January/ February 2007
Frostbite and Hot Toddy Race Series Sailing with EmOcean How Naval Stores Built the Tar Heel State
Current Destination:
Elizabeth City -
FR
Winter Boat Show Preview
EE
Harbor of Hospitality
April 20-22 2007 The Bald Head Island Regatta is perfectly positioned in both time and space to attract boats traveling from Key West, Miami, and Charleston Race Weeks to the NC Leukemia Cup, NC State Championship Regatta at NCYRA and Southern Bay Race Week on the Chesapeake. A premiere vacation destination, Bald Head Island (www.bhisland.com) www.bhisland.com) offers offshore and www.bhisland.com protected inland racing less than 20 minutes from the marina while the BHI staff provides a first class experience at the tent site. Visit www.bhiregatta.com and plan to sail Bald Head Island in the spring.
www.bhiregatta.com T H E
B A L D
H E A D
I S L A N D
R E G A T T A
Current Contents
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Features 7 8 10 12 14 19 20 22
Year in Photos: 2006 Sailing Action Across the Carolinas The Pickle Dish: Sailing with EmOcean Sailor’s Life: Defeating Common Boat Noises Currently Aweigh: Tackling the Everglades Challenge Current Destination: Elizabeth City - Harbor of Hospitality Regatta Roundup: Hot Toddy and other Ch-ch-chilly Races
22
Preview: Wind Slackens in Boat Show Sails Portal to the Past: Naval Stores - The Industry that Built the Tar Heel State
23 Cruising Through: Equinox Arrives in Style 27 Casting About: Guide Shares Fishing Tips and Hot Spots
Departments Feature Coverage This Issue: Elizabeth City, 14 New Bern, 19 Havelock, 21 Charleston, 8
Coming Next Issue (Mar/Apr ’07) • • • •
Spring Race and Boat Show Previews Current Destination: Georgetown, S.C. Another Serving of The Pickle Dish Classifieds Space Deadline: Jan. 25
On the Cover Early morning at Mariner’s Wharf, Elizabeth City, N.C. Photo by Jeff Linn from Manteo, N.C., e-mail jlinn4924@charter.net. His works are displayed at the Pasquotank Arts Council Gallery and other locations in Elizabeth City, Manteo and Nags Head. The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
4 5 11 18 20 21 24 25 26 28
Publisher’s Ponderings Current News EcoBoating Current Calendar Mail Buoy Club Corner New Products - Cool Boat Stuff Mystery Marker Emily Coast Marketplace/Classifieds
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PO Box 1090, Oriental NC 28571 Send check/money order payable to “Carolina Currents” or pay securely online using our Paypal account Rob@carolinacurrents.com Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 3
Publisher’s Ponderings
Hapepwy N ! Year
Welcome to Issue Two and a New Year of Carolina Sailing
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or most people, sailing in January and February isn’t a high priority. But for a few hardy salts, there’s no such thing as bad weather - only bad clothing choices. We look at a few of these frostbite events in this issue’s Regatta Roundup.
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February also means Valentine’s Day is coming, which gets me to thinking of my first date with the Admiral, who held no rank at the time. In fact, she had no inkling that her destiny would be so intertwined with things nautical. I’d convinced this lovely British lass to join me for a sail aboard my Endeavour 32 named Libertine. The day in question happened to be blustery. In fact, it was blowing like stink. I normally wouldn’t have been tempted away from the dock by Blackbeard’s treasure on such a day, but I’d made a date and needed to impress the lady. Before we even cast off, my faithful cat Bobbie Sue licked her paw, stuck it in the air, meowed something like “crazy people!” and abandoned ship. We backed out of the slip and the wind instantly pushed the bow down the channel toward a low bridge. Some vigorous reverse and forward thrusts and maniacal spinning of the helm brought us about and blew us into a neighbor’s pier, bending a lifeline stanchion. With a good shove from the neighbor, we were finally off in the proper outbound direction. As we entered the bay, the full extent of the weather became evident. We began to bob over the tightly grouped four-foot swells. It became clear why so few boats were out on the bay enjoying that early spring weekend. Having come that far, I asked Jo to take the helm while I went to raise the sails. 4 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
With a smile on her face, she clamped her white-knuckled fingers around the wheel. I scampered amidships yanking the sail ties off along the way, hauled on the halyard and the mainsail flogged up the mast. Jo kept the nose into the wind and soon I was back by her side. We cut the engine, picked a course and Libertine heeled over, slashing through the chop. We only stayed out long enough to get a taste of what this sailing thing was all about. An uneventful, easy landing provided slight redemption for the wayward departure. After stowing gear and welcoming Bobbie Sue back aboard, we headed out for dinner and well-earned margaritas. We’ve had a few waves under our keels since then, but after such a bumpy start I always knew we’d pull through to smoother waters.
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Speaking of romantics, what lady doesn’t like a rose? At our northern border, Fred Fearing heads up the Rose Buddies, welcoming visiting sailors to the Carolinas with wine and flowers. We meet him this issue in our Current Destination feature on Elizabeth City - the Harbor of Hospitality. We also look through the Portal to the Past at the Carolinas’ naval stores industry, catch another edition of Will Haynie’s Pickle Dish, and grab a preview of what you’ll find at the upcoming boat shows.
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We hope you enjoy these stories and all the others we’ve packed in this issue. Don’t forget to support our advertisers who make it possible. And a special thank you from us to our subscribers who already span seven states and counting. Rob Lucey Editor and Publisher
PO Box 1090, Oriental NC 28571 (252) 671-2654 www.CarolinaCurrents.com EDITORIAL EDITOR/PUBLISHER Rob Lucey, E-mail Rob@CarolinaCurrents.com SOUTH CAROLINA EDITOR Will Haynie ART DIRECTOR/OFFICE MANAGER Jo Lucey WEBSITE DESIGN AND HOSTING John T. Beresford CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Graham Byrnes, Dave Corbett, Susan Goldsworthy, Geoff Bowlin, Elizabeth D. Knotts CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS/ART Jeff Linn, Gordy Hill, Mike McCulley, Sam Sharpe, Kate Cosby, Jim Kransburger ADVERTISING For advertising information, call, e-mail Advertising@CarolinaCurrents.com or visit our website for our media kit. COPYRIGHT 2006 Reproduction of any part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior written consent of the publisher. Carolina Currents is published bimonthly and is distributed free at over 250 marine establisments in the Carolinas. E-mail Info@CarolinaCurrents. com if your organization would like to be added to our distribution list. Carolina Currents is available by subscription for $15 per year ($25 for two years); back issues are available for $5. Checks or money orders payable to Carolina Currents. For news stories e-mail News@CarolinaCurrents.com; letters to Letters@ CarolinaCurrents.com; club corner updates to info@CarolinaCurrents.com. For story or photo contributions, go to www.CarolinaCurrents.com/guidelines. php for our submissions guidelines. This magazine is proudly printed in Easley, S.C. on paper with recycled content. Please give to another sailor or recycle after use.
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Submit News by e-mail to News@CarolinaCurrents.com. Please include your phone number for verification. For complete News coverage, visit www.CarolinaCurrents.com.
Current Howell Passes SAYRA Helm to Howell SAVANNAH, Ga. - Burton Howell, commodore for the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association, doesn’t have far to go for advice from the past commodore. He recently relieved his wife Judy at the helm of the organization that oversees US Sailing racing in the Carolinas and Georgia. Sailing author and rules expert Dave Perry will speak at the SAYRA general meeting Feb. 2-4 in Augusta, Ga. about racing rules and tactics. Piwinski Heads Spirit Education CHARLESTON, S.C. - South Carolina Maritime Foundation directors named Sarah Piwinski as the organization’s education director in charge of developing and administering the educational component aboard the new tall ship, Spirit of South
Carolina. The first student voyages aboard the schooner this fall will involve fifth and six grade students chosen from schools in the Lowcountry. A biological oceanographer and College of Charleston graduate, Piwinski was until recently the assistant science coordinator at the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Mass.
Boaters Say They’d Pay for Waterway CAROLINA BEACH, N.C. - A survey floating the idea of a user fee for boaters to pay for maintenance of the Intracoastal Waterway was one topic discussed at the annual conference of the North Carolina Beach, Inlet and Waterway Association in November. The 1,500 coastal boaters surveyed said they would be willing to pay an average fee increase of $90 per year for assurances of open water-
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ways and inlets. That would generate about $18 million annually from the more than 350,000 registered boats.
Pamlico Boat Show Moves to 2008 WASHINGTON, N.C. - The inaugural in-water Pamlico Boat Show has been re-scheduled from May 2007 to 2008, due in part to the loss of organizer Kent Fulton of Carolina Winds Yachting Center and ongoing construction along the waterfront. North Carolina Requires Vessel Titling RALEIGH, N.C. - Anyone who purchases a motorized vessel 14 feet or longer, who owns a personal watercraft or who has a lien on a vessel, regardless of size, will be required to title the vessel effective Jan. 1. Existing vessel owners will not be required to obtain a title certificate.
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The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 5
Current News/contd. The $20 title is effective until the owner sells or transfers the boat, and provides a common form of proof of ownership. Mandatory titling will also align North Carolina with surrounding states, which require a vessel to be titled, and make it easier for owners to sell their vessels out of state or move to another state.
require this license to bring fish back to the shore. In 2005, North Carolina ranked third for the amount of saltwater fish caught. License fees will support habitat protection, public access and resource enhancement. Cost is $15 annually or $5 for a 10-day resident’s license, or for nonresidents, $30 a year or $10 for 10 days.
Tall Ship Aftermath in Arbitration BEAUFORT, N.C. - North Carolina Maritime Museum Director David Nateman said in early December that lawyers were still sorting through a disagreement between the Friends of the N.C. Maritime Museum and the America’s Sails umbrella organization over how to divvy up proceeds from the Pepsi America’s Sails event in July - or even if there were proceeds to divvy.
Survey Seeks Ramp Sites RALEIGH, N.C. - The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission conducted an online and mail-in survey of boating access needs in coastal waters to identify the best locations for future boating access areas. The Commission currently manages 202 boating access areas. Among the newest is a boat ramp in New Bern’s Lawson Creek Park with access to the Neuse River. For information on boating access areas, visit the commission’s www.ncwildlife.org online or call the Division of Engineering Services at (919)707-0150.
West Marine Stores Closed CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Stores in Charlotte, Atlantic Beach and Savannah are among nearly 40 shuttered nationwide by West Marine, the nation’s largest marine supply retailer. “Our store closing program is proceeding on track and our cost structure has been reduced,” said CEO Peter Harris. In October, the chain also cancelled its policy of matching the prices of products found on the Internet, including prices found on its own website. Frasch Coaching Special Olympics CHARLESTON, S.C. - Charleston sailor Meta Frasch has been selected as assistant coach for the U.S. Special Olympics sailing team that is headed to China in 2007. She also had the honor of opening and closing the recent games at Lake Tobesofkee in Macon, Ga., to which six teams of Charleston Special Olympians traveled with their unified partners. Fishing License Needed in N.C. RALEIGH, N.C. - It now costs $15 to troll a line while sailing the North Carolina coast. A license is required for anyone 16 and older to harvest finfish in the sounds, coastal rivers and their tributaries, out to three miles into the ocean. Anglers fishing from three to 200 miles offshore will 6 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
Streep Narrates Cape Lookout Film HARKERS ISLAND, N.C. - Academy Award winning actress Meryl Streep has lent her vocal talents to “Ribbon of Sand,” a new film for the Cape Lookout National Seashore that premiers mid-January in a new theater at the park’s Harkers Island Visitor Center. In the film, Streep reads quotes from natural history writings about the seashore’s coastal ecosystem, primarily drawn from the work of environmental pioneer Rachel Carson. “Rachel Carson asked us to regard the natural world with a sense of wonder,” said Streep. “Her writings about the edge of the sea are an inspiration.” Oriental, Washington Moorings? ORIENTAL, N.C. - Local governments in the popular boating towns of Oriental and Washington, N.C., are mulling over planting mooring fields. The Washington Parks Department held a hearing in October and is seeking further input before making a recommendation. Oriental officials have also gathered opinions about mooring fields as part of a long-range planning project.
