HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: billc@sextant.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill Courington)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Solo Sailor Missing
Date: 17 Nov 92 09:37:58 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Mt. View, Ca.
NNTP-Posting-Host: sextant.eng.sun.com

In article <1992Nov17.032111.21359@iplmail.orl.mmc.com> watson@racerx.bal.mmc.com (Dave Watson) writes:
>A brief report in the Washington Post this past Sunday noted that Mike Plant
>and his boat Coyote were missing in the North Atlantic.  He was in transit from
>New York to Les Sables d'Olonne France in preparation for the start of the
>Vendee Globe Challenge race.  Does anyone have any more information on this?
>

There has been some discussion on the CompuServe sailing forum.  
The 406 EPIRB (new type that sends a code identifying the boat) 
had not been registered.  It transmitted for less than a minute, 
and was thought to be a false alarm, something that apparently is 
extremely common.  A week or so before the EPIRB went off, Plant 
had been in radio contact with a ship, said he had lost most of 
his power, was working to fix it.  This was in the North Atlantic, 
yet the EPIRB went off in the vicinity of Bermuda.  

I have seen Coyote.  In the manner of the recent French singlehand 
designs, she looks like a skimming dish:  low freeboard, extreme 
beam carried right to the transom, lots of topside flare.  I would 
say that she is the kind of boat that _must_ be kept on her feet 
and that would have a narrow range of positive stability.  (Think 
of a scow:  very stable up to 90 degrees, then over she goes, and 
very stable upside down.)  Not a forgiving design.  

I hope he's limping toward land under jury rig.

BILL COURINGTON


Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: dwl@watson.ibm.com (David W. Levine)
Subject: Re: Coyote spotted, no sign of Mike Plant
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 02:23:44 GMT
Reply-To: dwl@watson.ibm.com 
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
Organization: IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center

In article <lgvg1kINNhgo@cronkite>, billc@sextant.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill
Courington) writes:
|> A couple of additional notes.  It seems that the bulb 
|> is missing from the keel fin. Observers said they could 
|> see sails as the upside down hull heaved in 8 foot waves; 
|> meaning perhaps that the rig is intact.   
|> 
|> Hoping that Plant is alive inside,
|> 
|> BILL COURINGTON

One more new detail that showed up this evening, the dinghy is also reported
missing.  

David W. Levine --  dwl@watson.ibm.com  -- IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center
                   -- My Opinions, IBM's hardware. -- 
"Fanaticism consists in redoubling your efforts when you have forgotten your
aim" - George Santayana  
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: larry@pdn.paradyne.com (Larry Swift)
Subject: Re: Mounting transducers without a thru-hull
Keywords: depth sounders, transducers, mounting
Organization: AT&T Paradyne, Largo, Florida
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 13:08:23 GMT

>depth-only-sounder on our J/24.  I used the recommended epoxy
>compound, mounted it close to the centerline, and can sucessfully read
>the depth down to 90' (the maximum in our area).

I mounted a Datamarine xducer inside a solid fiberglass
hull, using silicon cement.  Simple, easy to remove if
I want to put it thru-hull at the next haulout, but best
of all, it works very well right where it is.  THink I'll
leave it there.

And BTW, I love the sounder.  Works ever so much better
than the old one and has the right set of functions.  Eg,
I was surprised to find that steering a depth curve is
much easier when the sounder gives accuracy to the tenth
of a foot.  (As in the Intracoastal, in the middle of fog!)

Larry Swift                     larry@pdn.paradyne.com
AT&T Paradyne, LG-132           Phone: (813) 530-8605
8545 - 126th Avenue, North
Largo, FL, 34649-2826           She's old and she's creaky, but she holds!

Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: psmith@dg-webo.rtp.dg.com (Peter Smith)
Subject: Re: Tuff Luff and other headstay foils
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 22:39:48 GMT
Organization: Data General Corp., Westboro, MA

In article <1992Nov13.185255.4694@ttinews.tti.com> scott@soldev.tti.com (Scott Taylor) writes:
>... On a large boat, where a 
>headsail change will take 3-5 minutes with hanks, you could easily lose
>30-40 boat lengths.

Actually, it's not as bad as that.  Back when I was light, agile, and
fearless, I worked foredeck on 30-40' racers before the Gemini foil
came out.  To set up for a change, you'd hank the new jib on with all
the new hanks below the lowest hank of the old jib.  Then, as the mast
man feeds you halyard, you pull down the old luff with one hand and pop
the old hanks with the other.  As the last hank goes, you switch the
halyard to the new jib and up it goes.  From the time the old sail
starts down to the time the new one is up hard would run about 15 sec
on a 30-footer, 30 sec on a 40-footer.

