1990 Canadian Sailcraft CS34 Shoal Draft
Sail #8268

1982 Catalina 22 Fin Keel
Sail #10506

1994 MUMM 36 ACE
Sail # 29206

Thursday, May 31, 2012

C22 Whitby Single Handed

Only two boats out for Whitby single handed race: Mark with Black Magic (CS30) and me.  Full old main and #1.

South wind diminished to 3 knots of breeze during the race.

Course was a shortened 4 Short (triangle).

Trip Odometer: 7.03 miles
Moving Avg: 3.8 knots
Moving Time: 01:49:45

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120531.kmz

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

C22 Whitby Race Night

Forecast was for a 10 knots north wind, but from land it looked like less.  Full bolt rope main and #1.  Once we got out to the start, indeed it was 10 knots, but the wind gusts were over 15.

John and I tried a different start method.  We ran line line before the start and hit the Man Over Board (MOB) button on the GPS when we were 1/3 way down the line.  We timed our start to hit that point at the gun; it work perfectly.  We had to duck a couple of boats about 30 seconds before the start, but had a great start; right in the thick of boats, in clean air.  You can see the MOB point on the Google Earth track.

On our first tack by the windward mark, we had puff of wind come up, and we ended up doing a 360.  As you got close to the windward mark, there was MUCH more wind.  We had boats rounding up all around us.  John and I watched the boat ahead of us get hit with the puffs and were able to ease the mainsheet before it hit us.

We overshot the final tack to the finish, but wanted the make sure we make the finish line without an additional tack.

We were the last to finish, but definately took some boats on handicap.

Trip Odometer: 9.70 miles
Moving Avg: 4.8 knots
Moving Time: 02:03:13

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120530.kmz

It has taken over a year, but John and I are really clicking.  We are thinking more about tackticks than boat handling; much more fun racing.

Santeria in Newcastle

Neil, Peter, Brian, and Me.  Winds were from the NW 10 knots, seas about 2 feet.

First time out with the new head sail in any kind of wind.  We found that we had to move the jib cars right forward to get the top tell tales flying.  We felt slow close hauled; perhaps have to move the jib cars outward more to open the slot.

We need more practice with this new sail.  Also, just wait until Neil converts his new mainsail from bolt rope to slugs.

We ended second to Wind Dancer, who sailed a good race.

Trip Odometer: 10.39 miles
Moving Avg: 5.2 knots
Moving Time: 01:59:35

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120529.kmz

Sunday, May 27, 2012

CS34 Shakedown Cruise to Cobourg

Rita and I had all intentions of leaving WYC at around 9:30am.  The weather reports showed that there would not be much wind.  Rita's girlfriend Meryl came with us.  Between provisioning the boat and getting a pump out, we didn't leave until 12:30pm.

We had some decent winds from the south on the beam until just past Oshawa, and made close to 7 knots of speed.  When our speed dropped below 3 knots, we motor sailed for a while, then took the sails down because they were just flapping in our apparent wind.

I regularly had Still Time running 7.4 knots at 3300 RPMs on the 20 HP diesel.

We passed Port Hope, and what I thought was Peter Rock;  turns out that was a race mark for Port Hope Yacht Club.  Here we were motoring along over 7 knots, and I happened to glance at the depth meter, and saw we had dropped to under 10 ft of water.  Looked to starboard and saw the marker for Peter Rock about 1/2 mile to the south.  Full emergency stop, and the depth gauge showed 6.3 ft.


Screen print from GPS track

For those who don't know, Peter Rock is shoal that extents out 1 mile into Lake Ontario.  At one time, cars could drive on it.  The charts show 3ft of depth, but there is less water than that.  If we had hit the shoal at 7 knots, would have severely damaged Still Time, perhaps even sunk.  The force of the impact could had hurt someone badly on board.

Really gotta get the chart plotter hooked up!

