Jonathan Gutoff
New member
Please tell the new owners about the requirement of posting her new adventures here.
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New Boat 4 Sled
- Thread starter sleddog
- Start date
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Good one, Jonathan! Beautiful kids, Skip. Nice shot of the big kid, too! He looks comfortable in a boat.
Navigational hazards while planing in a dark squall
The most fun and fearful moments were just that. The thought that I could collide with large flotsam, tanker, or whale. At 18 knots of plane, major destruction, broken neck or ribs! Best not to think about that and focus on riding up the back of waves correctly.
The most fun and fearful moments were just that. The thought that I could collide with large flotsam, tanker, or whale. At 18 knots of plane, major destruction, broken neck or ribs! Best not to think about that and focus on riding up the back of waves correctly.
Having slept aboard in front of Magic Schooner and Cat House in Los Osos, I was up well before dawn the next morning and underway by 0500. Fortunately, traffic south on Highway 101 and the 405 freeway to Alamitos Bay was, uncharacteristically, flowing smoothly south of Ventura and WILDFLOWER and I arrived at the launch ramp at 1030.
I met the new owner and we rigged the gin pole and hoisted the mast. He easily backed the boat down the ramp and into the bay, sans tongue extender, where we both momentarily had to push with our legs and backs to float WILDFLOWER off the trailer. The outboard started first pull and off we went at 1200 for a sea trial.
The first challenge was clearing the 2nd St. Bridge which required partially lowering the mast. I suggested a Harbor cruise while making sure everything was in place, and showed my age remembering Alamitos Bay of 60 years ago as a pleasant place to sail dinghies launched from the sandy beach. Back then winds were warm and steady. Today serious puffs interspersed with calm came down the alleys between cheek-by-jowl 3 story boxaminiums.
Eye-opening was the amount of weekday boat traffic resembling a waterworld theme park. Rental electric launches driven by young kids with adults in the stern seats spinning in bumper boat fashion, pedal boats being blown willy nilly, and SUP boards in abundance, an obnoxious few carrying boom boxes at "look at me" max volume. Only sailboat I saw underway was an ancient Soling with at least a dozen 8-12 year olds hanging legs over as the camp counselor took them for a sailing class. Anticipation for collision avoidance was sketchy, as we never knew who was suddenly going to turn where.
Overlording the semi-chaotic scene like a giant insect was the maxi-tri TRITIUM, for sale and looking lethal going nowhere fast.
. We tacked WILDFLOWER for the breakwater channel leading to the outer harbor, negotiated a gaggle of jet skis, tucked in 2 reefs in both main and jib, and off we went on port tack in the brisk, 18 knot, afternoon westerly sea breeze that prevails most summer afternoons at Long Beach Harbor, giving the numerous kite foilers good air.
Our first tack was seaward of the Belmont Pier where there are stadium seats for viewing sailing, racing, Olympic trials and the Congressional Cup match racing . WILDFLOWER's new owner was simultaneously steering and smiling while I briefed on the boat's setup and handling techniques ("no more than 5 degrees of heel please.")
WILDFLOWER was particularly frisky and we cruised in T-shirts up by the camouflaged and decorated oil islands and their palm trees until sunset before heading in on the dying breeze. A long day......TBC
oil island Grissom with Belmont Pier in background
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Sleddog_sis
Sailor & former racer
In a different year, WILDFLOWER would be in the San Juan Islands about now.
photo by Capt. Bob
Times a changing, and visitors are not always being welcomed. One fallout from Covid is Washington State Ferry System delays of 3 hours and more being common. Here's the poop from King news:
ANACORTES, Wash. — Mitch Herrera makes his living hauling construction supplies to and from the San Juan Islands, but delays at the ferry docks are making his days longer and job tougher.
"Three hours is the standard wait now," he says. "You just have to count on it."
Herrera says the state ferry delays make it more difficult to get his supplies delivered on time, creating a ripple effect.
"If you can't completely supply your customers, they're going to start getting it from somewhere else."
Summertime ferry delays are nothing new to the San Juan Islands, but the coronavirus pandemic has made this season much worse than most. At one point this summer, some 200 vehicles with reservations were left stranded at the Friday Harbor terminal.
Several factors are at work: Because ridership is down due to COVID-19, the ferries are running on a winter schedule. That means fewer boats and fewer trips. Now that summer is here, ridership is increasing, but not enough to justify a full summer schedule.
