April 5, Sunday, Bahia San Francisquito

We got up about 7:30. The boat was rocking a bit with the (very small) swells, and the sun was up already. Renee’ got the coffee going and we started our morning routine. This its Sunday, which means we will have oatmeal for breakfast, and afterwards, we will listen to a sermon.Since we don’t have internet, it will be a podcast that Renee’ has on her phone. We connect one of our phones to the radio via Bluetooth, for control or to play audio from the phone. Which is what we will be doing today.

Later, we will go ashore and do some hiking. At least that was the plan, we listened to the sermon, then watched the fog roll in, probably the only time we have really done that this trip. It is still pretty cool, not sure why, we expected it to be getting warmer as we are in April and in the desert. Oh well, I worked on organizing pictures, Renee’ fished and that is the way we spent the morning.

After lunch, we started to get the kayak down, but decided it was too cold to get wet. So, we got the dinghy down instead and went into the little cove connected to the bay that we are in. We walked around for awhile and finally decided to go to the office and see if anyone was around. At the office, we found Beto who is the owner of the campground/rental place here. He told us about a couple of hikes and that he was shut down for the virus and we stayed away from each other. We looked for the hikes that he had suggested, and wound up walking out on the road for a bit. Then we went back to the dinghy and headed out.

As we just about out of the little bay, we saw a half dozen dolphin. So, we stayed and watched them for  a bit, then out into the big bay and we went across to the second choice we had for where to anchor and looked it over. Nothing special, so back to the boat, and put the dinghy away, once below we started the generator to finish charging the battery and heat the water for showers. Renee’ ran a load of clothes as well. While ashore we saw 3 people. We talked to Beto, and we saw a couple in one of the cabanas here. They are the first people we have seen up close since we got diesel last Tuesday. We have anchored four times since we left Guaymas, and in three of those times, we have been the only boat at anchor there. Five nights as the only ones there, and one night we anchored with five other boats.

Tonight is game night, after dinner and then tomorrow we will go to Puerto Don Juan in Bahia Los Angles. It is about 45 miles, so we will probably try for an early start.

We do have room for guests, if anyone is interested in visiting and spending a week or so with us, drop us a line and we will coordinate. What you have to do/have is you need a sport and will need to be able to get to where we are when you are going to be down. When we know what time frame you are thinking about we can let you know where we expect to be so that you can make your travel arrangements.

If you want to know where we are, click this link:

https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/Make_Me_Laugh_Again

 

 

 

April 4, Saturday, travel to Bahia San Francisquito

We woke up about 6:30, Renee’ got up and got the coffee going. I stayed in bed a bit longer, then gave up and got up. We had breakfast and did our devotions, then got underway by about 8 am or so.

It was a very calm day, no real wind, nor waves. We motored across and ran the water-maker finally after about 3 hours, had water coming out of the overflow. With that we turned off the water-maker and the generator. By this time it was also time to put the sails away (they had done a little work at speeding our crossing), and prepare to go in. We dropped anchor between 2 and 2:30pm. We shut things down and noted that it was still cool. The trip across had almost been cold. Probably in the mid to high 60’s. In any case, we finished up and read some books and took naps.

Happy hour was cookies and beer. I looked ahead to what we have between here and PUERTO PEñASCO, it looks like we have this stop plus 7 more and right at a month until we need to be there. That is an average of almost 4 nights at each stop. Some, like this one, will only be two nights, some like Bahia Los Angeles will be longer.

One thing we noticed on this crossing is that our depth sounder is acting up. We are hoping it is just dirty, and that we can clean it by diving under the front of the boat. The sensor is mounted in a hole in the bottom of the boat near the speed sensor, but unlike the speed sensor, you can’t remove it while the boat is in the water. It also comes as a complete unit, the sensor and 45 feet of wire. That wire is not supposed to be in the bilge, or run near the electronics, which means it is probably hard to get at,  and zip tied in all the hardest to reach areas.

Of course all of this requires the Corona Virus stuff to have settled down, or we may not have the boat hauled out in May. We might need to continue to self isolate. We are not looking forward to that option. We will see what happens.

We do have room for guests, if anyone is interested in visiting and spending a week or so with us, drop us a line and we will coordinate. What you have to do/have is you need a sport and will need to be able to get to where we are when you are going to be down. When we know what time frame you are thinking about we can let you know where we expect to be so that you can make your travel arrangements.

