I am heading out Sunday on "Ocean Spirit" a 57' Symbol Yacht with a party of four fantastic people. We will cruise north to Princess Louisa and anchor near Chatterbox Falls with stops along the way at Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island, Schooner Cove, and Pender Harbor. If you see us give us a shout or come by and swap stories.
Eventually three of us will make it up to the Octopus Islands Marine Provincial Park by way of Grace Harbour, Dent Island and Blind Bay Channel so look for us. I'll be back in Anacortes Marina by July 7th!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
Boating Course! Take the course even if it's not a requirement for your age!
https://elearning.boatus.org/ This Boat US site is great for boating knowledge and for the additional sites it will direct you to for further education and for helpful forms you can print.
Have your vessel safety checked (for free) and take America's Boating Course .....
Knowledge is safety!!
Have your vessel safety checked (for free) and take America's Boating Course .....
Knowledge is safety!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Cruising the San Juan Islands
Cap Sante Marina in Anacortes is a great beginning as a place to practice docking and it is easier and cheaper for fueling and dumping the boat holding tank tank than many other marinas.
The following marinas and anchorages are listed in a possible circle route but distances are not so great that one cannot jump from one side of the San Juan Islands to the other. I always try to consider a circle for the purpose of saving on fuel costs.
Fisherman’s Bay, Lopez Island (Lopez Islander Resort and Marina 360-468-2233) is a great place to enjoy an island way of life. Be prepared to wave, because Lopez is the Friendly Isle. The island is popular for bicyclists; it is 15 miles long and 8 miles wide with 2,200 year round residents. The entrance to Fisherman’s Bay is windy and shallow and should only be navigated at close to high tide. The marina is within walking distance to Lopez Village where you can enjoy fine dining, grocery store, galleries, bakeries and coffee places. http://www.islandcam.com/fishermansbay.html The other side of the island provides good anchorage in Hunter Bay or you might try for a mooring buoy at Spencer Spit on the east shore.
Port of Friday Harbor Marina ( 360-378-2688)is located on the east side of San Juan Island. The 500 slip marina provides access to the Town of Friday Harbor, where one can find complete services for boaters including fuel. There is a customs office and terminal for ferries from Anacortes, as well as a Clipper Express service from Seattle, Victoria and Port Angeles, bus transportation to Roche Harbor with stops all around San Juan Island and even mo-ped rentals. http://portfridayharbor.org/marina-webcam/
Parks Bay across the San Juan Channel from Friday Harbor is a fine anchorage but you can’t go ashore because the land is a biological preserve.
Roche Harbor, San Juan Island – (360-378-2155) So much to see and do that you really should look it up on the following web site. A trip to the San Juan’s is not complete without a stop at Roche Harbor. http://www.rocheharbor.com/boating_themarina.html It is possible to anchor in the bay or in neighboring bays
Stuart Island Marine State Park has mooring buoys and a linear mooring system as well as great anchoring areas on both sides of the island at Reid Harbor and Prevost Harbor.
Sucia Island Marine State Park is the most heavily used Marine Park in the system but there are several coves to choose from for anchoring. This is not a well-protected anchorage when it’s windy.
Deer Harbor, Orcas Island – (360-376-3037) is on the west side of the biggest of the San Juan Islands, with shuttle service to connect it to the rest of the island. The excellent Deer Harbor Inn Restaurant is ½ mile from the marina. http://www.boattravel.com/deerharbor/ Boats leaving Deer Harbor usually go through Pole Pass, a narrow notch that separates Crane Island from Orcas Island. It is narrow and should be transited one at a time at slow (no-wake) speed staying to the very center of the pass.
Rosario Resort, Orcas Island – The marina is small and the entrance can be a bit tricky so be sure you study the layout of the marina before entering. Dock help is always available to help with lines. http://www.rosarioresort.com/the-marina.aspx
Cypress Island has three areas with mooring buoys on the east side of the island and excellent hiking on shore. Eagle Harbor has several mooring buoys but only the outermost can be trusted in low tides. Pelican Beach is better but not as protected from the waves of passing boats. Cypress Head also has mooring buoys.
Partners in boating
Partners in boating!
Two factors women should consider about taking a more active role:
First: What if the skipper becomes ill and cannot pilot the boat? The first mate should know how to get to the closest port and use the radio to call for help.
Second: The more involved you are the more fun you’ll have and the safer you’ll be.
Take away a measure of self-confidence and add a measure of fear and most anyone will lose interest. Gentleman, if your wife or partner loses interest, she will find any and every excuse not to boat with you. And within two years your boat will be for sale!
If women learn basic boating skills they feel safer and as their knowledge and self confidence grow, their enjoyment level also rises.
Take turns at all on-board tasks. Mix it up a little. Charting the course or at least following along on a paper chart is interesting. Using resources like cruising guides to get some background and history of the cruising route provides a lot of learning.
Recognize your fear but don’t dwell on it. Sometimes it’s better to follow the saying “Just do it!”
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Warped batteries
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Nordic Tug Interior Teak
Teak walls in Nordic Tugs....
If the walls and woodwork are grimy they can be cleaned with hot water mixed with a strong solution of TSP and scrubbed with green pads and then rinsed with clear water. Light sanding if necessary and then apply Seafin Teak Oil or an even mixture of Teak Oil and Formby’s Lemon Oil Treatment with a lint free rag. Repeat application as necessary and can be sanded with 400 grit wet/dry or OO bronze wool. Applying the teak oil and lemon oil mixture as regular maintenance keeps the wood in like-new condition
Minimum Suggested Spare Parts List
MINIMUM SPARE PARTS TO KEEP ON BOARD
- One oil filter for each engine and generator.
- Two sets of primary fuel filters
- One set of secondary fuel filters
- Anti Freeze engine coolant
- Belts for engine and generator
- Replacement pump for fresh water
- Raw water impellers for engine and generator
- Replacement macerator pump
- Spare toilet parts
- Head pump assembly and repair kit
- Spare oil for engine and transmission
- Distilled water for batteries and battery filler
- Tool kit
- Rags
- Silicone lube and WD40
Preparing your boat for cruising
PREPARING YOUR BOAT FOR CRUISING
1. 1. Create an inventory of safety items on your boat with the location of where items can be found. (Especially helpful when boarded by the Coast Guard)
2. 2. Create an equipment list with make, model and serial numbers of all equipment on board. (You can more easily order parts when something breaks.)
3. 3. Purchase spare parts, and create a list including the location of where items are stored. (It’s so easy to forget what you have after it is stowed)
4. 4. Perform a detailed inspection of your boat and create a repair discrepancy list in order of importance.
5. 5. Maintain a “Captain’s Log”
6. 6. Get a free Vessel Safety Check fomr the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary
7.
Overcoming Motion Sickness
Overcoming Motion Sickness
“Navy Times” author William H. McMichael interviewed Cmdr. Rita Simmons, an aerospace physiologist assigned to the Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida in an article titled “5 THINGS EVERY SAILER SHOULD KNOW”.
1. Why do people get queasy? No one really knows, Simmons said. One theory holds that the eyes, ears, and other sensory items “kind of tell you where you are in space”; when the eyes perceive one state and the body another, the brain receives mixed signals, producing physiological effects. Another is that the body treats unusual motions like a foreign substance such as a poison, and the body reacts by rejecting the sensation in a similar fashion – by vomiting. Researchers do know that there are certain types of motion – up and down motion and rolling motion—that can be sickening.
2. Who’s affected. All people with intact inner ears can get ill – Simmons said it’s been proven in her laboratory. About 1 percent of people do not have intact inner ears and cannot be made motion sick. Some 10 percent of people very rarely get motion sick; conversely, Simmons said, about another 10 percent “can’t look at a boat on the water.”
3. Current remedies. Over-the-counter remedies, generally antihistamines such as Dramamine, are “moderately effective” for a portion of the population, Simmons said. Prescription remedies lean towards drugs that are anti-cholinergic, as well as some stronger antihistamines – all of which can be delivered orally or by patch, suppository or injection. Once you’re sick, though, those drugs aren’t going to help, and there aren’t many remedies for that unfortunate 10 percent. “You can delay or lesson the symptoms,” Simmons said. “When they cross their threshold, they may eventually get sick.”
4. What doesn’t work? Some people believe that there is an anxiety component for some people with motion sickness. If someone is afraid of flying, for example, nonprescription medications or natural remedies such as ginger, pressure-point therapy (used by the popular Sea-Band bracelets) or breathing exercises may help reduce anxiety, thus reducing the chances of motion sickness. But in controlled trials with real motion, Simmons said, “they have not been found to be effective.”
5. On the horizon. Researchers are working to find a solution that “has as close to zero side effects as possible, that will be effective as quickly as possible…. So that we can have it available to them at the moment … and they can continue to stay at their duty station,” Simmons said. NAMRL’s research has shown nasal delivery of scopolamine allows the drug to be quickly absorbed and highly effective and low doses. NAMRL hopes to finish its research and send a recommendation by Oct. 1, 2011.
Cooking crab with no muss and no fuss and no smelly galley!
Cooking Crab on the Barbecue
No steamy smelly galley
No need for big pots and propane tanks
What you’ll need:
-Dungeness or Red Rock Crab, cleaned * (cleaning your crabs before cooking allows for more crabs in the space and allows you to eat them hot from the grill, besides the fact that it’s hard to wrap them if they are alive)
-Barbecue (heated to medium high)
-Heavy Duty Foil
Wrap the crab in two layers of heavy duty foil, being careful not to pierce the foil, and place it on a heated (medium high) grill. Close cover on barbecue and set timer for 10 minutes. Remove lid and turn over the entire package (wearing rubber oven mitts is recommended) Cover grill, wait another 10 minutes and turn again. Set the timer for a last 10 minutes (that’s 30 minutes total) and your crab should be perfectly steamed in the foil and ready to crack and eat. Use caution when opening foil.
*When I catch crab I like to kill and clean them while they are still fresh. I turn a crab onto it’s back (getting hold of the back legs to turn it usually keeps your fingers out of harm’s way) Holding the crab with both hands using my thumbs on the belly and my fingers on the back I am able to hold legs and claws from pinching and scratching me and firmly gripping the crab I crack it in the middle of the back by smacking it on a sharp edge while pulling it apart. This kills the crab immediately and I have two halves that are easy to clean and store till I’m ready to cook.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Boat Cleaning 101
Boat Cleaning 101
Scuff Marks - Sea Power/ McGuires or another cleaner/wax product.
Dingy & White Fenders – Westley’s Bleche-wite may be combined with Soft Scrub on excessively scruffy, blackened rubber. Always finish with 303 rubber & vinyl protector.
Power Cord - Clean black residue off with Power Cord Cleaner or Paint Thinner and then coat with wax to prevent build up of grime.
Teak Decks – Two part teak cleaner such as “Snappy-Teak” or “Teaka” (read directions carefully) then apply as many coats of wood oil sealer as wood can absorb. Wash with Joy dish soap to remove residue. Maintain by scrubbing with “Barkeepers Friend scouring powder and apply another coat or two of oil sealer.
Windows – Windex is okay on glass but NO AMMONIA on plastic, use Plexus or another Plexiglas cleaner instead.
Isinglass – Plexus or other plastic cleaner followed by Pledge Wax (keeps isinglass curtains soft)
Rust – Whink rust remover can be soaked on a paper towel and applied to rusty area. Rinse well. Also On/Off Bottom and Hull
Mold Remover- Household bleach 1:10 ratio or anti-microbial spray and a enzyme-based detergent for fabrics
Carpet – spills and pet odor can be removed with club soda or a mixture of 1/3 C. white vinegar in 1 qt. cool water. ½ c. hydrogen peroxide 1 tsp ammonia
Countertops may be cleaned with corianne countertop cleaner or if really scratched can be buffed with a power (sponge –egg crate type) buffer.
Teak to be varnished – Use heat gun to remove old finish, (caution - heat from gun can damage fiberglass) followed by paint stripper (Interlux) applied in one direction only with cheap brushes and scrub with medium bronze wool pads. Keep decks, hull, and all areas constantly wet to protect at all times. Also can tape with excellent quality green removable tape and protect with wet light-weight plastic sheets. Use a two part teak cleaner, such as Snappy-Teak scrubbed with bronze wool. Sand until smooth. Apply wood sealer. Sand again. Apply up to 10 coats of varnish, lightly sanding between coats.
Teak to be oiled – can be cleaned with hot water mixed with a strong solution of TSP and scrubbed with green pads and then rinsed with clear water. Light sanding if necessary and then apply Seafin Teak Oil or an even mixture of Teak Oil and Formby’s Lemon Oil Treatment with a lint free rag. Repeat application as necessary and can be sanded with 400 grit wet/dry or OO bronze wool.
Additional Sources:
Cruising Checklist
Cruising in the North West
Departure check list
by Captain Donna Wright
Float Plan
Know the route to your destination on paper charts
Check Weather, Wind, Tides, (flood vs. ebb) and Currents,
Bow to Stern Check
Make sure everything is stowed and secure in and outside the vessel
WOBBS and Fuel
Water, (coolant and fresh water) Oil, Belts, Bilges and Sea Strainers
Assign crew to departure posts
Disconnect Shore power
Turn off everything on electrical panel that is not needed
Turn off shore power at electrical panel
Turn off power at the electrical box and unplug power cord
Disconnect power cord from vessel and stow
Check the electrical panel AC, DC Inverter
Turn on electronics/ Check rudder angle
Remove unnecessary lines
Start engines
Check for bubbles and water flow at exhaust
Check transmission forward and reverse both engines one at a time (still tied)
Check traffic. Check wind and current direction within marina
Crew should prepare ‘single tie’ back to vessel bow and stern
Depart, OK to idle out of the marina but do not go to cruising speed until the engine is warmed up
Bring in fenders
Stow all lines and fenders
When engine is warm note temperatures of engines and monitor for any changes
Check all gauges and monitor for any changes while under way.
Cruising in the North West
Arrival check list
by Captain Donna Wright
-Look up your destination in Waggoner’s cruising guide
-Find the diagram of the marina
-Find the VHF channel and call the harbor master to get slip assignment - write down assignments
-Begin cool-down of engines and plan approach to marina and assign crew for docking
-Put out Fenders about 2 inches above water line on dock side and raise to the gunnels on the other side
-Prepare dock lines
-Check flags for wind speed and direction & look for currents. (How other vessels are sitting in their births or anchored may give a clue)
-Bring vessel into assigned slip. Captain must stay at the helm until lines are secure
-Crew secure all lines
-Check vessel access to dock
-Turn off engines
-Re check all lines and spring lines making sure the vessel can not move forward or aft
-Attach shore power
Turn off everything you can
Attach power cord to vessel
Turn on power at the dock
Turn on power at the electrical panel
Check polarity
-Shut off electronics
-Turn on AC power where needed
-Check in with Harbor Master
-If you are at a mooring buoy take tender to shore to pay
-Turn on anchor light if at anchor
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