Micheal Esta Theobald - 1978-2012

2010 Disaster Recap

I had a short visit with Esta today and we decided to pull out a list we made last year of some of the things that went wrong in the beginning of our experiment. Luckily it was still in the back of his car where we had left it several months ago.

Saltwater

http://www.seashellsandsuch.com/articles/seawaterlikeblood.php

Here's some light reading on the similarities of saltwater, blood and dog torture.

So...

The sailing season is over and Cincinnati saw its first snowfall today. It's no wonder there's been a lack of posts this month what with the lack of pertinent news. However, the winter months often seem well suited for reflection and meditation. With that in mind, I'd like to comment on how wonderful this past summer has been. To be specific- how the acquisition of the boat has changed my life in a way I never could have expected.

Originally meant to be an escape from reality and life in general, I see now that it was so much more. The small, simple glimpses of freedom and pure enjoyment sparked a flame of heightened passion and acted as a catalyst to something greater. Pre-boat, the latter was something that could only be accomplished through some grand world-altering gesture. Now, I feel the term "greater" is in fact only truly realized though its inverse "less." The less you have the less you have to lose, the less you have to worry about and the more you're grateful for what you do have. In my current state of mind this means less needless complication; which in turn allows more time and energy to be spent on what I consider important. When all the excess is gone the things that are left are precisely what deserve my passion.

It's been surprisingly easy reprogramming my mind to appreciate things I've learned to take for granted and also to understand that some things are out of my control. Every single day there are a million opportunities to overcomplicate the simple act of living and to find countless reasons to complain about the way things are. Both being fantastic ways to waste valuable resources in contemplation.

Reading back on this, it all seems so simple. I assumed that these were skills I had mastered long ago, when in reality I never really understood what they meant. At the risk of sounding preachy, please pause for a moment and really think on this... I realize simplicity isn't (and shouldn't be) everyone's ultimate goal in life, however most would admit to some amount of excess and needless complication. Think of the things and people that are important to you and question if you're offering all the attention they deserve. The next time you get upset over something you have no direct influence on, ask if your reaction is beneficial or just feeding your contempt. These all are issues I will continually struggle with yet due to the whole S. S. Sailboat Experiment, feel I have gained a more lucid awareness of.

On a lighter note, expect some more videos, pictures and stories of our adventures this past summer over the next handful of chilly months. There has also been some discussion of a musical incentive to boost the non-existent PayPal donations.

Esta, The Good Samaritan

A couple of weekends ago we arrived at the boat launch to find a man and his son in a predicament. The water was a bit lower then usual and apparently he had misjudged where the ramp ended. This resulted in the wheels of his trailer catching on the bottom edge of the ramp. Without a second thought Esta changed into his "wet" pants and climbed into the water to help. I added commentary, filmed the event and even pulled a little. Unfortunately the triumphant release of the trailer was not caught on tape but I assure you it was achieved. The following clip shows some highlights from the event.

FJ40 Radiator Repair Part II, and General Trailer Maintenance

So, the radiator saga began with a breakdown only 30 miles from home on the way back from Pittsburgh. Due to the rain and my general weariness I opted for the easy tow home, which was facilitated by an eager tow truck driver who happened to spot the exciting and billowing smoke that poured forth.

The Fj40 was modified with a Chevy small block and an electric fan system which was mounted directly to the radiator via plastic ties through the fins.

When Erick and I endeavored to install the replacement radiator, we ended up breaking some fins on the new radiator which led to a trip down to D & R Radiator repair to have the brand new one fixed. (Another lesson learned, I suppose...)
The gentleman at the radiator shop was kind enough to cut and weld a proper bracket to mount the fan, so that future radiator ruining incidents could thusly be avoided. After I implored the gentleman to make said bracket, he replied that I should simply not mention it to his boss, and when I tried to offer him some cash, he said one of those nice, sort of mid-western like things, "Well, if you can't be of no help to anybody, then what good are you?"
This all took place in something of a hurry as a lead up to our camp/sail trip from two weekends ago; the first trip with a crew of four. We had three dogs in our company, so we were going to sail in shifts, but I was able to talk a group of young gentleman at the campground into watching the dogs while we all went out. Very nice of them, indeed.
After returning home we realized that the bow stop on the trailer had succumbed to dry rot and split on the side. This prompted a need for a replacement, which Erick was able to order and have delivered before this past weekends' trip.
The new one installed appears to be a sturdy, and fitting, improvement.

