As you have likely watched our latest episode on YouTube, you may have some more questions about how and why we made these fiberglass repairs to our sailboat. Here we will try to give you all of the dirty details.

What Caused The Fiberglass Damage?

In mid-November, during our sail from Tenerife, Canary Islands bound for Mar de Plata, Argentina, we struck an unidentified floating object (UFO) about 800 miles off the coast of Sierra Leone, Africa.

We were only moving at about 3.5 knots in very light air as we approached the doldrums. It was raining and there were intermittent squalls. Kate was on the helm, and I (Curtis) was sleeping off shift down below in the aft cabin.

There was a very loud set of bangs as the boat heeled and spun 180 degrees. Kate yelled that we had hit something, but she could not see anything. More about this in Episode 71 on YouTube.

We immediately made ready our life raft and ditch bags and commenced inspecting the boat for damage. That night, we could find none and the boat was able to continue sailing. We inspected the boat in the water when conditions allowed, also finding no damage.

Quite some time went on, and we sailed over 2000 miles since, dove on the hull with SCUBA gear twice, and even won a race, but we finally found damage from a small hole made by the aft edge of our rudder contacting and cracking the hull many months later while sailing the coast of Brazil, as evidenced by salt water entering through the laminate.

What We Did After Finding Damage

After docking in Itajai, where we knew from following the Volvo Ocean Race that there were good facilities and a travel lift available, we moved all of the weight forward to minimize water entry and sent a professional diver into the murky brackish water to do yet a 4th inspection. He also found nothing.

At this point, we knew we had to haul the boat out to find the cause. We also contacted the manufacturer, J-Boats, to gain a greater understanding of the fiberglass hull construction in the affected areas and enlisted the help of a local professional boatbuilder and naval architect at Magma Yachts to inspect and consult on the repair.

We determined that the UFO collision we had months ago was likely the cause. It had flexed the rudder shaft some, which allowed the rudder tip to contact the hull. We also learned that the rudder shaft was designed for this and that this is a common occurrence in boats with spade rudders. It was also determined that the boat should be hauled immediately and the rudder pulled to inspect the surrounding area and rudder bearings as well.

Planning For Fiberglass Repairs to Our Sailboat

We formulated a few plans to haul the boat, and even had a contingency plan to haul at a different location if need be, with the help of Gabriel @ Magma Yachts, whose help was instrumental throughout the repair process!

Despite his company producing his own brand of yachts (check out their 38’ racer/cruiser which IMO has fantastic build quality and awesome options like a lifting keel) he is also part of the J-Boat family, as he races J/70s in international competitions.

Lifting Our Sailboat & Removing the Rudder

Luckily we were able to schedule a haul out at Marina Itajai. We had to wait for almost a month at the dock though, to make room for us, as their boatyard can only accommodate a limited number of boats on the hard.

We were able to remove the rudder before setting the boat down onto its keel during the initial haul and blocking process. Before moving the boat to the travel lift, we had already removed the autopilot components, loosened the bolts for the steering quadrant, and had the tools at hand to complete the job. It is important to do this quickly to save from having to pay for an extra lift.

Inspection – Looking For Hidden Fiberglass Damage

With the rudder out of the boat we could finally inspect the hull, keel, rudder, and rudder shaft, visually and by tapping it out. We also inspected the rudder bearings, luckily finding no damage to our Jefa bearings which we replaced way back in Episode 12!

We did find delamination and a small, fingernail-sized hole in the outer laminate just above the aft tip of the rudder. This was a cored area, so we knew we would have to dig out and replace a substantial section of the core to make a proper repair.

The good news is, we could find no further damage to the boat except for a few scrapes in the paint.

Sourcing Project Materials – Where To Buy Fiberglass & Core?

If we were at home in the USA we can source almost everything we need online, included are some links to similar materials we have used on Amazon.com so you can easily obtain items similar to what we used to make these repairs.

Instead, a few excellent new friends in Brazil helped us out by allowing us to place the transactions using their information. Brazil actually has some excellent composite providers, one of which is E-Composites. We were able to arrange delivery through Gabriel. We purchased fiberglass, epoxy resin, core material, and vacuum bag materials. Gabriel loaned us his portable vacuum pump which was a huge help and cost saver!

Fiberglass Repair Steps

It was now time to make the fiberglass repair. Here are the steps we used to complete it.

