Beyond My Known 2017

[David Patterson]

Thanks, Roberto. I'm not fishing for encouragement. You've provided plenty, for which I appreciate. Just trying to keep the cruising corner current as I transition to my next boat. For example, I'm going from a tiller to a pedestal and wheel, on a boat far too small to need one. People complain about a tiller "sweeping" the cockpit. I find the opposite. The binnacle is like a hulking crew member too seasick to get out of the way, the wheel like an NFL interior lineman's outstretched arms. Singlehanding aside, how do cruisers properly sail a smaller boat from behind a wheel? I'm perplexed, and I fear ineffective back there. I need to get on the main message board to contact others who have done a wheel to tiller conversion. An Alberg 29 is said by some to be an older owner's Alberg 30, more stable, more cabin space, etc. But I'm not so old as to need a wheel on a small cruiser...yet. And I'm not spry enough to scramble around the wheel all the time to sail. Problems to solve. David, two s/v and a dinghy in a cove

[Sea Hunt Video]

David:

There may be others but the one I am familiar with is John Stone's S/V Far Reach. He converted a CD 36 from wheel to tiller.

This is the website log of his project with photos

http://www.farreachvoyages.com/projects ... rsion.html

He has posted a lot on this board and is very knowledgeable. If you go to the home page for S/V Far Reach you will see the numerous projects he has undertaken. After all completed he had a successful sail from NC to BVI (and return )

John S. has been very generous with time and suggestions for various projects. I am confident he can offer you several good ideas.

Best wishes with your new sailboat. You will always be a "Cape Dory 25D man".

[tjr818]

David,
You have moved up, not over, to an Alberg 29, I believe that still qualifies you to belong to this board, if not, your dinghy is your passport.
Too many of us would miss you and your posts.
And . . . congratulations on your new boat, she seems to be a beauty!.

[David Patterson]

Tucked away in a protected anchorage, I'm changing horses in mid-stream (so to speak) as I transfer from my trusty 25D to an intriguing A29. While I shift gear aboard the rafted boats, I'm wishing to be working my way north under sail instead. But, "needs must when the devil drives" goes an ancient saying. A few years ago I was going beyond my known into the Gulf Islands of Canada for the first time, making short-hop light airs sailing passages, a 6-hour tide at a time. I got as far as industrial Nanaimo before returning. I did motor through Dodd Narrows heading north, and also between those two islands in the center of my track. A century ago some enterprising islanders dug a shallow narrow passage between them, now known as The Cut. Keelboats rarely use it, but it's obviously possible, not that I'd do it in a fin keel boat. I've been through a few times since: best done in light airs and a rising tide. Second, looking NW in San Juan Channel a few days ago as I was crossing, what passes locally as a crowd of sportsfishing boats were out at the opening of some new season. Prawns, maybe? Last is a safe way to warm a heaterless boat on a chilly morning. A nice line of catalytic propane heaters, good as backup even if your cruiser has a heater. (I've no connection with Mr Heater.)

[Steve Laume]

I single hand Raven all the time and handling the sheet winches was a bit awkward from behind the wheel. Not only that but the dodger prevented the winch handle from making a complete turn. I solved both problems by installing another set of winches a bit further aft. Having two sets of winches is nice. It gives me a place to belay jib sheets when I am flying a down wind sail. Last year a winch paw hung up to cause a malfunction because I didn't service my winches before my trip. I just switched to the secondaries and then took the other winch apart and oiled the paws while still sailing on a fairly calm day.

Once you get used to the wheel, I think you are going to like it. It is easier to reach from different sides of the boat. The pedestal guard is a great hand hold. While at the held the compass and in my case the chart plotter is right in front of me. I can stand up and see a lot more than if I was sitting and can hold on while I am doing it. While i am back in my steering station, I can also pump the bilge, start the engine, mess with the auto pilot or wind vane, adjust the dinghy lines, furl the jib, or catch a fish all without moving.

Sounds like you have a great new boat. Have fun setting it up and don't worry about a delay in your travels because you are going to have a fantastic summer.

Keep posting for us all. It is nicew to see what is on the left coast, Steve.

