LIfting the Hatches

Hatchcover Pneumatic Struts 

Ed on Esprit de Mer became very excited when he saw our hatch cover pneumatic struts. They are really nice because we don't have to worry about a hatch crashing down on us while we're accessing things in the lockers. We can't take credit for this improvement to LUX -- these were installed by the prior owner. They are on the forward hatches only.

The arrows in the photos identify the key components. There is a piece of cord that prevents the hatch from over-extending, which bends the hinges and makes the hatches difficult to properly close and open. The last photo shows the model number that we have installed on the anchor locker. The struts are available in a variety of lifting capacities. The forward lockers use 60lb struts while the anchor locker hatches use 40lb struts.

The struts are available from Service Plus Distributors. They make a variety of struts and other equipment. We have the stainless steel versions.

http://www.spdhardware.com/catalog/GSSX%20All%20Stainless%20Steel%20Gas%20Spring

The only thing that I might have done differently is to epoxy a block on the inside of the cover instead of drilling holes to mount the upper bracket. However, we've not had any problems with the screws shifting and enlarging the holes, so perhaps this is the most appropriate, and certainly an expedient, method of installation.

  -Terry

Things We Wish We Had Found in Survey

We have had LUX for two years now and we've probably found all the major deficiencies that are likely to surface. It is time to record what we wish we had found during the purchase survey. Perhaps this list will be useful to others who are purchasing similar boats. The list has some items specific to the Leopard 40 as well as things that would apply to many boats. This list will probably add a half day to the survey process.

Engines

* Check the heat exchanger cores. Are there impeller parts in them and are the heat exchangers healthy? (LUX had a bad heat exchanger and we knew it from the big blob of red salt on the side of the engine under the heat exchanger.) Checking the heat exchanger cores on LUX would have been relatively easy to do, although I would have been hesitant to disassemble the port engine heat exchanger without replacement parts on hand.

* Determine if the exhaust mixer elbow is getting clogged and needs to be replaced. One way is to remove the mixer elbow and visually inspect it. Another way is to measure the volume of cooling water that comes out of the exhaust.  Capture the exhaust water in a bucket and measure the volume. LUX has Volvo MD2040D engines and they pump 4 gal/minute (we measure the volume in 15 seconds, and multiply by 4 to get gal/min). See Keeping Those Engines Cool 

* Take temperature readings on the engine and decide if they make sense. The exhaust mixing elbow and the heat exchanger should be around the temp of the thermostat (often around 180 deg F). Are all injectors running at about the same temp? Is the oil pan temp reasonable (LUX runs about 220 deg)? You won't  have historical values, so you may have to think about the readings to decide if something is out of kilter.

* Does the engine leak oil or fuel? Put clean oil absorbing pads under the engines and look for oil leaks and fuel leaks. Stuff paper towels around parts of the fuel system prior to the seatrial to detect small amounts of leaking fuel. Make sure that hoses and belts are in good condition. The surveyor may not be very thorough in performing these checks.

* Check the exhaust for black stuff after idling for a while, then throttling up. We have seen engines that exhaust a blob of black goo and smoke when the engine is throttled up after idling for a few minutes.

* Run the engine at wide open throttle (WOT) for a few minutes and make sure it gets within a few hundred RPM of the engine's spec max RPM. It's should be a regular part of the survey. It can tell you if the mixer elbow is clogged as well as if the prop is too big or has too much pitch. Black smoke indicates a problem. Black smoke, combined with oily exhaust can indicate a congested mixer elbow. If there are any symptoms, do an engine survey. You can also measure the volume of cooling water that each engine pumps by measuring the volume of water from the exhaust system. See Keeping Those Engines Cool

* Does water come into the engine compartment when running at 80% of WOT? LUX can do 7.5kn in flat water and at that speed, the first step is submerged. The rudder post is also below the water level and if the rudder post seal is leaking, water will come in there. Note that diesels like running with a load and they should be able to run at 80% all day long. We regularly run LUX's engines at 2800 RPM all day when we have to motor. The boat speed difference between running on one engine and two engines is about 1kn.

* Inspect the fuel tanks. See The Light at the End Of the Tunnel  and related fuel problem posts for more info. Check the inside for gunk in the bottom. This may be difficult if the tank is full. Inspect the tank mounting and bed. The tanks on LUX had salt under them, which eventually created small fuel leaks. It is best to find the potential for such leaks early. See It's Not Over 'Til It's Over - The Port Engine Fuel Tank 

* Check that the engine vibration is the same for both engines at all RPMs. We had a charter customer back over the dinghy hoist line and bend a prop. It caused extra vibration when under way at some throttle settings.

Systems

* Will the freezer get the compartment down to less than 20 deg F? The plates and plumbing should get to around 5 deg or less.

* Check for good caulk around the inside of the refrigerator and freezer compartments. LUX was missing caulk, allowing water to get to the foam insulation.

* Check the fridge gaskets. If you can push or easily pull a narrow piece of paper between the fridge gasket and the door frame, the gaskets are not seating properly and will need to be replaced. See Leopard 40 Refrigerator Gaskets 

* Halogen lamps in almost all lights will likely need to be replaced with LED lamps. While not technically a deficiency that warrants a survey exception, you should note whether this will be an upcoming expense. See Can We Get Some Light In Here? 

* Determine battery health. Add as many loads as possible, perhaps adding a small or medium inverter to run a heater or heat gun to create a large load, say 25 to 50 Amps, as measured by a clamp-on amp meter. How much does the battery voltage drop? If possible, run the load until it consumes about 150 Amp Hours. The house bank should have a voltage of more than 12.2 V at the end of the test, with the load still in place. The battery voltage should jump up to 12.3 V or more when the load is removed. A battery monitor makes this test easy to perform, but many charter boats don't have one installed.

