Category Archives: Stories

2005, Sailing, Stories

So you want to try the ICW?

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So you want to try the ICW?
or
What to do for your winter vacation!
Bob Bierly
5/15/2005
Hull #255

In the February 2005 Mainsheet, Earle Ellefsen, our C380 Commodore was pondering how to prepare for an 8-month trip down the eastern seaboard from New England to Florida and the Bahamas or beyond.  Although not having all the answers, my comments will be from the perspective of having made the major part of that trip twice in CMON WIND, our C380 hull #255. Although many pros have written extensively on the subject of an ICW trip, I will offer only my unique perspective and focus on the use of the C380 as a suitable vessel and home. I will use Earle’s rhetorical questions to direct my thoughts into various subjects that all should ponder before embarking.  All of this is offered in the sure knowledge that your first trip down

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2005, Sailing, Stories

Northbound from Trinidad

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Northbound from Trinidad
Jim & Sue Seemann
5/15/2005
Hull #1

Sue and I flew back to Trinidad on Jan 10, 2005, to re-launch our boat (PipeDream) and begin our 2,000 mile voyage back to Florida. Here is our first installment on our northbound trip.

Trinidad (Jan 10 to Feb 5) is a beautiful and prosperous tropical island located about 25 miles off the coast of South America and near the eastern border of Venezuela. The island is 10 degrees north of the
equator and consequently enjoys a lush tropical climate with expansive rain forests, endless varieties of tropical plants and animals, and an annual celebration known as “Carnival”. We stayed in Chaguaramas,
Trinidad for three weeks and enjoyed the island amenities while preparing and provisioning PipeDream for the voyage north.

The first leg of our trip (Feb 6 to 11) took us 88 miles north to Grenada. What a contrast!!!

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2005, Sailing, Stories

Caretta Surfs to a 2nd in the Ft Lauderdale to Key West Race

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Caretta Surfs to a 2nd in the 30th Annual Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race
Steve Dublin
Date: 5/15/2005
Hull #: 86

Caretta is a seven year old C-380 with the Z-Spar tall rig and the deeper version of the wing keel. We’ve owned her for about 3 years. We bought Caretta to use primarily for weekend day sails and summer cruises in the Bahamas. But as they say; “He goes among the fever stricken…..” After a few too many rum & cokes, following a win in the “Mother Tub” fleet during Abaco Race Week, we decided to enter Caretta in the next Fort Lauderdale to Key West Race. The sailing instructions for the 30th Annual Key West race required all boats to stay offshore of the reefs that separate Hawke Channel from the Keys. Too many racers had foundered on these reefs at night while trying to duck into

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2005, Sailing, Stories

Cruise The Bahamas in a Catalina 380!!

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Cruise The Bahamas in a Catalina 380!!
Tom Lincoln
5/15/2005
Hull #1

Some of you might think the 380 is marginal for such a task. Some might think it is necessary to have that heavy-duty ocean tested offshore double-ended battle ship of a cruiser. Put that notion aside. My wife Barb and I have been cruising our C-380 for three years. We departed Lake Erie and navigated the ICW and then jumped off to the Bahamas for the winter months. The C-380 has proven to be up to the task.

Our background in sailing is probably like most weekend sailors. We have been sailing since 1970 in small boats. We started with day sailors that we sailed close to our hometown, Fort Thomas in Northern
Kentucky, a Suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio. We sailed on small lakes and the Ohio River. As members of Brookville Lake Sailing Association, we learned the

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2004, Stories

Sparkles and Wine

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Sparkles and Wine
Gary L. Snyder
10/11/2004
Hull #: 323

No red wine for you!!!

I know it may seen harsh in a Soup Natzyish way but we have always had one rule on board concerning wine. It is not like we are connoisseurs favoring the lighter toned fermentations nor prejudice of color, tones or whatever. The whites and roses’, dry or sweet, sparkling or not seem to do fine. The fact is I am really not much of a drinker. Nor is my wife. Either of our two, almost 30 something, kids could drink us under the table. But, our friends, family and clients really enjoy it. They even expect it to be served on such a fine craft as our Romanza a Catalina 380. It is beautiful and comfortable with plenty of creature comforts, full instrumentation, radar, flat screen tv, stereo, private quest quarters, shower, refrigeration, microwave, all

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2004, Stories

How do you get to Mexico

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Lloyd Causey
10/11/2004
Hull #: 220

Where do you begin when you are going to do a race to Isla Mujeres, off Mexico’s Yucatan coast? Officially, the race was to start in Pensacola in May. We began our trip in West End, LA in February. At least that’s when we began talking, planning, working and scheming. There were so many things to do to a basically sound boat that is raced almost every weekend. Everything was coming together smoothly until our C380, JAMBALAYA, found the bottom at West End outlet one rough Sunday and bent her rudder shaft.

Working with Catalina and our yard, the job was accomplished in near recordime. Catalina built a rudder in one week and our yard found a place in
their schedule to get it done.

Back on schedule with new sails arriving (there are never too many sails), new sheets spliced, new hardware installed,

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Stories

The Hat Came Back

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Thomas Brantigan
Toccata in Sea, Catalina 387

When I first purchased my Catalina 387, Toccata in Sea, it was my first boat – I’m too old to start small and work my way up! – so every experience was a new one.  Some were more fun than others but all were learning experiences.

One of our first trips and a trip where I hadn’t yet anchored the boat anywhere overnight was one of those “learning experiences”.  To make things easier and less stressful, we traveled with our friends on their Catalina 34 and rafted up to their anchor in Swan Creek on the Eastern Shore of the northern Chesapeake Bay.  The forecast was typical of the summer on the Chesapeake, i.e. afternoon thunderstorms and then clear.  So…since the afternoon had passed, I looked forward to a quiet dinner and pleasant night with friends and family out on our new boat.

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2008, Mainsheet, Mast, Repair/Replace/Maintain, Rig, Sailing, Stories

Eliminating Dismasting Possibility

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Eliminating Dismasting Possibility
Warren Elliott
August, 2008
Hull #: 44

Simple Repair Eliminates Dismasting Possibility

I don’t mean to worry our C380 captains–the chances are pretty remote for a dismasting–but one of our fleet did suffer this “fate”, so I thought some relevant info would be helpful to at least a few of our members.

The particular unhappy event took place with winds gusting to 30+ kts. Before departure, the rig appeared normal per the captain’s brief check. Early conditions had winds in the low 20’s, so the C380, which had a Z-Spar tall rig, was reefed accordingly. Just after coming about, the mast folded to port/aft about 10 feet above the deck. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Subsequent inspection revealed all stays, shrouds & chainplates to be intact, with no obvious fault. It was noted that a lower-spreader tip had been dislodged, and was “hanging” in the now-loose rigging.

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