A new forum for Tahiti Ketch owners, and aficionados (or simply the
curious) is underway at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/tahiti_ketch/
This group’s intent is to share information, ideas, and voyaging
stories to all the admirers of John Hanna’s Tahiti Ketch.   Owners
interested in restoring or maintaining and improving their vessels are
especially welcomed to share techniques and ideas that worked or words
of encouragement.

I am in the process of restoring my Tahiti Ketch TOREA for a passage to
Tahiti in 2006.  Like others, I would welcome the help and inspiration
a group provides.  Since I work at a maritime museum I am also
interested in building an archive on this remarkable little vessel, her
many incarnations, and well as voyages around the world.

"Poke her nose to the mornin’ sun,
On a tide that’s ebbin, speedy-
Start her sheets to the breeze fresh run,
On a slant for old Tahiti."
–JGH

Hi Folks!

I have successfully removed the cleanout ports (3)
from my port fuel tank. Quite a mess in there!
When I put them back in, does anyone have any advice
on what sealant to use? They are submerged in fuel
most of the time.

Thanks!
Doug

I am in the enviable position of having to choose between these two
boats. Both are heavy cruisers, full-keel, and nice.  The W32 needs more
work done, mast repaint and teak deck redone, new engine and more
work on the inside of the boat.  The Union Polaris looks great topsides
but needs a new engine also.

What would you do?  

I’ve posted some pictures from our cruise to the Florida Keys last
weekend for those who might be interested.

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/hoonosehoo2003/album?.dir=75c3

Our itinerary was Cape Coral to Marco Island; Marco Island to Key
West; New Years day in Key West; Key West to Boot Key Harbor at
Marathon via Hawk Channel; Marathon to Marco via Moser Channel, Red
Bay Bank and Florida Bay; and Marco back to Cape Coral with a side
trip into Gordon Pass and the harbor at Naples.

The trip was relatively uneventful but we did have a few days of very
brisk easterly winds in the 20 to 25 knot range.  Seas in Florida Bay
were in the 2 to 3 foot range on the trip south, calm on the way back.
Seas in Hawk Channel were a solid 3 feet on the day after New Years
when 5 to 8 feet was being reported outside the reef.  There were few
boats under 45 feet out that day.

We found plenty of well sheltered anchor room west of Flemming Key in
Key West but Boot Key Harbor was definitely on the tight side,
especially for a 49 foot boat.  There are several good marinas on the
way into Boot Key that looked like they may have had space.  At Marco
we anchored behind Coconut Island both coming and going.  The charts
for Coconut Island are not entirely accurate and it is important to
enter that anchorage from the shore side, well past the Manatee signs.

I’m afraid I seriously limited my winch size option when I installed the
welded winch pad on my mast.

I used the assumption that a #16ST Lewmar would be adequate. What I didn’t
realize was this winch wasn’t available in 2 spd. The power ratio of this
winch is 15:8.1..

I’m not sure what I really need but I do know that I have trouble sweating
up the last 10 ft of sail with this single speed winch. (not to mention that
it cranks backwards (counter clockwise) in it’s single gearing.)

I’m ready to upgrade to a larger winch size so I can have 2 speeds but the
winch pad on the mast will only except something around 3 3/4" to (at most)
4 1/4" base dia.

Welding a new pad on the mast is not practical, at this time, due to
internal wiring and halyards. And I can’t locate a bolt on pad that fits my
mast contour.

Any ideas??

Comments and thoughts would be appreciated.

Steve
s/v Good Intentions

I want to get some sort of portable fuel [diesel] tank for daily/weekend
use rather than only having the built-in tank [for voyaging] so that I
can avoid fuel contamination problems due to condensation, etc..

What tank do you recommend and what setup regarding connecting the day
tank to the engine for easy quick connect/disconnect ?

Gratefully,
Courtney
—
s/v Mutiny
Rhodes Bounty II
lying Oriental, NC
WDB5619

I’ve put a map and elevation diagram of the Erie Canal on my web site.
Anyone planning a trip might like to take a look:

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/CanalMap.htm

–

Roger Long

Hey all ,

Gam is looking to post comments in March issue, looks to be an exciting
issue of Gam, so here is the thing, you’ve prob been to our site and know
what type of battle this is, a long one…at times it seems like were doing
it alone, yes we get the odd email saying good for you, go get’em type
thing, but here is your chance, to be heard, to let others know what you
think of the HPA, we need to create a larger voice if change is to come, I
like to think that as a Canadian I can make a difference.

So please throw in your two cents and send Gam an email, let them know if
you support this issue, or for that matter if you don’t but its your chance
to be heard!!

Gam is looking to put input from readers into March magazine issue, Please
if you would like to add to the issue forward an email to Karen Larson at
ka…@passport.ca

thanks Randy

www.yachtware.net

Made it as far as Cedar Key, FL from St. Marks before we got fogged in.
Cedar Key is on the gulf coast where the coast starts to bend from
northward to westward trending.  Fell in love with Cedar Key so much
that I have decided to keep "Ragtime" there for a couple of weeks.
I’ll try to put all the details in a blog that I will start but
basically, no problems with Steinhatchee, FL, good marinas.  Cedar Key
is a great place with very limited facilities for sailboats (limited
means essentially none) but I made do.  However, it seems to be a great
place.  Sort of like Key West must have been 50 yrs ago without going
all the way to the Fl Keys.
Somebody in another thread was discussing cell phone range.  He was
discussing range in CA where they manage to put the towers on tall
hills.  Here in FL, we are lucky to have reception on many places on
land, forget any distance at sea.  NO reception in Steinhatchee but OK
reception in Cedar Key.
If you want great kayaking ( I dont kayak but am told it is superb), a
relaxed island atmosphere, good weather in winter, and rustic old FL
architecture, Cedar Key is the place.  People are great too which
really makes it worthwhile.  Even my 14 yr old son was impressed.

I had a long time to ponder this during eight hours of driving out to the in-laws and back for New Year’s. The need for an outboard on the short trips this boat will make is driven almost entirely by the weight and drag of wheels and suspension capable of operating at driving speeds.

For reasons of:

Aesthetics

Cost

Ecology

Teaching kids seamanship

Aggravation (not dealing with a balky "bargain" outboard)

Storage

Maintenance (frequent water pump impeller replacement operating over sand)

Peace

I would prefer to row the short distance back and forth to the boat, just as long as I don’t have to do it a half dozen times at the beginning and end of each trip.

Getting a boat on and off a trailer is primarily a problem if it is done in the water on this shallow beach. The wheels on the boat will be a big help at the water’s edge of this kind of beach, however. The answer is a boat with beach wheels only. These won’t need springs and will operate only at low speed so they can be light and minimum drag. No springs or axle needed. A rowing boat, even large enough to take a daysailing party, will be light enough to drag up and down the beach on its wheels. With a winch, it can quickly be gotten on and off of a light, snowmobile type, trailer.

I’ll have a sketch of this idea on the web site soon.

http://home.maine.rr.com/rlma/Tender.htm

Thanks to everyone who responded to the original posts.  The comments (mostly negative) really contributed to giving this some more thought.

–

Roger Long