Tuesday, June 27, 2017
Friday, June 23, 2017
ICOM IC-M23
Answer: Always.
And this is the story. I have two handheld radios on board Reboot. Despite changing them, installing new batteries and being very careful in their use they always die long before I am done. Since a handheld is a major safety item in the dinghy I decided I better purchase a new one before heading to Indonesia. Icom™ makes excellent radio equipment. They were my choice. I purchased the IC-M23 as I only needed a budget model. My only concern was the charger. Australia is 240V 50Hz and Reboot is wired for 110V 60Hz. Most new electronics come with "world chargers" as did the Icom. A simple plug adapter and I was good to go. Or so I thought. I was wrong. It turns out that Icom tailors their radios to "country of use." As a world cruiser my answer is of course ALL OF THEM! That is not how it works. My new radio has International and US channel sets but does not have Canadian or ATIS. Interesting. And disappointing. Another lesson learned the hard way.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Thursday, June 22, 2017
AIS and Marine Traffic
Fair winds and following seas :)
Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Worst Solar Day
As a cruising sailor today has significant emotional connotations. Long term cruising viability depends on two things: food and power. It is unlikely that one could catch enough food to survive in the long term. So we provision. Power on the other hand represents a set of trade offs. We can use fuel to move or make water. We use it to run the navigation electronics, communications and lights. Reboot has two sources of fuel: diesel and solar. (Some boats also have wind generators.) Since like food we can only replenish diesel in port solar is a very significant source of power.
Today is the worst day for solar power generation. (Yes, rainy and cloudy days are bad but they are not cyclical.) The shortest day means least power generation, the longest night most power usage. For the past month we have been very careful in our electricity usage. We will have to continue to be for the next month but we have turned the corner. A nice feeling.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Monday, June 19, 2017
Solar woes
Saturday, June 17, 2017
MOVREP 171835ZJUN2017 Reboot
20 15.898 S
148 43.087 E
Course 345 T
Speed 4.0 Knots
Wind SW 10
Wave Flat
Sky Clear with ground haze
Baro 1021
1 POB + 1 (wonder) cat + cat material
ETA 3 days
Captain Roger J Jones
Friday, June 16, 2017
Night Lights
Fair winds and following seas :)
Scarry
But here is what happened that is even more concerning. It happened in "people you might know." One suggestion linked to a beautiful young girl. I had no idea who she was or why she was suggested . After a couple of hours of subconscious though it dawned on me that 20 years ago I knew a man near my age with the same last name. He had a beautiful wife and at least one very young daughter. We have not spoken nor emailed each other in 20 years. My current Facebook email address did not exist 20 years ago. You have guessed the punchline. This beautiful young woman was his grown up daughter. Somehow Facebook had figured out a connection. I ask, how is this protecting my (or her, or his) privacy?
Fair winds and following seas :)
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
SITREP 150316ZJUN2017
20 15.309 S
148 43.701 E
Interesting transit. Mostly moderate winds and seas. Wind would die at sunset and come back several hours later. Until I got within 25 nm of Airlie Beach. Then 6' waves and 25 knot winds. Made for a long final approach. Now at anchor. Will relax and make sure the anchor has a good set. Into town tomorrow. Fair winds and following seas :)
MOVREP 142100ZJUN2017 (Reboot)
149 00.436 E
Course 338 T
Speed 7.0 knots
Wind S 23 G 27
Wave S 4 - 6 feet
Sky 40% Cumulus
Barometer 1024
38.6 NM to Airlie Beach
All OK
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
MOVREP 091800ZJUN2917
150 25.149 E
Course 308 True
Speed 4.5 knots
Wind SSE 18 knots
Wave SW 3-5 feet
Sky 10%
Barometer 1025
142 nm to go
All OK. Near Townshend Island. Pretty night. Almost full moon. XO has been very needy. Wants to cuddle for warmth. He had a pukie moment but managed to not throw up. I think he is dealing with a hairball and I will see it soon.
