It has been a wee while, the Froggers have been in hibernation and having a long hard rest from about three years of racing, social sailing and of course countless hours of maintenance and lots of dips into the big hole in the sea.
After 6 months Scott, Tony, Ben and Dave visited the Frog expecting a mould ridden, half sunk mess, but bless her she has kept only an inch of water in the bilge, and a little mould that a quick squirt of exit mould has fixed, she leapt into action and started on the first ignition switch.
Putt, putt, putt she roared like a ocean bound VW Kombi, raring to go on the next adventure. Captain Scott and crew were very impressed.
The love of The Frog has returned and with spring approaching and now here, The Frog still needed some TLC. Young Christopher met Scott along with Ben and Dave to climb the mast and take down the old furler and horrible big 140% head sail, which has continiously been against our side. A new forestay was ordered and the old head sail repaired so it could be hanked on. A new sail was also on order, a large number 2 with a window - this means crew.... no more on the bow looking for crash victims and calling starboard - it is fun calling starboard.... and we will still have the opportunity, but in the cockpit or on the new teak cruisers seat that will go accross the bow - thanks to crew Anth.
The Frog has been slipped and new antifoul applied. It was a fun, rewarding and yet challenging experience getting the Frog on the RANSA slip. Young Caroline, the trooper, was a legend and helped with the workings of the 1800's winch, and dived down into freezing cold water in her lingerie to see if the keel was straight, not to mention her cranking on the winch and her assistance in getting pizzas. Ben and Dave even got dirty and winched the greasy winch until they both broke out into a sweat. Tony rowed around in a dinghy making sure everything was right from the waterline and with Scott on board ensuring everyone was doing their job and stressing out a bit about the ropes and angle of the Frog on the slip - not to mention the RANSA Board of Directors meeting happening by our side and watching our somewhat errrr slick performance - it was entertaining to say the least.
The Frog eventually was winched into place - somewhat on a concerning angle - but stable, she was scraped back with Ben Dave and Scott while Tony and Caroline went for pizzas.
The next day Scott managed his academic affairs while painting anti foul onto Leapfrogs hull, Tony arrived around 6.00pm and there was no work to be done....homebound.
The next days Tony had forfeited a trip to Vanuatu to repaint the antifoul onto leapfrogs hull, hard antifoul the prop, fix the ding, and paint the topsides. Anth had a day off so came to the Frog and leant a very welcoming hand and chippy's advice - the evening progressed into a social event with Christine and Justine turning up in their ute to drop off Justines new yellow kayak, soon to follow where Kyles McGyles, Fee Fee La Rue, Scott, Jo and Greg and a lucious gourmet BBQ. proceeded
The next day Tony Baloney, Tony Toennails, Tone, Tones, and Tony went to the boat and finished the topsides and antifoul third coat around the waterline. Kerrie the grumpy old RANSA bastard came done and condemed everything we had done and screamed and yelled like a maddog - Tony just kept painting.
Then it was done - Leapfrog was to return to the water at 10.00pm on Friday night - Scott and Tony arrived to the RANSA oldies having a swinging 60's party - so was not a good time to relaunch the Frog, we left her there, on Tipsy Janets and Robins advice - secretly drying the paint for another day.
Scott and David from Byron returned on Saturday night and relaunched the Frog under grumpy old bastard Kerries supervision.
The following weekend saw the ordering of some new 40st two speed, self tailing winches, and a new forestay being hung - and again thanks to young Christopher who climbed the mast attached the mast to the head forestay connection - came down - went green - went home - and did young fella things. Scott and Tony stayed on and painted intergrip onto the decks.
The Frog will sail in the first race of the ASCC summer series this Sunday 6th September 2009
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