We revisit why we're doing this, and practice a bit of cruising.

This blog is about as consistent as my efforts at log keeping aboard TRIMMING OUT.  But as I continue this cruising life I realize that there are very few "shoulds".  Two that do come to mind are: "keep the water out" and "keep the people in".  However,  I did happen across some wisdom from L. Francis Herresshoff that you might find interesting.  Oh...and ...I'm writing this aboard in the Alameda Marina on a blustery evening, my little electric heater cranking out shore powered BTU's.

"Keep the cabin simple with everything stowed where it won't get wet or shifted in a knockdown.
 
Eat sensibly

Don't get sunburned, for no berth is comfortable under these circumstances.

Make the whole cruise an interesting game where you have pitted your wits against the elements;  try to do everything in the best and simplest way; try to improve your technique each time; rest and relax whenever you can, for there may be some occasion coming when you will need a well-rested mind and body.

If you cruise this way for a week in a small sailboat you will be greatly refreshed and strengthened, and if you go for a whole month you will feel like a Clydesdale stallion in the leafy month of May."

Last week I cruised from the Alameda Marina to Richardson Bay off Sausalito, and thence to China Camp and finally to Benecia, before returning via Richardson Bay to Alameda.  During the cruise I had a chance to weigh anchor sans use of the windlass as I believe the foot switch in the foredeck became waterlogged, lost my good hat overboard while climbing the mast to retrieve an errant halyard, had a great meal at the Union Hotel in Benecia, awoke one morning in a very thick fog for the first time in my life, got to use my wonderful little solid fuel heater, and finally, had to make two passes at my slip before jumping onto the quay to manhandle the boat into her berth.

Here's a picture of a fire warming the cabin on the foggy morning off China Camp.  Also...I have a little Forespar Marine gimballed cooker great for making coffee in the morning.

And here's what the fog looked like just as it was lifting

You might want to see what the layout is....The modification a previous owner made was to dismantle all the shelves and lockers aft of the chain locker and also to remove the partial bulkhead just forward of the settees.  He installed a v-berth in their place and then added footwells under the v-berth (with filler, a giant double bed) to extend the settees for sleeping or for storage.  This works well for me.  There is no WC in the aft cabin, but rather a big locker/seat.  A bowsprit has been added and the original forstay now terminates above the spreaders.  new forestay with roller furling genny extends to the masthead.  Yes I do get some weather helm in a blow, but one reef in the main eases that.  I have had the boat in 15-20 kts with SOG indicated at 6.8kts, but that was in San Francisco Bay and I was probably riding the tide for part of that speed.
Hard dodger extends from top where the original windshield aft to just forward of the wheel.  Don't know how that's going to be in warm weather as none of the windows facing forward opens.  Lots of fuel and water storage, and as I'm discovering an almost 50 year old mass of wiring that just goes on and on.

Hope this was interesting to a few of you.  Let me know if you have questions.

Wherein the late lamented DELTA BELLE is organ donor to TRIMMING OUT

TRIMMING OUT, my 35 foot Chris Craft Sail Yacht (yes, that's the model's designation) was originally rigged as a sloop.  Along the way someone added an industrial strength bowsprit with bobstay, and a very nice roller furling 130 genny.  According to the previous owner, he had new sails made, the mast painted, and new standing rigging installed.  The rigger was pretty good as he also made up an inner stay that runs from about 6 feet above the spreaders down to the the stem head where the original forestay was attached.

But when I bought the boat the inner stay wasn't rigged.  In fact, it wasn't until I was going through the myriad lockers in the aft cabin that I found a beautifully crafted stainless wire piece of rigging with turnbuckles attached that I realized I may have an innerstay after all.  But did it fit?  

I have steps attached to the mast...those triangular pieces of metal you see advertised.  I didn't know if they could support my aging 220 lbs, but the best way to find out was to head up the mast.  I had bought an ascender from the local REI store, and attached that to an offshore harness to that I could have free hands if I made it as far as the spreaders.  And then into my pockets I stuffed pliers and shackle, clevis and cotter pins, tied a line to the new stay, tied the line with the stay to the harness, attached the ascender to the jib halyard.  So far so good.  Then up the mast I went....sliding the ascender up and then testing it to make sure it held.  Amazing device.  Made it to the spreaders and realized I had to disengage the ascender and reattach it above the spreader, which I did.  Finally, standing on the the base of the spreaders I was able to reach up to the tang and luckily the clevis and shackle fit just right.  So I hauled up the inner stay with the line I had attached to my harness.  The upper fitting went right on the clevis pin, the cotter key was inserted, and down the mast I came.  Breathless.  Very very confident feeling.

