Backstage At The Boat Show

Often ones first introduction to boating is at one of the many, many boat shows that are staged around the country almost anytime of the year. Some of the largest are in-the-water shows in Annapolis, Miami/Fort Lauderdale and several other venues in coastal cities and inland waterways. But there are quite a few others that are held in convention centers, stadiums and coliseums in cities both large and small. When the doors open and the first of thousands of folks walk through the door, the boats are gleaming and polished, the booths are dressed for customers and the sales folks have practiced their presentations.

But there are major components that very few get to see. It almost begins at the end of the show in preparation for the next, with debriefing sessions and strategies discussed. The move in and out for in-the-water shows are complex, but no where near that for a show that needs to be held inside large buildings many miles from the nearest water. Once the initial layout for the dealer’s area is confirmed and the floor plan is designed, the logistics of getting several large boats over highways and through city streets begins. Transportation via carriers experienced in handling this special cargo must be made well in advance. Those with the equipment and expertise are in big demand for these events so finding one at the last minute may be next to impossible. Many dealers have long established relationships with those carriers so each anticipates the needs of the other and this part of the equation usually works well. But there are always those last minute glitches that can make for anxious moments when show time approaches.

Ship & Sail Yacht Sales in Kemah, Texas is both a sail and power boat dealer that is present at several shows during the year. Houston International Boat, Sport & Travel Show is held at the Reliant Stadium and is by no means the largest show but is one of the first shows of the year, being held shortly after the New Year holiday. An estimated 150,000 people will walk through their doors in the ten days of the show. In most years a 1,000 or more vessels will be on display and over 400 vendors will show their wares. But when you walk through the door, did you ever wonder just how all of this was put together and how in the world did they get those boats in here. Well, it wasn’t easy.

An over the road trip with a large boat has its restrictions. The two biggest are height and width. There are limits for both in many states and special permits needed in most. A large consideration for transport is the bridges the boats must pass under. That means the dealers must virtually disassemble the larger boats to meet those restrictions. A good working relationship with a nearby boat yard is essential. Boats that will be on display will have to be moved to the yard based on availability of haul-out schedules and at the same time coordinated with the transport company that will haul the boats to the venue. Ideally the boats will be hauled from the water, have the bottoms powered washed to remove marine growth, and placed directly onto the trailers that will take them to their destination. If all goes well that is exactly what happens. But trucks break down, drivers get ill, travel lifts quit for whatever reason and sometimes the weather just won’t work with you. But somehow it all gets done and on time.

Once the boats are on the trailers, the process of removing whatever parts that will hinder transport are begun. With the sail boats this means masts, booms and rigging must come down prior to loading. Additional items such as arches and even stanchions and pedestal guards may have to come off. Some times this can be done in advance but again it is usually all done in one event to save time and expenses. For power boats this means hardtops, arches and even superstructures as well as propellers and rudders. This can be a daunting task. Hundreds of wires, cables, steering lines and whatever else runs from the bridge to the inner sections of the hull must be disconnected in such a way that it can be properly reconnected again later. These parts of the vessel need to be unbolted and uncaulked and prepared to be lifted from the hull. Once again sound experience and proper equipment are an absolute must. Some of these vessels are priced in the millions of dollars and working with human beings and large boat parts can pose certain hazards.

Removing masts and superstructures requires the use of a crane or the yard’s travel lift depending upon the size and weight. The sections are removed with great care so as not to damage anything and are then themselves loaded onto the trailers, sometimes sharing space with the boats and sometimes needing their own transportation. With the sailboats, most dealers leave the masts and rigging in storage at the yards until after the show. Each hull and each section needs to be supported properly on the trailers so that they will withstand the trip to the show venue without mishap. Care must be taken to support the load so the vessels won’t suffer damage, due to bumps in the road, sudden twists, turns and stops along the way. Even wind affects on the various parts plays in how the trailers are set up and all of this is done as the boat or sections hang from the crane or lift just above its respective trailer. You might think that once the boats are loaded and secured that the hard work is over. But in fact, it has just begun.


The producers of the show will schedule a time and place for the dealers to stage their boats prior to the show. For the larger vessels, this means hauling the boats to the venue days before set up begins and leaving them until the offloading and set-up starts. For dealers that have smaller boats that will be brought in by trailer other than the large transport, that means beginning the move in once the doors are open for set up. In either case, it is a well orchestrated plan that has been fine tuned over the years. Every consideration has been made based on size of vessels to be moved in and even the location within the building itself. Once again, scheduling equipment and manpower correctly determines how quickly and successfully the whole move-in process goes.

It has been said that from chaos and confusion comes order and this about sums up the move-in process. Consideration must be given to access for the larger boats and the equipment needed to unload and re-assemble them. Trucks carrying necessary supplies to build displays, and carry office supplies, signs and banners and whatever else is needed must be able to reach the display areas and unload. Most of this is directed by the shows promoters. Depending on size, the boats may come in by small trailers behind pick-up trucks or on large flatbeds set up for just this purpose. Sailboats must be lifted by a pair of large cranes and blocked in place. The larger power boats need to be raised off their trailers and blocked in position and the sections that were taken apart for shipping must now be put back together and made ready for the public. Again the large cranes might be called to duty. Decking may need to be built and positioned, and carpet or other floor covering placed in the display area. All of the set-up process is done over a period of days prior to the show. Most vendors will begin very early in the morning and continue till late in the evening. That opening day deadline is on everyone’s mind and the entire process is difficult and grueling.

