Category Archives: Technical

AC/DC

Posted on February 16, 2012 by John Peltier| Leave a comment

Under Executive Order, and in keeping faith with my latest decree of being disciplined about my boat projects, I have declared March to be Electrical Systems Month.  This means I have 12 days to figure out how I’ll tackle my electrical projects throughout March, projects that need to be accomplished if I’m going to be a successful cruising photographer.  These projects include: an inverter, new electrical distribution panel, batteries, solar panels, and rewiring.  Let’s start with selecting an inverter. Continue reading →

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Lifelines

Posted on February 7, 2012 by John Peltier| Leave a comment

Bets on how much longer that would have lasted?

Get five sailors together to figure out a problem and you’ll get eight exclusively correct solutions.  Fighter pilots are no different.  This has helped me realize that if I am going to work on my boat myself, I need to do some research and collect all of the facts & opinions before going a certain route, and I need to be able to justify my course of action.  This was the process I faced while trying to decide how to repair my lifelines – those strands of wire designed to keep you from falling off your boat.
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Man-Sewing

Posted on January 23, 2012 by John Peltier| 2 Comments

I think I can figure this thing out...

I don’t know which of the following was more difficult: buying a sewing machine, using a sewing machine, or admitting that I have/use a sewing machine.  Just wait til the guys at work hear about this.  Don’t worry, I was able to justify it.  It’s a semi-industrial sailmaking sewing machine (a Sailrite LSZ-1), weighs nearly 50 pounds, and is blue.  Blue is a man’s color.  And a recent article in Good Old Boat magazine was titled “Real sailors sew”.  It should, in theory, save me thousands of dollars over a few years.  Assuming I can get past figuring out how to thread it. Continue reading →

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Engine Woes

Posted on January 16, 2012 by John Peltier| Leave a comment

They make it look so easy!

It’s a sailboat, right?  So what’s with the engine?

Yeah, I wish it was that easy.  Not having an engine would save a lot of headaches and money.  It’d create a lot more storage room.  And it’d make me a better sailor by not having my engine to rely on in tough situations.  But it’s slightly complicated…and I haven’t quite taken the plunge of engine-less sailing. Continue reading →

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Water In My Algae Tank

Posted on January 4, 2012 by John Peltier| 2 Comments

This was my final big project to finish before S/V Saoirse would feel more like a “home”.  What was the problem?  During the pre-purchase survey, a peek inside the water tank inspection port revealed a nice thick film of green goo coating the insides, and a few gallons of water that had probably been sitting in there for quite some time.  Nothing I was keen on drinking.  I’d really like to show you pictures of it, but some trigger-happy fool reformatted the memory card before ensuring that all photos had been downloaded to the computer.  It was really foul…take my word for it.
I really don’t know what took me so long to finish this project.  Wait…yeah, I think I can pinpoint it to my timidness about my first fiberglass project and the fact that there were other easier projects I could accomplish in the meantime, like varnishing and killing an old bottle of rum.  But it sure is nice to finally have running water and not relying on a six-gallon camping water bladder!  I’m now mesmerized by the water coming out of my faucet – like Man when he first discovered fire! Continue reading →

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Refrigeration for Dummies

Posted on November 14, 2011 by John Peltier| Leave a comment

The icebox lid. Not a lot of insulation there!

I’m thoroughly entertained by some of the questions that people ask me about living on a sailboat. It’s not their fault; they just don’t know anyone who lives on a boat and they have no idea what it’s like. Sometimes I have a feeling that people imagine me in a little dinghy, covered by a canvas cloth for protection from the elements, with a cooler and camp stove for cooking. The truth is, it’s closer to a one-bedroom apartment than most realize. Just a one-bedroom apartment that requires a lot of maintenance, gets freakin’ cold in the winter, rocks (sometimes violently) with the wind and water, and will go anywhere in the world that I want to go (and you thought it was doom & gloom until I added that last part!). I don’t cook with a camp stove; I have a two-burner propane stove and oven/broiler that I’ve used to make some tasty meals. And I have a refrigerator as well…it’s just that refrigeration seems to be an afterthought for most boat builders, and my boat was no exception.

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And So It Begins…

Posted on September 25, 2011 by John Peltier| Leave a comment

I can finally start working on the boat. Where to start?

First thing’s first for a new boat owner: crank up the Jimmy Buffett & Bob Marley playlist, and dive straight into a six-pack of warm Bud Light.

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The Survey

Posted on August 14, 2011 by John Peltier| Leave a comment

Lowering her back in the water after inspection

So, I’m in the process of buying a sailboat. After putting it off for…oh, about 20 years, I figured it’s about time (I’m only 30; probably why it didn’t happen sooner).  Why am I mentioning this on my photography site?  This boat will open up all sorts of opportunities for me.  After months and months of research, I narrowed it down to a few specific models, and one of them showed up for sale an hour from me in Washington (North Carolina), and for a good price. Convenient? Yes.  It’s a Pacific Seacraft Orion 27.  After a few visits, I made an offer, and wanted to get a survey before handing over the check. A survey is similar to a home appraisal. Every single structure & system on the boat is tested & inspected, giving the buyer a reasonable idea of the real value and what needs to be repaired. Continue reading →

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