Monday, March 31, 2008
Moving Aboard Your Boat
“I was living a life most dirt dwellers would be jealous of. I had a high paying career and a big house. I had lots of expensive big boy toys. Supposedly, I had it all. Why then wasn’t I happy? I felt my enthusiasm and life’s energy being sucked right out of me. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but I knew I wanted to do something amazing with my life, today. Why shouldn’t we be able to live life in the present and stop deferring living life until we retire?”
I have also joined the Yahoo Group that is listed on this site where others apparently share the dream of a live aboard cruising lifestyle. After going through the svbellarose site I will have to watch the Captain Ron movie as well. It appears to be right up my alley. The internet is a great place for sharing knowledge. It appears to be never-ending. I am not the 1st person to write about a dream nor will I be the last.
I am not the only one that is or has pursued his dreams. One of the big issues that will impact my ability to pursue this dream is to ensure financial success. My theory is that I wouldn’t need as much income to survive on a boat, however the expense required to keep up these Cats seems high. I don’t want to eat up what little retirement I have saved so far just to replace the sails.
Some folks write books, some will run charters, some sell photo’s and write articles for magazines, but is all of this enough to support you and still have money left over to help out the kids with college? I have much to learn. Catamarans don’t go up in value like a home right? At some point I might want to upgrade right? If all I can do is break even or worse, then it may not be the right time to buy the Cat.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Language Translation for a French Catamaran Site
I came across a catamaran web site that was only available in what appears to be the French Language. It is the NG Yacht Design company. I searched for translation software so that I could read the specifications on the HIVA’OA 45. As a result I found a website that is worth sharing. It is the http://babelfish.altavista.com/ This site will allow you to enter a web page URL and it will translate the entire web page to the language you prefer to view it in. Although it is not a perfect translation it does the trick. For example, this “113.8 m² GV 72.6 Solent 41.2 m² Code 0 83.5 Spi 139.8” was translated into this “113.8 m² Steam Generators 72.6 Solent 41.2 m²”. Not sure where the “Steam Generator” came from. I theorized that the
I have had visitors to my site from
Speaking of buying a Catamaran in another country. Here is an update on my comparison of the
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Beaufort Wind Force Scale Terminology
I currently read Cruising World and Multihulls World and I am also reading the book Catamarans, The Complete Guide for Cruising Sailors. In this book I am reading a section on sail trimming for increasing performance and there is repeated mention of wind conditions expressed like F1, F2, F3, etc. I suppose, had I taken sailing lessons I would know what they refer to, however this has not yet happened. The book doesn’t appear to explain what these mean either (At least I haven’t found it). The book appears to be geared toward the intermediate and up sailor. I am getting a lot out of it even though I am a newbie, however I will need to go back later to re-read things as they will make more sense now then they did when I read them as my knowledge and experience has increased.
I did some searching and finally found what I was looking for. I found a scale called the Beaufort Wind Force Scale that provides a chart of the various levels of force. Force 0 or F0 is Calm, and F1 is light air, just enough to give steerage way, etc. The complete table is shown below. Now I can read the book and get a lot more out of the section.
I may be going about this backwards. I suppose I should take sailing lessons and then start researching. I plan to take a serious look into sailing lessons at the Strictly Sail Boat show at
Monday, March 24, 2008
Catamaran Statistics and Power Generation
The Catamaran Statistics table just got a lot longer. I have added 42 cats the list thanks to Cruising World Magazine. As a result several stats were updated along with the 42 new ones. Most of the prices appear to be about 2 years old on their data so I will be updating those over time as I come across new information. I also need to add links and fill in some blanks.
The latest edition of Cruising World has some very useful information regarding matching battery charging with power demand. They have listed the Amps of various appliances which will be useful in determining how many batteries, solar panels, wind generators or other. In the case of the Lagoon 420, the propellers will charge the batteries while sailing. As I get closer to my purchase this information and more may be important. I hope to have the information posted in the form of another table. Just depends on how ambitious I am.