Step 1 – Grinding

Step one is the removal of all of the bad material. To get to the bad core, we would first need to remove the skins on either side. We started from outside the boat and drilled a hole using a cordless drill and standard drill bit through the punctured area. This gave us a good location on the inside to start.

Next, we started cutting, grinding, and peeling away anything on the inside laminate that was at all questionable, cracked, or delaminated from the core itself. This turned out to be approximately a 1.5-square-foot area.

We used an orbital saw and grinder with sanding pads for most of this part of the process. Sanding disks mounted in a grinder or drill were also helpful. The key takeaway here is to grind away anything that is compromised, delaminated, cracked, or unattached.

Step 2 – Core Removal

Now that we have access to the core itself, we can start to determine what parts of the core have been affected by the damage. There are two parts to the core damage. The first is impact damage and crushing of the core from the collision itself. The second is damage to the core from water intrusion, which softens the core and if left alone will rot the balsa core in our boat.

Just a note, there are many types of core. Depending on the way your boat is constructed you could have solid fiberglass with no core, wood or plywood core, end grain balsa core, foam core (of which there are several types and uses), or other composites like a honeycomb.

Any damaged core, either by impact or water needs to be removed. We do this by carefully using a hammer and chisel, as well as our orbital saw to remove it. You can also grind out the core, but we find in large areas such as this it is easier and less messy to extract with a sharp edge.

The key here is to make sure to remove all core that is compromised and keep digging until everything is dry and firmly attached. This may be a mentally painful step, tearing into your beautiful and loved boat, but it must be done to make the repair like new later.

Step 3 – Prep for New Glass & Scarf

Now that we have ground away all of the damaged fiberglass and removed all of the questionable core material, it is time to finally begin the actual repair steps.

Because we are going to be applying new epoxy and fiberglass to the old, there will be no chemical bond, only a mechanical bond. It is important to give the new repair a large area to grab onto, so to speak. The technical term for this is called “scarf area” or “scarfing.”

Scarfing means sanding or grinding an angle in the old fiberglass to which the new fiberglass is attached. The normal scarf angle is about 12:1, or for every 1 unit of thickness of the repair, you need to sand away at an angle from it 12 units. Another way to think of this: if your fiberglass is 1” thick, you need to grind or sand away an angle 12” from the hole.

Since our fiberglass outer skin is only a few thousandths of an inch thick we only need to scarf a little more than 2”. After this is done the area should be cleaned of dust and wiped down with acetone. This step is perhaps one of the most important to achieve a strong bond for your repair.

Step 4 – Repairing Outer Layer

Because our hull is cored, we have to repair 3 different layers, making the repair much more complex. We could repair all three layers at once, but we find it easier to repair the outer later in this case first.

• Pre-Measure, mark, and cut your cloth before mixing your epoxy.
• Use the same cloth and thicknesses as the original layup if possible to maintain the designed structural strength.
• Stack your repair layers in a pyramid shape, the largest in the first layer touching the old fiberglass and the smallest as the last layer.
• Wet out your cloth and the scarfed area before applying if possible.
• Use peel-ply cloth to smooth out the repair and remove any air bubbles.
• A vacuum bag is not needed, but using it will increase the strength of the repair.
• Repair from both inside and outside if possible.

Step 5 – Inserting New Core

After we completed the repair to the external skin we moved on to the rest of the repair, of which the most important part is the insertion of the core material.

The core material gives the laminate most of its strength. In our case the core in our boat is made from balsa wood, cut, dried, and arranged on a backing material in an end-grain fashion, increasing its stiffness and strength when laid up properly. The core material on our boat in this area is 5/8″ end grain balsa core.

The core needs good adhesion to both the outer skin and inner skin. It is important to sand the repair to the outer skin smooth and use structural epoxy and filler to aid in its attachment. In our case we also filled the core sections with epoxy to mimic the original SCRIMP construction done by J-Boats as we found it was beneficial to the original structure.

Step 6 – Apply Fiberglass for Inner Skin & Using Vacuum Bag

Vacuum bagging our fiberglass repairs was probably not a requirement in this case, but to us, we felt it was needed to obtain the greatest strength and contact between laminate layers. Using the vacuum bag technique does add a level of complexity, but once learned it can make repairs stronger and less messy.

After we had our core in place, we wetted out and applied our inner skin layers. Now we apply our vacuum bag tape to allow the area to seal when the other layers are applied, in a pinch one can also use butyl tape, or even duct tape (this does not work as well and is just a field patch). After this we applied a layer of peel ply, then breather material, then absorbent material.

