Monday April 18th 2011, 7:30 pm BYO BBQ 6:30

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No. 3, April 2011 VOLUME No. 31,
Editor: Next Meeting: Guest Speaker: Maralyn Miller
Monday April 18th 2011, 7:30 p.m. B.Y.O. BBQ 6:30 p.m. Jonathon Neeves The Anchor Design Revolution. Easter Cruise Destination – Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club 1
CRUISING DIVISION OFFICE BEARERS ‐ 2011 Cruising Captain Phil Darling 0411‐882‐760 Cruising Vice Captain Charo Devery 0412‐159‐100 Vice‐Commodore Cruising Phil Darling 0411‐882‐760 Secretary John Fagg 0434‐586‐986 Treasurer Trevor D’Alton 9960‐2878 Membership Jean Parker / Michael Mulholland‐Licht 0403‐007‐675 Name Tags Trevor D’Alton 9960‐2878 Compass Rose Coordinator Maralyn Miller 0411‐156‐009 Safety Coordinator Bill Allen 9977‐ 0392 Waterways User Group Mike McEvoy 9968‐1777 Sailing Committee Phil Darling 0411‐882‐760 YNSW Cruising Group Phil Darling 0411‐882‐760 Guest Speakers Royce Englehardt & Committee & Members as required On Water Events Coordinator Greg Cockle Colin Pitstock On Land Events Coordinators Jean Parker / Lee Laurie / Astrid Mulholland‐Licht / Scott Saunders General Committee assistance Royce Englehardt, Scott Saunders, Trevor D’Alton 0450‐311‐190 0407‐669‐322 Editor's note: Deadline for the next edition of the Compass Rose, is: 5th May 2011 The EDITOR for the April Compass Rose is Maralyn Miller. Please forward contributions c/‐: MHYC PO Box 106 SEAFORTH NSW 2092, or email: darling.maralyn@ozemail.com.au Opinions expressed in the Compass Rose are those of the contributors, and do not necessarily reflect opinions of either Middle Harbour Yacht Club or the Cruising Division 2
MHYC Cruising Division Program – 2011 Apr '11 Mon 18th CD Meeting – 7:30p.m at the club (BBQ 6:30pm) Thur 21st – Tue 26th Fri 29th May '11 Fri 13th – Sun 15th Jun ‘11 Jul ‘11 Easter long‐weekend Cruise to Broken Bay & Newcastle (Thur evening Sydney – Pittwater) MHYC Annual Presentation & Dinner Mystery Cruise – On water / On land Mon 16th CD Meeting – 7:30p.m at the club (BBQ 6:30pm) Sat 11th – Mon 13th June Long Weekend cruise to Port Hacking Mon 20th CD AGM – 7:30p.m. at the club (BBQ 6:30 pm) (note change of date) Christmas in July Sat 16th Mon 18th Aug ‘11 Mon 15th CD Meeting – 7:30 p.m. at the club (BBQ 6:30 p.m.) CD Meeting – 7:30p.m. at the club (BBQ 6:30 PM)
Sat 20th – Sun 21st Sugarloaf Raftup and Pre‐safety audit Sat 27th – Sun 28th Get Set Weekend – Special Regulations Audit Next Meeting: Guest Speaker: Monday April 18th 2011, 7:30 p.m. B.Y.O. BBQ 6:30 p.m. Jonathon Neeves The Anchor Design Revolution. ‘Last Friday’ drinks Friday 15 April ‐ Band is Kuta Groove ‐ nibbles from 6:30 p.m. Join the Cruising Division for a chance to win the badge draw at 8:00 p.m. th
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Captain’s Column – April 2011 Hello Sailors! Well – Autumn seems to have hit suddenly this year, and not just with the end of daylight saving. The weather is cooler, the evenings shorter and the rain has returned. The experts tell us that the La Nina effect is weakening, but there is still enough kick in it for some heavy rain and strong winds. This is the time of year that the east coast lows are at their worst, with warm water off the coast and cool air giving them an extra potency – so be careful if you are heading out to check the weather and have your contingency plans ready. Speaking about weather – we had to cancel the Wachman event in late March due to heavy rain and strong winds – a trip down to Botany Bay in that would have been for only the most extreme amongst us. Hopefully the weather will now ease up for Easter – and it seems that those who went up to the Port Stephens regatta have had good conditions so far. Easter looks to be great fun this year, with plans (weather permitting – again) to get as far as Newcastle, starting with a night sail up to Pittwater on the Thursday night. We would love to come on eXpresso (I really enjoy sailing at night), but Maralyn’s recovery from surgery means that we probably will have to come by land this year. Looking further ahead, the “Mystery Cruise” is back on the water this year in mid‐
May, with a motorized cruise planned in the upper Hawkesbury – by house boat no less! Yes – we plan to join those crazies you see on the motorized pontoons and explore the area above the bridges – which we can never get to by yacht. All the best – and see you on the water soon Phil Darling Cruising Captain & Vice Commodore – Cruising 4
