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Saturday, January 21, 2017

Inauguration Day 2017


So tomorrow is the 20th of January, 2017, otherwise known as Inauguration Day.  Would that I were in a celebratory mood; alas that is not the case. 

Chicago
I am not a young woman anymore.  I spend little time thinking about career, now that it is almost certainly in my past, and much more time thinking about what the world will look like for my children and theirs. Over the past several years I have grown to have hope that we are figuring out how to take care of our land and our people.  I have witnessed many things of which I can be proud.  
Central Park, NYC

I have found reason to believe that there is a place for everyone in this country; that the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness really DOES belong to all of us, that no one of us is more important than the others, and that regard for the life of all people is important.  To that end, all of us must have access to health care as a basic human right.  
Duluth, MN

I have gained hope that wars will never again be launched without earnest consideration and input of the wisest among us. I reason that since I knew instinctively that war with Iraq would not produce the desired result, surely those among us who are better educated than I foresaw the debacle of the past 16 years.  I have trusted that those people have been consulted regularly over the past eight years to maneuver the intricacy of foreign relationships, and to avoid unnecessary wars
FDR's words on war

I have seen refugees of war-torn and destitute countries find homes within our borders. I have seen evidence that people of diverse religions can support one another and bond together in communities.  

Visitors to NYC
I have seen girls and young women seeking out the education and positions that best suit their interests, talents and drives.  I have seen proof that we are coming to believe that two people who care deeply for one another deserve the sanction of their relationship in our society, regardless of their genders.
Research in the Arctic

I have been relieved to see science resume the position of relevance that it must have, for our future on this planet; that countries around the world have begun to pull together to do what we can to slow the effects of our industrialization and population growth.  I have begun to hope that we would not lose our coastal cities to rising waters.  
Picnic in Maine

We need to figure out how to continue to feed us all without depleting everything around us in the process. I want Americans to continue to preserve natural beauty on this continent for our descendants.
Columbia River Valley, Oregon

But….I’ve also seen many things that as an American, do not make me proud.  As my husband and I travel around the country, I have seen evidence of unbelievable wealth.  
Newport, RI

With all the wealth of our nation, I just can’t help but ask why still so many of us struggle to survive here?  Why do we continue to build single homes that could house multiple families and that use the energy of a dozen smaller homes?  

Graffiti NYC

Why is it that the privileged and wealthy are exempted from many of the struggles that the rest of us share;  exempted from worry about affording health care, affording education, affording housing and safe neighborhoods, “exempted” from criminal prosecution sometimes.  
Wisdom of FDR:  No country however rich can afford the waste of its human resources.

Sadly, I have witnessed a decline in relationships between those that we ought to be able to trust to protect us, and those who most need that protection.  I have witnessed increased fear of those in positions of authority.  And fear of random armed people among us.  Guns in the hands of people who are not hunters—at least not hunters of animals.  
Site of John Lennon's murder

I have seen that those who are perceived as “different” by those in power, too often have little or no voice. Racial slurs and words of hatred spewed toward others have been resurrected from dark places within us that I had thought were withering away from the bright light of justice and common decency.  I had thought that the past decade saw us moving together as a people. I was wrong.
FDR Memorial.  "The test of our progress is.....whether we provide enough for those who have too little."

Tomorrow Americans shall inaugurate a new president; a president who has not shown a genuine interest in the welfare of this country’s people, nor even a serious interest in shouldering the responsibility of the presidency.  
Trump event during election 

We have found a president who may just be the best example that we could have conjured, to exemplify the drive for personal wealth and power above all other considerations—above honesty, respect, certainly above community and country.  A person who even before inauguration has led the charge to keep racism, xenophobia, arrogance, blatant hatred and fear alive and well within our land.  
A Connecticut superfund site

My fear is that within the next four years, this “leader” and his ill-chosen wealthy cronies will have gutted the functions of the very institutions and agencies which have been established for our people’s protections: Health & Human Services, Education, Justice, Environmental Protection, and on and on.  

