Day 6: The Con Leaki

It was a nice run up to St. Pete today.  As the picture below of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge makes clear, there's wasn't any traffic to contend with.  We made it under the bridge without having to lower the mast.  It was close though with only 425' to spare ;-)

I found two more leaks today.  One from the rudder's packing gland and another from the waterlift muffler.  The first is an easy fix.  The second, not so easy.  Especially since I don't exactly know where the fiberglass muffler is leaking.  I'll remove it and do a visual inspection--which is easier said than done.

2015 has certainly been the year of water leaks.  Fortunately the year is almost over. Just in case the woes are going to continue Bicki and I batted around some new names for Nellie.  Con Leaki tops the list.

33nm today and 106nm for the trip. DBH

Day 5: I Don't Wanna Go...

So we didn't :-)  Instead we had a leisurely morning and a nice day in town.  Above is our view of Sarasota on this fine evening.

Running the 5kW Onan genset one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening replaces the approximately 75A/day that Nellie has been using while we sit on the mooring. 

I was startled to realize how inefficient using the genset to charge the batteries is.  Of the 10kW available only 1kW is going into the batteries!  The limiting factor is the speed at which the batteries can absorb the power. 

This is why solar makes so much sense for charging batteries:  the solar panel's output better matches what batteries can absorb.

Conclusion: for Nellie's battery charging while on the hook we'd be better off with a $260 panel than the $5,000 Onan.   It would be lower maintenance too.

0nm today and 74nm for the trip.  DBH

Day 4: Going Nowhere--Today

This cruising life is exhausting.  That's why after three consecutive days underway we decided to R&R today.  OK, the truth is we like Sarasota and see no reason to rush off. 

Nellie's on a mooring ball under the blue dot in the picture above.

0nm today, 74nm total.  DBH

Day #3: Moving, slowly...

It was a leisurely ride to Sarasota this morning.  The houses along the waterway got bigger the closer we got.  For reference, the homes were White House sized about halfway here.

Slip prices are high.  For Nellie it would be around $130/night.  Fortunately Sarasota has a mooring field.  At $25/night, which includes use of a dinghy dock, showers, and WiFi it's much more reasonable.  What we don't get is electric.  But even in Nellie's crippled state, it's hard to justify $105 for electric.  So, to conserve power the refrigerator is now an icebox.  An 8lb block was $4 which drops the net savings to $101/night.  Hmm, a 240W solar panel would be really useful about now.

Got two things repaired today.  A little WD-40 on the head's anti-siphon valve seems to have stopped its small leak.  Yes, I know I claimed to have fixed this very same valve yesterday.  But yesterday's leak was a big one.  Tomorrow I'll probably be discussing how I fixed the small drip from the valve.  The second repair is my favorite kind.  The kind that fix themselves, which is exactly what the main bilge's float switch did today.  It seems enough bilge water sloshed over the float to clear whatever was sticking.  That's good news.  The bad news is all the water that's in the bilge; it's getting by the dripless packing gland.  The gland is dripless alright; I couldn't see a single drip from the solid stream of water coming in! 

12nm today and 74nm total.  DBH

Day #2: Fixing Things Faster than They're Breaking

The first night on the hook is always hard; doubly so when there's a question about the engine starting in the morning.  The anchor chain made noise all night when the winds picked up from the East.  I slept better with the noise knowing that silence (i.e. the anchor dragging) was what I should fear.

We woke to find the batteries at 12.8V.  The batteries aren't short of power, they just can't  deliver it in a short period of time.  So, we can't start the engine with the batteries alone, but otherwise, we're operating pretty normally.

I have eight items on my immediate repair list.  Good news, got one thing fixed.  The toilet isn't spraying fresh water all over the head anymore.  Dousing its anti-siphon valve in vinegar got the valve working.

After a nice long walk on Venice Beach we dropped the hook for the night off Blackburn Point.

33nm today and 62nm thus far.  DBH

Day #1: Escaping the Yard

It's an inauspicious start when the engine won't!  Seems the summer on the hard roasted the batteries.  Fortunately there's enough juice to start the genset.  With it on, and the Trace charger putting out 100A, the Cummins started right up.

With fewer systems working than we'd like we push away from the safety of the Yard and head towards Cayo Costa.

