A Tiny Cart for Serious Hauling

rev 10-10-2011

The Really Cheap Solution
As a cruiser, there is often the need to haul food, ice, jerry cans, or laundry. Back packs help, but they don't accommodate awkward sized objects, volume is limited, and a full jerry can is just too heavy after a few blocks. Fold-up apartment dweller grocery carts are too big to store and still don't manage awkward and over-sized items well. Luggage wheels can handle the weight, but they don't handle floppy items and bags. However, when fitted with a folding plywood platform, the shortcomings are resolved. I could have painted the wood, but I reasoned that would only make it slippery. The hinge is nothing more than a few cable ties threaded through drilled holes. Friction tape on the tubes helps too.

A $2.50 thrift store solution that proved itself over a season. Tip: find the sturdiest set of luggage wheels available. Some are junk.

The Pretty Cheap Solution
Mostly, because I found this one at a marine thrift store for $5, but I like it even better and I think I'd pay full price if it came to that. I know, most of us would rather sell our children that buy something at West Marine that is available elsewhere--and often the their price makes us consider that--and sure enough, it's actually a file cart available from Office Depot for $7 less.

It easily manages a 5-gallon can of gas and a few more bags stacked on that and stores in no space at all.I did break the top hinge when I carried my air conditioner with it, but that was my fault; it was too heavy and placed terrible leverage on the sides. It was easily repaired with a few 1/4-inch holes ad some cable ties, reinforcing the partially damaged hinge. Not as rugged as the luggage wheels, but generally more handy.

I Admit it - Sometimes it's Just too Cold to go Sailing...

...So we go go ice climbing instead.

Jessica has just grown to the point where the crampons and ice axes - razor sharp tools of the trade - and other gear are sized properly; they don't make kid's sizes in this sort of gadgetry. Most likely this is a safety measure intended to protect children from the hubris of their parents, and to protect parents from the urge to place razor sharp implements in the hands and on the feet of a teenager.

But what can be more fun that a day in the woods spent playing in snow and ice with kids? Many things I supose... but we had a fine time.

Bow Lifeline Gates for Pennies

Rev 6-25-2016

My daughter's assignment when coming along side while cruising is to step off the bow with a line. On our Stiletto--with no lifelines--this was simple. With the PDQ's lifelines and short legs it is very tricky, and even taller people can only step off with planning and caution. I have never understood why gates in the lifeline at the bow are so rare.
    To install pelican hook gates would require new lifelines; too much money when the current lines have another 10 years left in them.  Quick release pins were another option, but they weren't a perfect fit in the existing toggles. Instead, I simply replaced the existing clevis pins and their difficult-to-work circle clips with over sized pins made from  1/4-inch eye bolts, secured with stainless hitch pins. This did require drilling small holes in the 1/4-inch bolts. Use a sharp drill, steady feed, and copious oil. A stainless cutting fluid
     The one difficulty. Because the lifeline is not fixed to the stanchion (ISAF regulations only allow lifelines to be fixed at the pulpit and stern rail or equivalent strong point), the lifeline will go slack when the bow attachment is released. I undervalued this problem at first, since we only release the bow gates when docking, and that only rarely. Eventually, I stumbled at the dock, grabbed the line for balance, and went strength down, the head of the stanchion smashing into my should near the collar bone and only just missing critical rotator cuff muscles. The could have been a career ending injury. The solution was to lash the lifeline to the foremost stanchion, leaving a little room for stain adjustment, honoring the intent of the ISAF standard.

• How secure? At least as trip resistant as the average pelican hook. We keep the hitch pin on the inside to keep sheets away, and because it is easier to work that way.
• Strength? The same as before.
• Speed? All of the parts are secured with lanyards so that nothing can be lost, so it is as quick as pulling the pins in order. Re-assembly takes a few seconds longer, but that is seldom a rush.
• Weight? an ounce saved is an ounce saved.

 Total cost: If you buy everything, about $2.75/gate at Home Depot, but you may have some of what you need as spares. I had everything in the might-need locker. I guess after 30 years of sailing the might need locker gets large.

Note: After 10 years we're still happy. When we replaced the covered lines with Dyneema we kept the basic mechanism.

Under Seat Storage

Under seat storage is a black-hole, smaller items slowly sifting to the bottom where they will never be seen. A shallow lift-out composite box on runners is a very simple and practical solution. I installed two of these at the start of the season and I am very well pleased.

Note the 75-year old container of terminal grease and the roll of gray butyl rubber; The best stuff does NOT come from West Marine. In fact, nothing in the picture came from there.

See also this post on hinges. A big improvement and should have been a part of the original project.

Winter Sailing

rev. 10-14-2013

I'm always a bit confused when I see the winter storage yards of the Chesapeake Bay sprout hundreds and even thousands of sturdy sailing craft, starting the first day temperatures dropped below 60 F.  I sail all year, wouldn't have it any other way, and only once in 25 years of sailing have I placed my boat winter storage. Each season is different, and I wouldn't want to miss any one of them. 

