We have enjoyed the benefits of big roach mainsails for a long time (beginning 50 years ago in cats). In the late 1980s we started putting roach past the backstay on our monohulls. With the Sundeer Series a combination of swept spreaders and rig geometry allowed really aggressive roaches. When Dan Neri moved to North Sails  and made sails for Beowulf in the photo above they were the biggest roached sails – mono or multihull – North had made. The advantages are many:

Just when we thought it could not get any better at Playa Francesa, a deck of clouds moves in promising a spectacular sunset. With friends aboard to help conclude a lovely day at anchor we settle down to enjoy the moment. As you will see in the photos which follow, Mother Nature outdoes herself yet again.

Official Notice received via e-mail Wednesday:

BEACH PARTY - Thursday October 21, 2010 –  Celebrating Birthdays & Anniversaries Aboard: CRISTATA, BARE FEET, INTERLUDE, etc.
Playa Francesca West - Petonque Tournament begins at 1500 hrs

Bring: Your Own Beverages, Plates, Cups & Utensils, Dish to Share,

Supplied: Cake, Music, Games

ALL CRUISERS WELCOME

A happy Sunday morning to you.

Lanzarote is an island of amazing visual contrasts, made all the more powerful when there is good light and a few clouds. Yesterday we did a bit of touring, pulling off the road periodically to sample the aesthetic delights, of which there are many, with perfect conditions for taking the odd snapshot.

Puerto Calero marina is throbbing with music, lights, and serious partygoers. Although it is midnight there is no sense in trying to sleep, so we dressed,  put on our ID bracelets, and determined to test the low light capability of the Canon 7D camera. The photos which follow were shot at an ISO of 3200 and have been run through NIK Define anti-noise software.

If nothing else, the Puerto Calero special events staff know how to  put on a regatta soiree. Party planners take note.

Puerto Calera and Lanzarote are looking better all the time. I turns out one can rent a car for a weekly rate of about 120 euros, insurance included, which makes it convenient to explore as time permits (they even bring the car to you). Yesterday we did a bit of reconnoitering for photo opportunities. The light was not conducive to anything wonderful, but we now have a  handle on some local options for late in the day, once the clouds disperse. A few samples follow.

We could enjoy an anchorage like Playa Francesa for a long time. But having convinced ourselves we didn’t care for the odds of the anchorage with six meter/20 foot swell wrapping in, we said our goodbyes and set out to see some new territory. The coastline of Lanzarote is starkly beautiful. It reminds us of parts of Nevada and New Mexico in the US Southwest.

There’s a large fall storm brewing in the North Atlantic that is going to generate some sizable swells. Will they or the southwest wind shift have a major impact here and if so what do we do? The image above is of Playa Francesa on Graciosa Island. Waves generated by northeast winds have no trouble finding their way around the island, albeit in attenuated form. But what about northwest swells?

Playa Francesca is a bouncy anchorage and when we found out Interlude has a pair  of Magma Flopper Stoppers we decided to test one. You can see it and our well worn unit on the aft deck. Their’s is nine years old, ours five. Surprisingly they both weigh the same, so are both easy to handle. Note the anti-twist/retrieval line added by Interlude’s owners.

Our approach to Isla Graciosa and Playa Francesa, at day break, is a good example of how we use the various electronic nav aids closing with land. Our preference is always going to be eyeball navigation, but when conditions do not permit this, we put these tools to work.

We’ve been hove to – which in FPB terms means running slowly on one engine – waiting for the sun to illuminate Playa Francesca. Our Maptech electronic charts of this area are essentially worthless (more about this another day) so we are using radar and sonar to work our way in.

“That day, in those conditions, it was the only boat I would have wanted to climb aboard to face the English Channel.”
–Motor Boat & Yachting Magazine

Given the wonderful sea and wind conditions we’ve had on the passage between Gibraltar and the Canary Islands you may find our fixation on having interior spaces and handrails optimized for rare negative events puzzling. We’ll let the photos in this blog, all taken within a 12 hour span, speak to the subject. After reading this blog if you would like to see high res full screen photos of the waves there is a link at the end. Read the rest »

It was 62F/16C inside Wind Horse this morning, our fenders are soft in the cool air, there are three mega yachts fueling next to us in Gibraltar, and the Azores high is pumping. This means an easy exit from Gibraltar and 20 to 30 knots on the stern all the way to the Canary Islands. We have the deck rigged for passaging, emergency gear is about to be deployed, a last trip to the market is in the offing, and the engine room check will proceed shortly. And then we are off into the Atlantic heading southwest.

