Catalina 34

General Activities => Main Message Board => Topic started by: Stu Jackson on September 24, 2016, 09:07:18 AM

Title: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 24, 2016, 09:07:18 AM
I've posted our log (with charts & photos) here:

http://aquavite224.blogspot.ca/2016/09/san-francsico-bay-to-british-columbia.html

Photos are under some of the later months' tabs, click on the month to expand to see the photo listings.
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Joe Holmes on September 24, 2016, 11:32:59 AM
Welcome to Canada Stu. 
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 24, 2016, 12:35:53 PM
Stu

it appears you may have hit and handled about every obstacle you could have expected on a trip that extensive.  Congrats! I'm envious anf the wanderlust is intensifying.

Well maybe "hit" wasn't such a good term.  LOL.

Best,
Ken
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: DaveBMusik on September 25, 2016, 06:01:11 PM
I very much enjoyed reading about your trip Stu. Congratulations on a safe voyage!

Dave

Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: britinusa on September 26, 2016, 09:07:07 AM
Great way to share an awesome trip. Thanks for posting Stu.

Paul
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: britinusa on September 26, 2016, 12:38:08 PM
Stu, FMI, but what is it that you refer to as a ' Barge Board'?

Paul
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 26, 2016, 12:58:27 PM
I vote for fender board.

-kk
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Bill Asbury on September 27, 2016, 08:40:49 AM
Enjoyed reading your blog, Stu, thanks for posting!
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 28, 2016, 06:20:16 PM
Yes, barge board is Canadian for fender board.

I've started to post pictures.
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Jon W on September 28, 2016, 09:24:18 PM
Great log Stu. I haven't seen bull rails, how do you approach and tie up?
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 28, 2016, 10:23:49 PM
Quote from: Jon W on September 28, 2016, 09:24:18 PM
Great log Stu. I haven't seen bull rails, how do you approach and tie up?

Thanks, Jon.

Darned if I know!  :D  I'll leave that answer to our brethren here who have been living with them forever.  Then I'll learn something and how to use them.  When we saw the first one in Charleston (Coos Bay) it was calm and no current, so Morgan took the bow line and I did the stern line.  I later added the midships spring line.

I have yet to figure out how to do them singlehanded.  Once I figure it out, I'll report back.  It may be never!   :D
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 29, 2016, 07:23:26 AM
Quote
Great log Stu. I haven't seen bull rails, how do you approach and tie up?

Round turn and two half-hitches.  If you have a long line do the tie up as a doubled (looped) line to shorten what you need to deal with, or pass the line under and back to the deck cleat.  Passing the line back to the boat makes it easy to adjust aboard and easy to leave the wharf w/o doing a "jump aboard."
Not the easiest set up, but manageable.  If you want to be kind to the tie-er-upper, shorten your thrown line at your cleat, if it's a long one.

-kk
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 29, 2016, 07:54:36 AM
Oh, and if I were regularly single-handing around those beasts, I'd design/carry some kind of hooks that would fit over a 4x4 and a 6x6 to more easily drop a midship line.

-kk
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Jack Hutteball on September 29, 2016, 10:03:19 AM
As a long time NW sailor kk has it right! Single handing, get a midship line around first, then worry about both ends.  Nice thing about them, gives you an easy step up to board on a C34.  I am not sure how to tie up to a dock with regular cleats. :lol:
Title: Re: Trip to British Columbia
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 29, 2016, 11:06:55 AM
That grapnel hook I bought before I left California is going to come in quite handy!  :clap :D :D :D
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: John Langford on September 29, 2016, 04:42:05 PM
You haven't really lived this problem until you try tying to the customs dock at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. It's enough to turn a single hander to hard drink. BTW on Vancouver Island we call a midship line a breast line. Don't ask me why.
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 29, 2016, 06:25:49 PM
John was a great help via email as we came up the coast and prepared us for Canadian waters.  Thanks again, John.

I'm still waiting for the "trick" to get a midships line from the boat to the dock with a bull rail.

I DID find my grapnel hook this afternoon.  It needs a more substantial shackle than the one that it came with.  We have a very good marine store at Maple Bay Marina.  I'm working on thinking out the line(s) required.   I may do a Nauti-Duck arrangement.  See this:

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5445.msg33766.html#msg33766 (http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5445.msg33766.html#msg33766)

Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 29, 2016, 06:27:54 PM
Quote from: John Langford on September 29, 2016, 04:42:05 PM
You haven't really lived this problem until you try tying to the customs dock at Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. It's enough to turn a single hander to hard drink. BTW on Vancouver Island we call a midship line a breast line. Don't ask me why.

