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New Boat 4 Sled

Whether passagemaking nearshore of off soundings, Whitall Stokes (RAGNAR on this Forum) has written an informative and comprehensive account of his attempted non-stop voyage around the World on the 50' SPARROW that I recommend highly, not only because of its sensitivity but because SPARROW was a well prepared boat, fast, seaworthy, and the right size for a singlehander for such an attempt.

However, even with Whitall's experience and professional assisted prep, things came up short. Who would have anticipated running low on downwind sails? Having the coachroof crack, mainsail cars come adrift, steering seize , and a heavy duty foot block pull out of the deck?

All this and more can be found at https://svsparrow.com/ under the entry "Epilogue"

Well written, good sir.
 
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That Whitall, he's so cool. I remember when I walked the dock before the 2012 SHTP. Every other boat was swarming with people. He sat alone, slouched in his cockpit waiting for the fuss to die down and the race to start. He reminded me of a high strung horse waiting for the gate to open.

Here's that wonderful race start, just to remind us of the rush of excitement: http://vimeo.com/45337257
 
5/03/21

Good news: The Santa Cruz Harbor dredge is being decommisioned for the season as the federally mandated depths in the breakwater channel have been achieved in time for the Moore-24 National Championships next weekend.

A dredge would not have helped the YRA DH Sunday "Islands" race yesterday. Somebody forgot to check the tide table and the Fast Boat classes couldn't approach the start line during the minus tide if they drew more than 6.5 feet. A 45 minute postponement was ordered while the water depth increased and options were discussed. Which it didn't. So the slower boats were started in reverse order (there were no provisions to move the start line in the SI's).

Despite the SI's, eventualy a substitute line with more depth was set for the Fast Boats. But by then, more than a few had lost interest and returned to port. Too bad because it was a beautiful day of sailing.

The weather leg from "G" mark start went upwind with good ebb 7 miles into 15-20 knots to Crissy (#16).

Thence downwind to Red Rock, the logical, shorter course being direct through Raccoon Straits. But Kim and I, looking ahead from the Wylie-39 CHECKERED PAST, saw drifting ahead and elected for the" end around" of leaving Angel Island/Pt. Blunt to port to stay in the filling southwest sea breeze.. This proved an erroneous choice as the warm NW wind filled off the Tiburon hills, and the Raccoon fleet on port tack stretched us by several minutes.

The final leg from RR to RYC was a fetch, fairing to a reach, then run. Kudos to Amber and Bob on the Cal-39 SEA STAR for getting their spinny set and charging the last mile at full pelt to win our class by 8 seconds.

Congrats also to Bill and Jim dominating the competitive Alerion 28 class. Also nice to see long time SSS stalwarts Jim and Cindy doing well on their Merit 25 CHESAPEAKE. And there, eye popping beautiful, was the only split rig in the fleet, the deep blue Hughes 48 yawl IOLANI with Sylvia and Barry, kicking butt , taking names, and posting one of the best elapsed and corrected times in fleet of original starters. Well done all.

https://www.jibeset.net/show.php?RR=YRA_T006911464&DOC=r2&TYP=html

Notes to self:1) YRA mark #16, Crissy, aka Blackaller, is hard to spot for > 50 yards, well in shore and low in the water, disguised with bird poop as a white cap.
2) The Cal 39 Mark 2/3, with the same 114 NCPHRF as a Cal-40, is a competitive boat on SF Bay, as fast or faster than a well sailed Cal-40. Who would have thunk Bill Lapworth would design an IOR Rule influenced hull? I remain hesitant about wheel steering offshore. But for congested SF Bay, the increased visibility to leeward with a wheel is an asset.
 
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A fascinating CCA Zoom seminar last evening attended by Safety at Sea luminaries and readers of this Forum covered the subject of containers falling off ships, why, and what happens to them. The presenters were highly respected sailors and members of the shipping industry,

The primary reason containers fall off ships is the huge increase in the size and capacity of container ships since the first ship, the converted WWII tanker IDEAL-X, carried containers in 1956. Today, the standard 40 foot container can be stacked up to 9 tiers or 200 feet above deck and 90% of the world's non-bulk cargo is moved by container ship totaling more than 226 million containers in active use/year.