"We must scrupulously guard the civil rights.....of all citizens.....oppression, any injustice, any hatred, is a wedge designed to attack our civilization."  FDR 
I hope my fear is unwarranted.  I hope that our nation will not have slipped back 50 years in four years’ time. My fear is that a careless comment or intentional insult from the man we will be obligated to refer to as “president” will launch us into an even more dangerous place than where we’ve been.  

FDR warning to be aware of government by a handful of rulers.
I left the country today, not to avoid the inauguration, but I would not have watched it anyway.  I WOULD however, have liked to participate in the March on Washington on the 21st.  If my readers would be so kind, would you do me the honor of posting how you spend your Inauguration Day 2017 and the day after?  I’ll be thinking of all of us tomorrow. 

From the Little Bahama Bank of the Abacos, I am—
a Sad but Determined American.  






Sunday, January 15, 2017

Improving on the Dinghy



Our dinghy after finishing dinghy chaps last fall.
We have a fairly decent dinghy.  I can’t (or at least, shouldn’t) complain. It’s a 10’ AB hypalon dinghy with a hard floor and 15 hp Yamaha.  It has a seat that fits across at midships.  The ends of the seat slide into slots that hold it snugly in place.  Often times, I think a little bigger dinghy would be nice, especially when we’re provisioning, but it’s actually a very serviceable dinghy; our “car” on the water.
Dinghy in Maine 

However, one teensy complaint that I have had is that the seat tends to bend when sat upon. Surely this is a shortcoming of the seat’s design rather than something to be said about my weight, right?  At any rate, I really want to feel comfortable sitting on the middle of the seat rather than on the side tube, where I’m more apt to get wet while underway.  
This handmade wood seat fits perfectly over the original seat.

While in Maine this past summer, we met some folks who had done a really nifty thing with their dinghy.  They had made a very sturdy wide wood seat that fit over the top of the dinghy seat which was then painted nicely.  That image tumbled around in my mind for a couple of months. 
Our handmade seat, made in Memphis in bro-in-law's garage

Before we left our boat in Maryland this fall, and drove off to Memphis to visit Carl’s family, I went out and found 3 pieces of wood that could be fashioned into a seat that would fit over our dinghy seat.  I brought the pieces with us to Memphis where I knew one of the family members would have a garage with just enough power tools to enable me to build a wood seat and to sand it and shape it to remove any sharp edges.  (Thank you Stro.)
Ready to seal and apply "non-skid" to cover the wood surface

It’s not a perfect fit by any means.  It could have been made a little longer, but it does the job.  It makes our dinghy seat a very strong, sturdy seat that will hold my dainty weight as well as that of my husband.  After returning to Maryland, I sealed the wood and then painted the seat with “non-skid” to protect it from the elements.
Our new wider wood seat, covered with "non-skid" finish

One way in which the seat was not perfect was that it is actually a little wider than the width of the dinghy seat below, so that it does want to slide around just a bit.  I finally solved that problem by lining the two long sides underneath with thick weather stripping.  Problem solved.  Then I attached the wood seat to the original dinghy seat by circling the two with nylon webbing and an adjustable buckle.
Thick weather stripping lining both long undersides of the seat

I was fairly happy with our new seat at this point.  Alas, my husband was not.  The non-skid made for a slightly rough surface such that he didn’t want to kneel on the seat as he climbs into the dinghy.  After making this sturdy seat, I was determined that he would like the darn thing.  So, the next project was to make a cushioned seat covering.

Covered cushion that fits over new wood seat.  

It may be no surprise to anyone that I had leftover pieces of Sunbrella, Pfifertex and Shelter-Rite vinyl lying around from previous projects. With those, I was able to put together a cushioned seat cover.  Previously, I had purchased a thick yoga mat at Wal-Mart in order to add external insulation over our freezer. I cut another piece off that yoga mat for the cushion on the dinghy seat.  It’s perfect since it’s a closed cell foam—lots cheaper than the foam designed for that purpose. 

Webbing cinches up the underseat and wood seat.
As you can see from the photograph, I applied snaps to the tails of the seat in order to attach the cushion to the wood seat.  After drilling a starter hole for the screws, I put a small plug of marine grade silicone on the screw to keep the drilled hole from absorbing moisture in this wet environment.  Voila.

