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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2009 : 11:17:47

...speaking of which... How many crew will there be?

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2009 : 21:13:56

I visited the boat today and went through everything. She is very well made for offshore racing, and very very light. They have every bit of equipment even to individual EPIRBs and an EPIRB for the boat. The inside is very spartan. Seems smaller than my C25 inside! For sure less comfortable.

I went over everything bow to stern as if I was buying her. She is in very good shape. 100% Rerigged for the race. Carbon fiber rudder plus spare. Spare halyards. SSB, Sat Phone, computer, weather fax, routing software. 6 hank on jibs, 2 spinnakers, code 0, spare main. Ditch bag with watermaker, VHF, flares, food, GPS, and mini EPIRB. Liferaft.

Only flaw I saw was some small cracks on the awthartships stringer under the mast (all the hull stringers are visible) and there is only one fuel filter. 30 gallons water in 2 tanks. 2 anchors. Wet locker. Harness and clipped in at ALL times. Jacklines. Tools, spare filters.

Alcohol stove on gimbals, gortex sleeping bags.

The skipper, Mike, is bringing his daugher. She is 25, kind of a novice sailor. Mike figures the watch schedule will be when ever we want to shift, with him and his daughter taking one watch and me the other. It is all expenses paid for me and today they said they were also giving me $100/day. I didn't ask for money but shy not, it will pay for a bottom job or new 155% laminate/mylar jib for Indiscipline.

They have a good medical kit with scopolamine and other meds - I've never seen scopolamine pills before.

These are serious offshore racers who've been there and done it before. I am lucky to be getting this chance.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/15/2009 : 22:31:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JimB517
 ...Seems smaller than my C25 inside! For sure less comfortable... 6 hank on jibs, 2 spinnakers, code 0, spare main.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">No wonder it seems smaller!

They're lucky to have you! (They must know that--there's some reason they offered the extra cash!) Have a ball!

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 02/15/2009 22:31:59

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 09:10:17

So far so good, although I do not like the watch schedule, nor the inexperienced daughter which will be the favored crew. Couple that with the two of them being on watch whenever they feel like it AND then the "here's a 100 bucks, don't ask any more questions."

"Mike figures the watch schedule will be when ever we want to shift, with him and his daughter taking one watch and me the other."

Newsflash! That's not a crew of three! That's a crew of two with some added liabilities/ballast. Three hours on and three hours off for even 3 days will tire out this 43 YO body and my 37 YO nightowl wife/crew ON A COMFORTABLE TWICE AROUND RACER/CRUISER!

I'll give you a hundred bucks a day to crew with us for the same deal. You get 12 hours off and we each get 6 hours ON. We will arrive in Belize rested, well fed, showered, well sexxed

, and you will sleep for a week.

Is the daughter hot? Maybe that's why Dad want to stay up with her!

Seriously, it does sound like fun - but we may have discovered the one concern.

sten

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 09:48:12

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">...and you will sleep for a week.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edit: Just thought of something guys--they could be reading this...

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 02/16/2009 09:50:30

redviking
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1771 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 09:57:33

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 <blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">...and you will sleep for a week.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Edit: Just thought of something guys--they could be reading this...

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Hopefully they are! Me no likey this part, the owner should rethinky...

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 10:34:26

The way I see it we are double handing the boat back with a passenger. Obviously now that there is $ involved they will expect me to work, especially since the daughter is paying her own way, but I expected to work. I think they are appreciative that I am doing this and compensating me for buying stuff like boots and base layers of fleece.

We planned to buy all the food in Cabo. However, there is a truck taking stuff down for the return crews - like our delivery main. I plan to throw my sea bag in there and I think I'll go to Costco and buy stuff I like ex. juice bags, granola bars, and dried fruit and throw it in the truck.

Edited by - on

delliottg
Former Mainsheet C250 Tech Editor

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USA
4479 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 10:51:24

I have to agree, you & "the family" will be on port & starboard watches (that's what we called six on, six off in the USN), no matter how long the actual watches are. This is OK for a couple of days, but you guys are going to be exhausted by the end of three, or at least you will be. They might be able to spell each other for catnaps if the conditions aren't too bad, you won't.

Edited by - on

KiteKraemer
Navigator

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191 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 21:14:41

I hope the compensation is worth it. Good luck, may the wind be at your back. Bring a satellite phone and laptop to keep us in the loop will ya!?

Edited by - on

Scumbucket
1st Mate

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USA
53 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 21:26:54

Have fun and enjoy your adventure, and I will look forward to reading about it!

Edited by - on

Steve Blackburn
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1091 Posts

Response Posted - 02/16/2009 : 21:38:36

Jim, it sounds like a lot of fun. Why look at this $100/day like a bad thing? I think they just realized that you will incure extra expenses in this trip and to be fair are compensating you. The daughter will most probably be very helpful after all. The boat looks able, fast and well equipped for the task.

Have you realized that now that you are compensated you have crossed the line from Amateur to Professional? But don`t take yourself too seriously for it!

Edited by - Steve Blackburn on 02/16/2009 21:40:01

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 00:28:57

What I'm planning to do is send Dave Bristle an email or two from the trip using sailmail or the satphone and he can keep you all updated.

I'm getting emails from the owner now and it's cool that they are treating me like part of the race crew.

