Sailing Arpex

Sailing Arpex today with my brother ewas a pure delight. 

Urca - Shore Base

I dearly love the place and circumstance in which Arpex is moored. It is a setting as lovely as you could whish, with splendid views at all 4 sides. Well,... any side, for that matter. And I have been working with the neighboring boats, in order to establish the Urca Sailors Association.

Having been elected President of this noble gathering of quite a variation of nautical backrounds, I have seen fit to produce a visual identity for the group. You will see this identiy here pretty soon too.  

At the pointy end

Yesterday I was lucky enough to receive the good help from my friends in order to climb the mast and install the second set of shrouds. The operation involved getting me to the top of the mast, then sleeving the shrouds over the windex, then help them down to the cleats, guide the halyards to the outside of the shroud's top loop, and finally get me down to the deck safely again. The mast lenght is only 9 meter, really, but nevertheless... 9 meters when seen from the top is much more than when seen from the deck. Since getting up to the top involved mostly my own effort to climb the mast itself, and added the suprisingly wild swinging when a powerboat came rushing by, I was pretty drained once I finished the job and came back down again.

Rogerio and Miller made a safe job, attending to the halyards that kept me up there for quite a while. Unfortunately I will have to go up again, eventually. Unfortunately I endeavoured in derange the windex reference flags. The is a bit wexing, when you want to keep your boat high on the wind.

But not before I grabbed my camera and took a very few pictures from the top. Afterall, an interesting new perspective. ... I am quite happy to have the new shrouds installed now. I was retaining myself and the boat, avoiding much sailing, because I wanted to have the planned reinforcement done. Now it is.

Sailing at last

Last weekend I finally managed to clean the hull, and go for a quick sail around the Bay. 

Sunset in Rio

Sundet in Rio. 

Vento - Los Hermanos

http://youtu.be/DeiYR0eST7U

Just another day going by

Unvoluntary Idleness

In the past few weeks I have had very little of Arpex. My job has kept me terribly busy, and the weather has not helped either. Therefore my time on the water has been terribly scarce. Hope to catch up, and mend this during this weekend. And I do hope you get to the water too. 

Shelter from the sun

I have been working on a bimini style sun shelter for Arpex. I found a piece of very good quality used UV textile, more or less shaped in the way I require. Only small adjustements, by inversing zippers and such, I can produce a efficient and simple shelter. The time to work on this is now, while the sun is still clement. In just about two months, the sun will mercyless burn the deck. I'd better get it done with now.

Paraty to Rio on a classic

It was a late departure from São Paulo. Different committments kept us, and we ended up starting the five hour drive to the coastal town of Paraty only after 11pm. 

The plan was to transfer "Chinook", a 30ft wooden classic from a Marina in the small bay by the touristic colonial town Paraty to Rio. Since Chinook has no engine, the idea was to sail if possible, and tow if not. The mother ship would be the also wooden classic "Chestnut Tree".  A 45 feet, yawl rigged beauty. 

Quite honestly? The forecast was predicting feable wind on the nose. Since miles had to be covered, the prospect was towing, mostly. 

We had a crew of five. The distance to Rio is about 90 miles. We would cover 30 on the first day, and then another 60 on Sunday. The predicted 5-8 knots of wind from due East with waves and current against was not favorable. But the day was splendind. So we started after providing food and drink for the crew, and store it on Chestnut Tree. 

I had never seen Chinook before, and was very curious about this Dragon, a class designed in 1939. Built in Norway, and fabulously restored and maintained, Chinook is a classic lovers dream in wood. So I volunteered for the first tow watch, together with the captain, Andy. It was a pleasure, to enjoy the day tucked into the comfortable and beautiful cockpit, and chat away while watching the world pass by. 

We arrived in the last protected bay of Ilha Grande at the end of the day. Since the crew was tired from the night drive and early work to start the two boats in the morning, the recommendation was to have a hot pasta meal, have a short shut eye to get some rest, and then leave in the dark at 04am, start steaming into the dark of the night, for a long tow. Stars entertained us, while the tow steamed right into massive rollers. Soon the first light broke, and offered an unforgettable spectacle. In the distance, the light revealed the high hills of Rio de Janeiro, making an easy task of navigation. Course right into the rising sun. 

After about 20 miles, in the glittering morning sun, we hoisted sails into a light morning breeze. We tacked, close hauled, outward, away from the coast. Sailing this long keeler in the cold ocean water was exhilerating. Chinook is an Early Forties raceboat, equipped with a small cabin, and a light and high wooden stick as a mast. 

It was a rare, and formidable classic sailing experience. Since Chestnut Tree had steamed into the wind, and out of sight, we felt grand, sailing together into an empty and so beautiful world. The golden light of the winter morning, and the cristal clear, cold water gave it a surreal atmosphere. 

We didn't want to stray away from Chestnut Tree for too long. So we tacked back towards the coast. According to the navigation, we should find them about 1 or 2 miles ahead of us, as we reach Guartiba Point. And so we did, just as they also hoisted sails. It is very hard to describe the pleasure of sitting in such a lovely and functional vehicle, while watching another graceful classic vessel, sail through the clear sea, on a wonderful morning. 

We sailed from the Marambaia Rock until we had Grumari Beach on our port side. The we had to admit that the wind had died away, and that we needed to make it into Rio. So Chinook went back to towing, leaving the crew free to hide away from the chilling wind. We reached Rio in the last of light, and made port in the dark. 

Memories of a unique sailing experience

Here is a little video with images from the crossing from Paraty to Rio de Janeiro, with the two classics, Chinook and Chestnut Tree. Good memories, indeed. Watch it on full screen mode.

Afternoon on Arpex

A Unique Sailing Experience

I am, indeed, a lucky man. This past weekend I took was invited to a unique sailing experience. The proposition by my friend Andy, was to transport two classic wooden boats from Paraty to Rio de Janeiro, a crossing of some odd 90 miles. A course that led us through some of the most beautiful sceneries of our stunning coastline. The first 30 miles led us right through the sheltered waters of the  Ilha Grande Bay. The next 60 miles on the open waters of the South Atlantic, along the famous beaches of Rio de Janeiro, with the dramatic backdrop of steep hills.

Mind you, it was not a pleasure cruise. A bit of nautical spirit was required to appreciate the full range of treats which we were offered during these two days. But for me this was a most unique travel in time. A sailing experience of a very special kind, which will be kept in good memory.  

I will write a full report in along the next posts, with more images. Click on the pictures for a full size view.

Electric Power on Arpex

Arpex has three means of propulsion. Main one is wind - of course. Then I have a 8hp Mercury two stroke. I hate the thing. I mean, it always seems to die off, when it is critical, during the maneuvers, when changing gear... And then I have an electric motor. It is a Torqueedo 1003 travel. I had a good opportunity to bring it from Europe, and I wanted to give it a try. I had not yet tried it on Arpex. But i did during last Sunday. And it suprised me. Depite its weak power, it corresponds to a 3hp, it moved Arpex along nicely. Autonomy is low, but it was there to maneuver from the mooring, and back to the mooring. It wont be of any good to make way in case there is wind. I feel that windage will be an issue. But hey! If there is wind, I should be sailing.

I really wonder, how this could be used, it autonomy could be extended by connecting to the boat battery, and increase of solar power panels. I'll be playing around with this in near future.

Arpex moving again

The weekend was full of activity. On Friday, we managed to re-erect the mast. Consequently, there was a lot to do on Saturday, to get the boat fit for sailing again. We had to adjust the mast, mount the boom, fit the sails. And we also installed the reef... Yes. And we also decided to test it right away. Windguru was giving a forecast of up to 25 knots for the day. And, francly speaking, I was not prepared to go into this with full sail. Not again at this point. Afterall I am human, and I can learn. So it was decided to take it easy. We set off with the reef in the main for a short ride on the bay. Just to see how ti works and give the new shroud the chance to strech a bit.

It was a pleasant ride. The sail worked. And I was happy to have a sailboat again.

Mast Erection

In a joint effort of five able guys, we re-erected the mast on Arpex. The day was a little bit too windy for my liking, but the window of opportunity was there, I took the Friday off for this job, the right guys were available and motivated, and interprid Giovani, who doesn't like to keep things slack, gave a speech, and defended the case, giving me the confidence to just do it. In a more or less coordinated effort, we put the stick back on its rightful place.

Using the engine we parked Arpex alongside "StantoAntonio", where the mast had been fixed, and where it was still stored. Coming from the top of SantoAntonios roof, the mast foot was manoevered to the deck opening. Once held in place there, we used the stays to pull the mast top, and brought the stick into vertical. I admit at being slightly nervous, when we were precariously holding the 9 meter, and 50kg stick on deck level. Thankfully it was a short moment until we let it slip carefully down to the mast step. Once down there, there was little concern, for it would not fall down any more.

I'd like to say thanks to the team again. Without Roger, Giovani, Joe and Carlos, it would have been impossible. These guys make things look easy.

Thanks

A lovely afternoon on Arpex was gifted to us, my girl, Adri, #mrsarpex, and I. A comfortable place to spend some time. And never mind the view. 

Never mind the view.