After several months of reawakening preparations after too many years on the hard, we finally gathered crew to take LITHA out for a shakedown sail on her first summer solstice weekend with us. My son came along and brought three of his friends to help. We slipped out without incident only to have the engine high temperature alarm sound as we left the channel and began to raise the main.
Having successfully raised the main, we elected to continue on across the bay in view of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in light winds and strong sunshine. Rolling out the smaller Yankee sail, we made slow progress toward Eastern Shore and Dad recommended I go below and check the engine strainer given we had just sorted out an air conditioner intake blockage the day before.
Not without mishap, I promptly broke the handle off the engine inlet seacock closing it to open the strainer....which was remarkably clean once accessed. I then proceeded to try every tool in the bag to rotate the seacock stub back into its open position as sweat rolled off me in rivers.
To add a bit of levity to the story, I will mention that my son took control of the music at about this time and I found myself chuckling as he played "Sailing, takes me away - to where I want to be" in full recognition that I really did not want to be twisted into the hot engine compartment wrestling a seacock stub while sailing. "The canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see"....as a small flesh wound appeared on my arm and added crimsom coloring to the mix. That song will never be the same for me now, but I hope to be able to laugh as I remember why.
After too long a while of trying and failing to reopen the valve, my son and his friend ventured down to help and we were pleasantly surprised as his friend gently and successfully rotated the valve back into its open position. All his experience restoring and modifying Audi's proved magical.
Upon returning to the cockpit, we found ourselves closing in on Eastern Shore and in need to come about. Once pointed back home, we traded the Yankee for the genoa and doubled our speed and guests' enjoyment as LITHA began to introduce us to her sailing abilities, despite the troubleshooting and repairs list growing in my head as we guided her back to her slip.
All in all, Dad said it was a great sail back which makes it all worthwhile!
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