FUTURE EVENTS: April Meeting: Guest Speaker: Monday April 18th 7:30 p.m. Jonathon Neeves – The Anchor Design Revolution. There have been major advances in anchor design over the past few years. What we may have thought of as traditional standards for our cruising yachts are being superseded in many areas by lighter, non‐articulating anchors that are easier to handle and stow. But are they better? Jonathon Neeves is a freelance yachting journalist, writing for most of the Australian magazines ‐ Afloat, Australian Yachting, Ocean, Multihull etc… but primarily Cruising Helmsman. His background had been racing focused, but he now owns a 38’ catamaran on which he and his wife cruise Australia’s east coast, from Tasmania to The Whitsundays. In a normal year they would clock up about 2,500nm. He has just completed a major survey and test programme of anchors the full detail of which has been commissioned as a 2 part article in Cruising Helmsman, a one part for Sailing Today and he’s in discussions with an American publisher. The test programme has been conducted using anchors lent by various suppliers, Lewmar, Manson, Spade, Ultra and Anchor Right. Jonathon will be addressing us at our April meeting. May Meeting: Guest Speaker: Monday May 16th 7:30 p.m. UNSW Marine Research ‐ Senior Doctoral students Luke Hedge: Andrew McKinley: Sarah Graham: Introduction, and 'Invertebrate ecology and weedy invasions in Sydney's underwater gardens Fish assemblages in urbanised and natural estuaries of the south east Australian coast Polluted algae and Copper tolerance in Sydney's marine grazers June Meeting: Guest Speaker: Monday 20th June Andrea Francolini – Marine Photographer Andrea has covered many important sailing races worldwide such as the Route du Rhum, the Whitbread Race Around the World, Volvo Ocean Race, Vendee Globe Challenge, Louis Vuitton Cup, the Sydney to Hobart race, Skandia Geelong Race Week, Hamilton Island Race Week and all of Audi's sailing events in Australia. 5
MHYC Annual Presentation Dinner ‐ Reminder Feels like the year has just started, yet it’s already April and more importantly the `official’ end to the sailing season. So if you have not booked your tickets do it now by phone or online and help cheer our trophy winners on another wonderful sailing year. Look forward to seeing you all at the Cruising Division table, Charo Devery, ‘Luscious’ Skipper. EASTER LONG WEEKEND CRUISE TO BROKEN BAY & NEWCASTLE The Cruising Division is taking advantage of the longer Easter break this year by having a five and a half day cruise to scenic Newcastle and back. Our plan is: ¾ Thursday evening 21st – evening sail Sydney to Pittwater ¾ Friday 22nd – relax in Pittwater ¾ Saturday 23rd – Pittwater to Newcastle ¾ Sunday 24th – relax in Newcastle/lunch ashore ¾ Monday 25th – return sail Newcastle to Pittwater ¾ Tuesday 24 – Pittwater to Sydney Naturally all legs are subject to weather conditions, and there is flexibility to cope with adverse conditions (for example, Newcastle to Sydney can be a one day sail if necessary). Advise of your interest at the April meeting. Co‐ordinator Colin Pitstock, ‘Shazam’ 6
MYSTERY CRUISE WEEKEND FRIDAY MAY 13 to SUNDAY MAY 15, 2011‐04‐10 HOUSEBOATS ON THE HAWKESBURY RIVER – from BROOKLYN May is a beautiful time to chill out and investigate the quiet river areas that are forbidden and thus hidden to us beyond the bridge at Brooklyn. We can head off for 2‐1/2hrs up river to Spencer for a casual pub style lunch or brunch. It is not recommended that we progress further as it is another 4hours or so to Wiseman’s Ferry with not a lot of extra interest to see along the way. Instead it is suggested that we explore Cowan Creek and meander on up to Berowra Waters‐ much more scenic. For those that are interested, we could also suss out the fare at Peats Byte, especially as this river icon can only be accessed by water for those without a big stick in the middle of their boats, so it is a good opportunity. The houseboats can be rented out for just the Saturday and Sunday, but with the distances and basic costs involved, it is better to pick them up on the Friday and make a longish weekend out of it. But for those of you who cannot get away on the Friday, you can meet up with us ‘up river’. There are two styles of Houseboats – one style has more privacy in the cabin arrangement, is larger and this is reflected in the costs. However, should you wish, you could also sleep more people on this one and thus reduce the cost per person. The larger one also gives a much better entertaining area inside in the cabin area as well as a large covered deck with table & 8 chairs plus bench seating on the roof area. Additionally, it has been recommended that we use motorised dinghies [or take one or two of our own?] as to access shore at Spencer we need to go a ways as houseboats are not allowed into the branch of the river servicing Spencer. This would also be useful as we will have to moor separately as houseboats are not permitted to raft up. 7
