A Chesapeake Cruise

We finally untied the dock lines and left the dock for a few days of cruising instead of working on the boat. All of the must-do projects are done for now, and we need a little time off to relax and enjoy some of the fruits of our labors. One of the great things about cruising for as long as we have, is that you meet a lot of wonderful people, and we have met many. Over the years they have become friends and even if you don't see someone for years, when you next meet, it is like you saw each other yesterday. Our good friends Paul and Gail were anchored in San Pedro, Belize when we sailed over the reef early one morning and dropped anchor. We were very surprised to find two boats already anchored there, not because they were there ,but because both of the other boats were from Maryland and one lived within five miles of us. We continued on with both boats through Belize and into the Rio Dulce in Guatemala.

Paul and Gail live in North East, Maryland with a house right on the water near the entrance of the Susquehanna River. That would be our destination for Saturday, about 35 miles north of our marina. The weather forecast was for fabulous weather for the next four days, more about that later. The morning was sunny and very pleasant, a perfect day to cruise the Chesapeake Bay. We did not get under way until 10 a.m. as we had a few chores and preparations still to do. The winds were light and out of the northwest, the direction we needed to go, but all in all, a great start. We estimated the run to North East would take us four to five hours.

Being a Saturday, the Bay was very busy with all manor of craft, needing to get somewhere really fast before the last (fill in the blank) _____________ was sold, used, taken, claimed by someone else. We headed out of Rock Creek and turned north at the alternate small ship channel that runs near Pooles Island.

We always carry paper charts aboard no matter where we are cruising ,but since Susan and I were both born and raised on the Chesapeake, we don't find it necessary to have the charts sitting at the helm as we normally would. For the next few days, we would use our trusty Waterway Guide, our log book and, of course, our Standard Horizon Chartplotter at the helm of the flybridge. We also have our Toshiba laptop running at the lower helm station as a back-up and if we need to move to the lower station. We have been using an older version of the Capn First Mate navigation software for many years. It does not have all of the bells and whistles of many others, but it does everything we need it to do and, most of all, it will run the free NOAA charts that can be downloaded on-line. The laptop is connected to a handheld Garmin GPS via a USB to Serial cable and gives us the ability to use the handheld if needed. This has worked well for us now and for many year cruising on Sea Trek, our former sailboat. 

The commercial waterman were out on the water working their traps and trot lines. On the Chesapeake, this means keeping a sharp watch at all times while under way. The polypropylene lines and floats on their traps are everywhere just waiting to wind themselves around your propeller and shaft. The results can be a minor inconvenience, an unexpected dive over the stern, or a tow to the nearest haul-out facilities and an expensive repair. These floats are everywhere in the Bay except the ships channel. Although we so love the results of their hard work, it is really annoying to have to constantly dodge the floats and add many extra miles to our trips weaving back and forth to avoid them. 

The Corps of Engineers was also busy dredging the ship channel that leads north to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal. These dredge operators do a fine job of keeping our Waterways open, when the funding is there to pay for the work. We did have one encounter with another Corps of Engineers boat, the Shuman. The Captain of the Shuman was kind enough to pass us close by, even though we were well out of the channel, and rolled us from side to side with a VERY large wake. Not even a hello, we are going to pass you or, sorry about that. And once they had tossed everything around on the boat, they came to a full stop a quarter of a mile ahead of us and sat there until we passed them. They were still there when we motored out of sight. I suppose the Captains are now recruited from sportfishing Captains, and the Corps has seriously lowered its standards. If you happen to see the Shuman coming, you might want to prepare yourself. We would have taken photos of their display of seamanship, but we were too busy holding on for dear life. But here is the Shuman in case you see them coming:

Whatever this job was, it must have been really important that they arrive at that very spot at precisely the exact second.

Other than a few inconsiderate operators, the trip went very well. Beach House behaved herself, and we arrived off Turkey Point at about 2:30 in the afternoon. The National Weather Service guesscast for the day was NW winds 5 to 10 knots with gusts to 20 - makes sense. We knew a front was coming through over night with rain and unknown winds since the NWS had changed their guess at least five times since we started the trip. Our original plan was to anchor off our friends house and dinghy in for our visit. But without enough information to determine just what weather was coming, we decided to take a cautionary approach and take a slip at a local marina. Our friends had made arrangements for a slip at Bay Boat Works, about seven miles from their house by water. Bay Boat Works usually does not have transient slips, but they do have a few from time to time. 

This is a working boat yard with a travel lift and haul out facilities. They have both open and covered slips, but most are long-term slip holders. They also have a mooring field, but the moorings are for sailboats only. We never did find out why. The folks at the marina were very helpful and friendly. We found the restrooms, while not fancy, very clean and maintained. There are showers for use by the slipholders and transients. We decided to stay at the marina both Saturday and Sunday night since the rains started Saturday night and were forecast to end midday Sunday. The NWS missed again, and it rained all day Sunday and into Sunday evening.

