Javelin from the Morgan 6/15/14

Javelin 2014 June Cruise June 13-19, 2014

Once again, Steve Blecher's 53' J-160 Javelin takes a tried and true Dartmouth grad crew on a cruise. The Crew:
Steve (Dartmouth '64) boat Javelin, home port Westbrook, CT
Rick Van Mell ('63), boat Vanishing Animal, home port San Francisco Bay
Mel Converse ('60), boat Whim, home port Galesville, MD, Chesapeake Bay
Brian Klinger ('62), boat Special K, home port Portsmouth, NH.

This year's Plan hopes to chase the 150 year old whaler Charles W. Morgan in her maiden refit voyage from New London to Newport, RI. Along the way we hope to make a crazy figure eight including Block Island, Cuttyhunk, Bristol, Stonington and Shelter Island before returning to Westbrook. Here's a link to The Plan, and the Shopping List, but you'll just have to read on to see what happened when the wind hit the plan! .

Pictures by Mel Converse, Chris Freeman, and Rick Van Mell, and are grouped between days. There may even be a few movie clips too.

The table below summarizes daily runs and the date is a link to that day's log. Elasped time is generally time under way and has sometimes been adjusted for lunch stops. Cells with a darker background color represent changes from the original Plan.

Thursday, June 12h

Rick touched down at JFK 40 minutes early after an uneventful flight from San Francisco. By the 3:50 scheduled arrival time, Rick was in Mel's car and they were headed for I-95. While Google gives the driving time to Westbrook, CT as 2 hours, Steve advised that it was going to be more like 3 hours in New York traffic. Right he was as they arrived at 7:00 where Brian was already aboard and waiting.

After "hellos" and stowing gear, the three headed for The Boom restaurant and dinner. After dinner the crew pulled out the shopping list and checked off the items Steve had already put aboard and the spices in the condiments locker. With all in order for an early morning shopping trip, the crew broke out Brian's guitar and sang chanties until about 2230.

Go To Log Summary

Friday, June 13th

Mel's coffee perking roused the crew, with mugs for all hands. Rick and Brian drove off in Brian's car with the 4-page shopping list in hand about 0800. It was divide and conquer to find about 50 items to mate up with another 10 that Steve was bringing from Scarsdale. We were all back aboard Javelin by 0945, with most everything stowed by 1000.

Though we were ready for departure, all the smartphones predicted a round of drizzle in the next hour. We settled back, waited the hour - drizzle came and went - and we headed for the fuel dock at 1117. Fuel tanks filled and holding tanks emptied, we shoved off bound for Stonington at 1145.

Visibility dropped to under a quarter mile as we departed the Westbrook channel. It was time for our proven "Maine Fog Mode." That had Steve on the helm, Brian on lookout standing at the dodger, Mel keeping an eye on the cockpit radar repeater, and Rick below comparing the main radar and the ship's PC navigation program. That way Rick could say if radar targets were expected buoys, rocks or islands, and advise which ones were likely to be vessels along our path. We even had a good heavy shower for about ten minutes along the way.

It was a quick 27 miles to Stonington Harbor, tucked behind Fishers Island. Visibility improved to about half a mile by the time we arrived at the harbor entrance at 1439. There appeared to be several empty moorings that might not have boats returning this evening. We picked up one, then realized we could swing into another, so we switched for a second one and engine shut down by 1500. The usual log entries were recorded: engine hours; rename the track for the day to a cruise leg, and record the actual track length. All of these go into the table above.

It seems everyone broke out a computer. Rick used his laptop to work on the log. Mel was working his smartphone and laptop for weather and mail. Brian alternated between his iPhone and his iPad. Steve had the ship's Laptop, a Blackberry, an iPad and an iPhone. That's nine, plus the ship's chartplotter and GPS and two VHF phones. Steve had signed up for a comprehensive Verizon package and Brian helped him turn his iPad into a hotspot that both Brian and Rick could link to - which Rick used to upload the log.

