Crew Wanted: Experienced Sailor to Assist Novice

[jheldatksuedu]

Does the boat have some sort of heat? I would not even come close to considering this trip without it, a wood stove or oil burner, you've got to be able to dry off and warm up, a sleeping bag will most likely not be enough. I did this trip the reverse direction a little later in the year with my first boat and lake Huron is a very lonely place.

My well maintained boat, had a very badly done patch at the front of the keel, first time I ran aground, luckily it was in Florida, not lake Huron, I was bailing with a 5 gal bucket for 38 hours straight. The engine ignition got wet, the batteries died. I learned a gas engine has no business being anywhere near water. Be advised, change your plans. Something like this would be life threatening on lake Huron in April.

[Rumlater]

Sailon1, I agree with rockDAWG, check the marines because if they may have sand silted in during the winter that could limited water depths at entrances due to no winter ice, they might not have started dredging , Sarnia Yacht Club at the bottom of Lake Huron does not start dredging to April 15th so no access there until the 1st of May. tell us when you will be down bound and we will come out and wave as you go by...
Maybe MarkJ will come up and help you so he can experience the raw cold of the great lakes in April....

[Sailon1]

Thanks for your input. My initial post is meant to provide basic details. In fact, I have owned and sailed a Coronado 30 and a Morgan 34, both with Atomic 4s, which I maintained and repaired from time to time, but that was 10 years ago.

Before that I owned small cruisers.

Prior to the trip, I will invest several days prepping the boat with the owner and will have a shake down cruise along with the more experienced sailors. Our float plan includes day sailing only, not cruising the Great Lakes.
In fact, a good deal of time will be spent motoring along rivers. Once into Lake Erie, the air and water temp increase dramatically, according to the NOAA weather tables.

Interesting that you mention SCUBA, I was certified in 1965, completed commercial diving course (Professional Diving School of New York) many years ago.
Currently retaking Power Squadron basic courses as a refresher.
Thanks again.

[Paul Annapolis]

Did you pay for SCUBA lessons back in 1965 or look for a stranger to impart his or her "knowledge to [an] enthusiastic learner."? And if you have already owned at least two boats, why do you now ask for such assistance? Sure you may need some crew to make the trip easier or safer (That is good) but you made it seem as if you are a complete novice--so which is it? Crew or coach/teacher?

[rockDAWG]

Originally Posted by Sailon1

Thanks for your input. My initial post is meant to provide basic details. In fact, I have owned and sailed a Coronado 30 and a Morgan 34, both with Atomic 4s, which I maintained and repaired from time to time, but that was 10 years ago.

Before that I owned small cruisers.

Prior to the trip, I will invest several days prepping the boat with the owner and will have a shake down cruise along with the more experienced sailors. Our float plan includes day sailing only, not cruising the Great Lakes.
In fact, a good deal of time will be spent motoring along rivers. Once into Lake Erie, the air and water temp increase dramatically, according to the NOAA weather tables.

Interesting that you mention SCUBA, I was certified in 1965, completed commercial diving course (Professional Diving School of New York) many years ago.
Currently retaking Power Squadron basic courses as a refresher.
Thanks again.

As a bystander, what is the **....king rush. Wait for the warmer weather and good window. Buy your boat and spend a month or so learn the boat and work out the kinks and take your time to move your boat. There is no reason to test your manhood against the awesome power of nature. Most of the time the boat will survive but the monkeys on it will not. Oh yeah, adventure is great, we all understand that. Tell it to your love ones.

Great, you got a SCUBA cert in 1965, it means that you are not a young man anymore. How did you manage to live so long?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Sailon1

Greetings,

I am purchasing a Pearson 30 in the next few weeks and am
looking for someone to help sail her from Bay City, Saginaw Bay area
to Toledo.

How is it possible that the boat is even in the water yet?
Here on Lake Ontario, there is still ice in the harbour.

What you describe is not a long trip, but you should seriously consider waiting until early May. The weather will be milder, the water a bit warmer, and IMHO you will have a more pleasant delivery.

If you must go now, consider truck...its not far, and trucking short distances is quite reasonable...I mean, not that expensive.

