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New Boat 4 Sled
- Thread starter sleddog
- Start date
I grew up near Fern Ridge Reservoir on the Long Tom River just west of Eugene. It's shallow and muddy and in the 1940s a perfect place to shoot off those 4th of July fireworks that arrived via Railway Express. I agree with Tom that it looks like a Luders 16 - measured on the waterline. On deck 26 feet. The cruiser behind it is probably about the same length - nothing much larger on the lake. And really nowhere to "cruise." All Luders looked pretty much the same except for their size. Cold molded, long overhangs, "cute" cabins, fractional rigs, wet.
Flash forward a few decades and biking home from the college one day I saw a sailboat over the fence behind an apartment building. The gate was open so I went in and found a fellow blocking up a weary Luders 16 he'd just purchased and hauled in. It was stripped down so its cold molded ply with many badly delaminated spots was visible. Over the next several years he worked at patching the hull (nice multi-ply scarfs), renewing the deck, refinishing that sweet little house, and rebuilding the interior. He had the rig somewhere else since there wasn't room behind his apartment. I'd stop by as I rode past when he was "open" for business and help a little if I could or just chat -- better than correcting freshman essays! He finally completed the rebuild took the boat away - and he moved, too. I don't remember where he went.
Flash forward a few decades and biking home from the college one day I saw a sailboat over the fence behind an apartment building. The gate was open so I went in and found a fellow blocking up a weary Luders 16 he'd just purchased and hauled in. It was stripped down so its cold molded ply with many badly delaminated spots was visible. Over the next several years he worked at patching the hull (nice multi-ply scarfs), renewing the deck, refinishing that sweet little house, and rebuilding the interior. He had the rig somewhere else since there wasn't room behind his apartment. I'd stop by as I rode past when he was "open" for business and help a little if I could or just chat -- better than correcting freshman essays! He finally completed the rebuild took the boat away - and he moved, too. I don't remember where he went.
Dazzler
m/v PACIFIC LOON
Yup, L16 (Luders 16). L stands for the designer, Alfred E. Luders, and sixteen is the waterline length of the boat. L16s are twenty-six feet long bow to stern and have a working sail area of 207 square feet. The hulls were HOT-molded from five one-eighth inch plys of mahogany. Production wooden L16s were built in the 1950s by Luders Marine, Stamford, Connecticut.
I lived in Connecticut for two years of High School. One day I decided to play hookie and hitch hiked to Stamford to visit the Luders Yard. The Luders designed 12 Meter NEFRITITI was in one of the sheds. I do remember lots of L16s sailing on Long Island Sound.
So, is the boat that Pat remembers the same one that Skip saw?
Tom
I lived in Connecticut for two years of High School. One day I decided to play hookie and hitch hiked to Stamford to visit the Luders Yard. The Luders designed 12 Meter NEFRITITI was in one of the sheds. I do remember lots of L16s sailing on Long Island Sound.
So, is the boat that Pat remembers the same one that Skip saw?
Tom
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Looks like lunch on me with Tom and Sue (DAZZLER) on the beach at Zeldas. Yup, the pretty Fern Ridge boat is a Luders 16, designed by Bill Luders Sr. and Jr.
The L-16 was one of the first boats built using “hot molded” plywood construction, differing from cold molded construction in that earlier glues required heat to cure. The interiors of molded L-16's are frameless, and often varnished. Over 300 were built, and a strong fleet remains in Maine.
In 1961 the Adams Cup (North American Women's Championship) was held at our yacht club, using local L-16's. Being a skinny kid of 125 pounds, I was designated to climb the fleet's masts after each day's racing and report anything suspect. Bosun chair? Nah, we didn't need no stinkin' bosun chair.
However, I must deduct points for Tom's assertion that the 12 Meter NEFERTITI was designed by Bill Luders, Jr..... Luders, Jr. was responsible for AMERICAN EAGLE, which was Ted Turner's stepping stone to sailing glory. NEFERTITI was the beamy queen of Ted Hood.
Reef points? You'll not see a 12 Meter reefed when racing. That's EAGLE below, going upwind like a train in 30 knots true, the epitome of "lead mine."
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mike cunningham
Freedom 30 "Jacqueline"
That's a Luders 16. I raced on one on the Great Sound in Bermuda when I was assigned to the US Naval Air Station Annex as an ET at the HF transmitter site . It was tough duty but someone had to do it.
