SHIP'S LOG:
Today it is raining, then again it really has rained, at least a little, all week. Each day we got some rain and there is nothing more depressing that being on a sailboat in the rain. Now it is true that at times, when you have been sailing a lot, that it is wonderful to get a "lay day" as they refer to it on the racing scene. It is a day when you can do all, well at least some, of those little jobs that you have been putting off, general housekeeping chores and the like. I still have yet to put away last weeks clean laundry. It sits, inconsolable, on a corner of the settee in the aft cabin. Of course, the pile is growing smaller as it gets used up and eventually it will all be transferred to the laundry hamper for a trip to the laundry, but that's another story.
There is of course the "floors" that need sweeping and washing, trash cans that need cleaning, sinks and counter tops and toilets that needs scrubbing, and dishes and cups that need washing. You know, basic house cleaning. I am constantly amazed at the "dust rhinos" that show up and wonder from where. You would think that a quarter mile from the shore, they would have real trouble "migrating" this far, but they show up in absolute "herds" and in the strangest places. For some reason one of their favorite places is underneath the teak grating that is the cockpit floor. It is important to roust them out of there for when they get soaked from rain or spray, they cover the scuppers that drain the cockpit and plug them. It takes about four inches of rain to then flood the cockpit and pour over into the cabin below. Clearing the scuppers is easy but handling that hairy mass is disgusting. The rhinos love obscure corners throughout the boat but for the most part tend to congregate toward the aft. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that with the forward and aft hatches open, the wind whistles through the boat fore-to-aft driving the "herd" before it.
Thus a good, rainy day is a day when you can accomplish a lot of need work that seems less important when the weather is fine for sailing. Then again, it doesn't always rain during the day. At night on those nights when rain is forecast be NOAA(Ha!), I usually close the forward hatch and just leave one port open in the aft cabin and the most aft hatch, over my berth, open. If NOAA gets it right, as highly improbably as that seems, rain will wake me and I get to close the hatch. The rain drums on the hatch and the cabin heats up(body BTUs). The when the rain stops, the silence is deafening, I open the hatch again and go back to sleep often to be awaken by a later shower. The process can go on all night and is not fun.
When I got up this morning and called the launch, I noticed that a boat further down in the mooring field had a small problem. It's Genoa had begun to unfurl and if left unfurled, it would beat itself to death, or cause itself some damage. I had the launch operator take me out and I fixed the problem. The problem was actually caused by the fact that the owners of the boat were new to sailing as were the others present that i noticed when I was on the boat. The furling line was simply to short which prevent the sail, when furled, to be secured with several loops of the jib sheets warped around it. The jib sheets were also led incorrectly and the brake on the wheel, intended to keep the wheel from turning and thus the rudder from swinging, while tightly applied, did not in fact keep the wheel from turning. Just like on a car, the brake shoes needed to be replaced. So I secured the wheel with some line. I have done such rescues" several times over the course of the summer and I am thinking that I may start a "marine service" for the people in mooring field.
It is going to rain all morning, be cloudy all afternoon, and rain again tonight. What a drag!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Days Of Summer Are Passing Fast . . . .
SHIP'S LOG:
Yesterday was actually a day that I had to drive around and do somethings and "day" is the operative word. While it actually felt "good" to be driving a car, the world, or at least the DOT, local and state, conspired against my getting anything done in a rapid manner. I would have thought that if you are going to rip up a street or twelve, that it might be nice, especially if they are main thoroughfares, that they might want to do so when there was little or no traffic. Alas, such was not the case.
I suppose that it was probably a matter of over-time pay for the police and the road crews and whatever crews there were down in the trenches that were being dug. Still in all it seemed that it would have been better for all concerned to have done the work in the evening after the beach and business traffic had lessened. I certainly would have appreciated it for it seemed that every time I tried to get around a work site, I ran smack dab into another one. Very frustrating.
The boys & girls at NOAA had a moderate success this morning. Yesterday they forecast rain/thunder & lightning during the late night which came right on cue. They also predicted severe thunder storms in the morning. It hit about 7:/30am and we had torrential rain and 40 knots of wind for about 30 minutes. All during it, NOAA had an up-to-date forecast going on and even got the exact minute of the the cessation of rain in New London. The can be uncannily accurate and detailed in at-the-moment forecast but they still seem to have real difficulties with forecasts that go beyond a few hours. I am not sure why, perhaps it is just the nature of he beast. They forecast for the day predicted thunderstorms at 10am and it was sunny and bright with nary a cloud in the sky. They predict more thunderstorms at one and 5pm. It is a crap shoot!
