[PUP] West Coast offshore winds, El Salvador update

[John Marshall]

Scott raises a good point about lines tangling in stabilizers. Some  
boats, mine included, have a triangular piece of metal about six  
inches wide that guards the gap between the stabilizer fin and the  
hull, the idea being to ensure that a line can't get in there.

In the experience of those on this list, do those really work, at  
least when the the fin is centered?

So far I've managed to avoid snagging crab pot lines in the PNW with  
my stabilizers, but I'm wondering if that's just good luck.

John Marshall
Serendipity - N55-20

On Feb 26, 2008, at 5:42 AM, Scott E. Bulger wrote:

> As I said in my original post:
>
> I have nothing but respect for those of you that will never do  
> anything
> different based on your experience!  I'm sure it's born of real world
> experience where the Tpeckers beat the heck out of you or a friend.   
> I also
> think it's gotten much more predictable as the weather systems that  
> cause
> Tpeckers are better understood.
>
> Today, sitting in the river estuary in El Salvador, there are 9  
> boats that
> made the crossing in the last few days.  All 9 went straight across,  
> not a
> single boat stayed on the beach.  Things change, equipment evolves,
> knowledge is shared.  Having 3 weather sources tell you a window for  
> 7 days
> exists, and your only exposed for 48 hours seems like manageable  
> risk to me.
> Would I do this in a Meridian or SeaRay?  No, I only did this  
> because our
> boat was a Nordhavn, and if the predictions hadn't held true I was  
> willing
> to either tough it out, run downwind or turn back.  The purpose in  
> sharing
> this information was to aid those in transit who are reading the  
> Rains book
> and only considering the historical practice of following the  
> beach.  The
> Harbormaster in Marina Chahue sealed the deal when he talked about the
> fishermen in Salina Cruz.  He said these guys manage the Tpeck every  
> day of
> their lives to make a living.  The do it in pangas (22' open boats  
> with
> outboard motors) and run 10, 20, 60 miles out to sea.  I'm sure  
> there are
> countless stories of Tpeck disasters and each skipper will have to  
> make his
> or her own decision.  My point was there are more people choosing to  
> wait
> for a window then to go along the beach (which has it's own risks,  
> such as
> the 62' Nordhavn on the rocks near Turtle bay can attest to).
>
> One more point, yesterday I talked to the two other skippers, one  
> who stayed
> inland in the hope of missing the long lines and one who went 60 miles
> offshore to try to avoid them.  The skipper who went out 60 miles  
> still
> encountered long lines, but fewer than those of us in closer.  The  
> skipper
> who stayed very close actually got in a situation where they were  
> boxed in
> and had to cut one of the lines to get out.  If I were repeating the  
> trip
> I'd form a single file of boats 1/2mile apart and travel 30 miles out.
>
> The facilities here at Barillas are wonderful and the staff couldn't  
> be more
> helpful!  They are very proud of their country.  Yesterday I spent 3  
> hours
> with a technician from El Salvador modifying the existing WiFi  
> network so
> the boats in the estuary would get a signal and we were successful!   
> I'm
> writing this from my pilothouse on a laptop with internal WiFi and no
> booster!!!  Life is good!
>
> Oh, when we arrived we were tied to a mooring buoy that was in close
> proximity to another buoy.  I didn't realize how close it was until  
> I shut
> down the engine and started to look around the boat.  Quickly I  
> realized it
> was in a very bad position and I started the engine so I could move to
> another mooring.  Sure enough, a wind blew from behind the boat, we  
> moved
> forward, the buoy passed over the stabilizer fin and then we backed  
> down on
> it.  The buoy became lodged between the fin and hull and we were  
> pinned in
> place.  I got on the radio and asked for the marina to provide a  
> diver to
> come and help free the mooring.  Before they got to the boat I  
> decided to
> try to free the mooring myself.  I used the bow and stern thruster  
> to point
> the boat directly into the river current, we were healed over about 3
> degrees and sitting 45 degrees to the current because of the midship
> attachment point of the fin.  As the boat got straightnend into the  
> current
> I powered forward and the buoy started to rise.  It then freed  
> itself and we
> cast the forward line off and I pulled forward around the two  
> buoys.  It was
> pretty stressful for a while, and if I had it to do over again I'm  
> not sure
> I would, but it all came out ok.  The marina is going to send a  
> diver down
> tomorrow to make sure the fin is ok.  I don't think it will be a  
> problem as
> the forces involved weren't abrupt or too extreme.  The visibility  
> in the
> river is really poor, otherwise I'd try to go in the water myself  
> and look
> at it.  Also, honestly, the crocks are a bit of a concern  : )
>
> So, that's the update from El Salvador.  Tomorrow we go on the  
> Monkey walk!
> Take care,
>
> Scott Bulger, Alanui, N40II, Seattle
> Currently at Barillas Marina, El Salvador
> ter World Productions, formerly known as Trawler World Productions.
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