Day cruising around Hilton Head Island

[Captain Smollett]

Well,  I did not get to "Sail FAR" but I DO have the small boat part of things.  Refitting to get things ready for a trip to the coast was 'frantic' with much of the work done within the last seven days:

New cabin cushions/upolstery (gift from wife)
New handrails w/ backing plates
New tires/hubs for trailer
New Steaming light on mast (dang thing still has problems...will rerun wire next)
General cleaning
New fuel line ob end connector
Other minor tasks and some new safety gear

Here's a shot of the handrails.  The old ones were split and badly weathered.  I was all for trying to refinish them, but my wife said "new ones."



Saturday, May 20: Got the boat down there around 10:00 at Hilton Head Harbour Marina, just east of Hwy 278 bridge as you first get on the island.  Arrived too close to low tide to launch, so unhitched to make a run to Boater's World and a storage facility to arrange for trailer storage.

Got back and making ready to launch, noticed the tank end of the fuel line was busted, so I unhitched AGAIN and went BACK to BW to get a new fitting.  Luckily it was not far.  Got the fuel line fixed and launched the boat. Motored over to slip 46 and nearly bolloxed getting into the slip with the 10 kt cross wind from the west.  Got the mast up in the slip and everything ready, but noticed a halyard mast cleat was GONE!  Planned another trip to BW for Sunday, and no sailing on Saturday (hot, tired and ready to just hang out).



Monday, May 22: Motored east along Skull Creek solo just to 'be out' for a couple of hours.  Turned around at the #3 marker right at the entrance into Port Royal Sound.

Tuesday, May 23: With Becky and the kids, repeated trip from yesterday.  3 year old Hunter helped steer and 11 month old Jonathan napped.  Even while motoring into the 4 ft chop at the Sound, he slept.  Raised the jib and did some downwind sailing and reaching, but did not want to fight things too much and we had a reception to attend for Becky's work.  It was nice just being out for a few hours again.



Saturday, May 27: Left the harbour at 10:30 and motored just above idle under Hwy 278 bridge.  Raised sails and had a nice, easy close reach, with only two tacks to clear some docks, on the westerly breeze.  Made it to Harbour Town after only 1 hour 35 minutes, but did not stop.  :)  Sailed on out into Atlantic and ate lunch while standing southward along Tybee Island.  Turned around at Marker 12 on the Savannah Approach (we were outside the shipping channel, there were container ships coming in) to head back in, so about 5 miles 'off shore' from Hilton Head.  Becky got some shots of the Tybee Light and pelicans in flight 'circling' the boat.  We saw lots of dolphins, but got no pics.  Here's a shot of the Tybee Light off the stbd beam.



Dropped sails just outside of Harbour Town to motor the rest of the way.  This turned out to be a good decision, since a thunderstorm hit just as we tied up in the slip.  This shot is of the Harbour Town Light as we motored past.



General Comments about Hilton Head Harbour Marina:  The marina is co-located with Outdoor Resorts RV park.  There is a pool, showers, tennis courts, etc.  The private ramp is unusable at low tide (water must be to third piling on the fishing dock before they will unlock the ramp), and there is no overnight storage for trailers.  The harbormasters are aggressive about chastising passing boaters to observe the "No Wake" rule.

Our slip was on the inner pier, so we had ample protection from wind in all directions, but E or W winds do blow across the slips.  Larger boats would probably need to be placed on the outer row, and I think they let overnighters just tie up at the gas dock.  Slip fees are $1 per foot per night, but they gave me a discount and I'm not sure why (maybe for staying the week?).  I did not ask.  Getting in/out of the harbor is best not at low tide, either.

[Frank]

There's a WONDERFUL ole character in Hilton Head nicknamed " Duffy".His real name is Tom Mcmurray (or Murry??) He is a super experienced boater.He spent 11 or 12 years cruising the Bahamas and many many more than that up and down the coast.He even has rocks named after him in the Bahamas !!I ran into him at Green Turtle cay back 4-5yrs ago. His mini trawler is called " Thumper"....if you get a chance..look him up. Full of stories and adventures !!! A very well known, true nautical Character now with failing health... well worth looking up and spending some time with....he is a treasure . I'm sure most long term boaters there would know how to find him.

[xroyal]

Captain S, looks like a Sanibel 17? Some of the fellows with larger boats at my marina were jesting about one of these cute boats. A couple of weeks ago I chanced a sail on the Sanibel, and we had a fine time....all the jesters' boats were tied up. Yesterday the Sanibel took it's skipper's family on another nice day sail, jesters still tied up.  ;)

Good on the new teak. To each his own, but a fine product to protect it is Deks Olje, West Marine, $25.99qt, probably last 10 years on a Sanibel or the like. Just apply a coat or so every few months, and leave the sandpaper at home.

Frank, probably missed it, but has your Flicka splashed?

[Captain Smollett]

Captain S, looks like a Sanibel 17?

Yes. Good eye!!  ;D  Well, the earlier version called Skipper's Mate 17, Hull #29 of the original 1982 run.

There's a Yahoo group for Sanibel (and variant) owners, and they all seem very loyal and love their boats, and most have their boats listed on Chris Councill's web site.  You sailed on one in Oregon?  Does the owner know about the group?  If not, could you pass it along?

The link is Yahoo Sanibel Group

Code Select Expand


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sanibel/


Also, International Marine (the makers of the Potter 19) are making them again after 20 years out of production.

[xroyal]

Thanks Captn, including the links. Yes, and you'll see Andy's "Annabelle" listed in Klamath Falls, OR.  She's on Klamath Lake, the biggest in Oregon...and the shallowest in many spots.

As I recall she went from Ohio to Paul in maybe Tacoma where Andy snagged her.

The day we went out that tiny jib  really tickled me (shades of the sailing rig on my 17' Klepper kayak). He hanked it on, and we were to windward in no time flat.

[Captain Smollett]

I saw that Annabelle is for sale, $3500.

[Frank]

I posted this back in may,but just came across Duffy's pic while looking for the shark pictures. He is a real 'ole salt,very well known/respected'..and a great story teller. This pic was taken at Abaco yacht services on Green Turtle Cay....kinda funny..in this pic he looks like an 'ole techie'............"There's a WONDERFUL ole character in Hilton Head nicknamed " Duffy".His real name is Tom Mcmurray. He is a super experienced boater.He spent 11 or 12 years cruising the Bahamas and many many more than that up and down the coast.He even has 'Duffy's rock' named after him in the Bahamas !! I ran into him at Green Turtle cay back 4-5yrs ago. His mini trawler is called " Thumper"....if you get a chance..look him up. Full of stories and adventures !!! A very well known, true nautical Character now with failing health... well worth the effort to find and spend some time with....he is a treasure . I'm sure most long term boaters there would know how to find him".

[Captain Smollett]

I'll try to look him up next time I go to Hilton Head. He sounds like an interesting character.  Thanks for the more detail, Frank.