Once the boats are positioned, decks are built and put in place and the major construction is completed, the finishing touches are put on the display area. This can be video displays, information brochures, lights, plants and anything else the dealer may decide that will make the area more attractive and appealing to the public. The equipment on the boats must be checked out and in good working order. Where needed, electricity should be available. Just before Showtime, the boats will be completely detailed and decorated. Hulls will be polished to a high shine and the stainless fittings and hardware will gleam in the lights of the arena.

And let’s not forget all of the vendors selling their various equipment and wares. Several areas are set aside just for these displays. They tend to be much smaller but still require a fair amount of set-up. They can be as varied as insurance brokers, chandleries, engine shops, equipment suppliers both large and small and sometimes, totally unrelated to boating. These displays are usually the last to be set up and are an indicator that the big day is quickly approaching. While all of this is going on, the promoters are busy hanging signs, setting up electrical connections, planning parking for thousands and even placement of the ticket booths. The entire undertaking is one well choreographed effort that even for those of us that have done this many times still watch the process unfold in wonder.
When the big day comes, the doors are finally opened and that first person walks through, the public sees a spectacular display of all things boating under one roof. The selections are almost overwhelming and the individual vendors are standing by to answer questions and sell their wares. There is little evidence of just what went on in those days just prior. It would appear that everything just magically arrived for their viewing pleasure. And once the last one goes home and the doors finally close on this particular show, well the whole process of taking it all down and getting it back where it came from, and put back together or stored away for the next show begins. But that is a whole other story.

Dealing With Hanna

Once again we find ourselves preparing for a major storm. It just seems that weather has turned against us from the time we reached the west coast of Florida and is showing no sign of giving us a break just yet. The marina we are currently in is very exposed in severe weather and staying at the dock is not an option, so we made the decision to haul out if a storm did approach. We were off the boat and away visiting relatives on the west coast of Florida when it became apparent Hanna was moving in the direction of the boat. On Monday we made a call to the marina to let them know we wanted to haul out and made plans to get back. On Tuesday we drove for about 6 ½ hours and reached the marina late afternoon. Once again we verified that the boat was to be hauled and started getting it ready for the storm.

After 14 named storms we have pretty much gotten this down to a science. But the question still comes up, why do we do this to ourselves? While the winds were down and from the right direction we removed the headsail and depending on the potential of the approaching storm we either tie the main and mizzen securely with the sail covers on, or remove them altogether. Hanna is expected to only reach minimal hurricane force and pass to our east so we opted to leave the sails on and tie them down. With full battens and batten cars, removing them is a major task, but we would not hesitate in stronger conditions. Given the fact that the boat would be out of the water and in a more protected area, they stayed on the boat. But the headsail must come off no matter what. We have seen over the years what a loose flogging headsail can do during a storm. Our furling gear does have a hole in the base and the drum to slide a bolt in and lock it in place but we still don’t feel safe doing this.

Next comes securing the wind generator and the self leveler for the radar. Again, we have taken these down in the past for really severe conditions but not this time. Both were tied securely and the manual brake on the wind generator locked down tightly. Next comes the removal from the decks of all loose items that can get blown away or flog around in the wind. Also items like the GPS antenna that could be hit by debris are removed. The solar panels on the hardtop and over the dinghy davits are very vulnerable so they must come off, be wrapped in a protective blanket and stowed inside the boat. Items like the man overboard pole, Lifesling, horseshoe buoy and other safety equipment normally stored on deck are stowed inside the boat. Even though the electronics are supposedly waterproof we still cover them with plastic and tape it all down well with good old duct tape. The deck dorades are removed and the deck plates for them are put in place. This keeps wind blown rain from getting in below. The outboard needs to be removed from the dinghy and stored on its mounting bracket on the stern and the oars, life jackets, etc. which are usually in the dinghy are stowed in the boat as well. At the same time, we remove clothing we will need, important papers, expensive removable electronics and any items we feel we just can not afford to lose. There have been times over the years when we have completely stripped the boat inside and out. We have also ridden out storms on the boat on occasion but this is not a decision we take lightly. We do evacuate more than we stay on board and many factors come into play to finally make that decision. We do not recommend anyone staying on board since once things start to go wrong, in most cases there is very little that can be done and you put yourself in a life threatening situation. A boat can be replaced but a life or limb can not.

