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New Boat 4 Sled
- Thread starter sleddog
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Though never a dull moment, helping manage a small resort in Yelapa http://yelapagardenretreat.com/ is not for the faint of heart or weak of back. Reminds a bit of running a charter boat.
There is no road into Yelapa. Guests and supplies arrive by boat, sometimes at night and through the surf. The Village is about a 10 minute walk. Don't forget your flashlite and don't step in any donkey poop!
The surf is just outside the front door, the jungle just outside the backdoor. There are 10 bungalows and palapas to keep clean and operational. Mexican plumbing and electrical is, as Howard S. is wont to say: "wondrous." Last evening as I was doing dishes, a small snake appeared in the dishwater. This is an "eco" resort after all.
If you wonder what you are doing here, you have to look no further than the azure 83 degree water. Small manta rays regularly do backflips, pelicans cruise for snacks, iguanas chow down on red hibiscus flowers, and exotic butterflies fill the air.
Puerto Vallarta is 15 miles, but a world away. Due to the lee shore and wave reflections, I wouldn't anchor my boat here. Better to arrive by $10 panga. And be greeted by the guy swinging the iguana by the tail.
There is no road into Yelapa. Guests and supplies arrive by boat, sometimes at night and through the surf. The Village is about a 10 minute walk. Don't forget your flashlite and don't step in any donkey poop!
The surf is just outside the front door, the jungle just outside the backdoor. There are 10 bungalows and palapas to keep clean and operational. Mexican plumbing and electrical is, as Howard S. is wont to say: "wondrous." Last evening as I was doing dishes, a small snake appeared in the dishwater. This is an "eco" resort after all.
If you wonder what you are doing here, you have to look no further than the azure 83 degree water. Small manta rays regularly do backflips, pelicans cruise for snacks, iguanas chow down on red hibiscus flowers, and exotic butterflies fill the air.
Puerto Vallarta is 15 miles, but a world away. Due to the lee shore and wave reflections, I wouldn't anchor my boat here. Better to arrive by $10 panga. And be greeted by the guy swinging the iguana by the tail.
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Yelapa Bay is about the same size/shape as Waimea Bay, Clipper Cove, Avalon, or Catalina Isthmus, take your pick. With no road access, the ambiance is more about butterflies, pelicans, and manta rays than jet skis and helicopter tours. The tallest buildings in town are the palm trees on main beach.
So it was a bit of a shock when the 164' mega-yacht INVADER http://www.pbase.com/misterp17/image/26786826, ignoring the wide open spaces of the rest of the bay, dropped anchor two boat lengths off our front porch, giving us a good view of her Cayman Islands Flag, but not much else. In fact, we no longer had a view of anything but her guests sipping drinks on the after deck.
Normally I'm a live and let live sort. But this was out of order. They had plenty of anchor chain to lie anyplace else in the bay, where our view wasn't compromised by their shiny superstructure and big screen TV.
I stood on the seawall, flapping my arms like a Thanksgiving turkey and hailing (would that be the polite word?) "Go Away!" "Go Away!"
The white uniformed foredeck crew, wearing ties and shoulder boards, pointedly ignored my entreaties. The radars continued to rotate, the generators continued pumping exhaust, the drinks continued to be served by the waiters. And that crazy, half naked gringo kept flapping. And hailing, "Go Away!"
I guess it was not their idea of Thanksgiving. But it was ours, when, with chain links grating and sparking on metal hull, the anchor slowly rose, and INVADER steamed into the sunset. http://www.pbase.com/misterp17/image/26786821
So it was a bit of a shock when the 164' mega-yacht INVADER http://www.pbase.com/misterp17/image/26786826, ignoring the wide open spaces of the rest of the bay, dropped anchor two boat lengths off our front porch, giving us a good view of her Cayman Islands Flag, but not much else. In fact, we no longer had a view of anything but her guests sipping drinks on the after deck.
Normally I'm a live and let live sort. But this was out of order. They had plenty of anchor chain to lie anyplace else in the bay, where our view wasn't compromised by their shiny superstructure and big screen TV.