That said, there was a lot more time spent up on the bow getting the new
sail hanked on...slow in lumpy conditions.  And if you twisted one of
the hanks (easy to do at night)...lots of screaming and yelling.

Of course, nowadays with bendy rigs and mylar sails, who makes headsail
changes in 'round the bouy races?  Just power up or down by mastbend and
lead adjustments until the next mark.
---
Peter Smith -- Data General Corp., Westboro, MA
Peter_Smith@dgc.ceo.dg.com or psmith@dg-webo.webo.dg.com
#include <std_disclaimer.h>
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: harsant@headplant.trl.OZ.AU (Dave Harsant)
Subject: Re: Running Backstay Question
Organization: Telecom Research Labs, Melbourne Australia
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 05:25:45 GMT

In article <1dp1bnINNj9f@bnsgd245.bnr.co.uk> bocmunro@bnr.co.uk (Bruce Munro) writes:
>wind it in when you've done everything else. One thing to watch out for is
>that in a blow if you tack without releasing the "old" runner then it'll
>hold the mainsail in and prevent you from bearing away. Not a happy state

It also radically increases the heeling force at the top of the main, and
can knock you down in a bit of a breeze.

--
Dave Harsant,
Telecom Australia Research Laboratories  |  d.harsant@trl.oz.au
From: myoung@digi.lonestar.org (Michael Young)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: double headstay
Keywords: fun
Date: 23 Nov 92 14:22:38 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: DSC Communications Corp, Plano, TX

In article <1678@seqp4.sequoia.com> jcurtis@seqp4.sequoia.com (John Curtis) writes:
>
>  My experience with roller furling rigs has been very good 
>  *under moderate conditions*.  The one time that I got caught
>  with my pants down by a 35-40 kt squall (with 120% genoa up, on
>  a 50 ft boat - definite major faux pas) - the roller furling
>  was totally useless.  Even in the lulls, at 25 kts or so, the
>  damn thing would not furl.  Pulling the sail down the luff track
>  under those loads was not easy - we were very lucky not to 
>  destroy the sail.  If this sail had been hanked on with a 
>  downhaul in place it would have come down in seconds, virtually
>  regardless of how loaded it was.  Not that I plan to repeat this,
>  but even a very careful sailor is eventually going to be caught
>  by surprise - especially if tired or shorthanded.
>
>  Ciao,
>
>  jcurtis

After dealing with a similar problem for almost a year, we discovered a 
method of dealing with roller furling in heavy winds.  we simply bear off
until the main is blanketing the jib, ease the jib sheet and furl it.  it
furls as easily as it does in light air, and the flogging is kept to a 
minimum.  this is so simple and works so well that it is embarrassing to think
that it took us a whole year to "discover" the technique.  i hope it works
for you.


-- 

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
T. Micheal Young  "WindRider"  H-18 13755
myoung@digi.lonestar.org
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: msolomon@mitre.org (Moise Solomon)
Subject: Mike Plant - Duracell
Followup-To: rec.boats
Organization: The MITRE Corporation
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 16:56:43 GMT

Does anyone know if Mike Plant has been found?  I saw a short local TV news
clip last week that said he is two weeks over due in France.  For those who
don't know of him, he is the solo skipper of the boat Duracell out of RI.

Moise Solomon

SHOCKWAVE
J/24 #4112   
msolomon@mitre.org
From: billc@sextant.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill Courington)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Engine Intake Silencers
Date: 18 Nov 92 17:28:11 GMT
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc.  Mt. View, Ca.
Distribution: world
Reply-To: billc@sextant.Eng.Sun.COM (Bill Courington)
NNTP-Posting-Host: sextant.eng.sun.com

Attention powerboaters (and sailors with inboards)... 

My recently installed Perkins M20 is a wonderfully 
smooth engine, but speaks rather loudly in a deep 
baritone.  And it's installed in a boat (an Olson30) 
whose acoustics are similar to those of an oil drum.  
So, even though the engine box is insulated everywhere 
but under the engine, a good deal of noise permeates 
the cockpit when underway.  I noticed the other day 
that as I moved my hand toward the air intake, the 
baritone noise diminished.  The intake has no air 
cleaner or silencer, just a grate in a roughly 1.5" 
square tube.  What's involved in fabricating a silencer 
and what are the chances that it will do some substantial 
good?  

