My cabin thermometer is mounted about chest-high, 4 1/2' above the cabin sole, and since heat rises, it'll always be a bit warmer than the cabin sole. It read about 60 when I got up this morning, which is pretty good considering it had dropped down to 7 or 8 last night, and was only 9 at the time, but dropped to under 50 after I made my bunk and got dressed.
However, it wasn't until much later, after I'd had my coffee, and taken Zoe for a walk, that I discovered her frozen water dish on the cabin sole. She ate some snow on the walk, so she's okay, but I'm using one of my lights to warm up her dish and thaw it out, so she can drink if she wants.
Part of the problem at night is that when I pull out my bunk, I move the electric heater from the sole to the engine cover so it can't start a fire. That means the sole is more or less blocked off from the rest of the cabin, and doesn't get much heat. Typically, that's a good thing, since there's less to heat during the coldest part of the night, but it must have gotten pretty cold down there last night, because her dish was frozen solid with almost an inch of ice and still hasn't completely thawed -- after almost an hour under a lamp on the engine cover.
Zoe's sleeping, so I don't think she cares much, but I'm going to see if I can raise both her food dish and water bowl off the sole at least a few inches. I'll also make sure I pick them up at night from now on. She's been crawling into the sleeping bag with me for a little while each morning, but doesn't stay for too long -- she's got a really thick coat now, and gets too warm after about an hour.
Essentially, we're both just surviving right now and waiting till spring.
24 January 2011
22 January 2011
More Cold Weather
We're in the middle of another cold snap. It's 17 right now, and will drop to single digits tonight, then slowly warm back up to freezing over the next few days. I was trying to avoid spending another cold winter on the boat, especially after freezing up in Marion a few years ago, but the transmission failure did me in. Luckily it stayed above 50 in the cabin last night with just the little electric heater.
The diesel heater parts arrived a couple of days ago, but I haven't finished installing it yet. The biggest problem is that I need to cut a 5" hole in the deck for the flue, and with all the snow and cold weather, I just haven't gotten to it. Even so, I'll have to wait until spring to properly finish the hole. The deck has a bit of a camber, so I'm going to use modeling clay to make a mold and fill it with epoxy to make an elevated level platform for the 7" diameter deck fitting.
I'm not sure how high I'll make it, but the idea, in addition to making it level, is to help shed water and cut down on leaks. I'll look at a bunch of other boats before I decide. I also want to do the same sort of thing up in the bow with the windlass and hawsepipe. Both are flush mounted now, and although they don't leak, the chain doesn't fall well into the hawsepipe and gets fouled up whenever I weigh anchor.
I'm planning to raise the hawsepipe about 1/8-1/4" and the windlass at least 1/2" if not more -- it all depends on how the chain falls. I'll try it with wooden shims first to find the best height. I think part of the problem may be that the deck has a pretty good rake that far forward, and the hawsepipe is forward of the windlass, i.e., mounted somewhat above it, so it has a tough time making it over the raised edge.
Hopefully, raising and leveling the windlass will fix it. The last time to weighed anchor, it was 20 degrees with 20 knots of wind -- not the best time to try to unfoul a wet chain by hand. In fact, I ended up pulling it up by hand with soft cotton gloves. It was cold, but the work of pulling in the chain against the wind warmed me right up, and I even had to take off my jacket half way through -- I only had out about 120'. However, I'd still rather use the windlass next time and not have to touch the chain.
I'm also thinking of building up a lip around my new chainplates, which I haven't started working on yet. I already know I'm going to have to make the holes bigger and get new covers, but if I can make some nice custom lips that are easy to caulk, I might not need covers at all, which will help clean up the deck, keep them dryer, and make them easier to inspect. I've been thinking of adding a lip along the toerails as well, but haven't made any decision yet. If I did, I'd want to pull and reseat the toerails at the same time, but since the toerails are such a big job, I won't do it here.
I'm still hoping to get out of here in April or May -- unless of course I take a job that lasts longer, perhaps much longer. We'll see.
Zoe watch:
While I think I've seen enough snow for a lifetime, Zoe can't get enough. She loves to run through it, bite it, and roll in it. The only problem she has is the salt on the sidewalks, but as long as I remember to coat her paws with "Mushers Secret," essentially a soft wax something like snow seal, she's fine. I got some while we were in NYC because we couldn't walk anywhere after a snow without wading through salt, especially around subway entrances, and she spent about half the time limping.
I'd have to stop, take off my glove, and use some fresh snow to clean her paws with my bare hand -- not a lot of fun in sub-freezing temperatures. It's not nearly as bad out here, but there are a few places, like schools and parks, where they throw out a lot of salt, so we try to avoid them.
So far, she's only had a problem once since we've been here, which of course was last night, the coldest night yet.
The diesel heater parts arrived a couple of days ago, but I haven't finished installing it yet. The biggest problem is that I need to cut a 5" hole in the deck for the flue, and with all the snow and cold weather, I just haven't gotten to it. Even so, I'll have to wait until spring to properly finish the hole. The deck has a bit of a camber, so I'm going to use modeling clay to make a mold and fill it with epoxy to make an elevated level platform for the 7" diameter deck fitting.
I'm not sure how high I'll make it, but the idea, in addition to making it level, is to help shed water and cut down on leaks. I'll look at a bunch of other boats before I decide. I also want to do the same sort of thing up in the bow with the windlass and hawsepipe. Both are flush mounted now, and although they don't leak, the chain doesn't fall well into the hawsepipe and gets fouled up whenever I weigh anchor.
