Scarlet's Annapolis Review

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by scarlet

What 'cha eatin? Bangers and Mash?

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!

[2Hulls]

Originally Posted by cwjohm

In the tropics you have two choices at night - to sweat or to air con.

Maybe the tropics are different in OZ. The only time we've ever sweated at night trying to sleep has been on the Chesapeake Bay. Way worse than the tropics where we cruise (E Carib).

Hot showers can be nice once in a while - especially when NOT in the tropics - but this just needs to be coordinated with an engine run. All personal preference, of course, but for my over 60 body the best showers in the tropics are on the transom with "cold" water, which ends up being whatever the sea water temp is if the water tanks are against the hulls in the bilges. Dive off the transom nekkid, step up the swim ladder and lather up, dive back in to rinse, climb back up and rinse with fresh water. Just imagine all that cardio exercise! Sit in the breeze with a rum to dry while staying cool. Consider getting dressed later....

2 Hulls Dave

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by smj

I think the fact that's missing here is that the human body will acclimatize quite well to its surroundings.

I have to disagree. I grew up in Florida and all I did was sweat. There wasn't any AC in my elementary school at all.
I really don't like it there except when you are on or in the water which is a very small portion of your time for non-livaboards.
When I moved to the mountains of Colorado then I was in my element.
However the trades in the Carib really helped lots when I was there because the gulf coast of Fla isn't known as a windy place.
I get a kick when Hollywood films in those places. They always do it in the winter. We can't have Don Johnson sweating up that Lambo now can we?

[SVNeko]

One arrangement for cats to consider is: ditch the genset, go LifePO4 with big HO alternators and a big inverter. Have 2 AC units - a big one for shore power and a smaller one to cool the cabin and which can run from the inverter. Run the washer off the inverter too. Engine run watermaker to load the engine more during charging. Diesel hydronic heating and water heating - no heavy hot water tanks. These are cats, they ned to be kept light, but I think you can have most luxuries if you plan right.

Sent from my SM-T210R using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[Sailingcouple13]

We sail gulf Coast of Florida, water temperature in summer 90+ degrees with 90% humidity, ac a must in summer. Winter not needed.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

[rabbi]

Originally Posted by scarlet

I actually really like that idea.. use the wonder wash for your light items.. and a washer/drying for the bulky stuff. And, truly.. the bulky stuff is the issue. And I agree.. I don't need a dryer at all.. just the washer.

We cruised the Med and Caribbean for a year as a family. So there is a bit of washing involved.
We used a smallish electrical top-loading washing machine which cold do 5kg of clothes, just enough for bedddnig. I was a simple unit that did not heat the water, instead you just filled it with hot water from the tap so worked only when hot water was available. The good thing is the unit uses only 120w max, and ran happily off a normal inverter.
This was a combi-unit with an attached spin dryer, so the clothes needed only a few minutes in the tropical sun & wind to fully dry.
Fairly cheap, too. Cost around 70 Euro.

This may not be as comfortable as a home appliance, but it worked like a charm, was very light, and took the pain out the washing with minimal effort.


As to the other electrical items:
Our second hand cat came with a 8kW genset, A/C, big watermaker and lots of other things. We initially used the genset to charge the batteries but quickly installed around 300w of solar panels to reduce the annoying genset times.

After that the genset was used only every third day or so in the morning hours for running the watermaker for about 2hrs to make about 200l of water. It happily charged the batteries at the same time, and the solar array could finish the charge cycle over the day. As the charge amps went down after an hour or so, we switched on the water heater to make hot water. This was laundry time (if required).


As to comforts:
We had decent heads with indoor shower space. But we never ever showered inside after arriving in the tropics. Cold outside shower was good enough to wash off the salt. I doubt we were dirty after snorkleing for hours every day.

We also had full AC but never used it, except a few times in the Med for reverse cycle heating and once in the heat of a Marina in the Caribbean. on all other occasions we had plenty of natural ventilation.


One thing often forgotten: If you really want to go cruising, there are few things that will stop you. Humans can adapt to almost everything if they feel the need to do so.
My wife wanted as much as I, so we never even felt the neccessity to talk about many of the "issues" discussed here.

[BandB]

Originally Posted by rabbi

One thing often forgotten: If you really want to go cruising, there are few things that will stop you. Humans can adapt to almost everything if they feel the need to do so.
My wife wanted as much as I, so we never even felt the neccessity to talk about many of the "issues" discussed here.

Wifey B: And if you really want air conditioning nothing will stop you and washing machines and hot showers. And you can have that and cruise. We each have different desires and requirements. No difference than our choices of power vs. sail or mono vs cat. There's no right or wrong way to do it.

Me, I'll admit to being pampered and spoiled. That doesn't make me a bad person. I'm going to have a/c, showers, washer/dryers. Gen's, large engines. But none of that stops me from cruising, just means I cruise differently. And I will continue to cover 12,000-20,000 miles a year on the water. Sometimes slow, sometimes fast. Next week real fast to Myrtle Beach to see family and back. Then days like today I'm at home eating lunch on the deck and watching the sailboats going by while lots of other boats getting ready for FLIBS.

Oh, and I do love reading Scarlett's report of Annapolis and although not going to buy a sailboat, love to see what the real enthusiasts like most. And we will occasionally find ourselves on one. Last time was in San Francisco.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by BandB

Wifey B: Next week real fast to Myrtle Beach to see family and back. Then days like today I'm at home eating lunch on the deck and watching the sailboats going by while lots of other boats getting ready for FLIBS.

