Endeavour 32 - “Kelly IV”

Sailing and Cruising 2007 to 2016

"Kelly IV", Captain Murph's full-time cruising boat, was an Endeavour 32.  He bought her in September 2007 when she was known as "Raconteur", as she was called by her owner of 18 years, Don Slessman. Captain Murph sailed the Erie Islands and western Lake Erie out of Sandusky Harbor Marina in Sandusky Bay, Ohio until 2010.  Erie, PA was home port for "Kelly IV".

Interior View

Exterior View

The Endeavour 32 "Kelly IV" was designed by Ted Irwin and Bob Johnson and built in 1979 by Endeavour Yachts, now out of business.  Kelly's length overall is 32'4" with a beam of  10' and draws 5' displacing over 11,700 pounds so she is a very stable, seaworthy small vessel capable of sleeping up to 6 people.  As "Kelly IV" is rigged, she typically sleeps 3 or 4 adults, all in single berths.  As a US Coast Guard Documented Vessel with a large roller furling Genoa, fully battened mainsail, and a very light drifter, "Kelly IV" is easy to sail, yet can avoid using the engine in lighter airs as little as 5 knots.  In a decent breeze of 12 knots, "Kelly IV" can easily make over 5 knots.  Her slender beam enables her to cut cleanly and quickly through the water.

Since buying "Kelly IV", Captain Murph has provided many significant equipment upgrades:

•2013: Added 75 feet of 1/4" HT Grade 40 galvinized chain, shackled to the existing 300 feet of 1/2" nylon rode.  Due to shallow anchoring depths in the Chesapeake, this amounts to an all-chain rode.  Replaced stern navigation light with an LED nav light mounted on the radar post well above the aftmost solar panel.  The old stern light was on the transom and not as visible when the dinghy was raised on the davits.  Replaced engine/starter battery with an AGM, now all batteries are AGM.  Installed new electronic gauge for the fresh water tank so level can be measured without opening the inspection port under the v-berth mattress.  Two additional 12 volt fans so now every bunk has it's own fan.  LinkPro battery monitor installed to enable closer tabs on battery status.

•2012: Two new AGM 105AH house batteries.  Seven new LED cabin lights including red lamps for maintaining night vision.  Three new 12v cabin fans to keep us cool at anchor, replacing the older, louder, less efficient fans.

•2011: New Solar Panels (2 panels x 130 watts each), MPPT Charge Controller, Garmin 740s radar & chartplotter w/mount, and depthsounder.  Zippers and window in Bimini to accomodate the solar panel mounted on the bimini and enable a view of the mainsail & masthead.  New storm anchor, 300 feet of new nylon anchor rode, 35 feet of 5/16" anchor chain, 4 new half inch nylon dock lines (75 feet long, each), new Torqeedo electric outboard motor, spare battery, and solar charger for battery, new dinghy davits, 2 new portlights and lee cloth in v-berth, new backup bilge pump, 2 new bilge pump hoses, new manual diesel pump for the jerry cans, 4 lengths of 1/4" galvanized chain (each 6 feet long) for chafe protection of docklines on steel or concrete sea walls.  During the 2011 Cruise through Canada, a new fender board of PVC pipe was added.

•2010: New portable electric fridge, added fire extinguisher port to engine compartment, new Portland Pudgy sailing & rowing dinghy & lifeboat, new Yanmar 3YM20 motor, new AM/FM/USB/SD Stereo system, new deck fill for water tank, new hot water heater, new electrical panels (AC & DC), new AC battery charger, new additional 30 amp shore power plug for separate air conditioning circuit, new faucet & shower, 3 new vents, new remote fuel gauge, whisker pole, drifter, foam luff sewn into genoa, new composting head.

•2009: New dodger, lazy jacks that raise and lower from the cockpit, new radar reflector, new lee cloths for cabin berths.

•2008: New water pump, new overhead stainless steel handrail running the length of the main cabin.
Important and useful equipment on board from 2005 or before includes a Gori 3-blade folding prop; rope clutches for 10 lines running to the cockpit; 35 pound CQR anchor on roller; all 10 cabin ports open; 2 large overhead hatches in addition to the companionway; 2 air conditioners; 2 burner propane stove & oven, rail mounted propane barbecue, pressure water, Windscoop.

