On the Harbor: An update on pump-out stations, CAD project

George Hylkema demonstrating his pump-out catch system   

                                                    

 By LEN BOSE

This time of year, those last summer sailing nights and sunset Duffy cruises seem to mean so much more to me as each year passes by. I’m not ready to give up on summer yet, and while heading west up the south end of the Lido Channel into the warm evening breeze, I reflected on some of my harbor observations over the last two weeks.

While attending this month’s Harbor Commission meeting, water quality Sr. Civil Engineer John Kappeler updated the commission on the five pump-out stations around the harbor. A pump-out station is the place where boaters can pump out the raw sewage from their boats’ holding tanks. For as long as I can remember, these five stations were always in need of repair, while the two stations at the public piers at Washington and Fernando streets never seemed to work very well. Four years ago, I wrote a story, “The overqualified Noel Plutchak is making our harbor cleaner.” A couple of years back, Plutchak was working on the station at Fernando Street when George Hylkema was returning from his boat on one of the moorings. The two met, and I would assume Plutchak told Hylkema the problem he has had with these pump-out stations over many years. The problem started with boaters placing the pump-out hose into their bilges then sucking up sharp objects, screws, hose clamps, etc. that would disrupt the vacuum system.

The cost of repairing these pumps was substantial along with the constant maintenance needed to keep them working. Hylkema being an engineer came up with the idea of removing these objects before they entered the pumping system. After Hylkema came up with his prototype catch system, he presented it to the city a couple of times, then catching the eye of Kappeler. After a testing period, the city now has this system in three of its pump-out stations. I have to assume that they will be installed in all five very soon. By the way, the stations at Washington and Fernando streets have been updated and work as well as the other stations around the harbor.

During Kappeler’s presentation, he ran a video interview with Hylkema explaining the system which is very informative if you are into this kind of…stuff. You can watch the video on YouTube here. Quite often one can look past the simple things that matter the most to our harbor. A huge “well done” has to go out to Hylkema, Plutchak and Kappeler. If there was ever a Harbor Hall of Fame, Hylkema and Plutchak should be among the first two to be installed. Reach out and thank them for their hard work.

Speaking of hard work, a good friend of mine asked me to write about the efforts of the Team Palmer Group investigation into CAD alternatives. The CAD is a Confined Aquatic Disposal (CAD) that is designed to be 450 x 450 feet and 47-foot-deep hole in the harbor. A complete explanation can be found here. The CAD will be located in the five points area of the harbor in the anchorage area just east of Lido Isle. Team Palmer has spent a lot of time looking for other alternatives for the disposal of unsuitable materials that will be brought up in the lower bay dredging project. The team has been granted an extension of 30 days to present their alternatives and implement them. Within the next two months, they will be presenting their three alternatives to the Harbor Commission where I am sure it will then move forward to the City Council with the commission’s recommendation.

My father always told me to be prompt in returning people’s phone calls and listening to what they have to offer before making my mind up. Stay tuned because the bottom line is what is best for our harbor.

It’s time again to bring up the Balboa Angling Club’s 40th Annual Master Angler Billfish Tournament set for September 10-12. Everyone is invited to participate in the oldest and most prestigious all-release marlin tournament on the West Coast. The club Facebook page is full of this summer’s catches, junior anglers’ tournament results. I have said this for years…the Balboa Angling Club is the best deal in town, so check it out at www.balboaanglingclub.org. 

Sea ya.

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Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.

The Harbor Report: The overqualified Noel Plutchak is making our harbor cleaner 2/1/2016

Learn just how easy it is to use our pump out stations

Len Bose

I have a story for you this week that you will not see coming and I will do my best to stray away from all the pun’s that can flow from it. Over the last year I kept hearing about the person who has been maintaining our boats' pump-out stations around the harbor and what an outstanding job this person had been doing.

