Friday Funny 04/28 (Swimming Lessons)

My swimming ability.

I can swim a bathtub length, but since Denali Rose doesn't have one, I'm out of luck.

Wrangell has a really terrific Community Center, and it's very reasonably priced for membership. Once you have joined, most lessons, and activities are free, and you certainly can't argue with that. In the past when we have been in Wrangell, I joined, and used the weight room, and exercise machines. 

Just recently they advertised that they were giving adult swim lessons, and Bill encouraged me to go. I have had swim lessons three different times in the past, and have sort of learned how to float, side stroke, and dog paddle. I don't really consider that swimming, though that will probably help in saving myself if I accidentally fell in the water.

I never learned to swim as a child.
A. Anchorage didn't have a swimming pool when I was growing up.
B. One of my first memories is falling off of the dock at Big Lake, seeing the underwater piers, and having my 5 and 7 year old brothers pull me out. Sort of colors my brain for being in the water. The story goes that Ralph was hanging onto me calling for David to help, and David had to tie up his toy boat first. ;-0

Always wear your PFD!

I have been going to water aerobics three times a week, before they advertised the swim lessons, so in addition to exercising, and meeting new people, I was getting used to being in the pool. Who knew???

Wrangell's pool, it's different, that's saltwater in there.

I went to my first lesson last night, and it went well. I back floated, (wearing fins, to practice correct kicking), all the way to the far deep end, and back. Whoa! Who goes into the deep end on their first swim lesson? ME! 

The instructor gave each of us a pair of swim goggles, and a latex swim cap, we get a t-shirt at the end of the course. One of the other students complained that her best pair of swim goggles just broke, my burning question is; "why are you in a beginning swim class if you have a best pair of swim goggles?"

So, just like me, you will have to wait to see the outcome. Will I learn to swim, will I finish the class, and most importantly, what will my awarded t-shirt say?

Do you know how to swim, have you taken lessons, did you get a t-shirt as a prize? 

We enjoy hearing from you, comment here or on our Denali Rose Sailboat Facebook page.

(And incidentally, I HAVE taken piano lessons too, and don't really play. Chopsticks anyone?) ☺

Tidbit: Snags in the boatyard...

Subtitle: Cutlass bearing replacement [in a strut] without removing the prop shaft

This is one of a series of brief, no nonsense posts that we call aTidbit: 

noun; small and [possibly] particularly interesting item of gossip or information...

The purpose is to share succinct posts about lessons learned, or things we use or do that work [or don't...] that are common to most of us boaters. 

The goal is to garner feedback from those of you having first-hand experience with a different approach/ solution/ product/ or additional useful information to share...  

We never assume what we are sharing is the ideal or only; it just seems to best suit our needs [and/or habits and/or budget] from our experiences thus far...

Note: The original blog post [below] has been inducted into Tidbits since it qualifies, but was published almost 2 years before we initiated the Tidbit series...

                               ➛ ➛ Peruse the right-hand sidebar for the up-to-date list of Tidbits ➛ ➛                               

We are just wrapping up our first maintenance haul out of the boat since she became ours in mid 2014.

It was time to refresh the bottom paint, replace the cutless bearing [one in the strut], replace the bellows on the dripless prop shaft seal, and install the new forward looking SONAR.

This post is about how the little things can be costly... In this case, a set screw that refused to budge...

A boat buck [and 3 extra days in the boat yard] took care of that 40¢ screw alrighty...

Following is my first attempt at embedding posts from our Denali Rose Sailboat Facebook page, where these events were originally chronicled... [Along with several others...]

I do this out of pure laziness with total disregard for what you might prefer... [and because, well, we are still on the hard and very busy...]

Please let us know what you think of this approach. [Not that we will do anything about it...]

Note that you do not need a Facebook account to read the two following detailed posts with annotated photos.

Friday Funny 04/21 (Wrangell upcoming events)

Very True

This will be another quick one since we are still awash in boat projects on the hard.

Sign at the Reliance Harbor.

The Wrangell King Salmon Derby is coming up, and I hope we get a chance to participate this year.

The artwork of Ray Troll

Ray Troll lives in Ketchikan, (south of Wrangell Island), and he has terrific artwork, designs, and clothing. Check out his website for more fun! His artwork is everywhere in Alaska.