My ultimate catamaran will be power hungry and my goal is to do have the modern conveniences of home (TV, computer, internet, microwave, navigation, radar, refrigerator, watermaker, etc. Not necessarily all at once) without having to run a generator. This will require a full complement of Solar, wind and other power generation sources. According to the Cruising World article most of your power is used while underway. The autopilot is ranked high on the list for Power consumption, so perhaps a windvane self steering system is an option.
I still have a lot to learn about the type of appliances and how they are normally powered. For example in an RV, the water heater, heater/furnace, fridge and stove all use propane. It would be nice if you didn't have to use propane, or cut back a little on it's use to make your boat more self sufficient. As I research new technologies I will be sure to update the blog.
Saturday, March 22, 2008
Sailing Trip Planned and Fishing in the Ca Delta
I did some fishing this weekend on my SeaRay 180 Dual Console with my dad. It didn't start out well though. It was the 1st time in the water for my boat since last year. The batteries appeared to have a good charge the night before, but when I cranked her over she sounded week and failed to start even after using battery cables to connect both batteries. Although the motor would barely turn over my dad suspected a fuel problem. He has a Mercury 150 Optimax on his boat. Mine is a 130 Optimax, so he has experience. He also recalls that I have been plagued in the past with fuel delivery problems. There is a Squeeze bulb that SeaRay mounted horizontally so that if needed the fuel can be pumped to the engine. In some trips in the past I was forced to squeeze the bulb to prevent the engine from stalling. It was usually no big deal. My dad was advised by a mercury engine mechanic, that the bulb should be mounted vertically so the ball inside can do it's work. SeaRay should have known better. I had two batteries. One for the engine and one for the trolling motor. I ended up swapping batteries for a couple reasons. One is that it made it easier to remove the screws that held the Fuel line bulb horizontally, and the other is because I still suspected there were battery issues. Once the batteries were switched and the fuel line was prepositioned so that when squeezing the bulb, it could do it's job, the motor started up 1st time without issues and ran perfectly all day. Additionally both batteries worked perfectly all day, so it must have been a fuel issue.
I have learned some lessons. I need better tools on the boat. I should start the boat up at home after it has been sitting for so long to make sure all is well.
We were on our way after an hour delay. We fished the south delta for Stripers and did about as good as can be expected. It is a little early for peak Striper season, but I just had to get out. It was a little windy, but we survived. It was good practice for our upcoming trip to
My dad got lucky and picked up an 8lb striper on a fly early during our trip. It was his biggest striper on a fly. I had one fish try to hit a topwater bomber. He made a few passes, but missed everytime. The water temp was only 56, so it is a bit cold still. I suspect I will have had better luck in the coming months as things warm up. I did pick up a 3 or 4lb bass trolling with a Yo-Zuri shallow diving rebel with a small grub trailer. We both caught several smaller Stripers and released all but the 8lber. We cooked the striper up tempura style with French fries and coleslaw. Mmmmmmm. Good stuff. Nothing beats fresh caught fish especially when you are the one that caught it.
We almost were run over by the biggest idiot on the water. We were trolling at 2.5 mph near the left side of the slue near the levy. To the right of us there was 150 yards of wide open space between us and the other side of the channel. I saw him in the distance moving fast towards us. I made sure he knew where I was going by turning closer towards the embankment signaling my intended path. Seconds later a fish grabbed on to my dads line on the left side of the boat. My dad had a fish on and picked up his rod and began to attempt to reel in. As we were both distracted by the fish hitting his line, we had no time to react as the idiot went flying by on our left side between us and the rocks. He was flying full speed on a 21 foot runabout with a full load of small kids and family members. I believe some of the spray from his boat hit us. He was that close. By the time I saw him all I could do is stand up with my arms outstretched as if to say what the F@ck are you doing? The driver was looking right at me as he passed by. I estimate he was moving 45 mph. He had to turn to his left as he passed to avoid hitting the rocks. As he did that he crossed behind us and sliced my dads line with the fish attached and in an instant the line from his real was gone as well as his $7.00 lure and fish that was attached to it.
