For those of you who don't know a boat's toilet is called a head.
The manual head on Still Time has been working without issue this season. However, it has been getting harder and harder to pump the "chunks of chocolate thunder". Walter had even commented that the head is hard to pump.
Well this morning after doing my morning doodie, the head would not pump. I could NOT get business all the way down.
I checked the tank monitor and the holding tank is only half full.
Tonight it was off to the pumpout dock to see if that would fix it. The pumpout went quickly, but the head is still not pumping. Tried to use a plunger, but NO WAY! Thought of getting some liquid plumber, but the instruction say not to use on toilets or with a plunger. Either the pipe between the head the holding tank is clogged, or the head has lost its ability to pump. Either way, it is going to be a shitty job fixing it.
UGGHHHH
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Fish TV to the Rescue AGAIN
On Thursday after rushing to get the refrigeration on the boat, I was transferring some stuff from the dock cart into the boat, when I heard a "plop". I was running late and didn't think anything of it.
When I went to retrieve my Suunto sail timer watch from my sailbag the next day, it wasn't there!
Tonight I used the Fish TV and after looking for two minutes, saw it on the bottom in 8ft of water, and scooped it up with a fishing net.
Watch works fine after a good cleaning.
For those of you who haven't seen this post:
http://svstilltime.blogspot.ca/2013/08/davy-jones-locker.html
When I went to retrieve my Suunto sail timer watch from my sailbag the next day, it wasn't there!
Tonight I used the Fish TV and after looking for two minutes, saw it on the bottom in 8ft of water, and scooped it up with a fishing net.
 |
| Thanks John Berry for the help! |
 |
| Covered in MUD |
For those of you who haven't seen this post:
http://svstilltime.blogspot.ca/2013/08/davy-jones-locker.html
CS34 Toronto to Whitby
We had nice breakfast on the boat, and hung out at the pool in the sunshine.
I checked the weather and Whitby was supposed to get whacked with thunderstorms around dinner time, so we headed out a little after noon. We explored the channels around Center Island. We also checked out Queen City Yacht Club.
Heading around the Leslie Street spit, we got sailing with 10 knot breeze from the south on the beam. With a reefed main and genoa, we got the boat going between 5 and 6 knots.
Rita remembered that she had left her car keys in my car at Toronto Hydroplane. She had driven my car in on Saturday, and we were going to pick it up perhaps on Monday night or the next day. We had left Rita's car at the Whitby Yacht Club. We dropped the sails and headed into Ashbridges Bay around 1pm.
As we docked, we had a localized thunderstorm happening inland. We decided to send Rita and Bogart with the car back to Whitby, and I would single hand the boat back. It would take 3 hours to get to Whitby: well before the thunderstorms (famous last words!)
Going along the Scarborough Bluffs, the clouds behind me were looking NASTY:
I was going along with the engine at 3,000 RPM with 7 knots of boat speed, so I rolled out the genoa in the 10 knots of true wind on a broad reach for some more speed:
Tried to outrun the storm.
About 6 miles from Frenchman's Bay I couldn't outrun it, so I furled the genoa in, and got all the hatches closed, and put in the dodger/bimini connector piece in.
Rita called me on the cell phone, and we decided that I would bail into Frenchman's Bay where she would meet me. She arranged for a slip with Bernie from Swan's Marina. Got the fenders and dock lines out. I put together a ditch bag with some water, handheld VHF and GPS, and attached it to a fender. I altered course closer to shore. If Still Time gets hit by lightning, it could blast large holes in the hull and she would sink FAST, and I could swim ashore. I thought about getting the dinghy inflated, but there wasn't enough time to retrieve it from the deck.
About 3 miles from the entrance, the storm hit.
HARD RAIN
I was dry undernear the canvas. Could not see more than 50ft, and using the chart plotter to navigate in the Frenchman's Bay Channel. Lightning strikes all around me, with wind gusting to 30 knots. Going into the channel, winds were a constant 40+ knots. With the motor out of gear, the boat hit 7.7 knots down the channel!
