Monday, March 19, 2012

Transition at Ft. Clinch

On arrival at Ft Clinch,  Team B&B Yacht Designs immediately began the transition to becoming Team Kruger. 

SandyBottom and SOS were met at the boat ramp by DancesWithSandyBottom who had brought along the Kruger Cruiser the crew would be using for river travel in the next stage. The Kruger Cruiser is perfect for travel through the rivers-and-portage stage across Florida.  It has a foot-controlled rudder, two comfortable tractor seats, plenty of storage space, a sleek hull,  and a one square-meter sail useful for downwind runs.  It does not have amas.  The only foils in the water will be the rudder and two very light carbon-fiber paddles.


Best boat for the rivers/portage stage
SB and SOS arrived hungry and sleep deprived,  but spent the afternoon unloading gear, preparing the Mosquito for trailer travel, and reorganizing gear and supplies.  DWSB brought them Subway sandwiches and helped with the unloading and reloading. 

The boat ramp facility includes two restrooms and a large open-air pavilion useful for sorting through gear in the shade  --or for having lunch.  From the floating dock, everything in the Mosquito was hauled to the pavilion.  The Mosquito rode the trailer up the steep boat ramp to the parking lot and was un-rigged and folded up for travel.  Meanwhile the boat ramp saw heavy traffic from power boats lining up to come in and go out.


Removing the Rudder

At top of the boat ramp

Ready to Roll


Sorting and organizing gear and supplies
Shade under the pavilion

SandyBottom and SOS spent the afternoon Friday at the boat ramp facility reorganizing and preparing for an early Saturday morning launch in the Kruger Cruiser.  By dinner time operations had moved 4 miles down the road to the Hampton Inn and Suites on the river waterfront of Fernandina Beach.  Naps, doing laundy, more organizing, and hot showers gave way to falling asleep.   Both SB and SOS could not stay awake and slept through dinner time.  They slept soundly until Saturday morning at 6:00am.

Fernandina Beach, FL

SB and SOS have come a long way from Ft DeSoto on Tampa Bay.