Spring Launching - Saturday, April 2, 2011

Address: 38 Hope Road (Rt 521), Blairstown, NJ 07825

Pictures from 2008  Pictures from 2007   Pictures from 2005
Pictures from 2004  Pictures from 2003

What: The Spring Launching is the annual event where members are asked to volunteer their time to help prepare the fleet for the coming season.  This tradition began in 1991!  In addition to work on the fleet, the Spring Launching includes the first BBQ of the season.

When:   The Spring Launching will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Sunday is the rain date).

Where:  This year, the Spring Launching will take place at our storage facility in Blairstown in north western New Jersey.  This is about a 1 1/2 hours from the city.

Jobs to Be Done:

• Tape waterlines and paint the bottoms
• Polish stainless steel on pulpits and stanchions (all boats)
• Clean masts and run halyards

Clothing: Wear old clothes which you can get dirty.  Depending on temperature, be sure to bring enough clothes to stay warm (it can be chilly in the boatyard).

Driving Directions:  The storage facility is at 38 Hope Road (Rt 521) in Blairstown in northwestern New Jersey.

• Take Route 80 West
• Take Exit 12 "Blairstown"
• Bear right at end of ramp on Rt 521 North (follow signs for Blairstown).
• Take about 10 minutes until you come to a 1 lane bridge.
• Cross bridge and road bears to the left.
• Road then bears back to right and storage facility is on left.
• Be careful not to drive too fast because it is easy to miss the storage facility.  You can't see the boats from the road.  Just look on your left for the storage facility driveway (immediately after the mini-storage sheds).

Lost or Questions: There is no telephone number at the storage yard but you can call Michael Fortenbaugh on his cell at 917-816-3799.

Bus Info:  If you don't have access to a car or ride, the club subsidizes a "Party" bus (if there are enough interested members).  Tickets are $15 per person and include donuts on the way out and beverages (beers, sodas and water) on the way back.  The bus will pick people up at 9 a.m., Saturday down at North Cove (exact location will be corner of Liberty St & South End Ave).  The bus should arrive at the maintenance facility around 10:30 a.m.  The bus will return for home at 2:30 p.m. and will drop people off at North Cove around 4 p.m.  Tickets are limited and available on the first-come basis.  Tickets are non-refundable so if you can't go at the last minute, please give your ticket to another member.

Bus Reservations

RSVPs with ride information.
Randy Lewis pipeace@aol.com  I have a mini van and can take up to 5 people.
Anyone in NJ I can give a ride if you are in the North Jersey Area. Email me donna.ditroia@gmail.com  \
Andrew Lom - I can take 3 passengers leaving from Manhattan Upper East Side.  Email andrew@moostis.com
Tracy Spinney tspinney@earthlink.net I can take three people in my Saab. Leaving from the South Street Seaport.
Wayne Turett wturett@turettarch.com I can fit 3 people.  Leaving from Tribeca area. email me if you want a ride
radhika chalasani rc@radhikachalasani.com can offer a ride to 3 others. leaving from carroll gardens, brooklyn
Chris Reid cjreid1@yahoo.com I am driving from/to Pier 40 (Houston and West Side Hwy).  Not sure yet is I have any space, I will update the listing if I have any room available.
Gary Felline, I'll be leaving from the Staten Island side of the S.I. ferry and can take 2 people...gapple1017@aol.com
Tom Wallin twallin@energyintel.comI can take a couple of people. Leaving UES around 9 a.m. twallin@energyintel.com

Technical Details for staff use
Bus, book with Kenny at Pinnacle Express, 201-333-5403
Bottom Paint - West Marine CPP Copolymer Ablative Antifouling Paint, black is #259674, Thinner #329591, drys for overcoating 3-4 hours, (order 1 gallon per boat in 2000)
Rags - Recycled White Sweatshirt Rags order from McMaster-Carr, 25-lb carton, each #7366T31, use for polishing. (order 2 boxes in 2000)
Tape - 3M Super 33+ electrical tape, order from McMaster-Carr, #76455A12, use for  for running halyards.  (order 10 in 2000) 3M Long Mask Blue, get from Spiersteins, 1 1/2" width
Mast Step Bolts
Rigging Tape for Spreaders
Mast Head Flys & Silicone Adhesive
Spare mast chocks
Port a Potty for Blairstown - All State Septic - 800-858-3111, $100.70 for month
Grand Rental - 908-362-5116, for grill

Spring Launching Instructions: 

Recommended gear: work clothes and safety goggles/glasses.

Never move or adjust boat stands.

1.      Locate a boat to work on with a team of up to four people.

2.      Pick up the following supplies for your team: one tarpaulin, two scotch brite pads, a quart of  Interlux 333, rags, dust masks, gloves, two rollers, two roller sleeves, two chip brushes, one paint tray, one paint tray liner and one roll of painter’s tape.

3.      Carefully tape waterline.

4.      Stretch out tarpaulin under hull.

5.      Lightly abrade surface of hull with scotch brite pads.

6.      Wipe down hull with rags and 333 liquid.

7.      Receive paint from staff member.

8.      Roll on one coat of anti-fouling paint.

9.      Remove painter’s tape.

Clean up:

-          Return painting supplies to staff member so that it may be reused on another boat

-          fold and return tarpaulin

-          conduct garbage sweep of your area.

© copyright 2011 by Manhattan Sailing Club