KN Rendezvous

1 August 2016

Voyage #26 of the Season

Sunrise 0537; Sunset 2000

HW 0725 4.2ft

LW 1319 0.0ft

HW 1948 4.9ft

Partly Cloudy

Air Temp 75

73% Humidity; Dew Point 63

Visibility 10 mi

1018.6 mb (steady)

Winds E 5-11kts, gusting 15kts

Waves ESE  2ft, 3-4 seconds

Trip: 14nm, 5h 32m

This morning the Kalmar Nyckel was leaving Provincetown after a two-week visit, headed next for Newburgh, NY.  I had asked Captain Lauren Morgens to give me a heads-up on her departure time so that I could sail out to meet the ship as they came through Buzzards Bay.  Even more exciting was word from Relief Captain Sharon Dounce that they would rendezvous in the Bay to transfer me a new KN t-shirt (I would cost me $20, but don't tell my wife -- I told her it was free).

I knew the ship was getting underway at 1100, and would transit the Cape Cod Canal when the tidal current was at slack (around 3:00pm that day).  As a courtesy, I sent off an email to my whaleboat rowing club to inform all of them the ship would be passing by (but not stopping in) New Bedford, in case anyone wanted to organize a trip out to see her.  But all I received back were complaints that I openly listed everyone's email address rather than using the BCC function.  Oops.  Sorry.

After studying the charts, I suggested to Lauren and Sharon that we rendezvous about 1.2nm NNE of Cleveland Ledge Light, just outside the channel to the west of the Green "7" and Red "8" buoys.  The 93-foot Kalmar Nyckel draws about 12.5-feet, so there would be plenty of water for her in this area and room enough to maneuver in the event we encountered any commercial traffic such as barges or container ships.  To help them identify me when they arrived, I gave them a description and the name of my 23-foot sailboat, and told them I would have my sails down and flying the "R" (for "Ruf") signal flag on my starboard shrouds.

Not knowing how long I would be out, I packed a lunch, some snacks, and beverages, and went down to the boat to make preparations at 1240.  My friend, Kirk, who moors his powerboat next to mine, appeared unexpectedly and rowed out to chat for a while.  He told me that the M/V Dockblocker was for sale.  Well, that is one way to solve the unresolved dilemma about that mooring obstructing access to the dock.  Kirk is a talker, and it wasn't until about an hour later that I finally got underway, motoring out into the wind with the mainsail luffing gently.

Barnacle growth has been a problem this year, despite the $$$ Interlux ablative paint.  Last week I discovered the centerboard was jammed in the up (recessed) position and could not be deployed because of barnacle blockage.  Without the centerboard, the boat heels more, does not sail well if steered close to the wind, and makes a lot of leeward movement.  So one afternoon last week I took the boat over to Long Beach at low tide to anchor.  While the wife read her book, I rigged a line underneath the boat from one side to the other, put on a mask and snorkel, grabbed the plastic ice scrapper (that doubles as barnacle scraper) and dove under the hull to clean the keel area and free the centerboard.  When we got back to the mooring, I decided to leave the centerboard partially deployed to avoid it getting stuck up in there again.  Now, I was please that it dropped down into position readily.  By 1415, passing Great Hill, I unfurled the jib and headed SW toward the rendezvous area making just over four knots.  Checking my MarineTraffic app, I saw the KN was approaching the eastern end entrance to the Canal.  Good timing.

By 1500, I was on-station and doused the sails.  Captain Lauren sent me a text message, informing me they were at the Bourne Bridge and asking whether it was windy in Buzzards Bay.  Nope.  Easterlies, 8-10 knots.  Twenty minutes later, the masts of the tall ship came into view as they passed the Mass Maritime Academy at the Railway Bridge.  Soon afterwards, the KN made Abels Ledge and emerged into the Bay.

The Kalmar Nyckel near Abels Ledge at the western approach to the Cape Cod Canal

As she approached, Captain Lauren hailed 'Piao' on the VHF and confirmed our plans.  She would idle the ship just outside the channel, "on the green side," and then I would approach her from starboard and receive a heaving line.  Sounded like a plan.  However, during this conversation -- the first I had while on the radio while underway -- I learned that with the outboard motor running it was difficult for me to hear clearly the VHF receiver located in the cabin.  It is also a challenge to switch channels on the radio, since it is inside and I am outside -- I need to leave the cockpit unattended momentarily.  For convenience (and safety), next year I will install a remote mic (with a channel display) in the cockpit.

Attention Loved Ones: Something like this would make a GREAT gift to me

(Standard Horizon CMP30 RAM-3)

Just before 1600, I maneuvered Piao to come alongside the starboard quarter of the Kalmar Nyckel.  I was very anxious not to collide with the ship or entangle my mast in her rigging.  From her vantage point on the Quarterdeck, Captain Lauren reassured me that my mast was lower than her yards, and the only part of the rigging that I needed to be wary of was the Main Brace.  "Just move up further forward and you'll be fine," she advised.

Coming alongside.....