Since our hardtop and windshield can not be removed very easily, we still try to secure them as much as possible. In very strong winds it is conceivable that they could be lifted off go airborne. So we run lines over them and secure the lines to hand holds and to the taffrail. In addition, the topping lift for the mizzen is dropped enabling the boat to be hauled out backwards so the weight of the boom and the mizzen tied down at the stern help keep the hardtop in place. The boom end for both the main and the mizzen are secured so that they can not swing from side to side should the sheets give way during the storm. All hatches and ports are dogged down tightly and the hatches are taped all around to again keep wind driven rain out. We know from experience that water will enter from these storms from places that were never a problem before and except for storm conditions will not usually be a problem. Any other spaces that the winds might drive in rain are covered and taped down. Once we have checked and inspected everything over and over and are satisfied we have not missed anything we can just wait for the call to pull the boat out. And we waited and we waited. We are not sure how it happened but we went from what should have been first on the list for haul out, since we called well in advance, to the bottom of the list and one of the last boats to come out. But finally it did happen. I suppose it was due to the fact that we are transients and all of the other folks are locals at the marina full time. The currents here are very strong and the tides are 7 to 8 feet so we are pretty much relegated to high tide and slack water. The crews at the marina seem to be hauling boats all day but at max ebb and flow were mostly hauling power boats that could be pulled with a fork lift and larger power boats that could maneuver in the current. They did an outstanding job with both our boat and the other boats they hauled. Always very friendly, helpful and professional and it was obvious they knew their jobs and did them well. After a bit of adjusting of the travel lift because of our keel configuration we finally came out of the water. Hauling the boat is always a stressful time for us since we don’t do it very often. We were absolutely amazed at the growth on the bottom of the boat considering the fact that we had the bottom painted in Texas, hauled out and had it power washed and zincs replaced days before we left and had been on the move for over 2000 miles. We don’t know what paint the yard actually put on the bottom but suspect it might have been house paint.

Once she was out and on the stands we gave everything another once over looking for anything we might have missed. We still have some food in the fridge, although not much, so every system on the boat was shut down except the fridge and the bilge pumps. Yes, we leave the bilge pumps on when the boat is hauled out. I have seen too many boats sink on the hard over the years and if water does finds its way in we want a way for it to get pumped back out. Even with the fridge running every day, as long as the pumps don’t have to run for a long time, our battery banks will easily hold up for a week or much more with out any recharging. Since we will be staying nearby we will also be able to monitor things. Hurricane Ike is also in the Caribbean and our wonderful weather service does not have a clue where it is going so we may be out of the water for a time until it has either gone elsewhere or passes us by. One final duty is to cover the companionway so that the rains won’t get in and then just wait for the outcome. We have some wonderful friends here in Beaufort that are putting us up at their house until the storm blows through. We never get used to these things and it is always a very stressful time for us since we have everything to lose if the worst happens. But what ever happens is now beyond our control. Once again we have done our best and the rest is up to God, the universe, or whatever higher power might be out there, even if that higher power’s name is Hanna or Ike.

Hanna passes 85 to 100 miles to our east and on Friday we get rain for most of the day. The winds are up a bit but no more than 15 to 20 and the rains are only intermittent. The storm passes to the east Friday night and the winds still don’t get more than maybe 25 in our location. By Saturday morning the sun is shining, the day is clear and beautiful as the storm makes landfall in North Carolina and we have a nice day instead of the mess we expected. With any of these storms we have learned long ago that any outcome can be expected. The south coast of South Carolina dodged the bullet and so did Sea Trek once again. We would now have the task of putting the boat back together but we have never complained about not having to deal with a worst case situation.

A Look At The Numbers

At the end of each cruise or at some stopping point along the way we like to do a bit of analysis of our expenditures and other interesting details. Since we will be in our current location for at least a couple of months we thought that now would be a good time for a look at some of the numbers. We are also interested in seeing just how the higher fuel prices would change our past expenditures in that area, and it did indeed change for a couple of reasons. This trip was for the most part done inside the ICW on both the Gulf coast and the eastern coast along Florida, Georgia and a bit of South Carolina. In addition, we did spend quite a bit more than usual for dockage. We much prefer to anchor out but due to weather and repairs we visited more marinas and moorings than we normally do. We also had significant repairs and replacements that were out of the ordinary, but when planning a budget for cruising, these unexpected expenses need to be planned for even if they don’t occur. So here is an accounting of most of our expenses:

Dockage and moorings $1800.00

Repairs $4850.00

Diesel Fuel $1550.00

Dining $575.00

Replacement Computer $850.00

Entertainment $700.00

Groceries $1350.00

Laundry $30.00

Maintenance $350.00

Miscellaneous $400.00

Postage $95.00

Car Rental $50.00

Gas for Dinghy and Car $150.00

Clothing $50.00

Total $12,800.00

Replacing the computer seems to occur about every 2 to 3 years. Since it has become an important part of our equipment, we replace the old one with what we hope is a better unit with more capacity and processing abilities so we don’t go for cheap. The engine repairs were very expensive because the part that needed replacement was one of the most expensive parts on the engine. We also decided to do a few improvements such as adding additional gauges to the engine while everything was apart. Entertainment expenses included our satellite TV subscription, some new parts for the satellite set up and repairs to the tracking system. The higher cost for fuel was not a surprise since we expect that and it worked out to be what we had previously spent on fuel for a year.

