June 5, 1998: Yacht Club Races
Jeff and I in our first Friday night race. Had the jib and main up. Winds were @ 10 knots from the west. Course was CBJ (all green) Pumpkin and Double Trouble DNFd. We may have corrected over Rabbit. Finished just before the showers moved in. Water in keel lock compartment. Maybe 1/2 gallon. Need to see where it's leaking.

June 7, 1998: Magothy River
Barbara, Dany, Susan, and I out for an afternoon sail. Winds over 15 when we started. Went out with a reefed main, no jib. Then pulled the reef as the winds diminished, and finally put up the jib. Had an enjoyable few hours. Just as everyone had finally relaxed we got a gust that had us heeling about 15 degrees. Barb grabbed the side of the boat and screamed, then calmed down. We all had a good laugh, Barb included. About a gallon of water in the port locker from the keel bolt. Water also in the sole, and on the seats, but it has rained recently. Overall, a terrific day.

June 12, 1998: Yacht Club Races
Kohl, John, Jeff, and I out for Friday night race. Course was JBJ2 (red). Light winds, we tried out the light sail from Kohl's friend. We did well for leg 2, but got caught by Double Trouble late. We probably came in second to last. But, we had a good time. Kohl taught Jeff to trim the genoa, I was at the helm, and we sailed a good course. Socialized on the boat for an hour or two afterwards. Another gallon or so in the port locker. Coming from my poor fiberglassing job near the keel lock down bolt. Maybe a gob of resin in there will help...

June 14, 1998: Deep Creek
An entry I'd rather not have to make. Friday evening, sometime after 11:00 p.m., someone stole Alt Escape. They took her from her slip, sailed her (or tried to at least) in the Magothy, and left her banging against the Lake Claire Crabbing Pier for hours. Jim Klemstine and Serafin Avitia retrieved her from the Magothy as she had broken loose and drifted to the middle of the river. They tied her up to the Lake Claire Pier in a vacant slip. Steve Dosh had informed Barb, who called me. Bow pulpit is gone, poptop is ruined (legs pulled out of the sides), hatch cover damaged, sail cover ripped in half, over $1,000 in damage. On top of all that, they set the two fire extinguishers off inside the cabin creating a huge mess. Motored from Lake Claire Pier to Deep Creek and started to put the boat back together.

June 19, 1998: Yacht Club Races
Jeff, Kohl, and I out for Friday night races. Main and #1. Light winds, under a knot at times. Course was JB (green). Kohl at helm and over early. Still, we beat Suki Too and Pumpkin. Sailed around tethered to Coyote for a couple of hours afterward. "Reclaimed" Alt Escape by making several toasts to her seaworthiness and cursed the names of the kids who defiled her. Returned her to her slip feeling much better and ready to begin repairs. Table seems to have a problem and the sails are soiled, but the boat seems fine. Need to replace the reefing line as the jerks who stole the boat must have cut them. Boat will be fine. We are probably lucky it wasn't worse.

June 28, 1998: Magothy River
Kerouac (my Springer Spaniel) and I out for a short trip. Kerouac's first on the boat while it is underway. Didn't put any sails up. Think I'll wait for someone else to be aboard before I do that. Pleasant evening, but clouds threatening to the south. Went out into the Magothy past the day marks, and then returned to the slip. Kerouac was a trooper. No problems except a little fear of the splashing of the waves against the hull. He stood nearly the entire time only laying down once we had returned to the pier.