Sailing WILD WEATHER w/ Electronics on the WILD Coast of Africa! (Patrick Childress Sailing #64)

[@RVLifeNOW]

I am curious. What is the fastest current, and where, that you have experienced?

[@RVLifeNOW]

The one along this Wild Coast of South Africa was probably the biggest helping current we have ever experienced. But once when sailing the huge gap between Bali and Lombok in Indonesia, we were sailing at a good clip, but we couldn’t do anything better than minus 1 knots over ground. So we had to turn around and go the other way around this island. It added like 8 hours to our trip between Lombok and Bali. And it’s only about a 4 hour trip to begin with! We have also found some pretty good currents in the Gulf Stream on the way to Bermuda but I don’t think it compares to the Indonesia current, or the South African current. Predictwind also showed us sailing in quite a trying current between SriLanka and Chagos, but it was a sideways current, so it didn’t propel us forwards or backwards but it made it nearly impossible to sail in any direction besides WNW or SE...and Chagos, where we were headed was SW! Predictwind showed us to just sail S, and sometimes SSE until we left the current, and the to go sailing weat to get to Chagos. Wind and current..tricky business, and hence why we will never sail without the iridium GO and Predictwind to help us see exactly where these currents are and are not!!! -Rebecca

[@jimgates4801]

Refecca, The first video that I saw was your talk about loosing Patrick. You are a very strong woman to do that video. I was crying along with you. Patrick was an extremely talented man sailor and you were so blessed to be his soulmate too. After I watched that video, I’ve been looking at the rest of your fine library rof tips and adventures. I hope you have good luck in finding a crew ( that won’t be very easy)so you can continue both Patrick’s and your dream. Your boat is in excellent condition now so you should use it because I can see all the love you guys put into it. May God bless and be with you Rebecca Childress. Sail on, Jim Gates An old Hobie 16 sailor

[@AfricanFlightStar]

Jim Gates Big ditto to that 👍🏼🙏🏻

[@angelasmith3332]

Same with me. Just stumbled across the video of losing Patrick and got very emotional. I live in NZ and love sailing. Have considered selling my house and buying a yacht and sailing around for the rest of my life, but I'm in my 50's and have cats and dogs which makes it impossible., not to mention me not being a single hander. If it werent for my animals I would be first in line to be a permanent crew member. Rebecca if you are ever in NZ my home is always open for you.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks so much...I am sailing on...hope you are watching the others

[@RVLifeNOW]

Ah thanks Angela...

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thank you

[@AfricanFlightStar]

So good to hear Patricks voice and see him at work, so sad to know he is gone 😞 We are all blessed that you both made all these videos which will preserve his life forever 🙏🏻

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thank you for watching.

[@Francois23S]

I’m absolutely gutted to hear the heart wrenching news that Patrick has passed away from Covid 19. What a massive loss to the world, and the sailing community. My deepest sympathy to Rebecca. You guys have had a really positive impact in my life and sailing knowledge. I will truly miss your adventures. Sincerely, Francois from SV Asanté

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thank you. Still struggling. But still cruising on Brick House at least!!!

[@reloadncharge9907]

Fun episode, good primer on passage planning...thanks....still stuck on a mooring ball in St Augustine, hoping the Chesapeake opens up for a mid-May offshore passage. Thanks, Andrew

[@RVLifeNOW]

The summer sailing season in the U.S. is going to be a difficult one. I hope things get better soon. I hear the marine industry is really hurting since no one can go work on their boats. But of course, it is the same, here in Africa. Good hearing from you, Andrew

[@ronharbin6678]

It's nice to see you back on the water. Thanks for all the good tips like powering on and off the engine without the electronics energized. You two make a great team - I envy you. Safe travels. Ron

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks Ron, for the nice comment. Yes...Patrick tries to put as many sailing tips and tricks in each video as he can. We appreciate that you appreciate that! -Rebecca

[@briantrishflay4731]

Always enjoy your video episodes . Your , how to’s , are great . We have recently purchased a Valiant 32 in Australia , and as soon as the world returns to some form of normality , will be attending to the ever present blisters , along with a major refit . Learning the techniques from you two have been invaluable , and look forward to more episodes . Brian & Trish

[@RVLifeNOW]

Congratulations on your new purchase. You will have fun with that boat. Save some of the repairs for Fiji, Philippines, Africa, where labor is far less expensive than Australia....but materials might be more difficult to come by. Thanks for your positive comment.

[@PacificSolo]

Really helpful video! As a novice sailor, I always look forward to learning whatever I can! Congratulations, Coati, on your promotion!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Coati the kitten, says thanks for remembering him...he says he doesn’t get enough credit and wants a raise for now being the best sailing cat on the planet! He can’t wait to leave the dock and go sailing again! -Rebecca

[@CadohaAdventures]

Must of felt great to get sailing again after all the time you've had out of the water working on her! Looking fab! 👌🏻⛵️

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yes... it felt great to finally go sailing again! We were in the boatyard for way too long! But I think Patrick has so many how to sailing videos to do still, at least he has that to enjoy during lockdown. But we thought it may be nice to go sailing again, instead of just more how to videos. -Rebecca

[@CadohaAdventures]

Patrick Childress Sailing well at least you guys still have plenty to be productive doing (the how to videos) whilst all this craziness is going on. Stay safe 🙏🏻⛵️👌🏻

[@klikman21]

Greetings Patrick & Rebecca! Thank you for all you have done & continue to do for the sailing community. I very much appreciate you both taking the time to share your many creative solutions to the inevitable challenges of sailing life. I see you too prefer using two headsails for running versus using your main. Can you someday make a video on your preferred quiver of sails & sail plans for passage making? My 40' cutter rigged, masthead sloop has 1 x main, 1 x 150% genoa, 1 x 90% jib, & 1 Code Zero. I prefer a genoa\jib combo or any twin headsail combo for running as I do not like having to constantly worry about gybing. Regards, Steve K. Monterey, Ca. USA

