We have been looking to add to our boating options

[tdonoughue]

(hehehehe--knew I would get him to bite...)

 

[zipper]

Good day on the Lake today. Set the auto pilot, had lunch at sail and just tacked around the Lake off Burlington looking for wind and putting time in the saddle.

 

[tdonoughue]

That autopilot is freaky. That clicking would drive me nuts, I think.

Then again, I may already be nuts--so no harm, really...

But I love when you panned to the side and was surprised at how fast you were going. An all without an engine whining....

 

[J-RAD]

Hey @zipper, if you have access to the Discovery Channel you need to check out the new series Expedition to the Edge. It's a group of sailors attempting to sail from the Marshall Islands in to the Artic in an attempt to sail farther north than any other sail ship to date. Their ship is quite interesting, it's constructed out of ferro cement. first episode is all about them making sure the boat is seaworthy. Anyway, I think you'd get a kick out if it.

 

[zipper]

That autopilot is freaky. That clicking would drive me nuts, I think.

Then again, I may already be nuts--so no harm, really...

But I love when you panned to the side and was surprised at how fast you were going. An all without an engine whining....

It does "click" as it adjusts the steering wheel to stay on the set course, you get used to it, if not turn up the radio. I love it, one less thing to do. It will keep us on a set course, which neither of us manage to do while manual steering. It was a good day for my wife to just play with different sail sets based on our point of sail. Giving her control of the main sail as well as the genoa, keeps her busy and less anxious about heeling past 10°. At the time of the video the winds were low, but we were making 3.9kts. SOG in 3.7kts of true wind.

 

[zipper]

Hey @zipper, if you have access to the Discovery Channel you need to check out the new series Expedition to the Edge. It's a group of sailors attempting to sail from the Marshall Islands in to the Artic in an attempt to sail farther north than any other sail ship to date. Their ship is quite interesting, it's constructed out of ferro cement. first episode is all about them making sure the boat is seaworthy. Anyway, I think you'd get a kick out if it.

Thanks, we will check it out. Ferro cement sounds weird dosen't it. But, if you are going to one of the poles, you want a ferro cement or steel hull. No FRP in icy waters. As a sophmore in college, there was a competition to build concrete canoes and race them across the pond near the Library. After that there was a displacement test to judge how much weight it could hold. We did not win, but all the canoes ended up at the bottom of that pond, as far as I know to this day. Wow, that was 40 years ago. Time flies by.

 

[zipper]

We are finally getting to the finish of the solar panel installation on the bimini. We bought (2) 110w Sunpower flexible panels and a charge controller to replace the (1) solid 100w Renogy w/ controller. We mounted them directly to the bimini using reinforced flaps sewn onto the bimini. Matching snaps were installed on both the flaps and the panel. The male part of the snap was pop riveted to the panel.



The pieces used were a s.s. rivet, male snap piece and backing washers.








We chose snaps as to mount the panels over other methods available because we wanted them to be quickly removable to be stored during stormy weather and we wanted them in the same place whenever we mounted them.

We placed the panel in its location and then marked the reinforced Sunbrella flaps to be drilled with a hole cutter to recieve the other half of the snap.



We installed one and just I finished installing the snaps on the second panel. Will mount to the bimini next time out.

 

[tdonoughue]

I got a charge out of that writeup.

 

[zipper]

Adding sun/privacy screens to the cockpit. Test fit for the screens. They needed to accomodate the boom/mainsheet purchase system, black line with yellow flecks, being tied to either side. These cannot be used while out sailing, only while at the dock, on anchor or motoring. The black ones we had made for the Yamaha were so useful that Willow made a set out of White Pfifertex for the Beneteau. Test fit last night, after the season is nearly over. Zippers to the top and grommets w/ bungie balls on the bottom connect to the pulpit and lifelines.



Navy Blue Weather Cloths will be made over the Winter months that will attach to the stantions below the shades to complete the enclosure.

Another angle, other side, as it was being measured to be cut, then attached to the top lifeline.

 

[zipper]

Installing #4 spur grommets on the sun/privacy shades. I use hole cutters to make a hole for the 2-piece grommet to be pressed or hammered depending on the size.

