Migration.

- Newport. before departure.

- Like birds, the summer is over, and it is time to go South. For large yachts, November 1st marks the start of the season, the end of the hurricane season. A couple of weeks ago, I took an early trip on the S/V Two, an Eighty-two-foot boat. Captain Rick is a long-time friend, and the opportunity to go offshore with competence is a priority for me. We hit the weather window perfectly and had a good ride to Charleston, South Carolina. By coincidence, my daughter, Dominique, had also decided to move there at the same time, and it was fun to have dinner together on the boat. Then onto Ft Lauderdale.

- A few observations associated with the trip.
We motored all the way, trying to maintain an average of 8.5 to 9 knots. Sometimes with the Mainsail up, sometimes with the Jib. Deliveries are just that, going as fast as you can to the destination.

- Modern sailboats have many conveniences but also drawbacks.

- One is the over-sophistication in the area of sail handling. One example is the roller- furler boom, which unrolls by itself while on the wind. The breeze was moderate, but I can imagine what could have been a disaster in stormy weather. One instance, for example, approaching Charleston, we were aware of coming heavy squalls. Fortunately, under power and already inside the very long channel, we were hit by 40 knots of wind and heavy rain. Visibility was not too bad, and therefore we made out the markers as we went along. Earlier and under an unfurling sail, it would have been another story. Also, sometimes in the middle of the trip, the headsail dropped, the strap at the top having unleashed itself. Not so much of a problem except that with over one hundred feet of mast length, it became prudent to wait for calmer seas before sending someone to the masthead.

- The electronic world has invaded boats with marvelous technology. I like radar, I like a chart plotter, and a few other things.  - But again, we found a vulnerability with the autopilot tripping for the last 24 hours; the continuous watching of gauges; being the black and grey water for four bathrooms with separate showers; or checking the engine room for the alternator going too hot. Lots of systems make the kiss concept goodbye. Of course, this is what it is in the public eye, and the more the better it seems.
- On another subject, the watch system. For someone accustomed to the 4 on 4 off, I was introduced to a different schedule. We had a crew of seven on the first leg and six on the second. It came to divide the watch of two with three hours on and six off. Not too long on deck and with a good resting period.
I enjoy deliveries very much, putting time in a capsule, and always learning.

- A little side story:
Just back from the trip, I noticed a familiar mast across my office window. The Lunacy, ex-Star Cruiser, is on her way to the West Indies. Charles Doane makes the trip every two years, and I was happy to see the boat again. You can follow the adventure on www.wavetrain.net

Charles is the Cruising Editor for Sail Magazine.

Steel Pilothouse 40' 12 meter sailboat in building. Puzzle.

From one step to two steps.

One step at the time.
But it became time.
So, for a 28' sport fisherman.
This has to be the man.


The Offshore fishing version is based on the Mako 28, showing the same deck arrangement and stowage.

I have added the two pods to offer protection and utilities. One for a small head, the other for personal gear and provisions. To my knowledge there are very few aluminum 2 steps boats, and if any for sport fishing.

Raph - Gauloise.

- Good old boats. One of my favorite things is to visit boatyards. The main reason is to wander in the back alleys where the skeletons are. A treasure to be found, a memory to rekindle, and sometimes despair over the vision, the dream of what could, would have been before neglect and age send you to the cemetery.

- One of the relics is the aluminum 56' designed by Andre Mauric. Raph is the original name, sponsored by the new marina at St. Raphael in the South of France, for the Singlehanded Transatlantic Race and skippered by Alain Gliksman. Originally rigged as a Ketch, I sailed on her shortly after her launching on a quick hop in the Bay of St. Tropez. She is a Thoroughbred, and her lines are pure Mauric, the architect from whom I learned a lot. A  mathematician and geometry head, to design good-looking boats over a long career. A particularity was, on Lines Plans, to draw the diagonals normal to the sections to best guess the water flow direction over the hull.

Is this the Summer of "Summer Afternoon" ?

Well, it looks like it, at long last. Behind boats there are always stories; boat stories. So, to explain Summer Afternoon in an nutshell, please take the time to read an article I wrote many moons ago.

Now fast track; the boat is in Newport now and Chauncey took on himself to refresh the small schooner.
Sanding, varnish, sanding, varnish, paint, sanding, varnish, paint, paint, varnish, varnish.... you got the point.
My contention was to launch the boat first, which we did before the task of refurbishing. The local boat ramp is next to the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, very close to the house and therefore conveniently located. It was fun.

Well. We had to get help. Six coats of varnish and painting is not to sneeze at, and with not much time, it became necessary to hire the best varnishers. Summer is short.

Bermuda Race 2014

                                                                 
                                                                                 June 20, 2014

As you can see by the posting date, I have been slow in feeding the electronic beast. Slow like this start and for the rest of this event of some 615 miles from Newport to Bermuda. And....the winner is.....

Actaea a Hincley Bermuda 40.

Class 40, Atlantic Cup 2014.

The Class 40 renewed their Cup for this 2014 edition. 

Fewer boats, but equally good competition over the legs.

Starting in Charleston to New-York, then on to Newport.

With inshore races over the weekend, marred by the 

demise of Dragon hitting a rock in the Passage.

I am fond of this Class, but like said one of the designers; 

"It is so hard to get racing going in the US". Yes, for 

smaller or bigger boat you still a few one offs built but

for some reason there is little grip elsewhere.

Especially for single or double handed racing events.

Next year, I believe that the new generation of Class 40 will follow the success of David Raison's Mini Transat by increaing the width at the bow within the constraint of the new adopted rule to minimize the "scow effect". I designed a 40 representative of what the breed will be like

.