Nordhavn Around The World (ATW)
Forums
Dec 18, 2002
Subject: Bridge Clearance
Chris of Charleston, SC asks:
What is the actual clearance height of the Nordhavn 40? Is the Nordhavn 40 “short” enough to traverse the inland French waterways from the Med to the North Sea?
Pete Eunson responds:
The bridge clearance is about 26 feet. If you were to lower the spar this would take the height down to about 17 feet to the top of the radar antenna. There is also a short section of the stainless exhaust that exits the top of the FRP stack that would need to be removed. I dont know what kind of clearance is needed for the European canals but that is about as low as we go!
Aug 25, 2002
Subject: Navigation Lights
Joseph of New York, NY asks:
What brand of navigation lights is the ATW 40 equipped with? How often were they checked? How many spare bulbs did you bring?
Joe Meglen responds:
NORDHAVN 40s are equipped with AQUA SIGNAL series 41 navigation lights. The navigation lights were checked night. We carried about a dozen spare bulbs.
July 23, 2002
Subject: Measuring speed and current
Jurgen Seebacher of Naples, FL asks:
How was vessel speed and current speed determined during your voyage? Did you rely solely on GPS, or did you use a separate speed sensor. If you used an impeller type sensor, did you have any problems with fouling of the impeller?
Jim Leishman responds:
The NORDHAVN 40 was equipped with GPS and a Raymarine speed indicator – using a paddle wheel impeller. The impeller gave us speed through the water and was also used in conjunction with our electronic compass to give us true wind speed and direction. About half-way around the world the “through water” speed began to read erratically as did the true wind speed. We think the transduce went bad as we were able to check the impeller and it was never fowled.
As far as figuring current speed and direction we relied upon our GPS. It does not take long to become familiar with the speed of the boat through calm water at given RPMs and when we saw our GPS speed increase of decrease from what was normal at that given RPM and noting the offset between the magnetic compass heading and the course over the ground – it was fairly easy to calculate the current.
I personally think the true wind speed and direction should be calculated using the GPS information. There is possible error from either magnetic heading and paddlewheel speed – or GPS speed and course over ground so each has it’s drawbacks. I would feel little necessity for through water speed…..
Thanks for your interest,
Jim Leishman
July 16, 2002
Subject: Naiad cooling water pump
Chuck Coiner of Hansen, ID asks:
Why not use an appropiately sized raw water pump on the Lugger?
Jim Leishman responds:
Onboard the Nordhavn 40 we are running two alternators at the front of the engine along with a hydraulic pump off the accessory PTO on the side of the engine. The cooling loop in the Naiads is only 1/2 inch and very little water flow is needed. To belt drive a pump dedicated to the Naiads only could be done using a second set of pulleys off the front of the engine however the tooled up belt guard supplied by Alaska Diesel and electric would no longer fit and a custom belt guard would have to be made up. A belt driven pump is not a bad idea except the cost is quite high.
The method we have begun using is to divert some of the Naiad hydraulic pressure through a flow control valve and using this as a power source for a small hydraulic motor attached to an impeller pump. The hydraulic part of the system should be totally reliable so the only service the system will require would be changing the impeller regularly. We have been running the generator aboard NORDHAVN for almost 3,000 hours and have not change it’s impeller for the first time yet – illustrating the life span and reliability of the rubber impellers.
July 16, 2002
Subject: Ballast
Jeff Douthwaite of Seattle, WA, asks:
Your specs dont detail the ballast, but I assume it must be there to get the weight of 41,000 lbs. Please tell us what ballast she carries.
Jim Leishman responds:
The NORDHAVN 40 carries 4,000 lbs of lead below the engine and aft of the stuffing box. This weight represents about 10% of the empty weight of the vessel and approximately 50% of the fuel weight. A fully loaded N40 weighs in excess of 50,000 lbs.
June 24, 2002
Subject: What’s next
Bob Brown of Perkins, OK, asks:
Thanks for the great reports. It’s been a vicarious thrill to be in the middle of the USA and still get the chance to enjoy the ride with you. I’ve followed it from the start. What’s next? Which cruiser? What distance?
Joe Meglen responds:
We have just barely completed a circumnavigation in our smallest displacement trawler – what we believe is the smallest production powerboat to have circumnavigated – and you are already looking for the next adventure?!! (I do love your enthusiasm!)
Our larger Nordhavns are routinely crossing oceans all over the globe so there is nothing new to be accomplished here. In fact, these are easy bluewater passages for us at P.A.E. since our owners simply report in with their progress and experiences. We have had discussions regarding the fact that the Nordhavn 35, although intended to be a “coastal cruiser”, has the range, stability and offshore capability to make an Atlantic crossing with her standard fuel capacity. A voyage on the 35 could be a possibility but this project is only in its earliest discussion stages. First and foremost we’re going to enjoy our current accomplishment before we jump on board for the next project.
June 21, 2002
Subject: Congratulations…Fuel Consumption & Costs
Bob Knott of Harwichport, MA, asks:
First off let me congratulate the individuals who completed the journey as well as the Nordhavn Company who did the deed. You made me a daily internet junkie following your trip. My question: Can you tell me the total fuel usage for your journey, and how much it actually cost based on differing fuel costs around the globe.
Joe Meglen responds:
We will be publishing precisely how much fuel was consumed during the circumnavigation as well as the cost. We will try to have the fuel burn figures published by June 30th. The cost of fuel will follow a short time later.
June 17, 2002
Subject: Customs
Jerry Mitchell of Depoe Bay, OR, asks:
I have followed your sojourn since Nov. 3, 2001. I have gleaned much information from both yor experience with the “Bulldog” and from the forum section of your site. My question is, Is there a standard way to get in and out of customs or is each country diffrent? Do you tip? If so, how much?
Joe Meglen responds:
Unfortunately there is no standard method of clearing customs and immigration. The process can even vary at different ports of entry in the same country. In years past we used to clear in and out ourselves. Invariably, the port captain’s office would be at one end of town, and immigration would be at the other – and we were on foot. Clearing could take the better part of a day, sometimes more. We have found it much easier and faster to engage an agent to handle clearances for us. As far as fees for this service go, they vary. During our final leg no. 5 “Nordhavn” cleared out of Acapulco, then in and out twice more. The process took about four hours (if we did it ourselves you could double that time) and the fees for clearing in and out in Bahia Naviad and Puerto Vallarta was about U.S. $77.
June 14, 2002
Subject: Engine oil filtration
Charles Bell of Owings Mills, MD, asks:
I work for Belgoes Filtration Systems and have been eagerly following the daily installments of the Nordhavn ATW journey. The ATW journey is one that I would love to make myself someday. My first choice would be to make the journey in a Nordhavn. I can think of no better craft for such an endeavor.
In the ATW forum I saw your post regarding “paper towel” filters and was surprised by it. I found a lot to agree with on your post but I would like to address one of the points brought up by your engineer. I agree that the factory filters provided by ADE, and found in Nordhavns, do perform their jobs well. If the oil in the engine is serviced per ADE’s guidelines, the engines will provide an excellent and long life.
I do however request that we revisit some of the statements regarding the effectiveness of paper towels as a filter medium. Cut open any oil filter and inside you will find cardboard or paper weave. In the premium filters you will often also find chopped newspaper (you can read the print) or sawdust. One brand also uses string with paper spun into it. Paper towels are literally the same material base (spun or pressed cellulose) used to make many spin on filters.
Paper towel based mediums differ primarily in that they are much thicker than most spin on filter mediums. The increased thickness greatly increases effectiveness and improves results. Independent lab results consistently bear this out.
When compared with spin on filters, bypass filters reduce particle counts, delay TBN number declines, and greatly extend the useful service life of additive packages. These factors in combination extend the oil drain interval (saving the operator time) and also extend engine service life between wear-related overhauls.
Dan Streech responds:
Thank you for your question and comments about engine oil filtration and also your kind comments about our Nordhavns. I believe that your comments are well-stated and informative.
For reasons that I can’t explain, the subject of bypass oil filtration has been hotly debated for many years. I can even remember the “toilet paper” filters available when I was in high school in the 60s and the controversy that they caused at that time.
I have seen the oil filter subject debated in long strings of commentary on the Trawler World list and have seen much well documented support of paper towel filters.
I think that what I have learned in recent months is that this subject is much bigger than PAE and that we at PAE are not really qualified to render opinions on the merits of bypass oil filters. I took a stab at answering an “oil” question and my opinions were posted on December 21, but from this point forward, I think that I will defer to experts of higher authority.
June 14, 2002
Subject: Fishing Licenses
Allen Daniels of Tustin, CA, asks:
I have been following the journey of ATW since the beginning and have enjoyed the living experience. Seems each leg of your ATW has been favored with an avid angler, such as Kevin on Leg 4. What are the requirements for fishing licenses, or in international waters no license is required?
Kevin Ryan responds:
As I understood fishing license requirements, international waters do not require any. However, Mexico is very strict in their requirements. Each person on board must have a license regardless if they fish or not. About $50 each. The dinghy must have a license, also $50 (per dinghy). The vessel is also required at a charge of about $200-$300. All prices are for a year. I have also experienced fishing license requirements in the Caribbean at various islands. If your destination is Mexico only, then licenses could be purchased through some better tackle shops. Alternatively, call Romero’s Mexico Service as they were very helpful with my questions at 949-548-8931.
June 12, 2002
Subject: Fuel Reserves
Stuart Dickman of Venice, CA, asks:
Fuel wise, it sems like you guys were cutting it a bit thin. On the Panama to Acapulco leg, would a “stop and top” it off have been uncool ? I know this is a kind of delivery trip, but that darned West Coast wind on the nose would’ve made me nervous. Events might have been able to pile up into one unfavorable situation… I’m a pilot, so I guess I may be ultra conservative on this issue.
Dan Streech responds:
You are correct about the fuel reserves becoming a little thin at one point on the passage from Panama to Acapulco. From the beginning, it was our intention to run hard on that leg and make it in the shortest possible time.
When we were about 3 days from Acapulco, we were in rough seas and had a current against us. In those conditions and with the remaining fuel on board, I did become a little concerned and slowed down for 24 hours. I made up a spreadsheet on the laptop and played with various scenarios of speed, distance, fuel burn and remaining fuel on board to make sure that we didn’t get into trouble. Actually, it never became critical and fortunately the conditions improved so that we could speed up again. Had we really needed to conserve fuel, we could have slowed down even more, turned off the stabilizers and turned off the generator. Also, the “alternate airport” of Salina Cruz was always available to us, but as you say, it would have been very uncool to have mismanaged our situation to the point that we would have needed it.
June 11, 2002
Subject: Panama Canal Costs
Dan Felzer of San Diego, CA, asks:
What does it cost to take a 40 foot boat through the Panama Canal?
The total cost was $1,172. Please refer to the Leg 4 on board commentary by Dan Streech from 5/27 for details.
June 11, 2002
Subject: Fuel Costs
Robert Wilkins of Ocean City, NJ, asks:
In your last post from the ATW crew #4, they stated that they paid $2.41 for fuel. WOW! What an expensive fuel-up! I have heard of cruisers using “fuel brokers” around the World. Could you have saved money using this system?
Dan Streech responds:
I do think that the use of a broker would have reduced the price of the fuel that we purchased in Acapulco. For example, the fuel that we purchased in Panama was shown on the pump to be about $1.35 per gallon (although priced in Panama $ per liter) but our Panama agent’s price was $1.00 per gallon.
I think that we got taken on the fuel in Acapulco, but also, it is generally known by people cruising in Mexico that fuel prices there have risen dramatically over the last year. Since Mexico is a net oil exporter, the prices have obviously been manipulated by the Mexican government.
A broker in Acapulco could probably have saved us the “visitor’s fee” and maybe another 40 cents per gallon.
Another point is regarding the use of a credit card. Once the card comes out, they just roll their eyes with disappointment. We paid a 6% fee in Acapulco to use the American Express card. We paid cash in Panama, but would have had to pay a 5% fee if we had used the credit card.
June 9, 2002
Subject: Lightning
Jack Schaefer of Kalamazoo, MI, asks:
I have noted that you have had frequent storms – and that is to be expected – however, I havenot seen any discussion of your provisions to deal with a full lightning strike and its effect…or do you consider this to be so unlikely that it should not be a factor?
Joe Meglen responds:
“NORDHAVN” has a lightning ground plate bolted through the hull. This ground has a lot of surface area and is connected with large conductor wire to anything on the boat that is likely to get zapped. When laying the conductor, we avoid any kinks, bends or sharp turns for the goal is to give the lightning the path of least resistance to the ground plate. In addition, we run this large conductor up to a “lightning dissipater” that is analogous to the lightning dissipaters you see on aircraft. There are a lot of unknowns about lightning and what it is going to do. Some experts like the system just described. Some experts claim that the static dissipater described will actually attract lightning. Some experts don’t like lightning grounds at all – so which expert do you listen to? We have always set our boats up with good grounds. Admittedly, a number of our MASON sailboats have been hit and one NORDHAVN 35 we are aware of. Fortunately, the lightning has always gone to ground as we intended but the electronics are normally a casualty.
June 9, 2002
Subject: Engine oil filtration
Bob Klein of Westminister, CO, asks:
Have you considered using the “paper towel” oil filter systems on the any of the Nordhavns? Don’t they eliminate the need to change the engine oil? If not, why?
Joe Meglen responds:
In response to your inquiry, I sent an e-mail to Dick Gee of Alaska Diesel and Electric expressing my thinking that if the engine needed more oil filtration ADE would supply the filter as standard equipment. I asked Dick, chief engineer at ADE for his input. He responded with the following:
1] “Paper towels” are not filter media. The real filter manufacturers of the world expend a great deal of effort to produce efficient effective filter media. It is not realistic to expect a roll of paper towels to perform the same as a product developed specifically for the filtering on engine oil.
2] All diesel engine lube oils include an “additive package”. This package includes detergents to clean the engine, dispersants to keep the dirt in suspension until it can be filtered or the oil is changed, and “TBN” total base number.
New oil is “alkaline” (opposite of acidic) to protect the soft metal bearings from being eaten up by acid. Acid forms in an engine during normal engine use. It comes from the sulfur in the fuel and combines with the water from condensation to form mild sulfuric acid. This acid is “neutralized” by the “TBN”. As this occurs the TBN is depleted. Most oils start with a TBN of about 10 and diminishes with use. If the TBN number ever reaches “0” serious engine damage will result. So, unless you know the TBN of the dirty oil in your engine, change the oil.
June 4, 2002
Subject: Weather Information
Eric Soller of Westminister, CO, asks:
A few times you mentioned that your N40 receives weather information from your main office in California. What other avenues would a world cruising couple have at their disposal to receive good and safe weather information.
Kevin Ryan responds:
As you mentioned, we have received weather updates form our home office. Through the use of internet sites such as NOAA as well the services of a professional weather router, Walt Hack, we have been able to keep abreast of upcoming weather.
Another very common source is through the Single Side Band radio. There is a constant stream of weather fax information available. West Marine sells weather fax software programs which interface to the SSB. The schedule of transmissions and areas covered is then at your finger tips.
Satellite communications such as a KVH or Iridium system would allow you to access the internet and download real time weather information.
Lastly, with time at sea and a myriad of books on the subject of weather, you can glean much from the barometer, sea temp, air temp and skies above.
June 4, 2002
Subject: Storms
Jeff Douthwaite of Seattle, WA, asks:
Nordhavn boasts of its seaworthiness, but you sound worried about the possibility of encountering a storm… Seems like this may be a good chance to show your stuff. What is your plan to weather a real blow?
Dan Streech responds:
It seems that the more experience I gain, the more cautious I have become about everything involving safety on board a boat – especially the weather.
With proper seamanship, NORDHAVN will survive some horrendous weather and storm conditions, but the goal is to avoid them. Heavy weather is extremely uncomfortable and unnerving and there is always the risk of the unknown or a chain reaction of events, which could lead to an accident. The human factor is the weak link – not the boat. Also, as professionals setting an example, it would be highly embarrassing to end up in a risky situation that could have been avoided by proper planning and attention to detail.
To answer the question of what we would do in heavy weather is a little difficult because wind and sea figures alone don’t always tell the entire story. To generalize, however:
- Up to 50 knots of wind and about 20 foot seas, we would probably just “carry on” with reduced throttle settings.
- From 50-60 knots of wind and up to about 25 foot seas, we would turn into the wind and seas and keep enough throttle on to maintain steerage.
- Above 60 knots and 25 foot seas, we would deploy a sea anchor and ride it out.
A very good source of information and case studies on heavy weather experience is the “DDDB (Drag Device Data Base)” manual by Victor Shane. The manual also lists other sources of information such as books and weather routers. I am thumbing through the “books” section of the West Marine catalog that we have on board and I see numerous books on heavy weather and storm tactics – none of which I have read, except for “Heavy Weather Sailing” by Adlard Coles.
June 4, 2002
Subject: Clothing
Nicolas Ryu of Santa Barbara, CA asks:
How does one plan their wardrobe for these very extended trips? I hope that my wife and I – plus a crew – will be able to start an adventure like yours next year (on a smaller scale). We are at a loss as how to minimize the amount of clothing packed, yet still be ready to be dressed appropriately at the drop of an invitation. Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Dan Streech responds:
In the tropics (certainly when socializing with other cruisers), short pants, tee shirt and sandals are normally all that is required. While waiting for crew #3 to arrive in Barbados, we were denied entrance to the dining room of the hotel unless we had long pants, so some wash and wear khakis pants and a blue blazer should also be included. If some event requires a tie, then you probably shouldn’t be there.
May 30, 2002
Subject: Fuel Systems
Steve of Deephavne, MN asks:
Since fuel systems are the biggest source of problems in diesel engines how does Nordhaven design their fuel systems to prevent contamination, alge, water and air from getting into the fuel system. How does a day tank factor into this?
Dan Streech responds:
Similar questions regarding fuel quality have been addressed in the May 17 and March 26 Forum entries. To add more to what has been said already, NORDHAVN is equipped with the PAE designed “J-box” which is standard on the N40 and N35. The J-box is a 2-gallon tank located in an area of the bilge that places it below the bottom level of the two fuel tanks. The two main fuel tanks drain from the bottom (controlled by valves) into the J-box and the fuel supplies for the engines and generator tap into the J-box about 6″ from its bottom. The J-box is vented, so as long as there is any fuel in the main tanks, it will drain into the J-box and thus supply fuel to the main engine down to the last gallon on board. There is a drain valve on the bottom of the J-box to take fuel samples for study. We drained off some fuel yesterday (after having run on each tank for one day) and examined it for water and debris. It was clean and one can be reasonably confident that it that sample is clean then all of the fuel on board is clean.
As an aside, the J-box has a graduated sight gauge on it and can be isolated to serve as a small fuel tank to check fuel consumption against time. Using the J-box, Jim Leishman did extensive testing of NORDHAVN before its departure on the ATW to make sure that our figures were correct.
May 30, 2002
Subject: Water Tight Compartments
Herb Mosher of Orchard Park, NY, asks:
Crossing oceans is serious business. In an emergency, does the N40 have water tight compartments?
Jim Leishman responds:
Aboard the NORDHAVN 40 we do not have water tight compartments. It’s just not practical on a small pleasure boat. In order for the water tight compartments to be effective (keep the boat afloat) the vessel would have to be divided up into spaces – too small to fit staterooms into – plus the access doors would have to be so bulky and large that it would dramatically compromise comfortable living.
We do derive some benefit out of the tank design of the NORDHAVN 40 in that in much of the vessel we effectively have a double bottom (anywhere a fuel, water or holding tank is installed). These tanks are molded outside the hull and then set into position and fiberglassed into the hull and surrounding structure. If the boat were holed behind a tank, the tank skin would reduce flooding.
We rely upon a very heavy single series of laminates and many strong structural bulkheads, sub floors and longitudinal stringers. It would take a tremendous amount of force to puncture or crack this hull. In a collision with a rock I suspect the boat would lift, glance or bounce off – or simply stop before the hull would fracture – primarily due to a heavy hull skin in relation to the low overall weight of the vessel.
May 29, 2002
Subject: Nordhavn Improvement
Jim of Grosse Pte Farms, MI asks:
Now that the trip is winding down, after thousands of miles passed and hours logged, what changes, improvements, renovations, suggestions, will be made to the Nordhavn’s of the future, if any.
Dan Streech responds:
This question is the fundamental one that all of us at PAE will be asking ourselves as the trip winds down and in the months and years to come. Probably each person that you ask will have a different answer.
The good news is that not much new has been learned about this boat. There is very little that I would change (nothing fundamental) on the N40. NORDHAVN has magnificently soldiered on now for 22,000 miles with very little service and maintenance and has been nearly trouble free.
For me, the ATW has been a reminder of the brutal abuse that a cruising boat receives. From the many continuous days at sea, to torrential rains, to blazing sun and humidity, to surging against a 3rd world pier, to the invasion of various guests and island natives. The boat takes a beating and cannot be fragile in any way. Also, sooner or later, everything on the boat will be wet. I am reminded that we must make all of our equipment installations durable, accessible, logical and waterproof.
Also, I am reminded of the need for all of us at PAE to be infinitely patient and understanding of our customers when they call in from various parts of the world with problems and questions. I have been “the customer” for several weeks, and now I know what it is like.
May 29, 2002
Subject: Naiad Cooling
Scott Flanders of Fort Lauderdale, FL asks:
I own 46#74. To solve the Naiad cooling problem, I increased the inlet line to the cooling pump to 3/4″. I then replaced the toy water-puppy with an Oberdorfer 172ba85 12 volt continuous duty centrifugal pump. Out of the 3/4″ discharge I plumbed in an in-line March LC3CPMD115 AC pump. The discharge is 1/2″, original size, and used the same hose to the Niads. Both pumps are full flow so if either fail I simply turn on the appropriate breaker. I have about 300 hours on the system. To date I have used the 115V pump off the invertor exclusively. I confirmed this with the Naiad folks first and their only criteria was a 3 GPH flow. For spares I carry a spare head for the AC pump and could also scavenge any one the three complete AC pumps on board.
Dan Streech responds:
We have used both the centrifugal Orberdorfer and a centrifugal 120VAC pump in previous applications, but never together in series – and that is what I think I am reading in your report. A quite interesting approach and a pretty good idea. What discourages me about the centrifugal pumps is their propensity to lose prime when they ingest air in heavy conditions. We have lost prime on NORDHAVN’s air conditioning pump several times since leaving Barbados.
May 28, 2002
Subject: Alarms
Cheryl Cranston of West Seneca, NY asks:
Can we assume the N40 has both heat and smoke alarms in the engine room…and perhaps in the galley?
Dan Streech responds:
We don’t have conventional smoke or heat alarms in either the engine room or the galley. In the engine room, we have a digital thermometer which we monitor each hour when we do our engine room checks. Also in the engine room, we have a “Fireboy” fire extinguisher containing pressurized FE-241 gas. It will discharge automatically in case of a fire or it can be discharged manually by pulling a handle located outside of the engine room. If it should discharge, an alarm will sound in the pilot house.
May 21, 2002
Subject: Maps
Dan Felzer of San Diego, CA, asks:
How come there have been no map updates in the “Traking Progress” section of your web site since ATW left Barbados? I really like seeing where the ATW is on a map.
We apologize for not posting new maps during the last few entries in the “Tracking Progress” section. Since Nordhavn had a crew change in Barbados, it has taken the new crew a few days to get up to speed with the process of emailing coordinates using C-Map. New maps are now being posted again as usual.
May 21, 2002
Subject: Night Lights
Rod Sumner of Niagara Falls, CAN asks:
Dan, it’s been interesting to read your comments re: night vision etc. Have you ever considered `dual bulbing’ the key lights with red lights, similar to dark rooms? This allows night vision to be maintained while giving vital lighting for moving around the boat. Another plus the magenta symbols on the charts glow stand out very clearly under red lighting.
Dan Streech responds:
The night lighting subject can always get a debate going. The instruments and screens of course have to be adjustable and turned down at night, but the use of general red lighting doesn’t work for me. I have to increase the power of my bedside reading light by 10 watts per year just to stay even, so the dim red lights only tease me- I can’t really read anything. I like bright light to work with. We have numerous flashlights lying around the pilothouse, so if I need to look at something that is dark, I use a flashlight or just turn on the lights. Before turning on the lights, I will take a good look at the radar screen and take a walk around the Portuguese bridge. I know that some of the “old salts” will howl with disapproval at my approach, but hey, I am almost an old salt and can say whatever I want.
May 21, 2002
Subject: Computers and Navigation
Jeff Douthwaite of Seattle, WA, asks:
Thanks for your good and entertaining comments re. computers on board. They may be dangerous if they are the sole source of charts… Do you have paper charts too?
Jeff Merrill responds:
Absolutely, we do have paper charts on board and always have the current ones folded and on the wheelhouse bench table for quick reference. Since we are keeping an hourly log we can easily place our position on the paper chart. In reality we only do it once or twice a day more for fun than purpose. The paper charts we are using are supplied by Tides End, Jon Troxel of Bellingham Chart Printers. Before the trip I went through the NIMA (National Imagery and Mapping Agency) catalog and ordered all of the charts that had coast line we might encounter. I also picked out some “ditch” locations, detailed harbor (almost all of the Mexican harbors) and island charts (like Aruba) so we could stop safely to get fixed up and back on our way. Jon photocopies the actual charts so we have black and white copies which aren’t as attractive, but 100% sufficient.
The laptop computer we are using is essentially for email. So if it ever really biffed for good we could plug in our back up laptop (which has all of the settings already installed) or just shut the damned thing off and go back in time ten years to a simpler life with NFC.
All of our electonic charting is being accomplished by the outstanding Raytheon electronics package and the very crisp C-Map card charts. We couldn’t be happier with the navigation electronics package.
May 17, 2002
Subject: Watch Schedule
Braun Jones of Annapolis, MD, asks:
What is the watch schedule Dan refers to in his position report of 5/16/02?
Dan Streech responds:
Our watch schedule is as follows:
00-02:00 Dan
02:00- 04:00 Jeff
04:00- 06:00 Mike
06:00-09:00 Dan
09:00-12:00 Jeff
12:00- 15:00 Mike
15:00- 18:00 Dan
18:00- 21:00 Jeff
21:00- midnight Mike
May 17, 2002
Subject: Fuel Quality
John Detuna of Washington, NJ, asks:
Not much has been said about the quality of the fuel you’ve encountered so far. I know you change out filters regularly. Would you speak to the subject of refueling abroad generally, as well as to any precautions you take yourselves. Do you take and test samples? Do you have an inline filter during fueling? Do you use any biocides or other additives and conditioners?
Jim Leishman responds:
We have been lucky with fuel for the whole trip. Fortunately, we have arranged for fuel from reputable sources and have always been able to take it on from either trucks on the quay, fuel barges which come along side the boat or rarely from fuel docks. We always questioned the fuel vendors and the answer is always the same:”yes it’s clean fuel free of water”.
Our fuel system is unique and has proven to work perfectly. The fuel drains from the bottom of each of our two 460 gallon fuel tanks into a two-gallon supply reservoir which is positioned in front of our engine via 3/4 inch feed lines. We can select the port or starboard tank or run with both tanks open. The fuel drains into the supply reservoir and most contaminates and water will settle to the bottom of the reservoir. The engine, generator, wing engine transfer line and heater supply all draw off the reservoir – about 2/3 of a gallon from the bottom. The bottom of the reservoir tapers to a “V” and has a pet cock at the lowest point. Slightly below the pickups is a water sensor which sounds an alarm in the wheelhouse if water is detected. The valve at the bottom of the reservoir should be opened after each fueling to determine if any water and sediment has settled into the tank. If so, drain it out. We would check this valve every few days while underway to further check the sump contents.
We use a RACOR 900 duplex filter with a vacuum gauge as our preliminary filter which is located about a foot from the supply reservoir. Slightly below the level of the supply line within the filter we are using 2 micron filters. This installation works well because the fuel filters are always under a slight head of pressure as any fuel is always above the filter level. Changing a filter is very simple – just turn the filter selection valve to the filter in use and the remaining filter can be opened up, the element removed and a new filter dropped into position. Turning the selection valve to both allows the engine to continue to run and the opened filter to be filled eliminating any trapped air. Screw the cap back into position and the filter is ready to be used. The gravity feed eliminated any need to use a priming pump. We have found that the supply reservoir is so effective as a sediment and water trap that the filter elements have lasted hundreds of hours. We actually ran off of one filter from the launch of the vessel until it’s return from Alaska – after about 1,000 hours. The vacuum gauge was still showing positive pressure and could have been used even with a considerable vacuum showing.