 

[tdonoughue]

Now you have me thinking that I might like those on my next bimini top. Pretty sure that my current one is going to die someday soon... Nice job!

 

[zipper]

Now you have me thinking that I might like those on my next bimini top. Pretty sure that my current one is going to die someday soon... Nice job!

If you have someone make a new bimini top for you, make sure they put zippers on all four sides of the bimini. Then the possibilities are endless. You could extend the bimini aft or forward when needed. A clear vinyl windshield could be zippered forward on the bimini and snapped to the windshield and then of course side curtains (clear vinyl) or shades to keep the rain or sun out of the cockpit.

 

[zipper]

I finished the installation of the flexible solar panels today. I snapped them onto the bimini and ran the wiring to the charge controller. The 10ga. tinned copper has quick connects at the bimini top to allow quick removal. The two panels are "Y"ed together just before they connect to the controller. I bought a crimp connector tool kit that made cutting and crimping easy. Purchased wiring BougeRV | solar power | ev charger | generator cord | car carrier from Amazon. The tear drop electrical thru hull connectors are water proof. Thinking about painting them white. Willow will be making a sunbrella velcro wrap to cover the wiring.







The previous owners had disconnected the combustion air intake hoses and ran the wiring out thru one of the two "clam shells", to port of the shore power cord. I never did like that. The new tear drop "thru hull" is a little bigger than I imagined and a little more noticable, but if they keep catching my eye, I will tape them off and paint them

 

[tdonoughue]

You'll have to let us know how much juice you wind up actually getting out of them I have heard many folks not getting as much out of their solar cells as they expect. But then again, I expect none are as diligent as you in the construction...

 

[zipper]

I will, we have a volt and amp meter on the BlueSea DC power panel. The advertised max. output is 5.9 amps per 110w. Which is about right for higher end flexible panels. I did not get the wiring done until 5pm last night. It had been a warm sunny day. One panel is facing away from the low angle sun at that time of day. And I still saw 5 amps input and watched it go to 4 amps as the sun went lower on the horizon. We will be there today for Brunch at the food truck and will see what amperage the late September sun will give us at noon. Specs. on the panels. Flexible Panel page



Just for comparison...If you look at my sig pic, you can see the old rigid Renogy 100w panel on the bimini, hard mounted to the frame. That setup was too heavy to mount to the sunbrella. We sold the Renogy panel/controller to another sailor for $100 this Spring.

 

[zipper]

Update 12:30pm, mostly overcast conditions today. Forcast for clearing skies later. Current wind gusts to 27.3kts.



When we arrived around noon, the solar charge controller was in absorption mode as shown by the yellow light.



At that time the there were only 2.5 amps comming in and the voltage was 14.24v.




As the clouds faded and some sun poked thru, the controller switched to float mode as the current increased. Green light. Then the voltage dropped and leveled off.

 

[tdonoughue]

Wow! That looks like a winner setup. Nicely done. Thanks for the data!

 

[zipper]

The 2020 boating season is nearly finished on Lake Champlain. Last trip out later this week to the shipyard to be hauled out. We went out to the boat yesterday to continue the decommissioning for the Off Season in Vermont. We took equipment off the boat and then sat around for a while, waiting for the wind to subside. We discussed this past Summer and looked forward to next year, now that the boat has been refitted and modified for modern cruising. There is a long list of upgrades and modifications completed since purchase in May 2018.

As we sat in the warm Sun on a cool day, we discussed the past Season as well as goals for next year.



Then the wind died to about 6-7 kts and we went to work. We normally like to do this when there is no wind, the future forcast was not favorable. At least the wind was out of the right direction. We unfurled our 135% Genoa Sail and released the halyard, the process to remove the sail, our 3rd engine from the furler on the forestay. We lowered it to the deck.



Once down on the forward deck, I rolled it off the boat and into an awaiting dock cart.



Then we took it to a adjascent park with a big grassy area to lay it out where we could flake it (fold it) without putting creases in it.



And then stuff it in a bag and put it away in the sailloft.



One more trip out and over to the Shipyard later this week and our 2020 boating season is done.

Fair Winds...

 

[tdonoughue]

<sniff, sniff>

 

[zipper]

I think I will be getting a little Stinkeye, if not a mutiny, from the crew for wearing this.