p.gazibara
Member III
We just keep telling ourselves it gets better! I hope we are right...
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Setting off around the world!
- Thread starter p.gazibara
- Start date
We just keep telling ourselves it gets better! I hope we are right...
p.gazibara
Member III
Well, San Diego was an amazing experience. We really enjoyed our stay. Great boat friendly town.
We set off from San Diego and headed south to follow the Haha track (for better or worse) and made it to Bahia Tortuga. 360 miles in 3.5 days, a little drifting at the start and end, but overall a great sail. Again, the Aries did all the work, we just read, ate, and made sure we didn't hit anything.
I saw some photos of our sailing friends back North, I can honestly say that I prefer the t-shirt.
Bahia Tortuga is really great, I wish we didn't have obligations to meet the parents down in Cabo at the end of the month. We would really have enjoyed taking our time coming down the Baja.
-P
We set off from San Diego and headed south to follow the Haha track (for better or worse) and made it to Bahia Tortuga. 360 miles in 3.5 days, a little drifting at the start and end, but overall a great sail. Again, the Aries did all the work, we just read, ate, and made sure we didn't hit anything.
I saw some photos of our sailing friends back North, I can honestly say that I prefer the t-shirt.
Bahia Tortuga is really great, I wish we didn't have obligations to meet the parents down in Cabo at the end of the month. We would really have enjoyed taking our time coming down the Baja.
-P
p.gazibara
Member III
Made it to Cabo! Officially completed what we considered leg one of our trip.
So far:
North Pacific is boisterous. It's also a big wind sailors dream. Santa Cruz/San Fran especially due to their daily predictability. (I know we are still in the North Pacific, but way further south now)
South of PT Conception it mellows. A lot. I was told Ericsons are flat water boats built for this area, it shows, we blow the doors off the other sailboats in flat water and light winds (we are also one a handful of boats that can or do sail in it)
There is a quite a bit of joy sailing through the night under reefed spinnaker.
We went from 150ish mile days in the bigger winds of the north Pacific to probably 90-100 mile days after PT Conception due to light fickle winds. If we didn't have to make the Haha or Cabo to see my parents, we could have waited for better winds, but hey I'm not complaining about flat water sailing for days. Cooking is less acrobatic anyway.
Right now we are finishing up breakfast and getting ready to head into Mexican Vegas... er Cabo San Lucas.
Cheers!
-P
So far:
North Pacific is boisterous. It's also a big wind sailors dream. Santa Cruz/San Fran especially due to their daily predictability. (I know we are still in the North Pacific, but way further south now)
South of PT Conception it mellows. A lot. I was told Ericsons are flat water boats built for this area, it shows, we blow the doors off the other sailboats in flat water and light winds (we are also one a handful of boats that can or do sail in it)
There is a quite a bit of joy sailing through the night under reefed spinnaker.
We went from 150ish mile days in the bigger winds of the north Pacific to probably 90-100 mile days after PT Conception due to light fickle winds. If we didn't have to make the Haha or Cabo to see my parents, we could have waited for better winds, but hey I'm not complaining about flat water sailing for days. Cooking is less acrobatic anyway.
Right now we are finishing up breakfast and getting ready to head into Mexican Vegas... er Cabo San Lucas.
Cheers!
-P
p.gazibara
Member III
Another MX update!
We made it to La Paz after a wild experience in Cabo and an exhausting pound up the Sea of Cortez.
What a cruiser haven. We are loving it here so far. Hoping to haul out and get some bottom paint. I am also thinking about rebuilding our back solar panel arch out of glass over foam as well as our dodger which is looking like bare threads these days. I hope to incorporate some type of boarding ladders as well as a reel for stern anchor rhode. Speakers, lighting, and a good place to sleep/recline while on watch in the cockpit are also on the list. I feel like at the end of all of this, there won't be much Ericson left....