The skipper/owner was a crusty old Bermudian guy. One crew was me the other was a senior detective with the Bermuda PD. When either the detective or I screwed up during a race we could expect to get our shoulder boxed and yelled at by the skipper. He was definitely old school but we won a lot. He didn't seem to concerned about pissing off the cop.
Dazzler
m/v PACIFIC LOON
My memory of what I saw in the Luders yard may be a little fuzzy after more than 5 decades, but it definitely wasn't the red hulled AMERICAN EAGLE. It was probably the Fall of '63 and before EAGLE was built. I'm really pretty sure it was NEFERTITI, but I don't know why she would have been in the Luders yard.
Eclipse2
At 6:30 a.m. 6 of us began the 4 mile hike to the top of "Dimple Hill," 1,000 feet above the city of Corvallis, OR. There was no traffic, except for a few deer,on the fire road. At the summit was a dry meadow we had scouted the day before. The lighting sky was blue and we found a nice place to sit with a 225 degree view from NE through South to West. Very smokey in the distant East, but we were fortunate to have clear skies.
At 9:04 the show began as the moon began to take a bite out of the upper right quadrant of the sun. We were joined by about 100 others who had hiked up the other side of Dimple Hill. Plenty of room for all, and everyone had their "eclipse" glasses. At about 9:45 the sun was over half eclipsed and the lighting began to dim. We counted over 50 private jets on the tarmac of Corvallis airport far below in the distance, with more landing every minute or two. High overhead were 4 balloons, presumably launched from Oregon State University with cameras aboard.
At 10:05 everyone was on the hill was standing, most looking West for the approaching shadow. The temperature turned chilly, down probably 5 degrees F as the sun neared totality.
At 10:15 the shadow of totality approached from the west, quickly passed, and the sun was gone, except for the corona and a noticeable solar flare in the lower right quadrant. It was dark above, the planet Venus visible overhead, and planet Mercury seen also, near the sun with the naked eye. The darkness of totality lasted for about 1 minute, 45 seconds, with soft lighting both to the east and west.
There was a lot to take in in short a time, with so much to look at: the lighting, the darkness, the planets, the corona....
At 10:16:45 it was like a flashbulb went off as the here to fore hidden sun began to emerge from totality....sunrise
....the colors and lighting of sunrise came from the west (!) and the shadow of sunset disappeared to the east.
As the day began to lighten again, the crickets began to chirp. Our little group of 6 sat down on the top of Dimple Hill, stunned by what we had seen. For the next 45 minutes we talked, laughed, and compared what we had experienced.....well worth the long drive from Santa Cruz.
Today we are heading eastward, along the old Oregon Trail (I-84) towards SW Idaho, the memory of the Eclipse fresh as we traverse the Columbia River Gorge...
At 6:30 a.m. 6 of us began the 4 mile hike to the top of "Dimple Hill," 1,000 feet above the city of Corvallis, OR. There was no traffic, except for a few deer,on the fire road. At the summit was a dry meadow we had scouted the day before. The lighting sky was blue and we found a nice place to sit with a 225 degree view from NE through South to West. Very smokey in the distant East, but we were fortunate to have clear skies.
At 9:04 the show began as the moon began to take a bite out of the upper right quadrant of the sun. We were joined by about 100 others who had hiked up the other side of Dimple Hill. Plenty of room for all, and everyone had their "eclipse" glasses. At about 9:45 the sun was over half eclipsed and the lighting began to dim. We counted over 50 private jets on the tarmac of Corvallis airport far below in the distance, with more landing every minute or two. High overhead were 4 balloons, presumably launched from Oregon State University with cameras aboard.
At 10:05 everyone was on the hill was standing, most looking West for the approaching shadow. The temperature turned chilly, down probably 5 degrees F as the sun neared totality.
At 10:15 the shadow of totality approached from the west, quickly passed, and the sun was gone, except for the corona and a noticeable solar flare in the lower right quadrant. It was dark above, the planet Venus visible overhead, and planet Mercury seen also, near the sun with the naked eye. The darkness of totality lasted for about 1 minute, 45 seconds, with soft lighting both to the east and west.
There was a lot to take in in short a time, with so much to look at: the lighting, the darkness, the planets, the corona....
At 10:16:45 it was like a flashbulb went off as the here to fore hidden sun began to emerge from totality....sunrise
....the colors and lighting of sunrise came from the west (!) and the shadow of sunset disappeared to the east.
