I don’t know about your boat, but we have collected a drawer full of manuals and documentation for the various electronics and gizmos on Archimedes. While we occasionally reference one from time to time, they mostly just take up space. Our solution is an iPad and an app called Good Reader ($4.99).
I have no factual data regarding the popularity of sausage rolls in British Columbia. All I can say is that we see them in every grocery store we visit. A brief google search shows they appear to be popular in Britain. Perhaps that’s the link. What I can say is that they are tasty. Not haute cuisine by any means, but easy to make and eat on a boat.
Yum!
Archimedes came to us with a 12 foot inflatable and an 8 horse outboard. Not bad, but the little motor won’t get the boat up on plane very well. It would get there … barely, but not with two people on board.
I feel the need. The need for speed. Or … at least more speed than before.
Kim. Out for a test drive on Lake Union.
Steve Guyer, from Guyer Boatworks replaced the outboard with a 20 horse Tohatsu. Electric start. Electric trim. That’s right. She’ll plane nicely now. He also added a St. Croix seat and steering. Very comfy.
Last Saturday evening, we were on the Sound headed back to the locks. Just outside Shilshole, I went out on deck and noticed a Coast Guard boat approaching on the port side. When I saw the blue lights, I knew their intention. Those are cool boats, by the way.
The conversation went something like this…
CG: “Good evening. When was the last time you were boarded by the Coast Guard?”
Me: “Never.”
CG: “Would you like to make this the first time?”
Me: “Sure.” (Is there another answer to that question?)
Cindy and Noe are friends from southern California. Not much experience with the Northwest and none with boats. They came up for a visit this past weekend and we took them out on the Sound for the day Saturday.
Fortunately for all, Seattle brought out some great weather for the weekend. The first sunshine in a long time. Sometimes we get lucky.
A beautiful start to the day
We left the slip on Lake Union headed for the locks shortly after 8:00 on Saturday morning. No other boats in sight. As we approached the locks, we could see the gates were closed. We prepared to tie up at the small lock waiting area. Just then the gates started to open and we got the green light. In we went. We were the only boat around so the gates were closing as we finished tying off. That’s service!
There we were. A beautiful day. On a mooring buoy in Montague Harbour. A few days into a two week trip through the Gulf Islands. The anchor light won’t light. We like to anchor. We are going to need that light. So …. I decided we needed to tip the mast down to check the bulb. Simple. That’s the way it always begins. Not the way it usually ends. At least for me.
Our mast had a bunch of “stuff” on it. Pretty heavy on the top end. Lowering takes a bit of work. Raising it, takes much more. The hinges are not built for all that weight.
All this "stuff" makes the mast pretty heavy.
Anchors are a very personal choice. I don’t really know why, but the choice of an anchor seems to spur endless debate on the internet. Archimedes came equipped with a 45 lb. CQR. The first few times we anchored, getting a good set was more difficult than we expected, and were used to on our sailboat. Perhaps it was just me or not being used to the new boat. Anyway … I got the urge to do something different.
After some investigation, analysis, non-scientific research, and just because I thought it looked cool, we decided to get a 60 lb. Manson Supreme. I thought about the next size up, but was concerned about the ability of our windlass to lift a bigger anchor and all that chain.
Here are the old and new anchors side by side.
