New Boat 4 Sled

[sleddog]

A harpsicord on a Moore 24 is hard to beat as unique Transpac equipment.

In 1959, the Lapworth 45' sloop NALU II raced the Honolulu Race with five chickens in cages lashed on deck. The crew's explanation was according to Hawaiian folk lore, chickens sacrificed to Hawaiian sea gods were good luck, especially if you toasted the offerings with libations of rum.

Three chickens expired from "exposure." With fresh meat running low, the two survivors were killed, plucked, cooked, and eaten at the Captain's dinner the last night out.

NALU II won overall honors that year. The story grew that if bananas are bad luck, carrying live chickens is good luck. Where you gonna put your chicken coop, RAGTIME?

[Philpott]

OMG! Bob wouldn't let chicken poop near that pampered boat of his. He just had her waxed and polished and I think she got a pedicure, too. A keelacure.

[BobJ]

That reminded me of an earlier post, written a couple of months before the 2012 race:

"I picked up your R/C yesterday at the Gabriels. Ruben and Robbie's place is very much a combo of Moore's Reef and the Wizard's Chicken Coop, but with real chickens. There are Moore parts all over the place - R & R have one each plus the Buffalo - and there are indeed chickens. I suggested a picata would be nice but was informed these are pet chickens. There's one I'm sure Ruben would take with him to Hawaii, but your R/C reminded him that no pets are allowed. (Can you imagine hearing that in the background during the SSB net?)"

"I figured Rob needed a daysail on RAGTIME! - I was right. One thing I discovered is that Rob really is a racer. I gave him an upwind target and soon realized he was fixated on the knot meter - a few minutes later he beat the target by 2/10 of a knot. Well bless my dodger'n solar panels! We flew the A2, sailed on AP for awhile including several gybes and a douse in 20+, and generally had a fine day out."

Update to today: R & R both quit their jobs and are currently on a dive trip in Mexico. Ruben's Moore RUSHMOORE is now John McDonald's POGO and is entered in the Pacific Cup DH. Robbie's Moore SWEET TEA sits in its slip at VYC. The BUFFALO is on the hard at Vallejo Marine waiting for the blister job to resume. No word on who is taking care of their chickens.

[Harrier]

Peter Stryker was sailing a big boat...not a Moore 24. We were in VHF contact most of the time on that race. Fun guy to chat with...
I could look up the data on his boat, but don't think it is particularly germane. And I do have his book around here somewhere.

[BobJ]

Explorer 45 - at about 17 tons there would have been room for a harpsichord. On a Moore, not so much.

[Mewes]

Peter Styker is a distant "relation," so I met him shortly after his book was published. I would say he approached the TransPac with an attitude shared with Daniel Willey on Galaxsea: comfort comes first. The book was half "log" of his race, and half "medicine at sea." Very fun read! The Floating Harpsichord?

[Travieso]

I seem to have used up all my credibility chips with the current administration - you'll have to take it up with them directly. Maybe it was the lapel button I wore to the last two meetings (yes, I really did): "No worries, some of my best friends wear tracking devices."

I totally agree though - I bought a cheap used trisail from Bacon Sails for the 2006 SHTP, applied the requisite sail numbers and farted around with it to see how it would sheet. It was dutifully shown to various inspectors but otherwise never touched. To use it on my little boat, I'd have to take the main completely off the mast. I can't imagine trying to do that in conditions which would require using the thing.

The lawn mower and saddle inspired me - I need to think of something creative to carry on my next jaunt across the pond.

I've got a sea anchor you can borrow

[Mewes]

Hey, Bob, you are already going Tandem..

[sleddog]

As no chicken has survived the crossing, as far as is known, the only animal to complete a Transpac race to Hawaii is the Maine Coon "Snowball," who crewed with humans Mike and Rory aboard EL TIBURON in 2000 and 2002 Pacific Cups.

"Snowball" had a pretty good deal. Her sea berth aboard EL TIBURON was the sock drawer in the owner's stateroom. "Snowball" joined the watch system on a 1 hour on/23 hours off rotation. When an "all paws on deck" call was made, "Snowball' would typically open one eye, and yawn as if to say, "don't call me, I'll call you."

[sleddog]

With mostly limited financial means, most SSS sailors are better known for their innovative and practical skills implementing speed and safety devices. Imagine what might come into play if a company like Douglas Aircraft outfitted a "bring what you got" Transpac entry. Far fetched?

GOODWILL, a 161 foot steel schooner, raced both the 1953 and 1959 Los Angeles to Honolulu Transpacs. GOODWILL was sponsored by then president of Douglas Aircraft, Don Douglas Jr., who also served as sailing master aboard. GOODWILL's size was impressive: she carried two skin stressed aluminum spinnaker poles built by Douglas Aircraft. They were each 24 inches in diameter, and 72 feet long. These poles were used to fly GOODWILL's 10,000 square foot spinnakers. I remember seeing these poles as a kid. They were both painted candy cane striped red.

Given the size of equipment needed to sail GOODWILL, and the dire consequences should any of her 51 man crew go overboard, heroic pre-race MOB measures were instituted. Buttons were mounted at the helm, the first of which, when pressed, triggered a cartridge that fired a liferaft over the stern. This raft was connected to GOODWILL by 1,000 feet of nylon line, sort of an early day Lifesling. The second button detonated two explosive charges that blew the end off the spinnaker pole, and tripped the afterguy of her ginormus spinnaker. The third button fired off an aircraft braking parachute drogue, embedded in GOODWILL's keel, deep underwater.

Luckily, none of these MOB devices were needed. But in 1959, something happened aboard GOODWILL that crippled her chances of being First-To-Finish in new record time, and nearly sank her.