I stood on the seawall, flapping my arms like a Thanksgiving turkey and hailing (would that be the polite word?) "Go Away!" "Go Away!"
The white uniformed foredeck crew, wearing ties and shoulder boards, pointedly ignored my entreaties. The radars continued to rotate, the generators continued pumping exhaust, the drinks continued to be served by the waiters. And that crazy, half naked gringo kept flapping. And hailing, "Go Away!"
I guess it was not their idea of Thanksgiving. But it was ours, when, with chain links grating and sparking on metal hull, the anchor slowly rose, and INVADER steamed into the sunset. http://www.pbase.com/misterp17/image/26786821
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BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
It appears the linked photo was taken at Tinsley Island. This brought back an unpleasant memory but one that fits your experience with INVADER.
StFYC used to run a week-long "Olympic sailing seminar" every Summer at Tinsley. I was the Aeolean Yacht Club's representative to attend in about 1974. Top-level coaches were brought in (in our case, Steve Jeppesen and John Bertrand) and we spent the week racing around the sloughs on Lasers, learning fleet, team and match racing rules and tactics. There were also the normal Summer camp activities like snipe hunting and launching of Lasers in the club's pool (late at night of course).
They took us to the camp aboard one of the club member's yachts and this tainted the week for me. We exited the StFYC marina and the boat was immediately brought to a full-throttle plane. It was big and threw off a monstrous wake. The skipper cared not what was in his path - he was out to impress. Passing through Raccoon Strait we passed a small fishing boat close aboard, the fishermen shaking their fists - we nearly swamped them. It was the same all the way to Tinsley, no doubt adding a fair bit of age and stress to the levees.
I'd been sailing long enough by then to know we were leaving chaos in our wake, but I was way too intimidated to say anything. It left a life-long impression of "yachting" mostly because there were several other yacht club members aboard that day and no one said anything.
StFYC used to run a week-long "Olympic sailing seminar" every Summer at Tinsley. I was the Aeolean Yacht Club's representative to attend in about 1974. Top-level coaches were brought in (in our case, Steve Jeppesen and John Bertrand) and we spent the week racing around the sloughs on Lasers, learning fleet, team and match racing rules and tactics. There were also the normal Summer camp activities like snipe hunting and launching of Lasers in the club's pool (late at night of course).
They took us to the camp aboard one of the club member's yachts and this tainted the week for me. We exited the StFYC marina and the boat was immediately brought to a full-throttle plane. It was big and threw off a monstrous wake. The skipper cared not what was in his path - he was out to impress. Passing through Raccoon Strait we passed a small fishing boat close aboard, the fishermen shaking their fists - we nearly swamped them. It was the same all the way to Tinsley, no doubt adding a fair bit of age and stress to the levees.
I'd been sailing long enough by then to know we were leaving chaos in our wake, but I was way too intimidated to say anything. It left a life-long impression of "yachting" mostly because there were several other yacht club members aboard that day and no one said anything.
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Thanksgiving in a 3rd World Country. 40 aged hippies gathered outdoors at Passion Flower Restaurant. Women chain smoking at next table. Something from tree above dripping on head. Picked up table/chairs and moved . Waiter, cigarette in hand, took our order. "Turkey or vegetarian?"
Dogfight erupted, emptying half the tables. Pele Ju Ju playing on stage. Dancing. Killed a scorpion. A stream of leafcutter ants dismantling medium sized bush nearby.
Memories of other Thanksgivings offshore. Dinty Moore beef stew with cranberry sauce.
Tide and surf building at Yelapa, washing path clean of donkey poop. Surf coming in front gate. No hatchboards at an "eco-resort."
40 foot log, beached well above high tide line, floated free and disappeared around the point. Tern snatches butterfly mid-flight.
Panga taxi loaded guests' luggage through 4' shore break. Panga skipper wisely retreated to town wharf to load passengers.