We left Houston, Texas in early May and arrived in Beaufort, South Carolina in mid August. Our GPS showed we have traveled 2212 miles over the ground since we left. We have dropped the anchor some 70 times and that also means hauling it back up. But this is really not very often for the distance we have traveled. We have put 352 hours on the engine at an average cost of $4.40 per hour for diesel consumption. We burned 352 gallons coincidentally so we burned 1 gallon per hour average on the entire trip. Another reason our fuel consumption was higher than we normally would use was the lack of sailing we were able to do. When offshore, we often had no wind and traveling the ICW we only used the sails to supplement the engine. We traveled more of the ICW than we would have liked because of poor weather conditions for long periods of time. The weather on the trip was some of the worst we have encountered in all of our cruising. The forecasts we were able to get were also some of the worst. Every trip is different and each budget we plan and the expenditures that ultimately come out of that particular trip are also different. And plan as we might, those unexpected costs can make or break any cruise unless you are fortunate enough to have a very large nest egg or a very steady income. More info on expenses for one of our longer cruises can be found at one of our earlier posts titled "Cruising On A Working Class Budget".

Fernandina Florida to Beaufort South Carolina

The engine repairs are finally done. Actually they have been done for about a week. We decided to hang around Fernandina for a bit longer, but not as long as we would have liked. It turns out that our insurance company was very upset that we were 90 miles south of where they wanted us to be. Never mind that the marina here at Tiger Point had hurricane cradles with tie downs to put us in if a major storm approached and never mind that Fernandina had not taken a direct hit in over 100 years, they wanted us someplace else and gave us 2 weeks to get there. Well, at least there was that. We took the time to do some other boat repairs while we were at Tiger Point. The VHF had not been acting up to its usual standards for a while so we replaced the antenna and the connector at the masthead and that seems to have fixed the problem. We did a few other minor projects and spent a little more time with our friends. But finally we had to get under way.

Fernandina to Fernandina

In the 4 days at Fernandina Harbor Marina we did some shopping, laundry, visited with friends, gave the engine fresh water cooling system a chemical flush and changed the coolant. So it was a busy 4 days to say the least. The area and the marina have changed since we were last here. Mostly the prices have increased considerably for dockage and the marina is pretty empty. We are not sure if they are related or if it is just the time of year. In the anchorage across the river from the marina they have installed a mooring field, like so many other municipalities. The moorings are $15.00 per day for transients and that is the highest we have seen so far other than Marathon. It does include the use of the dinghy dock and showers but so do all of the others for a lot less money. Unfortunately this is no longer a Florida thing and towns all along the waterway are getting into the mooring business. The folks that work at the marina are extremely friendly and helpful and we felt very welcome.

A Close Call from St. Augustine to Fernandina Beach Florida

53 is the magic number and in a moment I will explain what that means. For those of you following our journey you will probably be tired of the repetition but not as tired of it as we are. Our night at St. Augustine was fine and quiet and at first light the next morning we were under way. There were two reasons; one was the fact that we wanted to exit the St. Augustine inlet on a falling tide or at least slack water, and the other was the forecast of storms earlier and more frequent in the afternoon. The waterway between St. Augustine and Fernandina has several problem areas and lots of shallow water. We much prefer the short offshore hop. On the first count our timing was very good. We had an outgoing tide and light winds with calm seas. A great start so far and the trip north toward the St. Mary’s River entrance was relaxing if only we had been able to sail instead of motor sailing. About 10 miles or so south of St. Mary’s we were shadowed by a US Coast Guard cutter for quite a while. Finally they called us on the radio and asked a few questions like where we were coming from, where we were going, how many on board, the name of the owner and our registration number. We were sure we would get boarded but after the questions they wished us a safe voyage and went on their way.

Watching Doppler radar, we knew storms were forming out to the west and heading in our direction. The question was, would they reach us before we reached our anchorage? As we arrived at St. Mary’s River entrance channel we saw a dredge and a few tugs working the channel. We called several times to see if there were any concerns for us in the area but none of them answered our calls. We also saw rain moving in our direction and heard thunder off in the distance to the west. We immediately got all of the sails down and everything secured. Now we would normally stand off at sea with a storm approaching but all we could see in the distance was rain and our radar showed nothing significant. So we made the decision to head into the river entrance. The tide was going out so we knew to expect a good 3 or more knot current against us as we proceeded into the channel. This is a narrow river entrance and there are rock jetties extending out quite a ways from land. We proceeded down the channel and got about as far as inside the rock jetty when the storm exploded directly over us.

We found ourselves going from rain showers to 35 knot winds to black skies with thunder and lightning in a matter of moments and there was no place for us to go or nothing for us to do except to keep heading into the channel. At 35 knots of wind and a 3+ knot current against us we were down to about 1 ½ MPH over the ground and were inside the first set of channel marker inside the jetties. And then things got even worse. The rains went to zero visibility and we could no longer see the channel markers right next to us. The only way we knew where we were was by the chart plotter. Now you remember that 53? Well that is what the winds built to. We were treading into very dangerous conditions and fast with no options but to maintain our position as best we could. With the strong currents and 53 knot winds the chart plotter showed we were pointed into the wind and waves and moving back down the channel from where we came at 2 ½ MPH. We were pushing the engine as hard as we could since we had been having coolant problems all day and our concern was that the engine might overheat under these conditions. If that were to happen it would spell ABSOLUTE disaster and there would be a good chance that neither we nor the boat would survive. And I believe that we were indeed in a survival situation. Not that the boat would not survive these conditions, but in close quarters to those rock jetties, had we hit them under these circumstances we would not have survived it. I can’t really say how long all of this lasted. Maybe and hour or more, it just seemed like a lifetime. We had to literally fight for every inch to maintain a safe position and not get washed up on the jetty or hit the channel markers that we knew were on both sides of us but we could not see. Even letting the bow of the boat fall off a bit would have put us in a bad way. All of this while we prayed that the overheat alarm did not go off. Occasionally the wind would drop below 40 knots and the backward motion would stop and we would be down to a stand still. This has only been the second time in over 16 years that I was concerned that we might loose the boat or worse. This is also the reason we have such a great fear and respect for these local thunderstorms and try and do what ever it takes to avoid them. In time, the rains eased and the winds dropped into the mid thirties then the upper twenties. Once under 30 knots we were able to get the boat moving forward again and make some progress, albeit very slowly. Soon we were again able to see where we were and we moved as far to the side of the channel as we dared to try and cut down on some of the influence of the current. In hindsight, we felt lucky that the currents were going out and we had wind and current in that same direction. If this had been a wind against current situation, we don’t even want to think of how bad it might have been. The rains finally abated and the winds dropped to less than 5 knots. All we had to deal with from that point on was the 3 knot current against us. To say we felt a sense of relief is an understatement. We called the marina in downtown Fernandina and arranged to tie up for the night. We were in no mood for any problems at anchor since there was still weather in the area.