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hi Steve, The cutter rig with both head sails on roller furling, I think is the best set up. For the jib, we have a 120% and 90%. We used to have a spinnaker which was helpful crossing from Panama to New Zealand. In New Zealand that sail was trashed and I was happy to get it off the boat because of storage problems. So there can be sails that are area specific. Normally we keep the 120 on but swap it for the 90 in areas like approaching Madagascar on our way to Africa. In Tanzania, Africa, we swapped back to the 120. That sail will possibly stay on till we get way down into S.America. But then too, maybe we will swap back to the 90 if we get stuck in Cape Town too long and then have to deal with the seasonal N.W. wind shift to get up to Namibia.The little staysail is a rugged little sail and gets a lot of use, especially blanketing the jib and making it easier to roll up when the wind unexpectedly picks up. The unused jig gets stowed on the main saloon floor to help get weight out of the bow. Sail storage on a 40 foot boat is a problem so we make do with the 4 sails we have. It is sufficient. Our boat tracks far better sailing off the wind with head sails than using the main, which torques the boat around, especially in high wind conditions. I remember well on the first day of sailing lessons, the instructor said the main sail is the first sail up and the last sail down. That could not be more wrong, other than in that sailing class, on that one day. Thanks for your comment.

[@TwoGetLost]

This was great to watch while being stuck on the hard standing in quarantine. Thanks for sharing and helping us remember the good days!

[@RVLifeNOW]

We are happy you enjoyed the sail with us. In two weeks we will put up the rounding of Cape Agulhas and Hope. That was a fun passage with one of the most intense lightening storms we have ever been in....and I was able to get video of a lot of the lightening strikes. It is a mystery whey this boat was not zapped big time.

[@TwoGetLost]

@@RVLifeNOW Sounds exciting! And terrifying! Looking forward to it

[@jimbojims]

Woot woot My old home country, I’m glad we continued our tradition of excellent hospitality toward you guys And of course the Seas around South Africa never disappoint. 🇿🇦

[@RVLifeNOW]

ZA has been an amazing, unique, experience. I just hope we get a chance to drive to Cape Agulhas, to take pictures,as we did Cape Hope, before we have to push on. Thanks for your comment.

[@marceld6061]

Nice to see BrickHouse sailing again! Sorry that Rebecca had to pay the price for the first couple days.

[@RVLifeNOW]

It was nice to have a passage where nothing broke! Rebecca is a trouper. Even when she is down, if I really need help, she will rally. Good hearing from you Marcel!

[@ralphjansen9205]

Richard's bay has a great bunch of people. And a very good NSRI base, with great people on crew.

[@RVLifeNOW]

So many wonderful people in Richards Bay, South Africa...that’s for sure! We were a bit sad to sail away, but it was time to go sailing and make sure we still knew how to sail! -Rebecca

[@thesailingkiwi]

Glad to see you back sailing, love the cat 👍

[@RVLifeNOW]

Great to see you again, Kiwi. Coati came from a not so gentle home life but he has come around to be very friendly and really attached to Rebecca, seasick or not. He is fun to have onboard.

[@thesailingkiwi]

Patrick Childress Sailing yep, summers over down here in NZ, time to watch KZbin again

[@cinellixa]

Wow. You guys have great videos.Thanks for sharing. Hope your cat is doing well. If you love a cat when its young it will be your friend forever.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yes…so true.

[@StemtoSternSailing]

Thanks for being a sailing channel that shares good tips and tricks around actual sailing. And also makes good videos on boat maintenance. Stay safe!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks for appreciating our sailing channel. Seems lately to be mostly about how to fix up old sailboats, but this one, we were actually finally on the water and got to go sailing. Be sure to watch the next episode where we head out of East London and finally sail around the. Ape of Good Hope...a passage I’d been fearing for years! -Rebecca

[@davidc6510]

Rebecca and Kuwatti (sp?) the cat bunked out on the initial sail was so endearing. Glad to see you bounced back fairly quick Rebecca. Wow 14 knots down wind that is crazy fast! Great information on plotting a sailing course and correcting it as the weather dictates. So great to see you both back on the water and not just relaxing and having fun but giving us some good old tips and advice from some ole salty pros! Thanks a lot and glad you had a great passage to New London. Great video Patrick and Rebecca. Thanks for sharing!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks, David for joining us again. This has been a fun passage with a beautiful bay to be locked down in, Hout Bay. In two weeks we will put up part two of this passage.

[@SirCharles12357]

Love how you show and explain your sailing procedures on the various systems of Brick House! Great video!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Glad you enjoy it! Thanks for the encouragement.

[@prolific9002]

Very informative and descriptive sailing vlog! Thank You both for your work!

[@RVLifeNOW]

prolific...thanks for your comment...we are glad you enjoyed watching us finally go sailing again. It was a bit stressful...I feared sailing the capes of South Africa for a long time, and finally it’s behind us. The next video gets more stormy! -Rebecca

[@prolific9002]

@@RVLifeNOW Keep going. You are both providing a wealth of information. I will do my best to promote your channel.

[@RVLifeNOW]

We can always use the help. Thank you prolific.

[@francismontocchio9910]

As a South African this video was an added delight to your already excellent videos!! Thank you!!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks glad you enjoyed sailing the Wild Coast of South Africa with us

[@dennisfromoz6436]

Wow, I do wish I could gain some practical hands on sailing experience from guys like yourself. Thanks for the video again.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Tanks, Dennis. In part two, I do some more on deck sail handling which they don't teach in sailing classes but at times is a desirable way to do things. But also I am anxious for others to get a closer look at our new granny bars, at the mast, which I wish we had put on years ago. Thanks for your comment.