After our Peter Rock scare, I just wanted to get into Cobourg, and put the throttle on full.  Still Time was doing close to 8 knots at 3750 RPMs.  I was surprised she would rev that high, but the water was flat. After running for about 5 minutes like this, the engine overheat alert came on.  I quickly throttled back and took the boat out of gear, and the alarm shut off in about 10 seconds.  So, can't rev her past 3500 RPMs.

We got a slip on the end of F dock with all our Newcastle friends.  It was easy to dock there.  22ft Still Time was $28 with HST last year.  34 ft Still Time is $50 a night.

We met up with Meryl's boyfriend Chris and had a wonderful dinner on the boat.  Chris and Meryl were our first guests to sleep in the aft cabin.  Very warm on the boat, no need for any heater or anything.

Trip Odometer: 35.42 miles
Moving Avg: 6.3 knots
Moving Time: 05:37:20

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/2012052627.kmz

Bunch of us went to the Buttermilk Cafe in downtown Cobourg.  Always great.

Left at around noon with winds from the east about 8 knots.  Sailed for about an hour before the winds started lightening.  Motor sailed for a while, motor sailed with just the main for a while, until we just motored from Westleyville.  Kept the RPMs down to 3,000 and cruised comfortably over 7 knots.  Caught the fleet of Cajun, Silhouette, and Marietta before Newcastle.

Past Newcastle, wind picked up and was able to motor sail at 7 knots with reduced RPMs.  But alas, past St Mary's the wind died again, so we put the mainsail away and motored the rest of the way.

Trip Odometer: 43.73 miles
Moving Avg: 7.3 knots
Moving Time: 06:00:02

We burned about four gallons of diesel fuel for the entire return trip. 

Thursday, May 24, 2012

C22 WYC Single Handed

First single handed race of the season.  It was blowing over 12 knots, as I could see whitecaps on the water when I came to the club.  Put the old main up with a reef in it and motored out to the start mark, rigging the jiffy reefing lines, and hoisted my light #1.

There were four other boats:
  • Gruntled (C&C 29)
  • White Out (Viking 28)
  • Cheekey Monkey (Shark 24)
  • Black Magic (CS 30)
Wonder what happened to Berserk and Kye Express?

Course was 7 short.

Wind was a lot less wind out on the race course.  As I got to the start line, the 5 minute warning goes off, and I am hove to shaking my reef out.  Reefing line gets jammed in the jam cleat; I guess that is why they call it that.  Had to cut the line.  The jiffy reefings line are all tangled and I lose a sail slug to Davey Jones locker.  What a calamity! Good thing I was near the start line.  Got the main jiffy reefing lines sorted out with 30 seconds left, turned the boat to the starting line and off I went.

Sailed good race, pointed a lot higher than the Shark on the upwind legs.

Fourth accross the line, don't think I caught any other boats on corrected time.

Trip Odometer: 9.49 miles
Moving Avg: 4.7 knots
Moving Time: 02:03:41

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120524.kmz

C22 WYC Race Night

Got out to the boat a little after 4:30pm, and got all the extra weight out of the boat for a yardsale on the dock.  Mounted the rope clutches on the cabintop.  Tightened the aft lowers in preparation.

Wind was from the East 6 to 10 knots, making the course 7 short.  We sailed with the racing main and light #1.  Perfect amount of sail!

We wanted to have a good start, and started really well.  We had boats all around us, just leeward of Gruntled at the gun on a starboard tack.  Shortly after crossing the line, we were in Gruntled's dirt and decided to duck underneath them and tack to port; BAD IDEA, as Esclipse (Viking 28 in our fleet) was crossing the line on starboard.  We immediately tacked back to starboard to avoid them.  Elaine from Eclipse went into irons and had to fend off from hitting the committee boat.  Sorry Elaine we thought we could clear you on the tack, and thought we had tacked back soon enough for you to clear Tanker Jones.

For some reason, I thought we had to round mark 7 again on a short course.  We overshot the 2nd reaching leg trying to make mark 7.  Ugggghhhh, my sailing instruction were soaking wet and stuck together.

We were not the last boat to finish and not to far behind our competition that give us time.

New rope clutches worked great.