A little Happy Hour, and Steve cooking some great steak on the grill to go with Rick's salad and mashed potatoes completed dinner. The evening movie (which we could do early because it was so dark and foggy) was Rick's 1968 Transatlantic Race aboard Aura. We all turned in by 2200.

Javelin is ...	ready ...	for fun.	Lots of ...	provisions and ...
frozen ...	stuff to stow.	Breads are here ...	Fresh here ...	frozen and ...
fridge.	neat and clean.	Steve sets the course ...	Brian is ready ...	Rick's bunk ...
Checking instruments.	Casting off ...	backing out ...	looks good ...	headed for ...
Fuel dock.	Leaving Westbrook ...	Wet gear for ...	rain on radar ...	approaching ...
Stonington, CT	Crew enjoys ...	steak dinner.	Friday evening ...	at Stonington.

Javelin at Westbrook Fuel Dock

Go To Log Summary

Saturday, June 14th

Saturday dawned as Friday ended -- fog. It was supposed to be clearing, but after a quick breakfast of cereal and fruit, we delayed an hour and finally cast off at 0854 and headed east. The forecast was for northwest winds building to 20 knots. Our target destination of Cuttyhunk would have have put us downwind of Sunday's Newport destination. We didn't want to beat into heavy seas for 20+ miles, so we opted to try for the Sakonnet River - just east of Newport and a place where Javelin had never been before.

The first part of the route was as expected, past Point Judith and its Harbor of Refuge, but then turning a bit north to head for the Sakonnet River. We passed through two of four of the New York Yacht Club's courses for their weekend regatta, there were 2 - 4' swells rolling in from the southeast Atlantic, light winds from the southwest and cloudy skies. We rolled ten degrees each side under power as we passed through.

Just as we approached the mouth of the river, we had a shot of the predicted NW wind. We rounded up, set sail, killed the engine and started beating up the wide river. The wind fluctuated between 6 and 10 knots, and Javelin loved it, often reaching 7 knots with just 8 or 9 knots of wind. We sailed right up to shallow water on each side, then tacked and worked our way to the limiting 65' fixed bridge. Rick had the helm and was kidded because he had his shade hat on and made the "rare" appearance on deck with abundant sunshine. At each boundary, Rick would alert the crew for a tack: "coming up on blue water (shallow on the chart), stand by to tack." Mel and Brian had the jib sheet winches and would stand by to cast off or trim as appropriate; Steve moved the mail traveler up or down as we tacked. "Helm's alee," Rick would call and as the bow crossed the eye of the wind, and additional, "Break," for the leeward jib sheet to be released. Maybe not quite America's Cup stuff, but the tacks were smooth and Javelin accelerated in the light winds on the new tack. Rick called for increments of inches of trim as the speed built.
About 6 of the 8 miles up the river the wind went light. We furled the jib, doused the main and Brian steered us under power the rest of the way up to the fixed bridge. Time to turn and head back down river to the cove at the entrance to find an anchorage for the night. We aimed for a spot with 14' of water -- there was a mooing right there. But since it was private, we circled and Brian neatly dropped the anchor as Steve backed Javelin down. Way back when we turned and headed down river Rick put Paul's great frozen lasagna in the oven. Secure at anchor, we had a short Happy Hour, then headed below for dinner. As the sun set, the predicted stronger NW winds finally arrived and we settled in to update the log, listen to music and solve the problems of the world. It was another night with bunk time by 2200.

Saturday morning ...	Napatree buoy ...	big current ...	better visibility ...	more relaxed.
Ship's PC Chartplotter radar.	Close encounter ...	with ...	Tom Foolery	Port Judith breakwater ...
# 4 ...	Pt. Judith	Will we get ???	wind!!!	Rick likes sailing ...
Captain Steve ...	concentration ...	approves ...	Brian's turn.	Bridge ahead ...
cozy harbor ...	nice houses ...	left ...	heading for the ...	Tiverton bridge ...
big current ahead ...	local boatyard.	Safe at anchor ...	all relaxed ...	Riding sail ...
set and drawing.	nice anchorage ...	cars ashore ...	anchor secure ...	away to the east.
Toy time 1 ...	and 2.	Lasagna rests!	Mickey Mouse Club	Late arrival.
Spire ashore ...	clear aloft ...	sunset.