[@martyspargur5281]

Hi Patrick and Rebecca! Hope you are both well. We have not been as severely affected here by the pandemic as some other places have. I am taking a break from work until I see what's going to happen next; trying to not do anything I will regret later. But at least half of the people around here (Santa Barbara) are going about their lives like it doesn't exist. No face masks, no distancing. I personally have friends who have gotten sick or passed away from it, so I'm erring on the side of caution. Enough about that. Your remarks regarding the engine starting procedure with everything off brings to mind something that I see all the time. That is the way people often climb aboard and start their boat's engine with the shore power plugged in. Whether it's still plugged in during startup is irrelevant of course except for the way that people often have their shore powered battery charger on whenever the boat is plugged in. To me, that means the alternator's controller is going to be getting mixed messages regarding the actual voltage it's reading, or more commonly that the battery charger is not reading the battery's voltage as much as it's reading the alternator's output. I have never seen this cause any damage as far as I know, but why even put a charging system through this? I am mentioning this because every marine technician that I've ever asked about this (Do they think it's a problem) has said that they had never given it any thought. Anyway, I like the way that you have a separate pole for your staysail. So Many people take off cruising with no pole at all; they just don't think it's that important. Maybe for a speed sailer where the wind is never aft of the beam, but for most cruising boats I would consider a pole to be absolutely essential. Having a strong, one-piece (non-telescoping) pole for the jib, a pole which is long enough to reach up a bit with (105% to 117% of "J"), is much more important than many people think. It will also enable the steering vane to do a better job as well. Way more important than having a spinnaker. That other boat that you passed out there may not have had a pole, and if they didn't, then it becomes necessary to sail higher (closer to the wind) than if they had a pole, to keep the jib full. At that point the main might as well be up too, which comes with a downside as you pointed out. The extra pin that you have on your main halyard shackle for leverage is brilliant. If other people want to try raising their mains off the wind like you do, I would like to point out that you have a Tides Marine luff track enabling a quick hoist, and no lazy jacks preventing a quick hoist. Not stowing lazy jacks out of the way will make this operation a lot more difficult. Of course, some lazy jacks are integral to a sail stowage bag and are not easy to pull out of the way. The other thing is that I don't think it's obvious to everyone that the self steering blade which drops into the water is not steering the boat like a rudder would, rather it uses the power it gets from swinging right or left to turn the steering wheel. I know that most people realize this, but it might look like a rudder to someone not familiar with them.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hi Marty, There were times we forgot and started the engine with the chart plotter on and starting the engine would cause the plotter to recycle and start up all over again, on its own. Actually, starting the engine before turning on the electronics, and turning off the electronics before shutting down the engine, is what I was taught when taking flying lessons. It seems that should be also taught for sailing. I would think your thoughts about starting the engine while on a shore power charge would be relevant. We have 3 running poles and use them all. Long ago I had a telescoping pole and that proved to be useless as it folded in half the first time I used it. Your pole length is very accurate as a pole that equals the J is too short but that is what is sold to many cruisers. Thanks for reminding me. I really should have pointed out the Tides Marine Sail Track. There are good reasons we have that track. I have enough footage of our installing a new one before leaving Richards Bay so one of these days we will make a video of that. Always good to hear from you, Marty.

[@hendrenell4378]

Good to hear. Regards, Durban.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hey, thanks for watching! It was great to finally go sailing! Though I can think of better places to go sailing, than the Cape of Good Hope, the Cape of storms! -Rebecca

[@silverark2693]

That was fun to watch you guys' sailing ways. That was a good tip to turn on the engine, then the electronics. There's enough surges at sea! Very interesting approach to East London with that current. It's a strong one! Be well. :)

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks, Silver. The electronics/engine thing, is something I learned in basic aviation, flying small airplanes. There are times we did not follow that rule on our boat and it would cause the chart plotter to shut off then on so now it is our standard procedure.

[@TheBeer4me]

Thank you so much for the videos! Much better than most 👍

[@RVLifeNOW]

Westerly Seahawk 34 Glad you enjoyed our Wild Coast of Africa video...hope you will subscribe and watch some more of our How To and Sailing videos ;) -Rebecca

[@inmoneywetrust3292]

True! Don't ever think that you need that background music(noise) in your production!! Like most channels (not necessary) @mbient sound is the best 👍!! That Chaplin cut scene made me laugh!! 😂

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks for watching...hope you catch the new sailing video that just came out too...kzbin.info/www/bejne/aIGadJZojptkl6c

[@VenturiLife]

Glad you visited the game parks, amazing places. I had no idea cats can get sea-sick...

[@RVLifeNOW]

Now you know...this little cat was so seasick for 24 hours...But we were all happy nonetheless to go sailing finally! The South Africa Wild Coast is no place for a a kitten to get his sealers though! -Rebecca

[@RVLifeNOW]

And yes...we sooo loved the game parks and national parks of South Africa. I think my wild card is going to expire before we get full use out of them, sadly...but the best part of going sailing...is getting to a great port with great things to do like safaris! -Rebecca on SV Brick House

[@olivei2484]

@@RVLifeNOW You can re-hydrate a cat by injecting up to 2 cc (mL) dextrose (for diabetics) (or sterile saline, 0.9%) under the skin, the neck works best. Watch gum color for indication of dehydration. Hope you have a basic kitty first aid kit aboard. Happy travels! BTW Patrick, very thoughtful of you to hoist and minimize discomfort of the others aboard. I guess thats how you stay together in a small space.

[@bilsabo]

Nice video, i really enjoyed that one.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Glad you enjoyed it, Alain. We enjoyed the sailing!

[@DoubleUThings]

Very informative video, guys! Wish we could fit a windvane steering on our little cat. Haha, maybe I'll try one day :-) Thanx! And happy greetingz, Wim

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yeah you should give it a try with the Monitor...we consider it one of our best upgrades to Brick House! -Rebecca

[@DoubleUThings]

@@RVLifeNOW We have a catamaran with a lot of ugly stuff at the back, so that's going to be a problem :-)

[@DoubleUThings]

Strange double arch, 2 davits, no sugar scoops

[@marcopolo5115]

Bravissimi 💪😉

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks for watching! It was great to finally go sailing in South Africa! All I can say is thank god for Predictwind! Laying in bed seasick, I could at least keep my thumb on what weather layed ahead! -Rebecca

[@BisDatQuiCitoDat]

Yet a great episode, thank you both! *Sea Paws. :-).../ Tony

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks Tony for watching our latest sailing video. It’s nice to be sailing again, and fixing up an old sailboat. But 5here are many more how to videos coming...for better or worse ;) -Rebecca

[@darrylmcleman6456]

Hello Brickhouse! Great Charlie Chaplin! aren't they all??? Buster Keaton has a good one which I have seen on KZbin where he builds a boat himself at home. Cheers from Westcoast B.C. Canada! We enjoy all your vids.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thank you Darryl. I have been wanting to use that clip for a long time and finally got my chance. We put up the whole Immigrant, film on our other channel, Travels and Animals. I will look into the Buster Keaton you suggest.

