ESCAPE TO BLUE WATER AND TROPICAL ISLANDS!
182
PAGES OF SAILING ADVENTURE!
SAILING
Doodles Nengonengo
PARADISE IN THE TUAMOTUS
EXPLORING
Grand Traverse Bay GOING ‘ROUND
Florida’s Horn
Message IN A BOTTLE
Winter 2021-22
Issue # 37
U.S. $7.99 / Canada $8.99 On sale through March 3, 2022
COVER -37a.indd 1
BOAT SPOTLIGHT AMEL 50 OCEAN RENEGADE R5 ASPEN C108
LatsAtts.com
10/27/21 11:04 AM
H57 Performance cruising has never been easier
HYLAS H57_LA_Winter 2021.indd All Pages pg 02 Hylas ad.indd 1
10/27/21 12:29 PM
DON’T PLAN AROUND WATER
WORLD’S MOST RELIABLE, SIMPLE AND IN-EXPENSIVE SOLUTION FOR MAKING FRESH WATER
40
aSeaWater Pro is factory direct. We are no just an assembly house, you are buying direct from the manufacturer. We fabricate components in-house.
GALLONS PER HOUR
DUAL MEMBRANE WATER MAKER
aAll our DC Motors are name brands made in USA,
20
aPatented automatic pressure regulator that
PER HOUR
aAll our vessels are made in USA using epoxy
like Baldor & Leeson.
absorbs hydrophilic shocks and extends component life. Easy to install, do it your self instructions and videos.
GALLONS
SINGLE MEMBRANE WATER MAKER
10
GALLONS
resin rated at 5,000 PSI pressure vessels, we do not use cheep Chinese fiberglass that can fail.
aAll our systems are fully automated and operate
at a flip of a single switch. We do not use complex expensive electronics that oxidize & need constant maintenance.
PER HOUR PORTABLE WATER MAKER
BUILD YOURS HYLAS YACHTS | DANIA BEACH FL | 954.866.0750 | INFO@HYLASYACHTS.COM MANUFACTURED BY QUEEN LONG MARINE CO. LTD. | TAIWAN | QLMARINE@HYLASYACHTS.COM.TW
To learn more or purchase a unit, visit our website
HYLASYACHTS.COM
pg 3W Hylas pt II/SeawaterPro.indd 1
www.seawaterpro.com
10/21/21 1:30 PM
10/27/21 12:27 PM
MODULAR SYSTEM
Choose from a verity of modular options to fit your needs Our modular systems come in multiple configurations to fit your needs, whether you are a weekend boater or a world traveler. We have a configuration that’s right for you.
AC 110-220 VOLT DOUBLE MEMBRANE WITH REMOTE PANEL
40
GALLONS
PER HOUR
DC 24 VOLT
Dual Membrane system Produces up to 40 GPH. Includes AC 110-220 Volt motor, high & low pressure pump, automatic rinse timer, and patented pressure regulator
DOUBLE MEMBRANE WATER MAKER SYSTEM
40 GALLONS
PER HOUR
20
GALLONS
PER HOUR
DC 24 VOLT
OPTIONAL REMOTE PANEL UPGRADE IN ASSORTED COLORS
REMOTE PANEL PURE WHITE
REMOTE PANEL JUST BLACK
REMOTE PANEL TUMBLE TEAK
REMOTE PANEL GRAPHITE
HIGH PRESSURE PUMPS OPTIONS AVAILABLE IN PLAITED OR STAINLESS STEEL
SINGLE MEMBRANE WITH REMOTE PANEL
40
GALLONS
PER HOUR
DC 24 VOLT
DOUBLE MEMBRANE WATER MAKER SYSTEM HIGH PRESSURE PLAITED PUMP
pg 4W SeawaterPro wide.indd 1
HIGH PRESSURE STAINLESS PUMP
10/27/21 12:30 PM
MINI PORTABLE SYSTEM
s
The World’s First Lithium/Solar Portable Water Maker!
a weekend
PRODUCES
• 22 X 14 X 9 IN (600 X 360 X 230 MM) - 45LBS / 19KG
LONS
• PURIFY FRESH WATER OR DESALINATE SEAWATER
HOUR
• CHARGES IN 3 HOURS / 300 WATTS
LT
• CONTROL FROM YOUR ANDROID PHONE*
BRANE SYSTEM
*Control it right from your android device
10
GALLONS
PER HOUR
• BRUSH-LESS MOTORS, WATERPROOF CONSTRUCTION • RUNS WITH INTERNAL BATTERY FOR 3.5 HOURS • CONNECT DIRECT TO SOLAR PANEL • CONNECT TO 110 OR 220 AC POWER INVERTER OR GENERATOR • CONNECT TO 12 - 24 - 48 UP TO 62 VOLTS DC • NO NEED TO INSTALL, PLUG-&-PLAY • 2 YEAR WARRANTY
To learn more or purchase a unit, visit our website
www.seawaterpro.com
LONS
HOUR
LT
BRANE SYSTEM
pg 005 SeawaterPro.indd 1
10/27/21 12:31 PM
™ 2021 The Bitchin Group, Inc.
In This Issue... Page 14
Page 18
Issue #37
Page 34
Bob Bitchin’s Attitude
Lats & Atts
Scuttlebutt
Another Way
Page 37
Page 44
Page 52
Tania Aebi
Exploring Grand Traverse Bay
Cruising Barcelona
Spinnakers Are Fun
Page 57
Page 70
Page 74
Around Florida’s Horn
Share The Sail Story
Message In A Bottle
Page 78
Page 80
Page 82
Boat Spotlight
Boat Spotlight
Boat Spotlight
Page 84
Page 96
Page 107
Amel 50
Nova Luxe
Renegade
Underway
From Cruisers
Cruising Indonesia
Lats & Atts
Page 124
Page 128
Page 130
Lifestyle
Life Aboard
Book Review
Cap’n Cap’n
Page 131
Page 135
Page 136
BYOB
How Much Chain
Virtual Cruising Sailing Doodles
Nengonengo
Page 152
Page 170
Page 180
I Found It At The Boat Show
6 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 06-8 TOC - MKC-R.indd 2
Second-Hand Smoke Page 126 Page 178
Bubba Whartz Advertiser’s Spotlight
Winter 2021
Boat People
W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 8:24 AM
Is Fuel Your Dirty Little Secret? Motor Reliability Starts With Clean Fuel Dirty fuel is the most common cause of diesel engine shut-down! Take control of your motor with a complete fuel management system. Our MK60DP premium dual filter system incorporates all our newest features and offers everything you need to keep your fuel clean and motor running smoothly. Remote Warning Panel With Alarm Mute (Shown with optional EFS)
MK60DP Premium Dual Filter System Single & Dual Filter Systems Available With Up to 1500 GPH Flow Rates
Cleans
Warns
Tests
Primes
Saves
Is Your Fuel Keenan Clean? Made in the USA Thinking About an Upgrade? Contact Us With Any Fuel Questions 800.336.0315 | www.ktisystems.com
pg 06-8 TOC - MKC-R.indd 3
10/29/21 8:24 AM
ESCAPE TO BLUE WATER AND TROPICAL ISLANDS!
™
182
PAGES OF SAILING ADVENTURE!
SAILING
Doodles Nengonengo
PARADISE IN THE TUAMOTUS
EXPLORING
Grand Traverse Bay GOING ‘ROUND
Florida’s Horn
Janitorial Assistant Bob Bitchin bob@LatsAtts.com
Media Princess Tabitha “Bitchin” Lipkin tabitha@LatsAtts.com
Head Wordsmith (Editor) Katie “Bitchin” Chestnut katie@LatsAtts.com
Marketing & Video Darren O’Brien darren@LatsAtts.com
Boat Show Queen Jody “Bitchin” Lipkin jody@LatsAtts.com
BS Slaves Jeff & Marie Inshaw jeff@LatsAtts.com
Staff Infection Tania Aebi
Share The Sail Crew Jessie & Katie
Contributor Zuzana Prochazka zuzana@LatsAtts.com
Web & Art Guru Richard Marker rich@LatsAtts.com
Life Aboard Queen Robin Stout robin@LatsAtts.com
Editor Emeritus Sue Morgan sue@LatsAtts.com
Subscription Information Latitudes & Attitudes PO Box 15416 - North Hollywood, CA 91615-5416 Subscriber Service 818-286-3159
LatsAtts.com/subscribe-latitudes-and-attitudes-magazine/
ADVERTISING
Advertising Goddess Lisa O’Brien lisa@LatsAtts.com 510-900-3616 Ext #105 Latitudes & Attitudes Box 100 Berry Creek, CA 95916 Phone 510-900-3616 info@LatsAtts.com Office Mascots Jessie & Katie Bitchin Cash “Bitchin” Chestnut
LATITUDES & ATTITUDES DIVISION OF THE BITCHIN GROUP, INC. (ISSN 2767-8954-PRINT / ISSN: 2767-8962 ON-LINE) (USPS 011950) is published quarterly by Latitudes & Attitudes, 9353 Oroville Quincy Hwy, Berry Creek, CA 95916. Periodical Postage paid at Berry Creek, CA, and additional mailing offices. Copyright 2021 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Latitudes & Attitudes, PO Box 15416, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5416.
Superior Quality Marine Hardware
Message IN A BOTTLE
Winter 2021-22
Issue # 37
U.S. $7.99 / Canada $8.99 On sale through March 3, 2022
BOAT SPOTLIGHT AMEL 50 OCEAN RENEGADE R5 ASPEN C108
LatsAtts.com
This Issue’s Cover:
The crew of Sailing Doodles is this month’s “Virtual Cruising” article. Fun at sea, what more do you need?
People Who Helped Us Create This Issue
Adam Claypool Birgit Hackl Chuck & Patty Ritenour John Simpson Khosrow (Koz) Khosravani Len Freedberg Mathew Channer Mathias Wagner Morgan Stinemetz Nathan Jones Robert Krieg Suzy Carmody
People Who Didn’t Help Us With This Issue Harry Potter Voldemort The Wizard of Oz
Printed in the USA We Support Boating
wichardamerica.com (401) 683-5055 | usasales@wichard.com
8 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 06-8 TOC - MKC-R.indd 4
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 8:24 AM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 09 Phiber Systems.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 0 10/26/21 3:53 PM
10 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 10-11 Doyle Sails.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:27 AM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 10-11 Doyle Sails.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 1`1 10/27/21 11:27 AM
The Best of B At Bavaria our line has long been known for its German engineering, its uncompromising line-ups...the perfect yachts on which to feel “at home”. Featuring huge swim platforms, yacht offers you complete flexibility while providing the comfort and safety demanded of a and upholstery in a modern unique style from 33
See a dealer near you: www.bavariayachts.com/service/dealer-locator
12 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 12-13 Bavaria Yachts.indd 2
W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/27/21 11:30 AM
qual large true feet t
f Both Worlds!
mising orms, d of a m 33
quality, and its pure love of the water. We now offer the complete power and sailing yacht large cockpits & social areas, intelligent design, and proven performance, the Bavaria true mariner. A wide selection of cabin layouts, power & sail options, decor, woodwork feet to 57 feet of pure luxury with performance.
See a dealer near you: www.bavariayachts.com/service/dealer-locator
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 12-13 Bavaria Yachts.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 13 10/27/21 11:30 AM
It is better to be quiet and thought a fool, than to open one’s mouth and remove all doubt!
By Bob Bitchin We were on the 15th day of a 16 day passage from the Hawaii Yacht Club in Honolulu to Two Harbors, Catalina Island, California. Every voyage I have ever taken pretty much starts and stops at Two Harbors. Ya see, when I first started sailing about 40 years ago, Two Harbors was an exotic destination for me. I’d returned from my first sailing adventure, where I learned about the cruising lifestyle sailing as crew on Stone Witch, a 74-foot square-sailed topsail schooner that was the Flagship for Greenpeace. We sailed for three months to Guatemala, and, that being my very first sailing adventure, altered my life. As soon as I returned I was hooked. I bought a Newport 30 named El Sueño (The Dream), and quickly renamed her Outlaw to fit my disposition. Back then I was what you might call “in transition” from one lifestyle to another. But I digress. We were talking about the “exotic” port of Two Harbors. It sat just 24 miles across the Catalina Channel from my home port, King Harbor, Redondo Beach, California. When we sailed to Guatemala I wasn’t in charge. It was easy. Mainly because I had no idea what I was doing and just kinda followed orders. Kinda like when I was in the Air Force back in the 60s: It didn’t matter what I was thinkin’, ‘cause I didn’t get a vote. But on a clear day I could stand on my dock and look across the channel to the exotic port of Two Harbors. There were plenty of legends about the place. The palm trees were brought to Catalina for aesthetic and filming purposes. Many of the palm trees found in Two Harbors were planted in the 1930s by movie production companies because the isthmus was such a popular filming location. Famous visitors to the island included John Wayne, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, and even new “stars” like Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry hang out there. Natalie Wood was found drowned while anchored in the bay, and the mystery surrounding that incident still pops up.
14 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 14 Editorial - MKC 2.indd 1
But to get there, one had to cross the channel. And I have to tell you, the first crossing took some gumption. I did make the first crossing to Two Harbors finally. And it soon became my second home. Whenever I got the chance I’d cast off the lines and sail across the channel. It was amazing. When at my dock on the mainland I was amidst almost 4,000,000 people in a city environment. Just four hours later I’d be anchored in paradise. Palm-covered beaches, two bars, one restaurant, and a general store. It was like going back 100 years or so. It became our personal paradise. When the internet was born we spent weeks anchored in the bay, working on starting a new magazine for cruisers (that’d be this one), and over the years we started to look at it as our second home. After I’d moved up from Outlaw to Predator, a Formosa 51, I spent more time “out there,” and when I finally moved up to the 56-foot Formosa Ketch Lost Soul, it became our official starting and ending point for all my voyages. But once again, I have drifted off subject. That 15th day of a 16-day passage. Jody and I were sitting in two beanbag chairs on the foredeck, reading. We had tried a new route from Hawaii to the mainland. The first 4 or 5 times I sailed from Hawaii to the mainland, I followed the sailing direction set by the British Admiralty. But then I realized that those sailing directions were derived by watching hundreds of square riggers, which sail best downwind. They’d sail about 800 miles north, trying to get into the roaring 40s, and then turn east to come into Canada or (with luck) Seattle or even San Francisco. But Lost Soul was Marconi rigged, just like most modern boats of the day. Marconi rigged vessels sail better on a beam, or even slightly into the wind. That meant instead of sailing north until it was cold and wet, we could sail a more direct path, and in doing so, we were able to sail directly into the Channel Islands of Southern California. I looked up from my book and saw a haze on the horizon. It was the haze of civilization. I could make out Santa Barbara Island off to the port, and could just barely see Catalina slightly off our starboard. “Look, Jody!” I said. “There’s Catalina Island, we are home.” Jody looked up from her book, laying it on her lap. She didn’t say anything for about a minute. “Can’t we just turn around?” she asked. I honestly contemplated it. We’d been cruising for awhile by then, and were just heading back to re-supply and do some boat chores, before taking off to go to the Caribbean and then the Med. Coming back to civilization did make the most sense, but when you are “out there,” living the dream, it’s hard to face the reality of coming back to the nightmare of civilization. And there is the real reason I have always loved the cruising lifestyle. When we are “out there” living that life, it was like a dream. But civilization actually was more of a nightmare. And there is the difference. Don’t dream your life. Live your dream! W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/26/21 4:47 PM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
Pg 15 Offshore Sailing.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 15 10/27/21 11:33 AM
16 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 16-17 Ultra Marine West.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:22 AM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 16-17 Ultra Marine West.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 17 10/27/21 11:22 AM
Lats&Atts Scuttlebutt If It’s Gonna Happen, It’s Gonna Happen Out There All the News That Fits Between the Sheets
Two Middle Sea Race Records Set And they each had to win tough match races to do it. Jason Carroll’s Argo, a Mod 70 with foil assist, zipped the 606 nautical miles around Sicily from Malta and back again in 33 and a half hours, beating Giovanni Soldini’s Multi 70 Maserati. Then Comanche, the 100foot monohull, followed suit, taking the measure of the 125’ Skorpios, slicing seven hours off the monohull record, and finishing in close to 40 hours.
Photos by Rolex/Kurt Arrigo
Issue #37
Winter 2021-22
The Boat Shows Are BACK!
After one hell of a year, the boats shows seem to be back! We were at both the Newport International Boat Show and the Annapolis Sailboat Show, and both were every bit as busy as they were two years ago. Maybe even busier! The Newport Show was re-arranged due to a hotel being built where the show used to have a large tent. But the management under the supervision of Nancy Piffard designed a show around the new building, and everyone seemed to like the new layout. From opening day it was busy. There were plenty of boats for people to see, and a lot of new gear since the last show, two years earlier. In Annapolis we were even graced with decent weather, except for one day (Saturday) when it dumped biblical amounts of rain, but it didn’t start until after 3 p.m., causing much of the show to close down early. The fact that the rain accompanied an exceptionally high tide didn’t help the situation much, but by show’s end people seemed to be very happy with the show. Next up is the St. Petersburg Boat show in January, and The Miami International Boat Show coming in March, with an all new venue. The Sailboat Show is being slated for the North side of the American Airlines Stadium in Miami, while much of the show will be moving to the convention center. We are looking forward to more good traffic as the pandemic seems to be wearing down.
Nautical Trivia
What is the name of the most reliable and effective gasoline fume detection system you can have aboard your vessel, and how is it activated?
Wanna Cheat? Answer is on page 32.
18 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 18
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
Rainm
Water, water, everywhere
Integrated control panel for installed systems Control panel available from December 2020
Rainman Naked - Minimum footprint installation
Whether your watermaker is being used for short weekends away or serious expeditions, you can be confident in the reliability of a Rainman system. Powered by AC electric, petrol, or 12VDC, we have options for either portable or fully installed systems. Made in Australia, Rainman watermakers utilise a simple design and high quality components. This makes for a system with a reasonable initial price, maximum reliability, easy serviceability, and low life cycle cost. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m RainmanDesalination_PrintAd_Lattitudes_FP_8.375INCHx10.875_.25bleed.indd 1 pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 19
rain m an d e s a l.co m Latitudes & Attitudes 19 1/10/20 3:51 pm 10/28/21 6:07 PM
GAME CHANGER AVAILABLE FOR 2022 DELIVERY
PRIVATE & LUXURIOUS STATEROOMS
MAKAI AIR-GLIDE SYSTEM SUPREME COMFORT AMAZING FUEL EFFICIENCY FASTER CRUISING SPEEDS
888-743-4620 Dealers for Makai Power Catamarans
20 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 20
WWW.
S J Y A C H T S . COM w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
NauticEd: The Uber of Learning to Sail?
In the spirit of Uber and Airbnb, NauticEd International Sailing Education company launched their “Direct to Market Private Instructor” program. If you’re a great sailor and enjoy teaching, meeting new people, and making money on your schedule — become a sailing instructor directly in partnership with NauticEd. Interested or want more information? Learn more at www.nauticed.org/teach-sailing.
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 21
Latitudes & Attitudes 21 10/28/21 6:07 PM
Sailing Convention For Women, February 5
The Sailing Convention for Women is back and offering expanded learning opportunities! February 5, 2022 marks the 31st annual convention after the Covid hiatus in 2021. The convention features an all-day series of on-the-water instruction and shore-based workshops, from beginners to the very experienced women sailors! The Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club (BCYC) is the hosting venue as it has been for the past 27 years. Located on the water in beautiful Corona del Mar, California, in Newport Harbor, it’s the perfect place to hold this type of event with plenty of space for visiting boats and enthusiastic sailors. “The Convention gives women an opportunity to meet other women sailors, discuss options for cruising, racing and recreational sailing, and find out about women’s sailing organizations in their area. This year’s guest speaker at the dinner program is Zuzana Prochazka: freelance travel and boating author/photographer, featured writer for a dozen magazines and websites. She also holds a USCG 100-Ton Master Captains License and is past president of Boating Writers International. New in 2022 is an optional morning-after Networking Brunch on Sunday, February 6th. This gives attendees a chance to continue making new connections and rekindle old ones. Brunch to be held at the Newport Beach Yacht Club at 10 am to noon.
22 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 22
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
New Life for Stars & Stripes?
Stars & Stripes, the winner of the 1987 America’s Cup Team led by Dennis Conner who reclaimed the Cup for America from Australia, is being restored to its original beauty to begin retelling her story and inspiring future generations of sailors. The three-stage project pays homage to the sailing community, new and old, and will ultimately result in a floating, interactive museum and academy that will help to share and retell one of America’s greatest moments in sailing. The 12 Metre sustained significant damage in 2017 during Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean, after which New York Harbor Sailing Foundation acquired her on behalf of the United States of America with a vision of uniting our nation to restore it to its true beauty. In the first stage of the project, with the support of three original Founding Partners – Gowrie Group, Mount Gay Rum, and the American Sailing Association – New York Harbor Sailing Foundation has raised the needed $120,000 to transport the boat back to America to begin repairs.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 23
Latitudes & Attitudes 23 10/28/21 6:07 PM
UPDATED!
QUIET OPERATION NEW CARBON FIBER MULTICOLOR BLADE-HUB DESIGN UP TOWER CONTROLS INDUSTRY LEADING 5 YEAR WARRANTY INTEGRATES EASILY WITH SOLAR
Rounding the Horn? Yes, It’s Still On!
The good news is, our Share The Sail to Cape Horn is still on, despite being postponed due to the Pandemic. This event is full, due to the restrictions put on the Australis Ship Lines that we contracted with for the adventure. You see, they have been restricted to using just one of their two vessels. We had reserved 20 cabins for 40 of our readers to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. But they had to cut it to just 10 cabins because of the reduction to just using the one vessel. It is scheduled for the second week of March, which is the best time to “round the horn.” We are still trying to see if we can get another 10 cabins the following week, but so far we have not been able to verify that.
If At First You Don’t Succeed
Then you are pretty normal — Live with it!
Authorized Distributor Vibration Absorbing Mast Complete Install Kits Control Panels Authorized Warranty Repair Center
Ft Lauderdale, FL, 954-581-2505
www.eMarineSystems.com
24 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 24
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
Marine Products
The Party Is Back in St. Pete
Okay, we have all been through the mill with the darn pandemic, and it’s time to start living again. Our first Cruiser’s Party was held in St. Pete at the Strictly Sail Show at the Vinoy back in the last century (yea, really!) Well, they are back. At least the one in St. Petersburg is. It will be at the St. Petersburg Boat Show on Saturday, the 22nd of January. Be there or be square! We will have Eric Stone on deck for the entertainment, along with Isabella Stefania, and we hope to have the crew from Pyrate Radio on hand as well. In the past we sponsored parties at the Chicago, Newport, Annapolis, and Oakland Boat Shows as well, but many of those have gone by the wayside. We’re glad to say St. Pete lives on! Join us for free beer, pizza, and music — just like the days of old.
A Matter Of Trust
Never trust atoms; they make up everything.
Defender.com | 800-628-8225 Follow Us @DefenderMarine w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 25
Latitudes & Attitudes 25 10/28/21 6:07 PM
Dinghy Sailing Record
A 21-year-old sailor from the Isle of Wight has claimed the first world record for the greatest distance sailed in a single-handed dinghy in 12 hours. Harry White covered roughly 67 miles, setting off from the Royal Victoria Yacht Club in Ryde. White sailed in an ICLA 7 dinghy and crossed the eastern Solent, taking in Stokes Bat, Bembridge, Portsmouth, and Ryde, as was reported the BBC. He was accompanied by a support boat that carried two pairs of official record witnesses. Guinness World Records has yet to confirm the record but said the minimum requirement was 40.8 miles.
26 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 26
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
Pacific Basin Forecasts Operational
A major forecasting milestone took place for mariners on October 28, 2021. That’s when the offshore and high seas gridded forecasts for the Pacific Basin transitioned from experimental to operational. The forecasts originate from the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) of the National Hurricane Center (NHC), the Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Honolulu, Hawaii, and the Ocean Prediction Center (OPC). There are five elements making the transition: 10-meter (33-feet) wind speed;10-meter wind direction; 10-meter wind gusts; significant wave heights (or “seas”); and marine hazards. Transitioning these forecasts to operational status is another milestone for the NWS National Digital Forecast Database (NDFD) and follows a similar move in December 2017 with the Atlantic offshore grids. Users do not need to take any action when the experimental forecasts transition to operational status. An example of the wind and wave grids from NHC/TAFB are shown above for a forecast valid at 1200 GMT Tuesday, October 26th, 2021.
Part of the Olympics Since 1896
Sailing has been a part of all modern Olympic games, except for the 1904 Summer Games, which were held in Louisiana. This makes it one of the longest running Olympic disciplines around.
Kanberra naturally eliminates musty, fishy, fuel, people and pet odors then keeps them from coming back! ®
• Water-based, Alcohol/Chemical-free • Made in the USA • A complete line of products – gel, spray, wipes, soap, essential oils & anti-friction creams
kanberragel.com w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 27
Latitudes & Attitudes 27 10/28/21 6:07 PM
Bill Pinkney Inducted Into the Sailing Hall of Fame
Bill Pinkney’ sails out of Fajardo, Puerto Rico on a 44-foot Norseman catamaran. Until the pandemic he and his wife, Migdalia, led charters aboard it for a Chicagobased partner. Pinkney, now 85, became the first African American sailor to solo circumnavigate via the five capes, inspiring tens of thousands of youngsters. After his 32,000-mile circumnavigation ended in June 1992, which was read into the Congressional Record and became the subject of a Peabody Awardwinning documentary, Bill worked with The Mystic Seaport’s construction of Amistad. He also became the first captain of the schooner, a replica of the ship on which an 1839 revolt by would-be slaves sailing from Cuba. When he sailed his Valiant 47 Commitment into Cape Town, South Africa, he was one in a line of countless sailors over generations who had done the same. What set him apart was the way he did it. Pinkney has received numerous awards, honorary degrees and recognitions including the 1992 Yachtsman of the Year Award from the Chicago Yacht Club.
28 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 28
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 29
10/28/21 6:07 PM
See You in Miami? February 16-20, 2022
Protect Your Investment With our custom winter covers
The Miami International Boat Show, the Miami Yacht Show, and the Superyacht Miami show will combine to create the first-ever joint event, launching over President’s Day weekend. The merger of these signature boating events in Miami creates one of the largest boat shows in the world and the ultimate sales and marketing venue for our exhibitors, attendees, and partners. This will include an expansion of their existing in-water components at the newly renovated Miami Beach Convention Center, and the addition of a large adjacent outdoor venue at Miami Beach’s Pride Park. While the shows will be combined to enhance the experience for our yachting community, the spirit and culture of the yacht shows will remain intact while simultaneously ensuring broader reach for our community and additional educational and experiential opportunities targeted at yachting enthusiasts.
Over-The-Toe-Rail Style Cover
Designed by Sailors for Sailors No framing required, uses boom for support Designed for in water or land storage Zipper access available at sides and stern One person installation - most covers under 1 hour Convenient external tabs allow for tying to cradle and jack stands for additional land tie points
30 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 30
Cover guaranteed for life of boat ownership Available in Traditional Over-Toe-Rail Style to protect wood toe rails and teak decks Protects from the elements, allows ventilation Fabricated of heavy duty Top Gun™, an extremely durable marine polyester material
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
Island Packet Specialists www.mackyachtservices.com 772-260-4912 info@mackyachtservices.com 800-531-7024 w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 31
Latitudes & Attitudes 31 10/28/21 6:07 PM
Nautical Trivia
Answer to Trivia question on page 18. It is not some fancy gadget that costs a bunch of money. No, the best way to detect gas fumes, whether it be gasoline or diesel, is your old shnozzola. Yup, the nose is the best way to detect fuel leaks! Kewl, huh?
Matthew Turner Update
For about seven years, the Lats&Atts Cruiser’s Parties have included raffles with prizes like gear donated by the industry, and the proceeds have gone to help build the Barq Matthew Turner. The cost of the ship was $6 million dollars. Funds came from small and large donations, individuals and foundations, that share the values and support the mission. All the materials and methods used are of the highest sustainable and recyclable standards available. The ship meets her own energy and propulsion needs through a state-of-the-art hybrid system using wind power to produce electrical generation. The vessel is inspired by renowned Bay Area ship builder, Matthew Turner, and his design, Galilee, which came to rest at the foot of Napa Street in Sausalito. Her stern is permanently on display at Fort Mason. The ship’s purpose it to connect people of all ages to the sea through sailing. She serves as an educational platform for Bay Area youth. Thanks to the Army Corps of Engineers, she is docked at the Bay Model Visitor Center’s Pier in Sausalito. This location allows students to learn about the Bay’s unique geography and hydrology on shore, and on deck.
32 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 32
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 6:07 PM
ACTIVE PIRACY REPORT from the International Commercial Crime Services: A Narrative of the Most Recent Attacks
October 25, 2021: 02:13N - 004:50E, Around 149NM SW of Brass, Nigeria. While underway, a container ship was boarded by an unknown number of pirates and the crew retreated into the citadel. A Russian Navy warship and its helicopter responded and proceeded to render assistance resulting in the crew and ship being safe. October 19, 2021: 01:15N – 104:11E, Singapore Straits. Five unauthorized persons boarded a general cargo ship underway and attempted to enter the engine room. Alert crew noticed the attempted break-in and raised the alarm resulting in the persons escaping empty handed. October 18, 2021: 03:11.37S – 080:02.80W, Around 1.64nm NW of Punta Jambeli, Ecuador. Six persons in a speed boat approached, fired upon and attempted to board a container ship underway. Master increased speed and commenced evasive manoeuvres, resulting in the speed boat aborting and moving away. October 15, 2021: 01:17.02N – 104:13.85E, Singapore Straits. A bulk carrier underway was boarded by five unauthorized persons. Duty crew noticed the intruders and closed all doors and reported to the bridge. Alarm was raised and crew mustered, resulting in all intruders escaping without stealing anything. Incident was reported to the port authorities and a local agent responded and intercepted the ship to provide assistance. October 14, 2021: 01:15.10N – 104:03.65E, Singapore Straits. Alert crew onboard a tanker underway noticed three unauthorized persons onboard. Alarm raised, resulting in the persons escaping without stealing anything. Incident reported to Singapore authorities.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 18-33 Scuttlebutt - MKC.indd 33
Latitudes & Attitudes 33 10/28/21 6:07 PM
ANOTHER WAY THE ROCK By Tania Aebi
The Rock, the Pillars of Hercules, the entrance and exit to the Mediterranean, Gibraltar looms over the northern extreme of the Straits, about 18 miles from its southern edge in Africa. As you climb this fabled mound, you can see both continents, the bottlenecking straits that connect the two worlds, ships passing through in either direction, ships anchored awaiting dock space, fishing and pleasure boats weaving in and out between them. We made our approach at night with the AIS blinking out information once gathered merely from lights and distance. The crew called out CPAs and speeds even though Captain Maurizio had really tried to impress upon them the importance of using their own eyes and common sense instead of being transfixed by just what the screen could offer. Like teenagers or Boomers with their phones — everyone, regardless of age, seems to be addicted to the devices nowadays — the screen kept pulling them in like flies to jam. Or, like flies to the streets of Gibraltar. None of us were including being bombarded by flies in our imaginings of this next landfall. But a lot would happen before we could experience a meal with hordes of these pests. About five days earlier, we’d met in real life the people we’d only communicated with online. Nine of us were on a Swan 68 being delivered from Palma de Mallorca in the Balearic Islands to the Canary Islands to join the ARC. It was meant to be a feeder leg, a leisurely delivery, with time for stops in Gibraltar and Madeira, an Atlantic island I’d never visited. Maurizio, who lives on the boat for half the year, was the real captain. But, as he currently doesn’t have a valid license and we have paying passengers, I was designated the on-paper captain, as close as I ever want to be as sole captain on a milliondollar Swan 68. I was excited about sailing this lovely big boat with very little actual responsibility for all its terrifying conveniences and systems. Maurizio, being the one who intimately knows everything about her myriad wires, pumps, motors, fans, switches, how to dock her properly, how she works, he could do all the worrying. My consort and I visited with Maurizio and his mother and sister in Italy before the three of us flew to Mallorca and
34 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 34-35 Tania 37 - MKC.indd 2
boarded the boat he’d left to another captain four months earlier. Since then, she’d crossed the Atlantic and spent some time cruising around the Med with her owners. When we arrived in Palma the day before paying crew trickled in, the other captain announced the generator and refrigerator weren’t working, that he may or may not have lined up people to come help fix them. He suspected there was water in the generator’s pistons and a leak in the fridge’s gas line. Good luck. My niece, who was just beginning her gap year with this adventure, arrived as he flew off to meet his wife in England for a vacation that was destined to be frequently interrupted by calls from us. The generator and fridge were fixed — electrical issues — we did our provisioning as the other five crew moved aboard, with and without bags, we rented a minivan to visit the cool island full of history typical of southern Europe, which always involves lots and lots of rocks and stone structures of varying ages and origins. Another typical feature of the Mediterranean is feast or famine when it comes to wind. Either you have too much, or none at all. We got the calm option, and spent the next three days and two fuel tanks motoring with frequent dolphin visits and all their acrobatics. Any passage of meals and watch schedules and log entries climaxes with the landfall. Even three days spent at sea, often close enough to land for service to get emails and texts, culminates with lots of excitement about what will be found ashore in a new place. So, most of the crew was awake as we motored into the early morning hours toward the silhouette of the famed and well-lit rock surrounded by oodles of ships and their lights. Maurizio and I had a separate watch rotation of six hours on, six hours off, while the seven others cycled through their time at the helm monitoring course, speed, and shipping. The sun rises pretty late in October in Western Europe that stays in the same time zone as the east, and it was still dark at 7:30 a.m., as we rounded the corner of the rock. We were heading up between land and an anchored freighter when I woke Maurizio. It was time to pull down the double-reefed main we’d left raised for stability, then call the dock to find out which side needed fenders and dock lines.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 7:35 PM
In May of 1985, an 18-year-old Tania set sail from Manhattan, New York, and became the first American woman and youngest sailor at the time to circumnavigate the globe. Upon her return to Manhattan in November 1987, Tania had visited 23 countries and sailed 27,000 miles. Nowadays, Tania runs charters and delivers boats all over the world when she’s not at home, raising her sons, working on her next book, or battling snow in the winter and weeds in the summer.
