Russel and Lady Pauline - Recent Blog Entries

[bottomscraper]

Russel's last 2 blog entries are a bit scary:

http://ladypauline.com/

Note that there is a little better news on the Renegade board:

http://renegade-cruisers.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4944

Our thoughts are with him.

[SeaBelle]

Russell is in my prayers; I wish him well. I've read him but never met him. He is one of my unmet friends on this board.

[Bill Goldsmith]

Russel's posts made me wonder---

How do you cut away a net from a fouled prop and rudder in a seaway when singlehanding?

I can think of various harness/tether ideas but I'd be concerned about ensuring an easy re-boarding, and about being struck by the hull.

Some ideas come to mind.

--Hail another yacht to assist. Get someone on the boat to help make sure you get back aboard.
--Wait (if possible) for seas to be as calm as possible.
--eat an energy bar or two before going over.
--rig two separate tethers in case one gets fouled and you need to cut it.
--make sure your knife is in a lanyard.
--wear a pair of mechanic's gloves to minimize the chance you will cut yourself in the chaos.
--What about a PFD? Wouldn't that make it very hard to get to the problem?

[Neil Gordon]

How do you cut away a net from a fouled prop and rudder in a seaway when singlehanding?

All good ideas on your list. I'll add one that doesn't require going over the side...

Live with the fouled prop and rudder. Jury rig an emergency rudder instead. (It might require hand steering so you can't keep it up forever.) Seek an alternative destination. (It might be further away but down wind, so you have an easier/faster go and won't give up miles heaving to for a nap.) If you can manage your way close enough to a harbor, you might be able to arrange for a tow.

[Bill Goldsmith]

All good ideas on your list. I'll add one that doesn't require going over the side...

Good point. In looking at the blog more closely I note Russell's comments that he is taking on a bit of water from the shaft area and thus is reticent to try an at-sea repair (and definitely not spinning the prop) for fear of making things worse. He thinks he may have dislodged the cutless bearing and is planning to haul when he arrives at Ponce.

[rtbates]

My best wishes for a non dramatic successful finish to your troubles.

[Len]

I'm sure we all we all wish Russell success with this very challanging situation at night approaching a reef. All the comments on his web site wish him the same. maybe someone should post some ideas besides polite words. Even if they are useless, they would show him that fellow cd ers were concerned enough to offer a hand. and who knows sometimes in the face of a crises the obvious fix eludes us.

[bottomscraper]

It may not be obvious but Russell has no way of reading this or his own site while underway. He updates his blog using sailmail (Single Sideband) but doesn't have any way of browsing the web while at sea. My hope is that by the time he does read this all his problems have become an adventure and are no longer an ordeal.

[Len]

Oops. I thought he could read his own web site. I can barely read my own keyboard.

[Dean Abramson]

I just read this on the Renegade Cruisers site.

from Russell on 3/7/06:

"Just wanted to let you know I am safe and snug in Ponce PR, my intended 48 hour trip was 82 hours, much of it becalmed and drifting or in the water trying to cut up fishing net. Tommorow I will be hauling out to unfoul the rest of the net and check for damage on the outside, I am pretty sure the cutless bearing is damaged, but will find out for sure tommorow."
_________________

Dean

[Russell]

Hi everyone, thanks for all the kind words! I am now in Salinas PR, a very nice little town full of friendly people who love cruisers.

As for trying to cut the net at sea, the net was about 40' long, I cut the bulk of it away hanging over the transom (tethered to the boat of course). Then when there was enough light, I tied a long tether to myself and dived overboard with a mask and snorkle to attemped ot unfoul the prop and rudder. The netting material was very difficult to cut quickly, I tried very sharp knives, sciccors or wire snips, but it took so long, holding my breath and trying to stay submerged without a weight belt, that it would have taken all day to unfoul it. So I gave up and just sailed on instead. Given the Mona Passages notoriety I did not like not being able to have my engine as a backup, but I had a nice long weather window of settled weather, which also ment not enough wind to sail much of the time! But eventually I made it.

The yard in Ponce was part of a yacht club, and they would not haul me, but I did get a diver for $40 to clear the net and check my prop/shaft/cutless bearing. He gave them all a thumbs up, but I still have my doubts about the cutless bearing and hope to haul out somewhere soon. I am still taking on a small amount of water which repacking the stuffing box may take care of, but we will see.

[Tod Mills]

Here's a pic taken at Ponce just under a year ago....I think I might have a few others at home.

[img]http://www.todspages.net/images/LF-Myst ... Ponce1.jpg[/img]

[Mike Rodriguez]

Hi Russel, I am in the Roosevelt Roads Naval Base marina near Fajardo PR. If I can be of any assistance you may call me at (787) 565-9450. If you are still in Salinas I can come to you.

Hope to hear from you.

Mike Rodriguez
s/v Sunshine CD30c