i met the artist Pang Yen Chou - he was working on a small oil painting. he then pulled some in progress canvases out of his van - pictured below is one that is of the houseboats near gate 6 at the north end of sausalito.

oil painting is much more difficult then acrylics - it takes weeks for the oil on the canvas to dry enough before the painting can be framed. but more important is the overall composition and how the artist works the paint. Pang Yen has a very dynamic sense of composition, and wonderful use of texture and light.

I told him stories of Monet painting the shoreline — while *floating* in a sail boat. Everyone paints sausalito from the shore - floating arts club encourages them to paint from the water.

This is just a taste - his finished paintings are incredible. If you are a fan of the sausalito water front - he has some great paintings of the houseboats and work boats.

See more at his web site PangYenArtStudio.com

Schoonmaker - A sea lion made his way onto the dock and hung out in the sunshine.

What you can’t see - the police officer, the meter maid, the charter crew, the family, and the photographer - all staring in awe at the sea lion.

Floating Arts Club is working on recording Songs and Poetry in the wild!!
Mood: Excited

Sailbuck endorses Team Yacht - listen to them.

what do we do on a sunday afternoon when its raining?

go sailing. break out the funky bright yellow road worker rain pants - was cloudy, misty, damp, foggy, windy, and then sunny - it didn’t rain.

why you so pretty bb?

oh wooden boat in the setting sun, gliding in a slight breeze, perfect reflection on the water

(this is a boat from arques boat building school ?)

hand and paw on the throttle

peter at the outboard, the first dog getting her paw in there

don’t let the cheoy lee boom confuse you

thats jeff, getting his walker bay dinghy ready to sail him to shore

but will it sharpen my razor blades?

one of the most noticeable of the floating houseboats in richardson bay

real work

ahh spring - a sunnier day to go sailing,  no rainpants needed. but its still hard work, we just make it look eazee.

Mobile Marine Technicians Bid For A  Hull Cleaning Job

“alright what we got here…”

“Quack!! what a beard! we’ll be here for days.”

“sir - we can clean your hull - but its going to cost you overtime.”

and the beeswax

melting beeswax while floating for crafty projects

theres a few more new pictures at the flickrs

*****

went to the strictly sail boat show at jack london square - Kame Richards of Pineapple Sails did a presentation on sail trim that absolutely rocked. i understand sail trim just a little better now, although i’m still a newbie.

Mark Doyle gave an excellent overview of navigation software, and explained the different formats electronic charts come in these days.

And if you don’t have Sailing The Bay by Kimball Livingston - buy it now. According to Kimball who was at the show, it probably won’t get reprinted after this edition is sold through. Its one of the best books if you are interested in the San Francisco Bay - its not just about sailing -  and its a must read.

its 2009, a new president, a new present, and Obama has promised to harness the wind and sun. going out on the water is a great way to experience all of the elements, and appreciate the intricate web of life that is a bay. the different species - animal, vegetable, human, birds, seals, kayakers, sailors, fisherman - we can all share the bay and respect each others Liberty. 

national gadget blog engadget profiles a green ferry that has been gracing richardson bay. 

TOYS ! 

imagine a small video camera - that can go under water!
According to Engadget

 Then there’s the more daring VPCP-WH1, waterproof down to 10 feet and coming in a “look at me, sailor” yellow, but only shooting 720p video at 30fps and 2 megapixel stills. However, its 30x optical zoom is perfect for spotting Piping Plovers, and the 3.5 hour battery life means this thing can probably survive longer underwater than you. 

 more…

ON RICHARDSON BAY

the fish are laying eggs. the seals are chasing the fish. the seagulls are eating the roe that is on the kelp and eel grass. the day is foggy and calm and gentle and forgiving.

Hello,

 My name is Nathan and I am proud to involved with the Floating Arts Club. I got my first boat from Pier 39 over in San Francisco, Cali. I got it with my brother and we moved her over to Richardsons Bay. She is a beautiful “diamond in the rough”, I thought. She was Cheoy Lee Bermuda 30 ketch built in Hong Kong of solid Teak, the hull, the deck and the cabin. We poured months, weeks, days and hours into her.   Cleaning years of neglect and preping the wood-rot areas. Yet she was so beautiful and she sailed like a Rolls-Royce limousine, stately with class and style and right into the side of a huge old 70 foot trawler.

Now I have a solid plastic classic Cal 25. Built in the early 70’s these little babies are like a cork on the water and made with extra thick fiberglassing.

(Nathan starting up the mast of Charity Rose with Steve Weaver keeping watch)

 I took some pictures of my boat as I repaired it from the big storm January 4, 2008. The winds were blowing like crazy and I woke up to very choppy water. As I glanced out my starboard side galley window I noticed three sailboats had drifted and caught on the bowline of a huge cement boat. Just then the corner of my eye caught movment and as I turned my vision focused on a sailboat caught on my bowline and swinging into me like a pendulum. It busted a hole in my v-berth and proceeded to smash into me all the way down my starboard side breaking my galley window and knocking my mast with its mast.

I was blessed by my friends, who all seemed to pitch in in one way or another. Soon I was at the dock side tied and ready to scrub.

And the rest is pictures, so here are some shots of the “Charity Rose” from Sausalito.

Charity Rose - Hull freshly painted, Under Sail