The Trawler Beach House

What Do You Do Once Your In The Bahamas?

2012-02-01T16:55:00.002-05:00

Is It Really Better In The Bahamas??

This is a follow to our post, What Cruisers Want To Know About The Bahamas.

You've done all of your homework. You've picked the perfect weather window. You were in awe as the dark blue of the Gulf Stream gave way to the crystal clear, but shallow waters of the Bahamas Banks. The feel of accomplishment just can't be describe. You have arrived, so now what? The answer is almost as endless as the Island chain itself.

Arriving on your own boat is by far the best way to experience the Islands. If you decide to do nothing else, just island hopping in your boat can take up an entire season. Visiting the cities and settlements from the small to the cosmopolitan. The Abacos, with their New England flavor, offer such settlements as Hopetown or Marsh Harbor, which have become the hub of the Abacos for the boating community. You can still visit the Artist Colony at Little Harbor founded by Pete Johnson, where is family still displays many works of art. If nightlife and excitement are your pleasure, Grand Bahamas and Freeport with their large casinos and resorts will occupy all of your time and a lot of your money. The protected shallow waters of the Northern Bahamas is wonderful for sailing, snorkeling, diving and some world-class fishing. Fishing is a big part of the Bahamas experience. Deep-sea fishing for Mahi-Mahi, Marlin, Tuna, Wahoo or Mackerel are but a few of the possibilities for the catch of the day. Enjoy fly-fishing for Bonefish, catching Jack or Snapper in the morning and cooking your catch on the grill in the evening is our definition of "the good life". Fish from your own boat, hire a guide or charter a fishing boat.

Fishing or Island hopping may not be your only choices. The diving and snorkeling in the Bahamas is some of the best in the world. And no place is better known for their dive sites than the Exuma chain. Dive or snorkel on patch reefs, do deeper wall dives, or try one of the well known Blue Holes for a dive experience you will never forget. We have snorkeled with sharks at the Land and Sea Park and Barracuda amongst the Elkhorn Coral off Concepcion Island. Bring along a kayak, or rent one from one of the vendors found in many Exuma settlements for a close up and personal view of the waters and environment that can be experienced no other way. Natural preserves like the Exuma Land and Sea Park offer nature trails to hike and undisturbed underwater habitats to explore. The southern Bahamas offers a real Caribbean experience, with deserted islands and white sandy beaches that rival any other in the Caribbean.

If golfing happens to be your passion, the Bahamas offers three world-class golf courses. The Abaco Club is a private golf club offering reciprocal privileges. Treasure Cay Golf Club at Treasure Cay and Grand Isle Resort on Great Exuma round out these challenging 18-hole courses with vistas that will at times be distracting to players. All of the clubs offer amenities that rival or surpass many golf clubs found in the U.S. The lower Exumas are often the seasonal destination for many boaters. During the winter months, the warm and balmy trade winds make for some very comfortable weather. Your options are almost endless. Feed the iguanas on Allans Cay, swim with the pigs at Pig Beach on Big Major Spot, snorkel Thunderball Grotto of James Bond fame at Staniel Cay or join in the festivities that run almost non-stop in Georgetown. Georgetown is home to the annual Family Island Regatta Week. We have counted over 400 boats in the harbor during regatta week and there was still plenty of room. There are daily volleyball games going on at, you guessed it, Volleyball Beach. A different cruisers activity is going on almost every day from sing-alongs to pot lucks, or boating seminars to local holiday festivities.

The biggest problem we have encountered on our trips to the Bahamas is when it is time to leave, we haven't done everything we planned to do. It truly is better in the Bahamas, and that's probably why boaters like ourselves are drawn back over and over, and over again. So go, enjoy and look for us the next time you find yourself wondering what to do today. Chuck Baier and Susan Landry

Flybridge Makeover Part Two

2012-01-19T20:04:00.000-05:00

With the "interior" makeover of the flybridge complete, the "exterior" was next on our list. Since the exterior of the boat has been painted in the past and we knew it was done in AwlGrip, the maintenance coat was a lot less labor intensive. First, all of the hardware and fittings were removed, including the vinyl lettering for her name. All edges had a double row of delicate tape to keep paint off of where it does not belong. Several screw holes that had mounted hardware that was no longer in use had to be filled and repaired. A good sanding and a single coat of 545 white primer and everything was ready for paint.

Two coats of AwlGrip Cloud White made the side look like new. Well, that is after a disaster with the first coat. The first coat took a bit long to dry because of the high humidity here in South Florida. Soon after sunset, a heavy dew began to form on everything and by morning, the dew was dripping on the deck as if it had rained. AwlGrip really doesn't like any moisture until it is completely dry, and sure enough, the finish had blushed, leaving a flat look about the same as the primer. OK, not a total loss since it needed another coat anyway. But what to do to keep this from happening over and over? The solution was to add an accelerator to the paint to cut down the drying time. Since I didn't have any, I had to order the 138 accelerator for brushing and rolling from Jamestown Distributors and wait a few days for it to arrive. As luck would have it, this slight delay also coincided with the arrival of a cold front coming down from the north. Now you might ask yourself what this has to do with anything? The cold front will clear out the atmosphere and bring dry air with lower humidity and dew points, perfect for painting since the chance of heavy dew, or almost any dew, is very low. Using the accelerator did the trick and with an early morning coat of paint, it was dry before the sun went down. I love it when a plan comes together. Now you probably wonder about the photo with the two black spots. After an extra day to allow for additional drying of the paint, all of the hardware and fittings needed to be re-installed. Rather than caulking, I now use butyl tape to bed all of the deck hardware. The recommended butyl tape is gray but I still had plenty left over from the installation of the ports. With the black, you must be careful not to use so much that it oozes out from under the hardware when it is tightened down. I am completely convinced that this is the ONLY way to bed hardware to ensure it won't develop leaks and can be easily removed if necessary.

The final results are a good-looking finish that will last us for another 10 years if we don't abuse it too much. This isn't quite finished yet, since the teak handrails and wood, now painted in the teal color, will have to be removed, the flybridge fiberglassed to the decks (I know I will hear about this) and the strip repainted. That's for another time.

The teak cap rail needed to be caulked to keep moisture out from under it. Both the teak and the fiberglass sides get a row of easy release tape and the caulking is applied. It had previously been done in white but we have found that a brown or teak color looks much nicer. For this we chose Boatlife Teak Caulk, something we have used around the window frames in the past. Caulking is messy, especially on new paint. The stuff grows legs when you aren't looking and walks all over your new paint. The darker the color the quicker it can crawl away.

I use my finger to smooth out the caulk after it's applied. Once the tape is removed, the edges of the caulk have a nice uniform, professional look. We use this technique no matter how large or small the caulking job is that we're working on.

The last step was to replace Beach House's name and the folks at SpeedySigns once again did a great job of sending us new vinyl lettering. I really can't say enough about their customer service.

We decided not to replace the Marine Trader teak plaque on the front of the flybridge. It needs some work and unless we can get it looking the way we want, it might not go back in place. We'll have to see if Susan can rejuvenate it. This all looks great and we are getting lots of compliments from the dock walkers and our boating neighbors. A few have threatened to hire me so I guess I will have to go into hiding for a while. Our next post will cover the replacement of the copper plumbing in the fresh water system so come back soon.

An Exhausting Project

2012-01-09T17:57:00.000-05:00

The Christmas and New Years holiday season doesn't mean the work on the boat will slow down or stop. If we are to stay on schedule, we need to push forward with all of our projects, even the smaller ones. Those smaller ones keep getting pushed down the list as more important tasks present themselves and some get moved to the top for a variety of reasons. But the list doesn't look any shorter even with all of the done items scratched off. One small project I have been promising to Susan for a long time is finally done.

It was actually the completion of the flybridge renovations that removed any excuses I might have had to put this one off. I did promise Susan that at some point I would get her a working exhaust fan set up in the galley. The exhaust pipe exited into one of the flybridge seats and I did not want to install a fan and then have to remove it when I removed the built-in seats. The new seats are installed so the exhaust fan has moved to the top of the list.

In the galley, the pipe and cover where the fan belonged has always been there. We have no idea if the boat ever had one, but a big help was the fact that the wiring was already run to the flybridge, including a switch on a small panel on the front of the galley cabinet. The pipe is a 3-inch gray piece of PVC that runs from the cover seen here and exits inside the starboard seat with about 8 inches of pipe sticking out of the deck.

The rest was easy. A visit to the local Ace hardware gave me all of the parts I needed except the fan. A 3-inch diameter piece of aluminum dryer vent hose and a vent cover was all that was needed. Because the pipe was also 3 inches, the dryer hose and pipe were connected using the foil tape that's used in most home heating and air conditioning duct work. The fan consists of a 3-inch blower fan that fit directly into the dryer ducting hose. The aluminum hose is rigid enough that it supports the weight of the fan without having to attach it to anything. This eliminates vibration of the fan through the side of the seat. Heat shrink butt connectors to waterproof the wire connections was the last step and we were in business.

The final final step was to vent the whole thing out the front of the seat. For our set up, this was the best placing. We chose the type of vent cover used on dryers that opens when the fan is running. When it's off, the vent cover is closed. The vent cover only comes in 4 inch, so an adapter was needed to connect it to the 3-inch pipe. Now when Susan cooks, she no longer steams up the entire salon and it keeps the temperature down inside the boat.

Holding Tank Monitor And Major Service On Our Ford Lehman

2011-12-21T22:30:00.002-05:00

We posted our holding tank installation several months back and one of the unfinished parts of that project was to install a tank monitor. We did a lot of research on the different types and manufacturers and finally decided on the Solo Tank Monitor made by New Providence Marine/Ferriello Sales LLC. The decision was based on lots of positive feedback from current owners and a recommendation from Miss Peggy Hall, known throughout the boat industry as the "Head Mistress." Peggy has a couple of excellent books on marine sanitation. The installation could not have been more straightforward or easier.

We first needed to decide where to mount the display. It needed to be easy to see and have good access to run the wires from the power source to the tank. A convenient spot on the bulkhead directly behind the head was perfect for us. It began with cutting a hole for the panel. We posted our procedure for doing this in an earlier post, so I won't repeat it again. The power connection was run from our main DC panel and the monitor has its own breaker switch.

Even though it's connected to a breaker, we also installed an in-line fuse per the manufacturer's instructions. All of the in-line fuses on Beach House have a spare fuse taped to the fuse holder, so if it blows, there is no hunting for a replacement and hoping we have the right size. This has made the replacement process quick and easy.

With the panel in place and the power wire run and connected, the next step is to install the sensors on the outside of the tank. We chose the external, non-contact sensor. There is no need to drill holes in the tank, no moving parts to care for or any sensor in the tank that would need cleaning. With our custom made "plastic" tank, this kind of sensor is ideal. The installation of the sensor is extremely easy and only took a few minutes.

The sensor module is wired to the display panel, two self-stick strips of aluminum are attached to the outside of the tank, the self-stick copper patches attached to the module are stuck over the aluminum strips and the module is secured between them via a piece of self-stick tape. And that is all there is to it.

There is one more additional step and that is calibrating the tank both empty and full. This allows the sensor to read and display how much fluid is in the tank. Our tank is opaque and you can see the fluid levels if the drawer next to it is removed. But we prefer a bit easier and more precise way to tell when the tank needs to be pumped out BEFORE it is over full. The first part of the calibration is to pump the tank as empty as possible. Most tanks will still have a small amount in the bottom, but that is okay and preferred during the calibration process. Once empty, the buttons are manipulated according to the installation manual.

We then filled the tank with our water hose, being careful to stop at about two inches above the top of the tank. This would give us a little cushion when the monitor reads full and we would still have a couple of flushes to carry us through if we needed them. Once the tank was full, again, a simple manipulation of the buttons on the display calibrated the monitor for a full tank. The entire installation took very little time and was one of the easier installs we have done. We highly recommend this unit.

Oh yes, I did mention some major service for our Ford Lehman 120. The engine has performed flawlessly since we have owned the boat. But it has had a minor problem with oil weeping from where the head bolts on to the top of the engine, near the rear of the head and engine. I re-torqued the head bolts when we were in Reedville, Virginia and it slowed the problem down a bit, but did not stop it. So we decided to pull the head, have it checked and machined if necessary, and at the same time, replace the injectors, new valves and seats, a new head gasket and exhaust manifold gasket and do a valve adjustment. Our plans to do the Great Loop will mean thousands of miles that we will have to motor so we want the motor to be in tip-top condition. The top of the pistons and the cylinder walls all looked excellent and even the valves were in good shape, but since we had everything apart, it only made sense put new valves in since they are very inexpensive. We'll let you know how it all turns out.

Trawler Flybridge Makeover

2011-12-06T20:31:00.000-05:00

A major project that has been on my to-do list for a very long time is the renovation of the flybridge. I knew this was going to be a lot of work, and other more pressing projects have kept this on the back burner. But at some point, it really needed to be done and a few weeks ago, I reached that point. The "You Have To Do It Now" list is blank for the time being, and I have found the extra time away from the work stuff to get it done. But it was not one of my more pleasant projects.

The built in fiberglass seats were looking really bad and had to be completely removed. They leaked every time it rained and the gelcoat was in bad condition. We considered painting them and making new cushions, but in the end decided they had to go. Removing the teak baseboards made it easy to just pull them out. They are only fastened to the deck by a handful of screws attached to three glassed-in frames on the inside.

Once the seats were out, I glassed in the flybridge gunnels to the deck, eliminating any possible water intrusion. Many traditionalists will have a fit about this, since now the flybridge can never be removed. But we see no future plans that would require the removal, and this eliminated an ongoing problem for us. The space where they meet was filled in with thickened epoxy, and a two-inch strip of fiberglass cloth was applied over that. Epoxy with fairing compound thickener was the final coat, and once the epoxy kicked off, it was sanded to a rounded corner.

With the edges glassed in place, the inner frames that held the seats in place had to be cut off flush with the deck. A reciprocating saw with a long blade did most of the work. Then there was a lot of grinding to get it level. Once everything was satisfactory, the cut off area was covered with a layer of one-inch wide cloth and epoxy to cover and reinforce the deck.

Once the starboard side was done, the entire process had to be done on the port side. Did I mention that this was really messy and no fun at all? Eventually all of the glass work was done and it took lots of sanding, starting with 80 grit and moving up to 125, until all of the surfaces were smooth enough to think about painting.

Of course, with any project, there are those unforeseeable little details that drive you crazy. The new seats were going to be in a different position and they were slightly larger than the old ones. That meant the speakers would have to be moved about 3 inches aft so they were not behind the new seat backs. The old holes had to be glassed in and faired so the sides could be painted.

Now that ALL of the fiberglassing was done, the surfaces smooth and sanded to 125 grit and the surrounding areas taped off, the first of 3 coats of white AwlGrip 545 primer was applied. Each coat was sanded with 220 grit before the next was applied.

After the primer, 3 coats of AwlGrip Cloud White was applied, also sanded between coats with 220 grit. Awlgrip recommends at least 300 grit, but I have had better luck with the 220 and the paint looks just as good. The tube sticking out of the deck leads to the exhaust in the galley and will have a fan attached later. At this point, we have not done anything with the decks except sanding.

For some time now we have had two 36-inch bench seats on the flybridge and these were always meant to be the replacement for the old seats. They were installed back to back, caulked along the bottom and securely fastened to the deck on the starboard side. These seats have lots of storage space in the base. They are vinyl covered with high density foam and plastic bases.

There is not enough space to put 36-inch seats on both the port and starboard side, so we put two 27-inch wide seats on the port side. They are very comfortable and so much more attractive than the old fiberglass seats. Once all of the seats were installed, the decks had to be re-done. Our plan was to coat all of the decks with the same Tuff Coat non-skid material we used on our previous boat.

We have posted the details on doing our non-skids on our sailboat here, and this process would be exactly the same. The preparations take much, much more time than the actual application. First, all of the edges have to be carefully taped and any surfaces covered over that will not be coated.

Once the edges are taped, I like to apply the provided primer with a small roller, being careful not to get the primer on other surfaces. The primer dries completely clear and should sit for 24 hours before the non-skid coating is applied.

The non-skid is tenacious and will stick to anything it comes in contact with. It is nearly impossible to remove once it dries. To keep the spatter off everything, we use a 9-inch wide painters tape around everything.

The secret to getting the texture even is to make sure the material is thoroughly mixed, and a mixing paddle and drill will do this just fine. The material also needs to be stirred even in the paint pan while working.

The corners and edges where the roller does not quite reach needs to be done with a brush. The trick here is to "dab" the materials and not to brush it like paint. I use the brush to stir the coating in the paint pan also.

The non-skid coating is applied with the roller provided by the manufacturer. I like to roll about a 2'X2' section, first in one direction and then the opposite direction. It take a short time to develop a technique that leaves an even pattern in the coating.

Two coats are needed, and as soon as the first coat is dry to the touch, the second coat should be applied. The material dries very quickly. The person applying the material should be covered, too, since getting it off skin after it dries can be painful.

Another very important step is to get the paper and tape off IMMEDIATELY. If left on too long, it will pull the edges up as the tape is removed. The material can be walked on, but shoes should be discouraged.

The results are astounding and we really love this material. It is truly non-skid no matter how wet the surface gets and no matter what kind of footwear you have on. We have found it to be very durable no matter how much we abuse it, and it is easy to clean.

The finished flybridge looks absolutely amazing and we are so pleased at how it all turned out. It surpassed all of our expectations and makes this one of our favorite spots on the boat now.

The final steps are to re-bed and re-install any hardware that was removed. The aft deck cabin top was the third section done this time.

The only problem now is, we will need to get some new deck furniture to go in our new flybridge. The walk around section of the deck has not been done yet. We want to wait to finish a few other things first so we don't mess up the new surface.

On to the next project.

Mustang Survival IPFD Recall

2011-11-21T20:59:00.005-05:00

We have been users of the Mustang Inflatable Vests for many years and have been very satisfied with them. But we have recently been made aware of a recall due to a problem that might keep them from fully inflating. Here is the official recall notice...

November 2, 2011

MUSTANG SURVIVAL ISSUES VOLUNTARY RECALL NOTICE ON MD2010 & MD2012 model 22LB Inflatable Personal Flotation Devices

In keeping with Mustang Survival’s commitment to the highest levels of product quality and safety, we are voluntarily recalling all model number MD2010 and MD2012 inflatable Personal Flotation Devices (PFD’s) sold in the United States during 2011. To determine if you are impacted by this recall please reference the images below:
Image 1: Any inflatable product with multiple white sewn on safety labels on the back is OK and is not affected by this recall.

Image 2 If your inflatable does not have white sewn on safety labels, please check for model number MD2010 or MD2012 on the back of the PFD, then refer to Image 3.

Image 3 MD2010/MD2012 models with an “MIT” (Membrane Inflatable Technology) stamp (in black or color) above the CO2 cylinder are OK. Any MD2010 or MD2012 missing the “MIT” stamp should be returned to Mustang!
This recall is being issued for the inspection and repair of an inflator installation inconsistency that may prevent some units from fully inflating. Mustang Survival has developed a solution that corrects any affected product and prevents re-occurrence of this issue. The inspection and repair can only be performed at a Mustang Survival factory.
This recall notification is for only the MD2010 and MD2012 22LB buoyancy inflatable PFDs. No other Mustang Survival products are affected as they utilize different inflator mechanisms.
All MD2010 and MD2012 PFD’s without the stamped MIT logo as shown in Image 3 (above) should be returned to Mustang Survival for inspection. All other Mustang PFD’s are okay for use.
Distributors and consumers are urged to contact Mustang Survival’s Customer Service department at 1-800-526-0532 between 7:30am and 4:30pm PST, Monday through Friday for specific shipping instructions. If you have questions, please first refer to the Frequently Asked Questions below:

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: Why do I have to return the product?
A: Our QA team has discovered an installation inconsistency with the inflator system that needs to be tested and corrected if necessary.
Q: How do I know if my inflatable is one of the affected products?
A: The model number is screen printed onto the back panel above the UL mark and will begin with the characters MD followed by four numbers. Affected products are MD2010 and MD2012
Q: When will I get my product back?
A: We are striving to have all products returned to dealers and consumers within 3-4 weeks (including shipping time to and from Mustang).
Q: What are you doing with my returned product?
A: All units will be tested and if necessary, repaired, before being returned. We will stamp the inside of the product above the CO2 cylinder with “MIT” to indicate that it has been tested and is OK.
Q: Are the re-arm kits affected by this recall?
A: Re-arm kits are not affected by this recall. The problem is isolated to the inflator assembly on the inflatable PFD.
Q: Is this a problem caused by the M.I.T. (Membrane) technology?
A: No, the problem is with the inflator installation on the affected units.
Q: Does this recall impact any other Mustang inflatable PFDs?
A: No, the recall is limited to only the MD2010 and MD2012 models due to its unique inflator components and installation method.
Q: How do I return my product?
A: Contact Mustang Survival’s Customer Service department at 1-800-526-0532 between 7:30am and 4:30pm PST, Monday through Friday with any questions or concerns regarding this voluntary recall notice.
Q: What are the shipping and repair costs?
A: Mustang Survival will pay for all testing, repair and shipping costs.
Q: How are you notifying the public about this issue?
A: A detailed communications plan is being executed to notify all affected dealers, distributors, consumers and industry partners.

Moeller Marine Products Review

2011-11-06T21:07:00.000-05:00

Over the years we have often used Moeller Marine products, also sold under Tempo, and found them to be of fairly decent quality. But our most recent purchases have changed our opinion considerably. Here on the Beach House site we often post the specific product we are working with and links to where it can be found. When we use a product we like, it gets a good mention and we will often recommend it to others. But when we find a product we consider of poor quality we feel just as obligated to let others know of our experience. Three recent products made by Moeller have made our "Never Again" list.

Each of these was purchased only a few months ago and only used a couple of times. The first is a pad that goes over the transom of our dinghy to cushion it when the outboard is mounted. This has only been used one other time with the outboard on and when we mounted the outboard again this weekend, here is the condition we found the pad to be in. It has split completely in half. The dinghy is mounted horizontally on our swim platform and it is impossible for anything to come in contact that might cause this problem.

The next is the premade fuel line that connects the outboard to the fuel tank. The squeeze bulb that lets you prime the line and the outboard is made of such a hard rubber material that you can't squeeze it to prime anything. You must virtually step on it to get the bulb to compress.

The hose itself is starting to collapse from the inside. We are always very careful not to crimp the hose but this one has already developed a crimp on its own, right at the end fitting. Also note the cheap crimped clamp on the end fitting since this too is a problem.

Both ends leak where the hose attaches to the end fitting connectors because the crimped clamp does not clamp down tight enough on the hose. You can easily spin the end connectors and if you can get enough pressure on the priming bulb the ends leak and will continue to leak when the engine is running and pulling fuel from the tank.

The biggest disappointment has been the brand new 3 gallon fuel tank that we purchased about a month ago. We use three gallon tanks for the dinghy so that the gas in the tanks get turned over quickly and we don't have to throw away bad gas, especially as expensive as it is now. The first time we filled up the tank and carried it down the dock we found it was leaking all over the place. Upon further inspection it was determined that the threads for the plastic cap that holds the pick up tube was split in half where the threads meet the mounting.

After disassembling the fitting, I used the handle for the pliers to hold open the split to show how bad it was. Note the other tank sitting next to the broken one. This older tank is a couple of years old and is also a Moeller tank. It has shown no signs of problems and continues to be leak free. I can only make the assumption that the manufacturing process has changed and quality control has gone down the tubes. The colors of the tanks are not the same further indicating to me that things have changed. Perhaps if it had been a single product we might have just taken it back for exchange. But three different products from the same manufacturer all failing in such a short period leads me to only one conclusion. We don't want this product on our boat. This time we will take the hit and reorder all three of these from another manufacturer. I invite Moeller to come on the site and comment on this if they care to.

Our Navigational Notices and Other Work Related Stuff

2011-11-02T15:56:00.002-04:00

We haven't been totally neglecting Beach House, but W-O-R-K has been interfering with our boat work a little. Our new projects for Marinalife are coming along nicely. We have quite a few Navigational Notices and Alerts posted that cover the eastern U.S. coast from Maine to Florida and the Gulf Coast, Great Lakes and inland Waterways that include the Great Loop Route. We have even posted a few from the west coast, but not as extensive as the rest. We are also putting together cruising itineraries based on some of our previous cruises that include marina stops and anchorages for a leisure cruise south on the ICW, with stops at about every 50 miles. We will have another cruise template for the ICW from the Georgia border to the Florida Keys, but that will probably not be up for another week. If anyone wants to receive my Navigational Notices, you can go to the Marinalife website and register, and then sign up for whatever areas you want on your dashboard page. It is all free and I send out the Notices as soon as I receive and verify them. They can be read on the website or sent right to your email box. The notices are also linked to our Nautical Chartviewer so you can see the exact area where the notice is posted.

We have also done a few articles for Marinalife Magazine and Susan has an article that has just been picked up by Cruising World. We've compiled many of our anchorages and included them in the Marinalife Chartviewer, plus we have an article for anchorages along the ICW that we will be posting later. Keeping up with all of our other writing has kept us off the blog for a while, but we will make it up soon. Besides working to build the cruising Kitty, we are renovating the flybridge and will post on that as soon as we're a bit farther along. Our plan is to replace the old fiberglass seats, Awlgrip areas we have not done yet and redo the non-skid on the decks. It's still a work in progress, but we are moving along.