New Marine Industry Courses Offered MOREHEAD CITY, N.C. - The N.C. Marine Training and Education Center at Carteret Community College has introduced three new courses for students interested in entering the thriving marine industry, or for those wishing to advance their knowledge and repair their own systems. Classes teach cold molded construction, marine diesel repair and maintenance, and marine DC electrical installation, in addition to the program’s outboard class. Visit www.ncmartec.org for info. Belle Isle Marina Renovated GEORGETOWN, S.C. - Belle Isle Marina now boasts 81 new Brazilian hardwood floating docks and is in the process of finishing out its completely gutted and renovated marina building. While the marina primarily serves homeowners in the Belle Isle development, they do welcome transients, providing a convenient stop along the ICW just outside of Georgetown. N.C. Marine Patrol Hires, Promotes RALEIGH, N.C. - Sailors on lakes Norman, Wylie and Mountain Island can congratulate Russell “Rusty” Byerly who was recently promoted to lieutenant after 22 years with the N.C. Marine Patrol, the law enforcement branch of the Division of Marine Fisheries. Byerly will manage and supervise platoon operations for hunting, fishing and boating regulations in one of the state’s most popular recreational boating destinations. Recently hired were Gene Maready as a field officer working in the Tyrrell County area and Shane Bryan as a field officer in the Hatteras/Buxton area. Trident Opens Carolina Loan Office NEW BERN, N.C. - Trident Funding Corporation, which specializes in yacht financing, opened an office in New Bern in November. Vice president and regional manager Lynda Schulze Kemppainen had opened the company’s Annapolis, Md. office before moving back to the Carolinas to open the new location in offices above the new Galley Store marina office, 300 E. Front St. www.CarolinaCurrents.com
2006 Sailing Action Across the Carolinas Sam Sharpe/www.THESHARPEIMAGE.com
Thanks to our contributing photographers!
Sam Sharpe/www.THESHARPEIMAGE.com
Above: Offshore PHRF Class Yacht Racing, Bald Head Race Week, N.C., April. Top left: Brazilian tall ship Cisne Branco at Pepsi America’s Sail, Beaufort, N.C., July. Below: Zephyr, a Cape Dory Typhoon at the Whortonsville Cup, N.C., June.
Kate Cosby/www.CapturedbyKate.com
Above: A Tripp 26 fights 25 knot winds at the CORA Charleston Race Week, Charleston, S.C., April. Below: Starting line at the Sunfish World Championships, Charleston, S.C., October. Local sailor David Loring was the winner.
The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 7
The Pickle Dish
Regatta Action and People Across the Carolinas
Sailing with EmOcean
By Will Haynie
C
EmOcean is in a familiar position on the starting line. Owner Bill Hanckel is hiking, at left. Will is at the helm
8 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
Charleston Ocean Racing Assn.
HARLESTON, S.C. - If you’ve been on out on the water anywhere from the Carolinas down to the Keys in the past two years, chances are you’ve seen the sleek J/120 EmOcean that belongs to the Hanckel family of Charleston. That’s because in the short period of time they’ve owned it, they’ve campaigned EmOcean in Key West Race Week, Miami Race Week, Charleston Race Week, the Gulf Streamer Race from Daytona to Charleston, and almost every inshore buoy race Charleston Ocean Racing Association has put on. “We’re getting a lot of bang for our buck,” owner Bill Hanckel told me. Hanckel grew up in a sailing family - his parents raced in regattas all over the country - and now Bill, wife Susan, and their children Will and Emily are carrying on the sailing tradition, and they’ve got the pickle dishes to prove it. In June, Will, who is a recent College of Charleston graduate, won the Y-Flyer National Championship held in his homeport of Charleston, and he seriously campaigns an E Scow as well. He’ll be gearing up for the E Scow Nationals to be held in Charleston next June. Recently, he finished in the top half of the fleet in US Sailing’s Championship of Champions, in which all of the dinghy national champs raced against each other in Y-Flyers. Meanwhile, back on the keelboat, EmOcean was at the top of its class at 2006 Key West Race Week before having a breakdown on the last day, was boat of the day on its course the last two days at Miami Race Week, won their class at Charleston Race Week, was first in class in the Gulf Streamer, and is consistently at the top of the highly competitive “A” Fleet racing PHRF in Charleston Ocean Racing Association. Before getting the J/120, Bill was a co-owner of a Melges 24, and Will sailed a J/24. The whole family had a say in choosing the boat.
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Jim Kransburger
National Champion Will Hanckel at the helm of his winning Y-Flyer
“Susan wanted head room, something you could stay on, air conditioning and hot water. Emily wanted something with a wheel rather than a tiller and that was comfortable. Will wanted a large cockpit, an asymmetrical spinnaker, something that could be raced inshore and offshore, and that friends could be entertained on. Me - I just wanted a boat,” Bill says. Given their racing performance and the fact that EmOcean is constantly spotted pleasure cruising around the Lowcountry, it looks like everyone got the boat they wanted. Successfully campaigning a boat the size of a J/120 takes committed crewmembers as well. Racing with the Hanckels are mainsail trimmer Brian Zimmerman and bowman John C. Skinner, a cousin of the Hanckels. Both of them and many of the rest of the crew grew The Hanckels also enjoy cruising on up racing together EmOcean with family and friends in Optimists. Bill Hanckel was one of several members of the Charleston sailing community who saw the need for a community sailing program to provide local high schools and others the opportunity to take sailing to the next level. Along with five other avid local sailors, he founded Charleston Community Sailing (CCS). “Charleston Community Sailing came about because when they outgrew the Optimist class, there was nowhere for these kids in our area to continue pursuing their desire. Community sailing became the vehicle that provided the boats and facility for the high schools to use,” Bill said. CCS also provides support for Special Olympics sailing as well as the Buddy Sail program that helps underprivileged youth experience the joy of sailing. CCS now has 13 420’s and several powerboats, and it is looking to expand its role in the very active Charleston sailing community. “I have been sailing and traveling with all the kids from an early age until today,” Bill says. “It just keeps getting better and better. I can’t wait for the next adventure.” Can’t you just sense the EmOcean in his words? The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
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Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 9
Sounding Off...…
The Sailor’s Life By Rob Lucey
Defeating Common Boat
M
require attention. That line banging the y wife relieved me at the helm as we sailed north up the ICW toward mast might also be chafing against your spreaders, slowly sawing itself in two. the Virginia border, and I went below for Back below, my head became reaca few well-earned moments of shuteye. quainted with the pillow. My eyes closed. The gentle rocking rhythm had just lulled My mind began to cast adrift. Then my my eyelids closed when I heard the noise: ka-thunk! ka-thunk! ka-thunk! Then a mo- ears picked up the rattling click. It was a steady sound emanating from somewhere ment of quiet. Then it recurred. Ka-thunk! aft. Knuck, knuck, knuck, knuck, knuck… Sleep was not possible with this going I sat up and aimed my ears around the on, so I headed out of the companionway and up to the bow. This was a sound I knew cabin. This was a new one. I opened lockers – the anchor thud. Our Bruce tends to rock in the galley to check if something was rolling around. Loose cans, tools and jars in its roller. Sometimes the shank hits the often make annoying sounds. This problem sides of the roller channel making a small thump. Then it rocks the other way and the is one of the easiest to fix – just stow them a bit more securely. This fluke strikes beneath our starboard anchor The interior of a time, no obvious suspect presented itself. The roller. That’s the louder boat is like the inside sound continued, and so thunk. After tying it down of a giant percussion did my search. A skilled sound sleuth with small stuff at the instrument. can tell a wood knock crown eye and wedging from a metal click or a fiberglass thump. pieces of rubber along either side of the The interior of a boat is like the inside of a shank, I gave it a wiggle. It didn’t budge. giant percussion instrument. Every sound In the science of sounds, motion equals is amplified. The hull is like the side of a noise. The lack of motion equals blissful drum, and the deck is the drumhead. An silence. The hull moving through water is aluminum mast is a giant wind chime, a soothing sound. Most other noises are ready to sound off whenever a line knocks annoyances to be tracked down and elimiagainst it. nated. There are some benign boat sounds On board our Morgan 382, Sea Spell, that are easy to stop. Then there are the we have several halyards that bang the mast unidentified noises. like a gong if we don’t secure them. Our Some are just new creaks that emerge solution is to tie them off to the lifeline as boats age or seas get rough, but others stanchions, well away from the mast. Just are warnings of emerging problems that make sure to find a point with a fair lead to avoid chafing against the spreaders or standing rigging. We also have a three-part line on the front of the mast used to raise and lower the spinnaker-pole mount. It sets up its own chorus of clattering when the winds blow, particularly Strategic padding to when we’re at anchor. But this line prevent “anchor thud” can’t be tied off to the stanchions. We
tried pulling it away from mast toward a stay with a bungee (as a sailing tool, bungees are right up there with duct tape, 5200 and WD-40), but that didn’t work well when the wind picked up. I ended up using a short piece of line to twist the offending lines in a tight spiral around the mast. That did the trick. An example of a halyard “spiral wrap”
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10 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
This newest noise seemed to be aft of the mast, so it wasn’t a line banging. Since the sound seemed to disappear when I poked my head out of the companionway, it was most likely something below decks. As I made another round through the main cabin, I pressed down the pieces of teak trim near the joints. Recently, I’d tracked an elusive click to a couple of pieces of trim rubbing as the hull twisted. Tightening the screws a bit fixed that one. Another suspect related to the normal twisting of the hull underway is the foam insulation we’d installed above our headliner. As well as helping to regulate temperatures below, the insulation helps dampen the sound of feet tromping around on deck. But if two pieces rub together, the result can be an annoying squeak. My latest mystery noise was too steady and seemingly unrelated to the rise and fall of the boat. One possibility was the wind www.CarolinaCurrents.com
…
EcoBoating
Noises I dropped the swim ladder off the generator, which was turning steadily in transom and hung off the back, peerthe breeze. Since it is mounted on a pole ing through the wash at the prop. If we’d on the starboard side of the transom, its snagged a fishing line, perhaps a hook or sounds funnel through the quarter berth weight was banging the hull as the prop and into the cabin. spun. But I could see nothing obvious. Noises from wind generators are hard Next, I emptied everything out of the to stifle. We put a piece of rubber under the sail locker and descended into the engine pole mount when we installed it, hoping compartment to examine the shaft. It took to dampen some of the sound transmitted a moment to find the loose nut on one to the deck. Keeping the blades smooth of the bolts holding the shaft coupling (a light sandpaper can take off barbs) and together. After tightening it and snugkeeping it lubricated are the only other ging down the others, we shifted back into things we’ve found that help. The best neutral. The prop swished into motion. The solution is to compare different models click was gone. before buying one. Some of them really If I hadn’t heard the click, perhaps the are quieter than others, but there may be bolts would have worked their way out. The trade-offs in efficiency. result could have been a wildly wobbling I flicked the switch to turn the wind gen off. It groaned to a stop, but the annoy- prop shaft, which in turn could have caused expensive damage to the cutlass bearing or ing noise continued. Finally, the Locker contortions while underway answer came to me. The only other thing that was moving regularly enough to cause the steady click was the propeller. Sure, we were sailing, but the transmission was in neutral so the prop could turn as we moved through the water. Some argue that this practice can cause unnecestransmission. sary wear and tear on the gear, but we’ve With the crisis averted, I returned to decided it’s worth it for the quarter-knot or the leeward settee to settle into my sadly so we gain in boatspeed. abbreviated nap. Satisfied that all noises I pulled the companionway stairs aside were normal, I inserted the ultimate cure and, sure enough, the sound was louder for all boat sounds – a pair of earplugs. in the engine compartment. I called up to Blanketed in quietude, I closed my eyes the admiral and had her shift into reverse. and drifted ashore in sleepland. Voila! The sound instantly stopped. That narrowed it down to the prop or the shaft. The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
Pitch In to Reduce Litter on the Waterways
W
ith more than 22 million registered recreational boaters and 10,000 marinas in the United States, if we each did a little, it would go a long way in protecting our valuable water resources. Here are a few easy things you can do today to be an ecoBoater. • It’s hard to believe that some slobs still mistake a river or a roadside ditch (which leads to a river, which leads to the bay) for a trashcan. Yet we’ve seen it with our own eyes. Always keep your trash on board. That includes cigarette butts, too. • Once back ashore, head for the nearest dumpster. In Dorchester, S.C., a group called Keep Dorchester County Beautiful launched a new program in 2006 called Boaters Baggin’ it for the Environment by setting up litter collection stations with signage and distributing brochures asking boaters to collect one bag of litter whenever they are on the water. Kudos to them! • Better still, take advantage of shore-side facilities to recycle plastic, glass, metals, and paper. The energy saved from recycling goes a long way toward reducing air and water pollution, as well as our dependence on Middle East oil. Yes, recycling is patriotic. • Frustrated with that tangled fishing line? Take it ashore. A group called North Carolina Big Sweep in Zebulon, N.C., is installing monofilament line recycling receptacles at 50 marinas in North Carolina, taking a positive step to help prevent wildlife entanglements that they’d noticed during statewide beach cleanup events. The Zebulon and Dorchester groups were among 18 organizations that received 2006 grants from the BoatU.S. Foundation for Boating Safety and Clean Water for innovative ideas about good stewardship of our waterways.Thank you for doing your part! Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 11
Currently Aweigh
We invite Carolina sailors who are sailing outside of our home waters to share their adventures with us via e-mail to Info@CarolinaCurrents.com.
