Whats Up Doc

Whats Up Doc video on board 10 knots in 12 true 14 apparent

2011-09-02T14:59:00.007-04:00

https://picasaweb.google.com/106380324523268527148/47CatamaranWhatSUpDocRhodeIslandToNovaScotiaAugust2011Cruise?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCNa4ycvvxZy1TA&feat=directlink#5646337332220320930

this was taken by a crew member last month. Some of the facts are wrong - the mast is 63' from deck 70 ' from water. But very informative about boat and good video. This is with jib and double reef main. She would go wind speed with the screecher. The next video is in 25-30 k but we are trimmed for slower speed to set a reef.

Falll River to Nantucket July 29 2011

2011-08-21T23:44:00.007-04:00

renowned scientist and explorer, Alexander Agassiz home in Newport R.I. - now a B & B castel Hill Inn.

Dan, Brian, and Nick meet David in Waterville have a swim in the eye burning pool. Then in the morning it is on to LL Bean for breakfast since it is NEVER closed.

These moose were found dead with locked horns and refurbished with other skins.

then on to Portland to pick up some charts . Then we went to West Marine in Portsmouth NH to get some electronic charts. THen it was on the Boston to get Marco at the south station arriving from London via NYC.. Next onward to Somerset and the boat arriving at 13:30. Dan and David provision and we get set to leave by sunset.

We leave J&J marine in Somerset MA at 6pm to get to the bridge after the down time for traffic.

out past battleship Cove and the USS Massachusetts and under the route Mount Hope span bridge at night. Impressive light dislay. Then down the coast to anchor at Portsmouth RI for the night. Strange clicking sound some of them at the hull.

Marco at the helm the next morning at sunrise heading to Newport. When we got there with no wind full sails we finally got a breeze so I decided to make time and continue on the Cutty Hunk.

out past Nathaniel Bowditch's house all boaters should read his biography "Carry on Mr. Bowditch" error --- This is renowned scientist and explorer, Alexander Agassiz's home but stil read about bowditch.

this is the a lighthouse at entrance to Narraganset bay by Castle Hill Inn

Dan with his photo ops.

we made it to gay head and the entrance to . The wind was too light after 9AM to make it to Cutty Hunk in time for any space. Plus I hit a fishing net fist time I had seen one. Took 15 minutes to dislodge the net . Then a while to fix the port prop as the electric motor drive belt had loosened, We were going to go into Menemsha bay but again we got there too late because it took 1 hour to take down the screecher. Once again we could not take it down normally. This is the third time (always the second time the sail is raised) the halyard jams at the top. This time we had to send Nick up the mast and cut the halyard free dropping the sail into the water. By the time we were done it was past sunset and too late to motor into the cove so we anchored 100 yds off the beach inside Gay Head and were serenaded by the clickers again. Joe Cooper from hood sails says we need a swivel at the bitter end to prevent this from happening. Too bad this was never done since 2006 when I first got the sail. Had this jammed in October in 50 knots of wind I think the mast would have come down. It was blowing 15-18 and 75 degrees this time and that was rough enough with Nick was up there. At 40 it would have been very tough and dangerous. We would have cut the halyard at the winch instead of at teh top of the mast as we did this time.

The next morning were off up the Elizabeth channel around Falmouth to Oak Bluff for provisioning. Dan, Brian and Marco provisioned while Nick and I tanked up the diesel and practiced maneuvers in the harbor. Then we picked them up at the town dock. Marge and Steve had company and could not visit . We missed some good wind and should have continued to Nantucket would have arrived at 2Pm but as it turned out with no wind we arrived at 7pm.
This is Dan checking out Chappaquiddick. Wind was down to 4 k.

No wind motoring at 4 K.

The entrance at sunset to Nantucket was a sight with boats coming out for a sunset cruise like this gaff rig and Belle.

Brandt point light at the entrance to Nantucket harbor.

This gal was on Windigo, Newport, RI with others. I got several pics and they gave me an email address which I lost so if anyone knows this boat, let me know the contact info. There is another older boat named Windigo that is in Newport and they are the only oneslisted on facebook or google search. No connection between boats as i got an email back from the other Windigo.

Nantucket to Canada 400 miles

2011-08-18T21:44:00.023-04:00

This well done 10 minute video was taken by Dan . ( is at the bottom of the blog.!!! you can't place items with this software pics post to opt and vidoes post to bottom!!!) Some of the facts are not quite right. The mast is 63 feet from the deck and 70 from the water. To see info about about Whats Up Doc go to the stats page at the bottom of the blog
Brant Point lighthouse the entrance to Nantucket Harbor. We arrived about 19:00 after a windless sail from southwest Marthas Vineyard.

