Almost Time To Head North… Already?!
It’s a proven fact, time moves quicker when the ambient temperature is higher. Winter in New England tends to drag on, one dreary month after another. Whereas winter here in sunny Florida is flying by, everyday is busier than the last. Our winter of warmth is beginning to wind down. Well actually, Mr. Warmth has been on vacation this year, so really, our winter of below-normal-temperatures is beginning to wind down.
My boat is a mess. Open projects abound: wind generator install, Monitor windvane repairs, bilge pump rewiring, tri-color repositioning, backstay re-making, refrigeration repair, etc. I’m into push mode again… pushing to get it all done before weighing anchor and heading north.
I’m looking forward to getting underway again.
To follow up on the previous post. All the boats willingly moved from the anchorage. None were towed. Today I noticed, one boat is back in the same anchorage now. No further info.
Ben, Sure would like to crew for you. I will send an email to T. as she requested.
Rick Patton
Ben,
What’s your reasoning for bending your mast? Which wind generator did you go with?
In the South Pacific, we frequently heard the phrase, concerning the wx: “Well usually, ….., but this year, we’re not seeing it!” Year after year, it seemed that records were being set. Coldest, warmest, wetest, dryest, wind direction, you name it. So, your cool Florida wx experience may be a good example of typical cruising!
Dan
Which wind generator did you get? We just got our Air Breeze back from its warranty repair. There were 25 Air Breeze owners in Georgetown that had the same problem. Also met another BCC owner in Georgetown. One day I want to learn the secret BCC handshake.
Dan,
Mast bending is accidental. When I remake the backstay, I’ll make it slightly longer, which will give me more “in the turnbuckle”, and less bend. Glad to hear the norm is the abnorm weather-wise.
Chad,
Which BCC was that? I also want to learn the secret handshake!
Great, I picked up the Airbreeze too. So how long until I have to send it in for repairs? And what are the typical symptoms and problems?
Oi Vey.
I think it was Mandy that I talked to briefly in Georgetown. Our Airbreeze worked great for about 3 months. There will be no question when there is a problem. The turbine will start up, then come to a shuddering halt every few seconds. Hopefully they have remedied the problem in your unit. If it breaks they will actually ship you the parts which is a bit quicker than having to send the unit back in. That is probably what I would do if it happens again. Good news is that ours has been back in action for the past three weeks. We have been in Long Island for four days with a laptop running the entire time downloading movies and the wind gen is still has the batteries fully charged.
Also, Gonzo’s website has just been updated. It partially sunk, was refloated, then gifted to a homeless man – Good read.
Ben,
When I put Shaula’s rigging and mast together after she was trucked up to Seattle from SLM in 1981, the backstay was too short! Arggg! I talked to Sam, and he said send the backstay (it had HF insulators) back to him. I did, and he consulted with the rigger, and the back stay was returned, with an added toggle! It was a bronze toggle, unlike all the rest of the toggles, which were the ss strap-type. Sam said that the rigger assurred him that there was no compromise, strength-wise. When I’ve since redone the standing rigging, using Staylocks, I try to avoid extra toggles, but I suspect that an extra bronze toggle is not a weak link.
Sam suggested that mast rake should be kept to a minimum (2 or 3 inches at the boom), and I think Roger suggests no rake. I moved the mast step aft an inch or so to reduce the rake and of course this helps to reduce weather helm. Your rake looks minimal (until the bend starts above the lower spreaders).
Dan
all those things you have to repair sounds really familiar to me…
By the way which windvane do you have?