Fishy

The first of our weekly Wetass features from Tim Zimmermann - woo-hoo!

So, where was I? Oh, yeah. I was taking it easy, downswing from a J-22 to a Laser, and planning on getting through the rest of my life without posting weird crap about sailing and all sports H2O. But it’s hard to ignore all the wackiness out there. And Sailing Anarchy is Sailing Anarchy (plus maybe I’ll get some free swag), so I’m, um, back.

Here's a good rule for life: you can never have enough squid. So naturally, you have to wonder just WTF was going on when a Japanese singlehander on his way across the Pacific suddenly experienced the following: his Autopilot failed (“too much weather helm”), his rudder became almost impossible to move, his engine water intake clogged, and his speed (even with sails up and motor on) slowed to 2 knots. When he got to Nuku Hiva, a diver took a look under his boat. And instead of a fishing net or some other boring problem, he found, er, sucker marks. Lots and lots of large sucker marks, all over the hull, keel and rudder.

So did a giant squid—which has never been seen live by the eyes of man--hitch a ride? Or has Senor Solo been slurping too much sake? You can read the whole story, plus half-assed analysis, here (yes, you have to scroll down a bit, that’s what the little wheel on your mouse is for…). We rumormonger, you decide…

Have A Wetass Weekend,

Tim

01/26/07