February 8, 2010

It is so hard to believe it is early February.  This weather is amazing and I have spring fever in the worst way.  The boat show always seems to be the start of boating season and not sure whether it is the economy, weather or both but there is a definite buzz of activity around the marina these days.  Need to get all the spring maintenance started on Annie so that she is ready to go.

The winter Olympics start this Friday and it is a shame that this unseasonably warm weather is having such an impact on their snow.  It sure looked promising early December when we had all the frigid weather and earlly snow storms.  Having talked to many of our Canadian neighbors at the boat show it does seem like the Olympics have had more of a negative impact on daily Canadian life than was anticipated.  A good tip if you are planning on going to the Olympics is to drive to Surrey and catch the light rail into Vancouver from there.  The city and venues are supposed to be quite spectacular to visit - if I only had the time this week prior to the opening ceremonies....

January 29, 2010

Today is the start of the Seattle Boat Show and a good sign that summer is around the corner which is always a relief.  The show takes place on-the-water south Lake Union as well as the indoor show at Qwest Field Exhibition hall.  Your boat show ticket will get you in to both venues and you can catch a shuttle back and forth.  Aside from spending time on the Gozzard at the in-the-water show, or at SAS office at Shilsholle,  I will be helping man 48 Degrees booth at the indoor show - an opportunity to promote the Women's Boating Seminar.  If you are at either location please stop by to say hello.

Monday February 1st is "Women's Day" which means free admittance to the show.  The coupon is available at SeattleBoatShow.com and is limited to women or men in drag.  The program for all the show seminars is available on the website as well.

January 28, 2010

Sad note to pass on, Brendan Geary who was a long time live-aboard at Shilshole and also an outstanding boat outfitter died recently from an accidental drowning.  Brendan was a free spirit who loved long road trips on his motorcycle.  He sold his boat in Seattle and headed east with the intention of buying a small boat to live on and explore the east coast.  Brendan was living aboard in Maryland over the winter and somehow ended up in the water and it is presumed he was unable to get himself out and drowned.  Brendan was an extremely experienced sailor and it just goes to show that you never know if there will be a tomorrow.  A reminder to live for today as if it were your last.

January 22,2010

I was reading the October issue of Ocean Navigator which had somehow got buried in the holiday madness, and was really taken aback reading about Marie Blackburn's sad experience of losing her husband to a heart attack on board while cruising in Greece onboard their Hallberg Rassey.  This was a sad experience that none of us expect to happen and are often not prepared for.   Marie had attempted to hail for help on VHF channel 16 with no response.  She found out afterwards that the Greek coastguard monitored VHF 18 instead and was able to notify people of her situation only by going to the "Cruiser net" on her SSB which was her familiar communication platform. 

What really struck home was Marie's final paragraph "Women or folks in general, I implore you to take responsibility for your knowledge and seamanship.  Take action, attend a safe boating course, go to a sailing center and earn the basics.  At the very least know how to turn your radios on and hail a mayday.  You never know when things will go wrong and you are suddenly alone."

The Women's Boating Seminar was originally started as a means to empower and educate women boaters to improve their boating skills.  This years event has a special segment on all aspects of VHF radio being presented by Linda Lewis.  It covers and overview of correct protocol, various channels, frequencies, weather channels, regulations and role playing scenarios. Be sure to sign up, you won't be disappointed.

January 11, 2010

2010 2010 2010 2010 2010

The older I get the longer it seems to take to adjust to writing or typing the correct year as part of the date.

Thought things were going pretty good this year, double checking written dates and documents, taking ginkgo biloba on a regular basis and YES it does seem to help.  Imagine my surprise when I got the call "Is this Women's Boating Seminar brochure that I just picked up supposed to be for February 20, 2009 or 2010?"  It is for 2010 and thank you for pointing out the mistake.  Next dilemma is whether to sit and scratch out 09 on 2500 brochures or hope that people will either not notice the error - we didn't after proofing it several times.  Here is hoping that the majority of people gloss over the 09 error in their excitement to register and if the error is noticed confirm the date by calling or logging onto the website.

I don't think that I am going to make that mistake again this year!

January 7, 2010

What a treat to be greeted by a beautiful sunrise this morning.  The Olympic mountain range was truly spectacular and after a little Wii Yoga and my morning coffee I am feeling really GREAT! 

Next on the "to do" list was to drop off brochures for the Women's Boating Seminar and various locations around town.  What struck me was how many of the same people are still working at the same locations 13 years later.  The difference is that we are all looking much older which is of course better than the alternative. 

December 29, 2009

After a fun filled but very hectic Christmas celebration with all the family it was so wonderful to take advantage of a sunny warm Sunday and go sailing.  We hadn't had Annie out in a couple of months and despite there being no wind to speak of, set the sails and floated around basking in the sunshine. 

I dream of long sunny days, at least 2 weeks of Northwest summer cruising in 2010, health and happiness.

All the best for 2010!

December 18, 2009

Some Nautical Terms:

Ahoy - The first in a series of four letter words commonly exchanged by skippers as their boats approach one another.

Bulkhead - Discomfort suffered by sailors who drink too much.

Current - Tidal flow that carries a boat away from its desired destination or toward a hazard.

Gimbals - Movable mountings often found on shipboards amps, compasses etc which provide dieting passengers an opportunity to observe the true motions of the ship in relation to them.

Grounding - Embarrassing situation in which a sailor returns to shore without leaving his boat.

Propeller - Underwater winch designed to wind up at high speeds any lines left hanging over the stern.

December 16, 2009

Procrastination is never good especially with boat projects.  That small water leak you notice and can't find the source of ends up leading to pretty major repair if left over time.  Water leaking into deck balsa coring can be a really big problem especially on boats where the headliner is molded and not removable.  It involves having to cut the deck away or interior to remove all the wet or decayed wood which seems to grow in size as you start to remove it.  We had that issue on our Valiant 47 which fortunately had removable head liner and we were able to effectively replace the balsa from the interior without having to match the nonskid on the deck. 

Another source for dry rot is the bulkhead behind the chain locker or the bulkhead in your shower area.  I was recently on a boat that had a leak from a foot pump in the galley.  The water had been seeping behind the cabinet and eventually saturated and rotted the cabin sole which now needs replacing.  Problem is that a new section of sole on a 20+ year old boat is not going to match very well.

December 10, 2009

After a week of frigid temperatures it was shocking to see a skim of ice patches on the south side of the dock at Shilshole today.  We have a layer of fresh water at Shilshole as a result of the locks emptying out at the south end of the marina which is the reason for the freezing.

Paul and I both ended up with Swine flu last week and had to call on some good friends to go and turn up the heat on Annie for us.  I was really feeling bad and kept thinking about all the "cold weather" preparations I had not yet gotten to on the boat.

November 30, 2009

Now that November is behind us, December should fly by, days will start getting longer, January boat show will be around the corner followed by the annual Women's Boating Seminar,  and summer cruising plans will seem like a reality once again.  Fortunately my job does keep me focused on boats and sailing and even on crappy days it feels good to get out and face the elements.  The weather forecast looks like a week of sunshine for the first week of December.  I plan on going sailing.

The Women's Boating Seminar will be held on February 20th, 2010 - details to follow.

October 19, 2009

Can't believe it is time for Halloween already.  Sure enjoyed this summer and getting out on the boat as much as we did.  This past week of rain was a harsh reminder of gloomy months ahead but hopefully it won't be as bad as last winter.  One can never predict what nature will throw at us which makes it all the more interesting.

We have several friends that keep their boats in Mexico year round and for the most part store them on the hard at San Carlos during the summer.  It is supposed to be north of Hurricane alley although they got hammered this summer.  Fortunately everyone seems to have weathered the storm okay although I did hear a report that the rain was so intense that it managed to fill some boats with a couple of feet of standing water.  Marina officials were cutting padlocks to inspect for water intrusion from dorade vents, masts etc.  The yard where many of the boats were stored had 3-4' of standing water and some jack stands washed away so a miracle of sorts that there was not more damage.

Other good friends Richard Spore and Betsy Plotkin on their Valiant 32 had very a very interesting report regarding the tsunami in Samoa.  They had just left for Tonga when it hit.  Their blog site is qayaqsaiing.blogspot.com and worth checking out.

Puget Sound Cruising Club will be having the annual Pumpkin carving raft up and pot luck this coming Saturday October 24th at Pt. Madison.  Everyone is invited and it is always a lot of fun.

August 17, 2009

It has been fun hearing from Perry Design owners the past couple of weeks and I am really looking forward to catching up with everyone at the Rendezvous this coming weekend.  Looks like another perfect weather weekend lets just pray for wind so we can sail there and back.

News from afar is that Rob and Teresa Sicade aboard their Baba 40 Yohelah were T-boned while at anchor in the south Pacific.  Fortunately they were not hurt and the boat seems to have had minimal damage considering.  They do have a great website with pictures and all the details www.svyohelah.com.

Jeff and Debbie Hartjoy cruising on their Baba 40 "Sailors Run" are presently in Buenos Aires.  They have an article in Latitude 38 August issue about their latest adventures.  Debbie was the most energetic singer/dancer at the rendezvous the year they took of cruising.   I really look forward to the rendezvous each year and the opportunity to meet people who have similar dreams and goals.  It is a great opportunity to catch up with everyone, better than a family reunion and lots of fun.  People buy Perry boats to go cruising and often  do, so it is always really great having new owners/boats show up to join the group.

Hope to see you there!

August 10, 2009

Finally managed to stick to the vacation schedule and head out on the boat to Barkley Sound.  We left on July 24th and stopped to meet friends in Pt. Townsend for a night of Jazz Fest before continuing on.  Our friends have an annual time share at a resort at the bottom end of Discovery Bay, my first time sailing down there.  We were able to tie up at the resort dock for the night and get a good nights sleep before heading out again.  The trip there was a little exciting in dense fog.  Always a trip to be down below looking at the radar screen wondering if all the boats in the area are showing up and watching big ships barreling along blasting their fog horn.

Our next stop was Neah Bay where we planned on topping off with diesel before heading across to Barkley.  We got some good sailing in before getting there and had a school of porpoises chase around the boat as we flew along.  The fog started filling in again and we were ready to call it a day by the time we got to Neah Bay.  Unfortunately the only slip available for Saturday night in the midst of fishing weekend was next to the fish cleaning dock so we opted to anchor out instead.  The fog appeared to lift in the early morning and we headed out motor sailing due to lack if wind.  There were small fishing boats everywhere and seemed like every one had fish on.  It was pretty much downhill from there.  The fog set in, the swells were huge and soon we felt puny.  I kept thinking I could see Vancouver Island through the fog only to realize it was another huge swell dropping away.  The other downside was that we were to meet up with friends in Bamfield and the only place to check in is Uclulet - the far side of Barkley Sound - and additional 1 1/2 hour and then back tracking.

We saw whales, beautiful anchorages, amazing sunsets when it wasn't foggy, kayaked, fished and learned all about life in Bamfield.  Our good friend Paul Ulibarri who lives in Victoria and had encouraged us to meet in Barkley had us pull up at a friend of his dock in the Bamfield inlet.  This was next door to the Medical clinic and we got to know resident nurse Donna who runs the clinic and pretty much takes care of any medical emergency or care in the area.  The doctor shows up every two weeks for appointments otherwise Donna is it.  Anyhow part of the Bamfield experience was that Donna invited me to go on a house call with her, we did this by kayak to visit a 92 year old woman who lives alone and had been on a steady decline.  The old woman's only transportation is by boat, no roads where she lives.  Her pets were wild squirrels and she showed me where a bear broke into her utility room through a window and how she had to shoo it away with a broom.  While Donna was taking her pulse and listening to her heart a call came in - someone with chest pains and Donna said she would meet them at the clinic in 10 minutes.  Since we had just paddled for 1/2 and hour to get there I wondered how this would happen.  Donna did a short paddle to a close shore and then jogged the back road to the clinic.  I stayed and helped the old lady get her laundry into the dryer before paddling back. 

We had passed a strange boat on the way there that was slowly sailing up the channel.  It was two brothers, one mentally challenged who had been given the boat by the local coast guard.  The boat had been pretty derelict and abandoned and the brothers were too poor to ever dream of having a boat so a good cause.  They had done several modifications to the boat since getting it, one was adding a truck camper top to convert this boat into a pilot house.  They had also nailed 2x4's to either side of the mast to strengthen it.  They were also very excited about a cedar log that they had towed in from outside Barkley sound and had us take a look at it.  The log must have been at least 4' in diameter and 30' long and I could not imagine how they managed to tow it in.  The log was gold to them and will probably be worth over $5000 when they sell it. 

The Broken Group of islands made for the most beautiful and pristine cruising.  We were luck that we had some good weather especially being there in Fogust - guess we will plan a trip there in June or July next time.  Good friends of ours drove and met us there and are spending a week on Annie before sailing the boat back to Seattle for us.  It worked out well being able to drive back in time for work and not have to worry about weather windows etc.  Next trip is the Perry Rendezvous.

July 10, 2009

Last weekend we headed over to Poulsbo by boat on the 3rd to watch the fireworks.  All week long I had been anticipating a great sail across the sound and all the way to Poulsbo - it had blown all week out of the north.  By the time the 3rd rolled around it was dead calm and since we had to meet friends there who were driving to join us at 4pm had to motor all the way there.  Once we got to Poulsbo by 4pm the bay was already full of boats, anchored and rafted together and everyone was out and about in kayaks, dinghy's and anything that floated.  Our friends were somewhere on shore waiting and it seemed logical to find some dock space to quickly pick them up rather than find a place to drop anchor, pump up the inflatable dingy and then row into Poulsbo to get them.  We usually rely on our two kayaks to get to shore which don't work very well if we need to pick up people. 

It was super stressful trying to navigate around in tight quarters with all the various traffic.  Fortunately we did manage to zip in and pick them up and find a large enough hole to anchor in.  The raft up next to us did drag anchor and had to reset.  Fortunately when we all swung around there were a couple of feet to spare between our boat and the raft up because at that point there was not other place to go.  The fireworks I hear were spectacular although I spent the time down below holding our tranquilized but still freaked out Shitzu dog.  The way the boat vibrated with each explosion was pretty cool but not really my idea of a good time. 

It was a windless weekend until after we got the boat put away on Sunday.  Fortunately it did pick up later in the afternoon just in time for a great sea trial on a Valiant 40.  A good end to the weekend.

June 19, 2009

Tomorrow is one of my favorite days "Summer Solstice" and the Fremont Solstice Parade which starts at noon is my favorite parade.  Not that I am a parade junkie, have been to Mardi Gras and had a great time but Solstice is truly different.  It is a parade of special ness that heralds the start of summer and the longest day of the year.  In all the years I have been going it has been nothing but smiles and goodwill and we will be staking out the usual front row spot tomorrow morning with camera in hand.  One year my daughter and I decided on being in the parade and no, it wasn't on bicycles.  She had made a giant wizard puppet costume for the Oregon Country Fair (another great annual retreat) and a monster costume.  It was fun being part of the parade but the downside was we didn't get to see all the rest of the artistic expression.  It is ironic that suddenly there is rain after 28 days of sunshine.  Please don't rain on the parade!

Next weekend is Open Boat Weekend at Shilshole Marina.  Bob Perry will be at SAS Yachts office  1-3pm to talk about boat design and autograph his book.  Please stop by if you are in the area.

Happy Solstice!

June 5, 2009

The storm that blew in last night around sunset was so spectacular and a huge surprise to the weather forecasters.  After another day of record heat, too hot to even sit out on the deck overlooking the sound the breeze started to fill in.  The temperature dropped about 20 degrees immediately, white caps came rushing across the sound a reminder of how quickly weather conditions can change.  It was one of those sunsets that kept getting better and better - we live in such an amazing place!

Had to work all last weekend as it was "open boat weekend" at Shilshole.  The reward was that the "Around the America's" expedition boat was at Shilshole and cast off docklines on Sunday around noon for the start of this really cool and historic trip.  The boat and crew are doing a clockwise circumnavigation of North and South America and will be doing scientific testing of the ocean and atmosphere.  There will be different scientists on board as well as an educator who will broadcast back to school children.  The trip is supposed to take 13 months and local Mark Schrader of Valiant fame will be captain for the duration.  Pacific Science Center is one of the sponsors - worth following in the months ahead.

Got to go, we are going sailing.

May 24, 2009

The reports from Swiftsure so far have been pretty typical - lots of current and light wind at the start to make getting across the start line and staying there a challenge.  The long distance race got good wind up to 30 kts on Saturday night - Murphy's law that the excitement is in the dark.  I really missed not being there and have decided that no matter what will be there next year.

Hope to get out and do some sailing tomorrow on Memorial day.

May 22, 2009

Ah, the start of a three day weekend, glorious weather, breeze, 70 degrees, beautiful Puget Sound - should be an amazing weekend to get the boats out of their slips and go sailing. 

The Swiftsure race takes place out of Victoria this weekend and is usually a much anticipated annual event.  Unfortunately I have to cover the office so instead will have to sneak out and do some closer to Shilshole cruising this weekend.  I really miss not being at Swiftsure because it is really amazing to see all the boats in Victoria harbor and the buzz of excitement before the race.  Our boat has always entered the fun race which used to be the Sooke classic prior to the Royal Victoria YC taking over the registration.  Sooke was a way to enjoy all the fun activities of Swiftsure and then slip into Sooke around 5pm on Saturday evening for a great pot luck party.  We would leave to head back on Sunday around 11am and join the parade of racers returning to Victoria after being out all night and usually being hammered.  There are endless "Sooke" stories to be told and by far the most fun I have ever had racing.  The race has been taken over as part of the official RVYC registration and is now the "Rosedale Rock" race which gets everyone back to Victoria harbor for Saturday night.  Still a fun time but not quite the Sooke flavor.

May 13, 2009

Hard to believe that it is already the middle of May and I have yet to go out sailing on Annie our Nordic 44.  Work has been crazy lately and although not complaining, maybe I am, seems like every weekend there has been a reason not to go.  Fortunately my job does require taking people out on sea trails and they have mostly happened on beautiful days so I have been sailing quite a bit lately on other peoples boats.

We recently became full owners of Annie after a two year partnership and have been getting her ready for summer sailing.  So far have needed engine work, had the refrigeration charged and now need new batteries.  The goal this summer is for a two week cruise to Barclay Sound, the goal this week is to nail down the dates so we are sure to make it.  It is disappointing that  we will not be able to make the Swiftsure race this year.  This has been an annual event for me and always mad fun and the start of summer. Ted the other broker in our office has a daughter graduating from college that weekend in California and I will have to cover the office.  It may be time to join the Sloop Tavern Yacht club and do some Monday night racing just to get back into the swing of things. 

March 25, 2008

Paul and I spent the past 10 days traveling to La Paz Mexico to meet up with some good friends of ours who are among the lucky folks who spend our winters cruising in the Sea of Cortez and summers in the Northwest..  It was amazing to me to run into several people that I know from either selling boats to or from the Seattle sailing community or the Perry Rendezvous.  Even more amazing was the fact that it seemed like about 70% of the cruiser boats in the Islands off of La Paz were either Canadian or from the Northwest.  There were far fewer boats from California.  It also seems that there are far fewer boats down in Mexico this year as a result of the economy.

This was my first time to travel to this area and it was truly stunning to see the contrast of the desert islands and the beautiful blue water.  The temperature was in the 80's to mid 90's but a "dry heat" so quite comfortable.  There was always a breeze blowing and the temperature was very comfortable.  We did some hiking on islands and there was no fresh water to be found anywhere.  The birds must hydrate from the fish they eat.  There were some small chipmonk looking creatures and I have no clue how they survive without water.  There wasn't any grass around and very few plants that had leaves. 

We had to be very mindful of washing dishes during the day because bees would start swarming the boat if they sensed the fresh water.  

One of the great things about traveling to places where I know people is getting away from the tourist front and immersing in local culture.  This was definitely the case thanks to our friends Roger, Karen, John and Lisa.  We ate at some really fabulous restaurants and joints in La Paz including street vendors without fearing getting sick.  Karen had this great Mexican lime squeezer - made the best margarita ever - and I really needed one of those to take home with me.  We had a couple of hours to kill before heading to the airport and John and Lisa were kind enough to take us on a bus ride into town to the kitchen gadget shack/store to stock up. 

While we were in Mexico it seemed forever since we left Seattle.  It may have been due to the fact that we had no cell phone or internet coverage in the islands - the first real non-working vacation I have had in years.  Once we got back to the cold and rain it was like I had never been gone - what a great dream or was it!

February 26, 2009

It was a shock to wake up and see snow on the deck (sea level) after a taste of spring the week before.  The sun popped out and made for a spectacular view of the Olympics - we live is such a beautiful place.  The Women's Boating Seminar is this Saturday and it is a relief to have the snow and freezing conditions out of the forecast.  Several years ago a huge wind storm blew in the night before the seminar knocking down trees and cutting off travel from the Kitsap peninsular in particular.  If there is a single natural thing that can effect our lives it is weather!

