Haul in the sheet as we ride on the wind that our forefathers harnessed before us.
PAINT VERSUS VARNISH, ON AVERAGE
Bare wood will require one coat of sealer and two coats of paint; or
it will require five coats of varnish. A surface that will require one
coat of paint per year for maintenance will require three coats if it is
varnished.
THE GREATEST ENEMIES OF VARNISH
Direct sunlight
Dew
Expansion
and contraction of the underlying surface
Salt crystals left behind from evaporated spray
WHEN TO REMOVE PAINT OR VARNISH DOWN TO THE
BARE SURFACE
The finish has cracked, peeled, blistered, or loosened.
The finish is dry or brittle.
The wood under the varnish has turned black.
There are more than 4 or 5 coats of paint.
THE PRINCIPAL COMPONENTS OF VARNISH
Resins or gums
Solvents
Drying oils
Dryers
TO CUT THE GLOSS OF SPAR VARNISH
For a matte finish, sprinkle powdered pumice on the surface; dampen
a clean, soft rag with water; and rub briskly.
For a dull gloss (semi gloss), use oil on the rag instead of water.
BLEACHING WOOD TO BE VARNISHED
1. Remove all the old varnish.
2. Prepare the surface with a cabinet scraper and/or sandpaper.
3. Make a bleaching solution by adding crystals of oxalic acid to a
jar of warm water.
4. Keep adding crystals until they stop dissolving.
5. Work in sunlight.
6. Brush the solution on the darkest areas of the wood until they lighten.
7. Then brush the solution over the entire surface several times until
the color is even.
8. Allow to dry, then brush away dried crystals with a cloth or dry
brush.
9. Neutralize the surface with a solution of borax and water, or another
acid neutralizing agent.
10. Allow to dry, then sand.
PREPARING A NEW NATURAL BRISTLE PAINTBRUSH
FOR USE
1. Tap brush in hand to shake loose bristles free.
2. Soak bristles in a mixture of 50 percent linseed oil and 50 percent
turpentine or mineral spirits for 24 hours.
3. Clean the bristles in fresh turpentine or mineral spirits, shake
the bristles dry.
4. Comb the bristles straight.
THE
PARTS OF AN OAR
Handle: The hand grip.
Loom: The shaft.
Throat: The junction of the loom and the blade.
Blade: The part that that is dipped into the water.
Tip: The end of the blade.
Leather: The protective covering on the loom.
A FEW THOUGHTS ABOUT OARS
The best softwood oars, for lightness and strength, are spruce.
The best hardwood oars, for strength and durability are ash.
Other oarmaking woods include clear cedar, fir, maple, and basswood.
Ash oars need not be painted or varnished; spruce must be.
Unfinished ash oars can be kept clean and bright by rubbing them down
from time to time with sand and canvas.
If the oars are finished, leave the handles bare, as they will be easier
to grip.
Good, utilitarian oars should flex during use—not much, but enough
to be noticeable. If they are too stiff, thin them down with a spokeshave,
paying special attention to the lower end of the loom or shaft near the
throat and the throat itself.
To keep tract of a pair of oars matched to a particular boat paint
a design on the blades using the color scheme of the boat. Blue-and gray
boat? Paint blue-and-gray chevrons on the oar blades.
WHEN ROWING IN HEAVY SEA CONDITIONS
Meet the seas end-on, either bow or stern first to prevent a broach.
Keep way on when meeting a crest, or use the oars to hold the boat. Try
to prevent the crest from "grabbing" the boat.
Do not run with the seas unless absolutely necessary. If you must,
remove weight aft if the bow has a tendency to bury or forward if the transom
has a tendency to sink.
GETTING POWER IN YOUR STROKE, FIXED-SEAT ROWING
Center your weight just aft of the center of buoyancy; in other words,
the boat should be slightly down by the stern, not by the head.
Back straight chin up; feet braced against the stretcher.
Do not dig in the blade keep the upper edge close to the surface.
Pull straight back, with the hands moving in a line parallel to the
keel.
Put your back into it—say, half the effort with the back, one-quarter
with the arms, and one-quarter with the legs.
