www.ipy.com
The
Packeteer
WINTER 2013/2014
Puget Packateers Rendezvous—see page 10
Published by
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VIEW FROM THE HELM
Hello all IPY owners, families and friends: For this issue of the Packeteer, I thought I’d
comment on the recent America’s Cup (AC) event in San Francisco. First, I will emphatically state that I have never before seen such exciting sailing competition, in part because of the quantum technological leap to “foiling”, allowing boat speeds and riveting racing drama that were unheard of and unimagined until now. Perhaps even more importantly, the comeback strategy and success of Team Oracle should stand as an inspiration for individuals and groups alike who face situations with almost insurmountable odds. If this AC event’s ending was a work of fiction it wouldn’t have been believable. I know that some readers of this newsletter may dismiss the AC as not being very relevant to Island Packets or even why we go sailing. In fact, I suspect some may even feel the AC competition is irrelevant to anything related to sailing in general. Regardless of these views, and I understand them all, here are some thoughts for what they’re worth: Packeteer readers love sailing and cruising for its many pleasures and rewards. However, there is a much larger segment of the general public that has never sailed and has no clue as to what is being missed. I like to think that the fabulous extended TV coverage of the AC event heightened the general public’s awareness of sailing, albeit in a “Grand Prix” context, and may have piqued the interest of at least some of the non-sailors in the huge viewing audience to consider what it might be like to “go sailing.” Maybe the next time you have an opportunity you might consider inviting a friend or neighbor who has never sailed to share an afternoon aboard your Island Packet to show them what its like, perhaps opening a whole new world for them and potentially growing our sailing community—hopefully on Island Packets. The fact that the AC boats and their team organizations required hundreds of millions of US dollars to support the effort is not unprecedented. In its first 90 years of competition (pre-World War II), the AC was similarly expensive in adjusted dollar values with huge yachts sponsored by the world’s wealthiest individuals. No expense was spared in the quest to keep or capture
winter 2013/2014
the Cup, even during the depths of the Great Depression. In part, this is why the Cup has become the holy grail of sailing competition, with the world’s wealthiest funding the world’s top designers, builders and sailors for the simple prestige of beating everyone else—something money alone cannot buy. I, for one, feel fortunate that we have this long history of AC competition, as we sailors would otherwise likely have never seen the progression of remarkable yachts created specifically for the Cup (Universal Rule yachts like Reliance, J Class masterpieces like Ranger and, yes, the AC catamaran of Team Oracle). The real story here, in my opinion, is the continuous efforts and expenditures to advance the state of the art. Every series of AC competition since its inception has benefitted the sailing public in general with innovations in design, materials and equipment that otherwise would likely not have occurred as quickly or perhaps at all. On a humorous note, the editorial staff at a major sailing magazine was asked by one of their readers “how all this AC foiling technology could possibly relate to anything anyone would ever be likely to see from either Island Packet or J Boats?” So, friends that we all are, the editors naturally asked us what we might have in mind! It was a slow Thursday afternoon around here, so we immediately rose to the challenge and decided that our trademark “Full Foil Keel” might be able to take on a whole new meaning in light of the AC! After some rather bizarre ideas were tossed around (it got weird) along with a number of good laughs, we all decided that a “Foiling Keel Island Packet” probably was “not going to fly” (sorry, couldn’t resist that). Until next time,
—Bob Johnson, President 3
I S L A N D PA C K E T C O M M U N I T Y
The four of us having dinner on Segwun. Jens and Evelyn of Segwun are wearing Moonbeam shirts, and Ken and Lil from Moonbeam are wearing Segwun shirts
South Pacific Rendezvous Having completed the first 7,000 miles of our cir-
cumnavigation on our IP485, Moonbeam, from our home in Marco Island, Florida to French Polynesia, we spent several months enjoying all the beautiful islands. While at the dock in Papeete getting ready to continue the voyage westward, we met fellow Island Packet owners Evelyn and Jens Rasmussen aboard their yacht Segwun, an IP44. Moonbeams’ goal is to be in New Zealand by the end of October and Segwun is planning to be in Australia in the same time frame. Our planned routes were similar since we’d be sailing to the Cook Islands, Nuie, Tonga and on to Fiji before going our separate ways. An immediate friendship was struck up. Segwun flew the Danish flag, while Moonbeam has the Stars
and Stripes flying. We caught up with each other many times in places such as Bora Bora, Tonga, and now Fiji where we are currently sailing together, swimming, dining and enjoying all the beauty of the islands. The picture of our two yachts was taken in Port Maurelle off Kapa Island in the Northern island group in Tonga. by Ken & Lil Bardon Moonbeam - IP 485-008 Cover photo courtesy: Marineservicecenter in Seattle, WA.
