The big ticket!

When it really comes down to the nitty gritty, the most pressing items of concern are the ‘big ticket’ items that take an enormous bite into the cruising kitty. Foremost among these was the decision to replace our navigation instruments. We opted for Raymarine as this brand was readily available in Darwin and Wayne was a knowledgeable and very helpful source of information at the Yacht Shop.

Our old instruments were ‘old tech’ and had been superseded by the ‘new tech’ with a marked incapacity for any kind of integration. So the decision was made to install a new chart plotter (big ticket), with its requirement for a new wind instrument (big ticket) and through hull for depth transducer. Our old radar looked like something out of a WW2 movie in a submarine so we bit the bullet and put in a new Raymarine FLIR wifi radar (big ticket) that is integrated into the chart plotter and freed up considerable space in the nav station. We were able to rationalise the wiring and relocate the VHF and HF radios and stuff to a more suitable location. The old 486 mini computer running Win xp had to go an as we are a Mac family, a new MacBook (big ticket) has since been integrated into the network and programmed to provide redundancy for navigation using Open CPN as a back up system. As well as the inevitable iPad options.

During our travels we are going to be writing, shooting stills, video and creating AV material as well as rehearsing and performing our music, so we have to have our iMac setup for multi tasking. We are mounting the 28” iMac where the radar used to be in the nav station and networking as appropriate. The Thunderbay NAS has to be relocated and secured to new shelving, again in the nav station. So many wires! An additional complication is that everything has to be secured to desks and shelves for when we are in the (inevitable) rough stuff.

Hauling up the slip in Cullen Bay, Darwin

Encouraging sign on the slipway!

Dirty Hull!

Cleaning Hull!

Anode on prop required work and cleaning.

Here we go!

Before!

After!

Clean as a whistle.

Rudder and Prop.

Ready for floating...

Nice and clean.

Safely launched!

We hauled Moonshadow up the slip in Cullen Bay (big ticket) for its anti fouling treatment earlier this year and took the opportunity to put a new hole in the hull for the depth transducer. All went well with no leaks so far.

UIKEYINPUTDOWNARROWWe are now back in the pen at Bayview and tackling the maintenance and transition from a live aboard to a cruiser. This includes restoring the teak deck and all the prep and varnish of the bright work. More on that in another post!

Life is great!

Jeremy