I'm not debating what people call what in which locations, but nautically speaking, a breast line, or breast rope, is run from a cleat directly (squarely, opposed to how a spring is run) to the mooring post, and can be at the bow cleat, stern cleat or midship cleat.   visually, if your dock cleats were spaced exactly the same as your bow and stern cleats, you would in effect have two breast lines.
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 29, 2016, 06:29:38 PM
It's very simple:

All Canadians are Mel Brooks fans:

It's good to be King! 
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 29, 2016, 06:33:09 PM
Stu

you can also bend up or weld a pc of rebar into a shape that will fit over the rail, with a loop on the end for a line or shackle.  I think I'd make a couple for each a 4x4 and 6x6.

k
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: Craig Illman on September 29, 2016, 07:13:35 PM
Stu - You've probably seen these.....

https://captnmike.com/2012/08/06/how-to-tie-your-boat-to-a-bull-rail-part-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neEVkss3ZlI

and Single Handed docking video (but with no visible wind or current and when is that ever the situation?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKu9s2MC-cw

I thought I've seen where someone sold a square-ish hook like Ken proposed, but I can't find it.

I think the worst risk is picking up splinters in your docklines from these.

Craig
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 29, 2016, 07:29:26 PM

(http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43741&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1440960331)


(http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43740&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1440960331)


hmmmmm... I think I'd beta a boat pole with clips on it that would hold a hook and the line, that you could pop off the line as soon as the hook is over the rail.  :idea: :idea: :idea:

I feel a market developing here..............  :D

kk

Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: Craig Illman on September 29, 2016, 07:33:06 PM
Ok Ken, you're single-handing, grabbed the bull rail with the custom boat hook, now what? Duct tape the boat hook to a stanchion in a figure eight?  :think
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: KWKloeber on September 29, 2016, 07:41:48 PM
Quote from: Craig Illman on September 29, 2016, 07:33:06 PM
Ok Ken, you're single-handing, grabbed the bull rail with the custom boat hook, now what? Duct tape the boat hook to a stanchion in a figure eight?  :think

gotta read my text. not just the pics. 
Line pops off the pole (then bend it onto a midship cleat.)

If I were using a pole like pictured, it would be just to hang on long enough to step off with the midship line in hand, or to drop a square hook (and line) onto the rail.  It might be diffy getting a square hook on the rail by tossing it --- not sure it would 'set.")

But now that you mention it...... an articulated sliding fitting on the pole with a mating clamp on the toe rail, and...........  nah..... too expensive to fabricate...   :rolling

k
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 29, 2016, 08:20:49 PM
Quote from: Craig Illman on September 29, 2016, 07:13:35 PM
Stu - You've probably seen these.....

https://captnmike.com/2012/08/06/how-to-tie-your-boat-to-a-bull-rail-part-1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neEVkss3ZlI

and Single Handed docking video (but with no visible wind or current and when is that ever the situation?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKu9s2MC-cw


Craig,

Thanks, I've seen some.

The inconsistencies in the videos is truly appalling.

The last one makes me gag.  Not because she's a woman, but because of all the extra work involved.  First she puts the lines OVER the rails, then she comes back and puts them under.  Why not just do it right to begin with?  As a singlehander, I always wanted to do as little work as possible.

The first link makes sense, put them UNDER so you can get them doubled back to the boat and easily freed.

The Douglass hitch does it completely differently, with the lines first coming over the rail.

However, folks, NONE of them, NONE, address the real issue of docking singlehanded with wind and/or current.  Like cleats allow you to do.

There appears to be no safe, sure, easy method.

Yet.

I'll go out and practice some and get back to ya.  I doubt if I'll be able to reinvent the wheel, either.  :D :D :D

Some of you might have noticed that I modified the title of the thread, too.   :D
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: waterdog on September 30, 2016, 11:27:53 AM
Congratulations Stu and welcome to Canada!   If you bump into Salish Dragon, come alongside.  I'll have five cleats for you to tie off on with no bull rails.  25ig Rocna and 200 feet of 3/8 chain should keep us on the bottom. 

Epic trip well done. 
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Jon W on September 30, 2016, 04:10:40 PM
Hi Stu, waterdogs post reminded me to ask about your ground tackle. How much chain do you have and what size?
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on September 30, 2016, 05:23:00 PM
Quote from: Jon W on September 30, 2016, 04:10:40 PM
...your ground tackle. How much chain do you have and what size?

