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CUBA is
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THINGS that Go BUMP in the Night COST of CRUISING A Seven-Year Compilation KEEPING Up with the
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Issue #18 Spring 2017
Contents
14
Special Stuff in this Issue 14 23 57 63 84 90 118 124 132 166
My train of thought has left the station.
Things That To Bump in the Night Cuba is Hot Hot Hot The Shannon River Cruise Featured Veteran Cruising Vessel - Amel Super Maramu What is the Real Cost of Cruising Keeping Up with the Tides Against the Wind Butt Naked and Dragging Anchor Loon Harbour Retying a Trampoline
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Regular Stuff in this Issue Attitudes Bob Bitchin Scuttlebutt Another Way Tania Aebi Trouble with Treb Rich Marker What’s Out There: Monohull - Com-Pac 27/3 What’s Out There: Multihull - Gemini Freestyle 37 What’s Out There: Power Cruiser - Ranger Tug R-29 CB Lifestyle Flotsam & Jetsam Galley Gourmet Harbor Hangouts Weather by Lee CO Events & News I Found It at the Boat Show Life Aboard Robin Stout Bubba Whartz Book Review Capt. Jim Cash Talk of the Dock Zuzana Prochazka Tech Tips Captain Pauly Bosun’s Bag Mackie White Parting Shot Cruisians
10 28 46 48 50 52 54 70 96 116 126 130 135 144 160 162 164 168 170 172 179 181 182
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Attitudes
I’d grow my own food if only I could find bacon seeds.
By Bob Bitchin
The most asked question I get at seminars and gatherings is, where is my favorite place in the world to cruise. The problem with that is, there are so many “favorites” dependant on your mood, and no mood changes faster than a sailors. It’s usually due to weather, or a boat deciding it wants to take it easy. I do have an answer, but it’s one of those ambiguous statements we all hate to hear. You see, this big blue ball we live on has a lot of beautiful places. Some are easy to get to on a boat, some are not. Some you want to visit to enjoy some solitude, and some you want to visit to live a little history. Some you want to go to for a good time, and others you want (need!) to visit to fix your boat, or re-supply, or haul-out for a cleaning. So here are some of the places that I sailed when I was cruising the world and then I went back, taking friends and relatives to share what I found. First and foremost is the Vava’u Group of islands in Tonga. When we sailed there in the ‘90s we fell in love with the place - true Polynesian culture and safe anchorages which are also some of the most beautiful anchorages you can imagine. We have gone back four or five times, always bringing new people to introduce to the beauty of the islands and the people: white sand, crystal clear water, palm trees and very few tourists. It’s a true Polynesian paradise. But after you have been in this paradise you start longing for something different. When that happened to us while cruising, we decided we wanted to go and see some ancient civilization. We spun the globe
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we used for our “decision making” and decided Greece was probably one of the best places to sail to experience the civilizations of the past. So, we cast off for the Aegean Sea. It was everything we had hoped for and more 3,500-year-old buildings, great food and very friendly people. It’s hard to beat the island of Delos, or the beauty of Mikanos, or sailing through the ancient caldera of Santorini. These, for me, provided the best memories we had, but others will have a totally different list because we all will experience different things at these places. I know in Vava’u, one of our best memories is of a Cruisers’ Party we threw there in the early 2000s. The Governor and his family came, and we had Eric Stone and his band playing live on the beach. A friend had a “less than fun” experience there, because as he was pulling into the makeshift haul-out, his prop shaft pulled out and he almost sank. I think that the same rules that apply for “Going Home” exists for cruising destinations. It’s not the place, it’s the time! One thing I realized a few decades back was, you can never go home. Home was not a place, it was a time, and the same can be said for cruising destinations. It’s not where you are, it’s what is going on while you are there. So the next time you are trying to figure out the best place to point your bow, don’t worry. One thing I can tell you... once you’ve cut your dock lines, your life will be better no matter where you end up going!
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Cuba is Hot Hot Hot!
By Gail M. Turluck
(Editorial Note: This article was written prior to the Presidential election. No one is sure of how Cuba will be affected by the election - stay tuned to www.CruisingOutpost.com for updates.)
