-
Ahoy and Welcome to the New SSS Forum!!
As you can see, we have migrated our old forums to new software. All your old posts, threads, attachments, and messages should be here. If you see anything out of place or have any questions, please click
You should be able to login with your old credentials. If you have any issues, try resetting your password before clicking the Contact Us link.
Cheers - SSS Technical Infrastructure
New Boat 4 Sled
- Thread starter sleddog
- Start date
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
The Dazzlers have been everywhere.
Poor little Saildrone. When I was having lunch with Cliff yesterday he mentioned that he had asked about the little Saildrones: Would they know to avoid Rainbow? Some of them are 30' long. That could do some damage. Of course, Rainbow is pretty tough, but still....
He told me that the answer he got wasn't very reassuring.
Poor little Saildrone. When I was having lunch with Cliff yesterday he mentioned that he had asked about the little Saildrones: Would they know to avoid Rainbow? Some of them are 30' long. That could do some damage. Of course, Rainbow is pretty tough, but still....
He told me that the answer he got wasn't very reassuring.
Howard Spruit
New member
I see the drone's square sail is locked in the Dead Down Wind trim....
I have always assumed the Drone rigs were trim-able so they could go up wind to avoid a lee shore condition.
but this one appears to be hard wired for DDW!?
I have always assumed the Drone rigs were trim-able so they could go up wind to avoid a lee shore condition.
but this one appears to be hard wired for DDW!?
Exciting news from Saildrone Headquarters in Alameda. The 72' SAILDRONE SURVEYOR, while mowing bottom contours 150 nm west of Cape Mendocino using a multi-beam depth sounder, charted a previously unknown 3,000 foot volcano (seamount) rising from the 11,000 foot bottom.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcoyAOqxwOk
Howard Spruit: The squaresail on SAILDRONE 2023 that was washed ashore in S. Aussie near Melbourne was a more suitable rig for riding the storm force westerlies of the Southern Ocean as she circumnavigated Antarctica non-stop over 718 days. Yes, a trimmable wing sail would have been more maneuverable. But more vulnerable to damage during rollovers in 50 foot seas. Thus the fixed wing square sail.
As it was, SAILDRONE 2023, one of three Saildrones attempting Antarctica, had a malfunction (hitting ice?) that severed coms with shore. Still, 2023 kept sailing, even though her position was unknown until she came ashore covered in barnacles and missing two hatches. All instruments and recordings were intact and are being analyzed. The "poor little thing" is or was resting on an Australian farm with the sheep and pigs.
Interesting, sharks and dolphins don't collect barnacles over time...but SAILDRONE 2023 sure grew a fine beard of mollusks. They make sharkskin shoes...but not yet artificial sharkskin coatings to repel marine growth that slows sail craft to a standstill overtime.
Good thing for Voyager there are no barnacles in space!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcoyAOqxwOk
Howard Spruit: The squaresail on SAILDRONE 2023 that was washed ashore in S. Aussie near Melbourne was a more suitable rig for riding the storm force westerlies of the Southern Ocean as she circumnavigated Antarctica non-stop over 718 days. Yes, a trimmable wing sail would have been more maneuverable. But more vulnerable to damage during rollovers in 50 foot seas. Thus the fixed wing square sail.
As it was, SAILDRONE 2023, one of three Saildrones attempting Antarctica, had a malfunction (hitting ice?) that severed coms with shore. Still, 2023 kept sailing, even though her position was unknown until she came ashore covered in barnacles and missing two hatches. All instruments and recordings were intact and are being analyzed. The "poor little thing" is or was resting on an Australian farm with the sheep and pigs.
Interesting, sharks and dolphins don't collect barnacles over time...but SAILDRONE 2023 sure grew a fine beard of mollusks. They make sharkskin shoes...but not yet artificial sharkskin coatings to repel marine growth that slows sail craft to a standstill overtime.
Good thing for Voyager there are no barnacles in space!
Last edited:
No April Fool's joke this. The Bug Light for Weirdos, aka Singlehanded Transpac, gets turned "ON" in less than 3 months. Having been a participant, finish committee, inspector, weather director, and coach, I've seen a lot of weirdness over 45 years.
