Clouds, the Yachtsman’s Friend

Wind from the NE, Force 3
Force 3


The guardsman stands at the gate in the darkness of the night and shouts, “Friend or foe?” followed by the words, “Come forward and be recognised!” As the unidentified person advances, the guardsman has his rifle at the ready with his finger on the trigger. When he is satisfied the figure who emerges from the shadows is a friend, he lowers his rifle and says, “Welcome friend.”



A yachtsman is a bit like a guardsman who is watchful for Aeolus, at first not knowing if he is going to be a friend or a foe. If the wind is fair, and blows in the direction the ship’s master wants, all is well, but could this friendly wind be a foe in disguise? Will this slave of Aeolus turn about and increase in strength, or will he dwindle into nothingness? Will he blow steadily or will he gust? Will he be warm or will he be cold? Will he bear rain or will he bring sunshine?
While trying to answer these questions the yachtsman is ever watchful, just as the guardsman in the dark is vigilant.



Telltale signs can be found in the sky giving clues as to the wind’s strength and likely direction. High wispy clouds in the form of mare’s tails can herald strong winds and indicate from where they will come. Trails of cumulus clouds give a sure indication of wind direction. Black anvil-shaped clouds forewarn of very strong winds, and lowering dark clouds tell of the possibility of gale force winds coupled with rain. Rising clouds over the shoreline indicate the presence of onshore breezes.



There is truth in the saying, “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.” Red sunsets often come before days when winds are light, whereas red sunrises quite often herald days which are windy.


Clouds are a yachtsman’s friend, for they signal what Aeolus is doing and what he may do.

Strike a Light!

The stove or cooker is an important piece of equipment aboard a cruising yacht. Without it the crew can only have uncooked meals which are not as nourishing as cooked ones. Nourishment is not just about having balanced meals containing necessary vitamins and health sustaining ingredients, but it is about having food in an easily digestible form, food which is presented in such a way as to give pleasure to the eater.



Therefore it is essential that the boat should be equipped with an efficient cooker, but no matter how good the cooker is, it will not work unless the fuel* that drives it can be ignited to produce constant flames for heating the food. If the stove is fitted with reliable spark ignition the cook does not need to worry when the ship’s matches have been reduced to pulp by dampness and the salty atmosphere. This pulpy degeneration of the gunpowder can be prevented by keeping the matches in waterproof containers, but a far better and more reliable way of producing a flame is to use a mechanical taper. These are like miniature flamethrowers, and they come in different shapes and sizes.



My old rusted taper eventually gave up the ghost after three season’s use, so the time was right for me to invest in a new one. For the grand sum of £1.99 I bought a replacement at an ironmonger’s store. My choice was from an offering of three, all roughly the same price, but I opted for the smallest and smartest which happened to be the cheapest. The trade name printed at the base by the wire loop used for hanging it on a hook, is ‘Maxim’. The taper has been cleverly made from painted metal to resemble a large matchstick. At the flame end there’s a nozzle housed in a red cooling chamber designed to give a good airflow for providing oxygen to the flame. At the other end of the ‘matchstick’ there’s a minute orifice where replacement lighter fuel can be injected. Almost halfway between the ends there’s an ergonomic striker knob which nicely fits the shape of the thumb so as to be just right for creating the spark that ignites the lighter fuel.



Time will tell, but I think I shall be very pleased with the performance of my ever ready match.



*I’m ignoring electricity as a power source for a cooker although today’s more efficient batteries and solar generators now make this a viable option, especially for the microwave type of cooker.

The Day after the Night Before

Snugly asleep in the forecastle
Sun Stars glistening on ruffled water

Cameron and Brown eye up the situation after the General Election; each acts the part of being statesmen while trying to reassure the British people that wise and strong government will prevail. The pound sinks in value deeper than it has for a while, reminding us of the recession. There are bleary eyes and heavy heads from the traumas of the night, but there is jubilation with those who have been elected as our representatives. Isn’t it great that these dedicated servants of the people who put our County before their Party want to get on with sorting out the mess? I don’t envy them, because even their pockets will feel the pinch in the days and months to come.


Assets such as yachts are valuable, but even they will be worth less until the economy gets back on its feet. Meanwhile those who own yachts, country cottages and the like can get away from time to time, to find quietness and to console themselves in these gloomy days. They can briefly escape the rat race in an effort to forget their worries, their stresses and responsibilities. Like these escapees I took time off for a few hours today whilst visiting my boat for a quiet time, but I also took the opportunity to put gear aboard ‘Ladybird’ in preparation for my forthcoming cruise in June and July - God willing! I carefully packed my rubber dinghy into her valise and stowed her snugly in the forecastle, along with her oars and pump. I also found room for my pots and pans which I shall use for cooking meals.


After lunch I relaxed and lay back on a berth where I listened to the familiar welcome tune of ‘Ladybird’. She’s a skilful musician who conducts her orchestra with empathetic tenderness for those willing to accept her beneficial therapy. She reacts to the vagaries of the wind and tunes her rigging so that her strings resonate melodiously. Her bow makes joyful notes as wavelets runnel along her sides. The singing kettle taps a metallic rhythmic ditty when it rocks on the cooking stove rack and the bow cable responds with antiphonal squeaks. Through my closed eyelids sunrays darting from the window above intermittently brighten my retinas causing my brain to see speckled patterns of orange and gold like sun stars glistening on ruffled water. As the boat rolls from side to side I steady my body with my legs spread apart, then I arch my back and yawn. I sink into the soft foam berth and a warm glow of comfort flows through my heart as I enter a world of dreams and slumber.