With the relaxation in requirements for U.S. citizens to enter Cuba, Peter Goldsmith, Karen Angle and Jeff Dreschler of the Conch Republic Cup got fired up and organized the 8th edition, conducted January 27-February 6, www.cruisingoutpost.com
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You’re only as old as you feel. Will someone feel me and tell me how old I am?
Scuttlebutt
All the news that fits
“Like” If You Like Sailing
The American Sailing Association (ASA) now has over 100,000 followers on its Facebook page. That’s double the amount at the end of 2015 and makes it one of the top five sailing-related pages on all of Facebook. The focus of its content is educational, including in-depth and short videos on a range of sailing topics. Check it out!
“Share the Sail”
Sail the San Juan Islands with Us
The second week of August will be the 17th Annual Cruisers’ Party in the Pacific Northwest. This year we plan on doing a Share the Sail event in conjunction with the annual gathering of the Brethren of the Sound. We get the boats (sail and power) and set up the route, arrange the stops, cover the cost of insurance, fuel and partial provisioning. Those who want to participate sign up to reserve their cabin. Those aboard share the sailing, navigating, cooking, etc. We will have an experienced skipper on each boat to help! www.cruisingoutpost.com/sharethesail
Nautical Trivia In terms of legal jurisdiction, how much of the United States lies below the ocean? (Wanna cheat? The answer is on page 44)
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Scuttlebutt Matthew Turner to Launch in April
For the past few years, at every one of the Cruising Outpost cruisers’ events we have held a rafe for prizes donated by the boating industry. The proceeds from these events went to the Educational Tall Ship Foundation, to help with the building of the Matthew W. Turner, a tall ship being built in Sausalito to serve middle school aged youth and engage them in marine environmental education and the boating lifetyle. The project is reaching completion and is expected to launch in April, thanks to the hundreds of people who have volunteered to help build this vessel! Check out www.educationaltallship.org.
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2/8/17 9:43 AM
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What’s Out There?
Com-Pac Yachts has become known for exacting attention to detail and commitment to value. The 27/3 is built in their traditional style, with stainless ports and deck hardware, plus lots of teak to please the eyes. The Com-Pac 27/3 is one of the more popular sizes for a pocket cruiser. She’s fast, tracks straight, and accelerates swiftly in light winds. She maneuvers tightly, turning within her own length, and motors as well as she sails. The 6’ 10” cockpit with port and starboard seat lockers also has wet storage under a contoured helmsman’s seat.
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Pocket Cruiser
Wide decks and cabin top provide plenty of room for sail handling or just lounging in the sun. The Com-Pac 27’s interior allows 6’ 1” standing headroom, six berths and a large enclosed head with standard hot water shower. A full galley, hanging locker and loads of storage space help to satisfy the needs of a cruising family. Three large hatches and eight opening ports ensure ample ventilation and a bright, airy atmosphere below. The two cylinder, fresh water cooled diesel or the powerful sail plan with standard 135% roller furling
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2/2/17 10:56 AM
Com-Pac 27/3
Genoa smoothly propel this cruiser through crowded harbors or across open water. The Com-Pac 27/3 combines performance and strength in a very attractive package. If you’d like more info on this great pocket cruiser go to their website at www.com-pacyachts.com, email them at info@compacyachts.com or give them a call at 727-443-4408.
Get all the facts: www.com-pacyachts.com Com-Pac 27/3 LOA 29’7” LWL 24’3” Draft 3’6” Beam 9’6” Power 20 hp Diesel Fuel 12 USG Fresh Water 55 USG Displacement 6,000 lbs. Berths 6-8
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What’s Out There?