Carolina Boat Designer Tackles Everglades Challenge EDITOR’S NOTE: The Everglades Challenge (www.watertribe.com) is among the toughest small boat races, covering 300 miles from the Everglades to the Gulf of Mexico. It pits sailboats against kayaks, canoes and other small vessels. North Carolina-based naval architect Graham Byrnes of B&B Yacht Design (www.BandByachtdesigns.com) competed in the 2006 event aboard his Core Sound 17 with crew Fred Van Rensburg. The 2007 race will be held March 3-11.
T
AMPA BAY, Fla. - We were at the beach on Mullet Key by 5:30 a.m. with about 50 other competitors fussing over boats of all shapes and sizes. At 7 a.m. we launched Green Heron off the beach with 10-knot northerly winds. The sailboats headed into the Gulf while most of the paddled boats went inside to the Intracoastal Waterway. The 18-foot G-Cat was first out into the Gulf and the Hobie 16 passed us as we cleared the Tampa channel. They dropped over the horizon and the few sails visible astern slowly faded away. We amused ourselves by seeing who could reach the highest speed while surfing, peaking at 11.8 knots. Gasparilla Pass: 4:30 p.m. I’d hoped to take the shortcut through the shoals we’d used in 2005, but we didn’t know what the past year’s hurricane had done. At 100 feet from the breakers in shallow water, we concluded that it was impassible. The powerboat channel was safer. We were rehearsing our mast-lowering plan to get under the Boca Grande swing bridge when I spotted a sport fisherman awaiting an opening. He waved us ahead. Then I blew our time gain by taking the wrong channel. As we beat back I scolded myself for trusting my memory instead of reading 12 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
By Graham Byrnes Photos by Gordy Hill
excited by the NC on our stern. They turned out to be acquaintances of Fred’s. Chokoloskee: 4:45 p.m., arrived second. We got back out as quickly as we could, desperate to get clear of the Ten Thousand Islands area of the Everglades before dark. The high tide helped. Rabbit Key Pass is shallow with twists and turns marked only by the occasional stake. We reached the Gulf without mishap, cleared Pavillion Key by dark and set a course for Northwest Cape. As I just lay down again for my first sleep since the race started, the wind again went light and ahead. Off of the mouth of Running down the Gulf of Mexico at 10 knots Little Shark River: Monday, 8 a.m. We’d made a paltry 25 miles since dark, but we did get some sleep. Had the cats slipped past in the night? We scanned the horizon but saw no one. We later learned that the Hobie crew had stayed on the beach overnight, putting us in first. We attempted to rest, but the motion We beat around Cape Sable then lay and noise made sleep impossible. The course for Flamingo, arriving at 3:16 p.m. rhumbline to Cape Romano took us about I located the lock box to sign in and found 10 miles off the coast. that no one had yet signed in. We were still We reefed to slow down. I’ll never first. forget the view as I lay across the foredeck, We faced a night passage across the my head two feet from the bow, to shift the shallow remainder of Florida Bay, the downhaul from the main tack to the reef trickiest part of the course. The labyrinth tack. We’d surf down a wave and the bow of deeper channels are sometimes marked would lift just before it would dig in and by pipes or metal fence posts, but no Coast shoot a jet of water down each side. Guard day markers or lights. The sun rose behind the high-rise We hustled to get as far as we could condos at Marco. I said we might make before dark. Chokoloskee by lunch but, just as I lay In the setting sun I spotted the silhoudown to sleep, the wind went light and ette of the G cat. I guessed that they hadn’t dead ahead. yet reached Flamingo and maybe we had We rowed a while and trimmed the two hours lead. sails for the few cats’ paws. Close to Indian Fred steered while I navigated. We put Key we found a sea breeze and could sail the centerboard down to just deeper than at last. A cruising boat came by and got the chart. We unrigged and Fred rowed while I steered toward Checkpoint 1. The tide was with us up to the narrow span of the first bridge where we shipped oars to squeeze through. At the next bridge we annoyed the fishermen above by getting caught up in their lines. Check in: 6:41 p.m. It was getting dark by the time we got back into the Gulf. The Boca Grande channel looked like a black hole; surf booming on the north side reminded us that this was serious business with no room for mistakes.
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
the rudder to act as a shallow depth indicator. The wind was aft and not heavy, but we took in a reef to slow the boat down, giving me time to find marks. We had just passed between Dump Keys when I couldn’t find any more markers. We thought there should be more and decided to put the anchor down and fix our position before we took any wrong turns. I told Fred to “round her up,” but he had a mental lapse under the stress and jibed us instead. I ducked, anchor in hand, as both sails flew over me with a loud bang. With two splints (a piece of sail batten and a table knife) and some duct tape, we repaired the sprit and were back in the race. After navigating the Twisty Mile and Jimmy channels, Fred said, “Look astern, this is what I go to sea for. You could never get a picture of this.” The new moon gave enough light to show our wake trailing more than a hundred yards. I was glad that he’d brought me back into the moment, as one can get too absorbed in a race. We had clear water to the ICW and it was just a matter of following the channel to the finish. Key Largo: Tuesday, 1:01 a.m. We anchored and I waded ashore to sign in two days and 18 hours after the start. I found the lock box and discovered that we were first. We had averaged just over 4.5 knots for the 300 miles and managed to break the course record by just over nine hours.
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Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 13
Current Destination
Elizabeth City: Harbor of Always a Welcome in this Northeast N.C. Haven
E
tions, Sam has squeezed as many as 35 boats in the 22 slips along the free city docks by rafting some. Approach and dockside depths are 10 feet or better. Water is available, but no power. On rare nights when the docks are full, some boaters will drop a hook in 6-8 feet of water in Forbes Bay along the southern bank of the Pasquotank River and dinghy to the Wharf. The docks are best known for the Rose Buddies, a group of locals that formed in 1983 to welcome boaters. Before we even have the dock lines tied off, Fred Fearing, who at 93 is an original member of the Rose Buddies, arrives via golf cart to deliver a fresh cut rose along with a . Steeped in . gam invitation. At 16:30, fellow cruisers and local There’s a reason we’re called the “Harbor of Hospitality.” Walk in the characters wander footsteps of history. Revel in the down the lane to discovery of art. Paddle your kayak Fred’s yard for wine on the water. Simply put, there’s and cheese, beer so much to see and do in Elizabeth and chips under a City. Outdoors, indoors, shopping, spreading canopy dining, it’s all here. We’re just a of trees as old as short drive from Hampton Roads
LIZABETH CITY, N.C. - With the busy cities of the Chesapeake to the north and the wide expanses of North Carolina coastal estuaries to the south, Elizabeth City sits on a bend in the Pasquotank like the crossroads of two worlds, combining Old South charm with modern Carolina convenience. Sam Vanderslice, the dock master [call on VHF 13 or (252)335-1424] proudly wearing his WWII ball cap, assists our attempt to back into a narrow slip at Mariner’s Wharf. A crowd of locals gathers to watch our progress and shout advice. During the busy spring and fall migra-
Nestled in
history
charm
and the Outer Banks, so why are you waiting? You’ve found what you’re looking for in Elizabeth City.
Fred, whose roots in the town stretch back several generations. Rose Buddies John and Louise greet us with hearty smiles. They arrived by boat decades ago and tell tales of the last 30 years on the river, along with a joke or two and some useful advice for our forthcoming transit of the Dismal Swamp Canal and its locks. “We just like to make people feel welcome,” Fearing says with a smile. “And it works. Look at all these boats!” After a welcome like this we know we’ll stay to experience more of Elizabeth City. The morning brings more interesting
Fred Fearing presents a rose to a visiting boater
Come viSit elizabeth City.
The attraction is mutual.
For more information, call the Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-252-335-5330 or toll-free at 1-866-324-8948. For economic development opportunities, call the Albemarle Economic Development Commission toll-free at 1-888-338-1678.
DiscoverEC.org 14 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
NOAA Chart extract showing the Elizabeth City area. The Dismal Swamp route continues to the north, while the Pasquotank River leads southeast to Albemarle Sound. NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION
Hospitality
ICW
By Susan Goldsworthy Photos by Jo Lucey
Mariner’s Wharf Pelican Marina
Downtown Elizabeth City from the water
Elizabeth City Shipyard
Pasquotank River
The city offers free dockage for 48 hours at Mariner’s Wharf
townspeople: A young girl walks by with her pet rabbit on a leash. Another local informs us that we had better hurry to the nearby bakery if we want fresh bread today. About the only true deficit at the city docks is the lack of public restrooms. Boaters visiting the Convention and Visitors Bureau can use the facilities in that waterfront building, 500 S. Water St. Likewise, The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
visitors to the nearby museum can avail themselves of their facilities. For those who staying longer than the 48 hours permitted on the public docks at Mariner’s Wharf, or for those who prefer the convenience of shore power, water and shower houses, the floating docks at Pelican Marina on the northeast shore of the harbor provide a great alternative for $1 per foot per night. The marina, which changed hands in 2006, includes a well-stocked ship’s store, and the Marina Restaurant in the adjacent parking lot is a popular dining option. It is an easy stroll to town across the US 158 bascule bridge marking the southern terminus of the Dismal Swamp Canal. Approach depths average 12 feet plus with dockside depths of 5-8 feet. Call (252)335-5108. Lamb’s Marina, located three miles north of the US 158 bascule bridge in Camden, provides the third option. While it is a bit too far to walk conveniently into downtown, the facility includes a fuel dock, convenience store and seafood market, and a couple of restaurants are located across the road. Approach and dockside depths average 5-6 feet. Call (252)388-1957.