With a short hop like that between Gatos and Gibraltar – 165 nautical miles – there is always discussion about how best to deal with timing. It can be done in two day hops, or a single leg which requires an 0200 departure so that we arrive in time to check in. Getting up in the middle of the night could be considered painful but working out of an anchorage in the dark is one of the pleasures of cruising and compensates for the requirement to leave a warm bunk.

There are a few roadsteads along Spain’s Costa del Sol where it is possible to tuck in and gain protection from westerly winds. When we saw the shape of Gatos anchorage, and the lovely desert colors, it was obvious we needed to stop.

The last three days moored in Barcelona a surge began to wave us back and forth along the sea wall to which we were tied. This caused an uncomfortable jerk at the end of each cycle, so we modified the aftermost dock lines as shown above.

We were walking back to Wind Horse a few days ago and stopped to chat with the owner of this very cool looking A-class cat. 85kg all up, simple rigging, major buzz for the buck. Given the recent noise in the yachting press about the new axe bows and wave piercing designs, this got us to thinking.

We’ve now been in and out of half a dozen Med. mooring situations and have a handle on the technique required to keep the blood pressure normal and avoid giving pleasure to bystanders waiting for “fun”. As we are about to head back to the Atlantic we thought we’d pass on what has been learned.

We have been hearing for years from our friends in the ranks of the pros what a great spot Palma was to spend the winter. Having now been in and out of the harbor for the past three weeks we understand the allure. Out of season – it is quieting down now – Palma has a desirable mix of marine infrastructure second to none, a lovely town, and interesting countryside to explore.

After a week of meeting with clients, chores, a bit of design work, some writing and socializing, we have escaped from Palma. Heading east around the island we are hailed on VHF by old friends on the yacht to the right above. Conference, check the chart, reverse course, and here we are. This 27-year-old design has been afloat for 24 years, is on her fifth set of custodians, and about to complete a third circuit of the globe. Any idea of her provenance? We’ll have more in a few days.

We have used Furuno radars for 30 years without a single problem until last week. The image went blank on the monitor, and after replacing a blown fuse was still blank, and red as shown here on the secondary output. The word from our friends at Furuno USA was a bad processor board and to get t he local rep aboard.

Here is the latest thing in booms – the carbon equivalent of the “Park Avenue” boom pioneered by the J Class mega-cutters in the 1930s. This is a healthy, performance oriented trend, something we like a lot better than in the mast and in boom furlers. They are simple, reliable, and making a neat, svelte package with the sail furled and cover in place. You can even make a case for a slight end plate effect from the platform, increasing effective aspect ration and reducing induced drag.

The last two mornings clouds to the east have made for wonderful sunrises. The marina is quiet, the water is glass smooth, and it is refreshingly cool. What more could you ask for? A cup of coffee and pastry? Coming right up at the coffee shop on the pierhead.

We have been pleasantly surprised by the water clarity in some of the Mallorcan anchorages we have visited. So we charged the battery on our three year old Olympus submersible camera and decided to see if the seals were still watertight.

Every now and then we look at Google Analytics to check traffic on the SetSail and DashewOffshore websites. In the past we have done this on a monthly basis. This morning we decided to look at the previous four months in total, and were amazed to find 333,463 pages had been downloaded – over a million pages a year on an annualized basis.

To the 12,000+ unique monthly visitors who spent time with us we say thanks for coming.

Sunday morning, its quiet aboard Wind Horse, and there is time to partially catch up on photos. A few items which have caught our eye follow starting with this brand new 105 footer, just in from her Capetown builders.

Our wifi amp/preamp booster recently died and at the suggestion of Troy Bethel of Yacht Dynamics we picked up an Alfa Networks AWUSO36NH two watt booster. This is connected with a USB cable (our previous unit was ethernet based).

Knowing we were headed into the world of mooring stern to we debated about adding a purpose built “passeral” to Wind Horse. It seemed like a waste to spend several thousand dollars and have to store the resulting purchase for a few marina visits. At Sue Grant’s suggestion we decided to wait and see what was really necessary. What follows is a selection of high end fashion statements, and more down to earth solutions. At the end we will show you our solution.