Factor in that the state ferry workforce has many in a vulnerable age group, so many employees aren't coming back to work for fear of contracting coronavirus. Some have used the situation to retire. State hiring freezes are also in effect, leaving positions vacant.
Ferry Advisory Committee member Rick Hughes says COVID-19 is exposing how sick the ferry service is. If we're gonna keep going through this health crisis, and with the following economic crisis, we need to have infrastructure that works. It does not work right now. You cannot have every single boat late every single day and have a community function."
Ferry officials acknowledge the problem and say a task force is actively working to fix it. "They're looking at adjustments to things with the boats or crews to squeeze a little bit more out of the schedule," says Washington State Ferries spokesman Ian Sterling. "There are delays right now. We're in the middle of a pandemic. These aren't normal times, and unfortunately, folks shouldn't expect normal transportation services whether it's ferries, airplanes or anything else."
Health officials in the San Juans continue to ask tourists to stay off the ferries and stay off the islands to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many are not heeding that call, putting a heavy burden on an already strained ferry system. That strain is being felt across Puget Sound. The Seattle to Bainbridge run is down to one boat. Waits in Mukilteo and Edmonds have clocked in at up to four hours.
At this point, ferry officials say they have no idea when service will be back to pre-coronavirus levels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, mail to CBC and Santa Cruz County neighborhoods is often being delivered after dark by dedicated carriers without flashlights. With no overtime pay, safety compromised, and diminishing support from the Feds, the neighborhood mailman on his daily rounds is under jeopardy.
photo by Capt. Bob
Times a changing, and visitors are not always being welcomed. One fallout from Covid is Washington State Ferry System delays of 3 hours and more being common. Here's the poop from King news:
ANACORTES, Wash. — Mitch Herrera makes his living hauling construction supplies to and from the San Juan Islands, but delays at the ferry docks are making his days longer and job tougher.
"Three hours is the standard wait now," he says. "You just have to count on it."
Herrera says the state ferry delays make it more difficult to get his supplies delivered on time, creating a ripple effect.
"If you can't completely supply your customers, they're going to start getting it from somewhere else."
Summertime ferry delays are nothing new to the San Juan Islands, but the coronavirus pandemic has made this season much worse than most. At one point this summer, some 200 vehicles with reservations were left stranded at the Friday Harbor terminal.
Several factors are at work: Because ridership is down due to COVID-19, the ferries are running on a winter schedule. That means fewer boats and fewer trips. Now that summer is here, ridership is increasing, but not enough to justify a full summer schedule.
Factor in that the state ferry workforce has many in a vulnerable age group, so many employees aren't coming back to work for fear of contracting coronavirus. Some have used the situation to retire. State hiring freezes are also in effect, leaving positions vacant.
Ferry Advisory Committee member Rick Hughes says COVID-19 is exposing how sick the ferry service is. If we're gonna keep going through this health crisis, and with the following economic crisis, we need to have infrastructure that works. It does not work right now. You cannot have every single boat late every single day and have a community function."
Ferry officials acknowledge the problem and say a task force is actively working to fix it. "They're looking at adjustments to things with the boats or crews to squeeze a little bit more out of the schedule," says Washington State Ferries spokesman Ian Sterling. "There are delays right now. We're in the middle of a pandemic. These aren't normal times, and unfortunately, folks shouldn't expect normal transportation services whether it's ferries, airplanes or anything else."
Health officials in the San Juans continue to ask tourists to stay off the ferries and stay off the islands to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Many are not heeding that call, putting a heavy burden on an already strained ferry system. That strain is being felt across Puget Sound. The Seattle to Bainbridge run is down to one boat. Waits in Mukilteo and Edmonds have clocked in at up to four hours.
At this point, ferry officials say they have no idea when service will be back to pre-coronavirus levels.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Meanwhile, mail to CBC and Santa Cruz County neighborhoods is often being delivered after dark by dedicated carriers without flashlights. With no overtime pay, safety compromised, and diminishing support from the Feds, the neighborhood mailman on his daily rounds is under jeopardy.
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Thanks, Sis, for the sweet words
Speaking of next generations in the same Avon raft, here is Kali Rose, age 1, with me aboard the Avon in British Columbia in 1989. Kali and her folks, Nancy and Joe, are also from Santa Cruz and built the beautiful 47' Paul Whiting design SHANACHIE. Kali is now a professional river raft guide, sailor, and kite-surfer.