The new Ranger Tug R-29 CB offers the comfort, convenience, and utility of a command bridge with seating for four. Access to the bridge is an easy climb up the teak steps from the aft cockpit area. On the bridge you’ll find a full suite of electronic controls. These include VHF, bow and stern thruster controls, Volvo engine controls, spotlight remote, lighted compass, and optional Garmin autopilot and Navigation system. You’ll also find convenient grab rails for safety, 12V power, cup holders, and weatherproof speakers. This new design offers a curved front window and an overhead glass atrium for visibility from the
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Power Cruiser
lower helm station and salon area. The aft cockpit seating arrangement includes a reversible seat, port and starboard jump seats and a teak table for outside dining. The opening cabin bulkhead with reversible seat also provides additional cockpit seating while bringing the outside in. The R-29 CB can accommodate up to six adults on three separate berths, including the forward island berth with en-suite head. Standard stern and bow thrusters make docking exceptionally easy. This boat comes ready to cruise, and is trailerable for accessing new cruising grounds.
www.cruisingoutpost.com
2/2/17 11:00 AM
Ranger Tug R-29 CB
Get all the facts: www.rangertugs.com Ranger Tug R-29 CB
LOA 33’ 4” Deck Length 28’ 10” Draft 28” Beam 10’ Power Volvo 260 HP Sleeps 6 Fuel 145 USG Fresh Water 60 USG Dry Weight 10.800 lbs www.cruisingoutpost.com
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Li f es t y l e A Look at Why We Do What we Do
Ever wondered why people love the boating lifestyle? Well, here in the Lifestyle section folks from all over the world give an insight into what it’s really like out there. If you have a photo you think tells a good tale, why not send it to us? We prefer you send a digital pic, in as high resolution as you can. Tell us who took the pic and where it was taken. We will probaby throw it into our “digital pile” and pull it out someday. We won’t send you any money, but you will be famous worldwide! Email to: Lifestyle@Cruisingoutpost.com.
By Gabriel Erdely sailing near Oakville on Lake Ontario with Eniko
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By Jeremy Whitaker, Santa Cruz Island, CA
By Captain Mike in Guanacaste, Costa Rica
By Doug Shipley, on the Chesapeake
By Doug Greene, sunrise while delivering a Beneteau 40.7 from Long Beach to San Diego
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2/1/17 12:54 PM
By Henry McKevitt Gun Cay, Bimini, Bahamas
By Chris Stokes of Vivian Stokes (6 years) on a Cal 24 in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii
By Keith Coy, San Diego Bay
By Jay, with wahoo caught on the way from Anguilla www.cruisingoutpost.com
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DIARY OF A FIRST MATE
We are living on a boat named Dancin’ Lady, which we have rented for three months this winter. However, I think the boat should be named Rosalita. It is an interesting old boat. It was built in the ‘70s and it has wonderful, beautiful paneling all throughout. However, it does not have a working heating system and it does not have a working air conditioning system. Instead, we heat the boat with space heaters, and both of us are a bit dubious about space heaters. We have found that you cannot overtax the electrical system or you will blow the breakers. Consequently, one cannot run heaters and make coffee at the same time. This makes for difficult choices on the mornings when the temperature dips into the 30s. The toilets on this boat are tricky. You have to make sure that the vacuum system is not impeded in any way at the opening. If it is, that water will drain out of the bowl, and then the water pump will run continuously. When the
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By Marilyn Schroeder
water drains out of the toilet bowl it makes a loud sucking sound. This happens after one has deposited a bowel movement into the toilet bowl and a small residue has not flushed away. The remedy for this is to monitor the toilet after you use it, and if you hear a loud sucking sound, you must grab a bowl brush, spray the bowl with cleaner, force open the bottom of the bowl with the foot lever, and scrub the bowl’s exit vigorously. If the water pump runs continuously, it will burn up and the toilet will no longer work. Or, sometimes, the pump will just decide that it is old and tired, and it will burn up anyway. One of them did that. Fortunately, we have three bathrooms on the boat. Any such problem on the boat will trigger a visit from Dave, the marina mechanic, who gets the unenviable job of pretzeling himself into small spaces to fix our boat problems. These began shortly after we arrived. I awoke one morning, made my sleepy way to the bathroom, er,
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head, and discovered that the carpet in the hallway was wet. So was the bathroom floor. The toilet was leaking quite a bit of water. Shortly after my panicky call, Dave arrived to tighten up something at the base of the toilet. He had to come do it again later when it leaked, and also for the toilet at the forward head. Dave commented that he’d never seen anybody have such trouble with toilets. I told him our toilets at home were no trouble at all. Dave is a taciturn fellow who regards us as blooming idiots who cause him extra work. When I greet him with, “Good morning, Dave!” he usually grunts. However, Dave is bribable. He has a weakness for cashews. I make it a priority to always have a can of cashews on board. Last year we rented a house. It had a working furnace, an adequate electrical system, and toilets that worked without our thinking about it. There’s a lot to be said for that..
