tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post1381951124824906523..comments2023-07-03T06:51:05.962-07:00Comments on O Dock: Ocean Sailing Is HardO Dockerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-74324014920540209652010-06-07T05:05:16.138-07:002010-06-07T05:05:16.138-07:00Motorsailing? Drake is turning in his grave.Motorsailing? Drake is turning in his grave.Tillermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639738519386820997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-46647680461360637822010-06-06T23:41:41.534-07:002010-06-06T23:41:41.534-07:00Valis, thanks for the update and damage report.
Y...Valis, thanks for the update and damage report.<br /><br />You have given me a humiliating case of keel envy. Your 'shoal-draft' keel is three inches longer than the bluewater keel on my Catalina 30.<br /><br />I wish you'd been less honest about your motorsailing. You've completely shattered the case I so arduously built for you being manly men.<br /><br />And I still want to know why you were using a teapot to make coffee.<br><br>O Dockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-25727370206003435122010-06-06T19:46:24.934-07:002010-06-06T19:46:24.934-07:00Hey, thanks for following VALIS and the great comm...Hey, thanks for following VALIS and the great comments!<br /><br />A bit about VALIS and out trip back home after the race: VALIS is definitely a heavy cruiser. She has a 5.5ft shoal-draft keel, a rollerfurling 120% genoa, and a boom-furling main. None of these things help her upwind performance. In the right conditions she can make 200 mile days, but in three Hawaii/San Francisco round-trips that's only happened once. Plenty of 180+ mile days, though.<br /><br />VALIS is heavy (and expensive, much more than $100k), and can take a beating, but stuff still breaks occasionally. During the Spin Cup the teakettle was the only casualty, much to our surprise. On the return, the below-deck autopilot hydraulic RAM crapped out, but this appears to be cumulative wear and corrosion. We broke the spin pole and tore some spinnakers in the '08 Pac Cup. I do try to replace and maintain the gear to keep ahead of the wear and tear.<br /><br />During the post-race return from Monterey, we were motorsailing 100% of the way. Our tacking angle would have probably been even worse otherwise, but maybe not much. Here is our track from our 2009 attempt to sail up the coast to Washington (we turned around before Cape Mendocino). You will see that with the motor off, and in similar conditions, we were making similar progress -- about 120 degree tacking angles -- sailing two miles for one mile made good: http://sailvalis.com/wordpress_1/?p=290<br /><br />Oh well, once we make it out to the Farallones, for the rest of the Pac Cup the wind should be on or aft of the beam!VALIShttp://www.sailvalis.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-89606000951252009842010-06-05T09:44:39.163-07:002010-06-05T09:44:39.163-07:00Went through five lasers in the 1980's, Trophy...Went through five lasers in the 1980's, Trophy Wife & I (& son). Plenty of scars in the gelcoat decks but nothing broke!Doc Häagen-Dazshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00577427442824705257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-75070302796757734532010-06-05T08:35:39.965-07:002010-06-05T08:35:39.965-07:00I think you're right, Pat. The original owners...I think you're right, Pat. The original owners of my boat must have paid a fortune for it.<br><br>O Dockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-25531345420868267862010-06-05T08:21:09.340-07:002010-06-05T08:21:09.340-07:00Good point Pat. My little Laser is pretty tough. I...Good point Pat. My little Laser is pretty tough. I hardly ever break anything on it. And apparently Valis did break something on the sail to Monterey. The teapot! Oh, the humanity!Tillermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639738519386820997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-72369530363474125462010-06-04T23:27:39.247-07:002010-06-04T23:27:39.247-07:00Remember the old book title, "Gentlemen never...Remember the old book title, "Gentlemen never sail to weather"?<br /><br />Most world cruisers try to maximize offwind headings.<br /><br />Now, I'm trying to imagine a boat that doesn't have things that break. * Especially * a $100,000 boat. I think that, generally, the more you pay for a boat, the more breakable things come with it!Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13417115374524861438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-74589519933736507002010-06-02T17:57:25.209-07:002010-06-02T17:57:25.209-07:00Sounds frickin awesome.Sounds frickin awesome.tillermanhttp://propercourse.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-7878963347108188802010-06-02T15:44:10.606-07:002010-06-02T15:44:10.606-07:00Thankfully I wasn't on board, it sounded like ...Thankfully I wasn't on board, it sounded like a crappy ride back home...deep reefed main and staysail the whole way.<br /><br />That video explains why dodgers are a good thing.EVK4https://www.blogger.com/profile/02797338920913749383noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-38811441168509185352010-06-01T20:01:47.989-07:002010-06-01T20:01:47.989-07:00Drake was just playing the ratings game - he thoug...Drake was just playing the ratings game - he thought with an old bucket like that he could correct out ahead.<br /><br />But navigator, shmavigator, you're not going to do well in local races if you can't find the gate.<br><br>O Dockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-87938634748163604852010-06-01T19:51:05.151-07:002010-06-01T19:51:05.151-07:00So are you saying that modern boats are harder to ...So are you saying that modern boats are harder to sail north up the California coast than the Golden Hind was?Tillermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639738519386820997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-82672495959410092602010-06-01T19:37:20.969-07:002010-06-01T19:37:20.969-07:00Drake sailed in ships made from wood, not fibergla...Drake sailed in ships made from wood, not fiberglass. He sailed right past the Gate. It would be another 200 years for Europeans to discover the bay....and that was by a guy on horseback.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00087089319937016247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-42529709573249053652010-06-01T19:34:59.479-07:002010-06-01T19:34:59.479-07:00Yes, but he was so scared out of his wits that he ...Yes, but he was so scared out of his wits that he kept his eyes closed the whole time and completely missed san Francisco.<br><br>O Dockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-12578303005567678852010-06-01T19:18:52.360-07:002010-06-01T19:18:52.360-07:00Didn't Drake sail north along this coast in 15...Didn't Drake sail north along this coast in 1579?Tillermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639738519386820997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-12652237536368986242010-06-01T16:31:41.263-07:002010-06-01T16:31:41.263-07:00Everything breaks, if pressed hard enough.