We had a great visit, and Susan was adventurous enough to walk out to the lighthouse on Turkey Point. It is really beautiful in the area. We spent some time in downtown North East, visiting the antique shops and doing a little shopping. It is a very friendly and quaint town with friendly locals. A stop at a roadside vegetable stand and some great meals at our friends made for a perfect weekend, in spite of the weather.

This is the view from their back deck and the approaching front Saturday evening. After the rains all day Sunday, we looked at what information was coming from the Neverright Weather Service. The guesscast was for another front to come through on Monday afternoon. We had planned to head south and visit other friends on the Wye River. The front coming through would be preceded by southwest winds and predicted at 20 knots by midday Monday, we would be heading south all day. On Tuesday, when we would be returning and heading north on the Bay, the winds would be out of the north and 20 knots. Now it is not that the boat can't handle this, but the question was, did we really want to pound into 20 knots for two days? And the answer is..., no. So we changed plans and headed back to our marina and back to our slip. 

Monday morning, we were under way very early to get back to the slip before the 20 knot winds kicked in. The morning started clear considering all of the rain, with just a light fog. The winds were calm, and there was an autumn chill in the air, a sure sign the season was changing. But a very pleasant change from the 100 degree temperatures we have had over the summer. The return trip was as pleasant and uneventful as the trip north, and there were a lot fewer boats on the water since it was Monday. 

We passed a few trawlers we were sure were heading for the MTOA Rendezvous in Baltimore, but no one we recognized. With the wind building on our nose and the currents against us all the way back, we added an extra hour to our time back to the marina. Once the boat was secured in the slip and everything connected and stowed, we jumped in the car and drove to our friends on the Wye River. We had a great visit and it was a whole lot less stressful than slogging into 20 knot winds and waves on the Bay for two days. The winds did materialize, so our decision turned out to be a good one. All in all, we declared the cruise a success. We did get to spend time with our friends and, more importantly, we took the boat out of the slip and spent some quality time on the water. We promised ourselves we would do this more often before the season comes to a close. We hope we will be able to keep that promise.

We did promise to report on the new Livingston Dinghy. Unfortunately we don't have much to report. Staying at the marina meant we did not use it. We can report though that it rode on the swim platform quite well, even with the big roll from the Corps of Engineers boat. We added the stand-offs and they helped keep everything in place and stabilized. More next time.

A New Dinghy And A Big Change

Cruisers know that the dinghy is the same as the family car when we live ashore.It gets you to shore to buy groceries, visit with friends, and reach those beaches and snorkel spots that can't be reached with the mothership. Ask ten cruisers what the best dinghy is and you will get ten different answers. It will turn out to be one of those discussions like anchoring or cleaning the holding tank. The opinions will fly and the discussion will go on for a long time.

Since we began cruising almost 20 years ago, we wrestled with what type of dinghy would be best for us. After a couple of shake down cruises it became obvious. We first tried a very nice fiberglass skiff that was capable of sailing, with a mast and boom, rowed well and looked very elegant. But in a short time we grew to hate it. We could not carry more than two people and it would only hold a small outboard. It was so tippy getting in and out from the boat that we stopped using it. It was always banging against the hull and dinged everything.

We sold that dinghy and bought an inflatable. Our first inflatable had a soft floor with wooden inserts and standard size tubes. It was a big improvement, more stable, carried more weight and let us up the horse power of the outboard. After our first cruise to the Bahamas, we realized that although better, the design made for a wet ride across the harbor in even a small chop. In Georgetown we had to wear foul weather gear to ride across the harbor on bright sunny days.

It was obvious that we needed an inflatable, we just need a better one.  Our next purchase was a RIB from Caribe. It proved to be perfect, it was stable, carried even more weight, used a larger outboard that allowed us to get up on plain, reach our destinations much faster, and with the larger tubes and flared bow, it was a much drier ride.

That dinghy lasted us for ten years and we put a lot of miles on it. It was used and abused all over the Caribbean. It was sold along with our sailboat and the new trawler had an inflatable exactly like our first one only not in as good condition. This was not going to do so the hunt began for a new one. We carried the Caribe on davits on the stern of the sailboat the entire time we owned and cruised the boat. But we did not want to carry a dinghy on the back of the trawler this way, we prefer carrying it on its side on the swim platform. This is doable but not ideal with an inflatable. We had seen a pretty nifty fiberglass dinghy in our travels made by Livingston Boats in Tarboro, North Carolina. We had met a few cruisers with these boats and they really liked them. We started doing research on line and and asking questions of owners and the end results seemed to be that this was a good option for us. The twin hulls gave the stability we needed, the boat would move along quite well with a smaller outboard, which means carrying less weight, it is very well built and it looks really nice. On the website it is referred to as the 8 but is actually 7.5 feet.

