The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat – Reviewed

Book the Captain has snoozed upon:  
The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat, by John Vigor   

Just up – The Can Opener has just finished another great book by John Vigor. Here is my First Mate’s book review which he has just handed in to me (slightly tardily we note) for approval. But… approved!

Topics Covered

• defining seaworthiness
• fitting out: spars, rigging, tackle, engine, nav gear etc
• heavy weather
• anchoring
• gastro-navigation and galleys

The Best Part
There were two best parts in this book for us. The number 1 best part was the excellent definition of seaworthiness. 

We have heard the term ‘seaworthy’ used so many times – bandied about really. To have it nailed down and specifically and practically defined was extremely helpful – just what we needed to hone our yacht design research criteria.

The number 2 best part of this book was: its attention to detail. At the end of each section, John Vigor repeatedly asks the question: ‘What would you do if your boat were inverted?’ He exhorts you to plan today for the scenario you hope will never happen. Then he takes you through solutions and explains how solving these problems before they happen is so critical. Brilliant.

Wishes

Okay, for once Captain Cat is stumped. All right. I wish that this book were longer. Or that it had a sequel.

Conclusion
This one’s got pride of place on our book shelf. Loved it. We’ll read any book that this guy has written.

Ever read The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat, by John Vigor ? How did you find it? Any good recommendations for other books for the sea library?

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

In the US
http://ws.amazon.com/widgets/q?rt=tf_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=US&ID=V20070822/US/httpthecruisi-20/8001/f26bf520-e9f5-4038-85bc-49415e1f6029 Amazon.com Widgets

In the UK
http://ws.amazon.co.uk/widgets/q?rt=tf_mfw&ServiceVersion=20070822&MarketPlace=GB&ID=V20070822/GB/thecrukit01-21/8001/25862e65-efb2-474f-8b3a-f312ec24a3af Amazon.co.uk Widgets

Book Reviews

Previously: RYA VHF Radio text – Reviewed!

Also by the same author: 
20 Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere – Book Review

Bugs & Biocides

Diesel bug is not this pretty – but it’s at least as inconvenient…

Diesel Fuel Care – Biocides & Bugs

Tony Warr of fuelcare.com, speaking at the Cruising Association’s recent Blue Water Seminar, described diesel bug and how to keep it out of your engine – something that requires diligence and is not so easily done. 

We heard another talk on diesel bug at the London Boat Show earlier this year. This subject is not the most glamorous – exactly the kind of thing that is worth hearing twice!

Here are the Can Opener’s notes:

Diesel bug clogs up your engine…

• Dead diesel bug causes the slime blocking up your fuel lines.
• Fuel contamination starts after the fuel arrives at the first middleman in the distribution chain.
• fuel + water + micro-organisms + a rise in temperature = microbial growth (diesel bug)
• Diesel bug sinks to the bottom of the tank… where the fuel intake is – and then blocks the primary filter to the engine.
• It also loosens in rough weather – so diesel bug is even more likely to block the engine when you may really need it.
• This doesn’t happen in petrol as petrol is not a nutrient – therefore no bugs.

What to do?

Prevention

1. Keep water out of the fuel tank because
• water makes the fuel hazy and
• provides an environment the diesel bug loves!
2. If the fuel supplier is suspect then
• use a funnel or a ‘Baja’ filter or
• have extra tanks, let them stand for 2 days till the diesel bug sinks, and then decant the diesel into the main tank.
3. Check you tank filler cap and leave tanks full before layup (to keep air out of the tanks).
4. Run your engine for 30 minutes after layup and check separator regularly on your first trip.

Use biocide

1. It’s a fuel preservative that kills bacteria and fungus. It will clean your system – it takes 12 hours to clear. 
2. Do a regular biocide treatment of 1/2 a dose every 3-4 tank fills.
3. Add biocide before your winter layup.
4. If you miss the ‘pre-wineter layup treatment’ then dilute and add it in the Spring, 24-48 hourse before your first use.

• it’s fairly cheap (costs about £3 /100litres in the UK)

Emergency backup

1. carry a small 12 volt electric fuel pump and filter
2. practice connecting spare fuel can to suction of low pressure fuel lift pump

• this can fix diesel bug blockage in 10 minutes – which may be fast enough to restart your engine in time to avoid something really perilous!

Have you ever had diesel bug in your fuel?  

What did you do?

