My little piece of peace

Hi pdw,
Sub tropics is still too cold as I need the tropics to thaw and attain normal working temperatures... - - I do not have "antifreeze" added to my blood...

I crave minimums better than 25deg Celsius... Then I can blame slothful tendencies, as it is then too hot, seeing how I then sweat profusely... - There is method in my madness.... ???

Days of work for the "fun of it" are gone, - - Now I endeavour to use 'cunning to get others to pay me to paint the fence', - but not very successfully...

 

I agree about 25+ especially if you're running a welder. Ton of protective clothing and sweat in the eyes, BTDT, no fun at all.

Temperatures between 10 & 20C are about perfect for manual work IMO.

Funnily I'm totally unsuccessful at the cunning caper too. Which is why I have to spend valuable boat building time maintaining a place that my adult children could, if they so chose. However the day when I'm over it is growing near.

How are you going with the DIY watermaker? I've a pretty big pile of Swagelok stainless steel fittings that I got for free, might be useful if I decide to build one. I'm personally not convinced that running a generator to run an electric pump is sensible if you can run the pump direct off of the engine but it all depends on circumstances. I hate having a generator running anyway, the noise ruins my peace very quickly - just been doing exactly that on my country place to run power tools and the bliss of quiet when I switched it off.....!

PDW

 

Hi pdw,
For you, welding may make life a little warmer in far off Tassie. - - But I use 'cold welding' (epoxy), - - as an outbreak of fire would be disastrous on my boat. - - CNO is made of DuFlex with a core of end-grain-balsa for the hulls and sheet foam cored for the saloon roof...

- - I am ill advised to go near epoxy, unless I seek an early death - which I DO NOT !!!.....

Still waiting on the local hardware store to get pricing on the bigger components. - - Sometimes things happen slowly, and age/maturity teaches one to accept these constraints. - - I also must accumulate some more money - which also happens slowly for a 'pensioner'...

I have my 25 x 20litre orange plastic jerry cans on board and the next step is to figure where the various fuel containers will be stowed - - - probably the 18 containers (25 litres each) will go under the port and starboard aft berths (already full - 450 litres), and the new plastic "jerry-cans" will need to be filled and hopefully placed in the holds forward of the front windows' - 500 litres, then there is the day tanks 50 litres and some "ready drums" on the bridgedeck for about 100 litres making a full fuel load of 1100 litres, - - some 900kg...

The little rubber-duckie outboard will have about 15 litres of petrol ready to be made ready for 2-stroke use as needed... so about $1000 for fuel and hopefully $2000 for the RO stuff is my savings target - - and I still got to live and pay for hard-stand... Then I should be ready to cruise for a while...

My ships supply (24v bank) is from PV array and I can also charge from the engines and a small 240VAC genset for emergencies... I have not used the genset yet (apart from testing) and my inverter is more than capable of delivering the power to fill the water tanks whenever the need arises via the RO water-maker with just a couple of hours disturbance to the peace and tranquillity, and no genset fumes...

I could not find space to put the RO pump inside the engine bay - buggerr all space - that is one of the reasons for the daydream here http://www.boatdesign.net/forums/di...at-next-if-opportunity-build-again-43846.html

 

The issues with epoxy sensitivity etc was the final reason for me to build in metal. I don't regret that decision. Other people make their own choices, I've no ideological fixation one way or the other, done properly to a design intended for the build material chosen, it all works.

With my chosen design I've got a 1200 long x 2900 wide engine room with full sitting room next to the engine. Access all round to engine and stern gear. One of the advantages of a monohull I guess. So room to bolt in a few accessories like RO gear if I decide I need it. Brent Swain used 316 pipe with fabricated end caps for his membrane tubes and pretty rough fabrication too, IMO. Given my machine shop I can easily do something a lot better and neater. Friend of mine has a hydro test station so getting the tubes pressure tested isn't a drama. I'm interested in seeing your local parts list & pricing when you get it all together. As I can catch water off of my cabin top I'm undecided if a RO watermaker is worth the hassle for me but - we'll see.

I'm still waiting on the 2nd bolt of Top Gun cloth to arrive from the USA. Once it does I've pretty much all the bits on hand for my rig except some lengths of f/g pipe in 25NB & 32NB for battens, and I can use aluminium if I can't find the f/g so no dramas.

Sydney boat show is on in 3 weeks so I'll wander along to that and look at all the toys I can't afford and don't really want in addition to pricing up the few things that I actually need. Then it'll be time to go back to Tas and get on with it again.

PDW

 

Bloody miserable day, rained during the night and thought the sun may break through this morning, but Not likely... 11 am and a quietening FOG has settled over the land, giving less than a mile visibility... A bit of glass work (embed the depth sounder transducer and glue on a pair of bus-bars for the leads from the PV panels) to be done late this week?

I may not do the berth lowering as feet are getting itchy with a strong desire to head off at a leisurely pace (at least 24 overnight stops and more if things seem to catch my interest and warrant a longer 'inspection'...

I still have to check the PV panel connections, finalise the prospect of fitting a RO watermaker (a big $$$$ question which is not yet resolved)... Also to fill the fuel tanks and water if that is needed (NO watermaker) ...

 

Seems Middle Percy has been saved for posterity and cummunity spirit LIVES

Go here to visit the website http://percyisland.com.au/percy-island-lease-update#more-115
Go here in your boat to visit the island
Middle Percy Island
21° 39' 35.37" S, 150° 15' 47.47" E

and download a copy of the coastal passage here http://www.thecoastalpassage.com/ bookmark this site as a new magazine comes out most months...
151234

 

My escape to sanity is a little behind schedule, but weather systems determine timing now... The highs seem to be moving more to the north in their steady march eastward, - and I may get a nice tailwind and gentle swell towards Samarai in 2 to 3 months? one never can tell... Climate change is confusing me as Winter months used to see high pressure cells over mid Queensland providing the necessary southerly breezes in 2 or more day windows between Cairns, Queensland, Australia - and - Samarai, Milne Bay Province, PNG...

151540, - - - Conditions of entry (yachts etc. see customs.pdf form attached below) - - http://www.pngcanberra.org/visas/index.htm - - for visa information... But where is "customs house", where I go to prepare all the clearance papers in Cairns before I head out for Samarai ??...

The PNG consulate is Level 15 National Mutual Tower, 15 Lake St, Cairns,

Samarai is tiny so I should have no difficulty there... I wonder if they have FAX or email facilities at Samarai? to give the prerequisite 96 hour advance notice to Customs Australia of my arrival at Cairns on my return trip? Even travelling at a sedate 10 knots I would have to defer departure by 2 days, or slow my speed to less than 5 knots (2000rpm on one engine?) or go with the sea to get behind the reef well N of Cairns and risk admonishment for anchoring up every night.??? Certainly makes things difficult for a small pleasure boat... and dangerous, for a sole sailor, as I do not like to travel at night and rely on paper & electronic charts for reefs and sand-banks etc...
151550

 

Hi Mas
Have you considered joining the Cairns to Louisiades rally? They are open to power boats too. They also help with visas etc , they leave around 15th Sept
ps did you check out Flexitank?

Al

 

Hi Al,
Depends on my state of readiness and weather-window, 24 odd days to get to Cairns without any hurry or panic... Most in the rally, clear inwards PNG customs by special arrangement in the Louisades, some 100 N.Miles east of where I am headed... Samarai is a normal port of entry...

Yes checked it out and will stick with the yellow plastic jerry-cans for diesel - easier to refuel away from waterside pumps/services (no marinas and limited fuel supplies even in Queensland)...

 

Well the miserable weather seems to have headed east - out to sea and heading away...

Quick visit to CNO and all is well... How to fuel up, need access to a ute to carry the 25 to 30 odd containers to be filled up with diesel and thence deliver to the boat to be loaded and stowed... How much is in the bank? I would like to get another 750 litres - total fuel will then be 1200 litres (close to 1 tonne)

Stow all the stuff, bring & stow the freezer and dry foods, bring and stow my clothes, fill the water tanks... - but I still have to check out the PV panels, (waiting for a little "glassing work" on the depth sounder transducer and a pair of bus-bars), and change the engine oils, filters...

