We revisit why we're doing this, and practice a bit of cruising.

This blog is about as consistent as my efforts at log keeping aboard TRIMMING OUT.  But as I continue this cruising life I realize that there are very few "shoulds".  Two that do come to mind are: "keep the water out" and "keep the people in".  However,  I did happen across some wisdom from L. Francis Herresshoff that you might find interesting.  Oh...and ...I'm writing this aboard in the Alameda Marina on a blustery evening, my little electric heater cranking out shore powered BTU's.

"Keep the cabin simple with everything stowed where it won't get wet or shifted in a knockdown.
 
Eat sensibly

Don't get sunburned, for no berth is comfortable under these circumstances.

Make the whole cruise an interesting game where you have pitted your wits against the elements;  try to do everything in the best and simplest way; try to improve your technique each time; rest and relax whenever you can, for there may be some occasion coming when you will need a well-rested mind and body.

If you cruise this way for a week in a small sailboat you will be greatly refreshed and strengthened, and if you go for a whole month you will feel like a Clydesdale stallion in the leafy month of May."

Last week I cruised from the Alameda Marina to Richardson Bay off Sausalito, and thence to China Camp and finally to Benecia, before returning via Richardson Bay to Alameda.  During the cruise I had a chance to weigh anchor sans use of the windlass as I believe the foot switch in the foredeck became waterlogged, lost my good hat overboard while climbing the mast to retrieve an errant halyard, had a great meal at the Union Hotel in Benecia, awoke one morning in a very thick fog for the first time in my life, got to use my wonderful little solid fuel heater, and finally, had to make two passes at my slip before jumping onto the quay to manhandle the boat into her berth.

Here's a picture of a fire warming the cabin on the foggy morning off China Camp.  Also...I have a little Forespar Marine gimballed cooker great for making coffee in the morning.

And here's what the fog looked like just as it was lifting

You might want to see what the layout is....The modification a previous owner made was to dismantle all the shelves and lockers aft of the chain locker and also to remove the partial bulkhead just forward of the settees.  He installed a v-berth in their place and then added footwells under the v-berth (with filler, a giant double bed) to extend the settees for sleeping or for storage.  This works well for me.  There is no WC in the aft cabin, but rather a big locker/seat.  A bowsprit has been added and the original forstay now terminates above the spreaders.  new forestay with roller furling genny extends to the masthead.  Yes I do get some weather helm in a blow, but one reef in the main eases that.  I have had the boat in 15-20 kts with SOG indicated at 6.8kts, but that was in San Francisco Bay and I was probably riding the tide for part of that speed.
Hard dodger extends from top where the original windshield aft to just forward of the wheel.  Don't know how that's going to be in warm weather as none of the windows facing forward opens.  Lots of fuel and water storage, and as I'm discovering an almost 50 year old mass of wiring that just goes on and on.

Hope this was interesting to a few of you.  Let me know if you have questions.