Thanks,
BILL COURINGTON
From: alanmoore@yang.earlham.edu
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Being on the water...
Date: 17 Nov 92 14:41:49 GMT
Followup-To: rec.boats
Distribution: world
Organization: Earlham College, Richmond, Indiana

In article <16NOV199221382446@erich.triumf.ca>, bennett@erich.triumf.ca (P.Bennett) writes:
> In article <BxtI1A.M0G@apollo.hp.com>, burati@apollo.hp.com (Michael Burati) writes...
>>ps: Went down to cover the boat for the winter yesterday.  Made me yearn to be
>>    out on the water more than anything :-(
> I was out on the water yesterday, running a race for the local Cal-20 fleet.
> Was a nice day but very little wind....

Hehehe, can't resist a dig...  I went out Saturday to "check on my new stereo"
and try out the self-steer I designed...  I guess could have checked the stereo
in my yard, but the water just adds something.  Anyway, it was sunshine and
about 35 deg F when I left, and by the time I got on the water it was cloudy
and winds about 10-15 knots gusting.  I had to anchor to rig my sails and do a
few other rigging changes, then I sailed down the lake, and by the time I
started back, visibility was down to 100-200 feet because of snow, and the
lines were freezing on the deck.  The wind was good, though, and I had a good
sail (no sarcasm).  My first mate (my dog) wasn't as impressed, but she always
loves to go.

Oh yeah, I found that Johnson outboards have to have gas in the tank to run. 
(How embarrassing.)

BTW, the self-steer seems to work OK (I tested it with a DPDT momentary
switch), but it doesn't have a LOT of power.  Right now I'm using a couple of
levers to make it move the tiller, I'm thinking of going to a rack and pinion
system.  (This is a self steer I'm building myself using a windsheild wiper
motor, if you missed earlier discussions about it.)

Alan
From: bsmith@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Brian Smith)
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 19:55:16 GMT
Subject: Re: A Charging Question
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Co., Loveland, CO
Newsgroups: rec.boats

In rec.boats, steve@bcrvmpc2.vnet.ibm.com writes:

    I don't know that particular OB, but there is one major point to
    be differentiated to understand waht is goin on.....

    Larger engines usually have a real alternator.  Most of the
.......
    However, little engines have a magneto, not a real alternator.
.......
    You should make sure of which type you have, their
    care and feeding are different.  Nissan is
    the magneto type and I believe John/rude is also.

[Lots of good stuff deleted]
Thanks for the info., Steve.

It sounds as though the Honda 8 has a magneto because the wiring
diagram shows a transformer somehow attached to a flywheel.  The
primary side is connected between ground and the ignition IC, and the
secondary side connects through a full-wave rectifier to the output.
There is no regulation shown at all (not even a resistor and
capacitor) and the output appears to be floating.  That was why I
assumed that there should be some open-circuit voltage.  It could be
that, since the wiring diagram is not really a schematic, there is
some kind of regulation or some other components that would account
for Fido's not being able to measure any output.  There is a fuse in
series with the output so if that was blown there certainly would be
no voltage there. 

I won't be able to check any of this until next Spring because my
engine has not yet been dealer-prep'd.  Since I could not use it
anyway this year, there was no point in the dealer prep'ing it and
then winterizing it.  So he agreed to do it for me next year.

I will be interested to hear what Fido discovers.
B.S!
From: jcurtis@seqp4.sequoia.com (John Curtis)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: double headstay
Summary: Some additional advantages
Keywords: fun
Date: 20 Nov 92 15:16:59 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Sequoia Systems Inc., Marlboro, Mass.


Yo rec.boats:

  The double headstay option seems to be a good one 
  for cruising especially.

	o Add a downhaul and you have extremely fast
	  drops of the jib. (Rigged properly, even
	  while singlehanded.)

	o Tack sail changes won't be quite as wonderful
	  as on a double-slotted luff - but still pretty
	  good.

	o All the hardware is extemely simple and hence,
		reliable.

	o Add two headsails and drop the main and you have a
	nice downwind rig, good under auto steering without
	significant potential for dangerous jibes.

  My experience with roller furling rigs has been very good 
  *under moderate conditions*.  The one time that I got caught
  with my pants down by a 35-40 kt squall (with 120% genoa up, on
  a 50 ft boat - definite major faux pas) - the roller furling
  was totally useless.  Even in the lulls, at 25 kts or so, the
  damn thing would not furl.  Pulling the sail down the luff track
  under those loads was not easy - we were very lucky not to 
  destroy the sail.  If this sail had been hanked on with a 
  downhaul in place it would have come down in seconds, virtually
  regardless of how loaded it was.  Not that I plan to repeat this,
  but even a very careful sailor is eventually going to be caught
  by surprise - especially if tired or shorthanded.

