Ever have one of those weekends where you can't wait to get back to work? 
Just kidding, but I seem to be in a semi-permanent state of soreness lately from crawling into small little holes.
Made lots of progress this weekend. I tore into the electronics. Trying to understand some, fix others. I might have some questions for the group pertaining to the most ideal way to handle two shore power connections (2*30) plus the inverter output. I think I understand what I have now, but not sure I like it. But not yet...
I got to the Single Sideband. Seems its problem was that it was not plugged in? Fuses were pulled out too. Don't ask how I even manged to find the fuses, since they were down in the engine bay, somewhere adjacent to the main terminal block. Plus, the wire routing to the salon overhead electronics mounting is up from the engine bay terminal block directly up into the flybrige, then down through the ceiling into the salon! What a chore to trace wires, lots of climbing stairs and poking your head into small holes. In any case, I got the SSB working, then later took the boat out of its slip, put the antenna up and actually got to listen in on a coversation with somebody in PA who was about to watch the Seahawks game! Too cool, all the way across the continental US! Now I just have to figure out how to get licensed so I can partake as more than just a listener.
Next up was the stereo. Not so easy either. There are lots of speakers in the salon, a few 8" subwoofers and way down forward of the engine bay, there is an electronic crossover and 5 separate amplifiers. Ultimately, again the problem was that it was unplugged. I have no idea why. I will need to change the head unit out as it is a casette. It would be cool to also hook into it an input from the TV or something. Could make for some great movie sound with those subwoofers. I know you want to know how it sounded, but the radio reception was just okay. There was only one tape on the entire boat. The former owners were in their 80's. Suffice to say that "Tie a yellow ribbon" on a very old casette was not a great test of the system. I "think" it will sound great. How loud? Not really my thing anymore, I'm more into the quality experience. Plus, I did not have the guts to crank up "Tie a yellow ribbon" at the dock. I'm new to I float and did not want my neighbors to be looking at me that way just yet.
So, with two major electrical gremlin victories I went for a victory lap around the marina. I wanted to practice a bit with an extra 20 feet of boat than I'm used swinging around recently. She actually maneuvers really nicely. There is little to no sideslip, which on the 28 I really got used to, even using to my advantage. She has a real nice pivot point too, just about even with the flybridge controls, which is a big help in being intuative for pivoting. I practiced on the corner of a guest dock and could pivot from one side to the other with the boat staying within two feet of the dock. Very cool. Then I got gutsy and pulled into the area where they do haulouts. Think a narrow entrance, then opens up to the rear corner of the marina, probably 100 foot or so, but a little tighter because there is a dock sticking out in the middle. There was just a tad bit of wind too. I didn't have any trouble getting through the restriction, but it was quite interesting making the turnaround. Coming in, I am within 15 feet of another boat on my starboard side, the area opens up to port. So I have to turn quickly to port, without swinging the stern so much that I run into the boat to starboard making the turn. You have to turn pretty quickly as you have a tailwind. If you go too far, the haulout dock gets in the way and limits your maneuver room. So...great practice area. Turned it around fine. I had 3 feet to spare on my stern before smacking the haulout dock and about 10 feet in front of me. It was actually a really good turnaround, but had my heart pounding a little. I decided not to try again, didn't want to temp fate so headed back out. She has great rudder control. I could actually run her on one engine. If I had the port engine in gear only I still had enough rudder to turn her to port. Single engine maneuvering will be a joy for slower close quarter maneuvering.
So after playing in the marina I headed back to my new slip. Pulling into the slip was much easier after practicing around the marina. I realized that since I always back my 28 into its slip, my bow in manevering was actually not that well developed. I'm a cowboy when backing but a sheep in forward gear! Anyhow, pulling into the slip was my best yet. I was singlehanding and did not touch the slip sides port or starboard and get it on the first try. There was a guy watching from the dock behind me and took the time to tell me how impressive it was pulling it in. I thanked him but of course said nothing of my last time into the slip and having to take a few trys to get it. Nor did I tell him of my heart pounding practice by the haulout. He could not see me over there so no reason to let on! You take what you can get when someone wants to compliment you!
