cegrundler pictures

c.e.grundler
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More pictures... The most recent photos are at the top. To view things chronological (more or less) start at the BOTTOM and scroll up.
Click here if you dare for PROJECTS ABOARD, PAST AND PRESENT

Futility: Trying to do major fiberglass repairs in progressively harder rain.
PROGRESS! (Really!) The bridge is all stripped, and must be protected from the weather.

The first signs of spring! The shaft (which runs the clear up to the dashboard) and prop head off for inspection and balancing. Objects in wagon appear much larger than on boat.


And here we sit until spring. I really should have taken pictures of the frame beneath, it really is a work of art, but at the time we were busier trying to get it built and covered before an upcoming storm. Frank designed it so the whole thing breaks down easily and will see years of service. We were considering going for a custom canvas cover next year (not cheap!) but it seems the tyvek tarp's done a fine job for a whole lot less. Friends were busting Frank's chops, at the time it looked more like he was building a house, and he replied "Wait till you see the shingles I picked out." Needless to say, it's withstood this winter's endless snow, keeping Annabel Lee cocooned snug and dry within. When the tarp comes off, I'll throw pictures on the 'projects' page. Meanwhile, we can sneak aboard through the transom door, and work continues underneath through the winter.

October 2008 - Freshly hauled. Note lack of rudder. That was pulled immediately after hauling and prior to blocking, to allow for pulling the prop and shaft. On this winter's agenda, inspecting the cutlass, stuffing box, and sending the prop and shaft out to be checked and balanced.

Random reflections at daybreak...

Late summer, early morning. Piermont, NY

August 2008 - Looking north in Garrison, NY, just across the river from West Point. When we woke, fog was so heavy it was as though we'd docked in a cloud. We'd arrived the night before in total darkness.

And looking down river. Tranquil. Much unlike 3 am, when we were tossed from our bunk by the wake of a passing ship. The dogs were not amused.

Moxy (left) and Rex (right) awaiting permission to go ashore. We leave the cockpit lockers open or they'd use them to jump up to the side decks and the dock.

A lovely wooden catboat.

Moxy's bunk.

Moxy & Rex napping. Rules are dogs and small children must wear PFDs and leashes while underway. (Just kidding. There's no small children aboard.) The leashes are set so they have run of the cabin and cockpit, but side-decks and bow are off limits.

River dogs in the cockpit. Whenever we hit a wake or the like I look down from the bridge to check on them, and this is the view.

September 2008 - Heading into Haverstraw Bay. Water doesn't get much flatter than this. Just after I took this picture, two modern style cruisers, both up on plane and hustling along at a fair clip, crossed before us, and we overheard an amusing conversation on the VHF.

A well provisioned boat. I'm amused what our bridge looks like sometimes. All the same, that was some delicious left-over pizza!

Testing the rebuilt steering. Heading south on the Hudson, with Hook Mountain to starboard. The Tappan Zee Bridge, as ever, undergoing repair. Amusing note. Like any job site, there's porta-johns for the workers. But where do you put them on a bridge? How about on scaffolding suspended off the side, hanging out over the river. A new (correct sized) wheel, with alternating whipping, on the rebuilt upper helm pump, and rebuilt lower helm pump, and rebuilt ram. The sum of much $$$s, weeks of work, weeks of sitting at the dock with the tiller lashed in place and Annabel Lee not moving from her slip. We're up and running at last!
June 2008 - Dock B10, Piermont NY. Home at last, and we seem to be a subject of great interest to our fellow boat-owners. And while Annabel Lee seems to have attracted much admiration, as it turns out, we won't be going anywhere for some time to come. In fact, even longer. Just beyond this picture, there was some spectacular lighting.


