Winthrop to The Graves

[Gcosloy]

Hope this works. Look for full report from others and photos. Al, Ernie, Phil & Lori, Glenn, Larry and myself left from Deer Island entrance out to Boston Light, The Graves and the Islands. 13.8 nm averaging 3.0kts. Some of us wanted to do Georges on the way back but saner heads prevailed. Boat trafic was light including the dreaded ferries. Water was calm, winds light, no current to worry about and yet some of us were tired when we finished. Maybe the humidity and warmth after a few fall temperature days.

[Larry2002]

What a great paddle! Who would have thought that a trip to The Graves would be mellow? Al has the Karma working!

Pictures at:

http://picasaweb.google.com/larryg2002/Fro...tAndOnToGraves#

Larry

[glenster]

Thanks to Al and all. Perfect weather allowed for adjustments in our cam plan to do the light house tour and STILL keep it mellow. Great people and trip. Thanks

Glenn.

[subaruguru]

My first trip to both Boston Light and the Graves, so a special treat for me. Was actually hoping for a bit more chop and maybe some following seas to get a fairer comparison between my Force5 and Cetus, but calmness indeed allowed for a long yet relaxed outing.

Thanks to all for fine company and a great trip.

Al, my Cetus skeg cable jammed so badly I decided to both to zip up the spring-cable AND build up the layup in the skeg box bearing slots. So I worked with 2-part epoxy, dripping it onto both my new rash guard AND my shorts, finally adding a sufficient ridge to secure the skeg axle from pulling rearward. Zip, zip, then all fit nicely. Good.

Yet the front slider STILL wouldn't move!! I checked the cable paths for kinks. Curses abound, attracting a neighborhood kid on his squeaky bike. I offered to quench his annoying squeak with a squirt of WD40, which he appreciated, asking me what I was up to. I explained, and he suggested I maybe squirt MY problem too. Ha, Ha! I laughed, explaining that it was way beyond that. Yet, after waiting for him to pedal away, and thinking "what the hell", I copiusly sprayed the control, instantly solving the entire problem. Kids....

Ern

[alcoons]

Al, my Cetus skeg cable jammed so badly I decided to both to zip up the spring-cable AND build up the layup in the skeg box bearing slots. So I worked with 2-part epoxy, dripping it onto both my new rash guard AND my shorts, finally adding a sufficient ridge to secure the skeg axle from pulling rearward. Zip, zip, then all fit nicely. Good.

Yet the front slider STILL wouldn't move!! I checked the cable paths for kinks. Curses abound, attracting a neighborhood kid on his squeaky bike. I offered to quench his annoying squeak with a squirt of WD40, which he appreciated, asking me what I was up to. I explained, and he suggested I maybe squirt MY problem too. Ha, Ha! I laughed, explaining that it was way beyond that. Yet, after waiting for him to pedal away, and thinking "what the hell", I copiusly sprayed the control, instantly solving the entire problem. Kids....

Ern

I would check the skeg cord with the skeg out to see if the problem is associated with the skeg or if it is just the chord.

Here is the CETUS skeg video.

Note the modifications with wire clamps towards the end. If you already added the wire clamps, I would suggest you make sure they are not binding.

As you saw on my Cetus, my skeg moves like butter now that I have made the mods.

Sorry you are having so much trouble. Why not add a Subaru clutch cable to the system?

It was great paddling with you again.

Al

[Doug]

Larry

Great pics... Thanks for sharing.

Doug

[bob budd]

If you find the WD-40 is the key it won't hold up to salt water the way a silicon lubricant will.

[subaruguru]

If you find the WD-40 is the key it won't hold up to salt water the way a silicon lubricant will.

Thanks, Bob. I realize that WD40 is mostly an evaporative solvent, but did the trick diagnostically.

I'll probably use 303 to keep the plastic slick, then add silicone or a dry PTDF lube like Pedro's.

See my post re a PPPO Sept 23 snez nus. It'd be nice to see you and Dee again.

Ern

[subaruguru]

Hey Al,

Note that I did the zips on "holes" 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3 with no difference. It's interesting to note that the hull "slot" geometry is much more robustly delineated on the video than on my clear-hull, where the slot is only 1/16" inch wider on each side, allowing the entire skeg to dislocate rearward under bungee tension...and even cracking away a bit of epoxy! Hence the epoxy sidewall edge rebuild I had to do. Another example of P&H's compromised QA due to the long backorders, and.or their ability to sufficiently maintain tolerances on thinner clear-hull sections.

It's a fortunate accident of design that the skeg's screw-axle design allows tightening it just a bit when jamming it back into the slot, as otherwise it's too willing to be yanked back by its spring tension. Nice, cheap, minimalist design insufficiently engineered, with sloppy manufacturing in the clear-hulls in my case. But at least now I got it to work again. Let's see if it holds up....

The video STILL doesn't show the barrel axle snugness adjustabillity (I think that's why the ends are hexed), and thus failing to note how this can remedy problems from sloppy slot geometry upon layup construction. Then again that's only a medium-probablity remedy if the culprit is really bad geometry, like mine. Sigh....

See ya.

