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Far Reach Voyages

~ The rebuilding, restoring, repairing, and offshore sailing of a highly modified Cape Dory 36 sailboat. Please visit our other website that documents the six year rebuild and modification of the S/V Far Reach at www.farreachvoyages.com.

Far Reach Voyages

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Brave Sweet Pea

21 Monday Jan 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Boats, Equipment, Musings, Uncategorized, Voyaging

≈ 5 Comments

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Sweet Pea, our tough and hard working 9’ Fatty Knees dinghy.

Until recently, while anchored in Elephant Bay, I had been rowing in and out of Crown Bay Marina in St. Thomas, USVI. I purchase water there and sometimes ice. I load up to 35 gallons of water at a time, in seven 5 gallon collapsible jugs, to haul to the Far Reach. I also use the dinghy dock to get a beer or occasional meal at Tickles Pub or grocery shop around the corner.

After about two weeks of rowing in and out, the marina office sent a security guard to tell me I couldn’t row into the marina. “It’s not allowed….”.  I responded with something along the lines of “I don’t even understand that comment.”  So, I went and talked to the management. They were adamant. No rowing. “Why,” I asked. “Well because you might not be able to maneuver out of the way with other boats coming and going.” I said “It’s a no wake zone. No one is going any faster than me and I am far more maneuverable than any power boat.”

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A Simple System for Taking on Water

13 Sunday Jan 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Provisioning, Uncategorized, Upgrades, Voyaging

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Upgrades

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Water hauling day: 35 gallons or 280 lbs of water.  Our 9’ Fatty Knees has been a real work horse for almost 15 years.  She’s tough, rows well, and with a 15’ tall mast carries a lot of sail for her size. I can’t imagine trading her for an inflatable.

As part of our “keep it simple” approach to all things sailing we have developed a system for filling the water tanks on the Far Reach.  It didn’t happen all at once…it took a little time and some trial and error.

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Jost Van Dyke, BVI to St Thomas, USVI

04 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Musings, People, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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I slipped out of Jost Van Dyke early on 30 December. The anchorage was already getting crowded in anticipation of the big New Years Eve bash. The night before I left, while I was ashore helping Baba, a 62’ private charter cat anchored way too close on the starboard side of the Far Reach…exactly the reason I wanted to get out of Great Harbor.

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The FR and the cat got much closer than this photo depicts.

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Wonderful People and Anchoring Woes

29 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Musings, People, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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The Far Reach—Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke

My 13th Day at Jost Van Dyke. I have spent the last 8 days helping out Ali Baba on whatever projects he has lined up. Painting, helping run wires, building a booth for the New Years festivities, etc. I have really enjoyed working with Baba and getting to know him and Urinthia. They have fed me and engaged me in interesting wide ranging conversations.  I have learned a little about Island culture and got a peek or two about what goes on behind the scenes.  I have traveled all over the world yet never cease to be humbled by the kindness so many people extend to people they barely know. There is nothing that demonstrates how we are so much more alike than different like foreign travel especially when you engage outside your own community and culture.

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I’ve known Baba and Urinthia for three years.  If you want disco and loud music Foxy’s is the place to go.  But this is where the best food is on JVD.  It’s a great place to bring a family or a friend and have a slow meal and a long conversation. And Baba also has a fantastic and diverse play-list loud enough to hear but quiet enough not to interfere in conversation.

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Back to the BVI: a 12 Day Singlehanded Voyage

24 Monday Dec 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Planning, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

≈ 4 Comments

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Anchored in 10’ of gin clear water on a sandy bottom in Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke.

I departed Beaufort, NC on the heels of a low pressure system and after 12 days at sea made landfall across the north bank of the British Virgin Islands. I cleared in through customs at Great Harbor, Jost Van Dyke where I anchored in clear blue water on a sandy bottom.

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Improving Ventilation: A Jalousie Drop Board Window

24 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Uncategorized, Upgrades

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The jalousie window keeps rain from being blown into the cabin when the wind is aft yet helps to maintain ventilation. To install it just swap it out with the center drop board.

During my last voyage to the BVI, and especially on the downwind sail home, it became evident to me that life aboard would be improved if I could prevent rain from being blown into the boat through the companionway from an aft wind while at the same time maintaining airflow in the boat.

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An Inside Lock for the Companionway Hatch

18 Sunday Nov 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Repairs, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

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The new hatch lock conceals the bulk of the brass barrel bolt and makes it stronger. It also can’t be reached from the bridge-deck. 

One of the things I have not liked about my boat is I have no way to lock the companionway from the inside.  It’s an odd thing when you think about it.  When I rebuilt the boat, though I made a lot of changes, I kept the basic design of the original companionway intact. This is an important capability when you are sleeping on the boat and you can’t lock the “front door” so to speak. You are therefore vulnerable. I heard about more than just a few boats getting boarded at night when I was sailing in the West Indies.

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Installing Off-Shore Stanchions

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Uncategorized, Upgrades

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Singlehanding home from Sint Maarten to N.C. in May 2016.  The lifelines felt too low and I wanted to replace them.

During the six year rebuild of the Far Reach I wanted to replace the original 24” tall lifeline stanchions with taller ones of about 30 inches.  But, at that time, taller stanchions were not enough of a priority to make it on to the budget. We made do for the past three years including 3,500nm of off-shore sailing.  

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A Drink Caddy

10 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Uncategorized, Upgrades

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The caddy will hold three drinks, travel mugs, or water bottles  

Just a little project to to address the need for a way to keep drinks secure in the cockpit when sailing. Some teak, 3/32 silicon bronze, and chrome tanned leather. All scraps or off cuts from other projects. Inspired by an old article written by Lin and Larry Pardey.

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A Few Small Projects: Bug screens, whisker pole mod, windlass rebuild, and a new sculling oar lock.

23 Tuesday Oct 2018

Posted by farreachvoyages in Equipment, Maintenance, Modifications, Repairs, Uncategorized, Upgrades

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We never had problems with bugs in the West Indies as we always anchored out and there was always a breeze.  Nonetheless, I wanted to have a full set of screens for the Far Reach.

With Hurricane Florence behind us, it was time to return to the preparation of the Far Reach for the voyage back to the BVI and the West Indies.  At the moment we are working on a few small but important projects. Described below are a few of them.

We completed building the drop-in companionway bug screens.  I built the teak frames last winter but got side tracked before installing the screens. I still need to sew up some screens for the foredeck and saloon deck hatches.  Gayle sewed a nice padded pouch to protect them when stored under a bunk.

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