Oh dear market manipulation in the value of the Au$ and gold is evident... (if you have java enabled http://www.bullionvault.com/gold-price-chart.do ) Gold is Au$1518.70 and in USA US$1573.79/oz at 10pm on the 18/72012 (in Australian time?)

WHEN IS THE Australian gubmint gonna WAKE UP ???, and curb the impact of this fraudulent offshore manipulation - IT HURTS ALL BUSINESS !!! - - - Who needs enemies when you have "friends" like USA to screw things by "collateral damage"....

 

Gooday - masalai - you might need room for a crew - if you find one - so maybe - extra room needed - inside & outside. Last time I took a crew from Cairns to T.I & on To Darwin I needed a tad more room than I'd allowed.

Inside for 1 plus 2 sailing bags plus 2 x 400mm cub of fishing gear (fresh fish is GOOD)
Outside - some place for 1 mtr x .6 mtr - poly-prop sheet - fish cleaning & washing station + 2 buckets c/w lanyards. Area only needed - goods supplied.

You 'thmink' - OZ - grub-ment is bad - try speeking 'englitz' in Brisbane to a PNG grub-mnt person to get the 'best' options for extended stay in PNG - that may well take more time than getting the 'CNO' ready for see.
Just spoke to my 'friend' about PNG travel - (he goes in/out PNG 6 to 8 times each year) - seriously suggest you contact the PNG Consular office in Brisbane (there is no longer an office in Cairns) & find out - THE REAL FACTS - about what can be done & what can't be done - how much it's going to cost - cause - a much longer stay - may well - break the bloody bank in Monte-Carlo - - hey btw check it out cause thee may be trouble & expense here. More on this later. Ciao, james

 

I have no problems in PNG (speak the language) in and out in less than 15 minutes (plus waiting time as there may be a queue of others who do not understand protocol/system)...

Will go visit soon anyway... be nice to catch up with "onetalks"...

 

Felt motivated yesterday and redistributed the fuel in new repositories... Drums to hold 260L in fwd Port hold, - - 240L in fwd Stbd hold, - - 360 L in aft Port berth, - - 225 L in aft Stbd berth and - - 100 litres of so on bridge-deck "ready" - - I make that 1185 litres all up... I have yet to fill some 735 litres of fuel in most of the drums... (450 litres of fuel on board)...

I am part way through changing the engine oils (cannot remove the oil filter to change that bugger... I will try to finish that today. but I feel I need some help for that minor task... The bought "remover" device would not fit in the confined space, so 'a friend in need', made one for me out of a bit of scrap metal (a picture later, if I remember) but felt I was going to crush the filter or something likewise as drastic...

Also on Today's agenda is to check out the PV-panel-connections as they are mostly in the shade at this time of year, being as I am parked very close to trees on the northern side, - - not many falling leaves and bugger all falling 'sun-beams'... I may have space to consider a bit of a tidy up as well Hard stand rent paid up until 22 of August - Spring may be in the air by then ??? ...
153016

 

I must ask,
Why wasn't tankage built in as part of the structure at build stage?
You knew it was a powered cat - You knew it needed 1000nm + range

 

Because in remote environments there are very few marina's and some charge like wounded bulls (like at Urangan Marina last year charged Au$2.75/litre for diesel when the road price was Au$1.40 or so... I can carry 10 to 15 drums in the rubber-duckie quite easily... I will likely fuel up in PNG and those facilities like at Urangan do not exist so it has to be hire a truck, fill up at a servo, and bring the 20 and 25 litre drums filled back to the boat... Also easier to check for contaminants like water and sludge and wash that out before refilling... Does not that make sense?

Oh yes I am going to seek a rebate from the government some 30 cents / litre rebate when approved by the ATO I understand by reimbursement on delivery of receipts... OOps "NEW LEGISLATION" ??? http://www.ato.gov.au/businesses/pathway.aspx?pc=001/005/054/002/014 am in the process of checking it out....