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New Boat 4 Sled
- Thread starter sleddog
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Santana20Vixen
New member
Yes, very touching story about Peggy... I can only imagine the stature of that woman and would have loved to have met her.
WILDFLOWER spent the last two summers in the Pacific NW. For those not familiar, the Salish Sea is an inland lake, comprised of three 80 mile long arms: Puget Sound, Straits of Juan de Fuca, and Straits of Georgia.
"Salish Sea" is a relatively new name for this area, honoring the indigenous peoples who live in southwest British Columbia and northwest Washington state, and have for centuries used its waters for transportation and sustenance. "Salish Sea" was first coined in 1988, and officially adopted by both Canadian and Washington governments in 2001.
Moderating the weather, and providing a spectacular snow capped backdrop to the Salish Sea, are the Olympic mountains to the West, Vancouver Island to the North, and the Cascade Range to the East.
Local ferry systems connect the mainland and islands of the Salish Sea. Ferries are a consistent feature on the horizon, and provide an inexpensive and comfortable way to cruise these waters.
Although there are often fine days after, summer in the Salish ends in mid-September. Even ferries can run into heavy going in the Salish Sea.
"Salish Sea" is a relatively new name for this area, honoring the indigenous peoples who live in southwest British Columbia and northwest Washington state, and have for centuries used its waters for transportation and sustenance. "Salish Sea" was first coined in 1988, and officially adopted by both Canadian and Washington governments in 2001.
Moderating the weather, and providing a spectacular snow capped backdrop to the Salish Sea, are the Olympic mountains to the West, Vancouver Island to the North, and the Cascade Range to the East.
Local ferry systems connect the mainland and islands of the Salish Sea. Ferries are a consistent feature on the horizon, and provide an inexpensive and comfortable way to cruise these waters.
Although there are often fine days after, summer in the Salish ends in mid-September. Even ferries can run into heavy going in the Salish Sea.
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In a “bring what you got” moment, I recently ran across my father's scrapbook of his first Transpac, the 1947 Honolulu Race aboard the 66' N Boat WESTWARD.
Basically a 12 meter with accommodations, WESTWARD was the epitomy of a leadmine. With less freeboard than the Cal27 DURA MATER, WESTWARD went through the waves, not over.
Until the mid-50's, cotton was the only sail cloth available. If you had the bucks, the hi-tech stuff was cotton “duck.” Duck was a tighter weave, good for racing sail cloth.
Cotton sails had characteristics that were sometimes difficult to deal with. In a Pacific rain squall, your main and spinnaker would likely soak up 10% of its weight in water, and stretch 10% of its length. This allowed the tip of the main boom to drag in the water until the sun came out, when the sail dried and shrank back to its original size. Or smaller.
Main booms were often casualties in early Transpacs. "Fishing" (splinting) a main boom was not unheard of.
Another thing about cotton was mildew. If you bagged the sail wet, you could almost hear the mildew growing.
Basically a 12 meter with accommodations, WESTWARD was the epitomy of a leadmine. With less freeboard than the Cal27 DURA MATER, WESTWARD went through the waves, not over.
Until the mid-50's, cotton was the only sail cloth available. If you had the bucks, the hi-tech stuff was cotton “duck.” Duck was a tighter weave, good for racing sail cloth.
Cotton sails had characteristics that were sometimes difficult to deal with. In a Pacific rain squall, your main and spinnaker would likely soak up 10% of its weight in water, and stretch 10% of its length. This allowed the tip of the main boom to drag in the water until the sun came out, when the sail dried and shrank back to its original size. Or smaller.
Main booms were often casualties in early Transpacs. "Fishing" (splinting) a main boom was not unheard of.
Another thing about cotton was mildew. If you bagged the sail wet, you could almost hear the mildew growing.