Other items on board:
Life Jackets for 6 adults, 4 children
Emergency whistles for 4
Emergency personal lights for 4
Jacklines, 2 harnesses, 2 tethers
Dinghy  (lifeboat)
MOB Lifesling
Emergency Flares
Handheld VHF Radio
Handheld GPS
Space Blanket
Flashlights
Pots, pans, cooking utensils
Flatware for 4
Plates and bowls for 4
Cocktail table for the cockpit
Dining table in main cabin
Endeavour 32 Specifications:
Length - 32'  
Year - 1979
Type - Sloop
LOA - 32'4"
LWL - 25'6"
Beam - 10'0"
Draft - 5'
Displacement - 11,700#
Ballast - 5,300#
Sail area - 470 sq ft
Mast clearance (air draft) - 43 ft
I = 39'6" = mast height from deck
J = 13'0" = headstay base
P = 34'6" = mainsail luff
E = 12'0" = mainsail foot length
Headstay Length = 41.6' (calculated)
Genoa 155 = 397 sq ft
Main = 207 sq ft
Drifter = 360 sq ft
Roller Furler with 155 Genoa
Whisker Pole, 13 – 23 ft OAL
Headroom: 6'3"
Berths: 6 (2 singles, 2 doubles)
Fuel, diesel: 51 gallons, total; 2 tanks, 18 gallons each; 3 jerry cans, 5 gallons each
Water: 65 gallons
Head:  Composting – no pumpout required, no odors
Engine - new 2010, Yanmar 3YM20, 3 cylinder, 20 hp
Starting Battery:  1, AGM deep cycle, 12v, Group 27, 92 Amp Hours
House Batteries:  2, AGM deep cycle, 12v, Group 31, 105 Amp Hours (210 AH total)
D/L Ratio: 315
SA/D Ratio: 14.59
BAL/D Ratio: 42.73%
L/B - 3.23:1
LWL/Beam 2.55
Capsize Ratio: 1.76
Motion Comfort: 30.38
Theoretical Hull Speed: 6.8 knots
Angle of vanishing stability: 114°

Kelly III's Final Sail - June 8-10, 2007

Bill and daughter Sarah Paviol brought Nino Forlini with them for the final sail of Kelly III under my ownership! The new owner takes possession June 16.

Bill, Nino and Sarah (9 years old) took their respective bunks aboard and settled in on Friday night. Sarah got first choice (since she was queen for the weekend) and selected the v-berth. Nino was left with the quarter berth after Bill took the starboard berth in the main cabin.

Murph, Brig Niagara, Nino sailing Lake Erie

We all went to breakfast in Erie, then slipped the dock lines and sailed eastward toward Barcelona, NY. It was a quiet sail with a bit of motoring, but finally enough wind came to our aid so we had some episodes of nice sailing. Nino is quickly becoming an experienced sailor, even though this was only his second trip on a sailboat. Last year he joined Kelly III for a sail to Conneaut, OH. Nino seems to have a knack for quickly understanding and doing what is needed at the right time . . . he's a natural!

We sailed into Barcelona harbor recalling the very shallow depths and carefully staying within the green buoys and going very, very slowly (less than 1.5 knots). Regardless, the mud pulled us to a stop until the skipper on a moored sailboat gave us the local knowledge we needed to stay in deeper water and settle into a berth at the gas dock. It was the first time Kelly III stayed on the east side of the harbor, in the small marina where we once met the owner/builder of a Tahiti Ketch. After we had tied up and settled the boat for the evening, the marina owner came by to collect his fees and give us a key to the head and showers. He's an 80-year old salt who knew everything about all the people he had met in this harbor over the years. It was a real treat to spend some time with him. He had recently lost a friend to cancer, but his friend's boat was left to him to cover the costs owed as the marina owner had provided slip, storage and other services without pay for some years. We were given the chance to climb around the older 33 footer, but it was difficult to determine what shape she was in. The gear was definitely circa 1960, so it would be an expensive refit, if someone bought her.

