What I Saw

[Philpott]

Mmm, great. Thanks, guys. Now I'm really looking forward to it...

Jackie, just let me know if you'd like to go up my mast and I'll haul you up with the winch. You'll forever have no problems climbing Dura Mater

Thanks, Carliane. Actually I don't have trouble with the idea of using the ATN mastclimber, just the whole tipping sideways business Pat mentioned. A couple of years ago, before I got the ATN, a friend of mine agreed to go up the mast for me. She is a little bitty thang, slim and lightweight. A vegetarian ;-) Brian Boschma happened to be passing by updating people's Pelagic software, and he agreed to winch her up. Well, I don't know if you have ever tried it, but it was very difficult. Plus, half way up, Jocelyn got stuck a few times and she didn't like that at all. Needless to say, I was very grateful, but realized that the whole winch thing isn't the answer on DM. Your winches may be set up differently. Now, if you would like me to bring the ATN over to Kynntana, just ask. We'll need a longer static line ...

 

[BobJ]

Been (up) there, done that, got the t-shirt. It's actually a heckuva lot easier without spreaders to bang into.
.

 

[BobJ]

What I Saw tonight was three dyed-in-the-wool singlehanders all doing a beer can race on the same boat.

Were there conflicts? Fighting over the tiller? Disagreements about tactics? Details at eleven...

 

[Gamayun]

Been (up) there, done that, got the t-shirt. It's actually a heckuva lot easier without spreaders to bang into.
.

And literally nothing to hang onto!

 

[Philpott]

So, I went up there. I had the correct bulb ($7 at Svendsen's, which continues to be well stocked, and even better organized than before) and a screwdriver, but I couldn't get the bulb out without opening the housing. I thought, "Jackie, do you really want to open this housing and possibly compromise the water tightness of it?"

I had the goop and the correct screwdriver, but both the steaming light and the deck light are housed in there. I really need the steaming light but I can use my headlamp for the deck work.... So I decided to leave the burnt-out bulb up there. Didn't come away empty handed, though. https://vimeo.com/216393430

 

[Daydreamer]

Nice view Jackie

 

[Philpott]

Nice view Jackie

Thanks, Greg. Unfortunately I forgot the wet rag for the spreaders. I tried to "spitshine" them, but that just smeared the moss around ;-)

 

[BobJ]

"High in Berkeley" sounds redundant - it must be an age bracket thing.

So you didn't fix the bulb and you didn't wipe off the spreaders. All we got out of this is a home movie?

That sounds like some of my "boat project" days.

 

[AlanH]

"high in berkeley" sounds redundant - it must be an age bracket thing.

So you didn't fix the bulb and you didn't wipe off the spreaders. All we got out of this is a home movie?

That sounds like some of my "boat project" days.

like

 

[Philpott]

So you didn't fix the bulb and you didn't wipe off the spreaders. All we got out of this is a home movie?

Note the title of the thread, plus I think it qualifies as a music video. Substance? I read Nightmare's Saga for substance. And New Boat 4 Sled for history. This Forum needs an index. Where is that Tech Czar? Oh, yeah. Building a boat in his garage in Silicon Valley. Isn't that how they all start?

 

[Lanikai]

Building a boat in his garage in Silicon Valley. Isn't that how they all start?

Jobs: "Someday these will be in every home, every classroom, every office."
Woz: "I dunno, Steve. Maybe we should stick with computers."

 

[Philpott]

Jobs: "Someday these will be in every home, every classroom, every office."
Woz: "I dunno, Steve. Maybe we should stick with computers."

View attachment 2365

GOOD one, Adam!

 

[Philpott]

Dura Mater in The Delta

070317 Monday before Fourth of July. Sunday morning DM and I left the Berkeley Marina at 9 am. I gave up my slip because I don’t know how long I’ll be gone and I’m not willing to pay for two slips. There was a lot of wind on the Olympic Circle for that early in the morning, and DM was going 7+ knots upwind. That’s a lot for DM going downwind, so I was impressed by her fortitude. My boat. She's a tank. And that was before we got into the San Pablo Bay.