Yesterday was actually a day that I had to drive around and do somethings and "day" is the operative word. While it actually felt "good" to be driving a car, the world, or at least the DOT, local and state, conspired against my getting anything done in a rapid manner. I would have thought that if you are going to rip up a street or twelve, that it might be nice, especially if they are main thoroughfares, that they might want to do so when there was little or no traffic. Alas, such was not the case.
I suppose that it was probably a matter of over-time pay for the police and the road crews and whatever crews there were down in the trenches that were being dug. Still in all it seemed that it would have been better for all concerned to have done the work in the evening after the beach and business traffic had lessened. I certainly would have appreciated it for it seemed that every time I tried to get around a work site, I ran smack dab into another one. Very frustrating.
The boys & girls at NOAA had a moderate success this morning. Yesterday they forecast rain/thunder & lightning during the late night which came right on cue. They also predicted severe thunder storms in the morning. It hit about 7:/30am and we had torrential rain and 40 knots of wind for about 30 minutes. All during it, NOAA had an up-to-date forecast going on and even got the exact minute of the the cessation of rain in New London. The can be uncannily accurate and detailed in at-the-moment forecast but they still seem to have real difficulties with forecasts that go beyond a few hours. I am not sure why, perhaps it is just the nature of he beast. They forecast for the day predicted thunderstorms at 10am and it was sunny and bright with nary a cloud in the sky. They predict more thunderstorms at one and 5pm. It is a crap shoot!
Monday, August 13, 2012
NOAA Has Outdone Itself!
SHIP'S LOG:
My friends at NOAA have really outdone themselves this time. After getting Friday's forecast WRONG, they proceeded to be about as wrong as you can be on Saturday. It didn't help out TYC members' Race & Bar-B-Q as many people have to come a a distance and make their determinations to stay or go based on the weather forecast which is based on the NOAA forecasts. NOAA's forecast for Saturday in New London was fro cloudy skies with thunderstorms by 1pm that would last most of the afternoon and evening. Do I have to tell you it didn't happen? Do I have to tell you that what actually happened was 180 degrees from what was forecast? It is enough to make you wonder what they get paid to do!
Inspite of the distressing forecast, we had a pretty good turn out and the races went on, under sunny skies, as did the BBQ. Those who came had a great time and even paid for the DJ to extend his tour. It probably would have gone on past 10pm but TYC is having a little "conflict with a neighbor and it was suggested that we not "irritate him."
Sunday dawned cloudy after a drenching rain during the wee-wee hours, but by noon, it was bright and shiny again. It was a great sailing day. There were lots of sailboats out but strangely, most were operating with just one sail. It seemed as though, with the month of August fast receding and having been "screwed" out of a good day on Saturday, everyone wanted to sail but having no place really to go, decided to do so slowly.
Would that humidity would go away. Even with the rains that we did have, the humidity is still with us. "Supposedly" the harsh, dry weather of the mid-west is headed here and it would actually be a treat is the humidity goes away. It would be nice for all the dampness in the boat to dry out finally.
My friends at NOAA have really outdone themselves this time. After getting Friday's forecast WRONG, they proceeded to be about as wrong as you can be on Saturday. It didn't help out TYC members' Race & Bar-B-Q as many people have to come a a distance and make their determinations to stay or go based on the weather forecast which is based on the NOAA forecasts. NOAA's forecast for Saturday in New London was fro cloudy skies with thunderstorms by 1pm that would last most of the afternoon and evening. Do I have to tell you it didn't happen? Do I have to tell you that what actually happened was 180 degrees from what was forecast? It is enough to make you wonder what they get paid to do!
Inspite of the distressing forecast, we had a pretty good turn out and the races went on, under sunny skies, as did the BBQ. Those who came had a great time and even paid for the DJ to extend his tour. It probably would have gone on past 10pm but TYC is having a little "conflict with a neighbor and it was suggested that we not "irritate him."
Sunday dawned cloudy after a drenching rain during the wee-wee hours, but by noon, it was bright and shiny again. It was a great sailing day. There were lots of sailboats out but strangely, most were operating with just one sail. It seemed as though, with the month of August fast receding and having been "screwed" out of a good day on Saturday, everyone wanted to sail but having no place really to go, decided to do so slowly.
Would that humidity would go away. Even with the rains that we did have, the humidity is still with us. "Supposedly" the harsh, dry weather of the mid-west is headed here and it would actually be a treat is the humidity goes away. It would be nice for all the dampness in the boat to dry out finally.
Friday, August 10, 2012
Well, THat Was Special! ! ! !
