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Thread: New Boat 4 Sled

  1. #91
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    The idea of carrying a boat hook at the ready is you never know when you may need it. Yesterday, the aluminum barge "PUMPTY DUMPTY" floated by WILDFLOWER, no one aboard. Her skipper was nearby on the dock, but seemed to have lost contact with his vessel. PUMPTY DUMPTY is no ordinary barge. It roves the harbor and empties the holding tanks of the local yachts by means of a big pump, hoses, and a large tank.

    I grabbed our boat hook and extended its three part section out a full 12', long enough to snag the wayward PUMPTY DUMPTY before its odoriferous cargo should come to mischief.

    I wouldn't normally mention such a benign rescue. But the Coast Guard lads were walking down the dock nearby, about to board their 80 footer and proceed on the day's mission in Haro Straits. That mission includes vessel safety checks, including holding tank compliance. It's bizarre to consider, but as no lives were in danger, would the Coasties have lassoed the PUMPTY DUMPTY had they noticed? Or would Vessel Assist been called?

    Even more strange, while the CG is enforcing holding tanks in U.S. waters, across the U.S./Canada border, not 10 miles away, the British Columbia capitol city of Victoria, and its environs, totaling 330,000 citizens, continues pumping its raw, untreated sewage into local waters and has been doing so for many years. The (g)astronomical output from the "City of Gardens" totals 35 million gallons of sewage daily, into what essentially is a lake with one outlet: the entrance to the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

    The orcas and other sea creatures don't get a vote on this. Bad dog, Victoria.
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    Last edited by sleddog; 06-28-2012 at 08:54 AM.

  2. #92
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    There's hope - in 2010 Victoria approved plans to build treatment plants, which are supposed to be online by 2016. It has been an embarrasment to this otherwise picturesque city for years.

    A personal life observation: I started sailing in the Alameda Estuary in 1968. The water around the docks had an oily sheen and smelled bad. The pilings were clean - no marine growth or bait fish to be seen. It wasn't hard to find a few dead fish floating near shore. The Estuary appeared to be a dead waterway. If you looked across at the Oakland hills on a typical Summer day you could barely see them for the smog. I wasn't environmentally-conscious in those days (few were) but I remember this well. As I sail in the Estuary today it is dramatically better. It's alive again, and you can see the Oakland Hills.

    No big political statement here; just glad for those who've taken on the polluters and prevailed. It is very much worth it.

  3. #93
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    With the clock ticking to the start, I join family, friends, and supporters of SSS in wishing all competitors in Singlehanded Transpac 2012 a safe, fast, and fun voyage! It is sure to be one of the most memorable experiences of your lives. Look out for each other, for your boat, and for yourselves. Bless you one and all. ~skip

  4. #94
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    Part of the pleasure of walking the docks is seeing the various means people have of getting afloat. Last night, a unique and historical sailing vessel tied up nearby. She is the 47' steel ketch COLIN ARCHER, the last design of the Norwegian designer Colin Archer. Archer's most famous design was Nansen's FRAM, the first boat through the NW Passage and for many years a fixture of Golden Gate Park out near the windmills.

    Compared to our cat's 800 pound displacement, COLIN ARCHER's is a mind boggling 70,000 pounds "light." Her 12' timber bowsprit compares to modern sport boats carbon toothpicks. It takes 15-25 knots of wind before COLIN ARCHER leans to the breeze and picks up her skirts under sail. COLIN ARCHER's North Sea lifeboat pedigree is plain to see. http://rscolinarcher.com/

    It was good to run into Sue and Jim Corenman on the docks here also. Their beautiful 50' Schumacher HEART OF GOLD is currently on the hard in Anacortes, getting a fresh bottom job. Sue and Jim have a new kitten, "Fred." in training as a boat cat.
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    Last edited by sleddog; 06-29-2012 at 06:51 AM.

  5. #95
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    Oh thanks for that, Kept, note, pics and refined the great information sheet so it's a bit more readable.
    Posted it here on flickr http://tinyurl.com/6okrmsv

  6. #96
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    6/30/12

    Successful weather routing for the SHTP is not a trivial exercise, and has occupied WILDFLOWER's nav station and coms department over the last month. (We are shakedown cruising in the Pac NW, and not racing this year.)

    Most SHTP entries do not have "polars," and these have to be developed by experience. In addition, a router has to know the boat's sail complement, whether symmetrical, asymetrical spinnakers, or twin jibs are aboard, whether the competitor and his self steering are comfortable flying a spinnaker at night. Or even flying a spinnaker at all.

    Beginning a routing project, I look at the calendar for stages of the moon. In the 2012 SHTP, competitors will be favored by a full moon near mid-race, making night time sailing more user friendly.

    Also considered is the state of El Nino/La Nina, as the temp of Pacific waters can influence both trade wind strength and squall development. Currrently, at the end of June, we are at the end of a La Nina episode, and in an El Nino neutral position. El Nino neutral means storms track further N, and the Pacific High becomes the predominant weather feature in July/August.

    Once polars are developed, the sail inventory analyzed, the skipper's experience level, night vision, and self steering systems considered, the massaged polars are fed into an Expedition routing program. Days leading to the start, a "Pt A," "Pt.B," and "Pt.C" are defined and refined. "Pt. A" the most important, is located at the desired latitude to cross longitude 130 W. Pt. B is at 135 W, Pt. C at 140 W.

    As race day approaches, long range weather forecasts become more reliable for the race period. Computer wind forecasts can now look ahead with confidence out 3-5 days, and even a week's prognosis can be used in routing.

