A Thanksgiving Cruise - St Pete Beach Florida

HideAway along the ICW near Tierra Verde Florida

The last impediment on Boca Ciega Bay to the Gulf of Mexico is a bascule bridge designated by a particularly uncreative bureaucrat simply as Structure C. Motor sailing south from this relic from a slower time the HideAways began to have doubts as to the wisdom of anchoring for the night off St Pete Beach in the Gulf of Mexico. Dan and Steve following us in Miandros expressed the confidence sailors have after spending too much time ashore insisting that the easterly wind would keep the Gulf calm close to the beach.

The definition as to what constitutes a calm anchorage depends upon the boat you are sailing. Miandros, a Pearson Wanderer, is about two feet wider, seven feet longer and has more than twice the displacement of HideAway, a Compac 23. Add to equation the HideAway seems to be a magnet for wind that drinks scotch whiskey while howling at the moon all night and you can understand our concern. Noting that Miandros was flying a reefed main did nothing to comfort the HideAways.



Mihandros Reefed  ICW St Pete Beach Fl



For now though, the sky was sunny, the wind was up along with the unusually warm temperature of almost 80.  At Thanksgiving!  To the relief of everyone the usual white knuckle portion of the ICW between Tierra Verde to port and St Pete Beach to starboard was nearly devoid of traffic.  Gybing into Pass-A-Grille Channel revealed one cabin cruiser eastbound on the correct side of the channel well out of harms way.  The waters north of the channel, close to the proposed anchorage, give even the shallow draft sailors the willies. Although a cut is rumored to exist just off the rip rap and pier neither Capt. desired to explore this possibility and held course offshore to the last marker before heading north

HideAway in Pass A Grille Channel

Once north bound HideAway sailed on with a bone in her teeth . . .

(To be continued)

SMALL BOATS ROCK!

A Florida Gunkhole Raft-up - - - Stern To?



Rafted near Indian Key St Petersburg, Florida



There must be somewhere in this big world, a snug little gunkhole as calm as a mirror. The HideAways in contrast, are quite successful at finding bumpy anchorages with 20kn winds especially when rafted next to a larger boat.

Rafting two sailboats of dissimilar weight and lengths is something of an art form. A balance must be maintained between boarding access and preventing the respective standing rigging from an expensive entanglement while keeping in mind the motion of a 5 ton boat is considerably different than a two ton.

Add to the equation, the fact that a Compac 23 does not have a hull liner and that the crew sleeps on the settees conveniently located at the beam. Also located on the beam are a series of fenders deployed to keep the boats apart. These fenders love to sing and squawk all night inspired as they are from the wave action.



A 2 x 4 Separates the Cushions for a Quiet Night




The book “How to Raft Up the Boring Way”,  A double anchor has been set and six fenders positioned to cushion the boats on a calm night.

The addition of a 2 x 4 eliminates direct contact with the opposing boat and guarantees a silent night.

SV HideAway Rafted Stern-To



Always innovators, the Stern-To Raft Up Method was invented when HideAway’s bow line untied itself in the aforementioned 20kn air. The HideAways now have a deficit balance in the Bank of Good Luck after rescue by strong stern cleats with good wraps.

It took all five of us plus a Marine Scientist who happened by in his kayak to pull HideAway’s bow back around in the strong wind. Marine Scientists are good to have around, especially if they bring a kayak. This one stayed for supper, told some fascinating stories of the BP oil spill, and then shoved off into the night with a flash light strapped to his head. (A phone call later verified his successful bay crossing.)

The HideAways had a peaceful night’s sleep dreaming of reefed main and storm jib configurations.



Anchored off St Pete Beach Florida

Become a Free Range Human today!



Sink or Sail? The HideAways Find a Hole in the Boat- Dear Liza!

I've read somewhere that the greatest enjoyment of a vacation is the planning rather than the actual adventure.   I guess that's what separates the sailors from the rest of the world. 

The Captains of the boats going on a true shallow water gunkhole cruise over the holiday met to discuss the merits of favorite places in context with the expected weather six days hence. 

Of greatest interest was entering an unmarked pass from the Gulf of Mexico then following the meandering and often inaccurate markers that range from officialdom to sticks in the sand.    HideAway with her new depth finder and shallow draft was elected to lead boat.  Meals were planned with assignments given for those responsible for bringing small, hopefully deceased animals to grill.  Events scheduled based upon plans A through C with the Capt declining the swimming portion in the 72 degree water.

