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Topics - waterdog

#51
Main Message Board / My Fridge Died
May 30, 2009, 11:16:49 PM
The compressor packed it in.  It was a 26 cubic foot Frigidaire.   I decided to replace the whole unit rather than go through the expensive repair.   My decision had nothing to do with the desire to salvage the handles and redeploy them in the galley...
#52
Main Message Board / Weathercloths Done
May 30, 2009, 11:05:19 PM
Finished the weathercloths on the cockpit this week.   Stitched together 100 cones for the series drogue and rented the house this week.  Oh yeah.  And ordered a bushel of spares from the tractor dealer.   This whole cruising to Mexico thing is starting to look rather serious...
#53
Main Message Board / Dead X5 Wheelpilot
May 20, 2009, 10:25:38 PM
I have brand new installation of the X5 wheel pilot.  I believe it's the same drive unit as the last generation of 4000.  It has maybe ten hours of very lightly loaded use and now all I get is a grinding noise coming from the motor.  Won't turn the wheel.  I adjusted the cam, inspected internally.   This is not a salt build up or cleaning issue.   It is not a load issue - it won't run even after dismounting from the wheel.   This appears to be a toy drive unit.   Raymarine says send it in for repair.  I am more inclined to rip it out and take the whole system back to West Marine.  Are these drives generally reliable and I'm just a statisical outlier?   

I'm inclined to reinstall my old 3000.  It was much more ruggedly built. 
#54
Main Message Board / 400 Watt Bimini
May 13, 2009, 10:31:36 PM
I had a fitting on the new bimini top today.   A few corrections tonight and it should be good to go. 

The canvas is more or less an anti drip membrane.   We thought black canvas would be pretty silly for Mexico, but only a few bits of it will ever see the sun, so why not keep it all matching?    Next up is an acre of solar panels that go on top over two mounting rails. 

I'll be adding a zip-in connecting panel with clear windows to go between the dodger and bimini.    I don't like a full enclosure that is so popular up here, but we will add a few sun screens that will attach to keep things cool at anchor.

The frame is 1 inch stainless, 3 bows, with struts both fore and aft to provide the necessary support for the panels.   

I just need to add a few of those big tubular subwoofers and some racks for the wake boards.
#55
I installed a new plotter.   We have a Garmin 500 series at the wheel.   The new 4000 series runs the radar.   I didn't want it permanently mounted in the cockpit, nor did I want it buried away down below.    So I had an arm fabricated to allow me to have it in the cockpit while we're sailing and swing it away below if we are ashore.   There are too many connections to simply pull it out like we do with the 500.
#56
Main Message Board / Those Edson People
May 07, 2009, 08:49:53 PM
The snap ring behind my wheel split in half and most of it disappeared down the scupper.  I'm not sure if was capital "S" Scupper the dog or lower case "s" scupper the cockpit drain.  In any case, it went missing.   So my wheel is currently held in place with half a snap ring and a little pressure from the wheel nut.   

In other words I'm just inches away from some other disaster that will involve the key going down the scupper and the use of the emergency tiller.

So I checked the Edson website and sure they have them there for six or seven bucks, minimum $25 purchase.    Whatever, big hassle with an international shipment and probably some COD charge from UPS.

So I checked with Westmarine today.   Sure enough I could see the clips neatly packaged in a rebuild kit for $93.   I don't mind paying $6 for an 8 cent clip, but $93 is a little over the top.  I asked Westmarine if they had any of the single clips.   

They immediately raised Edson on the phone.   The Westmarine clerk wasn't really clear what they were asking for, so they put me on the line with the Edson guy.   I discovered that I was also missing a washer that should be there.   

The guy says.  "No problem.   What's your address?   I'll ship them out no charge."

I'm like the third owner of steering system purchased by Catalina 20 years ago.   And they are shipping me parts no charge.   

I like these people.   

#57
Today, the upholstery shop closed.   

It's the grand opening of the sail loft.  We switched from straight stitch to zig zag and smaller needle with finer thread.  1 subassembly down.   4 more to go...

I had always thought kit sails would be a poor alternative to a professional job.   As it turns out, the materials and cut are as good as any you can get at a professional loft.   The only difference is how much care and attention you put into the job - something completely in your control.   No reason this shouldn't turn out to be a nice A-sail. 
#58
Main Message Board / Table Insert Cushion
March 26, 2009, 06:36:47 PM
Damn Jon.  Never did learn how to Wiki.   But I promise I will.

In the meantime, here's my new salon berth insert cushion that goes on top of the lowered table.   I'm showing it in 3 configurations.

The first configuration is the one we are all used to.  It's the standard cushion with the original foam on the inside.   We'll have this aboard the boat when we do standard weekend style cruising with the occasional guests aboard.   The only difference between this cushion and the factory original is that it is recovered and has no buttons through it. 

The second configuration is the extended cruise guest mode.   This is how the cushion will look when we cruise to Mexico.  The original foam will stay at home and the cushion gets a special stuffing hence the lumpy look.   We might have guests aboard using the salon berth maybe 10% of the time and use the cushion this way.   

The third configuration is config 2 unpacked.   The cushion cover folds in half and gets stuffed under a settee cushion.    Out come the comfy decorative throw pillows that get distributed around the salon in the v-berth and the aft cabin.   No more monster cushion taking up valuable cubic feet getting in the way 90% of the time, yet we maintain the functionality of the drop down table bed.   

Anyone can convert their standard factory cushion by cutting the upholstery buttons off. 