The Palisades, with the Clearwater docked beneath. Only a few miles to go. Spyten Dyvil Bridge opening to the Hudson River, and HOME! The Harlem (Yes) River. A railyard on the Harlem River. Now I know where old Number 7 trains go to die. Hell Gate. No chop today, but you can see the water boiling up from below. Wards Island. Amazing to see this just outside the city. Same location, another direction. City Island NY - Piermont, NY. The weather was beautiful. Ahead, the Throg's Neck Bridge. City Island. A delightfully unique place. Exceptional soft-shell crab, (not here, I just thought this picture summed up the charm of the island,) and a dock so exposed to the chop you needed Dramamine! Execution Rocks. The wind was FINALLY dying down just as we reached City Island for the night. New Haven to City Island, NY. We acquired a hitchhiker in the lower Sound, who stayed with us for much of the day, assisting with navigation. THE SHOWERS. (Insert ominous music.) It looks innocent enough, even a bit charming. But oh the biological warfare horrors that lurk within. Frank waited outside and I went in first. When I came out he asked how it was in there. I asked if he remembered the game "Operation." "Yeah," he said. "And you remember the object of the game?" "Don't touch the sides." "Exactly. And while you're at it, keep your sneakers on." Docked in New Haven. Below, the 'Nauti-Gal', complete with Tiki umbrella, A/C, Satellite dish, and one hell of a figurehead. New Haven, CT. After another day of shivering (it is supposed to be the last week of May, last I checked), wrapped in layers, hats, gloves and scarves, we pull along side the dock, tie up, all to odd looks from restaurant patrons. Annabel Lee's covered in a crust of salt, we're dressed like we'd just returned from the Aortic Circle. But out of the wind, it's warm. People are in tee-shirts. Go figure. New Haven, CT. Point Judith, Rhode Island. The day's destination was New London, CT, but just past Point Judith we saw a band of thunderstorms in our path. Not something you want to push through while sitting on the bridge. We doubled back to the harbor and tided up at Point Judith Marina, the nicest stop on our trip. The facilities were immaculate, the showers hot and spotless-clean, the staff couldn't be nicer, and a fellow down the dock gave me a lift to the 24hr Super Stop-N-Shop where I restocked on provisions. The cabin after rough weather. Some things on the port bunk started out stowed on a starboard shelf, and vice-versa. Below: The cabin before getting underway. It would have been nice to do the colder, windier, rougher parts of the trip from down here, but the seals on the lower helm were shot, so we were up on the bridge the whole time. Another cold day, with more howling wind and some rain just for fun. Note Frank's hydraulic fluid 'reservoir' duct-taped to the console to retain helm fluid that was burping out of the vent every time we hit rough water. He rigged it the night before when we moored in New Bedford. The upper helm isn't far behind the lower, seal wise, and at this point we just hoped it would get up home. New Bedford Harbor's exit. The weather's supposed to clear and be nicer than yesterday. Next planned stop, New London. Leaving New Bedford. I was amused by this vessel's name. Next stop, New Bedford, Mass. Pick up any mooring, we were told. Only they forgot to mention the pennants were still wrapped up to the buoys, secured with zip-ties. The view through salt-sprayed windows of a factory town. Fish processing factories ran through the night, though we were so exhausted we slept through the strange noises from shore. The other side. We've reached Buzzard's Bay and a screaming southwest wind, which stayed in our face for the next three days. Heading into the Cape Cod Canal. So far, smooth sailing. At this rate, it should be a pleasant trip. (Ha! See next picture up.) East Dennis, Cape Cod to Piermont, NY.
And we're back in the water, all set (or so we think) to get underway the next morning. The weather's even nice. Oh, poor naive fools! Launch Spring 2008!



East Dennis. 10 hours driving round trip every weekend with tools, gear, two dogs, and no sleep. And it's been cold. Unseasonably cold. This last weekend, the forecast was for three days of sun, with temps in the mid to upper 50s. A little cold for setting epoxies, but workable. The reality, as of Saturday night, has been more like the mid 40s, with moments of misty drizzle between stretches of steady downpours. We've been soaked to the skin multiple times, through at least six changes of clothing, and so far, we've managed to wash the hull and wet sand some repairs. The shim around the cutlass bearing took so time to repair, being that West Systems work best around 70 degrees, and even with the fast-setting catalyst, warming the mix in the car, it took multiple rounds to get finished.

Below: April 2008: Yikes! Second thoughts on our sanity. The work begins.


November 12, 2007. East Dennis, Mass. We survived Round 1.

November 11, 2007, Scituate Harbor, Mass. Objects in picture are colder than they appear. WAY colder!






November 11, 2007 - Holed up in Scituate, Mass. We made it from Salem to Scituate (with more problems than we realized at the time) and the weather turned from bad to worse. We're very protected here in this inner cove, but heading into open water... well, needless to say, no one was going out that day. Waves recorded at 14 ft. on the bay. We'll stay where we are for now.

October 2007. Hauling for Survey. Are we out of our minds? We can't be serious!

And so it begins...
For more information on Cheoy Lee powerboats, visit the CHEOY LEE POWERBOATS ASSOCIATION page.
To contact me, write ceg(at)myralee.com