Cruising Shot of the Week

"The end of a perfect day in January anchored at Soper’s Hole on Tortola, BVI." Sent in by Bruce Flechter, Augusta, GA

Have a cool cruising shot to share? Send it to us at: comments@cruisingcompass.com.

Welcome to Cruising Compass! Bringing you your weekly fix of news, notes and tips for cruisers and sailors.

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-Your Cruising Editor, Nancy Birnbaum

Dock Talk

Les Sables d'Olonne and Other French Marinas Devastated by Storm



Xynthia, the storm that roared out of the Atlantic over the weekend and battered the coast of Western Europe from Portugal north to the Netherlands, had a confirmed death toll of 62 as of Monday morning. In Les Sables d'Olonne, locals reported massive damage to the docks, some of which have been pushed ashore by massive surges. Yacht have been sunk, dismasted, ended up on land or were impaled. In La Rochelle there was similar damage - trees were uprooted and 30ft high waves surged inland as the storm swept eastwards across the country. Wind speeds of 100 mph were recorded. Read More and see the amazing photos!.

Chile Earthquake May Have Shortened Days on Earth

The massive 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile may have changed the entire Earth's rotation and shortened the length of days on our planet, a NASA scientist said Monday.

The quake, the seventh strongest earthquake in recorded history, hit Chile Saturday and should have shortened the length of an Earth day by 1.26 milliseconds, according to research scientist Richard Gross at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

"Perhaps more impressive is how much the quake shifted Earth's axis," NASA officials said in a Monday update.

The computer model used by Gross and his colleagues to determine the effects of the Chile earthquake effect also found that it should have moved Earth's figure axis by about 3 inches (8 cm or 27 milliarcseconds). From: Space.com. (Ed. Note: Geez! That means less time to enjoy sailing!).



How To Be Prepared When Disaster Strikes

They were adrift on open water for nearly 40 hours after watching their home-away-from-home, a tall ship, get sucked into the ocean. But already, some students rescued last week from the sinking S.V. Concordia are contemplating a return to sailing. One of the rescued students, 17-year-old Keaton Farwell, told reporters that some of the girls aboard the ship had promised to never sail again, but had started to change their minds by the time they arrived safely on Canadian soil. It might seem like a strange reaction for a group of people who narrowly escaped with their lives. Photo: 'Doris Smith embraces her daughter Sarah after she arrived at Kelowna International Airport on Monday. Sarah, 19, of Oliver, B.C., was one of 64 people on board the SV Concordia when it sank off the coast of Brazil last week.' (Daniel Hayduk / CP). MORE: www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/how-to-be-prepared-when-disaster-strikes/article1480991/.

New Sailing Facility Opens in Milwaukee

(February 25, 2010) - The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center has completed its $1.7 million facility at 1450 N. Lincoln Memorial Drive, and staff began to move in today. The project was privately funded with more than 500 people, organizations and companies contributing to develop the new building, which has many environmentally friendly features, including a geothermal system. The Milwaukee Community Sailing Center (MCSC) is a non-profit agency providing educational and recreational sailing programs to the greater Milwaukee community. MORE: www.sailingcenter.org/.

Boater Education To Be Required In North Carolina

As of May 1, boater education certification will be mandatory for those younger than 26 in North Carolina. Beginning in May, anyone younger than 26 operating a vessel powered by a motor of 10 horsepower or greater on a public waterway must meet the requirements for boating safety education. "Those boaters must take and pass a National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA)-approved course before taking the helm or otherwise be in compliance," said Capt. Chris Huebner, the state boating safety coordinator, in a statement. All vessel operators may be asked by law enforcement officers to present a certification card or proof of compliance. From: tradeonlytoday.com.

For a comprehensive list of NASBLA approved boating safety courses, visit www.nasbla.net/courseListing.php.

