Tag Archives: boat

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There’s a boat here somewhere

Two of the ferries, that cross Puget Sound from Port Townsend to Whidby Island, are in this photograph from January. But it’s the sky that distracts. The ferries and the dock look small in the sound and the sky.

I do miss the Salish Sea!

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: boat.

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Foul weather gear

My daughter gave me new foul weather pants for sailing for my birthday. She borrowed mine when she started college. She was on the racing team at Western Washington and my pants took a beating. During this visit she put about 1/3 of a roll of duct tape on them for an alumni race in the Lopez Island harbor. I offered to loan her my new pants but she explained that hers are now a tradition, duct tape and all. Her team won the regatta.

Here we are showing off the pants. I got lots of hugs for my birthday too, hoorah. I think my son took the photograph!

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: hug.

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Dock and gangplank

As the tide comes in, the dock and the boat rise with the tide. The rings rise up the pipes of the pipe dock.

The gangplank is hinged so it can swivel. Stairs would not make sense, because the angle would change as the tide changes.

No hinges or swivels on the bridge!

I took these yesterday in La Conner, Washington. This is the Rainbow Bridge over Swinomish Channel.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: swivel.

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Ladders at work

You can see the ladder that we used to clamber on and off the boat while the mast was removed, set down on sawhorses by the boat and then secured on the deck. I had a woman shipwright from Haven Boatworks and she was fast and efficient. I helped. I am not bad with knots but she is way better.

I have a ladder at home so I can do some cleaning and buffing and show Sun Tui to interested buyers!

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: ladder.

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Boat for sale

Sun Tui is a 23 foot sloop, built in Hong Kong by American Marine in 1960. She is plywood sided and has a nearly full keel. The crane operators yesterday say that she weighs 5000 pounds: that keel makes her very very stable to sail. The tiller is a carved dragon with the world in its’ mouth and there is a carving of Kwan Yin inside.

My daughter and I used a 40lb trolling motor to drive her through the boatyard yesterday. That is equivalent to 1/2 horsepower, but the little motor could still move the boat. There was very little wind or waves. We got to the smaller of the two cranes. The crane operators measured Sun Tui and then looked at the trailer. Huge thanks to my friend R! He and I replaced the tail lights on the trailer two days ago and he brought it to the boatyard. I don’t have a truck.

Here my daughter and I are waiting until the crane is in place and the slings are lowered.

We motored slowly into the sling. The crane operators caught the boat and held it with boathooks while the operator slowly started lifting the slings. We rode up to the street level, they moved the boat towards the street, and we stepped off. The boat is raised until it can be carried through the boatyard.

Here she is pressure washed, to help prevent species from moving from one place to another.

Rolling. We have one huge crane and three smaller. This is one of the smaller ones.

They were very careful and thorough putting Sun Tui on the trailer.

On the trailer, but not home yet! The mast is too tall to go through town without hitting wires that cross streets! Next we go to Haven Boatworks, where a second crane removes the mast and the shipwright helps secure everything.

All packaged for transport!

Now Sun Tui is at my house, ready for further cleaning and work. I hope that we find her a new home and much love!

I sent my son the final photograph and he sent back “Congratulations!” Hooray!

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: congratulations.

For further information about owning this boat, email me.