Stuart, Florida March 3-7, 2020

Seminars March 3-7, 2020 Boat Show & Exhibits March 5-7, 2020 Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina Stuart, Florida

Seattle, Washington April 14-18, 2020

Seattle Marriott Waterfront Seminars (April 14-18)

Bell Harbor Marina In-Water Boat Show & Land Exhibits (April 16-18)

TrawlerFest features an impressive in-water selection of new and pre-owned cruising powerboats, the latest in marine gear and services, and first-class education and demonstrations. Buy tickets and learn more at: But TrawlerFest is more than a boat show; it's where industry, trawlerfest.com education, and community come together in an intimate, rendezvous-like atmosphere.

Boat Shows Boating Seminars Social Events

Visit a great selection of new and used We offer premium cruising and repair Enjoy engaging social events with cruising powerboats and the latest in seminars from world-renowned fellow cruisers. Share your cruising marine electronics, safety equipment, experts; plus, in-water demonstrations stories and meet a few new people gear, and more. and sea trials. along the way. 20 ContentsIssue #260 March/April 2020 Features Ocean Voyaging 20 The art of becoming fishermen A voyaging couple’s halting efforts learning to gather food from the sea by Liesbet Collaert Special Section 4 26 Multisource charging Alternative energy for the offshore yacht by Bill Morris Departments Chartroom Chatter 4 HUGO BOSS race boat undergoes repairs 5 2019 Chuck Husick Marine Technology Award winner 5 MIT research buttresses sailors’ knot lore 6 A voyager’s favorite gear 26 Marine Tech Notes 26 10 Alternatives to ethanol by Tim Queeney 36 Evaluating modern catamarans Power Voyaging A multihull voyager examines the key 12 Of course, a compass elements of offshore cruising cats by Jeff Merrill 18 by Dave McCampbell

Correspondence 1 2 3 4 15 SSCA HF radio service teams with Caribbean Safety and Security Net, Boatwatch.org

18  Shipshape and Bristol fashion Cleat Cleat Safety line Safety line Safety line Safety line released Cleat Boat in from bridle Carabiner reverse when bridle clipped to Walk bridle lines are Voyaging Tips bridle lines forward cleated

33  Grabbing a mooring ball Cockpit Bridle 33 lines (2) by Eric Sanford Grab-N-Go Swivel Grab-N-Go hook hook onto mooring ball On the cover: Susan Hawkins and Diane Goyette take a break from a rig Navigation check aboard Mahina Tiare before passage to Rarotonga (www.mahina. 42  Celestial navigation series, part 11 com). Amanda Swan Neal photo. Location: Mopelia Atoll, French Polyne- sia, 130 miles west of Bora Bora.

Nav Problem For more on voyaging, follow us on: 48 Schooner Adix www.facebook.com/oceannavigator 36 by David Berson www.twitter.com/oceannavmag www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 1 contributors Ocean avigator NMarine navigation­ and ocean voyaging

CUSTOMER SERVICE: 1-866-918-6972 EMAIL: [email protected]

EDITORIAL Liesbet Collaert (Ocean Voyaging, “The art of becoming fisher- [email protected] men,” page 20) is originally from Belgium. She’s a teach- Editor Tim Queeney 207-749-5922 er, freelance writer, photographer, translator and editor. Copy Editor Kate Murray In 2004, she met her husband, Mark, in California, Art Director Kim Goulet Norton while on a U.S. road trip. They bought a 36-foot contributing editors Scott Bannerot Twain Braden Islander Freeport and left for Mexico. In 2007, they Nigel Calder bought Irie, a 35-foot Fountaine Pajot cat. After eight Ellen Massey Leonard Eric Forsyth years of cruising, running a business, writing articles Jeff & Raine Williams and exploring the Caribbean and the South Pacific, they David Berson sold Irie in Tahiti, French Polynesia. Liesbet blogs about Ken McKinley Wayne Canning their adventures at www.roamingabout.com. She is cur- rently writing a memoir about her sailing experiences. ADVERTISING/MARKETING

[email protected] Bill Morris (Special Section, “Multisource charging,” page 26) West Coast US & canada, international Susan W. Hadlock completed a full circumnavigation via the two canals 207-838-0401 aboard his 1966 Cal 30 from 2000 to 2005, accom- east coast US & Canada, international Charlie Humphries panied by his wife, Marilu, during the Pacific cross- 207-939-1929 ing. Bill has contributed dozens of articles to Ocean publisher/ advertising director Alex Agnew Navigator, sharing notes from his adventures — most 207-450-5363 notably, an attack by Somali pirates in March 2004. CIRCULATION/EVENTS He’s the author of The Windvane Self-Steering Hand- book (Inter. Marine, 2004); Sun, Wind, & Water: The Events & marketing Essential Guide to the Energy-Efficient Cruising Boat coordinator Lee Auchincloss

(Seaworthy Press, 2017); and The Captain’s Guide to BUSINESS Alternative Energy Afloat (Seaworthy Press, 2019). FINANCE Ken Koehler BUSINESS OFFICE Lee Auchincloss Dave McCampbell “Evaluating modern catamarans,” page ( MAIN OFFICE 36) and his wife, Sherry, voyage aboard their St. Fran- PHONE 1-207-822-4350 cis 44 catamaran, Soggy Paws. He’s a Naval Academy ISSN 0886-0149 Ocean Navigator is published in January, March, May, July, September and graduate and spent his time in the Navy as a diving November, with an annual special issue of Ocean Voyager in April, for $27.95 per year by Navigator Publishing LLC, 30 Danforth St., Portland, ME 04101. Peri- and salvage officer, commanding the rescue salvage odicals postage paid at Portland, Maine, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Please send address changes to Ocean Navigator, P.O. Box ship Bolster. He has owned eight . Dave holds 461468, Escondido, CA 92046. Copyright © 2020 by Navigator Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. No part a 100-ton USCG Masters license and spent six years in of this publication may be reprinted in any way without written permission from the publisher. the charter industry with the Florida Sea Base sailing Subscription rate is $27.95 for one year (eight issues) in the United States and its possessions. Canadian subscription rate is $31.95 U.S. funds. Other foreign surface is $33.95 U.S. funds. Overseas air mail is $62.95 U.S. funds program in the Keys. He is a retired PADI and YMCA per year. Distribution: Newsstand distribution, domestically and internationally: Coast scuba instructor. He holds an extra amateur radio to Coast Newsstand Services LTD., 5230 Finch Ave. East, Suite 1, Toronto, ON M1S 4Z9. Phone (416) 754-3900; fax (416) 754-4900. license (KE4BKF). He was a licensed general contrac- Contributions: We solicit manuscripts, drawings and photographs. Please address all material to Editor, Ocean Navigator, P.O. Box 569, Portland, ME tor and has built four homes. He’s been a member of 04112-0569. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee the safe handling of con- tributed materials. All other departments, 207-772-2466. the SSCA since 1994 and a Commodore since 2000. Printed in the United States by the Lane Press

2 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com NMEA Best Ad 2015_ONavigator_Layout 1 7/17/15 4:05 PM Page 1 Only the best will do for your boat

THE BEST INSTALLERS THE BEST ELECTRONICS THE BEST SERVICE

2

4

3 13 2 9 2 4 4 25 NMEA Master Dealers 5 14 3 6 173 U.S. NMEA Dealers 2 3 3 4 13 6 15 20 International NMEA Dealers 1 ...committed to bringing you the best service, 1 installations and electronics for your boat 1 5 4

1 2 3 6 Blue pin number indicates the number of NMEA 47 dealers by state

www.nmea.org Click on the NMEA Dealer tab to find an NMEA Dealer or a qualified NMEA Master Dealer near you. Chartroom

Chatterby Casey Conley Courtesy A lex Thomson Racing

HUGO BOSS race boat undergoes repairs

The imoca monohull hugo HUGO BOSS sus- hit,” Thomson reported,

<< boss is currently undergoing tained the damage dur- “but it was something big Foiling race boat repairs at Hythe Marine ing the November 2019 under the water, which HUGO BOSS show- Park in Southampton, edition of the 4,350-mile must have been submerged ing its turn of speed. U.K., after sustaining that Transat Jacques Vabre to have hit our and Damage sustained most baffling and bizarre double-handed race from physically stop the boat during the Transat damage of hitting some- Le Havre, France, to Sal- at 25 knots. The keel sus- Jacques Vabre is being thing in the water while vador, Brazil. On Nov. 3 at tained a lot of damage and repaired in the U.K. mid-ocean. Following a approximately 0937 GMT it was left attached only by round of non-destructive while sailing at 25 knots, the hydraulic ram. … If testing, the damage was the team of Alex Thom- you were to get in your car, confirmed to be located in son and Neal McDonald close your eyes and drive the keel area; the rest of the were rocked by hitting an at 40 miles an hour into a hull, foils and rudders were unknown object. brick wall, that’s what it felt undamaged. “We’re not sure what we like.”

4 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com 2019 Chuck MIT research buttresses Husick Marine sailors’ knot lore Technology A team of mathematicians tuations’ — changes in the Award winner and engineers at Massachu- direction of rotation from setts Institute of Technol- one segment to another. Every year, Ocean Navi- ogy have researched knots “If a fiber segment is gator gives an award to for us on board as it allows and discovered what sailors rotated to the left at one one marine product that [my husband] Seth to already knew: Some knots crossing and rotated to the improves marine technol- access his work email with- are stronger and more resis- right at a neighboring cross- ogy to aid voyagers. out interruption. I think tant to untying. ing as a knot is tightened, The winner of the 2019 it’s getting a lot of traction The team developed a it creates a twist fluctua- Ocean Navigator Chuck with Iridium GO users as mathematical model that tion and opposing friction, Husick Marine Technol- well as traditional satphone predicts knot strength. To which adds stability. If, ogy Award is the OneMail people.” test the model, they devel- however, the segment is Version 3 satellite email Our award panel for this oped fibers that change rotated in the same direc- app from OCENS Satellite year included: color when stretched, and tion at two neighboring Systems and Service in Des • Ben Ellison — marine were able to see the crossings, there is no Moines, Wash. The One- electronics expert and areas of twist Mail V.3 app allows you to owner of Panbo.com greatest fluc- access your Gmail, Yahoo, • Ellen Massey Leonard stress. tuation, HotMail, Exchange and — circumnavigator and After tying numerous and the strand is more other email accounts via marine writer knots and noting the color likely to rotate and slip. satellite or low-bandwidth • Steve D’Antonio — changes, the team compared “They also found that a connections such as Iridi- marine systems consultant, their experimental results knot can be made stronger um GO, Globalstar Sat-Fi, writer, photographer and to the model and found the if it has more ‘circulations,’ Thuraya IP and others. ABYC Master Technician two in agreement. defined as a region in a knot Contributing editor • Dave McCampbell — As explained by Jen- where two parallel strands and circumnavigator Ellen former naval officer and nifer Chu in an MIT press loop against each other in Massey Leonard says this current live-aboard voyager release: “In comparing the opposite directions. about OneMail V.3: “I’m • Bill Morris — cir- diagrams of knots of various “The team was able to a huge fan … as it’s the cumnavigator and marine strengths, the team was able explain why a reef knot, for only satellite email ser- author to identify general ‘counting instance, is stronger than a vice out there that allows • Alex Agnew — voy- rules,’ or characteristics that granny knot. While the two direct access to ‘your’ email ager and publisher of Ocean determine a knot’s stabil- are almost identical, the reef accounts (such as Gmail, Navigator ity. A knot is stronger if it knot has more twist fluc- Hotmail, Yahoo, etc.). It’s • Tim Queeney — edi- has more strand crossings, tuations, making it more made life a whole lot easier tor of Ocean Navigator as well as more ‘twist fluc- stable.” www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 5

ChChartroomatter << As spring approaches and northern-based boaters start thinking about getting their boats out of the barn for launch- ing, it’s likely that few owners will face the issue shown here: squeezing a 266- foot, three-mast- ed schooner hull out of its building shed. Superyacht builder Royal Huisman, located at Vollenhove in the Netherlands, dealt with this task when the company rolled out the new Sea Eagle II in Janu- ary. According to Royal Huisman, at delivery to the owner this spring, Sea Eagle II with its distinctive plumb bow will be the world’s largest aluminum sailing yacht.