Rev. 7-21-2024

Now I'm sailing my F-24 trimaran. There's no protection from the elements, so the clothing has been taken to the next level. I'm still good to about 35F, below which the lips get a little too cold to call it fun. Above 40F I would rate it as more far comfortable than a 95F summer drifter day. No chill, no sweat, if you get it right. I've accumulated a lot of clothing over the years, in part from ice climbing, but also sailing and skiing. My gear on any given day could be $1000 if I'd paid retail.

• Wind-proof balaclava with fleece cap over.
• Ski goggles. They really help keep the entire face warm as soon as it goes below about 45-50F. You'd be wearing sunglasses anyway. Note: avoid 2-lens goggles if it will be raining or a lot of spray. The water can sneak between the two lenses, making it much worse. A single lens with good de-fogging and ventilation is better.
  
• Assorted fleece tops with a wind breaker. Sometimes a Goretex climbing parka.
• Gill Helmsman gloves. They redesigned them about five years ago and the new ones are perfect. Sort of like ski gloves, but with much better flexibility and sailing palms and fingers. I can actually work the boat and even tie some knots with them. Plenty warm and waterproof.
  
• Goretex snowboard pants with soccer training pants under.
• Waterproof socks inside deck shoes. I hate clunky sea boots. 

If it's rough I might switch to a dry suit. I always have a dry suit on board in the winter, just in case there is some need to take a swim. You never know when something could tangle on a rope.

 

I still pick fair weather days in the winter. Why work that hard when it's cold?

I also fitted the cabin with a heater that is vented and has a separate flue. I'll post on that, but the full article was in Good Old boat a few years ago.

December 17, 2009

Yesterday I sailed from Deale to Annapolis and back in great 20-knot reaching conditions. I wouldn’t call it an adventure—nothing went wrong. I had spent the night on the boat, to get an early start; still combined with a short stop at the city dock, it took all of the brief winter daylight. On the water, I saw only four boats: some rockfishing not far from Deale, a lone sailing dingy near the South River, and a workboat tending buoys off Ego Alley (the local name for the narrow town wharf in Annapolis).  Oddly, the harbor area seemed nearly as busy as a summer day—Christmas shoppers bustled from store to store and live-aboard yachts in winter storage fill the bulkhead and transient slips between mid-November in mid-April.

Why would I sail to Annapolis for the day, in December? Well, some friends of mine, a Precision Yachts group, are planning a rendezvous in the summer and I needed to scope things out for them. From the water seemed best, though not nearly as prudent as simply driving there. However, it had its advantages: the Harbormaster was not busy and had plenty of time to speak with me; parking was easy - I was able to use the loading-only area for no charge since there was no boat traffic; because of the holiday shopping, parking a car was nearly impossible and dozens circled like vultures, ready to swoop on any open space.

 Hundreds of migratory birds. Scoters take over the coves in flocks of a hundred or so, taking off like many black bullets when approached within a few hundred yards.  Quiet, except for the wind. No crab pots to dodge, only the pound nets, but they are easy to see.

It was a nice day, nearly warm once you get used to it (high of 39F), but the temperature dropped like a rock as the sun faded. Thank goodness for a generous dodger. We are to get 20 inches of snow over the next 2 days.

There's no question that a bright spring day, a warm summer's day, and the dependable winds of fall make for better sailing than a nasty day mid-January.  Well, maybe a different sort of day. I'm not a big fan of drifting in hundred degree soup. Some say that they would rather put sailing away for a season to pursue other interests, like skiing.  I can buy that, though I do both.  Some lament that they have projects to take care of. Baloney. The temperatures below 50° F neither paint stripper nor epoxy nor paint nor caulking function properly, or least not without undue preparation and aggravation.  What we're really doing is procrastinating on those projects until spring when we will actually do them. Then, of course, we end up working around marginal weather, sometimes half ruining a job triggering great fruustration, and missing fine early season sailing, when we are at our most anxious to get on the water.  I always pull my boat for project work in the summer at some point, and seldom have I been out of the water for more than two weeks. I pick dependable weather and work fast.  For those of you from truly cold climates where the water turns hard for months, yeah, I'd haul out too.

Disclaimer. As always, my experiences are from the Chesapeake Bay area in catamarans with outboard engines. I make no effort to speak to a broader audience.
  
Weather. Yes, it is colder and in general windier. However, there are no thunderstorms, so there is less unforeseen wild weather; you can know what’s coming. Do watch for icing conditions; it can be a bugger to lower the main or furl the jib. Watch the main track and the jib furler line for ice. Using Sailcote or other lubes reduces the ability of ice to stick.

