ocean navigator #190 november/december 2010

40 43 47 52 55 56MS 60 62 63 64 68 72 75EYF 76 78 86 120

Pacific Asian Enterprises • 34179 Golden Lantern, Suite 101 • Dana Point, CA 92629949.496.4848 Fax 949.240.2398 www.nordhavn.com

Nordhavn 43 “Fence It” faces this 20-foot roller while coming down the west coast of the U.S. from Seattle. Owner TroyFord’s comments as he stared out the pilothouse? “Bring it on!” You can’t put a price on safety and peace of mind.

Nordhavn puts safety and seaworthiness first. Shouldn’t you? To learn more about the mostdependable, seagoing boats in the world, call, click or fax us today. www.nordhavn.com

Visit Nordhavn at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show • Oct. 28 - Nov. 1 • Located at B Dock 233

Think the rough stuff only happens inthe middle of the ocean? Think again.

“Even though not all Nordhavn owners will ever cross anocean, all owners like the idea of knowing that they areon a boat which can stand up to heavy seas, shouldthey ever get a nasty weather surprise…I was askedrecently by someone whether they needed a Nordhavnfor running up and down the West Coast of the UnitedStates. I asked them to think about what it would meanto be caught offshore in a boat they weren’t certaincould handle the seas, and whether saving a few buckswas really worth it.

-Ken Williams, owner of Nordhavn 68 Sans Souci

Gale winds and huge seas aren’t confined to open ocean.Some of the nastiest conditions occur much closer to shore. So throw out the theory that because you

don’t plan on crossing an ocean, you don’t need a rugged seaworthy boat. Savvy Nordhavn owners agree:Be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws your way, no matter which way you happen to be cruising.

“Our boating for the next couple of years will be on LakeSuperior. It might be a ‘lake’, but for all intents and pur-poses, it is an inland sea. And it can get nasty. Quickly.And I don’t want to be praying that the forecasts aredead on and that nothing unexpected will come up anytime I’m on the ‘lake’.”

-Grant Jonsson, owner of Nordhavn 55 Dix-Sept

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 OCEAN NAVIGATOR 1www.oceannavigator.com

DepartmentsChartroom Chatter

4 SSCA Melbourne Gam4 More on clearing into Indonesia6 Extreme Sailing Series 20116 North Sea debris presents a hazard7 Invasive species harvested by divers7 Annapolis boat show expands8 Contributing editor Chuck Husick passes9 Notable New Titles

10 Product News

Marine Tech Notes12 Thermal cameras enhance

man-overboard safetyby Tim Queeney

Power Voyaging14 North to Alaska

by John Snyder

Correspondence18 Coastwise navigation like a local21 Installing an engine24 Island of contrasts

Voyaging Tips51 The nonsensical running fix

by John Karl

Nav Problem56 Bermuda Cruising Rally

by David Berson

44Contents

6

26

Issue #190 November/December 2010

On the cover: Carolyn Meisner stands watch aboard WildHorse,a Valiant 42 cutter, en route from Harbor Island, Eleuthera toMan-O-War Cay, Abacos. Rick Meisner photo.

FeaturesOcean Voyaging26 Perilous voyage

Severe weather calls a halt to a circumnavigation of South Georgia Islandby Keri Pashuk

Special Section34 The last line of defense?

A survival suit might become the onlything between you and the oceanby Ralph Naranjo

39 No more messages in bottlesSafety and distress signaling takes a turn toward textby John J. Kettlewell

44 Controlling condensationbelowdecksDrips from condensation can be a naggingproblem on a voyaging boatby Rich Ian-Frese

For more on voyaging, follow us on:

www.facebook.com/oceannavigatorwww.twitter.com/oceannavmag

3439

2 OCEAN NAVIGATOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 www.oceannavigator.com

CONTRIBUTORS

BUSINESS / CIRCULATION

ALL DEPARTMENTS: 207-772-2466FAX: 207-772-2879

www.OceanNavigator.com

EDITORIAL

WEB SITE

ADVERTISING/MARKETING

[email protected]

EDITOR Tim Queeney

COPY EDITOR Larissa Dillman

ART DIRECTOR Kim Goulet Norton

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Scott Bannerot

Twain Braden

John Snyder

Nigel Calder

Steve C. D’Antonio

Eric Forsyth

Chuck Husick

Jeff & Raine Williams

David Berson

[email protected]

WEST COAST/CANADA

INTERNATIONAL Susan W. Hadlock

MIDWEST / GULF / FLORIDA Bruce Cole

EAST COAST Charlie Humphries

PUBLISHER/

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Alex Agnew

BUSINESS MANAGER Doreen Parlin

CIRCULATION ASSISTANT/EVENTS COORDINATOR Lauren Kulberg

FINANCE/PARTNER Michael Payson

PUBLISHER INTERACTIVE MEDIA Tony Napolitano

WEBMASTER Dave Brunt

ISSN 0886-0149Ocean Navigator is published in January, March, May, July, September, Octoberand November, with an annual special issue of Ocean Voyager in April, for$27.95 per year by Navigator Publishing LLC, 58 Fore St., Portland, ME 04101.Periodicals postage paid at Portland, Maine, and additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Please send address changes to Ocean Navigator, P.O. Box461468, Escondido, CA 92046.

Copyright © 2008 by Navigator Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reprinted in any way without written permission fromthe publisher.

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PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES BY THE LANE PRESS

OCEANAVIGATORNMARINE NAVIGATION AND OCEAN VOYAGING

CUSTOMER SERVICE

[email protected]

Keri Pashuk (Ocean Voyaging, “Perilous voyage,” page26) and husband Greg Landreth met in theAntarctic in 1986 while crewing on differentboats. They were married in 1990 in Canada andbegan purchasing Northanger with the idea ofusing her for sailing and climbing expeditions.Keri is Canadian, from Bracebridge, Ontario andGreg is a New Zealander from Ashburton, NewZealand. Keri and Greg take special interest inhigh latitude sailing combined with expeditionarypursuits, climbing in particular. Read more at theirWeb site: www.northanger.org.

Rich Ian-Frese (“Controlling condensation below-decks,” page 44) has a background as a research-engineer and was a project director for R&D oncontracts and grants awarded by the USDoE,NASA and the NSF. In 2000, he and his wife,Cat, a primary-school teacher, found Anna, theirTayana 37 cutter in San Francisco. They broughther back to Seattle and refitted her with long-dis-tance voyaging in mind. In 2006 they completeda one-year, 11,000 nm NE Pacific ocean loop.They will set out once again, from Seattle towardSouth America in mid 2011.

John Karl (Voyaging Tips,”The nonsensical runningfix,” page 51) is a retired physics professor from 30years of teaching and research in theoreticalphysics and geophysics at the University of Wis-consin at Oshkosh. He is also an oil painter and acommercial pilot. After years of racing, he movedto cruising and boat deliveries, sailing the PacificOcean, East Coast, Great Lakes, Florida Keys,Bahamas, and the Virgin Islands. In addition towriting several sailing articles, he wrote CelestialNavigation in the GPS Age, and Latitude and Lon-gitude from the Noon Sun.


BY JOHN SNYDER

THE SEVEN SEAS CRUISING ASSO-CIATION (SSCA) PLANS TO HOLD

its 35th Annual MelbourneGam from November 12 to14 at the Eau Gallie CivicCenter in Melbourne, Fla.The event will include semi-nars on diesel care and trou-bleshooting, boat insurance,marine refrigeration, weath-er, bluewater skills, rigging,communications, first aidand more. Roundtable dis-cussions will focus on cruis-ing destinations and therewill be a special session“Miami to the Dry Tortugas– Exploring the FloridaKeys” by Mark Doyle.

The general meeting isopen to all members. Therewill be a vendor apprecia-tion and camaraderie cock-tail party on Friday eveningfollowed by an internationalbuffet on Saturday night.

Dockage is available atthe Waterline Marina with-in walking distance of theCivic Center.

The SSCA is the oldestand largest non-profitorganization of voyagingcruisers in the world. Visitwww.ssca.org.

SSCA Melbourne Gam

ChatterChartroom

SAILING ON OUR MONTEVIDEO

43, BAHATI, WE ARE NOW IN

Bali and thought wewould provide an updateto our recent story on theclearance situation inIndonesia (A clearancepaper chase, issue #188).

We tried to clear-in atNongsa Point Marina onBatam just across thestraits from Singapore.We had cleared-out therelast year no problem.Nice folks and lovelymarina facilities. Unfor-tunately, the manage-ment is refusing to clearboats in or out at thispoint due to the contin-uing confusion with the

More on clearing into Indonesia“bond.” Hence, themarina is like a ghosttown. We were one ofthree boats there and allthe rest of the 80-plusslips are empty, a realshame but speaks clearlyto how insidious thisissue has become. Wewere fortunate to havemet a friend of the man-ager in Singapore and hegave us his blessing tostop for a couple of dayswith a “fuel emergency,”but we were advised tolay-low and not showourselves in town. Weleft quietly after two daysand headed for Belitung,about 300 miles farther

SSCA Gam scheduled for

November 12 - 14 in

Melbourne.The Gam is an

opportunity for cruisers to

attend seminars, catch up

with old friends and

network with like-minded

cruisers.

<<


south, where we had alsoheard we could clear-inno problem.

We arrived in Belitungand took our papers tocustoms and immigra-tion and were toldpromptly to get lost.They did not want toknow we existed or getinvolved with any kindof clearance issues. So,after 24 hours of remain-ing, again, incognito we“got out of Dodge pron-to” still not having legal-ly arrived in the country,but now assuming wecould not get legal untilwe got to Bali.

Once in Bali we wereadvised to go to customsand immigration our-selves as the “bond”question was still up-in-the-air and the BaliMarina management didnot want to get involved.We were told that wecould probably get “threeweeks bond-free” if wetold them we were leav-ing in less time thanthat. We did that andcleared-in with no has-sles. We said we hadcome straight from Sin-

gapore and were headingstraight out of the coun-try to the Cocos (Keel-ing) Islands. No issues,and no extra moneycharged. In fact, the sur-prising thing was that noone tried to bilk us forany rupiah at any of theseplaces. We paid a total ofabout $250 U.S. in clear-ance fees and had to visitfive different offices —customs, immigration,quarantine, port captain,and “navy.” All stampedand signed our papersand to get a “visa onarrival” for one of ourcrew we had to go backto the immigration officeand wait for two verykind and polite bankemployees to come andprocess the $25 U.S.required. Inefficient, butstraight-forward. Clearlythe whole bond issue isunresolved and causing alot of folks angst andconfusion and also a lossof business.

The long and short ofthese clearance and bondquestions is that they arestill a crapshoot!

Nat Warren-White

www.oceannavigator.com

ChatterChartroom

on-one speed duels andmatch racing.

The “typical” 2011Extreme Sailing Series eventwill consist of five days ofracing as opposed to threelast year with an 11-boatlimit in place. The 2010 cir-cuit saw visits to France, theU.K., Germany, Italy, witha finale in Spain. The 2011series will include a mini-mum of eight events and amaximum of 10 betweenMarch and December2011, with stadium-stylevenues held in Europe,Middle East, Far East andthe U.S.

For more informationvisit www.extremesail-ingseries.com.

THE EXTREME SAILING SERIES,ONE OF FOUR CIRCUITS WITH THE

International Sailing Feder-ation Special Event Status,now includes the Extreme40-class catamarans. TheExtreme Sailing Series iscommitted to the class as itsmain act until at least Janu-ary 2013. The event attractssailors from a wide range ofdisciplines, racing in manydifferent formats with apublic viewing staged in astadium-style venue.

Over the last yearExtreme Sailing Seriesevents have included con-ventional long course wind-ward/leeward races, coastalcourses, 15-minute close-combat stadium races, one-

Extreme Sailing Series 2011

The Extreme Sailing

Series will feature

Extreme 40-class

catamarans racing

against one another

in a unique stadium-

style venue.

<<

Extreme Sailin

g Series

NORTH SEA YACHTSMEN ARE

WARNED TO BE ON THE LOOKOUT

for wooden debris afterabout 60 tons of woodenplanks fell overboard fromthe Norwegian cargo ship,Sally, about 55 nauticalmiles east of Lowestoft inthe U.K. in very heavyseas. According to reports,the Great YarmouthCoastguard said it wasworking with its Dutchcounterparts to find andretrieve the planks whichfell off the 260-foot cargoship. The Coast Guardwarns that yachts andother small vessels couldface significant damagefrom the debris.

Yarmouth (U.K.)Coastguard watch manag-er Mario Siano said thatindividual planks breakingloose from larger bundlesmay not present a threat tolarger vessels in the regularshipping lanes.

Heavy seas threaten tosplit contained bundles oflumber and create an evenlarger debris field in thearea. The cargo was head-ed for Humber in theU.K. at the time of theincident.

North Seadebris presentsa hazard


FACING A GROWING DEMAND FOR

EXHIBITOR SPACE, THE OWNERS OF

the United States SailboatShow have added an islandof floating docks to thisyear’s venue to accommo-date additional visitors. Theshow operators have alsoadded an additional 10,000square feet at the adjacentChandler building (former-ly Fawcett Boat Supplies) tohouse additional exhibits.

The United States Sail-boat Show is the nation’soldest in-the-water showand runs from October 7through 11 at the Annapo-lis, Md., downtown CityDock.

Intoxicatingly beautiful,

the lionfish's venomous

spines are dangerous.

Properly cleaned, its

white flesh is a delicacy

and is being promoted by

NOAA as a healthy food

fish. An invasive species,

lionfish are a threat to

reef ecology.

<<

A HUNDRED OR SO DIVERS

GATHERED ON SEPTEMBER 11FOR the 1st Annual Flori-da Lionfish Derby Seriesat Coconuts Restaurantin Key Largo, Fla.

The cash prize fishingderby is the first of threeplanned lionfish derbiesin the Keys and attract-ed 27 teams of divers.The teams competed forcash prizes to harvestthe most, largest andsmallest lionfish. Thedivers captured 534lionfish in the first eventthat took place in theFlorida Keys NationalMarine Sanctuary.

Lionfish, a native ofthe Western PacificOcean are an invasivespecies that have beenintroduced in the area

by uninformed aquar-ists. They have noknown predators in thearea except man and arewreaking havoc on reeffish populations, espe-cially juvenile popula-tions of grouper andsnapper. They are knowfor their venomousspines, but when prop-erly cleaned their whitemeat is considered adelicacy. According tothe National Oceanicand AtmosphericAdministration(NOAA), the lionfishpopulation in the U.S.inhabits the coast fromSouth Carolina to Flori-da and its populationsare expected to increasein coming years due tothe lack of predation

Annapolis boatshow expands

and thefact thatthey reproduce through-out year. To help reducetheir population NOAArecently introduced its“Eat Lionfish” campaignto promote the speciesas a food fish.

