We weren't going to splash because of all the holiday traffic that will be on the lake, but Big Duck was dying to test out all her upgrades, so we took her to the ramp.
Getting Big Duck off the trailer was easier than ever. Piece of cake actually. We checked out the cove where fellow boaters were to gather/raft, then headed to our own preferred anchorage.
As we approached, the only other boat there was just leaving. We waited until he was gone and settled into our favorite place...walking distance to shore in pebbles. The pebbles do not come aboard when we do, so it's a nice clean place to swim. Our dog Merlin, couldn't wait to swim ashore to go potty, then re-boarded on his own - GOOD BOY!
I was sucking on a Heineken when the jetskies showed up. I couldn't buy a jetski cause you need to have an IQ less than 50, but I can dream can't I. They blasted through the anchorage, revving, swerving and jumping at open throttle. It's a big open lake, but you don't want to waste stupid where there's no one nearby to appreciate it. I just went below into the air conditioning to finish my beer.
This is my boating bliss. Hook out in a cove, have a brew, take a nap in the gentle motion of the lake. Too hot, or too many bugs? Close her up and turn on the a/c.
It's dark now and all the water maggots have gone home. It's just us in the cool night on the aft deck, bobbing gently along with the evening ripples in the company of my wife and dog.
I'm in heaven.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Keeping It Simple
If you want to really keep it simple:
Weatherbug on Android phone for weather alerts and to see weather radar.
NutiCharts on Android phone or tablet for NOAA charts and Active Captain.
Navionics on Android phone or tablet for places without NOAA charts and for tides and current.
My tablet, an EVO View, is my chartplotter. It has the Nuti and Navionics maps resident so it works even without a data connection.
Not sure why you'd need a paper chart anymore - or a compass either for that matter.
If you have a 'spare' sounder, put it to use. I have my second sounders 'ducer mounted at the bow. The aft sounder is set to alarm at 10 to 25 feet depending on speed and waters. The forward sounder is set to alarm at 3 feet. The deep one signals a warning and to slow down. The shallow one signals danger and reads 20' in front of my transom, alerting me before I'm dragging my outdrive. Having two sounders saves the need to reset the alarm going from deep to shallow water.
Easy way to mount the 'ducer up forward.
Shoot thru the hull 'ducer mount
I have a fixed and handheld VHF, but I seldom have them on unless I'm cruising with a buddy an need to keep in touch. I suppose it would be handy for locks and bridges, but I'd rather push the button or wait. If I use the VHF for weather, I can listen to the whole forecast 2 or 3 times and not remember a thing so we don't use it for that either.
It's pretty obvious that I'm a little more casual than most cruisers are, but after living aboard 3 years (over 1,000 nights at anchor) and having sailed to the Caribbean and done almost all of the Little Loop including 80 locks on the Erie Canal and several cruises up and down the entire AICW in sailboats trawlers and outboards, it works for me. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Weatherbug on Android phone for weather alerts and to see weather radar.
NutiCharts on Android phone or tablet for NOAA charts and Active Captain.
Navionics on Android phone or tablet for places without NOAA charts and for tides and current.
My tablet, an EVO View, is my chartplotter. It has the Nuti and Navionics maps resident so it works even without a data connection.
Not sure why you'd need a paper chart anymore - or a compass either for that matter.
If you have a 'spare' sounder, put it to use. I have my second sounders 'ducer mounted at the bow. The aft sounder is set to alarm at 10 to 25 feet depending on speed and waters. The forward sounder is set to alarm at 3 feet. The deep one signals a warning and to slow down. The shallow one signals danger and reads 20' in front of my transom, alerting me before I'm dragging my outdrive. Having two sounders saves the need to reset the alarm going from deep to shallow water.
Easy way to mount the 'ducer up forward.
Shoot thru the hull 'ducer mount
I have a fixed and handheld VHF, but I seldom have them on unless I'm cruising with a buddy an need to keep in touch. I suppose it would be handy for locks and bridges, but I'd rather push the button or wait. If I use the VHF for weather, I can listen to the whole forecast 2 or 3 times and not remember a thing so we don't use it for that either.
It's pretty obvious that I'm a little more casual than most cruisers are, but after living aboard 3 years (over 1,000 nights at anchor) and having sailed to the Caribbean and done almost all of the Little Loop including 80 locks on the Erie Canal and several cruises up and down the entire AICW in sailboats trawlers and outboards, it works for me. Where there's a will, there's a way.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Harkers Islanders
When we lived aboard we got to know some Harkers Island boatbuilders. There were some very memorable characters that I was fortunate enough to work with and become friends with.