A Sunbrella was made to cover gas tank previously.

Next issue—a while back, we moved our gas tank toward the bow in the dinghy, along with the bulk of the security chain we use for securing the dingy to docks.  Having more of the weight farther forward enables us to get the dinghy up on plane more easily.  Now that the area under the seat is occupied with the gas tank, I needed another plan for carrying the life jackets.  I don’t like them just lying on the floor of the dinghy—we step on them and they get hammered by UV rays.  
Back side of the three-sided hammock thingy, holding one life jacket.

Given that development, I made up a little 3-sided hammock thingy that hangs under the new, wider seat to hold one of the life jackets.  
Life jacket inside case makes for a cushion.  Zipper closure.

For the other, I made a zippered case so that it can act like a cushion. With three snaps, I attached it to the side of the dinghy where we sit when operating the motor. Sometimes with a little more chop on the water, we tend to get wet butts while operating the motor.  Now we can flip the cushion up to sit a little higher and perhaps, get a bit less wet. Otherwise, it’s out of the way, beneath our legs as we sit on the hypalon tube.
Flip the case up and sit on higher cushion.


For the final dinghy project; I made a little pouch that slips over one of the dinghy handles.  It will hold two coffee mugs, or a retractable dog leash, some doggy bags and boat cards.  
Small Pfifertex pouch for coffee or small items.

We now have the most color-coordinated dinghy at the dinghy dock in Vero Beach.  Just a few days ago, another dinghy stopped by the boat and asked where I got the dinghy chaps, and said, and I quote, “These are the nicest looking dinghy chaps in the anchorage; they’re really tight.”  Oh, my heart swelled to hear such a compliment!  I am such a SailRite “nerd.”

Sunday, January 8, 2017

"Hull #48" or "How I Learned to Polish Brass"


The Captain, ready to compare hull numbers with other Saga 43 owners



“Hull #48.”

That’s the answer to the question we’ve been asked many times.  The conversation is set in motion by another Saga 43 sailboat coming into sight. Waves and knowing glances are first exchanged from one cockpit to another across the water. 
Buddy boating through NYC 2016

When at last there is verbal contact between the two boats, the conversation almost always progresses as follows— “Nice lookin’ boat you got there,” one of the two parties calls out with a grin. It’s a cheesy introduction but one that is perfectly acceptable within the cruising world.  In short order “the question” is put out there “What’s your hull number?”  Now, why is this important, you ask.  A reasonable question.  A boat with a hull # in the single digits may have been built “before the little tweaks that were later discovered to be advantageous, were built in.” A boat built near the end of the production may have had subtle changes made to the design which were either a good thing, or a bad thing and this spawns yet a different sort of discussion. 
Our SAGA 43 with resident Border Collie

We have had the good fortune to meet several Saga 43 owners over the past year and a half.   One day this fall, we met the owners of Hull #1. Hull #1 was built in St. Catherine, Ontario in 1996.  Ours was built there also, in 2003.  Hull #1 is 7 years older than our boat but it looked years newer!  
Brass door handles after polishing

Those sailboat owners really know how to take care of a boat!  The cabin sole (floor) was perfect; all the woodwork inside the boat was satiny and shining.  The brass handles, hinges and knobs gleamed. The stainless steel was shiny.  In short, Hull #1 was awesome!  Hull #48, by comparison, was decidedly not.  After seeing the beauty of Hull #1, a truly well-cared for boat, inside and out, I recognized that Northern Star also has that same beauty within her.  We had allowed it to fade by benign neglect.  She needed some good old-fashioned elbow grease. I discovered a compulsion to polish brass.  The drive to make our boat shine struck home with a vengeance. 
Profile of barometer, badly in need of polishing

We were traveling down the ICW on our way to Vero Beach shortly after we met Hull #1. Carl was driving the boat and I started polishing, tackling the largest items of brass first:  the ship’s bell, lantern, barometer, inclinometer, porthole mirror and the 7 wall lamps.  Polishing those took the better part of three long days on the ICW.  I discovered several important things about polishing brass during those first days.  
Badly tarnished bell hanger

First off, my old standby, liquid Brasso did not do as good a job for me as Prism Polish.  Prism Polish is a thick paste, sold in marine supply stores.  It comes in 8 oz. and 16 oz. jars and is not easy to tip over.  It was easy to apply with a cloth, paper towel or Q-tip.  Smells pretty decent, too. 

