#12 January 1998

 Welcome 1998!

 Riddle: What is the most common day for starting a diet?

 A) Tomorrow!... sure I will!

 Riddle: What is the most common time for "cutting the dock lines" (going
 cruising)?

 A) Next year!... sure we will! we really will!!

Gale and I have plans to cut the dock lines in May for some extended cruising.  NO NEWS will be our home for at least 3 months, maybe 9 months and maybe more. I  know you can appreciate the lure of the sea. We will depart from Chicago, travel  the Erie Canal to the Hudson River and then to salt water and the great beyond.

What about the Newsline? That is what we want to ask you. We feel that it is not  prudent for us to continue, and there are so many of you with talent along this
line. Please let us know if you are willing to assume the Newsline tiller.

We currently have 104 names of owners, co-owners and others on our mailing list.  The monetary donation theory has worked well, but with the change of helm, this might be the time to institute an annual fee. Do you cut off those owners who don't anti up?

The material for each newsline is easy to come by, due to the enthusiastic  response, stories and ideas from owners. Our problem is cutting the material to  fit the format.

We’ve really enjoyed gathering the communications between Nor’Sea sailors. Its  been a blessing to see the numbers grow and the friendships that have been
 formed. Now it is our turn to test the water. We can’t wait to get out there and  send back our trip log.

 Please offer your willingness to carry on a most useful interchange of ideas. We  will be very happy to give you an help or ideas we can as we plan to have a new
 Laptop on board. Give us a call or E-Mail to discuss the opportunity. This is  your chance!

 News from Silicon Valley: As of January 12, 1998, Captain Gary Campbell will  be retired at age 55 and is going sailing! Wow - it is going to get crowded in
 those anchorages! Good Sailing to both you and Mary.

 Computer News-

 Check out Greg and Jill's new home page at  http://home.att.net/~g-j-delezynski/home.html

 Greg- do you really have a 60 gallon fuel tank?
 
 

 My wife, Barbara and I have spent five winters on the Mexican Pacific; one  around San Carlos, two in the southern half of the sea, one south as far as
 Puerto Vallarta, and last season, 96-97, off shore to the Islas De  Revillagigedos.

 We were novice lake sailors upon arrival at San Carlos for the first time those  many winters ago. All that has been written here and elsewhere about starting at
 San Carlos is spot on.

 The Islas De Revillagigedos are an archipelago of 4 islands SSW of Cabo San  Lucas. See DMA Chart #21017 and #21661. The Closest is Isla San Benedicto
 (famous for the giant mantas) about 220 SSW of Cabo.

 We decided to "go-for-it" and visit Isla Clarion 380 miles SW of Cabo, off chart  #21017, 125 miles west. Our trip out was a fine reach to run interrupted by 36 hours becalmed. We encountered lots of commercial shipping the first 2/3 of the  way. Watch out!!! From super tanker to rusty banana boat, they pay no attention
 to a wee boat like us, and are on you in a flash!

 Isla Clarion is magnificent and well worth the trip. Chart #21661 from 1874 is  all there is, but it's good enough. Bahia Azufre is the only anchorage, but, it  is a fine one. With full protection from the winter northerlies, the only  problem is refracted swells entering from the south. While we were there, in  January '97, the wind was NNW at 10-20 K round the clock.

 We enjoyed unbelievable snorkeling, fishing and land adventures. The seal life  at snorkeling depth is like it must have been in the Sea of Cortez before  plastic boats. These waters are very "sharky", but in-shore, we only encountered  one shark. It was on a very dark afternoon while I was checking the anchor. The
 numerous shadows and forms you see around you inshore are the many sea turtles  that fill the bay.

 The fishing in shore from the dink is ridiculous; you can't keep a luer in the  water. There are uncountable numbers of all the fish you are familiar with from
 the Sea of Cortez. Off shore, less than a mile, you start catching the tuna and  waho. I mean yellow fin to 350# and waho to 100#...be careful!!! This is no
 place for a dink; fish from your big boat.

 On shore adventure start with contacting the Mexican Navy on VHF. Be sure to  visit them when on the island. They are great. They live just up the hill from
 the anchorage in a concrete fort.

 Next is landing...no easy task. Landing is only possible in the NW corner of the  main bay or around the west headland of the bay up into a narrow bay marked
 "Landing Place" on DMS #21661. The main bay spot is open to the afore mentioned  breaking refracted swells; so landing is sometimes possible and sometimes not.  Up in "The Landing Place", a beach of large smooth rocks is present but no  breaking swells. Land at high tide only.

