C22 Whitby Frostbite Series Races 5&6

Beautiful, sunny and warm, with winds from the south 6-10 knots.
Full main and light #1.
Singlehanded.

I had taken my ailing autopilot apart and greased the internals, and it worked fine!

Race 1

Course was 6 short.

Got the boat going well, but so did everyone else.
Played around with barber hauling the genoa sheets inward when close hauled.
This would have the same effect as installing inward genoa tracks.
Still Time definately pointed higher in these lighter winds, as the sails were fuller.
It allowed me to move the cars forward, pulling the leach tight so the genoa matched the shape of the main.  Installing these tracks would cost a couple hundred dollars, for about a 3" difference in jib sheeting.  I think barber hauling is a good solution instead of cluttering the deck with jib tracks/cars and having to move the sheets to outboard/inboard cars.

Came in last about 5 mintues behind everyone else.  However, in corrected time, 2nd of four boats.  The Catalina 25 Iris was first and the two Tartans were behind us in corrected time.

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120930-1.kmz

Race 2

Couse was 6 short.

Got off to a great start, and beat the other three boats to the windward mark.
At the mark, I was concentrating on setting the sails for the next leg, and accidentally hit the mark.  Immediately did a 720 for a penalty (should have only done a 360!).

Winds were dying on the 2nd leg to less than 4 knots, so they shortened the course to a triangle.  On the 3rd leg, the winds were down to less than 2 knots, and I got knocked about 45 degrees away from the finish.

NOTE TO SELF: if you need to take a penalty turn, don't take it when the winds are up; take it later in the race when you absolutely have to.

Finished, but well behind all the other boat other than IRIS who finished after me.  Good enough for a 3rd.

The other racers were amazed that we persisted and finished!

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120929-2.kmz


Trip Odometer: 14.30 knots
Moving Avg: 3.5 knots
Moving Time: 04:03:00

C22 Whitby Single Handed

Got out on the water at 5:30pm, for the 6pm start, we had 6 boats.

North wind, 10 knots, full main and light #1.
Course was 1 short.

Got the boat going really well, right with Cheeky Monkey the entire race.  The Shark pulled ahead a little on the downwind leg.

Finished 5th, 3 minutes behind Cheeky Monkey who was 3 mintues behind Gruntled.
Probably catch some on handicap.

Good race.

Trip Odometer: 9.42 miles
Moving Avg: 4.5 knots
Moving Time: 02:05:00

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120926.kmz

C22 Whitby Frostbite Series Races 3&4

Got to the boat at around 10:30am, and gave her a good bath with a bucket, soap, and scrub brush.  Man she was filthy on the outside!  She has been neglected this year.

Took crew from the bank.  Karen is new to sailing, but has been out one or twice with Peter on Sumac.

Winds were howling at 15 knots with gusts over 25!  Put the old main on with a reef and the #3.

Karen was keen, and learned a lot as we practiced a couple of tacks before the race.  Before the start, I noticed that my power chord was dragging about 15 ft into the water of the bow.  I had to go forward to get it.  Karen took the tiller and steered us straight, as I went forward.  A huge wave broke over the bow with me on the pulpit putting the power chord in its place.  I was ALMOST thrown overboard.  I had both hands on the pulpit, and both legs up to my hips were overboard in the water.  I should have had a tether on, but I don't think it would have prevented me from going over.

First Race

We started at 8 because a couple of boats were late getting out.

8-4-6-8-4-8 was the course.

Boat was overwealmed in the puffs, but powered up nicely to pound through the waves.  Thought about putting a 2nd reef in, the winds and waves were too much.  Put the companionway board in. 
The main was also too bagged at the foot, but I couldn't do anything about it.

We finished last about 10 minutes behind everyone.


Second Race

8-4-6-8-9-8 was the course.

The winds were slightly diminished, but the waves were getting bigger.
I hove to at the start line, and hooked up the outhaul on the first reef to flatten the bottom on the sail.

We were late to cross the start line, but the flattened main made the boat sail much better.  After about 5 mins, the outhaul line line popped out of its jam cleet, and we were back to a baggy main.  Karen tried to tighten it, but the jam cleat broke off the boom.

There were many times we were heeled over so much that water was coming in the cockpit, filling the coaming boxes.  We were BOTH soaked.

Some of the waves were 8 to 10 ft!

Trip Odometer: 20.2 miles
Moving Avg: 5.6 knots
Moving Time: 03:37:00

Google Earth Track 1: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120922-1.kmz
Google Earth Track 1: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120922-2.kmz

Looking at the GPS, our maximum speed was 11.2 knots surfing down a wave!

It was fun, we came last, and I was sore!
Got the sails off and folded, and I went below.
I HAVE NEVER SEEN SO MUCH WATER!
The bilge was full, took about 10 mins to vaccuum out.
The carpets were soaked.

When heeled over on a starboard tack with water coming over the cockput coamings exposes the cowl vents for the port fuel locker.  Water was rushing in these vents.  There was probably a foot of water in the port aft sail locker.  Everything was soaked!  Still Time was sitting way aft on her lines a the dock.

Port locker water

I have a 2 gallon shopvac.  Took 6 gallons out of the bilge and 30 gallons out of the port locker.  One gallon of water weighs approximately 8 lbs., so I had almost 300 lbs of water inside the boat!

CS34 Leaky Lewars Update

We had major rain on Friday night, and the port that I did did not leak at all.

Took the time and replaced all the o-rings on the rest of the ports in the cabin.

Used a hose, and did not see any leaks!

Sampling of 22 year old o-rings

All of the o-rings were dry and compressed.  Some of them were shredded, and many of them were split.

Great fix!

C22 Whitby Single Handed

Winds were from the SW 12 knots with gusts to 16.  Old main with reef and heavy #1.

Course was a triangle (4-6-8-9).

Way too much head sail, could not point to well because I could not tension the luff on the genoa.

Came last, but was fun!

Trip Odometer: 9.12 miles
Moving Avg: 5.0 knots
Moving Time: 01:49:00

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120919.kmz

C22 Whitby Frostbite Series Races 1&2

Races 1 & 2 from the 8 race Frostbite series.  Disappointed we only had 5 boats out, with 2 in my class.

Winds were light and variable from the NW; full main and light #1; singlehanded.

Start was delayed because of no wind. 

First Race

When we did start the first race, but made it just a windward/leeward two legs. 
Had to work very hard to find the puffs of wind.

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120915-1.kmz

Second Race

Wind had swung around 180 to the south, course was set to 5 short, and shortened to a triangle

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120915-2.kmz



Finished both races fairly close to the Iris, but probably took them on PHRF.

Trip Odometer: 12.00 miles
Moving Avg: 3.1 knots
Moving Time: 04:51:00

C34 Leaky Lewmars

My 1990 CS34 has 14 opening Lewmar portlights.  When it rains with any force, all the ports are leaking at the hatch dogs.  The hatch dogs attach to the lenses on the port and force the lenses to seal against a gasket.

Google search told me to clean the rubber gaskets and work some petroleum jelly to make them more subtle.  This didn't work.

Last weekend, we had major rains, and I had to put buckets, cups, pans, underneath most of the ports to keep the cushions dry.  Something needs to be done.

I found a vendor from Seattle WA, called New Found Metals.  They have really nice stainless steel opening ports.  Would be a nice upgrade for Still Time.  However, when I priced them out, it would come to $7k for the 14 ports!  Plus, they didn't have a size for the nine smaller ports, and I would have to cut the openings larger.

Another Google search referred me to Catalina Direct:

http://www.catalinadirect.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=product.display&product_ID=1856&ParentCat=380

Hmmm... a trip the local plumbing supply store for some O-Rings and silicone grease.



The larger ports have 4 dogs on the bottom glass,
while the smaller have 2 of them



Here is a closeup of the dog



Shows how the dog is attached

Had to remove a plastic retainer to expose the screws

Dog removed

The dogs are supposed to ride on the o-ring, and not rub on the lens.  The old o-rings are compressed and or broken, allowing the dogs to rub on the lens.  If I were a 21 year old o-ring, I would be the same!


Used a small screwdriver to remove the o-ring



This o-ring was split!

Used silicone lubricant on the o-ring

I did the one window that leaks the most.  All the of o-rings were flat or broken.  When I removed the dog from the glass, there was water in the hole.

The o-rings and silicone grease cost under $20.

Time will tell; there's Still Time...

UPDATE: we had MAJOR rains yesterday, and not one drop of water from the port I replaced the o-rings on!

C22 Whitby Fall Singlehanded

First race of the Fall Singlehanded series.

Got down to the boat a little early and got the boat rigged up.  Battery was dead, so no autohelm; I rigged up a tiller tamer for the race.

Winds were 12-16 knots with from the SSW.  I went out with the old main with a reef and the heavy #1.  Course was shortened 4 short (triangle).