I'm planning to raise the hawsepipe about 1/8-1/4" and the windlass at least 1/2" if not more -- it all depends on how the chain falls. I'll try it with wooden shims first to find the best height. I think part of the problem may be that the deck has a pretty good rake that far forward, and the hawsepipe is forward of the windlass, i.e., mounted somewhat above it, so it has a tough time making it over the raised edge.
Hopefully, raising and leveling the windlass will fix it. The last time to weighed anchor, it was 20 degrees with 20 knots of wind -- not the best time to try to unfoul a wet chain by hand. In fact, I ended up pulling it up by hand with soft cotton gloves. It was cold, but the work of pulling in the chain against the wind warmed me right up, and I even had to take off my jacket half way through -- I only had out about 120'. However, I'd still rather use the windlass next time and not have to touch the chain.
I'm also thinking of building up a lip around my new chainplates, which I haven't started working on yet. I already know I'm going to have to make the holes bigger and get new covers, but if I can make some nice custom lips that are easy to caulk, I might not need covers at all, which will help clean up the deck, keep them dryer, and make them easier to inspect. I've been thinking of adding a lip along the toerails as well, but haven't made any decision yet. If I did, I'd want to pull and reseat the toerails at the same time, but since the toerails are such a big job, I won't do it here.
I'm still hoping to get out of here in April or May -- unless of course I take a job that lasts longer, perhaps much longer. We'll see.
Zoe watch:
While I think I've seen enough snow for a lifetime, Zoe can't get enough. She loves to run through it, bite it, and roll in it. The only problem she has is the salt on the sidewalks, but as long as I remember to coat her paws with "Mushers Secret," essentially a soft wax something like snow seal, she's fine. I got some while we were in NYC because we couldn't walk anywhere after a snow without wading through salt, especially around subway entrances, and she spent about half the time limping.
I'd have to stop, take off my glove, and use some fresh snow to clean her paws with my bare hand -- not a lot of fun in sub-freezing temperatures. It's not nearly as bad out here, but there are a few places, like schools and parks, where they throw out a lot of salt, so we try to avoid them.
So far, she's only had a problem once since we've been here, which of course was last night, the coldest night yet.
18 January 2011
Job Search
The job search is moving really slowly, partly due to the weather. Right now, it's too cold to leave Zoe on the boat without a heater, and I'm not comfortable leaving it on when I'm away, so I'm sorta stuck here. I've found a few people willing to watch her, but nothing definite at this point.
I am getting several emails a day, but many of the jobs are too far away to consider. My only real option is Manhattan, or possibly the Bronx. However, it will still take me at least an hour each way to commute to Manhattan, which means I'd need to find a place to keep Zoe for at least 11 or 12 hours. She's a great dog, but that's still a lot to ask. My search right now is confined to putting out my resume and letting people contact me. However, once it gets a bit warmer and I can leave Zoe on the boat, I'll be more proactive and start contacting the better firms directly or through friends who work there.
The cold, and wet today, weather is also preventing me from working on the transmission and chainplates. However, I still think the heater will make a big difference. Hopefully, the parts will arrive today and I can get it installed this week. I taped up all the drafts the other day, and put a rolled up towel along the base of the engine cover, which has really helped keep the boat warm. It rarely drops below 60 in the cabin now, and is well over 70, at chest height, right now -- it's 36 outside.
Kindle watch:
I really love my new Kindle. I've been alternating between it and the ARRL Handbook ever since I got it. I downloaded a bunch of public domain books I'd always wanted to read, and since there's not much else to do, have spent most of the last few days reading. Right now, I'm about half way through Slocum's "Sailing Around the World."
One of the nice things about Kindle is it's built-in dictionary. If you run into a word you don't know, you can just move the cursor under it, and it will display the definition at the bottom of the page. You can select a different dictionary for each work, so I found a french one and use it for the french books I found on the Gutenberg site.
I haven't started reading any of them yet, but did load the dictionary to test it out. I works pretty well, but sometimes has trouble with conjugation and the l' prefix, e.g., it thinks "l'une" is the "moon" and not "the one." Hopefully, it will get better with time, but since the book and the dictionary were both free, it's hard to complain.
I plan to concentrate on Verne, Dumas, and Hugo. I might try some Spanish too, but that'll be much harder without a good dictionary -- my french is pretty good, but my Spanish is practically nonexistent.
I am getting several emails a day, but many of the jobs are too far away to consider. My only real option is Manhattan, or possibly the Bronx. However, it will still take me at least an hour each way to commute to Manhattan, which means I'd need to find a place to keep Zoe for at least 11 or 12 hours. She's a great dog, but that's still a lot to ask. My search right now is confined to putting out my resume and letting people contact me. However, once it gets a bit warmer and I can leave Zoe on the boat, I'll be more proactive and start contacting the better firms directly or through friends who work there.
The cold, and wet today, weather is also preventing me from working on the transmission and chainplates. However, I still think the heater will make a big difference. Hopefully, the parts will arrive today and I can get it installed this week. I taped up all the drafts the other day, and put a rolled up towel along the base of the engine cover, which has really helped keep the boat warm. It rarely drops below 60 in the cabin now, and is well over 70, at chest height, right now -- it's 36 outside.
