{"id":4436,"date":"2015-04-28T12:16:13","date_gmt":"2015-04-28T12:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=4436"},"modified":"2015-04-28T12:16:13","modified_gmt":"2015-04-28T12:16:13","slug":"getting-ready-for-sea-well-sort-of","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/?p=4436","title":{"rendered":"Getting ready for sea, well sort of."},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Tuesday morning and it\u2019s still dark out as I sit down to begin this post.\u00a0 I seem to be waking early these days as there are so many details to be worked out prior to beginning our run north with our \u201cnew\u201d Pandora.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After a number of posts about what\u2019s on the horizon with \u201cnew\u201d it\u2019s pretty clear that different names for the boats, beyond old and new, would certainly be easier.\u00a0 However, I am not a particular fan of the designation of \u201c1, 2 or heaven forbid 7\u201d as a designation on how to keep track of the progression or yachts.\u00a0 However, it would certainly be easier if our new \u201cPandora\u201d was named something, well new, like \u201cFred\u201d.\u00a0 Then the distinction of which boat I am talking about would certainly be easier to follow.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, for now, let\u2019s try to just go with Pandora as the \u201cboat of the moment\u201d.\u00a0 The \u201cold\u201d Pandora, well, I\u2019ll just remain silent on that one for now.\u00a0 Ok, here goes.<\/p>\n

A boat like Pandora, an Aerodyne 47, is a much more complex than anything that we have ever owned and I have to say that it is going to be a while until I get used to that.\u00a0 Right now, I am feeling pretty overwhelmed by all of the systems.\u00a0 We have never had air conditioning on a boat and this one has two zones, one for the main cabin and a second for the master cabin. \u00a0That\u2019s nice but it means that everything is duplicated.\u00a0How do I reprogram the AIS? \u00a0It currently says “Ariel”. \u00a0I have no idea but am pretty sure that it involves my laptop. \u00a0 And, the number of hoses and wires going every which way, is staggering.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned in a prior post, the surveyor uncovered a few issues when he went over the boat but fortunately, none will be a particularly big deal.\u00a0 The biggest one, that we found, and I am sure that the owner had no idea about this, had to do with a leaking muffler.\u00a0 The surveyor pointed out a slow but consistent drip from the front of the muffler that didn\u2019t look to bad.\u00a0 However, when I \u201ccleaned\u201d up the area with a wire brush, the drip turned into a gusher as the hole gradually grew large enough to fit three fingers. \u00a0 \u00a0I expect that the owner had no idea of the problem as it was buried in an area that was very tough to see.<\/p>\n

Some suggest that a boat should be professionally surveyed every 8-10 years and seeing the muffler problem has certainly convinced me that having someone go over things periodically is a very good idea. \u00a0It’s pretty clear that more time we spend with something, boat, house, car, the easier it is to overlook certain details that somehow blend into the woodwork over time.\u00a0\u00a0 However, had the rusted area in the muffler been missed and broken through\u2026\u00a0 Well, let\u2019s just say that a LOT of water goes through a muffler. \u00a0 No doubt, we\u2019d be \u201cdead in the water\u201d \u00a0with an engine pumping hundreds of gallons of water per hour along with loads of hot and smoky exhaust. \u00a0And, just try getting into an inlet, against the tide, with no motor.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want to think about that.\u00a0 Can you say
\n\u201cBoat US unlimited towing\u201d?\u00a0 Check!<\/p>\n

There are other minor issues that have cropped up like a small leak from the washer\/dryer that I expect will be quite tough to fix, if it can be fixed at all, as the unit is shoehorned into the cabin. \u00a0 \u00a0And, there is a minor water leak, perhaps best called a \u201cweep\u201d in the water heater.\u00a0 I suspect, or at least hope, that it\u2019s around a fitting and not something more substantial.\u00a0\u00a0 However, over all, Pandora passed her survey with excellent marks.\u00a0 In fact, at the end of the day I asked the surveyor, a very nice Australian guy, how this boat compared to the many others that he had reviewed over the years.\u00a0 His answer, “one of the best I’ve seen”, and then he added, \u201cand I have to admit that I am a bit jealous\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 As I was about to take a huge financial leap, that was good to hear.<\/p>\n

