Be Prepared for "Locking Through"
As operators of the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks in Ballard, the Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, cares about boater safety. Of particular concern to us is the problem of boats which don't have the proper equipment or enough crew on board to handle their vessel coming through the locks. Our lock wall workers can provide help and advice for getting people and their boats safely through the locks, but they can't drive the boats or provide equipment.
I am writing you this letter to ask your help in better informing boaters about how to prepare for a trip through the Locks.
I also want to make sure that you and the boaters you come in contact with are aware that the Corps offers a free brochure called, "Guidelines for Boaters," which explains all the in's and out's of locking through. In addition, the Corps offers free Locking Through classes January through
September at the Locks.
I have enclosed a flyer on locking through safely, a schedule of locking through classes, and a "Guidelines for Boaters" brochure. If you would like additional brochures, class schedules, or flyers, or if you are interested in Locking Through classes call the Chittenden Locks at (206) 783-7000.
Thank you in advance for your help in making our local boating community a safer one.
Sincerely,
Patricia Graesser, Public Affairs Office
Department of the Army
Seattle District, Corps of Engineers
If you're planning on going through the Chittenden Locks in Ballard (unofficially the Ballard Locks) pick up the excellent
brochure "Guidelines for Boaters". It's a quick, easy and useful reference for required equipment, the Lake Washington Ship Canal, Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, bridge and traffic signals, hazards/priorities, as well as locking through.
The flyer "Safe boating means knowing the ropes (and the rest of your equipment" offers the following list of necessary equipment to have on board if you are planning to go through the locks:
two or more 50-foot mooring lines with an eye (bow/stern)
fenders for both sides of your vessel
personal flotation devices for all aboard
fire extinguishing equipment
It is also critical that you have enough people to control your boat and watch and handle lines during your passage through the locks.
The staff at the Locks offers free Locking Through classes to explain the in's and out's of safe, efficient passage through the Chittenden Locks. Classes are offered at the Locks Visitor center at 7:00 p.m. April-Sept. on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month.
We'd also like to add that you bring along your patience. While the locks personnel are good at what they do, many said boaters are not. So be calm, be patient and you'll have a good time.
Dripless Shaft Seals Present Different Risks
A feature article in that other waterfront magazine recently extolled the virtues of dripless shaft seals. But little was said about the different kinds of risks the owner or operator faces, risks that are more serious than with the old stuffing boxes.
Dripless seals use the principle of a smooth-faced carbon block bearing against a highly-polished, very flat, stainless steel collar turning on the shaft. This kind of seal is quite old, having been used on automotive engine water pumps for over 60 years. And it is truly dripless!
I can see five risks that come with this kind of seal:
(1) The stainless collar may slip forward. One boater I know had an exciting time when both collars slid forward on a twin screw boat out in Haro Strait.
(2) The "rubber" bellows may come loose if the clamps fail.
(3) The "rubber" bellows will, in time, deteriorate and leak.
(4) Unless air is bled-out, the sealing surfaces, lacking water, may degrade and leak. For higher boat speeds, above 12 knots, a steady stream of water to the seal is advised by the manufacturer (usually tapped from the seawater cooling loop). The water supply required above 12 knots implies that a vacuum may be created that would suck air through the seal and deprive it of lubrication. Some say even the bubbles from a diver can affect the seal.
(5) The sealing surfaces, if not removed for a long time, may become so adherent that the bellows may be twisted or torn apart when the engine is engaged. The jury may still be out on this one, but I have a story of such an occurrence that is not otherwise explainable. I can personally attest that "stiction" of the carbon block to the stainless collar increases with inactive time.
What should we do about these risks?
(1) Besides making certain that the setscrews in the stainless collar are tight, some owners are putting a hose clamp ahead of the collar to prevent it from moving.
(2) Periodic tightening of the double hose clamps on the bellows, especially when new, will keep the bellows secure.
(3) Replace the bellows every 5-7 years or sooner if the "rubber" loses elasticity or is softened by contact with some solvents.
(4) Bleeding air out of the seal is important after any haul-out. Maybe periodic "burping" is a good plan.
(5) The longtime adherence of the mating surfaces is denied by many. However, machinists who use gage blocks in their work know about the molecular attraction between a pair of optically-flat surfaces. I will continue to loosen the "stiction" I find on our boat whenever I come aboard.
I like dripless shaft seals. I prefer them to the old stuffing box type. But I am wide awake to the different risks that dripless seals bring with them.
