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Thread: New Boat 4 Sled

  1. #1771
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    Thanks to SLEDDOG-SIS for turning me on to a terrific read: The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery.

    Montgomery's firsthand exploration into the enigmatic lives of these invertebrate mollusk aliens is an adventure into the wondrous lives of these critters, their intelligence, strength, playfulness, Houdini-like escape capabilities, and even personalities.

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    Imagine just one of a Pacific octopuses' 3 inch diameter suckers can lift 30 pounds, and there are 1,600 of them, enough to lift a Moore-24 with suckers to spare.

    Octopus are one of the most ancient life forms on planet Earth, at 300 million years, older than dinosaurs.

    Octopuses have 3 hearts, and their 8 tentacles are semi-autonomous and can be detached and proceed on their own way, while the octopus regenerates a complete new arm. Without a bone structure, an octopus with a melon sized head and 14 foot arm span can ooze through a 1" diameter pipe. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=949eYdEz3Es

    A most wonderful octopus escape mechanism, besides their ability to "ink", is the capability to instantly change texture and color patterns so as to confuse potential attackers.

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    I've only once seen an octopus in the wild. While living aboard WILDFLOWER at Santa Cruz Harbor I noticed a great blue heron stealth fishing from the nearby rocks. The heron, a regular I called "George," ducked his head underwater and came up with a small sized octopus with a head about the size of a golf ball.

    For 30 minutes an amusing, life or death struggle ensued. The octopus was determined not to be dinner, and wrapped itself around George's head. George on the other hand, with a foolish look, couldn't get the young octopus off its head and into his bill.

    The nearby drama ended in a draw when the great blue heron ducked its head back underwater and the octopus made good its escape.

    Octopus. The perfect foredeck crew for singlehanding.

    I recommend The Soul of an Octopus to anyone interested in these amazing animals.
    Last edited by sleddog; 12-09-2016 at 08:41 PM.

  2. #1772
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    It is elucidating to hear that the co-leader of the current Vendee Globe singlehanded race around the world, Brit Alex Thompson on HUGO BOSS, is falling off pace partially because the heavy weather being encountered is filling the foot of HB's reefed main with water.

    Thompson reports having to head downwind and manually bucket many gallons of seawater from the foot of his main every 45 minutes while standing dangerously exposed on his coach roof. Gotta be slow and exhausting to boot.

    To my way of thinking, a significant oversight for the HUGO BOSS Team if this is true. Reef tie eyelets, if in fact HUGO BOSS's main even has them, are too high and insufficient in size and number to drain potentially tons of water taken aboard from breaking seas. Dedicated drain holes in the mainsail foot, located in the right position, are mandatory when going offshore, especially deep into the Southern Ocean.
    Last edited by sleddog; 12-09-2016 at 08:39 PM.

  3. #1773
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    Dec 2011
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    Santa Cruz
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    "Thompson reports having to head downwind and manually bucket many gallons of seawater from the foot of his main"

    Is this another argument for a loose footed main?

  4. #1774
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    Quote Originally Posted by H Spruit View Post
    "Thompson reports having to head downwind and manually bucket many gallons of seawater from the foot of his main"

    Is this another argument for a loose footed main?
    HUGO BOSS's main is loose footed...however it's the foot reef folds that are catching water inside an external cloth cover ("boom bag"), port and starboard, on the boom top. It appears the boom bag cover, held up with lazy jacks, catches the main foot internally as the full battened sail is lowered to a reef. With a lot of folds, there's a lot of creases with a chance to catch water cascading down the sail.
    Last edited by sleddog; 12-10-2016 at 09:12 PM.

  5. #1775
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    Pardon the memories, but back in the day of wood Stars with their wooden masts, there was a skipper with a novel method of dealing with his halyards: after a race he would simply pull his halyards up the mast.

    The next morning, the skipper's pet monkey would ascend the mast lickety-split and retrieve the halyards in less time than it takes to tell. The monkey seemed to enjoy the exercise. And certainly bystanders to the show enjoyed it too.

    20 years ago, living in Malaysia, I experienced a variation on the theme. Falling coconuts were both a hazard, and source of refreshment for locals. Tree trimmers would be called to deal with the coconuts, and several had trained monkeys that quickly twisted off the large nuts and dropped them to the ground. Like it or not, these guys were entrepreneurs, saving themselves time and effort. At least these monkeys weren't in a zoo or meat at the market.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gWEsNL-RJc

    Locally here in Yelapa, Luis, built like a fire hydrant, is el hombre mas fuerte in the pueblo... Not only is Luis talented in fixing about anything, but can quickly ascend a coconut tree in his bare feet, with nothing but a machete hanging below. Name:  IMGP0002-001.JPG
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    Luis, having lived all his life in Yelapa, has probably never sailed. But he'd make a good double-handed (DH) crew with his strength, multi-talents, and ready smile. Did I mention he's a virtuoso with a machete? Possibly handy for those congested mark roundings at Blossom Rock.

