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CONTINTS featu res 28 Destination Palmerston Island Balancing between yesterday

and tomorrow

Michelle Elvy

34 Practical Passagemaker Dismasted in Paradise Part 2 Regrouping and repairing alter J. (big) bump in the seas

Jill Hearne, Ph.D.

38 Cruising Life Before the Iron Genny Channeling R.H . Dana in California's Channells!ands

Mcghan Cleary

42 Special Report 42 Deck Layout Details 46 Rig Tuning Simplified 48 Going Aloft

Anunda Swan Neal and John NeJ.l

52 Upgrading to Electric Winches

(over. Hoose 545 under )(Iii off TlJS(oov. Pooto (fedit: Ni(O KrOllSS

april 2010

58 Blue Water Boats Oceanis 50 The new SO from Beneteau

George Day

64 Tech Report The Ocean-Going Nav Station Discovering your ideal setup

through trial and error David Burch

DEPARTM ENTS 4 Captain 's tog 6 Blue Water Dispatches

20 Bicwenga Offshore

24 Giesemann Onboard 56 New & Noteworthy 96 Blue Horizons

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Oyster Marine Germany Saseler S1r, 192a 22159 Hamburg Germany T: ,..49 40 64400880 F: +494064400882 E: yocMen@Qy~1errnarne , corn

Oyster Marine USA Newport Ship;.ard One Washtngton S:'oot Newp:Jrt RI 02640 USA T: .401 646 7400 F: +401 846 7483 E: Irlfo@oysteryachts,com

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CAPTAIN.S LOG

The Silver Lining

I've had the good fortune to sail quite a few miles in wood boats that were built before World War II. One was a John Hanna-designed Tahiti ketch built in 1936, on which I sailed across the Paci fi c; the boat was circumnavigated by her owner and returned home as solid as the day sh e left.

Another was a Fred Shepard-designed ketch built in England in 1938, on which I sailed halfway across th e Pacifi c; that boat sail ed from England to New Zealand and is still cruising in New Zealand 's Bay of Islands.

A third was an L. Fra ncis Herreshoff yawl, which I sailed several summ ers along the New England coastlin e; she was built in the 19305 and remains tod ay a classic racer crui ser from th e old school.

What all three of these boats have in common-other th an the fact that they arc now al most 80 years old- is th at they have been well used at sea and have survived. Also. all were built during th e Great Depression, when shipyards were reducing theiT staffs as times got tougher and tougher. These classics were bu ilt from the keel up by the senior boatwrights. th e men who would be the last to be laid off. the guys who had the experi ence, knowledge and passion to build tfllly great boats ... Depression be damned.

Thi s year, as the Great Recession grinds on. we find o urselves in a very similar situation . Boat builders across the country have been forced by the economic downturn 10 trim th eir building crews and 10 forge ahead with teams made up of the most valued and experienced craftsmen- the core team that they can 't afford to lose.

So. the boats that are coming off the production lines and out of the sem icustom and custom shops arc as good as any boats built in America in many years; and I have been reviewing boats for more than three decades.

Thi s facl has hit home with me as I sail aboard and review boat~ fo r BWS. The rigs and sleering systems are better set up and ha ve fe wer gl itches and less awkward i n~tallations than in years past. The mol dings of hatches and deck part s arc as crisp as I have ever seen. Hulls and decks rarely show '·print through ~ in the fiberglass, and hull s that have been painted show as deep a shine as you can get. Down below, the system installations arc neat and secure, whil e th e joinery and gear in stallations are obviously the work of craftsmen with yea rs and years of experience.

Thi s recession has been worse than anything most of us have ever seen. But, if there is one silver lining. it lies in the new boat s bei ng built and

launched last year and thi s year. They are the products of the best pros in the busi ne~s, and if the past is any indication , they will be arou nd and sailing the ocean s for another 80 years. They might be the best built boats ever. If you are in th e market. thi s may well be the time to buy a crui sing boat that will become an

heidoom. C;~7t: 4;

Saill'ng Volume 15, Number 4

Blue Water Sailing, LlC 747 Aquidneck A~enue . Suite 201 Middletown. Rhode Island 02842 - USA phone: 40184776 12 · fax: 401 845.8580 web: www.bwsailing_com SUBSCRIBER HOTLINE 866-529-2921

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[email protected] Managing Edi tor Valerie Adams Meffert

~al erie@bwsa i l ing.com

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Circulation Customer Service Superior Fulfillment Duluth. MN

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BLUE WATER DISPATCHES

By Ward LeHardy

udy and I were close to completing our five-year circumnavigation. with only the Med and the Atlantic left to go. We had many challenges during

those years, and as we approached the Greek island of Symi, another would present itself. They call it "Mcd-mooring."

HWhy not just anchor out and dinghy ashorer I asked myself. But new adventures aTC what the sailing life is all about, so into the crowded harbor we went. [ dropped the anchor. made sure it held, th en paid out morc rode as Judy slowly backed Cormorant towa rd s the walL

And there stood Mike, cigarette dangling from his mouth, cl early waiting for me to toss our stern lines. He wore no identification, never spoke a word, and with only nonchalant nods of his head, the "Mooring Man" of Symi responded to my calls and gestures.

We made it, tightly squeezed between two other sailboa ts, and thus began our long-term relationship with Symi. It was 1994 and the first of three visits over the next several months, followed by a symbolic return visit 15 years later.

Nestled between the shelter-ing arms of two peninsulas along Turkey's western shore, Symi is 20

miles north of the island of Rhodes. It is part of the Dodecanese cha in of 12 Greek islands stretching along the Turkish coast, from Kasteloriso in the sou th to Patmos in the north.

Of all the harbors we visited in th e Dodecanese Islands, Symi's was the most picturesque. Surrounded by neo-classical homes cascading down the hillsides, with a distinctive clock

SYMI. .. Then and Now tower on the point, the harbor captured us with its stunning beauty.

OUR FAVORITE STOP Once secured, we found ourselves

part of the daily li fe of the island, som eth ing you don't get by anchoring out. Ferryboats would arrive after 10 a.m. with dozens of visitors, and the shops would open to en tice the tourists. By 4 p.m. the last ferry departed, the shops closed, and Symi breathed a collective sigh of relief as its quiet life returned.

For almost two centuries during the Middle Ages, Symi was under the rule of the Knights of St. John, who guarded the Crusaders' route to Jerusalem. During World War II, bombs damaged the Knights' castle and many of Symi's homes, some still lying in ruin. The Amlistice ending the war in the Dodecanese was signed on Symi in 1945.

In addition to Symi's stunning main harbor, we found several invi ting anchorages around the irregular perimeter of this "ink-splat" island. With few tourists, a beautiful natural harbor and very friend ly locals, Symi bt.'Glme our favorite stop in Greece.

And even with Mike inscrutably eyeing us each time we arrived, our Med-mooring techniques improved.

MODERN SYMI In 2009, Judy and I arrived at

Symi once again, this time by fast ferryboat from Rhodes. Instead of livi ng along the wall as we did in 1994, now we are renting a remodeled old fisherman's house, dating from the early 1900S, perched just above the harbor. And there we are hosting our three granddaughters, Cha rlotte (15), Annie (16) and Sara (26) for a week.

Three times the number of boats now line the wall of Symi's harbor, most being chartered sailboats or large luxury yach ts visiting just for the night. Ferryboat s of all sizes, sometimes five at a time, come and go, but now with hundreds disembarking. Cargo vessels come alongside the wall to disgorge their loads, some right under our windows. Turkish gu lets (large, graceful wooden sailing vessels) were not allowed on Symi 15 years ago, but now th ey come in freely, often with a crew of five to 16 passengers. Once a week, a medical team arrives in a sleek hydrofoil for a five-hour visit to treat the sick on the island.

On an early evening stroll along the harbor wall, we saw a vaguely fa miliar figure approaching, laden with groceries. Not certain, I ven-

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lured a softly spoken que~tion as we passed: "Mikei'" Sure enough, it was Mike. the erstwhile mooring man, now retired. He recognized lIS from 1994. ~Things have really changed since then," he grumbled. Now several men in orange I-shirts marked "Mooring Man" usc motor bikes, cell-phones and whistles to do Mike's old job.

Water has always been a problem on this rocky island. Now a waler vessel comes not oncc. but three times a week (rom Rhodes, pump-

ing tons of water into the island's reservoir system. Arriving boats find that getting fuel. water and power is relatively easy, for a fee. The creation of the European Union has simpli fied much of the check-in re

quirements. However, since Turkey

is not yet a member of the EU, a boat arriving from there must check in with the Customs Office near the clock tower.

By 200£), tourism had exploded on Symi. The space formerly occupied by the Symi Sponge Centre now houses a luxury leather-goods store. The small, unattended public beach has given way to a fanc y, wen-run beach establishment. Four other luxurious beaches now dot coves around the island. Nightlife around

.~

the ha rbor begins around 9 p.m. and continues until the early morning hours.

Even with all the changes, the charm of Symi that captured us in 1994 remains, and now our granddaughters have been immersed in it as well.

For all who sail the Med, Symi should be a port of call. Just be sure to arrive early to complete your Medmooring before the wall becomes too crowded. ;:;

Ward and Judy Lefiardy sailed around the world from 1991 to 1996 OTI Cormorant, their 39' Corbin, a cutter-rigged double-ender. TIley uuthored the book, Once Around, and a DVD, "Victory Lap: Once Around the World." They currently live in Kilmamock, VA and sail the Chesapeake Bay all their Catalina, Charlotte Annie. Their e-mail is ward[email protected].

Visit www-frfgoboat.com - to see the complete results. or to find a dealer near you.

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BMW ORACLE Wins Back America's Cup

O h, what il sweet victory! On February 14 '1. (which jllst happened to be Valentine's Day), BMW ORACLE Racing became the first American team

to win the America's Cup since 1992, when Hill Koch's America3 successfu lly defended the Cup in San Diego. The win against Switzerland's Alillyhi made San Francisco's Golden Gate Yacht Club the 28th American defender of the Cup.

The 2010 race for the oldest trophy in international sport featured two of the most innovative multihllils on th e planet. BMW ORACLE Racing's space age trima ran , which was powered by the largest wing sail ever built (223 feet, to be exact), proved to be the faster boat, overpowering Team Alinghi's catamaran in a two-race sweep to win the best of three series. Aliflyhi, which made a series of uncharacteristic mistakes in both races, rai sed a red protest nag late on the firslleg of the second race, leading to a few tense moments, but dropped the protest after the race and confirmed America's win.

The victory marked the realization of the San Francisco team 's Ie-year quest for the America's Cup.

I

Founded by La rry Ellison, BMW OR.ACLE was led by CEO R.ussell Coutt s (NZL), a four time Cup winner (twice with his native New Zealand, once with the Swiss Alinghi team and now with the American team) and James Spithill (AUS). skipper and helmsman.

~lt's an amazing feeling," said Spilhill. "The amount of work the whole team has put into this boat and now to go two races without any issues ... you just have to hand it to the shore guys, the boatbuilders and all of the support team and designers. They gave LIS an awesome tool."

The win also ends a bitter chapter in America's Cup history. For two-and-a-half years, Ellison and Ernesto 8ertarelli engaged in a nasty legal battle over the 1887 Deed of Gift, which governs the America's Cup. Ellison eventually prevailed, forcing a unique head-to-head showdown; in the future, the event should return to its usual system of multiple challen gers competing for the right to face the current defender.

NI t 's an absolutely awesome feeling: enthused Ell ison. "I couldn't be more proud." ::::

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"Our 20- ear-old boat pecioTIlls as thou she was brand new."

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Patrick and Christine Mouligne aboard their Nordham 46.01, Frog Kiss, the vcry first i\'ordham built.

Need proof dial Nordhavns endure the tcst of time? Ju~t ask Patrick Mouligne. Patrick purchasal his Nordhavn 46, Frog Kiss, in 2006, and sinre then he has put nearly 8,()(X) nm 011 her. l ie and his v,i fe, Christine, spend between eight and 10 months on board annually and are currently cruising her in llmisia. "Our Frog }(fu has bren truly fiawie§," says Patrick. "She is everything I thought she would be and more," By the way, Frog Kiss is hull number one, Not just 46 number

As a longtime sailor, Patrick was looking for an easier way to continue his world-cruising ways. He wanted something comfortable and reliable and

one, but NOl'(UXlVll number one. Frog Kiss, :mchored in front of the carlton Hotel in cannes, France. And accoruing to Patrick, she perl'onns as well- if not better way as she did when she was first launched in 1%'9.

with a 3,OOO-nm range so he and his \\~fe could go forward with their plans to explore

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the Bahamas and the Med. "I had made up my mind that if [ was to huy a power boat it would be an N46," said Patrick. "She was the first and only power hoat [ instantly fell in love with."

The fact that she was hull number one didn't scare him. In fact, it made him more confident. It's true when they say tllal a Nordhavn only get<; better with age, muses Patrick. [ n fact, at the time of purchase, all Frog Kiss needed was a bit of TLC, and aside from a new starter on tlle main engine (which ha.~ amas .. ...ru nearly 4,700 hours) , "good preventative maintenance has kept her totally trouhle-free."

Not only has her pcrfonnance withstood the tesl of time, Patrick feels her design has held up against the best of the new models in her class. "Nordhavn was so far ahead of their time when the 46 was bom that competitors are still struggling to catch up Witll her. All systems are well designed ... and the basic blueprint is flawless. 1\venty years later and she is just like new."

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EDSC'N " BUILT TOUGH FOR BLUE

Heavy Weather Here's what Sea Anchor u-.. ha"" to say . "The P"",·T&eh Sea AIl<:I>ordefin rtely saved the boat and I'm SlIfe our lil/es."

' It should be considered a vrtai p!eCtI of g_ when making iM1Y substantia! offsI>ore passage."

" I cons<de< your equ;prtent the most important safety equ ipment on my boat."

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Noonsite.com Launches New Weather and Routing Forum

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N oonsitc.com, the global website for cruising sai lors, has developed a unique service for users in need of global weather and rouling advice.

The site's new weather and routing fo ru m was developed from 10 years of experience assisting cruisers wi th queries regarding routes arOllnd the world. The forum will enable information to be shared more easily and will allow cruisers from all over the world to con tribute their own knowledge and feedback .

The new forums will be shared with Noonsi te's parent site, www.worldcruising.com. so that users can benefit fro m the shared experiences of the ARC and other ralli es. Jeremy Wyatt, the director of the World Crui sing Club, commented on the site 's future development: "We have a great many improvements we wish to make to noonsi te. com to improve usability for viewers and enhance their experience on the site. Launching thi s useful interac-tive forum is just the beginning. Watch over the next 12

mon th s as we have lots more great ideas coming to the site."

The weather and routing forum s will host discussions on all aspects of route planning and crui sing weather, with responses from sailors around the globe. The forums will include a "watch thi s topic" feature, which will allow users to track discussions on items of interest across the site. Use of the forums is free and registration is simple for new members. Existing members can log in with their email address and password.

Vi sit www.noonsite.com or www.worldcru ising.com for forum access or more informat ion.

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Newport Bermuda Race Registration Opens

BERMUDA RACE S TART A REA iU""'JlCA''''''''''''')

, .. ,~. "I Sta rt Area

Start area for Newport Bermuda Race

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Newport Harbor

On June 18,10 , the 2010 Newport Bermuda Race will

start off Castl e Hill in Newport, Rhode Island. The rhumbli nc course to Bermuda is approxi

mately 162 degrees magnet ic, wi th a dis tance of 635 nautical miles. The majori ty of the race is QuI of sigh t of land, with boats crossing a stretch of the At lantic Ocean known for its challenging weather.

The race occurs every two years in mid-June and usually lasts three to six days. More than 180 boats participated in t he 2008 racc. As of January 31 ,L_ just two weeks after registration sta rted-98 yach ts had applied for entry in the 2010 racc.

The Newport Bermuda fleet has five divisions, which allows seaworthy boats of various sizes and types to race fairly and aggressively for an array of trophies. In keeping with the race's lOa-yea r tradition of amateur sailors and strong family spi rit, approxima tely 90 percen t of the boats in the 2006 race had crews comprised of friends and family members. The race maintains its in ternational prestige t hrough competi tive fairness, an exemplary safety record aJld a responsive race organiza tion handled by the volunteer members of the Cruising Club of America and the Roya l Bermuda Yacht Club.

The Newport Bermuda Race's offi cial websi te has information on registration, rating certifi cates, dock space and ISAF sa ilor classifica tion, as well as recommendations on seminars and gea r. Visit www.bcrmudarace.com -www.bwsailing.com 13

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THE ATLANTIC CUP

The Cruising Rally Association's Atlantic Cup, which offers a

great way to travel back to the States from the Caribbean. leaves Tortola on May 2 nd, This is a particularly exci ting year for the Cup. as the 2010

rally will leave from Nanny Cay Ma-

CRA Announces 2010 Atlantic Cup,

Caribbean 1500 Rally Dates

rina for the first time. Facili ties at the marina include docks, a chandlery, comprehensive marine services, a

pool and multiple restaurants. The Atlan tic Cup is split into two

legs. An organized rally, complete wi th radio ca ll schedules, transponders, social events and awards, leaves Tortala and arrives in Bermuda. The group then waits for the next weather window. at which point smaller groups of boats head to different destinations and informally continue radio call-ins as they go.

In 2010, there will also be a contingent that sails dire<.:tly from Torlola to the East Coast without

stopping in Bermuda. Cruisers who choose that route will participate in all of the Nanny Cay events and will carry a satellite posi tion reporting transponder and will be able to converse with the rest of the fleet at designated SSB chat hours.

The event is open to all sailors, and the finish and awards party will be al the St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club before ralliers sail on to New England, Europe or the MidAtlalltic. Also. boats can join ARC Europe leaving from the same dub.

THE CARIBBEAN 1500 RALLY The Caribbean 1500 Rally from

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This year's Caribbean 1500 will include a Bahamas Class for those wishing to round Cape Hatteras and be in the Abacos in five or six days

Hampton, Virginia to the BVlleaves on November 1" and is the largest and longcst-nmning offshore cfllising event in the Americas. More than 1500 !.>oats and 6oco rallicrs have participated in the Rally and its companion events during its 2o-ycar history.

The diverse fleet that will complete the six to 13 day passage in 2010 wi ll include Sililors from all over North America, Europe and

Asia. Crews come in all shapes and sizes, from double-handing couples to families with children. There wi ll be new boalS, old boats, racing sleds and fu ll-keeled cruisers, Tllonohulls and catama rans.

