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December 2008 Boating e-Newsletter

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That Nagging Question - Are We Draggin' Anchor?
- By Frank Mowry
That's not a rhetorical question, but one that causes gastro esophageal reflux, terror, hysteria, and flash backs about how well we set anchor last night.

Of the skills that need to be acquired by the cruising sailor, anchoring, I believe, is the most daunting. Getting a 30,000 pound boat to stay put in a 30 knot blow can make you rethink your religious affiliation and having to reset your anchor in gale force winds and pelting rain will test your physical, emotional and intellectual metal.

Some observations that may be helpful follow:

1. Within the limits of your boat size the bigger the ground tackle the better. A 45 pound anchor is more likely to hold tight than a 35 pound hook. Chain is more likely to give your anchor a horizontal tug than is rope.

2. When entering an anchorage, be patient, reconnoiter, and ask questions of those in the anchorage. Note the type of rode used by your predecessors (chain swings slower and with a decreased radius than rope). Determine the anchorage configuration of other boats. Are they bow anchored and swinging to the wind or bow and stern anchored? Look for anchor balls marking the position of other anchors.

3. Where you drop the anchor is not where you end up. Visualize where you would like to have your boat stationed after deploying your ground tackle. Not commonly you will drop just off the stern of an anchored boat or on an imaginary line connecting the sterns of two anchored boats. Always remember the cardinal rule of anchoring civility: the skippers ensconced in the anchorage have veto power over your selection. If they are uncomfortable and ask that you move, you move.

4. When site selected, approach upwind and drop when boat stops. Noting depth payout rode twice depth plus freeboard. The wind is your ally and will blow the boat astern while the rode tightens and the bow swings to wind. In the absence of wind go in reverse until rode tightens, releases, and then tightens again. It helps to feel the rode to greater appreciate the anchoring digging in. Once anchor snubbed put about 1500 to 2000 RPMs on the engine in reverse and note if anchor is dragging. If securely "snubbed" go in reverse and pay out more rode up to 4 to 5 times the depth plus freeboard to achieve a scope (rode deployed divided by depth) of 4 – 5. The scope should take into consideration the depth at the highest tide especially important during spring tides.

5. Now take a compass bearing on landmarks and repeat these observations every 5 minutes for 30 minutes to assure anchor set and your boat is likely not to wander through the anchorage.

6. Use anchor an snubber. Usually 3 strand nylon laid rope attached with a rolling hitch to chain and to a bow cleat. Now with the chain slacked the snubber takes the load off your windlass and gives you a quieter ride on the hook.

7. Finally you indicate to the other mariners that your anchor show is over and you become a spectator watching the next poor slob wrestle with his ground tackle. Always fun!

In my view, the best monograph dealing with anchoring is: Staying Put! The Art of Anchoring by Brian Fagan and published by Caractacus Corporation, Santa Barbara, California.

Happy Hooking!!

Editor's Note: Frank and Martha Mowry have enjoyed cruising southern California waters for 10 years aboard their 42' Island Packet sloop. They are members of Southwestern Yacht Club. Click Here to send Frank and Martha an e-mail with your sea stories or questions.

How To Have a Great Time In a Bad Market - Go Fishing; Of Course!
- By Paul Giobbi
After the brutal financial month of October, my best friend and I along with a co-worker decided that a fishing trip to Cabo San Lucas was just what we needed to restore our mojo.

None of us had ever been deep sea fishing before, but undaunted we cashed in some frequent flyer and frequent layer points and headed for Mexico.

We started our November fishing trip at 6:30 a.m., boarding the private 33' Carver appropriately named Bad Market. We had paid top dollar to get the best crew in Cabo, and the Captain, Andres, began showing his worth immediately as he artfully maneuvered us between one tight space after another.

He delivered us to the docks we needed to go to where we jumped off and purchased licenses, lunch, etc. There were hundreds of aspiring fishermen just like us, but we were confident because our captain had just placed second in the famous Bisbee Black & Blue tournament.

If the first 30 minutes of the day were pure excitement, the next 4+ hours were a pure test in stamina, especially for Doug, my co-worker, who was curled up and miserable over the toilet.

Our patience waned as we motored at top speed for what seemed like forever to a point 35 miles off the coast. Bruised but not battered, we finally began to troll. We trolled and trolled, and then we trolled some more. The crew was nowhere to be found - we saw them briefly as we spotted Marlin and made two unsuccessful attempts to lure them in with live bait.

Just when we were lamenting how bad our trip might end up, three lines made the sweetest sound ever. The crew yelled out loud, and we were in business. Andres slowed the boat with precision and the two other crew members had us handling our catch within seconds. Damon and I each muscled a 40+ pound Tuna on board. They fought so hard, but our adrenaline was pumping! The crew was high fiving us, and bringing us cold beers in no time.

