2022: And in Conclusion

New Liferaft  

Our four man liferaft purchased in 2008 in St Marten was overdue for a checkup and, when trying to locate a liferaft servicing agent on the east coast of the US, found that it would be a costly exercise to ship it somewhere (Florida for example).  It would also cost at least one thousand USD to service (a quote over the phone) as the liferaft was well overdue for a service because of covid having delayed things.  

On balance we opted to purchase a new US-made one, three year inspections, offshore, cost effective solution.  We purchased a six man … liferaft and had it delivered to the boatyard at Deltaville and it was there waiting for us when we arrived back at the boat.  We went from a four man liferaft to a six man as the new rafts are considerably lighter than older ones, we will have guests on occasion and with four people possibly in the liferaft plus at least one jerry can of water this seemed a more appropriate size.  Cost difference of a six man vs four man was very small.

We also keep the liferaft in a valise in the main cockpit locker so it is weather protected, easily deployed and a valise is much lighter than a fiberglass-contained raft.  So, it's just a better option if only the GS is available to deploy it (I may be injured or worse).  Being in the cockpit will also make it easier to launch via our sugar-scoop stern.

Iridium Go from Predict Wind

This was purchased and carried in personal baggage from Oz to the US.  Fairly simple to set up the satphone and other hardware by following the instructions.  We have used it this season, almost exclusively for weather reports while at sea and out of range of the internet.  It works well and Predict Wind is a good charting program.  Unfortunately, most of their instructions are on the internet only, some are slightly out of date as equipment and programs have changed a bit over the years,  I also had to contact them several times for assistance (they respond helpfully within a day or so) but their whole setup could be improved with a comprehensive owners manual, which can be downloaded up front, much like other chart programs provide.  The other apps – Iridium Go and Iridium Mail – I hardly used and, even after registering for a new telephone number on line I still had to go and request what the actual number is.  

I would also suggest that Predict Wind offers some comparative information re Iridium Go vs Starlink, which appears to be a more popular internet setup here in the Caribbean among cruisers, as they also market this gear too.

2022: Love a bit of Sewing

Canvas Work

In 2022, I did quite a bit of canvas work as I have a small industrial sewing machine on board, a priceless investment that has paid for itself many times over.  

Dodger

The windows in the dodger, bimini and joiner between dodger and bimini needed replacement as they had aged and you could hardly see anything through them.  These would be the dodger’s third set of windows as the originals were made in 2008, replaced in 2011 in Gibraltar after breaking one on our Atlantic crossing, and now 10 years later, no surprise that they needed further replacement.

I removed the dodger and soon realized that replacing windows on such a large item, down below inside the saloon on the chart table, was to be a particularly difficult undertaking.  I viewed some videos, finding Sailrite’s splendid collection of extremely helpful ones, and decided to follow their method of making up various panels and then fixing them together using zips.  

My one piece dodger quickly became six panels – top panel, 2 x side window panels, and 3 x front window panels.  These are all joined using zips with velcro flaps to ensure water tightness.  See photos.  The whole thing was pretty involved (Sailrite make it look easy) but almost all good except for one or two things.  For example, for reasons that completely escape me, when I finally fitted the ‘completed’ dodger back together, some gaps between a couple of edges have developed in two of the front windows and I couldn’t completely do the zip up.  Now fixed.  The dodger is certainly more weather proof than it has ever been and much easier to pull apart and then make small repairs, which are required most seasons.

Finally, I made covers for the stainless steel tubing bows where they rubbed against the windows.  I had not done this previously and my old windows had developed long unsightly burn marks over the years.  I just cut up a towel and put Velcro along the edges then fitted them to the bows.

Life-sling Cover

The original woven cloth cover had succumbed to being out in the weather and so was starting to fall apart, leaving a mess below when we stowed it at the end of each season.  I pulled the old cover apart and measured, then sewed a new sunbrella cover but retained the plastic inserts.  A fairly simple project.

Winch Covers

I serviced the six winches and then made sunbrella covers for each of them.

Stowage Bags

I purchased line stowage bags from Oz and fitted them to hold the lines that run to the cockpit so that the lines are held above the cockpit cushions and there is no accumulation of dirt.  The bags have netting at the bottom so that any water runs out.  Two more are attached to the front of the steering pedestal and used for all sorts of stuff that accumulates in the cockpit eg sun screen, sun glasses, personal safety lines, cockpit light, water bottles, etc.  Buying them was easier than making them in this instance!

2022: Outboards - Not for the Faint-hearted

Outboard 15 HP Yamaha.

In 2019 my outboard (ob) had developed a water leak from the area where the engine housing and the upper casing joined.  I was able to continue to use it all 2019 but only at slow speeds.  A local mechanic checked it out and told me what was wrong but he was busy and said I could do it myself, which would save me a lot of money.  

