Boat Project: PDQ side hatch sun screen

The finished project

The problem

Concept, a baby sunshade for the side hatches on a PDQ 36 catamaran:

• The sun always seems to hit one side of the boat more than the other while anchored.  
• Bonus--we only need one (it can be moved side to side, less storage space)
• Also may act as a wind scoop?
• Provides moderate rain protection?
• Provides UV protection for fenders and/or SUP
• Easy on & easy off.  One person installation.  No d@mn snaps!

The inspiration

Back story

One day, after hanging out laundry, I realized the laundry hanging on the life lines, had the added bonus of shading the bright sun from coming in our two large side hatches.  Hmmmm.

We've been on a lot of catamarans that have some kind of cockpit shade that runs from the hard bimini to the lifelines.  A friend explained their set-up could attach to the lifelines or the toe rail, depending on need.  They also only had ONE since the sun is usually only on one side!  This set-up is difficult on our boat since it would block the main walkway.  However, after sitting and studying a neighbor catamaran's set-up (two solar panels as their "bimini roof" with side sunshades attached from the solar panels to the life lines), I walked down below.  

Outside view of what we are trying to shade

Dang!  The sun is really shining on the starboard side of the boat!  Some days, I even close those hatches and put the insulation in. Then lightbulb!  A baby sunshade from hand rail to the life lines!  Apparently I was talking out loud, because The Captain said, "Huh?" and followed me as I ran back out on deck.  At first he was puzzled, then he started to picture it.  "It could also be a wind scoop".  YES!

The scribbled concept

Construction

We have a roll of black canvas to match dodger and a roll of black webbing

Using the lower hand rails leaves the normal walkway open

Measured for second life line but took webbing attachment it to the toe rail

A minor error left the shade longer than originally intended.  It "almost" reaches the side head hatch.

Boat is curved so it ended up with a bulge.  Added a dart

The result

Conclusion

Pros:

Still get indirect sunlight & airflow.

Easy on & easy off

May make a second one to cover the SUP (protects from UV) instead of using the dinghy cover.

Con:  I have to hang the laundry on the other side or move the sunshade.

Share your feedback and improvement ideas.  Show us your sunshades!

Another View

Boat Project: Upgrading Dinghy "Underseat Bag"

Highfield Underseat Bag that came with our dinghy

Our Highfield dinghy came with a very nice padded seat cover with built-in organizer.  It was basically a duffle bag suspended under the seat.  There's enough things floating around in the bottom of a cruiser's dinghy, and ours doesn't have a locker.  It is a nice way to hide our PFD's, pump, nav light, dry box with boat cards, dry bag & a spare bottle of oil (and on a good day, the smaller pockets act as a cup holder for the First Mate).  We have received lots of compliments.

PFD's, pumps & various accoutrement

Looking a little raggedy

The seat cushion had a zippered compartment hanging off the front with straps on the rear of the cushion that go under the seat to hold it all together.  However, the non-UV, vinyl, seat fabric wore through & with everything in the front zipper compartment, it was always sliding forward.  There was was a drain hole in the bottom but when we pulled everything out, it was still damp from the last rain.

The Captain was considering part canvas, part pfifertex.  I voted all pfifertex.  Better uv & quick dry.

He only scribbles down notes when he's serious!

Using the previous underseat bag as a template, the redesign included:

• To keep the seat more secure, instead of buckles holding it on, the seat is raised up & the bag is slide on

Lift seat & slide on

• Replaced seat cushion with a scrap of leftover camping pad.
• Eliminated front zipper.  Salvaged buckles from the back & used on the front 
• Salvaged zipper pockets & "Highfield" logo (the two outside pockets were already part black pfifertex, so they look like they perfect!)
• Reinforced with webbing

The front

The back.  Instead of straps under the seat, it hangs straight down.

Completion time: Months of redesign in his head.  Actual sewing?  Half a day--done by lunch!

Wind Generator Install

Add caption

(Written by the First Mate.  Dictated by The Captain.  Knowledge is his.  Mistakes are mine.)

While doing our wind generator research, we came upon a few forum comments by Behan from s/v Totem, which led us to a blog they wrote about their SilentWind (http://www.sailingtotem.com/2014/05/choosing-wind-generator-power-projects.html)  Happy with what we saw in the specs (http://www.silentwindgenerator.com/en/windgenerator-silentwind/windgenerator-12v), we ordered one.  

