Fixing new instruments in December

I found really nice offer of double depth and log transducers and display and GPS repeater display from NASA Marine and decided to upgrade my instruments. I got the displays in October and I had a chance to try to install them after I moved my boat out of the water. Current instruments in Sasha were the original B&G instruments. I started removing the original B&G log transducer, because I did not wanted to drill extra hole in the hull. When I removed it I discovered that the hole diameter in the hull was 49 mm, and the NASA Clipper Duet log transducer was 42 mm. Instead of filling the hole I decided that it will be easier to just get another transducer with the appropriate diameter.

NASA Clipper Duet and GPS repeater

I went for Raymarine i40 speed with P317 transducer from Airmar. The diameter was 50 mm, so I had to enlarge the hole with 1 mm. I did it with circular saw and install it with Sikaflex 291i. Actually I was very happy about upgrading to Raymarine, the difference in the quality of the materials are to be seen immediately and of course it is also to be seen from the price of the items.  I found a lot of disturbing information about NASA transducers failures in internet, but still many people are happy with them. It seems that they have had a problem with specific sealant which actually have deteriorated the through hull feed through. I tried to return the Clipper Duet, but I bought it from internet company in Germany and they did not answer my e-mails. Another point learned, when buying instruments better do it from a local shop where you could return the item if does not fit :) I decided to install the display anyway and to use just the depth transducer. I decided to mount the transducer in hull in the front port side compartment of the ship :)

I just installed the Raymarine display and decided to check how my wind Navman Wind 100 was doing, the display remained in my hand. Very exiting :) Navman are out of businesses from several years all they products are discontinued. My question was should I change now the entire system, my wind transducer is still working.

NAVMAN Wind 100 Display, surprisingly still working when pushed against the electronics.

I found in Marktplaats a second hand display from NAVMAN 3150s wich I was wondering if will be compatible with the sensor from Wind 100. I contacted the Navico which offer support of NAVMAN in the Netherlands, and they told me that the Wind 100 transducer and Wind 3150s display are compatible. I bought the second hand display, but the display had 8 pin plug, and my transducer cable had 5 pin plug. I found some info in Internet about the NAVMAN transducers. 

It looks like the NAVMAN transducers use just 5 cables, which was a good sign. In my case down from the mast were coming five cables red, brown, white, green, and a cable without a cover. I cut the 8 pin plug and indeed there were just 5 cables: red, brown, white, green, and a cable without a cover. I connected the cables, checked the red and the cable without cover were the power cables and the other 3 were the information cables. It worked :)

Raymarine i40 speed and Navman 3150s

So it was pretty busy December indeed :)

Out of the water.

It was a fantastic day today. When I started from home, it was heavy raining and pretty windy (6 bft). When I arrived in Den Oever it was sunny and almost no wind. I got down the sails, and went for the lifting. When I got there, guys from the Search and Rescue asked me if I mind to let them first launch their boat. I agreed and had a lovely sail on motor around the harbour. 10 min after it was rain again :) Then I got Sasha out of the water. There was 1 hour window of perfect weather for getting down the sails, having last ride, and lifting the boat. It was a nice end of a brilliant sailing season.

Sailing in the lonesome October

Still some really nice weather in October with great wind :)

Beyond the clouds, beyond the waves that roar. There may indeed or may not be a shore :)

Back to Den Oever.

I brought Sasha back to Den Oever, through Ijmuiden, Amsterdam, Volendam, and Lelystadt :) I did the passage from Scheveningen to Volendam single handed for 13 hours, 59 nm, two locks and one bridge :) My personal record :)

Sailing to Scheveningen

I brought Sasha to Scheveningen via the North sea canal and the North sea. At the end we had to fight the waves, the wind, and the tide. When we got out of Ijmuiden the wind force was about 6 Bft, at Scheveningen it was 2 Bft :) Brilliant day :) We were late a bit, because we had to wait about 1 hour for the maneuvering of the big ship in the North sea canal. It is kind of depressing to sail against the tide :)

Sea Feather test sailing

I tested the Sea Feather upwind and downwind and it worked very nice. The wind force down wind was about 7-8 knots, and upwind about 12-14 knots.

I moved the Genoa traveler to the deck. It seems that I can get the Genoa sail closer to the boat which gives me the opportunity to sail very nice upwind.

It is amazing how the Sea Feather handles the helm downwind :)