19 days ago
Topic:
Double racor filter set up question
Dick
|
Hi Oksana,
Check out a dual Racor fuel filter assembly. A picture of what looks like my unit can be seen: (https://www.fabheavyparts.com/products/new-fuel-filter-water-separator-compatible-with-racor-marine-turbine-75500max30?currency=USD&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=43e1071db84a&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21498512339&gbraid=0AAAAAocCVisn_V85Ei5W4QhSowvU-KbCV&gclid=CjwKCAjw_pDBBhBMEiwAmY02NmCXlPmnkYmvL3F1tyKItBTYpQctHRajVzDRKpNn3tYsaXSRPCrsXhoCutUQAvD_BwE).
I believe it achieves your goals and more.
It has a vacuum gauge (I think as an important early warning device), easily changes filters at the turning of the lever, filters are easily changed with little mess.
Come back with questions.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
18 days ago
Topic:
Double racor filter set up question
Dick
|
Hi Oksana,
If I read your diagram and your goals correctly, I believe that all you wish to accomplish can be done by a dual Racor fuel filter assembly (from memory mine is a 500MA using 2010TM 10 micron filters and looks just like this: https://www.go2marine.com/75500MAX30-Marine-500-Turbine-Fuel-Filter-WS-Shielded-Bowl-30-Micron_2?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21119200762&gbraid=0AAAAAD_v3nHU-bjxSZ2Cs6yMieBtMktqt&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoZbBBhDCARIsAOqMEZWkSL1iZG3_RriYLFnPDp1osVPcYrdzbkW-tRGWlXEzF7sYTXNqdVsaApfLEALw_wcB
Although I do not remember it being so pricey. But it given me 25 years of flawless service and we have gotten fuel from over 50 countries, not all of which were perfectly clean..
An item like this I think wise for all passage making boats.
Benefits:
Uses 2010TM filters which are easier to store (as much smaller) than spin on filters and are less expensive. They are smaller and take up less space: important as for widely wandering boats who might get bad fuel have lots of spare filters can be crucial. I carried ten when cruising remote areas*.
Bowl is easily observed giving indication of water in the fuel.
Bowl has a metal heat shield (required, I believe).
Short homage to dual fuel filter assemblies: 5-25
The filter assembly sits between the fuel tanks and filters all fuel before it gets to: propulsion engine, generator, furnace, etc. All of my fuel goes through this assembly prior to getting to a distribution manifold which directs the fuel to the propulsion engine, the generator, and to the 2 furnace/heating stove.
Boisterous ocean passages (especially after years of coastal cruising) can stir up “Yuck” in fuel tanks that can clog filters and stop the engine. This particular problem contributed to 2 boats sinking in the last year on trips between the US coast and Bermuda. They did not have the ability to flip a valve (see url for picture) and bring on line a new fresh filter: nothing could be easier and less messy to bring a new filter into play.
The valve has 4 positions: one for each filter individually or to run the fuel through both filters or an “off” setting closing fuel access altogether.
The dual Racor filter is top loading making removing a clogged filter and inserting a new filter easy and no mess and able to accomplish with the engine running off the other filter.
The assembly also is a water separator and accumulated water, if any, can be seen through the bottom of the bowl. An option, I believe, is an alarm warning of water accumulation.
The vacuum gauge is another useful tool and one I would recommend added (easily accomplished) on its own to any boat’s fuel system*, but it comes with the dual Racor assembly. The gauge tells, at a glance whether the filter is starting to load up and one can change filters prior to the engine starting to be starved of fuel.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
*One way to clean fuel if you get a dirty batch is through multiple filters, but you may need a lot of them. They will all get used eventually and are light and easy to store. And in some/many countries they can be hard to source and, if found, quite expensive.
The gauge is a useful early warning device of a fuel filter starting to get clogged. It can be easily added to any fuel system just by placing one in the fuel line. Descriptions of its use and guidance for installation can be found at Steve D’Antonio’s web site (https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/) and search for the articles (among many other useful articles) in his E-Magazine. |
16 days ago
Topic:
Double racor filter set up question
Dick
|
Hi Oksana,
Yes, you are likely to benefit from time spent reading Steve D’Antonio’s articles. I know of no one better than Steve who talks technical subjects in a way that the average skipper can understand.
