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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:04 pm 
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Site Rank - Deck Hand

Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:00 pm
Posts: 24
Location: O'ahu,Hawaii
Howzit Mates,
Been following your "Trips" thread. Looks awesome. Great runs you guys are getting in. The lunch spot looks classy and having the beach loaded with parked AI's would be impressive. Really enjoying the pics and commentary. Keep up the good work. Our O'ahu group, well two of us,did a Kane'ohe Bay run in Jan.. Hope to get out this weekend, as we get a holiday on Monday. Northshore has been pumping all season and so limited opportunities so far this year. We did get a small Mahi (sailboat)on past Sunday though. Just a note to say Mahalo for the posts and pics. Let's hear it CGM...
Aloha ka'kou,
Leonard


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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 3:46 pm 
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Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:30 am
Posts: 128
Location: AUS: Sydney midweek - Murrumbateman weekends
Leonard, I'm looking forward to your "Sailing around O'ahu" thread. Whilst those big waves are hammering the Windward Coast and North Shore, surely there are still safe launch sites on the South Shore?

Hope you get out this long weekend and have a great AI sail.
Det


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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:23 am 
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Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:30 am
Posts: 128
Location: AUS: Sydney midweek - Murrumbateman weekends
In late afternoon the skies were clear and Seabreeze was predicting 15 kt winds - I wonder what I should do after work this Wednesday evening?

I had my gear already packed on the bike and hoofed it over to WSC to get on the water asap.

I had an incredibly good run through the Harbour Tunnel and around the back of Woolloomoolloo, past CGM's workplace and on to Woolahra. The AI was rigged in record time and rolling down the ramp a little after 17:00.

A NEster was blowing at 15+ kts with a .5m swell running across Rose Bay. Reaching into this to the NW I was saturated in no time flat. I was making better than 8 kts and having a great time - until my cap blew off - great opportunity for "cap overboard" drill. I found that turning the AI in these moderate to high winds and reasonable chop turned out to be quite a challenge, the chop and swell making it difficult to maintain the location of the cap. Nevertheless, evolution successful and cap recovered.

The WSC juniors were out in mirrors for sail coaching, so I figured they deserved some support, so I headed over to the small mirror fleet as the wind gusted 25 and the AI took off in the wrong direction. Rather then releasing the sail I tried to push the boat in the right direction interrupted by a sharp snap and loss of steerage - the grey rudder pin sheered top and bottom and I had a rudder flopping around my transom on its control lines. On this note I furled the sail and crawled onto the luggage rack and over my cart to secure the rudder on the deck bungee. I considered replacing the pin on the water and determined that I could have sat in the luggage rack with my legs around the AI hull to do so. I now know that in an emergency it can be done, albeit with the transom half a foot under water. However, I was less than a mile from the club boat ramp peddling completing the pin replacement exercise on dry land seemed sensible.

15 min later I was on my way again. The gusts had eased off a little, but wind was still at 10-15 kts. I headed west through the twilight racing fleet preparing for their start and on to check out the moonlight cinema in Camp Cove.
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After taking a gander at the Opera House close up, I headed back past Garden Island and Fort Dennison and reached past the Bounty and on to Rose Bay.
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GPS Log
Distance travelled: 7.38 NM
Max Speed: 7.8 kts (sustained), 9.2 kts surge down swell.
Moving Average: 4.1 kts
Time moving: 1hr 47 min
Tine stopped: 7 min (repairing rudder pin)

More stories and photos coming to this space tomorrow


Last edited by okz00k on Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:30 am 
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
Well, after flip flopping about going out on Sunday I'm glad I went. Had a good sail and the best sausage roll. :)

Conditions inside the harbour were pretty good even if overcast and raining at times. Outside the swell was up and I think we made the right decision in not going around to Shelly Beach this trip.

Here's Det playing with the bigger yachts as we approached Balmoral Beach for a lunch stop.
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Young Endeavour had the crew working hard out on the yard arms. I'm sure I heard someing about 'ya scurvy dogs as we sailed past.
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Det graduated from playing with yachts to playing with a Manly Ferry as we rounded Middle Head.
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Rounding Middle Head
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Shark net between us and the rumoured coffee of Parsley Bay. Bit hard for an AI to get over.
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Messing with the big boats out the heads.
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I couldn't beleive we had so much trouble finding a cup of coffee. Watsons Bay I'm lead to believe you have to go up from the beach to the main road and there are a couple of places. Not sure what's at Parsley Bay behind the shark net. I've read reports of good coffee for kayakers able to get past the barrier but I've also read reports that coffee is not to be found there.

