sasa – Page 5 – Voilier 'HIR 3'

Full speed astern!

18/05/2016 sasaLeave a comment

Weather finally decided to cooperate and allowed us to move HIR from Poreč, so Andrej, Elvis and me bought food, drinks and started the engine… Finally we were on our way!

I decided not to experiment with the sails until we repair the mast, so we motored through the calm sea by the Istrian coast. It wasn’t very exciting, bit on the other hand we were really happy to be on our way, so we treated ourselves with good food and great Istrian wind we brought. In the evening, we had dinner that Andrej prepared the day earlier in the cockpit… We installed a headlamp on the tiller, so we would be able to see what we were eating and it turned out to be great!:)

Occasionally the alarm sounded because the engine started to overheat, so we decided to take it slow. It was really easy to navigate at night with very little traffic. We took 2-hour shifts, so we got to sleep a little… until early in the morning when I woke up, I noticed something strange… The engine was running, but we weren’t moving! I tried to go in reverse and it worked ok, but we just couldn’t go forward!? Anyway, it was only logical to go full speed astern! We were doing sometimes over 3 knots this way for 15 miles… until we reached the shipyard in Kraljevica… We felt really stupid, but it worked out fine in the end. We reached our destination!

Guys immediately took down the mast and I decided to take the boat out as well to repair the engine and to do the antifouling…

5 Books for Round the World Sailor

A lot of good books for sailors are out there, but here is my list of the definitive Top 5 books for a round the world sailors…

22/03/2016 sasaLeave a comment

A lot of good books for sailors are out there, but here is my list of the definitive Top 5 books for a round the world sailors:

1. World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell

World Cruising Routes has become one of the best-selling nautical publications in the world. This book is to be found on board every long distance cruising yacht, and provide ocean navigators all the information they need, from the planning stages of a voyage to its successful completion.

2. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual by Nigel Calder

If it’s on a boat and it has screws, wires, or moving parts, it’s covered in Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual (832 pages!). When you leave the dock with this book aboard, you have at your fingertips the best and most comprehensive advice on all on boars systems.

3. Heavy Weather Sailing by Peter Bruce

Heavy Weather Sailing has been regarded as the ultimate international authority on surviving storms at sea aboard sailing and motor vessels. The book brings together a wealth of expert advice from many great sailors including fresh accounts of yachts overtaken by extreme weather. This is the definitive book for crews of any size contemplating sea voyages, whether racing or cruising.

4. Marine Diesel Engines by Nigel Calder

Marine Diesel Engines is a bible for do-it-yourself boatowners. Nigel Calder’s bestseller has everything you need to keep your diesel engine running cleanly and efficiently. Marine Diesel Engines explains how to diagnose and repair engine problems, perform routine and annual maintenance and extend the life and improve the efficiency of your engine.

5. Modern Marine Weather by David Burch

A comprehensive text on how to take weather into account for the planning and navigation of voyages, local or global, using the latest technologies as well as the time-honored skills of maritime tradition. It doesn’t just tell you about it; it tells you how to do it.

New Designs…

It is really difficult to create a simple logo that looks good… but I think that the designer this time did a great job! New HIR 3 logo is unique and cool.

02/03/2016 sasaLeave a comment

It is really difficult to create a simple logo that looks good… but I think that the designer this time did a great job! New HIR 3 logo is unique and cool. Don’t you think:)?And now we have another look at the project, this time it’s ‘Retro Style’…

Thanks SASA S. for organizing all this!!

New Theory of Sailing

People have been sailing for thousands of years and flying since 1903 (Wight brothers), but it is incredible that just recently, it was explained completely how it is possible to fly/sail with Claes Johnson’s New Theory of Flight from 2008.

07/02/2016 sasa1 Comment

People have been sailing for thousands of years and flying since 1903 (Wight brothers), but it is incredible that just recently, it was explained completely how it is possible to fly/sail with Claes Johnson’s New Theory of Flight from 2008.