[@pautourduglobe9348]

Your young cat seems adorable... How do you organize the whole issue of his litter box for his natural needs, as well as his bowl of fresh water, without causing spills and heavy soiling on board when the boat is rocking and tilting a lot?

[@RVLifeNOW]

Great question. After 7 years with another cat, and now this kitten, we are still figuring that out. Right now we are using wood pellets for litter. Very little smell, and spillage isn’t as big of a problem as the sand was. The dishes of water and food have non slip pads under them but still sometimes that isn’t enough. We pick up food and wipe up spilled water at times. Mostly we just try to find good weather to sail with which is east with Predictwind to look at. We know which way the boat is going to heal so we can put everything on that side of the boat. We wedge the cat little box on to a place it just can’t do much sliding. But it’s not perfect. Another price to pay for having a cat onboard. I wrote a whole blog about it a few months ago...lots of reasons not to have a pet onboard. But still somehow I can’t seem to go sailing without a little furry companion! -Rebecca

[@danielkeirsteadsr6939]

@@RVLifeNOW kzbin.info/www/bejne/bHfCopeimNxsoq8

[@claverton]

that's hilarious ... a cat and a human taking comfort in each others misery. Well done, great vid, loved the Chaplin too!

[@RVLifeNOW]

claverton Yes, Poor Coati was a bit more seasick than me on the first leg of the passage. But he was my little buddy through the whole passage, and that was nice :) -Rebecca

[@sailingmoonshadow3169]

Nice episode P&R. You sure have a a whole bunch of electronics on Brickhouse! I was interested in your downwind rig not using the main but makes sense when you have wing-on-wing headsails. I only have a single forestay with a roller so will be relying on a prevented boom when running downwind or maybe, use the spinaker, if I get brave enough! Are you still planning on going to Ushuaia?

[@RVLifeNOW]

Often,t he jib, or genoa is all a sailboat needs when the wind moves abaft the beam. Even if the boat went slower, I would not risk a damaging jibe by leaving the mainsail up. I know of one person who broke the boom on a Swan 48 by leaving the main up when all they needed was a jib. Can you imagine the forces required to break a boom in half on a 48 foot sailboat?!

[@johnfoster3286]

Fantastic Vid, really useful for me as a self taught sailor now age 74 (with around 25K miles under my belt) but mostly coastal south and west UK. Have chartered in Thailand Greece Florida and Carribean and done Uk to Gibraltar and back but I found this useful cos I have been using the the old (non electronic) methods using charts. I do now have a chartplotter but I do not make the best use of it. Weather forecasts have always been a nightmare so its now time to get my rs in gear. As for my fastest current try "The Point du Raz" just south of Brest which if I remember correctly at springs runs at approaching 7 knots. (and I was in thick fog that came up from nowhere.) Use satellite view Google maps to get an idea of the hazards. Stay safe and its good to know you have not let let grief overtake your ambition. xx

[@RVLifeNOW]

Google Maps. Or even better...Ovitalmap...That reminds me...better get that done too before I go anywhere :)

[@achosenman9376]

Fantastic video as always. I get seasick in F5's+ when I first set out. In the UK we tend to use Stugeron 15 from a chemist without prescription, or get prescription Scopoderm from your Dr. It's a Hyoscine 1.5mg patch that lasts 6 days. Put it behind the ear 5 hrs before setting sail and forget about it. The only side affect I get is a dry mouth on the first day...easily remedied.

[@RVLifeNOW]

You have very good remedies there, for the general public. For some reason we can't get Stugeron in the U.S.. I used to do a lot of boat deliveries between Rhode Island and the Caribbean. Stopping in Bermuda, I always bought Stugeron over the counter. I had crew, like Rebecca, who have no positive response to any treatment no matter how wacky the experiment was. Some one just suggest stomping ones feet while seated, or stand and gyrate the hips, like Elvis. This somehow fools the inner eat into tranquility. That is a new one to me. Have you ever heard of this?

[@achosenman9376]

@@RVLifeNOW I haven't heard that one. I suspect it might be more about the amusement factor for the other crew members. 😅 As a non prescription remedy, I do find ginger can fend off a mild bout of sea sickness. These days, if I've been ashore for any length of time before a significant weather passage, I simply use the patch and get on with it.

[@bertkutoob]

Oh how jealous this makes me... The ZYC club uses those ships as marker bouys for their monthly races. Great fun with 20 boats of all shapes and sizes and skippers of varying degrees of sanity... Tacking closely around a float is one thing. Around a 100 000 ton bulk ore carrier's anchor chain with an adrenalin junkie skipper is something else... Miss you guys...

[@RVLifeNOW]

Do they get to have AIS in their boats as part of the race? Yeah..it was great to go sailing again, finally! And it was good to get around the Cape...I terrorized over sailing around the Cape of Storms for years and years, and now...we are around. Stay tuned for the next one...already finished...about the second leg of that passage. BTW...you are one of the people we mean about the nicest people in the world are in Richards Bay. We still miss you two too! Stay healthy! -Rebecca

[@bertkutoob]

@@RVLifeNOW As far as I can remember AIS was not a requirement. Certainly I never saw such on any of the ½ doz or so boats that I crewed on. But Port Control would not allow the race if any ship movements were taking place or were planned for the expected duration of the race.