E

[alcoons]

Hey Al,

Note that I did the zips on "holes" 2 and 4 instead of 1 and 3 with no difference. It's interesting to note that the hull "slot" geometry is much more robustly delineated on the video than on my clear-hull, where the slot is only 1/16" inch wider on each side, allowing the entire skeg to dislocate rearward under bungee tension...and even cracking away a bit of epoxy! Hence the epoxy sidewall edge rebuild I had to do. Another example of P&H's compromised QA due to the long backorders, and.or their ability to sufficiently maintain tolerances on thinner clear-hull sections.

It's a fortunate accident of design that the skeg's screw-axle design allows tightening it just a bit when jamming it back into the slot, as otherwise it's too willing to be yanked back by its spring tension. Nice, cheap, minimalist design insufficiently engineered, with sloppy manufacturing in the clear-hulls in my case. But at least now I got it to work again. Let's see if it holds up....

The video STILL doesn't show the barrel axle snugness adjustabillity (I think that's why the ends are hexed), and thus failing to note how this can remedy problems from sloppy slot geometry upon layup construction. Then again that's only a medium-probablity remedy if the culprit is really bad geometry, like mine. Sigh....

See ya.

E

As I mentioned, I don't think the screw-axle is designed as adjustable. Why not contact P&H and find out?

Al

[Phil Allen]

The Boston lighthouse tour.

Seven of us met at the parking lot on Deer Island , Winthrop for a “mellow†tour of the harbor. After some web debate on the weather and BIB time; Al, Larry, Glen, Ernie, Gene, Lorrie and I launched at 10:03 heading for Georges Island with the intent of heading inwards from there. The hourly weather forecast had the sun appearing about 10 am, and for once it wasn’t wrong. A quick trip across the channel and along Lovell’s Island brought us to a decision point. The sun was shining, there was barely a wind ripple on the water and Boston light looked so pretty in the distance. So instead of heading in, we decided to head out and have lunch at the light on Little Brewster. The group hung together well, any swell was due to boat wake and the only boats in the vicinity to worry about were on their way out to watch the whales.

Arriving at Boston light for an earlyish lunch, we were greeted by two members of the CG auxiliary who were wondering if we were the bunch of boy scouts they’d been told to expect. Explaining the obvious (that the youngest of us was 20 plus years past scouting age) we took over the picnic table at the high point of the island for lunch. Off in the distance Graves light shown brightly in the sun, and the lunch time discussion of politics veered back to our next destination. A consensus arose that there might not be an easier, better day to go visit the Graves, with the other Brewster’s providing shelter should things look worse on the water than they did from Little Brewster.

So out we headed and made quick pace to the Graves. Conditions were absolutely benign, with little wind, little chop and little current. Arriving at the light, it was hard to remember that you were within 10 miles of a major US city and not on some empty Maine shore. While conditions were so mellow this could have been a level 2 trip, it was easy to envision a not so pleasant time if there were any off-shore storm swells breaking on those rocky ledges.

Deciding it was time to head back in, we turned back to civilization with the intent to head towards Georges to see if the snack bar was still open for the season. As we passed Green Island, discussion ensued as to whether that was reasonable given the time and energy of some of the group members. Of course, the discussion was kept “Mellowâ€, but to facilitate an informed decision, we paused on a beautiful but flotsam covered beach on Calf for a food and stretch break. Realizing that Georges would make our mellow day into a 20 miler, we opted to head back to the put in, skirting the edge of the ship channel and crossing to the red nun just off Deer Island. The ebb had started, and the current pushed us further North, but all handled it with comfort.

Coming back in along the Deer Island peninsula the occasional boat wake provided a little bit of surfing and we found our way back to the put-in. It was substantially farther from the beach to the cars than at high tide, but nothing difficult. A group effort got the boats and gear stowed and off people went to their various destinations. For Lorrie, Al and I, that was finding the ice cream shop in Winthrop square. Gotta have ice cream to end a great day of paddling.

Phil (designated Trip reporter)

[suwin]

Nice trip report and photos! Larry, what kind of camera were you using?

[alcoons]

The Boston lighthouse tour.

..... For Lorrie, Al and I, that was finding the ice cream shop in Winthrop square. Gotta have ice cream to end a great day of paddling.

Phil (designated Trip reporter)

Not just any ice cream, but Richardson's! Great little independent ice cream shop with a wonderful women running it.

Great report Phil.

[Gcosloy]

Not just any ice cream, but Richardson's! Great little independent ice cream shop with a wonderful women running it.

Great report Phil.

I quite agree that Richardson's ice cream is one of the best in the Boston area. For years I would frequent the "Milldam" in Concord Center which was one of the few in my area serving it. There is however one ice cream that is marginally better: Bedford Farms. Two locations one in Concord and the other in Bedford. They have a very large selection of flavors and when they don't make a particular flavor they provide Richardson's as well. Useful to ask if you want to compare.

Excellent report Phil and kudos to Al for his channel crossing leadership. Getting across several major shipping channels without incident was an added bonus on this trip.

[Larry2002]

Not just any ice cream, but Richardson's! Great little independent ice cream shop with a wonderful women running it.

Great report Phil.

Damn. I missed the ice cream! That'll teach me not to be in such a hurrry to leave. But, I did have an hour's drive ahead of me and was probably for the best.

Suwin, it's a Olympus 1030SW. Of the many cameras I have, it's the one I use the most and the only one I'll take on the water.

Larry