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Cat TalesApril 1995 |
Joan Savage, SECOND WIND
It's hard to
believe the cruising season is upon us! My year as Commodore is speeding by,
and I am sure, will accelerate as the too few days spent on the boat pass by. I
hope everyone has enjoyed this past winter's "on shore" events as much as I
have. Many thanks to Paul Payne for arranging interesting and informative
meetings. And he has more good ideas for the fall!
Dale Boyer did a
great job "volunteering" the experts for our Boat Maintenance Clinic. The
speakers were extremely knowledgeable and generous of their time to spend it
with us on a Saturday morning. It was rewarding to me to see so many in
attendance, both "old salts" (at least from my perspective) and a number of new
members. And Yes! I was the only female at the Clinic. (Maybe we can remedy
that at future events.)
I would also like to thank Rick Quigley for
doing such a great job arranging our Flag Raising Brunch. We were honored to
have Joan Shaver, Catalina 30 Vice Commodore and her husband attend the Brunch
with Max and Sherma Munger. Joan is organizing the all Catalina 30 Championship
Regatta to be held in Long Island Sound, hosted by Fleet 18 at the Milford
Yacht Club (CT). The Regatta will be held the weekend of July 7/8/9, and all
Catalina 30's and/or their owners are invited.
This year's cruising
schedule should prove to be varied and challenging. All the participants at the
January planning meeting felt that the cruises would take place, no matter the
weather forecast (except small craft warnings). We committed on 3 day weekends
to specific locations for each night, so that if you cannot join us the first
night, you know where we are and can join us for the second.
We've all
enjoyed living vicariously through letters from The Islands from our Whitehall
friends. We understand they are now on their way home, and we wish them a safe
and pleasant journey. We are especially looking forward to seeing them again
and hearing all those stories that will make us start planning our own
"adventure."
I have really enjoyed seeing "new" members join some of our
functions. I would like to extend a personal invitation to every member to join
in the cruising fun for 1995. As a relatively new member (4 years, and the only
single female when I joined), I can attest to the good fellows and friendships
to be found at all Fleet 11 events. Please call me, or any of your officers, if
you have questions, concerns, comments or suggestions.
WE WANT TO SEE
YOU ON THE WATER IN 1995.
Sue and Walt Dennison have volunteered to serve as Raft Captains for our
first "on the water" (at least partially) raft of 1995. We will meet at Cindy's
Marina (Sailor's Wharf Marina) beginning at 4:00 pm. The club will provide wine
and sodas for the cocktail hour, with each boat contributing a covered dish and
serving utensils to the potluck. Please contact Sue (301-262-4985) about the
dish you plan to bring to assure that we do not all bring the same
one!
This annual, first raft-up can be reached both by sea and by land.
Several CCYC boats are berthed at Cindy's, assuring that several party boats
will be open! Cindy's is reached BY SEA about a mile above Cantler's Riverside
Inn on Mill Creek, off Whitehall Bay. For those of you new to the area, or who
have forgotten everything you knew, Whitehall Bay is located just above the
Severn River. The prominent radio towers will be the south of the entrance to
Whitehall Bay. The entrance is 300 yards wide, but stay clear of Hackett Point
which has a wide shoal that reaches out to the red #2 buoy. Past the red #2, a
red day marker will be about 200 yards. Proceed to that marker, giving it a
wide berth to your starboard. The entrance to Mill Creek is clearly marked, but
pay attention to which marker is next. You don't want to cut across the shoal!
Past the entrance, proceed up the Creek past several other creeks and Cantler's
on your port. As you pass Cantler's stay to the right side (about 75 feet from
the shore) and make a wide sweep to the left. Once around the bend move back to
the center and continue up the creek until you see the Catalina raft
up.
BY LAND, it is at the end of Orchard Drive. Turn off Route 50 at Old
Mill Bottom Road and Bay Dale Drive, which is where the Red Hot and Blue
Restaurant is located. Follow the signs for Old Mill Bottom Road south and then
Route 648 to St. Margarets Road. Take a right and proceed until you see an old
grocery store located at a "Y" intersection, where Browns Wood Road joins St.
Margarets. Make a sharp left turn onto Brown Wood Rd. At the end of Browns Wood
turn right onto Orchard Beach Road and take it to the end. There you will see a
sign "Sailors Wharf." Continue past the sign to a steep driveway for
parking.