At the end of the stroke, pull the elbows tightly into the body.
HOW WIDE IS SHE?
Beam—the maximum width of the vessel, not including fittings and rubrails.
Extreme beam—the maximum width of the vessel, including fittings and
rubrails.
Beam at the waterline—the maximum width of the vessel at the waterline
plane.
Beam amidships—the width of the vessel measured midway between the
ends.
HOW DEEP IS SHE?
Depth—the vertical measurement from the bottom of the keel to the sheerline.
Molded depth—the vertical measurement from the deck to the top of the
keel.
Draft—the vertical measurement from the designed waterline to the lowermost
edge of the keel.
VARYING DEFINITIONS OF THE TONNAGE OF A SHIP
Displacement tonnage—the weight of water displaced by the hull when
it is floating at its load waterline.
Deadweight tonnage—the total weight of cargo and stores a vessel is capable of carrying when floating at its load waterline Gross tonnage—the total internal volume of a vessel; 100 cubic feet is considered to be equal to one ton.
Net tonnage—the internal volume of a vessel available for cargo; the gross tonnage minus engine and bunker spaces, crew quarters, navigational areas etc.; 100 cubic feet is considered to be equal to one ton.
This is
the transcript of an ACTUAL radio conversation of a US naval ship with
Canadian authorities off the coast of Newfoundland in October, 1995.
**** Radio conversation released by the Chief of Naval Operations 10-10-95.
Americans: Please divert your course 15 degrees to the North to avoid a collision.
Canadians: Recommend you divert YOUR course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.
Americans: This is the Captain of a US Navy ship. I say again, divert YOUR course.
Canadians: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course.
Americans: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS LINCOLN, THE SECOND LARGEST SHIP IN THE UNITED STATES' ATLANTIC FLEET. WE ARE ACCOMPANIED BY THREE DESTROYERS, THREE CRUISERS AND NUMEROUS SUPPORT VESSELS. I DEMAND THAT YOU CHANGE YOUR COURSE 15 DEGREES NORTH, THAT'S ONE FIVE DEGREES NORTH, OR COUNTER-MEASURES WILL BE UNDERTAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THIS SHIP.
Canadians: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
THE FORECASTLE OF A TYPICAL NORTH AMERICAN DEEP WATER MERCHANT SAILING SHIP IN THE 1830S, ACCORDING TO W.S. LINDSAY, WHO SERVED HIS APPRENTICESHIP IN ONE
the
deck, and among the chests and casks, created the most intolerable and
loathsome stench. Here, however, these fourteen sailors and apprentices
slept, washed, dressed, and had their food, except in fine weather, when
they took their meals on deck, their food consisting almost entirely of
inferior salted pork, beef which was sometimes nearly as hard and unpalatable
as the kids in which it was served, and brown biscuits too often moldy
and full of maggots. To make matters worse, the forecastle of the ship
was full of rats, and I have the most vivid recollection of one of these
animals on more than one occasion finding its way into the hammock where
I slept.
CONSIDERATIONS
WHEN ANCHORING IN A STRANGE HARBOR, ACCORDING TO JOHN "ROB ROY" MACGREGOR
You sail into a port where in less than a minute you must apprehend
by one panoramic glance the positions of twenty vessels, the run of the
tide, and set of the wind and depth of the water; and this not only as
these are then existing, but, in imagination, how they will be six hours
hence, when the wind has veered, the tide has changed, and the vessels
have swung round, or will need room to move away, or new ones will have
arrived.
TO DETERMINE IF THE ANCHOR IS DRAGGING
Pick a fixed object on the shore and check every minute or so to see
if the bearing changes (take into consideration, however, the swinging
of the vessel).
Put your hand on the rode ahead of the bow chock if the rode is vibrating, the anchor is dragging.
Lower a lead line to the bottom and, with the line quite slack, secure it to the rail, if the line comes taut, the anchor is dragging (take into consideration, however, the effect of a rising tide).
SOLUTIONS FOR A DRAGGING ANCHOR
Let out more scope.
Deploy a second anchor.
Reset.