Meet and Greet With Gary Jobson: The Future of Sailing

US SAILING President Gary Jobson met this past month with Long Island Sound commodores, fleet captains and race officials to talk about the future of sailing. The event was sponsored by the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound (YRA of LIS) and hosted by Manhasset Bay YC and Stamford YC/Indian Harbor YC and attracted just about 200 interested participants. Speaking about yacht clubs, Jobson highlighted the importance of yacht clubs, the role of the club manager, issues facing clubs such as aging membership, declining participation on the water and budget deficit. He mentioned the need for clubs to have a signature event, and the importance of communication, hosting charity events and club-owned fleets. He offered suggestions for growing club membership. Jobson’s plans for US SAILING included visibility and promotion, the need to re-engage yacht clubs (a yacht club summit is planned for early 2011) and making sailing easy.

For a summary of his presentation and to review Jobson’s long range planning for both US SAILING and yacht clubs, please visit www.yralis.org From: PortWashingtonNews.com.

Club Nautico Scarlino Presents the 2010 Racing Season

The Club Nautico Scarlino has scheduled 65 days of racing to take place in 2010. The season has already kicked off, with the X-35 and Audi Melges 20 Winter Championship and two match races held in January and February. Next up, the Volvo Cup Melges 24, one of the most competitive one-design circuits organized in Europe (9-11 April), followed by the fourth edition of the Memorial Giorgio Falck for Swan 45s (15-18 April) are just two among the many planned events. The culminating event of the 2010 season will take place after the summer break. The X-Yachts Gold Cup, scheduled from August 29th to September 5th is organized in collaboration with the Yacht Club Italiano and X-Yachts Italy. This race will attract about 120 yachts from all over Europe , and will include the X-35 World Championship and the X-41 European Championship. Photo: Audi Melges 20 Sailing Series with the town of Scarlino as a backdrop / Borlenghi B-Plan.



Hyde Flying Moth Debuts in Dubai

The International Moth worlds is due to start in Dubai in a week’s time, and over the winter the Hyde team has been working hard developing a new version of their winning mainsail design.

A keen Moth sailor himself, Hyde Sails’ Technical Director Mike Lennon explains: “With such an early world championship In Dubai this March, we wanted to move our Nationals-winning 2a design forward over the winter. However, the weather to date has not been kind and this has only allowed three iterations of the design. The development is further complicated by the need for three different luff curves. The 2a design is very much based on masts from the more flexible end of the spectrum and our winter program was very much aimed towards the stiffer end.” From: yachtsandyachting.com. MORE: www.yachtsandyachting.com/news/?article=150576.

Tech Talk

New Design for Viking Liferafts Sure to Make Them Standout



After conducting extensive tests to find the color that was easiest to spot in all weather conditions at sea, Viking Life-Saving Equipment found that a particular shade of fluorescent yellow made a clear difference. The company's latest RescYou™ line revolutionizes liferaft visibility and enhances safety and comfort levels, while helping rescue teams identify rafts more quickly from farther distances. High-Visibility Norm EN471 certified for traffic visibility, the fluorescent yellow canopy provides an unmatched contrast to the greys and dark blues of the ocean. The bright color also improves visibility in bad weather and fog. Perfect for cruising and short international voyages, the RescYou liferaft has a new port for better cross-ventilation and view of the horizon. The RescYou Coastal is designed for coastal or inland trips near rescue points. MORE: viking-life.com/viking.nsf.



Tacktick Wireless Entry Level Speed / Depth Instruments

New low-cost, easy-to-install, 12-volt Entry Level wireless speed and depth instruments from Tacktick are designed for new and retrofits on boats up to 35ft. The waterproof displays feature large 38mm readouts and backlighting for night use. For retrofitting, stand-alone Entry Level Depth and Speed systems and a combined Entry Level Speed / Depth System (with two displays) can also be installed on boats already equipped with Airmar speed or depth transducers. MORE: www.tacktick.com.

Cool Things To Do

Waterway Cleanup in South Florida

Join the Marine Industries Assoc of South Florida (MIASF )“Where Green Meets Blue” at 33rd Annual Waterway Cleanup Saturday, March 6. The event is organized and sponsored by the Marine Industries Association of South Florida (MIASF) with support from local businesses, government agencies and civic organizations. Waterway Cleanup is a one-day event that attracts 2,000 – 3,000 volunteers and 100 boats throughout South Florida to clean up the waterways in Broward County. At each location from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., participants will receive cleanup instructions, garbage bags, complimentary T-shirts while supplies last. Participants who come by boat will also receive a free captain’s kit and a commemorative Waterway Cleanup 2010 Boat Flag. MORE: www.miasf.org/waterwaycleanup.htm.

BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival - March 29-April 4

Over 100 racing yachts are expected to compete in the April 2 to 4 BVI Spring Regatta, which follows the three-day Sailing Festival, a low-key warm-up to the main event. "In the exotic, big and sexy department we have word that a number of new boats will be joining us," says Linda Phillips, press director. Bella Pita, a Trip 75 with a deep lifting keel complimented by 1250 liters of seawater ballast; Ran 2, a 72-footer owned by Skype founder, Niklas Zennstrom; and Titan 15, Tom Hill's new Reichel Pugh 75, are a few of the new entries. "The big boats will be doing a lot of island touring with all of the classes having a say in what types of courses they sail," says Phillips. New this year, are the addition of the BVI Windsurfing Championship; the International Yacht Club Challenge, where yacht clubs from around the world are invited to send teams; and an additional Performance Cruiser class. The BVI Spring Regatta is a Clean Regatta, registered with the Clean Regatta Certification Program of Sailors for the Sea. MORE: www.bvispringregatta.org.

Inaugural Parasailor Regatta Scheduled for Tampa Bay



The world’s first all Parasailor regatta will be held on Saturday, April 3rd in Tampa Bay, Florida. This unique 3-race event will mark the first time in history that all boats competing in the same race will use Parasailor spinnakers.

Organized by Sailtime Tampa Bay, the Parasailor USA Regatta is designed to highlight the advantages of the Parasailor sail, while helping everyone sharpen their racing and sail-handling skills. The main emphasis of the event is fun, so sailors of all skill levels are encouraged to participate. Veteran racing instructors will be on-hand to make sure everyone is having fun and learning something. The event is open to everyone. The cost is $250 per person. This includes a guaranteed crew position onboard one of the four yachts that will be flying the Parasailor sail. Food, fun and frivolity is also included for the price. MORE:http://parasailorinauguralregatta.shutterfly.com/worldsfirstparasailorregatta.



11th Annual Blackbeard Pirate Festival Returns to Hampton, Virginia

This July 9-11, 2010, the coastal seaport city of Hampton, Virginia will celebrate its 400th Anniversary during a weekend of planned activities, each showcasing Hampton’s rich heritage and highlighting the city’s importance in the shaping of our nation’s history. One of these special events will come in the form of a festival, commemorating the demise of Hampton’s most infamous visitor, Captain Edward Teach, a.k.a. Blackbeard the Pirate. During the later part of the 1600’s and early 1700’s, pirates roamed the coastal waters of Virginia and North Carolina in search of ships laden with tobacco and other goods. The marauders terrorized waterways and unsuspecting cargo ships, capturing goods, sailors and ships. Captain Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard the Pirate, was the most daunting of these menacing outlaws. Beginning July 9- 11, roughly 50,000 seafaring attendees, as well as Blackbeard and his crew, will once again invade downtown Hampton in search of booty during the 11th annual Blackbeard Pirate Festival! Interact with Blackbeard (personified by first person interpreter Ben Cherry) and more than 100 other authentically costumed pirate re-enactors as they run rampant on the cobblestone streets of America’s oldest continuously English speaking settlement. Photo courtesy of blackbeardpiratefestival.com. MORE: www.blackbeardpiratefestival.com.

Boat Rat's Tip of the Week

Top 10 Tips: Dumb Things NOT to Do Aboard Your Sailboat!

• #10. Sail into a harbor with the spinnaker up (looks really cool, unless you can't get it down).
• #9. Leave harbor with the sailcover on and the anchor stowed.
• #8. Get the dinghy painter wrapped around the prop.
• #7. Release a rope clutch without first taking turns around a winch.
• #6. Make a flying leap onto a dock.
• #5. Fend off another boat with your hands or your feet.
• #4. Anchor without first checking the chart (tied with Forget to secure the bitter end of the anchor rode).
• #3. Go coastal cruising without paper charts.
• #2. Go sailing without checking the weather forecast.
• #1. Forget to open the cooling-water seacock before starting the engine.

