Throwback Thursday. "Frank Dye Crosses The Norwegian Sea In Wayfarer Dinghy"

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZ9Qh9hv8eQ]

The film above documents Frank Dye's second major sea passage, a Norwegian Sea crossing from Scotland to Aalesund, Norway, Dye and his crew, Bill Brockbank, narrowly survived four capsizes and a broken mast during a Force 9 storm. In Ocean–Crossing Wayfarer (1977), written with his wife Margaret, Dye recalled the scene: "It was impossible to look into the wind. It was screaming and the tops of the waves were blown completely away, feeling like hail. Within our limited vision the whole sea seemed to be smoking. Just to see such seas break away on the beam was frightening – 25ft of solid water, with another 12ft of overhanging crest above it. It was only a matter of time before we got one aboard."

When the inevitable happened, both men hauled on the warps, frantically trying to pull Wanderer through the crest: "She rose gallantly, but it was an impossible position: she seemed to be rising at 60 degrees and there was still a 15ft crest curling above us. Down it came and we were driven bodily under. With ears roaring under immense pressure, and swallowing water, I fought back to the surface, only to find Wanderer was lying bottom up."

After three more capsizes, Dye reflected: "Possibly we were the only people alive to have taken an open dinghy through a Force 9 gale, but we felt no elation, just a reaction of wetness, coldness and extreme tiredness." The pair recovered the mast from the sea, made a jury rig and went on to make landfall in Norway without further incident.

Wayback Wednesday.

Where are we going today Mr. Peabody? Sherman, we are travelling back to 2011 to see for ourselves why it's not a good thing to play chicken with a ship in a channel.

Munchola! 

Ah-oh, mast fall down and go boom.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tUoUxzt9sI]

Fall off, fall off...too late! Nice sail shape.

Former Naval officer and skipper of the Atalanta of Chester, Ronald Wilson and his crew of serving or former Royal Navy personnel managed to collide with the tanker ship, Hanne Knutsen. The yacht's highly experienced crew - which consisted of serving and retired Royal Navy officers - had failed to correctly anticipate the tanker's movements. Do tell! A big red ship, balsting it's horn and sailing up a narrow channel, damn near impossible to tell where it's going.

Hubris is not a good thing.

Sailing Photo Of The Day.

Photo of Team Hafren sailing their Wayfarer dinghy with Peel Castle in the background.

Photo by Charlene Howard.

Team Hafren is made up of two sailors, Phillip Kirk and Jeremy Warren, from Thornbury Sailing Club in Gloucestershire, UK. The team set sail on Saturday May 31st with the aim to sail an open boat around mainland Britain in record time. The current best is 76 days and the target is 60 days. They intend to demonstrate self-sufficiency and good seamanship, and in the spirit of sailing adventurer Frank Dye (1928-2010), reaffirm that a Wayfarer dinghy can undertake extended offshore passages safely. Phil and Jeremy seek to foster good will between sailing clubs and leave a trail of TSC pennants in clubhouses around Britain.

The direct distance is 1500 miles and the plan is for approximately ten hops of 200 miles. Each “hop” is three days, with two nights spent at sea. Going clockwise from Weymouth, up the Irish Sea, west of the Isle of Man, they’ll drop into Northern Ireland (mission accomplished) then off up the west coast of Scotland (they're currently sailing in the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland). This will take in the formidable headlands of Cape Wrath and Duncansby Head, sandbanks of the Thames Estuary, and the familiar headlands of the south coast.

To learn more about the challenge and to follow Team Hafren's progress go to their website or facebook page.

What Did You Do This Past Weekend?

Go sailing or swimming?
I do see sails ..... in the water, Baydog. But, I wouldn't call it sailing. Chesapeake defined!

What Are You Doing This Weekend?

Maybe sailing?
Who said finding people to go sailing with was difficult? Mind you, I don't consider sitting on a plank (log?) acting like ballast, sailing.

The Master!

Max, Dr Who's arch enemy does sail a Laser and he bears any uncanny resemblance to the late Roger Delgado.

Tillerman Tuesday.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hmxfgki3Y2g]

Learn how to race against the Master.

Sailing Photo Of The Week.

Outrigger sailing canoes kick it.

Sailing Photo Of The Day. "Old Faithful."

I remember back in the day when "Dear Sir" would rail against my beloved Force 5. Like many Newport tychoons who reach a certain age, he's being tempted by a younger filly. It will be sad to see "the kindly old Grand Dad" sucumumb to the siren song of the youthful vixen. She's a harlot sir, after your money! 

Photo of two Laser 4.7s (Via Shoreline Sailboats) - Semper fidelis!

Sailing Photo / Sailboat Of The Day. "The Aquamuse, From Japan With Love." (Moving Pictures, Too)

Sailing canoes!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSzwBlflKnU]

I'd like to take a spin on one these little fillies.

Light weight!

Throw it on top of your car.
Available in Japan and Germany.

Sailing Photo Of The Day. "Who Will Cry Chicken First?"

