2011-11-28 Projects – always more projects!!

So, let’s see what we’ve been doing over the ThanksGiving weekend. Sleep laaaate, drink coffee, have breakfast, have shower etc, laze around to lunch, check emails and Facebook, have afternoon tea, laze around till dinner, watch some random TV and then off to bed. Repeat process for next few days Yeah right!!!

So what have I done?

Shopping!!! Always first on the list as there’s always something more I need to get. This time it was a new (multi-region) DVD. Well that took half a day without success!!

Next, I re-positioned the VHF radio. It was situated in a small cupboard almost at  the level of my knees on the flybridge. It’s a very nice secure position but the problem is trying to use it. Here’s the scene: someone calls us on the radio; must bend almost double to get our microphone out of this cupboard, Meanwhile, because I’m bent over, I can’t see where I’m driving to and the boat is going all over the show. By now the other boat is frantically calling again. So, straighten up, sort the direction of the boat and answer the radio. All initial contact on the radio is done on channel 16 and then participants move to a “working” channel – often 68. Now, bend over to see radio and press button repeatedly – from 16 all the way up to 68. Meanwhile the boat’s wandering all over the show again!!! Finally answer on channel 68 Now back to calling channel 16 at end of conversation. So, bend over double – this time only have to press one button for Ch 16 – boat’s still on course – but still have to secure the microphone in its bracket…….. Hence my decision to relocate the radio to a higher point which is more user friendly. But, to do this have to wiggle into an area – well, imagine trying to work behind the dashboard of the car from below – lie with back on floor, bum on car seat and legs draped over the seat rest, arms extended behind dash and all sorts of “stuff” falling into eyes! – get the picture? I should apply for a job with the circus as a contortionist!!! So, eventually everything’s moved but the antenna cable is 3ft too short. This will necessitate a visit to the marine store (1 hour drive each way) to buy more cable and cable connectors! Then back under the console again!

So, don’t ask what we do all day long. A simple 1 hour project in you home is an all day affair on the boat!

Next project: Yessss, it’s to do with anchors again. May seem that I have this obsession with anchors. Well, I do The anchoring system – called “ground tackle” – is the boat’s lifeline. It’s the only thing that keeps the boat from dragging into other boats, or onto the beach, or, heaven forbid, onto the rocks, or, worse still, out into the ruddy great big ocean. Hence my obsession.

So, you all know about the anchor and our dragging episode. Well that’s being sorted. But there’s more to the ground tackle than just the anchor. There’s also the chain (plus rope) and, especially, the length of chain between the anchor and the boat. Obviously, one needs more chain than just the depth under the boat. But, how much chain??? That’s the question. There are all sorts of formulae but I generally use the formula of 5:1 (7 or more if I expect big winds) So for every foot of depth I let out 5 ft of chain (and for those know-alls, yes I take into account the tidal range as well as the height of the deck above the water). So, in 20′ of water, I let out how much chain? C’mon, you can do it! Yep, you got it: 20×5= 100 ft of chain! Well done. The question is how do you know when you’ve let out 100′ of chain?

Well, the more modern boats have an automatic counter that will give you the exact amount on a digital screen. Mine doesn’t! And what happens when the chain counter dies…..?

So you have to mark the chain at intervals so that you can visually see how much you have let out. This was another all day project yesterday.

First, haul all 200′ of chain (at 1.1lbs per foot) out of the anchor locked. Then lay it out on the dock, then measure where to place the marks, then clean the chain, apply primer, wait for it to dry, apply first coat of paint, wait to dry, apply second coat….

Finally, its done.

Meanwhile, “splice” 100′ of anchor line (rope) to the end of the chain extending the length of the anchoring chain+line (rode) to 300′ Then, also insert markers at set intervals into the line.

Job done

Fluorescent pink and green

Pink represents 25ft and green is 50′ So, pink and green together is …… drumroll here, if you please ….. 75 feet!

The "splice"

This is a “tapered” splice joining the chain to the line.

Line markers

These are 30ft markers (so, 200′ chain +30/60/90) and the red-green-red markers mark the end of the line.

Now, all I have to do is make sure I remember my system…….