An old girlfriend just called.....

[Frank]

The leaves are starting to change up here at home so thoughts start to go towards winter and the “back to the boat” list.
When I had the roll up sunshade made, I had zippers put on the sides and aft end as well for future use. Measured up for the sides and end before leaving last April and just got them made.
These will zip onto the sunbrella sunshade and hang down to be tied to the lifelines. There will be one per side and 2 aft.
Theyll offer sun protection and although see through, a bit of privacy as well. Small-simple thing but will make a big difference with day to day life aboard.

[CapnK]

That sunshade material is really good stuff. It not only blocks a lot of UV, but also is less "flappy" and more (or less?) wind resistant than a solid material. I think you will love them. :)

[Frank]

This is what I saw the first time I boarded an Eolia at the 1985 Toronto boat show and looked below....
I was smitten then and still am almost 40yrs later
Ad the aft cabin to port and aft head to starboard... what the designer has done with a 23ft 7in hull is truly amazing.
Still a love story....

[CapnK]

I was just telling someone about her the other day - couldn't remember Brand/Make... And now I gotta remember who it was I was telling, so that I can! lol

[Frank]

Happens to you too eh :)

[Frank]

Back to Déjà Vu noon Monday.
Painted boot stripe, dodger on, boom and main on, solar panel up, bottom paint, dingy cleaned and in, dingy outboard started, Deja Vu's outboard started, fuel run, water filled, house cleaned and splashed 48 hours later!
Tired but happy to be afloat.
The repainted boot stripe really freshened the ole gal up!
It will be 39yrs ago next month I ordered her!

[Frank]

Christmas on da island.....

Cruisers pot luck was great!

[Frank]

3 things cruisers fuss about

-wind direction-strength
-tide
-how are my batteries doing?

I've had decent luck with 6 volt golf cart batteries with my solar panel and an MPPT controller. Still, by year 3 the batteries typically have a hard time lasting through the night after the sun goes down. Hard to keep them happy with an 8 month absence.
An extremely intelligent tech guy on a beautiful late 70s pacific seacraft 27 convinced me of the benefits of converting to lithium batteries.
In my case, with minimal power draw, only a single 200amp hour battery was needed.
It just arrived here today.
Here's what I can tell you so far.
-one large 200amp hour lithium weighs slightly less than one golf cart battery.
-unlike lead-acid, they are ok to run past 50%
-I lucked out as my MPPT controller, without planning, is lithium friendly
-the cost was about 30% more but I should get minimum 100% (double) the longevity if not more!
Will keep you posted as it happens...

[Tim]

Will be following this because I would love to set the Ariel up somewhere but it does mean she would be on her own a lot of the time. Thanks Frank

[Frank]

This afternoon was in many ways a normal day.....
Dull, windy with a bit of rain off and on.....
A fiends boat was having charging issues so as typically happens, it turns into a major male social event as 3 of us climbed aboard to see what we could do.
2 armed with testers and gauges, I with moral support and the ability to hand tools. (I hate wiring issues)
Lots of jokes, teasing, stories and laughter.
Living aboard certainly allows the "little boy" to come alive...
Hopefully something needs fixing somewhere tomorrow....

[Frank]

-battery seems amazing as it kept fridge and freezer side going well through a few overcast days
-sailed to Manjack today for a big dinner with old sailing friends. Too much food! Nice catch up.
-auto helm didn't work... "guys beer afternoon" project someday soon. Hopefully repairable. Solo is a PITA without...
-boat looked awesome in the setting suns light tonight upon return. Still makes me smile 39yrs later

[Frank]

It's been a cool and very windy winter here so far.
I sailed down to Green Turtle yesterday morning in 20ish gusting higher on a broad reach. At one point I chuckled yo myself as there I was, totally content going between 3.5 and 5 with only about 60% of my 130 unfurled. In early days I would had full canvass up and pushing her (and I) to the max to see what she could do. Now I'm happy to put far less stress on the boat, the rigging, myself and simply enjoy the moments..... such is aging.

