Blue Water Sailing Fall 2020 by Blue Water Sailing

BLUE WATER

fall 2020

SAILING POCKET CRUISERS ON PARADE LADIES WEEK IN BELIZE HURRICANES IN 2020 SAILS FOR A CIRCUMNAVIGATION

BLUEWATER 56

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{ CONTENTS }

32 Sail Tips

New Sails Built for a Circumnavigation

When you are planning for a serious offshore journey, make sure your sails are built to fulfill your needs and your sailing style by Brian Hancock

FALL 2020

14 Biewenga Offshore

Hurricanes in 2020: One for the Record Books

The numbers aren’t all in yet, but we have had an unusually high number of named storms in the North Atlantic this year by Bill Biewenga

40 32 Fitting Out

What Worked, What Didn’t...After 13 Years

Having sailed from Newport, RI to Cape Town, South Africa via Panama and the Cape of Good Hope, they really know what works aboard a voyaging boat and what doesn’t. Here’s Rebecca’s annual report for BWS by Rebecca Childress

28 22 Charter Chatter

Ladies Week in Belize

The beautiful islands off the Central American coast provide a magical backdrop for a Caribbean charter by Erik Westgard

Cover: After a successful trip to the masthead-midAtlantic aboard the Hanse 505 Maverick Drew Augustine proves there is nothing to it 4

46 32 Fitting Out

Pocket Cruisers on Parade 6 Captain’s Log 8 Blue Water Dispatches 52 Classifieds

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Fall 2020

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{ CAPTAIN’SLOG }

BLUE WATER

Cruising in the Time of Covid SAILING THIS FALL WE ARE SEEING, AS PREDICTED, A SHARP increase in cases of Covid-19. There has been promising news about vaccines and that gives one hope for the future. But, for most of us, the safety of a vaccine is still many months away as those in the most health peril receive them first. So, what does that mean for cruisers? With all of the fall rallies to the Caribbean and Mexico cancelled, save the intrepid Salty Dawg Fall Rally to Antigua and the Bahamas, many sailors who had planned to take a winter off to sail in warm climes are left aground at home. The Bahamas is now open to cruisers, under strict health regulations, so the close-by island nation will be an attractive alternative for sailors on the East and Gulf Coasts. No doubt there will be a bumper crop of cruisers in George Town, Exumas this winter. Florida will also be a haven for cruisers who want to get away from the cold and you can expect marinas from Jacksonville to Key West and around on the west coast to be jammed all winter. If ever there was a year to subscribe to Active Captain, this is probably it. Mexico is still a favorite destination for West Coast Cruisers and even though the Baja HaHa did not run, many dozens of cruisers sailed south on their own and dealt with the quarantine and social distancing issues they met there. Staying on top of health restrictions and new outbreaks of the virus in Mexico will be a constant winter project for those who made the leap. The BVI opens up for charters on December 1, so there is still a chance to get away and cruise the Caribbean without bringing your own boat. The charter companies are going to great lengths to make traveling, provisioning and sailing as safe and virus free as possible. Check out their websites for more information. Many of our cruising friends have decided to take the winter off from cruising and are either hauling their boats or securing them in well protected marinas for the winter. Because messing about in boats is what the cruising life is all about, I am confident most of these friends will undertake projects large and small on their idled boats We’re cruising in the time of Covid and that’s the stark reality. But, we don’t have to give up on the lifestyle and there is always this winter to plan for new adventures down the road when the pandemic is in our wake.

photo by Bill Kund

Volume 25, Fall Blue Water Sailing, LLC 747 Aquidneck Avenue, Suite 201 Middletown, Rhode Island 02842 - USA phone: 401.847.7612 • fax: 401.845.8580 web: www.bwsailing.com

Editorial Editor & Publisher George Day george@bwsailing.com Editors-at-Large John Neal Amanda Swan Neal Contributing Editors Bill Biewenga, Patrick Childress, Rebecca Childress,

Advertising Sales/Production Art Director 401-847-7612

Sandy Parks sandy@bwsailing.com

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Circulation Subscriptions and back issues are available at www.zinio.com Published quarterly. One year: $18. For questions about your subscription email the publisher. george@bwsailing.com Blue Water Sailing is copyrighted 2020. All rights reserved. Blue Water Sailing is published quarterly by Day Communications, Inc. 747 Aquidneck Ave. Middletown, RI 02842 ISSN#1091-1979

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{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES } November 15, 2020 – Catalina Yachts today issued the following statement:

Catalina Yachts Announces Loss of CEO Frank W. Butler

It is with great sadness that we announce that Frank Willis Butler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catalina Yachts, passed away November 15, 2020 in Westlake Village, CA, due to unexpected complications from a recent illness. We extend our most heartfelt condolences and sympathy to Frank’s family. Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult time. A sailing icon and industry “kingspoke”, Frank Butler has introduced hundreds of thousands of people to sailing during his lifetime. Those of us who have been fortunate enough to know and work with Frank have lost a dear friend and an inspiring mentor. Frank leaves behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Catalina Yachts.

BLUE WATER SAILING

UNBROKEN Although we have been burdened, our wanderlust spirits cannot be broken. With new sanitization and safety measures in place, and better days on the horizon, we invite you to return to pure bliss paradise and make new memories with the ones that matter most.

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{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES } *** Born in California in 1928, Frank’s line of popular sailboats put more than 85,000 Catalinas on the water throughout the yachting world. His boatbuilding career began in 1962, when he contracted with a Southern California builder for a 21’ daysailer. The builder was unable to finish the boat, and gave Butler the tooling. He completed building the boat himself, found he enjoyed the process, and agreed to take over the company. A few years later he founded Catalina Yachts, which has grown to become the largest builder of fiberglass production sailboats in the United States, a position it holds to this day. A key to Butler’s success in the sailboat industry was his attention to Catalina customers. Handling warranty issues himself, owners were nearly always surprised and reassured to get a personal call from Frank

to discuss their concerns. Butler was inducted into the National Sailing Hall of Fame in 2013. In recognition of his support of the Congressional Cup, a world match racing event, Long Beach Yacht Club awarded him the Crimson Blazer. He was also a founder and lifelong member of the Westlake Yacht Club in Westlake, CA. Following his graduation from Glendale High School, he served in the US Navy. He met his wife, Jean, at a school dance; they recently celebrated their 71st anniversary. Frank is survived by Jean, their four daughters, Deborah Reese, Mary Linn, Nancy Bear, and Karen Butler; three sons, David, Robert and Steve; 20 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Awakening the joy of sailing for so many people in past generations, Frank Butler’s sailing legacy will certainly continue well into in future generations. BWS

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{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES }

Vendee Globe Underway Round the World

ON NOVEMBER 7, THE 2020 EDITION of the Vendee Globe Race started from the French port La Sables dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Olonne in Normandy. Thirty three solo skippers steered the high tech racing machines out into the Bay of Biscay in calm and clear weather. Among the fleet were two of the favorites, Jean Le Cam aboard his IMOCA 60 Yes We Cam and Alex Thompson aboard Hugo Boss. Both skippers are racing in their fifth Vendee and both are highly ranked to win the race for the first time. Also, among the 33 are six women, all of who are veteran singlehanded sailors with many thousands of miles under their keels.

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{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES }

The boats Le Cam and Thompson are sailing are emblematic of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fleet. Le Cam is sailing an older boat with a canting keel and daggerboards and it is the same boat he sailed in the previous Vendee. Thompson is sailing a brand-new, high-tech foiling boat that uses its foils to raise the hull above the water and thereby reduces resistant and enhances top speeds. The 25,000-mile, non-stop singlehanded race will take the fleet around the world and will be a test of both skippers and their amazing sailing machines. The route takes them down the Atlantic to the Cape of Good Hope, then east through the Southern Ocean beneath Australia and New Zealand to the next turning mark at Cape Horn. From there, they turn north again into the Atlantic and sprint for home. The record for the Vendee is 74 days. This year, Thompson is aiming to beat the record by up to five days if his foiler proves to be both as fast as it seems to be and durable enough to survive this grueling event. Right after the start, the fleet split in two with Thompson, Le Cam and several others heading west into better breeze while the rest of the fleet stuck to the rhumbline and headed south.