Trip Odometer: 9.19 miles
Moving Avg: 4.3 knots
Moving Time: 02:07:34

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120523.kmz

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Santeria Newcastle First Race

First race of the season in Newcastle; we had five boats:
  • Santeria
  • Patricia
  • Silhouette
  • Cajun
  • Wind Dancer
Neil, Colin, Dave, and me headed out on Santeria.  Only about two knots of wind, and the race was called after noboby made the first mark in 45 minutes.  We did deploy the spinnaker for the slow ride back.  Colin had never flown one, and enjoyed it.

Trip Odometer: 4.2 miles
Moving Avg: 2.1 knots
Moving Time: 02:01:17

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120522.kmz

Monday, May 21, 2012

CS34 Monday Long Weekend Sail

Rita and I decided not to do anything buy nothing and hang around on the boat.  The weather was beautiful!

Spent a couple of hours helping Ron (Dragon Heart) and Dave (Galaxsea) put their masts up.

Worked a little bit on the boat removing the old GPS and wiring under the deck.  Figured out a place for the new chart plotter on the binnacle, but running the wires will be a PITA.

We left the dock a little after 3pm, and headed over for a pump out.  We really need to practice boat handling.  Took us two attempts to get into the pumpout area.  Turn out the holding tank was full AGAIN.

We then headed on a course to the south with an east wind on the beam with just the headsail.  The wind was a steady 10-12 knots with 3 foot waves. We were doing between 5.5 and 6 knots most of the time.  Rita spent some time on the wheel and did well.  I still am not used to the wheel and found myself steering the wrong way to sail to the tell tales.  All in good time.

Docking was not an issue.

Trip Odometer: 5.43 miles
Moving Avg: 4.9 knots
Moving Time: 01:06:28

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120521.kmz

Sunday, May 20, 2012

CS34 Bakker Sail

Rita's sister Wendy and family (the Bakkers) came out for an afternoon sail. Wind was light from the NE, water was flat, and got the boat going between 4 and 5 knots with 6 to 8 knots of wind on the beam.

John took the helm for a while, as did Josh.  Rachel kept Bogart happy and warm.

We sailed out to the Ajax weather buoy.  Winds were lighter out in the lake.

What a nice afternoon spent on the water!


Rachel and Josh

We be sailin MON!!!
John

Rita's sister Wendy

How relaxed are you?

Trip Odometer: 12.03 nautical miles
Moving Avg: 4.2 knots
Moving Time: 03:32:50

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120520.kmz



Rip in the headsail that was caused by the falling mast

Sails looking good

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

C22 WYC First Race

Got down to the boat at 4:30pm.  Got all the extra sails and cushions on the dock; looked like a yard sale!

Big Still Time was registering 18 knots with gusts over 25 from the NNW.

Spent some time rigging up reefing, attaching the sails (double reefed main and #3), and fixing the port cam cleat.  We got out on the water a little after 6pm; perfect amount of sail; hull speed 6.x knots on a close reach.  A little overwelmed on the puffs, but good.  John is getting really good on the helm.  We both had our foulies on, and took waves during the first upwind leg.

We had not a bad start, but tanker's cannon was not working, so we were late crossing the line. The course was 1 medium (4.4 nautical miles).  By the last downwind leg, the wind was dying, so we dropped the #3 in favour of a heavy #1 and shook the reefs out of the main.  With the larger sail plan, we had the halyard pop out of their jam cleats BOTH at the same time.  REALLY GOTTA get the cabintop rope clutches and winches mounted!

We came in dead last not too far behind some boats, but probably caught some boats on handicap.

NOPE, came in 3rd of 3: http://www.wyc.ca/index.php/s1

Trip Odometer: 13.76 miles (4.4 mile course!)
Moving Avg: 5.2 knots
Moving Time: 02:39:14

Google Earth Track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120516.kmz



CS34 Electronics

After work I picked up the electronics I ordered from Nat's Marine in Pickering.  Best to support my favourite local chandlery over the online giants.

