Skip,
Be safe out there. Fatigue is not your friend.
Wayne B
===========================================
On Sun, Jul 27, 2008 at 10:46 PM, Skip Gundlach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Life's a beach, Part II...
>
> We're in Fernandina Beach, on Amelia Island, having returned from
> 15 weeks ashore, getting ready to leave for Maine, thus the Part
> II, here being where we left you last time. This was being
> written in the middle of July, but as you'll see below, it's up
> to date...
>
> So, what's up in the future? Lydia returned about ten days ago,
> and, assuming we're buttoned up on the remaining issues, and set
> up with customized weather forecasting over the radio, plus
> cooperation from the weather conditions, we'll set sail for Maine
> sometime early next week. Between now and then, we'll do some
> minor sea trialing, as well as get a couple of last-minute
> shipments in the office.
>
> Those reading Lydia's log know that we've been testing a unit
> which will email a few people who need to know, when you push the
> "OK" button, and otherwise and also give you a googlemaps view of
> the track we're on. You'll be able to track us as we go; if
> there's a signal, we're floating :{))
> http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?&glId=0sKGa9AJRCF45FaX5L5g6PLcZGvSb3nMe
> will take you to our most current track. Unfortunately, it only
> displays the last 24 hours of activity, so you won't be able to
> see a continuous track.
>
> We'll also have the pleasure of being able to pick satellite
> pictures out of the air, as the satellite goes over, through our
> satellite tracking program connected to a special High Frequency
> radio, connected to our computer.
>
> This will allow us to see, as much as 1500 miles away from us,
> any weather systems which might be forming. With hurricane
> season upon us, we'll see the realities a long way away. When
> we're full time in the Caribbean, that will be invaluable, as
> we'll have to serve as our own weather forecasters.
>
> We'll do it in one jump, assuming no weather or equipment
> failure requiring us come ashore more quickly. We anticipate
> getting on the Gulf Stream and taking advantage of the speed lift
> it provides as much as possible. One of the programs we have for
> weather is for ocean currents, so we can either avoid counter
> currents, or take advantage of the lift, so we'll keep as close
> to the Gulf Stream as possible, or take advantage of the
> helpful - though slower - inshore currents.
>
> Another program is one for wind speeds, and I've been tracking
> our route for over a week. Winds, nearly always southwest, have
> been relatively light, but never dead, nor extra stiff. Of
> course, if Bertha had come ashore in any of those areas, the wind
> arrows (symbols which show the velocity and direction of wind)
> would have a great deal more feathers! Anway, it looks almost
> like a spinnaker run for the entire trip, or at least hanging out
> all the canvas for the rare (unless our speed increases the
> angle, and moves it forward from the nearly-astern of the
> forecasts) beam reach.
>
> On the other hand, if there's NO wind, we'll sit and sunbathe,
> and swim, and read, and otherwise relax. We want this to be a
> sailing voyage, and unless there were an emergency, we want never
> to turn on the engine other than arrival and departure
> conveniences. So, we'll sit and marvel at mother nature.
>
> Otherwise, we expect a 10 day best, very unlikely, to probably
> more like 2-2.5 week passage. I'll use that time to study up for
> the general-level Ham exam, read some of the many books we
> brought, and, if the wind and sun cooperate, watch some of the
> 600 movies we have aboard. The wind and sun bit is that we
> generate our power that way, and store it in a massive battery
> bank. When the wind's blowing, and the sun's shining, we pull in
> a lot of power. If there's ample battery capacity, we might
> "blow" some of the stored power by running the gear needed for a
> movie.
>
> On the other hand... If it's really blowing (say, over 20
> knots), our wind generator will oversupply the battery. That's
> the time that all of the rechargeable items aboard are plugged
> in, we get out the vaccum, and when it's over, if it's still the
> same way, pop some popcorn in the mikey, and relax with a good
> movie.
>
> So, we're very much looking forward to this trip. If I'm
> successful in getting it posted for me, I'll try to make regular
> reports in this log mailing list, so you'll see what's happening
> with our progress. The SPOT tracker is literally amazing, in
> that if you visit the website, you'll see where we are every ten
> minutes. If it's transmitting, it's afloat - and so are we :{))
> You'll be able to see us every splash of the way.