Cruising Community

Rag of the Air SSB Net Loses Its Chief

Jim Bandy has announced that he is "giving up" The Rag of the Air SSB Net. The "Rag" is the best SSB net for Fiji is on 8173 KHz at 7am local (1900z) was run by Bandy for the past 10 years.

Jim and Kyoko Bandy aboard ALSO II, arrived in the Lau Island Group of Fiji in December of 2001 and began one of the toughest ongoing humanitarian projects in these parts. In May of 2002, the village granted the Bandys' the island Qaraicikobia (a small island just off shore from the main island and village) for their home, and accepted them as part of the village. Read the Story online at BWS.com.

Schooner Liberty Just Returned From Relief Voyage to Haiti



"On January 12th, Haiti was rocked by a devastating earthquake. The death toll is expected to exceed 300 000 people. Most of the population is homeless and in great need of assistance. After seeing the effects of the earthquake, the crew of the schooner Liberty decided to see if there was something we could do. In 8 days, the crew, linked up with several non-profit organizations, acquired 10 000 lbs of relief supplies, and made all the necessary arrangements for a 2000nm ocean voyage. The original intent of the schooner had always been relief missions, and now with the schooner located in Miami, and with an experienced crew, who had done relief missions in the past, we were ideally situated to bring aid and comfort to the people of Haiti." Read more of the Log of the Schooner Liberty at www.sailblogs.com/member/libertyschooner/. Photos courtesy of Liberty Schooner.

World Cruising Club President to Speak at Ocean Sailing Seminar in Annapolis

The Cruising Rally Association is pleased to announce that Andrew Bishop, President of the World Cruising Club will join the list of featured speakers on the Ocean Sailing Seminar agenda, March 20-21 in Annapolis, MD. Bishop will discuss cruising opportunities in the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) and the World Arc.

“Nothing you can do will better prepare you for an fun and safe offshore adventure to faraway places like than an intensive, highly practical two-day Ocean Sailing Seminar,” said Steve Black, Founder and President of the Cruising Rally Association. “With planning, practice, and a bit of ingenuity, offshore passages can be a great adventure for all on board. With the addition of Andrew to the agenda, we can help attendees plan cruising opportunities beyond the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Caribbean.”

The Cruising Rally Association, founded by veteran solo sailor and sailing event organizer Steve Black, is widely supported by a number of leading companies. These include Davenport and Company, Nanny Cay Resort and Marina, LLC, West Marine, Blue Water Sailing Magazine, Switlik, ICOM, and World Cruising Club. For more information, and to sign up for this excellent seminar, go to www.carib1500.com.



ARC Set to be the Most Popular Rally Yet as World Cruising Club Signs Up 200th Entry

The 25th ARC set to be the most popular rally yet as World Cruising Club signs up the 200th entry. Interest in the 25th edition of the Atlantic Rally for Cruisers (ARC) has been 'astonishing' say the event organizers, Cowes based World Cruising Club. The popular transatlantic cruising rally achieved its 200th entry today, almost three months ahead of previous years.

Commenting on the popularity of the 25th ARC, Managing Director of World Cruising Club, Andrew Bishop, said: "In its 25 year history, the ARC has become the "must-do" event on the cruising calendar, however interest in the ARC 2010 has been truly astonishing and we have already welcomed our 200th entry. I urge any owners interested for 2010 to contact us whilst we still have places available."

Due to space restrictions in Las Palmas marina at the start of the rally, ARC 2010 currently has an upper limit of 215 yachts, which is likely to be reached shortly. MORE: www.worldcruising.com.

All You Ever Wanted To Know About Fiberglass Repair

Check out this new book and it just may change your mind about making that next fiberglass repair a DYI job and save you from having to call in the professionals.

Fiberglass Boat Repairs Illustrated, Cosmetic and Structural Repairs for Sail-and Powerboat Hulls and Decks, is a comprehensive guide to making repairs to a fiberglass boat and how to finish and paint those repairs. Written by Roger Marshall, winner of numerous awards for marine technical and magazine, discusses such topics as:

1. How a fiberglass boat is built, identifying hull damage

2. Materials, tools and basic techniques; gelcoat restoration;

3. Making minor repairs

4. Making major repairs

5. Hull, keel and rudder fairing

6. Identifying and making osmosis repairs and

7. Finishing and painting a repair job.

The book also includes step-by-step color photo guidance for repairing and renewing fiberglass boats.