No more do I remember the day before or the grief stricken politicians who wail the peoples’ verdict and for me today is another beginning.

Mobile Internet Access aboard ‘Ladybird’

Old Vodafone Mobile Connect5 Card
My EEE PC 2G Surf mini Laptop


When I have written my blogs recording events of previous cruises, I’ve used two methods of getting online. The first system back in 2007 was with a Vodafone Mobile Connect 5 card working on 3G/GPRS. This plugged into my rather large laptop computer. Even if I did not use the card I was billed £11.75 a month and I was under a minimum contract of 12 months. I can’t remember the tariff per megabyte, but if I used more than the measly allowance it cost me dearly. The rates were extortionate, as I soon realized when I received my first invoice back in April, 2007 which amounted to £160.59!! I was green at the time, being ignorant of how the system worked. It was certainly in favour of Vodafone, but more often than not I could get online when I was aboard the yacht, because the coverage at sea around the South Coast of England was very good.


The second method I used was by gaining access to WIFI hotspots with my EEE PC Surf 2G laptop computer. This was virtually free, because I used to walk around the places where I put into port until I could find an open, unlocked WIFI point. Most of these were at McDonald’s where I would treat myself to a cup of hot chocolate. So for the price of a chocolate drink and the benefit of having exercise by walking, I was able to post my articles to my Blog. The disadvantage of using WIFI was that it was not accessible while at sea or even when at a marina, unless I paid for the local service.


Aerials designed for amplifying hotspot signals over distances of up to about 2 miles can be bought, but the hassle of having to hoist them up the mast and do the search for viable signals is hardly worth the effort. The answer or at least, I thought the answer was to buy a MIFI, but having recently acquired one from 3Store I found the signal where I live so poor that the device did not work. If you are unfamiliar with MIFI, let me explain how it functions. The device is similar to a modem that receives wireless signals, and then retransmits them over a short range to be received through the wireless facility of a computer.


In my case I was convinced MIFI would be the thing to use with my EEE PC 2G Surf, since the laptop was not compatible with wireless dongles designed for Windows and Mac computers. Theoretically, MIFI should work perfectly well with a Linux computer fitted with a wireless facility. Maybe the 3Store MIFI does work with the majority of wireless enabled Linux computers, but in my case, the signal was just not good enough where I live.


Because I would like to be able to post my blogs from my yacht, even while sailing, I shall have to resort to using a Windows based laptop with a dedicated Broadband dongle, most likely from T-Mobile, because they provide the cheapest service for intermittent users. T-Mobile does a £2 a day connection, or £7 a week, or £15 a month package, with nothing to pay if I don’t access the Internet outside of my payment periods. Their cheapest USB Stick/dongle costs £19.99, plus £10.00 top up. That will enable me to have unlimited surfing for the specific periods up to speeds of 3.6Mbps.


Now I am searching for an ultra mobile laptop similar to my EEE PC Surf 2G with a 7 or 8 inch screen, but instead of being Linux based, it must have a Windows or Mac operating system. I like my little computer Surf 2G, especially as the drives have no moving parts, being solid state which make it suitable for environments where there’s a lot of movement such as aboard my yacht ‘Ladybird’ or in my car.



Links


WIFI Amplification Aerials

http://www.wifigear.co.uk/antennas


MIFI 3Store

http://threestore.three.co.uk/broadband/?mifi=1&ID=1184


T-Mobile Mobile Broadband

http://www.t-mobile.co.uk/shop/mobile-broadband/

Snapshot

Take a random photo and what have you got? The answer is a snapshot that samples an exclusive view. I’ve been trying to put my computer photos into some sort of order, and a great number of them are of boats; in fact the majority. So what does that say about me? Obviously I’m interested in boats, but that does not mean they are the most important thing in my life. Well, while I was sorting my photos I came across the one shown above. It is a snapshot of a corner of my computer desk. An analysis of what you see can provide an insight into some of the things that interest me and are of importance to me.



So what does interest me and what is important to me? Disregard the ‘Next’ CD, since it is only on my desk because my wife happens to love Next - more truthfully she loves the products that Next promote and sell, i.e., mainly clothing for skinny girls, not that she’s a skinny girl, far from it. I use the CD as a coaster, which puts it in the right perspective, because clothing does not captivate me whatsoever. My laptop and mouse occupy the foreground. Yes, they are important because through the screen of my computer I can enter the world which is full of distractions and loads of nonsense, often biased towards commercialism because of the way the Internet is used by those who want to take our money. I make every effort not to go down that route.



Beyond the laptop there’s a mug stuffed with pens and a pair of nail scissors, but do you notice what is printed on the mug? The words are Emmaus Bible School U.K.. Yes, at one time I did a correspondence course to understand the Bible better. To the right of the mug there’s a packet of rubbers, which is a gift from one of my granddaughters. I think she realised that I don’t always get things right, like Gordon Brown who admitted he had made a mistake when he referred to a lady he had been speaking to during the current election campaign. He called her a ‘bigot’, but didn’t realise that what he was saying was being recorded. He dutifully apologised to the lady, and she forgave him, but the incident will remain in the memories of those who are not so forgiving.


