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Last Night at the Harvard Club

17K views 148 replies 30 participants last post by  smackdaddy 
#1 ·
This "new thread" is actually sort of a phase II from S/V Triumph. You might want to review that thread in order to understand the background to this one.

My wife and I exchanged emails this morning, related to that "event" roughly 1000 miles between Boston and the Azore Islands this past July 27th, as we lost our vessel the Triumph:
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Boy, it is so rough to meet up with a group of sailors :( I expected the initial rehashing of the 'story', but I couldn't get anyone off of it. After going through the "what you should have done..." the group I was talking to quickly moved to the "thank god you're still alive..." Then, I tried to change the subject by asking about their boats. That garnered a quick "Cape Dory, etc." then back to survival stories. I started crying at one point when Donna kept recounting stories of people who had fallen overboard and were either lost at sea or drowned or had a heart attack in the Gulf Stream. This was embellished liberally with "it's a wonder Doug survived. Don't know how that happened..." Okay, so now I'm crying here at my desk. Do people honestly think this helps? Or are they just ghouls? Which is my conclusion. I know you were the one that was in the water the longest and faced death the closest, but, whether you believe it or not, I don't know how I could have gone on without you. You are my soulmate and the love of my life. Without you, everything is meaningless... And I wish to hell people would quit deliberating over how close I came to losing you... I hate them. Love you.
 
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#116 ·
Well, after I get the new Triumph to Boston, I will be modifying / changing the rigg. For instance I will be removing the roller furling / behind the mast mizzen mechanism and returning that to the track / halyard design. And, replacing numerous turnbuckles, some cable(s), and lets not forget the CHAINPLATES!

After all of that, I will be tuning the rigg while underway, besides at the dock.

Thank you for asking....
Doug
 
#121 ·
FYI.... the boat and delivery crew should be arriving in Boston Harbor at approximately 6:00 pm this evening!

We will take them to the North End to celebrate with some Italian food, and put them on a plane tomorrow at noon.

Then... we can move onboard. :) And with that, we will have nearly completely "recuperated" from last summers' disaster.
 
#122 · (Edited)
Hey Doug, beautiful boat. which post # has the picture album? I missed it.

Congratulations on your new boat. Sorry you had to go through what you did to get here.

Sure wish I had the means to get into what you just bought. However, I'm enjoying immensely my little 23-foot Sundance. Makes me joyous just thinking about her, and I didn't want to leave her this morning to head to work. Looking for a live aboard situation in the next few years.
 
#123 ·
Hey Doug, beautiful boat. which post # has the picture album? I missed it.

Congratulations on your new boat. Sorry you had to go through what you did to get here.

Sure wish I had the means to get into what you just bought. However, I'm enjoying immensely my little 23-foot Sundance. Makes me joyous just thinking about her, and I didn't want to leave her this morning to head to work. Looking for a live aboard situation in the next few years.
Thank you! If you click on my profile / name, it will bring you to a picture album here on Sailnet.

On Fridays I have the great pleasure of "working from home" doing my computer programming job. :)

I can well understand your love of your boat.... I think most of us have that disease. :)
 
#124 ·
In a very bad way. Thinking of buying a Catalina 27 tall rig in December. Thinking hard about it. Then, I'll have two boats.

"Invalid Album specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator" was the message I got when I clicked on your albums created link.
 
#130 ·
Our first weekend onboard surely was a messy one... first moving onboard while the boat is at a mooring was more of a challenge than the usual "moving day" for people. However, the guy running the launch was amenable to filling his boat to the rails, and then all the passing of boxes, etc. Not to mention the "bell hop" from Boston Harbor Hotel that helped transfer all those items from a van to the dock; 2 loads of 2 carts, in almost 90 degree heat.

Both were tipped well.. :)

Then, we found the boat was out of water; the water maker high pressure pump is not working, and after we tied up to a dock and stole 300 gallons of water, we learned that the delivery crew had apparently allowed the water pump to run dry for too long, which ruined the "stator", i.e., an impeller type part.

And, we learned that the toilets only run from fresh water!!!! How sick is that!? So, we can't take showers, or flush a toilet.

The air conditioners are dysfunctional, the refrigerator and the freezer are likewise dysfunctional; and without water, obviously the washer & dryer are out of the picture.

The delivery crew left the main halyard at the top of the mast; and the spinnaker pole hoist is stick on a block half way up the main, so the pole is embarrassingly askew.

We have been relocating all the things onboard, besides what we brought onboard, since the previous owners barely ever used her, and hadn't at all for the last few years, her various parts were in the weirdest of places.

Anyway, happy Monday!

Today I'll be ordering 2 new FrigoBoat systems, and a stator for the water pump to be delivered ASAP.
 
#138 ·
Our first weekend onboard surely was a messy one... first moving onboard while the boat is at a mooring was more of a challenge than the usual "moving day" for people. However, the guy running the launch was amenable to filling his boat to the rails, and then all the passing of boxes, etc. Not to mention the "bell hop" from Boston Harbor Hotel that helped transfer all those items from a van to the dock; 2 loads of 2 carts, in almost 90 degree heat.