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Anchoring deep water weather data buoys in over a mile of water is problematical at best. Currently gone missing, or ceased transmitting, are NOAA buoys 46005, 46006, 46059, 46412, and 46047. These buoys, once anchored off the West Coast from Washington to the Mexican Border, were important for providing weather data to the National Weather Service. Without their data, computer weather modeling suffers inaccuracies. Tsunami data is also compromised. Due to government budgetary restraints, it is unlikely the buoys will be replaced any time soon. http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/maps/Northwest.shtml
A possible alternative, the Saildrone, is currently undergoing development and testing out of Richmond, CA. This 15' autonomous trimaran is being privately developed by the current sailing land speed record holder of 126 mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRFRQXPtXTs
The Saildrone has already successfully sailed out SF Bay and around the Farallones. It is self righting, and can be completely submerged. www.saildrone.com
The Saildrone has also attempted a voyage to Hawaii. But had to turn around halfway when a sensor failed, limiting it to port tack only. The Saildrone then sailed over a thousand miles back on port tack, and was successfully recovered outside Santa Cruz Harbor.
Paul Kamen and I once fantasized about racing a "Zero-Handed Transpac." The Saildrone may bring this fantasy nearer reality.
A possible alternative, the Saildrone, is currently undergoing development and testing out of Richmond, CA. This 15' autonomous trimaran is being privately developed by the current sailing land speed record holder of 126 mph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRFRQXPtXTs
The Saildrone has already successfully sailed out SF Bay and around the Farallones. It is self righting, and can be completely submerged. www.saildrone.com
The Saildrone has also attempted a voyage to Hawaii. But had to turn around halfway when a sensor failed, limiting it to port tack only. The Saildrone then sailed over a thousand miles back on port tack, and was successfully recovered outside Santa Cruz Harbor.
Paul Kamen and I once fantasized about racing a "Zero-Handed Transpac." The Saildrone may bring this fantasy nearer reality.
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Nov.5, 2013
Though there is no public confirmation or announcement, it appears the Saildrone, mentioned in thread above, has made a successful unmanned crossing from SF to Hawaii, 2,260 miles sailed in 35 days, averaging 2.7 knots through the water.
On this, its second attempt at a "Zero-handed Transpac," the Saildrone was apparently launched Oct.1, 2013, from SF. It immediately sailed into a gale with winds to 35 knots.
Yesterday, or today, the Saildrone arrived safely at Kaneohe Yacht Club. No further news at this time.
http://saildrone.com/index.php/track
Though there is no public confirmation or announcement, it appears the Saildrone, mentioned in thread above, has made a successful unmanned crossing from SF to Hawaii, 2,260 miles sailed in 35 days, averaging 2.7 knots through the water.
On this, its second attempt at a "Zero-handed Transpac," the Saildrone was apparently launched Oct.1, 2013, from SF. It immediately sailed into a gale with winds to 35 knots.
Yesterday, or today, the Saildrone arrived safely at Kaneohe Yacht Club. No further news at this time.
http://saildrone.com/index.php/track
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Continued bemusement over the years that in the lead up to racing Transpac (Vic-Maui, SHTP, Pac Cup, Honolulu Race) that a main speed detractor is ignored in seminars and prep. Out of sight, out of mind?
There is so much plastic crap, nets, and rope islands floating between the West Coast and Hawaii, that unless one's boat has a swept back leading edge on a full keel, a keel hung rudder, and hidden or aperture prop and shaft, you are 75% likely to snag unwanted debris on the race over, and 90% likely on the return.
This debris, at minimum, will slow you down. At maximum, it will cause safety issues, including compromise of steering and motoring ability, and the possibility of needing a potentially dangerous mid-ocean swim with a knife.
I could name dozens of boats that have had mid-ocean encounters with plastic. In 2011, the big 65' sloop ALASKA EAGLE got so entangled their engine was permanently put out of commission, and a diver could not disentangle the mess from around the keel and prop. Their sailing speed was cut in half, and the passage took several days longer than planned.
There is a partial solution that has been employed for years. Kelp windows. They have been in use for over 30 years on many Bill Lee boats, including all the SC-70's, and many SC-50's. One window sighting down the leading edge of the keel, one over the prop/strut, and one in front of the rudder.
Windows can be checked at night using a flashlite. Some enterprising owners installed remote cameras at their windows capable of being viewed at the nav. station. But you don't need that luxury or complexity.
Good news for the Dana 24, CARROLL E, you don't need windows.
Windows are not the total solution to snagging plastic. But at least you know what you got and can plan action. Barring a kelp cutter blade in the keel and rudder, the best thing to do when snagging plastic is to back down.