He came up on deck, sat uncharacteristically quietly in the cockpit, groaning instead of issuing commands left and right on what to do next, then lay down and writhed, asking what paining organ was situated in the lower abdomen that could make it feel like he was dying? Kidney? Spleen? Appendix? There was a doctor on board who examined him more closely and said it could be a kidney stone. When he actually asked me to supervise dropping the main, setting up the dock lines, and bringing her in, I got really scared. Not about docking, but about Maurizio. Is this how we’d lose a good friend? Just like that, on approach to Gibraltar, on a routine landfall? I mean, there’s never a right time, but there are definitely worse times than others. He groaned, he moaned, curled up into a fetal position, threw up, and moaned again. Then came over to the wheel to get us to the dock. It was a small relief to see he wasn’t yet close enough to death’s door to trust me. Meanwhile, the others said this was typical of kidney stones, which, for men, is akin to the pain of childbirth. They say. Over and over again.
funneling through the Straits died down later to do my first Med-mooring with this big, beautiful boat, and they said no problema. I walked over to check out our spot from land and saw a nearby vacant slot with much more room for lining up and getting steerage in reverse. I asked if we could have that one instead, they said no problema. Then, lo! Maurizio was back. Smiling and acting as normal as a woman who’d just finished up with labor. But the neardeath experience had changed him. After we made sure the bow thrusters worked, he actually allowed me to do the docking I’d been preparing for in my head during the four hours of his hospital stay. And it went perfectly. Flawlessly, if I may say so myself. And, with Maurizio back, I didn’t have to worry about how to find the right connections to successfully hook up to shore power — which ended up needing an electrician. And that’s how the first leg of this delivery got called a wrap. Next stop, Madeira.
Traveling on boats almost always introduces new life lessons; this was my first with kidney stones. Tied up to the fuel dock, Maurizio went to lay prone on a bench ashore until a taxi came to ferry him to the hospital. When he left, I started hearing and thinking about problems I hadn’t noticed earlier and calling the former captain for advice. One hum ended up being an engine vent. And the fill caps on the port side were the ones we wanted for empty fuel tanks one and two. The marina assigned us a berth, and I asked if we could wait until the wind
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 34-35 Tania 37 - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 35
10/26/21 7:35 PM
36 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 36 ASA.indd 1
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:45 AM
Exploring Grand Traverse Bay By Adam Claypool
E
very good sailing story features some adversity, and this one is no different. The difference is when and how that adversity hits. For us, it was two minutes into our trip. More on that in a moment… but first, some background. My fiancée, Carla, and I were about to depart on the third leg of our tour of Western Michigan. The first trip, which was featured in Cruising Outpost Winter 2018-2019, saw us traveling north from our home port of St. Joseph, Michigan, 80 nautical miles north, ending in Whitehall, Michigan. As two working parents, we can really only get away for a week at a time, so we had a retired friend shuttle the boat back to St. Joe for us. The following year, we picked up right where w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 37-41 Exploring Traverse Bay (R) - MKC copy.indd 1
we left off, having that same friend shuttle the boat to Pentwater, Michigan (which would have been our next stop), and sailed 92 nautical miles from Pentwater to Leland (chronicled in Lats & Atts Spring 2021). This year, the plan was to have the boat shuttled to Frankfort, make a return trip to South Manitou Island, then head into Grand Traverse Bay, and finish in Little Traverse Bay. It was by far our most ambitious trip to date —142 nautical miles to be exact —
Latitudes & Attitudes 37 10/27/21 10:27 AM
Exploring Grand Traverse Bay and our first aboard our new-to-us boat, Allegro, a 2005 Bavaria 36 Cruiser. And as I said, the most stressful part of the trip happened two minutes in. Our friend, Captain Nolan, was sleeping at anchor in Betsie Lake after sailing in overnight. I was trying to coordinate where to do our crew change, and my first two choices of marinas said they were busy and would try to help if they could. That didn’t instill a ton of confidence, so I called the third marina — which was more than happy to accommodate. Here’s a tip: check charts first. I had been to Frankfort before and didn’t remember any depth issues, but that’s because I didn’t go on the south side of the lake. At any rate, we only found out there were depth and aquatic weed issues as Nolan shouted coming into the slip. Well, he made it in — and we’d have to make it out. But first, we spent an hour or so replacing the autohelm belt, which had slowly been disintegrating over most of the past decade. With the belt replaced, it was our turn to try navigating through an overgrown weed garden. The engine felt sluggish to me, and my depth sounder said I was running aground, but I think that was just the weeds. The next thing I knew, I had absolutely no steering at the helm. I yelled to Carla that we would need to drop the anchor so I could diagnose the problem. Cursing under my breath, I slipped into the wet suit and jumped into the very frigid water to discover our rudder was absolutely covered in weeds. Using my feet, I cleared those weeds away, then checked the sail drive. No weeds there, so I came back to the helm. I told Carla to lift the hook, and viola — we had steering again! Not to mention, we were almost back to the deeper part of the lake. I asked Carla to check the strainer in the engine for any weed debris, and things looked good, so off we went! We had a very smooth downwind sail to South Manitou Island, powered by about 10 knots of wind at 150 degrees. The waves were a bit higher than I thought they would be (we had some fivefooters in there), but Allegro surfed along very nicely. We were treated to a very pretty sunset sail into the anchorage, and a very fun surprise. We dropped the hook right next to one of my former co-workers, who just so happened to be on a sailing
38 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 37-41 Exploring Traverse Bay (R) - MKC copy.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:27 AM
vacation at the same time as we were. We grilled brats and drank margaritas with JR and his girlfriend, Alex, who I hadn’t had the chance to meet yet. And just like our last time here to South Manitou Island, we were treated to a night sky that could take your breath away. With no light pollution out here, the stars looked absolutely amazing. The following morning, we each gave JR’s stand-up paddleboard a try, made our way to shore to walk the beach, then headed back to the boat for our 40-nautical mile sail to Northport, the first of our ports of call inside Grand Traverse Bay. Once again, we had a nice breeze from the southwest, making for a pleasant downwind sail for the first leg of the trip. The second leg of the trip saw us turn south into the bay, where we had a spirited close reach with a 20-degree heel to make things fun. We motored in the last mile or so because we didn’t feel like tacking forever to make Northport. We were really impressed with the Northport Municipal Marina; the docks were very nice, as were the facilities. And boy, did those showers feel good after the previous night at anchor. We ate dinner at one of the only restaurants in town, then retreated to the boat, where we watched an episode of a show on Netflix before turning in. We were beat! The next day, we departed Northport, and our sailboat became a motor boat — as we had the wind straight on the nose for our 21-nautical mile sail south to Traverse City. We really gained an appreciation for Grand Traverse Bay on the trip. There wasn’t much chop, and there was plenty of pretty
Sail Makers to the World... Kevin Smylski Cowichan Bay B.C. leesailsbc@shaw.ca 778-422-3332 Bob Dyer Ridgeway, Ontario Bob.dyer@lastmilenet.ca 905-894-8847
Alex Smith Broad Reach Marine Lexington, SC brmcanvas@gmail.com 803-920-9131 Alan Klee Delta Sailing School Isleton, CA Leesails@deltasailingcenter.com 916-966-1855 Doug Marshall Lee Sails, NW St. Helens, Oregon leesailsnw@gmail.com 503-680-1914
Visit www.leesailsdirect.com today to view our construction process, hardware, read testimonials and obtain a quote.
DIRECT.com w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 37-41 Exploring Traverse Bay (R) - MKC copy.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 39 10/27/21 10:27 AM
Exploring Grand Traverse Bay scenery to keep us entertained. One thing we’ve learned during our travels is to NOT make a marina reservation. Too much can happen (bad weather, you choose to change the itinerary, etc.). We’ve never had an issue before, but we did this time. All of the slips in the downtown marina were taken, so we stayed at the marina two miles from downtown. To compensate for this, we rented two electric bikes from a company three blocks away from our marina. While these bikes weren’t cheap, they helped make our trip to Traverse City a really awesome experience. We didn’t burn many calories, but they topped out at about 20 mph, and we got to keep them for 24 hours. That night, we “biked” downtown and had dinner and drinks, capped off with lagers brewed with real Michigan cherries. We went to bed happy that night! The next morning, we headed back downtown and had some delicious crepes for breakfast before making our way to the outdoor shop. We discovered they were having an end of summer blowout, so we splurged and got a couple of inflatable stand-up paddleboards for ourselves, for 20% off. Originally, we were going to stay in Traverse City for two nights, but instead, we decided to depart and sleep at anchor in Suttons Bay, 17 miles up the coast. The sail was exhilarating. With winds that varied often between 12 and 17 knots on the beam, we hit a new boat speed record of 8.2 knots! Getting from the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay into Suttons Bay required a lot of tacking, but we eventually reached our destination and dropped the hook before inflating our SUPs for the first time and enjoying an evening paddle around the anchorage. The next morning, we paddled to shore for a tasty breakfast before exploring the town of Suttons Bay by foot. What a charming little town! There were so many cute little stores, and after our trip ended, Carla and I agreed that Suttons Bay was our favorite destination. Next up, it was time to exit Grand Traverse Bay and head towards Little Traverse Bay. We weighed anchor and brought up the sails for our breezy downwind sail to Charlevoix. With winds ranging from 12 to 20 knots (Grand Traverse Bay seemed to have some pretty big wind swings), we surfed some big waves out of the bay. I called ahead to the Charlevoix Marina and found out they were full. We may have to start rethinking this “don’t make
40 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 37-41 Exploring Traverse Bay (R) - MKC copy.indd 4
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:27 AM
reservations” thing. But, on the bright side, we saved some money by sleeping on the hook in Round Lake. Charlevoix was bustling; in fact, it was a bit too bustling for our taste (especially during a pandemic). Our absolute favorite part of Charlevoix, though, was explored by SUP. We paddled around Park Island from Round Lake to Lake Charlevoix to discover what I can only describe as a kind of enchanted forest. The water was absolutely crystal clear, the trees were pristine, and it was so quiet you could hear yourself breathe. A bit later, we weighed anchor for a short trip to Petoskey, our final destination. We had north-northeast winds at about 8 knots. If I were smart, I would have motored straight north with the sails down for a bit, then put them up for an easy beam reach east. But I’m not smart; I put the sails up immediately and sailed northwest, then tacked east (bound straight for land), before tacking northwest again, and doing that dance for way longer than I should have. But it was a beautiful day, and the wind was fair. Once we were able to sail straight east, we had some great sailing. And we really enjoyed the contrast of Northern Michigan during this particular sail. Up here, unlike the large sand dunes at the bottom of Lake Michigan, which are beautiful in their own right, evergreens come right up to the shoreline. We had gotten a tip that we should check out Bay Harbor, a former rock quarry that’s been turned into a ritzy lake and resort community for the ultrarich. We did a slow lap of the lake before exiting and finishing our last two miles to Petoskey. We docked at our first slip in three days, took muchneeded showers, then walked around the beautiful town that sits elevated on a hill above the marina. The next morning, we met up with Captain Nolan and his friend for breakfast before trading in the helm for a set of car keys. We absolutely loved this trip, and I’m already looking ahead to next year, when we will complete our circuit of Western Michigan and cross under “Mighty Mac,” the Mackinac Bridge! I think Northern Michigan in the summer may just be the best place on Earth. Until next time!
Become a Private Sailing Instructor Share your passion for sailing. If you are a great sailor and enjoy teaching, meeting new people, and making money on your own schedule - become a sailing instructor directly in partnership with NauticEd.
#1 student choice for sailing training & certification in North America.
nauticed.org/teach-sailing Or contact NauticEd at teach-sailing@nauticed.org w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 37-41 Exploring Traverse Bay (R) - MKC copy.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 41 10/27/21 10:27 AM
42 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 42-43 Sailtime.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:51 AM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 42-43 Sailtime.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 43 10/27/21 11:51 AM
Cruising:
Row boats on the lake! For some reason, Patty did not want to explore the lake by boat
Barcelona, Spain By Chuck & Patty Ritenour
Sailing the Med as Americans is tough because of Schengen. What is Schengen you ask? Well, non-EU country citizens are allowed in EU countries for 90 days and then must be out for 90 days. That’s difficult to manage during the summer sailing season. We worked hard to stay legal on SoulMates, but does that mean we were always in compliance? Well, you can take the passports and try to figure it out! Leaving France, my wife, Patty, and I knew our Schengen days and the summer sailing season were ending. With a favorable wind in the Gulf of Lyon, we set out on SoulMates late in the afternoon for the 170-nautical mile sail to Barcelona. Checking sources, it appeared the most economical marina was Olympic Marina built for the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympics. I had called and made arrangements beforehand. When
44 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 44-49 Cruising Barcelona - MKC.indd 2
we were within hailing distance, I called the marina and got a “Welcome, SoulMates, and please proceed around the breakwater and a small boat will meet you and take you to your slip.” Getting from the old Olympic village to downtown was an easy walk. But after an overnight sail, it was a short day and we were soon back on board after some mussels, calamari, and wine — only to be awakened by loud booms. We looked out and saw the beachfront was having fireworks. Patty asked if they were being shot off to welcome us, and we both laughed and enjoyed them. The next day was Sunday, so we were up and out early and headed downtown. It was a nice walk past a variety of shops and neighbors. Soon we were downtown across from the other big marina, Port Vell. Hearing music on an early Sunday morning, we rounded a corner and
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:15 AM
SoulMates in Olympic Marina
Parade of Giants could not believe their eyes. We got lucky again, arriving on the biggest festival weekend in Barcelona: La Mercè, a festival to celebrate the Patron Saint of Barcelona. It would be a weekend of free concerts, a parade of Giants, open entertainment, and other things. First, we found group dancing lessons. Watching
Port Vell Barcelona Olympic Torch, Barcelona
Last glass of real sangria in Spain
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 44-49 Cruising Barcelona - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 45 10/27/21 11:15 AM
C r u i s i n g : Barcelona, Spain
Group step dance lessons
Plastic display in Barcelona
Sepulchre of Santa Eulalia in the Cathedral Barcelona
46 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 44-49 Cruising Barcelona - MKC.indd 4
a group dance to Achy Breaky Heart was great entertainment. Moving on, we visited a beautiful church and the 14th-century sculpture of the Virgen de la Merced. Walking was done on one of the city’s main thoroughfares, currently closed for a children play area that went on for blocks. And no, I did not play any of the games, but only because Patty kept me in line. As we walked on, we found a huge park filled with picnicking families and a lot of entertainment. In the center of the park was a big pond where you could rent a rowboat. I got all excited and floated an idea past Patty: We could get in a little boat and row around. Patty was not amused and said something about “just doing a 24-hour sail” and “I think not,” but in more explicit terms. Also in the park was a great display of the plastic problem in the oceans. Patty and I had gotten as much plastic off SoulMates as possible, and couldn’t count the amount of plastic we had seen in the water, so this was right up our alley. Walking back, we passed a great beach and, as is our custom, stopped for a great dinner of fresh fish, mussels, and sangria. Monday brought a new set of challenges, what with the failure of an electrical cord for shore power and pulling the life raft out and sending it out for recertification. Once we accomplished those tasks, we set out to discover the city market and were wowed. I fell in love with it. The little eating place inside had some great mussels, local cheese, and wine. While walking after our meal, we found the Cathedral of Barcelona, which holds the Sepulcher of the co-patron saint of Barcelona, Eulalia. In 303 AD, at only 13 years old, Eulalia confronted the Roman governor for his persecution of Christians. Her eloquence was so great that he had her immediately martyred for her faith. Tuesday was the last day of the festival with the parade of the Giants. At the end, I asked a security guard about what we should do next, and he suggested the fireworks at the Plaça d’Espanya. A little old lady next to them said, “Come with me, and I will take you to the subway and get you on the right train.” Wow! How kewl and how nice people are. Of course, we have found wonderful people every place we have been, and Barcelona is no exception. Plaça d’Espanya is a huge square at the center of the city that is home to all the government offices. How many people can you fit into the square? Dos mil o más. It was packed, but the fireworks were perhaps the best we have ever seen and worth it. Once we got our life raft back, it was time to head south. It was getting late in the season,
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:15 AM
and as usual the winds and seas are not always favorable. Combine that with the numerous headlands along the Spanish Main, it could make for an interesting trip southbound. We got out of Barcelona with the first good light. It was a day of great sailing with good wind, then no wind, then great wind. Ten hours later we had a lot of black clouds on the horizon, but radar showed no rain. To be cautious, SoulMates was maneuvered into a wellprotected anchorage and the hook dropped. One of the problems with late summer sailing is that the days get shorter. What would have been a predawn departure is now a very dark departure and an early quit to avoid going into anchorages or harbors in the dark. Out on a windless day, SoulMates had a fast run down and around a cape, but a tide change put a half-knot tidal current on the nose, so progress slowed a bit. Eventually the wind picked up, and soon the engine was off and sailing was good. With building seas and winds, it was decided to go into Castello Marina for the night. I called and got “Solo hablo español.” Rounding the breakwater in building and breaking seas and a stiff south wind, SoulMates turned toward the harbor fairway with big seas on the stern and surfed into the harbor. Once in, I called again and got again, “Solo hablo español.” But, to my relief, a guy was standing on the dock waving. It was good to be tied up and safe. We left while it was still dark and had a good run with light winds and seas on the stern, and another cape to round. When we first arrived in the Med, we did a rhumb
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 44-49 Cruising Barcelona - MKC.indd 5
The Spanish Main: Imagine the sea action to carve that headland
Spanish Main Headland - note the water current
Latitudes & Attitudes 47
10/27/21 11:15 AM
C r u i s i n g : Barcelona, Spain Aguadulce Marina
line to the capes and wondered why pretty sure I was lost, but I told her we the other boats took a longer route were almost there. We soon rounded hugging the coast. We learned why. As a corner and were in the city center. I rounded the cape, I turned west and Patty said it was luck that got us hugged the coast and was able to get there, but I assured her that my mind out of the current is a steel trap and and seas for a I had this. Dinner pleasant run to was great, as good Cartagena, where as the memories of a call to the marina eating in the same got us a slip for the square so many night. I’m pleased years ago. to say I looked like Our trip an expert backing wasn’t all smooth SoulMates into the sailing. We were slip. Unfortunately, reminded that it was the wrong one of the things slip and the lines cruisers need to had to be pulled so have on board SoulMates could is a bunch of be moved to the spares. We had correct slip. Hey, I left in the morning Chuck’s Serrano Ham did look like I knew for a run south what I was doing. after consulting Patty was not our ship log, and amused when she we knew where had to line handle twice. we wanted to go. We were having a SoulMates had been to good run when the engine belt broke. Cartagena back in 2013. As we got Not an issue. Into the spare parts I off the boat and headed out, Patty went. I pulled out a new one and soon asked if I knew where I was going. I everything was running smoothly told her I did. As we walked, Patty was again. If you’ve ever tried changing
48 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 44-49 Cruising Barcelona - MKC.indd 6
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:15 AM
Mary, the Harbour Manager in Aguadulce in an engine belt in a rolling sea, you know it can be interesting! Reaching Puerto de Aguadulce, we got a slip and checked in. With great reluctance we decided it was time to head back across the Atlantic. Since we were in a fairly nice sized town, it was time to stock SoulMates for the crossing. But first it was a note to Chris Parker, our Caribbean weather router as to the crossing and told it should be a normal year. Now understand this is early October and the crossing would be in December or January. Watching us shop can be interesting. Patty is buying practical canned stuff and easy to make meals; I kept picking up different sausages and throwing them in the basket and checking if we had enough cheese. Patty would say we did, only to discover me putting more cheese in the cart. As I put more sausage into the basket, Patty pointed out that the crossing is only a couple of weeks and I had enough sausage for a year. But I was concerned we might run out. You never know! As it turns out, there was enough sausage to last w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 44-49 Cruising Barcelona - MKC.indd 7
eighteen months. But I assure you, it was good to the very last bite. The best was the Serrano Ham. You see, I knew Patty would have a cow if I were to get a ham, so I wandered over to where they were kept and worked with the butcher to select a ham to meet my needs. Now selecting it is one thing, getting it into the cart is another. When Patty got close, I told the guy at the counter to watch Patty’s face as I put the ham in the cart. To say Patty was not amused is a bit of an understatement, and boy did she let me have it. The butcher and his cohorts were all laughing as they watched me get what for. It was time to head south. With a boat load of sausage, cheese, ham, and sensible canned food, we went to the marina office to check out of Spain and the EU. The marina had arranged to have the police come over and check us out. There was a bit of confusion on the stamps in our passports. Thankfully, Mary, the marina manager, stepped in, and soon the passports were stamped. After one last night of mussels, calamari, and sangria, the dock lines were released and SoulMates headed south to Morocco.
Bimini Mounted Solar Packages With Built-In Canvas Mounts ! No Costly Custom Framework Needed Complete Packages From 50 to 440 Watts Start At $799 ! Runs The Fridge At Anchor or Mooring Works Well With
508-743-9901
www.hamiltonferris.com
Latitudes & Attitudes 49 10/27/21 11:15 AM
Special Holiday Offer!
SUBSCRIBE, GIVE AS A GIFT, OR RENEW FOR
HALF-PRICE!! GIFT-GIVING MADE EASY!
Give a 1-year subscription of Latitudes & Attitudes Magazine to a boating friend for just $12.50 (REGULAR PRICE $25.00). OR subscribe for yourself or renew your existing subscription. Give as many subscriptions as you like - only $12.50 each!
ORDER ONLINE
www.LatsAtts.com/Xmas2021 Fill in the info and pay for one subscription, get one as our gift! Want to give more? Get more. You will get one additional paid subscription for every paid gift subscription. So give two, get a year for yourself, plus another 1-year gift subscription at no cost.
ORDER BY MAIL
SEND TO: Lats & Atts Gifts, Box 100, Berry Creek, CA 95916 Send us the name(s) and address(es) of who you want to send a gift subscription to, and be sure to include your name and address. Let us know if you want to extend your current subscription or start a new one. *Canada, add $10 subscription.Overseas, $20 per subscription.
per add
And yes, you get the second one of equal value at no cost!
50 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 50-51 L&A Sub Ad (r).indd 2
W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 11:57 AM
DON’T MISS AN ISSUE — Subscribe Today for Half-Price!
M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
Only $25 $12.50 Per Year Get FOUR HUGE ISSUES jammed right in your mailbox —
or IN YOUR FRIEND’S!
Visit LatsAtts.com/Xmas2021 FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS
If you photocopy this you don’t have to cut up a perfectly good magazine.
for ALL Active-Duty Personnel* A special thank you to our subscribers who help make this happen. *A part of every dollar from each regular subscription to Lats&Atts helps pay for free subscriptions for our troops.
M
A
G
A
Z
I
N
E
Access online e-zine versions at no additional charge. Get the print magazine in your mailbox, read online on your boat!
□ Send the next 4 issues to my mailbox (One full year!) ............................ $12.50 □ Send the next 8 issues to my mailbox (Two full years!) .......................... $25 □ Send the next 12 issues to my mailbox (Three full years! Best deal!) .... $37.50 Name
Phone
A12/21
Outside of USA & Canada Please Add $10 per year for addtional postage
Address City
State
□Check Enclosed
Zip/Country Code
□Bill to my credit card (Visa/MC/Amex/Discover)
Card # Exp. Date / Signature Date signed / MAIL TO: Latitudes & Attitudes Subscriptions - PO Box 15416, North Hollywood, CA 91615-5416 Change of address, gift subscription, other issues - visit: LatsAtts.com/Subscribe • Subscriptions Phone: 818-286-3159 W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 50-51 L&A Sub Ad (r).indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 51 10/29/21 11:57 AM
SPINNAKERS ARE
FUN! By Morgan Stinemetz
Soaring 15 feet above the water on a wind-borne red, white and blue spinnaker — I liked to call it a spinnaker, but the sail, made by Ulmer, was actually called a Flasher. I could see we were heading for real trouble about 100 feet away. There was absolutely nothing anyone could do about it. Soon, real soon, my sailboat and my own personal self were going to collide with a snarl of mangroves by the water’s edge, with unfortunate, expensive and embarrassing results. Fate had been trying for 24 hours to tell me that this particular weekend was not destined to be one of my better ones. Memorable, yes. Stellar, no. I ignored the warnings. Rugged racing sailors often ignore warnings until reality grabs them by the sphincter muscle. The day before, during a controlled gybe, my mainsail had ripped from leech to luff. The winds were a tad on the strong side that day, and my main was a tad on the worn side, true. But rugged racing sailors aren’t bothered by too much wind or worn out gear. Rugged racing sailors press on. “You did WHAT to your mainsail?” the sailmaker said over the ship‑to‑shore telephone hookup. Choosing my words for maximum effect, I explained. I had to give it my best shot and get his attention and cooperation right away. He rarely was able to get a 2”x2” tear in a sail fixed and out of his shop in less than two weeks. Repairing an eight foot rip constituted big stuff. Would he please help me out and fix the main for me?
52 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 52-55 Spinakker Flying - MKC.indd 2
The sailboat race I wanted to be in was so important. And would he be kind enough to pick me up, sail in hand, by the roadside at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow morning too? I knew I was pushing it some with the curb service suggestion, but these were desperate times. “Okay,” he said. “Fantastic!” I replied, visions of trophies dancing in my head. Janice — former wife and solitary crew member — and I spent the night lying to the hook in Sands Point Cove, in New Pass, Sarasota. It was a protected anchorage whose tall and comforting pines have fallen to the developer’s axe. Then, the sheltering trees blocked the wind. Sleep came easily. It always did after knocking back a couple of strong rums before bedtime. Rugged racing sailors often knock back a couple of strong rums before bedtime. The next morning, Sunday, dawned gray and windy. Again. No matter. After the usual struggle to get the mainsail off the boom, I waded ashore, met the sail maker by the side of the road at the appointed hour, and off we went to fix the sail. Three hours later I was back at the boat, repaired mainsail under my arm, with the admonition of the sail maker still ringing in my ears. “Son, you’d be a fool to take that old main out on a day like today and try to race with it. The sail just won’t stand up. You’d be lucky to get to the first mark with it still intact.” “Do we really have to race today?” asked Janice. Janice, I found out over the years, was little impressed with delusions of grandeur or thoughts of gleaming trophies w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/26/21 4:53 PM
for gutsy racing. She had her own threshold of pain. Her complaining increased exponentially with every knot in wind speed over 10 knots. The combination of Janice’s reluctance to “go for the bronze” and the sailmaker’s warning‑‑not to mention the wind, now about 25 knots, steady‑‑caused a rethink on my part. The conclusion: scratch the race. Just hang out in Sands Point Cove and take it easy. It was the sensible thing to do, albeit boring for a rugged racing sailor. Small wonder, then, that spinnaker flying came to mind. Surely spinnaker flying would ease the old ennui. Just anchor by the stern and let `er flicker. Nothing to it. Besides, a fantasy had been rolling around in my head. Several years earlier — I’d just bought my Ericson 27 — I was anchored off at Egmont Key at the mouth of Tampa Bay one spring afternoon when a large sailboat came into the anchorage on the southeast side of Egmont and anchored by the stern, close to the beach. The wind coming over Egmont from the southwest held the boat away from land. Within a few minutes, the crew hoisted a chute and were enjoying spinnaker flying. To a rookie sailor like me, it looked like great sport. Spinnaker flying, a daredevil type of activity joyous to behold and even more joyous to perform well, requires agility, strength, and a bottom made of cast iron. All you have to do is sit on a line tied between the clews of a spinnaker and let the wind lift you up, up into the air until your weight is exactly counterbalanced by the lift generated by the sail. There you can sit, master of all you survey, until the wind either dies, and you come down, or you decide to jump off. In either case, you end up in the water.
knot taken off the bitter end of the spinnaker halyard, just in case. With the spinnaker crackling and snapping in the wind like a bullwhip, I dove off the bow and grabbed hold of the retrieval line, pulling the sail to me so I could sit on the rope tied between the clews. Once I got myself situated, the sail immediately lifted me right out of the water and there I was suspended about 15 feet above the water. Others anchored in the cove, I thought, must be envious of such a spectacular stunt. I was feeling smug. Rugged racing sailors are very resourceful. I looked around. Great view. But something was wrong. We were moving! No doubt about it. We were definitely moving. The extra strain from my spinnaker flying caused the anchor to drag in the soft mud. We were quickly heading for mangrove bushes at the water’s edge. It does little for one’s feelings of security to know that one’s boat is heading for the bushes when one is sitting 15 feet off the water on a high‑flying spinnaker. When the boat gets to the bushes, one is sure to follow, fifteen feet off the ground. “We’re moving!” Janice shouted up to me.
If you do things right. We didn’t quite get it right on the day I decided to spinnaker fly rather than risk racing. We set everything up. Spinnaker, line to sit on tied to the clews, line to retrieve the chute, anchor down and tied off on a stern cleat, stopper w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 52-55 Spinakker Flying - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 53 10/26/21 4:53 PM
“I know! I know!” “What can we do?” came the plaintive cry from below. “I don’t...” Bonk! The boat’s keel hit a rock just about the time the skipper and spinnaker went into the bushes. I fell, but the mangroves broke my fall. Somewhat. “Let the spinnaker halyard go!” I shouted from the thick of the mangroves, my voice a screech of panic. The sail — a $500 item — was beginning to thrash itself to death in the branches of some overhanging Australian pines. One of the axioms of being a skipper, especially when one has made a real big mistake, is to shout at those who are innocently standing around. Might as well confuse those people, too. Janice did as told. The spinnaker promptly took off like some red, white, and blue nylon kite and plastered itself in the tops of those sheltering pines, 50 feet above the surface of the water. There it stayed, held securely there by the strength of the wind, the halyard trailing randomly back down to the water’s edge like an abandoned kite string. After extracting myself from the mangroves, not too much worse for wear — scratches and cuts, all minor — I was able to help Janice. Without the skipper up on the spinnaker, the anchor was holding nicely, and we pulled in some line, backing the boat out of the bushes. Ignoring the laughter erupting around the anchorage as best I could, I swam back to the shore. The spinnaker, what to do about the spinnaker? Pulling it out of the treetops by brute strength proved to be impossible. It was wrapped around several branches. Tugging on it by hand didn’t work. Tugging on it with a power boat didn’t either. The sail started to tear apart. Clearly, getting the sail down called for stronger stuff.
twenty minutes to cross two hundred feet of that sand spur minefield. When I finally got to it, the concrete driveway in front of the Longboat Key Club couldn’t have felt any better to my feet had it been made of cashmere. I looked for a back entrance, but found none. Shoeless, shirtless, dressed only in cutoffs, and with welts, scratches and cuts making me look like swamp rat, I walked into the lobby of the Longboat Key Club. It was about lunchtime. My sartorial getup hardly matched the dress of the gentle ladies and men of the club on their way to Easter Sunday brunch. Hard glances that said “How did that riff raff get past the security people and into our club” shot my way from many sets of glittering eyes. However, a helpful employee took me in tow and pointed out a telephone in the office. I called the Longboat Key Fire Department. “This isn’t an emergency or anything, but I sure could use some help,” said I. “What’s the problem?” “My spinnaker is caught in a tree top on the south end of Longboat Key, and I was hoping that you guys could help me get it down.” “What’s a spinnaker?” “It’s a sail from a sailboat.”