...

Go To Log Summary

Sunday, June 15th

"OK cookie," Mel firmly stated standing in the doorway to Rick's cabin, brimming coffee mug in hand. "OK, OK -- what time is it?" said Rick. "0632," Mel replied. "But of course ...," muttered Rick.

Bright sun flooded the boat and the northwest wind hummed in the rigging, though Javelin rode easily at anchor on the flat water less than a quarter mile from the wooded shore to windward at Third Beach Cove. With no rush to go anywhere, there was time for eggs with clery, onions and peppers, with Little Smokies and a biscuit for breakfast. Mel even made a second pot of coffee.

Last night Brian had taken a shower, but complained that there was no hot water. Disassembling the knobs and removing the fittings allowed for an inspection. By disconnecting the hot water line from the mixing valve Brian & Steve were able to determine that hot water was getting to the mixing valve, but not through it. Repairs will have to wait for a new valve.

After that relaxed start, it was engine on at 0950, anchor hauled by 1000 and main up and engine off by 1005. We turned south out of the Sakonnet River, set the jib, and raced away doing over 9 knots. Our goal for the day was to see if we could find the whaling ship Charles W. Morgan, scheduled to go from New London to Newport today. Using the excessive computer capacity aboard, we were finally able to locate an AIS web page that gave her position, still east of Pt. Judith. Our great sailing breeze turned fickle about 6 miles east of Pt. Judith, so we rolled up the jib and pushed on under power at 9 knots - thanks to Javelin's new 5-blade feathering propellor.

Rick pulled out the binoculars and finally spotted the Morgan at a distance of about 10 miles. She was making slow progress given the lighter winds and an adverse current. We finally rendezvoused with her 2.5 miles west of Pt. Judith at 1230. Lots of pictures and most impressive sight to see. Steve has been a long time supporter of Mystic Seaport and the renovation of the Charles W. Morgan. So it was much to our good fortune, (or perhaps because of it!) that Mystic's Director of Development, Chris Freeman was on board the Morgan, recognized Javelin, and sent along the pictures of Javelin from the Morgan. There were probably a bazillion images of the Morgan taken from boats yesterday, but a rare few looking the other way. Enjoy the pictures!

We set sail for Pt. Judith and sailed as fast as the Morgan was being towed. Once past Pt. Judith, the wind went light and Steve kept "sailing" until the speedo actually hit zero. Under hot sun and no wind, he reluctantly lowered the main and started the engine.

We chased down the Morgan, now moving past Castle Hill at the entrance to Newport, and then on past Fort Adams for a short "harbor tour" for dozens of spectator boats. It was a bit like Gulliver and the Lilliputians! Rick realized his camera, having taken over 27,652 pictures in its lifetime up to now, was having trouble zooming and focusing. Thus some pictures are a bit fuzzy.

Leaving the mob, we did a motor tour of Newport Harbor, leaving the New York Yacht Club's Harbor Court clubhouse to starboard, and circling through the mooring field to Newport Shipyard at the north end of the harbor. As Steve noted, it just goes to show that however big a boat you have, there's always some bigger! Five spreader tall giant masts, with boat lengths over 100 feet were common. They made 53' Javelin feel small. At one dock there was a "fleet" of 5 of the old America's Cup 12 meters, and two more, Columbia and Heritage on the way out.

Steve suggested Potter Cove at the north end of Prudence Island as our anchorage for the night. Another first for Javelin. We hoisted sail and Rick raced after three boats that were at least a mile ahead of us. Sailing at up to 8.8 knots, we caught the first one in about 20 minutes and sailed by to leeward close aboard. The second saw us coming and turned off into a harbor a few minutes later as we were closing fast. It took the full ten mile trip to pass the last 55' double headsail contender in a tacking duel just below Bristol. Having crossed her bow on the last tack, we celebrated, dropped sails and headed for Potter Cove. It was swarming with little power boats inside the Cove, and many more in the mooring field outside the harbor. We anchored just south and outside the mooring field at 1815. It had been a delightful eight hour day on the water.