For trailerable boats, a ramp is available at nearby Charles Creek Park. For repairs requiring a haul out, the historic Elizabeth City Shipyard on the southwest shore of the harbor is the place to go. The large metal building built in 1920 at 722 Riverside Ave. is the final remnant of a once thriving local boat building industry. Owner Lloyd Griffin III is in the midst of renovating his docks, so slip space is limited until completion expected sometime in 2007. Call (252)335-2118. The Pasquotank County Court House, East Main Street
Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 15
Current Destination The Museum of the Albermarle
The pedestrian friendly downtown with a small town feel is just off the wharf, featuring a library, Post Office, free wireless Internet, coffee houses, a bookstore, laundromat, plentiful restaurants, a few lively watering holes, pharmacies and a hardware store. SoHo Organic Market, 101 East colonial Ave., is great for healthy provisioning. Call (252)338-8378. And Farm Fresh Supermarket will give cruisers a lift to and from the dock. Call (252)331-1301. Moth Boat exhibit inside museum
Elizabeth City Things to do in Elizabeth City
Most cruisers know about the Rose Buddies parties, but there’s a lot more to do while visiting Elizabeth City than just enjoying wine and cheese. The massive Museum of the Albemarle, 501 S. Water St., is hard to miss. While some exhibits remain in the works, it officially opened in 2006 after years of off-and-on construction. The restored shad boat hanging above the lobby with full sails flying is dramatic, and a Moth Boat exhibit gives a small history of the popular racing craft developed by Captain Joel Van Sant during a 1929 visit to Elizabeth City and once produced locally. Racers still gather in the harbor for the Classic Moth Boat Regatta, traditionally held the third Saturday in September, and the State Championship, scheduled this year for May 5. Visit www.mothboat.com. Stop by the friendly Visitors Center to grab a walking tour guide, then set out to explore the city’s six historic districts featur- The Charles O. Robinson House on ing impressive commercial, public East Main St. is still a family residence and residential structures in a variety of styles. If you’ve been cinematically deprived on your voyage, the Carolina Grille and Theater, 115 N. Poindexter St., offers a chance
ALL YOUR GALLEY NEEDS!
• Bulk Foods • Organics • Special Diet 101 E Colonial Ave Downtown Elizabeth City 16 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
to catch a current film and enjoy dinner. Call (252)337-7600 for showtimes. Should you prefer live theater, check out the latest offering at Encore Theatre, 613 E. Main St. Call (252)338-3382. If you need to brush up on locating Polaris to assist your celestial navigation, walk less than a mile from the docks to the Elizabeth City State University campus for a free show at the ECSU Planetarium, 1704 Weeksville Rd. Show times vary, so call to see what’s scheduled: (252)335-3SKY.
The Pasquotank Arts Council Gallery, 609 E. Main St., provides an opportunity to see a variety of works from dozens of local artists. They also carry a line of “Harbor of Hospitality” merchandise.
Goin’ Postal Elizabeth City 1010 W. Ehringhaus St. Suite B Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Phone: 252-331-1181 Fax: 252-331-1187 Open: M-F 8.30-6.00 Sat 9.00-1.00
• Fresh Produce • Homeopathic Remedies Mon – Sat 9am – 6pm 252-338-8378
Your Friendly Neighborhood Shipping Center
elizabethcity@goinpostal.com www.goinpostal.com
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Dismal Swamp Doorstep
Historic downtown
Among the early settlers along the harbor were Adam and Elizabeth Tooley, who opened a tavern (no doubt serving wine and cheese) near the present town docks in 1790 - the same year construction began on the Great Dismal Swamp Canal. The Tooleys hospitably provided the land for the founding of the town of Redding in 1794, and it was renamed Elizabeth Towne in 1794 - perhaps in gratitude to Mrs. Tooley - later growing into Elizabeth City. The canal opening is historically connected to the economic rise of the town from a small agricultural, lumber and fishing center to a major shipping hub. The canal’s continued management remains vital to the health of the city ‘s waterfront district, as almost all of the transient boaters at the city’s docks are beginning or finishing a transit of the canal. No visit to Elizabeth City can be complete without contemplation of the fate of the country’s oldest man-made waterway. Some accounts claim the George Washington, a subscriber to the Canal Corporation, surveyed the route. Slaves built the canal, and it first opened to commercial traffic in 1804 bringing an era of prosperity to the town. During the Civil War, the canal served as a vital link in the Underground Railroad. Many escaped slaves hid in the dense swampland while awaiting passage aboard passing watercraft. Today, the canal provides access to a superb natural area harboring more than 200 species of birds. In 2006 almost 2,000 boats transited the canal. Unfortunately, funding to keep the canal open to boating traffic is constantly at the whim of Washington politics, forcing supporters to campaign annually for enough money to keep the historic locks operating. To close this National Historic Landmark would be a true loss to the Carolina boating community. Visit www.dismalswamp.com. Planetarium Show
If you have kids aboard, a great new stop is Port Discover, 613 E. Main St., a free hands-on science center. Stroll in the footsteps of Orville and Wilbur Wright. The brothers stopped through town on their way to their historic first flight, chartering a boat to haul them and their gear to the Outer Banks. Several historic markers along the waterfront describe their visit.
While cruisers are most common during the spring and fall migrations, those who visit in the summer get a treat with
the annual Harbor Nights free waterfront music sponsored by the Arts Council. Call (252)388-6997.
Pasquotank Arts Council Gallery 252-338-6455 • www.pasquotankarts.org
609 East Main Street
Downtown Elizabeth City, NC
Original paintings, prints, photography and handcrafts. Large line of Elizabeth City items, hats, shirts, Tervis Tumblers, cooler bags and much more.
Don’t Miss Our Summer Events:
• Harbor Nights: June 1, July 4, August 3 - Entertainment on the downtown waterfront • Taste of Elizabeth City: June 30 - Our signature event. Food from over 20 restaurants and music by the Nationally known band The Embers • Harbor Arts Festival: June 30 & July 1 – A celebration of fine arts and crafts on the downtown waterfront
The Pelican Marina
on the Pasquotank River
43 Camden Causeway, Elizabeth City, NC 27909 Tel: 252-335-5108 • Fax: 252-333-1848
Transient Slips • Hot Showers • Clean Restrooms • 60 Wet Slips Pump-Out Facilities • Boat Ramp • Well-Stocked Ship’s Store Watersports & Fishing Supplies
Current
Organizers: Submit Calendar listings of interest to Carolina sailors online at www.CarolinaCurrents.com.
Upcoming Events You Won’t Want to Miss See our website for complete listings including regattas and other events around the Carolinas.
DECEMBER 2006
30 Laser Series #3 (Lake Norman, N.C.) www. lakenormanyachtclub.com
31 New Years Eve Countdown and Fireworks
(Kure Beach, N.C.) Features lowering of a lighted
beach ball. Live music precedes a fireworks display
Regattas listed are open to all sailors, although a PHRF rating or regional sailing mambership may be needed. If you plan on attending an event, contact the organizer ahead of time since details can change.
19-21 Grand Strand Boat Show (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) www.grandstrandboatshow.com
24-25 Boatbuilding Carpentry see Jan. 20-21 26-29 Watercolor Workshop (N.C. Maritime
20-21 Boatbuilding Carpentry (Round-bottomed)
Museum on Roanoke Island) The workshop will
19-21 Grand Strand Boat Show (Myrtle Beach,
work boats and skiffs. Cost: $425. (252) 305-5411
(N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort) (252) 728-7317 S.C.) www.grandstrandboatshow.com/
concentrate on basic painting and drawing of small
30 Fifth Annual Savannah International Boat Show
31 Running of the Dragon (Oriental, N.C.) The
26-28 27th Annual Charleston Boat Show
(Charleston Area Conv. Center and Coliseum)
(Savannah International Trade and Conv. Center,
11 p.m. www.pamlicochamber.com
FEBRUARY 2007
APRIL 2007
JANUARY 2007
www.sayra-sailing.com
to welcome in the New Year. Cape Fear Coast CVB. Oriental Dragon comes out at 8 p.m. and again at
1 Ice Bucket Invitational (Lake Norman, N.C.) www. lakenormanyachtclub.com
1 2007 Hangover Regatta (Columbia Sailing Club, S.C.) Pete Olmstead (957)-3790, e-mail newnfo@ hotmail.com. www.columbiasailingclub.org
2 Fred Latham Regatta (New Bern, N.C.)
Neuse Yacht Racing Association. www.nyra.org
6, 20 Hot Toddy Sunfish Series (New Bern N.C.)
First and third Saturdays through March starting at
2-4 SAYRA Annual Meeting (Augusta, Georgia) 3-11 One-Week Boatbuilding Class (Watercraft
Center, N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort, N.C.)
Ga.) www.savannahinternationalboatshow.com/
12-15 Charleston Race Week (Charleston, S.C.)
Three days of racing and true Southern hospitality. www.charlestonraceweek.com (843) 722-1030
14, 21, 28 Build Your Own Kayak (N.C.
(252) 728-7317
Maritime Museum on Roanoke Island) Cost: $600
Center, Charlotte, N.C.) www.ncboatshows.com
14-15 Sail Making (Watercraft Center, N.C.
7-11 Mid-Atlantic Boat Show (Convention
members, $675 non-members (252) 475-1750
10, 24 Laser Series #6, 7 (Lake Norman Y. C.) 16-18 Carolina Power and Sailboat Show (State
Maritime Museum, Beaufort) (252) 728-7317
23-25 Central Carolina Boat Show (Greensboro,
20-22 Bald Head Island Regatta (Bald Head
Fairgrounds, Raleigh, N.C.) www.ncboatshows.com
19-20 12-Volt Electric Systems Troubleshooting
(N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort) (252) 728-7317
12.30 p.m. Contact Rob Eberle (252) 635-1912
N.C.) (336) 855-0208 www.ncboatshows.com
Island, N.C.) www.bhiregatta.com
Congress Center) www.atlantaboatshow.com
(Watercraft Center, N.C. Maritime Museum,
Harbor Marina) Deidre Menefee (843) 345-0369
MARCH 2007
MAY 2007
10-11 Knotting/Splicing Class (Watercraft Center,
17-20 Charleston Maritime Festival (Maritime
15-16 Diesel Maintenance (Watercraft Center,
Celebration, Family Boat Building. (843) 722-1030.
10-14 Atlanta Boat Show (Georgia World 13 Winter Series # 5 (New Bern, N.C.)
Neuse Yacht Racing Association. www.nyra.org
13, 27 Laser Series #4, 5 (Lake Norman Y. C.) 13-14 S.C. Aquarium Community Appreciation
24-25 Boatbuilding Carpentry (Flat-bottomed)
Beaufort) (252) 728-7317. Also Apr. 21-22
Days (Charleston) Cost $1. www.scaquarium.org/
N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort) (252) 728-7317
Knoll Shores) (252) 247-4003
N.C. Maritime Museum, Beaufort) (252) 728-7317
www.thecharlestonboatshow.com
Maritime Museum, Beaufort) (252) 728-7317
16 Free Admission Day: N.C. Aquarium (Pine
16-28 Charleston Boat Show (Charleston, S.C.) 18-21 Columbia Boat Show (Columbia Conv.
