Macgregor going dolphin watching in Hawaii

[Chopper Pilot]

This was a great day. We took some friends of ours and their kids for a boat ride to watch dolphins. We didn't raise any sails since these kids also were afraid of boat. I didn't need it heeling over at all on their first ride. Left the keel down to get video of it under the water. We lifted it once we started to motor over 5 MPH. I put it down again when we went into a little cove to anchor. Needed to maneuver around a little. We threw the anchor in the little cove in hopes to grill some dogs. I decided to jump in and verify its hold. It was suppose to be sandy bottom. When I got down to see it, I was watching a moving target. The ground was rock with other rocks protruding from the ground. They didn't make it to the top of the water though. They were about four feet from the surface so I told my friend to follow me with the anchor. He kept sounding worried about the rocks deeper in the water. I told him not to worry, the boat only needs 12 inches of water to float so he should be good. I then dove down to get the anchor and swim it to the sandy area. But the anchor kept pulling me out (wrong direction). So I drop the anchor and swim back to the boat. When I get to the boat I see the dagger board was still down. Everywhere he was driving, he was hitting rocks, following my advice. He felt so bad, but it was my absent-minded-ness that caused this. Once we were anchored in good sand, I checked the board. It is splitting at the top of it on the trailing edge. The split travels down for about 7 inches. I now need to pull it out and try my hand a fiber glassing. Enjoy the video!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8l5wPl8UfI

Here it is in HD 1080p But shorter video
http://youtu.be/aQkoHVf94q8

[Obelix]

Great Video, love the underwater shots.

Obelix

[Tomfoolery]

Keep them coming. I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee, looking at the snow on the ground with the ubiquitous gray sky overhead, wondering if the sun will ever shine here again (The Long Gray, as I've heard winter called when I moved up here), living vicariously through your videos.

I'm going to have to pop Captain Ron into the DVD player in my little work TV yet again, to get another reminder that warm weather is out there, somewhere.

Martin Harvey to his wife, while docked in a nice marina on a Caribbean island somewhere, in a disparaging tone of voice: "Who wants to stay in a place like this every night?"

answer: I do! At least during the winter.

[dive4it]

Simply Awesome!! Looks like you are having a great time!! I used to teach SCUBA off the island and we left every morning from your harbor. I am envious of your location as we are stuck here watching rain and cold right now. I assume you were using a Gopro camera for filming this? We need to get you set up with an underwater flat lens so your U/W shots will be crystal clear. Look into the underwater Gopro housing or any number of the aftermarket flat lenses that you can put on your existing housing and it'll be super sharp above and below the water. Thanks for sharing....I too am living a little vicariously through you right now.

JT

[BOAT]

We were out off the coast Saturday and followed a pod of them all around. I will post a few pictures today here.

[yukonbob]

Can you make a available to mobile devices. Or I can't watch for another week. People want seventy f in dollars to go sail around for an hour in a twelve ft cat in rhe caribe. Are you kidding me!?!? 70 bucks a month and I could buy another boat!? WTF?! I desperately want to more warm water sailing bit not at theses prices. Highway robbery.

[Chopper Pilot]

I went ahead and bought a GoPro Flat lens HD Dive cover. I did not know they made those. I was telling my wife that I needed the new GoPro 3 because it wasn't as clear under the water as it was above the water.

I don't know how to enable the mobile capability for the video on Youtube. Do any of y'all?

[pmmcderm]

Hey Chopper Pilot - great video.

I have a Canon Powershot HD w/ the waterproof case. Works really good - going to mount it to the arch next time I go out and try to make some vid. Don't think it'll be on par with yours, though. Great Work!

Did you get a slip in Waianae? Looks like you pulled out from the marina vice the ramp. Something I should probably look into....

[Chopper Pilot]

I will get a slip there next month since I am paid up in Kaneohe MCB until the end of march. I had a hard time taking it out of the water. For the last few days was low tide all morning and afternoon. The ramp exposed all of the algae. It was too slick. I couldn't get my trailer far enough in the water without sliding back with the vehicle. I tried two of the ramps. Got to scared that my truck would slide in the water. It would slide back when I applied the brakes. I almost couldn't drive my empty trailer out of there. I went back today though and got it out. It was the highest of the low tide. We backed up the trailer until the tires were wet. A friend, the harbor master, got his shoes and pants wet trying to help. he got in the water and hooked up the boat. I used the boat engine to push the vehicle forward until it could grip. Then I quickly turned of the engine and trimmed up the motor, all while pulling out of the water. No Big Deal!!! My wife did a great job in the very tense situation!

[pmmcderm]

Yeah - the water is great for sailing off Waianae, but the ramp sucks. Surge can get bad, too. I was thinking of slip, but didn't want to paint the bottom with anti-fouling paint. If you get a slip, be sure to do that. They sell at West Marine - expensive.

[Crikey]

Robert, thanks for another decidedly unfair, and beautiful video diary! It makes me want to come up with a hull viewing window mod for my machine. If you get the chance, sometime in the near future, could you report on how much play you can feel underwater with the daggerboard fully deployed. Both laterally, and fore and aft, and twisting rotation. I'm hoping to pursue a power deployment mod on mine sometime this summer, as well as work towards eliminating any uncontrolled movement.
I've never heard of the power-assisted ramp method before! I think you've raised the bar there....
Keep em coming.
Ross.

[bastonjock]

great video,it beats looking at the dull grey skys and rain that we are having around here

[yukonbob]

I think you have to upload the video to YouTube again at a smaller size suitable for mobile. Thanks if you do

[Whipsyjac]

Yukonbob, next time you escape winter you'll just have to trailer your M down You're only what 40 to 50 hours drive to my place? Then another 25-30hours down to Lake Mead or Havasu. Too bad you can't just buy a little sail boat and sell it again when you fly home. Did you try negotiating? Make a deal based on using it more?

Willy

[yukonbob]

We originally brought our boat up from maple bay on the island. 35 hours tops to get down there. My mother and her fiance just traded their custom 54 ft power cruiser for a 33 ft c&c and are basing out of Powell river. And they have never sailed so they expect me to teach them; sooo... I technically have a boat at my disposal in southern bc. Although I would much rather sail ours south or put it on the ferry and sail it back north, either way. If I ever plan a trip south I will definitely let people know. And I expect the same if anyone decides a trip north. Either on their own boat or a cruise ship/ ferry. Always willing to take sailing enthusiasts out on the upper Lynn.