Then, minutes later, we picked up three more simultaneous hits - and then two more! In a matter of an hour, the fish storage was so full we could barely close it.

We didn't bring enough ice to keep our Tuna for very long, so the Captain said we should begin the long journey back to port. We had time to troll for 30 minutes more or so, and then it was time to go. We were totally fatigued but totally satisfied.

Then, as we were about to pull the last lines out of the water, it happened. The crew yelled "Marlin, Marlin, Marlin" as they ran down the ladder. Damon and I looked at each other and quickly agreed that he should do the honors since my arms were now the consistency of Jell-O.

Damon mounted the chair and settled in for one more fight. As the fish got closer it was clear it was the famed Blue Marlin, and a big one at that. The fish jumped beautifully through the air, but Damon kept reeling. It got closer and the crew grew more and more communicative. "250 pounds" they exclaimed!

The crew tied the Marlin to the stern platform so the whole world could see it when we returned. Then they hoisted flags announcing our catch and we paraded back into the harbor much like Caesar returning from the triumph of battle with what turned out to be the biggest Marlin of the day.

The moral of this fishing story is that when life is coupled with good friends and an adventurous outlook, it is possible to have great times even in a Bad Market.

Editor's Note: Paul Giobbi is the CEO of Zumasys, Inc., a computer systems sales, installation and support company based in Irvine, California.

Coast Guard Auxiliary Tip of the Month - About Boating and Your Responsibility
- By Bob Simons
"You're in Command" is the title of one of the brochures that the Coast Guard hands out, and it explains one of the least understood concepts about boating that you should be aware of.

Everybody knows that safety around your home is your responsibility, and if someone slips and falls in your home you are liable. In fact, you no doubt carry substantial insurance against this likelihood.

Well, it's the same on your boat. You are not only liable for the safety of every person on the boat, you are liable for what goes on around your boat.

For instance, if you put out a wake when passing another boat and it causes an injury or damage to that boat or person, you as the owner/skipper are personally responsible for that damage.

If you have someone come aboard your boat to work on it or to go for a ride, you are totally responsible for their safety. If they do something stupid or unsafe, you are totally responsible. If they fall off your boat in the yard or on the water, you are totally responsible.

Felony stupidity is not a recognized defense...you are responsible.

This is the reason why the Coast Guard Auxiliary has free Boating Safety Classes, Vessel Safety Checks, and we perform Safety Patrols on the water.

The best part is that there is no cost to you or to your marina or to the government for these great FREE services where we give our time, knowledge and experience in order to make YOU and our community safer and healthier.

I hope you accept our invitation to take advantage of our fun, informative, and interesting classes. Send me an e-mail letting me know what kind of education you're interested in, and I'll let you know what we have for you and when.

Happy safe boating and happy holidays!

Editor's Note: Bob Simons has been in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for thirty years and owns a small sailboat as well as a small powerboat. He teaches classes in Boating Safety & Seamanship as well as Basic and Advanced Coastal Navigation. Bob is also the co-owner of Seabreeze Books and Charts in Point Loma. You can send an e-mail to Bob at bobsimons@BlueSkyNews.com.

Tips for Making Your Sails Last Longer
- By Brad Poulos
We've talked about many aspects of care and feeding of your sails over the past few months, but this month, I would like to share a few secrets about how to make your sails last longer.

Sails Need Sun Screen Too
Always make sure to roll your genoa with the UV protection cover on the outside. If the sail gets rolled up with the acrylic cover on the inside, the sun will cook the leech of your genoa.

If your main does not roll into the mast, make sure to put the sail cover on when the sail is down. The leech (back edge) of any sail carries the highest load, and when your main is down on the boom, it is the leech that is exposed more than any part of the sail.

Minimize Torture
Flogging, or violent luffing, breaks down the fibers in your sails. Some luffing is inevitable (when raising your mainsail for instance), but try to keep this to a minimum. Never motor directly up wind with your main flogging.

Don't Get Led Astray
The top of your genoa suffers from flogging when the jib sheet lead block is too far aft. When the lead block is too far aft, the sheet applies more tension straight back along the foot than down along the leech. This causes the top of the sail to flutter.

The Lead Follows
Don't forget that when you roller reef your genoa in strong winds, you'll need to move the genoa sheet lead block forward because as you roll the sail, the clew moves forward. If you don't move the lead block, the top of the sail will flutter violently in the stiff breeze.

Silence is Golden
If the leech of your sail makes a terrible racket from flapping, tighten the leech line. Our sails have a simple-to-operate jam cleat. Not only does tightening the leech line reduce the noise, but it prevents the back of your sail from destroying itself -- and that saves you plenty of gold.

Loosen Up
Trimming your sails properly in strong winds requires a lot of halyard tension on both the main and genoa. Do your sails a favor by easing the tension on the halyards every time you come in from sailing. Leaving them tight unnecessarily stretches them.