Cruise ship northbound in distance. Its passengers having different sort of cruise.
Dogfight erupted, emptying half the tables. Pele Ju Ju playing on stage. Dancing. Killed a scorpion. A stream of leafcutter ants dismantling medium sized bush nearby.
Memories of other Thanksgivings offshore. Dinty Moore beef stew with cranberry sauce.
Tide and surf building at Yelapa, washing path clean of donkey poop. Surf coming in front gate. No hatchboards at an "eco-resort."
40 foot log, beached well above high tide line, floated free and disappeared around the point. Tern snatches butterfly mid-flight.
Panga taxi loaded guests' luggage through 4' shore break. Panga skipper wisely retreated to town wharf to load passengers.
Cruise ship northbound in distance. Its passengers having different sort of cruise.
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Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
OMG, Skip. You are such a gifted writer. This one made me laugh out loud. Happy holidays. I can't wait to drive down to Capitola to visit.
Crew harmony a wonderus thing to observe. 42' cruising sloop WINDWALKER motors into Yelapa Bay. DOMINO's panga leads WINDWALKER to anchorage 3 lengths off our front porch.
Apparently WINDWALKER's captain trusts local knowledge and does not perform reconnoiter. Girlfriend on the bow, manning anchor windlass.
We can only hear one side of the conversation, coming from aft:
"Let it go!" "What the fook are you doing?" "Let it all go!" "I can't hear you" "What the fook are you saying?" "I said let it all go!" "What the fook are you doing?!!!"
The vertical anchor chain has now likely piled up on the CQR. WINDWALKER backs to set anchor. Anchor not holding. "What the fook are you doing?" seems extent of captain's anchoring vocabulary.
Conference on foredeck. Anchor is weighed, clackety clack. WINDWALKER circles twice under power. Anchor redeployed. "I said let it all go!" WINDWALKER stern now two lengths from our veranda.
Again, anchor raised. Girlfriend's tears palpable. WINDWALKER, anchor not yet clear of the water, motors away in direction of Punta Mita, 357 degrees, 26 miles.
Apparently WINDWALKER's captain trusts local knowledge and does not perform reconnoiter. Girlfriend on the bow, manning anchor windlass.
We can only hear one side of the conversation, coming from aft:
"Let it go!" "What the fook are you doing?" "Let it all go!" "I can't hear you" "What the fook are you saying?" "I said let it all go!" "What the fook are you doing?!!!"
The vertical anchor chain has now likely piled up on the CQR. WINDWALKER backs to set anchor. Anchor not holding. "What the fook are you doing?" seems extent of captain's anchoring vocabulary.
Conference on foredeck. Anchor is weighed, clackety clack. WINDWALKER circles twice under power. Anchor redeployed. "I said let it all go!" WINDWALKER stern now two lengths from our veranda.
Again, anchor raised. Girlfriend's tears palpable. WINDWALKER, anchor not yet clear of the water, motors away in direction of Punta Mita, 357 degrees, 26 miles.
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No one knows why. But shark attacks this year (14) in Hawaii have increased dramatically, especially off the South Coast of Maui, which has recorded 8 attacks and two recent deaths: one snorkeler and one kayak fisherman (dangling foot over the side).
Satellite tracking shows female Tiger sharks return to southern Hawaiian waters for pupping season, Sept.-November.
Tiger sharks are part and parcel of the Hawaiian environment. They grow to 15', and eat pretty much anything that comes their way. They like to frequent shoal waters, reefs, canals, and harbors. Though Tiger sharks are migratory, they are apparently territorial near shore.
Native Hawaiians consider the Tiger to be sacred carriers of ancestral spirits, "na'aumakua."
A $186,000, two year, study has been commissioned in Hawaii to try and understand the increase in attack frequency.
The locals would say it is karma. A video of the Sept. catching and torture of the beloved Tiger "Laverne" off Honokohau Harbor on the Big Island has gone viral in Hawaii. Public comments are unprintable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/shark-torture-video-_n_3922319.html
Satellite tracking shows female Tiger sharks return to southern Hawaiian waters for pupping season, Sept.-November.