As to 10 or 30 in the primary filter, I think either on the face of it is fine. The secondary filter (on the engine) is engine manufacture determined and likely 2 micro up to 5. Using a 30 may mean the secondary has to work a little harder. I use a 10, in part, as I polish my fuel a couple of times a season (or whenever my fuel source is doubtful) and usually my primary filter looks pretty clean when swapped out. I also know of one major manufacturer (Westerbeke) who recommends a 10 micron as a primary fuel filter
And, yes, finding real estate for mounting is often the most challenging part of the installation.
It is rare that I run both the generator and propulsion engine at the same time: really never nowadays. In the past, when we bought our boat, the PO had a weird set up and we needed to occasionally run both at the same time and it worked fine (and it was a far bigger genset). I worried more that their raw water came from the same skin fitting, but again, it was fine doing so.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
12 days ago
Topic:
Looking for information about the Azores
Dick
|
Hi ?
One gets lots of advice from other cruisers, but the best advice we ever received was not to treat the Azores as a fuel depot and re-provisioning stop. These world travelers said the best most scenic cruising was their first stop on an Atlantic circle and they moved on quickly and regretted it later. We spent 2 months cruising the Azores and spent time on 6 of the 7 islands: all had something great to offer.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy
Arnd.Wussing wrote:
Greetings! I'm a new member to the OCC and am currently sailing with a friend on a Leopard 4600 catamaran. We are 4 days out enroute from St. Kitts & Nevis to Horta in the Azores. This is my first offshore trip on a catamaran, and it is quite different from sailing my monohull. We had to heave-to for a half day due to a storm and missed our nice weather window for a fast passage, and now it looks like we'll be arriving sometime around the 4th of June.
Neither of us has been to the Azores before and any information would be appreciated. |
12 days ago
Topic:
Looking for information about the Azores
Dick
|
Hi Again,
My wife reminds me that many have used our pictures and the captions (click on the "i" on the pic to get the captions) as guidance of good things to do while in the Azores. Her pics can be found at https://virginiastevenson.smugmug.com/. Scroll around to find the Azores. Dick |
12 days ago
Topic:
Looking for information about the Azores
Dick
|
And, by the way, welcome to the OCC! Dick |
12 days ago
Topic:
Looking for information about the Azores
Dick
|
Found the following which I forgot I had done, DickAZORES
Alchemy Harbor notes, Azores, 2006
These notes were written by Dick and Ginger on Alchemy and reflect our personal likes and dislikes. Many reasonable people may differ. Our intention is for these notes to be a supplement to the regular guide books. There is some overlap, but if the guidebook says it all, I may not mention the port/anchorage at all. Please also notice the dates for which we are reporting conditions. The weather/crowds/ambience may be quite different at various times of the year or my notes may be quickly out of date; please send a quick email with changes.
Also, these notes are available to OCC members, but please refer any others to me and please do not share. I would hate to see them on Facebook or the like.
Thanks, Dick & Ginger, s/v Alchemy
The best advice we received when crossing the North Atlantic from W to E was to not treat the Azores as a fuel depot in the middle of the ocean. Those that gave the advice all later regretted that they had given the islands of the Azores so little time as, in hindsight, they were among the most beautiful and interesting destinations of their cruising life.
They were correct. We were there 2 months and so regretted leaving that we considered over-wintering. The following is all written from memory from our visit in 2006.
A couple of general notes. These are delightful islands with delightful people. The Portuguese people do not know how to cook fish badly, from the street vender to the finer restaurants. Wine is often “home brewed” and good. There are frequent religious festivals at seemingly regular, if random to my casual observation, times. These can be a visual masterpiece in designs and pictures done in laboriously collected colored flower petals covering the streets of the community. Then the festival parade majestically tramples them: a potent reminder of life’s impermanence, perhaps. Just amazing and not to be missed. Festivals are always accompanied by local bands/small orchestras which often include traditional dancing.
We visited eight of the islands and were lucky enough to arrive in June at the height of the colorful flowers for which these islands are justly renowned. The hydrangea hedges are by far the most striking. They serve the function of fences carving the islands in dense displays of color contrasting the fields and mountains of brilliant green and the (often) deep black volcanic rock. And approaching these islands from the water on a nice day is an experience that is likely to be a highlight of one’s cruising. When on the islands, the small towns and villages all hold interest and abound in small taverns where an interesting meal awaits. Then there are the calderas that dominate the interior of the islands which are of especial interest. Some are huge and well developed while others remain reminders of the volcanic violence that both created these islands and inflicted indiscriminate damage.