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{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES }

With a fast moving cold front hitting the fleet on the third day, those to the west got the breeze first and could engage the building wind at a better angle of sail, propelling them ahead of the rest and into a sizable lead. Being able to read weather patterns in this race will be the difference between winning and losing. Two day later as the leaders were approaching the Canary Islands, tropical storm Theta made

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an appearance by turning east and motoring right into the fleet’s path. With winds between 40 and 50 knots, the boats accelerated southward at an incredible pace, often sailing through the huge waves at 20 to 25 knots. By the end of the sixth day, Thompson was out in the lead by a good measure, his foiler proving to be extremely fast. But, right behind him was the 61-year-old Le Cam. On the evening fleet call-in to race headquarters, Thompson praised le Cam and his old-fashion boat, saying “Jean Le Cam is unbelievable. Unbelievable.” In the aftermath of Theta, Japanese skipper Kojiro Shiraishi reported that his mainsail had torn from luff to leech and he would have to slow down to try to make repairs, which is no small task with synthetic racing sails. Not long after, the fleet entered the trade winds as they passed the Cape Verde Islands, French skipper Nicolas Troussel lost his mast and became the first of the 33 starters to withdraw. Certainly, there will be more. The attrition rate in the

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Vendee is always high. Hugo Boss led the fleet through the tradewinds, opening a gap of 100 miles over the second boat, and then sailed into the doldrums where he slowed and saw the fleet behind him start to close the gap again. On the 11th day out, Thompson sailed over the equator on a course close to the coast of Brazil and by the 12th day, 10 more skippers had crossed the line into the South Atlantic. Due to the light winds at the start and the two storms, Thompson did not break the Vendee record for the first leg from France to the equator but his boat is fast and he is vastly experienced. Plus, he has Le Cam and nine others breathing down his neck and over the next 60 days, until about February 5th, the fleet will be sailing hard

in some of the toughest oceans on the planet. While, the actual fleet is racing around the actual world, there is another virtual fleet that is sailing with them online. An astonishing 500,000 people around the world signed up to sail the virtual race and are checking their positions, their courses, sail trim and weather forecasts several times a day. Those who stick with it and play the race actively, will do well while occasional skippers will trail behind. Imagine leading a fleet of half a million sailors. Equally amazing would be to be last. The Vendee Globe is one of the greatest sporting and adventure tests of men and women in the world and one of the few in which men and women can compete on a level playing field. While the race is predominantly a French and English event, with a smattering of other nationalities, it remains a world class race and the winner, whether it be Thompson, Le Cam or someone else, will have achieved something truly great. BWS You can follow the Vendee Globe in English here. https://www.vendeeglobe.org/en

{ CRUISINGDISPATCHES }

LAST WEEKEND WE WERE

Eight Bells for Linda Knowles

saddened to receive a call from Hank George, President of the Board of Directors for the Salty Dawg Sailing Association, that Linda Knowles had passed away on Saturday morning from a heart attack. Linda was a co-founder of the SDSA with her husband Bill Knowles and was still active on the board as its vice president. Long time live-aboards and active cruisers, Bill and Linda spent their retirement years aboard their Jeanneau 54 Sapphire sailing from the East Coast to the BVI every fall and then back to their home in Bristol, RI each spring. After they founded the Salty Dawg Fall and Spring Rallies, they would sail in company

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with as many 100 other boats on these offshore passages. They had a mooring in Soper’s Hole, Tortola, and spent their winters with many local friends around them. The rallies and the SDSA are very much a product of Linda’s passion for the cruising life and her dedication to the essential values that most cruisers share. She and Bill mentored many skippers who were setting out on their first blue water passages and encouraged new sailors to crew for experienced captains to gain offshore experience. The rallies were always designed to be inexpensive, informal and fun. But they also were intended to educate sailors in seamanship, safety, communications and more through annual seminars in Annapolis and Hampton, VA where the fall rallies start. One novel element of each SDSA rally is the absence of a formal starting line and starting

Fall 2020

time. In the spirit of self-reliance embraced by veteran offshore cruising skippers, ralliers are provided with in-depth weather forecasts from Chris Parker and then each skipper makes his or her own determination on when to depart. Linda’s smiling face, quick laugh and sharp brain will be missed by many hundreds of sailors who knew her and sailed in the rallies she and Bill founded. She was a dear friend and we offer Bill our condolences and best wishes. Fair winds, Linda. BWS

{ BILLBIEWENGA }

Hurricanes in 2020: One for the Record Books The numbers arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t all in yet, but we have had an unusually high number of named storms in the North Atlantic this year

{ OFFSHORE }

WITH SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES IN THE North Atlantic Ocean the fourth warmest on record, hurricane season certainly isn’t a joke this year, and it won’t be next year either. Whether onshore or offshore, hurricanes are not to be taken lightly. It’s true enough that our weather forecasting techniques have improved significantly since some of the record-keeping started in 1850. Communications now enable us to spread the word far and wide. People are more aware of the importance of taking early precautions, especially following Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, and those precautions may have played a significant role in saving lives in years past. Is the noticeable rise in hurricane activity a trend? A look at the number of named

storms in the Atlantic gives us a quick insight into the numbers, even if it is inconclusive about any kind of slowly rising possible “trend”. (See: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/climo/#ncy) It’s not inconceivable that those numbers in the 1800’s may have missed a few mid-ocean storms. In any case, it doesn’t currently look like 2020 will replicate 2005’s 28 named storms, 15 hurricanes, or 8 major hurricanes, although as I write this article, we already have logged 21 named storms, and the year is far from over. Getting bogged down in those kinds of numbers doesn’t quite do the weather systems justice however. Putting hurricane realities into perspective, it should be mentioned that the weakest level of hurricane has 74-95 mph winds. The strongest is in excess of 157 mph, and when Hurricane Irma hit Key West, it was reportedly as a Category 3 storm (out of 5 categories). Putting these things in practical terms, in 95 mph winds the wind strength prevents people from walking upright. Who would want to? With lawn furniture and BBQ grills flying through the air on shore, the upright person would present a larger target for a multitude of lethal missiles unleashed by the wind! Offshore, a person trying to walk upright could easily be blown overboard. Crawling becomes an option. It’s not a great one! A stunning fact, however, is that in many places, it’s the water that accompanies a hurricane that creates the most devastation. If “knowledge is power”, knowing a bit about hurricanes can help us avoid – or at least prepare for – the worst of it. HOW HURRICANES FORM Weather is a complex operation with a wide range of variables. Tropical low-pressure systems, as an example, are quite different from extra-tropical lows – lows that are predominant in areas outside of the tropics. Hurricanes often start out as tropical waves, becoming tropical depressions, lows, and storms if conditions are suitable for development. A variety of criteria must be met in order to progress from tropical storm to hurricane strength. During the initial stages of a tropical low23

pressure system, there will be a disturbed area with clusters of thunderstorms. In the Atlantic, for example, the clusters could be along a tropical wave that originates in northwest Africa or along an old cold front that can occur anywhere from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to the Bahamas into the Gulf of Mexico. As the tropical wave develops into a tropical depression, the thunderstorms organize, and an area of surface low pressure forms. The thunderstorms converge towards the center of lower pressure. In the Northern Hemisphere, the thunderstorms spiral in a counter-clockwise direction. In the Southern Hemisphere, the thunderstorms spiral in a clockwise direction. When sustained winds are less than 35 mph, the tropical low is classified as a tropical depression. In order for the tropical depression to continue to develop and become a tropical storm, the inflow of thunderstorms and warm humid air must increase. The pressure continues to fall, and sustained wind speeds must exceed 35 mph. At that point, in the North Atlantic, a tropical storm is named. Although naming protocols vary in other parts of the world, in the N. Atlantic and both the Eastern and Central North Pacific, each storm is named alphabetically beginning with “A” for the first storm of the new calendar year. In the Western North Pacific, the alphabet is not restarted at the beginning of the new year. Rather, the alphabetical process proceeds through “Z” and restarts at “A” without regard to calendar years. Additionally, some parts of the world refer to these types of storms as “tropical cyclones.” With cloud and warm, humid air inflows continuing to build, the center barometric pressure continues to drop. An “eye” is likely to form at the center of the low-pressure system. In order to continue storm development into hurricane strength, sea temperatures need to be at least 81 degrees Fahrenheit. Tropical systems become classified as hurricanes when sustained winds 24