This stacking can apparently cause "parametric rolling" a catastrophic disharmony from waves abeam creating up to 35 degrees roll each way way. These parametric rolls create tremendous centrifugal force on the upper tiers of containers as they arc through the sky.

Parametric rolling is reportedly almost exclusive to these giant ships and not fully understood. One probable influence is the great windage of the stacked containers forming a virtual wall a quarter mile long. A second influence is the ship's own wake in a cross swell as the giant ship with draft of 50 feet rolls in the troughs.

Whatever the cause, we were assured the vast majority of containers that fall off ships are steel, not air tight
and end up sinking, even if empty. A smaller number of containers may stay afloat either because they are refrigerated and airtight, or because their contents are light weight electronics packed in styrofoam or bubble wrap packaging.

When the experts were queried about what is being done about the problem of containers falling overboard, "it is being studied." was the answer, as losing up to 10,000 containers/year is costly. When asked if there is any plan to track or make sure the a container sinks, the answer was "not at this time." "With so many containers in use, it would be nearly impossible to retrofit something like a GPS tracker or hydrostatic device."

The general consensus is that there is much more probability and danger from hitting a whale than a container. Either way, it is a good idea to have an abandon ship plan.

Maybe Jim Q. can tell us if this informative seminar was recorded to share.

Container.jpg
 
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The fleet is in: 23 Moore 24's are in town sailing their National Championship off Santa Cruz. 2 races starting today at 1 PM, 3 tomorrow Saturday, and 2 on Sunday. Good to see long time friend Mark English here with MAS! as well as Morgan and Christa Larson and family down from Hood River. Morgan grew up down the street from CBC. Results can be found here: https://www.regattanetwork.com/event/22006#_newsroom+results

The fleet is in: 2 dozen commercial salmon boats from up and down the Coast have found refuge in Santa Cruz Harbor while waiting out gale warnings over their fishing grounds. Said one skipper, "you can't fish in 7-9 foot wind waves and 30-40 knots of wind.

The fleet in in: anchovies by the gross are gathering just off the Harbor entrance and birds are delighting. Humpbacks can't be far behind.
 
Lost Shipping Containers

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) at Moss Landing has been involved with studies of lost shipping containers. Pre-COVID they held a most fascinating annual open house. During one of those visits we learned that an MBARI research vessel, while in transit, had quite by accident noted a sonar reading of something unusual at a depth of ~4000 feet. Further investigation by remote operated vehicle (ROV) revealed it to be a shipping container with clearly readable markings. They were able to identify the ship that it had come from and the contents: car tires. Luckily, the tires are relatively inert; it could have been worse.

Since the discovery, the container has been the source of study. Apparently, due to the water temperature and that there is little oxygen at that depth, the steel container has remained intact and has provided an artificial habitat for a variety of marine life.

https://www.mbari.org/first-ever-st...es-on-and-around-a-sunken-shipping-container/

First-ever study describes deep-sea animal communities on and around a sunken shipping container, May 7, 2014

Excerpted from this report: “This collaborative research project has already helped government agencies in formulating standards for how containers are weighed, stacked, and lashed down. It has also spurred interest from both governmental agencies and the shipping industry in finding a way to track the number of containers lost at sea each year. As DeVogelaere noted, “The fact that our research was mentioned by the U.S. Coast Guard in the background material for a proposed lashing rule shows that this work has clear societal value.”
 
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After two days of racing and 5 races, the Moore 24 fleet has had exciting and competitive racing. The all pro, Olympic caliber, PEGASUS RACING has dominated with 4 firsts in 5 races. After those guys, the husbands/wives/family and friends teams had serious back and forths. As there is a class weight limit of 825 pounds, about half the fleet was sailing with 4 crew total, and half with 5.

Standing 2nd is Joel and crew on FIREFLY from RYC, and tied for 3rd is Morgan Larson on BRUZER and Steve Bourdrow on MOOREGASM. Yesterday's first race was a 3.5 mile weather leg to Natural Bridges in usual westerly, 18-22, with relatively smooth water along the West Cliff shoreline and its protective kelp beds.

