Log of SV Free Spirit and ships company

The chronicles of the schooner Free Spirit and her crew, embarking on an open ended journey upon the great rolling heap. Free Spirit is currently pursuing humanitarian and commercial goals in the Dominican Republic, on the island of Hispaniola. Working under the Ocean Reach USA and Paradigm Research banners, she is serving as logistics headquarters, workshop, and development laboratory for many ongoing projects. This is the log of her journey.....

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Saturday, February 25, 2006

Welcome, gentlereaders.


Welcome aboard!

First, you must meet the ships compliment:

Mr. and Mrs. Smyth, Captain and first mate respectively.
Bos'n Blayde and Bos'ns Mates Valin and Drake.


We are a family of five, embarking on an open ended journey upon the great rolling heap. Much preparation is necessary for a venture of this type, and in fact, most of it has now been completed. We will cast off in the spring of 2007, finally trading our ties with the comforting yet constraining grip of the land for the great wild oceans of the earth, unchanged to the sailor since the dawn of seafaring man. In doing so, we invite dangers, joys, sorrows, and triumphs, facing not only the vastness of the sea, but -perhaps yet greater- the vastness of the soul, of what it means to be alive.

Many will be critical of our choice, saying that it is irresponsible to expose oneself and ones family to the perils of the deep. May they prove to be wrong. We all face perils, the possibility of unavoidable, irrevocable demise. Whether by automobile, catastrophe, ill health, or old age, we will all face this final, uncrestable summit. To keep perspective, I submit that driving an automobile is yet more perilous than a well planned voyage on a well found craft. Certainly, there is the unforeseen circumstance, but at least in the case of the sailor there is often the time and resources to counter this challenge. The driver enjoys no such luxury, as he encounters hundreds of opportunities to greet certain demise in every hour spent on the highways, and like the weather, many of these are beyond controlling. Unlike the vessel at sea, no preparation or planning can mitigate the impact of a wayward automobile - one can only react, and hope that in those precious moments, one has chosen wisely.

Many will be joyful, glad to see us carry out our dream. May they not be misguided. To those that wish to follow their own dreams, but have yet to take those first, tentative steps, I submit that you must act now. There is no better time to begin. In fact, there is no time at all, other than the moment in which we live. Yet, there is an eternity to wait, to wish, to regret. Take the first step. Each one will come easier as your focus shifts from the mire you are in to the knoll which you seek. The mountains will melt to hills, and though they may take time to climb, the toil finds its reward in the view from the other side. In the end, you will regret more the moments that you did not live than those which you did, so step boldly, place each step firmly in front of the other, and raise your eyes to the prize. One will never arrive without first setting forth.

Welcome to our story....

4 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Marg's father Fred and I were best friends for many years growing up on Cape Cod. We still stay in touch and he told me about her and Matt hanging with you for a while.
I'm living in N.FT. Myers for the winter and sometimes drive over to Okeechobee to visit inlaws there. Check me out at www.catboat.com I'm a boat builder and Licensed Captain.
Where are you? We're just down the River. Cheers,
Marcus

2:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Psalm 107:23-31

They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. These see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep. They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble. They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wits' end. Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses. He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven. Oh that [men] would praise the LORD [for] his goodness, and [for] his wonderful works to the children of men!

5:06 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hi everyone!
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
The Finnegans

5:37 PM  
Blogger shortnsweet207 said...

Hello and Happy Christmas!

We are hoping that all is well with Free Spirit and Crew as there are no recent updates---where are you now? We were berthed beside you at the City Dock in LaBelle a few years back and have followed you along your way---we miss your blogs! Best wishes for the New Year!

Don & Elaine
Short 'n Sweet Albin 25

4:21 PM  

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Introducing Propcalc 4.0

Use Propcalc to easily match your hull with your engine, transmission, and propeller
Put the known data in the top fields, then hit the Update button to get the answers.
Results, of course, should be verified by a Naval Architect or qualified surveyor.
Data is provided for three bladed propellers of average type
For two or four bladed props, use the modifiers shown below.

Fill out the fields as follows:

Vessel LWL (ft) = Waterline length
Vessel Disp (lbs) = Vessel displacement
(max) HP = Rated Engine Max HP
Engine RPM max = Engine RPM at Max HP
Engine RPM cruise = Desired or estimated cruise rpm
(Cruise or Max) Kts = Speed to work the calculations for
Slip = Propeller efficience. 45% is average for a displacement cruiser.
Gear ratio = 1: Gear ratio of transmission
SL Ratio Adj. = This value will be added (or subtracted, if a negative value) to the calculated S/L ratio.

Key information:

If the "hp required" is greater than the "cruse HP", you have your cruise RPM set too low for your engine parameters.
If the "hp required" is significantly less than the "cruse HP", you have your cruise RPM set too high for your engine parameters.
If the "hp required" is greater than the "Max HP", then your target speed is too high for your engine/hull parameters.
The S/L ratio is calculated automaticaly based on your input. It can be adjusted if necessary, but normally it should be left alone.
If the calculated S/L ratio exceeds S/L MAX, then the results are likely to be non-predictive. Try a lower speed requirement.
SL Ratios of 1.1 - 1.4 are typical of displacement hulls. Semiplaning or planing hulls can go higher.

Typical propeller slip values:

Sailing auxiliary, barges, etc less than 9 Kts............45%
Heavy powerboats, workboats 9 - 15 Kts....................26%
Powerboats, Lightweight Cruisers 15 - 30 Kts..............24%
High speed planing boats 30 - 45 Kts......................20%
V bottom race boats 45 - 90 Kts...........................10%


Note:

it is possible to get irrational answers by irrational input , I.E specifying excessive speed for hull type and length
Any attempt to exceed hull speed (1.34 times the square root of the waterline length in feet) with a displacement hull are likely
to fail unless the hull is extremely fine (multihull) or otherwise exceptional. In such cases, an S/L adjustment would be in order.

2 and 4 bladed props:


For two bladed propellers, multiply the diameter by 1.05, and the pitch by 1.01
For four bladed propellers, multiply the diameter by .94, and the pitch by .98


PROPCALC
  Inputs:
Vessel LWL (ft) =
Vessel Disp (lbs) =
  (max) HP =
  Engine RPM max =
  Engine RPM cruise =
  (Cruise or Max) Kts =
  Slip =
  Gear ratio = 1:
  SL Ratio Adj. =
   
    Solutions:
  Prop rpm max =
  Prop rpm cruise =
  Pitch =
  Diameter =
  Static Thrust =
  Cruise HP =
  Cruise HP% =
  SL Ratio =
  DL Ratio =
  SL Max =
  HP Required =