reach 74 mph. Warm water provides the energy that fuels the convective system. The warmer the water, the more energy is available for hurricane strength to develop. The moist air and clouds in the vicinity of the system allow for efficient transmission of that energy. And the lack of wind shear aloft, allow the convective system to develop fully, reaching higher altitudes and colder temperatures aloft. Because there are various elements that go into building the strength of a tropical depression, storm or hurricane, if any of these critical elements are removed, the systems can lose some or all of their strength. As a hurricane goes over land, for example, it loses its primary source of energy – the warm ocean. Warm air is often replaced by cooler air at the system’s lower altitudes. Additionally, the increased friction over the surface of land slows the inflow of energy into the convective system. Dry air is introduced, instead of the moister air of the ocean, so fewer clouds are created. And strong wind shear aloft from wind currents such as the jet stream will tear the vertical structure of the storm apart. Although tropical storms have been recorded in the North Atlantic in every month of the year, and hurricanes have only been absent during the month of April, the primary months for tropicals are during the late summer. That is when the water is the warmest and wind shear at its minimum. (See: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ climo/images/peakofseason.gif ) HURRICANE TRACKING BY MONTHS Where hurricanes tend to form in the North Atlantic and how they tend to track, however, vary somewhat with the month. (See: “Climatological Areas of Origin and Typical Hurricane Tracks by Month” http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ climo/#ncy.) These are general trends, however, and not at all forecast routes. Each tropical will take on its own characteristics of development and track.

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Hurricane tracks in the North Atlantic: June Considered early in the North Atlantic hurricane season, June tropical storms and hurricanes frequently form in the Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico. Their tracks generally take them into the Gulf States or across Florida and up the North American East Coast as they recurve towards Europe. Hurricane tracks in the North Atlantic: July Still somewhat early for the North Atlantic hurricane season, July tropical storms more frequently begin their formation a bit further to the east than the June storms. Tracks often take the tropicals into the Gulf States or northerly along the North American East Coast before they recurve toward Europe. Hurricane tracks in the North Atlantic: August With the peak of hurricane season approaching and the water temperatures of the tropical North Atlantic continuing to rise, August tropical storms and hurricanes form further to the east. They can form as far east as 40 degrees W. latitude or more. With the eastern formation, the hurricanes have more time to recurve back toward Europe without making landfall in North America. Hurricane tracks in the North Atlantic: September September is the peak month for hurricane formation in the North Atlantic. Water temperatures are among the warmest of the year. There is relatively little wind shear present compared to other times of year, and clouds are plentiful. The hurricanes often begin as tropical waves undulating their way off the northwestern coast of Africa. Formation can take place as far east as 30 degrees W. latitude, giving the tropicals a great deal of distance to develop and/or begin a recurve toward Europe prior to Fall 2020

reaching the Islands of the Caribbean or North American continent. (see: http://www.nhc.noaa. gov/climo/#ncy near top of page.) Hurricane tracks in the North Atlantic: October As temperatures begin to cool the water in the tropical North Atlantic, hurricanes and tropical storms tend to again form somewhat further to the west or in the southern parts of the Caribbean. This is not meant to imply that they are less dangerous or potentially less destructive. Merely it is meant to say that, climatologically, their main areas of formation and frequency are changing. Hurricane tracks in the North Atlantic: November Early November is often considered the “end” of hurricane season. Offshore, vessels and captains departing the North Atlantic bound for the Caribbean often feel that the danger of tropicals or hurricanes is past. It isn’t. Remember that the only month in recorded history that doesn’t have a hurricane in the North Atlantic is April – and that month has had a tropical storm recorded as recently as 2003! With North Atlantic water temperatures continuing to drop in November, storm formation occurs more often in the Caribbean. Late season hurricanes tend to have somewhat erratic paths. Or, perhaps, another way of looking at it is that, with relatively little data from past late season tropical storms, their paths tend to be somewhat more difficult to predict. The hurricane that formed near Jamaica and went “backwards” into the trade winds al 25

{ BILLBIEWENGA }

most 20 years ago, going over the British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten’s, and Antigua from the west towards the east, was a late season hurricane. Their tracks are difficult to predict and planning should take that into account. STORM SURGES Tracks are not the only aspect to a hurricane that is difficult to predict. Storm surges – the water that is pushed in front of the storm – are also difficult. The storm surge during the hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900 was 15 ½ feet high. The storm surge that hit New England in 1938 was quite a bit higher. They can reach 15 to 20 feet or more. And, if the tide is high at the time, the additional height can overwhelm bridges, docks and other coastal structures, including houses, a fact that has not been lost on western Florida in past years. Following the storm surge, which may only last six hours more or less, depending on the speed and timing of the system, rains will penetrate far inland, causing severe flooding and adding further reaching damage. Like the wind blowing BBQ appliances or shutters through the air, the storm surge and subsequent flooding can push boats, vehicles and other larger objects into bridge abutments or other structures. BE PREPARED Planning needs to include the removal of all objects that can be carried by the severe winds, and anything portable should be move to high ground. Of course, storm procedures are far more extensive than that. Vessels caught offshore need to take evasive action, getting out of the leading right-hand quadrant – the most destructive sector of the approaching hurricane. All loose gear and anything that provides unnecessary windage must be taken off the deck. All gear below must be stowed properly, keeping in mind that the vessel may be rolled upside down in extreme seas. Batteries should be fully charged. Crew must be fed and rested, and food, tools 26

and emergency equipment must be both secure and immediately at hand. Knowing in advance when these preparations are required and when they aren’t provides a significant ability to manage both risk and costs resulting from potential damage. Having been there myself, I write with some conviction. Preparation is not “hysteria”; it’s prudent action taken beforehand to mitigate an undesirable outcome. Be prepared. Weather forecasting became significantly more accurate in the mid- to late-1990’s with the increased availability of remotely sensed weather data combined with increasingly accurate weather forecast models. Satellites now circle the globe, providing relatively accurate wind speeds and directions and other observations in near-real-time. Utilizing a number of models and a wide variety of data resources, the NWS’ National Hurricane Center provides a good baseline of current hurricane information on its site, located at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/. Weather forecast models have become increasingly accurate. However, having said that, they are far from perfect, hence we have disagreement between the various models. Still the best sources of information are provided by a “man-machine-mix”, combining the far-sighted analytical potential of super computers with the critical, subjective perspective of trained and experienced meteorologists. There is a wide range of computer-generated weather models from which to choose, and comparing off-the-shelf models with each other, one can quickly see vast discrepancies. Far better accuracy is generally achieved in the near term when a trained meteorologist “adjusts” the modeling results tempered by experience. The NWS’ Ocean Prediction Center at https://ocean.weather.gov/Atl_tab.php provides man-machine analyses and forecasts for the North Atlantic and North Pacific. Alternatively, private weather forecasting services such as Commanders’ Weather at http://www.commandersweather. com/ provide high quality, site specific forecasts anywhere in the world.

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When reviewing weather forecasts based on computer-generated files, you should be aware that GRIB files tend to smooth the data, severely under-estimating wind speeds. I’ve seen GRIB files indicate maximum wind speeds in a particular hurricane estimated to be 45 knots! By definition, I knew that winds would greatly exceed that figure. Meanwhile, buoy reports indicated 120 knot sustained wind speeds. GRIB files will NOT provide accurate wind speeds for an approaching tropical storm. On the “positive” side of the explanation, hurricanes are relatively small weather systems. The potentially destructive areas of a hurricane seldom measure more than 400 miles across. Given enough warning and reasonable mobility,

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vessels offshore can often sail around them – if they go the right way, and the predicted storm track is accurate. While offshore, I’ve seen them form overhead. I’ve watched them pass, several hundred miles away. And I’ve had one pass directly over the top of me – fortunately, from the cozy confines of home. Do yourself a favor: remain aware of the weather and avoid hurricanes entirely. They’re bad news when you’re caught inside their grip, and there’s no way to know how the remainder of this year will develop without paying attention to good forecasts. BWS Bill Biewenga has sailed more that 400,000 miles offshore and is often a navigator or weather guru for transoceanic sailors. He live on Cape Cod, MA.

