Around the World of Sailing

17 July 2002

Event News:2002 Port Huron Mac Report
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0717/ms.htm

This year's Port Huron to Mackinac race was a fairly typical
offshore race. There were a variety of conditions, although
not too rough, and certain tactical decisions were better
than others.

Reports seem to indicate that some of the following factors
were important in the race. One, for some of the bigger
boats there was a big wind shift soon after the start. This
allowed some boats to pull out a big lead, which was not
countered. Two, of the two shores of Lake Huron it was the
Michigan one that paid. Winds filled in from the west which
is also the direction of the Michigan shore. Three, the
first part of the race to the NGS America buoy off
Southampton was often decisive especially for the bigger
boats. In the GL 70 class Evolution led Colt 45 by 17
minutes at the buoy and stretched this to 36 minutes by the
finish. In PHRF Class E the Southampton portion of the race
was as decisive if not more so. At the buoy class winner
Jubilee led 2nd place Flyer by 45 minutes. They ended up 2
H 44 M ahead by the finish. It's a common offshore racing
phenomena- call it rich get richer, concertina effect,
rubber band syndrome etc. The best place to be is ahead!

In the honors department Evolution, a Santa Cruz 70, was 1st
to finish which was a bit of vindication. In 2000 this same
group sailing Cynosure grounded on Spectacle Reef and DNF'd.

Once again Lightning, a Santa Cruz 52 owned by Bob Seger, has
captured overall honors in the Port Huron to Mackinac race-
Southampton course. Lightning was also last years overall
winner. 2nd overall and 1st in PHRF B was Power Tripp a
Tripp 40, formerly from Muskegon.

On the Shore Course Chippewa, a Tartan 34, beat Bantu winner
of numerous Great Lakes races by 10 minutes for PHRF I and
overall shore course honors.

For some of the boats there will be another chance at either
redemption or more success in this weekend's Chicago
Mackinac.

Links:
Bayview YC Site
http://www.byc.com/mack02/index.html
Unofficial, Independent Site
http://www.porthuronmackinac.com
# 2 for Seger
http://www.freep.com/sports/outdoors/mack17_20020717.htm

Theme Article: Sailing Tools- Multi Tools
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0717/ms.htm

We've all heard- jack of all trades, master of none. Well a
sailor has a lot of trades- rigger, electrician, mechanic,
chef etc. To accomplish all this he needs a lot of tools.

From the number of black nylon pouches carried on sailors
belts many have adapted the jack of all trades of tools- the
multi tool.

These pocket sized gadgets are built around pliers and then
use various ingenious ways to pack in other tools and
features.

For instance the Leatherman Wave has: needle nose and
regular pliers, clip point and serrated knife blade, file,
saw, scissors, screwdrivers, wire stripper etc. The knife
blades for rigging, the strippers for the electrician, the
screwdrivers for the mechanic etc. The Wave can be bought
online for approximately $ 60.00.

Just as with a knife, being able to open a multi tool with
one hand is desirable for a sailor. This is something that
Gerber multi tools are well known for. In fact their new
multi tool 800 features one hand opening and the ability to
access tools without opening the tool completely. Suggested
list price is $ 136.00 although there are many discount
retailers that sell below this. They also have an online
feature where you can select and order a custom multi tool.

SOG Knives also makes multi tools. They make their tools
with a different pliers system. This gives the user more
leverage. SOG's Para Tool sells for $ 62.95.

There are probably thousands of multi tool options out
there. As long as the tool includes a satisfactory serrated
blade you can only gain utility by adding a multi tool to
your kit.

Links:
Gerber 800
http://www.gerberblades.com/gerberlegendaryblades.html?8239
BYO Tool
http://byo.gerberblades.com/step_1.html?cart=310973731419293792
Leatherman
http://www.leatherman.com/
SOG Para Tool
http://www.sogknives.com/para.htm

Event News: Chicago Mackinac Preview
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0717/ms.htm

This year the Chicago Mackinac falls 2nd in the order.
Boats travel to Chicago for the start from all points
including those who already have one Mac sailed and come
from Mackinac Island.

The Chicago version of the race is longer, with more marks
than the Port Huron one. Still it's generally 2 nights on
the water with any number of factors controlling the
outcome.

One boat that would especially like to avoid that 2nd night
out is Pyewacket. Based on the West Coast, Pyewacket is not
a regular entrant. The boat is here to contest the race and
have a shot at the mono hull race record set in 1987.
Pyewacket is a 75-foot Reichel/Pugh design owned by Roy
Disney. Early this summer the boat set a Bermuda Race
course record. With a towering rig, Pyewacket does not need
ideal conditions to break the record.

For others, ambitions may be less grandiose. It could be
completing a 1st Mackinac. It could be completing that 25th
Mackinac, making you eligible to be an old goat. It maybe
another race in your classes (J 105, J35, Farr 40, GL 70's
etc.) season series- albeit the longest one.

In many ways the Mac is like another Midwest tradition- deer
hunting. You meet up with a familiar group of people, for a
challenge of varying degree in the outdoors. As always some
are more serious hunters than others.

For those who will follow the race there are 2 items of
note.
First, our website http://www.chicagomackinac.com and
you can get weather forecasts for Chicago and Mackinac
Island daily via email. This is a free service.

Second many of the boats in the race will have tracking
devices onboard. Positions will be taken approximately
every 2 hours. This information will be posted on the
Chicago Yacht Club's official race site.