* Look for water leaks. The hull bilges should be dry (engine compartments are typically not dry). I'm not sure how other boats work that have the engines in the living space. Find the source of any leaks, so you know what is involved in fixing it. LUX has had leaks in both water tanks and in the PEX plumbing connections to both water heaters. See Water System

* The LCDs should not have gray or black areas in the center of the display, making the display difficult to read. This means that the displays have a limited lifetime before the LCD must be replaced. Repair is a $350 charge at Raymarine or buy a replacement on eBay for a bit less.

* If the main anchor is a Delta, or similar plow-type anchor, plan to upgrade to a spade style anchor (Rocna, Manson, Spade, etc.). LUX drug anchor in a mild Chesapeake thunderstorm with the Delta and had problems getting it to set, regardless of the amount of chain that we deployed. See Hooked on the Rocna 

* Plan to upgrade the battery charger if the old Sentry charger is still on board. See Sentry Charger Settings and Electrifying! 

* Check for hatch leaks. Inspect the hatch gaskets for cracks which will leak. If you can, wet the hatches with a hose or take advantage of a nice storm.

*Make sure that the stove burner sparker works for all burners. The battery may need to be replaced, which isn't expensive or difficult. However, the micro switches on each burner need to be checked to make sure that they work reliably. They may need to be cleaned or replaced and it is good to know what is needed.

* Look for unexpected internal water leaks. On LUX, we found water in the core of the bulkhead that separates the salon from the forward lockers. It would have been easy to identify from some water drip tracks in the lockers. A moisture meter would have reported the damaged core if we had used it there. Check the bulkheads in the galley, under and around the sinks, bulkheads in the heads, and wherever there are deck fittings. See Water in the Bulkhead and Water in the Bulkhead, Part 2
* Inspect the water tanks. If they are the sort that can be removed, take the time to remove them and look for cracks at high stress locations, primarily around the bottom of the tanks where the hydrodynamic loading is greatest. We also found that there were small holes in the fiberglass layup around the base of the water tanks that allowed any leaking water to make its way into the forward cabins. The bunks in each forward cabin would get wet when we had a tank leak. We only found the holes in the layup when we removed the tanks. The repair was simple - apply 3M 5200 to the holes. We didn't see any reason to attack the holes with grinders and use epoxy to seal them since there was no cracking around the holes that would indicate structural problems. See Water System

* Inspect the holding tank(s). The tanks on LUX were aluminum and were corroding from the inside. Fortunately, the pump out discharge tubes developed holes before the tanks started leaking, alerting us to the problem and allowing us to address it when it was convenient for us. Fill the tank and pump it out while watching through an inspection port to make sure it is fully emptying. Also look for pitting or other defects on the inside of the tank. See It's a Poopy Job... 

Exterior (updated 22 Jan 2015)

* Check for leaks at all hatches and windows. Run a hose set for "rain" type of water on each hatch and on the salon windows. We've had several hatches with leaks, some around the acrylic-to-gasket seal and others from the base. Look in lockers under the bunks for evidence of leaks, such as the storage lockers under the forward bunks. Gently probe with a thin piece of plastic around the inside of the salon windows to check for a good seal. Look for evidence of leaks. Inquire whether the windows have been re-bedded since the boat was built. There are good descriptions of the process of re-bedding windows on the Yahoo Leopard list. The windows on LUX have been good so far. Remove the hatch trim or Ocean Air screens on each hatch and look for evidence of leaks, primarily staining on fitting fasteners and stains on the top of the headliner.
* Check for leaks along the toe-rail and deck fittings, particularly those on the deck above the salon. Pull down the headliner where it is velcroed up and look for evidence of leak stains on the back of the plywood liner. You typically only need a part of it down in order to get photos that show whether there are any leaks. You may need to make a tool to help break the velcro grip. A dull table knife, bent at 90 degrees about 1 inch from the end works well for getting behind the panels. See Summer Stop-the-Leaks Refit Project.

* Look for evidence of dings that have been repaired on the topsides. Look especially closely at the area around the cleats. We saw several boats that had obviously had the cleats pulled out and the area around the cleat repaired. Check any repairs from the inside. Un-repaired dings will need to be addressed.

* Check the sails and rigging. The sails on LUX were in reasonable shape. It was obvious that the Genoa would need replacing in a couple of years, which was accurate. The Genoa reefing line tends to need to be replaced periodically. It takes a lot of load when partially reefed and is easily chaffed.
* Inspect the hard-top supports at the top for stress cracks in the laminate. Also check the dinghy supports for delamination stress cracks around the bottom turn. Some models may have stainless pipe instead of fiberglass supports. In those cases, check the welds and attachment points for cracks and stress fractures. 

  -Terry

Final Day in the Bahamas

Well, we are off the boat-mostly. We built in today to take care of pesky last minute boat issues. Mike is currently researching o rings. We may not be the space shuttle, but even LUX can suffer from o ring issues.

We are staying at lovely villas across the way from the marina. It's close enough to walk back and forth. The Pelican Beach Villas are quite nice inside.

But what makes it really special is the view outside.

It has its own beach and area for snorkeling. The best thing, though, is that it gives us plenty of space to reorganize and pack for the trip home.

Vic's DC Electric Service: Alternator or Starter Repair

We were on our way down the ICW, just a few days from jumping off from Ft. Pierce to go to Marsh Harbor, Abaco, Bahamas, when the alternator on the port engine died. (Its death is another story...) I ordered a replacement from Marine Parts Express, a reputable Volvo Penta dealer that we've used before. I requested express shipping, which they said they could do directly from Volvo Penta, to be delivered to Ft. Pierce, where we were to arrive in 3 days.