LADIES WEEK IN BELIZE The beautiful islands off the Central American coast provide a magical backdrop for a Caribbean charter

by Erik Westgard

WE HAVE BEEN CHARTERING IN THE Med mostly, but large seas and gales in the late season reminded us of the merits of sun, sand and palm trees closer to home. New Moorings bases have been a sure thing for us and we decided on Belize. Getting to Belize City (BZE) was easy but there was one complication â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the base in 28

Placencia (pronounced more or less Pla Sen Sia) is a few hours from the airport. The local commuter aircraft were all single engine planes, which was for me a non-starter. You could rent a van, and the roads were reported to be decent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; we have done this in Greece- to take the crew to the base, store luggage and make trips to the store etc. The direct road is

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reported to be unpaved and possibly impassible, so we were advised to take the more indirect route via Belmopan. It is a two lane rural road with minimal shoulders, punctuated b y o v e rsized speed bumps and slow traffic. Avis did not have our van but the place next door cheerfully took care of us. There is an outstandMojo Cat was like a postcard. ing resort Bring your diver down flag. across the street from the base, Laru Beya. Don’t panic at the meal prices – the Belize dollar is two times the U.S. dollar. They were friendly to Moorings guests as this is the official hotel. My crew likes VRBO – house rentals – and there is a large house also across the street from the base so we partly ended up there. We made Laru Beya our headquarters and ate there four Marquesas: Tattoos Fall 2020

or more times. They are right on the beach and have an epic infinity pool. The boat was enormous. I asked for “four cabins” and a Moorings 4800 was what popped out of the computer. Med mooring this vessel would have been difficult in a tiny European harbor, but anchoring or picking up a mooring off a sandy island seemed reasonable. The harbor at the base was compact and I think I said aloud to one of the staff –“how about if you take us out and back in?” -that is actually the policy and seems sensible. You need to apply in advance for a sailing certificate but do not need a crew roster ahead of time. The chart briefing took an hour and half. There are large numbers of islands, most are lunch stops. There are a handful of mooring balls left. Most were installed years ago but not properly maintained. We were advised to drop an anchor also at any mooring balls. Restaurants out in the cruising area are rare. There are about five or so. Navigation is just like in the Abacos. Bareboats stay behind the barrier reef by rule so there is no swell. There is a nice open sailing area near the coast and the interesting places are out on coral islands rising off the sea floor. There are no significant buoys or navigational aids that we saw. So, all navigation at a high level is by GPS waypoints. Except sometimes the GPS charts (and the paper charts and the books) may be inaccurate and out of date. If we went again, we would essentially base out of Placencia (well sheltered N and W) and then do day trips or overnights out into the islands. You have to notify the base and harbor patrol of any groundings and there are serious fines for reef damage. The chart book is Belize and Mexico’s Ca29

{ CHARTERCHATTER } The Laru Beya resort was over the top.

ribbean Coast by Captain Freya Raucher (3rd Edition). She has produced many sketch charts, which help you get around. The area reminds me of the BVIs many years ago when you had only the stern advice from Donald Street to guide you. After rounding up our crew we got the chart briefing at 9AM, had our extra provisions (we used the base system for most) loaded by 12:15 and got out of the base by 1:45. The base was selling frozen grouper. Probably the nearest overnight harbor was Lark Cay, or the anchorage right outside Placencia. I was struggling with the idea of a 45 minute unmarked harbor channel but we followed the eleven or so waypoints and made it out. We did get a warning to not worry if we saw a depth reading of zero near waypoint five. Lark Cay was easy to reach but I hunted around for something less than 50 or 60 feet 30

deep to anchor in. We nuzzled up to some mangroves and dropped all 200 feet of chain. Dual anchors are recommended in some/most ports but the secondary anchor with 120 feet of rode seemed pointless in 56 feet of water. We learned 200 feet of chain was more than would easily fit in the chain locker. We had the idea to go all the way to South Water Cay but the wind did not cooperate. They want you anchored by 3:30 in the winter. This is to allow for seeing shallow areas. So we diverted to Pelican Cay. There are two entrances but the shorter one has bad waypoints (reportedly a bit south) in the book so it is not allowed. I was baffled more than once but we made it up there and got the last of two mooring balls in the 60 foot deep harbor at 2:30. There is a laminated chart of which bays require two anchors or an anchor and a mooring ball. Dinner ashore was lovely

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and freshly caught. Justin and his wife and daughter were charming hosts and Hideaway Cay needs to go on the list of best beach bars ever. It turns out our boat knows the way as it apparently has arrived every week for five years. My crew loved the boat and it was superbly maintained. The idea of firing up the generator to make coffee seemed over the top but the blender, microwave, home style coffee pot and even a toaster were popular. Our volunteer chef loved the galley but was baffled when she had three possible serving venues – there is a forward dining nook also. There was a selection of spices and a glass measuring cup and even a whisk. We got back on course to South Water the next day. Partway up I realized the helpful

waypoints were missing from the GPS. We entered a few of our own. I was remembering questioning Justin –he said to use your eyes– it is either 60 feet deep or one foot deep. I cut the entrance a bit close and should have followed my rule which is to go in more at a 90- degree angle so we saw five feet under the keel for a moment. A bit later we got up the channel and needed to go directly to South Water from the Blue Ground Range. Our course took us over what the GPS plotter said was a breaking shoal. Going very slowly I decided to turn north to avoid that. The depth dropped ominously to a foot so I stopped and backed up. We had located a three foot shoal area. My crew said it looked fine on a direct path by eyeball and we got back on course. South Water is lovely. Right on the edge of

The pedestrian friendly sidewalk / main street Placencia.

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{ CHARTERCHATTER } We clung to paper charts for some reason

The mooring balls are in poor shape. 32

the reef you are perfectly protected from swells but have palm trees and snorkeling. We found a basic diver’s bar (IZE) and a four star dinner at Blue Marlin. Mo the chef is doing well in the Taste of Belize competition, and presented us excellent curry inspired lobster tails. Out on the reef at South Water, we were on the ragged edge of AT&T /BTL LTE cell coverage for weather and email updates. We were determined to do better on the return trip out of South Water. We triple checked the waypoints. About two thirds of the way back, we saw a reef and watched the depth drop– to 1.6 feet. This was just after passing over a notation on the GPS “drying shoal.” On the way down to Hatchett (now named Ray Key), I was informed we had a clogged head. A search of the toolbox onboard revealed the usual minimal supply of tools. I made a mental note earlier to heat seal the unwinding end of the 5/8 inch polypropylene dinghy painter. This was fairly stiff, once repaired, and made a serviceable toilet snake.

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We were on course for Ray Key in deep water at 7 knots when I was asked to make a lunch stop at Moho. Being late to harbors or buoy fields is never good. But there was no one here. Moho is pretty like a postcard and has clear water and lots of fish. We used the supplied Diver Down flag as motor boats were blazing by. Ray was reported to have a few mooring balls. Ours was sturdy (inch and half poly line). The place is pretty, and I botched the mooring ball approach but we got it aboard somehow. Our shore party brought back refilled water jugs and a weather forecast. Instead of an afternoon shower, there was a storm forecast for that night with winds up to 28 knots. We had a large boat and we were on a ball Rosa in Placencia was the real deal in Mayan crafts

behind a reef. I was ignoring the VHF as I was on vacation. Jean suggested some chain and an anchor also. I agreed but to not too much as I was not liking the idea of a tangle. The heat was oppressive so we put on the AC, set an anchor watch app and went to bed. The blow started at midnight and howled. The boat rocked a bit. At 4 am or so I heard a twang and then silence. I ran up to the saloon where Julie said her anchor watch alarm had gone off. I saw the buoy alongside. We were clearly on the move. I started the port engine, got 1500 rpms and dropped the rest of the chain. We passed a 40 foot depth then slowed. I asked for the generator to be shut down. The the port engine stalled. We seemed to be holding in seven feet with 200 feet of chain out.