Kindle watch:
I really love my new Kindle. I've been alternating between it and the ARRL Handbook ever since I got it. I downloaded a bunch of public domain books I'd always wanted to read, and since there's not much else to do, have spent most of the last few days reading. Right now, I'm about half way through Slocum's "Sailing Around the World."
One of the nice things about Kindle is it's built-in dictionary. If you run into a word you don't know, you can just move the cursor under it, and it will display the definition at the bottom of the page. You can select a different dictionary for each work, so I found a french one and use it for the french books I found on the Gutenberg site.
I haven't started reading any of them yet, but did load the dictionary to test it out. I works pretty well, but sometimes has trouble with conjugation and the l' prefix, e.g., it thinks "l'une" is the "moon" and not "the one." Hopefully, it will get better with time, but since the book and the dictionary were both free, it's hard to complain.
I plan to concentrate on Verne, Dumas, and Hugo. I might try some Spanish too, but that'll be much harder without a good dictionary -- my french is pretty good, but my Spanish is practically nonexistent.
13 January 2011
ShipTrak
This is a really good site that seems to keep all position reports, not just the last 6 months like Winlink. I haven't moved since I started reporting my position here on City Island, but if you want to keep track of someone like Jeanne Socrates, KC2IOV, who's been around the world a few times, it's a great site. It has her last 549 positions going back to 2004.
Check it out: ShipTrak
Check it out: ShipTrak
11 January 2011
Be Very Careful
Sure, that goes without saying with respect to sailing, but this time, it has to do with job hunting. Never update your resume and put it online unless you're prepared to go to work almost immediately. I updated mine last night, and am getting bombarded with calls and emails. I had to turn the ringer off and leave the phone on the charger. New York moves pretty fast.
I'm pretty self-sufficient and have never taken, or even requested, unemployment compensation. Luckily, I've always been able to find a job whenever I wanted. However, I'm also extremely mobile and tend to live in and around large cities, which has a lot do with it. If I was married with kids and living in the middle of nowhere, things could easily be very different.
I still need to figure out a solution for Zoe, but hopefully, that won't be a problem. If I get a job, I may let the yard pull the engine and fix the transmission. I'll ask them to let me work on it too, i.e., replace hoses, paint, etc., but with it out, it'll make life much easier.
I'm pretty self-sufficient and have never taken, or even requested, unemployment compensation. Luckily, I've always been able to find a job whenever I wanted. However, I'm also extremely mobile and tend to live in and around large cities, which has a lot do with it. If I was married with kids and living in the middle of nowhere, things could easily be very different.
I still need to figure out a solution for Zoe, but hopefully, that won't be a problem. If I get a job, I may let the yard pull the engine and fix the transmission. I'll ask them to let me work on it too, i.e., replace hoses, paint, etc., but with it out, it'll make life much easier.
07 January 2011
Snow Day
We got up pretty early this morning and had a good walk. It's lightly snowing, but not more than a light dusting so far. There are still a few drifts around and Zoe loves to roll in them. When she gets up, she looks like she has a bad case of dandruff.
I picked up a clamp-on lamp this morning and a few 100w bulbs, and plugged it in to see how well it would heat the cabin. It works really well, but you need to be careful with those things, since they could burn up the boat if they fall and touch something. However, they are much better than the heater I have, which is highly dangerous when unattended.
It's just a 100w bulb, so really no different than leaving a light on, but they do generate a lot of heat. Anyway, I'll experiment a little over the next few days, but I'm really happy with it so far. With both the lamp and heater running, it's really warm in the boat today.
Zoe's lounging on the starboard side settee trying to sleep while I work, but whenever I talk to her, she'll open her eyes and wag her tail just a little. But if I say a magic word, e.g., "kitty" or "cookie," she's wide awake and ready for action. I try not to tease her too much, so when I used "cookie" and gave her one.
Honestly, she's really the best dog I've ever known. She's even figured out how to communicate with me. If she needs water, she'll sit in front of her water bowl and stare at it. Eventually, I'll notice, since otherwise she's sleeping, and give her more water. She sorta does that for food, but water is usually more pressing. I've also noticed that while sailing, she'll sometimes stare at the leeward jib sheet winch.
I could never understood why, but now that I think about it, the wind normally changed shortly afterward, requiring an adjustment. Maybe she anticipated it an was trying to let me know -- she doesn't like it when the boat heels too much -- either that or a bug landed on the winch and she was fixated on it. She loves to eat bugs, especially bumble bees. I had to take her to the vet right after I got her to get a stinger removed from her tongue after she ate one -- not a good day -- so I discourage that behavior nowadays.
I picked up a clamp-on lamp this morning and a few 100w bulbs, and plugged it in to see how well it would heat the cabin. It works really well, but you need to be careful with those things, since they could burn up the boat if they fall and touch something. However, they are much better than the heater I have, which is highly dangerous when unattended.
It's just a 100w bulb, so really no different than leaving a light on, but they do generate a lot of heat. Anyway, I'll experiment a little over the next few days, but I'm really happy with it so far. With both the lamp and heater running, it's really warm in the boat today.
Zoe's lounging on the starboard side settee trying to sleep while I work, but whenever I talk to her, she'll open her eyes and wag her tail just a little. But if I say a magic word, e.g., "kitty" or "cookie," she's wide awake and ready for action. I try not to tease her too much, so when I used "cookie" and gave her one.
