Class of 2014

[Lightspeed]

Dear class of 2014. I got a chance email from Przeweil/Libra and got me thinking about everyone. Lightspeed is on the hard at KKMI working on the rudder I had issues with. I am home nursing a torn rotor cuff from the race. I am bored out of my gourd waiting until the 2015 season. I hope everyone got home safe. Like to hear your return stories (including shipping issues) and any damage reports...My best to you all.....Rick/Lightspeed

PS any 2016 racers?

 

[Harrier]

Harrier's return was relatively uneventful, except for the high which was somewhat broken up...making us suffer thru more than one area of lite air. Was a shorter passage in distance than normal (got no higher than 35N) to LA, but same time length as normal for us...21 days or so. Broke nothing (abnormal), ate poorly (normal) and read a bunch of books.
How did you tear your rotator cuff? Fall...??/
And "NO" for 2016...ha ha.
Best of Fair Winds to all Ken

 

[Philpott]

And "NO" for 2016...ha ha. Ken

Ah, the definitive no. Again. Sir, you are such a tease. Brian Cline on Maris anticipates returning into the bay on the flood Sunday.

 

[WBChristie]

Elizabeth Ann's return was slow - 24 days. I found the return much more challenging than the race... went 700 miles north before we could turn and then ran into a lot of small highs that were breaking up and reforming. Spent 3 or so days bobbing around with zero wind. Got up to 44N trying to sail up around a high parked off the coast. Did catch a nice tuna.



I hope to do the next race. Methinks Right Turn Rick will be seeking redemption.....

 

[DaveH]

Hi Rick Et al -
Though not a buckle sportin' graduate, I'll jump in...
Besides, I've been meaning to post some updates on Domino's repair and "return".

The Short Version:
New Rudder and Post were done beautifully in Carbon by Larry Tuttle / WateRat
the new blade is smaller and longer than the original, about the same net surface area.

As these things go, a new rudder and post begat proper bearings, vs the OEM delrin bushing arrangement.
An added part of the reason for the bearings is that we found the original rudder and bushings were not plumb in the first place.
More time and treasure...

but done now!

anyhow, I brought Dom back to Alameda on Friday, 9/5.
powered almost the entire way with 0-2 knots of wind the whole way up.
Sailed HMB the next weekend, taking it easy and feeling rusty.
had a nice sail home too... but still nothing over 10 knots until the gate.

So far the new rudder is behaving nicely, though I have not leaned on it hard enough to find any limitations.
the overall responsiveness is about the same at slow speeds...
I will say that hand steering is hugely smoother and tighter, the new head and bearings make a huge difference to the feel... without the slop.

We'll be on the start line for 2016
have a little unfinished business...

only 1yr 8mo 29D to get ready!

DH

 

[hodgmo]

Thanks Rick, for starting a fun thread! Frolic’s 2014 return was slower than last time – 21 days vs. 19 in 2013. But rather than making that long slog alone, I was lucky to have Brian Boschma as crew. Except for missing our target, Santa Barbara by a few hundred miles, and ending up in Alameda, the trip was fairly uneventful. (Our navigation was ok, we blame tropical systems Lowell and Marie…) A few things needed (and need) attention including: a few new deck leaks, rudder-post packing, pressure switch on the fresh water pump (failed again), LED lamp that smoked and almost flamed, ignition switch disintegrated, boom/vang bracket attachment separation, electrical conduit came free inside the mast, jib foot that detached…. Lots of opportunities for improvement! We burned about 45 gallons of diesel and caught one mahi mahi. Daily routine included downloading weather FAX and GRIBs and checking in with the Pacific Sea Farer’s net. We heard Ken on Harrier check in doing his last week, our first, at sea. We had fun watching the ATOMs wind vane steer, especially in the couple H fragments where, while Frolic motored, the vane was operated with a small actuator motor. And swarms of dolphins! Brian made a music video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPf-bo7ZlsQ&feature=youtu.be

 

[[email protected]]

Jack is back on the trailer at Mission Bay Yacht Club and project by project getting put back in order. Had the terrific experience of hoisting sails all the way up to the top of the mast while sailing! What a speed difference that makes! Like Dave I have unfinished business and will return, but not in 2016 as my oldest son just did well at the World Championships in Santander Spain and secured his Olympic berth in the Finn class. So we will be in Rio to watch him sail in circles. Count on me for 2018, though in what boat I do not know. It would be great to give the knees a break and be able to stand up when below. I have always liked the older Lapworth designed Cals and they are affordable. I am meeting Barry today for lunch, he is putting some rod rigging on his Capri 30 this weekend to replace the rod between the keel stepped mast and the deck. His broke with a bang during the return and he managed to replace it with a section of anchor chain. He had a long return and also had failure of his water tank that required a water drop from a passing ship.

