From Chesapeake to Cape Breton in May 2014 in a 45' gaff-rigged Sharpie yawl

[eyschulman]

After reading all the post and applying my 60 yrs of experience many in the Chesapeake and east coast there is one suggestion that stands out to me. Since this may not be a sea boat and inside makes the most sense You should really get some reliable power on the boat. The push boat will not do. A 25-30 Hp long shaft OB motor mounted on stern with a low pitch for pushing weight and generating electricity is strongly suggested. This lack of power really limits you present options.

[CaperAsh]

I did Uship this week. Auction ended yesterday. One bid. $8500.00. But maybe if I tried a different time of year it would be less (I asked for late November this year). I doubt it though. I have some local contacts who move boats from the States and will check them. Would prefer to negotiate in person on this, not internet auction in any case.

I've read about the AS 29, but it's a very different design though based on Sharpie principles. The builder designed my one for shallow water cruising, but also being able to bop down to the Bahamas much like I am considering - not going too far offshore. First I'll have to try her out.

Suijin - gotcha on GPS. I'll just do my own research. A bit frustrated that nowhere near where I live that I can see them in 'flesh'. I find reading small-text, abbreviated blurbs a bit confusing, but surely there are sites that give reviews and at some point I'll spend a while reading through them and get a better idea of the features and differences.

My first priority - assuming this trip is a go - is proper anchor, probably a Rocna because it seems they are very good - indeed superlative - in most conditions and not so heavy to handle.

Boat comes with 100lb Fisherman and tons of chain and rope rode, but that's a monster and not always effective, let alone needing 2-10 crew to manhandle it! I have a 30lb (?) Danforth which is enough in calm weather and most bottoms, but definitely need something better. They are a tad expensive though! A good anchor (or 3), esp. on this type of trip, is imo possibly the single most important piece of equipment after basic sails, shrouds and rudder. I could go without detailed charts just dead reckoning and paying attention to buoys (though that will not be what I do), but without a good anchor(s), this couldn't work at all.

If I can find a book with most of the charts on the East Coast, would prefer that to electronic, but suspect that no such thing exists. Governments publish charts so they are rarely made easily and affordably available. I am unaware of such a book existing (with charts in quarter size which you could fold out or something). They really should offer them if they don't already.

Thought came up yesterday: maybe could try to find used ones from retired sailor with a whole set in his attic? Is there a famous sailors' buy-sell zone?

The last sail I had this fall in September I was wing on wing with my little Paceship Westwind with centreboard up. She is a Ted Hood design with a guppy hull - no keel shape whatsoever (so a sort of round sharpie come to think of it). Previous owner won over 50 club races in Sydney and did so by being much faster than her handicap on the run, and this because of that guppy hull (with board up).

I put on a preventer, used the spinnaker pole on the working jib (so was a tad undersailed which I prefer), and in a gentle 9-12 knot breeze (a few whitecaps but not all over) sat back and the boat self-steered most of the next 2 hours. Now this was a fairly steady wind and a gentle sea (in a medium sized bay), but I played a little with the centreboard. With it down, the passage of the wave under the hull from stern seems to catch the board (or would be keel if one had one) and unless one is totally on the same line as the wave direction, the angle of the board/keel will cause the wave to push the boat as it passes, skewing it off its line and making such rudimentary self-steering set up (i.e. by sails only) unworkable in a matter of seconds. I am sure everyone has experienced this on a run, one is continually trying to anticipate this yaw (I think that's a yaw, right?) and adjust helm accordingly.

With board up, almost none of this happened, again because of the guppy hull bottom without any keel shape. Which is why I could be hands-off on a run for the best part of 2 hours (except when nudging her around a small rocky island which was in the way for a little while!).

I suspect the Sharpie is going to be very similar to this, albeit am not familiar with the 5-1 sharpie length to beam (cigar-shaped) profile and maybe that is different. I would suspect, though, that it's going to give her the tendency - especially on a run - to keep going forward in straight line and if wind and wave action is steady, as it often is in gentle to moderate conditions, then without the wave 'pushing' the centre board at an angle which in turn pushes the hull of course on the downhill run of that wave cycle, that she will be rather steady.

Now if the seas are wild, choppy, conflicted, that's another story... All bets are off in terms of this boat in heavy weather (is my current approach in terms of planning, i.e. am not going to take her out and test her in a gale), but am confident that at least up to 6-9' 'reasonable' seas that it won't be all that dangerous getting to know how she handles. She could be terrible, but she might be nifty.

I think most of us are so used to heavy displacement sailboats that we might not have a good feel for how light displacement handles. Actually, I think that was part of the original post's purpose, was to see if anyone had handled Sharpies like mine offshore or in rough weather. Once I get Parker's Sharpie book next week or so in mail, I'll try to track him down and chat, and hopefully he will fill me in fast on what I need to look for in terms of design specifics on mine to then get a better idea of her handling characteristics.

