• Ahoy and Welcome to the New SSS Forums!!

    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 scroll to the very bottom of the page and click "Contact Us" and leave a note with as much detail as possible.

    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
    - Bryan

The transbac

Philpott

Philpott

Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Sat, Jul 15, 6:46 PM (22 hours ago)
to A, kathleensanders, A, A, Stephen, bhackemer, crowponies, andrewquanci

Saturday
July 15
Day 0 6pm

Left Hanalei this morning at 10am (thanks Greg!). 50 miles out as I write this.
Wind 11k-14k out of the NE (so we are not getting much Easting... mostly headed north to the land of the walrus).
Looks like we will have these mild winds for the next few days (avoiding the 20k+ coming to Hawaii in a few days as the remnants of a "tropical" passes thru).

Several of us left today... Alex on is Tartan 41 Reverie (he is in sight at the moment), Gary on his Westsail 32 Elizabeth Ann, and Sean and Kim on their J120 Jamani (Sean and Kim left early this morning so well ahead of us). Partings are such sweet sorrow...

Crew (Mary my wife, and Jeff and Glenn - good friends) are settling in to the 2 hrs on and 6 hrs off watch schedule... and learning to live "on a tilt" (eating, toilet, etc).

Will crew want to eat tonight? Or let their stomachs settle a day? We'll know soon...

Cheers,
Jim Q
 
Last edited:
7/17 Mon - all ok on Reverie, a bit slower going, Pelagic tiller wand not working. I have spare but saving it for later, can sail upwind without it
 
[email protected]
Mon, Jul 17, 10:02 PM (12 hours ago)
to A, kathleensanders, A, A, Stephen, bhackemer, crowponies, Andrew

Monday
July 17
Day 2 6pm

330 miles out of Hanalei... 140 miles in the last 24 hours. Wind 11k-15k (so a bit light with an occasional 20k squall ish thing). Making decent easting.

Bumpy... bump...

Tortellini with marinara sauce for dinner with a can of peas thrown in.

Swan Fun passed to leeward on the way to KKMI (much faster then us up wind so he blew by us)... Reveries just beyond AIS range... we did talk to both of them this afternoon just shooting the breeze (though Reverie has some autopilot challenges).

Weather looking mild and steady for the next 2 days (hopefully not too mild so we can make good miles).

Saw two pods of dolphins (hundreds).

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Sunday
July 16
Day 1 6pm

200 miles out of Hanalei... 150 miles in the last 24 hours. Wind 11k-20k and gradually lifting us.
Bumpy... though we managed to have our first real dinner tonight (mac and cheese, with string beans and chicken).

Close (5 miles) to Alex on Reverie (Tartan 41) who we chatted with about his fighting off the boobies that have been defecating on his winches.

Weather looking mild and steady for the next 2-3 days - before it goes "quiet" as we approach a wide elongated high (which might mean long 600 mile motor... but its still early).

Its going to be windy in Hawaii in the next few days as a tropical depression collapses as it reaches the islands (why we were quick to exit stage left).

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Alexander Benderskii (via inReach)
Thu, Jul 20, 5:15 PM (1 day ago)
to ssspol23

7/20 Thur - skipper ok, but engine sprung a leak (fuel hose), spent a few hrs trying to patch it up. Rainbow in the morning, raining all day.
 
Alexander Benderskii (via inReach)
6:14 PM (29 minutes ago)
to ssspol23

Fri 7/21 - all ok onboard Reverie, trying to work my way North to (hopefully) more favorable winds
 
Alexander Benderskii (via inReach)
3:52 PM (1 hour ago)
to ssspol23

Sun 7/23 - all good aboard Reverie, many squalls last night and somewhat bumpy upwind sailing today
 
Gregory Ashby (via inReach)
5:39 PM (44 minutes ago)
to me

Perplexity is sailing nicely at 6.5 kt average. Appetites are getting better.
Variable wind daytime and a few squalls at night.
 