[@captaindrew3061]

Nice video

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks Captain Drew. It was nice to go sailing again, finally! -Rebecca

[@AquaMarine1000]

Hi Patrick it's always nice to hear you guys a doing ok. Watching I see you have a Raymarine Axiom Pro, that is a nice piece of kit, well made and expanable with the additional plugins, radar, thermal camera, etc, etc, etc. Cheers Chris

[@RVLifeNOW]

Chris, the Axiom is amazing, especially the touch screen. The screen is so big, we can see it from the helm. I just finished editing Rebecca doing a tutorial on how to get Predictwind routing and weather information, including ocean currents through the Axiom. We will put up that video after the second part of this coastal sailing of Africa.

[@AquaMarine1000]

@@RVLifeNOW Thanks Patrick, yes I really enjoy using mine, Lighthouse 3 has a great GUI. I look forward to your next video. Cheers Chris

[@SailingLifeonJupiter]

Great vid about sailing the wild African coast... I think we have similar electronic navigation.... Are you guys happy with Raymarine stuff? My poor lady gets seasick also.... keep up the vids!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yeah..the Wild Coast of Africa isn’t called Wild for nothin! Yes, I think you too have the Raymarine Axiom. Did you start with an external antenna for it, or you first used the internal antenna only? We actually used the antenna from our old Raymarine chartplotter, so we carry a spare at all times now ;) Yes...we love the Raymarine product. Any problem we have ever had which have been very rare, they are great about covering their products and getting new stuff out to you right away. We have a Raymarine autopilot, Raymarine chartplotter, Raymarine AIS transponder, Raymarine Wind and Depth instruments (wireless, previously owned by Tacktick), etc. But we have other brands of marine electronics too...Lowrance, Vespermarine, and a few others. But nothing impresses us more than Raymarine. We actually just baught another autopilot drive unit just because our current one is more than 13 years old, and though it has never once broken, it’s got to pretty soon. So now our old one sits tucked away as a spare. The only thing I don’t like about Raymarine is the prices! But I guess you get what you pay for too.. Tell your princess to hang in there...she’s gonna enter a whole new ocean pretty soon, and that one may agree with her stomach more. For me...the Atlantic Ocean is my worst one. But now that it’s been a while, maybe things will have changed! Seasickness seems to lessen with time I think -Rebecca on SV Brick House

[@mikeferguson2828]

Nice edit guys. Wow brick house was flying down south hey. Always good when it’s fast and comfortable. How did you enjoy East London ( Buffalo city) I was a big run down when I was last there just over 20 years ago.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Mike Ferguson East London was fine. It was a great Anchorage...so protected, and a friendly little yacht club. But I wouldn’t really want to go to Town more than once! Yeah...Brick House was definitely Sailing fast. It really was a great sail...so fast! But not that comfortable :) -Rebecca

[@jedi201]

@@RVLifeNOW I live in East London, pity I did not know when you would be here, we could of had a supper or braai. Safe sailing.

[@RVLifeNOW]

That would have been fun to do Fred. We always say, "next time" as that just might happen.

[@jimb6208]

Such a nice balance of technical information, life onboard, and adventure! Quick question ... when off the wind and dousing the mainsail to set up the headsails for wing and wing, do you round up first to drop the main? Or simply center the boom and then lower it? Again, thanks for sharing your life and sailing expertise.

[@RVLifeNOW]

It is far faster and easier to round up, drop the main, then turn quickly back on course and get sailing again. I can then do a Chinese flake as we continue on. Sometimes though, the waves are so big and the motion would be so violent, I do what I can to get the main down while sailing off the wind....which can be much safer. In those conditions, it is nice to have help at the helm.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Sorry Patrick...thanks for keeping Coati and I on the bunk :) We enjoyed going sailing but I promise neither of us will barf so early on in the next passage. I hope. -Rebecca

[@martyspargur5281]

@@RVLifeNOW Thank you Rebecca! At first, I thought his name was Kuwaiti, then Claudie, Now I get it.

[@ackack612]

Greetings Brick House from Newport/Middletown! Poking around I saw mention of your "souped up Catalina 27, Juggernaut." Is there any information, blogs, whatever, that I can reference as a guidebook to worthwhile upgrades you made and/or recommend for this type of 'small, production, built to a price boat?' Your input is greatly appreciated and enjoy following you both on your channel.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hi David, Summers around Aquidneck Island were always the best for all the summer festivals and events. I hope something can get salvaged out of this mess. I still have a long list of modifications I made to my old C27. Email me and I will get it to you. [e-mail] Thanks for watching our KZbin videos.

[@josephpimer1303]

RIP MY FRIEND

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yes

[@MayaOpperman]

Nice to see you're back on the water! Wow, thiught the ports were closed, or is this an old recording?

[@todmills]

I was wondering about the time too, when mentioning all the ships at anchor.

[@RVLifeNOW]

This passage happened a couple weeks before the lock down. The lock down forced the time on us to finish up this video and the part 2. Thanks for watching.

[@RVLifeNOW]

This passage happened a couple weeks before the lock down. The lock down forced the time on us to finish up this video and the part 2. There are plenty of ships always waiting to get into this small harbor. The ship out a lot of coal, wood chips and I think, aluminum. Thanks for watching.

[@robertwallace29]

Thanks for the video really enjoyed could you tell me what you use to get the AIS on the Tablet Happy Sailing

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hi. Our Raymarine Chartplotter is really our primary way to view the AIS targets. Our backup to see them is the Vespermarine display. Even when I am just laying in bed with my iPad, I just use Ray Control App to look at the chartplotter and can see the AIS target and info. We don’t have our AIS hooked up to anything besides our Raymarine Chartplotter/Vespermarine display. If we had a transponder with a NMEA multiplexor or a wireless or Bluetooth capable transponder, or VESPERMARINE display, it would be very easy to connect via wifi or bluetooth. But with our Vespermarine display and our Raymarine transponder working just fine for 10+ years now, there has been no good reason to upgrade it to a Bluetooth or WiFi capable transponder/receiver. But you can bet that the next time one of these breaks, I will be looking at what the latest offering is. I guess that’s part of the problem of buying marine electronics that are high quality and last for a long time...when new technology comes out, you can’t really justifying buying a new model when everything is working fine ;) Our Raymarine chartplotter with the AIS targets on it is really and truly the only thing we really use. But it would be fun to have it on apps on my iPad too. Navionics and TimeZero and other sailing apps I’m sure, all have ways to do this...but you have to have the hardware for it first. -Rebecca

[@robertwallace29]

@@RVLifeNOW Rebecca, Thanks I will try the Ray Chart app, I am on a Cat in Pangkor Marina waiting for the Pandemic to ease. Robert SCAT NO END

[@RVLifeNOW]

Say hi to Henriki for us on Catherine.