We are in our third marina since we arrived in south Florida. We have always wanted to be able to sample different locations rather than just park in one spot as we have often done. Being able to do this is not only fun, but it lets us feel more like we are still boating rather than just sitting and working. More on that later too. The big projects are yet to be done. The autopilot will be next after we finish the flybridge. After that, and a few smaller things, we will tackle the generator. So stick around and sign up for Marinalife updates through email or RSS feed, and we will keep on keepin' on.

Plotting Your Course

2011-10-10T17:12:00.002-04:00

In September of 1987, I sailed my 30-foot Hughes Columbia sailboat south to Little River, South Carolina. After a few days of waiting weather, I exited the Little River Inlet and pointed the bow towards Bermuda, some 1,000 miles away. To find that small speck in the middle of the Atlantic, I had the most up-to-date navigational instruments of the time. They consisted of a compass, VHF radio, a sextant with complete tables, paper charts and a radio direction finder. Seven and a half days later, I tuned the RDF to the radio signal for St. Georges Harbor and my feelings of accomplishment were beyond explanation.

Flash forward to the year 2000 as we were planning a trip through the Bahamas, Hispaniola and Cuba. We bought our first on-board computer with state-of-the-art navigational software and the most current electronic charts. We thought we had gone from the Santa Maria to the Starship Enterprise. Now, just 11 years later, that first navigational setup seems almost primitive. Today, we have a full complement of electronics, including our favorite, the chartplotter. We didn’t install our first chartplotter until our cruise from Houston, Texas to Beaufort, South Carolina in 2007. Once we had it on board, we wondered how we had navigated all those thousands of miles for all of those years without one.

Plotters are arguably the most popular piece of electronic equipment found on boats today. The advancements of plotters and GPS integration over the last 18 years are nothing short of astounding. In the early 90s, most all of us were still plotting our course on paper charts and using dividers, protractors, parallel rulers and a sharp number two pencil. Some time around 1993, all of that changed and the race was on for high tech, highly accurate electronic charting. In 1993, Raymarine introduced the Raychart 600 as an add-on to their radar system. The unit displayed on a CRT screen and the radar had to be switched off to view the crude monochrome display with little detail. In 1995, Garmin introduced the GPS Map 220. It boasted of viewing in 16 colors and retailed for over $2,000. These early chartplotters required expensive data cards or “chips” with limited storage space. A long distance cruiser might need up to 10 or more of these chips to cover all of their navigational areas. These chips were not updateable, so to have the most current, we would often have to purchase new cards if significant chart updates had been made.

In 2003, Raymarine once again made major headway with their introduction of the C Series and E Series displays with the ability to integrate other onboard electronics to the same screen. The term chartplotter was already becoming a thing of the past. True chartplotters are getting harder and harder to find today as system integration becomes the norm even on small recreational vessels. Today’s multifunction displays or MFDs can display almost every other instrument connected to the system. This includes radar overlays, wind speed and direction, boat speed, depths and much more. All of this while providing a position on the electronic chart with accuracy within feet of where your boat actually is on the planet.

The current offerings for MFDs are as spectacular as the improvements from 15 years ago. The new Raymarine e7 series, released in July 2011, contains a dual-core processor, touch screen technology and dedicated graphics for incredible speed and detailed display. The e7 has built in WiFi that will communicate with the Apple iPad, allowing it to be used as a repeater and much more. With the new LED backlighted screen, the e7 is incredibly bright and colorful, even in direct sunlight. The e7 can be integrated with Raymarine radar, night vision cameras, Sirius weather receivers, autopilots and other instruments and contains a 48-channel GPS receiver.

Not to be outdone, other manufacturers are also bringing out some outstanding products. Simrad has introduced their new touch-screen NSSSport Series. The NSS Sport comes in three sizes and offers touch-screen, keypad and rotary control to provide the user with a variety of user controls to fit their comfort level. Ensuring ultimate flexibility, the NSS Sport can be networked to the Simrad NSO and NSE multifunction displays, as well as Simrad Yachting’s comprehensive range of innovative performance module options, including the award-winning Broadband Radar™, StructureScan™ Sonar Imaging, SonicHub™ marine audio server and WM-2 SIRIUS^® satellite weather/radio module. The NSS Sport is also preloaded with Insight USA™ inland and coastal cartography, and is fully compatible with the complete range of Navionics chart options on microSD.

Garmin’s new GPSMap 6000/7000 touch-screen offers state-of-the-art G motion technology and built-in worldwide maps, XM weather radio compatibility and allows support for radar, sonar and more. The G motion technology give the user unprecedented viewing of navigational charts.

Many of the current displays include built-in charts for the entire United States coastal and inland waters. The need to purchase individual charting chips is also becoming a thing of the past. Satellite overlays, 3D imaging, weather overlays and video displays are but the beginning of more features, added capabilities and expansion we will see from all of the major manufacturers. As users demand more integration with other mobile devices and more computer-like capabilities, companies like Raymarine, Garmin, Simrad and others will quickly introduce new and more exciting products, a long stretch from my first sextant and radio direction finder.

A big word of caution is also needed with all of this technology. The temptation is great to fire up all of the electronics and head off into the sunset staring at your MFD and feeling you’re getting all of the information you could possibly need to navigate around the world. As great as these electronics are and with all of the information they can provide, they are by no means perfect. Nothing compares to a set of eyes constantly on watch for hazards and potential problems. No display can tell you if a log is floating in your path or if channel markers have been moved due to shoaling. Blindly following a plotter is a sure-fire recipe for disaster, and overly depending on any piece of equipment for the safety and security of your vessel and crew is foolish. We still keep paper charts on board because we have learned from experience that electronics can and do fail. When we want to look at the “big picture,” we can only do that on a set of the most current, up-to-date charts. We use a variety of sources for information and confirmation, and years of cruising and tens of thousands of miles under our keel have taught us that anything is possible. We want you all to stay safe out there.

Adjusting Our Ford Lehman Tachometers In Four Easy Steps

2011-10-04T22:32:00.001-04:00

The tachometers for our Ford Lehman 120 have been a question mark since we bought the boat. We have had no way to know how accurate they are, and our cruising RPMs help to determine how much fuel we burn per hour. With the price of fuel today, this is an important piece of information and we would like to be as accurate as possible. Of course, calculating the number of hours run and the fuel added to the tank will give us an average, but we want to be more precise. Running the engine at our average cruising RPMs of about 1750 will mean a fuel burn of about 2.2 gallons per hour (GPH). Running at 1950, the fuel burn jumps up to 3.1 GPH and at 2000 RPMs, it is 3.4 GPH. Having the correct readings on the tachs can save us some considerable cash considering our cruises are usually thousands of miles.

I recently purchased a Digital Photo Tachometer or Optical Tachometer as they are sometimes known. These can be found from many sources online and priced from $22.94, which ours was, up to $300.00 or more. We chose the less expensive unit based on recommendations from others, and although we want the tachs to be fairly accurate, they don't have to be precise. The process is pretty simple and only took a short period of time.

The first step is to place a small piece of reflective tape that comes with the unit on the flywheel in a spot where the beam from the photo tach can easily reach it and will be convenient for the tester. It is important that any dirt or grease be cleaned off so the tape will not fly off while you are calibrating. The second step is to start the engine and let it warm up to operating temperature. This calibration can be done at the dock or while underway. I decided to do it initially at the dock and then re-check it again at some point while we were underway.

The third step is to take the actual measurements. The photo tach needs to be pointed directly at the strip of reflective tape and the beam must hit it every time the flywheel turns. A digital read out on the photo tach gives an over all average for several revolutions. I began with the engine at idle, which is about 700 RPMs for our engine. The RPMs were increased to different points and the difference between the actual tach and the photo tach reading were recorded in a notebook. I ran at 1000, 1200, 1400, 1500, 1700, 1800 and 2000 RPMs to give me a complete range. I did not test at wide open throttle. The readings were consistently 74 RPMs less at the photo tach than the actual tachometer. The tachometer at the upper helm was reading about was 125 RPMs less at the actual tachometer than the readings on the photo tach. The upper tach is the most important since we do most of the steering from the upper helm station.

Once I had the corrections to apply to the tachometers at the helm station, it was a simple matter to find the access to the small potentiometers on the back of each tachometer for the fourth and final step. These are found in very small holes usually covered by a small plastic piece that has to be pried off. Different tachs can be found in different locations but the adjustment is the same. With a small screwdriver that will fit in the tiny hole, slowly turn the adjustment one way or the other depending on whether the reading needs to go up or down until it is where you need it to be. Let the engines run for a while, and check the tachs at different RPMs until they are within acceptable readings. Our tachs run off the alternator so I know the readings will not be perfect, but fairly close. Once satisfied that all is as it should be, the engine can be shut down and everything put back where it belongs. This was probably the simplest and quickest project I have done in a long time.

The Big Boat Cover-up

2011-09-10T12:01:00.001-04:00

One of my pet peeves with businesses in the marine industry is not showing up for appointments when we need an estimate. I can't count how many times we have called someone locally and said we were ready to spend some money, but needed to have them come out and give us an estimate. The response is always, "no problem, we will be there on XYZ day." That day comes and you wait...and wait...and wait. Finally, you give up when they are a no-show. We absolutely will not call someone back and beg them to take our money. Besides, if they won't show up for the estimate, what would happen if we gave them a job to do? The biggest offenders, in our opinion, are the canvas shops. I mean, if your not coming, call and say so, and if your too busy to take another job, tell me your too busy! But I am amazed how so many cry about how terrible business is and blame it on the economy, cheap boaters and all kinds of other influences.

Our solution was to buy a heavy duty sewing machine from Sailrite and make our own covers. We started small with the easy stuff and slowly progressed to the more complicated projects. We have made a couple of our own biminis and they may not be perfect and as good as the pros might do, but they sure look pretty good and we get lots of compliments. We wrote about the bimini project in this post. A recent project brought all of this home once again. We needed a replacement cover for the seats in the flybridge after the two-year-old vinyl covers completely wore out. Finding these anymore is difficult and they just don't last long. Of course, this time we did not even consider getting someone else to do this for us.

A friend in Annapolis gave us a few bolts of cloth in various colors and textures. Being one of those "cheap boaters," we decided to make the cover out of one of the bolts, even though it's not the same color as all of the other canvas. Beside, this is Beach House and we want to maintain that "Caribbean" look. We had a very nice bolt of a waterproof material in a dark blue that would be perfect, and there was enough material on the bolt. The pros like to make patterns out of sections of plastic material, but my preference is to use the actual material I'm working with to make as much of the pattern as I can. Doing some measuring and marking things off with chalk is a good start for me.

There is no room at all on the boat to lay out material of this size so the dock becomes my cutting floor. It does require some sweeping and cleaning of the dock before I get started. If the wind is blowing, I also need a few sandbags to keep everything in place. Using a yardstick and some chalk, or a chalkline for really long cuts, the bigger pieces are cut to size, allowing for any strange shapes and adding for the seams and bottom hem.

The material was a little too flimsy to make the patterns for the side pieces so I used my old standby; underlayment designed for laminate floor. It can be found everywhere, is very cheap, easy to mark and cut, and is just the right thickness to work with. Once I had the pattern marked off and cut, it was taken to the dock and laid over the material. I cut and marked the pattern to the exact size and then added another 1/4 inch for sewing the seams and an inch and a quarter where the bottom hem would be.

The sewing is usually done at the table in the main salon. For larger projects, it can be a struggle so we will try and find a picnic table somewhere to work. The Sailrite has been a great machine and has paid for itself many times over. We buy most of our thread and materials from them also. All of our covers are sewn with a UV resistant thread, and very seldom have we ever had a problem with the seams coming apart because the thread has deteriorated.

There might be several fittings and adjustments made before the final hem is sewn in place. Typically, there might need to be some tightening of the seams or adjustments on the curves to make a better fit and give it a better overall look. Once everything fits okay, the bottom hem is marked using the yardstick and chalk.

One more final fitting, a little more adjustment and the job is done. We are hoping that this one will last a lot longer than the store bought one. This project took a total of about two hours. The amount of time it takes depends on the complexity of the cover. But it's fun and we like the feeling of doing it ourselves and really like the money we save.

We have made covers for our windows, screens for the opening windows and the sliding entrance door, and a weather cloth for the flybridge. We even use a good quality white plastic tarp for sun awnings. We cut the tarps and resew them to give us semi-custom sun shades for a very small fraction of what the cost would be to have it professionally done or to even do them with a heavier-duty material. This way, we don't feel bad if we forget to take them down during some of those afternoon squalls with 30- and 40-knot winds. They still seem to survive quite nicely, will typically last us a few years and then we replace them. The awnings lower the temperature inside the boat by five to 10 degrees and cut down significantly on the amount of time the air conditioners have to run. All in all, we have been quite pleased with our results and even more pleased with all of the begging we have not had to do to get someone to take our money.

Our New Outboard Lift and Back Saver

2011-08-31T17:31:00.120-04:00

During our cruise along the south coast of Cuba several years ago, I did a really dumb thing. We were Med-moored to the dock at Santiago, next to our friend's Vagabond 47 and there was a bit of swell running in the harbor. We both decided to set out an anchor from our bow to keep us from banging together and used our dinghy to do just that. I sat in the dinghy with our CQR 45 and about 50 feet of 3/8 BBB chain in my lap ready to deploy the anchor, and that is when it happened.

It was right about then that I heard the loud pop, and the pain shooting up my back was excruciating. It almost ruined what turned out to be the best cruising we have ever done. From that moment on, it meant I had to be very careful when doing any kind of lifting. That has not stopped me from forgetting over the years and doing more stupid things to aggravate my back problem from time to time. A few weeks ago, we wanted to get out and use our new dinghy for a trip around the local waters. This means lifting the dinghy from a bracket on the stern of the boat, down onto the swim platform and then onto the stern of the dinghy. This is something I have only done a couple of times. then paid for it later with back pain. If we did not resolve the problem, it was obvious we would not use the dinghy very often and there would always be the potential for disaster. Our outboard was given to us by a friend. It looks rough, but runs like a champ. It is a vintage 1999 Johnson 6 horsepower and is pretty heavy to be lifting around on the swim platform.

After considerable research and feedback from other boat owners, we decided that an outboard lift was the answer to our problem and the savior of my back. We decided on the St. Croix 175 Little Crane mounted on the stern corner of the boat just above the outboard. It was not the least expensive, but we liked the sturdy build and the ease to disassemble and stow it when not needed. Another trawler owner highly recommended it and has been using the same model for years. We found the best price on-line at Marine Warehouse in Miami and it arrived about a week after we placed the order.

The installation is very simple and straightforward, as straightforward as anything on a boat can be. The first obstacle to overcome is the mounting bracket that holds the upper part of the lower mast pipe. This is designed to be used on a one inch horizontal rail and or course our rail is teak. But after a little study, I concluded that it would still work on our rail with the use of some slightly longer bolts. You can see how it luckily fit very well and was pretty sturdy.

The next step is to mount the base bulkhead bracket to the combing on the stern. This was thru-bolted to a substantial piece of teak as a backing plate and large fender washers. A healthy dose of caulking behind both the bracket and the backing plate on the inside will keep the water out.

Once these two brackets are installed, the section of the mast pipe with the notch in the bottom to accept the bulkhead mount is slid into the rail mount and down to the bulkhead mount. The mast is a fine piece of polished stainless and looks very nice. It is also thick walled to handle the weight of the outboard.

The upper section of the mast pipe is fitted into the top of lower section. Both of these can easily be removed and stowed away until they are needed, which is one of the points we liked about this unit.

The lifting arm is, again, a separate piece and can be very cleverly attached and removed if not needed. There are two tabs welded to the top of the upper mast section, and the arm is inserted in the tabs. The arm will swing over and allow us to use the lift on the side of the boat as well as the stern. The crane arm has about a 30-inch reach, and both the arm and the upper section of the mast will swing and rotate as needed.

The final steps in the process is the lacing of the line provided through the three rollers at the end of the arm and the 3-purchase block, also provided. There is a clear diagram in the instructions that makes it easy. A snap hook is attached to the block or can be left attached to the outboard. That is all there is to it. Careful consideration needs to go into the exact location for mounting. I always check and recheck everything before drilling any holes. The outboard is heavy so everything is through bolted and not screwed. All that is left is to hook it to the outboard and lift away. Except that the one thing I forgot was the strap that is attached to the outboard to lift it off the bracket. Oh well, another trip to the supply store. Until next time.

Is It Hard To Install A Single Side Band Radio?

2011-08-04T22:03:00.001-04:00

First, a complete disclosure. I have installed a dozen or more SSB radios as a service technician over the years. But my first two installations were on our own boat and I started with no previous knowledge and only the manufacturers manual. To make matters worse, we had no internet to do any research on and most installers would have us believe that there was some kind of magic and mystery to installing an HF radio. We quickly found out that was not the case, and installing one of these radios was no more difficult than installing any other piece of equipment. Eighteen years later, we are installing the most current Icom offering, the 802, on Beach House in preparation for future cruising. And once again, it was not all that difficult.

First, we needed to decide where the rig would be mounted. This does take some consideration since the ease of access when using the radio, the wire runs, where to mount the main unit, the automatic tuner and the ground or counterpoise connections are all factors. We chose the forward cabin as our "radio shack" because it would have the radio out of the way of all other equipment, give the operator some separation from all the other noise in the boat and give us easy access to running the necessary cables. We also chose to use the mounting brackets for the remote control head and speaker rather than flush mount them. Flush mounting would mean cutting some pretty big holes in a bulkhead and if we every decided to remove the radio or find we had to move it, we would be stuck with the holes.

This is also the same area we have set up as our office and computer work station with our printer, separate hard drive storage and all of our supplies. The radio would need to be connected to the computer for retrieving email and weather information over our Winlink system, so this made perfect sense. A small, one and 1/2 inch hole saw cut, through the bulkhead up in a corner under the shelf, gave perfect access to an unused compartment behind a hanging locker. The cables from the remote control head, speaker and Pactor Modem could pass through the hole with enough space to allow for the plugs on the ends.

The main unit of the Icom also comes with a mounting bracket, and our choice was to mount the unit on the other side of the bulkhead. A big consideration for mounting the main unit is to be sure it is in an open and dry area. This unit is not waterproof or even water-resistant. It was within a little more than a foot from the remote control head and speaker. The cables that attach them do allow for a considerable distance if needed. One word of caution, the OPC cable that connects the main unit to the automatic tuner is not very robust. Care should be exercised so as not to damage the plugs or to pull any of the wiring away from the pins in the plugs. This is a common problem during installation. An RG 8U coaxial cable with PL259 connectors on both ends runs from the main unit to the automatic tuner. Another common problem is improper soldering of the PL259 connectors. Positive and negative wires from the main unit to a DC power source are also needed. I always run the power cables directly to the battery bank and fuse both the positive and negative wires at the battery. I have found that connecting an HF radio at the distribution panel almost always creates RF issues in other electrical equipment. The wire should be sized based on the overall run to the battery and back so that voltage drop is kept to a minimum. I don't connect the power cables until the very last, after everything is installed. All wires and cables should be well-secured so they can not chafe or accidentally disconnect. We have had the Pactor Modem cable come out on its own and it took a while to figure it out.

The Icom 802 requires an automatic tuner and, of course, Icom recommends their AT-140. Other cruisers we know have used other manufacturers tuners with great success. We tend to stay with what we know and we have had the AT-130 and AT-140 in the past. We also decided to try a different approach with the ground or counterpoise for this installation. This was my first install on a powerboat, so the antenna setup was a little different than past installations. The typical SSB installation will have a copper foil strap, about two to three inches wide, run from the ground lug on the tuner to a Dynaplate and/or thru-hulls that are in contact with the water. This is how I have done our own and others installations in the past. But in researching how we planned to do this on board Beach House, we found a radial-type counterpoise called KISS SSB. The reviews and feedback from others were very positive and the idea of not having to run copper straps all over the boat was very appealing. The copper straps will corrode over time and degrade the radio's signal strength. We are so pleased with the KISS SSB system that we have become suppliers and can offer them at a good discount.

The KISS SSB is a bundle of wires designed to be radials that are connected to the tuner via a short length of wire. It is all bundled in a waterproof vinyl covering and sealed on both ends. It is a self-contained, counterpoise radial ground system. The Kiss can be run just about anywhere on the boat, clear of electrical wires and electronics, and can even be looped without affecting the performance. Our choice was to run the KISS around the perimeter of the forward V-berth and secure it to the frames just under the top. It is out of the way, but fully stretched out, without being near any other electrical items. This was almost too easy and I did not know what to expect when we finally fired up the radio.

The AT-140 was mounted in the same compartment as the main unit except on the horizontal at the bottom of the compartment. This made connections between the tuner and the main unit about 2 feet, and getting to anything to troubleshoot would be easy, with all connections in the same place. In practice, all of the plugs and connections are coated with a dialectic silicone grease, and all of the coax connections are wrapped in a vulcanizing tape for added protection. An important note here: There is a green ground wire on the OPC 1147n cable, and the Icom manual tells you to connect that ground wire to both the main unit and the tuner. There is even a special lug for this. DON'T DO IT. It will cause additional noise and interference on the radio. With the remote controller, speaker, main unit and tuner all connected, it was time to work on the antenna.

In the past, all of the installations I have done were on sailboats. The mainmast backstay was always used as the antenna by cutting the backstay and putting insulators near the top and bottom. The entire length between the insulators became the antenna. Since there are no backstays to speak of on Beach House, we would need to install a whip antenna. HF radio whip antennas come in two sizes; 16 feet and 23 feet. The longer the antenna, the better and we did not want to skimp on the installation, so we ordered the 23-foot whip. We also chose the Morad Antenna System after much research. You'll find the Morad on U.S. Coast Guard and Navy vessels because they are very strong and well built. Morad's website has been down for quite a while, but the antenna can be ordered directly from them by calling them in Seattle, Washington at (206) 789-2525. Ask for Ken. You will get all the information you will ever need on their units, and he will be sure you have all of the bits and pieces to install the antenna properly.

Because the antenna would be sticking up 23 feet in the air, we had to give careful consideration to where it would be mounted. If it was placed on the side of the flybridge, it would be about 17 feet above the bimini and not exactly ideal for us. Another issue would be the run of the cable from the tuner to the antenna itself. Since the radio produces high voltage to the antenna when tuning and transmitting, a special high voltage cable is needed to connect it to the tuner called GTO 15. Only the inner core wire is used and a simple crimp on connector is attached at one end to the tuner via an insulated connection and a wing nut on the opposite end from the connections to the main unit. The important factor here is that the GTO cable MUST be kept away from all other electrical wiring, panels and electronic equipment, especially autopilots. The GTO connection cable is also part of the antenna itself and puts out significant RF. For our installation, we were able to run the GTO from the tuner, behind a space along our main salon settee, to an unused open space behind the medicine cabinet in the aft head. There was also access to this space to mount the base of the antenna. The base that we purchased from Morad allows us to lay the antenna down when transiting under bridges. This same area allowed us to mount the antenna almost at the deck level, so it only rises above the bimini about 7 feet. It looks better esthetically and functions as it should.

At 23 feet in length, an intermediate support is needed as high up as possible. Since our installation put the antenna behind the bimini frame, the next logical place was the rail at the aft end of the flybridge. The support supplied from Morad was very well made and they even made us a special attachment for the one-inch rail since the support was designed to fit a two-inch tube. This put the support at about 8 feet and made the antenna quite secure. There is a simple latch that allows the antenna to be released and lowered down to the deck if needed. We ordered the UPS version of the antenna, so named because it came in three pieces, the two longest being eight feet. This allowed us to ship it UPS without expensive extra charges. The two lower sections are powdered coated aluminum and the top section is stainless steel. The whole antenna is very well made and very robust. We don't envision any problems, even in high winds and heavy seas. With the tuner now connected to the antenna, it was time to connect the power to the radio. When the positive and negative wires are connected to the battery, you will get a spark. This is normal.

One additional piece of advise for the installation. We have found that no matter how well the install, there always seems to be interference to or from other electrical equipment. Our 12-volt fans were the only culprit this time, but in the past, other equipment has caused problems. Refrigeration, alternators and most electric motors will make a lot of noise on frequency. Keeping all of the cables and wires as far away as possible will help as will connecting the power cable directly to the batteries. If all else fails, we find the clip-on ferrites can help with the noise and leaking RF. These ferrites on both ends of any cables, as close to the attachment point as possible, makes a significant difference. Attached to the power cords for fans and motors near the motor itself will help, and sometimes several will be needed. Ferrites can be found at almost any electronics supplier and should be sized to fit the wire as snugly as possible. To find the source of any interference, turn on the radio and tune it to the noisiest frequency. Then, turn the power off one at a time to each electrical source on the boat. The noise will go away as soon as you find the culprit. Then, either move some wiring or add the ferrites. With everything in place, it was time to test the rig.