 

[peter00]

That is so great that your son made the Olympic team. My father sailed in the 1936 Olympics for Norway (and got a medal). It was easier to make the team then as there were only 4 people living in Norway at the time.

 

[Lightspeed]

Guys, Thanks for the updates! ….Ken we will see you in Kauai… I tore the shoulder during the race. Ironically it didn’t freeze up until I got home.

Stuart, that is fantastic!! Please start a 2016 Olympic Sailing thread. I think we would all love to hear about the prep and activity behind the scenes that it takes to get to the Olympics.

Steve. Great YouTube..We ran with a pod of dolphins on the way back but only got surface pictures. We also caught a mahi mahi

Dave H…Good looking rudder. Lightspeed has been at KKMI for a bottom job and we dropped the rudder to inspect. It also has a Larry Tuttle Carbon shaft and Jefa bearing. Both are in great shape and all the “popping and grinding” I had was from a crab net line and snap shackle around the top of the shaft.

Ironically across from Lightspeed is Sweet Okole who lost her rudder in this year’s Pacific Cup. Scuttlebutt is her story is similar to yours. Apparently her SS rudder shaft corroded through and broke between the top and bottom bearing. One theory being kicked around was she was berthed near a boat suspected of having an electrolysis problem and that slowly chewed up the inside of the SS shaft....My best...Rick

 

[Mewes]

Doug, congratulations! Where can we follow Cal? Lucie

 

[peter00]

There should probably be a thread about rudders. When I was in the Pac Cup I think they said that they usually anticipated a 10% steering gear failure rate. Those figures would hold good for the 2014 SHTP if we count Gary's tiller failure (and who but a WetSnail 32 would have a spare tiller on board). The usual issue I would guess is stainless steel. Absolutely the worst metal (or family of metals) to have anywhere near salt water. OK naval brass is worse but....The great thing about the SHTP is that, generally, it is a 'bring what you got' race. Consequently some of our boats are old (mine was 41 yrs old at race time). Without getting into a crazy rant about a subject that a lot of participants understand better than me, SS needs to have a constant supply of oxygen surrounding its surface. Whenever a rudder main piece (shaft) passes through a gland it is deprived of oxygen. I can't count the number of prop shafts I've replaced that look good except for the area that is inside the stern gland. At that point they look like torredo worms have attacked. On a modern rudder that is balanced or semi balanced not only is oxygen excluded inside the gland but inside the body of the rudder itself. Most people would agree that it is better to lose your mast than your rudder so if you're a newbie thinking about "having a go' think about having your rudder post made out of carbon fiber or monel.
You can inspect your SS rudder post but perhaps the greatest evil about SS is that it can look great until it fails. On my dream boat there would be no SS shrouds, chain plates, prop shaft, rudder post etc etc.
It's a rainy Friday night and I apologize for ranting but don't even get me going on Gary's tiller that appears to be wood encapsulated with fiberglass....this is the only thing I can think of that is worse than SS

 

[Harrier]

For years the SHTP race rules required carrying a spare tiller. I made mine in 1984 and still carry it.
I looked at Gary's broken piece. It seemed to be "normal" wood (mushy tho) but not glass encapsulated. All very true about
the SS need for air (oxygen). Harrier was 33 years old at the time of the last race. Having lost two (!) rudders in my
previous 30 footer I am constantly in a state of concern in that regard....but, as a basically lazy slob, I've done nothing
dropping the rudder every haulout and inspecting. Harrier does have a solid 50mm shaft, which seems to exceed most boats
her size and I have yet to see much problem. My main concern is what you can't see INSIDE the rudder...which is where the
failures on my last boat occurred. It also has simple delrin bearings top and bottom, so air is getting into the areas of
concern for the shaft. My experience is minimal compared to Peter's, but everything I have experienced mirrors his opinion
regarding stainless. I do know there are myriad stainless alloys out there, so perhaps some are more appropriate than
others for these applications. I have similar concern about Harrier's chainplates. They, at least, are completely open for
inspection...EXCEPT for the inch or so where they go thru the deck. "Ah, there's the rub..." And, just to add to our concerns:
I do not trust underwater welds! And these are usually involved in the tangs which connect many rudders to their shafts, and
were assuredly the source of both my rudder failures.