1/4", 50 feet, no windlass, 5/8" 200 ft. of rode replaced our old 1/2" on "Day 1 1/2" of the trip.  I will most likely add length of chain with new chain, most likely larger chain (5/16"), and may well need longer rode.  I might also need a heavier Rocna.

I'm doing my research and homework as we speak.    :D
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Paulus on September 30, 2016, 05:36:53 PM
Hi Stu, read your blog.  Sounds as if you had a great trip.   You got to know your crew, and your "mistress".  Enjoyed reading about your trip.
Take care, Paul
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on October 05, 2016, 01:12:08 PM
I've updated the photos up to rounding "The Corner" at Cape Flattery and into Neah Bay.
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Ron Hill on October 05, 2016, 01:45:10 PM
Guys : A boathook heads up!!
 
On time I caught the dock with my trusty boat hook only to have the rubber/plastic handle slide off the tubing. Talk about surprised   :o

From then on I always took the handles off and used some caulk on the handle inside before reinstalling!!

A thought
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Noah on October 05, 2016, 04:23:39 PM
Stu- I can invision your new signature now Rocna 33 (China model)  :shock: :cry4` 8)
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on October 09, 2016, 09:59:06 AM
Quote from: Noah on October 05, 2016, 04:23:39 PM
Stu- I can envision your new signature now Rocna 33 (China model)  :shock: :cry4` 8)

Could well be!

I've finally finished posting the photos.
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Paulus on October 09, 2016, 03:54:51 PM
Hi Stu, had a chance to look at your pics today.  Great job.  Enjoyed it very much.
Paul
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Craig Illman on October 11, 2016, 03:59:53 PM
Stu - I also enjoyed your pictures. We're planning on exploring around the Sidney area next summer, also probably Ganges and can't miss the Hummingbird Pub on Galiano.

Craig
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on November 07, 2017, 10:14:21 AM
Season 1  2017   

This is a summary of our first cruising season here in the southwest corner of British Columbia.  Our goal, developed during last winter and as the season began, was to explore as much of the Gulf Islands south of Nanaimo as we could, to find anchorages and park docks as well as marinas.  We also ended up visiting the American San Juan Islands twice.  Anchoring while singlehanding was limited due to my right shoulder which has improved markedly since I began working with a physical therapist.

We arrived in Maple Bay Marina on September 18, 2016, 3,224 engine hours, left San Francisco on August 8, at 3061 = 163 hours.  We got Graeme (our autopilot) back and recalibrated it on Maple Bay with Len on September 26.  October 1 to Genoa Bay, anchored in 28 feet.  November 9 to Conover Cove on Wallace Island, nice park dock. November 21 to Musgrave Landing, docks, too.  November 30 back to Wallace after removing mainsail for the first time in a decade, replaced on April 16.  The winter was spent doing boat fixits:  new Bluetooth stereo in March, new electric heater, new LED lamps in the downlights over the galley and saloon table, fixed the saloon hatch leak with Captain Tolley's Creeping Crack Cure.

May 3 – 7  Catalina Rendezvous at Roche Harbor, San Juan Island  started at 3245 engine hours.  Met John Shepard, Craig Illman & Les Troyer.  John & Les repaired the leaking port cowl vent. May 8 dinner with John Langford in Sidney, at Van Isle Marina check back into Canada.  New fuel hose barb into Racor.  New ignition key in cockpit panel.

June 3 – Musgrave Landing.  June 6 cleaned the dodger back at the slip.  Started doing cockpit wood.

June 22 to 24 – Clam Bay on Thetis Island, anchored out with Morgan

June & early July – Daysailing and cockpit teak.  It rained a lot between early May and early June

July 13 – 15  Catalina Rendezvous at Telegraph Harbor, Thetis Island

July 27 – 28  Cory overnight with daysails, cut the foam for the V berth

July 30 – Buzzed our house sailing on the jib on Satellite Channel

August 7 – 13 – San Juan Island Trip  Friday Harbor (with John Shepard), Lopez Island, Jones Island, Deer Harbor on Orcas (with Ken and JoAnne Cross), boisterous sail across Haro Strait back to Canada in Sidney, vintage automobile festival.  Smokey trip from fires inland.  Smoke & Hubris Trip:  a huge Ocean Alexander at Sidney Customs Dock was poorly skippered, almost hit us as the tried to leave in heavy winds, followed by our engine shut off when approaching guest dock in high wind.  Don't get cocky about other people until YOU are safely docked yourself!  :D

August 22 – 23  Telegraph Harbor with Cory

August 25 – 28  Otter Bay on North Pender Island.  Pretty place, great marina.  Circumnavigated Saltspring Island on the way home

September 1 – 2  Tod Inlet with Morgan   Anchored out.  Finlayson Arm, Morgan swam

September 6 – 8  Conover Cove with Morgan  Walked to and then poked into Princess Cove, good anchoring spot further in

September 12 – 15  Winter Cove Saturna Island anchored out.  Annette Inlet on Prevost Island anchored out.  Ganges Saltspring Marina great brisket at Moby's, T shirt in town.  With Morgan.