He is Noel Plutchak, who moved to the Los Angles area in 1974 and began working at USC in the Environment, Geography and Marine Sciences department. Later that year he moved over, as chief scientist, to Interstate Electronics, where is stayed until 1992.

He moved next to the Raytheon Co. and later ran his own consulting firm. Today he works for Blue Water design group, which provides planning for marina and waterfront resorts. As a side job, he maintains our harbor pump-out stations for the Chuck South Mooring Co.

And I thought I was overqualified to be a part-time dock master.

Every three months Plutchak makes the rounds to inspect all six pump-out stations and is on call when one breaks down. Each station takes about an hour to inspect for pressure and flow rates.

"These things are really key, if the pumps are performing or not," Plutchak said.

He also checks oil levels and grease fittings and looks for corrosion.

If you are a regular reader you already know that one of our problems at the pump-out stations is boaters placing the nozzles into their bilges and sucking out hazardous materials, such as motor oil, engine coolant and transmission fluid, not to mention fuel pads, nuts, bolts and razor blades.

Sharp items can cut the vacuum hoses inside the pumps at a replacement cost of $1,000 apiece. Over the last two months, at the 15th Street stations, two hoses have needed replacement.

We are still trying to save every dollar we can to improve our harbor. If you happen to see someone bringing a pump-out station hose from below decks, take down the type and name of the boat and send them in an email to or call the harbor department.

I asked Plutchak what not to do when pumping out waste.

"Do not open the valve until (the) nozzle tip is in place," he said. "I have watched boaters open the nozzle, then take the hose and nozzle over the deck flange without making a good connection. With the vacuum valve open, the waste will rise quickly and spray out the side of the nozzle until inserting the nozzle into the flange properly. Make sure you do not open the nozzle until the tip is inside the flange."

The same advice works when removing the nozzle from the deck flange. Turn the vacuum off first, then remove the nozzle. It is also good practice to gently lay down the nozzle on the ground because many nozzle tips are made from hard plastic, and if banged onto the ground will crack.

Next, take the water hose and place a couple of gallons of water into your holding tanks, and then pump out the fresh water. This will clean your holding tank and the pump-out equipment. Return the vacuum nozzle and hose to the stand and turn off the pump. The fewer hours on the pumps, the longer they will last.

Now, if you are like me, and you are wondering how a chief scientist can ever pick up extra work as a pump-out station repair man, then you will have to thank our harbor resources manager, Chris Miller.

While Plutchak was working for Mooring Systems Inc. in 2006 and 2007, Miller worked with Plutchak on another harbor project. And when we received our new pump-out stations a couple of years ago, Miller knew just the person to call to take care of it.

I have not met Plutchack yet but from what I have heard from around town is “he is the sh*t” and over the phone I head a person that loves our harbor and is doing his part in making it a cleaner harbor.

LEN BOSE is an experienced boater, yacht broker and boating columnist for the Daily Pilot.

On the Harbor: Transpac Part ll

HORIZON Finishing 2021 Trans Pac                                 Photos by Sharon Green | Ultimate Sailing Photography

By LEN BOSE

I left you about a month ago rounding the west end of Catalina headed to Honolulu, Hawaii, in this year’s Transpac race aboard the Santa Cruz 50 Horizon. We talked about all the hardships of the race like living on a 20-degree angle for the first four days, serving food while getting bounced around the boat and gearing up for the first few cold nights. I ended that story with the question: What keeps us coming back?