6 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com A voyaging couple’s favorite gear Editor’s note: This excerpt is that deployed a JSD ever able for less than $20 at from the Seven Seas Cruis- has been lost in a survival most hardware stores. We ing Association’s January storm. We put safety as learned about this won-

2020 Cruiser’s Bulletin our highest priority. Ours derful device from Jeff on << Fujinon’s TS1440 anti- newsletter, and is written by was constructed with a Garmin’s ActiveCaptain. shake binoculars, one Ed and Sue Kelly who voy- kit sold by SSCA sponsor It is made for use with of voyagers Ed and Sue age aboard Angel Louise, a Sailrite in only three days your home water hose, Kelly’s favorite cruising Catalac 41 catamaran. Ed of light work. Highly rec- but even with a 12-volt gadgets. Kelly is the current president ommended. front deck wash pump it of SSCA. Fujinon TS1440 anti- increases pressure from shake binoculars: These your deck We often love to read what binoculars have been wash hose other folks find to make our go-to cruising safer or easier. solution for One of the most fun dis- 13 years cussions on any is “my on our favorite gear.” vessel. The study of this topic The can save a cruiser much anti- money and significant shake wasted time. Since time is tech- of the essence, I thought nology maybe we might share lets you hold some of my ideas for usable 14X power bin- favorite things. oculars with a wide focus Courtesy Fujinon We have 13 years’ expe- area. Most binoculars are so much you rience cruising high seas half as powerful, as vibra- will blast and cut mud off and inland waters on Angel tions make it too hard to your anchor and chain Louise, both under sail and focus on a target on the in a jiffy. Highly recom- power. Our current vessel water. With the Fujinons, mended. is a Catalac 41-foot cat. you will be able to clearly read text on vessels, buoys, A few electronic Our favorites in the mooring balls and signs favorites gear category that would otherwise be Apple iPad, iPhone and Jordan Series Drogue: unreadable. They increase software: First, if you are We would not leave home visibility at night by gath- buying, purchase only an without it. Captain Sue ering more light as well. iOS device that has the and I call ourselves “The Recommended. ability to accept a phone Chicken Sailors.” There is Power wand high- company SIM; even if a reason for that. We are pressure washer: Used at you do not buy a phone Courtesy Royal Huisman safety conscious. No vessel our front deck and avail- service SIM, the unit uses

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 7 ChChartroomatter

a GPS chip that will work the Navionics unit’s date charts that allow you you swing at anchor and offshore. We would not ability to construct an to update data much more warns you with a loud leave home without it! intricate course for your frequently than com- alarm if you go outside Highly recommended. vessel instantly, covering petitors. Highly recom- the circle distance you put Charting apps: Aqua large distances, and their mended. in. Map, iNavX, Navion- “SonarChart” feature that AyeTides: This app has MarineTraffic and ics Boating. Competition shows connected depths been used by us the last OnCourse: These two in electronic navigation from user-submitted 11 years on Mac laptops apps are both put out apps has improved all depth sounder data in and then on iOS devices. by the folks that make the products! They now areas highly traveled; Its display of currents and Marine-Traffic. The first all have capabilities that Aqua Map’s use of new tides worldwide has been tracks all AIS signals exceed the functionality “perspective view” and all excellent. Recommended. picked up by folks who of the stand-alone units new charts, inclusion of Anchor!: Draws a map transmit the AIS back available when we started Army Corps of Engineers of your position and sur- to the folks running the cruising. Here are a few depth data charts, and rounding chart. Records site, who then post it on of my favorite features: Aqua Map’s most up-to- track of movements while their website. Marine-

BETA MARINE RELIABILITY AND MORE!

Engine Model Beta 38 More than just a reliable engine...all of our new engines are equipped with a serpentine belt drive system for the alternator at no extra cost!

Engineered to be serviced easily Beta 30 in a What a concept! Morris Justine Marine engines using Kubota Diesels from 13.5 to 100 HP. Including Atomic 4 replacements and saildrive engines. Engine Model Vessel Engine Model Vessel Beta 14 Albin Vega Beta 30 Catalina 36 Quiet diesels with clean emissions that meet current EPA requirements, Cape Dory 28 Beta 38 Sabre 38Mk1 without the need for computer controlled common rail complexity. Beta 16 Catalina 30 Valiant 37 Tartan 30 Westsail 32 Beta 20 Catalina 30 Beta 43 Hinckley B40 Contessa 32 Valiant 40 BETA MARINE US Ltd. Island Packet 27 Beta 50 Bristol 41.1 PO Box 5, Minnesott Beach, NC 28510 Morgan 41 OI 877-227-2473 • 252-249-2473 • fax 252-249-0049 Beta 25 Alberg 35 Morgan 45 Morgan OI 33 Beta 60 CSY 44 [email protected] Alberg 37 Pearson 35 Some of our installations www.betamarinenc.com

8 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com Traffic also allows you the iOS device from your now put ship’s bells on email address (for free), or to track a “fleet” of any vessel. your iPhone or iPad cour- a hard postal card to their 10 vessels with AIS and East Coast Trip Plan- tesy of Weems & Plath’s street address (costs only will report to your email ner: I first learned of this app. It lets you silence it at $2 to send photo post- when one of them goes app at an SSCA cruis- night on its menu. Other- card to U.S. address and into or leaves any moni- ing conference and gam wise sounds one to eight $3 to England or Europe tored port worldwide. The last year. It allows you traditional ship’s bells address). Highly recom- OnCourse app, courtesy to time any trip and see throughout watches. Fun. mended. of the MarineTraffic folks, various effects of tide and PhotoCard: This is NOAA Hi-Def Radar lets you start the app any- overall speed as well as a most favorite app! It Pro: We rely on this to where you are in range time between destina- allows you to send by monitor visible weather. of a Wi-Fi or SIM device tions. Recommended. email or through postal You can get high-def you are hooked up to and Find it in the App Store mail a beautiful glossy weather radar and track- shows all movements of under “East CST Planr 8-by-5-inch photo of any ing anywhere you get cell the device. You have to +Currents+Tides.” picture in your photo gal- coverage or Wi-Fi. Rec- turn it off when you take Ship’s Clock: You can lery to any person with an ommended. n

Mahina Offshore Expeditions Ocean Passage Making with Instruction

Join us for a sail-training expedition aboard Mahina Tiare III, for a unique learning experience in the South Pacific. www.mahina.com www.mahina.com | 360.378.6161

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 9 MARINE tech Notes

Alternatives to ethanol BY Tim queeney

ost voyagers use diesel efforts to ramp up production and alcohol is not going to pro- Mengines for their vessel’s of biobutanol. mote reliable combustion! Not auxiliary propulsion. To drive Ethanol is made from only that, but the mixture can their dinghies and tenders, corn, but Gevo has developed also promote corrosion. however, most use gasoline out- processes to make biobutanol Ethanol also has a solvent boards. And the gasoline in the from corn as well as other car- effect on any gums or resins marine distribution chain con- bohydrate raw materials like present and these can precipi- tains ethanol, which can have sugar cane, molasses, bagasse tate out on carburetor parts, for deleterious effects on engines (the stalks remaining after example, and hinder their func- sugar cane has been crushed tion. Ethanol can cause engines to extract the juice), rice straw, to run hot, and it can also affect wheat straw, corn stover, wood, hoses and seals in a fuel system. forestry residue and slash. Biobutanol, however, is Since biobutanol is made not hydrophilic and won’t from plant products like attract water like ethanol does. ethanol, what makes it different It has a higher energy content from ethanol? The difference compared to ethanol (82 per- is the chemical makeup of the cent of the energy of gasoline

Eric Sanford two compounds. Ethanol is compared to 65 percent for C2H5OH, while biobutanol ethanol), and biobutanol can be is C4H9OH. They’re similar a drop-in replacement for etha- and fuel systems — even at the in that they both are carbon nol because it doesn’t harm fuel Gasoline out- 10 percent ethanol formula- and hydrogen with an oxygen system elements. boards on voy- tion. In recent years, 15 percent thrown in. The difference, Gevo has big plans for aging yachts ethanol formulations have according to Gruber, is in the its biobutanol product. The sometimes appeared, further exacerbating number of carbons. Ethanol company wants to sell it in sit unused for problems. There’s a variety of has two carbons while biobuta- the marine world, in addition extended peri- companies working on making nol has four carbons. The two to the automotive and jet fuel ods, a potential an alternative to ethanol called carbons of ethanol are what markets as well. The marine problem with isobutanol or biobutanol. This make it hydrophilic — literally uses for the product should ethanol-blend- product promises to do the “water-loving.” Ethanol attracts dwarf other uses in the future. ed fuels. same job as ethanol as a gaso- the water in gasoline, which is The key element for mari- line additive but without many not a huge problem if the gas ners being able to use gasoline of the associated problems. is used right away. If, however, with biobutanol is distribution. One of the companies mak- the gasoline sits unused for According to Gruber, boat ing biobutanol is a Colorado- a time, phase separation can owners need to start asking for based firm called Gevo. Patrick occur and the heavier water and the product at their local gas Gruber, CEO and founder of ethanol drops to the bottom of docks. Gruber hopes consumer Gevo, recently visited our office the tank with the gasoline on demand will lead to wider dis- and discussed his company’s top of it. That mass of water tribution of biobutanol blends.

10 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com BoatUS, the Washington, D.C.- Biobutanol gasoline additives like able and getting it to run properly, based boat owner’s association, has the product from Gevo have potential especially if it has been sitting unused. long warned of the drawbacks of to solve some of the issues mariners Of course, small outboards being the ethanol in marine use. As David have experienced with ethanol mixed quirky beasts they are, they’ll likely Kennedy, BoatUS manager of fuels — including less worry about always have starting issues, no matter government affairs, said in a phone putting the outboard on the inflat- what the fuel additive. n interview, “Right now it’s okay to use up to 10 percent ethanol in fuel, but we would prefer not to have any ethanol in fuel.” And the association has resisted government efforts to increase the distribution of 15 percent ethanol fuels. Independent testing has buttressed BoatUS’ arguments against any increase in ethanol levels. A study undertaken by the National Renew- able Energy Laboratory in 2011, for example, showed that outboard engines had a variety of problems when using 15 percent ethanol fuel. The result of testing has shown that, according to Kennedy, “Anything over E10 [10 percent ethanol fuel] is not safe for engines.” The Gevo company has tested its biobutanol fuel additive in a variety Liquid assets. of engines including Yamaha, Mer- cury, Evinrude, Tohatsu, Honda, Johnson and Volvo Penta, represent- ing these engine types: electronic fuel Beauty and durability — Epifanes coatings offer you injection (EFI) four-stroke outboards; both. Our long lasting varnish formulas let you craft carbureted four-stroke outboards; brightwork that outshines and outlasts the rest. Our open-loop (CARB 3-star) SD/I and two-part Poly-urethane paints flow perfectly and PWC engines; closed-loop (CARB apply easily with a roller-only application, resulting 4-star) SD/I engines; conventional in superior abrasion protection and an unsurpassed carbureted two-stroke outboards; mirror-like finish. Look for Epifanes at your favorite and direct fuel injection two-stroke marine store. And check out outboards. the “Why We Roll” video on The test regime included tests of our Facebook page. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, combustion analysis, cold start, AALSMEER, HOLLAND ■ THOMASTON, MAINE ■ MIDLAND, ONTARIO power and performance, runability, 1-800-269-0961 ■ www.epifanes.com ■ winter storage, full useful life endur- ance/durability, engine teardown and component inspection. www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 11 power voyaging

Of course, a compass STORY AND PHOTOS BY JEFF MERRILL

they consider easiest way to know you are a compass to on course. The route you have be an option. plotted takes you from way- A magnetic point to waypoint, but I always compass is not like to double-check that I’m an “extra” to heading in the correct direc- me; I want that tion by cross-referencing my instant refer- compass with my instrument ence to confirm displays. In the pilothouse, my heading. the compass globe is typically Who needs mounted on centerline; it’s a compass? The easy to line up the lubber line first priority for on the outer rim with the pin any offshore in the center of the card and a or centuries, mariners have voyager is to know where you burgee staff on your bow pul- Fdepended on a compass to are. Thanks to GPS, radar and pit in order to create a visual provide direction. Sure, you other navigational electronics, straight line that will confirm can get some good approxima- it is much easier these days to your numerical heading as read tions of east and west through determine precise locations on the compass card. sunrise and sunset, and you via digital latitudes and longi- These days it seems that may have studied the constella- tudes. Knowing where you are compasses, like clocks, are not tions overhead to confirm your enables you to select where you as common — mostly because course at night, but relying on are going, and that is where a they are often incorporated a simple compass for course compass can help you establish into other devices. I don’t wear heading is a relatively foolproof direction and the correct course a wristwatch anymore because navigational tool that has stood to travel to reach your next my smartphone tells me the Above, power the test of time. Some trawler waypoint. So, the answer is: time of day (and it also has a voyaging boats builders don’t actually mount You need a compass! compass app included). What benefit from a proper compass in the pilot- Whether you are hand-steer- every offshore voyager needs having a mag- house or on the flybridge — ing or using an autopilot, you to consider is your backup netic compass need to verify solution if things break or fail. aboard. Right, your direction. Being analog, your compass a compass on a Glancing at should survive navigational trawler’s flying your compass nightmares like lightning bridge. heading is strikes that can render some, if so easy and not all, of your nav/comm digi- intuitive. Don’t tal electronics out of service. I neglect this find a magnetic compass in the tool; it is the pilothouse a comforting safety