There is also a mounting option for dinghy mounting brackets made by Weaver Davits that would make mounting on the swim platform easy and secure. It also makes launching and retrieval easy, which is very important to us. It took at the most a couple of hours to install the Weaver Davits and have the boat resting on the swim platform. We just love it when a plan comes together.

Holding Tanks and Refrigerators

What do these two systems have in common you ask? I suppose you could say one holds your food while the other holds the waste products of your food. Both are systems on a boat that get a lot of discussion and attention from most boat owners. Both are systems that can cause lots of headaches and demand lots of our attention.

The holding tank on Beach House was the original from the factory and in a very strange place. Both heads are in cabins down from the main salon. The holding tank was a fiberglass tank installed under the seat at the dinette. Other than the fact that this might not be the most desirable location if odors develop, it means that the sewage must be pumped up hill from the heads to the tank, another less than ideal situation. 

This diagram, taken from Don Casey's article on installing a head, is a good approximation of the installation we are currently working on. The old tank has been removed and the process of installing the new tank and replacing all of the connections, hoses and valves is nearing completion. We decided to install the tank in a space next to the head, under the starboard bunk in the aft cabin. This makes for very short hose runs from the head to the tank, the thru-hulls and pump-out fittings and gives us easy access to all of the parts. We decide to use the Trident Sanitation Hose based on a lot of research on the most odor resistant hose for this purpose. The Y-valve is a Whale valve based on years of experience with this valve on our previous boat, Sea Trek. We had the tank custom made by Triple M Plastics in Maine to our specifications as to size and placement of fittings. They did an excellent job, and the tank is well-built and sturdy. Time will tell as to how well-built it is, and of course, we will report back. The current plumbing does not have a anti-siphon valve in the discharge. and we will add this and a larger vent on the tank than is normally found on most holding tanks. We would have preferred a 1 inch vent. but space constrictions kept this down to 3/4 inch. The tail piece on the head was cracked on our repair during the trip north, and although it has not leaked, it will get replaced. Since our forward head is now used exclusively as a shower, the head is disabled, but we can easily recommission it and add a small holding tank under the v-berth if we find we can't live without it.

We also decided to replace the fridge while we are able, even though this breaks our number one rule, "if it ain't broke don't fix it." The old fridge was a 3-way, using 110 volt, 12 volt and propane. We have never used the propane feature although the previous own did and liked it. The 110 volt worked well, but meant we needed to be connected to shore power or run the portable generator while at anchor. In our almost 20 years of living aboard, we have used a strictly 12 volt refrigeration system and found this to be the system we prefer. The advantage is that the system works off of one power source no matter what we are doing. If at the dock, the battery charger keeps the batteries up and the fridge happy. If at anchor, it is still running off the 12 volt system and the batteries can be recharged from the engine at the very least. Our decision to go with the Vitrifrigo C115 12 volt model was based on a lot of research and owner feedback. The unit actually has the same cubic feet interior as the original fridge, but the overall size of the box is much smaller. That means the cabinet has to be modified, but it is a simple modification. One big improvement will be the additional insulation added to the inside of the cabinet in which the fridge is mounted. Another bonus is additional storage space we have gained that we added under the new unit. The unit has the newer Danfoss compressor, and it does not add all of the heat that the old unit generated in the main salon. The Danfoss compressor is quiet, efficient and can be serviced just about anywhere without specialized parts. The power consumption is considerably less than the old unit, and this was a major factor in our decision.

Those are two big projects that should be completed within the next week or so. It is slow going when we have to work full-time. It always amazes me how work can really interfere with our boat time, but what can you do? Once these two projects are completed, we might just take some time and get the boat out on the bay. A new dinghy is to be delivered soon, and we will post on that after it arrives. A big rainstorm last night reminded us that the opening ports need to be replaced, so it looks like we need to start preparations and get the materials ordered. It just seems to never end, but it is, after all, a boat.

12 Small Boat Projects That Made Large Improvements

Sometimes it is the little things that can make a big difference. Most of the posts here cover our projects and improvements and while many are serious undertakings, some are simple, quick and easy, but once finished, solve a problem or shortcoming we have encountered. With any new boat, there are always those little things that drive you crazy sometimes. Here are a few things we felt needed doing that paid off.