The downside is the main salon bed won't be quite as comfortable as the original.   But you don't want your guests lingering too long right? 
#59
My rigger suggests a snap shackle on the lower end of the tackle on the Garhauer vang so it can be disconnected and run forward to an attachment point at the shrouds to be used as a preventer.   I like the concept.  Does anybody do it this way? 
#60
Main Message Board / My Briefcase
March 14, 2009, 01:14:39 PM
Just tidying up after a week of work.   Looked at the contents of my briefcase.   No laptop to be found.  Only papers are bound in the maintenance log.  Decided I love my new job...
#61
Main Message Board / New Rigging / Mast Refit
March 14, 2009, 10:09:30 AM
I've been getting behind on my sewing. 

I spend my days at the rigger's shop playing with my stick.   If you ever have a couple of weeks to spare and cooperative rigger, I would highly recommend it.   I pulled every bit of hardware off, sanded every corroded little bit to bare metal, washed in acid twice.   Stewart, the rigger primed and applied several coats of new paint.   Now every bit of hardware has been inspected, polished and reinstalled with backing, nylon washers etc.  My confidence in the whole rig has increased a hundred fold. 

A few thoughts to share:

-It's a hell of a sturdy rig.   Stewart just laughed at me when I inquired about upsizing the stays and shrouds.   They are already upsized.

-About half of my clevis pins were signifcantly corroded.   The ones marked "England" were in great shape.   Some unmarked ones were in bad shape.   I have no idea which were new/old upper/lower.   Pull yours and have a look.   If these were original pins and they carried on corroding at that rate I was maybe only three or four decades away from rig failure.

-Pull the bolt that holds your gooseneck.   Mine was signifcantly worn.   Probably only a decade from failure. 

-The through bolts on the mast that hold the tangs for upper and lower shrouds were interesting.   These were fitted with compression sleeves made from aluminum and were a half inch too short!    One sleeve was completely fused to the bolt and since it was inserted backwards at the factory the bolt had to be cut to even remove it.   Interestingly there was no deflection of the mast surface in this area because the mast section is pretty heavy any way. 

- I have a new spinnaker crane that is angled off to starboard to keep the spinnaker halyard clear of the furler.   I won't have a spinnaker until I get back to the sewing machine so I don't know if the old one would have been a problem.   Sometimes you just rely on professionals for advice. 

Now I'm all set.  New halyards all around.  New wiring.   LED tricolor / anchor light at the masthead.   New radar.   All new blocks for the mainsheet and halyard.   I just need to pour a little tequila on a rag and wipe up any stray lanacote and I have rig ready for Mexico.   





#62
Main Message Board / Aft Bunk Makeover
March 06, 2009, 11:26:09 AM
We've lived with standard foam cushions for some time.  They are OK, but not something I would like to sleep on for a month or a year.

Last summer on our extended cruise I pulled the memory foam topper off of our home bed and moved it on the boat.  It was massively more comfortable but suffered a few drawbacks.  It seemed a bit "warm" - not something I'd want in the tropics.   It moved around.   It was heavy and big sponge to soak up moisture.   

So I decided to upgrade while I was recovering the cushions.   Loved some of the input on the board on custom spring matresses and advanced sleep systems like the Froli.   These seemed great but I didn't want to spend huge bucks.   I decide to add a flexible wood grating under the mattress to give some spring and ventilation.   Then I discovered Ikea has already addressed the issue with the Sultan Lien mattress support - $80 for queensize.   Wonderful laminated birch boards that give spring while barely raising the height of the matress.  So I plan to custom fit these to the aft berth and anchor them in place with provisions for removing bits where the access panels are.   

To augment the foam, I chose a mattress pad.   Again, Ikea saved the day.   The Sultan Torsmo ($100) is a mattress pad with a couple layers of polyester batting and a foam core.  Comfortable and machine washable.   I chopped it to fit.   Finally I added large velcro straps to the mattress pad and cushions so nothing shifts around. 

So it's ready for install on the boat.  I thought I'd share pictures now while it's actually visible.   Final picture is a shot of the interior upholstery in the salon.  Note how roomy it is without that big stick in the way....
#63
Main Message Board / How to Interface Everything
February 27, 2009, 06:00:09 PM


All right then.   This should be easy.   Got the new radar.  The Garmin 18 inch unit.  That ties into the new 4208 plotter.   Bought an ST60 wind instrument on ebay since the old one retired itself.   This should tie in nicely to the new X5 autopilot.  Oh yeah and the plotter.  And the old 520s should tie into the new 4208 just for giggles.   Now I just need an airmar speed/depth/temperature NEMA 2000 transducer and then I don't have to buy the other ST60 instruments.   And of course I can't forget to feed the VHF with NEMA data so that distress function works.  And of course link it back to plot position of the incoming calls.   Oh yes and repeat for the SSB.   Layer in the AIS data as well.  Good.  That sorts out the electronics.    I should be able to hook all this up in an hour or two.   

Now that just leaves the powering.   390 watts of new solar panels arrived.   Along with the Bluesomethingorother MPPT charge controller.  Now I need to get the 4 T105s to store all those electrons in.   Oh yeah and I better get a new start battery and find a place to put it.  Then it's just a matter of a new alternator and external regulator.   Oh and new power runs up the mast for the LED tricolor and anchor light with photosensor.  Might as well redo the panel.   And need to sort out the grounding for the SSB and autotuner and hook up the new insulated backstay.   Right and a new VHF antenna and cable.  Might as well run that straight back to the radio and ditch the connectors in the bilge.

And the trucking company called.  My rudder has arrived. 

I think I'll go back to my sewing.   Life is much less complicated there.   I've already figured out the interface between the thread and the needle. 