We were hauled on a railway at Harkers Island by some 'native' friends with a yard there. When we tied up, the current pushed us away away from the dock. As I was tugging a line to get us closer so my wife could get off onto the dock, a yard hand came to our rescue, exclaiming to my wife as he approached, "Go ahead, you can make it in 2 jumps."
When they got a look at the underwater hull of my full keel sailboat, one of the men told the railway operator..."Better pull her all the way up. A barnacle will jump 4 feet out of the water to attach hisself to a fiberglass boat."
And at the yard where they were building a shrimper, I asked if I could see the plans they were working from. I was directed to a 2 foot piece of 2x10 with a boat sketched on it in pencil. I asked how they calculated where the waterline would be. James said, "With the Detroit we're puttin in her, it'll be here." pointing to a place on the sketched drawing, "We might have to mover it up or down for a different motor."
I was helping Gillikin repair a damaged taffrail on a sailboat that I was crewing...he'd done a beautiful precision scarf, all that was left to do was make a 1" teak plug to cover a stainless nut on a post. I followed James back to the shop, thinking I'd get to see him turn the plug on a lathe. He grabbed a hunk of teak and examined the grain. "Let's go, this'll work." Back at the sailboat he took out his pocket knife and carved a plug by hand that was perfect.
But my favorite memory is watching them plank a trawler hull. As I approached, I asked the worker if he'd mind having a spectator. He was amiable, suggesting that the secret was to not leave a muletrack...the indentation a hammer head makes when the fastener isn't hit squarely as it's pounded flush, and he said, "You want to drive it in with one blow."
He then proceeded to place a silicon bronze screw at the end of the plank and with a single blow, put it flush to the plank without leaving a mark. I then asked him why he hammered the screw in. He commented that it arranges the wood fibers in a downward fashion that keeps the screw tight. So I asked, "Why do you suppose they put that slot in the head of the screw? He said, "Oh, that's only for gettin' 'em out."
Those Harkers Island boat builders were nothing short of wood magicians and a friendly lot for anyone interested in the water.
There's a lot of misinformation on the Intenet, but believe me, I'm not smart enough to be making this stuff up.
We were hauled on a railway at Harkers Island by some 'native' friends with a yard there. When we tied up, the current pushed us away away from the dock. As I was tugging a line to get us closer so my wife could get off onto the dock, a yard hand came to our rescue, exclaiming to my wife as he approached, "Go ahead, you can make it in 2 jumps."
When they got a look at the underwater hull of my full keel sailboat, one of the men told the railway operator..."Better pull her all the way up. A barnacle will jump 4 feet out of the water to attach hisself to a fiberglass boat."
And at the yard where they were building a shrimper, I asked if I could see the plans they were working from. I was directed to a 2 foot piece of 2x10 with a boat sketched on it in pencil. I asked how they calculated where the waterline would be. James said, "With the Detroit we're puttin in her, it'll be here." pointing to a place on the sketched drawing, "We might have to mover it up or down for a different motor."
I was helping Gillikin repair a damaged taffrail on a sailboat that I was crewing...he'd done a beautiful precision scarf, all that was left to do was make a 1" teak plug to cover a stainless nut on a post. I followed James back to the shop, thinking I'd get to see him turn the plug on a lathe. He grabbed a hunk of teak and examined the grain. "Let's go, this'll work." Back at the sailboat he took out his pocket knife and carved a plug by hand that was perfect.
But my favorite memory is watching them plank a trawler hull. As I approached, I asked the worker if he'd mind having a spectator. He was amiable, suggesting that the secret was to not leave a muletrack...the indentation a hammer head makes when the fastener isn't hit squarely as it's pounded flush, and he said, "You want to drive it in with one blow."
He then proceeded to place a silicon bronze screw at the end of the plank and with a single blow, put it flush to the plank without leaving a mark. I then asked him why he hammered the screw in. He commented that it arranges the wood fibers in a downward fashion that keeps the screw tight. So I asked, "Why do you suppose they put that slot in the head of the screw? He said, "Oh, that's only for gettin' 'em out."
Those Harkers Island boat builders were nothing short of wood magicians and a friendly lot for anyone interested in the water.
There's a lot of misinformation on the Intenet, but believe me, I'm not smart enough to be making this stuff up.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Raycor Clear Bowl - Double Standard?
