How to anchor for a week?

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There are many benefits of studying fields of thought you’ve have no prior exposure to. I’ve been on a boat more than off for nearly twenty years now. I’ve read about physics, philosophy, history, and non as well as biological sciences. I’ve read innumerable historical novels. I’ve learned new stuff every day. I have little interest in bubblegum for your mind so watch nearly no TV or movies but follow the news. The only expense is internet access and a few subscription services if necessary. Children are borne inquisitive. Some of us retain that but some lose it. However we can regain it at any age or financial situation.
 
An alternative to reading books is listening to audiobooks. I spend an hour or two a day doing it, usually while walking the dog. I don’t know if that might work for you.

I have been a subscriber to audible.com, now owned by Amazon, for many years. They have huge catalogue and is very easy to use. If you want to return a book for any reason, you can, even if you already listened to it.

Regarding dealing with the heat, I agree that evaporative cooling doesn’t work well in humid climates, but fans do. We have small, efficient Caframo fans in each bunk and these make a huge difference.

Before the Caframos, I rigged a computer “pancake” fan in a porthole opening by my bunk pointing the flowing air straight at my face. That also worked very well and had minimal power consumption.
 
Xlantic said:
An alternative to reading books is listening to audiobooks. I spend an hour or two a day doing it, usually while walking the dog. I don’t know if that might work for you.

I have been a subscriber to audible.com, now owned by Amazon, for many years. They have huge catalogue and is very easy to use. If you want to return a book for any reason, you can, even if you already listened to it.

Regarding dealing with the heat, I agree that evaporative cooling doesn’t work well in humid climates, but fans do. We have small, efficient Caframo fans in each bunk and these make a huge difference.

Before the Caframos, I rigged a computer “pancake” fan in a porthole opening by my bunk pointing the flowing air straight at my face. That also worked very well and had minimal power consumption.
Click to expand...

Ty, i qm able to run fridge, freezer, cpap, oxy. Tv, internet and lights all nite of my solar. Just not ac.
 
Vandeusen said:
Ty, i qm able to run fridge, freezer, cpap, oxy. Tv, internet and lights all nite of my solar. Just not ac.
Click to expand...

I think you mentioned you use the genny to cook. Switching to propane would reduce that need.

Switching all lights to LED is a must.

The fridge and the freezer, after the range, are the big energy hogs. Are they 12V DC or 110V AC? DC ones are probably more efficient. Are they air cooled or water cooled? If air cooled they need a lot of space for ventilation.

Also, having externally-regulated alternators can greatly increase the charging rate of the house batteries when you run the engines.

I have 2kW of solar and propane cooking and I don't need the generator any more as I only cruise in the summer. I have, in fact, removed it.
 
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Lived in the windwards fo nearly a decade. Rarely ran AC except when in marinas which was rare.
Tricks are:
Shade
Ventilation
Proper clothes
Hydration

Shade can be the interior of the boat Bimini, back deck, sun shade over as much of the boat as possible. Having light cloth sunshade over the boat also protects the boat from UV so is highly recommended. Downside is need to remove it before episodes of high wind. Having shades in the salon and snap on shades for the pilot house is a must.



Sailboats tend to be better ventilated than motorboats with hosts of dorades which can be directed toward the wind and left open in the rain. For our current trawler open both pilot house doors and back door. Close one pilot house door to prevent rain from coming in usually works. Having bug screens on spring loaded rollers is a big plus. Keeps out bugs but also light drizzle. Have multi speed fans everywhere. Use all of them to augment the natural air flow throughout the boat. Also wind scoops over a forward hatch helps a lot.

Contrary to common thinking black is good clothing in the shade. You will radiate more heat. White is best in the sun. Very light colors second best. Full sleeve shirts and long pants work well to protect you from UV. Sunscreen is useless. All clothes should be 50 for UV or better. All clothes should be full synthetic and quick drying. Loose clothes work better. Go a size up especially on shirts. The faster your sweat evaporates the cooler you’ll be. Always wear a hat the ventilates and covers your ears. Skin cancer on the top of ears is very common. Ball caps don’t work neither protecting your ears or back of your neck unless you wear long hair covering those areas.

When motorcycling we came aware of cooling neck wraps. A third of your blood is constantly being pumped through your head and brain. Cooling the major arteries in your neck cools you off fast. Now use them on really hot windless days on the boat if no AC running. They work great. Buy two for each person. One can be chilling as you wear the other one.

Hydrate the crap out of yourself. Insensible water loss is huge. Remember to get enough eletrolytes in your food. Sport drinks are unhealthy. Stay awake from windless, humid places. That generally means marinas unless you have good AC.
 
