White Swan Receives the "Order of the Shackle"
On Christmas Day, 13 cruising boats from three countries celebrated Christmas with a potluck dinner. After dinner, and between songs played by "crew musicians" a special award was formally presented to the crew of the White Swan (Port Townsend, WA), for their actions during Christmas Eve near-gale force winds that caused two boats to drag anchor. The award, the Order of the Shackle, named after Sir Ernest Shackleton (who, as everyone knows, saved his crew many times, and of course, shackles secure things), consisted of a small stainless shackle on a neck lanyard, and was presented with the following poem:
By official and unofficial DECREE
In keeping with matters of the SEA
We witnessed an event on Christmas Eve DAY
That caused us to look at each other and SAY,
An award is needed to chronicle this EVENT
To recognize a sailor who WENT without being SENT
In foul weather to board two crewless vessels with anchors DRAGGING
And secured them safely, without any BRAGGING.
Consequently this sailor and his sharp-eyed mate
deserve recognition of their very OWN,
By now you know, its the crew of the White SWAN.
The award was as follows:
"On this day of 25 December 2004, before this assemblage of fellow sailors, at the village of Puerto Magdelena, Bahia Sur, Mexico: Bob & Dianna Denny of the cutter White Swan, of Port Townsend, are hereby awarded the ORDER OF THE SHACKLE, with attendant rank and privileges, as follows: 1) the rank of Captain - the same rank as the Port Captain, so we can hopefully check in and out with Bob and Dianna, and 2) Free beer at each sailboat - a precedent that has been set with other "Captains."
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry and Joni Reid
s/v Lotus
Newport, Oregon
currently in the Sea of Cortez
Congratulations to Bob and Dianna of the White Swan for receiving the prestigious "Order of the Shackle". We've seen many receive "fancier" awards, but few that rival the OS for service to their fellow sailors. The true importance of this award is obvious when one sees the rank and privileges which attend this award. We will certainly honor them should Bob and Dianna drop by the 48° North office.
First Annual Canadian Islander Rendezvous
We've been fans of 48° North for about as many years as we've been sailing (25+ years)! Great magazine with a very practical outlook on getting out on the water. We've sailed up and down the coast over the years (although not as far down as Seattle, north is always more tempting!) including trips out to the west coast of Vancouver Island and a circumnavigation of the Island we're still tied into the "working for a living market"!
Over the past two years we've managed to get to Port Ludlow for the Pacific Northwest Islander Rendezvous the last weekend of June. A great time had by all. However, it's quite the distance to travel from Canadian waters for a weekend when the kids are still in school. Carey and I have decided to host the First Annual Canadian Islander Rendezvous the weekend of July 8 - 9, 2005, at Telegraph Harbour on Thetis Island in the Gulf Islands. Through word of mouth (and the Islander discussion internet page at islander@list.sailnet.net), we've already got about 7 boats attending. We will be the contact people and as we get closer to July 1, will begin sending out e-mails or sending letters to owners who have contacted me with the details.
I am hoping that, because 48° North is so popular up here, I can ask that you add this event to your Calendar with enough lead time that sailors can plan ahead. Our contact information is through e-mail at bvermeer@shaw.ca or by phone at (250) 883-4088 or (250) 888-9186. Both phone numbers have answering service if we can't answer. I'm hoping to make the 1st Annual Canadian Islander Rendezvous one to remember! Thank you for your support.
Bert & Carey Vermeer
"Natasha"
Islander Bahama 30
Sidney, B.C.
Canada
Interested in a Newport Rendezvous?
Looking for Newport owners interested in a Rendezvous this summer. I live in Bellingham WA andsail a 1976 Newport 30 Mark II.
If you are interested pleasecallor e-mail me at
(360) 647-0190, folenius@msn.com
Larry Folenius
S/V LaMouette
Reviving the Viper 640
My name is Justin Scott and I have recently accepted the mantle of class president for the Viper 640 Class.
The Class association has been reformed because the Viper class is going through something of a renaissance. You may recall that when it first came out in late 1996 the boat got a terrific review (in Oct 1996 written by Paul Bieker of Intl 14 renown)in your magazine and went on to win the 1997Boat of the Year award by that lesser magazine (SW) ...clearly following in yourfootsteps. Around 65-70 boats were made and then the designer/builder decided to sell the molds and return to New Zealand. The class stagnated for a few years until a couple of years ago through a combination of circumstances a number of us living in Marblehead, Mass started to buy up boats from around the country and race them on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons as one-design. This spring we will be up to 17 boatsin Marblehead and a couple of other fleets are in the nascent stages including a three boat fleet in the UK (where a Viper racing on handicap won CORK week). We founded the class association late one evening in the upstairs bar at Maddies Sail Loft.Our members are an interesting cross section of racing sailors. We include a three-time Etchell world champion, a Laser national champion , a Rhodes 19 national champion, our local Snipe champion, a member of the US Olympic Flying Dutchman squad, a vice commodore of the Eastern Yacht Cluband an America's Cup trimmer which goes to prove that Paul Bieker had great foresight when he forecast that it was neither a dinghy nor a keelboat but something in-between. In Marbleheadit has appealed to both dinghy sailors and keelboat racers.We have a great new builder, Rondar, who are buildingthe boat simply because they like it so much and are famous for quality of their Larks etc. Everything is very low budget but we alljust really likethe boatand are having fun.
This brings me to why I am jotting this email to you. We are building a website for the class.I have two favors to ask from you. First, could we have your permission to reproduce the article written by Paul on our website (of course with credit to the magazine and a link to your website). Secondly, I notice on your website you have a list of class associations with links. Could you include our association and a link to our site. Our website address is www.viper640.org This would be a great help.
Thanks,
Justin Scott
Sounds like a fun group you'll have racing. We'll add your site to the links and trace down Paul for permission on the article. Good luck with the new class association.
Future Looks Good for Gig Harbor History
Did you know that the Gig Harbor Historical Society just acquired some waterfront in Gig Harbor along with some buildings, at the Northwest corner of the Harbor? This should greatly accelerate development of the museum and the restoration and preservation of Thunderbird #1! Also, the City of Gig Harbor will be buying the old Eddon Boat Yard, birthplace of the Thunderbird in Gig Harbor. The boat yard will be preserved as a working yard surrounded by a three acre waterfront park. It is a short walk to the new Museum location. It is going to be terrific.
By the way, the bulb in my Plastimo Mini Contest Compass burned out, it is about 15 years old, so I checked with the usual suspects, West Marine and Fisheries supply, but no luck. This bulb looks like a 22 caliber short.
I called Island Marine Instruments, Lake Stevens, Wa. They knew exactly what I was looking for and put two of them in the mail. Very helpful, very friendly. They had given a talk at CYCT on compasses last year, and it took me a while to track them down, but it was worth the effort.
Thanks for the help and the great magazine.
Ed Josberger
Snowbird, Thunderbird #1020
Neat Trick for Moisture
I have a neat little trick that I've been using for years on my boat. Packages of beef jerky, aspirin bottles, many other products have a small packet of silica gel inside (desiccant, moisture absorber.) I save them and stick them into the battery compartment of small devices like my voltmeter, radio, etc. If there's not enough room, you can usually get inside the unit with just a few screws and stick it in there. It cuts down on the moisture that eventually would ruin it.
This also works well with small musical instruments, although I usually put several in my guitar case.
Maxwell Smart
Very clever, but what else would one expect from Agent 86?
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