New Boat 4 Sled

[sleddog]

I have a group of friends who rescue animals. Their passion is wonderful and inspiring to behold. My kitty, Sequoia, was a feral rescue kitten. And became a love of my life.



At risk of again getting OT, here's a happy ending rescue story, CBC radio interview, 5 minutes long, to accompany last week's story of Peter Pan the sheep and Sparkle the dog sharing the ledge at Point Richmond.

Feel free to post a picture or story of an animal friend.

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappen...f-face-by-climbers-with-an-ikea-bag-1.5090675

 

[sleddog]

OK, Campers.

We are fresh out of Capitola Boat Club burgees, Philpot having collected the last one as prize for her correct answers of "Ringtail," "Flinders Bar," and "Brigantine," in post 2952 on 01/10/19.

We have another quart of Marianne's Macapuno Icecream for the first to correctly answer the following question:

We've run the calcs. What is most likely to capsize first in 40 knots beam on wind?

1) The ship recently bringing the new Matson cargo cranes into Honolulu Harbor? (thank you Capt. Kip and Capt. Bob for the photo.)


2) The VW Bus Landcruiser?
(

3 The $200 Land Yacht that recently sailed 300 km across Mongolia with two crew aboard?


4) The 100 year old, 135 foot eucalyptus tree on Park Ave, in Capitola, located 175 feet from the CBC race deck.


Finally, to prove you are not a robot, what is (was) the name and species of your current, or most recent pet?

Entries close in one week, noon, Wed. 4/24/19

 

[Jonathan Gutoff]

After driving a 1970 VW camper with on the beam winds I vote for No 2.

 

[sleddog]

After driving a 1970 VW camper with on the beam winds I vote for No 2.

Did you ever own a pet? That's part of the question. Your answer has some validity and is so entered when we receive the name of your pet and species, past or present.

I had a '66 VW Bus. It didn't roll because of the wind, but because it kept going straight down a hill when I turned the steering wheel and nothing happened.

 

[Wylieguy]

I've owned, and survived, a 1963 VW van, in high winds so I know it's a contender, but we also had several large U-Cal-I-Peedus (as we used to say when I was kid up in Oregon) trees on the property and each one fell down over the years. One took out the chicken coop, but spared the hens, another just missed the backyard shed, and one fell across the fence into the neighbor's orchard. After drying out they became firewood, although Uky burns pretty hot and fast. So I'm going with the tree, which is hopefully not 175 feet tall and will fall short of the CBC Race Deck when it comes down.

And yes, lots of pets over the decades: Whippets and cats. Our last kitty passed on at age 21 a few years ago. "OSA" was her name. She wasn't a sailor, but she'd come out and sit under a bush while I moved or cut brush and watch over me. She liked a chin chuck when I took a break. She also liked between the ankles on top of the comforter at night. And of course she proudly brought the mice she captured into the house if we didn't check carefully when she asked to come in. How she mewed with a mouthful of struggling mouse always puzzled us.

 

[Jonathan Gutoff]

Sorry didn't see the whole question. Momo is the current pet. Still think it's No.2

 

[sleddog]

Rather than submit an answer to the Macapuno Icecream trivia, MAGIC DREAMERS have graciously offered to bring croissants to CBC Mobile, soon to drop anchor just east of Spooner's Cove.

MAGIC DREAMERS instead submitted their first ship's cat story.

Prior to our return sail in 1994 back to Victoria, BC from Baja (MAGIC’s maiden voyage). I was doing a final load of wash @ the Marina de La Paz when Capt. Craig comes in, with a sheepish grin, holding a wee little grey kitten in his hands.

“Look what I found asleep underneath a hauled-out panga!” “Oh great”, I thought,” it’s probably very sick and won’t make it much longer”… but I agreed to hop in a taxi to the nearest veterinario for exam. She was undernourished but OK otherwise. I named her Marina de La Paws and she left with us the very next month on our 29-day trip from La Paz to Neah Bay. The sea conditions were abominable with wave trains arriving from the north and the west so we spent many hours hove-to in order to re-group, bake bread, get some rest. Many times, especially at night, Marina decided that the calmer conditions of being hove-to meant we were anchored so she’d tear around the deck, climbing up the side pin rails like a monkey. After a couple of times I watched this antic, with my heart in my throat, I finally informed our Mexican crew member that: best hang on as we’re NOT going to turn back for a feline overboard rescue.

