Caquinez Coot

[skipperdude]

Mark, I can't wait to hear. Is she everything we all thought she would be?

SD

 

[dwhatty]

I don't think that he's going to surface for awhile. He's probably going over every square inch of the boat, sitting down to admire her from near and far and then doing it all over again, and again.

(perhaps "surface" is the wrong word to use. At least I hope so)

 

[markpierce]

Hi!

An account of the Coot's delivery is contained in a couple of posts on the Memorial Day weekend thread.

Yes, the Coot is everything I expected.* The boat handles well, is tight turning, and the engine very responsive.

We put up the steadying sails near the Richmond/San Rafael bridge.* There was a definite steadying effect which minimized the rocking caused by small beam-on waves.* Winds were about ten knots across the beam.* Boat speed increased from 7.4 knots (1600 RPM)*to 8.1 knots over the bottom, with the current providing one or so of those*knots.* So, the Sail-Assisted Trawler (SAT) seems to be a sound concept.

Unfortunately, I misplaced my camera on the day of delivery (found it this afternoon while driving home), so I don't have any photos!

We're hoping a few others in the SF Bay area*will acquire Coots so we can form a codgery.

 

[Woodsong]

What?! No pictures???? This is criminal!!!!

Glad it went well- really looking forward to more pics of her in her new home waters and you all enjoying life aboard.

 

[healhustler]

Mark.....is that true? Did you really misplace your camera on such an occasion? Or is it a sinister plot to jack up the suspense? This is important to us.....hire a photographer!

 

[FlyWright]

It seems like he's playing us like a fiddle! Gets us all all worked up, then 'conveniently' forgets the camera! Ooooh, sure, Mark. We've all heard this one before.

Mark, I'm heading to Angel Island on Thursday, June 23 for a 4-day weekend. I have Segways reserved for an island tour on Saturday with the Admiral, my 2 daughters and their boyfriends.

How about you join us on the moorings in Ol' Coot. I'll being the camera!

 

[Codger2]

Mark:

I must admit that I am looking forward to photos of the Coot but more importantly, I'm interested in some data that you may not have at the present time. (ie) Cruise speed @ 90% of max, GPH @ that speed, noise level in the wheel house @ that speed, etc. I realize it's way to early in the life of the Coot for such information but my interest is sure there.

 

[markpierce]

FlyWright wrote:
It seems like he's playing us like a fiddle! Gets us all all worked up, then 'conveniently' forgets the camera! Ooooh, sure, Mark. We've all heard this one before.

Mark, I'm heading to Angel Island on Thursday, June 23 for a 4-day weekend. I have Segways reserved for an island tour on Saturday with the Admiral, my 2 daughters and their boyfriends.

How about you join us on the moorings in Ol' Coot. I'll being the camera!

*I'm innocent!!

Here are a couple of pictures of the Coot's Oakland delivery, with a bonus photo:

*

The Angel Island rendevous sounds like fun.* We'll have to see how things so.* I'll be in touch.

 

[markpierce]

SeaHorse II wrote:
Mark:

I must admit that I am looking forward to photos of the Coot but more importantly, I'm interested in some data that you may not have at the present time. (ie) Cruise speed @ 90% of max, GPH @ that speed, noise level in the wheel house @ that speed, etc. I realize it's way to early in the life of the Coot for such information but my interest is sure there.

*Noise level?* I have no basis of comparison; however, one can hold a normal converation at full throttle (2400 RPM).* The three engine-room hatches are heavily insulated (and heavy).* I have no speedometer, so can't equate RPM with speed unless measured during slack current so speed-over-ground readings become relevant.* I'll definitely begin recording data to share.

 

[markpierce]

While the exterior of the Coot was the recipient of much diesel grime while traveling at the stern of a ship for six thousand miles or so, the Coot's interior was remarkably clean.* I attirubute that to the "batten-the-hatches" clamps on its exterior doors.* And those "Dutch" doors on the pilothouse were quite convenient: closing the lower door kept out most of the light rain we experienced on yesterday's Richmond to Vallejo trip to homeport.

 

[markpierce]

Two options I found very useful:

Rudder indicator (on the right, second from the top).* As a former "tiller man," I found it very useful to know the orientation of the rudder.

-- Edited by markpierce on Wednesday 1st of June 2011 11:54:34 PM

 

[markpierce]

The second was the tank tender.* Sure beats crawling to examine sight gauges.

*

*

 

[markpierce]

The window/hatch above the helmsman's position was very*useful to examine the sails to decide whether an adjustment was needed.

We needed a small crane (as used to launch small boats) to raise/lift (actually, tilt it upon*the tabernale/pivot.)*the mast. Fortunately, Jim DeWitt was familiar with the crane's operation.* Maybe the mast was overbuilt.* Me worry?* The mast has now been raised.

