Rambling Post

It's 90+F this afternoon and my little office upstairs is quite warm, even with the window fan blowing at max.  My mind is wandering.  And, of course, that means random thoughts about sailing and Snickerdoodle.

Who is that old guy????
I spent a couple days last weekend and Monday aboard and have gotten the interior set up just about the way I like for now.  Teak is varnished and everything put in its place.

I have gotten installed a "Off-1-both-2" selector switch for the two battery banks that supply power to the Torqeedo outboard motor.  Luckily, the hole pattern on the new switch matches with the hole pattern from the old "Off-On" switch that was just for battery bank "A".  Plus, I put in a nice little battery monitor gauge that shows volts and amps on the battery bank that is being used.  I put the monitor inside a water tight plastic box and mounted the box right next to the new switch.  It all works just like I planned.  What I didn't plan was that the install took about twice as long as I'd figured it would take.

My brother Bob has a handy location for his boat hook.  I've seen many of my friends who are not using anything handy at all...  in lockers, in the quarter berth, in the V-berth locker, etc.  Bob puts the hook in one of the hand holds of his teak cabin top hand rail.  It is easy to reach when you need it and out of the way when you don't.  I did the same on Snickerdoodle.

Last weekend, the breezes were light and I really appreciated my 150% Drifter Jib.  It is cut like a genoa jib; but, made of 1.5 oz. spinnaker cloth.  The light cloth fills even in only a knot and a half of breeze.  And, this sail works great to about 7 or 8 knots of breeze.  Snickerdoodle really moves even in the super light stuff we had last weekend.

Were you so anxious to get sailing last spring that you forgot to inspect your thru-hull valves and the hose clamps that secure the hoses to the valves???  Many of your sailing friends forgot - - not you of course.  If this critical bit of spring maintenance did slip through... INSPECT NOW!!!!!  A one-inch hole (like when the hose slips off the valve) will admit more than 20 gallons of water PER MINUTE...  If you are aboard when this happens, things get exciting fast.  If you are not aboard, your boat sinks at its mooring.  So, inspect the thru-hull fittings/valves and the hose clamps soonest.

Finally, I love my new Raymarine ST 2000 tiller pilot.  It is much stronger than my previous (30+ year old) model.  It not only steers a great course.  It does so even when sailing in moderate breezes.  Hip hip hooray!!!

OK, too hot, gotta take a break.  See you on the water...