SHIP'S LOG:
We had a nice little storm that came whistling through this afternoon. It lasted about 30 -45 minutes and dropped about 2 inches of rain. Had wind gusts to 60 and, since it was headed dead north, it came right up the river with nothing in the way. It really made the boats in the mooring field dance around. I happened to be aboard when it it and it felt like old times down in Florida. . . . . only it didn't last as long as some of those blows. It was however of sufficient force that I actually put the key in the ignition just in case the mooring lines parted and I had to start the engine and drive around until the storm winds dropped. But, all was fine and, as I said, it was a short term blow. Despite all the rain that fell, it didn't do much for the humidity but then again, it is August!
We had a nice little storm that came whistling through this afternoon. It lasted about 30 -45 minutes and dropped about 2 inches of rain. Had wind gusts to 60 and, since it was headed dead north, it came right up the river with nothing in the way. It really made the boats in the mooring field dance around. I happened to be aboard when it it and it felt like old times down in Florida. . . . . only it didn't last as long as some of those blows. It was however of sufficient force that I actually put the key in the ignition just in case the mooring lines parted and I had to start the engine and drive around until the storm winds dropped. But, all was fine and, as I said, it was a short term blow. Despite all the rain that fell, it didn't do much for the humidity but then again, it is August!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
The Mizzen Is No Longer Mizzen!
SHIP'S LOG:
Six boats from TYC took off Saturday to join the Annual Cruise of the Cruising Club of New England. It has been reported that the total number of boats on the cruise is 11 so it is more like the CCNE is joining a group from TYC! This year they are gathering in the pond at Point Judith for cocktails on Sunday night and then will go to Jamestown, Wickford, Greenwich and then back to Point Judith and home. It doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense when you reflect on it. For the price of club membership you get to cruise in company with others and pay for dinners and drinks ashore. True, you do get an rather interesting burgee, but you could probably easily save the money for membership and do it with friends.
The weather for the last couple of days has been spectacular from as sailing perspective. Each day has had good winds from another point of the compass rather than just from the South-West as is typical for this time of year. It has allowed me to pick points that the usual SW winds would have made a bit of work to get to. These past few days, it was basically one tack to wherever I wished to go. I have also been making use of the Mizzen when I sail. I have been a bit loathed to do so when there was a lot of tacking to be expected as it is a bit more work to use it. To tack ABISHAG when using the Mizzen, Main and Genoa, you have to
1.) Loosen the Windward Running Backstay on the Mizzen Mast and tighten the Leeward side.
2.) Snug up the leeward side Genoa sheet and insert the winch handle in the leeward winch.
3.) Turn the helm 1/2 turn to windward.
4.) Release the windward Genoa sheet and tighten the leeward Genoa sheet.
5.) Center the helm when the boom comes across.
6.) Release the leeward Mizzen sheet and tighten the windward Mizzen sheet.
7.) Trim The Genoa,
8.) Trim the Main.
9.) Trim the Mizzen.
Like I said that can be a lot of work, especially of you have to tack a dozen times getting out of the river. SO why use the Mizzen? Well, it represents about 20% of the total sail area and, as a result, it adds a significant "bump" to the power of the rig and the speed of the boat, not necessarily close-hauled, but anywhere of the wind, it is noticeable. Using the Mizzen also balances the boat better. She will track with greater ease and has less weather helm, the tendency to turn up into the wind. With the sails and adjusted correctly, I don't even have to touch the wheel. She will sail herself for long periods unattended. And lastly, it really looks great! I've got to get someone to take a picture!
Six boats from TYC took off Saturday to join the Annual Cruise of the Cruising Club of New England. It has been reported that the total number of boats on the cruise is 11 so it is more like the CCNE is joining a group from TYC! This year they are gathering in the pond at Point Judith for cocktails on Sunday night and then will go to Jamestown, Wickford, Greenwich and then back to Point Judith and home. It doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense when you reflect on it. For the price of club membership you get to cruise in company with others and pay for dinners and drinks ashore. True, you do get an rather interesting burgee, but you could probably easily save the money for membership and do it with friends.
The weather for the last couple of days has been spectacular from as sailing perspective. Each day has had good winds from another point of the compass rather than just from the South-West as is typical for this time of year. It has allowed me to pick points that the usual SW winds would have made a bit of work to get to. These past few days, it was basically one tack to wherever I wished to go. I have also been making use of the Mizzen when I sail. I have been a bit loathed to do so when there was a lot of tacking to be expected as it is a bit more work to use it. To tack ABISHAG when using the Mizzen, Main and Genoa, you have to
1.) Loosen the Windward Running Backstay on the Mizzen Mast and tighten the Leeward side.
2.) Snug up the leeward side Genoa sheet and insert the winch handle in the leeward winch.
