Anybody Seen Harry Brenker

A number of Harry Brenker’s friends in Seattle are wondering where he is and if he’s all right. We haven’t heard from him in a while. We figure he and Rhiannon, a Cascade 37, are somewhere off the west coast of Africa – don’t know which latitude. If anyone has any info, we’d appreciate it. Thanks.

Wendy Joseph
wjoseph@cmc.net

Jobson Finds Post AC Disturbing

Gary and I exchanged emails on events after the America’s Cup and he says it’s okay to share them with our readers. As far as the racing goes, summaries are on his website jobsonsailing.com. Below are his thoughts, in a nutshell, about the legal circus after Alinghi won the cup. At least one thing has been addressed since the letter, with the Cup now slated to take place in Valencia.

I’ve posted on my website a report on each of the seven races of the America’s Cup. Your readers are welcome to visit. The events since the cup have been disturbing. Clearly Ernesto Bertarelli is motivated by greed and control. Ellison’s unwelcome challenge might help the situation. My view is the following:

• 1. The event should take place in Valencia in 2010.
• 2. Only nationals should sail on the boats.
• 3. A new boat should be developed for the 34th Cup but in fairness the current ACC boats should be used one more time.
• 4. The challengers should have their own regatta to select the ultimate challenger. Alinghi should not be involved in the process or be able to sail in the event.

A Plea to Big Powerboats

As a general rule most of us enjoy our boats and take good care of them, considering our choice of power or sail which fits best our particular lifestyle and cruising style. Often that choice expresses our personalities and it carries over into the way we express ourselves on the water. It is interesting that we cannot buy and drive a $50 car without a license to drive it, but can purchase a multimillion dollar boat and drive it around without so much as a course in skills, rules or manners. No license required. I am afraid it often shows on the water, as many seem to be unaware of the “rules of the road” when it comes to the “rights of way” among pleasurecraft. Last time I read it, sailboats, under sail have right of way over pleasure motor craft. Maybe I am wrong, as I do not seem to see that in practice on the waters of the Puget Sound as frequently as the rules should dictate.

Being a sailboat on the waters of the Puget Sound is often a trial of our faith in our fellow men, as our friends in power boats seem to actually go out of their way to go in front of us when we’re under sail for some unexplained reason, letting us eat their wake and bounce the wind out of our sails, sometimes losing the fill of a spinnaker or gennaker or even our hardier sails. The rules of the road would tell us that we have the right of way and manners would dictate that they could go behind us and their wake thus bounce us less. We often can sit there and describe their course as the arc of their path swings out in front of us when a similar arc could as well be described behind us with no loss of speed, direction or incurred danger of shallow water. We scratch our heads and wonder at their choice and swallow a few choice words. Do they intend to do that to us or are they just stupid?

This came vividly to mind on our recent trip to the San Juan Islands this summer which was the nicest in recent memory in that we were actually able to sail every day between the islands owing to favorable wind. We usually had to beat to weather and sometimes in light air, but could actually sail, when in many years in August we would find ourselves motoring for want of any wind. Case in point, we had left Friday Harbor on Sunday the 5th of August and were sailing to weather in light wind up San Juan Channel on our way to Prevost Harbor on Stuart Island. The wind was light and variable with puffs on the water and the current was with us, fortunately. We encountered two incidents that reminded us that some people may either not know or not care about the rules of right of way. We were approaching the west side of the channel and were running out of space and wind and needed to tack and a power boat was coming south as we were going north. They happily slowed down as though they were considering our need as we tacked. We, of course, were pleased and we made our turn to the east and proceeded to the north only to be surprised by what happened next. The power boat turned upon us, powered up and proceeded right in front of us putting up a very large wake, tossing us about in the light air. Now, we are not a small sailboat, as we displace 28,000 pounds and are 43 feet long overall. With an air- draft of 64 and a half feet, I am sure that this power boat of about equal length had no difficulty seeing us. We, as well as our sails, were a bit deflated. It seemed to be nothing less than intentional. Unfortunately we did not catch the name of this pleasant craft.

