Cruise to Crisfield the Crabcake Capitol was Boat Problem Question [Long]
 

On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:41:45 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:

But different doesn't mean better or worse. I sometimes disagree with
your writing style, but I still read your posts. I'd enjoy reading your
cruise logs.

Yeah, yeah, I should put up or shut up, but our logs are uneventful,
boring even to us.

One 2-week trip can be stated this easily: Sailed to Dividing Creek.
Spent three days watching the wildlife, lazing around and working on
our tans. Big news each day was what we ate. To St. Michaels for
pump-out, ice and water. Pat wandered the tourist-trap main street as I
hit the Acme then returned to the boat for a couple hours'
people-watching. Snacked at the Crab house to "pay" our afternoon's
dockage. Over to Leeds Creek. Didn't run aground (always news with that
shifting sand bar.) Spent a night at the Castle, then moved over to the
spit and anchored close enough to step to the beach. Wandered the
shoreline. Ate. In the morning, watched dozens of horseshoe crabs
evidently mating (most notable event of the trip). Moved up the creek
the next night. Wandered over to Queenstown, pumping out and taking on
water and ice at Kent. Spent a few days. Wandered up to Swan. Spent a
couple of days. Visited the marina store after we pumped out and took
on water and ice. Found replacement wine glasses Pat's been looking
for. Removed the price tags and presented them as an Anniversary
present, never mind that we got married Nov 1. She wasn't allowed to
ask their price. Went home.

Since about 1999, that's been pretty much the template of our cruising.
Storms happened, but we were snug in the anchorage. Stuff broke, but I
fixed it. The important things were the inconsequential: watching kits
explore a suddenly-exposed spit of land, counting turtles, listening to
the silence, watching geese flock up....

I've always enjoyed Rosalie's journal postings here, except for the
food stuff, because I just don't care about that. And I wish she
should stop visiting restaurants as they are closing, because reading
of it makes me think back to when I was managing eateries and viewed
late comers/stayers as the bane of the staff, who like to go home at
closing time. And since I like Rosalie so much, I don't like thinking
of her in that vein.
Skip sometimes is too Henry Jamesish with his sentences, but posts a
lot of good info in good spirit. His saga of preparation, crashing on
the rocks, recovery, boat-tuning, etc, is good reading.
On that food subject, I started reading the journal of a guy and his
wife which was pretty interesting the first couple years of the
voyaging. Had some useful sailing, equipment and fishing
observations.
Then they basically settled at anchor in the Bahamas, and for years
the most written words are "volleyball," "poker," "breakfast,"
"lunch," "dinner," and "drinks."
Now my view on food is basically when my stomach starts growling, get
some. But I know others are interested in it, so cie le vie.
As you say above, outside of disasters or near-disasters, the
"inconsequential" is what remains important, and you expressed that
well. I recall Skips account of a stowaway bird a bit more clearly
than his gen pulley issues.
The guy who is always reporting in his journal the poker scores and
what he had for lunch never touches on such sublimities.
Not to give Neal short shrift; his account of tying himself naked to
the mast and raging at the stormy sea was pretty compelling.
Of course somebody replied asking what his dock neighbors thought
of such conduct. Sort of took the romance away right there.

--Vic

Cruise to Crisfield the Crabcake Capitol was Boat Problem Question [Long]
 

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
news:2008062213414643658-jerelull@maccom...
One 2-week trip can be stated this easily: Sailed to Dividing Creek.
Spent three days watching the wildlife, lazing around and working on our
tans. Big news each day was what we ate. To St. Michaels for pump-out, ice
and water. Pat wandered the tourist-trap main street as I hit the Acme
then returned to the boat for a couple hours' people-watching. Snacked at
the Crab house to "pay" our afternoon's dockage. Over to Leeds Creek.
Didn't run aground (always news with that shifting sand bar.) Spent a
night at the Castle, then moved over to the spit and anchored close enough
to step to the beach. Wandered the shoreline. Ate. In the morning, watched
dozens of horseshoe crabs evidently mating (most notable event of the
trip). Moved up the creek the next night. Wandered over to Queenstown,
pumping out and taking on water and ice at Kent. Spent a few days.
Wandered up to Swan. Spent a couple of days. Visited the marina store
after we pumped out and took on water and ice. Found replacement wine
glasses Pat's been looking for. Removed the price tags and presented them
as an Anniversary present, never mind that we got married Nov 1. She
wasn't allowed to ask their price. Went home.

