- Welcome to Trailer-Sailor.com Bulletin Board.
News:
Welcome to the new TSBB Forum! --- TSBB Chat Room is here!
Recent posts
#11
TSBB General Talk / Re: Torrential Rain!
Last post by Norm L. - Mar 31, 2025, 02:07 PMGrith, the Mississippi River is loaded with commercial traffic from the lengths of around 15m quite small work tugs or crew boats to the occasional 210-230m bulk carriers or tankers.
On the opposite side of that was my first entry into Sydney harbor with a harbor pilot looking over our Captain and the young green 3rd mate me. It was a Sunday with the harbor full of sailboats, many nice sized, the usual ferry systems and our single old freighter. (Built in the UK 1937 and torpedoed and rebuilt twice in WWII.)
On the opposite side of that was my first entry into Sydney harbor with a harbor pilot looking over our Captain and the young green 3rd mate me. It was a Sunday with the harbor full of sailboats, many nice sized, the usual ferry systems and our single old freighter. (Built in the UK 1937 and torpedoed and rebuilt twice in WWII.)
#12
Tales and Trip Reports / Re: On the Bayou
Last post by Norm L. - Mar 31, 2025, 01:52 PMRiley, I loved that tale.
Having to do stuff in heavy commercial traffic is something in my memory, although not on my sailboat on the Lake. Since we moved away from the lake there is no more fishing except a trip to Delacroix with daughter and son-in-law.
What is more common is trying not to compete with a number of you and landing on body parts. It's a development of new skills.
Having to do stuff in heavy commercial traffic is something in my memory, although not on my sailboat on the Lake. Since we moved away from the lake there is no more fishing except a trip to Delacroix with daughter and son-in-law.
What is more common is trying not to compete with a number of you and landing on body parts. It's a development of new skills.
#13
TSBB General Talk / Re: Torrential Rain!
Last post by Riley Smith - Mar 31, 2025, 12:21 PMGirth, the Mississippi River has many areas that are not exclusive from sailboats. However, the current in the river is always a factor. It is very wild along the river in many places. We're more semi-tropical and get a LOT of rain. That's no big deal really, until one of those deluges hit and overwhelms the drain off. Our local river ( well, one of them) is sort of like a small Mississippi River and has current in high water, but at other times is great to sail, with white sandbars and all sorts of wildlife. On a day like today, warm and rainy, my kids would have been hitting the mudholes 15 years ago and playing in the water. Thankfully the front lost some of it's punch and it only rained as it came through.
#14
South East / Re: Finally Going Cruising
Last post by pgandw - Mar 31, 2025, 12:21 PMAlbemarle Plantation - east side of Yeopim Creek - is upscale. But the marina is run by very good folks, and the marina caters to everybody. Further north on the West Bank are those of us who couldn't afford the Plantation, who put all they have into having a decent (not spectacular) waterfront home. If you can sail your Sun Cat this far, we can help you out with a meal, water, shower, gas for an outboard, a place to tie up for the night.
Closer to the Sound where you are sailing is the Plantation marina at the mouth of the creek, as mentioned they cater to everybody. They have restaurant, transport into town, fuel dock, golf course, etc. Edenton, which you already know, also has a town dock, restaurants, water.
It depends on what you want. I'm assuming that participants on this forum are decent people in making my offer. I will likely be out of town during the Outer Banks 130 (middle of August).
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC
Closer to the Sound where you are sailing is the Plantation marina at the mouth of the creek, as mentioned they cater to everybody. They have restaurant, transport into town, fuel dock, golf course, etc. Edenton, which you already know, also has a town dock, restaurants, water.
It depends on what you want. I'm assuming that participants on this forum are decent people in making my offer. I will likely be out of town during the Outer Banks 130 (middle of August).
Fred W
Stuart (ODay) Mariner
Yeopim Creek, Albemarle Sound, NC
#15
TSBB General Talk / Re: Torrential Rain!
Last post by Grith - Mar 31, 2025, 11:29 AMWe live on Australia's equivalent to the Mississippi The Murray River in South Australia. I have looked at cruising the Mississippi and been told it's just not that type of sailing destination at all. Conversely The Murray still has the old paddle steamers, the riverboat historic towns and lots of tranquil wilderness areas and is navigable mast up for hundreds of miles thanks to powerlines and bridges being set higher than the larger paddle steamers and having a series of lochs to keep the water at navigable depth for these.
