18.08.03...From Alan and Jeanne Cecil...UPDATE on SIGMACHI's crew, the boat, and this weekend's plans to catch up with our sailing club! AND...the SOS Seafood Feast on Saturday in Rock Hall, MD...



Greetings All,

 Yes it is time for  a comprehensive summary since our last written post and amplification of our posted video! 

Jeanne and I arrived home last Sunday night (July 29th) from a week on SIGMACHI in Deltaville, VA.

 Yes, we were to take SIGMACHI on a maiden voyage of about 20 miles  to a Marine Trawler Owners Assn (MTOA) Rendezvous in Kilmarnock at the Indian Creek Yacht and Country Club....but severe winds and monsoon like rains early in the week kept us at or away from the dock.  Away from the dock?  Yep, so far away on the leeward side of the dock that there was a 4 foot gap between SIGMACHI and the wooden dock planks.  Such was the velocity of the wind that the lines on the starboard side of the boat (two forward and two aft, two spring lines, and two breast lines) left permanent line indentations in each of their respective wooden pilings. SIGMACHI has a high freeboard.  

We were unable to get ashore for a 33hr. period.  Another time when we had successfully disembarked during a lull in the velocity of the Eastern Wind and had ventured to Gloucester Courthouse by motor vehicle (about 25 miles away) for reprovisioning at WalMart did we find, when we returned to the vessel, that the easterly tempest had again blown the boat too far away from the dock to board.  A large tractor trailer delivery to the marina provided us with a muscular driver who, with an assistant, leveraged the dock lines so we could scurry aboard.

The last Friday in July was another fortuitous day of clear skies and sunshine. Although the MTOA rendezvous was still taking place we were staying aboard SIGMACHI.  A 10 am meeting with Keith Ruse of Deltaville Boat Yard and his production chief, Starr Pulliam, gave us options and the financial realities of some refitting items including generator repair, new air conditioning system, an engine oil leak in the starboard engine (Detroit Diesel 6-71N) and a new electronics suite. 

Working on bringing some order to the ship's store items piled aboard the rest of the day occupied us and we never did get around to calling the ever helpful Jacqui Ruse, Deltaville Marina co-owner, to send someone to help us unload SIGMACHI's new 55 lb Mantis anchor from Jeanne's SUV and transport it down the dock to hoist it aboard; the shiny anchor⚓ is still in the vehicle...at our home driveway 190 miles away❗Next time, eh⁉️

That Friday evening we made the 20 +/- mile car trip to MTOA Virginia Rendezvous hdq ...the beautiful ICYCC for a farewell celebration banquet.  We were delighted to be seated with one of the principal MTOA rendezvous coordinators (also an ICYCC member), Mike Byrne. Organizing any "boat in" requires organizational planning and execution...and "organized they were!"  Educational trips to the Historic Christ Church and Steamboat Era Museum in nearby Irvington, VA were two of the wonderful highlights. Because of the torrential rains those wishing to take part in the club's golf course were hampered!..to say the least!!
 
The Rendezvous planners presented a beautiful wine tasting last Thursday evening.  Cas Olverson graced us with her presence.  Cas and her husband Fred are two of the longstanding early members of the MTOA.  Jeanne and I had such a wonderful "mini reunion" with the all enchanting Cas that we succumbed to her invitation for us to stay for dinner and listen to the melodious voice Paige Melton sing favorite tunes from the past!

We"re off to the seafood feast in Rockhall. MD tomorrow (by auto) because SIGMACHI [a 40 ft. Pacemaker Flush Deck Flying Bridge M/Y] is, as previously noted,  being refitted for new air conditioners and generator/electrical repairs by the superior craftsmen at Deltaville Boat Yard. We hope to be ready by Sept 10th to traverse the Chesapeake Bay to The Oyster Farm in Cape Charles for the MTOA Northeastern USA Rendezvous! for 5 days and then back to Deltaville.

OK, that's it for now...

Tight Lines!

Alan

Alan and Jeanne Cecil 
M/V SIGMACHI 

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