On Board with Mark Corke

Joshua Slocum's voyage

 

 

There can be few sailors that have not heard of Joshua Slocum, the first man to sail around the world single handed. Slocum was born in Nova Scotia in 1844 and was lost at sea in 1909, on his way to the Caribbean aboard 'Spray', the vessel he had used on his voyage around the world some 12 years earlier. If you are interested in Slocum this video makes interesting viewing although it does miss out big chunks of his life, such as how he was arrested in later life, and spent over forty days in jail for indecent exposure. Nonetheless, it's an interesting narrative interspersed with some sailing shots aboard replicas of 'Spray'.

So Long Dad

This blog is normally about all things boaty but I want to take a moment to write about my dad who passed away this past week. Boats were never far from his heart and this picture was taken just a couple of weeks before he died down at the harbor in Ramsgate, England close to where he spent his final years. After spending just about all of the war in the North Atlantic he he left the Royal Navy and went to work for a number of firms supply construction equipment to help in the rebuilding efforts after London was devastated during the wartime air raids. After a few years he managed to save up enough for modest boat, a 20 foot cabin cruiser that 5 of us (yes 5) went away for vacations on. I remember those trips with fond memories; mum, dad and baby sister slept on the boat while my brother and I slept in a tent ashore.

Much later after I started working for the BBC we would take extended trips with the yacht club and traveled all over Europe but mostly to France, Spain, and frequent trips along the English south coast. Dad was meticulous in his note taking and looking back on those logs and photographs now I recall many happy memories.

So long dad, you will be missed, I hope you're enjoying your time in Fiddlers Green.

Tall ship Providence

 

I've just spent two bitterly cold days surveying a large expedition yacht in Newport, RI. We were moored right next to the tall ship 'Providence'. The ship was laying on it's side after it was blown over last week in gusts that are reported to have reached 75 mph according to some reports. There can be no doubt that the ship would be susceptible to high winds as she is very tall from the keel to the rail and in addition her mast which is 75 feet tall was stepped at the time making her even more vulnerable. There have been numerous reports on the initial accident such as this one on the RI patch which gives some basic details but while I was surveying, the Newport shipyard guys were standing the boat upright in sub zero temperatures. In fact it was so cold that the slings on the travel hoist were frozen solid and it took some time before the crane was able to lift the boat enough to get the straps underneath. 

The Providence was built in 1976 from fiberglass and it would appear that as the boat toppled in the strong wind a stand punctured the port side of the hull and it is this that you can see in my pictures below. Much of the repair is to be covered by insurance according to reports with any shortfall made up , hopefully, from a crowd funding campaign which was started withing hours of the boat falling but has since been placed on hold for some strange reason.  The damage is extensive which aside from the very visible hole which I estimate to be about 4 feet in diameter includes large cracks almost extending from the keel to gunwale.  What I did notice from my admittedly cursory inspection was that the fiberglass laminates where these were exposed appeared to be a little devoid of resin and to my eye at least the laminates looked a little white but that may well have had something to do with the way the damage was sustained and shearing forces that the fiberglass was exposed to as the boat fell. In addition to the hull damage the mast and bowsprit both snapped so these will need to be replaced also and I am sure that there is internal damage which I was unable to see so repair costs are likely to be high. According to the yard manager at Newport Shipyard now that the boat is back on it's feet the damaged area is going to be tented to keep the weather out and an asessment of the damage to be undertaken.

You can learn more about the 'Providence' on the ships website which ironically makes no mention of the damage on their news page as of the time of writing.

 

 

Favorite Boat number 5 - Grand Banks 32

The fifth installment in an (very) occasional series on boats which interest me. I've always loved the look and style of the Grand Banks Trawlers especially the models with the larger rear cockpit.  With the present 43 classic starting at 1.5 million of thereabouts this is beyod the reach of many but one of the older smaller 32's could be just the ticket and a boat that I like a lot.