12 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com reminder when I’m underway, not uncommon to see these your com- and they tend to become even sensors installed below the pass to verify more important when visibility master stateroom bed, in an headings and is diminished at night or in fog. under-sole compartment or interpret the In our computer/tablet/ underneath the pilothouse dash bearing of sur- smartphone information age, console. I advise my clients to rounding ves- we seem to have become less make discovering the location sels to help you reliant on traditional paper of the autopilot compass a pri- determine if charts and place our trust into ority and suggest they identify you are clearing the digital world of electronic it with a label. If you are getting them (ahead chartplotters. Don’t treat the some erratic headings affecting or behind) or idea of having a compass as an your steering, it Above, a hand- afterthought — it truly is an could be from a bearing com- essential piloting tool. So many metal item near pass is good for current electronics displays where your keeping track depend on internal compasses, autopilot steer- of nearby traf- such as a fluxgate heading sen- ing compass is fic. Left, a pilot- sor that is connected to your installed. house-mounted autopilot to provide directional Many of unit lines up heading input to your steering. the more with the bow. Compasses rely on polar sophisticated offshore cruis- on an intersecting (collision) Below left, an magnetism to position the ers, especially those who cross course. Plotters with ARPA, autopilot flux- needle. One sure-fire way to oceans, will outfit their trawler MARPA and AIS input can gate compass. disrupt the accuracy of your with a GPS/satellite compass provide you instant calcula- Below, far left, compass is by placing (usually (installed up high on deck with tions to yield closest pos- a GPS com- unintentionally) a large metal an unobstructed view to the sible approach distances and pass antenna object, like a wrench, in close sky) to provide headings. These the time to closest possible mounted at the proximity. The metal mass are incredibly accurate as long approach. These are incred- highest point interrupts the natural magne- as the satellites are behaving. of an antenna tism. You need to be careful For a permanently installed array. about putting anything com- compass, I like to have one prised of metal near any com- that I can easily see, with large pass. Typically, autopilot com- numbers and with a light built passes (rate gain or fluxgate) in to illuminate the card when are tucked out of sight some- running at night. You can use where on the boat that will ibly helpful, especially if you be away are piloting through a field of from pots targets. and pans The accuracy of a compass or other card can fluctuate based on heavy changes in latitudes. There is metal an almost lost trade of skilled items. It’s compass adjusters who can www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 13 Split Lead SSB Antenna

N M come to your boat and make sure M No need that the deviations are correct for the for backstay insulators cruising waters where you’re traveling. M Easy installation The adjuster will take your boat out M No swaging, no cutting in open water to “swing” your com- M Tough, water- Communications proof, reusable expert Gordon West pass by cycling your boat through a M Highly conduc- reports few circles and then comparing the tive RF elements “I have done M Watertight lead- numerous SSB ham results with a properly adjusted mas- wire to antenna and marine radio ter compass. They use magnets and connection checks with this M Stiff 34’ system and have compensator rods for adjustments, LDPE housing found no discernible and provide a deviation card that you secures firmly to signal losses, even backstay wire when used with should keep for reference. a well-grounded Having a hand-bearing compass backstay aboard a steel-hulled vessel. readily available in your wheelhouse is GAM Electronics, Inc. The antenna...can PO Box 305 bang out a signal another smart idea. I prefer the sim- Harrison, ME 04040 Phone: (207) 583-4670 just as though it ple “hockey puck” type. These aren’t were suspended in www.gamelectronicsinc.com mid-air.” permanently affixed, so they allow [email protected] – Sail Magazine you to move around and inspect neighboring traffic to calculate range and bearing. Some binoculars have a compass reference incorporated within so you can look through the long eyes and Rumery’s Boat Yard verify headings and directions of ves- On the Saco River for the past 50 years sels that are nearby. Your dinghy/tender should also be outfitted with a compass. The compass is one of the original nav tools. They are reliable when adjusted and still relevant today. Should you have a compass ready and available at primary steering stations? Of course! n

Jeff Merrill, CPYB, is the president of Jeff Merrill Yacht Sales, Inc.- www. JMYS.com. He is a veteran yacht bro- ker providing individual attention and worldwide professional representation to buyers and sellers of recreational tugs Safe, convenient storage and trawlers. He also has a popular & quality workmanship YouTube channel. Merrill is active as a public speaker and writer, and enjoys spending time at sea with clients. He Rumery’s Boat Yard has written several articles for Ocean

% www.rumerys.com 207-282-0408 Navigator’s Power Voyaging column. Email Merrill at [email protected].

14 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com correspondence

SSCA HF radio service teams with Caribbean Safety and Security Net, Boatwatch.org To the editor: When I was to provide any vessels need- marine bands from a land asked to join the board of ing assistance with additional station, requires a public directors of the SSCA in resources. The assistance coast license from the FCC. Glenn and 2015, I thought to myself, could include radio checks, The SSCA — with particular Eddie Tuttle “How could I combine my float plans, telephone contact help from its president at the in their home passions, cruising and radio with family/friends, boat-to- time, Scott Berg — was suc- radio room for communications, and serve boat relays, access to medical cessful in obtaining such a coast station SSCA?” I realized that per- or mechanical professionals, license and is now authorized KPK, which haps I could make useful con- marinas, Internet searches or to operate under the call sign they operate tributions to the organization other assistance that we might “KPK” from my residence for the SSCA. and the cruising community by promoting the use of radio communications among cruisers. As a full-time live-aboard for over 30 years who’s cruised 10 years in remote areas of the southern and southwest Caribbean, spending months at a time at anchor without cellular or Internet access, I have realized the importance of the HF/SSB radio aboard cruising vessels. Although a satellite phone is a great resource — and my wife, Glenn Tuttle Eddie, and I used an Iridium be able to provide to cruis- in southwest Florida. I have phone during our cruising in ers in remote locations. All erected a 70-foot tower with the Caribbean — it is not a vessels would be welcome to a rotatable directional beam replacement for an HF/SSB participate in this service pro- antenna tuned for the 8 and radio. vided by the SSCA. 12 MHz marine bands that I suggested to the board However, in order to effectively reach the entire that they establish an SSCA reach the far corners of the Caribbean and beyond. voice service (not a formal Caribbean and beyond, a Through a partnership net) on the HF radio band land-based radio and antenna with the Caribbean Safety to assist cruisers in remote system is needed, similar to and Security Net (CSSN), locations, who are without the excellent system used by any report of a safety/secu- cellular and Internet access, Chris Parker of the Marine rity nature occurring in the in order to relay priority and Weather Center. Such a radio Caribbean made to the SSCA emergency information and station, operating on the HF radio net will be provided www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 15 correspondence

to the CSSN. and marine bands — for their 14.300 MHz. Likewise, any safety-at-sea needs. One of In 2018, upon Mr. recent inci- these services has been the Stiegler’s passing, amateur dent posted International Boat Watch radio operator Bobby Graves on the CSSN Network (IBWN), which was (KB5HAV), net manager of website will originally founded by ama- the Hurricane Watch Net, be announced teur radio operator Michael recognizing the value of the during our Pilgrim (K5MP) in 2001 as a International Boat Watch daily morning public service and tool allow- Network, refused to let it go broadcast. ing the maritime community by the wayside and took over The Carib- to share information regard- its ownership and manage- bean Safety ing overdue and missing ves- ment. Mr. Graves has been and Security sels throughout the world. managing the organization Net’s primary In 2007, Shipcom LLC, very effectively but has found mission is the owned by Rene Stiegler that his primary interest in collection and (K4EDX) agreed to take over the Hurricane Watch Net has dissemination management of the network been taking a large portion of of accurate as a public service to the mari- his volunteer time, and there information time community. Mr. Stiegler are only so many hours in the

Glenn Tuttle relating to and Shipcom managed the day. crimes against IBWN until his untimely Therefore, Mr. Graves yachts in the death in February 2018. Mr. contacted Eddie and myself Caribbean, Stiegler was a member of the to see if we were interested enabling cruisers to make U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in assuming ownership and intelligent decisions about and net manager of the Mari- management of the Interna- Above, the how and where they cruise. time Mobile Service Network tional Boat Watch Network. Tuttles’ For decades, bluewater (MMSN), a network that The answer was an enthu- 70-foot cruisers have relied on HF continues to operate on the siastic yes, inasmuch as the tower with radio — both on the amateur amateur radio frequency of SSCA’s KPK radio service also a rotatable focuses on overdue and miss- directional ing boats, primarily in the beam antenna Caribbean. tuned for the Since July 2019, we have 8 and 12 MHz committed to ownership and marine bands. management of the IBWN. Right, the We will continue the opera- Tuttles aboard tion and management of the their Grand organization, bringing it to Banks 46. new heights as a credible organization, and to serve as a conduit between the family Glenn Tuttle and friends of overdue and missing cruisers and the many government agencies respon-

16 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com sible for search and rescue opera- cruisers connected and take posi- tions throughout the world. tion reports for vessels that have Both of us take this responsi- filed float plans with KPK. The net bility very seriously and will do operates in conjunction with Dick everything in our power to assist in Giddings’ (KNC) Doo Dah Net, helping locate all overdue and miss- which is on the air daily at 2100 ing vessels. We will work directly UTC, or 1700 EST, on frequency with family members and friends 8.152. After about 15 minutes, of missing cruisers to assist in their we switch to frequency 12.350 to interaction with government offi- reach vessels in Europe, depending cials if needed. A new website was on HF propagation. All vessels are recently launched, www.boatwatch. welcome to join this net. However, org, as well as a new Facebook for us to take position reports and group called Boat Watch. track your progress as you make the The SSCA HF radio net oper- passage, we require a float plan be ates daily at 1215 hrs UTC, or submitted, and you have both SSB 0815 EST and 0715 EDT, on SSB and satellite communications capa- frequency 8.104. The purpose of bilities aboard your vessel. Float this service is to pass emergency plans may be submitted to KPK@ and priority traffic, as well as traffic ssca.org. related to safety and security. In summary, the SSCA HF We also provide current news radio service, Boatwatch.org and updates of interest to cruisers from the Caribbean Safety and Security such sources as the Caribbean Net all work in harmony to provide Safety and Security Net, Noonsite, a valuable service to the cruising the Salty Southeast Cruisers Net, community. It’s all about cruisers Caribbean Compass, Bahamas helping cruisers. Chatter and others. We are also One way you can help out Boat- always ready to provide land-based watch.org get recognized on the resources to any vessels needing Internet and with search engines, assistance. such as Google, is by going to This net can assist with radio Boatwatch.org and spending about checks, float plans, telephone con- five minutes navigating around the tact with family and friends, boat- website. That action on your part to-boat relays, access to medical or will help Boatwatch.org become a mechanical professionals via free recognized entity on the Internet phone patches, Internet searches or when someone searches for help any other assistance that we may be finding a stolen, missing or overdue able to provide. The net welcomes boat. all vessels. During periods of trans-Atlantic —Glenn and Eddie Tuttle are both former FBI migration, KPK operates the SSCA agents as well as sail and power voyagers who Trans-Atlantic Cruisers Net. This own a Grand Banks 46 and run shore station net serves to keep trans-Atlantic KPK, the SSCA radio service. www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 17 correspondence

Shipshape and Bristol fashion To the editor: I have never something is been a “neat freak,” nor was I that extra bit very messy in my landlubber more com- Right, part life. However, living on board plicated by of Jess and a boat does teach you the moving things James’ tidi- advantages to being that bit without telling ness effort is tidier. But it’s a lesson that you one another! securely lash- only learn by getting it spec- But far Jess Lloyd-Mostyn ing jerry jugs tacularly wrong to begin with. from being along the side Once you empty out all some sort of obsession with the next island, whereupon deck of their the cupboards, drawers and order and cleanliness, the we heard an almighty crash boat. Below, bilges, you’d be amazed at art of packing up and giving from down below. We looked son Indigo simply how much stuff can every item its proper place at each other and realized in looks on as be crammed into a floating is actually a matter of safety an instant that all the dishes Jess stores home. The key to stopping on board. Boats move, they from the meal were now in supplies for it from becoming chaotic, lurch unexpectedly, they heel bits on the cabin floor. Our the family’s however, is that everything over dramatically and, what’s land life had taught us to be Pacific cross- has to have its own place so more, they have to be maneu- good and wash up after eat- ing. that it can both be found at a vered swiftly, unexpectedly ing, but our sea instincts were moment’s notice and be safely or in the dead of night. If not yet well tuned enough to squirreled away while on pas- things are not put back where remember to tidy it all away sage. Multiply that logic by they should be, then they can in the cupboards. the thousands of items that become flying missiles across On another occasion, we any normal family owns — a cabin or they can obstruct were cruising the southern ranging from tools to toys, your managing of the boat. coast of Cuba and, having silicone to snorkels, nappies One of the first sails that sat at anchor for a few days, to navigation aids — and you we did together was in the we were keen to move on end up with a sort of three- Scilly Isles. After lunch one to our next stop. Despite dimensional storage list of day, we happily readied the the lack of wind, we made our entire boat contents. And boat and hoisted the main, everything fast down below then, of course, James and I unfurled the headsail and and turned the engine on will make remembering where moved smoothly out toward to begin a day of motor- ing. This time, however, we soon understood that our error was in not prepping the deck. Knowing that we wouldn’t be sailing, we had neglected to take down all

Jess Lloyd-Mostyn our washing lines, so we were now moving toward a reef pass with shirts, towels and bedding flapping all