It takes 1-1/2 hours to exit the estuary that the yard is in.  The last hurdle before hitting open water is a lock.  It's a self operated affair that drops us about 2'.

The anchor is down by 1430 and we're off to walk the beautiful beach.  The dinghy, its reworked engine, and new depth sounder works perfectly. 

On the hook at Cayo Costa, FL.  28nm today.  DBH

Nellie's Yard Progress

Nellie is scheduled to launch on 10 December.

It took two days, a quart of blood, and some superglue stitches (don't
push your leg into a hose clamp) to get the transmission's shaft coupler off.

All things being equal a conventional packing gland is less prone to
mishap than a PSS. However, if it's hard to perform the routine
maintenance a conventional packing gland requires, then the maintenance
free PSS is the safer alternative. I decided to stay with a PSS shaft seal
after my bloody forearms revealed how tight the area around the packing
gland is. Naturally this realization didn't occur until after the
conventional packing gland was successfully remounted. Yea, I'm slow on
the uptake, but sure it's the right decision. The $138 PSS rebuild kit
should be here this week.

The refrigerator wasn't cooling. A $133 service call later it's working.
There's a pinhole leak in the top of the icebox. Epoxy is currently
playing the part of the little Dutch boy. It appears to be working.
We'll know shortly if a new Adler Barbour is in Nellie's future.

The paints ($600 bottom, $40 bootstripe, and $70 barrier coat) are on
order and will be applied this weekend.

The dinghy's new $99 replacement depth sounder is installed. It's got a
color screen now. I guess they were having trouble sourcing black and
white ones :-). I'll start the dink's engine today to make sure the ethanol
laden fuel hasn't gummed up the works. The old fuel tank is leaking. It's
time for a $50 new one. The dinghy's hypalon cleaned up nicely and is in
good shape.

Well, that's the update from our treehouse perch in the yard. Reports to
follow as progress continues.

Shrink Wrap Damages Awlcraft

After removing Nellie's shrink wrap cocoon we found some blisters in and some dulling of the Awlcraft paint.

The following is from http://www.awlgrip.com/support-and-advice/tips-for-maintaining-topcoats.aspx

Do not 'shrink wrap' or tightly bind Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat surfaces with plastic wrappings. The cover system, whether synthetic or natural fiber, should be ventilated to allow the coating system to 'breathe'. Do not pull the cover tight to the surface painted with Awlgrip or Awlcraft 2000 Topcoat. This can trap and hold moisture on the surface, resulting in loss of gloss, blistering, or delamination of the topcoat. Do not allow the cover to chafe against the painted surface, a chafing cover, especially when accompanied by airborne dirt, can abrade the surface and cause premature loss of gloss.

Lock me down Scotty

Day #14: At dawn we're treated to a rare sight, the Port Mayaca Lock with both it's gates wide open. The level of Lake Okeechobee is the same as the canal that brought us here. The lock master clears us straight through then coyly adds "But you can tie up if you need the practice." How'd he know?  It only took one lock to get us from the Atlantic up to Lake Okeechobee but it'll take three locks to get us down to the Gulf of Mexico.

Safely moored between the dolphins on the northeast side of the Franklin Lock. 71nm today and 357nm so far. DBH.

To Lake Okeechobee

Day #13: After breakfast aboard Liberty this morning we said our goodbyes to Dave and Bobbi Foresman. It has been a fun trip up the coast with them.

Before heading out of Manatee Pocket we took on 95 gallons of diesel at Mariner Cay Marina. Their advertised price was $2.85/gallon. How then did we end up paying $2.99/gallon? Sales tax; it wasn't included. I can't say I'm a fan of the trend, most notable in airlines, to bait-and-switch prices. "Yes sir, that flight to Rome is only $100 but would you like the $300 upgrade that includes a pilot, a pressurized cabin, oxygen and heat?" Caveat emptor.

In today's picture Bicki is keeping the St. Lucie lock at bay.

Tonight we find ourselves moored between two huge Port Mayaca Lock dolphins on the east side of Lake Okeechobee. We made 35nm today bring the trip total to 286nm. DBH.

No Room at the Inn

Day #12: After all of yesterday's excitement it was nice to have a quiet day just chugging along. Today's unsettled conditions motivated us to bypass Palm Beach and to head toward Stewart. Unfortunately our favorite moorings were full for the evening and so we diverted to Manatee Pocket. I'm happy to report that we didn't hit a single boat today extending that streak to ... one day!