The breather material allows the air and excess epoxy to flow to the vacuum. Spreading out the area of suction amongst the entire repaired area. It also acts as an absorbent material sucks up any excess epoxy drawn out by the vacuum. It is important to remember that the fiberglass is what gives the structure strength, extra epoxy beyond what can be absorbed by the fiberglass actually weakens the repair. This is where vacuum bagging has a great advantage over conventional wet layup repairs.

Step 7 – Fiberglass Finishing and Painting

The last step in the progress is finishing the repair to make it pretty. This can be as simple as removing the peel ply and moving on with your day, or more steps of sanding, fairing, sanding, priming, sanding, and painting to achieve a show quality perfect gloss finish. In our case, we finished the outside portion of the repair nicely, but left the inside repair bare epoxy. This way we could monitor the repair (the dried epoxy is clear), and we could paint it later to match the rest of our bilge.

Balsa Core vs Foam Core

Many people have asked us, why not use foam core instead of balsa core? This is an excellent question. Before we answer it, we need to give you a little background on core materials.

Balsa sometimes has a bad wrap. This is because many boatbuilders have taken shortcuts in construction using this core material. When balsa gets wet, it rots. That is well known. If it is sealed in epoxy and fiberglass, it will last almost forever, and it is stiffer than its foam cousins.

Most people don’t realize that foam cores can also get wet and delaminate, so choosing foam as a core material does not necessarily isolate you from the problems caused by poor construction and water intrusion, it usually only delays the damage. For the most part, any core when damaged and infiltrated with water will eventually begin to delaminate and lose its strength.

Because foam has a different density than balsa core, it is also used in different thicknesses in layups. For us to achieve the same stiffness, we would need to use a thicker foam core. This would change the internal shape of the hull and make for a more complex repair. We could use the same thickness of foam as the original balsa, but that would also mean our repair would not have the same strength as the original hull in this area.

We firmly believe that a balsa core that is well taken care of is just as good, if not better than foam. In our case, using the same size core, and restoring the boat to its original design and layup specifications was the best course of action.

Professional opinions may vary on this. Many fiberglass repair persons will just fill the area with epoxy rather than re-core or may fill in with foam, wood, or whatever is “on hand.” This happens in boat yards around the world and most consumers or yacht owners would never know the difference. It is much cheaper and faster, and some of these repairs are OK depending on the use of the boat, for example, if she will be a dock queen, appearance may be of more value than strength.

Basically, there are many ways to accomplish a good fiberglass repair, so discuss these options with your repair person if not doing it DIY. We prefer to take an engineering-based approach rather than a patch repair approach and like to do things the right way one time, even if it takes more time and costs a bit more.

Tools Used For Our Fiberglass Repair

Chisel
Hammer
Screwdriver
Knife
Orbital Saw
Grinder
Cordless Drill
Shop Vac
Vacuum Pump

Materials Used For Our Fiberglass Repair

Tyvek Suit
Respirator
Mask
Masking Tape
Duct Tape
Plastic Sheet
Fiberglass Cloth
Epoxy
Core
Sandpaper
Grinding Disks
Grinding Pads
Drill Disks
Peel Ply
Breather Cloth
Absorber
Butyl Tape
Vacuum Bag
Hose

The post This Is How We Repaired Our Fiberglass Boat & What Tools and Materials We Used appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Here we want to share the way we have the current panels mounted as well as at the end, reveal what mistakes we think we have made and what we would do instead. For now though, we want to talk about how we mounted both the old and new panels on our bimini. We have learned a lot over the last 3 years about off the grid solar setups and how to mount them on a boat, and we want to share that knowledge with you.

About Our Flexible Solar Panels Which Failed

We had 3 Renogy 100 watt Flexible Solar Panels that failed us after 3 years of excellent service. (Note: We are really happy with our Renogy flexible panels overall. Renogy did honor their 5 Year Warranty and sent replacement panels for us to an address in the USA, but they could not ship them directly to Brazil.) More on how we tested them and determined they were failed in the video here: https://youtu.be/bqlGqlyJ4cA

Their power output was excellent, and they were super light weight. We actually replaced a single Renogy 160 watt (now a 175 watt) flexible panel (which also failed but was not eligible for the warranty because we drilled holes to mount it) with these 100 watt panels while in St. Thomas, USVI.

How We Mounted Our Flexible Panels on Our Bimini

Our flexible panels were mounted to our bimini and dodger in two separate ways, via sewing attachments and via rails and rail mounts.