Center, S.C.) www.boatshowfairgrounds.com
26-29 S.C. In-Water Boat Show (Charleston
dpmenefee@aol.com
Center) Includes tall ships, Spirit of South Carolina www.charlestonmaritimefestival.com/
17 Boat-in-a-Day Class (Watercraft Center, N.C.
18 Charleston to Bermuda Race Start (Charleston,
24 Hot Toddy Sunfish Series Awards presentation
18-20 2007 Laser Masters (Wrightsville Beach,
and final party (New Bern, N.C.) see Jan. 6
S.C.) www.charlestontobermuda.com
N.C.) www.carolinayachtclub.org/lasermasters.html
Got Web? Take the guesswork out of launching a website for your sailing adventures! Simply access your site from any online computer and upload stories. Includes: • • • •
Home Page & Web Address Ship’s Logs Photo Galleries Complete U.S. Locator Maps
• • • •
Guest Book Journal/Blogs E-mail Accounts Boat and Crew Pages
Visit www.BoatTales.com for more information on launching your website, or e-mail Ahoy@BoatTales.com, or call (405) 388-BOAT (2628).
HotToddy
Sunfish Series and Other Ch-ch-chilly Races
Regatta Roundup
By Elizabeth D. Knotts
W
ith Charleston receiving its first “thunder snow” ever in November, this winter may shape up to be a particularly cold one. But that won’t keep some diehard Carolina sailors off the water. In many areas north of the Carolinas, most boats are hauled out and winterized for the season. Here, there is no off season. Boats just keep rounding the buoys, albeit in slightly diminished numbers. While actual frost is rare during midAtlantic winter races, the cold fronts do thin the racing ranks down to about half of what they are during warmer seasons. Among the hardiest bunch of winter sailors are participants in the New Bern Sunfish Hot Toddy Series, now in its second year. Skimming just inches over the water on a sub-freezing day defines dedication - even if water temperatures rarely dip below 48 degrees in the Neuse River. Up to a dozen participants don full wet suits, neoprene racing boots (preferably with Gortex waterproof socks over a pair of warm wool socks beneath) and winter racing gloves to keep themselves toasty warm during the races, held the first and third Saturdays of each month November through March. A potluck social dinner with plenty of hot food (and hot toddies) follows each race. The season ends mid-March with a Bundled up to fight the cold on this December afternoon
The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
party and unique awards presentations such as the “Ice Man” and “Capsize” awards. For more information on dates and location, call Rob Eberle at (252)635-1912 or e-mail eberlemarine@cox.net.
Traditional Hot Toddy Recipe
2 oz of Scotch whisky, 1 tsp sugar, 5 1/2 oz boiling water, lemon, nutmeg. Place a sugar cube or equivalent into an Irish coffee cup or mug. Fill 2/3 full with boiling water. Add whisky and stir. Garnish with a slice of lemon, dust with nutmeg, and serve. Substitute rum for whisky to make a Sailor’s Toddy. For larger boats on the river, the Neuse Yacht Racing Association kicked off its six-race Winter Series on Halloween with winds gusting over 40 mph. The racing continues through Jan. 27. And, as it has for more than three decades, the Blackbeard Sailing Club in New Bern begins the year with the 34th annual Fred Latham Regatta on Jan. 1. Another hardy bunch of “wet pants” sailors who don’t mind getting close to cold water are can be found on Lake Murray where the Columbia Sailing Club holds its Hangover Regatta on Jan. 1 for Sunfish, Hobie Cats, Optimists and JY 15s. Call Pete Olmstead at (803) 957-3790 or e-mail newnfo@hotmail.com for info. Competitors who thaw out in time can return on Feb. 18 for the club’s annual Frostbite Regatta. E-mail Curt Rone at 81ccr@loxcreen.com for details. Larger cruising boats can join the spectator fleet for either race. Long Bay Sailing Club in Myrtle Beach traditionally holds a two-race Hangover Regatta in Little River Inlet
starting at 11 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The Charleston Ocean Racing Association also kicks off their winter season with an annual Hangover Race on Jan. 1, followed by a four-race Frostbite Series in January and February. A fleet of Lasers began a Frostbite series in early December that continues every other weekend through February hosted by the Lake Norman Yacht Club. E-mail MikeMergenthaler@cs.com. LNYC will start the year with its 21st Annual Ice Bucket Invitational on Jan.1. The race serves as the Lake Norman Championship for J-Boats, Ensigns, MC Scows, San Juans, Ultimate 20, Highlanders and Flying Scots. For larger PHRF boats, a six-race Icicle Series organized by the Lake Norman Keelboat Council begins Jan. 7 and runs through March, pitting LNYC skippers against those from Outrigger Yacht Club and Peninsula Yacht Club. The Carolina Sailing Club’s Winter Series began in November on Jordan Lake in North Carolina and continues on the first and third Sunday afternoons of each month through March. If the temperature is below 45 degrees and the wind is over 12 knots, racing will probably be cancelled - but not the postrace pot luck social. Check the club website at www.carolinasailingclub.org for details. Lake Townsend Yacht Club in Greensboro, N.C., kicked off its frostbite series the first Saturday in December with the Old Frosty Race and will continue with the Frigid Digit Race on Jan. 6, the Snow Flake Race on Feb. 3 and March Madness on March 3. Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 19
Mail Buoy – Your Letters
on Sailing in the Carolinas
Submit Letters by e-mail to Letters@ CarolinaCurrents.com. Please include your phone number, which we won’t publish. We may edit for space.
Our Greeting to your New Publication Thank you so much for this great new publication. I had been personally following the posts as they have been appearing in your online edition, and will continue to do so. However, I am sending you a subscription so we can have a hard copy of your publication. We lived (and sailed) in South Carolina until retirement in 1998 when we moved to Oriental, so it will be interesting for us to see what is happening in and around Lake Murray where we sailed for years as members of the Lake Murray Sailing Club, and to read reports from Charleston where we lived as well. What a great story by Will Haynie in your first issue, reporting on the “Dorade Connection.” We regard Carolina Currents as a new vessel recently launched and so appropriately named, therefore our greeting to your new publication is, “Fair winds, and following seas!” George Duffie, commodore, Sailing Club of Oriental, N.C. Port Royal and Beaufort, S.C. I just finished reading your article in the November/December issue of Carolina Currents titled “A Tale of Two Beaus.” I was disappointed that you did not mention Port Royal Landing Marina, 2.5 miles south of the Downtown Marina with room for about 20 visiting boaters. … Our website is www.portroyallandingmarina.com. Dona Butler, dockmaster, Port Royal Landing Marina, S.C. Thanks for writing; we are saving Port Royal for a separate future Current Destination story. If we’d have included you with Beaufort, S.C., we would have had to include the Morehead City marinas with Beaufort, N.C. We simply didn’t have space to do that. Rob Lucey, editor and publisher
Long-Distance Subscriber Please accept my check for a subscription. I found your magazine online and enjoyed it. Jimmy D. Gray, Longview, Texas. Keep Up the Good Work I like the magazine. Keep up the good work. People have been bringing your magazine to my yard and showing me your first issue. They are all impressed with your work. Keith Scott, The Sailboat Company, Richlands, N.C. 20 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
Wind Slackens in Boat Show Sails By Rob Lucey
RALEIGH, N.C. - Sailors will see fewer masts towering over this year’s winter boat shows in Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C. “Crazy” Dave Condon of American Marine and Sail Supply in Zebulon, N.C., said in early December that he planned to anchor the sailing section of the Carolina Power & Sail Show in Raleigh again with his Hunter, Catalina and Precision lines, but did not expect to attend the Charlotte show this year. Carolina Winds from Washington, N.C., is down a partner and remaining partner Capt. David Norwood has opted to attend a show in Florida. Upcoming Shows • Atlanta Boat Show, Jan. 10-14, Georgia World Congress Center (mixed power and sail) • 44th Annual Columbia Boat Show, Jan. 18-21, State Fair Grounds (all powerboats) • Grand Strand Boat Show, Jan. 19-21, Myrtle Beach, S.C. (mostly powerboats) • 27th Annual Charleston Boat Show, Jan. 26-28, Charleston Area Convention Center and Coliseum (all powerboats) • Mid-Atlantic Boat Show, Feb. 7-11, Charlotte Convention Center (mixed
power and sail) • Carolina Power & Sail Boat Show, Feb. 16-18, N.C. State Fairgrounds, Raleigh (mixed) • Central Carolina Boat Show, Feb. 23-25, Greensboro, N.C. (mostly fishing boats) • Fifth Annual Savannah International Boat Show, March 30-April 1, Savannah International Trade and Conv. Center, Ga. • S.C. In-Water Boat Show, April 26-29, Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina
“We’re kind of having an identity crisis with sailboats this year,” admits show organizer Les Gray of Southeast Productions. “The amount of product for sailors is pretty slim.” Still, anyone looking for pocket sailors, trailerables or entrylevel vessels should find plenty of options. American Sail Inc.’s David Stanton of Charleston will be showing his Daysailers, Aqua Cat and Aqua Finn models - all great entry level boats - at both shows as well as Atlanta. For owners of larger yachts, Stanton will also show The Dinks, his popular line of rowing and sailing tenders. Sail & Ski Connection of Myrtle Beach, will again show their Hobie Cats. Keith Scott of The Sailboat Company in Richlands, N.C., will be bringing the The Saiboat Company will bring Com-pac Yachts to the Raleigh show new 16’6” ComPac Legacy to the Raleigh show, but is also opting out of Charlotte. “At one time the Raleigh show was full of sailboats www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Club Corner Club Celebrates Golden Anniversary on the Neuse inside and outside,” recalls the 20-year show veteran. “Now we’re a big minority.” The decline in sailboats at the inland shows may be attributable to manufacturers concentrating on larger models, which are difficult to display in out-of-water venues. Plus many dealers say they now sell more small boats on-line than in shows. Others link the decline to a general softening in the entry-level sailing market due to fewer learn-to-sail programs and less promotion by sailing organizations. Show goers who want to learn the ropes will find a few sailing clubs represented, even at shows with a strong powerboat tilt, such as the Grand Strand Boat Show. Sailing schools like Oriental’s School of Sailing, Ocean Sailing Academy and Sea School of Charleston will also attend the Raleigh and Charlotte shows. One small boat loaded with big boat features returning to the Raleigh show is the MacGregor 26M. Scotts Yachts will again bring one to the Raleigh show, but they will miss Charlotte this year due to a scheduling conflict. “A 26-foot trailerable boat is a big boat. A lot of people will never get one any larger than that,” says Will Scott, who has operated his Wilmington-based dealership with wife Sandy for three decades. “For many years, until Hunter started building a 25, ours was the biggest sailboat at the show in Raleigh.” For those looking for a larger selection of cruising or racing vessels, the best options are to run to the Atlanta Boat Show or wait for the April in-water shows in Savannah (“the greatest nautical event of the year”) and Charleston (“the largest in-water boat show between Annapolis and West Palm Beach”). Details next issue! The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
By Dave Corbett Photos by Mike McCulley
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HERRY POINT, N.C. - Maybe it wasn’t as historic as, say, Armstrong stepping on the moon, but a notable event nonetheless. Hancock Yacht Club, the oldest continuing private club at Marine Corp Air Station Cherry Point, held its 50th Anniversary party on Oct. 29. Led and largely organized by past Commodore Ted Goetz, the occasion kicked off with a boat parade, which herded itself together on the Neuse, then proceeded into Hancock Creek to be reviewed by onlookers crowding the marina’s docks. Decked out in “dress ship” fashion, everything from kayaks to 40-foot sail and powerboats participated. What made this event special was that many of the vessels had “Wounded Warriors” at the helm. Eight recuperating wounded Marines from the naval hospital at Camp Lejeune were included in all the proceedings. The parade a success, it was time to feast. Members volunteered as galley slaves to feed the 200-plus guests with lobster, shrimp and side dishes provided by members. The day wrapped up with the installation of new officers, the recognition of past members who took the time to gather for the celebration, and most importantly the wounded Marines were singled out for a
standing ovation. The 50th Anniversary demonstrated the club’s ability to throw a party. Colorful Calypso in the parade