Okey then.  I tried to separate the two parts by removing six bolts but couldn’t do it – they appeared to be stuck together.  Forever!  I checked with a local ob business hoping for some friendly hints only to be told nothing helpful except that I should purchase a new ob as, they said, if they tried to repair,  it would involve a lot of work (echoing the previous assessment) and cost so much so just get another (new) one.  Only around USD 3000+ (AUD 4500) so why not.  Also the ob is 23 years old so, you know, you’ve had a good run.  

I slept on it that night (mostly awake) and decided to give it another shot the next day and, if I broke things, what the heck anyway.

What I tried was to insert a metal rod into the bolt holes of the upper casing and gently tap them with a sledge hammer working my way around all the holes one by one.  I did this over an hour or two without success until I inserted a small crow bar and levered the engine off the cowling.  Voila.

I had to replace the gasket and did so with a new one.  The challenge was to match my model number (British Virgin Islands) with US models and there are/were several models numbers for the same engine.  The local ob shop kindly did this and the new one fitted perfectly.  

The actual fault causing the water leakage was from a crack in a bend at the top of the copper tube joining the upper cowling with the water pump in the lower cowling.  This was not available at the time in the US so I purchased some copper tubing at the local hardware store and made my own.  It fitted very well and, when I put everything back together again, it worked well pumping water with no leaks.  I might add that I practised bending copper tube on some scrap metal I found in the boatyard before bending the final piece and fitting it to the ob.  Worthwhile, as you really only have one chance to make this right angle bend, so you need to get it right.

Outboard Propshaft Seals

I decided to change these, as I thought there was a small leak.  But first, some education - by looking at a bunch of very helpful YouTube videos, then choosing the simplest way I thought possible.  I removed the prop and spacer then drilled holes into the seals making every effort to avoid touching/scratching the prop shaft (as every video made a big deal of this!).  I then used small hook tools to extract each of the seals.  They came out quite easily.  I then replaced them with new ones using a PVC pipe, and used a hammer to insert them.  All seemed to work when I filled the gearbox and ran the motor in gear later on.  

Isn't it marvellous what a bit of self-help and lots of really nice people posting useful guidance on YouTube can do for you! And our 23 year old motor has a new lease on life too!

2022: Time for Some WJ3 Work

2022 Mid Jul to Mid Oct 

In 2022, I travelled to WJ3 alone, to spend three months checking on the boat’s condition and to carry out as many repairs and maintenance chores I possibly could achieve in that time.  I'll begin with these odds and ends:

Cell Phone Dramas

There has always been a problem with organising local cell phone connections in the US for us Aussies.  For example, many companies require a social security number, which leaves out many plans.  In the past we had used sim cards from home (with an AU phone number) though not many local businesses liked to return our calls (ostensibly international rates although we were in the same local area most times!).  

Following Covid, a few of our travel sim providers folded, so we were back to square one this year!  You certainly do not want to be paying roaming rates for a few weeks, let alone 6 months.  We've tried various solutions over the years;  its just one of those services that continues to evade practical solutions.  Very frustrating when all you want is to talk to a knowledgeable tradie about your boat's issues - and we all know there's plenty of those... 

Non Skid on Deck Recess and In Between Forward Hatches

There is a recess on top of the coach house which used to hold a small solar panel.  The solar panel had long since gone and I never filled the recess.  So, it was often full of water when it rained.  To remedy this, I cut out a plywood panel from scrap I found in the boatyard, which was thick enough to fill the hole.  I fibre-glassed it with cloth,  sealed it in place with self tapping screws and sealant, then painted it with non-slip paint.  An easy fix.  Should have done it years ago!

While I was at it, I also masked off a small area between the two forward hatches where there was just bare fibreglass.  It was dangerously slippery when wet.  I painted it with non-slip paint, making a big difference to crew safety.  To match colours, I had taken a photo of the hull to the local hardware store (the ever-friendly Hurds Hardware in Deltaville) where we colour matched my paint.  It looks fine and now works a treat. 

Top Down Spinnaker Furler

In the interests of setting WJ3 up to be sailed single-handed, I purchased a Sveggen top down spinnaker furling kit from Rolly Tasker Sails.  Needless to say, it has yet to be fitted, except for the stanchion fairleads.  We had hoped to play with it but since this year our heading has been into and/or to windward there has simply been no need.  Next year, when we expect to head north, I’m looking forward to using it.  I might also try to utilise my new staysail whisker pole as a removable bowsprit since it is a fairly heavy section and a short pole.

2020-2021: The Drawbridge was UP!

2020 and 2021: Two years lost

Don't you just sometimes have to go with what life delivers?  We remained away from WJ3 thanks to Covid.  Worldwide travel restrictions did not allow any opportunity to visit the boat, so I had to make do with fixing stuff on the house.  Timber houses always have lots to do anyway...  We weren't idle but very much missed the cruising life.

Added a "Granny Bar" to the daily ride

Babysat the furry grandchild

The river flooded again

Celebrated a birthday with a picnic on the river

Helped GS tidy up her sewing area

Did a bit of canvas work in my sewing area

Helped rescue someone stuck on the mud bank

Cleaned the dingly's bottom
(note improved bimini with clear windows now!)