Our Renogy 50 watt flexible solar panels are all sewn on. The sewing attachments were sewn into our existing bimini and dodger by sailmakers in Middletown, RI and in Grenada. They use Velcro on the panel, and Velcro sewn into flaps on the dodger and bimini. Also sewn on are small tubes closed by Velcro to hold and organize the wires.

Cons: stitching and velcro adhesive wears over time, can cause dodger or bimni top to sag a bit, sometimes catch rain water

Our 100 watt flexible panels were all mounted with tube clamps and aluminum c-channel bar stock. We used some House Tuning 1″ Off Road Light Clamps to secure the panels, along with bolts and zip ties.

Pros: Cooling airspace underneath, super lightweight, cheap (er…cost effective)

Cons: Looks DIY, not as solid

How We Mounted Our New 155 Watt Solar Panels On Our Bimini

Our new 155 watt solar panels are mounted in a similar way, but we used actual solar panel rail to mount them to. The solar panel rail is then mounted to the 1 inch bimini stainless tubing with the off road light clamps. This is a really strong setup and we are really happy with it so far. It looks and feels much more substantial than our 100 watt flexible panels, but we haven’t been in an area like the Caribbean in summer yet we we are able to see the full output. Note, we only went with 155 watt panels at 19% efficiency because that was the best we could reasonably get at the time while in a remote anchorage in Brazil. We would likely use 22% efficient 200 watt panels if we were in the USA doing this project.

What Would We Do Differently?

If we could do it all over again we would create a completely custom solution for our boat, not just tag onto the existing dodger and bimini.

We would create a hard dodger with either laminated in panels or glued on flexible panels. Custom embedded laminated panels would be best as we could maximize the space available in this area and control the voltage to match in parallel with our system for less loss in shading.

For the bimini, we would likely remove it, as well as the wind generator and radar poles. We would create a custom (but still removable) arch to hold all of these items but maximize our solar real estate without more aerodynamic resistance. We would also be able to integrate our dinghy davits into this arch and it would be much more substantial so it would not flex in big seas and be safer. We would still want it mounted in a way, with waterproof connectors, that we could remove the whole thing for racing and place it on the dock. Our preferred material would likely be aluminum, similar to a wakeboard tower.

We think we could put almost 1000 watts comfortably in this area and another 200 on the dodger, bringing our total output up to 1200 watts from our existing 865 watts. That is a pipe dream (get the pun, you use pipes and tubes to make the arch) for now though, but if we were you and starting over from scratch 3 years ago, we would have done this before we started and have had a worry free super powerful solar system from the get go, instead of trying to save money and weight.

The post How We Mounted Our Solar Panels On Our Sailboat appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

Let’s talk safety! When beginning to prepare for cruising on your sailboat it is important to think about safety. We carry many safety items on board. The USCG and many other governments have some specific requirements, most items can be found at marine stores and chandleries, one however can not be and is usually overlooked: a cordless angle grinder.

If you ever have a situation at sea where your mast or standing rigging fail, it is very important to be able to safely remove it from the boat. The rig can damage the hull and be a safety risk to people, especially if there are rough conditions, when, of course it is most likely to fail.

Most carry on board some cable cutters and a hand-saw in their emergency tool kit. This is excellent, and we agree a must have. But….have you ever tried to actually cut through rigging, shackles, or a mast? It is tough.

If you need to remove the rigging, you will likely need to do it fast! That is where the cordless angle grinder comes into its own. Yes it is expensive, but when the mast or boom is possibly going to punch a hole in your hull, it is worth every penny. A good battery powered angle grinder with a metal or all purpose cutting disk will make quick work of almost anything you would possibly need to cut through on deck.

Why You Want a Cordless Angle Grinder On Your Boat

Ok, so we know a cordless angle grinder can improve your safety by jettisoning your rig in an emergency. That is a pretty extremum situation that is hard for most to envision and justify. But here are some other uses for your grinder that will make happy to have it on board.

1. Fiberglass Repair – If you ever need to repair any fiberglass on your boat, you will have the proper tool start the repair properly.
2. Polishing – you need to be careful when using one to polish with, but with the proper skill and pads you can quickly make your bright work shine, especially stainless steel. What would have taken you days will now only take you a few hours at most.
3. DIY Boat Projects – Let’s face it, if you have a boat, you are always doing some project. If you need to cut or trim anything, with the proper disks you can make short work of it, especially popular stainless steel tube for dodgers and biminis.