Henry Germond
PE, Marine Engineer
Lake Oswego, Oregon
Preserving Thunderbird #1
Thank you for the generous donation in support of the Gig Harbor Peninsula Historical Society. And thank you for your commitment to the preservation of our community's heritage, specifically the preservation of the Thunderbird Hull #1.
As you know, we were fortunate to receive this wonderful addition to our maritime collection. In addition to the fishing heritage of Gig Harbor and the vessels representing that history, the Thunderbird represents the creativity of other boat builders living and working in the harbor. The harbor today and its variety of craft reflects this broad heritage.
Thanks again for supporting our mission and the preservation of the Thunderbird.
Chris Fiala Erlich
Gig Harbor Peninsula Historical Society
Executive Director
T-Bird #1 holds a special place in Northwest sailing lore and we're glad it has found a good home.
Faulty Fish Facts
Just a note for Bryan Henry. I enjoy his Trivia column every issue, but I have to correct his statement in the last issue regarding salmon and trout. Much as I hate having interloper Atlantic salmon trespassing in our Pacific waters, polluting and spreading and, gasp, maybe interbreeding, his statement that Atlantic Salmon belong to the genus Salmo (Salmo Salar) which is the trout family, and Pacific Salmon belong to the genus Onchorhynchus, (Onchorhynchus spp.) is kind of misleading. The only trout that belongs to the Salmo genus is Salmo Trutta, the Brown Trout, whereas the trout that belong to Onchorhynchus are Golden Trout, (Onchorhynchus aguabonita), Apache Trout (Onchorhynchus apache), Mexican Golden Trout (Onchorhynchus chrysogaster),Cutthroat Trout (Onchorhynchus clarki), Gila Trout (Onchorhynchus gilae), and the most famous trout of them all, (Onchorhynchus mykiss) the Rainbow Trout.
So, while we certainly don't want any of those mushy, tasteless, antibiotic loaded, Atlantic fish hanging out over here, we need to keep our facts straight or else we shall be embarrassed when arguing about it with those fishcrats and irresponsible business types. Cheers!
Mike Holt
Victoria, B.C.
Now there's a man who definitely knows his fish. Sounds fishy but we yield to your superior knowledge.
Make Your Zincs Last Longer
Just a suggestion for those sailors with conical prop zincs. It seems that they always dissolve from the attachment areas first, often times falling off before most of the sacrificial metal is used up. They are not cheap, and in this part of the world, hard to get replacements.
Try this (see photo): paint a section (despite manufacturer's warning) of the zinc around the attachment points with high quality paint or fingernail polish so the zinc surfaces are not exposed at that point to the water. As depicted in the photo, the weakest points (less metal thickness) go away first and this painting process forces the zinc to be used up along its thicker surface.
Hope this is helpful to you all, having a great time,
Rick Brady
S.V. Glaoch Ne Mara
Mazatlan, Mexico
Who Designed and Built Kinau?
We've seen a boat called Kinau (if my memory is correct) around Lake Union but can't find who built or designed her around 1975-76. We know she was built somewhere close to Seattle. She has a classic white hull with hourglass transom.
Could 48° North be of any help?
Thanks,
Bill (415) 279-7533
We can't but I'm sure our readers can.
Conditions Should Dictate Interpretation of "About to Round the Mark"
It's Mike Johnson from the Seattle Laser Fleet. First, I'd like to thank you for your column every month in 48¡ North. It is always the second thing I look at after race photos and results. I have a comment about "Situation B" in the March issue.
March 2003 "Situation B"
In my opinion, the decision of the protest committee in this incident hinges very much on an interpretation of "about to round the mark". To the best of my knowledge no official interpretation exists for this concept. I queried Dick Rose about this years ago and have discussed this with several knowledgable sailors. My understanding is that the interpretation depends on the conditions (wind velocity, wave height, current) and the individual boat characteristics (boat speed, and difficulty of dousing the spinnaker and preparing for the mark rounding). Your sketch shows contact occurring when the leeward boat is about three boatlengths from the mark.
In your solution you say that at the time of contact neither boat had penetrated the two boatlength circle and, therefore that Rule 18 did not apply. Consider that these were Olson 30's sailing in 25 knots of breeze with six foot seas (boat speed = approximately 12 knots). My interpretation is that boats in these conditions are "about to round the mark" well before either reach the two boatlength circle. In fact, I'd venture to say that they would be "about to round the mark" inside a six-ten boatlength circle. I would agree with your solution if the boats were sailing in three knots of breeze with flat water, however still feel like the leeward boat would be pushing the spirit of Rule 18 by luffing at three boatlengths.