Changing the raw water pump impeller can be challenging at times when tied to the dock, but when under way and in certain conditions can be downright harrowing. We have had impeller failures in some strange and unplanned circumstances. The last thing one wants is to have to be in the engine room after running for hours, deal with the heat while the boat is rolling in a seaway, and have to take any more time that is necessary to change the impeller and get moving again. Been there, done that. I have serviced boats over the years that had the SpeedSeal raw water pump covers and always liked the ease in which the impeller could be changed. So this was a natural solution should we be in that situation again. It makes the change fast and easy with no tools necessary and no worries on replacing gaskets. We really like this option.

You may or may not consider this a small project, but after our first oil change on our Ford Lehman 120, we knew that our old practice of sucking the oil out through the dipstick tube was just not going to work for us. Once again, I relied on past experiences while servicing other boats, and we installed the X-change-R oil change system. It took some work, since first we had to get all of the oil out of the engine using the suction method. Then the drain plug in the bottom of the oil pan needs to be removed. A line is run from where the old plug is in the oil pan to the oil changer pump. Finally, power needs to be run from the breaker panel to the pump. It can take a day or a weekend to complete, but in the end, we found it has paid off big. The oil change now takes minutes, and the mess is minimal. The oil can be extracted from the engine and then the engine filled from the oil containers. No pouring and spilling. 

We are not big on air-conditioning when cruising, although with all of the 100 degree days here in the Chesapeake, it has been nice at the dock. While traveling or at anchor, we prefer to have the boat open as much as possible. We have been in places where the mosquitoes were large enough and aggressive enough to carry away a small animal. We have been in places where no matter what we did, the cabin was invaded at night with either mosquitoes or no-see-ums and we had to lather down with repellent. Needless to say, screens are a must, and we have had to get creative at times to have a screen in the  entry way so that we could get in and out faster than the bugs. Traveling through parts of the ICW, the dreaded green-headed flies that bite make screens an absolute must. We cover the entries, opening windows, ports and all opening hatches.

The side door on our trawler presented us with a slight problem. It slides aft to open, and there is a space between the door and the side of the cabin of a little more than an inch. Now this does not seem like much, but in fact, an inch can let in all manner of creatures. From creepy spiders, to bees and other flying insects, to small rodents, which we have never had and never want to have. We needed something to fill the space, but also allow the door to slide and not chafe against the side of the cabin and leave marks. The answer came to me standing in the weather stripping aisle in a hardware store. A common door sweep for the bottom of a door to keep out drafts was perfect. It is an aluminum strip with a piece of rubber inserted in it, and if properly placed along the back edge of the door, was just the ticket and it looked like it belonged there.

If you have the screens up, the natural next step is to have fans to circulate all of that air that can now get into the cabin. We have found that the 12 volt Caframo fans give the most bang for the buck, or air if you will. They move the most air for any 12 volt fan we have used, and at around $30.00, are a great deal. We have run them 24/7 when in the Caribbean, and they last for years. They are also very quiet, which is important when you need them at night and also need to sleep. The draw on the electrical system is only about 1/2 amp, and they have a two-speed setting. We prefer the model 757, but there are several others. These can be strategically placed around the boat to give you full circulation in every cabin. They also help circulate either cool or warm air from the heating or air-conditioning system.

On our cruise from the western Caribbean to Texas, we spent a lot of time anchored along the Gulf Coast ICW. We found that the tug and barge Captains traveled day and night, and often they passed us as we were anchored. We always display an anchor light, but often wondered what else we could do to make ourselves better seen. We had read on a few boating forums about boaters that had used the solar powered garden lights for anchor lights. While we do not feel comfortable relying on these as anchor lights, it occurred to us that they might help with getting us seen at night in addition to our anchor light. We placed four of the inexpensive lights we purchased from Home Depot at four corners on the boat, on the rail down low enough that they would be easily seen from the water. They recharge themselves during the day in the sun and will generally last from sunset to sun up. We are not sure how effective they have been, but in our cruise from Houston to the east coast, we were passed by a lot of commercial traffic at night, but none ran over us. We have had several put a spotlight on us, though, as they passed by. We simply attach them to the rail with a hose clamp, and if placed properly, will also give you some light when moving around on deck at night. 

And while we are considering lights for anchoring, our anchor light is also another important item we had to replace on this boat. The old Perko anchor light had corroded and pretty much fell apart. One item we had looked into quite a bit was a photocell to turn the anchor light on and off at dusk and dawn. Too often, we came back to the boat after dark when socializing lasted longer than expected and had no anchor light on or, if we knew we would be back late, had to turn the light on in the afternoon and have it use up precious power during the day. Doing some research brought us to the Web site for Bebi Electronics. They make an anchor light called the Owl which fit the bill perfectly. It has a built in photocell that is just what we wanted and as a matter of fact, once we installed it, we turned on the breaker for the light and forgot to use the breaker again to turn it on and off. Two other benefits we found was that when we turned the light on, our battery monitor showed almost no amps being used, and it proved to be considerably brighter than any of the traditional anchor lights we have used in the past. It is made of PVC and encased in epoxy, so there is little to corrode other than the connections we made to the wiring.

