Salish Sea Cruising 2014

[David Patterson]

Thank you, Robert, for that generous opinion. Sometimes I think of doing that, and then the next interesting moment catches my mind and eye. This fascinating world is relentless. Don't you find it so? Look at these working boats I passed, the waning moon still visible in the morning sky.

[David Patterson]

Robert, I find myself considering your comment to my photos of 3/21, back on page 4 of these postings. Know a good editor? Here is a photo of cruise-weary CLOUD GIRL taking to the air of the sunny NW in the slings of a Travelift. She is at 115 year old Jensen's Boat Yard of Shipyard Cove of Friday Harbor. Something had colonized the plate of the lightning grounding system. The knot meter paddle wheel also had stopped spinning, for obvious reasons. Hauling out for a few days, in the midst of cruising, is a different affair than leisurely spending the winter on the hard, I have found. By the way, spare parts for the original knotmeter (I need a new "turbo blade impeller wheel with shaft," aka the paddle wheel) can be had from moorelectronics.com at reasonable cost. They also have a dummy plug for the thru-hull, if you need to remove the assembly, possibly even afloat, and an instrument cover for the display. Just that last finishing touch you have been looking for! The boat looks to be the extended cruiser (time not distance) that she actually is. I won't abuse her with such a long stretch between haulouts again, hopefully. The black marks on the hull are from the customs docks at Bedwell B.C. and here at Friday Harbor. I'm better at anchoring than at docking, apparently. My discovery from this haulout was that three of the seacocks were disconnected from the lightning grounding system, one showing the heavy green "rust" of copper coming out of the bronze. An important repair to make. [Sorry for the wordy post.]

[David Patterson]

For those who enjoy the mechanical side of cruising, and none of us can avoid some of it, no matter how much we have the boat yard do: in no special order are, (1) photos of my prop nicely coated with a zinc-based spray paint (this yard requires all painting done by staff), new zinc in place (the old zinc was...gone); (2) a couple of small inexpensive tools that go with me into tight places, to be placed as extra hands for two-person tasks attempted by one, like securing a nut so a machine screw can be backed out; (3) what I found under a piece of deck hardware (the block near the end of a roller-furler control line) which was installed many years ago without a hint of bedding. Yup, only two fasteners used. Did it leak? Absolutely. No apparent core damage. Notice the crazing. Poor girl needs every piece of deck hardware re-set (after a third of a century) and the gel coat repaired soon. On another note, some viewers didn't take notice of my photos posted first on 3/21, at the bottom of page 4, because I posted twice that day. (My error.) Please consider glancing at them. They represent the pinnacle of my photographic ability with a phone, after all. Besides, they are more pleasant than haul out photos.

[David Patterson]

A few recent photos. One is of someone's pride and joy in a boat yard. Wood and old. I imagine it started life as a little 18' or so harbor tug. Lowest boat number I've seen. Another is a sea-and-skyscape of north San Juan Channel, at slack water. Turtleback Mountain is to the right. I didn't realize clouds created that effect in the water until examining this photo. The third is an iPhone screen shot from iNavX of the San Juan Channel chart at 1:25,000. Ignore the two straight tracks, which resulted from turning the program off and on from different places. The track from the north cove of Friday Harbor to the southwest cove of Parks Bay resulted from a two hour transit by sail alone, in variable light airs, anchor up to anchor down. My timing with the tidal currents worked out well. Parks is my local storm hole for southerlies. Having just read Fred's tale of creativity with his engine mounts, on his way to Borneo, that he recounted in his Thailand cruise thread, I feel that I am sailing in an urbanized area in comparison. Great tale of resourcefulness.

[David Patterson]

I know you have one. At least one. (I have a couple.) Stained, worn, bird-targeted, eventually sun rotted. Maybe it seems "still good" for something, like protecting the hull from a visitor's dinghy. Until it just falls apart. I'm talking about your least presentable boat cushion, the raddled one that makes the mate's eyebrows go up if you forget and offer it. What to do with it? The old Yankee might say: Use it, fix it, or do without. You might give it a crafty new cover. Or, the now useless cushion might be a solution to some problem. Stretch the context quite a bit and think of ice. Yes. Ice. Inside that cushion are about 10 sheets of 1/8 inch-thick closed cell foam, and 4 pieces of sheet rubber. Inside your ice box are the makings of, say, salad and steak for tomorrow. And some wine and beer, perhaps. But the ice is melting too fast, cuz you could only get cubes instead of blocks back at the marina. Solution? Put those sheets of closed cell foam in layers around the inside of the ice box. Cut 'em to fit if someone is fussy. (Like you.) Your ice really will last surprisingly longer. The ice and provisions keep them in place, the cold stiffens them, and they don't soak up liquids or odor. Plus, when a block of ice slips out of your hands into the box, you won't damage the interior. Now, what to use those rubber or plastic sheets for? [The photos are dark, but you get the idea.]

[Jim Walsh]

The collar zinc on your prop shaft seems as though it would severely hamper prop efficiency. Has that proven acceptable in use?

