General Observations from Cape Town
Thursday, 8.31.06

The Maggie B was launched on January 16, 2006 and set out on her first voyage on March 27th. Since then she has sailed about 9000 miles, and been at sea 84 days. She has thus spent about half her time in port and half at sea. I suspect that the average for most sailboats is 1 to 20, not 50/50.

Just do it!

Last night I asked Bart and Lieve for their observations. Their answer somewhat surprised me — it was essentially “Just Do It!” Their point was that so many people wait for just the right weather forecast or perfecting their rig or finding just the right crew, and never get going. Pretty good and sailing beats not sailing because things are not perfect. Perhaps for some people a boat is just a funny-shaped apartment in a marina, but I’m convinced that many people would go sailing, but there is some minor detail wrong, so they stay in the harbor until it is fixed. One man in Nova Scotia had a lovely new boat,but never went out sailing. I asked why and he said that he hadn’t been able to get the proper sized anchor rode for his #2 anchor.

I was very lucky to have the sailing and mechanical skills of Max, Bart and Lieve. Things would have been much more difficult if they hadn’t been able to jump on our different breakdowns. And we have a lot of redundant systems. But our biggest problem was losing the prop between Barbados and Brazil, and no amount of spares or skilled mechanics could have done much for us. We just had to adapt and behave like a traditional sailing boat, and sail and use the anchor when we couldn’t sail. I think that most things that might go wrong can be treated in the same way of fixing or working around. A perfect boat never sails.

In terms of gear…

One of my mistakes was not assuring that we had spare filters for everything. I thought that I had, but I didn’t. It is easily possible to go crazy about spares. I should have had a “priority” system to highlight the difference between “nice to have” like extra lightbulbs as opposed to “gotta have” like fuel filters.

One real surprise for me has been chafe and corrosion. I knew that things chafe when they rub together and metal corrodes in salt water, but I have been astonished at the speed. Somewhere on the web site is a photo of the windlass control, that had become totally corroded and useless after five months tucked high up in the anchor compartment. The incredibly strong main throat halyard parted after three days of rubbing, just touching, on the gaff saddle. Corrosion eats up the little pins in electrical connectors like a reaper cutting hay.

Next — Cape Town and South Africa

All is well.

Location: 33° 55.1 S, 18° 26.6 E
Wednesday 16:00, 08.23.2006

The Schooner Maggie B tied up to the Royal Cape Yacht Club dock at 1600 on August 23. Our position is 33° 55.1 S, 18° 26.6 E. We went 3903 NM is 22 days, averaging 177 NM per day, or 7.4 knots.

The crew is happy to be ashore, but also rested and fit, and ready to go out and celebrate Lieve’s birthday.

Table Bay lived up to its reputation and we had gusts to 38 knots as we furled sails on approach. The wind was only 30 knots in the RCYC marina.

I’ll have lessons learned and observations tomorrow.

All is well.

20 miles off the coast of Cape Town
Wednesday 12:00, 08.23.2006

We sighted the Cape of Good Hope through the rain clouds right at noon. Now 20 miles out of Cape Town and going hull speed with two reefs in main and fore. Arrival at Royal Cape Yacht Club in three hours. We made it just in time to celebrate Lieve’s birthday!

All is well.

Bolognese & Beaujolais €” 08.22.06

A day from Cape Town, we had Spaghetti Bolognese for lunch with a nice fresh Beaujolais. We have to drink up the French wine shipped from Martinique to make room for all the great South African wines!

Location: 35° 20.5 S, 15° 24.3 E
Tuesday 12:00, 08.22.2006

The Schooner Maggie B was at 35° 20.5 S 15° 24.3 E at noon on August 22nd. Our wind is steady from the South (185M) at 15-20. We have eased sheets a bit, but still are heading for a conservative turn point about 100 NM SE of Cape Town, so as not to be caught out by a quick big SE’er with a strong foul current.

Our weather advice says that we should be fine coming in, with the strong SE’er holding off for a day or so, and that the current between us and Cape Town is “weak and disorganized” (from a US Navy analysis). But still we will hold a bit of our Southing in reserve. In any case, we are about 175 NM from Cape Town, an average day’s run, so at this speed, or a bit faster when we are reaching, would allow for an arrival tomorrow morning, which is perfect. So no need to rush the turn.

It is a bright sunny day. Smaller terns are around us now, together with the Shearwaters and Petrels from the further reaches. As Commanders has predicted, seas are “quite rough with wind waves and a Southerly swell” but the Maggie B is handling them well, only throwing occasional buckets into the cockpit to keep the Watch alert.

Three weeks from Salvador! Cape Town tomorrow!

All is well.

