Ship's Log #4
Well, It's now October and I have been busy...confusing to me because I look around and it looks like I have been lazy. Weird, I don't see many changes...but maybe if I list them...
I finished the refrigeration. How nice! Even put a tile top on it! Works like a charm.
It won't keep ice cream real frozen, but 'not quite melted' either. I have loaded up the dead
space in it with can sodas, maybe that will make a difference. It keeps and freezes ice real well.
Could it be something to do with the fat content? Gonna have to try meat and see how that does.
Well, with the extra load on the batteries for the refrigeration, we needed a 'provider'.
We decided on a solar panel. 120 watts, gives me an extra 100 amps a day, on paper at least.
So far so good. It takes a good 3 days of no sun before I start up the battery charger, which
will be the diesel when we are moored out. When we move aboard we will have the time to turn the
panel towards the sun as it tracks across the sky. That will improve the panel's performance even more.
The bad thing
about the panel is we now have to get from the dinghy to the boat from the side of the boat.
The panel blocks the back of the boat. This might be changed, I am still thinking...
I bought a bunch of striped canvas/jean type material at Walmart and sewed together some nice
awnings for the boat! They aren't waterproof and are showing some mildew spots. But for about $45
we have some nice shade and I will wash them in a empty cooler this week!
I installed the SSB,(single sideband radio). After months of contemplating, I decided to put it in the aftcabin, yea
, where we sleep. It is closest to the antenna wire and it really is quite comfy to tune and listen
. Lots of space to set up the puter too! I downloaded a program called WESAT from the web and it alows me to
plug a jack from the ext. speaker on the SSB to the mic input on the laptop and download weather
faxes free! That also works like a charm. Even the program is free! Now if they would just make
a free email program....
Speaking of puters, we splurged and picked up a new laptop at Office Depot! I am writing this
on that... Then came the digital camera we had to have...I took these on that...
and the hand held GPS...heheheh, oh well.
We have saved other places...
I am now in the process of repairing the rot around the cockpit. I have already replaced the
hatch tops and constructed new hatch covers that will drain the rain away. Here's where I am
sanding the paint and fiberglass in prep for a new coat of paint. Nasty work. I am also cutting
and filling holes in the head. There were random circular holes in a few places that I am
cutting square and fitting with access panels.
Well, I guess I have done some thing after all!
Got to run...cast off date of November is just around the corner...till next time...
Gary
~~~_/)~~~