I long for the day when my spring prep meant dragging my 12′ aluminum boat down the 3 crooked timber and dirt steps to the beach, a drag of less than 50′, and all downhill. That was followed shortly after by a tug or two on the chord of the outboard… and off I went to explore another early spring day on The Harbor. I recall one early spring exploration where I came across a mooring right in the middle of the harbor… this never was here before, I thought. It must have been taken for a ride by the winter iceflows, and now qualified as free for the taking. I hauled it aboard, with nary a care about scratching my dear old Grumman with its chain and barnacles. I had myself a nice ‘new’ mooring with a 75lb mushroom anchor attached. What a score!

Now, spring prep seems so daunting. Not that the list itself is daunting…I can accomplish everything on the list, and each item is relatively simple to do… but what’s daunting is finding the time to do it all. I’ve spoken about lists before, and I sure do love my lists — but I hate them too. For instance, as I sit here writing, on this gray, soggy day, the sky is beginning to brighten and I might even see a patch of blue sky big enough to patch a sailors pants. All of a sudden my slow paced day, turns into a potentially frantic day of wondering what projects I can get done, with the fear that everyday henceforth might be rainy and/or windy — piss poor conditions for varnish, paint or other outside projects.

Yesterday was decent enough to get a coat of paint on the bulwarks and size up the dodger frame, get it mounted and eyeball the shape a bit. Mind you this was my second attempt at the dodger frame. I had mis-measured my frames and made them 30″ too wide… slight mis-calculations! I opted for the DIY dodger kit from Sailrite. Perhaps a bad idea… seeing as time is often against me.

I’m very particular about dodgers. I like them to do their job, but nothing more. I don’t like them to be in my way, I like them to be in the spray’s way. So I mounted, and fiddled, unmounted and cut, remounted and fiddled, unmounted and cut, remounted and fiddled and found it to be to my liking. It’s low and narrow, not in the way of going forward or of the stays’l winch, and not in the way of going below.

Next step: Patterning.

Disclaimer: this is a casual, off the cuff, stream of consciousness update… oh and before I forget, you probably noticed the new header design…I like it, what about you?

RAW
I’ve been eating a raw diet lately. It’s rather trendy now, but when I first got into it around 2006 it was less known, and harder to find info about…but it was on it’s way to becoming bigger, I could tell. Now there’s tons of sites, books, blogs and gourmet recipes floating around — making it a lot easier to stick with it. I’m  about a month into it, with a few days of cooked food here and there, but that doesn’t bother me. I’ve lost  8  or 9lbs, feel great, desire raw foods over cooked foods, and don’t think I’ll ever go back to eating a diet of mostly cooked foods. Once in a while I get a hankering for a burger, but those cravings are waning. The thing I figure is that when I’m out with friends, I’ll eat cooked food, and enjoy it. And for now, I’m keeping that kind of socializing to once a week… so that puts me at a 20:1 ratio raw to cooked meals per week.

Raw Marinara Over Zuchinni

ONE SIMPLE QUESTION
I’ve been working on getting this movie idea up and running. So far so good. We launched the site, have a few advisors helping us plan, and will be launching a Kickstarter fundraising campaign within the next few weeks. Please check out the site One Simple Question and sign up for email list. There is also a Facebook page, please become a fan there too. It’s going to be alot of work, but we are real excited about the concept and working on a film of this magnitude. If you are in the film industry or know anyone in the independent film industry, we are looking for more folks to team up with.

Dory's a HAM too

HAM RADIO
I have always wanted to know more about the SSB and HAM radio. The primary reasons are so that I can tune into weather reports, get weather files, send and receive email, and check in on the Nets while offshore. So, at the suggestion of Ed Zacko, I went down to the local Amateur Radio club here on Long Island, and got myself a study book, and set my exam date for late February. I hope to find a new HAM radio for the boat before we leave in June, so if you know of any good used ones for sale, drop a line – ideally an ICOM706.