 

The Grand Banks 32 was in production for more than 25 years. When the last one was splashed in 1996 861 of the venerable little cruisers had been built. Initially built of wood production changed to fiberglass in the mid 70's reputedly without the factory telling consumers and dealers. In fact little changed over the production run of the boats and from a distance it is hard to tell a well cared for wooden example from a later fiberglass boat. Power comes from a single six cylinder naturally aspirated Ford Lehman engine of either 120 or 135 hp which gives a stately cruising speed in the 8 knot range. Although no race horse the displacement hull is sea kindly and will keep going in conditions that will have other boats heading for home. Fuel consumption at cruising speed is a miserly two and half gallons per hour so it is possible to cruise all day without breaking the bank. Make no mistake this a is a heavy boat with a displacement of 17000 pounds. A solid lay up and quality construction means that the 32 like the other boats in the Grand Banks line up retain their prices and you can expect to pay around $100,000 for a late 80's model.

Grand Banks are not without their problems however and the Achilles heels with these boat is mostly centered around the fuel tanks with leaking tanks a common topic of conversation amongst owners. Many have been replaced by now but a boat with the original tanks may require tank replacement at some time which can be a costly and difficult job.

 

The layout for of the vessel is seaman like and thoughtful. Rather than extend the salon out to the sides of the hull the 32 has large proper walk around decks, high secure handrail and easy access to the foredeck where you will find a short bowsprit with room for not one but two anchors. Early boats had the galley toward the aft of the salon but this was soon changed to move the galley forward along the port side. There is ample worktop space, hot and cold water, a deep stainless sink, an under counter fridge and a large oven and cook top; propane is stored under the seat on the fly bridge where any leaks are vented safely over the side. The lower helm is to starboard of the galley and has good all around visibility thanks to a plethora of windows. Aft of the helm and galley is the main seating area with settees to port and starboard and a sole mounted drop leaf table for dining. Talking of the sole this is one of the first things that you notice on coming through the aft door from the cockpit. Burmese teak is used for the parquet flooring in the salon and forward Vee berth and oozes quality as does the joinery throughout the boat. Teak is everywhere and at times it is hard forget that this is a fiberglass boat, doors and drawers on Seaglass still close with a reassuring click just as they surely did 25 years ago when the boat was first constructed.

The sleeping cabin is forward down 3 steps from the salon and with an infill in place the bed is huge. The heads compartment is to starboard and includes an electric toilet vanity and with the use of a curtain a decent sized shower that drains through a teak grating into a sump.

 

Hinge up and lift out panels in the salon sole give good access to the main engine, batteries and other mechanical parts. Having a single engine on the center line makes for decent access for servicing and other routine work. A 12 gallon water heater is off to one side and holding tank on the other. Tucked under the side decks are the twin 125 gallon fuel tanks and aft on Seaglass at least is the 5KW Kohler generator and twin 8D batteries.

 

The fly bridge is accessed via a teak ladder on the port side of the cockpit which like the rest of the deck is overlaid with teak. There are a couple of back to back seats with room for 6. A mast set on a hinging bracket makes a good place to mount antennas and radar and the boom can be used to lift the dinghy into the water or to set a steadying sail to keep the boat head to wind in an anchorage.

 

Grand Banks practically defined the market and invented the word trawler for the recreational boater. With their distinctive clipped shear and handsome looks the Grand Banks 32 still looks as fresh today as it did 40 years ago.

 

LOA 32' Beam 11'6” draft 3'9”