THE CARIBBEAN 1S00: BAHAMAS CLASS

Th is year's Caribbea n 1500 wi ll include a Bahamas Class for those wishing to round Cape Hatteras and be in the Abacos in five or six days. Participants wil l have a great time mixing wi th Caribbean 1500 participants in Hampton. Offshore, they will receive wea ther updates, call in during daily chat hours and carry satellite transponders to track their progress, just like Caribbean 1500 participants.

Ralliers in the Bahamas Class wi ll enjoy all of the pre-departure social even ts, briefings and inspections of the Caribbean 1500. For first-time Bahamas cruisers, there wi ll also be lectures about exploring the islands. The Bahamas fleet includes divisions for racers and cruisers.

THE CRUISING RALLY ASSOCIATION

Th e Cruising Rall y Association, founded in 1990 by Steve Black, manages a year-round calendar of offshore cruising rallies and Ocean Sailing Seminars. Ove r 750 cruise rs and fu ture cruisers attend th e CRA even ts each year. Black has sailed in att part s of th e Atlantic, including three solo tran sa tlanti c races and more th an 40 ratti es. He served as execu tive director of the US Sailing Association before founding the Cruising Ratty Associati on, which he has headed for the la st 20 years.

For more information, or to sign up for any of the events, visi t wvvw.

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Cruising Club of America Presents 2009 Awards

The Cruising Club of America presented several prestigious awards during ,he club 's annual Awards Din ner on March

5th at the New York Yacht Club. The awards were handed OLit by CCA Commodore Sheila McCurdy.

The CCA gave Lin and Larry Pardey its 2009 Far Horizons Award in recognition of a lifetime of crui s

ing and voyaging. For 11 years, the Parcleys cruised the Mediterranean and Balt ic Seas, before heading SQulh through the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and on to Japan . From there, th ey traveled to Canada and

back to Newport Beach for a tolal circumnavigation of 47,oeX) miles. Fifteen years later, they sa iled from California through the Pacific to New Zealand, continuing on to Soulh Africa, Brazil, Ireland, th e British Isles, Norway and the East Coast of the U.S. The pair then voyaged south to Argentina, rounded Cape Horn and crossed their outbound track to complete their circumnavigation in z003. After spending three seasons exploring the Pacific Northwest, they sailed across the Pacific to New Zealand to finish their third circumnavigation . All told, th e trip added up to 80,000 miles.

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In the Blue Water Medal's 8S-year history, only seven Medals have been awarded without date

The Pardcys have shared their experiences in 10 books and numerous videos and DVDs. They hold the record for the sma llest boat to circumnavigate all of the great southern capcs. They arc also the only couple to have circumnavigated both eastabout and west-about on boals they built themselves, without engine or sponsorship and using traditional means of navigation.

The CCA selected Sir Robin Knox-Johnston to receive its prestigious Blue Water Medal (without date), for a lifetime devoted to the advancement of sai ling. sai ll raining and youth development. TIle award

was presented on th e 40th anniversary of his nonstop, singlehanded circumnavigation around the world. In the Hlue Water Medal's 8s-year history, only seven Medals have been awarded without date.

Other awards presented during the Awards Dinner include the CCA's 2009 Blue Water Medal, which was award ed to Annie Hill and Trevor Robertson in recognition of a lifetime of cruising and voyaging that exemplifies the goals of the CCA; the Rod Stephens Trophy for Outstanding Seamanship, which was awarded to Maurice and Sophie Conti for th eir rescue of the crew of the

10m ketch Timella in 2008; and the Richard S. Nye Trophy, which was awarded to john P. Rousmaniere for the distinction he has brought to the CCA as a sailor, writer, and historian.

The Cruising Club of America is dedicated to offshore cruising, voyaging and the adventurous use of the sea through efforts to improve seamanship, the design of seaworthy yachts, safe yachting procedures and environmental awareness. Now in its 89th year, the dub has 10 stations throughout the U.S., Canada and Bermuda, with approximately 1200 members. :::

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18


Sailing events around the world April- June 2010

April

Bequia Easter Regatta (St. Vincent & the Grenadines) April 1-5 www.begos.com/ easterregatta

Les Voiles de Saint Barth 2010 April 6·11 www.lesvoilesdesaintbarth.com

Charleston Race Week 2010 AprilS·" www.charlestonraceweek.com

Strictly Sail Pacific & Power Boat Expo (Oakland, CA) April 15-18 www.strictlysailpacific.com

Antigua Sailing W.ek April 24-30 www.saillngweek.com

M.y

Top of the Gulf International Regatta (Cholburi. Thailand) May 1-5 www.topohhegulfregatta.com

Down the Bay Virginia Cruise Cup (Hampton, Va.) May 21-22 www.hamptonyc.coml downthebay

Puerto Rico Vela Cup May 21-23 www.puertoricoyelacup.com

IRC East Coast Championship (Essex, UK) May 29·31 www.stormtrysail.org

June

Shetland Round Britain & Ireland Race (Devon, England) June 6 www.rwyc.org

New Yori< Yacht Club Annual Regatta (Newport, RI) June 11-13 www.nyyc.orgl156annual

Newport·Bermuda Race (Newport, RI) June 18 www.bermudarace.com

Leukemia Cup Regatta Houston, TX June 25-27 www.leukemia-lymphona.orgl regattalhm_Ng

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BoatUS Releases Annual List of Top Boat Names

Among the "winners" on

the Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) li st of top boat names in

2009, one newcomer stands out from the rest of the pack: BailOut.

BoalUS Presiden t Nancy Michclman feels thaI the name, which occupies the number five spot on the list of 10, perfectly reflects the past year's turbulent conditions, but spin s them in a positive ligh1. "Wi th

taday's economic LlTlcertaillty. naming a boat BailOut could indicate that boating is a survival mechanism for the family and will keep them afloat: Michelman surmises.

Along with its neighbor 011 the

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Rocks, BailOut might strike some as a bit morc negative. Bill fcar nolthe most popular name on the list. Second Wind, hints al a national sense of resilience. The last time that moniker earned the top spot was back in 2001.

The annual list of popular names is assembled by the BoatUS graphics service, which offers a free library of 8,500 boat names and allows boaters to select, custom design and preview names online.

A full list of the most popular names for each year from 1991 to present can be found on the BoatUS website. BoatUS is the na tion 's leading advocate for recreational boaters, providing over half a million

members with government representation, programs and money saving services. For more information, visit www.BoatUS.com. ::;

The complete list follows: 1. Secolld Willd

2. Seas the Day 3 . La2Y Daze 4./olly Royer 5 . Boil Oul 6. 0 11 Ihe Rocks J. Pegasus 8. Serellity Now 9. Namasle 10. Comfortably Numb

19

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BIEWENGA Offshore

PASSAGE Preparation

I was meandering around in the boat yard's dark parking lot looking for a )-160. The plane had landed a couple of hours ea rlier, and I'd made it

th is far. Taking an unfamiliar boat from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Newport. RI in early winter would require some pretty thorough preparation, and there was a limit{.--d amount of lime in which to accomplish the ta sk . The weather looked favorable to leave in a day and a half. After that, it would be anyone's guess when the next weather window would open. Getting it wrong in Ollr preparations CQuid open us up to some very serious consequences.

[n fact. it really doesn't matter whether you're preparing for a mid winter passage up the East Coast of the U.s., a Newport to Bermuda Race, a Pacific Cup or just a long cruisegetting your preparation wrong or inadequate can add risk and almost certainly will diminish the enjoyment of the trip. Happily enough, most

people have more than a couple of days to prepare for a passage. Regardless of the amount of ti me necessary, though, the bare bones of preparation remain much the same for everyone.

Hitched up to my backpack and lugging my sea bag through that darkened parki ng lot, my mind was already working oul Ihe details. And with one of our crew already on si te several days earl ier, [had the luxury of knowing some of what we'd be in for. My first task would be to survey the onboard situation and confer with the guy already on the boat, Chris Keyworth.

While [ poked around in th e nav station , locating ship's papers, charts and tools, and trying ou t the Iridiu m phone, computer and various other instruments, I chatted wi th Chris. "What does it look like for fuel and wa ter?" "Have you been able to locate all of the through hulls?""What have we got onboard for sleeping bags"?" The questions began to roll off my tongue as fast as he could answer

As the old quote goes,

them. Faster. "How well is the dinghy secured?""What's the situation with the tool s we have?" "Do we, in fact, have any?" "How about a sai l repair kit?" More questions followed. I was in full -on data collection mode. And that would be much faster and more efficient than if I looked around myself, duplicating Chris's efforts (or the past three days.

The next morning, after gelling up early and starting to go through a few generic lists, Chris, the other two crewmembers and I began the process. Fi rst, we would complete an accurate li st of every1hing we needed to purchase. Simultaneously, we would create a list of things that needed to be done on the boat. We would break into two teams of two guys eachone team 10 do Ihe shopping and Ihe other to remain onboard for the day, preparing the boat for departure. If that team thought they would need a few tools to complete a task, we added them 10 the li st of items to purchase prior to goi ng on our ~shopping

for every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned

20 BLUE WATER SAILING . April 2010

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Once offshore, we know there aren't any malls, chandleries, sail lofts or machine shops. We're it

spree." Chris. who was mosl familiar with the boat, would lead the team on the boat. I would head off to do the shopping. J already had a pretty good idea of what I needed to help solve a variety of problems that might occur while underway.

Generally speaking, ! tend to break tasks down into variOllS departments: nay area, sails, deck hardware, mechanical. provisioning. safety, etc. I have a rather generic list of tasks that should be addressed prior to departure, and a pretty complete list of tools that I want/need for long passages. Neither li st is totally complete, but they provide a good start. Some items on the li st s apply to a particular boat or passage, while some don't apply at a 11. Together, they are a good point from which to build an accurate li st that will help us get a boat from Point A to Point B, anywhere on the planet.

Once offshore, we know there aren' t any malls, chandleries, sail lofts or machine shops. We're it. And we have 10 make do with whatever we have with us or learn to do without it. Once something is broken, we have to fix it or forget using it. And things do break. Spinnakers blowout. Racor filters need to be replaced. Hose connections leak. Winches start to rattle. Lines chafe. We try our best to take care of most of t hose things prior to departure. We check lines while underway. We take care to rccf early and downshift our headsails conservatively. Bu t problems occur anyway. And the thoroughness of our preparations will determine how successful we aTe

in overcoming those problems. Early in the afternoon, I returned

with the purchases. Chris and his team had finished most of the tasks onboard. Over a late lunch, we discussed what else needed to be accomplished. The main task remaining would be to top off the fuel and water tanks. One of the water tanks had a leak in the lOp, and the quick setting epoxy I'd purchased could be used to take that off the list of tasks in the afternoon. When we fueled up the main tanks, we wou ld also fill up four five-gallon jerry cans and one of the two two-gallon jugs that I purchased. We would keep one of the two-gallon jugs to use for waste oil if we needed to change oil while underway. And we would use the two gallons of diesel fuel for things like topping off Racor filte rs, coating gaskets and other small tasks so we could avoid using a la rge five-gallon jug while bouncing around in an engine compartment. In addition to topping off our tanks, we would all take a ride to the local West Marine in the afternoon 10 sec if there was anything that any of us thought necessary to bring. I wan ted everyone's mind engaged in this process so we didn't leave anything critical behind, merely because it hadn't occu rred to one of us.

If we had the luxury of time or if we had been engaged in a long distance race, we wou ld have taken the boat out for extensive testing to see what migh t need readjusting or additional attention. Sea trials are a valuable learning tool, and it's better to discover weaknesses during


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•

.. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..

.. • .. · ..

--' .... _" .. " .... ,

- ----_ ....... ""'---""" _ _ _ ",,,,-._ •• ttu. __ ~Ie-t --~_(Io"._.-..) -.-~--_ 1OJ- 1 .... ................ ___ ...... ) -----...._ (I00l00 ._ ..--001_101'''_1 -... " IV<' _ 1l2' _ _ __ u;o;no l _ _ I ---"._ r __ ~.-_",_(I<o'Ig_"') --.. -.......... -.. ......... --~ _1Io,s r-... ___ J

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_ OrI\Io! .. t-lj 2 • • • • • 2 • 1lOWr ... ____ . _, _ .,.

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Sample spreadsheet of necessary tools and equipment for an offshore voyage

trials than 500 miles from shore. We didn't have the luxury of time; however, Chris had done a transatlantic crossing on the boat several months earlier, so we did have that advantage. The boat had been well tested, and one of Ihe original crew was along with us for the passage.

of the crew's arrival was a critical element in the process. Engines had been run, oil chang<..>(! and things carefu lly surveyed prior to most of us getting there. Diligence and focus by everyone involved made it all possible. With icicles hanging from the lifelines on our arrival in Newport,

We had broken the process down I can attest to the fact that it was to a number of relatively simple steps: I) assessing the current situation of

the boat; 2) 01'

ganizing what needed to be purchased and accomplished into lists; 3) purchasing and finishing the neces-

Sea trials are a valuable learning tool, and it's better to discover weaknesses during trials

not an easy trip. Bu t the passage, while not completely problemfree, ended with the boat in better shape than prior to OlIr arrival in Florida. And the sary tasks by

the assigned teams; and 4)

than 500 miles from shore crew were

proud that they were re-evaluating

the situation with everyone's input. We would do fu rther testing while heading out from Ft. Lauderdale, and hopefully we could continue without a return or a stop in ports further north.

Our preparations for that trip were exceptionally quick and efficient. Having someone familiar with the boat and on site prior to the rest

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Giesemann Onboard

A LITTLE TENDER TALK

I remember the excitement! felt when my husband and J

ordered our first rigid inflatable dinghy. We'd done a lot of research and fou nd jus1the

right one for OUT cruising plans. We anchored in Back Creek in Annapolis so the retailer cou ld deliver our new tender directly to a nearby dinghy dock. It was our second week of crui sing. and already I was tired of the tired old dinghy thaI had come with our dream boat.

The night before th e new dinghy's highly-anticipated arrival, we shared a sundowner with a cruising couple anchored next to us aboard their UKflagged ketch. They asked how long we planned to stay in Annapolis, and we replied that we'd be heading north as soon as we picked up our new RIB.

24

They looked surprised as they peered at the dinghy we'd used to make the short trip over to their boat.

"What's wrong with th e one you have?" they asked.

I explained that we wanted a rigid hull instead of the roll-up type. In consideration of the fac t that their wooden dink was painted a bright, Key West turq uoise, I left out the fact that I didn't much care for th e faded blue and purple tubes of our little old din k.

"You Americans," the guy scoffed. "You have to have all the new toys."

I admit it. I was offended . Sure, it's nice to have new things, but when preparing for a lifestyle that 's going to take you to unknown shores in potentially unsettled conditions, it's only wise to be prepared. We

never once regretted trading in Old Swampy for a good, hearty RIB.

When the couple asked what size dinghy we'd ordered, I again had to bite my lip. The lo-footer we awaited was almost twice the size of their little tender. "Ten feet!~the man sputtered when Ty answered his question. "That 's going to look ridiculous hanging off the back of your boatl"

The man's comment effectivel y pulled the plug on my highly-inflated enthusiasm. ! glanced over at our davits. Had we made a mistake and ordered too large of a dinghy? His next words squashed all remaining excitemen t as he commented that the lo-footer would never fit on our foredeck for offshore passages.

Later that night, I lay in the aft cahin and stewed before falling asleep.


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Every thing we'd read advised us to buy the largest dinghy we could carry. The more room for groceries, jerry jugs, and the occasional boat guests, the better.

[ still stand by the advice we learned so long ago: If you can handle a larger dinghy, go for it. As the photo on page 27 of the "parking lot " at the Exuma Land and Sea Park at Warder ick Wells in the Bahamas attests, dinghies are the cruiser's family car. We would frequently fill our dinghy to capaci ty with gear and grocery bags until we could no longer sec the bottom ... like the time I said to Ty, "He sure not to step on the bag with the eggs in it:

~Which one is that?" he asked. as he shifted to untie the painter and stepped right on the next day's breakfast. (Lesson learned: bags with eggs should be held on one's lap.)

Since that day in Annapolis with the Hoity Toities, [ can't tell you the number of times one of us will turn to the other as we hoist Liberty's tender onto the davits and say in a clipped tone,lhat dinghy is going to look ridiCll/ous on the back of your boat: We laugh aloud as we secure the lines. because of course, she doesn't.

Large cruising boats can easily handle a good-sized dinghy, and a strong pair of davits make all the di fference. I remember towing a dinghy behind a fo rmer boat that didn't have davits, and flailing with it when it started to swa mp in a sudden squall. That's the kind of situation that makes yOli glad to be able to get the tender up ou t of the water.

Our davits came with our boat. Happily, they were of much better quality than Old Swampy. They have a good twofold purchase block and tackle system that makes raising th e dinghy more than manageable for one person. even with the outboard in place. We recently saw a crui sing boat with a small self-tailing winch on each of its shiny, stainless steel

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davit arms. Seeing that nice little louch, [must admit to a momentary case of davit envy. I made a nole to add that one to our list of upgrades when we win the lottery.

This reminds me of a day last year when r was walking down a pier and noticed a boat owner and a yard worker standing on the man's aft deck. They both stared with concern at the guy's davits, and r overheard the owner say, NTh ey look pre1ty strong, but I worry about all that extra weigh t when the dinghy fi lls up with rain water.~ Thal one actually stopped me in my tracks. Knowing that [ have more than my share of "duh·' moments, I kept my sm ile to myself and resu med walking as the manager replied, "WelL you're supposed to take the drain plug Ollt when it rains." Good advice. It's also good advice to take the dinghy off the davits and lash it securely on deck any time you expect rough seas or will be gone longer th an you can forecast conditions.

I'm happy to say that in spite of

the British couple's prediction, our dinghy does, in fact. fit beautifully on our foredeck. Hoisting it aboard with the spare halyard and halyard winch is part of our standard pre-departure routine for extended passages.

When things get hairy at sea, the last thing you want to worry about is the dinghy and assorted gear inside it (essentials such as an anchor, VHF and oars) swinging about wildly at the stern. This, [admit with head hung low, is the voice of experience speaking from one of those "But we're only going 30 miles up the coast !" days when the Na tional Weather Service got it wrong (imagine!). One pair of bent davits later, and we had another lesson-learned that cost a whole lot more than a dozen cracked eggs to straigh ten out.