Some of the islands lend themselves to hiring a cab for a day—prices were not unreasonable. Most also offer a “round the island” perimeter bus which can be “hop-on, hop-off” and is a wonderful way to get acquainted with the island and to see some of the towns along the way. On other islands we rented a car or moped to explore.
Azoreans are quite creative in their public recreational opportunities. Pico, for example, has numerous picnic areas along their perimeter road all of which have artistically designed benches, chairs and table made of local materials that are just delightful. Perhaps their best offerings, available on many (perhaps all) islands are swimming areas. Now, this is not easy to do with the almost exclusively boulder-y and rocky shore that always has a good deal of swell to contend with. But they have succeeded. Strategically placed stainless steel ladders are embedded in the rock allowing for safe and easy entrance and exit from the water and the locations are chosen to allow for swimming protected by rock boulders or to go out to more open water. Just great fun and very refreshing and the designers were wise enough to provide fresh water showers.
Our first landfall was Flores (Lajes) and we anchored at night just off the wharf under the cliffs listening to the powerful calls of shearwaters nesting on the cliffs. Officials came to the wharf the next morning and forms were filled out on the hood of their car. The we walked up to “Paula’s” bar for a beer and pizza, which ended up being our “hang out” spot for the week we stayed at anchor there.
We were lucky with our weather as the anchorage is exposed to the east. No vessels stayed on the wharf while we were there; there was just too much movement even in this settled time. There were no pontoons/docks. Word of mouth reports seem to indicate that the pontoons installed in later years were less than successful and that vessels attached to them often chafed lines quickly.
Flores was a delight. With other cruisers we hired a taxi for a tour and set up some wonderful hikes where we were dropped off and picked up at our destination later (the NW quadrant if memory serves). While there we grabbed a “ferry” (small inflatable that also took us to see sperm whales) to Corvo, where we could poke around for a few hours.
Horta, Faial, was our next stop where we stayed a couple of weeks and added our “personal signal” in paint to the collection. For OCC member’s Peter’s café is a must (or for everyone). OCC members get free admission to the excellent upstairs scrimshaw museum. Renting motor scooters got us around. Do not miss the area where the eruption occurred: wild and desolate. The US provided easy emigration to the displaced and many settled in the Boston area.
Sao Jorge was difficult as there was no marina or good anchorage. We anchored just outside Velos under the cliffs and got a taxi to take us to a wonderful hike starting way up high and ending at a small tavern on the water where we had a great lunch and were picked up.
Graciosa was wonderful. I understand there might be a marina now, but we anchored easily (watch for a multitude of VW size boulders strew on the sand bottom). Graciosa’s smallness made it quite workable and they had a terrific “bullfight”: one of the best in the Azorean tradition (not gory or any animal abuse).
Pico we visited by ferry. We kept an eye on climbing, but clouds dominated the peak. We rented a car and found some lower altitude hiking; One involved a cave and a very large bull.
Terceira has 2 marinas, Angra do Heroismo had a lot of boat movement while Praia da Vitoria was a lot more protected. PV had a food festival going on that if you coincide with, consider yourself fortunate.
Sao Miguel had soil and rock in the caldera that you could cook your lunch in and some great hiking and a beautiful major city in Ponta Delgada (also the capital).
All of these islands are quite a delight and well reward poking around if you have time. All are volcanic, some recently active, and a little brushing up on volcano lore will enrich your visit. Finally, for those who are under Schengen visa restrictions, the clock has started.
Dick wrote:
And, by the way, welcome to the OCC! Dick |
9 days ago
Topic:
Thoughts on lifelines
Dick
|
Recently written
Thoughts on lifelines:
Vinyl covered lifelines are merely one of many maritime nods to fashion and ascetics which have significant down-sides (consider the 32-foot sailboat flogged for “sleeping six”).
The vinyl serves no nautical purpose: which should be a question considered of anything on a boat. Moreover, the vinyl makes difficult any sort of inspection and can hide corrosion. The covering can quickly become dirty and stained and need cosmetic attention and, depending on one’s sailing grounds, UV will sooner or later start to crack the plastic.
I believe those with boats that must adhere to racing rules are required to have uncoated lifelines: a significant nod to their wisdom.