Displacement 17,000

Fuel 250 galls

Water 110

Whip end dip

Sorry for the tardiness of posting as of late but Typepad my blog hosting service seems to have been having lots of issues of late and even though I have been trying to post these have not made it as far as the web. 
Anyway, moving on I thought you may be interested on my thoughts, or not, on whip end dip which is product which it is claimed makes sealing the end of rope a piece of cake. The theory is that you merely have to paint this stuff on the end of a line and it will no more unravel itself. Up until now I have used a variety of methods which vary with my mood, the amount of time that I have available and the type of rope with which I am working. These vary from fancy whipping using pre waxed twine in a contrasting color which takes both time and patience to simply cutting and melting the end of nylon rope which is fast and effective but not at all stylish. So in search of the holy grail or something that was both somewhat more stylish and effective I purchased some Whip End Dip in red the bottle of which is shown above. Alas I was sorely dissapointed. According to the instructions one simply paints this onto the rope circumference where you wish to make the cut, then after it dries slice through the rope before a final application to seal the cut end. Alas the product fails on all counts. Expecting a product that was somehow sort of a plastic coat it turns out to be of a similar nature to nail polish and is about as effective. Even though I had the foresight to place plenty of paper towels down I was even with care liberally coated with red after trying the product. Suffice to say I soon resort to the cut and burn method to make new pennants for my fenders. What I did find Whip End Dip useful for however was marking the anchor rode, a product for which it is eminently suited.

Instant glue

Often times you can hold things together with a clamp whilst the epoxy or other type of glue cures but sometimes that is next to impossible. The parts, as is often the case on boats are of an awkward nature and clamping is not an option. To overcome this I often resort to using an instant glue. This won't hold large parts together but it is very strong and is ideal for small parts. I've been building a canoe recently and this has many small section ash parts which are about 8 mm is section and are the very devil to hold in place but as soon as resorted to the instant glue my problems were solved. Zap A Gap is my favorite but I think that this is only available to pro users but there are other makes and you can find these at the local DIY store.

One engine or two?

One of the never ending questions whenever power boaters get together is the thorny question of whether a boat should have one engine or two. There are arguments for both of course. Owners of twin screw boats will tell you that with two engines you have a spare if one should break down and that maneuvering in close quarters is easier. Owners of single engined craft will argue that only having one engine is simpler, you don't have to buy two of everything, there is more room in the engine room and if you are a skilled boat handler you should be able to dock a boat just fine with only one engine. 

For the last forty years I have only ever owned a boat with only one engine, true most of those boats have also had sails as auxiliary power if the engine were to fail but I have never as yet had a an engine that would not start and left me stranded. There have been times when I have sailed off the mooring and gone considerable distances without ever turning on the iron topsail and even come along side all under sail mostly for the smugness factor but I was fairly confident that the engine was there and would start if I ever needed it. The proponents of the two engine approach will often drive considerable distances in their cars with only one engine with nary a thought of what might happen if things go awry but in truth motors whether they be in cars or boats are pretty reliable. There will always be times when unexpected things happen and the engine might break down but these are generally pretty rare and it seems that a straw poll of some Boat US and Seatow guys that I know often say that they get calls out not because the engine has actually broken down but because the owner has run out of gas or has left the stereo on to long and flattened the battery.

I have operated my fair share of twin engined boats and I will agree that these can be easier to operate around the docks but having an engine costing 30 grand just to make things a bit easier around the docks is going a bit overboard if you will pardon the pun.

A 40 foot Nordhavn has completed a 24000 mile journey around the globe on one engine without it appears any sort of major mechanical mishap. Testament if ever there was one to the suitability of long distance power voyaging on one engine.  

Most engine failures can almost always be attributed to poor maintenance, providing that a diesel engine gets a clean supply of fuel, regular oil changes, cooling water and a goodly supply of clean air it will run for years. 

I used to work for the BBC many years ago and the transport department had what they called a twenty two and half mile an hour agreement. This meant that the average speed of any of the trucks was calculated to be twenty two and half miles per hour over the life of the truck. This figure was calculated allowing for time that the truck would be stuck in traffic, running on congested streets and the open road. It worked out pretty accurately. Therefore if we interpolate this to the average cruising boat with say 1500 hours on the engine that works out to a measly 33,750 road miles. For a diesel engine this is nothing and is just about run in.

Most boat engines be they diesel or gas rarely wear out most rust away from lack of use. 

So although I have not settled the debate as to one or two engines I am firmly down on the side of the single engine camp. For my money it is favorite for one thing there is more room in the engine room and thus maintenance is easier and more likely to be completed correctly and as Nordhavn have proved a single engine is perfectly capable of safe long trips and I don't expect they worried to much about not having that second engine as they pulled into the docks at Dana Point marina!