If we had to do it over we would have indeed stayed offshore for as long as it took for the storms to pass. But all indications were for no more than rain when we turned into the entrance channel. Once inside everything developed so fast we had no time to turn and run out or do much else other than what we did. It just shows how quickly conditions can deteriorate when not expected. Knowing a storm is heading in your direction is one thing but having it build right on top of you leaves little time for preparation or consideration. These past weeks have been the most stressful and uncomfortable in our cruising lifetime. I am not sure what we could have done differently or whether the timing was wrong or what. We have sailed these waters in the past at this time of year, but never experienced these conditions so often before and it is our hope we never experience them again either. But the trip is far from over and looking at forecasts for the areas between here and Beaufort, South Carolina there will be more to come. Cruising is not always cocktails in the cockpit at sunset and times like these try even the most experienced. We survived this experience and whether it is luck or a supreme being watching over us I can’t say. But we are thankful to be comfortably tied to the dock the next day with friends dropping by for lunch and to be able to tell our tale. We plan to spend several days in the area, fix our coolant problem, visit with good friends and do a bit of exploring of the area that we have not visited for some time. And keep an eye on the sky. Then we will again head north for our final, for now, destination.

Titusville to St. Augustine Florida

Another couple of days stop has dragged out into over a week. We wanted to stop and visit a friend and help out with a few chores and we did do that. The maintenance work on the boat mostly got done and the weather was lousy. A low pressure system sat over us for days and the front that seems to have been draped over the middle of the state for a month or more gave us daily rain and pretty much gloomy conditions. They should really rename this the “Sometimes Sunshine State”. Of course that would not look good on the tourist posters. It seems that once we tie to a dock it is very difficult to untie and get moving again. We even gave the low an extra day to move a bit further north and give us a little more space. And of course every low pressure system that develops, no matter where it is, will be forecast by the local weather folks as a potential killer hurricane. It is really hard to sort out the facts from the hype. But also, the longer we stay the more we know we need to get moving again. Realistically we are about 3 to 4 days from Beaufort, which is our destination but we also know that it will take us a bit longer than that. After cruising for so many years we have friends strung out everywhere we go, especially the east coast. Once we reach Fernandina, we again will stop and visit. We like to spend a little time in Fernandina Beach, St. Mary’s Georgia and the Cumberland Island area. It is just a great place and when last there we wrote the piece on the Triangle which is on this site. But rest assured we will update the information on this visit.

It is always good to get under way again after a brief rest stop. Well they are seldom rest stops but this time we did get a chance to relax a bit. At 7 AM we shoved off the dock and motored out of the marina. It was dreary and cloudy all day with light rain off and on until afternoon. Most of the 54 miles to Daytona went smoothly and again the boat traffic was light. But we did have some anxious moments crossing through the Ponce De Leon Inlet. The area shoals frequently and there is dredging going on in several areas. But near the northern extremes as you round red marker 4 the depths drop off to 7 feet at low tide and of course we came through at low tide. The guide books always recommend that you transit some of these places only at high tide but that is really not practical if the high tides are during periods that make it difficult to attain. For instance, if high tide is at 3 AM in the morning you would NOT want to run this area or most of the ICW at night. But we made it through without touching bottom and as we approached Daytona the small boat traffic increased. A small skiff was out towing daysailors around and insisted on towing them down the middle of the channel and weaving back and forth. But usually when one of these small boats sees our bowsprit heading for them they quickly change course and get out of the way. We keep a signal horn at the ready in case they aren’t paying attention. There are 4 bridges in Daytona on the waterway, 2 fixed at 65 feet and 2 that have to open for you. Our anchorage was just past the northernmost bridge and right next to it. We have anchored here several times in the past and know the water to be 7 to 8 feet outside of the channel. Several of the permanent fleet here anchors just south of the same bridge and cruisers going north and south during the season will also anchor in both places. There is a fairly good current that runs through here making the choice for two anchors necessary when things get crowded.