Bill and Nino then put on their Chef's hats and cooked up a terrific dinner on Kelly III's propane grill and alcohol stove. The steaks were excellent and the fresh bread dipped in virgin olive oil and vinegar was superb. Bill's attempt at painkiller's was less than notable without Jim's expert guidance, but all the other drinks filled the gap. As always, Sarah was the penultimate sailor and crew as she did whatever she was called upon to do. And always with good cheer, just like Nino and Bill!

NOAA Chart of Barcelona Harbor, NY

We also met the skipper who shared his local knowledge with us. It turns out he's originally from Titusville, sold his fledgling cable business, bought the hull and built his boat in 1978. From his humble beginnings in Barcelona Harbor, he sailed around the world on the boat he was working on when he spoke up about where the deep water was. He has sailed 3 times around the world, met his wife in the South Pacific and continued sailing with her. It is truly amazing the terrific people we have met on our humble adventures around Lake Erie.

Our sail back the next morning was wonderful as our motoring was soon replaced by a building breeze until we were sailing along at 4 to 6 knots with a reefed jib! Again, we got some nice photos of the brig Niagara as she was out sailing in the lake waters off Erie, PA.

Nino certainly enjoys sailing!

Season Prep and Sailing on Memorial Day - May 25-29, 2007

Two weeks ago, we had a terrific turnout for getting Kelly III fully prepared for sailing. Jack vanArsdale, Bob Zimmerman, and Whitney Stewart made the effort necessary to replace the tiller head, only to discover that Catalina Direct provided parts with a hole drilled in the wrong position. Regardless, the crew was terrific and did everything needed to get Kelly Prepped to be splashed. Gerard, harbormaster at Bay Harbor Marina, towed Kelly III to the Travel Lift for putting Kelly III into the water. Once in the water, we carefully turned Kelly III 180 degrees, then motored her out onto the bay, arranged the fenders and lines, then re-entered the marina and docked her smoothly, despite the stiff westerly breeze.

The four of us then enjoyed a nice dinner at Max & Erma's, then each went their separate ways.

On Sunday May 20, Whitney Stewart, Troy Cain, Guy Stewart, Dave (Guy's brother-in-law), Kevin Wells, and Keith Otto all came out for another day of hard work. We motored Kelly III across the bay to the gin pole in the state park. Once there, we lowered the mast, replaced the masthead sheaves and spreader sockets, then re-stepped the mast. While we were replacing mast parts, another small boat stepped her mast and Kevin and Keith, as great crew do, provided the aid necessary to help our fellow sailors step their mast. I kept Whitney, Troy, Guy, and Dave busy on Kelly III. Once we completed the job, we motored through 25 knot winds and short, choppy waves to return to Bay Harbor Marina. Once there, we closed up the boat and all enjoyed a wonderful dinner paid for by Guy and Keith at JR's Sloppy Duck, the restaurant at the marina.

Then just one day later. I got a call from the boat broker that a buyer had made an offer to buy Kelly III. While there are details to resolve, it looks like Kelly III will get a new owner.

My first response was that I was committed to sailing on Memorial Day weekend and so we sailed!

On Saturday, Keith Otto and I bent on the genoa and mainsail, then took Kelly for a brief sail around Presque Isle Bay. Then Amanda and Tom joined us for a Saturday overnight sail to Conneaut, OH. We had a quiet motor for a couple hours, then the wind picked up so we had a wonderful sail into Conneaut, arriving about 7am.

The new owners at the bait shop on the municipal pier were as friendly as could be. We got free cookies and coffee, topped off our gas tank, then moved onto a free slip at the municipal pier.

Keith, Tom, and Amanda took a walk through town to get a nice breakfast and beautiful morning exercise. I caught up on my sleep, then negotiated a shower for the crew. We had a terrific chicken and steak sandwich meal prepared on board by Keith for lunch. Then we cleaned up and took a walk into town for a great Italian meal at the "World Famous" Pizza Café in Conneaut.

