Category: Sailing

And so it is that I did my qualifying cruise for the SHTP 2027.

Nothing else is happening. CaB is aging, alone. PJ is aging, alone.

The three house batteries died recently. After exploring a switch to Lithium, I decided to opt for a “temporary” solution when I saw that Renogy’s 100 Amps AGM batteries were on sale for less than $150. I just finished swapping them in. Everything seems to work, except for the battery monitor. That’ll take some debugging as no old wires are marked (I know the ones I put in).

I also worked with a boatyard up North to discuss a refit, which came up to $70k.

Last, I’m thinking about the SHTP again …

Yeah, I know, yet another cliche. I kept my schedule free this weekend, so today I went up the mast to reinstall the windvane. The conditions were typical for Pacific offshore sailing. I went for a short jaunt, with just the mainsail up, and returned. A good shakedown sail if you will …

It is time for another update. While we stay in port, damage still happens. A few weeks ago, I noticed that the anemometer was damaged. It had lost its vane and little windcups. The brother angle sensor was damaged too. The arm that connects the shaft to the rod that goes to the rudder has broken. I purchased repair parts from Jerome and material from MSC. I fixed the anemometer, and then I fabricated a new rudder arm using an acetal piece: drilling, tapping.

Then last week I noticed when I got to the boat a rotten egg smell. The batteries were being charged by the shore charger. One of the batteries was overheating and had reached a temperature of 60° c. I went down a rabbit hole of battery research, but ultimately, the two other batteries are relatively healthy, if old. For now, I will continue to use these two until I decide what my future plans are.

The space available in the battery box was such that I could only replace with a group 49 type. But this was because there were little stubbies at the bottom of the box. So I took a chisel and removed them today. I can now use battery type group 31.

With the two remaining lead-calcium batteries (after a week of resting the voltage was 12.91), I did a load test in port. With everything on, the voltage reads 12.57V: autopilot (standby), NkE, B&G, VHF, AIS, radio (volume = 17). Using the autopilot to move the rudder back and forth, the voltage drops further to 12.36-12.47 V. With everything back off, the voltage now reads 12.77 V, creeping up very slowly, like a tenth per 15-20 seconds.

That’s it for now. I’ll have to think about why that one failed when the other two are still okay. I suspect it’s the way they’re wired together. Oh, and the engine coolant was low so I topped that off. Now for pictures.

I am now in a place where I am pondering whether keeping CaB still makes sense. I have not taken her out in a long while now. I do long to be at sea, away from it all, immersed in Mother Nature’s unrelenting lightshow. Tired, bruised, a nervous wreck.

There’s still that prickly dream of sailing away. But the prickles are turning into guilt-inducing thorns.

The current economy (AI doom & gloom) and my personal situation are putting a damper on previously hopeful plans.

So … what to do? Nothing for now seems to be the only answer I have.

It seems to be my fallback answer. Has been for decades now.

Out.

Ah, curveballs! My employer just acquired two startups. Considering this, I’ve decided that taking six weeks off would not work well, so I’ve dropped out of the SHTP 2025.

Thank you to Dave for coming down to Pillar Point Harbor this morning and taking us through the SHTP inspection. We’re a go with the usual pre-race inspection: comms, water, food. And I need a non expired life raft.

I went up the mast to rig the new fractional halyard. I’ve also put it on a reeving line so it’s not cooking in the sun all day.

I was planning to rig the spare masthead halyard but I discovered that the sheave is damaged. I’ll have to replace it first.

Hopefully it’ll be easier then when I had to replace the jib sheave!

I finally got to try the new-to-me A2. It looks all right. Also, something new today: I hoist the mainsail, and pop! Something hits the deck. I look up and a batten is poking out! I look down and it’s a screw cap for a batten cap. So I turn around, get help at the dock, and put it back in. A few others needed attention, too.

Finally! Starting a week or so ago, it looked like a weather window was opening up for a qualifying cruise. I prepared during the week in case it held up. It did and so last Friday I packed up and went.

More details here.

There were fields and fields of Portuguese man o’ war so CaB got some. I mean there was one that got stuck one-third the way up the jib?!?

And just like last time (2018 SHTP qualifier), I celebrated with fish and chips.

So … now what?

Changabang came with an A2 asymmetrical spinnaker. If you are familiar with this blog you know it’s “Big”, and you also know how it was thrashed and repaired but was never the same after that. In fact, it was too big for the rig. So for years I have been monitoring web sites for a used A2 (new they cost upward of $8,000). And I finally found one that fit, is priced in my range, and timing worked well as it was in France, just as I was planning to visit my daughter.

it’s the right size by 1% (it was originally built for #55). Testing will need to confirm that. It’s new from 2019 and was only used a few times. It’s mostly spent its life in storage. It comes with a sock. I’m excited about giving it a go when I’m back. Approximate dimensions:

• Luff 19m 90cm
• Leech 17m 08cm
• Foot 12m 10cm
• Cloth: Superkote 130 and 90
• Sailmaker: sock – Kemp Sails, sail – will need to confirm

I found a gym and packed it tight. My plan is to pack the sail and the sock in a cardboard box and fly home with it. I hope that will work out.

About 60cm by 40cm by 30cm

Suggested use based on a crossover sail chart for an Akilaria RC3:

Although it’s only a small area (blue) that may represent a lot of conditions.

Quick update: The plan worked. It cost me $120, as the box weighed 31 kilos. It got home safely! Thanks to Barbamama?