The next day went fine until about 12 noon when during one of my regular inspections of the engine compartment and bilge, I noticed the overflow tank for the fresh water on the engine was not only full but overflowing. This could only mean the engine was running hotter than it should. We were only a mile or so past Palm Coast Marina where we had previously planned to stop and visit friends but later decided to head straight to St. Augustine. With 23 miles still to go we decided to head back to Palm Coast and try to sort out the problem. Once again these periodic checks may have prevented a more serious problem at a very inopportune time. We called the marina and they said, “sure come on in”, and in fact had someone on the dock when we arrived. We must highly recommend this stop for anyone coming this way and needing dockage. These are some of the most friendly, helpful folks we have encountered at any marina so far. And the cost was very inexpensive by east Florida standards.

Once settled in and giving the engine time to cool down the troubleshooting process began. In the meantime we had called our friend to say we were stopping by after all and he showed up on the dock. The first steps were to pull and check the thermostat and look for any blockage in the fresh water supply lines. Unfortunately nothing obvious was found but the lines were cleaned and the coolant replaced as needed. I removed the thermostat completely since there could be something wrong that was not showing up testing it out of the engine. These types of problems can be troublesome since they have no apparent cause and only show up under way. So we will see if the run to St. Augustine, only another 24 miles, will make a difference without the thermostat. There is really no place locally to get parts for the engine, but we can get them in St. Augustine. If the problem goes away we will replace it there.

We would have left the next morning but after breakfast we wondered what the rush was all about and decided to visit our friend and spend another day. It turned out to be a good day, sitting at his pool and having lunch, then some shopping. Every once in a while we have to stop and remind ourselves that we don’t have to be any place special at a given time. So another day in a nice, friendly marina is not such a bad thing. We can get under way tomorrow.

We did not leave too early the next morning since we had to transit the Bridge of Lions at St. Augustine at 1 PM due to construction. We ran from Palm Coast to St. Augustine and the overflow tank did fill as it should have but we have been at anchor off Castillo San Marcos, for about 2 hours and the tank has not pulled the water back into the FW tank. We have talked to a Yanmar mechanic and we discussed a few possibilities but his thinking is that the flange and radiator cap on the FW cap may be the culprit. The thinking is that if the cap leaks air, and it can leak air and not fluid, then it will not draw the coolant back into the tank. There seems to have been an issue with the flange and we have had 3 new caps leak and the only thing that stayed the same was the flange. Tomorrow we head up to Fernandina Beach. We have called the Yanmar dealer there and ordered the parts. They will arrive Wednesday and we will put them on and try to run enough to put it to the test. Our next run is offshore from Fernandina to Port Royal Sound so we want to resolve this.

Cruising Equipment Report

We thought that since we are over 1700 miles along on our most recent cruise, more like dash, from Houston to South Carolina, currently in Titusville, Florida, we might give a report on our on board equipment and how it is performing. While some of it is new, some has been on board for years. So lets start with one of the new units and most used. Our addition of a chart plotter at the helm, after using a computer at the nav station, is one of our favorites at this point. Our Standard Horizon CP300i has performed above our expectations and since we did not have to refinance the boat to purchase it, we consider this to be our best purchase and most helpful instrument. Besides displaying charts, it gives us tide and sunrise/sunset info as well as info on facilities in our area. We also purchased a Milltech AIS receiver, which is connected to the chartplotter. This device allows us to see the name, location, speed and course of a ship or tug within the area we are traveling via a little triangle on the chartplotter. The AIS was invaluable while traveling through Texas and Louisiana with the endless parade of tugs and barges. Now we can call a specific vessel by name to inquire as to their intentions. One should note that this only works if the other vessel has their receiver turned on. We’ve had a few sneak up on us around a corner. It sure is nice to know they are coming well in advance before entering a narrow channel.

Next would be our autopilot by WH Autopilots, which has been on board for several years and continues to perform admirably with no complaints, never rests and asks for no food other than a few amps. We have recommended this autopilot to anyone considering offshore or near shore cruising under serious conditions. Other than a wire which we broke on a connector, this unit has never failed or faltered. It is plumbed directly to our hydraulic steering system and is mounted below decks and out of the way except for the control head at the helm. The pilot has steered us through calm and near gale force conditions, both encountered more than once on this trip. Our Simrad wind, depth, and speed instruments have worked without issue since we installed them a few years back, with one minor exception. The knot meter has been temperamental the last few weeks and is about to get a diagnostic run. Most issues with it have been corrected by removing the impellor, replacing the attached plug, cleaning the impellor, and re-installing it. All can be done with the boat in the water. As a certified technician for a few well known manufacturers, I am very impressed with these instruments compared to others that cost much, much more.

One concern in traveling the Intracoastal Waterways, especially along the Gulf Coast, was being seen at night while anchored, especially by commercial traffic. Being run down by one of these guys would be the ultimate disaster, so we needed lights to make us the most visible. One thing we did was make an anchor light out of a kerosene lantern that we never used. By adding a socket and a 12 volt power cord, we could hang it lower than our masthead light and wherever we wanted on the boat. We also put in a LED bulb that uses a fraction of the power of our masthead light. Additionally, just before we left Houston, we went to the local hardware store and purchased 4 solar lights that are used to light your walkway at home. These we mounted on 4 of the stanchions. They light themselves at dark, stay on all night and turn off at sunrise. Most importantly, they use no power from the boat and they put light down near the water and with the anchor light, making us visible to any vessel that approaches us in the dark. When we are sailing, whenever that is, we can easily remove them and stow them until we anchor again. The solar cells recharge the internal batteries making them perfect for their purpose. We have lately seen folks using them for dinghy lights at night. They also come in handy when we forget to turn on the anchor light until well after dark!