The car ferry from Hyannis chasing us in the entrance.as the sun sets.

Belle on her way out for a sunset cruise with spiffy uniformed crew. 1910 vintage. see her dockside below.

Amazed by the boats in the harbor Nick Dan and Marco scan the beauty speed and money around them. ( few boats show all three). Where's Brian?

The docks are not like last November when we were the only boat in the basin.

cottages for $600 a night

This was our old dock for five days. nothing under 80 feet here.

So we're by the Dockmasters with the small boats.

This is the Nantucket boat basin and cottages. Dock master house is at 9 o'clock on the edge of photo. our spot last fall was at 4 o'clock and now we are by the Dock Master.

After a great shower at one of several shower rooms in the basin, we
were quickly off to Queequeg's for another great meal. Just as good as last November. Dan digs in.

Marco and Nick were impressed.

and despite no smiles Brian's was even more pleased esp with the size of the bowl in the the amount of chicken in the bowl. But he did get filled up.

On the way back to the boat.

and here is Belle again, resting at the dock.

this dog slept with one eye open watching everyone go by.

Some people don't quite plan correctly for the 8(?) foot tides.

Notice the boat behind the listing boat. Notice the Cooper on the back. She had two large jet skis in the back hatch. I did not know they made jet skis that big. The boat's name is INDISCRETION. about 120 feet but Espresso III parked next to us was 160.

We passed all these boats on our way to breakfast. At the same corner cafe with great oatmeal. than to the Nantucket Chandlery. Nick's first visti to a chandlery. Got line for the tramp, snap shackles and 5200.

Brian on the post

Marco had to leave for a family emergency. Brian and Nick went to the Whaling museum and Dan took a bike ride around the island. Commander's weather said the wind would pick up this evening so I made plans to leave for Nova Scotia at 23:00. We moved the boat to a mooring as i did no want to pay $240 for 4 hours on the dock ( we arrived at 19:00 but had to check out at 11:00. ANd they wanted to charge me another $240 to leave at 23:00. While they toured the town, I worked on the boat scrubbing the bottom for 2 hours. The water was clear and 78 degrees. They returned by 17:00 and we did some preparation.

Dan and Brian prepared the halyards.

Nick and Brian fixed up the bow sprit so we could use the asymmetrical as the screecher was out of commission. See "Fall River to Nantucket".

Tribe was our neighbor on the mooring this is a 62' Gunboat made in South Africa homed in Newport watch go to you tube and search "GUnboat fastest" to see a great video of her sister. I think tribe is owned by the owner of gunboat.

All kinds of interesting folks dinghy by.We think one was Nigel Calder but not sure. He knew his cats though. Spotted us a a fast Crowther.

These girls seem to be doing to each boat. Nick and Brian may have been interested in having them coming to our boat.

Which they did!!! Turns out they were tweenies - very cute tweenies at that- serenading for cash donations.

One was the driver one the fiddler and violinist and one was the music stand.

But alas!! Nick was up the mast!!! working on the spinnaker halyard!!! bu the did hear them.

He did have a smile on his face. The view was great even without the girls. but that seemed to occur every time he went up the mast which I think was three times. Thats about 25 feet from the hounds to the top and 65 feet from the deck to the top. He forgot to take a camera each time. Nick , you have to help me bring her back to Nantucket and we'll get a picture next time on Nantucket from up there.

And Brian loved pumping him up there.We loved watching Brain do it with one arm. Never switching arms. Good for the biceps and deltoids he remarks He did switch arms for the second hoist.

This is a top climber but Nick preferred to be locked in with the main halyard. There was none other that went to the top. Nick inspected the top and retrieved the screecher halyard so it would be easier to go up again rather than undo and redo the main halyard.

Brian got a good workout.

Nick is down safe and sound.

A boat a girl and a dog. Windigo also a neighbor a 60 footer from Newport but not the one I can find on the web There is a Windigo on facebook but it is a wooden sloop with wooden spars also in Newport harbor. I asked these folks for their email so I could send this shot and 5 others but I lost it so if anyone know this boat let me know.

Then another boat comes into view blocking our view of Windigo. The assets on the boats in Nantucket harbor are impressive.

very impressive

These fellows agree and they are on that fine boat.