I can only imagine how fearful the family must be and what they must be thinking. I know I wanted to rip his head off. My dad and I both yelled out and I expressed my opinion with my two middle fingers. I wanted to chase him down but my line was still in the water. At his speed it would have taken me a while to catch him. My 18 foot sea ray will go 48phm (Speed confirmed by GPS earlier that day) wide open which is pretty fast on the water. My dad and I are pretty easy going and a have calm personalities but we were both angry.
This was not the 1st idiot I have seen on the delta. There are many. You have to watch out. Many have died, mostly alcohol related. This was definitely my closest call with death on the water. Part of me wished he would have hit the rocks; however I wouldn’t wish that on his poor family. I thought if I were paying attention I would throw something at him as he went by. I thought if I could catch him I could call in his Cf #’s. I also thought about jumping into his boat and taking him out along with his keys. I do hope that the line he now has wrapped around his prop will somehow do some damage, or at the very lease be an indication to him that he F’d up when he pulls the boat out of the water. To bad it wasn’t braided line instead of monofilament.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
New Catamaran Video's Cruising World Magazine
I ran across the Cats By The Numbers spreadsheet on the Cruising world web site. According to this list updated on Jun 19, 2006, the price per lb is $25.26 This is average compared to the rest of the Cats that are listed. The information is old. Price per lb is most likely higher now on all Cats.
Sorry so short, but I have to hit the road. Going fishing tomorrow. I will add more to this soon.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
CountryWide Sub Prime Mortgage Foreclosure
I emailed KCRA Call3 to see if they could assist me in working with CountryWide Home Loans so that I can avoid foreclosure on my property. I have an adjustable rate mortgage on a rental property that I had planned on selling a year ago. Trouble is I am upside down now due to the terrible housing market. KCRA was helpful and gave me the some information that is listed below, but before you follow their advice I may be able to provide some more up to date information. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate KCRA’s response, but the end result was to do something different.
After calling in and being disconnected 3 or 4 times and transferred, I was then asked to call a different # that then asked me to dial a different #. I was finally advised that I needed to speak with someone in the Hardship modification department. The # is 1-866-921-4765. I spoke with a gentleman named Donny who was helpful. He asked me a series of questions to update my file so that he could resubmit my request for a modification. I hope I didn’t screw myself though. The answers to the questions will show that we now make more money. I am not sure telling Donny we make more money now will actually help us. We will see what they come up with. Donny advised us to wait 2 weeks and then check in to see what the result is. So we will do that. I will update the blog when I receive new information.
We were denied twice in 2007 for a modification and were told that we make enough money and can afford afford the $3,700+ per month payment, along with our main house payment of just over 3000. They calculated that we should have 150.00 left over every month. Just makes you want to strangle someone. I was advised to stop making my payment to see if they will try to work with us. So I did that. It's been two months now without making the $3,700.00 payment.
This property is a rental property and is not saving us any money in taxes. Bottom line is the house is a loosing proposition. It doesn't make financial sense at this point to keep throwing money out the window. I have to do what is right for my family and our sanity. If our credit is ruined for 7 years, at least we will have money in the bank. We are now able to put 10% of our salaries into 401k. For the 1st time in 2.5 years our net worth is going up rather then down. We have a 30 year fixed in our main home now so we are paying down our mortgage. We will survive with a roof over our heads until our credit improves.
This is the information that KCRA gave us, but I believe this to be old info. KCRA also suggested if all else fails to call the California Association for Mortgage Brokers Help Line at (866) 999-5508. I have not done this yet.
KCRA where the news comes first.
"COUNTRYWIDE LOAN WORKOUT NUMBER"
- Countrywide has a special number consumers can call to connect with their loss mitigation department. 800-262-4218
- Callers must AFFIRMATIVELY demand to be connected to the "SPECIAL WORKOUT PROGRAM"
- They may be connected to other departments but must be persistent and insist on connection to the "Special Workout Program".