Wolverine.....
Both in the Keys and Bahamas shallow draft rules!
When I made Green Turtle yesterday, rather than get a mooring ball in the protection of Black Sound for $20 per night, I tucked into the shallows of town harbour where sailboats fear to tread. Only about 3ft at low, no other boats anchor here. The bottom is quite grassy but my rocna Vulcan set well and has held since yesterday morning in 20-27 knots.
Here's to shallow draft!

Picture was this morning

[Frank]

Finally prepped for island hopping.
New lithium battery is amazing! Fridge-freezer on 24-7 and lowest it gets is 88% ...
That's my only real draw other than charging the phone and all my lights are LED. Galley and head are manual water pumps.
Provisioned up with both frozen meat and canned goods.
Water topped up.
New tiller pilot arrived..... after many years my old one bit the dust and solo really sucks without one.
Look forward to a few new places island hopping for a week or so..
On a light note.... A new to there area cruiser came on VHF calling for the "little Canadian sailboat that's dragging in town harbour" I was aboard without the VHF on and friends phoned to tell me to rush back to my boat. They laughed when I said I was relaxed aboard and all was well. Guess the sailor didn't think anyone would intentionally be in here where no sailboats go....
Tide is low in the pictures and about 3ft of water where I am.
Love shallow draft!

[wolverine]

Love your updates Frank.  Shallow draft boats go where others fear to. 

[Frank]

Lithium update...
- I chose the 200amp hour below.
- It weighs about as much as one 235amp hour golf cart battery (2 of those needed to make 235 amp hours at 12V) so reduces weight
- can run way past 50% without effecting longevity.... Unlike conventional. This makes it far more "usable" on multiple overcast days.
- at $590... costs about the same as 2-6V golf cart batteries
- I've only been getting 2 years out of my 6V as they sit for 8 months a year unattended. Lithium stores best at 50-60% and is fine sitting...
- if things go "as advertised"... I should get minimum 5 years if not more use from it making it a relative bargain.
- I did luck out as my solar controller was programmable for lithium.
- Might be worth noting that my panel is relatively small at 165 watts

Below are pictures of the battery
Waking up after a day with some sun but mostly cloud.
Temperature of fridge-freezer
Waking up today after a mostly sunny day yesterday
 

[Frank]

So nice to be out cruising!
Anchored near the new bridge on the mainland in behind Angel Fish Point and took our dingys to explore around the little islands. We are all 66 and felt like 16 year olds...
With a forecast blow coming we sailed to Allans-Pensacola and slid through the narrows into the hurricane hole. Nice walk on the beach yesterday followed by dinner aboard déjà vu. Seems we have the island to ourselves! Awesome day.
It's certainly blowing out there right now. Gusts into the 30s but apart from swinging at anchor, we are protected in here... not a wave to speak of.
Lotsa fun on 24ft

[Frank]

It's really nice when you find like minded folks to cruise with.....
John and Lise on Polynya, a NorSea 27 are extremely experienced cruisers and a joy to be around. Steve on Skylark, a Pacific Seacraft 27 has lots of offshore miles and can bake about anything in his 2 burner galley. Both are extremely handy and combined... can fix nearly anything.
It's interesting to note that besides all of us being 66, we all sail older smaller boats and spend many months at a time away..

Polynya, the NorSea is a 1978
Skylark, the Pacific SeaCraft is 1982
déjà vu, my Jenneau is the newest at 1985

All basically 40+ yrs old..

[Frank]

Anchored back in town harbour to restock...
Food, booz and water we're getting low.
Sailed out this morning wing on wing in a light breeze..
Thought a swarm of bees was headed my way...
Was a friend taking pictures with his drone.

[wolverine]

Beautiful pictures.  Nice to have a friend with drone.

[Frank]

Yep...
Cray how far the good ones fly!
It started out as a slow sail... 2.2-2.5 knots...
The predicted winds built and I did an 19 mile straight run wing on wing before having to jibe over to reach up the last couple of miles to where I'm anchored.
Was a very fast sail at the end!

Pic is me letting the main out further at the start and a couple of screen shots with the ole girl surfing along near the end