Maine Sailing Partners

Letter from the South Pacific

Hi Win.

We just passed through Pohnpei again where we picked up the Hydranet genoa that you made in 2005 and i thought i would update you. In 2005 we left there and went back to the Sopac and then to Australia continuing on to Tasmania for a year and a half. From there we came back up the east coast of OZ, through PNG and ended up in Palau for five years where we did tons of diving but little sailing. Palau is one of the rainiest place on earth and hot. Everything grows a layer of green mold [even teak rots]. The Hydranet came through with very little mold problems even though it spent most of the time rolled up. We left Palau this last july and went about 2500 miles east just north of the equator in mostly 5-10k breeze with a few squalls.

The jib still has a great shape and the only thing wrong with it is the spreader patches have disintegrated. The UV cover put on with Tenara thread is still fine. Once we got to 170E and the equator we made a right turn and headed for Vanuatu and New Caledonia hard on the wind in the trades for 1200 miles.

We had North New Zealand build us a tri radial spectra staysail in 2002 and on the the leg to Vanuatu it totally delaminated much like the main they built us. We dragged out the staysail you built us at Shore sails out of CL90 and put that back in use. It is a bit baggier than new and the 1/4" welded tack ring disintegrated but it is still hanging in there.

We are off to NZ for a much need refit and are putting the boat on the market (http://sites.google.com/site/svdancerabeking/) as we would like to trade up to a big cat to better carry our dive equipment and skiff. Hope all is well with you. All the best.

 

Offshore Sailing

The following was in my inbox this morning.  Sure it's a world economy, but you have to wonder how great the customer service is when they're half a world away.  And then there's attention to detail . . . we are Maine Sailing Partners afterall.

 

noreply@mesailing.com	11:48 PM (9 hours ago)
to info

New Contact Submission from Maine Sailing Partners

Name:	Jackson Wang
Email:	jackson.wang@kdsails.com
Message:	Dear Bayview Sails : Hello........and greetings from China !! I am the newest and freshest sail-making loft in Shenzhen,China. Only 30 minutes from the border of Hong Kong/China.(2 hours from downtown HK to my loft.) I been making many of the one desing sails, including ： Optimist, Laser, 420, 470, Capri, Chrysler, Hobie cat, G-cat, Sunfish, Prindle, X-boat.....Etc,. I also do most of the standard sails for Catalina Sails, Hunter Sails, MacGregor Sails, Storm Sails, Beneteau 235 and 40.7, J22, J24, J80, cruising and racing sails for other famous brand like Quantum, and UK-Halsey .....Ullman and Doyle. Both In-shores and Off-shores. As well as lot of the boat covers and Sail covers. I have computer cutting, sail designing software, and 35 skilled techs to fullfil your production requirement. And also with in-house measurer to supervise the quality. I would like very much to become your supplier for quality sails, at competitive cost. I also import Chanllenge/Bainbridge material and hardwares all the time. Please feel free to ask me any question you have about sails ? And give me the chance of test production of your sails in China. I guarantee you will be met with full eagerness and detail attention to quality specifications. Best wishes !! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shenzhen Kingdom sails product Co, Ltd. 深 圳 中 帆 帆 船 用 品 有 限 公 司 Jackson Wang (王再生/蝴蝶玉马） Mobile Tel ：+86 1501 8989 001. MSN : jackson19540316@hotmail.comSkype : jackson19540316 E-mail : jackson1954@126.com C:Usersjackson wangDocumentsA--中 帆 瑞 田厂 商 资 料宣 传 文 件我 们 的 帆sail-loft007.png
Submission Date:	09/25/2012

 

Dyneema Lifelines

This morning's issue of Scuttlebutt, a daily electronic sailing newsletter, has a brief article on the new Racing Rules of Sailing due out in January 2013.  Particularly notable to me is the news that ISAF has approved HMPE (brand names Dyneema and Spectra) single-braid line for use as a replacement for 1 x 19 stainless steel wire.  You can read all about it in Section 3.14.6 on page 24 of ISAF's 2012-2013 Offshore Special Regulations.

