Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Begin the holiday craziness!

Hard to believe we are at the beginning of the holiday season, especially since it seems that New Years was a couple months ago. As the years pass our time seems to compress and the months become as days.

We have the Spousal Unit's Dad visiting this week and more visitors will arrive at 1500, this afternoon. We shall all meet at the local Elk's Lodge for fellowship and crappy beer. Next on the plan of the day; We will swarm over to the Veldt Lounge And Serenghetti Spa for Bubba Burgers and good beer. Sierra Nevada is on tap along with proper wines and spirits. Guests will enjoy 100 proof Southern Comfort and Flor De Cana Rum while I shall tipple the afore mentioned beer.

I am still working on my online Skipper's course and have to relearn many skills I have slacked off on with the prevalence of GPS and Chart Plotters. For example;




Navigation 

D.23.b.  Example #2 At a speed of 10 knots, it took the boat 3 hours and 45 minutes to go from the Station to the 
shipping channel.  What is the distance to the shipping channel? 
Step Procedure 
1 Convert the hours to minutes for solving this equation.  First, multiply the 3 
hours by 60 (60 minutes in an hour), add the remaining 45 minutes, that is: 
3 x 60 + 45 = 225 minutes. 
2 Write the equation. 
D = S x T/60 
3 Substitute information for the appropriate letter and calculate the distance. 
D = 10 knots X 225 minutes/60 
4 D = 2250/60 
D = 37.5 NM (nearest tenth) 

D.23.c.  Example #3 A boat has traveled 12 NM in 40 minutes.  What is its speed (S)? 
Step Procedure 
1 S = 60D/T 
2 S = 60 x12/40 
3 S = 720/40 
S = 18 knots 

Normally I swag this stuff, but for the course I have to do it properly.

I will be redoing some of the book problems, it seems that I am not plotting the correct way and my  heading answers have been a degree off, usually one to the right. My problem is not being used to navigating with the provided Parallel Rulers. So off to the Barco for a Trusty Portland Plotter.

Parallel Rules


Photo stolen from http://www.swiftsuresailing.com/Course.aspx?id=16



This is a well made video and I could not do it better, so I hope the person who posted this video does not mind my shameless thievery! 

The Spousal Unit and myself learned how to navigate using Portland Plotters. We went to Royal Yachting Association classes held by the Little Ship Club in London, so I find it comfortable to listen to an English accent when the Portland Plotter is explained.

So now I will confidently plot my positions using a tool that is simple and accurate. Sliding rules back and forth is risky for me since I might not be as firm or steady with parallel rules (Or any rules, for that matter) and I cannot bear with failure. 

The next few days will be busy with friends and family and I am hoping that my readers will enjoy theirs, too. Keep a thought for all who cannot be with their loved ones and who keep our society safe while standing guard in the cold.

Happy Thanksgiving and have a safe holiday season.

Barco Out.


UPDATE

Don't panic, people. I just completed a quick survey and found we are down to 170 bottles of wine. We may have to ration, but we can make it through the next couple weeks...

3 comments:

Buck said...

The Elks have crappy beer? Howzabout the VFW or American Legion, instead? Or just go directly to the Veldt Lounge... even with the limited wine inventory.

Happy Thanksgiving, Darryl.

Barco Sin Vela II said...

Our Elks Lodge has both kinds of beer on tap; Miller Lite and Bud Lite.

As for the Legion and VFW (I am a Life Member); I never go. They smoke at both of the local lodges heavily, and I hate smelling like an ashtray. Doesn't mean I like the people less, I just prefer to let them enjoy their smoking rights without me.

I hope the Pennington's all gather and have a great T-day, too!

Buck said...

That smokin' thang is weird, ain't it? It doesn't bother me, except to make me sorta nostalgic for the damned thangs. I've been over five years quit now and STILL miss 'em.

Alas, the Penningtons are spending T-Day in widely separate places this year, but we're together in spirit, yadda, yadda.