Little Bit Delivered

 I delivered Little Bit to her new owner today. A good bit of sadness. But I'm glad that the new owner is very excited. She's a girl who just moved here from San Francisco who loves sailing. She's sailed racing dinghies before but nothing like Little Bit and never a boat with a sprit rig. But she's eager to learn. I set up the boat for her so she'd have an idea what she was doing. She's smart and she'll learn. 

Here are two pics from the last time I sailed Little Bit back on October 15 in the fall. Robin was with me and snapped a couple photos.

Now it's on to new adventures. Hopefully I'll get Anago out more and then there's the new build: a Calendar Islands Yawl 16!

My Next Build

I ordered plans today for the Calendar Islands Yawl

https://www.chase-small-craft.com/calendar-islands-yawl-16

https://smallboatsmonthly.com/article/calendar-islands-yawl/

(note: the builder of the first CIY reviewed in the above article built the mast shorter than the plans called for)

http://forum.woodenboat.com/showthread.php?218379-Calendar-Islands-Yawl-build-in-NY&highlight=calendar+islands+yawl+build+ny

(note: this build won amateur first place at wooden boat show!)

Sold Little Bit

Bittersweet day - more bitter than sweet. I sold Little Bit this past Thursday. Sweet because it frees me up to build another boat (needed a "little bit" more cash and wasn't sure what she'd bring - I got full asking price). Bitter because I poured my heart and soul into her with 250+ hours of blood, sweat and tears (well, maybe not tears). Since then we've had many a good adventure, the memories of which will last a lifetime - 8 and a half years of them.

A girl who has just moved here from San Francisco bought her. She loves sailing and said she just has to get back on the water. I certainly hope she enjoys my "little bit" bigger dinghy as much or even more than I have.

The Gathering (Sept 2014)

For 15 or better years there has been "A Gathering" of Glen-L boat builders. Most of those have taken place at Hale's Bar Marina on Lake Nickajack. I try to stop down there every other year or so.  

Headed toward the marina with all my gear.

This was taken by a fellow boater/builder as I was "motor sailing" to the marina from the boat ramp.

Here is a good shot of me with Little Bit at the dock. 

 I slept on Little Bit under a tarp at the marina that night. 

I actually took a short sail with "crew". This man had driven down from Minnesota IIRC with his 15 year old grandson who had built his own boat. The grandfather kept a larger sailboat on one of the big lakes up there. It was a frustrating outing, at least at first. The wind kicked up and took us quickly out from the dock into the shallows (there is a reason they call it Hale's Bar). We got caught in the weeds or whatever it is that grows on the bottom of the lake there. It was difficult getting out of it. Once we did, we had a decent sail. The little "Zip" in the foreground is being skippered by the fellow who snapped my picture posted above. 

If you'll  notice, you can see the growth just behind Little Bit. 

Here is a pic of Little Bit next to the grandson's boat. He's standing on the right.

Here are a couple of the very nice boats that show up at The Gathering. Real craftsmanship!!!!

Here's a shot of the interior of the yellow and white trawler. IIRC this boat is from St. Louis. 

Here's a link to more photos of this event. 

Youth Group from Deep Springs Baptist Church

Here are a few pictures of the Deep Springs Baptist Church teens on a sailing outing on Heaven Bound in 2005 shortly after I became pastor. This is up on Chickamauga Lake. We launched from Harrison Bay State Park ramp.

 

Here they are up on Watts Bar in 2007. We sailed over to a little island about a mile south of our lot and hung out for a while before returning for a bonfire.

Land Camping Harrison Bay (June 2015)

We did a family campout at Harrison Bay State Park in June of 2015. We took some watercraft along though we camped on the hard. 

Here we are packed and ready to go.

 Camp is set up. You can see the Little Bit and my kayak in the background. The inflatable is somewhere, back of the Trailblazer I guess.

We had a swell time. The next day we spent some water time.

Robin and Tara had a blast in the inflatable.

Misc

I've come across some photos scattered about my many files of pictures that I thought should be on this blog. No order here.

Here are two picture that I love. The first is of Tara carrying Luke. We are on Heaven Bound on Watts Bar Lake. We had a lot with a dock up there for 12 years. This picture had to be made just before Luke was born in May 2006. 

This second one is of Luke with me on Pixie in September 2010. We went up to Ocoee Lake for a little row. I took him over to my camping spot. 

Here's another of Luke in the kayak taken Aug 2017. He would have been 11. 

Here's a picture of Little Bit ready for her maiden voyage. Notice she is not named yet. 

Here is a heavily cropped image of that first sail. Shortly after I began sailing her, I switched to a push/pull tiller so that I could sit on the sole of the boat and keep my weight low.

I'm pretty sure this picture was taken at the conclusion of the maiden voyage. Precious!