The beauty hidden beneath the tarnish
Second, the more tarnished the brass, the more helpful it was to use paper toweling to rub the paste off.  I went through 3-4 rolls of cheap paper towels by the time I was finished with all of the brass on the interior of the boat—this in spite of using only 1/2 sheet each time. The wood fibers in the paper towel added just enough abrasion to help remove the black tarnish. I ended up applying most of the Prism paste with Q-tips because I could be more precise in applying it only where I wanted it and I think it was less wasteful.  I was pleased to find that the Prism Polish did not stain or appear to harm the woodwork surrounding the brass. I had started out by taping around the items to be polished thinking the paste would be hard on the woodwork but it was not.  That saved me some time.
Our porthole mirror gleams!

Taping was unnecessary

Third, I found that it made sense to polish a number of things at the same time.  Allowing the polish to sit undisturbed on the brass for a few minutes before coming back to it to rub off loosened up more tarnish than when just putting it on and immediately wiping it off.  
Hinges that did not look promising

Fourth, the first two or three applications of the paste yielded only a small amount of greenish residue and did not look promising.  One could be disheartened and think that was going to be the end result.  By the time the next applications went on however, the brass was sloughing copious amounts of black residue.  It was not possible to remove all of that with only a few more applications.  The black kept coming off time after time.  Many of the items that I polished had twelve or even more applications of paste before getting to the point that there was very little black coming off on the paper towel. 
Beautiful hinges

Fifth, even though some brass had pitting that wasn’t going to go away with polishing, I found that the polishing was still worth doing.  There was yet enough shine to be had to make the piece look much improved.  
Ships' bell

While I was learning how to polish brass, I was also becoming painfully aware of just how much brass there is on the interior of this boat. There are 4 walk-through doors with pairs of brass handles, accompanying sets of hinges and the locking mechanisms;  3 hanging locker doors with brass hinges, handles and pulls; 19 smaller cupboard doors with pairs of brass hinges and pulls, 21 drawers with brass pulls; 18 overhead lights ringed in brass, and finally, hinges on the table, at the navigation station and handles on the electrical panels.  Gasp!  What had I begun?  I’d barely scratched the surface.
Nav station desk hinges
Nav station cupboard fasteners

Sometimes, obsessive traits can be helpful.  I did complete the polishing of all of the above although I tended to ignore the hinges inside cupboards that I can’t see.  All told, this project took several more days to complete— a few days on the ICW and a couple more after arriving in Vero Beach.  I finished just in time for the arrival of our Christmas guests—my two children from Portland, OR and Carl’s son and his girlfriend from Chicago.  
A shiny inclinometer

Nobody happened to mention how nice and shiny the brass was. I would have been very surprised if any of them had.  Brass is supposed to be shiny, right?  Why then would a person comment on what is as it should be?  I’m amazed that I’ve lived on this boat for more than a year and a half without realizing there was all this beautiful brass hiding in plain sight all around us. 












Saturday, January 7, 2017

Storage of Unwieldy Things Onboard


Preparing to install new battery bank below aft berth
As ever, I am on the lookout for ways to maximize our finite space aboard Northern Star and to make that available space easier to access. Over the past year and a half I have caught myself staring at the interior hull of the aft cabin, as if in a trance.  I was fixated on one long expanse of wood paneled wall curving out and up along the hull. Below that wall, on the aft cabin berth lay stacks of bulky and frequently quite long items that have to be stored somewhere on the boat.  