Let's all kick this season off right! Be there to celebrate the
start of a great new season!
On March 18th CCYC held a Boat Maintenance Clinic at the Fleet Reserve Club in Annapolis. The 3 " hour seminar consisted of three presentations focusing on:
Matt Jabin of Jabin's Marine Services (410-267-6897) made a presentation
dealing with issues such as paint, fiberglass repair, and routine maintenance.
Matt discussed the 3 types of fiberglass used for repair and the most effective
resins, and why. He discussed techniques for painting of gelcoats, including
matching colors and use of 400-800 sandpaper for wet and dry sanding to feather
edges. He recommended compounding with a product such as 3M Super Duty Compound
using a buffing wheel and teflon waxing of the entire gelcoat every spring to
maintain a high gloss, water resistant finish. He had a special caution that
all broken fiberglass be covered to prevent water absorption.
For bottom
coating, Matt highly recommended that everyone stay with the same paint for
every coat of bottom paint. Matt noted that individual paints are more or less
effective when used in various salinity levels. He recommended Woolsey Neptune
for the Chesapeake as being effective in the Bay and easy to work with. He
suggested 80-100 grade sandpaper for preparing the bottom for
painting.
Matt also discussed barrier coatings, recommending Interlux
2001, 3001, and 4001 systems. He told us that his experience suggested that any
of these barrier coating systems would provide excellent protection from water
infiltration. Matt recommended that every 4-5 years that bottoms be stripped,
barrier coating applied and new bottom paint applied.
Other key
maintenance suggestions were:
Jay Herman of Annapolis Rigging (410-269-8035) made the next
presentation, talking about general rigging maintenance and tunning. Jay
recommended that masts be stepped every 4-5 years, and that masts be grounded.
Grounding should be assured! He also recommended that halyards be removed every
winter and washed in Woolite for preservation.
Jay then described the
process used to accomplish rig tunning: loosening and tightening side to side
and back to front. He recommended a 6" headstay sag as being "about
right."
Jeff Leach of Bayshore Marine (410-263-8370) then discussed
engine maintenance. To demonstrate several topics, he brought an Atomic diesel!
Jeff recommended that electrical components and fuel filters be changed every
year, and that additives such as Drydene, be used to reduce water problems. A
key on-going maintenance item is the O ring of the fuel filter.
Another
important tip was to recommend use of copper fuel lines, rather than plastic
ones that have a tendency to deteriorate over time.. He recommended that
transmission oil be changed every 1-2 years and that spare belts, impellers,
fuel filters, oil, and transmission fluid always be aboard.
Everyone
present agreed that the session was informative, and fun. Thanks to Matt, Jay
and Jeff!.
The 1995 CCYC cruising season began on April 1st at BOBBY D'S in Deale.
After spirited discussions among the cruisers while sipping coffee and Bloody
Mary's, a complete buffet of eggs, meats, French toast, potatoes and specialty
items was served. By all returns, the event was a great success.
In
attendance at the Brunch were two Catalina 30 National Officers, our own Max
Munger (Commodore) and Joan Shaver (Vice Commodore) and her husband, Jim. They
talked to us about the C30 Championship Regatta to be hosted by Fleet 18 on the
weekend of July 7-9. This will be the first ever Championship Regatta to be
held on the East Coast, so they are working hard to assure that it is a
success! Joan invited all members, with or without your boat, to come to the
Regatta, to be based at the Milford Yacht Club, in Milford CT. Please call Joan
Shaver (203-838-1971) or Max Munger (410-326-9024) if you are interested in
participating.
Following the delicious meal the remainder of the 1995
Cruising Schedule was presented and discussed to assure that the proposed event
and plans met with member approval. The final schedule is enclosed in this
newsletter - on its own page - so that you can keep copies at home and on the
boat.
After discussion of the cruising schedule, members traded
technical boating information. Several issues were discussed. One was anchoring
systems. All Captains described the system they used, and why. There seemed to
be a majority who use chain/rode combinations to keep lines on the bottom and
improve anchor setting. Combinations ranged from an 18# Danforth anchor with 6'
of chain, followed by 12' of rode, and another 6' of chain attached to 150-200'
of rhode; to a 12 # Danforth with 6' of chain attached to a 200' rode. Lively
discussions about the range of alternatives continued as the brunch ended and
people headed home.
