ASA 105 Coastal Nav Class - That's A Wrap

Stephanie, Brett and Miles

After 4 full Sunday's of classroom and weeks of study, the students wrapped up the Coast Nav Class.  I think their brains were sufficiently scrambled after all that.  We made some interesting discoveries during classroom discussions of various navigation techniques.

Bonnie, Jamel and Pat

One discovery was that about 1/2 the of the class is math brain oriented.  They think of all the different navigation techniques as math problems with formulas and calcs. This group of navigators needs to understand everything from a mathematical point of view.   SO not my camp.  The other half of the class is visual and needs to see the nav techniques in their head or drawn out or as we did in class - acted out.  Yes....I was a NUN with a relative bearing on more than one occasion during class....probably the only time other than Halloween that I will ever come close to being/acting like a NUN!  HA!  And yes, the visual folks are the camp I reside in. 

Al, JR and Matt

Anyway - they all studied hard and fully participated making it a terrific class. (Not too shabby for a bunch of high plains lake sailors where the only ATONS is a No Wake bouy that the power boaters try to mow over at high speed.)  
So now the students can relax, reclaim their dinning room table back from being a chart table and do something else in the evenings, like look at Google Maps, program their new Garmin GPS or download various navigation apps for their smartphone. 

John, Todd, Ben and John

Rosetta Stone Me Baby

I have wanted to learn Spanish for the past 15 + years.  Several halfass attempts have been made trying various tools such as flip cards (yeah - that long ago), cassette tapes, CD's, and podcasts.  All failed.  I can swear in Spanish, using a few choice words I learned long ago from Hispanic classmates but not much else.  See, I grew up in a town with a big Hispanic population and many Hispanic friends.  So what second language did I decide to study in school?  French!  Because that might come in handy in the middle of the high plains - sometimes referred to as BumF* nowhere! Clever, non?  NO!

Flash forward to now and my wonderful ESS (Evil Sailing Sista) Kim.  She learned of my desire and graciously loaned me her Rosetta Stone French and Spanish.  Have you seen the price of Rosetta Stone?  $$$.  As the saying goes....sailing isn't cheap but sailors are!  HA!  I decided to start with the French, thinking that perhaps hearing French again might blow out some of the cobwebs in my brain and bring back the 5 years of French I took in school (many, many moons ago).  And while it's been a while since I stayed at a Holiday Inn, I have consumed my share of French wine - well ok, not necessarily French wine but wine in general...so that should help bring the French language back up to the surface right?
I also decided that I really need to commit to weekly study.

Well let me tell you, it ROCKS!  The method is totally kewl and works.  I am only 3 weeks in but I am getting it and actually retaining a bit. " Look out Eastern Caribbean Islands that speak French -Voici que je viens" (here I come).  Or at the very least "look out" Tom and Larry (un chat) - my personal French guinea pigs (les cochons d'lnde) around the house.   *By the way.....please note my use of the French language in the preceding blog entry - Coastal Navigation Class Deja Vu

Coastal Navigation Class Deja Vu

Bruce of KC Sailing leading the ASA 105 Nav Class

Wikipedia says Deja Vu - (French translation... literally "already seen") is the experience of feeling sure that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation, even though the exact circumstances of the prior encounter are uncertain and were perhaps imagined.  *And yes, I use Wikipedia - it's easy to understand, generally pops up first in a search, and seems accurate enough for blog purposes....same as Fox News - fair and balanced, Oh Snap!

The tools

Imagined?  Hardly!  It's Sunday morning, 11am and I find myself back in class.  It's a nautical flashback to March 2009 and the first go around as a student.

Vanna of the nav tools?  NOT!

This time somehow I ended up agreeing to assist with the current ASA 105 Coastal Navigation being taught at KC Sailing.  By assist I mean - sitting in the back of the class, pouring coffee in the morning, helping hold charts up, unlocking the door for the pizza delivery guy and occasionally add a comment.  And that is all fine by me because a quick review the night before the class kicked off, made me realize that my memory sucks and this stuff is not necessarily intuitive to a girl raised on the high plains.  So.....I once again find myself studying/reviewing the course material several nights during the week as the next Sunday approaches.  Deja Vu indeed!     

