1730 Hrs. Local
Position: 06° 23 N 128° 29 E
Course: 100° Mag
Speed: 4.7 Kts.
Wind: e @ 9 Kts.
The sun has just set and after sailing most of the day we are motoring along.
Just after sending yesterdays report the wind changed and we were able to sail until 0230 this morning.
The water maker was re-commissioned this afternoon after installing the new membranes.
All is well aboard
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Monday, August 29, 2016
Sunday, August 28, 2016
PASSAGE TO PALAU DAY 2
1400 Hrs. Local
Position: 06° 18 N 126° 39 E
Course: 080° Mag
Speed: 4.7 Kts.
Wind: ESE @ 5 Kts.
We are on a motor boat ride. Weather for next several days continues light wind. All is well aboard. We did manage to sail for a short time today during a squall but now it's gentle seas and sunny.
Leaving Samal island yesterday and heading down the gulf we had 20 Kts of wind on the nose and a slow trip. today at least we have no adverse wind and we are experiencing a favorable current of about 1/2 Kt.
We have plenty of fuel to motor but Miss Perky is having some minor oil leakage and we would really like a bit of wind to give her a rest and sail. Our new auto pilot is functioning properly though we did have a hard time remembering how to turn the unit on until I got the manual out. Now if we could figure out how to dim the display brightness night operation would be nicer.
Several ships have shown up on the AIS but nothing to close. So far we have seen no fishermen or the large floating fish attracting devices called FAD's.
All is well aboard
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Position: 06° 18 N 126° 39 E
Course: 080° Mag
Speed: 4.7 Kts.
Wind: ESE @ 5 Kts.
We are on a motor boat ride. Weather for next several days continues light wind. All is well aboard. We did manage to sail for a short time today during a squall but now it's gentle seas and sunny.
Leaving Samal island yesterday and heading down the gulf we had 20 Kts of wind on the nose and a slow trip. today at least we have no adverse wind and we are experiencing a favorable current of about 1/2 Kt.
We have plenty of fuel to motor but Miss Perky is having some minor oil leakage and we would really like a bit of wind to give her a rest and sail. Our new auto pilot is functioning properly though we did have a hard time remembering how to turn the unit on until I got the manual out. Now if we could figure out how to dim the display brightness night operation would be nicer.
Several ships have shown up on the AIS but nothing to close. So far we have seen no fishermen or the large floating fish attracting devices called FAD's.
All is well aboard
----------
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for information see: http://www.sailmail.com
Thursday, August 25, 2016
BELIEVE IT OR NOT!!!!!
Ocean View Marina
Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
I know that I have been VERY negligent in updating the blog. It has been two months since any updates. Lots has gone on and it has been very busy here. Kathy returned from her trip back to the states a month ago and since then getting ready to leave the Philippines has been our number one priority. We are finally ready.
Today we checked out of the country with immigration and customs and will leave the marina Saturday the 27 th. Hopefully our new but untested auto pilot will cooperate and we will remember how to sail. It has been 18 long months here in the marina.
The passage from here to Palau is 550 nautical miles so depending on wind and weather four to five days. The south westerly monsoon has filled in so the wind is with us along with a favorable equatorial counter current that flows east varying from 1/2 to 2 knots. We just need to locate it to take full advantage.
I will hopefully blog our position and weather condition updates during the passage.
Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
I know that I have been VERY negligent in updating the blog. It has been two months since any updates. Lots has gone on and it has been very busy here. Kathy returned from her trip back to the states a month ago and since then getting ready to leave the Philippines has been our number one priority. We are finally ready.
Today we checked out of the country with immigration and customs and will leave the marina Saturday the 27 th. Hopefully our new but untested auto pilot will cooperate and we will remember how to sail. It has been 18 long months here in the marina.
The passage from here to Palau is 550 nautical miles so depending on wind and weather four to five days. The south westerly monsoon has filled in so the wind is with us along with a favorable equatorial counter current that flows east varying from 1/2 to 2 knots. We just need to locate it to take full advantage.
I will hopefully blog our position and weather condition updates during the passage.
Friday, June 24, 2016
IT'S ALWAYS SOMETHING
Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
Working away on the boat attempting to get ready to once again enjoy true cruising rather than marina life and boat yard projects it seems I always find something that is not on the list that needs attention.
Last blog had me finishing installing the new sink faucet and then going to work rebuilding the aft toilet in preparation for once again being out of the marina. Now Mr. Groco, the toilet manufacturer, and I are old friends and he fully cooperated in being put back together, this time, with lots of new parts and on checking things flushed without any leaks.