We were absolutely delighted that our first radio check on frequency from another boat about 300 miles away got us a "loud and clear." Since Susan is a licensed Ham operator, she has been able to check in on the Maritime Mobile Net and also received good signal reports. This is especially good since we are at the dock and broadcasting from a marina with lots of sailboat masts, a large metal building, etc. which can be problematic. It appears that the rig and installation works as advertised and the only thing left is the connection of our Pactor Modem. The Pactor allows us to connect the Icom to our computer and send and receive emails, as well as weather fax and other weather products from NOAA that are broadcast by the U.S. Coast Guard. The Pactor is connected to the Icom via a special cable that is attached to the back of the Pactor and the ACC connection on the Icom main unit. This allows the Pactor to communicate with the Icom, but another cable is needed to connect the Pactor to our computer. Our Pactor is an older IIe model that connects to the computer through a serial port. Since most computers today, especially laptops, don't have serial ports, we need a USB to Serial cable to make the connection. The cable must be compatible with our computer operating system and have the appropriate drivers. The newer Pactors are capable of connecting directly via USB.

The Pactor and computer communicate through a great software program called Winlink Airmail. This is free to Ham operators as long as it is not used for business purposes. It will also function with a SSB through a service called Sailmail, which is a paid service. We have used Airmail for years and although it has limitations, we find it invaluable when we are in out of the way areas and need to send or receive emails from family and friends. It will also give us the ability to download weatherfax and Grib files to make our passage planning safer and more comfortable based on the weather. Susan like to participate in several of the SSB and Ham nets and we can even get phone patches through other Hams if we are in very remote anchorages where no other communication is available. All in all, we are extremely happy with our new installation and one more piece of equipment is checked off the list.

Here are some Cruisers Nets for the Caribbean from Noonsite....

Bahamas Cruiser Net
VHF Channel 68
08:15 local time for Marsh Harbour Abaco, Bahamas.
Bahamas Weather (BASRA)
4003 kHz at 1100 UTC
Caribbean
6215 kHz at 1000 UTC (Uncontrolled 1000-1200).
Caribbean Maritime Mobile Net
Run by Lou, call sign KV4JC, on 7241 kHz at 1100 UTC. At 1115 UTC weather forecast from St. John (USVI). Following this report on 7086 kHz FAX, Slow Scan TV and other weather info etc.
Caribbean SSB Weather Net
Controller Dave. 8104 kHz at 1230-1300 UTC and 12362 kHz at 1300-1330 UTC. Comprehensive Weather for Caribbean region.
Caribbean SW Net
8107 kHZ at 1330 UTC. Weather and information Caribbean coast of Panama and Colombia.
Caribbean Safety and Security Net http://www.safetyandsecuritynet.com, SVSecondM@aol.com
An interactive high frequency radio network of cruising yachts which meets each morning on SSB 8104.0 at 1215 UTC for the purpose of exchanging information with regard to safety and security concerns while cruising in the Eastern Caribbean. More info at their website.
Marine Weather Centre
Chris Parker
Tel: 001 863-248-2702 www.mwxc.com, info@mwxc.com
Opening Hours: Telephone Best times 10am-2pm EST (except Weds 10-1)
Custom weather reports for the Carribbean, Bahamas and Eastern Atlantic Ocean via SSB, phone or web. See website for more details.
Maritime Mobile Service Network http://www.mmsn.org/
The Maritime Mobile Service Net is operational every day from 12:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and from 12:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time during Daylight Savings, on a frequency of 14.300 MHz., in the 20-meter amateur band. The network also operates on the alternate frequency of 14.313 MHz. The Maritime Mobile Service Network immediately follows The Intercontinental Traffic Net. Coverage extends via relay stations to most of the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, the Caribbean Sea and the Eastern Pacific Ocean.
Salty Southeast Cruisers Net www.cruisersnet.net
Up-to-date information about cruising southeastern United States and the Bahamas.
Southbound II - Herb's Weather http://www3.sympatico.ca/hehilgen/vax498.htm
12C (12359) kHz at 2000 UTC. Covering the North Atlantic and the Caribbean. Limited coverage is available for the South Atlantic and the Eastern Pacific subject to HF propagation.

Ongoing Boat Projects

2011-07-24T21:56:00.001-04:00

If we seem to have fallen down on our projects, it only appears that way. Since we arrived in Fort Myers Beach, the work on the boat has been constant. That doesn't mean we have not had time to walk on the beach, go for a swim in the Gulf, or sample the local cuisine. We have done all of that between working on the boat. Getting her cruise ready for the next big trip is always our priority. But every once in a while, we need to have a little fun, too. Some of the projects began while we were in Maryland, and some have been waiting for us to find a good deal on the right equipment. I suppose the day will actually come when we can say, "We are ready."

We began replacing the old bronze ports about 9 months ago. We posted the step by step installation on a previous page. At that time, we only replaced one and the others were sort of put on the back burner as other more pressing issues came up, and then there was the whole process moving the boat and us to south Florida. But now I have had the time to get back to them, and for good reason. With all of the current rains we've had, the ports began to leak. Here is a photo of one of the old ports in the forward cabin. It looks as disgusting as all of the other 30-year-old originals.

This is how it looks with the shiny new stainless steel port from New Found Metals. The only problem with these nice new ports is that they make the old wood around them look even sadder. So I guess that will move up the list. After the first one was installed, the next were much easier. Even with all of the repair work that needs to be done after the old port is removed, it only averages a couple of days to replace each one. That is while keeping one eye on the weather and knowing that by 3:00 in the afternoon, everything has to be finished for the day and the hole in the boat sealed up to keep the rain out. We now have 3 completed and the other two should be finished by the end of this next week.

The ports are not the only thing that has been ongoing. At about the same time, we are installing the new Icom 802 radio. Of course that will be our next project to post. Between boat projects, we need to make a few dollars to pay for all of this stuff. Susan is getting settled in with her new job, the new Navigational Notices for Marinalife are online, and members are now receiving them by email. We are all pretty excited about how well it's going and how well it has been received by Marinalife Members. If anyone wants to receive them, all you have to do is go on to the Marinalife website and sign up. It is free.

Possible GPS Outages

2011-07-14T14:27:00.003-04:00

There has been a lot of discussion recently on how the U.S. government could possibly allow LightSquared, an independent 4G LTE provider, to put up 4,600 transcievers sending broadband data services in the L band with such power that could significantly interfere with nearby GPS frequencies. Possibly causing complete failure for a high quality civilian GPS like your automobile GPS, even under an open sky, and for critical units such as those used in aviation. The GPS units on our boats that we have become so dependent on can also be affected according to major GPS manufacturers that have been doing extensive testing. There has been quite a discussion over at the Panbo Website for a few months now and there is a lot of details on the current status. This morning I received an email from the Coalition To Save Our GPS with an urgent Call To Action. I think everyone might want to read this and consider responding.

With all of the twists and turns presented by Lightsquared, it may be time for all of us as boaters to voice our concern and let our Representatives in Congress know we are less than pleased with the possibilities. Here is Mary Hanley's email.......

We hope will take a moment to file your comments with the FCC about the LIghtSquared proposal. Please also feel free to share the information below with your employees, members, colleagues and other concerned GPS users. The link provided will take them to an easy-to-use express filing form. If you want to file more extensive comments at this link you can do so at this link: http://www.fcc.gov/ecfs-expert. Be certain to personalize your comments. The FCC may discount mass and duplicate submissions. The Coalition to Save Our GPS will also be filing comments. The “reply to comments” period is August 1-15.

HELP SAVE OUR GPS!

Please Submit your Comments to the FCC by July 30

Background

In January, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) conditionally allowed a company called LightSquared to offer wireless broadband services in radio frequency bands adjacent to those used by GPS receivers. Based on feedback from public and private sector GPS users, the FCC told LightSquared that it could not launch service until testing could be completed to determine the extent of the problems that LightSquared would cause. The report of that testing was submitted to the FCC on June 30^th and it showed that there would be massive interference to GPS from LightSquared’s proposed operations. The FCC has asked for feedback from the public on the report. Comments will be taken until Saturday, July 30.

What can I do?

Everyone who cares about GPS should let the FCC know about the threat that LightSquared poses. In writing to the FCC, we encourage you to cover the following points in your own words:

· How you use GPS technology in your business and/or personal life

· What would happen to your business/personal life if GPS became unavailable or unreliable

· While more capacity for wireless broadband services is important, it should not come at the expense of GPS, which is critical to our country’s economy

· The results of the testing that were performed at the FCC’s request are conclusive – they show that GPS reception would be wiped out by LightSquared’s proposed service.

· Now that the test results have shown interference to GPS, the FCC shouldn’t allow LightSquared to keep trying out modified versions of its plan to use the spectrum near the GPS band. LightSquared’s operations and GPS are fundamentally incompatible and the FCC should order LightSquared out of that band.

How do I tell the FCC to save GPS?

The FCC has an easy-to-use portal on its website to submit feedback on the testing results:

(1) Click on this link for the FCC’s Electronic Comments Filing System (ECFS): http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/upload/begin?procName=&filedFrom=X

(2) In the box which says “Proceeding Number,” type: 11-109. It is important to include this docket number with your comments.

(3) In the designated boxes, enter (a) your name or your company’s name, and (b) your mailing address/city/state/zip.

(4) In the box which says “Type in or paste your brief comments,” do so. Click “Continue”.

(5) A review page will load listing all of the information entered. If correct, click “Confirm.” (6) If you have trouble, contact the FCC ECFS Helpdesk at 202-418-0193 or e-mail at ecfshelp@fcc.gov.

Mary F. Hanley

Prism Public Affairs

1825 Eye Street. NW – Suite 600

Washington, DC 20006

O: 202-207-3664

C: 202-258-9048

mhanley@prismpublicaffairs.com

www.prismpublicaffairs.com

Ford Lehman Diesel Oil And Filter Change

2011-07-06T19:06:00.001-04:00

After a 1,200-mile-plus cruise, engine maintenance is not a to do, it is rather a must do. We did take the opportunity to change oil and filters at the halfway mark, but a thorough change of all filters, as well as an oil change, was high on our list. So I thought I would share the experience with you and give you some insight on how we approach this sometimes messy chore.

An attempt to clean the gunk out of the bowl in the Racor 500 filter housing resulted in a stripped thread on one of the bolts that attaches the bowl to the housing. Of course, that resulted in the filter housing leaking diesel into the bilge, aft of the engine, so a replacement was required. As luck would have it, we purchased all of the parts to install a fuel-polishing system for the engine and have been carrying all of the parts with us for several months now. A new Racor filter housing was sitting in a box waiting to be installed, including all of the needed fittings and replacement 5/16 fuel lines. With the housing replaced, a section of the copper fuel line, from where it was attached at the old filter to the tee that connects both of our fuel tanks, was also replaced. I had not planned to start this yet, but at least all of the material was on hand. Once the housing and lines were installed, the filter was filled with clean diesel fuel. I prefer to fill the filter from a small container rather than try and fill it using the engine's fuel pump. Before securing the lid, all of the new gaskets in the lid are wetted down with some diesel fuel. I use a generous number of oil absorbent pads under all of the areas I am working on to keep the fuel and oil out of the bilge and from getting all over everything.

Next, I turned my attention to the secondary fuel filters on the engine. These are twin filters and are the original style that comes with the Ford Lehman 120. To remove the filter, a plastic knob on the bottom of the housing is removed. At the same time, the securing bolts on the top of the filter is removed. With this, the filter and the bottom section or the "bowl" is removed. There are gaskets inside both the lower section and the upper mount that must be removed, as well as a small O-ring at the head of the securing bolt. Here is where problems can sometimes arise. If you look closely, you will see that the two sealing rigs or gaskets are not the same size if you are using the correct filter elements. Be sure that the slightly smaller one goes into the bottom, or the "bowl," and the larger one in the top. If they are reversed, chances are good that you will have a leak and have to start all over again. Wet each of the gaskets and O-rings with diesel before re-installing them. Slide the securing bolt back on, slide the filter element over the securing bolt, slide on the bottom section, and tighten the securing bolt until everything is nice and snug. Be careful and don't over-tighten. Now move on to the send filter if you have the dual unit.

The engine instructions say to use the fuel lift pump to bleed the engine before starting. This can be time consuming and tedious and I have not had to do that with any of the filter changes. What I have done instead is to remove the bleed screw from the top of both housings. I have a small funnel that will fit in the hole for the bleed screws. I fill the filters from a small container until fuel runs out the top of BOTH housings. Then, the bleed screws are reattached. Once both filters are full, I can start the engine, check for leaks and make sure there is no air in the system. At this point, the engine is run long enough to bring it up to temperature. This is in preparation for the oil change and makes the oil flow better for removal. It generally takes about 20 minutes of running to be sure there are no fuel or air leaks and to get the temperature up.

Once the engine is shut down, the first thing I do is to replace the filter. This is also the messy part, but the spillage can be minimal. The first thing I do is to take a screwdriver and punch a hole in the top of the filter. No, you did not read that wrong. This will allow most of the oil in the filter to drain back into the engine and leave only a small amount to spill once the filter is removed.

Our filter is mounted on a small L-shaped bracket, and by loosening that bracket, I can rotate the filter so it is turned on its side. This allows me to catch all of the oil rather than having it spread out and leak from under the entire filter housing. Here, too, I put oil absorbent pads under everything.

The bolt in the bracket is tightened just a bit to hold the filter in this position.

The next step is to loosen the filter. For this, I like to use an adjustable strap wrench and just use it to break the filter loose. The filter can be removed the rest of the way by hand. I like to wear vinyl disposable gloves to keep my hands clean during the process.

With the filter just loose, it should not yet drip any oil. I use plastic sandwich bags big enough to hold the filter to also catch most of the oil that is still in the filter. By placing it just under the bracket, I can accomplish this.

Once the filter is removed, it is placed in the sandwich bag and sealed to keep from spilling. It can then be disposed of properly without making any more of a mess.

The housing is wiped down and is ready for the new filter. Before attaching the filter, the O-ring is wetted with engine oil to help it seal and get the filter back on by hand tightening. I never use the strap wrench to tighten the filter. The L-bracket is loosened and returned to its original position.

The filter part of the change is done and now the oil has to be removed.

Have I mentioned how much I really, really like our X-change-r oil changing pump. Our oil changes have gone from a messy, time-consuming chore to a quick and easy maintenance item. The reversible pump on the Model 912 allows the oil to be drawn out of the bottom of the sump via an attached line in the bottom drain in a matter of a couple of minutes. Remember to warm the engine up to temperature before extracting the oil.

With the dedicated line from the X-change-r in an empty oil container, a flip of the switch draws the old oil into it, and in a matter of a couple of minutes total, all three gallons of the 30-weight oil is extracted from the crankcase. No mess, no fuss and no spilled oil to clean up. We do keep oil absorbent pads on hand just in case there is an accident. This is a boat so stuff happens.

With all three gallons extracted, the process is reversed, and with a flip of the switch on the changer pump in the opposite direction, the new oil is pumped into the crankcase. Once again, this is accomplished in a matter of a few minutes and there is no oil spilled on the engine or anywhere else. The exact amount is added drawing from three one-gallon containers. Once finished, the pump is shut down and the empty oil jugs are saved for the next change. We always dispose of the old oil in a recycle drum. Most marinas now have these, or you can take it to an auto repair shop.

The next item is changing the oil in the fuel-injector pump. This is something different for us as our former Yanmar and Perkins engines did not require this. According to Bob Smith at American Diesel, and our engine manual, this oil should be changed every 50 hours. I have to admit, we have not stuck to the 50-hour schedule, and it get changed about every 100 hours. We have been told that if the engine begins to idle rough, it might be an indicator that the oil needs changing.

The first step is to remove the fill plug at the top of the pump. Be careful not to mess up the slot in the plug. It has been recommended by some that O-rings be put in each of these plugs and replaced each time the oil is changed. Our pump has copper washers in each plug.

Next, the overflow plug has to be removed. If a lot of fluid comes out when the plug is removed, you probably waited to long to change the oil or you have other problems and fuel is mixing with the oil. This plug plays a part in the filling process.

The drain plug is on the bottom forward section of the pump. This is directly over the raw-water pump and there is not a lot of room to place something to catch the oil. We loosen the plug just a bit, but it does not leak oil until it is loosened quite a bit. Here, an absorbent pad is a must since it is really hard not to spill a bit.

I use a small Tupperware container that is just small enough to fit between the injector pump and the water pump which will hold all of the oil from the injector pump. It also gives me enough room to finish removal of the drain plug. Once it is completely drained, the container is carefully removed and the drain plug replaced. With the small funnel I use to fill the fuel filters, the pumped is filled with oil until it runs out the overflow in the side of the pump. The plug is replaced for the overflow and the filler plug in the top of the pump is also reinstalled. After a good wipe down of everything, the engine is ready to be restarted. With the engine running, the oil and fuel filters are all checked for leaks as well as the plugs in the injector pump. If all is well, the engine can be shut down, the final clean up done and we are ready for more fun with the boat. No muss, no fuss.

Life's A Beach

2011-06-22T19:38:00.000-04:00

We have been here for a few weeks now and are getting settled in as well as learning the lay of the land. I don't know how we manage it, but we often seem to settle in at a popular tourist location with all of the issues and interesting experiences that apply. Fort Myers Beach, Florida is no exception. But there is a lot to be said for this location and things are moving in the right direction for us.

It is fun living in a beach community, at least until the high season when the crowds and traffic bring us back to reality. With the beach and the Gulf of Mexico virtually right across the street, we can make any day a beach day. Susan likes to come home from work and take a long walk on the beach for exercise and contemplation. We often walk together in the late afternoon when the sun gets lower and the temperatures drop a bit. There is always a great sea breeze blowing off the Gulf. This is a typical beach community with a single two-lane road lined with restaurants, t-shirt shops and beach supplies. We had a great 21st anniversary dinner at the Bistro here at the marina. The menu can be a bit tricky so you have to be careful what you order or you wind up paying a lot more than you might expect. We are also getting used to the Florida afternoon thunderstorms that arrive at about 3:30 most afternoons. We had one last week that had reported 86 mile per hour winds. These storms can be strong and destructive, but they are much needed in south Florida to ease the drought situation. We also have almost daily wildfires, and Lake Okeechobee levels are still falling.

Susan is back to work for the State of Florida and getting comfortable back in her old routine. As with any social work job, there are a lot of stressful responsibilities, but after many years, she handles it well. After leaving Waterway Guide and relocating back to Florida, I am now working for a company based in Baltimore, just a few miles from where we lived in Pasadena, Maryland. I am delighted to be working with MarinaLife doing some of the same work I did for Waterway Guide. One of my new projects is to get the MarinaLife website set up and publishing current Navigational Notices and Updates for the waterways of the United States. Those of our followers that are familiar with the work we did in that area previously will find the same useful information now provided on the MarinaLife website. We will begin sending the notices via email by the end of this week. I will also be working with the marinas on the west coast of Florida to help them promote their facilities. We have several other new projects in the works that will be announced later.

The boat is getting some work done now since all of my time is not dedicated to working a 60 hour week. As each project is completed, it will be posted. After we arrived, the engine was in need of maintenance work so the usual fuel filter, oil filter and oil change had to be done. The engine room is slowly getting a fresh coat of paint and additional bilge pumps being installed. The replacement of the opening ports is still ongoing as is other cosmetic work on the interior and exterior. We are also installing the Icom 802 HF radio which we be very time consuming to get the installation right and the various pieces installed in the right locations. As each of these are completed we will post the details. Other major projects on the drawing board are for an autopilot (the Simrad AP 28 is at the head of the list at this point) and the Next Gen generator, which will be a big expense and major job. With those installed, Beach House will be ready to do some serious cruising. All we will have left to do is put the money back in the bank that we spent on the equipment. Be sure and stop by from time to time to see our progress and sign up for email notices or an RSS feed to get the latest.

NOAA Encourages Boaters to Get Up-to-Date Nautical Charts

2011-06-16T10:23:00.001-04:00

NOAA charts available free online and through “print-on-demand” service

Nearly 13 million registered boaters in the U.S. are priming to hit the water. As part of their preparations, boaters need to make sure that they have the latest NOAA nautical charts on hand to avoid groundings or accidents while navigating along the coast. With modern technological advancements, obtaining the latest chart is easier — and more important — than ever.

“Sailing the oceans and Great Lakes doesn’t have to be a voyage into the vast unknown of ages past,” explained Capt. John Lowell, director of NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey. “Obtaining the latest charts that provide increasingly precise depths and up-to-date navigational features can be as easy as clicking a link on a website.”

Because storms alter seafloors, and water depths constantly change due to shifting shoals and submerged hazards, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey is charged with maintaining the nation’s suite of over 1,000 nautical charts, covering about 3.5 million square nautical miles of ocean coasts and the Great Lakes.

NOAA updates its charts weekly using hydrographic survey data that is collected by the agency, along with the most current U.S. Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Notice to Mariners, and other critical safety information reported by commercial mariners or other sources. Recreational boaters may also submit information or chart discrepancies through the Office of Coast Survey’s website: http://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/.

While some traditionalists enjoy manually applying important new changes made after the chart was published, applying updates to paper charts can be time-consuming, tedious and error-prone. One of the most important and convenient navigational products is the official “print-on-demand” (POD) nautical chart.

“Recreational boaters, unlike commercial mariners, are not required to carry nautical charts. But as more demands are put on our waterways, busy coasts mean more risk for accidents,” Lowell said. “By using print-on-demand paper charts that are updated by NOAA cartographers, people have a better chance of avoiding potential groundings and other accidents.”

Through a private-public partnership between NOAA and chart publisher OceanGrafix over the past 10 years, boaters can purchase “print-on-demand” nautical charts that cover the latest updates, issued as recently as the prior week. This year, the NOAA partnership has expanded and, for the first time, boaters can purchase National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) charts covering the open ocean from OceanGrafix.
“Conscientious boaters know nothing replaces the peace of mind that comes with having an accurate paper chart on board,” explained OceanGrafix president Ron Walz. “Whether you’re sailing in familiar waters or charting a more elaborate course, nautical charts serve as a trustworthy complement to electronic systems — and they’re important insurance when the unexpected happens.”

A POD chart is printed at the time of purchase and contains chart updates up until the time of purchase. When a customer orders a chart from an OceanGrafix agent, the chart is printed and shipped within one day. NOAA certifies OceanGrafix print-on-demand charts for navigational use.

NOAA is a proud sponsor of Alliance for Safe Navigation, which maintains a website that lets mariners check to see the latest changes to NOAA charts.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth’s environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit us online at www.noaa.gov or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/usnoaagov.

Cruising the South Coast of Cuba – East to West

2011-06-12T14:50:00.002-04:00

This was originally posted on our Sea Trek site and was from our trip to Cuba several years ago. This was originally published in Soundings Magazine, and many of our readers ask that we republish it. So here it is and we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making the trip. Revisiting Cuba is high on our cruising plans.

We weighed anchor and got underway from Punta Manzanillo in the Dominican Republic at 6:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning. It was Easter Sunday and we knew that the entire island of Hispaniola would be celebrating today. We would sort of be celebrating ourselves, but in a different way and for a different reason. Today was the beginning of a cruising adventure that began as an idea five years prior and was just now before us.

Leaving the Florida Keys, making a quick trip through the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos and now the DR, we were as ready as we were going to be. We had provisioned and prepared the boat while spending a wonderful time in Luperon. A day sail to Manzanillo and a good night’s sleep found us both excited and anxious. We had heard mixed reports about visiting Cuba. Everything from how terrible it was to reports that it is one of the most wonderful cruising grounds left in the Atlantic. Soon we would know.
It was a very uneventful motorsail north of the coast of Haiti and across the Windward Passage. Finally, at around 11:00 a.m. on Monday morning, we entered Cuban waters. Our minds were full of conflicting thoughts. We had been told about the fantastic fishing and lobstering to be found in these waters. We had also heard the rumors of Cuban gunboats and Communist authorities. We didn’t know what to expect, but we were very excited that we had finally arrived. The next decision was where to make our first landfall. Santiago de Cuba was the port of entry for the southeast coast, but that would be well over a hundred miles away. We did have a concern as to how we would be received if we just showed up in a Cuban harbor without first clearing into the country.
We made the decision to put into Baitiquiri, a small port just a little more than 30 miles from Punta Caleta, the easternmost tip of Cuba. The southeast coast is very steep and you can almost sail with one foot on the beautiful mountainous coast. We thought we might not reach Baitiquiri before nightfall, but arrived at the harbor entrance around 5:30 p.m. As we approached Baitiquiri, the depth sounder didn’t come off soundings until we were about two boat lengths from the marked channel entrance. Upon our approach, we noted what seemed to be a statue on the rocks to the right of the narrow entrance. As we got closer, we realized it was actually a man sitting perfectly still just watching us come in. Once we entered the narrow, 50-foot-wide entrance, he finally waved and smiled at us. The entrance channel was deep and well-marked.

Once inside, the first thing we saw was a Cuban Patrol boat tied to the seawall with a least a half dozen of what appeared to be young boys aboard. We later found out that they were the crew. Our anxiety melted when they all cheerfully waved and dove off the boat for an afternoon swim. We dropped anchor in the center of the well-protected harbor near the patrol boat. Almost as soon as the anchor was down, a small rowboat with two men in green uniforms rowed out to us. This would be the pattern for the rest of the trip. The head official would ask permission to come aboard and what was usually a very young Guarda Frontera soldier would hold position just off the boat. Both were very polite, friendly and always smiling.

