Back From SEA

[Ray Frechette Jr]

Special-issue boarding axe, right?  I like that it glows in the dark for night actions. 

Actually it is a Light Saber.

Josh found a web site that teaches you how to cobble one together form parts from a DVD burner, extra DVD player, laser detector attached to some radar detectors,  A mag light and some dilithium crystals that are energized up in a microwave oven.

You really need to use an old beat up microwave oven because you sure don't want to cook in it after charging up the crystals.  Stinks to high heaven!  Best to do it out doors too on a day with a fresh breeze.

[JeffM]

Light saber?  Dilithium crystals?  I think you're conflating your science fiction movies, Ray!

[Ray Frechette Jr]

Light saber?  Dilithium crystals?  I think you're conflating your science fiction movies, Ray!

Whatever.  I have the Picture!  Can you make a Light saber????

[Ray Frechette Jr]

So, In a prior post I talked about hourly engine checks to review and document the settings of the dials.

Whenever you check a guage you need to tap the dial in order to release any friction on the dial bearings to get an accurate reading.

So the day after the Prop wash incident Josh goes down to the engine room and commences his engine checks.  Now on that day we had very light winds and since we were on a schedule we were running the engine a fair amount.  Forecast was for a Sea Breeze to build from the SW as the day progressed so from time to time the mate would throttle down the engine to get a feel for what true wind was as we were sailing NE and as such engine speed was making wind speed feel less than it truly was. 

At the exact moment Josh tapped the RPM indicator the engine was throttled down to 600 rpm from 1200.

Josh'es heart dropped to his feet thinking that somehow he must have damaged the engine by tapping on the RPM guage.

Quickly he was looking all around to see if any wires had been detached and was fully expecting the hatch to fly open and Henry the engineer to come rushing down to see what had happened.

It took about 10-15 seconds for Josh to realize they must have throttled down up on deck.

[Ray Frechette Jr]

I mentioned in a prior post what the duties were of all the crew and officers.

This was observed information over the course of the trip.  We were not sat down and explained every bodies job.

After a few days of sailing Josh went to Captain Eric and told him he knew what his job was and what the cook does and the Mates,  But he asked Eric,  what is it exactly that you do Eric?

You see if the Captain is doing his job well it really doesn't look like he is doing anything.  He never takes a watch,  but he is always responsible...

The Mates have taken great pleasure in this question and are still asking Eric,  "so what is it you do on this ship Eric?

[Ray Frechette Jr]

I thought I might add some thoughts on sailing the Bowdoin.

at 80 feet LOD the Bowdoin is about 3 times longer than the largest boat I have sailed myself.

When I first came aboard I found it HUGE.  Overwhelming.

You break down tasks to what is at hand and it is an assembly of parts as opposed to a ship overall.

A week on the water and she shrinks down right good.

When at the helm there is no forward visibility dead ahead.  Hence the extreme need for a forward lookout.  You simply can not see about 7 degrees either side of the bow.  At least not when going straight.  You can of course alter course a bit to get a look at whats ahead,  but that leaves people guessing what your intentions are...

When in light airs it was maddeningly difficult to hold course on helm .  Once the engine started it was amazingly easier.

In freshening wind it was amazingly rock solid once we got up to speed.

In light flukey winds you are moving that wheel back and forth quite a bit.  You simply do not adjust your sails a whole lot underway.  Not like on our small boats where we are always tweaking this or that to improve sail shape and performance.

There has to be a fairly good sized shift in wind direction or strength for you to go trimming or easing all fo the sails.

Now flukey winds do change sail balance significantly which is the reason you are constantly adjusting the rudder.

  With the geared rudder (8 full turns lock to lock) you have great Mechanical advantage on the rudder.  You also don't have a tremendous amount of feel to it.  It certainly is not like heling the Fin Keel Spade rudder with Edson Wheel steering on the Cal 28 I used to own.

One thing I found very interesting is when I transited through the Fox Island Thouroughfare helming the boat.  We entered in running before the wind and the islands funneled and channeled the wind.  As we passed out of the channel I could see wind whistling around the island on the water and as we entered into it I could feel the sail balance go far forward and alter as entered into the wind stream and started filling our foresail and mainsail. 

As the week progressed the ship started to get much smaller and manageable.  I started knowing what prep steps would have to be takena nd could seriously contemplate issuing the orders myself and figuring my way throughi t if need be.  At least untill it came time to enter the harbor and dock the thing.  When that time came I was very happy Cap Eric was at the helm.

We entered Castine Harbor withthe wind at our back and the tide helping us in and had to back down to starboard to tie up at dock.  The State of Maine ( Power freighter turned into training vessel (Huge)) was to Portt as we were making our approach.

Amazingly three Kayakers decided to thread their way between this huge freighter and an 80 foot long 66 ton Schooner!  Sheer madness!    If wind had shifted they would have had to been cleaned off the hull with spatulas into Body Bags.

Kayakers passing in front of a Schooner under sail is pretty ludicrous too  Speed Bumps!

Amazing how some people are in such a hurry and have no common sense at all.

Big Boats deserve Wide Berths...