The full article will be in a future edition of Multihull World magazine. After two hours of organisation, pondering the options we had a salvage vessel attatched to the windward hull and with a gentle steady haul the rig slowly righted and up she came. The final moment of righting was filled with nervous anticipation. Would she keep going over? Unmanned and with 20 knots of wind she took off like a cut cat....
docgav on 11.14.11 @ 06:58 PM EST [link]
Life teaches those that push the envelope that things can go wrong. Complacency was a valuable lession. In the last race of the series we just needed to finish. We were pushing to win, going for line honours and let our guard down on many fronts. Just to list a few:
1. both centreboards right down while starting to bear away at over 18 knots boatspeed
2. Mainsheet oversheeted and not released when bearing away
3. headsail sheet in a self tailing winch with the winch handle in place
4. The windward sheet also in the self tailer and with the winch handle in place
5. Apparent wind into the high 20's and low 30's and still carrying full mainsail
6. Crew getting dry and ready for bouy rounding, no hands on sheetlines.
7. Skipper/Helmsman leaving the helm to check the mark position below the course
8. When the hull raised turning upwind and stalling the rudder, powering up further
More to come about how we were back in the marina and did not miss the bar nor presentation!
docgav on 10.09.11 @ 06:03 PM EST [link]
The Le Sueur family have barely had their feet on the ground in the past six weeks. Where to start? Estelle, Kai Allison and Gavin sailed eDoc to Magnetic Island and were joined by the rest of the family for the Sealink Magnetic Island race week. A wild and windy week was had by all, each race a demolition derby to some degree. eDoc managed to be in the leading position in the multihull section in the last race - all we had to do was finish to win. The pic above was taken by Terri Dodds, Catherine's sisters sister-in-law. Cracker photo of us jumping and leaping - something everyone did who beat into the steep seas off Magnetic Island. It is not often you have someone in the right place and the right time with a camera.
There was something of an adventure in the last race. Stay tuned.
docgav on 10.08.11 @ 08:17 PM EST [link]
In preparation for a southern run Estelle and Gavin have been hard at the jobs aboard eDoc. The masthead wind instruments have been re-fitted after purchasing a mast rotation corrector. All wirelessly.
The winches have been serviced, lifelines replaced with 6mm dyneema (and eye spliced very capably by Estelle), both side stays and upper diamond wires renewed and galley layout re-organised.
Our plan is to sail to Magnetic Island and campaign eDoc in the Magnetic Island race series in September, returning home via the Townsville to Cairns race.
We have also added a third bunk to the pod to save one of the crew from sleeping in the hull. Although not the most comfortable, and a tad claustrophobic, the hulls do offer a berth for the contortionist capable crewmember.
docgav on 08.15.11 @ 10:35 PM EST [link]
Many kilograms of wiring was removed. The systems simplified and a wireless instrument system installed. The only real wiring needed was for the amplifier that is driven by the iPod!
docgav on 06.11.11 @ 05:03 PM EST [link]
eDoc's galley is simplicity. One burner gas, one sink with plumbed water and a cool box. The new seating arrangement has plenty of headroom for Gavin's 6'2" frame - and room to stretch out the legs.
docgav on 06.11.11 @ 05:01 PM EST [link]
All halyards and lines run back to the cockpit. Steering is done by tiller, direct action. The auxillary engine is a 36Hp Diesel outboard. For serious racing this is removed and replaced with a 6hp 4 stroke outboard. Plenty of party room!
docgav on 06.11.11 @ 04:58 PM EST [link]
This is how a handicap should work! eDoc started 63 minutes behind the second last boat. We could not see those ahead of us when we crossed the startline. It took until the last few seconds to catch the frontrunner. They tacked and covered, we tacked on each shift. The last tack was critical to reach the leeward end of the line. We decided to drive under the corsair as our 70ft rig was not going to be too much affected by the sails and we could go faster. It came down to the last second, eDoc's crew lying on the windward bow to give the boat drive and pointing ability. The Corsair was similarly seriously crewed. eDoc, somehow, crossed a boatlength ahead, exhausted but elated. The scurvy kid crew ecstatic. Club races can be great fun! Although we won, the handicapper was on the Corsair that we pipped at the line so we donated the Rum their great effort.
docgav on 04.25.11 @ 05:09 PM EST [link]
My co-skipper Catherine is less than impressed with the ablution facilities on eDoc. We actually have a toilet in the hull but it requires some contortions, the removal of a brace and some nerve to relax in the hull in wild seas. On a calm deep reach it poses little challenge. eDoc is tipping 12 knots at this stage and closing our competitors in the April dash race out of Half Moon Bay
docgav on 04.25.11 @ 05:00 PM EST [link]
Any excuse to make a cubby house. Fletcher and Jya buried themselves in the headsail as we reached downwind in pursuit of the other multihulls in the April Multihull Mayhem race. We passed the tailender before reaching double island.
docgav on 04.25.11 @ 04:58 PM EST [link]
