Subject: RE: [Catalina-22] [GENERAL] -- The town docks are in! John Graichen, beware ....

From: "Chip Ford" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 08:01:51 -0400

Yesterday, in my message "[GENERAL] -- The town docks are in! John Graichen,
beware . . ." I wrote:

John Gaichen:  Remember that sailboat about the size of ours that was moored
very near "Malacass" off the town cemetary last fall, the one that looked
abandoned, like it was sinking?  There's just a mast sticking up out of the
water right about there now; judging from what I could see of the mast, I
think it's the same boat.  Be careful when you bring "Malacass" over to your
mooring after you launch:  watch for this new hazzard with maybe 2/3 of its
mast and spreaders in the air at low tide (when we passed by).  At high tide
(add 9 feet), you probably won't see the spreaders.

I forgot I'd sent John photos of this disaster-happening, but I just posted
them temporarily to the Chip Ahoy website (links below).  Anyone recognize
what kind of boat that is sinking?  I think it's the one with mast-only now
showing.  In the photos, "Malacass" is moored just to the left of it.
 
It might be a worthwhile salvage job for somebody -- but not me!  I've had
my two boats for this year.
 
See:
 
 <http://chipford.com/temp/061031_malacass2.jpg>
http://chipford.com/temp/061031_malacass2.jpg
 <http://chipford.com/temp/061031_malacass3.jpg>
http://chipford.com/temp/061031_malacass3.jpg
 
PS. -- John, you've gotta have your priorities, buddy!  I don't do anything
but boating on spring/summer weekends and everyone knows it:  the season's
just too short around here.  In the spring, I'm readying "Chip Ahoy."  In
the summer I'm sailing it.  Don't expect me to do anything else, don't even
ask.  Still, I got an invitation in the mail yesterday to attend a party for
my nephew who's graduating high school -- on a Saturday, June 2nd.  Hey, the
way I see it, make even one exception to the rule and you're dead.  At least
I'm known for my consistency -- even if as a cold-hearted, selfish pirate
bastard, arrrgh!  Then again, I'm not married either; but "captains' widows"
of yore accepted long separations while hubby was at sea for months at a
time if not years . . .
 
Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
CTY032820374
Chip Ahoy website:   <http://www.chipford.com> www.chipford.com
 
-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On
Behalf Of [email-masked]
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:36 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] [GENERAL] -- The town docks are in! John
Graichen, beware ....

The bad thing is, I just bought a mooring next to mine.  The question is, is
that the one.  I sent the picture from last fall to the moorings PO and ask
if that was my new mooring the boat was/is at.
 
It's killing me that I'm not in the water yet.  Seems like I have more to do
around the house than ever before, and that's without the things I need to
do to get in the water.  I'm about ready to say the heck with it and if she
floats, we're good to go.  It figures, the admiral has tickets to Fridays
Red Sox's game, Saturday we have a graduation party in the afternoon, Dinner
with my Mom in the evening and the dogs really need a bath so that's the
morning.  And of coarse on Mother's Day there is no way I'm going to be
allowed to pay attention to anyone or thing else.  It just never ends.  I
wish I had the money, I'd just pay someone to finish up or quit my job.
 
Anyway, Here's to getting wet soon (not as wet as the guy in my mooring
area). 
 
Good Wind and Be Safe,
John Graichen --
now in Nashua, NH
Marblehead, MA
1986 Swing Keel # 13315
CTYH 3315 K 586

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See what's free at AOL.com <http://www.aol.com?ncid=AOLAOF00020000000503> .

---

From: "Chip Ford" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 11 May 2007 09:36:06 -0400

I just called and spoke with the Marblehead harbormaster.  No, sunken boats
don't just remain out there a forgotten hazzard to navigation:  The owner
has a chance to recover it, then the harbormaster takes over if they don't.
The boat is then considered abandoned property, but the owner is fined
heavily.
 
The boat with the mast sticking up is NOT the one in the photos -- that one
was removed very late last fall by the harbormaster after sinking.  (I blew
up the photo I have of it and was able to recover its bow registration
number, but he didn't need it.)
 
The mast sticking up belongs to a Pearson 22, "a nice little boat, " the
harbormaster commented, bought by a new owner late last fall.  The
harbormaster called him once to tell him it (too) was sinking amid the ice.
The owner supposedly went out and bailed out the boat, but left it there,
where it eventually sunk in a blow.  He's got until this weekend to get it
out (and it's right alongside Stramski Beach, one of the few sandy beaches
anywhere close by onto which he can run it up for repair).  If the owner
doesn't remove it by then, the harbormaster will, and Stramski Beach is his
plan.  BTW, he said I was correct, the spreaders are just above water by
about a foot at high tide.
 
John, remember me warning you about leaving "Malacass" on its mooring over
the winter, as you were considering -- the danger of winter ice out there
?!?  Bet you're glad now you listened to me . . .
 
You owe me lunch and a beer or two when we launch "Malacass"!
 
Chip Ford --
Marblehead, Mass.
1974 Swing Keel "Chip Ahoy" #3282
CTY032820374
Chip Ahoy website:  www.chipford.com

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] On
Behalf Of [email-masked]
Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:53 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: [Catalina-22] [GENERAL] -- The town docks are in! John
Graichen, beware ....

Just got a response from the PO of my new mooring.  No that one isn't mine!
Now to get some scuba and see if there is anything I can use! ;)  
 
Chip, who takes care of these things?  They don't just stay out there do
they? 
 
Good Wind and Be Safe,
John Graichen --
now in Nashua, NH
Marblehead, MA
1986 Swing Keel # 13315
CTYH 3315 K 586

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