The head official settled into the cockpit and pulled out a small notebook. In each port, the officials used different things to take notes. Some had notepads. Most just used whatever scraps of paper they could find. Sometimes we provided them with paper. He asked us several questions such as where we departed from, what the dimensions of the boat were (always in meters) and asked to see our passports. Since my wife speaks passable Spanish, it all went well. After perhaps 10 minutes, the official warmly welcomed us to Cuba and wished us a good visit. He did tell us that we would not be able to leave the boat to go ashore for even a swim until we had reached Santiago and cleared in. Again, we later found this was the case even after we were cleared into the country. This was also the beginning of one of the more frustrating experiences we would encounter.

The harbor itself was very well-protected. It is surrounded on all sides by tall hills and mountains. The water depths average 10 to 12 feet throughout. The Guarda Frontera outpost stands on a hill overlooking the harbor and approach, complete with a watchtower topped by a huge spotlight. As with almost all harbors we encountered in Cuba, there was a variety of wrecks and abandoned buildings all around the harbor. Most here were the remnants of a salt pan operation. Only a few very ancient fishing boats and wooden shacks that were now local housing finished what would otherwise be a wonderful place to explore. But today, that was not to be.

At 6:45 a.m. the next morning, we raised anchor, waived goodbye to our Guarda Frontera friends, and headed for Santiago de Cuba. Once again, were off soundings as soon as we cleared the harbor entrance. Since we had very light winds that morning, we found ourselves motorsailing along the coast. We discovered that if we stayed close in, there were no navigational hazards, but we would have a counter current of up to one and a half knots against us. If we were two to three miles offshore, we had a one to one and a half knot current with us. This proved to be very helpful as we moved along this section of the coast. After perhaps two hours, we sighted a pod of what we believed to be pilot whales traveling along in our same direction. They stayed about 200 feet off our port side for some time. One things we would take note of all along the entire south coast was the fact that even in the lightest winds, the swells would be rather large. The fact that they were widely spaced kept them manageable and not uncomfortable.

We were concerned regarding entering the waters at the Guantanamo Naval Base, which we had to pass on the way to Santiago. We knew that if we entered their waters, we had a good chance of being stopped and inspected. We set the coordinates in our GPS to be outside their range and plotted a course well off. We had heard that the Cuban authorities would be problematic if we made any contact there. Ironically, we were not as concerned with the Cuban authorities as we were with our own. This would be the first of many contradictions we would encounter along the way.

Ten hours after raising anchor at Baitiquiri, we were entering the harbor of Santiago de Cuba. The harbor entrance is easy to find. At the eastern side is a tall, steep hill with Castle el Morro and a lighthouse, both of which are very prominent. The entrance and the inner channel are well-buoyed. This is a large commercial port, and pleasure vessels are only allowed into the harbor as far as Punta Gorda Marina. As we came in the marked channel, we were amazed to find a large island on the west side of the harbor. This was covered with private homes and is only accessible by boat. It is known as Cayo Granma. As we entered the harbor, we contracted Punta Gorda Marina on VHF Channel 16. It was pleasant to find that the marina personnel spoke excellent English. Since it was nearing sunset, they directed us to a spot just off their docks, very near another cruising boat, and instructed us to drop anchor. They also informed us to stand by to receive the first of many officials to begin the clearing in process. Within minutes, an ancient vessel, that we figured was a holdover from the Soviets, approached us. It was turbine driven and propelled itself using a jet drive like the modern jet skis use today. The major exception being it was 40 feet long and powered by that very large turbine engine. It kicked up a lot of turbulence everywhere it went and made us a little nervous as by now it was quite dark. Its captain turned out to be very skilled.

The first aboard were the agricultural inspectors to examine our food and to look for bugs. With them came the health inspectors to check the crew. Again, we had heard rumors of confiscation of fresh meats, chicken and eggs. After filling out this forms, looking through our fridge and vegetable bin, the agricultural inspector instructed us to consume all of our foodstuffs aboard the boat and to not take anything to ashore. Even our garbage had to be taken to a designated area (a certain trash can on the dock). Each official had a different form or forms to fill out and leave with us. Next came the Capitania or Port Captain. His questions were extensive. Most concerned the dimensions of the boat and crew info. He also wanted all of our flares, flare guns and portable GPSs. He instructed us to keep these in “bond” as long as we were in port. Next, he asked us for a plastic bag and some tape. We obliged with a grocery bag and some Scotch tape. He put all of the items he had asked for in the grocery bag and wrapped the tape around it. He then explained that only the Port Captain could “unseal” them and handed them back to us. Later, after finding a flare we missed, he tore a hole in the bag, stuck the flare in and returned it to me without the hole sealed. These were the “bonded” items.

Next would come the first of two search teams. It consisted of two gentlemen from the Guarda Frontera. Each official was extremely polite and friendly. They told us they would be searching for contraband, drugs and pornography. We explained that we had none, but they could search wherever they liked. The search seemed to be very random and we had the impression it mostly concerned curiosity about items we had on board. They were fascinated with things like our son’s toys and our Pocketmail email device, which they thought was a phone. One of our officials sat on the settee the entire time looking through our musical cassette tapes telling us who his favorite artists were and which of our tape selections he liked the best. (He indicated his favorite was Barry Manilow, which we do not own.) When they got to our video tapes, they were totally amazed. We had hundreds, taking up an entire locker. It was at that moment we realized how these people have been deprived of all of the things we take for granted.

The “search” went smoothly. We were asked to accompany each of the officials as they went about their work. Any time a drawer was searched, all the contents would be removed, then replaced exactly as they found them. They seemed to each find a specific area on the boat and concentrate on that area, not even bothering with adjacent storage that in some cases could hold a small family. This process took about two and a half hours. By now, it was 10:30 p.m., and we were beginning to feel the effects of our long day. As the last official left us for the night, he informed us that the rest of the check-in procedure would take place at 8:00 a.m. the next day, since they were also busy with a freighter that had arrived about the same time we did.

At precisely 8:00 a.m. the next morning, we were asked to dinghy the Capitania’s next search team to the boat. This time they brought their drug and weapons specialist, Danny. Danny is one of the friendliest and cutest officials we met. He was a happy, young, all black Cocker Spaniel. His trainer brought him aboard and they immediately went below. His trainer carried a small cloth pouch which Danny saw as a cue to stay each time his trainer used it to try to persuade him to search or "busca." He opened some drawers low down in the cabin and tried to get Danny to sniff, but Danny just wanted to run up and down in the cabin and find someone to play with him. As soon as he decided no one would play, he went out into the cockpit, sat down and refused to come back into the cabin. So much for vicious drug dogs. The rest of the “search” went the same as the previous evening. The officials were friendly, courteous and more curious than suspicious. Once this was completed and more paperwork filled out, we were officially welcomed to Cuba, told we may now go ashore, and could take a berth at the marina if we wished. The marina charges for dockage were $0.40 per foot and the charge for anchoring was $0.25 per foot.

As U.S. citizens we had a dilemma. If we paid for dockage, we would be in violation of U.S. law. But we would have to pay whether we docked or anchored. Our problem was solved after our Venezuelan friends that we met in Luperon offered to “host” us during our stay. This would be the case as we traveled along the entire south coast. It is a sad state that we would have to depend on the generosity of other boaters and even Cuban officials so that we did not violate U.S. law, even though we were in a foreign country.

We were asked to tie to the dock med-moor style. This always presented a problem for us since we had a dinghy and a solar panel hanging off the davits, and climbing on and off was difficult. We wound up putting a plank from our aft cap rail to the dock. The staff at the marina was very helpful and extremely accommodating despite all of the information to the contrary in the cruising guides. As a matter of fact, we found a great deal of information in the cruising guides outdated and incorrect, mostly because the cruising situation is constantly changing. We recommend buying your cruising guides based on the navigational information and detail of chartlets rather than shoreside advise. The guide we used left a great deal to be desired. In hindsight, other guides with more detailed charts would have been much more useful.

The marina was new. Once again, the info we had really didn’t apply. Once we were secured to the dock, our first exploration of this beautiful country was to begin. We found the marina manager, Jorge (keep in mind that all “managers” were Cuban officials), and the dock hand Ariel invaluable in directing us to the right places for things to see and do as well as arrange transportation as needed. The best transportation deal was the public buses – always full and always on time. It was the primary mode of transportation for the locals. On our first ride into town, the lady collecting fares charged our friends one dollar for each of us to ride the bus. She explained that the sign stating the fare was one peso was equal to one dollar. After we were in the city that afternoon and our friends exchanged dollars for pesos (20 pesos to the dollar at that time), they paid one peso for each of us on the return trip (equal to $0.05) without question. Diligence is needed.

We were adopted by a young girl in a restaurant in Santiago selling her wares. She had beautiful carvings and figurines designed to bring the owner good luck. Our sponsors purchased one for themselves as well as us. A stamp on the bottom indicated that she was selling these with the government’s blessing and would have to pay tax on them. She threw in a small charm pendant, also a wood carving, for free. They resembled the faces at Easter Island. Our newly found friend walked us to the nearest bus stop. Another older woman befriended us at the stop and told us that she could be fined 1,000 pesos for being seen speaking to us. She rode with us back to the marina to make sure we got off at the right place in the dark, and then quietly asked for some money. Our friend slipped her a few pesos in passing.

A ride in the harbor on one of the many ferries was an interesting experience in people watching. They watched us as much or more than we did them, however. The once stately homes, now in horrible disrepair, lined the harbor. In their day, they must have been quite a sight to behold. Much of Santiago was that same state of neglect, not realizing the amount of refurbishment as other parts of Cuba. In startling contrast, there was never a speck of trash to be seen in the gutters or on the sidewalks. This continued throughout the country. A surprising occurrence was the number of women who came up to the women off our boats and asked them for soap. This occurred at El Morro, the fort atop the entrance. This beautiful fort and neighboring restaurant were not to be missed. In between, lining the road, were artisans hawking their wares. Many wood carvings were also being sold from one of the large rooms in the fort. Starting at $5 to $10, they were incredibly affordable, not to mention gorgeous and creative.

One could get just about anything they needed at the marina if they were willing to wait. Diesel was delivered, but only a small amount, so what was available had to be divided between the boats attempting to depart. The 55-gallon drums were rolled down to the dock and the fuel was siphoned, via poor Ariel's mouth and a hose, gravity fed to the boats. Our friends had ordered some meat, but that was not be be. A gentleman, Pedro, who lived across the street from the marina, found some potatoes, bananas and mangoes for our friends. Two dollars purchased what would turn out to be a two-week supply for both boats. Pedro also invited us into his home to meet his wife, who offered to do laundry. He was to be the first of many people that asked us for small fish hooks.

Unfortunately, the stories about the cement factory raining dirt on to the boats at night was true. We attempted to wash the rusty spots off the deck to no avail. There also remained a nasty black scum line around the hull from the polluted harbor, which required much attention later. (To our relief, we found that an inexpensive product, Rustaid, would take the spots off the deck and avoid a costly paint job. Some Fantastic and elbow grease worked on the waterline.)

We were anxious to move on and see more of the curious country, locked in time back in the '50s. A daysail took us to Chivirico, a small harbor with a narrow entrance trough a reef. This harbor would be very protected for winds from any direction. A young Guarda Frontera boy came out and took some information from us. He made no mention of not going to shore. Then another fellow came out and welcomed us, but advised we could not go to shore. We sat wistfully gazing at the children swimming near shore and at a large pig wandering around his master's property.

We were off again the next morning to spend the day getting to Marea del Portillo. We had heard mixed reviews over the single side band regarding whether folks were allowed to go to shore here. The two very young Ricky Martin look alikes that rowed over to us advised us that we could not, however a German fellow anchored there was allowed to as he needed to purchase diesel. When Susan commented to the Guarda Frontera that they had a beautiful country, they responded, "it only looks that way from here." Very frustrated that we could not go to shore, we were at least allowed to row to our friend's boat for dinner and watch the sunset cause the mountains behind our boat to turn the color of spun gold.

Our next day's sail took us around Cabo Cruz to Niquero. We would have stopped at the town of Cabo Cruz, but were told we could not go ashore there either and would have to wait until Manzanillo. Once anchored in Niquero, while the Guarda Frontera sat on our friend's boat checking them in, we had a visit from a dozen boys who swam the half mile out from shore to visit us. They were very curious about where we were from, whether or not we owned the boat and if we had any candy we could give them. It was just about at that moment that the Guarda Frontera came over and made them leave. The boys appeared unconcerned about the ramifications of yelling at the man, but swam back to shore nonetheless after Susan had taken a photograph of their smiling faces waving at the camera. She was very frustrated and almost tearful at the reaction of the Guarda Frontera and made sure to tell them that the boys did not bother us, but he indicated they were not allowed within 300 feet of a foreign vessel. Our friends made a brief trip over to share part of the amberjack they had caught that day which brightened Susan's spirits.

We were able to make Manzanillo by late the following afternoon. The cut through the Balandras Cays gave us quite a test of engine power as we attempted to punch through the contrary wave/wind combination. We eventually got through after making less than a knot for over a half hour. We anchored off the small boat fishing fleet and were greeted by a large contingent of officials. They were brought out to the boat by our friend's dinghy as they did not have boat of their own. After again ensuring we had nothing unsavory on the boats, these friendly folks left us and welcomed us to come to shore. The only catch was that we were not allowed to bring our trash to shore. They told us we could not and had no ideas about what to do with it.

Manzanillo, unlike Santiago, had undergone some restoration. It was sporadic at best, but apparent. Horse drawn carriage was the way to get around town for a peso per person. At these prices, we tried not to feel too guilty that we were being treated by our friends. The town square area was one of the most attractive parts of town and worth a stroll. Sumarpo, the agency that deals with provisioning for ships, arranges to have meats and such delivered to boats here. Our friends purchased chicken at $0.50 per pound, and beef and pork at about $1 to $1.50 per pound. We tried it and the chicken was exceptionally good. The pork and beef were flavorful, although a bit tough. Some men in the harbor were casting nets and dumping their catch into floating baskets in front of them. We discovered that they were catching shrimp, which turned out to be quite plentiful and tasty. Because they were not allowed to sell them to our friend, they had to leave them in the water in a bag near shore, which our friend picked up as they entered their dinghy. They exchanged cigarettes and pesos while "shaking hands."

Desiring to be away from civilization and wanting to roam freely, we decided to head to the out islands in the Golfo de Guacanayabo and Golfo de Ana Maria as we threaded our way to Cienfuegos. Some folks chose to travel along the outer cays known as Los Jardines de la Reina or "the Gardens of the Queen." We chose the inner route, traveling in relatively shallow water and saw no other human beings for days on end.

After being checked out of Manzanillo by the Guarda Frontera who made sure we had not stowed anyone on board, we set sail for Cayo Media Luna (Half Moon Key). We kept going closer in looking for more shallow water in which to anchor and finally gave up and anchored in 26 feet about a half mile from shore. We were afraid to go any closer for fear of being devoured by bugs at night. There was no beach ashore and nothing that looked worth exploring, so we headed out the next morning for Cayo Guincho. We were able to anchor much closer to shore in 10 to 12 feet of water. As we arrived early in the day, we were able to explore and hunt. Two to three very large lobsters were an almost instant reward. Within 20 minutes of entering the water, our friends found these large creatures and shared one of them with us. (Not much incentive to look when you are being given three pound lobsters!) We had a cookout on the beach with chicken and lobster, and incidentally, burned the trash that we could not throw away in Manzanillo. We did see a few small fishing boats in the early afternoon, but they just wanted to make sure we were okay, as this is well off the beaten path. We would have stayed longer, but unfortunately had a schedule.

Our next day's sail took us to Cayo Algodon Grande. This is a very protected lagoon entered by running along the inside of the reef until you clear a shoal to starboard, then you can anchor in 10 to 13 feet. Again, our fearless lobster hunting friends found the biggest lobster yet in the rocks on the outside of the lagoon. We saw no other people this day either, except our two boats, anchored in peaceful, quiet solitude.

We decided to exit the outlying cays at Cayo Breton. There was an unusual freestanding dock approximately one mile from shore. In the evening, six or seven fishing boats came in and either tied there or anchored nearby. They waved as they passed us in the sunset, but seemed to sense we were enjoying being alone. As the winds were calm, we had a pleasant night anchored in the lee of the cay and waited to jump into deeper water until the morning.

Cayo Blanco was our next destination, just south of Casilda. This little gem of an island has one structure ashore, a small bar and restaurant operated by the National Marina. After carefully skirting the reef and coming to anchor in 12 feet of sand, we took off quickly to explore this lovely place. One the sea side of the cay, there was a lovely reef in 25 to 30 feet of water. The profusion of color and fish was breathtaking! At no place in the Bahamas had we seen such beautiful and healthy coral. Once again, the hunt was on and we quickly scored part of dinner, a one and a half pound lobster. We were not lucky enough to find another, but were offered fish that one of the two men working at the restaurant caught because he was bored. He cleaned the snapper and grunts right there next to our dinghy. He and his companion said their week at work was heaven and the alternating week they spend back on the mainland was hell. We had to press on to Cienfuegos, but could have stayed for days exploring the surrounding coral heads and spending time with our new friends ashore.

Cienfuegos is reached by an entrance guarded by a lighthouse on one side and the Guarda Frontera on the other. A large sign greets you on the way in saying, "Welcome to Socialist Cuba." After passing a small island, you continue across the large harbor to the Marina. A very friendly crew will greet you here and the Guarda Frontera and Capitania will visit you looking for the offer of a cold beer. A mile or so stroll to the left of the marina entrance will take you to the heart of Cienfuegos. If you are feeling lazy, you can hitch a ride with one of the horse-drawn carriages. Here, they are not supposed to give rides to tourists, apparently because the government cannot enforce how much money they will receive. One gentleman gave us a ride anyway, at the risk of being fined. Cienfuegos was undergoing restoration at a much great rate than Manzanillo. We felt like we moved forward about 10 years each time we moved farther west to another city. The proliferation of 1950s vintage cars was very apparent in Cienfuegos. It was not unusual to see four or five of them lining a street. We saw our first fast food restaurant here, again, run by the government. There were a number of department type stores in the city, all selling identical wares. Many kiosks lined the streets, again with identical merchandise. The locals saw Susan's blond hair and the round of "jabon?" (soap?) started again. This time, she was prepared and handed out the collection of hotel soaps and shampoos to mothers carrying young children.

The tiles floors in the buildings were so pretty that Susan got up the courage to ask for one when we saw some men taking up the tile in a building and putting them in a cart outside. He didn't seem to understand why anyone would want a tile for a souvenir, but was glad to oblige. He wanted nothing in return. Our friends treated us to dinner in a restaurant near the marina. For $5 U.S., we had paella. For $4, lobster. The prices were so unbelievably cheap, we felt guilty. It was at this point in our trip that the American government decided to take Elian Gonzales from his relatives in Miami and let him stay with his father in Virginia pending the outcome of the hearings. Our friends at the marina and Guarda Frontera were so happy that they stopped by to chat about their new friend, the USA.

It was time for us to move on, so after passing a huge ship on our way out of the entrance channel, we departed for the outer cays between Cienfuegos and Isla Juventud. An uneventful trip past the Zona Prohibida of the Bay of Pigs brought us by late afternoon to Cayo Guana del Este. We found poor holding there and moved a bit farther to Cayo Trabuco. This is basically a rock with no protection, and the surge around it was not bearable for an entire night. Fortunately, there was enough daylight to move a few miles farther to Cayo de Dios. This anchorage was much more protected from the prevailing wind/wave direction, but we felt it wise not to anchor too close to shore as this was obviously a nesting ground for thousands of birds. They seemed none too happy that we were there, so we did not go to shore to upset them further.

Cayo Largo was our next stop. This is primarily a resort and they did not seem overly excited to see us nor were they very helpful as we transited the area between the reef and the channel. There were two entrance channels here and it was quite confusing, especially in a downpour. Be sure to enter in good light. We were fortunate not to have any mishaps, but it is easy to see how they could occur. The marina is alright, but it would have been easier to just anchor off the beach right near the final approach entrance to the marina. There is not much ashore there, the attraction being the diving and snorkeling nearby.

A quick trip the next day brought us to Cayo Matais, just a few miles east of Isla Juventud. We opted to anchor in the lee of the cay. Another boat anchored just behind the reef and from a distance, it looked like they were stuck on a reef. Another solitary, peaceful anchorage. Because we were getting near the time our 30-day visa would expire, we pressed on to the western side of Isla Juventud the next evening and anchored in Bahia Siguanea. This anchorage was exposed to the prevailing winds, but as luck would have it, it was a fairly calm night. Cayo Real is a beautiful anchorage some 40 miles from Isla Juventud, which you will share with some local fishermen. There is an interesting cut between the cays and many miles of beach to explore. The lobstering is good here as well.

Another day's jaunt west will bring you to Maria La Gorda, where folks check in and out of Cuba. There were no moorings available when we were there, nor did anyone respond on VHF. You simply get into shore as close as you dare to get away from the coral heads and drop the hook. We went to shore to the Guarda Frontera shack on the beach. They were friendly and efficient. After some brief formalities, we were able to come to shore as we desired. There was nothing there except a dive resort and a very expensive restaurant. Most officials have to come a long distance to get here so do not be in a hurry to check in or out. We requested to have everyone at the boat at 8:00 a.m. in order to arrive back in south Florida by sunset two and a half days later. They came at 10:00 a.m. After looking through the boat to make sure we had not tucked someone in the bilge, we were free to go. The water here is as clear as we have seen anywhere. In the morning before the breeze picked up, when the water was like glass, you could see straight to the bottom and count the many fish swimming around the coral heads.

We would have stayed much longer in Cuba if not for pressing health concerns. Once you get used to strangers coming onto your boat and looking through your personal belongings, it is a fascinating trip, not to be missed. It is recommended to stock up with beer as you will frequently be asked for one by the officials. We are glad we got to see this untarnished country before the embargo is lifted and the throngs of tourists line every beach and boats fill every anchorage. In the month we were there, we only saw five other sailboats while underway and we traveled the entire south coast, a distance of over 700 miles. We were treated courteously at every port and hope to return to this island gem as soon as possible. It is truly an undiscovered treasure deserving much more time than we had allotted.

Coast Guard Urges EPIRB Owners To Upgrade

2011-06-10T10:01:00.002-04:00

May 20, 2011 Advisory 02-11
Take the Search out of Search and Rescue

Upgrade to GPS enhanced EPIRBs

When Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) are activated in emergency situations the system transmits vessel identification information to rescuers. Traditional EPIRBs rely on satellite Doppler Shift to identify the distress location. There are a wide variety of Coast Guard approved EPIRBs on the market but many do not have the most up-to-date feature: the ability to transmit the EPIRB’s GPS location.
Several recent casualty investigations have revealed that EPIRB owners are largely unaware that rescue efforts are significantly improved and your vessel’s location transmitted more quickly and accurately when distress signals are initiated by GPS enhanced EPIRBs. GPS enhanced EPIRBs normally save 30 to 100 minutes in obtaining an accurate location. This is a significant amount of time and may mean the difference between life or death in cold water situations where the survival rate is decreased as each minute passes. New GPS enhanced EPIRBs provide a location accurate within 100 meters in 50 to 120 seconds. The GPS enhanced EPIRB not only alerts immediately, but also directs rescuers to a more exact location, allowing helicopter flight time to be devoted to rescue operations rather than conducting search operations.

An illustration of the effectiveness of GPS enhanced EPIRBs was the March 23, 2008 sinking of the F/V ALASKA RANGER in the Bering Sea 120 miles west of Dutch Harbor with 47 people on board. The vessel’s Category I EPIRB was not enhanced with GPS which resulted in a delay in analyzing the data. In contrast, a personal EPIRB carried by a fisheries observer on board was outfitted with GPS, and it took only 11 minutes to identify that EPIRB’s distress location. Fortunately a distress call was also made using the single side-band radio and rescuers immediately responded.

Since May 30th 2008, the Commercial Fishing Safety Advisory Committee has recommended that all new EPIRBs installed onboard commercial fishing vessels include an integral GPS receiver to permit automatic inclusion of position in the distress alert.

The National Transportation Safety Board in their recent Marine Accident Brief on the sinking of the commercial fishing vessel LADY MARY recommended to the Federal Communication Commission that for commercial vessels required to carry 406-MHz EPIRBs, those EPIRBs be required to broadcast vessel position data when activated.

The Coast Guard strongly urges vessel Owner/Operators to replace and upgrade existing EPIRBs with GPS enhanced EPIRBs.

This advisory is for informational purposes only and does not relieve any domestic or international safety, operational or material requirement. Developed by the USCG 13th District Prevention Staff. Questions may be forwarded to HQS-PF-fldr-G-PCA@uscg.mil.

Distributed by: office of Investigations and Analysis Http://marineinvestigations.us To subscribe: Kenneth.W.Olsen@uscg.mil

A Photo Tour Of The Okeechobee Waterway

2011-06-06T11:14:00.001-04:00

Several of our followers have ask for more photos of our trip across the Okeechobee Waterway from Stuart, Florida to Fort Myers Beach, Florida. Rather than try and post the individual photos, we took lots, we hope this slide show will give you a sense of the spectacular scenery along this seldom traveled jewel. We do warn you, there are lots of photos so give yourself enough time to enjoy them. Then drop us a comment here and let us know what you think. Come along and enjoy the ride.

