Book Bin

[bob perry]

Why would I read about dogs?
My whole life is wrapped around two dogs. I am not complaining.
It's Saturday night. I have a nice fire in the fireplace. I have THE DANCING MEN recorded. Nevermind that I have seen it 18 times. It's a classic.
But Noooooooo,,,,I have to take the dogs for a walk.
I am so lucky.

I'll take my venerable Dunhill Zulu. It's a very good pipe.
Things could be a lot worse.

No, on second thought, I'll take my old Dunhill Dublin. It brings back some good memories.

[VALIS]

One I am reading again is Longest Voyage: Circumnavigators in the Age of Discovery, by Robert Silverberg (http://www.amazon.com/Longest-Voyage-Circumnavigators-Age-Discovery/dp/0821411926) This is a very readable account of the spice trade, and how the Portugese, Spanish, Dutch, and English ultimately sailed the globe. The political intrigue and economic warfare are almost as interesting as the voyages themselves.

It seems that Silverberg, who I knew was a famous science fiction author, also writes history, and does a great job of it.

And on the subject of circumnavigators, the Magellan biography Over the Edge of the World: Magellan's Terrifying Circumnavigation of the Globe, by Laurence Bergreen is is also quite an interesting read.

[cap10ed]

I was recently hired by an author to provide an illustration for his new novel. He gave me some brief specs for the boat that will apear as an illustration in the book. That's all I should tell you. That's all I know.
I thought it would be a pice of cake to draw a sail plan for a design that didn't exist. It was difficult. As I told Tim, "It's like being asked to play lead guitar on a song you have never heard that has no chord changes."
But after fussing around for a few days I began to get into it. I'm open to suggestions if you have any that would help bring the sail plan to life.

Bob did the author give you the Coles Notes on what the book is about ? I think if it was a futuristic novel you could go ape shit and design a fantasy rig with gas charged spars. Inflatable malleable sails, and robotic everything. If it is a historic piece then maybe a square yard off the main mast. Murder mystery would have a rig that to a sailor spelled trouble just hoisting sail. Let the inner Sherlock Holmes come out on that rig.

[Tigger]

Here is one that is a little off the beaten track--biography of a fascinating Canadian, who I was lucky to meet. One of those books you can't put down. Although I have not met Cap10Ed, I bet he would love this one!

"Red Serge and Polar Bear Pants", the biography of Harry Stallworthy by William Barr.

This is the biography of an exceptional Canadian who as a member of the RCMP, played a crucial role in asserting Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. Having emigrated to Canada from England in 1913 Harry Stallworthy joined the Force in 1914 and until 1921 served at various detachments in the Yukon, except for the period 1918-19 when he participated in the RNWMP's Cavalry Detachment as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the final bloody months of World War I in Flanders. After serving for two years at Chesterfield Inlet (west shore of Hudson Bay) he was posted to Edmonton, and while there contracted influenza which developed into pneumonia and very nearly killed him. After two years in Jasper (where he met his future wife, Hilda Austin, the school principal), for two years he served at the new RCMP post at Stony Rapids in Northern Saskatchewan.

In 1930 he went north for a two-year posting at Bache Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, one of the three posts established to assert Canadian sovereignty in the uninhabited High Arctic. While there, in 1932 he mounted one of the longest and most dangerous sledge patrols in the history of the Force, in search of the missing German geologist, Hans Krueger. In 1933 the resupply ship was unable to reach Bache Peninsula due to ice conditions, and hence the two-year posting stretched to three years. On Stallworthy's return south in the fall of 1933, he and Hilda got married – after an almost complete separation of five years! In the light of his experience on Ellesmere Island Harry was next seconded to the Oxford University Ellesmere Land Expedition, organized by Eddie Shackleton, son of Sir Ernest Shackleton, for 1934-35. During this operation Harry sledged to Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island, the farthest north point ever reached by an RCMP officer on sledge patrol.

Thereafter Harry served at various posts in southern Canada, with the exception of a few years at Fort Smith during World War II. He retired in 1946, after which he and Hilda built and ran a small tourist resort, Timberlane, near Campbell River on Vancouver Island. In 1954 Harry came out of retirement briefly, to assume the position of head of security on the eastern half of the DEW Line. He was presented with the Order of Canada by Queen Elizabeth in 1973 and died at his home in Comox, B.C. on Christmas Day, 1976.

[BeauV]

A DOG's PURPOSE by Cameron - touching story of being a dog and taking care of your people, from the Doug's point of view.

ONE BULLET AWAY by Fick - great and realistic read about being a Marine Corp Officer

A little to the party again,but if you enjoyed "Dogs Purpose" I hope you have read "THE ART OF RACING IN THE RAIN" by Garth Stein,a wonderful book for those who love dogs.
Bob this one has got your name all over it. Note if you do go to get it be sure to get that title and not" RACING IN THE RAIN MY LIFE AS A DOG" same book but the latter has been dumbed down for younger readers.