3.) Turn the helm 1/2 turn to windward.
4.) Release the windward Genoa sheet and tighten the leeward Genoa sheet.
5.) Center the helm when the boom comes across.
6.) Release the leeward Mizzen sheet and tighten the windward Mizzen sheet.
7.) Trim The Genoa,
8.) Trim the Main.
9.) Trim the Mizzen.
Like I said that can be a lot of work, especially of you have to tack a dozen times getting out of the river. SO why use the Mizzen? Well, it represents about 20% of the total sail area and, as a result, it adds a significant "bump" to the power of the rig and the speed of the boat, not necessarily close-hauled, but anywhere of the wind, it is noticeable. Using the Mizzen also balances the boat better. She will track with greater ease and has less weather helm, the tendency to turn up into the wind. With the sails and adjusted correctly, I don't even have to touch the wheel. She will sail herself for long periods unattended. And lastly, it really looks great! I've got to get someone to take a picture!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Yawn!
SHIP'S LOG:
Both Tuesday and Wednesday were great sailing days. The wind was just fine, thank you, and the there was no rains, thank you again, and there was no humidity, say a big "Thank You!" It is great to get out sailing though the "getting out" is sometimes a bit trying. One has to overcome inertia but once that happens, the sailing is glorious. When ABISHAG is close-haul, rail-down, "scudding along with a bone in her teeth," I wish that there was nothing to prevent her from heading to the far horizon. True, six miles east or south will put you in the actual ATLANTIC Ocean, but you have to work to get there. However, the idea of picking a course, setting the sails once and just going on that tact "forever' gets very appealing.
I am afraid that the humidity is coming back and that with it will be the real potential for some serious storms. It always takes one to blow it out and often they came be quite intense. But I'll take them as the humidity just saps your strength, your energy and your enthusiasm.
Now that it is August, it has become very clear that the days are getting shorter and that heralds the onset of Fall and decision time once again. Do I stay North or go South? If I stay North, just where do I stay, since I have to find a winter home not only for ABISHAG but for me as well. If I go South, just how fare South and just where South? Less than last time or further than last time? Which do I want to deal with, winter weather or summer weather, though this past year, it was warmer at times in New England than it was in Florida! Such questions!
But then there is that sage advice from somebody or other, "Never do today what you can out off until tomorrow."
Both Tuesday and Wednesday were great sailing days. The wind was just fine, thank you, and the there was no rains, thank you again, and there was no humidity, say a big "Thank You!" It is great to get out sailing though the "getting out" is sometimes a bit trying. One has to overcome inertia but once that happens, the sailing is glorious. When ABISHAG is close-haul, rail-down, "scudding along with a bone in her teeth," I wish that there was nothing to prevent her from heading to the far horizon. True, six miles east or south will put you in the actual ATLANTIC Ocean, but you have to work to get there. However, the idea of picking a course, setting the sails once and just going on that tact "forever' gets very appealing.
I am afraid that the humidity is coming back and that with it will be the real potential for some serious storms. It always takes one to blow it out and often they came be quite intense. But I'll take them as the humidity just saps your strength, your energy and your enthusiasm.
Now that it is August, it has become very clear that the days are getting shorter and that heralds the onset of Fall and decision time once again. Do I stay North or go South? If I stay North, just where do I stay, since I have to find a winter home not only for ABISHAG but for me as well. If I go South, just how fare South and just where South? Less than last time or further than last time? Which do I want to deal with, winter weather or summer weather, though this past year, it was warmer at times in New England than it was in Florida! Such questions!
But then there is that sage advice from somebody or other, "Never do today what you can out off until tomorrow."
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
TAG
SHIP'S LOG:
After the torrential downpour of Saturday afternoon(yes, NOAA seems to have gotten that right, though that made them 1 for 3), Sunday was not a good day for much of anything. The weather was comfortable except for the fact that there was no wind. And for some reason, it sucked the energy out of everyone. People sat on the club porch and just looked out at the water and sighed. Everyone seemed to be packing a mound of stuff but nobody had the energy to do anything with it. Had anyone made a suggestion to do something, everyone probably would have gotten up to do it, but as it was no one even seemed to have the energy to make a suggestion. One saving grace is that the humidity went away for awhile but I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't be for long I'm afraid.