Lest I leave out wooden boats, one cold land-bound winter, Ty built a great eight-foot tender in our garage that served us well for several years and rowed far better than any inflatable ever could. In th e final analysis, what kind of dinghy you buy (rigid


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When things get hairy at sea, the last thing you want to worry about is the dinghy

hulled. foldable , plyvvood. etc.) is really a matter of personal preference and price tag. One of the mosl important features in an inflat-able dinghy, however, bas{.--d 011 my experience during countless trips

from ship to shore in choppy seas, is the size of t he tubes or height of freeboard. The bigger the tubes. the dryer the occupants. Getting soaked is fine if you're in a swimsuit, bUI

there's nothing like a good case of dinghy butt to dampen one's enthusiasm for the cruising lifestyle. I don't know. Maybe it's a girl thing.

Speaking of us gals, r encourage all women to drive their dinghy as often as possible. Dinghy driving is simi lar to docking a boat. in that we so seldom sec a woman doing ei ther. What's up with that? We drive our cars at home, but too many of us relinqu ish command to our partners when we step aboard our boats, be they big or little.

Just like docking, starting an outboard and maneuvering a dinghy with it takes a bit of practice, but

www.bwsailing.com

once lcarned, it's a skill that provides great satisfaction, not to mention a refreshing dose of independence. Whether man or woman , after sharing close quarters wi th your partner 24/7 for a whi le, 1here's nothing like the feeling of stepping into the dinghy alone and zipping around for a while with th e wind in your hair and a great big smile on your face. You can 't both enjoy that experience if only one of you ever drives the dink.

There arc many things about bluc water sailing that you can't control. but many you ca n. Make sure you have a good dinghy, a reli able outboard (and oars1), and a good system of securing both to enjoy your lender moments to the fullest. :::

Cmdr. Suzanne Giesemann (USN, Ret.) is a veteran sailor and the author of II's Your Baal Too: A Woman's Guide 10 Greater En;oyment on the Water, the memoir LivillY a Dream, and the non-boating biography: The Priest und the Medium . Visi t www. Suza n neG iesem a nn .com

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-

DESTINATION

28

Palmerston Island Balancing between

yesterday and tomorrow By Michel le Elvy

e sailed to Palmerslon Atoll from Rarotonga and were glad to sec

the low-lying main island after three days of a hard breeze and a lumpy sea. As we neared the reef, I radioed Palmerston Administration and was instructed to follow two guys in a

skiff to a mooring ball: "Look for the two dark-skinned men with great big smiles.» Sure enough, we were expertly guided by the smiles and waves of Edward and Simon Marsters, two brothers who were to be our hosts.

TH E MARSTERS DYNASTY Palmerston holds a unique place

in the Cook Islands- indeed. in all of Polynesia- for its peculiar histOlY. It was settled in 1863 by Will iam Marsters, uninhabited at the time of


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his arrivaL His three Polynesian wives (all cousins) came from Penrhyn to th e north. and the families they began were the start of the three Marsters lines, which sti ll populate Palmerston today. William Marsters himself left behind 21 children when he died in 1899; today there are thousands of Marsters living all around New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

Only members of the Marsters family are allowed to live on Palmerstan. The island residents share th e main island as their home. with each family branch living in one section. They have divided up the smaller islands in the atoll; asking permission to visit or camp on an island that "belongs" to a different family is expected and honored by all. The families share the fishing grounds. and there is a loose rotation system for greeting the arriving boats. A few days into our visit. I asked Edward how it is decided which family hosts which guests, and he responded. "Whoever gets there first ." but there was a sly smi le on his face. and we could tell that he was in part telling the truth. but also maintaining a bit of the Marsters myth and mystery.

Indeed, stories abound regarding the families arguing over visiting yachts. Rivalry between the families has always existed. and violence has been a traditional method of solving conflict. AI various points th roughout the 20th century. Palmerston has faced the worrisome trend of declining population. J1literacy has always plagued the resident s. And certain

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"

opportunities like the one presented by the recent debacle over the Marsters Dream-a Norwegian fishing vessel that the islanders were to utilize and share for the benefit and profit of all - have been squandered in the past due to an inability to get past personal differences.

LOOKING FORWARO Given a difficult and isolated history, the ba lance th at Palmerston is working toward today is remarkable. Palmerston is in fact a social experiment in the works. Aside from the church one would expect to find in the center of the island. Palmerston boasts a schoolhouse for its current 16 pupils, a central administration and an Internet connection and phone. But it is not blindly marching toward modernization. The islanders have discussed satellite televis ion. for example, and for the present time. have de<:ided against it. Indeed . the Palmerston islanders cling to their histori<:al roots, maintain a strkt Christian belief system. and st ill settle island matters through the traditional island wun<:il. whkh consists of the two eldest members of each family branch. Since no Polynesia ns were living here when wil-

--

......

T~ 8 ,.,. r. .....

-Coo/< I.lond.

...... "'"""'c""" ......... ,

8 - --. -- -liam Marsters arrived. Palmerston is the only island in the Cooks that has never operated under the trad itional Polynesian system of ariki (chiefs). and the residents are immensely proud of their independence and self-governi ng spiri t.

This independent spiri t is central to the Palmerston psyche. and. with a degree of effort and determination. to its governing structure as well. Unlike the other outlying Cook Islands. Palmerston has almost all of its governmen t ~department~ ' under its own control. The is land secretary, Tere Ma rsters. proudly described the modernizing process of Palmerston's

29

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DESTINATION

30

Top, Edward Marsters, one of our gracious hosts; bottom, local boys cleaning fish

infrastructure to us. Mostly, he emphasized how it affords them <] sense of control over th eir future.

At the very heart of the Palmerston way of li fe, there is an inherent balance between past and future. They modernize in order to remain independent, and their independence allows them to maintain their traditiona l customs, with a certain distance from mainstream society. We spent an afternoon at the home of TeTe and his wife Yvonne, whiling away hours discussing the benefits and pitfalls of 2 1 St century technological advancements.

A BALANCING ACT I was struck by the similarity in the choices we make

raising our children aboard a sailboat. Take satellite communications, for example, Tere himself can imagine how this might be simu ltaneously useful and harmful to the island ways. On Momo, we've been running away from the pernicious effects of marketing all these years, while simultaneously utilizing the best of modern technology to get LIS around the world. The Palmerston residents' isolated lives are not unlike ours; they make choices that benefit their population, while keeping at bay those elements of mainstream society that they deem ill-suited to their lifestyle.

We came to see Tere and Yvonne Marsters as the embodiment of the balance between tradition and modernity. Educated in New Zealand and Australia, Tere devotes his time to making Palmerston what he believes it shou ld be. Besides serving as island secretary, he is acting minister in the island's church when the Reverend Matakere is away. Tere is keen to bring Palmerston under a modern vision of efficiency and independence, but is cautious in his efforts, noting how in the past. Palmerston has seen "modern, educated" people come in with big ideas that simply do not work.

Meanwhi le, Yvonne teaches many youngsters who are the first in their families to read properly. Rules of fairn ess and nonviolence dominate her lessons (three children were suspended for fighting while we were there), and her commitment to progress is palpable. In the classroom, a world map dominates one corner, showing the vessels and people the children of thi s island have met over the years. Yvonne considers thi s contact vital to broadening the students' minds. Yet moving for-

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ward does not mean abandoning the island 's traditions. Indeed, the school curriculum is a strictly Christianbased program, based on individual learning tracks for home-schooled children. The dual themes of safeguarding their history whi le taking responsibility for their own destiny is a constant theme on thi s island.

GLOBAL INTERACTIONS One of the most fascinating things

about Palmerston is the relationship to cruising sailors like liS. From their earliest days, the people of Palmerston relied on trading with passing yachts, and this custom continues today. We made con tact in Rarotonga with some of th e Marsters family and delivered boxes of fresh produce and newly issued passports; others coming after us were bringing a shipment of handheld VHFs and other supplies. Since the su pply vessel comes around only a few times a year, th e people welcome yachts that can bring them items fro m the "main" island. But their very de-

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Top, Pa!merston School assembly; bottom, local schoolboys with their new bags, the result of our joint sewing project

pendence on small vessels like ours affords them the independence that they so avidly seck to maintain. This is counter-intuitive at fir st; you'd think that their reliance on the delivery of goods from outsiders would put them at a disadvantage.

But there's a balance in this, too, just like everything else on this island. By maintaining the trading

tradition they proudly attribu te to their "father,» Will iam Marsters himself, the people of Palmerston remain who they are, and stop the tide of tourism. They compare themselves to other Cook Islands where an airstrip has brought hotels and organized tours, and dread the day th is migh t occur on their island.

Indeed, the Cook Islands have

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DESTINATION

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Top, "Main Street"; bottom, technology central in Palmerston; opposite top, a typical Sunday lunch; opposite bottom, Momo at anchorage

the highest tourist-to-islander ratio of the South Pacific islands. according to our MooT! Handbook. Tourists outnumber residents 4: 1 every year, compared to 2:1 in Fij i, ::P in Samoa and lA in Tonga. But the people of Palmerston wish to keep those crowds on Rarotonga, Aitutaki and even faraway Manihiki. where an airstrip brings visitors to its pearl farms every week. Not that the Palmerstonians dan', benefit from being within 300 miles of th e "main island." Everyone we met proudly displayed months' worth of pizza, icc cream and other snacks from "Raro," deep frozen in several frcczcrs-

they don't romanticize a life of fi sh ilnd coconut alQne. But on th e whole. they prefer to keep the concentration of consumer society on the main island, and they dearly do not want conventionallourism to find its way to their island. The much debated airstrip would provide emergency medical care, of course, bu t it would also unleash a tide of tourism that they prefer to live without. For the most pari, the p<.."Ople of Palmerston feel that their relationship with the 50 or so yachts that stop in each year provides them exactly what they need: necessary supplies and contact with the outside world, on theiT own terms.

And so we learned that the tradition of llhosting" visiting yachts has many benefits for the Palmcrston islanders and fits precisely with who they imagine themselves to be. Their legendary hospitality is deeply rooted in the importance of meaningful individual contact. The cultural exchange that transpires on a personal level each time they meet a passing yacht is something they prefer to serving large groups of tourists. The idea of turn ing Palmerston into one more island with resort accommodations is abhor-rent to some of them. Cooking up a fabulous parrotfish feast for visiting yacht ies comes naturally; becoming part of the service industry would not. As one proud Marsters put it: ~ I

don't want to clean a toilet in a hotel; that 's beneath my dignity."

As a boat benefitting from the Palmerston tradition, we relished our time there. Our hosts, Edward, Simon and Shirley Marsters, insisted on sharing their recently delivered cabbage and tomatoes with us, cooking up one delicious meal after another. Shirley baked us fresh bread almost every day. On several occasions, they baked parrotfish in the traditional umu oven, served with their home recipe of salt-water and coconut milk brine.

Our daughters played with the children of Palmerston, exploring the pathways and beaches of the small main island every day. One day, Bernie and [ went fishing on the reef with the men, while our young daughters stayed on the island with Shirley. Sunday dinner was a big event, as we were joined by the family elder Taepae and his daughter Marama (who, along with Yvonne, teaches at the school). We ate fish, chicken and a Palmerston specialty of tropic bird (they call it the "Bosun Bird" and are one of the few islands that cat it). We did our best to recip-


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rocate throughout the week. brinbring coffee cake and hot sauce, dried fruits and more hot sauce, leaving some musical instruments for the youth group, and participating in a sewing project with the school children.

On our final day in Palmerston , our new friends came to Morna to share one last coffee. Six young child ren scampered around on deck while we swapped a few more stories with the adults below. Finally, they all piled into their skiff and waved en thusiastically as they swerved away. Those great grins will stay with us for a long time.

You cannot help but notice that th is place is a world apart, and you cannot help but hope it remains that way. But Palmerston is not isolated or backward by any means. Literacy rates are up; family feuds are down. Unlike many of the other Cook Islands, whose popu lations are slowly diminishing, the population of Palmerston has in recent years stabilized and even increased (the CUTTent number of permanent

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residents is somewhere around 70, although i1 fluctuates due to extended stays in Rarotonga and mission work abroad).

AN ISLAND UNTO THEMSELVES The balance here is both remark

able and tenuous. But make no mistake: this is not an island caugh t between past and future. It is, rather, positioning itself there wi th great effort. J wondered as we sai led away how the island will look in 10 years, hoping with all my heart that they win the battle against the airstrip. What the future holds is anyone's guess, but the people of Palmerston are doing their best to ensure that they guide themselves there. ::::

Michelle Elvy is a writer (HId sailor who left her home waters oj the Chesapeake in 2002 alld has been living 011 her boat ever since, along with her husband and two daughters. They are currently ill New Zealalld. You can read more about life aboard Mama at http://svmomo.blogspot.com

--

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PRACTICAL PASSAGEMAKER

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By: • r

luck in paradise! We were marooned wi th our di smtlsted Formosa 46 on the tiny island of San And res, smack in the

middle of the Cari bbean, San Andres is sma ll enough tha t one carl not sec it on a regular map. and it belongs to Colombia. which only makes sense when one remembers that Panama a lso belonged to Colombia until the beginning of thc last century. II is a lso small enough to drive entirely around in a golf cart in 45 minu tes.

After our boat was dismastoo in the southwest Caribbean and the Colombian Armada rescued us, we faced the task of moving on. The in sura nce company offcn .. '<1 to send someone down to document totaling the bo.11. However, wc believed that since all the damage was topsides and she had extensive crui si ng systems operational, she could be repaired.

As we ana lyzed our repair opt ions,

we reviewed our loca tion. The reefstrewn waters of the Nicaragua and Honduras coastl ines did not make reliance on our engine alone seem feasible, as the lee shores and reefs would be ready to hole ou r hull in the event of engine fai lure. While there was a marina in Honduras with shi pyard (La Ceiba), which had the capacity to order and rig a new mast, we did not want to move the boat 800 mi les under engine a lone.

FINDING NENE On San Andres, many local wa

terfront workers recommended the same course of act ion: "Talk to Nene.~

So we did. Nene owned a small marina and also the marine Texaco franchise for the island. We shortly di scovered tha i this inven tive gent leman knew everyone and everything on the island. A former ship capt ain, sai lor, and son and grand son of seamen, he knew where and what cou ld

be done and had the connections to make it happen.

Our firs t task was to remove the mast and rigging, which was all over the boa t. The Illast had broken just above the lower shrouds, about 31 fect above the deck, which left JO fec t hanging down al an angle over the port side. First, Nene's workers found a ladder. Strapping it to the remains of the mast, they removed the upper and lower spreaders and the upper shrouds. Next, the top of the mast, which we had strapped to the side of the boa t. was pulled off and a fe nder was attached to the head of the mast as a float.

The antenna wi re had to be cut at the breakpoint by one of the men, who had to balance on the top of the ladder supports, just barely able to reach. The broken top section was lowered by slacking the fi ve halyards and the lopping lift, which were st ill run ning through the mast. When

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the top section was down aoout six feet, the halyard started to bind, so a block with a hook was hooked over the broken sect ion and a line tied to the lop mast section just above the lower spreaders, The strain was taken on thi s line, unbinding the halyards, and the top of the mast was lowered over the side into the relatively shallow water. The lower spreaders were removed and the shrouds and backstay coi led and rinsed. Then three men wrestled it into a panga. The spreaders were also loaded onto the panga and taken to Nene' s home on the water, sou th of the ma rina.

Nene's home 011 the water is a multigenerational si te directly parallel with the landmark wreck in the channel of San Andres. brought there by Nene's grandfather as sa lvage in the 1930s. His original forefathers came to start the first Baptist church on the island, then sta yed to become fi shermen and seamen. His yard had numerous nautical objects, including a mast, which we hoped would fit for a sleeve. Unfortun ately, the sections were not the right size. Now our mast and spars joined the polyglot assemblage in the back yard under the ma ngrove trees.

LIFT OFF

.... ko

Belize

Honduras

Costa .k.

o Cayman I.

\

~ Jamaica

San Andres o Providencia

G Santa Catalina

Panama

Puerto . Vorgin 'l Anguila a t:) Islands 'St. Martin

ANba Bonaire Cura~ C)

G

Co <0 SI. Barrs Saba Antigua

/) Barbuda $t.Eustatiu, \fc Guadalupe $1. Kitt.& NevisU

Q Dominica

Montserrat Q Martinique

OS! a St. lucia St Von(ent ; Barbados Gre ... d,nelO Grenada

o _0/,_"",..., 0 Trinidad & L.J Tobago

Several days later, Nene arranged for the municipal crane to come docbide and lift off the remaining 31 fect of mast. We

Top, taking measurements; midd le, moving the mast to Nene's yard; bottom, map of the southwest Caribbean and eastern Central America

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PRACTICAL PASSAGEMAKER

36

needed to wait while it completed its "day job," hanging the street light bu lbs. Wha t was supposed to be a Is-minute job turned Qut to be four hours due to a welded pla te that had been installed, unbeknownst to us, at the base of the mast, preventing it from fitting through the deck. It took t hree men al ternating wi th a metal hacksaw to cut the plate off. It finally came free to shorcsidc cheers, as an audience had developed. Again, the bottom half of the mast section was lowered onto the wail ing panga and taken to Nelle's house.

Careful measurements and photographs were taken of each mast section and piece of hardware. using a tape meaSllre in each shot for perspective and detail. One person would hold the tape on a se<:tion for perspective, whi le the other one shot the photo. Every possible angle and section were documen ted, bot h for the insurance company and also for fu ture parts manufacturers.

HOMEWARD BOUND

The next task included a flight home for parts. With daily flights to San Andres (rom Panama City and Bogota, we had several options for going home. Since we were taking the damaged jib home, we tested the weight limi ts on several airlines. Once home, we found a matching mast section in Seatt le and returned to the boat th ree weeks later wi th a repaired jib and

it six-foot mast section in it ski bag, prepared to sleeve the mast.

But San Andres is a port with a weckly ship from Miami, and we found a source, US Spars, that had a spare mast near our size. This mast had origi nally been made for a Beneteau that h ad not arrived in the States. Wi th an additional four feet, it would fi t the bi ll. This new mast also had double upper shrouds, far stronger than our previous rig. We discovered upon furthe r research that the time it would take to sleeve the mast would equal or surpass the time it would t ake to have a new mast shipped down.

We sent the file with all the measurements and the photos to the mast manufacturer, and six weeks later our mast a rrived. We hired the port crane to step the mast and flew a rigger recom mended by the mast builders in to rig the mast. Once aga in the Colombian Armada helped us posi tion Lookfar in the turbulent

seas at the commercial dock wi thin reach of the crane. With great skill, the operator moved the crane horizontally, then vertically over our boat. Slowly positioning it over our floating hull, it was dropped into place.