 Shore is definitely worth the effort. Up in the mountains are wild pigs and  sheep, birds everywhere, and a few snakes, too. There's lots more to discover;I  won't spoil it!

 We stayed at Clarion all of January '97; then headed toward the mainland. Due to  time constraints in our schedule, we passed all the other islands on a straight
 551 mile close reach to Puerto Vallarta with the shear stripe in the water the  entire passage. We arrived safely in one hour less than five days --- thanks to  the mother spirit and Lyle Hess.

 As of this writing, 12/10/97, a permit is needed to visit the largest of this  group, Isla Socorro. It is a long and complicated process, done only in Mexico;
 but doable. No permit is needed for Isla Clarion or San Benedicto; there is no  real anchorage on Isla Roca Partida.

 Well, we are off December 20 on a repeat trip to Clarion with a stop at San  Benedicto on the return passage. If you want more info, we'll be back in the states July '98 or put out a call to Barbara, KBORIZ on any of the Mexico  Ham/SSB Nets (although she favors Chubasco, 7.294, 8:30 MST).

 Fail winds and calm seas to all,
 Cpt Stephen Campbell
 P.O. Box 1001
 Leadville, CO 80461
 719/486-0856
 
 

 On paper it looked like a good idea. The Nor'Sea 27 Carol and I had just bought  was in Anacortes, Washington and the quotes on shipping it back to Milwaukee
 were coming in at around $4,000. Our boat came with a dual axle trailer, so why  not drive it back ourselves? We could buy a truck, drive out, pick it up, tow it
 back, then sell the truck.

 I found our tow vehicle only six miles from home, which was a bright yellow and  orange Chevrolet Suburban with "BANNANAS & ORANGES" painted on each side in huge  letters. It had the big 454 engine we wanted, a factory installed towing  package, four wheel drive, and oversized tires. I liked the row of yellow lights across the top of the cab, although Carol thought they were a little garish. In  short order we had the Suburban checked out mechanically and a Class III hitch
 installed. We were ready to roll.

 It was early December, and we knew we were pushing our luck with the weather.  Our first stop was Montana to pick up the trailer. The couple from whom we had  bought the boat and trailer, lived on a ranch high in the Rockies.

 We left the next morning with the trailer, and took a shortcut through McDonald  Pass. As we worked our way to the top of the pass, I could feel our big engine
 straining while pulling the empty trailer. I gulped at the thought of another  four tons of boat behind us.

 We reached Anacortes that evening and were up early the next morning for the  start of what was to be a very hectic day. We took the trailer to a welder to
 have the last piece of the sway bar welded into place. Then we had CHINOOK  hauled out, battened down for the road trip, and loaded onto the trailer. We had hoped to be on our way by noon, but it was actually five before we got rolling.

 This was it! I climbed into the driver's seat and slowly eased out of the parking lot. I told Carol that this could not be much different from pulling any
 other trailer. It didn't take long to realize that pulling ten thousand pounds down the highway was definitely going to be a different experience.

 We had fifty miles of driving to get to the Interstate. It was beginning to rain, the highway was narrow two-lane, the sun was going down, and traffic was
 thick. My hands were sweating and my mouth was dry, as I tried to keep the big rig on my side of the road and out of the ditch. I could not force myself to go
 faster than forty miles per hour...my foot just wouldn't do it; so the traffic was backing up behind us. I felt sure that as soon as we got to the Interstate,
 things would get better.

 With great relief, we finally eased onto the freeway. The road was wider and now traffic could get around us. However, as we got closer to Seattle, traffic
 became more congested.

 I was starting to feel more comfortable when near-disaster struck. I was in the far right lane, rain was still falling, and we were traveling down a long
 incline, when it began. I later heard it referred to as "sway". I called it "SHEER TERROR!" The effect was that the boat wanted to pass the truck, trying
 first one side then the other. CHINOOK's bow and the stern of Bananas & Oranges were sashaying down the highway and they were giving me the distinct feeling
 that they were about to do a pirouette. Luckily, the rush hour traffic all got out of our way, because it took two lanes to get the big rig under control.

