May 19,2011
Oh my gosh! I'm neglecting the boat projects page! Take me off of boat projects, I can't be trusted to update y'all! Umm, didn't fall for that, huh? Alright, let's see what I have in my products bag for us today....
I've been busy in the rear head, putting an acrylic panel in place between the shower and the sink counter. This will enable us to use the hand held shower thingy without soaking stuff clear across the bathroom. I also am installing a new shower rod since the old one was not salvageable. Am installing as in "I haven't gotten to that part yet."
  |
The real super-duper project that Al and I completed is the new backsplash mirror. It reflects light, adds a touch of class and makes the salon appear super-huge, all in one! I can't get away from this without mentioning the granddaddy project Al has going on in the cockpit. When completed, it will be like helming a 747. You can see he has run some of the many wires needed, and of course the new gleaming stainless guard that towers over everything. I feel like a couple more days should see us with a multitude of uncompleted projects!
Al is installing 2 new electrical outlets in the galley for
me. Sounds simple enough, but if you are a cruiser, you are already shaking
your head, because you know there’s got to be more.
me. Sounds simple enough, but if you are a cruiser, you are already shaking
your head, because you know there’s got to be more.
And the cruisers win this one.
We needed to move the outlet that was on the wall behind the
sink. Said outlet was too close to the sink, and I wanted it over near the
stove in the corner. So we moved it. New holes, new wire to be run, but
wait.
sink. Said outlet was too close to the sink, and I wanted it over near the
stove in the corner. So we moved it. New holes, new wire to be run, but
wait.
While we are doing this wire running, let’s put in a new
outlet on the far side of the stove, where the previous owner has always run an
extension cord under the settee to power the coffee pot and toaster. New holes,
new wires run, but wait.
outlet on the far side of the stove, where the previous owner has always run an
extension cord under the settee to power the coffee pot and toaster. New holes,
new wires run, but wait.
Since we are running all this wire and cutting these fantastic
holes, lets decide where we want the LED cockpit party lights and go ahead and
install that. Cut new hole, run new wires, but wait.
holes, lets decide where we want the LED cockpit party lights and go ahead and
install that. Cut new hole, run new wires, but wait.
We really liked David from Annabelle’s mirror behind his
galley sink area. Since we have just gotten rid of the outlet on that wall,
let’s get the mirror so we can install that too.
galley sink area. Since we have just gotten rid of the outlet on that wall,
let’s get the mirror so we can install that too.
So the afternoon was spent with the power off and the
inverter running the drill, the fans (it was HOT) and the computer. I had to vacuum
sawdust numerous times, and Al was using the drill and the saw.
inverter running the drill, the fans (it was HOT) and the computer. I had to vacuum
sawdust numerous times, and Al was using the drill and the saw.
Do you see where I’m going with this? You do if you’re a
cruiser.
cruiser.
We finally hooked the shore power back into the boat and
started the process of listening to the inverter charge the batteries while
listening also to the raging thunderstorm going on outside.
started the process of listening to the inverter charge the batteries while
listening also to the raging thunderstorm going on outside.
Then everything went dead.
Try as we might, no power would flow, no charge would
happen. Our inverter had taken a powder. Obviously, the main breaker for the
boatyard had tripped. Al waited until after the hail stopped to climb off the
boat.
happen. Our inverter had taken a powder. Obviously, the main breaker for the
boatyard had tripped. Al waited until after the hail stopped to climb off the
boat.
The moat was back and we don’t have a dinghy here on the
hard, so Al took off his shoes. He said it came up over his ankles a bit. But
when he came back and tried to get the power to flow, there was no joy in
Mudville. Alarms went off, panic ensued, and the inverter had developed a
fault.
hard, so Al took off his shoes. He said it came up over his ankles a bit. But
when he came back and tried to get the power to flow, there was no joy in
Mudville. Alarms went off, panic ensued, and the inverter had developed a
fault.
So we did what we normally do when confronted by things we
don’t understand. We went out to eat. Al took the inverter booklet along and we
brainstormed and read it aloud (so we can hear what it is telling us) to each
other.
don’t understand. We went out to eat. Al took the inverter booklet along and we
brainstormed and read it aloud (so we can hear what it is telling us) to each
other.
We finally decided to put the regular AC charger on it when
we got back and do without power for the night. Of course, the first thing we
did was reset the main yard breaker again, then we unplugged the TV plug (which
we had forgotten about earlier, then flipped off everything AC and DC at the
breaker box. We held our breathe and pushed the inverter button.
we got back and do without power for the night. Of course, the first thing we
did was reset the main yard breaker again, then we unplugged the TV plug (which
we had forgotten about earlier, then flipped off everything AC and DC at the
breaker box. We held our breathe and pushed the inverter button.
It came on and started charging. Just like it was supposed
to do. We had lights within a few hours when it went into float charge mode.
to do. We had lights within a few hours when it went into float charge mode.
We will start trying to connect our galley lights another
day. And the party lights too if we can keep from breaking things as we fix
them. The mirror doesn’t involve electricity, but there’s plenty of opportunity
to mess that up too, and when we do, you will read about it here.
day. And the party lights too if we can keep from breaking things as we fix
them. The mirror doesn’t involve electricity, but there’s plenty of opportunity
to mess that up too, and when we do, you will read about it here.
April 21,2011
Al is a genius. Our
head (toilets) have two ways to get rid of waste. One allows us to flush overboard. This is what we do offshore, but we can't do it within Three miles of
the coastline. The second allows us to flush into a holding tank. This can only be emptied at a pump-out facility, which are in short supply here and a lot of places where we need them. And if
our tank is full, we can't use the head unless we are three miles offshore.
Dilemma.
One sure solution
is to run new plumbing hose from the tank to the overboard seacock near the head, place a y-valve there, and a macerator pump. Rather expensive, very labor
intensive, oh, and did I mention we have two heads and two tanks? So double the
cost, effort and such.
Enter Al. We found
a Whale Titan waste/ bilge pump at 50% off. He mounted it to a board, found a lot of hose at a consignment store, ordered a pumpout adapter, and put it all
together.
Now, thanks to him,
we can attach this to the waste holes on the deck and put the other end in the offshore waters and sit on the board. Then we can easily pump the waste out of
the tanks and into the sea.
And as a bonus, if
we start sinking, we can sit on the board in the cockpit, place one end down below, the other end in the sea, and pump until we get rescued, fix the hole, or
give up and sink!
April 20,2011
The mast is done. The measurements
have been taken of the shrouds and the yard is handling the quote to the
insurance company, so that is out of our hands now. Waitwaitwait....
have been taken of the shrouds and the yard is handling the quote to the
insurance company, so that is out of our hands now. Waitwaitwait....
We have finished painting and have
compounded the topsides. Today we will polish them with Finesse it II, and then
we can apply our lettering. Al is progressing nicely with the transducer hole,
the doughnut is epoxied, as soon as it dries, he will continue with that. He
hefted the inverter into the engine room and onto the wall last night. "Grunt!
It's done!" Thing weighs over seventy pounds. I hope it is bolted on securely.
I'm anxious to start compounding the verticals on the deck and in the cockpit,
should make her look like new. I Marine-texed all the tiny gelcoat dings around
her deck and topsides yesterday, and a large part of the day was spent on the
lawn, hand stitching all new sail slugs around the bolt-rope for the mainsail
foot. These slide into a groove in the boom, and keep the sail on the boom. Even
with the hand palm to help, the job was hard on the fingers. I can feel it
today.
compounded the topsides. Today we will polish them with Finesse it II, and then
we can apply our lettering. Al is progressing nicely with the transducer hole,
the doughnut is epoxied, as soon as it dries, he will continue with that. He
hefted the inverter into the engine room and onto the wall last night. "Grunt!
It's done!" Thing weighs over seventy pounds. I hope it is bolted on securely.
I'm anxious to start compounding the verticals on the deck and in the cockpit,
should make her look like new. I Marine-texed all the tiny gelcoat dings around
her deck and topsides yesterday, and a large part of the day was spent on the
lawn, hand stitching all new sail slugs around the bolt-rope for the mainsail
foot. These slide into a groove in the boom, and keep the sail on the boom. Even
with the hand palm to help, the job was hard on the fingers. I can feel it
today.
April 9,2011
Lots of the ordered stuff has come
in and is now cluttering the car, the boat and the uptairs loft of the
boatyard.
in and is now cluttering the car, the boat and the uptairs loft of the
boatyard.