Honestly, she's really the best dog I've ever known. She's even figured out how to communicate with me. If she needs water, she'll sit in front of her water bowl and stare at it. Eventually, I'll notice, since otherwise she's sleeping, and give her more water. She sorta does that for food, but water is usually more pressing. I've also noticed that while sailing, she'll sometimes stare at the leeward jib sheet winch.
I could never understood why, but now that I think about it, the wind normally changed shortly afterward, requiring an adjustment. Maybe she anticipated it an was trying to let me know -- she doesn't like it when the boat heels too much -- either that or a bug landed on the winch and she was fixated on it. She loves to eat bugs, especially bumble bees. I had to take her to the vet right after I got her to get a stinger removed from her tongue after she ate one -- not a good day -- so I discourage that behavior nowadays.
06 January 2011
Winlink's up and running
I got Winlink working today. The Airmail email client had a problem finding the modem over my local network, but it eventually connected, and I was able to connect and send out a message. I still need to connect my GPS and my straight key, but I'll wait until I mount everything. I just wanted to get it all setup and verify it worked.
I had to solder a 9-pin serial connector onto the modem's control cable so I could use the modem to tune the radio. My new soldering iron and solder sucker, really made it easy, much easier than my old one. I haven't gotten the cloning cable yet, but obviously the ham frequencies are open or else I wouldn't have been able to connect and send email. However, I still want to take a look at the configuration, and may tweak a few things at some point.
I guess my makeshift antenna is working okay. I've been listening to the Maritime Mobile Network for the last few days, and adjusting it a bit. It's got pretty good reception, but I haven't tried to talk to anyone yet.
Job watch:
I have a resume out on one of the technical job sites, and usually get several emails a week concerning job openings. Since I'll be around for at least a few months, I'm considering taking a short term, temporary job to help defray the costs of fixing the transmission, replacing the standing rigging, and paying for storage. It's a bit more expensive up here than it would have been in Houston, but since I'm doing it all myself and, except for the transmission, had to do it anyway, it probably won't make that much difference. I guess storage is the only thing that's really different. It's $54.00/ft for the winter, but they said they'd prorate it for me.
I also contacted a friend the other day and he's looking around for me too. We worked together at BB, but he left before me and took a job with one of the big banks. If I wanted I full time job, he could probably get me on with them. However, I'm sure I'd have to commit to a minimum of a couple years, and I'm not sure I want to do that. But New York's in really good shape, at least for banks and programmers, so I'm sure I'll find something.
My only problem is what to do about Zoe. I could leave her on the boat, but don't have a good solution for heat while I'm gone. Once I get the diesel heater running, I'll be able to get the boat nice and toasty in the morning, and although I'll turn if off when I leave, it should stay pretty warm for a long time. The commute's about an hour each way, so I'll be gone for at least 10 or 11 hours.
Hopefully, I'll get the heater installed and running by the end of next week. That way, I can test it to see how warm she stays with the heat off all day. I can also try insulation and a light bulb, but otherwise, I'll have to look for a dog sitter here on City Island.
Everyone loves her and she's good with other dogs, so it's usually not hard to find someone to watch her. I spoke to a few people on our walk this evening and they said they'd check around for me. It'll be at least a couple weeks before I could start working anyway, so I've got some time to find a solution.
Not taking a job wouldn't be the end of the world, but it would be nice to refill the coffers after a longer than expected refit. By the time I get out of here, it'll be almost a full year.
I had to solder a 9-pin serial connector onto the modem's control cable so I could use the modem to tune the radio. My new soldering iron and solder sucker, really made it easy, much easier than my old one. I haven't gotten the cloning cable yet, but obviously the ham frequencies are open or else I wouldn't have been able to connect and send email. However, I still want to take a look at the configuration, and may tweak a few things at some point.
I guess my makeshift antenna is working okay. I've been listening to the Maritime Mobile Network for the last few days, and adjusting it a bit. It's got pretty good reception, but I haven't tried to talk to anyone yet.
Job watch:
I have a resume out on one of the technical job sites, and usually get several emails a week concerning job openings. Since I'll be around for at least a few months, I'm considering taking a short term, temporary job to help defray the costs of fixing the transmission, replacing the standing rigging, and paying for storage. It's a bit more expensive up here than it would have been in Houston, but since I'm doing it all myself and, except for the transmission, had to do it anyway, it probably won't make that much difference. I guess storage is the only thing that's really different. It's $54.00/ft for the winter, but they said they'd prorate it for me.
I also contacted a friend the other day and he's looking around for me too. We worked together at BB, but he left before me and took a job with one of the big banks. If I wanted I full time job, he could probably get me on with them. However, I'm sure I'd have to commit to a minimum of a couple years, and I'm not sure I want to do that. But New York's in really good shape, at least for banks and programmers, so I'm sure I'll find something.
My only problem is what to do about Zoe. I could leave her on the boat, but don't have a good solution for heat while I'm gone. Once I get the diesel heater running, I'll be able to get the boat nice and toasty in the morning, and although I'll turn if off when I leave, it should stay pretty warm for a long time. The commute's about an hour each way, so I'll be gone for at least 10 or 11 hours.
Hopefully, I'll get the heater installed and running by the end of next week. That way, I can test it to see how warm she stays with the heat off all day. I can also try insulation and a light bulb, but otherwise, I'll have to look for a dog sitter here on City Island.