SEA TRIALS Retreat ing to the safety of Nene's

dock, we spent the next week rigging, finally reaching a point for sea trials. After three months tied to a dock, it was a thril l to raise the sai ls and speed through the bay at 8 knots. Everything worked and we celebrated over dinner with Nene, his wife and our rigger.

We prepared to sail on to Providencia, Honduras, and the Rio Dulce, returning to snorkeling and cru ising. Our cruise through Guanaja and Roatan included many snorkeling and diving experiences, wi th some of the prett iest water we had seen. That year we put the boat away for the hurricane season in the Rio Dulce and returned to Seatt le, determined not to let a little dismasting slow us down.

DEALING WITH REALITY Having coped with the repairs, now

we had to cope wi th the expenses. Unfortunately our mast was depreciated at 80 percent, as was the rigging, as it was eight years old. In reading the fine print on our policy, basically few items were covered at fu ll or replacement value if they were older than two years. We have since changed insurance carriers, and now have a replacement value clause, but few cruisers realize clearly what the limi ls of their policies are. We have encouraged all of our friends to check this point with their agents.

We discovered addi tional problems in the Rio when Ihe surveyor found a crack in the new mast. Improper installa tion of the) bolt s caused a crack in the top, and after extensive discussion, the mast build-

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ers agreed to repair it if we sailed the boat stateside wi thin reach of their staff. Georgia was the compromise location between the mast com pany and the insurance company, so after eigh t years offshore, we returned to

SI. Marys. There, three inches were cut off the mast and we put the boat away for the yeaL

HINDSIGHT Now, two seasons away from the

dismasting, we thought all was well, unti l two days ago off the south coast of Cuba, when our jib halyard frayed. After Rod went up the mast, he discovered that the plate, which had been installed to strengthen the head at the top when the three inches were cut off, had an edge that caused the ha lyard to fray. We are now llsing the topping lift, which comes out below the plate, as a jib

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halyard to preven t further fraying. The plate will need to be fi led down when we get to our next major yard.

In retrospect, should we have totaled the boat? She is a beautifull y constructed classic wi th teak joinelY below that can't be found today. UnfortuTlately, the way insurance policies are written and implemented, they discourage seamanlike conservation and behavior and favor the "lose it illld dump it P choice so common today. We recaptured $25,clOO of a 550,000 plus expend iture and there are always unknown expenses, which a friend of mine refers to as "unk-unks."

An economic argumen t could be made for totaling the boat and going shopping for a new one, or taking up golL Bu t there is a moral argument to consider here as wen. This moral posi tion holds that one takes care of

what one has, one solves problems, and on the seas, one keeps what one loves afloat. Two yeaTS later, we are «Unstuck in Paradise: sailing the south coast of Cuba, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic. We continue to sai l and believe that the seas ahead of us will contiune to teach us well. provided we respect them and our boa t, which has moved us so well over the past nine years.::::

lill and Rod Hearne have been sailing for more tllan 40 years. For the past 10 years, they have sailed from Sealtle to Puerto Rico via the Canal and the north coast of South America. The couple, who hold USCG loo·ton Master Mariner licenses, sail six mOll/hs a year on Lookfar and spend summer weeks io the Pacific Northwest sailing on fellow Seattle Yacht Club and Cruising Club of America hoats.

Opposite, one of Nene's workers in act ion . This page, th e rehabbed Lookfar back in action at beautiful Barefoot Cay in Roat an

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by Meghan Cleary

The low-lying fog was a wa ll of silence and suspense as we motored toward where we trusted the Chan nel Islands lay.

Point Conception had been unbelievably doci le that morning, and for the hundredth time on our cruise down the Pacific Coast from Seattle, we counted ourselves very lucky. The night before we rounded Conception,

I had curled up in Velel/a's V-berth, eyes glued to the part in R.H . Dana's Two Years Before the Mast where they take all absolute beating around the Ilotorious "Cape Horn of California." I had slept li tt le, but worried fOf naught. We sailed around the point in a gentle 7-knot breeze, and now the only thing missing from OUf anticipated landfall in the Channel Islands was the longawaited southern sun.

SAILING WITH A BONE IN HER TEETH

The fog was thick enough as we cfossed Santa Barbafa Channel to make returning to my Ix:.ok the most interesting way to pass the time. While upon previous attempts I'd found these kinds of antiquated stories rather dry, [ had become riveted by Dana's adventures with the hide-throwers along this vely coast in the mid-18oos.


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Chapters entitk--d "Monterey,~ "San ta Barbara,~ and "A South-Easter" detailed very different towns and people of over 150 years ago, but the geographical and climatalogical features were identical to what we were experiencing firs thand. In the same way that standing in centuries-old ruins does, the book lights the historical imagination. The very sa me winds that howled around Point Conception on Dana's journeys were what we looked out for on our passage; we saw th e verdant Monterey hills turn scrubby and dry by Point Arguello, just like he observed. And his descriptions of roaring southeasters made me

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th ink harder than ever about when and where we anchored along this portion of the California coast. It was like reading a cnlising guide to the area (though it was written almost two centuries ago).

I was so glued to the story that I barely noticed when we broke out into some of th e most beautiful sailing we'd had yet-with our first good look at the Channel Islands. Santa Rosa's rugged mountains rose into windswept clouds before us, while the midafternoon sun warmed our boat and swept silver across the surface of the ocean. Small breaking whitecaps made the only noise a constant shllhh behind our stern as we noated toward the large and dramatic bight that was to be our resting spot for the night.

We had a couple of glorious hours of sai ling "with a bone in her teeth," as Dana might have said, before it was time to haul in the sails and make ready to anchor. Unlike the Pilgrim, which (commendably!) anchored by sai l rou tinely, our modern little 35-foot clltter Ve/ella has the good ole "iron gently," making the job of anchoring incredibly simple. While good seamen all know how to anchor by sai l in case of engine failure (as do we, theoretically), you have to admit it's not something folks rOlltinely choose to practice. As I started taking in the headsail, I thought of the multitude of sai ls on Dana's tallship and the absence of an engine on that enormou s brig, and I envied the incredible sea manship of the sai lors who were forced to make do without all of our modern nautical conveniences.

WHAT WOULD DANA DO? As Murphy's Law would have it, I had congratulated

myself on our comforts too soon. Prescott turned the key, and we were given a definitive Ittthhhunk. The engine wouldn't even crank, and we knew we weren't going to

",."tUfa

s.. \.00>1> .. ~ em" . ~ l..:. :;'-' co __ _ los Angeles -flo>.> """' .... _

-.~

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CRUISING LIFE

40

be able to fix it out there. The wind was picking up, the Slln was setting, and it was a lovely evening for sailing, but we were forced to start considering contingency plans (wi th me thinking: "What would Dana do?").

Option 1: Call for a tow- but given how expensive a commercial tow is, we ruled that oul. Option 2: Try to anchor under sail-but the exposure of this open bay and the winds curling around the point made us think we might do well to look for a more protected area, or maybe a mooring buoy to tie 10. Option J: Keep sai ling overnight all the way to Channel Islands Harbor, a distance of about 60 nautical miles.

, lIst as I was getting off the radio with the Coast Guard, who confirmed the locations of a couple of piers on the island, a Fish & Game Warden vessel came up to us and hailed, asking if we needed any as-

_;00----~ --

R.nger's boat trying to jumpst.rt v.IeIIis engine, to no avaIl

sistance. We chatted about the best anchorages to tuck into, and decided to sail (with no need for assistance obviously) to the southern edge of the island .

Velella did beautifully in the ligh t evening winds on the lee side of the island, but as we were coasting up to the anchorage, we lost the air completely, and were drifting only about a mile offshore when the sun dipped below the hills. Too dose fo r comfort. Prescott valiantly tried towing our fullkeel boat the rest of the way with the dinghy, which was kind of working, but not faster than the current was. I fadioed Swordfish, the warden's boat. and the captain graciously said he'd be there in just a minute to give us a tow in to the protected area. TIley tied us to the large Coast Guard mooring buoy in Johnson 's Lee and anchored nearby, saying they'd come back and try jump-starting our engine in the morning.

ANOTHER PERFECT DAY Our efforts to jump the engine

were fruitless, so we hoisted sails and slowly drifted off the mooring and back out into the windy alley south of the islands. It was an-other per fect day, with gentle steady winds, and we made a comfortable 2-3 knots eastward. We knew we were in for a long run, and indeed we didn't arrive to shore until the next morning at about 9am. However, as the miles slowly passed beneath us that calm and starry night, we witnessed wha t felt like a secret side of the Channel Islands ' natural beauty. Bottlenose dolphins followed along either side of us in the inky black water; we could see their shadows in a full moon that was as bright as a flashlight. Numerous shooting stars-some orange, some green, some pink- danced overhead as the rugged shadow of Anacapa Island


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passed slowly off to our port. The wind was forecasted to be

~ I ight and variable,~ and indeed it was. The gentle night breezes, coming first from the west, then southeast, then east, then more strongly from the northwest, kept 01lT sai lbellies full and keel even. On my late evening watch, Prescott made chili and toast and we enjoyed a civil ized dinner in the cockpit (a rilre and romantic occasion), before we changed watch and I wen t below, curled up on the couch with the firep lace going, and read my book before falling asleep.

FEELING OUR WAY We each took two three-hour

watches over the course of the night, and I've never been so content at the helm. Not only was the nigh t sparkling and soothingly beautiful, but the contin ual wind shifts made

Bottlenose dolphins in the bow wake south of Santa Cruz Island; approaching Santa Rosa Island in the afternoon

for engaging sai li ng. 11 was so dark at times that I couldn't even see the sai ls, so I began to feel my way, noticing the wind lifting us by Velella's slight heel, easing the sheets in response, tacking til rough as it swung to the south, and gybing the genoa to go full wing-a n-wing as it came from dead astern. Never have I had to think so hard to keep us on our course. I begiln the evening groping my way clumsily in the dark, and as the hours wore on, I learned how to move wi th the boat in what felt like a bewitching, strategic, blindfolded dance.

r couldn't help thinking as the dolphins jumped around us in the silent night that Velella was determined to make us good sailors. Very few skip-

pers these days are as skilled as the sai lors of Dana's time because we have so many ingenious crutchesthe chartplotters, CPS, radios and weather broadcasts, and of course the "iron genny.~ But I believe that even today's fancy boats wi ll make true sailors out of you if you keep at it long enough, Because eventually your engine will quit, and then it 's between you and the wind, Z

Meyhan Cleary and co-captain Prescott Harvey are en route to New York City from Seattle, Washington on board Velella, their Westwind 35-foot cutter, enjoying their first taste of winter sumhine in California,

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Deck Layout Details A well laid out deck and cockpit will make sailing safer, more efficient and more fun

For most o f LIS, the main objectives when planning the layout of our boat's deck and cock pit arc to eliminate as much cl utter as possible while simultaneously leading as many sheets, halyards and cOTll rollines aft so we don',

have to leave the cockpit 10 raise, lower and tr im sail s.

These two object ives are often mutually exclusive and the result can be a pile of line spaghett i on the cockpit sol e.

A well1aid oul deck will avoid the spaghetti issue and will allow y OIl to handle all of your sails and control the boom and downwind poles safely.


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THE COCKPIT The first step most skippers take is to lead the hal

yards. reefing lines, topping lift and traveler control lines aft to the cockpit, where they can be managed with winches and line stoppers mounted on the cabin top on either side of the companionway. All of these lines will Tun through blocks at the mast base and then aft through line organizers to the line stoppers.

To reduce friction and thus effort at the winches, it is important that the blocks and line organizers arc laid out with as few hard angle turn s as possible and rigged with high quality, free flowing blocks. The winches have to be mounted so the winch handles can be turned 360 degrees under the dodger, and also so the lines emerging from the line stoppers run al a good angle onto the winch drums. Thi s may mean using a mounting block under the winch to elevate it slightly. On larger boats, mounting an electric winch to handle the main halyard will be appreciated by the crew. To contain the lines, mount mesh line bags inside the cockpit well and dodger.

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RIGGING & GEAR GUIDE

MAINSHEET AND TRAVELER One of the best ways to reduce clutter in the cockpit

and eliminate th e hazard of getting tangled in the rnainsheet during a jibe is to mount the main traveler on the cabin top forward of the companionway. This is called mid-boom sheeting and requires fore and aft blocks on the boom 10 spread out sheet loading.

The main sheet runs forward to the mast, through two blocks and then back to the cockpit. The sheet either runs out along the side decks and aft to winches near the helm (h andy but complicated), or back to the winches on the cabin top alongside the halyards. With the traveler forward of the companionway, the traveler car control lines can run through line stoppers on the cabin top under the dodger.

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THE RIGHT TOOLS Once you know which sai ls you will be lIsing

regularly ilnd how you like to handle them, you can install the right deck tools to make sai l handling easy aJld effic ient. Adding a line stopper to the roller furling hcadsail's control line will free up a winch and a cleat in the cockpit. Adding a standing block to the side dt."Cks will allow you to rig preventers to the main boom or after guys on the downwind poles. Kevlar strops and snatch blocks have multiple llSCS on deck, including adjusting the sheeting angle on the spi nnaker or cruising chute, or even rigging a sea anchor off the bow,

HEADSAIL SHEETS One of the most important actions for a llseful and

sa fe deck layout is organizing your headsail sheets. The angle of the sheet leads can be adjusted as you change the s ize and angle of the sails and can lead the sheets at the right angles to the winches. The best approach for the sheet lead cars is to have them nm on deck tracks that are fitted with a block and tackle at the forward end. As you reduce the size of th e headsail, you can haul the car forward to maintain the correct sheet angle. Or as you head off and start reaching. you can ease the car forward to reduce headsailtwist or ease it off to depower the sail a bit.

The sheets should run through turning blocks or cheek blocks that are mounted to align the sheet properly with the sheet winches. That is usually five degrees below the bottom of the drum. Some cheek blocks have line stoppers built into them; thi s is a useful feature for controlling the sheet if you have only one sheet winch port and starboard.

A RACER'S HEADSAIL TRICK A headsail sheeting system developed in offshore racing boats

that allows for minute adjustments 10 the sheeting angle eliminates the deck track and car and replaces them with a floating O-ring. The O-ring is attached to three control lines; two leading down onto the deck and one leading up to an attachment on the side stays. The headsail sheet runs through the ring and aft to a cheek block and thence to the winches. The position of the Dring can be moved up and down and from side 10 side with the control1ine so you can micro trim the sai l and the width of the slot between the mainsail and headsail.

-- .. ,


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POLE CONTROL Whether you store your spi nnaker pole on the

forward side of the mast or on deck, you need to have control1ines called guys to manage the pole as you are setting up, flying and dowsing a downwind sailor spinnaker. The best sci up will hold a pole steady in all directions. The topping lift on the mast will hold it up. A forc guy and an after guy will hold it steady and secu re and will allow you to adjust the pole from the cockpit with the guy lines. If you aTC going to be running in the trade winds or passagemaking, you will want to fly this rig often, so it makes sense to mount the blocks 011 the foredeck and side decks permanently.

SISSY BARS That's what bikers call the stainless steel

safety bars mounted on the sides of some big bikes. On a cruising boat, the safety bars can be mounted on both sides of the mast so you can work at the mast with both hands while your legs or rear end are secured by the bars. They arc also great places to attach halyards when not in use. And, you can stand on them when attaching the main halyard to the sail or reefing the sail.

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RUNNING BACKSTAYS For voyaging boats with

a staysail forward, running backstays add a large measure of securi ty to the rig, especially when the wind is really piping. Running backstays are usually built wi th very low stretch line and are stowed against the shrouds when not in use. To maintain control of the Tllnners, attach a block to the runner and rig a control line through a pad eye or second block at the base of the shroud. Th is control line can be released when you set the runner and then used to haul the runner forward and out of the way when not in use.

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Adjust the backstay so the head stay is taut; if you have a backstay adjuster, the head stay should be at maximum tautness when the backstay is fully tightened and the mast is bent to the optimum upwind position. The head stay should be tightened to no more than 20 percent of the wire's breaking strength; for 3lB-inch wire, that would be 2,750 Ibs. on a tension gauge.

Setting up your rig-mast and shrouds-correctly and keeping it well-tuned are

both safety and performance issues. From a safety point of view, if the rig is not set up well, it could come down suddenly, endangering the boat and crew. And, if it is not tuned correctly, the boat will not sail to its

your rig from the top down. You will want to check all swagings for cracks and corrosion. Use silicone or Lanacote on the tops of swaging to prevent water from seeping into the joint. As a rule, shrouds and stays should be replaced after five to seven years of use, particularly if you are planning to sail offshore.

Each boat has its own will have

The spreaders should be set up to bisect the angle of the shrouds passing over the ends and will need a slight upward tilt. The inboard ends need to be securely mounted to the mast. The outboard ends should have no sharp edges and should be well secured. Spreader boots or rigging tape on the spreader ends will protect the sails from chafe or rips.

mast is centered, tighten the intermediate and lower shroud to build a slight pre-bend in the mast at the spreaders that matches the slight luff curve built into the mainsail. This slight forward curve in the mast's middle section will optimize sail shape and will prevent the mast from pumping when the back"tay is eased off and you are

to experiment with mast rake to fix serious weather or lee helm. Shifting the mainsail's center of effort aft will add to weather helm.

As a rule, the tighter your head stay, the better the boat will sail upwind, so you want to seek the right balance between headstay tautness with the backstay eased off and tautness with the cranked down.

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Tighten the cap shrouds first to set up the mast absolutely straight. Sight up the mast groove; use the main halyard to equalize the distance from the masthead to the chain plates on both sides. Tighten to 15 percent of the wire's breaking strength or to 1,800 pounds for 3/8-inch wire.

Once you have tuned the rig at the it is time to go out and tune it again undele! sail. Sail upwind on both tacks; watch the mast to see if the masthead bends off to leeward or if the middle sags to leeward in an S-curve. The leeward shrouds should feel slightly loose but not slack. Play with backstay adjustment to monitor mast bend and head stay sag. Downwind, check to make sure the mast does not sag aft at

th~e ~~"fi"F.;r;,;

Turnbuckles and clevis pins need to be secured with split pins and all sharp points and edges should be wrapped with self-amalgamating rigging

For cruising boats with larger diameter standing rigging, dinghy tension gauges won't do the trick. The best gauge in this case will be the Loos Tension Gauge, which is inexpensive and easy to use. A Loos Tension Gauge PT3 will allow you to make sure all of the shrouds are set up at the optimum tension and that port and starboard shrouds are tightened to the same degree. The Loos website has charts of recommended shroud tension for various wire diameters. For more information, log onto www.loosnaples.com.

