This is what cruising kids do with a little free time in the BVI! Thanks to Carol Connor for this great shot.

Do you have cool shots from your cruising adventures? Send them to me at cruisingcompass@bwsailing.com.

Just Sail It

We gingerly motored out of the marina in Friday Harbor, set the main and shut down the engine just a few boat lengths from the entrance. That was the most the engine moved us forward for the next 75 or so miles. 13 hours later, Jill sailed us into the marina in Seattle and I dropped the main and worked the dock lines as we glided to a stop in our slip.

The issue was, half of our folding prop had fallen off a few days prior and I wanted to haul the boat in Seattle to put the new one on. Sailing was our only option and with a favorable forecast, it wasn’t a bad one. I figured that if we sailed fast enough to hit all the currents at the right time it wouldn’t be a problem. And it wasn’t. We sailed fast averaging 5.5 knots and the trip turned out to be a great time, with beautiful conditions. I guess, sometimes engines are just overrated.

Enjoy this week’s edition.

The Romarin II had been chartered and was enroute to Quebec, Canada from the Caribbean when it became demasted and disabled.

A Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod HU-25 Falcon jet crew immediately launched and located the Romarin II. The falcon crew dropped a self-locating datum marker buoy and radio to the crew, but was unable to establish communications.

The Coast Guard contacted Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System vessels in the area to assist. The 1,105-foot motor vessel MSC Chicago was approximately 30 miles away and responded.

The MSC Chicago arrived on scene at 9:30 p.m. and safely rescued the four sailors. The sailors will continue to the MSC Chicago’s next port-of-call in Gioia Taruo, Italy, where they will be able to return to Canada.

There were no injuries reported.

“The AMVER program is an excellent example of the strong partnerships between the commercial shipping community and the Coast Guard,” said Benjamin Strong, director of AMVER Maritime Relations. “AMVER participating ships rescue, on average, one person every day and the crew of the MSC Chicago lived up to the motto of the AMVER system ‘That no call for help shall go unanswered.”

AMVER, sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea.

With AMVER, rescue coordinators can identify participating ships in the area of distress and divert the best-suited ship or ships to respond. Vessels send periodic position reports to the AMVER center until arriving at their port of call. This data is able to project the position of each ship at any point during its voyage. In an emergency, any rescue coordination center can request this data to determine the relative position of AMVER ships near the distress location. On any day there are over 5,000 ships available to carry out search and rescue services. Visit http://www.amver.com to learn more about this unique worldwide search and rescue system.

Weather on scene was 10-foot seas with 15-to-20 knot winds. Water temperature was 46 degrees and air temperature was 51 degrees.

The 1st Coast Guard District covers from New Jersey to Canada with search and rescue duties extending approximately 1,300 miles from shore. Units across the Northeast conduct more than 2,500 search and rescue cases in a year, and rescue more than 300 people. The Coast Guard and a good Samaritan crew rescued four sailors approximately 350 miles southeast of Cape Cod, Mass., at approximately 9:30 p.m., Sunday.

Courtesy of www.capecodtoday.com

Last summer’s inaugural Seattle Pink Boat Regatta, held on Shilshole Bay, drew around 50 boats and raised $36,000 for breast cancer research.

At the heart of the effort was a man named Thomas Watson, who planned to sail solo and non-stop around the world in his distinctive pink sailboat with the goal of raising $1 million for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Watson formed a nonprofit organization, The Pink Boat, and helped organize three Pink Boat regattas, two in San Francisco in and one in Seattle last September.

But now, Watson has reportedly decamped to the U.S. Virgin Islands with his new wife and the Pink Boat website has been taken down. Watson’s 28-foot 1960 Pearson Triton, Darwind, has been seized by the King County sheriff’s office and is sitting at a Seattle dock, slated for auction to pay off a former girlfriend who has sued him.

The former girlfriend, Holly, who asked that her last name not be used, said she is suing Watson for $8,500 that he owes her from the time they were a couple. She described Watson as a charming and impulsive person who jumps headlong into projects but doesn’t follow through.

“People said don’t get involved with him, but I just didn’t listen,” she said. “I don’t hate him. I just want my money back.”

Watson declined a telephone interview, but said via a Facebook message that while his organization was able to donate about $53,000 for breast cancer research, the Pink Boat initiative was “a total disaster” for him personally.

“I was admittedly too optimistic in my hope that if you believe in something enough and try hard enough, you can do anything,” he wrote. “I can no longer financially donate my time and efforts to this project and am actively trying to dig myself out of the financial crisis I have suffered in the wake of these efforts.”