Everyone loves her and she's good with other dogs, so it's usually not hard to find someone to watch her. I spoke to a few people on our walk this evening and they said they'd check around for me. It'll be at least a couple weeks before I could start working anyway, so I've got some time to find a solution.
Not taking a job wouldn't be the end of the world, but it would be nice to refill the coffers after a longer than expected refit. By the time I get out of here, it'll be almost a full year.
05 January 2011
Radio
I'm still working on getting my radio setup. The cloning cable, needed for programming the radio, should be here this week. Once I get it, I can examine and adjust the internal settings. One of the biggest things I want to look at are the transmit frequencies.
My radio will receive on all frequencies from 500 kHz to 29.999 MHz, but only transmit on a subset of those, depending on the usage and your license. A small portion are reserved for maritime use, and another small portion for amateur radio. And even the amateur frequencies have additional restrictions based your license. I have an Amateur Extra license, which is the highest, so I don't have any restrictions, however, the other two levels, General and Technician, are limited, with Technician the most restricted.
Since I have a marine radio, and Icom M700Pro, I need to check to see which frequencies have been setup for transmission and add the ham frequencies if they aren't already open. They originally shipped with only the marine frequencies open, however, I've heard that at some point, Icom started shipping them with both the marine and ham frequencies open. I'll find out once I get the cable.
My straight key, as well as a few other things, arrived yesterday. I still need to learn Morse code before I try to use it, as well as rewire the connector I solder the other day. I also got a new Weller electronic soldering station, and a set of "helping hands" which is basically a couple of alligator clips and a magnifying glass connected to a small stand to help see and hold whatever I'm working on. I ordered a solder sucker too, used to remove excess solder, which is the problem I had the other day, but that may not be here till next week.
Once I get it, I'll go ahead and finish making up all the connectors, both for my straight key and my Pactor modem. I also need to hook up my GPS to the modem, but haven't quite figured out what that will entail. The problem with the GPS is that it's in my AIS unit that needs to be connected to my GX2000 radio in order to display my position relative to the other AIS targets on the screen, as well as collision avoidance, etc..
These signals all use the NMEA standard, and normally, a device will have both in and out connections and pass on whatever it gets, allowing you to hook up multiple devices and share data amongst all of them. I think it must have some sort of TTL, time to live, feature so the messages will only be forwarded a finite number of times, which both protects and limits you. I think the radio supports this, but the documentation states that the NMEA out should go back to the GPS. Perhaps that's just a typo, we'll see.
Alternatively, I could run it through my computer, after which, I could send it out to as many devices as needed. However, that would mean I'd need to have my computer on all the time, which is less than ideal, since it uses a lot of power. There are multiplexers on the market, but they're relatively expensive. I'll see if I can get by with what I have before going that route.
Heater watch:
I got most of the parts needed to move and remount my heater, so I'm planning on starting the process today -- though I still have to wait on a couple of elbows before I can actually use it. I decided to mount it on the load bearing, fore-and-aft bulkhead in the center of the cabin directly under the mast. I still need to figure out how to run the flue and where to cut the 5" hole in the deck for the deck fitting. There's only 71" of clearance, and the passage way is only 19" wide (the heater will stick out 8"), so it looks like no matter what I do, I'll have to duck as I squeeze past. But it's a boat, not a house, so I hope that won't be a problem.
However, I still haven't decided where to place the deck fitting. Even if I remove the heater and flue in the summer, the deck fitting will have to stay there, and hang down a good inch or two. I'll fit a cap of some sort inside, but it could still be dangerous, so placement is important. Placement is also important on deck, especially since it's going to be close to the mast.
I need to keep it away from control lines and the sails, so I think I'll run it forward and to one side, probably directly in front of one of the dorades. I'll dry fit everything, and see how I like it before cutting any holes. It's just fiberglass, so I can move it later if need be, but cutting holes is so much work, I'd like to get it right the first time.
Although I gave back the extra heater they loaned me, the boat's still staying relatively warm with just the one, but I can't wait to run my cabin heater. It should keep the entire cabin nice and toasty, and make working on the chainplates and engine much easier.
Transmission watch:
I ordered a couple manuals for the engine, but the Yanmar Service Manual wasn't in stock and had to be back ordered. I should get the Clymer Shop Manual for my engine this week, but it'll probably be the end of next week before I get the Yanmar one. I plan to review them before I start messing around with anything, but the engine isn't going anywhere, and isn't getting any worse, so I'll keep working on other stuff until I'm ready to tackle it.
Also, it'll be much better once I can heat up the boat. I'll be pretty exposed when I climb down into the cockpit lockers, so it will really help if I can heat up that compartment, and the engine, before I start working on it. The highs are only in the mid 30's and the lows in the mid 20's, so it's not going to be anything like Houston.
My radio will receive on all frequencies from 500 kHz to 29.999 MHz, but only transmit on a subset of those, depending on the usage and your license. A small portion are reserved for maritime use, and another small portion for amateur radio. And even the amateur frequencies have additional restrictions based your license. I have an Amateur Extra license, which is the highest, so I don't have any restrictions, however, the other two levels, General and Technician, are limited, with Technician the most restricted.
Since I have a marine radio, and Icom M700Pro, I need to check to see which frequencies have been setup for transmission and add the ham frequencies if they aren't already open. They originally shipped with only the marine frequencies open, however, I've heard that at some point, Icom started shipping them with both the marine and ham frequencies open. I'll find out once I get the cable.