The three derby seriessponsored by Reef Envi-ronmental EducationFoundation, an organi-zation of divers andmarine enthusiasts com-mitted to ocean conser-vation, hopes to drawattention to the invasivespecies with the long-term goal of reducingtheir numbers and thehope of preservingindigenous species. Formore information, visitwww.reef.org.

Invasive species harvested by divers

NO

AA

/NM

FS

ChatterChartroom

LONG TIME OCEAN NAVIGATOR

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AND ALL-around marine expertChuck Husick died Mon-day, September 13, follow-ing several months of poorhealth. Chuck was notonly one of the mostknowledgeable writers onmarine science and tech-nology, but he was also oneof the most prolific andenthusiastic contributors tothis magazine and to sever-al others. Chuck was amember of the RadioTechnical Commission forMaritime (RTCM), aninfluential technical panelthat sets standards formarine technology. Andthat was only one of themany boards, advisorypanels and industry groupsto which he belonged.

I had the great fortuneto work with Chuck for

Contributing editor Chuck Husick passes

OCEAN AVIGATORN BLOG

Running FixStop by Running Fix,our Ocean Navigatorblog. Here’s an excerpt:“We are now at Christ-mas Island (10.25 S,105.40 E) where wediverted on our route

to Cocos Keeling due toautopilot issues which wehope to get repaired here.We require some goodstainless steel welding anddue to the large phos-

phate mining business andthe illegal immigrant prisonbusiness here we‘re hopefulwe can find it.” Visit theblog at: www.oceannavigator.com/running_fix.

FROM RUNNING FIX, THE ON BLOG

more than 15 years. Hewas an insightful, charm-ing friend and a wonderfulteacher. His wide-rangingknowledge of marine top-ics was matched by anequally broad grasp of avi-ation technology. Indeed,not only was Chuck apilot with more than6,000 flying hours, he wasalso once an executive vicepresident of Cessna Air-craft and a member of theRadio Technical Commi-sion for Aeronautics(RTCA), the flying coun-terpart to the RTCM.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y.,on Jan. 10, 1933, Chuckwent to Brooklyn Polytech-nic Institute and thenserved in the U.S. Army inpostwar Europe. He held anumber of executive posi-tions in the aviation andmarine world, including

president of Chris-Craftand president of NarcoAvionics and Konel MarineElectronics.

The list of Chuck’saccomplishments is longand impressive, but thething Chuck liked best wassimply answering a ques-tion. Whether it be from areader of Ocean Navigatoror from me, Chuck had afar-reaching and encyclo-pedic mind and he tookthe greatest pleasure inbroadening other people’sknowledge and under-standing. I would oftencall or e-mail him with aquestion regarding marinetechnology and after an in-depth explanation thattook no account of thetime expended or the needto repeat the parts I had ahard time grasping, his lastwords were always to

Hu

sick

fam

ily

thank me for interruptinghis busy day to ask him aquestion. Chuck was for-midable in his knowledgeand tireless in his enthusi-asm for improving thesport of voyaging. Morethan anything, he was thebest of friends.

Chuck’s son, Lawrence,has put together a Web siteto honor his father(http://www.husick.com/cbh/Home.html). It’s wortha visit. ■

Tim Queeney

www.oceannavigator.com 8 OCEAN NAVIGATOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010


Notable New Titles

The Nautical SextantBy W.J. Morris2010, Jointly published byParadise Cay Publications,Arcata, CA, and Celestaire,Inc.,Wichita, KSHardcover, 264 pages

Bill Morris’ elegant newbook is clearly notfocused on the art andscience of celestial navi-

gation — there are count-less volumes covering thatsubject. Instead, the bookis a work focused on thetraditional art’s primarytool, the nautical sextantitself. Part history, parttheory, the book’s primarypurpose is to providedetailed guidance for themaintenance and restora-tion of the nautical sextant

and is of value not only tonavigators, but also torestorers, collectors, cura-tors and sextant dealers.

Clearly illustrated withoutstanding close-upphotography, Morrisguides both novice andexpert through every facetof the instrument fromsimple adjustment tocomplete restoration.


NewsProduct

range of integrated functions and sys-

tems — including the Simrad BR24

Broadband Radar, HD Digital Radar

and BSM-1 Broadband Sounder mod-

ule; StructureScan sonar imaging;

WM-2 Sirius satellite weather module;

the Simrad GS15 High Speed 5Hz GPS

antenna and SonicHub multi-zone

audio entertainment system.

The NSO Offshore delivers full

autopilot control allowing boaters to

combine charting, autopilot and ves-

sel pages. The system is also com-

patible with BEP Marine’s CZone

digital switching system, allow-

ing users to monitor and control

nearly any onboard system

including lights, bilge pumps, tank

levels and even fuel and power

settings. Equipped with an SD card

slot for a range of marine mapping

options, the NSO is preloaded with

Insight USA HD cartography. The

navigation system is also fully

Navionics Platinum+ compatible.

The NSO Offshore is available in

a choice of three screen sizes and

resolutions, the DI10, 10.4-inch

diagonal SVGA; DI15, 15-inch XGA;

and MO19, 19-inch SXGA.All NSO

models feature a USB port and offer

dual DVI video outputs for easy

installation of an additional display.

The low power DI10 and DI15 oper-

ate with 10-32V DC, while the

MO19 is compatible with 21-32V

DC power systems. NSO systems are

waterproof to the IPx6 standard, and

Powerful multi-displaySimrad Yachting has announced a

new premium series of large multi-

function display systems, the Simrad

NSO Offshore. Based on the Simrad

NSE platform, the system combines

a powerful NSO marine processor,

compact keypad controller and 10-

to 19-inch large-display options with

software that offers full integration

capabilities. NSO users can operate

up to three displays from a single

processor unit.

The Sim-

rad NSO Off-

shore system incorporates a new

menu-driven user interface that pro-

vides control of its full feature set and

compatible technology.The system

includes the new OP40 wired remote

keypad that delivers NSE-style control

optimized for remote operation with a

rotary controller, programmable dedi-

cated chart, sonar and radar keys, and

an alphanumeric keypad.The

enhanced system also offers dual

radar support and can be networked

with Simrad NSE display systems.

The Simrad NSO Offshore naviga-

tion system gives boaters access to a

Global Ocean Security Technologies

(GOST - formerly Paradox Marine) has

introduced the GOST Immobilizer, a

start up prevention system for single-

engine outboard boats, yacht tenders,

RIBs and PWCs.

The device is controlled via a wire-

less key fob.When armed, the Immo-

bilizer blocks high current draw from

the battery while still allowing low

power consumption components to

function normally.When an engine

startup is attempted, the Immobilizer

sounds a timed siren and prevents the

engine from turning over.

The Immobilizer installation is

straightforward. It has hardened bat-

tery lug connection design, making it

difficult to compromise. For more

information about GOST Immobilizer

and other GOST products, visit

www.gostglobal.com.

are protected by a two-year limited

parts and labor warranty.

The Simrad NSO marine processor

(suggested retail price of $4,799),

OP40 controller ($399) and DI10,

DI15 and MO19 displays ($1,599,

$2,999 and $7,299, respectively) are

sold separately.The NSO15 package

that includes the processor, controller

and DI15 15-inch display ($7,699) is

also available. For more info:

www.simrad-yachting.com.

Dinghy securitysystem

Compact isolationtransformersTortran division of Bridgeport Magnet-

ics Group Inc. has introduced a new

line of compact marine isolation trans-

formers for boats of all sizes.

The toroidal marine transformers

feature 50 percent reduction of size

and weight in comparison with con-

ventional stacked lamination trans-

formers used in other marine isolation

transformers.The compact dimensions

of the enclosures are subsequently

highly suitable for tight marine spaces.

The transformers are available in five

power ratings from 2400VA to

12000VA and 120V/240V input and

output voltages for 50/60 Hz to allow

for operation in the U.S. and abroad.

100V/100V 50 Hz for Japan is option-

al.The transformers carry CE mark and

comply with UL and IEC 60601-1

safety standards for medical trans-

formers with maximum leakage cur-

rent from 100 to 300 micro Amps.The

list price of a 2500VA transformer

mounted in the enclosure is $675. For

more information visit

www.bridgeportmagnetics.com.

Sighs Matter!

www.nmea.org

For your nearest NMEA dealer, use our dealer locator at:

National Marine Electronics Association800.808.6632 • 410.975.9425 • www.nmea.org

Do you 'sigh' in exasperation that your

marine electronics don’twork like they’re supposed

to? Next time, chooseproducts and technical

support from NMEA®

member companies—itmatters to us that your

job is done right.

Look for the NMEA® quality symbol

on your dealer’s door.


W hen it comes to thesubject of man over-

board, the best safety meas-ure is to stay on the boat.When the unthinkable doeshappen, however, voyagersneed luck and some goodgear to find and recovertheir lost crewmember.Man-overboard gear rangesfrom simple throwablebuoys to poles to electronicdirection finding systems.One particularly useful pieceof man-overboard recoverygear that has become avail-able in recent years isthe thermalimaging cam-era. A thermalcamera canclearly showthe victim inthe water evenon the darkestnight. Now the ther-mal imaging companyFLIR has reduced theprice of its low-end,handheld thermalimager, making it amore affordable tool forthe average voyager.

The gear available forman-overboard (MOB)situations has evolvedfrom simple visual and

water as possible: cockpitcushions, PFDs, anythingthat the victim can use tokeep their head above water.

Getting plenty of flota-tion to the victim is great,but another big part ofMOB recovery is being ableto see the person in thewater so you can maneuverthe boat to rendezvous withthe victim. And an earlysolution to seeing the victimis the MOB pole. A fiber-glass pole with a flag on top,attached to a horseshoe

buoy with a length ofline. This addition to theMOB tool kit immedi-ately makes the victimin the water more visi-ble. The biggest draw-back to the MOB pole,

however, is quickly andeffectively deploying it.

One solution to this prob-lem is Switlik’s Man Over-board Module (MOM) thatincludes an inflatable MOBpole and either an inflatablehorseshoe or a small raftthat gets the victim out ofthe water. The MOM canbe deployed by pulling asingle line.

There is the obviousproblem, however, that a

audio signals to sophisticat-ed electronic devicesunimagined only a fewdecades ago. The first, andstill remarkably effective (ifutilized correctly), tool is thesimple life ring or horseshoebuoy. Usually coloredorange, these flotation aidsnot only help you see thevictim, but assist the personin the water in stayingafloat. And if a single ring isgood, then more flotation isbetter. The best thing to dois to throw as much flotation

into the

The handheld

FLIR i5 thermal

camera has been

available since

the spring of

2008. But now

production vol-

ume has allowed

FLIR to signifi-

cantly lower the

price, making

this tool avail-

able to more

voyagers.

BY TIM QUEENEY

Thermal cameras enhance man-overboard safety

MARINE TECH NOTES

Courtesy FLIR


pole with flag isn’t terribly effec-tive at night. The next piece tothe MOB puzzle was to equip theMOB pole/horsehoe buoy pack-age with a fixed or strobe light,making it useful in the dark.

What about putting a light onthe victim? Battery-powered,fixed lights or flashing strobes car-ried by the victim make themimmediately visible at night.Another excellent light solution isthe Rescue Laser Flare. This is afelt-tip-marker-sized laser unitwith an astigmatizer lens. Thelens turns a laser’s dot of lightinto a line of light, making iteaser for the victim to sweep thebeam through the field of view ofsearchers on the water or aboard asearch and rescue aircraft.

Yet another solution is to use aradio frequency system like theACR Vecta3 radio direction find-er (RDF) unit. If a crewmemberfalls overboard and is equippedwith a Mini B2 or Mini B300 oran EPIRB transmitting on 121.5MHz, the Vecta unit can providea direction to the victim. Anotherelectronic solution is Raymarine’sLifeTag system. Crewmemberswear small LifeTag units andshould a crewman fall overboard,the RF link to the LifeTag basestation is broken and the unitsounds an audio alarm. It also cansend a signal to Raymarine brandmultifunction displays, chartplot-ters and ST290 instrument sys-tems to mark the spot with anMOB symbol and a lat/long.

Perhaps the ultimate electronicsolution is for crewmembers tocarry personal locator beacons

(PLBs). These smaller units trans-mit on both 406 MHz and 121.5MHz, just like larger EPIRBs. Sofor a boat equipped with a 121.5MHz RDF unit, a PLB will pro-duce a signal for homing.

But what if a crewmember isnot carrying a transmitting deviceor a light or a laser? Or what if thecrewmember is injured or cannotactivate a rescue unit? A thermalimaging camera works well inthese situations because it canshow a victim in the water even ifthe crewmember is unconscious(he or she would need to be wear-ing a PFD, of course). The ther-mal camera doesn’t require that avictim do anything, it picks upthe crewmember’s body heatregardless, showing the victim’shead as a white splotch against thecooler, darker sea.

FLIR, a major manufacturer ofthermal imaging products for themilitary, fire fighting, security andmarine markets, introduced ahandheld thermal imaging prod-uct called the FLIR i5 in thespring of 2008. That version ofthe i5 had a price of $2,995.Now, according to FLIR, its pro-duction volume is so large, thecompany is able to lower the costto $1,595.

The i5 has a 2 percent ther-mal accuracy and a 2.8-inch dis-play with 80 by 80-pixel resolu-tion. In a man-overboard situa-tion a handheld thermal imagerlike the i5 could provide a boat’screw with excellent data forlocating the victim in the water— especially if an incident takesplace at night. ■


POWER VOYAGING

For many power voy-agers, the challenges

and rewards of high latitudecruising are a dream that ishard to resist. Fortunately,ocean trawlers such as those

by boatbuilders like Nord-havn have made the dreamof venturing into some ofthese remote unchartedwaters a reality. But it takesmore than just a solid boatwith formidable range tomake the trip a success.Passage making to many ofthese remote places without

proper planning and equip-ment is not without seriousrisk. For any safe and suc-cessful voyage, meticulousattention to detail is essen-tial — even more so if one

plans to head north. Care-ful consideration must begiven not only to routeplanning and weather, butalso to some of the uniqueequipment requirementsthat cruising to remote highlatitudes necessitates.

Josh Tofield and his wife,Natasha, cruise extensively

The Tofield's 40-

foot Nordhavn

Mark II, Samba, at

anchor in a quiet

cove in Prince

William Sound.

in Alaska aboard their 40-foot Nordhavn Mark II,Samba. A former sailor,Tofield now spends abouthalf the year cruising south-west Alaska and is winteringover this year on KodiakIsland. When asked whatadvice he had for those plan-ning to explore the AlaskaPeninsula he quickly point-ed out that the farther westyou dare to venture, themore self-reliant you need tobe. While the seaworthinessof the vessel is an obviousprerequisite for venturing farafield there are plenty ofadditional considerations.