When you call the # above you will be asked to enter your Loan #. Then you will need to press 0 three or 4 times to finally speak with a representative. You will be asked to verify last 4 of your social and then you will be asked to enter your zip code. Once connected to a live person you will again be asked for the information you already provided above. Most likely you will end up speaking to someone in
Here are a couple other #’s that I found out about however they were not what I needed.
Refinance 1-800-635-5215
Hope Department 1-888-219-7773 – They didn’t give me much hope here.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Strictly Sail Show, Money and Garmin BlueChart
My wife just received a hefty raise and a new position that will allow her to work from home. The fuel savings alone will be around 400 a month. Additionally our 11 year old will no longer need day care as she can come home after school now. With the raise, daycare and the fuel savings we will be that much closer to achieving our dreams. I should receive my raise in June or around there as I recall.
I received the new 2008 Garmin BlueChart Update CD yesterday in the mail. I am attempting to install it on a new laptop that I have so that I can transfer the charts to my Garmin handheld GPS. Slight problem; I only have an update cd. I can’t find the original install CD. I have the version 5 update, but that too is only an update CD. I do have my 25 digit unlock code, but no installation media. Moral of the story is, don’t throw away your old cd’s.
I will have to use my old laptop to update my Garmin, however this is only a temporary workaround. I need to fix this. I will be submitting a ticket with Garmin to see if they have any advice for me. I did try just copying files from the old laptop to the new, but that didn’t work. Must be some registry entries that I am missing. Why doesn’t Garmin include the install media on the update CD’s? Makes sense to me! Don’t get me wrong, I love Garmin products, but their installation media and unlock code scheme is for the birds. I have submitted an issue to Garmin see if they can help me out.
Very interesting trick and potentially a waste of money. Garmin sent me the 2008 BlueChart Update CD but after installing it, it says that I have to unlock it and that none of my units are eligible for an update. Turns out I have to buy the unlock code so I can use the new CD. They send out a Free CD, but then you find out later you can’t use it unless you pay for it. This seems like a way to trick people into buying the software. It just might work, but not for me. At least not now. They want 75.00 to unlock the 2008 BlueChart CD. I am more likely to upgrade my GPS unit before I will pay 75.00 to upgrade the charts.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Cat Stats & Hybrid's are Heavier
2668lb’s can make a significant difference on a long journey I am sure. Using the #’s for the Hybrid or twin diesels, the performance of the Lagoon is predicted to be low compared to the other cats on the CatStats table.
I have ranked and sorted the cats by ranking the SA/D and D/L #’s, adding their ranks together and then dividing by 2. The lower the average ranking the better however, keep in mind, from what I have read, having a higher SA/D is slightly more important then having a low D/L. I expected the Gunboat to rank higher then it did. Makes me want to go back and double check some #’s to make sure I am being fair.
I also noticed an error in my SA/D formula which has been corrected. Displacements will vary too. I will typically post the dry weight when available, however sometimes there is no indication as to weather this is the dry weight or not, so keep this in mind. Performance of the craft will decrease as weight is added and will do so much faster on some cats then others.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Internet Access Options for Sailors
Mobilsat is advertising the SeaTel product with 768kbps download and 128 upload. I am not sure this is fast enough to get by. This is apparently there least expensive offer. They charge 309.00 per month for the service.
KVH offers a product that deserves some research. $2,395.00 to start, but only 89.99 a month and that includes MSN TV. They do say there may be other fees imposed by the cellular service provider. They also claim high-speed data connections provided by EVDO service with upload/download speeds ranging from 400-700 Kbps and capable of reaching up to 2 Mbps. Need to check your city as this is only reported to be available in 180 cities and counting.
KVH also has a Satellite TV, Internet and VOIP Phone option as well. Data rates as fast as 512 Kbps for ship-to-shore transmissions and as fast as 2 Mbps for shore-to-ship downloads as well as crystal-clear VOIP telephone service. Pricing was not available on their web site. I wonder how reliable the satellite connection is while in motion.
Some of them charge by the bit or minute used. This wouldn’t work for me unless I had no plans to work from the boat. Having to pay as you go is never fun. It feels like when you go over your minutes on your cell phone. You have to pay for every minute. It adds up and some people cut back as a result. I don’t want to feel like I have to cut back. I would be downloading a lot of data for my job.
What about power consumption? The KVH TracPhone FB250 claims the following. Power (max), incl. antenna: 150 W @ 10-32V. The laptop doesn’t take much energy. I am sure there is a Receiver and perhaps a wireless router that you need to consider. Add it all up and you might have to run the generator before long. If I have to run my generator the whole time then I am not sure I will be doing this very often. Some of these systems are going to require 50 to 100lbs of equipment.
I would hope that there are some other options and will continue to keep an eye out. It would be great if you had Internet access, TV and a phone along with all the other amenities. Why would you ever go home? There would be no excuse not to go sailing. I have a feeling you would soon find many other things to do other then watching TV. This is just another selling point or excuse to go big when buying a sailing Catamaran.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
The Wait is Killing Me
Our 11 year old daughter is in division 1 competitive soccer, so this takes up a lot of time. It is so rewarding for her though and that makes us happy. When will I find time to sail and take lessons? We have a three and a half year old to raise as well. I have seen some families sail with their kids. If we move to a house on the water will the schools be as good? This is not an opportune time to pursue a dream for me, yet the desire is so strong I can’t deny it. Writing this blog, reading and researching catamarans seems to help me cope.
I think every day about how I can live my dream and still support my family and have money left over when we retire. I won’t be foolish and put all my money in a boat that will not appreciate in value. I think about finding a way to capitalize on the housing market. I think about selling photo’s or videos from sailing adventures. I think about running some charters, mostly day or weekend stuff for now. I keep looking for ways to supplement my income to help justify the expenditure. I have read about the huge tax advantages of putting your boat in a charter; however I don’t know how much I would benefit yet.
Ideally I want to owe little to none on our property, and finance the cat. Our incomes are going up so we should be able to live comfortably with that plan. Finances are improving; however we are still stuck until we get through this terrible housing market. When the conditions are right I plan to buy some land on water, most likely the least expensive lot around. Then the question is, do we buy the Cat and live in it, or do we live on land in a large RV, or buy a trailer home or prefab home. It just needs to be functional for me, for now. Time will tell. It is eating at me though. Very similar to when I purchased my 1st truck and then our Camper. The wait seems to last forever and the wait for this Cat will be even longer... much longer.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Captains Log - Man Overboard and Nude Models
The captain asked us to put on our life vests and we complied. As it turned out, this wasn’t a bad idea. We motored away from the marina with almost no wind to speak of. One our way out I was examining and familiarizing myself as much as possible visually with the craft. We cleared the end of the last channel markers and continued a safe distance further before turning off the engines. The captain and his crew examined the wind conditions. There wasn’t much wind at all, but we proceeded to bring up the main. We then unpacked the spinnaker and set initially in reverse. I don’t think this mattered much with such light wind, but we soon corrected the issue and continued on.
I guess you never know what you will run into while sailing. Generally it is the wild life that can be amazing. Well, we hadn’t been sailing long as we slowly passed by a rather large and weathered yacht in the 70 foot or so class that had some wild life on it. I had a good view from the front of the Cat, I was the 1st to notice that some of the passengers didn’t appear to be wearing any clothing. As we approached it was obvious that a photo shoot was in progress. There were at least three almost nude to fully nude women in various positions on the boat. The trip was starting out on a good note. Unfortunately I was nowhere near a camera or pair of binoculars. It appears that our cat could potential be in the background of a few of the photos, although I doubt viewers will be interested in the picturesque background.
We continued on. The wind began to increase and before long we were moving around 5 mph. As we were nearing the point where we wanted to tack the captain suggested we take down the spinnaker and put up the jib. Rainbow is an older cat as is the rigging. It is in great shape, but requires more manual effort then newer vessels. This is a great way for a new sailor to learn and to learn what I will want or not want on my future catamaran.
