Our small loyal crew of four enjoyed a quiet but entertaining afternoon chasing wisps of wind around the west harbour. The breeze was true to forecast at around three to seven knots with some very big shifts to reward those who went the right way. In our case the right was was to keep Passion moving and we succeeded on several occasions by going lower and faster to the new breeze. The highlight of the day was setting the big red white and blue spinnaker for the legs back from Goat Island to the shortened course finish at Cockatoo Island and in the process holding our the Adams 10 Boxer.
Early in the race we were hindered at the start but once away we started to catch the rear of the yellow fleet and were well amongst it after the run down the south side of Cockatoo Island. The downside from the hampered start was the leaders of the blue fleet catching us and giving us more than our fair share of wind shadow on the square run behind Schnpper and Spectacle Islands but to our delight we managed to round just in front of most of them and promptly worked away with some good lines up the north side of Cockatoo Island on the long work to Goat Island.
On the return from Goat Island to Cockatoo mark we were happy for an early finish as the wind died completely thirty minutes later. In our division we finished across the line ahead of five yachts and were rewarded with an eighth place on handicap out of the fifteen starters.
The two meranti capping pieces have been glued and screwed to the stem post on the new Didi 40 Cr and the last two small sections of ply have been screwed and glued so the front end is looking more complete. Behind the butt join of the plywood along the gunwhale at the stem I have crafted backing pieces of 12 mm ply with parallel 45 degree bevels. One bevel sits on the angled gunwale timber while the other makes a nice transition from the 12 mm single layer to the two 12 mm double layers. This little extra strength will come in handy if we ever attach a fixed bow prodder through the double walls of the anchor locker.
The new nose job on our Didi 40 Cr
Our Didi 40 Cr looking more finished by the day
At the stern I have joined the two bottom plywood panels that extend past the transom with a neatly angled 12 mm plywood doubler and so all the hull is complete except for the capping piece along the keel center line and the glassing. On the procurement side the keel fabricator has been selected so I have move on to the engine selection. I was delighted to learn that the new Yanmar 3YM30ae has the 125 amp alternator, up from the 80 on the 3JH4e we have on Passion. Also I have done some speed and power calculations and estimate that the new build will be a knot faster than Passion despite having a smaller motor. The fibreglass stern tube for the prop shaft is on back order so I should get the engine bearers organized so I can align the stern tube when it arrives. Still on the engine side I have managed to source a Radice shaft seal which has a water inlet built into the seal. That will allow me to put the cutless bearing right at the top of the stern tube securely centered around the frame support and have cooling and flushing water going through the top cutless bearing and out the stern tube. A the top of my current job list is doing the capping piece along the keel line and the keel hardwood landing. I have a nice piece of spotted gum for that job and while it is heavy it is very solid and will provide great crush resistance against the load of the keel bolts.
With the winds forecast to be around 20 knots we set a conservative rig of the No 3 genoa and a full main for the RANSA Winter Wednesday race. The course suited Passion better than last week as we were able to pole out the genoa and follow the wind around the course. The breeze for the downwind leg had a lot of holes and we rarely saw the forecast 20 knots. We rounded the turn mark behind Viva and L Eau Co and were promptly rewarded with a large lift that made us look good as we lifted above these two. When the wind headed we were forced back into L Eau Co’s dirty air as they were determined to pinch out from under us. We tacked away to take advantage of the knock and that is the last I remember of L Eau Co on the course. Izzi was a little ahead and the Jeanneau SO409 Solange was just behind so we had plenty of company to race up the course. The shifts to windward were so great that we were forced to tack on the knocks and the smaller headsail helped to get the tacks done in an orderly fashion. Around Steel Point we were unlucky to get a knock that required us to tack away from the rocks while those a few metres ahead had already cleared the rocks and could take advantage of the slightly more free work into Rose Bay. We got a little of this back in the approach to Point Piper where we kept some room in reserve and just cleared the mark while Izzi and Larrikin had to tack back for the rounding. Around the island Larrikin cleared out but we kept in touch with Izzi and just ahead of Solange. The last beat to the finish was in two parts. The first was a quiet before the storm when the breeze dropped to seven knots and we struggled to keep Passion moving with the No 3 genoa. This is probably where Larrikin gained time on us and certainly when Solange with a larger genoa moved up alongside and to windward. As the breeze freshened it lifted giving Solange a free kick. We in turn lifted inside Izzi and as the lift progressed we made up some of the ground lost in the light airs. Now the breeze honked in at 30 knots accompanied by icy cold rain. Ron had the mainsail dumped and flogging in the slipstream of the air from the genoa. I had the backstay on hard to flatten the main as much as possible and we enjoyed the ride to the finish line.
