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Sun Harbor Marina Minute
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We hope you have a prosperous and healthy
2007 and of course, many happy hours of sailing and boating at
Sun Harbor.
Winners of the Christmas Light Decorations
at the Marina
Congratulations to the 5 winners of the
Sun Harbor Christmas light decoration contest. The grand
prize went to First Light who receives one free boat cleaning from
Orozco's Detailing. The other winning boats are: Christine II, Molly, Lacy T and My Highway.
All winners are on B Dock. Winners can collect their
prizes at the marina office. Watch out B Dock - rumor has
it that A Dock is planning an upset for next year!
Welcome New Sun Harbor Boaters
Sun Harbor extends a warm welcome to five
new arrivals: Rodrigo Kozama (Maya); Robert Carter (Nefertiti);
Richard Guches (Avaiki); Robin Offner (Mad Fer It); and Lance
Botthof (Peregrine).
Don't Miss Vessel Assists' Environmental
Demonstration
On Saturday, January 13th, Robert Butler
from Vessel Assist will do an informative demonstration of
spill cleaning techniques. The demonstration will take place at
2:00 p.m. at the head of the docks. Please RSVP to the Marina
Office and join us for this educational event.
Tenant Cruising Update (Tullos and Carroll)
Greetings from Cabo! We had a great cruise down the Baja with the
exception of a storm while anchored in Turtle Bay. Winds of 45
knots drove one boat onto the rocks and another onto the beach.
We survived the storm, although lost one anchor which we
later recovered, and the boat was covered in tons of sand and
dust. I don't think we'll ever get it all off. It was
even in our teeth. Thanks to Marshall (Murphy’s
Marine Canvas), the new enclosure made it much more comfortable
to stand anchor watch during the dust storm. Otherwise, the
weather was about perfect, we sailed much of the trip and had
great success with the fishing - Yellowfin, Blackfin, Bluefin,
Dorado, and Yellow Tail were all very accommodating. We plan to
head over to Puerto Vallarta then on down to Zihuateneo before
Xmas. Merry Christmas and a Great 2007! George and Karen Tullos
The sail to Turtle Bay was excellent; 15-20 knots of wind of the starboard stern.
With poled out jib and prevented main we were making 8-8.5
knots with smooth following seas. We picked up our first fish
abeam of San Quentin which we feasted on for dinner. The
remaining day and a half to Turtle Bay went much the same way,
smoothly and quickly, until just outside of the bay where we
became hopelessly tangled in a minefield of lobster pots hidden
amongst the kelp. . . I dove over the side to find we
had hooked multiple pots on the rudder... Departing Turtle Bay,
we were fortunate enough to run across fellow former Sun Harbor
tenants Bill Chapman of Peregrine and Greg and Deb Cockle (the
Aussie couple). A fleeting moment was spent with each, all were
well and having a good time. We ended our journey in
LaPaz where we spent ten days exploring anchorages, diving, and
hiking. Until we meet again, fair winds and following
sea's to all. George Carroll
and Dawn.
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. Degreasing
components that make our boats so clean, strip fish of natural
oils in their gills. Without these oils to take in oxygen, the
fish suffocate.
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.
Please Tell Us Which Bicycle Is Yours
Sun Harbor Marina's bike rack is for tenant use only and we want to make
sure we have enough spaces for our tenants. Please register your bike with the marina office
so we know it belongs to one of our tenants. All unknown bikes will be removed and donated
to a local charity.
Sun Harbor Needs Your Neighborhood Watch
Assistance
It’s awkward; sometimes annoying;
frequently embarrassing; always a pain. You’re
approaching the gate to your dock, and there they are. Workmen
with tool boxes, families with ice chests and water toys, other
seemingly nice people all waiting for someone with a key to let
them in.
You wish they weren’t there,
because you don’t want to be the one who has to say
“Sorry, I apologize, but if you don’t have a key, I
can’t let you in”. But that’s exactly what we
need you to do to protect you and your marina. In addition to
basic security reasons, there are liability issues and all
sorts of other issues relating to unauthorized persons being
admitted to the docks.
Here’s our suggestion - The next
time this happens to you, just say something like
“I’m sorry, but I can lose my dock privileges
if I let someone in without a key. If you visit the marina
office, I’m sure they can help you out”. In other
words, blame it on us. If enough of you do this, the problem
will eventually go away and you will have helped us protect
your boat and your marina.
NEW - Special Discount For Sun Harbor
Tenants
Koehler Kraft is
offering a 10% discount to Sun Harbor tenants on Interlux
Ultra-Kote hull painting . This is a diver free
application with a 12+ month growth free life cycle. The
yard is also offering a complimentary inspection haul out at 9
months. Sun Harbor Marina will hold a forum in February
for all tenants to hear the facts about biocide-free bottom
paint and maintenance from Interlux Yacht Paint and Koehler
Kraft Boat Yard.
Koehler Kraft is a full-service marine
repair and refit center based on Shelter Island in America's
Cup Harbor. The yard has a reputation for impressive
woodworking with on-site carpentry, cabinet work, planking, and
structural repair. Koehler Kraft also offers lift
capabilities on a 40-ton marine railway or sling haul outs with
a 90-ton mobile crane. The yard offers rigging mast work
and engine re-powers; onsite mechanical, fiberglass and gelcoat
repairs; linear Polyurethane and enamel paint application and
bottom painting; and complete metal fabrication. Visit
them on the web at www.koehlerkraft.com.
Let Us Hear From You
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Kathy OBrien - Sun Harbor Marina
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 here and
follow the friendly step-by-step instructions on how to
download.
More About Zincs - The Straight Skinny
Brett Dingerson | |||||||||||
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 six months to a year for replacement. It is
recommended that you have your diver check your zincs every
month. 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.
Editor’s Note: Brett Dingerson has over
25 years experience as a commercial fisherman, sailor, and
marine electrician, with a specialty in marine galvanic
corrosion protection. A top-shelf designer and troubleshooter
that has worked with a wide range of sailing and power vessel
electrical systems for blue water or local bay boating. He is
the owner and founder of San Diego-based Marine
Electric.
Between The Sheets - Winter Sailing To
Catalina
Richard Benscoter | |||||||||||
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. If you do leave at 5:00 am
you often get to start your trip with a look back at a
spectacular sunrise covering San Diego.
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
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.
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