Bahamas!!! We're here!

Ihana and her crew crossed the gulf stream today and are safely tied up in Old Bahama Bay Resort & Marina on Grand Bahama Island. Pulled our anchor at 4 am from just inside the Lake Worth (Palm Beach) Inlets. 10 hours or so at 6 knots. Motored all the way. Seas up to 3 feet, tailwinds but not enough to bother hauling up the sails. Dinner with Buddy Boat sv-Tranquillity (Joan & Laurence Wright) in a few minutes. And now for the rum ...

Preparing to Cross - Volume 2

Possible Gulf Stream crossing on Monday. Might even sail across!

Wear a life jacket.

and keep it zipped up!

Staying inside today - very windy

More cords than an audiologists office

Lines, Hats, Tethers, Stuff

View from the navigation station

Winter Wonderland - our home in Minnesota

Marooned in paradise

With the BFN [Big Friggin Norther] due to hit today around noon-ish, we're safely docked and waiting for better weather. Will probably be stuck here for several days.
Got a date with my favorite girl. Plan for today is walk/bus from the marina to the very upscale Palm Beach Gardens Mall - for a movie and a meal, before everything shuts down for Xmas.
We expected to be marooned somewhere on a deserted isle somewhere in the Bahamas, but the Palm Beach area will do in a pinch. Besides, there probably isn't a wilder, more primitive place to hang out than in a mall on the day before the big holiday.
Still in shorts and sandals, although we may have to tote a parka in case of rain. Oh, well - we will survive somehow.
Have a happy!

TIME TO RELAX

Finally.  We're in a marina.  Life is easier, now that our two months of boat improvements, repairs, and setup are about done.  Did almost nothing yesterday; finally had time to read a book (not about boat repair, cruising guides, etc.).  AND I FINALLY updated this blog!  There is new stuff in here, going back to mid-November.
Most of this was previously posted on Facebook - that's easier since we can just hit SEND directly from the iPhone cameras.
Taking it easy again today; no weather window for crossing to the Bahamas until at least Friday, probably longer.
Meanwhile - we have Publix, West Marine, swimming pool, lounge, several restaurants within easy walking distance.  In fact, my First Mate took off an hour ago for a long walk.
But I stayed and blogged.

Crossing the Gulf Stream - almost but not now

12/23/13 The crossing is off - for now. We are staying stateside for the next several days. Most boats are tucking in; a few are possibly going to try for the Bahamas before the BIG FRIGGIN NORTHER hits sometime mid-day on Tuesday. Not us. With only about 2 hours between ETA and the BFN, we would be TOTALLY FUKT if anything went wrong or caused a delay (T.F. means 11 foot seas, 30-35 knot winds in the Gulf Stream, mutiny on the bouncy, etc.) We remember that the most dangerous thing to have on a boat is a schedule.

12/22/13 It looks like we may stay put here in Old Port Cove, North Palm Beach for several days. Weather looks semi-rough. Gulf Stream crossing is quasi-doable on monday, okay overnight monday (south-ish winds, waves < 2-3 feet), BUT it hits the fan sometime around 10am to 1pm Tuesday, winds very suddenly go to north at 30 knots, waves unbelieveable. As of now (22 December, 00:30EST) it looks too tight and unsafe to go for the run on monday [if anything goes wrong - even for an hour or 2 - we're screwed]. bonus - nicer marina than west end bahamas, also much less expensive. Chris Parker says don't go, too.

Will check weather in the morning, but it's getting close enough that the predictions might even be accurate. So it goes ...

12/21/13 Docked in Old Port Cove Marina, North Palm Beach FL. Preparing for the jump across the Gulf Stream to the Bahamas. Weather window possibly open on Monday - about a 50% chance now. Have to wait for the winds to switch from NE to SE and die down a little. Best guess now is 15 knots SSE - that would give us a close-hauled to close-reach, waves 2-3 feet - a screaming 10 hour ride across the Stream (sails maybe, engine definitely - we gotta get there fast).

But then it REALLY hits the fan on Tuesday (late morning to mid-afternoon?), winds slamming back to the north at 25-35 knots, seas up to several feet. IF we go, we plan to get there and hunker down in West End on Grand Bahama Island for several days. IF we don't, life is good here in the Palm Beaches.

Buddy boating with Joan & Laurence Wright, s/v Tranquillity. A 33' Tartan liferaft if we need it

CONTACT: We may be off Facebook and phones for several days. Emergency contact is Benjamin - he knows how to reach us.

Happy Holidays and all that ...

Walking the docks, at our marina in North Palm Beach.

Big boat. Little girl.

A couple of larger boats in our marina.
Old Port Cove Marina, North Palm Beach, Florida

One of two "dinghys" on a megaboat.

Sweetie Skypes Sisters on Sailboat

Sunrise, Sunset

12-18-13  Sunrise in mooring field in Sunset Bay, Stuart, FL.  Note the name on the catamaran next to us …

We're off to miss the blizzard (the wonderful blizzard of ours)

12-16-13  Home – Roseville, Minnesota – where we are not at now.

Preparing to leave

12-14-13 Getting sv-Ihana ready for departure from Indiantown on Monday AM. Provisioned. Laundried. Filled up with food, diesel, water, gasoline. Pumped out. Most stuff in storage locker (if not in boat). Arranging van/camper storage and locker for the winter. Still have to check out, load up the dinghy and kayak, top off the tanks, and remove the Chanukah lights from the boat. No good weather window for a Gulf Stream crossing to The Bahamas until late next week at the earliest, so not in so much of a rush. Headed down to Stuart (mooring ball?), then down the ditch to North Palm Beach (anchorage) to wait for the weather (and enjoy the last city food and shopping).

Green Light for solar

12-11-13 The solar panels are working! The green light on the charge controller tells us that the panels are putting out power - that means that the sun is up, without me having to look out a window. And the green light is off at night, probably because the earth is blocking the sunlight... Ain't technology wonderful.

As a bonus, the system is probably recharging our batteries also.

Here comes the sun!

12-7-13 Here comes the sun! Ihana has achieved enlightenment. (Well, I do still have to fishtape the wiring to the controller and batteries.)

and, yes, the boom clears the panels. (thanks for asking ...)

Solar Panel Mounting Frame

12-6-13 Frame over Bimini to hold solar panels. Done.

Solar goes on tomorrow when it cools off enough in the AM to be able to work.

Now 84 dew point 70. Siesta time. Until the girls-trippers (sic) get back tonite.

Girlstripping (etc.)

12-5-13 So the solar panels & Bimini-mounts showed up UPS today while we were in town grocerying for the trip and tomorrow I have to start installing it, but The Ilona & Joan will be gone girlstripping (hyphen after the "s"; I know what you're thinking) to Palm Beach, and the Craigies will be here tomorrow. And we're at the Karaoke party tonite. Wowzer. When will I get 'er done?

It's girls-tripping. Not girl-stripping...

Snow at home in Minnesota

12-5-13 Be it ever so snowbound, there's no place like home ...

Photo by Suzan Kauffman: "Bob Rouda and Ilona Rouda. Here is what it looks like. Enjoy where you are."

Party at Indiantown Marina

12-3to5-2003:  4-day delayed Thanksgiving Party at Indiantown Marina.  Free food, wine, beer, entertainment.  Karaoke, Dancing, Bands, Fun.

The Karaoke Girls

Kirsi and Joan dancing.  Ilona capturing it.

The food line

Chanukah in Florida

12-1-13 Chanukah Party at Ralines in Dania Beach, Florida.

Finally Updating our Blog

Sorry I haven't kept the blog up-to-date.  We've been busy (see below for the task list).

We left home in Minnesota on October 16; arrived in Indiantown FL on October 28.  Our boat was on-the-hard in the marina's work area until November 8 (launch date). Mainly getting the waterline (& bootstripe) raised, removal of the VC-17 fresh waste bottom paint (which did not work in hot salt water, like they have down here), touching up the epoxy barrier coat, and getting new (better, we hope) bottom paint.

We were hoping to leave here by now; but there is Hofstadter's Law ("Everything takes longer than you think it will, even if you take into account Hofstadter's Law …")  Recursive, of course.

But we are almost ready – possibly will leave here the end of next week.  Most of that time will be working on installing solar panels (to feed the hungry 5 amp refrigerator), so we can travel for extended times without using the yellow cord (which isn't long enough).

Hope to do a better job with this blog, after we (finally!) get out of here. [Said the Joker to the Thief …]

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    ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE BOAT - Late Summer through November, 2013:

Plain font – done

Underline – stuff to buy

BOLD – do NOW

Italics - maybe

At Indiantown marina, Florida –

by boatyard mechanics, before launch

1. Bottom paint – strip off old fresh-water paint and barnacles; raise waterline; apply barrier coats and new salt-water paint

2. Saildrive – strip old paint off saildrive & propeller; prime and paint with salt-water paint that is safe for Aluminum

3. Improve the Racor (primary diesel fuel filter) to allow drainage from bowl; change filter

4. Add vacuum gauge (to monitor filter clogging)

5. Transmission oil change

6. Install better engine high-temperature / low pressure alarm?

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                                                       by Bob & Ilona

Pull Precision boat from Lake City Marina; bring home; winterize & cover

Find EVERYTHING we brought home from the boat last April; put in a single place; load camper

Also find CLOTHES, etc.

Fill medical prescriptions for entire trip [6 months]

Get cash for trip

Set up house-sitter/checker

Notify important contacts about where we are and how to get a hold of us

Cancel U-Haul Trailer reservation

Prep house for extended absence – batteries, filters, etc.

Turn off house phone & Internet; newspaper; thermostats; smoke alarms;

             winterize lawnmower; car & van maintenance

Notify bank & credit cards about travel dates and locations

Check all faucets, showers, toilets, washing machine, outside faucets – for leaks

Check out marinas for eventual return to the Great Lakes –

            Duluth/Superior & Bayfield (Apostle Islands)

Get and study books on weather (Chris; David Burch)

Set up blog to be directly publishable by E-mail

Study and pass Ham Radio exams for Technician and General Class Licenses

Update computer & chartplotter software & charts

Confirm Work order for Indiantown Marina for 10/2013: bottom paint, transmission

                fluid, fuel filter vacuum gauge & relocate; add temperature & oil pressure alarms

Get and study charts, chartbooks and cruising guides for the Bahamas

MN dinghy registration thru 2015

License tabs for camper van & trailer for 2014

US Customs & Border Patrol Decal for 2014

Update BoatUS insurance (to include Bahamas coverage)

US Coast Guard Boat Documentation for 2014

Voice recorder (for recording phone calls and weather broadcasts) – use iPhone

US CBP SVRS [Small Vessel Reporting System], 2014: paperwork & phone number – to re-enter USA from Bahamas in 2014.

US CBP 2014 sticker for boat

Buy iPad & Lifeproof waterproof case for it; install Garmin Bluechart app, charts, Active                Captain

Buy WiFi booster antenna, amplifier & wireless router; run 12 vdc wires from switch             pane at navigation station, through boat, to Ubiquiti Bullet amplifier and antenna,             mounted on Bimini supports.

Run yet another 12 vdc wire through the boat, for whatever, later.

Buy mobile computer printer (w/ battery, 12V charger, paper, color) & paper & ink

Buy paper pads, folders – to keep all those loose papers in

Buy SONY AM/FM/SSB receive-only radio (to listen to Chris, etc.)

USCG EPIRB registration update & decal renewal

Near, Far, and Exumas Explorer Chartbooks

Starpath: Universal Plotting sheets, CelNav worksheets, emergency nav card.

Gather and copy all documents needed for entry into the Bahamas:

USCG Document & MN Boat Registration (copies!)