Since about 1999, that's been pretty much the template of our cruising.
Storms happened, but we were snug in the anchorage. Stuff broke, but I
fixed it. The important things were the inconsequential: watching kits
explore a suddenly-exposed spit of land, counting turtles, listening to
the silence, watching geese flock up....

You pumped out twice (or was it three times ?) during the course of three
days??
I presume you mean your holding tank but even if it was the bilge it seems
a bit excessive.

Cruise to Crisfield the Crabcake Capitol was Boat Problem Question [Long]
 

On 2008-06-22 14:51:05 -0400, "Edgar" said:

You pumped out twice (or was it three times ?) during the course of three
days??

We have about 3-4 days' space in the holding tank and really don't want
to "spill" (can't dump), so pump out and get water whenever we pick up
ice, our limiting factor as Pat likes cubes in her drinks.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Boat Problem Question
 

On 2008-06-22 13:43:44 -0400, Rosalie B. said:

Bob thinks cutlass bearing deteriorating and letting the prop shaft
vibrate. It is about 9 years old.

Oh, just a youngster ;-) We got a new one 15 years ago and it's still
tight -- a check I do each spring just before I change the zincs.

I'm still leaning towards something on the prop. As I read your
account, it sounded like what I hear and feel when the prop cavitates
when we try to punch through waves and get stopped dead in our tracks,
but you didn't have appreciable wind or waves, and you're less at the
mercy of such with your heft.

Keep us up to date, as I'm curious what the cause is.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Cruise to Crisfield the Crabcake Capitol was Boat Problem Question [Long]
 

Vic Smith wrote:

On Sun, 22 Jun 2008 17:41:45 GMT, Jere Lull wrote:

But different doesn't mean better or worse. I sometimes disagree with
your writing style, but I still read your posts. I'd enjoy reading your
cruise logs.

Yeah, yeah, I should put up or shut up, but our logs are uneventful,
boring even to us.

One 2-week trip can be stated this easily: Sailed to Dividing Creek.
Spent three days watching the wildlife, lazing around and working on
our tans. Big news each day was what we ate. To St. Michaels for
pump-out, ice and water. Pat wandered the tourist-trap main street as I
hit the Acme then returned to the boat for a couple hours'
people-watching. Snacked at the Crab house to "pay" our afternoon's
dockage. Over to Leeds Creek. Didn't run aground (always news with that
shifting sand bar.) Spent a night at the Castle, then moved over to the
spit and anchored close enough to step to the beach. Wandered the
shoreline. Ate. In the morning, watched dozens of horseshoe crabs
evidently mating (most notable event of the trip). Moved up the creek
the next night. Wandered over to Queenstown, pumping out and taking on
water and ice at Kent. Spent a few days. Wandered up to Swan. Spent a
couple of days. Visited the marina store after we pumped out and took
on water and ice. Found replacement wine glasses Pat's been looking
for. Removed the price tags and presented them as an Anniversary
present, never mind that we got married Nov 1. She wasn't allowed to
ask their price. Went home.

Since about 1999, that's been pretty much the template of our cruising.
Storms happened, but we were snug in the anchorage. Stuff broke, but I
fixed it. The important things were the inconsequential: watching kits
explore a suddenly-exposed spit of land, counting turtles, listening to
the silence, watching geese flock up....

I've always enjoyed Rosalie's journal postings here, except for the
food stuff, because I just don't care about that. And I wish she
should stop visiting restaurants as they are closing, because reading
of it makes me think back to when I was managing eateries and viewed
late comers/stayers as the bane of the staff, who like to go home at
closing time. And since I like Rosalie so much, I don't like thinking
of her in that vein.

