Flying the sail without the main to test its steering abilities

Photographer saying 'look at the camera'

Subject responding...

Need some tack line and looks funky flown like a spinnaker and not along the forestay but it was pretty much symmetrical

out and about

Getting busy in the pit

A very small spinnaker

 but a stable one.

Not 100% like an AP, very zigzaggy but with a feedback loop to the tiller does a decent job, despite the fin keel...

Goofy

flying the sail - most boring way to move forward...

Flying the new sail. Did not figure out hanks, some twisty thing, they also looked too small, and did not want to take the time to figure it out, so turned sail around so hanks wouldn't get caught in anything and hoisted the sail. It flies great without hanks!

The photographer

The most boring way to sail yet. 

Anything happening yet?

Wind was light so simulating no main by bringing the main in and sailing dead downwind

With the main

Tried the pole hookup on the mast at various angles

I need a second ring

Even sailing backward and without hanks, it looked neat!

Setting up and going out

Pole #1

Pole #2

Rigging up sail

Exiting the harbor with the new baby

Photo by Serge who boarded as a photographer and stayed below the entire time.

Boat Work Day - Lunch

Sushi!

Lunch and pole delivery - courtesy of Serge

What we are about to go try out!

Serge's lunch

Part 3 - heading back to the Club

Happy to be on the water

Elise's valentine is hanging in there

Sailing!

Leaving the CYC Midwinters behind me

Part 2: picking up the sail

Leaving the dock under engine as there wasn't a whole lot of wind int he morning

The 'sailsman' forgot the sail at the dock, so on the water exchange didn't take place. Heading into SFYC guest dock.

And heading out!

Looking back at the city of my way out

I got the sail!

On the way to Angel Island

Here is the new sail in its cocoon!

Boat Work Day - on the water - part 1. Set up

Serge delivering sails

Nat's Valentine's Day assistant

Doomsday device partial install

Elise's Valentine!!

Self Steering Aid - Qualifier

If NKE breaks, if the Doomsday device breaks, if the tiller pilot breaks, I can use the following
 - I like remote controlling the AP as there is nothing worse than realizing that you need to course correct when you are standing on the bow... -

Upwind and Reach

• 2 turning blocks (spare) to attach to the toe rail to a storm jib + surgical tubing
• Bungee cords

Downwind

• twin sails (that will be tested this weekend!)

Anywhere so long as I am awake and on the foredeck of the boat or sitting in the cockpit under the dodger in bad weather (or yes, Elise has a super cute dodger which Jason's girlfriend built for offshore passages)

• line connected to the tiller that goes around the boat, with small light turning blocks

Anywhere so long as I am not racing and want to take a nap so that I can hand steer when I am not taking a nap

• Heave-to

Entertainment and personal comfort - qualifier

In case I have a sub 5 knot qualifier again...

• Rugged waterproof boombox for iPod (the iPod can travel in it because it is waterproof)
• Rugged waterproof personal iPod holder
• iPod car charger and cable
• Couple of books and I will have at least one in the grab bag...

Navigation Aid - qualifier

Boat GPS (software has been upgraded)
Boat compasses (2 for better reading angle from driver position) - I have a deviation card for only one of them so far
Hand Held Compass
Hand Held primary GPS
Spare Hand Held GPS in grab bag
Charts of areas I might into... - paper charts, or waterproof charts on which I can put fixes
Plotting tools
Guides for boat light codes...cheat sheet

and in grab bag
Star finder
Sextant
Reduction tables # 229
Almanach 2014
Celestrial Navigation reminder

Communications - qualifier

• Boat VHF (with GPS input and AIS/DSC)
• waterproof rugged iridium Satellite phone + SIM card with 500 prepaid minutes and a Wifi center to connect laptop
• Cell phone (closer to land it will be the most helpful item ;-))
• Hand Held VHF for the boat
• Hand Held VHF attached to self with lanyard with GPS coordinate and DSC calling
• Spare Hand Held VHF with GPS in grab bag
• Laptop with sailmail
• SPOT device so you can track Elise online :) - I need to figure out how that works though...
• SSB Receiver (so that I can listen to chatter but that's about it...)