One of the crew and myself were front balancing on the on the trampoline in still very mild conditions packing the spinnaker,. We were nearing completion when one of the crew, not me, stepped back perhaps to gain better balance and fell back and to the side as he tripped over the low support wire on the very front of the craft. By the time I noticed what was about to happen there was nothing I could do but watch in shock as he was went over the front of the crossbeam and into the cold
He was a large man, but both the captain and I grabbed an arm and pulled him up as far as we could onto the front cross beam, but it was clear to me that we wouldn’t be able to pull him in this way without help. The captain handed him a rope initially and was asked to float back under the bridge deck to the rear where we could bring him in. He wasn’t going for that and suggested instead that he move to the outside of the cat instead. He must have been concerned as there wasn’t very much bridge deck clearance on this Cat. A small wave could cause him to hit his head I am sure. By this time the cat wasn’t moving too fast and he was drug around the right front of the cat and then down the right side to the rear where he could access the ladder. I was waiting there for him just in case he needed help. I had no idea how cold the water was or if he had lost any strength in the struggle. Never the less he was fine and didn’t need any help. He put a dry pair of clothes on and we continued our sail only to laugh about the ordeal later. We are pretty sure his blackberry has seen its last day though.
This was a learning lesson for all. I asked the captain, “so does this happen often?”. He said it was a 1st on his boat. After this experience I will be seriously considering the purchase of a PFD, preferable the self inflating variety due to their small size. The vest I was using was for waterskiing and was bulky and uncomfortable. The Captain advised me to pick one up at a boat show as they are usually marked down in price. Sounds like a plan.
We had to maneuver around a couple races and finally came to a stop behind a large island that was blocking the wind. We decided it was a good time for lunch, and relaxed for about an hour taking in the sights and talking about sailing experiences. Soon we were on our way and sailed back towards home. On the way there, the winds had picked up to around 20. The cat hit its max speed for the day at just over 10MPH after a some tuning adjustments were made to the sails.
So what did I learn?
- I learned the basics of sailing a big cat to the point where if needed I could have sailed her home.
- I confirmed my suspicion that I would need a fast cat.
- I confirmed my suspicion that two hulls are better then one as the ride was comfortable.
- I learned of some things that are a must for me when purchasing a cat. The cat has to have a comfortable roomy and protected cockpit area. In SF Bay the wind can be cold so I will require a cockpit that can be somewhat sheltered for the guests to stay outside without the cold wind in their face.
- The same goes for the salon. It must be comfortable and spacious and tall enough to walk from one end to the other without bending over.
- Passengers need to have room to roam or socialize and be protected from the weather if desired and still see out to enjoy the views.
- I also felt that rainbow required two much manpower. Although single handing her was possible it wouldn’t be two much fun after a while. It is a great way to keep the crew involved and to learn though so I really appreciated the experience.
- I confirmed the need to wear shoes with non marking soles. My wife left some marks while climbing up the incline to move from the back to the front.
- Gloves are a must. I had some that did the trick. I brought them not really know why I would need them. Now I know why. We were constantly handling the ropes on this cat.
- I need a hat with a stronger rim to keep the sun off the face and still maintain it’s shape in the strong winds.
- I require a cat that minimizes the possibility of being hit with the boom when coming about (ouch!).
I envision sailing in the bay to be faster, less work, maybe with some music, food and beverages for the guests and maybe some fishing depending on the crew. I am sure there will be some racing where the crew will need to be more serious, but the bulk of my sailing I image will be for fun. I really appreciated Cliff taking us out and look forward to my next sailing adventure.
Friday, March 7, 2008
Cat Stats for the Performance Minded
The higher SA/D (Sail Area / Displacement) and the lower the D/L (Displacement / Length at Water Level) the better the cat is likely to perform.
Typically you would use BCL (Beam at the hull centerlines). For catamarans, The Ratio of (Bcl) to the waterline length (LWL) should be 40% or greater to avoid wave interference between the hulls and subsequent drag rise at speeds approaching hull speed. Since most Cats do not post the BCL I am using BOA (Beam Overall) for now. I suspect a ratio of 50% or more for the BOA/LWL is recommended.
The formulas I am using came from the book Catamarans: The Complete Guide for Cruising Sailors which by the way I have found to be a very good read. There are more formulas to discuss, but I need to take a break.