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The shower is very interesting. When you want to shower, you must remember to reach up and dial a timer which turns on a light in the shower and also turns on a pump to pump out the water in the bottom of the shower stall. If you forget to do this, it will trip a breaker, cancel the power, and stop the water from flowing from the shower head. Haven’t forgotten yet. The plus feature about the boat is that we are at the end of a very long dock, and we get to observe a continuing parade of a variety of seabirds who swoop and dive and preen in front of us. The minus feature about the boat is that we are at the end of a very long dock, which is tough on my artificial knees, especially when I am carrying bags of groceries. The answer to that problem was to rent a three-wheel bicycle with a basket on the back, and use that to ferry
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Against The Wind
Peace and quiet in Las Galeras now, instead of taking the full brunt of the ocean right on the bow, we were taking it on the port side creating a lovely rolling motion which left us glued to our seats. We scanned the charts to find a place to duck into and drop a hook to get out of this nastiness. We saw that to our starboard was a large natural bay. Deciding to put the winds and rough ocean behind us, we turned westward and headed in. The charts show it as a very rocky bottom mixed with open areas of sand, with depths from 600 feet at its opening to 30-plus feet before coming ashore at Playa Rincon. We spotted an area called Bahia de Las Galeras, which has a natural protective cove area. This put us in about 15 feet of water surrounded by reef with a sandy bottom and very little of the ocean’s surge. We were suddenly facing a beautiful white sand beach with chairs, umbrellas and a small bar and restaurant. It is called La Playita and it is in the town of Las Galeras. Upon going ashore we met the
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owner of the establishment and asked if it was okay to anchor our boat there for a while, at least until the winds and waves calmed down. His answer was “Hola mi amigos, mi casa es su casa”! So after an incredible lunch of Pescado la Plancha we hung out on the beach and enjoyed cold Presidente beers. While there we saw several signs for a place called Chalet Tropical and asked about it. We were told that it is a local bed and breakfast right up the road within walking distance. So, with the vessel safe and secure in the cove, we decided to go for a walk about and check out this B&B for future reference. As we walked through the gates we were greeted by a woman with a great infectious smile and an Italian accent. As Vivi speaks Italian, in no time at all they were fully engaged in a conversation. Her name is Sarah Paradiso and she is the owner and proprietor of Chalet Tropical. She built it up over the course of the last 17 years. It has six guest homes all made
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Vivi and Sarah, owner of Chalet Tropical
From $175/night!
from local woods, rocks and thatch. They are an absolute delight inside and out. We asked if there was any availability for a day or so and she said yes. We knew it was going to be blowing hard for the next few days, so Vivi and I went back to the vessel, gathered up our necessaries and checked in for a few days. I could write a dozen pages describing the intricate detail inside and out of the Chalets, as Sarah missed nothing and thought of everything to make one’s stay comfortable. The daily rate includes a breakfast of your choice - delivered at the time of your choosing, to your Chalet. The units have all the modern conveniences and are all in a marvelously rustic and tropical setting. Sarah was a walking lexicon of local information and directed us to all of the great local establishments for our lunches and dinners. The days passed by very quickly and all of my weather sources told me we had a nice window to finish out our journey. With big hugs and kisses we bid Sarah and her crew goodbye, promising to return in the near future. Honeymoon Forever was waiting for us right where and as we left her, her bow pointing towards the open ocean as if to say, “I’m ready, let’s go.” We got all systems ready and headed out of the security of the cove, rounding Punta La Caleta and making our way towards Punta El Cabito, which would be our last leg heading easterly before we would turn southwest, making a run towards Punta La Palometa. We were blessed with mild winds and fairly decent seas, so our little “break” in Las Galeras paid off. In a few short hours we made our turn due west and sailed wing and wing for the remaining 8.5 miles of our journey as we made our way into Samana Bay and the Puerto Bahia Marina. Our long, arduous journey from the Turks and Caicos had ended and it was time to enjoy some downtime in a full service marina.
