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Bodhran: New Zealand to Fiji

Bodhran anchored off Lautoka Fiji

Saturday May 1st was the ideal day to leave New Zealand. Unfortunately about 40 other boats thought so as well. 30 some of them were part of the Island Cruising Association rally to Tonga and had cleared customs the day before, but there was still quite a line at the customs office in Opua. By 10am we had cleared customs and immigration and by 11 we were on our way, killing the motor and setting sail after we cleared the Opua ferry lane. The wind was fresh and favorable, but the clouds were threatening. A rainbow shown over Pahia to send us on our way. Too bad the rain part was also there as I actively sailed in the rain for maybe the 10-12th time in my sailing career. I’ve really been a pretty fair weather sailor for years now. The only time I get caught out in the rain is at sea where I button up the boat and hang out down below until it drys out. We were still in the crowded Bay of Islands waters and had the rally driving hard behind us to catch up, so a soggy captain dawned his foulies and kept a watch, but he wasn’t happy about it.

Leaving New Zealand with the ICA rally close behind

The weather window leaving New Zealand was great with fresh south westerlies turning to southerlies for the first 36 hour easing to moderate south easterlies for another day before the wind died and we had to motor for 8 hours before we started getting some light easterlies. A low was passing over the north island compacting the isobars in the trades. So we got a few days of reinforced trades blowing out of the east at 25-35 knots […]

June 7th, 2010 | Category: Boat Stories, Sailing Stories | Leave a comment

Martin Samuel's Bermuda trip report: DE38 Eclipse

Just got this in hot off the wire from Martin Samuel. So I’m going to put it up now.

Hello Scott – from Bermuda…

Left Fort Lauderdale 8.45 AM Wednesday 26th May – docked St. George’s at 2:00 PM Friday 4th June. Now anchored out, quiet, peaceful, warm, breezy with WiFi and my mobile phone works too.

Weather was great for the most part but had some damage to the boat – more later.

No problem with Customs. Tomorrow I start to explore … boat repairs later.

Re: boat damage … a stainless steel pin sheared and disappeared – it holds the front stay which holds the mast up and and also the roller furling head-sail. Of course it happened at 1.00 am, the sail was flogging and the metal hardware was beating the boat to bits. Got a hold of it and was able to do a temp. fix putting it back in place. Also, the shackle that holds the sail up at the top snapped with all the pressures – but I was able to drag the sail down. All of that done without stopping the boat – wet, dark, slippery, frustrating. Everything useful falls overboard but not the broken shackle – found it the following day – it had hit and shattered the glass on 1 of my 2 solar panels and was still sitting there just to prove it… what are the chances… ! ! !

Following day sailed with 1 sail missing – just the main and the staysail see photos:

1. clear, sunny, calm sea sailing the day after the debacle

2. same day with dinghy under wraps

3. still sailing

4. daytime configuration – that’s the bagged sail tied down on the deck

5. nighttime configuration with a ‘bunk’ […]

June 6th, 2010 | Category: Sailing Stories | One comment

Replacing the Head Plumbing on DE45 Eolian by Bob Salnick

Since the last couple posts have been topical to plumbing and head systems I asked Bob if I could copy over a writeup from his blog from where he replaced the plumbing on the head on Eolian. If I were replacing the plumbing rather than taking it out forever then I would most likely follow in his footsteps. I think his solution is much cheaper and vastly more durable than the standard marine hoses and fittings. So enjoy. 🙂 Scott Carle

By Bob Salnick When we took possession of Eolian, the PVC and rubber head hoses had been permeated by the ‘contents’ of those hoses, making a bad smell everywhere down below. We replaced all of those hoses early on with good hose. In 2006, about 7 years later, those hoses had again been penetrated. My research (oh sure, NOW do the research…) showed that even the highest grade hose (which costs in excess of $10/ft) permeates in 10 years. The cheaper grades are supposed to last only 5 years. I guess that means that we did better than most.

The same research showed that solid PVC pipe (like that used in houses) will NEVER permeate. So, OK – out with the hose, and in with solid PVC pipe. First problem: most plumbing supply houses stock only ABS for sanitary fittings (long sweep elbows, sanitary tees, etc… Things can get hung up in regular sharp-cornered elbows, and sewer snakes can’t be made to go around sharp corners.) But we have found a couple of stores close by that stock PVC fittings, and in ALL the weird angles we will need to use to run pipe in a boat. Also, some short lengths of hose are still needed to make connections at the ends of the pipe runs – stuff moves […]

June 4th, 2010 | Category: Projects, Upgrades & Maintenance | Leave a comment

Stories of s/v Valkier, DE38: All the shit that accumulates #2 by Scott Carle

Last week we got a lot done on the boat but also ran into some issues with the plumbing which led to engine issues that led to anchoring issues.  See http://downeasteryachts.com/archives/1366 for all the details.

Today I worked up my courage and headed back to the boat to deal once and for all with the malodorous mess that Valkyr’s head system had become. The first thing on was the respirator (this respirator worked great. No odor got through it and when I got to the clorox phase it totally filtered the chlorine out also). After the respirator came the industrial rubber chemical gloves and a dozen 3 mil contractor garbage bags. The next three tools that I used to remove everything were one largish flat bladed screwdriver, one set of vise grips and a pair of straight edged shears. The screw driver for hose clamps and prying, the vise grips for holding the nuts on the screws that the pump was mounted with while I unscrewed them, and the shears for cutting through hoses if needed.

I promised pictures in my last post but we forgot the cameras when we went to the boat today and I wasn’t willing to put the job off now that I had nerved myself up to actually doing it so I’m afraid there will be no nasty disgusting before pictures. However I should be able to graphically paint a really disgusting picture of it in your minds, so listen up and read on.

First let me paint the picture again of what we found last week. In the small bilge space just aft of the v-berth area that the holding tank lies in was where most of the plumbing for the holding tank system came together.  To port up through the closet and into […]

June 3rd, 2010 | Category: Projects, Upgrades & Maintenance | 2 comments
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