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At 5:30 we had dawn and it was still blowing 34 knots. Behind us a bit off the port side was a breaking reef about 100 yards back. We put on harnesses and cast off the buoy painter– the remains of the buoy anchor line were around our port propeller. In my haste I had left the engine in gear vs neutral. I called The Moorings on VHF 74, who said they had another boat aground (apparently dragged the buoy ashore) and could send a chase boat in three hours. The nearby dive shop said it was too rough for them to help us. I dropped the backup anchor and left half a loop on the cleat so could watch if any line payed out. With 200 feet of chain in seven feet we were probably good. After a few hours, a local tour boat with two guys aboard showed up. The wind dropped to 26 knots. We tied them off astern and loaned one of them a better snorkel and a sharper knife; he cleared the shaft of line. I left him with a few hundred dollar bills and a thank you. Soon we had a choice, try to leave our precarious place or wait it out. The wind dropped a little. I decided against the advice of my first officer to get us out of there. As we got going forward the wind picked back up to 32 knots. I had a little power reserve still. A bit more forward the anchor windlass breaker tripped; it was under the galley sink and fortunately someone remembered where it was. As soon as the anchor was up I headed into the wind– and soon had 1.6 feet under the keel. A bit to starboard it got deeper. These are literally uncharted waters so how do you see water depth in waves, chop and flat light? You don’t. We worked our way back to one of the waypoints and back on course. We had been told that the common rail engines would overheat over 2220 rpms so we could manage maybe three knots. After a few more hours, 34

the wind died down. We got into another tricky area with waypoints and the depths would drop ominously. We were finally back to Placencia harbor, which was well sheltered. A few small cruise ships were around. We took the dinghy into the main docks, where we were charged a dollar or two by the friendly harbor office who had bottles of rum behind the counter. This was more like it. Down the tiny main street, we saw Rosa’s craft shop. Rosa is legitimately Mayan and her offerings are all homemade locally. Back in the harbor we swapped sea stories and enjoyed lovely Mexican in the next marina over. On the drive back we stopped at the “Blue Hole Park” and saw the amazing rain forest canopy far overhead. We decided Belize International had more customs officers on duty than Newark International; they clearly understand tourism. BWS

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PRO TIPS FOR CHARTERING IN BELIZE I would hire a skipper. The charts and GPS are dodgy and the reefs and shoals are not trivial. Listen on Channel 74. The Moorings does a weather forecast and it is customary to check in every day. The chocolate making tour is amazing. I was informed we need to find a Food Anthropologist like Dr. Lyra Spang for our crew. https://tastebelize.com/2014/12/feast-on-chocolate/ The local people are super nice and the food is good.

Water colors are a good indication of depth . Fall 2020

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NEW SAILS BUILT FOR A

CIRCUMNAVIGATION

When you are planning for a serious offshore journey, make sure your sails are built to fulfill your needs and your sailing style by Brian Hancock

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PARTS of buying new sails is asking the right questions, of yourself and your sailmaker and this is especially important if you are planning a long offshore voyage. A sail inventory for a circumnavigation will be very different from a sail inventory for day sailing both in terms of different sail configurations as well as sail engineering. If your sailmaker is not aware of your plans, then he or she will lack some very important information when it comes to recommending sails, fabric and engineering. First, ask yourself some questions. How good a sailor are you? Do you have the necessary skills to manage your sails when offshore especially when the wind pipes up unexpectedly and you 36

are caught with your pants down, so to speak. If you are young and fit and can deal with disasters on the fly then lighter sails might be fine, but if you are not, then the sails might need to be a little heavier with extra reinforcement. Are you, like me, always in a rush even when offshore? If so, then you might want to invest in some high-tech engineering that produces high performance sails. If you are in it for the long haul and would rather spend time at sea than on land, low tech is fine. Your sailmaker needs to know this in advance and he also needs to know if you are sailing shorthanded or with a crew. Discuss all of this before you start to discuss what sails you need and what to have them built out of.

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Dacron has been around for decades and has served sailors well. It’s a good option for many reasons. It’s affordable, easy to maintain and easy to repair. Same, too, with Nylon for downwind sails. If you have some of the necessary sail repair supplies aboard, you can repair the sails while at sea. If not, then more than likely all sailmakers in port will be able to fix a Dacron or Nylon sail. This may not be the case with something a bit more exotic like a membrane sail. Dacron, however, has some drawbacks. It stretches over time and the sail shape distorts. It’s relatively heavy when compared to some more modern options, like a laminate or membrane, and it’s bulky taking up more of the precious storage space down below. It was for these reasons that sailmakers and fabric makers came up with some better options, namely laminated fabrics. The basis of a laminate is a mylar substrate onto which different fibers are glued. The mylar, being extruded rather than woven, is there to support any off-thread-line (bias) stretch and is a more precise way to engineer fabric. They can also be used to make radial sails which means that you can place a heavier fabric in the high load areas, like the leech and foot, and a lighter fabric through the body of the sail. You end up with a sail that is lighter and a lot more stretch resistant than a Dacron sail. Laminates were a big jump forward in terms of sail engineering but they too had their drawbacks; the number one of course being able to delaminate, which was a problem when the fabric was first introduced. Advances in adhesives and laminating techniques have all but eliminated this issue, but it still does occasionally occur. The other problem was mildew. Water seeped between the layers and would cause discoloration but these days most modern laminates are treated with anti-mildew and anti-UV additives. Many cruising sailors are now opting for membrane sails. Membranes used to be the purview of racing sailors. They were light, expensive and only meant to last a couple of seasons. In the last few years all that has changed. Many sailmakers Fall 2020

are able to make membrane sails and if they do not have the ability they can buy membrane panels from a membrane factory and assemble the sails in their loft. Membranes are a very precise way of engineering a sail. There is a stringing machine that lays fibers along the anticipated load paths of the sail. Different fibers can be used in the same sail meaning that something exotic fibers like Carbon can be used in the high load areas and a less exotic (read less expensive) fiber like Twaron or Technora can be used in the body of the sail.

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One of the reasons membrane sails have come down in price is because the fabric and the sail is made at the same time. You don’t need to order in fabric from another country, build the sail and then ship the sail out. You just need the fibers and the stringing technology. You don’t even need a mold. Most membranes are strung as flat panels, vacuum bagged and then the panels are joined with the shape added at each seam. Membranes used to incorporate mylar but modern membranes are filmless. Mylar, as already described, is excellent for containing any bias stretch allowing the sail to maintain an excellent shape through a broad wind range. Unfortunately, mylar also has a downside. Have you ever taken a sheet of paper, scrunched it up, and then tried to lay it out flat again? You can never get it completely flat and that’s the same with mylar. Once the sail has been folded and scrunched it shrinks, imperceptibly at first, but over time the mylar will shrink and the sail shape will distort. Luckily, sail engineers have figured out how to precisely engineer a membrane sail so that they no longer need mylar. They call them filmless membranes. Why all this push toward lighter sails when Dacron seemed to work fine for many years? Lighter sails means less weight aloft. Less weight aloft means less heeling and pitching which over the course of a long offshore passage is fatiguing on the crew. Lighter sails are also more manageable and easier to set and trim and they take up less space below. There are a lot of considerations when choosing the right kind of sails for your own special sailing plans. I like to say that “you should measure the life of a sail by how long it holds its shape and not just by how long it holds together.” The other consideration depends on how much performance you are seeking and how it all balances out against your budget. To my mind, simplicity should govern your thinking when it comes to choosing a sail inventory for a long offshore passage. Luckily, the hardware manufacturers have made things a lot easier. Regular roller furling, line drive furling, in-boom and in-mast furling have all made managing your 38