The Macapuno Ice Cream at CBC has been replenished. If you choose to accept, the first to correctly guess the answer to the below question wins a party at CBC with a favorite singlehander of your choice as guest.
Only one guess/24 hours.
All but one of the answers below actually happened on the SHTP course between San Francisco and Hanalei Bay. Only one occured in a different part of the Pacific. Which is it?
1) The skipper finished with a lawn mower lashed to his mast.
2) The skipper collided with the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.
3) The skipper was delayed as he went fishing for his welcoming party,
4) The skipper unsuccessfully attempted to radio Venusians who appeared nearby late one night.
5) The winning skipper disappeared shortly after arrival.
6) The halfway barge crew, tired of waiting for sailors, rescued the crew and passengers of a commercial airliner that ditched nearby.
7) The skipper stood patiently on his stern waiting for the crossing light to turn from red to green so he could step off into the crosswalk.
8) The skipper was delayed due to the drag of a giant squid attached to his bottom.
9) The skipper arrived without his boat.
10) The boat arrived without its skipper.
11) The skipper arrived under spinnaker, steering remotely from his foredeck hammock.
12) The skipper worked out daily while racing with his saddle and spurs in prep for the Kauai rodeo.
13) The skipper was potentially DSQ for racing with a crew, only to point out to the RC it was a blowup doll.
14) The skipper had to hideout below after accidentally lighting his spinnaker on fire causing molten nylon to rain down on his deck.
15) The skipper accidentally locked himself in his lazarette.
16) The skipper finished with a 4 oz. toy anchor, causing himself to be DSQ.
17) The skipper had aboard half a cord of firewood for his woodburning stove.
18) The skipper survived mostly on elk jerky while trying to figure out what to do without a mast.
19) The skipper unknowingly sailed past Kauai off in the direction of the sunset for a day or two...
20) The skipper mistook the Princeville golf course for the finish line late at night.
21) The finish committee ascended a muddy cliff in the dark in an attempt to make radio contact.
22) The welcoming committee was chastised for Hanalei's missing marina and fuel dock.
23) A Sabot dinghy attempted a SHTP qualifier, fortunately turning back just outside the GG Bridge.
24) The skipper started with yak hair jib sheets, only to discover they shed mercilessly when wet.
25) The skipper sighted vast armadas of insects in the middle of the Pacific.
26) A welcoming committee in an inflatable dinghy in the darkness rowed forever until they fell asleep at the oars, not realizing they were aground at the mouth of the Hanalei River where they were found the next morning, sound asleep.
Ready, Set, Go!
The Macapuno Ice Cream at CBC has been replenished. If you choose to accept, the first to correctly guess the answer to the below question wins a party at CBC with a favorite singlehander of your choice as guest.
Only one guess/24 hours.
All but one of the answers below actually happened on the SHTP course between San Francisco and Hanalei Bay. Only one occured in a different part of the Pacific. Which is it?
1) The skipper finished with a lawn mower lashed to his mast.
2) The skipper collided with the North Tower of the Golden Gate Bridge.
3) The skipper was delayed as he went fishing for his welcoming party,
4) The skipper unsuccessfully attempted to radio Venusians who appeared nearby late one night.
5) The winning skipper disappeared shortly after arrival.
6) The halfway barge crew, tired of waiting for sailors, rescued the crew and passengers of a commercial airliner that ditched nearby.
7) The skipper stood patiently on his stern waiting for the crossing light to turn from red to green so he could step off into the crosswalk.
8) The skipper was delayed due to the drag of a giant squid attached to his bottom.
9) The skipper arrived without his boat.
10) The boat arrived without its skipper.
11) The skipper arrived under spinnaker, steering remotely from his foredeck hammock.
12) The skipper worked out daily while racing with his saddle and spurs in prep for the Kauai rodeo.
13) The skipper was potentially DSQ for racing with a crew, only to point out to the RC it was a blowup doll.
14) The skipper had to hideout below after accidentally lighting his spinnaker on fire causing molten nylon to rain down on his deck.
15) The skipper accidentally locked himself in his lazarette.
16) The skipper finished with a 4 oz. toy anchor, causing himself to be DSQ.
