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| August 2006 |
Charles Streatch - 48° North Publisher - 1927-2006
Please accept our condolences on the passing of Charles Streatch. Charles leaves a wonderful legacy in 48° North. We have always enjoyed reading it whenever we have been able to get hold of a copy. 48° North and other similar magazines in the US were the inspiration to us in starting our boating magazine, AFLOAT, in Sydney. Regards, Peter Webb and Suzy Bekkedahl Publishers of AFLOAT Magazine Willoughby, AUSTRALIA Thank you Peter and Suzy. We’ve received hundreds of letters expressing their sorrow on Chuck’s passing, and we and his family thank each and every one of you. He was a special fellow, and on July 13, we filled the 48° North offices with friends and family for a celebration of his remarkable life. On page 34 you’ll find our tribute to Chuck - musician, newspaper man, our publisher and good friend. For those who would like to read more thoughts from his many friends just click on Chuck’s smiling face. Ingrid 38 Owners Want to Share I am writing to ask that you include the new website for an Ingrid 38 users group in your next issue of 48° North. It is in its infancy and hopefully with time (and someone with computer skills) we will have a regular website. Our interim location is a Yahoo group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ingrid38sailboat Hopefully with time this group will lead to opportunities to share experiences, problems and hopefully facilitate drawing the community of this old and sturdy vessel together. Over 100 of the Ingrid 38’s were manufactured in the 70’s and 80’s and share their mold with other similar Collin Archer designs. Thanks Ken Gosling SV/Allymar 
48° North Surfs to Hawaii
Below is a link to the most recent entry from the daily blog of Voodoo Child. They are currently have a great time sailing VicMaui. Thought you’d like to see the picture of 48° North surfing its way to Hawaii along side Brian Duchin and his team. Cheers! Jamie Reece http://www.voodoochild.net/Vic_maui_2006/vic_maui_2006_day_08.htm Aha! Now everybody knows his secret weapon. We received this email July 10, and on July 15, Voodoo Child was the first to finish the race from Victoria to Lahaina. Congratulations to Brian and crew. Read more on their victory in the Race Report. New Rhodes Traveller 32 Group This is a heads up to all Rhodes Traveller 32 owners out there. There is a new Yahoo group “RhodesTraveller32” and we are hoping to find a few more owners for information and idea sharing, tips, encouragement and…um…therapy. For those interested, the Traveller 32 is a Phil Rhodes design, cruising double ender from the 70’s. The 32 (OD) is an updated version of Dogstar of 1930 and was redrawn for glass and now has a cut away forefoot. Some were built in Taiwan and some by Rawson. There were only 28(?) built so if you know someone with one, let them know about the site. Thanks! Bill Cirino newbflat@yahoo.com  Left to right: Richard Panescu, Krista Waldman, Lynn Pardy, Linda Dashew, Larry Pardy, Evans Stargzinger, Beth Leonard, Steve Dashew, Tad Lhamon, Joyce Lhamon Remarkable Gathering of Cruisers at Port Madison What a remarkable treat to find world famous cruisers together in our front yard this summer. In 1996, Tad and I departed Seattle to go cruising. We returned to Port Madison six years later with warm memories of faraway places and many new cruising friends. This June 22, 2006, several of these friends gathered for dinner on our porch. They covered the spectrum of cruising opinions. We had met Richard and Krista in Rebok, Langkawi, Malaysia. They sail an Amel 53, Cloud Seven. Richard escaped from Romania when he was fourteen by swimming the river separating him from his dream of being an American cowboy in the West. His tales of adventure and knowledge of diesel engines kept us well entertained. Krista hales from Austria and has taken to life at sea with grace and enthusiasm. Larry and Lynn Pardy are world famous for their exploits, sailing the world without an engine. They have enjoyed the peacefulness and hospitality of Port Madison on several occasions. Beth Leonard and Evans Starzinger are well-known for their sailing adventures in high latitudes. Their interest in less traveled places, knowledge of cruising skills and enjoyment of a good time make them valued friends. Beth’s writing has often enthralled us. We met them in the Gulf Islands. Steve and Linda Dashew are now afloat in their new powerboat, Wind Horse. They have written many books about all aspects of cruising. We celebrated a joint birthday with them in Tahiti, French Polynesian in 1997 while they were aboard Beowolf. During their stay in Port Madison, the Evans, the Pardys, as well as Doug and Marleen, New Zealand cruisers on Evolution, opened their hearts and their vessels to the junior sailors in Port Madison Yacht Club’s annual sailing school. The young Optimist sailors’ eyes were wide with wonder as they toured these very different vessels, asked questions, and heard sea tales. What a great opportunity for these youthful sailors. Brian and Mary Alice O’Neil joined