But, the question was, was this indeed the inner stay?  I led the turnbuckle forward to the stemhead, and Eureka...it was the inner stay.  The rigger had made it up with a spring loaded clevis pin and it slipped right over the fitting on the stemhead.  Then came the really cool part.  The rigger had attached cotter pins to some velcro nylon straps with epoxy.  The object was then to tighten up the turnbuckle, insert the cotter keys into the holes, and rewrap with the nylons strap.  Easy peasy lemon squeasy.

Next challenge was the staysail halyard.  Same drill.  Up the mast, find the appropriate tang, install block, reeve the halyard (attached to my harness for trip up the mast) and that was that.

Now the DELTA BELLE contributed a staysail that I had stored ashore when she went down.  Would it fit?
And what's more, would the foot clear the dinghy I store on the foredeck.  Yes and yes.

So today's job is to set up the running backstays, (Spectra with spliced eyes....very nice), and rig the sheets for the staysail.  TRIMMING OUT is shaping up.

More anon....and with photographs if I can pull that off.

First Cruise of T.O.

TRIMMING OUT and I took our first cruise a few weeks ago.  I had moved the boat from the Berkeley Marina where I was berthed in a downwind slip that proved disastrous on my first sail.  Single handing a 35' full-keel sloop with a center cockpit was pretty straightforward I thought.  But moving bow in to a slip that was both down wind and down tide proved to be beyond my somewhat inexpert capability.  With the help of some of the locals I managed to tie up at the end of the dock as shown here after the wind died down.

While this shot looks placid and oh so tranquil, an hour or so earlier it was the scene of mayhem as I managed to ding a stern or two.  The next day I was able to nose into the slip for the last time, and since have moved to the Alameda Marina.

The first cruise was from the Alameda Marina to Sausalito.  I managed to sail up in fairly calm winds...a distance of only about 5 miles past Treasure Island, Alcatraz and Angel Island.  Look at Google Earth for those spots and you can see the route.  I brought up in about 2 fathoms, and set the anchor bridle.

Then, for the next two days I just stayed aboard taking stock of my surroundings (afloat and ashore) and my life.  The tide would swing me 180 degrees so I was either facing the head of the bay or back towards San Francisco.  I fired up my Dickinson solid fuel stove to take the chill off, and tried out my Magma gas grill for a steak.  Oatmeal and coffee for breakfast along with some Trader Joe's coffee cake, sandwiches for lunch, and something not much more complicated for dinner.  Wine and cheese when the sun was going down.

Finally I launched the dinghy (a Sumner 8...fiberglass built in New York in the 80's and kept on the bow), and rowed ashore to buy some fuses for the cigarette lighter inverter that keeps the cell phone and wifi hotspot charged.  I also repaired the AutoHelm windvane and tested it on the way back to Alameda.  We were on a reach for about 45 minutes without touching the wheel.  My first windvane experience.  I love it.

Depature was a chore.  The worst part was getting the dinghy aboard.  I used the main halyard and an improvised bridle that needs improvement.  While I didn't end up overboard I achieved the next best thing...half of me over the gunwale and half hooked onto the the lifeline.  This was the only time in my five days aboard where help was actually offered by a neighboring boater.  I managed to restore myself to T.O. but not without loss of dignity.

Actually sailed out of the anchorage.  Back to the north of Angel Island then downwind past the light on Treasure Island (light keepers quarters shown) and to the slip.  On the way I was passed by the Red Bull America's Cup team.

And past the cargo docks as seen through the dodger windows.

That's it for first cruise.  Nothing exciting, but really a great step forward.  Upcoming will be rigging an innerstay, reeving spinnaker and staysail halyards, and setting up running backstays.