(Stills and video thanks to the GoPro-like camera the kids got me for my birthday)

Perhaps, before continuing, some terminological explanation may be helpful for those unacquainted with tall ships.  There are many different types of sailing vessels, classified by combination of masts and sails.

The Kalmar Nyckel is a "full-rigged" ship, although of smaller size (she is technically classed as a 'Pinnace').  The 'Corwith Cramer,' on which I have sailed with SEA, is a brigantine; 'Piao' is a sloop.  The Kalmar Nyckel has four masts (Sprit, Fore, Main, and Mizzen) and eight sails.  The ship carries a fore-and-aft rigged Mizzen sail, which is used essentially to help turn the ship.  Her other yards intersect their masts at right-angles, hence a "square-rigged" ship.

Masts and Sails of the Kalmar Nyckel

The 'Yard' is (usually) a horizontal spar (pole) that crosses the vertical mast.  On a square-rigged ship, sails are attached to the yards.  The end of the yard is called the yardarm.

The main brace is a thick line (rope) is attached to main course (lower sail) yardarm, and leading back to the quarterdeck.  A brace is used to trim (turn or pivot) the position of the yard, based on the sailing angle to the wind.

Ship "braced" for Starboard Tack, with wind coming over the starboard side.  On a port tack, her yards would be "braced" in the opposite direction -- as illustrated on the foremast

On a tall ship, there is a lot of rigging to hold everything together.  Standing rigging (structural rigging that is fixed and [ideally] should not move) is usually painted or tarred black.  Running rigging, used to control the sails, yards, and masts, is typically brown.  When you climb aloft, you take care never to hold on to the running rigging -- you could find yourself in a totally different part of the ship, very fast, very unexpectedly, and in very many pieces!

  

It is actually not as complicated as it looks: port and starboard mirror each other, and each of the four masts basically has the same set of control lines, sort of....

Learning what all this rigging is, what it is used for, and where it tied or belayed to the deck, is a daunting task for the wannabe tall ship sailor.  The Kalmar Nyckel is a recreation of seventeenth-century ship, a period when tall ships sported the most complicated rigging of the entire age-of-sail.  She has more than 180 different "belay points."  That's the origin of the expression, "learning the ropes" (although, on a ship, no one says "rope" -- if a rope has a purpose, it is a "line," and everything on a ship has a purpose).

With that knowledge in hand, let us return to our story.  When we left off, recall, our anti-hero was approaching the starboard quarter of the Kalmar Nyckel in order to receive a heaving line.  The throwing ends of the heaving lines on the KN are weighted with a small sandbag the size of a softball, to make them easier to throw a distance.  To the other end, the crew had tied a red buoy to keep the line afloat (and to provide a visual cue to help me keep it away from my propellor).

Snug alongside, still anxious about getting tangled in that rigging overhead.

Crew standing by with the heaving line....

When I got into position, about 10-15 meters off the ship's starboard beam, one of the senior deckhands threw me a line.  You want to take care not to get hit in the face with that sandbag.

Heaving line comes aboard 'Piao' -- great toss, right over the boom!

Here's a video of the action (not sure it if will play properly in your browser):

After I coiled in the heaving line aboard 'Piao,' and untied the ziplock bag containing the T-shirt, I needed to send my $20 back over in the bag.  I zipped it in, tied it on with a clove hitch, and made ready to throw back the heaving line.

Ready to throw.....

Perfect toss! Yeah, Baby!

There is video of that, too:

I also sent over to the crew, in a dry bag, a bottle of hot sauce.  The KN has an impressive collection of spicy sauces that (some of the crew) shares eagerly at meal times.  The dry bag was not weighted down properly, and that toss did not go as well.  I had to coil back in the line and throw again to redeem myself.  It was pretty cool to learn later that their encounter with me was recorded in the ship's log, and even cooler to see that they did not record a failing grade for practical seamanship in light of that first dry bag toss.

We chatted for a bit, but I was loathe to delay them any longer -- they still had a long trip ahead of them.  So, with a final round of waves and thank yous, we bid each other farewell.  I stood off as the tall ship got underway again.  Finally, at 1630, I raised my own mainsail, set my jib, and turned for home.

Bidding Farewell to the Kalmar Nyckel as she approaches Cleveland Ledge Light....

Winds were NE, about 13 knots, which meant a (more or less) straight line sailing home close-hauled to the wind at just over six knots, and pleasantly heeling as I bounced along across the chop.

There's video of that, too:

I was eager to get back ahead of some threatening clouds coming in from the west.

By 1815, I was back on the mooring and put the boat to bed for the night.  The only casualty of the trip was my oversized sunglasses that I wear sailing and driving -- I lost them overboard while tossing the heaving line.  The Admiral hates those sunglasses; calls them "bug eyes."  But the very next day, RayBan was offering a special sale, and I got a new pair of polarized RB sunglasses for only $19.99 (regularly priced at $168).  I was psyched!  But, with my luck, they will probably be some Chinese knock-off.  And remember: Don't Tell My Wife -- that's what she gets for never reading my boating blog.