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gonesail · 30-09-2010, 09:35

we had a brutally hot summer with not much wind in north florida. some better fall weather sailing is on the way now and will last until christmas .. when the coldest air comes down from canada.

zeehag · 30-09-2010, 09:50

so far i havent had a sailing season--have been effecting some needed repairs on my formosa before taking her out and cruising. my sailing season is whenever i go out on opb or my own and lasts until i get back, if i have3 to come back.

**atoll** · 30-09-2010, 18:41

British hero sailor saves 24 starving islanders during voyage to Australia... and the name's Mr Bond

By Daily Mail Reporter
Created 2:40 PM on 10th May 2010

A British sailor came to the rescue of a group of 'desperate and starving' islanders after chancing upon them on his way to Australia, the coastguard said today.
Alex Bond, from Penryn, Cornwall, docked the yacht Mary Powell at Kanton Island - an atoll between Hawaii and Fiji - where he was met by extraordinary scenes.
Mr Bond, 46, who was delivering the 10-metre yacht from Hawaii, found the island's 14 adults and 10 children had been given no supplies for several months. The ship due to bring them was stuck nearby.

Sailor Alex Bond, pictured here with his partner Sonia Balfou, saved a group of islanders from starving to death after discovering them on his way to Australia

He contacted Falmouth Coastguard for help, who in turn called their American counterparts and the Honolulu authorities to arrange a drop-off.
In the meantime he gave the islanders - who had been surviving on coconuts and fish - anything he could spare.

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Visit the Falmouth People Website

A Falmouth coastguard spokesman said today: 'When the British sailor arrived, he was was met by the desperate and starving islanders who had not been delivered any supplies for months.

Remote: He found them on Kanton Island, an atoll between Hawaii and Fiji

'The supply ship which should have brought them provisions was stuck at a nearby island. They had been living off just coconuts and any fish that they could catch for months.'
The coastguard said there was no way of knowing who would have found the starving population, had not Mr Bond stopped off on there.
Richard Williams, Falmouth's Watch Assistant said: 'The British sailor has given the islanders all the supplies that he can spare from his 33 foot yacht.

'We are now working with the Americans to drop supplies or land on the island. As the island was used by the Americans and the British during the war it does have a run way.

It is the largest, northernmost and sole inhabited island of the Phoenix Islands, in the Republic of Kiribati, located in the South Pacific Ocean between Fiji and Hawaii

'We don't normally get requests like these from British sailors, but hopefully we will be able to help the islanders to get the supplies that they need.

'So far, we have been given a shopping list of provisions such as cooking fat, rice, sugar and flour which we have passed on to the Americans.'
As well as being a delivery skipper, Mr Bond is reported to have worked for the disaster relief charity, ShelterBox, based in Cornwall.

Life saver: Mr Bond, right, gave the desperate islanders any supplies he could before contacting the authorities

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Read more: UK sailor Alex Bond saves 24 starving Kanton islanders during voyage to Australia | Mail Online

RiverRat · 30-09-2010, 18:58

Now THAT's a great story. Good job.

Maine Sail · 30-09-2010, 19:15

Beautiful summer, light on wind but got lots of boat time in. Still sailing and will be in to early Nov. The best sailing in Maine is April to early June then mid Sept to early Nov. Fall racing is still going on too which is really fun..

IdoraKeeper · 30-09-2010, 20:32

This has been the best year ever. I got to sail with my wife and my sons on two trips for almost two weeks out and nothing was broken. All my winter refit stuff worked and we are not done yet. Looking forward to some winter trips.

Todd

mbianka · 01-10-2010, 05:25

Atoll:

Good to see that a cruising sailor can help some of the islanders. Usually it's the otherway around. Where sailors are saved by the locals.

Hydra · 01-10-2010, 13:02

The summer has been good: I spend 4 weeks sailing from south Brittany to England and back, with more nights underway or on the hook than in a marina

And the season isn't finished yet: tomorrow, I will get a permanent marina berth, after waiting for 6 years on a ball. It will be much simpler for weekend sailing before next summer, and also for mainenance.

Alain

redhead78 · 01-10-2010, 13:37

My season ended early also, but had lots of great sails and overnites, 10 day trip to chesapeake, all my winter work paid off, complete engine repower and all mechanicals redone. I have a couple of issues to address this off season, should be even better for next year......Red

swagman · 01-10-2010, 13:53

This season I've done the two greatest things a sailor can do.
Sold a boat.
Bought a boat.
The rest is just icing on the cake.........
JOHN

Arch Stanton · 01-10-2010, 13:57

This was my first season with my own boat. It has been a life-changing couple of months

Summer is definitely over but I have no plans to stop sailing now that the "season" is over! It doesn't get all that cold around here and summer is actually the worst season for wind anyway! Can't wait to match wits with a gale or two this winter.

I am bursting with excitement for my 4 month trip to the Queen Charlotte islands next year.

senormechanico · 01-10-2010, 16:36

Didn't go anyplace special, just three weeks in the San Juans and Gulf Islands, but what's not to like?
Wireless internet in several places thanks to my Bullet 2HP.
Flat anchorages and wind when we're sailing.
We were provisioned for a moon trip, but still hit 16 knots through the water at one point.
Janet got to quilt to her heart's content, thanks to our solar panels.

RiverRat · 01-10-2010, 19:25

OMG! Is she using a Bernina QE240? On a boat? That rocks!

senormechanico · 01-10-2010, 19:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by RiverRat

OMG! Is she using a Bernina QE240? On a boat? That rocks!

Actually, it's a 180 (my machine) Hers is a 440QE.
Both machines only draw about 60 watts when sewing pedal to the metal.
We run them on a cheap 300 watt modified sinewave inverter.

When I looked a little closer at that photo, I cringed.
She ought to know better than sew with the handle up like that as it might snag the thread.

BTW, I'm a Certified Bernina Technician, so she gets her tuneups for free.