17) The skipper had aboard half a cord of firewood for his woodburning stove.
18) The skipper survived mostly on elk jerky while trying to figure out what to do without a mast.
19) The skipper unknowingly sailed past Kauai off in the direction of the sunset for a day or two...
20) The skipper mistook the Princeville golf course for the finish line late at night.
21) The finish committee ascended a muddy cliff in the dark in an attempt to make radio contact.
22) The welcoming committee was chastised for Hanalei's missing marina and fuel dock.
23) A Sabot dinghy attempted a SHTP qualifier, fortunately turning back just outside the GG Bridge.
24) The skipper started with yak hair jib sheets, only to discover they shed mercilessly when wet.
25) The skipper sighted vast armadas of insects in the middle of the Pacific.
26) A welcoming committee in an inflatable dinghy in the darkness rowed forever until they fell asleep at the oars, not realizing they were aground at the mouth of the Hanalei River where they were found the next morning, sound asleep.
Ready, Set, Go!
Last edited:
Intermission
Member
I guess #24.
When the correct answer is determined; could you Paul Harvey all of these by adding a line for the rest of the story?
BTW; I'm a macapuno virgin. . . .
When the correct answer is determined; could you Paul Harvey all of these by adding a line for the rest of the story?
BTW; I'm a macapuno virgin. . . .
Jonathan Gutoff
New member
No. 6
In 2008 on WILDFLOWER I sailed through a vast expanse (miles) of Halobates, true oceanic insects that look like water walkers from a millpond. There were millions of these water striders and I laid over FLEUR's bow with a bucket unsuccessfully trying to catch even one. Halobates are very quick, can jump 6 inches, their feet never touching water. Nor can they submerge or fly. They lay eggs at sea on flotsam, like plastic, and never touch land. Few sailors see them because you have to look close to the water's surface. Any ocean voyaging readers seen Halobates? Sorry Jackie, guess again tomorrow morning. https://hakaimagazine.com/news/a-bugs-life-at-sea/
Sorry Ants. In 2012 the skipper of BELA BARTOK was rescued from his boat due to a medical emergency. Under self steering, BB continued sailing on course with her transponder running but no one aboard. Fellow competitors Ronnie and Reuben borrowed a powerboat, and when BELA BARTOK approached, they transferred aboard and she was safely sailed into port by the above crew. Guess again tomorrow morning please.
Last edited:
Sorry INTERMISSION. In 1975 when I built WILDFLOWER and sailed her in the 1978 SHTP, I was running on a shoestring. No engine, no electrics or instruments but a sextant, and unable to afford proper rope. My good friend Alexis Monson was working at Tail-of-the-Yak import store in Berkeley at the time and supplied WILDFLOWER with much yak hair rope that bound all their shipments from Nepal. I washed out the dung, and used the yak hair rope for my working sheets, including jib sheets. It was organic and plenty strong, but hard on the hands and shed yak hair all over the cockpit. Please guess again after 24 hours.
Last edited:
Hi Jonathan, In 1956, at halfway on the Great Circle between SF and Honolulu, Pan Am Flight #6 lost two engines and had to ditch in the vicinity of Ocean Station November, the 255' Coast Guard Cutter PONTCHARTRAIN. The Admiral's Barge was launched, and as Capt. Ogg brought the plane down to land, there was a mighty splash as the plane's tail broke off. In the minutes before the plane sank, the crew and passengers were all safely rescued. It's a great story! And DAZZLER's father, a pilot for Pan Am of a sistership, had peripheral involvement. Please guess again.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMk8z3h2QC8
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Am_Flight_6
Last edited:
Intermission
Member
Today I will guess #17.
Good memory, Ants! However, not the correct answer. Read the challenge closely...And try again.
When I first went below to inspect this SHTP competitor, the cabin was toasty warm with bread baking in a wood burning stove. I was both amused and curious. "Are you going to bake your way across the Pacific?" I asked. "Of course," was the answer.. "I have plenty of wood." With that, the skipper lifted every bunk lid and showed me neatly stacked firewood fore and aft...Unbelievable but true. I did say the SHTP has always had an attraction for bug lighters.. Guess again Good Sir.
Howard Spruit
New member
My guess is number 2