If anyone would like more info, they can e-mail me at skipallan at sbcglobal dot net
There is so much plastic crap, nets, and rope islands floating between the West Coast and Hawaii, that unless one's boat has a swept back leading edge on a full keel, a keel hung rudder, and hidden or aperture prop and shaft, you are 75% likely to snag unwanted debris on the race over, and 90% likely on the return.
This debris, at minimum, will slow you down. At maximum, it will cause safety issues, including compromise of steering and motoring ability, and the possibility of needing a potentially dangerous mid-ocean swim with a knife.
I could name dozens of boats that have had mid-ocean encounters with plastic. In 2011, the big 65' sloop ALASKA EAGLE got so entangled their engine was permanently put out of commission, and a diver could not disentangle the mess from around the keel and prop. Their sailing speed was cut in half, and the passage took several days longer than planned.
There is a partial solution that has been employed for years. Kelp windows. They have been in use for over 30 years on many Bill Lee boats, including all the SC-70's, and many SC-50's. One window sighting down the leading edge of the keel, one over the prop/strut, and one in front of the rudder.
Windows can be checked at night using a flashlite. Some enterprising owners installed remote cameras at their windows capable of being viewed at the nav. station. But you don't need that luxury or complexity.
Good news for the Dana 24, CARROLL E, you don't need windows.
Windows are not the total solution to snagging plastic. But at least you know what you got and can plan action. Barring a kelp cutter blade in the keel and rudder, the best thing to do when snagging plastic is to back down.
If anyone would like more info, they can e-mail me at skipallan at sbcglobal dot net
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In the 2010 Pacific Cup we hung up twice on some sort of obstruction, probably fishing long line. And of course both times were in the middle of the night in no moon, overcast conditions. I was below sleeping on one of the occasions when the boat was surging along at over 10 knots. It stopped us and I "surged" forward until my feet hit some storage crates. Both times we managed to back down and get whatever it was off the keel, then sailed a circle-end run for awhile before turning back to our course. We didn't see what we hit, but we did see lots of long line floats during many of the days. We also caught several smaller lines on the rudder, but this was during the day and we managed to push the stuff off with the "push rod" we'd fabricated out of PVC as part of our prep.
This was before the big earthquake, so it was "normal" junk. We saw lots of plastic stuff including chairs, bottles, netting, and large black floats that would have really gone "clunk" if we'd hit them during the dark.
I'm scheduled to help deliver a boat back from this year's PacCup and I'm not looking forward to seeing even more junk.
This was before the big earthquake, so it was "normal" junk. We saw lots of plastic stuff including chairs, bottles, netting, and large black floats that would have really gone "clunk" if we'd hit them during the dark.
I'm scheduled to help deliver a boat back from this year's PacCup and I'm not looking forward to seeing even more junk.
Multihulls are not the only wind ships subject to capsize. In 1957, the tall ship PAMIR sank near the Azores after capsizing in Hurricane Carrie. A stout 375',four masted steel barque, PAMIR was in service of the German Merchant Navy as a training ship. 80 lives, mostly cadets, were lost. http://www.oceannavigator.com/January-February-2013/Lost-in-Hurricane-Carrie/
PAMIR's loss bears a frightening resemblance to the sinking of the BOUNTY in hurricane Sandy: Captain's bravado, pressure to set sail to meet financial obligations, inadequate crew and training, wrongly stowed ballast, and insufficient attention to weather warnings all contributed to the eminently avoidable losses of PAMIR and BOUNTY.
In 1961 the tallship ALBATROSS capsized in a Caribbean squall, taking with her a long time childhood friend. The scene of my friend being trapped below was later gruesomely played out in the Hollywood movie WHITE SQUALL.
Rick wasn't the only one I knew aboard a tall ship that capsized. In 1986, Sugar Flanagan and Leslie McNish survived the sinking of the PRIDE of BALTIMORE when she was capsized by a microburst squall north of Puerto Rico. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20094086,00.html
The litany of legal complaints against the owner and captain of the BOUNTY is exhaustive. But suffice it to say, crewing on Tall Ships carries an “assumption of risk.”
http://ia601707.us.archive.org/31/items/gov.uscourts.nyed.342523/gov.uscourts.nyed.342523.1.0.pdf
PAMIR's loss bears a frightening resemblance to the sinking of the BOUNTY in hurricane Sandy: Captain's bravado, pressure to set sail to meet financial obligations, inadequate crew and training, wrongly stowed ballast, and insufficient attention to weather warnings all contributed to the eminently avoidable losses of PAMIR and BOUNTY.