[hpeer]

A bit of a wee point....I think you are having a tad of trouble in knot to mile to km conversion. Maybe just because you are do used to km.
1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour
1 nautically mile = 1.15 statute mile
1 Nm = 1.851 km

1 knot = 0.514MPS for wind speed conversion

[hpeer]

I have to agree with Shulman on the larger outboard idea. Lack of power limits.

Talking about Jersey inlets, the entire geography starts to change on the US side below Cape Ann or there abouts. You start to loose the off shore islets and shoals that tend to break up the swellas they do in NS. Also you get long slopping bottoms. So the shore is an unbroken swath of bare sand beach (barrier islands) enclosing long shallow bays that flush in and out through the inlets.

They are more like reversing rivers, and as rivers do, they get bars on the seaward side. The bars can be shallow with breaking waves. Also the tide, wind, and current are in constant flux so, at your rate of progress the situation MAY change dramatically even as you approach.

NO "nice coves" down here.

FWIW, set down in front of Google Earth and trace the route out looking at the topology. Watch how it morphs into your home waters.

It's kinda fun.

Also here is a link to Delaware bay current forecasts. Go to the page then on the bottom select the kinf of forecast you want. It will give you an ieaidea of the tides you will be dealing with. It's hard to get a fair current all the way.

http://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/ofs/dbofs/dbofs.html

The good thing is, for your draft, there are some semi protected anchorages down the bay.

[CaperAsh]

hpeer, actually I think the problem is that I am using a thumb or finger on google/bing maps to estimate distances! Now with that active captain I should be able to do better, albeit if estimating a course that is diagonal to the long/lat lines, it's still ballparking. Which brings up another topic - I will be really boning up on navigation this winter. Been decades since I did any and it's pretty much all totally forgotten.

I think that Provincetown to Shelburne is about 237 nm using the finger method. First I thought it was much less, more like 150, but my finger method was way off. (Of course at this stage am just finger-painting generally altogether!)

Do you happen to know the actual distances? I think the chances of my doing this are very slim, but that body of water is right there and any time I zoom out, that's what I see. And to be honest, I would rather be in the wider open spaces of the ocean than worriting around anchorages every day, even though of course that will be the nature of the beast on this passage.

I will be checking into those currents. Anything rather than reading specs on GPS instruments! Seems to me like the good ones are not hand held and are going to set me back quite a bit but it's early days yet. I was hoping for a handheld to access GPS position/speed, with the fancy new charts loaded in, and then being able to UBS the output to a laptop running off boat's battery bank to get a decent screen display, but thus far haven't been able to find any that describe themselves as being able to do that.

Generally, I dislike dicking around with endless digital menus, and really hesitate about bringing that 'realm' on board for much of the reason I love sailing is being free of that sort of psycho-social clutter. I suspect that a good pair of binoculars and paying attention to the buoys is about 80% of what I really need, but of course would never say anything like that on a forum!

And if I end up being the (humble, junior) mate with a crack professional crew, I'll be hauling my middle-aged butt up those charming ratlines to keep watch for reefs, bars, rocks, damsels in distress, and all the rest of it, and with any luck can see Yarmouth from Nantucket all the way over.

[Hud3]

Originally Posted by CaperAsh

...I think the problem is that I am using a thumb or finger on google/bing maps to estimate distances!...

CaperAsh,

Download Google Earth and use the "Ruler" measurement tool (choose Nautical Miles and Path in the Ruler pulldown menu). GE is a really good tool for quick and easy initial passage planning.

[CaperAsh]

That's great info on the Delaware link. Love the simple graphics. Though at this point can find everything except currents. (Maybe Ship John shoal is a bad spot for currents!) Nope, I just noticed the tide/current knot graphic. Very good.

[Hud3]

You can see a couple of knots of tidal current in Delaware Bay. If you time the tide, it will be much in your favor.

[CaperAsh]

Hud, thxs. Will do. Recently switched to Linux and forgot to put that in. Will take a while, am still a bit clunky with Lx routines, but when they work, it is smooth as silk...

[CaperAsh]

That's really handy information.

Which is another reason why (reluctantly) I suspect that, given this is a coastal passage, getting set up with an internet connection and long-range dongle antenna into laptop running on boat battery bank might not be the simplest and most affordable way to go. That way, I will have things like Active Captain for charting, can access this sort of data day by day as I know where I am and what info I need. Although not ideal, it's way ahead of only compass and radio weather reports, and not all that far behind a far more expensive chart plotter. Of course most likely the computer will give up the ghost just when I need it most. I suspect will bite bullet and get 5" chartplotter with all marine charts for US East and Canada. It's a really nifty piece of technology and relatively cheap considering what info it supplies in real time, yard by yard. Extraordinary. Just wish it ran 20 hours on 2 AA's like the smaller ones! I don't like depending upon on-board electrical systems.

Which means I'll be bringing my little generator down. Which is just one more machine on board!

A.

