Comments on: The cold wind blows! https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/ Land and Sea Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:40:11 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.2 By: Alex https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-240 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 06:40:11 +0000 #comment-240 hbigtaut,

No worries.

I do carry paper charts, I’d be crazy not to. I think you could see that in the 2nd DVD??? I also keep a spare GPS in a metal case in my ditch bag along with a bunch of other goodies. Your right, celestial is an art and one I hope to master one day. I have a crappy plastic sextant and hope to win a nice brass one on ebay but always get outbid, arggg! however I’ve never felt like I’d be in trouble if my navigation went down.

On a side note, I met a funny single-hander on a little 25′ boat years back. All he used for navigation was an old moldy world Atlas and no GPS. He was a bit wonky but seemed to make it about. He said he was often surprised with his destinations tho :) I thought it was a unique way of getting around.

Cheers.

– Alex

]]> By: hbigtautog@aol.com https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-239 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 07:17:54 +0000 #comment-239 Dear Alex,What i meant to say,is that Black boxes fail,with lightning, humidity, etc.I think the likelyhood of satellites ,failing ,or being turned off,is unlikely.I get the impression,by watching your DVD,s that keeping a Dead Reckoning plot was not really a priority.I thought you didnt carry paper charts, or plotting sheets.Please correct us ,if i am wrong on this.Yes LAN,(Local Apparent Noon)is a good skill that you possess for knowing your latitude.I am constantly in awe of the sight reduction tables, the Rude Star finder, and the challenge of learning the constellations,and the 57Navigational stars.I believe Celestial is an art,that cultivates, pride, self esteem, and something you and your new family, can learn together,as a family activity.The little young lady,can learn about astronomy,along with other valuable skills,you and mom are teaching.I believe Celestial is an art,a science,and a lifelong pursuit.Its comparable in many ways to the art of winemaking and self-sufficiency

]]> By: fishing@loonhaunt.com https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-238 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 21:20:48 +0000 #comment-238 HI Alex

On my boat the ideal windlass used a solenoid mounted in chain locker beside the windlass motor. Every 12 months the solenoid became a ball of rust. After a couple of solenoid changes I drilled 3 appropriately sized holes in the bulkhead and routed the 2 large wires and one small wire through the bulkhead and mounted the solenoid in the vee birth up high on the chain locker bulkhead. I never had a problem with the solenoid again.

Bill

]]> By: Alex https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-237 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:11:31 +0000 #comment-237 hbigtautog

I can get my Latitude with celestial and plan on further developing the skill. However the reality is It would take an act of God for the GPS networks to stop workig, and I always know my position so if they did stop working I could dead reckon/plot my way to wherever I need to go. That coupled with easily finding my Lat lets me sleep at night. As far as my electronics go, they are mostly for receiving weather and communicating with my website. Cheers- Alex

]]> By: Alex https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-236 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 20:08:17 +0000 #comment-236 Terry & Karen

Good to hear from you guys :) How’s Cass? Yeah, I love the Cheoy Lee, sooo much room too. Your last boat was a Cheoy lee right, what make?

Hope you guys are well.

– Alex

]]> By: tkreitz@attglobal.net https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-235 Sat, 07 Feb 2009 14:56:57 +0000 #comment-235 Hey Alex,
The website is looking great. Glad the Cheoy Lee is working out for you, they’re great boats aren’t they? Hope to see you on the high seas soon! It only gets better!

Terry & Karen

S/V Sora

]]> By: sensor3 https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-234 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:20:18 +0000 #comment-234 I cant wait to read more ships logs when you guys get underway, I have a whole division of the U.S Navy reading this stuff,,,, keep og going alex, alot of people wish they could live this life!

]]> By: Darrin https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-233 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:44:48 +0000 #comment-233 The weather has got me down too. Morale is low on S/V Alas. The boat has been rocking violently for days. If I relax my abdominal muscles I will surely and shortly end up on the floor. Luckily my boat is very small, and it’s not a very far drop.
Sitting here at anchor, not being able to work on the boats is very annoying, but the promise of warm weather and fair seas keeps me going. We will make it out of here some day, right????

As far as the GPS/Celestial Navigation argument goes. I would much rather rely on the sun, planets and stars than an electronic device any day.. But the fact of the matter is I do not own a nice sextant. I do on the other hand, own a couple of GPS recievers. The day someone buys me a decent sextant is the day I will listen to them telling me I’m a substandard sailor for using GPS. Then again, after I owned a sextant, I likely wouldn’t be using the GPS much.
Alex: I don’t think hbigtautog was referring to the satellites themselves failing. I think he was suggesting that your receiver will fail. …which it will, eventually. batteries die, things get wet. $#1T happens.

Sun, please come out. Wind, please stop blowing 30kn. Fiberglass, please stop being itchy.

That magellan thinger you have is pretty badass for updating the website, Alex. Not to mention weather updates. Anyone who thinks weather is not important is no sailor. Anyone who thinks Alex doesn’t need to update this website, should probably close their browser.

Cold, irritated, and hopefull,

Darrin

]]> By: BuddyEJG@AOL.COM https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-232 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:32:14 +0000 #comment-232 Thanks for the plug, brother. I love the line: “And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover”

]]> By: castanheira@rogers.com https://www.projectbluesphere.com/2009/02/04/The-cold-wind-blows/#comment-231 Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:27:59 +0000 #comment-231 Hi Alex, Sam and Guin,
I can see the video as soon as I log in, don’t need to go to youtube.
This morning it was -22 Celsius here in Toronto, Can’t wait for spring and go sailing.
Keep well !
Luis

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