Another great day out on the lake.

First Time Sailing With A Crew of Four

It was an unseasonably warm and clear weekend here in Cincinnati. Taking full advantage of some of the last beautiful days of the year we grabbed our gear and headed north for an evening of camping and a day of sailing. Esta and I were fortunate enough to have two guests, Tara Pittsburgh and Rebecca Neighbor (pictured below), as well as a small army of dogs join us on this particular trip.


It was dark by the time we arrived and therefore had to set up camp by lantern. But soon the palette of bonfire wood we purchased roadside and transported in a Chevy HHR was burning brightly. We made some food, had some drinks, took a walk to the dock and spent some time practicing sailing technique with a crew of four. This was to be the first time we attempted any more then one extra passenger.

The next morning Rebecca and I took the boat out while Tara and Esta broke down camp and tried to figure out what to do with the dogs. As usual there were minor difficulties launching.


While the two of us were out we met a grumpy gasser who cut me off, and then complained that I ran over his fishing line. We also had a brief chat with a couple of very nice fellow Rebel owners. These exchanges supported my hypothesis regarding the general attitude of sail versus motor boaters. About and hour later we came back to shore, picked up the rest of the crew and headed for the far side of the lake. As it turns out the anxiety we experienced of sailing with four was somewhat unfounded. Sure there was less room to move around as the boat heeled and one more head to be worried about smacking with the boom while coming about. But in the end it was not much different then sailing with two or three. I'm proud to say the only head whacked was my own. It was a nice calm day at the lake. The kind of wind that lent itself to leisurely sailing, yet still enough power to get the blood pumping with an exciting run. We ran into our new buddies with the 1950's Rebel and played an odd game of follow the leader, where we unknowingly seemed to be the leaders.




We had to head back a bit early due to a prior engagement so we tacked our way back to the campground boat launch. When we arrived, there was little time to spare which quickly turned into tardiness as boat after boat lined up to get in or out of the water. We dropped the sails and drifted for a while until we realized that aggressiveness alone would be the only thing that would get us to dry land.





We finally made it out and brought the rigging down in record time. Good times, good company and another first checked off the list.

How to fix and/or break a radiator in your FJ40, and/or try to slice your finger off..

So, here is Erick with his head (noggin) all upside down in the fj40. I ordered the new radiator from the Radiator Barn and it arrived in a timely, professional fashion without incident, that is, until we got ahold of it. It immediately started pissing fluids all about, I presume as a result of the ridiculous mounting of the electric fan that we tried to copy from the previous owners' work. We did get it to quit that sort of nonsense, after a spot of time, with some type of stop leak product. Tomorrow I shall give it the real acid test by driving it harder than it should be, and then evaluate the viability of driving the boat up to the lake.

So, my brother gave me this excellent knife for my birthday, and I wanted to see if I could cut my finger off, but I only got this far. Pretty weak, I know...