If you want to know where we are, click this link:

https://forecast.predictwind.com/tracking/display/Make_Me_Laugh_Again

 

A description of our boat (accessories and systems)

Bow & Anchor locker

1. Anchor 88 lb Rocna and 300 ft of 5/16” chain

2. Anchor Dan forth xx lbs and 50 ft of chain and ~250 of rope total of ~300 ft

3. 300 feet of tow rope

4. Anchor wash down hose, wash down pump is under sole in front berth

5. Two anchor bridles

On deck

Muir Cheeta windlass for anchors

Dodger, Bimini, and mesh screens for cockpit

Cockpit cushions

4 cup holder at helm

folding table (teak) at helm

Gas BBQ

BBQ folding table

stainless steel pulpits at mast

two 30 amp Shore power connections and breakers

Arch with davits at stern

12 foot dinghy with chaps and cover

20 horse power Suzuki (97 lbs), new October 2019

two solar panels 470 watts

3 GPS antenna’s

Ais antenna

Iridium antenna

Stereo speakers (group 3 for cabin stereo)

Light for dinghy (control at helm)

Stern light at top of arch

Stern light on stern under dinghy

Fishing pole holders (2)

flag pole holder

Lines in cockpit

Port side clutches

Main preventer

Staysail sheet

Mainsail outhaul

Mainsail curler

Starboard clutches

Main preventer

Spare halyard/spare topping lift

Main Sheet

Boom Vang

Winches on the boat (all self tailing)

Electric winches port and starboard Jib Sheet

Electric winch main sail sheet

manual winch for in/out haul

manual winch for staysail in/out

manual winch for jib out

manual winches 1 on each side of mast

Cutter rig, with lines for the spinnaker run into the cockpit.

Preventers for mainsail run from cockpit with stops to end of boom

On mast,

two clutches on starboard side

one empty

Main halyard

three clutches on port side,

Jib halyard,

staysail halyard,

third is spinnaker halyard

At top of mast

VHF antenna

Cell amplifier antenna

Wind speed/direction sensor

On mast

Speaker/loud hailer

Radar

Fore Deck light

On boom, topping lift

Standing rigging replaced October 2019

Below decks hardware

Refrigerator keel cooled

Freezer keel cooled

Beverage cooler AC/DC air cooled

Generator MASPOWER 8KW

Magnum 2000 watt inverter/110 amp charger

60 amp charger

House bank 750 ah, (6 type 31XT Lifeline batteries)

Engine start battery 100 ah

Generator start battery 100 ah

100 amp Balmar external regulator alternator on engine

11 gallon hot water heater, heated by 110 vac and engine coolant loop, under starboard settee

Air conditioning

  7,000 btu in forward cabin

  7,000 btu in aft cabin

13,000 btu in salon

sea water pump for A/C

Water maker 20 GPH. AC powered, new June 2019

small AC pump under aft stateroom berth supplies pressure to filter for water maker

large high pressure pump for water maker in aft lazaretto

Bow thruster 6 Hp, side power bow thruster under forward berth

anchor wash down pump under deck in fwd berth port side

Macerator under deck center in fwd berth

Vacu-flush heads

fwd pump under deck next to mast

aft pump under port settee in main salon

Shower drain pumps

fwd under port settee in main salon

aft under deck in aft stateroom next to head

fresh water pump under starboard settee

12 volt 2 speed fans throughout boat (9)

Generator start battery is only charged by alternator on generator.

House bank is charged by:

Solar (Outback FLEXmax 60 with 470 watts of panels on arch)

110 amp charger

60 amp charger

the engine alternaor

Engine start battery is charged via engine alternator and 60 amp charger

Tankage:

Fuel oil 160 gallons (stainless steel?)

Fresh water 260 gallons (fiberglass)

Holding tank 55 gallons (fiberglass)

Electronics:

Fusion 755 AM/FM/XM/CD/DVD 3 sets of speakers (1 in salon, 1 in cockpit, 3rd set on arch plays

to TV in salon.

stereo in aft stateroom AM/FM/CD/DVD plays to aft stateroom TV

VHF radio

SSB radio with proctor modem, antenna on aft starboard stay

AIS transponder

Iridium GO!

Cell amplifier

Raymarine E120 chart plotters, master at nav station, slave at helm.

Raymarine electronics

Auto pilot (Electric)

Xantrex battery monitor

Engine 75 Hp Yanmar, 3 blade prop

Fuel filter priming system (switch in under box for sink, inside engine room)

Boat Electronics (and instruments) upgrades

Currently we have a Raymarine Sea Talk system, we have the following instruments and devices:

At the helm:

Raymarine E120 chart plotter/radar/AIS (set as the slave)

Raymarine autopilot

Above the hatch:

ST60 Water speed

ST60 Wind direction/speed

ST60 Depth

At the Navigation station:

Raymarine E120 Chart plotter/radar/AIS (master)

Brass clock

Brass Barometer

There is a camera in the engine room. It is mounted at the forward end and is looking back at the engine. This camera can only be viewed at the hem, and it is the only camera on the boat.

Issues with this equipment:

  1. The chart plotter occasionally loses its self, the slave can’t see the master and it requires a reboot. (This happens several times a week).
  2. All of the above is about 2005 vintage, which means that the charts are at least 15 years old
  3. The wires are uncoated single strand wires that are starting to show signs of age and corrosion
  4. The water temperature instrument is non functional (it is part of the depth instrument).
  5. The depth instrument is starting to get a bit flakey, giving false readings (thankfully always showing it to be shallower than it is).