As the day began to lighten again, the crickets began to chirp. Our little group of 6 sat down on the top of Dimple Hill, stunned by what we had seen. For the next 45 minutes we talked, laughed, and compared what we had experienced.....well worth the long drive from Santa Cruz.
Today we are heading eastward, along the old Oregon Trail (I-84) towards SW Idaho, the memory of the Eclipse fresh as we traverse the Columbia River Gorge...
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Somewhere around Baker City, Oregon, Safeway, we happened upon a marginal RV, leaking an unknown fluid with the deck chairs about to come off. We'd seen this rig and owner before and after....
In search of the perfect freshwater lake in SW Idaho, we found Dragonfly Lake near McCall, nice for practicing for the R2AK, with no jet skis, or motor noise of any kind. Flippy liked the clear, 76 degree water. A freshwater porpoise?
After several laps of 2 mile long Dragonfly Lake, I concluded SUPing to Alaska is a questionable proposition, only for the hardy, or fool hardy:
Pedal power looks a better bet.
Flippy and I pedaled off into an Idaho sunset...
In search of the perfect freshwater lake in SW Idaho, we found Dragonfly Lake near McCall, nice for practicing for the R2AK, with no jet skis, or motor noise of any kind. Flippy liked the clear, 76 degree water. A freshwater porpoise?
After several laps of 2 mile long Dragonfly Lake, I concluded SUPing to Alaska is a questionable proposition, only for the hardy, or fool hardy:
Pedal power looks a better bet.
Flippy and I pedaled off into an Idaho sunset...
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Home again to Capitola after a 3 week trailer trip that reminded how much in common trailer camping and small boat cruising share. Navigation, finding and securing in a safe haven, electrical and mechanical problem solving, system breakdowns, exercise and isometrics, solar power generation, even sailcloth rips and repair are common to WILDFLOWER and RUBY the 14 foot camp trailer.
We were chased out of Idaho by fire smoke that reduced air quality enough that even the dramatic, 10,000 foot, Sawtooth mountain range, 4 miles west of the highway, was obscured. Someday we hope to return before fire season.
The Ruby mountains in NE Nevada were a splendid find, with clear air, alpine lakes, and no crowds. Wildflowers were in full bloom at the end of August in the Rubys. Our campsite at 7,200 feet along a stream was pleasantly cool during the day when it was 98 degrees in Elko, 17 miles north. Hiking higher, at LeMouille Lake at 9,700 feet, we found snow and remnants of a glacier that had polished the cirque valley above Thomas Canyon.
The Rubys, rising from the high desert, are less than 50 miles long and the equal of anything I've seen in the Sierra, just on a much reduced scale.
Here's Annie at a waterfall pool below Beaver Valley. Beaver dams were much in evidence below 8,000 feet.
We were chased out of Idaho by fire smoke that reduced air quality enough that even the dramatic, 10,000 foot, Sawtooth mountain range, 4 miles west of the highway, was obscured. Someday we hope to return before fire season.
The Ruby mountains in NE Nevada were a splendid find, with clear air, alpine lakes, and no crowds. Wildflowers were in full bloom at the end of August in the Rubys. Our campsite at 7,200 feet along a stream was pleasantly cool during the day when it was 98 degrees in Elko, 17 miles north. Hiking higher, at LeMouille Lake at 9,700 feet, we found snow and remnants of a glacier that had polished the cirque valley above Thomas Canyon.
The Rubys, rising from the high desert, are less than 50 miles long and the equal of anything I've seen in the Sierra, just on a much reduced scale.
Here's Annie at a waterfall pool below Beaver Valley. Beaver dams were much in evidence below 8,000 feet.
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Several dear sailing friends of 50 years have been in the line of fire of Hurricane Irma: Skeeter up the Miami River and Bud in Ft. Myers, just west of Irma's eye wall track. No news is presumably good news, as power and phones are down. Both friends had nearby cement hurricane shelters for retreat and presumably are emerging to the clear skies following Irma's passage.
Ironically, with the center of Irma passing up Florida's West Coast rather than East Coast, the counterclockwise wind preceding the hurricane center's passage was northeasterly, i.e. offshore. Which initially blew the water out of Florida and Tampa Bays, making for lowtide, rather than the high tide hurricane surge predicted.
