SSS Changes in 2017

[Philpott]

Have you sold your boat? Bought a new one? Added Bling? Made changes? Here's what I know:

Bob J is going to doublehand this season. With whom? Dunno
David Nabors has sold Temerity so will need a new ride.
Nathalie has sold Elise (along with the frog spinnaker) to (your best guess here )
Nathalie has purchased a Figaro !!!!!! which is on its way here from somewhere else (your best guess here)
Rob MacFarlane is leaving Grand Marina for Polynesia soon

 

[Critter]

Iniscaw is moving to Oceanside and I'm moving to Borrego Springs, sometime after the Three Bridge. We'll probably be signing up with PSSA.

 

[AlanH]

After promises, curses, more promises, moving all around the bluidy Bay, and delay, The Wildcat of Loch Awe will make her first appearrance with the SSS in the Doublehanded 160-mumble PHRF division in the 3BF.

EDIT: I just registered for my first SSS season since 2008. *shock*

 

[BobJ]

Where is DURA MATER moving to? I joke that I've been kicked out of most of the marinas in the East Bay - it appears DM may be out to break my record.

I've had boats at Alameda Marina (wet and dry), Aeolian YC, Alameda Yacht Harbor (now Fortman's), Marina Village (3X), Nelson's, Berkeley Marina, Richmond Marina Bay, Richmond YC (now), Vallejo YC and Benicia (2X). And actually I've never been kicked out - I've always enjoyed the changes of venue and new places to sail.

We have a large (and growing) SSS contingent at Richmond YC. It's a lot of fun and I don't see myself moving anywhere else (unless it's to retire and go cruising).

 

[jamottep]

We have a large (and growing) SSS contingent at Richmond YC.

Don't mean to hijack the thread ... but any members in any of the Redwood City marinas?

 

[Philpott]

Where is DURA MATER moving to?

The Richmond Yacht Harbor is indeed a pleasant place to be, especially if you are a member of the SSS. It is SSS Central.

Why would Dura Mater leave the Grand Marina? It is warm and nicely maintained, with clean restrooms and showers. And there is Moseley’s coffee house/sandwich shop just below the harbormaster. That’s a nice amenity. Even after this past week, with its big rain, Dura Mater’s dehumidifier was only half full. It’s so much less damp in the Estuary, and usually a tshirt suffices.

But in Berkeley!
It is so damp that the cockpit needs to be mopped up every morning, even in the summer. DM’s dehumidifier fills up every other day, even in the summer. Sweatshirts are de rigueur because it’s almost always cold, even in the summer. Seabreeze is the only place for food, and it’s a long bike ride away. Skippers on the commercial fishing boats play chicken with me as we approach the entrance at the same time, pretending that they want to run up my stern. The fuel dock at the Berkeley Marine Center is always out of diesel when I need it.

Those dragon boats are everywhere when I least expect them, and people sail small remote sailboats in the fairway from the rocks. Seriously? Does DM on starboard tack have right of way over a port tacking sailboat with a three foot high mast?

There seem to always be groups of little children laying on their stomachs all along the ramp and on the Berkeley Yacht Club guest dock, peeking down into the water. Pesky things.

But then again. Sailboats in Berkeley Marina seem to be a popular destination for AirBnB, which means that there is a regular stream of interesting people to watch, lots of foreigners, happy to be spending the night on a sailboat.There’s the taco truck at the end of Gilman Street, just a short car drive away. Delicious steak tacos for $1.75/ each and ice cold Mexican cokes. Worth the wait along with all the construction workers and kids taking a break from playing soccer in the nearby fields.

There’s no current on the Olympic Circle, even in the absence of an Olympic Circle, which means that DM can usually move in even the lightest of air. I can raise DM's sails at the slip, and then, after the briefest bit of motoring, only eight boats' worth, I can kill the engine and sail out of the marina.

And the wind. There is always wind. That makes all the difference.