Call in the experts, someone suggested. The only experts around with the equipment to get it down were members of the Longboat Key Fire Department, stationed at the far end of the key. But it would require a phone call. We were in luck. I knew there was a phone at the Longboat Key Club, just across a sandy, vacant lot. I’d just walk right over there and use their phone. No sweat. Wrong again. That sandy, vacant lot contained the world’s most complete collection of sand spurs. And my one deck shoe was back on the boat, the other having gone over the side in all the excitement. Deck shoes don’t float. So, it was take a step or two and then stop to take the sand spurs out of my feet. No one ever wished for a lighter footprint than I did that day. Muttering every step of the way, it took about
54 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 52-55 Spinakker Flying - MKC.indd 4
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 4:53 PM
“Maybe I can help,” a man in his mid-twenties suggested. He’d been watching from a short distance away. “Well, I can use all the help I can get right now,” I replied. “But the sail is up in those tree tops and I can’t climb up there and get it.” “I might be able to,” said the stranger. “How did it get up there, anyway?” “It’s a long story.” “I’ll bet. I’ve been watching you try to get it down. I’m a security guard for Arvida. But before that I was with the circus and have done some tightrope walking. I think I can get out there on one of those branches and get the sail loose.” “Have at it!” I exclaimed with the enthusiasm of people who’d just seen some bearded guy turn water into wine. He did. Climbing up through the branches with deliberate speed, he reached the topmost branches of the tree that had my spinnaker snagged. Carefully now‑‑the tree was being whipped around by the wind‑‑he moved along one of the branches, holding onto the branch above. It was delicate work. “What were you doing sailing in the trees?” “It’s a long story.” “We have never had a call like this one before.” “I can imagine that, but would you help me out?” “We’ll be down in a few minutes.” “Great! Thanks!” Slinking out of the Longboat Key Club, I waited a discreet distance down the street for the fire department to arrive. Better to ride across that field of sand spurs than to walk through it again. Rugged racing sailors are adaptive. After twenty minutes, the fire department was on scene with a truck complete with a hydraulic ladder arrangement. Hopping on one running board, I directed the driver across the sandy lot. We parked near the trees, within ladder distance of the tops of them. The two men from LKFD didn’t ask many questions, but it was easy to tell they were highly amused. I could endure smirks all day if they would just get my sail out of the tree tops. It was not to be. The fire truck began to bog down in the soft sand. The crew moved to another spot. The truck bogged down again. Decision time. “Look, we’d like to help you out, but if we were stuck in the sand here and a call came in, we’d be out of luck. Maybe out of a job, too,” said one of the firefighters. “We can’t risk it. You’ll just have to be on your own.” w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 52-55 Spinakker Flying - MKC.indd 5
Taking out a knife I’d given him, he cut away the one part of the sail that was pierced by a tree branch. A tug here and a tug there on the halyard from the ground pulled the sail down bit by bit. It hung up from time to time, but the real hard part was over. Following the sail down from on high, the agile Arvida security guard freed it when it got tangled. Five minutes after he started on his mission of mercy, my somewhat tattered spinnaker was in hand and bagged by the water’s edge. A few people cheered. One cabin cruiser honked its boat horn. The Arvida security guard took a bow. He deserved it. We thanked him profusely. He’d made hard times better. The Longboat Key Fire Department good guys rumbled off down the road. They had a report to write up about how they attempted to help a rugged racing sailor get his spinnaker out of the trees. Help in another form came a few weeks later from the state of Maine. Rugged racing sailors don’t sail far with just one deck shoe. I wrote to the people who make Sebago Docksides in Westbrook, Maine, and described my plight. One of my shoes had gone over the side during the Chinese fire drill. I didn’t need two, just one. Size 9‑1/2 medium. Could they help? They did. The president of Sebago, Dan Wellehan, sent down a brand new complementary pair, along with the suggestion that I stay out of the “puckerbrush” in the future. People in the boat shoe business understand how it is with rugged racing sailors sometimes.
Latitudes & Attitudes 55 10/26/21 4:53 PM
JOIN US AT THE LARGEST BOAT & YACHTING EVENT IN THE WORLD / FEBRUARY 16-20, 2022 MIAMIBOATSHOW.COM
56 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 56 Miami Boat Show.indd 1
W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/27/21 11:54 AM
Reflections on Sailing Around Florida’s Horn By Nathan Jones
In the past year, we have covered 1,500 miles just sailing the coastline of Florida on our Hunter 376 named Winter Isn’t Coming. It may not seem like a lot compared to many cruisers, but for my wife, who didn’t even want to cruise, 1,500 miles is a lot (check out our previous story in Lats & Atts, Summer 2021, Liveaboard Trial). We have just completed a trip from Tampa to Daytona Beach, via the Florida Keys — 650 miles in two weeks — including a stop at our favorite marina, Marathon Marina and Resort.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 57-62 Around the Horn of Florida - MKC.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 57
10/26/21 8:11 PM
This trip started with a sail from Tampa to Boca Grande, and the discovery that our refrigeration had broken during the day. I think it’s for good this time. It is not supposed to make grinding noises like that. Luckily, we were able to get ice nearby before pushing off for our 24-hour picture-perfect sail to Marathon. Our first day in Marathon was spent on the anchor bayside just north of 7 Mile bridge near East Bahia Honda key where we had a day of relaxation, swimming, napping, grilling, and sunburns. Kate and I thought it was a good way to spend the day after a relaxing sail. The next day, when we arrived at Marathon Marina and Resort, we were treated like returning family. (Thanks Rick, Jules, and Susan! Even though “yachties” complain, we recognize how tirelessly you guys work to accommodate everyone. Glad we aren’t one of them “yachties.” We look forward to seeing you again in January.) After spending six days in Marathon, we left for Daytona Beach. At first, we attempted to run Hawk’s Channel but quickly retreated through the 7 Mile bridge. Shortly after our retreat, NOAA posted a small craft advisory on the Atlantic side. It was a rather easy sail through Florida Bay, if you don’t get stressed skirting through shallow spots. We only touched three times. We made good ground and anchored in Card Sound just in time for sunset. The second day, we crossed Biscayne Bay at 7+ knots and pushed out into the Atlantic with our bow thrusting into 6 to 8-foot breakers, pushing water over the top deck up to the companionway hatch as we pushed through on the outgoing tide, and facing directly into a southeast wind that had been blowing for five days. Forecast said 4-foot at 3.5 seconds offshore, so we pushed through cautiously, made our turn north, and continued further offshore where the sea conditions matched the forecast. Once we got turned north, we were able to set the sails for a downwind run for Lake Worth Inlet. The only drama was the loud, shotgunlike bang from the shackle on the boom vang giving out under pressure. That startled us for a moment but was an easy fix to replace the shackle. We dropped anchor in Lake Worth in time for a nice dinner. Card Sound to Lake Worth in one day —a little over 100 miles — gotta love the push of the gulf stream, not too shabby. The following day started off similarly pushing offshore with outgoing tide against the wind. But once we got out
54 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 57-62 Around the Horn of Florida - MKC.indd 2
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 8:11 PM
about two miles, conditions got better as we headed for Cape Canaveral. Another good sail with the gulf stream pushing us to sail 100+ miles again in daylight. You can’t anchor in Cape Canaveral, so we arranged for a dock. We looked forward to a night of air conditioning and the comfort of being tied up to a dock. Unfortunately, we arrived after the staff was gone and could not get shore power to work (learned later we had a damaged cord). Then during the night the wind turned, and we were beam-to to the incoming rollers. Needless to say, not a good night’s sleep as we rolled and knocked up against the metal floating dock. So, we quickly paid our bill and headed for Ponce Inlet. Once we got just past the shoals off the cape, the wind dropped, and we became a dreaded motorboat the rest of the way to Ponce Inlet. But it was a gorgeous day. The water was clear with a tropical green hue. It looked picture perfect, like we were back in the Florida Keys. It was a great welcome to Daytona Beach where we will be docked for the next two months. The next major destination will be our haul-out for some overdue maintenance. Hopefully, we can squeeze in a trip to St. Augustine prior to the haul-out and between the repair list that we have to get started. Now Time for Reflection After completing this trip, Kate and I were reflecting on what we have learned after 1,500 miles of coastal sailing in the past year. My thoughts turned to small gizmos and tricks that made sailing and boat maintenance easier for me. I also quickly thought of a shopping list of all the great upgrades I would love to do when we haul out. But that list adds up to more than the boat is even worth (maybe that will be another article). I will need to cut that list down a little. However, Kate’s first thoughts for her reflection of what she has learned turned out to be a top 10 list of what have I yelled the most. Oops! Don’t know if that is a good thing. But I have a feeling that we aren’t the only ones that have shouted at each other while sailing so we decided to share with the L&A family because we think many of you will relate. Kate’s Top 10 Quotes Why have these lessons stuck in her head? I may have yelled them a time or two (or more). I have to assume w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 57-62 Around the Horn of Florida - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 59
10/26/21 8:12 PM
all sailing couples have faced a similar situation. Colorful adjectives are left out but when I have to repeat myself, adjectives tend to get inserted in the phrases below. I will let everyone pick their favorite adjective and insert it into the quotes. I assume that just makes all of us colorful sailors. 1. “Look at the windvane.” The hardest lesson I have had to repeat countless times is Kate maintaining course based on the wind vane while I am raising and lowering sails. She has learned to look initially but has a bad habit of watching me vice the windvane. Then I end up pressing against the boom as I am yelling at her to keep it in the wind. She says she is, and I yell back, “No, you are not. Look at the windvane!” 2. “Get control of the boat.” At times, Kate allows the boat to go where it feels like. This tends to be either at times of raising or lowering the sails or anchoring. She will be moving too fast, turning off course, or some other form of misdirection. I will instruct where I want the boat and she says it won’t go. I yell back, “Get control of the boat.” Most of the time, the culprit for why the boat is not going where I want leads to numbers 3 & 4 below. 3. “Increase the throttle.” When the boat is turning the wrong direction and I yell out a correction, many times Kate has said it won’t go that way as she holds the wheel hard over. Of course, she hasn’t applied the appropriate amount of thrust and my response is, “Increase the throttle.” 4. “Back off the throttle.” The next response to Kate increasing the throttle is, “Back off the throttle.” For some reason, she doesn’t seem to recognize when to back off. Some day she will, I hope. 5. “Where are you going?” There has more than one reason to ask this question. At first, the most common reason was due to her steering abilities (or lack of). When looking behind the boat our slick in the water looked like a giant snake trail back and forth. The other most common is that she simply drifts off course (really far off course, I should say) and doesn’t realize it. Like
60 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 57-62 Around the Horn of Florida - MKC.indd 4
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 8:12 PM
many beginners, she wants to use landmarks or look at the bow to determine where she is going. We are working on learning to use the compass for maintaining a heading and understanding where the boat is going is not necessarily where it is pointed. Which leads the remainder of the top 10. 6. “Don’t overcorrect.” One of the challenges for many people I suppose is understanding where the boat is pointed is not where it is going or where it is about to be. I think this comes pretty naturally to me. I sailed sunfishes as a kid and became a pilot in college. Grasping impacts of dynamics of direction is easy for me. Kate is still learning to think it through purposefully in order to adjust course. Which often leads to overcorrection and then we are back to our snake trail. 7. “Don’t wait for me to answer. Figure it out.” It is a good thing that my spouse has faith in me and that I know the w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 57-62 Around the Horn of Florida - MKC.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 61
10/26/21 8:12 PM
answer. But after this time on the boat, it is time for her to start figuring it out versus asking me everything or asking confirmation all the time. I know this has to do with her confidence, so as we log more miles, I am sure these words will slip away. 8. “Don’t depend on the autopilot.” The autopilot has become the crutch that reduces overcorrection and makes monitoring her course easy. The problem is that there are times when autopilot is not appropriate and should not be trusted. Such as the time we were coming into Cape Canaveral just after sunset and as I was stowing sails. I left Kate in charge of the helm. I pointed the boat in the desired direction, and she simply clicked autopilot. Luckily, I looked up soon enough to stop us from running right into the rocks. She has learned that autopilot won’t avoid hazards nor necessarily keep the heading you thought you were on. 9. “Don’t take your hands off the wheel ‘til someone has it.” We have developed a positive reaffirmation system for handing off the helm. We verbally acknowledge when you take the helm so the other knows they are relieved. You can probably guess why. Yep, someone would let go too soon and the boat would round up at the wrong moment. 10. “Don’t take your hands off the wheel while setting the autopilot.” This comes from the same vein as the last one. In her lust for using autopilot all the time, she would let go of the wheel and turn on autopilot. The
62 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 57-62 Around the Horn of Florida - MKC.indd 6
problem is that the boat’s heading would have changed between the time she had her hands on the wheel and by the time she would turn on the autopilot. Which would lead back to me saying, “Where are you going?” 11. Bonus: Kate’s Other Lessons The following lessons she identified after quoting back to me all my words. It turned out there are lessons she has learned that are not based on me yelling at her. Thank goodness! a) It is hard to make meals underway. Prep ahead of time. b) It is hard to use the head underway. Use it before leaving. Ask hubby to ease off the wind to level out the boat when you need to use the head. c) Balance. Use your butt to balance against things when you need your hands. d) Caffeine is your friend. e) Inlets are scary. Be cautious. We can’t forget about Sonny For those of you that have read our last article, I am sure you are wondering about Sonny (our little sea dog), he learned a few lessons of his own and created his own habits. Here it is, in his own words. When the boat leaves the marina, stay in the cockpit area and do not try walking around the deck. Once the anchor is dropped, it’s time to relieve myself on the bow and walk around the decks to my little heart’s content. Evenings are for eating. Always bark at the powerboats that get too close, they put off a wake. Bark at the people at the new dock until they give me a treat. Now we are friends, and I will always expect a treat when I see you. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 8:12 PM
CLT01L Stainless Steel w/Bronze Nut with Lanyard ext. This tool is machined stainless steel with a onepiece body, nose, and bronze nut. Handles wire sizes up to .062”, including .032”, .041” and .051”. Designed with bulletproof body. CLT01M Stainless Steel w/ Bronze Nut “The Mini” This smaller tool is machined stainless steel with a onepiece body, nose, and bronze nut. Handles wire sizes up to .041”, including .021” and 032”. The tool is designed to handle that size wire because the body is bulletproof, and the wire will fit into the notch. The perfect tool to help you in those tight spaces.
CLT1LMK Stainless Steel w/Bronze Nut Marine Tool and Mini Tool This kit contains: Zippered Case, 1 Premium Marine ClampTite Tool, 1 Premium Mini tool and 4 small rolls of Stainless Steel wire (2 rolls of 304, .032”, 2 rolls of 304 .041”).
CLT7LMK Stainless Steel w/Bronze Nut with Lanyard Ext, Stainless Steel w/Hex Nut and Lanyard Ext and Premium Mini Tool Kit contains: Zippered Case, 1 Premium Marine ClampTite Tool, 1 Commercial Marine Tool, and 1 Premium Mini Tool. 4 small rolls of Stainless Steel wire (2 rolls of 304, .032”, 2 rolls of 304 .041”) included. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 1
Gift Guide clamptitetools.com CLT07L Stainless Steel w/Hex Nut and Lanyard Ext. This robust ClampTite tool is about 2” larger than the standard tool, and uses larger wire up to 1/8” diameter. A bronze hex nut allows heavy leverage to be applied with a wrench for bigger jobs. Can be used with wire size up to 0.125” including .051”, .062”, .080” and .092”.
CLT01LK Stainless Steel w/Bronze Nut Marine Tool Kit contains: Zippered Case, 1 Premium Marine ClampTite Tool, and 4 small rolls of Stainless Steel wire (2 rolls of 304, .032”, 2 rolls of 304 .041”)
CLT07LK Stainless Steel w/Bronze Nut with Lanyard Ext and Stainless Steel w/Hex Nut and Lanyard Ext. This kit contains: Zippered Case, 1 Premium Marine ClampTite Tool, 1 Commercial Marine Tool and 4 small rolls of Stainless Steel wire (2 rolls of 304, .032”, 2 rolls of 304 .041”).
Latitudes & Attitudes 63
10/28/21 7:50 PM
Gift Guide Bacon Sails & Marine Supplies Hoodie $29 (Special Price) BaconSails.com
Discover Springline Coffee from Newport, Rhode Island
Commodore’s Collection Try three of Springline Coffee’s favorite single origin roasts. This Collection is fit for the Commodore—and for you too. In this multi-bag collection you’ll enjoy: Smooth Seas, First Light, and Drift Away.
Endurance II Quartz Clock
This beautiful porthole-style clock features an accurate quartz movement, a finish that is guaranteed never to tarnish, and beveled glass crystal on its traditional front-opening case. Barometer also available.
Weems-Plath.com
LED Navigation Lights
Weems & Plath’s LED navigation lights feature life-long brightness, unparalleled quality, and are built in the USA with solid aluminum housing, making them the most reliable and durable lights on the market.
Weems-Plath.com
$55.00
Springline Signature This bold blend combines three of Springline Coffee’s favorite dark roast beans from Costa Rica, Sumatra, and Colombia. The result? A rich, smooth blend that will be your new favorite ritual.
$21.00 Aegean From Maramra All the softness of cashmere with the versatility of 100% raw, unbleached Turkish cotton. Two hand-loomed fabrics whip-stitched together. A perfect blanket for all seasons.
Navmate Tote Bag This canvas tote is perfect for storing/carrying charts, books, tools, etc. Features a strong Velcro closure across the full width to keep things dry and a large, clear, sail cloth window to view tools easily.
Weems-Plath.com
MANTUS QUICK CONNECT SMALL BOAT ANCHOR
Small, lightweight, sets reliably in a variety of bottoms. Collapsible w/out need for bolts. Removable roll bar, single locking pin. Models from 2.5 - 13 lbs.
www.mantusmarine.com
marmaraimports.com 64 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 2
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 6:04 PM
Fun Stuff for Cruisers and Boaters Worldwide! Nautical Gold From Hawaii www.aumaris.com 855 353 9995 Turks Head Earrings
Sailboat Pendant
14K gold sloop sailboat pendant, the ultimate gift for a seafarer, order now and save! Sterling, 14k or 18k yellow gold 30 mm tall 1.25 inches tall Bail for 4 mm necklace
The Turks head knot is beautiful, while its origin is a mystery its elegant beauty is legendary, these earrings are great to complete any style, adding a touch of class to their wardrobe, from
$300
Gold Shackle Earring Set
Aumaris shackle earrings are the ultimate expression of life at sea, a design rooted in old maritime traditions. Each earring is unique, and the quality is top notch. Buy one pair and save! Earrings are available in Sterling, 14k or 18k solid gold. Made in Hawaii from
$200
Silver Anchor Chain Bracelet Large
Aumaris anchor chain bracelets are elegant offering a handsome design perfectly suited for seafarers, a great gift Links and clasp are sterling silver Links are 14mm long by 9mm wide Available in 7”, 8” and 9” inches, by the inch from
$960
Platinum Turks Head Rings
Classic Platinum Turks Head Rings, 3 strand original comfort bands, a tribute to sailors of incomparable quality and comfort, crafted by hand The ring is crafted in 950 Platinum with 18k yellow weave and all platinum 10 mm wide Handcrafted in Oahu Free engraving from
$3,400
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 3
from
$200
Love Knot Ring - Nautical Knot
Aumaris nautical knot rings continue to offer sailors beautifully designed knot rings expertly crafted by hand in the old world, seafaring tradition. Each ring is a testament to our commitment to quality, explore and shop now. The ring is made with 14k or 18k yellow gold from
$650
Infinity Bracelet
New! Infinity Figure 8 Knot Bracelet with a Toggle Clasp, a charming design beautifully crafted with 14k or 18k gold, perfect to mix-and-match with her favorites, flexible silky knot links are a nautical statement. STYLE 300-LVE 7.5 “Long Available in sterling, 14K, and 18k yellow gold from
$500
Gold Anchor Chain Bracelets
Anchor chain Bracelets in solid gold designed for mariners and sailors, these nautical bracelets offer fine handcrafted quality and solid allnautical links. STYLE 2100-G Available in 14k, or 18k yellow gold Links are 1/2” long, 5/16” wide From 54 grams! 7, 8, and 9 inches plus clasp, also by the inch from
$600
Latitudes & Attitudes 65 10/27/21 6:04 PM
Gift Guide
Blue Ocean Wave Pendant
UGO PHONE
The Blue Ocean Wave Pendant Necklace is a stunning piece of jewelry crafted in Sterling silver and embellished with both blue and clear crystals. The spectacular pendant is a perfect circle topped with a simple bail to hang on the chain that comes with it.
100% waterproof, the ugo Phone 2.0 with its uzip™ waterproof zipper is fully submersible, fits all phones, and it floats! PROMO CODE LA20
www.ugowear.com
alittleirishtoo.com
Reusable Floatz Bags Are Sustainable
Blue Sailboat Pendant The Blue Sailboat Pendant Necklace is such a charming accessory that you will wish to wear it every day. Your purchase will save 10 baby turtles!
alittleirishtoo.com Blue & Rose Gold Mom & Baby Turtle Pendant
The Blue & Rose Gold Mom & Baby Turtle Pendant Necklace is an absolutely endearing piece of jewelry that is sure to catch admiring glances. Finely crafted in sterling silver and adorned with clear and sparkling crystals. Your purchase will save 10 baby turtles!
alittleirishtoo.com
Nautical hand-tied snowman ornament Nautical hand-tied snowman ornament. He’ll look great on any tree either seaside or inland. A reminder of warmer days on the water.
MysticKnotwork.com
66 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 4
Made of FDA-grade PEVA, free of toxins and can be hand-washed and dried. Floatz Bags are available in four different sizes with color coding for easy identification. If you’d like to get more information on these handy reusable storage bags, go to
www.FloatzBags.com
MANTUS WATERPROOF HEADLAMP Durable aluminum alloy, rechargeable, water resistant down to 30’. High/low beams (770/150 lumens) up to 420’, with red night vision light and an SOS signal.
www.mantusmarine.com South Beach From Maramra Our lightest towel, made from 100% Turkish cotton with hand-tied fringe ends. Perfect for the beach, home, or boat as this thin and absorbent towel dries in no time flat..
www.marmaraimports.com w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 6:04 PM
Fun Stuff for Cruisers and Boaters Worldwide! JOLLY ROGER SEABAG
Handcrafted by M&B Ship Canvas. Extra-stout construction, multiple reinforcements, heavyweight stitching, leather chafe patches, lifetime warranty. 2 sizes from $350.
PacificNWBoater TESTED.com
Fendertex inflatable textile fenders Fendertex inflatable textile fenders available in three shapes and ten colors. Lightweight and customizable. Add your boat’s name or logo.
PYIinc.com/fendertex
Start Financial Plan Give yourself the gift of Financial Freedom so you can cruise more! Call Sylvia Williams for a free consultation today. 407-405-7579
startfinancialplan.com
Rainman Watermaker
Get up to 37 gallons of pure fresh drinking water per hour. Check out our Boat Show Special! $4,750.
www.rainmanusa.com
Nautical Bracelets from Maggie & Milly
Magica Rust Remover
Nautical shackle bracelets - perfect accessory for all sailors. These will weather any storm! Get 10% off with code LAT10
maggieandmilly.com.
RUST STAIN REMOVER Safe & Easy to use, works gr at on Fiberglass, Stainless Steel, Canvas and Sails. Removes Rust like Magic! 800-236-1143
www.MagicaRustRemover.com
Bitchin X-mas Gifts
Here’s a way to solve your X-mas gift giving problems! Order any of Bob Bitchin’s books. All in hardcover, collectors’ editions, and signed by the author!
Your Choice $24.95
www.bobbitchin.com/books w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 67 10/27/21 6:04 PM
Gift Guide REPLICA AND YACHTING CANNONS
Maggie Lee’s Compass Rose
Beautifully handcrafted heirloom quality saluting cannons. Many styles and mounting options, including custom projects for yacht clubs and personal use.
Take your happy place wherever you go! With Maggie Lee’s Compass Rose Coordinates Collection. View Entire Collection at
strongfirearms. com
maggieleedesigns.com/ WEEMS & PLATH BINOCULARS Superior optical performance and durability, providing high resolution and brightness, especially at dusk and dawn. Save $50 with: WEEMS50OFF coupon code.
PacificNWBoater TESTED.com
Zarcor Drink Holder Holder for every kind of container. Attach to any rail or lawn chair.
www.zarcor.com
Companionway Door By Zarcor
Art From Vanessa Piche Bring your love of the sea into your home with an original oil painting or a spectacular print by awardwinning artist Vanessa Piche. Commissions also available
www.VanessaPiche.com
“Dream Your Life” Coffee Cup
Anyone who’s been out cruising knows that is a dream. This $9.99 coffee cup reminds you, as you cruise, that you are living the dream!
latsattsstore.com UGO Slim
The Companionway door ad will be 1/4 page. Caption: Replace those pesky hatch boards.
100% waterproof, the ugo Slim with its uzip™ waterproof zipper is fully submersible, fits all phones and it floats!
Available for all boats.
PROMO CODE LA20
www.zarcor.com
www.ugowear.com
68 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 6
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 6:04 PM
Docktails Beach Chair Lightweight, Folding, Packable Weighing less than 3 pounds, the Docktails beach chair is your perfect beach companion. It easily fits in your beach bag, and holds 300 pounds. www.havefungrowyoung. com/collections/furniture/ products/docktails-beachDocktails Camp Chair - Orange
Lightweight, compact, portable and comfy for the win. This camp chair is perfect for any adventure. Also available in Ocean Blue www.havefungrowyoung. com/collections/furniture/ products/docktails-campchair-orange
The Perfect Martini Cup The Docktails martini cup is stemless, insulated, shatterproof and has a lid. The perfect martini, every time. Pairs well with waterfront adventures. Docktails Insulated Martini Cup With Lid - Hawaiian Blue – MorselMunk (havefungrowyoung.com)
Women’s UPF 50 Sun Shirt Comfy chair? Check. Cocktails on the dock (aka Docktails)? Check. Comfy shirt with UPF 50 sun protection for the ladies? Check check. Shop our entire sun shirt collection. Docktails Women’s UPF 50 Adirondack Sun Shirt - White – MorselMunk (havefungrowyoung.com) w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 63-69 2021 Gift Guide - MKC.indd 7
Docktails Camp Chair – Blue At less than 2 pounds, this chair is ready for any adventure. It folds to 14” long, making it easy to fit in your beach bag or tote, or clip on the outside. Also available in Sunset Orange. www.havefungrowyoung.com/ collections/furniture/products/ docktails-camp-chair-blue Docktails Camp Table
You’ve got the lightweight chairs. Round out your outside experience with the lightweight, compact, folding camp table, weighing less than 4 pounds. www.havefungrowyoung.com/ collections/furniture/products/ docktails-camp-table
Insulated Wine Cup The Docktails insulated wine cups are a great match for your dockside adventures. They won’t break, and they won’t break the bank. Shown in Aquamarine. Available in multiple colors. Docktails Insulated Martini Cup With Lid - Hawaiian Blue – MorselMunk (havefungrowyoung.com)docktailscamp-chair-blue
Men’s UPF 50 Sun Shirt Adirondack chairs and docktails, our happy place for sure. This shirt captures the essence of Docktails in a UPF 50 sun shirt. Shop our entire sun shirt collection. Docktails Men’s UPF 50 Adirondack Sun Shirt Caribbean Green – MorselMunk (havefungrowyoung.com)
Latitudes & Attitudes 69 10/27/21 6:04 PM
22 Years of Latitudes & Attitudes
The first Share The Sail, Tahiti , 199 Bloody Mary Party, Bora Bora, 2018
The Grenadines 2017
It’s hard to believe, but it was over 20 years ago that we created the Share The Sail concept. It was based on how I was introduced to the world of sailing, and I wanted to pass it on. Believe it or not, flotilla charters (what they call it today) were a very rare thing back then. My introduction to sailing was when I was invited to sail to Guatemala on the tall ship Stone Witch, a 74-foot square-rigged topsail schooner. I was about 35 years old and had never sailed. On the voyage south my life changed. I honestly believe that trip saved my life. When I returned, I bought a boat and lived aboard for the next 35 years. When Jody and I came up with the concept of Share The Sail, we wanted to show people what the cruising lifestyle was all about. That was back in the last century (1999, lol) and since then we have hosted Share the Sail Flotilla Charters all over the world. The photo on the top left was taken during that voyage in Tahiti. The other day, we were with a couple who was on that very first charter, who are now friends of over 20 years, and we were trying to figure out how many lives we’ve “ruined” by introducing them to the lifestyle. We figured about 2,000 people have participated. Some of the areas we have hosted these events include Tahiti, Greece, the PNW, Tonga, the Grenadines, Antigua, Croatia, the BVIs, New Zealand, Australia,
Wahiki Island, NZ 2008
Aukland, New Zealand, 2003
70 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 70-72 Share The Sail History - MKC.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 1:14 PM
Share The Sail Flotilla Charters Samoa, and the Bahamas. And we are adding new areas all the time! Over the years we have sailed on monohulls and catamarans, and next year we will be doing Cape Horn on an adventure cruise ship. At most of these events we host Cruiser’s Parties and invite cruisers who are in the area to join with us. Our “House Band” at these events has starred Eric Stone for many years, often joined by Steve and Shelly Hall, Kyle Rife, Isabella Stefania, Captain Michael Beans, Steve Hendrickson, and a number of other waterfront entertainers. Some of the more memorable events have been at Bloody Mary’s on Bora Bora, at Pusser’s on Marina Cay, on the beach in Vava’u, Tonga (attended by the Governor and his family), and at the Sunsail Resort in Antigua. The Share The Sail concept originated at the St. Petersburg Sailboat Show, when the President of Sunsail and I were listening to Eric Stone play. For many years we worked with Sunsail, The Moorings, Dream Yacht Charter, Tahiti Yacht Charter and others. Over the years, most of those companies have started their own Flotilla Charter events, and now just about every charter company, boating publication, and sailing school has started their own flotilla charter plans. It clearly has become a very popular way to experience the cruising lifestyle!
Vavau, Tonga, 2005 BVIs 2000
Antigua 2006
Grenadines 2017 BVIs 2019
Croatia 2009 w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 70-72 Share The Sail History - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 71 10/26/21 1:14 PM
22 Years Of Latitudes & Attitudes Share The Sail Flotilla Charters San Juan Islands 2017
Tahiti 1999
One of the best things to come from these events is the interest in our lifestyle. Many people dream about sailing off into the sunset, but very few ever get to experience that dream as a reality. But thanks to the Share The Sail concept, they were able to experience the lifestyle for a week or two, without “selling the farm” and maybe discovering, too late, the life was not for them. The basic concept was simple from the start. We’d put a capable captain on each boat, usually a member of our staff, but the participants would plan the route, choose the destination, and sail the boats. The skippers were just there to teach them, and help out in case they got in over their heads. Over the years the concept has never changed. Nice boats in great locations with people who share a love of the lifestyle. Oh, don’t think we are being altruistic in this endeavor. We do this and pick places we love to sail, and in return for creating these adventures, we get to participate. Jody and I have been on just about every one of these over the years. Captain Woody ran these for years, and now Jessie and Katie, our youngest staffers, are helping run them. So, if you think the cruising life is for you and want to “test the waters,” why not join in on a flotilla event? It doesn’t have to be one of our Share The Sails. There are plenty to choose from these days. Who knows... It could change your life!