  Ciao,

  jcurtis
From: hanners@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Robert Hanners)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: A Charging Question
Date: 18 Nov 92 20:44:05 GMT
Reply-To: hanners@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Robert Hanners)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Annapolis, MD

In rec.boats, bsmith@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Brian Smith) writes:

>Peter, are you saying that if I connect a battery, start the engine,
>and then disconnect the engine, that I might blow tha alternator?

I don't about this engine, but it seems that several manufacturers are
producing their alternators now with a dissipative grounding diode that
fires if the battery becomes disconnected, thus saving the alternator
rectifiers.  This diode is offered in most of the stores in my area as
well as some mail order houses for $7 to $15.  Strongly recommended.

-- Bob

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Robert J. Hanners         "My comments; only mine."          *DIASTOLE* 676673
CD, NSWC, Annapolis, MD                              hanners@oasys.dt.navy.mil
From: tarkkone@klaava.Helsinki.FI (Lauri Tarkkonen)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: double headstay
Keywords: fun
Date: 22 Nov 92 21:08:27 GMT
Organization: University of Helsinki

In <1ej1qgINN68s@morrow.stanford.edu> francis@oas.stanford.edu (Francis Muir) writes:

>John Curtis writes:

>	Add two headsails and drop the main and you have a
>	nice downwind rig, good under auto steering without
>	significant potential for dangerous jibes.

>Provided both sails are pointing backwards, that is, they are both
>poled out well beyond the headstay. There's a good discussion of this
>in John Letcher's book SELF-STEERING FOR SAILING CRAFT (International
>Marine Publishing. Camden, ME). Actually, there's no real reason why
>both sails could not be hanked on to a single headstay, providing the
>hanks are sewn on staggered. Letcher single-handed many thousands of 
>miles with duals on his two boats ISLAND GIRL and ALEUTKA. He also
>has a nice history of dual rigs that includes descriptions of Otway
>Waller's rig from 1930 (transAt crossing) and Wright Britton's Roller
>Wings for DELIGHT on which he sailed with his wifein the North Atlantic.
>He also mentions John Guzzwell's (TREKKA Around The World. Adlard Coles)
>spinnaker + twins set-up.

>							Fido

Actually at least Fogh Sails made reachers from fairly light cloth, such
that on a close reach or beam reach you carried them double ply and on a run
and very broad reach you spread the two sides on opposite sides. It was
quite practical.

- Lauri Tarkkonen
From: Jack.Porter@f764.n153.z1.ship.wimsey.bc.ca (Jack Porter)
Sender: UUCP@ship.wimsey.bc.ca
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Mounting transducers with
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 10:57:00 -0800

DH>3.      Cut the end off the silicone tube -- don't just snip the nozzle
DH>back, actually cut the whole end off, so that the opening you've made is
the
DH>size as the tube. The idea is that you want to expell the entire
DH>contents as a big glob.  Air bubbles in the silicone will not make you a
DH>happy sailor, because they affect the range and accuracy of the sounder.
DH>4.      Seat the transducer in the big glob of silicone, and give
DH>several days to cure through and through.

Dan, what an incredibly simple idea for a difficult job. I always
worried about the through- the- hull fittings. As time goes on they
always seem to leak.

Thanks for the tip.

Jack

 * OLX 2.1 TD * **** A clean well kept yacht is a pleasure to own! ****


Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: legacy@cbnewsj.cb.att.com (wayne.m.simpson)
Subject: Re: Solo Sailor Missing
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 15:04:56 GMT
Summary: a PS...


   A followup to myself for something I forgot to mention. A couple of
good books to read for anyone who's interested on matters of safety.

"Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts" edited,
I think, by John Rousmaniere

"Seaworthiness: the Forgotten Factor" by Marchaj

Wayne Simpson
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: burati@apollo.hp.com (Michael Burati)
Subject: Re: Question about zinc...
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 16:34:21 GMT
Organization: Hewlett-Packard Corporation, Chelmsford, MA
Keywords: zinc
Followup-To: burati@apollo.hp.com

In article <1992Nov16.141043.14356@cs.brown.edu> jfh@cs.brown.edu (John F. Hughes) writes:
>prop coupler, which effectively insulates the shaft from the engine. I put a
>zinc on the prop shaft this past year (a "doughnut zinc"---about 1"
>fore-and-aft, and about 3" OD, with a 7/8" hole in the middle for the shaft
>to pass through. The result: after 5.5 months in the water, the zinc is about
>25% gone. Is this about normal?

