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GREYHAWK's Delivery Voyage

June 2006

Annapolis, Maryland, to Boothbay Harbor, Maine

via the C&D Canal and the Cape Cod Canal

Planning as of May 25, 2006 Proposed Route

Crew

  1. Tim Allen (Keene, NH)
  2. Rick Thorpe (Annapolis, MD & West Boothbay Harbor, ME)
  3. Dan Allen (New London, NH)
  4. Charlie Kerwin (Hancock, NH)
  5. Scott Murphye (Frederick, MD)
  6. Torrey Meeks (Ellsworth, ME)

Tentatively Proposed Schedule

Friday, June 23:
drive to Portland, Maine with Wendy and Ben. Pick up rental life raft at Chase & Leavitt, pick up rental van and crew member Torrey Meeks at Portland Airport, and return to Keene to pack vehicle. Wendy and Ben will stay in Yarmouth and will have my van. They will meet us at Harborfields upon arrival at the end of our journey.

Saturday, June 24:
Meet Dan (and Charlies?), drive to Annapolis, Maryland, in rental vehicle. Unload gear. Return vehicle to rental agency (will need a ride back from the rental agency). Do any last minute provisioning. Go out to dinner! Sleep!

Sunday, June 25:
It's about 60 nm from Annapolis to Chesapeake City (on the C&D Canal). At an average VMG of 5 knots (fingers crossed), that'll take about 12 hours. Sunrise is at 05:42, and Sunset is at 20:36, for almost 15 hours of daylight. Moonset follows sunset shortly at 21:11 (New Moon). We will have an unfavorable tide working our way up Chesapeake Bay in the morning, but the tide will turn in the afternoon, and the tide will be favorable heading into the C&D Canal around 17:30. Hopefully, I will have sufficiently prepared the boat in advance so that we can get an early start, eating breakfast underway, so maybe we could get to Chesapeake City in time to get dinner at a restaurant ashore, and pick up any additional supplies we need.

Monday, June 26:
It's about 60 nm from Chesapeake City to Cape May. We can again expect almost 15 hours of daylight. Current in the C&D canal will be favorable from about sunrise through mid-day. We'll get a favorable current going down Delaware Bay sometime in the afternoon, but it will be against us in the morning. Cape May is a nice town and all, and we should be able to fit under the bridge for the back-door canal, but if conditions are good, and everyone's comfortable, perhaps we should just keep going out into the Atlantic! Otherwise, we can duck into Cape May and take a slip in a marina for the night (for example, Utsch's Marina).

Tuesday, June 27:
It's about 260 nm or so from Cape May/Delaware Bay to the head of Buzzards Bay (let's say Marion, as one possibility). Possible bailouts along the way include Block Island or Cuttyhunk, among others. If we can average 5 knots VMG, the passage should take 52 hours or so. If we decide to keep going and sail out of Delaware Bay around, say, 20:00 Monday June 26, that puts us in Marion around midnight, Wednesday June 28. If instead, we leave Cape May around 06:00 on Tuesday, June 27, then we might get into Marion around 10:00 on Thursday, June 29. We can still expect about 15 hours of daylight, and will see a sliver of waxing moon.

Wednesday, June 28:
see above

Thursday, June 29:
We need to time our passage through the Cape Cod Canal based on Tidal Currents (much more so than the C&D canal). Currents will be favorable for a west to east passage through the canal from 06:56 through mid-day, and then again 19:14 through mid-night. I propose that we shoot for the evening passage, giving us the day to re-provision, etc..... Once through the Cape Cod canal, we may wish to hole up in Sandwich for the rest of the night (Sandwich Marina), or we could continue out across Massachusetts Bay and the Gulf of Maine....

Friday, June 30:
From Sandwich to Boothbay Harbor is about 140 nm, or about 28 hours at 5 knots. Possible bailouts along the way include Provincetown. If we depart Sandwich by 08:00, we might arrive at Harborfields mid-day on Saturday, July 1.

Saturday, July 1:
see above

Sunday, July 2:
Get the crew home or to where-everthey're going next...

Monday, July 3:
bad weather day

Tuesday, July 4:
bad weather day

The above schedule depends on weather and sailing conditions. Chances are that we will not be able to keep to it. So keep Sunday, July 2, through Tuesday, July 4, available!