–Captain Cat

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Previously: see also Diesel Bug

Destination Dreamin’ – Grenada

Photo by: nicobilou

Sharon Bernstein, speaking at the Cruising Association’s recent Blue Water Seminar, described all the advantages of including Grenada on your next passage to the Caribbean. 

Of course I ordered the Can Opener to write all this information down – double-time quick and with absolute precision. Grenadian fish are legendary! It’s definitely on our long term horizon…

Great Reasons to visit Grenada

best known for

• diving: the highest density of scuba-interesting wrecks – it’s the dive capital of the Eastern Caribbean with more than 50 dive sites
• spices: one of the five top producers of nutmeg in the world
• excellence: has the highest number of Olympic medals per capita after the 2012 London Games (it’s population is only 109,000… and they are very proud of men’s 400 meter sprint runner, Kirani James!)

history

• beautiful petroglyphs
• historical forts
• picturesque St George’s, the capital city, with Georgian architecture (of course!), old forts overlooking the city and a spice market
• rum factories!

festivals and landmarks

• carnivals
• yachting regattas – especially at the end of January
• ecotours
• romance: they are about to launch an ‘underwater marriage ceremony’ option!
• it has the world’s largest underwater sculpture park (?!?!!)

…aaaaaaaand they produce vegan chocolate – that does NOT melt on boats without refridgeration!!

We love it all! Grenada’s on our list…

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

Destination Dreamin’
Previously: Panama – Destination Dreamin’
Next: Antarctica – Destination Dreamin’

Victualling And Food Care

Next up at the Cruising Association last weekend, was a lecture on ‘Victualling And Food Care’, with Sandy Duker. O my!

Food is my personal favourite and my own specialty. I do love to organise the First Mate to a well provisioned yacht! Preparedness for every exciting milestone in the day (ie. every meal time) is a top priority.   

As Sandy approached the lectern, I leaned forward on the Can Opener’s shoulder to catch her every pearlescent word. I knew I indeed had a secure grip on my perch to get me through her lecture when the First Mate let out a mighty yelp.

Sandy revealed all her secrets of food care aboard yachts and the Can Opener wrote ’em down:

Assumptions 

• You are catering for 2-3 weeks,
• refridgerator exists,
• but no freezer.

Consider 

• likes of the crew
• medical conditions eg diabetes
• allergies 
• is the boat ‘dry’ or ‘wet’? 
• people eat more at sea – out of boredom, because they are cold, on watch… 

Meal Structure / day

• 3 meals
• 3 snacks
• Happy Hour!   

Planning Provisions

• overcater for drinks
• plan meals sequence to match freshness of the fruits/vegetables
• make a daily planner… and convert it to your shopping list
• plan to grow your own sprouts, herbs 
• leave big roasts till end of journey as they take longer to defrost 
• overestimate how much water you need – do NOT rely on watermakers. These break down regularly.
• overestimate hot beverages needed
• plan for every eventuality – assume that you cannot rely on the fridge, the watermaker etc…

Good Things To Include In Your List

• lemons
• limes 
• dried fruit
• squashes – they keep forever
• beans, chick peas
• patés in tins
• freeze dried meals – found in moutaineering shops, can also be ordered online
• fish – do not rely on fish caught at sea. You may catch ’em, you may not… 
• cereal bars (better than chocolate for snacks which melts in the heat)
• fresh herbs growing 
• tinned olives, nuts
• fruit cake

 
Note: packaging

• flour and grains that are pre-packed (ie not loose in bins – more likely to have insect eggs in them that will later hatch…)
• soups in packets (take up less space)
• tomato sauce in tins (not in tubes as these are often badly crimped and leak) 
• choose packaging that squashes flat (eg UHT boxes) as you will be carrying all that garbage to the next port…
• no carboard!

Fishing 

• need a fish hook/gaff to bring the fish aboard
• make sure the fish is really dead before you bring it aboard – or there will be an awful mess in the cockpit
• PUT A SIGN next to the engine to remind yourself to bring in the fishing lines before you start the engines
• consider any fish you catch to be a bonus, an extra to provisions. Don’t rely on them!

