Gusting over 25kts, we were sailing by rocks I sunk the boat on 21 years ago. A message popped up on my phone, "Your Navionics acct has expired"

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
21 years ago, I was eyeball piloting on a paper chart in my lap. I'd been through the opening (plenty wide, about 300 yards), many times. The rocks I hit are well marked on the chart, but they go underwater about 2/3rds of the tidal change.

The only problem then was, I wasn't where I thought I was, on the chart(not that rare an occurrence for me,...I recall).

Current set(?),...poor accuracy as I glanced bearings over the binnacle-compass. Maybe I should have gone below (after dropping the sails) and read the Loran and plotted my location, speed, course accurately on the paper chart? I chalk it up to laziness and a B-rate navigator.

We managed to get up and down the coast between Canada and the Bahamas - twice in fact - with Loran helping us (except in the Bahamas I remember), but I don't miss the old ways one bit.

Back to yesterday's shake-down cruise; there was no panic on the expired Navionics. I had the onboard CP zoomed to cover the area between the rocks, and most importantly; CHRISTMAS, smack in the middle of the chart with the GPS pointer telling me I was headed right up the middle.

I still like to use two CP's so I asked Mary Ann if I could borrow her phone that has Navionics on it (I found later that my phone was in fact still operating as a CP, despite the expiration. Thank you Navionics.

It was fun and relaxing (after I got used to the wind), to be safely threading our way under reduced sail. With just 85-100% of the genoa drawing and the mizzen flying, we were able to sail due West(270 on CP) into a 230 degree brisk Southwester(so the NOAA buoy 3 miles away was reporting).

While paying close attention to my location and surrounding hazards as I sailed the boat through on one CP, Mary Ann's phone, set at a larger scale, showed that we could fetch Camden Harbor on the western shore of Penobscot Bay, on this tack.

Sailing at between 6 and 7+ knots, her CP said we'd be there in less than an hour (hold lunch).

We slid right into the harbor without having to deal with dousing sails outside in the 25kt winds. Furling limps sails inside, we felt the heat! We had used every blanket onboard to sleep the night before in the islands out in the cool bay. Now we were stripping off jackets, rolling up the front of the dodger and wishing we had the awning flying.

Camden in the Southwesterly was out of the cooling effect of the 55 degree ocean water.

2021 should be a great season sailing in the land of fire and ice.

Camden 2021 shake down cruise.jpg
 
Jan 2, 2017
765
O'Day & Islander 322 & 37 Scottsdale, AZ & Owls Head, ME
Yes it’s been blowing a bit and hot and humid for Maine. Plan to go out tomorrow in lighter winds. Looking for cooler air.
This beauty slid past my mooring this morning while I was regrouting the teak.
1624915427657.jpeg
 
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Jan 22, 2008
8,050
Beneteau 323 Annapolis MD
Yes it’s been blowing a bit and hot and humid for Maine. Plan to go out tomorrow in lighter winds. Looking for cooler air.
This beauty slid past my mooring this morning while I was regrouting the teak.
View attachment 195739
That looks like a sister ship to the 2 "Woodwinds" tourist boats out of Annapolis.
 

MFD

.
Jun 23, 2016
93
Hunter 41DS Seattle
Congrats for 'getting back on the horse' after having been bucked at same location/environment before.
As always - the Mk1 eyeball is the best navigator. Doesn't work so well in fog, but is definitely better than GPS anytime/anywhere around coasts and rocks?
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Congrats for 'getting back on the horse' after having been bucked at same location/environment before.
As always - the Mk1 eyeball is the best navigator. Doesn't work so well in fog, but is definitely better than GPS anytime/anywhere around coasts and rocks?
Unfortunately, like a lot of Maine hazards, this one is invisible to the eyes except for a few hours both sides of LW.

The only way to avoid it while passing is to know where it and your boat, are.

Since my mishap 21 years ago, several GPS screens have shown the boat hitting the rock at the moment of impact.

This boat, ARCHANGEL had 2 large screens in the cockpit. Sadly, the eyes onboard weren't glancing at those screens while passing.

Archangel wreck Goose Rocks 2013.jpg
 
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Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
Unfortunately, like a lot of Maine hazards, this one is invisible to the eyes except for a few hours both sides of LW.

The only way to avoid it while passing is to know where it and your boat, are.

Since my mishap 21 years ago, several GPS screens have shown the boat hitting the rock at the moment of impact.

This boat, ARCHANGEL had 2 large screens in the cockpit. Sadly, the eyes onboard weren't glancing at those screens while passing.

View attachment 195838
Tom, what ever happened to Archangel? We communicated at the time and she was hauled off the ledge (with which I was very, very familiar) and towed over to Camden I think it was for repairs.
Rick
 

TomY

Alden Forum Moderator
Jun 22, 2004
2,758
Alden 38' Challenger yawl Rockport Harbor
Tom, what ever happened to Archangel? We communicated at the time and she was hauled off the ledge (with which I was very, very familiar) and towed over to Camden I think it was for repairs.
Rick
The impact of ARCHANGEL was so severe, the carbon fibre rig collapsed. Amazingly, the keel to hull connection withstood the impact and the boat made it's way to the travelift on it's own (after the rig was cleared away). It was repaired over the following winter and is now back in charter. There was a professional captain onboard during that accident.

Archangel docks.jpg
 
Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
The impact of ARCHANGEL was so severe, the carbon fibre rig collapsed. Amazingly, the keel to hull connection withstood the impact and the boat made it's way to the travelift on it's own (after the rig was cleared away). It was repaired over the following winter and is now back in charter. There was a professional captain onboard during that accident.

View attachment 195844
Thanks Tom.
Probably an ex professional captain with a new career after the grounding.
 
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Oct 1, 2007
1,856
Boston Whaler Super Sport Pt. Judith
The impact of ARCHANGEL was so severe, the carbon fibre rig collapsed. Amazingly, the keel to hull connection withstood the impact and the boat made it's way to the travelift on it's own (after the rig was cleared away). It was repaired over the following winter and is now back in charter. There was a professional captain onboard during that accident.

View attachment 195844
Speak of the devil !
She is at this moment anchored just north of the Mt. Hope bridge in RI, sheltering from the storm. Her track seems to indicate she is on her way up to Maine.