Morgan and crew rounded Natural Bridges a close second behind PEGASUS, bore off DDW and set their spinnaker simultaneously. Before fully squared away, BRUZER laid down to weather, mast horizontal and spinnaker pole pointing down. Three things then happened simultaneously: Christa Larson, Morgan's wife, and foredeck boss managed to hang on with her fingernails while the carbon fiber spinnaker pole splintered. Aft, 505 World's Champ Mike Holt, used to this sort of thing, stepped off BRUZER and onto the her keel. BRUZER promptly righted and took off again, sans spinnaker pole. For the rest of the downwind leg, Morgan masterfully drove the entire 3 mile downwind leg on a plane with no pole, while 2 crew went below, disassembled the broken pole, removed one of the aluminum bunk tubes, and assembled a new pole.

All in a day in the Moore 24's, where two boats, WET SPOT and VALKYRIE are racing with original owners, the only boats in the fleet with that cachet.

Today's 3 races were held in different conditions from yesterday. The common afternoon Easterly was blowing near shore, and yesterday's westerly had petered out. 3 windward/leewards were run in conditions not seen elsewhere on the Coast. With 8-10 knots of wind and a leftover westerly swell, the fleet was able to surf upwind and pound going downwind. This suited some and flummoxed others. Enjoying the conditions and doing particularly well using the boat's original sails was RYC's Nick Voss and his young crew on ENAMORED, ex-CADENZA.

Tomorrow's two races are for all the marbles. It's good to see new blood in the Moore-24's battling in the front row. To watch the final day's racing from a distance, starting at 1 pm, go to
Santa Cruz Harbor web cam at https://www.santacruzharbor.org/cruz-harbor-web-cam/

Moore244.jpg
 
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Dazzler said:
The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) at Moss Landing has been involved with studies of lost shipping containers. Pre-COVID they held a most fascinating annual open house. During one of those visits we learned that an MBARI research vessel, while in transit, had quite by accident noted a sonar reading of something unusual at a depth of ~4000 feet. Further investigation by remote operated vehicle (ROV) revealed it to be a shipping container with clearly readable markings. They were able to identify the ship that it had come from and the contents: car tires. Luckily, the tires are relatively inert; it could have been worse.

Since the discovery, the container has been the source of study. Apparently, due to the water temperature and that there is little oxygen at that depth, the steel container has remained intact and has provided an artificial habitat for a variety of marine life.

https://www.mbari.org/first-ever-st...es-on-and-around-a-sunken-shipping-container/

First-ever study describes deep-sea animal communities on and around a sunken shipping container, May 7, 2014

Excerpted from this report: “This collaborative research project has already helped government agencies in formulating standards for how containers are weighed, stacked, and lashed down. It has also spurred interest from both governmental agencies and the shipping industry in finding a way to track the number of containers lost at sea each year. As DeVogelaere noted, “The fact that our research was mentioned by the U.S. Coast Guard in the background material for a proposed lashing rule shows that this work has clear societal value.”
Click to expand...

Thanks, DAZZLER, this is fascinating. The amount of marine life at 4,000 feet is astounding.
 
3 mill "views" is a nice, round, number, though Beetle would say less, and probably be right.

Like its owner, the 11 year old Toshiba laptop with Windows7 OS is slowing, and sometimes has to be shutdown and restarted to get anywhere at all. Fortunately I don't have an editor with a deadline and penchant for changing prose just because he can.

The marine layer is hovering at the beach, and the deck of the CBC is chilly enough for fleece at high noon. We're out of here tomorrow for warmer, inland, waters.

Meanwhile, Mini-MAGIC has passed her flotation and LCG tests in fresh water, and will soon be rigged. I'm glad to see the orange pingpong ball on the tip of the bowsprit!

MiniMagicfloat.JPG
 
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One of the local pandemic activities was to pick up a book off the shelf and see what was missed earlier. Nautical Quarterly had this delightful photo of a SF legend from the early 80's.
Enjoy.
image.jpeg
 
Huge kudos to the 4 Indomitables who finished the recent SHF Race in challenging conditions. And to Synthia on finishing her last Farallones Race aboard well traveled and beloved EYRIE before changing hands.

Syn has also completed a magnificent addition to the Capitola Boat Club and Maritime Museum (CBC) with new cushion covers for the breakfast nook. No small achievement to align vertical and horizontal stripes. Well done, my friend!

310 Cushion (2).jpg
 
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What a classy place is the CBC. Can I come visit and sit on the new cushions? Maybe next week? I'll bring that Jonathan Raban book.
 