us later in the evening. They sail a Norseman 447, most recently to Mexico and back. The conversation was remarkable to say the least! All of us have circumnavigated, so there was a lot of territory for discussion. Cheers, Smooth Sailing Joyce Lhamon Wow, what a gathering. I think most of us would have been like those kids, eyes wide with wonder, at hearing all the sea tales, with literally the whole, watery world as a subject. Looking for Skookum 28 Molds I have a 28 foot sailboat project that is process. I bought a derelict hull that was setting in the “Boat Yard of Broken Dreams” here in Port Townsend for over twenty years. It was never finished. The fiberglass hull was designed by Ed Monk and built by Skookum Marine in Port Townsend 30 years ago. Last week we moved it to Cape George Marine Works to begin the process of turning it into a thing of beauty that it could be. We had to take all the rotten frames out and steam clean the fiberglass hull. It is a bare hull now waiting for 3200 pounds of lead for ballast. Then we start putting in a beam shelf and engine mounts. I fell in love with the lines of the hull like a young man falls for awoman with a nice figure in ragged old clothes. I am trying to find the deck mold. My understanding is that the hull and deck mold were moved over twenty years ago to Shelton or South King County, but no one remembers what happened to them. Any help I could get in locating the molds if they still exist would be greatly appreciated. Best Regards, David E. Moe david_moe@hotmail.com (360)385-3386 Rather Sleep Than Swap After attending the 48° North Swap Meet last year at about 0900, I learned that the early bird truely does get the worm. The event is scheduled to start at 0800. Why then, are people getting there in the middle of the night? Why does the event sponsor encourage and allow such crazy hours? Is this some rite of passage thing where smart sailors loose a night’s sleep to prove their meddle? If the event can truely start at 0800 then I’ll attend. Until then, count me out. I’ll be home, asleep. Scott Voltz Seattle WA Yes, it is very strange. We’ve never encouraged this “midnight madness” (yes, too much TV), it just happened. It was started as and remains a pretty casual event and we thank Fisheries’s Supply/Crow’s Nest for sharing the parking lot and street with all the bargain seeking sailors. Pretty hard to keep people from talking to each other and we’re sure not going to get up that early either to tell them to stop. I’ll be showing up around 9PM and see what’s there, along with trying to sell my tired but unbowed inflatable. The “good stuff” is relative, depends on what you need. Swap Meet September 9. Poem for the Sailor I wrote the following poem for sailors and the wind. Thank you. Sincerely, Paul Meier Seattle, WA Seabreeze and the Sailor Soft summer seabreeze caress the sailor’s cheek. Wrap your arms around him. Make his knees grow weak. Breathe your sweet breath gently on his ear. Set sail with the sailor, Seabreeze He needs you much my dear Our Dream Has Come True! We are a family of four currently living on our 46-foot sailboat in Blaine, WA. The first week of August we will be leaving the Northwest headed for San Francisco to start our two year adventure South to Mexico, and then to the South Pacific. I am writing this letter to state that our dream came true thanks in part to John and Amanda Swan/Neal of the Mahina Expeditions. Between the both of us, my husband and I have sailed with the Neal’s twice each and attended their offshore cruising seminar twice. I just completed a leg in April on the Mahina, sailing from San Diego to Acapulco, receiving my much needed offshore experience. The Neal’s run a clean, tight ship, including daily class instruction time with valuable hands on experience, all while enjoying new places. If I were to give anyone advice on how to prepare for offshore experience it would definitely be to attend one of the Neal’s seminars, or better yet crew on one of their sailing legs. It is worth every penny and more. Without the experiences, instruction and teaching we received from the Neal’s I doubt our boat would ever leave the dock! I have complete confidence in our boat, my partner, and myself, that we will be safe and knowledgeable while having the time of lives. So, thank you John and Amanda for the commitment in what you do! You are truly a gift and an asset to the cruising community! Yvette J. Nichols Friday Harbor, WA Hopefully, when this mag comes out you’ll be a good way down the coast and enjoying every minute of it. It’s terrific that you went sailing with John and Amanda. That kind of experience really lowers the worry level and allows you to sit back and enjoy the trip a lot sooner than if you’d had no experience. You’ve already done the hardest part of anyone going cruising — casting off the lines of home. Looking for Nathan W. Brown III I wanted to seek your magazine’s assistance. I am rebuilding and refitting a 1965 Chris Craft 30 sloop and I’m trying to locate a former owner that performed the first refit in the mid 90’s. The prior owners name is Nathan W. Brown III. Additionally, the