Chip & Debbie Willis on s\v Elegant'sea: 2011

Safety gear mounted on Bimini hardware - 2011

We got some safety gear mounted and that is kind of as big deal. It is because we first needed to define the cockpit space and bimini area for all the other gear such as Kato Marine Island Davits, and Air Breeze wind generator etc. With the struts installed for the Kyocera Solar KD-135GX 135 Watt 12 Volt Solar Electric Panels we were left with a couple of choices.

One strut on.

Today we mounted the Air Breeze wind generator pole on the boat. It is still very temporary but were getting an idea of how long the struts need to be and can we add one. There are some basic measurements that need to be met and one we cannot.

We went to Keystone Brothers and picked up another 24’ piece of 1” SS tubing.

We used some for the new struts we put on the bimini to keep it from swaying side to side from the weight of the solar panels.

Salon windows - first one installed! - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

The new window looks soooo nice! We did not realize we were losing all the color!

Refer\ Courtesy light switches glued into place

Debbie also glued on the switches for the refer and courtesy light. They wrok great. We would have chosen a brushed SS cover for the light you see instead of the polished had we known it would have matched up better with the faucet and stove hood.

This may be an excuse to buy another :)

Refer lid (top) insulation glued on the forward one - 2011

Debbie also glued two pieces of Dow Blew board insulation together for the back freezer second layer.

Debbie glued on the insulation to the refer galley side top. Now there is the galley side top aft that is left to do. Also, we want to add another layer to the freezer tops.

How exciting! Tomorrow we are starting our new window project in the salon. This should be fun, and it is almost instant gratification!

Pot holder

Here is one of those little projects that makes life easier. The towel holder in the galley the PO put in is actually recessed into the teak bulk head under the brass bar that goes across the stove.

This has one holder for a towel. We put a pot holder and a couple towels on it. Of course one is always falling off and the one you want is the last one on the hook.

We plan on replacing this with something else. We took out the recessed SS piece so we could size up the replacement part.

New knob on companionway door! - 2011

Getting the drill ready.

This was a simple little project that makes life easier. We have been using the key to open the companion way door to get into the boat. Not always easy and eventually this will probably wreck the lock.

Wiring the Blue Sea Systems T fuse block in the head - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

Wire to be run from the head to by the nav station under the settee.

We decided the FROLI® Sleep System was what was going to be our priority on our winter break.

Radar mount

We have been looking at this product for a radr mount.

rileymarineproducts.com

Companionway door latch installed - 2011

Our new latch for the companion way doors is on.

Electric dinghy pump extension wired - 2013

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

We got the air pump extension wired up and ready for testing, that is on the air pump end.

Rigworks - Rig inspection, estimate cost etc - 2011

2011 - Marina Cortez San Diego, CA

Report from meeting with Ray/Rigworks regarding condition of our sailboat rigging December 20, 2011

Spreaders

· We have LaFell (sp?) system

· Could some basic “housekeeping”

· New spreaders would cost $500

Backstay is the oldest – surface rust can be seen and material different than other stays

· Replace especially due to work for SSB Radio

Other stays seem to be at half-way point of life span (West Marine says 6 years, standard thinking is 10-15 years)

Headsail wire

· Move unit down with halyard pennant

Winches need servicing

Lifeline turnbuckles need safety wiring

Lines led aft

· $5,000 just for hardware

Our questions for Ray – his responses in bold:

Electric heater

We were sitting in the salon and smelling burning something electrical. Thinking it was the electric heater I picked it up and changed the setting to 750 watts instead of 1500 watts.

Notes for removing windows

After the trim ring is off with the flex blade putty knife under flange and cut along and even may need to use a hammer to cut through on the outside of the window.

Round corner of putty knife

Puss out at times

Use a razor knife and push out at times

Use a sharp chisel and clean out side surface well

Use 240 sand paper and scotch bright etc

Use Acetone then denatured alcohol

Put on little finger size bead of sealing compound

Put in two screws at top and bring in with screw driver, do not push window in.

Marinco shore power connection

We just ordered a Marinco 304EL-B Marine 3-Wire Contoured Poly Locking Power Inlet (30-Amp, 125-Volt, Male) from Amazon. This will replace our existing old shore power connection. At a later date we will get another one of these for a separate 30 amp circuit for the AV\Heat salon unit.

Xantrex charger\inverter wired-works - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Cortez San Diego, CA

Going down!

Saturday was a weird day. Our tow main projects were getting the lower food storage organized with the new lazy Susans and wiring up the Xantrex charger\inverter. Debbie was going to tackle the first one and me the second.

Canvas bag refurbish, moldy - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Cortez San Diego, CA

Getting it done by other means 😏

Sometimes it is just not easy to get stuff done. To this means we have a nice canvas bag that is getting moldy and looking a bit bad. It just is the time and weather factor now so this went to work with me and is now soaking by the dumpsters. I will scrub it at lunch and then bring it home to the boat to finish drying. At the current conditions of the weather this will take a few days.

Organizing the bottom food storage area, empty it first - 2011

Some of the items removed

Electrical dingy pump extension wire came-plugged - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

First the air pump extension wire arrived. It coils real nice and that’s what we were hoping for.

Charger\inverter wiring

Did some wiring or tried to last night for the charger\inverter. First we stopped at ME and got 5’ of 3\10 wire and then at the boat stripped both ends and tested the length for fit. It looks to fit real good. The tried to put the one of the strand into the cable holder but it was just a bit too long. Hardly enough wire to trim. I tried another but got frustrated and quit.

