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Cheers - Bryan
Wrap-Up seminar?
- Thread starter AlanH
- Start date
Island Rider
B-25 X-1
Ok, it appears there is minimal interest in a seminar. How about some posts here to help those of us planning for 2020?
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Putting Boats Together Again
Tom Boussie mentioned how time consuming it was to disassemble JouJou in Nawiliwili in order to prepare her for the container ship passage. In order to remove the mast, all electrical components up there had to be detached. And then there was everything else!
What an ordeal! I never thought of that before. When JouJou arrives here all that must be re-done. Another ordeal! Tom talked about the positive and helpful interaction between Transpackers during that experience in Nawiliwili, which made me wonder whether there is the possibility of replicating it on this side of the Pacific so that: 1/ sailors can more effectively get sailing again ; and 2/ people might be able to share the labor and expertise instead of depending solely upon themselves or expensive marine yards. Knowing our singlehanders, they would try to do it all on their own. But must they?
There is a lot of expertise in this Club and people could listen to stories all at the same time. A hands-on Return Seminar, if you will.
Tom Boussie mentioned how time consuming it was to disassemble JouJou in Nawiliwili in order to prepare her for the container ship passage. In order to remove the mast, all electrical components up there had to be detached. And then there was everything else!
What an ordeal! I never thought of that before. When JouJou arrives here all that must be re-done. Another ordeal! Tom talked about the positive and helpful interaction between Transpackers during that experience in Nawiliwili, which made me wonder whether there is the possibility of replicating it on this side of the Pacific so that: 1/ sailors can more effectively get sailing again ; and 2/ people might be able to share the labor and expertise instead of depending solely upon themselves or expensive marine yards. Knowing our singlehanders, they would try to do it all on their own. But must they?
There is a lot of expertise in this Club and people could listen to stories all at the same time. A hands-on Return Seminar, if you will.
mike cunningham
Freedom 30 "Jacqueline"
In my thank you e-mail to the return feet team I mentioned I thought it might be a good idea to formalize the "return fleet" concept as part of the event. We could have a relevant seminar during the run up to the race, get participants nailed down, and have a defined plan going in. This suggestion is in no way meant to minimize how wonderful the support and comraderie was during the 2018 return. But, I think that knowing you had this support before the start might encourage folks, especially in heavier boats, to consider the race itself.
If the SSS thinks this idea has merit, I will volunteer to assist from the shoreside end. I will be an observer in 2020 and not a participant.
I tthink another thing that might be helpful is a voulnteer list for hauling and shipping prep assistance. Getting your boat out of the water and set up for shipment can be a tough, stressful slog as mentioned above. It might be useful to know who would be availabele and willing to help before the race starts. This could be a part of the overall return program.
If the SSS thinks this idea has merit, I will volunteer to assist from the shoreside end. I will be an observer in 2020 and not a participant.
I tthink another thing that might be helpful is a voulnteer list for hauling and shipping prep assistance. Getting your boat out of the water and set up for shipment can be a tough, stressful slog as mentioned above. It might be useful to know who would be availabele and willing to help before the race starts. This could be a part of the overall return program.
Hi Mike -
I think that all makes a good amount of sense.
The Return Trip seminar is always on the seminar calendar, but admittedly tends to get buried in the pressing needs of getting the boat to the line, and of course TO Hanalei.
I certainly agree that we should put some extra effort in organizing both the returning boats, and the Matson Armada earlier in the cycle, and generally do what we can to promote the return trip.
This year turned out to be a good model for returning as a group; we should definitely take note of what worked and what can be better/more thoroughly thought through.
Consider yourself volunteered!
DH
I think that all makes a good amount of sense.
The Return Trip seminar is always on the seminar calendar, but admittedly tends to get buried in the pressing needs of getting the boat to the line, and of course TO Hanalei.
I certainly agree that we should put some extra effort in organizing both the returning boats, and the Matson Armada earlier in the cycle, and generally do what we can to promote the return trip.
This year turned out to be a good model for returning as a group; we should definitely take note of what worked and what can be better/more thoroughly thought through.
Consider yourself volunteered!
DH
Daydreamer
SAILOR
I'll be Happy to help out too.
The trip back, though difficult in different ways than the race, was better than I anticipated.
My wife is worried I am going to sign up for 2020 !!?!!
The trip back, though difficult in different ways than the race, was better than I anticipated.
My wife is worried I am going to sign up for 2020 !!?!!
mike cunningham
Freedom 30 "Jacqueline"
BTW Greg, I am in awe of you doing the return with an outboard and limited fuel. Holy cow!! I burned through 80 gallons of diesel during the return, I feel like a slacker compared to your effort. I am pretty sure you were carrying some of those Red Vines
brianb
Olson 34 Driver
I think a wrap up is a great concept. 8/29 works.