[@johnkahts7698]

I thought I've seen all the Brickhouse videos but somehow some slipped past. However late it still remains enjoyable.

[@RVLifeNOW]

I’m glad for that.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks for watching our latest video where we finally GO SAILING! Do you have Predictwind? Do you have an Iridium GO? Sign up now for Predictwind Offshore FREE (not just regular Predictwind, get the Predictwind Offshore Package) www.predictwind.com/?ref=rebeccachildress The short silent film "The Immigrant" is available on our other small channel: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qWmmpY13pLZrabM called "Travels and Animals". Watch the other videos if you want to see what we do for fun! If we get enough subscribers on that someday, maybe we will put some more effort in to it :)

[@hansjensen7823]

Hi Patrick- what is the tubular stand next to your mast called? I’m assuming it is for safety, in rough weather?

[@RVLifeNOW]

There are a lot of names but the most general would be granny bars. Some bars are not so high and could be called butt bars. In the part 2 video, I will talk a bit about them as they make working at the mast far easier and safer. I wish I had put them on years ago. One day, I will do a video on granny bars and how I chose this design.

[@hansjensen7823]

Patrick Childress Sailing Thank you for the response, and you also answered my second question which was, did they come on the boat from factory or did you install them. Take care!

[@martyspargur5281]

We call them Mast Pulpits. Most builders offered them in olden days when people still wanted their winches on the mast, instead of on the deck of aft in the cockpit. They are very nice to have because they free up both hands to work with, instead of having to hang on while reefing or setting sails.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Marty, on a Facebook site, I asked for all the names these granny bars are also called. Even though they have been called mast pulpits, one aficionado said that the work pulpit can only refer to the rails at the bow. Never heard that before. I have looked at a lot of granny bars on other boats and I am surprised at the number of bad designs. But, something is better than nothing.

[@martyspargur5281]

@@RVLifeNOW I have seen them too tall or too close to the mast. Some designs seem to be afterthoughts, or not take into account the boat will not be level when the bars are needed most. Sometimes, it makes as much sense to just have a pinrail between the fore-and-aft lower shrouds, that you can brace yourself against. I was referring to what the manufacturers called them on their list of options on their price sheets. Columbia Yachts offered them as well as others which I could only name from what I remember while equipping customer's boats; I don't seem to have any of those old brochures around anymore. I have not seen your Facebook page, but realize that in Great Britain for example, they call the stern rail a "Pushpit" while the name around here has always been "Stern Pulpit". It just illustrates how in different places people have different names for the same thing. I am OK with calling them Granny Bars, I think it's better to be flexible than dogmatic about names. Portlight, port hole, deadlight or window? Piston hanks, into's or snaps? I think it really depends on where you're from. I really respect the way you don't mind standing watch for Rebecca when she's down. It's always a good sign when shipmates feel like they can't do enough for each other. I get seasick too, but until the patch came out nothing worked for me, including Stugeron. But I don't get better after a few days. Fortunately, wearing the patch, I have never felt sick even in the worst weather.

[@gerhardvanwaltsleben8944]

Mooi man

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks a lot for watching. It was good to get out sailing finally! Nothing worse than a sailboat that never leaves the dock! -Rebecca

[@martinrouen]

I was lucky enough to go sailing out of Hout Bay in 2016.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hour Bay is a great place to sail from :);

[@dc14522]

This is very helpful... thank you! I understand that the transition from deep water to shallow water in this area can cause extreme waves. From a wave perspective, is it best to cross that boundary quickly and sail in deep water or just stay in the shallower water along the coast?

[@RVLifeNOW]

Dan Courtney It really all depends. Usually best in deep water, no where near shallow banks, to not get the worst of the waves. Or stay in shallow water and be far from the deep waves. It’s the place that they meet that you must beware. But not always, and if it’s not too bad of wind and waves before you get to that area, it may just be a little rougher...but then, maybe it will be a lot rougher. Hence why we asked the freighter, and the sailboat ahead of time what they experienced in that iffy area. -Rebecca

[@dc14522]

@@RVLifeNOW Really appreciate the info. Keep the videos coming!

[@nhourmess]

Hi Patrick, in your honest opinion what do you think a blister era V40 (currently showing blisters) is worth in 2020? There is one for sale in my area.

[@RVLifeNOW]

nhourmess, unfortunately there is no way in the world I could put a price on any boat or house or car, or airplane without thoroughly researching everything. What does the boat have in the way of electronics, sails, anchors, dinghy, outboard engine, diesel engine, and all the other expensive things a long range sailboat needs. Has the owner taken care of the boat? There are too many owner neglected boats the owner needs to pay someone a lot of money to take the boat off of their hands to make it worth while. Has the boat been neglected or is it only the blisters that are the problem?

[@RVLifeNOW]

If there is a listing, I'd be interested to see it.