32

So, yesterday I turned 32, but sometimes 32 turns you. I was able to go pick up the sail from Sailors' Tailor in the morning (they also make excellent bean bag chairs, should you need one, or like to give, as a gift, a comfortable place for a loved one to sit) due, primarily, to the generous allowance, by my sister, of the usage of her car, which is the color of the inside of a lime. Generally speaking, all is well. I spoke, via the internets, with my friend RR (Double R), and if you are ever in Tucson, Arizona you should go have breakfast at the Blue Willow. So, on the way back from Tara's in Pittsburgh, the FJ40 had a radiator meltdown, and the one I ordered from the Radiator Barn on Sunday just arrived in the mail, and looks great; all I have to do is install it. I arrived home in a tow truck on Saturday, having missed the Reggae Run 5k I was supposed to run in. Now, though, we have a masterfully patched sail (for only $91), and Nabokov's "brief crack of light between two eternities of darkness," with which we shall do who knows what? Sail? Let us not be the prisoners of time! From Tara I also received Chuck Klosterman's Killing Yourself To Live (the book that has been following me, or I it), the well recommended Requiem For a Paper Bag, and - most enthusiastically - a lego set of Frank Lloyd Wright's Falling Water.

Tire Tracks on the Main Sail?

The week of 9/19 was wonderful for all. Filled with fast days at work for some, mini-vacations for others, friends, romance, adventure and a newfound appreciation for my backyard. This week of ecstasy had us loving life enough to brush off the minor disasters we faced the following Sunday while sailing. The first two of said disasters are further explained in the video below.

So despite the gaping holes and failed electrical tape patch job, we pulled off the most extreme sailing to date. Danielle, a self pronounced speed demon, even took the reigns and pushed the boat to it's limit, which required some pretty dramatic hiking.

We came as close as we ever have to tipping over, which in turn, filled the boat with a quantity of water that necessitated bailing.

We ended the day with a beautiful sunset and Clarksville's world famous Sampler Plattertm. My Flip Flop had broken (again) so I had to dine in some fancy socks.

Early the next week Esta took the sail and batten to The Sailors' Tailor where they assured him that it would by repaired by the following Friday. Unfortunately, due to circumstances, we were unable to pick them up in time and that curtailed the possibility of going out this weekend. It was pretty cold anyways and the time away from the water allowed both of us to pay some extra attention to other projects we have going on right now. With only a few more weeks of acceptable sailing weather left in the year, I'm eagerly awaiting next weekend. Then again, who isn't.

Pittsburgh, Driving To and From, and Such

So on a whim I whimsically went to Pittsburgh to visit my friend Tara. Ever drink moonshine in the backyard at noon on a weekday with random neighbors? I had not until a few days ago. Insofar as I can recall, I have not been to Pittsburgh since 2003 when I saw the Decemberists play at some small bring your own beer type of place,

probably in South Side. In any case, back in 2003 I bought a nice vintage shirt with exaggerated lapels that I meant to wear on this visit, because, well, sometimes life is a series of repetitions and eternal recurrences and sometimes one simply has to submit to these. So, naturally, I was unable to locate said shirt (which anyway I remember is missing a button). Nevertheless, I had an excellent time, and I even wore my seatbelt on the way home [and not only because driving an FJ40 at 70 miles per hour in the dark, and in the rain, is dangerous, but in fact because life seems to be good], though I only made it as far as Columbus. I did, however get to play one of the nicer pianos that I have played in a while, but just for a moment. Tara's father was generous enough to lend the use of his Nikon D300 for a couple of days, for the taking of the pictures.

Either fortunately or unfortunately, we accomplished only a small number of

the previously planned plot devices that we intended to execute during the storyline, and the

trip suffered from an unexpected truncation for which I can only offer a circumlocution by the mere mention of the aforementioned word.

Mia played some successful tug of war with Vali while Max just wanted to go outside. We did manage to accomplish some Pittsburgh-y things such as the consumption of Yuenglings Lager and a visit to Primanti Bros to eat a strange

steak sandwich with cole slaw and french fries on it.

I was thinking about Superman, probably from memory tidbits from Ben's performance of Waiting for Superman at the wedding, and somehow was also simultaneously having concurrent thoughts about performance art, and this made me think of Laurie Anderson's O Superman.

Hello? Is anybody home? Well, you don't know me, but I know you.

And I've got a message to give to you. Here come the planes.