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Good suggestions.
I changed all my interior lights to LED which draw about 10% of the
older but then standard car bulbs.

The fans I am looking at for this summer, Either the Caframo or the computor type 12V fans which I use already. Just think I will go for a larger set of fans, one to aim at me, one to aim at my wife.

My fridge and freezer are cooled by the Danfoss BD 35 units which operate at about 4 amps, 1/2,the power of my old Norcold.

Pay big attention to the venting of the fridge cavity. I use a computer style 12 V fan to blow out of the fridge cavity at the TOP via a vent in the boat side wall. Can blow into the cabin though. There is easy access for air entry at the bottom of the fridge cavity.

Lots more detail can be had with some questions but also some searching as this is a common question and discussion.

And yes to books, lots of them when we are cruising. I pick up loads of them at the thrift stores when we are in town. Keep of list of the ones you have read sorted by author. Usually go for between $0.25
and $0.50 each. At those prices when read I redonate them to another thrift store elsewhere. I also reread/study many of my boat books about how to do stuff, electrical, plumbing, repairs, boat handling, navigation and so on. What ever takes my interest at the time.
 
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Laundromats and bathrooms are commonplaces to pick up free books. Always drop off as many or more than you take. It also forces you to read authors you would otherwise not read. Came across Carl Hansaan that way. And found I love his stuff.
Computer fans don’t move much air and are one speed. Get real boat fans.
 
If you have an inverter $10 desk fans are the go
Use bugger all power and cost nothing compared to crapiframo fans
 
Hippocampus said:
Came across Carl Hansaan that way. And found I love his stuff.
Click to expand...

ALERT - Temporary thread diversion....

Guessing spell-correct obliterated Carl Hiassan. John McDonald via his Travis McGee character wrote about South Florida starting in the 1960s. McGee lived aboard a boat he won in a card came in Ft Lauderdale thus the boats name "Busted Flush." Good reading too.

This thread is now returned to its scheduled programming.

Peter
 
How to Anchor for a Week

I don't think anyone can tell you what you may or may not enjoy, and you don't get extra points for staying out longer than someone else!
What if you just anchor out for a night or two, to see how you like it? If it gets boring, come back in, but if you like it stay out another night. You will figure out what you like and don't like.
There are a lot of boaters who spend the who season sitting at the dock, and others who spend the entire season cruising, but there is no right or wrong.

Do what you enjoy, and don't do what you don't!

You can't really go wrong!

PNK
 
Xlantic said:
The fridge and the freezer, after the range, are the big energy hogs. Are they 12V DC or 110V AC? DC ones are probably more efficient.
Click to expand...

I suspect "efficient" might be in the eyes of the beholder. Reading suggests household "Energy Star" units would probably be best for energy consumption in a normal home environment. AC/DC units may compete in a marine environment but I'd guess that'd take a relatively precise energy consumption comparison... on a specific boat... with specific power systems (generator, inverter, solar, battery banks, etc.)


Hippocampus said:
Hydrate the crap out of yourself.
Click to expand...

A laxative technique?

:)

-Chris
 
Computer fans come in all kinds of sizes, types, air outputs and voltages. I use the term computer fan simply to describe the general sort of fan.
 
I rarely anchor for a week, but could. I split marinas about 50/50 with anchorages. Anchor where there's nice spots and marina for fuel, reprovisioning and meeting other folks.


I use AC when needed.... don't do fans and don't want them blowing over my face.


I don't read books. Did enough of that in college. But finished grad school without reading one stinking book. GF read them for me and briefed me to pass the exams. I read on the internet, I'm a forum junkie. Get ideas and videos online.



Just my style. (GF is totally different)
 
Vandeusen said:
All great responses, thinking of taking a class on how to do canvas work
Click to expand...

My wife is taking an upholstery class at the local community Technical College. I think it's 8-weeks and was $80. One of her classmates is making V-Berth cushions for a 40-foot sailboat. They have a pair of very rugged industrial sewing machines to use and instruction on best-practices. My wife loves the class.

Good luck - Peter
 
Xlantic said:
I think you mentioned you use the genny to cook. Switching to propane would reduce that need.

Switching all lights to LED is a must.

The fridge and the freezer, after the range, are the big energy hogs. Are they 12V DC or 110V AC? DC ones are probably more efficient. Are they air cooled or water cooled? If air cooled they need a lot of space for ventilation.

Also, having externally-regulated alternators can greatly increase the charging rate of the house batteries when you run the engines.