 
#64
Main Message Board / I've Started a Blog
February 19, 2009, 08:41:18 AM

It's definitely C34 related, but our site isn't really set up for a sailing blog.   If you like, you can view it here:

http://sailblogs.com/member/blackdragon/
#65
Ken and Jon are encouraging me to wiki, but I have been so busy I haven't figured it out yet.    Here are some things to do with your new sewing machine:

1) Teach your ten year old to use it so you can drink rum or wiki
2) Outboard cover
3) Bbq cover
#66
Main Message Board / New Cockpit Cushions for $150
January 26, 2009, 01:54:52 PM
OK.   Not quite.  I reused the old foam and the sewing machine was $800, but I'll amortize that over a new bimini and spinnaker.   But some new vinyl and zippers goes a long way toward making the boat nice.   
#67
Main Message Board / Transition Day
January 15, 2009, 03:22:34 PM
At some point a few months ago we made a transition from dreaming to planning.  That was the point where we made the switch from "wouldn't it be nice one day..."   to "how much capacity would we need from bimini-mounted solar panels to address a daily load of 110 Ah?". 

From dreaming to planning.  The next step is doing.  Gotta spend the money, buy the solar panels, do the refit and pack up the house etc.   It's a big step from the spreadsheet.  Today marks that transition point.   

In a few minutes some nice person will wander into my office with some papers to sign.   I will make transition from Steve Dolling, Director Business Development to Steve, Cruiser. 

My new job is refit man.  I'll be taking a few pictures as I sew a new A-sail, cockpit cushions, bimini top and weather cloths.   I'll learn how to install a water maker, solar panels, new rudder, SSB and rigging etc.   I love my new job.

In June, Foster will finish 5th grade and then his real education will begin.  Geography, physics, biology, Spanish, mathematics, geology, engine maintenance and watch keeping among a half dozen other subjects, all from the cockpit and salon table of Blackdragon.   

Mexico, here we come.







#68
Doing a little secretarial work for proposed fleet 15 commodore Tom...   

Having a fleet may be fun, interesting or advantageous or perhaps we're all boating to avoid any organized activity.   As a first step, lets figure out who is interested and why.  Vote early.  Vote often.  Include your comments below. 

Webmaster, feel free to move this to the fleet forum section as it will not likely be interesting to the group overall. 
#69
Main Message Board / C34s in the Snow
December 27, 2008, 02:41:13 PM
I checked out a few of the boats in Fleet 15 yesterday.    It looks like we may have a little trouble getting out of the marina.   Nobody seemed to have a snow load that would cause a serious concern.   Though no guarantees on the tarps.   
#70
Main Message Board / How Do I Tell if My Rudder is Good?
December 19, 2008, 11:37:52 PM
My original thought was to replace my rudder before going to Mexico to avoid rudder failure at some embarrassing point, say in a gale off the mouth of the Columbia River.   But the refit bill seems to run between 25 & 30K and I'm looking hard at every expenditure.  No point in having the perfect boat if you there is no money left to cruise with.

So I don't want to throw away a perfectly good rudder.  If I drop it and visually inspect, will it tell me anything?  If I cut into it and it's dry and the welds are good on the webbing, is it good for another 20 years?   Have there been any reports of failure?   Is there any particular tests it should be subjected to?  Am I paranoid?  Are they still after me or have they stopped?

I don't have a lot of confidence in surveyors.   I don't know if they have been sued too much around here or what the issue is, but I seem to get opinions based on potential liability rather than actual condition.   I fear if I tell them I am concerned about the rudder, the only answer I will get is "replace it". 



#71
Main Message Board / A Test
December 12, 2008, 09:41:19 AM
All right.  I have the steaks, lasagna, garlic bread.   There's rum, red and white wine.  Ipod - check.  Extra gloves, long underwear - check.   Water tank is full.  Diesel is full.  And I remembered the poker chips.   So we are good to go.

Now the weather forecast says storm warning on Howe sound with winds to 50 kts and a gale warning on the Straight of Georgia with winds to 40 kts   The flurries should end this afternoon before the wind picks up.

Clearly this a test.

Remind me again.  Is this a test of courage?  Or a test of intelligence?
#72
Main Message Board / Honda EU1000 & Trucharge 40
December 11, 2008, 02:41:00 PM
Another practical question. 

I know the math works and the specs from the manufacturers line up, but I want to know real world.  The Honda 1000W unit with the 40A Xantrex charger. 

Does it trip out with a deeply discharged bank when you start the generator and turn on the charger?

I know it works fine with the 20A charger and that I will never be able to heat my water.  I am OK with all these things.   

I just recovered from one case of generator disappointment and I don't want to have a relapse.

Thanks!
#73
I have the happy little stock alternator that came bolted onto the M25XP.  What is that 50 or 55A?   It's a pleasant little alternator.   I've never noticed that it heats the cabin, chews through belts, or destroys bearings.  I haven't had to tension my belt in a year.   We live happily together. 

Of course, that doesn't stop me from having alternator envy.   I know some of the rest of you are leading enjoyable lives programming your external regulators, twisting exotic tensioning tools, and specifying nothing less than Gates green stripe.   But clearly you are getting a lot more out of your alternators than I am.  I suspect you all have a higher level of alternator satisfaction.  Your grass is greener than mine. 

But I'm wondering how much greener.

Here's my real question.  400 Ah bank.  50% discharge.  How long are you motoring for before you get to a 75% charge level?   No rated outputs and fancy theories about charge acceptance curves - just what are you getting real world?

I have a sneaking suspicion that all the alternator capacity in the world is not going to make my life better in full time cruising mode in the tropics and if I have to choose between a new alternator / regulator and another 120W solar panel, the additional solar panel is going to be a better investment.   


 
#74
Main Message Board / How Big is Your Bimini?
December 05, 2008, 01:53:27 PM
My canvas guy dropped by the boat to work up a quote on a bimini.   He did a great job on the dodger and was very meticulous.  We have not yet spent the hour together in the cockpit that we no doubt will before he makes it.   

His estimate came back suggesting a 3 bow bimini with a mount on the coaming and 2 aft struts.   I've also asked for stainless rails on top to mount solar panels.   