So you better get ready. Ready to go. You can come

as you are, but pay as you go. Pay as you go.

I suppose that you could watch it here if that pickles your pickles:

There is also a nice of shot of either the Liberty Tunnel, or the Squirrel Hill

Tunnel, I cannot recall which, but I love tunnels, and Ladies and Gentleman, We are Floating in Space. So don't sue me J. Spaceman...

Sssshhhhiiiiiiii@#%!!!!!

When the wind is at it's best we like to push it. This is probably not proper sailing technique.

Truncated Introduction To Sailing 101

While the water was calm, I pulled out the camera. Unfortunately the battery died shortly thereafter.

More on Jumping Out of Planes! the FJ40 that tows the boat, and, well, general nonsense

Sometimes one wonders how a story should begin, or possibly even when it should begin. What are the best opening lines? Should we go with Pynchon's "A screaming comes across the sky" or Gass' "So I have sailed the seas and come...to B...a small town fastened to a field in Indiana" or Barth's "For whom is the funhouse fun? Perhaps for lovers." Perhaps none, or perhaps all, but there is always fun to be had for lovers.

In mid August I took a one way flight from Cincinnati to Phoenix to acquire the Toyota FJ 40 that can be seen towing the boat around. This is the third yellow vehicle that I have owned so I must be expressing some kind of subconscious preference for the color; it has trumped black, blue, brown, and silver. The important part is that Erick and I needed a vehicle that could pull the sailboat to and from lakes. The drive back along Interstate 40 was not without life's vicissitudes. I have taken this drive a large enough number of times that I can no longer count them. I find it odd that I always seem to end up at the same gas stations, hotels, campgrounds, and places I would never otherwise eat were I not traveling. The New Mexico leg of the trip involved replacing the alternator on the FJ, which I was able to do myself with some borrowed tools from Autozone, despite the fact that I know

very little about automobile repair. Also, if you are ever in Gallup, New Mexico and your hotel room phone rings, just don't answer it. I did and received the most hilarious solicitation for prostitution I have ever heard, or, perhaps you should answer it because I guarantee you will laugh.

I found a few pictures in my computer machine of a jump that Andrea and I did near Cottonwood, Arizona earlier in the year, so I thought I would throw them up here just for posterity's sake while we are waiting for the pictures of our most recent jump. The jump in Arizona had some super excellent scenery to go along with it as well, not to in any way disparage the flatness of Ohio. So, yes I am not quite sure how or when to begin a story, but so far I am liking the script, and yet I still sometimes find myself saying, "Oh Boy. How did it ever come to this. Was there something that I missed?"

Jumping out of planes!

The acorn squash that Erick and I made was excellent, unexpected, and undoubtedly something I would add to the list of things which are delectable. The finding of the produce farm was a surprisingly serendipitous gem, and, of course, we did horribly delicious, wonderful things to a watermelon. Generally speaking it was an excellent week. I seem to feel a paradigm shift as we continue to shorten our list of 'don'ts' (and by 'don'ts' I mean things that one has decided they will not do). I went to the office for the first time in 13 months and it was not as oppressive as I may have imagined. Erick, Danielle, and I jumped out an airplane earlier today and it provided an exhilaration that rivals Christmas morning, copulation and heroin. Oh baby baby it's a wild world. Thanks Cat. I have tandem jumped a couple of times before, but this was by far the best. I was allowed to pull the chute and we had a spirited opening since the chute did not quite fill on one side, but, hey, we made it. The gentleman who jumped with me said "thanks you saved my life" when we got down to ground and I am still hoping that he was being facetious.

On a another note we decided to pull down the tell-tales on the boat and sail just by feeling the wind. This is probably the most lucid sailing decision we have made. So much more fun, and so much more natural. We have some sailing videos to edit this week, as well as some skydiving videos, so I am sure they will pop up here as soon as we get them together. It's definitely time to laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again. So long Marianne...