On the engine we have another fuel filter and water separator. This filter is supplied by John Deere and is a 6 micron filter. We have changed it three times during the 4,000 hours that we have accumulated so far. It has never shown any water in the bowl and we assume the element is still clean with the 2 micron filters in the RACORS doing all the work. It’s important to change this filter as there is really no way of knowing if it’s beginning to clog – there are no vacuum gauges to alert you like on the main filters.
An additional benefit of the supply reservoir – beyond the cleaning and water stripping of the fuel – is checking fuel consumption. On the front of the reservoir we have a sight gauge which measures one full gallon of fuel divided into one-tenth gallon increments. While running along at any given weight and rpm, the reservoir feed lines from the tank can be shut off and the return fuel directed back to the reservoir then – with a stop watch – a check can be made noting how many tenths of a gallon of fuel are consumed during a 15 minute check. Multiply the tenths by four and you have your hourly consumption. I was able to determine that the generator consumed only .29 gallons of fuel per hour with the AC running by conducting the check while anchored.
This is a great fuel system and whenever possible we will incorporate into all future designs.
May 16, 2002
Subject: Why have a wing engine
Scott Strickland of Bonita Springs, FL asks:
I am interested in why Nordhavns have a wing engine. In looking at other manufacturers, they either do not offer one, or do not recommend one.
Jim Leishman responds:
Most Nordhavns have been equipped with a wing engine. This is a system which we developed and installed in our first NORDHAVN 46 about 13 years ago.
While many comercial vessels operate world wide with only one engine, most have competent engineers aboard and are well suited to deal with problems with their propulsion system. Aboard many yachts, the crews are less mechanically inclined and might have trouble with a significant repair at sea.
The wing engine operates independant of the main engine. It has a separate propeller shaft and propeller, electrical system and battery, a seperate fuel tank into which only fuel that has passed through a water separator and 2 micron filters can enter (it has no deck fill). Virtually any problem that might render the main engine, transmission, shaft or propeller inoperable, will have no effect on the wing engine.
The wing engine has the ability to bring a disabled vessel to a destination where machinery can be replaced or repaired – or help can be rendered. The wing does have limitations. It will have a hard time maintaining headway in any winds above 20 knots however I’ve never seen an auxillary propulsion system that will perform as well. In calm water the wing will push the vessel along at about 5 knots and the alternator can maintain the ship’s batteries and allow continued used of all electronics.
For instance, if on our last leg (Cape Verde to Barbados – 2,100 miles) we ran over heavy debris or entangled our propeller in a discarded ship’s hauser that damaged and rendered our running gear inoperative, the NORDHAVN could have continued on with the wing engine at speeds of around 4 knots instead of 6.5 knots. Without the wing engine – a thousand miles from land – a salvage tug would have to be called thus generating a salvage claim which could cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Or, say a fuel filter suddenly clogged and shut down the main down at a dangerous entrance to a harbor or anchorage, with the twist of a key the wing could be started and propulsion could be maintained without hesitation. The alternative task of clearing the filters, repriming the engine and starting – all short handed – could allow the boat to wreck and be destroyed and effectively put the lives of the crew at risk.
Alternate get home systems usually depend upon a belt or chain drive from a generator driven hydraulic system. The problem here is that it takes a huge generator to pull enough power from in order to effectively spin the main propeller. Also the tasks of installing the chain or engaging the belt all take time. In a hot engine room when you don’t have time, this can be a big problem. Providing an alternate method of spinning the main propeller addresses only the issue of an engine problem. If the problem is the transmission, the shaft/coupling or a damaged or fowled propeller, this system will prove worthless. I personally think you have the greatest risk with the running gear – everything aft of the engine. This is probably where a failure will be.
The wing engine can also be used to maintain directional control and headway during fluid checks of the main engine when shutting down is necessary.
The wing engine adds less than 3% to the cost of an average equiped NORDHAVN 40 and most people consider it a good value, good insurance and good peace of mind.
May 14, 2002
Subject: Naiad problem
Tom Lawler of Ledyard, CT asks:
Your 5/10 post said you had a cooling problem with your active stabilizers. Specifically what is the problem and what have you tried to fix it? Have you contacted the manufacturer for advice? How was that experience? I’ve heard good things about their product. I guess this is a testimony for having paravanes – less mechanical things to break. The biggest concern is having a safe way to deploy and retrieve them without having the boat or crew attacked by the birds.
Jeff Leishman responds:
We use a 12v Jabsco reversible Water Puppy pump to cool the Naiads. This pump is sold as a continuous duty pump with heavy duty brushes for long life. In each pump failure (3 total) the brushes failed. Cooling the stabilizers on a dry exhaust keel cooled boat presents a challenge. On a typical wet exhaust system you can simply divert a small amount of the raw water from the engine cooling to cool the system. With a keel cooler, that is not possible. We have been experimenting with other ways to cool the systems, including a separate keel cooler to cool the oil. To date this is still in R&D. We also have a system that American Bow Thruster has developed for us which uses the return oil line to drive a hydraulically driven water pump to cool the system. This has been somewhat successful but the early versions were not the best solution. The latest version seems to be the answer for now.
Naiad has been unable to give us a good solution other that what we are currently doing with the electric water pump. The ABT system is good but quite pricey ( however given the fact that we have burned up three 12v pumps maybe the cost is not so bad?) As you can gather this is a big subject and has many solutions – each one presenting its own set of problems.
The paravanes have been good but not as good as the Naiads. They slow the roll rate down and the roll angle but they do not take the roll angle down like the Naiads. We have a system for launching and retrieving the fish (or birds) that takes all the hassle and danger out of it. It would take too many words to explain the system in this forum but next time you’re at a boat show, someone from PAE would be glad to walk you through it (assuming the boat has the paravanes). We have been making the Nordhavn 46 for about 12 years.
May 14, 2002
Subject: Mileage, etc.
Mike Desmond of Rochester, NY asks:
You previously stated you are burning 48 Gallons of fuel in 24 hours going about 6 knots. How do you measure the fuel so accurately and are you running the generator and air conditioner? What is a fuel burn test in the jimmy box?
Jeff Leishman responds:
The fuel burn of 48 gallons per 24 hours at 6 knots was determined by a timed test using the “Jimmy Box”. The box is the idea of Jim Leishman, hence the name. It is a welded out of aluminum and is supplied with fuel from each of the two fuel tanks – all machinery is supplied fuel from the box. Each supply line has its own valve, the same as any supply manifold. There is a sight gauge on the box as well which measures one gallon of fuel divided into tenths. By selection of the proper valves on both the return manifold and the box, you can supply and return fuel from the box. Start to time the fuel being consumed at the top mark on the sight gauge, let it go for fifteen minutes, multiply that amount by four and you have a very accurate fuel consumption rate for one hour.
Also it was stated that you had a last cooling for the Naiads that “went south.” Please explain.
The 12-volt continuous duty cooling pump developed some sort of a problem with the brushes which we were not able to correct with what was available to us onboard. To change the pump is a very simple task however that happened to be our last spare.
May 13, 2002
Subject: Storm Plates
John Macpherson of West Vancouver, CAN asks:
Jason Quaranto refers to “storm plates” in his May 8th enquiry. Could you please describe these in greater detail for those of us who do not understand the reference.
Jim Leishman responds:
Storm plates are 5/8″ acrylic panels which screw down over the four side saloon windows. These windows are 3/8″ tempered glass and very strong so the storm panels give added protection in the event of a very large heavy sea hitting the side of the boat or if the boat were pushed down the face of a sea and fell on its cabin side.
The windows in the wheel house are of the same 3/8″ tempered glass but due to their smaller size and higher position, we don’t feel that panels are necessary. We do have wood panels that are the same size as the wheelhouse windows so if one was broken, we could screw a wooden panel in place.
For port holes, too, we have dead lights – stainless steel internal covers which can be lowered in the event that a port glass were to break.
May 10, 2002
Subject: Communication
Rich johnson of San Diego, CA asks:
What system are you using for e-mail and do you have capability to receive data?
Justin Zumwalt responds:
There are two systems aboard the Nordhavn to send and receive e-mail. We use the Iridium Satellite phone system to connect to the Microsoft Outlook Express server on a daily basis and it rarely gives us any trouble. It is possible to send and receive other data besides text but it takes a very long time to download. Also the cost of the Iridium time per minute is not cheap at about $1:50 per minute so we just use it for text messages. Although the cost is a little high I definitely recommend the Iridium.The other system onboard is Sailmail and we have not had to use it.
How’s the engine room Justin???
Unfortunately, the 40 does not have an access door in the Lazarette through to the engine room like your N50. (Rich is one of our newest 50 owners).
May 10, 2002
Subject: Hull Design
Rod Sumner of Niagara Falls, CAN asks:
Jeff, after almost 6 continuous weeks on the N40, are there any modifications to the hull design that you might be considering to improve boat handling/performance given the wide variety of conditions that you have experienced?
Jeff Leishman responds:
I have been giving your question a great deal of thought over the last 24 hours. I have been thinking about all the conditions we have encountered and trying to come up with things that bugged me about the boat. But as hard as I try to come up with a change or modification to improve the boat, I can’t think of anything. I hope that doesn’t sound arrogant or anything but the boat has really done beautifully in all conditions. When I showed Pete (N40 Project Manager) your question and asked his opinion, he immediately said, “lengthen it by 20 feet.” There are little things that could improve the boat, like getting rid of the lower rubrail. When a wave hits the side of the boat at a certain angle you sometimes get a bit of a slap. But I still wouldn’t do that because the rubrail is too important. Actually, I already knew about that annoyance when I designed this hull and I put a big fillet on the under side of the rail, but it didn’t eliminate the slap totally.
Also, do you generally run with the Naiads deployed or what criteria do you use to decide which stabilizing system to deploy?
The Naiads are on continuously. We only deploy the TPS system if it gets really rough. Then the two systems work together. The TPS system does a great job going down swell, and it gives us a nice back up should the Naiads fail.
May 8, 2002
Subject: Medical Problems
Michael McGuire of Santa Monica, CA, asks:
What medical supplies have you taken with you to handle minor injuries and medical problems? Have there been any injuries? Did anyone have to bring specific medications along?
PAE staff replies:
We purchased the Trans-Ocean Pak from First Aid Pak’s line of medical kits for boaters. It contains supplies necessary to treat all types of lacerations, burns, resuscitation/breathing problems, bone fractures and digestive difficulties. In addition, we obtained Ciprofloxacin, an effective medicine against the dreaded bacteria-induced diarrhea.
Thankfully, aside from Ray Danet’s sea sickness patches he had to bring with him on Leg 1, none of the crew members has had medical conditions that required medication. And short of Jim Leishman and Brian Saunders’ hold of some bad water in Djibouti, we’ve been lucky that no otherwise serious injuries have occurred.
May 8, 2002
Subject: Surfing
Bruce Murphy of Auckland , NI, NZL, asks:
How’s the surf been on the trip? where was the best and most unexpected?
Jeff Leishman responds:
We looked for surf on Gran Canary Island where we were real hopeful to find some. We did find a nice little right point that looked fun but since we had no boards and nobody was there to borrow any from, we had to just sit and watch it.
The real surprise was in Cape Verde where we found a perfect left about chest high. It was right in the harbor about a ½-mile from where we were anchored. Justin and I walked over there and met the two local guys who were surfing it. For a late issue of “Surfer” magazine we were able to borrow boards and surf. The boards were too small for us but at least we got some waves. The guys we met said the place gets world class and holds to about 6 feet. I really would have preferred my 9′ 0″ to surf it. The guys also said that there are good quality surf spots all over the island. It’s a far cry from paradise but the surf is good.
May 8, 2002
Subject: Logbooks and Watches
Cal Massey of Park City, UT, asks:
Jeff and Crew, could you describe a watch, and the typical duties during the watch. What log book entries are made and how often are they recorded?
Jeff Leishman responds:
Hey Cal (Cal is one of our newest Nordhavn 40 owners), I’d be happy to describe our watch procedures.
We run a schedule that I described some time ago at the beginning of our leg, that consists of six 3-hr. watches from 6am to midnight, and three 2-hr. watches from midnight to 6am. We keep the same schedule the whole time, there is no rotation. I find that this works best for me being able to get into a set routine.
Before we began the ATW Jim gave a lot of thought to the actual watch routines. He was unable to find a log book that was acceptable to him from any book stores, so he created a really comprehensive one on his own. At intervals of 1 hr. the watch stander records the following data:
Lat/Lon
Course
VMG
RPM
Engineroom check
Net amps (tells if your charge rate is keeping up with your dc demand)
Alternator output
Wind direction
Wind speed
Barometric pressure
Every hour we fill in the blanks and do a visual engineroom check. We look for trouble developing, chafe, weeping fittings or hoses, oil leaks, stuffing box, etc.
Then at noon each day we do a complete inspection of the boat. There is a detailed list of all the inspection points to be checked. For a 24 hr. period the log contains three sheets. I’m sure Jim would be happy to share it with you. In between the hourly sign-in, we read and do things like this e-mail, but we are always in the wheel house. The early morning watchman (Justin) has the added duty of flying fish removal.
May 8, 2002
Subject: On Board Commentary
Robert of Port Orchard, WA, asks:
I have noticed that the further the voyage goe,s the shorter the commentary. I have noticed that most books do the same. The first half of the voyage consumes the first ninety percent of the books with the last half, South Pacific to the United States takes only ten percent. Do you have any thoughts on this phenomenon?
Jeff Leishman responds:
I know what you are saying is true. The only thing I can do is speak for myself and the way I see it is that when I sit down to do a position report, I have to ask myself, ‘what has happened in the last 24 hrs. that is noteworthy?’ Unless we have been ashore in a new port or have unusual weather or some other thing of interest, I find that the things I can say are some what redundant and boring. I would much rather be very brief than redundant and boring. Granted if I was a better writer I would find ways to describe things that seem fresh and exciting, but telling everyone that I had hot dogs for dinner just doesn’t do it.
What we have here on leg three is three (well at least two, Pete and Justin) competent guys running the boat. Our problem is that none of us are in sales or marketing. We’re simple production/engineering types without the gift of gab.
I’ll do my best to rally the boys for some final commentary before we reach Barbados, but I know you will enjoy the running commentary that will develop with leg four. Keep tuned!
May 8, 2002
Subject: Design
Ewald Jansen of North Vancouver, B.C., Canada asks:
Hmmm, a direct pipeline to Nordhavn’s designer himself, who is steadily chugging across the Atlantic with time on his hands … an excellent opportunity for a few questions re. Design.
The latest “PassageMaker” magazine contains a letter questioning the value of a Portuguese bridge. You answered that the advantages (outside conning area and defensive structure against boarding water) outweigh the negative impact the bridge has on the interior layout.
Is the forward section of the Portuguese bridge used regularly to visually verify a course or target, or are the sides of the Portuguese bridge, just outside the pilothouse doors sufficient for that purpose? For example, quite a few commercial vessels have outside conning areas on the sides of the wheelhouse, but not in front.
Is the 3-foot height of the Portuguese bridge required to adequately break a boarding wave, or is it possible to achieve sufficient protection by creating a coaming on top of forward deck lockers, a higher deckhouse, or any other structure?
It appears possible to enlarge the N40’s pilothouse by extending it forward, eliminating the forward section of the Portuguese bridge. This would allow a proper helm seat to be fitted however, is it an acceptable trade-off? As an additional benefit, the enlarged pilothouse would make it possible to eliminate the stairboxes that intrude into the saloon.
Any feedback from the master would be greatly appreciated, as I dabble regularly with the designs of your boats (day heads in the N50, N40 with a side deck, …) Please forgive me for butchering your near-perfect designs, but it is about the only way I can afford to be involved with any Nordhavn!!!
Jeff Leishman responds:
The Portuguese bridge is a great place to get a better visual fix on things when night running especially. While it’s true that wing bridges port and starboard would offer this same advantage, for various other reason we decided ( we being Jim Leishman and myself ) to incorporate the full P/B on the N40. One of the major reasons stems from the fact that we have a fold up chart table on the port side of the wheel house. While underway on a long passage this table is often times in the up position for the voyage making the port side door inconvenient to use, therefore access to this side of the boat is possible only by walking around from the exterior. In rough conditions the full protection of the P/B is preferable to walking across the foredeck.
However, probably the biggest thing that influenced the decision to do a proper P/B, other than the ones already mentioned, was that’s what the majority of our customers expect to get with a Nordhavn. Without it, they would be disappointed. Granted, they would get a longer wheel house, but nevertheless I think most of them would vote in favor of it.
A coaming is a great way to break up boarding water. One of the first things I did when we redesigned our Mason 43 sailboat deck into what we called the Mason 44, was to include a coaming fwd. of the cockpit. The original design had nothing to keep water from sweeping across the deck house and right into the cockpit. Most sailboats today all have a coaming of this type. In reality the N40 P/B is not 3 feet high. On the fwd. side it is about 18″ high. It is 3 feet on the aft side.
If we compromised on the P/B and used that space to move the wheel house forward then we could gain some nice space in the wheel house; a helm chair would fit, a bigger settee, etc. However, keep in mind that every inch you move that helm fwd. the more uncomfortable the boat becomes in head seas. We tried purposely to keep the wheel aft as far as practical for that reason.
You have to keep in mind that designing an entire boat is far more involved that just what kind of interior we can get into it. If that was our goal, our boats would be boxes with no more curb appeal or character than a houseboat. One of the things about our boats that we hear over and over again from our customers, and just people walking the docks, is how tough and serious the boats look. This is not by accident. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying ‘all boats are a compromise’ . Well the compromise in the Nordhavn 40 of limited wheel house volume is perhaps what gives it that look, the little ship look. I never actually drew it the way you describe – maybe it would look great, I don’t know. But it would get you that volume. You mentioned side decks on the N40. That’s a good example of us compromising the ability to get around the exterior in order to increase interior volume.
May 8, 2002
Subject: Windows on Nordhavn 40
Jason Quaranto of Springfield, VA asks:
Have you found it necessary to install storm plates at any time during the trip?
Jeff Leishman responds:
Jason, speaking for our leg which left from Greece, no, we haven’t had a”necessity” for storm plates. That said, we have had the plates installed since the boat left Dana Point in November. We keep them in place simply because it’s better to be safe than sorry. There were a few nights and days where I was really glad they were place. Fortunately nothing happened that would have broken a window but you never know. On the N40 we have a full width saloon and to try to install the plates underway in severe conditions, even rough conditions, would be a real chore. So again, to answer your question, no, but we have them in place anyway.
April 30, 2002
Subject: Wave heights from scale and watch
Jeff Douthwaite of Seattle, WA, asks:
I derived a formula for wave height using only a bathroom scale and a watch. Assuming ship is running broadside to seas. H = (Fmax-Fmin)/weight x Psquared x 0.816 where Fmax is max reading from scale, Fmin is min, and P is period of the cycle in seconds. Let me know if it works!
Jim Leishman responds:
Jeff, thanks for the suggestion for an enertia type wave measuring system. I’d be interested to try this however we don’t have a bathroom scale aboard the ATW boat. Maybe we can try it on a local vessel.
April 30, 2002
Subject: Budget
Steve Werner of Mission Viejo, CA asks:
What is the total budget for the voyage? How much fuel has been spent and what has it cost?
Jim Leishman responds:
We didn’t start out with an actual budget for the trip, but we had an idea of how much we’d spend. We estimated that we will use about 7,500 gallons of fuel and figure the cost per gallon will have averaged about $1.25 per gallon. The total fuel cost for the circumnavigation will be around $10,000.
April 30, 2002
Subject: 220 50 hz power
Bob Austin of Pensacola, FL asks:
In a prior question, Jim Leishman commented that one of the Nordhavn 46s was using a cheap stepdown transformer in Europe. We did this also, but it should be used only for resistive loads–that would include the water heater, heaters with small fans may be OK, pure element heaters are fine. Many battery chargers do run well on the 50 hz. However many motors will not – especially refigerators/freezers, washing machines, watermakers, etc. Microwaves will not do well as far as the cooking. At one time the entire US was 50 hz and the country was changed in the late 1940’s mostly because of better transmission characteristics of the 60 hz power. At that time all clocks (synchronous motors) refigerators, washers, industrial motors, etc. had to be changed. Resistive loads, includng light bulbs did not.
Congratulations on a trouble free trip–It took us over a year to get all of the red dust out of the crevices and rigging when we cruised Europe.
Dan Streech responds:
Thank you for your comment about using a simple step-down transformer while in Europe.
I often see your name and comments on the Trawler World list and nearly always find myself in agreement with your detailed and thoughtful answers. Your wealth of experience comes thru in your answers and I have learned a few things from you.
You are correct that when operating a 60Hz boat in a 50Hz country, there is normally more to the story than the use of a simple step-down transformer.
There are so many factors to consider, that we take each boat on a case by case basis when preparing a 60Hz boat for temporary operation with 50Hz and thus a complete foolproof guide can’t be presented in this forum.
Some of the approaches however are:
1. We rely on the fact that Cruisair air-conditioning can operate on either 50 or 60 Hz, so we always provide a separate AC inlet for it. A normally 120VAC 60Hz boat (N35, N40 and some N46s) would use the simple step-down transformer described above. A normally 240VAC 60 Hz boat can plug directly into European (or Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia) 50Hz power which is usually 230VAC.
2. We rely on an inverter(s) to provide 60Hz power to the items such as refrigerators, freezers, microwaves, trash compactors, TV sets and audio systems.
3. Since some inverters (such as the Trace SW series) are too smart to accept 50Hz power and others (such as the Heart) would pass thru unwanted 50 Hz power, we don’t plug in the main house power cord. Instead, we provide a separate dedicated 50Hz inlet with the power directed to a 50Hz 230VAC battery charger.
4. The hot water heater (as you mentioned, a resistive load and not frequency sensitive) is temporarily rewired over to the air-conditioning buss.
5. Oven’s and cook tops are tricky and made more so because they are normally 240VAC. Old dumb units are not frequency sensitive but many new units with microprocessors are. We don’t chance it and recommend:
- Equip the boat with LPG from the beginning (applicable to the N35, N40 and N46).
- Run the generator.
- Use two Trace SW inverters configured in a “series stacked” configuration which then simultaneously produces both 120VAC and 240VAC 60Hz (applicable to the N50, N57 &N62).
6. Water makers are typically not run at the dock and therefore can rely on the generator.
7. Washer/dryers can be carefully run from the inverter.
Please note that the above is only a glimpse into a complicated subject that must be talked thru on a case by case basis. For example, I haven’t even touched on isolation transformers, GFI circuits, safety, neutral/ground bonding, color coding etc.
I hope that the above helps some readers… and has not caused further confusion.
April 25, 2002
Subject: Lookouts
Molly Mosher of Leesburg, VA asks:
When on open seas and on autopilot, can you leave the bridge unattended for periods of time?
Jeff Leishman responds:
We always have someone in the wheel house on watch. However, if the watch stander needs to use the head or get something from the galley then it’s ok to leave the bridge for short periods of time. At night when you really can’t see anything outside, you rely on the radar to see. so if nothing is on the radar then you can be pretty sure there are no ships bearing down on you. The scary thing about night running is not being able to see what directly in your path like floating debris or worse yet a container floating just at the surface! I personally have never seen one but I guess they are out here. At any rate it is not good practice to leave the bridge unattended for anything other than a couple of minutes, not only are we keeping an eye out for ships but we are scanning our engine instruments for signs of trouble.
April 25, 2002
Subject: Rough seas
Lori of Alexandria, VA asks:
Where is the roughest sea in the world?
Jeff Leishman responds:
I am happy to report that the roughest seas in the world are no where near us. We have had a discussion here on the boat and we all feel that the roughest seas are found in the Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is well south of the equator past all the continents.
April 25, 2002
Subject: Filling water tanks
Scott Strickland of Bonita Springs, FL asks:
How did you fill your water tanks at various locations?
Jim Leishman responds:
We have relied heavly on the Spectra Watermaker and have tried not to take on water at our various stops for fear of tainting our water supply.
Generally there are simple hoses on the docks we have visited and we’ve just borrowed them and on a few occassions. After I have convinced myself that the water is of high quality, we’ve just filled our tanks. On the leg from Singapore to Greece we took on bottled water in Phuket (this is described in our commentary section) and only once from a hose in the Maldives. This was reverse osmosis water produced by a desalination plant on the island resort of Bondos. I tested the water with a salinity probe and it was under 400 parts per million and we were assured it was safe to drink.
How do you handle the power issue? Do you have a 220 V battery charger? Or do you just use your generator?
From Singapore – all through Europe – 240 volt 50 cycle power is all that is available. With the short stays at each location we never had a need for shore power and just relied upon our generator and inverter for electricity. There is an interesting article written by Richard Kidd about cruising his NORDHAVN 46 in Europe. He simply purchased a transformer ($300) which reduced the power down to 120 volts that he just plugs in. The transformer sits on the dock and according to Kidd, the whole boat runs fine on the 50 cycle (except his microwave clock). This is the most simplistic approach I’ve heard of and I’m a little skeptical.
The easiest way to formally deal with the problem is to just install a separate shore inlet and dedicate it to a 240 volt 50 cycle battery charger. The charger is powered up by the dockside power and you rely on the inverter to supply house power. This is limited and would not answer the question of air conditioning, water heaters and other heavy load items which you might have aboard. (Simply running the generator when necessary is a good option for a boat spending a limited time in Europe).
From that simple and inexpensive system we get bigger and more sophisticated – and for a total description of the options and the pros – cons – about 5,000 words would be required.
April 22, 2002
Subject: Contact with warships
Brian Leffler of Enosburg Falls, VT asks:
Thanks for this forum. I am addicted to following the trip. During your transit of the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the Med did you have any contact with any US or other warships? How much ship to ship communications do you have in general?
Jim Leishman responds:
As we approached the coast of Oman, we began to hear ships identifying themselves as Coalition warship with a number identifier. They never referred to U.S. warship however it seemed obvious to us with the accent free English.
Arriving in Oman we noticed numerous British destroyers and then the aircraft carrier “Illustrious” arrived with a large navy supply ship. One evening we were invited aboard the supply ship and spent a couple of hours in the aft lounge with the crew. We found that the crew was all merchant marine and supplied the carrier with ammunition, fuel and general supplies. I spoke with the second officer and they would not say where they had been or where they were going and would not be quoted in print, however he told us that the waters were safe, very safe. Later we were told by lower ranking crew that the waters were thick with Coalition warships – German, French, British, Italian and American. They suggested that there were aircraft in the air 24 hours a day and that if we keyed our VHF on 16 – called a mayday – there would be aircraft overhead within a matter of minutes. We were elated with the news and it spread through out the anchorage in Salalah by morning. All the following day Cruisers were inviting the civilian sailors to their yachts for drinks and snacks.
We had met the crew of a twin engine 62 foot Choey Lee Motorsailor and agreed that we would depart Salalah and run together to Djibouti. As we departed Salalah we heard Coalition Warships – of all the above nations – hailing ships and asking a long series of questions – port of departure, next port, cargo, crew nationalities, etc. Each series of questions lasted up to a half hour or more. We saw ships on the horizon and were buzzed by two recon – land based turboprop aircraft. The presence of the ships and aircraft gave us so much confidence that after two days and by mutual agreement – we pulled away from the Choey Lee as they preferred a slower speed and less fuel consumption.
We did hail warships sighted however they did not respond (which is common for any warship). I suspect they feel unnecessary communication or giving out information about themselves could be a security compromise. We continued to hear these ships and questions – all the way up the Red Sea and into the Mediterranean.
Contrary to our concerns, this was probably the safest time in history to go boating in the Middle East.
April 22, 2002
Subject: Apr 16, 17, 18 postion
Mike Dunn of Monroe, LA, asks:
I think these positions are wrong. they should be apr 16-N 34 18 W 008 02 apr 17-N 31 58 W 011 31 apr 18-N 30 26 W 012 52 thank you for your help with this.
“Thanks for keeping us on our toes. We’ve made the change to reflect the new position.”