You’ll note there are two dictionaries on my desk: one is an up-to-date Concise English Dictionary and the other is a Reverse Dictionary, which is most useful for finding words that elude the brain at a particular moment – for me this frustrating experience happens frequently! Understanding the language we speak, the language we read and the language we write is of paramount importance. Therefore these books are essential for my interpretation of what people say, read or write. In the same category of related knowledge there’s a book with the title, ‘What is this?’ Broadly, the subject of this book is a guide to Britain’s wildlife, plants and flowers. I have it because in my travels around the UK I come across wildlife, plants and flowers that I do not recognise and my natural curiosity leads me to learn more about them. God’s creation fascinates me; it’s so mind-blowing that I cannot comprehend it.


Having read so far, you may not be surprised to see a large world atlas propped in the corner by a bundle of papers. Well, the world is where we live; therefore for my better appreciation of it, I have an atlas packed with information. There’s a tiny white book hidden beside the Amplified Bible which has the title, ‘Evangelistic Sermons’ by D M Lloyd-Jones. This gem of wisdom is there for me to delve into when I feel like it.



Altogether there are three Bibles on my desk; the most used at present is the New King James Study Bible, with notes by John MacArthur. The Amplified Bible is an excellent explanatory version which helps the reader to understand the true meaning of various texts. My NIV Bible has been so well used that without the sticky parcel tape holding the spine together, it would fall apart.



You may be puzzled by the fact that only one of the books shown in the photo has a connection with boats - the one in question is, ‘Voyaging on a Small Income’, by Annie Hill, and I must say for anyone contemplating world voyaging in a yacht, read it before you go. You will find a wealth of helpful knowledge within its pages that will save you unnecessary expense. There are other books that are not featured in the snapshot, but the ones shown will suffice to give you an insight into what is important in my life. I may spend a lot of time, thinking and dreaming of boats, but they are not the most important thing for me.


Links


Emmaus Bible School
http://www.emmausbibleschooluk.co.uk/

Martyn Lloyd-Jones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyn_Lloyd-Jones

John MacArthur
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_F._MacArthur

Brown’s Blunder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFl_evwML2M

Brown’s Apology
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3F_ly9xSqQ

Annie Hill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annie_Hill

Testing the Depth Sounder and the Dinghy

Retaining pin through shaft
Oars can be shortened for stowing
By pontoon
Tender behind!
Partially inflated in car
Depth Sounder working

Today was my first opportunity to reinstall my Target 2 NASA Depth Sounder, which only took a few minutes, and testing it took a further five minutes. The engineers at NASA Marine were as good as their word. They successfully repaired the depth sounder and the readings taken today were accurate, because I checked them with a lead-line.


I also had a chance to test my brand-new WavEco 1.85 inflatable dinghy. As I expected, the shafts of the oars bumped into my knees unless I crossed my legs at the ankles.


Because the oars are short, it is necessary to row quicker strokes than would be the case with longer oars to maintain the same speed. The dinghy is highly manoeuvrable and she can be rowed stern first or bow first. One disadvantage of the pin system of attaching the oars is that the blades cannot be feathered, which means there is more air resistance when rowing into the wind, but an advantage of the pin system is that the oars cannot be lost because their retainer caps keep them in place. They can also be stowed on the sides of the dinghy, either facing towards the bow or the stern. That means the appropriate oar can be kept clear when the dinghy comes alongside a yacht, pontoon or jetty where her crew wants to disembark.


I found that the easiest way of transporting the dinghy was to roll her up when partially inflated and put her in the back of the car. Alternatively, I could have put her on the roof rack, but I did not choose that option because of the possibility of abrasion to the rubberised fabric. Incidentally, when I placed the oars in the back of the car I noticed pools of water under them. I hadn’t realised water had entered their hollow shafts and blades. Fortunately I had placed a tarpaulin in the boot before loading the dinghy into it. I shall remember to drain the oars in future.


Back at home I inflated the dinghy and hosed her with fresh water. All in all, I was very pleased with her, and I’m relieved to have my depth sounder working again.


Links


WavEco 1.85m Dinghy

http://www.bitsfortheboat.com/categories/Inflatable-Dinghies/Waveco-Inflatable-Boats/


Previous Article on Target 2 NASA Depth Sounder

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/04/nasa-target-2-depth-sounder.html


NASA Marine

http://www.nasamarine.com/

Jessica Watson – Last Leg around the world

'Ella's Pink Lady'
Jesse



There were pundits who were sceptical that the young Jesse Watson would make it around the world non-stop, unassisted aboard ‘Ella’s Pink Lady’, but it looks as if they were wrong. Jessica is on the final leg, heading north towards Sydney. She’s had an extraordinarily tough time battling her way along the southern Australian coast and south of Tasmania. The weather has been unkind with gale force winds. She had to hold back, so as not to arrive off the South East Cape of Tasmania when a fierce brew of weather was forecast, but with patience and perseverance she has made good.


There will be a well-deserved reception at Sydney for this very plucky young lady who makes light of what she has accomplished. On arrival there she will become the youngest person to have sailed around the world single-handed non-stop without direct assistance. She has the commonsense to know that she must keep up her guard during the final miles. Times will be trying for her as she will suffer from sleep deprivation and overall tiredness.


I send my congratulations in advance to Jessica, her parents and her support team. Well, done all of you, and especially Jesse.