>
> I'll save the balance of this for just before our departure, when
> we'll be able to give you definitive information about our plans
> and our trip.
>
> ********
> Lydia's done lots of other things since she arrived. We needed a
> new mast boot (what keeps the water out of the boat, instead of
> pouring down the hole left when the mast went through the deck),
> and other deck chores done. She's made our provisions list and
> will buy them just before we leave.
>
> We're going by way of the Gulf Stream's extra lift, and then
> sticking with the lesser northbound currents. About Cape Cod or
> so we'll turn north and head for Maine.
>
> A new fishfinder has lighted up our binnacle, too, in our refit,
> and I cut a new plate for the NavPod in which it and the prior
> items are being mounted.
>
> So, we're doing sea trials, to make sure all the new gear is like
> it should be, and that all the rest of our modifications are
> standing up to actual use, tune our rig, and head out.
>
> Our first trials were Saturday July 26, as we left on the
> afternoon tide-fall at about 4:30. We could not have asked for a
> better day to sail, despite NOAA's usual inaccuracy. In this
> case it worked to our favor, as the wind was nearly double the
> doldrums forecast.
>
> It was a good time to test out our gear, in general. Sure enough
> some, minor failures occurred - two with the sail system. First,
> the shackle holding the swivel from the main sheet (the thing
> which controls the angle of the boom) apparently lost its clevis
> pin, and the boom crashed outward.
>
> Fortunately, we were on an extremely close point of sail (heading
> nearly into the wind), and it just luffed (flapped without
> providing drive). We came into the wind, dropped the sail, and
> as we did so, suffered our next failure.
>
> The lazy jacks' (which help guide the sail to stay on top of the
> boom rather than falling off to one side or the other) hoisting
> line, going to about 2/3 up the mast, on the starboard side,
> parted. That is, it failed. It was right at the turning block
> (a pulley mounted to the mast), a point of higher wear. That was
> a pretty minor problem, other than I'll have to go up the mast to
> reinstall it after I've spliced it. The splice, cutting off
> about 6 inches and losing another few for the splice itself, will
> be before the turning block, so will not interfere with the
> tightening of the jacks in the future.
>
> However, one gets spoiled once you have lazy jacks, since the
> sail is normally "corralled" instead of flopping. My cure for
> that was to backwind it a bit, holding the boom out to starboard,
> forcing the sail into the port lazy jacks, and "reefed" the sail
> as I lowered it, which tended to pull the reef points out,
> straightening the sail a bit.
>
> Once we got it settled in, I went below and got another shackle,
> installed it, and we continued with our sail. Winds were 15 knots
> or better most of the time, and we tested on both sides on all
> points of sail, from extremely pinched to reaches to a
> wing-and-wing run, followed by a jibe to the other side's
> wing-and-wing, as we came back in.
>
> Oops. Getting dark, and the tide's in strong ebb. On comes
> Perky for the last mile or so in order to not dock in the dark.
> He doesn't like extended flat-out running, so he complained a
> bit. Shutting him down for a couple (literally) of minutes while
> I sailed on the genny alone let him catch his breath, and we
> docked entirely uneventfully. The current helped hold us in
> position as Lydia lassoed a cleat on the dock, snubbed it to the
> bow, and I swung Flying Pig's hip into the other. We just picked
> up the dock lines we'd left, put the loops over the cleats
> aboard, and we were back home for the night.
>
> The final failure was our newly installed 12V power system for
> our computer peripherals, including our internet phone.
> Unfortunately, the replacement we had also failed before we even
> got it installed, so we're without some of the things we'd
> expected, but still have internet acces when we're in range.
>
> We'll have a couple of minor things to do tomorrow, after which
> we'll head out, assuming those minor things go well. We'll post
> a float plan as well.
>
> Stay tuned; when you get the float plan, we're on the way out the
> door...
>
> L8R
>
> Skip
>
> Morgan 461 #2
> SV Flying Pig KI4MPC
> See our galleries at www.justpickone.org/skip/gallery !
> Follow us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TheFlyingPigLog
> and/or http://groups.google.com/group/flyingpiglog
>
> "You are never given a wish without also being given the power
> to make it come true. You may have to work for it however."
> (and)
> "There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in
> its hands. You seek problems because you need their gifts."
> (Richard Bach, in The Reluctant Messiah)
>
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