Topping his concerns isthe ability to access weatherbroadcasts. “In southwestAlaska VHF weather iseither unavailable or unreli-able, so we depend on sin-gle-sideband broadcasts,”Tofield said. “When thatfails, I use the Iridium satel-lite phone connected to ourlaptop computer or callweather directly. In the Gulfof Alaska and especially inthe Shelikof Strait, weatheris a real challenge. We havebeen faced with delays of asmuch as a week. It is verydifferent than the southeast[where most of the yachtscruise in the summer].”

BY JOHN SNYDERNorth to AlaskaJo

sh To

field

14 OCEAN NAVIGATOR NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010


“The farther west you go, themore remote is. You also need torely on local knowledge and mostfishermen are happy to share.”

In terms of electronics, Tofieldbelieves in redundancy. Samba isequipped with two radars inaddition to an AIS unit and a

GPS-equipped laptop withNobeltec software as a backup tothe main chartplotter. He alsostresses the importance of havinga complete set of paper chartsaboard as a fallback.

For safety gear Samba carriesan inflatable life raft, abandon-

ship kit and a sur-vival suit for eachcrewmember. As aphysician, Tofieldhas equipped theboat with anextensive formula-ry and with firstaid-suppliesincluding oxygen.

Above, Natasha Tofield checking out the

Hubbard Glacier in Disenchantment Bay at

the end of Yakutat Bay. Ice calves from the

glacier’s six-mile wide mouth as it empties

into the bay.

Left, this Kodiak bear claimed its turf when

the Tofield’s visited its remote stretch of

beach at Geographic Harbor on the Alaska

Peninsula across from Kodiak Island.

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Josh

Tofield

Josh

To

fiel

d


POWER VOYAGING

“I like big anchors. On thepeninsula there are lots ofanchorages where the swells arelow but the wind tends to accel-erate, 30 to 35 knots or more isnot unusual,” he said. For heavy

Remote anchorages also pres-ent unique challenges. In addi-tion to his shore mooring lines,Tofield carries 400 feet of 3/8-inch anchor chain and an over-sized 110-pound Bruce anchor.

weather passages he also carries aparachute anchor and drogue.

Putting aside the challengingweather, Tofield also cautions voy-agers on the risk they face fromfloating logs in southeast Alaska.Large floating kelp mats that areoften entwined with fish nettingare more of a risk as you movewest. “We have Spurs Cutters onthe prop, but that might not beenough [to clear a fouled net].”Tofield also carries a dry suit andscuba gear as a precaution.

Good quality diesel fuel isreadily available at fishing out-posts and canneries and Sambacarries close to 1,000 gallons offuel, so he doesn’t worry aboutthe need to refuel. “We burn twoto three gallons per hour at 7knots, so additional fuel is not aconcern,” Tofield said.

As for potable water, Tofieldsays that his cruising area pres-ents a challenge for water makers.His Alaskan cruising grounds arerich in plankton, which, whilegood for the state’s fisheries,tends to clog watermakers. Heuses a prefiltration system tokeep his primary five micron fil-ters clean and regularly taste testshis water before introducing it toSamba’s tanks. Tofield says thathigh concentrations of planktonwill tend to give desalinatedwater a sulfur taste.

Tofield says that having simplesystems is key when venturingout to remote regions withouthaul out facilities. He feels thathis paravane stabilizer system isthe best choice for Samba. Theparavanes are simple and easy to

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deal with when compared tohull-mounted stabilizer systemsthat require haul out for repair inthe event of damage or a mal-function. Also, at a speed penaltyof between .5 to .75 of a knot,they are a fair trade-off for asmooth ride.

Another unique concern whentraveling to remote locales are therisks associated when goingashore. “When you leave the boatand the dinghy, and land on someuninhabited beach you have to beready for anything. We neverleave the boat without a completesurvival kit and everything weneed to stay warm and dry. Aswith seamanship, you have to beprepared for anything,” he said.Tofield also stressed the dangerposed by bears when visitingremote Alaskan beaches. He saysthat bears are dangerous anddemand respect. “Bears willattack and can run 20 to 30 milesan hour. You have to be preparedand know how you plan to han-dle an attack — and be ready forit.” Tofield says that he alwayscarries a shotgun when goingashore and emphasizes the needto know how to use it. He alsowarns cruisers about the damagethat bears can do to inflatables.Bears have been known to punc-ture dinghies so be prepared witha pump and repair kit.

Next summer Tofield plans toventure farther west to DutchHarbor and north to the BeringSea. With a capable vessel, properplanning and the right equipmenthigh latitude power voyaging,especially along the Alaska Penin-

sula, can be a rewarding experi-ence. But like any other voyage itrequires meticulous preparation,patience and judgment, especiallywhen it comes to weather, to be asuccess. “We have learned to be

patient,” Tofield said. “After all,our motto is ‘we do this for fun.’”Tofield is a USCG-licensed, 100-ton captain. He can be contactedby e-mail [email protected]. ■


CORRESPONDENCE

This NOAA

chart of North

and South

Channels into

Passe-A-Grille,

Fla., shows the

marks and

nav aids. How-

ever, shifting

sands can

make the

channels less

useable than

they appear on

the chart.

To the editor: Most boatershave looked at a chart onapproaching a new harborand squinted a bit trying tovisualize the few featuresshown shoreside. A towerhere, a tank there, a jettyobscured in the haze andlights. As anyone who hasever sailed off the New Jerseyshoreline can attest, after awhile, every water tank looksthe same. We have GPS,radar, depth sounders, andchartplotters, but still, gettinga mental picture of the harborapproach and anchorage takespatience and skill. With shift-ing and shoaling channels, thechallenge is more complex.What the mariner needs onapproach to a new port islocal knowledge.

We’ve often looked at thosecrisp satellite images on

Google Earth and wonderedhow to interpret what we see.Aids to navigation are toosmall to see in such images,and trying to align the imageon the computer screen withour charts is both cumber-some and potentially danger-ous. Now, however, a compa-ny in France has taken nauti-cal charts and Google Maps,and has created a clever anduseful “mashup” that giveslocal knowledge an entirelynew spin.

Our home port is Passe-A-Grille, Fla., just north of theentrance to Tampa Bay. Thechannel is well-marked andfairly deep, but even so, shift-ing sand bars make finding dayanchorages a challenge. Thechart is of little help, but SouthChannel looks promising.

We can compare the

Coastwise navigation like a localchart to Google Maps, andbegin to notice a problemwith the chart.

GeoGarage.com’s wonder-ful Web site makes it easy.Using the slide control on theright side, under NOAA, wecan mix the chart with thesatellite hybrid view. By mov-ing the control right and left,we can have all chart, all satel-lite, or a mix…a bit of chartwith lots of satellite.

Or a bit of satellite with lotsof chart.

Note that on the chart,South Channel’s northernentrance is shown as carryinga depth of more than 12 feet.The satellite view reveals thatthis has been silted in and isno longer navigable (unlessyou happen to own anamphibious craft!). Anotheradvantage of the satelliteview is that often (thoughnot always) the image isnewer than the chart data.Close inspection of theseimages shows that the copy-right date is 2010, while thechart is significantly older.

GeoGarage.com has verygood coverage. U.S. coverageis extensive.

Other chart sources are alsoavailable including NewZealand, Brazil, the U.K.,Canada, Argentina and Aus-tralia. Some of these provideN

OA

A c

har

t im

age

via

Go

og

le a

nd

Geo

Gar

age


The satellite

view avail-

able on

GeoGarage

shows the

northern end

of South

Channel has

become

heavily silt-

ed and is

unpassable.

far-ranging coverage (the U.K.covers wide areas of the Pacific,for instance.) The site alsoexports information aboutwaypoints and tracks to com-mon navigational file formats,and even directly interacts withGarmin’s plugin to directlyload track and waypoint datainto a compatible GPS unit(though, sadly, not the hybridchart views themselves.)GeoGarage has a family ofapps for the Apple iPhone,iPod Touch and iPad that Sa

telli

te im

age

via

Go

og

le a

nd

Geo

Gar

age


CORRESPONDENCECORRESPONDENCE

access its database of marine charts(the U.S., Brazil and New Zealandare now available via iTunes athttp://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mari

ne-us/id376844755?mt=8). We canhope that some day, the ability tocombine the chart with satelliteviews will be directly accessible in

that app, along with some way tosave the combined chart data for usewhen we go beyond the mobile tele-phone coverage area.

As with any electronic chartingsystem on the Internet, GeoGaragewarns that its service is to be usedonly as a planning tool, and not asan aid to navigation. It’s a good ideato have a full set of charts with you.With this caveat firmly in mind,though, the service is an invaluableaid to mariners planning a cruise inunfamiliar waters.

Lawrence A. Husick is an intellectual proper-

ty attorney and sailor based in Philadelphia

and Florida.

By moving a

slider control,

the GeoGarage

site allows you

to choose how

much chart ver-

sus satellite

image you

want to see.

You can create

these combined

chart/image

“mashups.”

NO

AA

chart an

d satellite im

age via G

oo

gle an

d G

eoG

arage

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$9,000 in labor alone from aninstallation mechanic firmedup our desire to tackle it our-selves and learn in theprocess, a thread stronglywoven throughout our voyag-ing experience.

After removing the Volvo,the new engine was broughtinto the boat using a hiredforklift. We connected a chainto the engine aft, while acome-along connected to theengine forward. This allowedus to tip the airborne enginevertical. After getting theengine aboard, we replaced thefork lift with a 6-inch by 6-inch beam across the compan-ionway. This would eliminatehaving to pay for the forklift,allowing us to move theengine ourselves with a come-along for numerous test fits. Ashort nylon webbing loop ateach designated eyebolt hang-er prevented the taught chainfrom abrading vulnerableengine parts.

During test fit one, thetransmission kept the feet offthe beds, so we ground awaypart of the pre-existing fiber-glass beds with a grindingwheel. Our hired consultant,whose time would total 12hours, was present and so ourfrugality allowed fiberglassdust to coat Chandrika’s interi-or. Upon test two, we approxi-mately aligned the engine (andstraight transmission) to thecorrect position. Using awooden dowel in place of asteel shaft, we had an inexpen-

Two views of

the 1985 Volvo

MD3b engine

Graham and

Sue removed

from their

Creekmore 34.

They replaced

it themselves

with a 28-hp

Beta Marine

BD1005 built

by Kubota.

To the editor: Repowering oursailboat with little to no previ-ous experience has been morethan just financially advanta-geous. Sue and I purchasedChandrika, our Creekmore 34in 2007, in Miami, for blue-water cruising at the ages of32 and 28 respectively. Withcommon sense and mentaldrive outweighing experience,we soon did just that.

The 1985 36-hp VolvoMD3b had problems includ-ing poor compression, over-heating, fractured mounts,and a leaking muffler, toname a few. We envisionedourselves waiting for expen-sive parts overseas. A repowerwas in order.

Choosing the correctengine began with sizing. Wechose a slightly smaller enginefor increased fuel efficiencyand a slightly increased work-load on the engine, as theVolvo was commonly under-worked. Before purchasing wemade sure it would fit, takingnumerous measurements,understanding requirementsabove and below the enginebeds. Will it fit through thecompanionway? Will majoralterations to the engine bedsbe necessary? A little imagina-tion and a lot of research goesfar in preventing futureheadaches. We went with aBeta Marine 28-hp BD1005,a marinized Kubota tractorengine. A cost estimate of

Installing an engine sive temporary shaft that waseasy to write on. The lightweight nature of a woodendowel makes it easy to feel

when it is centered and willnot sag much from that posi-tion. Custom aft brackets pro-vided from Beta Marine madethe aft beds the correct eleva-tion, but they needed to beextended farther forward. Ontop of a temporary mold ofclose-celled foam, we laidalternating layers of mat andwoven roving soaked in poly-ester resin and hardener. Wechose polyester resin to matchChandrika’s hull material.With aesthetics followingfunction, as much as ever, this

Gra

ham

Ho

pki

ns

and

Su

e Sc

hw

ein

sber

g


CORRESPONDENCE

was a great first-time project in lay-ing fiberglass.

The forward mounts needed tobe built up 2.5 inches so we customcut two pieces of white oak with amiter saw and set these in place withpolyester resin mixed with hardenerand thickened with high density,high strength filler. Alternating lay-ers of mat and woven roving werelaid on top, draped into the keel,onto the walls above and below toensure good contact. Still, morerefinements meant grinding downparts of the new bed to fit the pecu-liarities of the engine we failed toforesee. Many times throughout theentire process the engine was movedinto position for a test fit. Thearoma of polyester resin was intoxi-cating. Hot showers, air condition-ing and a bed from a friend were awelcome alternative to setting upour tent outside Chandrika, ourlikely second choice.

We cleaned the engine compart-ment and painted it with a one partepoxy paint for fiberglass bilges. Wechose white to brighten up the areaand show potential future problemssuch as oil leaks or fuel leaks. Withsome cables now too short it was agreat time to rewire the batteryswitches, allowing us to isolate ourhouse batteries from our designatedstarter battery.

The old individual engine instru-ments in the cockpit were spacedwider than the new comprehensiveengine control panel. By building ateak frame, essentially enlarging thecontrol panel, no old holes neededfilling. The wires from the controlpanel came harnessed into one maleplug while all wires from the engine

were harnessed into one female plug.Wiring was that simple.

The engine sat on the bedsaligned horizontally, vertically, andmatching the shaft angle, with thecoupling temporarily on the woodendowel. We then added the flexiblecoupling and measured the desiredpropeller shaft length, keeping justenough room for propeller removal.We needed a new propeller due toan opposite rotational direction, dif-ferent gear ratios, and reducedhorsepower. Few, if any, will repowerwithout this added expense. Manywill also replace the propeller shaft,as new engines are lighter and short-er. Beta Marine along with twoindependent propeller shops recom-mended an RH17x10. Space avail-ability and recommended clearancesdictated an RH16x11, with smallerdiameter and increased pitch, as sec-ond choice from all three sources.This allowed for 1.5-inch clearanceinside the 19-inch tall box cutoutbetween Chandrika’s keel and keelmounted rudder. With our shaftlength and propeller box dimen-sions, a custom shaft was manufac-tured. The new shaft was machinedon the forward end to fit the cou-pling and key we had already pur-chased. It was also machined on theaft end for the new propeller and aspace saving nut zinc. When calcu-lating how far the shaft can pro-trude, while still allowing for pro-peller removal, we did not accountfor the two inches gained by remov-ing the flexible coupling. We shouldhave because it would allow theminimum one-inch space recom-mended from the cutlass bearing fora more common, and more effec-

tive, limited-clearance zinc.It was to our good fortune that

both the shifter and throttle cableswere the correct lengths, requiringonly minimal adjustments at theirthreaded ends.