Choose an Ice-Free Harbor. While there is no such thing during a tough winter, in most years there isn't much sustained cold, the Bay is brackish, and some harbors ice before others. Fore example, in Deale there are 2 creeks: the north branch gets good tidal flow because the creek is long, and seldom freezes while the southern fork goes only a very short distance, experiences less tidal flow, and freezes somewhat sooner, thicker, and longer. A flight over the area in mid-winter is very telling. On approach to BWI you can often see a sharp line somewhere around Annapolis, separating frequently-frozen harbors from the generally ice-free harbors further south. The very worst marinas are those simply carved out of the side of the Bay with no through-circulation.

Ice Bubbler or Ice Melter. While these won't free the channel of ice, many use them to keep the area around their boat ice-free. Sometimes it is the difference between getting to the channel or not.

Bubblers are nothing more than an electric motor and propeller that pulls warmer water from the channel depths and pushes it up, under your slip. Always position the bubbler at the channel end of the slip and angle it (by varying the rope attachments per the instructions) so that it hangs at ~ 45 degree angle when energized (it will move) and thus pumps water through the slip. Make certain it cannot strike bottom if the water level drops. While they can run very near the surface, even breaking the surface, without damage, they throw a lot of spray that can cause substantial ice to form on nearby surfaces. Use a thermostat that only activates it when temperatures are below freezing; this saves power and a lot of wear on the unit and the prop. Check them every few weeks; the prop can pick up plastic bags and the like. Take it out by March 1st and save on corrosion.

I use mine only about one winter in five; generally the conditions don't warrant it. I'm not certain that in 25 years that I would have actually seen any damage without it; it's more of a convenience. I've never so much as scuffed the boot-top. Because of the salt, the Bay ice generally freezes a little mushy. However, I am in a very well protected marina protected from wave action and flows. More exposed locations can be an issue, if slabs of ice can drift through. These are a poor choice for winter storage, or perhaps for mooring in general, what with nor'easters and hurricanes. I witnessed too many "new" marinas destroyed during Isabel.

Automatic Bilge Pumps Must be Freeze-Proof. In boats with an enclosed and protected cabin the bilge and the bilge pump itself may not freeze on the Chesapeake Bay, because they lie below the waterline and it just is not that cold. However, the discharge hose will freeze unless care is taken to eliminate all low spots and loops in the hose. The hose should be as short as practical and the plumbing cannot incorporate a check valve. These common and easily avoided causes of winter sinking took three boats in just one winter, out of only 8 in our marina; two were derelicts, and one a nice boat. While all three hit the mud before they went very under and were easily floated, the damage was substantial.

Engine Exhaust and Bilge Pump Outlets Must be Well Above the Waterline. When loaded up with snow a boat can easily sink 2-4 inches below the normal load line--remember 2010? Additionally, the Bay is less salty in the winter, causing boats to ride as much as 1-2 inches below their summer lines. Thus, all open discharges should be at least 8 inches above the water line. Several winters ago a power boat in my marina went down because the exhaust ports were pushed under by snow load, there was a small leak in the piping, and the bilge pump failed (a loop in the discharge line allowed it to freeze, the pump running continuously but to no effect).

Ice Floes in Mid-Bay. It is very rare to see them; certainly not on days when you can get out. However, faced with even the thinest layer of ice or flows, I return home for fear of prop damage; even thin ice will be pressed under by the forward motion of the boat and into the prop, which is not made for chopping.

Smaller Sails. Some years I switch to a self-tacking jib, down from a 150% genoa. It is generally windier in the winter and I don't press as hard either. Spray is cold and I reef earlier in the winter.


Winterizing the Boat.

If I were hauling my boat out for extended storage, no doubt I would do a bit more; my winter checklist is brief reflecting the fact that the boat will not be alone for more than a few weeks.

*    Pump out the potable water tank. Vacuum out the remains with a shop vac.