Raymarine E7 Chart Plotter

http://www.raymarine.com/ProductDetail.aspx?SITE=1&SECTION=2&PAGE=2027&PRODUCT=4380

I chose the E7 because I like the touch screen interface and it will integrate well with the existing Silva intruments, my Android phone, and future upgrades like autopilot/radar/Sirius/etc.  The E7 uses Bluetooth to control music on my phone that will be hooked up below decks to the stereo.  The E7 uses wireless to mirror whatever is on the screen to my phone or future tablet.

I plan on mounting it on the binnacle like this

Standard Horizon Matrix GX2150 DSC VHF with AIS

http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexvs.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=83&encProdID=A2C2F4EB2A092075389DC4199A79B6C1&DivisionID=3&isArchived=0

I chose the Matrix because the existing VHF does not have DSC, and this product is the cheapest AIS receiver on the market.  The integration with the E7 only uses one high speed NMEA 0183 port for both DSC, AIS, and GPS.



After sailing the two boats, I headed to Newcastle for drink for Tuesday pub night.

When I got back to the boat, I unboxed the units, and hooked them all up loosely on the chart table to test functionality.  Even below decks, the E7 acquires satellites very quickly.  I was able to hook the VHF up using NMEA 0183 and see two AIS targets on the chart plotter: Kestal from WYC and a freighter 4.8 miles south of WYC doing 14 knots eastbound.  I input my MMSI, but did not test the DSC functionality.  Also hooked up the other NMEA port to the Nexus server and got depth information.  Did not see speed or wind info and will have to troubleshoot that.

I am really disappointed with the cartography on the E7.  My 10 year old Garmin handheld has better charting and depth information!  As it is now, this chart plotter CANNOT be used to navigate Whitby harbour, as it doesn't even show up on the screen as a harbour. Here in my slip it appears I am on land!  I quickly looked at Toronto harbour, FORGETABOUTIT!  The unit was supposed to come with the Navionics "Silver" Canadian Charts, but I did not see a micro SD card for it in the unit or box.

Think maybe there should have been a micro SD card in the box!

Here is a screen shot from my Android phone Galaxy S2 using the Rayview Application:

What harbour?
I'm not on the hard!!!
You can see the depth being displayed from the Nexus instrument.

Here is an AIS target detail:

Like!


UPDATE: I called Raymarine support and there should be a micro SD card in the box. 

I went out to the car, and it was on the seat!!!


Much Better!
You can see the AIS Target KESTREL near the end of dock 7

CS34 First Sail

After shaking down little Still Time, John and I headed out on Big Still Time.  Didn't want to bother with the main as John had to leave by 8:30pm.

We sailed just with the head sail, doing close to 5 knots most of the time with the wind 8 knots on the beam.

She sailed well.

Trip Odometer: 3.39 nautical miles
Moving Avg: 4.0 knots
Moving Time: 00:50:27

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120515-2.kmz

C22 Shake Down

Got to the club a little after 4pm to get little Still Time ready for racing on Wednesday night.

Good thing I did this today, as the port aft lower shroud would not connect to the chainplate (too short).  I then realized that the forward lowers are 1/2" shorter than the afts.  When putting the mast up on Sunday, I had put both forward lowers on the port side.  Harvey, Dave, and Mark helped me go up the mast with ladder and move the lowers around.  Was a PITA putting the split rings back in the clevis pins!

Would not have been racing if I left this to race night.

After tuning the rig, and attaching all the running rigging, John and I headed out for a shake down cruise.

Winds were 8 knots from the E, we got the boat going over 5 knots.  We sailed out to the race couse and tacked around mark 9.

She sailed well.

Trip Odometer: 2.91 miles
Moving Average: 4.1 knots
Moving Time: 00:42:15

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120515-1.kmz

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Sumac Shake Down

Peter helped me with my mast on Sunday, and wanted to get out on Sumac before racing on Wednesday.  Peter had removed the outside jib tracks and put them further inward on the combing.

Peter and I went out in about 3 knots of breeze from the south and flat waters.