Long ago I replaced these on my sailboat, Alchemy.
One of the benefits was that I was able to increase lifeline strength considerably by replacing the vinyl covered lifeline with uncovered wire the same diameter as the vinyl covered wire.
I also replaced the turnbuckles with lashings. Lashings allow quick and easy adjustability to the lifeline tension and are easily cut off with a handy knife to allow lowering the upper and lower lifelines to the deck and which could facilitate COB recovery. Lashings give early warning of UV deterioration and do not have the hassle of turnbuckles with their O-rings or cotter pins.
For areas where vinyl covering is wished for: say where jib sheets might rub/chafe, one can fit plastic shroud covers that are split for easy installation.
Bare wire is also far less visibly noticeable which I appreciate.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
6 days ago
Topic:
Sweden shore power
Dick
|
Hi Lisa,
We tried (and succeeded usually) when restricted to 10A shore power to keep Alchemy’s batteries powered-up which, for us, was all we needed as everything else worked off batteries.
The issue was the initial in-rush of amperage, needed to start the battery charger (bc) charging, would blow the circuit breaker (cb).
In an admittedly kluge-y way I did not like doing but usually worked, I would plug in and start the bc and a few seconds later the cb would blow. Doing this a few times and each time the inrush was lower as the battery bank started getting a bit of a surface charge and finally the in-rush amperage draw dropped below 10 amps and the bc kept going.
After that there was no boat load that demanded the bc compensate with over 10A.
It helps to do this right away after securing the boat as the batteries are charged from just motoring.
Less kluge-y, I also considered a small (under 10-amp draw) portable bc such as used by automobile owners. This could get the batteries going and charged and then the boat’s bc could take over. Never needed to go that far, but a better solution, I think, if in 10-amp territory for longer periods.
Good luck, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
5 days ago
Topic:
Sweden shore power
Dick
|
Hi Simon,
Mine was a dedicated charger at the time and it was not possible: the only controls were for the different charging algorithms for different battery chemistries. That BC has since been replaced by a dedicated Mastervolt charger and I am not aware one can dial down the amp draw. I have read the directions and think I would remember, but I will check.
That sounds like a nice feature of your inverter-charger: what kind is it?
That melt-down sounds scary. Better always to be wary of AC electrical systems. Before I took my US boat to Europe and I knew I would be there a while, I put in a very modest 220v system allowing me to us UK.EU appliances such as dehumidifiers and space heaters and to charge batteries. 110v could still be brought on line to the boats 110v system by using the inverter. Covered the bases.
Certainly one of the benefits of 24v DC boat systems vs 12v is the weight and expense saving by using smaller gauge wires.
My best, Dick
Hi Simon,
Mine was a dedicated charger at the time and it was not possible: the only controls were for the different charging algorithms for different battery chemistries. That BC has since been replaced by a dedicated Mastervolt charger and I am not aware one can dial down the amp draw. I have read the directions and think I would remember, but I will check.
That sounds like a nice feature of your inverter-charger: what kind is it?
That melt-down sounds scary. Better always to be wary of AC electrical systems. Before I took my US boat to Europe and I knew I would be there a while, I put in a very modest 220v system allowing me to us UK.EU appliances such as dehumidifiers and space heaters and to charge batteries. 110v could still be brought on line to the boats 110v system by using the inverter. Covered the bases.
Certainly one of the benefits of 24v DC boat systems vs 12v is the weight and expense saving by using smaller gauge wires.
My best, Dick |
4 days ago
Topic:
Looking for information about the Azores
Dick
|
Arnd.Wussing wrote:
I just heard from friends that the anchorage is quite full and that they are rafting 4-deep ashore in Horta. There are still about 30 ARC-Europe boats heading there, all of them 700NM or less out. We're still at 1000, so we'll arrive after them and are currently thinking of continuing onwards and clearing in at Ponta Delgada.
Hi Arnd,
My memory of Horta is that it could get a bit boisterous in certain wind directions/strengths: not a place to be rafted up. And my experience with many boats is that there was often little experience with rafting up: spreaders lined up, fenders too small, too few cleats on many boats, dock lines with splices (leaves only one end adjustable as well as other safety issues), no pre-plan among skippers as to how to break up the raft in the middle of the night, if necessary, etc.