I met Rita at the dock, and docked safely!
WHEW!
Trip Odometer: 24.47 miles
Moving Average: 5.0
Moving Time: 04:52:00
Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140804.kmz
We had a drink below and a snooze to ride the storm out.
After a couple of hours, I headed to Whitby without issue.
Trip Odometer: 8.63 miles
Moving Average: 6.1 knots
Moving Time: 01:24:00
I checked the weather and Whitby was supposed to get whacked with thunderstorms around dinner time, so we headed out a little after noon. We explored the channels around Center Island. We also checked out Queen City Yacht Club.
Heading around the Leslie Street spit, we got sailing with 10 knot breeze from the south on the beam. With a reefed main and genoa, we got the boat going between 5 and 6 knots.
Rita remembered that she had left her car keys in my car at Toronto Hydroplane. She had driven my car in on Saturday, and we were going to pick it up perhaps on Monday night or the next day. We had left Rita's car at the Whitby Yacht Club. We dropped the sails and headed into Ashbridges Bay around 1pm.
As we docked, we had a localized thunderstorm happening inland. We decided to send Rita and Bogart with the car back to Whitby, and I would single hand the boat back. It would take 3 hours to get to Whitby: well before the thunderstorms (famous last words!)
Going along the Scarborough Bluffs, the clouds behind me were looking NASTY:
I was going along with the engine at 3,000 RPM with 7 knots of boat speed, so I rolled out the genoa in the 10 knots of true wind on a broad reach for some more speed:
 |
| Gained 0.3 of a knot |
About 6 miles from Frenchman's Bay I couldn't outrun it, so I furled the genoa in, and got all the hatches closed, and put in the dodger/bimini connector piece in.
 |
| NASTY |
Rita called me on the cell phone, and we decided that I would bail into Frenchman's Bay where she would meet me. She arranged for a slip with Bernie from Swan's Marina. Got the fenders and dock lines out. I put together a ditch bag with some water, handheld VHF and GPS, and attached it to a fender. I altered course closer to shore. If Still Time gets hit by lightning, it could blast large holes in the hull and she would sink FAST, and I could swim ashore. I thought about getting the dinghy inflated, but there wasn't enough time to retrieve it from the deck.
About 3 miles from the entrance, the storm hit.
HARD RAIN
 |
| Starboard |
 |
| Port |
I was dry undernear the canvas. Could not see more than 50ft, and using the chart plotter to navigate in the Frenchman's Bay Channel. Lightning strikes all around me, with wind gusting to 30 knots. Going into the channel, winds were a constant 40+ knots. With the motor out of gear, the boat hit 7.7 knots down the channel!
I met Rita at the dock, and docked safely!
WHEW!
Moving Average: 5.0
Moving Time: 04:52:00
Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140804.kmz
We had a drink below and a snooze to ride the storm out.
After a couple of hours, I headed to Whitby without issue.
Trip Odometer: 8.63 miles
Moving Average: 6.1 knots
Moving Time: 01:24:00
Sunday, August 3, 2014
CS34 Toronto Island Yacht Club
Rita, Bogart, and I motored to Toronto Harbour.
We went in through the eastern gap and explored the north shore.
We went near the Toronto Island airport exclusion zone and watched a Porter plane land just over our mast!
KEWL
We ducked into RCYC and said "HI" to Cason Woods at his boat.
We decided we would give Toronto Island Yacht Club a try. We had never been there, and have heard a lot of good things about it. We were glad to get a slip with power. Their reciprocol policy is different than most: you pay for the first night, and get the 2nd night free. $71 for the night.
The Toronto Island Yacht Club is beautiful!
The clubhouse is awesome!
We had a wonderful dinner outside on the patio:
The lawns, docks, and general setting was great!
Trip Odometer: 9.94 miles
Moving Average: 5.2 knots
Moving Time: 01:54:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140803.kmz
We went in through the eastern gap and explored the north shore.
We went near the Toronto Island airport exclusion zone and watched a Porter plane land just over our mast!