HOW TO ACQUIRE A BOAT, IN THE ORDER OF THE LEAST EXPENSIVE TO THE MOST EXPENSIVE METHODS
HOW TO DETERMINE WHICH BOAT IS FOR YOU
HOW NOT TO DETERMINE WHICH BOAT IS FOR YOU
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A USED BOAT IN EXCELLENT
CONDITION AND A NEW ONE
Most used boats are sold completely equipped, or nearly so. New boats, in the best of circumstances, are offered with only the barest minimum of necessary equipment. If the price is equal for a new and a used boat, the new one will still cost you more when the docking lines, fire extinguishers, flashlights, electronics, auxiliary bilge pumps, rigging enhancements, towel racks, and the like are figured in.
THE WELL-SEASONED BOAT, ACCORDING TO E. F. KNIGHT
PROFESSOR SPECTRE'S FIVE LEVELS OF
ANTIQUE- OR CLASSIC-BOAT BUYING:
THREE WAYS TO WORK ON A BOAT'S BOTTOM WITHOUT HAULING HER
1. Tie her up next to a pier or wharf and let the tide run out from under
her.
2. Run her in to a sandy beach and secure her with anchors forward and aft so she is parallel with the shore. As the tide falls, careen her toward the beach with lines out to an anchor, or a convenient tree, or a deadman. To work on the other side of the bottom, turn the boat at the next high tide.
3. Run her in to a sandy beach, bow-on, as the tide falls, steady her upright with "legs" on each side or with shoring of an appropriate sort.
THE BASIC TYPES OF MODERN COPPER ANTIFOULING PAINT
Rosin-soft, low abrasion resistance, moderate antifouling protection; good for slow speed craft in northern climates; least expensive type Resin, or resin-rosin combination-semihard, moderate abrasion resistance, moderate antifouling protection; good for average boats with average use; moderately expensive.
Vinyl-hard, tough, smooth finish, with moderate antifouling protection; ideal for racing craft; expensive.
Epoxy-hard, tough, high abrasion resistance, moderate antifouling protection; good for boats launched from trailers or on and off a beach; expensive.
Copolymer-moderately hard, good abrasion resistance, good antifouling protection; good protection for craft that see hard use in warmer climates, expensive.
Water-based-moderately hard, low abrasion resistance, moderate antifouling protection; less disagreeable to apply because of lack of chemical solvents; moderately expensive.
OLD-STYLE RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE BOTTOM PAINT
1 pound red lead
4 ounces copper bronze powder
4 ounces arsenic
4 ounces chrome yellow
4 ounces Paris blue
1 pint driers
1 pint boiled linseed oil
1 pint copal varnish
If too thick, add more varnish.
IN A PINCH
Any paint can be made somewhat antifouling by adding a healthy slug of the nastiest ground red pepper you can find.
TWO TYPES OF BINOCULARS
Galilean-two
joined-together telescopes, one for each eye, using normal lenses.
Prismatic-two joined-together telescopes, one for each eye, using lenses and a series of prisms.
FEATURES TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING BINOCULARS OR A SPYGLASS
Power of magnification
Definition and brightness of view
Field of vision
The more the power of magnification, the less the field of vision.
BINOCULAR RATINGS
Binoculars are rated by magnification, or "power," and by the diameter in millimeters of the lens, known as the objective lens, farthest from the eyepiece. A binocular rated as 7 x 35 has a magnification of seven times and an objective lens of 35 millimeters diameter.
FAVORED BINOCULARS 7 x 50-generally best for all-purpose marine use; excellent at night and in poor visibility; overly bright in clear visibility, 7 x 35-excellent in clear visibility, 6 x 30-same as 7 x 35, but with a wider field of view.
TO CLEAN TELESCOPE OR BINOCULAR LENSES
Gently blow off loose dirt and grit. Breathe on the lens and polish with a clean tissue, or polish with a clean proprietary lens paper.
THE FORECASTLE OF A TYPICAL NORTH AMERICAN DEEP WATER MERCHANT SAILING SHIP IN THE 1830S, ACCORDING W.S. LINDSAY, WHO SERVED HIS APPRENTICESHIP IN ONE
At all times it was a foul some and suffocating abode, and in bad weather the water and filth that washed about the deck, and among the chests and casks, created the most intolerable and loathsome stench.