VARNISH
What post on BCCElizabeth.com would be complete without a tid-bit about varnish? I’ve started the Spring varnish work. First task, the interior, and of that, the removables are getting done first: drawers, doors, and ladders. Yes, my favorite recipe for interior varnish is Epifanes Rapid Clear. I like the semi-gloss and I can recoat in 3-4 hours, which really speeds up the job.

Varnish Bits

SAILING SIMPLICITY
We just launched a new design on sailingsimplicity.com. Check it out, let me know what you think. Besides doing the new design, I’m going to start writing over there as well. But don’t worry BCCELIZABETH.COM, you’ll always be my #1 blog. Teresa has some exciting news: an upcoming article in Liveboard Magazine entitled “Why Two Boats”… a story about why we sail two different boats. She also did a live skype interview on the local ABC station in Traverse City, MI. And there’s one more cool opportunity she’s been invited to, but I don’t think I’m allowed to talk about it yet.

So… exhale…  check out the new sites and sign up, join, like, follow — all of the things we do nowadays when we think something is cool.

This is my 3rd winter living aboard a boat. Two winters were aboard Chamois, my Nor’sea 27, and this winter is my first aboard Elizabeth. In the past I’ve relied on a kerosene heater used in conjunction with an electric oil filled radiant heater on a timer. When I arrived home, I’d fire up the kerosene heater to kick up the temperature. Often I could get the cabin up to 85º… a bit overkill. This time around, I’m not using the kerosene heater. Not because I don’t want to, but because I have yet to locate the burner rebuild kit…which is somewhere aboard Elizabeth. Speaking of which—I designed this handy-dandy diagram to aid in keeping track of where things are stored in my various lockers and storage cubbies—but never got around to taking inventory and actually writing down what is where. C’est dommage.

So this winter, as I was saying, I’m not using the kerosene heater. What I’m finding is that that condensation problem I experienced in previous winters has been nearly non-existent. I attribute that to (1) electric heat being a dry heat, (2) the boat isn’t getting to 85º anymore, and (3) I’m not cooking aboard (creating steam), except for the occasional tea. I’d say the warmest I’ve gotten the boat is about 70º. I typically see interior temperatures of 62-67º when I’m aboard.

Elizabeth has a larger interior space to heat than Chamois. I do keep the head door closed, in an effort to reduce my heating requirement. I’ve put down that closed cell foam home gym interlocking flooring you can buy at sports stores. That really helps keep my feet from freezing. Bubble wrap also works very well on the portlights and behind books on shelves. I have put reflectrix in the skylight and around the mast—which at this point is just a huge aluminum heat sink running right through my living room! I’ve covered the locker vents with tape to keep the drafts to a minimum, and I’ve draped blankets and towels over the engine room door to help insulate that large surface area.

I do experience some condensation next to my bed, which is right up against the hull. When I snuggle into my sleeping bag, I do find some ice where the sleeping bag was touching the adjacent wall all day. Fortunately, Sam L Morse boats have  3/8″ insulation between the hull and the interior walls. I believe that really helps this boat stay a bit warmer and drier in winter.

Ideally I’d have a wood burning stove to compliment the electric heater. If I do this winter up north thing again, I will definitely install one…or perhaps for an early summer trip to Newfoundland?! But for now, this is working out just fine, and I love living aboard, even in winter…

A cool little storm blew through the east coast this week. I was spending the holidays with my brother in Mass. this year. But with the forecast of 55kts and 18-24″ of snow, I thought it best to return home to my lonely, cold Bristol Channel Cutter, Elizabeth. I’m glad I did, it got rough in the harbor with the NNW wind gusting to 50kts. There’s about a 3/4 mile fetch when the wind is from the North. A few boats parted their lines, bumping other boats next to them. A few boats lost their covers, which flailed around all night causing a horrible racket, adding to the intensity of the night, and an old dock broke in two.

I doubled some of my lines and doubled some of the derelicts lines next to me… I didn’t want him to come knocking on my hull in the middle of the storm. I had removed my cover for some repairs, and decided it’d be best left off for the blow, reducing windage and the potential for a blow out. I figured some snow on my deck was a better option. Here’s some pics and a short vid, which is from the early part of the storm, before it got really crazy. Elizabeth and I survived just fine, stayed warm and we even got a decent nights sleep!