survey prepared when he sold the boat noted that he was a boatyard owner in the area. Can you or the readers of 48° North lend any information as to how or where he can be contacted? George Hartman egcgeorge@qwest.net Proper Orca Etiquette Last fall, in late September, my wife (Karen) and I departed Port Orchard Marina in our 36’ Catalina for a last of the year cruise to Vancouver Island. The weather was wonderful and we enjoyed a pleasent motor/sail up to Victoria B.C. We spent a few days enjoying this beautiful city docked in front of the Empress Hotel. We then proceeded around to Saanich Inlet and down to Butchart cove. We found an open mooring bouy in the cove at Butchart Gardens and enjoyed another wonderful afternoon and next day in this quiet and beautiful place. The next morning while listening to the weather on the VHF radio we heard there was a storm moving in later that day that would last for several days. The winds were expected to be strong and may reach gale force by night fall. We were just past the half way point before having to head back home. We decided to head back around the Saanich Peninsula and ride out the storm in the comfort and safety of the marina at Sidney. We arrived none too soon as the winds had picked up while we were on our way. With a little difficulty we managed to get docked safely. We had wanted to back into a slip, but the wind was not cooperating and we ended up heading bow in, which put our stern exposed to the strong southerly wind. We spent the night and the next day snug in the marina, riding out fall’s first onslaught of typical fall weather. The weather reports were calling for nicer weather the following day, so we decided to make an early morning exit to take advantage of the tides and weather window. We headed southeast out of Sidney down the west side of Sidney Island, and once clear of the rocks to the south of D’Arcy Island, we turned more easterly to head across Haro Strait. It was a beautiful morning and the water was quite flat. We had intended to spend a night anchored on the south end of Lopez Island in Aleck Bay before crossing the Strait of Juan De Fuca, but with such an early start, and the calm weather, we changed our minds and decided to head for Port Townsend instead. We needed to clear customs so I made a phone call and made arrangments to meet the customs agent later in the afternoon in Pt. Hudson Marina. We were cruising southeast about a half mile off San Juan Island, we had just passed Pile Point and just off the opening to False Cove when I spotted an Orca whale off our starboard quarter. The Orca was headed right towards our intended path and was no more than 200 to 300 yards away. I alerted my wife and we both were sort of in shock as we had never come close to spotting an Orca in the last 10 years of cruising the San Juans or Gulf Islands. I slowed the boat’s foward speed and kept a sharp eye out for another spotting. It didn’t take long and the Orca surfaced in front of our boat probably only 30 to 40 yards in front of us, moving from our right to left. I immediately slowed the engine to an idle and turned hard to port. This was our first encounter with an Orca and we weren’t sure what to expect. I continued my turn until we were headed back in the same direction we had been going. We spotted the Orca again moving away from us towards the shore. After our hearts quit pounding so fast, we proceeded back on our merry way towards Cattle Pass. We then started spotting more Orca, but none as close as this first one. In all, we must have spotted 25 to 30 Orcas in the next 20 to 30 minutes. We also noticed that there were several boats off to our south and east that were watching the pod of Orca. They seemed to be on the southerly edge of the pod and not moving or moving very slowly. Since that time I have visited some web sites on Orcas and I have read newspaper articles about some new endangered species listing for the Orcas. The question that keeps popping into my head is; did we do something wrong that might have endangered the Orca, or break any laws that might have got us a fine? I’m not sure how we should have handled this type of situtation, and I was wondering if you have a source that may be able to share their expertise with the boating public that might find themselves in an encounter such as we did. I can’t remember reading any articles in the past that have covered this topic. I always enjoy receiving my 48° North in the mail and reading all the fine articles that you come up with. Keep doing a great job. Rich & Karen Voss Kalama WA Basically it’s slow down to less than 7 knots within 400 yards/meters of the nearest whale, and avoid approaching whales from the front or from behind. Always approach and depart whales from the side, moving in a direction parallel to the direction of the whales. You can approach up to 100 yards/meters from the side but no closer. For a full description of whale watching guides, as well as other marine mammals and birds visit: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/education/viewing.htm
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