It Always Ends All Too Soon

2011-05-29T16:42:00.002-04:00

The waterway from Moore Haven to Fort Myers is wide and deep with little in the way of obstacles or challenges. One recent comment on this trip was whether or not we felt bored or lacked any excitement traveling along the many canals that interconnect the rivers, lakes and sounds that we have traveled to get to our final destination. My response is, absolutely not. Every canal and waterway has its own personality and each is to be enjoyed on its own merits. If I had one word to describe our transit of the Okeechobee Waterway, it would be, spectacular.

We left the Moore Haven City Dock at 9 AM. The entire day's run would be dictated by the 4 PM lock schedule at the Franklin Lock. Due to the low water levels, Franklin is on a twice daily schedule, just as St. Lucie is at this time. There was no need for us to head out at the crack of dawn and then sit and wait when we arrived at the Franklin Lock too early. By 11:30 AM we had passed through the Ortona Lock, but that one, as with others, would open on demand. We would not motor through Ortona since this lock would drop us 7 feet. We were the only boat in the lock and, unlike St. Lucie, had no problem with turbulence since the gates were opened in front of us to let the water out and we did not have to deal with it rushing in. The whole process went very quickly, and before we knew it, the gates were opened and we were heading west once more toward our destination.

We passed through the Fort Denaud Swing Bring, and because of its 9 feet clearance, we had to wait a moment for an opening. At 2:50 PM, we were under the Alva Bridge which is high enough for our 21-foot air draft to get under without an opening. The waterway along this entire section is very beautiful and full of very large, and we can only assume expensive, homes with very green lawns, compliments of the irrigation systems pumped directly from the fresh water canals. The wildlife was also abundant and we saw many unusual sightings. Among the osprey, eagles, cows and horses, we also saw alligators, turtles and a camel. Yes, that is correct, I said a camel. You can imagine our surprise when we saw some horses grazing in a back yard and noted how strange one of them appeared to be. With a little closer examination, we discovered that this was not a strange horse, but rather a camel grazing side by side with them. At that point, we figured we had seen about everything on this trip. Most of the day was spent at a leisurely pace of about 5 miles per hour, enjoying the scenery and trying to time our arrival at the Franklin Lock.

We arrived at Franklin about 10 minutes to four. We had called the lock on the VHF Channel 13, about 3 miles out, to alert them that we were on our way and would be locking through west bound. As with all of the lock tenders, we received a very prompt and courteous reply and when we arrived, we waited only a few minutes to enter. Once again, we were the only boat in the lock, and this time, we again had to tie up to the wall. This lock would lower us another foot and a half and would be our final lock for the Okeechobee Waterway. The process was easy and painless and we hardly noticed the water leaving the lock except for the fact that we were getting lower on the wall. Shortly after we exited the lock, we were officially on the Caloosahatchee River and within striking distance of our destination. But we would not arrive at journeys end today, so a decision as to where to anchor for the night was needed.

We looked at a couple of possibilities on the charts and in our guide books, and it was after deciding to try one that we discovered another. After passing through the railroad bridge on Beautiful Island, yes that is the name, we turned at red marker "22" and took a channel with private markers that leads to some man-made canals. As we proceeded down the channel, we found plenty of depths in the 8- to 9-foot range. The turn into the canal looked very narrow and not very inviting. We noticed that there was a lonely red marker "12" well past the turn toward the canal and then nothing beyond that. We decided to continue on toward that marker and see how the depths held. We stayed in 8 to 9 feet and when we felt secure that we were not going to block any traffic, we dropped the anchor, GPS coordinates 26 41.415' N and 081 49.875' W, in 9 feet. We were, in fact, behind a small spoil island that was apparently a nesting ground for a large group of Wood storks. These endangered white birds with black wing tips and gray or black heads made quite a bit of noise and were coming and going until the sun went down. Being gregarious and friendly, they also shared their island with a few pelicans and cormorants. It turned out to be a fabulous anchorage. We had a nice breeze coming down the Caloosahatchee that cooled us for the evening and the birds quieted down at sunset. We probably would not recommend this anchorage in heavier weather since it is pretty exposed.

We slept in again in the morning since we had a short run to Ft. Myers Beach, only a little over 26 miles away. The Caloosahatchee got wider as we headed west and finally we went under the bridge south of Ft. Myers and into San Carlos Bay. At this point, we were almost in the Gulf of Mexico and it had been years since we passed this way. San Carlos Bay was kind to us this morning and we made the turn toward the channel into Ft. Myers Beach. Once inside the harbor, the entire area is an Idle Speed, No-Wake Zone. We called the marina where we would be staying and advised them of our location. At idle speed, it would take another 20 minutes or more to reach them. Just after noon, we were tied up at the Snook Bight Yacht Club and Marina in Ft. Myers Beach. This would be our destination, for the next several weeks at least. Susan is excited because there is a Publix supermarket right next door and the beach access is just across the street.

A few facts and figures to ponder. We traveled 1,305 miles from Pasadena, MD to Ft. Myers Beach, FL and were underway a total of 19 days. We took two lay days to visit with friends and rest. We were weathered in at Reedville, VA for 5 days. Once we reached Norfolk, VA, we had no weather delays along our route. We burned a total of about 400 gallons of fuel, still have around 90 gallons in the tank and spent a total of $1,249.00 to fill the tanks. This gave us an average burn rate of about 2.25 gallons per hour. Our expenditures on dockage were pretty high on this trip, with a total of $564.00. Food costs were $445.00 for groceries and $246.00 for dining out. Repairs and maintenance costs were $137.00, laundry $22.00 (our friends helped keep this down), and $31.00 for miscellaneous items. Our total expenses for the trip, plus or minus a few dollars comes out to $2,694.00. The big question is, now what? We will have some work to do while we are here. And of course, the boat projects will begin again; they have just been temporarily on hold. The Ford Lehman did a magnificent job of getting us here without a single complaint, running a total of 180 hours. But we did find a couple of leaks along the way that need to be addressed so that they don't get worse. We will also try and have some fun and enjoy the Florida sunshine and warm weather. After all, that is why we are here! Stay tuned.

Titusville To The Big Lake Okeechobee

2011-05-24T20:44:00.007-04:00

It was really great to spend a day with our good friend and rest up a bit. Even with the requirement to hose off the decks 3 times a day to clear the love bugs. In all of our years of traveling the ICW and driving back and forth to Florida, we have never encountered anything like this. Even the locals said the same thing. We caught up on the time that had passed with our friend, ran some errands, played with the dog and cat and restocked some supplies. But we needed to move on in hopes that the great weather we were experiencing would hold until we made the crossing on the Lake Okeechobee.

The Indian River is another of those wide and shallow bodies of water. It would appear that there are many places to anchor, but once south of Melbourne, the anchorages are few and far between. We had a couple of possibilities in mind, but once we reached them, we found they were full of local boats. This is one of the problems Florida faces and why they have been so aggressive about anchoring regulations. It is not hard to understand the state’s position, however we have always felt there are other alternatives to regulating boaters that were out to enjoy the waterway with no plans to move in permanently. But that is a subject for later discussion. Our possible anchorages did not work out with one exception, but we decided to bypass it anyway and pick up a mooring at Vero Beach.

The Vero Beach City Marina has some slips and lots of moorings. They also have a fuel dock and ship’s store. There is public transportation and a courtesy van to take folks into the shopping areas if your plans are to stop for a while. we know some cruisers that stay in Vero for the entire winter and then head north in the spring. We only planned an overnight. One small irritant was the fact that the marina would not accept our credit card over the phone. That left two options. We would have to rig our dinghy and outboard just to go in and pay the fee, or tie up to the fuel dock, pay the mooring fee and then go out and pick up a mooring. We found the marina to be less friendly than we have in the past. The credit card issue and the staff that seemed to have the attitude that we were a bother. This is in stark contrast to years past. But we only planned to stop overnight.

After we picked up our mooring and prepared dinner for the evening, the cell phone rang and it was an acquaintance from MTOA (Marine Trawler Owners Associations) that was on the mooring just two boats away. We chatted a bit. They had been there for a few days and were heading north. We gave them the brief rundown of our trip so far and where we were heading. The rest of the night was very quiet and after a movie, we turned in early. The plan was to get under way as soon as the sun came up and we had enough light to navigate. Our goal for the next day was an ambitious one; to get to the St. Lucie Lock, on the other side of Stuart, to begin our crossing of Lake Okeechobee. We had some concerns about crossing the Lake because a severe drought in south Florida had lowered the Lake levels from the normal average of 12 1/2 feet to just over 10 feet. There had been many reports of very shallow spots along the Lake route, and the St. Lucie and Franklin Locks were on twice daily schedules, at 9 AM and 4 PM, because of the low levels.

We left Vero at 6:40 AM and made really good time to Stuart. Because the St. Lucie Lock would not open until 4 PM, we made a stop at the free dock in Stuart, just before the Roosevelt Bridge. This is a combination high rise, railroad and bascule bridge that are all in the same spot. We turned off the channel just before the bridges and headed to the Stuart City dock in about 6 feet of water right up to the dock. It was a floating dock with power posts but no power, and it does not appear to have regular maintenance. The St. Lucie River is very wide and open here, and the wind waves and the boats flying up and down the river make this a very rolly stop. We didn’t stay long, had lunch and left way earlier that we wanted to. By 3 PM we arrived at the St. Lucie Lock along with 4 other boats also locking through westbound. We dropped the anchor in the middle of the channel and waited the hour for the lock to open.

As we entered the lock at 4 PM, the port side quickly filled up and we had the misfortune to be the first boat tied to the starboard side, directly in front of the gate. The lock fills by opening the gate and letting the water in from the Lake side. They only crack the gate open initially but the volume of water that comes in is considerable and the current it generates is also considerable. Since we were sitting right in front of the gate, we took the full force of the water. To say that keeping the boat off the lock wall and under control was difficult is putting it mildly. Add to that the fact the large motor yacht tied to the wall directly across the lock from us kept kicking on his stern and bow thrusters, and it made for a very unpleasant hour. The lock brought us up about 6 feet and they finally opened the gates fully so we were able to move out.

Once out of the lock, we immediately turned out of the channel and onto the side near the flood gates, opposite a campground across the canal. This was to be our anchorage for tonight. It was wide enough for us to be out of the channel and the anchor grabbed right away. There was no danger of the flood gates being opened with the Lake levels so low, and the lock would not open again until 9 AM the next morning. We would be long gone by then. We shared the anchorage with a couple of very large alligators, so swimming was out of the question. 7 AM the next morning, the sun was shining, the winds were light and we were heading for the crossing of Lake Okeechobee.

At 10 AM, we were at the Port Mayaca lock. The lock was opened for us as we approached and the lock tender informed us that we could just power through and did not have to tie up. This was a very pleasant surprise after the day before. As we passed him on the lock wall, we asked if he had any advise on the shallow spots on the lake. He stated we should just keep to the green side going out of the lock and that with our 4-foot draft, being loaded down as we are, we might kick up a little mud. We followed his instructions and found one spot at 5.1 feet just as we left the lock and headed out onto the Lake. The depths increased to 6 feet, then 7 1/2 feet and then we had 8 to 10 feet most of the rest of the way across. That is until we reached the other side of the route across the Lake. Just before marker green “1,” and between there and red “4,” we found some depths to be 5.9 feet and then 6.4 feet. Past red “4,” the depths went back to 7 1/2 feet and 8 feet. We did feel the boat bump something under the keel at statute mile 60, even though the depth sounder showed 6 1/2 feet. Another mystery.

Once we crossed the Lake and entered the Rim Route, the depths for the most part were 13 to 17 feet. We did find a few 9 1/2 foot spots at a couple of turns, but they were brief. At 2:50 PM, we approached the Moore Haven Lock and once again, the lock opened and we were able to motor directly through. The lock tender joked as we passed him that he opened just for us. Once through the lock, we motored into the town of Moore Haven and tied up at the City Dock. This appears to be a new dock in excellent condition, with heavy fenders on the pilings and power posts with water hook-ups. City Hall is across the street and we walked over to pay the dockage. The cost was only $1.00 per foot including water, electric, heads and showers. Such a deal. We will spend the night here and leave late in the morning (late for us–9 AM) to make the Franklin Lock by 4 PM.

Shallow Waters and Strong River Currents, Plus Missed Anchorages

2011-05-21T19:12:00.103-04:00

At our appointed time, we left the docks and headed south into the state of Florida. It was really good to be back and the weather was improving, albeit still windy from the south. We had considered running outside from Fernandina to St. Augustine, but the winds had not lightened yet and the ride offshore would be uncomfortable. In addition, there are some shoaling problems at St. Augustine Inlet and two boats have been lost and one skipper killed. Not the conditions we wanted to subject Beach House to. We knew there were a few problem spots with shoaling south of Fernandina, but it is not like we have not been dealing with this along the way. So off we went, straight into the wind and an adverse current, since the tides were running out at St. Mary's.

On the South Amelia River between red markers "34" and "36," we found 7 feet of water in the channel. With the tide state at the time we transited, the depths would only be 4 1/2 feet at low tide. Enough draft for us to pass, but barely. Boats with deeper drafts would surely be grounded. A little farther along between green markers "39" and "41," our depths were 9 feet, making it 5 1/2 feet at low tide. There were several areas that would only be 6 to 7 feet at low tide in the same area. It had been several years since we transited this section of the waterway. With our former sailboat, Sea Trek, we always transited between the St. Mary's River and St. Augustine on the outside, waiting for good weather if we had to. Another reason to not have to keep a schedule. Maybe it was time for us to do another inside run to get familiar with changes along this section of the waterway.

Nassau Sound was pretty much the same as every Sound we have transited so far. Wind against tide and very choppy conditions. By now we were getting so used to waves breaking over the bow that we hardly noticed. The weather was pleasant enough that we could finally spend the day in the flybridge instead of the inside steering station. By 10 AM, we were crossing the St. Johns River where it crosses the ICW. There are two major rivers that have to be crossed on the way south, The Savannah River and The St. Johns. The currents running up and down these rivers can surprise the unprepared helmsperson if they are not aware or not expecting it. The St. Johns is probably the strongest, and once it grabs the boat, will very quickly carry it up or down river depending on direction of the current. We virtually had to steer almost directly downriver to cross it, and we entered the ICW channel on the south side going sideways to head into the channel. This is always a sphincter tightener since there are several shoal areas and rock piles that are very near the channel. But all went well and we made it without incident. This is one of those "what if" spots for me. The what ifs start flowing and are hard for me to stop. What if the engine quits? What if the prop was fouled? What if something else broke? The ship channel is 50 feet deep or more and the current extremely strong. If something happened, trying to get an anchor down would be very difficult if not downright dangerous. The option is to get swept out to sea, not to mention the possibility of encountering a ship transiting the river at the same time. You really have to put this stuff out of your mind quickly and concentrate on getting the boat across the river.

We passed through St. Augustine with no more than a wave since this is another favorite stop that was not to be this time. Transiting the St. Augustine area requires that as you pass the Usina-Vilano Beach Bridge, you need to head to red marker "60" which makes it seem like you are heading out the inlet. This is very necessary since cutting this marker short will put the boat in some very shallow water. Both TowboatUS and SeaTow have done very well here and can usually be seen hanging around most of the day. Our goal was an anchorage just a few miles south behind flashing red "18" right off the waterway. When we arrived, the anchorage was full of boats that had been displaced by the installation of moorings by the city both north and south of the Bridge of Lions. We continued on to a couple of other spots that looked interesting on the chart. The first was a small channel at Butler Beach on the east side of the waterway. It is a recommended anchorage in a very popular anchorage book. As we entered, the channel the depths quickly went from 13 feet to 4 1/2 feet. We slammed on the brakes and backed out the way we came in. This certainly would not work. The next couple of possibilities were just wide spots in the waterway, but when we checked them out, we found no water. A sailboat going north turned into one of them and abruptly ran aground. Fortunately, he was not going very fast and easily backed off and continued north. It was now 3 PM and there were very few prospects for anchorages south of our position. We discussed anchoring in Matanzas Inlet, but the 15 knot winds could make anchoring in strong currents near an inlet uncomfortable. We decided to have a look as we passed by, but to find alternatives farther south. We still had 4 to 5 hours of daylight to get somewhere. So much for this being a short day for us.

Matanzas Inlet is another section of the waterway feared by mariners for as long as we have been doing this. It is very narrow, with swift currents and constantly shifting shoals. It had been dredged about a year ago, but many boaters were still reporting groundings and problems. So we approached the inlet with a great deal of caution. It really turned out to be a non-issue. Approaching the inlet, we found plenty of water in the channel. Where most boaters get into trouble is crossing the inlet and not believing the channel markers. The green markers here need to be kept on the port side of the boat if you are going south or the starboard side if going north. The channel makes it appear like the boat is going to run up on the beach so folks panic and turn on the other side of the greens. They promptly run aground and call SeaTow or TowboatUS. Another moneymaker for them. We stayed in the channel with one foot on the beach, and the shallowest depths we saw, and we were at low tide of course, was 8 1/2 feet at green marker "81D." Most of the depths, with the exception of a couple of 10 1/2 feet spots, were 17 to 18 feet. We also noted that anchoring in the inlet off the fort would be a nice stop for us at some other time in more settled conditions. We pushed on south, working on plan D or E or maybe even F.

It was obvious we had enough time to easily get to Palm Coast at about Statute Mile 803. We would not arrive until around 6 or 6:30 PM and we decided to stop at Palm Coast Marina. This trip was turning out to have more marina stops for us than ever before. We had stayed at Palm Coast before and liked it a lot. They are very cruiser friendly with several long time live-aboards and the marina managers are former cruisers. The marina has a very pleasant feel, is well-kept, has a great ship's store and lounge, clean restrooms and near enough to shopping that you can walk. But they close at 5:30 and we would arrive after 6. A phone call proved this to be no problem, as we were told to tie up at the open space on the face dock and we could settle up in the morning. We tied up at the dock at 6:15 PM, a couple of tired pups. Our short day turned into a pretty long one. Traveling on the ICW and trying to cover the distance we are, the crew needs to be very flexible. The marina had left us keys for the heads in the mailbox and a welcome sheet. We were again tied up in a marina, plugged in to power and looking for a good night's sleep so we could start all over the next day. And sleep well we did.

The trip from Palm Coast to Titusville went pretty much the same as every other day had gone. We were making great time and almost caught up with our original schedule after the five day delay in Virginia due to weather. If we made Titusville, we would be right where we planned to be when we shoved off from our marina in Maryland. Our plan for the evening was to anchor off the Titusville Municipal Marina for the night and then go in first thing in the morning and pick up a slip. We have a very good friend that lives here so we planned to spend Saturday with her. We arrived at about 4:30 PM and found a great spot to drop the hook. It grabbed the first time and we started to settle in for the evening. That's when we heard it. That unmistakable sound of a Florida thunderstorm. I looked over my shoulder and saw the dark clouds, heard the rumble and saw the lightning. It took us all of two minutes to get the anchor back up, get into the marina entrance channel and get them on the radio for a slip assignment. There was no problem and they had plenty of room. The dock attendant was waiting for us as we arrived and we backed into the slip to tie up. And that was when we realized what was happening. A cloud of black love bugs had encompassed the boat and the decks, sides and about everything else was covered with the little buggers. And wouldn't you know it, the zipper on the side door chose just that time to break. We were tied in the slip and crushing love bugs under our feet wherever we walked on the deck. Just another fun experience to add to the blog and the log book. A day of rest would be very welcome by now, but the love bugs would stay with us for as long as we were here.

Heading South At Warp Speed

2011-05-18T22:08:00.000-04:00

When we last left off, we were at the docks in Southport, North Carolina. After leaving the marina, we saw some interesting and unusual sites, transited a whole bunch of Sounds, met old friends, visited our former home and covered a lot of water in a short period of time. We also found several of the waterway's most severe problem areas and transited them at the worst possible time. But I am getting ahead of myself so let me get you caught up to date.

We really hate to be on a schedule like this and have to hurry through areas that beg for the cruiser to linger and enjoy. On Thursday morning, we were off the dock at 7 AM and moving south down the waterway. As we approached the Little River Inlet and the South Carolina border, we were amazed and surprised at the variety of watercraft we encountered. As we rounded a bendk we were greeted by the replicas of the Nina and the Pinta. We were tempted to radio and ask where the third of the trio, the Santa Maria, had sailed to. Shortly behind them was a medium size cruise and casino ship heading out the inlet followed by a very large gambling ship. We wondered what we would find around the next bend. We continued on through Myrtle Beach and into the infamous Rock Pile section of the waterway. This area has a rock ledge just under the surface at high tide that can be devastating if you wander out of the channel.

The rest of the day was very uneventful and we decided that we would make a stop at the Osprey Marina instead of anchoring for the night on the Waccamaw River as we usually do. Every time we transit the Waccamaw we remark how it is one of our absolute favorite waterways and it seems from the water to be untouched for centuries. But we have also heard from many folks about the wonderful marina and friendly folks at Osprey. We have passed it by on many occasions so decided to stop for a visit this time. We were not disappointed and highly recommend this marina to anyone planning a stop along this section of the Waccamaw,

As we entered the very protected marina basin and approached the docks, we noticed that there were several turtles swimming out to meet us. Susan voiced her concern to the dock attendant that was waiting for us, but he said not to worry, they would get out of the way. As we approach the dock and tied up, we saw even more turtles appear around the boat. It seems they were looking for a hand out and apparently they received these quite often. And of course, Susan had to oblige them. Once we settled in, a reconnaissance trip was required. The marina is very nice, with picnic tables, a short order grill for burgers and other yummies, a ship's store, laundry and book exchange. The staff was very helpful and friendly and could not do enough for us. They also gave us a nice welcome package with a block of cheese, a package of cracker, a couple of packages with pecan rolls and honey buns, a key fob with a whistle, a pen, mints and more. It was a very nice surprise and something we had not received in any other marina. And we have stayed in quite a few marinas. This was our second marina in two days - unusual for us.

Once again we were off very early with winds forecast to be out of the south at 10 to 15 knots. This entire trip so far has had winds right out of the direction we were heading and in the moderate range. This does not sound so bad but was a problem as we will discuss a bit further along. Other than one idiot on a very large and expensive "yacht" running at full speed with no regard for anyone else around him, the day was pleasant but still long. We covered 83 miles in 10 hours and finally put our anchor down in Dewees Creek at 4:30 in the afternoon. GPS coordinates are 32 49.734' N and 079 45.793' W.

Dewees Creek is not really a creek and in South Carolina, at high tide, a lot of the real estate disappears. As we entered the "creek" it looked more like a lake, and much of the channels were not visible other than on our chartplotter. All we could see were the tops of some of the sawgrass. We followed what was supposed to be the channel using our plotter, until we found a section of high sawgrass to block some of the chop on the water. It had gotten really breezy in the afternoon. We felt like Beach House was anchored out in the middle of nowhere, I guess, which we were. The anchorage was very open to the wind but we didn't have any chop, so for us, that is acceptable. This was another new anchorage for us and as we got used to it, decided it was very scenic, but probably not a good idea in bad weather. The winds did calm down to nothing overnight and once again, rain and thunderstorms passed us by.

The next morning the anchor was up and we were underway by 6 AM. Our destination for the afternoon was Beaufort, South Carolina and our old homestead at Lady's Island Marina. We had lived there for a year and a half after we purchased Beach House and had stayed there on occasion with Sea Trek. The crossing of Charleston Harbor could not have been better and the Battery is always a sight just after sunrise. Charleston is one of our favorite stops along the waterway, but our schedule meant we would have to pass it by this time. We waved good-bye as we headed into Wapoo Creek and Elliot Cut. The currents here are very strong and you either come through at a crawl or you feel like you are shot out at the other end.

We passed through a couple of the problem areas on the waterway at White's Point and Fenwick Cut. In both cases we found a minimum of 8-foot depths with no problem as long as we payed attention to how the currents affected the boat and were careful not to be pushed out of the channel. The final problem area for this day would be the Ashepoo-Coosaw Cutoff going from the Ashepoo River to the Coosaw. Even though this had been dredged not too long ago, reports were coming in that it was shoaling on the Coosaw end. As we approached the red marker "184" at that end, we found water depths to be just over 6 feet. Not very deep, but enough for us to easily transit and keep Beach House's keel off the bottom. A little farther along the waterway, we would find depths that would not allow us to transit at low tide even with our less than 3-foot draft.

We tied up at Lady's Island Marina at 4:15 PM having covered 81.5 miles for the day. It was a big surprise to many of our old acquaintances to see us and and to everyone's surprise, including ours, we tied up right back in our old slip. It was as if we had never left. It felt good and somehow very comfortable to be back were it all began with us and Beach House. This had been her home under the former owner as well. We planned to take a lay day here and catch up on old friends as well as get a few maintenance jobs done since this was about our halfway point. As is standard operating procedure for us, a marina stop means at the least, washing the boat, doing laundry and making a grocery run. In addition, this time it meant changing the fuel filters and doing an oil change for the injector pump on the Ford Lehman. The injector pump oil change is required ever 50 hours although we don't do it until about 100 hours. A few other chores were done and a visit to one of our old friends resulted in the loan of a car. We did a West Marine run and then had dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in the Beaufort area, Barbara Jean's. The food here is always very good and there is always plenty of it. We usually take enough home to have leftovers for dinner another evening.