Besides the chartplotter, we have a Garmin GPS at the nav station that can be connected to the computer and this unit has been on the boat for over 10 years. It just won’t quit. Although it is just a basic unit, it serves as a back up. At the nav station is also the Icom VHF connected to a remote mike in the cockpit. Other than coax cable problems, the radio and remote have worked well except for the outer cover on the remote mike cord, which has deteriorated and is showing signs of dry rot. We are trying to extend its life by coating it with liquid tape, a rubber coating used for electrical connections. This seems to be working so far. The problem will be once the wire goes, we can not get a replacement that will be compatible with the current radio so both will have to be replaced even if the radio is fine. Can you say planned obsolescent? Our Icom M710 HF radio has been invaluable over the years and keeps us in touch with friends, allows us to do email and download weather fax through the Pactor modem and our laptop. It has operated flawlessly.

We installed a new Clarion stereo system for entertainment and it is also connected to the new LCD HDTV so we have the equivalent of surround sound. One big disappointment with the Clarion is that the CD player portion of it will no longer eject the CDs even though they will play. We have too many entertainment toys on board but, to each their own. The new Toshiba flat screen is great and gives us a 23” screen that takes up little more room than the 13” standard TV we had for many years. We also now have one more galley cabinet as the screen is mounted on what used to be the front of the old TV cabinet. Simply installing a door where the TV used to set was all it took to add some additional storage. We also have a Samsung DVD player/recorder and a satellite TV receiver. Our tracking unit is made by Track-It TV and works just fine at anchor even though it only tracks in 1 dimension so will not work under way or if the boat is rolling. But at a fraction of the coast of more sophisticated units, we are pleased with it. It maintains the direction the dish needs to point as the boat swings at anchor. We have the TV, DVD unit and the satellite receiver connected to their own 350 watt inverter that only drives the entertainment center. They were previously plugged into the outlets on the boat and if we wanted to use them at anchor, we would have to turn on our 1850 watt inverter, which can power all of the outlets on the boat and is not as efficient when running small loads.

We have used the larger Xantrex inverter for years to run the 110 volt appliances and tools when away from shore power. It has done just fine to run power tools, the vacuum, microwave and other small appliances and we prefer it to running a generator for the short period of time we use those appliances. It will not run our air conditioner or hot water heater but the heater is plumbed into the engine and makes hot water when the engine is running. Our Raytheon RL70 radar unit has been onboard since it was new and only a nearby lightening strike has caused any issues. I do want to emphasize that this is a Raytheon and was NOT built by Raymarine. We use this extensively at night offshore and even more often to track approaching weather systems and storms, making it an invaluable piece of safety equipment.

We installed the MarineAire air conditioner with reverse cycle heat a year ago and like it a lot when we are plugged into shore power. Previously, for many years, we used a window unit sitting in the companionway hatch and had to climb over it to get in and out of the cabin. This has been a big improvement and does a much better job of cooling or heating the entire cabin. We have found that keeping a sun awning up in hotter weather helps the AC to not run as much. The sun awning also keeps the boat about 5 to 10 degrees cooler when at anchor with no AC. We have 5 of the 12 volt Caframo open fans around the cabin to help at anchor. Over the years we have found these fans to put out the most air, have 2 speeds, are much quieter than way more expensive fans and last a whole lot longer. You can also find them in local hardware stores and pay less for them than at the marine supply stores. Our solar powered vents in the cabin top have been working for several years now without any maintenance other than polishing the stainless on the covers. All of this contributes to keeping the interior cooler and dryer wherever we are.

For safety we carry a Switlik life raft permanently mounted on a cradle on deck. Switlik has just announced a recall on all of their rafts due to possible valve problems, so we will need to get it back for repairs as soon as we can. The raft does need to be inspected and recertified on a regular basis. We usually have it done just prior to a cruise. Other safety equipment we carry and hope we never need to use are, man overboard pole with horseshoe buoy, Lifesling MOB mounted on the stern, an updated EPIRB and the required flares, etc. We also use inflatable life vests that are always worn offshore, especially at night and anytime only one of us is on watch. All have stood up well to the exposures of constant cruising. We have 2 electric bilge pumps installed with a high water alarm to let us know if either fails or if we get serious water intrusion. In addition we have a large capacity manual diaphragm pump.

Another big upgrade before we set off this last time was to replace our original manual windlass with a brand new Lofrans Tigress 12 volt windlass. Our anchoring is so much easier and we find we are more apt to move or re-anchor as needed than we were in the past. We will also be quicker to set a second anchor if needed than we might have before. We have often envied those we saw come in and leave anchorages with an electric windlass. This, in addition to our anchor wash down system, makes the entire process easier and cleaner than it might have otherwise been. The wash down system was one of our first additions when we bought the boat. Too often we have seen folks with their bucket trying to clean the deck after hauling up a muddy rode and anchor. After our fist experience with that on this boat the wash down was installed.