Some questions:

How many bows on your bimini?
Coaming mount or aft rail?  Pros/cons?
How do you like it?
If you ordered a bimini today, what would you do differently?
   
#75
Main Message Board / New Lifelines for Blackdragon
November 24, 2008, 12:21:31 PM
I've begun the process of replacing the lifelines on Blackdragon.  I've taken a few pictures and will document it here as I go.    The new lifelines will be Amsteel with specialized fittings from Johnson.  It seems like pioneering work as most everybody here still has stainless steel.   Hopefully it goes better than my pioneering work with cheap generators...       

First some notes on the old ones that came off yesterday.   The lock nuts on the turnbuckles did some impressive creaking and groaning.  I thought I would snap the studs off in removing them.  (Why wait for penetrating oil when excessive force will get you there sooner?)  If you have old lifelines, give your turnbuckles a spin every now and then and make sure they're not seized - use penetrating oil of course. 

There's an old myth that if you can see any rust through the cracks in the plastic coating of your lifelines, you should replace them because they will fail.  Surely this is fearmongering propogated by riggers looking for business?   Actually no.   I cut off the coating at a bad spot to reveal reasonably shiny wire with a touch of surface rust.  It certainly didn't look too bad.  Then I flexed the cable in tighter radius and I could hear and see the strands snapping.  Rust in lifelines is bad.  Myth confirmed. 

Also if you still have the ancient coated wire on your topping lift, replace it now before the boom falls on somebody's head.   Don't ask me why I know this.

Splicing the new high tech stuff is dead easy.  If you can tie your shoes, you can splice 12 strand hollow core line.  It makes working with 3 strand seem like the work of genuises.   It makes splicing double braid seem like some lost art of the Aztecs.   

Anyway my pictures and words will make this seem dead easy.   And you need never know that Foster was wondering last night if I was having "a mid-life swearing crisis".  Trust me, it's a piece of cake once you figure it all out...   





#76
Main Message Board / Galley Light / Extraction Fan
November 01, 2008, 06:16:14 PM
Susan, here's the picture of the galley fan complete with grease.   The fan works really well and the light ends up in just right place too.   Downside is that we probably restict passive air flow a bit, but we are happy to make the trade.   It's pretty low power consumption as well.

http://www.oceanair-marine.com/en/m/br/brv_en_m.php
#77
Main Message Board / Trojan T-145
October 31, 2008, 12:29:17 PM
Has anybody used Trojan T-145 batteries?   Seem to be the exact same footprint as the T-105 but they are rated at 260 AH instead of 225 AH.  On a $/AH basis they cost 14% more for 15% more capacity at 16% more weight.  They might buy an extra day on the hook.  Do they fit vertically in the space?   
#78
Main Message Board / Library
October 31, 2008, 09:11:51 AM
Right now the drawer under my v-berth is stuffed full of books.

I am looking for a spot to locate a bookshelf.  I want a place to store full sized manuals, cruising guides, etc.   

Has anyone addressed this?  Where do you keep them?   
#79
Main Message Board / Rudder Stops
October 30, 2008, 10:54:55 AM
I've been corresponding with a C36 owner who is currently in Tonga about to make a passage to NZ.   I was interested in what if any structural modifications he had made (or wished he had made now that he's done several rough ocean passages). 

One of the things he did was add rudder stops (wooden timbers encapsulated in fiberglass) to limit the travel of the rudder.  I guess a large following sea could slam it over and present a large surface for a wave to lever against. 

I confess I haven't yet fully investigated our steering system other than to have a glance in from the aft cabin and make sure I didn't have any loose sloppy cables.   

What is the limit of travel for a C34 rudder?  How far over does she go?

What do we currently have for "rudder stops"?    What happens at the limit of travel?   

#80
Main Message Board / Cockpit Shower
October 26, 2008, 09:55:27 PM
Easily our favourite upgrade of the summer.  Hot and cold running water in the cockpit.  The retractable hose goes inside the locker.   Water source taps in from tees on the supply for the sink in the head.   I chose a unit from Whale with a shut-off on the shower head and no door to accidentally step on.   The shower head plugs in securely in stowage mode. 
#81
Main Message Board / Dish Soap and Paper Towel Storage
October 26, 2008, 09:44:32 PM
Remembered to bring the camera to the boat today.  Took a few shots of summer projects.

I was bothered by having no place for the dish soap and remembered a nice solution for a paper towel holder in the projects section that just fits over the fiddle and takes up no counter space.   So I made a set.   The second picture shows the core of the paper towel holder which doubles as ship's rolling pin.
#82
Main Message Board / Amsteel / Dyneema Lifelines
October 23, 2008, 08:43:02 PM
I thought I saw something on this, but a search didn't show anything.   

I think I would like to do my lifelines out of one of the new high tech fibers.   Lighter weight.  Stronger.   I do the splices myself so I trust them more that a swage.  Any wear is readily visible on inspection.  Cheap.  Lasts a long time.

Anybody done it?  How do you like it?   How are the gates done?

#83
Main Message Board / Engine Spares for a Long Cruise
October 10, 2008, 11:19:48 AM

OK.  The Mexico thing started out as a nice sabatical idea.  Now it is starting to look like our depression survival plan.   In any case, putting together a list of engine spares and supplies.   Looking for suggestions.  So far -

Fuel filters - bucket loads of primary and secondary
Belts
3/4" hose - a bunch
Water pump seal kit
Impellers - bunch
Pencil zincs - bushel
Oil filters
Set of injectors
Set of glow plugs
Fuel pump
Alternator

What else do I need?   Starter?  Exhaust elbow?
#84
Main Message Board / Cinnamon Buns in the Fog
October 10, 2008, 10:12:55 AM
I posted this on my website after we got back from the Broughtons.   People seemed to like it.   I'm sorry it's devoid of technical content, but every now and then we need a reminder as to why it is we do boat maintainance...

