[danielgoldberg]

Daniel Goldberg's BI to Nantucket rally on Sunday, July 12th. That's right Daniel's been holding out on you. He organizes a rally that we are really looking forward to joining this year. The trip is BI -- Cuttyhunk -- Edgartown (2 nights) -- Nantucket (2 nights). After that everyone is going on their own. We'll be looking for other boats to rally back to BI/Montauk with, maybe direct across the open ocean, if weather is favorable.

Just to make sure there's no confusion here, this is not a "rally" like the Bermuda thing. Not at all. I am a member of a small yacht club called Sheldrake Yacht Club, and this year I find myself the victim of being in charge of the Club Cruise, the itinerary for which Brad sets out above. It's very low key, very casual, not all that organized, nothing "required" or anything like that (and if it turns into something like that my wife will kill me because she just wants to chill on this trip).

Anyway, so far we have something like 12 to 15 boats that are going. I can't even remember frankly. The "fleet" gathers on BI on Sunday, July 12, and we head out from there, all depending very seriously on weather (as I told the club members, be prepared for a club cruise to Oyster Bay if the weather dictates). If you would like to come along, you are more than welcome, just PM me and I'll give you some info. Or Brad, if you're inclined, feel free to post the details re: mooring reservations and such; I just don't have the time at the moment, but none of it is secret or exclusionary, and frankly, Sheldrake is looking for members, so anyone interested in participating would be most welcome. And just so you all know, Sheldrake is a non-profit paper club without a clubhouse or facility (burned down many years ago), so the dues is very modest, something like $75/year (again, I can't remember offhand).

 

[Bene505]

Here's most of the email from Dan....


Block Island. There usually is plenty of room to anchor, though Saturday night is the most crowded time to be there. Also, the holding ground is not the greatest, so if weather rolls through you need to be pretty vigilant. Not just for your own boat, but you need to be mindful of other folks who likely will drag. It’s a common occurrence at Block. My personal preference at Block is to take one of the town moorings, but they’re first-come-first-serve.

Cuttyhunk. The anchorage in the inner harbor is small, so it’s all a question of how crowded it will be inside. The moorings in the inner harbor also are first-come-first-serve. The outer harbor is fine for anchoring, but only in very settled weather. If there is any kind of wind from anything other than the south or southwest, the anchorage is very rolly. All a question of your tolerance I guess.

Edgartown. You no longer can anchor in the inner harbor there, with one exception I’ll come to. The anchorage now is along the northern beach of Chappaquiddick (might be spelling that wrong). If the wind is out of the south, southwest, or west, it’s fine, but from other directions it really is not tenable. Supposedly, if the wind is out of the north, the Harbor Master will open sections of Katama Bay for anchoring. I’ve not experienced this myself, so no guaranty if that’s true. Also, keep in mind that since the breach in Katama Bay, the current even in the inner harbor is pretty fierce. It used to be that anchoring in Katama Bay was one of the highlights of Edgartown, but alas, no more.

Nantucket. There is a great anchorage behind what is called First Point. The holding is good, the water is not too deep, and it’s fairly protected from just about all directions. The only negative is that it’s a haul to get into town. If you have a dink that doesn’t plane, it will be a long and wet ride to shore. But, if you have a RIB with an outboard that will get you up, it’s fine.

So that’s my info on the anchorages. Just so you have it, in case it contains anything useful, I’m attaching a Power Point presentation I gave to our club about the cruise.

If you have any questions, please don’t be shy. Otherwise, I’m sure we’ll chat over Sailnet/Anything Sailing, and once we get closer to the date we’ll touch base to make sure we all hook up.

Again, so glad you’re coming along!

Best,

Dan

 

[Bene505]

I'm going to post the powerpoint presentation as a separate thread.

Regards

 

[nika44]

I looked at the itinerary for the July 12th trip. It looks like we'd need a dinghy and we are not ready to buy one this year. We may meet up with you guys in Block Island though as you pass through.

I have been waiting for the car reader for your Raymarine e80, we got the platinum chip and I've been wanting to plot our courses distance wise to make some firmer plans. Right now it looks like we will be in Block Island on 5/23, 5/24 and 5/25 leaving for Newport on the morning of 5/26. We'll leave for South Dartmouth on 5/27 and for MV on 5/28, head back and leave for Cutty Hunk on 5/29, Point Judith on 5/30 and Noank on 5/31, of course with this kind of schedule the weather may make us change our plans and we may have to skip MV this trip. I don't want to do more than 3-5 hours a day of motor sailing/sailing. South Dartmouth seem a little out of the way but like a nice one night destination.

