For Sail?

Greetings all!

I am looking to possibly sell the Surprise in order to upgrade to a cruiser. The sale includes boat, sails, motor, trailer and all the CG equipment. If you're interested let me know.

- Joe

Motor Update

The motor seems to be runing much better! We took the boat to Cowan this weekend and did some extended motoring. It did stall once, but this was after a long run at full throttle (I think I ran it a bit too hard and it overheated). Looks like the fuel mix and the gas cap were the culprits!

The Ol' Outboard

Okay, so maybe this isn't related specifically to the Lockley-Surprise, but I'm sure it's something most trailer sailors (and many small boat owners) can appreciate. For those of you who have read my earlier posts you have learned what a pain in the ass my "iron jib" has been. Getting it to run fairly reliably has been an exercise in patience and the occasional use of brute force via a small wooden oar.

When I was given the boat in fall of 2006 I immediately started thinking of secondary propulsion (even on a 14 footer). The Surprise was build to handle a small outboard, with a reinforced transom and a strip of teak to protect the fiberglass. My first thought was a trolling motor. They are clean (no emissions) and inexpensive and can be found at almost any sporting goods store. The disadvantage is the need to accommodate a large battery (the only storage on the Surprise is a small storage cuddy forward of the mast), and the need to keep it charged. There is also no easy way to measure how much "fuel" you have left. Nothing like staring down the barrel of a t-storm with a dead battery! Finally, I figured that the environmental impact of disposing of a dead battery would be the same (if not worse) than the infrequent use of a gas-powered outboard so I found my Gamefisher on ebay and bought it for the same price as a new trolling motor.

And so the saga begins...

After the nightmare on Norris lake (and a second outing to Cowan) I started researching the motor online. Chris found some articles on line as well.I knew that the motor was made by Tanaka, and was sold under 3 names (Tanaka, Gamefisher and AquaBug). The starup process consists of:
1- Unscrew the vent on the top of the gas cap
2- Turn the fuel valve to the "ON" position (straight down)
3- Turn the choke on
4- Place the throttle lever to the "Start" position
5- Pull cord feverishly until the flesh pulls away from your hands

The motor would fire up and run for all of a minute or two and suddenly shut down (it features a built-in sesor that triggers the shut-down procedure at proper intervals; ie in a harbor surrounded by $1M boats, when the wind dies or when staring down the hulls of 3 Cigarette Boats). We deduced that the trouble could be one of two things: the oil mixture or the fuel ventilation.

When I bought the outboard I went into normal "boater" mode, buying marine-grade 2-cycle oil from Quicksilver (The Mercruiser guys). However, the motor is air-cooled (it's basically a chansaw motor with a propeller) and we learned that marine oil is too thick for these types of motors. I went down to my local Wally World and bought a few 2-cycle bottles (from the lawn and garden section) and mixed up a new batch of fuel. The engine ran better, but still sputtered and died shortly after starting. On to the fuel vent.

The fuel cap has a threaded knob on top that is to be unscrewed to allow air to mix into the fuel tank while running. Unfortunately mine appeared to be stripped out and was no longer opening. I read an article on a website where someone had been having the same problem until one day they accidentally dropped their gas cap overboard. They ordered a new gas cap from Tanaka and had no more problems! So off I went to Tanaka's website got the part number and was able to order it from Sears for the grand total of $14.95. The new vent featured a nylon, 4-spoked fuel valve (vs the old cap which featued a metal, grooved valve). With one short turn the valve opened up as it was supposed to. This may be it!

I took the boat up to Cowan earlier this week for a leisurely evening sail and decided to test out the outboard. I didn't have much time so I only ran it for about 5-10 minutes at varying speeds. However, it ran like a champ! No stalling at all! Problem solved? Later this week I will be at Cowan again and plan on an extended test. I'll keep you posted.