Victor, one of those two dog rain racing books is in my pile, a gift from one of my kids, and I haven't read it yet. I'll pull it out and see which one it is. Thanks, BV

[cap10ed]

Here is one that is a little off the beaten track--biography of a fascinating Canadian, who I was lucky to meet. One of those books you can't put down. Although I have not met Cap10Ed, I bet he would love this one!

"Red Serge and Polar Bear Pants", the biography of Harry Stallworthy by William Barr.

This is the biography of an exceptional Canadian who as a member of the RCMP, played a crucial role in asserting Canada's sovereignty in the Arctic. Having emigrated to Canada from England in 1913 Harry Stallworthy joined the Force in 1914 and until 1921 served at various detachments in the Yukon, except for the period 1918-19 when he participated in the RNWMP's Cavalry Detachment as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the final bloody months of World War I in Flanders. After serving for two years at Chesterfield Inlet (west shore of Hudson Bay) he was posted to Edmonton, and while there contracted influenza which developed into pneumonia and very nearly killed him. After two years in Jasper (where he met his future wife, Hilda Austin, the school principal), for two years he served at the new RCMP post at Stony Rapids in Northern Saskatchewan.

In 1930 he went north for a two-year posting at Bache Peninsula, Ellesmere Island, one of the three posts established to assert Canadian sovereignty in the uninhabited High Arctic. While there, in 1932 he mounted one of the longest and most dangerous sledge patrols in the history of the Force, in search of the missing German geologist, Hans Krueger. In 1933 the resupply ship was unable to reach Bache Peninsula due to ice conditions, and hence the two-year posting stretched to three years. On Stallworthy's return south in the fall of 1933, he and Hilda got married – after an almost complete separation of five years! In the light of his experience on Ellesmere Island Harry was next seconded to the Oxford University Ellesmere Land Expedition, organized by Eddie Shackleton, son of Sir Ernest Shackleton, for 1934-35. During this operation Harry sledged to Lake Hazen, Ellesmere Island, the farthest north point ever reached by an RCMP officer on sledge patrol.

Thereafter Harry served at various posts in southern Canada, with the exception of a few years at Fort Smith during World War II. He retired in 1946, after which he and Hilda built and ran a small tourist resort, Timberlane, near Campbell River on Vancouver Island. In 1954 Harry came out of retirement briefly, to assume the position of head of security on the eastern half of the DEW Line. He was presented with the Order of Canada by Queen Elizabeth in 1973 and died at his home in Comox, B.C. on Christmas Day, 1976.

I will see if Amazon has a used copy. I now have ordered 2 books and one movie plus 4 books in the wish list at Amazon because of the Book Bin. Thanks for the leads sailors. Eddie

[bob perry]

RIVER OF DOUBT the story of Teddy Roosevelt and his son travelling down a remote tributary of the Amazon is a fabulous read. Rivetting.

[kimbottles]

RIVER OF DOUBT the story of Teddy Roosevelt and his son travelling down a remote tributary of the Amazon is a fabulous read. Rivetting.

Great book! SWMBO and I both really enjoyed it. Amazing what Teddy did AFTER his Presidency.

[BeauV]

Just started FIRST TO FIGHT, another book about the Marine Corp. It's the history now. First chapters are dry and understated, sort of like Slocum. He's describing life and death stuff without much emotion at all. Typical for a Marine Corp General.

Good reading and stuff I didn't know at all - like the Army and Navy kept trying to shut down the Marines for the first 150 years of their existence... maybe longer... I haven't gotten there yet.

BV

[kdh]

Ann got a book called "Berserk" out of the library for me about a guy that decides to sail to Antarctica with a young Norwegian on a small fiberglass boat without a working engine. I enjoyed it.

[Anomaly]

Ann got a book called "Berserk" out of the library for me about a guy that decides to sail to Antarctica with a young Norwegian on a small fiberglass boat without a working engine. I enjoyed it.

Pretty much all we need to know about you right there, eh Keith?

[Cherie320]

Every once in a while a nice find comes up in the local library book sale. Not so much readying, but it does have significant eye candy for boat lovers. Pat

[bob perry]

If you want a good challenge and a good laugh you might try LAMB, the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, by Christopher Moore.

If you are a staunch Christian this book will offend you. Trust me.

If you are like me, "none of the above/all of the above" then you might like it.
It's the same author who wrote FLUKE, a book about whale research, sort of.

[BeauV]

Every once in a while a nice find comes up in the local library book sale. Not so much readying, but it does have significant eye candy for boat lovers. Pat

Hey there,

Almost all of those boats are still sailing on SF Bay. They are IODs and I owned #75 for a long time. Tom Allen, recently passed the bar, owned and sailed 91 in the picture for over 30 years. Folks have received a lot of joy from those old wooden boats. Nice to see a picture like that on the cover.