Tiger sharks are part and parcel of the Hawaiian environment. They grow to 15', and eat pretty much anything that comes their way. They like to frequent shoal waters, reefs, canals, and harbors. Though Tiger sharks are migratory, they are apparently territorial near shore.
Native Hawaiians consider the Tiger to be sacred carriers of ancestral spirits, "na'aumakua."
A $186,000, two year, study has been commissioned in Hawaii to try and understand the increase in attack frequency.
The locals would say it is karma. A video of the Sept. catching and torture of the beloved Tiger "Laverne" off Honokohau Harbor on the Big Island has gone viral in Hawaii. Public comments are unprintable.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/shark-torture-video-_n_3922319.html
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My last morning in Yelapa begins with stars so bright, you can hear them twinkle. At sunrise, dolphins enter the bay. An unmanned donkey trots down the shore path, no owner in sight. You wouldn't see him around Pt. Richmond.
We load in our panga-taxi, BEAUTIFUL SEA, bound for Puerto Vallarta, 15 miles up the lush jungle coast. Our panga crew hands out life preservers. Ten life jackets for 22 passengers seems to be the full complement.
As we plane along at 20 knots into dying offshore wind chop, panga passengers become airborne. Nothing to hang onto, except maybe our memories of Yelapa. It's been a most enjoyable three week, 21 act play, with a constant changing cast of characters, warm tortillas fresh from the tortilleria, and the best passion fruit margaritas imaginable at Tacos y Mas.
The high rise condos of PV, lining the shore of Banderas Bay, emerge ahead from the smog and haze of this now big city. A tsunami or hurricane in Banderas Bay is going to take out a lot of expensive shore side real estate, mostly built just above high tide line.
Richard Burton and Liz Taylor would not recognize the place.
We disembark our panga, go ashore, and wade into Old Town in search of some Christmas presents. At the Rio Cuale bridge we turn inland, and enjoy the shade of some old banyan trees. Along the river banks are Christmas decorations, including a lit reindeer leading snow flocked, wire mesh, moose pulling a sleigh under a palm tree.
At first I thought: "unclear on concept of Christmas." But quickly changed my mind when a voice from a nearby curios tent cried out in our direction, "Senor, more junk for less money!"
The nearby cruise ship CARNIVAL MIRACLE blows her departure horn.
Tomorrow: I return to Capitola and near freezing low temps.
We load in our panga-taxi, BEAUTIFUL SEA, bound for Puerto Vallarta, 15 miles up the lush jungle coast. Our panga crew hands out life preservers. Ten life jackets for 22 passengers seems to be the full complement.
As we plane along at 20 knots into dying offshore wind chop, panga passengers become airborne. Nothing to hang onto, except maybe our memories of Yelapa. It's been a most enjoyable three week, 21 act play, with a constant changing cast of characters, warm tortillas fresh from the tortilleria, and the best passion fruit margaritas imaginable at Tacos y Mas.
The high rise condos of PV, lining the shore of Banderas Bay, emerge ahead from the smog and haze of this now big city. A tsunami or hurricane in Banderas Bay is going to take out a lot of expensive shore side real estate, mostly built just above high tide line.
Richard Burton and Liz Taylor would not recognize the place.
We disembark our panga, go ashore, and wade into Old Town in search of some Christmas presents. At the Rio Cuale bridge we turn inland, and enjoy the shade of some old banyan trees. Along the river banks are Christmas decorations, including a lit reindeer leading snow flocked, wire mesh, moose pulling a sleigh under a palm tree.
At first I thought: "unclear on concept of Christmas." But quickly changed my mind when a voice from a nearby curios tent cried out in our direction, "Senor, more junk for less money!"
The nearby cruise ship CARNIVAL MIRACLE blows her departure horn.
Tomorrow: I return to Capitola and near freezing low temps.
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Not at all what we have here under cover of darkness in Bahia Tortugas.