All of a sudden it’s 26º every night here in NY. The engine is not winterized yet, I didn’t get a chance to fill up my water tanks before the marina shut off the water and I don’t have winter cover built yet. Oh well. I’m keeping the boat at a tolerable 57º right now. I have a small blanket I keep on my lap, which really helps increase the comfort level and eases the back tension.

A few winter alteration photos here to get you in the mood. The bubble wrap on the portholes, helps me feel like I’m insulated, without sacrificing natural light. An electric heater (with thermostat AND timer!) which makes a gurgling sound leads me to believe I’m warmer then I really am, and the foil/bubble insulation in the skylight screen… helps keep in those extra few degrees the heater puts out. New additions today are a perfect fit foil insulation at the main companionway …just a lucky cut; and some small runner-carpets on the sole.

A year ago today I was in Vero Beach, and enjoyed a lovely dinner out with my friends Maxwell & Jen… who are now in the Carribean on their Baba 35… check their blog out… it’s helping to keep me sane (keeping my head in the game) this winter.

This is a public announcement: THIS IS THE LAST WINTER I WILL SPEND UP NORTH ON MY BOAT!

…As I type this. It’s 35º this morning. I’m moored in Huntington, waiting for more boats to get hauled out so that dock space becomes available for my winter berth. The Kerosene heater is cranking out as many BTUs as it can, it’s currently 41º in the cabin. I’m burning the extra refined kerosene fuel which runs about $10/gallon at the local hardware store, but it’s worth it. No odor, no smoke. Maybe today I’ll finally get that carpet for the cabin sole I’ve been meaning to get for weeks.

There’s definitely been a shift from water to land in my life. I spend the majority of my time ashore, and driving it seems. With my weekly 600 mile trips to New Hampshire to see my Dad, I decided it’d be best to invest a fuel efficient vehicle. I picked up a 2001 Volkswagon TDI. So far it’s been great. I’ve been averaging about 1k miles per week… which means I fill up about twice a week. Way too much driving. The heat works, which is a real nice upgrade for me! I figure I spend alot of time in the car, so I’m investing in a few little bells and whistles to further enhance to the Fahrvergnügen. A Garmin GPS and an Ipod adaptor. Now I just “need” an Iphone so I can run the GasBuddy app and find those diesel stations during fuel shortage emergencies.

Before my attentions were stolen by the new car and other lubberly pursuits, I did manage to get a few coats of interior varnish laid. I think I should be able to carry on throughout the winter with the interior varnish project… keeping the cabin at 55º once at the dock should be no trouble, using the electric heater. I’m using my favorite Epifanes Rapid Clear. It’s semi gloss with UV protection. I like the way the semi gloss brightens the cabin so far… and I’m filling in some of the grain forming a smooth, easy-to-clean surface.

Other news:

The Air Breeze crapped out on me. I sent it back for warranty repair which took about 2 weeks. I re-mounted it the other day. Funnily enough, it still doesn’t work. Same symptoms – no power, no blinking light, it starts up, then brakes suddenly, causing a shudder throughout the boat, then starts back up and the cycle begins again. Very annoying to be around. I’m pissed.

I’m back to the gym and running. I was about 10lbs overweight, after a lethargic summer, too many cookies while Rick was here and just general apathy about my health. I’ve been able to run regularly, which is new for me. I had been getting muscle tears and horrible pain in my calves. I finally learned that this old mans body MUST stretch before and after running now… as a kid, I never really needed to. I’ve decided to train for my third marathon. I’m thinking destination marathon this time, perhaps France this spring.

Tiller Pilot is still broken. It was sent in for warranty work once already this summer, but came back dysfunctional. Great customer service – prompt and helpful, but solve the problem they did not. It’s a Simrad TP32. Symptom: Go below for snack, or to check chart, come back on deck to find boat 70º off course.

