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Interested in a boat for 2018 TransPac

Well, hit a major road block this week! I had planned on taking Bad Bunny to Ft Pierce Fl on December 8th to attempt my qualifying cruise. Yesterday the company I work for hit major issues with the CEO and the board being fired and the state of NC stepping in. Not sure if I'll have a job next week or next month and cannot risk spending the extra money on the trip; I hope to reschedule the trip for early January.

And all this after I just purchased a new 1.6oz symmetrical spinnaker. Was hoping to try this out on the qualifier cruise.
 
SeanRhone said:
Not sure if I'll have a job next week or next month ...
Click to expand...

Sounds familiar ...

I did a bit of work on the boat today, nothing you like guys artists though!

1. Replaced the missing batten;
2. Updated Pelagic auto-pilot software;
3. Bailed the bilge/emptied dehumidifier;
4. Fooled around with two poles to figure out how that could work to jibe the spinnaker;
5. Hammered the tiller wand pin (it keeps popping out);
6. Inflated trailer tires (one's slowly losing air;
7. Tested my minimalist "haul my ass" up the mast equipment: it's a climbing harness and a 4:1 tackle. I hoist it up the main halyard and pull myself up. I went up to the first spreaders a few times to practice. I wasn't exactly cautious about the whole thing, being that I did not have a safety line and that, if I want to rest, I have to hold the line with one hand and do a know with the other one ... Next step: get the wind vane transducer down for a send-off to Raymarine.
8. Re-installed the Raymarine network converter, which the tech at Raymarine sent back to me with an "all clear" note.
9. I think that's it ...

I'm anxious to sign up for the race!
 
Following the death of an experienced sailor on a Clipper Round The World boat I decided to buy a dry suit. Of course it may help with comfort, keeping me warm (er), but the main reason is such that if I do go in the drink in the North Pacific ... I will last a bit longer than just with my foulies ...

I bought a few more small items to get ready for an inspection: charts, 3 (!) watertight flashlights, hacksaw (to cut the rig; I have rod rigging), get a new fire extinguisher bracket.

Last items are an energy budget, a life raft and the acceptance of my RYA safety at sea training ...

Feeling (almost) ready! Itching to slip lines!
 
Few small boat projects have been taken care of lately: radar reflector installation, engine "refresh" (i.e. I started it after 7 months or so of it being stale, used TruFuel as recommended by Brian), replaced broken fire extinguisher bracket, submitted forms to Kidde for their recall. I also verified that my spare tiller will work with the auto-pilot installation. And Skip helped with tidying up the netting along the lifelines, smoothing out some screws that were poking out on the fore deck, replace skid pads on ladder. A few more shopping items came in as well: charts, water tight flashlights (3!), a hack saw.

I've been fooling around with qtVlm and GRIB files. I'm trying to get a route to BYC :-)
 
Sad to say, it looks like I will not be making 2018 SHTP race. I had to do my qualifier before the end of the year so I can say all my vacation time for the actual race and because of issues at work, I've been unable to take Bad Bunny to the Atlantic ocean for it.
 
It sounds like you still have your job so that's good! The window is rapidly closing for me too (for 2018).
 
Yep, I still have a job and feeling pretty good about keeping it; I like where I work. Just sucks that the last two years of prep is going to have to wait till 2020. I just don't have enough vacation time in 2018 to do the race and qualifier.
 
Is there any chance of doing the qualifier over a weekend and adding two or three days of unpaid leave to get it done? With all the other expenses it would seem a couple of unpaid days off might not break the budget. Hate to see you have to wait two more years.

