Graham

The title is "Graham", but the picture is one of a spinnaker?


Way back in the 1982 South Atlantic Race to Punta Del Este, Uruguay we gave the spinnakers on our boat names. I remember the intermediate kite was called "Daantjie" after one of the boat's owners. (The owners did not sail with us!) The spinnaker was built just like Daantjie. Tough and strong and could take whatever came its way.


For the Governors Cup we are going to call this spinnaker "Graham".

Why, because it has a story. Just like Graham, the guy who is "lending" it to us, always has a story. Lending it, but at the same time saying to me it is okay to cut it smaller to fit our boat.


I have known Graham since late 1981 when he joined our Uruguay Race team as a last minute replacement for a guy who had made his girlfriend pregnant and had to get married instead of going sailing.

When I mentioned to Graham some months ago that the budget was getting a bit tight he told me he's got an asymmetrical kite we can use.
My immediate response was "what spinnaker, why on earth would you have an asymmetrical kite in your possession?"

And then came the story.
"I bought it with some other sails and furlers and this and that from an insurance company"
"Huh?"
"Yep, remember that Island Spirit cat that flipped off the Wild Coast? It got pulled in here upside down and was declared a write off. The salvage people were dumping the lose gear on the dock and I chatted to the insurer's rep and they sold me the stuff". "The kite has never been used".


The kite turned out to be much too big for our boat. See "Pontoon sailing", one of my earlier blogs.

But in true Graham style his response was that I am free to have it cut down to size to suit our boat. Thanks a stack Graham, you're a real pal!


Tomorrow Graham the Kite leaves for Cape Town to be cut down to size.


PS.


Graham has also lent us a liferaft.


And here is his story.

The raft is from Graham's cabin cruiser. A real floating passion pit. Wait for it. The boat once upon a time belonged to that Pommy actor Austin Powers! Graham promptly changed the name of the boat to "Austin".

The Spinnaker Pole is Red

The Spinnaker Pole is RED.


The jobs list is getting shorter.



I have sprayed the spinnaker pole red. The idea was to use the last red paint, left-over from the time many years ago when I painted the coamings of the children's' Optimist red. I figured this was a good way of cleaning out the garage. Except I ran out of red before the final coats and had to go and buy some more red paint. So I managed to throw out the old empty tin, now replaced by a new, half-full tin.


Also sprayed the two solar panel posts white. That was to get one step closer to throw away the left over white paint from the boatbuilding days. There is enough white paint left over to keep for just in case I must touch up a scratch or scrape. Better keep some, cause I have done quite well in the boat bumping department lately.



And I have received the official SAMSA "Carving and Marking Note".

Firstly that means we are very close to being officially certified as fit to go foreign.
Secondly, it meant I had to engrave an "Official Number" onto the main bulkhead. That I have now done. I must now get the surveyor out here again to inspect the carving and make himself happy that it is permanent! And have the boat's name in plain black letters on the bows. And have Port Elizabeth on the stern. That is the boat's official port of registry.


And I had to appoint an official "Ships Agent".


Wait for it. The ship's agent is none other than my darling wife Tanya!
Hell, and Tanya hates my boats. But she's my agent. She kinda likes the idea. Well, at least that's what she told me. I think she's expecting (or hoping) to be paid an agency fee.
Boy, is she gonna be disappointed.

Fruitcakes, Partners and Coming Out

Fruitcakes, Partners and Coming out.

No, it's not what you're thinking!

Fruitcakes.

My mom was on the phone this morning. Wants to know how many fruitcakes I want her to bake me for the voyage.

I have never raced across the Atlantic without taking one of her fruitcakes with. First time in 1982 on Checkers Hyper and again on Wings in '85. Any way, she was asking if we would like one. Obviously, Yes please. And please make one more for the trip to Simonstown. Then we will have something to eat at teatime at False Bay Yacht Club in the days leading up to the start.

Partners and Coming out.

My sailing partner (no, we are NOT a couple) is still lurking in the locker so to speak. Because he must still clear his departure from business with his business partners. Only then will he come out. He was hoping to be a free man by now, but those wheels are turning a bit slower than he (we?) had hoped.

Meanwhile, the jobs list is getting shorter.

