Beware of the Sailor Bob

Ever have any crew come aboard who was a friend of a friend and

told you they'd been sailing, "lots of times." Then, as the day wears on

you realize the skill they developed best was hanging on for

dear life, getting in your way, and leaving black scuff marks all over your boat!

If so, you'll get a laugh from this scene in 'What About Bob?'

"Sure, let's go sailing, it's not like I have any other plans!"

 "I'm sailing! I'm SAILING! I'm a sailor!!"

January's Beach

Most blocks on City Island have a beach association. For many the only stipulation is you have to be a resident of that block and pay a small yearly fee.

 

Many of the beaches allot for barbecues and swimming with their own private docks. They never seem to get too crowded either, since it's mainly just residents from that block.

You can imagine this strip of beach on a bright, hot July day.

 

But, on a day like today, many on this street were snug inside their warm homes.

Overcast only enhanced the monochromatic gray January afternoon.

If you want to find some color in the landscape, you have to look closer.

And then, you'll see it.

I lack the magnificent richness of color that animates nature.

Paul Cezanne

Al Cassese - What Better Place Than On The Water?

SAILOR OF THE WEEK

If there were any way one could play golf and sail simultaneously, Al Cassese might be doing it. From April through November you'll find him swinging a 9-iron on land and keeping the crew out of irons at sea. He's first mate and tactician aboard the Seidelman 37.5 Bouliner (Boo-lin-ay), as well as an avid golf player and skillful at both. Retired, but always in motion, Al’s able to balance his passion for sailing, golf, and family, which includes four grandchildren ages 18 months to three years old; pictures always available upon request.

Al at the helm

Al first learned to sail over 28 years ago in nearby Mamaroneck through their town program on a small Rhodes 19 (keelboat). The next year he purchased an O'Day 24, and just two years later a Seidelman 30' and named it Risky Business. That's where he first met Roy Cook, captain of Bouliner, at a local marina on City Island. A couple of years later, Al sold his boat and started crewing on Bouliner when the EBYRA races began. When I asked Al how many races he's competited in since that time he replied, “Wow, how many races?  Let's see, 19 EBYRA races a season for 20+ years is 400 races.  Five distance races a season for 20 years is another 100 races.  Then there are the Around Long Island Races - one a year for 10 years…” You get the idea. That's a lot of buoy roundings.

A bird's eye view of Bouliner

When the race is over and his feet return to dry land, he resumes golfing, admittedly maybe not in the same day. I can confirm Al's penchant for sailing and golf, as I've been fortunate enough to be crew aboard Bouliner. Last year Al vacationed at Whistling Straits on Lake Superior in Milwaukee, one of the five best golf courses in the country. This coming March, he and the family will travel to San Diego where he and sons will play at another well-known course, Torrey Pines.  Several vacations have taken him to great golfing destinations in St. Thomas, Bermuda, and Hawaii.  

Jim and Al

Clearly, our favorite first mate finds the groove in sailing, as well as golfing.Yet Al acknowledges, "slipping the lines and sailing away from daily responsibilities, even for a short time, can really charge my batteries, second is the chance to share the experiences of sailing and racing with good friends. What better place than out on the water?" 

I couldn't agree more.

(Pictures by Mike Kunkel - thanks Mike!)

Lest We Forget Summertime

Last night, nearly a foot and a half of snow fell on City Island...again.

Last winter NYC had a total of 51" of snowfall, currently, we're at 52".

However, the warmth of summer will return to New York.

And sunshine, shorts & sandles, flowers in bloom, outdoor cafe's,

biking, frisbee and of course, sailing too.

Here's proof, lest we forget!

(double click video to enlarge to fullscreen)

Hollywood in the Bronx

Since moving to City Island several years ago, I've seen a few films shot here, and one television series. In fact, the season finale of the detective drama, Life On Mars (2009), had a scene shot in my apartment. I was paid a nice sum, met a lot of interesting people including location scouts, directors, lighting and sound crew, yet the icing on the cake had to be meeting the ruggedly handsome lead actor Jason O'Mara. The actor was friendly too, with an Irish accent. To think, they paid me!