Location: 34° 53.5 S, 12° 28 E
Monday 12:00, 08.21.2006

The Schooner Maggie B’s Noon Position on August 21st was 34° 53.5 S, 12° 28 E. We are only 304 NM from Cape Town! This last bit still seems like a lot, even though we have gone 3565 NM since Salvador. The wind is piping up from the South, currently 210 degrees magnetic at 18-25. JASB = Just Another Southerly Blow.

We are currently on course or better for our “aim point” 100 NM South of Cape Town, at 7.5 knots. We should make it OK for Lieve’s birthday! This wind is due to freshen and come more Easterly, so we will probably need every yard of Southing we have “saved up.” Together with the wind backing to the Southeast, we can count on the Agulhas Current to push us back to the West and North. We are saving up our southing like a skier holds a little high on a hill before a long traverse or as a cautious pilot would save some altitude on approach to a tight runway.

We are beginning to see some smaller seabirds, which must be land-based on South Africa. Their ID’s will have to wait until we get a South African seabird book. I believe that we saw an immature albatross yesterday, but cannot check the ID and we did not get a photo.

Last night was not as bad as the night before, but it was wearying. All foul weather gear is damp or wet. Favorite clothing has become painted on (worn night and day). Knit hats (Canadian “Tooks”) may never be dry again. The cabin was a little nicer by noon today because we ran the main engine for battery charge and ran the heat as well, so at least the pilot house is dried out and the bunks are warmish. My favorite piece of clothing, which I have been wearing for a while, is a top of very fine Merino wool, made in New Zealand. Warm when things are cold, feels fine even when wet and not hot when under layers of foul weather gear and working hard on halyards.

We are sailing under full jib and two reefs in the main. Fore stowed away. Pounding hard closehauled on starboard tack. The seas have organized somewhat, but the current (1-1 1/2 knot from the SW?) has make the them peak up a bit. If the wind lightens any more, we will put the fore up with two reefs, to help us go to weather. Right now that would be too much sail.

Two days!

All is well.

American Sea Writing

I just finished a lovely book American Sea Writing edited by Peter Neill. It was given to the boat by my friend and future shipmate, Robert Farrar. It has pieces by obvious authors like Melville, Dana and Twain, but also lovely pieces by James Fenimore Cooper, James Agee, Eugene O’Neill, Langston Hughes and may other less likely. Well worth it!

Location: 34° 38.4 S, 09° 49.6 E
Sunday 12:00, 08.20.2006

Schooner Maggie B was at 34° 38.4S 009° 49.6E at noon on August 20. We had our first Strong Gale, Beaufort 9, last night. Winds to 44 knots. We ran “Lucille” a bit close. Probably the first inkling was at 1730, about sunset, when the 1″ high-tech Fore sheet parted in only 25 knots wind with the sail with one reef. We quickly secured things, and Lieve remarked, “Cape Town comes with a price.”

We had been happy at 2100 with the barometer at 1015 and the wind about on our beam at 30 knots. We were running along with two reefs in the main, one in the fore and about 1/2 jib. The centerboard was 1/2 way down to help with stability in the confused sea. The second clue came about 2130 when the Maggie B jumped off a large wave and the impact on the centerboard burst one of the hydraulic lines. The centerboard was wedged down with a handy 2 by 4.

By 2230 the sea was becoming large and confused and the watch was called to take in the fore, which was done quickly and efficiently. The jib was further reduced to the size of two overcoats. By midnight the barometer was down only to 1010, with the wind steady from the north at 30. By 0100 the barometer dropped to 1005 and the wind peaked up to 44 knots. The Maggie B swam fine over the very confused sea with its double reefed main and scrap of a jib. Sail area was about 1/4 full sail.

By noon we were back on course, close hauled on port tack (again…) with the wind from 045 at 15, doing 8.3 knots directly for Cape Town, which is 448 NM away. We are drying out the cabin and our foulies. We did 185 NM in the last 24 hours and 3418 since Salvador. We actually are holding a little South of Cape Town to be ready for a strong SE’erly in two days.

We hope to arrive by sunset on the 23rd, so that we can find the Belgian Brew Pub in Cape Town, to celebrate Lieve’s 27th birthday with lots of different Belgian beers!

All is well.

Location: 34° 01.8 S, 06° 13.2 E
Saturday 12:00, 08.19.2006

The Schooner Maggie B was at 34° 01.8S 06° 13.2E at noon on August 19th. We are close hauled on the port tack, getting beaten up a bit in 25 knots of wind and a confused, rough sea. Cape Town is 630 NM on a bearing of 124 degrees magnetic. We are headed 124 degrees at 6.5-7.0 knots. The wind has been backing all morning and is now about 080 magnetic at 20-30. We have a reef in the fore and the main, and the jib is partially furled. We will probably put a second reef in the main after lunch (steak filets wrapped in bacon with garlic butter, mixed vegetables and rice).