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48

By Amanda Swan Neal and John Neal

Perhaps this article should be tilled "Avoiding Going Aloft at Sea," because if you afC consistent with rig maintenance and

inspections. you will hopefully never need 10. A general rig inspection entails going aloft for a rig check before every major passage, coupted with daily deck rigging checks.

If you've purchased a us{.--d boat and plan to sail offshore, you will need to do a thorough rig inspection. This includes removing the mast and disassembling the components to check for cracks, corrosion and wear. Remember to check the condition of blocks. sheave boxes, sheaves and wiring. Unless yOIl arc very familiar with what to look faT, it is prudent to hire a professional rigger for the rig

Going Aloft

inspection. A~ wi th ilny survey, it is in you r best interest to be on hand, learning and documenting everything the rigger finds. You will find that taking a picture of th e masthead fittings when t11e mast is down for the inspection Illay be helpful later.

COMMON PROBLEMS There are several issues that will

require going aloft while at sea.

Practical tips for safe ascents and descents

Among them are 10Sl halyards (more likely the main, as the jib halyard is often semi-permanently attached 10

the furling headsail swivel), a chafedthrough halyard or a burned-out nay lightbulb (Ihi s Ciln be helped by replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs that have a much longer life) . Other problems inclnde binding or stiff main halyard sheave in need or lubrication, a jammed roller furling


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Opposite: West Marine Bosun's chair. This page: Spin lock Pro Harness, top; Mast Mate webbing ladder, below

sai l or ripped fur li ng sail, a broken or jammed mainsail slider/ca r or broken rigging.

With proper halyard main tenance, you can great ly reduce the likelihood thaI you will need to go aloft. Install a small, pcrmancn llracc line inside the mast from the base to the masthead. Ensure that your furling headsa il extrusion is the corre<:t length and that the angle from the furling unit's top swivel to the halyard sheave is correct- this is very important. A headsail halyard will frequently last for }O,OOO miles, or a full circumnavigation. A sp innaker halyard is generally used as a back up if the fur ling halyard breaks or chafes through. Ensure that the topping lift can be used as a main halyard; the weigh t of the boom, when the main is dropped, needs to be taken by a rigid vang or boom gallows. For offshore passagemaking, carry an extra halyard and spinnaker block in your rigging spares.

I have been asked whether it is necessary to go aloft for coral piloting. Honestly, I don't think so, as standing on the boom provides enough eleva tion. We have found mast pulpits (a.k.a. granny bars) to be a grea t platform to stand on for navigating through corat.

OPTIONS FOR GOING ALOFT Whether using a bosun's chair, harness or mast steps,

always use a backup safety line. We use it standard webbing chest safety harness attached to a halyard (generally the spinnaker halyard). If you are unsure of the condition of the halyard you are going aloft on, remove it using a

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50

trace line. Check the entire length for chafe, UV deterioration, ilnd if applicable, the state of the wire 10 rope splice ilnd wire quality.

To ensure that the masthead sheaves are running smoothly and not binding, hold both ends of the halyard at deck level, pulling it back and forth in a see-saw motion across the sheave with pressure. Never use the halyard shackle or dip, as they can fail or open. Also, never trust your life to an eye spliced in a line. When using a rope halyard. use a oowline instead of the halyard shackle. If the halyard is wire, use a backup shackle.

ADDITIONAL OPTIONS · West Marine Bosun's Chair (5145) or Harken Premium Bosun's Chair (5190)

Spinlock Pro Harness (S175) · ATN Top Climber (5430) • Mast Mate, a webbing ladder that is hoisted up mainsail track or slot ($12 per foot)

. Four-part block and tackle with a cam cleat on the bottom block (similar to the mainsheet arrangement on smaller boats). When singlehanding, [ found this worked well. I simply hoistL>d the top block to the masthead on the main halyard, shackled the bottom double block and cam d eat assembly 10 the ba.;un's chair and pulk>d myself aloft, getting a good INOrkout in the process. For a safety line, I wore my safety harness and dipped my tether to different strong points in the rigging. • Mast steps. J am often asked if these are a good idea. The answer is yes and no. Yes, steps are helpful when your boat is in a calm anchorage or marina, but they can also chafe and catch externa l halyards, cause corrosion and increase windage. Climbing mast steps without a safety or climbing harness attached to a halyard is not safe, as the higher one gets, the more severe the side-toside whipping motion can become, making it difficult to hold on. :::

John Neal sailed to the South Pacific in 1974 at age 22 on a 27' sloop, wrote Log of Mahina, a bestseller, and has logged 284'(xJO miles. Since 1976, John's paSSion has been sharing his knowledge of ocean cruising. He has conducted 142 sail-training expeditions in the South Pacific, Patagonia, Antarctica, Atlantic, Scandinavia and the Arctic aboard Mahina na re " & III.

Amanda Swan Neal set sail for the South Pacific at aye 12 aboard a boat she helped her parents build. Upon reluming to New Zealand, she became a sai/maker and rigger, completing the Whilbread Around the World Race as riyger on Maiden, the first aI/-women Whitbread boat. She has logged 242,000 miles, including two Sydney-Hobart Races and seven Cape Horn roundings, and was involved in tall ship sail training in New Zealwld prior to ioining Mahina Tiare in 1994. She is author of The Essential Galley Companion. www.mahi.w.com

TIPS FOR GOING ALOFT USING A CHAIR OR HARNESS

• Wear fish cleaning cotton and rubber gloves. They are inexpensive and provide an excellent grip on the mast or rigging. You can make the job easier and faster for the person winching YOII aloft by grabbing the rigging or halyards and lifting yourself as they are winching.

· Consider wearing long pants and deck shoes to protect your legs and feet.

- When in roily conditions, rig a down haul line from the bottolll side of the chair or harness. It can be secured to the base of the mast once YOll reach the height at which YOIl will be working.

• Another option to a down haul line is to rig a halyard close to the mast. You can then attach a short bight of line or shackle around it from the chair or harness. This keeps you close to the Inast while going aloft, and greatly reduces the possibility of your being thrown around by the boat's motion. If you need to get the spreader tips, your helper can ease the lIlast line out.

• On some boats, it is possible to release the clutch on the anchor windlass and lead a halyard to the windlass drulll, using snatch blocks if necessary to get a fair lead.

· Installing two mast steps four feet down from the masthead allows more s('Cllre access to the top of the masthead.

• If you need a visual guide, rigger Brion Toss has produced two very good videos entitled "Going Aloft" and "Inspecting Your Rig" (www.briontoss.com).


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Whether using a bosun 5 chair, harness or mast steps, always use a backup safety line

with a bowline; bottom, rig check in Norway


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Get a big power assist in the cockpit with next eneration electric winches· ... ."",

52

Upgrading to Electric Winches

On a recen t passage from the East COilst to the Caribbean aboard a Hylas 54, we had the pleasure of sai l ing

al most the entire way with a good breeze. Since we were sai li ng in the Caribbean 1500, we were racing (sort of), and trying to gel the boat to sai l as well as possi ble. In shifting wind and wea ther condi tions. that process entailed a lot of sail trimming.

In past lives of racing al sea, we have always finished the event wi th arm and shoulder muscles hard and fit. After this trip, however. the only noticeable effect was a small callolls on our thumb from applying pressure 10 the swi tches on the electric winches. And being on the far side of 50, this was all right with us.

Boats and sai ls have gotten a 101 bigger in the last two dt."Cades, in large part because of the labor saving devices that we now have to make trimming a 1200 square foot head-

sail easier. Electric winches are a big part of that picture.

Now avai lable in a wide range of sizes, it is becoming ever more common to see at least one electric winch aboard cruising boats over 35 fee t, if on ly to aid the skipper in raising the mainsail.

Electric halyard winches a re a real boon for shorthanded sailors and couples, since raising the main can be one of the heaviest jobs on the boat. Plus, an electric winch mounted on the cabin top next to the companionway can be used to hoist the

ski pper to Ihe masthead in a rosun's chair or to trim the genoa with the sheet lead across the cockpi t. Bu t on smaller cruising boats, moun ting an electric winch on the cabin top has

required a fair bit of cabinet work inside the boat

to accommodate the electric motor and gears.

WHAT'S NEW? Last year, Ha r

ken introduced an entirely new line

of winches called the Radial 1ine. The winches have been de-

This page, Harken's Radial I Opposite, Harken's I tailing Unipower winch


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signed base up to be entirely new. They ilrc lighter, have advanced bearings, are easier to install and are designed with special radial ridges molded into the drums. The radial design has excellent line gripping properties, but the ridges do not abrade the sheets or halyards as Ihey drc eased off under pressure.

As part of the new winch concept, Harken also introduced new self-tailing UniPowcr winches that have an electric motor built in to the winch base. This compact design is perfect for cabin top moun ted wi nches, si nce the motor only extends a few inches below the base and thus will fit neatly inside the overhead liner of the boat 's interior. Compaci and cffi ciem, the UniPower is the ultimate halyard winch and packs enough power to hoist a 200-pound man up the mast.

The new Radial electric winches are available in both aluminum and stainless stl .. "Ci, in sizes that will fi t cruising boa ts from 35 to 70 fee t The company also builds custO!l1-powered winches for super yachts. The Radial series are two-speed winches, so they are great for quick sheet trim when tacking and for fine tuning sail trim when clawing to windward. Also, all of the winches have two-speed manual overrides

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Years of research, producllesting and looling hove resulted in a boom furler thot is so superior, one person can furl lhe ma in while going downwind in heavy air. Thanks to oor patented articubling soil track, even fu ll ballen high roach soils can be lowered so le~ from the cockpil wilhoul having to fbg the so il. The furl ing drum is hidden inside the boom where it oon'l lovl soils ond lines, The dll.Jm uti lizes a double race of oversized Torlon ball bearings to reduce friction which makes furl ing smoolh and easy.

Art"ulolin; $oil tra<k

furl. full Bolten Moin-

Oversiled Torian

.ails

For more informal ion on this revolulionary rlew boom furlercoll l.S08_995.9511 , or visit us 01 www,S(hoeferMarme.(Gm. Once you kr,OW 011 the focts, we're cerlain you' ll fly with Schaefer.

Vblt u ••• www.Sch.eferM.rlne.c ..... 158 D"o~o l oe Blvd New Bedfo rd MA 0274 5 1293

Te l 5089959511 Fox 508995 4882

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54

Clockwise from top: Harken selftailing, Lewmar Eva, and Eva motor. Opposite, Andersen self-tailing

should the power fai l or shou ld you be racing.

One of the useful innovations in

the new Radial line is the ability to ret rofit manual winches with electric power. That means you can install two-speed manila I winches today and upgrade them sometime down the road.

Lewmar introduced a new line of Evo winches at METS last fall and will be marketing them in North

America starti ng next fall. The Eva brand underscores the company's evolu tiona ry design process as it

refines and improves its winches. The class ic Ocean series of winches is still available and has sizes that can accommodate boats in the super yacht category.

Lewmar's standard Eva or larger Ocean electric winches come with two manual speeds and a single powered speed, but these can be upgraded to two elcrtric speeds. Like the new Harken winches, the Lewmar Evo and Ocean series winches can be converted from strictly manual to electric with a conversion kit.

Denmark 's Andersen winches, which are all stainless steel. have been winning design awards for a generation. The winch drums use a ribbed pattern that grip lines well under pressure but does not bind them when it is time to ease the sheet.

Andersen has been building winches with compact motor bases for some time, and these are excellent for cabin top mounting installation. The design does not require the motor to be inserted into th e deck, so all you have to do is lead the wire and then mount the winch.

Andersen also builds standard electric winches that have the motors and gears moun ted below decks. Last yea r, Andersen introduced their new variable speed Compact motors,

which reduce the size of the installation while also introducing the efficiency of variable speeds.

All of the manual Andersen winches can be collvert<..-'d to electric power with a standard conversion kit. Andersen has a well-eamed reputation for high quality, durability and longevity.

HOW MUCH BATIERY DRAW? Other than giving up the exercise

of grinding manual winches, the introduction of electric winches to a ship's systems has the obvi ous effect of upping the total battery draw and the need to replace that draw on a daily basis.

An electric sheet winch will draw between 150 and 200 amps when working hard. That's a lot all at once.


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Hul, in the normal course of sai ling, yOli only actually crank the winches for 10 seconds or so per use and dUTing a day will consume 30 to 50 amp-hours of power. That 's about the same as a small refrigerator.

To accommodate th is extra battery draw, you need to make su re you have about three times that draw in battery ca pacity, or 150 to 200 available amp-hours in your battery bank. So, as part of the equa tion of adding electric winches to your boat. you are also looking at adding an extra 8D battery to your house battery bank.

You will also have to take a look at your charging systems and output. If you increase the size of your battery bank, you may have to increase the output from your altemator or other sources of electricity. Larger boats that havc built-in gcnscts will not havc to dcal with this issllc, although they will have to nm the generator slightl y longer.

One of the keys to a successful installation of electric winches is th e size and length of the wires running from the battery bank to th e electric motors. In general, the largcr thc wirc and thc shortcr thc run, thc bcttcr thc system will work. Plus, connections have to be perfect and the whole system kept dry.

The cost in cash and energy for an upgrade to electric winches is significant. The winches themselves are quite a bit more cxpensive than manual winchcs, and cxtra battery power and charging capacity will add to the total bill.

Yet after building a callous from a week of sai l trim at sea aboard the Hylas 54, we have to admit that the cost seemed much more worthwhile as we crossed the finish line, particularly because all of that sail trimming earned liS a first pl ace in our class. :::

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OV8r4000 In Use Worldwide

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56

new & noteworthy

R5050

ALEXSEAL Premium Coatings

The new linear polyurethane topside coatings from ALEXSEAL

offer boat owners the highest level of color retention and gloss. Every paint job undertaken with the company's coating systems is designed to last for years and maintain a ~ just paintL'(] " look- no matter how many miles have nowed under the boat's keel.

ePaint ZO

,.'

501 is formulated with the best performing materials available on the market. Top-quality pigments provide better hiding power to reduce the number of coats required for full coverage. Premium UV resistors offer unmatched color reten-lion , as proven in a Delta

r-------' E test that exa mined how ALEXSEAL paints changed over time versus the top

Conceived as a coating system and refined over the last 30 years, the ALEXSEAL progra m begins with high quality epoxy undercoats and primers, easy-to-apply epoxy fill -ers, and high-built surfaces that arc easily sanded, and finishes off with alphatic, high gloss fini sh coats.

ALEXSEAL's Premi um Topcoat

competitors. A second test measured loss of gloss over

time. In each case, ALEXSEAL was the top performer.

An ALEXSEAL high-gloss, impactresistant surface transmits tremendous depth of color and rich detail. Yet it also stands up beautifully to heat, chemicals and scratches. so yachts may better survive dings and nicks, as well as caustic oil, fuel and detergents. For morc information, visit www.alexsea1.com

addition, frequen t hauling and launching will not affect performance. ZO is compatible over most existing bottom paint systems and is safer for you, your boat and our environment.

ePaint products do not contain copper or pesticides that persist in the environment. Instead, ePaint uses a patented photochemical process. Catalysts in the paint take energy from visible light to link together water and dissolved oxygen and generate hydrogen peroxide around the hull; the hydrogen peroxide creates a surface that is inhospi table to the settling of animal larvae such as barnacles and mussels.

ePaint's ZO copper-free antifouling coating is perfect for cruising sai lboats and general purpose boating. Available in white and bright colors, ePa in t ZO will not promote galvanic corrosion and has no maximum coat-to-launch time. In

In addition to lO, ePaint's recent offerings include ECOMINDER and lO-HP. ECOM INDER, the greenest antifouling paint available on the market, is water-based, has no harsh solvent odor, is compatible over popular antifouling paints and is recommended for fresh water and low fouling salt water environments. lO-HP, the first antifouling paint to feature ePaint's advaTlCl .. '(] proprietary nuoro-polymer resin chemistry, provides the fastest racing finish j:Xlssible and is recommended for the serious racer and all boats in both fresh and high-fouling salt water environments. For more information, visit www.epaint.com


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new & noteworthy

Perfection PLUS

Interlux Perfection PIo" .. "'-Schooner Gold and Compass

I nterlux has added three new products to its varnish and wood treatment range. Perfection Pl us is a clear,

two-pari polyurethane with prolonged chemical and abrasion resistance and superior UV protection. Wi th an exceptional high clarity, high gloss finish. Perfection Plus can be applied direct to substrate or llsed in colljunction with Clear Wood Sealer, a fas t-drying, colorless, two-part polyurethane primer.

With its advanced UV package and outstanding gloss, Schooner Gold is a long lasting one-part varnish that provides a reduction in the need to sand in between each coat, which saves labor effort. time and costs. Schooner Gold's warm amber hue enhances the color of natural wood and has been op!imized for applica!ion in wa rm and higher temperature climates,

Compass complements the traditional qua lit ies of Schooner Gold with a fast-drying and extremely durable one-part polyurethane varnish tha t offers reduced labor and project time. Consistent wi th allinterlux high-performance varnishes. Compass contains HALS (Hindered Amine Light Stabilizers) and UV absorbers!o protect wooden substrates from sunlight degradation, enhance durabili ty and prolong the li fespan of the coating. Superior flow and application characteristics ensure a smooth. professional finish .

Perfection Plus, Schooner Gold and Compass can be applied directl y to all types of wood. in cl uding oily timbers such as teak and mahogany. For more information, visit www.yachtpaint.com

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Epifanes Clear Spar Varn ish

For traditionalists, spar varnish and the look of fine ly finished and painstakingly varnished

woodwork is the hallmark of a !rue yacht. You can't think of venerable names like Herreshoff. Hinckley. Morris, Bristol, Alden and Sparkman & Stevens without also conjuring up the image of a varnished cockpi t table or toe rail wi th a gloss so deep and liquid that your feel like you could fall into it. That's the varnish doing its thing.

There are many types of varnish for different applications. For exterior and marine finishes. veteran varnishers will ten you that softer. more flexible lung oil-based coa tings look and last bell er than harder polyurethanc coat ings. which do not cxpand and con tract with the wood as it heats and cools.

or all the coatings based upon tung oil, phenolic-modified alkyd resins, Epifanes' Clear Spar Varn ish, formulated in The Netherlands. ranks right near the top. The varn ish flows off the brush evenly and sett les without brush strokes in a wide range of conditions. It sands eas il y and dries relatively quickly. Importantly. it bui lds nicely coat after coat so you can achieve that deep liquid gloss that speaks of an expert varnish job.