Of course, here comes some cruiser fun.  A phone call to a dealer while we were in Culebra, Puerto Rico advised waiting until we could ship it to St. Thomas.  Two weeks later, we attempt to place an order on their website.  The shipping appears to be $82 until you go to check out, then it's $400!  Uggghhhh.  Now The Captain has to pick up the phone.  "No, that's not correct.  I can take your order over the phone...When it's in stock, we'll ship it."  Huh?  You said they were in stock?  "No, we're out of stock but it should be here in another week then a week to ship."  OK, we've got nothing better to do.  Oh, and they can't ship the mounting pole.  Luckily, we can buy a mounting pole kit from Budget Marine in St. Thomas.  They were very helpful over the phone, had it in stock within a week, and advised to anchor at Christmas Cove (Pizza Pii!) or to take the local Safari bus over and hitchhike back.  Huh?  (Weather wasn't conducive so The Captain took the Safari over and a cab back).

Here is the wind generator install (at a leisurely cruiser pace):

Step mount

Day 1:  Install wind generator mount, 2 hours:  1). Adjust brackets for angled step surface (because it's a "heavy box section with no balsa core"), 2). toe rail using shock mounts from hardware kit, and 3). railing with 1" jaw clamp.

Step mount, slightly modified

Toe rail, forgive the blurry finger

Toe rail to main mount

Jaw clamp to existing boat railing

Second pic to above, boat railing to main mount

The mount is UP

Day 2:  Preliminary wiring 2 hours:  Drilled hole at step (sealed with cable clam), into aft locker, up through second locker, out through old generator conduit to engine well back up to a/c panel in pantry/aft berth.

Wiring run back to our a/c panel

It's here!  I'm in charge of installing the app

Day 3:  Take down mount and run more wiring.  Pick up wind generator at @ 1:30.  Running by sunset.

We saw over 10 amps the first day.  Since, we've seen 28!

Bluetooth capable with iPad app.  Very cool

(Insert video). It was "almost silent" right off the bat.  It seemed to be noisiest through 15 kts then quiet again.  Tinkering with blade spacing made it "silent"!

All done!

Summary after the first week:  Good news?  It's works great!  Bad news?  Light winds most nights in our anchorage.  Apparently, our batteries are toast.  Now part of our day is spent huddled by the charger watching the wind gust vs amps!

Run generator 30 min instead of 60.

12.3 when wake up (we were hoping to keep batts charged overnight)

Average 13.5 by 3:00 pm (combined with solar.  We haven't had a full overcast day yet)

Max 14.0 on the day a cold front passed over!

Our Electrical setup:

Cruiser conversations often come around to electricity.  We need it.  Can't have enough of it.  We live without air conditioning and big screen tv's but most of us must feed an electricity-hungry fridge in 80F heat.  Here's our current set up:

Solar: 4 Renogy solar panels at 100, in series MPPT controller

Battery bank: Trojan T105 660 AH batteries (6 batts x 220 AH) should last 5 years

(Currently 12.7 after gen, 12.3 in AM.  Only 200 AH capacity)

Amp draw:

120 Estimated Amp requirement

75 solar

20 wind

25 deficit/battery bank/generator

Mistakes we've made:  

1). When we first moved on the boat, thinking we had more electricity than we needed, we left the inverter on all day.  We quickly learned that was not necessary or a good idea (uses electricity even when nothing is plugged in).  

2). Not calculating in the shortest day of the year in December.  We should have used the generator sooner as the days got shorter.

We're generally hearing from other cruisers that batteries don't necessarily last 5 years with all the cycles we put them through.  Food for thought.  Still learning.

Prepping to depart our summer marina...

Brunswick has no shortage of spectacular sunrises & sunsets

I didn't envision spending the summer at a marina in Georgia!  We left without a firm plan, except "heading south" (it was too cold to head north in April.  We would have loved to revisit Maine).  We knew our insurance wanted us above N30.5 (FL/GA line) by July 15th.  Each time we stopped at a marina, it was "Hmmm.  We could come back here."  Brunswick was on the list of "hurricane holes" the Captain had in mind.  He would have preferred a marina where he could haul out, live on the boat and paint the bottom ourselves, but that didn't happen.

