WHERE IS YOUR TUG THIS WINTER?
Photo: BENIGN SETTING Teddy Bear #15, one day after the Blizzard of 2015 in New England. Peter Reich reported 30 inches of snow and 5 foot drifts, just off-camera.
There's a great contrast (and jealousy) between Teddy Bear's winter setting on Long Island, NY and ours in Camden, Maine.
Photo: Sally W's summer home between these pilings that hold the docks at Wayfarer Marine in Camden Harbor. The boatyard must break up the ice 2-3 times per week to prevent ice buildup from lifting the pilings out of the mud.
Sally W #42 has been on the hard for three months, and we're looking at another four before splashing in mid-May. Here in northern New England it's amusing when non-boating friends ask if the tug is in the water. Ha! And it's even more amusing when we tell them we're going to drive 4-1/2 hours from our home in Vermont to visit the boat during winter. They'll ask if we're going to stay on it!
Photo: Sally W high and dry. At least shrink-wrap isn't necessary.
WINTER PROJECTS
Being covered in a shed doesn't put an end to projects though. It merely limits them. Sally W #42 relinquishes her exteriordoors and floorboards to her captain for a light sanding and fresh coat of varnish at home in a warm workshop. Allan also polishes the brass hardware.
Peter Reich on Long Island, NY is able to keep Teddy Bear #15 in the water during these non-cruising months. The off-seasondoesn't seem to restrict the "To Do" list. He replaced all 9 dome lights with LEDs, finding brass warm white/red lights at www.cruisingsolutions.com. They are an exact replacement of the original ones, and he's "very happy with them."
In January he began installing new refrigeration. "The unit we had installed shortly after we bought the boat, 30 years ago failed beyond repair after about 7 years. We have been using ice since. My business partner recently sold his hotel/restaurant and that ended my unlimited supply of free ice! We purchased a Frigoboat unit from www.great-water.com. Our original until was water-cooled. The strainer would constantly clog and had to replace the Marchal raw water pump several times. The Frigoboat unit is keel cooled http://great-water.com/store/keel-cooler-thread-mount-no-zinc-p-3970.html and uses no piped water. The copper tubing with refrigerant actually passes out through the hull in a sealed copper block to condense the refrigerant. The compressor is also variable speed and supposedly (hopefully) very efficient."
"Rather than cool the WHOLE icebox, I replaced the removable plexiglass shelf with a permanent insulated shelf. The shelf is made of 3/4" Starboard that I rabbeted and sits on the shelf ledge. Below that are 2 layers of 2" Dow Board foam insulation. They rest on light aluminum angle irons. I cut the Dow Board very loose and foamed in place with spray foam. The Starboard shelf is a tight fit and sealed with silicone. l built the shelf on the boat while under her fitted canvas winter cover. Since it is dark, the new lights have come in handy! Since the boat is in the water, I obviously can't complete the project until we short haul in the spring and install the new thru hull.
The other project we are considering is replacing our 30-year old Raytheon radar with Furuno's new First Watch Radar. The radome only needs wires for power and it sends the image to multiple iPad/iPhones. I've played around with the free simulator app on my iPad and like it, but since it just came out I'm waiting to hear some more reviews before pulling the trigger on this project."
COLD WEATHER CRUISING
Around these parts if you don't choose to haul for the winter, you'd best head south. Roger Lee and Martha Burke left their home in nearby Belfast, ME aboard Fram #71 on November 3 to cruise down the east coast's Intracoastal Waterway. Early on, they spent the night in Fairhaven, MA where John and Ellen Isaksen keep Neptune #35. An LNVT on the move is a magnet. Wannabees Al and Diane Robichaud who live near the Isakensjoined the party, and we couldn't pass up a good time either.
Roger and Martha's trip south was filled with many adventures that were enhanced by weather challenges. The voyage is documented in their excellent blog: www.framscruisinglog.blogspot.com. To date they have left Fram in Charleston, SC and returned to Maine for a short hiatus. With Belfast receiving two feet of snow in the recent blizzard, we guess they'll be back aboard soon.
CHRISTMAS MESSAGES
We love Christmas cards from LNVT friends, especially when they have tug themes. Dean and Pam McChesney, Fun #76, of Old Saybrook, CT sent this great shot.
Photo: Summer memories aboard Fun #76.
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