A simple happy hour with pork chops and broccoli for dinner. then chores and log and an early bunk time.

Sunday morning ...	Sakonnet River	A beautiful day ...	for a sail ...	at 9 knots.
Pt. Judith in sunshine	A Concordia yawl.	From 2 miles away ...	furling fore course ...	furling royal ...
Charles W. Morgan	From astern ...	messenger line across ...	under tow ...	pulling hard ...
Name in gold.	Do you see ...	the men ...	aloft!	Our fan club ...

Charles W. Morgan under sail

Picking up a Tow

view from Javelin.	Javelin from the Morgan ...	smile Steve & Brian!	Castle Hill	Morgan melee
Classic schooner	Goose navy	Harbor parade	Old 12 Meter	End of the parade.
Dousing sail.	Newport Harbor ...	big boat ...	tour ...	big one is ...
over 100 feet ...	character boat ...	America's Cup winner Columbia	12 Meter Heritage ...	looking great.
Minnie Mouse Ears	Potter Cove sunset

Go To Log Summary

Monday, June 16th

A beautiful Monday morning, cool and bright with almost no wind. The scores of little boats were long gone. Cereal and fruit for breakfast. Then a command decision to yet again change The Plan and head the 35 miles out to Block Island to give us options to cope with a predicted cold front in two days. If the front didn't develop we could continue on to Orient Point as in the original plan, or head back to Westbrook a day early if it shaped up to be blustery and wet. Since Block Island was in the original Plan, we don't show it as a change. We were under way at 0832.

This just goes to show how our cruises evolve. Four hours later at 1225, , approaching the 1 BI buoy at the north end of Block Island, the command went out to make sail in (finally) 6 knots of wind. The southerly wind has us heading southwest, and slowly the wind increasesd At 1400, now making over 7 knots, it was another go/no go decision. Should we go back to Block Island, or continue on to Orient Point? The current would be with us for another hour, then turn against us. But, with boat speed still increasing, and a rough calculation saying we'd reach Orient Harbor about 1730, we pushed on. Mel had the lion's share of steering today for a great ride, occasionally hitting 9 knots.

In behind Shelter Island, we dropped sail at 1800 and were on a mooring in front of the Shelter Island Yacht Club by 1820. Dinner was one of Steve's favorites, spaghetti and meatballs with salad, and cookies for dessert. Again another great day and early to bed.

Monday breakfast	Heading into ...	Dutch Island Hbr ...	Dutch Island light	Sneaking inside!
Production line ...	sandwiches.	Mel loves ...	a close reach ...	Steve's at the helm ...
making knots.	Orient Harbor light.	Dering Hbr approach ...	picking up the mooring.	Dering Harbor sunset

Go To Log Summary

Tuesday, June 17th

Mel was making coffee at 0645. Not a problem after our pre-10PM sack time as all hands were up and about when it was poured at 0700. Rick offered a choice for beakfast, and French Toast won the toss. Accompanied by orange or cranberry juice and Polish Kielbasa, it was a tasty way to start an otherwise gloomy morning.

Wind had begun humming in the rigging in the early AM hours, and now clocked 12 to occasionally 15 knots. We were glad we were in Dering Harbor and not out in the exposed expanses of Orient Harbor. A check of the various smartphones and tables suggested there was rain around but not immediately coming our way. After a short debate, we agreed to circle Shelter Island in a counter clockwise direction. What would have been a beat to windward in a narrow channel against a two knot current was resolved when we determined 1) the refrigeration needed engine cooling, and 2)Gentlemen Do Not Beat To Windward. Engine on at 0832 and off the mooring at 0835.