"A little to the left," from the bow. "Reverse." Again, from the bow.
"OK, just leave it on now."
It's useless for me to answer back, he cannot hear even with his "ears" in. I drive where I want to go, then fix dinner.
Rob MacFarlane and TIGER BEETLE got here mid-morning.
We truly enjoyed a full day of sailing at 6-7 kts, not quite in shorts yet.
"A little to the left," from the bow. "Reverse." Again, from the bow.
"OK, just leave it on now."
It's useless for me to answer back, he cannot hear even with his "ears" in. I drive where I want to go, then fix dinner.
Rob MacFarlane and TIGER BEETLE got here mid-morning.
We truly enjoyed a full day of sailing at 6-7 kts, not quite in shorts yet.
Nice to have Lucie and Ben on sloop GEORGIA check in from Turtle Bay!
Synthia, in Santa Cruz working on sail repairs, was a house guest last evening. We talked until late about her recent three month stint working in the technical department of Stan Honey's America's Cup production.
One of Syn's jobs was to make video "clips" of each day's race. A clip consisted of a short segment of video of one aspect of the current race: the start, foiling jibes, foiling upwind, etc. Syn would make 10-20 clips each day. These clips were used as high lites during playback and promotional segments.
Syn's clips became increasing valuable during the America's Cup, as they were the historical record of the racing that was retained. It turned out, with all the live feeds, multiple cameras and angles, superimposed overlays, and many days of racing, that the whole video shebang came dangerously close to running out of computer memory.
That would be like competing in the Indianapolis 500 with flat tires. Or forgetting to bring gas.
Synthia, in Santa Cruz working on sail repairs, was a house guest last evening. We talked until late about her recent three month stint working in the technical department of Stan Honey's America's Cup production.
One of Syn's jobs was to make video "clips" of each day's race. A clip consisted of a short segment of video of one aspect of the current race: the start, foiling jibes, foiling upwind, etc. Syn would make 10-20 clips each day. These clips were used as high lites during playback and promotional segments.
Syn's clips became increasing valuable during the America's Cup, as they were the historical record of the racing that was retained. It turned out, with all the live feeds, multiple cameras and angles, superimposed overlays, and many days of racing, that the whole video shebang came dangerously close to running out of computer memory.
That would be like competing in the Indianapolis 500 with flat tires. Or forgetting to bring gas.
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Back in the 1970s "Ragtime" sat at Kermit Parker's in San Rafael for quite awhile. At a good price, but looking pretty down at the keel. A friend actually was thinking of buying the boat, so I spent most of a day poking around onboard while the surveyor was doing his thing with an ice pick and rubber mallet. Long and lean and black and musty smelling! In the end, the work to be done trumped the deal and my friend walked. I've often wondered how things would have turned out if the deal had gone ahead. I might have a better sailing resume today?
"RAGS" is one of the most famous, legendary, and influential designs of the 20th century. She was designed and built by New Zealand's John Spencer and launched in 1964 as INFIDEL.
RAGTIME was originally 62 feet LOA, hard chined, ply, bulb keel, tiller steered, and not meant as an ocean racer, but rather a harbor sailor on the Waitemata.
She regularly won races down under, but was banned from competing in the Sydney-Hobart. "Too light," they said.
RAGTIME was sold about 1970 and shipped to SF. In 1973 she nosed out WINDWARD PASSAGE by five minutes for first-to-finish in the Transpac. She was again first-to-finish in Transpac in 1975 and began the era of maxi ultra lights racing offshore. Bill Lee's MERLIN was a direct result of RAGTIME's influence.
One of RAGTIME's most memorable Transpac finishes was 1981 when she came down Molokai Channel in 25-30 knot winds with no rudder, her crew steering with their sails, #4 poled out to weather, #3 poled out to leeward.
RAGTIME has sailed 11 Transpacs, and had several rig, keel, cockpit and rudder mods. With a stern scoop, her length increased to 65'. Her top recorded speed was 29 knots in 1983 Transpac.