The HideAways decided to launch on Sunday for a cruise leaving Friday due to other commitments.  There is no point in discussing why only three tie down lines were removed before the Capt drove out of the dry slip.   Fortunately, the remaining tie down was old and tired and snapped instead of pulling out a cleat.  Nor is there any point discussing how the bow line came unfastened at a critical moment during  launching thus creating the photo op below.



HideAway Ready to Sail or Sink



After HideAway was completely secured in an over sized slip the Capt. did a cursory inspection of holes in the boat and discovered HideAway was most assuredly sinking.  Not quickly, but nontheless sinking from a leaking transducer.  

Under the protection of darkness the offending transducer was removed, cleaned and prepared for reinstatement on the morrow. HideAway's cabin is a different story. Sounds easy doesn't it?   Ha! 

We sail with the tide in five days or maybe six to one of three secret gunkholes or maybe none.  Who knows?  This is a sailing cruise after all-the planning is fun but the best is yet to come! 

SMALL BOATS ROCK!

BCYC Cruising Video - The Latest and Last

At last the third video of the St Pete Boat Show sailing trilogy is complete!  Now where can we go cruising on HideAway next......  Mullet Key maybe,  Hmmmmmm






Be sure to stop by Boca Ciega Yacht Club's booth at the St Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show
December 1-4th.     Tent One Booth 131.  Or just follow a yellow tee shirt!  

St Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show with HideAway

Tis the season of boat shows along the west central Florida coast. It seems one of our sailing club members has experience building modern trade show booths and launched a project to include a BCYC booth at this year’s St Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show.

2010 St Petersburg Boat Show

Apparently someone saw one on my videos on Sailing HideAway and asked if I’d mind doing a couple of more to promote Boca Ciega Yacht Club at the Show. “Sure, why not?” says I. Then the search for film, music and photos took the place of blogging for awhile.


Considering the St Pete Boat Show takes place under the shadows of the new Salvador Dali Museum along the downtown St Petersburg waterfront I should not have been surprised the last few weeks have included a touch of the surreal.



Sea Pearls and the Dali - A nice combo



It’s all good though. The show runs December 1st through the 4th. Be sure to stop by if you’re in town. Here are the first two.  The third:  BCYC Cruising will be done soon.

Given the HideAways vast knowledge of racing all of the BCYC Racing footage came from someone else.
The Featured boat, Nikki, captained by Bruce Bingham, in red, not only won this race but also won the Suncoast BOTY trophy this year.

SMALL BOATS ROCK!

Pelicans in Paradise -

Cabin fever begins in August in these parts. It is the season that belies sound reasoning and encourages foolish actions. Naturally a summer’s sailing excursion is in order.

An ideal cruise quickly planned from Gulfport Fl to the tropical paradise known to old time locals as Picnic Island or by its more modern name, Caladesi Island State Park, just across from St Joseph’s sound from Dunedin some dozen or so miles north of Gulfport as the pelican flies. The award winning park boasts a well run marina nestled back in the mangroves hosted this time of year by No See-ums the size of hungry bats.

Our solo sailor set sail later than prudent on a hot sultry sunny morn crossing Boca Ciega Bay then following the ICW north. Later that afternoon a secluded anchorage behind a spoil island as far from the urban shore as possible was secured. Moments later our explorer extraordinaire found his ship besieged by mosquitoes of such size and number an immediate retreat was necessary.

Sailing out of John’s Pass into the Gulf of Mexico he found the peace and serenity he was looking for. He was so taken by the warm tropical wind pushing him effortlessly at 5 knots that he phoned northern friends, family and ex lovers to drop everything and come to Florida where they would sail together in pure harmony and bliss all the way to Key West. It was the best sailing experience of his life he explained. Then the sun went down.

“Why not anchor in the Gulf for the night?” The thoughtful explorer reasoned.

It should be explained here that the Gulf of Mexico is only about 20 feet deep for tens of miles off shore as well as pointing out the next landfall is Mexico, over a thousand miles across the uninterrupted ocean.


“Are you out of your mind?” demanded the HideAway Capt “do you know what happens in the Gulf at night?”

“Well I do NOW!”

“How big were they?”

“ ‘Bout five feet”

“Your rode?”

“140 feet”

“And?”

“AND everything in the boat was banging around ALL night long AND I was sick from the heat AND my stomach decided to take up acrobatics.”

“Did you sleep much?”

“Who could sleep at all with stuff falling off of places I didn’t know were occupied? Queried the queasy sailor. “I finally did gain unconscious bliss until something hit my face.


“Were you sleeping on the settee by the companionway?”