*    Add a shut-off valve and tee just down stream of the tank and upstream of the pressure pump. Add a second valve on the tee's side branch and a length of 1/2-inch ID hose. Suck a 30% propylene glycol antifreeze mixture into all of the lines using the pressure pump, opening the taps one at a time (hot and cold) and letting them run; the clear water goes down the drain until it's as pink as the feed (you can recycle some of this by boosting it with with concentrate). When finished, remove the suction hose from the antifreeze container and blow out the lines with the pump by letting it run dry for just 20 seconds per tap (the glycol lubricates the pump, so it will not be damaged in a minute). If you have a tank water heater you should drain it and bypass. I have an instant heater and the above works well.
*    Don't leave the glycol in the system longer than needed. Don't winterize until consistent light frost and break  winterization as soon as the frost leaves. Glycol is less inclined to go biologically active if it's only in the boat when it's cold. However, glycol is biodegradable and can turn into a nasty soup of bacteria and yeast if left in place in warm weather.
*    Don't winterize with weak glycol.  Not only is freezing possible, but a nasty water system is a common result. If the glycol is stronger than 25% bacteria and yeast cannot grow; if it is less than 25% they thrive, feeding on the glycol like sugar.
*    Be careful which glycol you use. Neoprene and nylon don't like PG. Best to leave nylon strainers off to drain. PG in potable systems, of course, but black water and engines  can be EG. Note that glycol for non-potable systems can be either propylene glycol (the pink stuff) or ethylene glycol (ordinary antifreeze) because both are essentially non-toxic to fish and to the sewage treatment plant.
*    Pump out the holding tank.
*    Pull the top off the head pump mechanism, lubricate the piston, and pour glycol into the chamber. 
*    Remove the inlet hose from the head and hold it above the water line. Open the sea cock and pour enough glycol in the hose for it to back flow out the sea cock. Close the sea cock.  Replace the hose on the head inlet. Alternatively, install valves so that you can simply suck glycol into the head. Do remember that pouring glycol into the bowl does not winterize the intake side.
*    Flush the head with a 15-20% glycol mixture until March. Place a gallon jug in the head compartment labeled “for flushing only" filled with this glycol mixture.  This will keep the holding hank, discharge side of the pump and the bowl freeze-proof.
*    Keep the gasoline tank full. Actually, this is my practice all year long to reduce moisture absorption into the e-10 gasoline and to prevent separation, all the more important the winter, because e-10 separation is primarily triggered by low temperatures. See the EPA document to this effect
(http://www.epa.gov/oms/regs/fuels/rfg/waterphs.pdf). Alternatively, consider a silca gel vent filter.
*    Engines. All that is required for an outboard that will be used every few weeks is to tip it up.  The engine will drain, so antifreeze is not required. No fuel additives are required since you will be burning through gasoline just like you do in the summer. There is no need to run the engine out of fuel, or to fog the cylinders as many suggest.  In fact, simply running the engine out of fuel is probably the worst thing you can do; that will leave the carburetor partially empty and what remains will certainly evaporate and turn into gum.  The carburetor should either be left full (as you do with your automobile), or drained completely by pulling the drain plug. There is no need to disconnect the fuel line, though closing a valve might be prudent. This is been my practice for 25 years and I've never had a problem.  The only carburetors I've ever had to rebuild were those on secondhand engines that other people had run dry religiously after use.  I wonder if the practice is an urban legend started by repairmen? There is no logic.
*    Engines, starting. Expect to allow a longer warm-up. Manual choke is nice.
*    Ropes.  If you are a frostbiter or truly intend on sailing in bitter cold weather, treat all of your running rigging with Rope-proof by Nikwax. It's a water repellent and anti-freeze treatment that is used by ice climbers to prevent their climbing ropes from turning into frozen sticks while climbing frozen waterfalls (I use this on my ice climbing ropes and it is marvelously effective).  It does make the rope just a bit more slippery until the surface coating wears off, but after that it's simply leaves the rope a bit more flexible and a bit less likely to absorb water.  The treatment lasts one season and will need to be redone each year.  I find it is adequate to treat only the sheets and traveler line.  However, if my intention was to sail in extreme winter conditions I would treat everything.  The instructions are on the bottle. Please read this on washing lines.
*     Storm Windows. It is simple to replace most screens with a piece of 1/8-inch acrylic or Lexan cut to fit. They add some warmth and over my bunk keeps the window frame from dripping condensation at night.
*    Window covers help too. Window Covers 
*    Cover your tender, if stored on davits. The combination of snowfall and ice blocking the drains can make it very heavy. A slippery cover material that can shed snow, rigged as a peaked tent, is best. Additionally, even the most leak-free tender can be expected to lose pressure in the cold. If you are not going to check the inflation of the tender every few weeks, then it should be removed from the
davits. Trice it up with lines cris-crossed underneath.
*   Deep Snow. 30 inches of heavy snow changes all of the run-off patterns, the Winter of 2010 serving as example. The fuel fill may see standing water, not just rain. Cockpit lockers that are normally exposed only to splash may be in standing water, after the cockpit drains plug with ice. Since the deck will not warm with the sun, condensation will be worse. Some extra visits are worth the time. Don't forget the collapsible plastic shovel!
*   Melting Ice. The gentle application of warm water is one of the more versatile aids to melting ice from frozen drains and stuck lockers; much better than chipping or forcing. Don't boil the water and stay away from Strataglass (it will distort), acrylic (crack), and regular glass (shatter). Easy does it and no warmer than a hot shower.
*   Trice-up the tender. The snow loads can really wreck havoc on inflatable tenders. All Triced-Up. Yup, I repeated this one, but I've seen quite a few trashed tenders.


Winterizing the Sailor.

Frost biters: I'm not talking to you; it's the territory of wetsuits and dry-suits and does not relate to cruisers, for the most part. I used to do that, I remmber it was tough on a windy day, and that it teaches you to keep the boat right side up.