In 1961 the tallship ALBATROSS capsized in a Caribbean squall, taking with her a long time childhood friend. The scene of my friend being trapped below was later gruesomely played out in the Hollywood movie WHITE SQUALL.
Rick wasn't the only one I knew aboard a tall ship that capsized. In 1986, Sugar Flanagan and Leslie McNish survived the sinking of the PRIDE of BALTIMORE when she was capsized by a microburst squall north of Puerto Rico. http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20094086,00.html
The litany of legal complaints against the owner and captain of the BOUNTY is exhaustive. But suffice it to say, crewing on Tall Ships carries an “assumption of risk.”
http://ia601707.us.archive.org/31/items/gov.uscourts.nyed.342523/gov.uscourts.nyed.342523.1.0.pdf
I agree that there are dangers we must accept when going to Sea, catamarans capsize, ballasted monohulls sink, as do cruise ships.
But how about airplanes? Is there not a risk that we must assume when we travel by airplane?
Then of course there is the automobile... These contraptions in 2008 caused 42,708 deaths! It seems that cars have gotten safer because in 2012 the death count was down to 25,580! (these numbers rival that of all out WAR!)
So why don't I here the critics telling me that I should not be driving a car because I might crash and die?
And don't get me started about guns.
I love my Catamaran!
Sincerely,
Howard Spruit
But how about airplanes? Is there not a risk that we must assume when we travel by airplane?
Then of course there is the automobile... These contraptions in 2008 caused 42,708 deaths! It seems that cars have gotten safer because in 2012 the death count was down to 25,580! (these numbers rival that of all out WAR!)
So why don't I here the critics telling me that I should not be driving a car because I might crash and die?
And don't get me started about guns.
I love my Catamaran!
Sincerely,
Howard Spruit
One does not travel to Mexico seeking adventure. Adventure will assuredly come to you. I was reminded of this yesterday as our Alaska Air pilot outlined our proposed flight course from SFO to Puerto Vallarta as "flying down the coast of California, crossing the border near San Diego, then crossing the Gulf of Mexico." What??? The Gulf of Mexico would only be several thousand miles out of our way to the east. Our pilot seemed sure, and repeated the plan in Spanish.
Somehow we had enough fuel to safely make PV on schedule. "Food, Senor?" I was relieved to be relieved of only a banana peel at customs, and not the pounds of granola in my sea bag.
The 15 mile panga ride from PV to the small village of Yelapa was something else. Due to an earlier breakdown in a sister ship, our panga was overloaded with 30 passengers and gear, several dogs, and enough supplies for an army. There was no way the driver could sea over toilet paper rolls stacked high on the bow. It was somewhat disconcerting to see our panga leaking under my feet from an athwartships crack across the middle of the boat. One crew said they had hit a whale. Another thought it was a manta ray. Life preservers aboard? You must be joking.
Somehow we safely made Yelapa. We were greeted at the beach by the shore crew, who was drinking a beer in one hand, and swinging a six foot blue green iguana by the tail with the other. Background music was provided by an Oompa band.
Somehow we had enough fuel to safely make PV on schedule. "Food, Senor?" I was relieved to be relieved of only a banana peel at customs, and not the pounds of granola in my sea bag.
The 15 mile panga ride from PV to the small village of Yelapa was something else. Due to an earlier breakdown in a sister ship, our panga was overloaded with 30 passengers and gear, several dogs, and enough supplies for an army. There was no way the driver could sea over toilet paper rolls stacked high on the bow. It was somewhat disconcerting to see our panga leaking under my feet from an athwartships crack across the middle of the boat. One crew said they had hit a whale. Another thought it was a manta ray. Life preservers aboard? You must be joking.
Somehow we safely made Yelapa. We were greeted at the beach by the shore crew, who was drinking a beer in one hand, and swinging a six foot blue green iguana by the tail with the other. Background music was provided by an Oompa band.
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Pangas are the work boats of not only Mexico, but many third world countries. Originally about 22 feet long, they are stable, dry, shoal draft, have great load carrying ability, and able to plane powered by a single 40 hp outboard. Pangas changed the culture of the West Coast of Mexico, allowing fresh ocean fish to be brought to market, passengers, tourists, and building materials transported, and far flung villages to survive.