February 13, 2009

The fear of Friday the 13th is known as paraskavedekatriphobia, and is derived from the Greek word for Friday and the phobia of number 13.  The number 13 has been thought to be an unlucky number due to its irregularity.  Personally the number 13 pops up often for me and I prefer to consider it lucky!  Folklore dictates that Friday is an unlucky day to undertake a journey and for this very reason sailors are reluctant to depart on Fridays.  Fortunately this doesn't apply to recreational boaters so no need to worry.

Apparently there are between 17-21 million people who FEAR THE DAY!  The Dutch insurance statistics have shown that there are actually fewer accidents or reports of theft or fire on a Friday 13th because people tend to be a lot more careful.  Yes there is a silver lining to every cloud and the luckiest people are the ones with positive attitudes.

February 12, 2009

The 12th Annual Women's Boating Seminar is being held at the North Seattle Community College on February 28, 2009.  This is a high energy event that is lots of fun and educational as well.  Even though the economy sucks our sponsors have come through once again and we have some great door prizes at the end of the day.  For full details and to register click on "Womens Seminar" on the left.  Hope to see you there!

February 4, 2009

The boat show is finally over and thankfully the weather was half way decent this year.  It is hard to understand why Seattle's biggest boat show takes place in January over a span of 10 days with a great chance of really crappy weather.  Fortunately both the move in and move out day were both sunny and aside from 3 1/2 hours of snow the first Sunday it really wasn't too bad. 

I actually enjoy being at the boat show because it is a chance to catch up with old acquaintances and meet new interesting people as well.  It is also the first sign that winter could end and people are excited to be thinking about where to cruise this summer, something other than dreariness, the economy, politics...  It has been tiresome to see the "bad news" banner headline of the Seattle Times every day and wonder how anyone can be optimistic with the continuous negative news.  The best advice in the world is to live each day like it is your last and not dwell on the past or future - that is why dogs are so happy!

January 16, 2008

So much for sunshine and 50 degree weather this week.  I was so excited by the great forecast especially as I had a sea trial to do this week and a beautiful day for that first sail on a potential boat does go a long way.  Where did I last put my shades all those months ago?  It was COLD but hey, it wasn't raining so guess it could have been a lot worse.  It did feel good to get out on the water again despite the cold and the saying "there is no bad weather, just bad clothes" is so true.  I do dream of shorts, sandals and lathering on the sunscreen some time in the future.  Right now I seem to have the greys!

January 9, 2008

Are we ready for spring yet?  Either I am loosing my mind or this is actually the worst winter in Seattle that I can recall. 

Being a yacht broker means a lot of time out on the docks and it is amazing to me how diehard sailors are in the Northwest.  We have been out looking at boats in rain, sleet, blizzard and icy conditions and truthfully it is kind of fun braving the elements.  These folks are usually pretty serious in their quest for the right boat.  I was showing a boat last week on the same dock that we moor Annie on and noticed that one of our dock lines had snapped in two.  The boat had enough other lines to hold it and we didn't sustain any damage to the hull.  I had been eyeing the old dock lines and thinking it might be time to replace them but at over $60 each was doing a lot of contemplating.  There are boat maintenance/expense items that should never be deferred and almost learned the hard way that dock lines are one of them.

We did have a couple of old dodgers collapse under the weight of snow when their seams gave way and fortunately that has been the extent of damage so far.

The Seattle boat show on Lake Union and Qwest Field runs from January 23 thru February 1st this year and is always my sign that the end of winter is in sight.  With our short 3 month summer anyone planning on buying a boat usually does so by May so that they can be ready to make the most of summer cruising.  We will have a boat in the Lake Union Boat's Afloat Show so stop by and say hello if you are there.

December 18, 2008

It finally snowed, and snowed, and snowed.  We had over 6" pile up on our deck today in West Seattle which is by far the most I have seen in the 4 years we have lived here.  The roads in West Seattle are treacherous when the weather turns bad due to all the hills and even prior to this new snowfall there were several road/hill closures.  It was a good day to stay home and enjoy the peacefulness of the season.  It was really beautiful taking Rosie the Shitzu for her morning walk along the waterfront in the snow storm.  She was not a happy camper having to navigate along with snow up to her chest, the problem of being a small dog with short legs, and surprised me by heading for a tree that actually had grass under it. 

Walking dogs is a lot like racing sailboats.  It doesn't matter what  the weather is doing you go and it is invigorating. 

Unfortunately the snow is now compacted on the road and is 3" thick ice so it may a couple of days before I will venture out again.  I do worry about checking the boat since boats have been known to sink as a result of a thick pile up of snow weighing them down, causing water to flood in from above water line through hulls and a faulty bilge pump....  got to worry about something.

December 8, 2008

It is so amazing how quickly this year flew by and yes I am a believer in "time flies when you are having fun".  Another good year in the life of... I have been blessed with both my daughters having babies within 10 days of each other and as a result having three grand kids now - Moira, Kiah and Logan to dote over in my spare time.  I cant wait for the day when they are old enough to all go sailing with me.  Seeing the world from a childs eye is so refreshing.

Other exciting news is that I have been offered a partnership in SAS Yachts (Sailboats of Shilshole).  Boat sales have taken a beating with the economy being what it is, however things are slowly picking up.  There is no better therapy than being out on a boat!  I have had clients having to downsize their dream yacht expectations but in the meantime there are a lot of good older boats out there.  It is so true that the "view from the cockpit" is always the same and a whole lot better than the one from the couch. 

November 19, 2008

One of my favorite things about fall and winter are the spectacular sunsets.  It may be that with so many grey rainy days the sunsets are few and far between and also happen between 4:30 and 5pm which rules out enjoying them during the week, however.....  this past weekend was pretty spectacular!

Winterizing tips for the Northwest:

1)  Check dock lines for chafe and add extra's.  Winter means strong winds in the Northwest and it is never fun trying to tame a boat in the freezing, driving rain and wind storm.

2)  Make sure that there are several additional wraps on the furled sails and that the furling line is cleated off correctly.

3)  If you are not going to be doing winter sailing store your sails down below or off the boat if you have place for them.

4)  Close all the seacocks - leave a big note to remind yourself or others to open them before starting engine.

5) If the boat stays in the water for the winter leave cabinets and engine compartment open with a marine heater on board "lowest setting with fan".  This will circulate air throughout the boat and minimize mildew.

6) Placing a electrical shop light in the engine compartment gives off a fair amount of heat as well.

7) Clean out toilets and sinks and flush toilets with plenty of fresh water - will help limit head odor.

8) Pump out holding tank and flush several times with fresh water.

9) Drain the water out of the pressurized lines.

10)  Place a dehumidifier on board.

11) Empty and clean out refer or ice box and leave door/lid open for air circulation.

12) Clean out bilge area.

13) Fill diesel tanks so that there is no room for condensation to form in tanks.

November 14, 2008

Interesting times with the economic situation that never seems to be able to improve for more than a day at a  time.  On Tuesday Yachtworld.com hosted a class for brokers and it wasn't very surprising to here that Yachtword traffic was down 20% in October over a year ago.  Being a yacht broker these days has become a lot more challenging than in the past.  People will always love boats and buy them however until things turn around the number has dwindled considerably.  The past 6 months our Canadian neighbors were coming in droves to purchase boats with their hot Canadian dollars while our US dollar value took a dive making cruising in Canada seem really expensive. 

The lucky folks were the ones who bought their boats before the crash and now have something to show for it.  Boats will more or less hold their value and it is always nice to know that you can be self sufficient on a boat.  I have run into several cases where people were waiting to buy the boat and now don't have the money to have a boat and also go cruising.

We can all count on today, why wait for tomorrow?

November 5, 2008

Just back from a 3 week trip home to S. Africa to visit the family.  I left there in 1973 and aside from a sister in London the rest of the family has remained in S. Africa.  Unfortunately the political situation seems to be more questionable than the last time I was there.  The general consensus is that the country is holding together until after the world cup in 2010 and then will fall apart.  For the first time my sisters are considering options for selling up and getting out.  It is sad because South Africa is a really amazing place aside from the violent crime and extreme poverty and hunger brought on in part by the huge influx of refugees from the rest of Africa.

On a brighter note a nephew of an old friend from Cape Town builds custom catamarans in Knysna and invited us for a tour of a beautiful 52' cat.  We almost got to go sailing but ended up on taking a ripping ride on a really fast custom power boat instead.  Fortunately I was able to retrieve my new hat that blew off as we accelerated to warp speed - give me a sail boat any day.

August 30

The Perry Rendezvous was really fun this year with a great turn out and beautiful weather.  Unfortunately the wind did not cooperate on the way there and after a few attempts of sailing decided to turn on the engine in order to get there.  Some first time attendees were Tom and Susan on their CT54 "Ariel" and Brad and Linda on their Golden Wave 42 "Kattywompus".  It is always great to see new boats/designs show up along with the regulars (won't call them old). 

Bob Perry did a Q&A session on Saturday morning and gave attendees the opportunity to vent about their particular boat design.  There were few complaints and it did open the session up to discussion.  Bob elaborated on the history of how some of the designs evolved and it was very interesting and fun to hear about.

The wind piped up for the trip home on Sunday.  Unfortunately business was calling and I had to drive back to Seattle to meet some clients instead of carrying on with Annie to the Gulf Islands with partners Julian and Paul.  The sacrifices one has to make....

August 20, 2008

It looks like some great weather starting on Friday for the sail to Pt. Ludlow and the Perry Rendezvous.  Hopefully there will be wind as well as the promised sunshine for the weekend.  We are expecting a record turn out this year including Andy Burton an associate editor for Cruising World who would like to write an article on the event.  Years ago we had a film crew show up who were going to use the rendezvous as a "pilot" for some TV boating show.  I never did find out about it actually being broadcasted and really didn't think that we were that out of control to be totally censored.  Will be interesting to see if we make it to Cruising World this time around.

Brion Toss was supposed to be one of our seminar speakers and unfortunately had to bail at the last minute.  We will be trying a new format Saturday morning in Brion's time slot.  Bob Perry will give everyone a chance to complain or brag about their particular boat and open topics up for discussion. 

Roll on weekend.

August 13, 2008

With the Perry Rendezvous just around the corner thought it might be time to spruce up "Annie" just a little.  The varnish on the deck hand rails has slowly been peeling and didn't look like that big a job to strip and re-finish.  I have been parked next to a Panda 40 and been watching them re-do their brightwork over the past month and felt really pleased about the lack of teak on the Nordic 44 deck.  The challenge of stripping hand rails is of course more time consuming than can be imagined, after all it part of a boat.  The sun exposed varnish came off easily enough it was getting to the underside that proved to be the big challenge.  It is extremely difficult to hit the underside with the heat gun and I still need to find the scraper that fits underneath without scratching the deck fiberglass.

Having owned a Valliant 47 in the past with a "really long" cap rail, wood hatches, teak dorade boxes and teak eyebrow that required endless hours of stripping, many coats of varnish and constant re-touching, plus a  Young Sun 35 prior to that that had more teak than fiberglass, I have over the years paid my dues as slave to teak.  After some serious consideration as I scraped, sanded and taped the hand rails my choice this time around is Cetol.  In the past I did not like the orange mud look of Cetol but it seems like they have made great strides over the years and so far with 2 coats it looks pretty good.

It has been interesting reading all the opinions of Tayana and Baba owners with regard to their preferences of wood treatments.  Like all sailors a lot of opinions and we all swear by our choices and learn by our mistakes.

August 3, 2008

The weather has been so amazing that it is very difficult not to just blow off work and take off on the boat lately.  Friday would have been the perfect day to head north to the islands with a brisk breeze out of the south.  Instead we compromised with a to sail to Blakely Harbor and anchor out on Saturday night.  Unfortunately I didn't take the camera along and was really sorry on Sunday morning when we got up and looked towards the city.  Blakely Harbor is a nice little anchorage at the south end of Bainbridge Island and does offer a beautiful view of downtown Seattle.   On Sunday morning there was a little haze and the lighting on the Seattle skyline was spectacular. 

There was enough wind to sail back to Shilshole and on the way back we noticed a sailboat keeled over (always wondered where that phrase came from) over by the Westpoint lighthouse.  Lately we have been having a lot of minus tides so extra caution us needed for shallow areas especially cutting way inside the nav bouy.  There was not a lot of wind so we were ghosting along assessing the situation of the boat aground.  A large inflatable showed up and took a halyard  in tow and slowly pulled the boat named "Risky Business"  over onto its side and then into deeper water.  Fortunately the area that they had run aground seemed to be mud rather than the rocks not to far from it, and they appeared to be intact and able to continue on without further assistance.  How I wish I had had my camera.

July 16, 2008

Our sailing trip to the Gulf Islands was really spectacular.  We set sail from Shilshole in 10-14 kts of northerly wind and had a great sail all the way to Pt. Townsend.  Our destination was Dungeness spit for the night and there was only one other boat anchored there.  This was my first time to anchor at Dungeness spit and it was pretty cool.  The spit is low and reaches far out so you feel like you are anchored out in the middle of the straits.  It is very peaceful aside from when ships pass by since the shipping lane runs close by.  The spit is a nature preserve and access is not allowed so we were glad not to have our dog on board for this trip.

Other highlights were shooting pool with locals in the pub in Ganges.  They informed us that the next day was "Canada Day" with the antique car show and later the fireworks display.  We decided to spend an extra night there and were glad we did - it was very festive and much like small town 4th of July. 

Another destination that looked appealing in the cruising guide was Pirates Cove up near Dodds Narrow.  When we got there it was an incoming tide and after navigating into the cove and having .5' under the keel decided that it was not a good idea.  We ended up in Herring cove on Ruston Island for the night which was a really quiet and beautiful anchorage.  The island has houses but no roads so very peaceful.  There are beautiful sand stone banks which reminded me of Sucia.  The next morning we hopped in the kayak's to paddle around the cove.  We were hailed by locals Brian and Lenora Sigsworth and invited to stop for a cup of coffee.  Brian and Lenora are retired and have a home in West Vancouver.  They purchased the log cabin 20 something years ago and use it as their summer home.  The cabin was built in 1946 and is very rustic and charming, outhouse included.  We felt really fortunate to be sitting on the cabin deck overlooking the beautiful cove with Annie anchored in front of us.

Our final destination after a quick check in at Roche Harbor was Sucia Island.  When I kept my old Cal 34 in Bellingham Sucia was my favorite weekend destination.  We had amazing weather the 10 days we were in the Gulf Islands and finally as we turned the corner into Sucia the big black cloud caught up to us and we anchored in pouring rain.  The rain quickly passed by and we were treated to a full rainbow followed by magical lighting.  We spent two nights anchored there, had a great island hike, caught my first crab of the season - life was good.

We left Sucia around 9am to head back to Seattle and motored for an hour and then the wind kicked in and we had a great sail all the way to Pt. Townsend and arrived just in time for a major flood.  We made it all the way back to Shilshole by 8pm and managed to sail most of the day.  I feel really fortunate to have sailed most of the time we were out and it sure helped not to have a specific destination and time frame in mind.

June28, 2008

Summer seems to have arrived right on time and just to make sure we make the most of it whether it lasts for one week or 8 we are going sailing! 

It does seem like whenever I plan to take time off I suddenly get very busy with boat sales and need to cancel or adjust vacation plans.  This time around it has happened again, good reason to plan a vacation I guess, but we are sticking to a modified sailing trip.  Usually it takes a couple of weeks from time of a boat offer being accepted to survey date and closing, not this time.  I received two offers yesterday and both are in a huge rush to survey and close next week - yes you do need to make the most of summer around here.  After a little deliberation and negotiation with buyers, sellers, a little "poor me" whining included we are heading out.

We will be taking off sailing this morning in the direction of the Gulf Islands.  Should have some breeze and the plan is to sail rather than reach a certain destination in record time.  It was shocking to fill up with diesel at $5 per gallon and note in the log that fuel now cost double what it did back in August last year. 

The Puget Sound Cruising Club hosts the annual Salmon Bake this evening at Pt. Madison Yacht Club.  This event is open to anyone all you need is a pot luck dish.  Boats will be rafting up in Pt. Madison bay.

Smooth sailing!

June 20, 2008

Summer Solstice is finally here making today/tomorrow the official longest days of the year and a time to celebrate a VERY LONG AND DREARY winter/spring.

Every year we head to Fremont, the center of the universe (also a neighborhood of Seattle) for the Summer Solstice Parade and festival.  For those of you that don't know anything about the event, briefly it is a celebration of summer and the biggest gathering of really happy people and free spirits in the Northwest.  All the floats in the parade have to be manually propelled - no motors allowed.  Anyone can enter the parade and the creativity of some of the costumes and themes is amazing to say the least.  Yes you can expect to see 100 or more people wearing nothing more than body paint go streaking by on bicycles but it is part of the fun and it does get the crowd going.  Tips are to get there early for a good spot along the parade route, bring a camera and a smile.

I noticed in the local sailing rag that there is a "Summer Sailstice" movement which seems like a really great idea.  In checking the website www.summersailstice.com for local events came to the conclusion that it may just be to get people to sign up for future spam from the "sponsors" so didn't go there.  Basically local groups or individuals can organize a raft up, sail etc and invite sailors to join in.

My thought is that if you have a boat in the Seattle area lets all get out and sail on Sunday.  It would be fun to see hundreds of boats out on the water.  Last Sunday was spectacular for sailing and there were quite a few boat out but really not that many for such a great day.  I thought then of all the boats that just sit in Elliott Bay Marina and Shilshole Marina and what an incredible sight it would be if everyone left the slip for a day.  Make it happen.

May 31,2008

Last weekend was the annual Swiftsure Int'l Yacht Race - starting in Victoria, BC.  This is an amazing event to attend with all the boats rafting up in the inner harbor in front of the Empress Hotel as early as Wednesday before race day.  My plan is to try and get there by Thursday noon in order to get a good spot near a dock and save having to set an anchor. 

This year we left Shilshole Marina at 6:30am on a BIG EBB under power.  The wind finally kicked in at Point No Point and we had a great sail to Pt. Townsend making the trip in a record 4 hours.  The plan was to spend the afternoon in PT getting lazy jacks or Lisa jacks (modified version) as Pt. Townsend Rigging likes to refer to them, installed.  Dropping the main as we came into PT was exciting with the wind gusting to 23 kts, minus tide, ferry arriving all at the same time.  Once we had the main secured we headed into the marina and watched as the depth meter dropped to a bit 0 right as we plowed through the mud.  Fortunately we didn't get stuck and made it to Pt. Townsend's work dock where we spent the afternoon and night waiting for the next ebb.  Thursday morning we left around 7:30am and after getting around Pt. Hudson set sail and reached in 10 kts all the way to Victoria.  It was sunny, warm and a spectacular sail all the way.  I could not understand why 2 other race boats headed our way did not bother to sail - we were a lot faster under sail and had a lot more fun.

On race day there was NO WIND!  The picture above shows one crazy kayaker who was paddling around the start in the midst of around 200 boats.  Race committee made him leave and this is where he hung out until the starts were over.  We managed to start our race and then slowly started getting sucked back towards where the starting line used to be.  After 2 hours of minus progress (we were going backwards at about 1 KT)  we opted to withdraw from the race and motor to what looked like a wind line on the horizon, enough to put up the cruising chute and drift along in the warm sunshine having a beer and snacks.  We were first back to the dock in Victoria and promptly declared ourselves the winner of the Rosedale Rocks Race.  It did turn out that not a single boat from our group managed to make it around the first mark by the 5:30 deadline so no finishers.  Sunday morning we cast off around 8:30am knowing we had to buck current all the way to PT.  There was a 17 KT westerly blowing and we had an amazing broad reach to PT which was a fitting end to another great sailing weekend.  Oh, the Lisa Jacks are the best - wish we had splurged and installed them a year ago.  Finally it is a pleasure to drop the main!

May 16, 2008

Seattle will be hosting the NOOD 2008 regatta this weekend.  Over 220 boats are entered and basing out of Shilshole Marina so parking is going to be really interesting at least.   NOOD stands for National Offshore One Design and the major sponsor is Sperry Topsider.  It is round the buoy racing and should be a great three days of racing providing there is wind.  With the big high pressure and record heat the only salvation will be thermal breeze.  I raced a Corsair 27 in a NOOD regatta back in 1995 in Galveston Bay.  When I mentioned to friends that I was sailing in the NOOD regatta it did raise a few eyebrows until advised what the NOOD stood for.

We are taking advantage of the great weather to get Annie out of the slip for the weekend.  We will be heading to Victoria BC for Swiftsure race next weekend and so will need to make sure all the systems are working - little spring maintenance in the planning.  The biggest project that I know about is replacing the one end pieces of the spinnaker pole.  The unfortunate part is the new piece is different from the old piece so not as simple a replacement.  I can see it now, the 1 hour project becoming several hours - at least it will be sunny.

Good nautical joke!

A string walks into a bar with a few friends and orders a beer. The bartender says, "I'm sorry, but we don't serve strings here."

The string walks away a little upset and sits down with his friends. A few minutes later he goes back to the bar and orders a beer. The bartender, looking a little exasperated, says, "I'm sorry, we don't serve strings here."

So the string goes back to his table. Then he gets an idea. He ties himself in a loop and messes up the top of his hair. Then he walks back up to the bar and orders a beer.

The bartender squints at him and says, "Hey, aren't you a string?"

And the string says, "Nope,  a frayed knot."