Also, I recently sold my P30. Does yours look anything like this:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...da-150816.html

I suggest you fill the fuel tank, and bring extra fuel in gas cans as well...the atomic 4 is a thirsty engine.

[OutOfControl]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

People on this forum turn into ******** when they see a Crew Wanted post.

Why don't you just leave the guy alone?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Paul Annapolis

Congratulations! Blah, Blah, Blah...

Wow Paul, who put the bumblebee in your shorts?

P30 is a good boat. Its not a long trip. Nothing wrong with asking for crew. Lots of places make you PAY to go on a sailing trip...so offering for free, and helping with travel...pretty nice IMHO.

BTW, is this the boat:
1978 Pearson 30 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

[hamburking]

Is this your boat:
1978 Pearson 30 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com

If so, it looks pretty good. Don't believe the doomsayers regarding the atomic 4. You say you've had a couple, so you know. When apes are ruling the earth, their boats will have old atomic 4 engines. No reason that engine won't outlive us all.

However, I don't like the looks of that pressure alcohol stove. Those things are prone to leaks and flareups. You might consider replacing with an ORIGO stove (aka COOKMATE in Canada). The 2 burner model will fit the hole in your galley exactly...so the upgrade takes only a few minutes. Having a good, safe stove would be a real asset, especially on an early season delivery. I know it may sound silly, since there are so many other things to consider...but I've done early season delivery with no stove...and there is something to be said for the medicinal value of a hot cup of coffee when you are feeling really, really cold.

Like I said in a previous post, I owned a very similar P30 here on Lake Ontario for 5 years, and sold (reluctantly) last fall. If you have any P30 specific questions, I'd be happy to discuss...just post or PM.

And finally, with all the flaming going on in this thread...heat should be no problem....LOL (its a pun).

[LakeSuperior]

The problem with running the Atomic 4 in cold water is that the carburetor wants to ice up and does. This has been a chronic problem with my Atomic 4. I end up having to shut the engine down to warm it up.

The icing literally cripples the engine.

One would want to have everything warmed up before heading into a harbor or marina.

[Nicholson58]

I have sailed & raced in Michigan for 50 years. I raced on Saginaw Bay for almost 20 years. Currently in Muskegon. We don't toss ours in the water before end of May. I suggest you heed the spirit of the advice here of others and wait a few weeks.


The plus side is you will de sailing mostly off-wind or down wind and under a lee shore for most of the trip.


If you insist on the early start, at least be prepared to look for good weather windows and stay safe if the weather is threatening. Keep to daylight hours and DO take a couple radios etc. Join Boat US (West Marine) and sign up for free towing. How is the ground tackle?

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Nicholson58

How is the ground tackle?

If the picture (attached) is anything to go by, that little danforth is nothing more than a lunch hook. A 10kg bruce would be better. A Rocna would look even better up there...on a bow roller.

[Jim Cate]

There is currently running a long thread about what a prospective crew should know about a prospective skipper and boat. So far, this request fails to satisfy most of those suggestions. This is compounded by the insistence on making the trip in a season where the experienced sailors from the region say "too early, dangerous".

The boat may be fine, but the total package isn't IMO. I'd give it a miss unless thetrip was postponed until May as suggested by several.

Jim

[LakeSuperior]

Originally Posted by Jim Cate

The boat may be fine, but the total package isn't IMO. I'd give it a miss unless thetrip was postponed until May as suggested by several.

Jim

Jim, I think the skipper is coming around on this and is considering a later start. This thread may end up demonstrating the power and good of CF. It's maybe why some of us turn into a**h***s and don't leave it alone.

[rhubstuff]

So you get out into Lake Huron, a squall hits and blows you offshore (the likely direction given the route), the engine works for a while before conking out, the waves get bigger and bigger, and you're soaking wet, your fingers and toes are numb with cold, your sails blow out, and, and, .... I highly recommend that you leave the boat in Bay City and learn to sail while debugging the vessel, and only then consider the delivery, after the water temp is above 55-60 degrees F. Its only 2 1/2 hours from Toledo by car. Experience talking.