18 www.oceannavigator.com around us! Needless to say, visibil- in our checks, with a place for eve- —Jess Lloyd-Mostyn voyages with her hus- ity is rather important on a boat, rything and everything in its place. band, James, and children Rocket, Indigo and so we hastily scrambled around the Which, with three children around, Autumn on their Crossbow 42, Adamastor. deck and bundled all the laundry means that keeping shipshape is a They are currently in Indonesia. away. full-time job. n An ocean passage poses even greater challenges to your stow- age skills as the seas are bigger and you’re inevitably carrying a lot more food provisions with you. Our fruit and veg bounces around happily in hammocks suspended from the roof of the cabin, which normally do well at keeping them safe. But all it takes is one slightly messy wave or hitting the sea at a some- what different angle, and you sud- denly have an escapee apple falling down and rolling about underfoot, or a banana bashed to smithereens in a sticky mess against the cabin wall. And of course, with all that movement, something that was tied down fast when you left harbor may become less secure after several hundred miles. I heard a strange sound in the night of something sliding back and forth above my head when we were mid-Atlantic. I climbed the companionway steps and found James at the helm. He’d heard it too, and in the dark we were able to make out the shapes of three of our extra diesel jerry cans skidding about the aft deck, having worked loose from their lashings. He clambered out to deal with them but soon gathered that there had been a spill, as seconds later he was slipping and sliding round the deck, covered in diesel, while I was at the helm in my pajamas! These days, we’re more fastidious www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 19 ishermen boat and boaters fish, that seems to be a given worldwide. Boat- Fing and fishing go hand in hand. People fish everywhere, and most cruisers have their own gear on board. Even our 35-foot catamaran Irie came with an old fishing rod when we bought her. How hard could it be? My husband, Mark, learned from another sailor how to open conch shells and remove and clean the ugly creatures inside to make delectable conch fritters, but our fishing success had been pathetic. We learned, however, like so many things, practice makes perfect. Our first lesson about fish- ing techniques happened in the cute town of Solomons Island, somewhere in the Chesapeake Bay. Mark and I were walking our dogs along the boardwalk when we spot- ted a “Tackle and Bait” sign. After dodging a plethora of crab pots and hearing that the trapped animals thrived in these waters, we wanted to buy a tool and catch a few. Maybe a net? Wasn’t that what the kids used off the piers in Edgewater Marina where we prepped our boat for the journey south? When Mark discovered the only good way to catch crabs is with one of those heavy cages, we gave up on the idea. How about catching fish? I remained outside with our pups, while Mark returned to

www.oceannavigator.com 80° 78° 76° 74° W “Alright,” I said. What the Far left, Mark’s heck is a Bahamian sling? How first fishing ATLANTIC do you even use one? attempts with Great Abaco OCEAN “Let’s go online to check Grand Bahama Island an old rod that 26° N Florida Island what those things look like came with the New Providence BAHAMAS and how they work,” Mark secondhand Island suggested. A visit to Walmart Eleuthera . Left, later, we were the proud own- Island Liesbet and ers of colorful lures, a small Mark began Andros fishing kit, a flimsy blue net, Island learning their Great 24° a cheap rod and two spools Exuma fishing skills Long Island of line — no Bahamian sling. during their Acklins Too advanced. Mark bought time voyag- Island extra hooks at a hardware Irie’s route ing in the store, and I ordered the Fishing CUBA Bahamas. 22° for Dummies book on Ama- Below, buying zon. We also obtained a funky fish from the green light to attract our vic- pros is always the store to inquire about fish- Bahamas, eh?” one of them tims, or study them, at night. easier. ing. asked. He must have been We were ready. “What did you find out?” I Canadian. asked when he reappeared on “Yep.” Wasn’t everybody? Trolling in Bahamian the boardwalk. “The fishing is awesome waters “Nothing!” over there! You should get a Once in the Bahamas, we “What do you mean?” spear or a Bahamian sling. And trolled one line during slow “Well, this guy rambled on don’t forget a trolling line,” the sailing trips. At anchor, Mark about all kinds of things, like old-timer recommended. used the rod or hung a thicker spoons and lures, pointing out colorful items on display. When to use what, and why, and where, and how. As if he was talking Chinese. I didn’t understand what he was trying to explain. Sorry.” Oh well, there were plenty of grocery stores around, and meat hit the spot as well. Plus, on the Intracoastal Waterway, fishing didn’t seem appeal- ing anyway. We forgot about catching our own food until Stuart, Fla., where we made the last preparations for our trip to the islands together with a bunch of other cruisers. “So, you’re heading to the www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 21 handline from a cleat. Nothing Around each other and the boat!” I chirped, when my ever happened. Above, fisher- rudder — the result of our husband was safely back on Sailing between Marsh Har- men in the U.S. maneuvering to get settled for board. Clearly, fishing wasn’t bour and Great Guana Cay in Intracoastal lunch. We had forgotten about one of our talents. We contin- the Abaco Islands, we trolled Waterway. the lines. Mark managed to ued purchasing seafood from the heavier line and tied the Below right, get one line free, but the hand- locals. fishing rod to the stern of the Liesbet enjoy- line was wrapped around the Once in Nassau, we bought catamaran on the other side, ing the beach propeller as well. Grumbling a long, sturdy trolling line doubling our chances. Michael with Irie aloud, our captain cut the line. — 300 yards of it. On the and Sabine, friends from a anchored in the There went $30 of equipment. crossing to the Exumas, Mark previous RV trip, were visiting Land and Sea “At least we finally man- decided to try it out. From the from Germany. Wouldn’t it Park of Ward- aged to catch something. Our moment he took the plastic be great to serve these world erick Wells travelers freshly caught fish for in the Exuma dinner? Cays. “Oh no! Liesbet, slow the boat down. We have a prob- lem!” Mark’s voice bellowed from the stern. “Michael, can you grab the Lifesling? Yeah, that yel- low thing in the bag over there. Take it out and throw it overboard. Don’t worry, it’s attached.” Mark gave us rapid commands. Should I turn the engines on? Splash! Without further ado, my husband was in the water with a mask and knife. No engines. Good idea. Both fishing lines were tangled.

22 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com wrapper off the coiled fishing Warderick Wells in the the light to hold it down in the line, the contents exploded, Exumas is a fantastic destina- water. I’m not sure why the leaving a tangled mess on his tion. Big, perfect-for-the-pan- light wasn’t heavier or it didn’t lap. looking fish circle your boat. come with its own weight. Bad “Give it to me, sweetie,” I Succulent lobsters chase each design. Luckily, Mark knows offered. “I have more patience other on the ocean floor in how to tie knots. A bowline than you, and six hours should plain view. It’s intriguing and always works, even after a few be enough to untangle it and infuriating at the same time drinks. wrap it neatly around a spool. because Warderick Wells is “You know, one of these There’s not much else to do on part of the Exuma Cays Land days I’m going to lose it all,” this trip.” Two hours later, the and Sea Park. Everything is he jokingly said, lowering the job was done. We let the line out its full length. It was long. Too long. “Let’s cut it in half,” I sug- gested. “You sure? It’s a brand- new line … how do we know what’s half?” Mark asked. “We roll it onto another spool and count the wraps. Then, we wind it again on the first spool and stop when we’re at half the count.” Fifteen minutes later, the task was completed and we put one of the lines to good use. All we caught was seaweed. Twenty times of pulling the line back in, removing the slimy greens and letting it back out was frustrating enough to give up for the rest of the protected, so there’s no fish- contraption. As if on cue, it passage. Mark didn’t like my ing allowed. That’s the reason Mark learn- happened. “Oh no, I just did. suggestion of making seaweed why snorkeling is incredible ing the ropes The knot untied. Everything is soup. there. A side benefit from all about taking sinking to the bottom!” A tipsy the rules, though, is that you the meat out of giggle followed. Other cruisers catch plenty can learn about tasty animals’ the conch shell “Is it at least attracting Conversations with other behavior for future reference. from a sailing beautiful fish?” I wanted to cruisers explained the problem: What better place to try friend in Hope know, as I peeked over the us. Everybody else caught our fishing light one night and Town, Baha- side and watched the lit-up plenty of fish. One woman watch the show? The battery mas. pot approach the ocean floor. mentioned that they fed the holder broke, so we put the It’s better not to think about mahi-mahi they reeled in to one from Mark’s headlight in losses like that for too long. I their dogs and kept the “better it. Then, we tied our favorite took count: a pot, a new light tasting” wahoo for themselves. cooking pot to the bottom of and part of the very important www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 23 headlamp. We couldn’t afford as well,” I suggested. “This is our cockpit for dinner. We’d losing any of it. Off went my cool.” run back and forth to George clothes. A jump into the cool, “Can you just get the light, Town multiple times to get dark water followed. The dogs please?” my oh-so-romantic water and other provisions. thought I fell overboard and other half responded. We were tired. Mark was fin- barked frantically. Fortunately, Minutes later, I handed ishing the last pork chop and there were no neighbors. him his precious fishing light. contemplated eating the final Hopefully no sharks either. I He was happy. So happy, he baked potato as well. I had should have thought about this didn’t even thank me, or get potato skin (Belgians don’t eat plan a little longer. me a towel. But I learned an the skin) and pork fat (no fat, “Can you hand me a mask? important lesson: Cocktails either) left on my plate and And fins!” I screamed from aren’t just tasty, they help you threw a piece overboard. the water surface. Yes, I should make decisions hastily. Mark and Lies- “Wow, look at that! Some have given this more thought. bet catch their fish are eating the scraps. Big The bright green light was easy Still no luck first fish, a ones! Get your gear, baby. to spot — 15 feet isn’t that After being in the Bahamas horse-eye jack. They like pork!” deep. The water actually felt for more than three months, “Hand me that piece,” good, and the stars sparkled Mark and I still hadn’t caught Mark requested, after get- above. Romantic. a fish. What were we doing ting his line and hook ready. “Mark, you should come in wrong? One evening, we sat in He put the bait on the hook and threw the line overboard. Within seconds, a fish grabbed it. Mark lifted the animal out of the water, but it escaped. Huh? The commotion startled the other finned creatures. I threw more pig fat in the water to change their minds and lure them back. “Let’s try again,” I sug- gested. “We’re out of pork,” Mark replied. “How about potato? This one is undercooked. Easy to hook.” I handed Mark a sturdy piece of starch. “Fish don’t eat potato. Grab the net just in case.” Mark hung the line off the boat again. This time with a chunk of baked potato. “We got one! Get the net! Get the net! Quick, get it in the net!” he screamed after three seconds.

24 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com “I’m trying. It’s huge and tail jerked and startled me. He I read, but it was followed by looks heavy.” What do I know was still alive and kicking! We an asterisk: “Large specimens about catching fish? With or would need to find a better, of jacks may be poisonous to without a net? quicker way to kill a fish if we eat.” Hmm. We measured the We trapped it in the web- ever succeeded in catching one fish: 2 feet. “Large specimens” bing and held its body against again. Mark cook- had to mean closer to 3 feet. the transom steps. The fish Half an hour later, the fish ing Irie’s first I took photos; Mark cut the wriggled so much that it didn’t budge anymore. We freshly caught head off, gutted the body and wrapped itself around the stretched it on the floor of the fish on board. stored our meal in the fridge. material. We didn’t know cockpit. Pretty big. It barely fit, but we couldn’t what to do. So we both pressed “Now what?” Mark asked. remove the tail. We needed a the net and its contents against It was 9 p.m. and dark. sharper fish knife. Still ill-pre- the steps, and sat there. Think- “Can we call anybody on pared to be fisher(wo)men. ing. After a few moments, I the VHF for help?” The following evening, we let go, grabbed the bottle of “Not really.” It was late and invited friends over for our first rum and poured liquid in the we’d sound like idiots. home-caught, home-cooked bouncing gills. The fish kept “What kind of a fish is this? fish dinner. It wasn’t the best moving. I tried vodka. We I sure hope we can eat it, so it fish in the world, but at least loved our rum and Cokes too didn’t die in vain,” I said, sad- we finally retrieved something. much. The fish struggled and ness growing. And nobody died. n refused to die. I didn’t like this I checked our pocket guide, at all. When our catch finally Corals and Fishes of Florida, the Liesbet Collaert and her hus- calmed down, we put it in Bahamas and the Caribbean, band, Mark, voyaged on their a bucket. It didn’t quite fit. and deduced it to be a horse- cat Irie. Liesbet is writing a book Each time I stepped over the eye jack. about their experiences sailing in bucket, now in the cockpit, its “They don’t exceed 3 feet,” the tropics. www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 25 a

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

A voyaging boat equipped with a Watt & Sea water generator on the stern next to the Hydrovane wind vane autopilot.