We raised the main in the slip, pushed ourselves off the dock, and sailed away tacking out the channel.

We got the boat moving at 5.5 knots most of the time, as we were generating our own apparent wind (apparently).

We hoisted the spinnaker later to keep our speed up when the breeze started dropping.  Our max speed on the GPS was 6.3 knots under spinnaker.

On the way back, the wind completely dropped, and we had to motor back in.

Peter was please with the track placement.

Trip Odometer: 8.59 miles
Moving Avg: 4.3 knots
Moving Time: 02:00:44

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120514.kmz

After putting the sails away, we headed back to the CS34 for a pump out cruise.  The holding tank was full (the head was backing up) so I learned how to do my first pump out.  When we got back I also filled up the water tanks.

Monday, May 14, 2012

CS34 Moeder's Day

Rita and her Moeder (Dutch for Mom) came by just as we were putting the mast up.

There wasn't any wind to speak of; the wind instrument was registering less than one knot.  We went out for a motor around Whitby.


Moeder and Bogart the shaking dog

Trip Odometer: 4.75 miles
Moving Avg: 4.0 knots
Moving Time: 01:11:40

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120513.kmz


Afterwards we had a nice BBQ at the gazebo.

Sunday, May 13, 2012

C22 Masting

Friday, night had Colleen and Walter pickup all my cushions and sails from the house with their van.  Thanks guys, this saved me several trips in my little car.

Saturday, spent the morning scrubbing the deck and inside of Big Still Time.  Also added the split rings to the turnbuckles.

Got to troubleshooting the mast electrical only to discover that the deck light bulb needed replacement.
Martin didn't have one, so I called Ron at Nats Marine.  Drove to Pickering to pick it up.

Sunday started working on the mast after 2pm.  Peter came by and helped.
  • verified the electrical deck/steaming light was working us a old 12V battery
  • ran the main/fore sail halyards inside the mast
  • attached the mast head
  • attached the antenna
  • attached the new windex
  • attached the uppper and lower shrouds
  • attached the spreaders/boots
  • cut the 1" starboard to size for under the mast plate
  • attached starboard and mast step to coachtop with some silicone
  • attached the new backstay
  • attached the new backstay adjuster
  • attached the external spin halyard to the masthead crane
  • attached the external spin topping lift to the middle of the mast

Peter orginally came over for crew to go out sailing, but alas there flags were drooping.

Still have to before we can race on Wednesday:
  • put a backing plate under stem fitting in bow
  • connect electrical and coax
  • put shroud tubes on
  • tune the rig
  • attach boom
  • attach vang
  • hook up main sheet
  • hook up traveller lines
  • fix port cam cleat
  • clean up the topsides
  • clean up the insides

    Still Time looking more complete

    External spinnaker halyard

    1" starboard plate under mast step

    New adjustable backstay

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

CS34 Klacko Spreader

Quick trip to Klacko Spars in Oakville, and had the owner Danny Klacko pick me out a used spreader and trim it to size.



As for the bushing that goes inside the spreader that I lost overboard, Holland Marine Products said "use an appropriately sized rubber hose".  Works for me!

Monday, May 7, 2012

CS34 Spreader

Went down after work and Tony and John helped me get the damaged spreader down.

We first tied the spare jib halyard off to the toe rail and tensioned it.
We then loosened the upper and intermediate shrouds.

I went up in a bosun's chair and pulled the pin holding the spreader on the mast casting.
The mast casting looks good; could not see any cracks.
There is a scrape on the mast just below the deck light, but no dents.

The aluminum spreader is destroyed:



Hopefully Klacko Spars has a replacement.

CS34 MMC to WYC

Got up at around 9am, made some coffee, and enjoyed breakfast on the boat.

Wanted to get to West Marine, so I confirmed online that they opened at 10am and was 10.4 km from the boat.  However, when we got out of MMC, there was a marathon on, and Lakeshore was only one lane.  I thought, oh, we only have to go four blocks to get on the Gardiner.  Well those four blocks took over half an hour!!!