Here is WILDFLOWER, my custom Wylie 27, rafted to Kali's home afloat, SHANACHIE. There's the Avon again hanging astern of WILDFLOWER, and a stock Windsurfer, 12 feet long and 60 pounds, against WILDFLOWER's port lifelines. Standup paddling the Windsurfer using the mast for a paddle was good fun in those days.
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The selling point of the Avon Redcrest was durability. Sleddog confirmed that with his version.
This photo shows my version near Santa Cruz Island in the late 1970's.
Piglet, as the Redcrest was called found a a new owner and I downsized to an Achilles. Except for a 16-inch blowout that was repaired, the Achilles still sees use.
Here's an outing on the Kern River with a fly rod.
I guess a good inflatable is a joy forever.
Ants
This photo shows my version near Santa Cruz Island in the late 1970's.
Piglet, as the Redcrest was called found a a new owner and I downsized to an Achilles. Except for a 16-inch blowout that was repaired, the Achilles still sees use.
Here's an outing on the Kern River with a fly rod.
I guess a good inflatable is a joy forever.
Ants
The two part wood oars were not "durable." As a teenager I was courting my first girlfriend and we borrowed her family's AVON Redcrest for a row around Howland's Cove at Catalina. As her parents watched us row away, my first pull broke both oars.
Since then I have always had one piece oars, longer than the cheesy, stock ones. They've stood me in good stead. Here's rowing into incipient 45 knot puffs of Cyclone Drena in January, 1997, in Auckland Harbor's Westhaven. I'd filled my Redcrest with 15 gallons of water ballast so it had momentum between pulls and to discourage it from blowing over backwards. Stroke rate to get to windward was ~50 and it took about 10 minutes to reach WILDFLOWER on the piling moorings. After disembarking back aboard WILDFLOWER and catching my wind, for yucks I flew the Avon like a kite using a 3 point bridle, a spinnaker sheet, and #22 primary winch.
https://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/looking-back-cyclone-drena
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weQEg7wPQ2U
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Despite heavy smoke, ash, and hazardous air quality of the Santa Cruz and San Mateo county fires, there are positive developments for the 77,000 evacuees who have flooded into Santa Cruz. Yesterday's and this morning's marine layer and fog, cool temps, and light onshore winds, coupled with reinforcements to an under manned Cal Fire, have stemmed much of the advance of the 22 lightning fires that merged into one apocalyptic conflagration burning as far as Pescadero Creek and La Honda to the north, Skyline on the East, to the ocean at Ano Nuevo in the west, and approaching Santa Cruz city limits in the south.
Boulder Creek town, Ben Lomond, Felton, Scott's Valley, Pasatiempo, UCSC, et all, though all evacuated, have apparently been spared. Sadly, not so Bonny Doon, Last Chance, the north and west side of Boulder Creek and the San Lorenzo Valley, where likely hundreds of homes and large swaths of forest and wildlife have been incinerated with consequences that will last for generations. Even 1,000 to 1,800 year, old growth, ancient Coast Redwoods of Big Basin, California's oldest state park, have burned to their crowns and fallen. These trees, the tallest in the world and usually impervious to fire, are crashing to the forest floor with thunderous reverberations of their death.
Words cannot describe the stress, sadness, and heavy hearts of our communities. Climate change is real and happening and the toll is exceeding repayment. Bless Mother Earth and pray for help to heal her pain.
Here's Big Basin State Park redwoods on Thursday at Waddell Creek where it enters the Pacific Ocean.
PS, thanks to all who have expressed concern. Capitola Boat Club (CBC) is packed and planned for possible eventualities, but currently remains safe. Time to put up the Christmas tree and call it a year.
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dolfinbill
New member
Just noticed Wildflower's passage to her new owner. I well remember first meeting the original Wildflower, and the Redcrest, in 1987 in Moorea although it seemed you mainly commuted on your windsurfer. I also still use the same dingy although it has a few patches, an Avon Rover 2.8. Speaking of windsurfers, I can't forget my first encounter the following year with Peter Sutter in Musket Cove, Fiji. We were chatting away as he sailed his windsurfer over to the anchored Dolfin and then "thump", he T-boned poor Dolfin. I was wondering where (or if) this guy had learned to sail. First impressions can be so wrong!