Safety when moving around the deck under way has always been important to us. We have had to deal with sails and rigging in gale conditions and anchors during late night storms. A trawler with a flybridge is a new experience for us, and running up and down from the flybridge was a concern. The steps are teak with stainless hand rails and we like our teak finished. If they are wet, they can be slippery, and a fall could be serious. A simple and logical solution is good old-fashioned vinyl or rubber stair treads. But boy are they hard to find anymore. We first tried to apply them with outdoor carpet tape which is sticky on both sides, but as soon as the sun warmed them up, they slid off the step. Our solution was to use aluminum strips like those used at the edge of carpet or vinyl flooring to secure the treads. This worked out better than we expected, as it made the steps even more slip proof. It also does not look too bad.

Another safety issue is moving around the interior of the boat at night. Our new boat has a cabin down forward and a cabin down aft. We wanted a way to light the steps without being too bright or obnoxious. Small LED lights mounted just at the doorways so they they can be turned on before going down the steps were a good addition. These lights are not terribly bright, and they draw very little amps. So if we want just a little light, they do double duty. They also make excellent lights for inside hanging and storage lockers where you might need to find items at night, or even during the day.

Another project that might not be considered small is adding stereo speakers. It all depends on the complexity of running the wires. For us, this was fairly easy, and the Clarion Stereo we installed allowed us some options. It has a six disc CD changer and audio inputs that allow us to run our TV sound through it. With the four speakers mounted in each corner of the main salon and the stereo set to Aux, we have surround sound that sounds really good and we don't have to power a 110 audio system or find a place to mount all of that equipment. We also have a pair of speakers run to the flybridge so we have to be careful to turn them off or all of our neighbors will know what we are watching on the TV.

Previously, we have written about installing the vents in various places throughout the boat. This has proven to be a very good modification. It has really dried out the inner parts of the boat that normally stay damp and can generate mold and mildew if left as is. The odors that these dark and damp places generate are no longer a problem, and the items that are stowed away are less likely to rust, corrode and just get nasty. We are very pleased that we made this decision.

Finally, it is amazing how a small item like door latches can make a big improvement. We learned long ago that the standard latches most builders put on a boat will not keep the contents in the lockers once the boat gets rolling or if you find yourself in some heavy seas. One particular cruise off the coast of South Carolina found the entire contents of most of the cabinets in our main salon on the cabin sole. These cabinets also had finger holes that needed a single finger inserted to open the locker. This begged for a broken finger in a seaway. That is when we discovered that a simple hook type latch takes minutes to install throughout the entire boat and kept all of the doors securely closed no matter what the motion of the boat is.

That is about it for now. We certainly hope we have offered a few ideas that might help on board your boat and make life aboard a little more pleasant. We certainly would like to hear any ideas you might have and I am certain others would also. Just click on the comments following this post and leave or read what others have to add. Happy Boating!

Leaking Window Repair Update

I thought I would repost this and bring things up to date. In recent weeks, the windows that were repaired previously began leaking even worse than before we had the work done. I decided to fall back on the old saying, "If you want something done right, you need to do it yourself." So here is the history and an update of what we have done to make it right.

 A common issue with the Marine Trader is leaky windows. The previous owner of Beach House had the aft cabin windows removed, as well as the interior wood inside the cabin above the berths. New interior wood was installed, and the old windows and exterior frames were put back in place. But for some odd reason, the windows went back in and the exterior frames had a gap of at least a half inch between the frame and the window that was at least a half inch deep. A perfect water catcher and retainer.

We did a temporary repair early on because we knew we would be relocating the boat and we just did not want to deal with water leaks. We used Sikaflex caulking to fill in the space and seal everything. This worked for quite a while. This spring we decided that we needed a more permanent solution, but our work schedules really limit the time we have to work on these projects. There is a woodworker on site at Oak Harbor Marina where we are docked and after some recommendations from other boaters, we had him look at the frames and give us an estimate. He felt the repairs should be fairly simple, but this is after all a boat. We wanted the frames removed and a filler piece of teak epoxied onto the frames to fill the gap and to be sanded and formed to match the curves of the frames.

The removal process is always the most difficult part because you just never know if things will come apart in one piece of hundreds of pieces. We were prepared to build new frames if the old ones did not survive the removal process. The most time consuming part was removing the Sikaflex filler we so generously used for the temporary repair. Once this was accomplished, the wood frames came off fairly easily and, with one exception, in one piece. The aft facing frame did come off in four pieces, but none were broken so reconstructing them was not a big deal. The filler pieces were epoxied into place and fitted to both the frame and the gap between the windows. After dry-fitting showed everything looked good, it was time to re-install them.

One big concern was that by removing all three frames, we left open the possibility that we would have a leak somewhere that we did not have before. (That is exactly what happened.) The big question was, what would we use to seal the glass, fiberglass and wood that would be compatible with all three and allow for the difference in expansion and contraction between three different surfaces. Longevity was also an important consideration. From past experience doing lots of these projects on Sea Trek, we felt comfortable using Dow Corning 795 Construction Sealant to re-bed everything. We have never had anything leak that we have used this product on and that included, glass, Plexiglas, metal, wood, fiberglass and just about anything else. We also know that the black is UV resistant but the white is not, so black it was. The not so secret part of this is to be sure to use LOTS of sealant. It needs to fill every space and ooze out from every edge. Taping around the wood and cabin sides with blue tape also makes the clean up easier and gives a good finished edge.

The results looked great, however, as fate would have it, after everything had cured and we did a test with a water hose for leaks, we did find a couple of small leaks at both side windows. There must have been some spots where the sealant missed, and it does not take much. The tech was right back over to the boat, removed the frame, cleaned everything up and re-installed it with lots and lots of sealant. Just a few weeks later, we had a rain storm and both side windows leaked, and the leaks were worse than they had been prior to the repairs. We discussed this with the fellow that did the work and his response was, "gee, I don't know how that could have happened."

This time, I decided I would get this done right, do it myself, and never have to deal with it again. So once again, the outer frames were removed and inspection showed that indeed enough sealant had not been used to fill all of the openings behind the frames. I instructed the tech to NOT just caulk the edges of the frames, but to fill the space entirely between the glass and the frame. Well, even after doing it twice, he only caulked around the edges of the frames, leaving large gaps not bedded. I decide at that point, I would redo the entire area around the windows so no matter what happened with the sealant, these windows would never leak again.

Once the frame was off, all of the old bedding compounds needed to be removed, and the area around the windows had to be thoroughly cleaned, sanded and prepped. This took a lot of scraping and digging, since the integrity of the repair depended on the surface being free of old sealants. This left an uneven gap around the opening that exposed the inner core material and would allow water to enter the boat through the core should it leak. This would not do. The glass also had to be removed and,of course, it broke during the process.

The next step was to tape off around the exterior opening and the interior frame. I intentionally left the interior frame in place to be part of the improved repair. The gap between the outer fiberglass and the interior wood was filled in and leveled using West System Six10, a relatively new product from West System. It is designed to fill gaps and be fast-setting. It is a thickened epoxy that comes in a tube and mixes itself as it passes through the mixer tip. It is thick enough that it will not run into gaps and will allow you to tool the material to a smooth, even surface. It has a working time of about 42 minutes, and once it starts to kick, it sets quickly. It is easy to work with using a standard caulking gun. The only disappointment is that at over $20.00 per tube, the tube is only half full, so it does not go a long way. It took three tubes for each window. Once the Six10 had set up, the surface had to be washed down with plain water and a 3M pad. West System of any type will leave an amine blush on the surface after it dries and nothing will stick to it if the blush is not removed. No solvent will take it off, but plain water will. Next, the surfaces received a complete sanding using 60 grit sandpaper and using my new Fein Multimaster

tool. I really like this tool and it made this entire job much easier.

After the water wipe down and drying, my next step was to add a two inch strip of fiberglass cloth to cover both the inside edges of the interior frame, where the glass will attach, and the edges of the opening that had been filled with West System. We used West System epoxy for this also, wetting down the area the cloth would cover, then wetting down the cloth itself with epoxy. After carefully placing the cloth, it was smoothed out and any air worked out from underneath. The cloth would provide an additional barrier to water and would also keep the inner wood, the core material and the outer fiberglass from separating. The cloth effectively added a fiberglass edge around the inside frame to which the window would be attached.

Once again, after the epoxy had set for 24 hours, the washing and sanding process was done all over. This time to assure bonding of the bedding compound. The new windows were made at a local glass shop, using templates I made from heavy cardboard. A test fit showed they were perfect. The glass company also gave me small strips of a soft vinyl material to place around the glass to cushion it and to give me proper spacing. We gave a lot of consideration to what we would use to bed the glass itself. The general consensus from all of the glass companies was to use a marine grade silicone. So we decided to use a brand name and settled on 3M clear silicone. The silicone was placed around the edges of the glass and then the outside frames were screwed into place to hold the glass until the silicone could dry.