My straight key, as well as a few other things, arrived yesterday. I still need to learn Morse code before I try to use it, as well as rewire the connector I solder the other day. I also got a new Weller electronic soldering station, and a set of "helping hands" which is basically a couple of alligator clips and a magnifying glass connected to a small stand to help see and hold whatever I'm working on. I ordered a solder sucker too, used to remove excess solder, which is the problem I had the other day, but that may not be here till next week.
Once I get it, I'll go ahead and finish making up all the connectors, both for my straight key and my Pactor modem. I also need to hook up my GPS to the modem, but haven't quite figured out what that will entail. The problem with the GPS is that it's in my AIS unit that needs to be connected to my GX2000 radio in order to display my position relative to the other AIS targets on the screen, as well as collision avoidance, etc..
These signals all use the NMEA standard, and normally, a device will have both in and out connections and pass on whatever it gets, allowing you to hook up multiple devices and share data amongst all of them. I think it must have some sort of TTL, time to live, feature so the messages will only be forwarded a finite number of times, which both protects and limits you. I think the radio supports this, but the documentation states that the NMEA out should go back to the GPS. Perhaps that's just a typo, we'll see.
Alternatively, I could run it through my computer, after which, I could send it out to as many devices as needed. However, that would mean I'd need to have my computer on all the time, which is less than ideal, since it uses a lot of power. There are multiplexers on the market, but they're relatively expensive. I'll see if I can get by with what I have before going that route.
Heater watch:
I got most of the parts needed to move and remount my heater, so I'm planning on starting the process today -- though I still have to wait on a couple of elbows before I can actually use it. I decided to mount it on the load bearing, fore-and-aft bulkhead in the center of the cabin directly under the mast. I still need to figure out how to run the flue and where to cut the 5" hole in the deck for the deck fitting. There's only 71" of clearance, and the passage way is only 19" wide (the heater will stick out 8"), so it looks like no matter what I do, I'll have to duck as I squeeze past. But it's a boat, not a house, so I hope that won't be a problem.
However, I still haven't decided where to place the deck fitting. Even if I remove the heater and flue in the summer, the deck fitting will have to stay there, and hang down a good inch or two. I'll fit a cap of some sort inside, but it could still be dangerous, so placement is important. Placement is also important on deck, especially since it's going to be close to the mast.
I need to keep it away from control lines and the sails, so I think I'll run it forward and to one side, probably directly in front of one of the dorades. I'll dry fit everything, and see how I like it before cutting any holes. It's just fiberglass, so I can move it later if need be, but cutting holes is so much work, I'd like to get it right the first time.
Although I gave back the extra heater they loaned me, the boat's still staying relatively warm with just the one, but I can't wait to run my cabin heater. It should keep the entire cabin nice and toasty, and make working on the chainplates and engine much easier.
Transmission watch:
I ordered a couple manuals for the engine, but the Yanmar Service Manual wasn't in stock and had to be back ordered. I should get the Clymer Shop Manual for my engine this week, but it'll probably be the end of next week before I get the Yanmar one. I plan to review them before I start messing around with anything, but the engine isn't going anywhere, and isn't getting any worse, so I'll keep working on other stuff until I'm ready to tackle it.
Also, it'll be much better once I can heat up the boat. I'll be pretty exposed when I climb down into the cockpit lockers, so it will really help if I can heat up that compartment, and the engine, before I start working on it. The highs are only in the mid 30's and the lows in the mid 20's, so it's not going to be anything like Houston.
02 January 2011
Rethinking the Boat Cover
When I left Huntington, I decided not to take the frame for my cover, and even cut out the bad parts of the canvas, although, I did keep a lot of it, it's probably only enough to cover her to just below the toerails. However, after surviving the recent cold weather and blizzard without a cover, I'm considering not putting it back on at all. A friend was going to bring the frame over to me, but with the holidays and bad weather, that can't happen for at least another week.
So, what are my options? First off, the reasons for putting on the cover are:
In fact, this is actually a good opportunity to fabricate the deck covers I was planning to make anyway. Deck covers can help a lot whenever it's either too hot or too cold out. They provide shade in the summer and help insulate the deck in the winter. It might still be nice to have the frame for the cockpit, but I'm not going to let not having it slow me down, especially now that the weather should be clearing up enough to get to work.
So, what are my options? First off, the reasons for putting on the cover are:
- to keep the deck dry while I work on the chainplates and finish painting the deck
- to keep the boat a little warmer while I work on the engine
- to allow me to keep the sliding hatch partially open while lifting the engine while I pull the transmission
- Since the boat is pretty dry and the chainplate holes are relatively small, I should be able to pull them on a dry day and tape over the hole with duct tape until I'm ready to install the new ones. As for the deck paint, I'll need several days of relatively warm weather to paint and non-skid the decks, even with the cover, so I probably won't even attempt it until spring anyway. At that point, a cover should be a non-issue.
- This may or may not turn into an issue, but I can always tent the cockpit area while I'm working, so I don't think this is a show stopper even without the cover. Also, I doubt it's going to get too much colder than it's been over the last few weeks. So on average, I should be in good shape -- it was over 40 when I got up this morning.
- Based on conversations with Boston and Bill, I don't think this will be an issue either. As soon as we have a dry day, I'll start working on it again and see how it goes. I don't see any reason why I can't pry and block it up from the bottom.