April 22, 2002
Subject: Malted Beverages
Bobb Brann of Menifee, CA asks:
I have often read in the ATW commentary and progress reports about the importance of keeping the fridge stocked with beer. I’m sure there would be little mercy for the one who shirked his duty and let the supply of cold beer run out. In fact if I’m not mistaken, I think there are laws on the books in at least 42 countries around the world where the first offence for this crime is DEATH! Or worse, the offender is forced to watch the others on board enjoy an ice cold beer in the heat of the day. With that said, what kinds of different local “malted beverages” has the crew been able to find, and have you found a new favorite? Or are you able to get American beer for your enjoyment? Have a safe trip...
Jeff Leishman responds:
Luckily the Captain of the “Nordahvn” on this leg will only Keelhaul and Flogg his crew members if they do not follow direct orders and keep the fridge stocked with beer. We have experienced many many different labels. However in the stores where we have provisioned, there hasn’t been a big selection to choose from. Mostly on the boat we have been getting by on Amstel and Carlsberg, both good brews. Here in the Canaries we came across a nice local brew called Dorada, a real smooth pilsner.
While we were in Greece we met a really great guy and his wife, Brian and Michelle Broadhurst. They gave a gift of three cases of good old American Bud and I’ll tell you, after all the Amstel and other foreign labels that Bud Light tastes pretty darn good. Well time to stock the fridge or… unstock it.
April 19, 2002
Subject: Wing Engine uses
Brian of Fairbanks, AK, asks:
I was wondering about additional uses for the wing engine. Do you see situations where it would be used for additional power such as running against a strong head wind or towing another boat? Would it be preferable to run the wing engine when trolling at very slow speeds? Can the wing engine be used with the main engine to control the boat like you would with a standard two-engine boat?
Jim Leishman responds:
On the larger NORDHAVNs the wing engine is used to power up the hydraulic bow and stern thrusters in addition to providing auxiliary power.
On the 40 its sole job in life is to be there in the event of a power failure and to provide propulsion during routine maintenance checks of the main engine while underway.
I have fiddled with the wing engine to see if it could provide any added control during maneuvering and the one condition it could be used is during extended backing down at low speed. The left handed propeller on the 40 and 46 tend to pull to starboard and low speed will slowly pull the boat to starboard thus overpowering the rudder. I have found that while backing slowly, the wing engine can be run in forward – offsetting the effect of the starboard pull of the main.Normally if you have to back out of a slip channel, the rudder can be centered and short blasts of the bow thruster are used to effectively steer the boat in reverse. So this use of the wing engine is less effective and redundant.
I have repeatedly used the wing engine in Alaska while trolling for salmon. The main engine – while at idle will push the boat at almost 4 knots which is about 2 knots too fast for Salmon trolling. The wing can be used at about 1,000 rpm to give just the right speed. The only problem is that if there is wind blowing, you can’t maintain direction control with the wing at that low speed – the bow will blow off. At higher rpm on the wing, it’s no problem as the rudder has enough water flowing over it to steer the boat.
April 18, 2002
Subject: Wind and no waves
Jeff Douthwaite of Seattle, WA, asks:
Justin writes of “wind all day at 20 kts. but no waves…” Can you explain how that happens?
Jeff Leishman responds:
As we approached the Straights of Gibraltar we encountered a strong current of near 3 knots against us. While the wind was blowing 20 knots the seas did not build to anything like you would expect. I also think that perhaps we were a bit in the lee of Gibraltar at this time. You also have to understand that we had just endured over 1000 miles of some of the most uncomfortable conditions I have ever been in – as far as the short steep seas we encountered most of the way across the Med. So when we say, ” no seas to speak of ” it was not to say there were no seas, only that they were small and unremarkable. Hope that clears it up.
April 15, 2002
Subject: Greece
Patrick Lorrain of Paris, Yvelines, asks:
It was initially planned for you to go the Olympic Marina in Lavrio. Why did you change for Glyfada ?
Jim Leishman Responds:
Frankly, we were not sure what marina we would use in Greece until a couple of days prior to arrival. We wanted to be near a hotel so the new crew could wait near the marina. We needed a marina that would offer fresh water and have docks so we could walk on and off the boat without using the dingy. We needed to be fairly close to the airport for easy departure.
Jeff, Pete and Justin had a rental car and drove around looking at the various marinas and felt Glyfada was the cleanest, most convenient marina in the area. While I could not compare it to any others, we were very happy there during our short stay.
Thanks for your interest,
Jim Leishman
April 15, 2002
Subject: E-mail
Lee Higbee of Anchorage, AK, asks:
1. I understand that you have an iridium phone on board. Do you use the iridium for e-mail?
2. If so, are you able to transport photos?
3. If the iridium baud rate is 2400, how long does it take to send and receive an e-mail page (with and without photos)?
4. From the photos, I see you have a KVH antenna – is it for tv, or a mini-M system?
We have an Iridium phone system aboard NORDHAVN and a modem so we can receive and send Email. The Iridium phone seems to send and receive at 4800 baud. We could send a photo; however, the cost is quite high. By mistake our office sent us (aboard the boat) about 6 high resolution photos of the new NORDHAVN 40 flybridge. It took about two hours to clear the download – we could not receive other email until that was eliminated. We later contacted Stratosnet (our provider) and put a block on any attachments to prevent that from happening again.
Normally we write our days Emails, put them into an Outlook outbox and then go on line. The emails are sent and then incoming emails are received. It seems as though we receive five or six emails per day and send at least as many. The air time is generally around two or three minutes at $1.50 per minute.
We’re not getting any sponsorship whatsoever from Iridium, but the system has really been excellent.
The KVH antenna is for our Tracphone satellite phone system, which only works in North America, Mexico, Panama and the Caribbean. We installed it prior to going to Alaska last summer and have not used it at all on the ATW trip. When we cross the Atlantic it will be back on line.
Thanks for your interest,
Jim Leishman
April 15, 2002
Subject: Bridal
Jeff Douthwaite of Seattle, WA, asks:
You referred to the ‘Bridal of the anchor’ and i wonder, what is that? Why not take the bride inside?
Jim Leishman Responds:
Dear Jeff:
Are you an editor having a little fun or is this really a question? Officially, a bridle is defined as anything that controls or restrains, and I guess a bride could fit that description but I can’t deny an error has been made.
Just in case some people are interested in the bridle we use I will explain it’s use:
Normally, the strength of the Maxwell windlass is sufficient to hold the chain in place while anchored. The windlass is fitted with a pawl which will take the load of the chain gypsy and transfer it to the base of the windlass foundation (taking the load off the windlass drum and internal gearing). This pawl is very strong and normally it is all that is required.
Sometimes a bridle is useful in light conditions as the chain can transmit a lot of noise from the ocean bed, particularly if you are anchored on a pebbly or rocky bottom. As the boat drifts around in response to the wind and current, the noise of the dragging chain telegraphs up the hard links and can be heard in the stateroom, especially if the owners’ cabin is in the bow of the boat. The bridle can be used to take the load of the chain and reduce the noise.
The other, and more important use of the bridle, is to take extreme loads off the windlass and offer some shock absorption while anchored in high winds and/or a rough anchorage. The bridle we use is two lengths of 3/4″ three strand nylon line, both spliced to a single chain hook. We take each line and run it over the port and starboard bow rollers and cleat it off on the two large cleats, just to port and starboard and aft of the windlass. The chain hook is slipped over a link of anchor chain and then the windlass is run in reverse until the load of the anchor chain is taken up by the bridle and the chain goes slack above the chain hook. Each leg of the bridle is about 15 feet long; however, longer would be better the more extreme the conditions become.
As the wind builds and the waves in the anchorage become higher, the chain will be come tighter and tighter and the belly of the chain will be reduced. When anchoring with chain, the belly is where the shock absorption comes from. As the bow rises in response to a wave the belly of the chain flattens out and gives. Once the wave passes, the weight of the chain pulls the belly back and it’s ready for the next rise, and so on. Ultimately, in very heavy winds, if the anchor holds, the belly will all but disappear and the boat can come up tight against the unyielding anchor chain, shocking the bow roller, pulling the anchor out, or even breaking the chain. The bridle will stretch and provide shock relief.
Thanks for your interest,
Jim Leishman
April 5, 2002
Subject: Ionian Sea Passage
Frank Weismantel of Elverta, CA asks:
I’ve checked in on the ATW voyage every day since you started. I get the sense that the crew was unable to pick up the gyro in Djibouti and Jeff is out there without Naiads, only Paravanes. The April 4 report seems to back that up. Is that the case? Would carrying a spare make sense or are they generally too reliable and expensive to stock onboard? Or….were the beam seas so severe as to call for both active and passive stabilizers to make things comfortable? Either way, gale blown beam seas and a reasonable comfortable ride is pretty impressive.
Jim Leishman responds:
The Naiads were only out of operation as we entered Salalah, Oman and then on the passage from Salalah to Djibouti. We did receive the new Gyro in Djibouti and the system has been working perfectly ever since.
The Gyro is a component of the Naiads which we have never seen fail and we did not have a spare part. The old Gyro had some kind of a bearing problem which restricted its ability to spin without resistance. The new Gyro was installed easily. We just removed two hydraulic lines and four bolts. The removal and reinstallation took about 20 minutes.
April 4, 2002
Subject: Gear trouble and parts
Andrew Fraser of San Jose, CA, asks:
Could you tell us about the gear that had to be repaired or that you had problems with? You have a lot of boats out there with the same type of gear and it would help to know the type of spare parts one might need to bring along for a trip like yours. I understand you brought lots of spare parts, and also had to have some shipped. What kind of parts would you have brought with you now that you have done it?
Jim Leishman responds:
The problems we have had are as follows:
1. Oil hoses on main engine (for remote mount of the oil filter) – we believe that these hoses were defectively swaged when manufactured. We have a new set on now and there is no sign of trouble. We’ve never had trouble with these hoses before on over 100 of the 668 Luggers.
2. The secondary alternator on the main engine failed – we had a spare alternator and belt.
3. The pins which secure the Naiad hydraulic rams to the stabilizer shaft yoke wore and began to click and rattle during operation. We replaced two pins and rod ends (a job which takes about 30 minutes per side). We had the spare parts aboard.
4. We had a Naiad gyro fail which had to be replaced. We did not expect this to be a problem and did not have the spare part. During our extensive experience with Naiad – we have never had a gyro problem. The fix was very easy – remove two hydraulic hoses and four mounting bolts. The job took no more than 30 minutes.
5. The cooling pump used for the Naiad hydraulic fluid is a Jabsco commercial duty water puppy. This is a 12 volt pump and from experience we know they are suspect after about 1,000 hours of operation. Ours failed at 1,800 hours and we had three replacements (we’re on the second one now). We recommend our Naiad equipped boats have a spare pump fitted with the necessary elbows to be easily replaced when at sea.
6. There have been two failures of the engine room blower which is a metal case Dayton 12 volt unit. From experience we know that these fail after about 500 hours of use and we have not been able to locate a better continuous-duty 12 volt blower. Our plan now is to begin using continuous duty Dayton 110 volt blowers – which will run off the inverter and should give thousands of hours of service – for future boats.
7. Numerous 12 volt bulbs have failed. We’ve gone through some running light bulbs and dome light bulbs in the engine room. We generally run with AC fluorescent lights and DC incandescent lights on in the engine room 100% of the time.
8. We’ve gone through only three sets of fuel filters on the main Racor 900 2 micron as primary and then one set of the 2 micron John Deere filters mounted on the main engine. We have about 3,300 hours on the main.
9. Until arriving in Greece we had not changed the generator fuel filters. Incredibly, we ran 1,500 hours of generator time on one set. When we arrived in Athens, we realized that the generator filters we had aboard were the wrong ones so had to locate a new set of spares.
10. We’ve run through about 4 sets of watermaker feed pump filters. Amazingly, those are the only problems the boat has experienced so far.
April 4, 2002
Subject: Television
Herb Mosher of Orchard Park, NY, asks:
CNN telecasts in English virtually worldwide. Would it make sense to have satellite t.v. on ATW trips?
Jim Leishman responds:
We would have loved to have a satellite TV system aboard however the systems which will work worldwide are extremely expensive. Smaller units for North America are routinely installed aboard NORDHAVNs.
We found a $100 Tandy short-wave receiver which was great. We routinely listened to Voice of America and the BBC. Depending on the time of the day an appropriate frequency is selected (propagation). We have this listening capability on the SSB however the scanning feature of the small short wave is easier to use.
April 4, 2002
Subject: SSB Nets
Tony of Pleasanton, CA, asks:
You mention using the SSB often, and checking into Nets… can you tell us what Nets and when? Are you making any Amateur Radio contacts?
Jim Leishman responds:
I’m embarrassed over my lack of expertise in the department of the SSB. We did connect with sailors crossing the Indian Ocean and got frequencies for daily communication. Normally we would be down in the 4 to 8 megahertz range – which is good for shorter range communication – 50 to 800 or 900 miles.
We had Paul Grover aboard who just retired from Contential Airlines and he’s been messing around with SSBs throughout his career. He became pretty good about entering frequencies and fiddling with the SSB. But for me, I never had the time to really work with it. Frankly, it was one of the most expensive pieces of electronics aboard and in my opinion (at least for us) the least valuable.
April 4, 2002
Subject: Country of Registration
Mike Wise of Manhattan Beach, MN asks:
Did it create a potential problem to be running an American flagged vessel in certain areas of the world – like where you were for Leg 2? Did you fly the Stars and Stripes at all times? What are the considerations you commonly see for U. S. owners to flag their boat in another country? What’s involved in such registration and which countries are commonly selected?
Jim Leishman responds:
We’re proud to report that we flew the U.S. flag without interruption. It’s never been down since leaving Dana Point on November 3rd.
We had talked about lowering it if we went into Yemen or possibly in Djibouti, but we never felt threatened – primarily due to the extensive presence of coalition warships in the Indian Ocean, Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea.
We do have customers who seek foreign registration but I don’t think it’s ever for security reasons. One reason for instance is that if a non U.S. citizen living in the U.S. wants a boat, he cannot legally operate a U.S. documented vessel within U.S. waters. He might elect to get a Grand Cayman registration and then operate the vessel in U.S. waters under a cruising permit.
April 4, 2002
Subject: Moving around the boat in bad weather
Barry Michel of Benicia, CA asks:
How difficult was it to move about the boat during the bad weather on 3/25. Were you always aware of the next handhold or am I way off base here?
Jim Leishman responds:
On March 25th we had winds which touched 60 knots however the seas were not real big. We left the anchorage on Kasos Island and ran east seaking shelter from the westerly winds. The seas were probably only eight feet high and we were running down swell and with the Paravanes in the water and the Naiad stabilizers on, the motion was not bad at all.
During rougher weather – the day before for instance – we discussed the need for caution in moving around the boat. Nearing the end of the trip, the last thing we needed was a broken finger or wrist which is a typical injury aboard a ship. People cross an open area and are accelerated by the movement of the boat and go crashing into cabinetry or a bulkhead and get injured.
On a Nordhavn, every shelf and countertop has a deep fiddle which acts as a hand hold while moving about. There is a hand rail on the roof of the saloon and stainless steel handrails on stairways around the cockpit – anywhere where we felt they would be beneficial. This, combined with quarters that are not huge, eliminates the need to take a run across a room where control can be lost. You hang on, keep low and keep your timing in sync with the motion of the boat. It’s pretty easy.
Interestingly, I am suffering from a sore knee which was somehow injured during the rough weather of the final week. I first noticed it as just a tight and sore knee and have no recollection of a specific injury event. I suspect that the twisting around up and down the companionways may have pulled something. Maybe I’m just getting old!
April 2 , 2002
Subject: Stern tie
Scott Strickland of Bonita Springs, FL asks:
How do you get on/off the boat with a stern tie? When I cruise the Med, should I have some kind of gang plank? (note: Scott Strickland has a Nordhavn 47 on order.)
Jeff Leishman responds:
Boarding a boat here is difficult. We are tied stern to but we are at a seawall that has depth right below it so we are able to get close enough to step on the fenders that are tied to it and jump up. Some of the other ties have shallow water to about 10 feet out. These boats all have passerrells. Actually all of the boats here have some form of passerrell. If I were going to be doing more cruising here then some kind of plank would be mandatory. They are easy to fit on the stern rail if need be.
April 2 , 2002
Subject: On board urinal
Bruce Conn of Trabuco Canyon, CA asks:
After all this time on board do you see any merit in installing a urinal in the head? I may be alone on this campaign but in a rough sea – no matter what the size of the boat – you end up “painting the walls”. Easy to aim – even in the dark, easy to clean, doesn’t take too much room…
Ray Danet responds:
The biggest concern is the space that something like this would take up in such a small area. Also to consider is the extra plumbing and the fact that there is no marine version and therefore no choker valve to stop back flow of water. There are two things one can do, the first being simply to sit down. The second, if the crew are comfortable with each other, is to just go out the stern door. It’s pretty hard to miss.
March 28, 2002
Subject: Anti collision strobe
Anonymous of Elverta, CA asks:
In Voyaging Under Power, in the chapter on Mona Mona, Jims’ updated entry writes about carrying a masthead mounted Xenon “anti collision strobe”. Did you equip Nordhavn with one and have you used it? Also, what are you using to increase the radar signature of Nordhavn? Thanks and good luck in the Med; wish we were there, gale notwithstanding!
Dan Streech responds:
Thank you for your question. “Nordhavn” is not equipped with a mast head strobe light. When passing through the Philippines, the guys found themselves (at night) in a nest of dozens of fishing boats. One boat began following “Nordhavn” in a menacing way. The “Nordhavn” crew used a high powered hand held spot light to illustrate their position and to warn of the interloper. “Nordhavn” is not fitted with anything to increase the radar signature. It seems that the mast, paravane poles and the dry exhaust stack provide a strong natural signature.
March 28, 2002
Subject: Power supply part 3
Rod Sumner of Niagara Falls, CAN asks:
Thanks for answer yesterday. Your described system of a hydraulically powered alternator off the main engine seems to have many possible benefits: no fuel lines to AC generator, no cooling water line to be clogged, easier maintenance, less complexity with space and weight requirements, quieter…It would seem that this is a system possibly well suited to smaller boats as well.
One down side is having to run the main engine while at rest to top up the batteries and/or handle short term heavy loads. Comments would be appreciated.
Dan Streech responds:
Rod, thank you for your 3rd series of questions on the hydraulic alternator subject. First, I should say that the hydraulic alternator/inverter package is not a replacement for the stand alone 20kW Northern Lights generator. 8kW just wouldn’t be enough to feed all of the AC needs on a 62 foot boat. It is intended for use using careful power management when the vessel is underway. At anchor or even underway when the AC loads are high, one would use the 20kW NL. A Nordhavn 62 carries enough fuel to run non stop for 25 days or even longer at reduced speeds so the temptation to find a way to harness engine power to make AC power on a continuous basis is quite high.
An operator trick that I haven’t mentioned is the ability to run the hydraulic alternators off of the wing engine. In a typical installation of hydraulics on an N57 or N62, the hydraulic pump for the thruster (or thrusters) is mounted on the wing engine. This is because the engine can advanced to about 2,000 RPM and have ready power for one or both thrusters regardless of the RPM of the main engine. When powering the alternators only from the wing engine, the RPM can be reduced to quite a low (and quiet) level and in this configuration, the wing engine can act as back-up AC generator (via the hydraulic alternator and inverters). I would consider the use of the main engine to power the alternators while at rest to be a last resort after failure of the 20kW NL and failure of the wing engine.
March 27, 2002
Subject: Minimum Bridge Clearance
Randy Jacobs of Ottawa, IL asks:
What is the minimum vertical height above the water line of the N40? What would one have to do to configure the vessel to get under low bridges?
Joe Meglen responds:
We can reduce the vertical height of the NORDHAVN 40 to 13’9″ with the addition of a tabernacle mast folding aft, and by building the exhaust stack with a joint just above its exit above the false fiberglass stack. During their circumnavigation, Jim and Suzie Sink cruised Nordhavn 46 Hull #10, “Salvation II” though the canals of Europe. They were able to clear the bridges by taking their mast down and by removing the upper of the exhaust stack.
March 26, 2002
Subject: Cruising generator follow up question
Rod Sumner of Niagara Falls, CAN asks:
On the recent subject of crusing power was there a typo as the alternator is producing 6250 watts but the inverters were giving out 8000 watts? have you found the holy grail of free power???
Dan Streech responds:
Rod, thank you for your insightful question (which proves that people are actually reading these postings). Unfortunately, your clever eye has only reveled my poor word smithing rather than a clue leading to the holy grail of free power, cold fusion, perpetual motion or kryptonite.
Actually there was no typo in yesterday’s writing. I did mean to say that the alternator puts out 6 KW and the inverters can put out up to 8 KW. What I failed to point out is that when the inverter output exceeds 6 KW, there will be a deficit of DC power which will be made up by drawing from the batteries. When the inverter output is less than 6 KW, the batteries will be recharged. It is probable that the average output of the inverters will be less than 6 KW on a long passage, so ultimately a deficit won’t occur. A net deficit in DC power will show itself on the “Net Amps” meter and the operator should show mercy if the deficit exists for more than several hours. A Link monitor could keep track of the total deficit and simple arithmetic would reveal if an AC load would need to be shut down.
Now, since we are getting more precise here, I should also point out that the voltage regulator on the “24 volt” alternator is actually set at 28 volts. So 28 volts X 250 amps is actually 7,000 watts or 7 KW. Still, however, there can be a deficit, your question is valid and my answer above is applicable.thank you for your insightful question.
March 26, 2002
Subject: Cruising generator follow up question
Rod Sumner of Niagara Falls, CAN asks:
On the recent subject of crusing power was there a typo as the alternator is producing 6250 watts but the inverters were giving out 8000 watts? have you found the holy grail of free power???
Dan Streech responds:
Rod, thank you for your insightful question (which proves that people are actually reading these postings). Unfortunately, your clever eye has only reveled my poor word smithing rather than a clue leading to the holy grail of free power, cold fusion, perpetual motion or kryptonite.
Actually there was no typo in yesterday’s writing. I did mean to say that the alternator puts out 6 KW and the inverters can put out up to 8 KW. What I failed to point out is that when the inverter output exceeds 6 KW, there will be a deficit of DC power which will be made up by drawing from the batteries. When the inverter output is less than 6 KW, the batteries will be recharged. It is probable that the average output of the inverters will be less than 6 KW on a long passage, so ultimately a deficit won’t occur. A net deficit in DC power will show itself on the “Net Amps” meter and the operator should show mercy if the deficit exists for more than several hours. A Link monitor could keep track of the total deficit and simple arithmetic would reveal if an AC load would need to be shut down.
Now, since we are getting more precise here, I should also point out that the voltage regulator on the “24 volt” alternator is actually set at 28 volts. So 28 volts X 250 amps is actually 7,000 watts or 7 KW. Still, however, there can be a deficit, your question is valid and my answer above is applicable.thank you for your insightful question.
March 26, 2002
Subject: Fuel Quality
Chris Knuth of Mequon, WI asks:
You commented earlier in the voyage, that the diesel fuel you had received was “clean and dark”. When refueling in a foreign port, how do you check that the fuel is clean prior to taking on hundreds of gallons in your tanks?
Dan Streech responds:
As mentioned in other postings such as the January 24 answer to Dan Felzer’s question, dirty fuel is less of a problem today than in previous years. If one makes a practice of staying away from rusty 55 gallon barrels and gets fuel from a reputable fuel dock or delivery truck, the chances of receiving dirty fuel are acceptably low (as evidenced by our experiences to date).
To specifically answer your question however, one should pump some fuel into a bucket for examination before commencing to take fuel aboard the boat. Most of what is bad in dirty fuel (water, rusty particles, and sludge) will sink to the bottom of a tank. Fuel trucks draw or drain from the bottom and fuel docks draw from the bottom of their storage tanks, so trouble will normally be revealed in the beginning.
The classic way of getting dirty fuel is to receive it from a ratty 55 gallon drum in a 3rd world situation. The fuel is siphoned from the drum into the boat and when the barrel is nearly empty, the hapless siphoner will tip the barrel on a 45 degree angle and poke the siphon hose to the very bottom to extract every last drop. The last gallon might be a soup of unwanted nasty things.
March 25, 2002
Subject: Coastal Cruising in comparison to ATW Voyage
John Torelli of Riverside, CA asks:
What are the 3 most similiar and 3 most different aspects you have discovered between this cruise and coastal cruising demands on the boat?
Dave Harlow responds:
Dear John,
I think that the similarities and demands on Nordhavn are the same whether coastal cruising or crossing oceans. The biggest difference is that continuous circumavigating compresses these demands into a shorter period of time. Some of a boat’s components are consumed with time requiring regular checks, adjustments, repairs and replacements. Having said this, our circumnavigation has had few failures or equipment that needed replacing. Fueling and oil changes are two good examples of the differences. If you were coastal cruising from Maine to the Bahamas and back for a season you would start out in Maine with full tanks and new oil. Your first oil change and fuel stop would probably happen in Florida. The next time you would need fuel or an oil change would probably be at the end of the season back in Maine. While circumnavigating with little time to stop, Nordhavn is changing oil every 10 to 14 days and during the first leg fueling five times in three months. When coastal cruising in a Nordhavn you leisurely decide to fuel where it is convenient and economical to do so. If you don’t fuel this week, there is always next week. When circumnavigating on a time schedule you fuel when and where you can get it.
The biggest difference between coastal cruising and this cruise is not the demands placed on the boat but the demands placed on the crew. The point of coastal cruising, or cruising in general is to explore, visit, enjoy exciting and different places, many of which are only accessible by boat. The long voyages, while enjoyable adventures, are for the most part a means to an end. I look forward to the day that I can return to some of the exotic places we have been, but stay for weeks rather than a day or two. That however will be my next circumnavigation. The goal of this circumnavigation is to demonstrate that our smallest displacement Nordhavn is inherently safe, seaworthy and “ocean crossing capable”, while building our knowledge base of what works well, and learn where we can make improvements.
March 25, 2002
Subject: Cruise Generator
Dick Barnes of Anchorage, AK asks:
You seem to be hooked on the air conditioner units, an option that our sailing friends lack. Rather than running the generator full time to support your comfort, what would you think of a hydraulic-driven cruise generator that gets its energy from the main engine? Would the net fuel efficiency be better or worse? It seems that limiting the run time on the Northern Lights unit would be advantageous.
Dan Streech responds:
You have asked a very good question which has a thicker plot than you know. For over 10 years, we have been dabbling with the use of hydraulically driven AC “cruising” generators. As you know, an AC generator must spin at a constant specified RPM (usually 1800 RPM for 60Hz and 1500 RPM for 50Hz) to maintain the correct frequency. To maintain a constant frequency when using the main engine to provide the hydraulic power, one must deal with:
Changing RPM of the main engine.
Varying loads on the AC generator.
The variance in hydraulic oil temperature and thus its viscosity. Internal hydraulic leakage past pistons and rotors which varies depending on load and wear of components and thus causing imprecision.
Theoretically, a variable displacement pump on the main engine driving a fixed displacement motor on the generator can be tweaked to hold a fairly constant RPM on the hydraulically driven generator. This rather simple arrangement has been used successfully on fishing boats (especially in the Pacific Northwest) for years to operate various kinds of machinery which are not too frequency sensitive.
When it comes to pleasure yachts, the standards are higher and the owner/operators are typically less patient with the process of manually tweaking a cruising generator to maintain frequency. Thus, the more sophisticated installations seen on pleasure boats use a “smart” control valve which meters the hydraulic flow based on feedback from generator to maintain exact frequencies. It can work pretty well, but we have found that such installations are still problematic and prone to wide swings in frequency when heavy loads (such as air conditioning start-up or water-maker start-up) are placed on the system. If the frequency swings more than 10Hz, troubles begin such as the Trace (SW2500) inverter/charger rejecting the power and video monitors flickering.
Your question was whether or not the efficiency would be better or worse using a hydraulically driven AC generator rather than a conventional stand alone generator. To answer that question, one has to make assumptions regarding the amount of power used and degree of loading of the stand alone generator. My personal feeling is that if one is just considering efficiency, the two approaches are probably about the same. The heat loss of running hydraulics is probably about the same as the parasitic power loss of running a stand alone generator.