 

[skipperdude]

Man Mark, It must be nice. What does a new boat smell like? A new car?

Other than a new truck in 98 I have always rebuilt, repaired or refurbished everything I have* ever owned. Anything of consequence that is. I guess I like it that way.

It looks like you have a great thing going for you there.

The coot is everything I could want in a boat and I am envious of you.

It was so cool of you taking the advice of those of us on the forum and incorporating them in to the build.

This has been a great journey for you and those of us who have lived vicariously through the project.

Thanks again for taking us all along.

SD*

 

[healhustler]

*

Shew....what great features. *Of course, I wasn't in on the "advising" part of the Coot order, but I sure am in on the "appreciating" part. *We're all going to have a million questions, but I'll wait to see if some of them are answered with your accompanying photographs. *You lucky dog, you! *Oh, by the way, we expect to see the Coot show up on the site Photo album with the best display yet.

 

[Per]

very impressed with the attention to details with everything.
the gage not only meters fuel, but also water.
that is some serious trawler.

 

[markpierce]

The Coot smells something like between a new car and newly-installed carpets in a house.* I feel very fortunate.* You guys and gals have been a great help, *and sharing my plans and progress is a joy.

Next week a crew will come out to clean, polish, and wax the exterior.* Still spending boat bucks acquiring the necessary paraphenalia (boat hook, flag and pole, shore power cord, etcetera, etcetera).

Photo from yesterday at the Vallejo Marina:

*

There was a minus tide, and the Coot is resting on mud.* In the afternoon Coot moved to a different dock.* Another minus tide today, so hope the Coot won't have the experience repeated!

 

[FlyWright]

Mark,

Have you got some boat specs for us late-comers to this party? I looked for earlier posts, but didn't find any.

Length, draft, displacement, hp, etc?

Heck, maybe you could just scan and post the whole manual so we can all read along with you!

Al

 

[markpierce]

The Coot is 35'8" over deck, 13' in beam, and a draft of just under 4'.* It's steel and weighs 14 tons.* Single-engined, with an 80 h.p. John Deere 4045 diesel.* Four fuel tanks of about 80 gallons each.* Two water tanks of something like 100 gallons each.* (Tankage varied from the website description.)* 24-volt bow thruster.* Folding swim platform and ladder.* Optional fore&aft steadying sail rig, making it a sail-assisted-trawler.* Maximum speed a bit over 8 knots, cruises easily at 6.5-7.5 knots.

 

[markpierce]

I've come to realize that the fuel polisher can perform two other functions: (1) transfer fuel from one tank to another and (2) if necessary, prime the engine.* Neat!

-- Edited by markpierce on Saturday 4th of June 2011 01:00:47 PM

 

[Moonstruck]

Mark, she is a great boat.* It looks to be all that you had hoped.* Now, tell us a little bit about you when she arrived and you ran it the first time.* You had to be emotionally charged with adenalin pumping.* Were you trying to be everywhere on the boat at once?* What was going on?

 

[markpierce]

The Carquinez Coot was placed in Oakland Estuary waters Sunday, May 29*around 10:00 a.m., haven been off-loaded from the container ship YM Cypress a few minutes earlier.**Jim Dewitt, Bill Kimley, (both former extraordinary*sailboat racers, now artist and boat builder, respectively) and I boarded that Coot from Dick Horn's chase boat.** We quickly disconnected the four crane cables (Yang Ming wanted us to hurry as the crane was costing them $2000-$3000 an hour)*and started our trip to the Richmond Yacht Club's marina for commissioning.* Bill piloted the Coot first.* Shortly after passing under the Bay Bridge, we saw our first waterbird.* It was swimming about 30 feet*distant and was a Coot!* Jim took the wheel next.* He's interested in acquiring a Seahorse Coot.

We made a sidetrip to the Emeryville Marina to purchase fuel (106 gallons for $500),*filling one-third of the tanks' capacity.* Continuing to Richmond, there was a good deal of bow spray heading into near-small-craft-warning headwinds, so the windshield wipers got some practice.* I took the wheel from the Berkeley Pier to the Richmond Yacht Club.

Upon arriving at the RYC marina, we began washing the boat.* There was a lot of diesel soot from being near the stern for 6,000 miles or so.* We also assembled the mast and installed the radar radome.* We raised the mast on Memorial Day.* We first attempted the task manually, but that short mast is more than four people can handle.* We ended up using the small-boat crane to raise it.

Jim DeWitt and his wife Sally*invited us*for Chinese take-out dinner.* The meal was excellent and hospitality was warm.

