Century Club: Richard Turman

With weather approaching 70 degrees, just had to duck out of zoom calls a bit early and get out on the kayak.  So wonderful to be able to do so in light winds and shirt-sleeve weather.  Great chance to enjoy the evening, and realize that on Wednesdays not that long past I was racing at that time...

Went out around 5:10 p.m., and the sun had already gone down, since we moved off of Daylight Savings Time last weekend.  No wind, and air temps in the high 60's, which is a gift for November.  No boats out at all, and by the time I returned to our beach 30 minutes later, it was full-on dark.  Such a contrast to kayaking after work all spring, summer, and fall!  Herons were out, and I ran into a whole flock of Canada Geese in the water, so apparently they've not all left the Chesapeake by flying south -- yet.

Took out the kayak to remove some of the flotsam and jetsam that had become fouled in the lift under the powerboat amidst the highest tides in a decade, which came two nights before, and over-topped our dock by 20 inches.  Use the kayak to look at neighbors beaches to see if I could find any of the two dock boards I lost -- to no avail.

Took the powerboat down off its lift and ran the bilge pump to get the rainwater all out.  Then took it out for a spin.  Went to look at three keelboats that are on lifts, to see how the keel arrangement was handled.  Three different approaches!

Took my second ride on a Tartan 245, this one hull #2, this time in light air.  In 3-7 mph breezes off Annapolis Sailing School about 11 in the morning we had enough to move along pretty well, with the wind freshening enough by the time we came back downwind that we could raise the spin, which went up with remarkably little drama, and doubled our downwind speed -- from 2 knots to 4...  A good ride!