These boats did not have very good ways of getting back into them from the water. With an aries off the stern, where do you put the ladder? Its a big deal for snorkeling an our saltwater bathing.
I figure a month here will suffice. We will see. Cruising and Racing are two very different priorities and the longer we spend underway the more we realize this.
But hey, we are happy to be in the land of $.80 tacos and $1.25 beers.
If anyone is curious about the actual sail, the first northerly blew here in the sea, made Cabo's poor anchorage really poor. 25kt winds, 4' swells, lots of boats, and poor holding were the ingredients for disaster. We watched a cruise ship drag anchor and come within 30' of a sailboat. Needless to say we left promptly after the worst of the blow even though we were pounding North in 6-8' seas in 20-30kts. It was trying, but we were soo glad to get to Los Frailes and recharge.
A few days later we left los Frailes for La Paz again beating into a Northerly (though a much more pleasant 15kts) until it died for half a day and we got a nice spinnaker run up to Isla Cervello. Unfortunately we ran out of propane and our electronic autopilot gave up on us. The aries doesn't work so well unless it can see 7 kts apparent, and running under the kite in 10kts of breeze won't do it. Makes for a fun sail though.
But hey, Ava is still here and with high spirits!
The highs and lows of cruising.
-P
-P
We made it to La Paz after a wild experience in Cabo and an exhausting pound up the Sea of Cortez.
What a cruiser haven. We are loving it here so far. Hoping to haul out and get some bottom paint. I am also thinking about rebuilding our back solar panel arch out of glass over foam as well as our dodger which is looking like bare threads these days. I hope to incorporate some type of boarding ladders as well as a reel for stern anchor rhode. Speakers, lighting, and a good place to sleep/recline while on watch in the cockpit are also on the list. I feel like at the end of all of this, there won't be much Ericson left....
These boats did not have very good ways of getting back into them from the water. With an aries off the stern, where do you put the ladder? Its a big deal for snorkeling an our saltwater bathing.
I figure a month here will suffice. We will see. Cruising and Racing are two very different priorities and the longer we spend underway the more we realize this.
But hey, we are happy to be in the land of $.80 tacos and $1.25 beers.
If anyone is curious about the actual sail, the first northerly blew here in the sea, made Cabo's poor anchorage really poor. 25kt winds, 4' swells, lots of boats, and poor holding were the ingredients for disaster. We watched a cruise ship drag anchor and come within 30' of a sailboat. Needless to say we left promptly after the worst of the blow even though we were pounding North in 6-8' seas in 20-30kts. It was trying, but we were soo glad to get to Los Frailes and recharge.
A few days later we left los Frailes for La Paz again beating into a Northerly (though a much more pleasant 15kts) until it died for half a day and we got a nice spinnaker run up to Isla Cervello. Unfortunately we ran out of propane and our electronic autopilot gave up on us. The aries doesn't work so well unless it can see 7 kts apparent, and running under the kite in 10kts of breeze won't do it. Makes for a fun sail though.
But hey, Ava is still here and with high spirits!
The highs and lows of cruising.
-P
-P
Joliba
1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
Pajo & Ava,
You made it to a great spot for your projects... congratulations! The linked thread below discusses the boarding ladder issue. A midship ladder is far easier to board from a dinghy in a rough anchorage and there is less freeboard and vertical boat motion than at The stern for easier lifting of gear or provisions onto the deck.
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?13144-E35-2-boarding-later
It was brave of you to punch through the short steep chop to La Paz during a north wind.
Mike Jacker
You made it to a great spot for your projects... congratulations! The linked thread below discusses the boarding ladder issue. A midship ladder is far easier to board from a dinghy in a rough anchorage and there is less freeboard and vertical boat motion than at The stern for easier lifting of gear or provisions onto the deck.
http://www.ericsonyachts.org/infoexchange/showthread.php?13144-E35-2-boarding-later
It was brave of you to punch through the short steep chop to La Paz during a north wind.
Mike Jacker
Joliba
1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
Anchor reel???
