Westsail 28 Tour #1- V-Berth

The other day when the gentle Texas Gulf Coast sun was boiling my gray matter to mush and the SE zephyr was wafting  refreshing 100 degree sticky wet breeze about my lean muscular bod, it suddenly came to me.... in a flash! .......!!
The Westsails specially the W32 and W28 are cult boats. Love em, hate em, or somewhere in between, most sailors have an opinion about these boats. Many of these opinions are very complementary to we Westsail owners....some are hurtful and some are down right insulting.
My boat is the smaller one, the Westsail 28. There were only about 60 of these boats made. Many sailors don't even know that Westsail manufactured a 28 footer. The most well known Westsail is the W32 which had a production run of about 800 boats. Since the smaller W28 is so relatively rare, it dawned on me that maybe you guys would like a tour of the boat? See whats its really like down in the little one. There are tours of the big boy, aka W32, all over the Internet.
Now, there is rhyme to my reason for this invitation! It's time for the annual get down, full on, no holds barred, take all the crap off cleaning of the interior so what better time to take pics and post them......when ZOSHA can put her best foot forward.
Each post will focus on one aspect of the boat starting at the bow and each section will have a commentary gleaned from our experiences indicating the benefits and shortcomings of that particular section. We will also comment on what we have planned to make that section of the boat better and more accommodating......hope you enjoy what we have to say.

Zosha is a 1978 factory finished boat....this layout plan is the of the standard W28 factory interior....

V-BERTH and ANCHOR LOCKER

The anchor locker is fairly large and can hold alot of chain and rode...this picture shows 50 feet of 5/16 chain and 150 feet of 5/8 " rode....the shortcoming here is there is no way to put two separate anchor-chain-rode systems in the locker without them getting all tangled up....One solution is to glass in a bulkhead to separate the locker into two halves.... port and starboard chain pipes are already installed in the deck.......my other brilliant? idea which is also immensely less work is to lay the heavy duty, storm chain and rode system, 50 feet of 3/8" chain and 200 feet 5/8" rode, in the bottom of the locker and then put a 5 gallon plastic bucket or maybe a milk crate on top of this......and use this setup as the every day anchoring system, 75' of 5/16" chain and 150' of 5/8" line......I'll probably go with the plastic bucket idea first because it might work and is immensely less troublesome to implement........One day when there is nothing much to do, a couple of coats of paint will be applied to the inside of the locker....its kinda gnarly looking in there...

Good shot of the v-berth with cushions out...there are port and starboard storage shelves with led lights underneath. The berth is about 6 feet wide at the head and, as you can see, it gets quite narrow at the foot....its about 6.5 feet long so its very comfortable for two people....

 

 Big hatch over the berth.....the green is an awning over the hatch and foredeck to shade it and try to catch a breeze to cool the area down....this will work when its not 105 degrees with 97% humidity....like today!!!

 

Nice 4 drawer system in v-berth area...

 

Starboard side of berth area.....notice large storage bin access underneath....these bins are P/S....

 

13 gallon holding tank under v-berth .....this tank is on center line and has alot of storage all around it.....if you look closely, you'll notice that the tank is held securely in its own bulk headed compartment.....Westsail did it right!! 

Cushions in place......

This is a very comfortable v-berth.....if its not too hot and with the port covers on and a black out curtain on the hatch and a cool breeze blowing through the boat.....this berth is heaven!! You don't just sleep in here...you hibernate!!! It can be dangerous though....why? you ponder......because you're so snug in this cool envelope of darkness that you forget time...you can't tell if its day or night....Westsail built thick hulls! that coupled with all the teak on the interior and the 5/8" plywood deck core covered inside and out with layers of fiberglass mat and roving makes for a an interior that is somewhat impervious to ambient outside noise,  its quiet in there.....so ....the v-berth is large, dark, cool, comfortable, and quiet !! What more can man or beast ask for in a sleeping den?

 

The only 2 modifications that we would make to the v-berth area is to add 2 more DC fans.....I've given the 'wet finger test' to just about all of the marine and RV DC fans and have decided to purchase the Carfamo 757..... They are $60 at West Marine but you can get them on Amazon for $39. They are 2 speed and draw 1/2 amp......

 

The blades are finger safe and these babies  MOVE some air!!!!

In my opinion.....a lot more air than the revered HELLA that's in there now

 

Here's a shot of the HELLA fan that , no matter how valiantly it tries,  just doesn't put out enough air....

The little art piece underneath is a Dia de los Muertos infant angel that I bought in Mexico City a number of years ago.....it brings us good luck...!