US Sailing published an article in January 2010 on the use of single-braid HMPE line that you can read here. 

There are significant advantages to using HMPE single-braid line over steel wire:  15 times stronger than steel on a weight-for-weight basis, 8 times lighter than the equivalent diameter in steel wire, specific gravity of .98 - it floats, chemically inert - it won't corrode, and doesn't kink - no permanent bends.  HMPE single-braid also does not absorb water and is highly UV and chafe resistant.

As a replacement for 1 x 19 steel wire lifelines, HMPE represents a considerable weight savings and improvement in durabiity as well as a potential monetary savings.  Although the line is somewhat more expensive than steel wire, it is easily spliced and doesn't require expensive swaged end fittings.  HMPE single-braid is an enticing alternative to steel wire lifelines.

 

Wash, Check, Repair . . . Ready for 2013

Annual winter service for your sails and canvas is like changing the oil on your car.  It's not very exciting stuff, but it's important preventive maintenance that can save you considerable time and money later on.  Any good winter service regimen should include thorough washing and drying.  Washing removes accumulated salt and dirt that can abrade stitching and corrode sail and canvas fittings:

Salt is hygroscopic as well.  It attracts moisture which can lead to mildew:

Although it doesn't hurt the fabric, mildew is unsightly and can smell bad.  Fortunately, careful washing can usually remove it:

It's important to ask how your sails and canvas will be washed.  A thorough wash should involve complete immersion and an overnight soak in a cleaning solution (shorter for spinnakers and racing laminates).  Some sailmakers scrub sails on tarps, but this doesn't do an adequate job of dissolving and removing salt and dirt.

Thorough cleaning should be followed by a thorough inspection for chafe and UV damage:

New telltales and inside, heated storage complete the package.  Call or email us for details.

Real Racing

Nic Compton has an interesting article about the growth (and growing competitiveness) on the classic regatta circuit in the September issue of Seahorse.  This is certainly the case here in Maine where the largest regatta is the annual Eggemoggin Reach Regatta on the first Saturday of August in Brooklin, Maine.  At up to 125 boats in some years, the number of entries in the ERR easily eclipses any other regatta in Maine and can even rival the total number of member boats in the Gulf of Maine Ocean Racing Association.

You can check out the ERR in Andrew Simm's Wavelength Studios time lapse video here:

 

New Suit

This is the pond boat with its new sails.  Sometimes you just want things the way you want them.

Some Quick Fix Results

Finally some results to go along with my earlier "Quick Fix . . ." post:

The comments I posted in my earlier earlier blog entry were from Don Logan, skipper and owner of Keemah.  Keemah was first in the racing division and third overall . . . not too shabby considering the light air - hardly the forte of a J105.  Congratulations to Don Logan and the Keemah crew.

Another summer is just around the corner.

Another Maine summer ended Monday with a rumored 15 mile back-up from the New Hampshire tolls to the York tolls and up to Wells.

If you're one of the many who thinks that summer and sailing end with Labor Day, then there is no time like the present to get ready for next year.  Do you need new sails?  (Of course you do.)  Get 10% off any sail you purchase this fall for spring 2013 delivery.  Put a deposit on a new sail this fall and pay off the balance next year.

You put your boat away for the winter, don't forget to take care of your sails too.  We offer a number of winter service packages to suit your needs from storage only to comprehensive washing and repair.  Got mildew?  Then consider Vacuwash^TM.

Vacuwash will get your sails and canvas clean when others can't:

Before

After

 Don't put it off until next season.  Get your sails ready now.

 

The Swallow Flies

Jeff Becton and crew aboard the Center Harbor 31 Swallow were the Spirit of Tradition "A" fleet winners at the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta earlier this month.  Here's Swallow flying the spinnaker I previewed in another entry:

You can see more photos (and better photos) of Swallow and the ERR at Alison Langley's website.  

Honey, where did I leave the sunscreen?

. . . or my sunglasses, the GPS, my gloves, etc., etc., etc.?

In the dodger pocket dear.