Links


Jessica Watson Blog

http://jessicawatson.com.au/_blog/Official_Jessica_Watson_Blog


My Blog about Jessica on September 10th 2009

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/09/jessica-watson.html


My Blog about Jessica on October 20th 2009

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/10/jessica-watson-again.html

WavEco 1.85m Inflatable Dinghy (YachtTender)

Inflated
Rolled up for stowing
CE Details

I’ve been debating for some time about equipping my Seawych 19 sloop with an inflatable boat. My conclusion* was to buy an inflatable canoe for one person, but the more I thought about it, the less I liked the idea. My original reasoning had been based on the fact that a canoe could be inflated on the cabin top without being restricted by the mast and the shrouds, because she would be narrow enough to fit between them. I also thought that I would be able to easily lift the canoe and launch her over the guardrails. Subsequently, I’ve realised the limitations of a single seat canoe. Obviously there wouldn’t be room for a second person and there would be little space for other things. Furthermore, getting in and out of a canoe when she is tied alongside the yacht would require a degree of agility which I may not have. As I am getting older, I do not have the reflexes I used to when I was younger, which also means that I may not have the skill to remain upright while paddling her when the water is choppy.



This reasoning has led me to believe that a small rubber dinghy would be a better and safer alternative. She would be far more stable than a canoe. Getting in and out of her would be easier, and there would be room for a passenger and a small amount of gear. The dinghy that seemed the best value for money was the WavEco 1.85, made in China. I searched the Internet and found a brand-new one for just under £200.00, with no charge for delivery. I ordered her on the evening of Monday, 26th April and she arrived in a cardboard box early on the morning of Friday, 30th April. Now that was pretty good going! I did not have to lift a finger, except to key in a few personal details into my computer. Online shopping is certainly easier and more convenient than having to physically visit places to purchase things.



My initial reaction when unpacking the dinghy was very positive. I noticed she was made from good quality materials and everything about her looked reassuringly strong. She can be packed away in a valise while the floorboards remain in her. Inflating her takes only minutes, and her foot pump has a separate reverse valve which enables me to suck air out of her two chambers to reduce her bulk before she’s packed. I am not yet fully convinced she’ll row well, because the oars look rather short, and I think my knees may come in the way of the shafts, but until I try her on the water I shall not know. The blurb on the Internet shows provision for an outboard bracket, but I cannot work out how it could be fitted securely to her stern. My dinghy did not come with a bracket; however, if I can acquire one, I have a suitable small outboard motor.



One reassuring factor of having an inflatable dinghy aboard while coastal cruising is that she could be used as a means of survival, should the unthinkable happen, i.e., the yacht’s hull is compromised and she eventually sinks – that’s assuming there would be time for inflating the dinghy before the yacht disappears below the waves. My next door neighbour made a remark that my WavEco dinghy was better than a life jacket! I had to agree with him.



I feel the easiest way of inflating her will be to haul her up the mast by a halyard until her stern just touches the foredeck, and in that position she will be free of obstructions as the pump does its work. When she is ready for launching, the halyard can be used to control her descent into the water. She could be retrieved and deflated by reversing the procedure. This system does work, because I have tried it on a friend’s yacht. An alternative place for her when she is being inflated would be across the foredeck guardrails. She might even fit on the foredeck, though I doubt it.



Trial and error will decide where best she should be stowed when not in use. Maybe when she’s rolled up she’ll fit under the Genoa on the foredeck? Most likely I’ll have to keep her inside the boat in the forecastle. My Seawych 19 could do with more weight foreword to bring her bow down for better windward performance; therefore the dinghy could be helpful in this respect.


Links


Link to the Supplier of the WavEco 1.85m Dinghy

http://www.bitsfortheboat.com/categories/Inflatable-Dinghies/Waveco-Inflatable-Boats/


*My previous article about a possible tender for my Seawych 19

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/01/bic-yakkair-one-inflatable-kayak.html

Roz Savage Rows Again

Roz

Roz Savage is a lady who has made a name for herself. She has rowed across the Atlantic from east to west and she has rowed from San Francisco to Tarawa, the latter being a distance of 2,598 nautical miles which she completed in just under 100 days. Now she is rowing from Tarawa towards Australia. She is unsure of where she will finish her voyage, because this will depend on the ocean currents and winds. She knows full well that she cannot prevail over the forces of nature, but has to go along with what they dictate.


Roz keeps an informative Blog* that tells of her daily struggles with the elements and of her thoughts, sometimes on weighty matters such as her passion for promoting lifestyles that have minimum impact on the eco-systems of the world. She herself has problems in this respect, in that her activities involve much travel by all means of transport that brings carbon pollution into the atmosphere. She takes pains not to leave any rubbish on the oceans while on her epic voyages and even delights in the fact that her electric kettle and electric cooling fan operate on power produced by her array of solar panels.


Roz left Tarawa on 20th April 2010, and rowed out into the Pacific Ocean. She had been given a high-profile send-off by President Anote Tong. From the start, she acknowledged she could not control the direction of her boat because the winds and currents, in her own words, “had other ideas.” Philosophically she said she would end up somewhere, and by that remark we can deduce, she certainly has faith in her ability to survive. I just hope so, because the stretch of ocean she is attempting to cross, besides having unhelpful currents, has islands and reefs to negotiate.


For the first two or three days she was distinctly queasy and off her food, but now she has settled into a routine and her appetite has returned. Sleep was also a problem. On the night of day four, there was torrential rain, which brought to light a leak in the cabin roof, the source of which Roz could not locate. She was suffering badly from sunburn as she had not taken adequate preventive measures by applying ample sun cream to her skin or by wearing suitable clothing. I believe I’m right in saying she blames the fact that she is subject to sunburn because of her gene connection with her grandfather, whom she describes as a ‘redhead’.


