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Interested in a boat for 2018 TransPac

jamottep said:
2. I should have a boat here soon and I am signed up for the Three Bridge Fiasco. But ... I have zero experience racing. Would anyone want to help me with my first race? It's an Olson 30.
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3BF could be a wee bit daunting for your first-ever race. If an ugly forecast doesn't keep people at home, there will be a LOT of boats out there, and the starting area will be especially intimidating. Ditto Blackaller.
But it's cool, man! Boats everywhere! An awesome experience, especially if there's decent wind. You haven't sailed SF Bay until you've done 3BF (says the guy who's just barely finished a couple of them).

I'll leave real racing and O30 advice to others. My 2 cents:

* Sail conservatively and avoid trouble, especially if you're just getting familiar with your boat. Seems every year there are a few avoidable problems in the fleet.
* If you're in Redwood City, or just not a real morning person (I am not), consider anchoring or taking a slip Friday night so you can sleep in and be sorted out at the city front well ahead of time.
* Be on starboard tack. Or at least when the Moore 24s are getting in a frenzy nearby.
 
jamottep said:
I'm almost there. In fact a couple questions:

1. Is the life raft requirement only for the SHTP or does it also apply to the singlehanded Farallones and LongPac? I have an opportunity to buy one but it's due for service two months before the SHTP 2018. So I'm inclined to not acquire if not needed for the prior races.

2. I should have a boat here soon and I am signed up for the Three Bridge Fiasco. But ... I have zero experience racing. Would anyone want to help me with my first race? It's an Olson 30.

Thanks for sharing your advise so far.
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Did you buy Double Espresso?
 
Not bad from my view. We raced against DE to Hawaii this summer. Seems like a great boat and O30s have a great history going to Hawaii.
 
Oceanslogic said:
Where will you be keeping the boat?
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That's an excellent question! The owner dry sailed out of Santa Cruz. I could continue to do that, with access to offshore sailing, but it's one hour away from home, with no traffic. I could look for a space in Alameda or BYC, both about one hour away too. Being in Santa Cruz means I'm outside the SSS race circuit, requiring boat transport to the Bay, which apparently is no small feat for a single hander, what with unstepping and restepping the mast. I'm unlikely to do TBF because of that. I could also stop dry sailing and berth in Redwood City, 15 minutes away from home and close to the SSS circuit.
I'm interested in opinions or maybe other options I haven't considered.
 
jamottep said:
I'm interested in opinions or maybe other options I haven't considered.
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Dry sailing options are -- wait for it -- drying up, at least in Alameda, as AlanH and solosailor and others have written about elsewhere. I'm guessing this will soon put pressure on dry sailing space at Brickyard and Sausalito, if it hasn't already. Does Berkeley have an O30 capable hoist?
Personally, moving my boat to the same side of the bay as work and home has been a complete revelation. I can sail after work and make real mid-week progress on projects. That means weekends are devoted to sailing instead of projects. That was not an option when Bay Bridge rush hours separated me from my boat.

I suspect you'll do a lot more sailing if you just slip it in RWC. Then move to a dry spot when you get serious about being fast and prepping for SHTP. But then you probably don't want to convert your bottom from dry to wet and back to dry....I dunno, tough call. I believe BobJ and others have been there, done that, and probably have wisdom for you.
 
The paint wasn't that big a deal. The ablatives (including the good, harder ablatives like Micron 66) are still effective after sitting on a trailer for awhile.

I drysailed out of Alameda Marina for almost four years. There are several Olson 30's still there. It's a decent compromise - still a long ways to the race course but better for driving from the Peninsula than Richmond. (Sausalito is no longer an option for drysailing.) Of course the boat stays rigged so you basically flip the fenders down and launch. Things may be changing with Alameda Marina's dry storage but probably not for another year or two.

I tried to batch big projects and twice took the boat up to Benicia Marina to knock them out (it's 10 min. from my house). So maybe do some of both. Most races are a LONG way from Redwood City and if there's anything you need now it's lots of tiller time: Farallones, Long Pac, OYRA etc. Driving is faster than sailing up to the Bay every time to race.
 
I'm new at everything so please continue to share. I like the idea of being in Santa Cruz near the ocean and having the option to sail 2 days/1 night. But yeah driving back and forth and getting in and out of the water adds 1.5 hr at each end.
One thing I have no idea about is how to get an Olson 30 ready for transport and back for sailing. Is this something I can manage alone in a few hours without drama?
I'm not sure I understand the comment about dry then wet then dry. Does that refer to different hull preparation and painting?
 