Mexican pangas were developed and built in fiberglas by Mac Shroyer of Marina De La Paz. Mac guesses he's built upwards of 3,000 pangas since the late 1960's.
Pangas now come in a variety of sizes and configurations, and are found throughout the world. Even the Somali pirates favor pangas.
Before pangas arrived on scene, Mexican small boats were predominately dugout canoes, of which a few can still be found. These log canoes date back to when the indigenous Seri Indians would travel the length of the Sea of Cortez in search of fishing grounds.
Mexican pangas were developed and built in fiberglas by Mac Shroyer of Marina De La Paz. Mac guesses he's built upwards of 3,000 pangas since the late 1960's.
Pangas now come in a variety of sizes and configurations, and are found throughout the world. Even the Somali pirates favor pangas.
Before pangas arrived on scene, Mexican small boats were predominately dugout canoes, of which a few can still be found. These log canoes date back to when the indigenous Seri Indians would travel the length of the Sea of Cortez in search of fishing grounds.
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Despite wishful thinking to the contrary, there is no weather bureau or weather in Mexico.
U.S. forecasting conveniently cuts off weather maps at the border, west of Baja. With so many micro climates and geographical disparities, the free daily Mexico weather forecast of "it will be fine today, and the same tomorrow," generally holds true more often than not.
So when the skies unleased in torrents on Friday night, there wasn't much info to fall back on. The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported a possible developing tropical storm in the Puerto Vallarta vicinity. Satellite photos showed a plume of moisture offshore, trailing NE over Yelapa.
For hours the rain came down in sheets. Its sound amplified by the tin roofs. Normal conversation was difficult. The bay turned chocolate with runoff. The power went off. North of the border, this weather event would have been headlined on the 5 pm news, with some cub reporter standing knee deep in waders.
Here in Yelapa, no big deal. The sun came back out. The clouds moved NE and dissipated over land. Bird sounds replaced the rain chatter. Large butterflies reappeared from wherever they were hiding and continued sampling the hibiscus.
U.S. forecasting conveniently cuts off weather maps at the border, west of Baja. With so many micro climates and geographical disparities, the free daily Mexico weather forecast of "it will be fine today, and the same tomorrow," generally holds true more often than not.
So when the skies unleased in torrents on Friday night, there wasn't much info to fall back on. The U.S. National Hurricane Center reported a possible developing tropical storm in the Puerto Vallarta vicinity. Satellite photos showed a plume of moisture offshore, trailing NE over Yelapa.
For hours the rain came down in sheets. Its sound amplified by the tin roofs. Normal conversation was difficult. The bay turned chocolate with runoff. The power went off. North of the border, this weather event would have been headlined on the 5 pm news, with some cub reporter standing knee deep in waders.
Here in Yelapa, no big deal. The sun came back out. The clouds moved NE and dissipated over land. Bird sounds replaced the rain chatter. Large butterflies reappeared from wherever they were hiding and continued sampling the hibiscus.
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hodgmo
Still Floating
I just helped a friend sail his 36 ft boat from Santa Barbara to Cabo. He's headed for his new home in Panama, and with relief crew is now near Manzanillo where they ducked in to wait out the depression that fizzled out. I'm now helping my friend Dave Wyman to weather route them (via Sat phone check-ins) and have found Sailflow to give pretty good MX wind predictions, much better than Passage Weather. Monitoring the National Hurricane Weather site has been very useful. This site is also pretty good: http://www.weather-forecast.com/maps/Mexico?over=pressure_arrows&symbols=none&type=wind. Next challenge is the tehuantepecker!
Small world: We only stopped once, in Bahia Tortugas and were delighted to find Ronnie Simpson with his partner Walt delivering David Liano's Champ (2012 SHTP) from Acapulco to San Diego.
Steve
S/V Frolic
Small world: We only stopped once, in Bahia Tortugas and were delighted to find Ronnie Simpson with his partner Walt delivering David Liano's Champ (2012 SHTP) from Acapulco to San Diego.
Steve
S/V Frolic
A memorial was held yesterday at Newport Harbor Yacht Club for renowned model maker Kenny Gardiner. Kenny, a fine sailor in his own right, made the most wonderful and detailed models imaginable. Many of you have seen Kenny's models in the model room at St.FYC and other yacht clubs. Ken's attention to detail was exquisite, from the paint job to the winch handles to the rigging turnbuckles.
