Norfolk, VA
To see as much of the world as we can,
Using the smallest carbon footprint we can,
Spending the least amount of money we can,
Making as many friends we can.
We had some problems. Some we solved, some we didn't solve. We had some disputes; they're resolved now. I think.
In the morning, I found that when the dinghy's fuel tank is COLD, it doesn't leak. So we started the day by going ashore. We do love Cumberland Island.
The v-berth tank always leaked. The port side saloon tank now leaks.
The solution seems to involve custom tanks by Dura-Weld. See https://plasticfabricatedtanks.com.
Under the saloon floor we have two choices:
Option 1: Follow the Joie de Vivre plan and …
The sea chest sounds so nautical and "yo-heave-ho," but it isn't. It's also called a water box; it's the manifold where sea water comes in for the various systems that use it. Once upon a time, we had air conditioners, a fridge, and two heads that flushed with sea water …
We have a bilge pump counter. Over the last few weeks we've been severely worried about the counter being non-zero.
Non-zero bilge pump counter is a sure sign of a leak.
When we return to the boat and the counter is more than one, it's a sign of a fairly …
The West River Sailing Club cruising group ordinarily has a half-dozen cruises throughout the season. We were away, living in Nevada for some of the sailing season. With a pandemic, a cozy get-together is not a great idea. So, a cruise was a surprise.
Some folks from the club decided …
On Thursday, we dialed the speed up to 7 knots. This means a bit over 2,000 RPM on the tach.
And the temperature started to increase. And increase. I don't often check the temperature. But I did manage to notice it in time.
Did I mention we had guests …
There were issues with Red Ranger. Kind of awkward when you have guests. But sailing conditions were ideal. Ideal.
Meet Fatjon and Blerta. From the 14th floor. Fatjon was a captain in the Albanian Navy. And an ordinance diver. He knows ships and the sea. Blerta is a …
What's important is that nothing seriously failed. Stuff broke. We worked around it. Here's the overview. Details follow.
1600 - Move to fuel dock. Take on 54 gallons.
1710 - Anchored in Piakatank River at 37°32.132N 076°19.318W
This is a move of about a mile …
We had two "events" on the way North.
The chain looks really cruddy. Flakes of metal are coming off. Not a good look for chain. The question is "Exactly what kind of chain is it?" The difference in measurements between ⅜" HT, ⅜" BBB and 10mm chain is tiny. And …
Our two most recent zinc anodes haven't lasted 6 months.
They used to.
What changed?
(1) Solar panels. (2) GFCI outlets. (3) A few small things.
The solar panels mean that we now generate power constantly. Constantly.
I added a Camp zinc grouper. This is 6 pounds of …
Our insurance requires a survey every five years. We contacted John L. Schnoering. Traditional Yacht Surveyors, in Deltaville, and got a detailed list of what's right and what's wrong with Red Ranger.
The "red flag" item on Red Ranger? What's the single most dangerous thing that must be fixed? We'll …
A few years ago, one of the bigger boat jobs was adding a second electric bilge pump. See A Manifold of Bilge Pumps. At the time, it felt epic because it was a job that was safety-critical. As in "your life depends on doing this right." Or maybe "Do this …
As a Birthday celebration, we went to Chef Todd's with Lloyd, Barbara (SolMates) and Dave (Fawkes). Chocolate Torte Cake! Dinner with friends. Joy.
Now for the concerns. On Friday, the house battery voltage was 10V. 10V is—effectively—stone dead. A level of discharge from which batteries rarely recover.
On …
Where do we stand on August 12th?
The engine (or transmission or something) is throbbing. A lot.
As the crow flies we're 94 nm from home. If we go back the way we came, it's 223 nm and four more days of travel. We have three days of vacation.
If …
Our field tanks have reached a level of crud that's untenable. However, talk to three old salts and you'll get four good solutions.
As noted in Easter and Rebirth, our fuel tanks aren't feeding properly. On Easter Sunday, we didn't know what was wrong. Thanks to American Diesel Corporation, we …
Saturday was the last day of the 2010 USODA Layline Nationals. Kids left. The place went back to being a sleepy little marina in rural Virginia.
While the Optimists were coming in after a day of racing -- we went out. The wind had died and the best we could do …
Page 1 / 1