Our time there was way too short, but we had to move on. The next morning we needed to stop for fuel before we ran out, and since Port Royal Landing Marina had the best fuel prices, we stopped there. We always check a couple of sources online for current fuel prices when the time comes to refuel. Prices are currently running well over $4.00 per gallon for diesel, but we paid $3.83 at Port Royal. This did delay our departure, since Port Royal does not open until 8 AM and they mean 8 AM and not 7:55. By 8:30, we were fueled up and on our way. The rest of the day we were forced to steer from the inside steering station since the entire outside of the boat was covered with bighting green flies. They clung to all of the windows plotting ways to get into the interior. Being careful going in and out and making sure all of the screens were in kept them on the outside. A few did bite Susan while she was on deck and they caused big welts that itched like crazy. We watched boaters that had to steer in open cockpits swat the air as if they were possessed. These flies would stay with us for hundreds of miles and keep us inside during the day. By 6:30 PM, we were racing rain into our anchorage in Killkenny Creek, a 74 mile day. Killkenny is another of our familiar anchorages and we travel up into the creek past the marina and the last house on the creek. This gives us good protection from all sides and keeps us well off the ICW. The GPS coordinates are 31 47.537' N and 081 11.947' W.

The next morning, the winds were forecast to be 15 to 20 and, of course, from the direction we were traveling. We debated staying put, but all of the buoy reports were for light winds. This entire section of the waterway consists of crossing several Sounds. The first early on would be St. Catherine Sound. It is wide open and the wind direction against the outgoing tides made for another boisterous ride. Once we made the turn to head up the sound, the waves were breaking over the bow and covering the windshield with salt water. Just past Statute Mile 630 is Sapelo Sound, and it was the same story, deja vu all over again. From there, it was a one-two combination of the Altamaha and Buttermilk sounds. In each case, it was a bumpy and wet ride. This stretch just before Altamaha Sound also took us through the Little Mud River. We arrived in the Little Mud with 2 hours before low tide. We found several spots where the depths would have only been about 3 feet at low tide and would have been impossible for even us to transit. This section should only be done at a minimum of half tide, preferably on a rising tide. Sometimes we had a favorable current making about 10 MPH and other times we have an adverse current and were making 5 MPH. Finally at 4 PM, we arrived at our anchorage for the night. This would be another first for us in a new anchorage, Troup Creek. GPS coordinates are 31 13.245' N and 081 26.496' W. This creek has a narrow entrance, but once inside, the depths are good and we finally anchored in 12 feet at low tide. There is plenty of room to anchor farther up the creek for even better protection. At 59 miles, this was one of our shorter days.

The night was uneventful and we headed out a little later the next morning and immediately transited St. Simons Sound. We then passed through Jekyll Creek. There are also some very shallow spots that would have been 4 to 5 feet at low tide. In some strange twist of fate, we transited this creek at high water. Until now, we had transited every problem area at or near low tide.

We were then out in Jekyll Sound with the wind increasing so of course, this was a very choppy transit with waves over the bow and a slow go. This Sound is one that we need to almost go into the Atlantic before we make the turn and proceed back to the Cumberland River. Once into the Cumberland River, the seas laid down and the ride was smoother. As we neared Kings Bay, we got the favorable current and were making about 11 MPH at our normal cruising RPMs. There is one section called Cumberland Dividing that if you follow the charted magenta line course on your plotter, you will be squarely aground. The channel is well-marked and as long as the channel markers are followed and not the chartplotter, all will be well.

This was a really short day and after 44 miles and 5 1/2 hours we were tied up at Fernandina Harbor Marina. We planned to visit with a friend here and have dinner out. So this brings us up to the present and a total of over 405 miles in 6 days. I think this is a record for us. But this will only be an overnight stop and tomorrow we move on again. It is really good to finally be in Florida again.

A Roller Coaster Ride

2011-05-15T20:11:00.002-04:00

Feeling a bit relieved that we were missed by the storms and tired from lack of a good night's rest, we slept in another hour and were finally underway at around 7 AM. The trip on the ICW was a fast one since we were on a falling tide. That falling tide and our one hour difference in getting started would be the difference between a comfortable trip and a roller coaster ride. But it would not be the first time for us on the Cape Fear River. They don’t call it Cape Fear for nothing.

Between Topsail Inlet and Snows Cut, we averaged about 9 miles per hour, and once we made the turn to head through Snows Cut and under the bridge, we were making over 11 miles per hour with the current. Once out of Snows Cut and onto the Cape Fear, this changed very quickly and dramatically. The tide was coming in with a vengeance and the wind and tides were opposed. Our forward progress was slowed to about 5 miles an hour, and the seas very quickly built to make for short, steep, uncomfortable waves right on our stern. This makes steering difficult since the stern is getting push from one side to another, and the helmsperson needs to make sure the boat does not get turned sideways into those waves. That could be a disaster and very dangerous in these kinds of conditions. The deeper the water, the bigger the waves, and we had to travel part of the way down the river in the deep shipping channel. At some point around Horseshoe Shoal, there is a large gas pipeline pier that sticks out almost to the ship channel. We had to be sure and round that pier, but once we did, it gave us an opportunity to get into shallower water and use the pier to break up the seas somewhat. Things did calm down a bit for the last 5 miles, as we ran with one foot on the shoreline to stay out of the deeper water and bigger seas. At around 1 PM, we rounded the corner and turned into the waterway at Southport.

We knew there were a few options for possible free dockage right where the waterway meets the Cape Fear. There is a small basin with room to anchor a boat or two and a town dock with room for maybe one boat. But there are also a couple of restaurants that offer dockage and will let you tie up overnight if you patronize the establishment. We choose the Provision Company and a quick call confirmed they had a spot for us. By 1:30 PM, we were tied up at their dock and in need of a break and a good meal. We had the lunch specials which were fresh grilled Bluefin Tuna sandwich and cucumber salad with steamed shrimp and a crab cake. It was fairly inexpensive by tourist area standards and was excellent. Once lunch was finished, we walked across the street for an Ice Cream Treat. We debated as to whether we would stay here or move on to our planned anchorage, which was only a couple of miles farther on. The docks were pretty rolly from boat traffic and the surge coming off the Cape Fear so we decided to move on to the Anchorage.

The small creek is unnamed on the charts, but is right at red marker R "8" and next to the docks at South Harbour Village Marina, where we had stayed in the trip north. We entered the creek finding plenty of depths until we got farther inside the basin. There are several local boats permanently moored here, and the depths at low tide for most of that basin would have put us aground at low tide.We found the deepest spot we could and tried to set the anchor. And then we tried two more times. If our new Manson Supreme, sized for a 40-foot boat, would not grab, nothing was going to and it would not grab. We knew there was the chance, albeit small, that we could have some weather come through. And that did not sit right with us in a spot where we could not get the anchor to set with shallow water all around us. The decision was an easy one. We headed back out the creek, made an immediate right turn and parked at the docks at South Harbour Village Marina. We received the same friendly welcome and excellent service we had received the last time we were here.

Marina stops for us are not for resting and relaxing. If we have to pay for a slip, we need to get our money's worth. That means laundry needs to get done, the salt needs to be washed off the boat, the water tanks need to be topped off, a grocery run made if a car is available and Internet work is caught up with the marinas excellent WiFi service. One of the staff at the marina handed Susan the keys to his car to make the grocery run. This kind of service is why we always stop here if we need a marina in the Southport area. That evening we pretty much passed out and even overslept the next morning.

Storms On The Horizon

2011-05-14T18:25:00.004-04:00

The day was pretty much perfect for cruising the ICW. It was warm but not too warm and the winds were light to moderate. This section is protected waters so we were not concerned that the weather would turn. Besides, the Weather Service forecast a nice day, so we just relaxed and enjoyed the trip. Even crossing the harbor at Beaufort/Morehead City was uneventful and the many, many small boats usually darting back and forth were missing. The sun came out and warmed things up nicely. But that would change somewhat once we settled into our anchorage for the night and checked the weather.

The 20 miles down Bogue Sound would be our largest body of water to transit this day. This is another very shallow Sound and depths outside the channel are mostly 1 to 2 feet. It is very important that you stay in the marked channel and at times that can be challenging. There seems to be a constant cross current rather than the normal currents that run up or down the Sounds that we are used to. This cross current can push the boat out of the channel and into very shallow water rather quickly if you are not paying attention. With the winds out of the east and northeast, vigilance was even more important. But we made it down the Sound without mishap and soon crossed Bogue Inlet and passed the Swansboro marinas. If we needed fuel, Casper’s Marina usually has the cheapest fuel prices in this area. Continuing south, we were amazed at the development along the waterway and the mansions, one after another, that were lining the shoreline. Obviously, many have not been affected by the economy for the last few years.

Our destination for the evening would be a new anchorage for us just north of Topsail Inlet. The entrance to the creek that goes behind the spoil islands and runs along the barrier islands is located at statute mile 263.1. Did I forget to mention that we were making excellent time? The channel is well-marked and deep so getting in was no issue. We had to deal with a trawler full of guys, mostly of very young ages, constantly stopping in the middle of the waterway, diving off the flybridge, running around in an inflatable and urinating off the stern of the boat right in front of us. And wouldn’t you know it, they turn in just as we did and stopped right in the middle of the channel. We let them know we were not very happy and they pulled off to the side and let us pass. We kept our fingers crossed that they would not come in and anchor next to us, and they kept going, thank goodness. We anchored in a wide spot near red marker R “14” in 7 to 8 feet of water once the tide went out. One other powerboat was anchored some distance away and a large sailboat came in later and anchored a bit farther south of us.

A big surprise came when we had the Satellite Dish set up and the local stations tuned in on the TV. We watched the local news as they announced that severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were in affect just south of us in the Southport and Myrtle Beach areas. Southport was our destination for the next day. This system would pass just south of us, but behind it and moving from the northwest to the southeast was another nasty looking system with severe thunderstorms. That system would be heading our way overnight, of course. We tried to get some information from the Weather Channel but there was severe weather in Minneapolis, so they were not providing any information for any other areas. We did get a decent WiFi connection so were able to get online and check the national radar and a few other resources. It was going to be close and would not arrive until 2 AM or later. We set out some additional anchor rode and settled in for the night. We could see lots of lightning just offshore and south of us from the first batch of storms.

At times like this, it is difficult to get a good nights’ sleep and I am typically up about every hour checking on things and scanning the skies. At about 3 AM, we were getting some light drizzle and at about 4 AM, the wind picked up a bit. But once again we lucked out and both systems passed just south of us; we woke the next morning unscathed. Another bullet dodged as the storms were severe where they did hit and baseball size hail had been reported in some localities. It was time to prepare for the day and a trip down the Cape Fear River, which can be, let me say, exhilarating, depending on conditions. The NWS guesscast was for east 10 to 15, which might not be too comfortable. Stay tuned.

Fog In The Morning And A Surprise At The Next Anchorage

2011-05-11T20:27:00.000-04:00

We did have a very peaceful night and the rain finally went away by sunset. A sailboat came in late and shared the anchorage with us. The next morning was clear at sunrise, but we noticed heavy fog in the canal that we needed to transit to head south. It looked as if a large cloud had settled into the canal and was spilling out the entrance. We decided to wait a bit for the fog bank to lift because we had transited narrow canals in dense fog before and it is not a fun experience. We were catching up on some weather information on the Weather Channel when we noticed the fog was getting closer to us. Before we knew it, our entire anchorage was completely socked in. Did I mention that there was not a word about fog from the National Weather Service on the VHF reports? At this point, we had no choice but to wait until the sun was a little higher and burned the fog off. This can happen quickly or take hours.

By 7:30 AM, the fog disappeared as quickly as it appeared and we hauled up the anchor. It was now an hour and a half later that we wanted to get started. But then that is cruising, you have to always expect the unexpected. We have a friend that is always fond of saying, “It’s just part of the adventure.” Our northeast guesscast for winds turned out to be westerlies all day. We headed down the Alligator River-Pungo River Canal and into the Pungo River. This would be our fallback stop should things get ugly crossing the Pamlico and heading down the Neuse River. Both of these bodies of water can be just as daunting as the Albermarle and should be respected in foul conditions. We would have to pass up the town of Belhaven this time, which is another of our favorite stops along the Waterway. At a little past 12:30 PM, we entered the Pamlico River.

The rest of the day was uneventful, but as we neared the turn off on the Neuse River to Adams Creek, the wind had pick up a bit from the south and we were getting some chop that slowed our progress. Did I mention the the forecast was for northeasterly winds? We considered stopping in Oriental since we had never been there in all of our trips up or down the ICW. But after some discussion, we decided to press on another 7 or 8 miles to our familiar anchorage off Adams Creek behind the upper range marker. This would put us off the Neuse River and we would not have to be concerned about what the conditions were in the morning. Other than Bogue Sound, we would be in protected waters for the next day.

As we turned into Adams Creek, we noticed right away that the entire Creek outside the marked channel, and even in the channel, was covered with floats for fish traps. We can not ever remember there being so many here in the past. It wasn’t until we had reached the turn off to our anchorage at Cedar Creek that we noticed that the floats also carpeted the entire anchorage area and there was practically no space to anchor that the boat would not swing over a float. This is a total shame since this was, until now, a very popular anchorage stop and would often be filled with boats heading north or south. We can only assume they have overfished the Neuse River and now are concentrating all their efforts in the smaller creeks. It was getting late and the question was, now what?

On our last visit here we had found that the charted depths to a small creek in the northeast corner were not correct and it was in fact plenty deep enough for us to negotiate the creek and anchor for the evening. But would that too be covered with floats? The entrance to Jonaquin Creek is difficult to find unless you know where it is and it is not visible until you are right on top of it. The entrance is only about 60 feet wide, but opens up once inside the creek. As we approached the entrance, we saw floats inside the creek but also noted an open spot just inside. The depths up to the entrance run 7 to 7 1/2 feet and 6 1/2 feet once inside. It can get to 8 feet, but because of the floats, we had to settle for just inside the entrance in a 6 1/2-foot spot. We had set out a blow on the Neuse River on our trip north for a couple of days here and we knew the holding was good. The anchored grabbed right away and at 6:00 PM we were home for the evening. We always say home is wherever the boat is. Our GPS coordinates for the anchorage are N 34 56.235’ and W 076 38.437’. We settled in for dinner, a movie and a good nights’ rest. Tomorrow is another day.

Hallelujah We Are Down The Bay

2011-05-10T20:26:00.003-04:00

We spent 5 days in Reedville, Virginia waiting for the southerly winds to die down so we could get to Norfolk. My friend John Denver once wrote, “I spent a week there one day.” Of course he was writing about Toledo, Ohio. Now don’t get me wrong, Reedville is a very beautiful area with great old houses once owned by Sea Captains alongside new McMansions being built as retirement homes. But a major metropolitan area it is not. We needed to get on our way and make some time. The day did finally come.

We did have a good stay. Eddie and the crew at Buzzard’s Point Marina could not have been more friendly and accommodating. We made a couple of new friends at the marina, Joe and Barbara on the trawler Barbara Ann, named after, guess who. They own a rental house there in Reedville which is very nice and quite affordable for folks looking for a quiet vacation getaway (www.barbarascozycottage.com). They took us out for a great dinner at the Crazy Crab restaurant (http://www.reedvillemarina.com/) and homemade ice cream at the Chitterchats (sorry, no website, just great ice cream), both places we highly recommend. But if you stay at Buzzard’s Point, you will need transportation to get anywhere (http://www.tangiercruise.com/buzzardspoint-marina.asp).

Finally, on Saturday we had a decent forecast that did not suddenly change for the worse the morning we planned to leave. I get very frustrated with weather forecasts. You would think that with all of the modern technology they have and the billions of dollars in budgets, they could at least get it right once in a while. We would get a good forecast for light winds out of a decent direction at 10 PM and by 5 AM the next morning, it was changed and not for the better. We went through this for 3 days. Finally, their guesscast held and we were able to leave the dock and get underway. Even then the forecast was for light westerly winds although all of the buoy reports were for southerlies all the way down the Bay. But they were still light enough that the seas laid down enough for us to get to Norfolk. By 2 PM we were motoring past the International Shipping Terminal in Norfolk and heading for our fuel stop at Tidewater Yacht Marina. We had done some research and found that they had the best fuel prices in the area and we needed fuel before we headed down the ICW. We found the best source and most current fuel prices are on Claiborne Young’s website, cruisersnet.net. A quick fuel stop and we moved on to our destination for the evening at Great Bridge, Virginia.

We arrived at Great Bridge at 6:45 PM after locking through the Great Bridge Lock with a couple of other pleasure boats and a commercial tug. The free dock just outside the lock was pretty full, but there was just enough room at the end for us to squeeze in. The boat we tied up behind was the exact same boat that was tied up with us when we made the trip north from South Carolina two years ago. It is indeed a small world when it comes to boaters. We had a chance to catch up for a few minutes before settling in for the night. We like Great Bridge very much, not only because of the free tie up, but because everything you might need--groceries, restaurants, hardware, laundry and more--is within walking distance of the free docks.

The docks, more of a bulkhead, are between the lock and the bridge, so in order to leave heading south, we wanted to catch the first bridge opening at 6 AM the next morning. After our usual pre-departure check list, we untied the dock lines and pushed off to wait for the bridge. It took about four calls before the bridge tender finally answered even though we were sitting next to the span. After Great Bridge, there were two more bridges we had to have open for us. Both the Centerville and North Landing bridges opened as we arrived so there was little delay. Our only other bridge we would have to deal with would be the Alligator River swing bridge. The weather was not the best and it rained off and on almost all day. But the winds were very light so we just had to deal with some rain. These are the times we really appreciate the inside steering station on the trawler.

Crossing the Albemarle Sound can be a very daunting experience if conditions are not right. We have crossed in flat calm conditions and in roller coaster conditions. The shallow water can make very uncomfortable seas when the wind is up and especially if there is a wind against current conditions. No matter what the wind direction, it seems to funnel either straight up or down the Sound and steep seas spaced close together don’t take long to develop even in less than strong winds. This day we would be lucky since the winds were light, on our stern and the rains were scattered and light. Crossing the Sound was uneventful and the run down the Alligator River also had the winds and small waves on our stern all day. At about 2:40 PM, we called the Alligator Swing Bridge to ask for an opening. The bridge tender here is very accommodating and efficient. We did not even have to slow down and the bridge was completely open by the time we arrived. By 5:30 PM, we had the anchor down at Tuckahoe Point at the south end of the Alligator River. We have anchored here in the past and there were several other cruising boats anchored just outside the ICW channel. This area always has a primeval feeling to it. In 8 1/2 hours, we had covered 93 statute miles. Not a bad day for us and it helped make up for some of our delay in Reedville. There are still a lot of clouds and potential rain around so we will see if we have a peaceful night.

What Cruisers Want To Know About The Bahamas

2011-05-05T20:52:00.005-04:00

This is not usually the time of year most cruisers think about going to the Bahamas. But this is the time of year that a few adventurous cruisers know the anchorages will be a whole lot less crowded and the marinas will be offering deals. What got me thinking about the Bahamas was a presentation that Susan and I recently gave to the MTOA (Marine Trawler Owners Association) in Stuart Florida for their Southern Rendezvous. This year the Rendezvous was held at the Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort & Marina. MTOA functions are well-attended and this one was no exception. The presentation covered some of the important questions that cruisers heading over for the first time ask.

Preparations.
To get to the Bahamas, the boat and crew need to be prepared well before the departure from the U.S. First and foremost, the boat must be ready for an open-water crossing of the Gulf Stream. Make no mistake, this is a serious transit and should not be taken lightly. A full complement of current safety equipment needs to be on board and in good working order. The usual equipment, such as flares, signaling devices and flotation devices, to name a few, are a must. Good communications equipment is also essential. Unless you are in sight of another boat, at some point, the VHF and cell phones will not help in contacting someone should you need help. An HF radio is a very good option.

The crew needs to be prepared as well. Are some prone to seasickness and will this be their first crossing? If so, are there seasick remedies on board. Nothing is worse than a debilitated crew when you need them. If specific medications or prescriptions are needed, be sure to fill all of those beforehand. Does anyone on board have any special needs that might not be available in remote areas of the Bahamas? All of this needs serious consideration and should be addressed well before heading off.

Provisioning the vessel is another daunting task. Many items are cheaper to purchase in the U.S. and much easier to find. Other items are cheaper in the Bahamas due to government subsidies. Any special dietary requirements should be well-stocked.

What Should I Know?
The big questions are, where should I cross, what weather is best to cross and can I get cell phone service in the Bahamas? In years past, the big questions included, what direction should I take to cross the banks, where are the best anchorages and where can I get provisions? Now everyone wants to know about cell phones and Internet service. Is that what cruising has become? How do we stay online and still be able to call home? I did my best to answer some of those questions, especially for the several boats that planned to cross for the first time.

Where Do Your Cross From?
That depends on where you want to go. If heading for the Abacos, the best place to leave might be Ft. Lauderdale. Many cruisers cross over to West End from Lake Worth Inlet. While that is the shortest distance, you will have to take a heading south to go east, and since West End is slightly south of Lake Worth you will actually be working against the Gulf Stream and you don't want to do that. The Gulf Stream is a river of water that runs from south to north between the Florida coast and the Bahamas. The currents can run from 2 1/2 knots up to 4 knots. Going against the current will slow you down and make the trip longer. But if you take advantage of the current, you can get a boost in speed and cover a longer distance in less time. Lake Worth to West End is about 56 miles, while Ft. Lauderdale to West End is about 69 miles, but can be done in less time. Of course, this also depends on how fast your boat can go. Likewise, it is a better run from Ft. Lauderdale to Freeport rather than Lake Worth. The same applies for transiting to Bimini or Cat/Gun Cay. Miami is a much better angle to cross, and Key Biscayne, even better.

What is the right weather to cross?
We have often sat behind Key Biscayne for days waiting for the right weather window to cross over. If I can offer any advise on weather to make the crossing, it can be summed up in three words. Wait, wait and wait. We had the opportunity to spend some time with Bruce Van Sant (Gentleman's Guide To Passages South) and he gave us some excellent advise for making the crossing. Wait until the weather forecast is appropriate and is the same for at least today, tonight and tomorrow. That means a good forecast for at least 48 hours, with no fronts or significant changes in wind strength or direction. Crossing the Gulf Stream can be anywhere from uncomfortable to downright dangerous if attempted under the wrong conditions. A crossing should never be attempted with winds out of the northern quadrant and over 10 to 12 knots. Even 10 knot northerlies blowing for a couple of days will make for a very uncomfortable ride. Also, allow 24 hours for the seas to lay down after a northern blow. A north wind against a strong southerly current can make for some nasty seas.

So what is the right weather? Ideally, southerly winds in the northerly flowing Stream are best, as long as they are not blowing too hard. Wind and current should be running in the same direction. But as we all know, as boaters, ideal almost never happens. What you will find more most often is easterly winds, and occasionally westerlies. As long as these are light to moderate, you can make a safe crossing and still be fairly comfortable. For sailors, this means motoring all the way over in east winds. We much prefer a crossing that would have us motoring, since it means light conditions. Typically, we would leave from behind Key Biscayne at around 5 a.m. and cross over onto the banks in the early afternoon. This puts the sun behind you when arriving in the shallow waters of the banks and gives you better visibility to read the water for depth. Once you have crossed the Gulf Stream, unless you have a very fast boat, you will spend several hours crossing the banks to get to your first destination. Slips are available at West End and the marina at North Cat Cay if you get caught with the weather changing. But those marinas are very expensive and you could get trapped for several days, unable to go anywhere. Again, depending on boat speed, it can take another day to get to the Berry's, New Providence or well into the Abacos. That is the need for a full, two day weather window.

Clearing into the Bahamas.
The current fees for entry into the Bahamas for a boat and crew is $150.00 for a boat up to 35 feet and $300.00 for a boat over 35 feet. The boat is issued a cruising permit valid for 8 months. But the crew is issued visitors visas that technically, by law are good for 30 days. After the 30 days, your stay can be extended. But there are some rules. You must apply for your extension two days before your time is up, and not sooner, and there are specific locations where you can apply for an extension. But as with all things in the Bahamas, this is not always the case. Bahamian Immigrations Officers can, if they choose, give you a visa for 90 days or even 120 days. Where you check in and which Immigration Officer you get will determine how long of a stay you will get. Remember, this is for the crew. The check in fees include a fishing license. It is also important that there be both Customs and Immigrations Officers at your check in. If only a Customs Officer is present, you will only get 30 days since that is all they can legally issue. The best places to check in to get a longer stay are Bimini, Nassau, Chub Cay, West End, Port Lucaya, Marsh Harbor, Freeport or Georgetown. Extensions will not exceed 8 months.