As for rain What's That? 😂
We live directly on The Murray with unlimited fresh water for domestic use but rain is as rare as hens teeth here being located basically in a desert made green for a distance either side of the river by pumped water.
I have however experienced upturned bathtub type heavy rain having lived in both Kangaroo Valley one of Australia's wettest southern areas and visited and sailed in our tropical north affected by huge rain bearing cyclonic lows which are currently drowning/flooding an area about the size of Texas!
I love a sunburnt country a land of droughts and flooding rain! 🙂
As for rain What's That? 😂
We live directly on The Murray with unlimited fresh water for domestic use but rain is as rare as hens teeth here being located basically in a desert made green for a distance either side of the river by pumped water.
I have however experienced upturned bathtub type heavy rain having lived in both Kangaroo Valley one of Australia's wettest southern areas and visited and sailed in our tropical north affected by huge rain bearing cyclonic lows which are currently drowning/flooding an area about the size of Texas!
I love a sunburnt country a land of droughts and flooding rain! 🙂
#16
TSBB General Talk / Re: And They wonder why Sailor...
Last post by Grith - Mar 31, 2025, 11:13 AMYou cannot view this attachment.
Looking at our stern our rarely used ICE outboard doesn't suffer from many of the complaints listed here!
With power up and down and trim and tilt and hydralic steering and quick disconnect from rudder steering it makes living with an ICE outboard a dream on our trailer sailer.
However we tend to use or Torqeedo 1103 far more frequently as it silently powers our monster trailer sailer at 3 knots at half throttle for well over an hour and 15minutes per battery ( we have three) in calm/low wind conditions and we use it to assist our sails when cruising in company directly upwind in gentle conditions given that's not our unusual yacht's preferred sailing direction!
If it's blowing and we need to get somewhere upwind then that's dispatched quickly via the outrageous iron wind sitting on our stern!
As long period onboard cruisers ( weeks to months) we try to avoid that direction of travel in those conditions to conserve fuel as 115hp of outboard is a hungry beast even at 5/6knots never mind at 15knots! You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.
Looking at our stern our rarely used ICE outboard doesn't suffer from many of the complaints listed here!
With power up and down and trim and tilt and hydralic steering and quick disconnect from rudder steering it makes living with an ICE outboard a dream on our trailer sailer.
However we tend to use or Torqeedo 1103 far more frequently as it silently powers our monster trailer sailer at 3 knots at half throttle for well over an hour and 15minutes per battery ( we have three) in calm/low wind conditions and we use it to assist our sails when cruising in company directly upwind in gentle conditions given that's not our unusual yacht's preferred sailing direction!
If it's blowing and we need to get somewhere upwind then that's dispatched quickly via the outrageous iron wind sitting on our stern!
As long period onboard cruisers ( weeks to months) we try to avoid that direction of travel in those conditions to conserve fuel as 115hp of outboard is a hungry beast even at 5/6knots never mind at 15knots! You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.
#17
TSBB General Talk / Re: Not so good news for launc...
Last post by Grith - Mar 31, 2025, 10:43 AMYou cannot view this attachment.
Sorry to rub it in guys but I have two ramps available mast up from home. The little used quality public boat ramp with launching pontoon is about 500 yards from home and due to the power being underground here I can tow my monster trailer sailer from home mast up. The second in the above photo is in my new backyard but it's very tight to get my car with huge yacht and trailer down the side of my house with just over a hands width clearance down each side and then manage the corners to get it turned to back it in. I don't think the designers or builders contemplated such a huge craft being launched there!
Still prefer to have my problem than yours. You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.
Sorry to rub it in guys but I have two ramps available mast up from home. The little used quality public boat ramp with launching pontoon is about 500 yards from home and due to the power being underground here I can tow my monster trailer sailer from home mast up. The second in the above photo is in my new backyard but it's very tight to get my car with huge yacht and trailer down the side of my house with just over a hands width clearance down each side and then manage the corners to get it turned to back it in. I don't think the designers or builders contemplated such a huge craft being launched there!
Still prefer to have my problem than yours. You cannot view this attachment.You cannot view this attachment.
#18
Tales and Trip Reports / On the Bayou
Last post by Riley Smith - Mar 31, 2025, 09:43 AMGet ready.