If anyone plans to be in any of these ports on the same dates let me know so we can hook up.

How many of you have two anchors on board.? Do we need another for this trip? We got a 45 Lb Delta Lewmar plow type anchor. I want to buy a second for back up - a smaller Fortress, but again am needing to curb our spending. It's all adding up fast. If the consensus is we really should I shall have to.

Any big difference between Boat US and Sea Tow for the area we sail in?

 

[mdidriksen]

FYI, Cuttyhunk to Old Harbor in BI is 34 NM. Add another 4 NM or so to get around into Great Salt Pond.

 

[JimsCAL]

How many of you have two anchors on board.? Do we need another for this trip? We got a 45 Lb Delta Lewmar plow type anchor. I want to buy a second for back up - a smaller Fortress, but again am needing to curb our spending. It's all adding up fast. If the consensus is we really should I shall have to.

You absolutely need a second anchor!! What are you going to do if your only anchor gets fouled on something or the rode gets cut by someone's prop and you have to abandon it? A Fortress is a good backup to the Delta you have.

 

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

I have a plow, but keep a Danforth as a backup.

 

[Bene323hfxns]

Nika 44, I hope I am not being too forward, but I must admit I can't imagine cruising without a dink. Why have you not bought a dinghy to go with your new boat? This really limits your cruising options, and dockage / marina slips add cost to your cruising budget. Furthermore, a tender will allow you to do a lot of exploring to places you can't get to with your boat. Given what you have dropped close to $250K on your new B40, $1200-1500 for a tender would seem like a good investment.

We bought a new B323 last year after not having a bought for a few years, and I assure you it comes back pretty quickly. I would make sure you get out three or four times before then, and make sure you know how to use your chart plotter. On our delivery passage - about 70 miles, our chart plotter wasn't working (it turned out we had the night palette on-too dark to read in the sun), and we had to do everything the old fashion way which is obviously more stressful. That was our second sail on the new bought, and I kinda wish I had had it out a few more times, just to get used to the plotter, the autohelm, etc. I don't know they area that you are cruising, but I would make sure that you get out and get comfortable on a couple of 2-3 hour sails before taking something like this on. It will answer a lot of questions that you don't want to have to figure out when you are 15 miles from land. Its just my two cents though.

 

[Bene323hfxns]

Our main anchor is a plow, and we have a back-up danforth.

 

[Bene323hfxns]

The second anchor is something that you might be able to pick-up second hand.

 

[Bene323hfxns]

There is a whole host of things that me and my family were hoping to add to our boat this year (geneker, adjustable back-stay, etc.) that we have put on hold due to finances, but a second anchor is a must for this kind of cruise.

 

[Bene505]

I have a 45 pound CQR on one roller (125 feet of chain) and a 45 pound Bruce on another roller (20 feet of chain, hefty nylon rode).

I also have a 40 pound Danforth in the forepeak cabin. It's lashed in pretty tight. For this upcoming (coastal cruising) season I'm moving the Danforth to another location, maybe in the rear quadrant area. We can get at it if we really need it, and it won't be (literally) under foot.

I'm also looking to buy a spare nylon rode, maybe 300 feet that can also be used with a sea anchor (when I get one). I'm planning to upgrade the 45 pound CQR to a bigger Rocna, when funds allow. And finally, planning to convert the short-ish nylong rode that's on the end of the chain to a much longer nylon rode. The anchor locker has a lot of room in it.

Sepatately, I have 6 (yes six) 100 pound Danforth-looking anchors that I'm looking to get rid of. (They aren't on the boat.) Was going to create a multi-anchor mooring with them.

 

[nika44]

All this information is great. I wish I had had sailnet 12 years ago.

We will definitely get a dinghy and will be on the lookout this summer for one a the end of the season. If we spend as much time in Block Island as we did last summer we were going to bring over our 18 jetboat on a trailer and leave it there for the summer. We were going to use that for wakeboarding, clamming and fluke fishing. The dinghy is another thing to research -- how big, what kind of bottom rigid or inflatable, what size horsepower etc. As I recall, the Achilles dinghy I had got us pretty wet. I just have had too much going on to get serious about it now. We'll have to get by without this year and use the launch services, if on a mooring. If something comes along and I have been looking for used, we may buy sooner.