We are starting to count down to our departure from our summer/hurricane hole marina at the end of the month.   We will explore the area including St. Simon's island, Jekyll Island and Cumberland Island before working our way down to Fernandina Beach after our insurance Nov 1st date.  We hope to spend most of our time before the Bahama's anchored out or at mooring balls.

The high is forecast to be 80F this week, so with the low's in the 60's, so I finally shut off the air conditioning and opened the ports and hatches.  It's a little warm in the boat in the afternoon, which is solved by moving out into the cockpit or sitting out on the dock.

I found a problem I was having before we arrived.  One, now two, or the ports didn't want to stay open.  When My Captain, Oh Captain was reminded, he said, "perhaps you can do that.  You'll need an allen wrench."  Tools obtained.  Instructions given from the couch--"Give it another turn.  Try tightening the other side also."  Add that to the First Mate duties!

I dug out the Iridium GO satellite communicator we purchased for communicating with family members when we are underway and out of cell phone coverage.  It will also allow us to use PredictWind to get updated weather info.  The Iridium is not user-friendly but texting our float-plan-family-member is working.  There is supposed to be a software update that helps, but I can't make that work either.  I did manage to get Twitter (@PDQ36Odin) working.  Facebook access is not available anymore.

See the paper mill in the background?

They move the paper over to the dock by train.  Whoo, Whoo!

The boat got a good scrub down.  We had some mildew on deck, either from the morning dew or possibly from being down river from the paper mill.  The usual cleaners from West Marine weren't working.  Neither was the First Mates first choice of vinegar.  A quick google search turned the Captain onto Scrubbing Bubbles (generic is Foaming Bleach).  Worked like a charm.

Brunswick scum, I think...

Most of our Amazon deliveries have arrived, including a 48-pack pack of toilet paper.  (Paper products are expensive in the Caribbean.)  You can't have too much TP!  I've also started slowly stock up the pantry again.  Instead of going every other day, I go every day.  The cashier's laugh & ask "how many more days?"  Canned soup, canned veggies, gluten-free pasta, rice, beans, our favorite coffee, juice and beer are being stockpiled.  We decided to move the bicycles to the guest berth, so I reorganized the pantry.

Grocery run with an ice coffee in one hand.  Learned some bicycles handling skills here!

Storage area is officially a pantry :-)  First Mate idea, Captain approved.

Some friends departed the marina for Florida today (http://latitude43.com/).  It's a small relief there is somebody "blazing the trail" ahead of us.  We've learned a lot of cruiser's leave their boat somewhere during July-August.  Some fly home to their houses, some visit family and others RV.  ("Maybe we can do that next year" from the guy that said he would NEVER RV.)  They've been trickling back into the marina.  The dock master says their biggest event is Thanksgiving.

Putting lipstick on a pig.  Sorry dinghy.  I love you!

The Captain decided to give the dinghy a little love.  It's mostly lived on the davits for 3 months, so it also got a scrub down and a top coat.  We've also ordered some canvas for possible dinghy chaps and a deck shade.

The Captain takes over the portable SSB & weather fax after I got frustrated (Wha pa!)

Portable SSB and weather fax with HP Fax app:  Thanks to our friends over at theretirementproject.blogspot.com, we discovered a portable SSB might be another great source of weather info when out of reach of cellular data.  I ordered the Tecsun PL-660 and downloaded the HF Fax app for our iPads.  The Captain was able to use the FM antenna that came with the radio to run out to our insulated backstay (our boat was set up up for SSB with an insulated back stay antenna & copper but did not have an SSB radio installed).  I've got the photo connector for the iPad & the USB to 3.5 cord on order.  Even at the dock with a lot of interference, we were able to get some fuzzy maps and were picking up Chris Parker weather broadcasts (we were previously paying for the email updates, which we may still do since they come in the night before).

We'll skip all discussion of our head (toilet)

One of the cabinets in the head had a slight odor, so The Captain changed the hose from the macerator to the holding tank.  He doesn't really have anything else to say about that (except "going to take a long, hot shower").

"WTF?  DADDY?!"

