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**FrankZ** · 01-03-2009, 11:55

As of Thursday night (26 Feb 2009) another Bristol 35 is of the market. We took the plunge and are upgrading. We will be using it mostly for local cruising. The survey came back with a few critical (but easy) repairs needed before she makes the trip home so I spent the weekend taking care of those.

Most systems will need upgrading, but I wanted a sound boat that needed upgrades so I get the ones I want. I have a long project list, some that needs doing sooner and some that can wait.

Once the weather warms up I will get a nice picture posted up.

I did have my first experience waking up and have a couple of inches of snow on the boat this morning. Varnished teak cockpit grate covered in snow is extremely slippery.

Greenman · 01-03-2009, 11:57

Thats awesome! Congrats on the new boat.

Soundbounder · 10-03-2009, 17:08

Congratulations!!!
I have a Bristol 30, and previously had a Bristol 24.
They are good boats.

**Hud3** · 10-03-2009, 17:19

Bristols are sweet boats! Congrats, Frank!

**FrankZ** · 10-03-2009, 18:39

Had to upgrade the ride for when you come to visit Hud.

Hoping to move her this weekend.

Celestialsailor · 10-03-2009, 19:21

Aloha and Congratulations. Very well built vessel and fine sailer. She should bring you years of enjoyment and adventure.

**FrankZ** · 24-06-2009, 05:25

Just wanted to post a picture now that I have gotten her cleaned up and ready to sail.

**Hud3** · 24-06-2009, 05:27

Nice. Very Nice!

Now, get out there and go sailing!

Soundbounder · 24-06-2009, 05:28

Beautiful!!!
I love Bristols

**FrankZ** · 26-06-2009, 10:28

We got Bellesa out of the slip for the "shakedown" sail yesterday afternoon.

While I was motoring down the creek towards the channel I used the time to get the angle offset of the wind indicator right. Silly me, I thought I had it straight out in front of the mast, but nope. Oh well. Once we were straight into the wind I was able to figure out the angle of how far it was off. During that time I noticed we kept slowing down, I would reach down and bump the throttle and we we start slowing again. Once I quit paying attention to the wind display and more attention to the throttle it could be seen it was slipping slowly back to idle. I should be able to sort that this afternoon.

As we exited the channel we tossed off the sail ties and raised the main. The boom did not lift like it should and while the crew was using a winch to pull the boom up we heard a nice popping noise. Someone forgot to loose the preventer on the boom and it pull the fitting out of the boom by the rivets. No worries really. I wanted to replace it anyways. I think a PO intended it to be a vang, it wasn't really suited for that purpose.

Main up and genoa rolled out we cut the engine. THAT is nice. Didn't like the way the main was setting so we figured out the outhaul. Looks like a 3/8 allen screw at the gooseneck. A PO had tied some line to the clew of the main and to the outhaul car since the shackle didn't reach. There wasn't as much travel in the car as a result, that was fixed when we returned to the dock.

So now we are sailing across the river, making good time. A smattering of white caps on the water, little bit of spray off the bow. She was less tender than I thought she would be without the centerboard down (off season project). Once across the river, tack without having to back the headsail and a nice cutting arc behind us headed out to the open bay.

We were out for about 4 hours and she was an absolute joy to sail. The Wind was running between 10 and 18 knots with about a foot of chop, life was very good.

I have put right at 4 months of work into her and that first sail was so worth it. Hope to get out again tomorrow.

gonesail · 26-06-2009, 11:16

my throttle also likes to wander back to idle .. sometimes i put a bungee around it to keep it where i want it. remove the bungee before getting close to a dock. sounds like it was a pretty good day.