When I purchased my 40 year old I/O houseboat, it had leaky fuel tanks. In order to get on the water right away, I left the empty leaking tanks in the bilge and installed a temporary tank in the engine room. The new temporary tank was made of plastic, and certified by the Coast Guard. The surveyor who looked over my boat for insurance purposes also blessed the plastic tank.
I finally got around to removing the leaking tanks and installing a new custom made aluminum tank which was just about the same capacity as the two leakers put together. Thinking that I'd like to keep an eye on fuel quality while breaking in the new tank, I ordered a clear bowl Racor Gasoline Spin On Fuel Filter/Water Separator - so I could see if any welding stuff was coming out of the tank.
The instructions say you have to use a metal bowl with an inboard motor. Does this make a lot of sense?
I finally got around to removing the leaking tanks and installing a new custom made aluminum tank which was just about the same capacity as the two leakers put together. Thinking that I'd like to keep an eye on fuel quality while breaking in the new tank, I ordered a clear bowl Racor Gasoline Spin On Fuel Filter/Water Separator - so I could see if any welding stuff was coming out of the tank.
The instructions say you have to use a metal bowl with an inboard motor. Does this make a lot of sense?
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| Forty gallon plastic fuel tank is perfectly OK, but a 1/2 pint plastic bowl on the fuel filter is a NO-NO! |
Friday, May 18, 2012
A Chili Chuckle
My wife made a dynamite chili tonite. She uses ground turkey because it's healthier and we always have a salad. I slathered both helpings of the bean laden chili covered pasta with sour cream and put enough grated Parmesan on to make a crust. I could hardly move when I finished.
Suzy asked me if I'd like a bran muffin for desert. She commented that the label on the package said "Zero Trans Fat", but almost choked when she realized that there was some other kind of fat listed in the ingredients. She would have to 'Google' to find out if this other fat was healthy or not.
I'm pushing 70. I don't have to save for retirement or my kids education. I don't need to have my teeth last for 50 years. The shingles on my house are going to outlast me. I don't need to have a long range plan. Life is absolutely great and the last thing I'm worried about is whether that bran muffin is good for me. What I'm worried about is taste, and is there another cold beer?
Life is so much simpler when you get old.
Suzy asked me if I'd like a bran muffin for desert. She commented that the label on the package said "Zero Trans Fat", but almost choked when she realized that there was some other kind of fat listed in the ingredients. She would have to 'Google' to find out if this other fat was healthy or not.
I'm pushing 70. I don't have to save for retirement or my kids education. I don't need to have my teeth last for 50 years. The shingles on my house are going to outlast me. I don't need to have a long range plan. Life is absolutely great and the last thing I'm worried about is whether that bran muffin is good for me. What I'm worried about is taste, and is there another cold beer?
Life is so much simpler when you get old.
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Cleaning The 40 Year Old Non-Skid
The new fuel tank was in and I had caught up with just about everything except the leaky windows when my grungy deck got the best of me. I got out the cleaning supplies; 409, 505, BKF, Simple Green, Comet, CLR, toilet bowl cleaner, Collinite Fiberglass Cleaner, Joy, ammonia, Spic N Span, Glass Plus -- I tried everything on the dirty gelcoat...but alas in the end after all the rubbing and scrubbing, the non-skid still held tenaciously to the dirt and grime.
Went to the store to restock my brew after working up a scrubbing sweat in the heat, and 'scoured' the cleaning isle for perhaps an exotic 'solution'. Came up empty and in desperation grabbed a gallon of bleach on my way out with the beer.
Up on the flybridge, I sloshed a splash of bleach on the still gray deck. I let it soak into the porous gelcoat and after 20 seconds or so the bleach yellowed. I watched a small overflow stream as it found it's way to the edge of the sundeck and it ran off, leaving a narrow moist trail on the deck. Much to my amazement, that sliver of wetness whitened as it dried. Damn, just the magic I had been looking for.
Then the experimenting began. Would the full strength bleach work on it's own to clean the deck? I found that brushing the raw bleach into the deck didn't get results, but a light scrub with just about any cleaner, followed by application of the bleach made me very, very happy.
And when she is finally clean...bow, transom, sides, flybridge and all, will I do the wax on, wax off thing to make her shine like new? Hell no! A quick wipe with Turtle Wax Ice is what she'll get, especially knowing that I can bring her back with minimal effort and a $2 gallon of bleach.
