Sailing canoe "Kūʻaupaʻa"
If you agree with me that the Seascape 27 is probably the perfect contemporary SHTP platform, you will want to check out this blog from a guy in the Seattle area who just bought a new one and is fitting it out for serious business (shockingly, the new boat is hardly a turn-key ocean crosser).
https://seascape27.tumblr.com/
200+ posts, OMG
Nice boat ... I just didn't have the money for a new boat :-)
I went out last Friday ... Not a very good day ...
1. I beat up the coast as usual. I practiced moving the jib sheet from inboard to outboard lead. I was really proud of my one handed bowline ... that is until after a tack it slipped out. It wasn't a bowline after all ... or not tight enough. Don't know ... Tack back, do it again ...
2. I turned downwind and decided to shake my two reefs. I shake the first one and can't hoist the main. I'm thinking: too much friction so I head up. Still can't ... took two minutes to realize I had forgotten to release the reef tack.
3. That second reef line caused havoc ... I know someone had his wrapped around the boom but man what I saw was on another level. Because mine was hanging loose (remember it's too long so I have to unrig the second reef line) it got wrapped around the leech line a couple of times (how did it even manage to go in there?!?!?), managed to pull in a couple knots as well. I had to bring the whole thing down to undo the mess. Having the main flogging for a while was interesting.
4. Oh, and yeah, as I want to put the reefs back in to go upwind ... I pull the first reef line in tight except ... it's coming freely. I turned around to discover that the shackle that was used to secure the line around the boom had come undone. Not broken, it somehow had managed to open up. I tried to close it but the jaws had been pried open a little so I needed to grab pliers to fix that. I am considering a bowline ...
5. I "ran aground" into a kelp bed I hadn't noticed. Some scrubbing involved ...
6. I had a "small" accidental jibe (not sure how it came about, probably auto-tiller).
7. I still move about the deck uncertain, when coming back to the cockpit.
Ok, so what went well? All that good stuff kept me busy so I didn't drink as much as usual and, well, didn't use the bucket (or newly gifted urinal, thank you Skip). I stayed with it, as problems piled up, I continued on and tried to manage my swearing, stay positive. Like I hit a winch hard with my elbow and was about to blow it. Instead I stopped myself and kissed her ... So, yes, I think I'm qualified as a crazy man now. Anyways I did bring the pole to the bow, with the auto-tiller steering downwind (that was a little hairy) and used it to wing out the #3. I also practiced dousing the jib downwind, which went well (10-15 kts AWS, so nothing to call home about but, hey, first time). Brian came over to visit and assess placement of the control head of his auto-pilot and that was good.
Still too much heeling ...
I did buy 100 ft of rope at West Marine (40% off) to replace that second reef line, and do other stuff.
Maybe I'll post a video ... if Google lets me ... slow upload ...
200+ posts, OMG
Here goes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_9...ew?usp=sharingOriginally Posted by jamottep
200+ posts, OMG
I wish Natalie well on her adventure ... That's really something to partake in. Not that this thing we're preparing for isn't fun either but to others' points single handed racing is much more established in France and around. And I too fear that Figaro racing will start to cost more.
More chronicling ... I went out yesterday in what was to be light winds 5-15 kts and minimal swell. I started with 2 reefs and the #3, which proved a good choice exiting the harbor. I warmed up by doing a headsail change and dropping to the #4. I was determined to fly the spinnaker whatever the conditions would have been. I was lucky to have perfect conditions.
And so the spinnaker went up twice and was jibed a few times. Nothing broke, but man, there is more to learn there too, of course.
In particular handling the pole with none on the lines proved a little hard the first time. Manhandling the pole certainly brought up some sweat! There I was with the pole lose and pushing out and not able to lock it on the ring. Some blood was dropped and a few choice words were spoken but it went in. Following trials went a little better. Time to build more brain to overcome bodily weaknesses ... I did take a minute or two to enjoy the downwind run; the sound of the water escaping along the hull and the crackling of the spinnaker cloth make for a beautiful music. Add the slow rolling and I could have slept there, with the sheet in my hand.
Today I went back to the harbor to take care of a few things. I brought the main back home to spray a bit of Sailkote on the bolt rope and hopefully help it slide up and down better. I also replaced the 2nd reef line with a longer one. I took (partial) delivery of the Pelagic auto-pilot and have that to plan for now (I don't like the idea of drilling holes in a boat). Last, I now have a life raft in the boat and that's one heavy piece of equipment.