She hung on and we arrived in British Columbia with the first of our Schooner Cats.

 

[Howard Spruit]

Frog

Our last pet was a wonderful Cat named Puppy.
My guess is #4!
It is already healed 5 degrees and it is dead calm, and no mast.

 

[sleddog]

Webb Chiles on his Moore-24 GANNET has tacked to port ~ 100 miles offshore the west coast of Baja. His COG is taking him inshore in the vicinity of Asuncion Bay, about 50 miles south of Turtle Bay. The winds are noserlies, 18-20, and it can't be pleasant, bumping along at 3-4 knots, 40 degrees low of course. Will be interesting to see if Chiles seeks relief in a Baja bay on the last leg of his Bash. Only ~ 400nm to go to close his loop of the Blue Marble, most of it directly upwind/upcurrent.

https://my.yb.tl/gannet
https://www.windy.com/?28.710,-118.630,5

 

[skatzman]

Fun in the RtR: old fogey does foredeck

It takes me some time to get back to writing but the RtR with Skip was good clean fun.

Steve, dealing with the foredeck action, glanced aft and says, "watch that rock, we're going backwards." Not a harsh word was spoken. Skip did a little hoki-lau with the tiller, we jibed and somehow got away from the rock. All was well.

A friend asked me how I liked doing foredeck. My reply: It was re-afirming that I could still foredeck at a competitive level. After all the last 30 years of helming and teaching others to do foredeck I was still capable. Sure, it was only one set and one dose, many jibes, three sail changes. But I was still competitive. Also, I gave Skip the total control of the boat, tactics and stratagy. That a gift to a great world class sailor. And I was able to relax, eat some snacks, drink water, look around and enjoy the day without having to concentrate on helming and staying in the hunt. Photo courtesy Jonathan, Nor Cal Sailing

All together a pleasurable day.

 

[AntsUiga]

Number 3 will capsize first, but the setup with detached axle will not last that long. Pets are Max - the cat, Valentine - the Welsh Corgi, and Fionn - the Irish Wolfhound.

Ants

 

[sleddog]

We have another quart of Marianne's Macapuno Icecream for the first to correctly answer the following question:

What is most likely to capsize first in 40 knots beam on wind?

1) The ship recently bringing the new Matson cargo cranes into Honolulu Harbor?

THIS IS THE HEAVY LIFT BAFFINBAY ENTERING HONOLULU HARBOR. . BAFFINBAY HAS A PLETHORA OF BALLAST TANKS AND THE PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING SKILLS TO KEEP THINGS ON AN EVEN KEEL. STILL, I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO HAVE BEEN A FLY ON THE BRIDGE PRIVY TO THEIR WEATHER ROUTING ACROSS THE EASTERN AND CENTRAL PACIFIC. I WONDER HOW THEY EMPTIED THEIR BALLAST TANKS APPROACHING HONO TO GET RID OF FOREIGN CRITTERS WITHOUT CAUSING TOO MUCH INSTABILITY?

2) The VW Bus Landcruiser?

CHRISTMAS OF 1975, DAVE WAHLE AND I DROVE HIS VW BUS UP BAJA'S WEST COAST BEACHES FROM ABREOJOS TO MALARRIMO BEACH, EAST OF SCAMMONS LAGOON AND ACROSS THE WHITE SUGAR DUNES OF THE VIZCAINO DESERT. WE ENCOUNTERED A 40 KNOT SANDSTORM, LET SOME AIR OUT OF OUR TIRES, AND PROCEEDED WITH TREPIDATION WHEN WE COULD SEE ANY HINT OF A TRACK IN THE DESERT SAND WE HAD BEEN FOLLOWING HAD BEEN OBLITERATED. (Note the Christmas Tree on the roof behind the spare tire and surfboard.)




3) The $200 Land Yacht that recently sailed 300 km across Mongolia with two crew aboard?



THIS LAND CART, 8'x3', WEIGHING 500 POUNDS, HAD A 9 FOOT MAST. IT WOULD BARELY MOVE IN WINDS LESS THAN 15 KNOTS. STILL, IT DID MANAGE AVOIDING GOPHER HOLES AND WAYWARD YAKS TO RUN 42 MILES ON ONE NOTABLE WINDY DAY. https://adventure.com/mongolia-landsailing/

4) The 100 year old, 135 foot eucalyptus tree on Park Ave, in Capitola, located 175 feet from the CBC race deck.