No more name change

My first boat was a Pearson Triton.  28' overall, a Carl Alberg design, and just a wonderful first boat.  I had been really deliberating about a name, and had come up with all sorts of things.  Finally I settled on FIDELIO,  Beethoven's only opera that supposedly took 11 years to complete,   I liked the concept of fidelity, and I figured it would take me 11 years to pay for the boat.  It all seemed to work.

But I got married, changed jobs, and moved from Dade County, Florida, up to Broward County.  Instead of 30 minutes from condo to being under sail on Biscayne Bay, it was now an hour and a half schlep.  Interest waned, dockage increased, and she was put up for sale...reluctantly.

Along came hurricane Andrew and as mentioned in a previous post, FIDELIO was almost totaled and the insurance money plus the funds from the sale of the hull got invested. Almost 20 years later I bought the Westsail 32, GEMINI.  And...ignoring the fate of FIDELIO and all sailors' warnings, I changed the name.
GEMINI became the DELTA BELLE.  I loved the name, and it all fit.  I'm from the Mississippi Delta, and I found the boat in New Orleans.  Fate, right?  Wrong.

Hurricane Isaac blew the water of Lake Pontchartrain up the bayou where DELTA BELLE was docked.  She was raised to the limit of her dock lines and still the water rose.  It seems now that the previous owner had plumbed the galley sink with PVC and plumbers putty. Water rising through the galley sink drain, the putty gave way and boat flooded.

Long story longer, I bought the boat mentioned in the previous post, TRIMMING OUT.  TRIMMING OUT she will remain.  She's a 1966 Chris Craft Sail Yacht.  Sparkman and Stephens designed,  35' on deck, but with the added bowsprit and Auto Helm steering vane she's about 39'9".  Westerbeke diesel, new sails and standing rigging, a hard dodger, and lots of cobbled together electrics that will have to be sorted out over time.  For now she's functional.  Shore power works, engine has only 1500 hours, lots of projects to do, but I have the rest of my active life to do them.  I'm sitting aboard now with feet up on the opposite berth in the fore cabin. ( Being mid-cockpit I have to get used to fore and aft cabins).  

Sailing on San Francisco Bay will be different from the Gulf Coast, but I'm only 6 hours from home, have plenty of time, and am in the middle of a 12 day sojourn this trip.  I'll head out in the morning for Richardson Bay off Sausolito, and see how living on the hook goes.

I'm encouraged by Dani, Tate and James....all Westail owners whose experiences shared in their blogs help me realize that given some careful study along with a tremendous work ethic, nothing is impossible.  It helps that they're all fellow southerners.

So that's it for this time.  I'll try to include pictures in the future, and the blog title has to remain...no name changes ever again.  Two hurricanes and two losses can't be coincidental.

There's the sinking and salvage, the search for a new boat, and the rebirth of the dream to talk about...so here goes:

DELTA BELLE was salvaged and towed to the yard.  The surveyor called her a "constructive loss" and the insurance company offered to sell her back to me.  But as tantalizing as that offer was, I couldn't see myself living in a motorhome (I actually identified one to buy) while I used my less than adequate skills to rebuild a boat when I'd rather be sailing.
I flew to New Orleans as planned and salvaged the personal stuff and the things I had stored and drove back to CA.
In the meantime I had found a Westy up in New England.  The plan was to drive up there from NOLA and take delivery, move aboard after survey, and find my way back to FL via the ICW.  Best laid plans however..etc. etc.  Just as I was about to slip a deposit check in the mail the broker called to say seller had better offer and could I match it.  Nope!!
So looking around on the internet once home I found a boat that spoke to me.  I hope you know the feeling.
It's awful, tenacious, pleasant, pony under the Christmas tree, heart speeding and terrifying.  The price was right.  But somehow it was not what I ever thought would captivate my sailing fantasies.
It's a center cockpit, aft cabin sloop. And, it's a Chris Craft.  Not a Colin Archer "I'll take on the North Sea at her worst in my oilies and sou'wester" world cruiser, but a family coastal cruise Chris Craft.  Massive center cockpit.  A hard dodger.  Who'd a thunk it?  But it works for me on all sorts of levels.
Lots of upsides about being in SFO...in the Bay which is practically a 4-season cruising ground adjacent to  the Sacramento River Delta and its miles of sloughs and marshes.  Adjacent too, to the Pacific!!  Mexico, the San Juans and beyond.  And the access is such that I can get back home with less hassle.
So when I last saw DELTA BELLE she was in a slip at Northshore Marine under the capable watch of Gerald who owns the yard, and his fine staff.  I don't know her fate other than she's for sale, and that were I younger and more talented, I'd certainly buy her back.
The Boat US insurance folks did an fantastic job...some nice hand holding at the outset, and then efficient, business like attending to getting the settlement to me.
The Westy in New England??  Owner's direct buyer didn't come through so once aboard new boat I got a call from the broker asking if I were still interested.  Nope!!
Also found a really great Westy in Oxnard, CA...gorgeous hand crafted interior, skylight and unique built in kerosene reservoir, an Aries vane, two dinks, etc etc.   But the boat in San Francisco just seemed "righter.