 

The only other change that we want to make in the v-berth area is to change out the overhead lights to LED......the old, wonderful, beautiful, no longer manufactured ABI lights put out too much heat and draw too much power.

I forgot to take a photo of the ABI lights but my plan is to devote another blog to their conversion to LED.....so you guys will get plenty of shots of these classic boat lights..........

Well, our job here is now done. Hope you enjoyed the blog.

 ....Peace to you all and to us all in this world that has gone a bit askew of late....

Take care my friends....

 

 

 

"Summertime" and the livin' is .........SWEATY!!..........

Its summer on the Gulf Coast of Texas.....100+ degrees and 90+ percent humidity with daily intermittent rain showers that bring more heat and steamy wetness.....AAHHHH.....Paradise !! For mold, mildew, fungus, stinky green stuff, fetid air and gargantuan mosquito's, no seeums, and roaches the size of Almond Joy bars!! For most normal human beings this is... The Living Pit Of Hades!!!!!.....  You can't get anything done outside on the boat except squirt it down with the hose when not dousing yourself down with the semi-clear tepid marina water.  My decks are ready for painting but my epoxy paint is temperature sensitive....90 degrees max......well, its 90 degrees at 9am and 100+ shortly thereafter. Being a vintage adult, I can't take the heat like in my youth. About now you're probably thinking...."enuf whining dude.... man up and get to the point."  Ok-Ok-Ok...................
Some of the fancier boats on my dock have thermostatically controlled air conditioning and humidifying systems that automatically come on and off when the temps and water vapor dictate. For all I know they are Internet controlled by apps on I-phones or Samsung galaxy's or some other wonderful Android device which I don't have....the owners can be at home or traveling the world and sleep sound because they know that their boats are comfortable and not suffering in this climatic misery. All I know is that after over a year on this dock some of these guys never or hardly ever come down to their boats but  their climate control systems click on and off like magic whenever the weather gods get spunky.  Oh technology,  is it not wonderful?  Its amazing what you can buy for $10,000......or  $20,000 as the guy 2 boats down told me he spent!!. 
Me? Well, as some of you have heard before, being sparse of purse, I put up the awning, open the ports and hatches, turn on my extremely powerful DC fans and go down below and sweat like a Turkish weightlifter!......all the while feeling guilty because nothing is getting done on my neglected ZOSHA!

 

K-Dock- been here about 1.5 years-the blue building to the immediate right is the head and showers....

 

Climate control at work for an absentee skipper......Tayana 42

 

A big Hunter 47- never have seen this guy in a year and a half...ever ! His climate control systems works flawlessly though.....so far!

 

A really nice Passport 41- this guy comes down every few weeks....

 



A beautiful Hanse 37....to his credit this skipper comes down every weekend and spends alot of time taking care of this boat....his climate control system works great all week....I walk by this boat every day and can only imagine on the hottest, miserable days how comfortable it is down below....!

 

A magnificent center cockpit Catalina/Morgan 50....this boat is right across the finger pier from me...the owner comes around every month or so...all the while his climate control system is doing battle with the local elements and winning.....!

 

 Now to ZOSHA.........

 

 

Zosha's climate control system..... 

 

 

You can feel the cool breeze blowing through now....can't you??

 

Take care my friends....seeya all in the Caribe one day....that's a promise....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Sanctuary of a Mayan Goddess................

Tana and I just got back from a week on Isla Cozumel ..... we had to take a break and go somewhere to chill.........Tana especially. She works real hard at her job and has people on her all the time....all wanting something... Most of us can relate to that.....! Unfortunately, it rained  every day during our stay so beach time was very minimal. The normal underwater 300' visibility just wasn't there this trip. Little sun, wind whipped waves and sand and  intermittent showers all worked together to screw up our snorkeling......us and everyone else who chose this week to visit the island. Oh well, that's the Caribbean in the summer. Its a calculated risk visiting there this time of year....So what did we do ....you ask? ....Well.....We tried to learn about the island and its history and culture and drink tons of Mexican beer and sample the culinary delights of the island and sleep late and cruise around the island in our rent car and just "hang". Here's what we learned................
                                              



White Cozumel sand and Tana's pretty toes....

 



At 32 miles north to south and just 9 miles east to west, Isla Cozumel is the largest island in the Mexican Caribbean and the most populated island in Mexico. Hundreds of years ago Cozumel was believed to be the sanctuary of Ixchel the Mayan Goddess of Fertility. It was a major destination for  religious pilgrims who came to the island from all over Mexico and Central America to pay homage to their Deity, Ixchel. The Cult of Ixchel was introduced to the Island by the Itza' Mayans about 1000 AD. As it turns out Fertility was only one of this Goddess' areas of expertise. According to Mayan belief she was also the Goddess of the moon, sex, childbirth, beekeeping, water, writing, disease, weaving, and planting.

