Too darn hot!!

Like the song from the old movie, "Kiss Me Kate," (now there's a trivia hit), it's way too warm right now to spend much time out in the ranchos on the FLASH... although the temps are only around 100, the "feels like" temp is hovering near 117° at times due to the high humidity.

Weather isn't just idle chat to sailors- many times our lives and homes (if living aboard) depends on good weather data. But enough of that.

We have been discussing the financial side of the FLASH, now that we're facing outlays for the propulsion system and the costly structural foam planned for the boat. My feeling is that we should go ahead and move on the generator (since it's a one-of-a-kind deal and open to someone else buying it from under us) and postpone the foam until later... they'll still be making it years from now, and there's still much we can do without it... like what, you say?

Well, there's the planning of space for tanks (drinking water, diesel, waste); for equipment (generator, watermaker, propulsion motor, pumps, electrical controllers, etc.); galley, berths, heads, etc. The tanks need to be researched for the best possible (and affordable) materials in addition to placement and construction (also depending on material) so you can see there's a lot of decisions to be made.

The generator is going to be the single heaviest piece of gear going into the boat (at 875 lbs) so the placement of that is crucial to the balance (the trim) of the vessel. I would prefer it to be forward, but it will probably be right where the diesel engine was located... the center of the boat. I plan to soundproof the genset to the point where it's virtually silent. It is watercooled, but I would also like to add central air conditioning nearby (also watercooled, if possible) to maintain reasonable temperatures in the sound enclosure and for the propulsion motor and cabin as well.

Looks like I'm going to earn my keep on this one.

What a difference a Blade makes...

I've been using fiberglass reinforced composite blades on my grinder for what? To cut fibreglass composites! Trouble is, the blades wear down and you have to stop and put another one on. So, while waiting for my haircut at Maru's Estética, I drove over to the ferreteria (hardware, not ferrets) to buy more blades. They cost about $2.50 each, but I found a metal and diamond blade for $8 and thought I'd give it a go... and go it does. Cuts mild steel, too, without diminishing in size. So I went through the starboard side of the boat cutting out all the tabs still on the hull, then I cut out the bathtub and I cut out the double berth in the stern, too. Then I cut out a part of the deck for the last upright beam and installed it.

Then I set up part of my alternative electrical system... the photo shows from left to right: my thumb, a portable guitar amp I use to run my iPod through, two deep cycle 6 volt batteries, a marine battery charger and my 2000 watt inverter (converts 12 volts dc to 120 volt ac). Next week, after I get back from Errorzona, I'll install the wind generator. It generates almost half a kilowatt per hour and feeds it directly into the batteries. And I'll start on the port side of the boat, getting stuff cut out. I hope to be starting construction this month, and I'll bring in some help.

Now that the temps are getting higher, I added another shade cloth to the existing setup to knock down more of the heat. You can see it in the above photo. I also sprinkle water inside the boat periodically. It cuts down dust and cools the air. Oh, and the haircut? Show you next time.

Nothing like a little fiberglass dust.

Spent the late afternoon cutting out bulkheads and tabs (fiberglass attachments to the hull) with my trusty Makita grinder. I use a metal cutting disc on the thing and it slices through the glass and resin pretty fast and clean. If there's wood underneath the glass, I use a regular electric saw to cut the wood.

In order to cut down the amount of dust blowing around inside the hull, I use a water hose set to a fine spray to knock the dust down and flush it into the bilge. The problem isn't just the dust that the grinder kicks up, it's also the piles of dust that accumulate in corners, etc. A breeze will lift that stuff up, swirl it around the hull and then it lands on me, finding it's way into my armor and makes my life miserable for a couple of days (and nights). I also use the hose to wash down my body after the work is done- strip to just my shorts and hose off the glass dust before it gets imbedded in my skin. The photo shows that there's only two bulkheads remaining on the starboard side, and those are holding up my shade and crane attachments. The bathtub with come out this week, but right now it's holding a battery bank. Hmmm, this boat is starting to look bigger.

Diesel Electric system for the FLASH

How this photo is not related to the title of this blog: I spent all of yesterday cleaning up the workyard, hauling boat parts off to the dump, and whacking down weeds (some small trees!). Didn't see a single rattlesnake or scorpion, by the way...


