Just signed Paperwork for Boat! We're Officially Sailboat Owners!

[natraps116]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

Very Nice boat!

Induction cooktops are great. We use ours every day, because we need to run the generator anyway, so we just do our cooking while the generator runs. It's much easier than fussing with propane or butane bottles, getting them filled and then worrying about gas, safety etc.

Before you start adding expensive solar panels, see how things work out first using the generator. Our home and business in Massachusetts is 66% solar electric.... and it's not all it's cracked up to be and promised. When you weight the price of a few solar panels and the small amount of electricity they'll produce for your boat against the cost of the few gallons of diesel required to do the same using the genset... it will take many years for you to even out. You need to run the generator anyway in order to keep it healthy. Stick with the generator. you're better off trying to save electricity by switching over to LED light fixtures etc. Solar is great if you don't already have a power source, but you already have what others dream of having... the genset.

One more thing: Spend the money you'll safe by not having solar panels, on some very nice sturdy simple davits... don't spoil the good looks of your boat by attaching a "jungle gym" to the stern. 10ft dinghy with a center console... the davits are going to need to be very strong with a well supported structure.

Thanks for your insight kenomac,

I never really thought of it like that, I guess having the gen set is the really desirable set up... Maybe I'll just get some of those flexible solar panels and put theem on the hard dodger when if gets installed... They weigh like nothing. I just wanted a redundant source of power if I make a mistake and forget to turn something of or something silly like that... Good thoughts though...

Also.... If I don't have an arch in the back, how am I supposed to do my pull-ups I do for exercise? :P

[Kenomac]

A couple of other things to consider prior to committing to a hard bimini or dodger. Modern materials like "Weathermax" can be expected to last for 10 years or more if properly cared for and are just a fraction of the cost of a hard cover. Then you have the flexibility to put them down when the weather dictates the need for more ventilation or sunshine. We purchased a complete enclosure when we bought the boat anticipating the need in New England. Instead, we took a left turn into the Med., love it here, so our enclosure is going unused for the next several years. Because it's a soft enclosure, we can put away any parts not needed. It's not uncommon for us to sail or hang around with just the bimini up and the dodger down, or sometimes put the bimini down and have the dodger in place.

At times, it's very nice to put the dodger down and enjoy the fresh air to cool us under the bimini, plus this set up allows for much better visibility when coming into an unknown anchorage or port. you'd be surprised how much visibility a dodger can block.

Keep your options open.

Regarding an alternate power source: You already have one on your boat... the engine alternator. Your boat should already be equipped with an engine battery isolator. Which is basically a switch to isolate your engine battery from the house battery which also enables you to combine the two. This way if you leave something on, it won't drain the engine battery, and if the engine battery should die, you can always use the house batteries powered by the gen set to start your engine.

[Greggegner]

Use the boat a figure out what you want. For example, davits, don't love the look but the option of manhandling a dingy is worse. We use little power when we are out except for the frig and auto pilot.


Greg S/V Sweet Dreams
Pearson P385 out of Racine Wisconsin

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

SNIP

Stick with the generator. you're better off trying to save electricity by switching over to LED light fixtures etc. Solar is great if you don't already have a power source, but you already have what others dream of having... the genset.

SNIP

A genset has its own downsides, just as soarl panels do, and just as davits and a center console tender do.

What you need to do is select the best compromise to suit you needs. Is the center console worth the extra weight, complexity, and loss of storage capacity in the tender. Can you build a set of davits that are strong enough to support the tender and solar stuff and compensate for the additional weight aft. Can you adjust your electric consumption so the current genset meets it when running a reasonable amount of time.

My experience has been that solar and davits are a huge plus. But my boat came with both and was designed from the ground up for davits and solar. I also have a small Honda 2000 that I try to run a few times a month even if I don't need to top off the house bank. It is kinda PITA to do this.

Which brings me to what I consider a very important concept. The worst thing you can do to a boat is not use it. Another important thing is a boat should be chosen based on how you will use it. If you are spending months off the grid with no, or questionable, sources of fuel a genset may not be as great an idea as if you are close to US quality fuel (lets not argue about this please). Check out how many threads there are about folks with problems of no or bad fuel when cruising. If you are spending time at a dock with shore power and being shaded by obstructions solar may not be the best choice.

You have chosen a nice boat with a lot of nice features, for certain uses. The additions of anything should be based on how you will use those things.

It is easy to say use a genset and forget the solar, but if the cost, sound, vibration, and smell of a genset bothers you you will be better off with solar. You need to figure out which kinda person you are.

[natraps116]

Man, decisions decisions . The thing is we made a budget for our total boat expense and it seems as if we are going to be about 10 grand below our max budget if we don't go with hard dodger solar panels, arch ect ect.

Do you think I'm missing any critical component for a "comfortable" life at sea? I realize we already have a lot of luxuries that are not needed but I thought not hauling a dingy on deck would be a must for me..... I'm a younger guy but I'd like to stay feeling young for as long as possible.