I have 2kW of solar and propane cooking and I don't need the generator any more as I only cruise in the summer. I have, in fact, removed it.
Click to expand...
I am trying to find a propane stove now as I hate cooking with electric my boat air conditioners were removed from the boat prior to me purchasing it so I installed a split heat pump which works good however I just saw on eBay you can buy 12 volt rooftop RV air conditioners and I think I'm going to add one to the trawler and as far as alternators both of my Volvo pentas alternators are charging doing pretty good

I have more panels than I do batteries so my solar system is more than I can use as I said I can maintain the vessel without generator if the Sun is up I can have everything on in my battery still are at 100%. When night time comes I wake up in the morning and I'm about 60% charged but within an hour I'm back to 100%

All lights have been swapped out to LED and even the LED ceiling fan I installed in the galley only runs 40 Watts which is awesome
 
mvweebles said:
My wife is taking an upholstery class at the local community Technical College. I think it's 8-weeks and was $80. One of her classmates is making V-Berth cushions for a 40-foot sailboat. They have a pair of very rugged industrial sewing machines to use and instruction on best-practices. My wife loves the class.

Good luck - Peter
Click to expand...

I see an ad all the time on Facebook advertising a canvas College course so I will be looking into that
 
Vandeusen said:
I am trying to find a propane stove now as I hate cooking with electric my boat air conditioners were removed from the boat prior to me purchasing it so I installed a split heat pump which works good however I just saw on eBay you can buy 12 volt rooftop RV air conditioners and I think I'm going to add one to the trawler and as far as alternators both of my Volvo pentas alternators are charging doing pretty good

I have more panels than I do batteries so my solar system is more than I can use as I said I can maintain the vessel without generator if the Sun is up I can have everything on in my battery still are at 100%. When night time comes I wake up in the morning and I'm about 60% charged but within an hour I'm back to 100%

All lights have been swapped out to LED and even the LED ceiling fan I installed in the galley only runs 40 Watts which is awesome
Click to expand...


If you've got that much extra power, I see no reason to move away from electric cooking. Especially if you'd have to spend money to install a proper propane system.
 
Right now I'm doing the hardest thing I've done yet LOL I have taken the vessel out of the water since the 7th and I've been working on scraping the bottom fixing the blisters and then I will be putting on a cup of coats of barrier along with anti- foul paint and then I will paint the rest of the boat we're looking to Paint The Vessel turquoise and white
 
I like propane because in an emergency at least the stove can act like a temporary heater with my solar system there's two things I can't use and that's the stove and the air conditioner if I wanted to use the stove it would have to be for something simple like cooking some eggs or frying some bacon but if I wanted to cook a meal I'd have to fire up the generator
 
Vandeusen said:
I like propane because in an emergency at least the stove can act like a temporary heater with my solar system there's two things I can't use and that's the stove and the air conditioner if I wanted to use the stove it would have to be for something simple like cooking some eggs or frying some bacon but if I wanted to cook a meal I'd have to fire up the generator
Click to expand...

So outdoor bbq
Bottle stored outside, no gas inside
 
Vandeusen said:
I like propane because in an emergency at least the stove can act like a temporary heater..
Click to expand...
:nonono: Don`t do that,the carbon monoxide produced may make you sleepy, permanently.
 
Buy a sailrite sewing machine (make sure you get one with the large wheel so you can use it without power) and make a load of canvas covers for the boat Gilbert
 
Canvas work world be great especially since I got quoted 7500 to do an enclosure on my Bimini
 
Vandeusen said:
Canvas work world be great especially since I got quoted 7500 to do an enclosure on my Bimini
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that the material is surprisingly expensive and it is time consuming to get it right but there is plenty of demand and you can start off with simple projects of your own. If you have an existing piece to use for a pattern, you have a huge head start. Building from scratch is the tough part, especially for a novice.

My father bought a couple machines and has been tinkering with it for a few years now. The projects come out great but it probably takes him 4 to 5 times as long as a pro would take but he has the time and energy and taking on new challenges is great for the brain.
 
Gdavid said:
Keep in mind that the material is surprisingly expensive and it is time consuming to get it right but there is plenty of demand and you can start off with simple projects of your own. If you have an existing piece to use for a pattern, you have a huge head start. Building from scratch is the tough part, especially for a novice.

My father bought a couple machines and has been tinkering with it for a few years now. The projects come out great but it probably takes him 4 to 5 times as long as a pro would take but he has the time and energy and taking on new challenges is great for the brain.
Click to expand...

My Daughter is excellent at sewing and she is on the trawler so I'm gonna have her take the class and then i will work with her to learn. I told her I'd she gets good at it that can be her extra spending money for excursions. Might work or good...
 
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