Speaking for everyone present: Thanks Rick! The food
and the service were just great, and Deale is not too far away!
I would
also like to thank those expressing condolences about the virus my computer
caught at the end of March. As you can tell, the computer has recovered fully,
and we exercise preventative medicine with new virus checkers and backup
procedures.
Freda and Charles, LUV IT
15 March
1995
Dear Friends and family,
The apogee of our trip was realized
February 6th. We have traveled about 2000 miles since leaving Annapolis in
October. George Town, Bahamas, with about 600 residents, is a destination for
many, and an important stop for yachts traveling to the Turks and Caicos,
Venezuela, and other points south because of its sheltered location and because
it is the last major supplier of goods and services for hundreds of miles.
Stocking island, about a mile east and running generally parallel to Great
Exuma, is about three miles long, providing protection from the ocean for the
George Town area. The space between has good holding, some protection from all
directions, and good protection from some. There is so much water here that the
boat count is 430 a couple of weeks ago at the peak of the season didn't feel
crowded. Water depth in the entire area is about 7 feet, so waves can't build
to any great degree.
Boats move among anchorages to meet their
particular needs. Families with children like to anchor near volleyball beach,
where activities bustle each day. Sand Dollar Beach is the favorite for shell
collectors. Kidd Cove and Peace and Plenty are close in to George Town, so the
dinghy ride to town is short. Hamburger beach is best for those who want to go
ashore for lunch, or rent wind surfers. Should you need to leave your boat for
an extended time, you arrange to get into one of the hurricane holes called,
appropriately, Hole #1, #2, or #3. For those who have a short keel (less than
6'), are willing to travel in and out only at mean to high tide, want really
good protection as well as pretty scenery, and are willing to dodge coral reefs
to get there, there is Red Shanks. This is an area among several cays in a
curvilinear pattern that provide a wonderful, beautiful space in between, but
water more tricky than usual. This is the home of the locally popular Red
Shanks Yacht and Tennis Club. We attended a recent meeting because we heard
that there would be a vote to determine last year's officers. Upon arriving,
however, we found the vote postponed until June. A committee appointed to
discuss dues reports that the fee has not been decided, but that it will begin
in the year 2020. Members must come barefoot if the meeting coincides with high
tide, and meetings are canceled if the tide is over one foot above datum. If
you are curious, we will give details after our return home.
Since
arriving in George Town, we have rested and enjoyed these beautiful isles, and
also some visitors. We loved having Beth and Kent spend a week with us, then
Wayne and Wanda Tomlinson, long-time friends, then Sterling Lacy, Charles'
cousin. We've walked the beaches, snorkeled, seen the village, eaten conch
burgers, conch fritters, cracked conch, fresh grouper and yellowfin tuna.
Usually with peas and rice. We've caught up on some much-needed visiting, some
in person and some by phones that acutally work, though expensive. We also have
found a little time to read. Charles' specialty is still tech manuals, but I
discovered Herman Wouk's "Don't Stop the Carnival" and "Wind from the
Carolinas" by Robert Wilder, both novels about life in the islands. Both
captured the heartbeat of island life, and I learned much about the history of
the islands.
Sensual treats abound in the Bahamas. Extremely clear water
causes it to be seen as shades of azure and aquamarine blues, and ther are
white sandy beaches in every direction. The Tropic of Cancer passes through
Great Exuma near George Town, so the terrain is filled with tropical
vegetation. There are flocks of wild peacocks and parrots here, though we
haven't seen them. We did, however, add five new birds to our life lists. They
are the Bahamian mocking bird, banaquit, grassquit, ground dove, and
white-tufted pigeon. The water temperature is about 745, and air temperature
usually in the 70's daytimes and in the 60's at night. There is good fishing,
snorkeling and swimming.
A week-long cruising regatta has provided many
activities and great fun for both cruisers and locals. Actual races took place,
as well as an anchor-class category I which one could pay his entrance fee then
not raise his anchor. The winner's name was drawn from a hat. A dinghy chain
was formed to spread from Stocking Island to Great Exuma, which turned out to
be a real hoot. A coconut collection contest was staged in dinghies powered by
swimmers with a single flipper on their hand. A variety (it was pointed out
that it was not a talent show) was enjoyed by all.