When we arrive at HarborTown Marina in Ft. Pierce, there was no package there. A quick call to MPE and they found that the alternator was still sitting at Volvo. Not even a shipping label on it. We've heard that this is a common occurrence. Someone at Volvo Penta should pay attention to customer service.

Time for Plan B. I called one of the local marine service companies and asked about alternator service companies. I was given the name of Vic's DC Electric Service in Stuart, FL, south of Ft. Pierce. I called Vic and talked with him a bit. He had a Volvo alternator on the shelf, left over from another customer's repair. It was possible that we could buy it and he would be open til 5pm. Off to the car rental place, then to Vic's.

Vic's place is a single bay in an industrial building. There are hundreds of old alternators and starters throughout the space. A small space is reserved for "current projects". Vic was very helpful. The owner of the Volvo 60A alternator hadn't returned Vic's call, so he couldn't sell it to us. Parts were no longer available for the 90A Leece Neville alternator we had. After rummaging around in his stock, he came up with all the new parts needed to make a new 90A alternator. It would be ready about noon the next day. And the price was less than half of what MPE wanted for the 60A Volvo alternator. Yea! I had to pick up Tom & Linda at West Palm Beach, just south of Stuart, so it worked out. I cancelled the order with MPE.

Tom, Linda, and I arrive at Vic's about 1pm the next day and there is the new alternator, complete with the pulley removed from the old alternator, which means that the tachometer will indicate the correct RPM. Vic goes over the connections, we pay him for the work, and we head back to LUX. The installation goes smoothly and the new alternator works great.

If you're in Florida and need an alternator or starter serviced, Vic is the person to see. He also does work for racing cars and boats. He is friendly, knowledgeable, and prompt. He doesn't take credit cards, so be prepared to pay cash for his service.

http://vicsdc.com/   772-220-8952 Stuart, FL

  -Terry

Waterproof Flashlight

Gee wrote about using a flashlight off the stern to attract fish, including two interesting squid. Last year, I decided that it made sense to have at least one good waterproof flashlight on board. A number of uses have come to my mind:
1. Spotting day marks or checking on the anchor bridle in heavy rain.
2. Checking the anchor set in water where we can see the bottom near or after dusk from the dinghy.
3. Checking the props at night, perhaps due to wrapping a crab pot line around one.
4. Inspecting the rigging at night, perhaps also in heavy rain or spray conditions that would affect a non-waterproof flashlight.
5. Shining into the water off the stern to attract marine life after dark.
I'm sure you can come up with some other uses.
I took a look around and finally found the Stanley Fat Max flashlight. It is an LED flashlight that puts out a powerful, concentrated beam of light. It was mentioned on a number of dive sites, so it is intended for depths beyond just a few feet. It is rechargeable, so you'll need to keep track of the charger and charge it from time to time. The on/off switch is a bit strange, but works reliably. It also features a dimming function in case you don't need the full strength beam. It ran for a couple of hours as our underwater light for attracting the squid.  I bought it from Amazon.
It worked really well as an underwater light off our stern, attracting small, fast-moving sea critters, which in turn attracted minnows, which in turn attracted the squid.

  -Terry

Anchor bridle chafe guards

I noticed a few weeks ago that the bridle rode was chafing against the bolts that connect the forward beam to the hulls. In my ditty bag I found a short length of leather left over from covering a helm wheel on a prior boat. There was just enough material, combined with a short time with needle, thread, and a sewing palm to produce a nicely secured guard on each thimble. When doing it, I needed to make sure that each guard is located to protect the line. I had to move one after discovering that the bolt head had worked its way under the edge of the guard. I also used the holes along the edge of the leather (the holes that were used for threading on a helm) to attach the leather to the rode so that it will stay in place. At least that's the intent. We'll see after some more miles under the keel.

  -Terry

Another HOB

We've spent the morning doing last minute repairs to LUX and packing up our cabins. In need of a last minute fix, Terry took off in the dingy. Meanwhile, Mike continued to work on little projects. Just then, a gust of wind took off his brand new hat! It went into the water. It sailed just beyond the reach of the boat hook. We thought it was gone forever. But no! It's Carol to the rescue. She came up from below. She took off her jewelry and watch. She jumped into the water and saved the hat!

And she was successful. One hat, rescued. And Carol got her swim for this trip.

She reported back that the water was just fine!

I Know It's Morning Because The Rooster Said So

At Hope Town Marina, Peggy complained about the local rooster. He did not know how to tell time. He just liked to crow morning, noon, and night. Last night, we were commenting on the lack of birds here at Dickie's Cay.We didn't see any birds- not even a seagull. And, we didn't hear any birds. It's now 7:30 AM, and I can testify to the fact that there are roosters here. And they know the difference between morning and night. That rooster's been crowing since 5:30 AM.

Once again, the sky is just spectacular here.

I must admit, though, the warning about red skies at morning is in my head right now. As you can see in the bottom two photos, there is a definite red tinge to the skies right now.

I would also like to add that the sailing people's idea of not rocking and rolling is really not the same as mine. It seems our acceptable minimum thresholds are VERY far apart. If you were to ask me, we did lots of bouncing last night. Mr. Cheerful (AKA Terry) started with, "Didn't you feel like rock-a-bye baby in the treetops?" He then went on to share that it was so rocky that water kept bouncing into the starboard engine compartment via the rudder shaft. As a result, the bilge pump kept going off. Mike asked if that wasn't really noisy because the bilge pump is right under their heads. "Oh yes," said Peggy. "It was sorta noisy." Hmmm... That would be today's understatement, I think.

