Sailing to Brooklyn with the Millers

First, a problem is brewing with Seas The Day.

Evidently some of the swim ladder hardware isn't the right grade of stainless steel.  We're getting rust stains on the transom.  Does anyone out there know how you can clean rust off of fiberglass without damaging a decal underneath?

Continuing with Today's topic, being part of the Keyport Yacht Club means (among other things) that we get "reciprocity privileges" with the other clubs in the area.  That means that members can stop by for a visit with other clubs in the area at no cost.  Most Yacht clubs in the NY/NJ area take part in this, so we can visit the other clubs, and their members can stop by Keyport.  It's a nice way to sail away to specific destinations without breaking the bank.  (For example, stopping at Liberty Landing Marina cost us $140 for the night... this trip to Brooklyn cost us the amount we spent on dinner.)

So we decided to sail away to the Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club in Brooklyn, NY.  Our goal there was to meet up with the Millers, a young family who also just joined KYC, and join them for dinner so we could get to know each other some more.

The day was a little crazy... very overcast... wind was very variable with gusts into the 20 knot range. We practiced sailing (I'm in the middle of a book on sail trim) across the Raritan Bay, but then pulled in the sails for the trip across the shipping channels and into the Rockaway Inlet (right next to Coney Island).

 When we arrived, we discovered that they had guest moorings, but both were occupied so they told us to just raft up with the other boat from Keyport (luckily it was the one the Miller's just purchased).  This was our first time "rafting up" (tying the boats together) and Brandon was kind enough to come out and help us.  The boat they just acquired is a 15 year old Catalina 320, almost identical to Seas The Day (a Catalina 315).

We headed right into town for dinner at Randazzo's Clam Bar which was a half-mile walk into town from the yacht club.  We passed a group of swans feasting on one of the docks.  It turns out there's a fair population of swans in this marina area.

Randazzo's was a perfect casual location for a group with 3 small kids and a nice meal, we returned to the boats and chatted for a while before turning in.

One interesting thing about this marina off the Rockaway Inlet is that it is party barge central.  At all hours of the night (as well as EARLY in the morning), party boats were coming and going.   Note: These are NOT party boats where 6 guys go out fishing with a 6-pack captain... no, these are PARTY BOATS complete with DJs and a few hundred revelers. (One left at 6:00 AM returning at 9:00 AM - who chooses those hours to party?)  I swear some of them were propelled by sub-woofer.

Oh well, I did want to get up early for some quiet time (which I did have between party boats).

And of course, I had a great chance to practice some candid portraiture... this is Gavin as he was serenading us with Beethoven on his keyboard app...

Madeline tried to stay far away at first, but eventually warmed up (somewhat)...

And Preston, who seems to be the sailor of the bunch.  That's actually incorrect as all three of them have been sailing since they were 6-months old (and thus have much more experience than Vicky and me).

The Sheepshead Bay mooring field is... um... tight... they are really set up for smaller boats, so we all watched the mooring ball from our nearest neighbor come uncomfortably close to our boats off and on during the morning.

 
And finally a family portrait of the Millers on their boat.

Finally after breakfast, it was time to shove off, we broke up the raft, and headed out past the swan colony and back to Keyport.