Even though I haven't managed or worked in a restaurant, I really
don't like to come late to a restaurant. But I do want to eat, and if
it comes to entering late or not eating, I will enter late. I decide
what I want without any delay and try to get things that I think will
be quick to fix (like in Crisfield I got the special which was on the
board at the entrance and at our marina I got salads which I thought
would be already prepared). I eat quickly and we tip well. And then
we leave.

I don't know if the restaurant in Crisfield was actually closing at 8
- it wasn't posted anywhere that I saw and people came in after us. It
wasn't closed when we left at 8:50 and there were still other people
eating.

The same for the Spinnaker at our marina and if it had been closed,
we'd have gone to Courtney's down the road which doesn't have any
staff except for the guy who acts as the front man and his wife who
does all the work.

The Spinnaker has gone through several sets of managers who haven't
always been able to produce edible food, and it has been closed for
about a year. My opinion was that they'd probably rather have had us
late than not at all.


Skip sometimes is too Henry Jamesish with his sentences, but posts a
lot of good info in good spirit. His saga of preparation, crashing on
the rocks, recovery, boat-tuning, etc, is good reading.
On that food subject, I started reading the journal of a guy and his
wife which was pretty interesting the first couple years of the
voyaging. Had some useful sailing, equipment and fishing
observations.
Then they basically settled at anchor in the Bahamas, and for years
the most written words are "volleyball," "poker," "breakfast,"
"lunch," "dinner," and "drinks."
Now my view on food is basically when my stomach starts growling, get
some. But I know others are interested in it, so cie le vie.
As you say above, outside of disasters or near-disasters, the
"inconsequential" is what remains important, and you expressed that
well. I recall Skips account of a stowaway bird a bit more clearly
than his gen pulley issues.
The guy who is always reporting in his journal the poker scores and
what he had for lunch never touches on such sublimities.
Not to give Neal short shrift; his account of tying himself naked to
the mast and raging at the stormy sea was pretty compelling.
Of course somebody replied asking what his dock neighbors thought
of such conduct. Sort of took the romance away right there.

--Vic

Boat Problem Question
 

Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-06-22 13:43:44 -0400, Rosalie B. said:

Bob thinks cutlass bearing deteriorating and letting the prop shaft
vibrate. It is about 9 years old.

Oh, just a youngster ;-) We got a new one 15 years ago and it's still
tight -- a check I do each spring just before I change the zincs.

I'm still leaning towards something on the prop. As I read your
account, it sounded like what I hear and feel when the prop cavitates
when we try to punch through waves and get stopped dead in our tracks,
but you didn't have appreciable wind or waves, and you're less at the
mercy of such with your heft.

Keep us up to date, as I'm curious what the cause is.

We pulled the boat yesterday and Bob said the cutlass bearing was
extremely loose and he is pretty sure that was the problem. He said
it was vibrating again on the way over to the haul slip, and there was
nothing on the prop except some barnacles..

He had put a vibration damper spacer in and he thinks he didn't get
the cutlass bearing far enough back to account for that.

However, someone has just emailed me and explained that they change
the cutlass bearing every time they haul the boat as a precaution.
(They only haul about every two years)

Boat Problem Question
 

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
...
Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-06-22 13:43:44 -0400, Rosalie B. said:

Bob thinks cutlass bearing deteriorating and letting the prop shaft
vibrate. It is about 9 years old.

Oh, just a youngster ;-) We got a new one 15 years ago and it's still
tight -- a check I do each spring just before I change the zincs.

I'm still leaning towards something on the prop. As I read your
account, it sounded like what I hear and feel when the prop cavitates
when we try to punch through waves and get stopped dead in our tracks,
but you didn't have appreciable wind or waves, and you're less at the
mercy of such with your heft.

Keep us up to date, as I'm curious what the cause is.

We pulled the boat yesterday and Bob said the cutlass bearing was
extremely loose and he is pretty sure that was the problem. He said
it was vibrating again on the way over to the haul slip, and there was
nothing on the prop except some barnacles..

He had put a vibration damper spacer in and he thinks he didn't get
the cutlass bearing far enough back to account for that.

However, someone has just emailed me and explained that they change
the cutlass bearing every time they haul the boat as a precaution.
(They only haul about every two years)


Thanks for the update but . . .