[David Patterson]

Thanks for the input, all. By no means ready to cruise yet this year, I'm held in my anchorage by the tasks of moving from boat to boat, preparing one boat to turn over to new owners, and trying to ready the other for cruising use...all the while meeting daily living requirements in my late 60s. At least my anchorage is occasionally shared by a boat such as big ZODIAC. I can imagine her at sea, in her early days as the pilot boat for San Francisco, appearing out of the fog to transfer a pilot aboard some Pacific ship. Lately her small boat has been frequently sailing under its leg-o'-mutton (?) sail in the bay, when ZODIAC is in. My own memories take me back a year, to beating out of Nanoose Harbor under sail, among the islands, then into the straight of Georgia before motorsailing along the boundaries of a torpedo testing range. And, to being anchored fore and aft in Sunset Cove of Jedediah Marine Park. At most a 2 or 3 boat anchorage, it's one of my favorite places to visit in the Salish Sea. Both more narrow and more steep-to than it looks, it isn't one of those places to just drop the hook at 3:1 and back it in. A more thoughtful and challenging anchoring is required, especially if preparing to sail back out, which is part of my fun. The entrance is above the rock at the mouth. Below is too shallow. Sailing in and out adds to the challenge, but better have the engine running and ready to put in gear, in case. Particularly in light airs. Currents can be strong. Not a crowded month, May. (See last year's posting about this time.)

[David Patterson]

The motion of a different boat makes for compelling study. With a sling-weight of more than 13,000 pounds, my A29 is more than twice that of my 25D CLOUD GIRL. The fact that they are rafted makes motion erratic at times, but in Force 5 gusting Force 6, NAVIGARE is notably more steady in both the gusts and the resulting wind waves. While I continue to prepare CLOUDIE for the next owner, I'm naturally reviewing some of my (to me) adventures aboard her. In 2014 my novice exploration of the Gulf Islands, mostly under sail, took me as far as Nanaimo. Not a favorite stop, I took note there of a wreck, evocative of what can happen in a supposedly protected anchorage. My return allowed me to sail wing 'n' wing south through Dodd Narrows, which pleased me. (I've yet to get north through Dodd under sail.) On my track you can see where my following NW wind became a SE headwind. Ruxton Passage has the advantage of a cove on De Courcy Island to the north for NW protection, and Herring Bay on Ruxton Island to the south for SE protection. Both are small anchorages. Herring Bay has a few mooring balls taking up space. In Canada, at least, a sailor can pick up and use an empty mooring legally, until the owner puts the boat back on it. I never have, because I've no idea what is down there under the buoy. But Ruxton Passage has a handy arrangement for the nautical pilgrim. Back in the more near past, I have enjoyed the recent Friday Harbor installation of a stone sculpture, doing double duty as art and bench. My hand cart is visible in the background, partially loaded for the mile walk from my mailbox. On the bottom is a heavy marine battery. I try not to load it higher than the handle, but.... I figure that the more I do for myself physically, the more I will continue to be able to do as I age. So I sail when possible, row rather than motor, and haul my own gatherings. Labor-saving can be life-limiting, I suppose. Of course, I've got ample time, in the present, and limited time in the future.

[David Patterson]

Still no cruising to report, as I continue the unenviable task of shifting from one boat to another while afloat. I've never gone up and down companionway ladders so frequently before. At least I have mild weather, if chilly at times. The low of 44° must have been nearly below the water temp last night, yet the high will be 65° today. Visits to port have been required for off-loading unwanted items and for doing various next-boat admin tasks. At the Friday Harbor courtesy dock I witnessed a cruiser preparing for a South Pacific, via Mexico, voyage on his '75 30 foot Irwin. (Or so I recall him saying.) He empties his boat every six months. "Amazing how much a boat will hold," I commented. "Oh, this is only from abaft the mast," he replied. His pre-voyage haulout will follow, across Juan de Fuca in Port Townsend. Winnowing of gear will likely occur then as well. I doubt he'll take both of his deflatables, for example. He said he had family in Raratonga to visit. In the port I spotted the longboat TERN, a favorite of mine to study. No engine and few nods to modernity. Aside from a few bits of plastic gear, her radar reflector, and that SS skene chock on the port stern, she could be of another age, authentic down to the thole pins. Her crew on this visit from an outer island was made up of middle and high school students, well-captained.

