Noe Mar's recovery

It is October 16, 2005 and I just flew back from Oakland, CA.

When I arrived on the 11th, I drove down to Sausilito to see how the new boom was comming along. It looked great. I had them put a second coat of "Smiths" aka "Restore it" (a very low viscosity two part epoxy) on the ends of her. I took pictures of the old boom and discovered the worm hole bored into her and all the damage that it did...right where it broke. I even found a cocoon or egg sack...I told these boat builders/repairers to burn that sack.

The next day Jody (shipwright) brought the boom up to San Rafel on his pickup truck and I put it in place. It took me a few days to mount it, paint it, and attach the hardware. But it is done and perhaps I can lash on the main when I get back down there in a few weeks.

I found out that Pettit bought out Z-Spar and discontinued Z-Spar # 87 shell marine paint. Ouch, that is the color of the interior of the Noe Mar as well as the deck and spars. I blended a yellow with Blue White of Interluxes...though it looks good...it is not what I want. I will try to match the color @ Rodda Paint co and call ASS (yes, Admiral Ship Supply...and the guys like the acronym)...and see if they have a couple of quarts left...for the interior.

The new radar mount arrived and looks great. My home made Al job was rubbing on my mizzen stays'l...so I will mount that when I get back.

The new autopilot of Ray Marines will arrive next week and the new version (V12) of MaxSea is here. That one always makes me nervous...I have to back up my files and uninstall the old version. The old one (V-11) works great..but MaxSea assures me the new one is better (really???).

I printed out the files I have saved of Steve's and my trip from Charleston, OR to San Rafel, CA...looks good...unfortunately the power went down and I lost the tacking from Port Hadlock to Charleston... (dummy...remember the words "save as").

Much to do to make the next jaunt...and I am looking for a crew to sail her south (yes, in the winter...called rain and fog). Still, it should be fun. Perhaps my son and youngest daughter will come...but only if we can agree on the route and make in in a week (something about pulling into dangerous foggy harbors at night that I don't agree with...I would like to live another 30 years or so). After that...hopefully a short stay...I will be looking for a crew to take her to Mexico...or 2 crews ???

I have tried to post pictures on this blog and perhaps I will some day...but so far it "times out" and will not alow me to do so (even when the pics are fewer pixels).

I have successfully sent e-mail by SSB (WDC5664@sailmail.com ) and recieved one by it (yes I do check the internet and recieve the e-mail that way...this one is for Bruce Schwab)...but I cannot do this 100% of the time. Many times it cannot connect to one of several stations and several propogation listings that I choose. Sail mail said tall aluminum masts in a harbor can cause problems...and since I have a short wooden mast with a split antenna...that may be the problem.

Meanwhile, Iridium (noemar@ocens.net) works great...and while I am on land... SbirdScott@aol.com works even better. So, people may send comments to any of the above. Be warned...mention the Noe Mar in the subject line...or it coud be considered spam and be deleted (unless you are a previous e-mailer and on my OK list). Of course the sailmail and ocens have very tight filters on them...so junk mail does NOT occur...a nice feature. I keep trying to tell a couple of my granddaughters that they need to change their e-mail address (keeps be put in the spam locker). Oh yes...a couple of blogger vouyers got deleted and put in the spam category also, so if you wish to post a message on any of my e-mails or this blog...do so carefully and with repsect to me and my family...however, I do enjoy hearing from all of my friends and enthusiasts.

I am signing off for now...give you a report and hopefully some pictures (next time)....Skipper Ken

ETC

I thought I'd recap some of the equipment updates, etc for a final blog, before the Noe Mar goes to sea again (in a few weeks or a month?)

OK...first thing to correct...of course a diesel engine takes in water for cooling and fuel for operating...and neither of the twain ever meet...thus (groggy and sliding in the nav station ?) the kelp had nothing to do with a fuel strainer....rather we emptied the forward tank and switched to the rear tank of fuel. Thus when we fueled up at the dock....any and all sediment that was in the tank came forth to clog the fine filter. This is the reason one has "dual Racor filters"...and I switched from one to the other...all was fine. So...replace the filter before you go again, Scotty, and keep a spare on hand.