One thing I have no idea about is how to get an Olson 30 ready for transport and back for sailing. Is this something I can manage alone in a few hours without drama?
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It would be tough with a 30'er with a keel-stepped mast. I think mast-up dry-sailing (Alameda Marina or Santa Cruz) is your only realistic option. Or keep it in the water.

I'm not sure I understand the comment about dry then wet then dry. Does that refer to different hull preparation and painting?
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I think that's what he meant.
 
I can get one year in Santa Cruz but I'm not sure how I'd get the boat to the Bay with the mast up ... Motor and sail all the way up? Sure lots of tiller time there!
 
Congratulations on your new boat.
In regards to your predicament, I believe you should keep the boat in the water close to home if your final goal is to just sail in the SHTP. You'll have more time on the water without hassle and that counts for a lot. Make it easy and it will be more enjoyable. Owning a boat is going to be hassle enough.
 
Steevee said:
Congratulations on your new boat.
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Well ... the story continues ... I said hello to the bank Saturday morning, drove to Big Sur with the family and today woke up to drive back to Santa Cruz, the family sleeping with friends by Bixby bridge. I was to meet with the seller and move on to Part II of this saga. Something else happened. The transmission gave up, maybe the clutch, 10 minutes away from Bixby. I walked all the way back 90 minutes, called the seller to cancel, called a tow truck. A friend dropped me back at the car and up the truck it went. I left the car in Seaside and decided to come back home. What was to be the one of two happiest days of boat ownership ended up being a shitty Sunday!

Hopped on a bus to Sand City, on another one to San Jose, and finally Uber pool'ed home ... chit chatting along the way with the driver and as we near home I mention that I was about to get a boat. And boom, the guy says he's got one, did the singlehanded transpac and goes on to recommend a Hobie 33. He also seems to know Double Espresso. I'll call him again to chat further as he had to move on and I wanted to chill off this shitty Sunday ... Even mentioned Sleeping Dragon and another one with a red bottom where his RV is (connecting the dots, could be Turbo Camper).

I'm not irrational, I like to think but ... when the Universe speaks ... do you listen?

Any idea where I can test sail a Hobie 33?
 
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jamottep said:
Well ... the story continues ... I said hello to the bank Saturday morning, drove to Big Sur with the family and today woke up to drive back to Santa Cruz, the family sleeping with friends by Bixby bridge. I was to meet with the seller and move on to Part II of this saga. Something else happened. The transmission gave up, maybe the clutch, 10 minutes away from Bixby. I walked all the way back 90 minutes, called the seller to cancel, called a tow truck. A friend dropped me back at the car and up the truck it went. I left the car in Seaside and decided to come back home. What was to be the one of two happiest days of boat ownership ended up being a shitty Sunday!

Hopped on a bus to Sand City, on another one to San Jose, and finally Uber pool'ed home ... chit chatting along the way with the driver and as we near home I mention that I was about to get a boat. And boom, the guy says he's got one, did the singlehanded transpac and goes on to recommend a Hobie 33. He also seems to know Double Espresso. I'll call him again to chat further as he had to move on and I wanted to chill off this shitty Sunday ... Even mentioned Sleeping Dragon and another one with a red bottom where his RV is (connecting the dots, could be Turbo Camper).

I'm not irrational, I like to think but ... when the Universe speaks ... do you listen?


Any idea where I can test sail a Hobie 33?
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So help me understand. You canceled the Olson deal because your tranny went out? But now your considering a Hobie 33?
 
OlyJeff said:
So help me understand. You canceled the Olson deal because your tranny went out? But now your considering a Hobie 33?
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I haven't cancelled the deal. At this time it's on hold until I can meet with the seller again, which is likely a few weeks out now.

On the Hobie 33 ... it was suggested to me before and now again as a better choice. Put a windvane and trim sails ... it'll sail straight to Hawaii. I'm being told it's easier than an Olson 30, which would be good for me since I'm a beginner with no experience with ULDBs.
 
suggested to me before and now again as a better choice. Put a windvane and trim sails ... it'll sail straight to Hawaii/QUOTE]
There's a Hobie 33 up here on Humboldt Bay named "Rookie". Fast boat off wind, not so going to weather. Definitely a one way trip to Hawaii then ship it back.
The Olson would seem to be a better all round boat with a little more room. You mentioned you're 6'6" in a earlier post. Something to think about. Good luck!
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If you are on the fence about ULDB's...you should scoop up that Scampi 30 or Albin Cumulus for a song...slap a windvane on the back...set aside a month to fix a few things...order a few chutes and maybe a set of twins..and call it good. Which Hobie 33 are you considering? I thought Turbo Camper sold a year or so ago? I would make sure the Hobie has a new rudder...Was DE's rudder newish?
 
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