[C38] ugly tow

Don Strong drstrong at ucdavis.edu
Mon Mar 18 17:47:43 EDT 2013


Chuck:
Gawd, I'm glad not have have missed the sleep 12 years ago to which that 
the tug operator could have subjected me. I don't think he realized the 
shallowness the area between the 90 deg. legs of the fairway. He did 
remove a big patch of bottom paint (but the cleat held!). What a way to 
introduce my family to the new boat!
I love you guys!
Don

On 3/18/13 2:30 PM, Charles Finn wrote:
> I think what you are experiencing is physics!  Your boat was being 
> pulled faster than hull speed and was creating a wave longer than the 
> boat.  The tow was in essence pulling your boat up the front of the 
> wave and your stern was finding out what being in the bottom of the 
> wave means (sort of self pooping).  Just a little faster and you would 
> founder!
>
> Regarding the tow...  Didn't they have you secure a line from your bow 
> cleat to the mast?  If not.... wow!  Because if anything gave way, you 
> would certainly have broached and maybe worse.  I learned this while 
> studying for the USCG Towing Certificate.
>
> Just something to think about when you can't sleep anyway!
>
> Chuck Finn
> Mighty Quinn  #114
> Great Lakes
>
> On 3/18/2013 3:14 PM, Larry Malmberg wrote:
>> The only thing I can think of is the bow shape caused it to rise 
>> under tow
>> and pushed the stern down.  The water was boiling at the stern and just
>> about to come over.  BTW If you don't have Vessel Assist Unlimited 
>> Towing I
>> strongly suggest it, the cost would have been over 7K for that tow.
>>
>>
>>
>> Larry Malmberg Team Hassle
>> Telephone:  909-208-1847
>> Fascimiline: 909-991-7568
>> E Mail:  larrypi at roadrunner.com
>>
>> Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving 
>> safely in
>> a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in roadside, 
>> thoroughly
>> used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming; "WOW-- What a Ride!"
>>
>>
>>   -----Original Message-----
>> From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
>> [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Don Strong
>> Sent: Monday, March 18, 2013 10:51 AM
>> To: Catalina 38 Listserve
>> Subject: Re: [C38] bow up, stern down
>>
>> Larry:
>>      That story about the long,rough tow is fascinating and reassuring
>> about our aging beauties.
>> I'm especially interested in hearing that the tow sucked the stern down.
>> I was warned about this
>> before purchasing our C38 by one of those super knowledgeable dudes (aka
>> windbags),
>> but have never experienced it under sail.
>>       Stern up is what we experienced on a hugely cool sail under asym
>> spinnaker last week. We finally have
>> our top down furler working; it is wonderful!!! The spinny pulls the
>> stern up markedly on most points of sail.
>> More wind, more bow down. Even when we were pushing 9 knts in a perfect
>> 15knt wind at ca 135 degrees,
>> the stern was up. Of course, stern up is a problem when the dumb sheet
>> man (moi) lets the wind overpower the boat;
>> rudder out of the water, no can steer, yikes! Let that sheet go!
>> D
>>
>> On 3/18/13 10:33 AM, Larry Malmberg wrote:
>>> Right you are Don, we were towed from Ensenada Mexico to Long Beach CA
>> when
>>> our transmission went out, used the bow cleat all the way and no 
>>> problems
>>> what so ever.  Vessel Assist went about 8 knots, the bow was up high 
>>> and
>> the
>>> stern low.  I kept waiting for water to rush in over the stern, never
>>> happened though.  LOL
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Larry Malmberg Team Hassle
>>> Telephone:  909-208-1847
>>> Fascimiline: 909-991-7568
>>> E Mail:  larrypi at roadrunner.com
>>>
>>> Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving 
>>> safely
>> in
>>> a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in roadside,
>> thoroughly
>>> used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming; "WOW-- What a Ride!"
>>>
>>>
>>>    -----Original Message-----
>>> From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org
>>> [mailto:listserve-bounces at catalina38.org] On Behalf Of Don Strong
>>> Sent: Monday, March 18, 2013 10:29 AM
>>> To: hlhowell at pacbell.net; Catalina 38 Listserve
>>> Subject: Re: [C38] What is the issue with C38 bow cleats?
>>>
>>> Dear Friends:
>>>     I have lost the thread on this post. Please remind me of it. I will
>>> comment, however, that our C38 central bow cleat is beafy. As 
>>> evidence I
>>> over the experience that I, Mr Moron, had as we motored on to a mudbank
>>> on the way out of the harbor on our first day of ownership of Discreet
>>> Charm. (I will spare you the family's comments on the seamanship of the
>>> coxswain).
>>>
>>> The tug that was dredging our marina took pity, and his crewed rowed a
>>> huge line over to us. It was of such a diameter than the cleat was too
>>> small to take a trun. I had to use a smaller line to fasten that
>>> massive, greasy, muddy thing to the bow cleat cleat.. The Tug then
>>> dragged us across 10 meters of 4 ft deep mud while we heeled to port
>>> like mad. Back in the channel, I released the line. Checking the bolts
>>> and cleats some 12 years later, no problem.
>>> Don
>>> C38 Discreet Charm
>>> Emery Cove, San Francisco Bay
>>>
>>> On 3/18/13 10:04 AM, les wrote:
>>>> Hi, Ray,
>>>>     I am reposting your question here to keep the context.
>>>> On Sun, 2013-03-17 at 19:45 -0700, Ray Torok wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Thanks for getting back to me on this.  Here's another idea I'm 
>>>>> toying
>>>>> with.  Perhaps you considered it.   Suppose I drill and tap the toe
>>>>> rail for the outboard bolts of the cleat?  I would have to shim under
>>>>> the inboard part of the cleat, but it would get the cleat farther
>>>>> outboard.  Any reaction?
>>>>>
>>>> I don't think this is a good idea.  If the cleat should fail in bad
>>>> conditions, you would not only lose the cleat, but possibly the 
>>>> toerail
>>>> section and along with that a portion of the deck seal to the hull.  A
>>>> really bad situation would escalate immediately to an extremely
>>>> dangerous one.  Others may know the construction well enough that they
>>>> could advise otherwise, but this is my gut feeling.  When it comes to
>>>> the ocean, keeping the water out is my paramount effort in any
>>>> emergency.
>>>>
>>>> Regards,
>>>> Les H
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>>
>>
>
>
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-- 
Donald R. Strong
Professor,
Department of Evolution and Ecology
and
The Bodega Marine Laboratory,
University of California, Davis,
Davis CA
95616
530 752 7886





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