 We eventually crept out of the Seattle area and headed up the Cascade Mountains towards the dreaded Snoquamie Pass. The climb is steep and twisting as it rise
 from near sea level to four thousand feet in less than forty miles. I was confident that once we got through the pass things would get better. Carol's biggest fear was getting part way up the mountain, losing traction, and having to back down. Not me, I was terrified of experiencing another bout of sway.

 As we begin creeping up the mountain, something else began creeping up....the needle on the temperature gauge. We were only going ten miles per hour in our
 lowest gear, but the engine was working hard. I had heard enough horror stories about engines overheating and blowing up, so I knew this was critical. My eyes
 were torn between watching the road and watching the inexorable climb of the temperature gauge. Halfway up the mountain it hit red, so we pulled over to let
 her cool down. We waited for half an hour and started off again. Carol was counting down the miles to the pass as I watched the needle start its climb again. Hallelujah! We finally crested the peak. We had been on the road for only four hours, but I was a nervous wreck and physically exhausted. We decided we would take the first exit on the way down and find a motel. What a relief to get out of the driver's seat and into a hot shower. I was exhausted, but I was sure things would get better tomorrow. Little did I know! [To be continued]
 

 Ë Editors - Gale and I loved John's trailering story as it brought back memories of an identical trip for us in 1991, with a few minor changes.

 After our drive out to Washington in our new Suburban, Gale made a trip to the Tacoma AAA office. He wanted a different route back to Illinois that didn't go
 through the mountains! The AAA lady just laughed. "All you midwesterners think you can just go around the mountains. You can't, you have to go over them!"
 

 Ë Cliff Peterson comments - Inspecting MIND’S EYE after trailing home from our 1997 sail to Alaska, I discovered 2 internal transverse supports I had glassed
 in several years ago had ripped/tore loose.

We had hit a stretch of road on the way home that caused the boat to pitch up and down, flexing the hull. This had happened once before which prompted me to
 install the internal stringers under the cabin seats. I never had any problem after that, but after the bow support rusted out down in Mexico I never replaced
 it...dumb me. Now I have to repair/re-glass the stringers back in.

Anyway, I stopped at Pacific Trailers, where we bought the trailer originally 15 years ago, and bought a new bow support- $82 - that I have bolted to the trailer
frame mid-way between the front wheels and the winch support beams. I think this is a necessary item for anyone who trailers the Nor’Sea any distance at all.
Food for thought.

While at Pacific Trailers I talked to the owner, Roger Treichler, and he told me the was still building Nor’Sea trailers for Bob Eeg. Showed me one under
construction. If you ever need to contact them, their phone is 909-902-0094 and/or 909-902-0877 for FAX.
 

 As Gale and I make our plans for May, and condense our belongings, we have decided it is imperative we have a Laptop computer on board. Our search has
 begun. Question 1:Do we go with a marinized computer that will last for years, soon be outdated, but will work? Or

 2. Do we opt for the fastest, biggest Laptop available and plan to upgrade when it drowns itself? Note, it may toss its hard drive just as we are using it to
 navigate the narrow entrance to a harbor on a stormy, windy evening.

 Intel is producing a MOBILE processor - Tellamook - that will reduce the power necessary to run the laptop and generate less heat. We will try to watch for
 that technology. The Lithium-Ion battery will be on the list. The screen recommended is the 12.1 SVGA Active Matrix Color Display. Any of you computer
 wizzards that have information or opinions on any of the choices, please help us.
 

I have head a lot of people scoff at the laws that require holding tanks on pleasure boats and are proud of their cleverness in dodging the law. Don't anchor near me. It's not that difficult to install and operate a responsibly designed marine sanitation system on your boat. It can cause some inconvenience on a NorSea 27 where you don't have the space for a huge tank but that's the price we pay for having a sea going boat that can do a lot of its more difficult windward passages on the Interstate system.

We went through several iterations with the marine head on PROPER MOTION(#19) before We finally hit upon a solution that works very well. Our current head has been installed for over 7 years and has never required repair. It has handled hundreds (if not thousands) of gallons over the years and shows no sign of
 needing major repairs. The size of the Nor'Sea constrains plumbing runs, holding tank size, and the size and model of toilet that will fit in the head
 compartment. The major components of an adequate marine sanitation system are:

 A reliable marine toilet that uses as little sea water as possible for each flush, does not plug, and is easy to repair and maintain.

 A holding tank of adequate capacity for the harbor related activities of the owners.

 A reliable method for emptying the holding tank when outside the legal limit.