If you are seeking a fine varnish finish, the place to start and end is Epi fanes clea r spar varnish. It gets the Blue Water S(Jilin.q Sea l of Approval. For more information, visit www.epifanes.com

57

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The new 50-foot cruising boat from Beneteau combines solid marine design and engineering with the latest green" technology and

~--------- $ -

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BLUE WATER BOATS

60

Blue Water Sailing prefers to test large cruising boats offshore when we can, but that is not always possible. Ifwe

can't arrange a long test , we at leas t hope to have some significan t breeze to see how the boat handles upwind and clown, and what sort of real motion it has in a seaway. An hour of coasting around in a zephyr won't really do.

So in February, we were lucky to be in Miami, Florida for an afternoon test of the brand Tlew Oceanis 50 on a day when the wind was holding th e flags straigh t out and causing the palm trees to bow their heads.

We joined Beneteau USA president Wayne Burdick. sales director Mike Lcchclop and three experienced Beneteau dealers on the new boat at Sea Isle Marina, where the Strictly Sail boat show was to be

held the following weekend. Walking down the dock, we could see the new boat in profile at the end and recognized it immediately.

The new cockpit arch is the signature difference from Ocean is boats of the last few years. But the low-slung cabin top with squared off windows, fairly plumb and balanced stern, and gun slit topside windows all marked the boat as a new generation Beneteau that is thoroughly immersed in modern design, technology and style.

SEA TRIALS Once aboard and with our gear

stowed. we set off from the dock and headed for the drawbridge that would give us access to Governmen t Cut and the ocean. We had to wait a few minutes for the bridge to open, so we took the opportunity to put the boat through its paces under powcr.

The 50 has a 110 horsepower Yanmar engine that drives a MaxProp feathering propeller. It is also equipped with a bow thruster. The engine con trols and dials are at knee level at the starboa rd wheel. so that 's where you stecr from. Gelling in and out of the dock at Sea Isle, Wayne used the bow thruster to swing the boat into the wind and make the sharp turn from the marina to the channel. The maneuver worked flawlessly; it would have tak en some real backing and filling to make the exit without the thruster. Modern, light boats of thi s size with high bows certainly benefit from the power of a bow thruster.

In the channel, we revved the engine to 3200 RPM s, full throttle, and didn't have to wait long to get her up to her designed hull speed of 8.y knots. The hull is well-balanced fore and aft, so it did not squat unduly at


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All halyards and contro nnes for the mainsail ead aft to winches on the cabin top under the dodger. left; the 50 steered easil in the rising conditions and the view from both helms is excellent. right

full speed. From full speed, we threw the engine into reverse and brought the boat to a full stop in three boat lengths. Obviously, the MaxProp was doing its job and the big engine had ample power to stop the boat's momentum.

While we were waiting for the drawbridge, we stopped the 50 and slowly backed her up the channel. The boat steers nicely in reverse and did not show milch propwalk or a tendency to veer violently when the rudder was turned sligh tly from side to side. Racking into a slip shou ld be fairly easy, particularly with the bow thruster controlling the fron t end of the boat.

We steamed through the open drawbridge and then motorsailed out Government Cut to the ocean. The wind was a steady 15 knots as we cleared the jetty and buildings. The seas were slill quite flat, but a chop was beginning to rise. The 50 we sailed had a roller furling Selden Masl and a profurl roller fllfling unit on the genoa. The mainsail had vertical battens, so it had a bit more

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roach than a normal in-mast sail. The mainsail sheets to a fixed point in the middle of the arch, and the mainsheet runs forwa rd to a block and then aft to an electric winch on the cabin top. The whole rig has been set up for easy sa il handling from the cockpit.

Once in deep water, we hardened lip to dose-hauled and trimmed to the telltales. With 15 1018 knots true and 22 knots apparent over the deck, the 50 was slightly overpowered with the fu ll main, but chewed upwind nicely and did not put her rail underwater once.

To reduce weather helm and regain balance on the helm, we reefed the main by a third. The 50 settled dow n at about 12 degrees of heel and charged ahead even fas ter than she had wit h the ful l sail. The helm felt steady, and even though there was a building chop, the boat fell nicely into an upwind groove. Trimming the genoa with the two large Harken electric winches was easy-we could get used to this. The only thing we might add to the rig

would be a I raveler on I he lOp of I he arch for the mainsheet so we could depower or power up the mainsai l as conditions warrant.

Off the wind, the 50 really gathered her skirts and started to fly. We reached offshore for a while and Ihen jibed back toward the Cut. The wind was still building and the seas gelling up, so we rollicked along at a steady 9 knots and occasionally saw lOS on the CPS. The 50 has an adjustable chart plotter pod on the aft end of the cockpit table that is visible from both wheels, so we had all of the nav and performance data righ t in front of us.

With the wind now well over 20

and gusting higher, we rolled up aboul a third of the genoa and shol the genoa car forward to maintain a good trim angle. Still , the 50 surged ahead at a good speed, and we saw 11 knots on the GPS as we surfed down the fronl of a wave. In the brisk bn .. "Cze and quartering sea, the 50

steered positively and tracked wel l. Back inside the Cut, the wind

came around on the nose, so we

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BLUE WATER BOATS

table, top; the 50's seagoing galley is well laid out

62

fired up the Yanmar ilnd rolled in the sai l s for a quick motor back to

the marina. We had sailed for about two hours and had seen how the 50 behaved on all angles of sail and in a good breeze. We never had spray in the cockpit and never put the rail undeL The boat handled well and behaved [ike a pro when reefed and trimmed properly. I would not have worried about facing breezes of 30 knots or more. The So didn't creak as it heeled and did not pound in the head seas. And off the wind, she really flew. Designers Berre! RacoupCilU have once again got their lines,

weights and non-dimensional ratios just right.

ACCOMMODATIONS There were seven of us aboard

for the sea tr ials and we all fit into the cockpit with room to spare. The cockpit seats are ergonomically well designed, so you have nice back support on the bench seats, a place to curl up under the dodger and good leg braces against the table when the boat is heeled over. While sailing, the helmsman can si t on the si de deck either to windward or to leeward, and can see forward without obstruction.

Under power, he can see forward along the deck or through the dodger windows. The dodger attaches 10 the arch, so it is quite high off the deck; Mike was pleased to note that he could stand up under it.

There is a low bridge deck at the companionway that provides headroom in the aft cabin below and will keep cockpi t water out of the cabin in wet conditions. Down below, the 50 has several layout options. The boat we sailed had a large aft cabin with an off center and angled double berth, a built-in desk cum vanity and a large head with a sepa rate shower. Except under the bridge deck, headroom in the aft cabin is six-feet, six-inches- that's a lot.

The engine room lies under the bridge deck and companionway. There is good access from the front under the stairs, on the starboard side, and from the back through a large panel door. The engine box is well·insulated; the big Yanmar did not sound loud down below.

The U-shaped galley lies to port with the twin sinks on the centerline so Ihey will drain on both tacks. The three-burner stove-oven is mounted outboard with storage cabinets all around and plenty of counter space. The top' loading fridge can double as a freezer, and the front-loading refrigerator is large enough for extended cruising. Having redundancy in the refrigeration department is a good idea.

The chart table is to starboard, with the chart plotter and radios mounted outboard above the futuri stic electrical and meter panels. There is a U-shaped dinette to pOri that will seat six with two perched on the moveable stools amidships. The bench settee to starboard will double as a sea berth for smaller people, and the dinette will work well as a sea berth, too.

The master stateroom forward has


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a centerline double berth, a large hanging locker. cubbyhole lockers and plenty of shelf space. The head has a large, enclosed shower stall and ample locker space for medical and washroom supplies.

The new 50 has mahoganycolored furniture that is made of a processed wood known as Alpi. which is easy to work with and mai ntain. has consis· tent color values, and is qui te durable. The nooring throughout is a laminate wi th an attractive dark planking pattern and a slightly nonskid surface. which is both attractive and durable.

The innovation in the new 50's interior. created by Nauta design. is the synthetic fabric used to face the main bulkheads and the overhead panels. A PVC cloth, the fabric has the feel of leather and an elegant. interior·designer look. With offwhite bulkheads and mahogany· colored furni ture, the 50'S interior has become a modern varia tion of the classic Herreshoff look known as "Bristol fashion."

The 50 is a spacious boat that has not been C<lfV{.--d up into too many smaller spaces. You can divide the aft cabin into two smaller double cabins, and you can add a fourth cabin aft as well. The boat we sa iled had only two large sleeping cabins and a lot of open and airy space in the interior. The light-colored ceiling and bulk· heads added to the brightness down below.

BWS THOUGHTS Over the last few yea rs, Bene·

teau USA has spread its wings as it worked its way through the recession by building some jeanneau boats al its plant in Marion. South Caroli na and now adding the biggesl Dceanis it has built on this side of the pond.

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The company has been a leader in lean manufacturing and has pioneered-both in France and the US- modern labor·saving tech· niques that result in production boats with a lot of strength, quality and durabili ty at a vel)' fair value. With the 50. Beneteau is bui lding the largest infused decks in the marketplace, which allows them to build lighter. stiffer. better decks wi th less styrene emissions and lower cost. This move is part of the company's commitment to green manufacturing. Another part of tha t commi tment is the use of relatively expensive LED lights throughout the interior and on deck; even the running lights are LEOs. Wi th every light on the boat swi tched Oil, the amp meter shows a draw of less than five am ps.

The Oceanis 50 came through sea trials wi th high marks; this is a boat that any experienced sailor would be happy to take to sea once it was fi t· ted out with all necessary sailing and safe ty gear. The boat's styling and systems are modern and well·con· ceived fo r living aboard. occasiona l racing and cruisillg. [t is no surprise to us tha t the Beneteau brand is often the most popular production boat name in big offshore events like the ARC or the Bermuda Races. The 50 is a boat HWS would be happy to sai l anywhere. ::::

The 50's saloon is open and bright; the dinette to port seats six for meals; and, the Nauta-designed interior has fabric covered bulkheads to add to the boat's unique st Ie

Beneteau Oceanis 50

LOA 49'6' LWL 43'8' Beam 14'9' Draft (std) 5'9' Draft (deep) 6'10' Ballast (std) 9,480 Ibs . Ballast (deep) 8,267 Ibs. Disp lacement (light) 28,660Ibs.

Fuel Water Waste Engine (Yanmar) Mast heig ht (std.) Mast height (short) Hull speed Sail area/Displ. Disp l.lLWL LWL/Beam EC Certificate

Beneteau USA Marion, SC 29571 Ph,843-629-5300

62 gals. 149 gals. 21 gals. 110 hp. 70'1" 63'2' 8.9kts. 17.24 175 2.96 Category A

Website: www.beneteauusa.com

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TECH REPORT

The Ocean-Going Nav Station By David Burch

figure 1

Discovering your ideal setup through trial

and error

Every pract icing navigator has an idcalnav station in mind; its location, its

layout. its tools. The ideal usually comes about the

hard way-by ruling out, piece by piece, systems, locations and tools that don't work well. Somehow, the th ings that don't work make a bigger impression than the things that do. As with learning any aspect of sailing, the best way to find your own ideal is to sa il and navigate on differen t boats. At least with navigation, it won', take too long to find out what works well for you.

Here, r will share some of my ideals. trying to point out the ones that most navigators would agree with as opposed to olles that are just my preference. For example. I prefer to sit facing forward because it is easier for me to think through course changes. tacking angles and wind shifts when I am facing the way I am going. But this is jllst a preference. Chart table work in rough seas is not much different in any direction if the seat is well designed. and I suspect that if I always did it one way. regardless of which way it was. I would also learn to think more easily in that orientation.


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THE SEAT First, the seat. (figure 1: A) A com

fortab le scat is important because you sit a lot when naviga ting. Or, rather, you ~hou ld sit if you call. It's hard to think standing up, as the old saying goes- especially if your back aches, and even the strongest backs will ache leaning over a chart table for an hour or so. Luckily it's rare that a stand-up chart table won 't accommodate some form of scat. With some ingenuity, you can design one that can be removed when not in use to free up the space it was intended to provide in the first place.

One kind of chart table seal! found very comfortable was cut on an arc so that (when facing forward) I was always silting straigh t upand-down regardless of the boat's heel. The scat is easy to make from 3/4-inch plywood front and back plates cut with an are, and the scat itself is made from lX2 slats screwed into the plywood.

The other end of the problem

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is the fee t. (figure 1: B) For rough going, you need some way to stay wedged into the chart table scat. One nice solution is a small footstool built into the sole under the table, or a ledge on the bu lkhead in front of the table. These can be custom-made for your leg lengt h so that when in usc, your legs are pinned against the bottom of the chart tab le, holding you in place wi th hands free. It's best to arrange the dcsib'l1 so you can sit comfortably without using this brace since you only need it in rough conditions. Without a curved seat and foot brace, you may need 10 rig some fonn of seat belt system that wi ll

h .. "Cp you in place when heeled over or bouncing about for any reason.

LOCATION AND LIGHTING The location of the nav station

doesn't really matter. A nav station is usually placed next to the companionway, which is good since you can talk back and forth to the cockpit from there. But this is also a very wet place, so it pays to have a spray curtain tha t hangs between you and the companionway. (figure 1:C) This serves two purposes. Fi rst, it keeps your gear dry- or more precisely,

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TECH REPORT

66

Without a doubt, the single most important aid to navigation is a pencil holder (for pencils, dividers and flashlight) and a holder for parallel rulers or plotter that is within arm's reach in front of you, outside of the chart table

limits the water on your charts to that which runs off of your own rain gear. Second, it blocks out the light so your work at night does not interfere with the helmsman.

This last point is an important one. The navigator has to work at night, but it is equally important that no light reach the cockpit As you know, even the faintesllight makes steering illllight vel)' difficult. Often, even stock steering compass lights are too bright. In Sh0l1, it pays to think this through so you don', end up duct tapi ng yourself into a cocoon.

As for the nay table lights themselves. I have Tlever seen an "idea lff

specialized nay table light. I refer here to the special1 igh ts of various designs intended to emit focused light or dim light or red light and so on. The famous, standard gooseneck light, for example, is nearly useless since, gooseneck or not, you can't see the whole chart with it. Lift the chart table lid, and you can't see anything. A di fferen t, more expensive type th at comes dose to solving the problem is mounted on a pivot and is detachable for hand usc. It has vari -

able intensity and a red light option. Perhaps two or three of these-one stored in a bag for hand usc, since they can be difficult to get in and out of the pivot-might do the job, but it is not just a ma tter of buying one of these fancy lights and screwing it in wherever it seems to fit best. In any event, a 2XAAA flashlight (or equivalent) in the tools holder is a must for specia l usc, such as reading dials, corners of a chart, etc.

For longer jobs, I prefer to put a fixed white light over the table and then cover the en tire area in some way. For shon jobs, a handheld nash light works well provided it has a permanent home ncar the table so you can always find it when you need it. Individuals will likely differ on this, but I find it difficult to see pencil lines in Ted light. Also, the coloring on charts looks different in red light and takes some getting used to. Red light, by th e way, has no special significance to protecti ng night vision. The main factor is intensity, and red lights are not bright, hence their value. A low level white light is just as good, and to me, preferable.

SHARP PENCILS AND A SECURE LID

Scats and lights are im portant , but not th e most important factor when it comes to nav sta tions. Without a doubt, the single most important aid to navigation is a pencil holder (for pencils, dividers and nashlight) and a holder for parallel rulers or plotter that is wi th in arm's reach in front of you, oUlside of Ihe charI table. (figure I: D and E) With these holders, you can find your tools when you need them and you always have a place to put them between uses. OthelWise, they will gel lost or broken. Without these holders, at some point in your life, you wi ll want to draw a line, won't be able to find a pencil, won't draw the line, and will later regret it.

1 used to strongly prefer thin-lead mechanical pencils, with the lead advance button down near the point, but this is obviously just a personal preference. Any pencil and a way to keep it sharp will do. A NO.2 lead is traditionally considered optimum, with a NO.1 lead purported to be so soft that it smears, and a NO.3 too hard to see or erase. I prefer NO.1

because it can be seen well on damp charts. Over the years, however, 1 have tended to migrate back to conventional NO.2 pencils, rather than mechanical-the lead change is probably related to sai ling on larger boats that are drier! Again, though, the pencil plus sharpener system must be well-tested. Sometimes we blame bad sharpening on the sharpener, when the problem is actually the pencil.

The space inside the chart table, under the tid, is essentially llseless. This may seem surprising, but check under the lids of a few chart tables to get the point-and you may get JUS1

that, the point of the dividers! The chart table is simply too convenient a place to store whatever has to be put down in a huny. My standard


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My favorite pencil holder is a short tube attached to a shelf or bulkhead

in it, remind people what the chart table is for. A tall square plastic frui t juice bottlc is ideal for thi s type of pencil holder,

below. Again, it will be used more often if it is easy to get to. Needless to say, the compass at the nav station has to be adjusted and its calibration monitored.

advice is thi s: make an absolute nile that nothing is put into the chart table. Then when il fill s to overflowing, just forget about it. You wi ll not

be counting on that space. Nevertheless, you still have a chart

table lid to deal with. which must be secured for a 180" roll. We forgot that once during a pre-race iTlspection and were cited for it. But during the time the inspector checked the rest of the boal. we drilled a hole in the side of the chart table and one in the board beside it and stretched a bungee cord between them, secured with figure eights inside to hold down the lid. (figure 1 : F) To lift the lid , we could pull th e cord toward us; then put it ba ck when we d osed the lid . This passed muster and off we went. Our rule-beater solution actually turned out to be excellent. The cord not only doesn't get in the way, but serves very nicely for holding down charts and books whi le underway. 1 have since used thi s same system on every ocean voyage wi th a standard chart table lid. You can remove the bungee in calm waters and the holes are barely noticeable. Or use bails underneath the table.

My favorite pencil holder is a short tube attached to a shelf or bulkhead. The tube from an empty toilet paper roll does the job in a pinch- duct taped over the bottom, with ti ssue stuffed inside to protect the bottom from divider points, then taped to the wall. This elegan t design has made il across oceans more than once. It holds pencils , pencil-type erasers and dividers. As soon as engine keys, sunglasses and various other things start appearing

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and this is the type 1 have used for years, always having a few on hand

and ta king one onto each new boat. Some time ago in a magazine slory about Whitbread Round the World race boats, they showed the nav station of one boat that had more than 575,000 worth of electronic nav gear, and righ t in the middle of this sluff was taped to the bulkhead th is exact type of juice bottle used for a pencil holder. Needless to say, this vessel won my heart immediately.

