sailing classes?

We've been asked many times about how we became interested in sailing. For me, I was introduced to sailing by my friend "Ace" in the early 70's. We would haul the trailer-able SC18 about 90 miles to the lake, launch and sail until the wind died. Swimming quelled the heat, and cheese and Triscuits with "Collins ala Reggie" kept body and soul together until the wind returned for the sail back. My first sailboat was a gift from Ace. His Dad built it in the early 50's. It was a 12 foot plywood boat with no mast, no boom, no sail, no rudder and no centerboard. It did have, however, a significant hole in the bottom created by an errant backhoe. This, by the way, is additional proof of the adage "if you have to feed it or paint it, it is not a gift". Thanks, Ace! Once resurrected, it entered its first "race", the Hamilton (Montana, not Bermuda) Yacht Club's Mother's Day Regatta, held each year on Father's Day at Lake Como (Montana, not Italy). My faithful and fearless crew was my 3 yr old son. Ben hated his Lord Fauntleroy life jacket but loved sailing with Dad more. His job was to ride in the bow and make sure we didn't run into anything. We didn't, and he still loves sailing, even though we had to be towed back after the home made (of used plywood) rudder ripped off at the tiller and floated away. Flash forward through many years learning to sail by the seat of the pants. Yes, Ace was involved. Barbara and I decided we wanted to take sailing lessons. Goals? If we had learned things incorrectly, we wanted to learn the "correct" seaman-like ways. We also wanted certification to bare-boat charter. Lastly, we wanted to learn how to retrieve a crew overboard. During the overboard training, it was pointed out that I had more strength than Barbara who is half my size. I also had more knowledge of rigging, etc., (2 times nothing still isn't much) and therefor, if something went wrong, I was most likely to have to leave the cockpit to deal with the problem. This means I am most likely to be the crew member to go overboard. I developed a whole new level of desire for Barbara to gain skills in crew retrieval. And, for the rest of my life, I must make sure she wants to! (sorry. Had to take a brief break to deliver her second cup of morning coffee in bed, with a teaspoon of old fashioned molasses stirred in) Our experience gained in sailing classes opened the door to many great adventures such as: crewing from Key West to the Dry Tortuga's, crewing from St. Helens down the Columbia River to Astoria and then on to Newport, OR, and under the Golden Gate bridge at daybreak; 2 weeks chartering, just the two of us, in the British Virgin Islands; chartering with friends in Majorca, Spain; a return trip to the BVIs on a 45 ft catamaran with family and friends: 2 1/2 weeks in the Royal Kingdom of Tonga followed by sailing as crew for 1400+ miles to New Zealand with a stop at North Minerva Reef; sailing our own boats from Santa Barbara, CA, to Catalina Island, from Fort Lauderdale to Pensacola, from Pensacola to New Orleans and back, from Pensacola to Tarpon Springs and back, and from Pensacola to Baltimore over 2000 miles. Along the way we've met many wonder folks, notably Tom and Bobbie Vandiver and friends in Pensacola and Craig and Barbara Johnston aboard SV "Sequoia". What triggered all this verbal diarrhea? Most of our adventures have been triggered by learning to sail and taking sailing related courses. I heartily recommend taking a hands-on course. I also recommend taking other study courses. NauticEd.org provides on-line courses at great prices. Right now, you can take a course of your choosing for $6.99. No, I do not have any business interest in NauticEd, but I am taking a course there and I am interested in promoting anything related to sailing. NauticEd – the online sailing education and certification company. The classes are very thorough and well presented. Right now they are running a special of $6.99 for any one class normal prices are $39. Check it out. The special is only up for another day or so. Go to http://www.nauticed.org and register for any class when they ask for a promocode enter – crazy699for1000 - lower case all one word. Pick a course on something which tickles your fancy. Who knows what our (or your) next adventure may be? By the way, please let me know if you would rather not receive these emails about our adventures. I'll remove you from the list! Reggie Reggie Good CLU, LUTCF, ChFC Reginald J Good Agency 135 Clothier Lane PO Box 654 Lakeside, MT 59922-0654 406-844-3143 1-800-823 LIFE(5433) fax: 406-844-3191 website www.Insurance-Solutions.biz email: Re… [at] Insurance-Solutions.biz