Running from Nevercane Earl has brought me to Long Island, NY… a wretched hive of scum and villainy, and has put me that much farther (3 additional days) from Maine… The Promised Land.

The combo platter described above has led me to cancel my sail to Maine this year. Once again, I will not be going to Roque, or Jonesport. There is however, grumbling amongst the tribe about a 2 month cruise to Newfoundland next summer… so that might make up for it.

So… anchored in the familiar waters of Stony Brook Harbor, my ancestral fishing grounds, I am spending time adjusting to a new/old life living aboard in the burbs of NYC. Let me just say, that “New York State Of Mind” you’ve probably heard about… it sucks. I’ll grow numb just like the rest of them soon enough, but at least I know what it’s like on the outside.

But on a happier note… I “fixed” my droopy license plate problem on the VW. Zipties for the win.

Upon first getting the turbine wired up, and spinning, I thought it wasn’t making much power. I thought I had a dud… another defective Air Breeze. Southwest Windpower has had alot of complaints about the Air Breeze and the Air X. Both are the cheapest in the small turbine category. They both have internal regulators, so nothing more to buy except some wire, a switch and a fuse. But usually… you get what you pay for. You hear and read about people having bad customer service experiences, regulators failing within a few months, blades disintegrating, etc. Knowing all this, I really wonder why I bought one of these units so prone to failure and complaints. Guess it comes down to price and my penchant for playing the odds!

The Air Breeze specs are in kilowatts per month… not exactly the way I want to measure my output. I’m dubious of such convoluted specs. I want to see amps per knot of wind. Since getting the amp meter wired and confirming my power generation, I’ve seen good things. Winds have been strong lately, and I have a new appreciation for breezy nights at anchor.

Here’s a short video demonstrating the kind of power I’m seeing on a breezy night like tonight…

Doesn’t matter where you are — springtime means boat projects. I’m knee deep in 4 or 5 projects, simultaneously. I never was one for focusing on a single task; starting and finishing it in one day. I like to open a handful of projects, then proceed to let them linger for months. Gives me time to ponder the best solution I like to think. I enjoy the process. After all, it’s the journey, not the destination right? Typically, I’ll move into a semi-panic mode as a cruising departure deadline nears, and then it all gets done lickity-split. Dead lines… make great baggy wrinkle.

Perhaps a year of dreaming, wondering, researching and contemplating have all gone into the wind generator project. It’s nearly done. It’s mounted, spinning and making power. But I still need to properly run the wires and install the kill switch. It’s a little noisier then I had remembered based on listening to other Airbreezes on friends’ “yachts”. Oh, wait — it just started up again, and I can barely hear it over my music. Perfect! Actually, I’ve noticed it’s quieter at higher wind speeds. Interesting.

The install is easy. With the internal regulator, there is minimal work to do to get it up and running. I used 8 AWG wire for the run to the batteries. I combined the ground and the negative wires inside the pole, so I only need run duplex through the transom. The slow blow 20 amp fuse is 3″ from the batteries, and uses a 12 AWG jumper. Still looking for a solution to stick with the 8 AWG right to the battery, but for now it’s fine.

The pole kit was bought from emarineinc.com. I prefer their polished tubes to the typical white painted poles you often see with the Southwest Windpower turbines. The main aluminum tube came pre-drilled and the inside is coated with a vibration dampening substance. The smaller support tubes are 1″ SS tube. The entire mount sits on rubber for vibration reduction. Currently, I feel absolutely no vibration below. This is a good thing, cause I’ve been on some boats with wind generators, and it feels like an endless freight train is going by. Nice work emarine.

I’m looking forward to seeing how much power this turbine makes for me over time. I’d like to think, that with my 80 watt solar panel and this wind turbine I’ll be able to keep up with the fridge and the Macbook Pro. I have plans to swap out my single 80 watt panel for two smaller, but narrower 65 watt panels, one for each lifeline, port and starboard.

There are good days and bad days for doing laundry. It’s something you have to plan ahead for. The nearest laundromat is about 2 miles away. No bike. I’ll be recycling my underwear tomorrow. Today’s forecast: