Boat Improvements

Last week we had Bob Williams of SALT Technology come and give our boat an analysis of our energy usage, needs, generation and storage, and make recommendations of suggested improvements.
Bob is the guru of boat energy systems, including solar, wind, batteries, generators, monitors, and related stuff. He teaches seminars on these topics for various boat shows (e.g. Miami, this weekend) and Seven Seas Cruising University webinars. Since SALT is right here in Marathon, let's get 'er done now.

From his recommendations, we are having his firm add a lot of insulation to our refrigerator/freezer  - this is expected to save us at least 1/3 of its energy consumption, and it is our biggest energy eater aboard.  We also will have an energy monitoring system installed, so we can monitor our batteries, see exactly how much energy we are getting from our engine's alternator, find out how long we need to run the motor to keep our batteries charged (and not overcharged), and have another electronic toy to play with. 

His other suggestions - larger alternator, solar panels, replacement batteries - can wait until we find out how the insulation and monitor work out and tell us things. 

These items are supposed to be installed tomorrow = Monday (so we can possibly leave and head back north on Tuesday).

Expensive, but - hey - it's a boat.  And if I were to do it myself, who knows when it would get done.

Another strong norther

The coldest norther of the year is coming through the Florida Keys now. [Wind chills of 27 F in Southwest Florida!] 

Here in Boot Key Harbor, in Marathon: Very choppy. 

Here's what it looked like from our cockpit on a previous calm day - These boats are a combination of abandoned, derelict, or occupied by single guys. Hope their anchors hold or they will end up hitting boats at docks to our right.

Weekend report: 68 degrees here, sunny, wind at 28, gusts to 35. Stronger winds coming. Lots of water banging on the stern of the boat. Wind is pushing water up to this end of Boot Key Harbor. The water level is very high. Tide negligible compared to the surge.

Overnight report (Sunday night): Thump, thump, thump, vibrate, vibrate, vibrate. The quarter berth and stern are taking a beating for 48 hours due to much too strong winds. ARGH!  Hard to sleep with all the noise and bouncing.  And we are spider-webbed into the dock and pelican posts.

Better on Monday, but cold – in the 50s! Ilona went to the Crane Point Nature Reserve and a movie. Bob took a truck ride with the Coppedges to check out some anchorages, down towards Key West on the ocean side.

Then, later for both of us - great sundowners with sailors at Blackfin Marina and Resort, including the crew of sv-Muddy Wench. AND THE WIND IS DOWN. YEAH!!!! It is quiet onboard. NO THUMP, THUMP, THUMP! due to the water pounding on the hull. 

Wind is down at the moment. Did not expect it to drop tonight. Enjoying it immensely. Small but huge changes. But getting cold - we actually have the boat's heater on, and used the electric blanket (!) for a few minutes last night.

We might make a run for Biscayne Bay and Miami, starting on Tuesday if the winds continue dropping and we have the courage to go for it.  Should take us 3 days to get to Miami, assuming lighter winds, moderate waves, and no more idiot boaters.

Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, FLfro

view from Sombrero Marina

view from City Marina

part of dinghy dock at City Marina

at City Marina

Anchor Rode set - on their prop!

Pelican Post

Down here, the sterns of boats are tied to Pelican Posts in most marinas.  Why are they called Pelican Posts? - oh, ...

view from the cockpit on s/v Ihana

close up

How to tie to a mooring ball

This is posted in the Boot Key Marina, in Marathon, Florida.  How to properly secure to your boat to a mooring ball in their harbor, in case of a storm or hurricane.

detail view - note that the dockline eyes are on the mooring ball line, not on your cleats

attaching your boat's cleat to their mooring balls

Still trying to reorganize the boat

Spent today working on reassembling our boat.  We have to redo all the anchor rodes first, then re-bury the spares and have the secondary and primary ready to go.  Will take a while longer.

V-berth

Our cabin today

marking the rodes