April 8, 2008

Lots of change in the wind for me these days.  First of all I decided to join Sailboats At Shilshole after a little agonizing and am loving working at Shilshole.  It is really nice being close to the boat and running into friends and people I know every day.  We did live aboard our Valiant 47 here at Shilshole for 5 years and it really does feel like a home coming in a strange way.

Both my daughters are expecting babies between now and April 24th and I can't wait to meet them.  I have had a tremendous amount of fun with my first grand daughter who just turned two.  She seems fascinated by boats and I hope to take her sailing as soon as the weather warms up and I can get her to keep a life jacket on for more than 1 minute. The "little kid" life jackets that I have seen so far do not appear to be made for comfort.  This brings to mind that Margie Simpson found out that the self inflating PFD's are not recommended for people under 5'5" - information to found in the booklet of really small print that accompanies the new PFD.  More to follow on that.....

February 29, 2008

It has been so hard trying to stay focused this week with all the sunshine and warm weather especially with today being the bonus leap year day.

The Women's Boating Seminar last Saturday was a big success and well attended.  It is always fun to get a group of women together with the focus of boating related interaction.  One of the topics covered was "Galley magic" and Linnea mentioned a great cake recipe that was perfect for the boat that she had sadly misplaced.  As she drove into her garage after the seminar she glanced up at a shelf and saw a box labeled cook books and found this recipe that she would like to share.

Here is one more recipe :).

	Stewed Tomatoes
	A guy is going on an ocean cruise, and he tells his doctor that he's worry about getting seasick. The doctor suggests, ''Eat two pounds of stewed tomatoes before you leave the dock.'' The guy replies, ''Would that keep me from getting sick, Doc?'' The doctor says, ''No, but it'll look real pretty in the water.''

February 11, 2008

The 11th Annual Women's Boating Seminar in Seattle will be held on February 23 at the North Seattle Community College.  Each year this event gets bigger and better and this year is no exception. There is still time to register for this event, don't miss out.  This is a very special day that is both educational and a lot of fun and enjoyed by over 100 women in attendance.  Our sponsors have been very generous once again this year and for the first time, everyone will leave with a door prize. 

It is always fascinating to me the power of the internet and how easy and instantaneous it is to locate people around the world with similar interests.  Just this weekend I received an email from Joy Smith who is the author of a new book "Escape from Hermit Island" that details her experience of striking a reef and sinking her boat on remote Papua New Guinea Island.  Her story is incredible and Joy came across the Women's Seminar while surfing the web.  Joy is currently in Miami doing presentations and promoting her book on the east coast and at the Sail Miami Boat Show prior to heading back to her boat now located in the Philippines.  To cut to the chase we have managed to include Joy in our Seattle seminar schedule and look forward to hearing about her amazing experience and how two women dealt with their situation and survived under primitive conditions.

Recently I was contacted by Cruising World, as a result of the Perry Design Rendezvous information on my site to see if I had a picture of a Tayana 37 flying a Spinnaker for a future article they are working on.  I didn't have one but was able to post on the Tayana owners site and have two owners submit photo's within a day.  Cruising World agreed to sponsor our Women's Boating seminar this year and are sending us magazines for the registration packages and free subscriptions for door prizes.  Another contact has come from someone writing a script for a movie and wanting to know how long it would take to sail from Pt. Townsend to Seattle....mmmmm that one had a lot of variables to consider.  It sure makes life interesting.

February 6, 2008

The Women's Boating Seminar is just around the corner.  We have a great program this year, new speakers and topics to get us all thinking about warm weather and safe boating.   If you haven't attended in the past this event is really special.  We have women come together from all over, surrounding states and Canada included.  There is high positive energy and lots of camaraderie taking place during the day.  Local and national businesses have been very generous in their support by donating door prizes to our event and everyone, I really mean everyone, will leave with a door prize this year. 

The boat show was a long 10 days this year.  We had rain, snow, wind, cold and lower attendance than in past years.  It was still amazing to see how many people came out to look at boats regardless of the weather.  I spent most of the time on the Tayana with the companionway wide open and the COLD southerly wind funneling down on me.  Two space heaters on low so that they don't trip the circuit breaker didn't quite cut it in keeping the boat warm.  Having enough layers on I was able to stay warm and it was actually quite invigorating although I wouldn't advocate this as a "fun activity".

Jan 23, 2008

The boat show starts tomorrow which means the end of our spectacular weather including the amazing moon and sunsets that I have really been savoring.  Fortunately the hardy boaters of the Northwest are not deterred by a little snow or rain.  I have been at boat shows that have cleared out because of a little precipitation - never the case here.  It will be interesting to see if the economic forecasting will have an effect on the boating industry.   I would imagine that wind power is going to get a lot more consideration this time around. 

Jan 21, 2008

I was greeted this morning by the full moon casting its light on the water of Puget Sound.  It was so spectacular and then as daylight approached and the Olympic Mountain Range became visible the moon started to set.  What a great start to the day!

Today is move in day for the Seattle Boat's Afloat Show that opens to the public on Thursday the 24th.  It is a treat to be able to move boats around in sunshine even if the temperatures are VERY COLD.  I have been noticing how brilliantly colorful everything looks after all the grey days - think I may have a touch of spring fever.

Seattle's in the water show on Lake Union coincides with the indoor boat show at Qwest Field and boat show tickets are good for both locations.  There is also a free shuttle connecting the two locations which is very helpful.  This is the biggest local boat show of the year and a great time to buy and sell boats and everyone wants to be ready for our 8 weeks of summer when it gets here.  Most vendors will have pretty good deals on boat gear if you are looking to do some upgrades on your existing boat. 

I will be on board the Tayana 48 Pilothouse at the Boat's Afloat Show most of the time.  If you are down there stop by or better yet come buy a boat.

January 6, 2008

Now that the days are getting longer, sun dares to peek through the clouds ever so often, boat show is around the corner, it is time to start thinking about "Spring Maintenance" for our boats.  I find it inspiring to start going through a check list and see how much I can accomplish on my own each year.  Having the "list" also is a great reminder of all the various things to check over.  Once the boat show starts it seems like the local boat industry gets swamped and finding a professional to help on projects beyond my capability or expertise may just cut into spring boating time.  This is also a good time to have the bottom painted if needed as the various boat yards are running "winter specials".

January 4, 2007

Happy New Year to everyone. 

I have been one of many in the Seattle area hit by the flu and after a week of really being out of it feel like I am crawling out of a hole.  We had been really looking forward to taking the boat to anchor out for New Years eve at Blakely Harbor and watch the Space Needle fireworks.  Unfortunately for me that was the peak of really feeling sick and had barely managed to watch Times Square festivities before giving up and crashing. 

For many years a new years days sail has become a tradition.  It was still good for my soul to look out over the water and see lots of different boats out enjoying the day, in sunshine no less!  This was while I was being held hostage to endless college football bowl games on new years day.  One good outcome of this week of sickness and football is that I am so ready to be healthy again that I promise to "get off the couch" and become a participator rather than an observer!  Did I get old or something?????

December 19, 2007

Tis the season of storms - or so it seems. 

Last night during the strong winds a barge carrying more than 280,000 gallons of heavy bunker fuel broke a tow line and ran aground after blowing into the Elliott Bay Marina breakwall.  The coast guard reported that two tugs were able to move the barge to nearby Pier 91 near the Magnolia Bridge.  Fortunately inspections showed no apparent damage or leaks - it was double hulled - could have been a major ecological disaster for Puget Sound. 

I talked to one person who spent the night on their boat at Elliott Bay and was oblivious to the grounding.  It must have been an exciting proposition trying to secure the barge prior to towing it off.  Wind gusts were between 40-50 kts.

December 7, 2007

Eleven years ago after becoming a yacht broker in Seattle I decided it would be fun to have a "Women's Day" for women interested in boating and the first "Women's Boating Seminar" was born.   The camaraderie and positive reinforcement has been the focus of this very successful event.  The 11th Annual Women's Boating Seminar will be held on February 23, 2008 and promises to be the best event to date.  We have a great line up of dynamic professional women speakers offering a variety of topics to choose from. 

For additional information regarding this great event or to register on line click on "Women's Seminar" to the left of this page.  Gift certificates are available. 

November 30, 2007

Tis the season!  This weekend is the start of the "Lighted Boat Parades and Cruises.  The Argosy Christmas Ship offers rides from December 1st to the 23rd and sails to different Puget Sound waterfront communities.  A portion of all ticket sales benefit the Seattle Times fund for the needy.  For full schedule www.argosycruises.com

In checking for the "longest running boat parade" it appears that the Newport Beach Christmas Boat Parade takes the honors.  John Scarpa, an obscure Italian gondolier, and Joseph Beek, developer of Beacon Bay, the Balboa Ferry line established in 1907 the "Tournament of Lights" an event that continues today.

In 1907 Scarpa began the tradition of lighting boats by taking a group of visitors from Pasadena across the bay in a gondola decorated with Japanese lantersn.  One year later on July 4, 1908 the first lighted boat parade took place.  Scarpa, along with his fellow small boat operators, put together a loosely organized affair consisting of nine vessels.  The parade became a Christmas celebration in 1946 and today features as many as 150 boats and is the premier event of the holiday season in Southern California.

The most spectacular Seattle lighted boat event is hosted by Queen City Yacht Club and takes place December 7 starting at 6pm.  All boaters are welcome.  

Approx Schedule:

Friday December 7th.
Lake Union Gasworks Park (start)      6pm.
Webster Point                                        7pm.
Leshi Park                                              7:25pm
Meydenbauer Bay                                 8.20pm
Webster Point (end)                              9.00pm

Same schedule for Saturday December 8th with a couple of additional destinations added.

Years ago, at least 12 when I still lived in Texas and had a rather large Valiant 47 sitting on a lake we got involved with the local scout troup who was trying to start a sea scout program.  We volunteered our boat for the local Christmas light parade, bought all the lights, came up with a design and then let the scouts work on getting the boat decorated.  When we set out that evening with everyone on board for the parade we ended up taking first in sailboat and best dressed boat overall.  The "anchor covered in lights" trophy was pretty spectacular along with the $200 cash prize which we donated to the scouts.  The best part of the evening was seeing the pride in the faces of the scouts.  One young man from a really poor background who had a scouting scholarship said it was the first time he had won something in his life.  We were thankful for being part of the experience - it would not have been the same without the scouts.

November 28, 2007

Boater Education Law  Requirement Nears

Beginning January 1, 2008 boat operator's ages 12 to 20 years old will be required to carry a boater education card when operating a motorboat of 15 horsepower or greater on Washington's waterways.  The card requirement applies to boaters born on or after January 1, 1955, and will be phased in through 2014.  Boaters born before January 1, 1955 are exempt from this law.  To meet the new education requirements boaters can take a course in the classroom, online, or they can take the exam at home by purchasing the Adventures in Washington home study course.  Cards cost $10 and are good for a lifetime.

The best time to take a boating safety class is from fall through spring.  Boaters are encouraged to take a class as soon as possible, and not wiat until they are required by law to have the training.  Schedule for the new requirement:

2008:  12 to 20 years old
2009: 25 years and younger
2010: 30 years and younger
2011: 35 years and younger
2012: 40 years and younger
2013: 50 years and younger
2014: Card is required for any boater born on and or after Jan 1, 1955

www.parks.wa.gov/boating

November 2, 2007

I knew it had been awhile since I updated the site but had no idea just how long it actually was.   This has been a strange and very busy summer/fall and now it is almost Thanksgiving which is very hard to believe.

Recently I went to Annapolis for the big sailboat show.  The weather was spectacular for a boat show although very hot and humid especially since not all the boats were air conditioned, including the Tayana 48 deck salon that I was working.  This particular boat was commissioned for Mr. Ward an 81 year old who by now should be en-route to St. Martin in the Caribbean.  He had the boat rigged for single handed sailing which he often finds himself doing.  Mr. Ward swears that this is the last boat he is buying - what an inspiration! 

Even though I had packed my summer boat show wardrobe it was way too hot for what I had which forced me to go do some emergency shopping.  It reminded me of why I left Texas all those years ago - can't handle the heat.  Of all the boat shows I have attended I would have to say that the Annapolis show is by far my favorite.  Annapolis is such a beautiful historic town and sailors come from all over the world for this show.  I think it is great that they have separate boat shows for power and sail and most every "new boat model" is represented there.  The vendor tents host just about every type of boat related product available if you are looking to update your present boat.

At the end of the show on Monday at 6pm all the boats leave the harbor to make way for the power boats arriving the next day for set up.  The boat show crew dismantle docks and tow them out of the way for boat to leave.  If you have never been to Annapolis the Marriott Hotel is waterfront as well as the Pusser Pub and store.  The move out is a huge spectator event with drunken sailors lining the shore to cheer/jeer the boats as they leave and crew onboard the boats hamming it up for additional attention.

From Annapolis I headed to Norwalk, CT for a sea trial and survey for one of my clients on a Hylas 46.  By this time the weather had changed and it was drizzle and blowing around 18 kts which made me feel like I was home in Seattle although longing for the sunshine and warm weather.  The worst part of the experience was that I didn't have any foul weather gear with me and found myself scoping out gear in the marina store.  Fortunately the "listing broker" happened to have extra stuff in his trunk and I was able to make do without any additional purchases. 

It is always interesting doing a boat deal in new places and hoping that the surveyor(s) are going to be thorough and professional.  Due to some research and recommendations we did end up with a great surveyor although the cost per foot in Norwalk CT is $22 compared to Seattle which averages around $14 - a big difference and not for any additional service either.  The engine surveyor never did show up and finally the "listing broker" went looking for him and brought him back to do the survey.  The next day I drove looking for the engine surveyor to make sure he would send the report and bill to the right place.  That was the last we heard from him - no bill, no report!  Unfortunately this mechanic was the only game in town, supposedly good but very godly :).   The boat did survey satisfactorily and is already on its way to Seattle on a flatbed.

August 22, 2007

Looks like summer is returning just in time for the Perry Design rendezvous this weekend in Pt. Ludlow, WA.  It is always fun heading there and seeing various Perry boats sailing on the way to the event, a great opportunity to take pictures of other boats under sail.  Pt. Ludlow is a beautiful setting and has been home to the rendezvous for the past 10 years.  Many of the participants/boats return year after year until they sail into the horizon.   This is a great time to head south to California and beyond and the rendezvous has been the kick off for several cruisers in the past.  We have a Tayana 37 and Valiant 42 making this rendezvous their last stop.  Fortunately there are always new faces to fill the gap of our lucky friends who leave to go cruising. 

Guest speakers for seminars this year:

Bob Perry talks about his new "container boat" design the Flying Tiger.

Brion Toss -  "The Myth of the 10-year Fuse, The Sledge Hammer as a Cutting Tool, and other Stories" - A paranoia-inducing look at rig design, installation, and maintenance.

This promises to be a FUN weekend - hope to see you there!

August 10, 2007

This weekend is "Latitudes and Attitudes" cruiser party in Poulsbo, WA.  The event is open to all cruisers and should be a lot of fun considering the sponsor.  Might have head over on land to check it out since our half of the boat is out with our boat partner.   If any Perry design owners are heading to Poulsbo this weekend please spread the word about the upcoming Perry rendezvous August 24-26.

August 7, 2007

We are back from a great week out on "Annie" our Nordic 44 exploring new destinations in South Puget Sound.  Getting all the last minute stuff and then dropping off the dog with friends for the week took longer expected and it was 3:30pm before we managed to cast of the dock lines.  We did have a nice northerly breeze and started sailing south with Quarter Master harbor on Vashon as our destination.  By the time we got to West Seattle we decided to pick up a mooring buoy at Blake Island for the night and RELAX.  It was a good move because we were able to thing about all the things we forgot, really hard to imagine that we needed more stuff at that point.  Some of it was crucial like a pot big enough to cook the crab we would be catching so plan B was hatched.  We live in a condo south of Alki point so next morning we motored across and I jumped in the kayak and paddled ashore to retrieve the forgotten items while Paul hovered around.  

The breeze filled in and we were soon sailing/fishing with just the genoa - reason being is I could furl or unfurl as needed to maintain a good fishing speed.  Seemed to work really well and within half an hour Paul had a nice salmon on the line much to both of our surprise.  Next stop was Dockton in Quartermaster Harbor where we got to try our new windlass for the first time.  I dropped the crab pot at the entrance as we went it with a turkey leg and the salmon head as my bait.  It was a pretty spot, nice hiking park with a large natural Madrona forest and a spectacular view of Mt. Rainier once you got over the hill.  The windlass did its job, crab pot was full in the morning and life was good.  Interesting to note that the turkey leg was almost completely devoured and the salmon head still intact with the staring eye ball.   I had been highlighting new spots to visit in Wagoner Cruising Guide so only kept the two largest male crab and set the rest free just knowing that "the best" crabbing spot was yet to come and fresh is best.  Well we never did make it the the "best" spot, spent the next night in Longbranch harbor which was another beautiful spot.  On the way back to Seattle we decided to spend our last night at Pt. Madison and I had the crab pot ready to go with turkey leg bait as we approached.  When the depth got to 38' we hucked the pot overboard and watched it disappear.  I looked at the depth and we were in 75' with a 50' line and float at low tide.  Sad lesson learned on that experience, I really feel bad about all the trapped crab in the pot.

What I enjoyed about south sound was the fact that it wasn't crowded for this time of year.  There are some beautiful anchorages and it is not that far to get to compared with going to the San Juan islands.   We were fortunate to have some breeze and be able to sail quite a lot of the time which is always a bonus.

July 31, 2007

After 4 agonizing days of replacing the old windlass we are finally ready to take off today for our now less than week sailing vacation.  What initially looked like a quick swap out turned into a marathon - hey it is a boat project - due to the fact that the foot print was different.  The anchor locker on a Nordic 44 is small and the mounting area even smaller.  We had hoped to use the old chain hole however the aft bolts were ending up right at the bulkhead so no room for the crucial backing plate.  Fortunately there was enough room to move 1" forward although it did mean filling old holes and drilling new ones.  Worst time consuming issues were removing the old windlass that was mounted with 5200 to a board that was glued to the deck with copious amounts of 5200 glue.  Next the drill bit breaking off down in the one hole which was impossible to retrieve.  Finally realizing that the hole was too far aft and that the new board we had glued down to the deck would have to come up - in part to remove the drill bit.  Fortunately we managed to have it all prepped and ready for the "professional" yesterday morning and  because Paul had already done all the electrical were able to get the new one installed and running by the end of the day.  I have to mention how after we determined what we needed in backing plates that Ballard Sheet Metal came through and cut them from scrap aluminum while I waited.  When I asked how much I owed the reply was the guys would enjoy some beer for after their baseball game that night.   I love the barter system!

Our original 10 days out on the boat is now down to 5 days.  With the wind out of the north and the one of the biggest flood currents of the year this afternoon we have decided to head south with our "Gunkholing in South Puget Sound" book and do some exploring.  All that is left to do is to get the crab and fishing license, stop by Fisheries one more time and then head to the boat.

Here's to good sailing, beautiful anchorages, windlasses that work and fresh crab.

July 15, 2007

Thursday was disappointing as we were looking forward to a warm windy evening racing in the Seattle Downtown series.  It is not much fun drifting out of control in an unorganized race and we almost didn't go.  A teaser breeze did get us out of the slip and on our way to Elliot bay but by the time we had started the race it was dead calm and the only boats moving had tell tale engine exhaust spewing from their hulls.

Seems like once the record heat dissipated so did the thermals and all of the great wind we had last week.    Turned out to be a great opportunity for Paul to practice docking the new boat which has been my job so far in our rush to go places.  We practiced docking using a single spring line which works really great once you find the sweet spot for attaching it.  Having an aluminum toe rail really helps in the placement.  The last docking was perfect so it was time to stop before Paul got too confident and wanted a promotion from "anchor boy".  We are still without an electric windlass, waiting to find out if the old one can be fixed or if lots of boat units are in order.

July 10, 2007

Finally had the opportunity to spend some time out on the water.  We took off from Shilshole on Tuesday evening and headed for Poulsbo for the annual fireworks display.  There was wind and we were able to reach across to Pt. Madison, current cooperated making for a quick trip.  Friends of ours on another Nordic 44 were already anchored in Liberty bay and we rafted up for the night.  It is always fun to be rafted to a "sister ship" and be able to go back and forth comparing boats and getting improvement ideas.  The biggest issue discussed was the need to flake chain in the anchor locker when raising the anchor, didn't really figure out a good solution.

I did notice an bald eagle perched on top of a mast at Poulsbo Yacht club over the two days we were there.  Seems like it was the eagles favorite mast/perch in the whole area.  I had to wonder if the owners of the boat are aware of their bird who remained there for hours despite being bombed by sea gulls.  The antenna and mast head instruments have to be affected.

There was a huge exodus of boats the following morning and we had the bay practically to ourselves.  We decided to kick back and stay one more night and it was really great to just relax for a change.  Thursday when it came time to raise the anchor we were dismayed to find that our anchor windlass had crapped out.  Thank goodness for having "anchor boy" on board!  Unfortunately we were unable to find the manual lever searching in all the logical places.  Even a call to our boat partner (original owner) proved fruitless since he had never had to use it.  I guess it is good to know that you can still do things the old fashioned manual way cleaning off chain with a bucket of water.  I had forgotten my cell phone charger at home so decided it would be worth a run back to Shilshole and a quick shopping expedition to get another charger and hopefully find another manual lever for the windlass.  We were unsuccessful with the windlass piece which affected our trip planning to some extent.