As a side note, the SunSail boat that also anchored here last night is already up and on the move. I think someone said that they had better be finding somewhere with calmer waters NOW.

So, we are headed off on our last day of adventure on LUX somewhat tired from not enough sleep and too much bouncing on the waves. This afternoon we will be in Marsh Harbour to begin the process of packing up to go home.

Evening at Dickie's Cay

Our last anchorage for this year is drawing to a close. The evening skies are just beautiful.

For dinner, we worked on cleaning out our supplies. We had a stir fry using canned chicken and frozen veggies.  It was served over Carolina gold rice. 

Now, some of the crew are out trying for a second squid sighting. The flashlight is out and shining down off the back of the boat. But, they are now talking about the water not being as clear tonight. The wind and wave action has been working to try to hinder the squid viewing activities. So, they are busy enjoying the view.they're watching the Hope Town lighthouse light.

Meanwhile, poor Peggy soldiers on. She's doing the dishes.

She's the best when it comes to supporting the crew!

I Know What I Mean When I Say Not So Rolly

But, what do you mean by that? Yes, that would be today's question. After lunch, the sailors started talking about how we might want to move so that we would be in a place that was not so bouncy. They decided to move on to Man-O-War cay because it was. More protected anchorage. 

Up went the anchor. On went the motors. Off we went to the new anchorage. When we arrived, I asked the question, "So, what gauge do you measure this less bouncy by?" I was assured that the anchorage was so much better. Hmmmm. If you ask me, we are still rolling. We are still bouncing. All I can think is that if this is better, it's a good thing we moved!

Ad we won't be moving because we already celebrated our last night on the boat. All the leftover snacks came out. We made frozen drinks with the rest of the dark rum. We opened the last pack of party napkins. Unfortunately, the party is almost over....until the next time!

Morning in Baker's Bay...What's the beep, beep, beep?

It's a beautiful morning here in Baker's Bay.

Too bad it sounds like Ocean City! Yes, Dear Readers, the lovely high end planned resort over there has a truck out cleaning the sand this morning. It's the continual rumble of the truck with the occasional beeps from the back up alarm. But, the view is still spectacular.

From Hope Town to Baker's Bay

Monday, October 28

This morning, we took the shuttle ferry over to Hope Town proper for a walkabout. Surprisingly, several shops were open. Vernon's Grocery and Bakery was open, but no key lime pies until after 2 PM! Huh! He had freshly baked bread, but we really didn't need any bread on board. So, we left it all behind. I am still curious about the coconut bread. Next time.....

We had lunch at Captain Jack's. Not only do they have a lovely view, but they make a habit of throwing some of the kitchen scraps into the water.  As a result, it was like an aquarium when you looked over the side of the deck. We saw parrot fish, blue tangs, and other fish we didn't know- black fish, gray fish, and one with a black top and a yellow bottom. It was worth the price of admission- especially since the food was good as well. I tried the fried plantains for my Bahamas food of the day. They were very tasty!

When we got back to LUX, the decision was made to move on and try somewhere else for the evening. So, we are anchored off Great Guana Cay in Baker's Bay. Unfortunately, we had forgotten to get ice before we left. So Mike and Terry took off in the dingy to the upscale marina. When they returned, they had ice....in a large, black garbage bag! Seemed the only way to get ice was from the restaurant. So, we did have frozen drinks this evening. After all, we have to use up that rum! Oh well.... It's a hard life here in the islands.

For dinner, we had a favorite boat dish- stovetop lasagna. For an interesting twist, we used vegetarian Italian sausages. Yes, we had planned to use them when the vegetarian was on board, but Linda got away before we ate them. They turned out to be surprisingly good.

For dessert, we tried out a microwave recipe for blueberry cobbler-like dish. I read several recipes, and came up with this:

1 can blueberry pie filling

4 T almond butter

2 T butter, melted

2 T honey

1 cup granola

Put the blueberry pie filling in a microwave safe dish. Mix together the almond butter, honey, and melted butter. Add your favorite granola. Spread this mixture over the blueberry pie filling. Cook in the microwave until hot. The time is dependent on your microwave. Ours is a low powered microwave. We cooked it for 4 1/2 minutes. It was just barely hot. 

We served it with our almost melted ice cream. Terry tries to claim that it was twice frozen ice cream. But, it was more like soft serve...very soft serve. The crew of LUX is always willing to be self sacrificing. They ate the mostly melted ice cream on the blueberry stuff, and they actually said it was good.

In the meantime, Terry has lashed a flashlight to the back of the boat. And, he has attracted a squid. Most of the crew are out back watching squid antics. We haven't seen a squid before, so it's a new listing of cool things seen while sailing around. It's great that we are always seeing something new on these trips.

Morning in Hope Town

It's another beautiful day in the Bahamas! And, it's Monday. How do I know this? It's 7:55 AM, and there are worker bees already out and about! Sunday in the Bahamas is mostly like a ghost town. Even the tourist trap shops are closed when we are here. Since we are always here on the shoulders of the season, it makes us wonder what it's like at the height. Terry has mentioned coming down during the real season several times this trip. I guess we are all wondering what the places are like when they are really hopping.

Last night, the light house came on. Doesn't seem like a big deal until you realize that the light house here is a kerosene fired light house. And, they hand carry the kerosene all the way up to one floor below the light. They use 5 gallon jerry jugs. Amazing! It is the only one left in the world that is lit that way. We could see the lights come on in the windows on the way up. Then, the light at the top began to glow. Finally, the fresnel lens at the top began to rotate. The light house was in operation for the night.

You probably can't see it in this picture, but it also has another cool feature. There's a wind vane on top!

