Category: Uncategorized

Don’t Read This

Unless you’re a complete boat nerd!

March 11, 2018

“What have you guys been doing?

“What do you still need to do before you go back to the tropics?”

We’ve been out here six years now and there’s a lot of fixin’ to do, as well as  preventative maintenance and things we’d just like to make better. Here’s our long, tedious list, intended to give you a glimpse of our cruising lives and answer the most common question we get: “What do you do all day?!”

……………To do…………….

  • Amex?? address and charges
    (Amex decided they didn’t like our address any longer. Yea, it’s a PO box kind of thing, but that’s all we have. Now what?)
  • Make shaft strut laser holder
    We bent our strut in Tasmania by getting the dinghy painter in the prop. Now we have to straighten it during our haul out.
  • Fix broken engine hatch area – quarter berth
  • Check on NZ Visa extension
    It expires in about three weeks and there’s no word on our extension. Visa issues are a constant for us living this life.
  • Antenna mounts
    Since we installed our new solar panel on the bimini, it’s blocking the signal to the GPS receivers. We’re going to move them up higher but that means a new stainless rail has to be made.
  • Intruder alarm
    Suva is getting a reputation and we plan to go there.
  • Engine gauges issues
    Our water temperature gauge is erratic and not very believeable. Something has to be done.
  • Change/refresh outboard gasoline – too old.
  • go2marine order verification
    We’re getting a new Blue Sea Systems switch panel. I can’t wait!
  • Car registration renewal – I thought that was one land-life thing we left behind, but no!
  • Install fresh water pump switch
    I made a custom switch for our fresh water pump. All that needs to be done is the installation of the switch.
  • Pump switch video – document it!
  • Put Weather stuff on Cyndi’s new computer
  • Finish chart making video(s) – started in New Cal, it’s about time I finish it.
  • Replace 2nd refrig fan with a quieter fan (for the heat of the tropics)
  • Send backup disk away
    We keep a second backup disk at our mail box in the US.
  • Clean waterline – what a mess!
  • New cockpit misters – see link.

………More……..

  • Service windlass
  • Install chain sensor on windlass
  • Anchor chain counter
    I’m designing and building a chain counter that will chirp for each 10 meters of chain out or in.
  • Make postie work again – blog posts via email
  • Paint overboard pole – it’s a disintegrating fiberglass mess.
  • Add sat phone airtime
  • Fix propane detector
  • New Simrad chartplotter Issues and Questions
  • Lube hatch latches
  • Anchor chain end – new shackles
  • Replace all head hoses – yuk!
  • Boom gooseneck freeplay
  • New rudder shaft seals
  • Align prop strut
  • Hydro Cyndi’s scuba tank
  • New scuba tank for Rich
  • Tablet Mount near sea berth
  • New homepage image outside chartplotter
  • Sump pump wire – loose
  • New outboard carb – or new outboard maybe
  • Check spinnaker pole
  • New watermaker breaker
  • New watermaker membrane
  • New watermaker low pressure pumps
  • Move watermaker valves for access from inside cabin
  • Cupholder for Cyndi’s side of bunk
  • Clean bilge – more yuk!
  • Rebuild cockpit small winch
  • Check traveler – why’s it so hard?
  • Wax Hull
  • Secure companionway hatch – so it won’t slide open in a capsize
  • New Toilet seat – so we won’t slide off in a capsize 😉
  • Carpet companionway steps
  • New Dodger
  • Clean cockpit rust stains
  • Replace cockpit harness bolt
  • Charge scube doo – new battery?
  • Install non-return on galley hot water
  • Overhead leaks, glue

— to do in lazarette —

  • Lower engine idle – now that we’ve installed new engine mounts (again!)
  • Replace autopilot hydraulic pump – after six years, it has an issue
  • Replace kinked autopilot hose
  • Seal bottom of rudder sensor
  • New Rudder sensor – it’s suspect.
  • EngineValves, check
  • Check injectors
  • Compression check
  • Oil drain hose
  • Emergency kill switch on autopilot to kill motor power and solenoid

……….. Someday ………..

  • Fuel Jug fill hose in cabin
  • hf radio noise issue
  • Heater fan thermostat
  • Deck chip on port by cockpit
  • Better battery hold downs
  • Add Main furler drum bearings
  • Health insurance
  • Bonding wire to arch
  • Glue old faucet holes
  • Chips on bow

…. Done so far….
Move AC wiring to lower cabinet
Move twoatsea to a new host
Boat insurance
Exhaust elbow upper starboard bolt stripped
Rewire instrument breakers
Buy Backup weather computer
Remove-clean transducer
New offline wikipedia
Computer battery
Send romano camera
Car speakers
Update log on blog
Pickle water maker
Regalvanize anchor – call
Arduino chartplotter alarm amplifier
Install instrument cabinet fan
Finish outside panel wiring (sat phone, phone charger…)
Fix pelican hooks
External alarm video and post
Bow fan 18″ x 18″
Louvers below chartplotter for new, smaller chartplotter
instrument cabinet fan
move battery monitor to lower panel
Oil change
Engine rear main seal
Rebuild pedistal
New engine mounts
New shift cable
New throttle cable
Clean refrig fan
Replace exhaust elbow

True Excitement!

March 5, 2018

It’s kind of fun to watch myself and see the changes in what really excites me as the years pass. After six years away from the US, this was pretty exciting…

We were looking online for Bisquick. Yea, that would have also been pretty exciting, but we didn’t find it. What we did find was an online store, based in Auckland, that sells what they think are American goods. It’s called Martha’s Backyard.

We got a few other items that weren’t quite as stimulating as the mac-n-cheese but are nice to have. Their service is amazing! We received our package the day after we ordered it and the shipping was free. With that kind of service, there are more boxes of mac-n-cheese in our future! Maybe even some hot and spicy  microwave pork rinds – no, I think not! -Rich

Cyclone Gita

February 20, 2018

Ex-tropical cyclone Gita is bearing down on us. It’s lost a lot of it’s punch but it’s still a real storm. Forecasts just a couple of days ago showed gusts up to 60 knots (although it’s losing strength fast).

This is our second ex-tropical cyclone this season. In addition to wind and rain, they bring tropical heat and humidity that’s been most uncomfortable.

But most uncomfortable of all is what Cyndi woke me up with today…

“Knock knock.”
“Who’s there?”
“Gita.”
“Gita, who?”
“Gita ‘nother line on the boat!”

I thought I’d share my pain. -Rich

Medical Kit Survey

February 20, 2018

I received this email today and thought I’d share it with other sailors…

We are a group of medical students from Norway, Germany and India making a customized marine first aid kit as a bachelor thesis at the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen, Netherlands. Unfortunately, not much research actually exists about what problems sailors face whilst at sea. In order to get a better overview, we have created a brief questionnaire that will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. This will provide us information about injuries and illnesses that you may have faced during your trips and how you dealt with them. Feel free to post the link to our questionnaire on your blog if you think your followers have valuable insight to share! If you would like for us to share our findings and recommendations for a medical kit with you, we kindly request that you indicate this in the appropriate section in the questionnaire.

Link to questionnaire: https://goo.gl/forms/Se2pT3n4K2yiIFJa2

The survey took me about 15 minutes to complete and it is well thought out. It got me thinking about our medical kit and I decided I’d find a better first aid at sea book, and oh yea, more good drugs! -Rich