Which Cordless Angle Grinder is Best For Sailing

Our favorite is the Milwaukee M18 Cordless 4 1/2″ Angle Grinder. It is very powerful, lightweight, has good battery life, and built a little tougher (in our opinion) than some of its competitors. If you look around and see what the professionals are using, you will see a lot of red in their power tool boxes. If the SHTF we want the best tool available for the job.

What Other Equipment Uses the Same Batteries

Now, as a side benefit to having our angle grinder, its charger, and batteries on board there are lots of other useful items we carry that use the same batteries. It is really nice to be able to carry tools that all use the same battery and charger, as space is a premium on board and keeping the boat as light as possible is important for sailing performance.

Vacuum – The Milwaukee M18 Cordless Vacuum is perhaps our favorite item on board which uses the M18 Lithium battery system. As you know, we sail with a dog on our boat, so a vacuum is a must. This shop vac can do much much more though. We use for cleaning, fiberglass work, removing that last bit of water from the bilge, and vacuum bagging clothing and even our spinnaker. It is really powerful and durable. This is one purchase we are over the moon with and is an on-board life changer.

Which Brand Cordless Power Tools Are Best For Cruising

Before leaving land to go cruising for a long time and setting of to foreign ports, make sure you have all of the equipment you need. Sometimes the tools you want become hard to find in far away places. Voltage issues (220 vs 110) will also make it hard for USA visitors to find items they need in the EU, and vice versa. Having all of your tools use the same batteries and chargers is something we would have worked harder at before we left if we could. If you don’t choose Milwaukee, Bosch, Makita, and DeWalt are also reliable and fairly well supported worldwide.

Note: We do use these items on board and by you purchasing the items through the included links, it helps fuel our voyage, blog, and vlog, at no extra cost to you. We think it is a win/win. We help you by sharing our knowledge, mistakes, and victories. We test the products in the real world and let you know what we really think. In turn, you help keep us going! Fair winds and safe sailing!

The post Why You Should Carry a Cordless Angle Grinder on your Sailboat appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

These and other similar questions many ask when beginning to contemplate navigating outside of their local area, are important to answer. I think the answer depends on your needs and sailing type to determine what is right for you.

Let’s start by examining the options we have available to us.

Apps & Tablet-Based Navigation

An iPad or Android tablet with Navionics is perhaps the easiest solution that is ready to go out of the box. It is really good and paired with a cell phone/wifi-enabled tablet surprisingly accurate. A bonus is the sonar charts, which we really like and have found to be very helpful in less well-charted areas. We cruised for almost a month in Lake Michigan, North Channel, Georgian Bay, and Lake St. Claire with just that. But, there are some issues, the biggest of which is rain or spray. Most tablets combined with Navionics, or other apps, become worthless when wet, too hot, or too cold. This is generally when you need that nav data most, critical conditions in bad visibility.

Budget: $

Pros:
Easy Setup
Easy to Use
Lower Cost Charts

Cons:
Extreme Conditions Loss of Function
No Weather Routing

OpenCPN and Low-Cost PC Navigation Systems

Not quite as plug and play, but also another cheap option. If you happen to have an old laptop lying around your house, this is just about as close to free as you can get. OpenCPN is a really good open-source software that has been developed over many years by real sailors. It can be downloaded online and will run on most laptops. Charts for most areas can also be downloaded for free. It does take a small learning curve, and some of the charts may not be as full-featured of commercial offerings. We use OpenCPN as our backup PC-based nav/chart program aboard s/v Sweet Ruca.

Budget: $

Pros:
Free to Download
Real Sailor Dev Community
Customizable & Expandable

Cons:
Higher learning curve (compared to Navionics/iPad)
Still need on deck display solution

Handheld GPS

The Garmin GPSMap 72 or 78 is the tried and true standard here. There are other similar models from other manufacturers. You can pick one of these up on eBay for less than a case of beer! Although the screen is microscopic by today’s standards, this unit is almost bulletproof. It usually comes preloaded with charts for your cruising area. It can slosh around in the bilge and still work on command. I’ve sailed thousands of miles with one of these bashing around the cockpit floor, and still keep one as a ditch bag backup.

Budget: $ – $$

Pros:
Usable in All Weather Conditions
Fast Learning Curves
Durable

Cons:
Small Screen

Chartplotters (B&G, Raymarine, Garmin, Simrad, etc.)

