Well, I've been meaning to start a thread about our boat and plans, but have been way too busy getting ready for our month long trip through the San Juan Islands (starting July 8th!) =o
So much completed and a lot more to go!
Our boat: Chrysler 26 swing keel.
Modifications:
Upgrade old danforth to a 25# Mantus, 60' 5/16" G4 chain
New bow area to accommodate the new ground tackle
New water tanks, deck fills etc
New electrical (120v & 12v) with Pro-Mariner dual bank and 200 watts/solar.
So much more to share (beginning in October of last year when we decided to move our cruising plans up instead of waiting until retirement! LOL!) We video taped and photographed almost everything, but we've learned that you either "do" OR "document"! Hard to both at the same time! LOL!
One of the most important safety features we wanted, was to upgrade our anchor to an oversized 25# Mantus and add a manual windlass.
I've attached a few photos that should explain everything... One thing we discovered, was that the windlass now serves double-duty... We used it to raise our heavy mast! What a difference! Whew!
Anyway, we've been wanting to start a thread about our boat, us and our planned adventures for a very long time (I've promised this in a lot of the threads I've started asking questions)... I'm procrastinating here as it's getting into the 100's temperature-wise and I'm not looking forward to climbing back up there today... Planning to wire in an extra auto/cigarette plug (fused!), and wire up our GPS and fish-finder (redundant depth meter), as well as re-measure for plumbing for our three water tanks and deck fills...
OK... time to get back to work. just thought I'd share...
Thank you to everyone who has helped us with our questions! ;)
Richard & Tresa
Just a quick FYI:
I made the custom bow roller, fabricating aluminum and having it professionally welded. Created a Teak base for it. Turned the two rollers from Delrin on my lathe.
EVERYTHING has been backed with 3/4" marine plywood (Roller, Windlass and cleats...) This boat isn't going anywhere! LOL!
OK... enough procrastination...
Back to work
Nice looking set up.
Anchor overkill is a good thing!!
Feel secure when the wind funnels down the inlets.
Hi Frank,
Thanks for the kind words.
Ha! I've read (in several sites/forums), that when you have people along the docks laughing at how big your anchor is, then... "maybe", you just "might" have a large enough one! LOL!
The last thing in the world I ever want to experience, is dragging an anchor, especially in the middle of the night! With this anchor and 60' of 5/16" chain, the manual windlass was a must for us (We're both 62' and, if we're not secure with how our anchor set, there's no issues about bringing it back up to re-set.
Just got back from one of my MANY trips to the hardware store for SS fittings... Hoping to complete the last of our 12v installation today.
We're taking our sails to the local school gym (Tresa works for the school district here), to examine and choose the wails we're bringing on this trip. Planning to raise the main early Saturday morning to measure the distance between the bottom of the boom and the Bimini, where I plan to install our two, 100 watt semi-flexible solar panels. Once those are plugged in, I can cross off ALL of our electrical work! (Thank God!) LOL!
OK... finishing lunch and then back up to complete the last of our internal electrical work... (Probably won't "finish" it as it's already 100 degrees up there! I want to at least complete our navigation wire harness and feed it in through the bulkhead though.
Thanks again!
More photos coming
Wishing you youngsters the best on your trip :D :D
Agree on the anchors- here' s mine- 22 pound SL Claw with 75 feet of 1/4 hi-test chain
Great cruiser!
Nice interior and shallow draft.
I love shallow draft...for so many reasons.
Where will you two be heading when you're out cruising?
Nice boat charlie!
Frank:
This month long cruise will be to the San Juan Islands. Leaving Medford Oregon on July 8th, arrive Anacortes July 10. Splashing and taking two days to set up, practice, shake down sail into the straight, then heading to Blind Bay... Not sure after that, but we wanted 2 nights at anchor to unwinds and go over our guides, Nav charts and current atlas to figure out where next. We have TONS of possible destinations, trying to spend more time at anchor then visits to marinas with slips, shore power (Although I'll be installing our 200 watts of solar once we get the main sail up to check for boom clearance to the Bimini... two semi flexible 100 watt panels). We took all 7 of our sails to the school gym to inspect and decide what to bring. Decided on a smallish jib (not sure what size but it will overlap the mast by a little bit, and a small yankee high cut heavy jib for when the winds pick up (We have on reefing point in our main.).
Still have a lot of work to do. I "should" complete our navigation/cabin wiring today! LOL! Got too hot yesterday.
I've been approaching prepping our boat like a paranoid lunatic (Ex firefighter)... Tresa and I both agree, the precautions and back ups (We have full insturmentation on the boat, but I mounted a small hummingibrd dept/speed, temp as a back up... I like our Garmin 640 and we have paper charts, but I tend to navigate with one eye on the depth and follow accordingly.
Tresa gets me to lighten up sometimes when she reminds me that my last sail up there (for two weeks), was with a little San Juan 21, using "some" paper charts and a handheld compass and nothing else! We've both been sailing most of our lives with some blue water experience. My plan is to sail/motor with the keel almost fully down (6'2 and go SLOW when entering areas that have shoals or rocks. If we "bump", we can raise the keel (2' 3" when up), and back up. LOL! Yes, we too love shallow draft! Especially a swing keel... Our crusing plans for the rest of our lives is to Gunkhole and explore (ICW, Bahamas, Sea of Cortez (Been going down there since 1973 at LEAST a few times a year. LOVE it down there!)
We're also planning to go to Sindey and visit Buchart Gardens. Sucia is high on our "must" list as well as Stuart Island and traveling up and down the west coast of ?? Island (Lime Key Point), to look for Orcas... We'll return from Canada to check in at Roche Harbor, spend the night in a slip then maybe a couple of nights in Garrison bay with day sails up and down the coast there on our quest for Orca encounters...
Counting the days (17 days!), till we leave and praying I can get all my to-do list, done! Working EVERY DAY from 6AM until it gets too hot up there... She's sitting in our driveway next to my shop. (I forget how lucky I am to be able to have these resources just a few steps away from the boat. LOL!
OK... enough procrastinating... back to work.
Thanks!
Richard
I really liked Friday Harbour in the San Juans...
Very funky town, extreme mix at the marina!! From high end to low...a great batch of boats. I found Roche Harbour to be extremely "snooty" for lack of a better word. Lots of big $$ boats with chrome anchors that were never used. The few folks that were actually there seems "uppity" as well. I'll take funky Friday Harbour any day 😄
Enjoy your cruise!!
You have a fine boat!!
I'll be out there headed N about the same time.
That is a nice anchor set up Richard. Nice boat period.
What kind of manual windlass is that? Looks pretty rugged.
Bob
Hey guys,
Nice looking setup! I'll be in the San Juans at the same time. We'll definitely be in Friday Harbor for a couple days and Sucia, Stewart, and Orcas. I'll keep my eyes open for you. I'm on C-Dog. A hunter 23.5 with a green bimini.
Just a bump and a Grog, looking forward to seeing how it goes! Am of the opinion that 'anchor' is a simple misspelling of the word "insurance' and works the same. :) Have fun!!!