Shifty conditions for the Wednesday race
Big temperature drop with the icy rain squall
In the finish we had Rainbow, L Eau Co and Enigma well behind and were within seconds of Solange and just a little behind Izzi so we were happy with the result. On Handicap we scored 7th out of the 14 starters which is a big improvement on last weeks second last. We benefited from a clean bottom but the divers said it was in good condition and there was nothing to explain last weeks performance. I will stick to my proposition from last week that Passion does not like the broad reaches where we cannot set the pole.
The fine weather has returned and so I am able to recommence the fairing of our Didi 40 Cr hull. When there is no breeze the belt sander does a good job of leveling the local high spots around the plywood planks on the radius chine. If the wind starts blowing in the direction of the neighbours I switch to a hand plane. A long heavy fibreglass batten and a lighter aluminium angle have proved very useful for locating high spots that need a little trimming.
As reasonable progress has been made with the initial fairing today I made up a new torture board and have been up and down the port side. There is still a little to do on the port side but it is starting to look pretty fair. I tried spreading blue chalk on the hull and sanding it away with the torture board and that seems like a pretty useful technique except is is probably too exacting for this stage as we have yet to glass the hull and then will need to do it all again.
Initial fairing on the starboard side
Port side fairing showing the heavy fibreglass batten used for checking for high spots
Yes sadly we performed very poorly on Wednesday with a last fastest and a second last on handicap. The divers will check the bottom before the next race but as it is not long since the last antifouling I do not expect they will find much wrong.
On the first down wind leg we were not well positioned for the gusts that seemed to pass to windward and not come over the course. Gwhizz and Star Ferry both now in division 2 started five minutes behind but by half way down the leg had all but caught us and L Eau Co. Now reaching is not our strong point and it was an awkward broad reach where we had difficulty flying the genoa as well as our competitors. We had the black carbon genoa up which is great for windward work but does not seem to fly so well on the light air reaches.
When the breeze did set in for the work home we were already well back. L Eau Co pointed higher and soon passed us. There were some huge shifts on the way back to the finish line and if we had been on the right side of two of these it might have been a less somber story.
Apart from our individual place I have no more details as the results are not out. The previous system worked well but someone thought they might fix a not broken system and now it is fully broken.
Some of the RANSA winter Wednesday fleet before the scooted away to windward
Many weeks have passed since any meaningful progress has been made on the new Passion, my Didi 40 Cr. The planned breaks to sail the old Passion at Port Stephens and to visit relatives in Perth have been extended by the prolonged wild and wet weather in Sydney. Boat building planned for the intervening periods was difficult and even the inside jobs were hampered. On returning from Perth we had to bring Passion back from Port Stephens and were fortunate to do so on two of the four dry days since the rains commenced. Most of the stranded fleet made it back in the previous two day window and one adventurous pair even managed to finish their return voyage with a race in the GFS Saturday series which they won.
A dry sunset on the return voyage from Port Stephens
Since we returned last Thursday there has been more heavy rain so work has been restricted to what can be done in the garage and procurement of fittings. The rudder is fabricated from nine layers of plywood and seven of these have been cut to profile ready for joining. The central 12 mm panel is surrounded by the 70 mm rudder stock and 12 mm stainless steel tangs which provide the turning moment for the structure. There are just two more small 6 mm panels to be cut to complete the set but the joining to the stock must wait until the rudder bearings are fitted to the hull in the next dry spell.
Cetral 12 mm plywood panel of the rudder surrounding the rudder stock
The weather is forecast to be dry and sunny for the next six days so hopefully the covers can come off and the fairing continued where we left off a month ago.
GWhizz, Passion and some of the crew of Izzi went to Port Stephens for the annual Sail Port Stephens,
Apart from the regular crews Geoff Lucas from Capriole sailed on Passion and Michael Groves from Agrovation sailed on GWhizz to add to the GFS numbers at the regatta.