Notes to Prospective Crew

  1. For a portion of the delivery we may anchor or tie-up at a marina for the night, but there are a couple of legs that will require continuous sailing, day and night, with the crew standing watch on a rotating schedule.

  2. For your own safety, and for the good of the ship as a whole, please wear a life-jacket and harness clipped to jacklines or other strongpoints, when alone on deck, or when on deck and the yacht is reefed, the wind is over 25 knots, or the visibility is less than one mile, and at night. Ideally, you would bring your own inflatable PFD with integral harness, equipped with tether, strobe light and whistle (see these recommendations). If you don't have this gear, and don't want to buy it just for this trip, we can provide you with a harness, and certainly a regular (bulky) lifejacket if not a spare inflatable PFD. You should bring at least one spare CO2 cylinder and actuator to fit your make and model of PFD.

  3. The weather may not always be warm and sunny. For your safety, as well as your comfort, you will need to bring Foul Weather Gear including jacket, pants (bib overalls preferable), and boots. Ideally this would be marine gear, with retro-reflective patches, high-visibility colors, good hood, and non-skid soles, but could be any waterproof rainwear along with a pair of rubber boots.

  4. The seas may not always be smooth. For your comfort, as well as your safety, please bring (and use, as necessary) whatever anti-seasickness treatment is most effective for you (some of which may require a prescription from a doctor, e.g. scopolamine patches). Some recommendations are given below.

  5. Your contribution to the provisioning of the boat (meal planning and shopping), and paying your own share for any meals eaten out at restaurants, on the road, etc... would be most appreciated.

It should also be understood that Greyhawk is intended to be a smoke and drug-free environment.

The entire crew will review the Rules of the Road, crew-overboard recovery procedures, and other issues of Safety at Sea at the start of the voyage.

More Notes

Cooking -- GREYHAWK has 2-burner range with a broiler, fueled by Compressed Natural Gas (CNG, or Methane). We will have at least one (if not two) fully charged CNG cylinders for the trip. As a back-up, I could bring a gimballed single-burner stove that uses Butane "Gaz" cannisters. We also have a rail-mount Magma charcoal grill, and I'll bring a small supply of charcoal and lighter fluid!

Refrigeration and Food Storage -- There is NO built-in ice box or refrigerator. I will bring a portable cooler, but even with a good portion of the box dedicated to ice, we shouldn't expect it to keep perishable items for longer than about 2 or 3 days (but that's about the length of our longest passage). In addition, we should try to reduce and eliminate redundant packaging as much as possible (e.g. bags of cereal taken out of their cardboard boxes, etc...; cans should be labelled with a waterproof marker, etc...).

One issue we may want to discuss as a crew is to what extent we should take advantage of any opportunities to eat out at restaurants ashore, whenever we have the chance, versus cooking and eating all of our meals aboard. Of course, we will all need to contribute to meal planning, food shopping, and preparation.

Water -- Water will have to be rationed, at some level. Several sources suggest an that allocation of about 0.75 gallons per person per day is appropriate. GREYHAWK only has a 15 gallon water tank. If we have a crew of 6, this would last just over 3 days. Thus we will need to carry additional water supplies. I plan to acquire a number of those collapsible plastic water carriers, and in addition I have two 5-gallon Nalgene jerry cans that I can borrow from my lab at school. We'll have to figure out where to store these cans and how to lash them down securely. All this should bring us up to about 30 gallons. Still not a lot! This water is intended first for consumption, then for hygiene. Certainly, you will not be able to take a fresh-water shower on board.

Diesel Fuel -- GREYHAWK has a 12 gallon fuel tank, plus I have two 5 gallon CARB-compliant diesel jerry cans, for a total fuel capacity of 22 gallons. I haven't yet determined where to store and secure the jerry cans, whether below decks, in the cockpit, or on deck.... Also, I have not accurately determined the engine's actual rate of fuel consumption yet. However, if we assume that we burn about a half-gallon per hour, motoring at 5.5 knots, then our 22 gallons gives us a motoring range of about 242 nautical miles (44 hours). Of course, we may need to burn some of this fuel just to keep the batteries charged (see below), maybe 20 or 30 minutes twice a day?