Bill Meanley
s/v Dolfin
 
Congrats, PJ! We'll miss you at Santa Cruz. Regarding "felt like the boat was slower than it should be".... probably was. Three things I'm aware of: 1) current down the coast of .5 to 1 knot (flowing northwest to southeast). 2) lotsa kelp to catch on the keel (and rudder), 3) sailing at night is almost always slower than daylight when you can see sail trim, reference landmarks, and kelp. Was the outboard pulled up when under sail?
~sleddog
 
sleddog said:
Congrats, PJ! We'll miss you at Santa Cruz. Regarding "felt like the boat was slower than it should be".... probably was. Three things I'm aware of: 1) current down the coast of .5 to 1 knot (flowing northwest to southeast). 2) lotsa kelp to catch on the keel (and rudder), 3) sailing at night is almost always slower than daylight when you can see sail trim, reference landmarks, and kelp. Was the outboard pulled up when under sail?
~sleddog
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I can tell you I was dearly missing Santa Cruz when it came time to hoist the boat out of the water. And it was good to know people at the harbor. Thanks for introducing me to the crowd about a year ago. It feels a bit like I left in a hurry ...

Yes, the engine was pulled out but the boat was being rocked so much with the cross swell that it was in and out of the water. The current may explain the poor tacks too. I must have picked up stuff because when I changed the jib I was under main sail only, doing zero knot but staying steady ... Part of that was also the autopilot acting a little weird, keeping the rudder 20 degrees off center. It was like I was hove to ... Later during the trip I spun the boat 360 ... Or stopped going into the wind.

There is a lot of orange jellyfish just off the Santa Cruz coast and I saw porpoises close to the bridge (I think that's what they were).

I'm hoping to do a few SSS races in 2018 and maybe practice runs to the Farallon islands.

Reflecting on the Raymarine saga ... It's now the third piece of equipment I sent of and they all came back testing good ... That's gotta say something about me as a troubleshooter!

I did have a good night sleep ��
 
It's possible but that does add to my overall expense, and it's very expensive. I need about a week to do my qualifier, I live in Charlotte, NC and have to haul my boat to the ocean. Trying to figure a way to cut expenses, wondering if I could sell my boat in Hawaii and avoid the cost of shipping back and hauling it back to NC.

Anyone looking to buy a Hobie 33 at the finish line?
 
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You might talk with Ronnie Simpson in Honolulu. Very knowledgeable and experienced sailor (not a yacht broker)
Ronnie has his finger on the pulse of the Pacific, is a SHTP vet, and writes for sailing publications. I do not have his contact info, but someone here may have.
 
Sean, I can put you in touch with Ronnie.
Send me a PM either here or at [email protected] or [email protected]

There may also be some interest at the Nawiliwili Yacht Club.
While there seems of be an unquenchable thirst for Olson 30's there, someone might be interested in a Hobie 33.


DH
 
SeanRhone said:
It's possible but that does add to my overall expense, and it's very expensive. I need about a week to do my qualifier, I live in Charlotte, NC and have to haul my boat to the ocean. Trying to figure a way to cut expenses, wondering if I could sell my boat in Hawaii and avoid the cost of shipping back and hauling it back to NC.

Anyone looking to buy a Hobie 33 at the finish line?
Click to expand...

In 2008 I sold my Santa Cruz 27 on Hawaii craigslist before I left. I had a contract drawn up that obligated the buyer to take the boat no Matter what unless the mast fell down, the keel fell off or I holed the hull. I got an unbelievable number of responses and had to choose between seven qualified buyers... not exaggerating!
 
The wind vane is back from Raymarine so I'm due for another trip up the mast to plug it up there and hopefully find out what is broken.

Wife and kid are going to Tahoe this weekend so I'll be at BYC Saturday and Sunday, maybe tomorrow and Friday too if anyone would like to offer their assistance as my life line.
 
jamottep said:
The wind vane is back from Raymarine so I'm due for another trip up the mast to plug it up there and hopefully find out what is broken.

Wife and kid are going to Tahoe this weekend so I'll be at BYC Saturday and Sunday, maybe tomorrow and Friday too if anyone would like to offer their assistance as my life line.
Click to expand...

Your boat is at Berkeley Yacht Club?
 
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