What do you do when "Hunkered down"?

[ronstory]

I'm fortunate to be able to work from home. But I'v come to the rapid conclusion that while it's fun to be able to work from home every now again, I miss being at work. There are people at work. ;^)

Right now I'm doing email, dialing into meetings and desperately waiting for the package from MMI to arrive. It has all the parts for my A4 "puzzle" rebuild.

So those of us 'hunkering'... what do you do to keep from going stir crazy?

[joe_db]

Originally Posted by ronstory

I'm fortunate to be able to work from home. But I'v come to the rapid conclusion that while it's fun to be able to work from home every now again, I miss being at work. There are people at work. ;^)

Right now I'm doing email, dialing into meetings and desperately waiting for the package from MMI to arrive. It has all the parts for my A4 "puzzle" rebuild.

So those of us 'hunkering'... what do you do to keep from going stir crazy?

Lunch hour on the boat. Evening sail maybe. Right now we are so busy I hardly get to leave my chair otherwise.

[ronstory]

Great idea! Unfortunately our boat is 2.5 hours away, deep into Washington CV19-land.

[Dave Neptune]

Ron, I'm in So Cal and the boat is in Long Beach 2 hours away from home. I live in the mountains so I have been somewhat stuck as we have had snow for over a week now. It is snowing now so getting to the boat is an issue depending on whether or not I want to get back home. If the weather was nice I would go it at Catalina on my mooring for a week or two.

At least I can shovel snow for something to do. I have done a few home projects for the boat and now it is to cold to varnish, the OB for the dinghy is finished and very shinny and I still have wiring to do inside the boat as well as a new antenna to get rid of the masthead unit finally!!!

Some chatting will surely alleviate some of the boredom from weather and the COV-19 krap.

Dave Neptune

[AFisch]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

Ron, I'm in So Cal and the boat is in Long Beach 2 hours away from home. I live in the mountains so I have been somewhat stuck as we have had snow for over a week now. It is snowing now so getting to the boat is an issue depending on whether or not I want to get back home. If the weather was nice I would go it at Catalina on my mooring for a week or two.

At least I can shovel snow for something to do. I have done a few home projects for the boat and now it is to cold to varnish, the OB for the dinghy is finished and very shinny and I still have wiring to do inside the boat as well as a new antenna to get rid of the masthead unit finally!!!

Some chatting will surely alleviate some of the boredom from weather and the COV-19 krap.

Dave Neptune

Dave...2 questions...are you up in Big Bear? My family and I were thinking of running up to a family cabin but didn't know what the roads were like.

2...you have a mooring huh?? wink wink...

Adam

[Dave Neptune]

Adam, I live in Lk Arrowhead close to Twin Peaks @ 5782'.

And yes I do have a mooring on the island @ Emerald Bay #A-1 and have had it for almost 20 years now. Getting expensive though over the last few years. I am also a member of the Corsair YC located in Emerald, one of the last surviving clubs based on the island.

I get there about 15 or more times a season and a few more off season, like now if the weather were nice. I'd rather sit at the island than in my house for sure. I lived in Huntington Beach until I started into retirement from precision tool making.

Dave Neptune

[GregH]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

...as well as a new antenna to get rid of the masthead unit finally!!!

Dave Neptune

Off topic but always interested in what you are using/doing for your VHF antenna and why?

- new thread?

- on topic. Store is still open here..this time of year it is still mostly online orders and staff is 2-3 of us. very few walk-ins. Hours are being reduced and we'll revisit that on Monday.

[Dave Neptune]

Greg, I have removed the masthead antenna from of my past boats and now this one. I have found that they tend to get weak over time and if something goes wrong I don't want to have to go up the stick. Mine now is just weak and barely transmits however reception is fine. I went over the connections I could get to and no joy.

What I am doing on this boat is mounting an 8'er with the base at about 10' off the water. I can broadcast just as far as the power allows and I can get to it if I need to switch out to an emergency antenna much faster and still have a good mount.

Dave Neptune

[ronstory]

Dave--

Ok, it sounds like you are more "inconveniently located" than I am to our boat. That siid, our boat is being guarded the yuppie-prepper Covid19 apocalypse hoard... since i'm only 1.5 miles from a costco. ;^)

I already installed the wireless thermostats in the house yesterday. The day before I dismantled two N202M-07 water pumps and ordered parts. I have a leak on the top of my power steering box of the land rover, or I need to rebuild a carb... or something.