Same with the time to go. It is now two months and a day or two before the start. And I have only six weeks left at the shop before I leave to sail down to the Cape.

It is scarey.

Recycled Energy

The biggest challenge facing us on the voyage to St Helena (once we get past the financial hurdle- anyone want to buy my marina mooring?) will not be wind, weather or high seas.


It will be electricity, or energy, to use the words of the politicians. Energy, both the generating thereof and limiting the consumption of it.


Well, Banjo is going green.

We are relying solely on solar energy during our passage.
I have taken advice from the Mini Transat Class boats and from their website to see what they do, because our needs and our general minimalist approach is the same as theirs.

These guys use (and their class rules dictate) two separate solar panels of at least 45 watt each, charging two batteries if at least 100 amp each. And that is exactly what we are fitting.

The two solar panels are being mounted aft on each stern quarter. They are fitted onto two aluminium posts which are bolted onto the stern pushpit. The solar panels in turn are mounted on fully adjustable brackets so that they can at all times be facing the sun at the optimum angle.

All the bits and pieces have now been made and bolted together. This weekend I can fit it onto the boat. But only after first spray painting the posts. Nothing is ever that quick and easy!

To complete the whole GREEN thing. The aluminium posts are recycled. It is from a broken boom that once, long ago, 1976/1978 thereabout, belonged to my Laser. I knew that broken boom was gonna come in handy one day.

And the two posts are resting on two marine ply pads on the aft deck. And where does the marine ply come from? I cut it from a spare rudder blade that once belonged to Jamie's Mirror dinghy (the Mirror has been passed on some time ago). Nothing gave me more joy than cutting up that old Mirror rudder blade. Those boats rank right up there with Optimists as the biggest crap I have ever sailed.

Just a pity we are giving part of it a ride across the ocean.

Is this cat the king?

Is this going to be the meanest cat in the harbour?

Not many little kitty cats are gonna mess with this mister of cats in the harbour. His simply going to ignore them with a schmuck "wait till I get you outside" expression on his face. Like cats do.


I caught up with this cat of the cats in Port St Francis last night. I was down there to take pictures of my marina berth (up for sale to fund our Gov. Cup entry). First I spotted the mast. And I immediately knew what was happening.

Tim the MD of Tag Yachts has done a good job of keeping all interested parties fully up to date with progress on the build of this boat. So we knew launching was coming up soon.


What they created is something special. It is impressive.


The boat went in as smoothly as can be expected. I saw a calm looking owner and a guy was pointed out to me as the new boat captain. Just as calm. These captains never show any form of stress! That's why they get these jobs.


But it is out at sea that this cat is going to rule.

Carbon everything. Lifting daggerboards. High aspect rudders. Rotating carbon mast. Lifting a hull when sailing.

No little kitty cat is gonna mess with this dude!


I hope to have the Banjo back in the bay soon to see if the Dude will play.

Mountains and Mountaineering

Mountains and Mountaineering.

In January 1996 I became a mountaineer (by default).

I inherited a mountain peak! The Cockscomb. At 5 700 ft it is the highest summit in the immediate Port Elizabeth region. The mountain lies some 80 kilos North of St Francis Bay, and forms part of the Groot Winterhoek range. It borders on the the Baviaans Kloof.

Look at the full picture of the mountain:

The view is from the North, looking South towards the coast. My piece of solid African rock starts on the saddle on the left, stretches to the right to include the tip of the mountain peak, and then comes North towards you to include the ridges just in front of the summit. The two peaks on the left, the Little Cockscomb and The Pimple are also on my 54 hectares of mountain land.

At 4 500 ft, tucked into one of the ridges is Echo cave. Complete with rudimentary mountain hut, ice cold shower and flushing loo with the best view in Africa.

To summit, we climb from the North, starting out from the neighbouring farm just off the Steytlerville road.

To get to my piece of Africa you have to first embark on a three and a half our, unrelentless climb of 2 500 ft. It's a bit like cruising long distance to windward on a heavy keelboat. It is zig-zag, slow going, up and down, but always climbing. Every now and then you hove- to for a break. Eventually you see your destination but the last little bit takes forever.