EDITOR’S NOTE: We are looking for news from sailing and yacht clubs in the Carolinas. Are you hosting an open regatta? Has your club upgraded facilities, launched a membership drive, or hosted a charity fundraiser? Have you elected new officers or planned a public boating class? Send the information to Info@CarolinaCurrents.com. We’ll fit as much as we can in our next print edition and put the rest online in our Club Corner Dept. Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 21
to the Past
Naval Stores
By Elizabeth D. Knotts
The Industry that Built the Tar Heel State
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The industry is remembered by a few in the spring. Eventually, methods evolved hen early mariners sailed into the people who collect resin to preserve the to use tin resin collection containers hung Carolina colony, one of the reold methods and in museum exhibits: on the trees, much as maple tree sap is col- • The Rankin Museum of American Heritage, sources that most impressed them was the lected to distill into maple syrup and sugar. 131 W. Church St., Ellerbe, N.C., has one of trees. Ancient live oaks and other hardthe last turpentine stills in the state. “You can still see old trees in many woods were harvested to build ships, but it • The N.C. Museum of Forestry, 415 South places today that are scarred from being was the vast longleaf pine forests that had Madison St., Whiteville, N.C., includes boxed,” says Harry Warren, director of the the most enduring impact. boxed trees from the naval stores era and North Carolina Museum of Forestry in The pines were sought as much for the second copper still. their sap - or resin - as their strong timber. downtown Whitesville, N.C. These scars are • The N.C. Museum of History, 5 East Edenton St., Raleigh, N.C., includes a Naval known as “cat faces.” The resin was collected and boiled Stores exhibit with a longleaf pine tree Pine resin formed down into tar used trunk showing two “cat faces” cut for resin the foundation of to coat lines and extraction. a huge naval stores rigging to slow Henry Mintz boxes a longleaf pine The destructive methods of the turpenindustry born along decay aboard mertiners eventually killed trees and left others the Chowan River in chant and naval vulnerable to storms and fires. As wooden the late 17th century. vessels. Even hulls vessels gave way to metal hulls and sail It spread south along were coated with the coast. Prior to the power was replaced by steam, the importar as an anti-foulRevolution, the colony tance of pitch and tar waned. ing coat. Boiled Longleaf pine remained among the shipped more than down further, it most sought after timbers. Its slow growth 100,000 barrels of tar became pitch used created lumber of great strength that was and pitch annually to to caulk between shipped all over the world as giant squared England. planks and patch timbers for bridges, factories, wharves and “Pines were as leaks. railroad beds. important to the Turpentine, At the peak of the logging in the 1890s English Navy as the formed by distilland the first decade of the 1900s, North Middle East oil fields ing the resin, was Carolina’s longleaf pine forests provided are to us today,” Warren says. used for soap and lamp fuel. Rosin - a turmillions of board feet of timber each year. Hundreds of ships from all over the pentining byproduct - was used on decks But what once had world anchored in for traction, forming an antiskid surface. A 19th Century been thought to be Wilmington and Initially, tar was collected from naval stores facility the “limitless” virgin Charleston to load abundant deadwood in the virgin forests. forests were essentially barrels of naval Logs were stacked, covered with earth and gone by the 1920s. slowly burned in these tar kilns or “tarkils.” stores produced as The lumber and far inland as currentThe heat released resin from the logs that turpentine industries day Fayetteville. ran down a pipe or ditch under the pile moved to Georgia, Naval stores and was collected in pits or barrels. Florida and even Texas remained the top Later, resin was collected directly from in the 1940s to exploit remaining stands industry in North Carolina, even earning live trees with a technique called “boxing.” The harvesters stripped bark off of trees its citizens their once derogatory nickname, of longleafs. “By the 1980s the naval stores industry was virtually forgotten,” Warren Tar Heels, sometime before the Civil War. in the winter and a notch was cut in the says. “People didn’t know why they were During the war, however, cotton overtook wood to catch the gummy resin running called Tar Heels.” naval stores as the top industry. down the tree when the sap began to flow 22 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Cruising Through Equinox Arrives in Style Story and photos by Rob Lucey
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n the early ‘80s, Bob and Kitty Bennett thought it might be fun to build a boat. They tested the idea by building a 12-foot planked dinghy and enjoyed sailing it with their then-teenaged sons, so they decided to proceed with a larger vessel. Initially, the Bennetts consulted with a contemporary boat designer. He realized that they had more traditional tastes and pointed them toward L. Francis Hershoff ’s book “Sensible Cruising Designs,” singling out his 1947 Nereia design, named for one of Neptune’s daughters. “It’s a perfect boat for two people,” Kitty says. The couple rented a space behind a business in St. Petersburg and expected to finish the project in a couple of years. Starting from the keel up (“We collected tire weights for a year,” Kitty recalls) in 1985, they built Equinox over nearly two decades, launching her in 2000, finishing her rig and sailing her for the first time in 2002, and moving aboard to begin cruising fulltime in May 2005. In mid-November they sailed into Oriental and secured the eye-catching result of their labors in a slip to weather a storm while they flew down to Florida to enjoy Thanksgiving with their two grandchildren. During construction, they salvaged and refurbished many of the parts that went into the vessel - from the New Zealand pine spars abandoned behind a rigging Equinox’s traditional lines
Corian countertop for their galley from a Bob and Kitty cabinetmaker’s shop next to their conon deck struction site, and nabbed a load of deck teak leftover from construction of a larger vessel at a boatyard where Bob took a day job between stints as a police officer and teacher. Most of their gear is traditional, including the fixed brass bilge pump, wooden blocks, air horn mounted on the mizzenmast, kerosene stove and heater. Modern conveniences include a KISS wind generator, radar, a GPS, Sirius satellite radio, an Engel refrigerator and a Simrad Tiller Pilot named Sinbad. While the hull and decks are wood, the Bennetts chose fiberglass to mold the cockpit, which is tiny by modern standards. shop to bronze portals picked up at flea “That’s one of the things we liked about markets - but they still gave up on tallying this design,” Bob says, explaining that small the construction costs after a few years. cockpits hold less water when waves break “It was too depressing,” Bob admits. over the low decks. It also doubles as a While Hershoff ’s book provided basic bathtub while cruising and a beer cooler plans, the Bennetts designed the cozy during the equinox parties they held at interior themselves and made numerous their old marina. “It fits 10 bags of ice and additions and modifications throughout. 10 cases of beer,” Kitty reports. One alteration came when Bob decided For philosophical reasons they’ve to extend the cabin aft by two feet, which chosen not to put lifelines around the deck. meant that the steps had to spiral around Instead they have sturdy grab rails and the forward part of the engine compartrepurpose mooring lines as jacklines while ment, which necessitated replacing the underway. traditional rectangular companionway The couple, now in their mid-50s, hatch with a custom circular design that have cut their ties to shore to enjoy the rotates open, which allowed him to add a fruits of their labor fulltime, although short pilothouse. “Boat designs are so tight that if you The nav station make one change you end up having to make several more,” Bob observes. The boatbuilding couple scored a
A cool place to hide a refrigerator
The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
Desk prism and instruments
Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 23
Cruising Through - Equinox/contd. Kitty returned to her newspaper career briefly during the mid-term elections to replenish the cruising kitty, doing research for the New York Times’ Washington, D.C., bureau with Equinox docked in the Potomac River. Since they began cruising, the couple has crossed through the Okeechobee waterway and sailed up the Atlantic Coast, through the Dismal Swamp Canal and Chesapeake, continuing as far as Massachusetts. They’ve seen two other Nereias along the way, including a pretty sister ship in Deltaville, Va.
s/v Equinox Built - St. Petersburg, Fla., 19852002 Design - L. Francis Hershoff “Nereia” Length on Deck - 36’ Beam - 11’ Weight - 12 tons Rig - Ketch Engine - Yanmar 27 hp Tankage - 50 gallons fuel, 60 gallons water Construction - Cypress strip plank over yellow pine frame Spars - Kauri pine Deck - Teak “I just love the people in the Carolinas,” Kitty reports. “We should have built the boat here.” “People really look out for you, and there are so many great anchorages,” Bob concurs. Apart from continuing south for the winter, they are keeping their future cruising plans flexible. “When we started building the boat, we didn’t know if we’d love to sail,” Kitty admits. “We’ve since learned to love it.” Left: the mast-mounted horn
24 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
New Products
Cool Boat Stuff By Gadget Girl
Marine Wi-Fi Bridge
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s the wi-fi connection at your marina marginal? Or perhaps you’d like to connect to the Internet while at anchor. Either way, the built-in wi-fi card in your computer may not pull in a strong enough signal to enable you to connect, particularly when you’re below decks. For these situations, the Marine Wireless Bridge from Port Networks is worth considering. This waterproof box has both a transmitter and omnidirectional antenna which look for any available wireless networks. A single data/power cable then leads to a small power module inside your boat. This is connected via a standard ethernet cable to your computer. Both 110volt and 12-volt models are available. We tested the MWB-200 (above) and found it boosted signals that did not even register using a standard laptop wi-fi card/antenna system. Connection was straight-forward and, since the unit comes pre-configured for use, it connected to the strongest signal automatically right out of the box. With this unit, your computer doesn’t need its own wi-fi adapter or any special hardware or software. The MWB200 is compatible with both 802.11b and 802.11g access points, so it will work almost anywhere wi-fi is available, at up to 54 megabits per second. Compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems, costs range from $349 for the 110-volt system to $379 for the 12-volt unit.
For fixed locations (such as marinas) the MWB-220 includes the same receiver, but has a built-in 90-degree directional antenna. Custom install kits with a separate 9dB fiberglass antenna are available. Prices include a standard 25-foot network cable; add $20 for a 50-foot cable.To order, visit www.portnetworks.com or call 877-4PN-WIFI (877-476-9434).
Emergency Desalination System on a Budget During an emergency situation at sea, SeaPack makes a survival drink from any available water supply - salt water, brackish water, even muddy water. SeaPack works on the principle of forward osmosis. It uses a sugar/nutrient solution to create osmotic pressure and draw the water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane filter. No hand pumping or electrical power is needed. The conversion process takes around four to six hours, depending on temperature. It is small enough to fit in a liferaft canister or in an emergency ditch bag and costs $100 per pack. Sealed in a waterproof pouch, the pack includes syrup charges for producing 2.5 liters of drink. Additional syrup packs cost $30. The syrup packs have a three year shelf-life. For more information, visit www. sea-pack.com.
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Mystery Marker Identify this Marker and Win!
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o you recognize this channel marker? If so, you can win a
prize. The first five people to properly identify this marker will win a free personal boating website for six months, courtesy of our contest sponsor, BoatTales.com. Simply email the following to Info@CarolinaCurrents.com: • The name of the channel that the marker marks. • Describe the location of the marker or give its coordinates. • Describe a significant detail
Identify the location of this marker and win a BoatTales website for six months
about the location, such as where the channel leads, a hazard in the area or some significant landmark nearby, or tell us about some personal sailing experience in the area around the marker. • Include your name, the name and make of your boat, preferred e-mail and phone number.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The red “40” marker from our Nov/Dec issue is located at ICW mile marker 480, St. John’s Island, just south of Charleston, S.C. near 32° 47’ N, 80° 07’W. Capt. Martin Feuer of York Harbor Maine was the only reader to identify it.
Cool Boat Stuff/contd.