Tana in front of one of the temples to Ixchel- I told her not to stand too close...being a fertility temple and all...!!!



Ixchel was married to the Mayan Sun God, Itzamma' Kinich Ahau and had 13 sons. Two of the sons created the earth and everything on it. Cozumel was the Holy Land of the Mayan World for certain groups. In 1549 a Spanish Bishop wrote that the Mayans venerate Isla Cozumel as Christians do Rome and Jerusalem.

 

this guy was hanging in a local bar on the east end....

another bar-parrot

big bugs in the jungle- this guy was about 10" across !!

Tana with Angel a local of Mayan descent who was the waiter at the place we had breakfast every morning...a real nice guy who knew everything about Isla Cozumel......

Angel says the locals will sometimes have one of these big boys for eats on special occasion's....FYI eat the gray ones only as the green ones are toxic to humans....stand forewarned!!



Today Cozumel is a major tourist destination mainly brought about by the two cruise ship docks...... the cruise ships drop off about 2 million passengers a year here. They spend the 6 hours on the island a leave. The whole island economy is geared to the cruise ships now. I've been coming here for 30 years and even with the tremendous influx of tourists and diamond merchants and rolex dealers and gold impresarios, this is still an enchanting island.

our hotel was a small enterprise that was owned and managed by a local Mexican family.......

 

great ambiance......great cervazas

 

whats left of a lunch of pesca frita-  deep fried, locally caught grouper..Mmmmmmm yummy....with some ice cold cervazas and fresh made tortillas.......awesome

one of Ixchel's fertility temples.....WARNING!! don't get too close !

 

another temple in San Gervasio which was the Jerusalem of the Ixchel Mayans......and the holiest site on the island....

on ancient, Mayan Isla Cozumel, all roads led to San Gervasio....this one is 1200 years old!!!

 

If you have never been here,,,,go and visit.....the east end of the island is still funkadelic and  reminiscent of the Cozumel of old. The water is still beautiful. There are miles and miles of perfect, uncrowded, often deserted beaches with sparkling white sand and crystal clear water. The snorkeling and diving are superb. The people are still wonderful. The food is great. The sunsets... awe inspiring.  

 

The Beauty

 

The only town, San Miguel, because of the two cruise ship docks, is a tourist mecca like Nassau Bahamas or St. Thomas USVI but that can be good too for some things....

 

When it's all said , Isla cozumel is a very happy place.....

 

Take care my friends.  

"Howdy Buffalo Bob".............

If you are old enough to identify the source of the above quote and coincidentally also the title of this blog entry and if you can recall and place Andy Devine and SABU The Elephant Boy and if you are a long time sailor who loves sailboats  and sailing then you probably remember when the America's Cup was a competitive but congenial SAILBOAT race between high falootin' yacht club types for  bragging rights and a funky silver cup, the Americas Cup, which was first awarded in 1851 and today is the oldest active trophy in international sport.
The old boats were envisioned and created from the genius minds of preeminent naval architects , Olin Stephens, W. Starling Burgess, L. Francis Hereshoff, William Gardner, William Fife, Nathaniel G. Hereshoff,  and Charles Nicholson to name a few. The names and the majesty of their creations evoked romance and adventure and nobility and mystery, and magnificence .....America, Livonia, Shamrock, Gretel, Valkyrie, Magic, Aurora, Intrepid, Countess of Dufferin, Courageous, and Rainbow are just a few of the nautical monikers that reflect the Golden Days of the Cup.
You probably know that the opening date of the 34th running of the Americas Cup on San Franciso Bay is officially July 4, 2013. Awesome! Right? Well???? Maybe to some. Not me. Why....? Let me expound a bit:
You've got to ask yourself... are these huge, ginormous, computer created, foiling catamaran rocket ships really yachts? Don't forget the Cup was originally a yacht race! Are these electronic aberrations of high-tech CAD technology even sailboats?  Or are they just magnificent sailing machines that have no real purpose or design element and invoke no emotion from a romantic soul. They just haul butt for no other purpose than hauling butt......Don't get me wrong here!! There is nothing wrong with the new evolution of these racing machines but they bear no resemblance to and possess none of the character and soul of the  vessels that made the Americas Cup one of the greatest sporting events in the history of progressive, civilized , and industrialized man. How can a person get the warm fuzzies for an Americas Cup challenger referred to as AC 72?
You young folks are probably thinking this guy is some kinda old fart....well, I guess I am.
"Happy Trails To You Until We Meet Again"...............
Take care my friends