Sailing Sisters

Bruce of KC Sailing leads the session

Our women's sailing group - Sailing Sisters met today for our monthly (winter months only) learning/review session on all things sailing. Today's topic was rigging and hardware. 

Not good

Sessions like these are what get us through the winter, non-sailing months. 

Winter Learning

Sailing webinar - good info

Or how to keep the local sailors busy and out of the pool halls and bars!  Well....I am not sure that last one is possible but you get my drift.  Pool Halls?  What is this....The Music Man? You know....trouble in River City.....never mind.

Winter sale and gathering

All the boats around here are winterized and those sailors not smart enough to be bare boating in the BVI's or hanging out in some condo in Florida must find something to do with our spare time.  Anything sailing related is always better than even the best house chore (in my opinion). 
So we read books, triple our internet boat porn, take sailing related webinars, and seminars and hang out at Kansas City Sailing. 

1 hr Review of Advanced Navigation

HAM Thoughts

Tom listening in on SkyWarn Recognition Day - a nationwide HAM event

Some maybe be wondering "why would anyone get their HAM license unless it was just to goof around and have fun?  I mean it's old technology, right?  Why not just call people up on your cell phone?  Or the old land line phone - for those that still have them!  While sailing you can just use VHF or further off shore a sat phone ($$$), right?"

National Weather Service Training Center in KC

 Honestly I was sort of thinking the same thing to some extent while I was studying to take the test.  Why on earth does the annual MS150 charity bike ride use HAM instead of cell phones?
Well, have you ever been at a big sporting event and not been able to get cell service?  "All circuits are currently busy" Frustrating.  Or during a major catastrophe (tornado, hurricane, icy snow storm or such) ended up with no cell service?  Scary.  Land lines go down as well.  Power goes out.  After the Joplin F5 tornado, it was weeks and weeks until they had even a hint of services.  HAMS were used. 

HAM's across the country try to reach as many National Weather Service offices as possible on that day

It turns out that for all our advance technology (and it seems daily we have new high tech enhancements, new gadgets or flat out new technology)....our actual infrastructure is quite old and with city, state, government and company budgets stretched to breaking, our infrastructure is not being upgraded/replaced like it should.
What does this mean?  Older infrastructure is going to go down more frequently.  We are going to lose services.  Hum?  Something to think about.  Now off to the kitchen I go....for some reason I have a craving for bacon.
*And yes, I know it's Amateur Radio and they/we are amateur radio enthusiasts but that's just too long and HAM is funnier. 
  

Learning Epoxy Fiberglass Repair

Winter has set in here on the central plains so no sailing.  This of course makes winter even longer.  To help us sailors get through the winter months, Kansas City Sailing puts on seminars and classes on various sailing topics;  paint and brightwork, splicing, coastal navigation and yesterday's session - Epoxy and Fiberglass Repair. 

For three hours Bruce lead us through the different products and techniques, demoing several along the way.  It was a fascinating way to spend a rainy, cold Saturday. 

HAM Part 2 - Hello? Is there anybody out there?

KD0QAG - My HAM License number.  But don't call me just yet.

 Getting my HAM Tech License is just step one.  Now the fun starts....learning to actually use our SSB.

And no, this isn't our SSB.  It's an old HAM mic we have at home.  Don't ask, the story is too long.  Let's just suffice it to say that it's shown up in more than one party pic throughout the years.
Ground Control to Major Tom are you receiving?

Class, Study, Test Time Again - or how to HAM it up

s/v Honey Ryder came with a very nice SSB - a type of HAM radio.  Neither Cap10 Tom nor I had our HAM license.  I have been trying over the past year to read the book and study so I can take the test.  Many, many people simply home study and then sit for the test.  However, that wasn't working so well for me.  I found the material very dry - as in read 3 pages and fall asleep.  Additionally, I just wasn't getting my people-person, non-science brain wrapped around the concepts.  So I decided a class would be the best way for me to learn, study and hopefully pass the test.

