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Happy New Year!!
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Happy New Year!!
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Greetings From Your Marina Manager - Happy
New Year!
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Duckville
Most people know that Mission Bay was
originally named False Bay to warn sailors that our enticing
harbor was once little more than shallow tidelands waiting to
capture unwary boats in the mud. But did you know that in
between being called False Bay and re-named Mission Bay, there
was a period where an infamous part of Mission Bay known as “Duckville”?
This rough and tumble glorified duck blind was the subject of
much controversy and a colorful part of Mission Bay’s
History. To find out more, check out this link or
search the Internet with the words “Duckville”,
“Mission”, and “Bay”. You’ll get
a kick out of what you find.
Winter Weather Calls for Extra Caution
With Winter comes the possibility of high
winds and wet weather. A few simple precautions can help avoid
costly incidents. Set your dock
lines as though high winds
are around the corner so you don’t have a possibility to
bump into your neighbor’s boat. If your lines are frayed;
please replace them.
Also, inspect
your heating systems for corrosion
and dust buildup before the first Winter use.If your power cords have cracks, it’s imperative you replace them so that
moisture doesn’t seep in and cause a short. Sailboats
should make sure sails are furled
and securely covered.
Thanks Everybody - I hope you all have a great kick off for the
new year. Send me an email if you have any questions about the
marina.
Gerry Charest - Marina Manager
How High Is Too High?
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On a clear day, the light could be seen
by ships at sea over 30 miles away, however, since San Diego
lies most of the time under a marine layer, the light was so
high that it often shone into or on top of the marine layer
instead of underneath it, and so it was virtually useless to
vessels at sea for most of the year.
That’s why the lighthouse was
abandoned in 1891 in favor of the lower one down at the Point
Loma Coast Guard Facility. Although at only 88 feet above sea
level, and a lower visibility range of 17 miles, the new light
was visible in a much broader span of weather conditions.
Between The Sheets - Winter Sailing To
Catalina
If you’ve never sailed to Catalina, Winter can be a terrific time to make your
first voyage across the pond. In addition to moorings being
less expensive than in peak season, it is substantially less
crowded.
It’s important to choose your time
carefully, however, so you don’t get caught in foul
weather or a major Santa Ana. So before you go, make sure to
visit NOAA’s web site to check the weather for the period you plan to
be gone, and of course, make sure you have your navigation
systems, charts and communication gear in order.
Also, since there are several location
options for boaters, be sure to visit Catalina
Island’s official web-site for mooring instructions, fees, how to hail the
harbor patrol when you get there, etc.
The voyage from San Diego to Catalina and
back is often the best part of the whole adventure. I prefer to
leave our dock at Shelter Island at 5:00 a.m. for a day
passage. If you can, leave on a weekday to have the best chance
of getting a mooring ball (they are first come first serve -
you can’t reserve them in advance).
Avalon is approximately 68 nautical miles
from San Diego buoy #1 as the seagull flies, so if you can
average seven knots, the trip takes about seven hours from
there, which puts you at Avalon around 4:00 - 4:30 p.m.
There are as many debates about when to
leave as there are sailors, but part of the reason I like this
schedule is that you often get to start your trip with a look
back at a spectacular sunrise covering the San Diego buildings
and surrounds with a surreal palate of colors.
Often at this time of year, within the
first hour you’ll see the first of many dolphins
effortlessly swimming in your bow wake. The speed and grace
with which these creatures move in and out of the wake looks
rehearsed and is always amazing. If you’re really lucky,
you might see a spout from a blue whale close off your
bow. If you have never seen one of these giant creatures close
up they are magnificent, and your boat will seem quite small
all of a sudden. Also, on our last trip, we were greeted by two
pilot whales as we approached the shipping lanes who seemed to
acknowledge that our course is correct.
It’s been motoring up until now,
but around 11:00 a.m. the wind begins to build in, and you
begin sailing. (That’s what you came out to do!) Soon you
have 14 to 16 knot winds with the boat moving at 7 knots and
life is very good!
On our last trip, after five more hours
under sail, two more pods of dolphins and Avalon harbor
appeared on our port beam, and we knew our destination to the
isthmus was an hour away.
Then that first evening - sit back and
toast yourself for conquering one of the Southland’s
great adventures as you watch sunset yield to the brightest
star show from the world’s greatest back porch - your
boat.
Bon Voyage, Richard Benscoter
Richard Benscoter | |||||||||||
Editor’s Note: Richard Benscoter is a
long time avid sailor. He and his wife Debbie are members of
the Silver Gate Yacht Club and can be seen frequently on the
bay sailing their 36 foot Catalina, El Marinero. If you have a
sailing question for Richard, send e-mail to richard@blueskynews.com.
Free Invasive Species Poster Available From
Sea Grant
Invasive species transported by vessel
hulls disturb native
habitats, can consume or out-compete native species, affect
biodiversity, and alter ecosystems. Once invasive species enter
the local marine environment, they will likely remain forever.
Recent studies suggest that fouling growth on boat hulls is a
significant vector for invasive species, especially for boats
traveling along the coast.
The University of California’s Sea
Grant Extension Program has a
new free poster and Fact Sheet that presents colorful photos of
species that are not native to our area and describe the
impacts of these non-native, or invasive, species. To receive
your copy of the poster and fact sheet, contact Jamie Gonzalez at
858-694-3414 or jagonzalez@ucdavis.edu.
