New Boat 4 Sled

[Philpott]

So those fancy sails out on the bay are made of the same material I use to cover leftovers. How much of that do you need, Alan? And what's it worth to you? I need a spinnaker. From those photos you posted I can just imagine your suggestions for me.

[AlanH]

Hey, I could've made it out of Tyvek. I betcha don't wrap up old pickles in that!

[Wylieguy]

Oh Dear! I'm afraid someone should read the ISAF Advertising Code. Appendix 20 has a nice table pointing out that sails are allowed a "sailmaker's ad" no more than 150 mm X 150 mm and placed down near the goosey neck. I see a "Tom Sawyer" moment here. At the first regatta offer a free boat ride to the gullible person who volunteers to white wash the sail - except for that teeny 150X150 spot.

[BobJ]

The sails should fit the vessel:

What she deserves.

[sleddog]

Today, February 12, is a special day. It is the 48th Birthday of Capt. Ivo Hruza of the Czech Republic. Ivo was Master of the MSC TORONTO, the 1066' container ship that safely plucked me off WILDFLOWER, Sept.1, 2008, 400 miles west of Santa Cruz.

Ivo's exemplary ship handling in gale force made everything possible. On welcoming me aboard his ship, his first words were, "Captain, I am so sorry we do not have the capability to lift WILDFLOWER on board."

Ivo and I have stayed in touch as he travels the world on board his commands, 4 months on, 4 months off. We remain friends for life, as shipmates who have shared something special.

Happy Birthday, My Friend!

Attached photo of Ivo with his ship, MSC TORONTO, in background, as we sailed Rich Baker's J-105 one windy afternoon down the Alameda Estuary. Ivo noted at the time the Estuary isn't much wider than his ship was long

[sleddog]

Great news that the Cruising Club of America (CCA) has selected Captain Thomas B. Crawford (Lopez Island, Wash.) to receive its 2012 Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship for the rescue of Derk Wolmuth and his 31-foot Vindo sailboat, BELA BARTOK, during the 2012 Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race. The trophy is given “for an act of seamanship which significantly contributes to the safety of a yacht or one or more individuals at sea.” The trophy will be awarded by Commodore Daniel P. Dyer, III at the Annual Awards Dinner on March 1, 2013 at the New York Yacht Club in Manhattan.

In the early hours of July 15, 2012, Crawford was aboard his ship, Matson Navigation’s 860-foot RoCon MV MOKIHANA, en route to Oakland, Calif. He received a call from the Coast Guard asking for help in the rescue of Derk Wolmuth, who was two weeks into the Singlehanded Transpacific Yacht Race from San Francisco, Calif. to Hanalei Bay, Kauai, Hawaii. Wolmuth was fighting an infection onboard, but with no antibiotics he was close to death. An avid sailor himself, Crawford connected with Wolmuth over the radio. His primary goal was to save Wolmuth, but he hoped to save the boat as well, since it served as Wolmuth’s only home.

Prior to bringing the sick sailor aboard, Crawford instructed Wolmuth to adjust his Monitor wind vane and trim the jib. After Wolmuth was aboard MOKIHANA and on his way to the ship’s infirmary, Crawford maneuvered – using gantline hauling, engine commands and the helm and bow thruster – to get BELA BARTOK on course to Hawaii, which was 450 miles away.

On July 19th BELA BARTOK was rescued 15 miles north of Maui by Wolmuth’s fellow race competitors Ronnie Simpson and Ruben Gabriel, who had been monitoring the boat’s progress with the Yellow Brick Tracker that was aboard.

According to Crawford both of his goals were accomplished. “Derk is alive and mending, and his home (BELA BARETOK) is safe in Oahu. Many people working together made for an amazing outcome…not exactly a Mars landing, but it wasn’t that far removed for a bunch of people unknown to each other and with no planning or rehearsal.”

Well Done, Capt. Crawford and crew of MOKIHANA.

[pogen]

Very cool! We spoke the MOKIHANA on what must have been her next Hawaii-SF passage late at night about 700 nm from Hawaii during our PacCup trip. Very friendly and alert watch officer, they had seen us before we had noticed them! A great story all-round.

[sleddog]

A fun time yesterday at RYC attending a 52nd Birthday Party and reunion for SPIRIT, her owners and crew over the years. SPIRIT is the Sparkman and Stephens 34' launched in 1961 for George Kiskaddon and family as an SF Bay One Design Racer. She is narrow, fractional rigged, a lead mine, with a long cockpit and longer tiller. Perfect for SF Bay breeze. Story has it Olin Stephens made Kiskaddon promise never to sail SPIRIT in the ocean.

With a young and irreverent crew, SPIRIT proceeded to sail the SORC, Trans-Atlantic, Cowes Week, Fastnet, Transpac, Sydney to Hobart, and many other famous races. Her crew over the years included Billy Green, Norm Duvall, Ron Holland, Doug Peterson, Mary Crowley, Peter Sutter, John Amen, Annie Lewis, Robert Flowerman, the Kiskaddon family, and so many others that SPIRIT influenced and developed an entire generation of first class sailors.

If you have sailed on SPIRIT, or have a SPIRIT story, I would love to hear it.

[Dazzler]

Skip,
I'm sorry to have missed this event. SPIRIT is truly one of the "special boats" in the history of yacht design. And, WOW, does that boat have some stories to tell. I sailed on SPIRIT a few times sometime in about 1968. Commodore Tompkins got me on board. As I recall, they were doing a two boat tune-up series with sister-ship ESPRIT. Was that prior to the SORC? I think this was also the first time I met Tom Wylie. He was on ESPRIT and had just finished making some new sails. I think he was working for Dewitt & Peters.

I was also on SPIRIT a few times in the Peter Sutter ownership years. There are stores to be told about Sutter sailing SPIRIT to Palmyra. Sutter loved the pure joy of just being on the ocean. Then there are SPIRIT's Caribbean years...

SPIRIT's influence on later designs is interesting to consider. Gary Mull was a draftsman at S&S at the time and is reputed to have drawn the construction drawings. And, later in the 70's Carl Schumacher worked for Gary Mull before going on his own. I've always thought those contoured seats at the base of the companionway in E27's came from SPIRIT.

Other stories for others to complete: SPIRIT was originally built without an engine or head. What ocean race was she refused entry for lack of a head? Interesting to think how minimum equipment requirements have changed!

Tom

[sleddog]

Unfortunately, little of SPIRIT's good karma rubbed off on her near sister ship ESPRIT. ESPRIT was involved in the most acrimonious Transpac Race ever. During a drifting Transpac start in 1969, one of WINDWARD PASSAGE's crew came in contact with ESPRIT's man overboard pole, which was hanging at an angle well off the stern of ESPRIT. PASSAGE's crewman was attempting to keep the tip of the pole from poking through PASSAGE's genoa

This violation caused two hours to be deducted from PASSAGE's elapsed time, denying her first to finish and a new elapsed time record. Rival BLACKFIN won instead. Big controversy, as many felt any penalty should have been applied to PASSAGE's corrected time.

BLACKFIN's owner refused the Barn Door trophy, saying it rightly belonged to PASSAGE. The Transpac YC committee told BLACKFIN's owner if he didn't accept the trophy, he would be booted from the Race and never invited back. PASSAGE's owner died soon after of a heart attack. BLACKFIN's owner crashed his small plane attempting to fly over the Sierra in winter.

ESPRIT sailed a second Transpac in '71. With a three man delivery crew, she disappeared on the return passage. Nothing was ever found.