Sunset arrives.

Tribe a gunboat at sunset. Best Cats around if you can afford them.

Looking for more assets?

I head into town while others nap Great Burger at the nantucket Tavern. back by 20:45 for a 2 hour nap and cast of at 23:00. After a long low wind 4-5 knot motor we get some wind and end up scooting the gut at 10-12 knots. Dan and I are the onlyone up for sunrise.

Then sunrise out of sight of land for the first time for Dan and Brian.
We saw finback whales from a distance. and heard one close up at night. We flew the assymetrical in 6-8 knots of wind and it straigntened out the new snap schackle I had jsut bought at the nantucket Chandlery. It released and and came down just as we were hitting 10 knots boat speed again. Once more up the mast for Nick. This time in mid ocean. The crusie was much mor emotoring than I am used to doing bu tIwanted to be ther in plenty of time to decommision the boat We left at 23:00 Sunday night and arrived at 11:00 Wednesday morning. 423 miles in 60 hours. Not bad for light winds most of the time.

dan steps forth for his night shift. Monday was ineventful until the night when we watched three powerful T storms all night as we approached the tip of Nova Scotia. At 5AM sharp i called commanders weather and he advised to slow down from 8-9 knots and head west a little to tuck in behind the storms. Worked great. the angle shifted east so we almost overshot sable island and may have gotten sucked by the tide up the west coast, Bu the tide does not effect us too much. 8o miles up to coast to go

Sunny day and line work by Nick he sure likes to whip and splice just like me. Great crew.

Brain was impressed with the expanse of the ocean. His muscle was very useful over and over again. nausea only milde and covered by a scope patch. I , on the ohter hand got seasick and barfed when I had to eval the failed generator at night in rough seas Tuesday night. Turns out is was a blown water pump impeller with 50 hours on it. All arms broke off. I recovered by AM with a scope patch on.
Dan did a great job changing the impeller for my. I guess age or something has caught up with me as I have been seasick only tiwce on Whats Up Doc. Both when inside and down below and both times in the last two offshore trips. So I will use scope patches in the future.

Looking for Canada blew in at 10-13 knots. after a foggy night watching fishing boats on radar and AIS on colision course but passed astern by 0.5 miles. THE NOTHING rain blobs on the great new radar sweep over us. Not one drop inside the cabin the whole trip/summer! Carnival Glory passed us on the stbd by about a mile at night in the fog and never saw her.

This video gives a good appreciation of the boat under sail. Jib and double reef main with 10 k boat speed 12 knots of wind true at 70 degrees and 14 knots apparent at 50 degrees. The mast is 63 feet not 53 from the deck 70' from the water.

Arrival in Canada

2011-08-12T18:36:00.012-04:00

here we are awaiting Customs in Lunnenberg,NS

We on the dock of the Atlantic Fisheries Museum $57 / night!! some different than the $250 in Nantucket. Of cousre no water or showers or electircity but still a great deal.

Stitched 4 pics for this view of Museum

the boat astern

The boat ahead are both museum boats. open for tours.

Too bad Kysa and Tyler aren't here for a pic. They could fit in here too even now.

We're happy to be off the boat Brain Dan and Nick

this is a model of a fish trap like the one we hit in Rhode Island. Notice th emodel 60 ft boat

a 90 mm harpoon gun with exploding shell loaded. No chance

strange figurehead. no Bust

Dan at Nick's first legal drink location. Good apple crisp.

Leaving Lunneberg and the Atlantic Museum 6am

early rowers

Ocean racer monohul _____

Nick Windt at the helm August and a wool cap! The final days leg 504 miles in all.

Seal in upper mahone bay

all the waterfront was beautifully maintained

The Crew David Nick Brian Dan - best crew I have had overall - On the dock Nova Scotia

Chester Nova Scotia

Chester Nova scotia

Chester Nova Scotia

On the dock 4 days and then out she comes

Reagan swims in the river

2011-08-10T19:31:00.006-04:00

Whats Up Doc at J&J Marine Somerset MA

On a July weekend the plan was to go to Bristol but then we found that the draw bridge was open from 5 Am to 9Pm 7 days a week the state draw bridge was not open on weekends! So we motored up and down the river and went swimming then took a tour of the Fall River Battleship cove. Tiya and Reagan undre for sale flag

Kysa Tiay and Reagan on the port bow

Reagan with hair in the wind

Tyler at the Helm

Tyler and Tiya

This is my cell phone picture and should be inthe next blog. Good blueberry muffin by Pat.