I ordered and have a "battery monitor" system. Seems that Radar sucks a lot of power. O.P. had one...so I looked for one and found it...had it UPS'd to Charleston and it is on board. This will be mounted and the alarm turned on...so we never loose power again...No, I do not run the fridge unless the engine is running. Loosing power and having your lap top alarm come on (low battery) is not fun....besides you loose your tracking line (I saved it after that one).

Next...Bruce Schwab says (as I have found several times) that a Wind Vane does NOT work well in following wind/seas. Thus I have priced out a heavy duty system (Noe Mar weighs 10 ton) and it appears to be around 3-4 BOAT dollars (Break Out Another Thousand)....so we will see. Still, that is cheap life insurance.

The boom should be repaired next week...then it is paint it and replace all the hardware...and be very sure that the preventer is used from now on (I have 2 of them).

I am still leaving the option open to ship the Noe Mar back to Port Hadlock...but if I get a good crew and Candy is happy...we will proceed.

The Marina in San Rafael is the "Loch Lomand" and there are 2 of them in the world...the other one is on the Loch Lomand of Scotland....so I think we are situated correctly.

I will ship the Davis weather monitor back to be repaired or replaced (you know...the one the wave doused with salt water).

To much food...we gave a lot of it away to the staff at the Marina.

Need to clean the rust off the bow and sail...then I need to put a good barrier paint on everything and repaint parts.

R.O. water system...I think I would've been better off with a packaged unit...I found one in West Marine that produces 300 gpd for 4 boat dollars and no plumbing...still, the system I have is great...and I think it is a faulty membrane....so we will see.

When I haul the Noe Mar next time...I will saw off the top part of the rudder (like the Naval Arch. John Simpson suggested) due to the fact that the top of the rudder, when it is turned, forces the water up on the stern of the hull...and if that top is reduced...that will not happen. The result should make the rudder easier to handle.

The folding Prop, KIWI PROP, worked great...and we actually traveld 7 knots a lot of the time and we were NOT in the coastal 2 knot stream...rather we were out much further than that.

Need to set up the Trys'l so all one has to do is pull it out of the bag and attach it. This must be easy to do and fast. This is a matter of leaving lines on it...etc.

Preventer...need one for the mizzen also...or leave it down.

Aries...I think new bushings would be good...but it does work.

More storage bags for the galley...hate that noise of "crashing" to the sole all the goodies that are not velcroed down.

The Noe Mar stood up to heavy winds and seas (PS...email MaxSea about 40 chopper reports)... unlike a modern sail boat from Canada that was out where we were...all 7 crew were air lifted off of her after repeated knock-downs...and the boat is lost at sea. No injuries...but no boat either. Sorry about that...the GRIB called for 15-20 knots out @ 70-80 mi and only 5 knots in 15-20 miles....wrong... but NOAA figures called for the same as Ocens Weather Net and MaxSea Chopper. You learn to deal with the hand that is dealt you...and pick a good boat with a good Skipper and crew. We got 2 out of 3...OK? (could use a better Skipper).

One more item...Seems my Son-in-Law (Doc Mal) won the rowboat race around Skunk Island, hands down...he said it was due to the Dory I built him...I said it was due to his huge oars and great upper body strength. Glad Ajax had that race...fun...and sorry Lorry (hope I spelled her name right)...your guy came in second...:)

For now...the Skipper of the Noe Mar is signing off for a few weeks.........keep in touch all mi amigos............."Scotty"

Last of the first leg

We left Charleston on a blustry windy day. Called the Coast Guard for a bar report and got a green sign. Checked the latest GRIB files at our hotel room,that morning, in Bandon...blustry for a few miles and then light winds. Oh yes, thanks tons Steve and Susan for the great room at La Kris Inn (their great little motel).

Off we went (no sails but the main was reefed and ready)through the bar and out past all of the buoys and the last bell buoy before hoisting the main. OOP's...my sea stomach was gone...mal de mar was back, big time. I hoisted the main...belayed it off and donated to the sea it's demand. Asked Steve if he was OK and if the helm was handling correct. He said yes to both. I crashed for a few hours (to recover).

When I came up, I handed Steve the hand held anorometer and the wind read 27+ knots. Actually, we found out it was over 30 knots. We sailed on with out the jib or mizzen.

