Baja and pop rivits

JPMteach26@aol.com
Sat, 2 Jan 1999 22:33:50 EST


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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Hi Folks,

I just got back from 6 days in Baja. My buddy, my P15, and I drove down from
Thousand Oaks CA to Bahia de Los Angeles - about 615 miles. The first 200 in
the US and the rest on Baja's Paninsular Highway 1.

The drive is an adventure in itself but as for the boating: There are several
islands located in an 8 mile (north/south) by 4 mile (east/west) area. The
nearest islands are about 2 miles off the mainland and the farthest about 4
miles off. (This is not including the huge island of La Guardia about 10-15
miles out and 40 miles long.) The islands are of the dessert environment and
all needs must be boated in. It is a beautiful and adventuresome place to
sail. (Kayaking is very popular there.) There are many spots to anchor or
beach.

The "normal" day (for this time of year) is winds picking up by 10-11ish and
steadily and quickly rising to 15-20 knots with higher gusts. The fetch is
rather short for this area so waves are only about 2-3 feet but are generally
white capped by 1-2 pm. There is no swell. The wind weakens about 3pm and is
down to 5ish mph by sundown (5pm). The prevailing winds are from the NE-NW
and the harbor is near the southwestern end of this area. The nights are
typically light breezes and cool - Days are around 70-80ish. Unfortunatly,
the area is subject to occasional clear-sky high winds for days on end. Two
weeks before our trip the report of the locals was for 20-30 MPH winds day and
night for a week.

First Day:
We beat up into the eye of the wind for three hours and made a total of three
miles. Back and forth we made a bit more but I havent the heart to look at
the map to see just how far we had to travel to go the three miles net up
wind. I used my compass, mounted on the hatch with velcrow - a compromise I
like very much, to see that we traveled through about 105 degrees per tack.
Yuck, that is about 53 degrees instead of a nice theoretical 45 degrees off
the wind! Our first anchorage was in a very nice natural harbor on Isla
Ventana. We motored in after sundown but still light outside. There were
about 8 kayaks already on the beach so we didnt get the prime spot. I use an
inflatable kayak as a dingy. Works well and stows well when not in use. It
also tows up close the the boat under sail very nicely. Unfortunatly the only
real problem is that fish, when pulled in on a line pop it! Anchoring was
interesting as I have never really done it before. I need practice! In the
morning we fiddled around with exploring the now vacant island - kayakers dont
like wind and they have to get up early, while we got to sleep in. :)

Day Two:
We left about 11am and sailed for about an hour into the eye of the wind
again. We were trying for Isla Coronado (or Smith Island - NOT a translation)
to spend a couple of care-free days and then glide home on that beautiful
breeze from the north. Unfortunatley while on a starbard tack, about 1/8 mile
upwind of Isla Flecha, the starbard pop rivits on the mast, where the stay
attaches, sheared off. The whole rig went over the port side and sank down as
far as the head stay and port stay would allow. It happened without warning
and in less than an instant. I was at the helm and did not see it happen as I
was looking aft at the time. My first thought was to get it all aboard as
quick as possible before we drifted down on Flecha. It was a beast to handle
when in a rush. My two horse evinrude (1981 and still kicking) was to drive
us clear and and back to La Ventana. However, a passing panga saw it happen
and came to tow us back the four miles to the harbor we originally started at
the previous day. It still took us ten minutes to get the rig inboard. I was
fully prepared to send it all to the bottom if we drifted too close to La
Flecha.

Hindsight:
The boat was very full with the two of us and our gear for 4-5 days. I was
telling Doug that we would reef the main after the next tack. Well, as the
saying goes, "If you think it, it is time." I should not have waited. It
would not have happened if I had reefed "early and often." However, the extra
weight in the boat, the strong winds and the weak rivits really did me in. If
you live, you learn. Next time I will reef and remember that extra weight
causes more force on the rig as the boat heals compared to day-sail weight.
By the same token, the pop rivits would eventually have given out. As it is,
I was lucky. I also should have been wearing my life vest - how many times
have you heard that? It was such a nice day, I never even thought about it.

I cant wait till next time. A fun trip. Oh, for the next day and a half we
sat on the beach catching fish, clams, beach combing, saw a live sea horse,
talking to locals, and reading. I was disapointed we didnt make our goal of
Isla Coronada though.

John McCarter P15 #1278

PS - what is a good way to secure the head stay eye strap to the mast instead
of using pop rivits? You cant very well through bolt that one. Any ideas?