In fact, this is actually a good opportunity to fabricate the deck covers I was planning to make anyway. Deck covers can help a lot whenever it's either too hot or too cold out. They provide shade in the summer and help insulate the deck in the winter. It might still be nice to have the frame for the cockpit, but I'm not going to let not having it slow me down, especially now that the weather should be clearing up enough to get to work.
01 January 2011
Kindle
After a lot of thought, I decided to buy a Kindle, and included it on the order I just placed on Amazon. I've got a few friends who love them, but I like holding a book in my hands, so I've resisted, until now.
There are two reasons for that. The first is that I just don't have much room on the boat and can't keep very many books. In fact, I had to get rid of a bunch of books when I moved out of my apartment this past spring. The second reason is that it's not very convenient to read books on my laptop, not to mention the fact that it's a power hog.
There aren't that many books that I plan to buy, but there are a lot of older ones in the public domain that I'd like to read. I read several this summer on my laptop that I'd downloaded from sites like gutenberg.org, but I didn't like reading them on my laptop. The Kindle should be much better, especially since you can use it outside. My laptop is useless outside.
I got the 3G model since I'll drop off the net by the end of April and may not be able to easily get to wifi hot spots to connect. But it holds so many books, I doubt I'll be able to read all the ones I plan to load any time soon. The 3G model also works in many foreign countries, so that should help. Maybe I'll even be able to work on my language skills. You can also load all sorts of other stuff, so it'll be a repository for important documents, even charts -- sort of a backup for my laptop.
There are two reasons for that. The first is that I just don't have much room on the boat and can't keep very many books. In fact, I had to get rid of a bunch of books when I moved out of my apartment this past spring. The second reason is that it's not very convenient to read books on my laptop, not to mention the fact that it's a power hog.
There aren't that many books that I plan to buy, but there are a lot of older ones in the public domain that I'd like to read. I read several this summer on my laptop that I'd downloaded from sites like gutenberg.org, but I didn't like reading them on my laptop. The Kindle should be much better, especially since you can use it outside. My laptop is useless outside.
I got the 3G model since I'll drop off the net by the end of April and may not be able to easily get to wifi hot spots to connect. But it holds so many books, I doubt I'll be able to read all the ones I plan to load any time soon. The 3G model also works in many foreign countries, so that should help. Maybe I'll even be able to work on my language skills. You can also load all sorts of other stuff, so it'll be a repository for important documents, even charts -- sort of a backup for my laptop.
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all.
I spent most of yesterday working on my radio equipment, and by around 2000 was so exhausted, I just took Zoe for a quick walk and went to bed. There's not a lot going on in City Island, so I don't think we missed much. We did hear some fireworks a little after dark, which upset Zoe a bit, but that was about it.
I soldered a 7-pin connector onto the audio cable for my Pactor modem, but that was only after I messed up the 8-pin one. Somehow, the connector cover slipped off the wire before I got around to soldering the connections. I didn't notice till I was done and ready to slip it over. I tried to heat up the solder and remove them, but one ended up pulling out of the plastic holder, so I gave up and used the other one.
Both of them came with the radio and look exactly the same except the 7-pin one is missing the center stud. I'm not planning to use the other plug anyway, so it shouldn't matter. I just need to make sure no one plugs it into the wrong one on the back of the radio -- I'll tape the other just to make sure.
I have the PTC-IInet version of the modem that comes with an ethernet connector, so I used a crossover cable to connect it directly to my laptop. It ships with DHCP enabled, and since I'm not running a DHCP server (that's what doles out ad-hoc IP addresses on a LAN) I had to take off the back cover and pull off the DHCP jumper. The funny thing is that once I got the cover off, I saw that it had both an RJ45 ethernet connector and a USB type B connector, which was hidden by the cover. I thought that was a great discovery, since now I'll have the option to use USB if I want -- as soon as I cut a hole in the aluminum cover (which I did later).
So I pulled off the DHCP jumper, fired it up, and was able to use my browser to connect to and configure it. I still need to get another cable and 3.5mm mono plug in order to get everything working, but that's on order and should be here next week. Anyway, I decided this would be a good time to upgrade the firmware since the unit was over 2 years old. I downloaded the newest version, but discovered that I needed to use another program, e.g., Airmail on my laptop, to actually do the upgrade.
The only problem was that it didn't support upgrading the firmware over a network connection -- guess that's why it had the USB connector in the first place. They sell 2 models, an ethernet version and a USB version, but from the looks of it, the only difference between the two is the front and back covers. The guy from Farallon told me he'd have to change the input board in order to switch it from ethernet to USB, but obviously that's not the case -- glad I didn't send it in.
Unfortunately, I don't have the right USB cable, so I can't upgrade it right now, or verify the USB works correctly. It takes a type B connector which I don't seem to have. I might have had one in all the computer junk I got rid of earlier this year, but since I didn't have any USB connections to worry about at the time, I didn't save too much -- no room on the boat for everything.
So today, I've been spending a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what I need to complete all of my electronic connections, including charging, and plan to order a bunch of cables tonight. Cables are pretty cheap, so it's no big deal, and I plan to get a few spares just in case. I also going to get a USB splitter and a 4 port USB to serial adapter. The only other cable I need is a special cloning one that's specifically for my radio. It's not cheap, but I don't see an easy way around it.