We took one person’s recommen-dation to filter the fuel in the tank.With a small electric pump we cir-culated the fuel for hours, never real-ly dirtying up the filter. Taking alook, however, revealed a half inchof black sludge at the bottom. Prob-ably 25 years of sediment! With justa couple gallons in the tank and asponge mop we scrubbed the deep,narrow tank in our keel, removingdark, dirty diesel. We did thisrepeatedly with clean diesel until thebottom shined. While filling thetank with diesel we noted fuel quan-tities at all graduations from emptyto full.

The old raw water intake hosewas 5/8-inch diameter and the newwas half an inch, so new barb fit-tings on the raw water filter andthru-hull accompanied new hosethroughout. Since the raw water exitfrom the heat exchanger alreadytraveled through a siphon-break, wedid not need to install one; althoughwe did replace the hoses. Rusty anddelaminating wet exhaust hoses werechanged to fit with a new Vetusmuffler. From the muffler new hoseruns aft to a high point inside thelazarette, where a manual shut offvalve was installed to protect theengine during rough following seas.About 30 inches below, the exhausthose exits astern. A new fuel lineand a new primary Racor fuel filtercompleted the package. We alsocarry enough hose to replace two of


any given length of hose throughoutthe entire system. The chances ofdiscovering a point of wear from thevibrating engine is far greater withnew systems, no matter how securethe hoses are.

The stuffing box was freshlypacked. The new propeller, cutlassbearing, and propeller nut zinc layastern as Chandrika was placed backinto the water. Another precisealignment with a feeler gauge veri-fied that the solid fiberglass hull didnot flex, distorting our engine align-ment. We traced the location of theflexible feet and removed the engineonce more.

Treating the forward engine bedslike a cored deck, we drilled one-inch diameter holes, just throughthe bottom of the white oak, andfilled them with a two part marineepoxy. We then drilled all eight 3/8-inch diameter holes, two for eachflexible foot. After carefully maneu-vering the 350-pound engine pre-cisely into place we bolted it down.One final alignment check, like awedding vow, gave us the okay tojoin the shaft to the engine with theflexible coupling.

As we bled the fuel lines andturned the key, multiple times, thatone desired noise finally broke ourever-building tenuous silence. Afterletting the engine warm up we veri-fied that maximum rpm under loadmet specs and was more than 85percent of maximum rpm in neu-tral. This concluded that compres-sion was good and we had correctlysized the propeller. We were relieved.

Now a few hairs did jump out ofmy head and Sue did come to tearsonce. Hands coated in polyester

resin that will not dry and bits offiberglass stinging our skin are mem-ories we hold. Of greater valuethough are the many lessons welearned in those three weeks on thehard. For us there was no better way

to get ready, get to know our boat,and know it was done right.

—Graham Hopkins and Sue Schweinsberg are

currently in the Solomon Islands aboard

Chandrika, their Creekmore 34.

AMEL 54

IT’S TIME FOR QUALITY AND QUALITY TIMEThis is what your days aboard should be all about. Sharing moments of serenity and adventure withfamily and friends. Enjoying the world’s finest stress reliever which is uneventful and effortless passage-making under sail. Recharging our souls with the joy that comes from a pleasure filled life at sea, be itfor the weekend or around the world. AMEL ownership is a top quality experience from beginning toend because of the top quality efforts we make to ensure it is so. If you join the AMEL family, you willonly cry once.

QUALITY IN DESIGN. The AMEL 54 was conceived and designed to be the safest, easiest tomanage and maintain, as well as the most comfortable sailing yacht in this size range. Yes, that’squite a mouthful but we take delight in gently proving this to our customer’s complete satisfaction.A cruising couple can handle her alone in all circumstances, even the most trying. Four watertightbulkheads define six watertight compartments. There is a fully weather/sun/spray protected helmstation beneath a fiberglass dodger. You will enjoy immediate and complete access to all maintain-able components throughout the boat, including a full size/stand up engine and machinery roombeneath the cockpit. Swift and seakindly under sail, 200 miles a day runs are easily obtained. TheAMEL 54 is designed to thrive as a live aboard and offshore cruising yacht.

QUALITY IN CONSTRUCTION. Our exclusive one piece/full monocoque construction elimi-nates the typically weak, leaky and trouble prone hull to deck joint. All mechanical equipmentreceives a prototype process where the installation is perfected at the shipyard so that all productionAMEL 54’s are virtually identical. This enhances reliability and makes eventual service and repair aprocess, not a mystery. The standard equipment is the most comprehensive in the industry andincludes an all furling rig, powered winches, generator and air conditioning/heat, powerful bowthruster, refrigeration and genuine deep freezer, windlass, sailing instrumentation, GPS and autopi-lot… just about everything that all of us need to start with. Way more comprehensive than thealways abused term sail away. Options are also prototyped and are extensive enough to make yourAMEL uniquely capable of fulfilling your mission. Options are also installed at the shipyard dur-ing the original construction by the employee/owners of AMEL, each of whom owns shares of stockin the company. Attention to the smallest of details and overall fit and finish are superb. Each andevery component is chosen to best fulfill its function, never just because of the price.

QUALITY IN SALES AND ONGOING SERVICE. AMEL spends a large sum of money eachand every year to train me so I know the AMEL 54 from masthead to keel. I can fully explain anyaspect of the boats construction and outfitting. We have always had a one price/no hassle purchaseprogram. We have never delivered a new boat even one minute later than promised. We are veryproud of our after sales service department. It is the best in the industry. Just ask anyone whoobtained their AMEL from us…

New and Brokerage Examples AvailableJOEL F. POTTER • CRUISING YACHT SPECIALIST, LLC

AMEL’S SOLE ASSOCIATE FOR THE AMERICASConveniently located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

PHONE: (954) 462-5869 EMAIL: [email protected]


CORRESPONDENCE

To the editor: Despite its tropicallocation just eight degrees south ofthe equator, Ascension Island is asbarren as the Arctic tundra. Thetropical island clichés of lushmountainsides, an overabundanceof bananas and mangoes, or palmfronds waving over a white beachdo not exist there. Only the high-est point Green Mountain holds apocket of flora shrouded inclouds. Elsewhere great hills of redearth tower over a town bereft oftrees, and jagged gray cliffs meetthe ocean swell in plumes of spray.

We watched this chunk of Mars

Island of contrasts rise up on our starboard quarter ofour 38-foot cutter Heretic as daybroke. From a distance, we weredisappointed. Saint Helena, theisland we had left five days before,possesses the kind of vegetatedmountains one expects in thoselatitudes, and we had thoughtAscension would be similar. Weimmediately questioned our deci-sion to stop there. The island is290 miles off the rhumb line fromSaint Helena to Brazil, 200 milesoff the line to Barbados, and manyboats skip it.

Soon after anchoring, however,we discovered what these boatersmiss. Ascension is an island of

Clouds shroud the top of Ascension Island

as Ellen Massey and Seth Leonard make

landfall after a passage from Saint Helena.

Right, a baby sea turtle is one example of

the diversity of life on the island.

Elle

n M

asse

y/Se

th L

eon

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oto

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contrasts. Its barren moonscape ishome to thousands of nestingseabirds, among them the endem-ic Ascension frigate. Dense schoolsof black triggerfish swarmed about

our hull, and a green turtle pokedhis head above the water a few feetaway. Underwater, moray eelscurled under rock crevices, and sil-very pompanos followed in our

dinghy’s wake. Ashore atnight, we waited untilthe waning moon hadrisen, and tiptoed overthe beach to find it lit-tered with nesting tur-tles. Huge lumps of themother turtles dug holesabove the tide line orlumbered up from thecrashing surf. Baby tur-tles, just hatched and nobigger than my palm,

scurried down to the sea.A few days later, as the island

sunk into the rolling swell astern,we thought how strange and won-derful it is that Ascension’s Mart-ian desolation hides a place soteeming with life. ■

—Ellen Massey and Seth Leonard left Blue

Hill, Maine, in September 2006 aboard

Heretic, a 38-foot fiberglass masthead cut-

ter, built in 1968. Since then, they have com-

pleted a global circumnavigation. Their

route took them through the Panama Canal,

across the Pacific to New Zealand and Aus-

tralia, across the Indian Ocean to South

Africa, and then back across the Atlantic to

the Caribbean.

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10 S

tein

er

In January 2010, on asunny day in the SouthernHemisphere summer, with

a fair westerly wind we leftPuerto Williams, Chile, onboard our 54-foot voyagingboat Northanger. We sailedeastward out of Beagle Chan-nel into the Scotia Sea on ourway to the sub-antarctic

The 54-foot

ketch

Northanger at

anchor in

Prince Olav

Harbour on the

northwest

coast of South

Georgia Island.

Perilous voyage

OCEAN VOYAGING

island of South Georgia.The expedition had been

in progress for more thanthree years. Hayley Shephard,expedition guide, teacher andexpert kayaker, was responsi-ble for all of us being here. Itwas her dream to make thefirst solo circumnavigation bykayak of this famously remoteSouth Georgia and in doing

so, raise awareness of theplight of the albatross. Thesemagnificent seabirds, our con-stant and regal companions inthe Southern Ocean, are nowdeemed to be endangered dueto habitat loss and carelessfishing techniques.

My husband Greg, myself,Magnus and Beth Anne, wereHayley’s support team andNorthanger her support vessel.We were all joined together tohelp Hayley achieve her dream.Greg, Magnus and I were thesailing crew and Beth Anneprovided back-up kayakingsupport. Our combined skillsand experience made for anexceptionally strong team, andif weather conditions permit-ted, we all felt that successcould be within our grasp.

With the weather forecastshowing the winds from westthrough northwest, we set ourcourse to leave Staten Island tothe north, taking us on a moredirect route rather than goingthrough the Strait of Le Maire.This course would take ussouth of the shallow BurdwoodBank, an area notorious fordangerous seas in heavy weath-er. The breeze coming off thecontinent of South Americapromised to keep the swelldown and the hope was thebank would absorb some of thebuild up of waves if the weath-er system deepened.

With the last vestige of landdisappearing in the twilight,the complexities and stressesof planning and preparing the

Severe weathercalls a halt to acircumnavigationof South Georgia Island

Story and photos by Keri Pashuk


voyage were also fading. Wehad eight to 10 days of passageahead of us, the satellite pho-tos and wind GRIB files wereforecasting moderate winds,nothing scary. It was time torelax. Time to get caught upon rest, to get into the rhythmof the sea.

Dealing with sea sicknessGreg, Magnus and I, thesailors, rotated on three-hourwatches. Hayley and BethAnne, so affected by themotion of the sea that theywere unable to even sit, brave-ly took turns accompanyingthe watchkeeper and monitor-ing the radar for signs of shipsand ice. Though they hadcrossed to Antarctica andSouth Georgia numeroustimes, it was always on largecruise ships. Hayley was onedge. Beth Anne was so debili-tated by seasickness she really

Northanger sails

past a huge

tabular iceberg

en route to

South Georgia.

didn’t care about anything.They were quickly learning thedifference between makingpassage in a large ship versus asmall sailing vessel. The move-ment of the boat, the noise ofthe wind in the rigging and thebreaking waves crashingagainst the stern were all unfa-miliar to them. “Should we benervous?” Hayley asked me.

Northanger’s passage

to South Georgia was as

a support vessel to

kayaker Hayley Shep-

hard whose plan was to

paddle around the

island.An accident while

en route required

Northanger to divert

north to Stanley in the

Falklands. Northanger

set out again and

arrived at South Georgia

on February 23.

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“No,” I said. “If you see menervous, then you can startworrying, otherwise relax.”

Northanger, our 54-footDamien II ketch, is at home inthe Southern Ocean. For morethan 20 years, she has taken ussafely to the high latitudes ofthe Northern and Southernhemispheres and has provedher capabilities with numerous


South Georgia planningSouth Georgia, located about

840 miles southeast of the Falk-

land Islands, is an isolated

Antarctic island in the Scotia

Sea. Its rugged mountains are

weighted with snow and ice.

Glaciers cascade from the

heights and towering ice shelves

calve off massive icebergs into

its bays. South Georgia lies

within the Antarctic Conver-

gence and these cold waters

and its isolation contribute to

the abundance of wildlife for

which the island is known.

For a small vessel, it is not a

voyage to make without

thought and planning. You need

to think about where you are

going and to prepare for any

eventuality. An ice strength-

ened, steel boat is not neces-

sary, but one should outfit their

vessel for sailing in the South-

ern Ocean. There are storms

and there is ice. There are no

rescue services, either at sea or

in South Georgia. There is no

fuel, no supermarket, no hospi-

tal. And there are many rules

and regulations that you must

abide by if you wish to visit.

South Georgia, a United

Kingdom Overseas Territory, is

governed by the South Georgia

Government out of the Falkland

Islands. The government strives

to protect the wildlife and nat-

ural environment through con-

servation projects and by

implementing and adhering to

environmental management

policies. Anyone wishing to visit

the island must apply to the

government for a permit at

least three months in advance

of the planned visit. Visitor

information and applications

can be downloaded off the

South Georgia Government

Web site: www.sgisland.org.

Adding to this paperwork,

Argentina has recently reassert-

ed their claim to the Falkland

Islands, South Georgia and

South Sandwich Islands. The

government is demanding that

any vessel planning to visit or

transit their “territorial waters”

must have a permit. This

includes if you plan to sail

directly to Stanley from over-

seas. The Argentinians are

threatening a minimum fine of

$7,000 USD or impoundment of

the vessel. One cannot sign

under duress as one is then not

given the permit. For anyone

planning on visiting a port in

Argentina after a visit to any of

these places, not having a permit

could create a problem. My rec-

ommendation would be to con-

sult with your consulate if over-

seas or your foreign affairs office

for advice on how to proceed.

The International Associa-

tion of Antarctic Tour Operators

has recently posted helpful

information for yachts wishing

to visit Antarctica. Compiled by

a group of experienced high

latitude sailors, the page

includes suggestions on how to

prepare a vessel, guidelines on

wildlife viewing, etc, which also

apply for visits to South Geor-

gia. For more information, visit:

www.iaato.org.

Weather and ice rule these

seas. Onboard access to weath-

er forecasting has become more

affordable and for safe pas-

sages, essential. We use a Sky-

Eye antenna and program to

receive satellite images, which

we overlay with grib files either

downloaded via Iridium phone

(we have service with Global

Marine Networks), or SailMail

(which we have as a backup —

www.SkyEye.com, www.gmn-

usa.com, www.sailmail.com).