Went to the store to restock my brew after working up a scrubbing sweat in the heat, and 'scoured' the cleaning isle for perhaps an exotic 'solution'. Came up empty and in desperation grabbed a gallon of bleach on my way out with the beer.
Up on the flybridge, I sloshed a splash of bleach on the still gray deck. I let it soak into the porous gelcoat and after 20 seconds or so the bleach yellowed. I watched a small overflow stream as it found it's way to the edge of the sundeck and it ran off, leaving a narrow moist trail on the deck. Much to my amazement, that sliver of wetness whitened as it dried. Damn, just the magic I had been looking for.
Then the experimenting began. Would the full strength bleach work on it's own to clean the deck? I found that brushing the raw bleach into the deck didn't get results, but a light scrub with just about any cleaner, followed by application of the bleach made me very, very happy.
And when she is finally clean...bow, transom, sides, flybridge and all, will I do the wax on, wax off thing to make her shine like new? Hell no! A quick wipe with Turtle Wax Ice is what she'll get, especially knowing that I can bring her back with minimal effort and a $2 gallon of bleach.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Family Road Trip to Ohio & Illinois from SC
This isn't boating related, but I thought I'd share anyway.
My daughter has been very interested in collecting genealogy stuff, especially for my side of the family. She uncovered things about my grandparents who lived in Zanesville and Youngstown Ohio. She also stumbled on a 91 year old distant relative in a Zanesville old folks home who was willing to meet with her. So I suggested we take a family road trip.
Although it only gets 17 mpg on the road compared to our other cars getting 28 and 35, we decided to take the van. It has a sleeping cot, porta potty and comfortably sits only four people, easily accommodating my wife and her wheelchair, my daughter, our two year old grandson (in his car seat) and our dog Merlin. The van is equipped with a rear window unit air conditioner and a bumper mounted generator.
I was a little apprehensive...a two year old strapped in a car seat for 2,000 miles? But believe it or not, it was a very enjoyable trip - thanks to a good kid, good parenting and a doting Nana.
We visited relatives living and dead in Zanesville, Youngstown, Chicago, Sandwich (IL) and Oswego (IL). We discovered a small family cemetery hidden over a hill in an overgrown field. We got to celebrate with family at a Cinco De Mayo party and stayed with Suzy's sisters and family (she has two sisters) in both Chicago and Sandwich.
We took the van, because even though our dog Merlin, being a Therapy Dog, can get into most motel rooms, he has a tendency to protectively bark when there's someone in the hall and it disrupts us and the neighbors all through the night. Merlin and I end up sleeping in the van while the rest of the family sacks out in comfortable motel beds. We don't mind at all - the cooler is full of icy beer and we have an internet connection to surf the boating groups on the web and thanks to the generator, can run the air conditioner or small space heater all night if necessary for comfort. Also, Merlin makes the absolute best four legged pillow.
After checking in at the motel office I had a challenge...kind of like the fox, chicken and corn getting across the river.
http://www.mathsisfun.com/chicken_crossing_solution.html
I can take my wife and her wheelchair into the room, or the luggage, or the baby, or the dog, but I can only do one at a time. The baby can't be left alone with the wife because the baby can escape from the van OR the motel room. Daughter can do baby or wife or dog, but prefers not to do the heavy luggage. Dog can escape from car while luggage or baby or wife is being removed. Dog can bark if left alone in motel room. If wife is in room with daughter (and grandson) I may or may not be able to discern the proper luggage to be transported, in which case either the wife has to be at the van to supervise or the daughter is required to move heavy bags. It wasn't all that bad, in fact it was comical.
To keep this brief, here's a few pics of the trip.
My daughter has been very interested in collecting genealogy stuff, especially for my side of the family. She uncovered things about my grandparents who lived in Zanesville and Youngstown Ohio. She also stumbled on a 91 year old distant relative in a Zanesville old folks home who was willing to meet with her. So I suggested we take a family road trip.
Although it only gets 17 mpg on the road compared to our other cars getting 28 and 35, we decided to take the van. It has a sleeping cot, porta potty and comfortably sits only four people, easily accommodating my wife and her wheelchair, my daughter, our two year old grandson (in his car seat) and our dog Merlin. The van is equipped with a rear window unit air conditioner and a bumper mounted generator.
I was a little apprehensive...a two year old strapped in a car seat for 2,000 miles? But believe it or not, it was a very enjoyable trip - thanks to a good kid, good parenting and a doting Nana.