As I was there I was invited to crew on Pacific High, the original Olson 30. That was a lot of fun. I've passed that boat many times and she looked abandoned to me. But abandoned she isn't. She didn't seemed orderly either: lines were everywhere. As there were talks of spinnaker I wondered how it was all going to happen. But it all went without a hitch; I was amazed. We came into the channel with the spinnaker up. And when putting the boat away everything was happening fast. Better sailors all around ... I need to grow legs and start walking. I can't wait for crawling age to end :-)
Something funny happened too: one of the smaller boat hoisted a spinnaker sideways. What I mean is that the head was attached as the tack ... you can imagine it from there. They flew it like that just fine; at least that's how it seemed from a distance. It was quite a sight!
A couple videos:
https://goo.gl/photos/pHQxcZmAyCipmt5W8
https://goo.gl/photos/as9daUqXHBuWKGKo7
And a picture of a helicopter carrying something: https://goo.gl/photos/ZSjG36MNMynXf3Am6
10 - 19 posts
When I go wing on wing, I pole the jib out first, and then gybe the main. I find it easier to do, and easier on my sails and equipment.
200+ posts, OMG
Thanks for the suggestion. Seems like a better way to do things ...
Since I didn't do the singlehanded Farallones, which is a requirement for the LongPac (and I want to keep my options open), I went to the offshore buoy 46FLO yesterday. The conditions were great, except for the fog that fell half way out and didn't leave until I came back. I ended up sailing 80 nm, according to Navionics HD on my cell phone, and was out for about 14 hours. I'm not sure how much of that can be trusted because it didn't pin me where the buoy was. I did have eye contact and here's proof :-)
https://goo.gl/photos/A6JbKuwB4p7DmYTg7
Track:
Not much happened: switched between reefs as wind picked up and dropped, switched to 4 and back to 3. I did break a batten on the 3, probably when wrestling it on the deck but that's not certain ... I hit a wind hole again, larger this time, and crawled at the end. It was a close reach all the way there and just under beam reaching coming back. The auto-tiller was "worming" all the way. If it could steer straight, I'm guessing I'd have been home a couple hours sooner. No colored sails, which looking back I regret. It may have been a wise choice with the fog. The AIS did pick up "something" that I did not see but supposedly came close.
Tired ... but content.
20 - 49 posts
Good job Philippe.
I've been working on my Olson 29; new sheets and halyards and autopilot installation. It's a long way to the ocean from Seattle so just doing short local sails in Elliott Bay for shake downs. Mostly light air so practicing spinnaker sets and gybes with the autopilot. Still trying to decide if it's better to gybe the pole or main first. Did several each way after reading Foolish Muse's post but still not sure which I prefer yet.
A short video of three sail reach with autopilot driving.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=005gvZiN9fA
A two sail reach with autopilot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3quuU0TcQE
Last edited by Sailronin; 06-02-2017 at 04:12 PM.
200+ posts, OMG
Thanks for sharing the videos. Your boat looks great, like new!
It looks like the autopilot is doing well.
20 - 49 posts
Thank you Philippe,
The autopilot is working very well. I'm still getting the hang of it's tacking speed and using the remote control but really useful. I wish I had shorter access to the ocean to do some longer legs, but it is really pretty sailing with mountains in the background.
Dave
200+ posts, OMG
Today was a day out with a buddy. We experienced all sorts of conditions, from 3 kts to 30 kts apparent, with a fast transition between both. My buddy, who hadn't sailed in a while and doesn't have much spinnaker experience (with me that was two) was at the tiller and I was working the lines/sails. Reefing, switching to #4 (which we did going downwind) were on the menu. Downwind, with the swell up, we reached 11.5 kts with 2 reefs and a #4, according to the GPS SOG.
We also hoisted the spinnaker in light winds and then, as we were sailing away from the shore, the wind and swell picked up and so we doused, turned around and did another quick spinnaker run before going home. On the first run, with two reefs in the main, the spinnaker was a handful. We debated shaking the reefs for the second run but I decided against to see if we could get better. It was a lot of fun.
What went wrong? I had left (as usual) one of the jib halyards attached at the bow pulpit (after going down to #4) and didn't get it inside the spinnaker sheets so it made for a few tense moments when the spinnaker was raised. We did gybe the pole once and it went fine, although I still had to fight the pool into the ring; I need to release more before going up deck, probably a bit of play on topping lift and foreguy.
I am starting to enjoy the speed with the spinnaker up!
On a side note ... after 16 years in the US I finally go my first encounter with poison oak ... it ain't pretty/fun!
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