My Journey towards full time liveaboard.

[patagoniadave]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I don't take them swimming though.

Probably a good plan :-)

[chris mac]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

I've been mostly onboard for a year with no salt air issues on my devices. I don't take them swimming though.

That is a good plan. I just took my "water resistant" phone for a 5 second walk in the Anchorage. It didn't go so well. Apparently "water resistant " only means you can sneeze close to it[emoji854]

[ChrisJHC]

Took me three nights of “what’s that metal thing banging every 5 or 10 minutes” to realise it was a fitting on deck (i.e. outside the hull).
10 seconds to fix!

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

Took me three nights of “what’s that metal thing banging every 5 or 10 minutes” to realise it was a fitting on deck (i.e. outside the hull).
10 seconds to fix!

We just spend a fairly rough week in the Lake Worth lagoon. Blowing into the 20's with gusts into the 30's most of the time. Especially choppy with incoming tide.

Sleeping in the V berth, kept hearing loud banging and sounds that were exactly like something scraping along the hull as we swung. Started to think we were hitting something submerged like wreckage or a semi-sunk mooring ball.

Turned out after we moved and the sound continued that it was sounds of the snubber jumping from side to side and as it was bar tight, transmitting sounds of the anchor chain right into the boat just like we used to do with string and two cans.

(FWIW we moved because a super yacht asked us to for more swinging room after they anchored near where we'd been for days. First the safe harbor grunt demanded we move, and threatened to push us out of the way if we did not. I informed him it would be a good way to get shot in the face. Next day the cap of a different vessel dingied over with a bottle of wine and a handwritten thank you card with $300 in it, which I thought was very nice and we were happy to move 100 yards).

[patagoniadave]

Originally Posted by flightlead404

We just spend a fairly rough week in the Lake Worth lagoon. Blowing into the 20's with gusts into the 30's most of the time. Especially choppy with incoming tide.

Sleeping in the V berth, kept hearing loud banging and sounds that were exactly like something scraping along the hull as we swung. Started to think we were hitting something submerged like wreckage or a semi-sunk mooring ball.

Turned out after we moved and the sound continued that it was sounds of the snubber jumping from side to side and as it was bar tight, transmitting sounds of the anchor chain right into the boat just like we used to do with string and two cans.

(FWIW we moved because a super yacht asked us to for more swinging room after they anchored near where we'd been for days. First the safe harbor grunt demanded we move, and threatened to push us out of the way if we did not. I informed him it would be a good way to get shot in the face. Next day the cap of a different vessel dingied over with a bottle of wine and a handwritten thank you card with $300 in it, which I thought was very nice and we were happy to move 100 yards).

I feel like I jinxed myself by bringing up night boat noises. Had more wind last night, and a fun new noise. Turned out to be snubber line squeaking, which reverberated through the vberth. Google told me to throw water on it. Couldn't tell if that was folk lore, almost like casting a spell, or if there was science involved, but it seemed to work. It also told me to lengthen the snubber line, which I will do this afternoon.

[patagoniadave]

Funny story. The wind was howling pretty good for three days straight. I woke up in the middle of the night trying to figure out what had startled me out of sleep. It was just the wind stopping, and the water being calm. Apparently my brain was suspicious. It has been interesting noting what parts of the boat make noise depending on the direction of swells, winds, and all the different combinations.

More of an eye roll story than funny. I have decided that my engine will be happy if I run it once a week regardless as to if I am going out or not. I have a calendar event for that on Saturdays. Well, yesterday, I could not get the engine to fire, and was pretty panicked about it....... Kill switch was in the wrong direction.

Other than that, things have been amazing. Dogs are pros, and really enjoying it. I had one preemptively jump from the kayak to the boat. We had a discussion about it. I have read one ASA training manual, and am on to a more comprehensive one. There is a lot of redundancy, but it helps to read the same thing in a slightly different way.

There is a yard sale thing at the storage yard behind my condo, usually nautically related. I scored two snubber line anchor hooks (for taking the strain off the anchor chain at the boat), some waterproof snow pants, and a handheld radio so that I can listen in on boat chatter even when I am at my office desk.

I hired a title company to handle the Coast Guard registration, because I could just see myself filling out a form wrong and delaying the process. Plus, it is hard to mail things from Mexico. I believe that all the paperwork has at least been sent to the title company, and I have wired payment. That step should be behind me, and is a load off my mind. I am pretty excited that I get to use my hometown of Patagonia AZ as the ships home!

I spent the day Saturday tearing everything out of every locker, and putting it back in where my brain organization felt it should go. It was good to put eyes on everything in the boat, even if I do not know what it is. Thankfully all the safety gear is there. Harnesses, safety lines, and even an accidental jibe stopper, although I am sure that is not what it is technically called.

Really all I have left to do on the boat is to clean it really well, and test the fridge on the solar system. I am thinking I will fill the freezer halfway up with those blue freezer icepacks, turn the fridge off at night, and let it act like an icebox. I also want to see what the dog hair is doin to the bilge pump, and probably wire in the second one that I found in a locker yesterday.

I took my backup laptop out to the boat, we will see how working out there feels.

I also tore down and re-organized my condo. I moved my office and all dog related items into the master suite since I am not sleeping here anyway. In theory I could start renting out the second bath /bedroom with the kitchen and living room on the weekends. I'm not sure that I am ready to have strangers in my space, but I may start experimenting with friends and family.