I'm leaving the name, as I've had bad luck with name changes.  Here she is...TRIMMING OUT...having sailed from the east coast to Australia, Washington and now the Bay Area.

Salvage

The insurance company did indeed swing into action.
This shows the airbags and the white pump hoses on
deck on Sunday.  The pump out began and the vessel raised.
Monitored overnight by one of the salvage crew who lives at a nearby marina, the boat stayed dry indicating there was no breach of the hull.
The insurance company, surveyor and salvage crew have done a great job, quickly.  I've been kept
informed by everyone about what has taken place.

Below you can see how she looked yesterday...newly painted cabin sides glistening white, sail cover in place, basically as I left her.  Assessment is supposed to be later today, and I plan to be there next Sunday.  What doesn't show is the condition of the Perkins, air conditioner, radar and other electronics,  reefer, etc. plus all the goodies I had below...tool sets, power tools, even stuff like foulies, kitchen utensils and the myriad of things accumulated by the previous owners for voyaging.    I don't know how we'll come out of this, but I'm still better off than those who lost homes and businesses.

Revenge of Isaac

Maybe I was too smug.  Maybe everything seemed to be going too well.  Or maybe it's just fate.

I got a call this morning from the owner of the marina where DELTA BELLE is lying.  A local liveaboard had just notified him that the boat in slip 16, a boat with a wind generator, had sunk.  Only the wind generator was above water (and I'm assuming the mast, too).

I got one of those shocky type reactions...took a few deep breaths to settle down, and called BoatUS, my insurance company.  That was an hour and twenty minutes ago.  During that time...
Information was collected in the claims dept, (how many lines did I have, color of boat, slip no., and importantly, how the cabin was locked, what of value was below etc.) and I was transferred to an adjuster
More information provided, including name of yard where I would like DELTA BELLE transferred.
Brief explanation by Boat US about what would take place.  (air bags and pumps...towing to yard)
Put on hold while Boat US contacted local Tow Boat US.  Turns out owner of that firm had his boats out of the water until wind abates, and local law enforcement allows boats up the bayou to the marina.  He himself was in a kayak on the bayou surveying other damage, and will call me when he's assessed situation and actual process of salvage starts.

How do you quantify the value of hundreds of paper charts, radar, gps, SSB, documents, tools, custom berth cushions, air conditioner, reefer unit, etc. etc.  It's all rushing around in my thoughts.  My monitor windvane can take immersion, but what about the Perkins?

So far, things are proceeding apace, other than my mind racing over what could come next...salvage, restoration, time lost, plans awry, etc. But...no life was lost.  I wasn't aboard at sea when this happened.
And hopefully, DELTA BELLE did this on her own and didn't impact my neighbors.

I notified wife, son and mother...and now am blogging to any interested parties about this.

Marina owner said that electricity in the area is still off, but that winds have died down.
A few gas stations with electricity are open, but that as there was a "run" on gas before the storms, finding some is still a bit sketchy.

Right now my emotions are kind of strange, not having gone through a boat sinking...particularly when a good part of my future plans were tied to DELTA BELLE.  Maybe they still are.  The emotions and the plans.  As the blanks are filled in I'll post the information.  In the scheme of things, I (we) are very, very fortunate.