Annual Service
You wouldn't leave your patio furniture outside all winter, so why would you leave your sails up all winter? If you don't plan to use your boat for several months, when you put your boat away at the end the season, take down your sails and drop them off at your local sail loft for washing and inspection. This is the best way to protect your investment. Washing your sails extends their useful life by removing dirt and salt that abrades sailcloth. "Do it yourselfers" should rinse off both sides of all your sails with a garden hose, then dry them well before storing them in a cool dry place. Do not store your sails in your boat where they can pick up nasty odors and develop mildew over the winter.

Happy Sailing - See you next month!

Between The Sheets - Getting Caught Off Guard
- By Richard Benscoter
We Southern California boaters are not used to dealing with the frequent heavy fog that our Northern neighbors live with, so when it happens here, it can catch you off guard.

Well, a few days ago, I did take our San Diego weather for granted and put myself in a not too pleasant position which really got my adrenalin pumping!

Out for a Sunday afternoon sail with the anticipation of seeing gray whales, as we passed the San Diego whistle buoy I noticed what I assumed was haze on the northern horizon. Five minutes later I realized that what I had assumed was haze, was really thick fog heading South very fast.

We made a 180 degree course change and began making way for the harbor. As we approached the harbor there were boats everywhere - some out bound; some crossing left to right; some right to left, and a car carrier at buoy 17 outbound, so naturally I was focused on the crossing situations on my bow, with a glance over my shoulder every now and then to check for boats aft.

Some Tips About Charging Your Boat's Batteries
By Brett Dingerson
Battery technology has seen a tremendous funding increase in research and development lately, due in large part to oil hanging around $100 a barrel. They play such a huge part of your boat's electrical system I thought it might be a good idea to review the basics of battery charging.

Battery capacity is measured in amp/hours. A 100 amp/hour battery, for example, will power a 10 amp load for 10 hours. Batteries are connected together in order to increase their total capacity and limit the number of charging cycles. The capacity of a battery bank is important because that's what determines how best they can be charged.

There are a few simple rules that govern proper battery charging;
1. Limit discharges to 50% of capacity. Discharge levels below 50% can damage the battery.

2. When charging times are limited it makes little sense to recharge above 80% state of charge. Alternators must reduce their charge current when the batteries get above a certain voltage or they will overcharge and damage the batteries. Recharging from 50% to 80% can occur fairly rapidly, but then the charge current will taper off and reaching full recharge can take hours. It's not worth it in diesel fuel costs.

3. Ensure a full recharge at least once a month to prevent sulfate build-up on the plates of the batteries. This procedure is known as equalization, and consists of raising the voltage to approximately 2.6 volts per cell for a few hours. That works out to 15.6 volts for a 12 volt system. Lead-acid and AGM batteries can be equalized, Gel cell batteries cannot.

4. There is little point in having an alternator that exceeds 30%-40% of the battery bank capacity. As previously mentioned; alternators reduce their charge rate fairly quickly. Having a large alternator charge a small bank is a waste of money.

5. Sustained loads should not exceed 25% of the battery bank's capacity. If you run an inverter a lot, for example, make sure you have the batteries to do so easily. Abusing your batteries with frequent large discharges will shorten their life.

There are a lot of new batteries being developed for the automobile industry. They are currently very expensive, but should come down in price as the technology matures. I'll keep you informed as new products are introduced to the market. Hopefully the cost will be competitive with current batteries before too much longer. Wouldn't it be nice to buy a set of bulletproof batteries that never need water and would last for 10 years?

Editor's Note: Brett Dingerson has over 25 years experience as a marine electrician, with a specialty in marine galvanic corrosion protection. He has worked with a wide range of sailing and power vessels and is the owner of San Diego-based Marine Electric. If you have an electrical question for Brett, send e-mail to brett@BlueSkyNews.com

Is it Real or is it a Scam?
You got an e-mail. It says it's from the IRS or your bank, but is it really from them? Making it hard to decide, the e-mail has the right logo, and even more disturbing, it references some information you know to be true, such as a refund amount or even a password you use

Here's one way to find out if the e-mail is real. Somewhere in the e-mail, the sender will ask you to click on some link to verify some personal information. If you "Right-Click" on that link, a window will open up that has the option to "View Source". Select that option, which will show you what they call the raw HTML source coding, and visually scan through that source until you spot the actual words of the link you were asked to click on.

Right after those words that you were asked to click on, you will see an http://www... reference which will show you where that link actually would have taken you. In one recent scam, the link looked like it was linking to the IRS' web site, but the real link behind it was actually going to a scam artist in Rumania.

The bottom line - No reputable company or organization will ever send you a legitimate e-mail asking you to verify personal information. If it looks suspicious; it is. If you're still not sure, call the company or organization on the phone, but don't respond to the e-mail or worse yet, click on any links in it.

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