RAGTIME won the 2008 Tahiti Race, and continued to OZ, where she surprised everyone and won class in the Sydney Hobart, some 40 years after she was banned.
Here's RAGS averaging 20 knots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhPQ_3S97Y0
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoyLOWEKs1A
RAGTIME continues to turn heads wherever she goes. I believe Brickyard Cove at Pt. Richmond is her new home.
RAGTIME was originally 62 feet LOA, hard chined, ply, bulb keel, tiller steered, and not meant as an ocean racer, but rather a harbor sailor on the Waitemata.
She regularly won races down under, but was banned from competing in the Sydney-Hobart. "Too light," they said.
RAGTIME was sold about 1970 and shipped to SF. In 1973 she nosed out WINDWARD PASSAGE by five minutes for first-to-finish in the Transpac. She was again first-to-finish in Transpac in 1975 and began the era of maxi ultra lights racing offshore. Bill Lee's MERLIN was a direct result of RAGTIME's influence.
One of RAGTIME's most memorable Transpac finishes was 1981 when she came down Molokai Channel in 25-30 knot winds with no rudder, her crew steering with their sails, #4 poled out to weather, #3 poled out to leeward.
RAGTIME has sailed 11 Transpacs, and had several rig, keel, cockpit and rudder mods. With a stern scoop, her length increased to 65'. Her top recorded speed was 29 knots in 1983 Transpac.
RAGTIME won the 2008 Tahiti Race, and continued to OZ, where she surprised everyone and won class in the Sydney Hobart, some 40 years after she was banned.
Here's RAGS averaging 20 knots:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhPQ_3S97Y0
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoyLOWEKs1A
RAGTIME continues to turn heads wherever she goes. I believe Brickyard Cove at Pt. Richmond is her new home.
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Ragtime story, 30 yrs ago, from 1983 Transpac Race when I was navigator on Rags for my 10th and last Transpac race. I sailed a lot with Dennis Durgan, who
owned Rags that year, and off we went to Hawaii on the famous "Black Box" as she was sometimes called.
On final day after passing Kalaupapa on Molokai, we hit top speed of 29 kts, it was then I put on a harness, even tho it was mid-day as we were screaming to the
finish line still 65 miles away. On the next big wave the steering cable broke going over 20 kts, and we went into an ugly broach, which laid boat over on its side. (I was the only one wearing harness being the oldest aboard, at 38 yrs old.)
The windows were under water so we got the hatch boards in, and got the emergency tiller out, while bowman Lexi walked forward on the side of hull to let go
the guy, then the boat came upright, and off we went wing and wing with the Emerg Tiller while Durgan changed the broken cable, then off we went to finish.
owned Rags that year, and off we went to Hawaii on the famous "Black Box" as she was sometimes called.
On final day after passing Kalaupapa on Molokai, we hit top speed of 29 kts, it was then I put on a harness, even tho it was mid-day as we were screaming to the
finish line still 65 miles away. On the next big wave the steering cable broke going over 20 kts, and we went into an ugly broach, which laid boat over on its side. (I was the only one wearing harness being the oldest aboard, at 38 yrs old.)
The windows were under water so we got the hatch boards in, and got the emergency tiller out, while bowman Lexi walked forward on the side of hull to let go
the guy, then the boat came upright, and off we went wing and wing with the Emerg Tiller while Durgan changed the broken cable, then off we went to finish.
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Noted a story in Dec. Latitude-38 of the 30 year old Davidson 44 PACIFIC HIGHWAY losing its rudder between Tonga and Fiji in "calm seas and 8-12 knots of wind." Luckily for them conditions were benign with no reefs in the vicinity. Because it took 15 hours of futile experimenting with various methods of emergency steering before making a bucket drogue work. Even then they could only motor at 2 knots into the wind before safely making it back to Tonga. Without SSB for support and to request a tow, they admit they would have been in much more difficulty.