[CaperAsh]

Google earth up and running and it's 232 NM using ruler. Which reminded me that I found a distance calculating site which is where I go the 237 nm from (not my finger as misremembered). So at 7 knots average = 33 hours = 1.3 days. Since I wouldn't be doing this unless favourable W to S forecast of 10-25, I suspect that's a reasonable guestimate. 5 would be very light or entirely contrary winds = 47 hrs = 2 full days.

Anyway, thxs for heads up on Google Earth. Never used it much, but can see it's very handy for quick info like this.

[CaperAsh]

Just want to thank everyone for all the feedback and suggestions etc. The long and short is that I am heading up with old(er) friend with about same level of experience as crew. We will stick to the coast, C&D canal, down Delaware, up to Statue of Liberty, along L.I. sound, through canal to Mass. Bay, up to Maine, over to NS and from there proceed along coast to Gabarus Bay. Have navionics plotter on a le Pan II tablet plus a Garmin 78sc as backup; only have 9.8 Tohatsu, but also a 24' yuloh which have to repair and mount as backup power and backup rudder. Small Generator. Full set of paper charts kindly donated by tugboat skipper for East Coast and over to western N.S. Found a manual windlass and will get bow roller if needed in Maryland. Have a whisker pole and a mainsail boom as spare spars from small daysailer, plus bringing #1 jib to use as mizzen staysail or spare jib, and old Genoa for spare sailcloth.

Will use camping gas stove and cooler for camping style galley situation, and bringing along trusty bucket as Head #1 hoping to never have to use the official head, plus two small buckets as bilge pump backups.

So:

Bilge pumps with manual backup.
Rudder (which retracts if hit I believe) with yuloh backup.
Sails with Tohatsu backup with yuloh backup.
Solar powered battery bank with generator backup.
Navionics with Garmin backup and non-digital paper charts backup to West N.S.
Two backup sails.
One backup spar/boom.
Boat comes with 100lb Fisherman, chain and rode. Will also get Rocna. Have 44 lb Danforth with chain and rode.

Will do 'sea-trials' in Chesapeake once I get down around June 18, also lots of varnishing, fixing up, installing windlass etc., and get to know her sailing qualities. If she passes, and her crew passes, then off we go leaving July 1.

Revived old 97 Aerostar parked for one year in quarry on property. Started first time when battery recharged. Needed new front rotors and bearings and rear brake shoes and springs. Good to go and ready to enjoy her last resting place far from home in Maryland in a few weeks.

Have set up little blog for our friends who wish to follow our progress at The Uisce bLog.

I will come back here again to check with some of the contributors in terms of possibly saying hello but until then, again, thanks to all on this thread for your contributions. All were very helpful.

Small note in terms of the engine: I bought a book on sailmaking and in the intro the author mentions how he was brought up in the home of one of my relatives and how they absolutely HATE using engines on sailboats, so now I know it's a family thing am totally cool about it. If Hell's Gate/Manhattan doesn't work with the Tohatsu, and/or yuloh and/or sails - and it should if going with the currents, no? - then I'll get a tow and be done with it! But anyway, it was fun to find out that my family has many sailors, captains, admirals etc. going way back and they hate motors...... I know this trip is above my current experience level and also stretches the capabilities of the vessel, but am greatly looking forward to it and once it is done, it will be right AT that level, which is exactly where it should be of course! And since she is designed as a coastal cruiser and this is a coastal cruise, when all is said and done, should be fine.

Oh, the leak: it is a VERY slow leak somewhere around the centreboard, so can only be repaired once she is hauled out. It is not uncommon for such centreboard leaks to happen in new plywood/epoxy boats, and she was new when launched less than two years ago.

[hpeer]

Well you sound determined.

Good luck to ye.

When you get to Delaware City, if you come into the marina, look us up.

Howard and Doris on Safara, steel boat on C dock. If we aren't around we may be working on Chouette In the yard.

I'll buy you a beer at Crabbies!

[CaperAsh]

Hey, Howard! Can we anchor at that General Anchorage 4 just East of your marina on the Delaware. I confess I haven't absorbed all these regs yet!

As to determination, either you do something or you don't. IF I like the boat, and given am not rich etc., seems better to spend less money overall of which most goes into needed equipment and in the process improve sailing skills. Versus spending more money on a trucking service and then still having to buy extra equipment and not getting any extra experience. And if the boat is so bad that she is terrible to sail up etc., well, the plan is that I figure that out in Ch. Bay before undertaking the longer journey up.

Hopefully, it will work out, though to tell the truth, I plan generally to be avoiding marinas both because of cost and also because of possible prang-ups until I have really mastered the vessel.

If we can anchor there, it's only a mile away so we'll head over to meet you and Chouette. (Does that mean something like 'neat' or 'cute' in French?)


Ash.

[Mike Vogdes]

What ever became of this journey anybody know? I always thought it to be a dangerous adventure at the least, with all the unknown issues of this barely floating hulk I expect they took one look and ran for the hills.


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