 A reliable and convenient method for pumping the tank at dockside pumpout stations

We tried several brands of marine toilet and finally settled on the LeVac toilet, which we bought through Defender Industries for close to $400 7 years ago. The LeVac has "O" ring type seals around both the seat and the lid. When the diaphragm pump is operated it creates a vacuum in the bowl (hence the name LeVac) that sucks sea water in. Waste discharge is handled by a diaphragm type bilge pump that pulls the contents from the bowl and delivers it to the holding tank or, where legal, overboard. The only moving parts are on the down stream side of the system and are in a type of pump that has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and being able to pump debris.

Another feature of the LeVac that should appeal to NorSea owners is the fact that is uses very little water per flush. Since it is the flush water that fills the holding tank, this feature has obvious benefits to those of us with small holding tanks.

The only thing about our LeVac installation that is unusual is in the way the inlet line is vented. I took the lead from an article by Danny Greene that appeared in Practical Sailor in December 1990.

We have an eight gallon polyethylene tank installed in the engine room of our center cockpit boat. It is just aft of the head and sits on a plywood shelf that rests against the hull on the outboard end and on the wood beam of the engine mount on the inboard end. Once all the hoses are attached it can't move around much, so a simple bungee cord has held it in place for several ocean passages. This tank, coupled with the LeVac's small water requirements will let us sit on a mooring at  atalina Island for 3-4 days without having to go to sea to pump the tanks. Our toilet is hooked directly to the tank with no "Y" valve for overboard discharge. Overboard discharge is handled by a Whale Gusher diaphragm pump mounted through the bulkhead between the engine room and the head. When the tank gets full one simply inserts the handle into the Whale pump and empties the tank overboard (when offshore.) The current Whale diaphragm pump had been doing yeoman duty for 7 years and can pump the tank if the batteries are dead.

 Nothing is perfect and someday I may rework our system to eliminate a few shortcomings. I would much rather have additional battery capacity in the engine room behind the head. The weight would be better placed amidships and the wiring runs from the alternator would be short. The holding tank could be placed under the forward bunk and kept empty when one wanted the weight out of the bow during a passage. Another place for the holding tank would be in the locker in the head. I think I'd install direct overboard discharge if I did more ocean passages but our current arrangement guarantees that we wont ever be caught with a"Y" valve in the wrong position.

 I plan to install a Wema holding tank gauge so that we will get a little warning when the tank is getting full. (Next issue will reveal the Wema gauge and its tricks)
 

Frank Hooper KALOLINA #16 writes in June, 1997, that he just installed a new head and holding tank. He went to the Traveler from Sealand, because it put the holding tank under the head, giving them room in the area behind the head for additional battery, macerator, access to the thru hull valve and room for the installation of the pressure water system. Also, the contents of the holding tank can be chlorinated and treated prior to discharge offshore, because the head uses fresh water to flush, not sea water.
 

Your editors, Gale & Nancy, have removed the original recirculating holding tank that was located just aft of the head, under the quarter birth in our aft cockpit, NO NEWS #76. We plan to place the new holding tank in the head, on the shelf, just outboard of the toilet. The water heater that was there had deteriorated and was removed last year.

 We have received very helpful information from Peggy Hall of Peal Products, along with their catalog of holding tanks, replacement parts and holding tank treatment and bilge cleaner etc. Peggy is active on CompuServe 74222,3307, or Internet peghall@worldnet.att.net. Peggy's holding tank treatments are available in West Marine catalog.

 We taped together a box to simulate the size holding tank we thought we could handle and then figured out the necessary fittings once we had it placed in it location. We plan to continue to use the Macerator which was part of the original installation. Peggy suggests that they like the fittings on the top of the tank, with a tube inside the tank to the bottom, on the discharge fitting...it eliminates standing sewage in the discharge line...and prevents a spill if a holding clamp lets go. The clearance needed is at least 4" and 6" is better. If you plan to make your system dump at sea as well as have the tank pumped out, you will want two discharge fittings, so that one hose goes directly to the deck pumpout fitting and the other goes directly to the overboard pump and thru-hull. This eliminates a Y valve.

 Peggy also suggests "As part of the routine of closing up the boat, close the intake seacock, flush the head dry, then pour about a quart of fresh water into the head and flush that through the system completely. If limited holding capacity makes extra flushing each time the head is used impractical, following this routine when leaving the boat will solve most odor problems."