PACIFIC HIGHWAY's rudder snapped off at the waterline. It appears from the picture the shaft was stainless steel. Brings up the concern that older rudder shafts, stainless, aluminum, or bronze, may fail near the waterline at some point in the boat's life due to galvanic and/or electrolysis corrosion, especially if degraded in a "hot" marina, as most marinas are.
Bronze props, struts, and thru-hulls are not immune either.
When a boat is hauled, careful inspection of all underwater metals, including thru-hulls, is paramount. Dropping the rudder to inspect the shaft at the waterline is highly recommended. I like to drill a small hole in the bottom of the rudder to see if it is water logged. Such holes can easily be plugged if the rudder is dry.
One method of emergency steering not tried by PACIFIC HIGHWAY (they had no plan, nor emergency rudder) was a spinnaker pole astern. They did try a spinnaker pole with a piece of plywood "blade," but found that too difficult to control, as the plywood wanted to float the pole and water ski astern.
To use a spinnaker pole as emergency steering, best to forget the plywood blade. Secure one end of the pole to the stern. Using the inboard pole end fitting from the mast is best, if it can be practically relocated to the transom.
At the outboard end of the pole are attached four lines: a (topping lift)halyard to lift the pole out of the water, two guys, one each side, led to the transom corners and then led forward to winches, wheel spokes, or tiller. And most importantly is a down haul which is led forward (underwater) along the keel root, across the leading edge of the keel, and up to the deck on the opposite side. This down haul can be led without going into the water. But care must be taken to not foul the prop.
The pole angle can then be adjusted by the down haul so enough of the outboard end tip of the pole is underwater to provide steering, at least enough side to side lateral resistance to keep the boat going mostly straight so the stern doesn't wag around.
Of course, a much better solution is to have a dedicated emergency rudder. A real emergency rudder lets you use the spinnaker/whisker pole(s) up forward, where they do more good. Two jibs, one wung out each side, gets you downwind nicely, unloading the emergency steering, and your mind as well. Think RAGTIME finishing Transpac, 1981.
PACIFIC HIGHWAY's rudder snapped off at the waterline. It appears from the picture the shaft was stainless steel. Brings up the concern that older rudder shafts, stainless, aluminum, or bronze, may fail near the waterline at some point in the boat's life due to galvanic and/or electrolysis corrosion, especially if degraded in a "hot" marina, as most marinas are.
Bronze props, struts, and thru-hulls are not immune either.
When a boat is hauled, careful inspection of all underwater metals, including thru-hulls, is paramount. Dropping the rudder to inspect the shaft at the waterline is highly recommended. I like to drill a small hole in the bottom of the rudder to see if it is water logged. Such holes can easily be plugged if the rudder is dry.
One method of emergency steering not tried by PACIFIC HIGHWAY (they had no plan, nor emergency rudder) was a spinnaker pole astern. They did try a spinnaker pole with a piece of plywood "blade," but found that too difficult to control, as the plywood wanted to float the pole and water ski astern.
To use a spinnaker pole as emergency steering, best to forget the plywood blade. Secure one end of the pole to the stern. Using the inboard pole end fitting from the mast is best, if it can be practically relocated to the transom.
At the outboard end of the pole are attached four lines: a (topping lift)halyard to lift the pole out of the water, two guys, one each side, led to the transom corners and then led forward to winches, wheel spokes, or tiller. And most importantly is a down haul which is led forward (underwater) along the keel root, across the leading edge of the keel, and up to the deck on the opposite side. This down haul can be led without going into the water. But care must be taken to not foul the prop.
The pole angle can then be adjusted by the down haul so enough of the outboard end tip of the pole is underwater to provide steering, at least enough side to side lateral resistance to keep the boat going mostly straight so the stern doesn't wag around.
Of course, a much better solution is to have a dedicated emergency rudder. A real emergency rudder lets you use the spinnaker/whisker pole(s) up forward, where they do more good. Two jibs, one wung out each side, gets you downwind nicely, unloading the emergency steering, and your mind as well. Think RAGTIME finishing Transpac, 1981.
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