I recommend we hire through Holidays Afloat and you can check out their website address: www.holidaysafloat.com.au as they have 3 of the larger HOMECRUISER 47 as well as several of the slightly smaller LUXURY 45. This will give you layout arrangements etc. Costs are: HOMECRUISER 47: Fri‐Sun $1695; Sat‐Sun $1595 sleeps up to 8 LUXURY 45: Fr‐Sun $1395; Sat‐Sun $1195 sleeps up to 10 [too many suggest up to 6] Should we need more of the HOMECRUISER 45 then this can also be arranged, but numbers are needed asap]. Cowan Creek Please email Lee on leonielaurie@bigpond.com by April 20 [latest] your intention to attend and your preferences re days and boat size so that I can make our bookings. It may also work better if those wishing to join us for this great escape up river could make their own arrangements with friends/boat model etc & advise me.. I intend to try for a discount on a bulk hire & will advise this later. If you wish to discuss this further, please call me or use my email [as above]. Lee Laurie ph. 9923 2323 PLEASE NOTE: ‘Second Sunday’ Breakfast Sunday 8th May has been Cancelled due to Mother’s Day falling on that date 8
PAST EVENTS: BAREFOOT BALL – 1st April, 2011 The Barefoot Ball was a great success with 325 tickets sold for this year’s event. It was particularly lovely to see many of the attendees were MHYC members. About half the guests dressed in the theme and the rest arrived in the traditional cocktail dress for women and black tie and board shorts for men. Others dressed as Danny and Sandy from Greece, Madonna, Gilligan and Mary Ann, Cat Woman, Sherlock Holmes, Marilyn Monroe and many other screen favourites. Scott and his team did a great job creating a number of distinct spaces which worked really well. On the beach were a stage with the band and the food kiosks. The Sand Bar was the busy `catch up with people’ space. The Upper Deck had lounge chairs set up in groups for people who wanted to talk, with coffee and tea set up in the Members Room. The veranda had tables set up for people to eat and watch the `action’ on the beach. The Harbour View Room had the DJ and was the place to be after 10.00pm. The food kiosks each had a different theme i.e. Italian, Indian, Chinese and Australian. As there were four distinct kiosks, everyone not only had a choice but was served quite quickly. Later in the night ice creams were distributed. The band was great and people were dancing on the beach, in the Harbour View Room and the Sand Bar. The Cruising Division `set up camp’ in the veranda, where we watched the action on the beach and basically partied. We also all danced on the beach with our usual hilarious results. I must say that my legs were killing me the next morning – dancing on the sand is serious exercise. As well as all the partying we had the presentations for the Twilight Races. This year the prices included wine glasses, each winner received six engraved wine glasses. They looked great and will make great conversation pieces as well as keepsakes of this year’s Twilight Series. Basically everyone seemed to be having a good time, with lots of comments on the layout of the Club, decorations, movies projected onto the walls and the lovely food. Personally, I had a great time, although I was quite tired the next day – always an indication of a good night. Charo Devery, Luscious Skipper. 9
Lunch and Other Disasters On an impulse we decided, one lovely Sunday, to take up a `dare’ and deliver baklava to a certain member on Shazam, who at this stage will remain nameless. The previous night a number of us had attended the Diamond Forever Concert at Taronga Zoo and as per usual we all over catered which prompted the abovementioned dare. Once on the water we called Shazam to let them know we were on our way to join them at Bradleys Head. They advised that they were on their way to meet Bliss for lunch so we turned around to join them. Of course, in keeping with Cruising Division custom, plans changed as we established who was on the water, the mooring space available and so on. Whilst we (Shazam, Bliss, Peter Pan and Luscious) were having these conversations, Phil called in to say hello – turns out he was out on the water with a number of students and was following our conversations. Finally we all met at Manly where we got together on Shazam for a catch up, a great lunch and some lovely wine and dessert. When Luscious left the marina I noticed that the steering did not feel right. It felt tight and was not responsive. However, after discussing my concerns with Roger we decided to see if it would loosen up whilst we were cruising along. It was fine whilst we were going forward and not