[PUP] Swan Song across the Pacific
Georgs Kolesnikovs
A belated congratulations on another ocean passage without fuss and bother!
One of these days I must catch up with you as I would dearly love to see Swan Song in the flesh, as it were.
I’m going to post your PUP message to the main T&T List because more people should know about your remarkable boat and remarkable passages.
Until the next time, all the best!
—Georgs
Originally posted on Passagemaking Under Power: http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/forums/passagemakinglis.html <http://www.trawlersandtrawlering.com/forums/passagemakinglis.html>
> Date: Fri, 4 Aug 2017 09:36:59 -0400
> From: Dave Cooper <villa...@gmail.com>
> To: passag...@lists.trawlering.com
> Subject: [PUP] Swan Song
>
>
> Long but could be interesting.
> Swan Song is now in the Long Beach Area after a 2800nm passage from
> Honolulu. Up wind, up wave and up current!
> Weather forecast's were way under the actual wind/seas that we encountered
> on the passage. The HNL LAX rhumb line passage isn't one that any sailboat
> makes and that few non-commercial powerboats due either.
>
> Swan Song is a single engine vessel with no backup which makes the number
> of sister ships that have made this passage drop to very low numbers. We
> couldn't find nor anyone on either end that could come up with a private
> recreational vessel that has done this run. Must be someone out there and
> if you know them please let me know as I'd like to salute them and compare
> notes.
>
> Biggest issue was trash. We were stopped 5 times with trash in the
> prop/rudder. Running 24/7 there's 12 hours of darkness and with big head
> seas you can't even see the trash in daylight till its on the wave in front
> of you. We were roughly 500 miles south of the Gyre so hadn't expected so
> much trash. In 2008 coming from Cabo San Lucas to HNL we never saw
> virtually anything nor caught anything on the prop/rudder. This time there
> were thousands of pieces that went by us.
>
> Swan Song's prop and rudder are behind and above her keel. I can't imagine
> how many more items a twin prop rudder system would pick up but it sure
> would be more than Swan Song's configuration. Even a setup with a offset
> 'get home engine/prop' would get fouled and given the size of the trash
> more than likely would be made unserviceable from a bent prop/shaft/strut.
>
> We have an onboard air system that is specifically set up with a dive air
> system on hose(s). My experience using tanks offshore in a seaway puts you
> at increased risk as the tank(s)s/BC add way to much bulk and weight. When
> the boat is going up and down many feet on each wave the danger of getting
> disabled by not moving with the boat is high. Being able to wedge yourself
> under the boat and become part of the movement add a huge safety factor,
> IMHO.
>
> In any case we had a bad wrap @ 2150 one night and had to shut the boat
> down as the 8" line cutter didn't have a chance. ART, Swan Song's zero
> speed stabilization system, which works all the time. so . Underway or
> sitting beam to a sea makes no difference in it's operation. Up/down or
> pitching are still happening but rolling is well under control ;-)
>
> The wrap turned out to be about 15' of 1 3/4" high modulus line woven into
> netting all trailing behind. Pete lost the coin toss, suited up and went
> down with my 'Hook Knife' He managed to cut the line free with a couple
> pulls of this incredible knife and then unwrap it all. We pulled it aboard
> as his souvenir and so that folks can just see what you might have to deal
> with.
>
> Any case, I think that an onboard air system is something that all
> passagemakers need to seriously consider as the world's oceans get more and
> more trash. Doesn't matter how many engines/props/rudders you have they
> will get fouled and you will have to clear them sooner or later.
>
> We had two powertrain issues. one was the front seal in the transmission
> started leaking badly. 3 qts a day so we fashioned a catch tray and were
> able to capture most of it and return it to the transmission. The 2nd
> issue was a blown diaphragm on the fuel pressure sending unit. It managed
> to spray several gallons of diesel about before I saw it and shut down the
> engine to repair it. A mess but was all cleaned up and underway in a couple
> of hours...again ART steadies the roll so that working in the engine room
> with tools isn't a worry
>
> I have a policy of shutting down the engine at noon every day and doing a
> close detailed inspection of fluids, belts and all other parts.
> Before shut down the IR gun is swiped over the engine to make sure there
> are no unusual 'hot spots'. Over my many years I've found that this shut
> down along with the hourly visual engine room scans allows one to keep
> ahead of surprises in general.
>
> 2800 nm 18 days 1200 gal of fuel used! Not bad for a 100,000+ 60' trawler
> ;-)
>
> Swan Song is for sale(BST) but if she doesn't sell by October in California
> we're heading south to Cabo San Lucas and then on down the coast to the
> Panama Canal. Then into the Caribbean and who know's from there?? Florida,
> Cuba or the British Virgin Islands..... can't let her sit around too long
> as she was built to be off the dock and on the sea not a dock queen ;-)
>
>
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