BVIs 2019
Phuket, Thailand, 2010 Airlie Beach, Australia, 2004
72 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 70-72 Share The Sail History - MKC.indd 4
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 1:14 PM
Great Ideas!
In 1974 we had a great idea: build a seaworthy yacht with a strong commitment to value. For the past 47 years we have embraced that idea and added plenty of new ones. Today we have 11 models, six cat-rigged sailboats and five sloop-rigged sailboats. Each boat, from the 14’ Picnic Cat to our 27’ Cruiser, is not only hand-built to our original idea but are simple to sail. And isn’t that why we sail in the first place? But we won’t stop there. Tell us your dreams and ideas. W e’ll work with you to create a Com-Pac Yacht just for you.
Build Your Dream? “ We can Do That!” Hutchins Co., Inc. 1195 Kapp Drive Clearwater, FL 33765 w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 73 Compac Yachts.indd 1
www.Com-PacYachts.com info@Com-PacYachts.com 727-443-4408 Latitudes & Attitudes 73 10/26/21 1:12 PM
Message in a Bottle By Robert Krieg
It was the third year of my solo circumnavigation aboard s/y Scooter, a 48-foot Amel Maramu Ketch. Ah, that’s not entirely true. There were a few companions in the early days after losing my dazzling wife to cancer two years before departure. Expecting to develop ocean-loving companionship from adventure-seeking landlubbers clouded my loss recovery program. Jane agreed to be flown back to the Hamptons from Charlotte Amalia, St. Thomas, after she recognized that if something happened to me, she would drift around the pond until found. Her claim to have sailed to Chaguaramas, Trinidad, proved that her island-hopping time was spent as the chief cook and bottle washer. I hated to give up her gourmet meals, but it was for her safety. Karen flew back to L.A. from Vava’u, Tonga, with hopes of reviving her background singing career after five weeks of sensory deprivation of blue above and blue below between the Galapagos and Tahiti then more of the same on the journey to Tonga. I viewed my ocean adventure in those early months as “solo with an observer” until Tonga, when I truly went solo and stayed solo-adventuring to New Zealand for six months until an old sailing injury resurfaced while trekking the south island mountains. I had to get back to Florida
74 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 74-77 Message in a Bottle - MKC.indd 2
for a knee replacement before my corporate-backed medical insurance would unexpectedly expire. Though fast-tracking to New Caledonia, up the Great Barrier Reef, across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius then to South Africa, I paused to explore inland at each landfall. While I was docked at the False Bay Yacht Club in Simon’s Town, South Africa, provisioned for the 5,600-nautical miles solo to Trinidad, a British woman and two male Cornell University Marine Biology grads chatted it up with me, looking to hitch a ride. They had responded to an online ad for crew on another boat heading north but found the yacht had issues. In fact, it failed the South African departure inspection. So, I had a real crew for the first time since departing Tampa Bay, Florida, early in 2006. St. Helena rose five days out of Simon’s Town, where the British woman met a very senior woman who planned on sailing her 54-foot ketch to the Chesapeake Bay all by herself after her husband had flown home from Australia, so she decided to jump ship to give her a sailor’s hand. That left us three guys with her share of provisions, including some savory South African wine. After a four-day exploration about the island chasing Bonaparte’s history, her share of the wine had produced extra empty bottles. w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:34 PM
One of the guys commented about a message in a bottle from somewhere in his past. In no time, three imagineers bounced ideas around. Launching the message bottle would be something to look forward to on the long sail to Trinidad, a diversion from light air gennaker trimming, idle hours reading, watch standing, and fishing, fishing, fishing. The message came together on a Word doc in simple easy to understand English. It gave directions to notify the senders where and when the bottle was found. We thought each message bottle had to be tracked, so we created a spreadsheet titled “Message in a Bottle.” The columns were labeled with the number, latitude, longitude date, and comments. Many messages were printed and stored in a folder in the navigation table drawer. The date and position of launch was written on the back of each message before it was rolled and placed into a clean, dry wine bottle. Before we corked it, the bottle number, coordinates, and date were entered on the spreadsheet. On February 21, 2009, the first message was delivered at 110 9ºS, 0090 54ºW between St. Helena and Ascension Island. Before departing Ascension Island, bottle number two was prepared, but that time, wax from an orange candle was melted around the exposed cork and upper spout to prevent the cork from eventually leaking. From then on, all bottles were sealed with wax. At 0537 on March 8 at 0250 55.208’W longitude the equator was crossed. Soon after midnight, according to the logbook, Scooter began to drift on the giant still pond conserving the remaining two hundred liters of diesel. Message bottles number 7, 8, 9, and 10 were launched on March 8, 9, 10 and 11. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 74-77 Message in a Bottle - MKC.indd 3
As the day progressed, the air filled in from the northwest, so Mr. Stink, the Perkins 4-154 diesel, again assisted Scooter’s sails. Clouds on the horizon ahead were studied with eyes longing for signs of rain below where there could be wind. As the wind speed and direction oscillated, we sailed or drifted
Latitudes & Attitudes 75 10/26/21 2:34 PM
or motored. Daily fuel checks and weather consults tweaked every decision. We crept into the North Atlantic and through the ITCZ (Inter Tropical Convergence Zone – The Brits call it ITC Zed), where warm air heated by the sun flows together from the northern and southern hemispheres on the ocean surface bringing great amounts of moisture together. The heated moisture rises to the stratosphere where it parts and flows north and south to cool then fall back to earth around 300N and 300S. Looking forward to the rain events we continued our daily activities and adjusted chronometers again to the time change from Zulu (military for UTC Universal Time Coordinated which is the modern Greewich Mean Time) where global time starts at zero hours and minutes. Looking back at the ITCZ clouds to the south while catching good air that was lifting us north making fair progress, we began to anticipate our arrival in Trinidad. Bottles 20, 21 and 22 were launched one at a time on March 24 near 100 48’S, 0600 9’W, as the course along the north coast of Trinidad was being shaped. In all, twenty-two bottles were launched between February 28 and March 24, 2009. Months after the Cornell grads flew home from the Port of Spain, Scooter was docked in front of a home
76 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 74-77 Message in a Bottle - MKC.indd 4
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:34 PM
on a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida, and I was living in a rented apartment in Lauderdale Lakes. The journey around the planet at ocean speed had been successfully completed, but the quest to find a life mate had not. It was time to close the sailing chapter of my life and make a deep dive into places where I could interact with single gals and not watch one, on the first date, roll her eyes up when I told her where I lived. Scooter had to be presented on the market as though it had just left the factory in La Rochelle, France. All surfaces below deck, on deck and in the machine-spaces needed refinishing. Left uncorrected it would cause a shopper to wonder about what else was in need of repair that couldn’t be seen. Six months later when the decks were gleaming again and my new knee was operating correctly, a sales contract was signed. I moved Scooter to a private dock on the South Fork of the New River and waited for an offer. My Scooter responsibilities were reduced to simply keeping her systems ready and deck clean for showings. Nine months of hard work, walking recovery, and internet dating held my focus. Reminiscences of ocean sailing had been successfully sealed in a memory treasure chest while new life adventures were being perused and enjoyed. One Saturday morning in March 2010, after reviewing weather and news feeds, I checked my emails and found a striking surprise. It was an email from Alexander Heil aboard the drilling rig Maersk Developer saying that they found a bottle while they were involved in a man-overboard training exercise! Bottle number 20, launched at 100 48’N and 0600 09’W back on March 24, 2009, had been found, making their otherwise routine day come alive. On the opposite page is the original email (with redactions for everyone’s privacy). Alex also included photos of the barge, the bottle and the crew. Researching the currents, it’s reasonable to think the bottle was carried along the Venezuelan and Colombian coasts, maybe down as far as Panama, then up along Central America, around the Yucatan Peninsula and near Mexico on its journey to the recovery drill site, making itself a home for ocean critters to be carried along the way. W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 74-77 Message in a Bottle - MKC.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 77 10/27/21 8:47 AM
What’s Out There? Cruising Monohull
The Amel 50 is the French yard’s first sloop in over 20 years. Amel has a history of building yachts designed for long-distance cruising and for life aboard. It has been designed to get the maximum comfort, safety, and ease of use. Her performance offers the skipper the option of a family weekend away or a world cruise. In 2018, the Amel 50 was awarded the European Yacht of the Year. For sailors looking for a well-built boat that offers speed, comfort, and ease of handling, this boat fits the bill. There is plenty of storage space, as well as comfortable living space below decks. Topside you will find a well designed cockpit, and every thought has been given to making the boat easy to handle even for a short-handed crew. Amel is very proud of their overall seaworthiness,
78 Latitudes & Attitudes _pg 78-79 Amel 50R.indd 2
particularly the ability to isolate the bulkheads into 4 safety zones in the event one area of the hull is breached (cabin doors form sealed zones). They also are proud of their “Amel exclusive” decking process. Everyone thinks it’s faux teak, but it’s actually a teak-deck finish that’s been molded into the deck areas. No need to treat or even clean much more than a hose off. The steering system uses a push-pull cable system that gives the helm a sensitive touch. The rudders are a good size with direct linkage. That means that the slightest movement of the wheel moves the boat. In all, this 50-foot vessel offers a good platform for the short-handed cruiser, with plenty of room and comfort. Want more info? No problem. Go to their website at www.amel.fr/en to check out this cruiser!
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 9:32 AM
Amel 50
GET ALL THE FACTS: www.amel.fr/en/amel-50
Amel 50 LOA Hull Length Draft Beam Displacement Power Fuel Fresh Water w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
_pg 78-79 Amel 50R.indd 3
54’1’ 50’10” 7’ 15’8” 45,300 lbs. 150 hp 180 USG 160 USG
Latitudes & Attitudes 79 10/27/21 9:32 AM
What’s Out There?
Cruising Catamaran
The folks at Nova Luxe Yachts are leaders in electric catamaran repower and have reached far across the Atlantic to secure a 54-foot carbon-fiber electric sailing catamaran from Cape Town, South Africa. The Ocean Renegade R5’ was purpose built by a globe-trotting surfer. “I was surfing in Thailand for a few months and a couple invited me on to their catamaran. That’s when I realized the catamaran was the perfect home to reach the very best, very distant surf spots. I contacted a few guys with a reputation for building extremely fast catamarans and told them what I needed for my wife and small boys. Then I learned to sail and they started building the boat,” recalls the current owner.. “Production boats in
80 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 80-81 Nova Lux Power Cat - MKC.indd 2
this size seemed to focus on silly things like gold trim and exotic woods sourced from ever shrinking jungles. I didn’t want that garbage and I do not want to pollute the places I visit. I wanted a very fast, comfortable yacht that I could handle with just a bit of help from my wife. I told this to Ashley and Clay in South Africa and they knew what to do. I think they were super excited. For them, it was a dream, build the highest performing yacht you can. They did a great job.” This is a racer/cruiser for a family to explore the Pacific. It is being followed by a 64-foot model. For more information on this or future models, please visit www.novaluxeyachts.com.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 8:43 PM
Nova Luxe
GET ALL THE FACTS: www.novaluxeyachts.com
Nova Luxe LOA 54’ LWL 53’6” Draft 4’3” Beam 25’5” Displacement 30,856 lbs Power 2x 25kw Torqeedo Deep Blue Fuel 105 USG Fresh Water 105 USG Dry Weight 24,912 w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 80-81 Nova Lux Power Cat - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 81
10/28/21 8:43 PM
What’s Out There? Power Cruiser
The patented hull design of the new 2021 Aspen C108 features both non-symmetrical hulls and power that provide exceptional efficiency, tracking, and performance in all sea conditions. Designed for those who want the maximum in an eco-friendly cruiser, the C108 has a 10’8” beam and a length under 40 feet, which greatly expands the interior accommodation space while still allowing the boat to be trailered. A combined boat and trailer towing weight of approximately 12,500 pounds (aluminum trailer) means the C108 can be easily towed. Ideal for snowbirds, the Aspen gives owners tremendous flexibility — whether simply hauling out for the winter or transporting their C108 to new and different cruising areas. Aspen has created an expansive layout for the New C108. The large new salon has been finished
82 Latitudes & Attitudes _pg 82-83 WOT Aspen Power Cruiser - MKC.indd 2
with fine teak by Aspen’s experienced craftsmen and has 30% more livable space than previous Aspen models. Wrap around Solar Guard windows provide exceptional visibility while underway from the 5-person C-shaped dinette and the twin Bentley helm seats, that keep both owners and guests comfortable. The 12-foot long galley includes an oven-stove combo, microwave, stainless-steel sink, and multiple Burmese teak drawers. The cabin space is unparalleled for a boat this size and includes three private cabins. Multiple hatches and portholes bring in ventilation and light when not running heat or AC. An expansive head with shower, and a master suite complete with a kingsized bed showcase accommodations typically found on much larger vessels.
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 11:08 AM
Aspen C108
GET ALL THE FACTS: www.aspenpowercatamarans.com
Aspen C108 LOA 37’6” Draft 22” Beam 10’8” Weight Dry 10,840 Power 200hp stbd hull, 115hp port hull Fuel 130 USG Fresh Water 50 USG Waste 30 USG Bridge Clearance (mast down) 8’2”
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
_pg 82-83 WOT Aspen Power Cruiser - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 83 10/27/21 11:08 AM
Underway! Ever wondered why people love the boating lifestyle? Well, here in the Underway section, folks from all over the world show us 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 the highest resolution possible. Tell us who took the pic and where it was taken. We will probably 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: Underway@LatsAtts.com.
By Rabiul, of Suva Island in Fiji
84 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 84
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 3:30 PM
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 85
Latitudes & Attitudes 85 10/29/21 3:30 PM
By John Simpson, Tobermory and a rainbow
John and Jennifer Stallings f s/v Noel’s Delight
Adam and Kamil, relaxing between Kołobrzeg and Dziwnów, Poland, close to home port
By Nelson Schlaefer, of Humphrey on his Beneteau Idylle 15.5 in New Harbor, Block Island
86 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 86
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 3:30 PM
Melanie chilling with puppy Sperry on the s/v Wanderlust off Watch Hill, Rhode Island
By Len Dewit, cruising
By Cynthia Laberg
By Bud Sawatzky, a shot of one of the most gorgeous sunsets we’ve seen. It was after a squall over Anegada just last week. It just exploded! By Lou Reynolds of Nixie on watch
By Chris Stokes, Vivian Stokes (age 8) enjoying the sunshine sailing in the USVI W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 87
Latitudes & Attitudes 87 10/29/21 3:30 PM
By Tom, of Becca aboard s/v Comfortably Numb off of Patrick AFB, FL
Mike Dibbley hangin’ out with his pal Freighter at the docks.
By Brian, of Jules and Vern ready on the lines!
Of Cecilia, looking for sharks and helping Dad (Dan) navigate the Potomac at night
88 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 88
By Sieg Mayers, shot between Greece and Malta
By Mark Whiteworth, a rescue!
By James Gilmore, prepping his entry for the YC Waterfront crowd
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 3:30 PM
By Francesco Pochiro and Jennifer Abrusia, sailing Prima Barcavela By John Powell, the BVIs
Kiko’s 1979 Catalina 25 Ariel camped out at Lake Havasu, Arizona
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 89
Latitudes & Attitudes 89 10/29/21 3:30 PM
From Greg and DeAnne
By Gary Peterson, Mexico
By Cheryl ,of the Tall Ship Draken Harald Hårfagre
A goal without a plan is just a wish. - Larry Elder
By Woodrow Walker, High Interest II anchored at St. Helena Island, Michigan, with the Mackinac bridge in the background
90 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 90
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 3:30 PM
By Jim Bolvin, of Ron sailing in 40 knots in the North Channel of Lake Huron
By Ray Muzika, of the galleon Neptune in Genoa, Italy
By Robert Waldrop, of Amy varnishing the starboard rail of Pau Hana
By Greg Hardt, of Mermaid Hunter By Adam, of two beautiful German old-timers they met south of the Danish island of Lolland in morning mist
By Sandy, of Lauren and John, who were 11 and 9 years old at the time. They cruise on the North Channel every year
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 91
Latitudes & Attitudes 91 10/29/21 3:30 PM
By Brian O’Shaughnessy, San Diego
By Tom, waiting for the fog to clear to start the race
By Steve Olson, of Chelsea at sea
Vinny bringing home our recently purchased catamaran JoJo from Ft. Lauderdale to Key West
(left to right) Ken Halliday, Lura Saladino, Jeff Stender, Elizabeth Benitz, Richard Plush, Ed Schindler, Kevin Eggler on St. John, Virgin Islands
92 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 92
By Steve Kaylor, Eagle Mountain Lake, Fort Worth, Texas W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 3:30 PM
By Terry Billingsby, Watauga Lake Butler, Tennessee, on a Catalina 304
Of Squirrel Biker and friend on s/v Bullseye
Pamela on the trampoline
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 93
By Jeff Owen
By Sandy Shelton, a small-boat regatta on CJ Strike Reservoir, Idaho
Latitudes & Attitudes 93 10/29/21 3:30 PM
It may look like I’m doing nothing, but in my head I’m quite busy!
By Capt. Jim Cast, m/v Never II in the North Channel of Georgian Bay
By Gary and Mary Ann Yocum of s/v Whatever She Wants, off La Linea, Spain, showing rock of Gibraltar
94 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 94
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/29/21 3:30 PM
Hitchin’ a ride. Lesly and Jody being towed on Bear Lake, Utah
W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 84-95 Underway - MKC.indd 95
Latitudes & Attitudes 95 10/29/21 3:30 PM
Cruising Indonesia
By Suzy Carmody, s/v Distant Drummer
It was January, we were in Phuket, Thailand, and finally were ready to depart for a voyage back to New Zealand aboard Distant Drummer, our Liberty 458 cutter rigged sloop. A major part of our passage would be through Indonesia, and we were looking forward to dawdling as long as possible amongst the seventeen thousand islands that make up the archipelago. December to April is the dry season in Southeast Asia, and the northeast monsoon brings favorable winds and currents for a west-east passage through Indonesia. After an uneventful shake-down trip along the west coast of Malaysia, we stopped in Singapore to reprovision and get ready for the next step. We decided to head southwards through the Karimata Strait between Sumatra and Borneo into the Java Sea and on to Bali where we could provision
96 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 2
again. From there we planned to hop along the northside of the Nusa Tenggara island chain to Kupang in West Timor and then on to Australia and finally New Zealand. Leaving Singapore Singapore harbour is a massive parking lot with scores of ships anchored row upon row. Channels between them allow for passage through, but keeping an eye out for smoking funnels helped us to steer clear of ships about to get under way. After we left the marina, a small coast guard vessel came alongside for us to complete our checkout procedures. They extended a fishing net on a pole towards us, into which we dropped our documents. After a few minutes, our papers were duly inspected, stamped, and returned to us again in the net. Once out of the harbour there was no time to relax, we were straight w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 3:48 PM
into the impressively busy Malacca Strait. Crossing from Singapore to the Riau Islands is like trying to walk slowly across a motorway. The marine traffic separation scheme is 1.5 nautical miles wide and has a continuous flow of vessels spaced at about one every six minutes. We expected to take about twenty minutes to cross, which meant we had to dodge at least three ships. We took a deep breath, set a course perpendicular to the flow, and hoped for the best. After arriving safely on the other side, we motored around Pulau (Island of )Batam to Nongsa Point Marina, where we could complete the formalities for entering Indonesia. Planning ahead paid off — armed with the right documents, copies, photos, and cash made it much easier than we had expected. We were soon tied up at the dock, relaxing with sundowners after a slightly stressful day. Crossing the Equator and Island Hopping in the Karimata Strait Batam City is Indonesia’s biggest port, with all the amenities port cities have to offer. We decided to give it a miss and head across the channel to Pulau Bintan, the less-developed and often-overlooked sister of the two Riau Islands. We anchored in the bay outside Tanjung Pinang, a bustling little town with a busy waterfront. We explored the shops full of surprisingly useful knickknacks and found a fantastic veggie market; cramped and crowded and badly lit, but with heaps of fresh, locally grown produce that had never seen a vacuum packer or a cooler. We spent several weeks exploring the islands of the Karimata Strait between Sumatra and Borneo. We lingered in the Lingga Islands on the east coast of Sumatra for days, anchoring in the small bays, snorkeling on the reefs, and puttering around in the dinghy in the channels between the islands. At some point we crossed the equator and celebrated with a bottle of champagne. One of our favourite anchorages was Dabo on Pulau Singkep. The evening was incredibly still, the sea oily smooth with not a breath of wind. As the sun went down and the mist rose from the valleys between the hills, the chanting of imams from the mosques in town floated across the water, blending together harmoniously. It was very atmospheric and incredibly peaceful. The winds were light for our crossing from Sumatra to Borneo, and the sea was flat calm. A fisherman paddling a perahu (wooden skiff) appeared out of the blue, and passed us. After a 50-hour sail we arrived in Pulau Serutu, an uninhabited island off the west coast of Kalimantan (Borneo). We rested up and explored the island for a couple of days before departing for another long sail to Kumai, a small town on the south coast of Kalimantan. Rounding the southwest corner of Kalimantan, we w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 97 10/26/21 3:48 PM
Cruising Indonesia were hit by a fierce storm, locally known as a Sumatra squall. Winds up to 30 knots and heavy rain reduced visibility to almost nothing and kicked up some nasty wind waves. We reduced sail and hove-to for an hour or so while it blew through, then we had a great sail round the corner of Borneo and into the Java Sea. Orangutans and Amazing Reefs in the Java Sea The buoyage for the 13-nautical mile passage up the wide brown Kumai river was surprisingly reliable, and we dropped anchor on the east side of the channel opposite the small, dusty town. We were well looked after by Herry, who provided us with all we needed in terms of water and fuel. Unfortunately, there was also water in the fuel, which we removed with a Baja filter and returned to him for disposal. We left Distant Drummer in the river with a “security guard” on board while we visited Camp Leakey, an orangutan rehabilitation centre on the Sekonyer River in the nearby Tanjung Puting National Park. Our launch collected us from the boat and puttered noisily up the river as we relaxed on the roof with cushions, coffee, and binoculars at the ready, on the lookout for proboscis monkeys. Due to the demolition of their natural habitat by loggers and oil palm plantations, the park is no longer able to provide enough food to sustain the large group of orangutans that call it home. The park rangers have set up feeding stations to which they deliver fruit each day, and we walked from the camp into one of the feeding stations to watch the fun. A mother and baby swung down to the platform, where she sat carefully peeling bananas and gently feeding them to the baby. She fled when an alpha male approached. The “King” was an 80-kilo giant covered in long, orange hair with wide cheek flaps that gave his face a moon-like shape. He sat down and polished off all the fruit, squinted grumpily at us before, to our great relief, swinging off into the trees. The gibbons back at the camp HQ were wonderful clowns and acrobats; they flipped, swung and somersaulted like Jungle Book animations. Their comical leathery faces haloed by soft white fur were cautious as they deftly picked a rambutan from my hand with elongated, velvety fingers. All in all, Camp Leaky was a wonderful experience for us humans! Pulau Bawean lies in the middle of the Java Sea about 180 nautical miles south of Kumai. With a 20-knot westerly, we had a great sail in the lee of Tunjung Putting, but out in the Java Sea the wind and the swell picked up and it was a rolly ride across to Sangkapura on the south side of the island. We anchored in front of the jetty.As we w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 4
10/26/21 3:49 PM
walked into the village we were accosted by huge smiles, cheerful cries of “hello mister,” and many invitations into peoples’ homes. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, and for the villagers relaxing in the shade, we were the entertainment. We hired a motorcycle and took a ride along the pot-holed road circling the island. The flat land close to the coast was carpeted in vibrant green padi dotted with the terracotta roofs of mosques and houses. As the road climbed up to Gunung Teraja through coconut stands and small clustered villages, we admired the ingenious bamboo irrigation systems trickling water between the terraces. The scenery was stunning – like Bali fifty years ago. The wind was light for the passage to Pulau Kangean, the last island in the Madura chain, which
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 99 10/26/21 3:49 PM
Cruising Indonesia
stretches eastwards from the north coast of Java. A break in the reef on the southside of Kangean marks the entrance to an inland sea between the islands. We nosed our way carefully into the lagoon and anchored behind a small offshore atoll where we were perfectly protected from the wind and swell outside. Fishermen from the village came by to welcome us with some fresh fish, and we spent several happy days exploring the islets in the dinghy, snorkeling, and beachcombing. The reefs were absolutely spectacular, teeming with fish, starfish, sponges, crinoids and fans; they were some of the most varied and colourful reefs we had ever seen. We left Pulau Kangean in the afternoon, bound for Bali, and entered the Lombok Sea soon after midnight. The currents between the islands run fast and fierce and change rapidly. At this point, we had not learned to predict the current using moon transits from the almanac, though it was a knack we soon became very familiar with. We motored slowly against a north-setting current until daybreak, when the current suddenly changed to the south. We sped past the entrance to Benoa Harbour at 9 knots, then turned around and battled against the current again to finally make our way into the marina.
100 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 6
Stranded in Lombok and Crossing the Wallace Line Several weeks drifted by as we enjoyed the civilised comforts of Bali (Starbucks, McDs, and Dunkin Donuts) while reprovisioning for our passage along the north coast of Nusa Tenggara. We honed our skills in current prediction with weekend trips to Nusa Lembongan and finally crossed the Lombok Strait with increased confidence of arriving in the Gili Islands as planned. We picked up a mooring on the south side of Gili Air and spent days drift snorkeling in the channels between the islands, being watched warily by dozens of turtles. As we motored eastwards along the north coast of Lombok, our peaceful day was dramatically ruined when we noticed smoke billowing up from the companionway. We turned the engine off, and Neil carefully opened the engine room door. Once the smoke cleared, we realised the freshwater pump had seized and the fan belt was burning — thankfully no big drama, but also no engine. We quickly launched the dinghy and tied it along the starboard side of the boat. The current was favorable for a 9-nautical mile tow to the northeast corner of Lombok, where we tucked in behind Gili Lawan. This corner of the island is quite remote, requiring a motorbike ride then a bemo (minibus) to reach the w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 3:49 PM
nearest town with internet coverage. We ordered a new pump from Australia and set in for a long wait. The people in the local village were very helpful to us while we were stranded: providing us with water from their well, motorbike rides to the market, and lots of friendly chit-chat on village life. As the sun set, we watched flying foxes fly from Gili Lawang to the Lombok mainland to feed. Once the engine was back in shape we departed Lombok and sailed along the north coast of Sumbawa. The green, tree-covered hills were a pleasant change from the dry bushland of Lombok, but nothing like the deep, dense jungle of Bali. We had crossed the Wallace line, a biogeographical boundary delineating a marked change in fauna and flora between Asia and Australia. We anchored on the west coast of Pulau Moyo close to the luxurious Amanwana, an exclusive tented resort that takes glamping to a whole new level. Anchoring outside was not allowed, and the manager kept a beady eye on us as we puttered around the bay exploring the reefs. However, when we spruced up and dinghied ashore for dinner, they were very welcoming, the food was excellent, and we had a lovely evening. As we crossed the mouth of Teluk Saleh, a large bay on the north coast of Sumbawa, strong currents and a stiff northeasterly made for a tight beat in a choppy sea. We were glad to find a mooring on the south side of Pulau w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 7
Latitudes & Attitudes 101 10/26/21 3:49 PM
Cruising Indonesia Satonda to relax for the evening. This ring-shaped island is the top of a submerged volcano, which we hiked up the next day for a dip in the salty water of the crater lake. Beside the lake we found a Kalibuda Tree, or Tree of Hope, where the local people come to pray to their ancestors and hang talismans such as pieces of coral or glass in the tree. Komodo Dragons It was a two-day sail to reach Salat Sape, the strait that separates Sumbawa from Flores. We motorsailed most of the way in a 15 to 20-knot easterly and arrived at Pulau Banta by sunrise. The bays on the east side of the island are narrow and poorly charted, so we held off for better light before carefully navigating in and dropping anchor. We really enjoyed the days we spent at Banta: hiking the barren windswept hills, snorkeling in the aquamarine water with incredibly friendly fish, and later sharing a beach bonfire with passing fishermen. Eventually we headed to Labuan Bajo, a small fishing town on the west end of Flores, to reprovision. The bay was full of Pinisi schooners used for liveaboard charters for surfing, diving and dragon spotting, but we found a quiet spot to drop the pick. We had not seen another cruising boat since leaving Bali, so it was a pleasure to meet Liberty and Mike on s/v Wanderlust and share tall tales and sundowners in one of the small restaurants in town. The islands in Selat Sape are part of the Komodo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects both terrestrial and marine life in the area. As we searched for Komodo dragons, our guide explained that they are believed to be the spirits of departed brothers and sisters and thus are not hunted by the local villagers. The ones we saw in the morning sun were slow and lethargic; nonetheless, we kept our distance as the arsenal of toxins on their teeth could lead to a fatal bite. Manta rays are common in the national park, and as we snorkeled the reefs on the east side of Pulau Komodo we spotted five of these giants circling a coral head below us. Their black backs were in
102 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 8
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 3:49 PM
silhouette as they glided across the sea floor — then, with a twist and an acrobatic flip, they revealed their bright white bellies and gills. Their slow and graceful movement was majestic but slightly sinister. The Komodo National Park is a magical cruising ground; we rarely saw even a fishing boat and were able to explore the treeless, grass-covered hills and dive on the pristine reefs in complete solitude. In the evenings, wild pigs, barking deer, and monkeys came down to forage on the beach. As we picked up driftwood for a barbie, we’d see dragon tracks in the sand and get the flames leaping higher to keep the giant lizards at bay. Kupang and Beyond Unfortunately our visa clock was ticking, and it was soon time to head to West Timor and finally leave Indonesia. We had a tough beat across the Savu Sea, with rough seas, west setting currents, and southeast winds gusting up to 30 knots. After zillions of tacks, we finally arrived at Kupang. As we anchored off the river mouth, a pod of five dolphins came out to welcome us. Kupang is the busy, bustling capital city of West Timor. The town is vibrant and noisy, full of honking horns and heavy, thumping rock music pouring out of the bemos so loudly it feels like a second heartbeat. We soon found our way around the high spots: the Immigration Department, the Customs House, the supermarket, and, of course, Teddy’s Bar on the beach for sundowners. We had spent four months exploring Indonesia but had only scratched the surface of the thousands of islands that make up the archipelago. During our voyage we encountered a rich diversity of people and culture, stunning scenery with rumbling volcanoes and vivid padi, vibrant coral reefs, and some extraordinary creatures. Many of the beautiful anchorages we visited we had completely to ourselves. To be the only boat in paradise is an extraordinary luxury rarely found in other parts of the world. It was surprising to us how few yachts choose to cruise in Indonesia — but then again, perhaps it is a secret we should keep to ourselves.
Books By Bob Bitchin
Fire Sale! A Few months ago The Lats & Atts offices and home burnt to the gound in Cailifornia’s Bear Fire. Every copy of all 9 Bob Bitchin books in inventory were turned to ashes. We have decided to reprint one at a time, and from now on we will ONLY be selling hard-cover prints signed by the author. Biker To Sailor was the first to be reprinted, then Brotherhood Of Outlaws. Now Starboard Attitudes is coming off the press. You can order any of these books, signed by the author. The remaining 6 books will be printed and made available in coming months. Watch for release dates! If you’d like to be notified by email just send Bob and email and ask to be put on the notification list: Bob@latsatts.com
Get Em While They’re HOT!
Bob practices what he preaches and writes about—not dreaming the life, but living the dream—and inspires by his example.” Tania Aebi, Author, World Class Sailor From body guard, to hardcore biker and on to Salty Dog, Bitchin has managed to traverse the past half century doin’ it his way. Bob Clark, Founder “Run to The Sun” “Colorful tales of the salty seagoing adventures of Bob Bitchin - a swashbuckling sailing rogue! A great read! “ Bob Adamov, Award-winning author
Order Your Signed Copy NOW!