As for the VHF antenna, the only one I trust for the masthead is Metz. I still have my first 2M ham Metz that is 29 years old... all outside, all the time. I did replace the plastic rain "hat" about 9 years ago... but only because it was looking scruffy.

[Dave Neptune]

Thanx Ron, I think most of my problems have existed at the antenna connections and not the antenna itself. The one on my current boat a Bene is intermittent and never strong. I thought it was maybe the radio and I upgraded to an AIS unit of the same brand. It worked a bit better and the new antenna works far better just laying on the cockpit sole.

I'm also rerouting my solar from the batteries to the power panel. This allows me to see what is going in or out of the panel which is where all the power I am concerned about eminates. Don't care about the windlass as the engine should be running to operate it. I can also see the draw while the engine is running. I do need a shut off switch for the solar which is on the boat for installation now.

May head down the mntn Friday for a couple days of R&R IE working on the boat.

Dave Neptune

[AFisch]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

Adam, I live in Lk Arrowhead close to Twin Peaks @ 5782'.

And yes I do have a mooring on the island @ Emerald Bay #A-1 and have had it for almost 20 years now. Getting expensive though over the last few years. I am also a member of the Corsair YC located in Emerald, one of the last surviving clubs based on the island.

I get there about 15 or more times a season and a few more off season, like now if the weather were nice. I'd rather sit at the island than in my house for sure. I lived in Huntington Beach until I started into retirement from precision tool making.

Dave Neptune

Good Balance you have there...Mountains and the Sea.

Yes, we also considered heading out to Catalina, but waiting for decent weather. We have 2 small kids so need to keep them occupied too.

I have never been up past 2 harbors, we normally head to Avalon and then work our way up to 2 harbors...I'll put Emerald bay on our list of to-do's this summer. (In fact I think I want to take enough time to circumnavigate the whole island with the family).

[Dave Neptune]

Adam, put Emerald on your list. It is not the most protected bay but it is the prettiest. There is a big sandy beach for the kids, lots of hiking, great snorkeling and another small beach right behind my mooring. The bay has full access by the boaters, nice to go ashore and play.

Let me know if you head out, I like to meet fellow Afourians and have entertained a few there. If I'm not there I can reserve the mooring, no savings $ wise but a really nice spot. It took me over 30 years to finally get it. I got a mooring after the first 14 years on the list at that time (A-4) and I was on the transfer list. Had it for about 4 years now and just don't want to give it up. In fact I had a far better deal on a Bene 423 from a friend but the Island said it was to big for A-1 so I bought the biggest boat that would be allowed a Bene 393, just 3 inches short of max for that mooring.

Dave Neptune

[AFisch]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

Adam, put Emerald on your list. It is not the most protected bay but it is the prettiest. There is a big sandy beach for the kids, lots of hiking, great snorkeling and another small beach right behind my mooring. The bay has full access by the boaters, nice to go ashore and play.

Let me know if you head out, I like to meet fellow Afourians and have entertained a few there. If I'm not there I can reserve the mooring, no savings $ wise but a really nice spot. It took me over 30 years to finally get it. I got a mooring after the first 14 years on the list at that time (A-4) and I was on the transfer list. Had it for about 4 years now and just don't want to give it up. In fact I had a far better deal on a Bene 423 from a friend but the Island said it was to big for A-1 so I bought the biggest boat that would be allowed a Bene 393, just 3 inches short of max for that mooring.

Dave Neptune

It would be really good to meet up...but, just forewarning and transparency..although I feel like I am becoming one of you Afourians...I have a Palmer. She's been good to us though and you guys have been my saving grace to keep her running!

I will definitely put Emerald Bay on the list for this summer and I will reach out to you well before so we can try to meet up.

Thanks,
Adam

[Dave Neptune]

Adam, don't sell the Palmer short. It is actually a more robust engine with the extra crank bearing. A good engine to run especially with a reduction unit as the RPM's make it easier with the additional rigidity of the center main. The downside is not as many were made and there is no parts source like MMI for it. If you see a cheap one that's sound picking it up for parts wouldn't hurt.

Did the Palmer have an external scavenge tube like the late model A-4's?

Dave Neptune

[Administrator]

I think most of my problems have existed at the antenna connections and not the antenna itself. The one on my current boat a Bene is intermittent and never strong. I thought it was maybe the radio and I upgraded to an AIS unit of the same brand. It worked a bit better and the new antenna works far better just laying on the cockpit sole.