We’ve been hearing for years that Palma was a special place, and frankly, with our experience to date in the Balaerics we had our doubts. But one look at the amazing collection of moored yachts as we entered the harbor and we knew it was true.

We’ve fouled the anchor on everything from lost hurricane chains, to engine blocks, to coral heads. But this is the first time we’ve hooked a sewer line (unmarked). Since the camera was hand we thought a few shots of the clearing process might be of interest.

We are starting to understand the appeal of zero speed stabilizers and gyro stabilization systems for yachts which are boomless. The anchorages which we have visited so far are not what you would characterize as calm. Of course if you have booms and flopper stoppers they are fine.

It is the real world mistakes we have made which form much of the basis for how we do things. For example, the constant worry about 22 hull penetrations in our uninsured fiberglass 50 footer 32 years ago led to a compulsive drive to eliminate these in our own designs. It has been a dozen years since we have kissed anything hard below surface. No more. Today we did a really good job of it.

The photo above and below are the PR versions of where we are at present.

And they are accurate before 1200 and after 2000 hours. The rest of the time, the people and boat watching, not t o mention lessons in naval architecture are wonderful.

We’ve been reading the Paul Theroux’s book on his travels in the Med. “The Pillars of Hercules”. At one point he rails against travel writers who sugar coat reality. Not wanting to fall into that camp we herewith rededicate ourselves to calling it as we see it. Let’s start with exotic Formentara where we have just dropped the anchor.

As we are planning a fall crossing of the Atlantic we’ve been watching the hurricane season develop with interest. According to the long range weather gurus at Colorado State University, the conditions for a very active season are strengthening. These include:

• Warmer than normal sea surface temperature.
• Weaker Atlantic trade winds reducing wind shear.
• Strengthening La Nina in the Pacific

There are all sorts of hints that it is time to leave. The fridge is so full it will hold nothing more, the immediate neighbor is playing with his tiller sans pantalones, and there is a west wind blowing when we are headed east.

Gibraltar is one of those names which rings bells for the cruiser. It is a destination that everyone, sooner or later, would like to visit. So it was with us, and we left the charms of Rota allowing plenty of time to sample this fabled destination. There have been a series of surprises, starting with the traffic in the Straights of Gibraltar.

Rota is the type of cruising locale about which you have to be wary. The town is charming, the marina conveniently located, and the inhabitants friendly. You could easily become trapped by the ambiance and stick around for way too long.

Most photographers who are hardware junkies eventually acquire a small “walk around” camera, something compact to carry when you don’t want the bulk or  obtrusiveness of the “real” camera. The problem is that when the big opportunities present themselves the compacts are too slow, don’t have the lower light ability, or other deficits and you miss the shot and vow to always carry the good stuff.

This past week we have been asked three times (by e-mail and in the marina) about the switch from sail to power, and what we thought about it now. Before answering the question some context is in order.

Prior to Wind Horse we had only twice set foot on a stinkpot, both experiences being very short. We loathed power boats, a feeling built up from years of negative interaction. Our sailing yachts, both racing cats in the olden days, and cruising designs more recently, were fast, nimble, and a joy to sail. Beowulf, the 78 foot ketch above and in subsequent photos, was the ultimate high performance cruiser, and crossing oceans aboard her was mostly a pleasure. We enjoyed sailing her agressively as a couple and the challenge of making quick, seamanlike passages, without undo risk, with just two of us aboard, was a big attraction.

Read the rest »

The beaches in Spain and Portugal are very accessible to the general public and get a good workout. We try to get in a walk first thing, before it gets too warm, and this morning after lengthy negotiations it was decided to walk along the beach.

In the photo above we are looking over the life raft. If we needed to launch it in a hurry it would take the two of us lifting it over the lifelines (it weights 125 pounds/60 kg). Which is why the middle and bottom life line are lashed in place.

What do you do all day when you are cruising? It is a question we hear a lot. As we are in Rota, Spain, and have temporarily reached a point of full on “relaxation” mode, we thought some insight into what this entails might be of interest.

To begin with Rota is new to us. So we need to get our bearings.

Our recent foray up the Guadiana River was done without benefit of charts. Depths varied from ten to fifty feet (three to fifteen meters) and there was substantial current during parts of the tidal cycle. The current and depth present both navigation and anchoring challenges.