In other news-- we still haven't decided what to do today. It's great to be on vacation where the biggest decision for the day is what beautiful spot you'll see later in the day! Stay tuned, Dear Readers. There's bound to be more beautiful pictures!

Dinner Was Just Yummy

Tonight we ate at the Hope Town Marina. The food was just so yummy. Take a look.

Yes, that is a Dark and Stormy in the left hand corner. We enjoyed everything. No leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

We're in Hope Town

Yes, indeed. We are at a lovely marina at a resort here in Hope Town. It offers two pools- one with a swim up bar. In keeping with our tradition of traveling during the off season, the swim up bar is closed. But we did sit in the lovely cabana overlooking the harbor. Some of the crew indulged in a Dark and Stormy. Yum! All of the crew took the afternoon off- reading, taking walks, playing with computers... We just lazed about. It is, as always, a great day here in the Bahamas.

Water In The Bulkhead, Part 2

After a lot of online research and some phone calls, we've decided to continue with the epoxy and microballoons approach. Here's the reasoning behind our choice, not in any particular order.

1. Microballoons are relatively easy to replace, so if a different repair is required, it isn't too difficult to attack the filler with a grinder to remove them. Yes, it is messy. However, it is a doable job.

2. I talked with the Gougeon tech support staff about our proposed approach and they didn't see any problem with it. That's not to say that they are the definitive source of good advice. I was particularly interested in any studies and testing that they may have done regarding the strength of panels in which the balsa core was replaced with epoxy/microballoons. The person I talked with wasn't aware of any specific tests. So while this isn't really a reason to use epoxy/microballoons; it is more like disclosure of what we found in our research.

3. If the repair were made with anything but more balsa, it would result in butt splices at the edges. I don't think that it is possible to do a good scarf joint to the exiting balsa core as the repair approaches the center vertical support beam without affecting the integrity of the structural connection of the bulkhead to the main the support beam. I'm an electrical engineer, not a structural engineer, so this is my impression based on my past experience and is not based on specific technical knowledge of the materials and structure.

4. There was some discussion about the use of  different core materials that have different tensile, sheer, and compression characteristics than that of balsa. CoreCell foam could be used (5lb/cu-ft density) as the core, but would have butt-joint problems as well as getting it to adhere to the existing panels. The existing fiberglass panel on the locker side of the bulkhead could be cut out and re-used by a tapered fiberglass joint around the edge. Or the panel could be cut out and replaced with new layup of fiberglass and unidirectional glass. I can't comment on which might be better.

5. We were told that polyester won't adhere well to epoxy, suggesting that gelcoat (a polyester) won't adhere to epoxy. Gougeon has done some testing that indicates that gelcoat adheres well to epoxy when compared with gelcoat adhesion to polyester fiberglass panels.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/polyester-over-epoxy/

The contrary argument appears here:

http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/fiberglass-composite-boat-building/west-system-epoxy-incompatible-gel-coat-27544.html

For our purposes, in the forward locker, we can do the necessary preparation to assure a good bond. It doesn't have to be the same kind of finish as if the repair would be on the exterior.

6. Epoxy has great adhesive properties, about 10x that of polyester resin, according to the WEST epoxy site. Now I can't find the reference I read. I'll edit this if I find it.

7. Epoxy will elongate up to 4% (polyester is about 1%), allowing the core material to flex somewhat in use without collapsing.

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/understanding-flexible-properties-2/

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/assets/Product-Data-PDFs/TDS%20105_206.pdf

Finally, LUX is about to start the winter charter season and we need to do something now. Since we can change it in the future (see #1), it makes sense to use epoxy and microballoons while we collect more information.

A useful reference is Fiberglass Boat Repair and Maintenance:

http://www.westsystem.com/ss/assets/HowTo-Publications/Fiberglass-Boat-Repair-and-Maintenance.pdf

I find their testing reports more useful though, because they tend to have more pure test results.

The repair went well, taking all afternoon. We mixed about 6 oz of epoxy at a time and applied it with a caulk gun and an empty caulk tube. We cut the caulk tube down to just hold 6 oz, making it easier (less distance) to force the plunger back out of the tube. The small amount also reduced the exothermic reaction, preventing overheating. We waited 20 minutes between applications to allow the heat to dissipate. One of our portable fans (see Ceiling Fans!) was used to blow air onto the panel, which helped remove the heat. It was a messy job, but we eventually finished it just after dinner. We were able to drill the holes for the fresh water feed-through fitting and get water running again before retiring for the night. Gee and Peggy did a great job of fixing and cleaning up dinner with water from several pitchers. 

  -Terry

We Say Goodbye to Tom and Linda

Today is a sad day on LUX. Tom and Linda leave us today. Their bags are packed. They're ready to go. It seems that their clothes don't want to leave, though. Linda keeps yelling up from the cabin that she has found yet something else. Now Peggy has gone down to check, and she found 2 more shirts. Those pieces of luggage may actually explode just like the cartoons! It seems that all the stuff they packed to bring to LUX didn't fit back into the bags. And, they actually only bought 2 t-shirts. How is it that your luggage always shrinks when you get ready to pack to go home?

And so they are on their way home.

Several of our crew went up to help them to the car. They may need a porter or two at the airport, though. Terry wanted to know if Linda had gold bricks in her case!

Today, we'll be heading off to Hope Town. It's another beautiful day...all the prettier since Tomand Linda's departure reminds us that ours is imminent as well.

HOB today

Most every boater is encouraged to practice a Man Overboard Drill - fondly known as a MOB. Today, we had a HOB. Long time boaters know that's a Hat Overboard Drill! Yes, today someone who will remain nameless lost a hat. Lucky for this crew member, it was before the really great sailing began. In fact, we were just leaving Treasure Cay. So, it was the perfect time to practice. And so we did. The call went out for a spotter to watch the hat. The boat hooks came out. The helmsman started the appropriate maneuvers. The crew members fished with the boat hooks. And one fine hat was rescued.