I see an odd mix of sweatshirts, ski jackets, jeans, and foul weather gear on the Bay in the fall and winter. Most of it is not terribly appropriate.  Amazing. People spend $100,000 on a first-class sailing boat, and the only thing they know about foul weather gear is to buy raincoats from West Marine. Unless it's blowing so hard that there is spray in the air or it is actively raining, conventional foul weather gear makes very little sense, and few people choose the sail in those conditions anyway. The best gear for ordinary sailing conditions in the winter is often mountaineering gear, which is based around windproof soft shells and fleece. Go to REI instead of West Marine.
*    Windblocker fleece (Polarteck 2000). Although this material looks like ordinary fleece, is nearly waterproof and completely windproof. Only the seams leak because it is not possible to seal them.  There are other windproof softshell materials; all of these work very well. A fleece pull-over goes under the Windblocker fleece, as needed.
*    Under layers.  More fleece.  Cotton really has no place outdoors in the winter with one possible exception; cotton turtlenecks.  Yes, a high-tech undershirt would provide better moisture management be a bit more comfortable… but they stink. If I'm cruising overnight or multiple lights, a shower is not the cards; the water system has been winterized.  The last thing I need--or my guests need--is for me to wear a polyester undershirt.
*    Feet. Sea boots are fine if you have a wet boat. Mine has a very dry ride so I'm perfectly happy with deck shoes and fleece socks. Sea boots are an essential if you are taking the dingy to a beach.

*    Hands. I've never found a pair of winter sailing gloves that I liked. Most are too skiff, the rest are not warm.  I like mountaineering gloves designed for ice climbing, which are breathlessly expensive.  However, they typically have full leather palms, Gore-Tex linings, and are designed for holding lines and handles. They are also designed with thin inner gloves that can be left on when doing something fiddly. I replace these with thin leather faced gloves; this is the best solution for ice climbing and I have found it to work very well on the boat. Pick your gloves as carefully as you would fit shoes; they are your link to the boat (for climbers they are their link to the cliff, so they take this very seriously!). Alternatively, I often use Atlas-fit insulated gloves; they have superior grip and are great for working with wet lines.  They are not water resistant, except for the palms, but they dry fast. They are cheap and available at commercial fishing supply houses. (http://www.shop.kartcollc.com/product.sc?productId=483) I got mine at SeaGear in Cape May, but they stopped carrying them. Often I use them only for handling lines, then switch to something dry.
*    Hand warmers work very well inside ski-type gloves, for a good 8 hours. They do not work well inside knit gloves or Atlas-fit type gloves; the heat dissipates too rapidly and the excessive oxygen supply causes them to burn out too quickly.
*    Head.  Ski goggles and a Powerstretch fleece balaclava, perhaps topped with a fleece cap. Few sailors have realized that ski goggles and make excellent sunglasses as soon as the temperature drops below about 45°.  They are not just for the Southern oceans.  They also contribute much to warmth; they help keep the whole face warm by reducing the amount of surface area exposed to the wind and reducing the distance that warm blood needs to flow. They will help keep your nose warm, as odd as that seems. When I see a sailor without this arrangement, I assume they enjoy a cold nose. Weird.
*  Learn to work with gloves on.  I hear all the time, the "I just can't work with gloves on." They have not tried to learn. There should be VERY FEW tasks on deck that require bare fingers. Do you see Alaskan fisherman working bare handed? If there is a common task that gives you trouble, either modify the task or learn a better way to do it. Practice. Put lanyards on snap shackles. I ice climb and have learned to tie knots and clip carabiners with double mittens. Easy, after learning the ricks.
*    Legs.  I see either jeans, or jeans with longjohns under them.  Silly.  Your legs should have the same basic insulating layers that your upper body has; a softshell and thin fleece pants under that.  An advantage of wearing fleece pants under a softshell is that in the cabin or on the drive home, if you strip off the shell you are still well-dressed; no changing of clothes. Bibs are better than waist-length pants, for both soft shells and more conventional foul weather gear. The only times I wear longjohns is when it is damn cold, perhaps zero to single digits. This is the sort of clothing that a climber wears for an active day of amounts in sub-freezing or even sub-zero temperatues.  This is the sort of clothing I find comfortable for all day sailing, in the wind, at low temperatures.  I will be just as comfortable as I would be sitting in the cabin. Clothing needs to be selected with just as much care as sailing gear for the boat.
*  Always a spare set of clothes on-board. Extra hats and gloves, too.

Engine Starting. Some are dependable; I loved my old Nissan 18 hp 2-stroke. Some--my current pair of Yamaha 9.9 4-strokes--can get cranky in the cold. Pumping the throttle gently can help, as it works the accelerator pump. Ether is also good and there is no reason to be shy about 1 or 2 squirts in the winter; it's better than grinding and grinding. Certainly expect to let them run for 10 minutes before trying to put them in gear. I generally have to leave them on fast idle for 5 minutes of that period. Check for water flow. Between the greater air density and e-10 gasoline, they tend to run lean in the cold. Certainly running the engines for 15 minutes every few weeks though the winter should be good for them.