Passports

Dinghy registration

Boat Insurance papers – incl. rider to cover Bahamas

Dinghy motor: make, hp, serial number

Bicycles: make, model, serial number

Drivers licenses

Other?

Alfa WiFi booster for MacBooks

Print Bob's custom Weather Logbooks

Buy West Marine 610 Epoxy & caulking gun; extra mixing nozzles

Buy pizza stone & paddle

Buy new shoes

Check out: Dan Sullivan, Abacos Inn, Hope Town [friend of Rob Hoffman]

Buy Aeropress mini-espresso maker

Buy WaterwayGuide-Bahamas 2014.

Remove boat cover; store in storage locker

Change secondary diesel fuel filter

Change raw water pump impeller

Furlex (jib furler) – drill out and replace broken screw; replace bottom spool cover; add grease

Charge all boat batteries with shore power

New rotors and brakes (front end) for camper

[Check out poles to mount 3 antennas – Seaview pole attachments or custom Bimini-bar?  Arch: ATLANTICTOWERS.COM  / Solar controller: ACDC PRO]

New Sunbrella Lifesling Bag

Port visors for portlights (windows)

Think about but do not get: Honda generator – with 30amp marine socket ?

Order, receive, activate:  Iridium 9555 Satellite Phone Deluxe Savings Bundle (sat phone,            prepaid airtime,  optimizer (router), X-gate e-mail

Take (almost) everything from the climate-controlled storage locker; reload the boat

Fill water tank; test water for taste

Inflate and test dinghy

Put on Sails, Bimini, Dodger

Check (fill) batteries with distilled water

Antenna mounting bar on Bimini? NO

Remount external VHF antenna for AIS - on Bimini or solar panel mountings

Remount GPS antenna for AIS - on Bimini or solar panel mountings

Screen for companionway – replace, sew, add chain to bug netting

Buddy boats – check on plans for Bahamas with:

            s/v Utopia

            s/v Tranquility

Test ALL electronics:

            Depth, speed, log

            Chartplotter – charts (Bahamas ok?), boat position (internal GPS)

            AIS – send, receive

            MarineTraffic.com – receives AIS signal?

            Battery chargers – shore power, engine alternator           

            Navigation and interior lights

            WiFi booster

            Satellite phone

STILL TO DO

Solar panels:  Design, buy parts, make mounting supports (1" stainless-steel tubes) to hold 2 solar panels on top of the Bimini; Buy and install solar panels; wire from panels through the boat to a new controller, then to the house batteries.

Test battery capacities

Change Joker valve (in marine head)

Program depth offset (sensor to waterline; sensor to bottom of keel)

Activate Iridium 500 min.; e-mail compression, and firewall software for Sat Phone 

Buy 2 ea. 6 gal Water Jerry Cans; install board to mount on lifelines/stanchions

Clean & fill diesel jerry cans

Inflate & test Kayak

Put on Van 2014 license tabs

Rig SSB antenna; try to actually hear Chris with SSB receiver radio

---------

Maybe:     WeatherNet (data source & compression for Internet & Sat Phone), GRIB Explorer & Metmapper display software for other weather data

FILL all 3 propane tanks (for galley oven and range)

FILL both gasoline cans (for dinghy outboard)

Put on Dinghy 2014 registration tabs

=> Verizon- unlock phone; buy SIM card in Bahamas OR use BaTelCo phone

            (thanks, Jerry)

Groceries & supplies – buy and load boat – enough food for many days

Park camper van for the winter; give spare van keys to Indiantown Marina Office

            and to Wrights

[do in 2014:  MN canoe & Precision-23 registrations for 2014]

Improve the 110 vac internal wiring – switch to marine-grade 12/3 wiring

Test circuit breakers & GFIs [Ground Fault Interrupts]

Adjust depth gauge offset on Raymarine tri-data

Check speed / log wheel

Buy? Dodge-Abacos 2014

Buy? Abaco Ports of Call ?

Buy?  Lewmar Winch rebuilt kit

Buy? iPad mounting bracket

Buy? Second Kayak