Next stop was Blake Island and even though it was Thursday evening all the mooring buoys were full.  We decided to tie up to the rope tie for the night and then grabbed the first available mooring buoy in the morning.  Blake Island marine park is a wonderful place to spend a couple of days.  We have a small dog who likes to kayak, likes to be on the boat with us but loves to go for a hike and was really a happy dog on the Blake Island trails. 

Saturday we thought about sailing down Colvos passage to Quartermaster Harbor on the south side of Vashon island.  The wind was light and on the nose with adverse current so we  took the path of least resistance and sailed back to Shilshole.  It did give us the opportunity to fly our spinnaker with the new spinnaker sheets which worked great.

Enjoy this great weather and wind - what a wonderful area we have for sailing and exploring.  Living the good life!

June 11, 2007

The theme for Duck dodge on Lake Union Seattle tomorrow night is Nawlins Night.  Last week there were 70 boats out on the water for this fun event which would make for a lot of dodging.  For information on rules and starting times www.duckdodge.org.  Race starts around 7pm and if you don't have a boat Lake Union is small  enough that you can easily watch from shore.

Thursday night is the start of the Seattle downtown series which is another fun sailing event that takes place on Elliott Bay.  We are intending on taking "Annie" out and have been advised to do the "fast boats" start - fewer boats - more experienced racers.  Races start around 18:50 from in front of Elliott Bay Marina. www.elliottbaymarina.net/downtown_sailing_series.htm

Last but not least, this Saturday is SUMMER SOLSTICE PARADE in Fremont.  The parade starts at noon and is an experience not to be missed.  While this really has nothing to do with boating it signals the start of summer in the Northwest and enjoyed by a multitude of people with huge smiles on their faces.  It is my favorite annual "photographic event".

June 2, 2007

It has taken me a long time to get back into the swing of things after a great week of sailing and parties.  Swiftsure 2007 was the best sailing with winds in the 20's with gusts to 30 kts.  We entered the Rosedale Rocks race 17.3 nm and did extremely well considering it was our first race on the boat with all new crew, we finished 5th. 

Leading up to the event we headed out of Seattle on Tuesday and made it to Mackaye Harbor on Lopez for the first night.  Wind was light and it was mostly a day of motor sailing with a brief period of sailing across the straits.  On Wednesday we took a leisurely sail up the west side of San Juan Island with the hopes of seeing whales.  No whales, no wind and lots of current so we ended up having to motor once again to make forward headway to Garrison bay where we anchored for the night.  Some old friends from Texas now live on SJ Island and came over by dinghy with 50 shrimp they had caught that day for dinner on board.  It happened to be my birthday and turned out to be quite a celebration in the end.

In order to get a good spot in Victoria it is necessary to get to the harbor as early as possible on Thursday so we headed out early arriving in Victoria at around 11am.  We got a primo spot along side a dock and spent the afternoon enjoying watching boats come in and racers preparing boats for the big event.  Some other good friends of mine who live in Victoria and have been crew most every Swiftsure event had us over to their home for  another birthday celebration Thursday night.  It was a feast once again and a wonderful evening - I felt so blessed!  Friday we kicked back and enjoyed all the Victoria Harbor festivities and decided on having dinner onboard our boat "Annie".  We were well into happy hours and had the barbeque going with a huge hunk of meat and another 50 freshly caught shrimp when we saw the TV crew walking towards us announcing "there's Annie" and asked if we minded being interviewed.  We had been interviewed earlier as well which was puzzling until we realized that there was another boat named "Annie" much smaller with quite a race record.  Needless to say we were all in great form and it was quite the interview with a lot of filming.  The 11pm news was bleak with a lot of murders, deaths and then the caption "living the good life".  The footage was probably only a few minutes long but seemed to go on for hours, we had come back down to earth by that time and thankful that it was Victoria TV and not Seattle.  I have only had one client mention seeing me on the news so far.  Hopefully I came across as a yacht broker that actually loves to sail and race rather than a lush that likes to sit around and party.  It doesn't really matter because we had so much fun living the good life.

May 17, 2007

One of my favorite "upbeat" songs is by a Texas song writer Dana Cooper "Great day in the Morning".  It is the kind of song that puts life in perspective and makes you really appreciate being alive.  I keep the CD on the boat and can't think of a better way of starting my day than to listen to this song as I have my morning coffee.

Back to boats and coffee, I have been literally leaping out of bed this week at 5:30am to watch the America's Cup live on VETUS channel or 34 on Comcast.  The technology is simply amazing and makes watching sailboat racing  very exciting - even to a non racer, have polled one so far.   The start is the most exciting and important part of the race for me and with the great coverage I am there.  I also love to be able to see the data of wind speed at different locations of the course that is transmitted from the weather buoys, supposedly this information is not available to the racers.   After watching the first day I actually had a dream I was racing again which was cool.

We are actually heading out on our new partnership boat next Tuesday for the Swiftsure Race in Victoria BC.  We will be entering the Rosedale Rocks race which is more of a fun race and 17 miles long.  Swifsure is a huge event with around 200 boats competing in the various races starting in Victoria.  The key place to be prior to the boat is in the harbor in front of the Empress hotel.  Boats end up rafting out together and with all the flags flying it is quite a spectacle.  The energy, anticipation as people ready their boats and crew for the race is pretty amazing.  Crowds of people stream down to the docks to look at all the boats and are entertained by numerous street performers. 

Saturday morning  everyone streams out of the harbor for the start of the race and it is a sight to see all the boats hovering together waiting for their start.   The start is close enough to shore and a huge crowd usually forms to watch the start - quite the event and we will be there for the first time on "Annie".

May 14, 2007

On Saturday I went out sailing with a client who just purchased a Valiant 42 from me.  I had offered to spend some time helping him get more comfortable docking and maneuvering his new boat.  The wind was fairly light which was perfect for docking practice and then perfect conditions to get out the cruising spinnaker for the first time. 

The spinnaker on this particular boat is one of the most spectacular spinnaker designs that I have seen.  It was made by Pt. Townsend Sails and has two bald eagles soaring across the sun (or moon).  The artwork is all inlay rather than appliqué and very stunning. 

We sailed towards Seattle in time to watch some of the tug boat races taking place as part of the Seattle Maritime festival.  It is truly amazing to see the powerful surge when the big boys race.  It was a great day on the water.

Sunday morning we intended to apply the new name we had made for our boat.  The old lettering  had seen better days and made the boat look old.   It was breezy and cold and after getting everything out and ready to go we decided that there were just too many warnings on the application instructions about wind and temperature to warrant screwing it up.  I did run down to the boat this morning and got the name applied and boy does it look good.  I can't believe the difference new lettering made in the general appearance of the boat, it's hot! 

May 10, 2007

Now that boating season is officially started and the sun is shining once again there is a lot of outdoor activities going on this coming weekend.  Details are available on the site "Calendar".

Boater's Fair - Bainbridge Island

Swantown Swap Meet - Olympia

Seattle Maritime Festival - Seattle waterfront - includes the TUGBOAT RACES in the afternoon which are pretty interesting especially if you happen to be sailing past down town oblivious to this event.

Have a great weekend!

May 7, 2007

One ship drives east, another west on the self-same winds that blow.  'Tis the set of the sails and not the gales which decides the way to go.
Like the winds of the sea are the ways of "fate", as we voyage along through life.
"Tis the will of the soul that decides the goal & not the calm or the strife.

May 4, 2007

Tomorrow is opening day of boating in the Northwest which means summer is finally here.  There are several events taking place in the Seattle area and a great excuse to get out and enjoy the day.  I am thinking of heading down to the UW area and take some pictures of all the festivities of the opening day parade and rowing regatta.  Other local events are listed in the Calendar section - be sure to check them out.

Sunday will be our day to get the boat out of the slip and get some sailing in.  So far this season it has been all work and little play, time for a change!  We will be sailing Annie a Nordic 44 and hope to see you out there.

May 3, 2007

Finally made it down to New Orleans to visit my old Hobie crew and his wife and take in the first weekend of Jazz Fest.   The weather was spectacular low to mid 80's and sunny with a slight breeze to keep things cool.  I would highly recommend the event.  The line up of musical talent is unbelievable for the $35 daily admission fee.  There are 8 different stages with music from 11am to 7:30pm.  People come from all over and everyone seemed really friendly and out to have a good time.  We were fortunate to be with our local friends - that local knowledge comes in handy when scoping out the best place to camp out for the day.  There is such a variety of wonderful food to be bought at the festival that it would be impossible to try it all.  Had to double up on the Lipitor while we were there but boy was it worth it!

When I lived in Texas I would visit N.O. a couple of times a year for trade shows and was curious as to how things might have changed as a result of Katrina. 

After filling up on beignets and coffee we walked around the French Quarter and just happened to stumble upon a surprise retirement parade for one of the workers at a fancy hotel/restaurant.  He had worked there for 45 years and they had a jazz band, convertible, champagne and beads along with a huge crowd waiting for him on the street as he left a breakfast in his honor.   The parade was very spirited and I felt blessed to have arrived at that moment of time.  A great way to get into the spirit of things. 

Walking around in the tourist parts of town it was hard to notice any effects of Katrina.  It wasn't till later in the day when we drove out to see the "Free Clinic" that my friend volunteers at that the scope of the destruction set in.  The free clinic is comprises of pre-fabricated buildings and trailers in one of the hard hit areas.  Doctors from around the country volunteer and they see around 80 patients a day.  Most all of the homes in the area are still vacant due to the flood damage.  There are FEMA trailers scattered around in front of houses so that people can fix up their own homes.  It didn't appear like much was getting done which could be from a lack of money.  Some of these trailers looked like they were pretty permanent - up on blocks with grass growing up and around them.  Apparently FEMA has given notice that they are going to retrieve the trailers which could get ugly because it is all a lot of the people have to call home.  Many of the homes, even ones that people had moved back into, still have the neon painted signs on them saying when the homes were inspected and if any bodies were found.  It was easy to see how high the water level got from water stains on the exterior walls.  Shopping strips in most of these neighborhoods are sitting vacant with roofs blown off, windows broken and weeds and grass growing up through the pavement.

The biggest shocker to me was going to the marina on Lake Ponchetrain.  I couldn't believe the destruction and all the boats still piled up and sunk or half sunk just like it had happened yesterday.  Guess there are bigger priorities to take care care.  It was interesting that most of the deck hardware was still on the damaged boats.  I would have expected someone would have gone in and stripped the boats.  Fortunately my friends boat was on the North shore of the lake and somehow escaped with minimal damage, truly a miracle when I saw the photo of all the boats piled up around it.

April 9, 2007

Yesterday was just an amazing day to go sailing and so we did aboard a Nordic 44.  After spending a year looking for our next boat, Paul and I are entering into a partnership on a Nordic 44.   A boat partnership seems to make a lot of sense for people who don't have a lot of time to spend on their boat.  It is also nice to be able to share the monthly expenses which really can add up.  The owner of our new partnership boat has been dealing with some health issues and hasn't been able to use the boat as much as he normally does nor have the energy to maintain her.  Not wanting to sell the boat at this time the partnership will be a good thing.  We will be keeping the boat clean and in top shape ready to take out and enjoy.

Over the years I have run into people who have had successful partnerships and others who have negative tales to tell.  Our biggest concern came from knowing how to structure a partnership that would be fair to all parties.  Paul was able to find a book on the internet "Yachtsman's Legal Guide to Co-Ownership" by Dexter and Paula Odin. This is a great book and even has an agreement with an explanation for each of the 34 points of the agreement.  Dexter is a lawyer and sailor and does a great job of covering just about any situation you may run into with boat partnerships.  The book brought up a number of points that we hadn't considered and so far seems acceptable to  everyone concerned.

We did go ahead and have the boat surveyed so that we would be aware if there were any unknown major issues and to have a list of all maintenance items - our to-do list for the future.  Having a survey done also gave an unbiased surveyor's value of the boat to base the value/partnership on.    While the boat was out of the water for the survey we did the spring bottom paint and then to save money bought a fancy buffer to wax and buff the topsides.  I have to admit that waxing and buffing IS HARD WORK and the boat yards do not charge enough!  Our buffing job didn't look near as nice as the job being done by the professionals.  Let me rephrase that - the last half of the second side (last quarter) looked pretty damn good.  Just wish we could have started with that experience and improved from there...always next year.  At least we have started bonding with our new boat and the pride of ownership is beginning to show, she is looking good.

March 20, 2007

An evening with Bob Perry - Thursday April 26th 7:00pm

Bob Perry, one of the pre-eminent Yacht designers of our era, will be our featured guest and speaker in the Sherman Clay Pianos Recital Hall in downtown Bellevue.  Bob is generally credited with starting the "performance cruising" movement that introduced the concept of sailing speed to offshore cruising yachts and was one of the first 15 inductees into auspicious CRUISING HALL OF FAME.

Please join us for music, refreshments, and a very interesting and memorable evening with Bob.  We will also be displaying a fabulous collection of some of his custom caricature boat drawings he has drawn for friends and clients through the years.

Please RSVP to Sherman Clay at 425-454-0633 as space is limited to 65 people.  Plenty of free parking is available on the premises.  Address Sherman Clay Pianos, 1000 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004.

March 19, 2007

"Spring winds blew my list of things to do away" a great line in a great song by Greg Brown.

This does seem to be the time of year when days fly by.  Everything is growing at a rapid pace, finally color is back in our world after a long and dreary winter.   We will be surveying a Nordic 44 this Friday as the first step in a "boat partnership" and I can't wait for a summer of sailing.

Feb 16, 2007

This evening I was returning to Seattle onboard the ferry from Bainbridge and had the rare experience of seeing a pod of Orca's in Elliot Bay.  The ferry captain made an announcement and actually stopped the ferry for a few minutes for everyone to enjoy the spectacle.  What a treat.

When I first moved to Seattle in 1996 it seems that the bay was full of Dahl porpoises.  Every time we went sailing we would have porpoises come over to play in the bow wake.  Now days seeing them is rare and to have them actually come over to play hasn't happened in years - times are a changing.

February 26, 2007

This looks like a worthy cause to pass along......

I work with Salish Sea Expeditions as their Development Director.

Salish takes kids (grades 5-12) out on a 61' sailing research vessel, Carlyn, on the waters of Puget Sound. While the kids conduct science experiments (testing water quality) they also learn about sailing, the fragile beauty of our waters, and the importance of stewardship of our environment. More than 75% of our kids come from public schools and over 25% are students of color. We'd love to serve even more kids!

We're having a fund-raising auction at the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center, Pier 66, in Seattle, on Saturday, March 10th. Tickets are $75 per person and the event begins at 5:30pm.

Please let me know if you're interested in attending and sitting at my table I'd love to have you join us  - we'd love to show the community that women boaters support our mission. More information about Salish, the auction and the many wonderful silent and live auction items (over 100) can be found on our website: www.salish.org

Let me know if you'd like me to keep you up to date on our programs, I'll be happy to follow up.
Thanks,
May ((*_*))

May Leong
may@salish.org
cell: 206-910-2621
Salish Sea Expeditions
www.salish.org

 

February 22, 2007

The Women's boating seminar on the 17th was a great success with 120 women in attendance.  It was an outstanding event, and received rave reviews.  The event sponsors were extremely generous this year and as a result 1 in 4 women walked away with a door prize. 

A raffle was held for a GPS to help sponsor additional under privileged children in South Africa and as a result of this event 10 children's lives will be brightened. 

With the current rate of Aids and high unemployment in South Africa many children live a very bleak existence.  Imibala.com is an organization that sponsors children going to school.  $100 will buy uniforms, books, tuition for one year with 100% of the money donated going towards the child.  These children will be able to look forward to attending school for a year and a change of pace from their family situations.  If you are interested in this program please visit www.imibala.com there are many more children in need of sponsorship - you can make a difference.

February 14, 2007

The real Valentine was surely a swashbuckling sailor who had a passion for life and adventure.  Someone who loved nature and would not consider a gift of a thorny rose to prove their love on a certain day as was expected.  For the rest of you "Happy Valentines Day".

February 12, 2007

When I first moved to Seattle back in 1996 I joined the Seattle Women's Sailing Association which was 200+ members strong.  This unique organization at the time had been formed to help educate and encourage women to take the helm.  I would look forward to the monthly meetings, camaraderie and interesting speakers.  Over the years the organization has lost a lot of steam but is still plugging along thanks to the president Laura Dangle now in her 3rd year as president.   Meetings are now held on the 2nd Monday of the month - tonight - and the location is 6535 Seaview Ave NW, Seattle in the Condo meeting room.

A new and exciting group has been forming "Women Aboard" in the Northwest.  This group is for women members only, no offense to spouses or male friends.  I met some of the women spearheading the organization and they are very motivated and focused on education and fun. They will be meeting at 7pm on February 19 th at 2520 Westlake Ave N, Seattle 98109.  If you need more info contact vidor@nwlink.com.

Still time to register for the 10th Annual Women's Boating Seminar Saturday February 17th. Details and registration available on this site.

February 6, 2007

The Seattle Boat Show that ended on Saturday had the best weather ever and everyone seemed happy as a result of it.  It was great to dust off the sunglasses once I located them to cut down on squinting. 

Boat shows are a great time to get out and start thinking summer thoughts.  It is a time to catch up with friends who have been hunkered down the past three wet winter months.  A time to look at all the new boat models on the market and get some ideas for a new boat or ways to improve the one you already have.   My spot during the boat show was the new Tayana 48 Pilothouse that was the only sailboat on the dock.  Thank goodness for a tall mast, flags and persevering sailors - it could have been really lonely stuck among the large motor yachts.

The 10th Annual Women's Boating Seminar will be held on February 17, 2007.  This is a fun and educational event for women only and will be held at the North Seattle Community College.  Our sponsors have been extremely generous this year for the "10th Anniversary" and there will be a drawing for some great door prizes.  Details and registration form are available by clicking on Women's Seminar.  Hope to see you there!

January 19, 2007

Tired of the cold and rain?  A reminder that tonight the Puget Sound Cruising Club meets at the North Seattle Community College, 9600 College Way North, Seattle Room LB1141.  Guest speakers are Sonny and Margie Stolsig "Pirates, Ports and Passages aboard the SVHoptoad Circumnavigation 1997-2002.  Non members are welcome and a $3 donation helps cover the cost of the room.  Coffee and cookies served.

January 16, 2007

Sunday morning I had an early flight with a client to San Diego for a sea trial on a boat he is buying.  What a weekend to pick, first missing the Seahawks morning game while flying and then having the local broker and seller miss their Chargers playoff game in the afternoon.  I couldn't wait to go sailing in some warm sunny weather and it really didn't matter much that there was NO WIND that day nor the fact that San Diego was having record cold temperatures in over 30 years - it was only 58 degrees.  We could have stayed out all afternoon basking in the sun but being the considerate people we are after checking out the condition of the sails and drifting around for an hour called it day.  Unfortunately the Chargers met the same demise at the Seahawks, bad football day for all concerned.

There were quite a few boats out drifting on Sunday afternoon and a couple of heavily laden cruiser boats heading out of the harbor probably for destinations south.   I have a great job helping people find and purchase their dream boats.  Not everyone fulfills the dream however it is always an adventure trying and there are always new stories to tell and people to meet in the process.

Radio Usage

Channel 16 is Coast Guard Emergency and Hailing.  You are required to have your VHF radio on Channel 16 while underway.  Non emergency contact may be made to other boats on Channel 16 initially then you should go to a working frequency like channel 69.

Make sure the radio is turned on and set to the proper channel.

Press microphone button and speak directly into microphone.

(Name of vessel station you are calling three times) this is (vessel's name)

eg  "Windy Windy Windy this is Salish Sea".

Release microphone button.

You should not call the same station for more than 30 seconds at a time.  If you do not get a reply wait at least two minutes before calling again.

After 3 tries wait at least 30 minutes before calling again.

When you reach the other station go to a working channel and sent message.  If you expect an answer end your transmission with "Over" or "out".

January 4, 2007

I was out dropping of seminar brochures at various locations today and as a result came across some great deals at West Marine that I thought would be worth sharing.  They have some really good clearance markdowns on women's wear including Columbia brand.   I was in the hunt for new sailing shoes, which also just happened to be on sale.   Actually some of the Sperry Topsiders, ones with zippers are at an incredible price.  I had bought some a couple of years ago after a friend raved about hers and they did become my favorite shoes as well (still have and wear them in the summer time).   I am usually a two pair of shoe kind of gal, the brown Sperry Moccasin being the shoe choice for summer and my Dansko clogs being the waterproof winter shoes of choice.

My old Sperry's finally were so worn and leaky that in November I reluctantly dropped them in the trash and was pretty much down to the clogs, comfortable but not the best shoes for showing boats.  I was thrilled to find some new shoes by Sperry that look like clogs, waterproof with non marking Sperry topsider soles.  They are super comfortable as well as good looking.  My only regret in buying them is the fact that they are made in China and I have been really trying hard to refrain from buying "made in China" goods this year - it is a lot more difficult than I had hoped.