So if ya'll are home for a while does that mean the clothing optional pool parties are back on... ???

It's not cold here yet... but you can feel a big bump in the thermostat is just around the corner...

[scarlet]

Wifey B.. thank you, and I agree with you regarding "what's important". If my husband and I were going to have to live off of social security alone in retirement.. trust me... We would still do this. However, I may have to buy a low cost monohull, with very few comforts.. but I'd do it anyway.. and have a blast!! That being said... We have scrimped and saved.. and worked hard, and chose to live well beneath our means, and as such, we are one of the lucky ones who will have more than social security to rely on... and because of that, I don't want to scrape by on the bare minimum.. I do want a few creature comforts. And, as everything else in this life, I understand that will have consequences. I will have to deal with the power issue.. and the weight issue on the boat, and I will have to accept that I will lose performance.

The difficulty is, (and I found this at both Miami, and Annapolis) to find the proper balance. I saw very few boats that addressed both issues.. "comfort and performance".. (antares was one of them.. actually) SOOO many of them these days are all about beautiful living, and luxury, and not so much regarding sailing performance.

Scott and I quite often sat down on some of the boats... either in the cockpit, or flybridge, and talked.. and we listened a lot to other boaters talking with the sales agents. And, I can't even remember anyone asking about speed to wind.. or displacement.. or energy consumption... it was all about comfort and livability. And, honestly that's ok. For us though? we want more of a balance.. which is why I ask so many questions. I need to learn MUCH more about the operating systems, because I am ignorant on most of them.. thank god I have time to learn...

I know there were a few others here that went to the show.. If they are still "playing along"... did anyone stop in to see any of the vendors? and if so.. did you find anything new and interesting? or learn something you didn't know?

I did... I stopped in at a vendor of dingies, and spent about 45 minutes talking to the sales rep.. (he was GREAT, btw.. ) I discovered a lot about dingies..

1. They are way cheaper than I expected.. (including motor)
2. I learned alot about how to secure your boat to make it difficult for theives to walk away from it.
3. I also learned that there is not much to choose from in the "middle range".. there are very small spartan ones.. and then they jump to the large "overkill" ones. it's difficult to find something in the middle.

So, anyway... anyone else learn anything at the vendor stands?

[FollowingCs]

It was our first show, so we spent no time at the vendors. We walked through just to see stuff, but walked quickly. Watched the end of the Bengals game next to a water maker demo, that was about it.

We spent all our time on the cats mostly. Sunday a few monohulls, but Monday we spent an hour+ on each cat, just hanging out and absorbing the feel of each one. Much less crowded on Monday.

~ Following C's ~

[BandB]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

So if ya'll are home for a while does that mean the clothing optional pool parties are back on... ???

It's not cold here yet... but you can feel a big bump in the thermostat is just around the corner...

Wifey B: None this weekend....running Sat and Sun to Myrtle Beach. Now who knows what we'll be wearing on the boat.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Happy's tip for making it through all the vendors is to snap pics of things that are way down on your "need" list, and quickly move on... Internet reviews and posts here are going to get you a lot more information without the sales pitch...

Originally Posted by BandB

Wifey B: None this weekend....running Sat and Sun to Myrtle Beach. Now who knows what we'll be wearing on the boat.

Well... You guys have fun in Myrtle then... Not too much fun mind you...

[BandB]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Happy's tip for making it through all the vendors is to snap pics of things that are way down on your "need" list, and quickly move on... Internet reviews and posts here are going to get you a lot more information without the sales pitch...

Well... You guys have fun in Myrtle then... Not too much fun mind you...

Wifey B: Will have fun there. Get to see our two month old "niece." We went there for her birth too. Actually were in the delivery room. Hubby held the father up...hehe

I think some internet research prior to the shows can really help too. Helps you know what you're looking for, checking out. Online you concerned the cat stateroom will feel like a prison cell so you check it to see. Also for a big show, you can check which boats will be there and where. We don't do shows to shop though. Hubby doesn't like that environment. A zillion times we have to say "We're just looking" and repeat. We'd love shows if the salesmen weren't there....sorry but we know how to find you if we need you. Ok, I know we're weird. The ones who will just let you look are cool but the ones who want your life and boating history as part of it are annoying.

[scarlet]

I'm probably in a different "place" than you.. but I actually like the sales people at the show.. (in general.. ) I think they are fully aware that there are tons of "tire kickers" there and they are ok with that. Most all of them we talked to were fully aware that we weren't there to buy.. but they were still really great at answering all of our questions..

I actually consider my chats with them.. "mini seminars"..

[BandB]

Originally Posted by scarlet

I'm probably in a different "place" than you.. but I actually like the sales people at the show.. (in general.. ) I think they are fully aware that there are tons of "tire kickers" there and they are ok with that. Most all of them we talked to were fully aware that we weren't there to buy.. but they were still really great at answering all of our questions..

I actually consider my chats with them.. "mini seminars"..

Hubby B: It's more me than her. We don't kick tires. I prefer to research, then go as serious buyers when ready but in a more subdued environment. And the majority of sales people are pleasant and helpful. It's the ones who want to sell rather than talk and want more information than I'm ready to give. Answer questions much appreciated. Interrogate, not so much. And those who won't take "no" for an answer. I'm just not a good prospect for a hard sale. And not a fan of large crowds.