Serge working on Elise

Photos courtesy of Serge

Serge has been doing some varnishing to make Elise look good and make the woodwork last - she lives in a very corrosive environment which takes its toll on its equipment. Wood is particularly sensitive to the elements: salt, wind, sun, rain, etc.... and need special care. Usually once a year, Elise's exterior wood needs revarnishing. The interior less often, probably once every 4 years or so to make it look good and prevent humidity to infiltrate the wood. Like anything, with good and regular maintenance, boats can last for a very long time. Elise gets a lot of use, so she needs a lot of care...

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Serge also replaced the hiking crew padding :)

Elise got very damp because of the continuous rain, so it did her some good to be able to vent out a little bit. Shiny new varnished interior :) Doesn't she look beautiful?

I'll pain one of Elise's winches cherry-color.

The workshop

Sanded down, before applying the first coat of varnish (special marine varnish - lasts longer under these conditions. Cetoc)

Of course, we prefer this to having her sit on the hard all the time - that's not her purpose in life really...she's meant to go play with the waves and wind...

Today's Status

I think it's a little less swollen?

I got really tired late this morning and had a headache again - had to lie down and sleep for a while. Better now. Wondering if it is an after-shock.

and was feeling a little sick on BART yesterday but it disappeared quickly.

Elise Night Sail - the boat in the water

You can make out some of the lights in the distance. Looks like it was wonderful out there. Over the weekend, Elise also got a new cunningham block.

Elise Night Sail - the crew

Happy Nicolas upwind

Serge and Nathan

Nathan wearing protective head gear

Not sure what that is, but it looks good, and somewhat vegetarian?

Pretty relaxed day, sorry night

Photos courtesy of Serge and Nathan

Elise goes on a Night Sail - March 29, 2011 - The Boat at the Dock

Nathan, Serge and Nicolas took Elise out last night to enjoy the lights and the peace of the Bay. Night sailing in these conditions is very relaxing and soothing. transports you to another world, yet so close to the city.

Serge replaced the padding on the toe rail, very helpful when hiking out.

Melges and SH SSS Corinthian this weekend

As I am supposed to avoid exertion, heavy lifting and risk of blow to the head right now...I am not supposed to sail this weekend...This feels weird because I feel more or less fine now. However doc says that another blow could 1) break bone away from orbit and into the eye, 2) have broken bone cut through optical nerve, 3) have serious internal bleeding in the eye socket requiring immediate surgery, or in the brain, also requiring immediate surgery and a risk of brain damage. 1 and 2 would also require surgical repair...

The Single-Handed race around the Bay was probably a no no as hoisting and taking down or even trimming sails probably counts as heavy lifting.

Lance was saving the day by offering me to go down to San Diego on a Melges 24, and do tactics (no exertion) - I was so ready to jump at that opportunity...these boats are fast and that sounds like some great racing down there. Unfortunately, doc points out that I can bump my head against hard objects on a boat, particularly moving fast and recommends to stay quiet so close to injury date.

Definitely not my lucky week...

More post lightship photos

It was really stupid of Nat to slip and land head first on the winch. Everyone knows that winches work with a circular horizontal motion, not vertical brute force.

Photos taken on Tuesday night, March 29 of what we now know to be an orbital fracture, due to a winch attack. We're suing the winch for having thrown itself so fast into Nat's face.

black eye is a common symptom of a blowout fracture

From the AAPOS

What is a “blowout” fracture?

A blowout fracture is a fracture of one or more of the bones surrounding the eye and is commonly referred to as an orbital floor fracture.

Fig. 1 Bruising around the eye is a common symptom of a blowout fracture.

What is the orbit?

The orbit consists of the b

ones surrounding the eye. When looking at a skull, the orbit is the hole in the skull encompassing the eye.

NorcalSailing and Pressure Drop writeups of the Lightship race

http://www.norcalsailing.com/entries/2011/03/28/dhl-wrap.html

http://www.pressure-drop.us/forums/content.php?1273-Light-Ship-Pounding

Nat's post lightship 2011 photos

Story #1: I just got into a nasty bar fight. You should've seen the other guys

Story #2: I took up boxing - I won the round

Story #3: there were 15 of them, they were after my purse. Gave them a hard time and they had to run away

the real story... I slipped while on the boat, not even doing anything dangerous or complicated and not in any rough uncontrollable weather or seas...just like a total idiot, ended up head first on the low side winch and cleats...Typically made of hard metal pieces...

It was a really stupid thing to do...

Yesterday evening (Monday evening)

Yesterday evening, a few hours later

This morning

This morning...The strange thing is that I didn't hit any of these areas. There is a light bruise covering my cheek and my eyebrow and temple. That's where the brunt of the trauma took place (and where the cracked bone is - by the way, it looks like the 'eye socket bone' is called the 'orbit'...). It is still swollen compared to the other side and definitely hurts on touch now - but nothing like the golf ball of Saturday. Not quite sure what's up with this eye business. I am thinking that it is gravity that is moving the blood that got released by the trauma to gravity-friendly empty pockets nearby, which would be right below my eye, where it gets squeezed by nose and cheeckbone and can't easily move around anymore.

I still feel so bummed to have had to drop out of the race...and so sorry for Nathan who was also looking forward to the event.

My new Halloween costume