“Yeah and the hatch was open to get some air, then when I woke up and climbed up the steps I found I’d been boarded by a flock of pelicans!”

“Do you know what pelicans DO?"

“Well, you know, if you believe in reincarnation coming back as a pelican would be fun. They get to fly around all day, dive, fish and swim… Not a bad life.” Suggested the Capt.

“No, you idiot!” Snarled the solo seasick sailor, “They poop prodigiously.”

 

Do you mean you had prodigious, pelican poop all over your cockpit?”

“No, I had PUTRID, prodigious, pelican poop all over ME as I crawled up those steps!” Groaned the explorer

“Now I know what “Heave to” really means”

“Just out of curiosity,” the Capt winced “did you call your friends back yet?”

“Yeah, after the very best sailing sojourn I’d ever had turned into the worst in just a few hours I told them not to come – I’m selling the boat”

“Oh come on now” started the Capt. “that’s a bit over the top don’t you think?”

“Have you ever tried cleaning off petrified, putrid, prodigious, pelican poop on a sultry, stifling summer day???

Humans, Ya gotta Luv 'em

 

SMALL BOATS ROCK!!

A Sweltering Summer Sailing Story-SV HideAway Compac 23

A smarter than average person once said that, given the invention of ice boats, sailing the west central Florida coast in the August heat makes less sense than sailing the north eastern coast of Nebraska in January.



HideAway Under Tow




The Capt., a philosopher of no repute, observed that it’s really a matter of what you want to see in your truck’s mirror. A fully rigged sailboat, such as HideAway for instance, following you to the boat ramp or a picture of the same observed on a blog while surrounded by conditioned air in a cool place. I’ll leave any iceboat analogy to you for the moment.

Hopeful the forecasted sea breeze on Sail Flow would commence as scheduled the HideAways could not suffer the entrapment of air conditioning any longer and cast off lines. It was sunny last weekend. The sand on the beach offered 50 cent blisters for the feet of unwary souls. A light breeze blew in over the 93 degree Gulf of Mexico water equaling the actual air temperature and producing a dew point of 76 on a scale where anything over 70 is unbearable no matter how bare you may be. The concept of jumping overboard to cool off into water so hot that any activity in it can cause heat exhaustion is not a thought that occurs to the ice boater yet should be a warning to the soft water sailor.

A Hot Launch



Launching HideAway - Compac 23



Launching a sailboat in these conditions requires special equipment and daring-do. Heavy leather gloves prevent burns from handling the trailer hook-up for instance.

And other than removing the tie downs, nothing on board is prepared for sail.

The goal here is to launch and get out of the harbor as fast as possible then tie off the tiller motoring slowly stripping off the sail cover and hanking on the jib while dancing on the hot deck.

The risk of collision is slim with the knowledge that nobody could be as foolish as the HideAways to actually be on the water, busy as they are reading a blog with a picture of a sailboat framed in a truck mirror.

Although sailflow was right about the sea breeze, the air felt much like it does when you are engaged in shoveling coal into a large roaring furnace on a cold Nebraska winter night. The big genny did her stuff and HideAway leaned into the water at the prescribed angle for speed. The after sail burgers were great, the beer ice cold and the ceiling fans on full in the out door jasmine encased terrace. The HideAways laughed at told stories until well after sun down. A fine Florida sailing day without a hint of Jack Frost nipping at ones body parts.

Iceboats indeed!

SMALL BOATS ROCK!

How To Plan a Sailboat Cruise

Congratulations! You've finally got that sailboat of your dreams AND managed to get it squared away enough to sail off over the horizon if only for a weekend.

Now What?

Even if your destination is just across the lake the trip will go better with a detailed plan.  After all you don't want to discover you left the extra gas can in the garage or worse, the life jackets!  After all you seek adventure not a survival story. Right?

A Fine Pine Island Plan does not seek to be an authority of navigational expertise nor is it necessarily the best idea ever conceived by modern man, but it has worked well for the HideAways over the years and that's enough. 

By the way the video assumes you would never embark on the journey without the proper US Coast Guard required safety gear.  But you already have all that stuff. 

Mermaids, Manatees & Magic - Sailing HideAway



The typical Florida summer day wraps around you like a steaming hot polyester blanket. The slightest effort rewards the brave sailor with sweat soaked clothing and a longing for a northern Minnesota lake on a summer afternoon.



SV HideAway Gulfport FL



Independence Day brings thoughts of colorful things that go boom in the night, barbeques, ice cold beverages, watermelon races and flying a large American flag off HideAways’ back stay while sailing on Boca Ciega Bay near Gulfport Fl.





