Hi Sailors!
The Sailing Weekly Roundup brings you the latest in sailing news, trends, gear, events, and training. Every Friday we’ll send a curated list and analysis by Capt. Teresa and Ben Carey. Instead of sifting through a ton of articles and videos each day – let us do the work for you.
Pushing the coal barge towards the power plant in Baltimore Harbor
Analysis:
The grounding of the Ever Given last week was fascinating. My immediate thought was that it grounded due to bank suction. For most small boat sailors, bank suction is something you read about in textbooks when studying for a boating license or certification. It rarely applies otherwise.
As I began to think about shallow water's effects, I remembered my teenage years working the mudflats of Stony Brook Harbor, NY. I earned my movie and mall money by digging clams and selling them to local restaurants.
The only way I could putter my 12ft skiff into shallow waters would be to precariously hold the outboard at the surface or get out and walk the boat to the sandbar, a less than ideal option, given the cold water.
But I had to access the good clamming spots – and fast. So, I revved my engine and put my trusty boat on a plane. As I transitioned from deep to shallow water, the boat would accelerate – skimming the surface like a wild-and-free, wind-in-my-hair movie scene.
The Ever Given isn't much different from a little skiff – aside from the 219,079 tonnes of displacement. The same laws of physics and hydrodynamics apply to boats large and small. The Ever Given also isn't much different from any boat I've sailed -- especially the tugboats I drove in Baltimore harbor.
Each barge I delivered to the power plant was filled with approximately 15 million pounds of coal, and had a 14 to 15 ft draft. Once I turned out of the main shipping channel, towards the power plant and onto the "flats," it was only 15' deep – a foot deeper than the barge's draft.
At that point, the barge had a mind of its own.
"She's hunting," the captain would say, "Bring'er back."
The boat would "hunt for water," as we called it. We had to work hard to keep the barge going straight because it was all over the place – even with rudder hard over and full reverse on one engine. If we didn't get it under control quickly, it could easily have ended up sideways in the channel like the Ever Given. The only difference is – we wouldn't have the satellite news photos to prove it happened.
~ Ben
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From Morse Alpha:
Rigging Simplicity - The Con of Leading Lines Aft | Sailing, Simplicity, and the Pursuit of Happiness
I’ve heard many accounts of owners performing the ‘all lines led aft’ upgrade. The belief is that lines led to the cockpit make sailing safer and easier. By not having to leave the cockpit to adjust your sails, you reduce the risk of injury or falling overboard. By having all lines led to your fingertips, you can remain safe under your dodger or bimini, while staying dry and in control.The Morning Muster Podcast Ep 3: Nighttime & Limited Visibility (Fog) Sailing
Captain Dan ran a windjammer in Maine for many years, and then worked on tugboats in Maine and New England. Captain Julia Carleton has worked for Hurricane Island Outward Bound and aboard educational schooners from Maine to the Caribbean. They both have extensive fog and night travel experience, and share with us some insight into staying safe and the seamanship protocols they follow.
Now for the best of the web...
News:
The bank effect and the big boat blocking the Suez
When you drive a boat, you are always in drift. You are attached to nothing. Stuff happens in the water beneath you that does not make any intuitive sense!
NOAA launches major upgrade to flagship ‘American’ weather prediction model
A major upgrade has been applied to the American Global Forecast System model, one of the main computer models used to predict weather across North America and the world.
The ultimate virtual battle for eSailGP glory
Introducing eSailGP - the official eSailing game of SailGP, the world's premier sail racing league. The world’s fastest virtual sail racing, eSailGP offers fans the chance to test their skills piloting the world’s fastest sail race boats in a virtual environment - which includes an opportunity to take on the world-class SailGP athletes in eF50s.
Bermuda hurricanes getting stronger
This study found that storms passing through the waters around Bermuda have gotten stronger, increasing from an average of 33 knots to 63 knots, or about eight knots per decade. For Bermuda-bound sailors it appears that good weather data is becoming more important than ever.
Tutorials:
Winds Around Clouds #WeatherWednesday
Ever wondered how the clouds overhead affect the wind on your course? This week's video is closely related to last week's (Wind Gusts) as we continue our discussion around how the winds flow around, and in between, clouds.
How to: Turn a single-engined boat in a tight space
Executing a tight turn in a small space in a boat with a single-engine is one of those challenges that makes even experienced skippers take a deep breath, admits Jon Mendez.
How To Win the Top of the Beat
Know where the laylines are: Laylines are the imaginary lines on which you can sail directly to the windward (or leeward mark). For bigger boats with instruments, software such as Expedition or Deckman will display your location relative to the layline and even time to go to the layline. For the rest of us, we need to get good at visualizing where the laylines are.
Events:
2021 Junior Offshore Sailing Program
Join SailMaine for their second annual offshore junior training and race program. Train hard, sail fast, push your comfort zone, compete in a legendary classic Maine offshore race!
Lifestyle:
13 Lessons Learned in the Southern Ocean
In this book excerpt, a seasoned (and opinionated) skipper lists 13 lessons learned on a long trip through the bottom of the world.
Podcasts:
Why Learning a New Skill Is So Good for You
As it turns out, being a grown-up novice offers all kinds of surprising benefits. Just ask journalist Tom Vanderbilt, who spent a year attempting to pick up a variety of challenging skills, from surfing to singing to drawing. Ultimately, he didn’t become amazing at any of these things, but his humble quest taught him something far more valuable: that despite your age or how busy you think you are, introducing yourself to a new skill is one of the most life-enhancing things you can do.
Gear:
Collision Avoidance System for Sailboats
A collision-avoidance system for high-performance racing sailboats has the potential to make watchkeeping safer for cruisers.
Oldies But Goodies:
What Women Want Men to Know on Boats
Since the majority of boats are still owned by men, many women are crew. While most men in sailing are stand-up guys with good intentions, they often inadvertently say and do sexist things when around women that keep us away from the sport or unknowingly encourage us to drop out...