 

Tree Frog pad

No matter how well you may be organized aboard there is always some small bits and pieces that you need to find a home for. At the helm I like to have my cell phone, a couple of pens and other such detritus close at hand. The trouble is that you often put them in what you think is a pretty secure place only to have them vibrate across the console and crash to the floor. Placing them a cup holder works of sorts but you can't see the screen on the phone and with everything jumbled up together damge is possible. The Tree Frog Pad really seems to be the answer to my prayers. Resembling what I can best describe as a small cutting mat the pad is super sticky and clings to almost any surface. No more than an eighth of an inch in thickness the pad stays in place even on vertical surfaces if you wish although don't expect it to hold a cell phone in place at this angle. But at a 45 degree angle it works perfectly for holding whatever I place on it in. 

The pad has a rather unusual feel and does feel sticky to the touch although this is the nature of the material which does not in fact have any adhesive attached to it. The pad does pick up bits of dirt, and what my wife refers to as belly button fluff but this is easily washed off under a warm faucet without effecting the stickiness of the pad whatsoever.

The best part about the pad is that you can use it any where and you do not have to screw into the boat. Not as robust as perhaps the SeaSucker mount that I blogged about here and here but then again it is meant for a different purpose. A 7 by 9 inch pad costs $12 which is worth the price if only for all those times that I do not have to bend and pick my phone off the cabin sole.

Sea Doo Spark

Quite frankly I never thought I would get out on the water today. Miami was far from sunny this morning and torrential rain looked like it would spoil my test of the Sea Doo Spark personal water craft. Fortunately the rain died away and this afternoon I was able to get out for a spin. Many readers will be familiar with See Doo, they have been around for good number of years now and manufacture a range or PWC from the Spark up to much larger and more expensive models. Sea Doo are part of the larger corporation that is BRP, manufacturers of Evinrude motors, one name that everyone will have heard of. The press outing was to introduce the Spark, which actually came out at the end of last year, to the press down here at the Miami show. With a starting price tag of a dollar under five grand I think that it represents a good deal for those who may be in the market for an entry level PWC. Although I am used to traveling at more sedate speeds I do have to say that I did have a lot of fun out on the water. It was windy and choppy but I touched close to 40 mph on several occasions and became airborne more than once. The Spark is powered by a three cylinder 900 cc four stroke Rotax engine that has ample power. The Spark was very responsive and more than once almost threw me off the back had it not been for a firm handhold on the bars. The hull and deck are constructed not from fiberglass but a material that Sea Doo call Polytec, no doubt faster and cheaper to produce than the FRP that otherwise dominates the market. The Polytec also contributes to the light 400 pounds weight which I am sure has a fair bit to do with the nippy performance. So would I buy one, well yes I think I might if I had the five thousand to spare. I never thought I would say that but the performance/value factor is hard to beat, in truth I still have a grin on my face! The shot above is of one of my fellow journalists which I took from the chase boat and the other is of the safety briefing before we were let loose to zoom around the bay.

Miami Boat Show

For the next five days the Miami boat show is taking place. I arrived yesterday and managed to have a swift look around before it officially opens today. One of the things that cauught my eye is 'Fred's Shed' a picture of which is above. Miami has always had a pretty healthy seminar program but these have tended to have been relegated to a back room somewhere and have not, in my opinion been promoted perhaps as much as they should have. So it is interesteing to see that this year that the organizers have given over a space in the main hall for the space that you see here. I will be interested to see how this works out but some of the topics that will be in the 'shed', an area made to look somewhat like a small workshop in clude diesel maintenance, fuel systems, outboard overhaul and so on; basically a more hands on approach where it appears engines and such like will actually be worked on in from of the participants. Great to see this sort of thing at a major show front and center and I do hope that it is a success for all concerned. I've run seminars such as this myself and they really are an eye opener with to my mind at least the Q and A section at the end th most useful part. This should work well for manufacturers of engines other similar equipment too who can learn a lot about how their customers feel about their products and thus gain valuable feed back for both marketing and engineering teams. More later.