50 feet overall is a lot more boat, but loving it so far.
bp
Just kidding, but I seem to be in a semi-permanent state of soreness lately from crawling into small little holes.
Made lots of progress this weekend. I tore into the electronics. Trying to understand some, fix others. I might have some questions for the group pertaining to the most ideal way to handle two shore power connections (2*30) plus the inverter output. I think I understand what I have now, but not sure I like it. But not yet...
I got to the Single Sideband. Seems its problem was that it was not plugged in? Fuses were pulled out too. Don't ask how I even manged to find the fuses, since they were down in the engine bay, somewhere adjacent to the main terminal block. Plus, the wire routing to the salon overhead electronics mounting is up from the engine bay terminal block directly up into the flybrige, then down through the ceiling into the salon! What a chore to trace wires, lots of climbing stairs and poking your head into small holes. In any case, I got the SSB working, then later took the boat out of its slip, put the antenna up and actually got to listen in on a coversation with somebody in PA who was about to watch the Seahawks game! Too cool, all the way across the continental US! Now I just have to figure out how to get licensed so I can partake as more than just a listener.
Next up was the stereo. Not so easy either. There are lots of speakers in the salon, a few 8" subwoofers and way down forward of the engine bay, there is an electronic crossover and 5 separate amplifiers. Ultimately, again the problem was that it was unplugged. I have no idea why. I will need to change the head unit out as it is a casette. It would be cool to also hook into it an input from the TV or something. Could make for some great movie sound with those subwoofers. I know you want to know how it sounded, but the radio reception was just okay. There was only one tape on the entire boat. The former owners were in their 80's. Suffice to say that "Tie a yellow ribbon" on a very old casette was not a great test of the system. I "think" it will sound great. How loud? Not really my thing anymore, I'm more into the quality experience. Plus, I did not have the guts to crank up "Tie a yellow ribbon" at the dock. I'm new to I float and did not want my neighbors to be looking at me that way just yet.
So, with two major electrical gremlin victories I went for a victory lap around the marina. I wanted to practice a bit with an extra 20 feet of boat than I'm used swinging around recently. She actually maneuvers really nicely. There is little to no sideslip, which on the 28 I really got used to, even using to my advantage. She has a real nice pivot point too, just about even with the flybridge controls, which is a big help in being intuative for pivoting. I practiced on the corner of a guest dock and could pivot from one side to the other with the boat staying within two feet of the dock. Very cool. Then I got gutsy and pulled into the area where they do haulouts. Think a narrow entrance, then opens up to the rear corner of the marina, probably 100 foot or so, but a little tighter because there is a dock sticking out in the middle. There was just a tad bit of wind too. I didn't have any trouble getting through the restriction, but it was quite interesting making the turnaround. Coming in, I am within 15 feet of another boat on my starboard side, the area opens up to port. So I have to turn quickly to port, without swinging the stern so much that I run into the boat to starboard making the turn. You have to turn pretty quickly as you have a tailwind. If you go too far, the haulout dock gets in the way and limits your maneuver room. So...great practice area. Turned it around fine. I had 3 feet to spare on my stern before smacking the haulout dock and about 10 feet in front of me. It was actually a really good turnaround, but had my heart pounding a little. I decided not to try again, didn't want to temp fate so headed back out. She has great rudder control. I could actually run her on one engine. If I had the port engine in gear only I still had enough rudder to turn her to port. Single engine maneuvering will be a joy for slower close quarter maneuvering.
So after playing in the marina I headed back to my new slip. Pulling into the slip was much easier after practicing around the marina. I realized that since I always back my 28 into its slip, my bow in manevering was actually not that well developed. I'm a cowboy when backing but a sheep in forward gear! Anyhow, pulling into the slip was my best yet. I was singlehanding and did not touch the slip sides port or starboard and get it on the first try. There was a guy watching from the dock behind me and took the time to tell me how impressive it was pulling it in. I thanked him but of course said nothing of my last time into the slip and having to take a few trys to get it. Nor did I tell him of my heart pounding practice by the haulout. He could not see me over there so no reason to let on! You take what you can get when someone wants to compliment you!
50 feet overall is a lot more boat, but loving it so far.
bp