By day six Roz was more in tune with her life on the ocean and she noticed schools of small fish breaking surface. They were jumping clear of the water - no doubt because of being pursued by predators. She already made friends with a tiny spider she named, Alf and thought he may have a companion stowaway. She was a bit concerned when she could not find Alf or his friend, and could only assume they had hidden themselves during the heavy downpour of rain.


Roz knows where she has come from, where she is, and has ideas as to where she wants to go. On day seven she wrote in her Blog that, “It is time for me to start transitioning into the next phase of my life, to take on a new challenge. Hopefully this will be the Foundation that we are fundraising for at the moment through the Go Roz Go contest. The purpose of the foundation will be to nurture the next generation of people pursuing their life purpose - be it in adventure or anything else. If you can, please help support us. No contribution too small - it all adds up!”



Links



Roz Savage

http://rozsavage.com/


*Roz Tracker Map and Blog

http://rozsavage.com/contents/roztracker/


Info about Roz Savage Foundation

http://rozsavage.com/contents/bet-on-roz/


Eco Heroes

http://ecoheroes.me

NASA Target 2 Depth Sounder

The repaired NASA Target 2 Depth Sounder

Following my previous posting about my faulty NASA Target 2 Depth Sounder, I’m pleased to say NASA Marine carried out the repair and returned the unit to me on Thursday, 29th April, which was very good, because they did the repair right away. I have yet to reinstall the Sounder and test it, but the paperwork from NASA confirms that a faulty capacitor was replaced and that the Sounder was fully tested before being despatched.


Lead-Line (Courtesy of the Maritime Museum - see link below)


When I first started coastal sailing I relied upon an old-fashioned lead - line. Mine used to reach a depth of 7 fathoms and was marked traditionally with 2 strips of leather for 2 fathoms, 3 strips for 3 fathoms, a piece of white cloth for 5 fathoms and a piece of red cloth for 7 fathoms. Soundings by a lead-line can go as deep as 20 fathoms (120 feet). At 10 fathoms there’s a piece of leather with a hole in it; at 13 fathoms there’s a piece of blue cloth, 15 fathoms is marked with white cloth, 17 fathoms with red cloth, and at 20 fathoms there’s as piece of string with two knots. All of these markers can be identified by touch, so that the lead-line can be used at night. At the base of the cylindrical lead sinker there’s a cavity for inserting tallow which can be used to sample the nature of the sea bed. Gravel, pebbles, sand or mud adhere to the sticky tallow. The physical aspect of the sea bed can be an aid to identifying where the vessel is – that’s if the navigator’s chart is marked with the appropriate symbols. The old-fashioned Admiralty charts were very good in this respect. More modern metric charts have less information about the nature of the sea bed.


I’m a convert to digital depth sounders because a far better understanding of the form of the sea bed can be obtained through their use than by a simple lead-line, and electronic sounders have the advantage of providing multiple instantaneous readings. On the other hand, a lead-line gives an absolute depth without the possibility of error, because the leadsman has a physical connection between him and the sea bed. He can actually feel when the lead is stuck in mud, or when it strikes rock, or when it comes up cleanly from a sandy bottom. More advanced electronic depth sounders can take readings of the contour of the ground forward of where the ship is heading; therefore they can warn of shallow water ahead by activating an audible alarm. Even simple, inexpensive electronic sounders such as my NASA Target 2 may have a facility for presetting depth warnings, both for shallow and deep water.



Links


The Hand Lead-Line

http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mosmd/handline.htm


National Maritime Museum Lead-Line

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/displayRepro.cfm?reproID=F7469&picture=1#content


NASA Marine

http://www.nasamarine.com/


Important Priority (Previous Blog about the Sounder)

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/04/important-priority.html

‘Taliskar Bounty Boat’ Expedition

'Talisker Bounty Boat'

On Friday, 27th November 2009 I posted an article* with the title, ‘Bounty Launch’. It was about Captain William Bligh’s 3,618 mile voyage after he and a crew of 18 were set adrift in a ship’s launch. This was a remarkable feat of endurance and seamanship under extreme conditions of survival. Films have been made about the Mutiny on the ‘Bounty’ when Fletcher Christian assumed control of the ‘Bounty’. The voyage started near the island of Tofua in the Tongan archipelago and ended at the Dutch colony of Timor.


Don McIntyre and his crew of three are attempting to re-enact the voyage, but with less crew aboard his open ‘Talisker Bounty Boat’. Originally, Mike Perham, the young English sailor who holds the record for being the youngest person to sail around the world on his own, was to crew for Don, but he has had to withdraw at a very late stage because of suffering from appendicitis. An 18 year old complete novice sailor, Chris Wilde from Warwick has stepped in to take his place. The other crew members are 48 year old David Wilkinson and Stuart Kershaw.


McIntyre had intended equipping his crew with Gor-tex jackets, but he has now elected not to do so, presumably because the spirit of replicating Bligh’s voyage will have been made void. Instead he has tried to be as faithful as possible by having aboard similar items and food to those on the original ship’s launch of the ‘Bounty’, including an 18th century octant and sextant, two 18th century pocket watches, nautical tables, a ship’s compass, telescope, rope knot meter, lead line, ink, pens, notebooks, a logbook and a magnifying glass.


The valiant sailors started their voyage on 29th April, 221 years after Bligh was cast adrift. Their first objective was to sail or row to Tofua to collect water and food before continuing in the wake of the original Bounty boat. You can follow their Blog by going to the first link below. They will need good fortune and the grace of God to succeed.