Steve and Brian claimed they were hit with some liquid sunshine along the south side of Shelter, but donning wet gear quickly ended that threat. We had completed the 14 mile circumnavigation by 1000 and set sail in front of Sag Harbor. Even with some good wind, though a little lighter, we fought the now flooding tide dead down wind toward Plum Gut. the wind went lighter and even though there was a strong flood through the Gut, we struggled at just over 3 knots to get into the flow. Finally a few minutes before noon the SOG (speed over ground) exceeded boat speed and we were carried into the current. What a difference direction and current make. At noon we were crossing the Gut and within minutes we were making 9 knots through the water and, briefly, 11 over the bottom.

With potentially gusty weather for Wednesday afternoon, the Geezer Cruise management recommended retreating to Westbrook to declare victory and day sail on Wednesday. So we rode the flood tide west along Long Sand Shoal to its western end. By then the wind was dying quickly and it was getting hot. So we turned on the engine, turned north and arrived back in Westbrook at 1351. The fuel tanks were filled and the holding tanks emptied. Then back into her slip with air conditioning on by 1415! Log writing commenced, plus checking various electronic goodies with the anticipation of a chicken and mixed vegetables dinner still ahead.

Showers and happy hour preceded dinner as advertised. Dinner discussion revealed that both Steve and Brian had held ham licenses in the 50's: Steve K2JMJ; and Brian K2YJI. Rick's is current: KI6PUR, and he is active in the Mountain View ARES network on Monday nights at 2000 hours on 145.270 and 146.535 MHZ. We wrapped up with a Yachtsmen songfest using Brian's guitar.

Around Shelter Island ...

quite relaxed ...

and Steve knows ...

where he's going.

Plum Gut light.

Go To Log Summary

Wednesday, June 18th

A veggie egg scramble with English Muffins kicked off the morning. Boat chores, now that we were back at Westbrook, included taking off the dinghy, deflating it, and rolling it back into its big bag. Then a good scrub down was in order. Last night at dinner we had inquired about possible overnight anchorages near by, and Steve talked about Hamburg Cove, about 7 miles up the Connecticut River. Steve even checked the waypoints before we started out for a morning sail.

It was clear we had made the right decision to return to Westbrook as we cleared the harbor mouth just after 1000. The wind speed indicator jumped to over 20 knots, white caps were forming even though we were on a windward shore. We adjusted the lines for a second reef in the main even before we hoisted. Then away we went and were quickly hitting high speeds under a flock of puffy cumulus clouds. Boat speed surged to 11.1 knots at one point, and readings in the ten knot range were common. We were sailing east against the flood current with the wind a bit aft the beam so it was a joyous ride. We tacked back off Black Point at the beginning of Niantic Bay. Now close hauled, we were heeled more and not going as fast through the water, but with the current behind us, we were hitting over 11 knots over the bottom on the way back.

Steve declared the air conditioning was better in the slip in Westbrook than running all night off the generator in Hamburg Cove, so we sailed west past the mouth of the Connecticut River and on to Westbrook. It was blowing so hard we used the power winch to furl the jib, then dropped the main with little trouble. Back in the slip, we, first, turned on the air conditioning, then put on the sail cover to wrap up the cruise.

The dinghy is ...	going ashore.	Under sail ...	with lots of breeze.	Boat speed is ...
going up ...	up ...	and up!	Flag flapping ...	spray flying ...
SOG is going ...	up ...	up ...	and up!	Last Buoy astern.

Go To Log Summary

Thursday, June 19th

Steve sure was right! Though Mel reported a massive red sunrise, by 0615 it was solid gray, and by 0630 it was raining.

Cereal, oatmeal and two slices of left over French toast was the breakfast to see us on our way. It didn't take long to empty the fridge, pack up the perishables, and strip the bunks. But now it was raining hard and everything got wet taking things up to the cars.

But then we were off: Mel dropped Rick at JFK then continued on to Leesburg, Virginia; Brian headed northeast to Rye, New Hampshire; and Steve headed home to Scarsdale. Another successful and enjoyable Javelin cruise safely in the log book.



Go To Log Summary

Clear Sailing.

Rick Van Mell vanmells@ix.netcom.com

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