Here we are at mid-summer (late July) and we’ve had a lot of fun sailing. Tahoe is warming up (don’t know if that’s good or bad…climate change?) and so we’ve been swimming a lot when the boat’s on the hook, and using the boat as a relaxing platform to hang out, eat, swim, sun, and read when it’s hot in Reno. Having said all that, there are a bunch of niggling little challenges I need to work on.

1. The wind speed indicator isn’t working.

2. The depth meter also called it quits.

3. Then engine is running like a top…but I just found a split in the exhaust hose, which explains why the bilge was constantly wet. (In the video above, you can barely make out some dripping water, but it’s actually spraying a fine stream of water/exhaust against the port wall of the engine compartment.)

4. Little things like the traveler cleats are wearing out and need replacing. Yesterday, one broke while we were sailing and spit out all its tiny plastic ball bearings.

5. The sailboat trailer needs some serious beefing up before fall. (Do I see a welding class in my future?)

6. The stereo speakers in the cockpit are becoming yellowed and brittle from the UV and need replacing.

7. Debbie noticed yesterday that the “skylights” have released from their bedding compound and popped up.

8. The water coming out of the water heater has a serious “rotten eggs”/hydrogen sulfide smell. No idea what’s causing that.

9. Debbie’s also noticed that the porthole lenses are “dogged,” or cracked, from old age. (Add that to the Christmas list.)

10. And those 40 pieces of teak that I took out of the boat last year? They’re still on the floor in my garage, awaiting sanding and varnishing.

Oh, and to add insult to injury (wait for it…), there was a FRESH GRAPE on the floor of the cockpit when we boarded Splendido yesterday! I have no idea where it came from, but Debbie suspected nefarious grape-eaters boarding our boat by the dark of the moon and having wild grape-eating parties, peeling them and wantonly sharing them with each other while lounging (or maybe even dancing!) on the hard plastic of our uncushioned cockpit!

(I’m thinking either one of our gentle sailing guests dropped it from his or her munchies stash and I didn’t notice, or a jokester kayaker launched it while passing by on a morning paddle.)

Moving on from this reverie, I was excited to see blog followers Zack Sisemore and Sara Barnes pass by us in their lovely yacht, the Love Boat, along with a very cute dog in a life vest. Sailors unite! I look forward to seeing them plying Tahoe’s waters and living the sailing life more this summer and beyond!

OK, off to the garage to start on that wood. Fair winds and smooth sailing! DB