FYI- the crew member holding the soggy hat is not the owner. And, the hat is still drying.

Afternoon in Marsh Harbour

Today, we headed off to Marsh Harbour. Terry needed a base for doing some repairs to the fiberglass. There's a market in town tomorrow morning. And, Tom and Linda need to fly out Sunday morning. So, Marsh Harbour seemed like the best spot all around. So, we headed out.

Big news for the day- the sailors did not mention that it was going to be a really great day for sailing. And, according to them, it really was a wheeeee doggy day. They had a great couple of hours. They probably only came in because they needed the time to get the repairs done.

Once we got in, we took a break and had lunch at Snappas Grill & Chill. We had a nice leisurely lunch, and then the worker bees headed back to the boat. Others of the crew walked around town. And still others spent time in the marina lounge.

Breakfast in Treasure Cay

One major reason for visiting Treasure Cay is that there is a fantastic bakery here! Boy, can they bake. The cinnamon rolls are so yummy.

Yes, they are as good as they look.

Morning in Treasure Cay

The skies are amazing this morning. No matter where you look, the sky is amazing and different. 

New Additions in Our Cabins

As nice as it would be to say that an addition was BUILT onto my cabin, that's not what happened. What did happen was very nice, though. Terry added hooks!

It seems like such a little thing, but it is just great. You may not be able to tell, but there is now a hook on each side of the cabin. Great addition to the decor. Thanks, Terry. I am the only one that thinks it would be better if the hooks were mermaids!

Dinner at the Bar

We had a good time at Pizza Night at the bar.

As you see, can't beat dinner outside overlooking the pool which overlooks the bay...in October...in our short sleeves! Yes, another great ending to another great day in the Abacos.

We're still here...I'm Playing Around With Apps!

Our day has turned gray and rainy. But how bad can that be in the islands?

Good news from LUX. We think the leak that put water in the port bilge is fixed. We think the leak in the water tank is fixed. It's always a good day when repairs work. It's an even better day when the free wifi works!

Crossing the Whale

As I mentioned in an earlier blog, crossing the Whale is always an adventure. It's especially so on a day when the weather is not the best. Today, the weather was difficult. But, it was not impossible.

But, the sailors had a great time!

In Treasure Cay

We had a leisurely breakfast this morning, and then we headed out. Because I have such picky eaters on board, I have taken to serving up a buffet for both breakfast and lunch. In other words, it's every man(and woman) for himself until dinner time. This is especially true in the mornings. Some members of the crew love oatmeal most every day. Some prefer yogurt and fruit. So, I just say have at it. And they do. At lunch, I usually offer a special dish or sandwich. Those not interested are free to fix something for themselves.

Today's special sandwich was turkey salad made with turkey(canned, of course), pecans and cranberries. It was served with a topping of mincemeat- Cross and Blackwell, of course! You could have that on whole wheat or as a wrap.

But, before we could get to lunch, we had to cross the Whale. Whale Cut is famous in the Bahamas. The Cruising Guide to the Bahamas says that it is the most difficult and treacherous part of the Abacos. You have to go through the cut, out into the ocean and back around due to shallow waters. Although the Whale Cut is wide, it is also shallow. That makes it susceptible to breaking waves all the way across when ocean swells come from the northeast. In fact, boats thinking about crossing the Whale often call out on the VHF in the morning for any boats in the area that can give an update on the Whale!

Our intel said it would be a rough passage, but waiting a day would show it getting worse! So, we left. Since we were headed to Treasure Cay, it was a short trip- lucky for us. It was rough.

But, now, we are in Treasure Cay for the night. It's quiet here because the season has not started. In fact, the restaurant is not open yet. You can only get food from the bar on the beach across the road.

It's probably crazy in the season, but right now you can see that there are few boats. The dock hand was quick to tell us that they are going to feature PIZZA tonight. It appears that pizza is an exciting food here in the islands. Oh well, can't have fish every night.

Afternoon of October 23- We're Just Sailing Along

It's quiet on board! The engines are off because we are sailing. And look:

The spinnaker is flying. Tom got us up to 7.8 knots. We have sunshine and blue skies before us, behind us, and to the port side. Those three sides look like this:

But, on the starboard side, it's a different story.

Yes, a thunderstorm can be seen over there. We're hoping it stays over there!

So far, it's a beautiful day. We wouldn't mind if it stayed that way. If you're following the journey, we're on our way to Green Turtle Cay. Meanwhile, the parrots are resting up- conserving energy for our next port.

October 23- Anchored Off Fox Town

We started the morning with the Move It drill- a sudden rain shower sent everyone scattering to shut all the hatches. The hatch above the port shower did not get shut, so it got a nice clean rinsing. But, the rainbow at the end was worth it!

Yes, yet again Dear Readers, the IPad camera did not do well. But, I did label the rainbow for you!

Now, it's raining all around us. But here, in the isle of LUX, the sun is shining. And, we'll have sweet potato pancakes for breakfast. Our absolutely favorite mix is Bruce's Sweet Potato Pancake Mix. If you can find it, give it a try. They are so yummy!

Last night, we had quite the light show. Lightning was going on all around us. Luckily, the thunder storms didn't find us.

Meanwhile, we had a lovely dinner last night. I found an interesting recipe on the Betty Crocker website. It was for Sauerbraten meatballs! Check it out here:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/sauerbraten-meatballs/c7124006-1f07-4d8e-9f8e-0189f6971708

But, as you know, nothing can be simple on LUX. We have a vegetarian on board. So, I made some meatballs out of Bob's Red Mill TVP. We have folks avoiding red meat. So, I substituted ground turkey for the ground beef. It's too hot here in the islands ( sorry, our Maryland friends) to bake, so we microwaved the lot. And, we served it over mashed potatoes instead of noodles. It was delicious! No pictures, though. We ate it too fast. We were all so hungry after a great day of sailing. Those earlier snacks only cut the edge of the hunger. We were ready for those meatballs.

A final note on the vegetarian meatballs. I stuck close to the original recipe- just substituting TVP for the meat. But, it really needs more egg as a binding agent. I'll need to work on that. However, our own vegetarian did say it was a total yum.

Parrots Gone Wild

Yes, the anchor was in by 5 so that we could have cocktails in the beautiful area just off Fox Town. Everyone enjoyed the conviviality after a wonderful SAIL to get here! Yes, Dear Readers, we sailed today. And Carol won the speed contest. She got LUX up to 6.3 knots. She could have gone faster, but Mike was dragging his feet in the water. Here's a great shot of the afternoon treats.

Notice that the parrots got there first. Yes, Susan, the parrots are having a great time. We didn't let them have too much of the frozen peach daiquiris - no sense in really corrupting them.....yet!

After our afternoon snack, Terry and Linda took off for dingy adventures.

They're off to explore while we prepare dinner.

Who Let the Parrots Out?

So, Peggy's head (bathroom, not body part) has a leak. Today, they washed out the rug. Peggy really wanted to hang it up to dry- as opposed to the Terry method of leaving it lying around on the dingy. But, her first try broke the clothes pins. It is, after all, one of those really nice memory foam rugs. Did you know that they get really heavy when they get wet?

Then, in a flash of brilliance, Gee remembered that Susan left parrots on board! So, the parrots came out to play.

Yes, they are those clips for holding your towel on the beach chair. But, they really work well on the lifelines! We need them! Never fear, Susan. We will return your parrots. But we really want some of our own.

More Musings on Unusual Things ... This Time, in the Islands

More mysteries as we travel.

What are those boxes on the sea floor? Yes, we have seen two boxes so far. Terry said that the boxes look like an upside down u. These boxes do not have floats. One just had a brick on top to hold it down. What's with these boxes?

Terry is theorizing that these are lobster Hotel Californias - the lobsters check in but they don't check out. At least, until the lobster guy comes. Then, they REALLY check out!

Other members of the crew think that's not exciting enough. We're going for contraband hidden for later pick up. 

And, this morning, a big, red freighter came in to the entrance and parked itself out there. Hmmm.... Now, a smaller boat has gone out to meet it. Some of the crew think it's a regular delivery and pick up. I think it's the daily Amazon.com drop off. But, it might be smugglers. 

And then there the problem that LUX has picked- LUX visits closed everything! Two of the marinas we visited had broken pump out stations. And now, here at Spanish Cay, the restaurant is closed. Good grief! However, the laundry is open...if you wish to spend $10 per load of laundry. Yes, $5 for the washer and $5 for the dryer. Luckily, the laundry was not a necessity at this point. Hopefully, we'll find something cheaper as we go along.

So, onward to today's project. That would be the water tanks. Yet again, the water is trying to escape from LUX. It's really not a good thing here in the Bahamas where water retails for $.25 a gallon. But, the guys are out there working on one of the tanks.

Morning in Spanish Cay

It's 8:02 AM, and the fun has already begun on LUX.

Today, Terry has torn apart the settee in order to work on the air conditioner filter- it needed to be cleaned. He was also working to pull wires for his latest electrical project- a monitor for the water tanks- both fresh and holding.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew hides out on the porch.

As you can see, it's a beautiful day. What you can't see is that every pole in the background has a seagull on it. Yes, it is the daily bird sighting.

We're in the Middle of Nowhere

Our trip out of Ft. Pierce would have made amusement parks jealous! Yes, indeed, the weather people lead us astray once again. The forecasters overlooked those pesky pop up thunderstorms. Technically, they were to the north of us at Jacksonville. However, they were still able to give us strong winds and lots of wave action. Yes, Dear Readers, LUX was pitching and pounding her way out of Ft. Pierce. Some members of the crew went straight to their bunks. The true sailors stood on the deck admiring the moon. And LUX sailed on through the night.

Now, it's mid morning. The skies are clear. It's warm. The water is a gorgeous blue green. All around. From horizon to horizon. Yes, we are far enough away from everything so that the only thing you see is water. Here's the view from the back of the boat.

Here's the view from the starboard side of the boat.

I don't think it's necessary to continue the pictures. Believe me, it all looks the same. Gorgeous, but the same all around the boat. And, finally, not even any birds for Susan! We are already close enough to the Bahamas that we are only in 22 feet of water. 

OMG! Today's Bird Sighting is Unbelieveable!

So, most of the crew was sitting after breakfast...finishing up coffees and teas....telling salty tales... When the strangest thing happened.

A little bird about the size of a wren flew in, and it landed on Tom's head! No pictures because Tom shooed that bird away immediately before it had any thoughts of making a deposit! Now, we're busy staring at Tom waiting for the bird to return!

But, through the magic of editing software, we were able to recreate the moment.

Yes, I totally recommend Snapseed and Over if you want to play with pictures. Snapseed gives you lots of editing power on the IPad- at least enough for an amateur like me. You can straighten the photos, increase the contrast, add frames.... And lots of other fun applications. Over has built-in icons,, words and phrases. It also lets you add your own text. And, voila, you end up with a picture of Tom with a cool t-shirt and a bird on his head!

It's the Simple Things...