Though Watson has stepped away from Pink Boat, plans are moving ahead for Seattle’s second Seattle Pink Boat Regatta on Saturday, Aug. 17. Last year’s event was largely organized by Sloop Tavern Yacht Club member Ashley Bell and a team of volunteers while Watson was competing in the solo TransPac race and sailing his boat from Hawaii to Seattle.

Bell, now vice-commodore of the STYC, has parted ways with Watson, but said the club has decided to take on the project for a second year, given the success of last year’s regatta.

“We’re owning it as a yacht club,” Bell said. “I want people to know that we’re moving on with the regatta.”

This year’s regatta, like last year’s, will be a buoy race on Shilshole Bay. Boats will have three hours to round the buoys as many times as possible and can “earn” additional buoy roundings for $100 each by purchasing them or asking people to donate. Participants will be encouraged to decorate their boats pink and don pink gear, and money raised will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Bell is seeking auction prizes and cash donations, and hopes to line up a title sponsor for the event. Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor can contact her at 206.473.1905 or by email at ashybash@gmail.com

The cause has a personal resonance for Bell: her mother, who lives in Ontario, Canada, had breast cancer and is now in remission after a double mastectomy and several rounds of chemotherapy.

Breast cancer was brought into the spotlight this week with actress Angelina Jolie’s revelation in a New York Times op-ed piece that she recently underwent a preventive double mastectomy. Despite high levels of funding and awareness, breast cancer remains the second most deadly cancer for women after lung cancer.

About one in eight women in the U.S. will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society, and around 39,600 women will die from it this year alone.

Bell attributes the success of last year’s event to both the cause and the nature of the regatta, which she said is competitive but not too challenging to discourage casual racers. She believe this year’s regatta can be even more successful than the first.

“The event was spectacular. This community came together to support a cause that is worthwhile, whether Pink Boat is involved or not,” she said

“That’s why we want to continue it. It worked.”

Courtesy of threesheetsnw.com

Organizers of the America’s Cup said emphatically that the race will go on as scheduled but have appointed a committee to review last week’s deadly accident in San Francisco Bay that took the life of Olympic medalist Andrew “Bart” Simpson.

“The America’s Cup remains on track and racing will take place this summer,” said Tom Ehman, vice commodore of the Golden Gate Yacht Club, which is an America’s Cup trustee.

Ehman and America’s Cup Regatta Director Iain Murray spoke Tuesday afternoon at a press conference after meeting with the four teams scheduled to take part in the summer racing series.

Simpson, 36, who won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a silver four years later, died when his Artemis Racing team boat nosedived and broke into pieces Thursday.

He became trapped for at least 10 minutes under a section of the high-speed AC72 class of yacht. Doctors were unable to revive him.

Murray will chair the six-person committee, which includes a panel of sailing experts from the United States, France and New Zealand.

Murray, a decorated sailor from Australia and an America’s Cup veteran, said the committee would examine everything from how the new class of high-speed, high risk catamarans sail to their design and conditions in which they will be sailing on San Francisco Bay. It will then make recommendations to the race organization and competitors.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the San Francisco Police Department will assist in the review.

“We have an open book at what we want to look at and unfettered access to the people that we need to talk to,” said Murray, adding that he has full support of the four teams entered in the America’s Cup.

The teams include the defender, Team Oracle USA, and three challengers, Sweden’s Artemis Racing, Luna Rossa of Italy and Team New Zealand.

Murray also conducted a review last fall after Oracle’s AC72 capsized, broke apart and was dragged out to sea in conditions considered rougher than last week. No sailors were seriously injured in the October incident.

“We will come up with some things that benefit all the sport and make our sport and our event this summer a lot safer,” Murray told a small group of reporters later.

Officials said the review would begin Thursday, when training for the competition is also expected to resume. No deadline has been set for its completion.

“Obviously time is of the essence,” said Murray, referring to the challenge portion of the competition that begins in seven weeks. The victor goes on to face Team Oracle in September.

“I would hope we’d have something significant to talk about in a couple weeks,” he added.

The two boating accidents in seven months have laid bare the tension between the new-fangled boats that organizers hope will create an exciting, fan-friendly competition and the dangers they present.

The multi-hull AC72 class of yachts can reach speeds of up to 40 knots (46 mph), which has required new equipment such as crash helmets and oxygen canisters for sailors.

Various media reports in recent days have cited sailors or their family members saying the Artemis boat likely suffered a structural failure.

An article in Australia’s Newcastle Herald quoted the father of Nathan Outteridge, who was at the helm when the Artemis yacht crashed, saying that his son told him that he heard a crack and that the boat folded onto itself “like a taco shell.”