That means ice chests to clean, hitch the boat and get it out of the shop, and a host of other items to locate and put to use. Sunglasses, don't forget those. Maybe I need a checklist. Which doesn't help if you forget something on the counter despite getting it ready. Luckily it wasn't the sunglasses I forgot but the small ice chest sitting next to them on a barstool. The Joe Cool sunglasses were definitely included. There's a ladder to load and the motor too. Check tie downs and trailer chains. Man, I was almost tuckered out by the time I got ready to leave. Got fuel? Got rods and lures? Got this and that? If you don't it's too late.
The ice chest had liquid in it. Cold liquid and I was by-now sweating, so I stopped in a C-store and got a Big Gulp for the water adventure to come. On to rig, which went as well as you might imagine. I've once refused to go because it just wasn't right but I powered through on this one. Despite letting go of the mast and letting it roll.....and tangle everything and its brother into one big knot.
Bayou Casotte. The port of Pascagoula, which at one time had ship traffic on the Pascagoula River with a cold storage facility, shipyards, and a grain elevator, has relocated to the bayou east of town. After all, a tanker is always on the move there, and tugs too. The only thing left in East River is the military boats from the shipyard, after the cold storage burned and was demolished, and the grain elevator shut down. Boats as in ships, some even air craft carrier sized; there are still recreation and working boats there too, as in less than ships. And I see cypress logs coming out of Louisiana being loaded too.
So you have to be tuned in to the big boy's movements in the bayou. I launched and headed south into the wind. I'd waited until it changed to a sea breeze, after being from the north earlier. The tactic was to run into the wind on the Honda and come back under sail. The Honda still isn't properly broken in and did very well. The bayou can get constricted with ships and tugs and I felt confident with the motor. Ahead was a tug and barge CARRYING a tug boat, and I gave him plenty of room. And let the motor purr me south toward the LPG plant at the end of Point Aux Chenes. Past the shipyard on the west bank and the refinery docks on the east bank, to the point out near the end. There were tugs and ships everywhere but thankfully most were docked and no heavy lifting barges were operating. In places, where a tug is holding a barge against a dock with it's engine running and in gear, the wake can disturb the water across the whole bayou.
The Bayou traps saltwater and it is one tactic I use to fish when the river gets high. As you might surmise, I love to fish. Besides, it about a ten minute run to Petit Bois island in a power boat. It's gets choppy out there on that point, and can get very bad very quickly. The sea breeze that I had waited on had created a lumpy ride. I kept an eye out and spotted some gulls diving so I headed to check them out. They were at the south end of 6 Berth, where a tanker was unloading. I nosed quietly ahead, the Honda barely turning over aft of the tanker, watching the birds dive, and discovered there were ducks too, ahead of the birds. All of a sudden the centerboard bumped and I realized it was SHALLOW, so I reversed course to deeper water. Those pilots and tug boats sure know how to maneuver those ships because the shallows were very close to that tanker.
The decision to use the motor to beat into the wind played on the strength of the boat. It was a good idea because beating into a wind in a catboat is not the best tactic. Instead the motor purred us south as the thriving bayou showed us docks everywhere. I'd seen some huge fish come from this place. And tacking isn't a good idea in that channel.
My preferred destination had a dredge there, and I didn't want to go a mile around just to fish those docks. Besides, it was rough out here and the water had more brown in it. I could probably do as well across the bayou where the shore was lined with rip-rap and a small ditch allows the marsh near the yacht club to drain. Perfect ambush point and green salty water. And maybe calmer. So I putted over there, which itself had dredging gear anchored about and found the place and anchored up near a channel marker. Tasted the water. Yep, salty. Very.
There was activity all about. Glass minnows were jumping everywhere and there were billions in the water. I saw several strikes as I got the rod, and I got a couple of bumps, but they weren't having the VooDoo shrimp I had on. So I switched to a smoke purple and glitter paddle tail and hooked a redfish shortly. Nice little red and it ripped some drag. But not legal, so it got a pass, but the craving was sated.
Whatever was eating the glass minnows I couldn't get to bite until finally I had a decent bite just to have the line go limp? Hmmm...something with teeth. Possibly even Spanish mackerel. Maybe sheepshead too, as I hear they're prevalent right now. They prefer live bait and are hard to catch with anything you use because of their dental work. And they can cut your line easily. I rarely fish for anything with razors in their mouth.