 

[Steevee]

Philpott,
I saw Dura Mater when I dropped my sails off at Marchal a couple weeks ago. She looked warm and happy.
Grand Marina is a nice place and it caters to sailing...canvas, sail makers, chandlery. It's all right there. I envy you folks.
Pardon the thread drift, but I will continue. Does anyone need a crew hand for any upcoming races or just a day sail? I'll be in the area January to pick up my sails and can make myself available. You might regret it but I'll make it memorable I seriously would enjoy meeting some of you and learn something new. PM me with dates, time and place. Thanks

 

[BobJ]

Reading between the lines, DURA MATER saw a drop-off in her AirBnB bookings and had to move back to the lucrative Berkeley market.

Gotta pay for those monogrammed fender covers somehow:

DM Stylin!

 

[mike cunningham]

I just spent three weeks at the end of L Dock in Berkeley Marina. I had the mast out at the Marine Center. I thought it was great!! So great that I spent a lot more time than I should have. I was planning on a single long weekend of work, so much for planning. I think I extended my temp stay four times before I finished my dang mast.

 

[AlanH]

I'm at Coyote Point.

 

[sleddog]

AlanH;16395]After promises, curses, more promises, moving all around the bluidy Bay, and delay, The Wildcat of Loch Awe will make her first appearance with the SSS in the Doublehanded 160-mumble PHRF division in the 3BF[/I].

For those not familiar, the Wildcat of Loch Awe is Briton's last truly wild predator. An inhabitant of the West Scottish Highlands, this infamously wild animal is, like the Scots themselves, untameable, and will fight to the death for their freedom. One of the most elusive creatures in the world, Scottish wildcats may number less than 100 and are imminently threatened with extinction.

The Wildcat of Loch Awe: an incredibly tough kitty capable of surviving Scotland's harshest winters, battling eagles, and drawing the admiration of men who bested empires.

For sure, an appropriate name for Alan's vessel.

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/

 

[Philpott]

Reading between the lines, DURA MATER saw a drop-off in her AirBnB bookings and had to move back to the lucrative Berkeley market.

Dura Mater: Luxury yacht available for the ultimate romantic get-away.
• Master V Berth with porta pottie en suite;
• Chocolates on your pillow;
• Sleep comfortably in a genuine North Face down sleeping bag (purchased in 1971, but still warm as toast)
• Mood lighting by Coleman, with no fear of electricity loss because it’s battery operated!
• No need to find a restaurant: use the single burner propane stove (purchased at the Asian market in Albany for $12.95) to heat water up quickly for instant coffee or oatmeal (provided).
• Reading materials provided, authors all legitimate SSS members: Heiberg, Evans, Crawford, et al.
• For an exciting experience and fine view you are welcome to take advantage of the MastClimber, (with static line donated by Todd Olson, current record holder of the Take Alcatraz Challenge).

To book this Fabulous Experience, contact Bob Johnston.

 

[BobJ]

You're doing pretty well so far - DM is booked through April.

Most couples' questions have to do with the use of the MastClimber. One guy said his girlfriend wanted to know which page of the Kama Sutra that was on. I suggested page 1071 of the West Marine catalog (confused). A few want to know who empties the Porta Pottie.

Anyway, I think you're onto something here.

 

[Henry D]

You're doing pretty well so far - DM is booked through April.

Most couples' questions have to do with the use of the MastClimber. One guy said his girlfriend wanted to know which page of the Kama Sutra that was on.

Thank you Bob, we had great laugh LOL

 

[BobJ]

Hey Henry, I saw GRACE on Craigslist. What's up?

 

[Henry D]

You can't keep the secret here
I will be moving back to Europe and do some sailing on the Bay of Biscay, will probably buy even the sistership, now that I know how to set her up.
Happy New Year

 

[AlanH]

AlanH;16395]After promises, curses, more promises, moving all around the bluidy Bay, and delay, The Wildcat of Loch Awe will make her first appearance with the SSS in the Doublehanded 160-mumble PHRF division in the 3BF[/I].

For those not familiar, the Wildcat of Loch Awe is Briton's last truly wild predator. An inhabitant of the West Scottish Highlands, this infamously wild animal is, like the Scots themselves, untameable, and will fight to the death for their freedom. One of the most elusive creatures in the world, Scottish wildcats may number less than 100 and are imminently threatened with extinction.