Can't wait to hear what you come up with next.
Bill Meanley
Dolfin, Crealock 37
Sunday, 8/23/20 11 a.m.
This morning's Santa Cruz fire briefing, (9 minutes) is positive with 8% containment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsfBln5-Xak
However, more dry lightning strikes and accompanying strong and erratic outflow winds are possible this afternoon into tomorrow with the passage of the remnants of Hurricane Genevieve, the forerunners of which are currently passing offshore Morro Bay and headed NW up the central CA coast.
This morning's Santa Cruz fire briefing, (9 minutes) is positive with 8% containment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsfBln5-Xak
However, more dry lightning strikes and accompanying strong and erratic outflow winds are possible this afternoon into tomorrow with the passage of the remnants of Hurricane Genevieve, the forerunners of which are currently passing offshore Morro Bay and headed NW up the central CA coast.
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Sweet. As I walk almost daily along Santa Cruz Harbor's west breakwater, nothing makes me smile faster than to be passed by the commercial fish boat OLIVE B, outbound on her daily questing. Compared to most other designs, no matter what OLIVE B's speed, she leaves almost no wake.
In addition, OLIVE B has a direct connection to a notable and inspirational singlehanded voyage, only completed once before.
For homemade pasta sauce from the tomato garden growing in the CBC front yard, what is OLIVE B's connection to singlehanded history and how?
My guess is MAGIC DREAMER, DAZZLER, HEDGEHOG, and SILVER ALERT know the answer, and I expect one of them to tell us shortly. Can you beat them with the right answer? If so, I will include a quart of Marianne's Macapuno with the pasta sauce. No limit on guesses. Clue: sister won the Bermuda Race and namesake won the Transpac.
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Dazzler
m/v PACIFIC LOON
You keep piling on the hints and PICTURES, somebodies got to make all the connections!
This is not a hit, but I found interesting. OLVIE B is documented, 34’ with 11’ beam, built of fiberglass in Santa Cruz, in 1986. She is not what she appears to be. Her original owner was a Santa Cruz architect.
So after the puzzle is solved, do tell the rest of the story.
This is not a hit, but I found interesting. OLVIE B is documented, 34’ with 11’ beam, built of fiberglass in Santa Cruz, in 1986. She is not what she appears to be. Her original owner was a Santa Cruz architect.
So after the puzzle is solved, do tell the rest of the story.
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
The last photo is Harry Pidgeon's Islander. Islander's 34' hull was the same as Olive B's, with hard chines running its full length.
Islander won her "Under 35' " class in the 1928 Bermuda Race*, after Pidgeon had sailed her singlehanded around the world. Pidgeon was the second person to circumnavigate solo (after Slocum).
In 1963, a 40' sloop Islander won the TransPac, skippered by a 21 year old Tom Corkett.
So I will guess that Olive B's hull is a copy of Pidgeon's Islander.
* According to the Bermuda Race history I read, it wasn't a sistership.
.
Islander won her "Under 35' " class in the 1928 Bermuda Race*, after Pidgeon had sailed her singlehanded around the world. Pidgeon was the second person to circumnavigate solo (after Slocum).
In 1963, a 40' sloop Islander won the TransPac, skippered by a 21 year old Tom Corkett.
So I will guess that Olive B's hull is a copy of Pidgeon's Islander.
* According to the Bermuda Race history I read, it wasn't a sistership.
.
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Olive B seems to be the first time I have seen a commercial fishing boat with a full sailing setup (mast, mainsail and jib), not just a steadying sail.
Olive B seems to be a sailboat reincarnated for commercial fishing. A commercial fishing license typically requires a US built vessel.
Other than those observations, I don't have a clue.
Ants
Olive B seems to be a sailboat reincarnated for commercial fishing. A commercial fishing license typically requires a US built vessel.
Other than those observations, I don't have a clue.
Ants
Good news locally is the Santa Cruz area fire is encircled with defensible containment lines and "fire fighting" has transitioned to ground crews and helos directing controlled burns to reduce accumulation of forest floor fuels that provide "burn ladders" into canopies.
"Repopulation" of evacuated areas is beginning as soon as safe. As the fires recede, road crews clear fallen trees, followed by utility trucks re-establishing connects. UCSC and likely Pasatiempo have been cleared to "repopulate."