Cabin Heat. I added a Dixon P-9000 vented cabin heater this season, and I’m quite happy with it. It seems to be equivalent to 2 x 1500 watt electric space heaters. There is no odor and the monoxide detector has never chirped. A central heating system would be much better; the heat doesn't really reach the sleeping cabins and the head compartment is like ice. However, the sleeping cabins are quite comfortable if enough blankets are piled up, and the salon stays a comfortable 70° when it's 32° outside and blowing.  That's enough for me. It does take a full 2 hours to reach that temperature. If my boat were any larger or if I lived aboard, I would chose an installed forced air system.

Amp-hours Reserve Capacity vs Temperature

Power Consumption. Because battery voltage is reduced in the cold, you need to keep an eye on this and know the minimum voltage that will start the engine. Solar cells will generate less because gray days are common, the sun angle is low, and the day is very short. Because nights are longer you need to keep an eye on how many light are on. Don’t run instruments you don’t need. If the heater requires power during the night, allow for that. Can you hand start the engine? Do you have ether, just in case? Pull-starting an engine with ether is much easier. The adjacent table illustrates that of the 100% capacity available at 70F is only 75% is available at 20F. Also note that battery voltage drops below the listed values by about 0.075 volts for each 10F below 70F, so at 20F you may only have about 12.3 volts at full charge. With just a little draw-down, this may not be enough for some electronics; in my experience the autopilot goes first.

Slider Weatherstripping. This is PDQ 32-specific, so the rest of you can skip on ahead to the next topic.

When the heat is running a substantial portion rises up and escapes through the gap between the slider in the cabin roof.  I slit three bath towels length wise and sewed them up into long hot dogs. These fit nicely in the gap between the slider in the cabin roof and increase the temperature in the cabin by about 10° F. Do be careful not to open the slider while they are in place; they could be drawn back into the mechanism and cause a jam.
 
I've found that draping huge beach towel over the cabin door helps too.  It leaks a bit in the wind. This hangs from a pair of pad eyes that are used to hang mosquito netting in the summer.

Wet Suit. Keep one on board in the winter.  You never know when you might have to dive to clear a line or such.  A standard suit will do for water temperatures into the 40s, as long as you're quick about it.  Below that, I would rather not give advice.  You need to pay attention and be quick about it.  Clearly, it is not prudent to go into cold water alone, though I've done it more than once.

Jacklines and Harness. A definite safety essential in the winter. There can be no exceptions to wearing a harness in open water when single handing in the winter. The deck can be absolutely treacherous when covered with frost or a glaze of ice; do not underestimate the danger. At least realize that if you fall off, you're a dead man. Perhaps you're okay with that. Perhaps I've done enough mountaineering to become all too comfortable with that.

Sailing Hardware. I've never had any real trouble with pulleys or cleats or winches.  I have noticed the clam cleats are completely unreliable and icy conditions must be replaced with either horn cleats or cam cleats.

Roller Furling Jibs. In breezy sub-freezing conditions spray will freeze on the front 2/3rds of the boat, the worst of it at the bow. While you may have no trouble setting the jib (the drum is empty and the line still dry from sitting in harbor), after sailing for a few hours the drum will jam up completely with ice and the luff groove will be full of ice as well; there will be no simple way, or no way short of taking a scotch reef, to douse the jib. Keep a watchful eye on the mast grove and treat the furling line with Nikwax can prevent this.

Strength of Materials and Brittleness. Polyester, arimid, nylon, and high-tech polyethylene (Spectra, Vectran, Demyna) are not affected by low temperatures. This has been proven in the lab, in theory, and by mountain climbers, in practice. However, sail cloth can be a bit more prone to tearing it stepped on; it seems that the resin does get stiffer in the cold and that is responsible. Also, PVC moldings become more brittle, so be careful around small latches and the like.  Take a little easier on sump pump handles, dodger windows (do not roll them below 55F or they may crack, and even don't un-zip them below 45F (yup, I've broken a few and dodgers are expensive), and PVC plumbing. Clear windows in sails are also vulnerable below 50F--not when sailing, but when folding or if someone steps or falls on the sail bag--so make certain the window is not folded.

Ice Buoys. Some private markers are pulled for the winter. Some Coast Guard aids to navigation--particularly in the upper Delaware Bay, upper Chesapeake Bay, and Tangier Sound--are replaced by special ice buoys during severe winters.  They are little bit smaller, and all of them--red, green, and black--resemble nun-buoys more than other types.  They are designed to withstand the pressures of ice and to resist being pulled off station. The light is designed to withstand the vibration without the filament breaking.  In reality, if ice buoys have been deployed to a certain area, you probably don't want to be there.  However, I have seen in the spring when they had not yet been replaced.

Propeller Damage. If the ice in the harbor or on the Bay is thick enough to damage the hull I can only hope the prudent mariner will stay at the dock. However, in very thin ice or broken ice there is a hidden danger; as the hull moves through the ice, even if the propeller is far below the surface, sheets of broken ice will find themselves pressed far under and will be sucked into the prop. You can hear them being chopped to bits. I think it is unlikely anything large enough to do harm can be sucked into the engine's cooling system; the bits should be large and will slide off. However, I'm not so certain the propeller and hub are safe from harm. I have always gone very slowly, no matter how little ice was present, and after a few experiences I now generally avoid any ice for this reason. I have never experienced damage, but I feel sure that it is tempting fate and that high RPMs would be a mistake.Would I feel comfortable entering a harbor with very thin ice? Yes, proceeding slowly, if it were very thin, certainly less than 1/4-inch. There is also the very real chance of becoming stuck, creating a very hazardous situation. It is very surprising how much even thin ice increases resistance. Be extremely vigilant.