Norris Lake 2007

After months of planning and dreaming, our weekend trip to Norris Lake was finally upon us! Kirsten and I, along with Chris (my boating/sailing buddy), his girlfriend Sarah, our friend Jesse (a boat owner in waiting) and his wife Leslie rented a house near Sequoia Marina. After a 4 hour drive from Cincinnati, we arrived at the lake (just outside of Knoxville). The house was beautiful! Running water, 3 bedrooms, AC, firepit, docks and a swimming platform.

Upon arrival, Chris and I wandered down to the lake to access the docking situation. The lake was beautiful! The water was a deep shade of turquoise and crystal clear! Originally our plan was to put Chris' 25' Mariah into a covered slip and dock the Surprise on the side of the swimming platform. However, the slip was too narrow for Chris' boat so we decided to put his where the Surprise was going to go and keep my boat on the beach.

With our plan in place we first went to launch Chris' boat. No sweat, I backed him in (I give myself a 10 on launching) and off he went. Then it was time to launch the Surprise. Again, no problem. The winds were non-existent (typical heavy, Tennessee summer air) so I elected not to break out the sails and motor my way to the beach. However, after only a few minutes the motor sputtered and died inthe middle of the marina (near some very expensive hardware). I drifted over to an empty dock and tied up as I fought to get the motor started again. After many minutes of pulling the cord and fiddling with the throttle and choke, it started up again. I cast off my line and headed out into the lake. Then again in the middle of the lake my motor came to a hault. I frantically tried to start the engine as Cigarette boats warmed up on the shore across the way. It was then that I remembered how I asked either Chris or Jesse to come with and they had declined and said something about drinking (assholes). The only thing to do was to grab the paddle and start the slow trip to the beach (approx a 1/2 mile away). After many minutes I decided to give the motor anotehr try. I was able to start it, but couldn't open the throttle very far and had to run on full choke. My hands were torn up from repeated cord tugs and paddling. Finally I arrived at the beach at dusk. Chris came down to see me in and asked "how did it go?'

Did you ever see episodes of The Honeymooners when Norton would unintenionally say the wrong thing and Ralph woudl lose it? I grabbed my paddle, turned around and proceeded to break it into pieces over my outboard. Chris looked on in horror as and hour of agression came to a head! I tossed him the rope, tied up and grabbed the first Corona I saw and downed it within a matter of seconds. After a few more and a refreshing swim I felt a little better.

The next day there was still no wind and it was very humid, so we went out for a day of sightseeing and tubing in Chris' boat. Unfortunately I had let the events of the previous day get to me and I spent the day moping. Fortunately Chris helped drag me out of my funk and soon I was enjoying myself again. When we came back a storm was on its way, and ahead of it was some decent winds! Finally a break! So Chris, Jesse (on his first sail) and I jumped in and sailed for about 30 minutes before lightning appeared on the horizon. We sailed in and I began to upt the sails away as rain fell from the sky. Fortunately it didn't last long. After more sightseeing (and being pelted in the face by more rain) we had dinner and settled in around the campfire.

The next morning the skies had cleared and the wind was building. At last! A good day for sailing! The first to go out with me was Kirsten (who had only been out once before with me). We knew that the motor would at least be able to run for short jaunts and could get us in and out of the harbor. We puttered out and put sails up. The boat heeled over hard and soon we were flying! The winds were around 10-15 knots, with gusts on excess of 20. We sailed around near out house (due to the motor situation), but with the winds being so strong we didn't mind). At one point we came close to capsizing and scooped up a few gallons of Norris Lake's finest into the cockpit!
We sailed and buzzed around the harbor while everyone else enjoyed the sun and snapped some shots of the boat. Soon the winds proved to be too much for Kirsten to handle so we went back in and I swapped the wifey for my buddy Chris. Now it's time to rock! We sheeted in and off we went. Unfortunately the winds subsided a bit to no close calls this time.Still, we had plenty of winds to make the trip worthwhile!
A few hours later we had to get the Surprise back on its trailer and head back for Cincinnati.
All in all, I had a really great time! The motor was a bit of a bummer (my next posting will document steps to correct it), but we still managed to get some good sailing in! As far as Norris Lake goes, the lake is beautiful and there is plenty of room for sail and power to enjoy what the lake has to offer. However, like the problems I encountered at East Fork Lake the wind was constantly being bent by mountains and rock formations which wasn't very condusive for sailing. But with a little patience and some practice, the lake is a rewarding place to explore and enjoy. I promise another trip will be in our future!

