Having a Ball on NYE ✨18
Finally! New Instrument Displays
Finally, the culmination of all this pedestal malarchy is complete! The whole reason I discovered the disintegrated bolts was to run wiring for new helm instrument displays. It is finally done. Boo-yah! Now for some sad news. Two members of the sailing community who have been influential to me have recently perished. Patrick Childress of SV…
S’muffdate: 7 June 2020
Greetings, mateys! As you know, a surprise project came up when attempting to run wiring for new instruments, and it was discovered the steering pedestal bolts were all completely corroded. In addition, it was clear water had gotten into the wood below the cockpit sole, which was rotten and disintegrating in places. So my repair work…
What’s New Aboard Sparklemuffin
When I bought Sparklemuffin about three and a half years ago, the anemometer at the masthead was broken. So I put in a new LCJ Capteurs CV7 ultrasonic anemometer while the mast was out. Of course it is incompatible with the old wind instrument display, which is at least 25 years old. No problem, I…
How to Create Sea Climate Maps from Satellite Data
Inspired by a section I read in “Heavy Weather Sailing” by Peter Bruce, I decided to see what sea climate maps were available online, so I could include them in my collection of cruising resources. I was looking for seasonal and/or monthly average and maximum wave height and wind speed maps. Surprisingly, I was unable…
S’muffdate: 31 March 2020
Greetings fellow Seamen & Seawomen! Things have slowed. The boatyard is still open, as it’s considered an “essential” service, but it has slowed down. Tools and parts I order are taking longer to arrive. The mast is still out, but S’muffin is back in the water. As of yesterday, all the new sails have arrived. Carol referred…
14 Crucial Tips for DIY Standing Rigging with Compression Terminals
Before deciding to do my own standing rigging using compression terminals like Hayn Hi-Mod or Sta-Lok, I did a ton of research… Watching videos, reading online articles and discussions, reading manuals and literature. The experience of actually building new standing rigging, however, taught me several lessons which were rarely mentioned nor given proper emphasis for…
How To Multi-Year Renew USCG Vessel Documentation
It seems to be not very widely known, but recreational vessels can now renew their USCG certificates of documentation for a five year period. It’s totally worth it, as it saves you from dealing with the paperwork every year–and is especially handy for those on extended voyages. The renewal fee is $26 for each year…