If the wind direction is in a safe quarter, might be a plan to stop at Flores (we anchored there for a week) or even Pico (I forget their accommodations) until Horta clears out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
4 days ago
Topic:
Looking for information about the Azores
Dick
|
Hi Arnd,
My memory of Horta is that it could get a bit boisterous in certain wind directions/strengths: not a place to be rafted up. And my experience with many boats is that there was often little experience with rafting up: spreaders lined up, fenders too small, too few cleats on many boats, dock lines with splices (leaves only one end adjustable as well as other safety issues), no pre-plan among skippers as to how to break up the raft in the middle of the night, if necessary, etc.
If the wind direction is in a safe quarter, might be a plan to stop at Flores (we anchored there for a week) or even Pico (I forget their accommodations) until Horta clears out.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
4 days ago
Topic:
Sweden shore power
Dick
|
Hi Lisa,
I am not sure what needs your boat has that precludes cruising where only 10A is available. Can you say more?
That is ~~2200 watts (10 x 220) which would run most heavy use items that a boat has and even many of “luxury” hungry accessories such as space heaters and/or air conditioners. I also think 2200 watts is able to handle the in-rush current for most battery chargers.
Now, coping with restricted power may demand that one turn off the space heater when you wish to use the electric kettle or micro-wave: we have needed to do that on numerous occasions when using 20A shore power which is not uncommon in Canada (20A at 110v is the same amount as 10A at 220: both ~~2200 watts).
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |
3 days ago
Topic:
Sweden shore power
Dick
|
Hi Simon,
I will check my MV instruction manual to see if there is the capacity to reduce output. It is a nice feature.
As to US and 110v: at one point in our years in Europe, I started an article on the many ways the US has chosen different paths: “red to right returning”, driving on which side of the road , etc.. Did not go anywhere but it was fun to play with.
But I did learn, correct me if I am wrong, that because 220v is so much more lethal, that UK and EU construction sites use a transformer to degrade the V to 110 as the chance for stray current is so much greater. This allowed a friend to purchase some 110v tools to use for a project. I believe many US boats also purchase one of these transformers for use when in 220v-land: the hertz difference makes little difference for most appliances.
Some of these differences seem so arbitrary. I recently heard that my favorite drive for screws (Robertson or square drive) vs Phillips or slot was undermined by Henry Ford as he liked Phillips and slot and insisted those only could be used in his factories. Therein lies the reason a generally acknowledged better drive system is little used in the US and more common in Canada.
Not sure all of the above is accurate, but certainly underlines the potential for arbitrary roads to be chosen.
My best, Dick
PS, And it was a delight to use 220v shore power cords for all those years. |
3 days ago
Topic:
An Homage to Cleats, with comments on dock lines
Dick
|
Hi all,
I expect the latter part of this will ruffle a few feathers: please note that I am writing for widely wandering boats. Boats that may not have a home marina and moor to wharfs, piers, and other recreational boats as well as fishing boats. These circumstances are best met with dock lines that have the flexibility to fulfill a wide range of challenges.
That said, the ideas apply to any vessel.
This essay first appeared on Steve D’Antonio’s eMagazine where pictures illustrating some cleat usages may be seen: https://stevedmarineconsulting.com/securing-your-boat-to-a-dock-with-a-homage-to-cleats/) (scroll down to find article).
An Homage to Cleats (with some thoughts on securing your boat to a dock or other boat when rafting-off)
Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy last edited, 5-25
Those of us who mess around in boats have the joy of using certain items which the shore-based world just rarely gets introduced to. There are pieces of gear that are so perfectly evolved over time, so brilliant in their use, so simple and versatile, and so ubiquitous, that we ourselves barely think of them or know they are there. Cleats are one such piece of gear. The inventor is surely lost in the mists of time, but every manufacturer has “perfected” a version; you can see the various permutations on any stroll through a marina. But they all work alike. (For those uncertain about the proper way to belay a line to a cleat, see note* at end.)
This article is not only an homage to this little heralded piece of boat gear, but includes suggestions on the proper (and by proper, I mean safest, easiest and most seamanlike) way to use them. It includes a challenge to the habits of many boaters which might be disconcerting at first, but may be very much appreciated when our everyday weather gets ugly and we need to access our cleats’ every attribute.