Both were tipped well.. :)

Then, we found the boat was out of water; the water maker high pressure pump is not working, and after we tied up to a dock and stole 300 gallons of water, we learned that the delivery crew had apparently allowed the water pump to run dry for too long, which ruined the "stator", i.e., an impeller type part.

And, we learned that the toilets only run from fresh water!!!! How sick is that!? So, we can't take showers, or flush a toilet.

The air conditioners are dysfunctional, the refrigerator and the freezer are likewise dysfunctional; and without water, obviously the washer & dryer are out of the picture.

The delivery crew left the main halyard at the top of the mast; and the spinnaker pole hoist is stick on a block half way up the main, so the pole is embarrassingly askew.

We have been relocating all the things onboard, besides what we brought onboard, since the previous owners barely ever used her, and hadn't at all for the last few years, her various parts were in the weirdest of places.

Anyway, happy Monday!

Today I'll be ordering 2 new FrigoBoat systems, and a stator for the water pump to be delivered ASAP.
Now aren't you glad you have a big boat with all the mod cons?? :)

Seriously Doug, this is what we were talking about on the other thread. Big boats = big headaches! :D

Seriously, I hope you get things settled quickly so you can both resume your travels. All the best!
 
#132 ·
Well, as far as the burnt out water pump, a good part of the "blame" should go to whoever decided to feed the toilets fresh water! That must have sucked up a good amount of the water, considering there were 3 people onboard for 4 days.

The main sail had a ludicrous "tab" of material for the halyard to connect to, instead of a healthier reinforced connection point.
So, though it would have been nice for one of them to retrieve the halyard, the sail design was at "fault".... :)

Overall, the previous owner was clearly a motor boater stuck in a sailboat.
He should have bought a trawler or a Hatteras.

We will bring her around though!! Without running an 8Kw generator 24 X 7, and without flushing fresh water....

Doug
 
#133 ·
Flushing fresh water is desired by many, to avoid odor from decaying organisms in salt water. But I'm with you. It isn't necessary, especially if you use the heads often and pump out often.

I do not know what a stator is on a water pump, unless it only refers to a component of the motor itself. Still, I thought that was a generator/alternator part. In any case, fresh water is a life critical system and I would swap the whole pump out, as well as buy a spare to be vac packed and kept aboard. In fact, that is precisely what I did when the same happened to my current boat.

Making water with a water maker in a harbor is generally a very bad idea for the water maker. Too many contaminants.
 
#134 ·
The "stator" in this case is basically an impeller, except it doesn't look like an impeller at all. It looks like a rubber upside down cup, without any handle.
The spinning end of the pump is twisted and fits inside the stator, which is inside a housing, wherein the water flows.

At the price of these pumps, I will NOT be buying more. Though I do understand the reasoning.

I have used water makers in many harbors.
 
#135 ·
Not sure of the cost of the pump on your boat, but I bought a very nice Shurflo self regulating pressure pump for a couple hundred dollars, IIRC. Two, in fact, as being aboard with no fresh water is a serious problem. BTDT. It puts out pressure exactly like at home and is variable.
 
#136 ·
This water pump has an accumulator tank. I think it is a rebuilt Galley Maid, rebuilt by a place in Fort Lauderdale called Raz Marine.

Raz Marine | Head Pumps | Water Pumps | Fort Lauderdale Florida

Luckily, the circuit breaker kept the motor from burning out; so all we need is the "stator", i.e., the rubber part. I ordered 2 of those.

I have experienced a lot of Shurflos... and every time I buy one, I get the product insurance with it. We went through 3 "Extreme Series" Shurflos, (advanced variable model), within 1 year before I let them off of the hook and took a lesser model. Being liveaboards, we find out within about 6 months what products are built to last, and which are not.

Once we have water again, I will be redesigning the toilets to actually do what the switch the prior owner had installed says it does: use either ocean or fresh water. Currently, the pretty switch does nothing. :-(

And, the 110v cold plate refrigeration systems are being ripped out to be replaced with FrigoBoat air & water cooled systems. These use variable controls on the compressors which are much more efficient.

Anyone interested in some 110v with cold plate(s) systems?? :)

We are also going to be replacing the air conditioning systems. I have long ago learned to just replace anything with freon in it when it is past its prime.
It isn't worth the repair costs / labor, especially when you consider that todays' technicians don't know how to fix things. They only replace modules.

Never boring....
 
#141 ·
Which brings us back to what I advise anyone venturing toward a liveaboard life: Buy as big as you can afford. You will much more likely regret buying too small than you will regret buying too big.

:)
Different strokes for different strokes, as always, but I'd disagree with that to a certain extent...

No question, for most people living aboard in a marina setting, their boat functioning primarily as a houseboat, that approach will work for many people...

However, once a typical Mom & Pop cruising couple really start really going places, I think there's much less validity to such an approach... Especially as people age and become less fit, there's a real value in keeping the size of the boat within reason, and relatively modest... I'm often shocked at the extent to which some people out there today are "over-boated", and entirely dependent upon electrical or otherwise complex systems to deal with the physical loads larger boats bring to bear...