Links


Blog (Here the story unfolds.)

http://www.bountyboat.blogspot.com/


The main Bounty Boat Website

http://www.taliskerbountyboat.com/


YouTube Video Promotions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfN6UeXEDag&feature=player_embedded#!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wp4vhZVjEY&feature=related


*My Previous Blog

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/11/bounty-launch.html


Bligh’s Voyage

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/pitcairn.html


Buffalo News Article

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/04/20/1024630/expedition-recreates-bounty-survival.html


Mike Perham

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Perham


Mike Perham replaced as Crew

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:bOuqvvBshuIJ:www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/national/sailing_novice_replaces_perham_on_bligh_challenge_1_384804+bills-log+bounty+boat&cd=13&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

Yachting World People’s Boat

One-off based on People's Boat

There is virtually no information on the Web about the Yachting World People’s Boat. I believe she was conceived back in the post-war years in response to a competition run by the Yachting World Magazine. Who designed her I do not know, but I can remember seeing a few of these wooden yachts that had been built by amateurs. I think they had a LOA of roughly 22’ and a beam of around 6.5’ and a draught of 3’. They had a low profile cabin and a moderately sized cockpit which was not self-draining. I believe one Yachting World People’s Boat did a circumnavigation from west to east via the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, but all this is from a hazy memory.


Recently I was passing along the waterfront at the Hullbridge Yacht Club when I saw an attractive double-ended wooden boat being painted and prepared for the water. Her owner told me he had started caring for her after his uncle had been forced to give up sailing. His uncle had designed and built the yacht which was based on the lines of a Yachting World People’s Boat. She was much lager than the original boat, but instead of a transom she had a canoe stern. Her underwater profile, with a single chine and a ‘v’ bottom with a long straight keel, was very similar to the original People’s Boat.


I can remember first seeing this unique yacht in 1973 at her Hullbridge mooring which was too shallow for her to remain afloat at low water. This meant she has always had to have legs fitted to keep her upright when her keel settles on the river bed. She is normally moored fore and aft with her bow pointing up river to prevent her from swinging out of position. Traditionally yachts which are moored fore and aft have their bow facing upstream, because the ebb flows faster than the flood, and in the case of this particular boat, her bow points towards the prevailing westerly wind.


She is rigged as a high aspect ratio Bermudan sloop, and with her deep long keel which is well ballasted with iron, I feel sure her performance to windward must be very good. I like her built-up doghouse which gives standing headroom where the deadrise kicks up towards her stern. I also like her tabernacle which makes raising the mast an easy procedure. The well maintained woodwork, after all these years, is a credit to her owner. Built from plywood, she remains in excellent condition.


Other touches are her generous side decks, pushpit and pulpit, and note the hawse at the bow for mooring lines. She has a substantial bow roller to take the forces of the anchor chain. The mahogany rubbing strip below the gunwale gives a bit of class, besides being a practical means of protecting the topsides when the yacht is moored alongside another yacht or to a quay. The raised fore hatch and opening lights on the cabin trunk can provide ample ventilation when the yacht is at anchor or in port.


All in all, this special yacht is a delight for her owner who cares for her as if she is his soulmate.


Link


A Scanned Copy of the Original Brochure for the Yachting World People’s Boat can be obtained here:
http://www.yachtbrochures.co.uk/wood.htm

Yachts

What excites me about yachts? One factor is that there are so many types, shapes and sizes. Most modern yachts are constructed in fibreglass, but yachts prior to the early 1970s were mainly of wood, either carvel or clinker (lapstrake). After the Second World War, in the mid 1940s boats were also being built with marine plywood and by the cold moulding method -strips of veneer glued together while being supported on a temporary framework. The hot moulding process was pioneered with the building of aircraft during the War, such as the Mosquito light bomber by De Haviland. From about 1957 onwards, Fairey Marine produced the hot moulded Atalanta 26 and extended the range to the Titania, and the Atlanta 31. However, with the introduction of fibreglass in the early 1970s, hot moulding was no longer competitive with the cheaper and quicker GRP (glass reinforced plastic) method. One of the earliest production yachts designed specifically for construction in GRP was the Pioneer 9, by E.G. Van de Stadt. I owned a fine example of this class, my ‘Aziz’. (See link below.)


There are many other factors that excite me about yachts, such as their rigs, keel configurations, hull shapes and their design for specific purposes. Are they for racing, cruising or a combination of the two? Are they required for ocean crossings, coastal cruising or for just pottering around muddy creeks? Are they for private family use, single-handed sailing, or commercial projects such as for sailing schools, charter companies, luxury cruising or for extreme expeditions? The end result of the design depends on the purpose for which the yacht is required. The variables are numerous, and I haven’t mentioned multihulls, such as trimarans, catamarans and proas.


The above photograph taken at Hullbridge looking northwards across the River Crouch to South Woodham Ferres Yacht Club shows eight different yachts, all but one of them built of GRP. The group of three yachts on the left are from the closest to the furthest, an Etap 22, a Wing 25, and a Sunray 21. The boat in the middle on the far bank is a wooden Blackwater sloop, and the nearest yacht of the group to the right is an Elizabethan 23; behind her is a Westerly Griffon 26. I am not sure of the class names of the remaining two yachts, but the one with the dark blue hull may be a version of the Snapdragon range.


Do yachts excite you as they do me?