Locally here on Monterey Bay, the Monterey Peninsula is back lit this morning by an almost continuous lightning show of a low pressure moving northwest, up the Big Sur Coast. Thunderstorms with brief heavy rain are forecast, and the orange juice sunrise does not belie that forecast.
On the subject of thunder, yesterday at noon a parade of Scottish pipers and drummers marched down the Capitola Esplanade during the annual end-of-summer Art and Wine Festival. As AH would confirm, the music of bagpipes is a heart racing, stirring, "going to war for Scotland," sound. The Festival came to a halt, and dozens joined in following the pipers parade to the nearby bandstand.
Some years ago at about this date, we were racing AMERICA JANE III in a coastal race from SF Bay to Southern CA. North of Pt. Conception we encountered similar tropical weather, and just after sunset the rigging began to glow green. As we were on a metal boat, with a metal steering wheel, this was disconcerting to say the least. The St. Elmo's fire lasted about 20 minutes before fading and nothing came of the experience, except nobody wanted to steer. I'd only seen St. Elmo's once before, when working on the masthead of the all black, Mull aluminum 50 footer LA FORZA DEL DESTINO in Miami, my tools began to glow.
My alarmed shout to Kim Desenberg, on deck below, contained no stutter hesitation: "Lower me down IMMEDIATELY!!"
.... .. .... ..
Ironically, with the center of Irma passing up Florida's West Coast rather than East Coast, the counterclockwise wind preceding the hurricane center's passage was northeasterly, i.e. offshore. Which initially blew the water out of Florida and Tampa Bays, making for lowtide, rather than the high tide hurricane surge predicted.
Locally here on Monterey Bay, the Monterey Peninsula is back lit this morning by an almost continuous lightning show of a low pressure moving northwest, up the Big Sur Coast. Thunderstorms with brief heavy rain are forecast, and the orange juice sunrise does not belie that forecast.
On the subject of thunder, yesterday at noon a parade of Scottish pipers and drummers marched down the Capitola Esplanade during the annual end-of-summer Art and Wine Festival. As AH would confirm, the music of bagpipes is a heart racing, stirring, "going to war for Scotland," sound. The Festival came to a halt, and dozens joined in following the pipers parade to the nearby bandstand.
Some years ago at about this date, we were racing AMERICA JANE III in a coastal race from SF Bay to Southern CA. North of Pt. Conception we encountered similar tropical weather, and just after sunset the rigging began to glow green. As we were on a metal boat, with a metal steering wheel, this was disconcerting to say the least. The St. Elmo's fire lasted about 20 minutes before fading and nothing came of the experience, except nobody wanted to steer. I'd only seen St. Elmo's once before, when working on the masthead of the all black, Mull aluminum 50 footer LA FORZA DEL DESTINO in Miami, my tools began to glow.
My alarmed shout to Kim Desenberg, on deck below, contained no stutter hesitation: "Lower me down IMMEDIATELY!!"
.... .. .... ..
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Oh my...That's just lovely.
Good news from Key West: 54 six toed cats, descendants of Ernest Hemingway's original "Snow White," reputedly given to him by a ship captain, have survived Hurricane Irma at the Hemingway Home and Museum, along with 10 staff members. Good thing the three story residence is built of 18" thick limestone bricks, 16 feet above sea level, and has survived many hurricanes.
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/54-cats-ernest-hemingway-old-010048650.html
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/54-cats-ernest-hemingway-old-010048650.html
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Last stop on the Western States Eclipse Tour was Webber Lake in the Sierra, 17 miles north of Truckee. Webber Lake, in private hands for the last 100 years, has recently been donated to the Truckee/Donner Land Trust and opened to the public.
Webber Lake is surrounded by history and beauty and lies on the old Henness Pass trail, lowest pass in the Sierra. The lake waters were swimmable with sand beaches, and perfect for kayaking and SUP. Anything with a motor must be kept under 5 mph. Osprey and bald eagles flew overhead. By noon on Labor Day, the camp sites were nearly empty and silence reigned.
Webber Lake is surrounded by history and beauty and lies on the old Henness Pass trail, lowest pass in the Sierra. The lake waters were swimmable with sand beaches, and perfect for kayaking and SUP. Anything with a motor must be kept under 5 mph. Osprey and bald eagles flew overhead. By noon on Labor Day, the camp sites were nearly empty and silence reigned.