Saturday
July 22
Day 7 6pm

WWF (not wrestling)

Waves
As the wind dropped and we motored the last 24 hours... lets call it "champagne motoring" (vs "champage sailing which hopefully comes soon)... the "crazy" wave state started to make some sense. Long period 6-8 foot waves from the north (I suspect a large High or Low in the Gulf of Alaska). Modest period 4 foot waves from the west (the trades?). 3 foot very long period waves from the south (tropical off Mexico or southern ocean Low?). Makes for "bumpy" motoring with a 5k-6k "shifty" wind from the N and NE (at times its head on and at times its "almost" sailable). We are in a race to catch a wind shift to the north tomorrow that will only last a day or two before shifting to an Easterly head wind (we want to be past this Easterly... far enough east to get into the reliable steady Northerly of the west coast. The Northerly is forecast to be 10k-15k... which we expect/hope to carry for four says... most of the way to California (but forecasts about winds 4-5 days in the future are not all that reliable... time will tell).

Whales
We passed close to a pod of 4 to 5 sperm whales. Closet approach may be 50 yards from "big daddy" (50 footer). This is the third time I have seen sperm whales... always in the deep ocean (and one of those times we hit one hard... longer story). As I know some of you know... sperm whales are one of the few whales that hunt (sperm and orcas) so can have a violent nature (ie the sinking of the Essex, Moby Dick and a racing boat I forget the name of sunk by a sperm whales when returning after the Transpac).

Fuel
Our main tank ran low this morning so via siphoning we transferred about 25 gallons of diesel from the cockpit bladder (40 gallon capacity) to the main tank (33 gal capacity). Maybe by tomorrow we'll have burned enough fuel to empty the cockpit bladder (giving us more room to gather/chat/sun ourselves). We have another bladder with 37 gallons in the fore peak... time will tell if we'll need it. The process to transfer the fuel into the tank went smoothly, no diesel mess.

We had a real hot breakfast this morning with Jeff cooking Spam and Eggs (mmm mmm good!).
Dinner is chili with mexican rice, corn, cheese and diced onion..tropical fruit cocktail for dessert (Glenn is cooking!).

Just a quick note from me, Mary.. It's fairly calm out here. Glenn and I inventoried our food and we have lots left for the rest of the trip. We eat mainly 2 meals a day. Its cooling down at night... we now need an extra layer for night watches, but very comfortable during the day. Just looking out on the ocean during sunrise and sunset reminds of what draws me here. The expansive blue water goes on forever with no other boats in site. The whales came pretty close. Glad they didn't get hooked on our little fishing line (no fish today... sigh)! Just got out my ukulele to play a few tunes. Miss you!

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Sunday
July 23
Day 7 6pm

1000 miles out of Hanalei... 1250 miles to SF. Wind 10k-13k from a beam (yes we are no longer "on the wind").

The wind came up from abeam early this morning (as the GRIB gods predicted)... after 24 hours of motoring in light air we are sailing again... having changed out the working jib for the 155% jib top, we are making 7k "down the pike". Yes this is champagne sailing - and will likely continue for the next 3 days (maybe 4).

Catching up on boat maintenance the last few days... Checked the fuel filter and found just a little water and dirt to drain. Water intake clean. Coolant level on target. Just need to check engine oil level (tomorrow). Made two new dyneema lines for the vang that were clearly at "end of life" using an old after guy for the line. Fixed a broken snap on the dodger. Shortened the outgrabber which had a wear in the line where it exits the boom (happens every race because the outgrabber is pulling perpendicular to the exit block in the boom). Most return trips I would disassemble, clean and lube the winches - but I did that just 4 weeks before the race so really not needed. Took a few sails out of the forepeak and put them on the weather rail... with our being able to leave the fore hatch open, helping dry out the fore peak. Wiped down the fore peak and the head with disinfectant (everything, walls, ceiling, floor, etc) as one could see a bit of mold starting to take hold after what is now a month of wet and humid conditions (wet sails and the sort).

Did another fuel transfer moving the last 15 gallons or so from the cockpit bladder to the main fuel tank... emptying the bladder so we could roll it up and throw it in the forepeak. 40 gallons burned with another 67 gallons left (some chance we won't have another long motor... time will tell). Nice to have an empty cockpit!

No fish today... guessing we are now too far north for mahi mahi and too far south for albacore (soon enough).

Sailing is so so quiet/mild... feels like we are barely moving... though we are piling on the miles.

Thought we saw an "eligible" glass ball but it was a small one and we went back but never found it.
We did see a funny plastic hat with eyes and ears.

Note from Mary...our sailing is in a quiet pattern right now. Just going down the pike. I finished my third book on the trip. Beautiful Woman. It was really good. I also read a Louise Penney book called Still Life and it makes me want to read more of the Gamache series. Finished the fascinating Prophet of Flight about Varien Fry. Jim has read all the paper books I brought. He is cooking tonight (tortellini). Night watches are cooler. I wear long pants and shoes at night now. Still warm during the day. Glenn and Jeff are great to sail with.