Shovels and Brooms. A broom just doesn't get it done when it's deep. A plastic shovel--one of the small folding ones sold for the trunk of the car--works for me. It seems OK on gel-coat, if used cautiously. As for paint, don't do it.


Yes, I've frozen a glove to the mast and I've slid all over the place on frost. Honestly, the biggest challenge is having enough books and movies to get through the long nights. Perhaps you'll never sail the great southern ocean or even want to; you have more sense than that. Still, you can pretend that you have and make Water Mitty proud. It will be a miniature adventure, will give a new perspective on the Bay, and perhaps a breed a new found respect for the watermen to replace the widely-held animosity generated while dodging crab pots in summer.

Under-bunk Storage on the PDQ 32

rev. 12-12-2009, rev. 7-21-2024

The PDQ 32 was made in 2 basic versions: the Classic (my boat) which is powered by twin 9.9 hp outboards, and the LRC (long range cruiser) which had twin inboard sail drives. The LRCs have storage in the cockpit where the Classics have motor wells. The Classics have huge engine compartments under the bunks which are difficult to access. They represent nearly as much storage volume as found throughout the rest of the boat, and it seems a shame for it to go unused. We don't miss it over-nighting, but when out for weeks at a time, we need more luggage space.

The way our boat came, the "hole" was covered by one large unfinished sheet of plywood. You worked your fingers under the wood, awkwardly levered the mess over to the side, and deposited the wood on top of the mattress to keep it from coming back on your head. The wood was loose and always trying to slide and bang into something. The gelcoat was scared from it sliding around. More over, if you only needed one small thing, there was a temptation to lift the wood with one had and strenuously prod around in the dark for the desired items. Agony. We only stored item we seldom needed, and dreaded getting them out.

Some owners split the mattress and split the board. Better, but we didn't want to split the mattress and we are thinking about changing to a Select Comfort mattress later. We thought about pulley or lever arraignments - none were simple, and in the end, they weren't needed.

First, we need to add the sliding drawer, perhaps a bit larger than a suitcase. This should easily manage clothes for a week, with outerwear and such stored in other places. There are a few small cabinets and 3 shallow closets. The drawer we built is a simple 5 mm (~3/16") plywood box constructed without fasteners - only epoxy fillets. I have built many of these; they are simple, light, strong, and cheap. You can add fiberglass, but that is only needed if it is exterior or is a water or fuel tank. The runners are plastic angle left over from a garden shed! The handles are comfortably worn dock line.

The other key items were a simple piano hinge, rope handle, and a prop (5/8" hardwood dowel).  With a piano hinge to secure one edge of the lid, it is EASILY folded without cutting the mattress or un-making the bed! I added a rope handle to make getting started easier. Even my daughter can manage. The prop simply rests on the carpeted wall without slipping (it will stay in place underway), and is fixed at the other end by a screw eye in the dowel and a pad eye on the lid. It hangs in a plastic wire clamp (cut open, visible in center of the lid) when not in use. Simplicity!

Because the drawer rides on plastic angle sliders, it moves with a finger's touch. The exterior dimensions are 26 1/8" wide, 19" fore-aft, and 12" deep.

For now added the hinge and prop to the port bunk, but have left off the drawer: my daughter and friends occupy that side and there is enough storage space since there are more cabinets; we use the space underneath her side (port side)  for boogie boards, extra cushions for the salon, scooters, and other over size toys.

The hammock on the left hangs from brackets that hang off the nuts mounting the Genoa track. We generally use it for dirty laundry. We tried using the "hamper" under the seat, but we learned that the smell after even one day, sealed up in the summer heat, was far to much.

After-install tip: I always forget something.  There is no room for the prop when the lid is lowered. I went back and cut a scoop out of the aft edge of the box just right of the mid-point to accommodate the prop in it's stowed position.

There is more to life than sailing... or the Artist in the Family has a show.

Gale warning have been up for the past few days, as autumn arrives for real, which means... raking leaves. It also is time to look around the yard to see what is wanting for attention.

A year ago we had to take a few large trees out. One of them ended up as a totem pole, courtesy of my father's talents. Though we share some small bit of Native American blood, it is not from a tribe that practiced this tradition. Still, it seemed worthwhile, and he worked a few family images into the project.

First we experimented and produced a fine guard for my daughter's backyard fort. Fun.