Personal Gear - Qualifier

• Dubarry Boots - my big favorite
• Musto Boots (if for any reason, water does get through one of these boots because I have heavy rains for three days, I want a dry spare pair)
• sun glasses
• spare sun glasses in grab bag
• sailing cap
• sun hat (acting as spare)
• sun hat in grab bag
• warm driving gloves Musto
• cold weather waterproof gloves (spare) - Musto - if one really gets wet, it is nice to be able to swap
• neck warmer
• 2 warm pairs of socks 
• 1 heavy fleece pair of sock for cold night
• synthetic leg tights (x2)
• light Elise windbreaker
• heavy foul weather Musto jacket
• light foul weather jacket (spare)
• heavy foul weather pants (Musto)
• lighter foul weather pants with opening in the back (yay women!) - Musto
• sailing shorts (x2)
• sailing gloves (x2)
• synthetic shirt (x2)
• 1 middlelayer fleece
• 1 outer layer fleece
• full head bakalava for really cold night!
• light glasses/goggles (for spray/rain at night)
• headlamp
• wicking underwear (they stay dryer...)
• synthetic light towel

All this must fit in

• Musto waterproof gear bag small
• Musto waterproof gear bag big

And for the night or in case I get so cold outside that I need a little way to get warm...

• inflatable camp mat x2 (I cover the quarterberth with it when I am not single handed or at anchor, but I will probably put them on the floor below if I single hand - and then stuff in the quarterberth when not using...)
• 2 hangable camping lanterns (rechargeable/solar) - there is no light in the back of the boat and might be easier than with a headlamp
• Camping/hangable toiletry bag
• toothbruth/toothpaste
• camping do not require rinsing shampoo and conditioners
• moisturizing cream
• hair brush
• toilet paper :)
• pee bottle with cap
• camping 'shit bag' if weather too rough to use bucket

Electricty - Qualifier

• 55 Ah battery #1
  55 Big battery #2
  105 Ah Big battery
  Solar Charger
  Big flexible solar panel 125W
  flexible solar panel 40W
  solar panel 12 W
  Spares AA
  Spares AAA
  Car Charger for HH VHF 1
  Car Charger for HH VHF 2
  Car Charger for Laptop
  Car Charger for HH VHF 3
  Charger for HH VHF 3
  Fuel for fuel cell
  Spare D Battery for spot light
  Fuel Cell and Fuel

iPod/iPhone charging cable/car charger

Line/Sail support inventory

• External spare halyard
• spare set of spinnaker sheets
• Spare set of twin lines (for any purpose)
• Spinnaker net
• Couple of lines of spectrar
• Couple of smaller spare lines (helps tie off the main if you are going to be reefed for extended periods of time for instance, keeps it from flapping around and from banging against the boom)
• Reefing lines (two of them through the boom)

Wondering about this one: spinnaker sock

Qualifier - alternate propulsion

Alternate Propulsion

small engine

8 gallons of gas

1 oar

flippers...

Storm Management - SHTP material

• Storm Jib rigged with sheets already attached
• Trysail
• Large yellow drogue + 60 feet of line  (I usually use one of my spare lines) + retrieval line
• Jordan series drogue + bridle and control/retrieval line

Boat Work - SHTP Preparation

Custom made light twin sails for (h0pefully!) stable downwind sailing - can't wait to test it. Thanks Will Paxton and Quantum Sails!

Little secret weapon for SHTP if sleeping under spinnaker doesn't look like a good idea.

 The autopilot master at work

 

Elise's now Master Caretaker

VHF bolts were leaking - they are now fixed.

 

And tested!!

All photos courtesy of the Master Caretaker.

Good bye!

 

Serge saying goodbye to Elise for now!

Best caretaker ever!

Boat Work Pictures

 

Amazing dryvac

Serge said it cleaned the bilge in 30 seconds

 

lunch

 

The machine

\

the girl

 

Screws for radio were leaking.

Problem corrected.

 

The machine or the monster?

 

Door fixed

Photos and work courtesy of Serge.