On Tuesday, Ehman called that report “grossly inaccurate.” Artemis also put out a statement on its website saying the article did “not reflect the facts.”

Still, a cocoon-like silence has descended on teams as they sort through one of the biggest tragedies in the event’s 162-year history.

Organizers said they met on Tuesday morning with representatives from all four boats and received unanimous support for the review.

While the mood was described as “subdued,” they said that they expected all teams entered to compete this summer.

Murray later told reporters that the new boats were like marrying “a fighter plane to a submarine,” with a level of sophistication and complexity that was “inherently dangerous.”

“These boats are big, they’re fast, they’re powerful and they’re developing,” he said. “We just need to take a step back and say, ‘Let us understand where you guys are. Now let’s put the focus on making these boats safe.”

Courtesy of www.usatoday.com

Here is the trailer for the upcoming movie “Captain Philips” about the pirate take over of the Maersk Alabama and the hostage situation involving it’s captain, Richard Philips. It looks pretty intriguing to us…

He is now aboard Singaporean container vessel, Kota Wangi, which is making its way towards Melbourne.

The 58-year-old mariner was sailing from California to Christmas Island, in the Republic of Kiribati, when his vessel’s autopilot reportedly failed.

The US Coast Guard said Mr Restrepo had been manually navigating his vessel, Folly II, for four weeks and called for help after becoming too tired to continue.

On April 6, Mr. Restrepo, who it is understood has been living in Colombia, told friends on Facebook that he planned to reach Australia by September.

“Ready my sailboat out of California to Kiribati, are about 5,000 kms and me it takes 4 to 6 weeks, without connection to the internet, but connected to the stars… I reach Australia for September (sic) … well, I hope you continue doing the same thing! do not change… ,” he posted.

In his profile on a sailing website Mr. Restrepo described himself as a “greenie sailor”.

“I love freedom, interested in conserving our seas, fauna and flora, history and traditions, Colombian,” he said.

“I sailed from Fraser Island, Australia to SEA 4 years solo 8.000 miles. now I want to circumnavigate.”

Watchstanders in Coast Guard Joint Rescue Coordination Center Honolulu received a distress notification from the Personal Locator Beacon on Mr. Restrepo’s vessel at about 6am on Monday.

The Coast Guard sent a HC-130 plane from Air Station Barbers Point in Hawaii to establish communications with the mariner.

A second HC-130 provided cover during the rescue.

The Kota Wangi rescued Mr. Restrepo in the North Pacific at 9pm on Monday.

“He was picked up last night. He was in good condition. He didn’t have any injuries reported,” a Coast Guard spokesman told news.com.au.

The Folly II was abandoned.

The Kota Wangi is registered with a network of ships whose crews volunteer to help with ocean rescues.

Christmas Island is more than 1300 nautical miles south of Honolulu. It is not to be confused with Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean where Australia processes asylum seekers.

Courtesy of www.news.com.au

Frances commented, “Gerry is an extraordinary man all around. It is no surprise, given his drive and determination in life, that he’s been able to accomplish so much and influence so many with his achievements in sailing. Gerry was very proud to receive this award. ” Assisting with the presentation were the Provost for South Ayrshire and the Deputy Provost of Glasgow; OCC member Priscilla Travis was on hand to photograph the event.

Gerry left Troon on the 1st September 2012. Single handing a boat is a massive challenge in itself, but sailing without being able to hear the sounds that alert sailors to changes in circumstances requires extraordinary skill and perception. His accomplishment has been described as a “wonderful example of perseverance over disability”. During 210 days at sea, his journey covered 32,000 miles of ocean.

Not only has Gerry completed an arduous journey that few sailors have even contemplated, he has served as incomparable inspiration to the communities of deaf children and adults following his accounts of adventure on the high seas. His blog and his tweets have shown disadvantaged people around the world that anyone can achieve something if they want it enough. Gerry was beset by numerous electrical failures and had to stop in Cape Town. Rather than admit defeat because it was no longer a non-stop circumnavigation, Gerry kept going to complete the circumnavigation with stops. After encountering severe weather and capsizing in the Southern Ocean, the boat sustained severe damage to essential equipment including his laptops. However, Gerry was able to continue to Hobart for more repairs and replacement of laptops before continuing his journey. It is this undaunted spirit that is kindred with the philosophy of the Ocean Cruising Club.