At anchor in Manatee Pocket. 54nm today upping the total to 251nm. DBH.

Oops...

Day #11: A drawbridge, a fast current, a narrow waterway, and three boats all trying to occupy the same space can lead to trouble. That's what happened to us today while up Ft. Lauderdale's New River. The short story is we put a scratch on a docked boat--our rubrail was way tougher than their gelcoat. You meet all sorts of nice people while out cruising. Today was no different. It's the manner in which we met that I don't care to repeat. I've got a feeling the repair will cost more than the $1 I'm using to show the size of the damage. The folks we hit were gracious. He told me he had once holed a boat with the bowsprit of his Hans Christian 43. Ouch.

We're at anchor this evening in Lake Boca Raton. 23nm today and 197nm total.  DBH.

Brave New Crew

Day #10: We sat in the Greyhound station for a hour today being greatly entertained by both the Weather Channel and the folks around us. This winter has been a boon for weather reporters. They seemed giddy while relating the misery. Snow in DC, snow in Philadelphia, and snow in NY where a jet had slid off the end of Laguardia's runway. Oscar worthy reporting came from Dallas where rain had frozen on the roads and then been covered with snow. To heighten the drama the reporter zoomed his camera in on some ice coating an overpass guardrail. It was hard to rip our attention away from the Weather Channel but our immediate surroundings demanded it.

A nicely dressed, middle aged woman, who'd been sitting next to us, walked over to the main passenger door and laid down on the dirty, carpet-less floor for a nap. Waking up a few minutes later she tried to rise. Resisting her efforts were her skirt and the big plastic ficus whose shade she been recently enjoying. On her hands and knees she swayed forward and butted the ficus. The big plastic tree retaliated by falling on top of her. Worthy of WWF the match went back and forth. A young man to our right was making book so I put two bucks on the ficus. Meanwhile a guy with a steamer trunk was trying to convince the clerk that the mammoth thing should be considered a carry-on and thus not subject to the $15 checked bag fee. All the while a jolly, bald, red cheeked and nattily dressed man stood before us calling out the routes of the arriving busses. "Washington, DC", he'd sing out and then add, "If you're going to Miami don't get on this bus." On he went calling out the bus routes all the while seemingly unaware of the craziness going on around him. I have a theory that Alice in Wonderland was written after a visit to a Greyhound Station.

We were in the Greyhound bus station to fetch our new crew member, and Maryland winter refugee, Bob Allnutt. Bob survived 24 hours on a Greyhound bus getting to Ft. Lauderdale. Can PTSD be far off for him?

Still on mooring #1 in the Las Olas field. 0nm today, although it was a 6 mile walk to the Greyhound bus station and back, and 174nm for the trip. DBH.

Bridges

Day #9: This morning, with mixed feelings, we raised anchor and said goodbye to Miami Beach. It's a short trip to Ft. Lauderdale but it's a trip littered with bridges. With a 14' air draft (mast down), Nellie fit under all if them. The same can't be said for a lot of the boats on the ICW today. At low bridges these boats would be backed up waiting for an opening. We'd merrily go around the boats, slip under the bridge and continue on our way. It was a guilty pleasure.

In the Las Olas mooring field right off Ft. Lauderdale Beach. 23nm today and 174nm thus far. DBH.

South Beach Redux

Day #8: No miles on Nellie today but 7 miles on our sneakers. Here's our 'little' walk.

0nm today and 145nm for the trip. DBH.

South Beach

Day #8: It's often hard for me to acknowledge, much less do, but staying in one place is also part of cruising. This is our third day in Miami and it was all about shore excursions: a walk on the beach; through South Beach's malecon; and, of course to the grocery store. Today's picture is of Dave and Bobbi Foresman, off M/V Liberty, and Bicki heavily ladened with their purchases. It doesn't seem fair, we all pour money into our boats and then must walk most places we go...

Still well anchored between Miami and Miami Beach. 0 miles today and 145nm for the trip. DBH.

Abandon Ship

Day #7: Allan and Sally Seymour, Nellie's crew since Key West, jumped ship in Miami today. We did manage to tour the Miami River first though.