KEWL
We ducked into RCYC and said "HI" to Cason Woods at his boat.
We decided we would give Toronto Island Yacht Club a try. We had never been there, and have heard a lot of good things about it. We were glad to get a slip with power. Their reciprocol policy is different than most: you pay for the first night, and get the 2nd night free. $71 for the night.
The Toronto Island Yacht Club is beautiful!
 |
| And so is the heart shaped leaf model! |
We had a wonderful dinner outside on the patio:
The lawns, docks, and general setting was great!
 |
| Arm selfie |
 |
| Self timer photo |
 |
| Looking at the CN Tower |
Trip Odometer: 9.94 miles
Moving Average: 5.2 knots
Moving Time: 01:54:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140803.kmz
MUMM35 LYRA 2014 Day 3 on ACE
The forecast was NO WIND ALL DAY!
It was a on shore postponement, and all races cancelled by 3pm.
We used to the day to work on the boat.
We had one of our B&G display units stop working due to condensation in the display. Since it died, two of the four displays on the mast were not working: apparent wind angle, and the headstay load sensor. This display is more import because it shows the tension on the headstay as a number. Apply more runner tension, and you put more tension on the headstay. Definately needed to sail the boat to its numbers.
I had to remove the ice box to trace the wiring to the B&G processing units. I did not find the problem on the load sensor, but did find a loose wire to get the apparent wind display working. I am not happy with how the wires are terminated with raw wires (should be pins), and not labelled. In the off season, I will trace and label all wires.
Our next attack was the position of the mast butt near the keel. It is in the default position and we are finding that the mast butt is too far aft. This is putting a LOT of pre bend in the mast. This has caused the bottom third of the main to be VERY flat. Looking at some FARR 36 tuning guides on the internet, our mast rake should be around 25mm (we are at 36mm!) We let off the stays, and undid the bolts on the mast step, and the mast sprung forward by itself! We measured from the front stem to the mast step, and locked it in the appropriate place. Our mast prebend was down to the proper spec. Hopefully this will add some shape to the main.
Our next task was the replace the headstay racing foil. The bottom 6ft of it are damaged and last month when we were in 25 knots of wind, the #3 came right out of the track! We are replacing the Harken tuff luff foil with an indestructible Harken Carbo foil.
So, my first LYRA regatta was only two races!
What a shame!
Rita and I attended the awards presentations:
It was a on shore postponement, and all races cancelled by 3pm.
We used to the day to work on the boat.
We had one of our B&G display units stop working due to condensation in the display. Since it died, two of the four displays on the mast were not working: apparent wind angle, and the headstay load sensor. This display is more import because it shows the tension on the headstay as a number. Apply more runner tension, and you put more tension on the headstay. Definately needed to sail the boat to its numbers.
I had to remove the ice box to trace the wiring to the B&G processing units. I did not find the problem on the load sensor, but did find a loose wire to get the apparent wind display working. I am not happy with how the wires are terminated with raw wires (should be pins), and not labelled. In the off season, I will trace and label all wires.
Our next attack was the position of the mast butt near the keel. It is in the default position and we are finding that the mast butt is too far aft. This is putting a LOT of pre bend in the mast. This has caused the bottom third of the main to be VERY flat. Looking at some FARR 36 tuning guides on the internet, our mast rake should be around 25mm (we are at 36mm!) We let off the stays, and undid the bolts on the mast step, and the mast sprung forward by itself! We measured from the front stem to the mast step, and locked it in the appropriate place. Our mast prebend was down to the proper spec. Hopefully this will add some shape to the main.
Our next task was the replace the headstay racing foil. The bottom 6ft of it are damaged and last month when we were in 25 knots of wind, the #3 came right out of the track! We are replacing the Harken tuff luff foil with an indestructible Harken Carbo foil.
 |
| Cutting new foil to length |
 |
| Uncoiled on the dock |
What a shame!
Rita and I attended the awards presentations:
 |
| Who said that sailors like rum? |
Saturday, August 2, 2014
MUMM36 LYRA 2014 Day 2 on ACE
The ACE Juice made for a rough morning. I haven't been that hungover in years.