A little too much sail going upwind, but the winds were supposed to drop, and you can use the extra sail area on the reaching/downwind leg.

We had 5 boats: 

• Still Time
• Berserk
• Iris
• Cheeky Monkey
• Justintime

Everyone converged at the windward mark.

Everyone pulled ahead of me on the reaching/downwind legs.  Need to do something different!

Came last, but not too far behind the fleet.  On a 40 minute race, everyone crossed the line within four mintues.  The magic of PHRF will tell.

Trip Odometer: 8.58 miles
Moving Avg: 5.3 knots
Moving Time: 01:37:00

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120912.kmz

C22 Whitby Fall Regatta

Started putting my sails up at around 10am.  I wanted to change my 120lb Honda 8hp four stroke outboard for my 35lb Merc 60 two stroke outboard.  I took Still Time out of the slip, and backed her in so the outboard was sticking over the dock, allowing me to lift the Honda off easily.  Well, the old Merc did NOT fit on the outboard mount!  Had to scramble to get the Honda back on.  I loosely tightened the mounts, and motor shifted, and ALMOST fell in the water!  If I wasn't straddling the dock and boat, it most certainly would have!  Rushed out to the start, radioing the committe boat saying that I had "engine troubles" and that I would be a 2 minutes late.  They delayed the start.

Winds were light 5 to 6 knots from the NW, full main and light #1, single handed.

Course was 2 short.

First Race

Start was not that great, as I was late crossing the line.
Had to majorly duck starboard tack Sumac near the first mark.
Winds were dying towards the end.

Came in second accross the line to Cheeky Monkey.

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120909-1.kmz

Second Race

Had a great start on starboard going right to the windward mark.
Winds were dying and shifting for everyone going to the mark.
Had to duck starboard tack Eclipse heading to the mark.
Cheeky Monkey and I were the first boats past this mark.

On the third leg, I went out to get some wind and was definately in the lead of the fleet.
But alas, the extra speed I got did not make up for the extra distance travelled.

Winds were VERY shifty, sometimes as much as 180 degrees.
On the fourth leg, a wind shift caused me to do an accidental 360!

Came in second accross the line to Cheeky Monkey, may have caught him on corrected time.
Update: 24 seconds in corrected time behind Cheeky Monkey!  That 360 was costly!

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120909-2.kmz

They didn't have a third race, as it was after 2:30pm curfew for the BBQ.

Coming back in, the light winds were perfect for flying the spinnaker.
As I was getting it ready, Chris from Iris came by dropped off his daughter Christina, as she wanted to learn how to fly one.  Pretty good trade: a beer for a crew member to fly the spinnaker.  It was fun!

Trip Odometer: 11.70 miles
Moving Avg: 2.8 knots
Moving Time: 04:09:00

C22 Whitby Stonehaven Cup Race

Was supposed to be the Whitby Fall Regatta today (3 races), but the weather was NASTY for around the cans racing.  Winds were to be 15-20 knots with gusts to 40 from the NNW, and major rain.

Race comittee decided to run the medium distance race: Ajax weather buoy, FBYC mark 7, and back to Whitby.  They would run the fall regattta tomorrow.

I took some time at the dock to double reef the old main, as I haven't hoisted that sail in a while.
Also hoisted the #3 jib, as I was single handed.

At the start, there was only about 5 knots of breeze out there.  Only two boats in my division: the other was the Catalina 25 Iris.  We were both over early, and had to double back.  It took me about 10 minutes to get re-started.  Grrrr!  Too bad, would have been a great start.  I watched all the spinnaker boats hoist spinnackers at the start, and here I was with a double reef and small jib.

On the way back to the start, I dropped the #3 and hoisted the heavy #1.  I got through the start going along really well, and I see all the spinnaker boats broaching all over the place, while all the whitesail boats are heeled over 45 degrees.  Winds had picked right up!  WAY UP!!!

I had WAY too much head sail up, but didn't dare go foreward single handed to do a swap back.  There was too much wind and waves to use the autohelm.  I was able to feather the tiller, and head up past close hauled in the puffs to keep the boat in its feet.

I was staying with a CS30 owned by Mark Ashworth, when I saw them fall off the wind and furl in their headsail quickly. Actually, they started coming towards me.  I was on a starboard tack, but started to duck the as they were crossing my bow.  They had lost steerage, and were out of control scrambling to get the emergency tiller hooked up.  I guess it was another Mark I had to round!