"We're home now. I'm supposed to give an update, but I'm not quite sure I'm ready to do that yet.

I don't even know how to describe what it's like emerging from the fog on Johnstone Straight after narrowly missing another sailboat and having fresh hot, home made cinnamon buns and coffee in brilliant sunshine while dolphins swim in the bow wave. I can tell you about it, but I can't explain what it feels like in your chest. How alive you can be.

There is something magical about watching Tracey and Scupper row ashore in early dawn and pull a crab trap. And hear the screams as the door falls open and the crabs spill into the dingy while both Tracey and Scupper try to occupy the little seat in the bow and the stern lifts up out of the water. What it's like to pull the anchor and steam in as the hero to rescue...

the crabs before they are lost in an endo dingy capsize.

I can't explain what it's like to pull into Campbell River after 3 weeks in the Broughtons and drop off laundry and go to the Superstore to buy groceries. And stop in the medical clinic above the Superstore to have the pain in Foster's leg checked out. And to hear the doctor say they want us to go to the hospital for an X-ray. Just to make sure it's not a tumor. How alive that makes you feel.

To hang at anchor with friends while a gale blows. And throw apples and pears to wild sheep descended from those left by Spaniards hundreds of years ago. And have all the kids in the anchorage go to a party on the upper deck of East Wind complete with a disco ball and strobe lights pulled off the life vests. While Pocket Pepper the rat dog huddles in his basket below. Safe from eagles and eight year olds.

And Spencer came with us. Every day. In one way or another. And of course his cremated remains, as the dead people folks call the ashes, were tucked up behind the microwave waiting to be scattered. And they never were. Because it doesn't feel right. Yet.

New memories mixed with old memories. New friends mixed with old friends. And all was good.

And we watched as Devin reeled for ages with bent rod. Dragging the monster Chinook from the deep. As we dodged cruise ships coming down from Seymour Narrows. Making plans to dive overboard and wrestle the oversized brute into our undersized net. Only to see Devin's soul destroyed as the dogfish hooked in the dorsal fin is finally dragged to the surface. A miserable little shark.

To watch waterfalls come down granite from thousands of feet up. To feel 40 knots of wind that kills your wind meter. To punch into eight foot seas. To have coffee in bed. To fold the table down and have family movie nights on Fridays. To hike into the woods and see 20 foot cedar trees - in diameter.

It's not really possible to describe these things yet.

At least once in your life, you must find an excuse, a reason, to check out for an entire month. You don't even remember what work is.

It was especially nice. And nobody asked us, "How are you doing?" with that look that is full of pity. And we were just doing. Fine. With an emptiness and fullness that combine together to something well north of average."
#85
Main Message Board / Planetary Alignment
September 15, 2008, 11:38:50 AM
It seems to be exceedingly difficult to line up all of the planets at once.  We would like to go to Mexico and cruise for a while - a long while.   To do that we need a few things.   1) a boat  2) a weather window 3) a source of income 4) no home-based encumberances that prevent being away - ie. a job.   In an ideal world 3 & 4 could fuse together in a single event and line up with a weather window.   However, the likelihood of that happening is exceedingly small.   So increasingly, I find myself wondering about other ways of finding myself in a boat in a tropical climate in the correct season without having to make a left turn out the Straight of Juan de Fuca in say January and head south on the tail of the last gale blowing through.

So I was talking with a good friend last night who happens to own a shipping brokerage and he says, "Why don't you throw it on the deck of one of the tubs I have going down to Long Beach.  There is nothing between here and there anyway."   I suppose there are people in three states that would take exception to such a notion, but it has some appeal.   

"It's not that simple," I replied.  "I would have to build some kind of a cradle.  It would be easier to go by truck."

"No you don't.  Stevedores build cradles.   It's cheap.  People do it all the time."

Is this true?   Anyone have any experience moving their sailboat on the deck of a ship?  Any disadvantages relative to trucking?

I don't know if Stu and Jon and I would have any fun sipping cocktails in the cockpit nestled among deck stowed containers, but it would be fun to point at the Golden Gate as we go by and say, "You see, there is nothing here"...     

#86
Main Message Board / Going Sailing
August 04, 2008, 08:52:03 AM
For the first time ever, a whole month.  I have all the bits for the various projects: inverter, transom shower, new graphics, galley storage organizer bits, battery monitor, new hoses etc.   So I won't have to go a whole month without working on the boat :shock:   Should be fun.   A test for Mexico.

Anyway, if any of you are on the Sunshine Coast, Desolation Sound, Broughtons or Gulf Islands and see "Blackdragon", row on over and say hello.  If I don't have a beer cold, I'll find something creative to do with rum for you. 

Cheers and I'll check back in September.

#87
I am about to install an XM1800 with built in transfer switch.   It's a nice looking unit.   The price was right - it's good to have a friend in the business. 

The part that kills me is the requirement to run 2/0 cable no longer than 5 feet.   I'm going to use this thing to run a tiny microwave for a maximum of 2 minutes at a time and the occasional light load.   So as far as sizing the cable goes, I could probably use an even smaller cable and extend it to ten feet which would allow me to put it under the nav station where I want it.   But...

One day I'll sell the boat or brother in law will be out for the weekend and somebody will no doubt plug in a shop vac and run it continuous for a half hour.  So I shall go out and buy cables that will exceed the cost of the inverter and the battery monitor.   

Of course the alternative is to locate close to the battery and run the AC cables over the longer distances.   I've looked at all the threads on inverters and there doesn't seem to be a satisfactory location near batteries.  Am I missing something?   Are people really running > 2/0 cable over to the nav stations?