Philpott said:
What a classy place is the CBC. Can I come visit and sit on the new cushions? Maybe next week? I'll bring that Jonathan Raban book.
Click to expand...

Vaccinated visitors welcome anytime at CBC. Plenty of room to tie up at the floats. No shoes, no shirts, no problem.
 
Synthia without Eyrie, or Eyrie without Synthia? Times change, and we move on to other boats, on to other joys, but this is difficult for me.
I'll treasure the memory of watching her at the start of a recent race, cool as ice cream, sheeting in the sails and off the line in perfect trim.
Wishing both Synthia and Eyrie the best. SDK
 
Eyrie

Synthia and Eyrie coasting past Pier 39 on their own fiasco.
 

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Yesterday's YRA Doublehanded Series race began auspiciously enough, with the RC late to the party at buoy R2 off the Alameda Naval Air Station. When set, the line was no where near square, with the boat end so favored that starting any where else down the line was a big loser. Throw in a strong ebb current that had half a dozen nearby large container ships anchored bow to the current but stern to the wind, and a Giants/Dodgers baseball game just inshore of the weather mark near McCovey Cove, and there were all the ingredients for a good sized maritime party.

In 15 knots of wind, our start on the Wylie-39 CHECKERED PAST was on time a length down from the committee boat. Only problem was Cindy Lou and Milly B on the Alerion-38 ANOTHER GIRL had timed it perfectly and occupied the boat length wide gap to windward. Our attempt at getting nose ahead was hampered when a fuse for the electric main sheet winch blew at the start gun, leaving the 30 foot wishbone untrimmable. Kim handed me a winch handle, but that proved of questionable benefit, as the winch handle wouldn't clear the adjacent lifeline stanchion! Finally I found a stubby winch handle, and off we went, only to have injury added to insult when the tactician on ANOTHER GIRL planted a tack right ahead when were on the layline to the first mark. Good call Milly!

We got our act together, staying low on the starboard tack reach to the next mark, a buoy down near Candlestick Park.. It was quite gusty, and a boat in the class ahead got knocked down, spun into the wind, and auto tacked, then gybed, before resuming her original course. By the second buoy, we'd caught up with ANOTHER GIRL, with the WC-30 SALTY CAT breathing down our transoms. I managed to gather up most of the main sheet slack as we gybed to port, and off we went towards the Bay Bridge, aimed at leaving Yerba Buena Island to starboard as required in the SI's.

This leg, also a close reach, we chose to go a little higher, and benefited by getting the gusts first. With a good ebb, we were logging 10 knots SOG and managed to sneak over the top of ANOTHER GIRL as we hove abeam of the central abutment of the Bay Bridge. As we passed to .25 mi windward of Treasure Island we transitioned out of the South Bay ebb and into the North Bay ebb. We eased the main sheet and bore off 10 degrees for the Berkeley Flats, knowing we'd likely get lifted as we approached Richmond. CHECKERED PAST liked this new point of sail, and despite occasionally dragging the end of the wishbone in the quarter wake, we were riding waves at a fine clip and overhauling several of the boats in the class ahead while leaving ANOTHER GIRL and SALTY CAT in arrears.

With a mile to go to the Richmond Breakwater we were lifted as is usual, and the boats to windward were now running. Most chose not to set spinnakers, as setting and dousing for such a short distance when doublehanded is of questionable benefit. We got to the end of the Richmond Breakwater and passed it about 2 lengths off before gybing for the finish off the RYC platform. All in all, a fun afternoon of sailing what the YRA termed the "North-South" Race. At the dock we gathered aboard ANOTHER GIRL for a gam and snacks before I headed down the road to the CBC, 90 miles to leeward. Thanks, Kim sharing a fun day!
 
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sleddog said:
Huge kudos to the 4 Indomitables who finished the recent SHF Race in challenging conditions. And to Synthia on finishing her last Farallones Race aboard well traveled and beloved EYRIE before changing hands.

Syn has also completed a magnificent addition to the Capitola Boat Club and Maritime Museum (CBC) with new cushion covers for the breakfast nook. No small achievement to align vertical and horizontal stripes. Well done, my friend!

View attachment 6480
Click to expand...

They look great. I saw them under construction at a recent visit to Beats Mowin' the Lawn!
 
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