Rounded the Ajax weather buoy, and tacked to 4 to 5 ft waves, and much more breeze.  There were scallops on the head sail: the halyard needed to be tensioned.  I ran the haylard down to the windward primary winch and as I pulled it in, the turning block pulled out of the deck, making the scallops worst.  I tried to heave too, but there was too much pressure on the sail to tension the halyard.  I really need to get the cabintop winches installed, and better turning blocks.

Going towards the FBYC mark 7, it rained really hard, and wind picked up further. 
It was a lot of work to keep the boat from rounding up.

Rounded the FBYC mark, and the winds died a lot, probably down to 8 knots.  Thinking the winds wouldy would build again, I poled out wing on wing using the spinnaker pole, as the whisker pole would have snapped.

The winds started building again, and I did not go below 7 knots the entire way back to Whitby.  At one point I hit 10.4 knots surfing a wave.  Finshed the race doing 9.5 knots!

This fast downwind leg was good enough for me to win my division.

We had a great BBQ with free Mount Gay Rum.

Trip Odometer: 22.90 miles
Moving Avg: 5.5 knots
Moving Time: 04:08:00

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120908.kmz

C22 Whitby Last Wednesday Race

I got down to the club fairly early to vacuumed the bilge out, and scrub the rudder and hull with a long handled brush.  It was amazing all the slim!  Also took anything out of the boat to lighten it (DOCK SALE).

Winds were from the south 5-8 knots, course was 6 short, but was shortened to a triangle; full main and light #1.

John and I watched the first start: Silver Shaddow, JustinTime, and Road trip started on a port tack on the non favoured end, and got a HUGE advantage.  We did the same, but didn't get to the line right at the gun, so we had to duck starboard tack Gruntled before actually crossing the line.

Going out on a port tack had an advantage with more wind, but the winds were flukey. There were dead spots all over the place, and we found ourselves tacking to get the wind lines.   We were definately in the lead.

Coming towards first windward mark on a starboard tack, we had a boat from the other division cross our bow and lee bow us.  In their wind shaddow, our sails were flapping, so we tacked away. 

At the mark we were watching all other boats miss the mark and have to throw is several tacks to get around it.  What was happening is there was wind about 25t in the air coming from one direction, and the wind lower coming from another direction.  Hard to set a sail, very flukey and gusty.

Seeing these boats missing mark caused us overshoot our layline to the mark, and we lost a LOT of ground.   By the time we got to the mark, Cheeky Monkey, Knotty Girl, and Iris had passed us.  Even though we had more speed, we travelled WAY too far.  I calculated that we sailed an extra 0.4 miles that we didn't have to.  It is better to sail to the mark, and deal with any wind shifts as they happen, throwing in extra tracks if required.

The next two legs we gained some of the ground back, and crossed the line 5th of 6 boats, not too far behind Iris and Eclipse.  The winds were dying.

We came 4th in corrected time FOUR SECONDS behind the Catalina 25 Iris sailed by Chris.

Good enough for a 3rd place flag for series 4!

Trip Odometer: 9.78 miles
Moving Avg: 3.7 knots
Moving Time: 02:40:00

Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120905.kmz

CS34 Slip

After coming back from cruising the 1000 islands, we had forgotten to get out dock lines out, and Rita was scrambling to get them out as we were going into our slip.   Driving into out slip, we bottomed out into the soft silt.  On the plus side, we didn't need the dock liines!

We had to the boat out last weekend, and had to gun the motor out of the slip.

I guess this week, the water levels have dropped even more.

This morning I used the head and noticed the telltale signs that I needed a pumpout.  It was hard to pump and very stinky coming out of the holding tank vent on the transom.  I started up the motor, disconnected the shore power, and dock lines, and went to leave the slip.  It took me about 10 minutes of gunning the motor and rocking the boat back and forth to get out!

Coming back from the pumpout, I decided to go into another slip and check out what is happening in my old one:

Someone on Facebook said it looks like a stingray!

The head of the stingray is where the keel was rocking back and forth for the past week. 
The tail of the stringray is the keel ploughing through the mud to get out of the slip.

Got my boat hook out and discovered that there is less than 4 ft of water on my slip.  Still Time's keel is 4 1/2 ft in the water.  All the available slips on the dock 8 has similiar issues.  The powerboats near shore on dock 8 are in 2 ft of water!

Still Time is now in an available slip 710N on dock 7, directly accross from the old slip.  French Vanilla is immediately off our bow.