The real issue on cable sizing is actually heating with high currents, is that correct?  The recommended size is always based on continuous operation, is that right?   When you get to large cables there is some thermal mass and a time constant that would suggest that heating is not an instantaneous event.   Are there therefore any protection devices, (fuses, circuit breakers) that will trip based on the time&current or cable temperature? 

I know the correct answer is always follow the manufacturers recommendation, but I'm interested in the boundary condition.     

#88
Main Message Board / The Ultimate Upgrade
July 22, 2008, 02:24:33 PM
It's time.   

We are getting ready to disappear for the entire month of August.  The box arrived from Catalina Direct yesterday.   New cowl vents.  Anchor rollers.  Rubrail.   I've called my old roommate who has made arrangements for a 40% discount off of the new inverter and battery monitor.   An extra propane tank.   We are laying down a supply of rum. 

A full month of boat upgrades and maintenance in beautiful remote anchorages.

And today, the ultimate.   A new shower for the cockpit.   Hot and cold running water right where it is needed.   No more of Scupper's wet dirty feet in the cabin.   I can hose off Foster as he comes out of the water.  I'll be able to stand naked in my cockpit and rinse the shampoo out of my eyes while the rest of the anchorage chokes on the ice cubes of their evening cocktails, recoiling in horror. 

Whoops.  Too much information.   

Oh.  Yes.  The question.  I recall some discussion about preferred hoses for fresh water lines.  I'll be running 1/2" teed off the feed to the sink in the head.  What sort of hose / pipe should I be using?  It seems to me Stu suggested some Ace Hardware special that was better than marine hose at a fraction of the cost?  Or maybe it was something to be avoided?  Rigid PVC?   I can't seem to find the old thread or remember what the advice was.   

Please feel free to give me guidance.

Oh and if you're in Desolation or the Broughtons next month, approach Blackdragon cautiously if you've just seen her motor into the anchorage.   I'll be wanting to take advantage of that hot water and hate to steam up the head...



   
#89
It seems we are all pretty much unanimous.   The Honda generators are beautiful, ultra reliable machines that belong on C34s.  The only choice is the EU1000 for general duty or the EU2000 if you like your water hot and you don't mind bumping your knees when you slip in to the dinette  They have a lovely reputation. 

They also have a lovely price tag.   The local Honda dealer quoted me $999 + $60 PDI.   (Canadian dollars.)

For about 1/4 of the price I went out and bought the "Yardworks" Canadian Tire machine.    4 year warranty - 50W less output - 1dB more noise.   

I look at Hondas and the Yamahas and Cummins Onan units and begin to wonder if all these machines aren't coming out of the same damn factory in China.   I'm sure the Honda is better, but I'm not convinced it's 4 times better.   

I'll take my chances. 

Brought it home, filled it with oil, a few drops of gas, fired it up and sent Foster to get the hairdryer.   Works great.   Turned the hair dryer on the high setting.   Damned if we didn't kill it.   Sure enough had a look at the hair dryer and it's 1750W almost double the rating of the generator.   We overloaded it, but it shut down gracefully and started again no problem.

I'll take it on the boat and see how it does.   

I'll report back on how it fares in the C34 environment.   If it runs well through its four year warranty period, I'll be a happy customer.  If it's a major pain in the butt, I'll accidentally lose it off the swim grid, never admit my error, and quietly buy a Honda...
#90

I have secretly hatched a plan whereby I sell all of our household assets including the cars, the boat, and in fact the house, and go and acquire a nice large 40 ft boat in a cruising destination to go sailing for an indefinite period of time.  The thinking behind selling the boat was that it is actually a bit undersized / not suited to offshore work and it's worth more money here in BC than it would be if we decided to upgrade after sailing down to southern California or Mexico.   So why not buy a boat in the Caribbean or Mexico and do any necessary upgrades or refit in a nice climate? 

Anyway, the problem with hatching a plan is that it becomes vulnerable to scrutiny the moment you reveal it to those impacted by it.   Tracey buys into the notion of going away sailing for a year or two, unfortunately she also thinks we should not sell the house.   This kind of puts a crimp in the $150,000 budget I had for boat acquisition/refit. So that leaves me putting a little more flesh on the bones of the "Why don't we take our boat down to Mexico?" alternative plan.   

BlackDragon is a essentially a stock '88 factory boat with about 750  hours on the engine.   Upgrades that we have completed in the past year include new dodger, forced air diesel heat (really important for Mexico!),  upgrade to 15kg claw type anchor with windlass, rigid vang, and bunch of little projects.   The "Mexico Upgrade" list runs to 20K plus ( a really dumb idea from a return on investment standpoint, but might be a low cost price tag for some exotic cruising).  Big ticket items include the following:

New shaft, cutlass bearing and propeller (old prop becomes spare)
New rudder (don't have any reason to believe there is a problem with the old rudder, but don't want to deal with failure off the coast of Oregon)
Standing rigging
Alternator upgrade (old becomes spare)
Water pump (old becomes spare)
New batteries (old ones are two years old, but not enough house capacity)
New sails including addition of A sail
Inverter
Life raft
EPIRB
Charts
Bimini
SSB / modem
Jacklines/tethers/harness/strobes
Lifelines
Various spares
New propane locker
Storage space overhaul
Icebox insulation
Fabrication of a real emergency tiller
New autopilot (what kind?)

Major items not on my list include radar, AIS, and a watermaker – should they be?   Major questions still open are what to do about generating power, and what else for ground tackle.  Any items on this list that are not necessary?   Any items that should be on the list that are not?

I'm not a huge fan of starting a cruise out of Vancouver for Mexico as this isn't the most forgiving coast in the world, but hey we have C34s at all points in between.  Why not?  Anybody care to join me for Vancouver / San Francisco?   Stu, can we do laundry at your place?