Traveling out of the country with a pet is tricky.  It requires a lot of paperwork and vet visits.  To make things more interesting, each country is different.  On Sept 3rd, I mailed our Bahamian purr-mit paperwork for  "importing" for Amelia the Cat.  (This will waive quarantine on arrival.)  An international money order for $10 + $5 fax service and the Priority Mail was $26 ($6 extra for out of the country and 6-10 days instead of 3-4 days.  They recommend Fed Ex.)  I received a phone call from a Doctor (Vet) on 14th.  She wanted to verify the age of 18 years.  "Well, that's the oldest cat I've ever cleared into the Bahamas!"  She was signing it and said I should see the fax in a few days.  It was a Wed so I gave it a week to arrive.  Then last week, I called daily.  "When did you mail it?"  "The Doctor isn't in."  "Tell me your fax number and I'll see what I can do."  After some panicked begging on Friday, it arrived at the end of day (The fax is in the marina office, so they are tired of me also.)  Now we just need a vet visit for health certificate (basically, a list of immunizations with a USDA stamp.  Hoping to find a marina where we can get an appointment and a courtesy car).

The last step is a vet visit when we get to the island.   We've read that if the cat isn't leaving the boat, these rules are a little more lax.

We're going to Ba?where?

The high temps have held at 80F, so the air conditioner was finally unhooked and stowed below.

The last piece of equipment before we leave is a wifi range extender.  Hopefully, this will help keep us connected without relying on our tethered cellular data.  It didn't get shipped out last week, but I've been assured it will arrive before our scheduled departure on Tuesday.

Bahamas cat permit info:
Bahamas government, Dept of Ag, cat permit

http://www.pettravel.com/immigration/bahamas.cfm

http://www.captdrdave.com/42-2/

Man vs outboard, Part 2

Yeah!

Lower unit is OFF

You may remember that the Captain attempted to drop the lower half of our port (Loki) Yamaha engine in Oriental (a-week-at-dock-to-do-projects).  It wouldn't budge (apparently, we left Annapolis without the previous owner's jig).  Bored, and a hurricane not longer looming, he decided to try again (he's been spraying it with penetrating oil every time we lifted the engines out of the water and was finally able to buy 2 4x4's.)  He finally got it apart!  The good news?  The impeller didn't look too bad--still usable.  The bad news--the impeller didn't look too bad.  Valve clearances checked.  Timing belt checked.  (Amelia and I were thrown out of the cockpit.  "I didn't let her OUT!")  While taking a break in the a/c and internet shopping, he decided to order some hydrofoils for the outboards ($25/each).  So clean up the mess or wait for parts?  (The engine will be left hanging into cockpit for 2 days.)  Amelia's afternoon cockpit naps were cancelled.

Top:  old impeller.  Bottom:  new impeller.

"How come Daddy gets to go out?!"

Yikes

Hydrofoils arrive and are installed!  (although not totally "plug & play").  The engine is dropped back in the well.  "Don't mention the hydrofoils, until we know they work."  Too late.

I hear a knock on the hull.  When I walk out, there is no one there.  "Hey, hand me a phillips."

Starboard engine is pulled out of the well for routine maintenance.  Another setback.  Shifting cable outer housing was rusted through.  It's the Thursday before the Labor Day holiday.  Luckily, The Captain found it on Amazon with one-day shipping.  We cross our fingers the package doesn't fall off the back of the truck.  Meanwhile, the second hydrofoil goes on, valve clearances and timing belt are adjusted.  Thermostat is replaced.  Having this engine out of the well is highly inconvenient, not just for the cat but for us, since this is our route on and off the boat.  

You won't see him sitting and working very often...

The shifting cables arrive the next day and are installed ("10 ft of cable, no zip ties.  If that was an airplane there would be a 100 zip ties.  Perhaps all that securing of things is overrated.")  It's a two person job to push-pull the cables through and I get to enjoy some of the fun that is laying on the floor with my arm in a hole feeling around for something I can't see.  Good times.  Good news?  The engine cables are the right length.  The bad news?  When he opened up the engine to check the impeller, the casting below the impeller was corroded and the bolt snapped in half.   Ordered new lower end.

