Ships Blog
Date:Thur, 20 June 2025 03:30:00:00 GMT
Charleston
Avoiding a storm
This morning there were dolphins all on the left side of the boat 45
miles off shore and they kept swimming toward shore. Then the winds changed
and it directed us to shore. Then I downloaded a new grib file over the SSB
and sure enough there were going to be storms about the time we would be
mostly to cape fear or frying pan shoals. So I decided to head for
Charleston.
We arrived this afternoon about 1500 local and anchored just a 1/4 mile
from the city marina. The people we anchored next to came over in their
dinghy to let us know were were a little too close. They had 200 feet of
chain out and we had about 85. So when the tide changed, they would likely
swing into us. So we moved the boat another 150 feet away. But of course
the windless wouldn't work and neither would the engine.
There is some kind weirdness in the wiring. The windless we found is
hooked to the centerboard circuit and yet even with the big silver switch
turned off it operated the windless a little bit... of course once we turned
the switch on of course it worked great. But this has me really confused.
1 is why link them together and 2 why did it work at all with the switch
off?
The engine solonid wire has a junction in it and it just can't quite
pull enough amps through the junction to operate the new larger starter.
We will address it in the morning because it's getting irritating
continuely wiggling wires to get the motor to start. It could be the
battery is getting a little weak as well considering it's 3 years old.
Charleston harbor was super busy and we had 4 big contianer ships pass
us in the channel and the Pilot boat harrassed us because we didn't move the
edge of the channel quick enough. It was hard fighting the current and the
wind this afternoon and we just wern't moving fast enough for him. Once we
got past the breakwater and we didn't have the side current all was well
Hannah made Cabbage, Carrots, Rice, and Turney Kilbasah for dinner and
also shortbread cookies with lime curd and whipped cream for dessert.
The wind is howling through the spreaders and rigging and the storm is
on it's way. It should hit about 4am. I'd much rather be here than fight a
thunderstorm at night around the shoals! So we take a day to do wash, take a
rest, eat good food, and talk in the cockpit at sunset!
Date:Thur, 19 June 2025 04:23:00:00 GMT
Offshore update by ssb
Augustine North
We're about 43 miles ese of Charleston heading 060 towards Beaufort, NC and all is well.
Seas are about 4 feet 5sec off our starboard quarter, winds are from the same direction at 13g18
and we're making about 5.5 in the gulf stream jig and jigger.
We left Augustine on Tuesday afternoon and headed direct for Beaufort offshore.
It was a gentle sail under favorable winds and we were averaging about 5.5-6 knots. Hannah made
soup for dinner and poor Lilah was miserable. The inlets are always rough. We left on an outgoing tide
so it was not as bad as it could have been but it was still pretty rolly.
After a long day Sam and I were changing shifts and I noticed the auto pilot sounded weird.
We've had a little red oil sheen in the bilge for the last few sails and I figured we might
have lost hydraulic fluid. So we headed direct for Fernandina beach at 2am Wed morning.
I tried to set the sails so that we would not need the rudder and put it in bypass and let the wind sails us.
that worked pretty well and we made a good 30 miles with 22-25 knot winds close hauled. The boat
wandered a little but but did really well. After the sun came up Sam took apart the lazarette and we found
a small leak in one of the fittings which we tightened up.
We also found the spare hydraulic fluid (ATF) and put in about 1/3 of a quart.
We used the opportunity to get out the emergency tiller and try it out. And to our relief it worked
really well. We don't get the full 45Deg each way, we are limited to 20deg each way. But it's very
controllable. One of our friends on a 45ish center cockpit tried theirs after they lost their steering
in the ICW and the emergency tiller BROKE! So we've always been a little worried as there is a lot of
force on our full keel barn door rudder.
After tightening things up and refilling and the emergency tiller we turned back north east
at 060 heading for Beaufort again.
Today winds have been light and we even had to motor for about 3 hours. However tonight things
have picked back up and we're making good time.
Today we had yogurt and oat's for breakfast, Hummus and bread and potato salad for lunch, and
for dinner we had beans and rice in tortilla's. We've been eating peanut butter chocolate chip cookies
and oatmeal white chocolate and cranberry cookies as well.
Tonight we all sat on the deck at sunset and watched the storms roll in along the coast. The big clouds
with thunder and lightning as well as the sunset was beautiful. We've not seen much wildlife
except for flying fish