Allan got me thinking about bilge pumps--exciting stuff I know. We calculated that a 1" hole in the hull, two feet below the waterline, would let in more than 20 gallons per minute, or roughly 1300 gph. Time to look seriously at Nellie's current configuration.

On the hook off Star Island, Miami Beach, Florida. 10nm today and 145nm total. DBH

Miami

Day #6: It was a short 10nm from No Name Harbor to our new anchorage west of Miami Beach. As today's picture shows, from our anchorage we can the Port of Miami and just beyond that Miami proper. Today's cavalcade of storms kept us boat bound. It was nice to have some time to read and nap.

10nm today making a total of 135nm for the trip. DBH

No Name Harbor

Day #5: Today's forecasted NE 20kt winds never materialized, thank goodness, for it would have made for a long trip to weather up Biscayne Bay. As it was we got off early, 7 am (the mosquitoes were still asleep), and had a pleasant trip up and out of the Keys.

We're chock-a-block full here in No Name Harbor but everyone expects it and that lessens the tensions of proximity greatly.

40nm today which ups the total to 125nm. DBH

Beauty and the Beast

Day #4: Between the beautiful color of the water and the Dolphins that play in our wake, the Keys are a hard place to beat.  

But, since I've been on a roll with anchoring stories, here's what happened today. 

Believe it or not, there is a 35# CQR anchor in the midst of all that grass and sand; really.  Nellie brought this mess up after a quick stop in Community Harbor on Key Largo.  What's really amazing is that the holding was terrible--shades of the Bahamas terrible.  While waiting for the crew to return from a grocery run the anchor had to be reset twice.  And yes, the scope was greater than 6:1. The folks at the local marina said that no anchors work well in the area.  Yea, we got that...

At anchor off Key Largo's Tarpon Basin North.  25nm today and 83nm total.  DBH

Too Little Scope?

Day 3: We spent the day at anchor off Islamorada on Lower Matecumbe Key. The SE wind built this afternoon into a steady 15kts. At around 2100hrs, with gusts into the 20's, the CQR began to drag. We started the engine, recovered the anchor, and then repositioned and reanchored Nellie in a clear spot. No harm, no foul. Fortunately the anchorage is huge, and more to the point, I doubt anyone even noticed our late evening maneuverings. Why did we drag? As with all things it's a management problem. Let's just say that our scope is now 6:1 and that it was significantly less when we dragged.

At anchor, hopefully securely, off Islamorada. 0nm today and 63nm for the trip. DBH

Fog

Day #2: This morning's fog was predicted to clear at 10am, then 11am, then 12, then 1pm. At 2pm we raise the anchor and head out into the still thick fog. Between the radar and chart plotters it's not a big deal to navigate and stay clear of other traffic.  We duck and weave through crab pots and must appear to onlookers as either professionals or drunks.   Our destination is Islamorada--home to Loreli's Restaurant.  Cruising the Keys is as much about the food as the scenic beauty, 75°F temperatures, swaying palms, clear water, and white sand beaches ;-)   The CQR was down and set before total darkness fell.  The dinghy was down and headed to Loreli's immediately thereafter.  

At anchor off Islamorada, Upper Matecumbe Key.  27nm today and 63nm total. DBH

Goodbye Key West

Day #1:  With experienced crew Alan and Sally Seymour, of The Lord Nelson Victory Tug Sally W. #42, aboard, we bravely gave up our slip in the cushy confines of Key West Naval Air Station.  East into the Hawk Channel we went.   The air temperature was 75°F.  Normally I wouldn't mention the temperature but seeing as almost the entire east coast is 32°F or below, I do so if only to remind myself how really nice it is in the Keys.  Steady waves from the south rolled us a bit.  The first opportunity to get on the north side of the US1 highway is at the Bahia Honda Channel.  We did so and thereby traded the bumpy Atlantic for the glassy Gulf.  We anchored this evening off the NW end of Marathon. A new (to us) 35# CQR anchor is being put through its paces.  It seems well hooked but time will tell.

First days out are always a bit anxious, especially after some major maintenance. The good news is that the engine purred and the bilges didn't fill.  

38nm today and 38nm total.  DBH

Electrical Panel and Helm Placards

These were the dimensions the fabricator used to make Nellie's new electrical panel placards.

Night Vision Camera

Repair of Smokestack Chase