Plastic Classic Forum

I can't tell you how nice it is to finally post in the "Sailing and Cruising" section. While there is still much to do, Mojito is now ready to sail. So, we sailed extensively both yesterday and today. Here are a few shots of the recent work that's made her ready for sail and a few shots of her underway:

What a triumph!

David

and in such a short span of time!

Congrats, Jason!

Nice looking coamings :)

Fantastic.....

Mojitos on the house.....

how do you make them again??

Yahoo! Good on ya, Jason. ;-)

Congrats Jason. Just paint left??? That was durn quick!

Thanks all! This boat will be the ruin of me - I spent so much work time fixing her and now that she's ready to go, all I want to do is leave the office and head for the marina.

I'm negotiating with the commodore to let me use the nearly vacant dry storage yard to paint the boat. If he agrees, there will be a very fast paintjob as it will get around the clock attention until its done - everything is ready to go, from a LOT of good McMaster Carr sandpaper, to tools, paint, and generator. (it'll be flag blue awlgrip, by the way).

The interior is getting an upgrade too. New cabin and vee birth cushions (under construction now by my girlfriend), new curtains, new paint, and beadboard on the cabin bulkhead.

Ric wrote:

Mojitos on the house.....

Absolutely, never a shortage of rum here.

Ric also wrote:

how do you make them again??

Click here for the recipe

Tim wrote:

Nice looking coamings :)

Aren't they? And thank you.

Other than the above, the short list includes:
Adding a boom vang
Replacing zincs
Engine tuneup/adjust transmission
New headsail
Lifelines (would be installed, but the wrong ones shipped)
A ridiculous amount of sailing

By the way, we're friendly down here, so if any of you pass through, you'll be expected to drop by for a daysail and drinks.

Thanks for the link to the recipe. Sounds like a slightly more sophisticated version of the rum drink that was partaken in excessive quantities this past summer by certain Triton afficianados (?spelling).

I nominate the Mojito as the official beverage of the triton381.com/forum group.

-Britton

J,

Should I pronounce the "j" like in austin power's "mojo" or should the "j" be silent like in "Don Juan". I imagine the cocktail will improve one's mojo but while in cuba I imagine they woluld look at you askance if you said "mogito". with enough of the stuff I bet all the "j's" all the words will be slurred any way. Great work by the way jason, both on the web site, and the boat.

R.

bcooke wrote:Thanks for the link to the recipe. Sounds like a slightly more sophisticated version of the rum drink that was partaken in excessive quantities this past summer by certain Triton afficianados (?spelling).

I nominate the Mojito as the official beverage of the triton381.com/forum group.

-Britton

Careful now, "soda" in this case means club soda, not tonic water. Big difference.

But it would be a nice change-up drink! I just hope fresh mint holds up better in the icebox than fresh basil!

I nominate the Mojito as the official beverage of the triton381.com/forum group.

What fine idea!

Oh, and the "j" in Mojito is indeed pronounced like Don Juan.

Careful now, "soda" in this case means club soda, not tonic water. Big difference.

But it would be a nice change-up drink! I just hope fresh mint holds up better in the icebox than fresh basil!

Hey, I'm all about rum tonics, but the Mojito is a step above. Certainly not a "change-up" drink. :) Mint does keep better than basil, by the way. Just wrap it in dry paper towels and keep cool. By the way, mint and basil are in the same family.

Mojitos also make good frozen drinks. Try that with rum and tonic!

Congratulations Jason, it's good to see her sailing again. You should get your starboard neighbor to pay for the paint job, at least the area he is responsible for. ;)

I'll second the Mojito nomination. Drinks all around!!! :)

Careful now, "soda" in this case means club soda, not tonic water. Big difference

I suppose there is... I was under the impression that the bubbly stuff was just in there for visual effect. I didn't think there was enough in the glass to actually taste!

-Britton

So, where does one buy mint leaves?...

Nice job on the boat by the way ;-)

-Britton

Mint is usually available in the misty section of the produce department of the grocery store, with the other freshcut herbs.
Growing your own is more fun, though.

A cuban restaurant in this neck of the woods serves their mojitos garnished with a stick of sugar cane. I've been spoiled ever since.

Jason,

Congratulations! I hope you will post lots of pictures of the interior work as you get going on that part of the renovation. What color will the topsides be when painted?

Joe

Hey Joe,

The interior has actually already started. My girlfriend made curtains by modifying some made by Nautica - they're a heavy material and barely off white. They look great. The cushions are underway as well - they'll be a deep blue with white piping on the borders. Of course, it will be a little while before they're on the boat (maybe end of March), as the topsides and bottom have definite priority. My interior as it is now is in relatively good shape. It isn't pretty, but it looks clean and won't draw any retches.

The topsides will be Flag Blue Awlgrip, with a much bigger bootstripe than I have now (I have two thin, closely spaced stripes), and a red bottom.

Congratulations, Jason. Amazing job.

Lyman

Nice to see her floating again Jason.

George Jones

#218 wrote:Click here for the recipe

Well Jason, I came here looking for YOUR mojito recipe, since I've just gotten some nice fresh mint from our farm... but IT'S GONE! Help me out, man! Puh-leeeeeeease!

;-D

a local restaurant here named Mojitos, make 'em this way, I've given up on the sugar(simple syrup)/ soda ever since.

Mint and half large lime in bottom of shaker, smash with muddler, add desired amount of rum, top with ice add sprite/7-up, pour into serving glass.

my advice get some fat straws, or deal with the mint pieces.

It's decided, mojitos for the boat this weekend.........

Ah, the 7-up would indeed do away with the need for sugar!

I could, of course, just google "mojito recipe" but I figured that I'd go straight to the guy who named his boat after the drink! hehe

Nathan,

Sorry man! I didn't mean to leave you hanging.

Take some sugar - raw cane sugar is great - and put it in the bottom of the glass with some torn mint leaves and a squeeze of lime. Muddle the leaves. The sugar acts like an abrasive and helps the muddling. Add the ice. If you're pouring into a rocks glass, pour about two ounces of light rum (larger glass, more rum!). Top with club soda and a couple whole leaves or a sprig of mint on top. It's more than just a garnish; when you take a sip, you get a nose full of mint. That really complements the flavor.

I advise against using 7-Up or Sprite. It makes the drink too sweet and really overwhelms the flavor.

If you're going sailing, it's nice to make up a batch before hand and keep it in a gallon container or a coffee thermos. Then you can just pour it over ice, top with mint, and go. Making a bunch from scratch while sailing can be a challenge - these drinks go down fast!
---

As a side note, I considered buying a J/30 named Cuba Libre (the Mojito is a Cuban drink). The boat was ROUGH, but the name struck me as good karma (until I pulled the engine cover off and found mold growing on the hoses; karma only goes so far). :)

No worries Jason, and thanks!

Your recipe pretty closely matches the "official cuban mojito" recpies I found online, except for your suggestion to use raw cane sugar. (Sounds good though!)

I know that traditionally this is made with light rum. And thoughts on using amber? I don't normally keep light rum in stock... otherwise: what brand of light rum is best recommended?

No, use a light rum. Amber rum has a stronger flavor. It's sweeter and is often aged in charred oak barrels (just like Bourbon). It's significantly different than light rum.

A mojito should be a fairly delicate drink. You don't want one flavor overwhelming the others. Despite the fact that sugar is used and that rum is the base for the drink (rum being made from molasses or sugar), it has a distinct flavor profile that is easy to disrupt.

I usually use Bacardi Light. It is good and affordable. Most of the more select rums are the barrel-aged, charcoal-filtered, dark variety. A lot the cheaper quality rums are called lights, but they are made by simply distilling fermented sugar water.

I use Pyrat Superior Blanco and Perrier. Unfortunately, the Superior Blanco seems to be the most difficult of the Pyrat rums from Anguilla to find.

Thanks guys!