Abaco Gold The Maravilla Connection David C. Corbett’s novel “Abaco Gold - The Maravilla Connection” throws salty exMarine pilot Jake Bottom into a hunt for a 350-year-old Spanish treasure galleon with Jennifer Brewer, the beautiful sister of a brotherin-arms who is sadistically slain protecting the map to the treasure. The pair joins forces with Jake’s smuggling friend Mike Flynn in their efforts to recover the gold and jewels while fending off a murderous Columbian drug lord and his henchmen. It’s a page-turning tale enriched by Corbett’s intimate familiarity with the Bahamas and their denizens. The ample sailing scenes woven into the plot add a further pleasure for boaters. After retiring from the Marines in 1990, Corbett spent 13 winters cruising in the Bahamas aboard a 41-foot sloop, spending summers most recently in The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
Minnesota. Readers may remember his contributions to Carolina Cruising and Coastal Cruising magazine in the early 90s. After being boatless the past few years, he’s finally come to his senses and returned to North Carolina and bought a new sailboat. Hunt down a copy online or e-mail David directly at tallyho@ec.rr.com for a discount autographed copy. Dog Ear Publishing, copyright 2005, 260 pgs. plus a 12-page glossary for nonsailors. ISBN 1-59858-072-8.
Adventure on the High Sea!
11. Setting out from the United Kingdom for “a year or two,” they endured seasickness, survived a hurricane in the Canary Islands, and their cat escaped a crocodile in Africa. They crossed the Atlantic in 19 days to reach the Caribbean. After island-hopping up to Antigua, they continued north to Bermuda. Initially the plan had been to then return to England. But after seeing the tall ships setting off for the U.S.A.’s Bicentennial celebrations, the family decided to follow them and instead of heading east they turned west. Arriving in Maine (the only state they had a chart for) on July 4, 1976, the family finally settled in the Carolinas. Susan now keeps a sailboat on Lake Norman, N.C. She wrote the book for her own children who are also avid sailors. Available at www.xlibris.com. and other bookstores. ISBN 1-4257-2064-6.
Susan Barry Blair’s book for readers age 8 to 13 narrates her family’s sailing adventures that began when she was Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 25
Emily Coast
Submit Letters to Emily by e-mail to EmilyCoast@CarolinaCurrents.com.
Ship-shape Advice from the Etiquette Queen
New Owner Seeks Tipping Tips Ahoy Ms. Coast, We recently purchased an Island Packet and sailed into a dilemma when we reached our new slip. This is our first large sailboat, so we were a bit nervous. But the dockhand talked us in and the docking went smoothly with him helping to take our lines. That led to our dilemma. Should we tip dockhands at marinas? Signed, Seeking Tips
G
entle Reader,
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In this age of so many levels of service, confusion reigns on the gratuity front. Even such once clear situations as tipping restaurant waiters grow murky. Of course wait staff at sit down restaurants should be rewarded for prompt, courteous service. But what do you do when you order at the counter and the waiter brings the food out to you? What about a buffet meal when a waiter brings your beverage and keeps it topped up? On the other extreme, you must be vigilant these days to check if a gratuity has already been added to your bill in order to avoid tipping twice - although you are always free to leave additional money if exceptional service merits more than a restaurant’s automatic gratuity. Marinas, however, are more like hotels or gas stations. There, too, norms have evolved over the decades. Once it was customary to tip maids for services rendered during one’s stay at a hotel. Now, maids go about their jobs in a nearly invisible manner. Doormen, bellhops and the concierge also earned tips for providing help hailing taxies, carrying luggage and making reservations for restaurants.
$
26 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
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Since the advent of motels, many travelers have never seen doormen or bellhops outside of movies. Rest assured, they still exist in upscale resorts and big city hotels, and it is still appropriate to reward these employees when you do encounter them and require their services. Similarly, it is appropriate to offer a tip to a marina dockmaster or dockhand who provides exceptional services such as driving you to a market, assisting in tracking down a spare part, helping to carry
a Tip s i n Whe opriate? r App
groceries back to your boat or making a restaurant reservation for you. Gas stations have also altered in the modern age. Full-service stations were once the norm. Today, having even a single fullservice lane is a rarity. For those with long memories, a stop at the gas station once included an attendant (often in a uniform) cleaning your windows, checking fluid levels and providing directions to wherever you were trying to get - all with a friendly smile on his face. Alas, no more. Fuel docks, however, do retain a higher level of service in many places. It is not unusual for a dockhand to assist with your lines when you approach a fuel dock. Most
will stand ready to offer an absorbent pad for any stray drips. Some will even step aboard to fill your tank, saving you from suffering the odor of diesel on your hands for the remainder of the day. We prefer to handle the fueling ourselves, since we use a baja-type filter at our deck fill cap and must monitor the tank level from below decks. When you do receive superior service reminiscent of the gas stations of yore, do not hesitate to slip a dollar or three to the person who provided it. This is particularly appreciated in developing countries such as some Caribbean islands where a marina job is high-end employment and a dollar tip goes a long way. As you stray from your homeport, you may also notice an intriguing phenomenon we’ve noted during our travels. In some marinas and fuel docks, the speed, quality and amount of service is proportionate to one’s LOA. A 100-foot megayacht will quickly attract a flock of attentive attendants while an aged 25-foot sloop is lucky to get good instructions on the VHF. In fact, the larger boat might require greater assistance than the smaller one, but we suspect that savvy workers are following the best prospect for a larger gratuity. If yours is a well-maintained Island Packet, we expect that you will be well looked after in most marinas. Finally, this is an appropriate time of year to consider the year-end gratuity. Just as you might remember a paperboy or other service provider during the holidays, slipping a small gift to a dockhand or dockmaster who has looked after you attentively all year would be appreciated.
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-Emily www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Casting About Rudow’s Guide Shares Fishing Tips and Hotspots
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U-boats in World War II. All hold fish.” e sailors enjoy pulling on lines, By marking these positions in your but usually our efforts are geared charts, you’ll know where to drop a hook toward achieving that elusive perfect sail trim. But when it comes to fishing lines, we next time you’re sailing offshore, in the coastal bays or inlets. Even if you aren’t often could use some advice. near a specific hotspot, Rudow recomThat’s why we were glad to find a helpmends trolling a line in the water while ful new book, Rudow’s Guide to Fishing sailing and keeping an eye out for such feathe Mid Atlantic, full of tips on how and tures as the ubiquitous where to catch fish. Rudow describes patches of weed: Author Lenny “Weedlines are sort Rudow is known as North Carolina as Boating Magazine’s unquestionably one of of a mix between solid structure and structure “Ultimate Angler” the true world-class created by changes in and a contributor to the water. Weeds are many fishing magafishing hotspots. solid, of course, zines, so he is well but the masses they form qualified to give we sailing sorts a few tips change and shift conon hotspots and techniques. The first third stantly. … wahoo of his latest book provides specific “whereto-fish” advice for New York to North Car- will pop up under olina, but South Carolina boaters should also benefit from subsequent two-thirds in which Rudow explores specific game fish and tactics for catching them. Rudow describes North Carolina as unquestionably one of the “true world-class fishing hotspots.” them “Between the winter bluefin tuna and from stripers, spring yellowfin tuna, summer time to mahi-mahi and billfish, and fall wahoo time, but and yellowfin, coastal Carolina is visited by anglers of all types throughout the year,” he mahi-mahi are without question writes. “You should be one of them.” the most numerous He gives GPS coordinates for dozens predators found under of fishing locations and describes what can virtually every weedline be expected at each of them. Many include that circulates through the wrecks in North Carolina’s Graveyard of Mid Atlantic region. the Atlantic. “When you encounter a “There are wrecks all over the place, weedline, don’t zig-zag across it some created during storms, some from our you’ll just load up your baits hapless ships that ran aground on the with weeds. Instead, parallel it and cross shoals, and many that were torpedoed by
“
The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
”
By Geoff Bowlin
only when you spot a clear opening. Look for solid items bobbing about in the weeds - tree branches, planks and the like - which tend to concentrate fish in the area. And make sure that each and every bait or lure you have in the water remains weed-free. Weed stuck on the hook is the kiss of death, and even a 1-inch chunk of weed is enough to keep the fish from striking.” How to catch everything from trout to tuna is covered in a detailed, comprehensive fashion. The third section of the book focuses in on rigging, tackle and tactics, and describes both common and advanced angling techniques. Salty sailors will enjoy learning such “must-know knots” as the Palomar and Spider Hitch. Whether you want to try drifting the bay for flounder, wreck fishing for sea bass, or trolling for marlin, Rudow’s Guide will point the way. And Rudow offers his personal guarantee: “If this book doesn’t help you catch more fish, I’ll eat my bait.”
Rudow’s Guide to Fishing the Mid Atlantic, Geared Up Publications, soft cover, 265 pages, $19.95, www.geareduppublications.com or call (800) 536-4670. Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 27
Marketplace
Brokerage, Marine Business & Classifieds
Say you saw it in Carolina Currents!
Website: www.tritonyachts.com
Tel: 252-249-2210
E-mail: sales@tritonyachts.com Opti
Dealers for:
Located at Sailcraft Marina, Oriental, N.C.
POWER & TRAWLERS 43’ 40’ 36’ 36’ 30’ 28’ 25’ 25’ 24’ 18’
Hatteras Heritage Nova Blackfin Prairie Sea Ray Cape Dory Trawler Mako Suncatcher LX Bayliner 2452 Chris Craft
‘79 ‘91 ‘88 ‘81 ‘94 ‘89 ‘98 ‘05 ‘02 ‘64
SAIL $139,000 $185,000 $125,000 $109,900 $47,500 $68,000 $35,500 $18,500 $33,000 $16,500
40’ Heritage Nova East 1991 Clean, Spacious Trawler With Many Extras. Asking $185,000
41’ 41’ 40’ 38’ 38’ 36’ 36’ 36’ 35’ 35’ 34’ 34’
Columbia ‘74 Morgan Aft Cockpit ‘68 Passport ‘82 Cabo Rico ‘81 Morgan 383 ‘83 C&C ‘79 CS ‘86 Tiburon ‘76 Gemini ‘96 Bristol ‘76 Pacific Seacraft Crealoch ‘87 Pearson ‘86
$32,000 $49,000 $154,000 $74,500 $57,500 $34,900 $46,500 $30,000 $115,000 $39,500 $104,900 $41,500
40’ Passport 1982 World Class Offshore Cruiser, Exc. Condition. Asking $154,000
34’ 33’ 32’ 32’ 32’ 30’ 30’ 30’ 30’ 28’ 28’ 28’ 26’ 26’ 25’ 25’ 25’ 23’
Rival Freedom C&C 32 Ericson Hunter 320 Catalina Catalina C30 J-30 Pearson Cape Dory Catalina Tiara S2 Mac Gregor Seafarer B-Boat Catalina Catalina Seaward
‘76 ‘82 ‘80 ‘86 ‘01 ‘89 ‘86 ‘81 ‘72 ‘82 ‘91 ‘80 ‘01 ‘77 ‘91 ‘86 ‘84 ‘95
$32,000 $35,000 $29,500 $42,000 $71,500 $33,500 $27,900 $22,900 $11,900 $22,900 $29,900 $11,000 $21,000 $6,500 $17,900 $9,500 $8,500 $19,900
Boat storage, service & transportation at our boatyard on Midyette St., Oriental, N.C. Tel: 252-249-2001
Broker s!
Advertise your listings here. Call 252-671-2654 Special rates in our Marketplace section Web site ads & classifieds available too See our media kit at www.CarolinaCurrents.com
Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor, Inc.