The Camping Culinary Corner

So people always ask "What's the most important part of sailing?" (No they don't, but for the purposes of this post we'll pretend.) We discovered a couple of weeks ago it is very important to remember to put the boat's plug in. As it turns out the boat fills with water fairly quickly without it. However, in my opinion that isn't the most important thing. To duck while jibbing? Yes, still very important, but I wouldn't say that it is the most crucial aspect of sailing. Personally I believe it's having a tasty, well balanced and nutritional meal the night before. See, sailing can drain you physically and mentally. Sometimes a good meal can be the difference between life and death when you're out there on the open man made lake. I know what you're thinking. "How can one have said meal while camping the night before as you often do?" So I've decided to share the recipes for a delicious feast we prepared by campfire on Friday night.

Originally we probably packed too little food for dinner. It included a couple of good sized kielbasas (kielbasi?), a quarter round of aged sharp provolone, a small loaf of bread and 2 French butter pears. Luckily, when we stopped at a local farm near the lake to purchase firewood, we discovered they were also selling a variety of produce. So we went ahead and bought 2 acorn squashes, a bottle of maple syrup and two small watermelons.

Keep in mind these cooking times will vary based on the intensity of your fire. We had a lot of wood to burn so in this case it was pretty intense.


Toasty Maple Acorn Squash
Cut acorn squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Place the squash, cut side down, in a pan with a 1/4 inch or so of water in the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan and cook this over the fire for 20-30 minutes or until the squash is fully cooked. Be careful not to let all the water boil away. Flip the squash over and fill with a tablespoon or so of maple syrup. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Smokey Kielbasa and Provolone Sandwich
Cook kielbasa over fire until it splits. While the meat is cooking cut the bread into decent sized slices and top with thin slices of provolone. We used this fancy aged sharp cheese that Esta picked up at the store, but I suppose you could use whatever cheese you like. However, I can't be held responsible if the results are less then desirable. Place the provolone covered bread near the fire until the cheese starts to melt and the bread gets a bit crusty. Cut the kielbasa in half lengthwise and assemble your sandwich. The 2 kielbasas (kielbasi?) were enough for 4 sandwiches.

Caramelized Butter Pears
This one is easy. Put the French butter pears in a pot with a lid and place on fire for 5-10 minutes. Cut the pears into quarters and enjoy. We even drizzled some of the maple syrup on one of them and it was delicious.

Dizzy Watermelon Surprise
Start by cutting a 2 inch hole in the side of the watermelon. Cut it at an angle, kind of like the top of a jack o' lantern, because you'll want to replace this piece later. If it has one side that is flatter then the other, cut opposite of it. This will help the melon stay upright on it's own, otherwise you'll have to prop it up or just hold it. Next pour a quantity of vodka into the watermelon. You'll have to do this several times as it takes a little while for the vodka to soak in .Replace the plug and chill in a cooler of ice. We actually took this on the boat with us the next day, but I don't recommend it. Watermelon is a very juicy and sticky fruit. Plus it's dangerous to cut fruit while the boat is rocking, it takes a sharp knife to cut through the watermelon's thick rind. Also, don't serve this to children, there may be legal consequences depending on where you live.


I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did. Bon Appetit!