For following weather when

you have access to the internet,

visit www.passageweather.com.

Ice forecasting is more diffi-

cult. There are no ice reports as

in the Arctic. If the skies are

clear, large tabular icebergs can

be seen on the SkyEye photos,

which can at least alert you to

the area you may start to see

ice. The radar is the most useful

piece of equipment for ice,

though like humans, not infalli-

ble. The tragic loss of a private

sailing vessel this season,

which struck ice in heavy

weather just off the coast of

South Georgia, reinforces the

need for a constant ice watch,

good forecasting and extra dili-

gence in these waters.

A number of books have

been written about the island

and below I have noted some

of my favorites.

Though seemingly an over-

whelming task with all the paper-

work, the bureaucracy, the planning,

not to mention the ocean you have

to cross, sailing to South Georgia is

well worth the effort.Where else can

a mere mortal hang out on a beach

with a million penguins?

Books:

Antarctic Encounter:

Destination South Georgia

— Sally Poncet

Antarctic Oasis

— Tim and Pauline Carr

A Visitors Guide to South

Georgia

— Sally Poncet and Kim Crosbie

Island at the Edge of the

World: A South Georgia

Odyssey

— Stephen Venables

The Complete Guide to

Antarctic Wildlife

— H. Shirihai

The Island of South Georgia

— R.K. Headland

The Totorore Voyage: An

Antarctic Adventure

— Gerry Clark

Unclaimed Coast: The first

kayak journey around

Shackleton’s South Georgia

— Graham Charles, Mark Jones and

Marcus Waters

Hayley Shephard’s Web site:

www.kayakingtosavealbatross.com

Northanger Web site:

www.northanger.org

With advance notice, we are

available for ice piloting, crewing,

trip preparation and logistics for

vessels intending to sail to South

Georgia, Antarctica, Greenland or

the Northwest Passage.

Keri Pashuk

OCEAN VOYAGING


successful voyages to theAntarctic Peninsula, Greenlandand Ellesmere Island. So in theearly hours of February 4th,when the winds started increas-ing, we were not concerned.Northanger was steady oncourse, wind astern, making 8knots under storm jib.

“Gravy Train” wrote Greg inthe log at 0710. It was to be hislast log entry on the trip.

The accident“Keeeeerrrrrrri!” I woke instant-ly from the depths of ameclizine-induced sleep. Bolt-ing upright, I flung the duvetoff and pushed myself into asitting position, mind andthoughts pinprick clear. Some-thing was terribly wrong! Iclimbed out of my bunk andrushed out of our cabin andinto the main living area in thestern of the boat. The sceneunfolded as if in a play, eachperson poised in their on-stageposition. There was Greg,bending over, Magnus beside

him. “It’s not good,” said Mag-nus, his eyes wide, pleadingwith me to do something.

I was standing in the galleyin thin long johns, a T-shirtand no socks. A dark overcastday seen through the portlightsilluminated the scene with anill-boding gray light. I felt themotion of the boat sailingbriskly, wind astern, almostoverpowered. I looked againtowards Greg. His back was tome, hunched over. “Oh Ker,”he moaned. “Oh how stupid,how stupid.”

Magnus was still holding

Above, Hayley

Shephard in

her sea kayak,

equipped with

video camera

and camping

gear already

encrusted with

snow. Below,

Northanger

makes landfall

on the moun-

tainous and

icy Southern

Ocean island.

the bilge floorboard that cov-ers the access to the propshaft. Oh no, I thought, as Irealized the source of thechaos. I approached Greg. Hewas grasping his right handwith his left. I looked over hisshoulder and saw his righthand, the top of his index fin-ger gone, a ragged piece ofbone left in its place.

Like a switch, clicking overin my mind, I stopped beingKeri, wife, partner, friend andbecame the first-aid responderI had been trained as. In mymind I quickly assessed the sit-


uation. No spurting blood,bone showing above theknuckle, top knuckle gone,rope burns on his hand, nobreaks, no other apparent dam-age. Okay, I thought, this couldhave been worse. We can dealwith this.

I took Greg’s right hand inmy own, shielding it from hisview with my body. “Greg,come lie down, it’s going to beokay,” I said quietly to him.

“No it’s not, it’s not goingto be okay,” he said in astressed, almost panicked voicethat did not sound like theGreg I knew. I reassessed thesituation, thinking, better becareful here. I wrapped myarms around Greg and led himgently to the bench alongside

The northeast

and east side

of South

Georgia expe-

rience savage

weather, but

the west side

of the island

is under the

constant

assault from

wave trains

that circle the

Southern

Ocean.

OCEAN VOYAGING

the table while trying to reas-sure him, talking softly, encour-aging him to lie down.

“Magnus, pass me a cleantowel.” I wrapped thisaround Greg’s finger so hecould not see his loss.

Taking command“Stop the boat, just turn theinside wheel into the wind andput the boat in irons.” “Hayley,please get Beth Anne.” “Mag-nus, can you get the first-aid kitboxes out and bring themhere.” While taking commandof the situation, I was alreadyplanning the next steps, think-ing of all the options.

Our position was south ofthe Burdwood bank. About200 miles astern, upwind, was

Ushuaia. Impossible. Duenorth, 250 miles distant, wasStanley, in the Falkland Islands.There waited the closest andmost accessible medical care.

Beth Anne had beenroused to take over dressingthe wound and monitoringGreg as she had a higher levelof medical training than anyof us. “How are you doing?” Iasked Greg as I then made eyecontact with Beth Anne. Shenodded okay. Judging this tomean his condition was notlife threatening, I then couldrule out putting out a maydaycall. I knew though, even ifthe situation was to becomemore serious, there was noway a helicopter team couldmake a rescue in this weather.I could not be responsible forasking anyone to risk theirlife. And besides, we were out-side the 200-mile flight rangeof rescue helicopters. We wereon our own.

While Beth Anne and Hay-ley tended to Greg, Magnusand I lifted up the floorboard,dreading the task ahead. WhileMagnus held the shaft andslowly rotated it, I unwrappedfirst the string — the cause ofall this strife, then the tendon,then the top of Greg’s fingerfrom the shaft. For a moment,my objectiveness disappeared. Iheld the top of my husband’slovely long finger in my hand.A profound sadness threatenedto overwhelm me and I shookmy head, forcing detachment


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to return. The effort of pack-ing the finger properly andstoring it in a cool place wasmore for calming Greg, thanwith any hope it would getreattached. One could onlyhope. I needed advice.

Before I began to make callson the satellite phone, I had aquick look at our situation. Anew GRIB file showed that thelow pressure system to thenorthwest of us had intensifiedand instead of going north,had dropped south, wedgedbetween the South Americancontinent and the FalklandIslands. Winds were forecast to50 knots.

After several calls, I finallygot the number for the hospitalin Stanley. The doctor on dutyadvised how to dress thewound and to start a course ofantibiotics. Just knowing wehad contact with someoneeased the feeling of isolation.

Increasing windsMeanwhile, the wind hadincreased. Magnus, undauntedby the maelstrom outside,went and bagged up the stormjib — Northanger was nowlying ahull. There was no way Iwas going to try to sail acrossthe Burdwood Bank, the mostdirect route to Stanley, giventhe last wind prediction.Checking the chart and meas-uring the distance to the east-ern edge of the bank, I chose tolie ahull until the wind abated.After many frustrating hours

Hayley Shephard

and Northanger

rendezvous so

Shephard can

replenish her

meager onboard

supply.

drifting with the winds, wefinally ran off to the east, fol-lowing the southern edge ofthe bank, Northanger made 5knots under bare poles.

Arriving at the eastern edgeof the bank, the winds calmedenough for us to turn northand, staying in deeper water,make a course for Stanley. Wearrived midday on the 6th ofFebruary where Greg waswhisked to the hospital in theCustoms vehicle. He was safe.We were all safe.

Now it was time to decide.What next? One moment’sinattention had drasticallychanged the dynamics of theexpedition. Hayley’s hopes anddreams hung in the balance.

Bound for South GeorgiaWe left Stanley on the 17th ofFebruary. Greg was not onboard. He was in Punta Are-nas, trying to find a flighthome to be with his ailingfather. After days of delibera-tion, introspection, group

meetings and a list of condi-tions agreed on by all, I decidedto continue on to South Geor-gia. One of the conditions wasthat we find anothercrewmember, one who hadexperience sailing. Brian foundus, through an ad on the radio.He seemed to suit well and wesigned him on.

As it was getting late in theseason, darkness slowed ourprogress. Massive tabular ice-bergs, eroding in the oceanswell, filled the seaway alongour route with smaller icebergs,and dangerous growlers. Onecolossal tabular berg was morethan 12 miles long. Shivers randown my spine at the thoughtof one of these becoming anuncharted lee-shore in a storm.We hove to at night, pickingour way through the ice only indaylight hours.

After a cold, ice-fraught pas-sage, the welcome by the occu-pants of the scientific base inCumberland Bay overwhelmedus with warmth. They had just


experienced one of the worstsummers on record. Fierceweather, though to be expectedhere, had not relented formonths. Hayley later discov-ered that her kayak, which wasshipped down the previous sea-son, was damaged and neededrepair. Leaving Magnus, BethAnne and Brian in charge ofrepairing the fiberglass boat, shedeterminedly pushed on, leav-ing in the spare kayak on the

28th ofFebruary.

Watch-ing Hayleypaddleaway overthe swelland slowlybecominga tinyspeck onthe vast-ness of abackdrop

made of sea, ice and moun-tains, made me feel the precari-ousness of it all. She was on herown, reliant only on her skillsand decision-making. Alone.Solo. But was she? We were stillconnected by obligation, myselfas skipper of the boat and therest as her support team. Shewas connected to us. Onewrong decision, one wrongmove on her part would haveus coming to her aid. As muchas we all would have liked torelax, we couldn’t. We werethere for Hayley.

That first day, she made it as

far as Leith Harbour, settingup camp on a small patch ofbeach. The weather deteriorat-ed and she found herself stuckthere for three days, pinneddown by the winds and swell.On the 3rd of March, shemanaged to kayak one and ahalf miles before she was forcedto retreat to another smallbeach. And then, anotherbreak in the weather andanother short hop. Northanger,meanwhile, was still in Cum-berland Bay, now tied to thedock at the Grytviken whalingmuseum while the kayak wasbeing repaired.

Weather gets worseInstead of improving, theweather got worse. We haddays of hurricane-force windsblowing out of CumberlandEast Bay, water whipped upinto a wall of white spume.Driving snow and then laterfog. I downloaded forecaststwice daily, hoping to find a“bloop,” a moment of respitethat might offer Hayley somehours of calm.

The e-mails from Hayleyquestioned the veracity of thewind speeds. Her frustration atbeing pinned down was com-ing out in her messages. Shehad put so much time, energyand money into this trip thatthe pressure to succeed seemedto affect her, frustrate her. Itwas beginning to affect us too.

It takes a very special personto be able to embark on such a

voyage. To kayak around SouthGeorgia is no easy feat. To do italone, the risks go up ten fold.We’ve only been once before tothe southwest coast of SouthGeorgia, the windward side ofthe island that is most ofteninaccessible due to the prevail-ing westerly winds and swell. In2005, we supported the teammaking the first circumnaviga-tion around the island. Wewere lucky, they were lucky.The weather that year gave usseven calm, cold days and theypaddled hard while we fol-lowed, carefully navigatingthrough uncharted waters,stopping each night in precari-ous anchorages we accessedfrom following hand drawings.

Hayley had already provedher determination and drivewith a solo circumnavigation ofVancouver Island and one ofthe Queen Charlotte Islands.She had skill and she hadspunk. And when we agreed tosupport her, we had no doubtthat given the right conditionsshe could succeed at her goal.

But these were not the con-ditions for a solo kayaker. Theywere difficult even for us, in a53-foot sailing boat with crew.I was becoming concerned.Risks were being taken that Ifelt were unnecessary. We werea team and each individual’saction, even though separate,affects the others. The frictionwas building, the weather con-tinued to feed the tension.

OCEAN VOYAGING


Keri and Greg in

the cockpit of

Northanger.

Leaving in a whiteoutWe left Grytviken in a white-out, albeit calm, slowly makingour way toward Prince OlavHarbour, the small bay whereHayley was waiting for us tocome and charge the batteriesfor her computer and satellitephone. Her communicationsto us had been sporadic due tothe batteries not chargingproperly. Looking thinner,weather worn, she admitted tous that her cookstove had notworked for five days, but shewas still adamant that shewould continue on, without astove if she had to, to thesouthwest coast.

We could only stay an houras another low was to the west,winds predicted to comestrong from the southwest byevening and the nearest pro-tected anchorage was four tofive hours to the north. Wereluctantly left her behind onthat tiny beach in companywith the seals and penguins.

I was beginning to doubtmy decision to continue thetrip. The sailing was the easypart. It was the psychology ofit all. I lacked the experiencewith this sort of determina-tion and drive. I was becom-ing angry at what I felt — thelack of understanding of thesituation we were in, for thelack of respect for the dangerall of us would be put in ifrash decisions were made. Iwas missing Greg. His guid-ance. Someone to talk to. I

was becoming frazzled, dread-ing each time I had to sendanother text message with yetanother unfavorable forecast.

Also nagging at me was myworry for Greg. A few days ear-lier, he was readmitted to thehospital in Punta Arenas foremergency surgery. A delay inhis flight to New Zealand dueto the earthquake in Chile kepthim longer in South Americathan planned. Perhaps the poorhygiene, stressful conditions,whatever, had caused a seriousinfection in his finger. I ques-tioned if I had made the rightdecision by coming hereinstead of being by his side,supporting him.

Our voyage was a SouthernOcean roller coaster of disap-pointments and of joys. Anexceptionally stormy summerplagued the island, pinningHayley in her tent on exposed,isolated beaches for days onend. When it wasn’t windy, fog

or heavy snow reduced visibili-ty, making navigation throughthe ice-laden waters more diffi-cult. We, too, were often har-bor bound, waiting for aweather window which wouldallow us to follow Hayley, mov-ing from one safe anchorage toanother between systems. Theoriginal goal of Hayley’s tokayak around the island didnot happen. All of us werechallenged in ways we neverwould have imagined. Emo-tions ran high. Fear of failurefed these emotions. But thejourney, the wonderful, gener-ous friends we have made alongthe way and the lessons wehave all learned, could perhapsbe considered the success of theexpedition. And, most impor-tant, we all have survived and Ibelieve the better for it. ■

Keri Pashuk is an experiencedpolar sailor and mountaineer -see www.northanger.com.


Northanger

rides out a

storm along-

side the dock in

Stanley after

dropping off

Greg following

the accident to

his finger.