Cowan Lake-May 07

At last! The Surprise finally made it to its home waters; Cowan Lake State Park! The day was a little overcast, and as Chris and I started putting the mast up I didn't even feel a breeze. No worries though. In addition to being excited about going out for a sail I was also eager to finally try out my little Sears 1.2 HP outboard, fresh from the service bench! We set up and put in. I pulled the rope on the outboard and she perked right up! We pushed off and I pressed on the throttle and off we went! The motor sat pretty awkwardly on the transom (the previous owner installed a strip of acrylic material in attempt to protect the gelcoat, but it sat at such an angle that didn't allow the motor to fuly grip to the boat). In addition, once the sails went up, the main traveler constantly caught on the motor's tiller, and a few times dislodged the motor and almost sent it to the bottom of Cowan lake. Fortunately the wind had picked up so we pulled the motor off the transom and set in the cockpit.

The day was a little overcast, but the winds were great! As we made our way into the middle of the lake, we were greeted by the site of many of CLSA's finest getting in on some of the wind action. Many Flying Scots (CLSA has an active FS racing fleet), a Lightning and a few others. We were able to make a run from one end of the lake to another, exploring the coves and dock spaces. Unfortunately I was so eager to get out there that I neglected to fasten the outhaul properly and the sail began to lose its shape. In addition, I also rigged the mainsheet improperly and while it was functional it looked like hell! Unfortunately the wind picked up so abruptly that every time I pointed us into the wind and hove to, we were almost immediately pushed back into a beam reach. Finally after a few white-knuckle moments I sailed us into a sheltered cove and was able to fix mainsheet and outhaul. Soon we were on our way again.

After being out for an hour or so we decided to try and get back to the ramp so we could remove the acrylic strip and mount the engine properly. No sweat! Just put the motor back on and putter back to the ramp. Being a prudent sailor I tried starting the motor before taking the sails down. Unfortunately since the motor had been sitting on its side it had flooded and wouldn't start. After wearing my (and Chris') arm out, I shrugged and said "well, let's just sail it in." Not that it would normally be a big deal, but the ramp was more crowded than usual with fisherman launching/retrieving as well as a large group of spectators fishing on the nearby shore. With the wind blowing us via beam reach to the ramp's dock I knew my timing of releasing sheets and pointing into the wind would have to be perfect. We got closer and closer, and magically the wind slowed and we drifted perfectly to the nearby dock. 3 points. Gary Jobson would have been proud!

We removed the strip of acrylic from the transom and we were able to to get the engine to sit properly (I had also packed a piece of rubber sheeting I had made from an old bike innertube). We retightened everything down and went out to catch some more wind. The outboard started up, but was not running nearly as strong as it had. While a little disappointed, I didn't care! The sun started peeking out and the winds remained strong (even greeting us with spray)! We went wing to wing and made another run down the lake.

Chris' sailing skills are getting better so we felt more confident with letting the boat heel more and opening her up, and man did she fly! The picture on the right shows our wake (not from the motor)! It was quite a ride! At times we heeled between 30-40 degrees!But then the wind would calm down long enough for us to take a swig of gatorate (beer next time) or grab some pringles. Isn't it amazing how much better food tastes on the water?

After being on the water for about six hours we decided to sail in and head home. We sailed right in (and rather quickly I must say) back to the launching area, and after a lot of coaxing we fired up the outboard and motored to the ramp. The motor was still running terribly and we couldn't figure out why, until Chris fiddled with the spark plug wire and suddenly it perked up and worked like a champ! Turns out that the traveler caught onto the spark plug wire and loosened it. I think it will take some time and patience to figure out how to best configure the boat so the outboard and traveler don't interfere with each other.