The big problem with this plan is what to with the boat in tropical storm season.   I'm not sure turning right and heading for the Marquesas would be wise in a C34.   Have to think this through.  Maybe just keep on heading south coastal cruising and re-emerge the next winter in the Caribbean...   

Thoughts, suggestions, advice??
#91
We were happily motor sailing along the other day (there wasn't enough wind to ensure we would get across the Straight of Georgia in time for Foster to make it to a birthday party) when we encountered a problem with the engine overheating.   I'll try not to make this a hideously long tale of troubleshooting, but let's just say that after having my head stuck in places I'd rather not stick it in for any length of time in a 4 foot slop, I was finally able to  figure out that I wasn't getting any raw water in.   

I stripped off the strainer assembly down to the bare seacock and there was nothing coming in with the valve wide open and nothing attached.   Gentle probing with various objects would not dislodge whatever stuck there.   A stiff raming with a screwdriver wouldn't go through.   I draw the line at anything involving a hammer and thru hull when I am two hours from land. 

We had been attacked by a sea monster and it had clogged the raw water intake!

So if we were going to make the birthday party on time, the key was good sail trim.  That and since I find power handy for getting in and out of the marina, I replumbed the raw water intake temporarily to the shower drain seacock.  Handy that they're all located together. 

We had other problems last week.   In the middle of the night I heard the bilge pump cycling on and off.  It turns out one of the two legged sea monsters had ignored the sign "TURN THIS LEVER TO THE DRY POSITION OR BOAT WILL SINK".  The same thing happened again the following night (only I confess I was the sea monster to blame - I was a little groggy checking the anchor hadn't dragged when I heard wind shrieking through the rigging at 2:00am).

Anyway I had a good reason to address all the plumbing issues in one shot:

  1) vented loop on the head intake because I don't like wet feet looking at an overflowing bowl
  2) sink and head intake on one thru hull so I can flush the system with fresh water when I leave the boat
  3) sea monster eviction from the raw water intake (one blast with the hose at the dock fixed this one)

I tidied it all up yesterday.   And last night I reviewed the old notes and wish of course that I followed Stu's wisdom about where to put the vented loop because really they don't like suction - that's their job.   So I'll go back and fix that again rather than convincing myself that pumping harder is a small price to pay for piece of mind.

But the real message in all of this was the horror I found when I was messing about.   Not one fitting below the waterline had a double hose clamp.   The T fitting for the shower drain  / head intake was a strange assortment of non-marine bits - loose fitting - three threaded pieces none of which were even finger tight - one straight bit of pipe with a hose clamped on it - no barbs.   It was scary.

So the message is, if you aren't intimately familiar with what's attached to your seacocks, you should be.   Go have a real close look.   Take things apart.  Be sure.   There are other sea monsters out there that will sink your boat - the previous owner, the sloppy yard worker, the factory.   You are responsible for making sure that they don't get you!

.   

#92
Main Message Board / C34 Hull Integrity
June 09, 2008, 04:33:11 PM
I'm sure many of you are eagerly working on your own test programs and gathering you own empirical data, but I thought I would share the following with you.   

All my sailing days I have had this fear of hitting a log at speed and punching a hole in my boat.   You see up here they still tow around log booms.   They can and do break up and logs tend to drift around loose.   If you grab on to one of these logs and plan on taking home to mill it into lumber, the forest companies will claim ownership and sue you.   If it knocks the leg off your Bayliner and leaves a hole in the transom sinking your boat, the forest companies will claim that it just a tree naturally washed down the river and they are at a loss to explain where the bark and branches went or how it received the clean saw cuts.

But I digress. 

The subject in question was 8" in diameter and about 15 feet long.   It was happily rolling sideways in seas that were about 4 feet.   

I was on a nice reach doing about 6 knots as the winds were dropping.   

I hit the log right on the end. 

I'm pleased to report that some combination of hull shape and layup schedule on the C34 makes it invulnerable to breach if you hit the log at the correct angle.   No word yet on the bottom paint.

I will let you know any further test results as the program continues. 



#93
Main Message Board / Sunset
May 25, 2008, 11:11:36 PM
Nice sail today.   Happened upon a sunset on the way around Point Atkinson.  I think these things happen for a reason.
#94
Main Message Board / AIS Receivers
March 05, 2008, 02:56:28 PM
Has anyone actually purchased an AIS receiver and integrated it with their chartplotter?   If so where did you get it?  What did you pay for it?  How do you like it?  how was it to integrate?

It seems like a good idea, at least conceptually, but I'm wondering how it works out practically.  Also I'm a little confused.  I look at the wiring diagram for my plotter and it has single input and output wires with a common negative wire for each of two NEMA devices.   Some AIS receivers seem to have RS-232 ports for connection to computers over which the NEMA data flows.   How are the two connected or am I looking at the wrong type of AIS receiver.   

Also has anyone used an antenna splitter?  Are these active devices or simple passive thing that cuts your VHF output in half?   
#95
Main Message Board / Garhauer Service
February 20, 2008, 08:52:14 PM
Well the folks at Garhauer did deliver my new vang.   I was a little disappointed because I had also ordered and paid for a triple rope clutch and they shipped me a single.   This was a bit of a problem.  If I just shipped it back I wouldn't have any way to recover the tax that my fine government charged me on the way into the country.  I had a notion that maybe I could mate it up to the other single I have and have them ship me a triple for the price of a single with a few long bolts for the trouble and we would be square. 

Anyway they answered my email straight away, apologized for the error, told me they would ship the triple out right away they would throw in the bolts and I could keep the single no charge.  Nice.