[@matrixi4i]

Awesome👍

[@flyingdutchman6984]

I don't know if you ever tried it, but jogging on the spot or even just stomping your feet while seated helps a lot to prevent sea sickness. Our bodies haven't evolved yet to understand sailing, but our bodies do understand running. The idea is to trick your mind into thinking you are running. Having our heads bouncing all over the place while running is very natural for our bodies, but sitting still while our head bounces around is very unnatural. Each person's body is different, and some may have to jog on the spot or keep their feet stomping while seated for a while to have any effect. If you don't feel the impact in your knees you are not jogging on spot hard enough or stomping your feet hard enough. I hope this makes sense. 😁

[@RVLifeNOW]

Oh my! Patrick will love this solution for seasickness...anything to make me exercise!! I will do it if the cat agrees to do it too! I can not imagine jogging in place while sailing...and on a long offshore passages that could be a long job..or at least a long 24 hours. If I job in place for 24 hours, will be seasickness just start after 24 hours when I collapse from exhaustion or will bit be gone forever? I don’t know. I think I rather barf that job in place for 24 hours ;) Haha Thanks for the suggestion to combat seasickness...in all honesty...I will likely give it a try the next time we go sailing. ;) -Rebecca

[@warrenstringer4774]

@@RVLifeNOW Rebecca, new subscriber here, try a foam earplug in one ear for seasickness. Works quickly and no downside. Supposedly the cause of seasickness in the conflict between visual and inner ear signals to your brain, and the constant low-level stimulation in the external ear from the plug modulates the signals generated in the inner ear. That's the theory, anyway. I don't know what the upper limit of effectiveness is, but it works well for us in Cheaspeake bay chop. Warren

[@flyingdutchman6984]

@@RVLifeNOW- it usually doesn't take very long. 😁 My boy (he's 25) finds it helps him a lot. He either jogs on the spot or sits at the chart table stomping his feet for only a few minutes whenever he starts feeling woozy. I used to have to push him to do it, but now he does it on his own until he gets his sea legs. Always nice to have another option when things turn green. 🤢

[@flyingdutchman6984]

@@warrenstringer4774 - I've heard that works well for some people. Everyone will find something that works for them eventually. Maybe Rebecca's day of rest is the best solution for her body. It's always nice to have options though. 👍

[@RVLifeNOW]

Warren Stringer Warren..that is a great idea...I don’t know why I’ve never tried that for my seasickness. I could use the other one for the cats ear when we go sailing ;) -Rebecca

[@jsvno]

Se some Norwegian text from u.. Hvem er Norsk der? Om dere skal til "Caletas" is Sør Amerika så se bloggen til Snorre Viking - Bergenser som har vært der. Noen bilder som antyder at det ikke er ved for ovnen der nede...

[@RVLifeNOW]

Takk for forslaget. Jeg vil se nærmere på Snorre Viking - Bergenser. Vi ser på mange blogger før vi kommer dit.

[@SailingSarah]

Good to see you got your boat back in the water! KZbin changed the comments section location and it's driving me NUTS! D:

[@RVLifeNOW]

I don't know why KZbin can't leave well enough alone.

[@herbsilva7936]

Hi Patrick Just curious why do so many boats have green sail covers and hull stripes... I have green right now but want to change to black and silver... whats your take? I know just how much this affects sailing... lol. You know executive decisions...

[@RVLifeNOW]

I can only imagine a previous owner was Irish. It was easier to stay with the same color than to change it. The only other color I have seen the Valiants is blue. Dark colors don't last as they fade faster than a light color. Also, dark colors make the interior of the boat way, way, too hot unless the boat is in the Arctic, or Patagonia!

[@sirlandsalot]

I have recently heard Patrick has Covid in South Africa. There is a go fund me page out there for him and Rebeca, I have not found it yet. Apparently he is in very serious condition. I wish all the best as these channels have helped me so much with my boat.

[@RVLifeNOW]

gf.me/u/x3793z

[@spymaine89]

winds ,just like coast of Maine. i never understand how the sea can flatten so quick.

[@RVLifeNOW]

spymaine89 Maine...well New England, is where I cut my teeth sailing, some 30 years ago :) Not the friendliest waters, especially with all the darn lobster traps, and fog! I guess some fog is waiting for us when we sail away from Cape Town. Yes...the sea can flatten so quick...and the wind can build the sea IO so fast...and that’s what we try to avoid when there is 3-4 knots of helping current, and the wind comes up from the South west! The seas build REALLY fast in South Africa because of those currents! THANK YOU Predictwind... I couldn’t sail without Predictwind! -Rebecca

[@spymaine89]

@@RVLifeNOW i set my anchor at ''isles of shoals'' gosport hpr. , pulled on it , OK got to shore looked back , looked like boat was drifting. i rowed that little rubber boat as hard as i could, sure enough boat was drifting toward the rocks, ha ha . pulled up anchor and an old lobster pot. came up. someone ask me later if the bottom there was rocky or sandy, i said all i know is its ''lobster potty'' . . i do enjoy your adventures and your presentations. but i would not be a dam Yankee, if i didnt think i knew something. ha ha

[@danielkeirsteadsr6939]

Put a red ribbon on the port rope.

[@RVLifeNOW]

That might work if it does not get hung up in the pulleys. Maybe a magic marker. But something is better than nothing.

[@spymaine89]

in line fuses should prevent surges ?

[@RVLifeNOW]

Only an extreme surge but why would you want to rely on a fuse blowing? Electronics can be upset even before a fuse blows. Take some flying lessons and you will be taught on the small aircraft to always turn on the electronics after the engine is running, and shut down the electronics, before the engine is stopped.....no one in aviation would dream of relying on a fuse.

[@spymaine89]

@@RVLifeNOW not aware of that . give example please . always good to use paper charts . need more sailors showing chart, compass , tides and current, course plotting. but i will study ., ocean only , not fling. ha ha .

[@spymaine89]

www.empoweredglobalinc.com/static-electricity-affects-electronics/ interesting, electronic gadgets are fun and seem to work fine. BUT , i have sailing friends that cruise , not for me. . they always use non electronic methods right along side their electronics, its a game but some day it may not be. ha ha

[@RVLifeNOW]

Spymaine89, we have a paper chart under the clear plastic on the chart table. As mentioned before, I sailed around the world and that was well before AIS, chart plotters, water makers or any of that stuff. Celestial navigation is what everyone used. The most modern electronics was a radio direction finder. Things have changed considerably. Electronics have made it much easier and safer. Interesting about the static electricity in the link you posted. In two weeks we will put up part 2 of this sail to around the southern tip of Africa. We go through an intense lightening storm and you can hear the zzzzzz of the static discharge in the audio of the camera, for some of the lightening bolts. Fun event, but also scary.