An adaption of a recipe from Oriental, NC (D from Southern Cross)

It's a little cooler in the mornings, so I'd been wanting to bake something.  One Thursday, after following the locals to the busier table at the Farmer's Market, I discovered some fig preserves.  SCORE!  

Fig Cake/Muffins (GF)

• 3 Tbsp butter/coconut/olive oil, melted
• 1/4 c. honey (optional, see below)
• 2 eggs, beaten (or gelatin substitute)
• 1 c. fig preserves, chopped (reserve liquid or substitute for honey)
• 1 tsp baking soda stirred into 1 Tbsp hot water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp high-quality vanilla extract
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp allspice (1/2 tsp cinnamon & 1/2 tsp clove)
• 1/2 c. whiskey (or rum)
• 3 c. blanched almond flour (1 bag Bob's Red Mill or blanched almonds ground in a food processor)
• 1 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped

• In a mixing bowl, adding almond flour & walnuts last, throughly stir together all ingredients.  Scoop into greased or lined muffin pan, filling each 3/4 full.

• Bake in a preheated 310F oven for 20-25 min (45-50 for cake), or until lightly browned (toothpick comes out clean).  Allow to cool before removing from pan.

• (Force 10 boat oven:  raise shelf as high above flame as possible.  Place 6-muffin pan (ie. cut silicon muffin pan in 1/2.  I cook in two batches for more even baking), on a cookie sheet and put in the oven before lighting--add approx 7 min to cooking time.  Start on high then decrease when oven reaches 310 (mine doesn't like to go that low--below 2 it blow out when you close the door).  Turn frequently--open door if temp get too high.  These muffins burn on the bottom.)  

The marina hosted a Labor Day Low Country Boil.  I discovered at the last minute that it was "potluck--optional."  Dang it.  Quick run to the grocery store for Captain-requested green beans and bacon.  The food was excellent and we left in a food coma.  We may be less experienced than our dock neighbors, but we know from our background in aviation that "It's time to go home when the Jager & Red Bull comes out."

Waiting for parts...

While waiting for the lower end, the Captain did some other routine maintenance around the including cleaning the fridge strainer.  It was really scummy and soon he realized the water-cooling pump had quit working.  Order another part.  (He added a LED light on the front of the locker than houses the pump.  Now we can monitor how often it is running.  He is really worried about his beer getting warm!)

The new, shiny lower end arrives with a bonus zinc.  DONE.  That only took 10 days...

PS.  The dinghy outboard also got new "fins"

Random musings from dock 6

Catching the blog up with the our Facebook page:

Another sunset from the marina (bathroom!)

Life on a boat:  "What shall we do today?"  "Let's lift up the cockpit floor and check for leaks."  "Sounds fun."  It was a cool, non-humid morning so I headed out to scrub the water line with my new scrub brush (Thanks, baby!) and clean the Brunswick scum off of the fenders.  The Captain followed me out and decided to lift up the cockpit floor to check for leaks.  We didn't even lift this up on our survey?!  He got it up to a 45 degree angle and after some examination, I helped lift it upright.  Everything was scrubbed down and sprayed with Corrosion X.

Lifting up the cockpit floor

The fuel tank under the cockpit floor

Upon returning inside to the a/c, I decided to clean out the pantry/storage.  I'd been wanting to remove the door for easier access to the shelves behind it.  In the process, I discovered an inspection hole that Captain hadn't looked in.  It was a seacock he hadn't identified.  That should keep him busy for awhile.

See the feet?!

Amelia took a nap in the cockpit.

"Is this a good place to take a nap, Dad?"

The "recanvasing" job is still ongoing.  The Captain completed the second line bag by recycling the old windshield and using the previous snaps.  However, his finale is the refashioned cabin-top winch bag.  He divided it into three sections for the reef 1, reef 2 and genoa furler lines.  After constant complaining while underway from the First Mate, he also added loops for glasses/sunglasses.  Very nice :-)

Cabin top line bag, before

Cabin-top winch bag with glasses loops, after

There also has been constant talk of adding extensions onto our dodger to keep the rain out.  (Ideally, we'd love to have the ability to full enclose the cockpit for bugs or cold weather but it's tricky) The Captain fashioned a starboard cockpit dodger extension from scraps that could be snapped on quickly and removed to allow a breeze.  The port side will have to wait for another #Sailrite order, but at least the helmsman will be dry.