BV

[Cherie320]

BV - Thought you might know some history on all that fine furniture. Thanks for adding a bit of perspective. Pat

[BeauV]

BV - Thought you might know some history on all that fine furniture. Thanks for adding a bit of perspective. Pat

Beeston was one of the best boat photographers I've ever seen. Someplace around here I have a pair of pictures of my Moore24 from '81 that Diane took - they're wonderfully vital and alive. You can see the strain in the bodies of the crew, the water in the air, the sails taut... simply wonderful work.

Ms. Beeston was quite distinctive in her 30' Bertram - roaring up behind you - snapping away. She'd taken a lot of pictures of boats I was on that were classic lead-mines (like the IOD and various 6 meters). Then we bought the Moore24 and in the first real blow we went down the City Front on SF Bay in about 28 knots of wind with a 4 knot ebb tide. The wave were seriously square and slowed the Bertram down a LOT. It was great fun to wave at her as we sailed right past. She was laughing and bouncing in the waves.

When we all ended up back at the dock at the end of the day she laughed as she told us that we'd finally done it - we'd found a boat she couldn't keep up with. "I need a faster boat!" We all laughed and enjoyed her enthusiasm. Diane left a big hole in the sailing community when she crossed the bar.

I think I'll try to find a copy of that book - I love big format sailing picture books.

BV

[Cherie320]

BV - here is another shot of IODs from a spread in the book. Your description of her wet ride trying to catch the Moore is an great rebuttal to one of her pictures in the book where she shows how wet it can be on a tow back in after a race with spray going everywhere. Yes, she did great work. Thanks for adding your comments. Pat

[kimbottles]

She reminds me of our Kelly O'Neil (who we lost under tragic circumstances.)

Kelly, (who was a friend and shot my son Derek's wedding) had a big sign on the front of her photo boat that said "SMILE".

[BeauV]

Pat,

It tugs at my heart to see all those old IODs sailing. Most of those in this last picture are gone now, rotted away. Sad really, as all they needed was a bit of work and some dry Douglas Fir. That spot, where they are sailing, is just to the East of the San Francisco West Marina Jetty. Everyone tucks in to the east of the jetty to avoid the flow of the incoming tide. Indeed, there's a reverse current in there that can win you a race.

Back then, there were 10 to 15 IODs out sailing on a Wednesday night - all summer long. Now, there are 5 or 6. In another decade there may only be a couple. It's really sad. I miss the precision of sailing upwind on boats like that.

BV

[Orestes Munn]

Just finished listening to Until the Sea Shall Free Them by Robert Frump, about the sinking of the Marine Electric in 1983 and its aftermath. Not great literature by any stretch, but quite an exposé of the postwar merchant marine industry. Being a Leonard Cohen admirer (not a listener), I was intrigued by the title. 3/5 stars.

[Rob McAlpine]

Just finished listening to Until the Sea Shall Free Them by Robert Frump, about the sinking of the Marine Electric in 1983 and its aftermath. Not great literature by any stretch, but quite an exposé of the postwar merchant marine industry. Being a Leonard Cohen admirer (not a listener), I was intrigued by the title. 3/5 stars.

Obscure reference alert! Line from Suzanne, right? Do I get fed tea and oranges?

[Orestes Munn]

Just finished listening to Until the Sea Shall Free Them by Robert Frump, about the sinking of the Marine Electric in 1983 and its aftermath. Not great literature by any stretch, but quite an exposé of the postwar merchant marine industry. Being a Leonard Cohen admirer (not a listener), I was intrigued by the title. 3/5 stars.

Obscure reference alert! Line from Suzanne, right? Do I get fed tea and oranges?

Joogadi, mang.

Only if they come all the way from China.

[Soñadora]

Sailing books:

Sailing the Dream - this fucking book is the one that got me into this mess
No Shoes Allowed and Gone to Come Back - both by Jan deGroot. Way back when Cruising World had a decent forum, he was a bit of a regular. Man, people would rip him to shreds. Never really understood that.
Voyage of Kristina - I bet I'd be sailing a Nor'Sea 27 if I'd read this before Sailing the Dream
All in the Same Boat - Tom Neale living aboard a Gulfstar 47 with his family.
The Breath of Angels - a bit weird, in a fun way

[viktor]

http://www.amazon.com/Saga-Internationa ... ional+one+

I came across this book "The Saga of the International One-Design:A Celebration of 75 Years" in a magazine I got. I don't have the book, just thought BeauV might be interested if he hasn't already got it. There is a good review in the new Woodenboat magazine.
Russell

[BeauV]

http://www.amazon.com/Saga-International-One-Design-Alessandro-Vitelli/dp/096117126X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362325679&sr=8-1&keywords=the+saga+of+the+international+one+

I came across this book "The Saga of the International One-Design:A Celebration of 75 Years" in a magazine I got. I don't have the book, just thought BeauV might be interested if he hasn't already got it. There is a good review in the new Woodenboat magazine.
Russell

V,

Thanks for thinking of me. I've already got two copies. One on my coffee table, were it is being tortured by my dog and various guests who set drinks and food upon it. One in a box to put out when the coffee table version need a re-fresh. The guys did a GREAT job with this book and it's really a great read about one of the very early one-design boats and how innovative that idea was. Now-a-days we don't really think of one-design as being an innovation, but it sure was then.