making any big turns, however it was difficult for anything else, as I discovered when I went to raft up to Shazam. As all you Cruisers know, never a great time to find out you have problems. After a couple of dismal attempts we managed to tie up to Shazam. During lunch more boats came along and I did wonder a couple of times how I would move Luscious out of the raft. When we were ready to leave we (because there is always a committee to help) decided that the best option was to let the wind blow Luscious back then reverse out. At this point I need to mention that there were a number of tenders tied up to Shazam’s stern and another boat anchored not far behind. As I reversed, I found that Luscious had little steering in reverse, so I floated back as far as I could without hitting the boat behind then put her onto forward and doing a wide turn, narrowly missed the tenders behind Shazam. Needless to say whilst this was all happening there was a lot of `advice’ being screamed at from several directions – got to love these situations! Whilst heading back to the Club with the wind getting stronger I mentioned to Roger that getting back into the marina may not be a joy. When we got back to the marina 10
the wind was blowing at 27knots and the steering was a nightmare. Nevertheless, I did a wide turn then put the boat into reverse. The steering was really stiff and the wind blew her off course so I put Luscious into forward and went up to nearly Clontarf before I put her into reverse again. She finally gripped into reverse and staying as close to the left hand side as possible we entered the channel and did a wide turn to the berth at which point the steering decided not to co‐operate. As most of you know I have a long fender attached to the marina so we did a crash landing onto this then luckily the tender drivers came running out to help as the wind was quite strong and Roger was able to throw them a couple of lines to help us sort it all out. I love that fender! I have had a couple of people look at the steering, with one of them asking me how I got the boat back into the berth. Luscious is being slipped next week, when among other things, I will find out exactly what is the problem with the steering. At the same time she will be anti‐fouled, have the engine serviced and etc. Hopefully, the problem will be relatively easy to sort out and she will be ready for the Easter Cruise. Charo Devery, ‘Luscious Skipper’. A Slow Delivery for Discovery (or Phil explains why he missed the February meeting …) Two years ago I helped Peter, owner of a Lexcen 40 called Discovery, to deliver the boat from Pittwater to Southport as he and Paula were returning north to the Sunshine State. Imagine my surprise late last year to get a call from Peter for a re‐
delivery (or is that a Return?) to Pittwater. Peter was leaving his company (after 15 years), and coming back to Sydney to take up a new role which at that stage was “not quite confirmed”. We agreed on a date in mid to late February which suited both his timetable and mine. Come January we confirmed the dates. The Brisbane floods had not really affected things, with one exception (the boat was kept in the Manly boat harbor – although Peter had some stories about watching household debris, refrigerators, and boats wash past their riverfront apartment in the city). The one effect was serious – Nick who had sailed up with us and was coming on the return had an encounter with a snake while clearing his Brisbane yard after the floods, and while he was out of hospital and recovering well did not feel he was ready to sail with us. 11
Discovery, built in 1990, it is one of the most recent of the Miller & Whitworth/Lexcen 40s. Named after one of Captain Cook’s vessels, it was initially in charter in the Whitsundays, where they had a reputation of being very comfortable and strong. Their beam of 4.45m (on a length of 12m) usually gives marina operators a concern, and contributes both to their room below (magnificent), their stability (very good) and their difficulty punching through waves to windward (a slow process under sail or motor). However – after eXpresso, it is a joy to shelter under the bimini, and both a refrigerator and a freezer ensured fresh food and cool drinks are available. A 45hp Perkins diesel completed the package. All arranged, Peter met me at Brisbane airport on Friday afternoon, and on the drive down to Southport we discussed the plan. Lonnie and Kevin were joining us the next morning, and we intended to leave on Saturday morning, stop at Coffs Harbour overnight on Sunday, and most likely arrive in Pittwater on Tuesday evening/Wednesday morning. Although I would miss the Cruising Division meeting on Monday (damn!), a