[David Patterson]

I truly don't know, Jim. That photo has the prop at an angle, so the zinc may look overly large. I looked for a low profile one locally but didn't find one short enough for the space available. At the rate it shrinks in these waters, especially in the port in which I resupply, I'm not too worried about it. I'd rather have the size to begin with. Some locals change zincs every six months, I'm advised. The shaft is 1", the depth of the zinc is 1", the diameter is 2.5". I'll probably search for a better zinc for my next change. As for efficiency, I don't motor much. Rarely above 3 or 4 knots, or above 1800 rpm. Last year I used about a gallon of fuel a month, typically making a passage about twice a week, some up to 30+ miles, others as short as two miles. My most frequent engine uses tend to be backing in my anchor, and getting myself out of foolish choices, like coming too close to points with their conflicting currents and disturbed winds. Sometimes, I'll motor in a calm not to get caught in the wrong tide, going backwards in the current. I hate that. Has me feel not in charge of the boat. Rarely do I motor for distance, since I control (sort of!) my own schedule, so can wait things out. Usually. Fortunately my 25D is a good light air sailing craft, especially when her bottom is freshly painted. She will move in less than a knot of wind. Thanks for the question. Gets me thinking. I hope you get sailing soon.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Jim and David:

This is the shaft zinc I am using on S/V Bali Ha'i (1982 Cape Dory 25D):

http://www.campcompany.com/1-Donut-Coll ... Shaft.html

It just fits in the small shaft space between the hull and the prop. I installed a new one in November 2012 and removed it in August 2013. It was still in very good condition with a lot of zinc left. But she was on the hard for other work and it seemed like an inexpensive price to switch out with a new zinc.

David, the measurements you gave in your post are the same as for the "donut zinc" I am using. Mine is a "Camp C-3".

[David Patterson]

Thanks Robert. Comparable dimensions to the one I put on. I like the copper contact node. I lightly roughed up the shaft to enhance contact for mine. I'm planning to get a wet suit so I can replace them in the water when I need to, and keep my transducers and prop clean. Maybe even the bottom. My current paint is non-metallic so I wouldn't hesitate to gently brush the hull. Water temp here runs about 45*. Dangerous temp for hypothermia, and painful. There is the "50/50" rule for these waters: a 50 year old person 50 yards from shore has a 50% chance of swimming to safety once in the water. Lots of divers, however. There are some shallow bays that get swimming-warm, though. One is the appropriately named Shallow Bay of Sucia Island. Where are your waters?

[Sea Hunt Video]

Where are your waters?

Having been involved in diving activities in Ca. and Lake Erie (among other cold water climates) I long ago made a decision to no longer dive in cold waters. Your 45 degrees F. water temp is way above my tolerance level these days.

Several years ago I briefly organized a group of divers here in Miami. It was/is the "CAWWD" club. I am a proud founding life member.

Despite living in "sunny, warm" Miami, there are many days in Dec., Jan., and Feb., when, in my "CAWWD" state of mind , it is too cold to dive - even with a drysuit.

For those interested "CAWWD" stands for "Candy-Ass Warm Water Diver".

[David Patterson]

Right. You told me where you are, and why. Sorry to ask again. I would not stay in the water long, hopefully, nor go below the keel. I'll get advice from local divers. The professional divers locally seem to use dry suits. Changing zincs on power cruisers looks to be common employment for them. Since I have a lot to learn about every aspect of cruising, I appreciate input.

[David Patterson]

In that moment before dawn, the water can have as as rich a palette of colors as the sky.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Right. You told me where you are, and why. Sorry to ask again. I would not stay in the water long, hopefully, nor go below the keel. I'll get advice from local divers. The professional divers locally seem to use dry suits. Changing zincs on power cruisers looks to be common employment for them. Since I have a lot to learn about every aspect of cruising, I appreciate input.

David:

I would strongly caution AGAINST using a dry suit unless you have the specific training for it. While they are excellent for cold water work they are also potentially dangerous, even in shallow waters. You can get into a lot of trouble. Just about anything bad that can happen in dry suit has happened to me. I would recommend a 1/4" (~7 mm) wetsuit with an incorporated hood. You will also need cold water gloves (less dexterity). I am sure the pro divers are on SCUBA. I assume you will NOT be on SCUBA (need training and cert. for this also). Breath-hold diving while cleaning bottom, prop, changing zinc, etc. is exhausting.

To clean S/V Bali Ha'i on SCUBA takes me about 45-60 min depending on condition of bottom, prop, etc. If you are in 45 degree water for 45 minutes you will feel it.

[David Patterson]

Thanks Robert. Excellent information. And cautioning. I will continue to inform myself before I undertake any foolishness alone. I don't mind doing work in snippets, so won't try to do much at once. A friend was diving recently without a hood and found it very limiting. Cold. The boat owners up here who service their own hulls tend to use a "bubbler," but I likely won't even try that. All of this is off in the future for me. I'm learning bit by bit. I appreciate any input I get.

[David Patterson]

For those of you who enjoy the quality of some of my phone photos, the "app" on my iPhone4s is ProCamera7. Five bucks at the App Store. (No kickback to me, unfortunately.) I don't edit much, sometimes shifting the frame around to get rid of my finger being too near the lens, or avoid an odd shape from my boat. There is a button to enhance the light contrast that I touch sometimes. I currently do any of that editing in my "camera roll" on the phone. I'm trying to learn. The technical side of photography is mysterious to me. I do know what I like to see. A somewhat volcanic-looking sunrise, here. I notice the shadow of the contrail on the sky when I study this unedited photo of clouds like a mountain range, to the east of my resupply anchorage. The pleasures of cruising.