Kysa and Reagan under Whats Up Doc

Tiya did not want to go into the water.

Trampoline is partly done.

Patricia is aboard!!

2011-08-09T19:35:00.005-04:00

This season is about getting the boat ready for a trip to store her in Nova Scotia. The work in McDougals was hit and miss and communication was very poor. Rules did not allow what I wanted to be done so We put in in June in Falmouth and then went to Narraganset bay for repair by J&J marine who went bankrupt just after I left. The test sail out of J&J was a surprise when we got aboard and found the 12V bank had 4.1V due to a disconnect of the solar panels! This resulted in a test sail of a short trip to Newport and waiting for Scott, the electrician, who did a super job in just 1 hour once he got to the boat.

About to be launched at McDougals in Falmouth. "Sailed" to J&J with no wind. Charles and were the crew to take her over to J&J.

The Crew for this trip was Jeff and Mark in Jonestown after a stay in Dutch harbor

Felt like Saratoga with the geese. We're on a Newport Mooring waiting for Scot the electrician for arrive.

Patricia in the Seamans institute chapel. A very cool place - fabulous library, breakfast, showers.

To Nantucket instead of the Carribean

2010-12-26T11:52:00.011-05:00

So we leave Camden in lifhght winds and pridictions on Wind Guru and local weather channel and vhf reports saying the same thing. winds build to 15 K at sunset and dropping to 8-10 knots overnight with clear skies. We had to get out from te lobster pots by dark and baryly made it wrapping one pot briefly. We practiced boat handling to give a feel for direction and control of the boat. We had the screeecher up and the main full. Doing 6 Knots building to 12 knots with a very heavy boat in 15Kots of wind. Then the wind built to 20k and we threw in a reef and furled the screecher. Could not get all the screecher furled. leaving about 3 feet exposed. I left the screecher up - a mistake. By the time one reef was in and we were on the ful jib the wind was 25k so we put in a second reef. Bruce was making diner - corn beef New England boiled diner in a pressure coker. He cut this finer and we went below to clean and bandage. This took 5 minutes and I got seasick doing that. First time in 20 years with this. I was 'Ok' vomiting once but then the wind was up to 35k so I went out to pull down the screecher as it had started to unfurl. It was dark we were moving 45 degrees off the wind in 40 dgree wind and 43 degree water. We were at an angel into the waves (6-10 feet) so there was a lot of spray) My hood was blown off and my wool hat. Water went down my back. It was hard to pull the screecher down. It unrolled 1/3 and the luffing snapped the sheet. I needed help from Ed to get it down and lashed. By the time I got back to the cockpit. I was hypothermic. and needed to be stripped dwon and wrapped on the settee with wool blankets. Ed joined me vomiting and in the salon into whatever we could find. Bruce Peter and reiner did a great job handling and unusual boat it tough conditions. Going to three reefs. Maybe we had done that on the second reefing.

This was the scene out the window in 45k with the jib and triple reefed main withteh boom set to midline and the wind at 180. Speed was a steady 19-20 with bursts to 22-23 according to the Immarsat recordings on my tracker website. This was with the bow sprit in the water! I had placed a scope patchand got over the nausea and the hypothermia but was still extreemly fatigued. We foudn that

Camden Maine

2010-12-12T11:35:00.014-05:00

This is the Wayfarer dock Camden Maine 10-27-2010. This is the best marina I have been to. great service, beautiful town, exceptionally clean facilities. Sorry this pic is out of order but you can't insert on this web site and I do not feel like deleting 10 pics.

Sails up at 5 knots 4 knots of speed at th heaviest she has been 2500# of gear, 100# crew, full fuel and water. Screecher is 950sq' jib is 350 sq '

This is not the scooner from below but we saw one on the way out and I like this picture from earlier.

2 miles out. the only ski area in the lower US that you can see the ocean from.

Out of order but nice pic 10-28-2010 Camden Maine

One mile out no wind

morinign of cast off 10-29-2010 left at 13:00

tank back in place 10-29 2010 12:00

tank going back on board

aluminum and empty so not bad

Tank was found to have a leak in the evening of 10-20-2010. Probably from cold changes in October finally gettting to the 19 year old tank. Leak was at the seam. Wayfarer did a great job getting her off the boat, welded, and reinstalled in 28 hour from my request. this did give us time to do some chores like seting up the sea anchor and preparing the new XYZ anchor but the time would have been better spent doing a day sail to get the crew used to reefing and the captain relearning the autopilot which you do not use in Maine because of lobster traps.