I piloted the Coot June 1 from the RYC marina to the Vallejo Marina.* For most of the time the autopilot controlled the helm, so had few distractions from*using the binoculars watching out for the buoys and other ship/boat traffic.* We had the sails up for about 30-45 minutes when wind/waves were abeam.* The sails added about 0.6 knots.* Without the sails we were making 8 knots over the bottom at 1600 rpm, but we had a knot-plus of current pushing us along.

I'm having the boat detailed next week, but hope to fit in a short trip before then if the weather cooperates.

It was a bit overwhelming from all the stimuli, but the boat ran/handled well and there were some moments of relaxation for me.* Bill and Jim*seemed to have the time of their lives and even caught*naps on the Vallejo leg.


-- Edited by markpierce on Saturday 4th of June 2011 04:29:19 PM

 

[markpierce]

The Coot is a lot easier to board than many other power boats.* No ladders or steps are necessary.* Just place a foot over the gunwale and step off from the dock.* And those handrails are sturdy for balance.

It is much easier from the other (dock) side:

 

[FF]

The Coot is 35'8" over deck, 13' in beam, and a draft of just under 4'.* It's steel and weighs 14 tons.* Single-engined, with an 80 h.p. John Deere 4045 diesel.

*

Since as a new owner you will be making the first graphs for a "How Goes It?"

Please inform us how the simple rulles of thumb we work with , work out for you.

*

14 tons should require between 1.3 and 3 hp/per ton* to cruise at most speeds.

With a modern , new engine , not yet broken in 20hp per gal might be high , but its ez to work with.

*

So slow cruise (SLx .9) would be 14 times 1.3 divided by 20.

After you work out the various fuel burn and SL ratio, how about posting them?

*

*

*

SLx.9

 

[healhustler]

*
markpierce wrote:
It was a bit overwhelming from all the stimuli, .....



-- Edited by markpierce on Saturday 4th of June 2011 04:29:19 PM

*

I can only imagine. *Looking at that shot of the beefy hand rails.....man, I dunno, I guess I'd just spend so much time getting to know and sense that boat. *Not being able to raise the mast with 4 people didn't surprise me at all. *Looks like the thing would take down bridges.*

 

[dvd]

Impressive looking boat. On your handrails you have vertical bars not connected to either the handrail or the gunwale. What function do these rails serve?



Thanks,
DVD

 

[markpierce]

dvd wrote:
*On your handrails you have vertical bars not connected to either the handrail or the gunwale. What function do these rails serve?

*These are*handrail cleats, very handy for hanging fenders as well as tying on the roller-furler lines and the jib and main sheets.* It is*difficult to have too many cleats.*

*In addition to the handrail cleats,*the boat*comes with*a bollard up forward (with lines passing over chocks or through hawser holes in the gunwale), plus bulwark cleats midship and stern.* I paid extra for an extra cleat on both sides between the other cleats.* Bill the builder thought that was a waste when I asked for them, but*he found use for the extra cleats for spring lines*during the orientation/commissioning.

 

[markpierce]

FF wrote:
Since as a new owner you will be making the first graphs for a "How Goes It?"

Please inform us how the simple rulles of thumb we work with , work out for you.

*14 tons should require between 1.3 and 3 hp/per ton* to cruise at most speeds.

So slow cruise (SLx .9) would be 14 times 1.3 divided by 20.

After you work out the various fuel burn and SL ratio, how about posting them?

*I have a Flowscan, but need to make adjustment if needed based on actual fuel consumption versus cumulative gauge readings.**That will need to be adjusted, sometime.* The engine*sounds "most happy" between 1600 and 2000 rpm.


-- Edited by markpierce on Monday 6th of June 2011 11:48:00 AM

 

[FF]

"That will need to be adjusted, sometime."

As you burn fuel you will easily be able yo tune in the Flowscan.

WE have installed a dedicated key switch that Zeros the unit, instead of an unsecured switch.

AS long as you fill the tank to the same level on each fuel fill, and feed any noisemaker , stove or furnace from a different tank , you will be able to get really close in knowing the refuel gallons .

This will give the best operating GPH readings.

Great fun making a graph , that actually shows the cost of speed changes.

 

[Per]

haven been off-loaded from the container ship YM Cypress a few minutes earlier. Jim Dewitt, Bill Kimley, (both former extraordinary sailboat racers, now artist and boat builder, respectively) and I boarded that Coot from Dick Horn's chase boat. We quickly disconnected the four crane cables (Yang Ming wanted us to hurry as the crane was costing them $2000-$3000 an hour)

The boat was craned off directly from the YM ship into the water using the YM onboard crane or a dock crane?
Did you have to deal with longshoremen?
How did the customs clearance process work out? No customs inspections etc?