few client commitments in Sydney later in the week seemed safe. Little did we know! Departure on Saturday morning was as planned. As Peter returned the hire car he asked me to take Discovery around and fill up the fuel. Not a simple task, I found. The fuel filler had continual “blow back”, with about 70 litres going into the tank very slowly and (it seemed) an equal amount over me and across the cockpit – thank goodness for the “spill kit” at Southport Yacht Club. I also made the acquaintance of the large fixed‐blade propeller, which in reverse insisted on taking us to starboard rather than backwards (yes – I know – all boats have “prop‐walk” – but it was very pronounced on this vessel). Once at sea all was well. We departed the Gold Coast Seaway, logged in with the Seaway Tower, and headed south. Very soon we were in current, and with a moderate north‐westerly blowing we were doing up to 9kts over the ground. While 12
we were sitting well offshore to maximize the current, I was again impressed at how beautiful the coast is, especially as we approached Cape Byron near dusk. Brisbane was having a hot day, in the high 30s, but under our Bimini we were very comfortable. Since the last trip Peter had invested in a self‐contained chart plotter which he clamped in front of the steering position, so the helmsman was able to watch our progress. In addition we had two hand‐held GPSs, plus my i‐Phone has a charting application which also gave us our position and progress (although it seemed to re‐
set itself every time I made a phone call, or even checked the weather). Last trip I had brought my PC charting system, which gives a better picture but is cumbersome and heavy to transport, so we did not have it this time. But again – as true sailors – we were determined not to depend on the GPS but just to use it as an aid. We arrived at Coffs Harbour mid‐morning on Sunday, after a 20 hour passage, and entered the Marina for an overnight stay – we thought. A southerly was due the next morning, so we had a shower, a few cooling beers at the yacht club, and waited for it to pass. And waited. Next Month – why we spent so long in Coffs, then crawled ever so slowly down the coast. Phil Darling, ‘eXpresso’ 13
Tired, Stressed, Retired? You need a longer cruise. Beautiful Ballina (photo by Wolfgang Kullik) During the last Committee Meeting we discussed the fact that there were a number of members of the Cruising Division who were retired and who potentially may be interested in participating in slightly longer cruises in company without the time restrictions that most of us still face. Apart from our annual Christmas cruise and the Easter cruise, most of our on water events take place on weekends because most members who participate need to be back at work on Monday. Given the opportunity to cruise in company with other Cruising Division yachts to more distant ports may appeal to that selected band of retired members. Perhaps the Jacaranda Festival in the first week of November in Grafton on the Clarence River, or the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Tasmania in February in 2013, or a trip across the paddock to Lord Howe Island or even the Bay of Islands, or Musket Cove Race Week in October? Or just simply, a cruise to nowhere up the East Australian Coast, going where and when the wind takes you. We’d like to float the idea, using the Compass Rose as the medium. If there are any of you who start to experience the hairs sticking up on the back of your neck when thinking about this idea, get in touch with Greg at gcockle7@gmail.com and we can see if we can take the idea any further. Greg Cockle, ‘Volare’ 14
Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club (SICYC) is a Social Network of cruising yachties and individuals who have a passion for the sea. Besides the dynamic social aspect, the concept is to create a network of cruising yachties (Vice Commodores). Each “Vice commodore” representing different locations i.e. Max Peters “Vice Commodore” Caloundra. The aim is that , Vice Commodores are able to provide local advice and assistance to other Vice Commodores passing by, and to, no doubt, share a “sundowner” or two at their favourite local club”. The most demanding responsibility of our members is their social commitment. So where, and what is Shag Islet? It is an Islet between Gloucester Island and the mainland in Nth Queensland, Whitsunday area (20 03.8 S 148 26.5 E). There is nothing on the islet other than Shags, and it can be accessed only at low tide when a small beach is exposed on the southern end. The notional home of SICYC is Montes Reef Resort which is situated on the mainland immediately across from Shag Islet. SICYC has no annual joining fee. To