Then why do we keep trying to find the holy grail of the perfect cruising generator? Frankly, not everyone at PAE does. Jim Leishman and I have argued and debated this subject for years. Jim is quite happy to simply start up a generator when he needs AC power while he is underway and let it run indefinitely. The fuel efficiency is about the same, and modern generators are ultra reliable, run for many thousands of hours and if you do live long enough to wear one out, they are relatively inexpensive. I on the other hand, think that it is silly to run a generator while underway and feel that it is sensible to somehow draw power from the main engine to make AC power.
I personally would have a hydraulic cruising generator on my boat, but I no longer have it in me to face the wrath of customers who demand that their cruising generators act exactly like their 20KW Northern Lights generator. Therefore, I no longer recommend them or even permit them on Nordhavns.
As a footnote to the above discussion, we (I and John Champion of American Bow Thruster) have developed a new system that is showing great promise. As an option on the Nordhavn 62, we offer a hydraulically driven large alternator. As we all know, an alternator (despite its name) puts out DC current and thus is not temperamental if the RPM varies. In this package, we hydraulically drive a 250 amp 24V (6KW) Electrodyne alternator. Put this together with two series stacked Trace 4024 inverters, and you have 8 KW of AC power which has perfectly stabilized frequency. 8 KW isn’t a lot of power for a 62 foot boat, but with some power management, one can run the water maker, cook or run several air conditioning units.
We have completed the first boat with this system and it is working great. Stay tuned.
March 22, 2002
Subject: Bottom Growth
Hunter Heatly of Laguna Beach, CA asks:
Is there a problem with growth accumulationg around the keel coolers? Would the coolers continue work if they did accumulate growth? Have the air conditioning water intakes ever become clogged? What is the largest object that the boat has hit so far (logs, kelp, reef)?
Joe Meglen responds:
Four good questions. When sizing the tubing for keel coolers, the engineers build in a “fouling factor” knowing that some amount of growth will be accumulating over time. Quantifying this exactly is difficult but from our experience with 150+ Nordhavns equipped with keel coolers we have found that the tubing can be completely covered with growth, even shell, without a noticeable loss of heat exchanging capability. Obviously, the colder the water the more growth that can be tolerated. During “Nordhavn’s” circumnavigation there has been little growth accumulation and therefore no need for cleaning. There are two things at work inhibiting growth: 1) The keel cooler is 70% copper, 30% nickel and copper inhibits growth, 2) The heat in the tubing kills growth and a boat running almost continually, like “Nordhavn” is therefore less likely to accumulate growth.
Since the crew didn’t have air conditioning installed during the first leg from Dana Point to Singapore, clearing clogged AC cooling intakes would have been an issue they would all have enjoyed coping with, especially through the Central Pacific. Clogged intakes are normally not a problem while passage making. It is when you arrive at a busy, congested commercial port that you will start picking up debris, such as plastic bags, that can plug up a sea strainer. So why not use a keel cooler for air conditioning? To get the temperature differential that air conditioning likes, the keel cooler needs to be too large to be practical on a small boat.
So far “Nordhavn” has had a number of close encounters with “dead heads”, trees and posts floating we have only hit one piece of timber. This was probably dunnage from a freighter. Of course you want to avoid hitting anything out there but the reality of cruising is that you do occasionally hit something. The robust solid FRP laminated hull of a Nordhavn provides good piece of mind.
March 15, 2002
Subject: Knock Down
James Theodore of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
How well would the 40 survive a knockdown or even worse a rollover?
Jeff Leishman responds:
You bring up a good question on the basic design parameters of a true ocean going boat. As the chief designer of the Nordhavn 40, and all of the other Nordhavns, it is my job to ensure that these boats can survive a knock down or worse yet a complete 360 deg. roll over. On paper the N40 does show a positive righting moment through 180 deg. So a knock down is something that would not present a problem assuming that a window or windows didn’t get blown out. That is the reason for the storm plates that we suggest for the side salon windows. The Diamond Sea Glaze windows that the N40 comes standard with have welded sockets on the corners of the salon windows, which allow the storm plates to be easily attached when going to sea.
Occasionally we get reports from owners on N46s or other Nordhavn models that claim they took a knock down without any significant damage or trouble. A knock down, while quite scary, is unlikely to be catastrophic if the boat and crew prepared for such an event. A 360 deg. roll over is another matter. Theoretically on paper the N40 would easily right herself in a roll over. However, in real life, a roll over would be a very violent event that would undoubtedly cause some type of damage to the boat and the crew. Unsecured objects get tossed about increasing the likelihood of windows being broken from the inside, which could cause severe flooding. Antennas and rigging would likely be lost or damaged. Provisions and other stores get shifted which cause the center of gravity to shift hindering the ability of the boat to come back up. All of these things would contribute to a very dangerous situation that is difficult to predict. The same waves that will put a boat upside down will also put the boat right side up and the negative righting curve of the N40 is quite small compared to the positive righting curve, meaning that it would take a lot less of a heel angle for the boat to get back to a positive righting moment that it took to get it into the negative realm. A very important element of surviving a roll over would be how well the boat is prepared to handle it. If everything is tightly secured, storm windows are in place and the crew doesn’t get too beat up, then a roll over could be survivable with the boat continuing on.
This subject has so many variables and the sea is such a dynamic force that it makes it almost impossible to predict any outcome.If I had to pick a motor yacht to try a roll over in the N40 would be high on my list. Let’s hope we never know the answer.
March 12, 2002
Subject: Propane Consumption
Frank Weismantel of Sacramento, CA asks:
How frequently do you fill the propane for the range. Did you experience any problems with tank fittings anywhere? Thanks and good luck on the voyage.
Ray Danet responds:
I know that you’ll find this hard to believe but we used the same tank from California to Singapore. We didn’t even have to use the second tank. We really cooked a lot with that one tank. You may need an adapter for the South Pacific, but you can usually find them at your first stop.
March 8, 2002
Subject: Engine Room
Mike Borton of West Seneca, NY asks:
Your one photo and the drawings indicate about four ft. of headroom in the engine room. Is that enough space to check everything?
Ray Danet responds:
With the maintenance strakes that are in the N40, the headroom around the engine is almost five feet. While we were making the passages, we always checked the engine every hour as part of our routine. There is plenty of room to do anything that one would require for maintenance and service.
March 6, 2002
Subject: Electrical Standard
Eric Soller of Westminster, CO asks:
Being from Europe, I know that the power voltage/amperage and the size/shape of an outlet are not the same every where in the world. How does Nordhavn deal with this fact? I imagine that an owner of a Nordhavn cruising around the world would want to use electric power from a shore source provided by a marina. Good Luck and thank you for sharing this experience.
Dan Streech responds:
Since we build Nordhavns for use in Europe, Australia, Singapore, Japan, and the Caribbean as well as the U.S., we frequently face this question. We also face the question in a different way when a Nordhavn designed electrically for one area thereafter cruises to a different area.
When a new Nordhavn is ordered, the buyer must decide if the boat’s AC electrical system is to be fundamentally 50Hz or 60Hz. With this decision made, the generator, appliances, inverters, battery chargers and other AC items are chosen accordingly.
What then does one do when a 60Hz boat is cruising in a 50Hz country or vice-versa? In this case we install an additional battery charger which will operate from the current of the host country. One can then plug into the host country’s shore power to charge the ship’s batteries and operate the ship’s AC items from the inverter.
Fortunately, the CRUISAIR air-conditioning unit which is used on Nordhavns can operate from either 50Hz or 60Hz. It can be plugged directly into the host country’s shore power once the proper adaptors are determined and the operator is comfortable that he understands the relationships between positive, neutral and ground on both the shore and the ship and that the voltage is correct.
The hot water heater uses an inductive heating element and therefore is not sensitive to frequency. It can also be operated from the host country’s shore power assuming that the voltage is correct.
Some other points to consider:
On the larger 60 Hz boats (such as the N57 & N62), we install two inverters (Trace sine wave) in a “series stacking” configuration. This allows the operator to draw 120VAC and 240VAC simultaneously from the inverter set and therefore operate items such as electric cooking and the washer/dryer from the inverters while replacing the 12VDC power used via the battery charger powered from the host country’s shore power.
On smaller boats where it is not sensible to have two inverters, one should consider the use of an LPG stove/oven. On a boat which is 60Hz 120VAC only (such as the N35 and N40), one can use a transformer to reduce the 50Hz voltage from 230VAC to 115VAC to operate the air-conditioning and water heater.
One must remember that a transformer can reduce or increase AC voltage, but it cannot change frequency.
The above is only a quick summary of the various approaches to the voltage/frequency questions facing worldwide cruisers. There are several ways to “skin a cat” and numerous tricks that we use in special circumstances. I didn’t even touch upon the subject of the various configurations and voltages facing the cruiser just in the 60Hz world. In actual practice, when laying out the electrical system, we consider where the boat will be traveling, what the operator’s needs and expectations are and the skill levels available to deal with the complexities.
March 6, 2002
Subject: Tropical Diseases
Paul Foerster of Alamo, CA asks:
Did you take any special precautions to prevent contact with mosquito borne diseases while in the tropical South Pacific?
Neither Dave Harlow, Ray Danet nor Tom Selman took any additional precautionary measures to ward off mosquito-borne diseases. P.A.E.’s shore crew did extensive research on all the areas the boat was to visit and did not find any warnings regarding mosquitoes on the Marshall or Micronesian Islands or in Singapore. The boat never made its way to what is typically regarded as “South Pacific” islands where this is more of a concern.
March 1, 2002
Subject: Gas Storage for Dingy Outboard
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
Where and in what containers do you store the gas for the dingy outboard?
Ray Danet responds:
James, we have two storage deck boxes mounted on the boat deck just aft of the pilothouse. It’s a very safe area, well vented and in the shade which solves the problem of tank expansion.
Feb 28, 2002
Subject: Below Waterline Inspection
Rod Sumner of Niagara Falls, Ontario asks:
I have been reading the commentaries with great interest and wish I were there with you. My question is: How often do you perform a below waterline inspection? Do you take the opportunity at each anchorage to don the mask and snorkel to check the rudder, cutlas bearing etc? (the water should have ben warm enough!!)
Jim Leishman responds:
Yes we do make a point of going into the water where it’s practical. For Instance, in the Maldives where the water was crystal clear, I went in and cleaned the water line. While there I swam under to look at the running gear etc..
Here today – we’re in the commercial port in Salalah and I’m not too crazy about going in due to possible pollution. The water temp is still in the high 70s here and has been in the mid 80s while farther south.
Feb 25, 2002
Subject: Future of ATW 40
Steve Werner of Sacramento, CA asks:
Once the circumnavigation is complete, what will become of the ATW 40? Will it go on “tour” to boat shows? Be sold? Or kept as a sales tool in Dana Point?
Jennifer McCauley responds:
The ATW 40 was actually sold months prior to its departure from Dana Point in November. The new owner has graciously agreed to allow us to show the boat in some boat shows later this year before he sets off for some serious cruising. Keep tuned to the boat show section of the website to find out where you can see it.
Feb 25, 2002
Subject: The Magic Equator Line
Bob Danelz of Sacramento, CA asks:
I see you were 1 degree North in Singapore. Are you guys shellbacks yet
or are you still pollywogs? Any celebrations?
Jim Leishman responds:
My crewmen, Brian Saunders and Paul Grover, both are shellbacks. I’m embarrassed to say that I personally have never been south of the Equator. Maybe someday!
(NOTE: A shellback refers to a sailor who has crossed over the equator. In old time sailing lore the crossing of the equator signified a major accomplishment and a tradition with untold ceremonies was concocted so that the veterans shellbacks could induct the rookie “pollywogs” into the sacred elite corps of those who had crossed before.)
Feb 25, 2002
Subject: Electronic Charting
Jeff Mclaren of Newport Beach, CA asks:
You have said on numerous occasions how flawlessly your electronics have performed, this must be a testament to your favorite electronics contractor! I know you are carrying numerous electronic charting programs and types of charts. Which combination are you using primarily? Where has the cartography been good and bad? Also, are you placing long single waypoints to steer by autopilot or are you simply steering to your bearing and adjusting manually? (In Raymarine speak, are you using the TRACK feature to steer to a waypoint?)
Jim Leishman responds:
We have been incredibly happy with all our electronics and everything has been working perfectly. Amazingly, we’re even happy with the SSB and have been using it daily. I have an aversion to the complexity of the SSB but Brian and Paul have all but mastered it. We’ve been collecting useful information on the daily nets we have discovered.
The Raymarine equipment is really excellent. The screens have perfect
brightness control and can be turned so low at night as to hardly affect our night vision. We have actually been very happy with the cartridges supplied by CMAP and are amazed at how much information there is on one chip. We’ve been using the tide information and even the facilities and service feature which gives details of fuel, water, boat yards etc..
We also have the Raytech software, which we have not used much as we don’t have the electronic charts for worldwide use. CMAP sent us a program called ECS and worldwide charts for that program. On approach to a new port or in areas of reefs and islands we will have that system up on the computer and we refer to both the Raymarine system and the ECS system. Navigation has been the easiest aspect of this whole trip. In all honestly we have not opened up our supply of paper charts – feeling totally comfortable with the electronic presentation.
While underway we have set up waypoints on the Raymarine system and steered to them on an electronic bearing line. It’s incomprehensible to me how the autopilot can keep us within 50 feet of that track. We always see 0.00 cross track error. Speaking of the Autopilot, Raymarine’s got a winner here. Not the slightest glitch and we are approaching 3,000 hours of continuous service on that autopilot and all components.
The other noteworthy piece of gear we have come to depend on is the Iridum phone and its interface with the computer. We’re sending and receiving 10 to 15 Emails daily and the system has worked great. We do have the Sailmail – tied to the SSB but I’m embarrassed to say, we just haven’t fiddled with it.
Yeah Jeff – you guys get the highest marks in the electronics department.
Please give my thanks to Robert Kinney and everyone at Alcom Marine Electronics.
Feb 25, 2002
Subject: Solid Waste
Damon Ried of Fremont, CA asks:
I have been fascinated traveling ATW vicariously aboard the Nordhavn 40.
It has been a real eye opener and informative. It does not seem
practical/possible that two people could sail around the world safely. I
always see articles and advertisements in PassageMaker Magazine suggesting
a mom and pop team but I don’t see how they could adequately cover the
watches.
Dan Streech responds:
Thank you for your interesting and somewhat perceptive question. We at PAE do not recommend long open ocean passages with just two people aboard. While there are many “Mom and Pop” teams making long (and slow) ocean passages on small sailboats, it is not typical aboard our Nordhavns.
Most insurance policies limit non-stop passages on a power boat to a duration of 72 hours if there are only two people aboard. Longer passages require at least 3 people aboard.
All of the Nordhavn models even up the N62 can be “operated” by two people, so what we see in practice is that boats cruising along the coast such as the West coast between Alaska and Panama or the East coast between Florida and Maine can hop between ports in durations of under 72 hours with two people aboard. This is actually quite common. When those same boats need to make a longer non-stop passage (say a passage to Hawaii or a non-stop run from Seattle to Dana Point), then temporary crew is brought aboard. Family, friends or Nordhavn aficionados are always only too happy to jump on board for the adventure.
When two people are running the boat on overnight passages, we recommend that the “off watch” individual stay in the pilot house and sleep in the pilot berth in close proximity to the on watch person in case help is needed. Typically “3 on, 3 off” watches are stood from dusk to dawn. With proper planning and preparation, one need not leave the safety of the pilot house at night; with the use of the excellent modern electronics, one can stay properly informed of position, traffic and weather.
A nighttime passage in the wonderful warm and safe cocoon of a Nordhavn pilot house surrounded by information is a far cry from the dangerous days of sitting in the cold, wet, slippery open cockpit of a sailboat wondering where you were.
Oh yes, and don’t forget a thermos of coffee. Coffee never tastes better than at 3:00AM when your boat is running great and all is well with your little world.
Feb 15, 2002
Subject: Oil
Mike Desmond of Rochester, NY asks:
How often do you shut down the engine to check the oil level? How often is the oil and filter changed?
Jim Leishman responds:
We have changed the engine oil and filter at intervals of about 250 hours however we have gone longer on the longest passages. For instance on the Hawaii leg, which lasted 16 days, we went about 380 hours between changes. I don’t feel it’s harmful to run this duration – especially as the engine is not be started and stopped and generally gets pretty easy duty on the longer runs where we are running slowly by the necessity of our range requirement. I have run this engine 8 days without checking the oil as I’m so confident in its oil consumption. I do go into the engine room and thoroughly inspect the engine pan and areas around the engine for evidence of oil leaks and will do a running dip stick check which really only verifies that there is oil in the crank case. This engine holds about 20 quarts of oil and it could easily run on 10 quarts or less without loosing oil pressure. Being two or three quarts low with this large capacity is not like running your auto engine with two or three quarts low – when the entire engine only holds five quarts.
On any new boat where I did not have many hours of personal experience I would be compelled to shut the engine down each day and do a dip stick check.
Feb 15, 2002
Subject: Rough Seas
Lee Hyder of Copley, OH asks:
What were the roughest seas that you encountered and how long did they last?
Jim Leishman responds:
So far on this second leg – from Singapore to the Mediterranean – we have had very nice conditions with winds generally below 20 knots and the seas less than 6 feet. On the Pacific leg, much rougher conditions were encountered with winds up to 50 knots and seas as high as 20 feet. The duration of the rough conditions depends on if it is caused by a depression or if it’s just strong trade winds. The latter can last for many days and generally a depression will pass within a couple of days.
Feb 15, 2002
Subject: What goes overboard
Bob Danelz of Sacramento, CA asks:
In your forum you say, you have a holding tank for when you need it. When I was in the Navy everything went overboard. How are the restrictions today? And are rules different in other countries for offshore waste?
Jim Leishman responds:
We have left the y valve for the head in the overboard position unless we are in a nice port where we will divert it to our holding tank.
We only throw paper items, food – things that will degrade – overboard when we are far from land. Any plastics go into the trash compactor where we can go for a couple of weeks before changing bags. Here in the Maldives, there is no place to drop off this compacted trash so I put it into another plastic bag to totally seal it and I have stowed it in the dingy. We really could go for weeks without depositing trash ashore. The compactor is the key and a very important piece of equipment on any cruising boat.
Feb 15, 2002
Subject: Freezer Location/Video?
Robert Henne of Woodbridge, VA asks:
I noticed you have stated that your freezer is mounted where the dining table would be. If the object is to take the boat as a customer would around the world, why did you put the freezer there? Is there no other place for a freezer? Would a customer have to do the same thing?
Jim Leishman responds:
The freezer you see is in addition to the 5 cubic foot Sub Zero which is located opposite the galley. Additionally there is a 5 cubic foot refrigerator in the galley. The addition of the top loading freezer was just to give added freezer space for the crew on this long voyage. We have tried to minimize the need to reprovision and thus save time. This freezer will be removed at the completion of the circumnavigation.
Feb 11, 2002
Subject: Biggest fish
Michael Rimland of Homestead, FL, asks:
I saw that you had caught some Dorado but was wondering what was the biggest fish caught. Also since you are moving at such a great trolling speed if you are trolling lures most of the time. I would also like to say that what you are doing is an awesome dream of mind.
Jim Leishman responds:
There are fish in great abundance on all the waters we’ve crossed. Dorado, Tuna and Wahoo are the prize catch.
The largest fish we’ve caught so far (at least when I was aboard) is a Dorado which weighed about 70 lbs. This fish was caught on the California – Hawaii leg by my son Eric.
We only put lures in the water when we want eating fish. Catching a fish on the hand lines we normally use is very hard on the fish – so if you hook one up you probably want to bring it aboard and clean it.
Feb 11, 2002
Subject: Type of toilet
Pat Richardson of Barrington, IL, asks:
What type of toilet did you choose for the ATW Nordhavn? Is it flushed with sea water or fresh water? What do you think of your choice?
Brian Saunders responds:
Pat, we chose a Groco K and use salt water. It’s simple, it works and we are happy. We have the holding tank for the times when it is needed. It’s electric which makes it easy.
Feb 11, 2002
Subject: Paravanes and Naiads
Tom of Agana, Guam, asks:
What impact do the Paravanes and Naiads have on vessel performance. i.e. speed and fuel consumption?
Brian Saunders responds:
The Naiads are usually more efficient than the Paravanes and take less speed away – about 2/3 of a knot for the Paravanes, 1/2 a knot for the Naiads. Naiads are easier to deploy while Paravanes are easier to repair. Paravanes are half the price.
Feb 10, 2002
Subject: Water maker
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
How many gallons per day does the water maker make and how many gallons per day do you estimate per person assuming a shower per day each, cooking and laundry?
Jim Leishman responds:
We have a Spectra watermaker which is rated for 400 gallons per day. We have depended upon it for all our water needs since departing California with the only exceptions being a couple of in-port filll-ups when we are assured of high water quality. I estimate that we are consuming about 50 gallons per day with unlimited showering and use of the washer and dryer. It seems I run the water maker each day for four or five hours and that’s all it takes.
Also is the combination washer/dryer as small as previously indicated? Is there room for a stacked washer/dryer?
The washer and dryer is a splendid combination unit. It washes and dries in one cycle and has worked perfectly although the dry time can get extensive if the unit is overloaded. On the 40 there is not room for stacked units.
Would a fly bridge be desirable on this voyage – perhaps with a bimini top for the noonday sun?
We now have a new flybridge available for the 40 and I’ve thought numerous times how nice it would be on this trip.
Are you relying completely on gps/chartplotting for navigation?
All of our navigation is being done electronically. We do have paper charts aboard but have not used them at all.
Feb 10, 2002
Subject: Water
Harold Segraves of Camdenton, MO asks:
In your Feb. 3, 2002 commentary you mentioned the fact that you purchased drinking water upon leaving Boat Lagoon. Since you have a water maker on board, will it not make enough water or is the water that is produced not drinkable?
Brian Saunders responds:
Our water maker water is perfect for drinking. We used up our water in Thailand so rather than wait as we left for it to fill our tanks (300 gals.), we gave it a hand. Our Spectra water maker does 400 gallons per day and is very good. It has been running the whole trip – Alaska included.
Feb 10, 2002
Subject: Dinghy
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
What make, type and size of dinghy do you have on board? What make and hp of outboard.. how large a boat (dimensions and weight) with its motor attached can be stored topside?
Brian Saunders responds:
This is our second company boat, and we use a Livingston 10′. It has a 9.9 hp Honda. We are very happy. Two trips to Alaska and now this trip. The Livingston is a catamaran done in fiberglass. Made in BC just north of you. Under 250 lbs all up and ready to go on our top deck aft.
Feb 7, 2002
Subject: Paravanes
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
How effective are the flopper stoppers in the worst possible sea conditions at 2 or so knots?
Dave Harlow responds:
The Paravane system works really well at the slower speeds. The Floppers Stopper rig is as effective at 2 or 3 knots as it is at 7 knots. This system does not require the fish to be moving forward through the water to generate roll resistance. We had the 40 is some pretty rough beam sea conditions at speeds down to 5 knots and the Paravanes kept the boat from making any quick or excessive rolls. This was with the Naiads turned off.
Feb 6, 2002
Subject: Sea water temps/performance of keel coolers
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA, asks:
Are the sea water temps still around 80 degrees? How is this affecting the performance of the keel coolers? The last time I was in Phuket, there was a nice old beggar stationed at the entrance of the local grocery market. Is he still there? I went scuba diving there. Great spot. Do they still offer diving?
Jim Leishman responds:
Bob, the seawater temperature is well above 80 degrees and the engine is running at 185 degrees. This has not changed – even in the waters of Alaska. One thing we have done is gotten away from cooling the stabilizers’ hydraulic fluid with the engine coolant via an installed heat exchanger. We’re now using a separate cooling pump dedicated to the stabilizers and this has taken a significant load off of the engine cooling system. We were only in Phuket for a short time but diving and fishing are a huge industry there. I didn’t see any beggars or any significant poverty. The people are hard working and very industrious.
Feb 6, 2002
Subject: Fuel Consumption Measurements
Frank Weismantel of Sacramento, CA asks:
Did you equip the ATW ship with a FloScan system? If so, how does it compare with your daytank consumption figures? If not, why not?
Dave Harlow responds:
Frank, we had the Flo Scan system on board and it seemed to work fine. On four or five different occasions I went down and spent some time doing a manual fuel burn calculation. This gave me a basis to compare to the FloScan and with the two I had a really good comfort level as to what our daily burn and our remaining range.
Feb 6, 2002
Subject: Paravanes
Chris Doran of Newcastle, NSW asks:
I would like to know, firstly, with the paravanes, how much strain is there on the mast, or is most of the strain taken on the front shrouds? Secondly, how deep do the fish swim, and is the height above water – at the attachment of the base of the outrigger to the vessel – critical to the performance of the system? I am considering installing outriggers to our vessel, however the mast is stayed from our cabin roof, hence my question.
Jim Leishman responds:
Chris, the loads on the stabilizing gear are significant however they’re not as much as you might think. The rig of a typical sailboat will put the spar under greater compression and the shrouds under greater tension that the Paravane rig will. One important difference between the sailboat rig and the Paravane rig is that the Parvane loads are cyclical and we have had problems over the years with chainplates working loose. We use strong backs which are under tension then compression.
There is a method to calculate the loads and it can be found in Voyaging Under Power – all editions. I would suggest that you consult someone with some engineering knowledge before retrofitting a system to your boat.
We run the fish at 15 feet below the waterline when the boat is not running. Underway they stream aft and run shallower.
Feb 6, 2002
Subject: Engine room inspections and TV surveillance
Gordon Miller of Hong Kong, asks:
Hi. Well-done on the trip so far. A couple of questions on engine room inspections underway. I know you do an hourly check – but what exactly do you check? Is it a quick glance or do you have a specific routine? Given that just after you close the access door, something could go wrong/leak etc. What do you think of a TV system? I looked at a 12volt 6-inch flat colour screen system with 2 x 70 degree cameras for less than US$150 the other day – any good? Your views would be welcome.
Dave Harlow responds:
Good to hear from you, Gordon (owner of N46#60, “Tiger Balm”). We were in the routine of doing an engine room inspection every hour. This entailed getting an overall look at everything and then really focusing on select items. Everyone has their items that they like to check on. I was mainly concerned with the following:
1) Fuel filters for high vacuum or sediment that would indicate contaminated fuel.
2) Making sure the main shaft was cool but not dripping too much from the stuffing box.
3) Looking into the bilge for oil or fuel or excess water.
4) Anything that felt to be hotter than normal.
5) Broken belts, wire or plumbing chafes, engine and exhaust mounts.
You could check on these items as well as looking at a dozen more in two or three minutes.
As the trip continued on, we would sometimes on the night watch just look in through the port window on the ER door and look around so as not to wake anyone who was sleeping. This port hole is really handy as you could just look into the ER at any time you happen to walk by whether it be on the hour or not.
We had a routine of doing a very thorough noon checklist. This list consisted of about 25 items from rudder shaft bolts to the temperature of the house batteries. This list was completed every day at noon and gave us a really good comfort level each day.
As for the video camera, I have been on several boats with this system and I think it works out great. You don’t have to leave it on all the time but with a touch of a button you can look in and get a feel if anything major is going bad on you. This is not a substitute for getting in and smelling, feeling and listening for things but it is a really good tool, especially late at night. This is also a reassuring tool for those left at the helm while you run down for a look into the ER.
Feb 5, 2002
Subject: Insurance requirements & coverage for the voyage
Bobb Brann of Menifee, CA asks:
On the ATW voyage what are the insurance requirements and coverage limits that have been established for the trip? Are there different requirements in the different countries that you will be visiting? What are the typical costs for the premiums to meet the needs of the voyage? Stay Safe and enjoy the ride.
Erin Lloyd responds:
The ATW vessel is covered by a standard yacht insurance policy provided by Fireman’s Fund through our long time agent, Shorepoint Insurance. The standard policy is very typical to what an individual may obtain from his/her agent when insuring his/her own yacht. Prior to embarking on each leg of the trip, PAE must submit an updated itinerary to Fireman’s Fund that lists all proposed stops as well as estimated arrival and departure dates. Fireman’s Fund then provides PAE with a Trip Endorsement subject to the navigational limits set forth in the itinerary. For example, we are currently in leg two, with coverage from Singapore to Greece. Fireman’s Fund also requires a minimum of three experienced adults onboard.