Multisource charging BY BILL MORRIS

Courtesy Hydrovane

f there is one thing we list of charging devices, first battery manufactured by Tro- Alternative all seek when we slip the determine what your battery jan — along with a number Idock lines and set out for charging needs will be, based of lesser-known brands — is energy for the an offshore cruise, it is inde- on their rated capacity in popular among offshore sail- offshore yacht pendence. For today’s cruiser, amp-hours. A typical flooded ors, who connect two of the that means having all the 8D battery has a capacity batteries in series to produce modern comforts of life avail- ranging from about 200 to one 12-volt bank. A pair of able at all times, wherever we 450 amp-hours, with gel cell Trojan T-125 6-volt batteries go. Essential to our freedom and AGM batteries lying has a combined power rating is a robust, multisource charg- somewhere in between. These of 480 amps while offering ing network for our house large-capacity battery banks more installation flexibility and starter batteries operating are charged one at a time to than a single 8D bank. while under sail or at anchor ensure adequate charging cur- Once you have established 24 hours a day. rent, which is important to your amperage needs, you Before running to your the health and lifespan of the must design a charging sys- chandler and spending your battery. tem capable of keeping up cruising kitty on an ambitious The high-capacity 6-volt with the demands of all your

26 www.oceannavigator.com navigation and communica- for more than 20 years, hav- range of mounting options. tions devices, along with ing survived gales and a full Nature Power’s semi-flexible, lighting, entertainment, per- knockdown during a world 50-watt, monocrystalline haps an electric windlass and circumnavigation by way of solar panel, measuring 21 — of course — the obligatory the two canals. fridge. If you poke around a Traditionally, sailors have cruising marina these days, depended on rigid mono- you will see that today’s fully crystalline solar panels to equipped yacht draws power get the most charging power from solar panels, a wind gen- from the smallest amount of erator, a hydro generator and surface area. These panels are an arrangement of controls secured to a strong anodized to keep the battery banks aluminum frame that can be topped off around the clock. mounted on any fixed struc- ture, which usually means Solar panels either a deck or a stainless Bill Morris The most common depend- tube arch over the aft pulpit. able source of charging power Nature Power offers two is a bank of solar panels. rigid solar panels, one rated Though they are the slowest at 90 watts and the other at charging input, once installed 165 watts. At the peak power with a charge controller they of 165 watts, this large panel do their job silently as long produces a sizzling 9.43 as the sun is up, even on a amps, which necessitates cloudy day. The Siemens installing a charge controller. 36-watt panel on the stern Actually, any panel capable of pulpit of our 1966 Cal 30 more than 12 watts requires Saltaire has been charging a controller to prevent frying

our house bank faithfully the battery. Bill Morris Amor- by 30 inches, can fit onto a phous thin- variety of surfaces on a cruis- Alternative Energy Battery Charge System film silicon ing yacht. Two of these panels Top, a solar Solar Wind Water cell panels, should easily fit atop a rigid panel mounted panel generator generator or “flexible” spray dodger on a medium to along the side panels, do large sailing vessel. of the cockpit. Above, a solar Multi-input not gener- When shopping for rigid controller ate the panels, beware of cheap pan- panel arch same level els rated as “marine” quality above a bimini Shunt of power but constructed of cheap cover. Left, per square glass with non-anodized alu- the basics of inch as rigid minum framing and lacking an alternative House Battery panels, but proper waterproofing in the energy charging battery monitor they offer electrical connections. These system. the cruiser may be adequate for home a greater or RV use, but not for the www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 27 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

grueling demands of an offshore Ancor wire. Another caveat: Never However, according to Betz’s law, yacht. leave any wire connection — not the actual power output is roughly Installing solar panels on your even a heat-shrink butt connec- 59 percent of the wind’s total vessel is open to many options. tor — exposed outside the cabin or power. Besides the arch and dodger, hard a sealed junction box, such as that Modern wind turbines supply panels can find room on the stan- found on the underside of a solar power to the batteries via an aero- chions, where they may be hung panel. As a rule, we try to expose dynamic set of blades connected as little wire as possible to sun and to a permanent magnet alternator, water. which is affixed to the interior of the casing. Inside the casing, a set Wind generators of coils rotates on an armature Any sailing vessel with a fridge run- while brushless contacts and a ning 24/7 almost certainly uses a diode are employed to rectify the wind generator to keep up with the AC into DC power. constant high demand for charging A number of manufacturers power. Boats with wind generators produce dependable marine wind range between roughly 30 and 50 generators, which range in size and feet LOA, meaning just about every power output, the choice of which boat in every cruising anchorage on depends on the charging needs of the planet. the vessel. At the humble end of

Bill Morris The typical cruising boat con- the spectrum is the British-made sumes anywhere from 40 to 100 Rutland 504 wind turbine, which amp-hours per day, a diet not produces up to 80 watts of power An Air-X wind generator with streamlined always adequately fed by a set of and features a safety shroud around styling and automatically feathering solar panels. If it’s calm and sunny, its six-blade rotor. Priced at less blades. These units can produce substantial a large array of solar panels keeps than $500, you’d have a hard time output, even in light to medium winds. the batteries topped off. But when beating this kind of value. vertically or propped up horizon- the clouds move in, bringing a The ubiquitous Air-X, found in tally with a hinged set of stainless breeze of at least 8 knots, a wind virtually every cruising anchorage tubes, depending on weather and generator saves diesel fuel and adds on the planet, is in the middle of sailing conditions. to engine and alternator life. the pack in amperage, which is one However you attach the panels If you have ever watched a wind of the reasons for its enduring pop- to your vessel, always use marine- turbine, even a toy pinwheel in a ularity. After all, you need to power grade wire and connectors, such fair breeze, you have noticed the the fridge, not an arc welder. Air-X as those produced by Ancor or blades rarely spin at one speed for is built by Primus Windpower, a Marinco — not the cheap stuff more than a few seconds. It will Lakewood, Co.-based producer of you find at a home hardware store. slow down to a near stop, and then off-grid electrical charging systems. Also make sure you are using at as the wind freshens ever so slightly, The latest iteration of the Air-X least the minimum wire size rated the turbine becomes a blur. This is features a brushless alternator in for the maximum amperage, along because the power produced by the a sleek housing unit and a three- with the appropriate fuse or cir- wind theoretically increases as the blade, 46-inch-diameter, carbon- cuit breaker. For long runs, raise cube of wind speed. For example, a fiber composite rotor controlled by the wire size a notch to prevent 5-knot zephyr produces 125 units a speed-dampening microprocessor overheating. I rarely use anything of power; at 10 knots, the power for high wind conditions. A three- smaller than 16-gauge tinned produced zooms to 1,000 units. phase regulator allows a high bulk

28 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com charge when the batteries are low, erator may appear an absorption charge when the to be all we need Haul up line bank is close to maximum capacity, to keep our battery Controller and a float charge at reduced volt- banks topped off age to prevent overcharging. at all times. But The complete Air-X package when we are sailing with the Deluxe Kit, including downwind in a fair mounting pole and stabilizers, will breeze offshore, the run you about $1,800 plus ship- apparent wind is ping. However, the unit’s durability diminished consid- Batteries and self-tending capability make erably. If it’s blow- this central feature of your charging ing 18 knots and complex — and of your quality of Water generator life offshore — hard to pass up. The setup for a Watt & Sea water generator. Hydro generators The unit can be rotat- The power we draw from the alter- ed out of the water. nator, solar panels and wind gen-

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 29 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

you are on a boat measuring 36 feet a wonder why every cruising boat when switching modes. The entire on the waterline (e.g. Sabre 426), doesn’t have a water generator. unit is mounted on the transom you can expect to run at 9 knots, While the Watt & Sea appears and stands upright with the air which leaves only 9 knots of wind to be the market leader in water rotor installed, where it is capable to power the wind turbine. At 9 generators, it is the latest evolu- of producing 6 amps of current in a knots wind speed, the Air-X gener- tion of a long line of such devices moderate breeze of 15 knots. ates less than 2 amps of power. manufactured or home built over For hydro mode, the operator Water’s greater density allows us the last half-century. And many of removes the wind rotor, extends a to draw far more power at a given them are still in use. carbon-fiber arm to accept a water hull speed than with air power. The earliest version of the water rotor and then lowers the unit Sailing downwind in that same generator was a deck-mounted to the water. With the rotor sub- alternator connected to a long merged, the DuoGen-3 generates length of three-strand 8 amps at 6 knots hull speed and a towline, which was respectable 16 amps at 8 knots. turned by a sub- Cruising guru Jimmy Cornell merged rotor. This has installed a DuoGen-3 on his arrangement caused aluminum-hull Garcia Explora- two problems. First, tion 45 Aventura IV, and numerous retrieving the participants in Cornell’s Atlantic spinning towline Rally for Cruisers (ARC) have given required the use highly favorable reports of the char- of a cone through ger’s robust capacity in the often which the towline grueling conditions of the North Bill Morris could spin freely Atlantic. while the propel- However, while the DuoGen-3 ler approached the offers a choice between water and stern. With some prac- air power, the Watt & Sea Hydro- tice, a crewmember could do this generator, with its 24 amps at 7.5 The Nature Power 8-amp charge control- without losing one or more body knots hull speed and user-friendly ler is safe for use on a solar panel array parts. design, is definitely the leader in of up to 130 amps. The second challenge posed by power output and ease of use while the towed propeller was its tenden- underway. To deploy the unit, you 18-knot fresh breeze with a water cy to attract the attention of hun- simply push the entire assembly generator deployed, we can expect gry, unsuspecting sharks. You can down to submerge the rotor and let a hull speed of about 8 knots if we imagine the spectacle of a shark’s the apparatus do its job of powering subtract about 1 knot of drag from elaborately mangled dentition, the up the battery banks. the water generator’s rotor. At pre- blood trail and the other sharks The choice between the Duo- cisely 7.5 knots hull speed, the Watt coming to eat the first one. With Gen-3 and the Watt & Sea comes & Sea Hydrogenerator cranks out a any luck, the skipper had remem- down to space accommodation, blistering 24 amps, or 288 watts. bered to pack an extra Cuisinart to power needs and overall price, if we With this kind of amperage, you feed the next customer. add a wind generator to the cost can charge 100 amps of battery The DuoGen-3, manufactured of the Watt & Sea. The Watt & power — more than most cruising by Eclectic Energy Limited in Not- Sea and a wind turbine require no boats use in a 24-hour period — in tingham, U.K., is a hybrid wind- reconfiguration to enable their use; a little more than four hours. Con- water system requiring no towline on the other hand, the DuoGen-3 sidering all this power potential, it’s and only minor reconfiguration takes up less space and costs less

30 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com than two separate charging compo- which could be a diesel generator In order to plan how we want nents. set, a solar panel, wind generator or to control and monitor our ves- hydro generator. sels’ overall charging plan, we must Charging controls Typically, no more than two have a working understanding A multisource electrical generating charge inputs run simultaneously, of the components involved and array, such as the configuration you so “confusion” may be a bit over- how they interact in order to keep may install on your sailing vessel, stated here. Again, each of these can our onboard electrics working must be backed up by a charge con- be configured to regulate its own consistently. These networks may trol system that is up to the task. output, although it does so not by include a traditional engine “black Often, each charging unit comes arbitrarily setting a limit after X box” voltage regulator, one or more with its own optional smart charge amount of time charging, but by single-purpose “smart controllers,” controller, while your vessel’s engine constantly monitoring the charge a controller with multiple inputs, might still be controlled by a tradi- level of the battery bank receiv- and one or more battery isola- tional mechanical voltage regulator. ing the charge current. And with a tors. As you will see, the trend is Overlapping all of these systems multi-input charge controller, com- toward centralizing the control and can cause confusion, with each one peting levels of current are managed monitoring functions as much as sensing what we assume is battery by a microprocessor, alleviating our possible to permit easier reading charge rather than charge current worries about over- or undercharg- of the monitoring process, and to coming from an external source, ing the battery banks. prevent the unnecessary and often

Mahina Offshore Expeditions Experience the Challenge of an Offshore Passage in the South Pacific Ocean Passage Making with Instruction

For a unique and dynamic learning experience join expert instructors John and Amanda Neal aboard Mahina Tiare III their Hallberg-Rassy 46. www.mahina.com www.mahina.com | 360.378.6161

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 31 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY

detrimental overlapping of battery Mich., produces the Flexcharge is charging or fully charged, and a monitoring. 7-amp PV7D shunt regulator, diode prevents discharge of the bat- Many, not all, of today’s marine which is designed for small solar tery to the panel at night. At $20, engine alternators are equipped panel installations but is capable of this little marvel is a bargain that is with internal regulators to provide charging two battery banks. The hard to beat for small vessels with consistent current and voltage, diminutive controller fits in the low-amperage alternative charging bypassing the need for an external palm of your hand and can be used sources. regulator. Internal regulators use a on flooded, gel and AGM batteries. diode to rectify current from AC The Flexcharge NC25A controller Taking the plunge to DC and transistors to control is capable of many times the amper- Deciding on the optimum com- voltage, taking the place of the old- age of the PV7D in a package only bination of charging and control fashioned spring and rheostat. Since slightly larger. Roughly the size of components is no easy task. A rea- modern components are internally a single-patty cheeseburger, the sonable basic charging configura- mounted and thus difficult for the NC25A combines 0.1 amp to 25 tion for the average 40-foot cruising average skipper to repair, the cause amps of alternative energy charge vessel should include a 100-amp of any malfunction in the alterna- current from one or two charge solar panel array, and either sepa- tor is likely to remain unknown sources and is expandable to 35, 60 rate wind and water generators or a to the operator. This leaves us two or 100 amps. combined system, such as the Duo- options: get the alternator repaired Flexcharge claims an incredible Gen-3. Charge current from these by a trained technician, or as is 99.9 percent efficiency rate for devices must lead to a single con- often the case, purchase a whole the NC25A. Rather than shifting troller, which can sense the various new unit. through bulk, taper and float charge amperages simultaneously without An elevated level of current levels, the NC25A is a sliding con- them incorrectly sensing each other coming into the battery banks troller, adjusting itself gradually by as battery charge. from a high-output source can fry sensing the precise charge of the As all cruisers know, the level of the batteries if the current has no single- or dual-battery banks. The creature comfort we enjoy offshore other place to go. A “shunt” regu- NC25A’s “Charge Divert” feature is commensurate with the amount lator — which may be mechani- routes excess charging energy to of money we invest in both vessel cal or transistorized — redirects other tasks (such as refrigeration or and onboard equipment. My wife, excess current to some other target a water heater) or back to a perma- Marilu, and I shared a memorable such as a water heater or a heat nent magnet charging source (such cruise across the South Pacific dissipater to protect the battery. as a wind generator) in order to some years back, and our comforts Regulating current from charge dissipate energy, and in this case to were meager at best. If we attempt sources can be done separately reduce turbine speed in high wind another ocean crossing in the future, or combined in one multi-input conditions. Charge Divert activates our vessel will certainly be equipped regulator/controller. A number of only after the battery banks have with power from natural sources, manufacturers offer multisource reached their full charge. which will not only save money on shunt controllers for surprisingly A less expensive alternative is fuel but also add immeasurably to affordable prices — an added boon Nature Power’s 8-amp charge con- our comfort and happiness both when we consider the alternative troller, which is adequate for lighter underway and at anchor. n of having to replace hundreds of loads such as a pair of 50-watt solar dollars’ worth of battery banks, or panels. The unit is actually rated Circumnavigator-author Bill potentially thousands of dollars in for 130 watts, so you can throw Morris is the author of The Captain’s charging equipment from harmful in a small flexible panel to get full Guide to Alternative Energy Afloat reverse voltage. service from the charger. LED indi- and is a frequent contributor to SES Flexcharge of Charlevoix, cators show whether the battery Ocean Navigator.