Since the SSS usually has its Vallejo Race in the fall, I had never experienced the San Pablo Bay in its glory. But that there is a long fetch, and the waves got big. Whooee! Holy Cow. We surfed with the flood for awhile and then we surfed without it, and we got to the Benicia Marina in 5.5 hours. Now people who do the Delta Ditch Run in those fancy race boats with crew might say, “Big deal. We flew by that marina carrying spinnakers at 20 knots.” Yes, well, those of us with old fat boats go slower, okay?

The Benicia Marina was only $20 for the night. On the Fourth of July weekend. What a great deal.

Bob Johnston told me to call ahead for a slip, but I forgot. I called just before I left the dock in Berkeley. Alec in the harbormaster’s office told me that usually people reserve slips for that weekend a year in advance. I whined a little and he gave me one anyway. I promised to leave early the next day. Thank you, Alec.

Last year at Drakes Bay Chris Case showed off the French press his wife Joni bought him for Fugu. I ran right out and bought one of my own, and it does not disappoint. Whew! Drinking Medaglio espresso made in my real live French press really wakes me up. And then I was ready to roll, onward to The Delta.

 

[Philpott]

070317
Once DM and I turned from the Suisun Bay into the New York Slough we entered a different world. What’s a slough? Lots of definitions for that word, including “an area of soft muddy ground; swamp or swamplike region”. Huh. Whatever it is, DM and I were in it, and it was flooding. To our starboard side everything was industrial while on the portside everything was … Delta. Every color green you can imagine, lush and low to the water, leaning with the wind against a cobalt blue sky. It was stunningly beautiful. Except for the occasional low hum of some kind of generators along the shoreline, the only sounds were, increasingly, of birds and more birds and the whooshing of water against DM’s hull. It was very calming.

The channel markers were easy to see in the daytime. They started on port side with G.R.”N.Y”. (1+2) G6s. What does this mean? Well, I looked it up. It is the first channel marker for New York Slough, the waterway that leads south east off the Suisun Bay. It is green and red, hence the GR. Shortly after we turn off there is the Pittsburg Yacht Club on your starboard side, and beyond that a wide stretch of water all the way to the Antioch Bridge off in the distance.

There are channel markers all along the way, each within sight as we pass the next. Remember “Red right returning” and it’s a cakewalk. Or, if you’re sailing on the Fourth of July weekend, you just follow the other boats. The unlucky sailors are the ones trying to sail back home against the flood. There seem to be miserable sailors, with their sails battened down as they motor along hugging the side of the channel, and miserable but determined sailors who are short tacking up the channel. How many tacks? I guestimate 452.

Once in the New York Slough we travel through The West Reach and then through The East Reach, passing Middle Slough to port. My chart tells me we could go up there, it’s deep enough for DM’s 4.5 draft, but we’re on a mission to arrive in early afternoon. Time enough for exploring later. This is our first time in the delta and we need to establish a base camp. So onward we go.

When G “13” shows up on portside we continue east, following the channel markers and the chart toward the Antioch Bridge. Once New York Slough merges with the San Joachin River the numbers start over, with G “1” leading inexorably to the Antioch Bridge. After the Antioch Bridge, bear to port following the numbers. Along the way there are signs ashore: “Danger! Do not anchor here”. So don’t anchor there. Keep going. #2,#3, you can count. If you are going to Owl Harbor, keep going until you see G 41, then turn left at the decrepit dredger. Voila! And here is the view from Dura Mater's companionway on J Dock.

 

[Philpott]

070417
Up with the sun in Owl Harbor, awake with the dueling roosters. It’s chilly enough for me to wish I hadn’t taken all my San Francisco bay hats out of the clothes hammock. I am learning what I need when living aboard. Bottled water for the food. The water here tastes different. And what I don’t need to bring: garlic. There is a community garden here with vegetables and two types of garlic. There are dozens of chickens and I have had beautiful small eggs pressed upon me by the generous manager of the marina, Devery. Scrambled eggs with sauteed red onions and Havarti cheese until the cheese is gone.

As I’m washing up the dishes I hear the drone of a crop duster flying over the fields nearby. Hay fields, fruit fields, corn fields laid out in perfect lines by driverless tractors that may have Kubata engines similar to Dura Mater’s. I’m sure they don’t run any better than hers. Engine by Dave.