It makes me feel somewhat sad that two wonderful folks like you and your
husband have so many problems with your boat. But, I guess it's to be
expected when one opts for a so-called sailboat that is really a motor
boat/home with sails. I hope as you two get older you decide to downsize and
sell the motorboat with all its attendant problems and get yourselves into a
real sailboat.

I would recommend something in the 27-foot range for that is the perfect
size for two older folks who don't live aboard but still enjoy sailing. A
27-footer can be fitted with a nice, modern, 4-stroke, outboard engine on
the transom. It can be tilted out of the water when sailing so it causes no
drag. You can, consequently, actually enjoy sailing for the first time in a
long time.

Your entire past month's sailing reports have been marred and disrupted by
the mechanical problem of a worn cutlass bearing - or so it is thought. What
if that isn't it and the same noise appears again when you splash? Another
month of wondering if and when a noise will turn into a disaster? How can
anyone enjoy sailing with something like that hanging over their heads like
the sword of Damocles'?

And I can't help noticing how you two tend to sail on a somewhat fixed
schedule and seem comfortable with that. Sorry, but that's not sailing -
it's motor boating. You two fine folks really DO need to discover (or
possibly revisit) what pure sailing is all about. The only way to do that is
to have a boat that is a pure sailer. Any time an outboard motor is tilted
out of the water while you are under sail you are a pure sailor. That's
something to be proud of and to enjoy thoroughly knowing so few others these
days are able to accomplish the act of pure sailing. You will spend your
hours not worrying about mechanical breakdowns but enjoying the quiet, the
freedom from worry, the clean wind in your hair and the beauty of an almost
forgotten art - that of pure sailing.

Wishing you and yours the best and long life and sailing forever.

Wilbur Hubbard

Boat Problem Question
 

"Wilbur Hubbard" wrote:

"Rosalie B." wrote in message
.. .
Jere Lull wrote:

On 2008-06-22 13:43:44 -0400, Rosalie B. said:

Bob thinks cutlass bearing deteriorating and letting the prop shaft
vibrate. It is about 9 years old.

Oh, just a youngster ;-) We got a new one 15 years ago and it's still
tight -- a check I do each spring just before I change the zincs.

I'm still leaning towards something on the prop. As I read your
account, it sounded like what I hear and feel when the prop cavitates
when we try to punch through waves and get stopped dead in our tracks,
but you didn't have appreciable wind or waves, and you're less at the
mercy of such with your heft.

Keep us up to date, as I'm curious what the cause is.

We pulled the boat yesterday and Bob said the cutlass bearing was
extremely loose and he is pretty sure that was the problem. He said
it was vibrating again on the way over to the haul slip, and there was
nothing on the prop except some barnacles..

He had put a vibration damper spacer in and he thinks he didn't get
the cutlass bearing far enough back to account for that.

However, someone has just emailed me and explained that they change
the cutlass bearing every time they haul the boat as a precaution.
(They only haul about every two years)


Thanks for the update but . . .

It makes me feel somewhat sad that two wonderful folks like you and your
husband have so many problems with your boat. But, I guess it's to be
expected when one opts for a so-called sailboat that is really a motor
boat/home with sails. I hope as you two get older you decide to downsize and

How much older should we get g?? I'm 70 and Bob is 72.

sell the motorboat with all its attendant problems and get yourselves into a
real sailboat.

I would recommend something in the 27-foot range for that is the perfect

I would have said a smaller boat myself - either a CSY 33 or 37. But
that's not what Bob wanted, and the love of a specific boat isn't
rational.

size for two older folks who don't live aboard but still enjoy sailing. A
27-footer can be fitted with a nice, modern, 4-stroke, outboard engine on
the transom. It can be tilted out of the water when sailing so it causes no
drag. You can, consequently, actually enjoy sailing for the first time in a
long time.

I find both sailing and fishing a little bit boring. I go with Bob
because I think he wants me to go, and I think he needs me to go. I
would be just as happy at home. BUT - if I go sailing, I want a boat
that is comfortable to live on, not just someplace to camp out on the
water.