How to Shop

• if in a rally eg ARC, where there are many other people provisioning at the same time – you need to buy earlier
• shop in the markets yourself – don’t arrange for delivery
• choose both ripe and under-ripe produce
• supermarkets near yachting centres will often vacuum pack your meat in portion/meal-sized eg Las Palmas, Canarias 
• be careful – some countries leave the ribs in meat which can puncture the vacuum packing
• look for Cruising Association members discounts at stores eg Jolly Harbour in St Lucia

Water Conservation 

use salt water for:

• washing hair with dishsoap and a freshwater rinse
• washing dishes
• washing vegetables with salt water in the middle of the ocean – water is clean

Food Care

• yoghurt – make your own
• eggs – turn them daily
• remove packaging 
• double wrap pasta and grains in your own plastic, seal and date
• wash all fruit and vegetables, and air dry in cockpit before storing
• store potatoes, onions, carrots in string bags in cupboards – for airflow and its easier to check them through a string bag
• use ‘stay-fresh’ bags
• inspect food every day – because it will suddenly go off in one day and must be used immediately
• store cheese in boxes in fridge, and/or wrap in a vinegar cloth

 
Managing Inventory

• date and label all tins and bags with permanent marker – contents and date
• name each of the lockers eg SFP, saloon forward port (to refer to in inventory lists)
• NOTE: if boat hull is dark then storage lockers will get very warm/hot
• inventory list: product, package type, number, location
• do weekly physical inventory check
• update provisions inventory list every time something is used

Cooking

• pressure cookers are:
• faster
• use less gas
• easier for washing up – only 1 pot
• good in rough weather as are sealed

The Cruising Kitty’s Favourite Books 
on Provisioning and Food Care 

1. Care and Feeding of the Sailing Crew, Lin Pardey
2. Sail Away!, by Paul and Sheryl Shard

 

 

Wow! A ton of good advice from Sandy. We’ve heard much of it before from others, but it’s always good to hear it again and to know that this stuff really works!

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

Communications At Sea

Not an option…

Last weekend at the Cruising Association, we also attended a lecture on ‘Staying in Touch on Boats’, by Ed Wildgoose of mailasail.com satellite communications. 

Safety and preparedness for the crisis (that we hope will never happen) is always our priority. 

And there’s always the chance that I’ll need to get in touch with Pussy Galore sometime late at night. Let her know I’m safe, not to worry, etc, etc. You know how she – (Err, Furrball? She has never shown even the tiniest sign she knows you’re alive… Yeah. But best be ready – it could happen, you never know. I’m jus’ saying…)

So. At the lecture. Ed outlined the options and the Can Opener wrote ’em down:

Options

• WIFI, broadband
• 3G, GPRS mobile and dongles
• Satellite phones
• custom radio solutions (eg PACTOR, SSB, sailmail…)

Reach

• WIFI: 20-100m (21-109yards) at a cost of about <0.1p/MB (<0.2¢/MB)
• 3G/GSM: 1-20 miles at a cost of about 4p-5£/MB (6¢-$7.90/MB)
• Satellite phones: global reach at a cost of about 50p-10£/MB (79¢-$15.87/MB)

WIFI

• use a ‘booster’ to extend range eg Wifi bat, WL500 or Alfa (Taiwanese brand)
• ensure the antenna is external (above deck) and can ‘see’ the shore
• join an aggregator eg FON (a Portuguese company, useful in/near EU)

Sat phones

• very useful in distress
• use optimisation software for core needs (eg teleport emails)
• avoid costly downloads
• it has low speeds and is not priced for bulk
• gets all its power from solar power
• updates models less often (for eg. compared with iphone models. The customer base is very limited so it takes more time to get their investment back, so they wait longer to bring out a new model.)
• some example models:
• IRIDIUM 9555, 9575, 9522P – <£1000/phone
• INMARSAT iphone Pro
• Iridium Pilot approx. £3000/phone
• INMARSAT Fleet Broadband FB150, 250, 500 for business uses

Safety

• With a sat phone you can call the manufacturer from the boat as the problem develops and
• send a photo of the problem and
• get advice early.
• With a sat phone problems tend to develop more slowly.
• Two way communication as a problem develops is better than just finally pushing the Mayday distress button when you have exhausted all your own ideas by yourself.
• Since you use (and therefore test) the sat phone from time to time, familiarity is good. You know it’s working (vs a distress signal button that is only tested when a crisis is in progress.)

What kind of communications systems do you have on your boat? Would you choose the same system(s) next time? 

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

Batteries on Boats

photo by: Joanna Poe

Last weekend, we attended a lecture at the Cruising Association on ‘Power Systems on Boats’, by Matt Boney. 

