The boat in the above beautiful photo is Steve Earley’s SPARTINA. People often tell him that she is a pretty boat, which she is. They then often ask him if she is a Drascombe, which she isn’t. One man insisted that Steve didn’t know that SPARTINA, a boat that Steve built himself, really is a Drascombe. Could he have unknowingly followed the wrong plans? There are similarities, both are yawl-rigged open boats of about the same size and lines, but SPARTINA is a John Welsford designed Pathfinder.
Steve can print this out and carry it in his wallet: I know Drascombes and SPARTINA is not one.—-Webb Chiles.
Steve took the photo. I thank him for permission to use it.
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During the fifty-five day passage from Darwin to Durban, my fingernails split. One on my left hand was split most of the way across, and by the time I reached Durban two on my right hand were, too. The splits weren’t deep and weren’t painful, but they caught on things and were a nuisance. Since returning to Evanston, all have reformed and grown out normally.
I have since wondered about my diet and so did some research. While vitamin or iron deficiency can be a cause, I take a vitamin and mineral pill every day. Vitamins can lose potency over time and I don’t know how long those on GANNET have been on board.
But further research found the following: “Basically brittle nails can be divided into dry and brittle (too little moisture) and wet and brittle (too much moisture).
The usual cause is repeated wetting and drying of the nails.”
I will take a new bottle of vitamins back to GANNET with me, but case solved.
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I have already bought most of the stuff I want to take to GANNET. It is so easy here to go online, find what I want, and with a few clicks have it delivered into my hands in a couple of days.
The stuff already in a duffle bag in a back closet includes a saw, electric wire stripper/crimp tool, vise grips, Dremel cutting discs, a continuous line for the Profurl Spinex, a Yellowbrick mount, two winch handles, a sheet bag, bow running lights, battery operated fans, a forward hatch hinge, spray hood cleats, SolarBoost controller, Icom VHF radio bracket, rechargeable batteries, Luminaid lights, headlamp, Garmin Quatix 3 watch.
Most of these are replacements for things damaged or lost during this year’s sailing. The SolarBoost model has changed from 2000e to 3000i, but appears to be the same size.
One thing I have not bought is a replacement Torqeedo battery because they can’t be carried on airplanes, even in checked baggage. I did learn that Torqeedo has come out with a second battery for the Travel 1003. This one has 915 watt hours, lists for $999 but can be found online for $875. The standard battery has 533 watt hours and can be purchased for $612.
A couple of lengths of surgical tubing to be used in sheet to tiller steering and a replacement battery cover for the Velocitek ProStart are to be delivered this week.
I already have a five month supply of freeze dry meals on GANNET, but will take some back with me to provide variety.
I am awaiting the outcome of the analysis of my Pelagic unit before deciding how many more RayMarines to buy.
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Go Cubs!