For the moment, let’s just think about the amazing feats a cleat can accomplish. It can belay (secure) a line that will hold in a hurricane. The belay is quick and easy to execute safely, and, more importantly, quick and easy to cast off. Even better, one can surge (bleed off and loosen) the line safely and with perfect control. Just sit with this a moment: a perfectly secure belay which is easy and safe to surge a few inches or to cast off completely. And you can safely do so even when the line is under great pressure. That is an impressive achievement. Caveats are few: common sense dictates that line size must be appropriate to cleat size; lines must be a reasonable length, strong, and with no knots or splices; and some of the modern slippery lines benefit from an extra figure eight loop prior to the half hitch. What a marvelous piece of gear it is.
However nowadays it is hard to buy a designated dock line without a spliced loop, which undermines most of those attributes of a cleat that make it so versatile. So many just use the loop and rarely think about it. Skippers I have talked to say that it is convenient to just drop the loop over the cleat either on the deck or the dock, and that instructions to guests are easy, which are valid comments. However, though a spliced loop may seem to be an innocuous aid to securing the boat, its use holds serious dangers to person and boat if the weather turns boisterous. And even at the most benign of times, there are real functional drawbacks.
Attaching and/or releasing a spliced eye from a cleat too often is attempted when the ship is moving and/or the line is too short for easy use. When pressure is about to be taken up on the line, often unexpectedly, pushing a loop under and around a cleat, prying the loop off, or pulling the loop to get it over the horn entails getting your hands and fingers in the middle of the action area, leading to injuries. On the other hand, belaying a dock line onto a cleat (vs dead-ending as a loop does) is always safe as fingers need never get between line and cleat, and control is gradually increased with each added turn of the line. As well, when you aren’t worrying about lines, you can focus on keeping the boat safe.
Just give the following scenarios a moment of your imagination.
Scene one: The wind is up and there is some chop, and boat safety dictates you leave the dock. Your crew is attempting to pry a spliced loop from a cleat. The ship is jumping about and the line is on again /off again slack and then loaded. It is tempting, maybe necessary, to release in a way that leads fingers and/or hand to being inserted between the rope and the cleat as the attempt is made to pull the loop clear of the cleat. Good timing and strength are often needed and if the boat jumps at the wrong moment, fingers will be mangled as the line mashes the fingers/hand into the cleat. Contrast this to releasing the cleat hitch and lifting the line from the cleat allowing line to bleed off, or just undoing the belay with the line smoothly pulling away from the cleat. No strength necessary nor impeccable timing needed. Hands and fingers need never be between the rope and the cleat so are safe throughout the maneuver. A similar possibility of hand damage occurs when trying to secure a boat to a dock with a spliced line.
Scene two: You arrive at your destination late and tie up to the wharf anticipating a good night’s sleep. Hours later you awaken with your vessel at a decided tilt and, proceeding to the deck, it becomes perfectly clear why: you did not leave enough slack in the dock lines to account for the dropping tide. Since you have eye splices on the cleats on the boat, you must clamber up the handy, but old, slippery and sea-weedy wharf ladder and figure how to loosen the belays to the wharf that were tied earlier, not easy fully tensioned. Much easier and safer to surge the line from the boat when belayed properly to the cleat, especially as your habit is to leave significant extra line for later adjustment.
Spliced dock lines have drawbacks in everyday docking activities even in quiet weather.
· It is impossible to adjust line length with a spliced loop. It is either completely “on” the cleat or completely “off”. There is no middle ground. A line belayed properly on a cleat is always able to have some surged off if, as should be the habit, leaving some spare to work with. Similarly, if need be, line can be taken in. This can be done safely by “sweating” the line in or with the engine assisting.
· Some like the idea that an eye splice will always achieve the correct line length allowing accurate tie ups at repeat locations. But there is an easy alternative: an elegant seamanlike whipping, using colored thread for visibility, and strategically situated to allow the line to be belayed to the cleat at repeatedly the same length.
· Others might argue that it takes time to tie onto a cleat: done properly, tying onto a cleat should take but a moment.
· Sometimes a loop is necessary or handy, say to go over a post. It is easy to tie an appropriately sized eye with a bowline, or, better yet, a clove hitch or tugboat hitch, two knots that can be adjusted under pressure.
· Some docks have no cleats or posts but are festooned with a myriad of other fasteners. A spliced loop will work with some and be impossible with others. An un-altered (no spliced loop) dock line has the flexibility to always find a solution.