Retiring from a summer sail, HideAway lingers at sea long enough to stow her sails and gear lessening the time spent in the sultry windless marina hauling the boat. Not to over state the conditions, folks in these parts have been known to jump into the water to dry off.

Sometimes it’s Good to Be in the Wrong Place at the Right Time

We weren’t supposed to be there. Neither were they. Not at that time. Not on that day. Not during that month however there we were backing HideAway around the tip of “B” dock for her temporary home last Fourth of July holiday weekend at Boca Ciega Yacht Club.



And there they were tucked under the shade of a dink hanging by davits attached to a large cruising catamaran. At first they looked like large islands of brown algae then one of the islands began to swim towards HideAway’s running outboard. I lurched for the kill switch reaching it in time to see a large Manatee and baby sniffing HideAways rudder.



Manatee & HideAway



Momma appeared to be on the long side of eight foot, her huge tail a yard or so wide slowly moving as she glided under HideAways stern to surface between the boat and the dock in a space that would make a claustrophobic human uncomfortable.



Gliding by HideAways transom with baby close behind, momma loved to rollover on her back and smile a goofy grin only another manatee or a star struck sailor would find attractive.



Manatees are smart and curious creatures adept at giving wide eyed humans hope that if something so big and gentle can live a good life eating only greens without worrying one bit about unemployment rates and oil futures to say nothing of nut case politicians, then maybe there is hope for mankind after all.



The HideAways Lose Thier Nuts

One of the joys of trailer sailing in salt water is the post-sail wash down of every conceivable object that may have been exposed to the corrosive water. It can be a real zen moment on Florida's central West coast bathed in the sauna of a summer sun down spraying warm, there is no such thing as cold water from a hose here, all over oneself as well as the intended target.



The capt was engaged in this activity happily getting wet shooting water into the brake drums when he noticed he had lost his nuts. Yes it's true the years of exposure to the elements had completely corroded the nuts off the trailer shackle bolts leaving the suspension held on to the trailer by bolts that had become rusted nails.



Nut less shackle bolts aka rusted nails!



The thought of HideAway skipping down the interstate without wheels too horrible to contemplate, the search began for the easiest solution to the problem. In this era of Internet wonders it is not hard to find solutions to just about any problem. What you see however is not what you get.



Typical videos dealt with trailers that had never been close to salt water raised on a hoist in a mechanics’ shop among a mountain of proper tools for the job. “Well there’s no sense in trying to save those rusted bolts “claimed the mechanic “Let’s just cut them off with this cutting torch” A cutting torch. Yeah I must have one of those somewhere. “Now, some of the bolts you can just zip off with your wrench like this” Ratatat tat. My wrench sounds more like clink, klank, oww! And about that hoist….



The capt. being of the cheap sort had no interest in acquiring specialized tools that would probably gather dust after the project was completed. But cutting off fourteen rusted bolts in a parking lot with no shade during July in Florida was no job for a handheld hacksaw even with a new blade.



A trek to the capt’s favorite Home Depot was in order. This particular depot has something no other can boast – A 30,000 sf West Marine super store just across the parking lot. Between the two you can find most anything.



The cheapest angle grinder was about $30.00. For a single use project not a bad idea. Except it had no adjustments to accommodate the tight quarters of the trailer setting.



Ryobi Saves the Day



The capt chose the Ryobi AG452 4.5” angle grinder  that came with a case and various wheels. This model, while still cumbersome for the project has features like a rotating handle and blade guard that were ideal for the project. Then he grabbed a punch and a good ‘ole wham bang cold chisel along with some cutting disks

The rest of the armament for the project included extension cords, high velocity fan, a totally worthless beach umbrella, two sets of clothes, yes you do sweat that much, heavy gloves, towels, a gallon of Gatorade another gallon of juices and water, all consumed by the way along with two meals, all existing tools, hammers both steel and rubber as well as a plumbing torch, two jacks and jack stands and a step stool.



A second jack was used on to adjust each axle



The procedure was to crawl under bunk sit on the axle, set up the grinder and place towels on exposed body parts then cut the bolt.  The easy part done, the next job is to punch out the bolt.  Most of the bolts required heat, large hammers, a punch and pry bars.

We completed the project in about four hours start to finish largely due to the Ryobi. It took another four hours to extract the capt who was still sitting on an axle and wedged under a trailer bunk.

Fourteen bolts were replaced

Who knew sailing could be so much fun?

SMALL BOATS ROCK!