Additionally and importantly is the separate WAR/SCRR or “Hull War Risk and Strikes Clauses” that provides additional coverage against war, warlike acts and civil commotion. As you can imagine, this type of additional coverage is of the utmost importance in today’s world. PAE highly recommends that all cruising yacht owners discuss this type of coverage with their insurance agents.
The annual boat policy is $3,325. Each Trip Endorsement is $2,500. Lastly, the WAR/SCRR coverage, which we consider essential, is $1,000 per leg.
$3,325 Annual Policy
$2,500 Leg 1 Trip Endorsement
$1,000 Leg 1 WAR/SCRR Coverage
$2,500 Leg 2 Trip Endorsement
$1,000 Leg 2 WAR/SCRR Coverage
$2,500 Leg 3 Trip Endorsement
$1,000 Leg 3 WAR/SCRR Coverage
$13,825 Total Insurance Premium
Jan 29, 2002
Subject: Lessons learned
Cheryl Mosher of West Seneca, N.Y. asks:
Now that the N40 is half-way around the globe, what would you have done differently, taken along, or left behind (besides the A/C)?
Jim Leishman responds:
To be honest, there’s not too much I wish we did differently on this 40 – except the AC system. I have thought about how nice it would be to have our new flybridge installed, but for a circumnavigation, I probably would not have done it. The boat is performing extremely well and we’re very happy with all of our decisions.
Jan 29, 2002
Subject: Layout of the N40
Ewald Jansen of North Vancouver, B.C., Canada asks:
Some of the posted photos show a permanent seat on the port side of the salon, which is different from the standard layout. Could you please post some more interior shots? How does the pilothouse layout work out without an actual helm seat – do you just sit on the bench while the autopilot does its work? Ddoes this seating position affect visibility ahead of the bow? Does anyone use the pilot berth? Where does one sleep in the salon (no convertible seating) when rough seas drive the crew out of the forward master?
Jim Leishman responds:
We have recently tooled up a settee for the port side of the saloon which we installed in our ATW boat and have used in quite a few N40s. This is in lieu of the TV locker on the port side along with a storage cabinet and easy chair. We have relocated the TV locker to the starboard forward bulkhead of the saloon – next to the stairway which leads to the pilot house (this location requires a flat screen TV).
We like this arrangement as it provides comfortable seating for up to two on the port side of the saloon and also gives us a lot more storage beneath the settee. The port side settee is not quite long enough for comfortable sleeping but very nice for stretching out and lounging on.
The port side settee has proven to be a great place to sleep in rough weather when the forward cabin is uncomfortable.
In the wheelhouse the watch stander sits on the settee and monitors the instruments and keeps a look out. The little bench seat is for working at the nav table and can be moved into the saloon and used at the bar overhang of the galley.
Jan 27, 2002
Subject: Flotation Devices
Jim Frantz of Excelsior, MI asks:
I noticed in the pictures that someone was in a kayak. Where is it stored while underway and what other flotation devices are onboard?
Ray Danet responds:
The kayak is stored in the dingy which is located on the boat deck aft of the pilot house. A dingy cover goes over everything. We also have 10 life preservers, two throw rings, a life raft and 4 survival suits.
Jan 25, 2002
Subject: Follow-up to Steel vs. Fiberglass response
Patrick of Garland, TX asks:
In response to your question, the article I read was on a Steel Hull Mfg web page. www.thecapehorn.com. Go to the bottom of the page and read “Steel vs Fiberglass”.
Dan Streech responds:
Patrick, thanks for the follow-up to your steel vs. fiberglass question and the directions to the article that you read. I was hoping to read an enlightening balanced debate on the subject but was disappointed to find that the article was a standard issue Peter Sever/Cape Horn partisan diatribe.
Jan 25, 2002
Subject: Engine Hours, overhaul?
Salinas, CA asks:
I remember reading that a marine diesel engine should be overhauled every 10,000 hours. I am wondering how many hours was on the Nordhavn ATW 40 before you left and how many will be on them when you finish? Will you have to overhaul or replace the engine and/or the genset?
Dan Streech responds:
Before leaving on the ATW voyage, NORDHAVN had been used for a summer cruise in Alaska for PAE employees, so when she departed for Hawaii on the beginning of Leg 1, she had about 800 engine hours. The ATW voyage will put another 4,000 hours on the main engine.
The Lugger L668 is rated for 20,000 to 30,000 hours between overhauls, so you can see that it is nearly impossible for a pleasure boater to “wear out” his engine. These engines just go on seemingly forever unless there is some kind of accident such as flooding, loss of coolant or loss of oil.
Upon our return home with NORDHAVN, we will give the engine (and generator) a deep service, a good cleaning and maybe change out the injectors before delivering her to her new owner.
Jan 24, 2002
Subject: Voyage timing
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
Is your choice of departure time optimal for all the areas you are passing through? How would you structure a one-year trip? A two-year trip?
This voyage info is so informative; I hope you do the same for a 40 trip up the West Coast. Many of us in the Northwest have extensive experience here but little out on the open ocean… a decision to buy a trawler-type of vessel might hinge on getting comfortable with the idea of venturing “out there”. The daily commentaries in almost real time are tremendously instructive… keep up the good work.
Dan Streech responds:
Thanks for your question. Our departure time was selected to make use of acceptable weather windows in the various parts of the world that we are passing through. We are not getting the ideal weather because in some cases we are at the beginning of a weather window and in other cases we are at the end.
Jim Leishman crafted the route, timing and departure date to string together the various areas into a voyage plan with only about 6-8 weeks of leeway to make it through. Since we ultimately need to get north of Ensenada, Mexico before hurricane season begins, you can see that it is rather tight.
A “cruiser” would certainly not do it this way but would still plan his cruise around the seasons. A good web site to look at for planning is noonsite.com which is sponsored by Jimmy Cornell, the famous routing expert.
Jan 24, 2002
Subject: Fuel filter
Dan Felzer of San Diego, CA asks:
I have heard about baja fuel filters. What exactly is a baja fuel filter?
Dan Streech responds:
A “Baja” filter is a device which filters the fuel as you are filling the tank.
I first heard the expression about 30 years ago from the “old timers” who were cruising Mexican waters and thus the name. In those more primitive days, it was typical that fuel would be supplied from barrels and might contain rust, dirt, debris and water. Several times during my cruise aboard MALABAR VII in 1970, we bought fuel that was delivered by donkey-drawn cart and then siphoned into the boat. Pushing the siphon hose into the bottom corner of the tilted barrel would pull out some very nasty stuff.
The Baja filter that we used was a box with a series of baffles. Each baffle had an ever finer screen which was fitted about 1″ above the bottom of the box. The fuel was poured into one end of the box and as it passed over the baffles and thru the screens, the water was settled out and the debris was caught.
The beauty of the Baja filter is that you can see the fuel (and water if it is there) and assess what is going on as you are fueling the boat.
In these modern times, we don’t see a Baja filter used as much. Most fueling in Mexico is from clean Pemex fuel docks and most third world situations also seem to have clean fuel. We have a Baja filter aboard the ATW boat, but to my knowledge it has not yet been used.
Page #309 of the Port Supply (West Marine) catalog shows the Baja filter that we have aboard the ATW boat although it is of a different design than I used 30 years ago.
Jan 23, 2002
Subject: Other Nordhavns
Fred Wallace of No.Tonawanda, NY asks:
Has the company ever taken a Nordhavn 62, 57, 50 or 46 on a round-the-world trip? If so, where can we read about that? If not, any plans? …That is, once you guys re-introduce yourselves to your families and rest up?
Dan Streech responds:
Fred, thank you for your question. The ATW project with the Nordhavn 40 is the first time that we have taken a boat around the world – although over the years, we have made numerous long distance “deliveries” with each of the boat models.
Only two other Nordhavns (both N46s) have circumnavigated the world although there have been numerous ocean crossings and long passages with each of the models.
We chose the N40 because it is the smallest of our offshore models and the logic is that if this boat can do it, then the larger models can also do it.
We will probably never again take on a project like the ATW as a company, but many of us within PAE do have personal dreams to do it again at a more leisurely pace when time is available. At the completion of the ATW, we will have learned a great deal and will have proven our point. We will however continue to make deliveries and closely follow the operation of our vessels because the process of learning and developing our Nordhavns never ends.
Jan 23, 2002
Subject: Communications
Dan Gill of Rockport, TX asks:
Exactly how do your communications work, especially e-mail, and what Brand and Model equipment are you using?
Jim Leishman responds:
We are using an Iridium phone system for voice and data communication. Additionally we have a KVH track phone (satellite phone) which does not have world wide coverage (just North and Central America and the Caribbean). Additionally we have SSB with sailmail (telex type communication – E-mail).
We have been exclusively using the Iridium phone and it is just about as simple as your household system. When we want to make a call we just dial up and it’s clear as a bell. For e-mail, we just send it via Microsoft Outlook. It receives and sends at a slow 4,800 baud which is very adequate for text-only e-mails. Air time cost $1.30 per minute and we can send and receive 6 to 8 e-mails per day for about 2 minutes of airtime. Iridium is providing no sponsorship whatsoever yet I still cannot say enough good about the system. We have been able to download attachments and even receive weather GRIB files from Raytech for three day weather forecasts which overlay the Raytech charts on our computer. This will give us 3- or 7-day forecasts and provide detailed wind, barometric pressure, current information and air temperatures over large forecast areas.
Jan 23, 2002
Subject: Extra freezer location
Bruce Conn of Trabuco Canyon, CA asks:
Any place else to put that second freezer? Do you get used to it in the salon?
Ray Danet responds:
On a normal cruise you wouldn’t want the freezer in the main saloon. For our cruise it has worked out fine, but we are not entertaining a whole lot! Two other choices would be the cockpit or the boat deck aft of the pilothouse.
Jan 22, 2002
Subject: Pirates
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA, asks:
You are entering dangerous waters (Singapore). What precautions have you taken? I understand you haven o weapons aboard. Do you have a high pressure fire hose? Mace?
Jim Leishman responds:
Over and over again we’re asked about pirates. Let me assure you that we don’t plan to go after them or hurt them in any way. This is a voyage of good will and we will not turn away a poor pirate humiliated or empty-handed. If he cooperates, he’ll leave with a pack of cigarettes and his life.
Jan 22, 2002
Subject: Air conditioning
Gerald German of Houston, TX asks:
Being from Texas where it is always hot, Ii am very curious as to why the air conditioning was not installed to start with. Was this done as a potential fuel savings measure? Or did you honestly expect not to encounter any hot or humid weather on the voyage around the world? When you did install the AC, how much was installed and where was it installed (what areas does it cool and where are the units)? Now that it is installed, how much do you actually use it and does it work off the generator or the main engine alternator? How much do you run the generator?
Jim Leishman responds:
When we built this NORDHAVN 40, we only intended to use the vessel in South East Alaska. It was not specially built for the ATW. Upon return from Alaska in late September, we had a lot of work to do to prepare the vessel and we felt that the AC was something that we could do without. Even if we had it aboard, on certain legs of the voyage we knew we could not use it continuously due to the fuel demands. Bob Beebe’s “Passagemaker”, Jim Sink’s “Salvation ll”, and Ghanim Al Othmans’s “Othmani” (the latter two – circumnavigating N46s) did not use or have air-conditioning.
During the first leg to Hawaii the temperature was climbing up to about 80 degrees in the day and dropping down to about 75 at night and in these conditions the sleeping cabins were acceptable. There was always wind flow across the boat and we were able to leave windows and door open. It was on the latter legs between Majuro and Pohnpei that things became intolerable with higher temperatures and lots of rain (doors and windows closed). In retrospect, this was due to the two typhoons which were encountered. Since installing the AC system in Yap, it’s not been used much as the weather is cooler and dryer (about like the above mentioned Hawaii leg).
We installed a single 16,000 btu Marine Air system – which is controlled within the owner’s cabin and ducted into the owners and guest cabin. This is the identical system which we install in the factory and is very effective. Reports from the boat indicate that with the stateroom doors open the saloon is even cooling from the single unit.
Normally two additional units are installed – one 12,000 btu unit for the wheelhouse and an additional 16,000 btu unit installed in the saloon.
The single unit we’ve installed forward will only run off of the generator. We considered trying to run a unit off of the inverter however the draw is just too much. The average output from the main alternator while running is about 75 amps and the added AC system would be too much for the 130 amp alternator. Additionally the alternators are so inefficient that we probably will burn less fuel to actually run the generator. An alternator producing 100 amps will require 5 to 6 horsepower – when efficiency (about 40%) and belt loss are calculated.
During the next leg across the Indian Ocean, I’ll be doing some careful comparisons of fuel consumption with and without the generator running. We believe that while running the main engine at 1,400 rpm (our long range speed of about 6.2 knots) we are consuming about 2 gph and producing about 40 HP. With the stabilizers operating and the alternator producing 100 amps, approximately 10 HP is being consumed before we even spin the propeller shaft. Nearly twenty-five percent of our fuel burned goes to maintaining a constant 1,200 psi of hydraulic pressure (even if the fins are not moving much) and to produce approximately 1,400 watts of electrical power. If the fins are not needed, we can shut off the system and eliminate this draw of approximately 4 horsepower.
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Air conditioning
Mike Desmond of Rochester, NY asks:
Do you need to run the generator when you use the air conditioning? If so how is it affecting the mileage?
Ray Danet responds:
We need to have the generator on to use the air conditioning. The generator burns about 1/2 gallon per hour and that equals roughly about 1 1/2 nm an hour that we loose. To give you an example, on long runs, say over 2300nm, we would most likely not run the air to increase our range.
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Anchor weight, waterline
Ronald Benson of Farmington Hills, MI asks:
Hi Ray, It’s great following your progress and the information about “Nordhavn” and its systems. You mentioned that the anchor was a 110 lb. Bruce (with 300 ft. of chain). That’s a lot of anchor-about 2X what I understand the books say for storm conditions and your size boat. Clearly, for ATW, heavier is better, but is this “overkill”? Are your secondary anchors similarly as heavy?
Ray Danet responds:
(NOTE: Ron has a fantastic Nordhavn 50 on order that is destined to do the “Great Circle Route” in the US.) We did go overboard a bit and the reason is that on our tight schedule, we couldn’t be to choosy on some of the anchorages. This proved itself to be true when we had to deal with that tropical depression in Kosrae. Our other two anchors are of normal specifications.
With a full load of fuel and all your equipment, did you raise the bootstripe?
We did not raise the boot stripe, but when we put a full load of fuel aboard, some of it disappeared. After 5-7 days of running she was back to normal.
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Air conditioning, Stabilization
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA asks:
What make of air conditioner did you install and how is it powered?
Ray Danet responds:
It’s a Marine Air Systems and we run it with the generator.
What were the circumstances that prompted the use of both the flopper stoppers and the stabilizers at the same time?
We normally ran with just the Naiads and when we deployed the Paravanes w/fish, the winds were at 35+ knts with seas running 18-22ft.
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Fuel
Dave of Dublin, CA asks:
How do you know where fuel in the quantities needed will be available? Has it been a problem? What’s been the lowest and the highest price paid?
Ray Danet responds:
All the islands we have stopped at have been fairly populated and had some type of fishing fleet supported by a Mobil outlet. Our biggest problem was that the nozzles were too large. The cheapest fuel we found was $1.15US and the highest was $2.03. All the fuel we purchased was very clean but dark in color.
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Your Pirate Story
Bob Danelz of Sacramento, CA asks:
I just read your pirate story. What if that same situation turned out not to be a lonely fisherman? Is that how the bad guys would approach you? I was surprised to read you do not carry arms. What would your procedures be in such an event as piracy?
Ray Danet responds:
Bob, I’m going to be very evasive about your question at this time. I’m not going to say whether we have guns aboard or not. I’m also not going to mention what our procedures would be if a situation should arise. This type of information should never be shared with anybody and I say this for the safety of the boat and the crew. It’s a good question, but it is a question that each individual should ask themselves and in doing so, make the decisions that would be appropriate for that individual. There are some good general guidelines on this subject and I would be glad to share them, but only after this ATW is finished and that’s for the safety of this boat and the crews that will be on the other legs. (After the ATW you can reach me ray@nordhavn.com or (949) 496-4933 and we can talk in more detail.) As for how the bad guys would approach us, I’m very glad to say right now that I don’t know since I’ve never had to encounter the situation…hopefully none of us ever will!
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Fiberglass vs. Steel
Patrick Willey of Garland, TX asks:
I recently read an article comparing Fiberglass and Steel in reference to use in Ocean passages for Trawlers. In summary, it really did not sound very positive for fiberglass especially for the possibility of hitting something offshore. Also, it mentioned that the fiberglass could bubble and absorb water. I currently own a fiberglass boat and have never had any problem with blistering. Is it a concern in crossing oceans?
Dan Streech responds:
Thank you for your question regarding the comparison of fiberglass and steel in reference to the strength of a trawler. I would like to know which article you read so that I could answer specifically to it.
The subject of steel vs. fiberglass is of course a long running and very emotional subject which can’t be properly answered in this forum. The general process seems to be that builders of or proponents of steel vessels will emphatically claim that steel is stronger than fiberglass. In fact, the strength of a vessel (weather steel or fiberglass) is a very complicated subject that depends on the design and quality of the vessel in question.
A well designed and heavily built fiberglass boat can be extremely strong. A full displacement boat is not sensitive to weight, so the hull can be quite thick and rugged. Put a heavy and thick hull together with generous interior stringers and well-placed and heavy bulkheads you have a tank ready for battle.
We now have about 300,000 cumulative hours on our various Nordhavn models. There have been two circumnavigations and countless crossings of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. There have been several accidents including an N62 that hit a submerged jetty at full speed in Hong Kong, an N46 that ended up high and dry on a rocky beach in Mexico as well as other groundings and collisions with buoys, docks and other boats. To date, there has never been a structural failure or structural damage either from the above mentioned accidents or from any of the sea conditions ever encountered.
There is the often asked question about hitting a floating container. Many containers are reported lost from ships at sea, but to date, I have never seen a container at sea nor have any of our Nordhavn owners or anyone that I have ever talked to seen a container floating at sea.
If a Nordhavn did indeed somehow hit a floating container at cruising speed, I think that there is a only a small chance that the accident would hole the hull.
The greater fear is the possibility of hitting something (much more likely a log in Alaska than a container) with a stabilizer fin. The fin is a 3 foot moment arm trying to rip the actuator out of the hull at its attachment point. Thus, an extremely strong foundation is needed for the stabilizer actuators so that the hull does not flex or become distressed in an accident with the stabilizers. In the 12 years that we have been producing Nordhavns, there have been 5 or 6 accidents in which a stabilizer fin has been ripped off without damage to the structure of the hull.
So, statistically, well-built fiberglass boats (not just Nordhavns) have a very good track record.
As for water absorption and blistering; yes, that can and has been a problem on fiberglass boats, but it has been effectively eliminated with the use of Vinylester resins and epoxy barrier coats. Now as for rust… Oh wait, we don’t have rust problems with fiberglass boats.
Jan 21, 2002
Subject: Air conditioning installation
Chuck Coiner of Hansen, ID asks:
What does the installation of the a.c. entail? Is the venting in place? One or two compressors? How many amps?
Dan Streech responds:
The installation of the air conditioning in Nordhavn was an emergency operation and frankly, we regretted that we did not do it when the boat was still in Dana Point.
The ducting, electrical and raw water through hulls were already in place, so the installation of the self contained 16,000 BTU Marine Air unit into the boat was not too difficult. We installed just the one unit which draws about 14 amps at 120VAC.
Brad Smith, one of our Dana Point commissioning crew, flew to Yap with the air conditioner as luggage and installed it upon his arrival at the boat. Brad is staying on as crew and will fly home from Singapore.
Jan 18, 2002
Subject: ATW – Living with big seas
Scott of Bonita Springs, FL asks:
From previous comments, you have been having some big seas. How do you adjust your lifestyle to these seas?
Ray Danet responds:
Life does change during rough seas, but not too much. The hardest thing to handle was when we had to seal up the boat and in the hot humid weather it was very uncomfortable without air conditioning, which we just installed in Yap.
How bad are the seas when you stop cooking?
With both stabilizers deployed, cooking was not a problem. The problem was that we did not feel like eating or cooking. What did work out well was those Chinese noodles that come in Styrofoam (which we did not throw overboard)
Do you have a strap in the galley for the cook?
Unlike a sailboat with its angle of heel, we felt that we didn’t need a strap, but the stove fiddles are a very good idea.
Do you have some level of cooking that is between “normal” and no cooking?
Again, on this cruise for this crew (Ray, Dave and Tom) when the weather got real bad, there would come a time where we would ask each other, “Do you want a big dinner tonight?” The answer was usually the same for the three of us. During the heavy weather, it was “no” which means no side dishes, nothing fancy – keeping it simple.
How do you eat in these conditions?
In all but extreme conditions we ate at the table or the wheel house table. The Chinese noodle cups we held in our hand in rough conditions.
When it is too rough to read, is there any relaxing activity that you do?
We’ve all found that it’s never to rough to read and we listen to music. Also when it’s rough, you find that you take a lot of naps when you’re not on watch.
How do you adjust your engine room routine for heavy seas?
We always do an engine room check every hour, but it would be a bit dangerous to do an oil change.
What is the longest time you have had to put up with these conditions?
With both stabilizers deployed, I’d say it’s say three days. But there were still other days where we didn’t feel like cooking or eating a big meal.
Does your ice maker have problems with water sloshing out in heavy seas?
The ice maker has worked well in all sea conditions and the model we have aboard is a Sub Zero brand.
Jan 17, 2002
Subject: Air conditioner
Ed Derringe of Evansville, IN asks:
Do you need to run the generator to run the new air conditioning unit or can it run from the inverter? What a great trip – I can make some spare time if you come up short on your crew list.
Ray Danet responds:
Good Question, Ed, on the Nordhavn 40 we cannot run the air conditioning on the inverter. On our bigger boats, 57 and up, Dan Streech, our president, has designed an electrical system that will run the air and much more.
Jan 17, 2002
Subject: Night Vision
Ken Harrap of Surrey, BC, CAN asks:
In your report of 16 January you mentioned running into a fleet of 50 boats half of which did not carry lights. Do you carry night vision binoculars and if so what make and model?
Dave Harlow responds:
There actually were much more than 50 throughout the night, but they were spread over about 30 miles of running down the strait. We would come upon groups of a 3, 4 or 5 then a group of a dozen, then 20 or more. Some lights and some just blips every other sweep of the radar. Some of the lights they did have appeared to be lantern lights. In amongst the fleet were 3 or 4 processing ships that the small boats would gather around. It was a problem at first and then once we figured them out a little it was kind of fun. I would pace back and forth in the pilothouse shouting out where to look and Brad would yell back if he could pick them out or not. A couple times we just had to go to idle and drift through as we did not know what type of boat they were or if they could get out of the way (they may have had lines or nets out). I am still not really sure what they were or what they were fishing for , but I do know I will never forget it…or the coffee.
We do have a Night Storm / Night Vision monocular on board. I have not really messed with it much, so I can’t really give a fair review of it. I guess I should get it out and see what it can do.
One small note. I did not wake Ray up for his watch during this event and felt bad about not having him see this, but I wanted to keep one guy fresh in reserve. This was to be Ray. Ray had to pick up all the morning watches while we slept. He also cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner. Thanks Ray.
Dave
Jan 16 , 2002
Subject: 4th Graders Ask Questions
Molly Sasser’s 4th Grade Class – Madison Exploratory School, Canon City, CO asks:
What do you have to do to get ‘into’ a country?
Dave Harlow responds:
What we have to do when we come in by boat is to call in on the VHF radio and ask for Port Control. They will tell us where to go to wait for the clearance. This is usually a commercial dock that we can tie up to. Port Control will then let Customs, Immigration and Health services know that there is a boat waiting for clearance. As we are waiting for clearance we must raise up a yellow flag on the mast, this is called a quarantine flag. This lets everyone know that this vessel has not yet cleared into the country. We are not allowed to get off the boat until we are cleared into the country. Once we are cleared, we can get off the boat and go looking around the town.
The immigration guy checks your passport to see where you are from and ask you why you are visiting the country, then he stamps your passport. Each country has its own stamp. You must also get him to give you another stamp in your passport that will allow you to leave the country.
Customs checks to see if you have any bad stuff on board, like drugs or stolen goods. He will give us a clearance paper when we leave that says we paid our bills and left his country in good standing (that means we left as friends). The next country will not let you in unless you have this paper.
Health services just wants to see that no one is sick and that we are not bringing some disease into their country. We do not get any papers from him.
What documents do you have to have?
Well, we need a passport for everyone on board the boat, we need the papers that say who owns the boat, a crew list that says who everyone is and who the captain is (it’s me) and then the papers I mentioned up above. That’s it.
Do they ever search the boat?
Most times they do not do a complete search of the boat. They will look around for anything that looks suspicious. Most of the time we just end up talking and telling them what we are doing and where we are going next. They are usually very nice folks.
Do all the people speak English, and if not, what do you do to communicate?
Most speak English. Some do not. If we do not speak the same language then we just kind of point to different things and make signals, like sign here – pointing, stuff like that.
What do you do about laundry?
We have a combination washer/dryer on board. It does really small loads so it is full all of the time. It holds about 3 or 4 shirts and one sheet at a time.
Do you ever get tired of the other people on the boat, how do you handle conflicts?
Well, you do. It is just like anywhere else. You get kind of tired of seeing the same people all the time. On a boat it is worse because there is no place to get away. You have to learn to accept everyone’s little habits that drive you crazy.
Does the color of the water change in different places? How and why?
The color of the water changes a lot. A lot of it is just what is in the water and what kind of light you have; if it is really sunny you get the brighter colors in the water. Right now the water is really dark blue and clear looking. This is because it is really deep here and very clean. Sometimes you have brown or reddish water. This is usually from runoff from rain or a river or stream. I have seen water that is bright red from the red soil being washed into it. Where the water is shallow it is sometimes bright blue or green. This is partially from the reflection of the light off the bottom sand, rock, coral and sea life. I have seen colors in the water that you think just can’t be real, it looks like dye. But then you get in it and it’s as clear as can be. That’s the best.
Any new wildlife sightings?
Last night we saw about a hundred dolphins running with the boat and some really neat looking birds have been around lately. Big, black and white birds with long skinny black wings, I think they are Frigate birds. See if you can look them up.
Is there any kind of food you start to crave from home?
Big Mac – French fries – Chocolate shake. What every traveler needs.
What books are you reading?
We read a lot of paperback books. You cannot have too many books on board. I have read a couple of really good books on this trip. Here are a few:
“In the Heart of the Sea – The story of the Essex ” – This is the story that they made “Moby Dick” from. Remember in “Moby Dick” when the whale smashes into the whaling boat? Well that really happened to the Essex. This is the true story of how they survived after the ship sunk.
“Against the Gods – The remarkable Story of Risk” – This is not a story but kind of a history book.
“John Adams” by David McCullough – This is the life story of John Adams, the second President of the United States. Do you know who was the first? How about the third President?
And I have a giant book of all of the stories by Jack London. He wrote the stories “White Fang” and “The Call of the Wild”. All of you would like these books. They’re about dogs and wolves and searching for gold in Alaska. This is really a good book.
The last book is my favorite. It’s called “Voyaging Under Power” by Jim Leishman. (I had to say this, because my boss wrote this book.)
Thanks again for the questions. I look forward to hearing from you all again and will send along stories as they happen, it seems you never know when they are going to happen, so you have to be ready. That’s all for now.
Jan 7, 2002
Subject: ATW Maintenance in Yap
Joe McDonald of Appleton, WI, asks:
I noticed that the crew plans to rebuild the bilge pump in Yap. Does it get that much use?
Ray Danet responds:
Joe, Good question. We do have two engines aboard – one is the primary and the other is the wing engine, which sometimes is called the “get home motor”. Both of these engines have a stuffing box and these are designed to drip to cool the propeller shaft. Since we have the engine on full time, the drip is increased and naturally the pump will undergo more stress as it is required to drain at a more consistent rate. The other thought we had for our pump problem was that the solvent cleaner we used to clean the engine room spaces (after the oil line problem that we had) may have attacked the rubber diaphragm in the pump.
Jan 5, 2002
Subject: Hello to the ship!