I know a lot of former sail boat people go to trawlers, but while I
think he may eventually decide on his own to sell the boat, he's not
to that place yet, and I doubt VERY much if he will go to a trawler.

Your entire past month's sailing reports have been marred and disrupted by
the mechanical problem of a worn cutlass bearing - or so it is thought.

I wouldn't have said that the sailing was marred and disrupted. I had
a good time. And it certainly wasn't a month - we sailed out one day
and sailed back the next day.

What
if that isn't it and the same noise appears again when you splash? Another
month of wondering if and when a noise will turn into a disaster? How can
anyone enjoy sailing with something like that hanging over their heads like
the sword of Damocles'?

And I can't help noticing how you two tend to sail on a somewhat fixed
schedule and seem comfortable with that. Sorry, but that's not sailing -
it's motor boating.

It's not that fixed a schedule - it is only that if we don't go to a
marina, one of us has to cook, and that's not going to be me. So I
try to plan so that we can go somewhere that Bob doesn't mind going
and I would like to see and where we can pull in and go to a
restaurant for dinner. A plan is not the same as a schedule.

You can't get a rise out of me by called our boat a motor sailer or
saying that we are motor boating, because I don't really care which it
is.

You two fine folks really DO need to discover (or
possibly revisit) what pure sailing is all about. The only way to do that is
to have a boat that is a pure sailer. Any time an outboard motor is tilted
out of the water while you are under sail you are a pure sailor.

I don't like outboards (we have two), and I've never claimed to be a
sailor - pure or any other kind.

That's
something to be proud of and to enjoy thoroughly knowing so few others these
days are able to accomplish the act of pure sailing. You will spend your
hours not worrying about mechanical breakdowns but enjoying the quiet, the
freedom from worry, the clean wind in your hair and the beauty of an almost
forgotten art - that of pure sailing.

Wishing you and yours the best and long life and sailing forever.

Wilbur Hubbard

Boat Problem Question
 

On 2008-06-26 15:19:04 -0400, Rosalie B. said:

We pulled the boat yesterday and Bob said the cutlass bearing was
extremely loose and he is pretty sure that was the problem. He said it
was vibrating again on the way over to the haul slip, and there was
nothing on the prop except some barnacles..

If it feels loose, it is.

He had put a vibration damper spacer in and he thinks he didn't get the
cutlass bearing far enough back to account for that.

Hmmm. Sounds like there was an error in installation. Ah well, live and learn.

However, someone has just emailed me and explained that they change the
cutlass bearing every time they haul the boat as a precaution. (They
only haul about every two years)

I was given the impression that the old (70s) cutlass bearings lasted a
decade easily. The new ones are supposedly better. If they wear faster
than that, I'd look to other causes, misalignment first, bent shaft,
then prop balance. That doesn't seem to be your problem, though.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/

Boat Problem Question
 

"Jere Lull" wrote in message
news:2008062622045443658-jerelull@maccom...
On 2008-06-26 15:19:04 -0400, Rosalie B. said:

We pulled the boat yesterday and Bob said the cutlass bearing was
extremely loose and he is pretty sure that was the problem. He said it
was vibrating again on the way over to the haul slip, and there was
nothing on the prop except some barnacles..

If it feels loose, it is.

He had put a vibration damper spacer in and he thinks he didn't get the
cutlass bearing far enough back to account for that.

Hmmm. Sounds like there was an error in installation. Ah well, live and
learn.

However, someone has just emailed me and explained that they change the
cutlass bearing every time they haul the boat as a precaution. (They only
haul about every two years)

I was given the impression that the old (70s) cutlass bearings lasted a
decade easily. The new ones are supposedly better. If they wear faster
than that, I'd look to other causes, misalignment first, bent shaft, then
prop balance. That doesn't seem to be your problem, though.

--
Jere Lull
Xan-à-Deux -- Tanzer 28 #4 out of Tolchester, MD
Xan's pages: http://web.mac.com/jerelull/iWeb/Xan/
Our BVI trips & tips: http://homepage.mac.com/jerelull/BVI/



I agree.. I've seen boats that have gone 5+ years without having to replace
it. Something else is wrong if you have to replace it every year.


--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com