sails easier. Again, this becomes a question of your sailing ability and age. By the time many of us have saved up and retired in order to chase our sailing dreams, we are no longer the agile spring chickens that we once used to be. An in-mast furling system may be the only way we can manage the mainsail but like all things mechanical, they can break down and I speak from experience. I once had to hand crank the main to reef it on a (very long) transatlantic crossing. If you opt for a conventional mainsail, three reefs is a must. The first two can be “normal” sized to allow you to balance the boat as the wind increases. I like the third reef to be deep and to serve as your trysail. I appreciate that this might get me into some trouble but I am not a fan of the trysail. Sailors are optimists and we all think that the wind is not going to increase but it often does and by the time we need a trysail it’s too late. Leaving the cockpit at that point to lower the main and set a trysail is a dangerous task. Of course, it all depends on your boat but I suspect most boats will sail better with a deep third reef. Headsail management is also key and luckily there have been big advances. Roller furling was originally pioneered for those who wanted to sail shorthanded but they have become very reliable and very commonplace and for good reason; there is no easier way to set and douse a headsail and this can all be carried out from the safety of the cockpit. I am not a huge fan of overlap and would recommend the working Genoa to be around 130135 percent, no larger. This way the sail will be flat enough for a foam luff to be effective. A foam luff is a dense foam sewn to the luff of the sail and runs from the tack to the head. When you reef the sail the foam bulks up especially toward the middle of the sail and with each addition turn on the furling unit the bulk serves to reduce some of the camber of the sail, flattening it, which is what you want in stronger winds. My optimal offshore rig configuration is a cutter rig with an inner forestay where you can set a staysail either hanked on (my preference),

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or on itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own furling unit. As the wind increases or decreases you can quickly and easily change gears by furling or unfurling these two sails to balance the boat. I like hanks because I want a place where I can set my storm jib where I know that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be secure no matter how much wind gets thrown my way. A storm jib is a must for any offshore passage and setting it, hanked on to the inner forestay is a solid option. It also brings the center of effort lower and closer to the center of the boat, which is desirable. I have a custom bag that sits permanently at the base of the inner forestay so that I can drop the staysail and zip it closed leaving it still attached to the inner-forestay. I know that much of a long offshore passage includes some very light wind sailing and many argue that a 150-percent genoa is really necessary. I argue back that it used to be but these days many boats carry a Code 0 instead. A Code 0 is a light, relatively flat sail that is set on a line-drive furler in front of the headstay either on a bow sprit (preferably) or tacked to the bow of the boat. You can set and douse the sail with a sock if you like but a line drive furler with an anti-torque cable installed in the luff of the sail makes it so much easier. The sail can be nylon and work effectively, but something like a light laminate will greatly extend the wind range. You should be able to carry it as close as 40 degrees apparent wind angle to down around 140 degrees depending on the amount of wind. More wind allows for deeper wind angles. I am still a fan of an asymmetrical spinnaker and I am even still a fan of the symmetrical spinnaker despite most sailors opting only for the asymmetrical Fall 2020

with the feeling that rigging the spinnaker pole is too much hassle. Downwind sailing with a spinnaker flying is one of the joys of offshore sailing. You can always lower it at night when there is more propensity for squalls, but no matter how much a Code 0 adds to your convenience, nothing beats nylon sail area for a good downwind romp. Much of offshore passagemaking takes advantage of the Trade Winds, those steady breezes that circulate around High Pressure systems. If you are able to hook onto a Trade Wind then I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s worth the time and effort of rigging the spinnaker pole and setting a symmetrical spinnaker. In perfect conditions you can fly the sail for days at a time and with a symmetrical spinnaker you can sail deeper downwind angles with more control over the sail. Nothing beats the wind at your back with the horizon curved like outstretched arms just waiting for you. These are broad generalizations. I am aware that there are many different boats with different rigs and deck layouts so you will have adapt. Discuss all options with your sailmaker and you will start off on your circumnavigation knowing that you are properly prepared. BWS Brian Hancock has made multiple circumnavigations and transoceanic passages. He is the president and chief sail designer at Great Circle Sails.

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What Worked & What Didn’t... After 13 years

THIS PAST YEAR, PATRICK AND I SPENT a lot of time preparing our Valiant 40 Brick House for our South Atlantic Crossing. South Africa is a stupendous place to do work on a boat, with accessible marine supplies and reasonably priced labor. We upgraded everything we could while here. GOST Security System The people of South Africa are wonderful, honest, generous people, but it’s also the crime capital of the world, and the world beyond South Africa is not becoming safer either. Instead of buying another toy security 40

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system that would end up in the junk drawer, we installed the GOST security system. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the Cadillac of security systems made specifically for boats, and we were not disappointed. We installed it ourselves, which I would not recommend...but once the system was finely tweaked, everything worked reliably, providing unprecedented protection while we were aboard, away from boat for the day, or across the border. Their new application tracks all aspects of the system from arming status to alarm zones, via cellular or satellite connectivity. There is NOTHING this system canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do!

products. I have always loved Predictwind Offshore on the iPad, but it has evolved into something easier and more accessible to the entire crew right at the chart table on our Raymarine Axiom Pro Chartplotter, through the Iridium GO. Many Raymarine Chartplotters support this, as well as a few other brands, after installing the latest firmware update. But even PredictWind Offshore on an iPad or computer, connected to an Iridium GO WiFi hotspot, is an amazing way to get weather updates once you are out of cellular/Wi-Fi range! Be sure to watch the video for more details on how.

Predictwind, Iridium GO & Raymarine Axiom Chartplotter We made an entire video on this great combination of communication/weather products that we improved on this year ( https://youtu. be/PKbgp9qvYfY ). Our passage around the great capes was very predictable and comfortable because of the reliability of these three

Cubic Mini Woodstove We were planning to go to Patagonia before Patrick passed away, so we installed several heat sources (What Really Happened to Patrick: https://youtu.be/PKbgp9qvYfY). One is the Cubic Mini and I have already gotten plenty of use from this little beauty right here in South Africa, and I will in the Mediterranean winters as well. Not only wood and

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{ FITTINGOUT } compressed logs burn efficiently, but also coal. The silent cozy heat warms you from the inside out. It’s so much nicer than a loud fan, or the stench of diesel or paraffin. This high quality little work of art has held up very well, and is so very easy to use. https://youtu.be/PuUYSUITc_A

lation in the boat could not have been easier and if something breaks I don’t have to throw away the entire battery since the components are easily serviced anywhere in the world. We did still have to consider upgrades to a few of our components, but all in all, it was very straightforward. The batteries charge quickly from very low to full, run down slowly, and are truly a “set it and forget it” upgrade, yet they are fully monitored with the Victron, below. (Watch for a video soon) Victron CCGX (Color Control GX)

Freedom Won Lithium Batteries We wanted to replace our Trojan T-105 lead acid batteries. I knew I didn’t want a “dropin” lithium solution that wouldn’t stand up, and I didn’t want a DIY setup because what if I missed an important part or concept in the installation? We chose South Africa based Freedom Won’s Lithium Ion Phosphate system (https://www.freedomwon. co.za/) because the price to do this upgrade in South Africa was more economical, and the company uses quality components - the same cells, battery management system (BMS) and materials as the DIY guys use, without me having to set it all up! South Africa suffers inadequate electrical production for the grid, which encourages innovative solutions and a deep competence in battery, solar and wind systems. That quality is easily demonstrated in the Freedom Won system. The final instal42

Freedom Won considers this battery monitor essential equipment for the 10 year warranty on its batteries. Not only does it track the cells’ state of charge (SOC from 10%-100%), along with the amperage and voltage, but it shows the highest and lowest voltage of the 8 cells. If all of the cells are not within a few thousandths of each other, you have been given an early warning of a problematic cell so that it can be addressed before it’s a bigger issue. The CCGX monitors the state of the batteries by the CAN bus of the batteries, rather than an external shunt like many monitors do, so it is much more accurate,

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reliable, and configurable. The screen on the CCGX is large and easy to read, so I can see it from almost anywhere on the boat. Even better, I can log in to the Victron App from anywhere in the world to visualize the status of my batteries and have much more information including historical graphs of the batteries performance. It’s all very visual and intuitive so anyone onboard can easily monitor energy usage, and battery health.