David checking out the instruments.

Notice the pitch of the ramp and the view under the dock ( none. Also notice the scooner leaving to the left.

the ramp at high tide 15 foot difference . we get a view of the bay at high tide.

Ed English and Bruce Johnson from Georgia. Ed was the most inexperienced but a hard worker and picthed in very well He did not get flustered when things got tough. Neither did anyone else. Bruce was one of the best crew I have had. Good experience and discussed options very well.

Reiner Schick from Arizona and David Edsall preparing the Sea anchor. No one on board had use one except me for practice once. Plan was to practice as we got to Newport. Riener is an excellent crew very experienced and large knowledge set.

ramp at low tide Camden Maine 10-28-2010 notice the pitch of the ramp

Camden maine 10-28-2010

The raked 63' 600# carbon fiber winged rotating mast made in a movie studio in Vancouver by Keith MacKenzie the former owner and shipped to Hawaii for stepping.

35 gallons of extra fuel not yet stowed in bilge. plan wasted this underway with the light breezes we had for the next 36 hours.

Wayfarer Marine from Camden Maine downtown. I am drying the dark blue assym spin.

two Crowthers in one shot form 200K feet! Whats Up Doc with green tarp

zoomed in Whats Up Doc is upper most with green tarp

Casco Bay Maine can you find Whats Up Doc? Google Earth

Older Photos

2010-09-06T10:08:00.008-04:00

Staten Island Ferry 2004

Bahama Shark 2004

Cook Islands 2000 from the top of the mast!! ( yes one person believed me)

Cook Islands 2000

Carla at the helm Eggamogin Reach, Penobscot Bay Maine 2005

Bahamas 2004

NYC 2004

Mahi Mahi in Pacific Costa Rica 2001

Mahi Mahi Diner 2004

Maine Diner 2004

Bahama celebration 2004

NYC LIBERTY 2004

FIJI 1999

Whats Up Doc Bahama 2004

Beau in Maine? not Castine 2004

Inland Picnic Sail ;;; click on pics to enlarge

2010-09-03T21:09:00.021-04:00

Sawyer Cove Camden Harbor Maine. Inland hospital guests arrive for picnic sail. Yes I know the screecher is too loose. August 14 2010

Camden Harbor Maine

at the helm, lots of activity

leaving Camden Harbor

a neighbor on the next mooring, From Marshal Islands

Heading out to Mark Island

No One had been on a sailboat except me

Camden Scooner

Mark Island

Janet ooking for a good place to drop the hook in clear 5-7 foot water

To the Stern

checking the swing not secure enough for me to get off the boat.

Christie liked the tramps

The only shot of the head that I have ( I did not take it)

Kelly never did get in but it was 68 (air was 86 and 5-10 knots)

Janet was surprised withthe current sweeping her from bow to stern

Kelly still trying to get in

These guys coudl not get as close

Hauling anchor ( new winlass installed the next week not bad for 19 years without failing)

Scooners in Camden harbor. this is very down town

Broken foot 3 weeks ago from the launch. Northfiled Mount Hermon 1966 - the world is waiting

kayak tour in camden harbor

the old north jib

Perfect day perfect sail lots of photo ops missed

Paul with the launch service returns guests to shore

Farewell ( notice the dent scrap above the waterline forward of the "C". this is from the jerk in Vynylhaven who did this at three laces on the boat ( two on the other side) whiel we were ashore. Do not spend money in Vinylhaven.

Back in Sawyer cove Camden Maine

Down East Shakedown Sail

2010-08-19T17:13:00.026-04:00

Not yet ready for prime time but happy to be in the water!!!!

Soon to have good meals!

Leaving the harraseekette River in the sun!

A few hours before on Strouts marina dock

David preparing the best dinghy, a PortaboatDavid planning thesailto BoothBay

fog is about to lift on entry to Casco bay from Freeport LL BEAN

Holly at the helm

Mark at the helm

It makes every one happy

leaving Casco Bay

Seals on the way to BoothBay

Entrance to BoothBay

Cape Point Southport Island Boothbay this is now a private home

two choices with a 30 knot wind and a broken drive belt. Go to see or take a Boat US tow to a nice comfy mooring.

Noah gets a shower from dad Brian camping at Boothbay

lunch at boothbay SHACK

Patricia, Tyler Bobby-jo jeremy Kysa reagan Max Zack Tiya in serial lunches

Tiya likes her PB&J

Zack did not like jail Joan and John off Pemaquid point

Pemaquid point

Getting ready to return Joan's John, John's dad to the sea

John takes his last voyage after many boats and cruises with Joan.

Scooner near Penobscot bay

Forest Gump's lighthouse at Marshal point , now a museum

Heather dons shoes at th Vinylhaven dock. We rowed in from the boat , quite a current

I do not reccommend going here it is very commmercial and they do not seem to like private pleasure boats. While we were in town someone rammed my boat three times in three different places causing dents and a small hole. John getting ready for a drink at Jill's bar This ramp is flat at high tide

Mark David and Holly test out the waters with Whats up Doc after 22 months on the hard. She was happy to be in the water. After a day on the mooring trying to get things ready and somewhat organized on the Harraseekette River in Freeport Maine and a lenghty 5 hour shuttle drop to Booth bay ( 75 minute drive without trafic), we left Friday morning 8/6/2010 at 9 am for Boothbay in very light winds and had a reech to the bay arriving about 14:00 at anchor. However the holding was not good with the CQR and only 60 feet of chain in 15 feeet of water ( space too tight) as soon as i said ' we are in trouble if the wind shifts' the wind not only shifted but started to blow in gusts to 30k. We lost our 20 year old winalss finally - it gave good reliable service for a long time. and the stbd drive belt broke - 4 years old. so we limped around the bay in circles trying to beat up wind with one prop. could not do it so the choice was to sail downwind out to sea or get towed by boat US to a mooring. It was nice to get on the mooring at Boothbay Shipyard.

Mark and Holly return to their home and I shuttle back from Freeport arriving at 00:30! so much for an early entrance! After 2 days of camping with Tyler Bobbijo, Tiya, Zack, Max, Reagan, Kysa, Jeremy, Missy Aiden Noah Brian and my love Patricia. No boat rides of course except two dinghy rides. BUT, very sucessful shopping for Paulines aniversary.

Back on the boat for 2 days waiting for Boothbay region Boatyard to find a winlass and John to track down some belts. John arrives on Tuesday August with 6 drive belts for the electric engines! they fit except we can't replace the port belt due to the way it had been installed this year.

Joan gets her first ride on a catamaran around Boothbay to test the new belt. She is several decade coastal cruiser and is impressed with the space, view and stability on the cat. The next day 8/10/2010 John and I rig the schreecher and we head out in almost no wind to pemaquid point to cast the ashes of Joan's John (John's dad) to sea where they had been over 50 years earlier before John was born. After a mid ocean rerig of the screecher it was on to Eastern Egg Rock Island where there is a 75 pair Puffin colony reestablished in 1973. Then on through the gutt with the red NUN to Forerst Gumps light house on Marshal point. A wave to Chief Justice Roberts and on the Tennants harbor for a very vicious buggy encounter.

The next days brings some wind and we sail out to Matinicus rock and in to Vinylhaven, lobster boats, a swim for John for a wrapped prop, a good black Russian by Jill, long dinghy row up a real current and a good grilled steak!

Friday brings a downwind sail into Camden and more troubles for the Scheecher, could not furl correctly.

May 2008

2008-09-29T23:01:00.009-04:00

May 25 2008, time for Greg and Sean to leave they were impressed that we have jets in Maine. We are mighty proud to have so many wicked smart jet people in Maine.
Sunset off Popum beach. On our way into the Kennebeck River the port drive shaft broke. probably from over tensioning the drive belt. So we had to go outside and make our way to Casco bay wince the starboard throttle was unreliable. Seatow did a great job meeting us at 23:00 at half way rock and taking us to Walter Green's mooring on the Harraseeket river in South Freeport, 2 miles from L.L.Bean's. We were here for 6 weeks.
Greg at light near Kennnebec river.

Same lighthouse, Greg at the helm.
We left Penobscot bay and proceeded to the Kennebec river This is along the way.
Warm water needed for David to shower after the swim
Knife that was not needed to cut the line that was not wrapped
Local Color Brookline, Maine

David swimming to cut free the prop free that had no line wrapped on it: 55 degree water
Iroquois Indian lacrosse player with Greg as defense. Blue Hill, Maine
Sunset in Bucks harbor

Farm at Bucks harbor low tide.
May 19 Bucks harbor Maine Some say the best harbor. not much for facilities but great sailing and views. Had to get dinghy engine repaired. Sara Cox helped a lot.
Off Bass Head light
To The southest Cranberry islands
To the east Sommes Sound

Greg with the west behind. Penobscot bay and Bucks harbor
To the south, the Cranberry islands

Southwest Eggemogin Reach
South west harbor Maine where we spent the night. Great diner in a corner cafe. Red Sox won.