The Packeteer The official newsletter of
Island Packet Yachts 1979 Wild Acres Road Largo, FL 33771-5399 727.535.6431 fax: 727.530.5806 Sales: 888.724.5479 Customer Care: 800.828.5678 newsletter@ipy.com www.ipy.com Copyright Island Packet Yachts 2013 Questions about Island Packet Yachts or the magazine may be directed to one of the following staff:
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Island Packet will consider any unsolicited photographs, stories and articles for publication. All items submitted become the property of Island Packet Yachts unless requested in writing to the contrary. Bob Johnson, President rkj@ipy.com Bill Bolin, Vice President bill@ipy.com Customer Service customerservice@ipy.com
Published by Blue Water Sailing Media 747 Aquidneck Ave. Suite 201 Middletown, RI 02842 401.847.7612
George Day, Publisher george@bwsailing.com Andrew Cross, Managing Editor andrew@bwsailing.com Sandy Parks, Art Director sandy@bwsailing.com
Island Packet Yachts
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I S L A N D PA C K E T C O M M U N I T Y
Dear Customer Service
Cruise to the Faroes Â
I became the owner of IPSP Cruiser Catryn Hull No.
20 in January this year. Firstly I am very pleased with the boat. We had a very successful eight week cruise this summer from Wales, through the Western Isles of Scotland, including St Kilda, and to the Faroe Islands and returned through the Caledonian Canal. The photo attached shows Catryn at anchor in Eilean Mor, a small island in the Sound of Jura. Next summer 2014, we’re planning a cruise to Iceland, Greenland and possibly to Arctic Canada if the conditions are suitable. Dai Rice
Join the party! IPY is on Facebook: www.facebook.com/IslandPacketYachts 6
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I S L A N D PA C K E T C O M M U N I T Y
What’s in a name? Trevor and Cathy Hilpert tell how they named their IP32 Sea Hunt We live in Seattle (Fall City) and had made an offer
on an IP32 locally only to find out a previous offer had been made and accepted. The continued search took us to a listing in Huntington, N.Y., where the two of us grew up, learned to sail, and moved away from almost 40 years ago. This yacht became our new yacht and we call her Sea Hunt for obvious reasons.
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Roger Echols, owner of Blue Jacket 005, Bailiwick, writes My first keel boat was a J-24 named Knot It as in not
the boat of my dreams. Next came a C&C 110 which I named Thistle-Dew after a consignment shop I saw in Edinburgh, Scotland (as in “this-will-do”). This left the dream open of one more boat sometime down the road. I wasn’t really looking for another yacht when I saw the Blue Jacket 40. The decision to buy hull number five was easier than naming the yacht. I was following an offshore sailboat race off the coast of Brittany over the Internet through Yellow Brick, a satellite tracking service. There on the chart were two major islands labeled, “Bailiwick of Guernsey” and “Bailiwick of Jersey.” “Bailiwick” is an old English term for the jurisdiction or kingdom of the bailiff (or sheriff) appointed by the king. So, Bailiwick is my kingdom and I am the sheriff!”
