Sailing Team: GP

My master's thesis in grad school is actually a group project (GP) done with four other students - in order to simulate a "real" work environment. "El Capitan" Beadle had everyone come out for a day sail, the rest of the team being Lucas, Gia, Ashley, and Paul; their gung-ho-ness was put to the test that Sunday --


First the team had to meet at the Stern's Wharf since Black Pearl was still anchored at East Beach. The team skillfully descended the wooden ladder leading to the dinghy below, with bags and the odd six-pack of beer, and piled 5 people onto the small rowboat (official max capacity, 3 people). We paddled canoe style through the calm-ish water to the vessel, and proceeded to weigh anchor.


Ashley had the initiative to work the windlass, with vigor might I add, which was excellent until we came up to the stern of another boat and realized they had anchored on top of our anchor. A Bummer - first time this has happened to me. I clambered on top of the bloke's sailboat (nobody's home) and tried to maneuver the Pearl around them, but to no avail. Happily, the intruding owner returned, as it were, fairly drunk but agreeable, and apologetically pulled on his own anchor until we are able to get right alongside him. If it weren't for my crew to fend off, I'm sure our spreaders would have collided and tangled by then. Hurrah team!

We were actually able to pull up our anchor aboard his boat and then get the 33lb thing over to the Pearl. Funny enough, through a casual conversation we figured out they had the very extra gas cap that I needed for my small Nissan outboard - fluke of all flukes - so I gave them $5 for it and jumped aboard the Pearl before we drifted off and set sail.



We practiced tacking and jibing up to Leadbetter Beach and after 2 hours went back to the harbor. We pulled into a guest slip without a hitch and we concluded that next year we should celebrate our success as a group project by competing in a few Wet Wednesdays with the SB Yacht Club. If the race includes weighing anchor and rowing dinghies, we'll definitely be ready...

Electrical System re-do

My daily electrical needs are pretty modest. I just have one light in the cabin (plus a few stand-alone solar powered lights), one 12 volt plug for charging my cel phone & laptop, and an automatic bilge pump. Sailing the boat requires juice for the VHF radio, GPS, and navigation lights at night. In the future, I hope to install a radar and auto-helm.

At the stern is the 60 watt panel that charges the Pearl's electrical system.

Two 6 volt batteries (golf cart deep cycle variety) have been the Pearl's source of power. They have been working ok but I've been a little apprehensive because they don't seem to hold voltage so well any more. The power adapter to my laptop was failing at night (when the solar panels have no output) and I falsely diagnosed the 6 volt array as faulty. At the same time I was given a big 8D battery, so I hired an electrician for an hour to come give me some advice.

The 8D battery turned out to be a starting battery, not a deep cycle battery.

Although there was some uncertainty about the condition of the 6 volt batteries, I eventually decided to bite the bullet and get new batteries and a new charge controller, without which the new batteries may get spoiled. I went all out and got high end AGM gel batteries that don't vent fumes in the cabin, don't require maintenance, and are less likely to fail if submerged, compared to lead acid batteries (the standard type). I also sold the 8D and the 6 volts to a guy in the harbor.

The 6 volt batteries didn't pass the test but still seemed to work.

Now my task is to re-wire a lot of the boat since it is poorly done. It's good to note that I never had a clue about electrical systems (or any mechanical work, for that matter) prior to living on the boat, so I'm learning as I go with books, advice, and occasionally by hiring help. Ultimately, if I keep the system as simple as possible I have a chance of doing it myself (ie. no 110 volt plugs, as few appliances as possible) which is important because then I can address issues mid-voyage. Simplicity = safety and lower costs too.

The only exception I guess would be if I were to install a fully electric inboard motor, which would require more charging capacity, more batteries, etc... but that possibility is still far in the horizon.

Springtime renewal

During the winter, I was doing the 2 weeks in, 1 week out of the harbor program. While out of the harbor, since the boat was anchored so far away (winter anchorage rules), so I didn't stay on the boat - I just anchored it and would typically stay at my friends' house. Many thanks to Scott Webb, Kym Kline, and others for lending me a hand!

Taking Sarah, Dave, and friend out for a sunset sail in February

April 1st was the beginning of summer anchorage rules, and all the boats are anchored near Stern's Wharf again - which makes things much more convenient. I spent the last two weeks in the harbor, doing 'spring cleaning', repairing the boat's electrical system and various things. Finally today at 6:30am I motored the boat out of the harbor and anchored by Stern's Wharf, my first time here since October last year.

It was a beautiful day - sunny and calm. The Black Pearl was anchored bow and stern so that she would ride into the swell and not roll too much. The Black Pearl has a funny disposition for rolling around tremendously so regardless of what I do she still likes to jump around. Still, it's nice to be out in the water - the beach with its palm trees on one side, the long horizon on the other.

Ed Bastian's 38foot Islander Uma Karuna cruising through East Beach

In the evening, I ride back from school and park my bike at the Wharf, climb down the ladder, hop on my dinghy, and row out to the boat. The sun is going down over the hill and it feels good to be rowing across the water. I've got a veggie burrito which I eat as the twilight sets, sitting in the cockpit on this still night.

I check my email and browse the net on my laptop, courtesy of my cel phone internet connection. It's pretty sweet, for $20/mo I was able to get unlimited access - a bit slow at times but acceptable. Night falls, and I'm bundled up so that I can work on my computer outside, so that I can keep track of the stars, which I haven't seen in awhile.

December swell, back to the Harbor

On December 4th one of the largest swells of the decade swept through California. I was going to re-anchor the boat further offshore; then a lobster fisherman came by on his boat. He was pulling up his traps because "this swell was going to be huge"; he recommended I return to the harbor. So I took his advice.

surfing at Naples on the big wednesday

campus point inside at poles was peeling all the way to goleta beach

I turned out to be a good idea - my boat had been previously anchored halfway out on the bay, where now waves were threatening to break. I was also able to enjoy the waves without having to worry about my boat washing up on the beach. Most likely, I would have had to paddle out there on my surfboard and taken her to deeper water. But I'm glad I was at the marina and didn't have to fret.

campus point low tide december 3rd

enroute to Naples - nobody else around

I spent the rest of the winter in the Santa Barbara harbor, commuting to school by bus (which takes 25 minutes). It's only affordable to spend about 2 weeks in the harbor, because after that they double the rates on us: for a 30 foot boat, it goes from $18 to $36. So at that stage I anchor the boat for 1 week, then the rate goes back down.

early morning at the SB harbor

However, between Nov 1 and Apr 1 "winter anchorage" rules are in effect, which means we need to anchor about 2 miles east of the harbor - it is extremely uncomfortable out there (very rolly) and a pain to get to. Since I don't have an outboard for my dinghy, I would try to borrow my friend's skiff with a nice yamaha engine. Still, it was a major effort to get out there, pull anchor, and motor the sailboat back to the marina.

moonrise at the East Beach winter anchorage