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Alexander Benderskii (via inReach)
4:40 PM (35 minutes ago)
to ssspol23

7/24 Mon - everything ok on Reverie, smooth seas today, made some extra miles North this morning while winds shifted W, now back closer to rhumb line
 
Gregory Ashby (via inReach)
11:05 AM (18 minutes ago)
to me

Motoring last 12 hrs. Hopefully wind this noon. Lots of life, birds, albatross, pilot whales, flying fish, small clear jellyfish types with a sail.
 
Monday
July 24
Day 8 (end of) at 6pm

Half Way
We are now equal distance from Hanalei and SF... 1120 miles either way.
The wind was on and off last night... motoring... sailing... and now motoring most of today. I "thought" we would be sailing all day but a closer look at the surface progs (those isobar maps) showed there was a "sort of cold front" (it was on some maps and not others... sometimes as a real front, sometimes as a "line" and sometimes not shown at all). Fronts are done "by hand" - not computer generated so it depends on who was drawing the map that day. In any case... back to motoring through the pretty typical light air behind a front. Hopefully by tomorrow the wind will fill in and we'll start the final slide/reach into the California coast. We have enough fuel aboard to motor for 72 hours... about 400 miles... which should be plenty... but something to keep an eye on. The every other day use of the Iridium GO! is working out... still have 70% charge on its battery (recall the power connector broke off the GO!s PCB so we have no way to charge it). I also have a friend Ian watching the weather progs more often, running routing, and suggesting way points each day (one always wants a belt and braces approach to important things... like the weather forecast).

Fish On!
We (the crew) have been talking about the desire for fresh fish (after our only mahi mahi catch 3 days back). Well we are far enough north (almost 37 degrees) so hooked our first tuna (albacore). Nice sized... maybe 20 pounds... bit of a bloody mess cutting fillets and steaks in the cockpit... we'll be eating tuna for lunch and dinner the next two days (and the portable fridge we brought is paying off enabling us to eat fresh tuna for 2 and maybe 3 days).

Small Preparations
As we all know the California coast can be a bit snotty at times. The long range forecast (which cannot yet be trusted) predicts we'll have one day of 20k-30k reaching. Took some time to resew a seam on the dodger plus add support lines forward on the dodger (ie if we take large green water from abeam).

Quesadilla's with tuna for dinner tonight (no surprise).

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Tuesday
July 25
Day 9 6pm

Rumbling along. With wind 6k-10k its pretty slow going and constant heading adjustment as the wind shifts back and forth 20 degrees. Thank god we have the big 155% Jib Top which in 7k of wind will drive us at 5.5k boat speed - near the same as if we were motoring (though we had fuel to motor over 800 miles... this has turned into a 1000 mile slow patch). Its been impossible to make any northing these last two days so just east we go - and sagging a wee bit south. Knowing the wind will soon swing to a solid northerly in a "few" days that will enable us to get north easily (we are already quite north... latitude of Big Sur).

Mary and Jim showered (oh so good) in the cockpit. Jeff shampooed (he has just enough hair ;-) ) and changed the sheets on his bunk (he's a "clean" guy). Glenn also cleaned up and put on clean clothes.

Quickly seared tuna steaks over rice and beans for dinner (though Jeff likes his a bit "well done")

More tuna to eat tomorrow (we'll never eat it all...).

Mary is playing Vivaldi and a bit of Loggins sitting in the cockpit on watch.

With the steady slow going the crew is starting to ask "when will we get there dad?". With these light winds the last two days and likely the next three days... maybe re-entry is Tuesday next week - July 31 (in one week after 17 days at sea... my prior sail backs have all been 16 or 17 days).

From Mary... We are all looking toward home. As my mother would say, "Like a barn shy horse." Since we are over half way to San Francisco we are starting to count down the days to our arrival. Mother Nature has been very good to us so far. We have enjoyed nice sun and beautiful days. Our food and water supplies remain plentiful. We had a "mystery" can with no label. Tonight we opened it and found canned pears. What a nice dessert. Miss you!