Looking forward to relaxing on the balcony with a beer after a 2 year holiday at home

2019: One Lifeless Generator

2019 in Review

On Board Diesel Generator

In 2018, all efforts to get our Northern Lights generator to run were unsuccessful.  Whenever I had mechanics look at it, both in Antigua and then again in St Marten, they would turn it over but could not get it to start.  (The guy in Antigua offered to take it off our hands, so we had a suspicion that it was not completely worthless!!)  No one knew why and so it remained useless until we arrived in Deltaville in 2019.  I then made enquiries about having yet another mechanic check things out while in on the hard at Deltaville Boatyard.  I was asked if the motor was turning over and I had to answer that it appeared to have seized as, when I checked it that morning (some two months after St Marten), it would no longer turnover.  I then decided to not do anything (out of time that year) other than put automatic gearbox oil into the cylinders after removing the injectors and (as at 2023 in Trinidad) I am only now getting the generator seen to.  I’ll let readers know the outcome just as soon as I know.

Electrical Improvements

While on anchor opposite the Deltaville Marina for an extended period (before our friends arrived) I had a good opportunity to work on the boat’s electrical system.

Apart from purchasing and fitting the new alternator I tidied up all the wiring under the chart table seat.  Over the years, as various work was undertaken by numerous techos, the boat had accumulated a spaghetti like collection of cables which had become a bit of an eyesore and very imposing whenever an electrician saw it for the first time.  I basically tidied it up by cutting and shortening a bunch of the battery cables while at the same time fitting a couple of ACRs (automatic charge relays).  These things take power from the house bank when it reaches about 13 volts and send some charging to the start battery and also the bow thruster battery.  

You might recall that when the Sopromar Boatyard installed the bow thruster they also installed bow thruster batteries but they could only be charged when the engine was running! They could not be charged by the solar panels as the solar panel regulator could only charge two banks – house and starter.  The ACRs solved this problem and so when on shore power, engine alternator and/or solar all battery banks were being charged (providing everything else worked of course – read on).

To give me the capability to cut and fit new terminals on battery cables I purchased an hydraulic swager kit (for not much), a valuable purchase via Amazon/EBay.

Gasoline Generator

We purchased a gasoline/petrol generator, Powerhouse 2000, which we used  when bad weather settled over several days and the solar panels weren't generating sufficient power for our needs.  Didn’t use it much but useful to have as a backup.

Electrical Performance After Improvements

After these electrical modifications, everything seemed to work fine, particularly when testing over short periods of time.  However, while out cruising with friends and running the engine for several hours, I never seemed to get to the full charge that I expected.  Good weather, solar charging and staying at marinas more frequently, kept the batteries up to speed.  See 2023.

2019: Movement at the Station

So, let's start with 2019

The posts to follow cover an extensive period, 2019 to 2023.  Essentially, after a fun time at Deltaville in 2019, there has been little boating activity to report.  Of course, in 2020 – 2021 (due to Covid) we had to stay home in Oz.  And be very good indeed.  

Then 2023 became the year of "will we-won't we" as we chopped and changed between taking WJ3 home to Aus or staying on the East Coast, US.  We decided to stay, though changing course by adding a cruise to Trinidad for old times sake, down through the Caribbean, instead!   

Overheating Engine.

When leaving Norfolk (to meet friends - perfect timing yet again!) the engine overheated.  We crept back to the anchorage and, as quoted from our sailing blog:  “the Cap’n put to work on finding the culprit.   After our Cap’n Resolute crawled all over the engine, cleaned sea creatures from water filters and took a dip in less-than-appealing river waters (to check drains), off we set, yet again.  Only to watch the temperature gauge rise steadily again.  Oh dear, back to the anchorage and time to consult those (many) manuals.  By the time we found the culprits – two not-so-tight hose clips allowing seawater to leak into the bilge when the engine revs were raised as we powered forward.”  Sometimes it's just the simple things!

2109 General

In 2019 we did little sailing and generally remained in Jackson Creek, Deltaville until friends from Oz joined us and we went travelling around the Chesapeake and land exploring.  It was a great opportunity to tackle some burning issues, principally electrical, that had dogged our return voyage from Europe the previous (two) years.

Ongoing Engine Electrical Charging Challenges 

I was still not happy with the charging regime and my work on the smart regulator the previous year still did not provide for reliable charging when running the engine.  As the smart regulator was now working correctly (I thought) I turned against the alternator and replaced it with a new one, a Balmar Series 6, 100 amp hour (virtually same as the old one).  I was going to have the old one tested but circumstances did not allow so I just went ahead and, if the old one was actually serviceable, then I would have a spare which is no bad thing.  (See 2023).

See my entries for 2023 for a pretty detailed analysis of my ongoing electrical dramas but with some pretty good outcomes. 

Photos to follow....eventually