Interested in a boat for 2018 TransPac

[mike cunningham]

Raymarine says it's the ITC-5 (converter/network/"brain"). The voltage going up is 3 V instead of 8 V. I wonder if anyone else has had it fail.

I have not had this specific failure with my Raymarine system however I have had my share of issues. Most have been related to wiring or connectors. If you have any splices, check them carefully. I had an intermittent AP. Turned out to be an open CANL (white) wire in my stng splice. I could load software updates, etc. but the damn AP would occasionally go bonkers after making it all the way to Hawaii with no issues. It was a really frustrating problem.


Make sure the plug in connectors are making good contact. Unfortunately, in your case, that will mean verifying the wind vane screw in connector is clean and making full contact. Have fun up the mast. Raymarine will also tell you to make sure you are running the latest software on all instruments attached to the stng network. Nothing more annoying than to send a unit back to Raymarine only to have them tell you there is no fault.

BTW, during one of the SHTP seminars, Michael Jefferson talked about using dialectric grease to protect RF connections. After seeing corrosion in my wind vane connector when I had my mast out, I decided to apply dielectric grease to this connector in an attempt to protect it. I think this might be worth considering if you go up there.

[Gamayun]

I have not had this specific failure with my Raymarine system however I have had my share of issues. Most have been related to wiring or connectors. If you have any splices, check them carefully. I had an intermittent AP. Turned out to be an open CANL (white) wire in my stng splice. I could load software updates, etc. but the damn AP would occasionally go bonkers after making it all the way to Hawaii with no issues. It was a really frustrating problem.


Make sure the plug in connectors are making good contact. Unfortunately, in your case, that will mean verifying the wind vane screw in connector is clean and making full contact. Have fun up the mast. Raymarine will also tell you to make sure you are running the latest software on all instruments attached to the stng network. Nothing more annoying than to send a unit back to Raymarine only to have them tell you there is no fault.

BTW, during one of the SHTP seminars, Michael Jefferson talked about using dialectric grease to protect RF connections. After seeing corrosion in my wind vane connector when I had my mast out, I decided to apply dielectric grease to this connector in an attempt to protect it. I think this might be worth considering if you go up there.

Ditto what Mike says about checking the connectors. I've been having intermittent problems with my B&G system where it gives me a "no GPS" error followed shortly after by a "no autopilot" error, which is super annoying when singlehanding. I had tried futzing with the settings and having no luck figuring out what was going on - sometimes it would work, sometimes not. I just happened to turn over the unit the other day when I noticed that the NMEA cable was working its way out or perhaps it was cross-threaded and it didn't look like it was screwed in all the way. I can't really say yet whether the issue has been fixed or not, but it does remind me why it's always best to check the simplest things first....

[jamottep]

I went back to Double Espresso to sail ... first time since the qualifier.

I checked all Raymarine connectors that didn't require going up the mast and they were all solid. I don't mind not having wind measurements but it annoys me to no end that this thing doesn't work.

I did my usual thing yesterday, beating up the coast and a bit of downwind sailing. It was 20-30 kts. I started with the 3 but that laminate sail decided to let go with a rip perpendicular to the foot (I dropped it at Leading Edge Sails and will take measurements for a new dacron #3). I have no idea what caused this. I turned around, dropped the sail and hoisted the #4 for more beating. My goal for the day was to try the autopilot with full mainsail in stronger winds. So I beat up under two reefs and right before turning around I hoisted the full main. I found that the auto-pilot can handle as long as I ease the main far enough for the wind/sea angle; I don't loose much speed but then the main chafes on the spreaders. Otherwise sometimes the boat will round half way and stay there a bit until the auto-pilot can get the boat back down (the auto-pilot can't turn the tiller very far; that's all of them really). The second ride down was breezier and I saw sustained speed of 12-13 kts surfing. I got quite excited too when it almost hit 14 kts but then I let go of my guard and the boat rounded up and I couldn't get it back down; I was steering then and it was time for a refresher: remember to dump the main sheet and the boom vang if necessary. I tell this to my students all the time but ...

After that I just sailed around and really the boat is quite happy with a full main and a #4. I'm starting to like that sail very much ... The time came to go home as the sun was going down. The wind was blowing straight through the harbor channel. I decided to come in under main only (to point better) and I dropped the jib. It was blowing 12 gusting 16. A few boats were still out trying to get in so I cancelled my first attempt as it became clear that I would hog the channel with my slow tacks. Once all the boats were in ... I followed. It was a learning event for me as I found out that I could point really high and do narrow tacks, albeit slowly (1-3 kts), by pulling the main sheet really tight and the traveler almost all the way up.

