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djmarchand · 13-08-2012, 10:24

Cathy:

We are neighbors. I live in Dolphin point and sail a 35' Island Packet Catamaran that I keep at our community dock.

In so far as refrigeration: The Seafrost uses a cold plate evaporator and a Danfoss compressor. A cold plate has a solution of salt (not table salt) and water that freezes when the compressor is on and slowly absorbs heat when the compressor is off. The theory is that the compressor runs longer and is more efficient this way.

That may be true, but it is a marginal benefit. The simple Alder Barbor system with a flat evaporator and a Danfoss compressor is cheaper, works almost as good and would be perfectly adequate for a dock power situation.

As others have pointed out, if you are going to be cruising on the hook then consider the Frigoboat system with its keel cooled condenser. The condenser is a block of bronze that mounts outside of the hull and has a coil of freon inside it. The freon condenses in the bronze block and is very efficient because seawater is almost always much cooler than air and the system doesn't take any additional parts.

I have one on my boat and it uses 50 amphours in the winter in Florida and maybe 70 in the summer in the Chesapeake.

You are welcome to come see it. Send me a PM and I will give you my phone number. Which canvas shop do you work. Is it Elizabeth's by chance? If so you replaced the zippper on my bimini last summer.

David

Free Spirit HC33 · 13-08-2012, 17:02

Dee & Scott, isn't Madison a great town! I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, and when I've been able to go back for a visit (with $ and not as a poor student). I've done most of my sailing in Lake Ontario before moving to Oriental. Since moving here, have 'cruised' to New Bern in my boat, and to Cape Lookout & Ocracoke in a friend's boat. Working on getting the sails in order on my boat. I had the boat sandblasted in Rochester NY before moving it to Oriental, and then barrier coated it and painted it here before launching. A friend of mine worked on the few blisters the boat had while it was on the hard in Rochester. I believe he sanded them and then epoxied them. I had to resand them before barrier coating. The yards down here seem to like the peel method, can't really comment on it. I did all the barrier coating and bottom painting myself. Also did the rerigging prior to stepping the mast. You have to be sure to get in a boatyard that allows DIY, although sometimes they charge more per month than if you're hiring them to do the work. Weigh the monthly plus your time / materials against their doing the work and a lower or no monthly ...

Cruiser2B · 13-08-2012, 17:09

Bought my Alberg 30 from Oriental, sailed her home to Norfolk. Oriental is a great small town. We loved the Bean, Silos and M&M. Say hello to D and Don Wagoman...thats where our boat was docked when we bought her. Town full of the nicest people anywhere!

Free Spirit HC33 · 13-08-2012, 17:23

Cruiser2B ... I know Dee and Don (their house is on the same creek my boat is on). Their reputation for befriending cruisers is something! Oriental is a wonderful town full of great people, that's what brought me here!

Cruiser2B · 14-08-2012, 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Free Spirit HC33

Cruiser2B ... I know Dee and Don (their house is on the same creek my boat is on). Their reputation for befriending cruisers is something! Oriental is a wonderful town full of great people, that's what brought me here!

We prolly passed your boat at one time or another as we bought her Feb 11. We hauled out for inspection there at Deatons, very helpful crew there as well. Fair Winds!

LostAtSea2011 · 14-08-2012, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Free Spirit HC33

Hi, my name is Cathy and I live aboard my Hans Christian 33 with my black & white cat Lambeau here in Oriental, NC. I grew up in Green Bay, so am a die-hard Packers fan as well as an owner - hence the name Lambeau for my cat

I have been living aboard full-time since 2004. 5 winters were spent aboard in Rochester, NY before moving to Oriental in October 2009, a much more civilized environment. I had visited Oriental in 2003 and fell in love with the town and the people, and decided this was where I wanted to move. Things finally came together in 2009, with a job lined up and a slip under lease with an option to buy. The boat was trucked (sorry I couldn't take the time to sail her down, and I needed it for a moving van), bottom was redone, and I've been in the water here since Thanksgiving 2009. Working at a boat canvas and sail loft, so not doing a lot of cruising at this point.

Found the forum when my refrigeration decided to die on me, and I was looking for reviews and comments on different systems. The mechanic is recommending a Sea Frost to replace my probably 1986 Adler Barbour unit. Decided to join the forums to see what I could learn and what I could contribute.

Ahh...HC 33 my dream boat. Are you married ? Haha

Trekker · 14-08-2012, 18:34

Hi Cathy,
I'm big on the Frig O Boat reefer system although Sea Frost is a close second, I've installed a few of the Technautics "Cool Blue" systems over the years and they all seem to be doing well. None of the alternatives are more efficient as the Frig O Boat, though, I'm putting one of those on my boat prior to heading south this fall.

seahag · 15-08-2012, 02:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by lancelot9898

Hey Scott and Cathy...I'm another UW madison graduate. Went to graduate school there in nuclear engineering and lived off campus in Middleton, Wis.

Another question about the blister repair Cathy. Did you have the gelkote peeled by an electric hand peeler or did you just drill out the individual blisters? I have too many to drill out and plan on a peel if I can get the yard to do it at a reasonable price. All other work, I'll do myself.

Dee

Nice to meet you Dee. Where are you currently living?

Free Spirit HC33 · 15-08-2012, 03:36

David, just now saw your reply. I've actually had the freezer box version, so will be going back with the Sea Frost version of the same system. So many differing opinions on the forum, as you know. At this point, crossing my fingers for a Monday installation

I work at Inner Banks Sails & Canvas, on Straight Rd by the firehouse. And the boat's at Whittaker Creek on an owned slip across from Deaton's.

Trekker, I see you're also from Oriental ... where are you located?

lancelot9898 · 15-08-2012, 05:04

Seahag, I'm in the high country of NC. The boat located in the Southern Chesapeake is a 6 hour drive from here. Miss being on the water a lot and lived aboard for a number of years....However I do enjoy hiking the mountains and have even taken up bicycling. According to my GPS hit a peak speed of 36 mph yesterday coming down one of these mountains, but doing 8 knots on a beam reach is hard to top.