Sampaguita‘s circumnavigation of Vancouver Island in June, 2023 inspired some new Resourceful Sailor pieces. Here’s one about reinstalling a Navico Tillerpilot 1600. I decommissioned this gear when I bought Sampaguita in 2013 for various reasons, but recently brought it out of retirement. Thanks to Monica and ‘Lectronic Latitude, Latitude 38’s online mag, for publishing it on July 17, 2023.
Click the link below to be redirected to the article:
https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/2023/07/17/#resourceful-sailer-reinstalls-electronic-autopilot
Sampaguita has her mast lowered again this week for a port shroud replacement and thorough inspection. The port shroud had some conflict with a sail ring during my Vancouver Island rounding and neither got out unscathed. I decided it was worthy of refreshing and the sailmaker has the sail in hand.
I reviewed some of my old video in prepping for today’s lowering. It’s important and easier to not cut corners on the prep. When you do it right, the lowering happens so quickly and easily. I still get nervous because if something goes wrong, it could be pretty bad.
Locally, Gus, with the Olympic Crane Service is the go-to for mast stepping. I like Gus, and he is very experienced in his line of work. I’ve stepped a mast with him and Olivier on Breskell. The cost was $225 per hour. So, a round trip would be $450.
This is why I have a small boat. It’s not for the comfort.🤣 It is so I can. So I can have a fighting chance to maintain it properly. So I can raise and lower the mast at the cost of a few hours. So I don’t have to defer maintenance or rationalize it away.
Here’s a link to the ‘Lectronic Latitude article I wrote about lowering a small boat’s mast:
Here’s a video from the previous mast lowering:
Small boats take extra careful consideration for everything. I decided I needed a self-steering mechanism but weight, space, and cost were all major considerations.
After much research, measuring, and envisioning, I decided on a Windpilot Pacific Light. With a bit of luck to boot, the installation and fit seemed to have worked out so far. Everything is in exactly the only place it could go, but it seems to be good enough.
I have tested the vane inshore and offshore with success.
There may be a future Resourceful Sailor article regarding more detail on the reasoning, selection, and installation of the unit. We’ll see. For now I will document and share these photos with the manufacturer to see if there are any suggestions for improvement which might(and can) be undertaken.
All photos Copyright 2023 Joshua Wheeler
Vancouver Island Circumnavigation
June 1st through July 2nd. 953.71 nautical miles. 29 anchorages. 2 marinas. 2 nights offshore.
Sampaguita Crosses the Strait of Georgia.
Sampaguita, a 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20, and Josh are attempting a circumnavigation of Vancouver Island in June of 2023. The best way for interested parties to track them is through Mapshare.
https://share.garmin.com/SailingwithJosh
Or try this feed for Google Earth…
https://share.garmin.com/Feed/Share/SailingwithJosh
There may be occasional updates through this website.
Sampaguita does not presently participate in Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Thanks for your time and interest,
Sampaguita and Josh
Here is a short video of Sampaguita, a 1985 Pacific Seacraft Flicka 20 sailboat, sailing under full main, drifter and a self-steering windvane in Port Townsend Bay, Washington.
sailingwithjosh
Sailing With Josh 