Now about the title of this installment: I think I may have found the major component for the FLASH's new propulsion system. I located a 15 kw Westerbeke marine diesel generator in Michigan for $1800 plus shipping. Here's the description: "Westerbeke 15 kw running take out. Removed from yacht. Generator runs excellent, needs nothing. Has gauges, filters, manuals and stainless steel exhaust, Fresh water unit approx. 3000 hours. $1800." I sent the guy an email and he replied that he still had the unit and left me a phone number to call, so this morning I called him to discuss the generator. He told me the unit was part of a package deal- when he bought the engines from a repowering of the Lake Michigan yacht "Pilgrim" the generator was included. Turns out that the yacht had belonged to none other than John Wayne.
Synchronicity: Two days ago, I was talking with my landlord, Daniel, who owns and is president of one of the largest import/export/NAFTA companies in Mexico. He asked me if I could pick up a new guitar amp for him if it was sent to one of his warehouses on the border (he really likes the one I just bought). I told him I would be bringing some stuff into Mexico for the new boat, too, so he gave me the address of the warehouse. It turns out that I drive right past it on my way to and from the US. So, it looks like things are coming together.

Except...

I have to go out to the anchorage and move the BLISS boat to another mooring( again) this morning. I'm told the one I'm on isn't ready for hurricane season (which started in June).

Building a carpentry shop, one workbench at a time

I know that as I get further into the project, I'm going to need some sizable workspace as the pieces go on and off this boat. Hence the 6 ft wide, 14 ft long workbench. It has a steel frame and I'll box the whole thing in with hinged doors to store tools and material. Right now I'm using the trailers for that, but I'll need them for bringing in resin, glass, rigid foam sheets (a product called PrecisionBoard(PB)... it's strong and light and you can glue it together and sculpt it into the shape you want easily [I hope] and then cover it with fiberglass and resin or epoxy). It's also expensive (4x8 ft sheet one inch thick is about $180 plus shipping). Then there's paint, adhesives, plexiglass, and more plywood.

I did all of this today... but after getting up at 5, going out to the anchorage and moving the BLISS boat to another mooring, taking the First Mate shopping and to pay the electric bill in Guaymas.

I had some catching up to do because Saturday I bought the plywood and took it to the yard, Sunday we rehearsed all day in preparation for a performance at the Captain's Club from 4pm 'til 9 or so, and Monday was spent working on the business website. Add in some time eating, sleeping and throwing the ball for Chica, writing to my sister in New York, and minor house repairs, getting drinking water, etc. and I've been pretty busy.

I believe I promised the First Mate we would hit the tiangus in Guaymas tomorrow morning. I want to look for attachments for my nifty new bench grinder.

The Monsoons are here

Over the past week it has rained three days... for the desert, that's a lot... and the road crew has been laying in a new road for us out in front of the house. Now I can walk outside in my bare feet (I hate shoes) to fetch the dogs. The heavy equipment used to level and fill the low spots is long gone. The road is interlocking concrete brick, and instead of a muddy lake for a front yard, we have this. There's now a gentle slope running to the adjoining street to carry away the monsoon. Hurricane Dolly just came ashore near Brownsville and is pushing a lot of clouds our way. That's all we'll get from it. It's too far away.
In other news, I have a dinghy tied up to the dock
that is slowly (sometimes quickly) filling with rainwater and I need to go bail out that thing every couple of days even though it won't sink, but the stuff in it will float away.
I want to buzz out to the Flash today and start clearing the work yard of boat bits, get some plywood hauled up and get a workbench set up in the boat. I won't get all that done, but it will be cooler today with the overcast and light rain we have now. Humidity? 100% (It's always 100% when it rains, I'm told.)

The crane and pulley doing the job.

It takes longer than you think

You see this little pulley? I spent the entire day putting this up. Of course I had to install the steel crossmenber for the pulley too... but all day?
It's through-bolted on the steel beam, and I wanted it to swivel so I had to design and make that part, too. It's designed to handle steel cable going through it, so I can start using the electric winches to bring stuff to the work area inside the boat... and it's also designed to handle fairly heavy loads- up to about 500 pounds. So I guess I didn't do too bad today. Also it rained twice and that felt great...

I noticed a gold car cruising past the Flash a couple of times and it was sitting at the intersection as I was leaving for the day. I thought it was suspicious... so I caught up with him and started taking his picture. There's a few things I wouldn't want to have to replace
out there... here he is.
If you see this car cruising your neighborhood, you must be in Mexico too! Carumba!