About 8:45am on Monday morning, we motored out of Conneaut across calm and very cool waters (54F). After a couple hours of easy motoring, we were able to raise all Kelly III's sails, including her second headsail. Even though the breeze was only 5 knots or so, we were able to make 3 - 4 knots. As the day wore on the wind gradually built to almost 10 knots. This meant we were able to easily sail at 4.5 - 5.5 knots. Finally the wind direction forced us to drop the second headsail and push ahead with genny and main alone. Even so, we made better than 4 knots for the rest of the trip back into Erie. We enjoyed seeing the tall masted brig, Niagara as she was out for a Memorial Day sail as well.

Tom and Amanda has to leave as both had to work on Tuesday, but Keith and I enjoyed another nice dinner at Max & Erma's.

Kaoru NYC Visit, February 1, 2007

Kaoru, Paul, Russell on ferry to Liberty Island

Takashi, my Japanese brother (he spent our senior year of high school, '71-'72, with us) sent his daughter to the US for a visit in 2007. 

Liberty's Torch in the museum at ground level

We took her from Pittsburgh to Bloomsburg to see my mother, then on to New York City to visit my brother Russell and the city sights and even went skiing for a day outside of Scranton, PA at Montage Mountain. 

Russell, Kaoru, Paul at Liberty's Torch in museum

I burned some hotel travel points by getting free rooms for us at the Waldorf Astoria while in NYC.

Liberty viewed from the base

Due to construction and renovations, we could not go higher than the top of the base.

Lower Manhattan from the top of Liberty's base

Paul, Kaoru, Russell from the top of Liberty's base

Kaoru does the obligatory pose as we sail away

Our view from the Empire State Building that evening 

Full moon from the Empire State Building

St. Patrick's frames the full moon

Lake Erie Surfers then Conneaut - September 2006

Labor Day Weekend was intended to be a longer trip with plans for one or even 2 stops in Canada. With the remnants of Hurricane Ernesto blowing through, our plans for an overnight passage or 2 went with the wind. Keith Otto, Troy Cain, Jack vanArsdale and I had a quiet dinner Friday evening, September 1 to discuss what our Labor Day Sail would become. Jack and Troy had activities at home calling them, so they made plans to join Keith and I on Sunday morning in Erie, after the weather cleared out of Erie. Keith and I went to spend the weekend on board, but no sailing on Saturday!

Photo from internet (not my photo)

After spending much of the day indoors at the impressive Erie Maritime Museum (including a terrific tour of the tall ship Niagara) we drove out to the lighthouse on the channel’s North Pier. The Pier had green water washing over the concrete and spray from the 35 knot winds was blowing Over the top of the lighthouse, 42 feet above the water! We were in our full foul weather gear and we never stepped in front of the lighthouse, figuring the lighthouse should take the brunt of the waves’ power. There were several SURFERS on the beach!! They would walk out onto the pier carrying their surfboards, then step into the waves on the beach side (north side) of the Pier and surf the 400 feet into the beach on the 6 to 10 foot breaking waves.

On Sunday morning Troy and Jack joined Keith & I for a couple days of day sailing off Erie. We sailed in relatively flat water out on the open Lake then had dinner in town. We stowed the fold-a-boat dinghy on deck for a towing trial on Sunday. After a quiet overnight at anchor in Marina Lake, Presque Isle State Park, we had a great breakfast cooked on board. The trial was to see if we could tow the fold-a-boat lashed fast to the stern. The idea was to test if the dinghy might be towable, even in waves, if secured to the stern. After just a few minutes of towing the dinghy on Presque Isle Bay, Keith discovered that the rubber caps on the ladder legs were vibrated off and the ladder legs were gouging grooves into the plastic hull of the dinghy. Due to the growing damage, we had to drop off the dinghy at the marina. We did learn that if we could rig a viable chafe protector over the ladder legs, then the stern lashing may work quite well.

Keith, Troy, CaptMurph

We finished Monday by sailing several times up and down the bay, enjoying all points of sail. Although we had 2 nice days at sail, all of us are hoping for better weather the next time we plan a long trip on the Lake.

Chart courtesy of NOAA

Sunday, September 10th, Warren and Whitney Stewart and Jack vanArsdale came to Bay Harbor Marina for a work day sanding and applying Teak Oil to the external and internal woodwork on Kelly III. Even so, we took advantage of the fine weather for a brief afternoon day sail. We had a fun time, as short as it was.