Doing some detailed planning for Indonesia. Apparently very few services until we get to Bali. That means being provisioned for the transit and another six weeks. After Airlie Beach I stop in Cairns for mail and on to the rally fleet rendezvous at Thursday Island. It looks to me like the best place to load up will be Arlie. So provisioning like an ocean transit. My wallet will take a hit!
One of the hardest things to find when I was island hopping in the Pacific was pet supplies. I will have to bulk up on litter and food. Should be fun to find a place to store everything. Fortunately I took advantage of my Pacific crossing experience and have added spares for Reboot: filters, fluids, fuses, etc. The sails, standing rigging and ground tackle are pretty new so I hope not to have issues with them. We will see how it goes. My crewmember running over a wreck and causing $3,500 damage wasn't planned either. Nor was his well it's your boat so eat the cost attitude.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Apparent Wind
Monday, June 12, 2017
MOVREP (Reboot)
130321ZJUN2017
22 39.928 S
150 55.961 E
Course 336 T
Speed 4.5 kt
Wind S 12.3 (True wind)
Wave WSW 3 feet
Baro 1022 - 2
Sky Clear
211 nm to go
Fair winds and following seas :)
Underway Again
Forecast
Sunday, June 11, 2017
Saturday, June 10, 2017
Its Finest Hour
Monday, June 5, 2017
Sunday, June 4, 2017
London Attack
As I travel the world I am frequently asked about the "gun culture" of the USA. I usually answer that except for acquaintances who hunt and an occasional trip to the range I don't really know much about it other than the right to arm oneself is burned into the American psyche.
As I read the most recent news about London it struck me that this could have happened in New York, LA, Chicago (where only gang members carry) or a number of other major cities in the US. All have taken intense steps to disarm their law abiding citizens. Since every major massacre in the US in recent history has taken place in a "gun free zone" this strategy seems to have major problems.
I don't know the right answer. But the fact is that there are thousands of these crazy people in Europe and the USA already. More border controls may keep more out but that is just closing the barn door after the horse is gone. I don't see "shelter in place" a viable strategy unless we change the architecture of our buildings.
One would think that sailing would extract oneself from the danger. But the truth is that many of the places we visit have similar problems.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Saturday, June 3, 2017
Upwind woes
Reboot (a 42' Catalina) is an excellent light air boat. That is great most of the time. Rounding Fisher Island into Hervey Bay (near Bundaberg, Australia) I was confronted with 25 knot winds gusting 30 and 2 meter breaking seas. My destination (Bundaberg) was directly up wind. With my jib set at 30% of "J" I was close to theoretical hull speed. My main was on the "fourth reef", that is the furling bag on the boom. I couldn't point high enough to make any real headway. When I tacked the set and drift nullified my progress. I was solo sailing but considered putting up the main to the third reef to point higher. I was very concerned that I'll lose control if I did. Being solo means all sail changes are very slow. Thoughts on how you would handle this situation?
Postscript: Finding myself blown 25 nm north of Bundaberg with wind and wave forecast unchanged for the next three days and low on fuel I boogied to Gladstone. I considered motoring into Bundaberg but could only make about 2 knots SOG. My fuel would have run out long before my arrival.
Post Postscript: I was coming off a long transit. Suggestions to wait for better weather would not be appreciated.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Friday, June 2, 2017
Tasman Sea
Now I am back in the Coral Sea but behind the Great Barrier Reef. Not much protection at the moment. Winds Southeast at 25 knots and 6 foot seas. At least I am heading downwind.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Thursday, June 1, 2017
Reboot MOVREP
I will miss Bundaberg. It was my first port of call in Australia.
Fair winds and following seas :)
Boat Bite
Fair winds and following seas :)
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Recently a female poster in one of the forums I read asked question about purchasing that first boat and living aboard. I decided to copy my...
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Part 1 is here: http://blog.sailboatreboot.com/2014/10/living-aboard-and-buying-boat.html Part 3 is here: http://blog.sailboatreboot.com/...
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Before we left Sydney I tightened the fan belt on the advice of the mechanic. On our trip across Morton Bay this morning of course it snappe...