Next stop was Fisheries to visit with Karen Thorndike in the Sailing Center.  Fisheries has really expanded the sailing area and has some really great demonstration set ups for all sorts of things including windlasses, winches, travellers etc.  Everything is nicely laid out and easy to find and plenty of sales people around to help - quite the treat and worth the trip.

January 3, 2007

Happy 2007!

Now that the holidays are behind us, days getting longer, couple of spots of blue sky every once in awhile, summer seems just around the corner.

We caught the Coho ferry over to Victoria to celebrate New Years with Canadian friends and it felt so good to be out on the water again even if it was aboard a ship.  One of the highlights of the trip was meeting John who is a paraplegic sailor who is campaigning for the spot to represent Canada in the 2008 Para-Olympics in China.  John broke his neck in a diving accident 26 years ago and has been in a wheelchair ever since.  The son of athletes he has kept up a very active life regardless of his disability.  Some of his activities include Murderball (wheel chair rugby), fishing from his own boat and then his favorite - sailing.  John talked about how the only time he feels truly free and un encumbered is when he is out sailing his boat.  Regarding "Murderball" there is actually a very good documentary available through Netflix that I had rented in the past.

John's  goal for 2007 is to represent Canada in the Olympics.  Mine, after being inspired by John, is to get back to being a doer rather than observer - it is so much more fun!  If interested in following the campaign the website address is teamucan2.ca. 

December 18, 2006

The storm on Thursday night was by far the wildest weather that I have experienced.  It was an amazing sight to look at the water frothing on Puget Sound and feel the force of the wind pounding on our windows.   Our biggest excitement was the drain filter at the back of our condo unit couldn't handle the run off from the hillside and water was pouring out of it like a waterfall washing away everything in its path.  Being downstream of it was a little bit of a concern.  Fortunately by hacking a hole in the filter the water drained away and there was not major damage.  The power outage was kind of fun at first.  Everything was so dark and quiet after the big storm.  We had family visiting from Florida and it was kind of nice to be huddled around the fireplace with soft candle light sharing stories and experiences.  By Saturday the "fun meter" had pretty much been pegged, wishing for a nice hot shower, light, cell phone charger, internet connection, coffee grinder, heat, to name a few! 

The fact that we are so energy dependent is scary.  Life as we know it has really become quite complicated, a life of gadgets all seemingly made in China that we don't seem able to function without.  If ever there was a good reason for owning a boat and being self sufficient this is one of them.

For the rest of us - please turn the lights back on!

December 14, 2006

The barometer is perhaps the most useful tool in forecasting weather.  Some general rules to follow are:

Stable: stable weather
Rising slowly: good weather ahead
Falling slowly: wind, and a further, faster fall
Falling quickly: (more than one millibar per hour) stormy weather.

Using a thermometer  if you have a normal curve - rising in the morning, then falling again after noon expect good weather.

In the summer quickly rising temperature = good weather, quickly falling temperature = bad weather.

The winter is the opposite, quickly rising temp = bad weather, quickly falling temp = good weather.

Other useful observations:

Sunrise
Red: bad weather
Clear, but with a reddish touch: bad weather.
Red sky in morning sailors take warning!

Sunset
Red: good weather
Clear behind cumulus clouds: good weather
Bright yellow: wind
Pale yellow or green: rain
Red sky at night, sailors delight!

Now if you live in the land of rain and clouds and have forgotten what sun rise or sun set looks like it is good to utilize technology and be on top of weather forecast this time of year.  It is so sad to hear or read about loss of life due to weather related issues.  Seems like the news lately is full of stories of people being lost or stuck out in the weather with friends and relatives waiting anxiously for news of their recovery.

Tonight the prediction is for the biggest storm so far this season with gusts to 90 km in the Straits of Juan de Fuca.  Prevention is the best cure so have everything battened down ahead of it - should be a pretty wild night for live aboards.

December 7, 2006

I picked up a copy of Real Change this morning from the vendor who frequents the Ballard post office.  The paper usually has interesting articles in it as well as some good poetry actually written by the homeless community.  Aside from the paper I like the fact that the vendors who sell Real Change are not just looking for a free handout.  They have to pay 35 cents per issue and keep the rest of the dollar for their efforts.  Real Change is an alternative to panhandling and other ways that desperate people use to get cash.  I hope that when you pass the next vendor you might consider buying a copy.  If you are cleaning out closets making space for the new holiday goodies consider donating warm clothing or shoes and boots.  www.realchangenews.org.

December 6, 2006

The information regarding the Women's Boating Seminar has been updated to this site.  You can register on line using the secure Paypal payment method.  

November 30, 2006

Saturday, December 2 at 1 pm.
Sea Songs: A Free Holiday Concert
“Sea Songs,” celebrates in song and music the maritime traditions of cultures
living and working on and near the oceans. This family program is offered free
of charge to the Seattle public as a way of thanking them at year’s end for
their support of Town Hall and its programs. Featured in the concert will be:
the Canoe Family Singers from the Samish Nation; Ruze Dalmatinke/Vela Luka
Ensemble with songs and music from the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia; The Samoan
Men Singers - Ben Leiataua, conductor; Dangerous Dave Densmore, Alaskan fishing
boat captain and legendary fisher poet performing his epic saga of being lost at
sea after his boat burns and sinks; and a performance of traditional naval
bosun’s whistles. The program opens with Moe Bowstern’s whimsical and
bittersweet “Life Cycle of the Salmon,” a puppet show based on the tradition of
Indonesian shadow plays. 
Free, no tickets required. Reception follows.
 

November 10, 2006

Huge storms!  One of the things about living aboard is being totally in tune with nature.  There are degrees of rain quite audible as it hits the deck, degrees of wind speed as it whistles through the rigging and rocks or heels the boat, tidal fluctuations - always planning ahead on doing laundry or hauling things to or from the boat at high tide.  Living in Seattle where you can have up to 14' tidal range does make a huge difference to the dock ramp angle.

Times have changed and I now live in a condo overlooking Puget Sound.  With a little imagination it still feels like being on a boat as I watch the storms blow in and white caps build.  The rain hitting the windows is different from the sound of it hitting the deck, no more rocking and the angle of the stairs down to the road stays constant,  but I can imagine.

I read with interest this morning in the Seattle Times about the mother of all storms.  A colossal, swirling storm with a well-developed eye is churning at Saturn's south pole, the first time a truly hurricane like storm has been detected on a planet other than Earth. 

The storm on the giant, ringed planet is about 5,000 miles wide, measuring roughly two-thirds the diameter of Earth, with winds howling clockwise at 350 mph. 

This I can't imagine!

November 6, 2006

Tonight Karen Thorndike is the guest speaker at the Seattle Women's Sailing Assoc. meeting.  The meeting is being held at the Seattle Yacht Club outstation at Elliott Bay Marina.  Karen was the first American woman to solo circumnavigate.  The fact that she started out at age 50 is remarkable in itself.  She has received several awards for achievements as well as a certificate from the Guiness World Records.

October 24, 2006

Decks, decks, decks!

Deck issues have been getting my attention for several months now.  I sell a lot of brokerage cruising boats and lately no matter what kind of deck they have issues have come up.

It all started when Paul and I made an offer on a boat in Florida and when we did our initial inspection tapping out areas found to our dismay that there were several areas that appeared to have delamination.  Our initial thought was to walk away from the deal however we really loved the boat, had flown across country to survey it.  I decided to hire a surveyor to do an initial "deck evaluation" prior to a full survey.  Figured that if the deck checked out we would spring for the $$$ for the rest of the survey.  Our findings were right on and the surveyors moisture meter confirmed high moisture levels in those areas.  One thing that can be done in this instance to find out whether the core is rotten or just moist (not as bad and salvageable) is to drill a core sample from inside the boat in an area that won't be noticeable.  The owner of this particular boat did not want to give permission for this procedure and with some more looking around the surveyor determined that he thought the deck was synthetic coring rather than balsa.   The consensus for synthetic coring is that it can't ever rot however I have heard and read that if left untreated it can break down and cause delamination of the skin to the coring.  We did go ahead with a full survey and other issues coupled with the seller's refusal to even accept the surveyors findings made us walk from the deal. 

I did have the chance to get on board another very highly regarded cruising boat a couple of weeks ago that had teak decks that were totally shot.  The decks were probably the worst I have seen on a boat, extremely worn down to where the deck fittings were 1/2 inch higher than the deck in some places.  The caulking was all loose and flapped around like black worms on the deck.  The boat is 20 years old and to replace the teak decks would likely cost at least $30,000-40,000.  To remove the decks and finish with painted non-skid would probably be the best option for this boat in the $10-15,000 range.  It will be interesting to see how the actual deck has fared - it is synthetic coring - with the teak being in such bad condition.  The boat lived in the tropics for most of its life.

Another boat with deck issues is a 30 year old Tayana.  It has teak decks and the teak is in great shape, thick and not showing signs of wearing.  The caulking has pulled apart in places and down below there are signs of moisture leaks on the headliner.  I had some buyers for the boat and my recommendation was to have the deck surveyed before plonking down the $$$ for a full survey.  Turns out there were high moisture readings although the accessible  parts of the deck tapped out okay.  The surveyor did get permission from the owners to drill core samples and all three samples showed that while damp, the coring was still in good condition.  The fix for something like this is to first re-bed all the deck fittings, re-caulk the teak decks, drill holes in the deck (could be done from down below) and dry out the coring.  Once the moisture is at acceptable levels then the holes can be filled and epoxy squirted into the deck to fill any voids.

Just this last week some customers of mine were having a boat they were buying surveyed.  It was a rainy day and the surveyor decided to survey the deck as the very last thing, hoping for the rain to stop.  The boat had checked out well so far and excitement was building, plans for closing in the works.  Murphy's law was the surveyor found a fairly large area that tapped out "delamination" around the area of the windlass.  Everyone was really bummed by the news.  Fortunately the owner of the boat did not mind having a core sample taken and it did turn out to be good.  The new owners are faced with drying out the area and making necessary repairs.  Fortunately the problem was found before the coring had time to deteriorate, they bought the boat. 

Instead of purchasing our own boat we are now going to be partners in a Nordic 44.  This seems to make a lot of sense for now, sharing expenses and still being able to have a boat available to sail in the beautiful Northwest.  The Nordic's were all built with slight indentations throughout the deck and "treadmaster" a rubberized nonskid decking material, super glued to the deck.  The nonskid on all Nordics seems to deteriorate at a rapid rate after about 10 years.  I have been looking at various options for the nonskid on our boat and after looking at several Nordics and talking to owners that have dealt with the issue decided on removal of the old treadmaster and then painting.  We hired Jim Knapp to do the work and are really pleased with the outcome.  Once the old nonskid and glue were removed the areas were taped off and prepped. Jim applied several layers of paint with sand mixed in with it.  I was concerned that it would look odd with the indentation that is molded into the deck but it looks fine.  The deck looks really sharp and has changed the whole appearance of the boat.  Once we get a new dodger, sail cover, hull buffed and waxed she will look like a new boat!

It is so easy to prevent these kind of issues by re-bedding deck fittings on an annual basis.  I know that the times I have done it have resulted in a lot of effort and a big mess no matter how careful I am with the caulking material.  It is not something I do annually although after the "deck issues" of late I think I am going to be more inspired.

October 6, 2006

Anacortes is hosting their first annual "Fall Boat Show" this weekend at Cap Sante Marina.  The show goes from Friday through Monday and should offer both new and brokerage listings.  If you didn't make it to Annapolis this is a good local alternative.  I will be onboard the Tayana 48PH on Saturday and then off to visit old friends from Texas who now are San Juan island residents on Saturday night.  When I reflect back on the friends I have and how we met it is amazing to me how many are a result of my passion for sailing. 

What ever you do this weekend, make the most of it!

September 19, 2006

Ahoy Maties!  Today is "Talk Like a Pirate Day".  Dare I say any more!!!!  For all the scoop to to http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html

It was great logging on to Yahoo.com this morning and being reminded of  this special day.  "Talk like a Pirtate" was created by some local sailors and the way it is growing is likely to  be a national holiday in years to come.   I can see it now, shelves of pirate booty and a new line of Hallmark cards marking the occasion.  Have a great one.

September 11, 2006

Hard to believe that summer is almost over.  This has to be the best summer ever as far as weather goes.

The Seattle Boat's Afloat show will be going on Wednesday Sept 13-17 at Chandler's cove on Lake Union.  Hours are 11am - 6pm weekdays and 10am-6pm on the weekend.   I will be aboard the new Tayana 48 Pilothouse so stop by and say hello.

September 5, 2006

I can't remember a more perfect Labor day weekend in the Northwest, glorious weather and wind for the most part.

We drove to Gig Harbor on Saturday to check out the 2nd Annual Folk Festival that is held at a park right on the waterfront in the downtown  area.  The event was very laid back and a family friendly event.  The setting couldn't have been more picturesque and after a great lunch and a couple of beers at the Tides Tavern, we settled down to an afternoon and evening of some really great music by some of the countries most talented singer/songwriters.  The event was free and the only thing lacking was having a boat anchored out in the harbor for the weekend.  Will have to rectify that problem for next year.  This is definitely worth going to if you enjoy beautiful settings, great music, friendly people.

August 29, 2006

The Perry rendezvous was really an amazing weekend/event this year.  We headed out from Shilshole around noon on Friday and were sailing in 10kts of wind by the time we passed the green buoy off of Golden Gardens.  The breeze was out of the NW and we had a great sail all the way to Pt. Ludlow.  In the 10 years that I have been organizing this event it was the first time to sail all the way.  Thank you Ken and Carol!

This year we had 40 boats/owners in attendance.  Tom Larsen from Virginia Beach and Paul and Georgie Sage from Galveston, TX traveled the furthest for the event.  We had a lot of new faces and some designs that were new to the rendezvous including a new Tayana 48RS.  It is always fun to go aboard the various boats and see the various layouts and cool ideas that owners have come up with.  The most amazing workmanship was on the Tayana 37 "Ulalena" owned by Scott and Teri Hagen.  Scott has done some excellent wood work that was both functional and looked like the finest of furniture.  I especially liked the towel storage rack in the head.

Kurt and PL Mondloch were there aboard "Osprey" their Tatoosh 42 that they had circumnavigated on.  They gave a wonderful presentation Saturday morning and I have since really enjoyed reading their book "Flight of the Osprey".  Dr. Betsy Plotkin was our other guest speaker and gave lots of insight to the common malady of sea sickness and great tips and advice for dealing with it.  Betsy and Richard currently have their Valiant 32 in Mexico awaiting their arrival for the next season of cruising.

Bob Perry and the band (the old band that everyone missed last year) were back in synch and everyone had a great time dancing and enjoying the music. 

The general consensus was that this was the best rendezvous to date - great weather, friends, food, music, boats.........

August 24, 2006

August 17, 2006

Still boatless however now considering a great opportunity in a boat partnership.  The Florida boat was one we really envisioned owning and it has been a roller coaster ride of emotions coming to the decision to pass on the boat.   One valuable lesson I have learned is to go with my intuition and not to force things to happen.  Under the circumstances will never know if I did make the right decision but at least will not be regretting that I should have heeded the warning signal.

Perry Design rendezvous starts tomorrow and it is promising to be a great weekend with lots of boats and owners.  We have several out of state owners visiting this year with some interesting seminars planned.  I will be sailing up on Whisper a Valiant 42 that my good friends Ken and Carol let me use for the weekend since family commitments have them on the east coast.    Weather is going to be spectacular so should be the best gathering to date.

August 8, 2006

Have been having a crazy notion that it is time to buy another boat.  So much for the "lets wait a year before getting another one".   We just got back from a trip to Florida to check out a couple of boats, found one that we liked a lot and now it is a matter of waiting to see how the survey checks out.  This will be the third time I have shipped a boat across country so I am surprised at how much I dread making all the arrangements.  I guess the more experience you have at doing things the more you know what is involved in making it happen and what could possibly go wrong. 

Some of the problems related to buying in Florida is getting insurance especially in the middle of hurricane season.  The best option is to close on the deal with the boat sitting on the truck ready to roll.  Hard to find a seller that is that trusting though so looks like an insurance rider is going to be required. 

We bought a Young Sun 35 in St. Augustine, FL.  Our route took us down the intercoastal waterway to West Palm Beach and then to cruise to the Bahamas with the intention of sailing the boat to Galveston, TX, this was during July/August period.  In order to save time which was running short we unstepped the mast and started out across the Okeechobie waterway.  Fortunately we had mechanical problems right off the bat and had to truck the boat from Stuart, FL instead.  The boat left on Thursday afternoon onboard a truck.  Hurricane Andrew hit on Saturday, yes we were lucky on that one. 

                                                                                                            July 11, 2006

When we moved to the Northwest in 1996 we had our Valiant 47 then named "Tokolosh" trucked to Seattle from Texas.  We lived aboard at Shilshole for 5 years and the very first people who we met were fellow Valiant owners who came down the dock to welcome us.  It was amazing to me how many Valiant's were moored at  Shilshole Marina and thought it would be fun to have a raft up and meet some of the other owners.  Our first raft up consisted of 7 boats and was a lot of fun.  It was nice to be able to get on board the various boats and find out what owners had done to upgrade their boats and get some good ideas.  A bonus was making new friends in the area.  I had decided on a new career when we moved to Seattle and became a Yacht broker.  The company I was working for became the Saga dealer for the Northwest.  The Saga 43 was Bob Perry's newest design and I decided it would be fun to have an annual Perry design rendezvous instead so that more people would attend.  The event has turned out to be a lot of fun each year and one I enjoy organizing.  

Bob Perry has designed most of the best offshore cruising boats (a little biased here) and every year we say goodbye to some of our regular attendees/friends as they take off cruising.  This is the reason we love to see new boats/faces at the rendezvous so if you happen to stumble upon this website and own a Perry design or know some one else who does - hope to see you there!

July 10, 2006

I was talking to a customer who happens to be good friends of friends of mine who are out cruising.  She told me about a scary situation she just had while helping on a passage from California to Hawaii aboard a Spencer 35 "Onrust".  Apparently the owners in their excitement to get going only filled up the one water tank.  Fortunately the Coast Guard came to the rescue and truly saved the day.  They were in 35 kt winds at the time with 10 ft seas so retrieval of the water was an experience in itself.  The Coasties were extremely nice and even though it was human error did not charge for their services.  Running out of water is not one of the life threatening problems one would think of on a passage. 

"Onrust" used to belong to some other friends of mine who had cruised the boat to Mexico.  Guess the nice thing about not changing the name of a boat when you buy it is tracking its history.  Seems like when we were cruising the Bahama's in the early 1990's it was much easier to remember and recognize boat names at the various anchorages.  It is a small world out there in the boating community. 

The crew of two women and a man on the 35-foot Onrust radioed at about 3 p.m. Wednesday that only one gallon of water was left on board with an expected sailing time of five days before they arrived in Hilo, Coast Guard Petty Officer Michael De Nyse said yesterday.

There was no information on where the Onrust began its voyage.

The Coast Guard checked but found no ship in the area that could go to the aid of the sailboat.

The Coast Guard maintained a schedule of contacting the ship every four hours during the night and then dispatched a C-130 Hercules from Barbers Point yesterday morning.

After a two-hour flight, the plane arrived on scene at about 9:30 a.m., De Nyse said, adding that a flare producing white smoke was dropped as a marker to guide the plane.

The plane dropped a desalination pump, which uses reverse osmosis to turn sea water into fresh water, plus 20 gallons of fresh water, but there was difficulty with the parachute during that drop, De Nyse said.

A second pump and water package was then dropped.

June 30, 2006

Wow, summer made it!  Looks like an awesome time to take the boat out and celebrate 4th of July in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.   Some of the best fireworks viewing points are from the water.  Poulsbo has a spectacular fireworks display on the 3rd of July.   The Lake Union fireworks show is on the 4th.  Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor will be having their celebration on the 4th.  Wherever you plan on going get there early in order to ensure a spot to anchor.  I often wonder at events like these "where did all these boats come from".

Whidbey Island Race Week "Adult Summer Camp" is July 16-21 in Oak Harbor.  This is another FUN event for anyone interested in racing or just having a lot of fun.  If you do not have a ride on a boat it is fairly easy to show up and get on a boat.  www.whidbey.net/raceweek.

Happy 4th!

June 13, 2006

A friend sent me the following link http://www.pacificfog.net/SailingAnarchy/06-05-28/CatSass.swf  which shows great photo clips of Cat Sass pitch poling during the Swifsure race.  The way the sequence stops suddenly and then picks up again with the boat completely capsized one can only assume that the photographer put down the camera when they rushed over to assist.  It did have a good ending with all the crew safely rescued from the incident.  I have not heard if the boat was ever salvaged but imagine that it was.

As the annual fun events take place it seems like summer is getting away from us already.  Swiftsure usually is the start of summer as far as I am concerned.  My next favorite annual event is the "Summer Solstice Festival" in Fremont, (Seattle neighborhood) which kicks off with a parade like no other this coming Saturday.  The festival is of pagan origin although most everyone who attends is there for a really good time and perhaps the largest gathering of happy people to be found.  The negative with summer solstice which actually takes place on June 22 is that our days will start getting shorter a sign that the dreaded winter is once again sooner rather than later.  Guess that is the wake up call to get out and enjoy what we have while we have it!

