Cedar Key this year, except on Facebook.  BTW if you want to join me on FB look for Larry Whited. It has become my default reporting tool these days. 

Cedar Key this year was a fun, relaxing vacation for both Karen and me, oh and let us not forget Pussifer, our beloved cat who kept us good company in our 23 foot travel trailer at Sunset Isle, RV Park.  We sailed Cadenza and pedaled around on our bikes.  As always we enjoyed our friendship with those who come early and stay late.

And wow, what a fine assortment of boats this year.  I’d be shortchanging someone if I tried to describe all the great boats that we ogled on Friday and Saturday.  I particularly was planning on meeting Simon and Christy and seeing their Goat Island Skiff.

And she is a work of art as you can see.  I was waiting for Simon to give me a ride when by chance, I walked up to a familiar trimaran on the beach.  I called out to Brian Ford, “this looks like Chief’s old boat.” “Indeed it is,” he replied.  The more we talked, the more enamored I became and before long I was taking a ride on this magnificent tri.  Needless to say, I was completely hooked, and any ideas of building the GIS were long gone out of my head.

I did take a ride on the GIS and it is indeed a fine boat.  However, the fast and stable comfort of a well designed Tri took my heart. And my heart won!

Sunday we consummated the deal in the trailer.  Thank goodness for wireless networking and Paypal:). Brian took us out sailing.  The wind was about 12 knots and we did...twelve knots.  The local Windrider 17 came out to play and tried to outmaneuver us.  I must say it gave me great pleasure to see Brian completely out foot him and pass well to windward with a commanding lead.  This lead to my new outlook on racing which is  “I don’t like racing, I just like to leave ‘em far behind!”

Right now Tridarka is siting on her trailer in the back yard.  I had several mods and upgrades that I have implemented.  First, I rebuilt the steering shaft mechanism with a 3/4 inch shaft that is lubricated and held down with a series of Starboard wafers.  A couple of oversize cut wafers trap and allow for the swing of the roll pin I drove through the shaft this is toped with a shaft size wafer.  On the deck, I bonded another Starboard wafer to lubricate the turning action of the shaft head.  I also painted all the blue areas Hunter green which is more restful to my eyes.  The rudder housing had a makeshift repair which I completely redid in Kevlar and faired it out so there would be no turbulence.  I created a three part down-haul for the cunningham so the process of tightening the luff is much easier. It also quickly hooks for reefing.  The last issue is with the hatches both inside the cabin and on the decks.  They all leak.  I have never had much luck with access hatches as they are made today. So I will build them out of wood and I guarantee they will not leak anymore. 

Anyway, I am ready to go sailing with this fun, fast boat.  I am ready to beach camp and day-sail, anytime, anywhere. 

Thank you Chief, Hal Link, and thank you Matt Layden for such a wonderful design!  Thanks to Brian Ford for making it happen and showing me “the rope.”

Pictures of the rudder and its repairs.  “Pussifer” and trying out the tramps.

So what happened to Cadenza, my beloved SeaPearl 21?   She went to a nice home with Ted Jean of West Palm Beach.  May she live long and prosper!

9/5/2011  The work continues on Tridarka. Steve and Ginny are here and Steve has glassed the new lee board made by Ruddercraft.  What a beauty it is and what a fabulous job both Steve and Ginny have done on the board.  The guard boards are being shimmed out right now and it should be ready to sail very soon.  The hatches are done. All I lack is a method of securing them.  I am very gratified with the outcome.  They just need a latch mechanism to hold them in place. 

Building the floor hatches

Hatches in place. Need to be secured.

Pussifer, our cat surveys the finished rudder and finds it to be a good job:)