For those lurking, when an AIS is sharing the VHF antenna, it is absolutely critical that a splitter be used which isolates the VHF radio from the AIS. The conventional TV-type splitter will take them both out.

I think there is a thread somewhere around here which talks about all the variables one must consider when choosing between a masthead antenna and one mounted on the sternrail. As my dear mom would have said, "There's a whole lot to it."

Bill

[Dave Neptune]

Bill, no transponder yet. I just upgraded the radio and it receives only.

Thanx for the heads-up..

Dave Neptune

[Administrator]

Even with only a receiver (which is what I have, and treasure), a TV-type splitter will destroy the AIS when you transmit on the VHF.

Bill

[AFisch]

Originally Posted by Dave Neptune

Adam, don't sell the Palmer short. It is actually a more robust engine with the extra crank bearing. A good engine to run especially with a reduction unit as the RPM's make it easier with the additional rigidity of the center main. The downside is not as many were made and there is no parts source like MMI for it. If you see a cheap one that's sound picking it up for parts wouldn't hurt.

Did the Palmer have an external scavenge tube like the late model A-4's?

Dave Neptune

Yes, I love my palmer...especially the more I get to know it. I'll heed your words on keeping an eye out for ones in decent conditions for parts. Fortunately, the carb was the same as the A4, so rebuilt kit through MMI was easy to get.

No, no external scavenge tube though.

[ndutton]

Originally Posted by ronstory

So those of us 'hunkering'... what do you do to keep from going stir crazy?

No hunkering here. As we are under "Safe-at-Home" orders Statewide as of last night and similar County orders from a few days ago, my business type is officially listed in the mandate as essential and therefore exempt from restrictions so I'm still on a full schedule, following safety protocols of course. However, I'm monitoring my temperature daily and if it becomes elevated I'll shut down immediately.

Is cabin fever terminal?

[sastanley]

Originally Posted by AFisch

Yes, I love my palmer...especially the more I get to know it. I'll heed your words on keeping an eye out for ones in decent conditions for parts. Fortunately, the carb was the same as the A4, so rebuilt kit through MMI was easy to get.

No, no external scavenge tube though.

Adam, I am on the wrong side of the continent, but I thought I saw a recent Facebook post about a Palmer over here in Maryland.

[joe_db]

Re antennas:
I have a masthead antenna, an antenna on the stern on an 8 foot extension, and one on the stern rail.
Right now the VHF is on the masthead, the AIS is on the 8 foot extension, and the 2 meter ham radio is on the rail.
Every step up in height gives a significant increase in range, so the most important one is the highest. The terrain around here is mostly flat, but "flat" and sea level are not quite the same thing. You will very frequently be in a creek with land about 5-10 feet above sea level with 50 foot trees. The masthead antenna will cross this terrain when a deck level antenna will not. Anchored in the Corsica River I can hear traffic 20 miles away on the masthead antenna and hear not much not in the river on the deck level or with a handheld.
I decided to forgo the idea of a splitter for a few reasons. Splitters for AIS transmit are more expensive than another antenna by a factor of 2 or 3, I doubt any of them would stand up to 75 watts from the 2 meter rig, and they are an active device that can die. I did give something up, it is amazing now many AIS targets I can see across land from 55 feet up vs. 10 feet up, but that is a fun thing. For collision avoidance my range is more than adequate. Finally I can swap any antenna to any radio, so I can lose one without it being a huge deal. As has been mentioned, replacing the masthead version is a chore. The last time I did that was when a lightning hit blew the whip part off the antenna

[ronstory]

Originally Posted by ndutton

No hunkering here. As we are under "Safe-at-Home" orders Statewide as of last night and similar County orders from a few days ago, my business type is officially listed in the mandate as essential and therefore exempt from restrictions so I'm still on a full schedule, following safety protocols of course. However, I'm monitoring my temperature daily and if it becomes elevated I'll shut down immediately.

Is cabin fever terminal?

Actually, you just need the medically approved version of the EWDS.

http://www.moyermarineforum.com/foru...ead.php?t=8007

[Dave Neptune]

Joe, that's a lot of antenna's. Do you notice your rail mounted antenna working better when healed over?

Dave Neptune

[ndutton]

Originally Posted by ronstory

Actually, you just need the medically approved version of the EWDS.
http://www.moyermarineforum.com/foru...ead.php?t=8007

It would be easy to do but I pucker at the thought of where to put the temperature sensor. Maybe I do need some time off.