Pajo,
I have often looked with envy at beautiful stern anchor reels on well appointed yachts. However, I have come to believe that this is a much less practical system than it initially appears. A stern reel on a small boat puts much weight high and at the end of the boat, creates windage, and is an obstruction to visibility. A good reel requires room for swinging a proper crank handle. If rope is used for the rode, this is often quite large. Nylon webbing for an anchor rode is an option with a reel.
IMHO there is a better way. A duffel bag that opens widely on top can be used to stow the nylon rode. The line can be easily faked into it or coiled so that it can pay out with ease from the top. Think of this as a portable anchor well. This has many advantages:
1. It can be stowed low and out of the weather.
2. The anchor can easily be deployed from the dinghy in order to drop the anchor first then bring the rode back to the boat.
3. It can be deployed from the bow or any location aboard the boat to use as a shoreline, second bow anchor, towline from the mast, kedge, or many other uses.
An anchor rode on a reel must still be belayed on a cleat or bollard and cannot lead directly from the reel in any case. This could be awkward with a shorthanded crew.
.... just some food for thought.
Mike
Pajo,
I have often looked with envy at beautiful stern anchor reels on well appointed yachts. However, I have come to believe that this is a much less practical system than it initially appears. A stern reel on a small boat puts much weight high and at the end of the boat, creates windage, and is an obstruction to visibility. A good reel requires room for swinging a proper crank handle. If rope is used for the rode, this is often quite large. Nylon webbing for an anchor rode is an option with a reel.
IMHO there is a better way. A duffel bag that opens widely on top can be used to stow the nylon rode. The line can be easily faked into it or coiled so that it can pay out with ease from the top. Think of this as a portable anchor well. This has many advantages:
1. It can be stowed low and out of the weather.
2. The anchor can easily be deployed from the dinghy in order to drop the anchor first then bring the rode back to the boat.
3. It can be deployed from the bow or any location aboard the boat to use as a shoreline, second bow anchor, towline from the mast, kedge, or many other uses.
An anchor rode on a reel must still be belayed on a cleat or bollard and cannot lead directly from the reel in any case. This could be awkward with a shorthanded crew.
.... just some food for thought.
Mike
p.gazibara
Member III
Thanks for the thread on ladders, I agree a midship would be much better, we will see what we can come up with.
For the record, the GRIBs showed us sailing north in 10-15kts and lightening, not quite the conditions we saw... Once we we're in it, we just reefed her down and kept telling ourselves "it's better than being at anchorage in Cabo"
I always tell myself it's good practice, after all I'm told the kiwis play in 50kts regularly and we are going around the world
-p
For whatever its worth... that's where I landed.
I bought a 40-liter heavy-duty wide-mouth dry bag and keep my anchor rode in it. It easily holds my 250 feet of braided nylon rode and 35 feet of 5/16" chain, with both the bitter-end and the chain end sticking out the top for easy hook-up. As you note, it is easy to flake the line into it, it keeps things "organized" and when I'm not expecting to need it I can pick up the whole thing by the handle and stow it somewhere other than in the anchor locker.
On "normal" days, there's nothing in my anchor locker but the anchor itself, and when it comes time to anchor I carry the bag to the bow, hook up the chain, tie the bitter end to a cleat, open the top of the bag and I'm in business. Takes (almost literally) less time than it took to type that.
Now, I'm not a full-time cruiser using my anchor every day. But ... it seems like a decent solution for what I do. Might be a decent approach for a sporadically-used stern-tie line, too.
Bruce
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Joliba
1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
Stern anchor reel
Pajo,
Here are two additional potential disadvantages of a stern anchor reel:
1. This is bound to interfere with fishing lines while sailing
2. In your circumnavigation you will likely call in some impoverished ports. A nice reel of anchor line hanging in plain sight on the stern is a great temptation for thieves.
