Chine bLog - 4B. Sailing

A great sounding sailing race - the Mill River Race in Vinalhaven, Maine

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:37:40 +0200

Also in the June/July issues of Maine Boats, Homes & Harbors magazine I learned about the Mill River Race, a fantastic-sounding race in and around Vinalhaven, ME. Rather than a standard 'round the buoys deal, the race is an out-and-back through narrow passages. In the map below, it seems to start in the Fox Islands Thoroughfare, near the North Haven label, and head Southeast into that tidal river. That just seems tons of fun because it is so unusual and unconstrained - except by raw nature. Quoting from the article: "... things get tight as the dinghies squeeze through tiny passages, some little more than a boat-length wide... small islands and big rocks create random lees..." I dig that.

View Larger Map

Of course it helps that the race is run in North Haven Dinghies, a classic class of gaff-cats. They look like great little boats. Check out this slide show of the race.

The Center for Wooden Boats - Part 1: Sailing the Cape Ann Dory Q'ONA

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:26:00 +0200

I was in Seattle for business last week, which allowed me to make a pilgrimage to the Center for Wooden Boats, a place so cool I cannot contain it to a single post, nor even two. In fact, friends, a roughly two-and-a half-hour visit gave me four interesting posts to lay out for you. This place is everything I expected and then a bunch more.

Here's the overview, for those not familiar. The Center for Wooden Boats is, on the surface, a museum of small, classic boats that happens, unlike others of its type, to be set smack in the middle of a major American city. Right away, that gives it some cache. The thing that first drew me to the place, however, and I have known of it for a couple years, was the fact that this museum has a livery service. In short, for many of the boats, you can not only touch them, you can use them. At a very reasonable cost, too. Brilliant concept, and I have been itching to check it out. Thursday, 6/12, was the big day.

After looking around a bit, I found my way to the livery shack, where the manager, Zach, gave me a going-over on my sailing chops before letting me free on Lake Union. There were some nice options: a few Beetle cats (never actually sailed one), some small prams (seemed a bit tame), some knockabouts (a bit much for single-handing, first time out). Then something a little different caught my eye: the boat I was to come to know as the Cape Ann dory Q-ONA. Now she was the ticket.

Continue reading "The Center for Wooden Boats - Part 1: Sailing the Cape Ann Dory Q'ONA"

Sailing a Delaware Ducker - finale, for now, with Cheaspeake Bay Maritme Museum's Apprentice for a Day program

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:23:00 +0200

And so, like all good things, another set of sessions with Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum's Apprentice for a Day program has ended. And what a way to go - sailing a Delaware Ducker, the sister of the one on which I have been working. We got two little sails in, with some fine tuning of the rigging in between. Video of the sail is below; note that I shot it before we tightened up the snotter to get the sail to lie right. Enjoy, and thanks to our new friends at Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum!

Here are the completed boats. That red one is just amazingly beautiful...

Sweet Hawaiian sailing canoes - The Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association [Hawaii, USA]

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 02:57:37 +0100

I came upon the site for the Hawaiian Sailing Canoe Association tonight. Mostly info about their race series, but they do have a nice photo gallery that is worth looking at. Looks like these boats absolutely fly - I need to try one.

Photo by Terry Galpin

Location: Hawaii, USA

Extreme cruising, anyone? Here's a nice resource: Attainable Adventure Cruising

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 03:49:36 +0100

Thanks to WoodenBoat's RudderPosts blog, for pointing out a nice new site for our collection. Attainable Adventure Cruising is a collection of tips, tricks, how-tos, etc. for those seeking a little more pizazz in their cruise than Penobscot Bay in July. It is produced by a couple that has cruised to Greenland - three times - as well as Newfoundland, Spitsbergen, and Norway. Looks like these two don't fool around and know the ins and outs of how to approach serious cruising. Good catch, RudderPosts.

Welcome to the world Canoe Sailing Magazine!

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 02:59:00 +0100

Some of our kindred spirits have been hard at work. Canoe Sailing Magazine has launched online - congrats to the proud authors! I just noticed its birth just this evening and haven't looked at it much, but I am fairly confident I won't live to regret giving it the Chine bLog stamp of approval in the form of a place in our Honor Roll and RSS reader. Todd Bradshaw, he of Canoe Rig fame, seems to be in the mix, so I'm in based on that alone. This looks fantastic, folks - well done!

A great read: the Dye's "Ocean Crossing Wayfarer"

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 04:03:56 +0100

As I mentioned recently, my dad gave me Frank and Margaret Dye's Ocean Crossing Wayfarer: To Iceland and Norway in a 16ft Open Boat for Christmas and I tore through it in several days. Great book for those liking adventure or those liking nice wooden boats.

For those not in the know, Frank Dye began investigating the possibilities of dinghy cruising in the early '60s. He bought a Wayfarer dinghy and began going offshore, into - and then across - the North Sea. He survived force 8 gales and kept pushing. The book details two voyages: one from Northern Scotland to Iceland and one form Northern Scotland to the Faeroe Islands and then central Norway. Both were double-handed trips, and both are full of the fine line between expert seamanship and sheer lunacy. It is all, however, entertaining, the moreso because of Dye's no-ego style (Margaret's words based on Frank's logs).

Even more interesting is the appendices, which detail the supply lists and lessons learned from the trips (the Dye's went on to do many more dinghy cruises). In particular, he reviews equipment choices (including updates in the newer edition on more modern alternatives) and even maps out rigging / layout he used on the Wayfarer WANDERER. Its fascinating and makes you think a bit about following the Dye's brave lead...

Friendship Sloop chatter in the blogosphere

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 03:16:49 +0100

Courtesy of Gavin over at intheboatshed and his recent discovery of YouTube [ ;^) ], we now see that Ted at Dovetails has posted a nice video of his Friendship Sloop sailing in a brisk Westerly off mid-coast Maine. The page includes some nice profile drawings and photos as well - its a heck of a nice boat.

Searching around for this post left me with the startling realization that, with the exception of a stray mention in the prior post where I mentioned Dovetails, I have never said anything about Friendship Sloops on these pages. I guess I have been focus on the boats of foreign lands as opposed to my native waters, but here's the real irony: Friendship Sloops are one of the most beautiful boats ever. Period. Full stop.

Look at Ted's fine example above. The clipper bow, elliptical transom, and sweet sheer that ties them together, makes for some tremendous lines, and then you typically plop a high gaff and double headsails on her... the result is outstanding. I had an opportunity to sail in the annual Friendship Sloop regatta many years back and it was an amazing experience. I have always loved them; basically, they had me at "hello."

Here's a final Friendship Sloop story: when I was teenager, we chartered a boat in mid-coast Maine and found ourselves not far from Friendship, Maine with a day of crummy weather. At my behest, we made tracks overland to Friendship in an act of pilgrimage. Let me tell you how many sloops we saw there: none. zilch. Z-E-R-O. Our only solace after such disappointment, was a near-miss: and ice cream shop called "The Friendship Scoop."

More on proa racing in the Marshall Islands - videos on YouTube

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:46:31 +0100

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands

The other night, I added a post about the return of proa racing to the Marshall Islands. Don't you know, then, that days later, we now have some video of the 2001 races. "aqlunafoo" added a post to the Proa-file yahoo group with four interesting videos. Many thanks!

Here are some race videos. As with much on YouTube, it is really a music video, with the ame footage repeated a few time. No matter, its well done and show the boats going through their paces. They look like a blast.

Here is another video, this of a bigger boat from the Marshalls. This looks like it might be a fishing boat, but it is clear it is pretty fast. Another gem here.

The return of proa racing in the Marshall Islands

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:48:00 +0100

We are going around the world tonight here at Chine bLog! Madagascar! Antigua! And now, drum-roll, please, the Marshall Islands! That's right: three oceans, three island nations, and, best of all, three traditional wooden sailing craft! Wooohoooo!

Our offering from the Marshalls (in the middle of the Pacific) is a recent article in Pacific Magazine about the return of sailing races in traditional 18-foot breadfruit tree-log korkor (canoes).

These are, in my humble opinion, some nice-looking proas. It is fantastic to hear news of these boats coming back as a class and of the regatta being a success. I hope these races spread and prosper. Somebody put the next round on YouTube so we can see these in action!

Location: Majuro, Marshall Islands

How cool is this - my Wayfarer Dinghy adventurer surfaces!

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sat, 08 Sep 2007 04:41:00 +0200

A while back I wrote about the Wayfarer Dinghy, a subject that still keeps people coming back to Chine bLog. It referenced my first knowledge of the boat, an adventure in one up the coast of Labrador. Imagine, then, my very pleasant surprise to see that the man behind that adventure found my post and identified himself. Geoff Heath, many thanks for stopping by - I am truly honored.

Nice YouTube video of a proa sailing in Miami

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Wed, 16 May 2007 02:40:00 +0200

Interesting video of a proa sailing off Miami. Thanks to the Proa File International Yahoo! Group for noting this. I got to them via our old friend Gary Dierking at Outrigger Sailing Canoes in New Zealand.

A better look at the boat is here:

Continue reading "Nice YouTube video of a proa sailing in Miami"

Inspired? Heck yeah!

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 04:28:23 +0200

Gavin at intheboatshed.net found this set of camp-cruisers. Gavin writes:

Take a look at these photos - I cant imagine how anyone could look at them without feeling inspired.

Done. I'm inspired. This is a good find - follow Gavin's lead here.

Hidden gems - sailing canoes on intheboatshed.net

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Sun, 25 Feb 2007 04:18:11 +0100

Of course, Gavin Atkin over at intheboatshed.net has posted like 50 times since my last one, and there is what I am coming to realize is the usual array of interesting stuff in there. I was particularly interested to see Gavin's discussion of sailing canoes. He begins:

One of the biggest surprises Ive had during the short life of intheboatshed.net has been the level of interest in sailing canoes and canoe yawls: posts on these attract more attention than almost any others.

I agree that there is a small, burning need in a group of people to get more of a taste for traditional small sailing craft. At Chine bLog, I get lots of interest in my discussions of Iain Oughtred craft. Of course that could be because the good man has no web site and there are only a handful where one can find much of anything....

As my two-to-three long-time readers know, I am fully in the camp of people have a thing for boats like these sailing canoes. So it was with much excitement that I found that Gavin had unearthed a set of lines drawings for a number of sailing canoes from various eras. On a quick glance, some really good stuff. This is courtesy of, as far as I can tell, the Canadian arm of the International Canoe Federation's site. I am eager to explore this more, but here is a nice sample:

This would be Wren, by Rushton, always a nice place to start. Here are the lines:

Continue reading "Hidden gems - sailing canoes on intheboatshed.net"

"A Voyaging Canoe for Tikopia" - an effort to keep South Pacific traditions alive

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Wed, 20 Sep 2006 04:27:05 +0200

Staying in the same part of the world - and I mean the South Pacific, not Western PA - I note this project: "A Voyaging Canoe for Tikopia," sponsored by British designer James Wharram. Wharram aims to build two double canoes in the voyaging canoe tradition of the South Western Pacific and donate them to two islands in order to perpetuate their autonomy and their traditions.

We should build 2 Tikopian Double Canoes (by Andy Smith, our builder in the Philippines) and give them to the islands of Tikopia and Anuta (its sister island), so they can continue to be self-sufficient and take pride in their ancient sailing heritage. The two canoes would then be sailed the 3000 miles to Tikopia along the ancient Polynesian migration route for handing over to the islanders.

They seem to be asking for various sorts of assistance. I assume this is legit - Wharram is, I believe, an established designer - and the cause is good. A while ago I read The Happy Isles of Oceana: Paddling the Pacific, by Paul Theroux, and, without openly pointing fingers, many of the Pacific islands have had their culture and traditions ransacked over the last few centuries. These were some of the great seafaring people of history, and many now have no connection to the amazing skills and voyages of their ancestors. That is really sad. Good for Wharram to try to pull this off.

Location: Tikopia, Solomon Islands

Excellent movie from Raid Sweden

nospam@example.com (Tim) — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 04:21:18 +0100

The recent WoodenBoat has a great article on a type of event that is arising - a "raid", which is a multi-day small boat race/cruise favoring tradition-inspired and naturally-powered craft. Many of these seem to have both oar and sail legs. Sounds very cool. In a related post on the RudderPost blog WoodenBoat editor Tom Jackson, who participated in the event and wrote the article posted a great video from the final leg. Beautiful boats and some honking wind. Quality is so-so, but still enjoyable.