become a “Vice Commodore” of their chosen nautical location and a life member of SICYC, the ”one off” joining fee is $48 which includes “Vice Commodore” cards, website access, and a frequent diners card from Hog Breath Café. Our website has been developed by Michael “Vice Commodore” Chunda Bay, the site www.sicyc.org , displays all newsletters, events, members contact details, nautical links and a link to “The Friends of SICYC” Face Book Site, and password protected access to the members area of the website. Individuals may also join at www.sicyc.org . A newsletter is released monthly, recording SICYC events and news related to the organisation. SICYC does not assume any advocacy role. An SICYC events update is released every two months, promoting events which are hosted by individual “Vice Commodores” at their favourite clubs or dining venues etc. The camaraderie of SICYC is enhanced during the cruising season on the Australian east coast as “Vice Commodores” migrate north. The SICYC burgee combined with the www.skipr.net SICYC page, cruisers are able to identify other Club vessels and their location at anchor, in marinas, or on moorings at any time as they travel. An SICYC High Frequency Radio Net is also, monitored at 6.30am daily on 8161mhz (during the cruising season) from mid May to late October. The membership of SICYC is growing rapidly and is currently 879 strong, with membership in every state of Australia and NZ along with a growing membership from overseas. Each year a “Vice Commodore” Rendezvous is held in Gloucester 15
passage at Shag Islet, Montes Reef Resort. The 2011 Rendezvous will be held 25 to 28 August with proceeds after cost going to the SICYC charity – “The Prostate Cancer Foundation”. This is a strongly support event, with “Vice Commodores” attending from all parts of Australia, USA and NZ. Prostate Cancer Foundation Donation On Tuesday 8 February 2011, $1100.00 was donated to Dr Michael Gillman, on behalf of the Prostate Cancer Foundation by Shag Islet Cruising Yacht Club (SICYC). The money was raised at the SICYC “Vice Commodore” Rendezvous held at Montes Reef Resort last year. SICYC is an Australia wide social group of cruising yachties. The principal charity of SICYC is the Prostate Cancer Foundation Pictured above is the cheque presentation ‐ L to R Sue Fimmell”, Ken Thackeray, Dr Gillman, Rhonda Thackeray and Max Fimmell (Max is a Prostate Cancer Survivor). Peter Gibson, ‘Big Fish’ TREASURER’S REPORT……….by Trevor D’Alton Treasurer's Report As at 28th February 2011
Cash at Bank as at 30.12.10 $ 3,317.82
Plus Receipts
‐ Membership ‐ Interest
$ 2.85
Less Payments
Refund of Pre‐payments for Shirts
Cash at Bank as at 28.2.11 $ 235.00
$ 3,085.67
Outstanding Receipts
Outstanding Payments
Account Balance
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$ 3,085.67
TECHNICAL CORNER Addendum To Article In The March 2011 Edition Of The Compass Rose Last month I wrote an article about the expanded new Special Regulation (SR) 3.06.1 regarding escape hatches forward of the mast. At the time of the February meeting the Special Regulation referred to “makes the two‐ way unlocking of a hatch”. Yachting NSW has since amended the SR to clarify the meaning. It now reads “makes the opening from above deck and below deck of a hatch”. For details go to: http://www.nsw.yachting.org.au/?Page=51656&MenuID=Racing%2F1059%2F0%2F%
2CSpecial%5FRegs%5FReports%7E%5FQ%40A%2F21893%2F37545%2F%2C2011%5FR
eports%2F23296%2F0%2F0 My interpretation of the original expanded SR was that it meant a hatch was able to be opened from above and below deck while the yacht was in use. There is usually another allied device to lock the hatch while it is unattended e.g. on its mooring or marina berth, so that it cannot be opened from above deck. The new words make this clearer. Mike McEvoy, ‘Sarus’ Yachtmaster Quiz 5 1. Can a sheet bend be undone under load? 2. In fog your radar detects a ship approaching on the port bow. The crew suggests an alteration of course to port to clear its stern. Is this correct? 3. Should a lazy spinnaker sheet pass over or under the pole? 4. What is the meaning of the flag signal NC? 5. In navigation what is the meaning of dGPS? 6. A yacht is steering along a transit charted at 358°T in slack tide. If the compass reads 001°C and the variation is 5°W, what is the deviation? 7. You are approaching a buoy with the top mark missing. It is black on top and yellow below. Your course is 090°T. Do you leave it to port or starboard? 8. Where on a rig would you find a ramshorn? 9. If you are not in Port Jackson, a sailing vessel is overtaking a power vessel. Who gives way? 10. What is the name given to a short spar under the bowsprit pointing downwards?