 

[peter00]

Thanks Ken, I stand corrected about Gary's tiller. I had only seen a picture and made some assumptions that I shouldn't have.

 

[WBChristie]

The rules still do require carrying a spare tiller see here:
http://sfbaysss.net/shtp/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/TransPac2014RRC-20131009.pdf

4.42 An emergency tiller capable of being fitted to the rudder stock.

Did you not have one Peter?

On the topic of rudders and emergency rudders - does anyone think a boat with an outboard rudder attached to the hull with 3 sets of gudgeons and pintles could sustain enough damage to require an emergency rudder? Losing the rudder entirely seems a bit far fetched. i suggest a rule change for these types making the e-rudder optional ...at the race committees discretion.

My tiller was rotten, it was not distinguishable from the outside to me as I had inspected it closely and tried to break it at the dock by violently throwing the rudder from side to side with the tiller. My fault as it had begun to de-laminate about a year ago and I had glued it back together with epoxy. I thought I had allowed it to dry out before I glued it, but it must have still been wet in there and all I did was seal the wood with the moisture still inside causing the rot.

ELIZABETH ANN has had her feelings hurt by being called by THAT name. She wishes SCARAMOUCHE V were racing to Hawaii again so she could beat her again.

 

[peter00]

Yes Gary, I have a great massive metal tiller that fits directly on my rudder head by-passing all the mechanics involved in the quadrant, steering wire rope and chain, pedestal, and various sprockets. Glad I have it as it is hard to imagine how it would fail and not difficult to imagine how everything else would (and has). Definitely more thought has to be applied to the spare rudder issue altho I don't agree with you ....just too many rudders and associated gear fail. There is no question that your boat is "built to break ice" but still it is not unreasonable for the race committee to be assured that you have an alternate plan in the case of rudder failure. It doesn't have to be a spare rudder but something that would effectively work as a rudder.
Your total humiliation of Scaramouche was a well deserved victory for you and Elizabeth Ann. All those many days I spent sunning on the beach in Kauai were long lonely wasted days as we awaited your triumphant arrival.

 

[Harrier]

Both of my rudder failures...spade rudder, not transom mounted...were loss of the entire blade. So go figure. By the way,
after both losses I sailed on into port unaided (700 miles one time, 1000 or so another). How? Disengaged the Aries
steering lines from the now useless tiller and "locked" them with the spin winches so the servo pendulum couldn't swing.
Then, when the vane flopped and the pendulum turned, it acted as a rudder and steered the boat. When I came into port,
I just stood there pushing the vane to steer the boat. Otherwise, it continued to "self steer" OK. Pretty small boat, of
course...7000 lb wooden Dutch 30 footer. And certainly couldn't do circles in a boat length or two. Had to anticipate
changes in direction required well ahead of time. But it worked....

I certainy envied Peter his days in the sun in Hanalei waiting for us "creepers" to finish. All in good fun, of course.

 

[svShearwater]

Shearwater (J/120) is a definite maybe for 2016. We did Pac Cup DH in 2014 and now it is looking like the time has finally come. I've been "working" on this plan for 24 years. I'm not going to get any more ready.

Fun fact - My wife & I spent our honeymoon on Kauai in 1996. Seems like a nice place to spend our 20th wedding anniversary.

Is there an official start date for 2016? June 27th, or is it tide dependent?

 

[brianb]

Hello Shearwater,

We will have an official date in the next week, and yes it is tide dependent. It likely will be about a week earlier than what you mentioned above. Having your boat in the SHTP will be a treat to watch. I have followed you exploits via the video's you have created of assorted ocean crossings.

Brian Boschma

 

[svShearwater]

Thanks Brian. Really looking forward to this adventure. Planning for it is half the fun. Shearwater is more definite than maybe now. Boat is pretty much ready. (Skipper needs some work though!) Just need/want to get an AIS transponder and replace some sails and halyards. I'm thinking about doing my qualifier while bringing Shearwater down from the PNW to SF Bay in August. The weather on the Oregon/Washington coast can be a crap shoot (emphasis on crap), so I need to plan this one carefully. We saw 40 knots out of the south last time we did this. Not so interested in that, this time around.

Looking forward to doing some SSS races next winter too.