Jason O'Mara
(Photo from abc.com)

One evening the following year, I saw movie lights set up outside the City Island Diner. There was no mistaking that another film was being shot on our island. The 18-wheelers lining City Island Avenue first gave it away, but seeing Michael Douglas walk out of the diner (renamed Mario's in the film) confirmed it. He was shooting the indie-film Solitary Man, also starring Danny Devito, and now out on DVD.

Michael Douglas & Danny Devito shooting a scene inside the
City Island Diner
(photo from pompousfilmsnobs.com)



Not long afterwards movie trucks again rolled into town. (Yes, I know, they take all our parking.)

But this time it was Jessica Alba filming An Invisible Sign of my Own. Release date: TBD.

Jessica Alba on City Island preparing for a scene in
An Invisible Sign of My Own
(photo from ineedmyfix.com - WENN)

However the film City Island is most noted for in recent years is another indie-film entitled City Island,

starring Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies.

This film differs from others in that films typically portray City Island as New England, or Upstate NY, but City Island is actually about our little island, and a very dysfunctional, yet loving family too.

Click here to see trailer and clips of City Island

The film cost $6 million to make and did well in the theaters, turning a substantial profit.

It won several awards including the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival audience award.

In April of 2010 it opened in nearly 300 theaters across the US. It became the indie hit of 2010 and is now available on DVD. It's also at the island IGA in their rental movie box machine. Note the J-24's coming back from their Wednesday night races at the film's rolling credits.

Scene from the film City Island. Look familiar?

If you have about 45 minutes and are at all interested, here's

the Screenwriter/Director, Raymond DeFelitta at the Tribeca Film Festival

being interviewed by Newsday film critic, Rafer Guzman.

For more info on films, and television shows shot on City Island go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Island,_New_York.

Robert De Niro, Angelina Jolie, Robin Williams, Elizabeth Taylor and Katherine Hepburn are just some of the actors who've discovered our seaside community!

Beautiful Historical Boat, Very Affordable

This may be a sailing blog, but there are times when another type of boat is worth noting.

A 1929 Chris-Craft Triple Cockpit Runabout. A beauty I saw this weekend at the Boat Show at the

Jacob Javitz Center.

Chris-Craft Industries, Inc. was a private held American corporation. Its forebear was founded in the late 19th century by Christopher Columbus Smith, and became famous for mahogany hulled powerboats in the 1920s through the 1950s.

Smith built his first wooden boat in 1874 at the age of 13. Years later, he built a duck hunting boat. His friends liked the way he built them, and they asked him to build them one. This was technically the start of the Chris Craft Boat Co.

The Detroit area company became well known for their sleek racing boats in the 1910s and 1920s. 

 Chris-Craft sold high end powerboats to wealthy patrons such as Henry Ford and

William Randolph Hearst.

In the late 1920s, Chris-Craft extended its market into the middle class when it became one of the first mass producers of civilian pleasure boats. 

Check out those lines...

 ...that workmanship...

...and she's yours for a mere $140,000

http://www.chriscraft.com/

 

1929 Chris Craft Triple Cockpit Runabout Model from Megahobby

  

Or, *sigh*, the model version for $58.29

Very affordable.

Photos by Gregory Roach (thanks Gregory!) & history of boat from Wikipedia

Gimme Shelter

Don't let the blue skies fool you, there's ice on them there waters!

It's 15 degrees today, with sailing season still a few months away. But this boat won't see another sail as she's fallen on the rocks and been left at the foot of the bridge, after breaking loose from her mooring in a storm.

At least the geese come by for company...

Ice Yacht Racing?

Sailing for me is synonymous with warmth, sunshine, and summertime. Sure, that can vary, rains may come, clouds roll in, but by and large I don't associate winter with sailing.
I wouldn't tell these people that.
However you can get it...sail on I say!

Ice Boat Regatta from Catchlight Video Solutions on Vimeo.

