We are sailing under the GG bridge tomorrow! It’ll be exactly seven months at sea. Link to virtual attempt here.
There haven’t been many new developments:
we got the mainsail repaired (the top batten pocket had been ripped) and checked all batten cars. We discovered that the headboard card is damaged. The pin/axle connecting the two cars holding the head was bent: how is a mystery. And the mainsail cover got a lot of love too.
we got the gennaker repaired as the leech started to come apart.
we got the bottom cleaned up.
I did go sailing a couple of times and managed to put the flying fish spinnaker in the water. I also have concerns again about one of the hydro-generator, which made an unexpected sound at speeds above 7-8 kts.
we signed up for the YRA Blue water bash next weekend.
I’ve reached out to the WSSRC who is willing to grant me a one year extension.
It was interesting to follow Ryan Finn as he rounded Cape Horn going West.
And nothing happens. I haven’t sailed in 3+ months. I do visit CaB to take care of things such as bailing water out, charging the batteries, spinning the hydrogenerators, starting the engine, going for a motor ride; I also get the hull cleaned every 6 weeks or so. What I am doing is working as a soccer referee, making pocket change to pay for berth fees and to purchase small bits. I am also still running the virtual attempt, where we’re on our way back from rounding Cape Horn. More about that here.
In 2020, around this time, I was sailing CaB up the West Coast from San Diego, opening up to the realization of a dream. Two years ago.
I’m still not sure what I’m going to do next. Continue to work for another few years to continue to beef up retirement plans? Or stop working again and go for another attempt, the outcome of which is most likely to be the same (i.e. statistically something else will happen)? Finding a job after another long sabbatical will be very difficult. In a few years, our daughter goes to college. It’s a difficult time to make big changes like this. The status quo seems to be a wise choice but it also means living a dull life. What to do? How would I justify my choice to myself being on his death bed?
What matters more? Spend 8 months at sea isolated from everyone? Or build a retirement nest?
Set goals, build plans, give life a try! Live dangerously.
As for me not much is happening with CaB staying put for the past two months. She did get a bottom clean up. And the owner of Obportus picked up on my ad on the Class 40 website. So this is ours now:
Essential NKE spare parts: compass, rudder angle sensor, anemometer.
Guess what! Today I’m celebrating one year since the start of my first attempt. I’m going to try a virtual attempt here: http://pjsails.com/virtual-attempt/
Things have started to add up on the maintenance list for Changabang. In a somewhat uncontrolled gybe the bungee cords preventing the running backstays from running wild broke. So we replaced that. We also replaced the bungees on the bow lifelines, which are used to temporarily secure the jib or other sails on deck. I took a skinny bath again to scrub growth on the waterline. But the bad news is that the jib halyard sheave is damaged, which is causing halyard chafe.
Broken jib halyard sheave
Why is it bad news? I can’t find one similarly sized! The outside diameter is 75 mm; the inside should be 16 mm but 18 mm is what I have; the width is 14.5 mm. I can’t find anything online that fits. Nothing. I can’t really use anything else because the pin that secures the sheave to the mast is custom as well.
Jib halyard sheave pin
There is actually another bit of bad news: something must have hit the hull because there is a 3″ narrow gouge in the hull below the water. I don’t think the wood is likely to be exposed or damaged but I won’t rest until we take the boat out of the water and fix this.
The liferaft is out for service, with a hopeful return end of October, another costly maintenance item.
Racing
A few weeks back we did the SSS Half Moon Bay Race, which was light air racing again. We arrived 90 minutes behind the J-120s, not exactly encouraging results. Oh, well …
When I bought Double Espresso, I first sailed her off the coast of Santa Cruz then moved to San Francisco Bay. That’s where I did my first sailing race: the Three Bridge Fiasco, so named because there’s often very little wind, which combined with tide currents often end up with lots of racers not finishing. That’s how it went for me: I mostly sailed in place for 8 hours before retiring.
Not making progress!
Drakes Bay Day 1 race
Last weekend, Alex and I were registered for our first race aboard CaB, a pivotal moment maybe. The race to Drakes Bay on Saturday was a 31 NM affair in very light air in a strong flood current. It was very much a replay of my first race. We were doing 2.5 knots of boat speed against 1.5 knots of current, mostly going nowhere. And so around 5 PM we retired and sailed back to the Bay. That’s when things got interesting.
We turned around and it felt like the wind had picked up, probably just an impression. But as we approached the Golden Gate, the wind increased for sure. 8, then 10, then 14, 20 knots as we approached the GG bridge. We held the kite on starboard until we were too far south and doused the sock, gybed it, and hoisted it again, making our way towards the bridge. The wind was continuing to build and I saw 28 knots on my sensor. I was very much sailing deep downwind between 155-170 TWA with the kite well eased forward. We also had small surfs pushing us through. I don’t think that I saw a boat speed greater than 11 knots but CaB felt super-charged and it took all my leftover concentration to keep her steady between the gusts, the surfs, and the rocks that were getting closer.