WWW.BobBitchin.com www.LatsAttsStore.com/collection w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 96-103 Cruising Indonesia - MKC.indd 9
Latitudes & Attitudes 103 10/26/21 3:49 PM
Talk of the Dock By Zuzana Prochazka
Marine Industry Innovations
Technology and gear trends that you’re gonna want to talk about I’m part of a lot of judging panels in the marine industry, which means I get to see some of the most innovative technology up close and firsthand. This year, the prestigious NMMA IBEX Innovation Awards took place in person, so my panel of judges and I walked for two days to visit the booths of 98 entrants in Tampa, Florida. I’m happy to report there’s cool stuff on the horizon and although much of the IBEX products are component parts that are built into a boat, there are some you’ll be able to buy directly soon. The focus this year was on electric propulsion and the lithium technology that is making it possible. Vision Marine introduced their 180-hp E-Motion electric outboard. It may be too big for your dink, but it’s a significant advancement in the world of electric motors. Yamaha came on with their own challenger — the HARMO electric stern drive 9.9-hp rim drive motor. Again, you won’t be putting this on your dinghy, but it sure is an interesting propulsion option for lakes and rivers that are zero-emissions restricted. Of course, all these can only run with a massive leap forward in battery technology, and the world has focused heavily on lithium batteries in all kinds of chemistries and form factors. Many of these products are out or coming your way soon, so if you’re considering reworking your electrical system – think lithium. A notable introduction was made by Volvo Penta. It won’t help with sailboats — but if you have a power cruiser with twin IPS pod drives, your world is about to get a lot better. Volvo’s Assisted Docking simplifies the process of docking and adds time to the decisionmaking process, lowering the freak-out factor. The system is fully integrated from helm to prop and works with high precision GPS data and DPS (Dynamic Positioning System). A boat can dock and undock easily with minimal input from the driver via the joystick. If you’re unsure of where to go, simply let go of the joystick and the boat will sit right in place regardless of wind or current. Basically, the system slows down time and lets the driver evaluate their options. If you’re contemplating cruising under power, this may be a real option to make your life easier. A really nutty (but interesting) entry was the foiling pontoon boat. Nope, it’s not an America’s
104 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 104-105 TOD 37 - MKC.indd 2
Cup racing behemoth but rather a pontoon with foils designed by Morrelli & Melvin. The Super Fly by Hydrofin can go 30 mph and with the foils, it will ride 5-10 inches higher in the water, thereby reducing drag and increasing fuel efficiency – by upwards of 40%. The foils are designed to shear off without damage to the tubes in case of high-speed contact with an immovable object like a rock, and they’re supported with struts that lead to the underdeck. This is most certainly not your father’s pontoon barge. Okay, so now that you’re armed with cockpit cocktail conversation, let’s look at some sailingfriendly products that you’ll be able to buy soon.
Teak Isle Ottoman Entertainment Caddy
Get ready to party with the Teak Isle Ottoman Entertainment Caddy. It’s a comprehensive minigalley that provides space for four wine glasses or coffee mugs, four skinny cans or water bottles, a wine chiller (or a 2-liter bottle of soda), extra wine bottles or cups, corkscrew, cheese knife, and two cell phones. Measuring 24” W x 10” D x 9” H, the caddy has a nonskid mat to prevent sliding on the upholstery of an ottoman, but it can stand up on its own. It’s made of maintenance-free King StarBoard with stainless fasteners, is available in a variety of standard colors, and can be set on any surface because it has feet.
Kanvaslight by Guardtex
For the perfect boating ambience under your Bimini, see if you can get your canvas maker to include Kanvaslight, a luminous textile with woven optical fibers. The system includes two components – a light injector and a luminous fabric that work together to create perfectly diffused light (in white or colorchanging options). W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/26/21 3:10 PM
The Latest Industry News & Gossip A beam of light is polarized by an optical coupler and injected into fibers in a sleeve that then glows with light and can be integrated into soft tops. It provides mood lighting that is waterproof to IPX6 standard and consumes only 3-15 watts. You can bend or loosely roll the sleeve in two directions so it’s perfect for installations in various locations and the finished look is quite upmarket.
inteliPlug Vault Drain Plug
Most drain plugs are made of metal, so they sink quickly. They can be expensive to replace and also hard to tighten due to their circular design. Now, inteliPlug has developed a triangular polymer plug with a half-inch thread that has an ergonomic grip so you can tighten and loosen it easily by hand. The plug also floats — so even if you do drop it, it won’t be lost forever and it’s less than 15 bucks.
Sentry by OSCAR
Here’s some whizbang technology straight from the Vendee Ocean Race. The OSCAR Sentry is a scanning and panning device that taps into Artificial Intelligence to identify small craft, buoys, and even floating objects like crewoverboard — and it does it better than radar or AIS. The 360-degree detection capabilities include collision avoidance with mapping of obstacles and early warning systems with an augmented reality view. The system is a combination of GPS, AIS, and thermal and RGB cameras. The secret sauce is the software that learns from millions of on-water events and makes boating safer underway and at rest.
As an insider, Zuzana has the privilege of seeing a lot of what’s going on inside the boating industry. If you are into the boating lifestyle, chances are you’d like to be privy to some of the things that will affect your lifestyle as soon as they become available. So, here is some of the inside information she has found while working the boat shows and industry functions. W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 104-105 TOD 37 - MKC.indd 3
thePyrate s th
are here
Pyrate Radio - The Global Digital HD Radio Network, by and for Crew and Cruisers!
Music for Livin’ the Dream “Feet in the Sand, Boat Drink in Hand” Direct from a tiki-bar, boat, or beach near you! LISTEN ON
Smartphone (including 5G), marine VSAT, worldwide marina & public Wi-Fi, select island FM stations, and waterfront businesses worldwide.
All links available at www.pyrateHD.com
T roprock &Boatsongs played right ´roun da clock ~FEATURING~
Broadcasting legend "Captain Ron" weekdays 10am-2pm Key West Time The Five o'clock EVERYWHERE show with Pyrate Barbarossa 2pm-6pm Key West time The Lats & Atts Show featuring Bob Bitchin Trending on the Triton news featurette – Nautical News for Captains and Crews Eric Stone and Jimmy Buffet songs every hour 24-7 Live radio broadcasts from your favorite boat shows Living Au Natural with Dr. Daniele Live concerts and Parrothead parties!
opportunity@pyrateradio.com +1 305 459-1559 www.pyrateradio.com www.pyrateradio.uk
Latitudes & Attitudes 105 10/26/21 3:10 PM
f r o m $ . 9 5
3 6
HOODI E S ! T woc l a s s i cde s i gnst oc hoos ef r om. Bob’ sf a mouss a y i ng“ At t i t ude-T he Di ff e r e nc eBe t we e nOr de a l a nd Adv e nt ur e ” , a ndadi s t r e s s e dv i nt a ge L a t i t ude s&At t i t ude sl ogo . Ma k e sgr e a tgi f t sf ort hec r ui s e ri ny ourl i f e ! Av a i l a bl ei n3c ol or sa nd8s i z e sf r om SML XL 2XL 3XL 4XL 5XL
G R E A T G I F T S ! F ORHE R ! Y oudon ’ tha v et obena me dRoge rt ok nows he ’ s t heonewhoma k e sy ouj ol l y ! L e the rk nowhow muc hs he ’ sa ppr e c i a t e dt hi sVa l e nt i ne ’ sDa y . -11oz . mugsj us t$16. 95 -L a di e sVne c ki n5c ol or s&7s i z e sf r om $24. 95 -30oz . s t a i nl e s st umbl e r si n13c ol or s$31. 95
r e mb me e R s ’ e n i t n e l a V ! y a D
Ho w s we e t ! Notonl ywi l l y oul ookc ut ewa l k i ngdown t hedoc ks i de by s i de , f e l l owboa t e r swi l l a ppr e c i a t et hepl a yonwor dsa ndc ol or s ( j us tbes ur et owa l kont he" c or r e c t "s i de ! ) .
HI SANDHE R S !
Lat s At t s St or e. c om
B o t hj u s t ! $ . 9 5
3 9
Storms, Straits, and Sulfides A Yacht Delivery on the Australian East Coast By Mathew Channer
The first puff of a southerly hits my face like a promise. I squint into the darkness and spy a wind line on the water. The termination of the mirrored sea, as abrupt as if it had never existed. The headsail shivers, curls inward, and snaps back into shape. I check my watch. It is 4 a.m. The wind has come early. In just minutes, the sea is a frenzy of whitecaps and sharp, steep fetch. We drop the mainsail, angle Liza’s Bateau, our 45-foot Jeanneau, inshore, trying to keep shape in the jib. Our speed drops from six knots to five. Four. Three-and-half. We are still half a day from safe harbour, at the mercy of the low-pressure cell we have watched and waited for since leaving the Australian city of Newcastle 36 hours ago. Sometimes yacht deliveries pass like a dream. Calm winds and following seas, minimal breakages. Since our departure, this one has promised to be different. The seas reach two meters as we inch forward, heeled over beneath a blade of a headsail. We creep w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 107
inshore, tack, gain a few miles south and tack again. Finn Connolly is in good spirits as he appears on deck for the 6 a.m. watch, as comfortable in 30 knots as he is on a pond. A seasoned, international sailor and Royal Yachting Association (RYA) Instructor, he has sailed everything from racing vessels to luxury private yachts. At 29-years-old, he is the youngest onboard, and the youngest captain I have ever sailed with. As the sun rises, we settle into a zig-zagging rhythm down the New South Wales coastline, finding a hint of shelter close to shore. On the chartplotter, the port of Eden beckons us toward safety. Before we can reach it, a burning smell filters onto the deck. The turbo has popped an oil line and smoke fills the engine bay. We cut the motor and sail inshore while we reattach the hose and clean up. A few hours later, we ease our way into the harbour and are immediately greeted by our next problem: the header-tank cap is cracked and spitting coolant all over the place. We tie up to a wharf built for
Latitudes & Attitudes 107 10/27/21 10:54 AM
oil tankers and, while we wait for the fuel truck, begin the process of sourcing a replacement. Easier said than done in a tiny town on the southeast coast. Regardless of a seafarer’s age, knowledge, or wisdom, commercial yacht deliveries are as much of a challenge as they are an adventure. Sailors must utilise their skills and experience to move an unfamiliar vessel — often through unfamiliar waters and at the mercy of poor weather — as quickly as possible. This press for time, combined with an influx of newly qualified (or unqualified) sailors in the Australian market, has led to a peculiar phenomenon: vessels are frequently delivered at rock-bottom prices, with little or no regard for safety, care, or customer service. Finn, who cut his teeth in the larger, serviceorientated yachting scene in Europe, founded Complete Yacht Delivery (CYD) when he discovered that its service was missing Down Under. Vessel owners were willing to pay for higher levels of crew experience, professionalism, and customer-service, but had nowhere to turn. Finn sails with the belief that even small vessels and their owners deserve the same five-star service that clients in the superyacht industry expect. And, after more than ten years at sea, he has connections with professional sailors all over the world, allowing him to create a network of commercially qualified and highly experienced crew. Finn personally vets the new crew members to ensure they meet CYD’s high standards, and tailors each delivery with the relevant skills and experience needed for the vessel and the expected (but not always encountered) conditions. On this delivery, apart from Finn and myself, are Dylan Kuipersmith, a commercial skipper and offshoreengineer, and Ross Smith, vessel owner and sailing veteran with ten Melbourne-to-Devonport races under his belt. Four hours in Eden and we are refuelled, have repaired our engine a second time, and are ready to depart. Beyond the harbour entrance the southerly has
108 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 108
raised three-meter seas, but the worst of the system has already passed on its march north. We beat into the weather, Dylan and I laughing and shivering on deck as we are enveloped again and again by freezing whitewater. Cape Howe and the notorious Bass Strait lie in wait beyond the horizon. I am relieved of the watch and fall asleep to the lift and dive of the vessel, and by the time I wake we have rounded Cape Howe and the seas are on our beam, the steep, cliff-like waves subdued to a long, rolling swell. Dawn rises over Bass Strait, and we welcome a brief window of calm. Deliveries are long, repetitive hours interspersed with moments of intense excitement. With the sea and wind swinging slowly onto our stern, we make eight knots across the Bass, cheering each time the face of a wave sends our speed into double digits. Albatrosses glide over us like jet planes. Oil rigs rise like mythical sea creatures on the horizon. The sails billow with cold southeasterly breeze, shooting us across the usually turbulent strait as smoothly as if it were a lake. We wake, watch and sleep, wake, watch and sleep. On our fourth night at sea, the sun a blaze of orange as it touches the water, Ross suggests we light the barbecue. We don’t realise it, but this is our last moment of tranquillity between here and Melbourne. By morning we are nearing Wilsons Promontory, the placid Bass Strait a distant dream. The wind roars a consistent 30 knots; the once-calm seas now rearing over our stern. Wilsons Promontory looms like the set of Jurassic Park as we bear down on the tight passage between the headland and the Anser Islands — just Finn and I on deck, steering by hand as we are picked up and hurled forward by the waves. A tanker chases us down, forcing us to hold course until we are less than a mile from the Anser Islands to stay clear of its path through the shipping lane. The sea and wind compress in the narrow gap between mainland and island, flinging us toward the rocks. The wind brushes 40 knots as we prepare to maneuver. w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
Quality Replica and Yachting Cannons Old Fashioned Quality Handcrafted in USA
www.strongfirearms.com With so much power in the sails, Finn wisely decides to tack rather than jibe. Even still, a four-meter monster devours the bow, nearly killing our tack and leaving us dead in the water. I keep the jib tight as it fills, then ease, pulling our nose around. More headsail out, the mainsail leaps to the port side, and we lunge forward. Water buries the port gunnel as we make eleven knots over ground. Twelve. Thirteen. I take the helm, feel our Jeanneau shiver with anticipation as we charge into the gap. As though on cue, dolphins explode from the water beside the bow, and Finn and I cheer and yell as we race them around Wilsons Promontory. A moment of stillness in the lee of the promontory. We lower the sails and proceed under motor, the steady throb of the engine a calming presence. Even still, I find it hard to sleep following so much excitement. After a difficult rest, I emerge on deck that afternoon to find us pitching and jumping, the cockpit drowning in spray. The same wind that chased us into safe water now howls offshore, lifting a meter of jagged fetch over less than half a mile of water. We have little choice but to endure. We could raise sail and fly toward Melbourne, but that would mean navigating The Rip, the notoriously difficult entrance to Port Phillip Bay, during mid-tide and in the dark. Over the next twelve hours, our vessel, having been battered from bow to stern by wind and sea, makes a determined effort to break. We lose radar first, its failure coming at precisely the most critical time as we creep gingerly toward Melbourne, just one mile from shore. The autopilot dies shortly after, forcing us to steer w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 109
Latitudes & Attitudes 109 10/27/21 10:54 AM
10
Does YOUR Anti-Fouling Bottom Paint Last
+
Years?
COPPERCOAT DOES!
13 years in the US before this Reliance 44 needed the FIRST touch up!
Coppercoat
is the anti-fouling paint that really works and is legal in California!
www.coppercoatusa.com
321-514-9197
䈀漀挀愀猀 䐀攀氀 吀漀爀漀Ⰰ 倀愀渀愀洀愀
䘀甀氀氀 匀攀爀瘀椀挀攀 䴀愀爀椀渀愀 泰 䌀愀氀礀瀀猀漀 䌀愀渀琀椀渀愀 眀眀眀⸀戀漀挀愀猀洀愀爀椀渀愀⸀挀漀洀 戀漀挀愀猀礀愀挀栀琀挀氀甀戀䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀 䠀愀甀氀 伀甀琀 夀愀爀搀 泰 㘀 ⴀ吀漀渀 吀爀愀瘀攀氀椀昀琀 眀眀眀⸀戀漀挀愀猀戀漀愀琀礀愀爀搀⸀挀漀洀 戀漀挀愀猀礀愀挀栀琀猀攀爀瘀椀挀攀猀䀀礀愀栀漀漀⸀挀漀洀
㤀뀀㈀ ᤠ⸀ 㔀ᴠ一Ⰰ 㠀㈀뀀㐀ᤠ⸀㐀㔀ᴠ圀 110 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 110
the last twenty-four hours by hand. In the early hours of next morning, despite multiple attempts to coax it to life, the generator joins the autopilot. Finally, after safely navigating The Rip at dawn and on slack-tide, the house-battery bank unleashes clouds of hydrogen sulfide into the salon. I’m three-quarters asleep, unknowingly breathing the toxic fumes when Dylan runs downstairs to raise the alarm. Here, at least, we receive some mercy. While we isolate the cooked battery and ventilate the salon, a brief spurt of wind descends over Port Phillip Bay, and we sail on the jib toward our final waypoint. Six days and 700 miles after leaving Newcastle, we tie up in Sandringham Marina. Tired, hungry, dirty, but exhilarated. A blur of taxis, buses, and airplanes, and suddenly we are home. Sleeping soundly for the first time in a week, consuming calories as though expecting a famine. For a few hours, even a few days, we are content to be still. Yet always the proverbial call eventually makes itself heard, the question almost all sailors ask themselves surfacing in the oceans of our minds. Where to next? Deliveries are long, repetitive, and always exhausting. Riddled with late nights working on troubled engines. With broken sleep, or no sleep, in rough weather. Cold and wet and hungry. Yet these voyages also brim with moments of joy, beauty, and exhilaration. A sunset over a calm horizon. A stiff wind and a following sea. A bird gliding overhead or a sunfish rising to the surface as though in greeting. The incomparable rush of sailing downwind at speed. It is these moments that inspire sailors to come back for more. That inspire people like Finn to forge a company and a career in moving vessels wherever they are wanted, and to bring his fellow sailors from all over the world into the fold. Later, when I asked Finn why he founded Complete Yacht Delivery, he smiled. Before anything else, he said: To go sailing. w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
Poles For All Reasons
Race | Weekend | World Passage
Deploying a Downwind Pole Is The Fastest Way Downwind On Most Boats • Whisker, Spinnaker, Asymmetric • Carbon, Aluminum, 50/50 Combos • Twist Lock, Tri-Reacher or Adjustable Length Whisker Pole Models
World’s #1
Ground Swell Can Be A Hinderance Or Even a Good Friend
Whisker & Spinnaker Poles
For More Info: www.forespar.com 949.858.8820
Look for us this fall at Newport, Annapolis & FLIBS
By John Simpson
There’s no doubt that any big swell can be a problem especially with a monohull boat. It can become a recipe for damaging your sails and rig. Or what makes a good anchorage slightly unpleasant. Or makes the dinghy landing difficult. If you take your eye off the ball, it’s easy to come to grief. Years ago, I saw the happen to few pals in the Caribbean. A catamaran got wrecked by a very big swell from a tropical wave. They’d left to go to a party on Barbuda over Christmas and New Year. Just a small group of five good friends comprising two couples and Tim Wright. A 30-foot James Warram-designed catamaran and a small 30-foot GRP production yacht. I had stayed behind to wait for my lady, Janet; she was flying into Antigua. Unfortunately, Jan’s bag had been lost during the flight, so she had to start her trip by wearing my underwear, which probably wasn’t very salubrious after almost eighteen months cruising on my 22-foot boat. Still, we had a fun Christmas in English Harbour before setting off to join our pals. We had quite a bumpy sail north in large waves; a bit more than normal trade wind strength. This made it quick but uncomfortable using a couple of reefs and the number 4 jib. We arrived just before dusk and anchored on the west side of this lovely island. There was a big, rollie ground swell. We were close to my pal Tim’s boat and could see it rocking around in the swell. Anchoring in this w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 111
Latitudes & Attitudes 111 10/27/21 10:54 AM
type of conditions mostly relies on having enough weight of chain with the size of anchor for size of yacht. Discretion being the better part of valor, we stayed there for the night and left a couple of cables distance away from Tim’s Elizabethan 30. Looking through my night glasses, I couldn’t see my pals on shore. After blowing up our flubber just after dawn, I rowed ashore to see them, realizing after coming closer that there were piles of driftwood that had been his catamaran on the beach. They were still all quite up-beat — and still pissed (drunk). They’d landed here safely on Christmas not worried too much about Simon’s cat. They made a barbie and started partying immediately. As the swell increased during that night, and despite the fact that they’d tried to
112 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 112
pull his boat further up the beach, it was too late and she began to break up. I offered some of them a lift back to Antigua immediately spread between Tim’s boat and mine; but they were all happy going back with Tim. Janet and I went back to meet them with some victuals — mostly drinks — then we wanted to sail on to the capital. This proved to be untenable for us under sail. My boat had no engine and it’s quite a coral headed harbour was totally untenable with some 6 to 8—foot swell; even though it had died down slightly now. Their carelessness had made me more cognizant of just how easy it is to lose a small, engineless craft. We found another further north with slightly less swell and
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
JACKLINE INSURANCE PROGRAM
FEAR NO HORIZON The Jackline Insurance Program by Gowrie Group provides cruisers with the insurance protection needed to roam freely and navigate the globe.
started diving for conch (which hadn’t been overfished too much at that time). After, we sailed back to Antigua, going southeast to Green Island where Janet could see more coral fish before her holiday ran out. Her return home was nearly as eventful as our holiday. After landing at Gatwick in the UK, she told me some men had dug out her car from the long-term carpark; then it snowed in East Sussex, forming large icicles that hung dangerously from roofs. But she made it back for her two small children okay. This whole Christmas and Hogmanay felt a bit surreal to me at that time, added to by Simon’s boat loss whilst I started working in Antigua maintaining, delivering, and racing on other much larger yachts. But I’d already known the score, having almost wrecked a larger American 50-foot yacht at night thinking I knew the way. (What a tool!) We had run aground slightly west of this massive marina in Long Island Sound called West Port after a great race to Block Island. We managed to get her turned round the right way (east) with much more mainsail and bump her off at my insistence — and without breaking off her fin keel. Leaning her over then ran a big engine I’d learnt at Leigh as a boy from some good fishermen. There was not too much damage, we learned, after getting her into the hoist the next morning at eight. The owner even retained me until the end of his season, which was amazing. This incident, although due to me being quite arrogant, had taught me I wasn’t a god like UK Nelson hero; but just in fact someone who needs to learn much more… a lesson I’ve kept in mind about the sea, sailing, and seamanship ever since then. Oh how arrogance drives us on until we wise up… w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 113
www.gowrie.com/jackline | 410.364.7710 | jackline@gowrie.com Gowrie Group is a division of Risk Strategies
Quality Marine Equipment Since 1981
IMPROVE YOUR SAILING SPEED LEGENDARY REVERSE
“
WORLD RENOWNED RELIABILITY
The boat we sailed was equipped with a feathering Max-Prop. which is probably the single best investment that any cruising sailor could make. - Practical Sailor Magazine
” www.max-prop.com
Latitudes & Attitudes 113 10/27/21 10:54 AM
Pursuit: Maine Islands With Schools By Len Freedberg
There are fourteen unbridged islands in Maine that have public schools. They are the robust but threatened remnant of one hundred such islands that existed 120 years ago. Each is unique, and I have had the privilege and pleasure of visiting all of them on Judy, my 1984 Ericson 38. In September 2015, I was alone on Judy, on the way back to Boston from Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy. I had stopped briefly in Bar Harbor, and I decided to visit Islesford Island (originally called Little Cranberry Island) hoping to meet Ashley Bryan, an artist who has lived there for decades. I did meet him, visited the K-to-8 school named for him, and was charmed by the two teachers and 17 pupils. Half of the pupils come over every day from Great Cranberry Island. The two islands alternate: Isleford’s school is open on odd numbered years, and Great Cranberry’s on even numbered years. That practice is no doubt better for all, but also hints at one of the problems all these islands face: having enough children. On that trip I also visited Isle au Haut and North Haven Island, both of which have K-through-12 schools.
114 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 114
In 2017, I visited Great Cranberry Island, Monhegan Island (K through 8), and Frenchboro Island (K through 8). In 2019, I cruised to Matinicus Island (K through 8, no students for the past few years), Vinalhaven (K through 12), and Swan’s Island (K through 8). If you are wondering where I was in even numbered years, I went south: Chesapeake Bay, New York City, and Long Island Sound. With nine of the fourteen unbridged Maine islands with public schools visited, I was eager to see the remaining five: one in Penobscot Bay and the others in Casco Bay. In September 2021, accompanied by my always-helpful deckhand Paul Satwicz, we set out to do it. We left Judy’s home port, Hingham, Massachusetts, before dawn on Friday, September 3. Judy made 5.5 to 6 kn over ground as the windvane steered her for hours on a northeast course. At 1300 in 350 feet of water we caught a lobster pot. I donned my wetsuit and took care of it. We were off again by 1400. As night fell, the wind grew fickle and then died. I did not want to motor all night, Monhegan beckoned, and by 0300 Saturday we were w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
asleep on a mooring. We were lucky; often there are no unoccupied moorings. We were up at dawn, and the wind had shifted so we beat into the wind, heading northeast towards Penobscot Bay. For the next eight hours we tacked back and forth up the Bay until we reached Gilkey Harbor on Islesboro Island. I called Pendleton Yacht Yard and was told to take any free mooring in deep enough water, no charge. At the local ice cream store we met a woman who had been a summer resident and now stays year round. She took us in her car on a tour of the island, including the school. The K-through-12 school is in a mansion left to the town in the owner’s will. With its spectacular waterfront and view of the mainland, it is the finest property of all the island schools. The school is also unique in accepting students from the mainland who commute daily by boat, an arrangement that helps ensure there are enough students. The island has about 600 year-round residents, and the school has about 100 students. We left Gilkey Harbor at dawn Sunday, September 5, motored out of the Bay through Muscle Ridge Channel helped by a favorable tide, and stopped at Sequin Island in mid-afternoon. In 1795, President Washington commissioned a lighthouse there, and the
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 115
Latitudes & Attitudes 115 10/27/21 10:54 AM
current unmanned and automatic lighthouse has a rare First Order Fresnel Lens. We found a group from Texas, members of the Friends of Seguin, there for the week, during which they would do clean up and maintenance. One of the women had lived there briefly in her childhood. They gave us a tour of the lighthouse and museum, and it was easy to imagine what a lonely place it must have been for the lighthouse keeper and his family, especially in the winter. We left early Monday, September 6, motoring through fog and rolling in the seas kicked up by Hurricane Larry. By 1100 we were secure on a mooring on Cliff Island after having run aground an hour before high tide and ledged off. Why did I run Judy aground? It was the usual reason: I was not where I was certain Judy was nor was the reef where I was certain it was. No harm done, but Paul and I hated the three hard bumps on the rocks. Cliff Island is shaped like the letter H; we were on a mooring at the northern end. There were a few other boats when we arrived, but we were alone that night except for the glorious star filled sky. Cliff has a K-through-5 school, and this year has six pupils: two in kindergarten, and one each in first, second, third, and fourth grades. We met some parents and children, the two teachers, and the social worker who reminded us that the school is part of the Portland system. Because of Covid-19 no visitors were allowed in the school — also the case in all the other islands we visited this trip. Approximately fifty people live on Cliff year round. We walked around the whole island, happy to see that there are no mansions, had a swim in the bracing 64-degree water, and slept like the proverbial logs. In the morning we sailed downwind with the tide until we could turn into the channel between Cliff and Chebeague, then we tacked back and forth against the tide, motored through Chandler Cove to avoid short tacks against the tide, and sailed downwind to the northern end where we picked up one of the Chebeague Inn’s moorings.
116 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 116
The motor would not rev above 1500, so I donned the wetsuit again, went overboard, and found trapped eelgrass preventing one of the three leaves of the folding prop from moving properly. We had a great lobster roll lunch at the Inn, after which we borrowed bicycles and toured the island. Chebeague School is also K through 5. We met Nancy, one of the teachers, who has been there about 10 years already. We also met the Methodist pastor, Melissa Yousa-Davis. A few years ago the town withdrew from the Portland District and is now on its own, mainly dependent on property taxes. There are about 250 year-round residents and 15 students. On Wednesday, September 8, we motored towards Long Island, uncertain where we would land because one cruising guide had no information and the other was vague. Near Long we saw Leanne with two men aboard hauling lobster pots. We got near, explained what we were doing, and they directed us to follow Leanne to her mooring on Long, which they would not be using that day. I tried several times to toss them a Judy pen, embossed with a sailboat profile and my email address, but sadly failed. After mooring, we took the dinghy into a dock at one of the houses on the shore, and hallooed multiple times until the owner appeared. He kindly allowed us to tie up to his dock. We were taken to the school, a K-through-5, by a man driving a golf cart (one of the usual modes of transport on all these islands), but the school day was over and everyone was gone. Like Chebeague, Long Island has seceded from the Portland District. The island has about 250 year-round residents, and the school has fourteen students this year, including six commuting from Great Diamond. The school on Great Diamond closed several years ago. All of the island schools also have pre-K classes, no doubt thinking of future enrollment. Students on islands with elementary schools commute to mainland middle and high schools. Often high school students find accommodations on the mainland so they can participate in sports and other after w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
ROPES Offered by:
Your Partner for Affordable Quality Line
school activities. Sometimes the entire family moves to the mainland when a child is in high school. We motored the short distance to Peaks Island, the only remaining island in Maine with a school that I had not yet visited. Peaks is a short ferry ride from Portland, and the ferries run from early morning until near Midnight. Some people complained that Peaks has become a suburb of Portland, and at least one person said property values have risen so much that the average young lobsterman cannot afford to buy a home there. There are about 750 year-round residents, and the school has about 60 students. Peaks School is K to 5 and is part of the Portland district. We stayed on a mooring for two nights and had the only rough weather of the whole trip for most of one day. On a walk we met Martha and David, who have a weekend/summer house on Peaks, and they offered to show us the whole island by golf cart. They insisted one of us drive — luckily Paul has had lots of experience with golf carts. Peaks, like all these islands, is beautiful. The east coast looks on the North Atlantic Ocean and the west coast looks at Portland and other islands in Casco Bay. After Peaks we went to DeMillo’s in Portland, a great marina. Paul went home, my son and four-yearold granddaughter came up for one night, and my wife, Judy of course, stayed one night. Then I took Judy home alone, unfortunately motoring the whole way. This was a great trip, fulfilling my goal of visiting every unbridged island in Maine that has a school. I believe most, if not all, of the schools that I visited will continue at least years — but will they continue for decades? Anyone who can should visit these islands now, because their future is uncertain. I never met one unpleasant person, and people went out of their way to be welcoming and helpful. Residents with whom I spoke, both year round and seasonal, often said the children were “the soul” or “the lifeblood” of their island. I’ll be 80 when I next sail north. Hopefully, I’ll still be able to manage Judy; I know she won’t let me down. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 117
www.SensibleYachtCordageLLC.com
Sail the San Juan Islands!
Evergreen-studded islands, abundant wildlife and peaceful anchorages. Experienced or new to sailing, we can help you discover the joys of cruising the beautiful San Juan Islands! Beginner to advanced liveaboard courses. Monohull and catamaran bareboat charters. Guided flotillas too!
CHARTER
SCHOOL
Bellingham, WA • 360-671-4300
sanjuansailing.com Latitudes & Attitudes 117 10/27/21 10:54 AM
Mermaids, Dolphins, and an Unbelievable Ocean Rescue off the Coast of California The true story of an inexperienced sailor rescuing a young woman fighting for her survival in water for 12 hours By Khosrow (Koz) Khosravani
Part I
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 Santa Monica Bay heading north towards Malibu During my first attempt to sail outside my local harbor, I had the unlikely opportunity of saving a young woman in the middle of the ocean! I am still shaking just thinking about the horror she faced for 12 hours in the darkness of the ocean at night without a life jacket — or anything else for that matter. Before noon that day, my three friends and I had boarded my sailboat in Marina del Rey and were sailing out towards Malibu. While we were in transit, we encountered a young woman all alone in the middle of the ocean who (according to the LA County Rescue Boat Captain, later on) had survived for over 12 hours in frigid waters. She had no life jacket and was just treading water. I noticed her thanks to a group of dolphins who swam towards her and passed her when we saw her hand waving.