What I want in the way of instrumentation and electronics:

  1. Wind speed/direction
  2. Depth/temperature
  3. Speed through the water
  4. Chart plotter/radar/AIS
  5. Forward scanning sonar displayed on the chart plotter (assuming it is better than what is currently available, meaning right now it is only good for about 30 feet in front of boat)
  6. Auto pilot
  7. Cameras that go to either chart plotter and possibly the TV, all set up to be recorded:
    1. Engine room (where the current camera is)
    2. Engine room looking at Alternator Regulator
    3. Bilge (infared looking down)
    4. Looking at the shaft seals
    5. Aft Lazerette looking at the water-maker instruments/controls
    6. Top of the mast looking forward and adjustable to cover at least 180 degrees
    7. Top of the mast looking backwards and adjustable to cover er at least 180 degrees
    8. Mounted on the arch behind the cockpit and looking forward to watch what is happening in the cockpit
  8. Engine instruments that go to the chart plotter(s)
    1. Oil temperature
    2. Oil pressure
    3. Engine RPM
    4. Water temperature (engine coolant)
  9. Generator instruments that go to the chart plotter(s)
    1. Oil temperature
    2. Oil pressure
    3. Engine RPM
    4. Water temperature (engine coolant)
    5. Generator Voltage
    6. Generator frequency
    7. Generator Amps (load)
  10. Battery instruments that go to the chart plotter
    1. Battery voltage
      1. House bank
      2. Engine start battery
      3. Generator start battery
    2. Battery percentage used (house bank only)
    3. Battery amps
      1. House bank
      2. Engine start battery
      3. Generator start battery
  11. Charts that can be updated, preferably open source (like OpenCPN for example)
  12. At the Navigation station
    1. Brass clock (the one that is there is fine)
    2. Brass barometer (one that works)
    3. Brass air temperature/humidity

While it would be great if all of the above were available on WiFi, it is more important that they are reliable.

Raymarine is what I have, but does not have to be what I have going forward. The Raymarine representative in San Diego really ticked me off, so I am not inclined to go with them again. There is also the issue of a  proprietary network that I can’t add anything too. I have heard good things about B&G, and I am open to hearing about other options.

Since we are removing the mast when we do the great loop trip, the conduit in the mast will be repaired/replaced. All wires/cables in the mast need to have easy disconnects at the bottom of the mast.

Our boat and spare parts

We have IP 445-11, S/V Make Me Laugh Again. This boat saw a quite a bit of use before we got it. I went through the spares and fixed everything I could before we left San Diego and headed to Monterey, Ca and back (this was a shake down cruise). We spent a month and ran every system to see what needed help. Then when we got back to San Diego we checked our spares, as we were headed south into Mexico. We left San Diego on Oct 31 this year. We are currently in Guaymas, Sonora Mexico. I have used almost none of the planned spares, and have wished for a bunch of stuff. BUT we are in Mexico, and can’t get them without a bunch of work and $$$$. 

So, four months into cruising in Mexico here is what I wish I had:

    1. Fasteners, every size, that is already on the boat, all in Stainless, 
    2. Replacement screws/bolts and nuts for the life line stanchions (apparently they used sub par material for these in 2005). I have two broken ones, and I have read here on FB many other 445, 465 & 485’s have the same issue. The fasteners break and can be picked up with a magnet. Not exactly something you expect from stainless steel.
    3. A hinge pin, one too many accidental gybes, and it broke. 100 miles south of Ensenada, a little fishing village without cell service, and only about 30 little houses. (The hinge pin I am referring to is part of the goose neck). A $150 part, and $150 to get it delivered to where we were, and about 15 minutes to install after waiting 3 days for it.
    4. A second spare outboard prop. Just hit a rock with the first one, for the second time. We hammered out the prop the first time (thanks Josh Fox!), but lost parts of the blade the second time. Now I don’t have a spare.
    5. More engine & generator oil. Seems like we always want to go when the wind is from the wrong direction, and oh by the way all the extras that come with these boats use a lot of power.
    6. A spare wind speed sensor, they cost about $324 in the states, and will be delivered overnight. In Mexico, it costs a bit more and will take a bit longer to get it. (The estimate was about $150 in taxes and shipping and probably one to two weeks, if it actually arrived).

The spares that I figured I had to have on board before we left:

    1. Spare potable water pump
    2. Spare bilge pump
    3. Spare shower drain pump
    4. Spare A/C sea water pump
    5. Spare impellers for the engine
    6. Spare impellers for the generator
    7. Spare water pump for the engine
    8. Spare water pump for the generator
    9. Spare alternator for the engine
    10. Spare alternator for the generator
    11. Spare parts for vacuu-flush heads (lots of spare parts)
    12. Spare pumps for the water maker (I have an A/C system, and did not get these spare pumps, but probably should have).
    13. LOTS of filters 
    14. Spare blocks for the rigging that you will figure out you want after you are away from the shops.
    15. Spare line to use in the spare blocks.
    16. Sail repair kits, for the tears that happen.
    17. Spare microphone(s) for the radio(s)
    18. Spare parts for the washer/dryer
    19. TefGel for all the things you take apart and put back together again
    20. Grease 
    21. Hose clamps, a large variety of sizes.

MORE MOVIES that both (all) of you want to watch.
Books, cruising guides for where you plan to go.