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Old 18-08-2008, 12:41   #1
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Angry Flies

What's up with flies? How can you have been out on the water for hours, miles from land, and suddenly are getting bitten by flies? And how can they somehow stay right in the open cockpit with the wind blowing across without getting blown away, when you cann't even toss something 3 feet without it going over the side due to the wind?
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Old 18-08-2008, 13:05   #2
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I've been attacked in the middle of the Chesapeake from time to time, but I was really floored when a swarm of them boarded us in the Atlantic Ocean, 25 nm east of the entrance to the Bay. Why in Hell would they fly 25 nm offshore in search of victims?
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Old 18-08-2008, 13:12   #3
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are u sure that flies didn't come from the cabin?
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Old 18-08-2008, 14:18   #4
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Why in Hell would they fly 25 nm offshore in search of victims?
It's where the meat is.

I think they can get blown off course and suddenly an island (your boat) is a great place to rest.
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Old 18-08-2008, 14:25   #5
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Maybe you guys should stop using this: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...nt-18390.htmlb
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Old 18-08-2008, 15:53   #6
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nothing like new england horse flies, boy do they hurt
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Old 18-08-2008, 17:34   #7
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Not even horse flies.

On the plus side one of the little f***ers was biting me so hard it couldn't let go fast enough and got smashed. But I still want to know how they do it as it has happened more than once and even on different boats. Maybe they are just attracted to me even from miles out to sea.
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Old 18-08-2008, 17:35   #8
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Old 18-08-2008, 17:38   #9
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There are few places in the Chesapeake....Cambridge to Crisfield and off of the Menhaden Plants in Virginia.....When Running Tugs down there, we closed up everything for those miles...'cept of course THE ENGINE ROOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Old 26-08-2008, 16:06   #10
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As an update, was out in the same general area last weekend (2 weeks after the orginal "fly"). Had made a 2+ hour crossing of the bay and looked up and saw this HUGE horse fly walking across the main sail. Was kind of amazed that it could hold on during close hauling and reaching. Lost track of it after about 1/2 hour. But this time I thing it came from a cable laying platform that I got within about 150 yards to.
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Old 26-08-2008, 17:12   #11
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You just discovered the boundary layer. At the molecular level the air at the surface of the sail is not moving at all - spooky - LOL....
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Old 27-08-2008, 01:39   #12
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You just discovered the boundary layer. At the molecular level the air at the surface of the sail is not moving at all - spooky - LOL....
See also: The Aerodynamics of Sail Interaction ~ by Arvel Gentry
http://www.arvelgentry.com/techs/The...nteraction.pdf

or

“Telling Tales” at:
WB-Sails Ltd

Flow separation & boundary layers
When the wind sweeps past the sail, its velocity near the sail surface decreases because of the friction. This so called boundary layer can be over 2 inches thick in the middle on the windward side and in the leech on the leeward side of the sail. When the velocity of the air stream decreases to a certain point the boundary layer separates from the sail. The telltales indicate how the boundary layer is behaving at different moments in different parts of the sail. The separation of the boundary layer always means a significant loss in power and is to be avoided at all cost. This is why the telltales are so useful, and why we try to trim the sail so that they always stream steadily aft...


More excellent articles about Aerodynamics from WB-Sails:
WB-Sails Ltd
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Old 27-08-2008, 02:24   #13
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In the Southeast, traveling the ICW in the late spring, especially marsh areas, requires a hefty fly swatter in an open cockpit. We have worn out several - one of us at the helm while the other swats. These aren't horse flies, some locals have told us they are "green biting flies." Smaller, available in the hundreds, and hungry.

We tried the water in the ziplock bag thing, doubled over and run through a bimini support. The water in plastic is supposed to disorient their vision. Not enough to do much good if any.

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Old 27-08-2008, 06:57   #14
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the boundary layer separates from the sail. The telltales indicate how the boundary layer is behaving at different moments in different parts of the sail. The separation of the boundary layer always means a significant loss in power and is to be avoided at all cost.
So if the fly can stick to the sail you are sheeted to tight?

You want that boundary layer blowin' that buggah right off!
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Old 27-08-2008, 10:42   #15
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If you are cruising the Chesapeake beware of the target ship east of Cape Lookout. I thought they were birds. We had a "Alford Hitchcock " sceen for about an hour.

When the sun starts down and the temp cools they like to land on the underside of the Bimini or on the overhead in the main cabin for the residual heat. Approach them from below with A cup of soapy water with suds and as they drop to try to get airborne they hit the suds.
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