A new low is quickly forming just South of us, and is the cause of this rough weather. It (Lucille?) should be our last low before Cape Town and we hope to ride the North side of it like a remora attached to a basking shark. We just hope that it doesn’t turn out to be a tiger shark or hammerhead!

This morning’s surprise was a nice 10″ squid on deck. It was on the high side, so must have jumped six feet to get aboard. Despite having an eye as big and sad as Bambi, it was fried up in butter and delicious.

According to the GRIB files and Commanders, this should be the worst of it, with the wind clocking around to the North, West and then South, all at 20 to 35. We should have a pretty good ride in. Did I mention moderate rain also? You can’t tell if the water on your face is salt of fresh until you taste it. A real foul weather gear test. Fortunately, we are all pretty well suited for the conditions.

All is well.

Commanders’ Weather Corporation
Friday, 08.18.2006

Route: Salvador, Brazil to Cape Town, SA

Departed: approx. 1200utc, Tue, Aug 1, 2006

Position: 32 52s/04 04e at 1200utc Fri, August 18

Prepared: 1530utc Fri, August 17, 2006

Summary

Slowly decaying swell the next 24-36 hours with a return to a reasonable sailing wind by tomorrow night

• Progression of gale centers well south of you between 50-60s is causing large SW sea
• Strongest of these is now over at about 35e and swell generated by it should begin to move past you tomorrow
• Swell now estimated 16-20 feet with both SW and WSW components should diminish to 9-12 feet by tomorrow
• Should move up to at least 28s and dissipate
• Cloud and drizzle should move past overnight
• High pressure center to the S near 38s 03e will move eastward along 38s
• You will remain close enough to ridge to keep fairly light wind through tonight
• Wind direction will gradually back into the ESE or E by this eveningand ENE by early tomorrow
• Low pressure developing to the west near your latitude will move to near 34s 01e by 12utc Sat and then to near 34s 10e at 12 utc Sun, weakening near 33s 16e at about 12 utc Mon
• Low redevelops and deepens east of Cape of Good Hope by Tue
• Winds should back to NE Sat afternoon and to NW by Sun morning as low moves by close to your S
• Then shift first to w, then SE as cold front passes and low pushes just to your E
• Based on forecast track of the low, think it important that you avoid more southing until Mon
• This should keep you in some type of westerly wind quadrant wind north of the low through Sun eve on north side of the low
• While if you are south of the low you will have NE shifting to SE as it passes
• Remaining between 32-33s should be adequate for this
• I recognize that being further N late in the period gives you increased distance and poorer wind angle to beat down to Capetown at the end
• Think that heading direct for Capetown later Sun night or early Monwhen winds turn SSE/SE is best compromise
• As next low approaches look for rain or showers and perhaps a period of squally conditions to develop by midday tomorrow with unsettled weather and occasional showers continuing through Monday
• Swell should build again to 10-14 feet on Mon, but from more of a SSW or S direction

Routing

1) Suggest holding between 32-33 until Sun night to avoid headwinds S of low center

2) Then take rhumb line for Cape town on wind shift to SSE/SE Sun night or early Mon at about 13e

3) Project your arrival in CapeTown sometime Tue afternoon depending on how much you are slowed by SE winds at the end

4) Waypoints listed below.

Wind Forecast

Wind directions are TRUE, wind speeds in KTS, and time is UTC

Fri, August 18

18: 110-090/5-12

Weather: Any drizzle ending and clouds thinning

Seas 12-16 feet, confused with SW and WSW swells, slowly subsiding a little

Sat, August 19

00: 100-080/ 8-15

06: 080-060/12-18

12: 070-050/15-20 near 32 40s/07 30e

18: 060-040/16-24

Weather: Thickening clouds early with rain or showers developing midday Seas 9-12 feet, SW swell and increasing wind wave chop

Sun, August 20

00: 030-360/24-32 06: 350-320/18-28

12: 300-280/15-22 near 32 40s/ 11 00e

18: 270-250/12-20 direction uncertain – should be SE-S not far to your south

Weather: Mostly cloudy with showers and chance of a few squalls Seas 8-11 feet but quite rough, SW swell and wind wave chop

Mon, Aug 21

00: becoming 180-160/16-24

12: 160-140/ 14-20 near 33s/ 15e

Weather.Mostly cloudy, still scattered showers

Seas 10-14 ft, SW swell and wind wave chop

Tue, Aug 22

00: 140-160/18-25

12: 140-160/20-30 gust 35 near 34s 18e

WeatherCloudy to partly cloudy, still chance of a shower

Seas 9-13 ft, quite rough with wind wave and S swell

Wed, Aug 23 – CapeTown

00: 140-160/20-30

12: 110-130/18-25

Weather.Partly cloudy, chance of a passing shower