I is just eight hours of work and stopping at the store and blab la I did not feel like being fiscally uncomfortable doing this work. I moved on to the galley light which is easy to get at.

Galley imtra Majorca LED Courtesy Light installed! - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

Yes we installed our imtra Majorca LED Courtesy Light and it looks great.

Picked up the companion way door latch at San Diego hardware Co. Special Order # 885823

Sure looks and feels good. Now to see if it will work out for us.

SHURflo 94-030-02 DRIVE ASSEMBLY came

The SHURflow pump rebuild kit came in fact two of them came. I mistakenly clicked the thing twice so we got two. The good news is we can send one back and get needed cash :)

Two lazy Susan’s for food storage

Debbie picked up two lazy Susan’s from Bed Bath and Beyond (BBB) and will install them in the lower food locker in the companion way stairs.

One is 18” round and I forget what size the other is. Will let you know and if they both fit.

Debbie thinks both may fit inside the space. It is a surprisingly large space.

Electric dinghy pump extension wire socket wired - 2011

We would have put it on top of the 30 amp power cord but there will be another one of those added and there was an existing hole to be filled anyway.

New sail estimates - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

We are getting estimates for new sails and will be looking to get a stack pack and lazy jacks to replace our Dutchman system and sail cover.

We are also thinking of a sail track or a new type of sail slugs for ease of use.

Installing the imtra Majorca LED Courtesy Light in Galley - 2011

December 2012 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

Our imtra Majorca LED Courtesy Light came and is just what we wanted. It will work great for filling the whole in the bulkhead. Now to finish wiring it up and mounting the light!

We stopped at Marine Exchange after work and picked up some solder less terminal ends for this and the AC\Heat project.

More refer lid Dow Blue board insulation

We cut the final refer lid Dow Blue board insulation. We will add two more inches to parts of the freezer lids make some parts four inches thick and some two inches thick. There will be two inches on the refer two lids. One piece needs to be glued together so we can have it big enough to cut to size.

Xantrex 2000 watt charger\inverter wiring - 2011

Had to add some temporary electrical tape in a couple spots.

Some hurricane holes - Mexico 2011

"My 5 favorite "hurricane holes" are Puerto Escondido, parts of La Paz, Guaymas harbor, Bahia San Carlos, and Puerto Vallarta. They have marinas, fuel, haul outs, and getaway anchorages to avoid cabin fever. I think Topolobampo has potential as a hurricane hole."

The door stop for the starboard companionway door is a bit too thin to reach the coming to stop the door from slamming against the eyebrow if you sling it open.

In the package

Made up a couple of quick teak supports for the cross support for the Nav station wiring. This goes behind the Nav Sation to carry the wires across the open area.

This strip will hold the solar controller wires and 110-volt wire and other wires going across the open space. Need to clean the stuff up!

Brass knob for the companionway door

The brass knob for the companionway door we sized up to find a good location. We cut the screw shorted to fit the thickness of the door and when buying the knob sized it so it would not hit the window when the door is open. It's these little things that can make life so much easier :)

Rigworks for a rig inspection

Ok we will be going to see Ray at Rigworks for a full rig inspection on the 20^th. We will need to get our financial and emotional armor on as it may be like bringing the car to the shop. They tell you need this, that and everything and it will cost the moon. We are hoping not. We are hoping some of the rigging can be done over time and we can spread it out into Mexico and beyond.

We will motor the boat over to the fuel dock by them.

We would like to pull the mast for a lot of other work also though.

Ray said he would try to talk us out of mast steps? We are curious to know why?

Solar panel wires back in cam cleat - 2011

December 2011 - Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

We got the solar panel and flood light wires all wire tied ad back into the cam cleat on the stern from the solar panels.

Halogen dome to LED dome, replaced with LED - 2011

December 2011 - At Marina Cortez Harbor Island, San Diego, CA

The light in Debbie’s hanging locker went out.

Just ordered:

10/2 AWG Tinned Marine Boat Cable - Round 25FT

GIM-WR10/2DCG-XXV

from:

genuinedealz.com

Mopping deck

Got the mop we bought some years back out. We never have used it. At our new marina the boat does not get real dirty so a simple mop up cleans it real nice. After getting up the morning dew was still around somewhat.

I grabbed the mop and went over the boat. Man it cleaned up real nice.

This is the way it should be. The areas that have been waxed cleaned up the best. Goes to show you that the waxing helps. Now for more waxing. Where is that time bank so we can withdraw some time for waxing. Guess you need to save some up first though :)

Lowering and raising the stern steps, a better way? - 2011

They seem like they may bee too far out for a decent angle for lifting the steps up. Now to see if this will work or do we go back to engineering some other solution?

We would like to replace them but neither one of us can reach the nut inside the lazarette that is on the other side of the screw. We have gotten a wrench on it, but they are on for good.

We have the solar controller wired up. We still need to add the batter temperature wire which I forgot to hook up again and eventually the wires to the water heater dump.

Last two struts for the solar panel mounting - 2011

November 2011 Marina Kona Kai Shelter Island San Diego, CA

Banged out another two struts for the solar panel mounting grid on top of the bimini. This will finish off the building of the grid. We are not sure about a back stay support strut but will add two supports for the stern rail on the sides.

Engineering the Garmin electronic package - 2011

December 2011 - - At Marina Cortez Harbor Island, San Diego, CA

We would like ease of use.Touch screen.

The Cadillac package for us.

This is going to be a test for different methods of raising and lowering the stern steps.

Kato Marine, Island Davits stern support straps cleaned up - 2011

December 2011 - At Marina Cortez, San Diego, CA

Mostly finished cleaning up the stern rail support straps.

Looking nice.