Now Monday, on the other hand, was a great day. It was cool(even) and had low humidity and great wind. A perfect day for sailing and that is what I did. If you wonder where I might have gone, well I went that-away for a couple of hours and then towards over-there for a couple of more, before head back "home" for the night. It was one of those glorious day when everything seemed to combine to make things perfect. Even playing "dodge'em" with the ferries on the way out didn't detract from the sail. I did have one almost dangerous encounter though. I was on starboard tack out toward the Dumplings approaching a sailboat on a reciprocal course and of course, she was on port tack and there fore had to give way. The gentleman at the helm, a member of TYC as it turned out, held course thinking he could cross my bow cleanly. I kept checking and checking and checking and it was clear to me that he wasn't going to make it. He was about 15 feet away and I had just started to turn the wheel to duck under him. While I technically had "the right of way," I wasn't about to cream him to make a point. There is a little doggerel that goes,
"Here lies the body of John O'Day,
Who died defending his right of way,
He was right, dead right, as he sped along,
But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong!"
In any event, every skipper has the legal obligation to avoid any crash no matter what the circumstances. But just as I began to move the wheel, the other skipper, either noticing that he wasn't going to make it or perhaps seeing me for the first time, put his helm down and pass beneath. And a good thing too, because though the boats were both close to the same size, I would have caught him with the bow and probably would have done enough damage to sink him. ABISHAG is, after all, an over-build, ocean-going craft of some 11 tons and catching square on the beam, she would have stove him in but good. But, there was none of that and both he and I sailed on.
The Portuguese sub came out again to continue the "games" it is playing with the US Navy. When it is by itself, it looks good sized but when you see it next to a 688, it looks rather small. I wonder how the "games" of hide-and-seek are going and if they are keeping score. If I was commander of the Portuguese sub, I would submerge just beyond the Race, where the bottom drops precipitously, from 60 feet to over 300 and more, stop and wait for the 688 to come charging by on the surface and 30 or 40 knots as is their want. They usually don't submerge until they are 20 or 30 miles of Montauk and on the surface they make plenty of noise. They I would get up in their their wake and follow, staying in their baffles when they submerged. TAG!
After the torrential downpour of Saturday afternoon(yes, NOAA seems to have gotten that right, though that made them 1 for 3), Sunday was not a good day for much of anything. The weather was comfortable except for the fact that there was no wind. And for some reason, it sucked the energy out of everyone. People sat on the club porch and just looked out at the water and sighed. Everyone seemed to be packing a mound of stuff but nobody had the energy to do anything with it. Had anyone made a suggestion to do something, everyone probably would have gotten up to do it, but as it was no one even seemed to have the energy to make a suggestion. One saving grace is that the humidity went away for awhile but I have a sneaking suspicion that it won't be for long I'm afraid.
Now Monday, on the other hand, was a great day. It was cool(even) and had low humidity and great wind. A perfect day for sailing and that is what I did. If you wonder where I might have gone, well I went that-away for a couple of hours and then towards over-there for a couple of more, before head back "home" for the night. It was one of those glorious day when everything seemed to combine to make things perfect. Even playing "dodge'em" with the ferries on the way out didn't detract from the sail. I did have one almost dangerous encounter though. I was on starboard tack out toward the Dumplings approaching a sailboat on a reciprocal course and of course, she was on port tack and there fore had to give way. The gentleman at the helm, a member of TYC as it turned out, held course thinking he could cross my bow cleanly. I kept checking and checking and checking and it was clear to me that he wasn't going to make it. He was about 15 feet away and I had just started to turn the wheel to duck under him. While I technically had "the right of way," I wasn't about to cream him to make a point. There is a little doggerel that goes,
"Here lies the body of John O'Day,
Who died defending his right of way,
He was right, dead right, as he sped along,
But he's just as dead as if he'd been wrong!"
In any event, every skipper has the legal obligation to avoid any crash no matter what the circumstances. But just as I began to move the wheel, the other skipper, either noticing that he wasn't going to make it or perhaps seeing me for the first time, put his helm down and pass beneath. And a good thing too, because though the boats were both close to the same size, I would have caught him with the bow and probably would have done enough damage to sink him. ABISHAG is, after all, an over-build, ocean-going craft of some 11 tons and catching square on the beam, she would have stove him in but good. But, there was none of that and both he and I sailed on.
The Portuguese sub came out again to continue the "games" it is playing with the US Navy. When it is by itself, it looks good sized but when you see it next to a 688, it looks rather small. I wonder how the "games" of hide-and-seek are going and if they are keeping score. If I was commander of the Portuguese sub, I would submerge just beyond the Race, where the bottom drops precipitously, from 60 feet to over 300 and more, stop and wait for the 688 to come charging by on the surface and 30 or 40 knots as is their want. They usually don't submerge until they are 20 or 30 miles of Montauk and on the surface they make plenty of noise. They I would get up in their their wake and follow, staying in their baffles when they submerged. TAG!
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