However, as I struggled, over the last two days, to get a very recalcitrant muffler loose and out, I expect that there aren’t many that would envy me tackling that project.\u00a0 Happily, the muffler is now out, with a bit of help from a $75\/hr guy and an electric saw.\u00a0\u00a0 Well, \u201cmuffler woes\u201d \u00a0should be behind me later today when I install the new one. \u00a0Let’s hope that assembly is easier than the demolition. Fingers crossed… \u00a0(Ever notice how often that phrase comes up in boat ownership?) \u00a0 Yes, I am hoping to exclaim as I put on the last clamp, \u201cnow, wasn\u2019t that easy?\u201d \u00a0 Wish me luck.<\/p>\n

A few years\u00a0 ago, I wrote about Tanya and Jay who live aboard their big cat, Take Two, with their 5, count them 5 children.\u00a0\u00a0 Well, they are here in the marina and tied up just behind me on the dock. \u00a0They are spending a few months here at the marina while Jay and the rest of the family do some work on their boat.\u00a0 It has been fun to catch up with the \u201cclan\u201d and see how things are going.<\/p>\n

I have talked about our plans to head to the Caribbean next winter and I understand that the Take Two gang will be going there as well.\u00a0 However, their run will be for several years and will take them to South America, the western Caribbean and Panama prior to returning to the US. \u00a0 I do hope that our paths cross again soon.<\/p>\n

As Brenda has headed home to CT, I am alone aboard and anyone that knows me knows that I am not too big on the \u201calone thing\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I was also thinking that it might be tough for Tanya and Jay to find someone to watch five kids so that they can get some alone time.\u00a0 Yes, their oldest Ely, is old enough to watch the younger ones, but with me on the scene the parents could go a bit further afield and enjoy a night on the town \u201cgrownup style\u201d.\u00a0 Anyway, I offered to have the five kids over for a movie night on Sunday.\u00a0 It was a real treat, let me tell you.<\/p>\n

We watched a movie, one of only two that I have that are rated for a \u201cG\u201d audience.\u00a0\u00a0 I even provided chocolate candy that won rave reviews from all. \u00a0 When I passed around the bowl of chocolates it was very cute as each carefully chose a single piece and passed the bowl. \u00a0Then one of them tentatively chirped, “can we have more than one?” “Yes,of course, eat as much as you want but not so much that you make yourself sick.\u00a0 I don\u2019t want your mom to be angry with me\u201d.<\/p>\n

They ate everything except the Almond Joy.\u00a0 I guess that coconut wasn\u2019t their favorite. \u00a0 That’s good for me.<\/p>\n

What a nice group of kids in rapt attention.\"\"<\/a>The youngest, Rachel, born after they moved aboard, is getting big.\u00a0 She still reminds me of Dr. Seuss’s, Cindy Lou Hoo.\u00a0\u00a0 Very cute. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/span>I wrote about the Take Two gang<\/a> back in 2012, when I last saw them. \u00a0 A very nice family.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One more thing before I break. \u00a0I saw this manatee sleeping near a boat the other evening. \u00a0There are several living in the area but this one should certainly be easy to spot with the \u201cprop scars\u201d on his back.\u00a0 He\u2019s nearly 10\u2019 long.\u00a0 Huge. \u00a0With all the boat traffic in their home waters, it’s remarkable that any survive.\u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/span>Well, I guess that\u2019s about all I have today but there\u2019s plenty to keep me occupied between now and Sunday when my crew arrives, to get the boat ready for the run north.\u00a0 Let\u2019s hope I can get everything done in time.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

Next, we\u2019ll need a good weather window.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s Tuesday morning and it\u2019s still dark out as I sit down to begin this post.\u00a0 I seem to be waking early these days as there are so many details to be worked out prior to beginning our run north with our \u201cnew\u201d Pandora.\u00a0 After a number of posts about what\u2019s on the horizon with […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","_s2mail":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4436"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4443,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4436\/revisions\/4443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sailpandora.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}