Born profoundly deaf, Gerry learned to sail at the age of two in his native Scotland. After completing a degree in Mathematics, he went on to become the first deaf teacher in Scotland since 1880. Aside from playing football on the winning Scottish and British Deaf Football Championships teams and competing in the World Deaf Golfing Championships for Scotland six times, Gerry was the first deaf sailor to sail solo round Britain in 1981, and he also sailed across the Atlantic in the OSTAR in 2005 becoming the first deaf skipper to do so. For more on Gerry visit http://gerrysmhughes.com/

Ohio-based Tartan will be providing 20 new Tartan One Design Racers that are modeled after the award-winning Tartan Fantail 26.

“We couldn’t have offered sailing without such significant support from Tartan,” Tom Nobbe, executive director of the Gay Games, said in a statement. “That would have been problematic, especially given Cleveland’s location on the southern edge of one of America’s Great Lakes.”

Tartan is the presenting sponsor for sailing, and a platinum sponsor for the event. Edgewater Yacht Club has agreed to host the sailing event on Lake Erie.

“When we were first approached about helping with the Gay Games sailing event, we were excited about being part of such a large global event taking place in our own backyard,” said Steve Malbasa, owner of Tartan Yachts, in the statement. “When you think about it, sailing is about taking a headwind and turning it into something that will propel you forward. It’s a great metaphor for life and one that we think the GG9 mission represents.”

Sailing at the Gay Games involves three preliminary rounds with a day of finals. Both competitive and recreational divisions will be part of the event. The Tartan One Design Racers accommodate a three- to four-person crew.

Courtesy of plus.ibinews.com

Could you glance at any nautical chart or GPS plotter and pick out the wreck symbols at a glance? Sail too close to these hazards and your hull could become impaled, your keel cracked, or your propeller and shaft mangled. Learn to recognize the three most common “ship killers” at a glance for safer sailing on the waters of the world.

If you are anything like me, the symbols and abbreviations on a navigational chart are like a treasure chest of information. Unlock their meaning and you have a virtual “3-D” of useful info to keep your boat and crew safe and sound.

Here are three wreck symbols to get you started on the road to navigation safety wherever you sail. These three are the most common wreck symbols you will find on nautical charts. Use the descriptions below along with the illustration to learn more about these deadly hazards:

1 – Wreck Not Dangerous to Surface Navigation–but Still a Danger!

Symbol 1 shows a wreck that has been determined not to be dangerous to surface navigation at all stages of the tide (high water and low water). Note that this wreck symbol has not been surrounded by dots.

You can plot a course over this charted wreck symbol and be confident that your keel, rudder, or propeller shaft will not be damaged. So why do cartographers (chart-makers) bother to put these onto your chart?

For the sailor, you would not want to anchor anywhere near a non-dangerous wreck symbol. If your anchor dragged just the slightest distance, it could become fouled (snagged or caught) on the wreckage or pieces of the wreckage. Wrecks tend to shift position, so it’s best to stay well clear.

On the commercial side, fishing vessels that use bottom nets want to know where these wrecks are to avoid the possibility of snagging their nets as they trawl along the bottom. That could end up costing them thousands in repair or replacement costs.

2 – Dangerous (Sunken) Wreck Hazardous to Surface Navigation

Symbol 2 shows a wreck that has been determined to be dangerous to surface navigation at all stages of the tide (high water and low water). You can tell this because the fishbone symbol has been surrounded by dots. Charted symbols surrounded by dots ramp up the level of danger to your boat. Plot your course to keep clear of these underwater “boat back-bone breakers”!

3 – Wreck Showing Any Portion of Hull or Superstructure

Symbol 3 looks like part of a ship or boat that sticks out of the water at all stages of the tide (high water and low water). The half-hull wreck symbol tells you that at all stages of the tide, some portion of the hull or superstructure will be visible.

But beware…

At higher high tides, there may be just the slightest bit of wreckage above water. And it could be obscured by waves or low visibility conditions (or darkness). These dangerous wrecks have their positions indicated by the small white open circle (note the circle at the base of the charted symbol). Avoid these monster hazards like the plague to prevent serious damage or injury.

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Use Chart No. 1 “Nautical Chart Symbols, Abbreviations and Terms”, to learn more about the chart symbols and abbreviations used on nautical charts throughout the world. Download a copy of this vital companion to the sailing navigator here =>http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/chartno1.htm

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Learn these vital wreck danger symbols to sail clear of underwater hazards to sailing navigation. Discover dozens of other symbols that show wrecks, rocks, and obstructions in Chart No. 1. Use this knowledge to help keep your sailing crew and small sailboat safe and sound–wherever in the world you choose to sail or cruise!