Reggie, Nice read and informative. I'm going to check out your links: when you quit finding things to learn it's time to die! Always keep me on any list or blog that you and your lovely bride find time for. Wilkie On Sep 2, 2010, at 7:47 AM, r good wrote: > > > We've been asked many times about how we became interested in > sailing. For me, I was introduced to sailing by my friend "Ace" in > the early 70's. We would haul the trailer-able SC18 about 90 miles > to the lake, launch and sail until the wind died. Swimming quelled > the heat, and cheese and Triscuits with "Collins ala Reggie" kept > body and soul together until the wind returned for the sail back. > > My first sailboat was a gift from Ace. His Dad built it in the > early 50's. It was a 12 foot plywood boat with no mast, no boom, no > sail, no rudder and no centerboard. It did have, however, a > significant hole in the bottom created by an errant backhoe. This, > by the way, is additional proof of the adage "if you have to feed it > or paint it, it is not a gift". Thanks, Ace! > > (snip) > > >

I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning on the boat this fall. Any advice on: 1. Brand to go with 2. Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. Thanks, Darr LaFon Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 Annapolis, MD

Darr, when you do it, can I come watch? Cheers Charlie Annapolis From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Darr LaFon Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 3:41 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning on the boat this fall. Any advice on: 1. Brand to go with 2. Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. Thanks, Darr LaFon Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 Annapolis, MD

Hi Darr, I thought I saw some time ago you were selling the boat. I have been planning an installation myself. The last time I hauled I had a water intake through hull installed. My next door slip neighbor is also a 33-2, just three serial numbers from mine. His boat had A/C on it when he bought it. He has a 12K BTU unit mounted under the port side of the v-berth close to the hanging locker bulkhead. The intake air grill is in the vertical wall of the v-berth and all the ducts (one into the v-berth, one into the main cabin) run in the hanging locker. The thermostat is on the main cabin side of the hanging locker bulkhead. I've been looking at Mermaid, trying to decide between a 12K and 16K BTU unit. Al --- On Sun, 7/31/11, Darr LaFon <da… [at] verizon.net> wrote: From: Darr LaFon <da… [at] verizon.net> Subject: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Sunday, July 31, 2011, 3:41 PM I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning on the boat this fall. Any advice on: Brand to go with Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. Thanks, Darr LaFon Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 Annapolis, MD

After having installed several marine air conditioning units, I suggest spending a lot of time planning. -Best location for the unit -Ducting and air flow -Cooling water pump supply and discharge -Electrical current requirements -Unit size for your boat Install & enjoy! The summer we toured the Chesapeake, crossing from Deltaville to Solomons, it was hot, no wind, the stinky menhadden boats were out and so were the house flies. Since we have an 8KW genset driven off our main engine, we retreated into the pilothouse, turned on the air conditioning and enjoyed the trip. Love our Cal 46! Tom Vandiver, Bayou Chico From: "Husar, Charlie [USA] (ASE)" <hu… [at] bah.com> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 7:09 PM Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning Darr, when you do it, can I come watch? Cheers Charlie Annapolis From:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Darr LaFon Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 3:41 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning on the boat this fall. Any advice on: 1. Brand to go with 2. Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. Thanks, Darr LaFon Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 Annapolis, MD

We have a 24K unit that is installed in two separate places. The compressor is aft of the rudder post. The water pump is under the aft quarter berth and has a Y-valve to draw off of the engine through hull so it was not necessary to put another hole in the boat. The coolant lines run from the compressor under the ice box and up to the V-berth where the blower is installed. The blower vents to a large vent toward the main cabin off the hanging locker while a smaller vent blows toward the V-berth. The thermostat is mounted about a foot below the vent in the main salon. Putting the compressor this far back in the boat keeps the noise level in the cabin very low. This unit kept the boat cool in August in Houston and warm through all winters there. In New Jersey and on the Chesapeake the unit stopped working when the water temps dropped below 40 degrees fahrenheit. That is when we installed the diesel fired fireplace on the bulkhead next to the mast on the starboard side. We had the AC unit professionally installed when we bought the boat. I put the diesel heater in myself. Don Dutton, 1986 Cal 33-2, "Quantum Evolution" "Twenty Years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ........Mark Twain From: Al Waschka <aw… [at] bellsouth.net> To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Sent: Sun, July 31, 2011 7:53:51 PM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning (Darr) Hi Darr, I thought I saw some time ago you were selling the boat. I have been planning an installation myself. The last time I hauled I had a water intake through hull installed. My next door slip neighbor is also a 33-2, just three serial numbers from mine. His boat had A/C on it when he bought it. He has a 12K BTU unit mounted under the port side of the v-berth close to the hanging locker bulkhead. The intake air grill is in the vertical wall of the v-berth and all the ducts (one into the v-berth, one into the main cabin) run in the hanging locker. The thermostat is on the main cabin side of the hanging locker bulkhead. I've been looking at Mermaid, trying to decide between a 12K and 16K BTU unit. Al --- On Sun, 7/31/11, Darr LaFon <da… [at] verizon.net> wrote: >From: Darr LaFon <da… [at] verizon.net> >Subject: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning >To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com >Date: Sunday, July 31, 2011, 3:41 PM > > > >I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning >on the boat this fall. > > >Any advice on: > > 1. Brand to go with > 2. Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but >looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in >front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. > > > >Thanks, > >Darr LaFon >Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 >Annapolis, MD >