We'll miss Ken and his wonderful talent. Condolences to Ken's family. http://www.kengardiner.com/
We'll miss Ken and his wonderful talent. Condolences to Ken's family. http://www.kengardiner.com/
55 years ago, the night of Feb.28, 1958, a sailing tragedy of great proportions occurred just up the bay here in Yelapa. The beautiful, all varnished, M class sloop WINDWARD was anchored just off the beach. After setting an elapsed time record in the recent Acapulco Race, WINDWARD's owner, Don Chilcott, and delivery crew, including famed seaman Bob Dickson, were sailing her back to Southern California and had stopped at Yelapa to visit the waterfalls.
WINDWARD was 82 feet on deck, 55 feet of waterline, 14 feet in beam, and 24 tons of outside ballast. Her hollow spruce mast rose 102 feet. She had been built in 1929, #14 hull of the M Class Universal Rule. Her races against sisterships PATOLITA and PURSUIT were stuff of legend.
That afternoon WINDWARD's crew went ashore in Yelapa for fresh fish dinner at the Lagunita hotel. WINDWARD's stern was only 150' off the beach. But she was well anchored with a 125 pound Fisherman anchor and 100 feet of 1/2" chain. While dining ashore, the crew did not notice an increasing ground swell. It was Dickson who first spotted WINDWARD broadside to the beach, her anchor chain broken at a link 20 feet from the bow.
The crew stripped off their clothes and hurriedly swam to the boat. The engine was started, and the 22 inch, two blade, feathering prop churned a frothy wake. The spreader lights were switched on, and just as the crew thought they had escaped catastrophe, the engine died and wouldn't restart. That afternoon the fuel filters had been changed, and the engine has not been test run.
Helpless, WINDWARD slowly took the beach, bow first. She bumped first aft, the deepest part of her keel, and then slowly laid over to 45 degrees on her port side as the beach break broke over the hull (to be continued).
WINDWARD was 82 feet on deck, 55 feet of waterline, 14 feet in beam, and 24 tons of outside ballast. Her hollow spruce mast rose 102 feet. She had been built in 1929, #14 hull of the M Class Universal Rule. Her races against sisterships PATOLITA and PURSUIT were stuff of legend.
That afternoon WINDWARD's crew went ashore in Yelapa for fresh fish dinner at the Lagunita hotel. WINDWARD's stern was only 150' off the beach. But she was well anchored with a 125 pound Fisherman anchor and 100 feet of 1/2" chain. While dining ashore, the crew did not notice an increasing ground swell. It was Dickson who first spotted WINDWARD broadside to the beach, her anchor chain broken at a link 20 feet from the bow.
The crew stripped off their clothes and hurriedly swam to the boat. The engine was started, and the 22 inch, two blade, feathering prop churned a frothy wake. The spreader lights were switched on, and just as the crew thought they had escaped catastrophe, the engine died and wouldn't restart. That afternoon the fuel filters had been changed, and the engine has not been test run.
Helpless, WINDWARD slowly took the beach, bow first. She bumped first aft, the deepest part of her keel, and then slowly laid over to 45 degrees on her port side as the beach break broke over the hull (to be continued).
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At 2200 hours, with her crew ashore for dinner, WINDWARD had broken her anchor chain at Yelapa and gone ashore in the pitch dark. Things seemed to happen in slow motion. A bonfire was built in the sand to light the scene. Attempts were made to row an anchor out to kedge free. But attempts were futile given the surf and difficulty in communicating.
The next morning WINDWARD was mostly emptied to lighten ship. More attempts were made to pull her free. Locals were recruited to hang from halyards to help leverage the varnished hull to a bow out position. At one point they had what seemed half the population of Yelapa hanging from the halyards that overhung the beach. As WINDWARD would rise and fall in the surf, the locals would be lifted off their feet "like goosed marionettes."
It was a difficult situation compounded by nearly impossible communications with the insurance company back in the states. The nearest town, Puerto Vallarta, was really just a village with a couple of streets, a gas station and hotel, but no telephone. The nearest telephone was in Tepic, 70 miles away. There was a local freighter, the SINALOA, that could have possibly pulled WINDWARD free. But SINALOA's captain was drunk, and could provide no firm cost or plan. Lastly, WINDWARD's salvagers were running out of anchors and rope. In 1958, most anchor line was manila, and the 1.5" diameter rope was breaking like string under the strain.