118 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 118
After my guests and I rescued the young lady and had her safely in the cockpit, I issued a “Mayday” emergency request on VHF channel 16. Our newest passenger was barely conscious, but she could tell us that she was alone and that I did not have to look for other survivors in the vicinity). We covered her with a warm blanket and gave her water. Within less than 10 minutes, the United States Coast Guard had sent a rescue boat for a medical emergency. The young lady survived her ordeal and is in stable condition at Ronald Reagan Hospital at UCLA. We could only pray for her well-being… And thanks to my 3 guests on the boat for staying calm and following my rescue instructions. Buying this cheap sailboat was a blessing… I will provide the full story soon but want to protect the survivor until more details are revealed… P.S. Stay safe P.S.S. Life is so precious. P.S.S.S. This is sailing vessel Defiant — over and out! w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
FREEDOM XC PRO INVERTER/CHARGER
THE SMALLEST AND LIGHTEST IN ITS CLASS WITH BUILT-IN NMEA 2000 COMMUNICATIONS
3000W/150A with 50A Transfer Relay
eMarine Systems is an authorized distributor and warranty repair center for Xantrex, as well as batteries, cabling and tech support. www.eMarineSystems.com 954-581-2505
Part II
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2021 Details of the rescue at sea! I am sure you all have seen my last post about rescuing a young lady at sea! Many of you asked how did this young lady end up miles offshore and stay alive for roughly 12 hours with nothing to hold on to - just treading the water and dealing with all the fears associated with being in that situation (sharks, dying alone in the dark, etc.). Lucky for her, the Santa Monica Bay has its warmest temperature of the year in late August and early September (Thanks, Google!). How did she end up in the middle of the ocean when we rescued her? According to the Marina del Rey Harbor Sheriff deputies (as well as the Los Angeles County Fire Department rescue boat captain who is communicating with me, Captain Matt Rhodes), she went swimming all alone on Saturday near midnight (shockingly, many young people go skinny dipping late at night, I was told). While in the water, she could not make it back to the land and simply kept drifting away until 12 hours later when we found her a few miles offshore. She is a true fighter, who defied the odds and survived in the cold water. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 119
Latitudes & Attitudes 119 10/27/21 10:54 AM
When we noticed her thanks to the pod of dolphins (see the low-quality video when our eyes were following the dolphins just a minute or two before spotting the lady) before noon on Sunday, September 26, already 12 hours had passed. She had almost zero muscle capability to tread water or to use my boat’s ladder to come up. We ended up pulling her up with serious difficulty. According to the sheriff’s deputy, when I asked why no one would have seen her clothes on the beach and called the police, he said many people don’t think twice or assume anything. They just walk by and continue with their walks/life!!! Unbelievable! How was she saved - the technical part: I am not religious nor that spiritual, but one must wonder about this universe! 1. I acquired this boat just about a month or so ago and learned sailing just a few weeks ago! Most sailors with decades or over half a century of sailing never been in this situation. 2. Last week I took American Sailing Association (ASA) 101 and 103 courses from Blue Pacific Yachting of Marina del Rey (basic sailing course on land and sea that also shows how to rescue crew overboard). Also on my own initiative, I got my California boater’s license as well online. Unbelievable timing. 3. In the last two weeks, I had ordered from Amazon two pieces of rescue equipment, both of which we ended up needing for an effective rescue! It’s much more
120 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 120
complex than you might think. No captain jumps in the water in such situations unless the person has sunk below water and is drowning. 4. Before departing the port for Paradise Cove destination in Malibu, I had spent roughly an hour briefing my 3 guests (nonsailors) on safety issues and a rescue plan should any of us fall into the water. I told them that such a situation will not occur in years, but you never know. Now, we know! The crew did not go overboard — someone else was found in water! 5. When we saw the survivor, I had to pass her twice: First, I asked one of the guests to point to the survivor’s location with her finger at ALL times so I knew the location regardless of the waves as I made a fast approach forward. We reached her vicinity in seconds, and guest #1 threw the squareshaped lifesaver towards the survivor to hold on to. Second, I went forward for a distance (about four boat lengths) and performed a figure-eight approach around the survivor so the survivor was between the wind and the boat (I did not want the boat to crash into her skull or face — the boat should not be between the incoming wind and the survivor). Third, I asked my second guest to throw an orange, 70-foot rope (thanks, Amazon!) so the survivor could let go of the first device (or keep both) and grab the rope for us to pull her gently towards the boat (she ended up letting go of the first device, so if anyone sees my orange square life-saver anywhere in the Pacific Ocean, it’s mine — save it and bring it to me lol !); then I asked my third guest to untie the ropes and release the ladder in the back of the boat into the ocean for the final stage of rescue; then when the survivor was next to the center of the boat in water, I turned off the outboard engine (so the engine blade wouldn’t cut her body) when we pulled her towards the ladder (placed next to the engine), and then it took two strong men (thanks, Gold’s Gym Venice Beach) to pull her up (she had zero muscle function to help us) and the two other guests (thanks, ladies) went to saloon downstairs and got dry towels, water, and a thick blanket. At this point, I felt free to initiate the emergency “Mayday” transmission for the U.S. Coast Guard (the night before I made sure the VHF radio was fully charged and I learned how to use it) and you know the rest. Many sailors who have sailed for decades and the rescue boat operators told me that they never heard of such a scenario or seen it — and I got myself in this situation in my first voyage from Marina del Rey to Malibu (15 nautical w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
THE RESORT AT
miles at best)!! Go figure! There must be a meaning behind all the above happenings to align perfectly for this young woman to survive and to live for decades to come hopefully! At this point, I felt free to initiate the emergency “Mayday” transmission for the U.S. Coast Guard (the night before I made sure the VHF radio was fully charged and I learned how to use it) and you know the rest. Many sailors who have sailed for decades and the rescue boat operators told me that they never heard of such a scenario or seen it — and I got myself in this situation on my first voyage from Marina del Rey to Malibu (15 nautical miles at best)!! Go figure! There must be a meaning behind all the above happenings to align perfectly for this young woman to survive and to live for decades to come hopefully! The survivor is in stable condition and is well; a happy ending. The identity of the survivor will remain anonymous for obvious reasons... A special thanks to LA County Rescue Boat Captain Matt Rhodes and his partner — you guys are heroes. P.S. The ocean is very powerful no matter how good a swimmer you are! Only swim in daylight in front of lifeguards! P.S.S. The survivor DEFIED the odds so the sailing vessel DEFIANT was chosen to find her — over and out!
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 121
NEW MOD HOM EL ES OPEN
Port Ludlow Marina is open year round and offers: • • • • • • •
PORT LUDLOW WASHINGTON
Boat in and Golf packages available 30+ miles of walking trails Waterfront Dining Covered Pavilion & BBQ Fire Pit Fuel Dock & Pump Out Free WiFi Marina Store
www.PortLudlowResort.com • 360.437.0513
Latitudes & Attitudes 121 10/27/21 10:54 AM
How You Can Support the U.S. Coast Guard Through the Coast Guard Foundation The Coast Guard Foundation has a 53-year tradition of supporting the men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard, where and when they need it the most. The organization’s support spans the entire Coast Guard community – from lifting individuals, bolstering entire units, and honoring the Coast Guard’s mission at a national level. With a network of generous supporters all across the country who recognize the value of the Coast Guard to our Nation, the Coast Guard remains always ready. Every single one of us can get involved and make a difference today. Connect with a local Coast Guard unit Have your wanted to show your support and appreciation for a specific local Coast Guard unit that’s protecting, defending and saving lives in your area every day? With a partnership through the Coast Guard Foundation, you can do just that — show your gratitude by supporting a unit and its crew, and providing
122 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 122
important morale, wellness and recreation equipment that will enhance their service to our country. Stand with Coast Guard members when times are tough When natural disasters strike, Coast Guard members are often the first responders—leaving their own impacted homes and property to aid others. The Foundation offers them immediate relief. The organization assesses member and family needs through its disaster relief and response program and makes sure they get the resources to bounce back from hurricanes, floods, tornadoes and more. When Coast Guard families face the unthinkable loss of an active-duty member, the Foundation is there with immediate financial and morale support. They listen closely to individuals and families — and anticipate their needs — to ensure members of w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 10:54 AM
QUALITY MARINE EQUIPMENT SINCE 1981
TRACTION MADE BEAUTIFUL the Coast Guard community receive relevant care in the wake of tragedy.
Adjustable texture
Support Coast Guard Foundation education initiatives The Foundation’s comprehensive education programs support Coast Guard members, spouses and college-age children through scholarships, grants and workforce development programs that meet the needs of the whole Coast Guard family. For children of Coast Guard members, they offer scholarships that reduce student loan debt, allowing them to focus on their studies and setting them and their families up for strong futures. For children of fallen Coast Guard members, they offer scholarships that cover all the expenses of higher education. This investment gives families relief and honors their heroism and sacrifice. Engage with the Coast Guard Foundation for the latest news and developments This is the easiest action you can take, and a great first step to getting to know the Coast Guard Foundation. If it’s not the right time to invest and partner with the organization just yet, take the first step by signing up for the mailing list so you can keep you informed of their projects and programs. Join them at coastguardfoundation.org to learn more and make a difference in the lives of the brave women and men of the United States Coast Guard.
Covers uneven surfaces
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 107-123 Lifestyles - MKC.indd 123
minimal prep, easy clean-up easily tinted
www.kiwigrip.com
Latitudes & Attitudes 123 10/27/21 10:54 AM
LIFE ABOARD
Baby Aboard What happens to a young cruising couple when a pandemic throws a wrench in their cruising plans? At least one thought it was a good time to start a family. Back in 2017, strategy consultants Suzanne or “Suus” and Jurre, a Dutch couple in their early thirties, purchased Yndeleau, a steel-hulled Van De Stadt 44 built in the Netherlands. The boat had been custom built over the span of 15 years, but health issues prevented the original owners from realizing their cruising dreams. Yndeleau had never really sailed and was left on the hard, needing significant improvements to be ready for blue-water cruising. We worked on the boat for two years while still holding down full-time jobs. When we sailed out of Amsterdam in August 2019, we were totally exhausted. We dreamed about New Zealand and the Pacific, but all directions were in our plans, or did we really have plans at all? Our initial thought was to cruise for one year. Suus didn’t have much sailing experience, and neither of us had any experience crossing oceans. Would we like it? Would we want to continue after a year, or would we want to return to a life on shore? We started by exploring the Atlantic coast of Europe and truly enjoyed it. We loved Isle Cíes in Spain with its breathtaking natural beauty and an awesome anchorage. Definitely the top rank for us was Isla de Culatra in Portugal. It’s a small island with a fishing village. The anchorage right in front of town can be crowded. No Mediterranean crowds, but still a lot of boats. However, just a mile east, easily done with our 2.5 meter (about 8 foot) draft, there is a secluded anchorage. We could kitesurf from our private beach with flat water, pick mussels just around the corner, go for a beautiful walk through the stunning surroundings, visit the fishing village for a beer, and dinghy through the tidal flats to the bigger city of Olhao for a good dinner or to pick-up friends at the airport. Definitely a not-to-miss!
124 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 124-125 Life Aboard 37 - MKC.indd 2
Editor Robin Stout
By Wade Rogers We set off to cross the Atlantic in January 2020. It was the first ocean crossing for both of us, and it was magnificent, scary, tough, and crazy at the same time. The nights were filled with stars, listening to podcasts, reading a book, or just gazing into the distance. During the same watch we would go from that magnificent feeling to a squall hitting with 40+ knots of wind and suddenly we’d be as sharp as a knife, our hearts beating like crazy, and feeling so much responsibility for the boat but also for the other person that is sleeping. Sailing over kilometers of water with endless water in front of us and no way to go back against the wind and waves was scary and crazy but so beautiful at the same time. We crossed from Tenerife in the Canary Islands to Barbados in 23 days. Our passage was about 3,100 miles because we had to sail South of the Cape Verde Islands to find the trade winds. The third week we had high waves and a lot of squalls with crazy winds. Furthermore, with the two of us we had to get used to living together but not at all in the same rhythm. One is just waking up while the other just had a heavy or, on the contrary, really beautiful watch. So one is grumpy because they just woke up and the other wants to talk and to share their experience. It was something we didn’t think about before. One of our solutions was to have an hour of really sitting next to each other and drinking warm milk after dinner, talking about our experiences. The days and nights were flying by the first two weeks, but by the third week, when the boat threw us to the side every two minutes and just walking was difficult, we longed for our arrival to shore. However, when the waves dropped to normal size it was fun again and we knew we could do three more weeks. In the spring my mom sent us a message over the Iridium Go. “Yeah, there is a virus in China, it looks like it can become a big thing. You should watch it as well.” And a W W W . L AT S A T T S . C O M
10/26/21 3:05 PM
big thing it became. COVID brought a lot of uncertainty with entering countries, and we didn’t see much of the Caribbean. It really started to become a new normal. It wasn’t as easy as before going from one country to another. In the beginning there was so much uncertainty. Nowadays, while we are in the Caribbean, we always have a next stop or passage that we can make. It may not be the one that we planned years, months, or even days ago, but there is so much to see and so many countries to visit. Due to the difficulties, we choose to stay longer in one country. PCRs and all the paperwork costs a lot, both money- and time-wise. Staying longer in one country meant that we explored more than just the standard anchorages. We went off the beaten path, explored different anchorages and instead of only fellow cruisers we made local friends as well. We decided not to go through the Panama Canal and head for the South Pacific. We would stay in the Caribbean with easy access to most things and with islands and destinations close to each other. With the future on hold, it felt like a perfect moment to add a sailor to the family. Pregnancy aboard was an interesting experience. While Suus was pregnant we kite surfed our heads off in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Some expectant moms experience hip problems or other physical issues that would definitely be a challenge living on a boat. Also, Suus was a bit worried that she would injure the baby while under sail. Luckily, being careful, she didn’t have any physical problems and didn’t have that big bang! We changed places where we slept, as Suus couldn’t climb over me, but luckily I managed to climb over her big belly. Suus couldn’t take her seasick medications while she was pregnant, so that was a bit annoying. Another thing Suus found out is that it is super hard to reach stuff down in the bilge! Oh and HOT! Very, very hot. Being inside a boat, or being pregnant alone, could be pretty hot already, but just imagine being pregnant and sleeping on a boat in the tropics. After running from two storms/hurricanes, we decided to head to Curacao to get the boat ready for the little nugget. We hauled the boat out in Curacao and became landlubbers for three months. Suus accepted a big freelance job for the Dutch government and I worked 60 hours a week on boat projects. The bathroom floor was leaking, and showering outside when you’re pregnant isn’t a happy W W W .L AT S A T T S . C O M
pg 124-125 Life Aboard 37 - MKC.indd 3
place, so we totally rebuilt the bathroom, going back to the steel frame. We also installed a new autopilot system, gave Yndeleau a nose job with a new anchor roller, and gave the steel lady some much needed touching up with some nice paint. The shaft was leaking, so I designed and built a new one. We installed a freezer, added some ventilation, painted the engine, and did a lot of the woodwork. Doesn’t sound like baby-readiness, but I wanted to finish as many open projects as possible so we could spend time with our little one. There were also several changes made with the baby in mind. We installed a washing machine for diapers, a watermaker to handle the higher demand for water, and refit the water tanks. We built a baby bed-roomcombo, and the tool station became a changing station. In April, our daughter, Evi, was born in Bonaire. The healthcare was amazing there — a cooperation with a Dutch hospital means that a lot of experienced doctors are periodically on staff. We were happy we chose Bonaire over Colombia — our Dutch is definitely better than our Spanish, and we love our Dutch healthcare protocols. COVID restricted the opportunity of air travel, but several family members flew in to see Evi, and we’re going to fly out to the Netherlands for a couple of weeks so her great grandmothers can see her. We are living our dream. We would want to do it otherwise, but there are things we do miss, like the people, the big things but just as much the little daily things. Having Evi makes our cruiser life more beautiful. COVID definitely changed the opportunity of people flying in to see us. With a new baby, not being able to be around family is hard. We’re still working digitally, and Suus just started again after her maternity leave. It can be hard sometimes with a little nugget that is not going to daycare. We have to take turns with the baby and take turns working. Having a baby hasn’t stopped us from exploring and going out, but we can’t snorkel or kite surf at the same time anymore. Sailing with a baby gives some extra dimensions but it is worth it! We haven’t sailed a passage of more than two days yet, but we’ve prepared Yndeleau for easier solo-sailing. We’re wondering how it will be when Evi starts to climb and walk. We’ll see. We always cruise step by step. We could be cruising for years, but we could also be living back in the Netherlands next year. For now, all we know is that our next stop is Colombia!
Latitudes & Attitudes 125 10/26/21 3:05 PM
Bubba Whartz
Bubba to Organizes a Snake Hunt Trip to Ireland
By Morgan Stinemetz The skies over Sarasota carried a dense cloud layer, and the sun had not shown in days. The chilly afternoon temperature along Florida’s Gulf Coast had slipped to 50 degrees, and locals, alarmed by what they considered to be a deep freeze, had started buying ear muffs and antifreeze. Me, I headed for the Blue Moon Bar for a pick-meup, knowing that the palpable warmth of the place would cheer me. Inside the door, I immediately noticed a poster that carried the headline “Win $1 million!” The poster’s maker used sparkly green stuff, which adheres to one after a raucous party and destroys one’s alibi about being late coming home due to church services running behind. I’d like to say that I immediately read the rest of the information on the poster, but that would be a lie. Doobie, the bartenderette at the Blue Moon, got my attention first. On this particular afternoon, she looked consummately radiant. Her artful makeup, the box-of-Chiclets perfection of her warming smile, and the snug leather trousers she favored could drive a strong man to drink. I ordered a beer. Then I asked Doobie about the wina-million poster. “You need to look for yourself,” she said pleasantly. “Bubba put that up a couple of days ago. All the information about the trip he is promoting is in the small print.” “How small?” “Very small. Nearly unreadable,” Doobie replied. “I haven’t seen Bubba in a while,” I said. “Where is he now, out of town?” “No, he’s here, now. He has been in the men’s room for an hour.” “An hour?” “At least.” That worried me, the hour part. So I asked Doobie if she thought going in to check on Bubba was wise. And she said she wasn’t going near the gent’s room herself, but if I wanted to check on Bubba, it was entirely up to me. While not particularly eager to put my life on the line by entering the gents’ room after Captain Whartz had been in there for an hour, I briefly paused to peruse the small print of Bubba’s win-a-million poster. Maybe I was putting off what could be a dangerous mission; I’m not sure. However, it was while reading the small print that I heard a faint cry for help emanating from the direction of the men’s room.
126 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 126-127 Bubba Whartz - MKC.indd 2
It sounded like Bubba’s voice. And when I entered the bathroom, I discovered that it was Bubba’s voice. He’d been calling for help for a long time, an hour anyway. And his voice had given out, making him as hoarse as a cheerleader with a bad cold at the district championship football game. Captain Whartz, live-aboard, live-alone sailor and owner of the ferro-cement sloop Right Guard, was trapped in a toilet. His overalls were at his ankles, and Bubba’s butt was wedged tightly inside the toilet bowl. Bubba had not looked where he was going, so to speak, and failed to notice the seat was up, so when he’d plopped down, his butt went deeply into the bowl, sealing his fate. Bubba had succeeded in trapping himself in the men’s room of the Blue Moon bar just as tightly as the Unabomber, caged in the federal Admax Prison, Florence, Colorado. Grabbing both of Bubba’s hands, I extracted him — after a great struggle — from his embarrassing predicament. He quickly pulled his underpants and overalls up, straightened his red baseball cap, the one with the Peterbilt emblem on it, and croaked, “Let’s have a beer.” I agreed. On our way to the barstools we’d sit upon, I asked Bubba about the poster. I’d been interrupted, you will recall, from reading the fine print by his bleat for rescue and had read little about the contest other than it would take place in Ireland. So I asked him about the trip and the prize. Bubba began enthusiastically by croaking, “The million-dollar prize goes to the first person who discovers a snake on my Irish trip. It’s a great place to hunt snakes. But the snake has to be native; pythons, boa constrictors, copperheads, and rattlesnakes don’t count. Neither do bushmasters, Gaboon vipers, and cobras.” I countered with, “Bubba, there are no snakes in Ireland.” “Who says?” responded Bubba in a shocked tone of voice. “Legend has it, Captain, that St. Patrick, Ireland’s patron Saint, rid Ireland of all of its snakes way back in the 5th century.” “How do you know that?” “It’s part of a long-standing legend, Bubba. Ireland is famous for its legends. Think leprechauns in little green suits,” I told the sailor, who was scratching his head, perplexed. “St. Patrick’s day celebrates that deed; it’s March 17th every single year.” “Does this include Northern Ireland, too?” Bubba asked. “Of course it does,” I scoffed. “There were no political divisions in Ireland in the 5th century A.D. Besides, Bubba, snakes don’t honor territorial boundaries.” “Is there more?” asked Whartz. “A bit,” I replied. “The Catholic Church never canonized St. Patrick, so, while he helped spread Christianity in what is now Ireland, Patrick more or less was elected to sainthood by the people as a way to honor his work.” Bubba had more questions. “Tell me more about the snakes,” he demanded. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/28/21 8:19 PM
I did. “From what I understand, paleontologists have never found fossils of snakes in Ireland. Ever. So the theory is that snakes never made it to Ireland in the first place. Or if they did, one of the ice ages killed them all. Snakes are cold-blooded and wouldn’t have survived.” “What’s a paleontologist, a person who makes pails?” asked Bubba “Hardly. A paleontologist is a person who studies life which occurred long, long ago. A paleontologist reads bones, so to speak,” I replied. “Like the women who read palms, throw bones, and tell their customers what their future will be? Fortune tellers?” “No, Bubba, it’s way more scientific than that.” “You say that St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland, right?” “That’s the way it goes,” I replied. “It’s pretty simple, then, to recognize the whole story as so much guff. And that’s a fact,” Bubba emphasized. “What makes you say that?” “It’s easy to figure all that out,” said the sailor. “Automobiles hadn’t been invented yet. You didn’t understand that?” I changed the subject immediately. “So what is it with the trip you’re promoting to Ireland then? The one with the million-dollar prize?” “If there are no snakes in Ireland, like you just said, I’m going to raise the prize to $2 million because that will get more attention. If there are no snakes in Ireland, I won’t have to pay off anyone, and I’ll still get a hefty commission from the travel agency I use to book the trip.” “What’s next, Bubba?” I asked. “You buy the beer,” he replied. “Doobie!”
Up to 600 lbs. Capacity 120 Walled 316 Stainless Steel Several Sizes Available Universal Mounting Easily Rotate or Remove Integrated Cleats 2 Year Warranty
MARTEK D i n g h y
D a v i t s
TM
martekdavits.com 727.826.0814
䈀䄀䌀伀一匀䄀䤀䰀匀⸀䌀伀䴀 Ⰰ 匀䄀䤀䰀匀 伀一䰀䤀一䔀
伀䘀䘀匀䠀伀刀䔀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀
一䔀圀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀
唀匀䔀䐀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀
伀一䰀䤀一䔀 倀刀䤀䌀䤀一䜀 泰 䈀唀夀 匀䄀䤀䰀匀 伀刀 䌀伀一匀䤀䜀一 夀伀唀刀 伀圀一
⠀㐀 ⤀ ㈀㘀㌀ⴀ㐀㠀㠀 泰 㘀 䰀攀最椀漀渀 䄀瘀攀⸀ 䄀渀渀愀瀀漀氀椀猀Ⰰ 䴀䐀 ㈀㐀 w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 126-127 Bubba Whartz - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 127
10/28/21 8:19 PM
Book Review By Capt. Jim Cash
BYOB
Bring Your Own Boat: Living a-board & Cruising By Captain John I have reviewed several of the “Great Loop” books in the past, but since Looping has become so popular and introduced inland “cruising” to a new segment of boaters, I thought that the way Capt. John has approached the subject was worth another look. This book is also one in a series written by Capt. John, among them Island Hopping through the Caribbean and The Frugal Voyager. Capt. John encourages his readers to experience for themselves America’s Great Loop, the amazing and must-see adventure, and believes the book’s success is determined by the number of people it inspires to take this incredible journey. If you are reading his book you must have an interest in Looping, so he asserts there are no excuses and provides answers for the standard reasons of procrastination. 1. I don’t have the experience. With this book and all the electronic charts available it’s easy and you never get out of sight of land. If you are a responsible driver and pay attention to the rules of the road, you can do this. 2. Can’t afford a big boat. Go small and go now. There are many more restrictions on large size vs. small, citing the 15’ bridge clearance on the western Erie Canal. Marina costs are charged by the foot, so the smaller the boat, the better. 3. Costs too much, can’t afford it. There is a chapter about how Capt. John and his son did the Loop on $12.29/day, including the cost of the boat. One’s lifestyle and desire for comfort will determine your cost of Looping. Capt. John begins the journey describing America’s Great Loop (the Canadian portion is listed as a side trip) as covering 5,600 statute miles, and 25 states. Not only is it the finest, safest, navigable waterway system in the world, it is the longest continuous waterway system on the planet. You will cross your wake without ever having to make a U-turn. The reader’s adventure starts at St. Lucie on the eastern side of Florida where the Okeechobee Waterway connects with the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (“ICW”), then is taken around the 13 legs of the Loop. First, head north on the Atlantic ICW, because you do not want to get to the Erie Canal sooner than mid-May and you want to be heading south from Chicago no later than mid-September. He calls it boating by season, i.e., “Spring up” (the Atlantic ICW), “shuffle off” in summer across the lakes to Chicago.
128 Latitudes & Attitudes _pg 128-129 Book Review 37 - MKC.indd 2
“Fall down” the Rivers to the Gulf of Mexico, and “Winter Across” the Gulf back to Florida. The first two legs, Atlantic ICW and Hudson River, are 1,266 miles — from St. Lucie to the Erie Canal, taking the Looper through many historical and beautiful sites beginning with Florida’s Atlantic coastal beach cities, Savannah, the Outer Banks, and one Civil War battleground after another. Further north the history changes to early Colonial sites and Revolutionary times. Capt. John acquaints us with navigational aids, how to deal with bridges too low to scoot under, and invites us to stop and sightsee, including his favorite restaurants. He shares his secret anchoring spots, and where to find the “free” dockage. He even takes us through the New Jersey portion of the ICW, though I heard it’s now virtually not navigable since this book was published. Entering New York Harbor one passes the Statue of Liberty. Continuing north up the Hudson River, the banks reach high to cliff-like walls, with many historical sites along the way toward Albany, New York and the Erie Canal. Leg 3 is the transit of the famed Erie Canal, with its 358 miles from the Hudson to Niagara Rivers, using 57 locks to raise you and your boat 573 feet above sea level. At the western end of the Canal at Buffalo, New York, you might enjoy some Buffalo Wings which originated at the local Anchor Bar. Leg 4 enters the Great Lakes on Lake Erie. Capt. John helps us remember the Lakes with the acronym H.O.M.E.S. Can you name them? If you take the direct route, it is 892 miles from Buffalo to Chicago. We are treated to interesting anecdotes about each of the Lakes and their tributaries, islands, coastal communities, and navigational challenges. For example, at the top of Lake Huron, as you pass under the world’s longest suspension bridge over the Straits of Mackinac, you are closer to the North Pole than to the Equator. Legs 5-10 take us through the Rivers, starting with the Illinois River which is accessed from the Chicago River which meanders through downtown, then passing the electric fish barriers keeping the dreaded Asian Carp from entering the Great Lakes before heading down the River. The Illinois River flows on a southwest course and concludes at the junction with the Mississippi River. Along the way you may see Bald Eagles soaring above, always on the lookout for a tasty fish dinner (hopefully Asian Carp). w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 9:37 AM
At Grafton, Illinois, you enter the mighty Mississippi and are soon rushing past St. Louis and the famed arch with the added current to boost boat speed. This is the “Upper Mississippi” which is divided into Lower and Upper at Cairo, Illinois, where the Ohio meets the Mississippi. Most Loopers turn left to take the Ohio upriver. However, if your boat has enough fuel range (apparently there are few fuel opportunities before New Orleans), Capt. John says it’s a wonderful way to step into the life of “Huck and Tom.” There is a short ride up the Ohio before entering the Tennessee or Cumberland Rivers, both are beautiful and if you are a fan of freshwater pearls, you can stop at Birdsong Marina off the Tennessee River, which operates the Country’s only freshwater pearl farm. The junction of the Tombigbee River and Tenn-Tom waterway will eventually take a Looper all the way to Mobile Bay, Alabama, and the Gulf of Mexico. Legs 11-12 are back on the ICW, this time on the Gulf side following the ICW along western coastal Florida to Mile Marker 1 at Fort Myers and the entrance to the Okeechobee Waterway. Leg 13 is Capt. John’s final leg and goes back inland via the Okeechobee Waterway 154 miles across Florida and back to his starting point where you’ll cross your wake back at St. Lucie, Florida. America’s Great Loop is completed, but wait — there’s more! We are only halfway through the book. The “Beyond the Loop” section starts with Lake Superior, introducing the “Home of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical Society” featuring the famous wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, and Michigan’s oldest city, Sault Ste Marie. This section includes tidbits of “off Loop” excursions, like the St. Johns River in Florida, the Carolina Loop, and the tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, including a cruise up the Potomac to see Washington D.C., and venturing into Baltimore’s “inner harbor.” You can take the opportunity to turn north on the Mississippi to visit Mark Twain’s boyhood home of Hannibal, Missouri, or continue up to St. Paul and Minneapolis. We are taken up the Ohio River, through the states of Illinois, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We take the Tennessee River to Chattanooga, the Cumberland River to Nashville, the Missouri to Sioux City, and the Arkansas to Little Rock and Tulsa. Venturing into “foreign water” are the historical waterways of the Rideau and Trent-Severn that snake through some of the most beautiful countryside of Canada’s province of Ontario. Finally, the “Beyond” destinations include the Georgian Bay, Discovery Islands, and Montreal on the St. Lawrence Seaway. What cruising book is complete without discussion and opinion by the author about the “right boat”? Capt. John does not disappoint, and for 20+ pages we get to read about size, comfort, fuel burn, bridge clearance, electronics, depth, tank capacity, batteries, and displacement vs. planing hulls. As we come to the finish, we learn about provisioning, equipping, and frugal voyaging (Looping). Capt. John cites the Loop he did in 2011 for a total of $8,062, including the price of the boat. The book concludes with “Top Twenty Great Loop Questions and Answers” that range from navigation to protection, timing to weather, and the big one, what’s it cost? In conclusion, he says, keep the dream alive. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
_pg 128-129 Book Review 37 - MKC.indd 3
ULTRA COMPACT GENERATORS 3.5kW 5.5kW
904-642-8555 nextgenerationpower.com
Smith’s
X-Treme Cleaners
15% Discount Use Offer LATS15 MARINE AND HOUSEHOLD CLEANER
CLEANS FIBERGLASS, STAINLESS, MOLD AND HUNDREDS OF OTHER USES
ORDER ONLINE WWW.SMITHSX-TREME.COM SMITHSX-TREME@GMAIL.COM
Latitudes & Attitudes 129 10/27/21 9:37 AM
130 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 130 Cap'n Cap'n.indd 1
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 12:37 PM
How much chain do I need when anchoring? By Mathias Wagner
In March 2020, I posted an article on blauwasser.de about the minimum chain length required for anchoring. It became clear that the often quoted and taught rule of thumb “chain length = three times water depth” (or simply “more in a lot of wind”) doesn’t take into account the different boat types and sizes and the very different anchoring scenarios. The results at that time referred to the so-called static anchoring, where everything has settled down: The wind pushes the boat away from the anchor, but it is at rest. In particular, there are no gusts and no swell, and the boat does not sail at anchor. In this case, one finds a simple relationship: L = Y(Y + 2a), where L is the chain length, Y is the anchor depth and a is a parameter defined as the wind force acting on the boat divided by the chain weight per running metre. Of course, these assumptions are not entirely realistic, and so I would like to present here the extension to dynamic anchoring and, in this context, also my easy-to-use app for Apple and Android, which calculates, among other things, the minimum required anchor chain length and the load exerted on the anchor. In this extended scenario, gusts and swell are taken into account. It also makes a lot of sense to include an elastic snubber/bridle in the considerations. As before, the approach is the following: When wind, gusts, and swell hit the boat, it is pushed further away from the anchor. To do this, it must first accelerate, then it slows down again and eventually comes to a standstill for a short moment. This is the moment when the boat has stretched the chain most and thus pulls most strongly at the anchor: Peak load! The entire kinetic energy of the boat has now been converted into potential energy of the chain (and, if applicable, into the stretching of a snubber/bridle). So if one can calculate the energy of a swell, one also knows by how much the potential energy of the chain will have to change as a result, since the sum of all energies remains constant as long as one does not take friction or similar into account. It is difficult to calculate the energy of a swell exactly, w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 131-135 How Much Chain - MKC.indd 131
but it can be estimated by looking at the maximum speed at which the boat moves away from the anchor when it is hit by a swell. Using this speed and the mass of the boat, one can then calculate the energy of the swell transferred to the boat. This immediately raises the question as to how well a chain (without a snubber/bridle) can absorb energy. To answer this, let us first consider two extreme cases: First, the case where the chain is almost horizontal, i.e. when the anchor and the bow roller have only a few metres difference in height to each other. In this case, the chain has a hard time absorbing additional energy since the chain forms a more or less straight almost horizontal line between the anchor and the bow roller and it can thus hardly tighten any further, i.e. gain more height above the ground in order to absorb yet more energy. This is the shallow water scenario with a potentially bar-taut chain. On the other hand, if the chain is hanging down almost vertically with very little wind, it also absorbs very little energy as the chain then essentially only moves sideways. Between these two extremes, the chain works much better. So my aim in this article is to find out more about this with the help of my app. Let us now look at these two cases more quantitatively as shown in Figure 1: A) no wind, no swell, the chain simply hangs vertically down at the bow. B) After an extremely strong gust or swell, the chain is completely taut and pulls at the anchor with a certain angle. Obviously, in case B the chain has a larger potential energy because the chain is on average hanging higher and more chain is needed. The difference in potential energies between B and A is m g / 2 Y (L - Y), where G = m g is the weight of the chain per running metre, Y is the anchor depth, and L is the length of the chain. So if the swell tries to transfer an even greater amount of energy to the chain, the anchor will definitely break free.