THE COMPASS [fyou carry a backup steering

com pass, the chart tabletop is a good place to store it, so it can be used for navigation reference at the table. When mounting it, keep in mind what might be stored under it in drawers. Check it occasionally with the steering compass, and if they disagree start pulling drawers open to sec if th e com pass needle moves. If it does, you found the villain.

Some handheld bearing com passes can be mounted on or near the chart tabl e and used for reference, but a dedicated, adjustable compass is the best bet. These days, a digital

Besides the compass, it is very convenient to have electronic readouts at the nav stiltion for all navigation instruments. This makes logbook en tries easier for everyone and makes the tacti cs easier for the navigator. Several navigators' ta sks require knowing compass heading and knot meter speed, such as solving true wind computations, figuring set and drift from GPS values of COG and SOG, and if you have speed and heading at hand you do not have to keep asking for it from the cockpit. The never-cnding question of the navigator "What is your cou rse?" can then be answered wi thout disturbing anyone.

Keeping the desired course in print in view of the helmsman is another sort-of nav station issue to be solved . The value of having thi s written down on deck for quick reference cannot be over stressed . When the course changes, cross Ollt the old and write in the new. Th is will help everyone stay on course and be a quick reference if forgotten in fatigue or tension of quick steeri ng in waves. In the old days of sai ling, they had elaborate mechan icalor manual devices for recording

fluxgate com pass or an elect ronic repeater from a remote unit is the more likely option for a magnetic heading reference at the nav station. It is generall y best to mount th e handheld bearing compass just inside the companionway so it can be reached from the cockpit without going

Keeping the desired course in print in view of the helmsman is another sortof nav station issue to be solved

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TECH REPORT

68

the course, always posted in direct view of the helmsman.

THE BAROMETER Unless it is intended for decoration, the barometer should be mounted in the nay station in dear view of someone standing next to the chart

entries of pressure will be of little value. A well-p<.lsitioned barometer can be valuable even for inland day sai ling or racing.

THE SEXTANT A rack for th e sextant case is vi lal

for offshore work and can be highly

berth, but high enough to Ilot take up useful space, and easy to reach standing next to the nay statiOll.

With the box mounted, after you ta ke the sextant Oll l , you do not have to worry about storing the box with only one free hand. A sextant sight to measure the angular heigh t

Nav Station Supply List • Penlight-style flashlight (for the pencil holder) • Pencils and sharpener (well-tested ahead of time) • Dividers (Ultralight speed-bow is top choice by far) • Parallel rulers (1S " clear plastic is popular) • 3600 square protractor (multiple uses and vector solutions) • 18" ruler or P72 type (for extending lines and more) • Weems rolling plotter (when it works, it works well) • Erasers (pencil type and larger gum type) • Large post office rubber bands (excellent for organizing) • Industrial Velcro (for improvised mounting of things) • Highlight markers (several colors) • Sharpie pens (fine point and bold, several colors) • Post-its (for notes to yourself) • Navigation notebook (for personal records)

table- th is is where most crew stand when fi lling in the logbook. To be of any value at all, you must be able to look straight onto the barometer dial to minimize parallax. and most aneroid devices must be lapped gently to get an accurate reading-the exceptions being instruments like Fischer Precision Aneroid Harometers, which

are essentially friction free. Generally, one is looking for small

changes in pressure and you sim ply can't gauge these from an angle, leaning over obstructions. A barometer should also have a flashlight mounted next to it for nighttime reading. Again, if it is not convenient to gel readings from it, logbook

valuable for in land and coastal sai ling as welL Distance off and precision position fixing from vertical and horizontal sextant angles are important practical techniques in navigation that do not get used often, in part because most boats don't have a sextant handy. The techniques are easy to learn and apply.

Even if a sextant is on board, it is often buried. One solution is a convenient rack for the box, or better still , an arrangement that mOllnts the box itself to the bulkhead. I have often found that the bulkhead between nav station and quarter berth is a good place to mount such a rack. The sextant is then inside the quarter

of a hill is then jllst as convenient as taking a bearing to it. A bearing and a sextan t height give you a fix. If this hill is Ihe only thing in sight. you have just done a nice piece of navigation.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS For extended sailing, il pays 10

have headphone adaptors on all radios. This way the navigator can li sten to weather reports without disturbing the off watch. It 's also vely helpful to have a built-in tape recorder, or a rack for your personal tape recorder near the radios so YOll can tape weather broadcasts. If reception is poor, yOIl may need the ta pe to

BLUE WATER SAILI NG . A,,;11010

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replay several times to get the message. Other times you may be busy or needed on deck. You can have the tape set up and the radio tuned, turn them on when your wrist alann goes off, and go back to whatever duty calls. Or you can ask someone to turn on the tape and radio at a particular time so you can sleep.

One thing [ learned the hard way a long time ago was the value of a small, battery-operated nav station fan. (figure 1: G) [ts purpose is simply to help cool off the navigator in hot weather. And before you start hollering wimp, wimp, wimp, let me provide an ocean racing scenario from back in the days when we actually used cel nav.

It's 90" on deck in the tropics wilh a nice breeze, but it is well over "100' below decks with no breeze. Eight sa ilors have been living in a 9 x 25 x 6-fool space for 12 days wi th no laundry service. A forgotten can of frozen orange juice somehow got misplaced in a locker and exploded a week ago, and the boa t is pitching and rolling in the trades. The other seven crew are on deck having a great time in the fresh air, on their way to setting an elapsed-time record that will last 20

years- but the navigator is below decks with head spinning in the WOOle, working out sun sigh ts that must be fin ished in an hour for the afternoon position report. Now wouldn't you grant this poor devi l a small fan? Z


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NEWSLETIER FORMAT:

JUNE 96 - EPiRBs; Coc:kpit canvas for heavy weather:

new canvas products, rep~ir & maintenance

AUGUST 96 - Hand-bearing compasses; Heaving-to the

modern way, with teumiques for fin-keel boal5

OCT. 96 -Storm jibs for voyagers; Crew-overboard tests,

Part II: the latest in crew-overboard devices

NOV, 96 - Inside eight blue water autopilots; High

powered spotllghl5 tested; Passage to tile Caribbean

JAN, 97 - Seasickness report: modern remedies; Inside

the Ma5(ln 43; Oassk passage to New Brunswick

FEBRUARY 97 - Sea anchors;Tartan 37; Satterymonitors

for onboard charging systems; Passage toY\lcatan, Mexico

APRIL 97 - Provi~on for ofhlwre sailing; Interview -Jean

M)It!1'; Passage to bmaica and bad; Jl40

MAY 97 - Provisioning, Part II, for long-range cruising;

Canning and pre§erving food: interview - Cabot Lyman;

passage from Hawaii to Tahiti; Shannon 43

JUNE97 - Solarpanel installation & maintenallCe; Nigel

Calder;Tayana 37; Passage: England,

JULY 97 - Refrlgerai10n systetll5 for long-range cruising;

Seamanship: the roller furling has jammed in a gak!; pas

sage to Polynesia; Interview with Bob Perry

AUGUST 97 - Wind generators for living aboard; OaS5ic

passage via the Atlantic Isles; Retrieving tile main halyard

at sea; Inside the revolutionary Fo~ 50

NOV 97 - Windlas.ses for voyaging boats; tnterview

-Alvah Simon; lee doths lor yuur sea berths; [nslde the

Pearson 424; Winter in the Med

DECEMBER 97 -Trade wind rigs that work; Understand

ing shipping lanes; Inside tile Oyster 55

MAGAZINE FORMAT:

JANUARY 98 - Caribbean 1500; Planning a circumnavi

gation; Caliber 40 & Tanton 45; Mayday re5pOnses

APRIL 98 • Self-steering opi1ons, preparing for heavy

weather at §ea, Farr 50, Nautor Swan 38

JUNE 98 - 81ue Water Salls Special Report, Mainsail

repairs, dewpoint

JULY/ AUGUST 98 - Unsinkable boats; Heavy weather

sailing; Perry Custom 43

SEPT 98 - Around Alone Preview; Custom & Semi Custom

boal5 spedal report; Tartan 40; Passages to AK. Bob Perry

on cruising sleds, part I

OCT 98 - Jan & 80b Crandall's Oyster 485; Stowable

dinghies gear re'Jlew; Admlral/Pedrlck 75, Interview with

Mark Srnrader: Bob Perry on {Tuising sleds, part 2

NOV/DEC 98 - Treasured cruising destinations; Etap's

unsinkable boats; Freedom 56; Foul weather gear; Winter

reads; Passages to the Caribbean

JAN 99 - E-mail offshore; Hylas 54; Naullt«h 43S;

Sandy Str~it, Australia

rEB 99 • Seagoing computers, part I - Inside offshore

laptops, communications at §ea; Sabre 452; Seamanship:

Becalmed: Escape to FIji

Back Issues are ' 6 each plus sIh charges

MARCH 99 - Seagoing computers, part 2 -power man

agement, software & components ;The offshore retrofit;

Moody 44; Fast Passage 39; Reindeer/ Morris 48.6;

Sydney-Hobart aftermath

MAY 99- New Sundeer 60 on a 1200-mik! passage;

Roller-furling mainsails; Anchoring for world voyagers.

Part 2; Cruising Cub~; The Offshore Retrofit , Part 2;

Seawind 30 Ketch,lnterview with Scoll & Kitty Kuhner;

Trop ical to ExIr~tropicaITran§itions

JUNE 99 -Trade Wind Sailing: rigs, sails, whisker poles;

Cabo Rico 40: Aerodyne46; Cruising Indonesia: Spindrift

10 dinghy; Heavy weather prep

JULY/AUGUST 99 - Heavy Weather Sailing, Sp«ial

Report; Oassic PaS5age- LandfaJi Polyne§ia; The Dufour

45 Classic; Bob Perry's Lexicon of Yacht Design; The

Ship's Sarometer

SEPT 99 - Refrigeration for voyaging boal5; Mainsail

choices; Seagoing galJeys;; M~king ~ marriagt! work off

shore; Foul-weather gear, Serendipity 43: Horloron 48

OCTOBER 99 ~ Electronic navigation chart programs

tested and reviewed; Refrigeration-Insulating the reefer

box; Beneteau 411; Saga 3S; AIer1- man-overboard gear

test; Dan Becker's Atlantic Grde

NOV/ DEC 99 - Alberg 35- converting a coastal crul§er to

an ocean voyager for S45 ,000; Oyster 62; 20-Twentieth

Century breakthroughs; Provisioning; Headsails; Sailing

Foundation Tether Study; Padfic Cirde Crui§e

JANUARY ZOOO - Welcome to the Digital Chart Table,

Caribbean Cruising; Island effects In the trades; How

to stow your stuff ; Sh~nnon 47; Explorer 44; Island

Padet2g

FEBRUARY 2000 - Metal cruising boats; cruise the

Caribbean; Westerly O<eanlord 41

MARCH 2000 • Going Far & Forelgn- retrofitting your

boat; Oassic Passage to Maine; Review of X-Yachts

442; Center Cockpits

APRIL2000- Life Rafts for voyagers; Beneteau 38 after

70,000 miles: Air-§ea r~ue; Moody 46 and 1/46: Bill

Cook 53 Motorsailer; Caribbean 1500 spedal report

MAY 2000 - Le~ve ~ cle.an wake: storm lactiG; Trans

atlantic weather routing; Aerodyne South 35; Mojo- 68

foot Nelson Marek

JULY/AUGUST 2000 - Cost of cruising; cruising with

guns; Nordic 44; Offshore Explorer 4750; Outbound 44

SEPTEMBER 2000 - Stellar 52; Contour 47; Bob PeTTY

on Voyaging Rigs ; Classic Passage- Juan de Fuca to

Pan~m~: Europe New M~n One Star Rue Report

OCTOBER 2000- Soth Issue!; sail to Bermuda on Island

Packet 420; diesel detail5; Panama to Florida

NOVEMBER/ DECEMBER 2000 -BT Challeflge, Inflat

able lile vests, Exploring Iceland, Diesel maintenance,

koanne~u 45,2

JANUARY 2001- Ei«tronlc Navigation: Watchkeeplng

for Couples & Small Crews; No problem in theTuamotus;

Prout Quest 33; Keeping your engine cool

FEBRUARY 2001 - Lessons ~bound on ~ Caribbean

crossing; Communications offshore; Home schooling

at sea, pt2; Morris 4S

MARCH 2001 - The Ilavigator's b<lg of tricks; Rally

SalUng; Hallberg-Rassy 46; Alberg 30; Capsized and

Oismasted in the Southern Ocean

APRtL 2001 - Crul§e Panama & San Bias; diy diesel

repair; Aerodyne 38 & Beneteau 47; rescue at sea

MAY 2001 - Heineken Regatta 2001 ;The News from

Or. Snooze; Medical Insurance Afloat; X-482; The Gulf

Stream

JUNE 2001 - Weather at Sea; Canning and Dehydrating

Food; DIY Engine Alignment; The Med; Fast Passage 40

IULY/ AUGUST 2001 - Guide to World Sailing Adven

tures,Crulsing Indonesia. Health and the Offshore Sailor,

Aerodyne 47

SEPTEMBER 2001 - In-boomfurlers, Living the cruising

life-a re~lity {heck, North to Sulawesi,Cabo Rico 45,The

Unsinkable crui§er-Etap 395

JANUARY 2002 - Latest tools & techniques for offshore

navigators, Choosing the right propelltr, the SalearlG,

1/ 40 refit, Bahamas bound

MARCH 2002 - New England to tile Canadian Maritimes,

Cruising mulithuJls, Olesel engine eledrlcs,wlthout a

fridge, squalls, Saga 35

APRfL 2002 - Perfect dinghy, Comfort afloat, staysails,

Gulf Stream CroS5ing, North Wind 43. Wharram CaI5

MAY 2002 - Cruising Centr~1 America's Rio Dulce, sail

trim 5(llutlons, hand bearing compasses, cruising w/steel,

Silver l'IIantom 44

IUNE 2002 - Personal gear for safety and comfort,

fiJI Bound, Cordage, aluminum cruisers from France,

Labrador

AUGUST 2002 - Emergendes at Sea, Radar, Cruising

Turkey's turquoise coast. dose call with a supertanker,

Oehler 39

SEPTEMBER 2002 - New boal5, South Pacific, Sailling

Iceland, The lap~nese Isles, Hot new gear

OCTOBER 2002 - Annual Gallery of Great Blue Water

Boats, Rangiroa,l<Ilest on 12-\1011 DC generators

NOVEMBER 2002 - Sali, Battery systems basics, Oyster

49, Scotland's west coast. south to the Caribbean

JANUARY 2003 - Cuba, Modern nav systems, Outbound

44,gelling over opening hurdles in bluewater sailing

MARCH 2003 - Modem mulithulls, Provisioning your

boat In foreign lands, Island Packet 385, Voyage of

Nakomis part I[

APRIL 2003 ~ DinghIes, tenders,liferalts; After 50,000

miles on a Hylas 54. Kanter 54, Nakomis ptll l

MAY 2003 - Sails for crui§ers, Gulf Stream passage;

LA to HawaII; Norlh Wind 58, Beneteau S7, Voyage 01

Nakomis pt IV

JUNE 2003, St.Peiersburg, Russla ,Alberg 30, Beneteau

423 test

JULY 2003- World Salling Adventures, Caribbean

weather, Leopard 47. Norway's ijords

DECEMBER 2003- Cabin heaters, around the world on

S30,OOO, Block Island to NZ, Marquesas to theTuamotus,

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Morris 51

JANUARY 2004- Selecting (Jew, negoti~te Rangiroa

Pass, Gulf of Mexico, Wauquiez Pretorien 35, powered

winches

MARCH 2004- Multihulls, antifouling paints, cruising

the Caribbean, GMDSS

APRil 2004 - Costs of auising, sail Antarctica, outboard

engines, X-43

MAY 2004 - Weather ~eb, latest in safety & gear,

Saga 48, Design competition winners

JUNE 2004 - Anchors, headsalls, read weather maps,

ugoon 410, Cabo Rico 42 Pilothou:;e

SEPTEMBER 2004 - Polynesia to Christmas Island, the

best new mono & mulithulls, Catalina 470

OaOBER 2004 - Strait of Malacu, barometers,

hurrlcanes-sumvlng Charley, Oyster 62, Valiant SO

NOVEMBER 2004 - CroMing the Pacific, Malta to Turkey,

(Julslng Cartagena, fitting out on a budget, CaJlber 47

lRC SE, T~rtan 34

DECEMBER 2004 - Cruise & charter Belize, Bahamas,

Pacific NW, Italy, Cigale 14

JANUARY 2005 - Offshore navigation & communia

tlons, hurrlane season, PS

FEBRUARY 2005 - 100th Issue!, multihulls, Ted Hood's

No Comproml:;e 54

MARCH 2005 - Worldwide cruising roundup, exploring

South Georgia Island, best In binoculars, bilge pump

that work, Nao;y 44

APRil 2005 - Communications for crui:;ers, motorsail

ers, Bermuda & b<lck, watchkeeplng

MAY 2005 - Jor.; of sailing offshore, 10 family friendly

rallies, watertight doors, 5.an Diego to Virginia, Najad

440. boat schooling JUNE 2005 -Ptrsonal safety gear, Fiji Isles, St.lawrence

River pt, I, :;ealants, compounds & adhesives, , 65

JULY 2005 - BVls, 51. lawrenu pI. 2, cruising as

young adults

AUGUST 2005 -Panama Canal, Intracoastal Waterway.

wrec:k & salvage in the South Pacific, Bruckmann 50

motorsailer

SEPTEMBER 2005 - 33 new cruising boats for 2006,

24,000 miles abo:ard a Hunter 466, the 'Great Loop',

100 tips hurricane safety

OCTOBER 2005 - 6 ways to save a man overboard, cruise

Alaska, Catalina 440

NOVEMBER 2005- tum your boat intoa p(lSSagemaker,

downwind sailing, Gulf Stream, cruising storIes around

the world

DECEMBER 2005 - Discover paradise under sail, great

gifts, Hunter 45CC

JANUARY 2006 - High-tech communiations, storm

passage, sail repair. Island Packet 440

FEBRUARY 2006 - Cruising mulithulls, cell phone solu

tions, Hallberg-Rassy 62

MARCH 2006 -Your summer sailing vacation, 10 rallie!l

& events you an join. Seamanship quiz, 20 ways to build

sailing & cruising .\.kills, Shannon 43

APRIL 2006 - Cruising stories from around the world.