Mike
Pajo,
Here are two additional potential disadvantages of a stern anchor reel:
1. This is bound to interfere with fishing lines while sailing
2. In your circumnavigation you will likely call in some impoverished ports. A nice reel of anchor line hanging in plain sight on the stern is a great temptation for thieves.
Mike
Joliba
1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
Boarding without a ladder
Pajo,
If you have not already seen this video, it makes a good case for a nice midship boarding ladder. (There are probably a few other lessons here, as well.)
https://youtu.be/X6wWO8fl7fc
Pajo,
If you have not already seen this video, it makes a good case for a nice midship boarding ladder. (There are probably a few other lessons here, as well.)
https://youtu.be/X6wWO8fl7fc
Joliba
1988 E38-200 Contributing Member
https://youtu.be/M6gMDlTTN6A
Oops, I think this is the correct link. Sorry
Oops, I think this is the correct link. Sorry
p.gazibara
Member III
Hey Bruce! Thanks KS for the kudos! Hoping to keep writing and getting ourselves out there.
Lots to talk about down here in paradise.... With boat work.
Pajo
p.gazibara
Member III
Hey Mark! It's been a while, hope all is well in Santa Cruz.
We are starting an... Interesting project.
We are hauling out for paint, but in the mix building a glass over foam arch for the solar panels. I don't like how the stern of Cindy is so cluttered and the current Bimini frame shakes when we are in bigger seas. (We have tie it down when the wind builds).
She is squatting a bit more than I would like currently and the glass over foam should be stronger and get rid of a bunch of weight of stainless. I'm hoping to remove the pushpit while I'm at it to help us get fish onboard easier and declutter the stern.
Turns out the cockpit is great for racing with crew, not so great as a back patio, gonna try to change that.
-P
We are starting an... Interesting project.
We are hauling out for paint, but in the mix building a glass over foam arch for the solar panels. I don't like how the stern of Cindy is so cluttered and the current Bimini frame shakes when we are in bigger seas. (We have tie it down when the wind builds).
She is squatting a bit more than I would like currently and the glass over foam should be stronger and get rid of a bunch of weight of stainless. I'm hoping to remove the pushpit while I'm at it to help us get fish onboard easier and declutter the stern.
Turns out the cockpit is great for racing with crew, not so great as a back patio, gonna try to change that.
-P
p.gazibara
Member III
Hey Mark, we are currently hauled out in La Paz. They are putting paint on us tomorrow. Next time you are thinking about paint, come on down!
Haulout, sanding, and painting for $22/ft you just have to supply the paint.
It's a fun ride south too
We are not building the arch at the moment, turns out getting structural mat is not easy here in MX.
It will be done at a later date, more time for planning and wrapping up other projects.
Saltwater faucet in the sink and watermaker are atop the list. Found a katadyn 40e for $800, hopefully we can limit our jerry can carrying for a while.
I finally finished the anchor locker aft of the v-berth as well, no more climbing past chain getting into bed. I also repitched the max-prop and will be installing a diversion load controller to utilize that extra power from the electric motor under sail.
I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes.
For now, we are relishing fresh cinnamon rolls and roasted coffee.
Haulout, sanding, and painting for $22/ft you just have to supply the paint.
It's a fun ride south too
We are not building the arch at the moment, turns out getting structural mat is not easy here in MX.
It will be done at a later date, more time for planning and wrapping up other projects.
Saltwater faucet in the sink and watermaker are atop the list. Found a katadyn 40e for $800, hopefully we can limit our jerry can carrying for a while.
I finally finished the anchor locker aft of the v-berth as well, no more climbing past chain getting into bed. I also repitched the max-prop and will be installing a diversion load controller to utilize that extra power from the electric motor under sail.
I'll keep everyone posted on how it goes.
For now, we are relishing fresh cinnamon rolls and roasted coffee.
p.gazibara
Member III
Hey Mark, I can one up that, we got the drone out for some video, I just need to figure out how to upload it.