June 2, 2006

The race is over and it is time to get back into the work groove.  This year was actually a great Swiftsure due to the fact that there was actually wind at the start and everyone made it across the start line in a timely fashion.  In past years the adverse current and light wind at the start has proven too much for a lot of boats who have had to resort to anchoring in order not to be swept back too far from the line.  We were excited to be doing the "short race" and figured on being back in Victoria within 4 hours.  Unfortunately by the time we got out to Race Rocks the current was streaming at a rate of at least 3 kts and it was near impossible to get out and round the cautionary buoy in the middle of the shipping lane.  We did persevere and after three attempts made it around by over standing the buoy by 1/4 of a mile.  I would not have believed it if I hadn't been there.  There were several boats that just gave up and returned to Victoria without rounding.

The only real drama was a catamaran "Cat Sass" that pitch poled at Race Rocks early Sunday morning.  Fortunately all crew members were rescued safely.  Not sure what happened to the boat, last I heard it was drifting along at 3 kts on the way out of the Straits of Juan de Fuca. Apparently the transponder on the boat recorded that they were doing 24 kts when they flipped.  I am sure there were good stories to be told by the crew on that experience.   For more info on the event www.swiftsure.org.   Having done a lot of Hobie catamaran sailing in my day I can truly appreciate what they went through.  The good thing about Hobie's is that they can be righted by the crew.  Larger multi-hulls unfortunately have to be salvaged to be righted.  Race rocks in notorious for steep chop caused by wind against current.  During the Van Isle 360 regatta a trimaran flipped in almost the same spot as Cat Sass. 

The Catamaran I was on is pictured in the photo above "Fast Company":  We were sailing in style, fast and flat and all agreed that it was the most comfortable Swiftsure event to date.  By comparison the other multihulls were shells and for the most part the crew had nowhere to go to get out of the weather.  Action sailing and not for wimps.

May 25, 2006

This weekend is the annual Swiftsure Race out of Victoria BC.  I am sitting in Victoria Harbor aboard the Atlantic 42 Catamaran "Fast Company" watching the racers arrive.   Back in 1996, shortly after my arrival in Seattle, one of my clients who had bought a boat from me mentioned the Swiftsure race and said it was an amazing event.  He had always participated in the "Sookesure" race which was a race started by some renegade sailors who had entered Swifsure and then due to super adverse conditions ducked into Sooke Harbor.  They had a great party at Sooke and the following morning when they pulled out rested to return to Victoria found themselves in the midst of the fleet that had been brutally bashed all night and were on their last leg back to Victoria.  As a result the Sooke Classic was born and for many years became so popular that it was by invitation due to the facility limitations at Sooke.  Sounded like a great event for non "racing" boats and perfect for our live-aboard/cruising situation.  Ten years later I still look forward to this event however this year instead of Sookesure the race has been taken over by the Royal Victoria Yacht Club and is now a race to Rosedale Rock and back.   There are 4 different length races, the longest is to the Swiftsure Bank which is 125 miles long.  The race attracts anything from 70' sleds to small 27' boats - everyone with the same goal in mind TO WIN!

Boats will continue to arrive in the harbor today and tomorrow and raft up in front of the Empress hotel.  Flags will be flying, sailors doing last minute inspections on rig and sails, as the anticipation of the big race builds.  I think the reason I love being here is the festivities, all the buzz, press, tourists on the docks, street performers, the whole Swiftsure experience.

May 16, 2006

Summer is finally here.  This is what makes the dreary Seattle winters all worthwhile.  I do envy friends who are out cruising down in Mexico and beyond during the winter and then back in the Northwest for the summertime.  That would be the best of both worlds for sure.

Duck Dodge kicks off for the summer season this evening on Lake Union.  Should be a huge turnout with the great weather and good breeze.  I have many fond memories of the summer of 1996 when we had bought a Lancer 29 to teach sailing on.  I would take "Camelot" through the locks every Tuesday afternoon and then meet friends after work to race (?) Duck Dodge.  Duck Dodge is more an event than a serious race.  There are a couple of starts, no handicap, probably more drinking than there should be - but what fun and also a great excuse to go sailing and enjoy the beautiful Seattle skyline.  Lake Union is challenging because of the wind funneling and curving between buildings.  It does require constant attention to sail trim in addition to dodging sometimes up to 80 boats on a very small body of water.  The amazing thing is that there are seldom any serious collisions and for the most part the sailors are all very cordial.

I sold "Camelot" at the end of the season to a woman who was buying a boat for her 70 year old mother who had loved sailing in her youth.  What a great gift although I would have loved to have been there when she walked her mom down the dock for the first time to show her "the surprise".  Her mom had no idea about the purchase and I never did hear back from her daughter.  I never did see the boat for sale again so hopefully mom is still out there sailing.

May 5, 2006

Yesterday I picked up the Seattle Weekly and had to marvel at the beautiful cover photo of a local racing boat and the headline RUM & BROKE.  The related article was a good read directed at the non sailing public with quotes from some of our hot local sailors and famous boat designer Mr. Bob Perry.   The article is available on line at http://seattleweekly.com/news/0618/sailing.php. 

The Seattle rain is supposed to hold off until Saturday evening so have a great opening day.

May 4, 2006

A reminder that this Saturday is opening day - the start of summer boating.   The well known event is the parade through the Montlake cut over by University of Washington, Seattle.  This is preceded by the Windemere Cup - rowing races.  Usually a huge spectator party especially if you are lucky enough to be on one of the boats lined up in the cut.

The annual "Tug Boat Races" (less known but equally or perhaps more fun to watch) will be taking place in Elliott Bay, Seattle close to the waterfront for easy shore side viewing.  It is really a different kind of event and worth checking out.   We took our boat out one year to watch from the water and were amazed at the amount of turbulence that was kicked up during the races.  It seemed like the whole bay changed color to a light green foam, looked and felt very much like being in the middle of a huge washing machine.  If you think sail boat races are hardcore wait until you see the competitive spirit of the tug boat captains.

This has been a week of amazing sailing weather, sunshine and wind!  Hope you have been able to get out and enjoy it.    There is a chance of rain again over the weekend, wish there was a way to shift weather patterns over a couple of days.

April 27, 2006

Traveling to other countries requires permits - ever wonder what is needed for foreign boats to visit the USA?

April 26, 2006

More and more people seem to be getting their Coast guard captains license.  There are several benefits to getting your license.  It can get you up to 10% discount on your boat insurance.  If you want to teach boating it is required by the coast guard.  Cruisers will gain more respect from local officials.   Last but not least you will learn what you really need to know for safe boat handling and navigation.  The test is broken down into several categories with different percentage pass rates for each category.  The most extensive section with a 90% pass rate requirement is Rules of the Road which include light and sound signals.

RULES OF THE ROAD - TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

1)  At night you see a red light over a white light.  What could it be?

      a)  Pilot vessel not making way.
      b) Fishing vessel at anchor.
      c) Vessel restricted in ability to maneuver.
      d) Vessel aground.

2)  While underway at night you see a vessel displaying two red lights in a vertical line.

      a) Vessel aground.
      b)  Stationary dredge.
      c)  Not under command.
      d) Restricted maneuverability.

3)  Sailboats are required to show at night.

      a)  One all round white light only.
      b)  A stern light only.
      c)  Red and green side lights only.
      d)  Red and green side lights and a stern light.

Answers:  1(b); 2(C); 3(D)

April 25, 2006

Time for some spring cleaning and I came across a pile of Practical Sailor magazines dating back to 1996.  The find was worth taking a break for and my thought was the information would be really outdated and fun to read.  The Garmin 45 was rated the top handheld GPS in September 1996, average cost just under $300.00.  The larger size GPS the Lowrance GlobalMap's selling price was around $689.   Technology has improved greatly and  a new GPS costing around $300.00 will likely have more to offer than the old Lowrance at double the price. 

What is surprising is that ten years isn't that long a period of time and most of the equipment reviewed is still found and working on most of the boats I go on.  Do I want to keep these old magazines until they are "antiques" and an interesting read - probably not.

April 21, 2006

Reminder that tonight is the Puget Sound Cruising Club monthly meeting.  This takes place at North Seattle Community College, room LB1141.  Great guest speakers/presentations each meeting and no membership required. 

Should be a great weekend for getting the boat out.  I will be joining some friends aboard their 42' Catamaran in the San Juans and am really looking forward to being out on the water.  This particular catamaran is an Atlantic 42, Chris White design that was built in South Africa.  A Texan bought it new and sailed to the South Pacific and then to Vancouver where it was sold to the present owners.   The favorite part of my job as a yacht broker (it is definitely not for money) is getting to go sailing on all the different types of boats and the people I meet as a result of it.  Having spent 20 something years racing Hobie Cats it is fun for me to experience sailing large catamarans.   Hopefully there will be wind this weekend and we will get some good sailing in!

FIRE ABOARD>>>

Most fires aboard are caused by human error.  Smoking is probably the number one cause (good thing most people don't).  Sloppy housekeeping and poor ventilation are other causes so keep your boat clean and make sure areas below deck are well ventilated.

Spontaneous Combustion - occurs when a burnable material starts to react chemically with the oxygen in the air.  If the area is not ventilated the heat builds up till there is enough to cause ignition.  This can happen with oily rags, wet or oily metal shavings, wood in prolonged contact with a steam pipe.  The pipe might not be hot enough to ignite the wood, however the heat may be enough to change the wood into charcoal which ignites at a lower temperature.

Electrical - tools, motors and equipment are a source of heat or sparks.  Wiring on hand tools and drop lights should be checked for cracks and bare spots in the insulation and should be properly grounded.

There are different classes of fire and listed below are the best extinguishing agents:

Class A - wood, paper, other solid combustible materials (A for "Ash")
            Extinguishing Agent  Water, foam, some dry chemicals.

Class B - oil, gasoline, other liquid combustible materials (B for "boiling liquids")
            Use foam, CO2, dry chemical

Class C - electric motors, fuse boxes, circuits etc. (C for "current")
           CO2, dry chemical

Class D - metals     use dry powder - not dry chemical.

HAVE YOU CHECKED YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS LATELY???
 

April 19, 2006

People who spend time on the ocean know that you need more than the waves as a background rhythm. So no saltwater rat casts off without checking the CD case to make sure the tunes are in place. And those who have sailed in different parts of the world, and tied up in strange harbours, know that no matter where you heave to, the songs you hear drifting across from the boats around you will mostly be the same ones you’ll hear in every yacht harbor of the world.  That’s because there’s a Top 40 that landlubbers never hear. There’s no Van Halen, Bon Jovi, Josh Groban, or Shania Twain in it… nothing that will shred the sails. Just easy shuffling tunes that feel good to sing, and sound even better with a bottle of Jose Cuervo standing in a bucket of ice and surrounded by limes. Salt..? ..just dangle a finger over the side.

This is the music culture where Jimmy Buffett is king. Which is only right when you consider that Jimmy was smart enough to settle in Key West a couple of centuries ago, and his positioning as a wicked pirate in a driftwood cabin on the beach was perfect.  Arr-harrr all you cute college girls down for a quickie summer romance, which fades even quicker than your tan does.

So Jimmy’s the banker in your on-board CD setup. Not far behind is James Taylor, because his songs lope along like a dawn stroll on an empty beach, and after a bunch of Buds, his choruses make you feel that 5-part harmonies are noooo problem. After James, the floor is wide open. Cat Stevens has the necessary hippie edge that goes well with Levi cutoffs and rope-soled sandals. Stir in a little Bob Marley for really laid-back times…all together now! …excuse me while I light this spliff…
After this, it’s down to personal taste, and little musical gems you’ve discovered over the years that somehow got lost in the great tidal wave of crap they call popular music today.

For stormy seas, when your only mainsail has just shredded like a Britney Spears outfit, how about We Gotta Get Out of This Place by the Animals..? Hey…it’s your boat…set it up the way you like it…
And may I modestly recommend a CD called Sail Me Away, which is nothing but beach-and-ocean songs. You’ll find it on the website of a pretty good songwriter. Take a look at www.billdollarmusic.com…

Submitted by a friend and extremely talented writer and songwriter....be sure to check out this site for good music, it is guaranteed to put a big smile on your face.

April 14, 2006

What a week of electronic disasters it has been!  First of all liquid was accidentally spilled on my laptop keyboard.  The lesson I learned is to immediately turn the computer (electronics) off and remove the battery.  This will prevent the motherboard from shorting out along with a host of other problems.  I tried to shake the liquid out and dry it upside over night.  It turned on fine the next morning for a couple of seconds and it was downhill from there - not the smart thing to do.  End result was not only expensive in getting the laptop repaired but super frustrating finding out how much I depend on a computer and internet communication.  My life seems to be captured on a hard drive which fortunately was salvageable.  I swear I was going to do all those backups the next day :). 

A computer is like the closet full of "stuff".  It is buried and some of it has been in there so long you forget what you have until you need it.  I guess the positive slant on the experience is that I did get rid of a lot of "stuff" during the process, will consider it spring cleaning and move on from here.

The other electronic breakdown was my cell phone.  It went completely dead within 24 hours of the computer so a total communication breakdown for a short period.  It really surprised me as to how much I depend on my land electronics and how I had to scramble to get it all back.  Fortunately being land based there were alternatives, and although an inconvenience not life threatening. 

Boat electronics are another matter.   They are so integrated and easy to use and with the prices coming down seems like most boats rely on them.  Hopefully we will not forget the paper charts, how to plot our course and figure out where we are.  It can happen and likely will at some point - so be prepared.

April 13, 2006

There are several different types of fog.  It is formed when moist air near the surface is chilled to the dew point causing the water vapor to condense into tiny droplets. 

Radiation Fog - also known as "ground fog" forms in calm weather when moist air near a cold surface stays in place long enough to be chilled to the dew point.  Seen over land or still inland waters and almost never occurs at sea.  It diminishes as the sun warms the air and it absorbs the moisture.

Advection Fog - forms when warm moist air flows in over a cold surface and is also called "coastal" fog.

Frost Smoke or Arctic Sea Smoke - when very cold air moves over warmer water the water seems to "steam".

Rain Fog - caused by cold rain falling through warm air.

We in the Northwest can experience lots of fog as a result of various conditions.  Radar is by far the most important piece of electronic equipment you can have on your boat to safely navigate in any kind of reduced visibility.  If you are interested in learning how to really benefit from having radar on board, Pacific Maritime Institute is offering a comprehensive 2 day class April 29-30.    Instructor John Kessler will cover radar fundamentals, operation and use, proper tuning, information analysis and interpretation.  The class includes practical use of radar simulators.  Cost is $250 per person and includes course materials, refreshments and lunch.  For more details or to register call 206-441-2880 or go to www.mates.org

March 27, 2006

They say the two happiest days of a sailors life are the day they buy their boat and then the day that they sell it.  For me the happiest day has always been the day I bought the boat.  The excitement and anticipation of great sailing days to come, the disbelief of actually having your own boat "pinch me". 

I have sold four boats I have owned in the past, the latest this past weekend and I can honestly say that on each occasion I have felt a sadness like parting with a friend.  I guess it is the fond memories of trips and adventures, the lost freedom of being able take off sailing when ever I desired.  It is hard to know how long I will be able to remain boatless and guess it will depend on how much sailing I manage to get in on other peoples boats.  If you are looking for crew be sure to let me know :).

March 16, 2006

As hard as it might be to believe, spring is just around the corner.  It is time to start getting your boat into shape for a summer of problem free boating.  Here is a list of some engine-related projects that should ensure a smooth and happy engine all season long.

1.  Change the "other" oil.  We all know that engine oil should be changed regularly, along with the oil filter.  Don't forget the other oil, transmission oil - check levels and replace if you haven't done so in years.

2.  Clean and check engine for signs of oil or water leaks. 

3.  Check coolant level, antifreeze/coolant actual wears out - you might want to drain some of it and add fresh.

4.  Top off batteries, clean terminals.

5.  Inspect hoses for cracks, chafe.

6.  Check hose clamps are tight.

7.  Inspect belts for cracks, correct tension.

Go sailing!

March 2, 2006

Just got back from a quick 2 week visit to my homeland South Africa.  The above photo is taken near Knysna, which is along the Garden Route about half way between Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.  The South African coast line is really spectacular with endless beautiful beaches and changing scenery. 

The country has gone through so many changes and seems to be holding its own in many respects.  There is a lot of unemployment particularly among the black and colored people, aids is rife and large squatter camps scatter the towns.  Compared to the rest of Africa life in South Africa is still much better and the hope of opportunity abounds.  This accounts for the flow of illegal immigrants from neighboring African countries which compounds the problem.

On a positive note, one of the highlights of my trip was visiting a project that my sister and her husband have helped orchestrate.  This is an extract from the Cape Times Monday Feb 20, 2006.

Volunteers transform vacant old-age home into campus of earth sciences university Cida's Eden.

Scores of people spent the weekend transforming an empty old-age home here into a campus for an earth sciences university offering low-cost, high-quality degrees.  Cida's Eden - a satellite of the Johannesburg campus for the Community and Individual Development Association (CIDA) University- opens it doors to its first 64 students today. 

They are to sign up for a foundation year that is to be followed b business administration degrees in eco-tourism, eco-agriculture and eco-construction.  Volunteers and students at Cida's Eden were scraping paint off window sills, replacing broken pains of glass, and emptying a fountain that last worked 15 years ago. 

"They are angels, all of them - they have come and helped for free" said the project's initiator, Steve Carver, a farmer and entrepreneur here who had worked closely with the founders of Cida.  "So many people thought this would never happen".

It is 15 months since Carver put his bold concept for an earth sciences university here to the Knysna town council.  The Cida Eden Charitable Trust was awarded 99 year leaseholds on the muncipality's buildings and land in this village which is surrounded by farmland and the Outeniqua Mountains.

The village was a textbook example of apartheid town planning a 123 house Welfare Town which was established for white forestry workers in the 1940s after the forests had been declared state property.  A safe distance away, a 53 house Forest Town was later built for black and colored employees of the Department of Forestry.

Last weekend, people from the two areas were cleaning up the spacious, gabled former old age home.  We visited the campus on Monday to help with some of the work.   The building has been vacant for 15 years and needs paint, furniture, equipment (just about everything).  The main focus was getting the place cleaned up, the kitchen ready to start preparing food for the students, dormitories ready for sleeping.  The students of Cida actually run their own university, do all their own cleaning, cooking etc in groups which is actually training in management and work skills.   It is totally non-profit and free to students who have achieved their high school diploma and do not have funds to continue their education.  These students will have the skills to start their own businesses once they graduate and be able to employ others and "pay it forward".

I was invited to sit in on a morning meditation session for students prior to their breaking into work groups.  Later a group of 15 new students arrived in a bus (large van) and were given a big welcome and sang an inspirational song together.   The energy and excitement is impossible to describe.  I did come away from there totally inspired and thrilled to have been able to experience the start of something so great.  I wished that I could continue to be part Cida and realize that I can by raising awareness to this wonderful project.  For more information about the Cida program there are several articles available by doing a Google search on Cida Johannesburg.

February 6, 2006

The 9th Annual Women's Seminar was a big success with 80 women in attendance.  Seems like the general consensus was that the change to 3 hour classes was preferred by most.  The new venue for this year was at Pacific Maritime Institute which meant smaller groups/classrooms in a great facility.  Attendees were treated to a tour of PMI's state-of-the-art full bridge deck simulator, a boaters equivalent of Disney World, definitely one of the highlights of the day. 

Unfortunately due to the weather 14 of the registered women were unable to get to the venue as a result of downed trees, power failures, bridge closures and ferry cancellations.  Seminar packages with all the course notes will be mailed to these individuals and they will be offered a discount for future seminars.

Pacific Maritime Institute has some really good weekend classes scheduled.

First Aid/Survival at Sea - February 11-12 
Navigation-Coastal Piloting - February 18-19
Marine Weather Workshop - March 4-5
Captain's License to 100 ton - March 6-18
Radar - April ?

All recreational classes are from 8:30am-5:00pm.  These classes are taught by professional instructors and are hands on.  Cost is $250 per person with the exception of the Captain's License class $1200 for 12 days.  Call 206-441-2880 to register.  More details available by clicking on Boating education to the left of this message. 

February 2, 2006

A major storm is hitting the Northwest on Saturday Feb 4, very high winds are expected so be sure to make sure your boats are properly secured.  Tuesday night we had wind gusts up to 57 MPH in Seattle which seemed like the strongest gusts I could remember.  The forecast for Saturday is gusts up to 75 MPH which could result in a lot of downed trees and power lines especially since the ground is so saturated.  For up to date weather click on WEATHER to left of this message or go to www.weather.org.

January 27 2006

Update from Karen and Roger who are cruising in Mexico aboard their Norseman 447 "Meridien" for the second year now.  Cruisers are banding together to try and give back to the locals and need your help to really make a difference.  It seems like there is a lot of Northwest influence in both starting this program and continued support to keep it going.