Links


Atalanta Owners Association

http://www.atalantaowners.org.uk/


Atalanta 26

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009/12/atalanta-26.html


Mosquito Aircraft

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilland_Mosquito


Sunray 21 for Sale

http://www.peterclarkesboatyard.co.uk/Victory/sundowner.html


‘Aziz’ , Pioneer 9 (In this article ‘Felicity Ann’)

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2009_11_01_archive.html


South Woodham Ferres Yacht Club

http://www.essexinfo.net/southwoodhamferrersyachtclub/


Wing 25

http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/wing-25/wing-25.htm


Blackwater Sloop for Sale

http://easternyachts.com/graylag/


Elizabethan 23

http://www.eoa.org.uk/class23.htm

NASA Target 2 Depth Sounder

Being packed
Stamped and ready for posting at 1512 today

On Saturday, 24th April I mentioned in my Blog that the NASA Target 2 Depth Sounder aboard ‘Ladybird’ was not working properly. I tried replacing the olive oil in the transducer reservoir, but that had no effect. I subsequently went online to find forums about faulty readouts, and I asked readers of this Blog if they knew how I could get the Sounder working correctly. There was nothing in the NASA Marine website to indicate what was wrong when the display showed the word ‘OUT’.


This morning I phoned NASA Marine and told them what was wrong. I was advised to put my ear to the transducer when the Depth Sounder was turned on, and if I heard clicking sounds, the transducer was most likely working correctly. I was also told to rub my fingers on the base of the transducer to see if that caused random readings on the display, but there were none; in which case I was advised to send the unit back to NASA Marine. I unscrewed the Depth Sounder from the cabin bulkhead and took it home for packing before being sent to NASA Marine.


Royal Mail, first-class, signed-for postage was £2.98, but the package missed the last collection of the day from my local Post Office when it was posted at 15.12. Therefore NASA Marine could not possibly receive the package until Wednesday morning the 28th April at the earliest. I’ll be interested to know how long they will take to deal with the problem. The guarantee was in date for a replacement unit. I’ll let my readers know when I receive a response from NASA either by phone, letter, or by email or when a parcel with a replacement unit arrives at my home.


Let me say, I was entirely satisfied with the performance of the Target 2 Depth Sounder while ‘Ladybird’ was in commission last year. I wonder what could possibly have made the unit malfunction when it was stored under cover during the winter months. Last winter was the coldest for many years, so perhaps that may have affected the electronics; although I doubt so, because the unit was sealed and kept dry.


Links


NASA Marine

http://www.nasamarine.com/


Important Priority (Previous Blog about the Sounder)

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/04/important-priority.html

Glimpse of an Etap

Glimpse
Close-up

I moved to Essex in 1972, and since then I have enjoyed walking the banks of the River Crouch. At Hullbridge I see the same yachts year after year appearing at the beginning of the sailing season after their winter hibernation. One such yacht is the red and white Etap 22 seen in the foreground in the above photo. Her name is ‘Baron X’, and to my mind this is quite inappropriate because she should be a baroness! I knew one of her previous owners for whom I crewed on a couple of occasions. Under certain conditions she would leave the racing fleet behind, but on others she would lag behind – something to do with ‘sailing in the groove’. You know when a boat is performing well; she goes straight as a die while her helm is almost in neutral, meaning the boat is in perfect balance. This can be on any point of sailing, but it is especially satisfying when the yacht is sailing to windward. The sail acts as a bird’s wing providing lift, while the vessel is drawn forwards with minimal leeway as her keel effortlessly cleaves the dense deep water below her shapely hull.


Well, this afternoon I walked the riverbank at Hullbridge and memories flooded back of good times I had sailing along this stretch of the River Crouch. I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the red and white yacht.


Notes

The Etap 22 was designed by E.G. Van de Stadt. This unsinkable, lifting keel trailer sailer was produced in the 1970’s. She was unsinkable because closed-cell polyurethane foam filled the cavity between her inner and outer hull.


Specification

L.O.A.
Beam
Draught Weight
Weight keel L.W.L. Mainsail
Jib
Genoa I
Genoa II
spinnaker


6,60 m
2,23-2,50 m
0,70 - 1,50 m/1,25 m
1.250 kg
500/550 kg
5,40 m
10 m²
8,50 m²
14,50 m²
12 m²
33 m²


Links


Etap 22


http://www.etapowners.org.uk/downloads_files/ETAP%2022%20manual.pdf

http://nystrom.dk/etap22/index_eng.html

http://nystrom.dk/etap22/tests/yw1_big.jpg



Etap Range

http://www.tollesbury-marina.co.uk/etap/etap.htm


Etap 22 for Sale

http://marinedirectory.ybw.com/boat/new/boat_details1.jsp?id=46950&curr_id=1

Important Priority

The first display after turning on the Target 2 Depth Sounder
The second display after turning on the Target 2 Depth Sounder
GPS Units
Royal Corinthian Yact Club Juniors racing

There were certain priorities today, and sailing wasn’t one of them, but I was able to find time for trying to sort out the NASA Target 2 depth sounder and for rewiring the GPS units with shorter lengths of wire from the ship’s battery. I had a few hours out on the boat while I attended to these things, besides having lunch and watching the juniors from the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club racing their Optimist, Lazer and RS dinghies. Altogether I had a pleasant time afloat while the sun shone and the wind was quite light from the east.


Despite a thorough examination of the depth sounder, including the transducer and the cable, I was unable to rectify the fault. I tested the transducer by placing it directly in the water, but the readings were the same as if the cable had not been connected. The first readout after turning on the power supply showed a ‘U’ over a ‘dash’ and ‘0.0 metres’. Almost immediately this was followed by the word ‘out’. I can only assume the sensors of the depth sounder recorded that the transducer was out of the water. I checked to see if this was the case, but the internal transducer was mounted correctly in a bath of olive oil sealed to the inside of the hull below the waterline, and not far from the bow. This arrangement worked perfectly well last year. Nevertheless, I refilled the reservoir with new oil, which made no difference.