All manner of awkwardly shaped things are in there—the stiff unwieldy rain panel (we lost one in a wind storm) that zips onto the dodger, the helm station canvas, a really long fishing rod and reel, an 8’ long spear for lobster fishing, a long-handled boat brush, clothes washing “plunger,” shade tarp, a beach pop-up tent, wind scoops, covers for the Garmin instruments, a Loos* gauge, a “pigstick”**—all this extraneous stuff!  Stuff that doesn’t really belong anywhere in particular.  Stuff that wouldn’t have to be taking up space on a berth where a guest otherwise could sleep. But what to do with it? And all the while, there above the berth, staring at me, is that long bare wall……
Hanging sling mounted on the aft cabin wall.  A mesh hammock hangs beyond.

Somewhere or other, I must have seen a picture of the concept that popped into my head—a suspended sling.  I cannot take credit for designing it, but perhaps a little credit for adding to the idea with an embellishment or two.  The concept is a style of storage that probably has its’ origins in the use of an apron to hold a bunch of apples or in the the use of a hammock to hold anything that must be kept up off the floor.  A sling is a very simple concept.
Opening one of the PermaLock fasteners

After measuring that bare aft cabin hull wall, I set out to make a wall-mounted sling that would be able to contain the above mentioned items and would not use up the entire wall either.  I decided to make a sling that would measure  42” X 54”.  Because I acquired some large scraps of Sunbrella and Pfiftertex when I was last in Annapolis, I had a lot of the necessary supplies on hand.  What I did not have were the kind of fasteners that would attach the sling to the wood paneling of the hull—fasteners that can be twisted to open one side of the roll as it hangs. SailRite had the answer for that; Permalock Fasteners that are designed to attach cloth to a hard surface.  I had them delivered to us in Florida, when I knew we would be in one spot for a week or so.  These are nifty little pieces of hardware.  
PermaLock fastener

One side of the sling (42” side) is permanently mounted on the wall using the Permalock Fasteners. The 54" sling then falls to the bed below and the opposite end of the sling is then lifted up and reattached to the wall using those same fasteners, making a 27 inch-deep sling.  To make the most of the storage space with this sling, I added some external attachments to hold the very long items such as the fishing rod, the spear, boat brush, clothes washing plunger, etc. on the outside of the sling.  My intention was that I would then be able to access those individual, long items without having to open up the entire sling. 

This has turned out to be a very usable space for us.  The sling takes away very little space from the aft cabin since the wall space was “unused” space anyhow.  Because the sling follows the curve of the hull, it hangs above but also away from the surface of the bed so a person can sleep below.  If my guest is claustrophobic, he or she may not like sleeping with these items stored in such close proximity, however, I suspect that someone who is claustrophobic is not going to want to sleep in the aft cabin anyhow.  
Rings, snaps, loops can be attached on the outside

The materials that I used for this sling were:

  • A Pfifertex panel cut to 42” X 54.”  I allowed 1” for folded hems on the two long sides.  
  • Sunbrella strips (4) cut 43" long and 3" wide to encase each short side of the sling.  I added an additional layer of sturdy canvas as stiffener between the two pieces of casing.  These encased shorter ends must be very rugged as they will be attached to the wall.  
  • 9-10 yards of 1” nylon webbing.  Because I knew this sling would be expected to hold a significant amount of weight, I used nylon webbing to stitch 4 lengths (54”) to match up with the fasteners.  I also used 3-4 yards to sew 4 extra lengths of webbing that lie on the outside of the sling. These are adjusted by 4 side-release buckles to accommodate blankets and things with a circumference of up to 24".
  • 4 plastic (1") side-release buckles.  More could have been attached with the nylon webbing if desired.
  • 4 Permalock Fasteners.  If the sling were any wider, I’d have wanted to use more Permalock Fasteners. 

  • Scraps of clear vinyl (20 gauge) — I used 4 squares of it to make “windows” so that I can see what’s rolled up inside of the sling without taking it down.
  • 4 plastic rings, attached across the length of the pack.  Long lightweight items can be attached at those as needed.


Here’s to making the most of boat space…Cheers and Happy New Year.
The sling and aft cabin are loaded with supplies for the Bahamas
*Loos gauge - a tool designed to measure the tension of cables/rigging. 
**pigstick - a homemade stick that can be pulled up the mast to extend above the height of the mast. If the pigstick makes contact with the underside of a bridge, the boat is not going under.