Perhaps the most expensive option, but also most reliable when the conditions get snotty. Most chart plotters (Multi-Function Displays or MFDs) by the major instrument manufacturers are pretty much the same these days. Charts are usually more expensive to purchase for these because the manufacturers make everything proprietary. They do work very well though for real-time sailing navigation, especially when combined with radar and a full instrument package.

Budget: $$

Pros:
Reliability
Usability in Extreme Conditions
Instrument / Radar Interfaces

Cons:
Expensive and Require Installation
No Weather Routing

Expedition & Commercial Navigation Software

This is what the big boys use, usually in conjunction with MFDs and instrument/radar packages. We use Expedition and C-Map charts aboard Sweet Ruca as our primary navigation source. This gives us the ability to log everything in one place. It also allows us to use our boats’ polar speeds in conjunction with weather and current information to choose the best sailing routes. This has a high learning curve, but when making multiple week passages, it can cut days off your route and allow you to dodge serious weather. Data is relayed on deck via an iPad running remote desktop and the system is integrated with our MFDs and instrument displays. If you want to up your sailing game or simply want to have the same capabilities as the sailors in the Volvo Ocean Race and Vendee Globe do, this is it.

Budget: $$$

Pros:
Weather Routing
Commercial Support & Training
Best Capability

Cons:
Highest Cost
Learning Curve

DIY Systems

There are quite a few that make use of RPi, mini PCs, etc, and combine them with waterproof touch screens. One can build a pretty capable navigation system using DIY parts. Most government charts can be downloaded for free on the web. Combine these things with some open-source software and you can build your own killer app. For us, although it would be really fun to explore this route, there are too many other boat projects to allow time for this.

Budget: $-$$$

Pros:
Budget Flexibility
Custom Features
Ultimate Freedom

Cons:
Time, no plug and play
Highest learning curve

Conclusion

So what is the best navigation option for you and your boat?

The best thing to start with and build upon is perhaps a small handheld GPS with charting ability such as the Garmin GPSMap78.

If you are a sunny day sailor and don’t venture out of cell phone range, apps such as Navionics on iPad or Android are probably your best bet. If you venture further from land or spend more than a day at a time at sea, a combination of at least two methods provides some redundancy.

If you expect bad weather or cruise in areas of the Northern USA, at least one built-in chart plotter with buttons from a well-regarded manufacturer such as Raymarine, B&G/Simrad, or Garmin would be recommended.

If you are venturing into new anchorages or crossing oceans, a PC-based navigation option, in combination with apps and chart plotter/radar/ais/instruments, allows for the best passage planning, redundancy, and real-time sailing data like wind, depth, and current.

If you intend to race at all, or really enjoy performance sailing, Expedition Navigation Software is where it is at!

If you have a low budget, you can put together a safe, capable, and redundant navigation system for a reasonable cost via DIY. Just don’t expect all of the bells and whistles, and realize it may have its limits in bad weather or if you are less technically apt.

If your budget can afford it, or you are venturing into areas where safety is paramount, get the best system you can.

If you are really cheap and an old salty dog, there are always the tried and true paper charts, ruler, dividers, and sextant! Paper charts and books actually get pretty costly though if you venture far and wide. We do recommend having some type of redundancy wherever you go, but in our opinion, paper charts are a little dated.

For any system, don’t skimp on training time. Read the manual, get screen time, and/or take the training classes. Most navigation failures occur due to user error, it is important to have a good understanding of your equipment before you set sail.

See you on the water!

The post What is the Best Navigation Solution for Sailboat Cruising? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

We enjoy sailing in weather windows like this. Cruising in a big breeze downwind is really fun, but boat handling, especially with only two aboard, can become a challenge.

That is why most cruising couples and single-handed sailors put so much time and effort into their self-steering solutions. Not only is reliability and performance a concern, but also redundancy.

Old vs. New Autopilots

Our 20-year-old Roberson AP22 was incredibly reliable. Its performance wasn’t up to snuff when we were getting tossed around in large waves or sneaking along in light air swells. Its wind steering features couldn’t keep up, and it lacked speedy compass data and other important data that can help the boat steer.

This is where the new generation of autopilots and instruments comes in. The core is a more accurate compass, along with better processing power to react to wind and wave data.

We spent a year or so looking at a few different options, including NKE, Garmin, Raymarine, B&G, and DIY (do it yourself via RPi, etc.). We tried a hybrid B&G H2000 and NAC-3 system, but we couldn’t get the wind data to jive reliably. An update to the firmware helped, but I am convinced it has to do with the way B&Gs NAC-3 is coded to receive wind-related PGNs, as it did not like N2K data through the ActiSense NGT-1.