Darr, One of our sisterships had the AC installed shortly after we moved to our marina. They relocated the batteries, and extended the settee to the mast providing additional room for the compressor/air exchanger. This allowed them to provide cooling into the main cabin and run a vent thru the head behind the toilet and into the v-birth. I though this install was well done, utilizing the space available. I do not know where the batteries were relocated. But with the new AGMs I think they went to a rear port lazarette, thru hulls were probably in he v-berth without the others John Raxter Venture Construction 336-210-8073 (m) On Aug 1, 2011, at 1:16 PM, Donald Dutton <dn… [at] sbcglobal.net> wrote: > We have a 24K unit that is installed in two separate places. The compressor is aft of the rudder post. The water pump is under the aft quarter berth and has a Y-valve to draw off of the engine through hull so it was not necessary to put another hole in the boat. The coolant lines run from the compressor under the ice box and up to the V-berth where the blower is installed. The blower vents to a large vent toward the main cabin off the hanging locker while a smaller vent blows toward the V-berth. The thermostat is mounted about a foot below the vent in the main salon. Putting the compressor this far back in the boat keeps the noise level in the cabin very low. > > This unit kept the boat cool in August in Houston and warm through all winters there. In New Jersey and on the Chesapeake the unit stopped working when the water temps dropped below 40 degrees fahrenheit. That is when we installed the diesel fired fireplace on the bulkhead next to the mast on the starboard side. > > We had the AC unit professionally installed when we bought the boat. I put the diesel heater in myself. > > Don Dutton, 1986 Cal 33-2, "Quantum Evolution" > > "Twenty Years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." ........Mark Twain > > > From: Al Waschka <aw… [at] bellsouth.net> > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > Sent: Sun, July 31, 2011 7:53:51 PM > Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning (Darr) > > > Hi Darr, > > I thought I saw some time ago you were selling the boat. > > I have been planning an installation myself. The last time I hauled I had a water intake through hull installed. > My next door slip neighbor is also a 33-2, just three serial numbers from mine. His boat had A/C on it when he bought it. He has a 12K BTU unit mounted under the port side of the v-berth close to the hanging locker bulkhead. The intake air grill is in the vertical wall of the v-berth and all the ducts (one into the v-berth, one into the main cabin) run in the hanging locker. The thermostat is on the main cabin side of the hanging locker bulkhead. > > I've been looking at Mermaid, trying to decide between a 12K and 16K BTU unit. > > Al > > --- On Sun, 7/31/11, Darr LaFon <da… [at] verizon.net> wrote: > > From: Darr LaFon <da… [at] verizon.net> > Subject: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning > To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com > Date: Sunday, July 31, 2011, 3:41 PM > > > I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning on the boat this fall. > > > > Any advice on: > > > > Brand to go with > Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. > > > > > Thanks, > > > > Darr LaFon > > Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 > > Annapolis, MD > > > >

On 8/1/2011 8:30 PM, jr… [at] triad.rr.com wrote: > Darr, > > One of our sisterships had the AC installed shortly after we moved to > our marina. They relocated the batteries, and extended the settee to > the mast providing additional room for the compressor/air exchanger. > This allowed them to provide cooling into the main cabin and run a > vent thru the head behind the toilet and into the v-birth. > One thing that always disturbs me about boat air conditioning is that most boats are extremely poorly insulated. It's because they are mostly fair-weather devices, and also because the most common structural material, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, doesn't have a lot of inherent insulating quality. Sometimes the addition of coring improves matters a little. But basically, cooling a boat is like running one of those refrigerators from the 1950s, when electricity was expected to be free and efficiency didn't matter. Has anybody added insulation to improve the cooling efficiency of their boats? Or maybe use a cover, like a tent fly, to reduce solar heating of the deck? I don't even have air conditioning in my house, much less my boats, so this is just a matter of curiosity, except that I do worry about rising costs at the marina where my other boat lives. Chris Campbell