Also, to anyone reading this that is cruising the Sea of Cortez. I will straight trade sailing knowledge for time in the condo. Give me a super awesome anchoring tip, and you can come do laundry, cook in a kitchen, have a hot shower, and sleep in air conditioning.

I told the seller that I would not take the boat out until the coast guard registration was in my name. I here that could take up to 6 months, so I am going to ask if he will relent at least on lessons. I am ready to get out and have some hands on experience!

[ChrisJHC]

Originally Posted by patagoniadave

“an accidental jibe stopper”

Are you talking about a preventer (a line used to prevent the boom moving in the event of an accidental gybe) or a boom brake (a device used to slow the boom’s movement but still allow it to move)?

[patagoniadave]

Originally Posted by ChrisJHC

Are you talking about a preventer (a line used to prevent the boom moving in the event of an accidental gybe) or a boom brake (a device used to slow the boom’s movement but still allow it to move)?

I believe it is the first one, at least that was how I understood it when it was explained to me

[JPA Cate]

Don't worry about your laptops and living on a sailboat. Been living on sailboats for 36 yrs, never had one die from the salt air environment, but one did, from an accidental coffee bath, and another did not benefit from having rain come in overnight through an open port to flood it, but we managed to keep it going after drying it. The prudent cruising lady closes ports except where she sleeps, and rain coming in will wake her. (one of the abovementioned thousand little stories)

Ann

[patagoniadave]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

Don't worry about your laptops and living on a sailboat. Been living on sailboats for 36 yrs, never had one die from the salt air environment, but one did, from an accidental coffee bath, and another did not benefit from having rain come in overnight through an open port to flood it, but we managed to keep it going after drying it. The prudent cruising lady closes ports except where she sleeps, and rain coming in will wake her. (one of the abovementioned thousand little stories)

Ann

🙂 Thank you for that tip! Sometimes I forget about what rain is living down in Mexico, then it sneaks up on me.

[patagoniadave]

Good thing I didn't throw away the random pipe in the back locker. Turns out it's some sort of emergency tiller system if something in the wheel breaks. I need to look into it in more detail. Probably time to find a boat specific forum for some of these topics.

[patagoniadave]

Snubber Deep Dive (might be a pun there)

I spent 5 hours last night reading old snubber threads in CF. I don't think I made it through half of them, but I think it's starting to come into focus.

The snubber will be a line between 1/4" thick, and 1 1/2" thick. It will be somewhere between 5' and 500' long. Doesn't really matter because all snubber are either too short to work properly, or so long that they bounce like a rubber band. Honestly, if the catenary effect was good enough for my cave man ancestors, it is good enough for me.

Probably should not use nylon of any strand or braid, dock lines, poly, climbing rope or dyneema. Whatever I do, do not mix and splice materials, but I should probably add dyneema at chafing points. Or use firehose to stop the chafe on nylon, except that will super heat the nylon which will break, and I will lose an eye. Honestly, chain is stronger than all ropes, so my snubber should be chain.

It should be a single line, but bridals are awesome.

It should be connected to the bow cleat(s), mid ship, and or in the cockpit.

There should be 3 different snubbers for different conditions, but really, you only need the worst case scenario snubber, but also, hook all three up at the same time for redundancy.

Whatever you do, do not let the line touch the water, it gets icky. Make sure it's not dragging the bottom, because it will cause a disconnect from the chain.

Hooks are awesome for connecting to chains, except sometimes they fall off. Well, and sometimes they get stuck. Also, might break the chain.

Definitely use a knot, if my caveman ancestors could tie a knot to connect their snubber, then by the gods, so can I. Don't use a hitch knot, cows knot witches knot or a unicorn knot. Also, knots are a pain in the ass to untie in an emergency, use a soft shackle. Those are super expensive, unless you make your own. Don't drop it, but it will float, and watch out for chafe.



I think that covers everything, so I am going to go down to the marine store today with those specifications and put together some snubbers.

[Jamme]

Originally Posted by patagoniadave

I think that covers everything, so I am going to go down to the marine store today with those specifications and put together some snubbers.

Sounds like a plan, if you don’t get kicked out of the store it might even work haha [emoji12][emoji12]

Fair winds!

[SV_FlyingTigress]

Good luck Dave, I know Patagonia well and have swam in the lake when we made a day trip from Bisbee where I grew up. Good luck with your new yacht!

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by patagoniadave

Snubber Deep Dive (might be a pun there)

I spent 5 hours last night reading old snubber threads in CF. I don't think I made it through half of them, but I think it's starting to come into focus.

omg that's hillarious!

I use 5/8" double braid dock line. Its anchor hitched to a suncor chain hook. I attach it to the chain as I veer it out and the hook is typically at the surface of the water, which means at least 10' is out. It is hitched to the cleat in the chain locker which is large, through the deck, and well backed. I veer out 3-4' extra chain when the snubber is taught.

I'm probably going to die.

Also, I made up a short strop of 5/16" amsteel blue (which has a breaking strength slightly more than the chain apparently). Its around 6' long and is brummel lock spliced to a more traditional chain hook. This goes on after the snubber is set, hooked up between the windlass and bow roller with a little slack in the chain between the hook and windlass, hitched to the same cleat as the snubber. This is to take the strain off the windlass (primarily any jerking loads) in case the snubber lets go for any reason. Its also useful for securing the anchor when its not deployed.