 Visit the Northern Calif web page - www.vander-bend.com/norsea/head.html

From: - Cliff Peterson #72
to: Gale Saint, Editor
Subject: Oil Filters

Hi, I was just sitting here thinking I should do something, when it occured to me that we all have tidbits of information that will help in our boat management. We have the 2QM15 Yanmar engine and this last year we used it quite a bit up in BC and Alaska so I changed oil 6 times. The cost of the Yanmar oil filter is too much to my mind so I have discovered a few substitutes.

 Filter Maker Part Number Cost

 Yanmar 12445035100 13.00?

 Fram PH3593A 5.00?

 Puralator L14459

 Baldwin B168

 You might want to share these numbers in the next news letter. Cheers, Cliff
 

 Subject: Yanmar oil Filters
 From: Gale Saint

Cliff, Thanks for your info on filters. I attended diesel orientation schools on 2QM15 at Mack Boring Co, Union, NJ (Yanmar distributor east half of the US). Their claim is that on Yanmars, the oil pressure pump is on the inbound side of the filter, not on the outbound side as most engines are. This high pressure blows out Fram and other standard filters, and only Yanmar filters are not damaged and made ineffective. Thanks, Gale
 

From:
To: Gale Saint

Gale...Next time I change filters I’ll inspect the old one very carefully. I have looked inside after dumping out the hot oil and don’t recall seeing anything amiss, but this next time I’ll tear the filter apart in my shop. Cheers, Cliff
 

 From:

 To: Gale Saint
 Subject: Fram Oil Filters and...

 Hi Gale, I just got off the phone with a Fram Oil Filter technical support guy located in Rumsford, RI...800-231-3726.

 I told him about the info you had sent and then we discussed how the oil goes thru the filters. Turns out...at least on the 2QM15 I have...that the filters are designed to filter exactly the same way. That is, the oil enters the filter via the smaller holes on each side of the big mounting "stud", thru the element and then back into the engine thru the hole in the center of the "stud".

 When he checked his cross reference list he showed the Fram PH3593A as the direct replacement for the Yanmar 124450-35100. The Fram filter also has an
 internal pressure relief that opens when/if the filter becomes clogged, same as the Yanmar.

 Sooo.....I’m going to continue using the Fram filters I get from Checker Auto for generally less than $5 rather than pay the $13+ for the Yanmar. I changed
 oil six times up in Alaska this summer so figure I saved over $40...that buys dinner out for us.

 Anyway, hope this info helps. Cheers, Cliff
 

 From: Greg Delezynski
 To: Gale Saint

 Subject: Oil Filter

The oil filter that the local Yanmar dealer told me I could use (if out of warrenty) is a Baldwin B168. It’s a fit less $$ than the Yanmar model. If your dealer has anything to say about it, let me know. Greg & Jill S/V Guenevere
 

A short E-Mail from Al Stevens #393 warns: "to those who have Nor’Sea’s that were new around 1993 and perhaps later, be sure to check the raw water cooling plumbing in concert with the engine exhaust. My engine worked with sea water back entering the manifold for 650 hours. This led to a very expensive repair." Al - FAX 562-431-2219 marked "For Al Stevens"
 

Richard Leasure of WING #141 has moved on board in preparation for extended cruising. His most useful item has been a white mesh net "shower caddy" he found at WalMart for $5 that can be mounted on the door to the head with screws & finishing washers.
 

 With so many of the Nor’Sea sailors cutting the lines, you who are still tied to
 the dock might follow some of these suggestions to get the feel of it:

 1. Sleep on the shelf in your closet.

 2. Three or six hours after you go to sleep, have your wife shine a flashlight in your eyes and mumble "Your watch!"

 3. Renovate you bathroom by building a wall around your toilet and lowering the ceiling.

 4. Every time there is a thunder storm, go sit in a wobbly rocking chair and rock as hard as you can until you’re nauseous.

 5. Have the paperboy give you a haircut.

 6. Buy a trash compactor and only use it once a week. Store up garbage in your bedroom.

 7. Wake up at midnight and have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on stale bread.

 8. Once a month take every major appliance completely apart and then put them back together.

 9. When making cakes, prop up one side of the pan while it is baking. Spread icing really thick on that side to level the top.

 10. Have a fluorescent lamp installed on the bottom of your coffee table and lie under it to read books.

 -inspired by the Seven Seas Cruising Article, December 1997 by Mike & Nancy
 Proctor