In actual "things" that we are
doing we have:
doing we have:
laid down the first coat of primer
on the sheer stripe and the bootstripe. It's kinda funny, we have changed our
minds on what to do about the boot-stripe about a hundred times and painting it
yellow was never in the equation. (Anyone who needs a 100' roll of yellow1inch
boot-stripe tape, see me.) Our bright yellow paint has arrived, but as the
primer needs to dry, it may be some time before the joy of putting that on
arrives.
on the sheer stripe and the bootstripe. It's kinda funny, we have changed our
minds on what to do about the boot-stripe about a hundred times and painting it
yellow was never in the equation. (Anyone who needs a 100' roll of yellow1inch
boot-stripe tape, see me.) Our bright yellow paint has arrived, but as the
primer needs to dry, it may be some time before the joy of putting that on
arrives.
I have to clean and wax the mast
today. I shot the scraped places with some spray paint a few days ago, so it has
cured enough to clean up.
today. I shot the scraped places with some spray paint a few days ago, so it has
cured enough to clean up.
We are waiting for some of the last
of the masthead instruments to arrive, then we will run new wires inside the
mast and replace the lights with our new LED ones. I got the BEBI
tri-color/anchor light for the top. It has a photo sensor in the anchor light.
Switch it to on and never touch it again. On at dusk, off at daybreak. Never
again will I run the ICW and get the dreaded VHF call that our anchor light is
burning daylight.
of the masthead instruments to arrive, then we will run new wires inside the
mast and replace the lights with our new LED ones. I got the BEBI
tri-color/anchor light for the top. It has a photo sensor in the anchor light.
Switch it to on and never touch it again. On at dusk, off at daybreak. Never
again will I run the ICW and get the dreaded VHF call that our anchor light is
burning daylight.
I can't wait till we get back to
the dock and start remodeling the steering ped. New guard rail, new
chartplotter, new housing for same. Al already has installed the new throttles
and they are beautiful and shiny.
the dock and start remodeling the steering ped. New guard rail, new
chartplotter, new housing for same. Al already has installed the new throttles
and they are beautiful and shiny.
April 1,2011
A number of new items have been
ordered for installation this past week since coming into the yard.
ordered for installation this past week since coming into the yard.
We have ordered the new offset
guard for the steering pedestal, as well as the new Standard Horizon CPV350
chartplotter. We also took advantage of the vaporized tri-color/anchor light and
are replacing it with a BEBI LED tricolor/anchor light. The Raymarine ST60
wind/depth/autopilot systems have been ordered. Also a new Xantrex2000
inverter/charger and remote are on the way. New sending sensors from the engine
to the control panel (oil pressure, tankage and temp.) are ordered.
guard for the steering pedestal, as well as the new Standard Horizon CPV350
chartplotter. We also took advantage of the vaporized tri-color/anchor light and
are replacing it with a BEBI LED tricolor/anchor light. The Raymarine ST60
wind/depth/autopilot systems have been ordered. Also a new Xantrex2000
inverter/charger and remote are on the way. New sending sensors from the engine
to the control panel (oil pressure, tankage and temp.) are ordered.
We have sent the bimini off to be replaced. Poor thing, it's beyond any hope of repair. The patches are failing. When Al and I removed it for Hurricane Earl last August, The weight of the fabric overcame the strength of the material along the front bow and it split. The end result was two tears one almost two feet long, along the top.
We sent it with pictures of it on the boat and a detailed list of "gotta-haves" to Key Largo Canvas. I told them I will have to let them know where to send it back when they are finished.
That's right, I can't tell them now where I will be at that time (about 2-3 weeks). Will I be in FL? At the boatyard in Washington, NC? At the Slip on Jordan Creek? Funny how when life starts really "happening" nothing is certain.
The bimini goes over the cockpit, and supplies us with sun and rain protection as we cruise. Combined with the plastic windows that attach to the edges, it also makes it warmer in the cockpit during a cols snap.
The bimini is grey, along with the trim around the windows. Of course the new bimini will be Sunflower yellow, OUR COLOR, so we will have to see how that works out with the grey edges of the windows. I don't plan to replace those anytime soon. Oh well, it's just a little grey. What I should be worried about is that huge grey sail cover above the bimini, stealing all it's yellow-thunder.
Can you say summer sewing project?