Monday I was going to run a check on our high frequency radio talking to friends on S/V Carina now located in Palau. Leslie was able to copy me but not with the best of signals. I supposed I needed to look at the ground plane first. During this test another problem was noted! The pactor modem, which we use with the HF radio to send and receive emails while underway with no internet connection, did not initialize and just showed flashing red lights. The modem is very important as it not only is our email link but also our weather link while underway. I attempted a bit of troubleshooting checking connections etc. to no avail. An email was sent to the North American distributor located in the San Francisco bay area.
Wednesday morning brought the response that it was an internal failure and they could possibly repair it. Off I went to Davao to find a DHL office to send the modem away. I was successful and they should have it by their closing time Friday evening. Now we just hope it can be repaired and then shipped to Kathy in Southern California to bring when she returns. More on that in future editions of this blog.
Thursday it was time to investigate the ground plane of the HF radio. There are different opinions by the experts regarding this and I prefer the one from Gordon West mainly because it is far simpler. He says just a copper foil from the tuner ground to a bronze thru hull rather than others they that espouse 100 square meters of copper throughout the boat. In the past I had actually just used a heavy copper wire to the rudder post but had planned to change to foil and had brought it back from the states. When I looked at the old ground wire it was in fact broken and not connected to anything. This whole installation takes place in the aft berth and mostly under the bed. It was a day long job but I did finish it, today I once again talked to Leslie aboard s/v Carina in Palau and she said I had a stronger signal so I guess I was successful.
Today's first project was to finish the reinforcing of the tack and head of the staysail. this was started months ago and finally finished today. something actually crossed off the list. For my afternoon job I decided something simple. As tomorrow I planned to start on fluid changing for the engine, coolant, transmission fluid and engine oil that I would take inventory of what I had and would need for the future. Looking at stores in the forward bilge area I found a container that should have been full to be only half. The container had sprung a leak. thankfully this has occurred before and I now keep all liquid jugs inside a tray in case of leaks. It was a minor problem but at least not oil throughout the bilge. I then decided to do some further inspections starting in the engine room. Next found was a wire from the alternator to the batteries that the crimped and soldered terminal was loose and needed replacement. then on looking further in could see water dripping from the hose connecting the thru hull to the raw water engine cooling pump. I had noticed the automatic bilge pump has been cycling more often lately.
That's a lot of somethings in the last week!!!
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| THE MAGIC PACTOR MODEM BOX |
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| MY WORK AREA FOR THE NEW GROUND FOIL |
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| FOIL ATTACHED TO THRU HULL |
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| FOIL ATTACHED TO TUNER |
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| JUST STUFF UNDER OUR MATTRESS |
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| REINFORCED WEBBING ON STAYSAIL |
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| THAT WIRE SHOULD NOT BE BENT THAT WAY |
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| LEAKY OIL JUG |
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| LEAKY HOSE THAT NEEDS A NEW ONE |
Sunday, June 19, 2016
BACK TO WORK
Ocean View Marina
Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
I have finally managed to get back to doing the work necessary for us to leave the Philippines and head eastward to Palau. The incision on my knee has closed and once again I am doing the exercises for strengthening, bending and straightening. Trying to accomplish much work on the boat is tough when you can't kneel down.
For now I am alone on the boat as Kathy has returned to the states as her father passed away last week. Rest in Peace Ralph. I have a list and hopefully can get most all done before Kathy returns in mid July.
The last few days it was replacing the galley pressure water faucet. It also involved adding a new "Seagull IV" drinking water filer system, no more "tank" water taste. New drains and hold down studs to keep the sink in place.
Something crossed of the list, though to tell the truth I still need to install a new spout for the salt water foot pump but that is something I don't have in the spares locker. Kathy will bring one back when she comes. While the sink cabinet was open I did also install a new freshwater foot pump.
Later today I was once again in the plumbing mode repairing the toilet in the aft head. I did not get it finished but there is always tomorrow.
Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
I have finally managed to get back to doing the work necessary for us to leave the Philippines and head eastward to Palau. The incision on my knee has closed and once again I am doing the exercises for strengthening, bending and straightening. Trying to accomplish much work on the boat is tough when you can't kneel down.
For now I am alone on the boat as Kathy has returned to the states as her father passed away last week. Rest in Peace Ralph. I have a list and hopefully can get most all done before Kathy returns in mid July.
The last few days it was replacing the galley pressure water faucet. It also involved adding a new "Seagull IV" drinking water filer system, no more "tank" water taste. New drains and hold down studs to keep the sink in place.