I've seen lots of clients over the years who succumbed to the desire to buy "the biggest boat they could afford"... Unfortunately, the tendency appears to be to greatly underestimate the costs involved beyond the initial purchase price, and such purchases invariably result in the boat's sitting still over time, instead of being actually used...
 
#142 ·
As is often the case a pinch of truth to both sides of the coin.

LOA is often a poor method of discerning boat size but we knew after spending almost every weekend and a couple of months a year on board that our 34'er was too small for us. I'll readily admit however that had I been able to own her thirty years ago she would have been damn near perfect for that much younger me.

That said and having had our 40'er for over a year now I'd not like to go much larger. We rarely have guests staying so we only need to worry about room for two and our girl has enough of that. I can see that an extra few feet would bring us a slightly bigger galley and perhaps an island v-berth up front or a great cabin in the stern but at what price in terms of handling, maintenance and of course dollars ?
 
#143 ·
Buying a bit bigger than you think you need, and smaller than the max you can just barely afford strikes me as a good balance. I'm happier buying parts for my A30, and happier working on the big 45'+ powerboats with more elbow room when someone else buys the parts and pays for fuel/moorage.
I wouldn't want a 60' boat for example, for my needs it's just too much, especially when it comes to cleaning!. However a 36' feels just a bit too big for me, including extrapolating extra space for things I don't own but may want, and including space for a partner down the road if needed. Everyone's needs may be different, but general guidlines could apply.
The A30 I own, is just right for me now, but I suspect I'll want more room later, and then I'll have a nicely outfitted boat for someone else to enjoy the fruits of my labor.

EDIT: Also, you have inspired me to add some granite to my A30, I used to fabricate and install granite countertops, and there's one granite that would be just perfect, it's a strange mix of cream, orange, black and translucent, the kind of look no synthetic has.
I'm keeping my eye out for a small piece to do my galley with if I don't go full synthetic.
 
#146 ·
Interesting story on our granite installation a few years ago.... a quote for replacing the formica was $4500 in just the galley. Instead, a likewise "burnt orange / cream / black" mixture, (which really added a lot of zip), for the galley AND both heads came to $2500. I ended up having to install it as they were gouging the teak all around the granite, but nevertheless, it was much better than the formica and cost a fraction as much. Also it didn't create any list or imbalance to the boat, perhaps because the aft head offset the galley, and the bow head was more centralized.

When you liveaboard, and especially if you are married, it is some of these little touches that appease the "nest building" portion of us.
 
#145 ·
I'm not sure, usually we didn't use it over plywood sheet though. Just mounted on the upper edges of the cheap wood the cabinets were made out of. Interestingly, the fragile granite I was talking about the back was usually fiberglassed for strength. Regular granite didn't need that. It was about a half inch thick as I recall, maybe a bit less in thin sections(such as in front of a sink) a metal rod was placed into a groove cut with an angle grinder, and epoxied in place. This was more so the sheet could be carried up stairs etc without breaking, than for strength after install. When the middle might only have a couple inches wide either side, and need to handle two guys hoisting and carrying it by hand things could get a little dicey.

To do the edges, we'd make a cut about an inch in from the edge, flip the cut off piece underneath and epoxy it in place, then grind the edge smooth and polish it. This gave you the thick edge feeling like a full thickness, a smooth shiny bottom edge, even nicer than a full thickness slab and some extra strength too.

Perhaps you could do the same(with the fiberglass on the back, and the laminated edge, skipping the metal rod if not needed.)

I was always amazed at the amount of abuse these slabs took being carried around.
The only thing more durable was the quartz contertops(basically stone+acrylic. They didn't need the re-finishing like granite, and we even dropped a slab without damage once.

Ours were usually a single layer of glass and resin, but I did a little googling, and came across this:
Lightweight Stone for Yachts Elevator Floors & Walls,Transparent Marble,Granite,Onyx

GRAMA BLEND LUMO
4mm of stone and 5mm of GRP backing, might be even better/lighter!
Looks like it's rated for countertops and floors, might be easier than making it yourself, though if it's economical to find granite there, I'd think going with the thinnest avail over 3/8" and then having the back done in fiberglass up to a couple inches off the edge, with the edge doubled over for visual/physical appeal would do the job quite well, and possibly be overkill :)
 
#147 ·
Thanks for the information JGBrown. Sorry I didn't reply earlier, but I just saw your post now. Very good advice and I like the idea of using fiberglass as a backing and doubling the edge. I think I'll go with a half inch as you suggest and dispense with the plywood. As I said, granit is very cheap here (around US$100 for 10 spare feet / US$100 per square meter, and that's custom cut, polished and ready to install). I think it might actually come out cheaper than formica!

Cheers!
 
#148 · (Edited)
Last Sat my wife and I took a trip to see Doug and Evelin's beautiful boat in Boston.
They were very generous in letting us look around as I know their time is very precious as they are getting ready for the winter.

Thanks Doug and keep in touch.
The two of you are an inspiration.
 
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