Links:
Unofficial Independent Reports @ Chicago Mackinac.com
http://www.chicagomackinac.com
Tracking
http://www.chicagoyachtclub.com/racetomackinac/media/0615rmi.html
CYC Site
http://www.chicagoyachtclub.com/racetomackinac/index.html

News: Boat Smart
Available on line at:
http://www.torresen.com/news/atwos/2002/jl/0717/ms.htm

Boat Smart is a weekly column written by Chief Tom Rau,
Group Grand Haven, U.S. Coast Guard and appears in a number
of newspapers. Chief Rau has been writing and promoting safe
boating since 1986. Many of his columns are taken from real
life experiences from Station St. Joseph/South Haven, where
Chief Rau is currently serving.

Many GPS users lack basic knowledge

By Senior Chief Tom Rau, Coast Guard Group Grand Haven, MI

When Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) navigation first hit
the maritime market only commercial shipping, aviation and
military units could afford the high-priced hardware. Now,
GPS devices are affordable to most recreational boaters,
with some units costing as little as $109. While the cost
curve may have dropped dramatically for GPS units, the
learning curve for some boaters seems to be lagging far
behind.

Sean Eaton, a Group Grand Haven Duty Officer (GDO), told me
of a recent case where a boater called the Rescue
Coordination Center on his cell phone requesting Coast Guard
assistance. The boater said he was carrying a GPS, but
didn't know how to use it. Dealing with boaters unfamiliar
with their GPS devises is not an uncommon event for the
Coast Guard rescue responders.

Bob Walters, a Group duty officer, told me of a recent case
that found him at wits end. A boater called Group Grand
Haven, reporting they were lost. Reportedly they had set
out from a Chicago marina for New Buffalo, Michigan on a
track that would take them on a easterly course. Walters
estimated the distance was around 42 miles.

However, the boater said he had been underway for three
hours at a speed of 17 mph. Walters, a navigational
specialist, quickly figured that at a speed of 17 mph over
three hours on an easterly course would place the boater 9
miles east of New Buffalo. Highly unlikely, so where was
he?

Fortunately the boater could provide latitude and longitude
off his GPS. Walters plotted the coordinates, which placed
the boater off South Haven, Michigan some 33 miles north of
New Buffalo. At least, the boater could read the GPS's
latitude and longitude although he did admit he had no
charts aboard. Charts provide GPS coordinates and the means
to determine a boats position, and the presence of nearby
hazards. That's, of course, if they can read the GPS or
charts.

"I asked one boater to give me his latitude and longitude
and he came back and asked- is that the top or bottom
numbers?" For those not familiar with latitude and
longitude displays on a GPS screen, the top row of numbers
displays the latitude and the bottom row the longitude.
These geographical coordinates are what guide smart bombs to
desired targets. So precise are satellite supplied
geographical coordinates they could hit the L on my computer
key board. Of course, that's if the user knows how to
program coordinates, which apparently some boaters find
difficult to do. Or, could it be they don't understand the
basic concept of latitude and longitude?

Lines of latitude run east and west, lines of longitude
north and south; wherever these lines cross at a ninety
degree angle is called a geographical position (GP). That's
how satellite fed GPS coordinates pinpoint your location on
a boat or can guide you to a desired destination (waypoint).

The inability to read north and south coordinates on a GPS
is one thing, but to confuse latitude and longitude for
something else reveals GPS illiteracy at its worst. "I
asked one boater to provide his latitude and longitude and
he provided range and bearing numbers to a waypoint". In
another case, Walters said a boater provided only the
latitude number and then asked if Walters needed any other
numbers. "Yes, a longitude, " replied Walters

The great seagoing navigators of old are probably spinning
in their graves- and well they should. GPS navigation
represents the most profound advancement in maritime
navigation since the Englishman John Harrison perfected the
sea-going chronometer in 1735. His precision time piece
solved the equation of time which is essential to measuring
the westward movement of celestial bodies in relation to the
earth's 24-four rotation using Greenwich England as the
prime meridian.

Even with the chronometer, celestial based position fixes
involved lengthy and tedious mathematical equations that
would challenge a modern-day rocket scientist. Even then,
their calculations were estimates at best. Imagine, if one
of these seagoing old-time mathematicians could experience
the wonders of GPS navigation- he, no doubt, would be in
awe. A pin point position fix automatically provided on the
screen of a hand-held device- truly a miracle at play.
That many modern-day GPS users can't even read the screen
would, no doubt, find old timers in even greater awe.

Perhaps the folks who write the instructions for GPS's are
actually old-time navigators reborn and revenging boaters
for their disregard for this navigational wonder. But even
with easy to follow instructions, key usage and data entry
can differ greatly between sets. When ever I encounter
different GPS devices, I seek out instruction on basic key
operations and data entries such as entering waypoints,
calling up waypoints and the man over board (MOB) function.
And then I write down the instructions. I keep it simple
and believe me simplicity has served me well with GPS
devices.

Also, I have discovered that if you don't use you loose GPS
skills. So, I would, at least once a week, run through basic
GPS entries like entering waypoints, and calling up
waypoints to make sure the GPS range and bearing to these
waypoints were reading true.

The means to identify my current position with a latitude
and longitude, a course to steer to a desired position, and
expected arrival time- what more could a boater wish for.

Boat Smart, wish not- master the GPS fundamentals.

Links:
Boat Smart
http://www.boatsmart.net