But that was not to be the last of that day’s rudeness. Just a little further up the channel we encountered another power boat of about the same length who made a long arc to go right in front of us, again while working our way up north in the same channel under sail in the same light air. Again a heavy wake was cast up and again we bounced fiercely, this time flexing the mast enough to cause my spinnaker halyard which stores on a small rail in front of the mast to pull my radar reflector off my mast 60 feet above and cause it to crash to the deck and bounce into the water. As the other boat motored by with Cheshire-cat grins, we struggled to douse our sails and do our man overboard maneuvers for our downed radar reflector now floating helplessly away. I was more worried about keeping an eye on my radar reflector than catching the name of my rude encounter. We recovered the reflector only to find it destroyed. That little incident set me back a bit, as the unit is about $250 to replace.

Our faith in our fellow boaters was restored a bit on Wednesday the 8th of August when again on a beat southward down East Sound, leaving Rosario, we and another smaller sailboat under sail encountered a power boat out of Annacortes that not only slowed down, but made an effort to go behind us, making an S curve between us as she went behind the other boat as well. We threw them kisses. They threw us no wake.

It is not only polite to follow the rules of the road, it is the safe way to travel on the water. Perhaps those who drive power boats are in such a rush to arrive at their destination that they can only go in front of everything they see. Perhaps that is the mentality of the society. I do not know, as I have never been in that circle. I do know speed, as I have driven very fast cars in the right places, but prefer to go elegantly on the water. Perhaps they have never been in our position under sail and do not know what their wakes do to us and our boats. I have only had this particular sailboat four years, but the only time she has ever “porpoised” was in a wake. Still, if a power boat is already going twice to three times the speed of the sailboat they are overtaking and making the effort to pass in front, and the course over the water is still an arc. Would it not be just as fast to the destination, since speed to the port seems to be the goal, not the elegance of travel nor the politeness of its execution, to go behind your slower more contemplative friends on the water who enjoy the trip, not just the destination?

I make a plea to my friends in those big powerful fast boats to consider your slower, cruising sailing friends and think a bit, that maybe it will not add to your journey to go behind us instead of going out of your way to go in front. We do not cast a wake for you, but you certainly do for us.

Stephen Done
Liahona
Bainbridge Island
Halberg-Rassy 43

I don’t think there’s a sailboater on the water that hasn’t shared experiences like yours or echoed your sentiments. What seems to be the common element lacking in these people’s education is that they’re oblivious to what’s behind them. They don’t realize the havoc they’re causing and merrily wave as you “porpoise”, thinking they’ve given you great fun. After all, it’s only water. To them it doesn’t exist, to us it’s a small earthquake.

Of course there’s now going to be mandatory boater’s education, but I doubt if that will do anything. After all, they’re not impeding your progress, they’re just making it more uncomfortable. In talking with many nice folks with large powerboats who we’ve met, it seems their actions aren’t unintentional, just ignorant. They didn’t realize what they were doing or that they were legally responsible for damage done by their wake. Yes, I do believe waht everybody tells me. Of course, the law is on the books but doesn’t seem to make much difference. Basically, we’re right back to; you can’t legislate common sense or courtesy.

Comox Valley Yacht Club Raises Money for B.C. Children’s Hospital


The Comox Bay Marina, owned by Comox Bay Investments Ltd. as of October 2005, has selected the British Columbia Children’s Hospital as the main charity that it would like to support. This cheque represents in part the money donated by the crews of boats participating in the Cadillac Van Isle 360 race which occurred in June of this year. Twenty seven boats out of the 42 race entrants were berthed in the Comox Bay Marina at no charge in the few transient spaces available and in spaces where resident boats were absent with owners donating the sublease credits. The other part of the cheque is a cash donation by the CVYC.

The Comox Valley Yacht Club through its Van Isle committee, looked after arrangements for the race boats, after they were guided in by small boats of the Canadian Forces Yacht Club to the marinas, and then hosted the evening award presentation events in what was a marine community effort.

At left in the photo and receiving the cheque is Jessica Doll, Philanthropist Coordinator of the B.C. Children’s Hospital Foundation. In the center is Tony Brett, chair of the Van Isle Committee of the Comox Bay Yacht Club, sponsor of the boats of the Cadillac Van Isle 360 race. At right is Trudy Atwood, Assistant Marina Manager, Comox Bay Marina.

Dave Young