Balmar Alternator and Regulator This setup was something we had to give thought to when we upgraded the batteries. Lithium batteries will suck the life out of an alternator of any size, forcing it to work to maximum capacity for extended periods. The BMS protects your batteries, but you must take measures to protect the alternator. To do this, we upgraded from a 110 amp alternator to a 165 amp high-output alternator from Balmar, which included the very straightforward upgrade to manage the added load, from the standard alternator belt to a serpentine belt and appropriate pulleys that slip over the existing ones. CDI Electronics make the serpentine pulley and belt upgrade kit specific to the engine so everything just slips together in less than an hour. The installation of the alternator itself was a little tricky in that different wiring connections were required, but one call to Balmar and our questions were answered. We replaced the alternator regulator Fall 2020

with a Balmar Maxcharge 614, which was a model higher than we had. The package deal on all three items made the upgrade easily justifiable, and now we have a spare regulator. We have always had Balmar products, so we knew what we were getting, knew it was serviceable around the world, and above all extremely reliable and fault free. Full testing of the system, monitoring heat as well as amperage and voltage, showed the regulator controlling the alternator perfectly, even when the batteries were quite depleted. There are so many settings on this regulator that the protection of the alternator is guaranteed. There have been no issues at all - everything works as expected, and the batteries charge quickly and safely with this setup.

Manson Boss Anchor We love our aging Manson Supreme anchor; it just sticks the moment it hits bottom and never drags. But in a rather tight fit on the twin bow roller, next to our Supreme was an old rusty CQR. We needed to once and for all get rid of that untrusted farmers plow and find an effective anchor that could fit next to the Manson Supreme. The Manson Boss fit the bill, and fit the bow. We only used the Boss 8-9 days this year, but in every instance it was in very difficult conditions, and, like 43

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the Manson Supreme, it tenaciously grabbed and we stayed put. Manson Anchors are works of wonders by experts in New Zealand where quality and consistency is still valued.

Raymarine Autopilot We installed a Raymarine autopilot in 2006 that is oversized for our boat, and installed it with high quality oversized, watertight wires. It has never ever skipped a beat. We once found a corroded connection in our wiring which stopped the pilot, but aside from this, this thing just keeps on ticking. However, with remote lands on our horizon, we consulted with Raymarine about which part was most likely to be wearing out after 13 or 14 years of demanding use. Patrick and tech support agreed that the linear drive unit, with its motor, would be the most likely component to fail. So we purchased the drive unit and installed it. We put the new one in rather than wait for the old one to break, and stored the antique away as a backup. This unit, along with our Monitor Windvane, has been such a great team for so very long.

tion of this hybrid hot water heater was fairly standard and trouble free after the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fastest delivery, literally three days to the other side of the world! Our lithium batteries can heat the water, with 12 volts, in less than an hour or two, as well as on 120/240 shore

Torrid Marine Water Heater Our old water heater was on the edge of a leaking disaster, so we bit the bullet and got a new water heater from Torrid Marine. The installa44

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power, or excess engine heat, or energy diverted from wind, solar or other sources. The heat is retained for a long time due to the insulated, 304 stainless steel tank. It’s good to know that we won’t run out of hot water in cold places! Hypervent Marine We recently had Defender Industries in the USA, quite quickly and economically, send us out two rolls of Hypervent Marine material to put under our bunks and cushions to prevent condensation. Using heat in a cooler environment has certainly introduced moisture, and then mildew in to the tighter enclosed spaces due to the temperature differential. The woodstove dries things out, but all other forms of heat on the boat create condensation. Hypervent is a three-quarter-inch spun polymer bonded to a breathable fabric layer, installs very easily, and simply does what it’s supposed to do. It elevates the cushions off the surface, so warm air is able to circulate underneath, minimizing the conditions that create condensation. If condensation does occur, the Hypervent material allows the moisture to evaporate. Coppercoat/Propspeed After nearly one year, our Coppercoat and Propspeed have been cleaned about once every two months with a soft sponge or towel. There is some soft slimy growth, and there was one barnacle early on in a hard to reach Fall 2020

area, but no other growth. It’s so easy to clean that the divers here at RCYC in South Africa don’t even want to charge me the minimum fee. They are rarely down there for more than 15 minutes, where as other boats it seems to be for hours that they scrape away. I am so glad to not have to worry about this now, but will continue to regularly hire a diver every few months to wipe the bottom and prop down until we are in warmer water, and I can do it myself. Avon RIB Dinghy Our RIB continues to deteriorate. It has a slow leak and it needs to be pumped every few days when in use, and it deflates on deck during a passage. I may send it in to some professionals to see if they can find the leak and repair it. Or maybe after 13 years of hard use, it’s time to think about a replacement, or at least new tubes for it. BWS Rebecca Childress has been sailing around the world aboard Brick House for the last 14 years. Now in South Africa, she is recovering from the sad loss of her husband Patrick Childress from the coronavirus. Her plans are to continue cruising and to continue posting new videos on her YouTube channel Sailing Brick House. 45

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Pocket Cruisers As the average size continues to grow, seems almost the major builders cruisers in the low amazing thing pocket cruisers they of fer in comfortable H e r e ’s a l o o k cruisers that make a young family couples downsizing

Tartan 345 This review is excerpted from the original that ran in BWS in 2005. The Tartan brand is now under new ownership and management by the principles of Seattle Yachts, which was a Tartan dealer before they bought the company. The 3400, rebranded as the 345, remains a great small cruising boat that is perfect for a couple who wants to downsize from a larger boat or a young family just

on Parade of family cruising boats to the point that 54 feet average, it is great to see still offering family 30-foot range. And the about these modern is just how much sailing ability and accommodations. at six new pocket great starter boats for or good last boats for from a bigger boat

getting started. The brief for the 3400/345 was to create a boat that more than lives up to the Tartan name by providing her owners with a small cruiser that sails extremely well, makes few physical demands on the crew and makes the most of Tartan’s cutting edge boatbuilding technology. The hull Jackett created for the 3400 has a 30-foot waterline and almost 12 feet of beam which translates into a boat that has a lot of interior volume for it’s size. The bow sections have been given a slight Vshape to prevent slamming when sailing to windward in a chop while the stern sections carry the beam well aft, which enhances reaching and running power and overall boat speed. The rudder is positioned well aft where it will have the most leverage and has been designed to be a moder-

ate balanced spade that grips the water even when heeled over and provides the helmsman with a very sure, almost sports car feel on the wheel. The boat has three keel options to suit a wide range of sailing and cruising conditions. The standard deep fin, drawing six and a half feet, will maximize performance. For those who frequent sailing grounds with a lot of shallows – Southern New England, the Chesapeake, Florida’s West Coast, the Bahamas, etc. – Tartan offers two shoal draft options. The Tartan Beavertail keel draws just under five feet; a fin with a large ballasted tail (that looks like a beaver’s tail), the keel reduces draft while providing the efficiencies of a bulb keel that has a positive “endplate” effect. For those in really shoal areas, Tartan offers the tried-and-true keel/centerboard option that draws just under four feet with the board up and seven feet with the board down. Tartan has been building keel/ centerboard cruisers for 40 years and has the technology mastered. The interesting thing about the various keel options is that the keels are interchangeable. Move the boat from the Chesapeake to the Pacific Northwest and you can swap out the keel/centerboard for the deep fin. This versatility will appeal to sailors who have to move their cruising bases and will be a real boon for boats on the brokerage market later on. Read more here. https://www.bwsailing. com/tartan-3400-now345-revisited/

Seaward 32RK The Seaward 32RK was designed and for years built by Floridian Nick Hake. The design is now part of the Island Packet company which builds the Island Packet line of cruising boats as well as the Blue Jacket 40. The same craftsmen who build the IPYs and BJYs built the Seawards, too, so you know that traditional American yacht style and quality go into every boat. The 32RK has one signature design feature that makes it uniquely suitable for cruising in areas with a lot of shallow water and for sailors who want to trailer their boats. The RK in its name stands for “retracting keel” which enables you to lower the keel to whatever depth you want, within reason, and to raise it again when the water starts to get thin. A simple electric winch raises and lowers the keel. In its down position at a depth of six-foot, six-inches, the keel offers great stability as well as plenty of lift when sailing upwind. In the half-raised position, you will be able to enhance sailing performance downwind by reducing wetted surface. And in the up position the boat will remain stable but will be able to navigate in less than two feet of water. The rudder can be raised, too, to give it shoal draft.