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KNOTTING CORNER (5) PRACTICAL TEST Last month we did bends and shanks so by now most common knots have been described. It’s time to get out your fid, polish it up and ‐ where is your whipping cord, needle and palm? West Country Whipping. No it’s not from west of the Blue Mountains. I can only presume it’s a UK term. West Country Whipping is a quick practical method of using twine to secure the end of a rope to prevent it fraying. It has several advantages: it can be tied without a needle; it is simple to understand and remember; if the whipping fails, the loose ends can usually be re‐tied to temporarily prevent the rope's end from fraying. The Sailmaker
's Whipping It is the yardstick for comparison. It is the most durable because the turns are wrapped with frapping turns which are threaded through the rope. However, it requires a needle and is harder to understand and remember but I’m sure you can see how it’s done. When you look at the above whippings, they do look a bit clumsy and oversized. Consider a thinner whipping cord and a much neater and freer running end will be formed. There again there are always heat shrink sleeves or a hot knife cut but anybody can do that! Whipping is part of yacht craftsmanship; it leads to many more rope applications and provides personal satisfaction. When did you last say “I whipped that rope” or “I made that splice”? Soft Eye Splicing 18
Class 1 3‐strand ropes are made from any or all of the following fibers: Olefin, Polyester, Nylon Although the 3‐strand splice is the most common splice, and simple to perform, technique is important to preserve splice strength. Take care that the tucks lie neatly; rope strength can be lost if the strands are twisted incorrectly. Tools Required: Fid; tape or whipping twine; marking pen, scissors or a sharp knife; hot knife or heat source; ruler. Getting Started: From one end of the rope, count back 16 crowns. Tape this section. Unlay the rope up to the tape then tape the end of each strand. Form the eye and tape the standing part of the rope. To avoid a twist in the eye of the finished splice, untwist the rope one‐half turn between the pieces of tape. STEP 1 ... TUCKING THE FIRST STRAND With a fid or your finger, raise a strand just below the tape on the standing part of the rope and insert the middle working strand under the fid and pull the strand through. Mark the first tucked strand with a single hash mark; numbering the working strands will help you keep track of the tucking process. 0TEP 2 ... TUCKING THE SECOND STRAND Using the fid to separate strands, tuck the next working strand over the strand you just tucked under and under the strand just below it. Mark this strand with a double hash mark. 19
STEP 3 ... TUCKING THE THIRD STRAND Turn the entire piece over. There is one working strand left to tuck and there is one strand left in the standing part of the rope that does not have a working strand under it. Insert the fid to separate the strands and make this tuck, continuing to work counter to the lay or twist of the rope. Mark this strand with a triple hash mark . The first round of tucks is complete. Tighten if necessary by pulling on the strand ends. When you tuck, take care to use all three strands in each round and that you tuck under a strand in the standing part of the rope and not under one of your working strands. STEP 4 ... FINISHING THE SPLICE Perform four more complete tucks. Tighten tucks if necessary. Both the front and the back of the splice should resemble the illustrations shown. So there we have a soft eye splice. Perhaps your first but not your last! If you don’t like it take it out and do it again. Watch how the natural lay of the rope turns so turn with it‐ don’t fight it. It is supposed to look smooth and feel good and you must have the confidence to rely on the eye splice come what weather. Bring your eye splice Those who do try one please bring it to the next Members’ night. If there are more than 3 first time splicers then there’s a bottle of wine for the best eye splicer but bring your splicing gear to prove your art. No gear – no prize. Next we will look at a hard eye splice and what are they are used for. 20
