Ocean Navigator - November/December 2024 - Ocean Navigator

Threads: thru-hulls, seacocks and in-line valves

Mismatching valves or other fittings on thru-hulls is not good practice and when done below the maximum heeled waterline, it increases the odds for failure and water intrusion. It is this risk to boats that provided the impetus for the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) to develop standards for the installation of thru-hulls. They state, “When installed below the maximum heeled waterline, a thru-hull must have a valve mounted so that the system will withstand a 500-pound static force applied for 30 seconds to the inboard end of its connecting fitting.” But where exactly is the “maximum heeled waterline?”…

Baccara Hinckley Sou’wester 50

Those of us who have crossed oceans on small boats often dream of owning a larger yacht capable of meeting our demand for speed under sail, ease of operation with short-handed crew and comfort both above and below decks. The Hinckley Sou’wester 50, Baccara, built in 1977, meets all of these demands in a spacious, seaworthy, sea kindly package. A quick study of Baccara’s deck layout and rigging reveals graceful lines, with appropriate attention given to the arrangement of helm and deck winches, all of which are located conveniently close at hand. This lets singlehanded or short-handed crew manage the…

Properly equipped inflatable Life Rafts

When we toss the dock lines and head out to sea for an ocean crossing, the last thing we dare think about is the possibility of having to abandon ship. To be sure, this is a rare occurrence. The oceans of the world, despite what some will say, are almost clear of floating debris and outcroppings of rocks and sandbars, particularly in the Tuamotus Archipelago, are clearly marked on our charts. Nonetheless, there is always still a possibility of running into a shipping container or partially submerged vessel lurking only inches below the water’s surface. A sudden leak in our…

Preparing boat and crew for the rigors of the ocean

The quote, “Luck favors the prepared,” gets thrown around a fair bit when sailors wax poetic about going to sea. And for good reason. The underlying sentiment is when our boats and crew are properly prepared for the rigors of the ocean, we may be more capable of handling potentially dangerous or unexpected situations that arise while underway. Or, at the very least, the chances of having a problem are reduced on a well-found vessel with a competent crew. Before I delve too deeply into a subject about which books have been written, I’ll acknowledge that no article can completely…

Electrical safety

Electricity has been with us for less than two centuries, but still long enough to reorganize all life around it. Electricity was a handy tool of Zeus, who hurled destructive lightning bolts, a great force of nature, at least as powerful as fire. However you choose to look at it, one thing is clear: you must be careful around electricity. While boating-specific electrical casualty numbers are scarce, generally some 1,322 fatalities resulted from contact with or exposure to electricity between 2011 and 2022, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Most, 70%, of these workplace fatalities occurred in…

Detour En Route to Bundaberg

On a late September morning, Tom and I left port on New Georgia Island, sailing quickly to escape the high island. We were headed for the east coast of Australia after a year’s cruise in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea and preferred the freedom of open ocean sailing but first we had to get out of the Solomon Sea. As usual for starting a voyage we had a C-MAP chart of Munda up on the computer at the nav station. It was not very accurate but it showed the beacons that provided a range for crossing narrow Munda bar.…

Transatlantic Passage

In May of this year, I was hired as crew to assist in the delivery of the 110-foot Kingship Marine-built Relentless from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to Montenegro via Bermuda and Faial in the Azores. Across the Atlantic Ocean, down the Mediterranean, into the Adriatic it was quite the passage aboard a stout ship, with mostly fair weather, a happy crew and a trustworthy skipper. Although I have plenty of sea time and had completed a trans-Atlantic passage 50 years ago aboard a 70-foot ketch, much of that sea time has been in schooners moving to and from New England to…

Transatlantic Passage – Answers

1. HO is 15° 39.6’. 2. LHA is 31°. 3. Intercept is 13.4 nm Away. Note: The moon tables are on the back pages of the Nautical Almanac. Read the directions carefully. All corrections are added, unless doing an upper limb shot of the moon. Note: In last month’s problem, there was a mistake in the plotting solution. The line of position actually fell almost on top of the DR.