Selected brokerage listings:
43 Irwin Center Cockpit ‘87......
$107,900
36 Bayfield Cutter ‘88..........
$89,900
P.O. Box 357 • Oriental, N.C. 28571 28 Beneteau First 285 ‘88
$23,900
42 Endeavour Center Ckpt ‘87
$140,000
36 C&C ‘81...............................
$55,900
28 Ericcson Shoal Drft. ‘88
$24,900
42 Hunter Passage ‘95...............
$159,900
35 Bristol 35.5 ‘79.................
$68,500
28 Mariner ‘80.......................
$22,900
41 Morgan Out Island ‘81........
$53,700
35 Wauquiez Pretorien ‘85
$89,000
28 O’Day ‘84..........................
$19,900
40 Gardner Sea Witch ‘71.........
$19,900
33 Cape Dory ‘83 & ‘81........
$59,900
28 Pearson ‘84......................
$13,900
40 Hunter 40.5 ‘97......................
$109,000
33 Rhodes Swiftsure ‘59....
$10,900
27 C&C ‘72.............................
$6,000
40 Linssen 40SE ‘88 (Pwr.).......
$164,900
32 Endeavour ‘82.................
$24,900
27 O’Day ‘77..........................
$6,000
37 Fisher Pilot House ‘75..........
$58,900
30 Hunter Cheribini ‘83.....
$17,900
27 Pacific SeaCraft ‘79.......
$32,900
37 Tayana ‘88................................
$117,900
30 Soverel MkIII ‘74.............
$8,900
24 Pacific Seacraft ‘96........
$69,900
• Slip sales • Slip rentals • Brokerage • Charters • Fuel • Ship store
Office: 252-249-0666 • Fax: 252-249-2222 • Cell: 252-670-3759 • email: wcyh@whittakercreek.com • www.whittakercreek.com 28 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
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Riverwinds
Say you saw it in Carolina Currents!
Oriental, NC Smith Creek
Julia & Bob McDonald PO Box 338 Arapahoe, NC 28510
Town House Style Condos & Private Marina
Large 3-story plan w/ elevator and boat slip
Model Open Call (252) 249-3010
www.OrientalRiverWinds.com Spectacular Bird’s Eye Views … Priceless Sunsets!
also available…
Cedar Peg Log Homes Cedar at pine prices www.cedarpeg.com
Dealerships available
McGraphics Assoc. Property Management
Phone 252-249-2601 Mobile 252-617-9228 Fax 252-249-6562
Specializing in Absentee Owner Property Management
THE SAILBOAT COMPANY
CUSTOM SAILS BUILT IN BEAUFORT NC
CALL FOR A QUOTE 800 533 3082
www.omarsail.com
Dealer for Com-Pac Yachts www.ipass.net/sailboat Johnnie Scott • Keith Scott • New Boats • Used Boats • Trailer Sales
• Sailing School • Sailing Software • Computer Racing
P.O. Box 575 Richlands NC 28574 (910) 324-4005 Mon.-Sat.
Classified Listings Sailboats Over 35 ft
41’ Morgan Out Island 1979, recent survey, A/C, refrigeration, opening ports and screens replaced. Radar, GPS $59,900. www.carolinawind.com (252) 946-4653
40’ Island Packet 1995 Cruising in extreme comfort and safety! There is no question that the expression “terrific cruising boats” refers to the Island Packet series of well built, exceptionally engineered and beautifully appointed yachts. Offered at $199,999. Matthews Point Yacht Sales (252)514-7995.
40’ Morgan Ketch 1970 Perkins 108 New hull & bottom paint. Charlie Morgan design is refitted & ready to cruise. New sails, everything upgraded. $48,500. McCotter’s Marina (252) 975-2174.
34’ Catalina 1990 (New listing) Tall rig, shoal draft, new Lectra-San. New teak/holly sole, sails & dodger/connector panel in ‘05 $59,700 www.carolinawind. com (252) 946-4653. 31’ Eastward Ho 1978 with lots of extras, $24,500, The Sailboat Company, (910) 324 4005.
36’ C&C 36 1981 Flag blue awlgrip hull, harken furling gear, dodger and matching bimini, new wood floor and central air system. $55,900. Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor (252) 249 0666.
30’ Catalina 1989 shoal draft, davits and dinghy, autopilot, GPS, diesel, price reduction $32,500 www.carolinawind. com (252) 946-4653.
Sailboats Under 35 ft
1978 Bristol 29.9 An adventuresome sailing craft which has plied the waters from Charleston to St. Michaels. Full keel, Yanmar engine, roller furling head sail, dinghy with engine. Great family boat. Asking $22,500. Call (919) 5422795 or email bsbsinclair@aol.com for photograph and boat specifications.
The North and South Carolina Sailor’s Magazine
2001 Hunter 320 Probably the most thought out and engineered boat on the market today, featuring roller furling on both main and jib. Superb cockpit layout with traveler on the arch for unencumbered seating for all; $69,900. Matthews Point Yacht Sales (252) 514-7995.
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27’ Com-Pac 1986 Very good condition with some nice modifications. $29,000, The Sailboat Company, (910) 324 4005.
34’ Pearson 1986 “Vagabond” Bill Shaw design with keel/centerboard, new roller furling, Yanmar diesel, dodger and A/C. Asking $41,500 Triton Yacht Sales, Oriental, NC www.tritonyachts. com (252)249-2210. Jan/Feb 2007 Carolina Currents 29
Say you saw it in Carolina Currents!
Dockage/Slips
30’ Catalina 1989 “Carpe Diem”, 23hp Universal diesel, self tailing winches, tall rig, 3’10” draft, propane stove, recent gel cell batteries, bimini, roller furling, A/C, dinghy, outboard included. Asking $33,500 Triton Yacht Sales, Oriental, NC www.tritonyachts.com (252)249-2210.
42’ Grand Banks 1973 Shouldn’t you or your boat have some claim to fame? This beautiful example of the Grand Banks 42 line has her own Grand claim to fame. ‘Southern Voyager’ is the very last Woodie in the venerable Grand Banks 42 line. $79,000. Matthews Point Yacht Sales (252) 514-7995.
33’ Grady White 330 Express 2003 Twin 225 4-stroke Yamahas warrantied to 2009. 4.2 KW diesel gen. Great electronics, TracVision Sat. TV. Like new inside and out. $186,500. McCotter’s Marina (252) 975-2174.
Dinghies
Bayside Marina at Hubs Rec Rd, Belhaven N.C. Newly renovated stateof-the-art deepwater dockage. Vast waterway, direct access to the ICW. Tiki bar, bath house, bait. (252)964-3550, cell (252)943-4175 or fax (252)964-3551.
Services The Sharpe Image The finest in Nautical and Yacht Racing Photography. Editorial, Stock, Commercial, Artistic, Event Coverage and Personal. Photography of the Nautical, Sailing and Yacht Racing lifestyle. www.THESHARPEIMAGE.com (704) 655-7343.
Miscellaneous 28’ Cape Dory 1982 “Trachelle” Carl Alberg classic designed full keel. New Beta Marine diesel, fresh paint, recent upgrades and sails, bronze opening ports, lots of extras. Asking $22,900 Triton Yacht Sales, Oriental, NC www. tritonyachts.com (252)249-2210.
Powerboats
21’ Cape Island Trawler 2005 Almost new, with trailer and 50 hp Honda. $32,000, The Sailboat Co., (910) 324 4005.
42’ Grand Banks Trawler 1973 Twin 120 Lehman Diesels, 7.5 KW gen, two 16000 BTU reverse cycle heat & air units. She’s been kept under cover most of her life. Looks great and is ready to go. A beautiful boat. $89,500. McCotter’s Marina (252) 975-2174.
40’ Linssen 40SE 1988 Double cabin/flying bridge. $164,900. Whittaker Creek Yacht Harbor (252) 249 0666.
Let businesses know you saw their ad here!
CLASSIFIEDS ORDERING INFORMATION
Sailboats >35’ Classifieds Sailboats 20’-35’ Categories Sailboats <20’
Ad Costs: (FREE for items under $175)
Powerboats Dinghies Boat Gear
Caribe inflatables We offer great prices! From 8 foot to 20 foot in length, without a motor or with a motor package. C9X and UB17 in stock and ready for inspection. Sailcraft Service, Oriental N.C. (252) 249-0522.
Boat Gear Edson pedestal steering, 20”wheel with elkhide cover, transmission and throttle controls, pull-pull steering system, stainless pedestal guard and navy wheel and pedestal cover $800; Edson single leaf teak pedestal table, teak cup holder and connecting hardware for both $160; E.S. Ritchie binnacle mount compass $80. In Oriental until mid January. e-mail freewill@bellnet.ca.
Sails & Canvas Dockage/Slips Charter Boats
Consignments Wanted: Museum quality ship models, model kits (complete or partly finished OK); used maritime history books, ship plans, maps, charts; Maritime art: original paintings, prints, collectibles; Nautical artifacts (compasses, ships clocks, dioramas, binnacles, barometers, chronometers, ships lights, lanterns, etc.).Founders of the Charleston Harbor Society; Member of Nautical Research Guild, Gallery rep for the American Society of Marine Artists. Contact: Bill Thomas-Moore, Ship Shapes Maritime Gallery, 56 1/2 Queen Street, Charleston, SC 29401, (843)3248792 or 805-5950 or E-mail: Shipsgallery@aol.com. FREE print ads for Items under $175 when sent by e-mail.
Real Estate Crew Help Wanted
Services Miscellaneous Wanted
• Print ads are $1 per word ($20 minimum) per issue. Add images for $25. • E-mail listings to Advertising@CarolinaCurrents.com with words • Add any listing to our Web edition for just $3 for one month or $5 for two and JPEG photos; include ‘classified’ in the subject line. months. Web ads will be posted online when the next print edition is • Add a $3 typing fee for ads sent by mail or phoned in. distributed unless you request them to be posted upon submission. • Pay by check/money order to Carolina Currents, or securely • For a limited time and subject to available space, private party text ads for online to our Paypal account Rob@carolinacurrents.com To boat gear under $175 are FREE in our print edition if you e-mail the text to place (remember to let us know which ad the payment is for). us. Limit 60 words total/two items per reader per issue. (You can still add your an ad: • Payment is required before processing. ad online for just $3 for one month or $5 for two months.) Tell your friends! • Carolina Currents is published bi-monthly. Print ad deadline is • Web Ads Only: If you prefer to reach only our online readers, you can place a the 25th of second month preceding cover date (e.g. Jan. 25 for one-month Classified Web ad for $5 for the first 50 words, $1 per additional March/April). Payment due by ad deadline. 20 words. Add JPEG photos for $1 apiece. Extend the duration of any Web ad • Cancellations cannot be accepted once ad processed. Send payment to: for $3 per month. (A 50-word ad running all year costs $38 or $40 with two PO Box 1090, Oriental NC 28571 photos.) Web ads can include one hotlink and must be e-mailed to us.
30 Carolina Currents Jan/Feb 2007
www.CarolinaCurrents.com
SAILCRAFT SERVICE A Full Service Boatyard - DIY Also Welcome New 55,000 lb Travelift Located 1.75 miles from ICW marker 180 in Oriental, NC
FULL SERVICE FROM OUR FRIENDLY STAFF: • Custom Carpentry & Refinishing • Hauling • Peeling & Blister Repair • Mechanical Installation & Repair • Enclosed Spray Booth • Engine, Transmission & Generator • Beneteau Service Center Overhaul & Repower • Wet & Dry Storage • Complete Rigging & Repair • Metal Fabrication • Crane Service • Welding • 70-ft Bucket Crane CERTIFIED DEALERS/ INSTALLERS FOR: • Raymarine • Beta Marine • Volvo • Nex Gen • Onan
• • • •
Caribe Inflatables Westerbeke Universal Norpro
( 2 5 2) 249-0522
• VHF Channel 16 s a ilcraftservice@coastalnet.com www.sailcraftservice.com Alan Arnfast • PO Box 99 • Oriental, NC 28571 • Est. 1978
FULL FACILITIES FOR DIY CRUISERS: • Wireless Internet • Showers & Laundry • Picnic Area
SPECIAL OFFER: FREE Rigging Inspection when you mention this coupon from Carolina Currents