September 28 – October 2  Telegraph Harbor for two nights, planned a layday for rain, singlehanded.  Met up with Sea Sparrow (Len & Judi) and Kagan (Deb & Eric) in Trincomali Channel and moored in Montague Harbor for two nights

October 4 – 6  Musgrave, then back to MBM for electric heat!  3361 engine hours, started season at 3245 in May = 116 for the season;  137 since we arrived last September

October 10 – Cut the table with Len, Iain and Emile, reinstalled on October 22

October 24 – 29  Indian Summer Cruise with John Shepard   Otter Bay, Ganges, Port Browning     Spaghetti dinner on Aquavite,  Moby's, Bistro    3376 engine hours – 3245 = 131 for the season

**********************************************************

Learning experience:  Bull Rails and midship spring lines don't go together!!!  John Langford was right, back in our "Singlehanded 101" discussion (Single Handing 101.2 HOPPING OFF THE BOAT IS UNNECESSARY
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5445.msg33766.html#msg33766 (http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5445.msg33766.html#msg33766)).  I've found, at least here in the Southern Gulf Islands, that either dock staff or helpful boaters help with dock lines, although not all boaters are wise enough and some tend to pull the bow in waaay too much!  :D.  The issue comes with going into a dock when there is no one there, like Conover Cove on Wallace Island or Musgrave Landing on Saltspring.  I have rigged an extra long bow line that comes all the way back to the jib sheet winch, and a long stern line.  This allows me to step, not jump!, onto the dock and hold the boat when I tie up. The extra height of the bull rails makes it easier to get down to the dock.  Once settled in, I use the spring line around the bull rail doubled back to the boat.  I found this on the internet but haven't learned how to do it yet:  Douglass Hitch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neEVkss3ZlI&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neEVkss3ZlI&feature=youtu.be)  This would work for the bow and stern lines while hanging on to the spring line when casting off.  Running the last line UNDER the bull rail allows disengaging from the bull rail much easier though, so I use that method for the spring line.  Also, going in port side to allows me to use prop walk to our advantage to get the boat up to the dock without moving forward.  At our home slip, the aft end of the bull rail is like a cleat, so I lay on the spring line first, and leave the bow and stern lines on our dock and pick them up with a boat hook.  I still have the grapnel hook I bought in San Francisco before we left!  :thumb:


AQUAVITE's First SNOW:
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Noah on November 07, 2017, 11:05:14 AM
Great post Stu! BTW-did you have to go through the whole winterizing rigamarole us west coasters fortunately don't need to do?
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on November 07, 2017, 11:48:14 AM
Nope.  I followed local custom here.  The H2O is 47F, so no freezing.  During the snows last year, until I put the heater in, it rained inside the boat!!!  Water was warmer than the air and the snow on deck.  Like a G&T in the summer.
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: KWKloeber on November 08, 2017, 08:44:30 AM
Quote from: Stu Jackson on November 07, 2017, 10:14:21 AM

I found this on the internet but haven't learned how to do it yet:  Douglass Hitch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neEVkss3ZlI&feature=youtu.be 


Cool knot, except the Capt should redo the vid and do the half hitches correctly!

k
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Noah on November 08, 2017, 09:14:50 AM
Stu- Do you use Sampson-style braided lines or 3-strand for your docklines? Looks like the Bull Rails have a potential to leave splinters in the lines and to tear up both lines and hands. Use any chaffing gear around rail?
Title: Re: Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails
Post by: Stu Jackson on November 08, 2017, 10:20:56 AM
3 strand.  I never got into that hoity toity high end stuff.   :D   The only line on my slip that is brought back to the boat is the spring line.  The bow & stern breast lines are tied onto the bull rails as if the rail was a big cleat.  I've been after the marina to repair/replace the rotting old bull rails.  So far they did the bow one, but the aft rail is just a horror show.  The marina is in a rebuilding mode (might take decades!!!) so they're in no hurry to fix old stuff that they will eventually replace completely.  I understand that, so those of us there who need repairs couch the requests as safety items, which they are anyway.  That said, it's a nice, well protected location, with minimal exposure even to heavily nasty weather.  That and it's very pretty.