We’ve attended a lecture on electrics on boats there before, but it’s always good to hear more on this topic again. Confirms that this is definitely something we need to master. Loads of studying ahead for the Can Opener…

Here are the key highlights from the notes I required the Can Opener take down (Hey Furrball, I’m self-motivated! I do not need you camped on my shoulder, waggling my ears like horse reigns to make me write faster…):

Battery Capacity

• Most cruisers do not have enough
• 150amps/day is a small amount
• You probably need a minimum of 300amp hours at 50% of DoD (depth of discharge)
• and batteries only top up to 80% of their capacity
• so you need to actually have more like 420 amp hours to be able to use 300 amp hours/day… and still would have to charge every day
• AND you don’t want to run your battery to 0… only want to run it down to about 25% of battery capacity
• therefore you need even more capacity!

Which battery to use?

• You can mix battery sizes to increase capacity (lifeline tested this) as long as batteries are
• the same age and
• the same make

• With batteries you ‘get what you pay for’… quality costs..

 Types of batteries

• Sealed leisure or marine batteries 
• are ‘maintenance-free’, 
• but can’t be topped up so they won’t last long. 
• They are also affected by temperature.
• Gels 
• are useful, 
• slow discharge
• old technology
• expensive
• hard to find

• AGMs
• are the best (?)
• becoming more popular
• make sure you get the right AGM for the right purpose! (There are many potential uses for these…)

Monitoring your batteries
You should 

• charge your batteries to 100% every month to anti-sulfate them – otherwise they will become permanently sulfated
• should estimate when you hit 50% DoD by measuring battery voltage
• must have a panel mounted digital volt meter
• must have a small digital multi-meter
• all batteries must have multi-stage regulators
• test your batteries 2x/year
• use your alarms!
• monitor regularly!

Ways to generate electricity?

• shore power charger
• solar – recommended 600Watts+ or you won’t be able to replace daily usage
• wind or towing generators – expensive, but easy and convenient
• AC or DC diesel generator – DC is the quieter of the two
• Honda petrol generator – don’t get this one. There are no petrol stations at sea. And you are not really saving a lot on size.

What type of batteries are you using? What kind of generator(s) are you using? Are you getting the voltage you need out of them?

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

Corrosion & Metal Fatigue On Boats

Hold the oysters! 

We’ve just been to a blue water seminar this past weekend at the Cruising Association – and it was awesome. 7 lectures on how to cruise that were of riveting and relevant interest. Couldn’t get more near and dear to our heart than that.

Vyv Cox, a mechanical engineer who has written quite a few articles for Yachting World, etc*, led off with a talk on ‘mid-ocean things that could spoil your day’. 

Well, yes. And most of them involved metal fatigue and corrosion. The kind of thing that causes masts to come down and boats to sink. Sure made for some edge of the seat listening. 

But good news – although you cannot eliminate all risk and there are no guarantees, you can take steps to minimise the chances of quite a few scary situations. 

Most of them involve sealants, choosing the right materials and check, check, checking your equipment. Good stuff.

Here’s what we learned…

Corrosion

Galvanic corrosion

• 2 metals in salt water generate electricity… and causes one of the metals to corrode preferentially
• common example: stainless steel and aluminum
• antidote: 
• isolate different metals
• avoid using different metals close together if possible
• exclude water – use sealants to protect eg. Duralac paste, tefgel
  

Crevice corrosion

• if water covers the top of a crevice – then air is excluded and corrosion can occur
• thread roots are crevices – eg lower swaged ends of shrouds are suspectible
• so keep water out – fill it with sealant, lanolin, Waxoyl
• Waxoyl is available in an aerosol – warm up the shrouds with a hot air gun, then spray the Waxoyl on
  

General corrosion

• is materials related
• is unlikely with 300 series stainless steels
• carbon steel is suspectible but generally not used except in engines, engine components, mountings, chain etc
• NOTE: Jeanneau only uses 400 series which is not very anti-corrosive
  

Seacocks & Fittings

How to avoid corrosion… choose your materials well

• EU regulations only require fittings to be good for 5 years (Huh? Yep, the wrong seacocks can sink your boat…)
• brass suffers from dezincification – the loss of zinc from brass
• the fitting will show the pinkish colour of copper on it
• it may only affect the surface but severly reduces strength
• thread roots are particularly susceptible
• if the fittings are chrome-plated – then they are brass

Where to find these short-life brass skin fittings?

• Tonval, Guidi products – all brass
• Manganese bronze… is brass (and some other metals mixed in) – often found in propellers
• Naval brass = brass

Who uses brass skin fittings?

• Beneteau
• Dufour
• Hallberg-Rassy
• Malo
• Maxi
• Najad
• X Yachts
• …

Yeah. Surprised us too.