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| THE ALL PURPOSE BUCKET FOR DISHES |
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| THE OLD HOLD DOWN STUDS |
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| NEW FAUCET |
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| NEW STUDS |
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| FINISHED AND NO LEAKS |
Later today I was once again in the plumbing mode repairing the toilet in the aft head. I did not get it finished but there is always tomorrow.
Tuesday, June 7, 2016
HOME AGAIN !!
Ocean View Marina
Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
We have now been back on the boat for two weeks. Always nice to be back in your own space and not be living out of bags. We both suffered a bit of jet lag especially Kathy who for several days would be up at 2 am and take naps from 3 to 7 pm. We are both back to normal hours now.
My surgically repaired knee suffered from the 25 hours in transit with my lower leg and ankle swollen for 2 days.
We have managed to get a few things done since our arrival back. First was lots of cleaning for Kathy and storing stuff brought back for me. I am still under the doctors orders of trying to keep my leg reasonably straight until the incision fully heals. It's real tough to do many projects keeping on leg straight. When I am able to get back to bending I'll be starting on my therapy again. I will then still be restricted to not kneeling for another 4 months. Somehow we'll manage to get the boat ready to head off to Palau.
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Samal Island, Davao
Mindanao, Philippines
We have now been back on the boat for two weeks. Always nice to be back in your own space and not be living out of bags. We both suffered a bit of jet lag especially Kathy who for several days would be up at 2 am and take naps from 3 to 7 pm. We are both back to normal hours now.
My surgically repaired knee suffered from the 25 hours in transit with my lower leg and ankle swollen for 2 days.
We have managed to get a few things done since our arrival back. First was lots of cleaning for Kathy and storing stuff brought back for me. I am still under the doctors orders of trying to keep my leg reasonably straight until the incision fully heals. It's real tough to do many projects keeping on leg straight. When I am able to get back to bending I'll be starting on my therapy again. I will then still be restricted to not kneeling for another 4 months. Somehow we'll manage to get the boat ready to head off to Palau.
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Tuesday, May 10, 2016
DELAYED DEPARTURE
Huntington Beach, Calif.
USA
At this time we were supposed to be winging our way back to the Philippines and our boat in Holiday Ocean View Marina on Samal Island. Instead I am reclining on a couch with my recently replaced right knee elevated and wrapped in a bandage.
Late Friday afternoon Kathy and i noticed some redness surrounding a small area on the healing incision, nothing serious looking but something to keep an eye on. Saturday morning brought an increase in redness. Having lived on a sailboat for the last seventeen years we are always very careful of possible infection in what begin as small cuts . With the increased redness on Saturday we first started on a course of antibiotics and put in a call to the doctor. A call back from the doctors office confirmed the start of antibiotics and that we should come for a visit on Monday morning.
Come Monday prior to our doctors visit Kathy and I felt the redness had decreased and that later that night we would be on our way back to the Philippines. The doctor had another view. He advised that we stay here, continue on the oral antibiotics which he doubled the dosage of, added a three times daily application of Bactroban, an antibiotic ointment and rest with my leg elevated. I may have not always done what I was told but I do follow doctors orders.
Flights have now been cancelled and yet to be rescheduled, emails sent to the marina cancelling a ride from the airport and another to the girl taking care of our cats aboard the boat.
For now I will remain in my reclined position, following doctors orders until we visit again next week.
USA
At this time we were supposed to be winging our way back to the Philippines and our boat in Holiday Ocean View Marina on Samal Island. Instead I am reclining on a couch with my recently replaced right knee elevated and wrapped in a bandage.
Late Friday afternoon Kathy and i noticed some redness surrounding a small area on the healing incision, nothing serious looking but something to keep an eye on. Saturday morning brought an increase in redness. Having lived on a sailboat for the last seventeen years we are always very careful of possible infection in what begin as small cuts . With the increased redness on Saturday we first started on a course of antibiotics and put in a call to the doctor. A call back from the doctors office confirmed the start of antibiotics and that we should come for a visit on Monday morning.
Come Monday prior to our doctors visit Kathy and I felt the redness had decreased and that later that night we would be on our way back to the Philippines. The doctor had another view. He advised that we stay here, continue on the oral antibiotics which he doubled the dosage of, added a three times daily application of Bactroban, an antibiotic ointment and rest with my leg elevated. I may have not always done what I was told but I do follow doctors orders.
Flights have now been cancelled and yet to be rescheduled, emails sent to the marina cancelling a ride from the airport and another to the girl taking care of our cats aboard the boat.
For now I will remain in my reclined position, following doctors orders until we visit again next week.
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