Pros and Cons

We finally settled on the B&G H5000 Hercules system. Here is why:

• Pitch and Roll Corrected TWA
• Works with our existing H2000 wind and speed sensors (no mast wiring and no haulout for a new thru-hull)
• Gust response
• Configurable performance levels
• Race-proven reliability
• Experience and familiarity with H5 from racing OPBs

The big con was we could not use our existing B&G H2 Hydra processor and displays with the H5 pilot. This meant going to an H5 CPU, which, because there is no way to back convert to Fastnet, also meant we had to upgrade all of our displays to NMEA 2000.

This is an expensive and time-consuming proposition. In my opinion, B&G should make a backward compatible converter to Fastnet. It would sell fewer displays initially, but it would surely help ease many into the upgrade vs a possible total switch to a competitor.

What we needed to buy

Once we decided the project was a go, we had to go all in. We spent quite a bit of time shopping and pieced the system together from multiple vendors. Here is what we removed, and replaced it with:

Removed

• B&G H2000 Hydra CPU
• 2 Fastnet 20/20 Displays
• 1 Analog Apparent Wind Display
• 2 Hydra Fastnet/NMEA 0183 Race Displays
• ActiSense NGW-1 (0183 to N2k)
• Robertson AP22 Autopilot & Compass
• B&G Halcyon Compass
• AirMar 800 Depth Sensor

Installed

• B&G H5000 Hercules CPU
• B&G H5000 Pilot
• 2 Garmin GNX 120 7” Displays
• B&G Triton Display
• B&G H5000 Display
• B&G ZG100 GPS
• AirMar 810 Speed/Depth Sensor
• B&G N2k Rudder Position Sensor

We retained our existing Zues3 MFD, 4g Radar, autopilot ram, Precision 9 compass, Bluetooth AP remote control, AirMar speed paddle wheel, and MHU wind sensor. We also kept the NAC-3, a second P9 compass, and hydraulic ram offline as redundant spares.

Installing the New Instruments

This would be a fairly big install. Although the displays are similar in size to the old ones, they were not exact and would require some cutting and minor fiberglass work. The existing rats nest behind the navigation station would be cleaned up in the process, but most of the old wires are all run through headliners and hard to get at. This required some minor disassembly.

The good news is, you can use B&Gs Fastnet wires and put N2k ends on them. This is a huge time and effort saver. Our friends at Twig Marine have the connectors on hand for special orders. Keep in mind that standard N2k wires may not fit through the old Fastnet conduits due to the size of the N2k end connectors.

Dealing with the J Boats Hood

The instruments in the standard J Boats style companionway hood were the only tricky part to deal with because of NMEA 2000s backbone and drop standards. Yes, one can pigtail a few instruments off of one drop cable even though it doesn’t meet the official standard. We could have just used a drop into the hood, but these are our primary visual steering aids, and our GPS would be there as well.

We couldn’t afford any electrical hiccups here, so we decided to change the backbone to end in the hood, rather than in the nav station. This gives the benefit of a more centrally located power source but makes the backbone longer and more risk of voltage drop. Fortunately, our total backbone length is well within the standards.

We mounted our GPS in the hood for two reasons. First, we just didn’t like any of the locations available at the back of the boat for hole drilling. Second, and most importantly, the view of the sky is sometimes obscured on the transom by solar panels, dinghy, liferaft, etc. Lastly, we felt the closer the ZG100 was to the boat’s center of axis, the better.

We placed the Triton display where the old analog apparent wind gauge was, right in the center. We liked the apparent wind in this position and wanted to replicate it with the Sailsteer feature.

Garmin and B&G Together?

One may have already noticed that we chose to use two Garmin displays in this system in the place of B&G 20/20s. There are several reasons. First, they are cheaper, saving us about 400 dollars over the 20s. Second, they are very readable, have big digits, and can display two lines of data each, doubling the possible readouts in this location. Third, unlike the B&Gs, which only read their own PGNs in the N2k network, the Garmins will read anything.

We can fire our Expedition Navigation Software PGNs from our computer, through the ActiSense NGT-1 to the GNX 120s to view any other data we want. We use our polars and Expedition software religiously for weather routing, so this is important to us.

Once we had the hood back together, we decided to retain the location of our existing Hydra race display near the main sheet winch. This is in a prime racing location for the driver, main trimmer, and tactician. It also gives a great view of lots of data from them helm.