Therefore I respectfully submit that your solution should have pointed out that the conditions dictate the interpretation of "about to round the mark". If I am off the mark here please let me know. I may be in an incident one day with someone who read your column and used your interpretation of "about to round the mark". Once again thanks for your column.
Mike Johnson
Seattle Laser Fleet Secretary
Situation "B" involving Up Here vs. Down There was based upon Canadian Yachting Association's Appeal #10. That appeal's summary states, Rule 18 does not start to take precedence over the Rules of Section A and B until boats are about to pass a mark which is normally when one of them reaches the two length zone. Rule 18 - Rounding and Passing Marks appears in Section C. Note the use of the word normally.
As we stated, Down There had been clear ahead but Up Here was overtaking her rapidly to windward so she decided to slowly luff Up Here. Both boats, based upon the above information, were getting close to but were not about to round. Note that, per the diagram, spinnakers were still being carried within a length of the two boat length circle and not looking like "about to round". Perhaps we would have done better if we had set our situation on Lake Washington or Long Island Sound with wind conditions that would suit the situations described. Light, light winds. You are correct, wind and sea conditions could change things.
Being a devout coward, in the conditions that you set up for the Olson 30, you would have had me, while sailing my former Olson 30, Magnifique, "about to round" at least six or seven lengths out from the mark. Perhaps, because of the limitations with my insurance policy.
Thanks for your interest in the racing rules and good luck with that Laser fleet. A GREAT class. - Ed von
"Unseamanlike" Decision Versus the Rules
Well, von Wolffersdorff has finally done it. I've disagreed with many of his calls over the years, usually over issues of trying to make racing more photogenic for TV instead of promoting seamanship, but February's case of Person vs Super takes the cake.
We are given to believe that making a course change "within two boat lengths" in over "20 knots" of breeze with "fairly rough" water & "strong gusts" constitutes "room & opportunity" to keep clear. The mere fact that the contact was made forward of the rig blasts this theory. It is clear from the description and diagram that Super had a choice between a rig-to-rig collision with attendant damage (possibly TWO disabled vessels with rigs down) or a bow-on collision with his own rig unloaded, lower boatspeed and less likelihood of major damage. If the diagram has any relationship to the facts of the case, it is clear that Person made a very poor decision to turn broadside on in front of a privileged vessel, when he had "room and opportunity" to avoid a collision by holding his course, or bearing off slightly. Super made an entirely understandable decision based on an unseamanlike and foolish choice by Person!!!
Sincerely,
Dan Padgett IBNA (ret.)
The collision was a result of bad decisions by both parties. If Super and Person had held their courses, they wouldn't have hit, especially if Person had fallen off even a little bit. Now, when Person made her foolish choice to come up, Super still should have held her course and they wouldn't have hit, but Super came up and bang! Poor choices all around, but it was Super's coming up, changing course that did it. When a right-of-way boat changes course, she shall give the other boat room to keep clear, and in this case, avoid a collision.
This is a good opportunity to explain how we are able to arrive at items for "The Racing Rules" column. Decisions presented in the column are based upon actual findings of various protest committee decisions that have been appealed along various lines of authority.
As an example, for protests within Pacific International Yachting Association (PIYA), a protest committee's decision would be appealed to the Area H Appeals Committee. The Area H decision, if involving a regatta in British Columbia, may be further appealed to Canadian Yachting Association (CYA). If the protest decision is from any regatta of the PIYA clubs in USA, that appeal may go on to United States Sailing Association (USSA). The CYA and USSA could be a last avenue of appeal.
Both CYA and USSA publish the results of key decisions that are handed down. Those decisions are available and drawn upon by this writer.—Ed von
OneWorld About Saving the Environment?
Let me get this straight. Craig McCaw and Paul Allen wanted to bring attention to environmental causes? So they build a throw away boat, made of materials from nonrenewable resources that had to be mined or pumped out of the earth and then smelted or refined. The boat is designed to be used once and has little or now lasting utility. Then they ship it and their crew half way around the world to race for a few months. Who knows how many private jet trips burning how many thousands of gallons of jet fuel they had to spend on this while also keeping up on their other altruistic ventures.
I don't begrudge the rich boys their toys and I would certainly have a newer, bigger boat and sail more places if I had the dough. But come on guys. If you're all about saving the environment, buy a used El Toro and stay home.
Steve Meacham
Olympia
OneWorld was all about winning the America's Cup, and, if in their efforts to do so they could bring some attention to environmental causes, rather than fashion, software and biotech companies, more power to them.
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