James McFall of Auburn, WA, asks:
It is with great interest that I’ve been following the adventures of ‘Nordhavn 40 ATW’. Since my wife Trudie and I, along with our friend Ron, helped Jim Leishman crew this boat (hull 21) from Dana Point to Seattle in May of 2001, I feel we have a small part in the voyage, having helped ‘shake her down’ in preparation for the ATW voyage. I think we did a good job of testing this boat, particularly in the hours leading up to our arrival in Port Orford, Oregon (sea conditions were a ‘little’ rough). I think Jim would agree! That boat is unbelievably tough. Despite challenging conditions, it was an honor to be included in that journey, and to stand watch and be responsible for a vessel of that caliber.
I have a keen appreciation for the challenges the crews have, and will face on this incredible voyage. That appreciation is something that wouldn’t have been possible prior to our Dana Point to Seattle passage. There is nothing like a little time spent offshore in a small trawler to find out something about yourself. Many thanks to Jim. It was an unforgettable 11 days. I wish everyone the best, and look forward to reading all about your high seas adventure!
My questions for Capt. Leishman: How were the Naiad issues handled (actuator shaft, backing blocks). Did you reduce fin size for this trip?
Jim Leishman responds:
NAIAD thoroughly reviewed the problem we had with the fin actuators (the starboard actuator arm broke in heavy seas off of the Oregon Coast on two identical N40’s – hulls #20 and #21 – while cruising together on the voyage up the coast) and determined that the mounting bolts which hold the actuator assembly in the hull were interfering with the movement of the tiller arm on each fin – on both boats. It is believed that the interference caused added stress on the actuator arm and they fractured in an identical manner.
Upon arrival in Seattle both fin actuators were removed from our hull #21 and the blocks reglassed into position. The actuators were reinstalled as original and the boat went off to Alaska accumulating about 3,500 miles up the inside passage and then made another 1,200 mile passage down the coast with no fin problems. Prior to departure for the ATW trip, NAIAD engineered a larger actuator ram and retrofitted it to our boat – along with a larger hydraulic pump to handle the larger displacement rams. We decided to leave the original 6 sq. foot fin bladed on the boat and so far (almost 7,000 miles and 1,000 hrs later) the system has been flawless.
Also, is anyone using the electronic ‘Reliefbands’ to help counter sea sickness? (We were all using them on our coastal trip to Seattle. It was funny to see small, flashing lights on everyone’s wrist at night!)
No electronic relief bands, but lots of Marizene and Bonine. We still have some of the wrist bands aboard but in actuality all the rough water so far encountered has been on the stern and the motion has been much easier than the headsea condition we encountered off the Northwest Coast.
Last question: Have you ever had better chocolate chip cookies than the ones we had while anchored in Port Orford? What a great time we had laughing with the crew from ‘Chinook’ (N40-20).
No – nor the prime rib you cooked before departing Dana Point!
Jan 3, 2002
Subject: Oil Line Leak, Hose Failure
Bern Koening of Highlands Ranch, CO, asks:
How many engine hours were there on the first hose prior to developing the pin hole leak? Was the failure of the replacement hose or deterioration at the same location? If so, what explanation or perspective on the matter has Alaska Diesel engines been able to provide.
Ray Danet responds:
Bern, at this moment we have 1990 hours on the engine. The crew first noticed a drip type of leak on the leg from Hawaii. In Hawaii, the second hose was installed. This hose started leaking between Kosrae and Pohnpei. We did not write down the engine hours when the hoses started leaking, but In hindsight that would have been a good idea. Both hoses failed in the same way. At the moment we’re not sure why they started leaking, but we did keep the hoses and will check it out when were back home. While we did opt to divert our course temporarily to take care of the hose on the spot, we had enough spare oil so that we could have continued on if we wanted to.
Dec 30, 2001
Subject: Safety on deck
Herb Mosher of Orchard Park, NY, asks:
When it’s necessary for a crewman to be on deck, are they harnessed in as on sailboats? And if not, are they required to wear a PFD with an EPIRB?
Dan Streech responds:
So far, we have not used harnesses aboard NORDHAVN. The protocol aboard a power cruiser is quite a bit different than a sailboat. As we all know, it is necessary to conduct sail changes, rigging adjustments and reefing on the foredeck of a sailboat – usually because the weather is worsening. This is the very time that the boat is heeling and the deck is pitching and wet. It can be quite dangerous.
Assuming that the vessel has been prepared properly, there is no reason for one aboard a well-found power cruiser to venture on deck forward of the Portuguese Bridge during rough weather. This advantage, together with the fact that one tends to be less exhausted and sleep deprived, makes a power cruiser – in my mind – much safer than a sailboat.
In 1970, I cruised on our family sailboat which was a tired and leaky (and in retrospect) dangerous old Alden yawl built in 1926. We hand steered that boat from Marina del Rey, California to Ft. Lauderdale over a period of about 7 months and encountered every kind of misery you can imagine from being lost, wet, cold, dirty, terrified, hit in the head with the boom and nearly being swept overboard. We wore harnesses and foul weather gear. Last year, I made part of the same trip in a Nordhavn 62 and was in the lap of luxury sitting in the pilothouse in air conditioned comfort with computer charting, DVD movies, a washer/dryer, an endless supply of water, hot showers and long periods of time off for sleeping (free of dread).
Modern sailboats don’t need to be as primitive and miserable as our old “Malabar”, but as a rule, they aren’t as comfortable and safe as a well designed and built and well prepared power cruiser.
The above said, one should wear a PFD if they are going on the foredeck of a power cruiser in rough weather and should also wear a harness in very rough weather. The key is to avoid the need to go on the foredeck in those conditions.
Dec 29, 2001
Subject: How long
Krystalyn Leffler of Enosburg Falls, VT, asks:
I am in third grade. My sister Amanda is in fourth. How long is your trip scheduled to take?
Dan Streech responds:
Thank you for your question. We are so pleased that an 8 year old has an interest in the ATW voyage. I can remember when my children were the age of you and your sister (that was 20 years ago) and they would ask that same question when we took weekend trips to Catalina Island on our boat.
The ATW trip is scheduled to take 166 days although at this time, we are running about two weeks behind schedule due to the unusual weather that we have experienced so far on Leg 1. You can look at our web site in the ATW section under “schedule” and see the proposed schedule for the trip and look under “tracking progress” to see the actual position of NORDHAVN.
Dec 29, 2001
Subject: How are you all getting along
Amanda Leffler of Enosburg Falls, VT, asks:
How do deal with one another when you disagree or get upset with one another?
Ray Danet responds:
Amanda, aboard our Nordhavn, it is a bit different than say a husband-wife team. We are doing a job and on this job we have a boss – in our case, a Captain. Dave is very good about asking for an opinion from each of us, and from our feedback, a decision is made. When it comes to cooking, cleaning or whatever, each of us jumps in and takes care of whatever needs to be done. We all respect the other’s privacy. All in all, we are very lucky in the fact that we get along well with each other.
Dec 28, 2001
Subject: Crewing
Nicolas Ryu of Santa Barbara, CA, asks:
I was wondering how a novice would go about getting on as crew for a trip like yours or on another ship. I am considering purchasing a Trawler type vessel, but would like to get some hands on experience.
Dan Streech responds:
A good way to break into the passagemaking community is through the Trawler Fest or Trawler Port events. These are gatherings of people who own or are interested in trawler type vessels. There are speakers and seminars and a chance to meet boat owners and maybe find a crew position. TrawlerPort information can be found thru the Passagemaker Magazine web site (www.passagemaker.com) and the Trawler Fest information can be found at www.trawlerworld.com.
Dec 27, 2001
Subject: Fuel Quality
Rich Barnum of Yardley, PA, asks:
How can you be sure of the quality of the fuel you will be purchasing in remote areas of the world?
Ray Danet responds:
Actually, you never know what you’re going to get. We have been very lucky in the fact that we have never had to get fuel from 50 gallon barrels. To date we have gotten our fuel from the same bunkers that all the commercial boats use. Before we put fuel in the Nordhavn, we take a sample in a clear container to check for water and dirt. We do carry a “Baja” fuel filter along if by chance we do run into contaminated fuel.
Dec 26, 2001
Subject: Engine RPM
G. Wall of Guilford, CT, asks:
There’s been a lot written about the dire effects on Diesel engine life by running with too little load. Varnishing of cylinder walls is mentioned. Do you or Lugger feel that running at 1400-1600rpm and only using a fraction of rated HP is detrimental to engine life?
Dan Streech responds:
We are often asked this question although usually in the context of generator loading.
The key point on this subject is the initial break-in procedure followed when the engine is new or has been rebuilt. The break-in process mainly relates to the proper seating of the rings.
Alaska Diesel Electric (Lugger) gives detailed instructions in their owner’s manual for the proper break-in of a new engine. The highlights of the instructions for operation of the engine during the first 100 hours are:
1. Do not run the engine at 100% power for more than 5 minutes at a time. This is due to a concern about excessive heat on a tight new engine.
2. Run the engine at 50%-75% power output. This keeps the rings expanded and in firm contact with the cylinder walls so that seating can take place and glazing is avoided.
3. Avoid long periods of sitting idle speed. This is self evident when one understands the logic of item #2.
Once the proper break-in procedure has been completed, it is not harmful to run the engine (or generator) at low power settings.
Personally, I like to “blow out the soot” from time to time when running at low power settings on a long passage by running at maximum power for a few minutes every day or so. This isn’t called for in the manuals as far as I know, but it makes sense to me.
As a footnote: Several days ago, I answered a question about the use of synthetic oil. I can’t remember if I have read it anywhere, but I have heard several old-timers say that one should avoid the use of synthetic oil on an engine during the break-in period because the reduced friction will jeopardize the ring seating process.
Dec 22, 2001
Subject: Payment of Supplies
Jim of Grosse Point Farms, MI, asks:
Enjoying your adventure immensely. How do you handle the payment of > supplies; fuel; food; etc in each country; island; that you stop and visit?
Ray Danet responds:
It varies from place to place. Whenever possible we use a credit card. If that doesn’t work we use cash. US dollars work everywhere in the North Pacific. A couple of time we have used travelers checks. If you are an American Express cardholder, you’ll receive a better rate when exchanging travelers checks. Another advantage is that AE will hold mail and packages for an unlimited time, much better than general delivery at the local post office. They offer for their members a book with all their offices in the world. I have used them myself on previous cruises and it worked very well.
Dec 21, 2001
Subject: Oil
Robert Henne of Woodbridge, VA, asks:
What was the reason for not using synthetic oil and a by-pass filter? With the benefits of more storage by not having all the extra new oil and not carrying the old oil around I would think that it would have been an easy decision. Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Dan Streech responds:
You have asked a very good question that seems to come up often these days.
Most of us who operate machinery are aware of today’s synthetic oils. To date, no Nordhavn has been delivered with synthetic oil in the engines. The most recent consideration of the use of synthetic oil was by Ed Ulyate, the owner of N6217 who uses Mobil 1 (synthetic oil) in his race car. Upon investigation, Ed decided to use traditional fossil based oil in his Lugger engines and Northern Lights generator.
The most important characteristic of synthetic oil is that it provides a reduction in friction, heat and therefore wear on engine parts. Dick Gee, the chief engineer at Alaska Diesel (Lugger) feels that the benefits may be in the 10%-20% range. That reduction in wear however is a bit of a red herring because it is very seldom that we ever see the basic moving parts (that are protected by the oiling system) of a good quality marine diesel used on a pleasure craft “wear out”. Most of these engines seem to go on forever or end their lives for reasons other than “wearing out”.
The long life characteristics of synthetic oil can only be enjoyed if the oil is tested on a regular basis so that its condition can be verified. While the by-pass filters can remove soot from the oil, they will not reduce the acid build-up or stabilize the inevitable reduction of the TBN levels. Most of the major engine manufactures (including Alaska Diesel) allow the use of synthetic oils, but still require that the oil be changed at the same recommended intervals as conventional oils to stay with the warranty requirements.
On a cruising boat (and especially on “Nordhavn”, the ATW boat), it is not convenient to get the oil tested on a timely basis and synthetic oil is not as readily available as conventional oil. Conventional oil and synthetic oil should not be mixed, so one must make a choice in the beginning.
For reasons of convenience and practicality and because there was no real benefit, we choose to use conventional oil and a standard filter system. Also, one of the purposes of the ATW project is to test and demonstrate a “standard” boat, and the Lugger engine in “Nordhavn” is absolutely standard.
Interestingly, as I write this on the afternoon of December 26, Jim Leishman (here at PAE) and Dave Harlow (on board the ATW boat) are in the process of solving a potentially serious problem that has come up. The standard Lugger oil filter is remote mounted and plumbed with two high pressure hoses (supply and return). One of the hoses has developed a leak and we don’t have a spare hose on board. We have consulted with Alaska Diesel and asked for permission to use the one remaining good hose to bypass the filter and return the oil to the engine unfiltered. ADE is highly opposed to this and has recommended that we simply keep adding oil to replace that lost and divert to the nearest port. We are diverting “Nordhavn” to Truk and ADE is sending out replacement hoses today by Fed Ex. Fortunately, we have many gallons of new oil on board as well as several gallons of used oil. If we had been using synthetic oil with little spare oil on board, we would be very frustrated right now.
Dec 20, 2001
Subject: Rough Weather
Bobb Brann of Menifee, CA, asks:
The unexpected lay over due to bad weather has me wondering: we all try to avoid big seas when we can and being that there is some distance between safety & comfort, my question is this – how big of a swell do the designers think the boat could safely handle? And with full stabilizers (fish & fins) what would the cut-off be for comfort, for safety? Stay safe and Merry Christmas.
Jim Leishman responds:
No one likes bad weather. The more experience you have the less you like it. I think the Nordhavn 40 could survive a significant blow – probably 60 – 70 knots or more – but we’d do everything we could to avoid it. During deliveries up the coast from Dana Point to Seattle, we have put to sea with small craft advisories posted and found ourselves on many occasions in posted gale conditions. We’d have to look at the forecast, think about accessibility of refuge ports, whether dangerous bar conditions might exist, and if that all looks positive then a gale should present no real problems other than discomfort and rattled nerves. Beyond gale conditions (storm conditions where winds are in excess of 50 knots), particularly if the wind is sustained and there’s significant fetch for the seas to build, then you’d have to be very careful with the direction and speed of the boat relative to the wave patterns. Depending upon the sea state, a decision to turn the boat into the wind with minimum speed might be the best tactic in extreme conditions.
I remember the article written by a well-known author about virtual survival conditions running into Panama from the Caribbean side with strong easterly tradewinds – pushing his 46 foot twin engine semi-displacement trawler to the limit of his endurance. The vessel had to be hand steered by its experienced captain from the flybridge to avoid broaching in the steep following seas and wound up suffering some minor damage. I learned later from the owner of a full displacement 54-foot trawler running the same direction – in the same wind and sea conditions and within VHF range of the troubled boat – that the conditions were rough but not particularly unusual for the region. His boat steered through the day and night on autopilot – with no heroics necessary, no distress nor damage.
The point is that the boat can make a huge difference in your perception of the conditions.
Dec 18, 2001
Subject: Fuel Burn
James Douglas of Friday Harbor, WA, asks:
At what speed could the 40 achieve 4000 nm or so? (i.e. going from the Panama Canal to Tahiti)
Jim Leishman responds:
I’m sorry to say – that I don’t think you could make a 4,000 mile run in the NORDHAVN 40. Most people will make the run from Mexico. Running from Cabo San Lucas to the Marqueses is about 2,559 miles. If you could stop in the Galapagos (I think it’s no problem to stop there for fuel) you could run Panama to Galapagos at 881 miles then on to the Marquesses which would be another 2,850 miles. 2,850 would be a push – you’d have to run real slow and be very careful about your fuel. I’d probably suggest about a 200 gallon bladder which we’ve done before on our 46. The bladder can safely sit in front of the wheelhouse inside of the Portuguese bridge and then gravity feed when necessary – aft to the fuel fills on the port and starboard side (you’d just drain it into one tank and then transfer it internally). You probably could do it without the bladder but it would be cutting it too close if the weather didn’t cooperate.
Dec 17, 2001
Subject: Anchorage at Kosrae Island
Bob Austin of Pensacola, FL, asks:
Why only 150 feet of chain in 33 feet of water? This is scope (3.75 to one) only half of the scope (7:1usually recommended.)
Ray Danet responds:
Normally with all chain anchor rode in nice conditions – without much tide range – a 3:1 is sufficient. In stronger winds and larger tidal range, 5:1 is recommended. In your reference to 7:1, this would be used with a little chain and the bulk of nylon rode. The reason for less scope with all chain is due to the weight of the chain and what is called the cantenary effect.
Dec 17, 2001
Subject: Watermaker and water use
Chuck Coiner of Hansen, ID, asks:
You mentioned not being able to use the watermaker and using rain water to top off. How much water are you using a day? How often is the shower used, etc?
Ray Danet responds:
We average about 25 gallons of usage per day and we could use more if we wanted. All of us take showers every day, but sometimes we wonder about Dave!!
With this major tropical depression that has kept us here for the last few days we have been able to catch all the water one could use. (Of course, if we were to drink only the rain water, we would have to take mineral supplements.)
Dec 17, 2001
Subject: Dangers
Roland High of Apex, NC, asks:
Do you foresee any possible dangers from countries whose waters you are navigating or those near ports you will visit? Are there “pirates” in waters of the world that have to be concerned? Are you armed? Thanks and best of luck .I envy you on such an excursion. I will be following your trip; it is great that you are allowing us to be a part of your adventure.
Jim Leishman responds:
We do have concerns over security during our circumnavigation. We will be entering the Philippines shortly and we will route through the northern part where we feel the piracy risk is reduced. We’ll be concerned entering the Straits of Singapore and then again in the Malacca Straits northwest of Singapore. Entering the Red Sea will be stressful – with Somalia to port and Yemen to starboard, we’ll pass through some troubled waters.
Despite our concerns – based upon the information we can gather – we don’t feel the risk is too high. We are carrying a normal yacht insurance policy with full coverage at very reasonable rates so this is a good indication that the actuarial risk is low. We’re not hearing of any increased hostility towards yachts in the region and if fact expect a greater concentration of U.S. warships on the Red Sea which may increase security. We do not have any weapons aboard.
We’ll continue to watch the situation and would appreciate any information that anyone can contribute.
Dec 17, 2001
Subject: Rough Seas
Kevin Sanders of Whittier, AL, asks:
What is the roughest sea state, in terms of wave height, duration, and quarter that you have been in ? Even though it was probably quite hard on the crew, how did the N40 perform ? Did you ever fear for your safety, or the survivability of the boat?
Jim Leishman responds:
In May of this year we took the NORDHAVN 40 up the coast from Dana Point to Seattle to shake the boat down in Alaska for the summer. We encountered winds gusting above 40 knots and had seas of about 15 feet. This is relatively common for the trip up the coast and the boat handled it just fine. We were going into the seas so the boat had to be slowed down to reduce the pitching and make the ride more comfortable.
Crossing over to Hawaii we had winds of only about 30 knots and it never got real rough – maybe 12 foot seas.
The most recent passage into Kosrae and dealing with tropical storm “Faxie” is probably the roughest to date with 15 foot seas and winds in excess of 40 knots. The crew had difficulty getting in to the harbor due to poor visibility and fading light. They were considering standing off the island until morning but fortunately the squall broke and they were able to enter the harbor at dusk.
While crossing the Atlantic aboard “Salvation ll”, we encountered a strong storm southwest of Bermuda. The conditions were very rough but the boat handled it well. We were never scared based upon the conditions we had. We only worried about the conditions getting worse, which they never did. I’m sure Dave and the crew aboard “Nordhavn” were not afraid of the conditions they had and could have stood off the island until morning – running maybe 1000 rpm and just keeping the bow of the boat into the wind. It would have been reasonably comfortable and safe. I think their true concern (and mine) was whether the wind would build to the 80 knots forecasted.
In speaking with Walt Hack (weather forecaster) he’s stated that this storm is very odd and in his 35 years as a professional forecaster, he’s not seen too many like it. Hopefully it will go away and conditions will improve.
Dec 16, 2001
Subject: KOSRAE OR KUSAIE SPELLING?
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA, asks:
My National Geographic World Atlas [1963] Has It Spelled “KUSAIE” Was
Name Changed? Also Spelling Is “PONAPE”
Since we try to be as accurate in our reporting as possible, we’ve double checked our spelling of these two locations in the Federated States of Micronesia against current charts, one atlas (C 1993), and several website locations. We feel confident to report that the current spelling of Kosrae and Pohnpei are universally correct. According to Rand McNally, some names have been standardized, and the spelling of some countries are not used outside the boundaries of that country or region — which might explain the differences in spelling. Thanks for keeping us on our toes.
Dec 15, 2001
Subject: Food
Larry Mason of Clarksville, MI, asks:
For your long legs, how do you plan rations? Spoilage? Do you have a freezer? Are menus planned?
Ray Danet responds:
On a normal husband/wife cruise, one puts together a plan and shops accordingly. But for the crew on board “Nordhavn”, with three unorganized men, it’s a different story. In Hawaii where supplies are abundant, the three of us each got our own cart and grabbed anything we wanted… and prayed that we had the room to store it all. In the fresh department, the onions, potatoes, limes and cabbage lasted pretty well. The only things that we had to throw out were oranges and some of the cabbage. We did put an extra freezer aboard and we still have lamb chops, steaks, hamburger, assorted cheese and a couple prime ribs. I wished that we would have picked up a couple of more leg of lambs on Majuro Atoll. On these outer islands, ones choices are very, very, very limited. Although, if you like canned corn beef with a side of bread fruit, you’d be in heaven.
Dec 14, 2001
Subject: Keel Coolers with sea water temps of 80 deg. +
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA, asks:
Sea water temps can be high in the South Seas. How will this effect your engine cooling?
Dan Streech responds:
The keel cooler on the N40 is supplied by the Walter keel cooler company of Jersey City, NJ. The sizing of the keel cooler is a team effort between PAE, Walter and Alaska Diesel (Lugger) and is based on the known heat rejection data of the engine at various loads, ambient water temperature and boat speed (water flow over the cooler).
We at PAE consider worst case scenarios when sizing the cooler on a new design. Our criteria for sizing the cooler are:
Seawater temperature: 85 F
Maximum heat rejection (meaning engine running at the full power output)
Boat speed: 6 knots
In actuality, the engine only requires about 35% of it’s rated power to move the fully loaded boat at 6 knots, so there is quite a bit of reserve cooling available as the boat moves into the warmer waters. From previous experience, I have been aboard Nordhavns operating at normal cruising speeds in water temperatures exceeding 90 degrees without any rise in the coolant temperatures.
Since the engine coolant temperature is thermostatically controlled to 185 degrees, the gauge reading remains constant unless the conditions overpower the keel cooler – which has never happened.
The ATW project has many purposes and one of them is to thoroughly test our designs, concepts and assumptions. We may find some unusual combination of events (such as towing an Arab dhow in the Red Sea at 3 knots requiring full power in 95 degree water) which causes an overheating of the engine. This would tell us that future boats should have a larger cooler or avoid the above mentioned practice.
As an aside to your question, I will also mention that we are testing a new device on the ATW boat. It is keel cooler dedicated to the cooling of the hydraulic oil from the Naiad stabilizer system. Since our dry exhaust/keel cooled boats don’t use any pumped raw sea water, the standard cooling system provided by Naiad is only usable if we install a special 12VDC pump dedicated to the cooling of the stabilizers. In our typical installation, the pump is activated by a relay when the engine is started. It has been our experience that the 12VDC pumps when run continuously only have a life span of from 500 to 1000 hours and therefore are a frequent headache. The prototype PAE designed and built monel keel cooler is on the supply side of the oil loop and therefore passively cools the Naiad oil whenever the engine is running. Unfortunately, we have learned that our Mk 1 design of the hydraulic oil cooler is not sufficient in performance, so we have developed a larger and more efficient MkII version for testing on a future N40.
Dec 14, 2001
Subject: Storm
Scott Strickland of Naples, FL, asks:
How do you prevent the noise of items rattling around. For example: > silverware, tools, items in the pilothouse drawers, galley stores, etc?
Ray Danet responds:
At West Marine they sell by the roll (can’t remember the name of it just now) a rubber-coated waffle-patterned matting. When you put anything on it, is acts like a non-skid. We put this underneath everything, between plates, pans and glasses. When we’re eating we put it under our plates and glasses.
How do you keep items from breaking in the refrigerators, and falling out when you open the refrigerator?
We found these telescoping spring loaded rods that fit in the fridge up an inch or two above each shelf. On both the freezer and fridge we have mounted an eye and hook.
The storm shutters that you mention, do you have them for the pilothouse windows?
We have them for the main saloon only. The house windows are of such a size that we don’t need them.
Do you have any covers for any hatches?
We only have canvas covers. They don’t need storm shutters because they are on the horizontal.
Dec 13, 2001
Subject: Stabilizers
Mark Hood of Bermerton, WA, asks:
I am very interested in the fact that you’ve chosen to have both active and passive stabilization. Do you have both mainly for redundancy, or do you feel that it improves the ride to have both going at the same time? Also, if you had to choose between one and the other for that boat, which would you pick?
Jim Leishman responds:
We do have both the paravane system and NAIAD active fins aboard NORDHAVN. We have not used the paravane system much. However when it gets real rough, deploying the fish – even with the fins on – can improve the motion. If we had a failure of the fins – we could simply lock them with retaining pins and carry on comfortably with the paravanes. We’ve had one N46, “Salvation II”, circumnavigate with only active fins and “Othmani” another 46 did it only with paravanes. Both systems seemed to provide all the stabilizing comfort necessary and I don’t think you need to have both. As the N40 ATW cruise is a test cruise for boat and equipment – we elected to have both systems aboard so we could further evaluate each.
Dec 12, 2001
Subject: Steadying Sail
Bobb Brann of Menifee, CA, asks:
After reading some of the other questions and the responses about fuel consumption and stabilizers, I have the following question: Has the thought of adding a steadying sail to the rigging of any of the Nordhavn line up? If a sail were added would it be beneficial to fuel economy or just have an effect on the “ride”? Would a steadying sail be more trouble than it’s worth? I wish you fair winds and a calm sea.
Jim Leishman responds:
We have tried to use a steadying sail aboard our NORDHAVN 46 – on the standard spar – and found it of little use. We have, however, installed a foremast on the N46 and a small main, a small jib and the aforementioned sail (Mizzen) on the standard mast which combined to have a very favorable effect when running with the wind on the beam or aft of the beam. The sails stabilize the boat from rolling and also add significant drive. The only problem is that they add considerable complexity to the rig and require a lot of sail handling which is what most trawler owners are trying to avoid.
Dec 12, 2001
Subject: 40 Around the World
John Torelli of Riverside, CA, asks:
The daily reports on weather, progress and performance are great, keep them up. What was your basis for determining which systems would have back-ups for this journey? How would your decision process differ for coastal crusing?
Jim Leishman responds:
The need for backups is based upon common sense and past experience. We have the back-ups which are essential to safety and operation, such as back-up GPS and a back-up computer with software pre-loaded and tested for navigation. We have a back up inverter to insure that if our primary fails we can get another on line to run refrigeration and the computer — without having to rely on the generator. We have extra alternators (alternator failures are fairly common) to insure we can produce DC current to keep the batteries up and drive the inverter. Then we have essential engine spares such as an extra starter motor, engine belts, a water pump rebuild kit and extra coupling bolts. We have an extra steering ram, a steering pump and high pressure hydraulic hoses in case of a hose failure. For coastal cruising – like Alaska, Mexico, Panama, Caribbean and East Coast – I would not feel compelled to bring as many spare parts. Part of our needs are unique as we are trying minimize delays on the ATW. If we have a part failure it could mean a lost week sitting somewhere waiting for a replacement.
Dec 11, 2001
Subject: Sonar for detecting debris in water
Juan DeOlivares of Oakland, CA, asks:
I have heard that on rare occasions debris in the water such as fallen containers from container ships or logs can present a hazard to small vessels. Is there sonar equipment on the market that can detect this sort of debris? Does your Nordhavn 40 have such equipment? If not, why not?
Jim Leishman responds:
Unfortunately I don’t think there is any reasonably priced sonar system that can detect a floating object on the surface like a container, log , etc. Systems do exist to detect fish (the bottom) out in front of the boat. But for a boat running in rough water at full cruising speed, I’ve not seen a system designed for that purpose. We worry about hitting something in the night and I wish such a system existed.