Well, in a little over a week we'll be heading to Norris Lake in TN for an extended weekend! Now my wife will finally be able to experience the boat again! Stay tuned for photos and updates. Chris is bringing his Mariah as well so we should get some excellent shots of the Surprise under sail!

"...and best of all, the fuel was free!"

Ahhh... another fine spring day in Cincinnati.. and what better way to celebrate Earth Day then an engineless sail! My good friend Chris (who has been kind enough to help me with just about EVERYTHING on this boat) joined me for what was to be his first sailing experience. Since we were pressed for time we decided to head back to East Fork lake (to my friends at Cowan I promise I'll see you soon). I was a bit weary because there were only hints of a breeze when I left my house, but thought we'd be able to at least some sailing in. Besides, with forecasted water temps being in the low 50s I wasn't in the mood for a capsize!

We go to East Fork at noon, and decided to tempt fate by launching from the same ramp that I swore I wouldn't launch from again. After prepping and an interesting launch experience we were in the water. Chris went to park the car as I sailed in circles near the ramp under jib power only. While we had the same problem as before (wind blowing away from the ramp-meaning that we'd have to beat back to the ramp), I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered the winds were much heavier than expected! I picked Chris up at the ramp and we were on our way!

With the winds pushing us at an estimated speed of 7-8 knots we decided to be bold and head out into open water, aka powerboat territory! Now East Fork is notorious for idiot powerboaters, but I must say that today everyone (including PWC drivers) were respectful and kept away. Maybe it was the novelty of a sailboat that kept many spectators in awe! We saw several people pointing from shore and their boats, and I also think I saw someone with a camera at the beach snapping photos.

Now I have been a little curious as to why in the period of 10 years I had only seen one other sailboat on the lake ( a Hobie 18 in 1997). I chalked it up to East Fork's powerboat reputation (and the lack of dock spaces). However on this trip I had discovered why. In between the lakes' 2 main launch ramps is a penninsula containing the swimming beach. This land apparently created a riff in the wind and caused it to bend around it and blow away from the second ramp as well (this ramp and ours were on opposite sides of the lake). So after a few bumps on the head from unexpected powergybes we realized what was happening and adjusted our sails accordingly. Now this wouldn't have been a problem, however the strange wind phenominon also created a "dead zone" at the center of the lake. When we hit it our sails fell flat and we stopped moving... at ground zero of powerboat traffic! We did finally manage to catch some small breezes from one direction. However, as we left one area of the lake we didn't have the momentum to get us over to the "second" wind source! After several tacks and gybes we finally caught our original wind and had a great sail!

We had to be off the water by 4 so we started the beating journey back to our launch site. The wind jumped to about 15-20 knots and we began to pick up speed (as well as a nice heel)! We came about for our first tack when suddenly CRACK!!! My tiller broke at its bolt on the rudder and suddenly we had no steering. Chris became nervous as we continued to heel and circle around. I released the mainsheet and we came to a rest. I grabbed the rudder box and tried to gain control of our direction, but it wasn't working very well.

This was about the time I wish I'd brought my outboard.

Suddenly I had an idea. I took the broken tiller and wedged it back into place underneath its bolt and on the transom, and with some downward pressure I was able to gain control of the helm! I pulled in the mainsheet and off we went. As we sailed, I quoted one of Quint's lines from JAWS: "We're going in, Brody!" I responded to myself with Brody's line, "Thank Christ."


After about 15 minutes of tacking up the cove we were lined up with our ramp, along with several bass fisherman calling it a day. Fortunately because the wind was a bit stronger than our last trip we were able to sail right onto the ramp (although, admittedly a little faster than I intended). We were back on dry land. I stayed with the boat as Chris ran up to fetch the trailer. I stood in freezing cold water, preventing the boat from sailing away or hitting other boats. Soon he was back and with a few turns of the winch we were back on the trailer.

As we began prepping the boat for its trip back to the storage facility I added some mental notes on what I needed before I ventured out again. First, and foremost a new tiller! Secondly, I need to come up with a way to secure some fenders to the boat during docking and launching. I also need to invest in a couple of nice dock lines.