38 tips for trouble·free cruising; the spring launch.

high-tech hurrlane tr;J(k/ng. Dufour 385

MAY 2006 -37 personal safety tips; how clouds forecast

weather; 5wan 46

JUNE 2006 - 10 ways to build your skills; why women

love the cruising life; Herb Hilgenberg;Tartan 3400

JULY 2006 - World 5./IIIIng Adventures; England to the

Med l'ia french Canals; Insulation; Hanse 400

AUGUST 2006 - Cruising chef; securing for a hurrlane;

email; Newfoundland; Beneteau 423, Ovni 395

SEPTEMBER 2006 - New crui:;ers for 2007; Suwarrow;

heavy weather sailing; Estonia

OCTOBER 2006 - In-water lay up; passage pl~nning;

Hunter, Jeanneau, Beneteau 49s, rallies

NOVEMBER 2006 - fitting out for nuising; fear at sea;

N.A, ocun conveyor; [tap 46 & Morris 42

DECEMBER 2006 - G~at cruising destinatiGJI5; Glbralter

to Morocco; energy systems afloat

JANUARY 2007· Communication systems, motorsallers

& trawlers, slet!p at allchor

FEBRUARY 2007 - Crulslog multi hulls, Caribbean 1500,

bow thrusters

MARCH 2007 - Summer sailing vacations, better sail

trim, cruising on a budget

APRIL 2007 -Tips to prepare for the sailing season,Ted

Hood's Expedition 55, transatlantic In a trawler

MAY 2007 - Safety at se~, running rigging, Fusion 40,

Mahe 36, Island Packet SP Cruiser

JUNE 2007 - Seamanship, cruising with kids, shorthanded

sailing, Oyster 53

JULY 2007 • Annual guide to World 5.alllng Adventures,

dearing customs in the Caribbean, Hallberg-Rassy 48

SEPTEMBER 2007 - 19 new cruising boats, first ocean

passage, buying a new mainsail, Kodiak, AK.

OCTOBER 2007 - Seamanship, buying hea<lsails, South

Padflc, Hunter 4505. Kadey Krogen 55, Nordhavn 56

NOVEMBER 2007 - Fitting out your boat for world cruis

Ing, buying downwind salls, E1an434, Outbound 52

DECEMBER 2007 - Cruising & charter destinations,

installing an autopilot, buying a multihull

JANUARY 2008 - Nal'igation, communicatioo & safety sys

tems,AIS, Island Packet 465, NOYis 40, Grand Banks 52

FEBRUARY 2008 - Identity theft prevention, accidental

gybe!l, genset blues, multihull madness, Morris 45

MARCH 2008 - Fitting a windvane, summer sailing vaca

tion guide, Atlantic cros5ing, Najad 44 AC

APRIL 2008 -Aground &overboard in the Arctic , annual

guide to fitting out, marille refrigeration, Outbound 52

MAY 2008 - Multihulls for cruisers, Caribbean passages,

ugoan 420, Safety at Sea

JUNE 2008 - Rigging iI sea anchor,cruising Hawaii, bot

tom paint, installing a windlass, Beneteau 43

JULY 2008 - Sailing from Canada to Ireland, trawler

$.Chools, BVI, crimping terminals, Cablin~ 375

AUGUST 2008 - Multlhull keels vs daggerboards, maine

c~t cruising, provisioning, LED lights, T~rtan 4300

SEPTEMBER 2008 - Clrcumnavi9<lting Antigua, new

cruising bo:ats, foul weather gear, Hanse 540e

OCTOBER 2008 - Inside modern cruising boats, boom

preventer, Virgin [slands explora~on,crulslng catamarans

Order by phone: 888·800·SAI L (7245) or

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all back Issues

NOVEMBER 2008 - Upgrading your boat, explore Alaska,

light air sailing, Seawind 1000 Xl

DECEMBER 2008 - Multlhulls for cruising, alternative

energy systems, best charter deals, Admiral 40

JANUARY 2009 - Crui:;e Curacao to Cartagena; Robinson

Crusoe Island; the missing generation; communiation

systems: blister-fret! hulls: Jeanneau 44i

FEBRUARY 2009 - Cruising IndGJIesia; Dobroson 50;

Kadey Krogen 58; offshore navigation

MARCH 2009 - Celestial navigation; cruising in the

Middle East; exploring the Jumentos, summer sailing

vaation guide; Berry Is, Jekyll Is, Cuttyhunk Is; shoal

draft sailers

APRIL 2009 • Fitting out your boat; refitting In foreign

ports; crulslog the french anals; Kadey Krogen 55

MAY 2009 - Summer charter bargains; keep your diesel

running; Hunter 50 CC

JUNE 2009 - Florida's OryTortugas; cruising Maine; refrt

in Trin idad; passagemaking, anchoring, sail trim: J 31

JULY 2009 - Catching fISh; BaIlie Sea odyssey; world

sailing adventures: Catalina 445; Jeanneau 57

AUGUST 2009 - Cruising 'green'; navigation apps for

your IPhone; Norstar 40; Rustler 44

SEPTEMBER 2009 - Bahamas cruising guide; Panama

Canal transit, 19 bluewater boats

OCTOBER 2009 - Cruising across the Atlantic, winter

charters, repowering in paradise, Morris 52

NOVEMBER 2009 - Fitting out for work! cruising; sailing

se<lmanship; Papua New Guinu, Rivolta 43 Vintage

DECEMBER 2009 - Cllartering In the Mediterranean;

racing solo to Bermuda; Grand Soleil 545

JANUARY 2010 - Offshore navigator; Bahamas; lightning

strikes; 12 sailor's knots; Pacific Seacraft 40

FEBRUARY 2010 - Exercises onboard; the cost of cruis

ing; Suex Canal transit; Oyster 655

MARCH 2010 - Cruising the Behm, A1aslta; cruising at

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WORLD SAILING ADVENTURES

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Tim Dowling. president of Annapolis Sailing School. announced that April 3'° will be the opening day of the school's 2010 season.

Dowling noted: "We arc e ntering our second half century. and the new decade. with major additions to our course offerings."

ZOIO will feature several courses thai address sailing's new economic reality. "For thc firsllimc, we arc offering half-day refresher courses for sai lors on both the beginner and intermed iate levels: said Dowling. "Thesc courses arc an inexpensive way for former sailors to brush up their ski ll s and fe-enter the sport."

"We know r rom cxpt.'ricncc that many of our graduates go on to charter boats and find some form of

- if, -",,~

Annapolis Sailing School Announces 12 New Courses, Kidship Enrollment Special

certification very useful. This scason we have creal l..-d new courses on both the beginner and the inteml00iale level thaI lead dircctly to ASA certifica t ion.~

Dowling also noted that Kidship, Annapolis Sailing School's learn-Io-sail program, will kick off its 23'" season on May 22 '1<1. The school is extending its winter

enrollmen t special and will honor 2001) ra tes for all campers enrolled by May I "'.

"Last season we introduced two new courses aimed at older

kids who will be sa il ing on their fam ily en/is ing or

racing boats,~ said Dowling. "Both of these

courses, one of which incorporates an overnight experience, are taught. at least in part , on our Hunter 36 cruising auxiliaries. These boats will give young sai lors the confidence and the skill s to enjoy sailing on the family's boat or on a charter boat."

The Annapolis Sailing School is

America 's oldest. Established in the

summer of 1959, it was the first adul t

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MAHINA OFFSHORE E'XPEDITIONS Ocean fassagemaking with Expert Instruction

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With a combined experience of 456.000 miles and 61 YC:lflijohn and Am:mda's unique curriculum provides highly motivated sailors the opporrunity to

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AMEL 54 2006 ou won't ever discover a better cared for , cleaner, or more fastid iously fussed over example of thi s model than the one I have here in Fort Lauderdale awaiting your inspection. Just enough t ime on the engine and machinery to keep them exercised and now ready to en~

joy. The interior is unblem ished and shows no sign of habitat ion. It still smell s like new. Wh ile not a new boat , I am certain that thi s is as close as it gets at a price that represen ts

incomparable value when compared to new or her second hand sisters that have been used a lot harder. Here is unparalleled comfort , performance and safety in a package that two can capably manage and mai ntain that the whole fami ly can enjoy. No di sappointments here. Information that gently illustrates all thi s and more wi ll be gladly provided for the asking . Better yet, come and have a look.

Joel F. Potter - Cruising Yacht Specialist, LLC AmeI's Sole Associate for the Americas

CONVENIENTLY LOCATED IN FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA Phone: (954) 462-5869 Email: [email protected]

www.FreeDowns.Net

JOEL F. POTTER • CRUISING YACHT SPECIALIST, L.L.C. Passion jor Passagemaking and the Cruising Lifestyle

AMEL 54 MANAGEABLE BY TWO. SALUBRIOUS FOR SIX. Our AMEL 54 embodies all you imagine a voyaging live aboard cruiser should be. Fast and sea kindly, two can competently manage her at all times. Superman strength and gymnastic agility are not required . All sailing, maneuvering, docking and anchoring actions are no-sweat propositions thanks to clever engineering of bullet proof, and highly refined, effort saving systems. The powerful retractable bow thruster, oversized powered winches, and completely cockpit controlled furling rig ensure your days aboard will be pleasant and stress free. AI/the comforts of an upscale shore-side home are present as standard equipment. You will never wish to be elsewhere. Most importantly, your safety and security are paramount with robust construction and four watertight bulkheads describing six watertight compartments as well as a watertight engine and machinery room fully independent of and isolated from the living spaces. All of this and so much more will make the life at sea you have been planning forever a magnificent reality. May I gently acquaint you with AMEL excellence?

53 1 SUPER MARAMUS I am fortunate to 521 MANGO Full disclosure. I love this boat. 1 have several examples of this proven and cov- was there when it was first launched. My Father eted design from all different model years that and some best friends joined me as I brought it will suit a variety of budgets. All are well cared across the Atlantic . Everyone who has owned it for boats with known histories and knowledge- has been a guest in my home. Big deal?! Yes. able owners. These are all capable world cruis- This is a very special boat that has enjoyed being optimized yachts that will keep you and your ing owned by knowledgeable sailors with the family and friends smiling and safe for the du- resources to maintain and improve this MANration of your voyaging. There is something in GO like no other. It wants for nothing and is this group for almost everyone. $300,000 up. ready for you to continue the chain . $245,000.

JOEL F. POTTER· CRUISING YACHT SPECIALIST, LLC Phone: (954) 462-5869· Email: [email protected]

Amel ls Sole Associate for the Americas - Conveniently located in Fort Lauderdale

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2_ HaUb<t'J'"lb<.y 6.l t;x'"omd)' ,qu,ppeJ prin t< f.",,!)' yacht. "I'll'" bun",," "il ing. W<Old<m.IIOj--OOt. OfT=~ by Eo~"nO y..,h". coo,"'" "' to ""lUC" ()U( CllitOIn brochure 00 tho< IIR62.

2001 Il olll><'l!-R ... y 34 Shoo·Oandcd sailing i. easy in "'i •• n",,,;v< r"' ..... de;.i~""" <fu iser. C. II E." I.r>d Y,<h« f.,,-. ,u"om brochur.oo tho, IIR34,

Hallbcrg-Rassy 53 2002 .................................... $760.000 Hallbcrg-Rassy 62 2ClOo' .. ......................... .. ..... S I.550.000 Hallbcrg-Rassy 46 2001 ......................................... SOLO Haliberg_Rassy 42 1982 .. . ............ .. . S IIl4.500 Haliberg_Ras,y 43 2006 ... .. ... ..... .. ...... Reduced $549.000 Haliberg_Ras,y 34 2001 ................. ... . ........... .. . S I76.500

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SWAN 68-20: In.oched in 200:). tom/only~. will, recent Ieok deck'. ""9illl!ond ger.e<dor, hull poi ... oro:! ok Spedro soils. 4 spreodeo: carbon most. porlc crvenue boom. 71 ' 0 ..... """. with e><Iended tmn.om. laye renter coc:kpit. ~n... four robin inlerior with sIoroge OO!O in !he forep.d<. fost. e~ C1Ji'ingo/ its ~nest.lying BVl',. $1,875,000.

SWAN 77-007 DH (1997): A ,pec/o<;ulo. cruising 5won. duol voltoge. full a/c. lewmor Commander hydraulic furlin-g/winche,/windlass. bow thruster. dive comp""so,. beautiful teak int .... ior. A perfo.monce hull de.igned by Ge.mon fren. cruising the Coribbeon, ot $1,999,999.

EAST8AY 43 HX (2002): Very lighrly used. Ie .. thon 1000 hovn "" Iwin 450 HP Cots. immaculate interior with two ''''teroom,. moste. i, qu",," i,lond berth forwa.d. new batterie,. new e~te60. varni,h. in,ide ,to.ed in Jome,town. RI. at $425,000.

Swan 41 / 017TR (1974): Toll 'ig •• ingle .pread ..... do .. ic 5 & 5 line •• I>On .kid decks with teak in cockpit. originolgekoot, Pro Furl. Monitor "'~ .teering. twa new iib •• windl",., Max Prop. B&G in.t.umen t. and pilot. on mooring in St. John. U5VI 01 $85,000.

DEHLER 391 (2001) fast. yet eosily hoocIed JucleI/ Vrd iik design. 6'6' droft. digilol roder. ne'N plotter, Sirius ........aher <JYefloy. 3[:( lOClin, cheny shined interior. Iorge .pIey end d shower. German ""9ineered. \O)'JU know it'sgood. Lying~ $229,000.

INTRODUCING RUSTlER YACHTS: 24' cknsic dc,yso iler based upon a David Boyd des~. Avoi~ with Inixxnl diesellEledriclwlboard, d.oice 01 huI cob-. Soils/ ~k deck. sbnd",d. Selden keel .~ mo,t & boom. Bose price fm.n $68,000 "'ilowey. e:<. N""'J'O'f.

SWAN 38-016 (1974): In immoevlote condition. with ne'N Yarvnor with 50 houn. "'>eke.. teak deck. done 1995. orig inal gekoot. cu,1om boom, Horl.:eo tr~er • new .oil inventory indo 3Dt',. rudder .ebuilt •• odor/ ouk>pilot/GPS/SSB/B&G, lying N......"ort ot $139,000.

JEANNEAU DS43 (2003): Oed: ",loon. incnodhly 5fX>cious C1Jising 1xlcI. 2 cd,in version. Yonma 751,> diesel. a/c. wot .... mol<e •• solor ponels •• odo. orch. davits. g.eat eI.rlonics. ne'N Ncrl, ",ils in 20.)8, equi~ to go aoo,.o:j he~. (sistlnhip phoo)~. $249 000.

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BROKERAGE

- SAGA 409 By Pacific Seacraft

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2007 SAGA 409 The Saga 409 has been described as the evolution of the cruising yacht. Built to cruise quickly and safely, her styling reflects her purpose. Built by Pacific Seacraft and located in

Washington , NC. Special equipment for this fast cruiser includes in-mast furling, variable geometry rig with Code-O spinnaker, twin Diamond Series Edson wheels, carbon fiber rudder, electric Harken

cabintop winch , heavy-duty stern rai ls and bow pulpit, radar/antenna arch, glass-mat batteries, and more. The interior is beautifully finished in varnished cherry complemented with dark Corian cQuntertops.

You must see this Saga 409 to experience first-hand just how extraordinary she is. $398,000.

Carolina Wind Yachting Center

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Scandinavian Yachts ........... 89 Alpenglow Lights .................. 73 401 -846-8404 406-889-3586 Wellingon Yacht Partners ... 91

401-683-6070

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BLUE HORIZONS

Marigot Bay, Saint Martin By Bob Angle

As a teenager growing up in Pennsylvan ia, I didn't want to travel morc than 50 miles from home. But after a

visit to the islands at age 18, I didn't want to go home at all!

When asked to help deliver a 47-fool sailboa t from Annapolis to Marigot Bay, J couldn 't pack my sea bag fast enough. My last delivery to SainI Martin was in 2005 and [ was glad to sec that things hadn't changed much. Saint Martin, particularly Marigot Bay, holds a charm that is magnetic and conlinues to draw me back. The Dutch side of the island is fUll, if yOll want wristwatch and gold chain shops along with legions of tourists off cruise shi ps. But if French colonial archilechlfc, bellyfilling Creole food, friendly people and a slower pace of life are more your style. Marigot can't be beat. Sure the walkways arc sometimes uneven. the historic buildi ngs need a little TLC and there is the occasional bit of trash in the street but have you seen Center City. U.S.A. lately?

All the selvices a yachtie needs arc available at the dean. efficiently run Fort-Louis Marina, our port of entry. Three friend ly staff greeted us at the ent rance to the marina in a dinghy

and directed us to our sli p, where they secured the boat to the mooring ball Med style. Just ou tside the marina, a la rge anchorage with plenty of room for longer visits is also ava ilable. Once through customs at the marina office, we were off to enjoy the town. Food and adult beverages are usually on the minds of sailors fresh off a passage, and Marigot Bay did not disappoint.

The harbor is lined with many tourist restaurants. but since we were more interested in Creole food. we decided to bypass the obvious. Much to our surprise. just steps across the street from the tourist dives was Chez Coco. a Creole restaurant with curry chicken. goat. conch. shrimp, fish and ox tail. My hearty meal included fresh salad, a massive mound of flavored rice and peas. fried plantains, potato salad and a delicious portion of fa ll-off-tile-bone cu rry goat all washed down with Presidente beer. The bill was much less than what I would normally spend for a modest lunch during the days when my uniform was a suit. Give a wide berth to the other Creole restaurant near Chez Coco.

The setting is authentic, but the food has gone tourist following a review in the New York Times travel sect ion. A second grea t spot for inexpensive local cuisine is Lucy's Snack Restauran t on Rue de la Hollande. What it lacks in ambiance, it makes up in taste and low price.

One morning. we had breakfast at the Banana Cafe a few streets back from the harbor. Th e smiling. gregarious owner selVed two cups of espresso and th en purposefully stumbled as if spilling the third cup in the skipper's lap. The cup was filled with air! With a big sm il e on his face, he said. "Have fun, mon .. li fe is too short.ff Indeed, Ollr time in Marigot Bay went far too quickly. _ -Do you hl.We u fuvorite anchomge or harbor? Share it with BWS reoders by sending a short deSCription und a high·res pllOtogmph or two to v(I/[email protected]

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year history

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