    What does this all mean? In a perfect world, the competitor understands the general weather forecast for the Eastern Pacific, the forecast trends, and the weather history and winning routes of previous races. A "Game Plan" is developed. In addition, the router has supplied the SHTP competitor with suggested way points as aiming marks, and a "sidewalk" of fast sailing possibilities bounded by "fences" on the north and south side of the "sidewalk." This info is intended to give confidence to the SHTP competitor, as opposed to planning uncertainty. Single handers are traditionally time crunched before the SHTP start, and few have the time or tools to give to detailed weather routing.

    Below is a routing chart for a SHTP 2012 competitor, based on his polars, and wind forecasts that were downloaded last evening (Friday night). Added are a black line above and below the optimized route (red). The black lines indicate the boundaries of a "sidewalk". The routing calculations suggest sailing anywhere within this sidewalk without having to pay much of a penalty in terms of extra passage time.

    As evidenced, the sidewalk is wider in the latter half of the passage reflecting the fact that you can jibe back and forth in a fairly wide area in this region without having much effect on the finish time.


    Onward.
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    Last edited by sleddog; 06-30-2012 at 10:18 PM.

  7. #97
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    Surprise of the SHTP so far is performance of SCARAMOUCHE. By her owner's admission, "non-competitive." Don't believe it. This was one of S&S's best designs of the early 1970's, a development of RAGAMUFFIN. If the winds stay modest and few can break out of displacement mode, "MOOCH" may surprise. It will be no surprise if "TRUTH" breaks the mono record. She is fully capable, and in capable hands.

    Exercised WILDFLOWER yesterday in SW 12-18 knots, a beautiful sunny day with a big flood tide. So many islands passed close aboard in 3 hours, I had to keep the chart handy and checked off. Islands rounded or coasted included: Brown, Shaw, San Juan, Tift Rocks, Yellow, McConnell, Reef, Orcas, Coon, Crane, and Cliff.

    Finally, a seamanlike landing. Not easy for this tree leaf (flower petal?) in a cross wind. Got back into the slip without incident. Only to find I'd gone in the wrong slip ....ours was two boats over. ;-) Below is pix of boat in correct slip, with happy captain.....
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    Last edited by sleddog; 07-02-2012 at 03:07 PM.

  8. #98
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    Santa Cruz
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    The Wild flower looks good, and I see you have properly loaded it forward and are using most of the bottom paint!
    We sailed in similar conditions Sunday, close reaching, full main, jib furled, with the weather hull very light and bouncing up!

  9. #99
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    After 24 hours of steady rain, at noon today the skies abruptly cleared. I removed my cup taped to the overhead, where it was catching drips above the pillow from a leaking deck fitting, and exited the hatch for a walk.

    Out on Friday's Harbor's main breakwater float, the circus was coming to town. Dozens of boats were descending at once on the Marina in anticipation of tomorrow's 4th of July celebrations: Parade, Pig War Picnic, Rock-the-Dock Music, and Fireworks.

    It was blowing 20-25 offshore (SW). Many of the approaching fleet were from Canada, and had to tie up on the outside of the main dock to clear Customs. Not easy, broadside to the stiff breeze. The contingent of a dozen or so MacGregor 26's from Canada seemed to manage better than most, although they were all a bit bedraggled from a wet and windy crossing (under power). Curiously, the beam wind was heeling many of the Mac 26's almost rail down. Under bare poles!

    Midsize powerboats of all description were also attempting to land. The burly and armed Customs officer had no interest in anything but checking passports. Who was gonna take a line from all these boats and secure it on the docks? No marina employees in evidence.

    With incipient chaos looming, there was need for strong line handlers on the dock. Several times over the ensuing hour I found myself handling lines from two boats at once.

    One 100' power yacht, with upper deck stadium seats, decided it was his turn to jump the queue. He came in bow first into the midst of the Mac-26's. I don't know his plan, as he was short 90 feet of dock. His bow crew managed to leap off with a mooring line. But his ship blew back out into the stream, leaving him ashore, attached to nothing. The MacgGregor crews were thoroughly amused.

    The burly Customs officer went from boat to boat, getting his salad fixings together. As well as checking passports, he was confiscating plastic bags of tomatoes and peppers.

    The 100' powerboat tried another approach, this time stern first, with dual exhausts now belching smoke on the previously amused Mac 26ers. The 160' schooner ZODIAC was also getting into the act, but thought better and went to anchor out.

    After helping secure about 30 boats, things quieted. I made my way back to WILDFLOWER, not quite sure what I had been a part of. Wednesday in Friday Harbor.
    Last edited by sleddog; 07-03-2012 at 07:06 PM.

  10. #100
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    It is appears the main body of the Singlehanded Transpac Fleet will be sailing into lighter winds ....they likely got themselves into a too far north "slot car" lane, without means of getting south where more wind will blow for remainder of race. The Hobie 33 is truckin' down south, and should get even faster when the tradewinds fill.
    Solar panels and autopilots taking a beating so far: little or no sun, and electrical problems.

    4th of July in Friday Hbr. was warm and sunny. The hometown parade featured dogs costumed as orcas, a Sea Shepard Pirate Ship, old tractors. Even the U of Washington Marching Band led by a 300# black dude high steppin' and adroitly twirling the baton.

    After all the excitement, a walk on the beach down by Jakel's Lagoon was in order. The tide was way out and no
    one around but bald eagles scavenging the waterline. We found a 40 foot driftwood log, and built a teeter totter.

    The evening's fireworks, launched from a barge just offshore the docks, were memorable. The full moon rising in the background, and the reverberations of colorful explosive reports echoing around the island's hills and valley's, had the fleet clapping in applause.

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