Latitudes & Attitudes 131
10/26/21 6:45 PM
Figure 1: (left) The difference in potential energy of two extreme cases: No wind at all / swell with vertical chain versus so much wind and swell that the chain becomes completely taut. The difference between these two energies is the maximum energy that this chain can absorb. Figure 2: (right) Elasticity of an anchor chain as a universal function of the ratio of chain length to anchor depth (= scope). The maximum at scope L/Y ≈ 1.4 is
However, it may do so even if this maximum energy has not quite been reached because the more the chain is stretched, the more load it exerts on the anchor. Enormous loads can be generated in this way. There are at least two interesting results here: First, the maximum energy that can be absorbed by the chain gets smaller when the anchor depth Y gets smaller: If I halve the anchor depth, then I roughly halve the maximum energy that the chain can absorb, which is bad. So the chain does not work well in shallow water — in fact, the shallower the worse. Chain likes depth! But there are limits here, too. Using the formula above, one finds that — at a fixed length L — the chain can absorb the most energy when it has a ratio of chain length to water depth of 2:1 when fully stretched: scope L/Y = 2. This does not mean, however, that one should now go off and only pay out twice the water depth as chain when anchoring. Yes, the chain likes this, but the anchor does not at all. For one thing, it is then pulled at a rather steep angle, which has a negative effect on the holding power, and secondly — and more seriously — the load peaks then passed through from the bow to the anchor are enormous. (Otherwise the chain would not be so extremely taut.) One thus needs much more chain to prevent this scenario with a very taut chain. Let us, therefore, assume that the chain always pulls horizontally at the anchor in order to put only the minimum load on it. And, furthermore, the chain is already somewhat stretched due to a steady base wind without swell and gusts. How well can the chain then cope with having to absorb more energy, if the steady base wind and with that the required chain length L are slowly increased at a fixed anchor depth Y? This question can be nicely answered by looking at the elasticity of the anchor chain. By this I do not mean the elasticity of the metal of the individual chain links, but the springiness of the chain as a whole when it is firmly fixed at one end, the anchor, and pulled tighter at the other end. Its own weight will always make it spring back to its original position when this pull is eased again. To put it more precisely: If gusts or swells (in the presence of a fixed steady base wind) pull a little more on the chain at the bow, e.g. with an additional 1 daN, how much more energy can the chain absorb? Obviously, one wants this value to be high. The chain should be able to take a lot!
132 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 131-135 How Much Chain - MKC.indd 132
Now, how does this look like concretely? Let’s take a chain that is long enough so that there is always some chain lying on the seabed in front of the anchor and therefore it is always pulling horizontally at it. Within the framework of my model, I can then exactly calculate the elasticity of the chain (see Figure 2). On the left is calm, on the right is storm. The horizontal axis is scope, i.e. the ratio of chain length L to anchor depth Y, whereby only the part of the chain that counts is lifted off the seabed. The vertical axis is the elasticity divided by the elasticity at the maximum of the curve (which is at a scope of ≈ 1.4 and is proportional to the anchor depth Y). At the maximum of the curve, 100% is then automatically reached. Perhaps this simple thought experiment can help to better understand the graph in Figure 2: I am anchoring at 5 metres depth, measured from the bow roller. There are 100 metres of chain paid out, but they are not being used yet because there is almost no wind. I am now on the far left of the diagram. The elasticity of the chain is poor, but that doesn’t matter because there is hardly any wind. Now the steady base wind starts blowing stronger and stronger and I slowly move to the right in the diagram. When 1.4 * 5 = 7 metres of chain have been lifted off the seabed, I am already at the maximum of the chain’s elasticity. Of course, that’s still not a lot of wind — just 7 metres of chain are needed so that it pulls at the anchor horizontally in a depth of 5 metres. So, now it’s blowing more and more and I’m moving further and further to the right, away from the maximum. When the 100 metres of chain are completely off the seabed, I have a chain length to anchor depth ratio of 100:5 and have thus reached the right edge of the graph. So although I use more and more chain, the chain becomes less and less elastic. In other words, the higher the steady base wind, the less the chain is able to absorb strong gusts or swells. Sure, it can absorb large static loads, but not gusts and swells. So here one needs a very good snubber or bridle to absorb these peak loads and keep them away from the anchor. Qualitatively, this is the same result as in Figure 1, but now with somewhat more realistic boundary conditions for the chain. The graph in Figure 2 has not only scope as its horizontal axis, but also wind strength: Little wind on the left, a lot of wind on the right. And not only that, this axis could also be labelled with the water depth: Shallow on the w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 6:45 PM
given here as 100%, and is proportional to the anchor depth Y when measured in absolute values. In other words: If the anchor depth doubles, the elasticity also doubles. For this reason alone, anchoring in deeper water is better. What is important here is that the scope is not simply the ratio of some arbitrarily chosen chain length to the water depth, but must also fulfil the condition that the chain pulls horizontally at the anchor. The easiest way to ensure this is to use more than enough chain and, when determining the scope, only take into account the part of the chain L that has lifted off the seabed.
right, deep on the left. To appreciate this, one only has to indicated above when anchoring in shallow water, I now bear in mind that a chain that pulls horizontally at the anchor use my AnchorChainCalculator app. It is available for both also turns only very little towards the water surface initially, Apple and Android devices. as can be seen in the example catenary graph on the right. There are two modes in which the app can be It has the steepest ascent at the bow, where more chain used: “Basic Mode” and “Expert Mode.” I’ll start in Basic can be paid out if necessary. All other things being equal, Mode. After entering a few parameters such as anchor the required scope L/Y — i.e. the ratio of chain length off depth (calculated from the bow roller), wind strength, the seabed to anchor depth — thus becomes smaller when chain thickness, boat length and type (i.e. mono, cat, tri, anchoring in deeper water. To illustrate this, for an exemplary and whether of bulky, medium or slim built), weight of the wind load the corresponding L/Y values are drawn in the boat, swell energy in the form of velocity over ground at the diagram on the right. It is for this reason that the right side of anchor, quality of the snubber/bridle, and possibly the slope the diagram of Figure 2 with a large scope is more likely to of the seabed at the anchor, the app calculates, among be found in shallow water than in deep water. With this the other things, the minimum required chain length and the results from above are confirmed again: A chain in shallow load acting on the anchor. To be clear, the app does not water does not work well in a storm, its elasticity goes down guarantee that the anchor will hold, this depends on the the drain. And it cannot be repeated often enough: Snubbers anchor and the nature of the seabed, among other things. or bridles are indispensable here, as we will also further see But the app calculates how long the chain must be so that it in a moment with a concrete example. still pulls the anchor horizontally (or according to the gradient But that’s not all — these poor properties of a chain of the seabed). This is one of the essential prerequisites for in shallow water mean that every gust, every swell pulls keeping the load on the anchor as low as possible and thus jerkily at the anchor - with enormous loads that can be giving it the best possible chance of holding. many times the static load on the anchor. Neither the anchor In the first case considered, I limit the maximum chain nor the cleats at the bow like it when the chain gets taut! length to 50 m and do not use a snubber/bridle at all. I anchor Experienced sailors know this problem only too well and avoid it. On the other hand, the chain works best with a required scope of only 1.4, whilst still maintaining a horizontal pull at the anchor, and so it is not surprising when sailors report having anchored off Greenland with 100 metres of chain at 40 metres anchor depth without any problems in a storm. At such large anchor depths the required scope (i.e. the ratio of chain length to anchor depth whilst still pulling horizontally at the anchor) has already become quite small. Accordingly, the “operating point” of the chain is close to the optimal maximum in Figure 2. And, this maximum is also larger because it is proportional to the anchor depth. Chain likes depth! In order to find out more precisely Anchor Depth (x) versus Length of Chain (L) and quantitatively about the issues w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 131-135 How Much Chain - MKC.indd 133
Latitudes & Attitudes 133
10/26/21 6:45 PM
Figure 3, AnchorChainCalculator App: Anchor load in shallow water (5 metres) with a lot of swell. Left: No snubber / bridle; Right: Excellent snubber / bridle. The anchor load in the first case is gigantic.
Figure 4, AnchorChainCalculator App: Anchor load in slightly deeper water (9 metres) with a lot of swell. Left: No snubber/bridle; Right: Excellent snubber/bridle. Anchor load in the first case is still large, but significantly less than with a 5 metres anchor depth.
at 5 m anchor depth in 26 knots of wind, and there is quite a heavy swell. On the chart plotter I see from time to time that the velocity component of VOG (Velocity Over Ground) pointing away from the anchor is large: 0.6 knots. The app then calculates a huge peak anchor load of 1322 daN (Figure 3, left), which is well over a metric tonne! Moreover, the chain pulls at the anchor with an angle of more than 4º. It is very likely that the anchor will break out under these conditions. So this is quite heavy stuff - and this although I have a ratio of chain length to anchor depth of 10:1 - far more than the rule of thumb mentioned at the beginning requires - but it is related to the fact that I anchor in quite shallow water with a lot of swell. In the second case, I assume the same situation, but I now add an excellent snubber/bridle. Everything else remains the same. Now the anchor load goes down dramatically to only 171 daN (Figure 3, right), and the chain pulls horizontally at the anchor as it should. Even better, I don’t even need the whole chain any more: Only just under 38m of chain need to be deployed. The anchor load has gotten smaller by more than a factor of 7! If I don’t have a snubber/bridle, it still helps to relocate to deeper water. At 9m anchor depth and again only 50m chain, this results in an anchor load of 480 daN at the peak (Figure 4, left), which is already much less than the enormous anchor load at 5m anchor depth (Figure 3, left). This may go against intuition, but in this case, all other things being equal, deep water is better than shallow water! Put another way: The same swell is much more dangerous in shallow water than in deep water. Again, a snubber/bridle makes a significant difference; the anchor load is then reduced to 156 daN (Figure 4, right), the chain is again sufficiently long so that it pulls horizontally at the anchor, and the stretch of the snubber/bridle is also marginally less than in shallow water. What a difference: 156 daN compared to 1322 daN in the first case. And all this because I went from 5 to 9 metres anchor depth and used an excellent snubber/bridle. Now, the anchor is very unlikely to break free. Table 1 summarises these 4 cases and a few others. One can see that a chain in shallow water has a hard time
absorbing a strong swell and keeping the peak load away from the anchor, but even a bad snubber/bridle immediately brings a lot of relief. However, a poor snubber can also be overloaded very quickly, as the loads are still much larger than if one uses a very elastic snubber. Furthermore, one can see that it does not really help to simply deploy more chain in shallow water. At an anchor depth of 3 metres and with an “ok-ish snubber,” 41.7 metres of chain are sufficient to pull the anchor horizontally. If I use even more chain, it lies uselessly on the seabed despite the strong swell, helping only marginally through its friction on the seabed. It turns out the anchor load is not significantly reduced by this (see below). So if the seabed is poor and the 350 daN overload the anchor, then one either has to improve the snubber/bridle and/or move to deeper water and pay out a little more chain. The old motto “a lot of chain helps a lot” is thus somewhat misleading. It would be more correct to say “A lot of chain helps a lot if one gives it the necessary anchor depth.” To emphasise again: In all the cases we looked at, the swell was very large, but of the same strength. It then makes sense to anchor at a greater depth and thereby reduce some of the impact of the swell. Of course, this does not mean that one should also follow this advice if the swell is much bigger at the new anchorage in deeper water! Even more relief is obtained when using very good snubber/bridle. This is just one example of how to use the AnchorChainCalculator app: Examine scenarios, what if... It is deliberately chosen to be a bit extreme: A SOG at anchor of 0.6 kn is quite a lot - especially with a comparatively moderate wind of only 26 kn. Normally, one might only see 0.1 - 0.3 kn. The chain thickness could also be chosen one size larger for this size of boat. In Expert Mode, one can set some parameters even more precisely, e.g. the effective windage area and the snubber/bridle. By switching back and forth between the two modes, one can see how the corresponding parameters depend on each other. I have to admit, though,
134 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 131-135 How Much Chain - MKC.indd 134
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 6:45 PM
that I usually stay in Basic Mode and I have saved my bridle as “custom” there, after having measured it once with the tips described in Expert Mode. Offline descriptions and tips in English, German and French are provided for both the input and the output values, which are hidden behind the two smallℹlike info buttons at the right edge of the screen. In the top right corner is the home button, which takes one to the web page with the detailed description: https://trimaran-san.de/ anchor-chain-calculator/ (Or correspondingly the German / French description, if that is the system language in the phone / tablet). And if one prefers to calculate in kp instead of daN, one can also set this. Or feet and pounds, that also works. And of course all entries are saved, so that next time one only has to enter changed values. In summary, with my AnchorChainCalculator app one can calculate the minimum required chain length, with which the chain still pulls horizontally at the anchor and thus puts as little load on it as possible. It also determines the load that acts on the anchor. A few simple boat parameters and, of course, information about the weather and the sea, which are described in more detail in the offline help, serve as input values. What is missing at the moment is a mix of anchor chain and rode, but that may come in an update at some point. Currents are also not taken into account. But otherwise all essential factors are included in the calculations. The consideration of swell in particular sometimes leads to astonishing results that one might not have expected intuitively, at least not to this extent. In any case, the results show that the old rules of X times anchor depth can sometimes be extremely wrong and their blind application is not compatible with the spirit of good seamanship. Furthermore, it was shown that snubber/bridle are not only there to stop annoying noises of the chain at the bow, but are rather an essential means for absorbing shock loads at the bow and thus preventing them from getting passed through to the anchor - especially in shallow water when the chain fails. Once you have “got the hang of” your boat, you quickly get a feel for what chain length the app will advise to use. But it’s always reassuring when you’re at anchor at 40+ knots to check again that the chain is long enough and that the snubber/bridle is not overloaded! HELPFUL LINKS: Description of the app in English https://trimaran-san.de/anchor-chain-calculator/
.com
The San Juan Islands Collection
T GREATS! GIF
Video Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PsbMtYCUqE AnchorChainCalculator App in Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1533741243 AnchorChainCalculator App in Google Store: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details? id=de.trimaran_san.anchorchaincalculator Accurate description of the underlying mathematics and models: https://trimaran-san.de/die-kettenkurve-oder-wie-einmathematiker-ankert/ w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 131-135 How Much Chain - MKC.indd 135
For all you San Juan Islands lovers, our collection of home goods, art, apparel, and galleyware is inspired by the famous Pacific NW cruising grounds. Great for the boat, and in your home or office keeps you dreaming of those incomparable summer cruises !
.com Latitudes & Attitudes 135
10/26/21 6:45 PM
By Birgit Hackl
The Private Atoll in the Tuamotus That’s a Wildlife Haven
Nengonengo
136 Latitudes & Attitudes /pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 3:03 PM
Before the advent of GPS and chartplotters, the Tuamotus (French Polynesia) were known as the “Dangerous Archipelago” and avoided by many cruisers, but nowadays hundreds of sailboats pass through each year. A few popular atolls attract this fleet, but most of the 78 atolls hardly ever see sailboats. We visited one of those hidden gems, made it through the narrow pass, were nearly kicked out again, but managed to stay for two weeks in what turned out to be a nature paradise.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
/pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 137 10/26/21 3:03 PM
Nengonengo
Welcome to Nengonengo
Most cruisers make a few stopovers in the Tuamotus on their way from the Marquesas towards the Societies. Rangiroa, Fakarava, and Makemo are popular destinations because of wide passes, wellcharted channels, mooring buoys, shopping facilities, and internet access. After eight years of cruising in and around French Polynesia we are still fond of those places, but we are also interested in destinations off the beaten track. With growing experience in entering passes and finding anchorages, we have become bolder and enjoy the challenge of exploring uncharted areas. Most atolls in the Tuamotus have been turned into copra plantations and we are always on the lookout for untouched motus that feature endemic vegetation and bird colonies.
An abandoned picnic table
Tucked into the southwest anchorage
138 Latitudes & Attitudes /pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 4
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 3:03 PM
Last year we sailed past Nengonengo on our way to Tahiti and noticed large flocks of seabirds plunge-diving for fish just south of the barrier reef of the atoll. Taking Pitufa closer, we examined the motus with binoculars: shrubs and leaf-bearing trees and hardly any palm trees. Our curiosity was kindled, so we downloaded satellite images as soon as we had internet again. The southwestern and northwestern islands showed no trace of the telltale grid of coconut plantations, but there were houses to be seen on the northern motu, and even an airstrip. Charts don’t show a pass into the lagoon, but on sat pics we found a narrow, coral-strewn channel on the northern side that looked like a keel yacht just might be able to slip in.
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
/pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 5
The authors were “blown away” by what they found
Latitudes & Attitudes 139 10/26/21 3:03 PM
A bright anhorage
/pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 6
Nengonengo In April 2019 we set out from the Gambier Islands after the cyclone season and reached Nengonengo after a 460- nautical mile passage just a day before heavy weather was predicted. We arrived on the northern side of the atoll at dawn and got ready to anchor on the outer reef just off the pass. We don’t dare risk our good “Bügelanker” (similar to a Rocna design) with its 70 meters (200 feet) of chain when we anchor precariously on the steeply dropping outer reefs of atolls. Instead, we use our “sacrificial” CQR spare anchor with 10 meters (33 feet) of chain followed by line plus a float to make sure the line cannot chafe on coral. It was blowing 15 to 20 knots from the northeast, and after we had found an anchoring spot about 12 meters (36 feet) deep in dead coral rubble, Pitufa was pitching like crazy in the wind waves with her stern pointing towards the surf that was thundering against the reef. Pumping up the dinghy, getting it into the water, and attaching the outboard was an adventure in itself in those rough conditions. We hopped in, armed with a portable depth sounder, a GPS, a handheld radio, a bottle of water, oars, and sturdy shoes — we did not discuss worst-case scenarios, but packed accordingly. As we approached the entrance through the barrier reef, we noticed an outgoing current, a zone of turbulent water stretching about half a mile out into the ocean and there were 1.5-meter (5-foot) high, steep standing waves in the middle and on the eastern side of the pass. Keeping the dinghy a safe distance away from those standing waves, we started sounding. Nine meters (27 feet) deep, 5 meters (15 feet). The outboard was fighting the outgoing current. We went past some shallows with 3 meters (9 feet) in the middle of the pass and then we were already in the lagoon. Yippie! On the way out we sounded the depths closer to the side of the channel to have some margin with the
10/26/21 3:03 PM
big boat. Yep, there was just enough space between the standing waves in the middle and the light brown gleaming shallows on the western side. Back on Pitufa, we munched down a muesli-bar and lifted the anchor — not an easy undertaking with the boat pitching in the steep waves, but Christian managed to swap from line to chain on the gipsy with all 10 fingers still attached. Then we motored towards the pass feeling more than just a bit nervous. Handheld GPS with the freshly made tracks to my left, the laptop with satellite pictures in front of me on the cockpit table, the little Garmin chartplotter beside me to check speed and record our track, and my sweaty hands firmly on the steering wheel. Christian at the bow to give me directions. What had looked like a wide space between standing waves and shallow coral from the dinghy seemed decidedly narrower now. Trying hard to ignore the jagged rocks on one side and whooshing waves on the other side, I focused on the reassuringly blue channel ahead. Eddies were trying to push the boat around and I got a serious workout keeping her on course, always careful not to oversteer in such close quarters. The speed went from 6 knots down to 2, but the Yanmar steadily purred on and we made it safely into the lagoon. We had filled up the boat in the Gambier Islands with fruit and vegetables, precious in the barren atolls of the Tuamotus, and after anchoring off the village we set out to meet the locals, carrying a big bag with grapefruits, lemons, bananas, and avocados as gifts. There were several docks and even a little harbor basin with one boat, so we tied up the dinghy and started exploring. Little houses dotted the sides of the road, but they were all deserted, derelict
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
/pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 7
The atoll is a haven for birds
Latitudes & Attitudes 141 10/26/21 3:03 PM
Nengonengo
Sounding the entrance
with all sorts of pearl-farming equipment piled up high. Just as we thought that we had landed in a ghost town, we saw a sole figure running towards us in rubber boots, machete in hand, and a barking dog at his heels. The caretaker explained we had entered a private atoll, his job was to keep the place in order and sailboats out. Ouch. We did not give up, but forced the fruity gift bag on him and kept complaining about the approaching storm until we were allowed to sit out the bad weather in the calm waters of the lagoon. Over a cup of coffee we found out that Robert Wan, the pearl mogul of French Polynesia, had bought the atoll, installed a large pearl farm, erected a village for the workers, dredged the pass and built a private airstrip before it turned out that the quality of the pearls did not come up to the required standard. Even digging an artificial channel through the reef to get more clear water into the lagoon didn’t help. In the end he closed down the whole facility 20 years ago and abandoned the atoll, leaving a single caretaker.
A fruit bag for the caretakers
142 Latitudes & Attitudes /pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 8
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 3:03 PM
The next day the predicted strong southeasterlies set in. While the wind howled with 25 to 35 knots for a week, we got in touch with the ornithologist society in Tahiti and the Wan family, eventually managing to get an exceptional permission to stay in the atoll in order to count and report the numbers of nesting seabirds. As soon as the wind died down we took Pitufa across the lagoon, dodging the numerous coral heads and abandoned pearl farm fields. Over the years, growth has weighed the lines down, so most of the buoys are now submerged, difficult to spot and a hazard for navigation. Approaching the southwestern side, we saw white birds circling above the motus — we hardly believed our eyes when we recognized the bright-red tail feathers and heard their raucous “quack-quack” calls. Red-tailed tropic birds must have been widely distributed in this area once, but they nest on the ground and cannot walk on their webbed feet—a combination that made them easy prey for the locals and led to their disappearance all over the Tuamotus. Here they had obviously found a safe haven and we counted several hundred couples along the little motus that are still overgrown with endemic shrubs like velvet leaf bushes and deciduous trees like Pisonia grandis. On the western side of the atoll we found large colonies of frigate birds and red-footed boobies and heard the melodic singing of Tuamotu reed warblers from the brushwood. After two weeks we said good-bye to the lonely caretaker and were swept out through the narrow pass into the wide Pacific again, glad to know that Robert Wan’s entrepreneurial disaster inadvertently resulted in a sanctuary for wildlife, but worried about its future. The atoll is currently for sale — anybody who has 55 million dollars in their money sock can purchase it. We hope that possible investors are discouraged by the hordes of nonos (tiny, biting sandflies) that attack visitors, so the tropic birds can keep their pristine motus and keep on nesting undisturbed. Birgit Hackl and Christian Feldbauer have been cruising for 10 years. To check out more of their adventures, go to www.pitufa.at!
YO UR DIG ITAL B OAT IN G C OMMU N I T Y
Scan qr code to download The man-made entrance
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
/pg 136-143 Nengonengo - MKC.indd 9
SCUTTLEBUTT.COM Latitudes & Attitudes 143 10/26/21 3:03 PM
pg 144-145 Bue Water Sailing.indd 2
10/27/21 12:22 PM
pg 144-145 Bue Water Sailing.indd 3
10/27/21 12:22 PM
Virtual Cruising 146 Latitudes & Attitudes _pg 146-151 Virtual Cruising- Sailing Doodles - MKC.indd 2
Sailing Doodles It goes without saying that cruising means different things to different people. However, the concept of “freedom” is likely one of the primary reasons those of us who choose this incomparable lifestyle have in common. Even when the vessel of choice and cruising grounds vary dramatically from boater to boater, region to region. Not everyone knows what they want to do in life when they’re a teenager, but Bobby did. Accordingly, he went to college to follow his dream and became a corporate aviation pilot. At 20 years of age he landed his first job. After stints that included flying in Africa, he became the Chief Pilot for a wealthy family and their planes and businesses in Dallas, Texas. Things were going really well and essentially to plan.
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 6:06 PM
BoatersTube video channel profiles are dedicated to the memory of longtime Latitudes & Attitudes contributor Paul Kortenkamp, author of the first four Virtual Cruising articles. The continuing series is now written by Darren O’Brien, former creator of Latitudes & Attitudes TV. An experienced writer/director/producer in film and video, Darren shares his insight into popular boating channels available on YouTube and other video sharing platforms. w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
_pg 146-151 Virtual Cruising- Sailing Doodles - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 147 10/27/21 6:06 PM
Virtual Cruising
“I woke up with a really bad headache,” recounts Bobby. “Changed my life forever at that point.” In 2016, at 38 years of age and dealing with the worst pain he’d ever experienced in his life, he did what most people would automatically do and took some ibuprofen (“Probably the worst thing I could have done in retrospect,” he said later). After 90 minutes of intense agony, he called Megan, his girlfriend at the time. During that call he realized he couldn’t read. “My brain couldn’t compute the words, and my eyesight got blurry.” Megan immediately took him to the emergency room. Sometime during the night or early morning hours he had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke. At that diagnosis, the doctors had him airlifted to another hospital. It was there that Bobby spent 11 days in NICU: neural intensive care. Talking about that life-threatening episode now, he says “I’m really lucky I was able to recover 100%.” He also acknowledges he was really, really lucky the hemorrhage was on “the vein side of things.” Had it been an artery in the brain, he would have suffered an aneurysm and very likely could have died. Nonetheless, it became quickly
148 Latitudes & Attitudes _pg 146-151 Virtual Cruising- Sailing Doodles - MKC.indd 4
apparent that his life had now been involuntarily and irrevocably altered. Once Bobby returned home, he spent a month and a half re-learning how to read during his recovery. But the most sobering aspect of the post-stroke period was the realization that his life — his 18-year career as a commercial pilot — was essentially over. He could no longer fly. He had to surrender his medical pilot’s license to the FAA. Technically, there was still a possibility he could fly again. “You can get your pilot’s license back after two years of being symptom-free,” he explained. But he needed to do something in the meantime. “I was thinking I could do something temporary.” Bobby’s parents were in real estate, so he gave that a try, saying, “Sold real estate for six months. Hated it. Most stressful job I ever had.” For an escape and to alleviate the frustration of what was happening to his life, he started watching the YouTube channel Sailing La Vagabonde. “I watched all their stuff. I thought, How cool is that?” As a kid, Bobby grew up sailing Sunfish and Lasers. From those early days on the water, he had developed a desire to someday go sailing. “I w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 6:06 PM
Sailing Doodles
thought, “Why not? I always dreamed about doing that. You know, retire early, buy a nice boat and go cruise.” But Bobby also knew that for many folks, that dream often just stays a dream. “So many people plan on doing that, and so many people actually never do it.” Inspired by Sailing La Vagabonde and SV Delos (Virtual Cruising, Summer 2020, issue #31), in one fell swoop Bobby decided to liquidate everything, buy a boat, and start a YouTube channel. He named it Sailing Doodles after his two beloved Labradoodle dogs, Maverick and Goose (a piloting reference fans of the movie Top Gun will recognize these names). He bought a hurricane-damaged 1984 C&C 37 in Kemah, Texas, and renamed it s/v Ruff Seas. Now he had what he needed to sail and create videos. In the beginning, though, he didn’t intend on monetizing his channel. The initial plan was to cruise for a year and live off his savings. However, owning a 30-plus year-old boat in the humid southeast that needed lots of repairs, and it quickly became apparent his savings w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
_pg 146-151 Virtual Cruising- Sailing Doodles - MKC.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 149 10/27/21 6:06 PM
Virtual Cruising
weren’t going to be enough. So, he decided to try and make money off his videos. “My whole goal was to go cruising until I ran out of money. YouTube was originally a way to offset costs.” He explained that once his subscribers increased and he started to accrue patrons, making his videos became “a way to afford cruising.” Now if you watch any of Bobby’s first videos, you will see minimalist production values and relatively rough edges. Which is to be expected of someone who has never created episodic entertainment before! However, even from the very beginning he’s had an inherent ease being in front of the camera. You can tell it’s natural and not forced. You will also notice an evolution in filmmaking skills over the first couple seasons. As a video creator, Bobby is prolific if nothing else. But he’s a lot more than that. As of this writing, from that very first season in 2016 through the current seventh season, Bobby has uploaded more than 500 Sailing Doodles videos. He has garnered more than 425,000 subscribers on YouTube alone. More impressively, he is rapidly closing in on 200,000,000 views! Yes, that’s 200 million. These days Bobby gets recognized a lot, especially when he’s in a popular sailing area. And he always takes the time to chat with fans who want to talk. But it hasn’t gone to his head. He jokingly refers to himself as an “F-list celebrity.” From a filmmaking perspective, while Bobby’s overall tenor and enthusiasm has remained largely
150 Latitudes & Attitudes _pg 146-151 Virtual Cruising- Sailing Doodles - MKC.indd 6
unchanged, his shooting and story-telling skills have improved over the years. What I find interesting is a large overall portion of his content is shot “selfiestyle,” in terms of physically holding the camera at arm’s length. It’s not necessarily an easy thing to do, especially as some of his cameras weigh upwards of 5 pounds with microphones attached. The other thing that is challenging with that technique is keeping himself or others in the frame and in focus, but he pulls it off nicely. He does employ other cameras, tripods, and the requisite drone as well. Everything in his videos is also unscripted. Sure, they may talk about what they are going to shoot, but he never tells anyone what to say. And he only does one take. As a result, you get a true sense of the action and emotions of the moment, a feeling of really being there. It’s reality TV that is actually, well, real. Editing and audio have also come a long way from those first episodes. Although there are a lot of “jump cuts,” they aren’t too jarring, and they keep the videos moving at a good, entertaining pace. Adding to his content creation arsenal, Bobby discovered the joy of identifying the perfect song to augment his stories. Especially when a certain level of poignancy tugs at the heartstrings. Saying emotional goodbyes to beloved crew, for instance. And that’s where the true value of Bobby’s body of work comes in. There has been a rotating cast of characters come and go on his various boats over the years. And while it seems the majority of w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 6:06 PM
Sailing Doodles
those part-time crew members have been beautiful women, even if they’re with him for only a week, they become an integral part of the story. And through their interactions with Bobby, we can see that they really enjoy being with him. In just over five years, Bobby has owned three boats and delivered or chartered another halfdozen or more. He has cruised the Caribbean, Mexico and Belize, crossed the Pacific from Canada to Thailand, and sailed the Mediterranean. “I was really surprised how affordable cruising the Mediterranean was,” he shares. But he’d love to once again cross the Pacific Ocean and spend more time cruising the islands of the South Pacific. His current boat is a 1997 Hatteras 52 that was custom extended to 60-feet. When he initially went to the dark side, he thought he’d lose subscribers that were only interested in sailing. But as it turns out, there aren’t a lot of YouTubers cruising the Caribbean on trawlers, so he’s filling a niche. As a viewer, I think the reason he’s retained and grown his subscriber base is not due to the kind of boat he’s on, but because Sailing Doodles is simply a lot of fun to watch. w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
_pg 146-151 Virtual Cruising- Sailing Doodles - MKC.indd 7
Bobby plans on continuing to make videos for the foreseeable future. After all, his legion of fans looks forward to a new episode every week. But as he has now been entertaining viewers by cruising around the world for more than five years, what he’s really doing more than anything else is inspiring others to live their dreams and set sail. “Set a date and make it happen,” he advises. “Do your math and say, I could be ready in two years. Save up money, but on that date in two years, even if you’re not ready, just go. Because you’ll never be ready. There will always be some excuse holding you back. You’ll always be like, I need a little more money, or need to do more work on the boat, or I’m not experienced enough yet. If you keep coming up with excuses, you’ll never be ready. There will always be another excuse. So, I’m like, let’s just do it. I’ll never be ready, might as well do it while I can.” Sounds very much like a famous Bob Bitchin saying: Don’t dream your life, live your dream. In his previous life, Bobby White used to think he was living the dream. More than 20,000 cruising miles and 500-plus videos later, Bobby now knows he’s living the dream.