Maybe I'll get a ride on the boat in a race someday. I can't wait to see what it feels like to hit 20 knots under spin in the wide ocean.

Raining cats and dogs all day today. Hope it clears up in a month.

Dave - PM me so I have your email in my Blackberry - assuming you don't mind.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 09:05:14

Done!

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 17:18:12

Jim, Sounds like a trip of a lifetime...your skipper obviously has confidence in you. If you do in him, than go for it!!! If possible, keep a journal and fill us in on details when you return.

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/17/2009 : 18:30:23

I'm planning to keep a log, journal, and take lots of photos! For sure the results will be on my web page.

I've met all the people and been on the boat and I think there is mutual respect all the way around.

The owner said he liked the fact that I've been out there and have done it in a small boat. That's the first time having a small boat has ever earned me some respect at a yacht club.

By the way, I have sailed 1850 miles on Indiscipline since March 11, 2008. Hopefully the bad weather will be behind me and I can hit my 2000 for the year before daylight savings starts again. Only 150 to go! That's just a long weekend!

Edited by - on

pastmember
Master Marine Consultant

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2402 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2009 : 10:27:20

I have several pair of Gill boots in 13,and some Gill water socks, great stuff.

Edited by - on

DaveR
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2015 Posts

Response Posted - 02/18/2009 : 11:44:09

Good luck Jim, sounds like the voyage of a lifetime. I hope this leads you to some offshore racing with this skipper & boat. Cheers!

Edited by - on

bren737
Captain

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291 Posts

Response Posted - 02/19/2009 : 18:54:34

Hey Jim,

Have you seen the March issue of Cruising World? You've GOT to check it out: Page 54: 'Bashing North From Baja' by no less than Herb McCormick. He brought a 64 ft sloop back along your route but all the way to Frisco.

Edited by - on

TRogers
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 02/20/2009 : 15:07:19

Good luck. That's a rough trip against wind and current at this time of year.

I helped my brother a couple of years bring his Pearson 39 up the coast from Cabo to Portland in the time frame between February and May in a couple of legs. I was only on board from Monteray to Coos Bay Oregon. We had plotted 9 days to make it all the way to Portland, but we didn't make it due to weather lay days.

It was only myself and my brother and an autopilot. It was mostly motoring against the wind and current. Did have two days that had nice sailing when the wind shifted to the west.

Looking back, it was fun and I'd probably do it again, but there were times I was wondering what I was doing there. What is it they say about attitude is everything?

You can see a recap of the trip with lots of pictures here:

http://www.geocities.com/billisfree/BajaReturn.html

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 21:46:44

I spent Sunday working on the boat with the crew. Its a great group of guys. I got trained in the satphone, SSB, Weatherfax, and Expedition software. We'll have one weatherfax per day with one email or two per day (cost $2/minute for the satphone). We did not yet test the 2 EPIRBs.

I was told its a pretty wet boat. There were lots of deck leaks and a big leak through the bowsprit for the Transpac but they seemed to have them ironed out on the last Cabo race and on the Puerto Vallerta race. They thought if there were any on the way down they could fix it before we come back.

That said, I am double bagging everything and preparing for wet.

If the bow sprit is leaking we probably won't be flying the asym since this route is known for a beat and we can duct tape the whole thing shut.

I rode the boat to the fuel dock and the way the engine is done its a very quiet boat. Don't need no spring lines to stop this boat at the dock, a feather will stop this 4000 lber.

My polypro-wool long underware arrived, polypro fleece is ordered and my size 14 Gill boots should be here this week. I also have polypro inner socks and wool outer socks.

I've already spent about $200 just on clothes but they should come in handy on Indiscipline. I can't help thinking I'd have a better ride up on my C25 - slower - but drier and more comfortable but we'll see. I can't wait to see how the boat rides into 12 foot waves at 4 seconds and 25 knots on the nose. I also pray we get the asym up or code 0, and have a reach at 15 knots boatspeed at least part of the way home!

We got a J29 dacron main to use for the delivery and I put the battens in and bent it on and it looks good - worn, a little baggy, dirty, but still fairly crisp and no bad seams or stiches.

One thing for sure the mast, boom, rigging, rudder, pintles, engine, saildrive, tanks, electronics, deck organizers, clutches, cordage and such are thousands of time stronger than on Indiscipline.

Edited by - on

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2009 : 22:21:55

12' at 4 seconds??

I hope not!!

We'll hope for an offshore breeze for a screaming reach with the code-zero!

Edited by - on

glivs
Admiral

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USA
836 Posts

Response Posted - 02/24/2009 : 13:18:28

"wind on the nose"

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2009 : 15:52:50

Check out this video and think I'm going on a boat that can move like this! From the Long Beach - Cabo race.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLX5fevFHfk& feature=channel_page

Lets pray we get reaching conditions somewhere/sometime!

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2009 : 17:45:31

Here's anothe one. I like the line in the song they are playing...if you got just one chance to do what you're dreaming of would you grab it or let it slip by?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUHFvuACNWw

Edited by - on

TRogers
1st Mate

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USA
90 Posts

Response Posted - 02/25/2009 : 20:13:00

Looks like a nice down wind course and mellow seas.

Hope you get some of that.

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