Electricity -- We will have two batteries, each rated at about 80 amp hours of capacity or so. Charging sources include the 35-amp alternator on the engine, and an 11-watt solar panel (I will probably get another solar panel so that we can have a panel for each battery). The primary needs for electricity will be for the VHF radio (rated 0.5 amps in standby listening mode), masthead LED tri-color navigation lights (rated 0.5 amps), and compass lights (estimated at 0.2 amps). Other electrical consumers include the sailing instruments (0.5 amps during daytime, 1.5 amps when lit at night) and cabin and deck lights (perhaps 1 amp per fixture, total draw depending on use). While sailing, we should have the radio on all the time, and we need the tri-color and compass lights for about 10 hours at night, for a total of about 19 amp-hours consumption per day. If we run the sailing instruments, that's another 22 amp-hours per day. Hopefully we won't need to use the cabin lights much (FWIW, there is a red light, as well as white, over the nav table).

Thoughts on Watch Rotations

My goals for a watch rotation system would be to (1) have two people on watch at all times, (2) ensure that any less experienced crew are paired with more experienced crew, or any seniors paired with younger guys, and (3) ensure that we all stay reasonably well rested.

With only 4 crew, we could go with either 3-hours-on/3-hours-off or 4-on/4-off, and could have either port and starboard watches (you sail with the same partner all the time) or rotate new crew on and old crew off every 1.5 or 2 hours (you get to sail with two different partners). My preference would be for the latter (staggered rotation).

With 5 crew, I would suggest either 3-hours-on/4.5-hours-off, or 4-on/6-off, rotating new crew on (and old crew off) every 1.5 or 2 hours.

With 6 crew, I would suggest 3-hours-on/6-hours-off, with either 3 watches of 2 crew (maybe call them forward, mid-ship, and aft, instead of port and starboard?) rotating every 3 hours, or rotating one new crew on (and one old crew off) every 1.5 hours. Again, I think my preference would be for the latter (staggered rotation).

Crew Questionaire

Do you agree that no payments shall be exchanged, neither from me to you for your services as crew, nor from you to me for your ride on the boat (other than perhaps a share in the cost of provisions, as discussed below)?

Are you willing and able to cover your costs for transportation to and from the boat?

How will you get home from Maine at the end of the trip, whenever that is? (we can get you from Boothbay to Portland, where you can get a plane, train, or bus)

How will you get to Annapolis at the beginning of the trip?

Are you willing and able to cover your costs for meals out, and to help contribute to the provisioning of the boat? (For example, we might ask each member of the crew to supply the fixings for a breakfast, a lunch, and a dinner)

Are you willing and able to help share cooking, clean-up, and other chores?

What are your food and drink preferences? (we'll have to plan out a menu sometime soon)

Do you require coffee? (Nothing wrong with that, I'm just not a coffee drinker myself, although I do take tea and hot cocoa...)

Do you smoke? (I would ask you not to)

Do you agree not to bring any illegal drugs aboard the boat?

Do you have medical insurance? If so, please share information about your coverage that might be needed in an emergency (perhaps provide a photocopy of your policy card?)

Are you allergic to anything (food, drugs, bees, etc...)? If so, please indicate specific allergies and types of reactions

Are you taking any medications that we should know about? If so, please indicate types, names, amounts, frequencies and reasons for the medications.

Do you have any physical or medical conditions we should know about? (e.g., diabetes, epilepsy, asthma, heart condition, chronic injury, etc...) If so, please explain, including frequency, severity, and treatment.

Please supply the name of an Emergency Contact Person, their relationship to you, and their contact information (e.g., home, work, cell phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc...)

Have you reviewed the following documents regarding the boat and her condition?

  1. July 2005 survey report
  2. Follow-up reports on repairs and other projects
  3. Listing of specifications and equipment

Do you agree to perform your own inspection of the sailboat prior to departure, notify me if you find any condition which you consider to unacceptably hazardous or dangerous, and refuse to go on the trip if said condition is not corrected to your satisfaction? (This may mean that you'll have to get yourself back home again from Annapolis!)

Do you realize that the sailboat Greyhawk is not a luxury yacht by any stretch of the imagination, as the accommodations are "Spartan" at best and many "amenities" non-existent?