B

[viktor]

Beau,I kinda thought you already had one. ?for you. While working down in the bay area in the late 80s I remember installing what we called "jock straps" on ether ICs or Knarrs or both. (memory,it's an age thing) IIRCThese straps were basically ss wire that tied into the upper shroud chain plates and ran down to the mast step with a turn buckle.Is this still being done? Also wondering if that concept worked at all. We moved north soon after and never heard how it worked out. Thanks
Russell

[BeauV]

Beau,I kinda thought you already had one. ?for you. While working down in the bay area in the late 80s I remember installing what we called "jock straps" on ether ICs or Knarrs or both. (memory,it's an age thing) IIRCThese straps were basically ss wire that tied into the upper shroud chain plates and ran down to the mast step with a turn buckle.Is this still being done? Also wondering if that concept worked at all. We moved north soon after and never heard how it worked out. Thanks
Russell

Russell,

Every wooden IOD on SF Bay has jock-straps and also deck tie-downs to keep the halyard/vang/topping-lift/etc... from pulling the deck up where the turning blocks are on the deck by the mast. If you guys hadn't done that back in the '80s none of the old boats would still be afloat. Even with the Jock Straps the hulls tend to open up where the chainplates are bolted to the frames. On #75, my old boat, I put knees in to tie the deck to the frames, half inch plywood triangels thru-bolted to the fram and deck beam with a block to tie them to the clamp (beam shelf? I'm not sure of the term for that beam that runs along the inside of the frames just under the deck beams and is bolted to them both.

Sadly, even with all the reinforcing the wooden IODs need to be "helped" a bit more than they're being helped these days. Most of them need at least a few planks and new frames. But, new owners are being recruited and a couple of friends and I have spent weekends on and off installing new bits of wood and teaching the new owners how to do it. Folks are so surprised how easy it is to build a new plank once you show them how.

The real threat to these old boats is when the Stem, Stern Post or Keel start to go. We replaced one stem and it was quite the chore to keep the planks in position so that the entire bow didn't just fly open when the old stem was removed. It turned out that bits of spectra with spanish-windless on each did the trick. Held the bow together while we cut the stem out and we could slide the new stem in between the spectra lines (that ran athwart ship about 10" aft of the stem with blocks to keep the planks from moving inward) and the old plank ends. We did have to leave more room than if you were building a boat, but a simple shim under the plank side where it is screwed into the stem did the trick. That boat has MUCH better headstay tension than most on the water now.

Thanks for putting those jock-straps in. They've kept the fleet alive.

Beau

Edit: BTW, the ultra-lights, like Moore24s and Express27s have mini-jock-straps to hold their after lowers down. Even those boats start to pull the deck off the boat and crush the hull banging off the big waves outside the Golden Gate and on the City Front in an ebb tide race.

[Tim OConnell]

Beau,I kinda thought you already had one. ?for you. While working down in the bay area in the late 80s I remember installing what we called "jock straps" on ether ICs or Knarrs or both. (memory,it's an age thing) IIRCThese straps were basically ss wire that tied into the upper shroud chain plates and ran down to the mast step with a turn buckle.Is this still being done? Also wondering if that concept worked at all. We moved north soon after and never heard how it worked out. Thanks
Russell

I did that on my MORC boat in the early 80's to transfer some loads off the bulkhead where the chain plates were bolted. The MORC Capri 30 came from the factory that way too.

[JoeP]

Beau,I kinda thought you already had one. ?for you. While working down in the bay area in the late 80s I remember installing what we called "jock straps" on ether ICs or Knarrs or both. (memory,it's an age thing) IIRCThese straps were basically ss wire that tied into the upper shroud chain plates and ran down to the mast step with a turn buckle.Is this still being done? Also wondering if that concept worked at all. We moved north soon after and never heard how it worked out. Thanks
Russell

I did that on my MORC boat in the early 80's to transfer some loads off the bulkhead where the chain plates were bolted. The MORC Capri 30 came from the factory that way too.

A lot of Cal 20s do it on the aft lowers

[BeauV]

So, given a lot of designs end up with "Jock Straps", why aren't they installed when the design is built?