[@984francis]

Many electronic devices will actually fail quicker than a fuse can blow. He's doing it the safe way and on a boat, that's the right way!

[@stephenkillick5812]

I know that just offshore of Mtunzini there are coral reefs. The harbour at Richards Bay has a dredged channel from the ocean into the harbour. A few years back a fully loaded coal tanker lost power exiting the harbour and ran aground - breaking its back. The 2 parts were towed to deeper water and sunk. Some history of Zululand. Generally I steer very clear of Richards Bay as the air there is polluted by factories there. I find that a lot of the time, this pollution gets to my brain and I cannot breathe properly. If you cannot breathe properly, you have no chance to speak well, not great for me since I had brain trauma when I was run down by a truck and battle to speak well normally. When we went to Porkys, I was fairly safe as the wind was blowing the factory crap away from the restaurant. However the noisy crowd there did not help. Keep well and as usual, fair winds to you!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks for your comment Stephen...good to hear from you. It was great to sail away from Richards Bay, and get out on the ocean...Lots of fresh air on that offshore passages, to say the least! But we miss the wonderful people we met in Richards Bay, including you! -Rebecca

[@stephenkillick5812]

We only met briefly and could not really converse as the restaurant was full noisy and they were having a child's birthday party next door! I did however really enjoy the food. Donald the owner always makes me feel welcome and seems to know me from when I ate at his Empangeni restaurant. He still cooks the best meals that I have eaten in Zulu.and.

[@stephenkillick5812]

Since I am technically allergic to the atmosphere in Richards Bay, I am happy to consider myself a Zini-ite and only visit the Bay when I have to. The factories around the Bay, notably Mondi (paper factory) Alusaf (aluminium smelter) and Indian Ocean Fertilizers, pour muck into the atmosphere that affects my brain and I can more often than not, find breathing difficult and if I cannot breathe, I cannot talk! The yacht club is not affected so much, but you must have noticed from timd to time a stink from the pollution. Mtunzini - 30 kilometres South- gets clean sea breezes all the time, so it suits me!

[@R.E.HILL_]

16:9 aspect ratio would have been even better... 😉

[@RVLifeNOW]

16:9 is what it gets set at but I haven't yet figured out why there is not always that final result. There is still a lot I have to learn about making these videos. Thanks for pointing that out. I can use all the help I can get.

[@desertchild3550]

Hi, I got your email and respond. See our mail server is down,so hopefully it will work tomorrow. Borders still close but I think it will open in June.

[@RVLifeNOW]

Ah good to know. Thanks for watching the video...we are looking forward to sailing up to see you...maybe August or September... BTW We just found our backup heater will take that jet fuel...so we will plan to pick some up when we sail there ;) Looking forward to meeting you! -Rebecca

[@desertchild3550]

Start up and shut down sequence you can also install a multi timer breaker distribution module. Take care of all the switches one must throw in sequence for the day things happen and one forget or not having time enough.They specially designed to protect sensitive electronic equipment mounted in a uncontrolled environment.

[@desertchild3550]

Quick search done and I found one,not the exact make and model I worked with before but give you a idea what I am talking about.www.poweringthenetwork.com/multi-timer-fuse-distribution/

[@dzhiurgis]

Router password at 18:18

[@RVLifeNOW]

Good catch...not current anymore ;)

[@dzhiurgis]

@@RVLifeNOW You can print a QR code if you use it frequently. Don't put it on video tho :D

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yes, we were silly. Thanks for pointing that out. I spent half a day learning how to blur things in KZbin. There were no instructions. Another new editing experience.

[@bryrensexton4618]

👍!!!

[@RVLifeNOW]

Thanks for the thumbs up...and for watching! It’s nice to be sailing again! -Rebecca

[@SailingSarah]

Poor Rebecca, see sickness is horrible when there's no relief! Especially if she's limited to eating PB&J lol hahahaha

[@RVLifeNOW]

Rebecca is a trooper and does come around, as so, Coati is proving to be likewise.

[@davidwarnes5158]

Electronic charts and data is only as good as the info you give it , leeway lesson

[@RVLifeNOW]

Yes that’s for sure...really all just a display of data. Have to give your chartplotter good data...like up to date charts from Navionics...and have up to date weather, like with Predictwind via the Iridium GO. We felt a little bad for that other boat that was sailing near us. As we found out later, they were prepared to get weather with their SSB radio...but they could not connect the entire trip. I think that may have been why they were sailing so close to us! They couldn’t even get emails from their weather router...Des Cason. -Rebecca

[@davidwarnes5158]

@@RVLifeNOW it didn't allow for set and drift,

[@solsouth]

White South Africans are the nicest people in the world.

[@RVLifeNOW]

They most definitely are, no doubt in my mind.

[@johnkahts7698]

@@RVLifeNOW Just a little titbit. We have nice people of all colours here in south Africa. Unfortunately as is also true for all over the world, we have instigators who will stop at nothing to spread dissent and hatred. South Africa can be the nicest nice and vice versa.

[@Degenhardt450]

Do you have a check list when you wake your boat up? Fortunately I don’t get seasick, but like you, my wife does a bit.🤮

[@RVLifeNOW]

Hi Andrew. That would be a good thing to have...but somehow it’s just intuitively in our head when we go sailing...even though we haven’t been sailing for months sometimes! I don’t get as seasick as I used to. I don’t throw up anymore...I just feel like I have the flu ;) Some people have suggested an earplug in one ear or jogging in place which I’m gonna try next time! Though jogging when you feel like you have the flu...I don’t know.

[@spymaine89]

a pox on self furling. use hank on. someday it will get stuck fully unfurled, you will be sorry , in a real blow. ha ha .

[@RVLifeNOW]

I sailed around the world with hank on sails, so much so, that the hanks would wear through from the ever so slight twist they would do on the head stay. Simplicity is nice, but roller furling is one thing I will stay with. Thanks for your comment based on experience.

[@spymaine89]

@@RVLifeNOW ha ha my comment based on fear, dont trust self furling. dont hank on enough to wear anything. just day sails, but even that little , squalls have found me.