One Leg Forward, One Step Back

[Roger Long]

I woke up early in Solomons, excited and pain free. After a quick breakfast, I bailed out the dinghy, cast off the lines, and headed out into the fog. Visibility and light appeared off Drum Point and I started heading up the bay. The engine has never sounded better. Once the air dried out and warmed up a bit, there was no visible smoke.

The wind was rising and the chop increasing. One of Strider’s best features is her ability to buck into a head sea like a little trawler yacht. We hit a point though where the short chop was just right and did a few full body slams and heavy pitching. This rare misbehavior eased as the tail of the flood turned to slack and let the seas lengthen out a bit.

The crab pots aren’t out yet so I was able to spend most of the time sitting under the companionway watching the radar and sticking my head out about every 5 minutes. This was good because it let me keep my back braced and I was starting to notice that it needed it.

When I stopped off Oxford entrance, I noticed “old car” oil smoke coming out of the exhaust. That gave me a sinking feeling. Hopefully it is just the pitching washing oil up the crankcase sides so that it got into the breather. No sign of leaks and dipstick level right on the money. It’s probably only a sooty transom issue but, if it persists, my next step will be to try Mainesail’s suggestion and reconnect the separator with the filter element removed. This will trap any solid oil and let me assess how much is going through the system. I wonder if this smoke might be why the PO removed the hose from the intake years ago.

Becky, my old friend from my Woods Hole days, was waving from the point as I entered the harbor. I put out the anchor in about 6 feet of water in Cemetery Creek, let out the generous scope and put the engine in reverse. The boat went sailing backwards before I could even bring up the RPM. I retrieved the gear just off someone’s dock, went farther out and set about 12:1 scope with the Kellett on the end of the chain. This got enough bite to go ashore in the light winds but would still drag with a slight application of power. This is the softest mud I’ve seen yet.

By the time I got ashore I realized that I was in trouble with my back which put a bit of a damper on my reunion with Becky. We ate lunch at Schooners and I couldn’t believe how tired I was for just a short 32 nm leg under power.

Becky called a friend for advice about local anchoring spots and it turned out that he owns an unused slip that goes with a house he just bought. I ran the boat around to it and Becky met me to tie it up. She has her own back problems and has learned a lot about them. She massaged all the kinks out and I realized my whole spine was like a piece of heavy rope that has been drifting around on the bottom into a snarl. Isometrics take energy and I’m sure that my unusual fatigue was due to just keeping all those muscles so tight.

My back feels virtually restored but the hip/spine joint thing that is the root of this whole long term problem is at the alarm stage. Just a 12 mile round trip in a car was painful. It’s very frustrating because there are a couple of great sporty sailing days coming up but I don’t think I’m going to be doing any sailing for a while. I can stay in this slip for a while. Becky suggests seeing her physical therapist here since I’m committed to being in the area until April 18. An excellent suggestion, I think because I’m not going anywhere in this condition. I’m not even looking forward to climbing off the boat onto the dock.

 

[Bob J.]

I see an anchor windless in your future Roger

 

[kloudie1]

I feel for ya, Roger.. I was one of those dis-believers in the amount of pain a back problem causes..until I experienced it first hand.. Muscle relaxers a good massage therapist, possible chiropractic treatment .. all have a need for consideration .. best luck to ya on healing.

 

[Roger Long]

I see an anchor windless in your future

Unfortunately, due to the foredeck configuration of this vessel, I need a new boat to go under the anchor windlass. That's probably not in the cards.

 

[caguy]

I see an anchor windless in your future Roger

I agree that's why I'm looking to install one. There are all kinds of techniques for easily pulling up the rode but the chain and anchor still needs to be retrieved. That is the worst kind of lifting for a bad back.
It sounds like you have a mild case of Sciatica. I know it doesn't feel mild to you but it will get worse with out rest, stretching, cortisone or surgery. I had surgery after being laid up for 6 months with it in 1995. I finally threatened a law suit if the insurance company did not give me an MRI. They finally approved it and found a herniated disk pushing against my spinal chord. That pain traveled through my hip and down the back of my leg. My leg finally became so paralyzed from the cramping that it finally became totally useless. The operation went well but required another 2 months of bed rest. That is a worst case scenario. I was fine until last September and spent 5 weeks in bed because I couldn't get up. The MRI this time showed the collapsed disk had oozed into the foramen or channel thorough which the nerve passes. The insurance company approved me for surgery. I opted for a cortisone shot but by the time the insurance company approved that 5 weeks of bed rest and physical therapy cured me. I understand that the cortisone shots are like a miracle cure. Once you've had sciatica you become a member of the secret brotherhood of sciatica. I've met a lot of people who suffer from it and most have had the "shot" and swear by it. If it creeps up on me again I will get a shot of cortisone immediately.
The other cure is avoid heavy lifting or even light lifting that requires your body extended.
Best of luck Roger, I feel you're pain.

 

[justsomeguy]

Stretch your hamstrings and quadriceps.

 

[Benny17441]

The engine bucked the load of a strong current and got you to Oxford with no noticeable loss of oil. What is a little oil burning under heavy load? Relax and don't do anything and just keep observing engine operation and the oil level. Give it some time and regain confidence in its operation before bringing in other variables into the mix. That oil separator is highly suspect in contributing to the problem you previously had. What it will and will not do with or without a filter is really an unknown. I don't think just now is the time to experiment. Relax and take care of your back.

 

[Stephen Trapani]

I feel sorry for people who have to settle for physical therapy for spinal problems because they don't know what a good chiropractor can do.