Each morning at 8:15,
FISH HOUND comes on VHF Channel 68 to give weather,
international news, and a short reading from Dave Barry. (Just important
stuff.) At 8:30, a boat that has volunteered to be net control for the week
begins morning announcements from local businesses and individuals. Restaurants
announce their specials for the day, and then the boaters begin. Typical are
requests for spare parts or help for malfunctioning equipment, items for trade
(anchors, video tapes, and such), lost and found, requests for marine catalogs
and such. Often at 7:30 in the evening, someone will give a reading on 68.
Three has been a bedtime story definitely not designed for children, a
wonderful poem "Albert and the Lion" read by a child with a most intriguing
British accent, and a tape of "The Shadow" from the old-time radio show. One
yachtie wrote an intriguing story about a castle and various fantasy characters
that had the names of 247 of the boats in harbor cleverly woven into
it!
Spirit of community among the boaters is strong. Cruisers are
enormously helpful to each other. Where there is a problem, people come from
every direction to help. We see it time and time again, and have been on the
receiving end often. From the beach, our friends from BLIND
DATE spotted us arriving at anchorage. They came out in their
dinghy to get our second anchor and drop it for us. We certainly could have doe
it ourselves, but having a dinghy already in the water and their doing it made
it much easier for us. Placing the second anchor is tricky, as it would be easy
to run over the rode of the first one, and cut it with the propeller. Then Tim
dove down to set the flukes well. When high winds and resultant buffeting
against the dock caused us to move LUV IT out from the marina, about 20 people
came to help. Some boarded to help with the deck work, others on the dock took
lines to hold us off the other boats until they could walk us out past
them.
Cruisers must do without convenience as they previously knew it.
We are reminded of our parents' admonitions during the Second World War: "Use
it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!" So we learn to make do, and
often we do without. We don't have great expectations when trying to use a
telephone. Sometimes we are luck and get through. Sometimes not. When the
guidebook lists "supermarket" in a community, we wait until we see the shelves
before we get excited. Rainfall is very low, few islands have natural aquifers,
and so water is a problem. We have had to isolate our two water tanks, good
sweet water from Farmer's Cay in one (45 cents a gallon), and brackish water
from George Town Marina (10 cents a gallon) in the other. We fill portable
containers with the sweet water to drink and cook with, then cut to the other
for baths and dishes. There are few washing machines on the islands, far
between, and we hat to use our shipboard water for laundry. Solution? Wear
clothes longer. Much longer. Or wait for a good rain and collect it to use for
that. We can wash dishes and vegetables in seawater, and boil potatoes in it if
you like them really salty. Mixing it with fresh water cuts the salty
taste.
Perhaps you'd enjoy knowing the travel history of your last
newsletter, in the quiet of first light about 6:15 AM at anchorage near Staniel
Cay, about 100 miles north of here, I heard the sound of a small engine in the
distance and soon could make out a speck on the water as an approaching vessel.
An inflatable dinghy with two persons aboard approached LUV
IT as I stood out on the bow in my night shirt, waving a
long-handled net into which I had slipped a plastic Zip-Lock bag containing
outgoing mail. As the boat neared, I held out the net so a lady in the boat
could reach in take the bag. She had been a visitor to a nearby yacht, and was
now on her way to the tiny airport for a 7 AM departure in a Cessna aircraft.
She had made a radio announcement that she would take flat mail to be posted in
the States. Copy machines were nonexistent in the remote islands where we were
located (there is one in George Town, 50 cents a page), so one of the envelopes
contained this letter to Beth, and she sent copies out to you. That Beth! She's
terrific!
TRUE BLUE arrived recently from the
Abacos. We were delighted that Bill and Liz are with us again, and will be
traveling with us on the trip home. We keep in contact with
COLUMBINE and BLIND DATE, and
will cruise north with them if our schedules allow it. TRUE BLEW and we have
been ready to leave for a week, but strong winds blew in and stayed. The first
several hips will be ocean passages, so we would like to have the prospect of
three days' good weather before we leave. We wait, and enjoy being trapped in
Paradise.