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The 32RK has saucy lines with a traditional curvy sheer line, a plumb bow with a short bowsprit and a slightly forward raked transom. There is a swim platform aft that doubles as the mounting position for the outboard rudder. The cockpit is compact but spacious enough for six adults. With a single wheel, the helmsman still has access to the sheet winches on both sides and will have good visibility of the sails. With a small folding table you will be able to have meals and sundowners in the cockpit. Read more here https://www.bwsailing.com/seaward-32rkis-a-thin-water-cruiser/

Hanse 315 Designing a cruising boat in the 30-foot range is a special challenge for yacht designers. The builder and their customers want everything aboard that you would find on a 40-footer but without the extra size and cost. All cruising sailboats are the results of a com48

promise between performance, comfort and cost so the trick is to make a pocket cruiser not look like a compromise but like a proper little yacht instead. Not easy. But, in the Hanse 315, the designers and builders have come very close to that special outcome of making it look easy, right and having yacht-style. The hull has a plumb bow with an extended bow roller that doubles as a sprit for flying a gennaker. The sheer is flat and the cabin above it remarkably low considering the need for over six feet of headroom in the cabin. The stern is squared-off and a swim platform and ladder fold neatly out from there. The cockpit is large and has twin wheels so access to the stern platform is not impeded and sightlines from the helms forward will be unimpared. There is a small folding table with enough room for four to dine al fresco. There is plenty of storage in the locker under the port cockpit seat for fenders, dock lines, the gennaker and small water toys. The 315â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rig is pure Hanse with a big full battened mainsail with lazy jacks and a boom bag and a self tacking jib on a roller furling unit. Simplicity itself. For downwind sailing, when the jib is too small for real efficiency, a gennaker is the answer which can be flown from a snuffer so it is easy for one person to hoist and dowse. Down below, the 315 has much more interior space than you would expect and has just about everything you will need for a couple cruising with friends or with two children.

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The interior layout can be set up with three options for the forward cabin space. You can have a full size double V-berth as a guest cabin for adults. Or it can be set up as a kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s area with smaller bunks and an open play area. Or, you can have just one large single berth and storage. Read more here. h t t p s : / / w w w. b w s a i l i n g . c o m / h a n s e 315-pocket-cruiser-packs-a-punch/ Beneteau Oceanis 30.1 The new Oceanis 30.1 is the little sister to all of the boats in the Oceanis line but in particular it is most closely related to the 46.1 and 40.1. All three bear a strong nextgeneration family resemblance, with plumb bows, sawed-off transoms with large fold down swim platforms and a hard chine that runs the length of the hull. It is one thing for the designers and engineers at Beneteau to create cruising boats at 40 and 46 feet that have everything a couple or family needs for long vacations on the water or living aboard. But its something else all together to achieve this in a 30 footer. Yet, somehow, that is exactly what they have done. DESIGN BASICS The 30.1 has a hull that is just under 30 feet long and a beam that is just under 10 feet, although that beam runs all the way aft so there is a lot of space in the cockpit and in the after sections for living and storage space. Also, the hull has a flat under the water profile so there is not a lot of volume below the waterline and this is even more apparent since the hulls narrow quite a lot below the hard chines. This shape is fast and easily driven; it is the chine that adds volume and thus interior living space. Under the water, there are three keel options. Those who sail in deep water and want Fall 2020

to maximize sailing performance will go for the deep bulb keel; this will also add to stability and to keeping the boat upright and sailing fast with no one on the rail. For those who live in shoal cruising grounds, you can opt for the shallow keel version. And for those who want to trailer the boat, you can have it with a keel-centerboard that also lets you explore very shallow coves and anchorages. At 8,000 pounds, the 30.1 can be trailered behind a larger SUV or pickup truck. The cockpit uses the maximum beam well and feels spacious. You can have either a tiller to drive the twin rudders or twin wheels. I like both options but I suspect most buyers will opt for the wheels since so few modern cruisers grew up sailing dinghies. Plus the twin wheels open a clear pathway to the stern and fold-down swim platform. The cockpit table has folding leaves and will fit four adults for al fresco meals. Read more here https://www.bwsailing.com/new-beneteauoceanis-30-1-is-a-proper-yacht/ Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319 The Jeanneau SO 319 was introduced a couple of years ago but we havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t had the chance to do a review until now. Given the state of the economy, it makes some sense to have a look at a cruising boat that might meet 49

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a wide range of sailing-family’s budgets. As Lin and Larry Pardey used to say, “Go small and go now.” The thing about the 319, though it is a huge 31-footer, with a large comfortable cockpit, wide side decks and open deck space forward, it’s hard to see just how Jeanneau managed this. But they did. Two design features certainly enable this result. First, the chine in the aft section of the hull adds volume as well as enhanced sailing capability. And, second, the 319’s maximum beam is carried well aft so the boat has a very broad transom, broad enough to make twin rudders a necessity. One of the interesting design options new owners have is the choice between a fixed fin keel, with a depth of six feet, or a keelcenterboard arrangement that will give you access to very shallow anchorages. The fin keel version should sail slightly better upwind than the centerboard boat but reaching and off the wind, the centerboard boat should sail easily as well as the fin keel design. And, 50

with the twin rudders, the boat will steer like a sports car and will track as if on rails. The rig is a seven-eighths fractional design with a standard slab reefing mainsail and a 110-percent overlapping jib. The optional bowsprit seems an essential piece of gear because it is the tack for any downwind sails. Off the wind, the little jib won’t provide all the power you’ll want so the ability to fly a reacher or an asymmetrical chute will make sailing and cruising more fun and a lot faster. The 319’s cockpit is open at the stern and there is a swim platform that will make boarding the boat from a dinghy easy. The single wheel is on a solid pedestal where you can mount an MFD in a NavPod. The sailing instruments are mounted above the companionway where speed, depth, wind angles and wind speed will be clearly visible. The propane locker is in the aft end of the port bench. On the starboard side, two seat hatches give access to a large locker under the seat that will be home to all of your fenders,

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docking lines, snorkeling gear and so forth. This is a surprisingly large cockpit locker for a boat of this size. Read more here. https://www.bwsailing.com/jeanneau-sunodyssey-319-pocket-rocket-cruiser/ Viko 26 Â At the Miami International Boat Show, something happened that I had not seen in many, many years. A vendor new to the U.S. market was displaying a 26-foot sport racer-cruiser, with a full performance rig and a full interior for $39,500. When was the last time you saw a production cruiser or racer-cruiser that you could sleep on, that has an enclosed head, a working galley, a drop leaf table in the saloon and a huge double berth for under $100,000? The Viko S26 was less than half of that. Welcome to the world of Viko Yachts from Poland, a production builder that has only one North American dealer, in Canada, but has plans to spread their low cost, simple and modern boats across the continent, starting with the Viko S 26. The boat is like a blast from the past, from the halcyon days of sailing when it was not

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only possible but normal to spend about an average annual salary on a new family cruising boat. Imagine that! In the Sixties and Seventies, families across America got into sailing because they could afford to. Sure, the boats were simple, and there were few electronic gadgets to add, few home entertainment doodads to install, limited refrigeration and no need for high output alternators, gensets and solar panels. The new S 26 has a roomy cockpit, a tiller with an extension so you can sit on the coaming while steering, and a handy mainsheet. There is no built-in engine so you have an outboard on a bracket aft for those few minutes a day when you need to motor into an anchorage or up to a dock. The cabin has the enclosed head aft and to port and the galley across from it. It come with Port-a-Potty but you could easily install a proper head and small holding tank. The huge double berth is aft and under the cockpit and is plenty large enough for two Americansize adults. BWS Read more here. https://www.bwsailing.com/viko-yachtsfrom-poland-introduced-in-miami/

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