GWhizz managed a third on the second day and a first place on the last day of the Commodore’s Cup to seal second place for the series and a trophy each for John and Graeme. Michael Groves at the helm on the last day picked some very good wind shifts and the team had GWhizz moving well for a great win.
Passion managed a fourth and fifth place in the first two races but the handicap of 1.008 for the last race was too much for her.
In the Performance Cruising Divison of the main Sail Port Stephens event Passion managed a second place only losing on a countback to Campeador from RSYS.
Al Fesco the excellently sailed Triton 36 from RMYC Pittwater skippered by ex NS14 sailor Dave Griffin was third with GWhizz 8th.
With the three day 30 knot southerly set predicted following the Sail Port Stephens event discretion was judged to be the better part of valour and Passion with GWhizz and many of the visiting yachts being left at Port Stephens to await a more pleasant trip home.
GWhizz crew at prize giving
Passion crew at presentation – missing is Malcolm
Dave and Elaine with the prize
Nelson Bay Marina full for the regatta
Passion with Kath at the helm and symetrical kite aloft
Ron Kath and Dave at work in light conditions
Geoff and Elaine
Passion with Assymetrical Spinnaker
Good Friday was a typical wet Easter day in Sydney but ideal for a church service and visit to children and grandchildren. Saturday was little better but under the inverted hull I found some useful tasks to finish while waiting for children and grandchildren to visit for the weekend.
After a few practice sessions the filleting of the frames to the hull is progressing well and best done in accordance with the Gougeon Brothers instructions. It would be faster if I had a disposable cartridge to place with a gun but I am managing without although it means cleaning up a bit more filler after smoothing it into the corners with a Magnum paddle pop stick.
I am also practicing fairing the transitions between fibreglass reinforced corners and plain plywood by fairing the join with thickened epoxy. In between tasks I have done a little more routering of stringers and sanding of plywood ready for the next coat of paint in the quarter berth.
Easter Sunday would have been a great day for boat building but church, family and friends took priority. The presence of the family was a great excuse to pull back the tarpaulins to show the progress since their last visit and later in the day to sneak out to the boat and take out a hundred temporary screws ready for filling and fairing.
While the covers were off I took a photo showing the results of just one day of filling and light fairing on the front of the starboard side.
Our Didi 40 Cr after just a day of hole filling and light fairing is already starting to look good.
Initial fairing of our Didi 40 Cr. This is the section where the radius chine is four layers of 3 mm plywood and the temporary screws have created shallow hollows which show as the darker plywood in the photo.
All the temporary cleats are off the plywood cladding of our Didi 40 cr and I am progressing the filling of screw holes and fairing of the radius chine as fast as the weather allows.
Another deluge convinced me to purchase yet another tarpaulin to protect the hull and almost as soon as it was fitted another heavy shower came through. I used the time to router the edges of some of the stringers which will be exposed or inside lockers. I have a mental picture of testing the lockers for snags with a silk scarf.
With still more rain I trimmed off the ends of a few overlong screws and removed a few screw heads that were stopping the production of a neat routered and fibreglassed edge on the outside of the wet locker. There was still time to move to sanding the bulkheads in the quarter berth before the rain abated enough for some external work.
Outside I practiced using the hand plane, the belt sander and the orbital sander along with a long torture board. The belt sander does a particularly efficient job at fairing the transition from the flat 12 mm plywood to the two times 6 mm radius chine but it is too short to trust on the round parts without regular cross sanding with the torture board. I have now sanded enough to start filling the shallow hollows formed by the temporary screws which held the plywood together while the glue cured. The darker areas in the photo show these shallow hollows. The sections of the radius chine made up of two 6 mm layers have shallower depressions around the screw holes but they still need a wipe of filler.
I am now sealing all the screw holes with neat epoxy and once it is tacky laying on the filleting filler. This ensures the plywood is well protected and the filler sticks well to the tacky neat epoxy so it is quite a time effective method. I have done about half of the hull including filling the screw holes in the flat plywood panels and just need the rain to stay away for a little longer.
The rain held off for the last of the twilight races at GFS and for the final BBQ of the season. After nine years the caterers are moving to Queensland and we will need to find new caterers for the coming season. They did superbly well for their finale.