[Sea Hunt Video]

Great photos David

I guess I am both old and old-fashioned but between the 30' Irwin and the long boat I will pick the long boat every day. I would have no idea of how to sail her however. Of course, I have not much of an idea of how to sail a 30' Irwin either but at least a familiar diesel, a main and a jib. I am assuming no jib on the long boat given how far forward the first mast is positioned. The pull up keel board also looks to be positioned more forward than I would think it would be. I am assuming this is because of the sail configuration.

Unless there is a hidden bilge pump & battery that manual bilge pump on the dock must get quite a work out

[David Patterson]

Still in the central San Juans, and likely to be for a few weeks, I as yet have not been free to begin actually sailing NAVIGARE. The photo is of little sturdy CLOUD GIRL, being motored off by her new owner, riding high in the water stripped of gear. She will continue to train cruisers, with him being the fourth of her 1/3 century of life. She has sailed in some places I've not: Sea of Cortez, Caribbean, Florida, California, Intracoastal waterway. I've sailed her in high Lake Granby Co and in the Salish Sea. A trailerable s/v can get around. I'll miss much about her. The very roomy unique head area, for example. Her upgraded cabin and galley. The perfectly placed handholds. Her very quick and nimble sailing ways. Her capacious anchor locker. All of her superior Spartan bronze hardware and her excellent joinery. Her tiller and easy singlehandling. Will I be able to sail in very light airs aboard NAVIGARE, as I could on my 25D? To be discovered. CLOUD GIRL needed less than a knot to move, and could ghost well on a zephyr. An exceptional boat for a heavy displacement cruiser. Alberg knew what he was doing. My encouragement right now is that my current boat, this Alberg 29, was one of his last designs. I'm hoping his acumen glows through. Meanwhile, I am settling in aboard, giving away gear left and right while also acquiring new. Setting up anchors, for she only had her one bow anchor ready at first. Eventually, I'll get to sail. To cruise.

[David Patterson]

As I settle in on NAVIGARE, I am chafing at my restrictions, for I'd prefer to be cruising. But...not only is she not ready, I don't yet have familiarity and skill sailing her. At least I can go back and review cruising a year ago on my adroit 25D. At the bottom of the BC Discovery Islands, at the north end of the Gulf/Strait of Georgia, tides coming from Queen Charlotte Strait to the north, and from Juan de Fuca Straight from the south, meet in direct opposition, an ill-defined boundary constantly shifting. The results can be confusing, and at times dangerous when under sail. Here is my track from the Ragged Islands to The Gorge of Cortes Island, mostly under sail. Rounding Sutil Point was a brief but meaningful challenge in light airs. The Gorge itself is narrow, easier to enter under sail than to exit under sail. I slipped in wing 'n' wing, very willing to put the engine in gear if need be. A remarkable natural Harbor.

[tjr818]

David,
Don't sell yourself short, with all the experience you have from Cloudy Girl I doubt that you will find that much difference in handling NAVIGARE. She will coast a bit longer, so be careful at the dock. It might take you a few seconds more to go to the bow, but I think you will easily make the transition. I have always found that as the boat gets bigger it is easier to sail - until you get more a complicated rig, cutters, ketches, yawls, and schooners would be more of a challenge.

[David Patterson]

I'm sure you are right Tim. Speaking of docking (and I don't dock often, usually) one place I will miss a tiller is then. My usual place, the courtesy dock at Friday Harbor, has currents/wakes/winds/crowds to deal with. Many times a well-timed series of "pumps" of the tiller has brought the stern and the dock close enough for me to step off with the lines in hand, for my singlehander's routine of tying off. NAVIGARE's midship cleat will allow a breast line, to be sure, for better control. I'll get used to it all. As for sailing her, until I've familiarized myself with her I'll be concerned about her responsiveness in tight sailing situations, especially in light airs and the constricted current-swept passes I enjoy navigating under sail. While I look forward to the learnings, I have to be frank with myself regarding my uncertainties, my experiential limits. Then there is the fact of being caged behind pedestal and wheel when needing to handle halyards, control lines, and dock lines. Singlehanding can be fairly gymnastic in any case. At least when the sailing is genuinely interesting.

[tjr818]

You don't have to be behind the wheel, if you have the whole cockpit to yourself sit where you like. Some people sit to the side of the wheel and some actually stand in front of the wheel and face aft when backing up.

[David Patterson]

Good point. Lots to learn, and I'm sure each does have a personal arrangement. As for backing up, I'm terrible at that in a full keel boat.