Jim's Little Boat Videos

As some of you know, I bought a Catalina 22 a few years back; I needed a boat that could take my many grandchildren cruising, and keep my wife from cursing.  For a year I tried to race the Tanzer and cruise the Catalina.  BUT with four grandchildren to raise, two boats was one too many.  I still miss the Tanzer--what a great little boat!

The Catalina, Bootstrap, is about the same age as the Tanzer, Iteration.  I am slowly bringing it up to date, but I doubt that I will paint it because I don't have a large enough heated space to do it in the winter, and I am not giving up summer to paint a serviceable boat.

At any rate--You can see some of the work on the Catalina on You Tube.  Look up Jim's Little Boat Catalina 22 and any number of dramatic, spine-tingling, fix-up videos are available. :)   Best to all of you and your wonderful Tanzers. 

My only equipment is an iphone and a microphone so the videos are not very sophisticated. 

   Jim Slosson

Tanzer 16, Capsize

 Part One:  The Capsize

The first thing you need to know about capsize in a Tanzer 16 is that you will fall out of the boat on the mast side—not the centerboard side.  

This is not a picture of us.  This was taken from the Tanzer 16 Association
publication.  Our committee boat guys were so busy taking care of us that
they had no time for pictures.

In that one crucial second when the boat passes through 90 degrees—while you are falling out—try to uncleat the main and the jib.  This will matter a great deal in the following minutes.  Luckily—well not totally luck—we were able to uncleat both.  Of course, you might ask why they were cleated in the first place in a stiff breeze with big, puffy shifts.

See the rest of the story on the page titled "Capsize."

Sail bags need to go home

Sail bags need to go home, October 10, 2018  Putting my Catalina 22 sails away for the winter and stumbled on to these two sail bags.  The yellow one is for the furling Genoa.  The smaller, dirty, white one appears to be the original bag for the original jib.  I would like to send them along to the latest owner of my old boat, Iteration, sail number 1306.  Last I heard it was for sale in northern King County, Washington (think Seattle area).  If the owner will contact me, I will send them along--and I will pay for the shipping.  Jim Slosson   jslosson@aol.com

Swim ladder? Safety ladder?

Swim ladder?  Safety ladder? June 6, 2018 Suppose your Tanzer capsizes--further suppose that you do manage to get it upright before it goes turtle.  How are you going to get back in? 

If you are young, and strong, and tall, and not too cold--you might be able to pull yourself over the side or maybe over the transom--probably not.  A ladder is your best bet.* I could never find one that fit. The one West Marine sells doesn't really fit the transom.  Andy Kane posted this picture on Facebook.

I asked him where he got it, and he replied:  J Andy Kane I got it from Amazon. $44 It's called: 

Oceansouth Transom Ladder Stainless Steel Folding 2 Steps

I used aluminium backing plates, and bedded the hardware in silicone. I also added washers inside the cups, because the metal feet wore through my last transom ladder and bit into the gelcoat.

*On my boat, I kept a short length of rope with a loop in the end for my foot.  Fortunately, I never had to test it.

Ultimate Dinghy Cradle

Ultimate Dinghy Cradle -- May 7, 2018  -- Since I sold my Tanzer 16 (now I crew and work on committee boat) I don't get down to the dinghy dock as often as I used to.  Imagine my surprise when I saw this "up-scale" launch/retrieve cradle created by a local Harpoon sailor, Kevin.  Kevin is a real craftsman and he believes that anything worth doing is worth over-doing.  I can't wait to see him launch and retrieve his 500-pound boat. It is about the same weight as the Tanzer 16.  The pictures can tell the rest of the story.  All the metal is aluminum or stainless steel.  Follow up:  I watched Kevin retrieve and launch the boat.  Single person operation--easy--safe--love it when a plan comes together.

Tanzer 16 Iteration: New Owner

Tanzer 16 Iteration:  New Owner--Kit--February 8, 2008  Sure I am going to miss the boat, but it is going to a really great couple.  (Could not believe it sold so quickly.--That is the second Tanzer that I sold in about a week.)

Kit and I spent a few hours going over the rigging procedures and he headed north of Seattle.  Since the boat was made in Arlington, WA, it is almost home.  Good luck, Kit.

Overnighting on the Tanzer 16

Overnighting on the Tanzer 16--February 4, 2018 -- I have to preface this piece by saying that I have never spent the night aboard my Tanzer 16.  When I planned to go camping, but we never got it done.  Since we are blessed with plenty of state parks on Puget Sound, my idea was simply to pull the boat up on the beach and sleep on the ground--then we got a Catalina 22...

BUT, some folks do overnight on the Tanzer--and they kind of do it in style.

Brian Mrachek, Boca Raton, Florida, did a couple of open water races and came up with a roomy boom tent.

Brian is a fairly tall guy and I know that he and his dad did spend a few nights aboard.  I don't know what he did for a toilet, but as I remember, his race did allow for landfall and it had way point check-ins.

Here are two other approaches to tents.  John Juday uses a boom tent.  That would be plenty for me, but I am only 5'7" and getting smaller every year.

Here is another cockpit tent.

Bunks?  You have to figure out how to fill in the space between the seats.  Usually that involves some kind of a platform.

Brian did it this way:

I think this photo is from John Juday.  But--it does include a toilet.

Well folks--it has been a great run.  I have truly enjoyed my Tanzer, but I have too many boats.  I will be selling my boat, "Iteration" this spring--so this may be my last post--unless I see something interesting on the Tanzer 16 Facebook group.  I will keep this blog in place as long as can.

Jim Slosson  jslosson@aol.com