The crew of Passion did the best they could of a slow start and managed fourth place on handicap. The pin end of the line was favoured but the wind backed leaving us the leeward yacht in a freshening gust and so we were well run over by the whole fleet but for Tartan who started late. The wind shadow at the exit to Humbug proved as challenging as ever and those with their nose into the breeze first were well rewarded while we took dirty air from everyone. We benefited by staying high on the course on the beat to Long Nose and picked up Avanti and Farrst Company. Gwhizz managed to tack back from the point and onto our line just in front so we had to follow them all the way to Goat Island. Around Goat we took the high ground for once and reached over the top of Gwhizz more by good luck than good management and from there we kept our air clear to lead them home. Up in front the early bolters were not having it all their way. Agrovation had cleared out again but Izzi, Worlds Apart, Saoirse and French Connection were having a close battle for second fastest. Through Humbug we kept Passion moving in the light and shifty conditions to make up some good time on the fleet and secure the fourth on handicap.
Very fittingly at the results presentation Saoirse won the award for the yacht with the most difficult to pronounce name.
Today I placed the last two planks at the bow on the starboard side of our Did 40 Cr to complete the plywood skin of the hull. It has taken eight weeks to complete the skin from go to whoa which is a little longer than I anticipated at the beginning. A lot of time was taken fairing stringers for the first layer of the radius chine and a lot of time was taken tidying up the rebate on the 12 mm plywood where the second 6 mm layer of the radius chine lands. I did a little planing of the first 6 mm layer at the transitions to the 12 mm flat sections and a little torture boarding of the first 6 mm layer to ensure there were no hard spots that would show in the final layer. I think I have achieved the finish I was expecting at this stage. The shadow on the second layer indicates that the hull is quite fair and this can be compared with a similar photo in an earlier post of the first layeer.
As the planking has progressed the temperature under the overturned hull has become more moderate demonstrating the insulation properties of the timber.
The second 6 mm layer of plywood on our Didi 40 Cr is complete right to the bow. The photo shows temporary cleats holding the plywood hard against the radius chine.
The shadow on the second layer of plywood on the radius chine of our Didi 40 Cr shows that the hull is quite fair before sanding.
Our twilight race result was rescued by one good move at the approach to Humbug. By sailing wide to leeward of the fleet we escaped the wind shadow of Greenwich and sailed away for a third fastest and second on handicap.
The forecast was for light winds and after the black fleet not finishing last week they were sent out on the same course around Goat Island as the white, green and blue fleets.
At the start we were out maneuvered by French Connection who made sure we did not have room to tack or gybe in front of them to return to the start line so we were 20 seconds late at the start. While we were late we were in the right position and powered up so by Humbug we were up near the front of the pack. Worlds Apart hug the north shore while we looked for breeze mid channel. Agrovation mid channel in front of us did best, was never headed and went on for a well deserved first and fastest. On the work to Goat Island we observed Agrovation on the right side of a couple of good lifts which complemented her good boat speed. Worlds Apart powered through our lee on the approach to Long Nose and French Connection did better mid channel than we did in Snails Bay so by Goat Island we had a bit of catching to do. Wide around Goat Island worked this week and we poled out for the long run home.
Jackpot and Soundtrack from the black fleet overtook us but had trouble getting away on the run home. French Connection and Gwhizz were closer to the bridge while we went just a couple of boat widths wide of Long Nose on the way home. The run was very square and at times over square which gave us clear air with which we were able to keep just ahead of French Connection and Gwhizz.
At Greenwich Point the four fleets merged into one large one and as they each tried to protect their breeze they went higher and closer to the wind shadow. Gwhizz had a good squirt of breeze and charged purposefully into the wind shadow. We slipped away to leeward of the whole pack and had Worlds Apart in our sights.
It was deadly light in Humbug, so light that the fleet was becalmed for long enough for us to get a ten minute break.
Last night was our chance to turn the tables on Izzi and Saoirse who were left out on the course in light air. We have been there before so we know they will come back.
Zig zagging in light air on the way to Goat Island
I am looking forward to placing the last plank on the second layer of the radius chine of our Didi 40 Cr. Three days of perfect working conditions should see the finish of this stage and then I can move on to planing the flat on the “V” of the keel. There are only seven more planks of 6 mm plywood before I move to a double layer of 3 mm plywood for the tight radius at the approach to the bow. The 3 mm layers are easy to bend for all but the last plank and I will try to do them together as I did on the first layer.
Yesterday started out warm and sunny so I could clean up the glue from the first layer on the port side ready for the second layer. While the tarpaulins were off I took this photo of the starboard side which is still to be prepared.
The starboard side of our Didi 40 Cr still to be prepared for the second 6 mm layer of plywood on the radius chine at the bow.
By the time the preparation was completed the wind and rain came after gluing just one plank. As rain threatened all afternoon I went under the hull and started preparing the inside of the water tank for the epoxy glass join of the top of the water tank to the newly formed radius chine hull. That is ready to do now the first time I need an inside job. I have a mental list of lots of inside jobs still to do like fitting the last two shelves in the quarter berth and fitting for later installation the fronts to these shelves. There are still 20 mm triangle cleats to be fitted to the front edge of these shelves and to the ones in the saloon and if these jobs run out I can do some of the filleting of the hull to the frames on the near vertical edges where gravity is not much of a factor. The rudder stock and associated bearings and stainless steel is in manufacture so that should arrive in good time to be fitted and then completing the rudder will be another good inside job.
Wednesday evening was the slowest race of the year and the dying breeze produced some unique results. Every fastest time yacht also won their division on handicap. As the evening wore on and the prospect of finishing within the time limited dimmed more and more yachts called in on channel 73 and announced their retirement from the race. None of the black fleet could complete their course and the late night made for a smallish attendance at the BBQ and presentation.
We made a well timed start to leeward of the fleet but Agrovation higher on the start line reached across our bow to give us all their dirty air. This was particularly damaging against the incoming tide and we lost a lot of ground pinching to round Onion Point. Gwhizz showed the fleet a clean pair of heels but on the run through Humbug we poled out our big genoa and blanketed the fleet. This left us a bit high into the wind shadow and we saw Worlds Apart to leeward nose into the freshening breeze to make a handy break on Izzi and Agrovation.
On the work to Goat Island we were pinching into a big incoming tide immediately behind Izzi. I tacked away chancing a bit of tide against stronger breeze in the middle and in the process lost ground on Izzi and Agrovation. Izzi got away while there was breeze and left us to play with Agrovation for the rest of the race. In the end they went a bit too close to Greenwich Point and languished in the wind shadow. They were unlucky as the wind had swung south and the Greenwich shore was almost the windward shore but once into Humbug the breeze swung back reestablishing the wind shadow. We were never more than a few metres in front but with the incoming tide abating and with no wind the speed across the ground was down to .3 knots and a few metres takes a long time. For the last 200 metres to the line we hooked the boom up with the boom topping lift to get a bit of twist in the sail and that seemed to help us get home in the dark. We were 18 minutes behind Worlds Apart and Agrovation finished 15 minutes behind us which is quite a feat seeing we were in touch at the entry to Humbug.
Fourth fastest and fourth on handicap was a fair result from ten starters and a fair reward for the crews tireless efforts to get us to the finish line.
The lightest night of the year, so far.
There is 152 planks to be shaped and glued into place to form the round bilge on our Didi 40 Cr. After reality sank in I set a target of eight planks a day thinking that I might better it on a good day. Well by that measure there are few good days. As hard as I try one plank an hour seems to be my production rate. On the first layer a lot of time was spent fairing stringers progressively so I thought the second layer might go a bit quicker. That has not proven to be the case because there is still a lot of preparation work. I have to tidy up the 6 mm rebate where the top layer of plywood overlaps the join with the 12 mm plywood and do some fairing of the first layer.
After some experimentation I have settled for 18 mm 8 gauge metal threads to hold the two layers together while the glue cures. Smaller screws provided enough holding pressure but the larger screws have a larger diameter head which gives more driving power with the battery operated driver and it is easier to clear any glue from the slotted head.
Today I worked ten hours on the hull and managed ten planks for the regulation one per hour but it is hard to find days where the conditions are right for one to work such hours. It cannot be too hot or be wet and I must have all the materials needed and make no mistakes.
With a large part of the hull now planked with the two layers of 6 mm plywood I have tried my hand at fairing the radius chine with the torture board. What tiny bit I have done looks good but there are a lot of screws to remove and a lot of hull that will need the treatment.
Progress on the second 6 mm plywood layer on the radius chine of our Didi 40 Cr
In the photo you can see how much of the second layer is completed. Since I took this photo on Saturday afternoon I have added another 16 planks and at a rough guess the radius chine section is 70% complete.