Ancestors

Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 17:06

Dusk as seen from Wrack's deck, Almerimar marina, Spain.

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Toot

Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 17:20

I bitch about the cold — and keep a heater running below decks when the sun sets — but the daytime temperature is usually around 15ºC. Of all Spanish cities, Almerimar boasts the most hours of unclouded sunlight a year.

I still feel bloody cold.

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Descendants

Written by Devine Lu Linvega on 2025-01-18 at 17:29

@ccohanlon It's -1'C right now in Victoria, everything is covered in ice 🥶

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 17:48

@neauoire I am so not a high latitudes sailor anymore, as much as I'm enchanted by the idea of the PNW — these days, I embrace my sub-tropical upbringing (plus my wife's half Polynesian). I don't even own foul weather gear.

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Written by Devine Lu Linvega on 2025-01-18 at 17:50

@ccohanlon I don't blame you, being able to sit outside without loosing a finger sounds really nice right about now.

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Written by Artsun on 2025-01-18 at 22:12

@neauoire @ccohanlon Humidity can be quite dreadful. I spent a few days aboard those last weeks, and when I'm working on the computer I have to keep the heater on under the table, even in the middle of a sunny day, and even in Marseille with a weather quite similar to Almerimar from what I can tell.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 22:20

@artsun The sun here is quite fierce for three or four hours a day and there's bugger all rain. But the boat gets damp at night and we're battling mould and mildew through the lockers.

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 19:37

@neauoire @ccohanlon

I am currently mid-continent. It is “-12, but feels like -17.” Blowing 10-15 kt.

I wish I were back on VI, complaining about rain.

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Written by Devine Lu Linvega on 2025-01-18 at 19:37

@Amgine @ccohanlon are you on a sailboat too?

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 19:40

@neauoire @ccohanlon

Alas, no. And my boat is being hauled next week.

I am only visiting winter. I keep telling myself this. It does not convince, however.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 19:43

@Amgine @neauoire Oh, this is a vision of hell, but with ice.

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 19:51

@ccohanlon @neauoire

It’s far worse at -1 aboard than -20 in a hotel. But I am more free shivering aboard than attending a social event bound by dependencies on gas lines, power lines, and water mains.

<24 hours to departure.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 20:00

@Amgine @neauoire This is why I have oversize, puffy duffets and down pillows aboard, rather than 'technical' sleeping bags. My winter bunk is a cocoon.

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 20:07

@ccohanlon @neauoire

I will admit I have a “technical” mummy bag inside a normal sleeping bag… plus duvets and stuff. And I have electricity at the dock, which almost all the time these days.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 20:12

@Amgine @neauoire What type of boat?

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 20:14

@ccohanlon @neauoire

Stupid duffer boat: 1964 Columbia Saber. It’s a 5.5 intl metre rule hull, with a cabin top. Sails fabulously. Sucks as a cruiser.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 20:53

@Amgine I raced against an unmodified 5.5, effectively an open boat, in 2,000 mile Round Britain and Ireland Two-Handed Race, in 1978. Two very tough guys sailed her. It finished!

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 21:34

@ccohanlon

That’s even crazier than me!

Still, she has such lovely lines. I fantasize about an 8 m boat, big enough for actual sitting below under the side decks, and a modern rig with power sail controls.

But I do not purchase lottery tickets.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-18 at 22:04

@Amgine I've kept my boat minimal. No hot water, no complex electronics, few winches — and I have an engine only because my insurer insists I do. My current project is looking for a sculling oar (I'm hoping to beg/borrow/steal one from a disused rowing club eight).

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-18 at 23:48

@ccohanlon

I have rowed a few boats, and this one would be easy to add a rowing station - it’s only 6’6” beam.

But I have never learned to do 1 oar sculling.

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-19 at 00:20

@Amgine It's easy to learn, but getting the right length of oar (long!) and the right position for it, is critical. Once you get the rhythm, you can move a small(ish) bloat along quite well. The Chinese yuloh oar works even better but again, it takes practice and you also need to build the oar: https://www.duckworksmagazine.com/11/howto/yuloh/index.htm

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Written by wrack on 2025-01-19 at 00:24

@Amgine There is a brief demo' of a yuloh here (and it's a lovely clip all 'round).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcgALYGW5aI

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Written by Amgine on 2025-01-19 at 00:29

@ccohanlon

Thanks! Will go through these tonight.

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