On the fourth day a final attempt was made to free WINDWARD. Four long bow lines were led seaward to anchors and to the stern of the big schooner SEADRIFT. At high tide they began to pull, winching like maniacs as she rose to the swell. At first, WINDWARD's bow began to move. Then with resounding crack, SEADRIFT's 5/8" anchor chain parted. Too much strain came onto the other lines, and they too broke. It was the end. Over the next few days and weeks, WINDWARD came apart. Her mast was cut down, an reerected as a flagpole on the Yelapa beach. Only her lead keel ultimately remained, the end of a beautiful ship.
Today we went in search of finding any remnants of WINDWARD. Hopefully, we criss-crossed the beach, and asked at the beach bars and hotels. Nobody we found, all born after 1958, had heard of WINDWARD and what happened that night. Nor could we find any boat parts that might have come from WINDWARD. She has been recycled into history, 82 feet of splendor.
The next morning WINDWARD was mostly emptied to lighten ship. More attempts were made to pull her free. Locals were recruited to hang from halyards to help leverage the varnished hull to a bow out position. At one point they had what seemed half the population of Yelapa hanging from the halyards that overhung the beach. As WINDWARD would rise and fall in the surf, the locals would be lifted off their feet "like goosed marionettes."
It was a difficult situation compounded by nearly impossible communications with the insurance company back in the states. The nearest town, Puerto Vallarta, was really just a village with a couple of streets, a gas station and hotel, but no telephone. The nearest telephone was in Tepic, 70 miles away. There was a local freighter, the SINALOA, that could have possibly pulled WINDWARD free. But SINALOA's captain was drunk, and could provide no firm cost or plan. Lastly, WINDWARD's salvagers were running out of anchors and rope. In 1958, most anchor line was manila, and the 1.5" diameter rope was breaking like string under the strain.
On the fourth day a final attempt was made to free WINDWARD. Four long bow lines were led seaward to anchors and to the stern of the big schooner SEADRIFT. At high tide they began to pull, winching like maniacs as she rose to the swell. At first, WINDWARD's bow began to move. Then with resounding crack, SEADRIFT's 5/8" anchor chain parted. Too much strain came onto the other lines, and they too broke. It was the end. Over the next few days and weeks, WINDWARD came apart. Her mast was cut down, an reerected as a flagpole on the Yelapa beach. Only her lead keel ultimately remained, the end of a beautiful ship.
Today we went in search of finding any remnants of WINDWARD. Hopefully, we criss-crossed the beach, and asked at the beach bars and hotels. Nobody we found, all born after 1958, had heard of WINDWARD and what happened that night. Nor could we find any boat parts that might have come from WINDWARD. She has been recycled into history, 82 feet of splendor.
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In a measure of questionable merit, the Coast Guard is moving towards reducing its costs by removing navigational aids up and down the Pacific Coast. Slated for removal in S. Cal. are the lights on Santa Barbara Island; Catalina West End, Ship Rock, Cat Harbor, Long Point, and East End; and San Nicholas Island.
Of more local import, if/when these measures are implemented, gone will be Pillar Pt. Harbor Approach Buoy, Ano Nuevo, Santa Cruz Mile Buoy, and Moss Landing Buoy. Duxbury Reef will lose its sound signal.
Part of the CG rationale is modern sailors all have electronic navigational instrumentation, and no longer need these aids.
In the case of Santa Cruz Mile Buoy, and Moss Landing, the proposal is to place a dot on the chart where these buoys once were located. In a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, said charts (with dots where buoys once were) will no longer be printed.
Of more local import, if/when these measures are implemented, gone will be Pillar Pt. Harbor Approach Buoy, Ano Nuevo, Santa Cruz Mile Buoy, and Moss Landing Buoy. Duxbury Reef will lose its sound signal.
Part of the CG rationale is modern sailors all have electronic navigational instrumentation, and no longer need these aids.
In the case of Santa Cruz Mile Buoy, and Moss Landing, the proposal is to place a dot on the chart where these buoys once were located. In a case of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing, said charts (with dots where buoys once were) will no longer be printed.
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