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UPDATED Thelonious II Noon Position Reports, 2021

Rocinante33

Contributing Partner
In case anyone would wonder why he didn't enter Honolulu through the Molokai Channel, the more direct route, waves 9 feet at a short 7 second interval....

 

Christian Williams

E381 - Los Angeles
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Please see link in first post for the day by day unfolding. Click on daily breadcrumb for log entry. https://www.olmsteadwilliams.com/christians-journey/

The vane failure was caused by the shearing of a single $20 Wichard eye bolt--the central bolt on the ship's quadrant. The pull is side to side, nd the hefty bolt was apparently worked beyond its limits. They're not rated for side forces, but given that only the eye was exposed and the bolt buried in mahogany, I figured no problem. I replaced it with an enormous padeye pirated from my cockpit tether mount . A bit of entertainment to drill bronze on a moving quadrant in a seaway. But the issue is solved. The Cape Horn worked as well as the Sailomat. But vanes DDW in Force 7 with big seas and 20-degree shifts in gusts require at lot of tending and adjustment. I was not pleased by the fact that the entire Cape horn installation is belowdecks and difficult to access or inspect.

I don't know why the CF pole broke in half under fairly benign conditions. Carbon Fibre is not robust. I was able to saw it up and use the parts to make a serviceable pole now fixed at 14 feet, and that is good enough for the trip home. I was glad to have my usual complete workshop of tools aboard and used all of them.

The Pacific was relatively cool all the way, evidence that something nonstandard was going on with the trades--at least in my experience . I was in long johns and sweaters till the very end. I'll be checking to see if that had the very pleasant effect of suppressing hurricanes rising to the Hawaii latitude, lately a concern on this route .

The final irritation was motoring upwind yesterday through the tiny channel that leads to Ko Olina harbor, the last mile. The anemometer read 35 knots and I had to dock unassisted, which was hairy. This on the leeward side of the island....

wichard.jpg...padeye 170563.jpg
 

Bepi

E27 Roxanne
Christian, Your safe arrival is great news. Time turns difficulties into legend. As far as the trade winds...In 1939 Southern California had a storm called the "Scourge(whip) of St Francis". It was quite nearly a hurricane and the amount of damage it did to a sparsely populated Los Angeles was devastating. Both the San Gabriel and Los Angeles rivers burst their banks and destroyed neighborhoods. It is why they are concrete today. The flood plains were mostly empty, today they are completely developed. The point being: If water temps get in the high seventies locally big storms can make it to Southern California and the results will be unimaginable. My trick knee and I are watching the signs and odd tradewinds may be one. Anyway... ah.... I don't suppose you feel like transporting a bottle of pineapple wine back with you? Best wishes, Bepi
 

Ed Orlando

Member I
Congratulations, Christian! I am new to this site, your videos, etc. I just received and am deep into my copy of Alone Together. I have been looking over everyone's Ericson site for about a month now and am so impressed by how folks respond and help each other. Like them, I admire what you have accomplished again (and again). Enjoy every minute!
 

David Grimm

E38-200
Barnacles! That pesky wisker pole! Cheers to your successful voyage. Best wishes on your return trip. Thank you for the notes and inspiration.
 

Bepi

E27 Roxanne
But Christian, thou art know thy lane, in proving foresight may wind vain. The best laid schemes o' sailormen gang aft agley and leave us nothing for our troubles... but promised joy. -Vinnie (The Shark) Burns
 
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