We picked up some West Marine foulies for both Rita and I, then headed back to the boat.

Quick check of the engine oil, and we casted off.

Leaving Mimico 12:22pm
No sailing because of the damaged spreader, but there was only 1-2 knots of wind on the nose, so it didn't matter anyway.  We went the inner harbour route.  In the western gap, had to do an emergency stop because of the porter ferry.  A Nonsusch 26 coming the other way had to tack.




Once past the Leslie Street spit, we made a direct bee line to Whitby.

Flat water, no wind; we were making 7.4 knots on the knot meter, and 6.9 knots on the GPS with the engine running maxed out @3300 RPM.  It was surprisingly quiet.  We burned a 1/4 tank of diesel.

Off of ABYC, I opened the engine compartment to check for leaks and found nothing.

The autohelm and GPS kept on cutting out, and I determined that it is a shorted wire on the GPS.
I disconnected the GPS and the autohelm worked fine.  When I giggled the disconnected power connection for the GPS, the autohelm cut out.  So we have a loose wire in the binacle.
Off Whitby Yacht Club

Coming in harbour

Thanks Rich for these shots

Arrive Whitby 5:07pm
Click on the above photo and you can see the drooping spreader.

We had all our club friends from Whitby and Newcastle meet us at the dock.
It was a nice reception.  We even got a blast on an airhorn (found out later it was Tony).

Pretty uneventful.  Big Still Time performed admirably.

Had a wonderful BBQ with over a dozen of us.

Trip Odometer: 34.31 nautical miles
Moving Avg: 6.9 knots
Moving Time: 04:55:17

Google Earth track: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/12535935/Still%20Time/2012/20120506.kmz

Sunday, May 6, 2012

CS34 MMC

We left for Mimico at around 3pm; we wanted to get to West Marine to pickup some foul weather gear, but traffic was TERRIBLE in Toronto, and "The Christmas Store" closed at 4pm.

We had the car full with stuff, and we loaded it in the dock cart and the Still Time organized.

We were below and heard a loud BANG!  The whole boat shook.

Went topside and the boat immediately to the bow had their mast fall and our lower spreader caught it!


Had to raise the owners wife up the mast with a bosun's chair with the main halyard and the topping lift as a backup.  She tied the spare jib halyard around the boom.



If the mast didn't hit the spreader, it would have done some severe damage to the boat.



It severely dented the spreader and I don't trust the integrity of it and the spreader casting. 
NO SAILING FOR US!!!
Oh well there isn't any wind anyways.

We called Rita's sister Elly from Burlington, and they were the first visitors on the boat


We had a really nice dinner with Elly and her husband Doug. 




Saturday, May 5, 2012

C22 Launch

Got to the club at 5:45am, and we started lifting docks, the work barge, and the Thunderbirds on trailers right away.  After we started lifting the other boats, there was too many crew, so I was content to just watch.  It was a warm sunny day with not much wind; perfect weather for a launch

Little Still Time in the slings

Start of lift

Clear of cradle


Wow

Keel looks straight

Double WOW

On the way down

At her new slip on dock 7
Motor was stubborn to start, took about 8 pulls, but worked fine after that.

New slip dock 7 is not that great, the aft mooring cleat is broken off.  There is no port mooring cleat, and I need an extension cord to get to the power.  May ask to get switched to another slip.

Best of all, NO LEAKS!

C22 Launch Eve

Got down to the boat at around 4pm.

First cleaned up the stripes with acetone to remove any paint/wax from them.  Threw a quick coat a wax on the hull.

Next masked off the keel joint with masking tape and filled the gap with Sikaflex 15LM.


The VC17 will oxidize to the same colour as this flexible sealant.  Most imporantly, will NOT crack when the keel flexes.

Next mounted the rudder, and hooked up the gas line, as well as hung some lines off the bow and stern for launching.

I gathered up all the tools, wood, and garbage out from under and around the boat.

Walter delivered my motor and we took if off the back of the pickup right onto the mount.





All done, ready for launch!!!