Broached!
I was feeling uneasy about being so close to the rocks as a mishap could have turned into big drama. I told Alex to be ready to ease off the spinnaker sheet big time if I called for it. All was well and we passed under the bridge and were making our way past Horseshoe Cove, getting into an area affectionately named hurricane gulch. We were about to know why!
Not us but very much like us 🙂
The wind came down a bit, the swell disappeared (no more surfing) and I was looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the memory of our trip into 28 knots of wind with the A1.5 up. It wasn’t to be: in a fraction of a second we got hit by something (a gust of wind of course) and we were instantly broached. I could see people on the land looking at CaB on her side. I told Alex to ease the kite sheet big time, which he obliged, a testament to his experience (recall CaB is now healed past 40 degrees), then to release the mainsheet. Changabang came back flat, we got steerage way again, trimmed the kite, and were back on track, in less than 45 seconds.
After that, well, it was really time to hit the docks, eat and sleep. What a memorable experience after a long frustrating day!
All in all, it was a long weekend of sailing. Friday we motor sailed to Sausalito. Sunday we came back under light wind, 3/4 of which upwind and 1/4 with a kite up. Good stuff!
Today I re-installed the secondary autopilot. First, it was the usual struggle to secure the eight bolts. Next, it was a matter of making the electrical connections, which was followed by a quick test using the B&G electronics. Finally, I put a bit of sealant around the boot where the rod exits to brave the elements. I will need to do a final sea trial to confirm that all is good when the sealant has cured.
I took a few measurements and will need to do more so I can submit the request for a new PHRF certificate.
Finally, I scrubbed the waterline and the rudders clean of the green growth that’s so quick to show off in this marina. I noticed barnacles on the propeller blades, where Propspeed was supposed to keep growth away. I also checked (touch as visibility isn’t great) the hull to keel joint repair we did last August and that seems to be holding up nicely I think.
Friday I dropped Genny the gennaker at Leading Edge Sails. As I wrote last time I’m really concerned that a lot of my sails are growing old. I’m very reluctant to put more money into sails … Considering what’s I’m trying to do it’s more important that I but spare requirement equipment for the electronics, autopilots, and hydrogenerators.
I’m back into reading sailing stories to feed the dream.
Sailing inventory
Mainsails:
The “original” Dacron, old and great for what I’m doing, until it blows apart.
The racer: new in 2018, almost $20,000, it’s in the attic, away from abuse I hope. It’s my spare.
Headsails, hank on (soft shackles):
J2: racing sail, new in 2018, $9,000. Used everytime I go out as I don’t have a backup, always on deck in her bag.
Staysail: the original Dacron, always on deck in her bag.
Spinnaker staysail: personally I’ve never used it. I don’t know its history.
Furling sails:
Code 0: fractional halyard, small and old, for deeper angles.
Code 0: masthead halyard, blown out hand me down from California Condor.
Jib top: masthead halyard, in good condition, hand me down too.
Gennaker: I’m guessing 10-15 years old, still works though. In repair.
Spinnakers, asymmetrical:
A2: old, severely damaged and then repaired, nice new ATN sock.
A1.5: old, blown out, lots of repairs, old sock.
Storm sails: trysail, small storm job, large storm jib.
It looks like I’m overdue for an update. After my first attempt at sailing around Earth, I engaged in a flurry of activities of unloading and fixing Changabang. After that, well, I can honestly say that I went into hibernation mode. I didn’t sail for about 4 months. Maybe with spring, things are getting better: Changabang finally went out of her slip in Pillar Point Harbor for a few times lately. I have been sailing with fellow singlehander Todd, whose desire for more ocean sailing was a bit of a catalyst for my getting back on the water.
Some lessons learned, as usual
Nothing exceptional happened. We did get a chance to try out the older spinnaker (blown out) I inherited from Class 40 California Condor. It does fit CaB and somewhat feels more like a reaching spinnaker than Big, which went into repair last week. We also tried the Code 0 I inherited from California Condor, which proved a nice sail for 50-80 AWA. And finally, we popped out the very heavy Jib Top (also from Condor), which works well for 90-120 AWA. It’s certainly slower than a spinnaker but it’s a very sturdy sail on a furler, making its deployment and dousing easier.
What else is new?
Well, the list of things to fix and/or maintain is growing, of course. And, I am starting a new job next Monday, which is quite exciting! I think the new job is going to be a lot of fun and will help float up the budget.
I reflected recently that a lot of Class 40 attempts to circumnavigate non-stop often fail. But I am not aware of any re-start. It looks like the time and budget investment is too much for most to re-start their attempt. I sincerely hope that I won’t fall in the same category.