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Life Aboard Six People, One Boat
We dropped our anchor behind a catamaran named Aphrodite in St. Thomas, USVI. We wondered if all those kids playing on the stern were from their boat, or were they having a gathering? We went by and spoke with Lorraine, the mom, and found out the catamaran was home to this Canadian couple and their four children. There was a rope swing off the boom so the kids could swing into the water behind the boat. They seemed to be quite mature and confident, as most cruising kids are. Everyone was happy, enjoying the day, and we wanted to know more about them. Cruising Outpost: Tell us about your family. Lorraine: We are a family of six from Ottawa, Ontario. My husband and I have been married for 12 years. Our kids are Betty, age 10, Paul, age 8 and 5-yearold twins, Henry and Karen. Cruising Outpost: What made you decide to live on a boat and away from your home country? Lorraine: Impulse and intrigue. My husband had suggested sailing to me before and I honestly hoped it was an idea that might evaporate. Years later, he mentioned the
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idea to me again and this time we were looking for a change - something that would allow our kids to explore the world and experience different cultures. After visiting the Annapolis Boat Show and reading Diane Stuemer’s book “Northern Magic,” I was captivated. I was intrigued by the adventure and the desire to share time as a family. I could not say no. The call to the sea was greater than the call to suburbia. My husband had sailing experience whereas, I did not. But I simply had to try, otherwise I might forever be wondering ”what if?” Cruising Outpost: Tell us about your home: Lorraine: We live aboard a St. Francis 50-foot catamaran. It is a galley-down design with four berths and four heads. Cruising Outpost: How long have you lived aboard? Lorraine: We have lived aboard since August of 2015. Cruising Outpost: What are you doing about school for the kids? Lorraine: We began homeschooling by trying to emulate and follow the Ontario, Canada curriculum. We created schedules and tried to establish routines, but it felt very contrived. We soon discovered that there were www.cruisingoutpost.com
2/8/17 11:55 AM
Editor Robin Stout Aboard Mermaid
many approaches to homeschooling and that it didn’t have to feel awkward. Reading the book “The Well Trained Mind” by Susan Wise Bauer and Jessie Wise unlocked a door for us. The book promoted a paradigm for teaching that turned us full circle from struggling teachers to passionate educators. Our method is to stick to the basics, promoting math, research, logic and language skills. Because we have four children and they need a lot of guidance, homeschooling is a two-parent effort. Recently, we spent six months in Luperon, Dominican Republic. During three months of our stay, our children attended the local public school. The school was generally a positive experience. Our kids were exposed to the Spanish language and made some friends. They were also occasionally let out early without notice. One time all four of the kids wandered the streets of Luperon until their dad reached them by taxi. Cruising Outpost: How do you provision and store food and goods for a family of six on a boat? Lorraine: We eat a lot of beans and rice. But, I try to vary our diet. We use much of the storage space for dry goods as well as fresh and frozen items. We peel the labels off our cans to prevent insects from laying their eggs. We heard they are attracted to the glue on the cans. We dispose of all packaging and put our pasta and oatmeal in Ziploc bags. We have enough powdered milk to last us a full year. We shop in bulk when we find prices are low. I generally buy enough produce to last us for two weeks. We never buy bananas as they cause other produce to deteriorate more quickly. We have ample rice, flour, oatmeal and canned goods aboard. We have an ice cream maker because one of our children has serious food allergies and can’t eat frozen treats on shore. It is a decadent treat to eat freshly made ice cream while anchored in the Caribbean! Cruising Outpost: How do you handle laundry aboard for so many people? Lorraine: I do all of our laundry by hand. I bought two enormous 15-gallon tubs in the Dominican Republic. They were very inexpensive, costing about $4 US to purchase. I use them to wash and rinse our laundry. We have reduced our laundry by eliminating clothes from our closet. My kids have an unlimited supply of underwear www.cruisingoutpost.com
