Month: August 2015

With many months of debating and looking at fabric samples, I’ve come up with a Sunbrella pallette that is being used for all interior and exterior canvas and upholstery.

• Sunbrella – Burgundy
• Sunbrella – Black
• Sunbrella – Toast
• Sunbrella – Brannon Redwood (the stripes)
• Phifertex Mesh – Black
• Phifertex Plus Mesh – Dupione Spice
• Phifertex Plus Mesh – Straw Mat Cognac

While I don’t have everything done and don’t have pictures of some that is, this combination of colors and textures will be used in a variety of complimentary projects:

• Settee Cushions in Main Saloon:  Dupione Spics mesh backs, Black Sunbrella edge banding on back cushions with Brannon Redwood faces, Burgundy edge banding on cushions with Toast faces.
• Quarter Berth Cushions: Phifertex Mesh Black for cushion bottoms, Toast edge banding with Burgundy faces.
• Toast companionway soft cover and rear access hatch covers.
• Brannon Redwood faces, Black edges and Straw Mat Cognac back on portable seats (SportASeat) for cockpit.
• Straw Mat Cognac Phifertex Plus Mesh for all surfaces of cockpit cushions with Dry Fast foam.  This allows water to quickly pass through the entire cushion and makes it feasible to leave them out in the weather all of the time.

I knew I wanted a larger anchor for my primary and, after doing a considerable amount of research, narrowed it down the the Rocna 15 (kg) which is a hefty 33 pounds.  Designed by a Kiwi sailor, this anchor seems to be a great compromise between performance and price.  I also considered the Manson Supreme but, even with my generous associate discount from WM, it was still an additional “boat unit” over the Rocna.

I put this into position on my new bow roller and custom platform and it fit perfectly with the second-to-last link before the shackle engaging the deck retainer.

While a windlass might be a great addition at some time in the future, I’ll have to haul this baby with Murph power when I weigh anchor.  At 33# it really won’t be that bad; I’ll let the roller do most of the work.  Of course, there is the matter of 37 feet of 5/16 G4 chain attached to it!

If I had designed and built this beautiful Bimini from scratch, I doubt that I could improve on how perfect this off-the-shelf solution proved to be!

In the dead of the winter, I came across this 3-bow complete with all hardware in the local Craigslist.  The owner of a new 4-Winns was putting on a wake tower and took this off.  Yes, it was brand new!

He hesitated a bit at my low-ball offer but eventually accepted it.  When I took it to the boat this spring and made a quick, eyeball fit up, it looked like it would work well.

I installed it the other day and its location and function is nearly perfect.  It came with mostly everything I needed including the high-dollar “ball mount” fittings which make for lots of installation flexibility and ease of folding up into the boot when needed.

Entry into the cockpit is easy as you step over the forward sheet winch.  It is OK to use the Bimini as a handhold since it is firmly attached in three places on each side.

The next step will be to make a connector with zip-out window for mainsheet which will tie the Dodger to the Bimini.  At the time I make this, I’ll also pattern for the rest of a complete cockpit enclosure.

If the windows in the Dodger look particularly clean and clear, it is only because they are new.  I sewed in new StrataGlass this winter to replace the old cracked and yellowed windows.  While the old Dodger has lots of miles on it, restitching, repairing and re-waterproofing will get me many more years of use.

Note the beautiful Rocna on the bow.

This is certainly true with many of my improvements to Amalia.  I bought this 1100 Watt microwave due to its minimal power draw when used with the inverter and compact size.  While it does work well on the inverter, it draws much more than the advertised 1100 Watts!!

I’m not really sure how much I may use it, be envision that this will be invaluable for a quick, warm drink while I’m motoring down on those rainy, chilly days that may come.

I built a platform with cleats that attach to the settee uprights and a leg underneath to support it.  I’ll be wiring up the outlets in the next week.  Like most other locations on the boat, I’ll have the choice of plugging into the Black outlets (hot only with shore power hookup) or White outlets which will work only off of the inverter.

The main compromise here is that this location is most unobtrusive and very secure when underway but seriously intrudes into one’s legroom when trying to sit at the table on the aft side.