32 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com VOYAGING TIPS

Grabbing a mooring ball Story and photos BY ERIC SANFORD atching someone pick to the ball, Wup a mooring ball has you’ll need always been a source of amuse- to lean down ment while sitting at anchor over the bow with an afternoon cocktail in (usually with hand. When they do it quickly some poten- and efficiently, it is a thing of tial comedian beauty. When they screw it up, holding your it can go from entertaining to feet) and try perilous in an instant. Doing it to thread the well is indeed an art — an art mooring line that is learned and practiced, through the not something that happens ring. This is not accidentally. easy, and often Securing a mooring ball times leads from the bow of a small boat haul it up so they can thread (less than 30 feet) with the the bridle through, only to dis- bow rising no more than 6 feet cover too late that it is attached Above, Eric San- off the water is generally easy to the ball. Bye-bye boat hook ford’s Symbol (assuming the captain and mate (or occasionally an even louder 57, Solstice. are practiced or at least have splash is heard). Left, his moor- discussed their plan). The big- ing system gest problems can arise when Devising a system setup. the mooring ball is not rigged Since our boat is 57 feet long, as expected. grabbing a ball from the bow Most balls have a 3- to to emphatic profanities and is not a realistic option; so, we 5-inch metal ring at the top. unscheduled swims. have devised a much easier Sometimes this ring is fixed to If your boat is longer than technique. the ball; other times it is affixed 30 feet, chances are that your We have a large swim step to a chain that is fed through bow is simply too far off the that provides the perfect water- the center of the ball. This water to reasonably grab the level platform from which to second situation is the easiest ring, whether it is on a run- grab the ball. (Having cockpit since you can grab the ring ning chain or directly attached motor and thruster controls with a boat hook, pull it up to the ball. Many times I have obviously makes this much eas- to the boat, thread your bridle seen someone hanging off the ier.) For our mooring system, I through the ring and drop it bow with a 10-foot boat hook, assembled an integral harness/ back down. If the ring is fixed trying to grab the ring and bridle that combines the bridle www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 33 VOYAGING TIPS

with a safety line that is half the two free ends of the bridle up ACCO 5/8-inch moor- length of our boat. to the bow, releases the safety ing chain is rated to an SWL On the end of the safety line (used just in case she needs of about 10,000 pounds and line is a spliced-in eye that is to drop the bridle for any rea- weighs around 4 pounds per looped around a mid cleat and son), and secures the ends on foot. That would mean 40 to led back to the cockpit, where port and starboard bow cleats. 50 pounds of chain to help it is clipped to both spliced We’re now securely hooked to hold the ball in place. The ends of the bridle with a large the mooring ball with the hook main — and most important carabiner. In the middle of the attached to our bridle. — reason to have at least 10 bridle is a loop that is attached To release the hook, there feet and 40 pounds of chain to a swivel and then to a C.S. is a small cable trip-ring that hanging down is so that the Johnson “Grab ‘N Go” hook. allows the hook to open when remaining line that secures The Grab ‘N Go hook is an given a stiff tug. The problem the buoy to the bottom is well easy-to-use, stainless-steel clip with this is that you either have underwater, preventing it from to lean over the bow accidentally getting tangled in 1 2 3 4 with a boat hook to a prop. The best system uses all grab the trip-ring, or chain but many, for whatever you have to reverse the reason, do not. mooring process and walk the bridle back Mooring hazard

Cleat Cleat Safety line to the swim step to I recently became acutely aware Safety line Safety line Safety line released grab it. To solve this, of this hazard when attempt- Cleat Boat in from bridle Carabiner reverse when bridle I simply added a thin ing to catch a mooring ball in clipped to Walk bridle lines are line to the trip-ring so front of a friend’s island cabin. bridle lines cleated forward that the hook can be Unfortunately, there was sig- easily released with a nificant current and wind — Cockpit Bridle quick yank on the line and, of course, not in the same lines (2) Grab-N-Go Swivel Grab-N-Go hook from the bow. direction. The 3- to 5-knot hook onto mooring ball All this is fine as current was swirling around, long as the mooring and the wind was not cooperat- that allows you to both hook ball is also set up correctly, ing. After a couple unsuccessful Sanford’s moor- and release a ring remotely. We which, unfortunately, is not attempts to come close enough ing ball connec- attach the hook to a boat hook always the case. The best sys- to the ball so that my wife tion method with the supplied quick-release tem is to have a ball with a hol- could hook the ring, I decided using the Grab slide. low flue in the center through to try to back into the ball. ‘N Go hook, We approach the mooring which at least 10 feet of chain Ordinarily this wouldn’t bridle and ball slowly from downwind is attached to the mooring ring. present a problem, but in this safety line. until the ball is alongside the When the ring is grabbed, it case there was only 5 feet of swim step. My wife then hooks can be hauled upward until chain on the ball, and only 3 the mooring ball ring with the it can be threaded or hooked, feet of that was below the sur- Grab ‘N Go and releases the then released to sit back on top face since the ball was at least boat hook (automatic when she of the ball with the chain hang- 2 feet in diameter. This meant pulls on it). Then, she walks the ing below it. that the rope that was attached

34 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com to the chain was simply drifting in the cockpit, and jump in. In this A tweaked prop shaft around in the current (since it was way, I don’t have any stray straps or When I was back in port, I had low tide and thus had more slack hoses that can snag the running gear my boat hauled to check the prop than at high tide). under the boat, and indeed I am and shaft. It turned out that even As I eased back toward the ball, never more than 6 to 8 feet underwa- though I was motoring at idle speed, the starboard motor alarm suddenly ter. This system is inexpensive, safe, the shock of having the motor stop screeched to life. Our big 30-inch, simple and easy to use. dead from 600 rpm was enough to four-blade prop had snagged the So, I squeezed into my drysuit tweak the shaft around .009 inches invisible mooring line, wrapped it (the water was a brisk 54 degrees) and — enough that it had to be straight- instantly around the shaft and, thank- jumped in to check the prop. Sure ened. In addition, the line cutter was fully, shut down the motor. At least enough, the 1-inch-thick line was trashed and one of the motor mounts we were moored. wrapped tightly between the prop was loose. So, with marine repairs After coming to grips with the and strut. Even though I have line- running around $125 an hour, this fact that we were not going any- cutters on the shafts, the mooring was an expensive adventure. where, it was time to figure out line was so thick and tough that they Lessons learned? Well, as clever as what to do. Since we seem to have simply snagged the line rather than my mooring system was, it was not a history of “situations” (meaning cut it. The current underwater was foolproof. I need to always assume we actually use our boat … a lot!), I crazy, making it exhausting to try to and prepare for a worst-case scenario am pretty equipped to handle most hang onto the prop with one hand in any seemingly easy operation. misadventures. This includes hav- while trying to loosen the line with With that in mind, we’re going to ing a small dive tank and drysuit on the other. The only thing left to do have to be extra careful when picking board since we cruise from Mexico was to cut the mooring line and hope up a mooring buoy from the stern, to Alaska. Instead of full dive gear I could loosen the line from the shaft, something that hadn’t seemed like a (large tank, buoyancy compensator releasing the mooring ball that was risk when I came up with my system. with weights, regulator), I have a hard up against the hull. Now I’ll put the starboard motor in small pony tank (up to 30 minutes of A big serrated bread knife did the neutral when approaching a ball, just air) with 25 feet of hose connected to trick and the buoy floated free. The to be safe. It is, after all, a boat. n a small regulator. If I need to check rope was still hart_13hwrapped on 3/20/07 the shaft, 6:50 PM Page 1 under the boat, I simply connect the but after a few minutes of cutting and Eric Sanford is an experienced voy- regulator hose to the tank, leaving it tugging it was off. We were free! ager based in the Pacific Northwest.

TANK TENDER The Coast Guard THE ORIGINAL PRECISION TANK MEASURING SYSTEM! Protects Us. Accurate tank soundings have never been easier when one TANK TENDER monitors Every Day. Every Night. Please up to ten fuel and water tanks. Reliable support the non-electric and easy to install. www.cgfdn.org• (860)535-0786 Coast Guard www.thetanktender.com Your support pays for programs and services that cannot be funded through government sources. Foundation.

(253) 858-8481 Fax: (253) 858-8486

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 35 EVALUATING MODERN A multihull voyager examines the key elements of offshore cruising cats CATAMARANS Story and photos by Dave McCampbell

36 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com A multihull voyager examines the key elements of offshore cruising cats Story and photos by Dave McCampbell

atamarans have been around, time cruising in Southeast Asia, especially in the Pacific, for here are our thoughts on some Cseveral thousand years. Early important features to look for in a islanders sailed large twin-hulled bluewater cruising catamaran. canoes many thousands of miles, Size vs. cost: As with all boats, generally from Southeast Asia as size increases, so does cost. We eastward to discover new island think a 42- to 48-foot cat makes a homes. great cruising home. Any shorter, Modern multihull production and sufficient load-carrying capac- started with the catamarans of ity for full-time cruising suffers; Hawaiian Rudy Choy in 1947. longer, and the hull and equipment The first cruising catamaran to costs skyrocket. circumnavigate was his World Bridge deck clearance (BDC): Cat in 1965. During the 1960s, BDC affects the amount of noise Prout and Catalac of Great Brit- in the boat from wave slap, espe- ain were also starting to produce cially while going upwind. We catamarans. Catamaran produc- think a catamaran with about tion took off in the late 1970s and 30 inches of clearance is ideal. early 1980s with French builders Increasing the BDC means more Fountaine Pajot, Catana, Lagoon windage, which is a negative. and several others producing cata- Much less than 30 inches, and marans for the charter industry. wave slap becomes a problem in Gemini also started building boats rowdy sea conditions. Longitudi- in the U.S. Soon afterward, South nal under-bridge deck fins reduce African builder St. Francis got wave impacts and strengthen the started with a 43-foot cat in about bridge deck. Reducing speed and 1990, and now a dozen others in falling off can also help minimize South Africa produce about 30 the problem. Consider how often percent of the world’s cruising you actually go close upwind in cats. heavy conditions when cruising After considerable research versus how much time you spend looking at a number of boats and on other points of sail and in port. more than four years aboard, full- The St. Francis 44 has about 24 inches of BDC and it has com- Left, an example of good bridge deck clear- pleted many circumnavigations. ance in a cruising cat. Above, a stub keel- However, that does not mean its equipped cat drying out on a beach. BDC is ideal.