Whats Up Doc starting to drag.
Raven or crow? waiting for what? click to see
Whats Up Doc in Valley Cove - Sommes Sound- David on Board - click to see.
the entrance to Sommes sound

The view toward NE harbor

After a nice rocky anchor that did not hold ( OK because I stayed on the boat), Sean and Greg climbed Flying mountain and falcon nest mountain and back to the .

The Entrance to Sommes sound MT Desert Island. this is the largest fiord in the US. Cadillac Mt in the distance the first place the sun hits the US.
A site we all love to see. These lobster traps caused me to swim 3 times this summer. We wrapped 6 in all.

May 18 Sean McGowan near NE harbor Mt Desert island. May 18 We had a warm and gentle sail through the harbor under full main.

May 17th was not too pleasant. We ran out of power because the starter battery ran dead. The blower pulled 7.5 amps with the charger ran 5 amps. So we had the Bass Harbor harbor Master come out with a new battery and motored to the town dock. Greg and Sean took a walk and got a free lobster diner. David of Solar marine elecric came out and diagnosed the problem . We disconnected the blower, kept the cover off the engine room and all was ok but noisy for the rest of the trip.

MAY 16; We are about to leave Blue Hill Bay, an ideal harbor with church, store, restaurant, hospital, Golf, yatch club, boatyard, and cemetery all on the water of a small town and harbor .

Sept 2008

2008-09-26T10:29:00.008-04:00

Leaving Kennebunkport Secret service gunboat zodiacs just out of view. I prefer a gunboat like this http://www.gunboat.com/safari.php ( check it out and be prepared to be blown away. )
A few days before this picture my daughter, Kysa, and I were here for a political rally then went over to 41's house.
Pretty tight anchorage . Only room for one row on one side. No space was available so we snuck onto a dock for the night. Then in the morning we made a dash for Portland in between squalls that we could see on the internet dopler radar that were sweeping up from the cape.
John Clayton about to take her out to sea. We coudl not make headway once outside against the surf so had to tack south to get enough seaway to gtack adn go north. Ergo no pic of 41's house.

Sept 25th Off the boat for the season is always a very sad day. Here Pat is taking her back to the Cousins Island mooring for the last time this year.
Sept 23rd. Andrea and Frank took us around Govenor's Island on Lake Winnipesaukee. Houses we thought were maga mansions in the 80's are small now.
Sept 5th. A tour on the Patomac River had lots of good sights.

Latitude 38 cover

2008-09-14T15:01:00.018-04:00

I am trying to get pictures of Whats Up Doc on to this site. If you have one please send it to me. This is the cover of a funky California sailing magazine http://www.latitude38.com/ . It was taken in Fiji in 1998-9. Whats Up Doc participate in one of its rally's, The Baja Haha, in 2001. It was a blast, well worth doing if your on the west coast. http://www.baja-haha.com/

In 2005 I did the around Islesboro race coming in second. These links have pictures of the race. I am next to the mast in pic 26 of the first set. They were taken by Wavelength Studios a guy who flys around the country and takes pics of sailing races. If you see the skiff hail him over for a few pics. Hard to get good ones of your own boat. Check out his site. He has some great pics of lots of boats.

http://sims.myphotos.cc/~wave16/2005/cam_cas05/source/cam_cas05_026.htm

http://sims.myphotos.cc/~wave16/2005/around_isleboro05/index5.htm

pics 56-60

http://sims.myphotos.cc/~wave16/2005/around_isleboro05/index13.htm

pics 155-6

http://sims.myphotos.cc/~wave16/2005/around_isleboro05/index28.htm

pic 328

August Cruise 7 days

2008-09-14T11:34:00.013-04:00

August 24th, 19:28 2008
This is a sunset at the north entrance to Casco bay We anchored at Haskel Island. This was the beginning of my boating experience in 1956. I was 8. Henry Chaplan owned the Island. I was allowed to use his rowboat but I could not untie from the dock. So I would row as fast as possible to the end of the line and try to snap it. Never did, but I tried for hours. The Chaplans' were impressed with my persistence. It was foggy on this trip and the anchorage was tight. The next morning we circled the island with very many lobster pots. No wraps this time. The lobster boats were concerned because we were not in the channel but with sonar and good GPS electronic charts we had no trouble finding our way to Cousins Island where we started this trip.August 24 12:39 2008 We left Booth Bay around 11 am and ended the day at Haskel Island around 9pm. Very light winds 3-7 knots all afternoon. This light is leaving Booth Bay. August 22 09:02 2008This is an Squirrel Island leaving Booth Bay. Lots of very large new houses but not very many that are beautiful. They seem to value size and not quality on this island. Not like Newport, Islesboro, York, Kennebunk, Mt Dessert. We motor-sailed most of the way.
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August 22nd, 2008

The above sunrise may be from our overnighter. We left the Shoals at 10:00 again but did not make it to and an entry point by nightfall so we decided to stay offshore. We did not make it in because of a delay when we brought the spinnaker down. It caught the water at 5-7 knots, stopped the boat very fast, ripped the chute to shreds, and broke the boatsprit! By the time we recovered it was dark so we drifted for a few hours. We were 10 miles off Sequin island and then sailed at 3 knots on triple reef in 5 knots wind so that we did not get into the pots until daylight. Slow sail into Booth Bay.

August 21, 2008
We had a slow windless motor around the isles getting the autopilot working for the first time since installation in 2006. It worked well the rest of the trip.

This is a shoal 100 yds from the boat and we are 150 from the shore at the light. I had to swim again to free a prop from a pot! 64 degrees.
August 21,2008 10:17 The light at Isle of Shoals August 20 18:39 2008 At anchor at the break water at Smutty nose with Appledore in the distance. Like a lake yet 15- 20 knots of wind made it very bouncy night for the boats on the other side of the breakwater with the moorings at Star Island. August 20 12:27 2008 We have passed in front and turned to Isle of Shoals. I think they were heading to the Cape or a wide birth to cape Anne.August 20 12L21 2008 David Damiecki, from NYC firnds tallships as nice as tall buildings.
August 20 12: 19 Frank Bourn, my brother in law finds the experince on Whats Up Doc unlike on his Prindle on Lake Winnipesaukee

August 30 23:17 approaching Friendship of Salem

We had a great downwind sail in 15-20 knots to the Ilse of Shoals on the Maine New Hampshire boarder. 10 miles off Portsmouth. We averaged 15.5 knots and had peaks of 19. But did not break 20 even with the full main and screecher. We passed the Friendship of Salem along the way

We had a rough start at Cousins Island in Casco bay. The Dinghy came undone and drifted to shore. This lead to motoring the boat closer to shore so my swim ( 66 degree water) was not too far. I rescued the dinghy only to get back and have not one but two prop wraps on lines in the water . One was a lobster trap and was easily unwrapped . the other twas a hard to see 2X4 as a buoy connected to a large mushroom anchor. I would not unwrap it and had to cut the line. By the time I had the prop free and I was back on board we had drifted on to the shore. However, Frank and David were doing a good job keeping Whats Up Doc off the rocks by using the awning poles. We were lucky the wind was light as it increased to 20-25 knots within 30 minutes after we gotinto the clear. This was a lee shore. Anyway we were underway around 11 am, not the 6 am as we had planned. The first delay was to get water which we got from an outside faucet at a camp on the island. Not easy as the dinghy row is 200-300 yards. At least it was not windy like the arrival the afternoon before. With whitecaps, the dinghy got mildly swamped, soaking some of David's cloths and suitcase (don't bring suitcases on a boat).

Summer 2008

2008-09-14T11:25:00.004-04:00

The plan was to do the Great Down East Circle but becasue of breakdowns I ended up doing 580 miles along the Maine coast. This was in three legs with three different crew. First leg was in may with Greg and Sean , two recent college grads from Toronto. The second was in July with John, a high school physics teacher from Worchester. The third was with Frank, my brother in law and David , an Apple engineer from NYC. More on each leg later. Pictures to come if anyone sends them. The cruise did not go as planned as the drive shaft broke on the first leg so she was hung up in Freeport for 6 weeks. After that we just sailed where the wind blew.

Welcome to the blog

2008-03-26T09:25:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the blog! I will be posting about the goings on of Whats Up Doc, a 46' catamaran. I've been sailing since I was eight. Here is a picture of a sailing adventure on a 16' Hobiecat in the Virgin Islands with my family. Stay tuned for more.