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Thread: New Boat 4 Sled

  1. #921
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    For connoisseurs of clouds, yesterday's rain squalls and thunderheads made Monterey Bay look positively tropical. Sunrise began with a double rainbow off Lighthouse Point. Thanks to Rainer for the pic taken on O'Neill's Beach at Santa Cruz Harbor.

    After a winter in the Sea Of Cortez, friends are sailing the 108 year old, 68' schooner MARTHA up Baja. MARTHA, built at Stones in SF, is now totally restored after loving attention. http://www.schoonermartha.org/history-of-martha/
    If all goes according to plan, MARTHA will participate in the Master Mariners, then to LA for the TransPac to Honolulu. If it's windy reaching, MARTHA could be a TransPac sleeper, and possibly emulate DORADE's popular win in 2013.

    But first MARTHA has to get north. BLUENOSE aside, even big schooners like MARTHA don't much like to go to windward. The ascent of Baja in the Spring is mostly against prevailing wind and current. Not for the faint of heart or weak of boat.

    MARTHA is getting the job done, thanks to a weather window that is allowing her crew to rhumbline from Magdalena Bay 240 miles north to Turtle Bay, where she will make a brief pit stop for fuel. http://share.findmespot.com/shared/f...ZnhIe2b0pIhI7q

    I'm no longer in the yacht delivery business. But have done the northbound Baja voyage a dozen times or more, twice in WILDFLOWER. And once in an old VW Bus with Dave Wahle. We drove along the beach more than 100 miles, the entire way from Abreojos to Turtle Bay, then to seldom visited Malarimmo Beach, and across 50 miles of sand to Scammons Lagoon. Dave and I sometimes had to get out and push...VW buses aren't 4WD.

    Schooner MARTHA won't have to let air out of her tires to get past Scammons Lagoon. She will be in good company near shore with the northbound migration of grey and humpback whales. I'm offering encouragement via e-mail and weather forecasts primarily using https://www.windyty.com/?surface,win...272,-121.844,4

    Go the MARTHA!
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    Last edited by sleddog; 03-02-2015 at 09:36 AM.

  2. #922
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    Over a lifetime of sailing, I've seen many dozens of ways to get in trouble during a windy jibe. My first experience as a kid was getting bonked in the head with my dinghy boom, luckily with no lasting damage.

    Once, during a windy jibe, I was launched from a Laser, and it took off downwind, unmanned.

    Heavy air jibing, probably the most dangerous maneuver in sailing, is not to be taken lightly. Many of the big, Around-the-World racers, start a heavy air jibe by reefing. This allows the leeward running backstay to be taken up and secured before the main starts across.

    Reefing downwind, especially with a full batten main, is not easy and rarely practiced. There's often too much friction of the sail against the mast, rigging, and spreaders to pull the main down.

    I look forward to hearing Gamayun's experiments using a boom brake on her Freedom 38 KYNTANNA's large mainsail.

    Yesterday, off Santa Cruz, a friend had a near miss during a jibe. I hadn't thought of this happening before. But the unexpected happened. My friend bore his 20 foot catamaran off to jibe. It was blowing about 15, the cat, MOKU, was doing 7-8, and he had a single reefed main and jib.

    As the main boom and traveler were centered, and the boat jibed, the main sheet would not run out. Fortunately, my friend is a highly experienced catamaran sailor, remained calm, and kept the boat aimed dead down wind (DDW) while he surveyed the problem.

    What had happened, and could happen to anyone, is the hanging reef tie tail got sucked into and jammed inside the main sheet block on the boom, preventing release of the main sheet.

    Had the boat been turned up into the wind without the main being quickly released, a capsize might have resulted.

    The lesson is if reef ties are used to secure the bundle of extra sail along the boom, to make sure the hanging tail is shortened, tucked away, or otherwise secured out of harm's way from catching in the main sheet system.
    Last edited by sleddog; 03-02-2015 at 05:24 PM.

  3. #923
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    Good chat on gybing, Skip. Being fractionally rigged, Harrier has a rather large main compared to many other modern 30 footers. I have had excellent luck with the Dutch Boom Brakes that have been on the market for many years. The first one depended upon the friction of several turns of 3/8th" line around an aluminum drum of abt 6" diameter. After some years of ocean spray, the aluminum became so corroded, that the gizmo's performance varied a lot...too much for safe operation, in my opinion. I did try burnishing the drum, but the surface damage was such that degradation came back quickly. I finally replaced it with their later model in which the drum turned against an internal brake which was adjusted with a knob on the outside of the device. Been fine for 10 years or so. Another, simpler device on the market (looks like the number "8") depends on friction of the brake's lines passing thru a series of turns in and around the device.
    I have no experience with this on, altho I suspect aluminum corrosion would eventually degrade its performance. Singlehanded racing to Hawaii under self-steering devices can often put us in situations that can result in accidental gybes in high winds. The boom brake is good insurance. and even when it allows an accidental gybe, it will make such a loud screeching noise, that you are certain to wake up and attend to the problem!!!

  4. #924
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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    For connoisseurs of clouds, yesterday's rain squalls and thunderheads made Monterey Bay look positively tropical. Sunrise began with a double rainbow off Lighthouse Point. Thanks to Rainer for the pic taken on O'Neill's Beach at Santa Cruz Harbor.
    Having grown up in Florida, I miss those big thunder boomers that'll rattle your teeth. I often wonder why that rarely happens here in California. On Saturday, after about 30 minutes post docking, a small but fierce-looking cloud moved over the Bay Bridge and started thundering. It seemed pretty contained and didn't move very fast. So different from Florida storms!

    As to Kynntana's boom brake, it's still very much on my mind and now that Harrier has also given high praise to the Dutchman system, that's probably what I'll get. I still look every time I'm in Blue Pelican and still kick myself every time because I didn't buy the one that was (briefly) there last year. I've learned to never let a good deal pass in Blue Pelican. Too many people wander through and know what things are worth.

  5. #925
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    Next Saturday a gang of us will gather at Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Harbor to pay tribute to as fine of shipmate and human being as graced this Earth: Swede Johnson, 95, Crossed the Bar recently, leaving his many friends to reflect not only on Swede's lifetime accomplishments, but on the character of a man who gave of himself to help others.

    Swede was a sailmaker by trade and worked at the Baxter and Cicero loft in Newport for more than 30 years making winning sails for Sabots, Starboat World's Champions (Bill Ficker and Don Edler), TransPac winners (KITTEN, LEGEND, NALU II, PSYCHE, HOLIDAY Too), and numerous Radio Controlled models. Swede also encouraged youngsters, including Dave Ullman and Scott Allan, to become sailmakers and mentored them in early years.

    Swede loved to tinker, and created the first commercially available tiller pilot for small boats in 1960, well before the better known TillerMaster. Swede also built dozens of model boats for friends world-wide, usually at no charge. If you look closely, you can see a model of Swede steering this cool little Pinky schooner he built for "Fred." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-0ozFgTKSg

    One of the little pleasures of being an aficionado of maritime history is running across a good mystery. And Swede Johnson left us with one.

    In the mid-1940's, actor Humphrey Bogart bought the beautiful, 55' Sparkman and Stephens yawl SANTANA, and berthed her at Newport Harbor Yacht Club as a retreat from his Hollywood stresses. It was onboard SANTANA that Bogie courted rising star, actress Lauren Bacall. Bacall was only 19, barely half Bogart's age, but she could hold her own on the silver screen with Bogart as well as in real life. The conservative NHYC members were upset that there were potential illicit goings-on aboard SANTANA with an unmarried woman moored at their docks.

    NHYC demanded Bogart, a good sailor since his youth, set things right or vacate the Club.

    So Bogie and Bacall got married in 1945 to make things legal. As a present to Bogie, Lauren Bacall commissioned Swede Johnson to build her new husband a full model (1/2" scale) of Bogie's favorite boat, SANTANA. Bacall and Bogie knew Swede, as he'd built sails for their Lehman 10, 26' Albatross, and SANTANA.

    Swede completed the SANTANA model in 1951, about the same time Bogie won the Oscar for Best Actor in "African Queen." He gave it to Bacall at no charge.

    During recent weeks of sleuthing, we discovered a black and white photo of Bogart, and his two year old son Stephen, admiring Swede's model of SANTANA in early 1952. Bogie's Oscar sits on top of the glass case.

    Humphrey Bogart, a heavy smoker, died in 1957. His wife and co-star, Lauren Bacall, decreed the only thing to be on the altar at Bogie's funeral at All Saints Church was to be the model of SANTANA, the one that our friend Swede had made. Most of Hollywood attended Bogie's Funeral. Director John Huston delivered the eulogy. No cameras were allowed inside the church. But in the quest to find what became of Swede's model of SANTANA, we discovered a 3 second movie clip taken inside the church of SANTANA on the altar.

    Swede's SANTANA model on the All Saints Church altar can be briefly seen at 13-15 seconds here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPUtrB4CYRc

    The SANTANA model then disappeared. Swede believed his model had been buried with Bogart. But that couldn't be true, as Bogart was cremated.

    I contacted as many of the later owners of big SANTANA as possible. For many years SANTANA graced the docks of the St.Francis Yacht Club. In 1982, with guest skipper Tom Blackaller at the helm, SANTANA came from behind to beat the famous DORADE in a 12 mile grudge match race off the City Front. There was also a 3/8" scale model of SANTANA donated to St.Francis YC by the wife of her W.L.Stewart, her original owner. But that model has the original schooner rig of 1935, and is smaller than Swede Johnson's model.

    Nobody knew where the SANTANA model was.

    The location of the model finally surfaced this week, in time for Swede Johnson's tribute at Balboa. Swede's beautiful model belongs to Humphrey Bogart's son Stephen, the then 2 year old in the 1952 photo. In reply to my query I received this answer:

    Hi Skip:
    Condolences on the loss of your dear friend. That beautiful model of the Santana is one of Stephen's proudest possessions and dearest memories of his father, and it is prominently displayed in his home. Wishing you all the best, The Humphrey Bogart Estate


    Thanks to SSS Forum members "chautauqua" and "red roo" for their assistance in this maritime mystery. Swede would be happy to know his model lives on. I'm sorry I can't post photos of Swede Johnson's model at this time. The SSS Forum appears to have a technical glitch.
    Last edited by sleddog; 03-09-2015 at 03:43 PM.

  6. #926
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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    Next Saturday a gang of us will gather at Balboa Yacht Club in Newport Harbor to pay tribute to as fine of shipmate and human being as graced this Earth: Swede Johnson, 95, Crossed the Bar recently, leaving his many friends to reflect not only on Swede's lifetime accomplishments, but on the character of a man who gave of himself to help others.

    Swede was a sailmaker by trade and worked at the Baxter and Cicero loft in Newport for more than 30 years making winning sails for Sabots, Starboat World's Champions (Bill Ficker and Don Edler), TransPac winners (KITTEN, LEGEND, NALU II, PSYCHE, HOLIDAY Too), and numerous Radio Controlled models. Swede also encouraged youngsters, including Dave Ullman and Scott Allan, to become sailmakers and mentored them in early years.

    Swede loved to tinker, and created the first commercially available tiller pilot for small boats in 1960, well before the better known TillerMaster. Swede also built dozens of model boats for friends world-wide, usually at no charge. If you look closely, you can see a model of Swede steering this cool little Pinky schooner he built for "Fred." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-0ozFgTKSg

    One of the little pleasures of being an aficionado of maritime history is running across a good mystery. And Swede Johnson left us with one.

    In the mid-1940's, actor Humphrey Bogart bought the beautiful, 55' Sparkman and Stephens yawl SANTANA, and berthed her at Newport Harbor Yacht Club as a retreat from his Hollywood stresses. It was onboard SANTANA that Bogie courted rising star, actress Lauren Bacall. Bacall was only 19, barely half Bogart's age, but she could hold her own on the silver screen with Bogart as well as in real life. The conservative NHYC members were upset that there potential illicit goings on aboard SANTANA with an unmarried woman involved at their docks.

    NHYC demanded Bogart, a good sailor since his youth, set things right or vacate the Club.

    So Bogie and Bacall got married in 1945 to make things legal. As a present to Bogie, Lauren Bacall commissioned Swede Johnson to build her new husband a full model (1/2" scale) of Bogie's favorite boat, SANTANA. Swede completed the SANTANA model in 1951, about the same time Bogie won the Oscar for Best Actor in "African Queen." He gave it to Bacall at no charge.

    During recent weeks of sleuthing, we discovered a black and white photo of Bogart, and his two year old son Stephen, admiring Swede's model of SANTANA in early 1952. Bogie's Oscar sits on top of the glass case.

    Humphrey Bogart, a heavy smoker, died in 1957. His wife and co-star, Lauren Bacall, decreed the only thing to be on the alter at Bogie's funeral at All Saints Church was to be the model of SANTANA, the one that our friend Swede had made. Most of Hollywood attended Bogie's Funeral. No cameras were allowed inside the church. But in the quest to find what became of Swede's model of SANTANA, we discovered a 3 second movie clip taken inside the church of SANTANA on the alter.

    Swede's SANTANA model on the All Saints Church alter can be briefly seen at 13-15 seconds here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPUtrB4CYRc

    The SANTANA model then disappeared. Swede believed his model had been buried with Bogart. But that couldn't be true, as Bogart was cremated.

    I contacted as many of the later owners of big SANTANA as possible. For many years SANTANA graced the docks of the St.Francis Yacht Club. In 1982, with guest skipper Tom Blackaller at the helm, SANTANA came from behind to beat the famous DORADE in a 12 mile grudge match race off the City Front. There was also a 3/8" scale model of SANTANA donated to St.Francis YC by the wife of her W.L.Stewart, her original owner. But that model has the original schooner rig of 1935, and is smaller than Swede Johnson's model.

    Nobody knew where the SANTANA model was.

    It finally surfaced this week, in time for Swede Johnson's tribute at Balboa. Swede's beautiful model belongs to Humphrey Bogart's son Stephen, the then 2 year old in the 1952 photo. In reply to my query I received this answer:

    Hi Skip:
    Condolences on the loss of your dear friend. That beautiful model of the Santana is one of Stephen's proudest possessions and dearest memories of his father, and it is prominently displayed in his home. Wishing you all the best, The Humphrey Bogart Estate


    Thanks to SSS Forum members "chautauqua" and "red roo" for their assistance. Swede would be happy to know his model lives on. I'm sorry I can't post photos of Swede Johnson's models at this time, but the Forum appears to have a technical glitch.
    What a very fine tribute, Skip. What a good friend you are.

  7. #927
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    Here is Swede's model of SANTANA he built for Lauren Bacall. The blurry photo is taken from the 3 second movie clip inside All Saints Church at Bogie's funeral in 1957. The SANTANA model was the only thing on the altar as director John Huston read the eulogy.

    Thanks, Jackie. Hope to see you at our friend's 50th.
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    Last edited by sleddog; 03-09-2015 at 06:48 AM.

  8. #928
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    Quote Originally Posted by Philpott View Post
    What a very fine tribute, Skip. What a good friend you are.
    ^^^ What she said!!

    Wow. That's an incredibly moving story and such fantabulous sleuthing. Well done by all, well done. Bogie and Bacall would likely have been so proud.

    Hope to see you soon ;-)

  9. #929
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    The Green Flash is an illusive quarry. A clear atmosphere, sharply delineated horizon, wearing sunglasses, and binoculars all help to catch this atmospheric phenomena that sometimes happens at the exact moment of sunrise or sunset.

    A friend caught this GF last evening from the beach near Asilomar. He'd never heard of the GF until we met recently on the Santa Cruz Harbor Breakwater at dawn on New Years.
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  10. #930
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    Ha ha! Mr Wonderful doubts the existence of the GF too. It didn't stop any of us aboard GEORGIA from watching for it the sunset over Banderas Bay Tuesday March 10. We'd gone to Yelapa for the day and a gentle breeze carried us back to Marina Vallarta. Sadly, no flash.

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