I don't have a rubber insulator on the prop coupler, (thought that was just for
vibration anyway, since the bolts go through it and connect the two) and I go
through about 75% of TWO donut zincs per year (both in Boston harbor last year
and Nantucket Sound this year).  There was so little left this year that the
pressure wash broke the rest off...  I meant to check on it with a snorkel and
mask this year, but it's one of those things that you keep putting off until
the boat's out of the water anyway.  As long as they're not completely gone,
I'm not too worried...

>So. When during the summer does this happen? I'm not sure. Maybe the thing
>craps out within the first week. I'm not at all certain. The question is, 
>how normal is this? How long does one of these pencils tend to last in typical
>service? And just what is that pencil protecting in this situation? It's
>certinaly electrically connected to the rest of the engine, but this copper or
>cupro-nickel exchanger is the only part of the engine (aside from the seawater
>pump) that's in contact with the seawater. Any comments or suggestions would be
>welcome. 

I assume that it's just protecting the exchanger and pump, since they're the
only pieces in context with seawater in a FWC engine.  Mine goes through one
pencil zinc/year, but the Westerbeke manual says to check it monthly (more
often if you're in an area where you're unsure of the stray currents...). Since
it's on the fresh water side, you're only losing salt water when you open it
to check on it (close the seacock first of course).

..Mike
ps: Went down to cover the boat for the winter yesterday.  Made me yearn to be
    out on the water more than anything :-(
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: floydb@rpi.edu
Subject: Re: Question about zinc...
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 17:20:04 GMT

(lastline)
In article <ZIELKE.92Nov16104430@hemlock.nrl.navy.mil> zielke@hemlock.nrl.navy.mil (David Zielke) writes:
>
>I have a perkins 4-107 which is basically the same engine.  I find that my
>pencil zinc in the heat exchanger is about 80% gone at the 6 month point.  I
>have taken to replacing it every six months.  I assume this is rather
>normal.
>
>
>David Zielke
>'Botany Bay'
>Cal 35 Hull 006
>
>zielke@fozzie.nrl.navy.mil

Is the pencil zinc considered a 'consumable' then? Is there a suitable
replacement material that would not corrode at all or as much?

My knowledge of electrical systems is limited to house wiring and 
electronics, by I would guess the combination of saltwater and
electricity is causing corrosion, correct? Why is this important
to the working engine?

barry
From: paulh@tekcae.cax.tek.com (Paul Hammer)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: boat drinks
Date: 16 Nov 92 17:33:43 GMT
Organization: Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton,  OR.

Oops, did I say Captain Grog?
I meant Admiral Edward Vernon Grog (1684-1757).
-rcf
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: alicer@gimli.uio.no (Alice Rossmann)
Subject: Re: Soap
Reply-To: alicer@gimli.uio.no (Alice Rossmann)
Organization: University of Oslo, Norway
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1992 08:58:03 GMT


We found that really any liquid soap would work just fine in salt water!
So find your favorite soap in liquid form... and use it... 
-Alice
Newsgroups: rec.boats
From: watson@racerx.bal.mmc.com (Dave Watson)
Subject: Solo Sailor Missing
Organization: Martin Marietta Aero & Naval Systems
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 03:21:11 GMT

A brief report in the Washington Post this past Sunday noted that Mike Plant
and his boat Coyote were missing in the North Atlantic.  He was in transit from
New York to Les Sables d'Olonne France in preparation for the start of the
Vendee Globe Challenge race.  Does anyone have any more information on this?

I was aboard this boat a few weeks ago at the Annapolis show and have never
seen anything like it:  60 ft. LOA, about 4 ft. of freeboard, about 18 ft. of
beam (carried all the way aft), and a plumb bow.  The designer is Rodger Martin
who commented in the Nov. Sailing World that boats of this ilk (second
generation BOC designs) are "harder on the skipper... but we determined that
Mike would just have to work himself up to it.  It represents a more aggressive
philosophy than we've taken in the past".  Can anyone comment on what he means
by this?

By the way, there are a number of interesting twists to this story.  The boat
has been missing for two weeks.  The Canadian Coast Guard evidently received an
EPIRB signal that was too weak for localization (?), and then did not notify
USCG because the beacon was not registered (i.e. they did not know an American
was involved).

Keep your fingers crossed.

David