Can I use my cell phone in the Bahamas?
Believe it or not, this is the biggest question I get when discussing cruising in the Bahamas. Verizon probably won’t work and neither will Sprint. Both use CDMA technology which is only supported by BTC in Nassau (for the cruise ship passengers I guess). AT&T and T-Mobile use GSM, as does most of the rest of the world. To have cell phone service in the Bahamas, you will need an unlocked quad band GSM phone. Verizon does have "Global" phones that use both CDMA and GSM, but they will be locked to Verizon. The reason the phones must be unlocked is to allow the purchase and use of BTC Sim Cards. With these Sim cards, you will be able to make calls within the Bahamas with a Bahama's phone number and make and receive calls from the U.S. and elsewhere at a fairly cheaper rate than you might pay in roaming charges should your cell phone from a U.S. provider work. These unlocked phones can be purchased in the Bahamas or in places like Walmart in the U.S. Additional minutes can be added to these Sim cards as needed. You can also rent phones, but this adds the rental charge to your phone expense. To use cell phones in the Bahamas, you will need to be close to a cell tower. Beside major cities like Nassau, Freeport and others, cell towers are located in the Exumas at Highbourne, Staniel, Black Point, Farmers and Great Exuma Cays. Outside of these areas, you can probably not count on service. The Abacos do seem to have better coverage.

Internet Service.
You can get connected in the Bahamas in many areas, but again, the remote Cays will not have WiFi service. There are several paid services available in many populated harbors, and you can pay as you go for a day, week or subscribe for longer service. This will be expensive compared to what might be found in the U.S., but if you must get online, it is worth it. Don't count on high speed connections equal to broadband. And don't count on always keeping a connection. Free WiFi connections can still be found in some areas, but these are few and far between and should not be counted on. You should also take care in protecting your WiFi connections, and see our post here on some ideas to protect your computer. Internet Cafes are still available in larger settlements, and you can carry your laptop and connect or use the Cafe's computers. Care should be taken to keep your computer dry, especially if you are out in your dinghy. Care should also be taken when using secure sites or transmitting personal information at Internet Cafes.

It truly amazes me that these are the subjects most new cruisers are now interested in prior to their first time in the Bahamas. In previous presentations, folks wanted to know about the availability of provisions, what the best anchoring spots were and where the best snorkeling places could be found. We always had questions about the best course and time to cross the banks and where the really shallow passages were. But things have changed quite a bit and cell phones and Internet Service are the topics of the day. My how times have changed. We have touched on only a few of the things boaters need to know to head over to the Islands. If anyone has any additional questions, you can post them in the Comments section and we will be happy to answer them as soon as we have another WiFi Connection. Good luck, stay safe and above all else, have fun.

Be sure and read our follow up post on what to do once your in the Bahamas.

Trying To Get Down The Chesapeake Bay

2011-05-03T22:40:00.002-04:00

Our first attempt to get off the dock and get underway was aborted, once again due to a lousy weather forecast courtesy of the NWS. I don't mean the forecast was for lousy weather, instead it was another forecast that did not come close to actual conditions. There were hints that we should probably postpone our departure, but since we have been tied to the dock for so long, we ignored the subtle hints. The forecast winds were to be 10 to 15 out of the northwest and indeed they were. But much more 15 then 10 and the gust were 20 and increasing as the morning progressed. Eventually the gusts reached 25. The hint we ignored was the fact that the tide on the Chesapeake would be incoming most of the day. This put a north flowing current against a wind blowing from the northwest to the southeast. Any time there is wind against tide or current, the seas are considerably larger. That was the case as we headed out of the Magothy and into the Bay. We had pretty big swells rolling right onto our beam, making for a very uncomfortable ride. Beam seas in a trawler are worst case conditions. A quick decision was made to head back to the slip and try again tomorrow. As we turned to head back, we had seas breaking over the bow and splashing up on the windshield. We were only 30 minutes out, so after we turned around, we were back in the slip in another 30 minutes. But even that was no fun at all and we always say, if it ain't fun, why do it. The wind continued all day and began to ease up late in the afternoon. Forecast for the next day was light southerlies at 5 to 10. We'll see.

The next morning we indeed had light winds as forecast. Even though all of the buoy reports said west winds, the NWS insisted the wind was out of the southeast. As we set out, we marveled at the difference a day can make. We THOUGHT smooth seas would be the order of the day. Our destination for the day would be Solomons, Maryland, some 46 miles south of the Magothy. As the day progressed, it was obvious we were making excellent time and would reach Solomons at around one in the afternoon. We decided to look at the situation as we neared our goal for the day and maybe continue a little farther on to make up for our lost day. With light winds and a small chop, we were averaging about 8 knots for our speed.

We were indeed early at the mouth of the Patuxent River, so we decided to continue on and try to make Deltaville, Virginia before dark. According to our GPS, our ETA would be about a half hour before sunset, quite doable unless something changed. And of course we are out in the Chesapeake Bay on a boat so things did change. As we crossed the intersection with the Potomac River, the swells and wind waves began to build. Even though the wind was still only about 10 knots and finally from the southeast, one would think a storm was raging. The farther south we progressed, the bigger the waves and of course since they were on the nose, we were slowing down considerably. It always amazes us how relatively benign conditions on the Bay can become so uncomfortable. The decision was made at around 7 p.m. to head into Ingram Bay and find an anchorage for the night. Our ETA had changed to after sunset and was falling later as our progress slowed. The breaking waves over the bow all the way up to the flybridge also made the decision easier. The wind was still only about 10 knots out of the southeast.

Once in Ingram Bay, the seas flattened out considerably. We usually anchor a little north in the bay in a hook on the south side. But this time we decided to try a new anchorage and turned to port and entered Mill Creek. This is a very nice and well-sheltered creek so we were glad we made the choice. As we were coming in, a small trawler was coming out and there were already a couple of sailboats anchored for the evening. We ran into the creek for about a mile and dropped the hook not too far from one of the sailboats. For the first time, out new Manson Supreme anchor did not take hold right away. Our normal practice is to drop the anchor where we want, and then to back down slowly until we reach about 800 to 900 RPMs to be sure it is set. This time we dragged quite a distance and if we can not set the anchor we know we have to haul it up and try again. That is exactly what we did and we moved a bit farther back into the creek. This time the anchor took hold right away and we settled in for the night. The creek was very lovely, but the odor from the menhaden plant across the bay was pretty bad all night.

The next morning, we were up at 6 a.m. and under way by 7 a.m.. As we left Ingram Bay, it was apparent that things had actually gotten worse since the afternoon before. The bow was virtually out of the water part of the time and then would come crashing down in the swells, making our progress extremely slow. Add to this the millions of floats on crab pots and the situation got tense very quickly. I shudder to think what would happen if our prop was wrapped by one of these lines and we became dead in the water. Not in these seas. The large swells hid the floats until we were almost on top of them. We quickly turned back into Ingram Bay to lick our wounds and rest up until the weather would give us a break.

Listening to reports on the VHF, it was apparent that things were not going to get better anytime soon. And we were only 15 miles from our destination in Deltaville, Virginia. A marina stay for the next few days seemed to be in order so we called Buzzard's Point Marina for transient space since we were familiar with the marina. They had room for us so we headed into the creek at Reedville and proceeded to tie up for a few days. The weather reports will not allow us a window to head down the Bay until Friday. Susan has some work to do in Deltaville, which is not too far away, so it is not a total loss. If we are able to leave on Friday, Norfolk will be our next destination.

Extended Use Tank For A Honda Generator In 4 Easy Steps

2011-04-21T22:29:00.001-04:00

One of the pieces of equipment on our to do list is a generator. We much prefer to anchor out when cruising and at times we can get weathered in for days. During those extended stays we still like coffee in the morning, still have the need to recharge the batteries and like to watch TV. All of this uses power and we have been using our handy Honda 2000 portable generator until we can have a more permanent installation. The Honda will handle most of our power needs, with the exception of the air conditioning system. But that suits us just fine for now. One of the things I don't like to do is to fill the built in tank every day when the generator is in constant use and for long term when charging that batteries it might mean shutting the generator down, filling the fuel tank, and starting it again. It is also hard to fill the tank without spilling gas on the deck, especially if the boats gets waked. So, the need for a remote extended fuel tank. To build one of these only takes a few inexpensive fittings, a fuel tank and about an hour of your time, at the most.

The first thing that I did was to buy a spare cap for the built fuel tank in case I messed up doing this, or if I wanted to run without the extended tank. I found it locally for $15.00 from a Honda dealer in the area. Next was to get all of the miscellaneous parts. We decide on a 3 gallon tank instead of the larger 6 gallon since we don't run the generator that much. We already have a 3 gallon tank for the dinghy outboard so this could also be used as a spare. We also decided we wanted to be able to use the same fuel line as the dinghy outboard so we would not have to carry different fuel lines and again it could do double duty. To accomplish this we would need the attachment fitting that would be the same as on the one on the dinghy tank and on our Johnson Outboard. The two fittings totaled about another $15.00 and then another $4.00 for a brass hose barb. The plastic fuel tank was another $25.00. The assmebly was pretty easy.

Step 1.
Remove the inner workings of the fuel cap and drill out the center to fit the connector. Be careful to not drill the hole too large. It should be slightly under sized to allow the fitting to be screwed into the plastic cap.

Step 2.
Fill a thin amount of epoxy around the threaded base of the fuel line fitting inside the cap and screw on the female brass hose barb. Allow the epoxy to dry and them replace the rubber gasket inside the cap. The hose barb may or may not be needed but it makes the connection fitting stay in tight and I beleive it will help to draw the fuel into the generators built in tank.

Step 3.
Install the second connector fitting into the fuel tank.

Step 4.
Fill the fuel tank with gas, fill the generator built in fuel tank with gas, connect the fuel lines and start the generator. Be sure the vent on the fuel tank is open. That's it.

It is very important that the cap be completely sealed. If any air can leak at the cap, the generator will not pull fuel from the extended tank. As the vacuum builds up in the internal fuel tank for the Honda, it will pull fuel from the extended tank. Mark the generator tank so that oil will not get added to it by mistake like the outboard tank. The Honda does not require a fuel/oil mix. The Honda will now run for a much longer time and annoy your neighbors for hours.

There are many variations for doing this, using a 6 gallon tank, installing only hose barbs, putting an inline filter in the fuel line. But the basics are the same. This should work just fine for us until the permanent genset is installed.

Changes In Attitude

2011-04-20T21:07:00.002-04:00

Susan and I have both given our two weeks notice to Waterway Guide. Our time working there was always to be limited since we knew we wanted to get back on the water and do some cruising again. And that is just what we intend to do. We have always said our plans are written in the sand at low tide. Beach House is not completely ready, but what boat ever is? We have finished a number of projects and feel we can comfortably get back on the water and finish what needs to be done while enjoying the cruising life once again. And what is cruising if not repairing your boat in exotic places? We have a few posts planned for the next couple of weeks. We just finished a presentation at the Marine Trawlers Owners Association Southern Rendezvous in Stuart, Florida. The presentation was on cruising the Bahamas and maybe that is what gave us the itch again. I plan to do a complete post on the presentation; I am working on it now. And, we are making a remote extended fuel tank for our Honda Generator to hold us over until the permanent genset is installed. I will post the how-to on that as soon as it is finished.

Then, look for our cruising posts once again. I can't put into words how excited we are to be back out there and underway instead of tied to a dock and a desk. We look forward to some new cruising experiences and revisiting some of our favorite areas. We are going to start posting some different information other than what we have in the past, although that will be included. We will be adding some new stuff and maybe more in the way of videos. I think it is really going to be interesting, so do come back and check in from time to time. And Susan and I are working on a very special project that we feel will be a real plus for our fellow boaters. So lots of good things are happening, and if you see our yellow bimini out on the waters near you, give us a big wave or even better yet, a shout on the VHF. We look forward to seeing you all out there soon.

Splash Time But Not Spring Time

2011-04-04T22:06:00.000-04:00

Soooooo much is going on right now that we sometimes wonder when we will ever get anything done. But the biggest project right now is over, and that is getting the boat splashed and settling back aboard. The new bottom paint and boot stripe look great and we have received some positive comments around the yard on the changes and how great the paint turned out. Getting splashed is just the beginning for us this next week or so.

The prop and rudder look pretty snazzy painted with the Barnacle Buster. The zincs are all in such great shape that we did not have to replace any before the boat was launched. And in the marina we are in, this is a good testament to the electrical work we have done inside the boat. I don't expect a lot from this paint, although there have been many at the yard that swear it works very well. We will have to wait until next fall to see, but after the total failure of the HawkSpeed we applied last season (we are still waiting to hear from the manufacturer), we figure it can't be a whole lot worse. The Chesapeake will also be a good testing ground for the ablative paint.

No matter how many times we have the boat hauled, the time in the Travelift is always a bit anxious. It is one of those situations you have no control over and have to depend on someone else. The boat was lifted early to allow time to paint the bottom of the keel and under the spots where the support pads were. We have had the marina relocate them for us in the past and painted the spots well in advance, but the additional charges don't justify the extra time and we don't see any difference if the paint goes on a hour or so before launch than if it is done the day before.

All went well and the boat did not get dropped. Once it was in the water, but still in the slings, a complete check for any leaks is important. Especially the new thru-hull in the aft head. All of the underwater valves are opened and checked for leaks in the valves and the hoses. The dripless shaft seal is burped to let any air out and make sure there is water in the bellows. Ordinarily this would also be the time to start the engine. But this time, because we were forecast for temps in the 20s for the rest of the week, we decided to walk the boat into the slip and leave the engine winterized. The slip was only a half a dozen down from the Travelift pit. With everything looking good, the straps for the lift were lowered and I could here the sigh of relief from Beach House as she settled into her natural environment.

The marina staff helped me manhandle her into her spot. It took a few minutes to get the dock lines situated and the fenders in place. We still had not raised the mast, it was a bit heavy for just Susan and I, so we waited until we had a few friends available to help. I still need to devise some way for us to easily lower and raise it if we plan to do the Great Loop. That is on my list. In the meantime, the next few days will be pretty hectic moving out of the house we take care of over the winter months and getting settled back on the boat. Then the projects can start all over again. It seems to be a never ending cycle, but we know that the day is coming when this site will be full of cruising tales and not so much work. The light is out there.

Red and Blue and Teal

2011-03-09T22:15:00.002-05:00

I can't put into words how good it feels to know that Spring is just around the corner. The trees are beginning to sprout new buds and the grass is showing just a hint of green. That means it's close to getting the bottom of the boat wet, too, and that requires bottom paint, finishing the paint on the boot stripe and the few other projects that are below the waterline. And as you can see, Susan is not having fun right now. I will explain a little later where the red and blue and teal come in.

We have been using a hard bottom paint for about as long as I can remember. This season we are trying something different and going with an ablative. Our choice is Micron CSC and once the red paint is scuffed and the bottom is prepped, we will be using the black color. We have another few weeks before we have to get the bottom paint applied.

The weather is not cooperating in getting the boot stripe finished either. We put three coats on and the third coat turned out badly because the temps dropped to below 34; the dampness caused the Awlgrip to blush. So it is sitting now waiting for a couple of days of no rain - we seem to be getting it about every three days - and temps to stay above 50 degrees. Oh, this is where the red and blue and teal comes in. The original boot stripe was red, and at some point, a previous owner painted it blue. Now, in the Beach House tradition, we are painting it teal to match the name graphics and some additional accent stripes we plan to paint later.

The head discharge seacock was the last of the 30 year old valves that we had not yet replaced. The intake, which strangely was right next to it, had been removed and relocated last year. We fiberglassed in the old hole but had not yet painted the area, planning on removing this last antique. It had to be cut out with my trusty sawzall and needed some additional fiberglassing and sealing with epoxy before the new bronze seacock was to be installed. At the same time, we replaced the head intake hose and cleaned up some of the old plastic pipe that had been left over from a previous installation of the holding tank.

With the new valve in place, it was fun re-installing the discharge hose for the head. These never go back on the hose barb without a struggle, so it requires a pot of boiling water to stick the end in until it softens enough to slide over the barb. A generous coating of dish soap on the barb and inside the hose helps lubricate everything to make it easier. The trick is to hold the hose in the hot water just long enough to soften it up without overdoing it. Everything receives a fresh coat of paint, and all of the hoses below the waterline are always double clamped. It really looks much better now that this small job is done. We feel better with all new seacocks under the waterline.

Our experience with the HawkSpeed paint for the rudder and prop was a complete failure. When the boat was hauled last fall, most of the prop was bare and the rudder had spots missing with some barnacles on the painted area. The rep from Sea Hawk Paints finally came to look at it, but we have not received a report from him yet. It will be interesting to see what the report reads, since Sea Hawk pulled the paint from the market right after we applied it to our prop and rudder. This season, we are going back to a coating we used several years ago with some success. It is a spray-on zinc coating from Pettit called Zinc Coat Barnacle Barrier. It worked for us as well as any other coating we have used on the running gear and much better than the HawkSpeed. It was a bit of work getting the HawkSpeed off the prop and rudder to get it cleaned up in preparation for the new paint. The Zinc Coat has not been applied yet.

What Do You Do With The Swim Platform?

2011-02-14T13:25:00.001-05:00

We have been considering what to do with the swim platform since we bought the boat. It is all teak and the previous owner had treated it with a hardware brand of deck stain, the type you would use around the house. They had coated all of the teak on the boat with it and we have removed and re-done everything but the swim platform. The Cetol we have used on all of the other teak would not be a good choice for this area. It probably would hold up okay, but this area gets wet when we are underway, and with the new dinghy mounted on it, something more durable would be required.

After a lot of thought, we decided to AwlGrip the swim platform just as we did the sampson post and anchor platform. We followed pretty much the same procedure that we posted for that refurbishment. The entire platform is made up of strips of teak that are screwed and epoxied together. Over the last 30 years, some of those strips have started to separate. So the first order of business was to epoxy them back together using West System and screws to pull everything tight and hold it all together. The epoxy was poured between the strips, and clamps were used to tighten it up. Then, holes were drilled into the edges and the screws were installed. The screws were countersunk and hidden from view with bungs. The wood was then completely sealed with epoxy. Everything was thoroughly sand with 120 grit sandpaper.

The next step after sanding was to wipe everything down with a tack cloth, followed by AwlPrep. I use the two cloth method with AwlPrep - one cloth saturated to wipe down and the second dry, to remove the excess AwlPrep. Once everything was dust free, three coats of 545 white primer were applied. Each coat was sanded with 220 sandpaper between coats. Once one side was primed and sanded, the platform was flipped over and the other side done. The fasteners that hold the platform to the brackets on the stern of the boat were covered with blue tape to keep them free of primer and paint.

After the third coat of primer was dry and sanded, three coats of the topcoat were applied. We chose the Sahara Sand, which is the same color that we put on the anchor platform. Now, both ends of the boat will match. Just as with the primer, we sanded with 220 grit paper between coats, and wiped down with tack rags and AwlPrep. AwlGrip calls for sanding with 300 grit, but I have had issues with the paint not adhering to the previous coat with 300 or 400. I have never had that problem using 220 and the finish looks just as smooth. Once one side was completely done, the platform was again flipped and the other side done.

The finished product looks great and the final step, before putting it back on the boat, is to reinstall the hardware. Both the swim ladder and the Weaver dinghy davits are fairly new, as are all of the fasteners. The stainless always gets a good polishing before we re-install it.

White I was working on the swim platform, the pump for the aft Raritan head got a complete rebuild. It is fairly new, installed by the previous owner, but it had not been working quite right. So the winter down time was a good time to get this done. The rebuild kit can be purchased from West Marine or most other marine supplies. The kits are rather expensive, and there have been times when the cost of a rebuild kit and a couple of extra parts was very close to the price of a complete new head. So take that into consideration if you have to do this. The next step is to re-install everything back on the boat.

Adding And Re-installing Switches

2011-01-19T14:34:00.002-05:00

With the main electrical panel now replaced, there were a few small things that were unfinished and now is as good a time as any to get those done. The bilge pump switch for the secondary mid-ship bilge pump has been out for some time now. It was temporarily mounted in the forward hanging locker after the smaller secondary electrical panel was installed, but it was not convenient to get to. We did the installation for the anchor windlass some time back, but the helm switches to raise and lower the anchor from the steering location has not been done.

These are the kinds of small projects that I like to do over the winter months to have everything ready for any spring cruising we might want to do. The bilge pump switch will be mounted directly over the sub panel for the Air-Conditioning. The switch was originally mounted where the electrical panel is now, but whoever installed the switch did a really sloppy job of cutting the hole, and that was another consideration when deciding where to mount the AC panel. But I did want to keep it close to that location because it was easy to see, and I can reach the manual switch, even when standing in the front of the engine compartment. And because this is a toggle switch, it will be behind the steering wheel, so it can't get bumped accidentally.

The first thing that I did was to make a template out of a piece of cardboard so that I could get the hole exact and have everything lined up straight. With the template in place, I can trace out the area that needs to be cut out for the switch and LED light with a marker. I then tape around that area with easy release tape so that the wood is not damaged when the cuts are made. Teak plywood can be tricky to cut, and if you are not careful, the plywood will splinter and leave a ragged edge. So I first score the plywood surface with a utility knife to eliminate splitting and chipping, and drill a hole in the center of the cut out area.

The next step is to cut the hole, and my favorite tool for this, and many other small projects, is my Dremel Tool. I have the saber saw attachment that can be used directly on the Dremel or can be attached to the
flexible shaft attachment. I am always careful to make my cuts inside the area that I scored with the utility knife. This is the method I use for mounting any switches, electronic displays or gages.

Once the hole is cut I like to insert the switch to be sure there is enough clearance for the inner workings and that the switch can be aligned with everything around it. One work of caution, BEFORE drilling or cutting, check the area behind the spot to be sure you will not drill or cut any plumbing or electrical wiring. Once I am satisfied with everything, a thorough vacuuming is in order. Usually Susan is standing next to me with the vacuum running as I am cutting, sanding or drilling. But this time she was not on the boat, so I have to do a good job in the clean up.

Next step is to connect up all of the wiring. The tools are basic - a good pair of wire strippers, wire cutters, crimpers, my multi-tip screw driver, some wire ties, my favorite wire tie cutters (fingernail clippers), and a tube of silicone grease. With all of the electrical work on the boat, a good coating of silicone grease is added to both sides of every connection. We have almost never had a corrosion problem with any connections over the years using silicone grease. Just as with the larger electrical panels, before I removed the wires from the switch, I labeled them so it would be easy to put them back correctly.

I also like to be sure all of the wires are just long enough that should I have to work on the switch again, I can pull it a distance out of the hole to make working on it or rewiring easier. A bit longer length of wire allows for repairs should the need come up to cut and replace the ends with new connectors. At this point, everything is secured with wire ties to keep it neat.

The final step is to mount the entire switch. I use a small carpenters level to be sure it is aligned and mark the location of the screw holes. I then drill a small hole where the screws go to keep the wood from splitting. Everything is mounted and looking just as I planned.

The next switch is the anchor up and down switch, and the process to locate and install that is exactly the same as the bilge pump switch. This one needs to be in a location that is easy to reach while at the helm and since both of us are right handed, the right side of the helm seemed natural. We can also reach it from just outside the sliding door to the main salon, at the steering station. This one took a bit more wiring, since it needed to be run to the reversing switch for the windlass. But it was still simple and straightforward, and now two more items are off the to-do list. On to the next one.

Replacing The Boats Main Electrical Panel

2011-01-10T19:49:00.004-05:00

One of the major projects on my to-do list is finally finished. The original 30-year-old main electrical panel is now a thing of the past, and several of the upgrades I have been wanting to do are finally finished. Before I even begin, let me add a strong word of caution here. If you are, in any way, unfamiliar with the electrical systems on a boat or unsure of your capabilities, don't try and tackle this yourself. I have been doing this for a living for many years, so I have already made all of the mistakes, and a misstep in working with either the DC side or the AC side of a boats electrical systems can have devastating affects for not only yourself, but every other boat nearby.
A terrible marina fire at McCotter's Marina, Washington, NC has been traced to an electrical issue on board one of the boats in a covered slip. Doing any electrical repairs or upgrades to your boat can have disastrous consequences if not properly done. These kinds of projects should not be taken lightly considering the potential for disaster. Having said that, the replacement went rather well with few surprises, after all this is a boat.

Rather than try and list all of the proper tools, I consider a picture worth at least a thousand words. If you plan on doing any electrical work on the boat for repairs, upgrades or additions, I highly recommend that you spend a few extra dollars and get the proper tools and not cut corners. Your average inexpensive hardware store crimpers and strippers may not be the best choice. At a minimum, I like to use a pair of strippers that allow me to be specific with the wire size and will not damage the wire itself while removing the outer covering. It also lets me strip the wire using one hand. Most of the wiring problems I have encountered comes from two issues. One is corrosion which is a constant battle on a boat, and the other is from faulty connectors. Faulty connectors are usually a result of poor crimping in the installation process. For just this reason, I never used the typical hardware store variety of wire crimpers. It is my opinion that only a quality pair of ratcheting crimpers should ever be used on a boat. I actually have a couple of different pairs depending on what and where I am working. In addition, I have a heavy duty crimper for large cables, but they are very expensive, and unless you plan to do a lot of this type of work, not worth the expense, in my opinion. Another invaluable tool, is a circuit tester, especially working on older boats where previous owners have added and removed wiring without any identification. It allows me to chase down both ends of any wire and determine if it should be connected somewhere or removed. And of course, a good multi-meter is a must have on the boat at any time to troubleshoot or do repairs.