The Wildcat of Loch Awe: an incredibly tough kitty capable of surviving Scotland's harshest winters, battling eagles, and drawing the admiration of men who bested empires.

For sure, an appropriate name for Alan's vessel.

http://www.scottishwildcats.co.uk/

View attachment 2003

As most of you know, my "other" hobbies include throwing trees on the weekends and making kilts. Before we went to Scotland in 2014, I was reading about Scottish natural history issues and came across the problem with the wildcats. I got to thinking..... one of my kilts is in the "Capercaillie" tartan. That's not a clan, the capercaillie is a grouse. The males set up leks, change their plumage and do elaborate mating rituals to establish territory and attract females during breeding season. After going extinct in the 1840's, they were re-introduced to Scotland in the late 1880's. now the capercaillie is in trouble again. Locharron of Scotland, the biggest producer of tartan fabric in the country, brought out the capercaillie tartan in about 2006. 15% of the proceeds of the sale of capercaillie tartan go to the Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds to buy/renovate capercaillie habitat.

I got to thinking back in late 2003.... could I get a Scottish Wildcat Tartan designed and woven? Could we somehow raise money for the wildcats by marketing tartan? After working with my friend, Glen Allardyce from Ontario, US kiltmaker Barb Tewksbury, and UK kiltmaker Paul Henry, we did just that. Here it is...the Scottish Wildcat Tartan.

Here's a Scottish Wildcat

-



And here is a kilt made in that tartan, worn by Glen the designer.. The tartan is designed to reflect the colors of the Wildcat.



And a purse made in the tartan...




Fifteen percent of the sales of the tartan goes to benefit Wildcat Haven, an organization working to save the incredibly endangered cat. There are almost certainly <100 pureblood wildcats left in Scotland, and the picture is very bleak. The main issue is crossbreeding with feral housecats.

https://www.wildcathaven.com/

As I'm so involved with the project...we raised about $8,000 for Wildcat Haven in 2014 and 2015... I figured the name made sense for my boat. The tartan was so popular that we had THREE runs woven from Andrew Elliott Weaving, the last personally-owned, small weaving company in Scotland that does tartan. Three runs of a new tartan is **Unheard of**. That never happens. Each run was about 80 yards, which actually got the local industry to pay attention, as it never happens. The project was a flippin' lot of work, but I learned a lot and I'm really glad I dreamed up the idea. Credit Bob J. for getting me to think along the line of naming my boat after the cat. Loch Awe and Loch Fyne are the ancestral homes of my primary Scottish clan history, Clan MacNaughton.

I won't be making the boat upholstery out of wildcat tartan as it's about $70 a yard! I have about 5 yards of double-width fabric at home, waiting for me to get down to 280 pounds again before I stitch up my kilt.

 

[AlanH]

As for boat toys, I'm installing Harken ESP roller furling and it's a royal PITA. I shoulda bought the Schaeffer furler, but this unit was for sale for not many boat bucks on Craigslist and it was less than a year old.. *grr* Now I'm waiting for a threaded turnbuckle eye from PYacht to finish the installation.

Today I'll put on the new lower lifelines that I made up and take off the leeboard "keeper" boards to replace them with aluminum.

 

[Philpott]

You can't keep the secret here
I will be moving back to Europe and do some sailing on the Bay of Biscay, will probably buy even the sistership, now that I know how to set her up.
Happy New Year

I recall a conversation we had at Island Yacht Club, Henry. You had had a couple of beers, but I recall your invitation to come sail w you on the Bay of Biscay. Please don't forget to send us your new address. Adieu to Yvonne. She is fine crew!

 

[Henry D]

I recall a conversation we had at Island Yacht Club, Henry. You had had a couple of beers, but I recall your invitation to come sail w you on the Bay of Biscay. Please don't forget to send us your new address. Adieu to Yvonne. She is fine crew!

Jackie, I am not leaving yet, and will do still few races here.
We will talk