CHEF’S CORNER…………..With Colin Pitstock
Here are some easy winter meals that you can do on board. So before you get your ingredients, grab a bottle of merlot and pour yourself a drink. This one is a good meal for Good Friday. ISLAND GIRL SMOKE SALMON AND CAVIAR PASTA Grab your drink and go to the pantry to grab these ingredients: • One small onion, finely chopped • One crushed clove of garlic • Tablespoon of butter • 1/2 cup of red wine (the rest is for you) • Freshly ground black pepper • 1/4 teaspoon of chilli paste • 2 tablespoons of freshly cut dill • 1 desert spoon of tomato paste • 400mls of cream • 375 gram of fettuccini • 200 grams of smoked salmon slices into strips • 60 grams of caviar METHOD • Melt butter onion and garlic and sauté until golden • add wine, reduce to thicken • add pepper, chilli paste, dill, tomato paste and cream while stirring. • Cook the pasta • heat sauce gently and add salmon • stir in cooked pasta • garnish with caviar and parsley ‐ serves 4 This is one of Admiral Astrid's and Scott's favourites. PS: Don't forget to finish that bottle of Merlot off!! FREE AS THE BREEZE ONE POT ASIAN CHICKEN 21
A glass of bubbles is the go this time. Get your ingredients • 3 cups of chicken stock • 6 slices of fresh ginger (if young no need to peel) • 1 long green chilli sliced • 300 gr of jasmine rice • 500 gr chicken thigh fillets • 4 green onions (shallots) ‐ cut into 5cm lengths • 1 cup coriander leaves • Soy Sauce METHOD • Place stock in large sauce pan/ frying pan that has a lid • with ginger, garlic and chilli and bring to boil. • Add rice making sure it is spread evenly over the base. • When stock comes to the boil, add chicken, cover. • reduce heat to low and cook for 20mins or until rice has absorbed all the stock and chicken is tender. • Top the chicken and rice with the shallots and coriander and serve with soy sauce. Cheers, Safe boating, Happy Easter ‐ see you on the water ‐ SV Shazam 22
PHOTO CORNER ……..…hints from Wolfgang Kullik 1.
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Permanent Storage ??? Some time ago I saw Archive Quality DVD’s and CD’s. Last week I saw them again whilst shopping at Woollies and bought one of each. These discs are gold plated and cost about $5 to $8 each. The CD claims up to 300 years archival and the DVD up to 100 years. In other words they will do us for our lifetime. To protect important pictures they are worth the money. The only thing that worries me a little is the fast development of technology. We have seen the demise of many systems: vinyl records, sound and film tapes, floppy discs and video tapes. How long are CD and DVD machines going to be around? What is next? Will my grandchildren and their families still have access to this technology? Yet for our immediate future these discs are a good permanent storage medium. Anyone thinking about switching to power? How about one of these little beauties from Sunseeker in Poole (southern England)? Cost: POA Good shooting ‐ Keep the pictures coming for next year. Wolfgang Kullik, ‘Mateship’ 23
Answers to Yachtmaster quiz no 5 1. No 2. No rule 19 states you should avoid an alteration to port. 3. Over 4. I am in distress and need immediate assistance. 5. Differential Global Positioning System. 6. Transit is 003°M deviation is 2°E 7. It’s a North Cardinal. Leave it to starboard 8. On the boom near the gooseneck. It secures the tack when reefing. 9. The sailing vessel. Rule 13 10. Dolphin striker Members are invited to submit articles on subjects of interest, including sailing adventures, travel experiences, book reviews, jokes, and so on. Write your article with title, your name and boat name, and email to the editor.
The Cruising Division of MHYC meets on the 3rd Monday of each month, and uses as its sailing pennant a flag with a white compass rose on a red background. MHYC Cruising Division members invite a raft‐up or cruise in company whenever they fly our pennant, which we refer to as ‘the compass rose’. The Cruising Division newsletter is titled ‘The Compass Rose Cruising Log’ and is published monthly. The newsletter is also available through the MHYC web‐site at www.mhyc.com.au 24