Video of some of the day's events...
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PXTIerf30Q[/youtube]
Further invesigation shows Chowder Bay might be the go. Maybe next trip....

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Last edited by Cowsgomoo on Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 9:46 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:30 am
Posts: 88
Location: Seattle, WA and more times than not, Camano Is, WA USA
okzOOk, thanks for the report on your last two sails. You describe your sails, w/pics and gps added, so well, I'm starting to get to know the area. And I swear that NEaster 15+kts blew through my living room as I read about it! :lol:

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:00 am 
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Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2009 8:30 am
Posts: 88
Location: Seattle, WA and more times than not, Camano Is, WA USA
CGM, thanks for adding your descriptions and pics. Great report. Seeing the photos of the shark barrier, I don't know if I could sail in an area where there are known biters beneath me. There are grey whales, orcas, seals and flying salmon in the bay I sail in, but no harmful sharks. Great photos of the large ships.

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:37 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
Fly'n C Lion wrote:
CGM, thanks for adding your descriptions and pics. Great report. Seeing the photos of the shark barrier, I don't know if I could sail in an area where there are known biters beneath me. There are grey whales, orcas, seals and flying salmon in the bay I sail in, but no harmful sharks. Great photos of the large ships.


Hehe, they are around. A guy got bitten on the leg up on the Northern Beaches this morning. Pulled himself out onto a rock and his wife took him to hospital.

Here's a side scan image taken off Rose Bay (just for you Det :D ) the other week. I think there's a resonable chance it could be a shark cruising along the bottom 30m off to my port side. Certainly looks to be a big fish shaped critter anyway.

Image

Regarding the shark net in Parsley bay, I read someplace that it may be taken down during winter. Have to keep an eye open.

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2010 1:48 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:00 pm
Posts: 24
Location: O'ahu,Hawaii
Howzit Guys,
GREAT stuff! Thanks again. Sounds like you know O'ahu. Yes, can always drive somewheres to get a launch but I prefer some company. Got one possible run going on Monday. Probably at Kane'ohe. N/S is set to bomb again this weekend and strangely enough town has a 5' off-season swell too! The tall ships are NICE. Looks like geat sailing. Enjoy, and have a good weekend.
Aloha ka'kou,
Leonard


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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Sun Feb 14, 2010 11:57 am 
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
I've added a video up with my pics....

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 1:39 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:36 am
Posts: 837
Location: Gippsland Lakes Victoria Australia
Cowsgomoo wrote:
I've added a video up with my pics....

Can't see it here - have I missed something :? :roll:

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2016 AI Hibiscus
purchased NEW Nov 2021 - My 5th
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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:13 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 5:02 am
Posts: 817
Location: Sydney - Parramatta
mickeymouse wrote:
Cowsgomoo wrote:
I've added a video up with my pics....

Can't see it here - have I missed something :? :roll:


Kind of hidden. I forgot the "youtube" tags. Here it is again anyway-

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-PXTIerf30Q[/youtube]

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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Tue Feb 16, 2010 6:58 pm 
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Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 4:36 am
Posts: 837
Location: Gippsland Lakes Victoria Australia
Good job on the video CGM :wink:
Made me think of the First Fleet arriving in that fantastic harbour - not that I was actually there at the time :lol:

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2016 AI Hibiscus
purchased NEW Nov 2021 - My 5th
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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Wed Feb 17, 2010 6:17 am 
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Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:30 am
Posts: 128
Location: AUS: Sydney midweek - Murrumbateman weekends
Mirage-less sailing on 17 Feb
I was not intending to sail tonight - I'd left my mirage drive at home, couldn't get away from work early, not much wind predicted - but then as I was crossing the Harbour Bridge a little before 6pm it all looked too inviting. Besides, I had to test my newly glued mast and my new waterproof camera. I was on the ramp before 6:30pm and off sailing downwind pushed along by a 5-10 kt southerly.

Since I did not have my mirage drive or the plug, I figured that taping up the mirage hole might give me a little more speed, so out came the gaffa tape.