Then my Dad got involved and crafted this 25-foot totem. More fun. It turns out, after much research that the National Parks Department learned that high-copper paint would be the proper environmentally acceptable preservative for the base. They had it specially formulated. I gather they had never heard of bottom paint. Before the bottom paint they suggested soaking the base in a borax/glycol mixture, which we prepared by dissolving about 2-3 pounds of borax in 1 gallon of ethylene glycol (concentrate antifreeze would work) at about 200F (heated on the stove). Several coats soaked in over 2 days did a fine job; as of 5-1-2015 there is not trace of rot. The glycol mix, after drying for a week, did not reject the paint.

Ken Frye - Watercolorist

But there is a point to this rambling discussion. My Dad opened a gallery show in Vienna, Virginia today. He's been painting and selling water colors and prints, generally of ocean and architectural themes, since I was small. Cape May, New Jersey was a favorite location, became a summer home for us, and influenced in no small way my interest in sailing. If you have visited Cape May, are interested in maritime scenery, or simply appreciate art, give my Dad's blog a gander.

http://kenfrye-artist.blogspot.com/

http://www.ayrhillgallery.com/news-events.html

Tired of splicing? Substitue an 85% Strength Knot.

There are circumstances when a splice cannot be beat: chain to rope splice, spinnaker sheet to shackle or other snag-prone spot, or to the becket of a block where a knot would be too bulky. There are other times when a knot is a better choice: a dingy tackle that is easily tangled and frequently re-rove, a halyard that is prone to jamming in the head block, or a halyard that will be reversed or trimmed for wear. I like them on spinnaker halyards since they provide a big ball for me to hang on to (although I understand that on some rigs they can be snag prone at the mast head - it is all a mater of geometry). Many times a simple bowline will do the job; it is easily untied and compact. It is also a mere 45% strength knot and can come loose if tied loosely or with a too-short tail.

Standard figure-8
A common figure-8 is an 75% strength knot that is bulkier and more difficult to untie. It is, however, the gold-standard for mountaineers, and they stake their lives on its security and dependability. Even after a good hard fall it is not too difficult to untie, though saltwater and time do seem to make this more difficult.

Figure-8, Yosemite finish

The figure-8 can be improved upon; take the tail around the standing part again and feed it through the first turn. This increases the strength, makes it more secure against working loose, and makes it easier to untie. Three for one!

This has become my favorite mountaineering tie-in, and I have tested it through more than a few falls, as well as failure-testing it against both splices and standard figure-8s. It is less than line strength, but not by very much.

But what about chafe? A thimble won't work, but there is another solution, well proven on industrial lifting slings and used on my boat for 15 years: cover the wear area - the thimble location - with nylon or polyester tubular webbing. 1inch webbing for line up to 1/2-inch (12 mm) and 2-inch webbing for larger line; a 3-6-inch length will do. The webbing will move with the sharp spots and rope will only feel nylon sliding on nylon, it will protecting this critical area from sun, and eliminate all wear. I believe it out-performs a thimble in many applications and is certainly a safer choice for the beginning splicer, where the thimble many not be as securely positioned as needed and can shift. I have used tubular webbing "thimbles" on mooring lines and high-tec halyards, and the knot or thimble has never been the failure point.

Circumnavigating the Delmarva Peninsula — A Guide for the Shoal Draft Sailor: November 2009 Revisions

     With the passage of one of the strongest northeasters in many years, the changeable inlets of the Eastern Shore have done just what they naturally do in response to stress; they have changed. After a few conversations with some fisherman and one sailor heading south for the winter, I have a few revisions to offer:

     Additionally, I have revised and expanded some Delaware Bay information between the Cohansey River and Bidwell Creek on the Jersey side.

Enjoy!

The Purpose of Work

An American businessman was at the pier of a small South Pacific island village when a small proa with just one fisherman docked. Inside the small proa was a dorado and several large grouper. The American complimented the Islander on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The Islander replied, "Only a little while."

The American then asked why didn't he stay out longer and catch more fish?

The Islander said he had enough to support his family's immediate needs.

The American then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The fisherman said, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a late afternoon nap with my wife, Helia, and then in the evening after dinner I stroll into the village where I sip rum and play guitar with my friends. I have a full and busy life."

The American scoffed, "I am a Harvard MBA and can help you. You should spend more time fishing and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat. With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats; eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor, and soon you would open your own cannery. You would control the production, processing, and distribution. Of course, you would need to leave this small fishing village and move to Australia, then Los Angeles and eventually New York City, from where you could better run your expanding enterprise."

The South Seas fisherman asked, "But, how long will this all take?" to which the American replied, "15–20 years."

"But what then?"

The American laughed and said "that's the best part. When the time is right you would announce an IPO and sell your company stock to the public and become very rich. You would make millions."

"Millions, really? Then what?"


The American said, "Then you retire. Move to a small fishing village where you sleep late, fish a little, play with your grandkids, take a late afternoon nap with your wife, and then in the evening after dinner, stroll into the village to sip rum and play your guitar with your friends."


Borrowed. I have no idea where this came from; I have seen many versions on the net and edited this one to suit my sense of story telling.