(double click to enlarge video)

Want to find out more about local ice sailing? Brrrr, go ahead. Here's the link to the

Hudson River Ice Yacht Club and other site resources.

http://www.hriyc.org/

Francine Alheid Paints Her Own Sailing Story

SAILOR OF THE WEEK

Not only has she a talent for painting boats, she races them. Francine Alheid, painter, City Island Yacht Club past Commodore and life member recalls her first race sailing in a storm 26 years ago, “As I looked around at the rain and wind all I could think of was, "if the boat sank, could I swim to shore?”  Confident now she won’t have to swim to shore, Francine has raced ever since in all kinds of weather. Her J-24 Watercolour recently took first place in the Ladies Skipper Race off City Island. For those who know Francine and her eye-catching paintings, they know how apropos a name this is for her boat.



Winning crew in Ladies Skipper Race 2010
June, Elisabeth, Francine, Peggy

A native of Chicago, Francine has always enjoyed the water, but began sailing in the late 70’s aboard a colleague’s 22’ Catalina on Lake Michigan. Many after-work and weekend sails followed and after learning the ropes, there was no turning back.

Several years later, in 1980 in New York and residing on City Island, Francine met a Reed Haslam, who lived on his boat and worked at Minneford's boat yard.  “He introduced me to City Island Yacht Club, where I first went racing with Jerry Fand of ‘Heliotrope’, on Wednesday nights. Pretty soon I was sailing with them on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and to Block Island for race week.”

J-24 Watercolour

Continuing in her joy of sailing, she and friends later obtained a J-24, Hot Chocolate. “With each experience, you gain confidence in your skills and abilities…and create fun memories of each sail.” After a few seasons with Hot Chocolate, she graduated to become skipper of her now J-24, Watercolour.

“I like being out on the water.  I like introducing new friends to sailing.  And sunsets are always so much better from the water view!” This I can attest to as I’ve been fortunate to sail with Francine, and caught a stunning sunset, or two, while aboard.

Watercolour Wednesday night race crew
Bruce, Carol, Roy

Countdown Begins

58 Days, 21 Hours
Till Springtime comes to City Island...
 

...but who's counting?

Yeah, me too.

Close Call

I don't know what you think, but really now, enough with the snow! O warm weather, where art thou? Depending on the forecast you listen to more snow is expected for Friday, but I'm hoping the storm breaks and the clouds part. Hey, it happens...

Practice makes Perfect...Knots

Learning to tie sailing knots is an important part of being a valuable crew member. Usually when you first learn, for example the bowline, and weeks later a skipper asks you to tie it atop the jib, you hesitate if you haven't tied one in awhile. Perhaps you pass the task to someone else on board, or give it a lackluster try, then turn to another crew member for confirmation whose only response is their best deer in the headlights look. Reluctantly you tell the skipper best if they tie it instead. The problem? We don't tie them enough. So here's a good activity for the winter. Practice tying some key sailing knots.

Go to your local marine store or find a West Marine nearest you

and buy about 6 ft. of polyester sailing rope
Click here for West Marine locations

Next, go to an excellent site that has animated pictures

and learn to tie up to 8 sailing knots. I prefer animated sequential pictures.

http://www.animatedknots.com/indexboating.php

The Bowline

The bowline knot is one of the most used knots in sailing. The bowline knot creates a loop at the end of a rope which is strong yet easy to untie. The loop created by the bowline can be cleated to a boat or dock or the loop can be thrown over or tied around a docking post, or atop a sail.

Rolling Hitch Knot

A common usage while sailing is for rigging a stopper to relax the tension on a sheet so that a jammed winch or block can be cleared.

 Sheet Bend Knot

A sheet bend connects two ropes either of the same or different diameters. It is similar to a bowline except it uses two lines instead of one. Similar to the bowline, it is strong, easy and quick to tie and easy to untie.

If you prefer a video lesson instead on each of these knots (and more) go to

http://www.gosailing.info/Sailing%20%20Knots.htm

(Knot descriptors/photos from sites listed)

World Sailing Record 51.36 knots!

How does one sail at 51.36 knots?

Is it a boat, or a plane?

It's a Hydrofoil!

I don't know what they said, but I can bet it was more than, "I'll buy you a beer at the yacht club!"