I have been dreaming about getting a small compact waterproof camera which I can easily carry in my PFD or spray jacket pocket. My new camera fits the bill. It's a second hand Pentax Optima W60 and it needed to be put through its paces.

Although quite light in Rose Bay, The wind took me to Steel Point in reasonable time. From here I headed towards the southern Wedding Cake countering the twilight sailing fleet just south of their track. Unfortunately on the leeward shore there were plenty of lulls providing opportunity to concentrate on camera operation over sailing.
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As I approached the Wedding Cake the wind picked up and the broad reach to the northern Wedding Cake was great. At this point the AI copped a lot of spray and the mirage well soon had 6" (15cm) of water in it - I had neglected to leave a gap at the back for it to drain. Now the AI bow was spending more time below the water than above. I carry a small tool kit in the fanny pouch behind the seat and pulled out the knife to produce a suitable hole. Reaching at up to 6 kts the venturi actiion drained the mirage well almost instantly. Next time I will remember to leave a 1/2" (12mm) gap in the tape.

From the northern Wedding Cake I sailed past Chowder Bay on a beam reach and then tacked towards Bradley's Head.
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It was now time to head for home tacking into the SSEaster past Shark Island and down Rose Bay.

Trip Log:
Trip distance: 6.43 NM
Max speed: 7.4 kts
Moving average: 3.9 kts
Time moving: 1 hr 36 min
Image Image Image


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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 3:17 am 
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Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:30 am
Posts: 128
Location: AUS: Sydney midweek - Murrumbateman weekends
Twilight Nav Light Test - 24 Feb 2010

The primary objective for this trip was to trial the Kayalite which arrived on the previous Monday, with a secondary objective to trial a new 2mm steamer wet suit.
Image Image Image

I wasn't going to sail this Wednesday, but then a sailing buddy at work dropped by my desk and told me all about his woes and thriumph sailing his VJ in Tuesday competitions. Then the thought of evaluating the Kayalite, which arrived on Monday, came to mind. So with nothing much better to do, I headed off to Woolarha Sailing Club and proceeded to rig the AI for a twilight sail.

Seabreeze was predicting 10 kt ESE winds, so it should be a relaxing evening on the water - and it was.
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As I sailed downwind with a 7-10 kt SSE I crossed paths with the tail end of the Wednesday twilight sailing fleet, crews enjoying a tinnie or three - not too competitive this lot, but obviously enjoying the relaxing evening.

Passing Shark Island the wind turned to an Easterly and I tacked towards the east Wedding Cale and Obelisk Beach, then on to Chowder Bay, whilst the Arcadia went cruising by.
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I knew Chowder Bay 20 years ago when it was the base of the Army's amphibious fleet. The waters immediately around the pier are still military with restricted access, however, most of the land has been handed over to NSW National Parks and the buildings redeployed as fancy restaurants.

As the sun sank below the horizon the sky above cleared and the stars complemented the city lights - a glorious sight from the middle of one of the world's most scenic harbours.

The Kayalite worked a treat. I mounted a small saddle beside the saddle on which the main sheet pulley is located and secured the Kayalite to that. To obstruct the light 90 degrees forward I simply stuch some relatively opawue gaffa tape to the lens. This works well as is. Along with the Kayalite I ordered a spare base to which I attached a port/starboard light. This I then attached to a small saddle which I had fixed just forward of the front hatch. The light and post worked very well. however the base did not sit well straddling the ridge of the kayak - it is going to need a couple of foam wedges on the base to accommodate the ridge. On return to the WSC I got some favourable comments from Mal, the club caretaker, who had been keeping an eye on my progress.
I am now quite satisfied with my navigation lights setup on the AI.

Regarding the wet suit, it proved to be perfectly adequate in the balmy 18 degrees C, however, on attempting to undo the rear zip, the clip on the zip traveller gave way. Luckily Martin was in the change room at the time and was able to help me open the zip and escape the wet suit.

All-in-all another great Wednesday evening on Sydney Harbour.

Trip Log
~~~~~
Distance travelled: 6.15 NM
Top Speed: 6.5 kts
Moving average: 3.4 kts
Time moving: 1hr 39min
Image Image Image


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 Post subject: Re: Trips around Sydney
PostPosted: Thu Feb 25, 2010 6:18 am 
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Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:14 pm
Posts: 3323
Location: South Florida
Great pictures, fellas. Cows--very nice video. Thanks!

Keith

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