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 37 Load carrying capacity (LCC): for “catamaran stability.” equipment quality and installation Larger boats have more LCC for Integrity and quality of build: technique. If water enters older fuel, water, stores and equipment. There is a big difference in build cats made of cored balsa or ply- Boats with finer hulls are faster quality across manufacturers of wood, there are often maintenance than boats with fat hulls, but they catamarans. Things to look for problems. A good construction will have less LCC. Most full-time include builder reputation, hard- practice is to make the underwater cruisers will need at least 5,000 ware quality and strength, use of hulls of solid fiberglass, and the pounds of LCC. When asking this lightweight construction materials, topsides and decks of foam-cored question, make sure you know anodizing vs. painting of alumi- fiberglass. Solid underwater sec- the hull weight facts and what is num extrusions, interior wood- tions are more impact resistant included or not. Overloading a cat work finish, exterior design, and and easier to repair; they also adversely affects speed, stability and BDC. Beam-to-length (B/L) ratio Right, a large and stability: For boats in the navigation 42- to 48-foot range, the B/L ratio station and should be around 50 percent. office prop- Less than that will adversely affect erly located. stability in heavy beam winds, Below, chief but larger boats can be okay engineer with slightly less. A higher ratio (author Dave adversely affects sailing characteris- McCampbell) tics. Most modern cats are in that comfortably at range; older cats are somewhat work on the narrower but also have shorter port amidships engine. rigs. For more on this important characteristic, search the Internet

make adding thru-hulls less of a problem. But they do add weight. If enough of the boat is made with lightweight cored fiberglass, the hull will not sink in case of a major collision or capsizing. This is a major catamaran safety feature, as it is always better to be upside- down on the surface than right- side up on the bottom. Engine and power train: Hav- ing two engines is a major catama- ran benefit. Engine and sail drive location on a lightweight catama- ran affects pitching in a seaway, so a central location is better for weight distribution. However, a watertight bulkhead between an

38 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com aft engine room and main cabins Rain-catching can prevent major flooding in hardtop with case of shaft or sail drive damage. solar panels Engines under bunks or accessible and boom only from aft deck hatches are a crutch. problem for routine maintenance and underway repairs, especially in rough weather. Sail drives simplify installations but aren’t as robust as a traditional transmission and shaft installation. From a mainte- nance standpoint, ensure you can perform routine maintenance easi- be sufficient winches to handle all can be a personal issue. But for ly and remove the engine from the sheets, halyards and reefing lines in cats less than about 48 feet, locat- boat if necessary. I consider our an efficient manner. Pay particu- ing a large galley with adequate amidships engines ideal, but my lar attention to how easily reefing storage in the saloon is a problem. wife does not agree that the galley is accomplished. Can a light-air A galley, navigation/office sta- is a good place for an engine. sail, a boom vang and preventers tion, dinette table and seating, and Stub vs. daggerboards: be accommodated? Will the mast three entry/exits are all compet- Most cruisers prefer stub keels height allow passage under the ing for space there. Further, an over daggerboards because they 65-foot height restriction for the adequately sized and located navi- allow for drying out on the keel U.S. inland waterways? gation station, galley clutter and bottoms, can give extra tankage Helm placement: The primary light contamination underway are and a double bottom, include a helm station should be well out potential problems in “galley up” deep bilge, and protect props and of the weather, have unobstructed boats. However, ventilation, crew rudders from grounding damage. visibility to all four corners of the interaction and seasickness issues Daggerboards allow slightly higher boat, be quickly accessible from are sometimes improved. Ideally, pointing ability and speed in a the cockpit, and have all controls a large refrigerator, pantry and narrow, upwind steering angle. and instruments available. Double significant galley storage would However, the trunk and board helm stations, especially those aft all be co-located and on the same are hard to clean and paint, the on the hull decks and flying bridg- level with the galley. “Galley up” board is vulnerable to grounding es, as well as those requiring look- may be attractive, especially on and floating debris, and it can get ing through the saloon windows weeklong charters with guests, but stuck. Most modern catamarans to see forward, can all be problem- for the other reasons, we prefer built for cruising feature well- atic. We think the best option is a the “galley down” arrangement for designed stub keels using NACA single helm station on the forward full-time cruising. foil specifications. cockpit bulkhead, well protected Navigation station: When Rigging and sails: In order to from wind and water, and with a full-time cruising, the navigation help prevent losing the mast if a good view in all directions — espe- station becomes important for component fails, cially forward. Some modern cata- navigating, communicating and doubled shrouds and headstays maran designs feature a single-level office use. Additionally, the circuit are better than singles. We pre- main cabin overhead and cockpit breaker panel, most electronics fer mechanical wire end fittings top, which may conflict with the and battery/charging controls because in case of a wire failure above desirable features. should be located there. Ideally, overseas we would be able to Galley location: For those sub- it would be positioned forward in replace it ourselves. There should ject to seasickness, galley location the saloon with a comfortable seat www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 39 Bows and rudders: Bows and Left, an rudders should be strongly rein- example of forced on their leading edges and uncluttered designed so as not to catch lines flat decks and logs underway. Modern ver- and no teak tical and reverse stems, as well needing as spade rudders, have more of upkeep! a problem with this than tradi- Below, tional skeg-hung rudders and bow good escape shapes. Both keels and rudders hatch loca- should be designed to NACA tion above specifications in order to perform the DWL. efficiently. Liquid capacities: For full-time cruising overseas, we think an onboard fuel capacity for a 1,200- nm range on one engine and about three weeks of water are ideal. At and a good view forward. our average use of about Ground tackle: As one of the seven gallons per day, more heavily loaded systems on a about 150 gallons gives cruising boat, high strength and us more than 20 days of no weak links are important for all water. That is enough ground tackle equipment. Look for for many long ocean double anchor rollers, strong bri- passages if there is no dle attachment fittings and good rain and the watermaker ground tackle storage arrange- quits. Many modern ments. One of the better bridle charter cats have a large attachment points is at the bow water capacity but a crossbeam to hull fittings. These small one for fuel. should be exceptionally strong, Watermaker: A large- and many boats have specially capacity (approximately designed attachment fittings here. 40 gallons per hour) Ensure bridle-to-chain attachment Decks: Uncluttered and rela- watermaker makes good sense in fittings are full strength, removal tively flat decks are preferred for order to reduce the unit’s run time can be done quickly, muddy chain safety at sea. Nonskid needs to and the weight of stored fresh can be washed effectively and that be aggressive enough to ensure water aboard. Simple mechanically the chain locker is deep enough no crew slippage when wet. Fit- driven units are far less expensive, to minimize chain castles. The tings should be very robust and of are less of a maintenance problem windlass should be robust enough quality construction. At least six and can have higher capacity than to handle the boat’s ground tackle large cleats should be very strongly 12-volt electrical units. We almost in at least gale conditions. Choose mounted with large backing plates always are able to run ours when your anchors carefully; large to spread out heavy loads. Many otherwise underway, so there is lit- scoops, like the Spade or Rocna, modern cats have little or no tle need to run it at anchor — and perform much better than older exposed teak — a feature I appre- most of the time we can collect designs. ciate. sufficient rainwater anyway.

40 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com Refrigeration: As full-time are required to prevent large break- trade and have features that may cruisers overseas, we prefer a sepa- ing waves from flooding the boat not work well — like minimal fuel rate front-loading refrigerator for and easy entry by an intruder. storage capacity — for full-time its convenient and quick interior Thick polycarbonate/Lexan or ocean cruising. Some of these can access. However, the freezer needs safety glass is best; acrylic/Plexi- be corrected or improved, some to be top loading to provide good glas should not be used. Inspect cannot. There is much good infor- thermal efficiency. Capacities of the window mountings and door mation on the Internet, but be up to 10 cubic feet for the refriger- hardware carefully for adequate suspicious of dealer hype. Ask spe- ator and 4 cubic feet for the freezer strength and watertightness. Con- cific questions and request proof of will provide good long-term stor- sider main cabin window designs anything that doesn’t seem right. age. These are manageable for that limit heat entry from the mid- Make a list of what to look for electrical energy usage, provided day sun. before going aboard a potential good system design and proper Ventilation: Multiple opening purchase. insulation values are used. How- hatches and ports should ventilate Although most cruisers spend ever, many refrigeration boxes are every space, especially the saloon, 90 percent of their time in port, deficient in insulation. The closer galley, sleeping quarters and heads. due consideration should also be the refrigerator is to the galley the We have 14 hatches, six ports and given to features that enhance better from the cook’s point of two escape hatches — all opening. safety and comfort at sea. Most view. Escape hatches provide excellent catamarans are optimized for trop- Cockpit covers: A well-designed ventilation, should be large enough ics cruising and are probably not solid cockpit cover should be for you to pass through, and the best choices for high-latitude able to prevent rain from enter- should be located at least 18 inches voyaging. ing the cockpit through the use of above the waterline to prevent There is no perfect catamaran removable front and side curtains, flooding while open at anchor. All with all the features you will want, facilitate access to the and should be of quality manufacture so be prepared to compromise the back of the boom, allow for with tight replaceable seals. Provi- somewhat. Photos and more detail mounting multiple solar panels, sions to prevent intruder entry are are available on our website below, and be able to collect a significant a plus. Consider how well venti- under a slide presentation titled amount of fresh rain water. Care- lated the cockpit is in light wind “Evaluating Modern Catamarans”: ful design will prevent water from conditions. www.svsoggypaws.com/presenta- entering the cockpit during rains Crash bulkheads: Modern tions.htm. n while still allowing some ventila- catamarans have crash bulkheads tion. Ensure the edges won’t drip located forward and aft in each Dave McCampbell is a retired on the cockpit seats or instruments. hull to prevent collision flooding. U.S. Navy diving and salvage offi- Lightweight construction is a plus. They should be well sealed from cer with over 40 years’ cruising and Dinghy davits: Some dinghy adjacent spaces and have door lips eight sailboats’ worth of mainte- davits are incorporated into an well above the waterline. Obvious- nance experience. He and his wife, arch or tubular support for the ly, these are not places for heavy Sherry, have recently cruised the cockpit top. These need to be very gear. Installation of large holding eastern portion of Southeast Asia, strongly constructed because the tanks, which are usually empty at including the Philippines, Raja dinghy usually lives there at sea. It sea, can provide a double bottom Ampat, Papua New Guinea and the should allow hoisting of the din- in the bow. Solomons. Earlier, they spent eight ghy well above the water to help There is plenty here to con- years slowly crossing the Pacific. prevent theft and wave slap. sider before purchasing a cruising After 19 years aboard their CSY 44 Saloon windows and doors: catamaran. Many modern cats monohull, they bought a St. Francis Extra strength and careful design are built for the lucrative charter 44 Mk II catamaran in 2015. www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 41 NAVIGATION

Celestial navigation series, part 11 Noon sight and latitude from Polaris

Editor’s note: We’re revisiting sight can be reduced for lati- to get to your longitude, take this series on navigating by the tude quickly and easily without your DR longitude back to the sun, moon, planets and stars in any need to use sight reduction arc-to-time conversion table the age of GPS because celestial tables. on the first colored page in the nav is not only a viable backup To take a noon sight, first back of the Nautical Almanac. to satellite navigation, but it is precalculate the time of local If the longitude is west, this also a skill that ocean voyagers apparent noon (LAN). The should be added to the time should have in their toolkit. In noon sight is not taken at of meridian passage. Subtract this series, we’ll cover all the basic 1200, but rather when the sun it from meridian passage if the knowledge you’ll require to get is on the observer’s meridian longitude is east. up to speed on this elegant and of longitude-meridian passage. Head up on deck five or 10 rewarding technique for finding Although this is based on the minutes beforehand and bring your way at sea. meridian passage at 0°, which the sun down to the horizon In this installment, we’ll cover is listed in the daily pages, the with the sextant. During the how to reduce a noon sight and time at any given longitude next few minutes, the sun will also how to get latitude by shoot- may differ. continue to rise. Then it will ing Polaris, the pole star. To precalculate the time hang, neither rising nor setting. of LAN, start with the time This is the time to record your ossibly the easiest and of meridian passage from the sights. After a minute or two, Pquickest way of getting a bottom of the right-hand daily the sun will begin to descend. line of position (LOP) from a page. To find out how long it Correct from Hs to Ho just sun sight is at noon. A noon will take for meridian passage like any other sun sight.

DR position Sun’s GP Co-altitude Declination DR position Co-altitude Latitude Latitude

Declination EQUATOR

Sun’s GP

Your latitude is north and the declination is Both your latitude and the sun’s declination are north, but south. Latitude = co-altitude – declination. the sun is north of you. Latitude = declination – co-altitude.

42 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com With this noon sight, we tion is 34° 12’ N and 64° 02’ the sun. That is latitude = co- are just trying to determine W. What will be the time of altitude + declination. the distance from the equator meridian passage? to our position (in the case of The time of meridian pas- co-altitude 28° 14.9’ the noon site to our latitude). sage at 0° on Sept. 7 is 1158. declination + 5° 59.0’ When the sun crosses our Taking 64° W to the arc-to- latitude N 34° 13.9’ meridian of longitude, it is time conversion table gives a either due south or due north correction of 0416. Plot this by drawing an of us; the resulting LOP runs LOP through 34° 08.4’ N par- east/west, just like a line of mer. pass. at 0° 1158 GMT allel to other lines of latitude latitude. So for all intents and corr. for 64° W + 0416 and labeling it. purposes, our LOP is our lati- mer. pass. at 64° W 1614 GMT tude. To determine latitude, use Longitude from the relationship between the If the Ho (Hs corrected for the noon sight sun’s declination, co-altitude index error, dip and the main Sights taken at noon can also (90° – Ho) and latitude. In the sun correction) is 61° 45.1’, provide you with longitude, accompanying diagrams, we find the latitude. making it possible to get a fix illustrate the various relation- Since we know Ho, next from the sun at LAN. This ships between these elements. find the declination. It is 5° does not require the use of any Because we have Ho, the 59.2’ N at 1600. The d is –0.9, tables except for the Nauti- co-altitude is easy to determine. and looking up the correction cal Almanac. The difficulty Declination needs to be looked at 14 minutes we get –0.2’. is finding the exact time of up in the Nautical Almanac LAN. That is impossible with daily pages, just as for any declination N 5° 59.2’ a sextant alone because the sun sight. Don’t waste any time on d correction – 0.2’ appears to hang at the same GHA; you don’t need it. declination N 5° 59.0’ altitude for a few minutes and Lastly, find the correct for- the true time of meridian pas- mula to plug co-altitude and sage can’t be determined solely declination into. The easiest Next, determine the co- via observation. way to determine this is to just altitude based on Ho. There are two methods for sketch out a small diagram determining the time of LAN. showing the relative position 90° The first will appeal to those of the observer, the sun and Ho – 61° 45.1’ more comfortable with num- the equator. It doesn’t have to co-altitude 28° 14.9’ bers; the latter for those hap- be exact; its purpose is only to pier with graphs. show the relationships between Now, all that is left is to Start taking sights about 20 the elements so you know what combine co-altitude and decli- to 25 minutes before LAN. to subtract from what to get nation. The formula we want At first, take them at five- or latitude. is the one where both our posi- 10-minute intervals as the sun tion and the sun’s position are rises. When the sun hangs, Sample problem in the Northern Hemisphere shoot it for latitude. On Sept. 7, your DR posi- and we are to the north of Once the sun begins to www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 43 NAVIGATION

boat moves. Even at 6 knots, a sail- boat will move four miles in 40 min- Key: = Sight utes. This may affect the longitude 64° that you determine. The effect will be greatest heading north or south. There will be no effect for a vessel headed east or west. 62° Latitude from Polaris