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    Last edited by sleddog; 12-12-2016 at 01:34 PM.

  6. #1776
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    Jan 2010
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    I love it all, Skip! the octopussies, the inadvertent watermakers, and Luis! Boy, does Yelapa look gorgeous!!!

  7. #1777
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    Being in Mexico has a certain perverse pleasure I describe as "You can't get from Pt. A to Pt. B without going to an unexpected Pt. C, or beyond..." This can be an adventure, a frustration, or something else entirely.

    Fair weather continues in Yelapa, although smog over 15 mile distant Puerto Vallarta and Punta Mita Penisula reminds of LA: Early morning brown surface haze with black topping all the way to the horizon. PV is backed by mountains. Pollution from cars, trucks, and boats has difficulty escaping eastward with the mild afternoon southwesterly sea breezes. During the night, the smog blows offshore with the gentle downslope, offshore wind that replaces the seabreeze at sunset.

    100 miles south, the Colima volcano east of Manzanillo is erupting. The Colima volcano is Central America's most active, and the ash cloud is blowing south in the atmospheric winds. Despite all this activity, the air in Yelapa is mostly clear, and except for the current full moon, mostly dark after sunset with a minimum of light pollution.

    Yesterday was atypical for Yelapa. Two humpbacks swam into Yelapa Bay, and toured inshore for about 45 minutes, sometimes not 200 feet off the beach. I hiked 200 yards east on the coastal path for a close-up. While I watched, a paddle boarder and kayaker nearly ran onto the humpies, not recognizing their presence.

    Returning to our casa, I collected some trash, passed some horses, mules, and a cute colt, and crossed over a stack of palm fronds that blocked the trail during construction of a local palapa. I went knee deep through the palm fronds, and landed gently on my back, covered in the trash I was carrying. No injury, but I couldn't get up and extricate myself for about minute. Fortunately no one but the horses observed what must have looked a sight: boracho gringo passed out on trail covered in trash?

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    Back at Casas Santa Cruz, drama was continuing to play out. 6 guests occupying one of the palapas for rent had more than their share of misfortune. In five days, one had stepped on some glass, two had suffered jellyfish stings. A fourth, celebrating her birthday, had a beer bottle explode in her hand.

    The worst injury by far was to a young couple (30's) in the group of 6 who, perhaps unwisely, attempted to ascend the slippery rocks of the local waterfall. One fell about 75 feet down the cliff, hitting her head, smashing her nose flat, deeply gashing, and likely breaking her leg. Knocked unconscious, but lucky to be alive.

    This morning we were able to evac everybody to PV, with Luis and David carrying the severely injured lady on a plastic stretcher to the local beach where the guests were successfully loaded aboard a panga water taxi for PV and the airport. At PV, the severely injured was gently lifted from the panga in a plastic chair and loaded in a van. Beyond that we do not know, but prayers for the best of outcomes.

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    Adventures included at no extra charge.
    Last edited by sleddog; 12-14-2016 at 05:11 PM.

  8. #1778
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    It could be successfully argued that Mexican coastal cartography and aids to navigation are often out dated, inaccurate, missing, or non-functional. Accurate charts do exist, but are difficult to find, and exist mainly of well transited and maintained harbors. Near coastal navigation at night, or in low visibility, should be attempted with due caution....

    Yesterday, during a spring high tide, the local panga taxi crunched against a half tide rock at Isabel's Beach..the pangas are stoutly built, and I doubt any damage was done.

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    Today, a different panga taxi used a more organic aid to navigation: a snowy egret stood atop the same rock, and the driver took heed.

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    Using birds for navigation, both direction and distance, is an ancient method practiced by Polynesian voyagers. If you see a bird standing on the water, it's either on kelp, a log, a rock, or shoal.

    Or it could be hitching a ride on a turtle.

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    Last edited by sleddog; 12-15-2016 at 05:46 PM.

  9. #1779
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    Sep 2008
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    SF Bay Area
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    Sled, You appear to be "Feliz De La Vida."
    I love the photo of the bird on the turtle. Is that your photo? Someone needs to ID the bird. Do let us know when you are home again.

    Feliz Navidad, Tom & Sue

  10. #1780
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    Jan 2014
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    Arnold, CA
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    The bird is a blue footed boobie.

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