All-new dodger extension.

It's hard to see in this pic, but another original design by The Captain--fender bags from left-over phifertex:

Fender bags, starboard side

Recipe:
Pickled Jalapenos (that can be canned)
½ c. vinegar
½ c. water
2 Tbsp sugar or honey, optional (adjust for desired heat)
1 Tbsp pickling salt
5 jalapenos, sliced
2 pint jars

Bring vinegar, water, sugar & salt to a boil. (Add jalapenos & simmer for 5-10 min.) OR pour brine over sliced jalapenos in the pint jars.  Let cool. Refrigerate.

Another first:  2 mile bike ride Newcastle beer run (in GLASS bottles).  No casualties.  I rode behind My Captain, Oh Captain because a failure would be EPIC!  Didn't want to miss that pic.

Newcastle in glass bottles.  No casualties.

Occasionally, we over-shop and end up looping grocery bags over the handlebars.  This isn't perfect, since it affects maneuverability, but I made a "grocery" bag out of canvas anyway.  It has come in handy on office runs to pick up packages, holding laundry detergent during laundry runs and stowing the rain jacket.

Grocery handlebar bag,  before

Canvas grocery bag, after

We see lot's of fish splashing around the boat.  We've heard rumors of manatees, dolphins and the occasional shark fin in the marina.  Then finally, while talking to a dock neighbor, we saw a huge pod of strange looking fish go by.  We speculated it could be the baby bull sharks we'd heard about.  What do you think?  Zoom in & check out the tail:

Bull shark, mexicorelax.com

Baby bull sharks?! at our dock

When we cook on the stove, we have to open a hatch for circulation.  The easiest is the hatch above the stove (although leaving the companionway door open is a possibility if the bugs aren't bad).  However, when it rains, the water off the deck eventually forms a river into the stove's hatch.  It's also not fun cooking in the heat without an exhaust fan.  SO, we finally spend the money on a port visor from Seaworthy Goods ($50).  It limits how much we can open that hatch (or I would have bought two for ventilation) but it stops the river.  Then I found a portable USB fan at West Marine.  Some people use computer exhaust fans, but I couldn't find one any cheaper than this.  For $6.99, it can be plugged into one our portable battery packs and hung outside the screen.  It actually works good and got Captain's approval.

USB fan & port visor = cooking in the rain :-)

I'm sore the day after round two of scrubbing the water line.  This time I used the dinghy (lower from davits, pump it up, readjust dock lines to get it out from behind the boat--45 min), the scrub brush and a scraper.  On top of the normal growth, we had some little mollusks(?!) up on the bow.  The Captain had just got back from a bike ride and was not happy when pressed into service to hold the dinghy painter while I worked.  The baby crabs were also not happy that I was scraping off their food.  Small shrimp also feast on the growth (which sounds like rice krispies inside the boat and it was getting LOUD!).  Even the Dock master stopped by and asked why we didn't just hire the divers like everyone else.  (Because we just can't pay someone else to do something we could do ourselves!)  However, we can't reach the inner sides of the hulls without getting in the water and that's not going to happen.  The water here is murky and dirty.  No way we're actually getting in the water.  We have snorkels but not wetsuits.  We'll probably will hire the diver before we leave, but after hearing a fellow sailor had to pay double because his bottom was so bad, I'm happy I attempted to get the worst off.  

Somewhere in here, we tried to cook pizza on the grill.  It was late.  We didn't do any "research."  I heard there was quite a fireball :-0  Crust burnt.  Cheese "smoked."  $16 wasted (actually, The Captain scooped off the cheese & pepperoni and served it on crackers.  Quite good, but makes you realize how much of your pizza is just melted cheese).  It's cheaper to go out for pizza...

Second wedge pillow for the Captain (for the record, stuffed with beach towels & his winter coat.  Gonna be looking for those later...)

I spoke to my sister the other day, and thanks to our blog, she's impressed with how much work we do to keep our lifestyle going vs sitting in a fancy yacht club drinking Rum Runner's (because it's just free cheap wine Mon/Wed/Fri & free cheap beer on Saturdays!  Nothing fancy)