That night Steve said he watched the dolphins zip through the water, leaving phosphorescence trails...what a display. As I took watch, I mumbled about the dolphins not liking me...when shoosh, shoosh...dolphins taking a quick breath and racing forward......Yes....a light show...up to the Noe Mar...under her bow...out again...two of them following each other and spliting apart...huge glowing streaks. What a site (see it pays to whine to dolphins).

The stars and cresent moon were great...follow the little dipper...and read the soft fixed it)... well upside down and backwards...East = West, West=East, North=South,etc. Never sure why they made the compass like that...but you get used to it (I think). My watch from midnight to 6 AM is great. In fact, I couldn't bear to wake Steve up...until 8 AM. OOPs...Call Candy...or try to (left messages).

Later the wind died down some (we later found out that it was up to 40 knots) and I hoisted the Jib. Aires worked some of the time and other times...nope. Wind vanes are lousy down wind...and I think I need new bushings (it works but maybe with new bushings it will swing easier). We lash the tiller to a cleat and then around a winch...it works.

With the Genoa up, reefed main (blanketing the Genny most the time) we traveled on...up to 7 + knots. Things were going great.

Next day, we were only making 4 knots...I let the main out just a little...and we picked up speed...then it happened...it gybed on us...and swung back with a tremendous force (dummy me...with the Davis wind recorder not functioning...due to a salt bath...we never realized the speed and force of the wind behind us...like 30+ knots?).........................BANG!!!...What...Steve says...the Boom is broke. I look and there it is...out over the water with a 45 deg angle in the middle. How to save the sail and get the boom aboard? I quickly got a spring line, with a loop, around part of the boom...lashed it and went to the back to get a "block & tackle" (I'm sorry all you seamen...it is called something else at sea) that I have for a "preventer" (if I would've been using it...we would not have broken the boom...spendy lesson) and was able to reef in the boom and main sail. Now I could lower the Main...and did, somewhat. Steve sheeted in the boom sheet and thus brought the other end aboard. I lashed the sail, gaff and boom to the Noe Mar and then decided to call for help. Well, call Candy and get Linda Krooze's phone # to see if we could get moorage in the Bay area. We were intending to go to Half Moon Bay...but now we would go under the Golden Gate Bridge.

Linda called the Coast guard and got their number to us. We called on the Iridium...and then they requested we call every 2 hours. Talk about tired...every hour and a half one of us woke to call and then take the helm while the other crashed for an hour +...but we motored @ 5 knots and all went well. Thanks Candy and Linda for your help. Linda found us a spot in Sausilito and we made it in.

As we were motoring up the bay...a sail boat, with a party going on, stared at me...I still had on my Stearns off shore work suit on...I laughed and told them it was colder out there than in the bay...but keep playing...the guitar sounded great.
They asked where we were form...Port Townsend, WA, I replied...........Hey, that's where we are from.

After tying up, the group came over and tied up behind us...beer in hand.

As it turns out they were shipwrights from the PT area and one of them owned a shipwrights boat yard (small but all wood). We called them the next morning and they rowed out to get our boom and make a new one. Great team of guys and gals.

We moved the Noe Mar to San Rafel to Lock Lomand Marina (much cheaper) and there she sits.

I found a hot spot (on the side walk) and purchased tickets for me to fly home with Steve...to surprise Candy...........this we did.

Oh yes...it is COLDER in Oregon.

Sorry of all the trouble and worry I caused Candy, Linda, Coast Guard...but the Noe Mar handled well and Steve was the best I could've had aboard...in spite of his lack of experience. We got along well and we enjoyed each others company...what a great crew man.........Thanks Steve.

Where do we go from here? After the boom is on ??? Anyone wish to coast hop down to San Diego??? When???

I will start a new blog some time later...we may even truck her back up to Port Hadlock (that is an option)..................later my friends......Skipper Ken

Down for repairs

Well, the boom broke and a new one is being made. The Noe Mar is moving to San Rafel tomorrow and I am comming home soon. The boom will be done next week. Where I go from here is very debatable...may even have the Noe Mar trucked home....but we will see.

Every thing is fine but not sure about taking her further...Steve and I have really enjoyed it but we are tired. Later....