Boats ...Everything breaks, if pressed hard enough.<br /><br />Boats like <i>Valis</i> are usually tougher than the crew.<br /><br />The swells here eventually get steep enough that no reasonable progress can be made against them. Pressing on just wears out the crew and needlessly pounds a boat.<br /><br />When we were returning from Monterey two years ago, the harbor master in Santa Cruz was recommending to all boats headed north that they wait it out another day before going on.<br /><br />We did, and it turned out to be good advice.<br /><br />The swells are often 12-15 feet and can get higher. The wind waves are kind of icing on top of that cake.<br /><br />Joe has a nice word to describe these conditions:<br /><br />Mommy!<br><br>O Dockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-56600765848377439052010-06-01T15:38:41.311-07:002010-06-01T15:38:41.311-07:00Pat, if I ever spent $100,000 on a boat (which I n...Pat, if I ever spent $100,000 on a boat (which I never will) I would expect it to be built well enough to sail upwind in 40 knots without stuff breaking. Or am I asking too much?Tillermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00639738519386820997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-23043687755785055392010-06-01T11:26:31.457-07:002010-06-01T11:26:31.457-07:00For a look at the conditions Valis was facing, her...For a look at the conditions Valis was facing, here's <a href="http://sailvalis.com/wordpress_1/?p=389" rel="nofollow">a quick video clip</a>. Quality's not too great, but I'd be lucky to hold onto my cellphone in that kind of slop. The <i>Valis</i> blog, BTW, says it was 'blowing like stink' out there, and these are guys who are out on the bay all of the time, basking in our gentle, 25-knot breezes.<br /><br />This may explain why Edward was wearing pink foulies. I think one of his sponsors is Pepto-Bismol. No word from Edward yet. I've been trying to reach his publicist, Mal DeMer, all weekend.<br><br>O Dockerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08674140306304705852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-42797620369510188912010-06-01T10:11:56.356-07:002010-06-01T10:11:56.356-07:00Well said, Pat. Ocean sailing is hard...and it can...Well said, Pat. Ocean sailing is hard...and it can be boring...sometimes.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00087089319937016247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-79802907039269409912010-06-01T09:09:40.694-07:002010-06-01T09:09:40.694-07:00You know, it takes a real man to wear pink foulies...You know, it takes a real man to wear pink foulies.bonniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04794351142636136626noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-40628818845439113872010-06-01T02:46:56.288-07:002010-06-01T02:46:56.288-07:00If you break something on the Laser, it's usua...If you break something on the Laser, it's usually not that big a deal. <br /><br />If you're responsible for a $100 000 boat, or the lives and safety of your crew, or if you race hours or days from assistance, that's another matter.<br /><br />If you're responsible for the enjoyment and safety of dozens or hundreds of competitors and have to negotiate with government entities for the continued "privilege" of being allowed to run races, it's a bloody big deal.Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13417115374524861438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-58167886831963520702010-05-31T10:37:29.068-07:002010-05-31T10:37:29.068-07:00Oh come on! For superbBblogGgers, looking Mr. Nept...Oh come on! For <a href="http://evk4.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">superbBblogGgers</a>, looking Mr. Neptune in the eye without flinching is the most fun you can have with your pink foulies on.tillermanhttp://propercourse.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3740572667294775424.post-35489950251400694542010-05-31T07:13:04.961-07:002010-05-31T07:13:04.961-07:00Yes.... I have the ideal craft for the Newport to ...Yes.... I have the ideal craft for the Newport to Ensenada Race. But despite entreaties to do it, I know I will never undertake it unless I am confident in my crew to return it to its berth in Central California without me. Whenever I am under power, I prefer it to be on freeways or airways.Doc Häagen-Dazshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00577427442824705257noreply@blogger.com