Many evacuees are living on boats at the Harbor. Others with no homes to return to are attempting to make plans. There are still missing people. Air Quality Index locally currently varying from 278-350, "unhealthy to hazardous."
All ports and hatches at CBC are closed, and I'm not leaving nav station for outside activities until air improves, sometimes in the early evening when the easterly eddy begins and the grey, smoky marine layer rolls up the coast. Then sunset begins into reddish skies, and stars appear to the south and east. Venus is now particularly bright near the waxing moon after sunset.
Winner, winner, pasta dinner and ice cream for BobJ who did extensive research and answered correctly that OLIVE B, built locally in Santa Cruz by her owner in 1986 of strip planking with fiberglas sheathing, has the same hull as Harry Pidgeon's ISLANDER that was second to solo circumnavigate, 1921-1925, 23 years after Joshua Slocum on SPRAY.
OLIVE B was originally launched as a beautifully finished motor sailing yacht with no fishing intentions. Her stumpy rig is original as is the dog house. At some point the owner/builder sold OLIVE B and the transition to fishing began.
But back to Harry Pidgeon who was also first to solo-circumnavigate by way of the Panama Canal, and first to solo circumnavigate twice. On both voyages he sailed ISLANDER, which Pidgeon built on the beach in San Pedro for ~ $1,000.
Around the World Single-Handed and the Cruise of the Islander remain classics of literature for their descriptions of island cultures during those times.
ISLANDER was lost on her 3rd circumnavigation in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in 1947. Her shape, as is OLIVE B's, is a classic derivation of the smaller "Seabird" design by Charles Mower and Thomas Fleming Day of which many are familiar. Even today, you'll occasionally see a Seabird, or their bigger brethern the Seagoer (34') in harbors along the West Coast. Most were self built of plywood.
Here's ISLANDER being built on Mormon Island in San Pedro in 1917. She was launched the next year:
"Repopulation" of evacuated areas is beginning as soon as safe. As the fires recede, road crews clear fallen trees, followed by utility trucks re-establishing connects. UCSC and likely Pasatiempo have been cleared to "repopulate."
Many evacuees are living on boats at the Harbor. Others with no homes to return to are attempting to make plans. There are still missing people. Air Quality Index locally currently varying from 278-350, "unhealthy to hazardous."
All ports and hatches at CBC are closed, and I'm not leaving nav station for outside activities until air improves, sometimes in the early evening when the easterly eddy begins and the grey, smoky marine layer rolls up the coast. Then sunset begins into reddish skies, and stars appear to the south and east. Venus is now particularly bright near the waxing moon after sunset.
Winner, winner, pasta dinner and ice cream for BobJ who did extensive research and answered correctly that OLIVE B, built locally in Santa Cruz by her owner in 1986 of strip planking with fiberglas sheathing, has the same hull as Harry Pidgeon's ISLANDER that was second to solo circumnavigate, 1921-1925, 23 years after Joshua Slocum on SPRAY.
OLIVE B was originally launched as a beautifully finished motor sailing yacht with no fishing intentions. Her stumpy rig is original as is the dog house. At some point the owner/builder sold OLIVE B and the transition to fishing began.
But back to Harry Pidgeon who was also first to solo-circumnavigate by way of the Panama Canal, and first to solo circumnavigate twice. On both voyages he sailed ISLANDER, which Pidgeon built on the beach in San Pedro for ~ $1,000.
Around the World Single-Handed and the Cruise of the Islander remain classics of literature for their descriptions of island cultures during those times.
ISLANDER was lost on her 3rd circumnavigation in the New Hebrides (now Vanuatu) in 1947. Her shape, as is OLIVE B's, is a classic derivation of the smaller "Seabird" design by Charles Mower and Thomas Fleming Day of which many are familiar. Even today, you'll occasionally see a Seabird, or their bigger brethern the Seagoer (34') in harbors along the West Coast. Most were self built of plywood.
Here's ISLANDER being built on Mormon Island in San Pedro in 1917. She was launched the next year:
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Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Nice story, Skip. And I'm glad to hear that you and many of your neighbors down there can look forward to surcease soon.
When I visit the CBC I don't know how to find my way there. it used to be so easy:
Does Bob get the ice cream, too?
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