This is our third work season on our boat. The first one was when we bought it and accomplished outfitting it for cruising. The second was last summer when we fixed things that didn't work or added new things and now we are at the point of final additions and maintaining what we have already done.
Here is our workplan for this summer.
1. Solar upgrades. When we bought our boat it had 1-130w solar panel. We added the arch with 4-85w solar panels for 340 watts. Last winter we had to replace 2 with 90w panels bringing our total wattage to 480 w which is not enough. We have found that at best we may get 3-4 hours of max output a day which is not enough and rarely do we achieve max output at anchor or in a marina. The wind generator only benefits us on windy days. Our power consumption is <200A per day and our present energy generation without mechanical power is not sufficient to meet that demand. So we plan to replace the 130w panel with 2-160w panels that will hopefully get us to be reasonably close to sustainability. Solar output is effected by distance from the equator, cloud cover and angle toward the sun. To add the solar panels we will need to engineer a support structure and reengineer our present hard dodger to support the additional weight which shouldn't be a problem and hopefully we can eliminate some of the sources of water leaks that have occurred through the present support structure.
2. Mechanical improvements. These are not so much improvements as they are maintenance. On the trip north we found our starting battery was fully discharged because a charging wire broke off the alternator. As a result all electrical equipment aligned to the engine control panel was malfunctioning. So we are now remedying all that by charging the battery, replacing the wire and testing the system. We had requested that the AC charging system also charge the starter battery but that was not completed last year. We need to have that completed this year to preclude a similar failure. Build in redundancy. We also need another 1000 hour service on the engine which will include replacing the alternator belt.
3, Security improvements. In the coming years we plan on traveling into some areas where personal security may be limited we plan to bolster our defenses. Since prevention is the best policy we are going to reinforce our hatches and companionway with solid metal barriers to entry. So over this summer we plan to install metal bars of some sort over our passable hatches to prevent intrusion and develop a metal barrier for our companionway to allow airflow but prevent unwanted intruders. We do have weapons on board for self-defense but would prefer that they will never be needed.
4. Additional upgrades. When we bought our boat it had a sonar system. Somewhere in our previous upgrades or in the initial installation the system failed to provide meaningful information. We're considering replacing it but having a meaningful sonar system to provide underwater information which would be valuable when passing through reefs and other narrow shallow areas. Offshore in deep water it's of little value but inshore or going into shore in poorly charted areas it could be of extreme value. I'm also considering some other upgrades and improvements around the boat to enhance overall seaworthiness and safety.
These are the key areas of upgrades to finish our outfitting but we will do additional maintenance and I want to become intimately familiar with each area of the boat I have yet to discover. Several months ago an esteemed authority, Norm Pierce of Pierce Yachts, complemented me on how I have bonded with our boat. I replied that it comes from my military training in learning how to maintain and respect m equipment. In battle, your equipment is what will sustain you and so it is offshore. Equipment that has been poorly maintained will fail and put our life at risk. Take care of your equipment and it will take care of you.
Our Island Packets have been designed to withstand far more extreme conditions than we will probably ever see. If it is maintained properly and we get in conditions beyond which I can handle we will trust in our equipment to get us through. Some cruisers try to make their boat comfortable and conducive to "living." I want to do that but in the end function over form. I want our boat to sail well and true to make it through every day.
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