Do you recognize that the proposed sailing trip is intended to get from Annapolis, Maryland, to Boothbay Harbor, Maine, as expeditiously as safely and reasonably possible, and is not intended to be a sightseeing pleasure cruise? (Not that we won't see some sites and have some fun along the way...)

Are you willing and able to stand watch on a rotating schedule around the clock, sailing the boat including steering, sail handling, and other chores as necessary?

Do you acknowledge that you understand the nature of this sailing trip, that you are in good health and proper physical condition to participate in this activity?

Have you taken all necessary steps to ensure that you are adequately prepared and appropriately equipped for all possible contingencies, including foul weather gear, sea boots, and personal safety equipment such as suggested at http://sailing.thorpeallen.net/Grehawk/Delivery.html or that a prudent seaman would consider advisable?

Do you fully understand that sailing involves risks and dangers of serious bodily injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, or death (including the possibility of complete loss at sea, never to be recovered)?

FWIW, I will probably ask everybody to sign a liability waiver at some point before we cast off, something like the following:

Risks and Dangers of Sailing

Sailing is an activity that has an inherent risk of damage and injury, including permanent disability, paralysis, or death (including complete loss at sea). Participants in this sailing trip are participating entirely at their own risk. The boat owner, person-in-charge, watch leaders, and other crew will not be responsible for injury to any participant, including death, nor for damages to any participant's property, sustained as a result of participation in this trip. By participating in this trip, each participant agrees to release the boat owner, person-in-charge, watch leaders and other crew from any and all liability associated with such person's participation in this event to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Seasickness Remedies

Besides the Scopolamine Patch -- which requires a doctor's prescription -- here are the things that we've tried:

Chewable Bonine tablets (generic: meclizine), or Chewable Dramamine (generic: Dimenhydrinate), both available over the counter at your local pharmacy. Don't swallow them, but dissolve in the mouth or under the tongue (see http://www.yachtsdelivered.com/seasick/)

Motion Eaze oil (http://www.motion-sickness.net/) placed on the skin behind your ears; I got my bottle from Landfall Navigation (http://www.landfallnavigation.com/sms02.html)

Davis Queaze-Away Wristbands (http://www.davisnet.com/marine/products/marine_product.asp?pnum=0400); again, I got mine from Landfall Navigation (http://www.landfallnavigation.com/-sms01.html)

We've also used various ginger products as well, including candied ginger root, and drinking lots of ginger ale (Canada Dry!). I just noticed Sea-Band ginger chewing gum (http://www.sea-band.com/gingergum.htm), is now being offered by Landfall Navigation (http://www.landfallnavigation.com/gingergum.html)

My voyage first aid kit includes Phenergan suppositories.

Some other references:

Proposed Packing List

Meal Planning and Provisioning

I would ask each of you to bring the fixings to feed six for (1) break (2) lunch, (3) snack, (4) dinner, and (5) dessert (or "midnight snack") for one day.

As you plan and shop for these meals, please keep the following points in mind:

(1) we do not have refrigeration! I'll let Scott and Rick take the first nights dinners since they are more local to the boat and thus can keep perishable foods refrigerated/frozen right up to departure, whereas the rest of us will have some distance to travel. Some things that don't really need to be refrigerated: Cheese (especially harder varieties), Butter, UHT Milk ....

(2) the galley is very limited: two burners, a broiler, a charcoal grill, and NO counter space to speak of. Equipment include 3 nesting pots (1, 2?, 4? quarts), non-stick frying pan, a pot lid that could be used as a pan, collander, cheese grater, liquid measuring cup, tea kettle, etc...

(3) storage space is limited. Excess packaging should be removed prior to loading the boat. Some foods might be re-packaged in pre-measured amounts. Metal cans and plastic containers are preferred over glass jars. Also, as best you can, try to plan your quantities so that there will be enough to go around but there won't be any leftovers, as they likely won't keep all that well.

(4) You will prepare whatever you bring. I'll work out a rotation so that you should only be responsible for one meal a day.

Here are some basic ideas just to get you thinking:

Breakfasts:

Lunches:

Snacks:

Dinners:

Dessert/Snacks (i.e. "midnight"):

As soon as you've planned what you'll bring for your five "meals" (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Snack, Dessert) please let me know so that I can make sure we've got all our bases covered.

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