The silicone on the glass was allowed to dry for 24 hours and then the outer frame was removed. An inspection showed that the glass was solidly in place and completely sealed, not allowing any way for water to get to the inside. At this point, we wanted the window to be completely leak free and totally waterproof, even if we did not install the outer frame. A test with the hose proved we had accomplished just that. The next step was to re-bed and install the outer frame.

Once again, Dow 795 Sealant was used for the final bedding. The window itself and the outside cabin sides were taped with easy release blue tape to make clean up easier and to keep the finished edges looking professional. We finished this step as if the outer frame still had to hold out moisture. The space between the window and the outer frame was filled with sealant so that once the outer frame was screwed back in place, the sealant oozed out of every possible edge. Although this was not necessary, it was added insurance and made us feel certain that this would never be a problem again. Finally, the screw holes were plugged and the frames sanded so that the proper coats of Cetol could be brushed on, and our repairs were finally completed.

We have had a couple of really hard rains in afternoon thunderstorms with no leaks. Ultimately, time will tell if our repairs will meet our expectations. But we believe this is one issue that will not rear its ugly head again. Unfortunately, we have spent a fair amount of money to have the repairs done by someone else and the chance of getting any of it back is slim. I suppose the lesson is, we should do the work ourselves even if it means taking longer to get it done and giving up our weekends. Now to move on to the next project...

Cooking Aboard – Tips Tricks and Recipes by Susan

You would think after living aboard for 18 years, I would know all of the tricks to cooking aboard. I only know what worked for us, and maybe some of my ideas and tips will work for you, too.

   

We started out on a 40 foot sailboat with a large galley and a lot of storage. Whether you are planning for a long trip of many months or a week on the river or bay, you will need to buy provisions for the boat. We have done both kinds of trips.

  

For long trips, I cram every space available with items of food. After our first trip through the Bahamas, I realized we didn’t eat any differently, really, than we did at home. Those cans of asparagus wound up being taken to a potluck in Exuma Land and Sea Park after being in a locker for 6 months. I would like to tell you that we ate healthy every day – beans, rice, fresh greens – but we didn’t. I have a spouse who eats only potatoes, meats/fish and a few isolated vegetables. We ate healthier than we would have at home without access to processed foods, but still pretty much ate the same. I say all of that to say, don’t stock up on things you think you might eat. It is a waste of money and space. Unless you plan on overhauling your diet – many of us probably should – buy what you know you will eat.

  

The next consideration is storage of the food. You do not want to bring cardboard on to your boat. It may look innocent enough now, but critters lay their eggs in cardboard and in no time, you will have them on board. You should also bring items such as soda and beer on board separately after you have isolated it from the cardboard case boxes and looked around each six-pack for critters hiding between the cans. It is easier to do that than chasing them around the boat at 3 a.m. (Do I sound like I’m speaking from personal experience? I am!)

A second and more important factor is that you will need to dispose of that cardboard at some point when it may not convenient. Do it at the dock when you can take it to the recycling center. If you need directions off of the box, cut off just that small section, and put the contents and the little piece of cardboard in a sealable plastic bag or plastic jar with a lid. (If using a jar, place a bay leaf in the jar and plastic wrap around the top of the jar to seal it and keep out bugs.)

With regard to cans, mark what they contain with a permanent marker on the top of the can, and then stack them neatly in crates or cupboards. You will be able to see what they are from the top, and, if the label comes off for whatever reason, you won’t have to guess what is inside.

Those green bags for storing veggies and fruit really do work, either in the fridge or somewhere cool on the boat. They increase the life of the food three- or four-fold. Hanging bags for breads, snacks and cookies are also very handy to keep that delicate stuff from getting flattened when your boat is heeling or rolling. When you put meat in the freezer, wrap portions separately in plastic wrap first, then put like meats in a large resealable bag to help keep them from getting freezer burnt. Layer your freezer with what you plan to use first on the top.

Now comes the cooking part. Unless you have a ton of storage, and endless amounts of power, you will want to leave those crock pots, bread makers, blenders, etc., in your storage locker or give them to friends. They take up a bunch of room and use more power than you will likely want to spare. Substitute them with a pressure cooker, some good bread pans and a small hand operated chopper.

One of my favorite cooking tools aboard is the grill mounted to the stern rail. There isn’t one piece of meat that doesn’t taste better cooked on the grill. It is also handy for grilling veggies. On hot days when you don’t want to heat up the boat, put your whole dinner in some lightly greased foil with some liquid, fold it up and grill it on the lowest setting. Usually, I separate the meat from the veggies. Use herbs, butter, cooking wine - whatever will enhance the foods’ flavor.