 

[CarlN]

I wouldn't dismiss the anchor windlass so quickly. It might be the difference of a few more years of cruising.

Assuming that you will break out the anchor with engine power, you only need a windlass that can lift the weight of the anchor, 30ft of chain (max anchoring depth), and whatever mud is on the anchor - I assume that's south of 150lbs.

I haven't been on an Endeavor 32's bow for decades, but what if you just reinforced the hinges and/or added more latches on the anchor hatch and mounted a small windlass right through the hatch? Something like this:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|29596|321926|649413&id=1960226

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|29596|321922|322389&id=908812

And as one who's used CQR's, Delta's and Danforths for decades, it's hard to exaggerate the difference an anchor like the Manson Supreme makes in daily cruising life (and nightly sleep). It sets and then resets after a wind/tide change so reliably that I've stopped fooling with two anchors, kellets, and more than 7-1 scope. Put one on a roller with a windlass and remove the single biggest boat risk to your back.

Carl

 

[caguy]

I wouldn't dismiss the anchor windlass so quickly. It might be the difference of a few more years of cruising.

Assuming that you will break out the anchor with engine power, you only need a windlass that can lift the weight of the anchor, 30ft of chain (max anchoring depth), and whatever mud is on the anchor - I assume that's south of 150lbs.

I haven't been on an Endeavor 32's bow for decades, but what if you just reinforced the hinges and/or added more latches on the anchor hatch and mounted a small windlass right through the hatch? Something like this:

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|29596|321926|649413&id=1960226

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10391|29596|321922|322389&id=908812

And as one who's used CQR's, Delta's and Danforths for decades, it's hard to exaggerate the difference an anchor like the Manson Supreme makes in daily cruising life (and nightly sleep). It sets and then resets after a wind/tide change so reliably that I've stopped fooling with two anchors, kellets, and more than 7-1 scope. Put one on a roller with a windlass and remove the single biggest boat risk to your back.

Carl

How deep does the anchor locker have to be for that to work? I've considered that on the Cat 27 but I'm not sure if the locker is deep enough for the rode and chain to pile up.

 

[DeniseO30]

I feel sorry for people who have to settle for physical therapy for spinal problems because they don't know what a good chiropractor can do.

Uh right, like the Chiro I had that didn't even know what a U tract infection was?

 

[Kettlewell]

Do you have a proper chain stopper on there? That can help a lot when retrieving an anchor and chain as you can snug it up and then relax, snug it up then relax, repeat.

 

[Tom J]

Similar back issues here, Roger. I always dread the thought of my back acting up while I'm cruising. I would suggest you consider going to a good chiropractor, emphasis on good. Just like any doctor, there are great chiros and not so great ones. As a mechanic, I can appreciate what the chiro does. He/she takes those parts of our bodies that are out of alignment, and puts them back where they belong. It's amazing how quickly you can feel better. Just a thought. Best of luck and I hope you feel better.

 

[Stu Jackson]

I feel sorry for people who have to settle for physical therapy for spinal problems because they don't know what a good chiropractor can do.

Stephen, I didn't stay in a Holiday Express last night, nor am I familiar with the details of the chiro practice, but it seems to me that if you have nerve issues, no back straightening techniques can fix that short of surgery. I know, 'cuz I do have spinal nerve issues.

 

[Kettlewell]

By the way, some harbors in the Chesapeake have the darndest mud that is almost the consistency of Jello. It has only enough strength to actually float your anchor a bit, but not enough to hold the boat when you back down. It is like this in Spa Creek and Oxford. The trick is to use a heavy, dense anchor and drop it hard so that it penetrates as deeply as possible, and then just let out some chain and line and don't back down if possible. If you aren't drifting don't back down or put a strain on the anchor. Let it sink for as long as you can, sometimes over night or even a day or so if it is calm enough. If the anchor is heavy enough it will eventually sink down to where the mud is denser and has better holding and then you can back it down and it will hold until the cows come home. Anchors with a lot of fluke area compared to their weight, like a Fortress, sometimes just float on the top of this stuff and it is very hard to get them to dive down to better holding.

 

[Shoaldrafter]

Stu

Stephen, I didn't stay in a Holiday Express last night, nor am I familiar with the details of the chiro practice, but it seems to me that if you have nerve issues, no back straightening techniques can fix that short of surgery. I know, 'cuz I do have spinal nerve issues.

- - - -- - -- - - -- - - --- -- - -- - - - --
Stu the nerve issues can be caused or aggravated by many causes. Sometimes they can be ameliorated by stretching and manipulation. But, then sometimes inappropriate manipulation can cause more damage.

The issue here is both age, strength, and a bunch of other possible causes. He may be candidate for major back surgery. But he might try stretching and muscle building first. A lot less expensive, invasive and painful.

At Roger's age, Obama just may tell him to take an asprin anyway.

Ed K

 

[Roger Long]

At Roger's age, Obama just may tell him to take an asprin anyway.

Please keep this kind of crap out of my forum or I'll start bouncing your posts on sight.

 

[Roger Long]

Let it sink for as long as you can, sometimes over night or even a day or so if it is calm enough.

Thank you very much for that. I'm a student of anchoring technique and that makes perfect sense to me. You can always learn something.

I'm lucky that Becky found this slip for me. I doubt anything except all three anchors out in a spread would have held in that stuff through the last couple of days. I can barely get on and off the boat at the dock and never could have gotten back and forth in the dinghy.

It's frightening how fast my back has deteriorated. PT appointment this morning.