Progress Notes

1. RADAR - Yesterday morning I started the radar and ten minutes into the session it stopped working and I could not get it back up. I called Raymarine technical support here in the U.S. and they suggested that I contact Commercial Marine Electronics here in Honolulu. I had good interaction with Ben the front-office guy and Jerry the technician. Jerry said that the message "no data" usually means an easy fix. After going up the mast twice, once to confirm that there was no manual switch under the radome that may have gotten corroded, and a second time to get the model number of the radar, we arranged for Jerry to visit the boat on Thursday afternoon.

2. WIND VANE - There has been a steady flow of information between myself and Ron at Scanmar regarding measurements, questions, advice, etc. The cross tube of the davits caused some difficulty resulting in three modifications: (1) the length of the safety tube (between the water paddle and the hinge) has been shortened by two inches (2) the top of the water paddle will be at the water line, instead of the normal 3-6 in above the waterline, when the boat is at rest (3) there is not enough clearance to allow the use of the light weather air vane.

I have been assured that the first two modifications while not ideal are acceptable. I had a choice of taking delivery of one light air and one standard air vane, in which case I would have to cut off the top of the light air vane, or two standard vanes. The light air vane is for use in very light apparent winds, about 3 knots. In those light airs I can live with either hand steering or using the autopilot. I have therefore indicated a preference for two standard vanes. It is in heavy air that the wind vane will come into its own, and it is in heavy air when I will want to be safe and snug below while the boat sails itself.

There are two outstanding questions. Based on some more measurements that I sent in today I need confirmation that there is enough width in the transom to accommodate the supports that are 62 cm apart. The other question is the feasibility of installing a "swing gate" mount so that the wind vane can be swung out to the side to allow use of the boarding ladder. (See http://www.selfsteer.com/)

3. LEAKS - I soak tested the starboard stanchions yesterday and had no leaks on that side.

4. WATER TANK - I spent a tedious hour preparing a dip stick with ten liter marks for the starboard water tank. The tank held 140 liters almost exactly.

5. COMMUNICATONS - That was the shock of the week that deserves its own separate blog entry