Toro, toro, toro!
El toro loco. John Amen sees red, and goes for it!

Sailing Photo Of The Day.

Jim Wagner and crew Jill Moorhouse hang in there during a puff.

Old school sailing from Dave's Way Back Machine.
Courtesy of Bay Dog.

A pride of Penguins piled the waters of Great Kills, Staten Island N.Y. for the Penguin Region II championships, May 6 (1973).

Tillerman Tuesday.

Goodbye, yellow Laser. You've reached the end of the road. It's time to dream about Fiberglass Heaven.

4 Picos are also on their way out. I hate rotomolded boats. Indestructible, my ass!

How Many Dagger Boards Do You Need?

4! I must say, this is a brilliant photo. Keep up the good work!

Via Dutch A-division Catamarans Association.
Hat Tip: David Wells from 101 Surf Sports.

Man Overboard! (Moving Pictures)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPmNo-jo4tg]

How politically incorrect of you, Joe. Shouldn't it be Crew Overboard?
F that! I'm sick of walking on eggshells.

Sorry for the ride around the lake. Now back to our story.
Andrew Taylor was flung overboard while changing a sail on the foredeck of Derry~Londonderry~Doire' during Race 10 of the Clipper Round the World Race. His swim occurred midway between Qingdao, China, and San Francisco. Luckily for Andrew, he was wearing a drysuit and PFD. His recovery from the messy waters of the North Pacific was no mean feat. Poor Andrew spent about an hour and a half in the water. He was quite happy to be pulled back aboard to the safety of the boat. His skipper said, "...whilst clearly shocked, he is quite happy to be alive I think!" Ya think!

Yes boys and girls, the sea is not for the faint of heart. To quote the Swiss Boy Scout handbook, "Allzeit bereit!"

Sources: Lectronic Latitude Lasso | Derry~Londonderry~Doire Clipper's Facebook Page

Latitude 38 Está Aqui!

Read it here or...

Click the pic to download.
Thanks, Craig!

Breaking News: Famed Circumnavigator of Oahu To Sail Across The Pacific In A Laser.

For the first time ever, a hybridized Laser sailboat has been admitted to the 2014 Pacific Cup. In a move intended to broaden the financial base of the famous race to Hawaii, the Pac Cup qualifying committee has agreed to admit the famous circumnavigator of Oahu, Mark Denzer and his adapted Laser Sailboat to the San Francisco to Hawaii Yacht Race.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pxb6BRe7Weo]

Also from Hawai'i: In an effort to make the America's Cup a more accessible race, Larry Ellison has decided to ditch multihulls in favor of foiling Lasers. "I want to move away from the image that sailing is for rich guys with tons of money. From this day forward, the America's Cup will now be known as the People's Cup. In keeping with that sentinment we will switch from boats that cost more than the GDP of Togo to Lasers."

Another Light Passes From The World. RIP Hobie Alter! (Moving Pictures)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU3fickcDAI]

Surfer!

Inventor!

Sailor!

The Grand Master of Water, Wind and Waves, has passed away. Aloha `oe, aloha `oe!

Hobart "Hobie" Alter, born October 31, 1933, was a surfer, sailor and inventor. He was the man behind the development of the foam-and-fiberglass surfboard, creator of the Hobie Cat, and founder of the Hobie company. The company that he founded remains one of the top-selling surfboard brands of all time. Hobie was also the creator of the Hobie 33 ultralight-displacement sailboat and a mass-produced radio-controlled glider, the Hobie Hawk.

Ha`aheo ka ua i nâ pali
Ke nihi a`ela i ka nahele
E hahai (uhai) ana paha i ka liko
Pua `âhihi lehua o uka

Hui: 
Aloha `oe, aloha `oe
E ke onaona noho i ka lipo
One fond embrace,
A ho`i a`e au
Until we meet again

`O ka hali`a aloha i hiki mai
Ke hone a`e nei i
Ku`u manawa
`O `oe nô ka`u ipo aloha
A loko e hana nei

Maopopo ku`u `ike i ka nani
Nâ pua rose o Maunawili
I laila hia`ia nâ manu
Miki`ala i ka nani o ka lipok

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wP-4ZV8sv0]

Throwback Thursday.

Where have we ended up today, Mr. Peabody? The Encinal Yacht Club in Alameda, Sherman. The sailors of this era were very confident of their skills. Notice the two in the canoe, they appear out for a day of picnicking. Nary a worry of getting wet.

You know Sherman, I get mighty parched after bouncing around the space-time thingy. So I need an adult refreshment, I hope they know how to make a Manhattan.

The WaterTribe. Expedition-Style Adventure Racing In Small Boats. (Moving Pictures)

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6tLgJX9niM]

“The purpose of WaterTribe is to encourage the development of boats, equipment, skills and human athletic performance for safe and efficient coastal cruising using minimal impact human and wind powered watercraft based on sea kayaks, canoes, and small sailboats.” ~ Chief, February 2000