I gotta tell you that even though there is one storm after the other rolling across the mid west, in Buffalo town things are looking up. Seems like spring is right around the corner. I have even heard songbirds a couple of times in the past week, not winter birds but summer songbirds. I have even begun to look for robins which even you Floridians know is a sure sign of spring.
Time to start thinking about spring projects, a new season and sailing. So for this posting just give us one and only one.
Me? I will be refinishing the V-berth area. I will be covering the genuine synthetic "70's" plastic formica wood with the real wood paneling that covers the rest of Maruska's interior and making new doors for the lockers. I am also adding north American quartersawn white ash horizontal paneling strips to cover the white fiberglass liner that makes up 50% of that space from the bunk bases up to the top cap rail. Wood is good.
How about you? What's instore for your private island this spring? A new bottom? Sexy new ports? A new sail or two or is this the year that your teak takes on a melt in your mouth eye candy look?
Good Sailing...
Dale Tanski
Dale,
Pictures, please sir...
This winter & spring theme is electric!
I am installing a ST60 Graphic display at the navstation (been in a box on the boat for 4 1/2 yrs), a S100 remote for the autopilot, a Victron 602 battery monitor, and added 3 additional 12 volt circuits with 4 12v plugs. In the process, I am forcing myself to clean up old wiring "sins" (some were my doing - others were the work of previous owners).
And of course, the standard and ongoing chasing of leaks, bottom paint, zincs, and the spring coat of Cetol.
Oh yes, I am finally installing lazy jack (been promising to do this for 9 yrs).... Hum Lazy Garner....
Garner
It's warm here in the islands (no robins). Pretty well done with all my big projects for now -- time to let the boat sing for her supper.
Dirk
PS -- I always enjoy Dale's pictures -- helps to set the bar high!
The only pictures I have at this point is a stack of lumber that is half plained. I always try to take pictures but most often forget until the project is done. I will try to do better.
Dirk - Sounds like you are doing well. How has it been living aboard? Any suggestions on that issue? Should of, could of's, would of's?
Garner - Glad to hear I am not the only one with stuff in boxes for years. I also acquired a graphic display for my Simrad system off of E-Bay this winter that is going to be installed at the nav station as well. I try to spend the nasty nights aboard and need a way to see what the wind speed is up to while I read in my bunk. I just happen to have a remote for my wheel pilot that has been in the box for several years as well. That one needs a plug in the cockpit installed to make happen. I am about to order more 12v outlets as well after installing one at the nav station last fall and saying "what took so long?". Another coat of bottom paint - check, and a coat of varnish vrs Cetol for me. Please let us know how the lazy jack project goes. This has been on my "should I ?" list for years as well. I have also thought of the stack pack method but that cost money.
Dale
Every year seems to revolve around one big project; this year it is replacing the trashed saod for a rebuilt velvet drive. Never liked the paragon anyway. Been gathering parts all winter and waiting to uncover and actually start installing! The tranny superceded the planned new genny. Also planning more rewiring, maybe rubber gunnel guards, divide anchor locker for two rodes, redesigned outboard motor lift.... and anything that comes to mind in the midst of the next crisis. You know that we are all crazy, right? Certifiable. Jim
Wow, so we don't have many big projects, just the list of on going fixes. Mostly we want to get good LED lighting, another solar panel, and better insulation of the box so we can save on generator time next year.
In the mean time, it is sunny and 82 degrees here in the British Virgin Islands. I am in a bar using the free wifi and sipping a pain killer while seeing what's up here at the yacht club. If anybody plans on coming down this way, let us know. Otherwise we are working our way up to Florida by June.
Wayne
This is all very therapeutic! We are indeed all crazy.
Jim - I would like to know how you make out with your Velvet Drive and how big of an improvement you think it is. I own a very old inboard powerboat with a V-8 and a Velvet Drive (it was an orphan and free). It is an excellent transmission in that application and I was impressed how it was made when I serviced it. I like the idea of a divided anchor chain locker but the partition would have to be removable to provide human access for servicing other items up there.