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I S L A N D PA C K E T C O M M U N I T Y
Maine IPY Rally Beige sailing yachts dominated the waterfront once
again last July as the 14th Biennial Maine Island Packet Rendezvous hosted by Norm & Mary Pierce of Pierce Yacht Company took place at Captain Fish’s Waterfront Inn in Booth Bay, Maine. 25 Island Packet Yachts and their owners from all over the East Coast sailed into the harbor to participate in seminars on cruising the Maine Coast, boat maintenance and operation, communication at sea in these modern times and a very special presentation by Bill Bolin of Island Packet Yachts in Largo, Florida on the new International and CE standards of stability for sailing yachts. The three-day event included a buffet breakfast and evening banquet presented by the Boothbay Harbor Inn and concluded with a Sunday morning breakfast at the Dockside Grill at Captain Fish’s Waterfront Inn. A good time was had by all, with many staying on for shopping and tours of the region.
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Puget Packeteers Rendezvous This jaunty group of sailors participated in the 2013
Puget Packeteers annual rendezvous, held in Port Townsend, Wash. in late August. Traditionally, the group takes one photo on one boat each year. This year, at the 10th annual celebration of the Packeteers, there were 25 boats and over 50 people in attendance—it’s a good thing they were on an Island Packet, or the boat might not have stayed afloat! Bill Bolin, from the Island Packet factory, is in the picture—can you find him? The Packeteers had these blue t-shirts made to commemorate this special 10th anniversary event. It was a weekend for food and fun!
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VIEW FROM THE HELM
Fish On! Thanks, Hope to see you in Annapolis this October. We catch fish on the 460 as well. Cheers! Ryan Cox Southern Cross II, IP460-010
Hi Island Packet Thanks for writing and thanks for including us in
the IPY newsletter! OK, some undiscerning types may not want to sail with all of our artwork on the bulkheads, but we do feel vindicated with the interior design of our IPY 380 by winning Cruising World’s annual “decorating aboard” contest! The boat’s name is Viagem (“journey”, in Portuguese). We bought her in Charleston in 2006 and cruised her offshore up and down to Key Biscayne and Ft. Lauderdale then up to Rock Hall, MD. We moved on board in 2009 and lived in Annapolis (through 4 blizzards!). We moved into National Harbor in Washington, D.C. for a while before sailing her down the ICW to Ft. Lauderdale in 2011. We were each chosen to be Artists in Residence in Bermuda in 2012, so we sailed her from Ft. Lauderdale to St. George’s, Bermuda in early March 2012. We lived on the hook with solar and wind chargers keeping the batteries topped up until Sep-
tember, when we sailed her back to Charleston and then to Ft. Lauderdale. Since we live and work on board, we really need a larger boat, so we sadly sold her this past August. She’s now in Brunswick, GA, where we’re seeking out our next Viagem. My husband, Kev Lombard, took the photo. He’s a maritime photographer and videographer, should anyone like him to similarly capture their boat! We have a great little film, called “Entry By Sea” that tells of our sail to Bermuda and our time there as artists in residence, if you go to this link: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=LxYo7aevpOc (Preview) Judith Paixao
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Island Packet Yachts
VIEW FROM THE HELM
Suncoast 2013 IPY Rendezvous Suncoast’s 20th annual Island Packet Rendezvous
was a huge success! We arrived in Two Harbors, Catalina, Thursday morning and kicked the weekend off with registration on the beach. Sailors were invited to bring their lunch to the beach, pick up their registration bags and visit with other Island Packet owners.
After lunch we all got acquainted with each other during boatto-boat visits. Everyone got in their dinghies and starting with the smallest boat visited each boat while tasting wine and hors d’oeuvres. We finished off Thursday with a beach pot-luck. On Friday afternoon we had a group sail. Later, we went to the beach for an excellent catered dinner provided by Two Harbors restaurant. We capped the night off with door prizes. Ken Nolan won our grand prize of a free bottom job from Shelter Island Boat Yard. Our rendezvous took place on Cruisers Weekend so many of our owners stayed in Catalina for the entire weekend to attend the seminars. We had eleven boats this year and thanks to the owners and all our sponsors, we had a great time at the 2013 rendezvous! Suncoast Yachts - San Diego
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I P I N T E RV I EW
The IPY “Spa” Packeteer: You have been cruisers for a long time. What has your cruising life been all about? Haydon Cochran: Since we are teachers, we could take summers off and live on our boats. At first we had an IPY 27 that we cruised on the Chesapeake Bay for many years. When we bought the 35 in 2001, we made three round trips to Maine via Southern New England. We love Block Island and the Maine coast. P: How did the idea of a factory refit come about?