So what materials should your seacocks and skin fittings be made of?

If you discover you do have brass fittings, then it’s time to replace them with the good stuff… And yes, it costs a lot.

• DZR is the good stuff – it includes arsenic which slows corrosion (cZ132Cu62Zn35.2Sn0.7Pb2As0.1)
• NOTE: no DZR is chrome-plated 
• The symbol ‘CR’ (corrosion resistant) means it is DZR – but only if you see this symbol on valves!!
• Mysteriously Guidi’s brand symbol on skin fittings looks a lot like ‘CR’… but Guidi = brass. Be careful!
• ASAP brand made with DZR
• Blakes seacocks also made with DZR (at least for the last 25 years)
• Bronze – very good… and expensive

What else should you do to protect your boat from corrosion?

For mountings on hull use:

• Sikaflex 291
• 3M 5400
• Pu40
• Boatlife Lifecaulk

For threads use:

• Liquid PTFE
• Sikaflex 291
• PTFE tape

re: Bonding

• If you have bronze or DZR you don’t need to seal because your fittings will not corrode.
• (If you do bond, then you will create a galvanic situation.)
• Bonding is done in North America, not in the EU/UK.

re: Anodes

• Be careful where you place your anodes – they work only on ‘line of sight’. If you place them on the other side of an obstacle (say, a hull…) then they won’t work and can even make matters worse.

Fatigue

• Fractures occur due to cyclic stress.
• eg shrouds and stays, fittings, masts, shafts
• eg if you let off the back stay every time you are at the dock, then you incresae fatigue in mast which could lead to failure (hmmm, the boat we train on does this…)
• Therefore eliminate stress raisers and allow freedom of movement. 
• (So, does this mean never put the backstay on? Or leave it on all the time?…)
• Failure of bolts are always due to not being tightened enough, which allows play, leading to fatigue and failure.
• Make sure that swaged fittings are in line (no ‘banana’ swags or cracks) and that toggles are on all ends.
• Inspect all of the mast and mast fittings for cracks
• Low profile T-ball fittings are best.

Have you ever been caught on the wrong side of corrosion? What did you find the last time you inspected your mast?

We will certainly be going over Un Tigre Beau‘s mast with a giant magnifying glass this winter I can tell you…

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

* coxengineering.sharepoint.com

Cowes Week – More Views Of

J122 heading to the start

View from the stern

Festival!

The Royal Auxillary’s Black Knight precision parachuters arrive

Cowes at night…

–Captain Cat 

 (transcribed by the Can Opener)

Cowes Week – Mid-week Report

It sure is the biggest sailing summer ever round here. The Olympics just finished – and now Cowes Week has started up.

For those who don’t know, Cowes Week is the UK’s biggest annual regatta (save the Olympics of course) and one of the country’s yearly social highlights. 

It ‘is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily races, up to 1,000 boats, and 8,500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world. Having started in 1826, the event is held on the Solent…made tricky by strong double tides’ *.

It’s not just a rocking’ regatta – it’s also a great festival, complete with endless parties, street concerts, vendors, prizes and stalls. 

Fun if you are watching the action from land or from the deck of a high performance racing machine.

  

The Can Opener and I were lucky enough to be invited to race on a J122. And lucky enough to be on a great team that’s on a winning streak. Nothing like crossing the line first and getting the gun! 

All credit to the J122’s great skipper – the same nice guy from the Red Tabby Yacht Club who invited us to join him.

View from the J122’s bow

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

* wikipedia

 

Olympic Site

Weymouth

We arrived at the Games site early on Monday and so had a little time to walk through the charming town of Weymouth before we staked our spot on the hillside to watch some amazing sailing. It was all dressed up in flags and finery for its Olympic visitors.

So, what’s the magical town of Weymouth like?

‘Weymouth is a seaside town in Dorset, England, situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey on the English Channel coast…  Fishing and trading employ fewer people in the area since their peak in earlier centuries, but tourism has continuously increased its presence in the town since the 18th century and is now the primary industry.

‘…nearby Portland Harbour is home to the Weymouth and Portland National Sailing Academy, where the sailing events of the 2012 Olympic Games‘ are being held ‘and is ideal for sailing as it is exposed to reliable winds from most directions, but is sheltered from large waves and currents by Chesil Beach and the breakwaters.‘*

They couldn’t have picked a better spot for the racing. We loved it!

Cute town too.

–Captain Cat 

(transcribed by the Can Opener)

* Wikipedia