[Sloop Scoop pre-season 2004] #1, April 9 - 18

Sloop John B sloopscoop@jewellgems.com
Fri, 09 Apr 2004 18:18:43 -0500


Spring Greetings!

First, a list-cleaning note:  if you would like to be removed from this 
list, let me know.  I will probably do some cleaning myself soon, since I 
haven't seen or heard from several people in at least a season.  If you are 
one of those silent lurkers who wants to continue lurking, a preemptive 
"Hey, keep me on the list!" will do the trick.

It's been a staccato spring so far, but it was enough for the Sloop to 
throw off her covers again in March.  We often don't uncover the boat until 
about now, but sometimes the Sloop gets overly-excited by the early warm 
days and beats us to the task.  Sailor Mike and I have been down on a few 
of the nice days we've had to assess the work to be done.  Sailor Mike, 
project manager that he is, put together a, to-date, eight-page list of 
tasks.  If you're curious, it's a Microsoft Word document available at 
http://www.jewellgems.com/sloopscoop/SloopSpring2004Commissioning.doc
Sailor Mike and I have already made a dent in the list of tasks.  We have 
also done most of our pre-season shopping at Strictly Sail and Sailapalooza 
(at Crowley's Yacht Yard) and West Marine, so, aside from some pesky 
hard-to-find odd-threaded stainless-steel hardware and a speaker-splitter, 
we're ready to round up the crew for work!

Wanna help?  What a silly question--of course you do!  We have a variety of 
tasks, from sewing to cleaning to building to drilling to grinding to 
cutting to caulking to sanding to oiling to painting to . . . , on 
materials ranging from rope to cloth to wood to fiberglass to aluminum to 
stainless steel . . . .  You can use existing skills, or gain new 
ones.  The boat yard offers interesting vistas of the Calumet River 
Industrial area, and (when the wind is blowing in the opposite direction 
from the landfill), it's a pleasant place to work.  It's also a great time 
to ask us questions, since we're not preoccupied with sailing the boat (yet 
; ) ).  The boatyard directions are at the end of this post.

I will be working tomorrow (Saturday) and possibly on Monday (with the 
usual weather-permitting caveat).  I plan on working at least one day of 
every weekend until the boat's ready (hopefully pretty close to May 
15th).  I'll keep you updated on the days here in the Sloop Scoop.  I'm 
also available on Monday during the day and on Tuesday mornings, so if you 
have a flexible or non-9-to-5 schedule and are available on those days, let 
me know.

Hope to hear from some of you soon, and see the rest of you on the water in 
2004!

Skipper Schuy/Lisa
Land:  773-752-6266, Cell:  773-343-0153
E-mail:  sloopscoop@jewellgems.com
----
DIRECTIONS (driving) to the boatyard
The boat's located at Croissant Marina, approximately S. 142nd St. , just 
east of Torrence Avenue, in the fenced part of the yard.  I usually take 
the Dan Ryan to the Bishop Ford (used to be Calumet Expy)--the left fork at 
the end of the Dan Ryan (to stay on I-94, vs. the right fork, which is 
I-57).  I get off at the Dalton exit going east, take Dalton to Torrence 
(at that point Dalton has become State street), where there is a stoplight 
(I haven't counted stoplights to that point yet, but it's about a mile from 
the expressway).  Turn left (north) at Torrence and go over the bridge and 
take your first left at the bottom of the bridge (there should be a sign 
there for the Waterfront Pub).  Take that street (I think it's 143rd) until 
it hits the gravel lot and bear right around the fenced section.  There's a 
lot by the Waterfront Pub, which will be on your left, or you can park 
along the fence (ther are too many boats right now to pull your car in any 
further)  Walk east (the direction you were driving in the yard) until the 
opening and turn right into the yard and follow the line of boats along the 
fence.  The stern is facing the road, so you should be able to see the 
Sloop's location when you're coming in.