Inflatable dinghies

[chris_v339]

Hi Flor,
My home port is les Marines des Cogolin at the top of the gulf of St Tropez. Unfortunately I am in Australia or I would suggest we meet up during your visit. Have a good trip, Port Camargue is a nice area for sailing
Regards
Chris

 

[pelagicasd]

Hi Craig, Sorry about the delay getting back to you. Just got back from
picking up the new trailer.
Lyric will be in Crescent City just below the California/Oregon border. We
spent a week in Monterey on our way down the coast. Interesting entrance to
the marina in Monterey. We slowly motored in during the middlle of the night
and got caught by that horrible surge. Turned us sideways and almost wrecked
us!
In regards to the query on storm sailing. After we left Monterey we got
caught of the Big Sur coast by what the weather station called a fast
approaching low with seas to 30 feet and winds to 50 knots. With a rocky lee
shore we went out and met it. We hove to with 2 reefs and the jib down by
lashing the tiller on the same side as the boom. The jib up would have
stopped our forward motion. We made about a knot an hour away fom the shore.
Cockpit got about half filled when one wave broke over the bow and rolled
across the cabin top and dodger. Took forever to empty. When we got to the
marina in Long Beach we put 2 extra drains in the cockpit. We carried a sea
anchor made from a navy surplus drogue parachute. It's about 7 or 8 feet
across but we never used it. I think if the winds had reached 60 knots we
would have tried it. Lin and Larry Pardey wrote about this particular size
anchor and how to use it. I forget the title of that book though. Walt

 

[vegatern]

Walt, you are right about the surge through the "slot". I watched one
evening as a Sheild sailed through, caught the surge and heeled with a
gust at the same moment. As she heeled she caught a piling with the
backstay and the mast buckled and collapsed. I know it happened
quickly, but in my mind, and I think at the time as well, it all
seemed to pass in slow motion.
I have been a bit concerned with the high coamings on the Vega and
have been thinking of adding additional cockpit drains, perhaps 2
large drains a bit above the existing ones and also cutting and fiber
glassing in two "hawse holes" in the stern coaming. I just haven't had
the nerve to do it. I would think that if the cockpit were full a
large amount of water would find it's way below through the engine
cover and cockpit lockers. I would like to find a way to waterproof
the locker lids.
Craig, Tern #1519

 

[rchrdcoe]

As to adding cockpit drains, how about converting the bilge pump
that is built into the floor of the cockpit? Remove the plunger and
connect it to an overboard drain in the transom. Would that work?
Richard V1812