SAFETY

When you ask yourselfthe question, “are sur-vival suits safety

overkill?” the answer dependsupon the type of sailing orpower cruising you pursue.

The ISAF Offshore SpecialRegulations mandate immer-sion suits for those participat-ing in Category 0 (transocean-ic) races and recommendsthem for shorter oceanic Cate-gory 1 races where the risk ofhypothermia becomes an ele-vated concern. Commercialmariners operating duringcolder months carry themaboard coastal vessels and fish-ing fleets, and have learned thehard way about the value ofwell-maintained survival suits

STORY AND PHOTOS BY RALPH NARANJO

Far from being

just a luxury, a

survival suit

might become

the only thing

between you

and the ocean

Right, the life-saving

buoyancy of a

survival suit is

shown here. Below

right, a suit’s tight

fitting hood and

adjustable neck

wrap keep heat in

and cold water out.

34

The last line of defense?

At first glance, these suitsappear to be heavy duty wetsuits with built-in boots, glovesand a hood, but a closer lookreveals a far more technicalpiece of gear. For years thereigning design theory utilizeda neoprene fabric that wascarefully stitched and glued in

(currently more often calledimmersion suits). In essence,these hypothermia-postponinggarments, along with anEPIRB and life raft, representthe last resort in a mariner’s bagof tricks.

When and if it comes timeto use one, there’s no room forslipups. Zippers need to workand the person donning thegear needs to know just whatshould and shouldn’t be wornunderneath the suit. Mostimmersion suits are built tospecific standards spelled outby the U.S. Coast Guard andISO regulations. SOLAS com-pliance remains, however, thegold standard of immersionsuit approval.


order to make all of the seamswatertight. The design was athicker version of what wasused by divers and surfers, butthe principal of operation wasvery different. Instead of func-tioning as a conventional wetsuit, trapping and warming athin layer of water between thewearer’s skin and the neoprene,these immersion suits weredesigned to keep the water out.Insulation in this older style ofsuit was provided by the thickneoprene as well as the cloth-ing worn under the survivalsuit. Its loose fit and the tightseal around the face of the useris another difference between itand a conventional wet suit.The baggy fit makes it easy toslip over clothing, but the seal-ing zipper needs to be waxedand free of corrosion in orderto make it easier to operate.

Zipper maintenance is a bigdeal, and if left un-inspected,ambient humidity in a saltyenvironment can cause enoughcorrosion to jeopardize itsoperation. Each manufacturerdetails how to maintain theirproduct’s zipper. Some recom-mend waxing the teeth whileothers offer aspecial lubri-cant. Therehave beenabandon-shipincidents inwhichcrewmembershave perishedbecause of acorroded sur-

vival suit zipper. Loss of liferesulting from the lack of suchsimple maintenance is tragic,and all new suits come withwritten reminders about zippermaintenance and the impor-tance of dry storage of survivalsuits. These zippers are part ofthe water-proof sealof everysuit andeven whenwell main-tained,most take10 to 20pounds ofpull to ini-tiate theclosure.

In thelast decadethere hasbeen a shiftaway fromheavy neoprene toward lighterpolyurethane-coated nylonouter skins with insulationderived from both an innerliner and the layers of clothingworn by the person donningthe suit. The Gumby feel ofthe bag-like suit has been

Above, different

approaches to

hand coverings

include mittens,

gloves and split

mittens. Mittens

provide better

warmth, but with

reduced

dexterity. Left,

three foot

treatments. The

leftmost suit

provides the least

foot support,

while the one on

the right takes

the form of a full

boot with tread.

reduced and the newnylon/PU garments are moreflexible and less constricting.All of the available productscome with built-in booties,and though they may not be afashion statement they willkeep water out and provide

some traction on a wet slip-pery deck. One of the mostimportant considerations forsailors and power cruisers alikeis retaining manual dexterity,and suits that come withremovable gloves rather thanbuilt in mittens go a long wayto enhance this capability. Tra-ditional neoprene suits withattached gloves and bootsimprison the wearer in a warmwatertight cocoon that elimi-nates all but crude grabbingand holding dexterity. Thiscauses tasks like making amayday call on a radio, firingflares, or opening a lockerimpossible to accomplish.


The one-size-fits-all impression,conveyed by the size label stamped“universal,” can be more than a bitmisleading. Yes, most suits have ahigh tolerance for height and weightvariation, but head size is also a veryimportant factor. It influences thecrucial seal around the wearer’s face,and if the hood is too large, watercan enter the suit. For example, twosuits marketed by Stearns and theMustang Ocean Commaner aredefined as “universal” in size andappropriate for those from 5 feet to6.5 feet and from 110 to 330pounds in weight. At either of theextremes in this size range head seal,boot size and wrist seal couldbecome an issue. So the bottom line

SAFETY

is just as you would never buy asports jacket without trying it on,the same holds true for survival suits.

Over the years I have tested a lotof immersion gear and found thatsubtle differences can be a big deal.One survival suit I was trying to puton had plenty of room in the torsoand legs to accommodate a userwearing a shirt and polar fleece, but Iwas unable to pull the sleeves overmy forearms while wearing the thickpolar fleece. Having to remove thefleece to get into the suit and give upthe extra insulation the garmentoffered was a big disadvantage.Many women find the face seal onuniversal sized suits to be much tooloose. Testing the fit of a survival suit

prior to purchase is worth the timeand effort.

Modern fibers and a layeredapproach to thermal insulation offera cumulative benefit. And if timeallows, a mountaineer’s approach tolayering works best. Shoes must betaken off, but doubling up on socksmakes sense. Most suits won’taccommodate a heavy jacket. How-ever, thermal underwear, along withfleece pants and a pullover usuallyfit, ensuring that the layering logicwill pay off. Survival is all aboutbody heat retention and the avoid-ance of radiational cooling. The stan-dard for most immersion suits is toprovide a minimum of six-hour sur-vival time in 0 to 2 degrees C water

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with no more than a 2 degree Cdrop in core temperature. Person-to-person differences in metabolic rateand body fat make such statistics ageneralized target rather than anunyielding benchmark. However, it’sclear that the better the insulationand the drier one remains, the longerthe survival time.

I have had a chance to spend timein icy water testing survival suits andhave found a few variations in designand approach to construction amongproducts available, but the bottomline is that they all get high marks forextending life in a environment thatis unforgiving.

Buddy tethers, clips, purge valves,reflective tape and buoyancy aids

round out the list of extras attachedto the basic immersion suit. Highquality SOLAS reflective tape glows

Right, to make sure the zipper works

when you need it, regular maintenance

involves lubricating the teeth. Above,

attachment points on a suit allow you

to clip on lights and other gear.

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SAFETY

bright white when a spot light hits itand can mean the difference betweenbeing spotted or overlooked. Purgevalves vent excess air and help thevictim attain an effective trim angle.

After looking at how buddy tetherstraps work on some suits, I had a bitof concern about ending up captiveto something more than your ship-mate. In some cases these webbingtethers are permanently stitched tothe suit and if they tangle aroundrigging or a stanchion, a sinking ves-sel can drag along more than whatshould be attached to it. This issue iseliminated on suits with releasablebuddy tethers, otherwise a sharpknife is the only fix.

For the same reason, inflatable

ocean wearing foul weather gear. In fact after testing a Gill dry suit

in icy winter water I found it to beabout 80 percent as effective as animmersion suit and much more easyto wear. This type of dry suit is asuperior garment for heavy weatherwatchkeeping.

When it comes to the ultimategamble of going into the water andwhen severe hypothermia is theopponent, a well maintained immer-sion suit is still a mariner’s best bet. ■

Ralph Naranjo is a freelance writerand photographer based in Annapolis,Md. Naranjo is also part of U.S. Sail-ing’s National Faculty and a past chair-man of its Safety at Sea Committee.

PFD/harness designs usually incor-porate a removable quick disconnectat the proximal end of the tether.Most immersion suits allow you touse your removable harness tether onthe D-rings attached to the suit.Attempting to wear an inflatablePFD/harness over an immersion suitis often counter productive due tothe inability to adjust its size, buttransferring the tether to the immer-sion suit does make sense.

Another issue to consider iswhether a top-of-the-line dry suitwith add-on wet suit boots, glovesand a hood can be a stand in for asurvival suit. The ultimate answer is“not quite,” but a dry suit is a lotbetter than jumping into the cold

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Safety and

distress

signaling

takes a turn

toward text

No more messages in bottlesBY JOHN J. KETTLEWELL

Capable

handheld

signaling

devices, like this

GPS-equipped

ACR personal

locator beacon

(PLB) are

becoming more

popular with

voyagers.

L ike many other tradition-al uses of the printedword, the era of mariners

sending messages in a bottlemay finally be over thanks todigital technology and theincreasing use of text messagingon devices that formerly didnot offer messaging features.The advent of new devices andsystems now allow those introuble to not only send forhelp via satellite technology, butalso to send short text messagesto just let loved ones or friendsknow that you are OK andwhere you are, or what thenature of your distress mightbe. One new device packagesall this with extensive GPSpositioning/mapping/chartingcapabilities. You can even con-nect with social networkingsites using your satellite emer-gency beacon/messenger.

For many voyagers, the ulti-mate fallback position, whenall else has failed and they areabout to step up into a life raft,is to reach for and deploy theEPIRB beacon that transmitsan SOS message via Cospas-Sarsat satellites to rescueauthorities. With the additionof a built-in GPS or a connec-tion to an external GPS, thisemergency signal can now pro-vide an accurate position, cut-ting way down on potentialrescue times.

But, when all is going well,

if satellite phone, SSB, or otherradio contact can’t be madewith shore, how do you contactthose at home to let themknow that you are OK? Or forthat matter, how do you letthem know where you are andwhat you are up to?

I’m OK, you’re OKHave you ever pushed the testbutton on your EPIRB andwondered if the thing was real-ly working? One answer to thisproblem is 406Link.com,which can both confirm a self-test of your 406 MHz EPIRBand is a way to send an “I’mOK” message along with yourGPS position. 406Link.com isan optional service from aU.K. company, Cob-ham, that is mar-keted and sold inthe U.S. byACR Electron-ics starting at$39.95 peryear. It workswith any recent406 MHzEPIRB, includ-ing personallocator beacons(PLBs) that havean externalantenna, but notunits that onlydeploy an antennain the case ofemergencies. Someolder EPIRBs do not trans-

mit a signal to the satellitesduring a self-test, which meansa message is not sent that406Link.com can detect. A listof units that work with406Link.com is on the Website. It does not work with theSPOT system (more aboutthat later).

A user subscribes for eitherthe Basic or the Plus service.The Plus service includes mes-saging to up to five contactsand costs $59.95 per year. Theservice then “listens” to themessages being transmitted viathe Cospas-Sarsat system usingtwo GEOSAR satellites, and ifit detects a self-test from yourregistered beacon SMS textmessages are sent to your e-

mail account and/or up tofive telephone num-

bers. If the EPIRB isequipped or con-nected to a GPS the“I’m OK” messageincludes your GPScoordinates, sothat family andfriends know youare safe and whereyou are located.

At this time thereis 406Link.com cov-erage over a goodportion of the globe,including most of theNorth and South

Atlantic, and the Pacif-ic Ocean out to the

coast of Australia. Coverage

39

Co

urtesy A

CR


location. These units have becomevery popular amongst backcountryhikers, adventurers into remoteregions, and boaters.

The DeLorme Earthmate PN-60w ($549.95) is a GPS-enabledSPOT emergency beacon coupled

and SPOTadventures.com. Themanufacturer touts the device as away to keep everyone informed ofyour travels, or to alert them to thenature of your distress. It is possibleto set things up so you are automat-ically tracked and your position issent to whom you choose. Ofcourse, you can also be boring andjust send an “I’m OK” messagealong with your GPS position. Indi-vidual messages are $0.50 each or$49.99 for up to 500 messages(keep your teenagers away from it!).

SPOT devices require an unob-structed view of the sky, and at timesthere may be delays in messaging ifthere are obstructions, however cov-erage is much more extensive thanany terrestrial cell phone network.

The DeLorme unit comes com-plete with a full set of U.S. and Cana-dian topo maps, as well as the fullsuite of NOAA marine charts cover-ing all U.S. waters.

SPOT units are less expensivethan EPIRBs, but they do have lesscoverage of the world’s oceans,though most popular cruising coast-lines are included, along with thewaters hundreds of miles offshore. Iwonder how long it will be beforetexting-while-sailing is made a crime?

AIS isn’t for textingThe Automatic Identification System

(AIS) is required aboard manycommercial ships, and is beinggradually adopted by voyagerson smaller boats. The mainpurpose of AIS is to dissemi-nate and share important nav-igational information amongst

vessels within VHF radio rangeof each other, though the U.S. CoastGuard is developing a Nationwide

SAFETY

Owners of newer EPIRBs

and PLBs can sign up for

the 406Link service. When

you self-test your EPIRB,

406Link picks up the test

and your GPS coordinates

and then text messages

family and friends to let

them know you’re OK.

Below, the DeLorme PN-60

can send text messages via

the SPOT system.

with a DeLorme GPS-positioningand mapping device that includes thecapability of sending one-way textmessages via the SPOT beacon. All ofthese SPOT devices require a $99.99per year subscription to the basicSPOT service, and there are addition-al services that can be purchased.

With the DeLorme unit,for an additional fee you

can send short 40-charac-ter messages to friendsand family, and you caneven send messages tosocial net-

workingsites like

Facebook,Twitter, and some

unique sites like geocaching.com

Co

urtesy 406Lin

k.com

Texting from your life raftThe SPOT emergency beacon sys-tem, which utilizes Globalstar com-munication satellites, was designed asa simpler, lower-cost alternative tocarrying a larger EPIRB or a PLB.Pressing the emergency buttonprompts the SPOT system throughthe GEOS International EmergencyResponse Center to notify 911 (onland in the U.S.), the CoastGuard, or other rescue organi-zations of your location. Untilrecently, SPOT could only beused to call for help or to letsomeone know that all is fine.

There are three basic SPOTunits. The Personal Tracker($99.99) is mainly for emer-gencies and for notificationsthat you are OK and where youare. The GPS Messenger($169.99) adds the ability to send acustom text message along with your

for the rest of the world is comingsoon, according to the company.

If for no other purpose,406Link.com can provide the peaceof mind that when you test yourEPIRB it is really capable of inform-ing someone that you need help.

Courtesy DeLorme


AIS (NAIS) system that will utilizesatellites and buoys to cover all U.S.waters.

