[alberg30] Re: The List, is it kaput?

Richard Johns Richard.Johns at valley.net
Wed Mar 10 18:29:33 PST 1999


From: Richard Johns <Richard.Johns at valley.net>

Let me introduce myself. I joined the list this week.

As kid growing up on the Chesapeake on an Albin Vega 27 I admired the lines
of the numerous A 30's on the bay.  Many years later after sailing day
sailors in Ohio I had the chance to buy an A 30.  Our family has been
sailing  ECOLA #104 since 1984.  We sailed out of Sandusky Ohio on Lake
Erie. Since buying her as a mint green basket case we have done numerous
projects on the boat.  In my back yard I replaced the Gray marine gas engine
with a Westerbeke 18.  That same winter I had the gelcoat sand blasted off
the bottom and built it back up  with West system Epoxy. The engine and
bottom have worked out fine.

However, it was not a good day in the neigborhood when the  guy I hired with
his truck mounted sand blaster launched a plume of sand 60 feet up into the
air while adjusting his nozzle.  The  fine sand settled all over my
neighbors house and trees. When I called to appologize and offer to clean up
I was told by their burn out son that the parents were away for two weeks.
Rain that night solved the problem.

My other mishap which was humorous in hindsite was when my A frame for
hoisting out the Gray Marine engine broke launching the old engine 10 feet
streight down over the side.  Amazingly no damage to the boat or old engine
as it landed on it's cast iron pan in the sand left from the blister
sandblasting work.

The new engine sits on oak mounts I glassed to the hull. It is much smoother
than the Gray was as the inverted L shaped motor mounts from Whitby flexed
and transmitted vibrations.

Our other major project a few years later was  black Imron on the topsides
and white on deck.  As yard prices were high I rented a storage shed and
used my air compressor and an air file followed by a D-A sander to fair the
Epoxy filler I used.  A guy who paints trucks shot the imron on for me.  He
did a nice job and I was able to keep him from puting a Mack buldog logo on.

My wife Jayne and I have enjoyed sailing Ecola. Our two boys now 9 and 12
love it.  We indoctrinated them in their car seats lashed in the cockpit
when they were a few months old.  The 12 year old has been able to handle
the boat and bring it into the slip for a few years.

We have moved to New Hampshire and are trucking the boat to Mallets Bay on
Lake Champlain when the ice melts.  Crusing Champlain should be great with
more harbors and natural beauty than the dozen places we could reach in
western Lake Erie on a week end.

If any of you are on Lake Champlain or have crusing suggestions I would love
to hear from you.

Best regards to the A30 crowd,
Rich




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