Measuring for and Installing a Mack Pack Mainsail Cover
We’ve had our new sails and Mack Pack mainsail cover for about a year now and absolutely love them. After using the 106% genoa last year, we decided to get a smaller yankee jib (about 85%). We had some issues using the larger genoa on the river where we sail. The wind is often flukey […]
Creating a New Storage Locker
Tayana’s have a lot of storage locker space, and yet, it never seems to be enough. We’ve completed a few projects where we were able to convert unused (or poorly used) space into useable storage lockers. And we’ve thought about changing the storage under the settees and engine room, but that’s for another post. Once […]
Engine Room Insulation
Our Perkins 4-108 is located under the companionway steps right next to the galley and quarter berth and is fairly noisy. There is existing insulation, but it’s now over 40 years old. When we did the sea trial, we used a free phone app decibel meter and clocked the noise at around 80 dB. And […]
Bilge Pump Cycle Counter, Switches & Alarms
Our boat came with two electric bilge one manual bilge pumps. The small electric pump is located at the bottom of the bilge and the larger electric pump (a Rule 3700) was located higher in the bilge near the middle of the boat in front of the old water tank. We decided to revamp the […]
Installing LED Locker Lights
LED technology has come a long way over the past decade. Even over the past 5 years! We upgraded all our lighting from amp-hungry incandescents to LED lights back in 2013. At that time, we contemplated putting lights in the hanging lockers but didn’t because of cost and hassle. We tried some battery-powered LEDs for […]
Installing a Balmar External Voltage Regulator
While I don’t recommend intentionally frying your alternator, frying ours last summer pushed this project to the top of our to-do list and I’m glad it did. We spent a lot of money on our Battle Born LiFePO4 batteries and with a new alternator and external voltage regulator I feel more at ease that the […]
How We Fixed Our Reverse Polarity
While anchoring out last summer we had to use our Honda generator to charge the batteries when the alternator died. Though we were frustrated by the alternator, we were relieved to have the generator with us. So we plugged it in, fired it up and started charging the batteries. Then we noticed the reverse polarity […]
Coming Clean – Installing our new shower
We live at a marina full-time. It just so happens to be a very nice marina with a very nice and new in 2015 facility that includes restrooms with showers, a laundry facility, a gym and clubhouse. Before the new building, the old restroom and showers were pretty lame. They were clean, but with only […]
New Sails and New Sail Track
Last fall we bought new sails and a Tides Marine Sail Track and Slide system (formerly known as a Strong Track). The sails we got from Island Planet Sails in Reno, NV. We were acquaintances with the owner when he briefly had a boat at our marina. Sails After a few hours of measuring, we […]
Building an Outboard Engine Rail-Mount
Way back in 2014 we bought a used Achillies rigid inflatable dinghy that came with a Honda 9.9 HP outboard. It’s been tied up at our dock ever since. We use it usually during the summer to run around on the river. On our first overnight anchoring trip, we decided to leave it behind because […]