We've been having lots of fun, and its a little less stressful this
year, since we've basically re-traced our route. Right now we are in Zihat
and and have gotten involved in Sailfest - the Silent Auction,
coordination with the Rotary Club on kids eye clinics, the Sail Parade, and
coordinating the work projects at the schools. Steve and Susan Tolle on
Last Resort (they were live aboards at Shilshole) are heading it up this
year, and they are REALLY busy. Its good fun, and feels good to be
doing something to contribute to this country that has been so welcoming
and gracious to us all.

I believe that Jim and Christine were one of the early organizers of
Sailfest - perhaps the first. They should be really proud of what they
started, and how much good the Sailfest has done. They've gotten pretty
organized now and have a website, and donations can be made by PayPal. I
had EMailed Heidi about putting something out to the PSCC, but I was
wondering if you might be able to put something out to people you know in
the cruising community as well??? All the money goes to improvements
and building projects at the two indigeneous schools here - one of which
is barely more than shacks and in a very dangerous flood-prone area.
The major emphasis for this year's funding is to build a new permanent
school up the hill in a more stable area. The kids there are real
heart-breakers - such smiles!

If people donate before the 5th of February, we get matching funds from
the Belleck Foundation, and last year over $40,000 was raised. Here is
the website info for anyone who would like to contribute:

www.zihuasailfest.com
go to sailfest 2006
go to Make a Donation
at bottom go to Sailfest
then Donate Now
Make a Donation

 

January 19 2006

Lee Chesneau will be teaching a two day Marine Weather Forecasting workshop at Pacific Maritime Institute on March 3&4.  Lee is a senior marine meteorologist for NOAA's Ocean Prediction Center and a USCG certified STCW instructor.  This is a great class for anyone heading offshore in the near future.  The cost is $250 and includes a 250+ page interactive workbook.  The class size is limited to 24 students and should fill up pretty quickly, Lee's classes tend to do that.  PMI does offer a group rate (5 or more) of $200 and I am trying to put a group together under Puget Sound Cruising Club.  PSCC is having their monthly meeting tomorrow at the North Seattle Community Center, room LB1141, starts at 7:30pm.  Open to non-members so if  interested in the Weather class or just a fun evening with fellow Northwest sailors come on by.

January 16, 2006

With the boat show behind us all we can do now is get ready for the boating season.  I think the highlight of the show was on Wednesday which was "Women's Day".  The show organizers did a great job of allocating one of the seminar stages for a series of presentations by many of our areas talented women boaters.  The series of talks was very well attended and there were lots of familiar faces from past "Women's Sailing/Boating Seminars".  Sign ups for the 9th annual seminar are going well details available by clicking on Women's Seminar to the left of this posting.  For those of you signing up for Beginner Sailing here is a list of terminology to familiarize yourselves with prior to the class :).

PS: Below are some sailing terms I would like everyone to become familiar with so we can better
communicate this year.

Leech- A crewmember that never seems to have a dime when its time to pay for drinks or meals.
Luff- The Front part of a sail that everyone but the helmsman seems to pay attention to (see also Telltales)
Luff up- Something racers do to each other to catch the back of the fleet Head -(See Stern Pulpit)
Halyard- Something that only breaks or jams when you're winning
Sheet- A line made to rip gloves or hands part. Has ability to tangle on anything.
Bow- The part of the boat that no one should have to work on. Temporary section of an offshore Catamaran
Backstay- The last thing to grab as your falling overboard
Stem Fitting- The hole made in a competitors boat when your helmsman misjudges a Port /Starboard crossing
Snatch Block-Men use to spend a lot of time at sea. They must have been shaped very differently in those days
Hatch- A hole to fall into
Companionway- Another name for a hole to fall into
Heave to-Newcomers quite often find themselves heaving too
Anchor- The thing rotting in the bilge of every racing yacht (unseen)
Sewerman- A sailor that has a fetish for wet soggy nylon
Foreguy-First guy to the bar
Afterguy-Last guy out of the bar
Lazy Guy-Most Yacht Racers when they're not Racing (if this one offends you, please leave)
Winch- A  thing you grind till it squeals
Wench- A thing you grind till it squeals
Keel- A very heavy depth sounder only used on Unamarans (monohulls)
Interior-A term not used in conjunction with racing yachts
Comfort- Another term not used in conjunction with racing yachts
Bunk- A small uncomfortable area for wet sailors to attempt sleep
Inside Overlap-The part of a race that resembles a political debate
Round Up-Easiest way to get the oncoming watch on deck
Round Down- A bad, bad thing for a bowman out on the spinnaker pole
Gybe Set- A great way to end up on Port Tack right in front of the whole
Fleet that's approaching the mark on Starboard
Pop the Chute-The sound a Poly Chute makes just as it blows apart (see America One)
Cunningham- A Sly Pig or a complicated term for a downhaul
Tactician-A kind term for a Smart Ass or Arrogant SOB or Dumb Ass or Lucky SOB
Helmsman-The nut attached to the rudder through a steering mechanism
 

January 9, 2006

The Seattle Boat Show being held at Qwest field has announced that it will be ending a day early on Friday 13th at 6pm.  This is due to the fact that the Redskins won their game this weekend and will be playing the Seahawks at Qwest field on Saturday 14th.  Needless to say there will be a mass exodus on Friday evening which also means that any of the seminars scheduled for Friday night after 5pm are cancelled.  The "Boats Afloat Show" on Lake Union will continue thru Sunday the 15th rain or shine :).  If you have an aversion to crowds Saturday will be a great day for Lake Union especially during Seahawk game time.

My favorite part of boat shows is seeing people I haven't seen in ages.  "Ages" is relative to this past summer - seems like ages since we had endless sunny days, months since the last club meeting, or years since the last seminar or rendezvous.  It is truly like old home week and full of surprises.  What serendipity to step outside the building for a minute and run into old friends/customers from years past who are passing through Seattle for a few days before heading back to their boat in Costa Rica. The boat show is also a great people watching venue.  I love to watch the awe on faces of non-boating adults and their children as they look at various boats and dream.  This is more apparent at the indoor show, seems like only the diehard boaters venture out in the rain to look at boats.   It is easy to figure out what the "deal" of the boat show is by the number of tightly clutched West Marine boat hooks that crowd the isles. 

Be happy you don't have your boat in Florida!

By Lori Becker Palm Beach Post Staff Writer Monday, January 09, 2006 Insurers are adding a new wrinkle to Florida's hurricane-fatigued insurance market, one that's changing how people own boats. They're not just raising prices. Since the past two bewildering and costly hurricane seasons, marine insurers are forcing boaters to take more steps to protect their property if they want their losses covered. "Some owners do all the prep work, while others say, 'That's why I have insurance,' " said Mike Abbott, a yacht insurance agent for Fort Lauderdale-based Allied Richard Bertram Marine Group, which has nine boat dealerships in Florida and Puerto Rico. "The concept is to put a little skin in the game for the insured." More insurers are requiring boaters to have a plan for how they'll protect their vessels if a storm hits. They're adding, or increasing, deductibles for hurricane losses. They're getting tough with folks who live up north but keep their boats in Florida, sometimes requiring full-time captains to care for boats when owners aren't around or simply prohibiting insured boats from being in Florida during hurricane season. "We're just trying to take some measured approaches that are going to keep us in the business," said Peter Lafontaine, vice president of marketing and business development for Inamar Recreational Marine, the marine underwriting division of Ace USA in Philadelphia, one of the nation's largest yacht insurers. "The last thing we want to do is to have to withdraw from the market.... If you're going to be in the marine insurance business, Florida has to be part of your strategy," he said. It's no surprise that Florida's insurance prices have gone through the roof after the 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons left billions of dollars in damage to homes across the state. The same is true for the boats. With more active storm seasons in the forecast, marine insurance rates are going up, agents say. Just how much depends on the value and size of the vessel and the experience of the boater. "All of them are reevaluating not only their rates but also their exposures in these catastrophe-prone areas," said Jim Holler, senior vice president of marine insurance for the Boat Owners Association of The United States, or BoatU.S., an Alexandria, Va.-based advocacy group for recreational boaters with more than 625,000 members. That means coverage is getting tougher to find as insurers try to limit their risks in Florida, a market that has both a lot of boats and a lot of storms. Ace USA is making a push to boost its business on the West Coast and Great Lakes area to balance its risks in Florida, Lafontaine said. Others are limiting their number of policies in Florida. And some may pull out of the market. Allstate stopped writing new boat policies in Florida after the 2004 hurricane season, but the Northbrook, Ill.-based insurer is maintaining its existing policies, said company spokesman Ryan Priest. "It is a market that we are looking at ways to stay in, but we want to be in it in a circumstance where we don't overextend ourselves," he said. Florida law does not mandate insurance for boats. But lenders generally require it for financed vessels. And many marinas will insist on at least liability coverage for boats stored in their slips. Many boaters carry insurance anyway to protect their investments, especially for the larger, more expensive boats. Marine insurance rates can vary widely from company to company, but the coverage generally costs 1 percent to 2 percent of a boat's value for vessels under $1 million, agents say. Unlike the home insurance market, marine insurers aren't necessarily responding to the storms with giant rate increases, Abbott said. They don't want to sink the market, he said, since insurance is not required, and neither are boats, a luxury item for most owners. Still, the climbing prices and stricter policies may push more boaters to pass on insurance, especially those with less expensive vessels. "It's not worth the money," said Ron Kux, who doesn't have insurance for his 30-foot sailboat, which is docked at Sailfish Marina. A lifelong boater who lives on that sailboat and who also has a marine electrical business, Kux estimates insurance for his boat would cost $2,000 a year. He instead makes his own repairs if needed and hauls his boat out of the water when a storm is coming. "Most of the (hurricane) damage is caused by negligent boaters," he said. It's those negligent boaters who are the targets of the stricter insurance policies and windstorm deductibles. "Most companies use (windstorm deductibles)... to encourage the customer to take a little better care of their boat," Lafontaine said. Jay Coyle is fine with that. The Jensen Beach boat owner said boaters should have a plan to protect their vessels from a storm. "It irritates me these folks that don't take care of their boat during hurricanes and leave them in a mooring or an open space. Their boats can devastate someone's front yard or take down someone's docks," he said. "Owning a boat is a responsibility, as well as a pleasure.... The only one that can force them to do anything is the insurance companies; that is, if they have insurance." Coyle pays $3,859 a year to insure his 37-foot sportfishing boat and 13-foot tender through Inamar. That's more than doubled in the past decade, but he said he recognizes that a boat is a luxury. Plus, his windstorm deductible is $11,250 for the $225,000 vessel — added motivation to move his boat out of the storm's path. "You've got to really plan ahead," he said. "It's a smart thing to do." Similar to homes, many Florida boat policies now have windstorm deductibles that are higher than the standard deductible for other physical damage. It's a concept that's gained momentum in the past few years, agents say. And since the past two storm seasons, many insurers have increased their windstorm deductibles from 3 percent to 5 percent. More increases are expected, with some insurers considering deductibles as high as 10 percent, agents said. Insurers are also getting stricter with absentee owners. "They're starting to ask a lot of questions regarding who takes care of the boat when you're out of town, what arrangement you've made when you're in town, how do you prepare your boat for a hurricane," said Mike Costolo, president of C&L Insurance in Boca Raton, which writes marine policies for six companies. First Floridian, the Tampa-based subsidiary of St. Paul Travelers in Hartford, Conn., no longer writes policies for boat owners who live out of state but keep their boats here during hurricane season, unless they have a full-time captain caring for the vessel, said Chantal Cyr, vice president for personalized boats and yachts. "We may write absentee ownership on the West Coast, but we wouldn't be inclined to do that in Florida. It's really all about the catastrophes," Cyr said. Industry experts say more changes and price increases are expected to come this year as marine insurers figure out how to handle the heightened risk in Florida. "They took two years of hits, and they're all anticipating more," Costolo said. "How do you price that?"

January 3, 2006

Already January 3rd, this year is flying by!  Good news is the days are getting noticeably longer which is always a turning point to winter gloom.  The sunset photo with Blake Island in the foreground was taken January 2nd after 4:40pm!

Seattle boat show starts this weekend January 6-14 another good reason to start thinking about the upcoming boating season.  The show will be adding 3 hour seminars this year and the schedule can be found at www.seattleboatshow.com.    New for Northwest women is "Ladies Day" on Wednesday the 11th.  There will be a series of forums on the Blue stage starting at 1:00pm and ending at 7:45pm. 

For details regarding the 9th Annual Women's Boating Seminar, February 4th, 2006 click on Women's Seminar to the left of this blog. 

December 28, 2005

"When I'm playful I use the meridians of longitude and the parallels of latitude for a swine, and drag the Atlantic Ocean for whales."  - Mark Twain, Life on the Mississippi

"Her cutty sark, o' Paisley harn,
That while a lassie she had worn,
In longitude tho' sorely scanty,
It was her best, and she was vauntie." - Robert Burns, "Tam o Shanter".

If you are looking for a well written nautical theme read, check out "Longitude" by Dava Sobel.  This is a wonderfully told story.

December 23, 2005

Yesterday when I was at the Ballard post office I picked up a copy of Real Change from the man who regularly frequents that location.  I appreciate the fact that people who sell Real Change are trying to earn a little something rather than standing on a corner with their cardboard sign.  Anyhow he mentioned how it would be a great to be out sailing with the breeze that was blowing.  I was blown away by his comment (no pun intended) and he told me he was going to write a poem about sailing.  I mentioned I would be interested in reading his poem when he gets it done.  He then went on to tell me how he had been published in Real Change, back in March of 2003 and his published poem had a section in it that was about the spirit of sailing.  I did go into their archives to see if I could find the poem but they don't go back that far on the website.  I did notice in Real Change that they are having a boot drive and are asking for clean new or used boots to be donated for their vendors.  This it help keep them warm and dry through the winter months.  If you have something sitting around you would like to donate they can be dropped of at Real Change office, 2129 Second Ave, Seattle Monday-Friday 9am-6pm or Saturday 10am-4pm.  It is a great organization helping people to help themselves www.realchangenews.org.

Meanwhile here is a poem by another sailor for you to enjoy.

Ode to Winter Vashon
By Martyn Adams

'Twas a bit before Christmas and all 'bout the docks
Many sailors were prepping their lines and their blocks.
With an eye cast aloft to ascertain the wind,
The right choices of sail, soon a race to begin.
Though the winds did blow gently from hither and yon,
'twas not a good day to have spinnakers on.
Lo those that did try, in a moment they learned
That these fickle light zephyrs undoubtedly turned.
Undaunted we cruised with our two heads'ls fair set
And lo and behold 'round the Islands did get.
Old Neptune does like us to come out and play
For he is quite likely sneaky pitfalls to lay.
'tis a challenge of currents and of times and of shoals
As we intrepid racers did quite frantically go.
To the right shore and left, watching careful those
Who indeed led rest, showing where not to go.
As we rounded the northernmost mark that was set,
A great circle we sailed and more new winds were met.
To those who might question if indeed it is so,
Uphill we did sail, both the "to" and the "fro".
Soon the sun was a setting as on into the night
The battling multis did tack left and right.
Now, I've sailed this fair course for a number of years
And each time it's different yet wind stings my ears.
I now know where to sail at least close to the end
'cause I follow the others, 'least I try to pretend.
Now the mark we are rounding to a hail from the shore
Why I think we have finished, but wait, there is more.
For this is the tale quite undoubtedly true
Of around in a circle, seven Multihulls flew.
 

December 22, 2005

There is finally confirmation that the Seahawks are in and the Seattle Boat Show is moving the show dates forward to accommodate the playoff schedule.  New dates for the show are January 6-14 for the indoor show , Qwest center and January 6-15 for the in-the-water show at Lake Union. 

Yesterday marked the shortest day of the year, a great milestone for those of us looking forward to summer.  No opportunity for a winter solstice sunset or sunrise shot unfortunately.  The lighter or darker shades of grey just don't warrant getting the camera out. 

The Puget Sound Cruising Club will be having the annual cruise to Blakely Harbor for New Years Eve.  This is a great anchorage to watch the Space Needle fireworks on New Years.  PSCC always welcome new boaters, so cast off the dock lines see the New Year in on board a boat in the company of fellow sailors.

Have a wonderful and safe Christmas holiday.

December 17, 2005

Can't ask for much better weather (aside from adding 35 degrees to the temperature) for enjoying all the festive lighted boat parades at the various marina's around the Northwest.  Still no definite news on when exactly the Seattle Boat Show will take place, depends on how the Seahawks play the next couple of weekends.

The date for the 9th Annual Women's Boating Seminar is February 4th to be held at a new location.  The format has changed as well.  You will be able to choose two 3 hour programs to attend during the day.  Please check details by clicking on Women's Boating Seminar.


December 9th

You might be a sailing bum if:
 -- you think a Rhodes Scholar is someone who knows all about a famous boat designer...
 -- any of your Christmas gifts came from West Marine...
 -- you think girls look "hot" in wet weather gear...
 -- your doctor reports your injuries to Abuse Authorities...
 -- you think rum is the official state drink..
 -- your best shoes are Topsiders...
 -- your car's hood ornament is the top off of a sailing trophy...
 -- your idol is Jimmy Buffet...
 -- your halyards are brand new, but your belt has two splices...
 -- you read Latitude 38 under the covers with a flashlight...
 -- your underwear has a North Sails logo...
 -- your bar tab equals your paycheck...
 -- you have a beer can crusher mounted on your mast...
 -- you use a marlin spike to break sunburn blisters...
 -- you have at least one broken boat part in your car at all times...
 -- you have a Mount Gay poster in your living room...
 -- you've ever traded a Dramamine for a beer...
 -- you have a Jell-O mold in the shape of a J/22...
 -- your vacation plans center around championship regattas...
 -- you have to dress up to go to Wal-Mart..
 -- you think of duct tape as a long term investment..
 -- you've been involved in a fight over the last chocolate chip cookie...
 -- you wear a sailing cap to church..
 -- people are afraid to touch your foul weather gear...
 -- you think matching wet weather boots are an acceptable wedding gift...
 -- you've ever written your resume on a bar napkin...
 -- your wind instruments cost $2,000, and you have a bucket for a head...
 -- the local boat yard's phone number is number one on your speed dialer...
 -- you'll marry a girl just to keep a good fore deck person...

December 8th

A sailor, after running aground on a sand bar, paid a passing fisherman fifty dollars to pull him off with his boat.

After he was off the bar, he said to the fisherman, "At those prices, I should think you could make a real living pulling people off night and day."

"Can't," replied the fisherman. "At night I haul sand for the bar."

December 7th

Question and Answer Christmas Jokes Q: What do elves learn in school? A: The Elf-abet! Q: What's the most popular wine at Christmas? A: "I don't like sprouts" ! Q: If athletes get athletes foot, what do astronauts get? A: Missletoe! Q: What do you get when you cross a snowman with a vampire? A: Frostbite. Q: Why was Santa's little helper depressed? A: Because he had low elf esteem. Q: Why does Santa have 3 gardens? A: So he can ho-ho-ho. Q: Where do polar bears vote? A: The North Poll. Q: What do you get when you cross an archer with a gift-wrapper? A: Ribbon hood. Q: Why do birds fly south for the winter ? A: Because it's to far to walk. Q: What was wrong with the boy's brand new toy electric train set he received for Christmas? A: Forty feet of track - all straight! Q: What kind of bird can write? A: A PENguin. Q: What do you call a cat on the beach at Christmas time? A: Sandy Claus! Q: How do sheep in Mexico say Merry Christmas? A: Fleece Navidad! Q: What nationality is Santa Claus? A: North Polish. Q: Why does Santa's sled get such good mileage? A: Because it has long-distance runners on each side. Q: What do you call a bunch of grandmasters of chess bragging about their games in a hotel lobby? A: Chess nuts boasting in an open foyer! Q: What do you get if you deep fry Santa Claus? A: Crisp Cringle. Q: What did the ghosts say to Santa Claus? A: We'll have a boo Christmas without you. Q: What did Santa shout to his toys on Christmas Eve? A: Okay everyone, sack time!! Q: What do snowmen eat for breakfast? A: Snowflakes. Q: If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called? A: A subordinate claus. Q: Why did the elf push his bed into the fireplace? A: He wanted to sleep like a log. Q: What goes Ho, Ho, Swoosh, Ho, Ho, Swoosh? A: Santa caught in a revolving door! Q: Why does Santa Claus go down the chimney on Christmas Eve? A: Because it " soots " him! Q: What do you do if Santa gets stuck in your chimney? A: Pour Santa flush on him. Q: Did you hear that one of Santa's reindeer now works for Proctor and Gambel? A: Its true . . . Comet cleans sinks! Q: What do you call people who are afraid of Santa Claus? A: Claustrophobic. Q: Why does Scrooge love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? A: Because every buck is dear to him. Q: How come you never hear anything about the 10th reindeer "Olive" ? A: Yeah, you know, "Olive the other reindeer, used to laugh and call him names" Q: Why is Christmas just like a day at the office? A: You do all the work and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit. Q: What was so good about he neurotic doll the girl was given for Christmas? A: It was wound up already. Q: What's a good holiday tip? A: Never catch snowflakes with your tongue until all the birds have gone south for the winter.

December 5th

Tis the season!

Here is a list of specials that local vendors are offering - Holiday discounts for the month of December.