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Alexander Benderskii (via inReach)
4:53 PM (6 hours ago)
to ssspol23

7/26 Wed - all good aboard Reverie
 
Wednesday and Thursday
July 26 and 27
Day 10 and 11 6pm

After getting the latest GRIB two days back, and routing with Expedition, it became clear we needed too get north to catch the incoming northerly (and get out of the erratic "unconsolidated" High we were playing cat and mouse with). So motor we did - for 22 hours - making to the NE. Today we finally "broke through" to the Northerly, no longer need to motor, and are making 6k-7k in a variable 8k-12k (direction oscillating 30 degrees but always enough North to make good progress "down the line" ("painting the line" - the target course - as we have come to call it).
So no longer need to think about fuel usage as it looks like a consistent breeze all the way to the GGB (late Monday or Tuesday?).
Thinking about how we likely need to change from the jib top to the working jib (and with a main reef or two?) in two or three days - as we get into the coastal breeze.

We are on our third (and last) day of eating tuna... tuna steaks, tuna with mac and cheese, tuna with spaghetti(tonight), tuna fish sandwiches, tuna rolls, and more. Glenn cooked last night and Jeff is cooking tonight.

From Mary... I thank the men for cooking on the boat since they made delicious dinners. We are responsible for our own breakfast and lunch. Fresh food and cookies mostly gone. They also help me out if I am exhausted and will take my watch. We are hanging in there and thinking about what we will do when we reach land. Miss communicating with you. Will talk and talk upon my return.

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
Alexander Benderskii (via inReach)
6:35 PM (1 hour ago)
to ssspol23

Sat 6/29 all ok on Reverie, figured out to make a 'return line' for fuel leak using a funnel and piece of hose back to fuel tank, motored for few hrs
 
Friday and Saturday
July 28 and 29
Day 12 and 13 6pm

450 miles to the GGB!

Wind
Its been up and down... 4k-10k... so a mix of motoring (when wind is under 7k) and sailing. The sailing is smooth... magic carper ride. The motoring is fast as the sea state is "placid" - at least for now (Sunday night is looking to be a tad "breezy"). So looks like we'll be in SF on Tuesday... might be early and might be late... after just shy of 17 days at sea.

Sounds
When on a boat a long time one gets used to the various sounds the boat makes... the creak of the mast in the partners, the we waa of the autopilot ram, the tick of the vang... but yesterday there was a new sound... sort of a "scrape". What could it be? Looking around sounded like from astern... took the face plate off that covers the rudder shaft head, and low and behold the top rudder bearing was moving around a bit (not just the rudder shaft moving a smidge in the bearing... the bearing itself moving). Well we discover one of the 5/6 inch bolts holding the bearing in place had broken - and the other three bolts loosed up. The tricky bit is we only had two 5/16 bolts on the boat (lots of 1/4 and 3/8 but few 5/16). And the bolts were "carriage bolts" in that they had no place to grip them at the top to tighten (or loosen) them. Jeff went below to turn the nuts (he was upside down) while Jim worked with channel locks, vice grips and a putty knife (to wedge the bolt heads up enough to grab them). We got there after pinched fingers, pinched palms, grease all over and a wee bit of "salty language". Replaced and tightened two bolts and made a third exiting carriage bolt "work". Job done with the top bearing now firmly fixed in place (ready for the hard reaching to come Sunday night).

Fish On (and not)
After eating that 20+ pound tuna the last four days, we were out of fresh fish - so threw the hand line back out. Just after dinner it was "fish on"... pulling in a 6-7 pound albacare. The boys were ready for some fresh fresh protein - but Mary thought the fish was so cute we just had to throw it back... so we did. We had eaten so much tuna already. Would have kept it if earlier in our trip.

Fuel
We emptied the bladder in the fore peak... so we are down to out last 25 gallons in the main tank (we have burned 85 gallons already... glad we brought a lot!).
We expect the wind to really fill in by tomorrow... so we should have plenty of fuel too get us home (though we'll probably pull into Richmond YC with maybe 10 gallons left). In a pinch, we have 3 gallons in the heater pony tank should it get that tight (doubt it will).

From Mary... The rolling seas are very nice. We have been motoring and it is fine. We collectively decided to make the time change today to Pacific time from Hawaiian time. It was "too" dark around our 6 pm dinner time. The group is getting excited to see our loved ones at home. I'm surprised how days have remained so sunny. More cool temps for the night watches. We have become inventive in our meals using our remaining food. I'm so glad the boat has held up well. We had a real "men at work" day yesterday. Time for a ukulele song.

Cheers,
Jim, Mary, Glenn and Jeff
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top