The LWL/Bh(Hull Beam at waterline) would also be great to compare, however I will need to dig deeper to find the stats for this calculation. I am also considering adding the PI-C which indicates the speed potential of the boat. For this you use SA, Displacement and LWL in your formula. I am unsure though that the formula is valid on Cats. Keep checking the Cat Stats table for new cats and formulas.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
More on Diesel-Electric Hybrid Propulsion
I have done some additional research and found a few other cat builders that are on the diesel electric hybrid bandwagon. Catalibi is marketing a 47 footer and has made the following claim regarding this new technology.
Other Cat builders offering electric propulsion include Ksenia and Corsair Marine. Corsair Marine is reported to be working on a 50 footer featuring the OSSA Powerlight system powered by two 35hp diesel electric engines.
- Better weight distribution providing superior handling and performance while underway
- Better space utilization allowing larger and more functional interior design
- Lower noise — up to 90% less underway and 70% less at anchor
- Superior low-speed maneuverability makes docking and intercoastal cruising a breeze
- Up to 70% less maintenance than conventional power systems
- One-stop warranty and service is another company specializing in www.glacierbay.com
Why is that most cat builders have only offered this on only one of their cats with hybrid or diesel electric propulsion? Most of the information I have found is from 2006 and 2007. I look forward to seeing more information and progress in the near future.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Lets Talk About Gear
As a boat owner I prefer passengers to wear shoes that are non marking. I am sure the captain of this catamaran is no different. Boat shoes are preferred for several reasons. We don’t own any boat shoes. I do have shoes that are non marking that will have to do. It is most likely safer to wear shoes designed to grip well on a boat and that will stay dry or are designed to dry quickly.
Rain gear and protection from the wind and cold will be important as well. SF weather can be cold this time of year. We are ok in this department for now. The important thing is to stay warm. It is no fun if you are cold the entire time.
I have been pricing inflatable PFD USCG Approved life vests. They are not cheap. Cabelas sells the Guardian Essential brand for 89.95, however most brands I have seen so far are well over 100.00. These vests are compact and won’t get in the way like older vests. Some inflate automatically and others require you to pull an activation cord to inflate the PFD. I suspect this is the way to go. I could also use it on fishing trips in the ocean.
Shoes aren’t cheap either. I have seen several pairs of Harken Sailing shoes selling for $72.60 each, but I have no idea if that is the right way to go yet. Other brands like the Cabelas guidewear I have seen as low as $24.95 on sale. Again I will be able to use these on fishing trips.
Foul weather gear, gloves, hats, sunscreen and sunglasses are all things to think about as well. I expect to learn a lot on our catamaran trip this Saturday and will report my experience. I don’t want to go spending a ton of money on gear only to find out later that I made the wrong purchase. I will of course bring a camera with a waterproof case although I don't expect I will need the case based on the weather predictions. I expect to learn from experience and advice from others.
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Lets Talk About Trash
I am thinking instead of paper towels, you bring cloth napkins. Instead of paper plates you bring reusable plastic lightweight plates (Use plastic to keep the weight down). If you only bring enough plates, cups and bowls for the amount of people you have on your trip you will keep the trash and the dishes to a minimum. Some prefer bottled water, but I would imagine a good water maker and perhaps a compact reverse osmosis water filtering system would provide good tasting clean water. This would save on weight and space and keep the level of trash down.
Perhaps instead of cases of beer and wine, you bring a small keg or wine in a box, or switch to hard liqueur and mix it with your favorite beverage. After all, where would you keep all the empty bottles or cans? If you are a soda drinker, do you bring cans or the plastic bottles? Soda isn’t healthy, so maybe you can switch to juice. Perhaps the powdered juice will do but if not you could bring the frozen can variety.
I think I heard of one cat coming with a garbage disposal. Perhaps this is more common then I know or it is a new trend that is catching on. Is it legal to dispose food waste into the ocean? I found the following statement from the USGS Marine Sanitation Devices (MSDs) web site.
Discharge of Graywater
Graywater is defined as drainage from dishwasher, shower, laundry, bath, and washbasin drains. It does not include drainage from toilets, urinals, hospitals, and cargo spaces. Gray water discharge is prohibited only in the
Regarding human waste the MSD is required while the vessel is within U. S territorial waters (three nautical miles offshore), the
If I understand this correctly, you can dispose of sewage without treating it when you are at least three miles off
Bottom line is that trash can be kept to a minimum. This will save on space and keep our environment cleaner.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Hybrid Diesel Electric Propulsion
Wouldn’t it be nice to travel without using fuel? Lagoon claims you can run on batteries at full speed (10kW per motor) for about 1 hour. If you add solar and wind generated power I am sure you could go farther without running the generator. How often do you need to travel for one hour or more in general? If you are in the doldrums you may need to motor more then an hour, but at least you will be doing it more efficiently.
With the combination of Solar, Wind and Water driven power generation it may be possible to go from A to B without using a single ounce of fuel. With today’s gas prices this makes so much sense. Who wants to hear or smell and noisy diesel running. There is no motor to start. You just turn a key and go. I wonder if you can run the microwave without starting the generator?
The Lagoon 420 Hybrid system uses two electric motors, a generator and a bank of batteries. Under sail, the propellers are driven by the speed of the boat and recharge the batteries. Add Solar and wind generation, and you may never need to start the generator unless you need to run your AC or washing machine. Very little maintenance is required compared to most cats which come with two engines and a generator.
What if the generator failed? You would have to rely on sun, wind and the water to power to charge the batteries. What if the Electrical system failed and you had no power to the motors? If one motor fails you still have the other. Lagoon stores energy in 2 separate banks of 6 batteries each which can be isolated, dedicated entirely to driving the electric motors. (Safety measure: in case of battery failure, one single bank can supply power to one or both motors). I am still not entirely convinced that there is enough redundancy so that you always have propulsion, however I suppose similar problems can potentially happen on any propulsion system. The question is which is more reliable.
How much does this system cost you long term in comparison to the traditional twin diesel’s and a generator? Lagoon claims the only maintenance on the electric motors is to replace the motor bearings at 20,000 hours or more. Batteries don’t last for ever and will need to be replaced. Diesel engines don’t last for ever either, but which will cost you more long term? With todays fuel prices these hybrid technologies should pay for themselves. Lagoon says they are working on the possibility of using Lithium Ion batteries which looks promising : 1/3 the weight, 1/3 the size, and an expected life of 8 to 15 years, with a capacity loss of 20%. The Cat is slowed less then 1 MPH by the spinning propellers, however once the batteries reach a full charge they will free spin. The African cat offers retractable propellers which will improve sailing performance while not charging batteries.
Is the power plant in you cat aging? Is it time to replace old engines? Perhaps you should consider switching to Electric motors. In that case you might want to contact OSSA POWERLITE. You can check out two of their projects, the Moorings (Robertson & Caine) - 43' eLeopard . View video footage at of the boat here. They are also working on a Alwoplast - 47' Crowther Catamaran.
I will seriously consider diesel electric and hybrid technologies in my 1st Cat.
Fly Fishing in La Paz Mexico
My father is funding a trip to
Although I am experienced in Fly fishing, this will be my first attempt to catch big game on a fly. I will be obtaining some lessons next weds evening on fly casting. I plan to practice in part so that I can get my arm in shape. I can imagine casting for 5 days straight could be taxing on the shoulder. I need to learn how to cast far with large fly rods and reels. This should be fun.
My goal on this trip is to add several new species to the list of fish I have caught. We can potentially catch any one of the following. Tuna, Dorado, Yellowfin, Marlin, Sailfish, Pargo, Sierra, Skipjack, Jack Crevalle and Rooster fish like the one shown here.
We will be fishing on small panga boats like the one pictured below. Only two fisherman per boat. I hope the one we are on have shade, however I am not betting on it. Might be time to do some shopping for sunscreen, a large sombrero and a long sleeve shirt.
I wish I were sailing to