CRABBING--Summer Season 2010

July 2nd, 2010--Yesterday was the opening day of the summer crab season in Region 10, Seattle to Bremerton. I set my crab pot off the breakwater at Shilshole Bay and got skunked 4 times. After setting it for the 5th time, the second in a new location, at 4:00PM, I left it overnight. I spent last night at the dock in Shilshole Marina. While there I opened Adobe Photoshop to collect images from 2008 & 2009 just to prove that I knew what I was doing when I began this blog.

This is NOT from 2008 or 2009! When I retrieved my pot at 10:00 this morning I had company. After throwing back two females, I still had 5 keeper males. All 5 were in excess of 6-1/2", with the largest measuring 7".

Whisper under genoa, sailing to Brownsville Marina for an SSYC overnight, prior to entering Liberty Bay to raft-up for their fireworks on Saturday, July 3rd.

While I had planned to lay-up in Port Madison to clean & cook what crab I had while waiting for slack water in Agate Pass, the wind is good enough that I will sail all of the way to Brownsville and do the crab deed there.

The crab deed is done.

I know, I know. When you think of Joe, it's just "Crab, crab, crab!"

The weekly crabbing days are Wednesday through Saturdays, so since the weather is predicted for the high 80's to low 90's, I plan to crab on Wednesday.

More to come?

Seattle's Opening Day

OUT OF THIS WORLD was the theme of the 2010 Opening Day of Yachting, sponsored by Seattle Yacht Club.


For the fourth year in a row Whisper turned out to compete in the category of Dressed Sail. The particulars are that you have international code flags arrayed on the fore and back stays in a prescribed order; a champagne bottle just breaking the water from the bow and the crew must be uniformly attired.

Lining both port and starboard rails, Whisper's crew of 17 aliens performed impeccably. Obviously the judges missed something, since in a field of eight, we only got third.

After three years of First Place, it was time to spread the wealth.

WINCH REPACKING--Another Lesson Learned

Even if your winches are just out of the box brand new, they need to be repacked. Lewmar, and possibly other manufacturers, ship their winches with a heavier grease that needs replacing.

My first focus was on Whisper's two primary genoa winches, since they sit out in the weather in the cockpit.

It's a messy job, but rewarding as well. Here are all of the parts ready for oiling, greasing & reassembly.

The main shaft stripped of the gears.

Care should be taken to keep grease off of the pawls--they only get a light machine oil.

Here is the Lewmar 44 assembled & ready for the drum.

Once assembled, what a difference! They now spin much easier.

My next job will be repacking the Maxwell windlass which must get lots of abuse inside the bow anchor locker. Once that is done I will attack the 2 smaller winches inside the dodger.

If you haven't repacked your winches, you should. If you don't want to repack your winches--give me a call.

The WING is KING!

In the pre-race maneuvering today, Alinghi 5 fouled USA 17 and was protested by BMW Oracle. A 270 degree penalty was assessed. After stalling above the start line, USA 17 was 660 meters behind Alinghi.

Here BMW Oracle takes off, literally, after Alinghi. In 6-8 knots of headwind, USA 17, same boat, was able to catch, pass and out-point Alinghi.


BMW Oracle passes during the first leg.


AMAZING! With the true wind at 160-165 degrees blowing at 8 knots, BMW Oracle is able to sail at 24+ knots at 26 degrees. Here you can see the panels of the articulating wing main sail. With the boat built in Anacortes, it is a technological marvel!

Race #2 in the best of 3 is now scheduled for Sunday, Feb 14th. It is streamed live on americascup dot com (you know I can't put the link here.

Check it out!