Every company makes the occasional error, but how they fix the problem makes all the difference.  That's pretty decent service. 
#96
Main Message Board / New Rigid Vang Arrived Today!
February 19, 2008, 10:28:36 PM
A rigid vang wasn't on the top of my list of upgrades.   So I did a lot of other things during our first year with the new boat.   It leapt up to the top of the list late last season as I was flaking the main and the topping lift failed.   The boom came crashing down and bounced harmlessly off the top of the dodger (one of the high priority upgrades).

It could have just as easily bounced off my son's head who was just coming out of the companionway.   That might have diminished the enjoyment of the day somewhat. 

If I'm not the last C34 owner out there to complete this upgrade, and there is still somebody out there with a topping lift, inspect it very carefully.   If there is any evidence of corrosion or broken strands or chafe on the rope, replace it.  Don't put it on the "to do" list.  Just get it done.  In fact, if you have a 20 year old topping lift, don't even bother inspecting it, just get it off the boat.   

There ends my sermon.  Now who knows what size screws I should buy to mount this shiny piece of mechanically advantaged sexiness on to my boat?
#97
Main Message Board / Replacing Acrylic in Forward Hatch
February 17, 2008, 07:53:30 PM
Lewmar doesn't recommend replacing the acrylic in the forward hatch.    They feel you need a freshly anodized frame and climate-controlled room to do an effective job.   And I have to say, I was impressed with the job they do.   There was no evidence of any water penetration through the old seal.   However I needed hatch acrylic and I didn't feel like buying a new hatch or trying to export the old lid to one of the vendors who specialize in replacement.   So I did it myself.

Materials and tools required:

24" square piece of 12mm (1/2") acrylic (use polycarbonate if you like, but do your research first!)
Tube of black silicone (I know that Lewmar uses some special goop from GE, but I prefer silicone - suit yourself)
Masking tape

A sturdy utility knife (and a dozen fresh sharp blades)
Drill
Router with flush trim bit

Procedure:

1) remove the old acrylic from the frame - run the utility knife along the edge of the old acrylic - cut deep all the way around – turn it over and work from the backside with a blade horizontally under the rubber seal - it comes out fairly easily
2) clean the edge of the old acrylic - it is template for cutting out the new piece - you don't want the bearing of the router bit going over bumps of old sealant.    This can be done just with a sharp blade - no need for chemicals.
3) clean the old frame - this is time consuming,  lots of scraping – use alcohol – also for the frame.
3a) replace the rubber seal if required
4) stick the old lens to the new material with double sided tape - leave the protective cover on the new acrylic
5) rough cut with a jigsaw or bandsaw about 1/8" to 1/4" oversize
6) trim flush with the router – leave the edge rough for the sealant to grab on to
7) drill holes through using the old lens as a template - the big holes are through holes - don't drill the small holes all the way through!  Set a depth stop on the drill press or mark your bit with tape to the correct depth
8) lay the new acrylic into the frame and center it
9) on the underside mark the edge of the rubber seal with a pencil, score lightly with a knife and peal back the paper all around the edge – to expose acrylic where the seal will be
10) mask the frame and the top edges trimming back excess precisely with a sharp knife
11) remove the acrylic from the frame and lay in a heavy bead of sealant in the bottom of the frame
12) put the acrylic back in the frame and fill the gap with sealant
13) smooth to a nice finish and remove the mask
14) let it cure, remove the protective paper on the underside and trim excess sealant
15) reattach the handles and install

Having trouble posting photos - I'll do them separately
#98
Main Message Board / New Portlight Lenses
February 16, 2008, 09:02:22 PM
I came across a plastics vendor at the boatshow this year.   I picked up material for new portlight lenses and a forward hatch for the V-Berth.   Ours has suffered some serious crazing after 18 years in the California sun.  I went with smoke acrylic with a bronze tint.   

For the portlights, I had the vendor cut me 6 pieces 5.5" x 12.5" out of material that was 8.3mm.   The steps were as follows:

1) remove the an old lense, remove the dogs and adhere it to the new material with two sided tape.
2) rough cut 1/8" oversize on the bandsaw (or with a jigsaw)
3) route around with a flush trim bit
4) drill the holes
5) reassemble with a fresh set of o-rings

It's possible to machine 3 lenses in the time it takes to grill a couple of thick T-Bone steaks.   Turn the steaks before you drill the holes in the second piece.   If you like your steaks medium, go ahead and turn the steaks after the second is complete and do 4 before you take them off the grill.  Oh you can finish the edges with a quick whiff of the propane torch.  Don't put the lenses on the grill...
#99
Main Message Board / Wireless LED Puck Lights
February 11, 2008, 11:40:09 PM
I made one of those COSTCO discoveries this weekend.   4-Packs of wireless LED lights for $13.   They have 5 LEDs, tilt and swivel, come with velcro or screw mount, and are powered by 3 AAA batteries - 12 Duracells are included in the cost.   They even have an auto-on feature if you stick them in a dark cupboard.   I bought two packs. 

These are a great solution for dark areas where you need occasional light.   A set of batteries will last a couple of years.   My engine compartment now glows.  No more flashlight in the teeth.  And no need to run a wire, a switch and maintain a circuit.  I put one over the nav table - for some reason, I always want to check one last thing - after I've turned off the main panel switch. 

I think others are destined for the v-berth storage area and the cockpit lockers.   Places where occasionally it would be nice to have a light, but I don't necessarily want to have wires running or go to the expense or trouble of installing a fixture. 

The brand is LUMEN. 

#100
Main Message Board / Name Boards
November 30, 2007, 10:00:06 PM
Anyone ever hand carve name boards for their C34?   I went through season 1 without actually applying a name to the boat.   My last boat was a no brainer I carved name boards and it looked great.    This boat is 20 years newer - obviously would look good with vinyl graphics but I'm wondering if anyone has ever taken the more traditional approach and what it looks like...