I finally had enough of bouncing in the chop, after fishing for an hour or so. I couldn't consistently stand without holding something. And I had bites and a catch with the redfish, but it was getting later in the evening and I wanted to sail. So I motored north, got in clear water, and hoisted away. And then adjusted. And adjusted again. New rope. Gotta get all the stretch out, but after the second time the sail looked great and I rode the downwind home. S R Cat will GO on a downwind but it was just a nice ride. Very nice and quiet and even saw some dolphins following the local live bait boat.
The Bayou has changed so much in my lifetime. There are still monsters from the Deep come to visit. I saw an alligator gar there once that was GIGANTIC. Up close and personal. No monsters encountered today but they're there. Big sharks too on occasion. Deep green water. Yep, monsters.
I was glad I powered through. The docking and retrieval went fine but after striking the mast and dismounting the boat, I slipped and SMACKED the pavement on my back, dropping the mast in the process. The mast rolled ( ANOTHER big knot) off the boat and smacked the trailer light. I'm a dumb ass because the flip-flops I had changed into after getting my feet wet slipped and dumped me right on my butt. One of the black guys fishing came running and helped me up, and I thanked him profusely, only shaken and with a bruise or two.
So all is well that ends well and I'm still alive, the boat is fine, and the trailer almost so. Got repair parts and will put a new light on. Trailer license is due this week. School will be out soon and I'll have to find a young'un to help me out this summer. And best of all, that catch in my back, that I didn't realize had gotten so bad, went away and I feel better than I have in six months!!!
Hallelujah!
That means ice chests to clean, hitch the boat and get it out of the shop, and a host of other items to locate and put to use. Sunglasses, don't forget those. Maybe I need a checklist. Which doesn't help if you forget something on the counter despite getting it ready. Luckily it wasn't the sunglasses I forgot but the small ice chest sitting next to them on a barstool. The Joe Cool sunglasses were definitely included. There's a ladder to load and the motor too. Check tie downs and trailer chains. Man, I was almost tuckered out by the time I got ready to leave. Got fuel? Got rods and lures? Got this and that? If you don't it's too late.
The ice chest had liquid in it. Cold liquid and I was by-now sweating, so I stopped in a C-store and got a Big Gulp for the water adventure to come. On to rig, which went as well as you might imagine. I've once refused to go because it just wasn't right but I powered through on this one. Despite letting go of the mast and letting it roll.....and tangle everything and its brother into one big knot.
Bayou Casotte. The port of Pascagoula, which at one time had ship traffic on the Pascagoula River with a cold storage facility, shipyards, and a grain elevator, has relocated to the bayou east of town. After all, a tanker is always on the move there, and tugs too. The only thing left in East River is the military boats from the shipyard, after the cold storage burned and was demolished, and the grain elevator shut down. Boats as in ships, some even air craft carrier sized; there are still recreation and working boats there too, as in less than ships. And I see cypress logs coming out of Louisiana being loaded too.
So you have to be tuned in to the big boy's movements in the bayou. I launched and headed south into the wind. I'd waited until it changed to a sea breeze, after being from the north earlier. The tactic was to run into the wind on the Honda and come back under sail. The Honda still isn't properly broken in and did very well. The bayou can get constricted with ships and tugs and I felt confident with the motor. Ahead was a tug and barge CARRYING a tug boat, and I gave him plenty of room. And let the motor purr me south toward the LPG plant at the end of Point Aux Chenes. Past the shipyard on the west bank and the refinery docks on the east bank, to the point out near the end. There were tugs and ships everywhere but thankfully most were docked and no heavy lifting barges were operating. In places, where a tug is holding a barge against a dock with it's engine running and in gear, the wake can disturb the water across the whole bayou.
The Bayou traps saltwater and it is one tactic I use to fish when the river gets high. As you might surmise, I love to fish. Besides, it about a ten minute run to Petit Bois island in a power boat. It's gets choppy out there on that point, and can get very bad very quickly. The sea breeze that I had waited on had created a lumpy ride. I kept an eye out and spotted some gulls diving so I headed to check them out. They were at the south end of 6 Berth, where a tanker was unloading. I nosed quietly ahead, the Honda barely turning over aft of the tanker, watching the birds dive, and discovered there were ducks too, ahead of the birds. All of a sudden the centerboard bumped and I realized it was SHALLOW, so I reversed course to deeper water. Those pilots and tug boats sure know how to maneuver those ships because the shallows were very close to that tanker.