My first step was to be sure all power to the existing panel was disconnected. The shore power cord was completely disconnected and the main battery cables also removed. Since the battery cables were scheduled for replacement anyway, now was a good time to start the removal process. The biggest challenge is to keep track of which wires go where. The new panel was made for me by Paneltronics and is their 5401 analog model. I chose this one for several reasons. I have used Paneltronics line for a long time and always found them to be of very good quality. The 5401 would allow me to customize the breakers in any fashion I needed, and most importantly, the panel fit quite well in the space where the old panel came out. This meant I would not have to make any modifications to the bulkhead, which would add a lot of additional time and work to the project. In the process of removing the existing wiring, I carefully labeled each wire as to what load it feeds and was very careful to keep the DC and AC separated and easily identifiable. The original panel had the battery switch included, but the new panel would not, so all of the connections for the batteries were completely removed. This is very tedious, but an extremely important process. A small label-maker is very helpful at this time. This is a good time to separate and organize the wiring if it looks like a plate of spaghetti before you start. It is also a good time to have a close look at all of the connectors and give each a good hard yank to be sure they are secure. Any that look suspect should be replaced, and all of them should get a cleaning and coating. I like CRC product for cleaning the connectors and adding a protective coating. Once all of the wiring was removed and sorted out, the old panel could be removed. The next step was to mount the new panel, and since the dimensions were very close to the old panel, this was the easiest part of the entire installation.

With the new panel mounted in place, all of that wiring had to be reconnected. If I had the time, I would do a complete rewire of the entire system. But since this would be a massive undertaking and that good old work thing takes up much of my time, I chose to only replace wiring that was suspect or that obviously needed to be replaced. There were quite a few, but fortunately, during many of our other projects, we have already replaced many wire runs. I generally start from the top of the panel, which in this case is the DC side, and work down. Once all of the DC is re-installed, the AC side is done. I did upgrade some of the wiring from the shore power inlets to the panel, from the number 10 wiring to number 8 on one of the inlets. Of the two inlets, on the one we installed, we used number 8 wire. The shore power is connected via a transfer switch that feeds the panel from the shore power or from the inverter. The installation of the transfer switch was included in our post on the install of the inverter. The second shore power inlet connects to the smaller AC sub panel that we installed earlier. This smaller panel only feeds the circuit for the air conditioning at this time, but we can add other circuits later if need be.

During the replacement of the panel, I also added new Blue Seas bus bars for the AC ground (green wires) the AC neutral (white wires) and the DC grounds. This cleaned up the wiring considerably, made all of the connections neater and gave me the chance to replace all of the connectors. Once all of the wiring was reconnected to the panel, everything was checked and double checked to be sure the right wire was connected to the right breaker and everything on the AC side of the panel was indeed AC, and the same for the DC side. With all of this completed it was time to move on to connecting the batteries to the DC side of the panel.

The battery cables were the original copper wire cables that were installed by the boatbuilder. They were probably too small and were connected via two battery banks. My new house bank is combined to have all of the batteries make up a single large bank. This improves the efficiency of the house bank and increases the longevity. With this set up, there only needs to be a single cable from the house bank to the DC panel and a single on and off switch, rather than a 1,2 or a "both" switch that was on the old panel. In each installation, this might be different depending on the set up and the needs of the owner. Some like to have the start battery on the switch so it can be combined with the house bank in an emergency. I prefer to have the start battery totally separate and have a set of jumper cables in the engine compartment should this be necessary. With this set up, there is no danger of me forgetting to change the switch and killing all of the batteries. But this is a matter of personal preference. The run from the house bank to the panel is a short one, and #2 wiring is more than sufficient to make the connections. Both the positive and negative cables were replaced as was the battery switch. In calculating wire size, the maximum amps that can be carried on the wiring and the length of wire round trip, from the battery bank to the panel and back to the batteries, need to be factored in. Likewise the battery switch needs to be sized properly. An excellent calculator for wiring size can be found here. What works in our installation may or may not be correct for another. A good solid connection on the cable ends is also very important in making up these cables. Some installers like to do a combination of soldering and crimping on battery cables. Myself, I prefer crimping only, but it must be done right. This is where my serious cable crimpers come in to play. I also use a heat shrink tube on every cable connection to prevent internal corrosion and to keep the connections neat and clean. This is done on all connections to the batteries and with any wiring used in the bilge or a wet area. For smaller wiring I use heat shrink connectors. I did not use heat shrink connectors on smaller wire, other than the battery cables, that connected to the panel. But that is just my choice, since these connectors are considerably more expensive. I also installed fuses on the battery terminals for added protection and security. These fuses must be sized correctly.

With all of the connections completed, the moment of truth is at hand. Everything has been checked, double checked and triple checked. There is always a bit of anxiety in firing up an electrical panel for the first time, no matter how many times I have done it. For me, the DC is the least scary, so that is the one I check first. It was simply a matter of throwing the battery switch and then the DC main on the panel. The voltage meter registered fine, and there was no smoke or sizzle. You need to be cautious with electricity or electronics since they are driven by smoke. If you let out all of the smoke, they won't work. So far so good, and one circuit breaker at a time was switched on. Once again, no smoke escaped. Now it was time to check all of the connections and the entire DC side of the panel with my multi-meter to look for problems and anomalies. Everything looked just fine, and the battery voltage was holding correctly for the loads applied. Every circuit was tested and inspected. Next came the really scary part. The AC panel.

With all of the AC circuit breakers off and the transfer switch in the off position, the shore power cord was plugged in. Oh good, no smoke or sizzle. If that were to happen with either DC or AC, the power must be turned off immediately and the problem solved. Once the shore power was plugged in, the transfer switch was changed to the shore power setting and the main breaker turned on at the new panel. Once again, so far so good. One at a time the new breakers were switched on and the voltage meter monitored carefully. All circuits were tested with the multi-meter. This is where it is very important that you know what you are doing since you will be dealing with live 120-volt power. This is no place for the inexperienced and can in fact be life threatening. All of the circuits on the panel checked out fine, and each outlet on the boat was tested for correct polarity and for faults. A simple outlet tester will work just fine, however, some cheap hardware testers may show a fault when none exists. So be sure the problem, if one shows, is in fact the circuit and not the tester. All of the outlets on the boat checked out and none of the GFCI plugs tripped, a good thing. All of the appliances on board were turned on to be sure they all worked. The final step was to transfer from shore power, unplug the cords, and transfer to the inverter. The entire testing process was repeated until I felt comfortable that the system was operating safely and correctly.

A couple of reference books that have been very helpful to me over the years is Nigel Calder's Boat Owners Mechanical and Electrical Manual and The 12 Volt Bible. Both are good for both getting started and for planning more advance work.

Finishing a major project like this gives me a real sense of satisfaction and a new comfort level that the electrical system is now even safer that it was before. There are many aspects of the system that still need some work and over time will get done. But for now, we are secure in knowing that a major portion of it is up to date and the components are new. In addition, should anything need to be repaired or any troubleshooting need to be done, we now have intimate knowledge of the systems and where everything can be found. Maybe for the next project I will tackle something a little smaller.

Welcome To 2011 And A Happy And Prosperous New Year

2011-01-07T11:18:00.003-05:00

This comes a little late, but we would like to say Happy New Year to all of our readers and followers. The pace has not slowed down a bit from the end of last year until right now and if anything it has picked up. Our work at Waterway Guide has been both a great experience and very time consuming, and we are about to embark on several new projects for the 2011 boating seasons. We will have lots of announcements to come in the next few months. And of course, all of this slows down the progress on the boat projects, but that was to be expected. I have completed the replacement of the original AC and DC electrical panel and quite a bit of rewiring. I really wanted to post the project by now, but I left the camera on the boat and have not been down to the marina to retrieve it so I can post the photos. I will try and do that over the weekend, since I have received several emails asking when it would be posted. I have been doing some traveling for work, so that is another reason things are behind here on the site. Never enough hours in the day.

We have had a great holiday spending a lot of time with the kids and our grandkids. That was one of the main reasons we returned to the Chesapeake and it has been wonderful. Everyone is happy and healthy. We have had time to spend with old friends we have not seen for a long time and have made some new friends since we have come back. The weather has been cold, but the snows have not been anything like last year (yet!), so we are thankful for that. We have a couple of trips planned to sunny Florida over the next few months so we will get a break now and then. In the meantime, we look forward to an exciting year and hope everyone has a super 2011! Chuck and Susan

Winterizing The Boat Again

2010-12-20T14:37:00.002-05:00

Never say never. In the past, I have said I would never be in a cold enough climate to have to winterize the boat again, and here it is our second winter in the Chesapeake and my second year winterizing. We are very fortunate to have a very nice couple that spends the winters in Florida (where we should be) who has asked us to house sit from December first to the end of March. This time frame works well for us, since the cold is starting to set in and the boat can be hauled for the winter. Upon their return, spring will have sprung, and we want the boat back in the water. Just prior to haul out, we begin the winterization process and finish it up just as we are moving off for the winter. Here are the procedures we use for our boat each year. Other boats with different systems may require something different or additional.

My first priority is to get the engine winterized as soon as it begins to get cold and we will not be leaving the slip again until it warms up. As long as we have heat in the boat, there is no danger of freezing, but the engine is by far the largest expense should a failure with the heating system cause the temperatures to really drop. Since our slip is just outside of the travel lift pit, we don't need the engine to move the boat for hauling. It can be done by hand pulling the boat from piling to piling.

I generally do a complete oil and filter change prior to the rest of the winterization. We have a nifty valve attachment on the top of the raw water strainer that allows the connection of a garden hose. By closing the raw water seacock and attaching a short piece of hose to the fitting, the engine winterization takes a matter of minutes. The other end of the hose is dropped into a five-gallon bucket of anti-freeze, and the engine is started. Susan is on the dock watching the exhaust discharge, and as soon as it is all anti-freeze coming out of the exhaust, the engine is shut down. If you don't have this attachment, remove the hose from the intake side of the strainer, and either add an extension to it or use a longer hose to reach into the bucket. Be sure the hose reaches the bottom of the bucke,t and do not allow it to suck air during the process. And that is it, simple, quick and painless. I also make sure the coolant/anti-freeze in the fresh water side is topped off.

The next step is the fresh water system, and the tanks need to be emptied as much as possible. We run the fresh water pump with all of the faucets on the boat open until air begins to come out. At that point, it is good to open a drain in the bottom of the tank to let out the last few gallons that the pump does not pick up. Next, the hot water heater needs to be drained completely and a bypass nipple installed. There are lots of fancy gadgets sold to do this, but we simply turn off the water pump, remove the fresh water hoses from the tank, and attach a 1/2 inch connector to bypass the tank. This prevents the heater from filling up with anti-freeze; ours is 11 gallons and shortens the time to flush the system in the spring. Once the hot water heater is bypassed, there are two options. We usually dump about three gallons of anti-freeze in each tank and open all of the faucets.We also have a large filter on the water system, and I remove the charcoal filter prior to this and fill the housing with anti-freeze. Then we turn the fresh water pump back on and wait for straight anti-freeze to come out of the faucets. As each faucets spits anti-freeze, we shut that one down until all of them are full, including the shower handheld sprayer. Be sure the hot and cold lines are both open.

Next up are the heads. Many folks simply dump anti-freeze into the heads and flush them until it comes out the overboard discharge. This only winterizes half the head's hoses. The intake hoses and intake valve portion of the pump housing will still be full of water and can freeze and crack. We shut off the intake seacock and stick the intake hose into a bucket of anti-freeze. The head is flushed until the anti-freeze is coming out of the discharge lines. If you have holding tanks, they should have been emptied by now and thoroughly flushed and cleaned. The anti-freeze from the heads should be pumped into the holding tanks until enough is present to prevent freezing. Then the Y valve switched over to pump the rest overboard and the discharge valves closed. Caution should be used to prevent water from being trapped in the seacock if the boat is being left in the water, since this can freeze and crack the seacock with disastrous consequences. If you are not sure, remove the discharge hose, and remove all of the water with a wet vac. To prevent this in our case, once the boat is hauled, the seacock is opened after the boat is out and the fluids allowed to drain, then we close the seacock. This allows the entire sanitation system to be winterized without fear of some part being missed.

One final system is the shower sump. The top of the sump is removed and all of the water extracted with a wet vac. The insides of the sump are thoroughly cleaned and wiped dry. The top is replaced and the anti-freeze is sent in via the shower drain. This assures that the drain is conditioned and the sump is filled until the pump kicks on and the anti-freeze flows out the discharge. Then, the sump pump is manually activated until all but a small amount in the bottom of the sump is emptied. That's it.

The final step for us is to have the boat shrink-wrapped. I used to think that this was a major waste of money, paying to have all of this plastic put over the boat, just to throw it away in the spring. But after a couple of winters here on our previous boat, we found that leaving it out over the winter for one season did more damage to the boat than five years of living aboard in the tropics. So for the last two winters, we have had it done and really don't regret it. This also makes working on the boat during the winter months, doing projects, much easier. In some cases, we would not have been able to do much at all without the shrink wrap. And with careful use of a kerosene heater, I can get it pretty comfortable under the shrink wrap to do some work on the outside of the boat.

To-Do List 2011

The to-do list is pretty long for this winter since a lot did not get done last year. So here are some of the items.

1. Replace the main electrical panel (already under way.)
2. Finish the installation of the remaining ports.
3. Finish installation of 12-volt fans in all cabins.
4. Remove and paint the swim platform (already removed.)
5. Install an aft bilge pump.
6. Move batteries to allow for generator installation.
7. Install the fuel polishing system and replace all engine fuel lines and filters.
8. Refinish all cabin floors and repair where necessary.
9. Finish painting of engine compartment.
10. Add lights in hanging lockers.
11. Install galley exhaust fan.
12. Replace some of the copper lines on fresh water system with PEX lines.

These are pretty ambitious goals given the fact that I will only have weekends for the most part. But we will see how it progresses, and much of this will depend on whether we have 8 feet of snow again and I can't get near the boat. I will be posting as each project is completed. The new AC/DC main electrical panel is about 1/3 finished, so I do feel good about that. It is an important project that is long overdue. Time will tell. Have a great holiday season.

Open WiFi On The Boat And Firesheep And Other Man-made Disasters

2010-12-08T13:41:00.011-05:00

One of the most visited pages on this site and our Sea Trek site are the postings for our simple and inexpensive WiFi system that we have been using for years. Many of our cruising friends use WiFi, as we do, to get online, gather weather information, send and receive emails and do all of the other things people do through the Internet. For years, we have used available WiFi, whether from an open access point or from a marina, hotel or restaurant. If anyone has been on a boating site lately, the discussion has turned to Firesheep, a program designed to allow anyone with it on their computer to access your Facebook page while you are logged in and do anything you can do. There is one fellow out there, I won't mention his name, that has been on every boating discussion board on the net, doing his absolute best to scare the crap out of anyone that will listen. This fellow is making some claims that would lead the less educated in all things computer to believe that if a 12 year old has Firesheep on his computer, he can steal your life, take over your identity and clean out your bank account. He would have you believe that if you use any open WiFi, the sky will fall and life as you know it will end.

I suppose there is some motivation for folks to do this and some folks are very good at it. By using these fear tactics, they can announce to the world that you are in great danger and they are here to save the day. I like to call this the Mighty Mouse Syndrome. For the minions that hang on to this individual's every word, it represents something akin to a savior. For the rest of us, it simply creates a lot of anxiety and confusion. Instead of "MY GOD, YOU ARE IN GREAT DANGER," how about, "there is an issue we should all be aware of and I might make some suggestions as to how you can protect yourself." Of course that does not make one seem so important and all powerful. But, I would like to make you aware of an issue and offer some suggestions on how to protect yourself. Now keep in mind that I am not an expert in this field and do not now, or ever have, proclaimed to be one. What I would like to pass on is what has worked for us, and if you would like to use some of our suggestions, great. If you are still confused or unsure, consult a true expert in the field. Be sure they are indeed a true expert and have no nefarious intentions.

First to Firesheep and how much of a threat it might be to you. As I understand this, Firesheep allows someone to grab the cookies from many of the social networks like Facebook, Twitter or Flicker and have the ability to do whatever the real user can do. Now, this is something to consider as a potential threat, to a point. Firesheep only works with Mozilla Firefox browsers. So if you use Internet Explorer, it won't work. This is a free, open source piece of software put out on the net for anyone to download by a fellow named Eric Butler, so he could prove a point and perhaps he has. What I have learned is that Firesheep cannot hijack your computer, get your bank records or allow someone to obtain a credit card in your name. It will allow someone to post on your Facebook page or other social network pages and add or delete your pictures, etc. It will not give them your password since the login page is encrypted. Susan has a Facebook page and I would not want someone doing that, but it would be an annoyance and not earth shattering.

Since the Internet went public, people have been designing ways to get into your computer and grab your personal information. This is nothing new and will probably not change in our lifetime. Firesheep is not one of these programs, but they are out there and it does not matter whether you are using an open WiFi, a secure WiFi or a wired connection. There are ways and people capable of getting in, but they are usually not interested in you and I, especially if we don't make it really really easy for them. So I did say I would share what we do to try and secure our computer and our online activities.

A couple of years ago, I researched a software product called Truecrypt that will encrypt your entire hard drive on your computer. The program is completely free and has had some good reviews and feedback. Once you computer drive is encrypted, no one can access any information without your password. That is important should your computer ever be stolen. It will not interfere with the operation of your computer in any way and is fairly easy to set up. This type of security is great for those of you that have really become paranoid with all of these doomsday reports lately.

One step we took some time back was to do a better job of securing our WiFi and Internet connections, no matter what we used. Sitting in an Internet cafe in Belize or Guatemala, we often wondered who was watching us electronically. We were careful not to do any banking or serious personal work over these connections and that is still good advise today. But we did find that there are ways to encrypt your Internet activities by using a VPN. VPN stands for Virtual Private Network, and a VPN is used to secure data across a network. Even if someone could intercept your data, all they would see is a jumble of gibberish. A VPN is a very simple and easy solution for boaters looking to protect themselves whether on an open WiFi or using your local marinas secure access point. It will also protect you on a wired Internet Provider. One short side of VPN is that the VPN provider itself will be able to see your activity. So knowing the provider is as important as using a VPN, maybe more so. This is complicated by the fact that there are hundreds of VPN providers out there and little in the way of reviews and user feedback. When you use a VPN, it activates an encrypted "tunnel" through your internet connection to the server of the VPN provider. Once it reaches the providers server, it is decrypted and sent on to its intended destination. When the data is being sent back to you, it goes through the VPNs server and is again encrypted before it is sent to you, so once again it can not be accessed by anyone. Many VPNs will also provide you with a spoofed IP address that can not be traced by anyone, giving you even further anonymity. All of this happens in nano seconds so you don't see any difference in your Internet experience. A VPN is a very easy and basic step to help secure your WiFi or other Internet data. If you did nothing else, this will help considerably. Do your home work before choosing a VPN provider since they are not all the same. We used a well know provider for over a year and then suddenly there service went to hell. Look for reviews and feedback from current users before signing up.

We also use several software programs on our computers, many are free. For overall Internet protection, we have used Comodo Internet Security for a few years now. It is totally free and has been a good performer in protecting us online. We don't tend to visit potentially harmful sites, but if we get redirected, Comodo has kept us safe. They have received many excellent reviews and recommendations from other trusted sites. The Internet Security suite contains an anti-virus program and a firewall, both needed to protect your computer. We also use a couple of Malware programs. We have used Ad-Aware for a long time and they too have a free version. Many of these free versions also have paid version if you need added security. We also use Malwarebytes and Superantispyware to round out our Malware software. Another recommendation we have just begun using and like very much is IObits which is a more comprehensive program with several useful tools. We use the free version of all of these and they do root out lots of things we don't want on our computer.

So, do we fear that our lives will be stolen if we use WiFi and open WiFi in particular? No we don't, but keep in mind, that is our opinion and we suggest the everyone make their own informed decision based on facts and not smoke and mirrors from another Mighty Mouse, here to save the day. Does that show my age? Now that these individuals have generated so much attention to products like Firesheep, there are probably thousands of people out there downloading it and trying it that would probably never have heard of it or considered it until now. There are always going to be people out there trying to steal your information by whatever means they can. You can do a couple of things to protect yourself and go on with life as usual. Or you could get off line forever and toss your computer into the deepest part of the ocean. As one poster suggested on another site, you could encase it in concrete and use it as a door stop. We don't let the fearmongers control our lives, we control our lives. Unfortunately, today there is too much misinformation and sensationalizing going on around everything we do. It is difficult to sort through the half truths, exaggerations and sometimes downright lies to know what is right and what is bull. I don't know if this information helps or makes things worse for you, but since being able to get online has become important to us and many other cruisers, I thought it should be something for me to share and comment on.

We are working on an upgrade for our WiFi system, that is how committed we are. I will be posting soon about that and how it has been working out so far. I plan to consolidate the two WiFi posts already up and the update very soon. So stay in touch and let us know what you think about this subject.

How do you feel about all of this? Are you concerned, frightened, don't really care? What have you done to make yourself more secure online? Leave a comment and let us know.

See part 1 of our wifi set up.
See part 2 of our wifi set up.

Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association Conference

2010-11-22T13:10:00.007-05:00

I have just returned from the 11th Annual Intracoastal Waterway Association Conference in Portsmouth, VA, which was held on November 18th and 19th. I found the conference to be very educational and informative. The AIWA has long been considered the voice of the the Waterway. From their website,

"The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway Association proudly represents the interests of commercial and recreational users of the waterway. AIWA is the only organization dedicated to ensuring the future of the AIWW and, as such, we have earned the reputation of being “The Voice of the Waterway.” Our members hail from 39 states and Canada and include both commercial and recreational users.

The Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway (AIWW) extends 1,200 miles from Norfolk, Virginia to Key West, Florida. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are man-made canals. Congress authorized the creation of the AIWW in 1919 and the entire waterway was completed in 1940. The US Army Corps of Engineers is responsible for maintaining the waterway."

During the Conference, a number of speakers made presentations on the state of the Waterway, current conditions and ongoing projects. Representatives for the Corps of Engineers for the Norfolk, Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah and Jacksonville Districts presented reports on the current state of the Waterway, as well as future projects and expectations. The biggest challenge to the Corps at this time is funding for future dredging needs and disposal of dredging materials along vast stretches of the Waterway. Despite the economic benefits to the communities along the Atlantic coast, and the number of jobs that could be created through economic revival of these communities, it appears there is little hope of getting the much needed funding for these projects from our current Congress. Many of the current projects now underway and funded are from the stimulus funds issued last year. I was shocked to hear that the controlling depth of the ICW through the state of Georgia is only six inches. That is correct, inches, and there are virtually no funds designated for dredging in Georgia other than the Port of Savannah. Even that is up in the air to some extent.

Amy Larson, President of the National Waterways Conference, gave a chilling report on how the new Congress will affect the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. Many in the room felt that most of the needed funding could be judged as Earmarks to the Congress and might be delayed or not funded altogether as the Earmark becomes a target for the new House and Senate members. Many members represent the commercial interests along the ICW and spoke of the challenges and loss of business, not only to their companies, but to major shipping ports along the east coast. All of this translates into job losses, something our representatives have sworn not to let happen. Yet many have taken a stand that will, in fact, cost jobs and loss of tax revenues. I was also surprised to hear that, in deciding whether to fund Waterway projects such as dredging, recreational interests are not included, and the decisions are, in fact, based on tonnage for commercial value. We did have a couple of Congressional representatives present on Friday, and my conclusion from listening to them was that they did not have a clue as to how this current Congress is going to act, react or be able to do business. A very sad state to say the least.

It was not all doom and gloom; there will be dredging for the ICW at Miles, 117, 122, 153, 195, 286, 300, 321 and 330. Many of these areas are known problem spots like Lockwoods Folly, Matanzas Inlet and other shoal spots that we have dealt with for years. There will be no additional funding currently for the Savannah and Charleston Districts. In the Jacksonville District and much of Florida, 80% of the funding for dredging comes from the Florida Inland Navigation District. F.I.N.D is a special State Taxing District to raise funds for the maintenance and upkeep of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterways in Florida.

On Friday evening, we had the opportunity to see the Waterway first hand from Mile 0 in Norfolk, on board the Carrie B, a replica of a 19th century paddlewheeler. It gave me the chance to talk with many of the members in a less formal atmosphere and get a real sense of the concern everyone had for the future of the Waterway. Everyone agreed that it will take a concerted effort from all concerned - the recreational user, the commercial users and the businesses and communities along the Waterway - in order to institute change and bring about any real progress. If you have a vested interest, you need to contact all of your representatives in Washington, and encourage them to support the funding for these improvements. They need to understand how these projects are job creators and economic stimulators. If they see a pothole in the road, they understand it needs to be fixed. They can't see the impact the lack of dredging has on the people, communities and businesses along the ICW, so it lacks importance to them. They need to be made to see just how important this is.

That is my political rant for the year. I will try and get back to projects and happier boating stuff very soon. Thanks.