The rest of the crew rigged the boat, and I went below to sip on some water and inhale some tylenol.
No wind to speak of (less than a knot). Race was postponed from 11am.
When the first race started at 1pm, I came up from below. There was perhaps 2 knots of wind. We were first to the windward mark, when they cancelled the race. PAINFUL! The race committee should have let us finish this race.
NO RACES for all the IRC boats on day 2.
Waiting for the wind to come:
http://youtu.be/mFo6mK_8pOk
Body surfing behind Maggie Kelly!
Trip Odometer: 11.26 miles
Moving Average: 1.9 knots!
Moving Time: 05:09:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140802.kmz
The rest of the crew rigged the boat, and I went below to sip on some water and inhale some tylenol.
No wind to speak of (less than a knot). Race was postponed from 11am.
When the first race started at 1pm, I came up from below. There was perhaps 2 knots of wind. We were first to the windward mark, when they cancelled the race. PAINFUL! The race committee should have let us finish this race.
NO RACES for all the IRC boats on day 2.
Waiting for the wind to come:
http://youtu.be/mFo6mK_8pOk
Body surfing behind Maggie Kelly!
Trip Odometer: 11.26 miles
Moving Average: 1.9 knots!
Moving Time: 05:09:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140802.kmz
Friday, August 1, 2014
MUMM36 LYRA 2014 Day 1 on ACE
The walk from Toronto Hydroplane and Sailing Club to Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club was 2 minutes.
ABYC is hosting the Lake Yacht Racing Association (LYRA) regatta. This race is the largest and longest running regatta on the great lakes. It is also serving as the IRC North American Championships. ACE is registered in IRC-1 division with all the big boys on the lake. We were the slowest in the division, but were glad because you don't get better by racing with boats you know you can beat.
ACE was rafted with two other boats. We spent over an hour getting some tasks done. We hoisted Andrew up the mast to rig up some shock cords to prevent the running backstays from catching on the end of the boom during tacks.
It was a warm, sunny day with not a lot of wind, but we did get in two races.
Both races were shortened to one (instead of two) windward/leeward loops. In the first race, we sailed into a wind hole on the downwind leg. Our second race was much better.
We came in last in our division of 6 boats, but were very close to all competitors.
Race 1: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140801-1.kmz
Race 2: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140801-2.kmz
Trip Odometer: 23.18 miles
Moving Average: 4.5 knots
Moving Time: 05:09:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140801.kmz
ABYC is hosting the Lake Yacht Racing Association (LYRA) regatta. This race is the largest and longest running regatta on the great lakes. It is also serving as the IRC North American Championships. ACE is registered in IRC-1 division with all the big boys on the lake. We were the slowest in the division, but were glad because you don't get better by racing with boats you know you can beat.
ACE was rafted with two other boats. We spent over an hour getting some tasks done. We hoisted Andrew up the mast to rig up some shock cords to prevent the running backstays from catching on the end of the boom during tacks.
It was a warm, sunny day with not a lot of wind, but we did get in two races.
 |
| Leaving the raft |
 |
| Michael at the helm |
 |
| Downwind just behind our fleet |
 |
| Michaela and Tom went for a swim between races |
 |
| Relentless, a FARR 40 |
 |
| Jenn flying the spinnaker sporting her ACE temporary tatoo |
Both races were shortened to one (instead of two) windward/leeward loops. In the first race, we sailed into a wind hole on the downwind leg. Our second race was much better.
We came in last in our division of 6 boats, but were very close to all competitors.
Race 1: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140801-1.kmz
Race 2: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140801-2.kmz
Trip Odometer: 23.18 miles
Moving Average: 4.5 knots
Moving Time: 05:09:00
Google Earth Track: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2014/20140801.kmz
We partied on the boat until after midnight. Tom had made a jug of "ACE Juice" from Mount Gay Rum, red wine, and some fruit juice. Went down too quickly! Made for sore heads in the morning.
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