How Island Packet refits an older model to make it “like new” right in the factory
Hayden and Radeen Cochran are retired school-
teachers from the Philadelphia area. They have been IPY owners and summer cruisers since 1991. They bought their most recent IPY, a 35, in 2001 and since retiring have cruised the East Coast and Bahamas like snow birds. Hayden is the Webmaster for the Island Packet Owners Association (IPYOA.com). In 2013, they became the first IPY owners to have the factory undertake a complete and thorough refit of all essential systems in the same building, and by some of the same people, that built their IP35 back in 1993.
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HC: We had been planning to retire and go cruising full time for a long time and we had been thinking we would move up to an IPY40 after retiring. But as we looked at the cost of doing that versus the cost of refitting the boat we already owned and loved, the idea of a major refit just made sense. P: But the IPY factory did not at the time offer owners a complete factory refit. How did that come about? HC: Well, when we are in Maine we like to visit the Hinckley and Morris boat yards to see what is going on and to see the amazing yachts that are always there. It always struck us just how busy those yards were working on and refitting their own brands. So, I called Bill Bolin with the idea. But he said IPY didn’t do that in the factory. They tended to work with outside yards like the Snead Island Boat Works in nearby Palmetto.
Island Packet Yachts
I P I N T E RV I EW
P: So what changed? Hayden and Radeen Cochran HC: Last spring, when we got back to Florida after a winter in the Bahamas, we tried again and this time they said yes. We would be the first owners to go through the new program inside the factory. So, instead of turning north for the summer, we motored across Florida in the Okeechobee Waterway to Tampa Bay and Snead Island Boat Works. We stripped everything off the boat, all the gear and stuff we had collected over 10 years, and handed her over. She was hauled and trucked to the factory in Largo. And, for the first summer in 22 years we had no Island Packet to sail. P: How extensive was the refit that the factory performed on your boat?
New chainplates
P: How else did you benefit from having the factory undertake the refit? HC: We did this in two very important ways. Having the factory do the work means the guys who know the boats best are applying their very best practices so you know the work is being done right. Also, when we were finished, Bob Johnson, owner and designer of IPY, and his team of specialists, gave the boat a thorough “100-point” inspection and were able to certify that the boat’s systems were seaworthy. That means a lot to me. And I have a “Gold Star Certified Yacht” certificate to show for it!
HC: The boat is 20 years old so it was in need of some pretty major surgery. First, the guys disassembled and removed much of the interior, right down to the hull. The big job was to remove the original chain plates that are glassed into the hull and replace them with the new Garhauer chainplates that they use on all of the new boats. They replaced the holding tank and hoses. They replaced the engine exhaust and those hoses. In fact, they replaced all of the seawater hoses and clamps. Every essential system on the boat was gone over and renewed. And then the interior was reinstalled. P: It sounds like you tackled the really important items. How about the cosmetics of the boat? HC: Yes, we were primarily concerned with the systems that maintain the integrity of the boat and keep her from sinking. We could have replaced the lighting fixtures and upgraded to new Corian counter tops and so forth. But we had to watch our budget, so the boat looks the same as it did before the refit, except where it really matters, she is all new.
winter 2013/2014
Sewer rebuild
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I P I N T E RV I EW
P: With your boat back in the water, what are your plans for the years ahead? HC: The boat has more than 15,000 miles on it and we intend to continue cruising the East Coast and the Bahamas. We want to spend about seven months a year on the boat and the rest at home. With the boat completely renewed, we will be able to do this in complete confidence for many years to come. P: Would you recommend a factory refit to other IPY owners? HC: I think this program is an absolute homerun for both IPY owners and for the IPY factory. There are
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2,000 Island Packets out there and many of the older boats would truly benefit from a refit at the factory. The people who built the boats in the first place are certainly the best guys to do upgrades and repairs. Yes, I am very enthusiastic about the program and highly recommend it.
