15 Aug Current Location: 935nm NNE of Hawaii
August 14, 2013
Current Location: 935nm NNE of Hawaii
Latitude: 34deg, 35N/, Longitude: 150deg, 30W
Destination: Seattle
We’ve been running for 5 days and seen zero signs of another boat. It seems like we should be seeing some soon, as we are nearing the shipping route for cargo vessels doing the SE Asia to Panama run.
The first 2-3 days out of Kauai were sloppy, as we were getting the remnants from Hurricane Gill, which was downgraded to a Tropical Storm. This is only the second time in 13 years of cruising Starr that Sharry has gotten sick, and only the first time that she upchucked!
Starr seems to know she is heading to Seattle for a major refit. How do I know? Stuff is just now starting to fall apart. It’s been 14-16 years since most of the equipment was installed, so it’s time!
Minor things, such as:
The foam inside the engine room headsets that have built in communications (so two people can talk over the noise of the engine) has turned into a greasy tar like mess and are unusable.
The Iridium sat phone’s handset cable sheathing has fallen off in messy pieces.
The Main Engine Day Tank Fuel Gauge has shut down.
The Port Wing Fuel Tank “tank tender” has stopped working. This is no problem, because we have the site gauges.
I’m on watch, and must keep an eye out for tsunami debris. I am mostly seeing Japanese fishing buoys, small plastic floating stuff; and an hour ago, a coil of one-inch poly line. This gives me time to daydream about what changes I want to make to Starr.
So far part of list includes:
A new paint job from top of mast to bottom of keel. Our last paint job was in New Zealand in 2001.
A new radar. The Furuno 1510 is still working but it’s time for Furuno’s new stand-alone commercial unit.
A Possible hull extension adding the space for an aft deck dining area.
Fine dining on Starr’s current back deck Sharry and I were spoiled cruising in the Queen Charlotte Islands last summer on Neil and Margery Hokonson’s, Nordhavn 68, Wind Flight.
We really liked their aft deck layout. So, how about adding another 5 feet to Starr’s stern?
And the list goes on….5 pages so far.
Don
Current Location: 935nm NNE of Hawaii
Latitude: 34deg, 35N/, Longitude: 150deg, 30W
Destination: Seattle
We’ve been running for 5 days and seen zero signs of another boat. It seems like we should be seeing some soon, as we are nearing the shipping route for cargo vessels doing the SE Asia to Panama run.
The first 2-3 days out of Kauai were sloppy, as we were getting the remnants from Hurricane Gill, which was downgraded to a Tropical Storm. This is only the second time in 13 years of cruising Starr that Sharry has gotten sick, and only the first time that she upchucked!
Starr seems to know she is heading to Seattle for a major refit. How do I know? Stuff is just now starting to fall apart. It’s been 14-16 years since most of the equipment was installed, so it’s time!
Minor things, such as:
The foam inside the engine room headsets that have built in communications (so two people can talk over the noise of the engine) has turned into a greasy tar like mess and are unusable.
The Iridium sat phone’s handset cable sheathing has fallen off in messy pieces.
The Main Engine Day Tank Fuel Gauge has shut down.
The Port Wing Fuel Tank “tank tender” has stopped working. This is no problem, because we have the site gauges.
I’m on watch, and must keep an eye out for tsunami debris. I am mostly seeing Japanese fishing buoys, small plastic floating stuff; and an hour ago, a coil of one-inch poly line. This gives me time to daydream about what changes I want to make to Starr.
So far part of list includes:
A new paint job from top of mast to bottom of keel. Our last paint job was in New Zealand in 2001.
A new radar. The Furuno 1510 is still working but it’s time for Furuno’s new stand-alone commercial unit.
A Possible hull extension adding the space for an aft deck dining area.
 |
We really liked their aft deck layout. So, how about adding another 5 feet to Starr’s stern?
And the list goes on….5 pages so far.
Don
Barrie Arnett
Posted at 11:37h, 15 AugustHave a wonderful trip. Hanalei Bay is a great place to depart from. Have made that trip under sail twice in Spencer 53 ketches. 18 days to Juan de Fuca in a friends boat in 1978 and 18 days to Glacier Bay in my own 53 in 1980. Being at sea is a wonderful experience. We had to power the last 6 days coming into Alaska, no wind, overcast so not sites and just used dead reckoning. I had a old Bendix RDF and got a fix on a AM station in Sitka and Juneau. Came out of the weather near the coast and saw a USCG cutter. Made contact and we were right on target. No GPS in those days but the passages were wonderful. Just my wife and I on our passages.
Cheers,
Barrie Arnett
Mary Ann Underwood
Posted at 17:35h, 15 AugustSUBJECT: Just saying “Hi”
So when will you get back? Your granddaughter and your friends miss you.
John and I just came back from Sun Valley having been there only two days before being smoked out . . . again! It seems like the entire state of Idaho is on fire. We arrived at our home below the Warm Springs ski area on the 12th. The next day we went out on the deck to enjoy our new outdoor furniture but had to retreat inside when the sky began raining ashes. The following morning when we woke up, Bald Mountain which runs almost into our bedroom windows had completely disappeared in the smoke. So we filled a thermos bottle with coffee, jumped in the car and headed for home. This forest fire deal is beginning to feel like habitual.
Sail forth safely.
Fondly,
Mary Ann
ricardo
Posted at 18:34h, 15 AugustWe are glad to hear about you.
Sail safely.
Be Happy!
Inté!
Hug, from Azores,
Ricardo, Mena and Fátima