Back in the USA!

[MC1]

Originally Posted by DaveMancini

. . .

MC1: AIS, definitely (cheaper, more information). Radar, maybe. Also, I just noticed there is only one boat between us in build sequence. They are probably near twins.

Dave

Dave - I thought of this exchange when reading - http://www.sailnet.com/forums/cruisi...t-get-ais.html. If you haven't seen it yet, it's an interesting discussion of AIS vs Radar and rainbarrels. .

[DaveMancini]

Thanks MC1,

We all have our prejudices. One of mine is wires. I hate 'em (I used a hand lead line on my first cruise to the South Pacific). Another one is big ugly things that bust up the otherwise beautiful lines of a sailboat. I've suffered both of these to some extent, but I'm drawing the line at radar.

Some of the old timers here in foggy Port Angeles still don't have radar and have cruised here all their lives. I'm lining up behind them.

Dave

[niftynickers]

As an aside to this discussion-this past July while NN was on the hard for bottom job -a 2006 Catalina 36 was brought in next to us.The owners were on a New England cruise and while entering Watch Hill harbor at low tide motoring at 3 knots he hit a rock with his wing keel. He hired a diver to examine the boat and he told him that there was a small crack where the keel met the hull.They returned home about 100 miles and had the boat hauled next to mine.
Insurance paid $60k for the repairs .the keel had separated from the structural members of the hull and weakened the entire structure so badly that they almost totaled the boat. 3 knots mind you not 6 knots .
Tough boats we got.
Dianne and Chuck Burke S/V NiftyNickers C37 #139

[steneck]

Dave,

Great story and great website. I'm sure you are busy but I've been looking for a solar panel for my PSC 34 here in Maine but haven't found the perfect design yet. I see you mounted yours where I intend to mount mine. Can you tell me the make you used and if it performed well for you?

Bob Steneck
PSC 34 - Alaria
Christmas Cove, Maine

[DaveMancini]

Bob,

It's a KCM85 Kyocera panel. I bought the stanchion mount kit which includes the solar panel, mounting hardware, charge controller, remote display and plenty of marine grade (tinned) wire from e-marine on the net. I cut the stainless tube that came with the mount kit in half and bought a couple more rail clamps at the local chandlery. I fitted the two short tubes along the width of the panel instead of the length as the kit was originally intended. I mounted the four rail clamps to the teak frame of the hatch cover, then mounted the two tubes and panel to them. It's really solid, but the whole lash up can be removed in 10 minutes.

As I recall, I had e-marine upgrade the controller in the kit to the one with the battery temperature sensor. This turned out to be a really good idea. The AGM's are in really good shape after three years.

The panel has taken a lot of wind, salt water and raw tropical sun, and it's still in terrific shape. The anodized frame is still in like new condition. We have been really impressed. I think Kyocera has a 20 year warranty on them. Good luck. Let me know if you need more detail.

Dave Mancini
PS34 #305 "Swan"