It is possible to sail upwind (against the wind) by beating with close hauled sails. In beating both the sail and keel act like airfoils generating forces of lift L and drag D at certain angles of attack of the sail to the wind direction and of the keel to the the motion of the boat through the water. A forward component of the lift from the sail (drive) propels the boat forward, while the side component (heeling) is balanced by lift in the opposite direction from the keel. The drive is balanced by drag forces from sail, keel and hull.

The key to uncover the mathematical secret of flight came from a correct resolution of d’Alembert’s paradox form 1752. The new flight theory directly reflects properties of Navies-Stokes solutions.

Correct explanation of lift by perturbation of potential flow (left) at separation from physical low-pressure turbulent counter-rotating rolls (middle) changing the pressure and velocity at the trailing edge into a flow with downwash and lift (right).

The Secret Revealed in Four Basic Steps:

The flow is incompressible with small skin friction and thus can only separate at stagnation at the trailing edge (before stall).
Main lift is created by low pressure (negative) on top of the leading edge of high speed flow in accordance with Bernoulli’s Principle.
Main drag is created by high pressure (positive) on the leading edge by low speed flow in accordance with Bernoulli’s Principle.
Lift and drag from the leading edge are preserved by a specific flow separation pattern at the trailing edge with alternating high and low pressure with zero mean.

Real Flow Around a Wing

Low pressure (blue) on top of the leading edge giving lift L about 3 times as big as the high pressure at the front of leading edge giving drag D resulting in blue area/red area = L/D > 10. The flow leaves the wing at the trailing edge without high/low pressure in a downward motion as downwash creating lift as reaction force.

Wind Tunnel Images – WB Sails

The complete New Theory of Flight can be found on a blog: http://secretofflight.wordpress.com/

A book – The Secret of Sailing can be downloaded in pdf format HERE!

5 Skipper’s essentials

A list of equipment that is useful on a boat is long, but I think that a good skipper should always carry these 5 essential pieces of equipment…

23/01/2016 sasaLeave a comment

A list of equipment that is useful on a boat is long, but I think that a good skipper should always carry these 5 essential pieces of equipment:

1. Leatherman

The most important tool that every skipper should have is a multitool with pliers and a sharp knife. Forget about cheap Chinese knockoffs, for the boat you need the best and that’s a proper Leatherman.

2. Gorilla Tape

It’s amazing how many things you can fix temporarily on a boat with a good tape. Gorilla Tape is the biggest, strongest, toughest thing ever to happen to tape.

3. WD-40

On a boat there is always something that need lubricating, or another thing that got stuck and the solution is WD-40. It protects metal from rust and corrosion, penetrates stuck parts, displaces moisture and lubricates almost anything. It even removes grease, grime and more from most surfaces.

4. Headlamp

A good headlamp is a must for night navigation. The RAW Pro is a waterproof, light weight, high power white and red beam head torch. Engineered specifically to excel in the harsh marine environment, you can rely on it in any situation.

5. Storm Lighter

A reliable lighter is a must on a boat, weather you need it to light a stove, or burn an end of a rope. Silva Helios Storm Lighter is windproof, waterproof and with very high temperature flame.

Ideal crew

Can you really gather an ideal crew for sailing, or is it just a myth? I like to think that you can. I would rather sail with a complete beginner who has the most important qualities written below, than with a world champion who lacks at least one of these.

25/12/2015 sasaLeave a comment

Can you really gather an ideal crew for sailing, or is it just a myth? I like to think that you can. Everyone is different and there are no rules here. Some skippers require total obedience, others perfect fitness and sailing skills. I even found one piece of advice that says, I quote: ‘The only way to find a good crew is to marry one’. Great advice. I would love to do it, but a perfect marriage is probably also a holy grail that is as difficult to find as a perfect crew member.

I have sailed with many different crews over the years and I came to a conclusion that sailing skills are not important at all. I am experienced enough that I can teach sailing and seamanship to almost anyone, but I am not a wizard and I cannot change anyones personality. I would rather sail with a complete beginner who has the most important qualities written below, than with a world champion who lacks at least one of these.

1. Tolerance
Without a doubt, the most important quality for a crew member is tolerance. You have to be able to tolerate other peoples habits and flaws and be very diplomatic when resolving problems and talking about mistakes that were made.

2. Determination
Crew member must be determined that he/she really wants to sail on that boat, otherwise when even the smallest problems occur, people will quit. Determined crew will overcome everything to reach the goal, from bad weather to bad cooking.

3. Good will
If you really want to sail, you will probably make an effort to make it happen no matter what. A good will is definitely one of the most important requirements for a crew member.

4. Improvisation
It helps if a crew member is a mechanic, electrician or a doctor, but knowing how to improvise on the boat is the most important skill of all. Out on the ocean, you never have the right parts or tools, but if you know how to think out of the box, you will always be able to sort out everything reasonably well.

5 Sense of adventure
You have to be at least a little adventurous to set sail and to be able to really enjoy it, because you are actually going into unknown and you have to be ready to deal with anything that comes up your way.

I will give everyone a chance, so anyone who would like to join Hir 3 as a crew should apply for one of the sailing trips in the Adriatic in 2016. I will announce the dates and routes soon…

I have also found a list of qualities that ideal racing crew would have:
1. Unquestioning obedience,
2. Doesn’t mind getting wet, cold and bored,
3. Doesn’t bruise easily,
4. Doesn’t complain when bruised,
5. Strong, silent and agile,
6. Enjoys being blamed for things that aren’t his fault,
7. Has a bent towards telepathy,
8. Impeccable time-keeper and recorder of courses,
9. Naturally good eyesight for spotting distant buoys (desirable magnification on ordinary eyes: 4×30)
10. Likes winning
11. Very good when loosing
12. Preferred hobbies: sewing, woodwork and swimming.

Top 15 gifts for a sailor this Christmas

All I really want for Christmas this year is to set sail with my crew… but on the more practical side, here is a list of Top 10 Christmas gifts for a sailor this year…

25/11/2015 sasaLeave a comment

I have been working on the boat for a year and a half now and it seems that finally the day when we will be able to set sail is getting close, so I guess that all I want for Christmas this year is to set sail with my crew… but on the more practical side, here is my list of Top 15 gifts for Christmas this year…

1. Dubarry boots

Keeping your feet dry and warm in bad weather is important. Unfortunately, I only have simple rubber boots that are ok, but not great, so I would really love to have the proper Dubarry boots.

2. Leatherman

I’ve had a few multitools so far, but all of them have a tendency to jump overboard, so it would really be nice to have a proper Leatherman again.

3. Windstopper Hat

Warm hat is a must for me in cold weather, so a good, nice and warm and windstopper hat would be great.

4. Musto Hat

During the summer, it’s impossible for me to spend a day on a boat without a hat. I’ve had a few so far, but being constantly exposed to the sun, these wear off quickly, so I’d like a new Musto hat.

5. iPhone Waterproof Case

iPhone is a nice and useful toy on board for checking the weather forecast, navigation software, e-mails… but they don’t mix well with water, so a good waterproof case would be nice to have.

6. Nautical Charts

I would like to start preparing and planning for crossing oceans and for that I need proper nautical charts for passage planning.

7. Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum

A bottle of fine rum is a must on every boat. My favorite is Captain Morgan Black Spiced Rum.

8. DSLR Nikon Camera

There are so many beautiful moments that I would like to capture on camera. The one i have on my iPhone is ok, but a proper DSLR Nikon Camera would really make a difference between good and great photos.

9. Carbon Fiber Portfolio

Probably the coolest thing to put your boat documents in is a carbon fiber legal portfolio by RAGGEDedge Gear.

10. Navisafe Headlamp

A good headlamp is a must for night sailing. The best one on the market is Navisafe Headlamp with a red light to preserve night vision, a white floodlight to light the whole sail, and an ultra-powerful distance light shining up to 70 m plus tilt function for exact and comfortable beam positioning.

11. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual

This manual takes both novice and experienced boatowner through minor to major repairs of electrical systems, engines, electronics, steering systems, generators, pumps, cookers, spars and rigging. Boatowner’s Mechanical and Electrical Manual deserves to come standard with every boat.

12. Handheld GPS Garmin Montana 600

A handheld GPS is a must for a sailor these days. Great to use as a backup, or even as a primary navigation aid. Garmin Montana 600 is at the moment the best model. It has big 4′ touchscreen, waterproof and supports multiple mapping options.

13. Spinlock Deckwest 5D 170N Pro Sensor Safety Harness

Safety first! A mandatory equipment for every sailor on offshore passages. Spinlock Deckwest 5D 170N Pro Sensor Safety Harness is very light, comfortable design for use over long periods.

14. Safety Harness

On board, Wichard ProLine Safety Harnesses are an essential element in safety. ORC compliant with quick release snap shackles.

15. PLB

PLB McMurdo Fast Find 220 is a lifesaving beacon with buoyancy pouch included designed for marine enthusiasts and adventurers.

………………

LET’S SET SAIL!!! 🙂

Taylor’s paraffin heater & cooker

HIR 3 will get new Taylor’s paraffin cooker and heater…

17/10/2015 sasaLeave a comment

The old gas stove that was on board HIR was full of rust and it was beyond repair, so I had to buy a new one. Also, my big concern in heating on board, so I have been looking around and searching the internet for best options. My big issue is that I don’t want a lot of electric appliances on the boat, so the only options were gas and paraffin.I found Taylor’s paraffin heater 079K that I liked and it seems that the same unit was on the boat originally. The only problem was the price. 1.600 Euro for a heater was definitely too much for me… until I found one offer on ebay. I was bidding for more than a week and finally won it for about 200 Euro… but it came without a paraffin pressure tank, so I had another problem then… until I’ve found in Slovenian classifieds a complete Taylor’s paraffin cooker 030 for a fraction of the price, so now I have all the components I need and they both look great! I just hope it will all work as well…

‘Cruising boats worldwide use Taylors paraffin galley cookers. Rugged, reliable and easy to maintain, these classic stoves work on the Primus pressure system have many advantages and having no gas aboard is an obvious safety benefit.’

How You can help…

Our project ‘HIR 3 across 3 Oceans’ to sail around the World is a unique opportunity to test the best people, equipment and products in the extreme ocean conditions! We would really appreciate if You could forward our plan to everyone who you think might be interested in joining us as a sponsor/partner. THANK YOU!

06/10/2015 sasaLeave a comment

Dear All,

Our project ‘HIR 3 across 3 Oceans’ to sail around the World is a unique opportunity to test the best people, equipment and products in the extreme ocean conditions! Everyone and everything that circumnavigates the globe and rounds the Cape Horn will be worth something:) We are filming a documentary about it, writing a book and all the media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and internet) is already covering our story…

We would really appreciate if You could forward our plan to everyone who you think might be interested in joining us as a sponsor/partner. THANK YOU! Sasa.

Sponsors Wanted!

We plan to sail around the World on board a legendary 34 foot ‘HIR 3’. It’s a unique opportunity to test the best people, equipment and products in the extreme ocean conditions!

25/09/2015 sasaLeave a comment

It has been a while since the last time a Croatian sailing yacht circumnavigated the World… so we want to change that with our project ‘HIR 3 across 3 Oceans’. We plan to sail around the World on board a legendary 34 foot ‘HIR 3’, like Mladen Šutej, Ozren Bakrač and many others did 30 years ago. It’s a unique opportunity to test the best people, equipment and products in the extreme ocean conditions! Everyone and everything that circumnavigates the globe and rounds the Cape Horn will be worth something:) We are filming a documentary about it, writing a book and all the media (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and internet) is already covering our story…

Join us! Drop us a line… sasa.fegic@gmail.com. We believe that it’s a great marketing opportunity…