The last two Saturday's I have gone to class  from 9-5 in preparation for my HAM Radio license test.  A wonderful group of 5 instructors lead us through the chapters giving us the concepts, reviewing and quizzing us.  In addition I studied each night and took the practice tests.

It all paid off.  I passed, missing only one question!  YAY!  I now have my Technician Class HAM License.  And yes, there are tons of jokes here for everyone to cash in on.  My friend Sea Salt has already started "Hambone" to which I reminded him that was "Princess HAM" to him!  Another sailing friend asked "Did you really have to go to class to learn to be a HAM?  Aren't you already a master ham?"  Hardy har har.

Sailing Instruction Tools

Cap10 Tom put together the above so we can practice our knots around the house as we watch TV or for me....while I am on conference calls!


















This model sailboat gets used at the Sailing Sisters class each winter.



















Above is our latest tool we are testing out. We whipped this out Friday night over a couple of adult drinks. See the actual lab pic below.

ASA Instructors

Cap10 Tom and I set out in 2004 to get ASA (American Sailing Association) certifications, mainly for the knowledge. There are many levels.


















We selected a school in Florida, quizzing out of the "ASA 101 Keelboat", taking "ASA 103 Coastal Cruising" and "ASA 104 Bareboat". And PASSING them all!


















KC Sailing opened in our area so one cold, wintery March we took "ASA 105 Coastal Navigation"- what a mind bender that was for this little sailing chick on the prairie! Irrigation lakes and itty bitty state park lakes in Kansas don't have a lot of ATONS (Aids to Navigation System).
























As we built on our sailing skills officially through ASA, we continued to build through practical experience on our C30 Distant Drum as well as bareboat trips, deliveries and on various friends boats ( s/v Stolen Child and s/v Gratitude). "ASA 108 Passage Making" (Norfolk to Bermuda) was a big jump, a leap really in our sailing education and skills.



















Then we begin to think about teaching sailing. ASA seemed like the logical place to start. Bruce at KC Sailing was gun-ho and an instructor class was scheduled. It was intense. Three hardcore days of classroom and on the water instruction to become instructors. The written test was a bitch! We passed!



















We started teaching "Intro to Sailing", "ASA 101 Keelboat" as well as Private Lessons all for KC Sailing. We are now well into our second season teaching sailing. The reward has been terrific. We have met so many interesting people. Many students start with the" Intro to Sailing" class and go on to the next level, getting their "ASA 101 Keelboat" Certification with us. Some students already have sailboats. Others buy their first boat after sailing with us. It's so much fun to be able to share our passion and excitement for sailing with others. In turn, our students get fired up about sailing and we feed on that excitement. Several past students have dropped us emails to update us on their continued learning through on the water sailing as well as boat purchases, boat projects and upgrades. Oh yeah, and we get paid to go sailing! That is NOT why we do it but I do find myself giggling (on occasion) on the drive home after a day of sailing instruction - "we just got paid to sail all day! How kewl is that!"


















s/v Bossa Nova - a C22 is our teaching vessel

Annapolis School of Seamanship

Check out the clever visual aids for other kewl classes offered - like Marine Electronics. Or Marine Electronic Navigation, just to name a few. These wall units are actually on wheels so that they can be moved around. The top one is all things that would be wired up on a boat including a starter battery and house battery. We used it a couple of times in our marine diesel class to trouble shoot why an engine wouldn't start. I believe they use the same method to teach deductive troubleshooting in the marine electronics class. Very kewl boards.