The Installation and User Instructions Manual for the Target 2 does not mention anything about the symbols I’ve described. I’ve looked at a couple of Internet Forums where the Target 2 has been the topic, but I cannot find a reference to the fault happening with mine. If there is anyone reading this who knows how I can make my depth sounder work again, please contact me via the comments facility of the Blog. I can manage without an echo sounder; however, having one gives me reassurance when I’m sailing in shallow waters. My Lowrance GPS and Garmin Etrex GPS provide accurate readouts as to where the yacht is, but the extra input of the exact depth of water via the Target 2 is very helpful when I’m navigating in restricted waterways.

‘Barangoola’ Launched

'Barangoola' being made ready for launching
'Barangoola' ready to be taken to her mooring at Burnham-on-Crouch

If you read my Blog* about the Hunter 19 ‘Barangoola’ you will note that I was concerned that her cockpit hadn’t been bailed out. I was fearful that rainwater would accumulate and overflow into her cabin, but I was relieved to recently discover that this special little boat which had been won at this year’s London Boat Show, was being cared for by her new owner.


Both ‘Ladybird’ and ‘Barangoola’ were launched the same day; therefore I had the pleasure of meeting the boat’s new captain. He is a very experienced sea canoeist who understands the sea, the tides, and the effect of winds upon the water, which knowledge is essential for the coastal sailor. There will be a learning curve as he is taught to sail the boat with his sons.


I hope that we may meet again, so that I can hear how they get on. I’ll be interested to find out if they want to day sail the boat, race her or perhaps take her on short cruises. The new skipper told me he will be having a boom tent made to prevent rainwater from entering the cockpit, and it could be used to extend the living accommodation.


Links

http://bills-log.blogspot.com/2010/04/barangoola-hunter-19.html

First Sail of the Season

Honda 2.3
Maplin Range Safety Vessel
The Crouch Buoy
Running up the River

Well, we made it out on the water for the first sail of the season. Everything was just right. There was a gentle wind from the east, and the floodtide was making into the River Crouch. After preparing ‘Ladybird’ for sailing, I started the Honda outboard and headed the yacht into the wind. When we were a short way beyond the entrance of the River Roach I hoisted sail and tacked to windward. At first there was barely enough wind for the boat to make over the tide, but it freshened a little and veered to the southeast which meant we could sail at 2.9 knots over the ground.


Only a few yachts were out and about; therefore I had the River almost to myself, except for a small trawler that was operating close to the north shore in shallow water. Later as the tide rose, she made her way into the River Roach. Anchored near the Inner Crouch Buoy there was a smart looking motor vessel which I discovered was the safety vessel for the Maplin Firing Range. I continued sailing as far as the Crouch Buoy; then I brought ‘Ladybird’ round for a run back up the River. Our speed shot up to 4.9 knots. The Autohelm easily managed the downwind sailing, and within an hour we returned to our mooring, covering the same distance we had to windward in two hours.


This first sail of the season had shown that all was working well, except the depth sounder. I was very pleased with the Honda 2.3 four stroke outboard which gave ample thrust at only half throttle. I like the fact that oil does not need to be mixed with the fuel (petrol) and that the engine is air cooled. It is also fairly quiet, as the exhaust fumes exit under the water, not that there are any noticeable fumes. My previous Honda 2.3 had given me good service; hence my choice for another one.

Steel Hoogaar Type Yacht

More functional than beautiful
Dory type hull
Hollow section leeboard

Botters, boiers and hoogaars are traditional shallow draught Dutch sailing vessels, perhaps 60’ in length, with a draught of under 3’. All of them have bluff bows, but boiers have rounded topsides and bottoms; botters have rounded topsides and flat bottoms meeting at a chine, and hoogaars generally have flat sections on the sides and bottom. Smaller pleasure yacht versions of these types are not uncommon in Holland and some of the more modern steel ones following the lines of hoogaars are not unlike dories. All of these boats carry leeboards which are usually made of wood and the less rounded ones have hollow section to provide lift to windward when they are deployed on the leeward side of the vessel.


Yesterday while walking along the riverside I was attracted to a steel hoogaar type yacht on the hard at Burnham-on-Crouch Yacht Marina. I liked the simplicity of her design. She had uncomplicated straight sides and a flat, rockered bottom joined at a single chine. Perhaps she was not beautiful, but she was so different to the normal fibreglass round bilge yachts at the marina, that I just had to have a closer look.

Launching ‘Ladybird’

Patiently waiting to be launched
Getting ready for lift-off
Hopping over the sea wall
Flying Boat
Being lowered into the water
Afloat
Off to her mooring

The launching actually took place as planned at 1500. There was enough water for ‘Ladybird’ to float without scraping off the freshly applied antifouling to the base of her keels. As soon as she was lifted off her chocks by the crane I touched up the spots that could not be accessed during the main session of antifouling. She looked smart and I was pleased with her. The boatyard crew did a good job, even attaching the backstays with a little tension, before she was shunted away to her temporary mooring. I’m told she will be placed on a mooring closer to the pontoon, as she was last year.


I rowed out to the yacht for checking that all was well. As expected, there were no leaks and everything was in order, except the depth sounder which will need resetting. She’s ready for her first sail of the season.