Lets take the nav issues first.

Our basic rule is to avoid tight harbors and marinas if the breeze is up, unless we know the layout from previous experience. However, our first entry into the marina in Rota, Spain, broke this rule.

As you can see from the image above, this is a very tight harbor (the yellow line with red dots on the ends is 100 feet/30m long). If it is calm, there is plenty of room to rotate Wind Horse’s 83 feet/25m. But not in a gale.

Cruising rule number one: it is often the unheralded destinations that are special. Corollary to cruising rule number one: if you don’t try you will never know.

The Guadiana River, which separates Portugal from Spain, wasn’t even on our radar. Nobody with whom we spoke had visited, and other destinations in the area were more highly touted by the cruising guides. But as our Portuguese Vodaphone Internet system was working, and we needed to stay in touch with New Zealand, it seemed a good bet until we had the Spanish system up and running.

It only took a few hours at anchor, looking at the scenery and wildlife, to know the Guadiana was going to be one of our favorite places.

It  is a relatively quiet Sunday here in Culatra. The locals and cruisers are mainly at the beach, and we are catching up, trying to forget the pain associated when family leaves after a visit. We’re baking, polishing stainless, doing a little design work, and finally putting together a high res slide show of the area.

Cape Saint Vincent marks the eastward turn in the coast  of Portugal. It also signifies warmer weather, long white beaches, and tourism (just check the advertisements in the travel section of your Sunday newspaper). Given our predilection for cool and quiet we were not sure if this left turn was right for us.

It is getting warmer and our awnings are becoming more important. With the boat head to wind at anchor, and five knots or more of wind, inside temperature during the day is around 82F/28C. Without the awnings things are significantly warmer! Ideally you detail the deck with awnings in mind during the design phase. Our goals are as follows:

Here is an unusual but significant reason to use an oversized anchor. We’ve been anchoring in tidal estuaries with lots of reversing current. When we picked up the hook to move yesterday it came up with the chain wrapped three times around the stock. That means under load the pull on the anchor was not as designed, reducing the holding power. But this anchor is so much larger than suggested that it still has plenty of muscle.

Clearing a foul like this is not difficult. Here are the steps we used:

Yesterday we realized by this time last year we’d been to Svalbard, touched 80 degrees north, and were on our way back to Tromso, Norway. So we determined to set out on an adventure to see if our anchor still worked after a week of marina living, while checking out a quaint Portuguese fishing village we’d heard about at the same time.

A few odds and ends to share. We call this the Raven seat. During sea trials  on the FPB 64, Avatar, a legacy from the Owner’s previous yacht was put to good use. When we found something similar in the local Jumbo supermarket we determined to test it on Wind Horse. It worked so well we now have two, and at ten Euros each we can dispose of these when they get nasty looking.

We have had zero problems with our Frigoboat sealed compressors, three of which are in use with our two freezers and one fridge. But after five years the fridge had lost a touch of refrigerant and was running more than normal. We carry 134A and a charging system for this eventuality, but in the process of adding refrigerant we allowed air into the system. The result was a frozen evaporator system requiring a vacuum pump. This was at 1400 on a Friday afternoon in Spain. What do you think of the odds?

We had  heard all sorts of comments about  Portugal and its inhabitants. They were said to be morose, unapproachable, difficult with which to interact. This is definitely not the situation. From the moment you first meet the Marina Cascais crew, and are given a welcome bottle of Portuguese wine, to the last cab driver, we have found the locals to be friendly, eager to help and after a period of introduction, as interested in us as we are in them.

We were walking back from the train station to the marina (this area has wonderful public transport) and noticed MoonBeam lV off in the distance leaving the harbor. By the time we were back aboard she was well offshore, but a 400mm lens and a shooting position on the radar platform brought her into detail.

Now here is a treat for you. You are looking at the beautifully restored 1915 gaff cutter MoonBeam lV. She is a Wliiam Fife design of roughly 100 feet (30m). In this photo she is heading to the fuel dock. Last night,when she came in,  it was blowing 30 knots down the very narrow marina channel and the crew had to make a right angle turn to get into the slip nearby. You have to be both good and oblivious to the results of mistakes when handling such a lovely large old timer in windy and crowded conditions.