Messing About on Boats

[Dazzler]

My first thought is that the shunt is being bypassed when using the portable charger. I'm not an engineer or an electrician, so decided to wait until someone more knowledgable responded. I agree with Pogen's advice. I have done a lot of boat system wiring and it is always helpful, if not essential to draw a schematic. Then go read the Victron installation instructions.

Tom P.

[BobJ]

You're right - if I clamp the negative cable above the shunt all should be well. But then I have to lay down on the cabin sole and twist the top half of my body 90 degrees, stick a flashlight up in there, etc. I need a bigger boat.

Meantime is this schematic close enough? It's what I used...
Attachment 1696

[Wylieguy]

Bob, You'll probably find this to be typical of all GM schematics. I think they post an inspector to ensure those giant, macho, I've got bigger balls than you pickups and SUVs have one of their parking/running lights out of service before the vehicle leaves the factory. With this wiring plan you're sure to be missing a running light the day you're boarded for a "Courtesy Check" by the 50 cal. toting guardians of SF Bay. Oil lamps might be a better alternative.

But, on a non-serious note: How about attaching a pig tail to the wire above the shunt? To be fancy, you could even put the "plug in end" in a water tight fitting so it won't short out when you're rock'n and roll'n. But perhaps you won't be checking things on Saturday night in the berth?

[BobJ]

I think they post an inspector to ensure those giant, macho, I've got bigger balls than you pickups and SUVs have one of their parking/running lights out of service before the vehicle leaves the factory.

Not to quibble with the stereotype, but the left tail light on the Prius goes out frequently

Regarding a pigtail, I might do that. The better solution is to use the boat enough so I don't need the shore-power charger!

[DaveH]

have you checked for this critical but often overlooked component?

[BobJ]

Can you find the infamous white cup hook in the schematic?

Hey, hodgmo is in the building!

[Philpott]

2016 is the summer during which Singlehanded Sailing Society boasts some very impressive inventors of boatish things. Greg Nelsen's carbon fiber pedaling mechanism helped power the winning boat in the second Race to Alaska (R2AK), Brian Boschma's autopilot was de rigueur for this year's Transpac boats, and now here comes a very positive review of Henry Dokonal's (s/v Grace) Trogear bowsprit, written by a fella who used it on his Olson 34 in the Mackinac Island Race this summer. From Sailing Anarchy:

Skipper Jay Grizzell outfitted his 1989 Olson 34 “Shoe String” with a Trogear AS-40 Bowsprit
 as part of his preparations for the 108th Chicago to Mackinac (The Mac) race. Here is Jay’s story from Bowsprit discovery to the finish of the race…

“Mid-December of 2015 is when the initial discovery of Trogear Marine Products occurred. It is remembered as a ‘Eureka!’ moment, because the pivoting carbon bowsprit appeared to meet large percentages of an array of criteria that a sprit for “Shoe String” must meet: functional, affordable, aesthetically pleasing, easily installed, durable.

Eventually a new AS-40 was in hand and with the help of Trogear’s install instructions and we got the got the sprit securely in place. We took our time to design, verify and procure the components necessary for the adjustable bobstay, as each boat has different needs and bow designs. Henry from Trogear was always available to answer questions during this process and I believe the design arrived at combines simplicity, ease, function and economics.

Shoe String and seven man crew raced in the cruising division of The Mac and I estimate the sprit was used for 36+ hours of our 63+ elapsed, evenly split between the downwind kite and the Code 0.

The light air .6 oz. UK Runner asymmetric has an upper Apparent Wind Speed limit of 16 knots, which was never challenged this race. We either had almost no wind and flat water or far too much wind for that kite. The 3ft- 5ft (or greater) waves were also a challenge.

The Code 0 was flown in the latter conditions, in apparent wind speed of 16-18+ knots, driving the boat up/over/down (repeat ad nausea) the 3ft- 5ft square wave sea state, until the 1st of back-to-back broaches occurred at 2 AM. A large, errant and unseen wave shoved the stern laterally, exposed the kite to the full force of the wind and laid the boat on her side, briefly. We doused the Code 0 quickly after the 2nd broach proved the 1st wasn’t a fluke.

We crossed the finish line flying the .6 oz. light air Runner in optimal conditions, executing 4 inside gybes without incident from the Mackinaw Bridge to the Finish Line.

Overall, we had no difficulties during the 40+ inside gybes executed, a direct result of the forward projection of the sprit. An inside/out hull inspection of the Trogear Bowsprit upon arrival to the Island proved all systems remained sound and intact – significant after the shock loads the bowsprit received during the race.

[Philpott]

Here's a little montage of a weekend worth of boat maintenance I did...expletives included, although if you can't hear them make up some of your own.

Hey, this is a nice video! What kind of climber did you use? Where is your boat? What kind of boat is it? This kind of video is fun to watch. I learn stuff. Thanks.

[Steevee]

Hey, this is a nice video! What kind of climber did you use? Where is your boat? What kind of boat is it? This kind of video is fun to watch. I learn stuff. Thanks.

Philpott, I have folding aluminum mast steps on my mast. They were already installed when I bought the boat. I thought of removing them to eliminate weight aloft, but have found them valuable and the weight to be negligible on my heavy cruiser (a Tashiba 31).
I have foolishly climbed the mast many times without protection...not recommended. In the video I wore a climbing harness and had my wife cleat me off so I could use both hands.
I climb so I have gear and in the past I've just used acsenders https://www.rei.com/c/ascenders-and-...cenders&page=1 on the halyard when climbing the mast. Just add an aid ladder and you can use your legs as well.
My boat is on Woodley Island in Humboldt Bay. We bought her about 18 mos ago and I sailed her down from Oregon.
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I really didn't intend for anyone to learn anything from it except for "Don't buy a boat". I have enjoyed working on boats...though not as much as sailing.

[Philpott]

Philpott, I have folding aluminum mast steps on my mast.

Those are very impressive. Do they compromise the strength of a mast (hoo boy, wait'll we hear the responses on this one!)?