Saturday, December 25, 2010

Worsening forecast threatens trip

Well, damn. The pleasant forecast of winds SE 15-25 has now changed to a forecast of SE 25-35. Sailors know that the force of the wind does not grow in a linear fashion, but in fact relates to the cube of the velocity. Meaning, 30 knots of wind is not twice as forceful as 15 knots, but about 9 times more forceful. Practically speaking, having sailed in winds up to 40 knots, there is no comparison between winds of 25 or less and winds of 30 or more. Especially in the open waters of the Straits of Juan de Fuca.

If this forecast holds through tonight, I will not be heading north tomorrow after all. No need to suffer that much. My Gulf is as seaworthy and solid as a 32 foot boat can be, but I have seen the steep seas that kick up in the Straits with winds over 30 knots and it is pretty rough.

I'd go the Swinomish channel route except it is too far from Bainbridge to a decent anchorage like Deception Pass to make it in one day. That area is rather tight to sail at night without more local knowledge than my few trips would provide. Plus it is just way more fun and beautiful to go the Port Townsend/Smith Island route.

Anyway, I'll have to check my calendar for the next attempt and spend the next few days doing something else like go for some long hikes. 

Friday, December 24, 2010

Excited about journey north December 26th

Here it is Christmas Eve, and my thoughts turn back and forth from the holiday and my boys to my upcoming trip north on Aeolus. The day after Christmas I will hop aboard that trusty boat and captain her back to her home waters in the San Juan Islands.

The forecast is for S to SE winds in the middle range of 10-25 knots. Should be perfect for a trip north. I'll go first to Port Townsend and spend the night, which is only 30 miles from Bainbridge, and from there hop over to the islands either via Rosario Strait and Lopez or straight up San Juan Channel. It depends in part on my appetite to wake up and catch the pre-dawn flood, and the amount and direction of wind.The total journey is about 60 miles and I will split it over two days this time of year. The current is ebbing most all day Sunday, which along with a south wind should mean I do a hearty 7-8 knots to Port Townsend. Quick trip. Looking forward to a night in that fun town.

It will be great to be out, to be away, to journey, to feel the wind, to be in the wilderness of the sea, to inhabit the wilderness of me, and to simply be upon our boat.

Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas to all!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Dove and replaced zinc and removed barnacles


I check the shaft zinc on Aeolus every few weeks as just a part of my boat routine, much in the way my house plants don't die because I habitually check them to see if they have enough water. My recent check of the zinc showed that it had come time to replace it, and a check of my records showed that it had indeed been 10 months since it was last new. I also noticed that the propeller was heavily fouled with barnacles. Little bastards.

Today I dove on the boat and did the works. Though saying "dove" might give the wrong impression as I am not SCUBA certified but was merely snorkeling. The water in Puget Sound is probably somewhere in the mid 40's and fortunately my wet suit is an arctic model lined with merino wool.

It keeps my core perfectly warm and is nearly a dry suit in the way it fits. Glad I haven't gained weight since I got it because it is really tough to get on and off as it is.

On the subject of shaft zincs I must say that I have developed a preference for those that have a slot for a standard screwdriver instead of only an allen head. The reason is that fitting an allen into a corroded head is not nearly as easy as finding the slot for a screwdriver. It is easier to get the old one off and the new one on during my short times under water if I don't have to fiddle with the allen wrench. The allen might allow a smaller increase in torque, but I've never had a zinc come off that was screwdriver tightened. 



The shaft on Aeolus is a 1 1/8, which I believe is standard on all Gulf 32's. Just for reference.

When I got around to scraping the barnacles off the prop I must say it is enormously satisfying. The little buggers must wreak havoc on prop efficiency and there is little I dislike more than poor mechanical efficiency. My biolove takes a back seat to my boat love in this case, and the barnies got scraped off with a happy vengeance.

Boy it felt great to be in the water and taking care of Aeolus. Whole thing took maybe 15 minutes, and is slowed mainly by my time underwater while holding my breath. I manage around 20 seconds per session even though I can hold my breath on land for two minutes or more. Anyway, a quick job.