We visited relatives living and dead in Zanesville, Youngstown, Chicago, Sandwich (IL) and Oswego (IL). We discovered a small family cemetery hidden over a hill in an overgrown field. We got to celebrate with family at a Cinco De Mayo party and stayed with Suzy's sisters and family (she has two sisters) in both Chicago and Sandwich.
We took the van, because even though our dog Merlin, being a Therapy Dog, can get into most motel rooms, he has a tendency to protectively bark when there's someone in the hall and it disrupts us and the neighbors all through the night. Merlin and I end up sleeping in the van while the rest of the family sacks out in comfortable motel beds. We don't mind at all - the cooler is full of icy beer and we have an internet connection to surf the boating groups on the web and thanks to the generator, can run the air conditioner or small space heater all night if necessary for comfort. Also, Merlin makes the absolute best four legged pillow.
After checking in at the motel office I had a challenge...kind of like the fox, chicken and corn getting across the river.
http://www.mathsisfun.com/chicken_crossing_solution.html
I can take my wife and her wheelchair into the room, or the luggage, or the baby, or the dog, but I can only do one at a time. The baby can't be left alone with the wife because the baby can escape from the van OR the motel room. Daughter can do baby or wife or dog, but prefers not to do the heavy luggage. Dog can escape from car while luggage or baby or wife is being removed. Dog can bark if left alone in motel room. If wife is in room with daughter (and grandson) I may or may not be able to discern the proper luggage to be transported, in which case either the wife has to be at the van to supervise or the daughter is required to move heavy bags. It wasn't all that bad, in fact it was comical.
To keep this brief, here's a few pics of the trip.
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| Sara Jane at hidden family cemetery |
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| "Packy" in motel room |
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| The reason I'm not in the picture with Packy |
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| My motel room |
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| Moffit's in Chicago - sharing family videos |
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| Sara Jane, Jamie & Emily |
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| Dinner at Sandwich (IL) thanks Ed for the pic |
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| Packy playing pilot in Ed's plane |
Friday, May 11, 2012
New Flybridge Seats
The original flybridge seats were back to back with a lot of padding.
They folded flat for sunbathing or snoozing. As soon as I used them, the vinyl cracked beyond repair.
I bought one set of new back to back seats to experiment with as replacements.
I'm not a big fan of cushy upholstery out in the open. The foam gets wet and even when you think it's dry it squishes water out when you sit on it. Also, there's no room to get your knees/feet under the wheel on the upper helm especially with the height of the foam seat.
I needed something that would allow more room at the upper helm, not get soggy and still provide a place to stretch out. Also, I found that when there's three or four people on the flybridge, they don't sit back to back, they sit facing in so they can see each other.
So I got some plywood, Sunbrella and 1/2" closed cell camping mats. I'd put the mat on the plywood and staple the Sunbrella over it. I had some blue fabric left over from a previous project so I experimented with the best way to do the corners - I tried a small round radius and a large round radius, but eventually found the best way was to just cut the corners at 45°.
Then I got some stainless hinges from http://marinepartdepot.com/stststhi5.html and I was in business, providing I could locate stainless or monel staples.
So here's what I ended up with:
Not exceptionally pretty, but very functional and long enough to lie down on without needing to 'unfold' them. Eventually I'll rig the rear seats to be backs for the forward ones.
Also in the wings is a plan to make a smaller 'back' which can be placed at a tilt between the front and rear seats to be used as a back for either, and when removed can be placed on the outside of the seats to be used as a back when sitting facing in.
And for boney butt folks, there will be plenty of type III cushions available.
I bought one set of new back to back seats to experiment with as replacements.
I needed something that would allow more room at the upper helm, not get soggy and still provide a place to stretch out. Also, I found that when there's three or four people on the flybridge, they don't sit back to back, they sit facing in so they can see each other.
So I got some plywood, Sunbrella and 1/2" closed cell camping mats. I'd put the mat on the plywood and staple the Sunbrella over it. I had some blue fabric left over from a previous project so I experimented with the best way to do the corners - I tried a small round radius and a large round radius, but eventually found the best way was to just cut the corners at 45°.
So here's what I ended up with:
Also in the wings is a plan to make a smaller 'back' which can be placed at a tilt between the front and rear seats to be used as a back for either, and when removed can be placed on the outside of the seats to be used as a back when sitting facing in.
And for boney butt folks, there will be plenty of type III cushions available.