We have always had a microwave on board, but only use it for heating up leftovers (2-3 minutes tops), baked potatoes, quick steaming veggies and that occasional bag of popcorn. After roasting everyone inside the boat while cooking in the oven, we found that many things can be cooked on top of the stove. My more pressing reason for doing that now, since we live on a 34-foot trawler with much less storage space, is that the oven is used for storing roasting pans, muffin tins, etc. and all of the “stuff” has to go somewhere while I’m cooking in the oven. Many things can be cooked top side. I now make roasts in large pans on top of the stove, putting the burner on the lowest setting possible. Things that need to be baked for 20-30 minutes in the oven can be cooked in a frying pan with a lid for 10-15 minutes on top of the stove. The boats heats up less, you use less fuel/propane and they are done more quickly. Pressure cookers do the same thing a crock pot does much more quickly.

I haven’t tried baking bread on the stove top, so that may be the exception. I know that there are pressure cooker bread recipes, however. On the subject of bread, I acquired a starter years ago and have been baking our bread ever since. This frees you up if you want to be out for long stretches and can’t live without bread. Bread is also the best ice-breaker on the planet. You will make fast friends if you show up at a potluck with fresh baked bread or give a loaf as a thank you.

Jumping back to storage for a minute, you do not need to refrigerate ketchup, mustard, many salad dressings, soy sauce, etc. It takes up too much room in your fridge and really doesn’t need it. Those same sauces are also a nice touch to have to vary the flavor of your meals. There are many marinades on the market that can give you a garlic lime accent, teriyaki and every kind of barbeque sauce imaginable.

Don’t forget treats. Hide something yummy in a cupboard on board to find when the crew needs a morale booster. A bag of snack size candy bars will raise spirits when it has been raining for three days. If the weather is chilly and you purposely want to heat up the boat, stash brownie mix on board so you can bake some while out on the hook. Nothing will cheer up your crew like the smell of brownies baking.

Cooking tips and tricks definitely are needed on a boat. You don’t have the room and power you have in a house, but you can still cook and make enjoyable meals.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

These muffins are to die for. I don’t know that I’ve ever met anyone that didn’t like them.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line muffin tin with 12 paper baking cups:
¼ cup melted butter
1 cup sugar, ½ white, ½ brown
Cream butter in sugar in a bowl

Add 1 beaten egg, 2 very ripe bananas and 2 teaspoons of cider vinegar.
Add 1 cup of self-rising flour or 1 cup regular flour and ½ teaspoon of baking soda and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. I also frequently substitute ½ cup of white flour for whole wheat, which gives the muffins a nice texture.
Finally, add 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.

Pour into mixture into muffin baking cups and bake for 15-20 or until tops begin to brown. Let cool a bit before attempting to pull the paper off of the muffins, if you can stand to wait!The batter is so good, you may not wind up with 12 muffins.

Maryland Crab Soup

1-12 ounce can beef broth
1-8 ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups mixed vegetables and potatoes
8 ounces of crab meat
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 Tablespoons Old Bay or more to taste

Pour a 14 ounce can of beef broth in a large saucepan or use same amount of water and 2 bullion cubes. Add frozen mixed vegetables or chopped fresh. As the veggies start to become tender, add the remaining ingredients. Simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes and serve hot. 

This easy recipe can be made with fresh ingredients or with all canned if you haven’t been to a store for awhile. Either way, it will taste great. Serve it with whole grain bread and butter, and it is a complete meal for 2. You will also have a bowl leftover for lunch the next day.

Savory Shrimp

1 pound of peeled and de-veined shrimp
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons key lime juice
2 Tablespoons barbecue sauce
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 spring fresh rosemary

Add all ingredients except shrimp to a large saucepan and simmer. When it starts to bubble, add the shrimp and cook until just cooked. These shrimp have a nice kick to them and taste great served over a bed of brown rice with a salad on the side. You should have enough leftover for one portion. I love leftovers. It saves having to cook another entire meal each day. Save the crab soup and shrimp leftovers and flip a coin to see who gets what!

Cooking on a boat does not always have to be like camping out. Enjoy.

Coming Soon

Wow, I just looked at the blog and realized that we have not made any new postings for a month. That has to be a record for us, but not one we are proud of. We have a large project we are finishing and will post it, as well as an interesting post on several smaller projects. We are trying to get the boat work done and update all six Editions of the Waterway Guide, so the web site has suffered. Add to that, the occasional house sitting job we have done and time really flies. I hate when we are in our working and filling the cruising kitty mode. As much as I complain while working on the boat, it sure beats sitting in an office all day. The down side of not sitting in an office all day is, the money goes out and out and out, but seldom comes in. We have had some magazine articles published in Good Old Boat, Sail Magazine, MarinaLife Magazine, and Susan did a cooking piece for Nor' Easter. Just writing about all of that made me feel tired. We will get some new stuff on the site this weekend. Thanks for everyones patience and don't give up on us.