Marshall is an accomplished yacht designer, competitive sailor, and author of 12 yachting books. After designing for the renowned firm of Sparkman / Stephens, he established his own design company, where he has designed sailboats and powerboats from 15 to 65 feet. This entry-level guide uses full-color, step-by-step photo sequences and line drawings to present you with the basics in an easily digested form. You will learn how to:

• Save money and time doing your own fiberglass repairs
• Improve the value, appearance, and safety of your boat
• Work with materials such as polyester, epoxy, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and core materials
• Fix annoying leaks; repair cracks; restore gelcoat; fabricate new components

Fiberglass Boat Repairs Illustrated is published by International Marine/McGraw-Hill. It's a paperback of some 192 pages, and it sells for just US $24.95. Visit the Books on Blue Water Sailing page to buy your copy today.

Cruising Green

New Fixed Wing Sail Coming Soon To A Commuter Ferry



Could a new twist on ancient technology that helped propel the BMW Oracle racing team to victory in the recent America's Cup be coming to a commute near you?

If Jay Gardner's Napa-based startup Wind+Wing can catch a breeze, it may well do so.

Gardner, whose Adventure Cat Sailing Charters catamarans take tourists out on the Bay, has drawn up plans for a double-hulled ferry boat with a fixed "wing sail" that looks similar in design to the one on BMW Oracle Racing's world-beating trimaran. The sails, made of carbon composite materials, would more closely resemble aircraft wings than the canvas rigging of standard sailboats. While the ferry would still have engines, assistance from wind power could cut energy costs by 40 percent -- which has the Blue and Gold Fleet, which operates many ferry routes on San Francisco Bay, open to the idea. Gardner has signed up noted boating engineers Morrelli and Melvin Design / Engineering of Huntington Beach (Orange County) to work on the vessel's design. Wind+Wing envisions a single-deck catamaran hull with two sails. If financing comes through, Gardner plans to build a small demonstration version of his vessel next year, letting the local ferry operators see how well it works on their routes. A full passenger ferry capable of hauling 300 people or more could be ready in 2015. From: sfgate.com and nbcbayarea.com. Photo: 'Artist's renderings of the "wind-assisted" ferryboat entrepreneur Jay Gardner wants to build.' / Morrelli and Melvin Design.

Website of the Week

http://www.activecaptain.com/articles/mobilePhones/intro.php

Using a Mobile Phone Aboard Your Boat

ActiveCaptain Founder, Jeffrey Siegel has posted a comprehensive article on using mobile phones on board. Learn about which phones offer what, how to boost your signal, how to connect to a laptop and much more!

For the Hungry Crew...

Do you have a favorite cruising recipe? Send us your recipes and if we use them in the Cruising Compass, you will receive a a Blue Water Sailing logo hat! Keep them short, include a photo if you like and send it to us at: comments@cruisingcompass.com.

MIndbender

Up the River Without A Paddle

Despite heroic efforts to avoid it, you have run your yacht up onto a reef. There's no way off, except for a tow. Do you accept help from just anyone? And more importantly, How do you avoid salvage claims on your boat?

Send your answers to comments@cruisingcompass.com. A winner—who will receive a Blue Water Sailing hat—will be selected at random from all of the correct answers.

• Congrats to Bob Fritz. His solution to the Time Warp Mindbender was chosen (at random) from all the correct answers we received.
  
  "The sun transits 15 degrees of longitude in 1 hour. The Prime Meridian is 0 degrees by definition and is the center of time zone 0. As the Prime Meridian runs through Greenwich, England, 0 time has been designated Greenwich Mean Time or GMT. Each time zone is 15 degrees, so plus 1 hour is 7.5 degrees W to 22.5 degrees W. Traveling east you would advance your clock 1 hour each time you crossed a time zone boundary. For example, when you crossed the meridian at 22.5 degrees, you would add 1 hour to your local time.”