Sardinia Summer 2015

[MapisM]

I'd call it very convenient rather than naughty, I like that! And the difference in the release speed is trivial anyway.
Otoh, in this respect what makes a big difference is the use of a carbine hook instead of an open hook, as I've got in my bridle.
But that's because with pocket anchors, I must attach the hook to the chain on the deck first, then lower the bridle, then recover the lines externally with a hook, eventually securing them to the cleats.
Though coming to think of it, maybe the open hook you are using can be attached to the chain also "on the fly", so to speak.
I mean, with your bow anchor, I guess that you attach the hook to the chain on the deck, and then release the chain as necessary, keeping the lines on hand tight enough to avoid "loosing" the hook, right?
But if you think of a chain coming out of the hull sides, do you think it would be feasible to grab it with the hook hanging loosely from the line?
If yes, that would allow me a much simpler handling.
Not sure to have explained well what I mean, but in the worst case we can just try it next week anyway!

 

[Andrew M]

Thanks, that all sounds good to me.

Much appreciated,

Andy

 

[Hurricane]

I'd call it very convenient rather than naughty, I like that! And the difference in the release speed is trivial anyway.
Otoh, in this respect what makes a big difference is the use of a carbine hook instead of an open hook, as I've got in my bridle.
But that's because with pocket anchors, I must attach the hook to the chain on the deck first, then lower the bridle, then recover the lines externally with a hook, eventually securing them to the cleats.
Though coming to think of it, maybe the open hook you are using can be attached to the chain also "on the fly", so to speak.
I mean, with your bow anchor, I guess that you attach the hook to the chain on the deck, and then release the chain as necessary, keeping the lines on hand tight enough to avoid "loosing" the hook, right?
But if you think of a chain coming out of the hull sides, do you think it would be feasible to grab it with the hook hanging loosely from the line?
If yes, that would allow me a much simpler handling.
Not sure to have explained well what I mean, but in the worst case we can just try it next week anyway!

Yes, it is a bit of a fiddle setting it with our chain hook - our chain comes out of the bow just below a point where you can reach easily.
So, attaching the hook can be a bit tricky.
I wonder if it is easier using that other type of chain hook?
Maybe it could be attached to a boat hook or something to make it easer to attach?
Not a big deal anyway - just a thought.
I won't go rushing out to get a new chain hook!!

 

[Hurricane]

Miserable here yesterday so I finished the video on our passage here.

No apologies to its quality - I'm not a professional photographer - just a keen amateur.
A couple of the clips are lies - taken elsewhere!!!
But most were taken using my Canon 600D SLR camera.
There are some clips where I didn't hold the camera still enough but I've included them for what they show rather than their quality.

Hope you like it - it does depict the passage quite well.

I've uploaded it to Youtube and Vimeo
I'm using free accounts so both services have reduced it from full HD to a lower resolution.
I think that the Vimeo one is slightly better quality.

Youtube



Here's a link to the Youtube one in full screen

http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=xGgLMpwyYdY

Vimeo Link

https://vimeo.com/128414344

 

[Nick_H]

I mean, with your bow anchor, I guess that you attach the hook to the chain on the deck, and then release the chain as necessary, keeping the lines on hand tight enough to avoid "loosing" the hook, right?
But if you think of a chain coming out of the hull sides, do you think it would be feasible to grab it with the hook hanging loosely from the line?
If yes, that would allow me a much simpler handling.
Not sure to have explained well what I mean, but in the worst case we can just try it next week anyway!

We use the method you describe, keeping tension on the line by hand so that the hook doesn't drop off.

I'm not sure it would work to allow the hook to hang loose , then pick up the lines with a boat hook (if I've understood the proposal correctly), as on our boat at least, the chain always twists as it is payed out, so at some stage during it's passage through the hull recess, the hook will be upside down and will fall off.

 

[AndieMac]

Excellent video Hurricane, nicely put together.

 

[MapisM]

Miserable here yesterday so I finished the video on our passage here.
...
Hope you like it - it does depict the passage quite well.

Sorry to hear of the bad weather, but glad that you took the opportunity to cut the video.
Indeed it shows a great passage in a fantastic sea, I really wish I'll find similar conditions for my (MUCH shorter) arrival cruise of next week!

 

[MapisM]

if I've understood the proposal correctly

Nope N, I don't think you have, but that's my fault of course.
What I was considering is the possibility (using the bridle line as a sort of fishing line, outside the deck, with the hook hanging at its bottom), to grab with the hook the chain already deployed, and then attach the bridle to the cleats directly, skipping the passage through the hull recess altogether.
Of course, after having "hooked" the chain (if feasible), it would probably be necessary to release a bit more of it, leaving only the bridle pulling, but this last part of the trick would be easy peasy...

