City Island

Tonight I'm tied up at a dock in a marina on City Island. Something fouled my prop a couple hours after dark last night as I passed Hewlett Point at the edge of Manhasset Bay, and I lost all propulsion. The engine ran, but I couldn't go anywhere and it made an awful noise. I had to shut it down and quickly raise my mainsail as I drifted by the rocks on Hewlett Point.

I was lucky I didn't hit any of them. It was high tide at the time, which probably helped, but I saw them today at low tide, and the one closest to me last night was as wide as the boat. I'm glad I got out of Huntington, but left way too late, both in time of day and season. I had to break up the ice to get out yesterday.

They'll pull my boat tomorrow and see what's going on, but I think I must have hit a lobster pot or some garbage that got tangled around the prop. Hopefully, it's nothing serious, but I might have lost the prop. In any case, I'll have to stay here till at least Tuesday as I've missed the weather window. The next one isn't looking as good either.

They loaned me a great heater, so we're nice and toasty tonight. It's already down to 30 outside and we're at 62 in the cabin and climbing. Zoe's really happy too. She got to go for a walk and warm up -- both of which are her favorite things, as are treats, etc.. Like all dogs, she has lots of favorites.

I think I'll take advantage of my time here to move my diesel heater and see if I can get it to work. It puts out a lot of heat, but would get full of soot overnight. It was a real mess. I think it was mounted too high in the cabin and the flue was too short so it didn't draw well. I'm going to move it to another spot where I can mount it much lower and add another foot the flue on the inside. I figure I could use the dorade on that side to feed the air intake, if needed.

I just can't live on the boat in this weather without heat, and the stove doesn't provide nearly enough. Reliable heat will also reduce the urgency of traveling south. I'll be able to make shorter trips and wait for better days without worrying about freezing. I don't want to wake up to another 28 degree morning on the boat.