It was a long day and I got home at 10:30PM ... 7 days to go and I leave for Uruguay. The boat I'll be on is leading the fleet but a few boats will have redress because they had to exit the race to handle medical issues so the podium won't be finalized until the last boat comes in, or almost! It's good to see that "my" boat is doing great as it likely means that they're doing something right and most likely are having a good time: an unhappy boat is usually quite slow. I'm anxious and excited ...

http://clipperroundtheworld.com/race/standings

[jamottep]

"Quick" trip to Santa Cruz today ... I took measurements for a new #3 and continued to ponder the wind instrument issue. I noticed that the network converter (iTC-5) voltage are the same with or without the wind transducer connected to it. I also took the display out of the picture and used the laptop to confirm that there is no wind data on the nmea network (so it's unlikely to be the display that's the problem). I'm leaning towards getting the iTC-5 out and to Raymarine when I come back ...

Interestingly while making the measurements for the #3 it seemed that the mast wasn't quite straight. The length from port and starboard beam to top of mast don't match by about 1 inch.

I didn't sail ... I don't think I nor the boat needed more beating in 20 kts ...

I have posted Double Espresso on the HI craigslist and have received interest from Chris. He's building a fleet of Olson 30s down there, which is really cool! Now if we can agree on a price that works all will be good :-)

Here's my math:
1. Bought Double Espresso 24k;
2. Won't sail with trailer there so minus 1k;
3. Don't have to ship back so minus 4k;

That's 19k. Maybe I could find someone interested in doing a delivery. How much would that go for? 1-2k?

Of course there's the peace of mind of not having to care to bring the boat back. Would I be crazy to think of sailing DE back to SF and then try to sail at the tail end of the summer?

I'd have to strip and ship back all the valuable stuff to try to sell it here ... Mmmh ...

[AZ Sailor]

Would I be crazy to think of sailing DE back to SF and then try to sail at the tail end of the summer?

... Mmmh ...

On the SSS main site, on the "Resources" page, there's a link to an essay by Paul Kamen titled "Sailing Home: Twice the Fun at Half the Price", in which he makes the case for sailing back. He did it in a Merit 25.

[DaveH]

There is indeed a growing repository of Olson 30's in Nawiliwili.
From the results pages, it looks like 4, including last years barn door winner Kato.

You might want to look through the 2016 SHTP thread about returns.
IIR, Jiri originally planned to have a friend sail Kato back; said friend had to turn around 3 days into the return due to the pounding and the mal-de-mer induced by sailing upwind in heavy seas on a ULDB.
He ended up selling Kato into the NWWYC "fleet".
Stripped the gear, and shipped that home, then sold [SFAIK] most of it through the forum.

In 2012, Ronnie Simpson ended up doing the same thing with his Moore 24, except he sailed it to Honolulu before eventually doing the same thing... I bought a significant chunk of what came back.

All I'm saying is it's far from unprecedented.

On another note, speaking from recent experience, I think you are about 25% light on your number for #3.
Domino is probably taller that an O30 on the trailer [since Matson calculates by the cube, that could be significant], but it cost me ~$5500 to ship back last summer.

DH

[jamottep]

On another note, speaking from recent experience, I think you are about 25% light on your number for #3.
Domino is probably taller that an O30 on the trailer [since Matson calculates by the cube, that could be significant], but it cost me ~$5500 to ship back last summer.

DH

I inherited the previous owner's invoice from Pasha: $4162. I think he mentioned other costs because one needs a hoist to get an 030's mast down. But I don't have details about that.

I had spoken with Jiri's friend because he had an O30 for sale and he mentioned water ingress as the reason for his return to HI. It looks like it was a combination of multiple things.

How would I ship things back to CA? I can easily bag a few things with me but ... Not the solar panel, its mount, the emergency rudder, it's heavy shaft, etc.

[DaveH]

That would be the Pasha rate for the PacCup from Honolulu, which in 2016 was calculated differently than Matson from Kauai [Pasha= square footage, Matson=cube, $/foot slightly different].
Regardless, it sounds like an academic distinction for you.

OK, the answer to your other question brings up the bi-annual discussion of The Crate.
In past years, there has been a crate built and shipped to Nawiliwili containing everything from dinghy's to delivery sails to outboards [note that Double Espresso's PHRF certificate requires you to sail with yours]. Costs have been shared by those using it.
There is a school of thought that this runs contrary to the spirit of self sufficiency and seamanship of the race; particularly in the case of shipping a proper anchor while racing with something clearly insufficient for anchoring in Hanalei.
While I'm not insensitive to this, it was handy to ship trophies and other RC items last time around, and I imagine it will occur again.
In my memory, these have all been one way; last year the plan had been to make this a round trip proposition, but for a variety of reasons it was unloaded while the users were at sea and re-purposed as a local kennel. Welcome to Kauai.
That aside, with a little better coordination there's no reason it can't be re-loaded and shipped back to Oakland.
As long as your space needs were known going in, and you're willing to pay your share, that could be your answer.

DH

[SeanRhone]

So, another step towards the race was accomplished today - I flew the spinnaker solo today, first time ever!

[AZ Sailor]

Nice! That is a big step. My only spin is an A-sym cruising chute, with sock, no pole. Nonetheless, I like being able to fly it anytime the wind angle favors it. A real spin . . . single handed . . . that totally has my respect. Congrats.