Salmon Sister's have a fun clothing line, as well, as Octopus Ink.

The Fourth of July Celebration plans are ramping up. Who would like a Wrangell T-shirt, the boat races will be back this year after a hiatus. Wrangell Chamber E News. (this will give you a taste of our small-town happenings)

Are you fishing this summer? We enjoy your comments here, and on our Denali Rose Sailboat Facebook page.

Friday Funny 04/14 (On the Hard)

Denali Rose is out of the water and sitting in the Wrangell Boat Yard getting some maintenance done.  (Sailor talk: being on the hard). I haven't had much time to do my usual Friday Funny, so please enjoy one of my favorite singer/songwriter's version of "The Hard".

The Hard

Yes, we are still living onboard, the yard workers tend to quit hammering, sawing, welding, and painting by about 7:00pm, and all is pretty quiet. We're taking showers at the laundromat across the street, and the yard has a restroom. The boat is connected to power with a 30amp cord, so we have electricity onboard.

Friday Funny 04/07 (Boot Camp)

You're in uniform now!

No, not the military kind.

My birthday was filled with boots! Some of you saw on Facebook Denali Rose Sailboat, the new Xtrafuf boots that I got the day before my birthday. These boots are so popular in Alaska, that almost everyone owns a pair. It's called the Alaskan Sneaker. We had a guest ask, "why is everyone wearing the same boots?" Because, they, (reportedly), are super non-skid, waterproof, warm, and last forever. 

My pair, Legacy, 15" Copper Blue.

I couldn't decide which size I wanted, (sizes run small), so I put a 9 on one foot, and a 10 on the other foot. I decided on the 9, and repackaged the boots. When we got back to the boat, I discovered I still had one 9, and one 10....  oh crap, repackaged the wrong one. So back to Angerman's I went, to apologize, and get two size 9s. PS, if you want a pair, they ship, and their prices are less than other websites.

Xtratuf is sort of a cult here. They come in various forms, sizes, and types.

Can Cozie

Earrings

Baby Booties

Shot Glass

T-Shirts

Salmon Sister's Designs

And more...... Christmas decorations, keychains, paintings, knitted boots, painted boots, custom fleece liners, and people wear them to all kinds of events. You'll see them in restaurants, town, (of course), fishing, both on and off boats, graduations, and weddings, yes even the bride will have them on under her beautiful dress. 

Sitka Alaska has an annual event called "Running of the Boots". They advise you to get out your Xtratufs, and gussy them up. 

"The Running of the Boots is a short race for fun and not for speed, even though one of the many prize categories is for the fastest boots. Other prize categories include best-dressed boots, zaniest costume, best couple, best kids group and more."

Gussied up in Sitka.

There's even an Xtrafuf song on youtube, as well as reviews, and repair tutorials.

A few years ago, they changed their USA made brand to having them manufactured in China. They had some quality control issues, but after the initial hullabaloo, the problem seems to be fixed.

The other set of boots I received as my late birthday present, are the "gold standard" for cold weather sailing. Dubarrys are made in Ireland, and are waterproof leather with breathable goretex linings. Our friends at Morgan's Cloud, (you may need a subscription to read, but if you sail, it's worth every penny to join), John and Phyllis endorse them for their cold weather gear. Incidentally, they were the instructors at the Northern Latitude Sailing Seminar that we attended in Nova Scotia a little over a  year ago. 

Ultima Sailing boots.

I don't get to wear these because, even though Bill checked out every pair of boots and shoes I own before he ordered, these ended up to be too big for me. I'll need to return them, and request another size. I'll be getting them in black, so that I get the correct size. I'm good with that. I hope they have speedy service, I'm looking forward to trying them out!

I still have my Bogs for ATV riding.

Bogs

Beautiful fall day.

My Chotas for kayaking.

Lace up Chotas.

Kayaking with my friend Bob in Prince William Sound. This is one of my favorite photos.

I'd say I was totally Booted Up!

Not to be confused with booting, or re-booting.

I could probably do this to my computer wearing my Xtrafufs! (If I wanted to, and into Davy Jones Locker it would go.)

How many pair of boots do you own? Do you have a pair of Xtratufs? Let us know here in comments, or on Facebook Denali Rose Sailboat. We enjoy hearing from you.