I had not considered a backup Danforth, I kind of though the Fortress was the way to go, less weight for the same holding power. Since it will need to be stored in the cockpit locker --hauling up a Danforth 25 anchor (the size we'd need for out boat) seems a bit large. The Fortress is 15 lbs. Any comments on which we should consider. How much chain and rode do you put on the back up anchor? I've looked at used anchors, they are asking the same as Defender's new price.

Good point about a shakeout sail. We shall have two days, the weekend of 5/8 to make sure all systems are working. Fortunately we'll have our MIT computer engineering grad, son, on board on the shakeout trip and the 10 day long vacation. He helped us figure out all our Garmin equipment on our last boat, a power boat, about 5 minutes after turning it on. without ever opening a manual. He's amazing with electronics. I would not attempt this first trip, this soon, without him. He's the one that wants this jam packed itinerary from port to port. He'll be gone except for a weekend or two this summer so I am indulging him.

 

[nk235]

Nika - Wanted to start off by saying that you and your family will absolutely love this trip and I am very excited for you. So far I have made 2 trips in the past 2 years out east to Block Island and surrounding cruising grounds and have absolutely loved it. The first year I did it on my little 25' sloop and learned a lot. Just last summer I did a similar trip on my Morgan 323 and went a little further up to Newport. If you want to check out a post I did of it last year here it is:

http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruis...uise-through-li-sound-newport.html#post360841

As for the planning - I know what you mean. When I first did it I felt like there was so much to research and know in regards to tides, current, markers, harbors, etc. But once you do it one time it will be much easier the second and so forth. Also I would highly recommend a dingy. The first year we went to block we didn't have one and had to rely on the tender which isn't bad. Its actually fun riding around in it and getting to check out some of the other boats in the harbor up close and personal as the tender picks the owners up. On the other hand, having a dingy is very fun for block as it is like the little car that takes you back and forth between land and the mother ship. We did a harbor tour each night to check out all the boats. Also with a dingy you have the options of landing anywhere - Dingy beach, the Oar/BI Boat Basin, Pains, Champlins, etc. We were there with 3 different boats, 1 at Champlins, myself at BI Boat Basin and another on the hook so the Dingy was essential to get to and from each other.

Now in terms of anchoring in the Great Salt Pont, we did it the entire time 2 years ago and for only 2 days just this last summer. Its great when the weather is calm and you are out there under the stars surrounded by hundreds of great boats and people with the anchor lights making it seem like a floating village. However the first year we went the weather got bad and our boat as well as plenty of others dragged and the night was pretty scary. My buddy and I wound up staying up the whole night while the others we were with went to sleep. After dragging we were too afraid of not having an anchor watch. Last year I made reservations for BI Boat Basin way in advance. We spent the first 2 nights on the hook and then 3 more at the dock. My thoughts were that it was my 1 week vacation and if the weather was bad I would rather sleep tight knowing I was secured to the dock and didn't have to worry about others dragging into me. If you do anchor the center of the Great Salt Pong is very deep so try to stay to the outer edges. Also keep an ear out for Andiamo in the morning!

Anyway I wish you luck with it. I should be making a similar trip again 2nd week in August this year.

 

[OasisII]

Nika:

I believe that we had chatted earlier when you were looking for a marina. You are at Spicers? I am next door at NSY. I have an extra dink if you would like to borrow it for the trip. I am planning on bringing it to the marina in a few weeks. It is a 8 foot Sumner sailing dink with oars. I can't decide if I want to sell it or not. It is fun to have around the mooring field. Don't think that it is right for you long term, but for the trip it is better than nothing.

If interested, PM me. It would be great to meet you as well. You can often find me at the little bakery in Noank on the way to the marina. Julie bakes the best muffins!!!

Mike

 

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

Nika:

I believe that we had chatted earlier when you were looking for a marina. You are at Spicers? I am next door at NSY. I have an extra dink if you would like to borrow it for the trip. I am planning on bringing it to the marina in a few weeks. It is a 8 foot Sumner sailing dink with oars. I can't decide if I want to sell it or not. It is fun to have around the mooring field. Don't think that it is right for you long term, but for the trip it is better than nothing.

If interested, PM me. It would be great to meet you as well. You can often find me at the little bakery in Noank on the way to the marina. Julie bakes the best muffins!!!

Mike

I love that little bakery. I always pick up a paper at Carsons and then have my coffee outside the bakery.