Non Sequitur, If I May Commit You

It has been an interesting 2 or 3 weeks. I would call it a period of time that did include, among dozens of other hedonistic acts, lapses in judgement, moments of clarity, honesty, love, and ignorance, a few of the best sailing ventures we have yet had. We had better wind the last two times than we have had previously and were able to be more extreme with our handling of the boat. Erick also knows some excellent hat tricks. I quit the internets for a couple of weeks, and just returned to them. I have yet to check my emails for fear that there might be something important in there that I have neglected. In addition to the sailing I went on a 3 day kayak trip in Kentucky, went to Columbus twice, and met some super excellent people, but also a few miscreants, liars, criminals, premature ejaculators, and poor customer service representatives. We also had Jepsen [aka. The Jeff] in town for a wedding (who happens to be the most unique and amazing character in the cast, thus earning him the distinction of the definite article affixed before his name). I think it is fair to say that I never have, and may never again, take someone to a train station 20 minutes away and return 3 days later. I would like to congratulate Lindsey and Ben on their beautiful union on a perfect early September evening in Columbus, Ohio. It was truely excellent to see something so wonderful and loving. At some juncture I recognized that I have usually identified more closely with Aldous Huxley or Tesla, but that this period has been wrought with a more pronounced affection for Aleister Crowley. Some of the jokes from this season are virtually unrepeatable, but hey everyone needs their Double Rainbows, right? We have now had three passengers: first Danielle, then The Jeff, and this past weekend Chris. All were excellent, and now we begin counting the minutes until this weekend. I think that we are going to head up on Friday afternoon with camping in mind, and try to get 2 days of sailing in. On Sunday we will head over to Middletown where Danielle, I, and hopefully Melissa will jump out of a perfectly nice airplane, because, well, We Can! Not that anyone should get all Rick James on Eddie Murphy's couch.

Bobby You're Sailing Backwards!

So last Sunday we loaded up and split for Cowan Lake again. Surprisingly most everything was more difficult this time, waking up was even a challenge for some...
OK maybe that wasn't such a surprise.
We arrived in the afternoon to another boat race, this time oriented differently on the lake, but no worries the boat ramp was clear. We stepped the mast but with some difficulties. We actually had to call on our friend, first passenger and photographer 'o the day Danielle for some help.
We got the boat in the water, hopped in and expected to rocket off the dock just as we had the last time. Instead we ended dropping the sails to avoid crashing into the pontoon boats directly to our right. It prevented the "crash" but not the contact. After righting our course we put as much space between us and the before mentioned pontoons as possible. The embarrassment of this event was lessened by the capsized boat a bit further out and the calls of a man across the water sounding "Bobby your sailing backwards... Come on!" It seemed to be a youth sailing lesson in progress.

There wasn't as much wind as last weekend but we made due. We tried practicing tacking as much as possible. Turns out (no pun intended) we're doing some things wrong but here's some video anyways.





They weren't all this bad but I doubt any were as impressive as some we accidentally accomplished the weekend before.
It was still a lot of fun. We had some lunch in the cove again...



and spent some time relaxing...


Before we knew it, it was time to head in. I suggested we shoot around the island again, after all it was the best wind we had all day. Just as we round the back corner of the island, the sky puffed it's last breath of suitable, sail-able air.


A little over an hour later we made it back to the ramp. There was an oar involved, but luckily we had our fill of cranberry/orange juice and unnameable beverage to battle the scurvy.
We took down the mast and made it home a bit after sunset only to discover the trailer strap had snapped. A new strap is in route now from Amazon.com so we can make the scheduled trip on Labor day.

We Did It!

Sunday morning we broke down camp and headed to the marina. As we arrived we were excited to see a few sailboats already out on the water.



We launched the boat reasonably well for our first go, pulled the sail up and were off. As it turns out sailing downwind is fairly easy.



Before too long we were across the lake. However, when we turned around we noticed an armada of boats had entered the water behind us. Unsure as to exactly what was going on we decided to set a course towards the fleet of sailboats. As it turns out sailing into the wind was not quite as easy.



As we got closer we realized we had stumbled into the middle of a boat race. Trying as best we could we limped around the mass of sailboats to safer waters. We spent the rest of the day fine tuning our skills, only losing total control of the vessel once or twice, relaxing in the cove and playing a game of chase the hat. In case you are wondering the hat was lost during a not so intentional jibe. At the end of the day we were feeling pretty comfortable navigating the boat.




Finally we executed a perfect landing, pulled her out of the water and headed home. It was a fantastic day and experience we will remember for the rest of our lives. Stage one of the Sailboat Experiment is complete.