Dec 11, 2001
Subject: Electrical Load and Fuel Burn
Larry Rick of Vancouver, WA, asks:
Considering the fact that you have two freezers, a refrigerator and numerous other electronics, what is your average amperage load and what effect would this have on fuel burn? It’s great following your progress.
Dan Streech responds:
Your suspicion is correct. We do indeed have a higher than average 12VDC amperage load on the ATW boat. The Sub Zero freezer, Sub Zero refrigerator, household chest freezer and the microwave are 120VAC and operate from the inverter output circuit. This means that ultimately, they consume 12VDC if the generator is not running. The inverter loads must also be added together with the regular 12VDC loads such as the electronics, interior lights, fresh water pump, running lights, auto pilot, Naiad cooling pump, and blowers.
Many of the loads are intermittent or cyclical, so one tends to see a somewhat steady demand for 12VDC power and the resultant alternator output amperage. On the ATW boat, we are seeing average alternator output of about 100 amps.
Jim Leishman was a little surprised by the high steady load on the alternator and after he flew back from Hawaii, he and I discussed it. As with nearly all of the equipment on the ATW boat, we are using the standard engine, alternators and inverter. The main alternator is the sturdy Leece-Neville (the same alternator that was previously called Prestolite and before that Motorola) which has a continuous output rating of 130 amps. We have used this same alternator for a number of years and have found it to be a wonderfully dependable unit.
After discussing it, Jim and I concluded that while the loading on the alternator is rather high, it is still acceptable and we decided to leave it as is. Actually, it is an interesting study to see if the alternator will survive the trip and once again we will gain some new knowledge from the ATW. We do have a complete spare alternator on board as well as two spare regulators if needed.
The washer/dryer is 120VAC and can only operate from the “non inverter” circuit. This means that the generator must be run when doing laundry. When the generator is running, its AC output “passes through” the inverter directly to the AC loads and also operates the inverter as a battery charger. Therefore, the main engine alternator output is pushed down to nearly nothing and it gets a rest until the generator is turned off.
As you might have read elsewhere, we have decided to install air conditioning when NORDHAVN reaches Yap. The air conditioning unit could (very carefully) be operated from inverted power, but considering that the loads are already rather heavy, we will probably run the AC generator continuously to operate the air conditioning. This will relieve the engine alternator of its heavy load.
The fuel burn from the alternator load is rather simple arithmetic as follows: 100 amps at 14.2VDC = 1420 watts (1.42KW). 1 KW = 1.341 horsepower, therefore 1.42KW X 1.341 = 1.90 horsepower. An alternator is about 50% efficient, so we will double that figure to 3.80 HP (1.90 X 2). We need to add another 15% for belt loss and the cooling fan so this brings our total to 4.38 horsepower (3.80 X 1.15).
While not perfectly accurate for all engines and load conditions, we generally say that 1 gallon per hour of diesel fuel consumption will produce 20 horsepower. So, 4.38 HP/20 = .219 GPH or 5.25 gallons of diesel per day to feed the parasitic load of the alternator. Interesting to think that the passage to Hawaii required nearly 85 gallons of fuel to feed the electrical requirements.
Dec 10, 2001
Subject: Fuel Consumption
W.F. McCann of Roswell, GA, asks:
I am closely following your adventures around the world! I’m also very interested in the Nordhavn 40. In the Nordhavn 40 brochure, the performance chart shows a range of 7,878 miles at 6 knots with a fuel flow of 0.78 GPH. At 7.01 knots the chart says range is 4,897 miles and 1.47 GPH.
The Nov 11th On Board Commentary entry says actual fuel flow at 5.8 knots and 1400 RPM is approximately 2.0 GPH. What accounts for the difference in fuel consumption on your passage to Hawaii?
Jim Leishman responds:
The range graph in the original brochure is based upon the predictions of BC Research in Vancouver and is a result of their tank testing of a scale model of the 40 which they built. In the test configuration the predicted weight was a 1/2 load displacement of 40,000 lbs. In actuality the 40 which is going around the world weighs in at about 52,000 at the beginning of a passage. Additionally the test model was not fitted with stabilizing fins, bow thruster tunnel or wing engine shaft, strut and folding propeller.
I spent a considerable amount of time testing our boat prior to the passage to Hawaii and found that running at 1,400 rpm and consuming 1.9 gph – we averaged 6.3 knots in moderately calm water. 1500 rpm gave us 6.7 knots and consumption was 2.2 gph. I ran tests at 1700 and found 7 knots with consumption at 2.6 GPH. We have been running the boat all summer to and from Alaska – primarily at 1800 RPM – burning about 3.6 GPH and making about 7.8 knots (the boat was always lighter for the Alaska Cruise).
There is a significant difference in performance from the extreme load condition where I conducted the tests and the predictions developed by BC research. As far as I can figure, the difference in weight can explain a lot. Using a standard formula of performance calculation I found that by increasing the weight of the vessel from 40,000 lbs to 52,000 lbs – the prediction of horsepower to drive the boat at a S/L (speed/length) ratio of 1 (5.95 knots) will require 30% more horsepower. At 6.54 knots and 7.14 knots (S/L 1.1 and 1.2) the increase is 32%.
Here are the numbers:
Boat Speed —————————————-5.95 knots — 6.54 knots — 7.14 knots
BC Research Prediction at 40,000 lbs
Shaft Horse Power ——————————18.9 SHP — 23.80 SHP — 37.80 SHP
Adjusted – using standard formula for 52,000 displacement
Shaft Horse Power —————————— 24.9 SHP — 31.45 SHP— 49.95 SHP
Tested performance prior to passage
Shaft Horse Power —————————– 32.0 SHP — 40.00 SHP— 56.00 SHP
Comparing heavy weight calculation with the actual – we see a 28% increase in actual horse power required at 5.95 knots – a 27% increase at 6.54 knots and a 12% increase at 7.14 knots.
There is no calculation used to predict the drag of the active fin stabilizers, the bow thruster tunnel or the wing engine shaft and prop. The stabilizers are the biggest drag component with two 6 square foot fins (total 12 square feet) deflecting up and down – through an arch of about 60 degrees.
These fins while running induce significant drag as the hydraulic pump which drives them consumes horsepower from the main engine. In addition, during moderate offshore sea conditions at 6.5 knots – with the fins turned on – the speed can drop as much as a 1/2 knot – to 6 knots – a percentage of almost 10%. At lower speeds frictional or drag resistance is the primary force to overcome however as speed increase up to 1.2 to 1.3 times the square root of the waterline (speed length ratios) the primary resistance force to overcome transitions to wave making – thus we see only a 12% reduction in performance at 7.14 knots – illustrating that drag from these appendages is not hurting us as much at these higher speeds.
The balance of the performance reduction is probably the propeller. We spin a 4 bladed 28 by 24 inch prop. A huge amount of effort has been put forth to make the boat as quiet and smooth running as possible. Over the years we have done testing on propellers and found that a three bladed prop will give better performance at lower (ocean crossing) speeds – S/Ls between 1 and 1.2. Above that the three bladed propeller becomes more highly loaded and begins to cavitate. Normally the NORDHAVNs are run at an S/L ratio of 1.3 (for the 40 this is just under 8 knots) and the three bladed prop offers no advantages and is quite noisy. We installed a three bladed prop on Salvation ll for the final leg of her circumnavigation from Hawaii to California. The three bladed prop gave a 20% increase in Salvation ll’s range at 6.5 knots however it was subsequently removed and the four bladed prop was reinstalled for coastal cruising because of the vibration and cavitation. I did order a new three bladed 30 by 24 inch prop and tested it on the 40 just prior to our departure. We noted an increase in performance of about 10% but also noticed the characteristic vibration which was anticipated. Despite the performance improvement, I reinstalled the four bladed propeller in the interest of a quiet and vibration free boat. The point of this is that the BC research predictions were based upon achieving propeller efficiency of 50% and I don’t believe we are achieving that with our present propeller selection and don’t believe that we can unless we’re willing to accept noise and vibration.
To recap – we’ve got a much heavier boat than what was originally tested and it has a lot of drag because of the accessories we install to make voyaging safer, more comfortable and easier. We have been aware of the effect of weight and drag on all of our vessels and find that oceans are crossed at much lower speeds than what the same vessel makes during coastal passages. One of the reasons we are making this trip is to develop better methods of prediction that take into account the true performance of the modern equipped vessel, but also to know the effects on performance that the wind and sea will have.
Dec 10, 2001
Subject: Storms
Amanda Leffler of Enosburg Falls, WA, asks:
Have you ever been in a storm and what have you done? My dad told me about your trip around the world. We want to take a trip too.
Jim Leishman responds:
We have been in lots of storms, but never really bad ones. The winds can blow up to 30 – maybe 40 knots and the sea gets real rough. The wind blows the tops of the waves off and sprays the boat. Once in a while the top of a wave breaks and splashes over the boat – it’s hard to hang on and sometimes you get thrown out of your bunk onto the floor. In this kind of weather there’s not much danger – the boat just continues on with the autopilot steering. We have to slow down the engine to reduce the boat’s speed for increased comfort. It’s hard to eat, hard to sleep – hard to do anything. You get real tired. After a while the wind begins to drop off and the water smoothes out as the storm passes (which they always do).
Right now (Monday – December 10) there’s a really bad storm brewing near our boat. We are worried that this may be the beginning of a Typhoon (just like a Hurricane) and we don’t want to get near it. Dave Harlow is the Captain now and he and I have been talking about this by phone and Email – all day. We’ve gotten weather information from the Internet and from our weather forecaster in New Jersey. We don’t think the storm is going to be a problem but we are going to divert NORDHAVN to an atoll called Ailinglaplap. Here the boat can get in off the sea and anchor in protected water. We’ll wait until tomorrow and see what this storm is going to do. We don’t normally see these tropical storms develop this late in December but it can happen.
Dec 10, 2001
Subject: Storm Plates
Dick Barnes of Anchorage, AL, asks:
Your photo gallery shows Eric removing storm plates on the way to Hawaii. What is your policy on installing and removing them? Do you have a wind speed or wave height criterion?
Jim Leishman responds:
I think the storm plates should be up for any major ocean crossing. The problem is that they get condensation and salt on their inside surfaces (looks like very dirty windows) – plus on the opening windows, they block any air flow. They’re not particularly difficult to install but if it’s nighttime or the weather is real rough, it can be a chore. We did not have the storm plates up for the run up or down the coast (from Dana Point to Seattle) nor did we even have them aboard.
We took the plates off in Hawaii as we were photographing the boat. Dave Harlow left Hawaii with the plates stowed and got some unexpected rough weather on their nose and starboard bow. The weather came up at night and they ran without the plates in place. They had no problems but Dave wished he had put them up earlier – just for peace of mind.
During our crossing of the Atlantic in 1992 aboard Salvation ll we had plywood plates. Weather came up southwest of Bermuda and it got bad enough that we put them up in the rising storm. We had no problem but the experience caused me to recommend clear acrylic plates so that you would not have to leave port without them installed.
Dec 8, 2001v
Subject: Great Circle Route
Brian Owens of Everett, WA, asks:
Scott Ledbetter, on Dec. 5th, wrote “The straight line distance between 2 points on a ball is not necessarily the shortest distance.” Actually, the straight line on a ball IS the shortest route. However the distortion caused by converting a ball (the Earth) to a flat chart means that a straight line on the chart does not represent a true straight line on the earth. The “Great Circle Route” is a curved line on the CHART that represents a straight line on the EARTH.
Jim Leishman responds:
Brian, you’re correct on this.
Dec 7, 2001
Subject: Best way to get started power boating
Brian Leffler of Enosburg Falls, VT, asks:
I grew up around my grandparents cabin cruisers and spent 4 years as a sonar tech on destroyers and throughout my life I have always loved powerboats. What is the best way for someone to get started learning the basics needed to run a 40+ foot boat on offshore excursions?
I am greatly enjoying your log entries and have fond memories of sailing through some of the same waters. Fair winds and following seas.
Jim Leishman responds:
I’d suggest that you attend the Trawlerfest events which are held on both coasts. You can get a schedule from their website – www.trawlerworld.com. Additionally, there’s Passagemaker Magazine and others that will give a good insight into offshore cruising on powerboats.
Dec 7, 2001
Subject: Charts (Paper) Plotting POS
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA, asks:
Do you plot your position on paper chart per hour basis (time, speed heading)? Or is this info written in your log? GPS can and has gone down.
Jim Leishman responds:
We have been logging our Latitude and Longitude each hour – along with magnetic course and speed. We have not been plotting it on paper as our computer handles that for us. We have a lap top computer with Raytech navigation software – plus we have the Raymarine chart plotter which is independent and has its own chart cartridges. We have three GPSs and a spare computer with all duplicate software. The computer and handheld GPS is stowed outside the wheelhouse and would not be subject to lightning damage. We also have paper charts aboard. I could not imagine a series of failures aboard our boat that would render us unable to receive GPS and I don’t really think that the GPS system is going to go down – every satellite – all at once. If it did – we’d have to dead reckon and use our Radar – we have no sextant aboard.
Has our war made any changes in your route plan?
There have been hostile people in Somalia, Yemen and Sudan for years – so there is concern. We’ve been watching this carefully and don’t see any real evidence that a transit of the area will be unsafe.
Dec 6, 2001
Subject: Desirability of occasional full throttle use
Tom Hall of San Francisco, CA, asks:
I’ve been told by several mechanics that it is desirable to open the throttle completely, ie, top power/speed, to let the engine burn out excess carbon, etc. They say this is all the more important when operating at relatively low hp output, eg, 1500 rpm, which is what I use on my N40. And if this is desirable would this apply to the wing engine too?Also, what do you estimate the Lugger hp output is at 1300, 1500 and 1800 rpms? Thanks, and great to read of you trip.
Jim Leishman responds:
I estimate the horse power output to be 30 hp at 1300 — 50 hp at 1500 – 75 hp at 1800 rpm. I think the practice of running the rpm up to maximum – after long periods of running at lower rpm – cannot hurt – but I don’t think it’s necessary on this engine (Lugger 668). We ran continuously at 1400 – developing about 40 hp and after a few days – I ran up to full power. There was only a slight amount of smoke and then it quickly cleared up. I think that running an engine up to full power after long periods of low speed use is more important on a turbo charged engine. I’ve run our larger NORDHAVNs with the 6108 and the 6125 (both Luggers) and found that after low speed running a shot of fullpower would result in a heavy black smoke burn out which took maybe 30 seconds until it cleared.
Dec 6, 2001
Subject: N/A
Bobb Brann of Menifee, CA, asks:
What type of engine cooling is on the good ship Nordhavn?
The NORDHAVN uses a keel cooler and has a dry exhaust. The engine coolant is circulated through a series of coppernickel tubes which are recessed into the exterior of the hull – below the waterline. The hot coolant enters the pipes and the coolness of the ocean water takes the heat out of the coolant – returning the coolant to the engine at a much cooler temperature. This eliminates the need for a second salt water pump, an intake thruhull, water strainer and heat exchanger – all of which require maintenance and can be troublesome. Additionally the exhaust is vented out 20 feet above the vessel’s living space which eliminates any diesel smell or soot residue on the transom and cockpit. This type of cooling and exhaust system is commonly used on commercial vessels as it enhances the reliability of the main engine considerably.
How long will you run the main engine before an oil change?
Generally speaking the engine oil should be changed after 250 hours or twice per season. During 250 hours of use the engine probably would be started, run and then shut down many times which would lead to more oil contaminates accumulating than if run continuously. On our longest passages we will run up to 380 hours and we will not change oil during those legs – we’ll wait until we’re in port. This practice has been approved by Alaska Diesel and Electric.
What maintenance items have been done now that you have run the engine for about 30 days straight?
The only maintenance we will perform on the main engine during the circumnavigation will be oil changes and we’ll change the transmission oil after 1,000 hours. We expect to put about 3,800 hours on our main engine. Aside from fuel filters and probably belts, we do not plan to perform any other maintenance on it.
Dec 6, 2001
Subject: Gunkholing
Glen Gable of Salinas, CA, asks:
Does your schedule give you time for gunkholing (exploring) some of the islands?
We don’t have very much time for gunkholing – maybe half-day or so. We have a timetable due to weather windows around the world. We also have crews and magazine people who are flying in on certain dates so we have to make sure we’re on schedule for them, too. But it is amazing arriving at these fantastic places.
Dec 6, 2001
Subject: Cooking
Brian McLenithan of Lansing, MI, asks:
Do you have an inverter for your stove or do you use propane, because from previous questions the generator isn’t used very much?
We do have an inverter however the stove and oven are propane. We have two 20-lb. bottles in the stern of the vessel which will last for about 4 months of cooking. The BBQ is also propane. We have portable bottles in addition to an adapter line which allow us to draw propane from the larger 20-lb. bottles.
The generator has only been run to operate the clothes washer and dryer and to compress the trash compactor. All other 120-volt appliances (refrigerator, freezers, AC outlets, computers) run off the inverter which will produce up to 2,500 watts.
Dec 5, 2001
Subject: Sea sickness
Brian Carey of Massapequa, NY, asks:
How have you or will you deal with seasickness if it should occur?
Brian, This question hits close to home. Quite a few years ago I had a back operation and had some type of reaction to a dye that was used. Since then I have had to deal with sea sickness full time. What I recommend to everyone is to experiment with the different items that are available until you find something that works. For me, I use the ear patch (doctor prescribed) for the first three days and than a Bonnine every six hours for the duration of the trip. If by chance something is too strong for you, just cut it in half. There are a lot of products out there. It’s best to keep trying different things until you find something that works.
Dec 5, 2001
Subject: Truk
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA, asks:
Your first plan included a stop at Truk. Why the change? I have been there many times diving. It is a large protected lagoon.
Bob, after reviewing our options we decided that we did not have to stop for fuel at Truk. Our main consideration is to make sure that we get the weather windows around the world and for that reason we need to keep moving as much as possible. Now after saying that, things and conditions can change and you never know.
Dec 4, 2001
Subject: Spare prop and prop shaft
Brian Smith, Newport Beach, CA, asks:
It sounds like the water line probably had to be raised a bunch to accommodate the huge amount of spares aboard. In the unlikely event of hitting something do you have a spare prop and prop shaft?
Although we have tremendous amount of stores aboard, we did not raise the waterline. Unlike other coastal designs this Nordhavn was designed as a full displacement boat. Keep in mind, she was designed to carry all that one would need to do extended cruising. Another design plus is the ballasted full keel. With this type of underbody, the rudder, shaft and prop
are all protected.
Dec 4, 2001
Subject: Outfitting
Scott Strickland, asks:
I read you added a second refrigerator, and you have both flopper stoppers
(paravanes with fish) and active stabilizers.> > What other equipment did you add above normal?
We did add a second freezer. And we do have a bit of electronics. Courtesy of the Raytheon people who are one of our sponsors. An extra radar, one extra screen. Their new system is
working out great. We are carrying quite an inventory of parts but that is only because we have to keep moving to meet the weather windows around the world. On a normal cruise, one would wait for parts at some great anchorage..
How many anchors and anchor rode?
We have two sets of anchors, one is all chain and the other is chain and nylon rode.
What radio and navigation equipment did you duplicate?
We do have an SSB, hand held back up VHF radio, second radar, flowscan
meter for fuel, second back up GPS and also a third hand held GPS.
Let me jump in here real quick. Scott has a new Nordhavn 47 on order with me and he knows all these answers, I think he’s trying to give me a good time here, I’ll get even with you Scott and yes I do know how to use a sextant.
Dec 4, 2001
Subject: Meals
Greg Comerford of Brisbane, Quennsland, AUS, asks:
Do you stick to a time table for meals? Or does the weather play a role in what you eat and when you eat?
We have no particular time table. We all get up early for breakfast. One thing we do as a rule is the person on watch doesn’t cook.. We have a really good crew on this leg and everyone chips is when needed and we have had some fantastic meals.
Dec 4, 2001
Subject: Air conditioning, Generator use
Gerald German of Houston, TX, asks:
How much have you used the air-conditioning and the generator?
Gerald, the generator was used for the first time today to do a load of wash. We have not used the air conditioning and the only reason is that we do not have one.
Dec 4, 2001
Subject: Fuel Mileage
Ewill of San Diego, CA, asks:
What cruising speed gives you your best fuel mileage in terms of NMPG?
When we’re really going for the mileage, we burn 1.94gal per hour at 1400rpm. At these figures we are going 6 kts.
Dec 4, 2001
Subject: Route Planning
Scott Ledbetter of New Orleans, LA, asks:
The straight line distance between 2 points on a ball is not necessarily the shortest distance. Does your route planning use the curvature of the earth to cut down the distances?
You’re right, Scott. That is called the Great Circle Route and we do take this
into consideration.
Dec 3 , 2001
Subject: 4th Graders Ask Questions
Molly Sasser’s 4th Grade Class – Madison Exploratory School, Canon City, CO asks:
Dave Harlow responds:
Molly, thank you and your class for more really good questions. I hope I’m not getting too long with some of theses answers…. I do tend to get a little windy sometimes.
If you run low on fuel do you go place other than Majuro?
No, there is no other place that is closer. There was an island we passed called Johnston Atoll, a military installation, which was about 700 miles South West of Hawaii. We could have bought fuel from Johnston if we were running low but they only let you do so in an emergency. Majuro is the closest place. The boat holds 920 gallons of diesel fuel; we should arrive there with about 160 gallons of fuel to spare. With 160 gallons we could run for about 480 miles. Hawaii to Majuro is 1,965 miles.
Will gas be more expensive in Majuro?
Usually when you are traveling by boat to far away places, the fuel is less expensive than in the States. I don’t know the price yet but I think it may be higher In Majuro than on the mainland. One reason is that it takes more work to get the fuel to the island to sell. The fuel has to be brought in on a big tanker ship and pumped into holding tanks. This costs the man that owns the fuel dock more money so he has to charge more money to make up for it. I will let you know how much it costs.
Do you feel safe in foreign places?
I do. When you are in a place that you have never been before you are a little worried about its safety, and then when you get out and start seeing things and meeting people, you feel much better. Any new place you go, the people will have different customs, dress differently and eat different foods (sometimes really funny stuff) but the people are really just about the same. They have jobs, homes, families, and little kids who won’t eat their vegetables, good people. And just like at home there will be a few bad people.
How did you choose Majuro as a stopping place?
For a few reasons. One is that it was the next place going west from Hawaii that we could get fuel. Another reason is that Majuro is really the start of several island chains that we wanted to see, there is Majuro in the Marshall islands, Pohnpei and Chuck Lagoon in the Carolinas and Yap in the Philippian Sea.
What is the difference between nautical miles and land miles?
A land mile is called a Statute mile. It is 5,280 feet long. When you see a road sign that says 10 miles to go – you have 52,800 feet to go. A nautical mile is 6072 feet long, I think, you may want to check this answer to make sure the number is correct, I can never remember.
What is the difference between knots and miles per hour?
Miles per hour is a measurement of how many statute miles you can travel in one hour and Knots is how many nautical miles you can travel in an hour. If your friend lived 6 miles from you and you could walk 6 miles per hour you would get to your friends house in one hour. You would have walked 31,680 feet in one hour.
If you and your friend were then going to go down to the beach and walk from the old pier to the harbor and you asked an old sailor you saw on the pier how far it was and he replied “Aye me maties, its 6 nautical miles I measured her me self”. And you then made the walk in one hour, you would have traveled 6 knots an hour. Or 36,432 feet. You walked faster to do six knots an hour than to do 6 miles per hour. (Again, you may want to confirm this number.)
Will you see flying fish and killer whales?
We see hundreds of Flying fish every day. The boat scares them up and out of the water. When a flying fish gets scared or is being chased by a bigger fish he spreads out the fins on his side like wings and wiggles his tail really quick to shoot himself out of the water. He uses his side fins like the wings of a glider and his tail like a motor. We usually see them fly really low about 1 to 2′ above the water and go for a hundred feet or so before they dive back in the water. One other thing about Flying fish is that at night they are attracted to our lights and they fly up and on to the boat, in the morning we sometimes find them on the deck of the boat. This really happened last night, Tom was sleeping with the back door open and a small flying fish flew in and landed on him. He won’t admit it, but the little fish scared him. He jumped up and flung the fish back in the sea. We will not see any Killer whales.
How many fish do you catch in one day?
Well from California to Hawaii we caught about 4 or 5 big fish each day without really trying. From Hawaii to Majuro we only fished one time for about an hour and caught a 15-pound Dorado. We have plenty of fish on board and really don’t need any right now.
What is the stern? Where is that on a boat?
The stern is the back of the boat. The bow is the front. The keel is on the bottom. If you are on a boat and you are facing the bow (front), the side of the boat to the right is starboard and to the left port. Starboard and port sides never change even if you turn around or go sideways, the starboard side is still the side to the right if you were facing forward. I never could remember which was which when I was a kid until my dad told to always remember that port and left have the same amount of letters so port is to the left.
Do you guys shave out there?
Well some guys do and some don’t. I don’t, until we get close to land and then I do because my beard is now so darned gray.
Who is the best cook?
Well I can tell you who is not the best cook and that’s me. Both Tom and Ray are good cooks and we have a different meal every night. My specialties are hot dogs or pancakes…ask Jessica.
What music do you listen to?
We have a lot of CDs on board, mostly oldies stuff. We only have one Country CD and I play it over and over and over. I need to get some more Country music on board.
How did you get interested in the sea? How did you learn about boats, the sea, navigation, mechanics and history?
I grew up around the ocean and have spent most of my life in, on or around the water. My mom and dad taught us how to sail when we were kids. I am learning more about boats and navigation every day and especially on this trip.
When you have boats or are around boats you know that they take a lot of work to keep nice, so you end up learning how to fix things yourself because it cost so much to have someone else do it.
As for history, everything you do has a great past history to it. The history of sailing and ships is really easy to study because there were such good and accurate records kept. Long ago, every boat and every voyage had to be documented in a ship’s log book – from long before the ship set sail while it was still being prepared for sea – until the time it returned. It was all written in the Ship’s Log Book. And we have one on board the “Nordhavn”.
If you could time travel, what time and what kind of historic ship would you be on, when and where?
I think I would like to have traveled up the west coast in the early 1800’s on a trading ship. The boats of that time were wooden with mighty masts and huge square-rigged sails; it was a time of exploration and adventure. It was a time when Salmon still spawned in the rivers of California and hungry Grizzly bears awaited their arrival. On the west coast of Oregon and Washington, the great Indian tribes still lived and hunted. They would see the ships sail into a bay with “White Cloud” sails and know the time was near for fighting or trading, sometimes both, for there were good ships and bad. One of the first men to sail these waters was named Vancouver, they named an Island after him.
Thank you again for all of the good questions; they are getting tougher each time. We crossed the International Date Line last night and so we are a day ahead of you. We will be finding our way through the reefs around Mauro Atoll on Thursday morning. I will let you know what we find.
Dec 3, 2001
Subject: Generator
Thomas Kelly of Lansing, MI, asks:
How often and how long are you running the generator?
On this leg of the trip which will be 13 days, we will have run the generator maybe 6 hours. The only need for the generator is to run the washer/dryer. We do not have air conditioning.
Dec 3, 2001
Subject: Answer to Quiz
Mark Hood of Bremerton, WA, asks:
In reference to Ray Danet’s quiz (On Board Commentary, Dec. 1): At what location in the world does the day begin? The answer is Tonga!
Mark, you’re right. Congratulations! Sounds like you’ve done some cruising…??
Dec 3, 2001
Subject: Where do you sleep
Dave Anderson of Prior Lake, MN asks:
Where do you sleep in the boat? Is it too bouncy to sleep in the forward stateroom? How about the mid ship berths?
Dave, with the three of us aboard, one in the main saloon, another in the guest cabin amidships and one in the owner’s cabin forward – when its not too rough (about 90% of the time).
Dec 2, 2001
Subject: Refueling Navigation
Capt Michael Middleton, USMC, of Okinawa, Japan asks:
As a Marine serving in Okinawa I simply wish to congratulate the
crews, employees, and company of PAE for embarking on this voyage. In the
crazy times we are living in I am glad to see that the beauty of the sea,
adventure, and exploration are still surviving. As a hopeful future
Nordhavn owner, I bid you fair winds and following seas.