· Other problems with a spliced eye in a dock line occur when attempting to lead the splice through a fairlead or hawse where the fatter splice does not run freely or gets jammed. An un-spliced line will run free with much less likelihood of getting caught on something or hung up.
· Dock lines used when rafting means that only one end is adjustable: could be the splice is on your boat and you will be unable to cast off (without resort to a knife) if the line is tensioned if you wanted to clear the raft in a fire drill.
· Finally, a spliced loop can make the line more difficult to use for other purposes where an eye may not be wanted, or the whole length of the line is wished for.
Two more scenarios:
Scene three: You waken to find you must adjust dock line length. Wind is up and you are bouncing about. You have spliced loops around the cleats on your deck so they are dead-ended: un-adjustable. The dock is bouncing, wet & slippery and you are now a few-foot leap to the dock which, when you went to bed, you were snugly against. With line properly belayed on the deck cleat, all involved stay on the boat and letting out more line is easy & safe. Taking in line only entails either sweating the line in or starting the engine and horsing the boat into a better position while the crew, never needing to leave the safety of the boat, takes in slack in the dock line on the cleat as it occurs, again safely and in control.
Scene four: You are being blown off the dock by a fine breeze and itching to get sailing. The spliced loop of your dock line is around the cleat on the dock. No amount of pulling allows enough slack to get the dock line free. The engine is on and you believe that you can maneuver the boat to allow slack to get the loop free only to realize that the person left holding the loop will not be able to hold the boat nor to make a flying leap, loop in hand, to a rapidly retreating vessel. The skipper starts to contemplate how a knife might solve his immediate problem.
A knife, in fact, is the only way to release a spliced line under pressure on a cleat.
In summary, the proper use of a cleat is, for me, an issue of safety first, then one of utility and finally ease of use. In settled weather, it matters little how one uses a cleat, it is when things get a little boisterous that a spliced loop fails all the above criteria and an un-altered dock line properly in use with a cleat is the picture of safety, utility and ease of use.
* In short, to secure a line to a cleat: go to the far end horn of the cleat starting at an angle, come fully around and into a figure eight and then a half hitch continuing the figure eight pattern (and getting the lines aligned - not piled on itself) . This gives you a belay that will hold through a hurricane (more crossed loops or added hitches will not increase strength and definitely make the use of the cleat more difficult: moreover, it looks terrible). This text description is accurate, but a visual in one of the many good books or videos on the internet (but not every video) will make clear that sometimes a picture can be worth a thousand words. |
2 days ago
Topic:
A hack for surge protectors
Dick
|
A widely wandering boat will inevitably find itself in a surge-y wharf/marina/pier etc. Many of us have carried rubber surge protectors and the like. Here is an alternative.
Hi all,
I just pulled some rubber surge protectors (absorb-shock thingies) out of a rarely looked-at nook on Alchemy. The rubber ones I have noticed last a while but not long. There are metal spring ones that are very expensive. I developed the above hack which has worked for Alchemy and relegated the surge protectors to their hidden nook only to be discovered years later.
I found a hack for them in the Azores where some of the marinas could become quite surgy.
First secure the boat with its usual dock lines (on Alchemy these are good quality 5/8ths-inch 3- strand nylon. (Mine are ~~20 years old).
Then loosen these dock lines to where they still keep the boat safe, but where there is some degree of slack in each line.
Then double-up the dock lines with smaller nylon 3 strand: usually 7/16ths or even 3/8ths (similar to my snubber which is one of the doubled lines) and pull the boat into its well-tied up position producing a little slack in each of the original dock lines.
This results in the smaller line doing most of the work with occasional big surges stretching the smaller line enough to have the larger
The goal is soften the abruptness of boat movement and mitigate the danger: which is not strength (3/8ths is still very strong) but chafe.
With regular eye-balling, chafe should be noticed easily on the smaller line. Even if the smaller line chafes through there is the usual dock line to prevent damage.
I found the above as easy or easier to put together over the rubber surge protectors and provides redundancy (no experience with the springs, but I have seen that they do break and they are heavy and awkward). The lighter lines dampen the surge to the same degree as the rubber protectors and the chafe that might occur will be quite visible and to a line that is no big deal to lose, slice a repair or replace.
Lastly, small nylon 3 strand has multiple uses, is easily found and replaced and always will find a place on a boat: not so for rubber surge protectors.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy |