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Thread: New Boat 4 Sled

  1. #771
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    WILDFLOWER's last harbor in British Columbia this summer was the same as the first: Pastoral and landlocked Annette Cove on Prevost Island (48-49.5 N x 123-23.2 W). At low tide, we anchored in 4' of water, sand and mud. The only sounds were occasional cows lowing in the meadow at the head of the inlet mixed with the honking of a love lorn goose.

    Entering back into U.S. waters near Friday Harbor we had a close encounter with the San Juan County Sheriff. He was driving an aluminum 30' catamaran at a high rate of speed and aimed directly at us. At the last moment we altered sharply to starboard, and the sheriff held course, passing about a length away and giving us a dose of 3' wake for good measure. Welcome to the USA?

    The customs inspector at Friday Harbor treated us to a saner government encounter, inquiring about Cuban cigars. Really? Coming up empty on that account, the only other issue for WILDFLOWER seemed to be the legality of the two remaining zucchinis.

    Later in the afternoon we spied the Sheriff's catamaran returning to the Friday Harbor fuel dock. After some debate as to the wisdom of another law enforcement encounter, we walked down to the fuel dock for a word with the Sheriff.

    Sheriff "Herb" was most friendly and apologetic for the close encounter, which he remembered. He explained he was on patrol (at his usual speed of 30 knots) and had to cut close to WILDFLOWER as there was another powerboat coming at him on the outside.

    I think I prefer discussing the potential threat of zucchinis with Customs than reckless driving with the Sheriff.
    Last edited by sleddog; 08-17-2014 at 04:52 PM.

  2. #772
    Join Date
    Jul 2014
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    6

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    Hi Skip - I have enjoyed following your cruise. I cruised that region on several occasions with my brother who keeps his boat in Birch Bay. Unfortunately, I had to turn down his offer to cruise this summer. See you in Santa Cruz. - Robert

  3. #773
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    Marinas in the Pacific NW invent all sorts of attractions for yachties, especially those with big powerboats and wallets to match.

    Roche Harbor Marina leads the class with its dog shows, mobile holding tank pump out boats, and the carillon of bells at the Chapel of Our Lady of Good Voyage, (the only privately owned Catholic chapel in the United States,)which rings out Broadway tunes.

    At sunset comes Roche Harbor's famous sunset salute to lowering of colors, complete with cannon fire and March from the Bridge Over The River Kwai on the loud speakers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuVYS4uw0as

    Friday Harbor has its own built in attraction, the beloved one-eyed harbor seal Pop eye who has been hanging out at the floating Fish Market, 10-5, for 20 years. There are statues of Popeye around town, and she is featured on Friday Harbor's website. For $5 you can buy a bag a herring and feed Popeye, and people come from Iowa and Texas to do so. http://threesheetsnw.com/blog/2010/0...-named-popeye/

    Cap Sante Marina at Anacortes was late to the game, but quickly catching up, offering free bicycles, free delivery from Safeway, a giant chess set on the sidewalk, floating party docks available for rental, and an evening choir of Marina employee youth attempting to harmonize.

    Dale, the Cap Sante Harbor Master, has one upped Roche Harbor. Boat visitors to Cap Sante are given coupon books to local eateries. To top it off, you get a cellophane fortune telling fish. If it curls in your hand, good luck will follow. Good for 4 year olds and up. http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/...e-telling-fish

    Berkeley, are you listening?
    Last edited by sleddog; 08-19-2014 at 01:10 PM.

  4. #774
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    After dinner walks at Cap Sante Marina, Anacortes, WA, rarely fail to bring some surprise or treat.

    Last evening I ran into Robin Jeffers from Monterey. Robin is a pro sailor and delivery skipper par excellence who I've known for many years. We spent a few minutes catching up about his recent Pac Cup and return delivery. Robin and his partner are in Anacortes building a new home across the channel on Guemes Island.

    Looking for noteworthy boats on evening dock walks takes one into the land of Nordic Tugs, generic Catalinas, and Bayliners. But at sunset on this particular beautiful evening I found two beauties, on the same dock yet.

    To port was an H-12, probably the prettiest 16 footer ever designed.
    The H-12 was designed by Nathaniel G. Herreshoff 100 years ago. Few could have foretold the unique popularity and longevity of this design. The H-12 is still considered to be one of the finest, if not the finest, small sailing yacht designs ever created, perfect for all ages in the family, not just the kids.


    To starboard of the H-12 was the Bermuda 40 yawl FREYA. Designed in 1970, and built by Hinckley, the B-40 is probably Bill Tripp Sr.'s finest effort. FREYA is drop dead beautiful, with varnish gleaming in the fading light.

    As yacht designer Dick Carter once said, "The only question is do you hear the violins play when you look at the boat."

    Call me old school, but I hear the entire string section every time I look at a Bermuda 40 yawl.
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    Last edited by sleddog; 08-24-2014 at 10:01 AM.

  5. #775
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Santa Cruz
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    108

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    I loved the reference to the violins playing while admiring a Bermuda Yawl, and it made me think I here Kazoos and Banjoes when admiring the JAR CAT type boats.
    Keep Smiling,
    H Spruit

  6. #776
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    On a busman's holiday, we boarded Ev and Gary Adams 32' SLO POKE tug for a 7 mile voyage north from Anacortes to one of the loveliest, least known, and little visited islands in the San Juans.

    Vendovi, (48-37 N x 122-37 W) is only about a mile in circumference, but home to pristine forests, pocket beaches, hiking trails, and no permanent residents except for part time caretakers Sean and Heather of the Westsail 32 OM SHANTI.

    Vendovi was acquired by the San Juan Preservation Trust in 2010 and can now be visited during daylight hours, May through September. http://threesheetsnw.com/blog/2013/0...he-salish-sea/

    We tied up SLO POKE to the 80' foot guest dock, and found we were the only visitors. The dock is well protected by a breakwater, and has 7' at low tide. But it is unlikely vessels bigger than about 40 feet would want to enter the miniature harbor.

    We had a easy hike to Sunrise Beach, then onto Paintbrush Point, with a fine view of the Cascades, Guemes, and Fidalgo Islands. Blackberries were ripe for picking, and we discovered an abandoned saw mill that probably never met OSHA standards.

    At 1600 we headed SLO POKE back to Anacortes at her stately 6 knots. Near SE Point on Guemes we were overtaken from astern by the 40' red water taxi SIOUX ARROW. SIOUX ARROW, at an estimated 20 knots, cut between SLO POKE and the nearby shore, passing SLO POKE less than a length off the starboard side, flooding our decks with her 4' wake, and rolling us heavily. Luckily no one was thrown aboard SLO POKE as we held on tightly.

    If I were SIOUX ARROW's captain, and so cavalierly violated navigational Rules of the Road, safety, and common sense, all to gain a few lengths in tight quarters instead of staying well off the port hand, I might expect a letter of concern, with accompanying diagram, to arrive at his company office from Capt. Gary and myself.
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    Last edited by sleddog; 08-25-2014 at 04:01 PM.

  7. #777
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Reno, NV
    Posts
    17

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    In response to the issue with Sioux Arrow... Yews want me ta call ma Uncle Vinney from Chicago? He'll fix thaut problem real cheap... I mean quick... well actually both.

  8. #778
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    It used to be, a massive, once-in-a-decade, South swell would show up in S.Cal to fire off the Dirty Old Wedge with 30 footers, and other breaks, for an epic 24 hour surf orgy. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v...type=2&theater

    With ex-Category 5 Hurricane Marie west of Baja sending her greetings, Marie's swell rose up and delivered.

    Late yesterday afternoon, Laird Hamilton showed up at Malibu, then high-lined a beauty for nearly a quarter mile before shooting through the Malibu Pier. Possibly, he didn’t notice the pier.

    After his wave, Laird ascended back to the galactic realm of infinity to resume his role as Silver Surfer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOV7mbSrNPk
    Last edited by sleddog; 08-28-2014 at 05:11 PM.

  9. #779
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    3,485

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    Quote Originally Posted by sleddog View Post
    aaaaahhhhhh... Thanks, Skip. I would have missed that without you.

  10. #780
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    Sep 2007
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    I didn't think the Work Boat Races at Anacortes could get more chaotic than last year. (Page 53, Post 528) But they could, and did.

    The Work Boat Races were slow motion maritime drama. The lead boat, ANDY SEA, a 60' purse seiner, took the first turn tight, and in the 3 knot flood tide, nearly laid her top hamper in the water. I could see most of her bottom, and crew hanging on for dear life. Luckily she came slowly upright. But the near capsize allowed the second place, all black, WHITEY W to seize the lead. It was WHITEY's race to lose, and she did so, missing the second mark, and ramming the spectator dock, sending dressed like pirates scattering in all directions.

    WHITEY's miscalculation allowed the third place workboat, the 55 foot tug QUAIL, to assume the lead. WHITEY W backed off the stove-in wharf, and her skipper apparently disregarded her engine's redline in order to catch up. WHITEY was making 10 knots as she drew abeam of QUAIL, and the race was on.

    Unfortunately, at "mast abeam," WHITEY's engine blew in cloud of steam and smoke. QUAIL's captain, seeing an apportunity for profit, turned around and took the disabled WHITEY in tow.

    It was the heavy lift work barge MERIDIAN's turn to assume first place. She had a brass band playing on the foredeck. But MERIDIAN's rectangular hull shape and blunt bow could not stem the strong tide, and she pretty much was motoring in place. More alarming, MERIDIAN's bow was dipping to spectator's wakes, and her deck was periodically flooding, submerging the band's shoes and shorting their amp. Shades of TITANIC.

    Approaching MERIDIAN on a reciprocal course was the Guemes Ferry, chock-a-block with gussied up wedding passengers. Nobody seemed to know who was going where.

    ANDY SEA was now back on her feet, and charging fast. Then I noticed a sailboat in the middle of the Workboat Race Course. A sailing workboat? Nope, it was the SC-27 SOLITAIRE, winner of the first (1978) Single Handed Transpac, out for a day sail.

    Who won the Anacortes Workboat Races? Hard to say, as we were spectating on the deck of the Guemes General Store, across the channel, enjoying lunch, and watching SOLITAIRE short tack the beach, playing back eddies. Shades of sailing along the Marin Shore, at Pt. Bonita,on a strong flood.
    Last edited by sleddog; 08-28-2014 at 08:53 AM.

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