For your refueling needs how do you contract for your fuel? If you
could explain the planning and procedures you go through to ensure you
have clean and available fuel?
Mike, before we started this trip we researched where we could acquire fuel
and that also determined where our stops would be located. Our next stop is
going to be Majuro Atoll and while underway we can email the fuel dock for
information. If there’s a reason that we suspect the fuel, we carry a
Baha filter on board and fuel is filtered before the fuel fill. In the engine room we
have two Racor filters one of which is in standby and many replacement
filters for the same.
As a Marine pilot who knows the value of navigation, how do you back
yourself up during the voyage or is there complete reliance upon
electronic navigation aids?
We do rely on the electronics, but we do carry a full set of charts aboard
and the necessary tools.
Dec 2, 2001
Subject: Sea Keeping
Jason Coe of New Orleans, LA asks:
How does N40 compare to the rest of the fleet in rough weather?
It’s really hard to compare the boats against each other because of
waterline length, beam, displacement and other factors. With waterline
length, the ride becomes better along with the other factors. What I can tell
you is that that for the extended amount of time that we have been out here,
we have been really impressed with the way this boat has handled all the
different conditions from good to very bad. I know that we have been
extremely pleased with this design.
Dec 1, 2001
Subject: Displacement
Charlie Roark of Ventura, CA, asks:
You state that your N40 displaces about 25 tons. How did you calc ulate the weight. I have a Willard Pilothoue 40, we are leaving for Mexico in January. I think the Displacement would be comparable.
The displacement of the N40 has been calculated by carefully measuring the waterline at the bow and the stern and then determining how much water the vessel is displacing. For your own boat, you would need to know the exact location of the original designed waterline and know the pounds of weight per inch of submersion beyond the designed waterline. If your boat was loaded evenly and in trim, you could easily estimate the actual weight of your boat. If it’s floating down at the bow and up at the stern – or vice versa – it would require some fairly complicated calculations.
With the N40 that’s going around the world, it was hauled out just prior to departure and weighed. It was full of fuel and water and all final equipment and spare parts. The weight was right at 50,000 lbs. After loading the final provisions and loading personal gear aboard, we estimate the weight to be about 52,000 lbs.
Dec 1, 2001
Subject: Vessel sightings, VHF, SSB, Commo, E-mail at sea
Bob Agramonte of La Conner, WA asks:
Have you sighted other vessels?
Yes, one only, range lights and radar.
How is email set up?
We use the Iridium SAT phone and Microsoft Outlook (stratosnet)
Regular time? Sea State?
11:00a.m./4:00 p.m. local time. Sea state is 20 ft.
Fuel sight gauge calibrated? How?
Yes, fuel sight gauge is calibrated – in gallons
Dec 1, 2001
Subject: Controllable pitch prop
Mark Hood of Bremerton, WA asks:
There was a lot of discussion on Trawlerworld.com about a controllable
pitch prop on a boat like that for a long voyage. What are your thoughts about a
CPP on a Nordhavn 40?
This is the type of question that always opens a can of worms. We are
pretty happy with the fixed prop. We have done a lot of research to find the
right fixed prop for this boat. The performance on this boat is right where
we would like to see it. A fixed prop is pretty much: “put it on and forget
it.” When cruising, it can sometimes be very difficult to service CPP in
remote areas. However, for some types of cruising the CPP can work out well.
Dec 1, 2001
Subject: Engine
Chris Doran of Newcastle, N.S.W., Australia asks:
What is the actual horsepower of the engine being used? I am following your cruise with great interest, and wishing I was there to share it. This site is the next best thing.
The engine we are using is the Lugger and it has a continuous duty
rating of 105HP.
Nov 30, 2001
Subject: Other Traffic
Don Muirhead of Orem, UT asks:
What other sea traffic have you seen?
On this leg from Hawaii to the Majuro Atoll in the Marshall Islands, we have
not seen a single ship and we have someone on watch at all
times. The only things that we have seen are the fish that we’ve caught and
the Bobbie birds.
Are you changing the motor oil every 100 hours or just checking the quality?
We are taking care of the oil as per Lugger’s specs.
Nov 29, 2001
Subject: Paravane stabilizer (flopper stoppers) and water maker.
Dan Stewart asks:
Are you using the downriggers on a daily basis? If so how much of a fuel/speed penalty are they? (I have used them on a troller in SE Alaska and they were in the water as soon as we cleared the anchorage.) At higher speeds in rough conditions they tended to come out of the water every now and then so they were pulled in those conditions.
We did use the paravanes for little bit on the Dana Point, CA to Hawaii leg when it really got rough. We also have the active stabilizers which are on most all the time. We do lose a small amount of performance.
In the event of a problem w/H2O maker, is there a chance it could contaminate your entire water supply?
I have never heard of a water maker at a moment’s notice start producing bad water. This usually happens over a long period of time with the water getting salty. There is a simple little hand held instrument that is battery powered which you put into a sample of the watermaker water and it will show the salt content. If this reading is high, it’s time to back
wash the system or do a chemical cleaning. Some of the newer systems like the
Spectra unit we have do manual back flushing on a set schedule.
Nov 29, 2001
Subject: Main Engine shutdown, Paravane usage
Bill Barry asks:
When you are shutting down the main engine to check the fluids, do you take advantage of this time to run the wing engine?
Bill, funny you ask, we just shut down the main engine yesterday to check
oil and transmission and, yes, we did run the wing engine. It is a good idea
to run these wing engines on a regular basis to keep everything moving and
lubricated.
Have you been deploying the paravanes? Please talk about how you decide
when to use them, their effectiveness, some pros and cons about them.
On this trip so far we have been using the active stabilizers. We have used
the paravanes once to date and that was with a sea running on our beam and
using just one paravane on the windward side only.
The benefits of active stabilizers are that you can
deploy them by merely pushing a button, they work in shallow water and they work
very well. However, they are more work to maintain and if you get
into a serious weather condition and were only able to make headway with bare
steerage, they would not work well because of boat speed. Also, you have to be
aware of them in very shallow water where there may be rocks.
Paravanes are pretty much maintenance free, work very well at
slow speeds, and at serve nicely as flopper stoppers while at anchor. On the downside, paravanes are more work to deploy. Also, coastal cruisers traveling in shallower waters need to be mindful that the “fish” hang at a depth of 15 feet.
Nov 29, 2001
Subject: Engine Room / Rough Seas
Glen Gable of Salinas, California asks:
1) Please describe how go about checking the engine room and other systems. How do
you do this when the others are sleeping at night, etc..?
2) The boat has said to be encountering seas that were 3 to 5 ft and confused. Last week here in Monterey Bay the buoys where showing 20 ft swells every 17 seconds. How do you handle rough seas?
Ray Danét responds:
1) It sounds like Glen knows that our N40 has the engine room door in the guest cabin. We also have an inspection hatch in the sole of the main saloon. Underneath this hatch we’ve mounted our big toolbox which acts like a step going down.
2) This is a pretty open ended question but to emphasize some major points: First and foremost, you should have the right boat for the type of cruising that you are going to do. For the type of cruising that we are doing you want a full displacement hull with a full ballasted keel, a good
AB ratio and a righting moment that will bring you back if you should have a knock down. And it goes without saying that you need the range to get there.
Also, it is imperative to be a safe cruiser and a good driver. (Just as there are good and bad drivers on the freeway, the same holds true for the ocean.) Obviously, you shouldn’t cruise in a hurricane area during hurricane season. We carefully chose our route and schedule so that we end up cruising during the best season for each ocean. (There are some great books on route planning.)
Finally, when you do have the boat you intend to take cruising, try to have that boat at least one year before you go (two years would be better.) And USE, USE, USE that boat as much as you can before you take off. I’ve seen too many people sit at the dock reading books, putting new gear on their boats, but never actually going out. For these people, when their dream of cruising is actually realized, something inevitably comes up – say, they hit their first little storm. The inexperienced cruiser doesn’t know what to do, they become scared and turn around and the dream that they had for so long is but a memory.
Nov 27, 2001
Subject: On Board Interview with Jim Leishman
Georgs Kolesnikov of Trawler World Online asks:
How do you check the oil with the engine running? Do you shut the engine down for maintenance. If so, does anyone get nervous about the restart?
I know the Lugger L668D pretty well and, in general, it uses very little oil. On Salvation ll,
the first NORDHAVN 46 to circumnavigate, we knew she would burn a quart of oil every 48 hours, so we go a few days and then make that assumption adding the appropriate amount to the running engine. If you have a calm day, then you can shut down and confirm. We’ve shut NORDHAVN down twice on this trip (California to Hawaii) and I’ve seen no reduction on
the dipstick so we’ve added nothing. During those shutdowns, we’ve checked the transmission oil and the coolant level and again have had to add no fluids. I’m always nervous about the restart. We start the wing engine and the generator when shutting down the main. The generator is run because we know we have a charging capacity of 130 amps through the inverter. The wing engine keeps us moving and adds stability. The engine starting battery is isolated from the house and has its own alternator, but we can simply
flip a parallel switch and start the main off the house batteries. I do have a spare starter motor and solenoid so we should be able to deal with any problem.
It sounds like there are sight glasses all over the place. This system sounds pretty nifty, but would it pass a CG inspection? What happens if one of those valves or hoses fail, or if someone whacks a sight glass with a wrench?
We have sight glasses on both port and starboard fuel tanks and on the supply reservoir and wing engine day tank. Each sight gauge has a valve at the top and bottom so if the glass breaks–It’s protected in an aluminum channel–the valves can be closed. Additionally, the main sight gauges on the port and starboard tanks are supplied down stream of the main shut off valve on each tank. The tops of the gauges are plumbed into the vent lines for each tank.
The beauty of the bottom pickup and gravity feed to the supply reservoir is that there is virtually no unusable fuel carried. In the roughest conditions and with minimal fuel in each tank–We know what’s there—fuel will find its way into the supply reservoir where it can be drawn through the primary filters into the engine–free of air. Conversely, a big tank with a
suction pick-up and low on fuel in rough weather is of great concern. If the fuel sloshes away from the pickup line, air is ingested and there’s nowhere for that air to go except through the engine. If enough air gets into the system the engine will not run.
How do you accurately gauge how much fuel you have? Doesn’t being in a seaway render sight gauges inaccurate?
As mentioned above, the sight gauges have valves at the top and bottom which can be adjusted to dampen the rise and fall of the fuel. When reading the sight gauges, you have to consider the high and low surge and find an average. You also have to consider the trim of the vessel. If the boat is listing one way or the other, due to wind or asymmetric amounts of fuel, one sight gauge will read high and the other will read low.
Regarding the fuel oil system, can I assume that there is a drain in the *bottom* of those tanks?
Since we draw off the bottom of the tanks–The fuel drains into the supply reservoir through ¾” feed lines–we rely upon the supply reservoir to act as a sump for both water and sediment. The engines and generator draw off the supply reservoir, about half way up its capacity. At the bottom, the reservoir is cone shaped and has a petcock at its lowest point.
Additionally, we have a water sensor below the level of our pickups which will sound an alarm in the wheelhouse if water is present. The sediment and water gather at the bottom of the supply reservoir. As a matter or routine, you drain off the reservoir and look for these sediments and water. It’s amazing how effective a filter and water strainer this reservoir is.
After 334 hours of running, we are still on one of our two 2-micron Racor 900 filters and showing zero vacuum with no trace of water in the Racor water separator.
How is the day tank/fuel manifold vented when the supply lines are shut off during fuel consumption measurement?
When we use the reservoir to check fuel consumption, we have to turn off both ¾” supply lines, then go to the return manifold and shut off both returns to tanks, then open the valve marked “return to reservoir.” This return goes up over a vented loop which vents into the starboard tank. We leave this vent line off the top of the reservoir open all the time, even if
you’re not returning to the reservoir. We have an approval from Alaska Diesel to return fuel 100 per cent of the time to the supply reservoir. All you have to do is select a supply line. I normally return to the same tank I’m drawing off because the heat of the fuel cannot dissipate as easily from the 2-gallon reservoir.
The PAE website lists the prop as 32″; your message said 28″. Can you tell us a bit about the transmission and prop?
We’re actually spinning a 28” by 24” four-blade, left-handed propeller. The transmission is a Twin Disk MG-5050 with a three-to-one reduction gear. We use a 2” Aquamet propeller shaft.
Do you ever turn over the wing engine to check it out and pump the oil around?
We start and run the wing engine frequently, at least once a week. This can be done at the dock or while running. The important point is that the little Yanmar must be run up to full operating temperature and put under a load. Running it 50 hours a year with an annual oil change will keep it in good condition.
What provisions have been made or will be made to address needed fluids changing for the genset and Naiads?
We will use the generator very little on this trip, but will change oil at 150- to 200-hour intervals. The boat is equipped with an oil-change pump, hard plumbed to the oil pan of the main and generator. We changed the oil on the NAIADs prior to leaving California at 1,000 hours. NAIAD recommends changing it every 4,000 hours. We don’t have to worry about this until we complete the circumnavigation.
You report your heading as magnetic. In the Power Squadron, we always convert
it to true. Can you explain why you use magnetic and are there any advantages/disadvantages?
While we have charts aboard, courtesy of Bellingham Chart Printers, we’re doing all of our navigation electronically and every instrument is set for magnetic.
Based on your fuel consumption calculations on Day 8, you should hit the islands with 80 gallons remaining. Just a rough calculation at 6 knots that would give you a cushion of around 200 nautical miles. Would you say that a margin this close is acceptable based on the Captain/crew experience?
I would never tackle a 2,280 mile passage thinking I only had a 200-mile reserve. I’d calculate the calm water speed of the boat, then reduce it by 10 per cent to account for rough offshore conditions, then I’d add around a 10 to 20-per-cent reserve depending on the likely conditions of the passage. For Hawaii, for instance, at 2,280 miles, if the boat did 6.3 knots at 2gph in calm water, I’d figure it at 5.7 at 2 gph and then add 10 per cent.
This would give me a range of roughly 2,358 nautical miles. I also know that I could go into Hilo and save a hundred miles and if necessary slow to 1300 rpm and increase our mpg by a further 10%. As it turns out, we’ll now be arriving about 24 hours latter than I had hoped for, and with less fuel than planned. The reason is the unusual weather we’ve had. We’ll do a complete recap later, but I think we’ve had head winds and seas for all but about
3 days. The easterly trade winds and ½ knot westerly current have just not materialized. We’ve had south, southwest and west winds up to 30 knots with 15 knots being about the average. This is the very reason we have to plan on having reserves, and in this case we dipped into them. For the next two days, we’ll run at 1,600 rpm and burn about 2.8 gph at 7.2 knots. Georgs has a flight out on Monday at 10 p.m. With Thanksgiving upon us and
airplanes running at capacity, we want him to make that flight. In the latest round of
calculations today, we expect to arrive in Honolulu at 3 p.m. and still have about 80 gallons aboard.
What emergency plans have you made to address a catastrophic failure of all
your navigation equipment? I know, it will never happen but is there any concern over the accuracy of plotting and manual means (i.e. celestial) for plotting?
We have aboard two computers, loaded with navigation software and charts. We have two permanently mounted GPS receivers with a selection switch to choose either. Additionally, we have a Raytheon chart plotter with complete chart disks. There are two additional handheld GPS units with lots of batteries and power/data cords (for use with the laptop computers). As I mentioned earlier, we also have a beautiful set of paper charts, courtesy of
Bellingham Chart Makers. Frankly, I’m more likely to fall overboard than to lose our ability to accurately navigate. Oh, yes, there are the jet contrails we can follow, bound for Honolulu.
You have both flopper stoppers and stabilizers. What other redundant systems are there on the boat?
We’ve tried to anticipate breakdowns and plan for them. For instance, we have an additional high-pressure pump for the water maker, spare alternators, injection pumps for the diesel, lift pumps for the diesel, starter motor, injectors, etc. We have a spare autopilot motor,
hydraulic pump and brain box. There are spare pressure water pumps, bilge pumps,
hydraulic cooling pumps, shower sumps, head rebuild kits, replacement plumbing parts etc. We have an extra steering ram, helm pump and spare hydraulic hoses for the steering system. For the NAIADs, we have a spare hydraulic pump, actuator ram, hydraulic hoses and the tools to disassemble the actuators and repair them. If this were more of a recreational cruise, I’d leave about 70 per cent of the stuff off the boat. With quick and
affordable air transportation and terrific communication, most parts can be shipped when needed. We want to keep the boat moving and if a problem comes up we do not want it to delay our progress. Most of the spares will come off the boat at our trips conclusion and be used on a later NORDHAVN 40.
On the flashlights are they the new style LED flashlights? Are there any red lights and why aren’t they used?
We have regular, old-fashioned flashlights, lots of them.
Of special interest to me, and perhaps others, is the reliability and operation of various systems, i.e., heating system, watermaker, Raymarine instrumentation and autopilot.
So far, the only problems we’ve had with the boat or systems are a shorted Iridium phone antenna (a tiny bit of water got into a coaxial connector just below the deck), which was fixed quickly, and the loss of an alternator belt. The LUGGER engine is fitted with a large-case, 140-amp alternator that services the house systems and then a small 40-amp alternator, which only charges the main engine starting battery. The main alternator uses a
large serpentine belt while the smaller alternator uses a single old-fashioned belt that failed yesterday. Rather than shut down and fiddle with it, we just turned the engine-start battery in parallel with the house batteries, so the larger house alternator is keeping it up. The Spectra water maker, Raymarine electronics, FloScan fuel monitor, Heart inverter,
Hurricane heating system, which we did use the first three days, everything is working flawlessly.
Is the change in boat speed only a result of the trades, or sea conditions and are they still running at 1,400 rpm? In other words, is the rpm of 1,400 the constant and the sea, weather, etc the variables. Is this the planned rpm for the voyage?
1400 was the planned rpm for the voyage which should give us about 6.3 knots. As we progressed and got ahead of our fuel reserve, we planned to increase speed; however, the inclement weather has not allowed us to speed up until now. Now, we are running at 1,600 rpm and making 7.2 knots. If the Easterlies had developed (they really should have) I felt we could average in the high six knot range and carry a 15 to 25 percent reserve to Honolulu.
Normal cruise on this boat (if the leg length is under 1,500 miles) is approaching 8 knots at 1,800 rpm – burning under 4 gallons per hour.
What radar or radars are you using? Why did you pick that one and how are you getting along with it? Do you set alarm zones and such.
We have two Raymarine radars, a large 72-mile unit with an open array antenna and a smaller unit with a closed array. We have not run the second radar during the whole trip. We normally set the large radar at 6 to 12 miles with no alarms set. During a watch, the range is run up regularly to see targets farther out, but it’s been a week since we’ve seen anything at all. When we get into areas where there’s likely to be traffic – we’ll run the larger radar on about a 6 to 12 mile range and keep the smaller one on a lower scale – say one mile.
As we approach the Hawaiian Islands, we have contributed to a pool of $5 each, for a grand total of $20. The first person to see a vessel or land wins the money. My son Eric has his eye on the horizon and the money. He suggested the pool and then, to enter, borrowed $5 from me.
Regarding paravanes, what type/size of chain they use, and is it used the entire length, or does it join with rope or cable somewhere out of the water?
We use a Kolstrand fish that is 300 square inches and about 45 lbs. It’s towed off of 20-foot aluminum poles on a 10-foot, half-inch nylon spring line and about 20 feet of 3/16” chain. The fish runs at about 15 feet below the water surface.
Who did the fishing, what type of rig? You guys going to troll the whole time?
My son Eric has been the fisherman on this passage. He’s caught dozens of Dorado, most of which he has released. We’ve eaten Sashimi almost every night and baked some of it too. Eric set the lines at dawn today and within 20 minutes, he had a triple hook-up : three 20 to 25 pound Dorados. He got into a little trouble with me because we had to stop the boat and everyone was woken up to help. We released all three and within 30 minutes he had two more. I finally told him to pull the lines in –unless he wanted to clean the fish himself.
Just as I’m writing this, Eric yells out again that he’s got a big one, this time on a heavy rod and reel rather than the drag lines he’s been using. This is a monster and we have to stop the boat to allow Eric to labor it in. Eric wants to keep this 50-pounder. While we have loads of freezer space now, I’m hesitant to bring the brute aboard knowing that there will be a
blood bath in the cockpit, the equivalent of a human chainsaw murder. The fish splatters his blood everywhere while he’s clubbed to death with a toilet pump handle. It’s a half-hour cleanup, including cockpit overhead, aft windows. It all has to be soaped down and washed, and then the fisherman has to take a shower. These Dorados are one fighting fish, they don’t give up easily.
How does Jim compare the sea motion on the 40 to the rest of his larger fleet?
The 40 is a great riding boat. Quiet, a nice motion and she steers beautifully in rough seas.
I personally think it’s as seakindly a boat as any we build, just a little shorter and a bit slower.
-Jim
Nov 24, 2001
Subject: 4th Graders Ask Questions
Molly Sasser’s 4th Grade Class – Madison Exploratory School, Canon City, CO asks:
Dear Molly:
Thank you for letting us join your class. First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Dave Harlow; I am Jessica’s dad and Captain of the “Nordhavn” for this leg of the Around the World trip. I work for a boat building company in Dana Point California called PAE Yachts.
The boat I am currently on is a Nordhavn 40, built in California. The Around the World trip was first designed to test our smallest cruiser and to prove that even our smallest boat could travel safely to any part of the world. We then thought that we could also try to set a record for the fastest circumnavigation in a powerboat of this size. We plan on completing the trip in six to seven months. I think what it really is, is a great adventure and a lot of fun. If you and your class would like to join us and follow our passage we would be very happy to have you aboard.
The route of the trip will be as follows:
California – Hawaii – Marshall Islands – Philippines – Singapore – Thailand – Sri Lanka – Up the Suez Canal – through the Mediterranean (stops unknown at this time) – Across the Atlantic – through the Panama Canal – up the coast of Mexico – back to Dana Point.
We have three-man crews for each leg. Along with me on this leg are Ray Danet and Tom Selman. Jessica and I spent a week on board Tom’s boat several years ago on a trip down the California coast.
To follow I hope are answers to the questions your class has asked.
1) Will you go through the Indian Ocean?
The boat will go through the Indian Ocean. The crossing will start at Phuket, Thailand with a stop in Sri Lanka and then up through the Suez Canal. I will not be on the boat at that time; there will be three new crewmembers for that leg. I crossed the Indian Ocean years ago in a 46’ boat. This is a really neat area with many different cultures and countries to see.
2) Will you see Whales and Dolphins on the trip? What kind?
We have seen hundreds of dolphins and two days ago we saw a Humpback whale with a very small calf swimming along at her mother’s side. We followed them for a little ways but stayed far away so we did not scare the calf. They continued on very slowly and then the mother arched her great back, flipped her tail in the air and dove. We could see the little calf try to flip her tail up, but it just kind of slapped the water, she is just learning. Humpbacks can hold their breath for a long time and swim a long way under water. We never saw them again.
3) How long will the trip take?
We have planned to take about seven months to complete the trip. The boat travels about 7 knots an hour. That’s about the speed of a fast jogger. Can you guess how long it would take to jog around the world? Well about 7 months if you never stopped to sleep
A short pause: In the middle of writing this Tom and Ray caught a 12 lb Dorado on a hand line. A hand line is a clear fishing line with a lure on the end tied to a 50’ piece of thin cord. The cord is tied to the boat with a stretchy cord in between to take the shock of a fish strike. We then tie an empty can to the cord as an alarm. The lure is dropped in the water and when a fish bites the lure the line goes tight and the can bangs around and lets us know that we have a fish. You then pull him in by hand and that way we don’t have to slow the boat down as you would if you were using a rod and reel. Looks like we are having Dorado for dinner.
4) Are you going to see any Narwhales?
I don’t think we’ll see any Narwhales. I think that the whales we will see will be the Humpback, Sperm, Pilot and Blue Whales. I don’t know where the Narwhales live. If you find out, please let me know.
5) Why are you going around the world?
Well like I said up above, to test the boat and to learn about long range cruising.
(Don’t tell anyone, but mostly we are doing it for fun)
6) What do you do at night?
Well we just keep on going. We stand watches. We each stay on watch for three hours at a time, all through the day and night. Below is the watch schedule.
We also have radar to spot any other boats and land around us, a depth sounder to tell us how deep the water is and an electric chart to let us know exactly where we are at all times. It is very dark out here so we turn the lights in the boat down low so we can see out. We also turn the radar and other equipment down low. Try this in your folks’ car at night – have them turn the inside lights up bright and you can’t see outside / turn the inside lights down low and you can see again. It’s the same in the pilot house at night.
When you are on watch you watch the instruments and walk around the boat once in a while just to make sure everything is OK. When your watch is over you wake up the next guy, (he grumbles a bit) and then you are off watch and can get something to eat or go to sleep.
Tom – 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm
Ray – 9:00 pm to 12:00 midnight
Dave – 12 midnight to 3:00 am
Tom – 3:00 am to 6:00 am
Ray – 6:00 am to 9:00 am
Dave – 9:00 am to 12 noon —
Noon to 6:00 anyone that’s awake stands watch.
7) What do you do in a really big storm?
We will try to avoid storms as much as possible. We have really good weather reports and will try to move out of the storm’s way. We move very slowly so if a storm comes right to us we will just have to ride it out. This boat is very strong and is designed to go through storms. We also have thick clear plastic window covers to protect the windows from breaking, (like in the movie “Perfect Storm). I hope there are no storms!
8) How many places will you stop around the world?
I don’t know the answer to this. We have about 20 planned stops. There always seems to be more stops than planned. If something breaks or someone has to go home then we will make detours. Sometimes you just decide to take a break at a nice location and pull in. These are sometimes the best parts of the trip.
9) How will you cook on the boat?
We have a full galley (kitchen) on the boat. The galley is in the middle of the boat so it has the least amount of motion from the rough seas. The galley has a stove, refrigerator, freezer, double sink and even a trash compactor. We have food stored all over the boat; sometimes we can’t remember where everything is stored so we have to go looking. We will be having fish tonight!
10) What if you have to fix the boat?
We have a full tool locker with every kind of tool we think we will need. We also have spare parts for almost everything. When you are this far out to sea, there is no one to help or to call so we have to be able to take care of any problem that comes up.
11) What do you do in your spare time?
There is a lot of spare time. When you are off watch there is still lots to do. We still need to cook and do the dishes, there’s fishing, we have a VCR so we watch movies, play poker, read – we do a lot of reading, and just day dreaming or sleeping.
12) What if someone falls off the boat?
That’s a good question. Most people are not prepared to get someone back on board if they fall off so when it happens, it can have a bad ending. We are all prepared to get an overboard person back on board. The first thing to do is just stop the boat and throw a marker or life ring to the person. Most of the time they could just swim back and get on the swim platform to safety. If the person is hurt or in really rough conditions we would throw a life ring overboard to help mark the spot and also give them something float on. The next thing to do is for one crew member to point at the man overboard and never look away, It’s easy to loose sight of a person in rough water or any water for that matter.
We would then turn the boat around and go back on exactly the same course and pick them up. In warm water there is more time for this – in cold water a person in the water can get weak very fast and have trouble staying afloat. Luckily for us the water is about 77 degrees here. The most important thing for any boat – on an ocean, river or lake – is for everyone on the boat to talk about what to do and have a simple plan that everyone knows before it happens.
13) What other types of fish do you catch?
Well we have caught Dorado (Mahi Mahi) and Albacore. We hope to catch Tuna, Sea bass and crabs when we stop and most of all we are hoping to catch a Wahoo. This is a big fish that looks like a Barracuda and has teeth as big as a dog’s – really fun to catch and good to eat. We always let the fish go that we are not going to eat.
14) What will you do when you get back?
I think I’ll drive out to Colorado and see Jessica. Maybe I can bring some photos to show your class where we have been and what we have seen.
15) Does it feel funny to walk on land after so long at sea?
Yes it does. It feels like everything is moving and sometime you get kind of dizzy. It really feels funny to sleep in a real bed; it seems so big and feels like it is rolling. It also takes a few days before you stop waking up at midnight to go on watch.
Thanks to all of you for the good questions. I will write when I get to Majuro and let you know what we see there. If you have any additional questions or want me to research anything for you, please let me know. I look forward to your hearing from you.
Dave Harlow