Wayne - If you ever find good LED lighting let us all know. It seems they either do not throw any light, they throw the wrong type of light (harsh, wrong color, too spotty) no matter what the cost. I just went through looking for LED lights for our home kitchen project and in order for them to throw decent light, they run very very hot. Some even use cooling fans and even then the life expectancy drops way off. They better last thousands of hours because they will never pay for themselves in power savings. The boat is a different story as the cord isn't long enough.
Dale Tanski
I've been very pleased with the LED lights I purchased from CruisingSolutions.com. The screw-in Edison bulbs have a nice warm light that works well in the v-berth and salon fixtures. The bayonet bulbs worked well in the round fixtures in the galley, chart table, and head. I put a red led and white led in the fixtures above the sink and in the head. At the chart table I put a red/white led and a white led (figured I needed the extra brightness). Overnights on the passage from the US -- I would turn on all of the red bulbs -- a pleasant light and it helps keep your night vision.
It would be nice to have solar panels. I ran out of time and energy when I was fitting out the boat -- but some flexible solar panels glued to the coach roof in front of the mast would help to provide daily energy to run the frig. AGM house batteries and a 100 amp alternator certainly help.
If I decide to take the boat further -- I'm pretty sure I'll invest in adding an inner forestay with a furler to give me the option of using a staysail. During this February crossing, I had more wind than I've ever had on any passage between the states and the BVIs. Having a staysail with a furler would have been nice.
I could not have completed the single-handed trip without the Hydrovane Wind Vane -- she was spectacular.
I would not contemplate attempting any offshore trip without an AIS transponder. The DigiYacht transponder worked flawlessly and with the antenna mounted on the top of the mizzen mast -- it looked like I broadcast my signal about 7-10 miles. There's nothing better than watching the large ships set a course to keep a 3 mile CPA.
I'm still adapting to life on the boat -- for one person, there's plenty of room for stuff. I have no idea how Rich squeezed four people onto this boat for as long as he did.
I'm heading out Sunday and will be living on the hook/mooring balls for the next couple of months. I'll let everyone know what my thoughts are after that experience.
Dirk,
Good to hear all is going well. I also have red/white in all of my dome lights. I do love the red at night as well. I also have two dedicated red LED courtesy lights that light up the boat at night in a subtle way that I leave on pretty much 24/7 all season long. They give off just enough light to keep one from stumbling up and down the companion way and to the head.
Thumbs up on the staysail for options. It is my go to sail over 15 kts when on the wind and my headsail is only a 135%.
What does CPA stand for? I suspect it is Closest Point of Approach. Do you have just the outgoing pinger or the screen with receiver? We are all envious with regards to your AIS system not to mention the Hydrovane.
Four people on a 365 traveling... no problem with exception to storage. We sail with one on the helm and one in the standby position in the cockpit awake or asleep, with the others to do what they like which is typically sleep after the first 24 hours.
Yes, CPA is closest point of approach. The DigiYacht transponder receives and broadcasts. It provides both USB and NEMA 0183 outputs. So, it feeds both a computer and chart plotter.
I have the Standard Horizon Matrix VHF which receives AIS transmissions and displays it on the face of the unit and on the face of the extension microphone in the cockpit. The NEMA feed from the VHF also goes to the chart plotter at the helm. The cool thing about this VHF is that it receives the MMSI number of AIS targets which allows you to directly call the target using DSC calling which rings like a phone on the bridge of the target ship.
Dirk
Dirk,
Are you using the DigiYacht AIT2000 ?
Looks good to me. I assume you would recommend this unit. Any suggestions? Any problems?
Best price I have found is $462.
Dale Tanski
Yes, I installed the Digital Yacht AIT2000 at my chart table. I powered it on my VHF circuit so it would always be on when the VHF is on. There's a silent switch that I use to silence transmissions when I'm in a marina or when I don't want to broadcast.
It's worked well so far. Installation was easy. Put a dedicated antenna on my mizzen across from the new wifi booster when I had the sticks out to replace the rigging (there are AIS/VHF splitters available as well). GPS antenna is on the stern rail. If you are thinking of traveling internationally, you should pay for an FCC radio station license which includes an MMSI number. The free BoatUS MMSI numbers are only for inshore recreational sailing since they are uploaded to the USCG database, not international search and rescue databases. Once the transponder is programmed with an MMSI number, it can't be changed.
Can't remember what I paid but I think I caught the Defender boat show sale and it was around $500.
Dirk