Hs (Sextant altitude) Polaris, the North Star, is almost,

60° but not quite, over the North Pole. Because it is so close to the pole, it 1140 1150 1200 1210 1220 1230 does not set during the night. Polaris Time may be used as a quick way to deter- mine true north and it also provides Above, the horizontal lines connect two minutes before LAN. As the sun an easy way to determine latitude. times when the sun was at the same altitude. descends, just shoot every five or 10 Since it isn’t one of the brighter Theoretically, the meridian passage should be minutes unconstrained by the Hs stars, Polaris can be difficult to shoot, exactly between these times. To find that, the (this is sometimes called the laid- so at dawn try to shoot it as soon as two times on each end of the horizontal lines back approach). the horizon is visible because it will must be ascertained and then averaged. This Now graph the results: Hs on one be one of the first navigational stars averaged time is the time of meridian passage. axis, and time on the other as shown to disappear. At dusk, you can preset here. Freehand in a curve that aver- your sextant to the DR latitude and descend, set the sextant to the last ages these points. Now, draw a line search. Hs that you recorded before LAN. from any Hs and determine the two Roughly speaking, the angle of Note the time that the sun is at that times the sun was at this Hs on the the pole over the horizon equals lati- altitude and then preset for the next graphed curve. From here it is just tude. With a few quick corrections, lower Hs. Three of these correspond- like the last method. one sight of Polaris can be reduced to ing Hs readings should suffice. The final averaged time is, theo- latitude. Take two sights with the same Hs retically, the exact time of LAN. Find First, correct Hs to Ho just the and find the difference in the times the GHA of the sun at that time. same way that it would be corrected of the sights. Divide that by two and That GHA is your longitude in the for any star sight. Next, find the add it to the time of the Western Hemisphere. In the LHA Aries at the time of the sight. earlier sight. Do this Eastern Hemisphere, This is used to determine where for two or three longitude = 360° – Polaris is in its orbit around the pole. sets of sights, GHA. Now enter the Polaris tables starting

then average the DR One peril with on page 274 of the Nautical Alma- position results and use Co-altitude finding longitude nac. The formula for determining that as the time Sun’s GP Latitude at noon is that the latitude is found right at the bottom of LAN. Declination Both your latitude of the page: R and the sun’s declina- The second T O EQUA method begins tion are north, but the Latitude = Ho – 1° + A0 + A1 + A2 similarly: Take sun is south of you. sights every five or Latitude = declination To use the table, find the column 10 minutes in the 25 + co-altitude. for the LHA Aries and move down

44 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com the column each row). Moving down to the sec- the section for the month of the year. to the correct tion for latitude, take the value for The correction for October is 0.3’. row for your 40°, which is 0.5’. Finally, down to Begin by subtracting 1° from Ho LHA Aries. and then add the corrections. n Write down the value Ho 39° 32.2’ found there. – 1° 00.0’ Continue 38° 32.2’ down the A0 + 1° 06.8’ same col- A1 + 0.5’ umn to the A2 + 0.3’ section for latitude 39° 39.8’ A1. Find the correct row for your DR latitude and note that The relationship between the Ho of Polaris and the observer’s latitude. The 90° angle formed value. Con- by the north celestial pole (and therefore Polaris) through the observer on Earth to the celes- tinue down, tial equator, and the 90° angle formed from the zenith to the observer to the horizon make staying in this possible. The arc from Polaris to the observer’s zenith is common to both 90° angles. Thus the same col- the distance from the horizon to Polaris must be the same as the distance from the equator umn. Find to the observer’s zenith (essentially the observer’s latitude). the value for the proper month. Noon sight problem Now sub- tract 1° from You are heading south to Puerto Ho, and Rico and you want to check your then add the latitude as you approach the three correc- coast. It is Jan. 12, 2002, (almanac tions to get data for 2002 available at www. latitude. thenauticalalmanac.com) and your DR position is 18° 15’ N, 68° 14’ Sample W. Precalculate the time of merid- problem ian passage in GMT at your DR On Oct. 12, position. you shoot You observe the sun’s lower Polaris and limb at meridian passage to deter- correct the Hs to an Ho of 39° 32.2’. mine your latitude. Your height of The LHA Aries is 136° and the DR eye is 12 feet and your sextant latitude is 39° 46’. has no index error. You shoot the Answers

Enter the Polaris tables in the col- sun at its highest altitude at about N 16.8’ 18° Latitude:

umn for 130°-139° and move down 1640 GMT and record an Hs of 49° GMT

to the row for 6°. The correction here 55.6’. What is your latitude? 1641 passage: Meridian is 1° 07.1’ (the 1° is not printed for

www.oceannavigator.com MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 45 Classifieds Boats for Sale Marine Electrical SAILS

for complete info, visit us at www.macksails.com VOYAGER Stuart • Florida • Ft. Lauderdale Economical Live-Aboard to “The 772-283-2306 Wild Blue Yonder‚“ 45’ Buchanan Steel Ketch To be re-outfitted after Fax: 772-283-2433 on the hard for 5years, $70K Contact 800-428-1384 [email protected] Sailing Adventure Marine & Gear RIGGING ONLY small ad, small prices REALLY LEARN Standing and running rigging, ASA Bareboat Certifications lifelines, furling gear, winches, line, VISIT US ONLINE AT windlasses, travelers, wire and • Basic Sailing • Basic and Advanced Cruising ter­minals, blocks, vangs, and much • Coastal & Celestial Navigation www.oceannavigator.com more. Problem solving is our specialty. • Offshore Passagemaking Problem solving and • Custom & Private Instruction discount mail order since 1984 • Four great locations: Ft. Lauderdale, FL [email protected] St. Thomas, USVI www.riggingandhardware.com Newport, RI Self-Steering 508-992-0434 Abacos, Bahamas • Multihull certifications

Ft. Lauderdale - Bermuda passages 800-255-1840 Blue Water Sailing School www.bwss.com OceanMedix classified – 2019 01-07-2019 Ocean Voyaging Ocean Navigator magazine – selected issues - 2019 Ocean Voyager magazine – 2019 Offshore Passage Opportunities Sail for free helping boat owners Category heading: and delivery skippers move boats. To join call 1-800-4-PASSAGe (800- Medical & Safety Equipment 472-7724) or join online www.sailopo. Size: 3-3/8” W x 2” H com Celebrating 25th Anniversary. Colors: B, W, and a rich red Medical and Safety Weather Services ocean voyage weather forecasts Custom forecasts address your specific needs, taking into account your boat’s Boaters’ Resale Shop of Texas characteristics and your voyaging phi- We Buy-Sell-Consign & Trade used losophy. A professional meteorologist boat equipment and small boats. will work personally with you to help Radar-SSB-GPS-EPIRB-Sat Phones- OceanMedix® make good safe decisions. Navigation Software-Sextants- Locus Weather 207-236-3935 First Aid & Prescription Medical Kits drogues-harnesses-over 600 used www.locusweather.com Safety, Emergency & Communication Equipment sails-props-water makers-refrigera- Inflatable PFDs, EPIRBs, PLBs, MOB Gear tion-cabin heaters-stoves-tanks-books Life Rafts, Internet Links & Other Cool Stuff and charts. Vintage Sail Boat Rigging http://www.oceanmedix.com and Vintage Marine Hardware. 1-866-788-2642 www.boatersresaleshopoftexas.com 713-614-8884.

46 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com

Classifieds Delicate. Defenseless. Endangered.

® Rescue the Reef

Throughout the tropics, coral reefs protect countless marine species and provide food and livelihoods for 500 million people, but who protects the reefs? Assaulted by pollution, overfi shing and climate change, coral reefs are being destroyed so quickly that 70% of the world’s reefs may disappear within 50 years.

Who can Rescue the Reef? You!

Act now at nature.org/rescue

www.oceannavigator.comPhoto: © Jeff Yonover MARCH/APRIL 2020 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 47 Nav Problem

Schooner Adix BY DAVID BERSON

esidents of Greenport, 24-hour run of 341 nautical of Spain, was arrested in 2015 RN.Y., a small maritime miles at a speed of 14 knots. for attempting to smuggle a village on the northeast end of That record held until 1998. Picasso painting out of the Long Island, have been watch- Since its launching, Adix has country aboard the schooner. ing all sorts of sailing ships had five refits costing millions The painting, “Head of a come and go over the past cou- of dollars. The vessel has been Young Woman” (1906), was ple hundred years. There must stretched, fitted with carbon- seized by French authorities be some sort of genetic mem- fiber spars, coddled, mollycod- in Corsica in 2015. It was ory of the commonplace in dled and fashioned with a new acquired by Botin in 1977 the locals because the presence interior, decks and more. and is valued at $28 mil- of sailing craft, Adix is gaff-rigged, measur- lion. Cataloged as a national barques, yawls ing 183 feet on deck with a treasure, it cannot leave and sloops tying beam of 28 feet and a draft Spain under any circum- up at the village of 15 feet, and weighs in at stances. Botin’s trial began in marina hardly 370 tonnes. The sail area is November 2019. elicits a buzz. On 13,800 square feet, increas- We will have our captain do

Courtesy Charterworld Courtesy occasion though, ing to 28,000 square feet for a morning sun line. We’ll use when some ves- sailing downwind. It sails the 2020 Nautical Almanac sel of rare beauty with 14 crew, and in a trans- and a height of eye of 15 feet, sails down the Atlantic race with the schooner for a morning sun line on bay, the quotid- Windrose, it beat Atlantic’s Feb. 3. We need to find the ian memory is record, taking 11 days and 10 local mean time (LMT) of The 212-foot erased and all eyes turn sea- hours to cover the distance. the observation and the Ho. gaff schooner ward. Adix is one of these rare Christened Jessica, Adix was Then, using HO 249, find the Adix under sailing vessels: a three-masted bought in the mid-1980s by intercept and plot to find the sail. schooner of such grace and Alan Bond who named the estimated position. The GMT elegance that even the most yacht after his Australian beer time of the lower limb obser- jaded are charmed. company. Bond, an Australian vation of the sun is 02:25:15. Designed by South African businessman who later in his The DR of Adix at the time is Arthur Holgate and built of career served four years in jail 22° 25’ S by 158° 53’ W. The steel in Spain at the Astilleros for corporate fraud, might be Hs is 38° 40.9’. n de Mallorca shipyard in 1984, better remembered for bank- Adix was inspired by William rolling Australia II in 1983 and A. What is LMT? Gardner’s three-masted schoo- winning the Americas Cup B. What is Ho? ner Atlantic, which in 1905 — the first time the New York C. What is the EP? established the trans-Atlantic Yacht Club had lost the trophy

sailing record from Sandy in more than 130 years. In Answers

Hook, N.J., to the Lizard 1989, he sold the vessel. W 53’ 158° S, 25’ 22° EP: C.

Light. Atlantic’s time was 12 The latest owner of Adix, 52.2’ 38° is Ho B. days, four hours, one minute Jaime Botin, an heir to the 12:57:15 is LMT

and 19 seconds, with a fastest Santander Banking Company A.

48 OCEAN NAVIGATOR MARCH/APRIL 2020 www.oceannavigator.com SubscribePublished 6 times a year + the special annual edition of Ocean Voyager for FREE Best Deal Ever! Three-year subscription (21 issues) just $61.95-

Plus Bonus of FREE Digital Edition of every issue includingover 40%Ocean Voyager off cover price!

BEST Three-year DEAL subscription Subscribe Now! (21 issues) YES! Sign me up. I want Ocean Navigator magazine! for just $61.95 Plus Bonus of FREE One-year subscription (6 issues) $27.95 + FREE + FREE Two-year subscription (12 issues) $44.95 Digital Ocean digital edition of Edition Voyager every issue including Best Deal Three-year subscription (18 issues) $61.95 Ocean Voyager MY SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:

SEND ORDERS TO: NAME (PLEASE PRINT) Ocean Navigator ADDRESS P.O. Box 461468 Escondido, CA 92046 CITY/STATE/ZIP

EMAIL (Required for access to the FREE digital edition)

Payment enclosed Credit Card Exp# CSV

Add $10.00/year for Canadian postage Add $15.00/year for Foreign postage For Fastest Service call 866-918-6972 or Email: [email protected] Go on a power trip with

GET LOST. Because wherever you choose to explore, we have the power to get you there & back.

THREE ALL-NEW MFDs

Challenge your horizons with confidence & the power of Furuno, guiding you each step of the way.

Lightning Fast NXT Radar Target AnalyzerTM* Free Worldwide Home Planning With Instrument Data Pages Multi Touch MFDs Alerts You To Hazardous Targets Weather Forecasts TZ Cloud Ecosystem Wind/Temp/Speed*

*Requires external sensor

Get the whole story at NavNet.com

V3 - GetLost - Sail - Ocean Navigator.indd 1 1/21/20 1:53 PM