 

[Nick_H]

Ah, right, got it. My gut feel is that it will be quite difficult to hook the chain, though I can't say I've ever tried it.

 

[MrB]

Excellent video Hurricane, nicely put together.

+1, Highly enjoyable video. :encouragement:

 

[jfm]

Very nice video mike - thanks for posting. I love those long open sea crossings in warm blue water with glossy surface. Thanks to the weather gods I seem to get a couple of those most years

Thanks also for all that detail on addaya- much appreciated. Yes I have anchored in es Grau a couple of times in a couple of boats, but I don't know that strip well. The only other n coast anchorage I've used is pregonda, to west of fornells/addaya. It was very pretty. Other than that I've been in the s coast calas, but they are very busy in high season and it can be hard to find a space- a big rib makes more sense than a floating house

Anyway please keep posting the pictures and I hope rest of cruise goes well

 

[SammyB]

Great video thank you for posting! You were so lucky with the weather. I can't wait to start our trip down to SC!!

 

[henryf]

Goodness me, seas don't get any better for a long passage.

Almost makes me want to be there !

Henry

 

[Hurricane]

Goodness me, seas don't get any better for a long passage.

Almost makes me want to be there !

Henry

Well??????

 

[djefabs]

Great video Mike, thanks for posting. It bourght back loads of great memories.

 

[Monique]

Hello Hurricane/Jenny Wren,

Love your videos. One question...? We are looking for 2 electric bikes. Having seen them to €3200 each, I'd be more interested in something less pricy but of good quality.

Which ones do you have on board? Would you buy them again?

Many thanks.

 

[MapisM]

Fwiw, we bought ours several years ago, and the producer if this one: www.olympiacicli.it, but the current models are somewhat different.
About a thousand eur each, and so far so good, though when the street is very steep you definitely must use legs to help the electric motor.
But they are not foldable - I guess that's bound to make them more expensive, AOTBE.

The latest Bosch system is great for electric bikes, if I should buy one today that's what I would want, regardless of the bike brand.

 

[Hurricane]

Hello Hurricane/Jenny Wren,

Love your videos. One question...? We are looking for 2 electric bikes. Having seen them to €3200 each, I'd be more interested in something less pricy but of good quality.

Which ones do you have on board? Would you buy them again?

Many thanks.

These are the ones we have.
http://www.asbikes.co.uk/electro-bike-mk3-9-p.asp
Bought our first ones (two) 5 or 6 years ago.
Then we bought two more a couple of years ago.
They are cheap Chinese imports but the quality is good enough.
We've had a couple of failures/breakages but fixable.

The early ones came as two models - 24v and 36v - we chose the 36v ones and don't regret it.
They have changed slightly over the years - mostly all good improvements - batteries have stayed the same so all ours are interchangeable.

They are not the lightest of bikes around but IMO really great value.

IMO, the most important thing to consider when buying electric bikes is that they must have an option to operate without actually pedalling.
Ours have three position rocker switch which naturally sits under your thumb when riding.
Switch between OFF - All Electric - or Assist
With it set to all electric then you can use a twist grip similar to a motorbike
With it set to assist, it helps you pedal.
Mostly, I use the "All Electric" mode and help it by pedalling.
The salesman/owner of As Bikes said this is a technique he calls "blipping".
Basically you ride the bike conventionally and "blip" every now and then.
That way you can get as much as 25 miles out of a battery (on the flat)

If you are going to use them on the boat - a couple of points
1
THEY DON'T WORK AFTER THEY HAVE FALLEN INTO THE WATER - completely dead.
We haven't done so but we do know of someone who has.
2
If you buy them be sure to pay extra for the pannier bags that fit over the back wheels and the canvass handle bar bag.
Using this arrangement, we very often empty a complete shopping trolley into two bikes.
We then cycle the bikes right down to the boat before offloading.

They also sell storage bags that the whole bike fits into when they are folded.
We only have two of these bags and are regretting that we didn't buy two more bike bags.

So - Yes we would buy them again - indeed - we did!!

BTW AS Bikes aren't really into doing deals - you might get some of the bags and some carriage thrown in if you are buying two bikes but generally speaking they don't discount.

As I have said above - these bikes are some of the best things that we have bought for the boat.
We use them everywhere.

 

[BartW]

my neighbour captain has a e-bike model called "Landrover",
its a robust model, like a mountainbike, in army collor,
love it ;-)

thanks for the video Mike, really nice,
love the engineroom bit with two running engines

 

[scubaman]

Indeed, great video and very enjoyable! Thank you for taking the time to put it together.