Kelly III’s final sail of the season took place this past weekend as Nino Forlini, Bill Paviol and I sailed to and from Conneaut, Ohio. We had hopes of a sail to Canada, but the forecasted South winds (on the nose for a return from Port Dover) led us instead to sail a broad reach to Conneaut and a beam reach back to Erie. As most of you know, the weather was benign and beautiful. The light air enabled us to fly the twin genoa jibs and full main. Our PVC pipe whisker pole seems to fill the need in these light airs. Although stronger winds were forecast for Sunday, we didn’t see a strong breeze until the last hour as we approached the corner around Gull Point and sailed for the channel. A novice sailor, Nino finally experienced a 40 degree heel and some exhilarating deck washing!

While in Conneaut we met the dynamic and exuberant Dakota, a 7 year old dynamo of would-be sailor. He quickly stole our hearts as his dad, Rich, did some fishing and Dakota clambered all over Kelly III and Sea Capers, our neighbor at the Conneaut Municipal Pier (also an Erie boat). Of course, Dakota was very polite and did not come aboard until he was formally invited, a perfect gentleman! As usual, we frequently meet new friends that make every destination a great trip!

Presque Isle Bay Sailing - August 22, 2006

This past weekend we were hoping to sail to Port Dover, but the rain was too intense. Jack, Bob, Jim and I sailed through the rain, but stayed in the bay and soon anchored in Marina Lake for lunch. We spoke via radio with a visiting ketch, but without the dinghy (we left it at the dock) we were unable to visit. Later we sailed to Smuggler’s Wharf for dinner, then back to Bay Harbor Marina for the night.

Our good old Boy Scout Trail Tarp covered the cockpit so despite the rain overnight, we were cool and comfortable AND DRY! :-) On Sunday morning we sailed around the bay, avoiding the morning EYC race boats, then ended up back at anchor for another great lunch provided by Bob. We were so tired from sailing and eating that a nap was called for. Eventually we had a lazy trip back to the dock and went to Joe Roots for dinner. A lazy weekend, but still fun and we sailed about 21 miles up & down the bay.

Emerald Green Water - August 2, 2006

This past weekend Warren Stewart, his son Whitney, Jack vanArsdale and I had a terrific sail to Port Dover.

The wind at 8:15am on Saturday was a little on the light side, about 5 – 8 knots. We decided to put up all the sail Kelly III has: Twin Genoas and full Mainsail. My homemade whisker pole made from schedule 40 PVC pipe was severely tested as the wind kept increasing and actually bent the pole into a “U” without the pole breaking! Finally, as the wind got to about 12 knots or so, we pulled down the extra genny.

Guy, Whitney, Murph sailing Kelly III

Within an hour or so we began furling the standard genny. By Noon we tied in a reef in the Main, but almost immediately put the 2nd reef into the Main. With the 2nd reef we unfurled the genny to full size, but only for a short while. The wind continued to build and we continued to furl the Genoa. By 1:30pm we were approaching Long Point, but due to the weird, hazy conditions, still could not see Long Point until we were within 1.25 miles of the lighthouse!
We also saw the strangest water color I’ve ever seen in almost 20 years of crossing to Port Dover: There was an almost perfectly straight line from West to East, dividing the dark green water south of Long Point from a very pale, emerald, opaque water coming off of Long Point. My theory is that the sand was being washed off the southern shore of Long Point and the white-capped water kept the sand suspended so that the water off the Point was so pale the green was almost white. 

Emerald Green Water Off Long Point

All of us took turns steering but sometime after Jack took the tiller North of Long Point he took Kelly III to our max speed of the day of 8.3 knots! And this was with a double-reefed main and half-furled genny! My estimate is we were seeing a wind speed about 20 – 25 knots and waves of 2 – 4 feet. We saw the speedo hit rates well over 7 knots with some regularity, but when we checked the GPS, it showed a max speed of 8.3 knots which could only have happened while Jack was steering. Look out Troy! Jack has your record in sight!
Sunday was beautiful, but hot and with no wind at all, so we motored the entire trip back to Erie. Clearly, after the boisterous sail Saturday and the endurance motoring on Sunday, Kelly III is now working great!