As I mentioned, I've been in a US Coast Guard Captain's certification class for two months. I've also been working on a major project; completely wiring a commercial crab boat from scratch. It has been an incredibly busy two months. I have had virtually no free time, not even weekends or evenings for two months. So, we haven't been boating at all since our summer trip to Canada. This is perhaps the longest spell we have had in 10+ years without going boating. And it's going to continue.
Next week we haul the boat out of the water so we can do some major upgrades. We are having a new, bigger swim platform (swimstep) built. We are going to have the flybridge repainted and I will move antennas around so we can get the boat name put on the side of the flybridge (US CG requirement for documented vessels). I am taking down the radar mast to fix the broken hinge at the bottom and to add mounts for a second radar, a satellite TV dome, a remote control spotlight, hailer speakers/horns, deck lighting, and a new weather station sensor. I will also install two new LED navigation lights and new LED anchor light.
I will also install a new Depth sounder transducer, and some new through-hull fittings (for another washdown pump, a sea water spigot at the galley sink, and the sea water intake for our watermaker).
But the big project is the installation of Naiad stabilization fins. These are computer controlled underwater wings that virtually eliminate the side to side motion (roll) of a boat while underway. They are simply amazing. It will totally transform our boat when we get into heavy seas. Most long range power cruisers that venture offshore have stabilizers these days; the difference in comfort level is almost beyond description.
I will be posting pictures as the projects get underway.....
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