NEW - BlueSkyNews.com Desktop Photo of the
Month - Tahiti Reef
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The dramatic colors of the South Pacific
waters are hard to match.To use this desktop photo, click on
this link www.BlueSkyNews.com and follow the complete step-by-step
instructions on how to download.
More About Zincs - The Straight Skinny
In last month’s newsletters,
BlueSkyNews.com published an article entitled “Where are my zincs going?” That article prompted several letters to
the editor with all sorts of questions ranging from “Do
zincs really work?” to concerns about electrocution. At
the invitation of BlueSkyNews.com, I will attempt in this
article to demystify some of the questions they received about
zincs.
With regard to the question "Do
zincs really work?”, the answer is a resounding yes! An
oversimplification about how they work has to do with the fact
that zinc is low man on the metal food chain, so zinc anodes
are “sacrificed” in a process called galvanic
corrosion. In short, investing in zinc will save you laying out
a bigger investment in Bronze, Stainless, Props, Shafts, Rudder
shafts, Thru-hulls, and all the other more expensive words in a
mariner's vocabulary.
“How long should my zincs
last?” - Every boat has a different demand for zinc
anodes to maintain proper protection, but a properly bonded,
painted, and maintained boat with properly sized zincs should
expect annual replacement. If you’re experiencing dramatically shorter
zinc life span, there is probably something that needs to be
corrected.
One reader asked, “My boat is on a
mooring ball, not in a marina, and I also think my zincs are
disappearing too fast.” - One possible consideration -
water current speed accelerates zinc usage. This could even be
a factor with your slip location in your marina. If you think
this may be a factor with your boat, try positioning the zinc
in a more protected area. Bonding your boat will also protect
you from any onboard stray currents and eliminate those issues.
"I have heard that if you
don't use mil-spec zincs, they won't work." - You don't
have to use zinc at all for a sacrificial anode, but that's a
subject that doesn't matter to the average boater. If you buy a
zinc from a marine store in San Diego it will be
"mil-spec" and you can use it. Whether it works
or not is a different issue.
"I didn't know that if my neighbor's
boat's zincs are gone, his stray current could start eating my
zincs away - is that true? - how far away can current like that
stray?" - Zinc life span and stray current are two
separate subjects. If your neighbor's zincs are gone and you
are properly isolated it’s no concern of yours. If your
neighbor has stray current and you are properly bonded and
isolated, that’s not a problem either. Electrical
currents can travel from one end of the marina to the other,
but are certainly more severe if you allow your boat to be a
piece of the puzzle. So, isolate your boat and bond your boat
and you’ll be in good shape.
"I understand that one cause of fast
zinc erosion is that I may have reverse polarity on one of my
110 volt devices." - That’s true, but reverse
polarity will also shorten your life; so the zincs are the
least of your problem - get that situation repaired
immediately!
That’s it for now. Next month I
will address questions we received about GFI installation,
galvanic isolators, and AC power and water. In the meantime, if
you have a question you’d like to ask on these or any
other electrical subjects, please send me an email to brett@BlueSkyNews.com.
Brett Dingerson | |||||||||||
Dear Flo-Tilla
Flo-Tillatm | |||||||||||
Why don’t boat designers design
boats with enough power to run everything they put on board?
I’m tired of trying to figure out if I can dry my hair
while the TV is on without popping a circuit breaker! Last week
we entertained guests on our boat for dinner. It was an evening
of cook one thing in the oven; turn that off then cook the next
item on the stove top; then turn on the overhead lights; then
ooops! Some fool plunged us into darkness by plugging in an
electric toothbrush or something!
Sincerely
Frustrated Beyond
Belief!
Dear Frustrated,
The problem is that most boat designers
are men, and men can only do one thing at a time, so it
doesn’t occur to them that you may actually want to USE
all of the stuff they put on your boat at the same time.
Yours Truly,
Flo-Tilla
Have a question you’d like Flo-Tilla
to answer?
Effects of Boat Washing
Every time a boat is washed with soaps
and detergent, water pollution becomes a bigger problem. Many
soaps and detergents contain phosphates that stimulate
excessive algae and invasive plant growth. This depletes the
oxygen level in the water, making it difficult, if not
impossible, for other marine life to survive. Detergents
contain toxins like arsenic that when in fresh or salt water
become lethal to humans as well as marine life. The most
intense affect soap has is on the fish population.
What can we do as boaters? Be more
mindful of alternatives and regulate overall use. After each
trip, scrub and rinse your boat with fresh water (no soap).
This will minimize the need for harsh cleaners. Look for
phosphate-free and biodegradable soaps like West Marine Boat
Soap and Greenway cleaning products. These products use natural
citric acid as their base cleaning agent. A little soap goes a
long way, so be conservative. Use half the amount you think you
need. For normal dirt and grim, alternative methods are
effective and make a big difference on water quality. For more
on alternative cleaning methods, click here to
see an excellent reference on the Delaware web site.
The Cut of His Jib - Where Did the Saying
Come From?
In the old days of sailing, you could
often tell a ship’s nationality by the look of its jib.
Spanish ships for
example had a small jib or none at all.
Large French ships had two jibs, and English ships normally had
only one. Eventually, the saying was extended to apply to men.
A person’s nose, like the jib of a ship arriving in a
harbor, is the first part of a person to arrive at a designated
place. So saying you do or don’t “like the cut of
his jib” implies the first impression a man makes when
you see him.
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