The decision to use the motor to beat into the wind played on the strength of the boat. It was a good idea because beating into a wind in a catboat is not the best tactic. Instead the motor purred us south as the thriving bayou showed us docks everywhere. I'd seen some huge fish come from this place. And tacking isn't a good idea in that channel.
My preferred destination had a dredge there, and I didn't want to go a mile around just to fish those docks. Besides, it was rough out here and the water had more brown in it. I could probably do as well across the bayou where the shore was lined with rip-rap and a small ditch allows the marsh near the yacht club to drain. Perfect ambush point and green salty water. And maybe calmer. So I putted over there, which itself had dredging gear anchored about and found the place and anchored up near a channel marker. Tasted the water. Yep, salty. Very.
There was activity all about. Glass minnows were jumping everywhere and there were billions in the water. I saw several strikes as I got the rod, and I got a couple of bumps, but they weren't having the VooDoo shrimp I had on. So I switched to a smoke purple and glitter paddle tail and hooked a redfish shortly. Nice little red and it ripped some drag. But not legal, so it got a pass, but the craving was sated.
Whatever was eating the glass minnows I couldn't get to bite until finally I had a decent bite just to have the line go limp? Hmmm...something with teeth. Possibly even Spanish mackerel. Maybe sheepshead too, as I hear they're prevalent right now. They prefer live bait and are hard to catch with anything you use because of their dental work. And they can cut your line easily. I rarely fish for anything with razors in their mouth.
I finally had enough of bouncing in the chop, after fishing for an hour or so. I couldn't consistently stand without holding something. And I had bites and a catch with the redfish, but it was getting later in the evening and I wanted to sail. So I motored north, got in clear water, and hoisted away. And then adjusted. And adjusted again. New rope. Gotta get all the stretch out, but after the second time the sail looked great and I rode the downwind home. S R Cat will GO on a downwind but it was just a nice ride. Very nice and quiet and even saw some dolphins following the local live bait boat.
The Bayou has changed so much in my lifetime. There are still monsters from the Deep come to visit. I saw an alligator gar there once that was GIGANTIC. Up close and personal. No monsters encountered today but they're there. Big sharks too on occasion. Deep green water. Yep, monsters.
I was glad I powered through. The docking and retrieval went fine but after striking the mast and dismounting the boat, I slipped and SMACKED the pavement on my back, dropping the mast in the process. The mast rolled ( ANOTHER big knot) off the boat and smacked the trailer light. I'm a dumb ass because the flip-flops I had changed into after getting my feet wet slipped and dumped me right on my butt. One of the black guys fishing came running and helped me up, and I thanked him profusely, only shaken and with a bruise or two.
So all is well that ends well and I'm still alive, the boat is fine, and the trailer almost so. Got repair parts and will put a new light on. Trailer license is due this week. School will be out soon and I'll have to find a young'un to help me out this summer. And best of all, that catch in my back, that I didn't realize had gotten so bad, went away and I feel better than I have in six months!!!
Hallelujah!
#19
Tales and Trip Reports / A First
Last post by Captain Kidd - Mar 31, 2025, 09:28 AMFriday I had a first: took a short sail on Disciple Ship and for the first time with crew.
My daughter (same one who sailed with me in P'cola) was home for a week with the grandkids since they were on spring break. She loves the outdoors, the weather was right, so we took off for a short sail. I had her sit in the floor forward of the thwart to keep her weight low and center. We had a couple good puffs and saw a little speed.
My wife drove over and met us afterwards for a picnic lunch at the pavilion beside the ramp. Tiffany decided she had not had enough fresh air and decided to ride home in the convertible.
A nice little outing on a beautiful day.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
My daughter (same one who sailed with me in P'cola) was home for a week with the grandkids since they were on spring break. She loves the outdoors, the weather was right, so we took off for a short sail. I had her sit in the floor forward of the thwart to keep her weight low and center. We had a couple good puffs and saw a little speed.
My wife drove over and met us afterwards for a picnic lunch at the pavilion beside the ramp. Tiffany decided she had not had enough fresh air and decided to ride home in the convertible.
A nice little outing on a beautiful day.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
You cannot view this attachment.
#20
TSBB General Talk / Re: Torrential Rain!
Last post by Riley Smith - Mar 31, 2025, 08:15 AMRound Two this morning. Red boxes to the west, although we usually don't have to worry about one of those pavement sucking monsters that the Mid-West or those further north get. At least it isn't cold (71F) And hopefully the rain will get rid of the oak flowers. Everything is nasty because of all the pollen.