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and swimsuits, but they have only three shirts and three pairs of shorts each. I encourage them to put dirty clothes in the laundry; otherwise, they can wear their clothes again. I hang our laundry on the guardrail and anywhere else that seems convenient. I use large clamps to dry towels, sheets and blankets. Everything else is put on the guardrail with ample pegs. I’m getting better at laundry. We haven’t lost an item of clothing for the better part of a year. Cruising Outpost: What advantages and disadvantages do you find with a family on a boat in a foreign land? Lorraine: Our children are exposed to different ways of life. And, I’d like to think they are being raised with empathy. That said, we have no car, of course, and we walk everywhere. As a result they are exposed to the seedier side of life that other kids might not see. All of my kids have been into a bar, and my two sons have played darts. Cruising Outpost: What is your favorite part of this lifestyle and what is your least favorite part? Lorraine: My favorite part of this lifestyle is spending quality time as a family. We enjoy seeing natural wonders like deserted beaches and turtles feeding. I’d like to exercise more. Boat maintenance and homeschooling are quite all-encompassing. The kids like to collect shells and to swim. They sometimes miss making (and keeping) friends. Cruising Outpost: Ask the children what advice they would give other families considering this way of life. Betty (age 10): Kids should bring Legos and books, but don’t bring toys that require lots of stability such as card towers. Also, you will need snorkeling gear and beach toys. Bring detangler for your hair! Stay on the top level or on the helm seat to avoid seasickness. Fresh air helps. Make a paper Christmas tree because a real one would fall over. Paul (age 8): Board games and coloring books are good toys to have aboard. Henry (age 5): You need to keep your boat clean so nothing falls around. Karen (age 5): Pack all of your clothes into your cupboards. All the kids: It is important to close cupboard doors before you sail.
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* Cruisians
*A small, exclusive group of people who are mentally ill and feel, for some reason unbeknownst to anyone, that by getting on a small boat about the size of a jail cell and heading out into the most inhospitable place on Earth (the ocean), they will somehow enjoy themselves.
Now here’s a group that likes to have fun. Jim & Laura Witt are seen at a recent Caribbean Cruisers’ Party with Scott Hess. They cruise on S/V Perseverance which is a 1999 45-foot Bruce Roberts motorsailor. She weighs in at 63,000 pounds (that’s the boat, silly!). They originally hail from northern Michigan, but now seem to be enjoying the weather in the Caribbean a lot more!
Who left the bag of idiots open???
This is Ron Hebert aboard S/V La Vie Dansante, a 1989 Morgan 44 CC built by Catalina. He sails out of Corpus Christi, TX. The picture was taken by crew member Neil Gallagher in the Gulf of Mexico during the 2013 Harvest Moon Regatta from Galveston to Port Aransas, Texas
This is Horst and Sandy. They are living the dream on board their boat S/V Willow Dew which is a 39-foot Lagoon. They are out of Jasper, Alaska and have been cruising since 2011. They tried to blame it on us, but we think the weather may have led them to this lifestyle!
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Meet Tony. She has lived in the San Juan Islands aboard Traveler, which is also the home of our Ad Director, Lisa O’Brien. That kinda figures, as this is Lisa’s daughter. They are both cute!
Joe & Julianne Frank have been a big part of the Outpost family for years, and with Lats&Atts before that. They have “made the break” and are currently cruising in the Caribbean. Bob & Jody hope to “escape” and join them soon!!
Meet the man that is responsible for changing the lives of more sailors than anyone we know. Alan Olsen has run the Call of the Sea Foundation for more than 30 years. In addition, he is now the CEO of the Educational Tall Ship Foundation. Oh yeah, and he taught Bob Bitchin how to sail! This is Judy Wahl getting ready to go to the top of the mast while cruising in El Salvador. Husband Jeff shot the pic. When not cruising they run the Lewis & Clark Resort on the Missouri River. www.cruisingoutpost.com
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