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Island Packet Yachts
FACTORY REFIT WISH LIST REPLACEMENTS
☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
HOLDING TANK CHAINPLATES BOBSTAY WATER/FUEL TANKS STANDING RIGGING RUNNING RIGGING AUXILIARY ENGINE SAILS HOSES, WIRING, THRU-HULLS ELECTRICAL PANELS: AC AND DC OVERHEAD HATCHES LPG STOVE LIFELINES/STANCHIONS BOW/STERN RAILS PLUMBING: FRESH, WASTE, DRAINAGE
ADDITIONS
☐ ☐ ☐
UPGRADES
☐
FRIGIBOAT KEEL COOLER FREEZER REFRIGERATION SYSTEM WITH DIGITAL CONTROLS, GASKETED HINGED LIDS
☐
HIGH OUTPUT ALTERNATOR AND SHORE POWER CHARGER W/AGM GEL CELL BATTERIES
☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
CORIAN COUNTERTOPS SOLID TEAK AND OAK CABIN SOLE MEMORY FOAM MATTRESSES S/S COMPANIONWAY LADDER S/S PORTS OCEAN AIR SCREENS AND SHADES VARNISHED INTERIOR FORCE 10 LPG STOVE W/BROILER DIMMABLE STAINLESS STEEL LAMPS LED LAMPS/RUNNING LIGHTS SEAGULL WATER PURIFIER ELECTRIC WINCHES FEATHERING PROP LARGER HP ENGINE RAISED PANEL DOORS DOOR HARDWARE
☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐ ☐
BOW THRUSTER ROLLER FURLING MAST ELECTRIC ROLLER FURLING MAIN GENOA STAYSAIL HOYT BOOM ON STAYSAIL ELECTRIC FLUSH HEAD(S) ELECTRIC WINDLASS STERN RAILS WITH SEATS “GRANNY RAILS” AT MAST S/S DORADES W/ GUARDS WINCHES
☐
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT BILL BOLIN AT THE FACTORY: bill@ipy.com or 888-SAIL-IPY, EXT 113, OR FAX THE FORM ABOVE TO: 727-530-5806 NAME: _______________________________________ MODEL AND HULL NUMBER: ________________ CONTACT INFO: PHONE: _______________________ EMAIL: ____________________________________
I S L A N D PA C K E T T R AV E L E R
Sail Alaska
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Cruise to the land of whales, eagles and glaciers
Island Packet Yachts
I S L A N D PA C K E T T R AV E L E R
Each summer, we at Marine
Servicenter invite a group of our friends to join us on a cruise up the Inside Passage to Alaska. As the new Island Packet Dealer for the Northwest, we want to invite you and your Island Packet to join us for this adventure in 2014 and beyond. Jim Rard, a veteran of many oceans, including a 25,000-mile trip to the South Pacific and 14 trips to Alaska, leads the group north through some of the most beautiful country in the world. Alaska is certainly one of the best cruising grounds the planet has to offer: snowcapped mountains, deep fjords, glaciers, narrow passes leading to shallow bays, and wildlife as close as you dare to see. For those of you who are not quite ready to go it alone, this trip offers a chance to sail in the company of people with all levels of experience and knowledge. You will make new friends, enjoy potluck dinners and slip into an anchorage around the corner to enjoy the wilderness solitude.
Marine Servicenter provides the guides and technical support; we bring our own mechanic and electronic experts to help you get to know your boat better and get the most out of the trip. With expert planning and weather routing, we ensure that you experience the best Alaska has to offer.
Sail Alaska 2013: A summer of records.