After our first cruise to the Bahamas, we knew we would want to install a Watermaker for those times when water was not available or potable. Different boats with different usages and numbers of crew will require something with more output perhaps. After a lot of research, we decided on the Village Marine Little Wonder. After 10 years the unit is still going strong and we have experienced no service problems to date. The original output figure estimates are not what we have found, and many factory estimate on output are overly optimistic, but at about 4 to 5 gallons per hour it is sufficient for our needs. We average about 7 to 10 gallons per day for our water usage and don’t especially conserve, we have to admit. The unit runs off 12 volts and does draw around 20 to 25 amps per hour so a good set of batteries are needed. We do maintain the unit by doing a regular cleaning and pickling it when not in use long term. But when we do fire it up after a long down time, it springs right into action and the water quality is great.

Monitoring batteries and power usage is important to us but we have tried not to overly complicate the systems. We use a Link 10 battery monitor wired to monitor both battery banks even though the Link 10 was designed for 1 bank. It does a perfectly fine job of tracking our amp hour usage and displaying the state of the batteries. We also have a Guest Smart Switch with LEDs to show the battery status. 3 solar panels at 85 watts and our Four Winds wind generator, which has been up and running for about 14 years, keep the battery banks topped off quite well. Several years ago we replaced the original 2 banks of 2 8D batteries with all 6 volt golf cart batteries connected to make 12 volts. We opted for the less expensive Interstate batteries instead of the more expensive ones like Trojan to conserve costs. We do monitor and maintain the water levels religiously (monthly check-ups) and we get about 7 years out of a set. I say set, because we will usually replace both in a pair if one goes bad, although this is not necessary. One set has actually been on board 8 years and continues to function properly. Our alternator is the standard unit for the Yanmar 56HP engine we have and serves us well. We do carry a 100 amp spare alternator but have not found we need to use it at this point. We have added a portable Honda 1000 gas generator to our charging system and have found it a big plus. When needed, we plug the boat into the generator and run our Pro Mariner 40 amp, 4 stage battery charger off the generator. This works great when we don’t want to run the main engine for charging. We can run high loads like the Watermaker, etc. while the generator is running and the battery charger is replacing what is used. This can also be used at night when sailing is preferred but the power from the autopilot, lights and other instruments start to take their toll. It is much quieter and uses much less fuel than the main engine, about ½ gallon or so will run the unit for 6 or more hours. One just needs to be cautious and conscious of the possibility of carbon monoxide from the exhaust with these units.

No equipment report for a cruising boat would be complete without mentioning the dinghy and outboard. This equivalent to the family car is one very important issue that lots of cruisers debate. We have tried both hard and soft dinghies over the years and found the hard dinghy to have too many issues and short comings. We went with the RIB inflatable and never looked back. But all inflatables are not alike and after a few trials and many wet rides crossing harbors, we found that most inflatables from places like West Marine and even names like Avon, which are extremely expensive, will give you a wet and uncomfortable ride. The larger the tubes you can carry and the higher the flare in the bow, the dryer the ride when the chop is up a bit. Our Caribe has a lot of miles under its keel and we certainly have abused it. But it still gets us where we want to go, holds air pressure well after all these years and again, is the driest ride we have experienced. We hang it on the davits on the back of the boat and it never spends the night in the water. We have been very pleased with our Nissan 9.8 two stroke outboard, but if we had to do it over again would get a 15HP since the 9.8 will sometimes not get us up on plane with a load in the dinghy and both of us on board.

We use a computer for all types of things aboard from navigation to tidal information to the internet. Much is said about corrosion issues, etc. with computers on board boats. We have not had corrosion issues but generally just wear them out. We usually get 2 to 3 years out of a laptop before it needs replacement. Our most recent is a Toshiba Satellite and it is in the beginning stages of failure. It does not boot up on occasion and the USB ports are starting to fail. But out of other brands we have used we like this one so we have purchased another Toshiba to replace it. We had bought a Gateway but had to return it soon after purchasing it because when it booted up there was nothing but a blank screen. The new Vista operating system has been as bad as everyone has stated but we now have no choice. How all of our software will work is yet to be determined, but with great effort we have been able to get Airmail, our ham email program, and the drivers for our WiFi adapter installed. We are easing into the new one as long as the old one continues to work. We also depend on the computer to make some money while cruising as we occasionally have articles published in several boating magazines. Our Wifi set up is mostly put together from components from Engenius using their EUB362 adapter and omni directional antenna. We can pick up hotspots more than a mile away and have been using it extensively on this trip. A very important component of the computer is keeping our financial information up to date so we know when it’s time to stop and feed the cruising kitty. Hopefully, that won’t be anytime soon. This is only a partial list of the equipment that makes cruising easier for US. Others have, and are very happy with brands and equipment from other manufacturers and we do not want to imply that what we use is the best or worst or anything in between. But it is what is working for us now, and fulfills all of our needs as we travel, be it coastal cruising or traveling to far off and remote destinations. After 16 years we know what WE like and what has been worked for US. All too often we find products for the marine environment that has a very short life span and failure at the wrong time can be more than an inconvenience. All of the equipment on Sea Trek has proven itself over time and after continuous use.