“It’s a cool thing to do,” quoting Peter Eisler who is one of the world’s most sought-after navigators sailing aboard Roy Disney’s Pyewacket. Aboard Horizon, the race could not have gone any better. We had an intensely close race with Steve Sellinger’s Santa Cruz 52 Triumph, who had put together an exceedingly strong team with local sailors Justin Law and Brad Wheeler aboard, taking the lead from the start then holding that lead most of the way to Hawaii. At about 600 miles out from the finish line, Triumph had about a 15-mile lead on us. Horizon found a wind shift, then fell into favorable conditions which allowed us to take the lead at about 180 miles from the finish line. It was early morning when we crossed the finish line with Triumph only 22 minutes behind us after sailing about 2,300 miles. Horizon and Triumph had both beaten the course record for a Santa Cruz 50/52, which was set by the boat Allure in 1897 at 9 days, 6 minutes and 23 seconds. Triumph had sailed the course in 8 days, 23 hours and 46 minutes, Horizon at 8 days, 23 hours and 25 minutes. Sailing against strong competitors while making Transpac history is only part of the reason as to what keeps us coming back. 

Notice Triumph spinnaker in background.

Working through the mental and physical challenges can be wearing on the body. After being in the sun for close to nine days, then working on the boat for the next two, I was speaking in tongues, well the Mai Tais might have a little something to do with it also. I still need to apologize to Debi Springer, who I was talking to on my return home in front of Santa Monica Seafood, as I thought she was Terry Duffield. The pitch-black nights can also be very intimidating while racing. I had come on watch, walked back behind the wheel, turned around and there was nothing in front of us other than a black wall. James Malm and I were on the same watch together and after he came on deck, he just started laughing, “Hey Len, is that a black wall in front of us – are we going to SLAM right into it?” Malm asked. During these dark nights, while doing your trick at the wheel, you would get these large wind gusts of eight to 10 knots with the swell deciding to take another direction. Working your way through these conditions can really pucker you up. You can also get a little intimidated while waiting in the on-deck circle wondering if you can do this.

Sailing downwind for five days in the warm Pacific tradewinds will be a fond memory, sighting sea life, cloud formations, rainbows, moonbows, passing ships in the night – they will always be etched into our memories. While waking up for my watch, my nickname had changed from Lenny B to Lenny Beats because I left my funk playlist playing and the on-watch had been dancing the whole four hours. For some strange reason that made me feel good; music will break tension, gelling us more as a team while gaining on our opponents. I have been dancing across the Pacific while listening to Michael Jackson since my first Transpac in 1983.

My last three Transpacs have been day finishes which are always an added bonus. Hearing a crew member shout “Land Ho” is always refreshing along with a relief of tension that the water maker, refrigeration, battery charging system, head and electronics are all still working. When approaching the islands from a southerly route, you will first see parts of the Big Island, Maui, and then sail right next to Molokai before entering the Molokai Channel. This channel can quickly slap you upside the head because of the increased wind strength and sea conditions. I recall four times, over the years, when the channel has picked us up and laid us on our side while I was blowing bubbles in the cockpit. Being able to take on the Molokai Channel while keeping the boat in control and sailing at top performance will always make you want more. If the channel rubs your nose in it, then around a week after the finish you’ll start dreaming that you would like another chance.

The finish line is always exciting no matter what time of day it is. The wind always seems to be blowing in the mid-20s with the wind angle at a close reach, making it difficult to keep the boat in control with a spinnaker up. You have to finish the race with a spinnaker up, because that’s what’s in the race brochure. If you are lucky enough to finish in daylight, then the camera boats are all around you and there’s no pressure.

The greeting the Hawaii Yacht Club and the Transpac Yacht Club give you is most memorable with a big alooooooha, then a review of the crew roster welcoming you to the islands and of course, the Mai Tais. Blend this with loved ones waiting for you at the dock, while trying to obtain your land legs again which makes this all a “cool thing to do.” For me, I am considering hanging up my sea boots; Horizon has been placed on the market for sale, so this might be the perfect time to call it quits while on top of the Santa Cruz 50 fleet. With 14 Pacific crossings, going out with 1st place in a division and with a new course record for a Santa Cruz 50 feels right. Yes, I will miss Horizon, but I will never forget all the memories and my lifelong friends that sailed with me aboard her.

Sea ya.

~~~~~~~~

Len Bose is a yachting enthusiast, yacht broker and harbor columnist for Stu News Newport.