Latitudes & Attitudes 151 10/27/21 6:06 PM
I Found It At
The Boat Show Strikehold
Stops Corrosion From Saltwater And Acts As A Dry Lubricant
StrikeHold is a fast-acting, penetrating compound that cuts through dirt, rust and corrosion, quickly getting into metal parts that have become frozen or encrusted. It is used by The Coast Guard and the Narine Corps for fighting corrosion. StrikeHold provides a long-lasting dry lubricant, which reduces friction. It helps dry out wet electrical gears and other water-sensitive parts, and will actually improve electrical performance by cleaning and protecting contacts and internal parts including circuitry and connections. It protects by providing a shield-like film against the effects of moisture and corrosion, even against saltwater, while repelling sand, dirt and dust.
Latitudes & Attitudes Event & Boat Show Section 152 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 152 ATBS Strikehol.indd 1
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:51 PM
I Found It At
The Boat Show The ULTRA Flip Swivel The most advanced anchor swivel for cruisers who anchor! One of the biggest hassles when you are cruising is keeping your anchor in the right position as it hits the anchor chocks. The ULTRA Flip Swivel is a uniquely fabricated anchor swivel, connecting the chain and the anchor without the need of additional shackles. Fabricated from 316 stainless steel and hand polished for stunning presentation on the bow, the ULTRA Flip Swivel is uniquely strong, streamlined, and does not require any locking pins or safety wires. The breaking strength of the swivel is typically higher than the chain it is connected to and allows 30 degree rotation with complete 360 degree swivel. The ULTRA Flip Swivel is fabricated with a unique flipping nub and rear bridge; assisting to recover the anchor right-side up into the bow roller. This flipping nub, combined with the ULTRA Flip Swivels rotation and complete 360 degree swivel ability, ensures setting and recovering your anchor is an easier and safer task. You can find a lot more on their website at www.UltraMarineWest.com. Tell ‘em Bob sent ya!
Latitudes & Attitudes Event & Boat Show Section w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 153 ULTRA Marine Anchor Swivel - MKC.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 153 10/26/21 2:53 PM
I Found It At
The Boat Show The Mack Pack
Make sailing a lot easier & tame your sails with the Mack Sails Mack Pack! A lot of people discover the beauty of the Mack Pack when chartering. Charter companies need to make sail handling as simple as possible, as they don’t know the skill of every customer. The Mack Pack makes sail-handling easier. It’s that simple. The Mack Pack has a zipper closure running along the top length of it, connected to a continuous line running to the mast. To set the sail pull on the line to open the cover. Then all you need do is attach the halyard to the headboard and raise the sail, right out of the Mack Pack. When sailing is done, just reverse the procedure. You should be head-to-wind when dropping the sail or, lazy jacks or not, the sail will be all over the place. But that’s it. Fast and simple. You can get more info at www.MackSails.com. Tell ‘em that Bob sent ya!
Latitudes & Attitudes Event & Boat Show Section 154 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 154 The Mack Pack - MKC.indd 1
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:54 PM
I Found It At
The Boat Show
Easy Eddy Standup Paddleboard Packs away in 3 easy peices - Easy to assemble!
One of the things you will find on most cruising sailboats (and power cruisers!) is a stand-up paddle board. Problem is, they are usually hard to store. But not any more! While at the Newport International Boat show, we saw this kewl unit. It was created by a team of sailing and paddle boarding enthusiasts who were frustrated with the hassles of storage, transportation, inflation/ deflation, fiberglass repair, and punctures. The Easy Eddy Paddle Board eliminates all of those problems! They created Easy Eddy from recyclable materials. And it’s easy to store and assemble. Assembled Dimensions: 10 ft 2in x 32.5in x 5.5in
Unassembled Dimensions: 49 in x 32.5in x 15.5in Easy to carry: Just 37 lbs For user weights up to 225lbs. Performs like a hardboard. No bending joints on waves. Extremely Portable: Can check in as luggage and stows on boats. Made from proprietary HDPE Blend (100% Recyclable)
Check them out at www.EasyEddyPaddleBoards.com, and tell ‘em Bob sent ya!
Latitudes & Attitudes Event & Boat Show Section w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 155 Easy Eddy SUP - MKC.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 155 10/26/21 2:54 PM
I Found It At
The Boat Show Floatz Bags
Keep your stuff dry when you swim ashore, or in your reefer/freezer. We found these right across the aisle from us at the Newport Show. Floatz bags are made from recycled materials and are engineered to be reused over and over. Just rinse and dry. The bags are free from toxins, so you’re not getting any unwanted side dishes when you wrap your food in Floatz. Floatz are a patented technology that lets you load, wrap, and lock to keep food fresh and water-free. A single Floatz bag will last an entire season, so it’s great for the environment Floatz bags can be rewashed and reused multiple times, and will stand up to the hard life at sea. The variety of color makes it easy for family and crew to quickly spot which bag is theirs, warding off hanger in a hunger emergency So these can make your life a lot easier. If you’d like to get more information on these handy reusable storage bags, go to www.FloatzBags.com. Tell ‘em that Bob sent ya!
Latitudes & Attitudes Event & Boat Show Section 156 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 154 Floatz Bags - MKC.indd 1
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:55 PM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 157 South Coast Yachts.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 157 10/26/21 12:57 PM
158 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 158-159 Curtis Stokes.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:40 PM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 158-159 Curtis Stokes.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 159 10/26/21 2:40 PM
Sail & Power
SPECIALISTS CRUISING YACHTS ISLAND PACKET
NORTH AMERICAN AGENTS FOR DISCOVERY SHIPYARD
DISCOVERY 42-68
SOUTHERLY 42-57
BLUEWATER 50
WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE REACH TO FIND THE RIGHT BOAT FOR YOU CONTACT S&J YACHTS TO TALK WITH ONE OF OUR EXPERIENCED BROKERS! 5 Offices, 10 Locations Strategically located from Maine to Florida
FEATURED BROKERAGE BOATS
SCHOONER BARQUE 167’ 2007
FAIRLINE SQUADRON 68 2020
BAVARIA C57 2018
SOUTHERLY 57RS 2012
SOUTHERLY 480 2019
ISLAND PACKET 465 ‘08 ‘10
JEANNEAU SUN ODYSSEY 45DS ‘10
GOZZARD 44 1996
ISLAND PACKET 420 ‘02
BAVARIA R40 2018
ISLAND PACKET 350 1997
MARINER ORIENT 34 2002
$2,400,000
$2,995,000
$1,130,000
2 from $430,000
$220,000
$495,000
Visit our Website
WWW.
$785,000
$1,095,000
$289,000
$119,500
SJYACHTS.COM
$174,900
$99,900
For Many More Listings
888-743-4620 info@sjyachts.com Castine, ME
Untitled-1 2
•
Annapolis, MD
•
Rock Hall, MD
•
Deltaville, VA
•
New Bern, NC
10/28/21 8:01 PM
New & Brokerage
LIST YOUR BOAT
SJYACHTS.com
BAVARIA POWER 29-55
BAVARIA SAIL 34-57
MAKAI 37-45
OUR EXTENSIVE REACH & MARKETING HELPS FIND TOP BUYERS WE SELL MANY BOATS - CONTACT S&J YACHTS TO SELL YOURS! 5 Offices, 10 Locations Strategically located from Maine to Florida
FEATURED BROKERAGE BOATS
HYLAS 54 RS 2003
CHEOY LEE 53 MS 1986
ISLAND PACKET 485 ‘03, ‘05
CHERUBINI 50 2003
BRISTOL 43.3CC 1987
IP SP CRUISER MK2 2015
MOODY 42CC 2000
SOUTHERLY 42 RST 2007
MENORQUIN 100 (34’) 2002
34 PDQ POWER CAT 2005
HUNTER 33 2014
ISLAND PACKET 320 2001
$495,000
$270,000
$170,000
$435,000
$139,000
$249,000
Visit our Website
WWW.
2 from $399,500
$699,000
$169,000
$124,500
SJYACHTS.COM
$345,000
$115,000
For Many More Listings
888-743-4620 info@sjyachts.com Charleston, SC
Untitled-1 3
•
Stuart, FL
•
Palmetto, FL
•
Port Richey, FL
•
Cape Coral, FL
10/28/21 8:01 PM
162 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 162-163 BVI Yacht Sales.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 1:09 PM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 162-163 BVI Yacht Sales.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 163 10/26/21 1:09 PM
164 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 164 Eastern Yachts.indd 1
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:44 PM
YOUR VIRTUAL BROKER
53’ Amel Super Maramu 2004 $339,900
50’ Beneteau 50 2011 $279,000
44’ Jeanneau 440 2018 $425,000
38’ Fountain Pajot 38 1995 $139,900
40’ J/124 2006 $185,000
41’ Beneteau 41 2016 $237,500
www.atomictunayachts.com Alameda 2099 Grand St. Alameda, CA 94501 w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 165 Atomic Tuna.indd 1
888-833-8862 Alameda 1070 Marina Village Pkwy. Alameda, CA 94501
Latitudes & Attitudes 165 10/26/21 1:05 PM
CELEBRATING OUR 43RD SEASON ON THE ANNAPOLIS HARBOR! 326 First St #405, Annapolis, MD 21403 Phone 410-268-4100, Fax 410-630-7621 cary@sailyard.com www.sailyard.com
FEATURED POWER
FEATURED SAIL
Tartan 4100: Built in Fairport Ohio, this Tim Jackett design is a venerable cruiser. With a solid fiberglass hull and stick-built interior, she was given superior construction to most boats these days. Roomy and well designed cruising interior with private aft stateroom, in a hull designed to sail well at all points. Here is your opportunity to own a fine example of this cruiser, well equipped, and at a fair price. Offered at $175,000, Annapolis, MD
Highly desired and well-maintained Sea Ray 450 Express Bridge, built in 2003, with low hours on reliable Cummins Diesel engines. This clean and recently surveyed cruiser comes with full electronics and comfort equipment. With two staterooms and two heads, a roomy and open interior, and ample room on the foredeck, flybridge, and cockpit, this model cruises along in comfort for you and your guests. Don’t miss out! Offered at $224,500, Washington DC
ALWAYS LOOKING FOR NEW LISTINGS! CPYB endorsed Annapolis Sailyard is celebrating 43 years in Annapolis as brokers of fine sail and cruising power yachts. Contact us today!
Arn Reistad Jr 410-299-5710 arn@sailyard.com
Arne Reistad III 717-250-2915 arne@sailyard.com
Select Brokerage Sail Listings
Jim Healy Technical Consultant gilwellbear.wordpress.com
54’ Hylas 54... 2005... $675,000 arne@sailyard.com 53’ Trumpy 53... 1959... $149,000 arne@sailyard.com 51’ Morgan 51... 1976... $100,000 arne@sailyard.com 50’ Beneteau 50... 1997... $144,900 arne@sailyard.com 50’ Lagoon 500... 2012... $468,000 arne@sailyard.com 49 49’ Taswell Center Cockpit... 1992... $325,000 rich@sailyard.com 46’ CAL 46... 1977... $69,900 cary@sailyard.com 45’ Island Trader 45... 1978... $74,900 arne@sailyard.com 44’ Beneteau 44.7... 2005... $135,000 arne@sailyard.com 43’ C&C 43 1972... $49,900... arne@sailyard.com 43’ Taswell 43 Center Cockpit... 1988... $179,500 rich@sailyard.com 43’ Formosa 43 Sloop... 1985... $69,500 rich@sailyard.com 43 43’ C&C 43... 1982... $44,900 arne@sailyard.com 41’ Tartan 4100... 1996... $175,000 arne@sailyard.com 38’ Pearson 38... 1990... $75,000 rich@sailyard.com 38’ Ericson 38... 1986... $46,500 arne@sailyard.com 37’ Tartan 37... 1979... $34,000 arne@sailyard.com
Rich Kahn, CPYB 410-980-5096 rich@sailyard.com
W Cary Lukens, CPYB 443-995-5553 cary@sailyard.com
37’ Rafiki 37... 1977... $44,900 arne@sailyard.com 37’ Hunter 37... 1988... $30,000 arne@sailyard.com 36’ Tashiba 36... 1986... $149,900 rich@sailyard.com 35’ J-Boats 105... 1997... $64,000 arne@sailyard.com 34‘ Hunter 34... 1986... $28,500 arne@sailyard.com 33’ Cobra 33... 2019... $123,000 arne@sailyard.com 33 33’ Flying Tiger 10M... 2007... $41,900 cary@sailyard.com 32’ Seaward 32RK... 2009... $112,000 arn@sailyard.com 28’ Hunter 280... 1997... $27,500 arne@sailyard.com
Select Brokerage Power Listings
47’ Chris Craft Commander... 1969... $39,900 arne@sailyard.com 45‘ Sea Ray 450 EB... 2003... $224,500 arne@sailyard.com 36’ Carver 360 Mariner... 2004... $99,900 arne@sailyard.com 36‘ Monk 36... 1985... $87,900 arn@sailyard.com 32’ Marinette 32... 1988... $35,000 arne@sailyard.com 29‘ Blackfin Sportfish... 1988... $17,500 cary@sailyard.com 26’ Nordic Tugs 26... 1996... $99,500 arne@sailyard.com
“READ OUR REVIEWS ONLINE AND JOIN OUR HAPPY FAMILY OF CRUISING CUSTOMERS!” 166 Latitudes & Attitudes w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m pg 166 Annapolis Sailyard.indd 1
10/26/21 1:02 PM
34TH
USA CAN
(284) 494-4868 (800) 521-8939 (800) 463-6625
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 167 Conch Charters.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 167 10/26/21 12:58 PM
pg 168 Little Yachts.indd 1
10/26/21 4:18 PM
L&A Vintage Jackette
The Yacht Broker that Outworks the Competition!
$35.
Proven track record of selling boats from $75,000 to more than $1,000,000
Add $2 for XXL
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 169 Little/Yacht broker.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 169 10/26/21 4:29 PM
Second-Hand Smoke By Capt. Art Baitz III
Art by Richard “Magic” Marker She walked into the marine supply store like she was walking onto a yacht. Her hair was strategically dipped below one eye; her t-shirt was apricot. This is the city: Stuart, Florida. I wear a name-tag “Capt Coconut” and work in a boating parts store. This attractive lady strutted up to me with swaying hips… our eyes locked. Her opening line was, “My husband sent me here to get something for his boat.” I waited for more information, but nothing came forward. “Just the facts, ma’am. What exactly did he send you in for?” was my reply, in classic Dragnet TV deadpan tone. She undressed me with her eyes, licked her lips, and then pulled out her cell phone. I checked my watch, 20 minutes until my break… I didn’t think I was going to make it. Backing up slowly, I tried to slide away, but she followed me down the bottom-paint aisle. I bumped into a boat fender display and almost knocked the whole thing over. She kept coming towards me. Faintly on the other end of her cell phone I could barely make out a male voice rasping “fuel filter.” I was cornered. She said in a sexy voice, “I need a fuel filter, baby.” My lungs were gasping for oxygen… “Ah what kind of engine are we shopping for?” was my desperate reply. If looks could kill, I’d be stone
170 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 170 Second Hand Smoke - MKC.indd 1
dead. “Aren’t they all the same,” she breathed, raising her eyes like I was a spaceman that just arrived from another planet. I searched for the exit signs and tried to plan my escape, but she kept coming forward. “Ah, follow me,” I said as I bolted for the engine parts aisle. I grabbed the biggest fuel filter off the shelf, a Detroit Diesel spin-on and handed it to her… “Do you think this will fit?” Her eyes narrowed to slits as she sized me up like a piece of meat hanging in a cold storage locker. With one hand on her hip, she pulled out her cell phone and took a picture of the filter, fingers thrashing wildly at the keypad as she forwarded the image to the dude on the other end of the conversation. A loud, garbled voice barked on the other end of the phone. She turned and shook her rear-end at me, then stormed out of the store. Moral of the story: Don’t send your cruising partner, wife, or girlfriend out to get essential marine supplies and equipment with “second-hand” information. Give them the details in order to make the correct purchase or better yet, go with ‘em!! w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 4:54 PM
The Bosun’s Bag Hard-to-Find “Stuff” for the Cruiser
Hylas 54 2003 Elegant lines and generous modern underbody make for quick passages and easy cruising. Wings is a special yacht and has been lucky to be part of one family since her launch. She has enjoyed the benefits of their knowledgeable ownership & their passion for sailing combined with their capability and willingness to properly keep a yacht of this stature. She has a long list of creature comforts and upgrades; Seldon electric in-mast furling, power winches, bow thruster, solar panels, generator, new B&G electronics, new exterior canvas and cockpit cushions, 3 zone reverse cycle A/C, spacious bright interior with 7’ headroom & large ports in salon, 3 staterooms, cabin sole just refinished and much more. Let Wings take you away! Asking $495,000 www . SJYACHTS .com
chris@sjyachts.com | 410-571-3605
1977 Cal 46 with hard top and cockpit enclosure.
She is in need of some TLC on the interior, but has recently upgraded/added cruising equipment including: new solar panels and upgraded battery bank, rigging and engine updates, new electronics, recent barrier coat and new bottom paint, upgraded davits and new RIB and outboard. A tremendous cruising opportunity at $69,000, located in Pasadena, Md. Cary Lukens Annapolis Sailyard, Owner
(410) 268-4100
www.sailyard.com
Confusious says, “Never insult the man who makes your food!”
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 171-176 Bosun's Bag 37.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 171 10/27/21 1:40 PM
172 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 171-176 Bosun's Bag 37.indd 2
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 1:40 PM
Start Your Financial Plan Now and Cruise More! Sylvia Williams
Sailor AND Financial Planner
407-405-7579 www.startfinacialplan.com Teach Sailing with If you are a great sailor and enjoy teaching, meeting new people, and making money on your own schedule - become a sailing instructor directly in partnership with NauticEd. #1 student choice for sailing training & certification in North America. Learn more:
nauticed.org/teach-sailing
KISS-SSB
The Simple, Proven Marine SSB Ground Plane
NEW! 2.0 ver
Easy to install Superior Performance Fiberglass/wood boats Sail or power
(360) 510-7885
www.kiss-ssb.com
You Reading This?
If so, then you can see how this ad would bring people to your business! This is a 2 column by 1 inch ad. It costs just $140 Email Lisa OʻBrien at: Lisa@latsatts.com for more info! w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 171-176 Bosun's Bag 37.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 173 10/27/21 1:40 PM
SternPerch Seats
www.hydrovane.com/true-stories
After market seats, pads, and rail cushions
HYDROVANE
FEEL THE FREEDOM
Independent Self Steering Windvane AND Emergency Rudder
Your best crew member steers tirelessly 24/7 Have confidence in case of main steering/rudder failure
Hydrogenerator
STEERING THE DREAM
Fuel Cell Battery Charger
Sail for Free!
Learn by doing. Get sea miles towards a license. All while helping boat owners and delivery skippers move boats since 1993. Keep the dream alive for the price of a winch handle. Visit our website for previous passage opportunities.
1-800-4-PASSAGe (800-472-7724) www.sailopo.com
Advertise in
The Bosun’s Bag Format Advertising Section
1 column X 1 inch 2 column X 1 inch 1/8 page ad 1/4 page ad Ads run for 3 full months for one low price!
$70 $140 $250 $500
510-900-3616 ext. 104 Fax: 510-900-3617 174 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 171-176 Bosun's Bag 37.indd 4
w w w . L at s a t t s . c o m
10/27/21 1:40 PM
Now Sailing Francisco Bay with educational programs for young and old.
Call of the Sea’s mission is to inspire young people to unleash their potential through experiential, environmental education under sail. To Donate, Participate, or Volunteer, go to:
CallOfTheSea.Org
Wanna Cheat? Here are the answers to this issue’s Extra Large Maritime Crossword Puzzle. Go ahead, no one will know... except you! On Page 176
w w w .L at s a t t s . c o m
pg 171-176 Bosun's Bag 37.indd 5
Latitudes & Attitudes 175 10/27/21 1:40 PM
Giant Latitudes & Attitudes Nautical Crossword Puzzle Created by Myles Mellor
Across
Down
1 Helmsman’s job 2 Rash 3 Fall asleep for a bit 4 Gear 5 “Girl from Ipanema” town 6 Raise 7 Moistureless 8 Lynn Anderson song, “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a ___ ___” 2 words 9 Held motionless 10 Measuring the depth of a vessel, 2 words 11 Goes down, as the sun 13 Third in a family 14 “On the rocks” cube 17 Spanish island group 19 Wooden peg or dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together
176 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 171-176 Bosun's Bag 37.indd 6
20 It’s a trip! 21 Weather gauge 22 Becalmed 25 Aft 28 Leonardo’s middle name 30 Strand of rope 36 Expression of dismay Covered with clouds 39 41 Early 20th-century art movement 42 Ocean motion that opposes the main direction of flow 46 Windless 48 Leaves the ship Sink or swim, e.g. 49 50 Limy vodka cocktails 51 Islands garlands 53 And others, abbr. 54 Island nation in the Indian ocean 55 Bestow a knighthood 60 Word on a mall map 62 Airline, abbr. 64 Very attentive, 2 words Gator or lemon? 66 68 Buccaneer 69 Deep-sea catch 73 Lincoln or Ford? 74 Takes to the water! 76 Small anchor used to reposition a ship 78 Pavarotti possessive 79 Sistine Chapel figure 81 It has many keys, abbr. 83 For example, briefly
Wanna Cheat? The answer to this are on page 175
1 Three-cornered sail 6 Submerged 12 Voyage with a purpose 15 Pirate agreements 16 Small salmon 18 Angle between the craft’s forward direction and the location of another object, 2 words 23 Haven 24 Airport info, abbr. 26 Far from sophisticated 27 The very end of a horizontal spar 29 Supply with new gear 31 Historical period Lifeboat equipment 32 33 Pops 34 Gull cousin 35 School of whales 37 Talk on and on, Down Under 38 Whirlpool 40 Sized up 43 Leaf-peeping state, abbr. 44 Kind of sail Angler’s gear 45 47 Ocean, poetically 49 Ancient Indian writings containing many basic truths about life 52 Shower 53 Green color of some ocean waters 56 Unprecedented 57 Exist 58 Grizzled sailor 59 Strong joe Cruising, perhaps 61 63 Like some sought-after cigars Eases off a line 65 67 Plot out 70 School’s URL ender 71 Bar bill 72 Frozen spikes 75 Area to the rear of a ship 77 Unwanted rodent 78 Jimmy Buffet song symbolizing island living Reduced the area of a sail 80 82 Secret ending? Dish sometimes served “on the half-shell” 84 85 Call for rescue letters 86 Find your way through a difficult sea passage
w w w . L at s A t t s . c o m
10/27/21 1:40 PM
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 175 Mackie White - MKC.indd 1
Latitudes & Attitudes 177 10/26/21 2:49 PM
FFE EATU RERDE D ATU LATITUDES & ATTITUDES - Advertiser Spotlight
YEARS IN LATS & ATTS: 17 BUSINESS: Anti-Fouling Bottom Paint LOCATION: Florida “Coppercoat USA was started in 2009 as the sole distributor of British-made Coppercoat in the US and Caribbean. Coppercoat is made in the UK and has sold around the world since 1991. Jim Edwards has been a longtime fan of Lats and Atts, through Cruising Outpost and back to Lats and Atts. Jim has advertised in Latitudes & Attitudes magazine, on LatsAtts.com, and sponsored parties at boat shows in Miami, Newport, and Oakland. Over the years, Coppercoat USA has made the coating application Jim Edwards easier, a compatible barrier coating was added, and most recently a non-toxic paint remover, providing everything a boat owner needs for their last bottom job ever! Through all these years, the Coppercoat and Lats and Atts teams have stayed close; Lats & Atts staff have Coppercoat on their boats!”
www.coppercoatusa.com 178 Latitudes & Attitudes
pg 178-179 Ad List Featured Coppercoat - MKC.indd 2
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/29/21 10:51 AM
ADVERTISER INDEX These are the smartest advertisers in the marine industry! Be sure to tell ‘em where you saw ‘em.
Marine Advertisers
AB Inflatables 181 Aeroyacht 32 Annapolis Hybrid Marine 115 Annapolis Sailyard 166 Artisans Custom Mattress 22 ASA-American Sailing Assoc. 36 Atlantic Towers 127 ATN 111 Atomic Tuna Yachts 165 Aumaris Jewelry 23 Bacon Sails 127 Bavaria Sail & Power 12-13 26 Beta Marine Blue Water Sailing School 144-145 Bob Bitchin Books 103 Bocas Marina 110 BVI Yacht Sales 162-163 The Canvas Store 30 Com-Pac Yachts 73 Conch Charters 167 Coppercoat 110 Curtis Stokes & Assoc. 158-159 Defender Marine 25 Doyle Sails Int’l 10-11 Eastern Yacht Sales 164 El Cid Marina 33 eMarine Systems 24 eMarine Systems 119 Engel Coolers 77 Forespar 111 Froli Sleep Systems 127 Great Lakes Scuttlebutt 143 Hamilton Ferris 49 HMC/Handcraft Mattress 123 How Not To Sail 129 Hylas Yachts 2-3 IMIS/Gowrie 113 Indiantown Marina 115
Kanberra Gel 27 Keenan Filters 7 Kelly Bickford 169 Kiwi Grip PYI 123 L&A Jackette 169 L&A Ship’s Store 106 Lanex USA 117 Lee Sails 39 Little Yacht Sales 168 Little Yacht Sales 169 Mack Sails 29 Mack Yacht Services 31 129 Mainsheet Partners MarTek Davits 127 Miami Boat Show 56 NauticEd 41 Next Gen 129 Nova Luxe Yachts 28 OCENS 109 Offshore Sailing School 15 Phiber Systems 9 PNW Boater Tested 135 Port Ludlow Marina 121 PYI Inc. 113 Pyrate Radio 105 Rainman Portable Watermakers 19 Royal Cape Catamarans 21 S&J Yachts 160-161 S&J Yachts - Makai 20 Sailrite 182 SailTime 42-43 117 San Juan Sailing Sea Frost 48 Seawater Pro 3-5 Shadetree Fabric Shelters 119 Smiths X-treme Cleaners 129 South Coast Yachts 157 Strong Fire Arms Co. 109
Subscription Ad 50-51 Ultra Marine West 16-17 WakeSpeed 121 Wichard 8
Boats, Brokers, Charters
Aeroyacht 32 Annapolis Sailyard 166 165 Atomic Tuna Yachts Bavaria Sail & Power 12-13 BVI Yacht Sales 162-163 Com-Pac Yachts Conch Charters
73 167
Curtis Stokes & Assoc. 158-159 Eastren Yacht Sales 164 2-3 Hylas Yachts Kelly Bickford 169 Little Yacht Sales 168 Little Yacht Sales 169 28 Nova Luxe Yachts Royal Cape Catamarans 21 S&J Yachts 160-161 S&J Yachts - Makai 20 157 South Coast Yachts
Bosun’s Bag
Annapolis Sailyard Banner Bay Marine BVI Yacht Sales Call of the Sea CruisingConcepts.com Cruise RO Watermakers Forget About It Foss Foam & Rudders Gig Harbor Boat Works Hart Sytems How Not to Sail Hydrovane International Marine Inc. Keylime Sailing Club Kiss-Radio Tek M&B Shipcanvas Matthew Turner Tallship Masthead Enterprises NauticEd No-Wear Guard OceanMedix Offshore Passage Opps. Pyrate Radio Sailmakers Supply Second Wind Sailing S&J Yacht Sales Start Financial Plan Technautics Visar Zarcor
Non-Marine Advertisers
None! Why would we want that? This is a boating magazine. Ya wanna see fancy watches, pick-up trucks, and high-priced cars, read the other mags!
Don’t Wait! Contact Ad Director Lisa O’Brien aboard Traveler in the San Juan Islands. 510-900-3616 Ext. 105 Lisa@LatsAtts.com
Latitudes & Attitudes : Winter - Spring - Summer & Fall Issues Next Issue: Spring 2022 Ad Insertions by 1/10/22 - Art Due 1/14/22 - On Sale 3/1/22 Contact Us Today: ads@LatsAtts.com 510-900-3616 ext.105 w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
pg 178-179 Ad List Featured Coppercoat - MKC.indd 3
Latitudes & Attitudes 179
10/29/21 10:51 AM
Boat People
Meet some folks who have managed to make a lifestyle out of most people’s dreams. Boat people can be found on oceans and seas, scattered around the globe. They can be spotted easily. They are the ones who have a glazed look in their eyes as they scan the horizons. Here are a few we’ve seen. Have you seen any lately? If so, email a photo and information to: submissions@LatsAtts.com
This is Brian and Colleen on Carolyn, their Jeanneau 44.They’re in Shaw Bay, off the eastern shore of Maryland, after a weeklong birthday cruise. Brian has sailed off and on throughout his life, and retired in 2020. Now he and Colleen are sailing the Chesapeake Bay, learning as much as they can in preparation for future adventures, and having a lot of fun doing so.
Chip, as you can see from this pic, is an avid sailor (has been since he was 3!). What you can’t see is that he’s the new owner of Edson Marine, America’s longest running marine manufacturer, started in 1859! He ran Vanguard Sailboats from a startup to an industry leader. He is a true sailor who loves racing and cruising!
Check out Kamil standing watch as he and his father, Adam, cruise near Ustka, on the Polish west coast. They sail out of the Kolobrzeg Marina and love the sailing lifestyle. Adam has been sending pics in for awhile now, but this one is going to be a big surprise for Kamil — he has no idea this will be in the mag!
Okay, who looks happier here, Digby the dog or Hayle at the wheel? The picture was taken by Steven Wilde while they were out enjoying a day on Lake Ontario. I can’t decide, can you? I know she’s happy at the wheel, but it looks like Digby has the best job — just kicking back and enjoying the day on the lake!
Meet Luke and Ariel Starbuck. They live aboard their boat, s/v Amigo, a Flicka 20 built by Pacific Seacraft. It’s a comfortable boat for its size, but you gotta wonder how it is living aboard. You see, they live in Sitka, Alaska. They seem to be enjoying it, but from the pic, we figure it must be summer.
Bob Gates came to the aid of Lats&Atts and is a member of the Founders’ Circle. He is finally getting ready to head out and “test the waters” and start his cruising lifestyle. Hey, Bob! Thanks for the help! We hope you have as much fun out there as we did while we were out!
180 Latitudes & Attitudes pg 178 Boat People - MKC.indd 1
w w w .L at s A t t s . c o m
10/26/21 2:48 PM
pg 181 AB Inflatables.indd 1
7/21/21 2:38 PM
REVOLUTIONIZING PORTABLE SEWING Our best-selling machine just got even better.
For the first time ever, experience true servo motor power and control in a portable machine. Introducing the SAILRITE® ULTRAFEED ® PREMIUM WITH WORKERB ® POWER PACK.
Power boosting control box maintains control and speed through thick assemblies.
Exclusive Posi-Pin® safety clutch and oversized balance wheel.
Easily adjust top speed.
1/4 hp motor delivers 2.5x the power of other portable machines.
LS-1 PREMIUM #311503
FABRIC
//
SEWING MACHINES
//
TOOLS
//
KITS
//
FOAM
//
©2021 Sailrite Enterprises, Inc. WorkerB Power Pack only available on Ultrafeed PREMIUM 110V packages.
pg 182 Sailrite.indd 1
NOTIONS
LSZ-1 PREMIUM #311603
//
HOW-TO VIDEOS
//
SAILRITE.COM #sailrite
10/26/21 2:46 PM
