Alternators\Morrow Bay

Left San Luis Bay @ 6:30 AM.  And within 20 min noticed the new alternator was not working .  Cloudy & foggy day.   Set course for Morrow Bay.  Batteries went dead , so had to hand steer and use my Nav on my cell phone.  Easier than paper charts.   Engine ran fine sense diesels don't need electricity.

When we got in and asked for transit moorage due to this problem...we received directions to the Morrow bay yacht club, and here we are.  

Got help immediately and the next day the maintenance guy took the new
& my OEM alternators to San Luis Obispo for repair.  Turns out the new one from Spider Marine is dead & junk. The original Volvo one is repairable but no parts available, so I ordered a new one.  Should arrive by noon today the 10th of May.

Morrow bay is nice, but foggy.  In fact when we motored in we could not see the rock.  Seriously.  The bay is well marked and easy to enter in the fog.

Down loaded a new GRIB file.  The Northerlies are getting worse, so I will moor in the SF Bay area for a month or a year.  Meanwhile I have no email with Ocens.  Not sure why, no email on SSB due to the digital antenna, which is new.  And so it goes.  So farmyard new iPhone is working fine and the food is good :-)

Met a couple from Chico.  John & Linda Mendoza.  They gave up on their Hawaii trip due to weather.  Sound familiar?  She is an MD & he is ret. game warden.  Great people and she bakes great bread. He is innovative with his SSB.  Cheaper & works great.  Will post what he did later.

Should leave tomorrow @ 4 AM (calmer seas) and head north to??

Cheers.  Wish us luck
Skipper, Ken

San Luis Obispo

Last two nights from the pleasant Channel Island Harbor @ Oxnard, CA heading to Port San Luis ( near San Luis Obispo) was Hell at sea.  High head winds of 20+ knots and steep seas, up to 18 high waves.  Lowered all sails. Motored @ 3,600 rpm and barely made 2.5 -3 Knots.   Used up a lot of fuel & had to pour in 10 gal in this chop while motoring.  Of course that made me sea sick again.  Also, tore up a motor belt.  So the engine shut down (fortunately earlier in lite air).  Replaced it, hack sawed off a bolt end that caused the problem

Thanks for good tools, ingenuity, spare parts and luck .

At this time my cell phone rang, my oldest daughter, Kim wanted to know if I was OK?  Told her I would call back because I was up to alligators to my A--
And I did call her back. :-)

Cheers to all. Today we are at a mooring ball and resting.

Skipper , Ken

Dolphins

I have seen many Dolphins when at sea, but never before have they played with the Noe Mar, but this time they did.  On the way to Oxnard, Channel Islands Harbor, a large Pod decided we were there Disney Land, and play they did.  In our bow wake (we were doing 5 knots , sails & motor) they frolicked and sped in and around us.  Then leaping, away they went, only to return again & again.  What a delight to watch.

These guys were a dark tan with a greyish tan undersides.  Same markings as the San Juan dolphins but totally different color.   All are sleek & fast.  Beautiful to watch. Way to soon they tired of us and left. Made one wish you could done scuba gear and play.  Oh well, we could never keep up with them.

If any of you wish to design a hull form. Copy the Dolphins shape, and hope for there speed .

Keep sailing and enjoy the world.

Cheers.  Skipper of the Noe Mar,  Ken

Can't get SSB to work

Another day on the Noe Mar, or should I say a week? 


Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/7nZqK/34.16248N/119.22307W
We got the engine repaired (leaky raw water pump & exhaust manifold) and said goodby to Justin (my step son) and thanked him for all of his help.  Said goodby to dock friends, a couple of gals in their 70's  who sailed the Ensenada race in a very small boat, missed the Campbell soup gals in their big Catalina 34, a guy trying to single hand it to the Philippines.  The single hander did not seem to be psyched for it.  Hope he is OK and makes it or finds a way out.  Oh yes, not to forget the couple and their great dog from the power boat.

Called Tom's Sis in Florida. She & Tom talked. Said she reads my blogs.  Hope so.

Motor sailing off Catalina Island headed to Oxnard for showers & R&R , then up the Coast to San Luis Obisbo or Half Moon Bay.  Then on to Oregon.  Doing 4-5 knots, sails & motor..,wind is light & in our teeth.  It is 3:15 AM  ... Tom is up listening to his new MP3 player.  Radar is on , running lights are great (new LED) engine is purring... Weather is mild.  But never fear Oregon will cool us down.

Tom cooked up lentils, Turkey Spam, green peppers, onions, cheese , etc
He finally is friends with the kerosene stove.  Scary at first ;-)

Cheers, have a great day

Skipper,  Ken