Coming down is like running down wind. It's good to start off with, but like sailing, eventually the constant rolling gets to you. Your knees get sore, your toes hurt. And the ice cold beers you left in the car down on Hannes's farm will be luke warm by now after a few days in the hot Karoo sun.

But up there you would have had a nice total relax, enjoyed the challenges of the high ledges, steep chimneys and awesome drops while slowly working your way to the summit and then the views.

If you don't climb the mountain, you cannot enjoy the view.

Sailing fun

Cabin Fever

Cabin Fever.

The Banjo is a minimalist boat.

That's how I wanted it to be and I stuck to my objective right through the build process.

The biggest killer on a multihull is WEIGHT. Weight serves no purpose on a trimaran. It only makes the boat slow. Excessive weight on a multihull can even be dangerous in extreme weather and sea conditions.

I am obsessed about heavy stuff finding it's way onto the boat. Keeping things simple saves a lot of weight.

The galley has a single burner gas stove. Trimarans don't heal much, so there is no need for the stove to be gimballed. I bolted an aluminium pot (with it's base cut out) onto the ring of the stove. That will act as a pot and kettle retainer in rough weather or when the boat is being driven hard.

The sink is a small s/steel prep bowl sunk into the galley work surface. No plumbing in the galley. The sink is emptied by pouring the water over the side. Water comes out of a large collection of bottled water. No pumps, no leaks, no blockages.

The heads are also spartan. Another s/steel prep bowl for a washbasin. Again no plumbing. Water straight out of a bottle into the basin. Pour it over the side when done. The loo? Bucket and chukit. There is a built-in toilet seat and a bucket slides underneath it. It has never blocked, has no evil smells and amuses my children no end.

The main cabin has two bunks. (there are two more in the forepeak). To starboard, as one enters the cabin, is a small nav area. The chart table will NOT take a folded chart. Chartwork is done on one of the bunks. There is a VHF radio and that's it. We will use handheld GPS's for navigation and a sat phone and laptop for communication with Race control and the outside world.

Up on deck is a speedo/ echosounder unit.

There is a small autopilot for helping with helming duties. We are sailing two-up.

Our electronic needs will be fired up by two 45 watt solar panels mounted on the stern, feeding into two 105 deepcycle batteries.

To ease the drain, navlights have LED bulbs, ditto the cabin lights.

All the electronic stuff making their way onto small boats? Mostly there because the owner wants to play with gadgets, just like kids with computer games and playing on cell phones.

The Banjo disappoints a lot of folk because there are none of the "must have" gadgets on board. It does make for a nicer boat, cause you just hop on board and SAIL the blooming thing. And FAST!

In the food department we wil be sailing in the "Express" division.

We are planning on leaving with frozen pre-cooked dinners for the first four nights. (put into a cooler box with frozen bottled water as ice) Then we must move onto a collection of simple one-pot meals and my co-skipper has advised me that he is good at fishing. So I've scrapped stocking up for two dinners and replaced them with the fish he still have to catch.

Look out for us on St Helena. We are the two skinny guys.

No Papers, No go. And That's Official.

And Sir,

Tell me, do you have a license?

No license, no sailing.
We had the SAMSA category A survey done this week. A bit late, I hope not.

Gordon came from PE to do it. He is one of the Algoa Bay Yacht Club members who does this for the club fleet. I have known Gordon since 1979 when I first joined ABYC. Having this piece of government bureaucracy done by a fellow sailor and not a government official, is a great help.

Anyway, all went well and it was nice catching up with news from my old stomping grounds, ABYC.

You see that weird object in the background? It's a money tree. A little wire-craft tree with some brass coins tied into it. A financial guy gave me some years ago. Look carefully, there are not many coins on it.
It's a good reflection of my back pocket after the SAMSA survey.

Liferaft service, about R4 000. EPIRB another R4 000. Flares, lights on lifejackets, charts, upgraded First Aid Kit another R5 000 odd Rands.
So far most of the spend has been on making the boat safe. Hopefully we can now get onto making the boat fast. Except that money tree is bearing no fruit!

We must still order the spinnaker. THE spinnaker. The ONLY ONE!

And pay for the family's passage on the mail ship, and the insurance, and some antifouling and some, and some and another few Rands here and there.

Having empty pockets makes boat preparation easy. You can't buy it, therefore you don't have to install it.