One of the necessities of any galley is a hand towel. And, the most obvious place to put that hand towel is on the oven handle. At least, that's where ours lives most often.

The oven handle is just the right size to support the average dish towel, as you can see in the photo.

Unfortunately, the smallest bump or bounce ends up with the towel looking like this:

Not only does it end up on the floor, but everyone steps on it before it gets noticed. Not good. Not good at all. So, I started investigating methods to keep the towel on the rack. I started with what I know best- sewing. I searched the web for hanging dish towels, and I started sewing.

My first trial was the traditional towel with a fabric top that looped over the oven handle. The directions wanted a buttonhole, but I opted for Velcro. Unfortunately, I made the fabric top too small. It seems that our oven handle is bigger than a standard oven handle. That resulted with a sewing project while we were underway. Yes, I had to move the Velcro.

My next trial was an interesting idea. The suggestion was that a tie be made for the top of the towel.

It really looks cute, but tying it and untying turned out to be more trouble than it was worth. We now bring it out for display when we expect company. But, we don't use it regularly. Seriously, though, a decorative towel is not useful on a boat. It will soon go home with me.

Meanwhile, I spent a lot of time shopping in preparation for this trip. At one point, I was in 5 Below. Inspiration struck. Why not just use a slap bracelet? And, they had the cutest one in 5 Below.

Okay, it is black and white checked. No, it is not the official LUX color- dark blue. No, it does not have a cute sailing/boating theme. So, you ask, what makes it cute? Take a look:

It has a ruler on the inside! How many times has someone on the boat asked for a ruler? It's our favorite- a twofer! Cute and useful!

Ad, it works like a charm. It holds the towel just tight enough so that it does not slide off the handle. It's easy to take on and off. It's easy to get to the towel.

Success!

Different Day. Same Shot.

Once again, we start our day with someone in the engine compartment. Today, it's possible that we have some build up in the raw water intake for cooling the engine. It seems that barnacles like us. The port one has already been cleaned. Now, it's starboard's side.

But, as you know, the definition of cruising is boat repair or boat maintenance in exotic locations.

In the background you can see beautiful tropical waters and a lovely spit of land. According to those who can't stand ambiguity, that little spit of land is Great Sale Cay on the Little Bahamas Bank. In the foreground, you see our usual shot of guys doing maintenance. Ah, the cruising life!

Pancakes for Breakfast

Having pancakes on a boat makes any day special. Fruity pancakes just make it even nicer! Today, we went for the simple way to make really great fruit pancakes. We made pancakes out of Martha White's peach cobbler muffin mix. According to the Martha White website, it's easy to do with any of the available muffin mixes. Here's Martha's recipe:

Fruit Muffin Mix Pancakes

1 large egg

2/3 cup milk

1 (7 ounce package) Martha White fruit flavored muffin mix of your choice

Directions

Beat the egg in a medium sized bowl. Add milk and muffin mix. Stir until the larger lumps disappear. Add more milk for thinner pancakes.

It makes 8 pancakes.

As you can see, the recipe just says it makes 8 pancakes. It does not mention that it makes 8 delicious pancakes that disappear instantly. At least I can say that about the peach cobbler muffin mix. No leftovers. One happy crew. It's already a great day.

Monday, October 21

Good morning, Dear Readers. Yes, I know it may not be morning when you read this. But, for me, it is 6:37 AM somewhere in the Bahamas. The rest of the crew sleeps on, but I couldn't stay in bed any longer. When I look out behind the boat, the full moon is still shining bright.

But, when I look to the starboard side, the sun is working on getting up this morning.

She appears to be taking it slowly. Could that be because she worked so hard to make a spectacular sunset for us last night?

It was a glorious end to a lovely day on the water. We made it to the Bahamas by 3 PM, and anchored. We celebrated our arrival with the first frozen drink of this trip. It was a lovely peach drink made with frozen peaches, peach schnapps, and peach juice. We also had a lovely cheese board with a selection of cheeses and crackers as well as some hummus and carrots.

Most of the crew then spent quality time staring at the water or their pillow. Terry went off exploring in the dingy.

For dinner, we had a shrimp and broccoli stir fry served over Carolina gold rice. My latest personal discovery is that precooked and totally peeled shrimp are so great to use on a boat. As any boater will tell you, trash is one of the top five issues. But, in today's world, most everything comes over-packaged. Now, shrimp solve that problem for the seafood houses by coming with a shell. Instant packaging at no extra cost. But, I still have to dispose of that stuff. Not easy to do when you might not be in port for a day or two. So, I am experimenting with precooked shrimp with no shells or tails. To date, my experiments appear to be unqualified successes. Last night, for instance, all the stir fry disappeared in no time at all.

Wait...attention span happening... I was distracted by the water. It is so many shades and colors right now at the edge of sunrise.

It's just amazing.

Anyway, back to the shrimp.... Another great thing about using the cooked shrimp is that it obviously also cuts down on the cooking time. I used fresh broccoli, so it started cooking first. Then, I added a bag of frozen Asian vegetables. Finally, I added the frozen shrimp. I had given them a shot a water in the sink to get them into individual shrimp instead of one massive shrimp ball, so they entered the stir fry as happy singles. As soon as they were hot, dinner was ready. And, no stinky leftover shrimp shells!

And, we also celebrated pumpkin cheesecake day! We had the best cookies from Pepperidge Farms. Yes, they were pumpkin cheesecake cookies! Boy, were they good!

I appear to have blogged just long enough. All members of the crew are on deck. And, they are beginning to make noises about breakfast. It's been too warm to bake, so today we will use muffin mix to make pancakes. Hope it's as yummy as it sounds. We'll let you know.