Other than cables, I'm going to order an adapter so I can power my laptop via my 12v system. I have an inverter, but those aren't very efficient, so I'd like to avoid it if possible. I'm looking at a couple of options made by Lind. Since I'll be just going from DC to DC, all I need is a transformer. Maybe I'll be able to make my own someday, but I'm not quite there yet.
However, I am pretty happy with the soldering I did today. It turned out surprisingly well. I've tried to solder other things before with mixed results. I just had a hard time seeing it, as well as holding it in place, so I may try to pick up a cheap magnifying glass with clamps for future work. I still have to make up a few more cables once the parts arrive.
Zoe watch:
She really loves the snow, and likes to roll in it. She reminds me of Osa and Darcy. When I lived in Virginia, I'd walk them along some hillsides near my apartment. They liked to roll on their backs and slide down the hill. They didn't go far or fast, but it was fun to watch, and they loved it.
Darcy was the first one to do it and before long Osa was doing it too. He was a very smart dog. In fact, he used to grab a ball and throw it when I walked in the door to distract her so he could get my full attention while she chased it. She was bossy and used to box him out, but he could always out smart her when he wanted. In the end, she couldn't live without him and passed less than two weeks after he did.
They were a good match, and I miss them both.
I spent most of yesterday working on my radio equipment, and by around 2000 was so exhausted, I just took Zoe for a quick walk and went to bed. There's not a lot going on in City Island, so I don't think we missed much. We did hear some fireworks a little after dark, which upset Zoe a bit, but that was about it.
I soldered a 7-pin connector onto the audio cable for my Pactor modem, but that was only after I messed up the 8-pin one. Somehow, the connector cover slipped off the wire before I got around to soldering the connections. I didn't notice till I was done and ready to slip it over. I tried to heat up the solder and remove them, but one ended up pulling out of the plastic holder, so I gave up and used the other one.
Both of them came with the radio and look exactly the same except the 7-pin one is missing the center stud. I'm not planning to use the other plug anyway, so it shouldn't matter. I just need to make sure no one plugs it into the wrong one on the back of the radio -- I'll tape the other just to make sure.
I have the PTC-IInet version of the modem that comes with an ethernet connector, so I used a crossover cable to connect it directly to my laptop. It ships with DHCP enabled, and since I'm not running a DHCP server (that's what doles out ad-hoc IP addresses on a LAN) I had to take off the back cover and pull off the DHCP jumper. The funny thing is that once I got the cover off, I saw that it had both an RJ45 ethernet connector and a USB type B connector, which was hidden by the cover. I thought that was a great discovery, since now I'll have the option to use USB if I want -- as soon as I cut a hole in the aluminum cover (which I did later).
So I pulled off the DHCP jumper, fired it up, and was able to use my browser to connect to and configure it. I still need to get another cable and 3.5mm mono plug in order to get everything working, but that's on order and should be here next week. Anyway, I decided this would be a good time to upgrade the firmware since the unit was over 2 years old. I downloaded the newest version, but discovered that I needed to use another program, e.g., Airmail on my laptop, to actually do the upgrade.
The only problem was that it didn't support upgrading the firmware over a network connection -- guess that's why it had the USB connector in the first place. They sell 2 models, an ethernet version and a USB version, but from the looks of it, the only difference between the two is the front and back covers. The guy from Farallon told me he'd have to change the input board in order to switch it from ethernet to USB, but obviously that's not the case -- glad I didn't send it in.
Unfortunately, I don't have the right USB cable, so I can't upgrade it right now, or verify the USB works correctly. It takes a type B connector which I don't seem to have. I might have had one in all the computer junk I got rid of earlier this year, but since I didn't have any USB connections to worry about at the time, I didn't save too much -- no room on the boat for everything.
So today, I've been spending a lot of time trying to figure out exactly what I need to complete all of my electronic connections, including charging, and plan to order a bunch of cables tonight. Cables are pretty cheap, so it's no big deal, and I plan to get a few spares just in case. I also going to get a USB splitter and a 4 port USB to serial adapter. The only other cable I need is a special cloning one that's specifically for my radio. It's not cheap, but I don't see an easy way around it.
Other than cables, I'm going to order an adapter so I can power my laptop via my 12v system. I have an inverter, but those aren't very efficient, so I'd like to avoid it if possible. I'm looking at a couple of options made by Lind. Since I'll be just going from DC to DC, all I need is a transformer. Maybe I'll be able to make my own someday, but I'm not quite there yet.
However, I am pretty happy with the soldering I did today. It turned out surprisingly well. I've tried to solder other things before with mixed results. I just had a hard time seeing it, as well as holding it in place, so I may try to pick up a cheap magnifying glass with clamps for future work. I still have to make up a few more cables once the parts arrive.
Zoe watch:
She really loves the snow, and likes to roll in it. She reminds me of Osa and Darcy. When I lived in Virginia, I'd walk them along some hillsides near my apartment. They liked to roll on their backs and slide down the hill. They didn't go far or fast, but it was fun to watch, and they loved it.
Darcy was the first one to do it and before long Osa was doing it too. He was a very smart dog. In fact, he used to grab a ball and throw it when I walked in the door to distract her so he could get my full attention while she chased it. She was bossy and used to box him out, but he could always out smart her when he wanted. In the end, she couldn't live without him and passed less than two weeks after he did.
They were a good match, and I miss them both.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)