According to the locals, and confirmed by the National Weather Service, this year was the best summer of weather southeast Alaska has seen in 50 years. On June 21, 30 brave souls headed north prepared for an “Alaska summer.� To our continued delight, each day got better in every way. With the good weather came all forms of excitement and photo opportunities. In the briefings leading up to our departure from
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winter 2013/2014
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I S L A N D PA C K E T T R AV E L E R
Anacortes, Washington, we stressed being prepared to travel when the weather was bad, as it would increase our time at anchor for hiking and sightseeing when the weather turned nice. We soon realized that if we stuck to this plan we would not have made it very far. The few days of clouds and rain were quickly forgotten. It is amazing how much more you can see when the fog lifts. With the sun comes visibility, along with wildlife. And out come the cameras! We are going through some 10,000 photos and 20 hours of video collected from our fleet of eight boats to craft the Sail Alaska 2013 movie, which should prove to be an epic film. After eight weeks of sensory overload, the sailors were in need of a vacation. We stopped in Ketchikan for a rest, and the official “end” of our cruise. At our last dinner party, the happy sailors shared photos, bragged about the biggest fish and crab caught, and who had the most shrimp in one pot. We also awarded diplomas for various feats of seamanship, such as fishing, bravery, baking and cooking skills. The next day dawned with wind and rain. Pinned down at the Bar Harbor Marina, we had an excuse to get some much needed rest to prepare for the 700-mile trip home. Two of the boats were anxious to get moving , ches t: s, Ar n Davit ter mou ! n m e Off-c a proble t o N
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Island Packet Yachts
I S L A N D PA C K E T T R AV E L E R
south as they were making the 2,200-mile passage to San Diego and then on to Mexico. For them, the cruise to Alaska was just a warm-up for their next grand adventure: cruising to the South Pacific and Atlantic. On August 16, the fleet started moving south; some made a beeline for home while others hung out in the islands to enjoy the exceptional fall weather and quiet anchorages. We would love to have you join us for Sail Alaska 2014 and beyond! Check out Sail Alaska on https://www.facebook.com/sail.alaska and http://www.youtube.com/user/ SailAlaska2011; http://marinesc.com/
winter 2013/2014
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IP CHARTER
Virgin Island Escape
A two week charter with Island Yacht Charters in the Virgin Islands makes an ideal anniversary celebration for IPY’s V.P. of Sales and Marketing Bill Bolin and wife Ellen
By Bill Bolin
It is the coldest part of winter—65 degrees
here in Florida!—and I realize that Ellen, my wife, and I will soon celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. Wanting to plan ahead with any travel arrangements that might accompany such a celebration, I ask Ellen where she wants to go. We tend to make a journey for our anniversaries on the “5’s”, and we had gone to New Zealand to watch the America’s Cup for our 20th, and we had found ourselves exploring the Cayman Islands for our 25th. But it had been eight years since we had bareboat chartered and it quickly became the goal: spend two glorious weeks alone aboard an Island Packet (what else?) in the Virgin Islands—British, Spanish and U.S.! There is only one place to charter an Island Packet in the world’s most popular charter destination, and that’s Island Yacht Charters. The appropriately named company (although their name predates their involvement with Island Packet) is located in Red Hook Harbor on the east end of St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. We quickly make plans to celebrate during the weeks surrounding Independence Day to minimize disruption with Ellen’s school teaching and my time at the Island Packet factory (IP takes our annual summer holiday
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the week of the 4th of July anyway). We buy our airline tickets, book the charter and begin the countdown. When our two grown daughters find out about our plans, we are forced to make some adjustments. Both girls want to spend some time aboard with us; “after all, Daddy, it’s been eight years since you took us sailing in the islands!” Indeed, our last big vacation as a family before the girls left for college was a bareboat charter aboard an IP485 in the Virgins. How do you say “no” to that? But as it turns out, with work schedules and other commitments and responsibilities, only Arinn, our oldest, can sail with us, along with her boyfriend, for the first five to six days of the charter. Chelsea, our youngest, will come home and watch the entire Bolin menagerie for two weeks while we go play. Ellen and I will still have a week to ourselves onboard to fully unwind. The day finally arrives and we are on our way to
Island Packet Yachts
IP CHARTER
the airport; arrival in the islands is scheduled for 3:00 pm, twenty minutes before Arinn and Nathan are scheduled to arrive from Charlotte, NC. But as anyone who has spent time in an airport knows, the best-laid plans don’t always work out. Arinn and Nathan, flying “non-rev,” are divided onto two planes, one arriving at 1:00 pm, the other at 10:00 pm. Our own flight from Miami is delayed for four hours and we arrive in St. Thomas to find Arinn sleeping at the airport (she has been there for six hours already) with Nathan not due for another three. We head to the boat, prepare and unpack what we can, and need to return to the airport for Nathan and a late dinner. Fortunately, we are able to recruit Skip King, half of the dynamic duo at Island Yachts—Andrea is “off island” and due to return in a few more days—to help with the logistics and, with rum drinks firmly in hand, we collect Nathan and find a great pub for food and libations. We are in the islands! The next morning Skip comes down to the boat to give us our orientation. He apologizes, realizing that after almost twenty years of working together we both have a vast knowledge of the working components of an Island Packet, but he has found over the years that it pays to be consistent and informative about every yacht to owners and factory personnel alike. So we walk through the yacht and talk about what typically goes wrong with charters, he gives me the low down on their award winning solar panel charging system, their battery management systems and a host of other details that all will turn out to be important. One of the joys of sailing for me is that you always learn something new; Skip’s walk through is no exception. We are soon away from the dock, sailing in those trade winds that help make the islands such a popular destination. Nathan has had only limited time aboard a big sailboat before this (a few hours on the Blue Jacket 40 during a visit to Florida earlier in the spring) and he has never before been out of the country. His grin is wider than the genoa. Arinn wants to be sure to show Nathan all of her favorite spots in the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, so our planned visit to the
winter 2013/2014
Spanish Virgins will wait until they leave us in five days’ time. So we begin our “speed sail” around the islands to try and take in Arinn’s cruise list: White Bay and the Soggy Dollar, Sydney’s Peace and Love, the Baths, Anegada, Cooper Island, where a large jellyfish left Arinn with some long lasting welts back in 2005, the “Treasure Island Caves” on Norman, Cane Garden Bay and the beautiful, and often overlooked, south side of St. John where Coral Bay and Skinny Legs (one of the world’s top 100 bars per Esquire Magazine on multiple occasions) reside. A very tall order for five days! As we leave Little Jost Van Dyke early one morning, following a fabulous lobster dinner at Sydney’s the night before, Arinn and Nathan get a message: their non-rev return flight has been pushed back, which means we now have an extra three days to make the “circuit.” Soon we are off to Pusser’s in Gorda Sound where we will spend Independence Day, which also happens to be Arinn’s birthday, mostly in the pool drinking Bushwhackers! Beware of anything that tastes like a chocolate milkshake but packs five different kinds of booze; kind of like a Long Island Iced Tea with ice cream. A few days later finds us back in Red Hook as we say our goodbyes to Arinn and Nathan. But tropical storm Chantal is spooling up just east of the islands and it looks like some wind and waves will affect the area. Ellen and I jump aboard Skip’s skiff and we A mother and daughter reunion
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IP CHARTER
Another tough day at the office
assist the Island Yachts’ crew as they take down sails, canvas and throw out more anchors on the moored Island Packets not out on charter. At some point Skip turns us loose and points us toward Maho Bay on the north side of St. John as an ideal hurricane hole to ride out the coming storm. Off we go and soon we are well anchored with at least 25 other boats of every size, shape and variety, many with Puerto Rican hailing ports. It must be a good place for this weather. The night passes with some bumps and noises but the morning breaks with everyone intact and a weakening storm now off to the southwest of our location. The worst is over. With only three days left in the charter we start to plan where we should go next. But as the entire fleet of moored boats departs from Maho Bay for “home” we are left utterly alone. We leave the anchors out and enjoy a “down day” with absolutely nothing on the schedule. This must be cruising at its best: no schedule and no place to go—it feels great. We do find it hard to sit still all day so we get in some local snorkeling and dinghy into the deserted beach at Francis Bay where we stretch our legs on a long walk. We also, on a side trip in the dinghy to scope out
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Island Packet Yachts
IP CHARTER
nearby Cinnamon Bay, find ourselves rescuing a teenager with a broken arm (in a cast) who has swum further away from the beach than intended. I guess we were supposed to stay in the area. While writing this I happened to visit with Arinn and Nathan and it turns out their favorite spot was I know we left the boat along here somewhere... Leinster Bay with Watermelon Cay, diving in gin-clear waters among some of the best a place we’ve never been in five different trips. Snorkeling around Watermelon was better than some reefs in the Caribbean, or taking in views of the verdant hillsides of the not-so-distant islands from of the SCUBA diving we’ve done. Next time it will be your stool under a palm-thatched tiki bar, the Virgin one of our “must-do” stops. Islands are definitely a spot for sailors of all kinds— Whether it’s enjoying the trade winds under sail, made all the better on an Island Packet! basking on the soft quartz beaches, snorkeling or
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TECH REPORT
IP 485
Keep Trim
A general guide to trimming your boat’s headsails
Island Packet employs two headsails for a
reason: they provide a proven sail configuration to keep boats moving in everything from gales to light airs. But, just like with any sailboat, keeping your sails properly trimmed is imperative to keeping your boat balanced and comfortable. Here are some tips to think about when trimming your sails.
Upwind Trim
When beating, we are usually trying to make it to a destination upwind of us, which means staying on the wind and keeping your boat speed up will get you there sooner. The fortunate thing for IP owners is that because of your boat’s relatively heavy displacement, the boat is going to be forgiving when going to weather in a chop or steep sea instead of slamming into each wave like a brick wall. There are several schools of thought when trimming your rig for close hauled sailing, and that debate usually hinges on whether you should fly one headsail or two. The simple answer to the question is:
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it depends. Carrying one or both sails really depends on how much wind you have. And it also depends on your boat, as some boats just sail better under one sail configuration than another. In general, if the wind is light, you’ll want to sail with just your genoa, as the staysail can cause excess drag, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the extra sail area and slot provided by it. Try easing your sails out just a touch, too, as this will create a little twist that will help power the sail from top to bottom. As the wind picks up and your apparent wind moves forward, rolling out the staysail should give you a slight boost on the knot meter until you start to feel overpowered by weather helm. When that moment comes, furling in the genoa some and moving the fairlead car forward may provide a little relief. This works especially well if your genoa has a foam luff built in, which is designed to keep the sail from blowing out into a deep shape that degrades your ability to point. If you are still experiencing too much weather helm, you’ve reached the point where
Island Packet Yachts
TECH REPORT your boat will probably sail best with just the staysail.
Reaching Trim
Reaching is really the time when your staysail and genoa configuration is going to shine. The biggest thing to remember when reaching is to keep both sails a uniform shape. This means that the foot of both sails should be trimmed at the same angle and when easing the sheets, look aloft and wait until the leach flutters, then bring the sail back in until the flutter stops and you’ve got perfect trim. When close reaching, your sails should be eased out slightly instead of strapped in when close hauled, which creates the ideal twist and slot affect to get your boat galloping along. Cracking off the wind a little more to a beam reach will be the near perfect setting for your IP’s twin headsails as they get the optimum amount of lift and push. Finally, broad reaching is when a cutter rig is going to be able to handle a fair amount of breeze. If you do start to feel overpowered
IP 440
here, over trimming the sails slightly will kill some power and make the boat easier to handle. In the end, the sea-kindliness of an IP in moderate to heavy seas with the wind and waves over your aft quarter is going to allow for a steady ride.
Downwind Trim
Running with the wind lends itself perfectly to flying your boat’s headsails wing and wing without the main. Use a whisker or spinnaker pole to hold
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out the genoa and lead a line forward from your jib boom to prevent it from bouncing and moving aft as pressure changes in the sail. Once again, twist is an issue when easing your sails out this far. Look aloft at the head of the sails and try not to ease so far that the top portions of both sails start to twist forward. This will spill air and reduce your overall boat speed. When running wing and wing in heavy air you might notice that the boat tends to roll more, which can be caused by uneven pressure moving from one sail to the other. To combat this roll, you can take in some sail or head up slightly away from the genoa. If that doesn’t help, take in the entire genoa or staysail to reduce the overall size of your sail plan. While the principles of sail trim don’t change much from boat to boat, it is hard to know what works best for you. The sure fire test is to get your boat out on the water in a variety of conditions to test various sail configurations against wind strengths and sea states. Paying close attention to your knot meter and how the helm feels as you make changes will let you how you are doing. W W W . L I F E L I N EW B AW TT WE .RLI EI FS .ECLOI M N
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Island Packet Yachts
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