Marine Diesel Class - Level 2 by Cap10 Tom

Toward the end of Level 1 class, Scott asked who was staying for the next two days for Level 2 class. He identified the lucky 7 people, then told us he wouldn't be very nice to us. In fact, he said we would hate him after the first day. He was right. We spent the first day trouble shooting two engines, both of which were severely "bugged". This guy was diabolical, he must have stayed up until dawn working in his bugs. Once we thought we were closing in on a problem, he would just give us a cold stare and shrug his shoulders. The idea was to be systematic and verify the function of each component. We would ask for a new part, and he would say "prove it doesn't work" - you get the idea. I won't give any clues about how he planted his bugs since that would spoil the fun if any of you decide to take the course. We mangaged to get both engines running and he finally turned back into the nice guy he really was. The lessons we learned that day were hard fought and I doubt I'll forget them soon.














The second day we worked on adjusting valves without looking at the timing marks on the flywheel - since you can't usually get to the flywheel in a cramped engine compartment. We learned how to check and adjust injection timing, plus we spent quite a bit of time messing with the injectors. We pulled them out, took them apart, tossed them around, and even rebuilt a few. We learned to use a Pop Tester, a really cool bench tool which measures the pressure needed to activate an injector. This tells you if your injector fires at the correct pressure, plus you can also see the spray pattern. Basically, this tool tells you if your injectors are screwed up. So here we had an engine where we all took turns adjusting valves, messed with the injection timing, and yanked out all the injectors. We put everything back together, bled the fuel and the motor fired right up! I learned that diesels pretty much have to run if there is clean fuel, air, and enough cranking RPMs.

Next, we worked on a "project" engine in the courtyard. This was a big Westerbeke taken out of a powerboat used by John, the owner of the school. Seems this engine was acting up so he thought it would be great if each class could work on it until it was fixed. Sort of a low-cost overhaul under the guidance of a real diesel mechanic. We got it running, but it still made a strange noise at 2200 RPM. Too bad he needs the engine back in the boat in a few weeks for a Seamanship class. I guess he'll just run it at a higher speed.














Level 2 was well worth the time and effort since confidence in engine room is a really good thing.


















After day one of Level 2, nourishment for the brain was needed.


















Success!

Marine Diesel Class

In our continuing quest for knowledge of all things sailing and boating AND as an offensive move to be worthy of our Yanmar 56...we have just returned from Marine Diesel Class at the Annapolis School of Seamanship.














A VERY worthwhile use of time and $$. We both took Level 1.














(As one friend - who shall remain nameless (KIM) giggled as she pictured me in class)...I was a bit worried that I would be in a class with a bunch of guys that already knew a ton about diesels and I would end up being the.....Elle Woods (think movie Legally Blond) of Marine Diesel Class but I wasn't. There were 16 of us total in level 1, three nautical chicks including me.
OK - there was ONE Elle Woods moment involving a cap labeled 710 but everyone else in the class was questioning it too, I just happened to be the "blond" that asked. Turns out it's a little engine humor that Scott likes to throw in each class to see who he can trip up.
Figure it out yet? 710? Cap labeled 710? Turn it over.....710....OIL. See, not so easy.






The school setup, classroom layout, visual aids - (the engines) and hands on were great. John Martino, Annapolis School of Seamanship owner and Scott Segal (AR Marine) expertly guided through the mysterious and wondrous world of marine diesels.














This one even had "windows" cut into various areas so we could actually see inside. Scott -(of AR Marine) fired it up and let us look in the various "windows" so we could see first hand what
happens.


















Level 1 class was 9am-4pm for two days. Our syllabus included Principles of Operation, Anatomy of a Diesel Engine, Maintaining Your Engine and Troubleshooting. There was plenty of opportunities to get engine oil up under our nails as we took apart various areas of the engines, learned to bleed the fuel lines, changed impellers, changed the oil and filter, etc.... as well as some tricky troubleshooting.














Cap10 Tom went on to take the level 2 class while I made "friends" in Annapolis and specifically Eastport. I am going to let him personally share his experiences in Level 2 class.
For me, I now know the basics of marine diesel engines. How they work, the pieces and parts, maintenance musts, some of the things that can do wrong and how to best methodically troubleshoot any issues early on. I would strongly recommend this class for anyone with a marine diesel engine.