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Wow. Webb Chiles beloved Moore-24 GANNET, 2/3rd's of the way towards completion of an epic circumnavigation, was recently hauled for the hurricane season in Marathon, Florida Keys. Marathon lies less than 30 miles east of Cudjoe Key, ground zero for hurricane Irma's Category 4 passage.
Webb, in Evanston, Ill., feared he would lose GANNET and gave up watching the adrenalized hype on the Weather Channel. After all, he had lost two boats and all his possessions before..
What happened to GANNET in the middle of Irma? Will Chiles be able to complete his solo circumnavigation at age 76? Or has GANNET become wreckage along the Keys Highway, where the highest thing above sea level in the vicinity is the curb?
Webb will tell you the story of what he thinks happened. His clues are few but telling. http://self-portraitinthepresentseajournal.blogspot.com/2017/
Here is a hint for the sharp eyed:
WELL...~!
As any casual observer can easily see there are several vertical extrusions in this "HINT" picture, including a power tower, and all but one is going straight up.
So the one on an angle is obviously from Santa Cruz because we here in Santa Cruz can't do anything straight up.
And because the M24 is a 15/16 rig that must be Mr Chiles boat.
It is so obvious I can't believe I am the only one that figured it out! (full discloser, I couldn't have guessed it without help from Rainer The PAINTER.)
As any casual observer can easily see there are several vertical extrusions in this "HINT" picture, including a power tower, and all but one is going straight up.
So the one on an angle is obviously from Santa Cruz because we here in Santa Cruz can't do anything straight up.
And because the M24 is a 15/16 rig that must be Mr Chiles boat.
It is so obvious I can't believe I am the only one that figured it out! (full discloser, I couldn't have guessed it without help from Rainer The PAINTER.)
Intermission
Member
The wind transducer on the standoff is the other identifier.
I'm glad Gannet survived, because I really like the way Chiles writes.
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Thanks to DAZZLER (Tom and Sue) for forwarding the below 3 minute video of the reaction of friends during the recent total eclipse as viewed from Philomath, Oregon, near Corvallis. The video was filmed by R2AK all star Mike Higgins. All but a few attendees of 30 were members of BASK, (Bay Area Sea Kayakers.) Mike was on his way back from a summer kayaking trip around Haida Gwaii https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ShExk_msUc&feature=youtu.be Also below are photos by former BASK president Joe Petolino http://www.pbase.com/petolino/eclipse.
Our location for eclipse viewing was atop Dimple Hill, 1,000 feet above Corvallis and three miles from Tom, Sue, and their BASK friends in Philomath.
The next total solar eclipse viewable in N. America is April 8, 2024 as the shadow comes ashore at Mazatlan, MX, headed northeast over Texas towards Montreal, Canada.
Our location for eclipse viewing was atop Dimple Hill, 1,000 feet above Corvallis and three miles from Tom, Sue, and their BASK friends in Philomath.
The next total solar eclipse viewable in N. America is April 8, 2024 as the shadow comes ashore at Mazatlan, MX, headed northeast over Texas towards Montreal, Canada.
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Who would have thunk?
We knew Ketchikan has some of the best bear viewing in all of Alaska. http://www.experienceketchikan.com/bear-viewing-in-alaska.html
And that SHTP vets Dan and Linda Newland encounter bears on their property in the neighborhood of Port Townsend.
We even knew annoyed ursids have eaten kayaks on the Inside Passage of SE Alaska, on the route of the R2AK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI7hNdI94OQ
So, it is no surprise to imagine a bear crew, big, strong, with good winterization, entered in the 2018 Race2Alaska. The promo lends credence to the possibility. The landscape seems "filled with bears." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THYVHkjuXLo
Would you go?
Happy Autumn Equinox!
We knew Ketchikan has some of the best bear viewing in all of Alaska. http://www.experienceketchikan.com/bear-viewing-in-alaska.html
And that SHTP vets Dan and Linda Newland encounter bears on their property in the neighborhood of Port Townsend.
We even knew annoyed ursids have eaten kayaks on the Inside Passage of SE Alaska, on the route of the R2AK.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MI7hNdI94OQ
So, it is no surprise to imagine a bear crew, big, strong, with good winterization, entered in the 2018 Race2Alaska. The promo lends credence to the possibility. The landscape seems "filled with bears." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THYVHkjuXLo
Would you go?
Happy Autumn Equinox!
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