At this time, vessels with theappropriate Class A equipment (gen-erally found on commercial ships)can also send short (up to 156 char-acters) “safety related” text messages.It would seem that this could beanother valuable tool during searchand rescue operations, but the CoastGuard warns that there are certainlimitations in place. A Coast Guardalert stated: “AIS users should beaware of the current limitationsregarding their use: they may not bereceived, recognized or acted uponby the Coast Guard or other compe-tent authorities or maritime first-

responders.” Another alert stated:“...AIS must not be relied upon as theprimary means for broadcasting dis-tress or urgent communications...”

In that same alert the Coast Guardstates, however, that AIS messagingfunctions “can augment” the GlobalMaritime Distress and Safety System(GMDSS). The Coast Guard furtherwarns that not all Class B AIS user(the class of AIS unit most likely to befound aboard most pleasure vessels)information is available to all Class AAIS-equipped ships. For example, aClass B vessel’s name or call sign maynot appear on all Class A displays atthis time. In other words, you mayshow up on a big ship’s AIS plot, butthey might not know how to call you

EPIRBs, PLBs, and servicesACR Electronics:

www.acrelectronics.comwww.406Link.com

GME:www.gme.net.au

Kannad Marine (a brand of McMurdo

Ltd.):www.kannadmarine.com

McMurdo:www.mcmurdo.co.uk

SPOT productsDeLorme:

www.delorme.comSPOT:

www.findmespot.com

Portable AISJotron:

www.jotron.comWeatherdock:

www.easyais.com


SAFETY

to tell you what is happening or toask if you can get out of the way.

With further developments com-ing in the NAIS, there may come atime when all vessels, both pleasure(of a certain size) and commercial,will be required toutilize AIS at alltimes, and at thatpoint the textmessaging and res-cue capability ofthe system maybecome a criticaltool during searchand rescue andother safety-relatedsituations. Onecompany, Weather-

dock Inc., has created a personal AISrescue beacon that can be used now.The easyRESCUE is a small, water-proof, portable, GPS-equipped AISunit that can trigger an alert on allAIS-equipped vessels within VHF

radio range. Jotron also makes theTron AIS-SART (search and res-cue transponder), though theseunits are not currently capableof sending text messages.

Of course, in many parts ofthe U.S. that would be withinVHF radio range (required byAIS) there may also be cell

phone coverage and, of course, thereshould also be VHF radio equipmentaboard your boat equipped with Dig-ital Selective Calling (DSC) distresscapabilities. Naturally, in an emer-gency, vessels should use all means tocall for help and/or to explain the sit-uation, but it is wise to reach for themarine units that are part of theorganized GMDSS first.

Belt and bracesEven if your voyaging boat alreadyincludes one or more EPIRBs, onecan see that it would be highly desir-able to also have the location, map-ping, and texting capabilities of thelatest DeLorme SPOT device for anadventure in the life raft. Wouldn’t it

The SPOT system uses Globalstar

satellites for relaying distress

messages.Courtesy SPOT

Communications expert Gordon West reports

GAM Electronics, Inc.191 Varney StreetManchester, NH 03102Phone: (603) 627-1010Fax: (603) 622-4738

[email protected]

“I have done

numerous SSB ham

and marine radio

checks with this sys-

tem and have found

no discernible signal

losses, even when

used with a well-

grounded backstay

aboard a steel-

hulled vessel. The

antenna...can bang

out a signal just as

though it were sus-

pended in mid-air.”

– Sail MagazineOctober 2005

M No need for backstay insulators

M Easy installationM No swaging, no

cuttingM Tough, water-

proof, reusableM Highly conduc-

tive RF elements M Watertight lead-

wire to antenna connection

M Stiff 34’ LDPEhousing securesfirmly to back-stay wire

Split LeadSSB Antenna

N

M


be great to know where you are,where you are drifting, and that youcan tell your loved ones that all isOK? The small size, relative low cost,and waterproof construction of thenew device make the idea feasible,though the subscription fees for thevarious services might be a deterrent.

And when you’re closer to thecoast or near shipping lanes, a small,portable AIS unit, like the easyRES-CUE, would be a great way to alertnearby ships or fellow voyaging craftthat you need help.

An advantage of this belt-and-braces approach to emergency notifi-cation is that SPOT, EPIRBs, andAIS utilize different communicationsystems, and none of them require a

tether to a large power supply or ahuge antenna. The SPOT devicescan run on widely available, stan-dard-sized lithium batteries, and evenalkaline batteries (though not recom-mended for best performance) maywork in a pinch.

There are handheld satellitephones, like Iridium and Globalstar,and the new Inmarsat IsatPhone Projust becoming available, that couldalso provide life raft or emergencycommunications nearly worldwide,but they are all much bulkier, moreexpensive, require fairly expensivesubscriptions, and Iridium and Glob-alstar units do not include GPS navi-gation capabilities (the new Inmarsatphone will be able to provide GPS

location data). The phones do offerthe highly desirable feature of two-way voice communication, in con-trast to SPOT, EPIRB, and AIS one-way messaging. One big disadvantageof handheld phones in a life raft isthat currently available units are notwaterproof, though they have somewater resistance.

It is easy to imagine a near futurein which we all voyage with handheldGPS/charting/telephone/EPIRB/tex-ting/AIS/satellite/GMDSS devices. ■

John Kettlewell is the author of TheIntracoastal Waterway Chartbook andthe co-author ofThe IntracoastalWaterway: The Complete CockpitCruising Guide.

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layer, or thickness, of insula-tion to a hull, or to a deckwith relatively high thermalconductivity, we are increas-ing its thermal resistance —or its R-value. We are thenable to stay more comfort-able, especially when weapproach temperatureextremes. We stay warm anddry belowdecks when theworld outside is cold andwet; conversely, we stay cool-er and drier inside when theoutside world is oppressivelyhot. Boosting the R-valuewill decrease thermal losses

Drips from

condensa-

tion can be

a nagging

problem on

a voyaging

boat

As any boat ownerknows, natural con-densation can be an

annoying problem in a voy-aging boat. Condensationforms at the dew point —the temperature at whichwater forms at the boundarylayer. On a boat, thatboundary layer is the interi-or surface of an uninsulated,or under-insulated, hull ordeck. Condensation can beprevented by adding insula-tion and ensuring that theinsulation is dimensioned sothat its surface temperature

will be above that of thedew point.

Hulls and decks are typi-cally constructed of wood, orfiberglass, or bare metal, or acombination of materials,each of which can be charac-terized, in part, by its thermalconductivity — its ability toallow heat to pass through it.Often, this property isdescribed by a heat-transfercoefficient — a relative num-ber that expresses a measure-ment of change under certainfixed conditions.

By applying a sufficient

Controlling condensationbelowdecks

44

Story and photos by Rich Ian-Frese


and will reduce heating-fueldemands and costs, too.

Insulation is any materialthat impedes the transfer ofheat. These materials are typi-cally compared by their R-values. An insulating materialthat is one-inch thick, with alow thermalcoefficient, willhave a relativelyhigh R-value.

There are agreat variety ofinsulating mate-rials on the mar-ket today, butthree very effec-tive insulatingmaterials stand

out for use in the marineenvironment: spray urethanefoam; a radiant barrier insu-lation manufactured with anenclosed air space, such asReflectix; and elastomeric,dry-cell foam, such asArmaflex. The primary dif-ferences between them arecost per square foot to install,application method andmaterial properties.

Spray-on urethane foamThis type of insulation iscommon on both steel andfiberglass commercial fishingvessels. It is applied to a boatmore easily before the interi-or skin is installed. After theinterior is inplace, itbecomes some-what more dif-ficult to spraythe insulationinto remoteareas. Also, thespray-on foamis usually bestleft to a profes-sional with theproper equip-

ment. Spraying foam can bemessy and toxic — good ven-tilation is required.

Urethane spray foam isvery effective as a thermalinsulator and condensationinhibitor. The cost (persquare foot) will be low tomoderate, depending uponwhether the installation is ado-it-yourself job or con-tracted out. One disadvan-tage to spray-on foam is thatit generally needs to be cov-ered with a liner because thesurface is rough and unat-tractive and hard to clean.Also, spray polyurethanefoam can be a fire hazard —especially on a metal boat

that may require a weldingrepair to the hull.

The biggest advantage ofsprayed polyurethane foam isthat it has an R-value ofapproximately 6.0 per one-inch thickness, making it oneof the highest R-value (per

Left, Rich lan-

Frese’s boat Anna

on a cold day.

Below left,

Armaflex insula-

tion conforms to

contours on the

overhead. Below

right, a plexiglass

“storm window”

under the hatch

with a six-inch air

space provides

enough insula-

tion value to stop

condensation.


Three layers of

Reflectix mate-

rial inside

alocker pro-

vides the

equivalent of

R6 insulation.

inch) insulators on the com-mercial market. Small do-it-yourself spray cans of

expanding foam can beeffective when used to sealsmall air gaps, cracks, irregu-larly shaped surfaces, andholes of less than three inch-es in diameter.

Reflectix insulationReflectix insulation(www.reflectixinc.com) hastwo layers of 96 percentreflective metalized alu-minum separated by a 5/16-inch enclosed air space.Reflectix is effective as aradiant barrier; but, prevent-ing heat loss is nullified ifthe material is applied direct-ly to the interior surface of ahull, or deck, with high ther-mal conductivity. An airspace facing one reflective

side is required for thisproduct to work asdesigned. R-values may be

calculatedwhen a reflec-tive side of theproduct facesan enclosed airspace — thatis, an air spacewithout freeair flow.

Reflectix isflexible andcan conformto almost anycurved surface.It can have anenhanced R-value when itis installedproperly.

However, you need theextra space to take advan-tage of this type of layering.Simply stacking multiplelayers of Reflectix, back-to-back, will only provide amarginal increase in effi-ciency, about R-1.1 for eachstacked layer. On the otherhand, with a sealed air gapof at least half an inch,between each layer ofReflectix, the R-value willincrease significantly. Onceagain, air is a good insula-tor. For example, two layersof Reflectix, with a sealedair gap between each layer,can have an R-value of 6.0— effective in controllingcondensation. But toachieve this increase in R-value, the layers need to be

installed according to manu-facturer specifications. Thismay be difficult in someareas on a boat.

One significant advantageof Reflectix, is that it has thelowest cost-to-square-footratio of all three insulators.Also, it is easy to install. Itcomes in rolls of variouswidths and lengths. It is cleanand non-toxic to work with.Generally, though, Reflectix,like spray foam, will need tobe covered by a hull- or head-liner, unless installed in anenclosed, hidden space, suchas within a locker. Unless youdo not mind being surround-ed by shiny, aluminum foil inyour exposed living and workareas, you will want a liner.

ArmaflexMade with Microban, APArmaflex(www.armaflex.com) isantimicrobial. It is resistantto mold growth, fungi, andbacteria. It is safe (will notcontribute significantly tofire), durable, toxin-free(manufactured withoutCFCs, HFCs or HCFCs)and fiber-free. Water absorp-tion is only 0.2 percent byvolume. The closed-cellstructure of Armaflex pre-vents moisture from wickingand makes it an efficientinsulation with an R-value of4.2 per inch of thickness.

Armaflex SA (self-adheringsheet and roll insulation) is aflexible, elastomeric, thermal


insulation, with exceptionalcondensation resistance, aswell as sound-dampeningcharacteristics. It is matteblack in color, and may beapplied as a stand-alonematerial, without the needfor a hull- or headliner tohide or protect it. The adhe-sive backing is aggressive andadheres extremely well tocurved and uneven surfaces,which are properly prepped(surfaces should be cleanedand degreased; isopropylalcohol works well).

Armaflex is manufacturedand supplied in both self-adhering sheets and rolls, andnon self-adhering sheets androlls. Flat sheets dimensionsare three by four feet, withwall thicknesses ranging froma half inch to two inches.Rolls are typically supplied infour foot widths of continu-ous lengths, with thicknessesranging from three-eighths ofan inch to two inches.

The one disadvantage ofArmaflex is that it is expen-sive; ten times as expensive asReflectix, for instance, andabout three times theinstalled cost of urethanespray foam. However,Armaflex is very easy to workwith and apply, and it pro-vides a finished look whenused in exposed interiors notalready covered and protect-ed by a liner. With ease ofinstallation, and exceptionalmaterial properties, Armaflexmakes a first-rate insulation

for thermal control, sounddampening, and most espe-cially, condensation control.

Controlling condensationon AnnaWe’ve found that by using acombination of the threetypes of insulation materialsmentioned, we were able tomake our living environmentbelowdecks on Anna, ourTayana 37 cutter, more com-fortable by eliminating con-densation and modestlydecreasing thermal losses.

We wanted to be able tosail to a remote, moderately-cold locale, and still be rela-tively comfortable (dry andreasonably warm) within thecabin, and more specifically,without the use of a dehu-midifier or forced-air, diesel-heating system that promisedto consume our hard earned,alternate-energy amp hours.We wanted to be able to con-serve power while at anchor,at a dock (without propershore power) or under sail.

By using a gravity-feed,diesel day tank to supply ourheating stove (an 18,000-BTU Sigmar 180, www.sig-marine.com) and insulatingour more vulnerable surfaceslike the uninsulated overheadareas, we are able to remainreasonably comfortable, witha minimal expenditure ofdiesel fuel (1.25 gallons perday) in cold-weather condi-tions. It takes zero amp hoursof electrical energy to run the

diesel heating system this way. When the outside temper-

ature dips down to the 20° Frange, we will close off non-occupied compartments, so asto heat a smaller living space,until the outside temperaturerises a few degrees. With ourheating stove located amid-ships, the most difficult areasto reach, without a complexforced-air system or morethan one heater, are theextremities of the boat inaddition to any closed lockers.

Inside a small boat, relativehumidity can vary widely. Wehave measured relativehumidity at 78 percent in theV-berth (outside humiditywas 98 percent at the time),while the main cabin regis-tered 45 percent near thediesel stove. By circulatingwarm, dry air we can lowerthe inside dew-point temper-ature (and potential for con-densation). To do this we usea stove-top fan to circulatewarm, dry air to distant areaslike the bow V-berth, some17 feet away from the amid-ships stove.

Without an effectivebuffer zone of thermal insu-lation at the interfacebetween colder outside airand warmer inside air, con-densation is likely to occur.This is especially true whenthe relative humidity in thecabin is high (greater than,say, 80 percent) and the out-side-to-inside temperaturedifferential is significant. By


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maintaining at least the minimumsurface air (dew point) tempera-ture we will keep the inside of theboat comfortably dry.

Unless you can do that theatmosphere in the cabin will beginto resemble a rain forest. If theoverhead in the V-berth, or sleep-ing area, is uninsulated in a coldclimate, condensation will drip,steadily, and mold and mildewwill prevail, embeding itself in fab-rics and onto interior surfaces,often discoloring them and pro-ducing a strong musty odor. Thisis to say nothing of the potentialhealth hazard.

If that is not enough toinspire you to insulate, the

unpleasantness of being repeat-edly awakened by drips of con-densation falling on your facewill probably do the trick.

On an uninsulated boat, whenrelative humidity is high and out-side ambient temperature (or, sea-water surface temperature) dropsto below 50° F and inside ambienttemperature is above 60° F, lifedown below is closing in on thedew-point threshold.

We have noticed that whenthere is at least a 10° temperaturedifference, between the outsideworld and the inside world a mini-mal amount of condensation canform on the vulnerable surfaces.When there is a 20° differential,

condensation can be heavy. Ofcourse, this varies from vessel tovessel, and is dependent upon therelative humidity, the materialsused in the construction of the ves-sel and the amount of insulationon the vessel.

An insulation solutionAnna, has a stout, fiberglass hull,and a composite, three-quarter-inch thick deck (half-inch balsacore, enclosed within two layers ofone-eighth-inch fiberglass). About85 percent of the interior over-head space is minimally insulated,by a sealed, one-inch air gap —the space between the undersideof the deck, and the thin liner

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panels, just below. Since we knowthat air has a low thermal coeffi-cient (0.024), and that balsa(0.050) and fiberglass (0.040) arenot too bad, either, we can specu-late that we have at least enoughinsulation (an R-value of about6.0 — based on the air space, plusthe thickness of the deck core) inthe overhead areas, where theenclosed air space exists, to pre-vent condensation. This is con-firmed by the fact that duringextreme temperature differentials,no condensation has formed.

The most critical area, overheadin the V-berth where we sleep, hadno insulation, however. It neededan insulation material that wouldprovide at least as much protectionfrom thermal loss, as a one-inch,sealed air space.

The ideal material would needto meet our criteria: cover a surfacearea of about 50 square feet, withminimal thickness; be structurallystable enough so as not to require aheadliner; be aesthetically accept-able; and completely eliminate thepossibility of condensation formingwherever Anna might take us. Afterreviewing all the specs for the topthree insulating materials, ArmaflexSA appeared to be the best match.

To specify Armaflex, we neededto take into consideration theextremes: the maximum interior airtemperature we expected (85° F);the minimum interior surface tem-perature (or dew-point threshold)we could live with (48° F); theminimum outside air temperaturewe might encounter (10° F); theminimum seawater surface temper-ature we anticipated anchoring in(40° F); and a maximum inside rel-

ative humidity of 85 percent. Afterplugging our numbers into theprogram that Armaflex makesavailable as a free download, wewere able to determine the thick-ness of the Armaflex insulation wewould require.

We used Armaflex SA sheetsthat were a half-inch thick, with anR-value rating of 3.1 (equivalent toabout a one-inch enclosed airspace). By adhering the Armaflexdirectly to a clean, bare, interiorsurface, we were able to achieve aneffective, durable, attractive (atleast in our opinion), and easy-to-apply insulation, which would stopcondensation in its tracks.

After cleaning the bare surfacewith isopropyl alcohol and thendrying the area, the next step is tomake mock-up templates of thesection we want to cover. We thentransfer the template patternsonto the backsides of theArmaflex sheets. We cut out thepatterns with a knife or scissorsand simply pull off the adhesiveprotective backing, line up thesheet on the surface to be coveredand press it on. Any small cracksbetween sections can be bridgedwith self-adhesive Armaflex seal-ing tape (same material, only one-eighth-inch thick). The tape bothseals the small cracks and providesa finished look. Pretty simplewhen compared to some of theother insulating options andremarkably effective.

As a side benefit, we found thatthe inside ambient temperature (asmeasured in the more difficult toheat V-berth) averaged approxi-mately 4° F warmer than it didbefore we added Armaflex. We test-

ed the insulation during a 10-daycold snap, when outside tempera-tures hovered in the 20s F, bothday and night. We were able toheat the main cabin to about 62° Fduring the coldest hours. The farends of the boat were admittedlycooler in the early morning hours,about 6° to 8° F. This was accept-able to us, however, consideringthat the outside temperature waswell below freezing and was notexpected to last for more than aweek or two.

Three additional steps we taketo eliminate condensation andincrease thermal comfort are: cov-ering the overhead, Bomar hatches(a true heat sink) on the insidewith a thin sheet of Plexiglas andweatherstripping around theperimeter. Doing this essentiallycreates a six-inch deep sealed air-space that completely stops con-densation from forming and drip-ping from the metal framework ofthe hatch. We also circulate warmair from the diesel stove, with aCaframo Ecofan Air Plus(www.caframo.com), which is pow-ered solely by the heat of the stove-top surface (about 400° F on a Sig-mar 180). Lastly, but not least, wekeep the sleeping and cooking areaswell ventilated with open doradesand louvered locker doors.

All these things combine to helpkeep us and the boat dry and rea-sonably comfortable when theweather inside tends to resemblethe weather outside. ■

Rich and Cat Ian-Frese have beenliving aboard Anna, and cruising thewaters of the North Pacific Oceanbasin, since 2000.


tions or contradictions.This self-evident logic of

estimation theory is easilyapplied to the running fix.We consider the case wherethe LOP accuracy is substan-tially greater than the deadreckoning accuracy, as is usu-ally thecaseafter arun ofsomelength.ManykindsofLOPswillsatisfythis,such as range, bearing, andcelestial. (Short-run fixes,such as in a round of starshots taken over a relativelyshort time from a slow vesselmay well have better DRaccuracy than LOP accuracy— that’s a different topic.)

To start our line of reason-ing, consider dead reckoningfrom a known departurepoint, followed by establish-ing an LOP at a substantiallylater time. Figure 1 shows thissituation with our position atDR1 when LOP1 wasacquired. We now wish toupgrade our DR position toan estimated position usingthe new and more accurateLOP1 information. We know

VOYAGING TIPS

Have you been taught toavoid narrow LOP cross-

ing angles in plotting runningfixes? Have you had difficultiesin getting satisfactory agree-ment with your GPS? Should-n’t any new LOP, even with anarrow crossing angle to a pre-vious one, improve your posi-tion estimate? Well yes itshould — and it does. We needto rethink running fixes, just asI did in my book Celestial Nav-igation in the GPS Age, where Ihad to rethink several naviga-tion traditions. Traditions runstrong at sea — but we should-n’t let them run us aground.

EstimationsTradition has it that Columbuswas a very poor celestial naviga-tor, but one whale of a naviga-tor nonetheless. By estimatingand plotting speed, heading,leeway, and currents he wasable to return safely to Portugalfrom the New World. Todaynavigators call using estimatedspeed and heading dead reck-oning (DR). Upgrading theDR position by using leeway,currents, or any other relevantinformation, such as a newlyacquired LOP, results in an esti-mated position (EP). Both theDR position and the EP areestimates. And the rules formaking the best estimate aresimply common sense: use allavailable information withoutinvoking unnecessary assump-

The nonsensical running fix BY JOHN KARL

that this new LOP1 onlyconstrains our position per-pendicular to itself, with noconstraint whatsoever alongit. So if we drop a perpendi-cular to LOP1, from DR1 toEP1, we make full use of theLOP’s perpendicular con-straint, while retaining all ofthe DR information parallel

Figure 1 shows how

an estimated posi-

tion (EP) is estab-

lished on a new LOP.

Figure 2 shows that

with LOP2 we can

create a new EP.

Figure 3 shows

errors possible with

a running fix.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3


to LOP1. So that is the best esti-mate, meeting all the above criteria— it uses all available informationwithout invoking unnecessaryassumptions or contradictions.

Next, let’s say at some later time asecond observation provides LOP2when the ship’s position is placed atDR2, as shown in Figure 2. Overtime the run from EP1 has degradedour position estimate into a DRposition by using estimates of head-ing and distance. So we again have aDR position with a newly acquiredLOP, just as in Figure 1. Thereforewe again drop a perpendicular line tothe new LOP to get our estimatedposition at EP2. This is an EP run-ning fix. We use this method for eachnewly acquired LOP, continuallyadding newly acquired LOPs, whileintentionally retaining DR informa-tion which has not been overruled bythe latest LOP.

A tradition of the seaNow our old man hollers, “hold onthere mate, punch the MOB button,do a quick-turn recovery — we’vejust lost a tradition of the sea over-board! Every old salt knows thatwe’re supposed to advance the firstLOP to the time of DR2 and plot arunning fix where that advancedLOP intersects the new LOP.

Our captain has the traditionright, but he has jettisoned logic toleeward. His traditional running fix,diagrammed in Figure 3, fails all ofour estimation criteria; even worse, itcontains nonsensical assumptions.First note that this traditional run-ning fix completely ignores anyinformation about the location ofthe ship along LOP1. This meansthat any estimated track with the

same component perpendicular toLOP1 yields the same running fix,regardless of our knowledge of theship’s location along LOP1. But inactual reality, we always have someidea of where our ship is. Why notuse this information?

Even more significant, as can beseen from the figure, this traditionalrunning fix assumes that the com-ponent of estimated track perpendi-cular to LOP1 is exact, while incontrast, it assumes that the compo-nent of the estimated track alongLOP1 is capable of unlimited error.As shown in the figure, this meansthat RFIX can even be forced in theopposite direction of the track com-ponent along LOP1. It’s trappedinto allowing arbitrary error alongthe advanced LOP1, otherwiseLOP2 would necessarily passthrough DR2. Thus it nonsensicallyallows the orientation of LOP1 todecree the directions of exact infor-mation and of arbitrarily large error.And neither even exist in our deadreckoning. Furthermore, it’s obviousthat whatever the direction andmagnitude of dead-reckoningerrors, they’re independent ofLOP1’s orientation. So that’s a con-tradiction piled upon unjustifiedassumptions, all while disregardingavailable information. Is there aworse approach to estimation logic?

Additionally, we see that for allcrossing angles and dead reckoninguncertainty, the estimated positionEP2 is always closer (or equal) to ourbest previous estimate at DR2 than isRFIX. Indeed, you can see from Fig-ure 3 that for sufficiently small cross-ing angles, RFIX could be off bymany miles, magnifying the DRerror, rather than reducing it as the

estimated position does. Thus the EPincreases the value of LOPs havingnarrow crossing angles. After all, anynew LOP must improve the dead-reckoned estimate by constraining itto a line. And this is exactly what theEP does — it always improves theDR estimate, while the traditionalrunning fix can easily make it worse.Also note, as can be visualized fromFigure 3, that as the angle betweentwo successive LOPs approaches 90°,the results of the EP running fix andthe traditional running fix approachone another.

The ultimate example of narrowLOP crossing angles is successivemeridian shots in celestial navigation(such as the famous noon-sun shots).Since every sight gives a new latitude,these successive east-west LOPs nevercross. Without even thinking aboutrunning fixes, navigators of old cor-rected their DR position by thenewly observed latitude, but retainedtheir dead reckoned longitude: inplotting terms, they’re dropping aperpendicular from the DR positionto the LOP — a perfect example ofusing the estimated position betweensuccessive LOPs.

The EP is always superior. Wehave seen that it’s the best estimateafter a substantial run between suc-cessive LOPs; it’s useful at all LOPcrossing angles; and it’s even easier toplot. The next time you’re workingthe chart table, why not compareseveral successive traditional and EPrunning fixes with your GPS —you’ll be glad you did when thatGPS fails. ■

John Karl is a retired physics profes-sor and the author of Celestial Naviga-tion in the GPS Age.

VOYAGING TIPS


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NAV PROBLEM

Many sailors desire to testtheir mettle on an off-

shore passage. It is a greatundertaking that demandscareful planning, time, skill,self-confidence, not to mentiona good boat. Fortunately, thereare programs that assist thesailor, no matter what theirexperience level, in safely chal-lenging themselves and their

vessels in going offshore.The Bermuda Cruising

Rally is one way of accom-plishing this goal (bermu-dacruisingrally.com). Theidea is that a group of bothexperienced and inexperi-enced sailors sail the 650miles or so from the EastCoast to Bermuda. SteveBlack pioneered the idea ofthe Bermuda Rally yearsago and now DanielGoldberg, in association

with famed circumnavigatorTania Aebi and Hank Schmitt,is carrying on the tradition.

Goldberg, a 43-year-oldsailor and full-time lawyer par-ticipated in Black’s BermudaRally years ago. He wanted tocontinue doing the rally whenhe got a new boat, but Blackdiscontinued the event, focus-ing instead on his Caribbean1500 Rally. Goldberg thoughtthe rally a good idea and want-ed to try his hand at organizingan annual event. Realizing thathe lacked credibility in the sail-

Tania Aebi

plots a course

through the

Gulf Stream

during the

most recent

Bermuda

Cruising Rally.

ing world he reached out toAebi. She liked the idea andpartnered with him. Aebi hasdone all three rallies beginningin 2008. The first year theyorganized the rally they hadthree boats participating. Lastyear they had nine boats andthis year 10. Goldberg is alsoconnected with Schmitt whoowns Offshore PassageOpportunities, a crew net-working service(www.sailopo.com). For thepast two years the rally hasbegun in Greenport, N.Y., onthe east end of Long Island.

Goldberg provides all theservices one could hope for.With the assistance of Jeniferand Dane Clark, daily updatesare given on the Gulf Streamand weather conditions.(www.erols.com/gulfstrm). Allparticipants have a satellitephone and twice-daily confer-ence calls are established so thatimportant information can beexchanged. This year the fleetdeparted Greenport on aSunday morning, arriving inBermuda the followingThursday — a good passage.

The cost per boat is $950plus 25 dollars a head. “Onceyou slip the dock lines, you areout there on your own,”Goldberg said. The greatestadvantage, he thinks, is thelarge manual that comes withsigning up. All the require-

Bermuda Cruising Rally BY DAVID BERSON

ments to safely make a passageare detailed in the manual. Fewpeople have offshore experienceand Goldberg has collated allthe necessary information solittle is left to chance.

On the passage Aebi tooksome sights. One is of thelower limb of the moon andthe other is of Venus. She useda Tamaya sextant that had noerror. At the time of her sightsthe DR of the boat was at 35°19’ N by 67° 32’ W. Herheight of eye was nine feet andthere was no watch error.

The time of the moonshot was 23:56:40 GMT onJune 22, 2010. The Hs was27° 40.8’.

The Venus shot was takenat 00:09:01 GMT. Be carefulhere about the change ofday. It is the next day, so weare looking for informationfor June 23. The Hs ofVenus was 25° 04.0’.

A. What is the Ho of Venus?B. What is the Ho of themoon?C. What is the fix position?

For a complete solution,visit www.OceanNavigator.com.

A:Ho is 29°59.2’B:Ho is 28°42.2’C:Fix is at 35°16’ N by 67°36’ W

Answers

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ocean navigator #190 november/december 2010

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