Overall I felt good about this sail. I was a bit timid of opening up the boat to its full potential (namely because of the cold water). However, I did feel a bit bad about our close calls and hair-rasing experiences with it being Chris' first sailing experience (Chris owns a powerboat and is a great skipper). As I began to survey my sunburn I hesitantly asked him what he thought of his 1st sailing experience. He perked up and said "That was awesome! It was cool to move at that speed with no motor sound, and best of all, the fuel was free!"

Bye-Bye York St and Surprise "Sea Trials"

Finally, after almost five months of prep, repair and restoration it was time for the Lockley to leave the yard on York St. and head to her storage facility closer to her summer retreat. We decided on this week for several reasons: the weather was beautiful; the grass in our small yard needed the sunlight and I had access to Chris' Grand Cherokee. Becuase the weather was beautiful (80+ degrees in March) and we had the afternoon of we decided to also taker her out for her first sail in almost 18 years (she was last registered in 1990). This would be a chance to not only to see how we did on our improvements but to also see if anything was missing or needed to be improved.

I fastened her down to her trailer and packed all of our gear while Kirsten packed us lunch. I then pushed the boat into position and then removed the cumbersome fence panel that had allowed us to put her inside the yard. With some pulling and pushing we got her out of the yard and lined her up with the tow hitch. I then replaced the fence panel and packed the car. Soon we were off!

Her place to sail this summer will be Cowan Lake State Park, about an hour and fifteen minutes from the house. However, we decided to take her to East Fork Lake today since it was not only closer to our home but closer to our storage place. The boat only took about 30 minutes to prep. We then started the descent down the ramp towards the lake. Unfortunately the trailer tongue is bent which made the launch a bit tricky. But soon we were in. Our small outboard has a leaking fuel valve so we decided to go using oar and wind power to get us in/out of dock.

Keep in mind that the weather was a very balmy 83 degrees, but the water was no warmer that 50 degrees so capsizing in the gusts was not an option. The winds were relatively moderate (maybe 15-20 knots), but inconsistent. However, when the wind was blowing the boat sailed wonderfully! Kirsten was a little weary (her prior sailing experience was aboard a 42' Catalina), but seemed to get comfortable once we were out. Her winward performace was excellent, and beam reaches were a blast (one we were at a 20+ degree heel)!

It was so awesome to be out sailing this early in the season, however our time was limited by the fact that we both had class that evening. We then headed to the ramp. However by this time the wind had shifted, requiring us to beat into the wind back to the ramp via a narrow canal. It was going well until the wind died completely. Without our motor we were forced to paddle back into the ramp, which took a bit of time. Retreval was also a bit tricky without our outboard, but soon we were back on and up on land.

Here's a detail map of the area we sailed in. East Fork (unlike Cowan) is unlimited horsepower, and with Larry The Cable Guy's cousins hauling ass in their bass boats I felt it best to stick to the small coves. Back on dry land, we took the boat to its new home at the storage place, where she lies in wait for her next sail.

From this sail I learned a few things:
1- The boat is surprisingly (no pun intended) stable. At no time did I feel like the boat could capsize
2- The trailer, while functional, may be replaced if I hang onto her
3- This boat would be VERY easy to singlehand
4- I'm not sure if I like the new bunk on the boat. Because of the way it changed how the boat sits on the trailer it feels like I'm close to drowning the tow vehicle during launch. I may go back to my original plan
5- I chose to launch from the spillway ramp because it is the less crowded of the two, which I now understand why: there are no docks, and is surrounded by large rocks on the nearby shore. If I launch at East Fork again I will use the other ramp

As Easter approaches we are about to go from highs in the 70s to highs in the 40s, so it looks like no sailing for a few weeks. See you on the flip side!

PS- Sorry for the lack of photos. I was a little paranoid about losing my digital camera so I was a little camera-shy. I promise to buy a waterproof disposeable for our next trip!