When I was "younger" it seemed so many of my peers were injuring themselves in very critical areas of there body and now are aging the price (shoulders, knees, back) so I try to live by the adage that while I may still be "young" I want to keep it that way and not injure my self long term by trying to "manhandle" things when I don't have to.

I dunno I'm not experienced, maybe it's not as hard as I'm making it out to be.... Or maybe I'm just lazy..

[natraps116]

Oh and by the way.... I'm a drywall contractor and hung drywall exclusively for 8 years (not a carpenter who would hang an occasional sheet here and there, I hung whole houses, office buildings with my helper).... So lifting heavy weight is what I learned to do without hurting yourself. I'm one of the lucky ones though and am not permanently injured with a Bad back or what ever... I'm fortunate to have saved and made some prudent financial decisions and figure it's a lot easier to live and work smarter not harder......

I dunno, if money wasn't a deciding factor, am I right to assume most would choose to have davits on the back for there dinghy or am I just lazier than most?

[Cheechako]

That's a sweet machine. I love davits but I wouldn't put a heavy dingy on the davits. Not a center console for sure.

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by natraps116

Thanks for the info guys,

Yeah I am hiring a company that specializes in metal fabrication and boat davit systems in fort lauderdale. For something that is so critical I think its best to leave it to the experts when it comes to a 450lb rib on the back.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Cruisers Sailing Forum mobile app

Please listen to the people on this forum... you DO NOT want a 450 # dingy on the back.... even with adequate davits.
Davits are great, you are in protected waters and anchorages probably 95% of the time. You always have the option to put the dink on deck for blue water passages if you are worried about it. But even though you have that dink already, you need to get a light weight one.100-125# RIB. JMHO

[tomfl]

Originally Posted by natraps116

Oh and by the way.... I'm a drywall contractor

SNIP

I dunno, if money wasn't a deciding factor, am I right to assume most would choose to have davits on the back for there dinghy or am I just lazier than most?

I use to work as a rocker as well, at least till I got out of college.

Well if money was not a factor you can get a boat with a section of the stern folding down to let the tender slide into the interior of the boat and then close the stern section.

Point is that some boats are designed from the ground up to have davits or an arch with davits and solar panels. Other boats are not. For the boats that are not it may well be possible to add an arch, or not.

Unless someone has your exact boat and exact tender I would take with a grain of salt opinions on how to add an arch to your boat. There are companies that sell pre built arches and contractors who will work with you to design an arch specific for your boat.

If I was cruising in the Keys and Bahamas on short daylight only passages with access to good weather services I would definitely have an arch with davits and a big solar array. If I was rounding the great capes and sailing in the 40s and 50s I doubt I would have an arch. I suspect a lot of folks would say what is important is where and how you are going to sail in choosing to have an arch or not.

[natraps116]

Originally Posted by tomfl

I use to work as a rocker as well, at least till I got out of college.

Well if money was not a factor you can get a boat with a section of the stern folding down to let the tender slide into the interior of the boat and then close the stern section.

Point is that some boats are designed from the ground up to have davits or an arch with davits and solar panels. Other boats are not. For the boats that are not it may well be possible to add an arch, or not.

Unless someone has your exact boat and exact tender I would take with a grain of salt opinions on how to add an arch to your boat. There are companies that sell pre built arches and contractors who will work with you to design an arch specific for your boat.

If I was cruising in the Keys and Bahamas on short daylight only passages with access to good weather services I would definitely have an arch with davits and a big solar array. If I was rounding the great capes and sailing in the 40s and 50s I doubt I would have an arch. I suspect a lot of folks would say what is important is where and how you are going to sail in choosing to have an arch or not.

Now that makes the most sense. Tomfl.

I guess it does boil down to sailing conditions and what kind of sailing you will be doing....

Thanks

[mcerdos]

Congrats!!!!!

We hope to catch you "out there" somewhere after hurricane season.

[Hudson Force]

Originally Posted by natraps116

............ I guess it does boil down to sailing conditions and what kind of sailing you will be doing....

I have 2.5" diameter SS pipe davits stiff and well supported, but not an arch. I hang my empty ca. 100lb Caribe with extra tie lines and sometimes struggle with keeping it stable while crossing the Gulfstream. Regardless of where you're sailing you need to have a system that will keep the dinghy on your davits tame when you're in a thunderstorm and bucking with short period waves. A 450 lb. dinghy is going to be a poor choice unless you restrict yourself to fair weather day sailing in inland waters.

[Kenomac]

Might be a good idea to look into the kind of dinghy system where your existing center console can fold up onto the stern. you know, where the dinghy pulls up sideways to the stern, hooks on somehow, then you lift up the other side almost vertical. not sure what it's called, but that way you'll be able to bring up the dinghy without much trouble, and then just leave it in the water when you're at anchor.

[natraps116]

That's a good idea keno. The dingy we were getting completely breaks down into small pieces so when were on passages the console seats and all interior pieces break down into very compact parts.

[huttosteph]

Congratulations on your beautiful boat. Would love to see additional pics.