Etchells sailboat work and launch, 2 August 2012 at Elephant Butte Lake

Two Etchells, side by side at the Rock Canyon Marina, Elephant Butte Lake State Park, New Mexico, USA. The Etchells in the background was in the water for the first time in a few years after "Zorro" in particular put in many hours of work to prepare it.

Most of the last day and a half of work was performed at the big mast-raising pole a few blocks from the marina. Temperatures were brutally hot; we wound up with exhaustion and headaches in spite of frequently downing water and sports drinks.

The lake had lost so much water that only the portion of the Rock Canyon boat ramp that had been extended during the severe drought in 2004 was in the water.

This Etchells sloop had been in the water for only a few minutes, for the first time in the water in at least three years.

After bringing the trailer back up the ramp, I walked over to the marina to get the first snapshot of three Etchells in slips. In the far background is Carol Anne's black-hulled USA 125. USA 38, in the foreground of the three Etchells, would soon be hauled out of the water preparatory to getting hull work done in El Paso.

Another look at two Etchells in the marina.