United Yacht Sales - Only 7% selling commission for all new December listings. 206-963-3560

West Marine Rigging Service -0 10% off all rigging orders placed in December. 206-292-8663

 Staaf Sails - 25% off new sails, 20% off Furling hardware, 15% off Gill clothing. 360-734-8559

Yacht Masters - 10 Point inspection $99.99 206-285-3460

Great Gift Ideas:

Pacific Maritime Institute Gift Certificates - Click on Boating Education for class info.

December 1

Tips for winterizing your boat.....

Close all seacocks and check rudder shafts and stuffing boxes for leaks, tighten or repack as necessary. Check your battery to make sure it is fully charged, clean terminals, add water if necessary and make sure your charging system is working. Check bilge pumps to ensure they are working and that float switches properly activate the pumps and that they are not hindered by debris. Make sure either to check your boat periodically or have the marina check it and report to you. If in an area where the water you are docked or moored in actually freezes, you should have a de-icing device or bubbling system around your boat.

Open up closets and storage areas.  Keep a heater with fan on low to circulate air throughout the boat.  Make sure that your heater is the type that cannot tip over and cause a fire.  Be sure to have your water pressure switch turned off.  If you are not planning on winter sailing store your sails down below.  Make sure your scuppers are clear of debris so that water can drain freely.   If you get good snow accumulation get down to the boat and shovel some off.  I have seen boats drop 4-6 inches with the weight of snow.  If the boat has through hull fittings just above the water line they may end up under water which is not their intended function.

November 30

What could possibly be the link between the NFL and boating.  Well for the first time ever (well the past 29 years) the Seahawks look like they will make the playoffs which is a big problem for the Seattle Boat Show which is held at Qwest Field during the playoffs.  The boat show will move to January 6-14 if the Seahawks prevail which means a lot of re-organization and scheduling for a whole lot of people.  The organizers have not yet committed to the date change so everyone is in limbo at this time.  Do they fear making the date change will jinx the Hawks?  Oh ye of little faith.   No matter the outcome both the indoor show and the in-the-water show will run concurrently.  Will keep you posted!

November 18

Kick off the weekend by going to the Puget Sound Cruising Club meeting this evening.  The topic of the presentation is "less known cruising stops between Mexico and New Zealand".  The meeting is held at North Seattle Community College room LB1141 and starts at 7:30pm.  Everyone welcome - $3 donation to cover room expenses.

PMI is offering the recreational radar class this weekend.  Details in "Boating Education" section.

Yesterday morning saw three Coast Guard boats escorting a rather large submarine coming from Bremerton around the south end of Bainbridge Island.  It was quite a sight although I would much rather have seen a pod of Orca's go by.  I know they are in the Seattle area this time of year, spotted off Edmonds earlier this week - will have to keep looking and hope to get lucky.   Might be a good reason to get the boat away from the slip this weekend.

November 17

It is always fun looking at the various designs of "Offshore Cruising Boats" and making comparisons.  It is easy to compare the well known designs like Valiant, Passport, Tayana, Baba etc. which have proven offshore ability. When it comes to lesser known designs it is time to start looking for qualities that make for a good offshore boat and cruising. 

Hull construction rates right up there.  Knowing that you have a quality and strongly built boat, good hull to deck joint and solid keel construction should be at the top of your list.  Rigging is next, you want to make sure that your boat has adequate chain plates and shrouds to support the rig.  Are the chain plates accessible for checking - these are known to fail and unfortunately if it is out of sight it is probably out of mind!  If you are planning on sailing in warm places make sure that your boat is well ventilated, lots of opening ports.  You want to make sure too that these opening ports are heavy duty and able to be dogged down for your offshore passage making. 

Engine access is another important feature on a cruising boat, you are going to be working on it yourself at times and being able to get to things relatively easily will be important.  Storage is the other important factor, you will need space to stow everything while underway.  The biggest disadvantage to center cockpit boats under 45' is lack of lazarette storage.  This does vary from boat to boat but where do you keep all that stuff!

November 11

Lots of sailing opportunities going on in the Northwest this weekend.  The annual Round the County race is going on up in the San Juans, Elliot Bay Sound Series is having their "Hot Buttered Rum" race on Sunday afternoon.  This is a low key fun event, think it starts around 1pm outside of Elliot Bay Marina.  For those of you wanting a more comfortable and warm kind of cruising Jo Baily is doing a presentation at West Marine "Winter cruising".  Details available on the Calendar.

November 7

Nancy Erley is the guest speaker tonight at the SWSA (Seattle Women's Sailing Assoc) meeting which is held at CYC Shilshole starting at 7pm.  Non members are welcome.

November 1

Now that fall is here in full swing the days are getting a lot shorter, fog seems to be getting thicker and the need for using RADAR increases.  Radar is the most useful piece of electronic equipment on board a boat.  Knowing how to use it properly makes for safe navigating and can even be used to your advantage if you are racing.  Pacific Maritime Institute is offering a great 2 day recreational radar class November 19 and 20th.  Details are under the link to Boating Education. 

October 28

This should be a good weekend to get the boat out one more time.  The Puget Sound Cruising Club is having their annual raft up at Pt. Madison Yacht club for the Pumpkin Carving Contest and pot luck dinner.  The PSCC a unique non membership club and everyone is always welcome.  The weather doesn't look to bad, good reason to "get off the couch!"

October 20

It is really a good thing to see that the Natural Resources Defense Council has filed suit against the Navy over its use of mid-frequency sonar.  What doesn't make sense is that if they sued the Navy in 2002 over use of low-frequency sonar, why did it come to the point of this new suit being necessary.  Military sonar needlessly threatens whole populations of whales and other marine animals, do we really need it??? 

Back in 1996 sailing on Puget Sound it seemed like there were Dahl porpoises in every direction.  It was a delight to have them swim up to the boat and play in the bow wake.  These days it is rare to see these wonderful mammals and they very rarely will come close to the boats.  If it is not sonar or chemical pollution then perhaps it is a result of noise pollution.  This past year I have lived very close to the water across from Blake Island.  It is amazing the difference in noise level that various power driven boats make.  Noise is amplified under water and I can't help but think that a reason for our beautiful wildlife leaving is the terrible noise reverberation as a result of some of these boats.  It is unbelievable how loud they are and for such a great distance as well, and we are talking about commercial traffic either. There ought to be noise restrictions placed on boats.

Puget Sound Cruising Club meets tomorrow October 21st at the North Seattle Community College.  Check out the Calendar for more details.

"October 17

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity of going to a meeting at Pacific Maritime Institute located in the vicinity of Safeco Field.  PMI offers training for commercial mariners and has state-of-the-art Ship Bridge Simulator for training purposes. The highlight of the evening was in the simulator which was very realistic.  PMI is starting a program offering classes for recreational boaters at a reduced tuition rate.   The first class offered is a Recreational Boaters Radar Class November 19/20.  Class covers Navigation and Collision Avoidance, Radar Fundamentals, Radar operation and Use & Proper Tuning, Radar Information Analysis and Interpretation, State-of-the-art simulation, Vessel to Vessel communications.  Class is limited to 24 students and includes hands on training with simulator.  Cost $250 per person, includes refreshments and lunch both days.  Call PMI 20-6441-2880 to register.

My own thoughts would be that boats especially sailboats are referred to as "she" for their beauty, grace and endurance.  Many a cruiser has commented how their boats "took care of them" in a storm, again, a mother or women's nurturing role.

I had thought about a counter attack to the derogatory message posted on the 7th, however life is too short and can think of better use of my time, like a quick delete :).

October 7th

Last night SWSA (Seattle Women's Sailing Assoc) held their monthly meeting at Pacific Maritime Institute in Seattle.  PMI offers training for mariners and has the most advanced full-mission ship simulation capabilities in the nation.   The simulator is a mock bridge of a ship with all the controls, wheel, rudder angle, throttles, wind instruments, radar, GPS, VHF radio etc.   Our first experience was on a carrier heading out under Golden Gate bridge.  There was naturally a lot of boat traffic including several sail boats (boy did they look small, when you could see them, from the ships perspective).  The simulator was so realistic and I found myself getting really tense as the crew tried to maneuver the ship to avoid colliding with the various obstacles and also stay on course in the shipping lane.  The instructor threw in some wind and waves and several people even started feeling seasick from the simulated motion.  It was really hard to believe we were still standing on concrete floor and not pitching around.  In the end a sailboat collided with our ship by sailing into the side of us so we failed the exercise.

Next exercise was from the bridge of a Coastguard cutter in Valdez.  There was a fire on a ship and two sailors in the water.  It was rescue time!  The exercise involved being in radio contact with the distressed vessel and their Mayday hailing.  The ships personnel had put dye into the water around the MOB's which was clearly visible on the simulator.  We had a helicopter arrive although they didn't equipment to orchestrate a rescue.  The fog came in and we had to navigate by radar, a little nerve wracking since there were people in the water.  It was an amazing way to experience and handle the situation in a simulator.  It took all the aspects of the situation into consideration and once again seemed so real. 

Our last simulation was from the deck of a tug boat.  We were on a mission to dock into the back of a barge and push it along.  This time we were in Elliott bay and had the Seattle waterfront in front of us - really cool.  The charge for an hour in the simulator is normally $500 and this was really a great experience.  Thank you PMI!

PMI will be offering weekend yachting seminars for the public in the near future.  I will be posting available classes, topics and dates to this site as soon as we have dates set. 

September 22

Who is Charlie Noble?  Charlie Noble is an "it" not a "he".  A British merchant service captain, Charles Noble, is said to be responsible for the origin, about 1850, of this nickname for the galley smokestack.  It seems that Captain Noble, discovering that the stack of his ship's galley was made of copper, ordered that it be kept bright.  The ship's crew then started referring to the stack as the "Charley Noble".

September 16

This week has proved to be pretty interesting for me.  I had made an offer on a boat that is being restored and would be completed in Spring next year.  The survey I had done came up with a few issues which through my experience of being a yacht broker for 9 years and sitting in on lots of surveys over time, would not have been a huge issue.  My dilemma was buying a boat now and not being able to test sail it or check out systems until much later.  Holding out on a small portion of the final payment until delivery did not seem like a good option because by that time I would own the boat and really not have much recourse.  The big issue was moisture readings in part of the deck and cockpit.  This problem can be fixed by drilling holes in the deck and allowing it to dry out.  After it is dried the decks are injected with epoxy and providing the source of moisture entering has been taken care of should be good to go.  Some decks have Balsa coring others plywood.  You can never be entirely sure as to the extent of saturation, rot or delamination since the coring is sandwiched between two layers of fiberglass.  If there is delamination it is detectable by sounding the deck with a small hammer.  Areas of delam have a dull thunk sound compared to good solid glass.  The big issue is drying out the moisture to prevent delamination of the deck in the future.

Seattle Boats Afloat show is happening this weekend on Lake Union.  The Puget Sound

Cruising Meeting tonight is about cruising in Chili which should make for an interesting evening.  Next weekend is the Norwest Harvest Benefit race to Blakely rock.  This event is hosted by SSYC (Seattle Singles Yacht Club) and is open to everyone.  They collect vast amounts of food for the food bank and donate proceeds from the race as well, very worthy cause.

September 12

Driving today I noticed how the leaves are starting to change, the Puget Sound Cruising Club meetings start again this Friday at the North Seattle Community College,  guess summer is about over!  Fortunately there are still some good months left for Northwest cruising.  It is always such a pleasure to anchor out in the fall and enjoy the crisp mornings, fall colors and uncrowded anchorages.  The PSCC Tequila run and raft up to Blakely Harbor is the weekend of the 24th/25th.  Should be just one more good reason to cast of the dock lines and enjoy the beautiful area we live in. 

August 31

Boy, what a difference a couple of days can make.  My heart goes out to all the people affected by Katrina and hope that another couple of days will make a huge change for the better.  I did manage e-mail contact with my friends and found they had left early to stay with friends in Dallas.  They have lived in New Orleans near the French Quarter for the past 23 years, recently retired and now wonder about all their friends and whether or not there is anything left to get back to.  It is hard to fathom.  The best way to help since we can't be there is to donate to the Red Cross.

August 29

It has been awesome watching the approach of hurricane Katrina to the Gulf coast.  The sheer size and power of the storm, it looked like it affected the whole gulf at one point.   I once delivered a boat from Key West to Venice on the Mississippi to be trucked back to the Northwest.  The Gulf of Mexico is pretty shallow and we did get hit by a squall with around 30 kts which kicked up the seas to around 15' in a matter of minutes.  I can't imagine what it must have been like out there the past 24 hours.  When we came into the Mississippi delta we pulled into a place called Port Eades which is a sport fishing haven.  There is really nothing there except for mosquitoes, no roads lead to it the only way in our out is by boat.  The owner of the resort was the friendliest person I had ever met, could have been because it was off season and he hadn't had anyone aside from his cousins to talk to in months (he never stopped).  Everyone was a cousin and he was proud to be a coonass - part of his introduction.  He offered us beer, cooked us cajun fried fish for dinner and would have given us the shirt off his back.  I have to wonder what is left of Port Eades today and hope that they all got out of there okay.

I have some good friends who live in New Orleans and hope their home is still in tact.  Fortunately the predictions for total devastation of New Orleans never came to be.  Life is like that the things we fear the most often never happen, it is usually surprise 10 that gets ya so there is really no reason to worry!

August 21

We had a great turnout this year at the Rendezvous with over 150 in attendance and judging from all the smiles a good time was had by all.  Not everyone was able to bring their boat however we did have larger variety of Perry designs at the docks than ever before.  There were quite a few new faces which is a necessity for an event like this since the ultimate goal for most Perry Design owners is to cast of the dock lines for once and for all and to go cruising.  Boats arriving from the north on Friday were literally swept towards Pt. Ludlow SOG of 10 kts reported by most.  Arriving from Seattle on Friday afternoon aboard a Nordic 44 we were able to sail from south of Point No Point all the way into Pt. Ludlow and managed to hit speeds of 8-9 kts at times.   The Nordic 44 is a fine sailing boat and it was perfect conditions for full sail at 10-14kts of wind.

This year we had camera crew documenting the event and interviewing Bob Perry for the Pilot of a new TV series of "Dockside" which will be shown on the Discovery Channel.   It was an excellent opportunity to interview Bob Perry in front of many of his various designs.  We were unable to get a date for the TV show but will try and keep everyone posted when it becomes available.

The winners of the Blindfold Dinghy race were George and Kathie Robertson from the Tayana 37 Grace.  Mike and Nita Conlan owners of the Tashiba 40 Odessa were a close second.  Grace is a beautiful dark blue hulled Tayana 37 and was also the winner of the "Head turner" award.  An award was also given to Rick Calef the owner of the Polaris 43 Sequel for a truly amazing customization of the design and a beautiful looking boat.

The staff at Pt. Ludlow Marina once again came through catering to our every need, the weather was fantastic, it was truly a great weekend!

And the string says, "Nope, I'm a frayed knot."

"The wind blows, and restless are the sails;

Even the rudder begs direction;

Yet quietly my captain awaits my silence.

And these my mariners, who have heard the choir of the greater sea, they too have heard me patiently.
.......excerpt from The Profit, Kahlil Gibran

Renaming your Boat Ceremony.

If you are not among the very few who purchase a brand new boat it is likely you will be buying one with a name already plastered on the stern.  Boat names are a fun topic, people agonize more over naming their boats then they do their children.  Buying a used boat means you are inheriting a name that was very meaningful to previous owners and likely one you would like to change providing you are not too superstitious. 

Renaming a boat is, of course, not something to be taken lightly.  Since the beginning of time, sailors have sworn that there are unlucky ships and the unluckiest ships of all are those who have defied the gods and changed their names.  So, how do you go about the renaming of a boat?

According to legend, each and every vessel is recorded by name in the Ledger of the Deep and is known personally to Poseidon, or Neptune, the god of the sea.  It is logical therefore, if we wish to change the name of our boat, the first thing we must do is purge the old name from the Ledger of the Deep and from Poseidon's memory.  This is essential and must be done thoroughly.  In purging your old boat name, it is acceptable to use White-Out to expunge the boat's name from log books, engine and maintenance records etc., but it is much easier to simply remove the offending document from the boat and start afresh.  Don't forget the life rings and especially the transom and forward name boards.  Do not under any circumstances carry aboard any item bearing your boat's new name until the purging and renaming ceremonies have been completed! Once you are certain every reference to her old name has been removed from her, all that is left to do is to prepare a metal tag with the old name written on it in water-soluble ink.  You will also need a bottle of reasonably good Champagne.   This is a good time to invite your friends to witness and to party!

Begin by invoking the name of the ruler of the deep as follows:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to expunge for all time from your records and recollection the name (insert old name of vessel) which has ceased to be an entity in your kingdom.  As proof thereof, we submit this ingot bearing her name to be corrupted through your powers and forever be purged from the sea.  (At this point, the prepared metal tag is dropped from the bow of the boat into the sea).

In grateful acknowledgment of your munificence and dispensation, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court.  (Pour at least half of the bottle of Champagne into the sea from East to West. The remainder may be passed among your guests.)

It is usual for the renaming ceremony to be conducted immediately following the purging ceremony, you will need more Champagne.

Begin the renaming by again calling Poseidon as follows:

Oh mighty and great ruler of the seas and oceans, to whom all ships and we who venture upon your vast domain are required to pay homage, implore you in your graciousness to take unto your records and recollection this worthy vessel hereafter and for all time knows as (Here insert the new chosen name), guarding her with your mighty arm and trident and ensuring her of safe and rapid passage throughout her journeys within your realm.

In appreciation of your munificence, dispensation and in honor of your greatness, we offer these libations to your majesty and your court.  (At this point, one bottle of Champagne, less one glass for the master and one glass for the mate are poured into the sea from West to East.)

Next step is to appease the four wind gods who are brothers to assure fair winds and smooth seas. 

"Oh mighty rulers of the winds, through whose power our frail vessels traverse the wild an faceless deep, we implore you to grant this worthy vessel (insert your new boat name) the benefits and pleasures of your bounty, ensuring us of your gentle ministration according to our needs.

(Facing north, pour a generous libation of Champagne into a Champagne flute and fling to the North as you intone:) Great Boreas, exalted ruler of the North Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your frigid breath.

(Facing west, pour the same amount of Champagne and fling to the West while intoning :) Great Zephyrus, exalted ruler of the West Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your wild breath.

(Facing east, repeat and fling to the East.)  Great Eurus, exalted ruler of the East Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your mighty breath.

(Facing south, repeat, flinging to the South.)  Great Notus, exalted ruler of the South Wind, grant us permission to use your mighty powers in the pursuit of our lawful endeavors, ever sparing us the overwhelming scourge of your scalding breath.

Any Champagne remaining will be the beginnings of a celebration in honor of the occasion.

After completion of the ceremony, you may bring aboard any all all items bearing the new name.  If you schedule the painting of the new name before the ceremony, be sure the name is not revealed before the ceremony is finished.

Cheers!

Quote for the weekend:

Today is the tomorrow you were worried about yesterday.  Was it worth it?

Have a wonderful weekend!

Had to do a quick search to find out if "lo and behold" had any nautical origins and came up with the following for anyone who cares.

Lo is slightly archaic for 'look' and 'behold' for 'see' (or the like) so means something like 'look, see!'

COAST IS CLEAR - "The phrase first appears in print in 1531 where it describes a vessel which had safely cleared the coast, then later Shakespeare used it in 'Henry VI' as a reference to visibility. Neither of these references touch on its true insinuation; it is a reference to smuggling surely? Or some nefarious operation."

Ever wonder about where some of our worldly phrases come from?  Seems like many have a nautical background, for instance......

Sailing Terminology:

Joys of Sailing!
How to get ready for a sailing cruise!
1. Sleep on the shelf in your closet.
2. Replace the closet door with a curtain.
3. Four hours after you go to sleep, have your mate whip open the curtain, shine a flashlight in your eyes, and mumble, "Your watch!".
4. Put a wall across the middle of you bathtub and move the shower head down to chest level.
5. When taking showers, shut off the water while soaping.
6. Put lube oil in your humidifier instead of water and set it to high.
7. If your basement floods, during a sudden thaw, go down and start bailing.
8. Bring inside some type of gas motor (lawn mower, garden tiller, etc.), start, and leave running while trying to listen to favorite CD, or having an in depth conversation.
9. If the wind outside is howling, race around the house to make sure all windows and doors are secure (at night, everyone takes a turn on 'watch').
10. Place all non edible garbage in small plastic bags, and store in other half of tub (edible garbage to be thrown out the window).
11. Wake up at midnight and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stale bread. Cold canned ravioli or soup, is optional.
12. Make up your family menu a week ahead of time without looking in the pantry, fridge, or freezer.
13. Once a month, pick a major appliance, take it completely apart, and put it back together.
14. Use 18 scoops of coffee per pot, and allow it to sit for 5 to 6 hours before drinking.
15. Put a fluorescent light under the coffee table, and lay there to read a book.
16. Every so often, throw the cat in the tub (hot tub, large sink, etc.) and shout, "Man overboard!".
17. Run into the kitchen and sweep all the pots, pans and dishes off of the counter onto the floor, then yell at the mate for not having the place "stowed for sea".