I would suggest a panel of return-ees and a interviewer to coordinate a topic list.
Brian
I'm happy to participate, too. Ditto on what Mike said about being impressed with Greg and the limited amount of fuel! And also what Greg said about the return being more enjoyable than he had anticipated.
tiger beetle
N/M 45 Tiger Beetle
Little gear breakage on board Beetle
I was intrigued at the reports of significant gear problems across the fleet, both during the race as well as on the return trip.
On board Tiger Beetle I had zero gear breakage on the passage from Tahiti to Oahu, and the single (maintenance) issue on the run from Kauai to Neah Bay was changing out the alternator belt. Other than that, everything on the boat worked properly. I do not know if that is because Beetle is being continuously sailed and therefore maintained, if I've swapped everything that breaks with something that doesn't (just a matter of fact in the cruising world), or if I'm not pushing the boat hard and therefore stuff doesn't break as a result (another artifact of cruising vs racing).
I was very pleased the standing rigging, replaced in Oahu, handled the return trip well and did not require re-tuning mid-ocean to handle stretch. The rigging is dyform which doesn't stretch much relative to 1x19, and I'd loaded it up off Waikiki a half-dozen times on tuning runs, and again checked it following the overnight run from Oahu to Kauai.
The number of autopilot failures on this SSS TransPac seemed significant, far more than I would have expected. Good thing folks had backup(s) to engage and keep their boat moving forward. I did have an Alpha Spectra ram failure on the run from Puerto Vallarta to Nuku Hiva, turns out that was an issue I introduced in the wiring (and have since altered the connection mechanism and that problem cannot happen again - soldered connections are necessary for systems that observe resistance, screw-terminal blocks not allowed!).
I"d be interested to see learn more about the gear issues, particularly autopilot problems, at a wrap-up seminar.
I"m also interested in how folks thought the radio/email net worked for the return trip. From what I saw, the boats with metered bandwidth (SailMail, WinLink) were ok with the radio net recap emails but could not handle multiple emails from individual boats due to the metering. Boats with unlimited (or easy) email connections (Iridium GO, perhaps other mechanisms) had no issues.
- rob/beetle
I was intrigued at the reports of significant gear problems across the fleet, both during the race as well as on the return trip.
On board Tiger Beetle I had zero gear breakage on the passage from Tahiti to Oahu, and the single (maintenance) issue on the run from Kauai to Neah Bay was changing out the alternator belt. Other than that, everything on the boat worked properly. I do not know if that is because Beetle is being continuously sailed and therefore maintained, if I've swapped everything that breaks with something that doesn't (just a matter of fact in the cruising world), or if I'm not pushing the boat hard and therefore stuff doesn't break as a result (another artifact of cruising vs racing).
I was very pleased the standing rigging, replaced in Oahu, handled the return trip well and did not require re-tuning mid-ocean to handle stretch. The rigging is dyform which doesn't stretch much relative to 1x19, and I'd loaded it up off Waikiki a half-dozen times on tuning runs, and again checked it following the overnight run from Oahu to Kauai.
The number of autopilot failures on this SSS TransPac seemed significant, far more than I would have expected. Good thing folks had backup(s) to engage and keep their boat moving forward. I did have an Alpha Spectra ram failure on the run from Puerto Vallarta to Nuku Hiva, turns out that was an issue I introduced in the wiring (and have since altered the connection mechanism and that problem cannot happen again - soldered connections are necessary for systems that observe resistance, screw-terminal blocks not allowed!).
I"d be interested to see learn more about the gear issues, particularly autopilot problems, at a wrap-up seminar.
I"m also interested in how folks thought the radio/email net worked for the return trip. From what I saw, the boats with metered bandwidth (SailMail, WinLink) were ok with the radio net recap emails but could not handle multiple emails from individual boats due to the metering. Boats with unlimited (or easy) email connections (Iridium GO, perhaps other mechanisms) had no issues.
- rob/beetle
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dolfinbill
New member
I used Winlink to send and receive emails and had no problem with metered bandwidth (whatever that is)
It is likely I will be in Alameda on the 29th, and if so will be there. I will be happy to share what I dare say is the definitive list of "Rookie Mistakes" in the race -- i.e., hard-won knowledge that will be essential for any future entrant looking to maximize chances of winning the Perseverance Trophy. And I have some thoughts on the return trip, too.
Rainbow
Ocean Cruiser
pogen
Sailing canoe "Kūʻaupaʻa"
"Sources say" it's at Island YC at 7:30 PM.