Insulation- We used a closed cell foam insulation under the main deck aft, over the main living area. All of our lockers are also insulated. Awnings-We put a spinnaker pole from about 4' above the pilot house top to the forestay. Then we hang a tent shaped sunbrella cover from the mast forward. This reduces pilot house temp about 10 degrees. When motoring or anchored, we have an awning that stretches from to mast aft to the radar arch. This also helps reduce the interior temp. Air conditioning- We never needed a/c in So Cal or cruising Mexico. When we returned to the states, Mobile, AL, and the hot humid WX, we put a window unit in the main companion way. It cooled the boat okay, but was a PITA to crawl over.I removed one of the side pilot house port lights, (window) and installed it there. It looked like caca, but worked well. I took it out before we left for the Caribbean in 1993. Cruising down there was okay due to constant trade winds. When we got to Trinidad, it was not so pleasant. WE got paid to deliver a 83'Berger to FtL, so bought a "Carry On" a/c unit and checked it as baggage when we flew back. I installed it over the main saloon hatch and it cooled the whole boat. We sold it in June 1995 when we left Trinidad. After we got back to Pensacola and I began working part time for West Marine, I bought a new 12,000 BTU unit and installed it properly. Since I did not want to put a hole in the side of the boat, I ran a 3/4" discharge hose to the transom. This worked fine, however, the hose is partially clogged with barnacles and stuff, so I must replace it. The "marine" grade 120 volt pumps only lasted us about one year. We were living aboard and running the a/c about 8 months each year, heating and cooling. After a few years and several replacement pumps, I installed it with wing nuts on a plywood board that came out easily. I also found that WW Grainger had an adequate pump for about 1/2 WM Associate price. Anyone want the model #, let me know. Tom, Cal Cruising 46, Bayou Chico, FL From: Chris Campbell <cc… [at] lsnm.org> To: "Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com" <Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, August 2, 2011 8:26 AM Subject: Re: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning (Darr) On 8/1/2011 8:30 PM, jr… [at] triad.rr.com wrote: >Darr, > > >One of our sisterships had the AC installed shortly after we moved to our marina. They relocated the batteries, and extended the settee to the mast providing additional room for the compressor/air exchanger. This allowed them to provide cooling into the main cabin and run a vent thru the head behind the toilet and into the v-birth. > > One thing that always disturbs me about boat air conditioning is that most boats are extremely poorly insulated. It's because they are mostly fair-weather devices, and also because the most common structural material, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, doesn't have a lot of inherent insulating quality. Sometimes the addition of coring improves matters a little. But basically, cooling a boat is like running one of those refrigerators from the 1950s, when electricity was expected to be free and efficiency didn't matter. Has anybody added insulation to improve the cooling efficiency of their boats? Or maybe use a cover, like a tent fly, to reduce solar heating of the deck? I don't even have air conditioning in my house, much less my boats, so this is just a matter of curiosity, except that I do worry about rising costs at the marina where my other boat lives. Chris Campbell

We use one of the cruizeaire drop in during the hot NC summers. A boom tent shades the main cabin and I have a tent for the foredeck. Without these, the AC cannot keep up on the 90+ degree days. Then we stay at the pool to keep cool. John Raxter Venture Construction 336-210-8073 (m) On Aug 2, 2011, at 8:26 AM, Chris Campbell <cc… [at] lsnm.org> wrote: > On 8/1/2011 8:30 PM, jr… [at] triad.rr.com wrote: > >> >> Darr, >> >> One of our sisterships had the AC installed shortly after we moved to our marina. They relocated the batteries, and extended the settee to the mast providing additional room for the compressor/air exchanger. This allowed them to provide cooling into the main cabin and run a vent thru the head behind the toilet and into the v-birth. >> > > One thing that always disturbs me about boat air conditioning is that most boats are extremely poorly insulated. It's because they are mostly fair-weather devices, and also because the most common structural material, fiberglass-reinforced plastic, doesn't have a lot of inherent insulating quality. Sometimes the addition of coring improves matters a little. But basically, cooling a boat is like running one of those refrigerators from the 1950s, when electricity was expected to be free and efficiency didn't matter. > > Has anybody added insulation to improve the cooling efficiency of their boats? Or maybe use a cover, like a tent fly, to reduce solar heating of the deck? > > I don't even have air conditioning in my house, much less my boats, so this is just a matter of curiosity, except that I do worry about rising costs at the marina where my other boat lives. > > Chris Campbell > >

Sure Charlie, We should get together this fall. Where do you tie up your Cal 25? Darr _____ From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Husar, Charlie [USA] (ASE) Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 8:09 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: RE: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning Darr, when you do it, can I come watch? Cheers Charlie Annapolis From: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com [mailto:Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Darr LaFon Sent: Sunday, July 31, 2011 3:41 PM To: Ca… [at] yahoogroups.com Subject: [Cal_Boats] Marine Air Conditioning I am going to bite the bullet and install water cooled marine air conditioning on the boat this fall. Any advice on: 1. Brand to go with 2. Do it myself or pay for installation. (I can do the installation, but looking at time, (difficulty, damage to self/ego, frustration, foul language in front of kids, etc) versus paying someone to do it. Thanks, Darr LaFon Alcyone II, 1986 Cal 33-2 Annapolis, MD