Exterior Teak Restoration: A Labor of Love
Owning a sailboat is not only an adventure on the water but also a continuous journey of maintenance and care. Our 46-year-old sailboat holds cherished memories and timeless beauty, but its exterior teak has seen its fair share of wear and staining over the years. In this blog post, we’ll take you through our teak […]
Troubleshooting Our Drinking Water Pump
Maintaining a sailboat is a constant and challenging endeavor, and when unexpected issues arise, they can disrupt your cruising life. Recently, we encountered a peculiar problem with our drinking water pump. It started to pulse and wouldn’t pump water continuously. Determined to get to the root of the issue, we decided to take matters into […]
Enhancing Our Sailing Experience with a Canvas Dodger
One important addition to our sailboat that has transformed our sailing and live aboard experience is our canvas dodger from Compass Canvas in Point Richmond. A dodger is a protective cover that extends over the companionway of a sailboat, offering shelter and safeguarding the cockpit area from the harsh conditions at sea. It is crafted […]
Making the Beta 43 Fit
Prop Shaft Extension The Beta 43 has a completely different footprint than the Perkins. The engine sits a bit higher and the transmission is considerably shorter. As such, our prop shaft wouldn’t mate up with the transmission. So we went to Bay Propeller in Alameda and had them create a shaft extension for us. We […]
We’re Getting the Beta
Recap After much deliberation and with the lingering effects of the pandemic causing delays in the delivery of our Beta Marine 43, we made the decision get the Perkins 4-108 running. Shortly after ordering a couple thousand dollars of Perkins parts we got the good news that the Beta Marine 43 had been delivered to […]
The Fire
In our last post we were in the process of diagnosing why our Perkins 4-108 was persistently overheating. We decided to rebuild the engine and were in the complete tear down process when disaster struck. On October 31, 2021 a fire engulfed our marina work shed, reducing it to ashes. Unfortunately, the work shed housed […]
Saga of an Old Perkins 4-108
For many boat owners, the engine is the heart of their vessel, providing reliable power for countless adventures. Not only does the engine allow you to anchor and enter marinas safely and quickly, it also charges the batteries for all the electrical needs of a cruiser. Such was the case with our trusty 1977 Perkins […]
Enhancing Anchor Control: Our Experience with the Mantus Anchor Bridle & Snubber System
Our sailboat is our home so we understand the importance of reliable equipment when it comes to anchoring our home securely. Recently, we made an upgrade to our anchoring system by investing in the Mantus Anchor Bridle. The Mantus Anchor Bridle & Snubber System When we decided to enhance our anchor control, we researched various […]
It’s Cracked!: Repairing Our Bowsprit
The bowsprit on our boat plays a crucial role in the standing rigging and overall performance of our sailboat. It’s also an important part of our anchoring system, providing support to the bow roller. Our boat is over 40 years old, but our bowsprit is less than 10 years old. However, it seems some mild […]
Latex Mattress: Upgrading Our V-Berth
When it comes to outfitting our sailboat, comfort is a crucial aspect that directly affects the quality of our journey. A good night’s sleep is vital for sailors who need to be well-rested and energized for their time on the water. If you’re considering replacing your worn-out closed cell foam mattress, latex foam can be […]