Here, however, these fourteen sailors and apprentices slept, washed, dressed, and had their food, except in fine weather, when they took their meals on deck, their food consisting almost entirely of inferior salted pork, beef which was sometimes nearly as hard and unpalatable as the bread in which it was served, and brown biscuits too often moldy and full of maggots. To make matters worse, the forecastle of the ship was full of rats, and I have the most vivid recollection of one of these animals on more than one occasion finding its way into the hammock where I slept.
WIND AND TIDE
Lee tide-the wind blows and the tide run in the same direction.
Weather tide-the wind blows and the tide runs in opposite directions.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STAND OF THE TIDE AND SLACK WATER
Stand of the tide-the period when there is no vertical motion of the tide; the tide is at the top of high water or the bottom of low water.
Slack water-the period when there is no horizontal motion of the water; the tidal current is running neither in nor out.
FACTORS AFFECTING THE HEIGHT OF THE TIDE COMPUTED FROM TABLES
Strong onshore winds (blowing from the sea toward the land) and a low barometer reading tend to increase the height of high water.
Strong offshore winds (blowing from the land toward the sea) and a high barometer reading tend to decrease the height of high water.
HEY, CAPTAIN, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!
This morning one of our sailors looking over board saw a mermaid, and calling up some of the sailors to see her, one more came up and by that time she was close to the ships side, looking earnestly on the men. A little after a sea came and over- turned her. From the anvil upward her back and breasts were like a woman, as they say that saw her, but her body as big as one of us. Her skin very white, and long hair hanging down behind, of color black. In her going down they saw her tail, which was like the tail of a porpoise, and speckled like a mackerel. Their names that saw her were Thomas Hilles and Robert Rayner. -Henry Hudson
The unobservant man is always stupid; it is the want of observation that dampens and deadens his faculties. -Conrad Miller
A TRUE AND VERITABLE SEA SERPENT OFF NOVA
SCOTIA
We beheld at the distance of from 150 to 200 yards on our starboard bow the head and neck of some denizen of the deep.... The creature rapidly passed, leaving a regular wake, from the commencement of which, to the forepart, which was out of the water, we judged its length to be about 80 feet; and this is within rather than beyond the mark. We were, of course, all taken aback at the sight, and with staring eyes and in speechless wonder stood gazing at it for full half a minute: there could be no mistake, no delusion, and we were all perfectly satisfied that we had been favored with a view of the "true and veritable sea serpent," which had been generally considered to have existed only in the brain of some Yankee skipper, and treated as a tale not much entitled to belief.
From the sworn testimony of five British army officers, 1833
The Spanish naval flagship La Capitana Jesus Maria went down in the mid 1600's with a cargo of gold, silver and jewels stolen from Indians in what is now Peru.
The treasure is believed to be worth $3.5 billion. The finders, a Norwegian based company can keep half the treasure, with the rest going to the government of Ecuador.
The traditional log line consists of a line with a chip or float at the
end, wound onto a freely turning reel. A white rag is tied in the line
at a distance of 12 fathoms from the chip.
Following the white rag, knots are tied in the line at 47 1/4- foot intervals. This log line is used with a sandglass timed at 28 seconds, or, more often in the modern era, a stop watch.
The float is thrown overboard and when the white rag reaches the taffrail, the sandglass is inverted or the stopwatch started.
The number of knots that passes the taffrail by the time the sand runs out, or the stopwatch indicates 28 seconds, equals the vessel's speed in nautical miles per hour, or as the old-time navigators called it, knots per hour.
Speed-Time-Distance-Formulas
Distance = Speed x Time
Speed = Distance/Time
Time = Distance/Speed
A few thoughts on yacht brokers and surveyors.
The yacht broker is involved in the sale of the boat, not the determination of its condition.
The surveyor is involved in the determination of the condition of the boat, not its sale.
Never confuse one with the other. Take with a grain of salt the brokers word on the condition of the boat and the surveyors estimate of the value of the boat.