Getting acclimated to The Delta. 92 degrees is hot. It is too hot to stand barefoot on the fiberglass of Dura Mater’s cockpit, so this is what you do in The Delta: you jump in the water. It’s wonderfully refreshing. Then you go lay down and take a nap. Bug screens can wait. Wake up after awhile, then jump into the water again. Read a book. Think about doing some work. Jump in the water instead. Paddle around, then sit under an umbrella for awhile. Repeat. Chat with your neighbors and get to know all the dogs on the dock. Repeat until dinner time: couscous, garlic, red onion in olive oil with garlic powder. Add any kind of cheese, in this case, Havarti, then eat.

Couscous is good because you don’t waste any water. Cooking noodles you have to drain the water out. Water is precious, don’t you know? This is California. Don’t waste water boiling it for noodles, then draining it out. Make couscous instead. Boil the water, put some olive oil or butter in it, stir in the couscous, then cover it. All done. You’ll get used to the taste.

That was a long day in the sun. I’m tired and very sweaty, even after all that jumping in the water. Owl Harbor has very nice showers. Nicer than a lot of yacht clubs. And there are bicycles for visitors to use, especially useful for those of us way down the levee (another new word) on J Dock. So I took a bike ride up to the showers and when I was nice and clean I sprayed myself ALL over with Skin So Soft by Avon. Everywhere. Because mosquitoes love my blood. You say they love your blood? Well, it’s not a competition, but they love mine more.

Now it’s time for bed. I settle in, smug in the knowledge that I am covered in Skin So Soft by Avon. I lay down in the VBerth, start to read a book, and that’s when I hear The crop duster again. At night? Huh? Then I see it. A mosquito so big it looks like a small lizard. Up on the headliner. Waiting. So I get up and retrieve the fly swatter Synthia gave me that one time in Drakes Bay. I smack the lizard-bug and there is blood everywhere. Dark red blood. It must be mine, because … as they say, “I’m the only one here”. Bad language erupts and then I remember the “tulle” (so many new words today). I get out the green frog tape and tape the tulle over my hatch and companionway. A thin layer of ballerina tutu material embedded with silver stars now protects me from those monster mosquitoes out there. The temperature drops from the daytime high of 92 to 56 degrees during the night. Seriously.

I sleep like a lizard my first night in the Delta.

 

[mike cunningham]

Welcome to the Delta Jackie. Dock space for you at our place in Discovery Bay if you should get down this way. Come down Old River about 8 miles, call the Orwood railroad bridge to open up ( on chan 9, swings 24/7) and drop by. Adequate depth and a beam reach ( mostly) if there is any wind. Best to transit down on a flood so you float off if you get stuck somewhere. Free cold beer, shower, chow available.


37 54 x 121 36

 

[Philpott]

Welcome to the Delta Jackie. Dock space for you at our place in Discovery Bay if you should get down this way. Come down Old River about 8 miles, call the Orwood railroad bridge to open up ( on chan 9, swings 24/7) and drop by. Adequate depth and a beam reach ( mostly) if there is any wind. Best to transit down on a flood so you float off if you get stuck somewhere. Free cold beer, shower, chow available. 37 54 x 121 36

Thanks for the invitation, Mike! I've put your coordinates in my chart plotter: Mike C

 

[Gamayun]

Nice reporting, Jackie! Makes me want to go soon. Did you really give up 2 slips in Berkeley? Why do you even have 2 slips. I had no idea you were planning to be gone for long. What's your timeline? Looking forward to hearing more!

 

[Philpott]

Nice reporting, Jackie! Makes me want to go soon.

Carliane, after your recent adventures in the Pacific Ocean, the Delta might seem waaay too tame. No opposing swell, no 30 knot gusts, no sounds like a freight train bearing down on you as you try to sleep in the rockin and rolling cockpit. In the dark. By the way, Congratulations on a job well done. That is a big boat and an excellent accomplishment. I'll bet you are feeling proud of yourself today.

In the Delta the only sounds at night are the far away rumble of a real freight train in the distance, a bullfrog once in awhile and maybe the gentle whine of a Delta Lizard-Bug. The scenery is different, too.

 

[Jonathan Gutoff]

Sorry to barge in on Philpott's thread. We did the loop from Owl Harbor, Walnut Grove and Steamboat slough over the weekend. It was hot and no wind but a good time. Stink Eye was able to beach in Steamboat right up to the shore for lunch and a swim. Walnut Grove was noisy but is still one of the nicest towns in California. Did I mention it was hot?