A 110 FOOT BROTHER OF THIS EUCALYPTUS BLEW DOWN A FEW YEARS AGO JUST DOWN THE STREET. IT FELL ACROSS PARK AVE. TOOK OUT THE POWER LINES, FELL BETWEEN TWO HOMES, LANDING IN A DRIVEWAY AND CRUSHING A CAR.

THOUGH CAPITOLA BOAT CLUB IS OUT OF THE RANGE OF FIRE, I CAN SEE THESE TALL TREES SWAY DEEPLY IN THE RARE GALE FORCE SE WINDS OF A WINTER STORM, AND WONDER WHICH ONE WILL FALL NEXT.

HOW DO I KNOW THE MENTIONED EUCALYPTUS WAS 135 FEET? A SHIP'S SEXTANT HELPED.

This was a tough challenge for the Marianne's Macapuno icecream. Thank you all who guessed. The winner is Pat "WYLIEGUY" Broderick with his guess of the U-Cal-I-Peedus and his sweet recall of OSA the cat who could meeow with a mouse in her mouth..

 

[Wylieguy]

Sled, Thanks. Our daughter lives on Granite Creek Road and we'll be down that way sometime soon, I hope. I just discovered I have a hole in my right eye's 79 year old retina, along with a very cloudy cataract. That may impede travel plans. It sure had dealt a blow to sailing plans, I'll let you know when Nancy (the "real" Nancy, not the boat NANCY") and I are coming down, Marianne's is our fav ice cream. Thanks, Pat

 

[AntsUiga]

Any clue as to how a feral cat get tamed? There were litters of them after the Deer Fire 15 years ago when some 50 homes were lost and pets abandoned.

My vision of a feral kitten is the kitten on its back and all claws and teeth showing and nary a purr to be found.

Damn curious since it seems a very big challenge.

Ants

 

[BobJ]

Ants, it's great to see your posts here.

As I recall, you are one of the perpetrators (perhaps the only perpetrator) behind the design of our Three Bridge Fiasco. We'd love to read a first-hand account of how that race came about, as well as any details about the creation of any of the other SSS races.


Thanks,
Bob J.

 

[AntsUiga]

Hi Bob,

Stories are waiting to be posted. I even have the original Latitude 38 article from the first race. I can even see a Moore 24 sitting in my backyard in Bodfish.

Ants

 

[sleddog]

Any clue as to how a feral cat get tamed?
My vision of a feral kitten is the kitten on its back and all claws and teeth showing and nary a purr to be found.
Ants

SEQUOIA was the runt of a 7 litter in the Boulder Creek redwoods. Everyday, Mother cat would lead her kittens across Aunt Gertrude's driveway, headed downhill, perhaps to find some leftovers near the garbage cans. SEQUOIA got distracted and wandered into the backporch for a lap of milk. The door closed behind her and the rest is history. She disappeared somewhere in Aunt Gertrude's house, but we eventually found her in the phonograph cabinet.

SEQUOIA quickly became affectionate and would sleep under the covers. She loved to be "flown" across the room onto the bed, and would come back for more, always landing on her paws. Neither of us knew better, so she took to the harness and leash, and we'd walk together to the Cliff in the afternoon. She was an expert at square corners, never cutting diagonally across streets.

Aunt Gertrude was born and lived her entire life in the same house. She was cantankerous, always ready for an argument, and continued to drive until 96. She was determined not to be 100, and succeeded at 99.

Here's SEQUOIA not looking very feral like...I was happy to learn she won Trader Joes "Best Looking Pet" contest at the Capitola store opening in 1998. She won a year's supply of cat food, and we went through the checkout line with SEQUOIA perched on my shoulder, admirers noting it was the same kitty as featured in the giant poster on the wall.



You would certainly be welcome to post 3 Bridge Fiasco history at this thread if you should choose.

 

[AntsUiga]

That's a great tale. I guess 'taming' happens under benevolent conditions. A captured or cornered feral cat reacts to survival.

I was thinking of a new thread with a title like the collective SSS memory from the early 1980's. I have the Lat 38 write up from the first race in 1984. Chris Weaver said no problem to post the scanned PDF article. My computer died and my iPad does not have access to all the same data. I know it is not difficult, but I need to get started on uploading some photos. Other photos are in analog storage.

Ants

 

[sleddog]

With the nice March Lat.-38 action cover photo by Chris, (a stern on, and broadside view of the Wyliecat 30's UNO and LOTTA TUDE; and with Wylieguy winning the recent trivia, it might be an evening for a brief Wyliecat 30 reminisce.



Dave Wahle, long time friend and shipmate, builds the Wyliecats at his shop in Watsonville. The first Wyliecat 30 was the red MUSTANG SALLY and sometime in the early 90's Dave entered the SSS Singlehanded Farallones Race with MUSTANG SALLY. The start was off the City Front, either the Golden Gate or St.Francis YC. With 5 minutes to go Dave, on starboard tack, running downwind, encountered Stan Honey on his Cal 40 ILLUSION on port tack. No one was in ILLUSION's cockpit except the auto pilot, and Stan was on the foredeck knee deep in a last minute sail change (hank-on).

Stan, standing in a cloud of sails, looks over at the approaching MUSTANG SALLY, and says to Dave. "Oh, that looks really boring." Meaning, "what's there to do with just one sail and one sheet?"

Dave didn't know how to take Stan's comment, but replied with the perfect comeback, "I know, but I'm on starboard tack and you're not."

Stan's eyes got real big, Dave swung the tiller to run off by the lee, and everything was hunky dory.

It's a pre-frontal beat out to the Rockpile and MUSTANG SALLY is boat-for-boat with ILLUSION, neither laying the island. Both tack to port about a half-mile short of the cliffs just before a torrential downpour of the fropa, visibility near zero.
Dave glances at his compass and sees the wind has quickly veered 40 degrees. He tacks back in a big starboard lift, hoping he is going to lay the island. Sure enough, in a brief clearing, rocks appear a short distance to leeward.

Dave crosses Maintop Bay, likely way too close by modern standards. Stan, meanwhile, has not immediately noticed the windshift, carried on too far on port tack, and overstood by a half mile. Dave gybed MUSTANG SALLY, and took off on a breaking wave on the south side of Maintop Island. "I was too close in," he later confessed.

On the run back to the finish, ILLUSION overhauled MUSTANG SALLY and opened up a one mile lead. It was dark when they approached the GG Bridge. Ahead, ,Dave could see the outline of Stan's sails against the backdrop of City lights. But Dave had a problem. The breeze was dying away, the last of the flood had ended, and the ebb beginning. Any hope of getting under the GG Bridge was rapidly fading and MUSTANG SALLY was beginning to be swept backwards.

Dave is never one to give up...with the last of the dying breeze he reached to the South Tower and rafted alongside, grabbing hold of one of the large, splintered, vertical, wooden fenders. Then he realized his next problem. He couldn't hold on for very long to the South Tower in the increasing ebb, nor could he tie up without releasing his hold to grab a mooring line.

Sure enough, Dave's grip failed him as MUSTANG SALLY's bow swung out into the current and he had to let go. Breathing hard, Dave sat down in the cockpit to ponder his next move. Anchoring in the shipping channel in the dark, in a strong ebb, was out of the question.

Just then, Dave noticed something ominous: an inbound ship steaming his direction..

That was it. Dave lowered his outboard, pulled the starter cord, and motored to safety, ending a long day indeed.

 

[AZ Sailor]

Webb Chiles on his Moore-24 GANNET has tacked to port ~ 100 miles offshore the west coast of Baja. His COG is taking him inshore in the vicinity of Asuncion Bay, about 50 miles south of Turtle Bay. The winds are noserlies, 18-20, and it can't be pleasant, bumping along at 3-4 knots, 40 degrees low of course. Will be interesting to see if Chiles seeks relief in a Baja bay on the last leg of his Bash. Only ~ 400nm to go to close his loop of the Blue Marble, most of it directly upwind/upcurrent.

https://my.yb.tl/gannet
https://www.windy.com/?28.710,-118.630,5

At 07:15 this morning, Webb Chiles and Gannet made landfall in San Diego, completing his 6th circumnavigation and Gannet's first -- no doubt the first ever by a Moore 24. By a fluke of time and chance, I did not board the plane for Mexico that I was ticketed on today, so instead I went down to the Harbor Police dock and caught his dock lines. Gannet is now tied up behind Morning Star at the Silver Gate Yacht Club.