We would have likely forgone this location for cruising, but filling this hole was easier, cheaper, and better looking than re-glassing and re-painting or putting a blank in.

Installing the CPU and Autopilot

Now that we had all of the new displays in place, it was time to untangle the macrame that was the Nav station wiring. This is pretty standard on an old boat that has received numerous upgrades and changes over time. It has been on our to-do list for a while.

We ripped everything out all of the old stuff and got to work making sense of the old wiring. We mounted the H5000 CPU and Raymarine AIS unit to the wall, along with securely mounting all N2k connectors. Now, it is far from the perfect glamorous wiring job, but we can quickly diagnose and fix any potential problems.

The H5 Pilot Computer was an easy plugin replacement in place of the NAC-3, which now resides next door in case of emergency. Installing the new RPS (rudder position sensor) was a breeze as it is the same size as the old analog version. We kept the analog version as it still works with the NAC-3 as another layer of redundancy.

Installing the Speed/Depth Sensor

The last thing we needed was to install our NMEA 2000 compatible depth sensor. H5 can’t use the old style, but fortunately, AirMar likes to make customers’ lives easy and the new 810 unit fits easily in place of the old depth sensor. They even give you the needed o-rings to fit the older thru-hulls. As a bonus, the new sensor has Bluetooth configuration and outputs additional data such as a redundant source for heel and pitch.

Once everything was connected and in place, we fired the system up for its final checks. Everything seemed to be working pretty well and initial calibrations were close (close enough for fair weather recreational cruising).

Calibrating the H5000 System

We did our dock calibrations but waited a few days to go sailing. Our next sail would be to an island about 50 miles south, but the weather window required us to leave the harbor in the dark. We did the at sea autopilot initializations and speedo calibrations under the moonlight, but we had smooth water, light winds, and little current, making calibration easier.

Sailing with the B&G, Expedition and Garmin Hybrid

We still have some advanced calibration and fine-tuning to do. We can report though, with just basic efforts that the system performed without a glitch, and Jeeves (our name for the autopilot) drove with a steady hand and laser focus!

We were sailing in 4-7 knots of breeze in a decent-sized leftover but well-spaced swell. We were using a #3 cruising headsail and cruising Dacron main, easily maintaining speeds in the 90% polar range. The H5 can certainly drive better than the other autos we have tried and will likely save us its cost in fuel over the long run.

We still have some more detailed tuning to do and heavy air testing, but we are pretty happy with the outcome so far. We are also looking at integrating a few more on-boat systems into the NMEA 2000 network in the future such as our engine and fuel data, fridge and freezer temps, and tankage levels.

We hope to revisit this and give more feedback as we put more miles on with this configuration.

The post Installing a B&G H5000 System in our J Boats J/46 appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

This may sound silly as the first item on the list, but our navigation, comms, and instrument software is vital to our safety.

B&Gs software update to the Zues3 MFD and NAC3 autopilot had some important changes. The one we enjoyed the most was faster radar display updates via wifi to the iPad at the nav station. Which also required updates to its OS and the Link app.

We use C-Map Max charts in the Zues and C-Map 4D charts in Expedition Navigation software down below. The charts contain not only just water depths, but quick access to important information such as marina phone numbers and emergency contacts. It is important to keep these up to date.

Our IridiumGo, which is our main link to the outside world for weather and communications required updates to its associated iPad and Android apps. This insured our web, email, text messaging, and SOS buttons worked.

Not quite as essential, our cameras and video editing software also required updates.

It is important to do this in plenty of time before leaving, as once out of the range of cell phone towers troubleshooting software issues becomes painful, if not impossible.

6. Download Offline Content

We spent hours at the local yacht club and restaurants hoarding their wifi. 

We keep most books, music, videos, and boat manuals digitally. There is no google out there, so you have to bring all the knowledge you might need with you. 

We have engine and electrical schematics, lists of medicines and emergency medical treatments, pilot charts, radio channel lists and schedules and more. 

If you want to relax a bit while sailing and listen to music, there are no radio stations or pandora.

5. Carry More Spares for the Boat and People

When sailing the US East Coast or Caribbean you are never more than a day away from a marine or out parts store.

Out in the mid ocean, that is a different story, as we could be weeks away from a critical part we need.

Therefore, we must bring everything we could conceivably need with us. This applied to all critical infrastructure and systems aboard.

We normally carry a substantial list of supplies, but some areas we really stocked up in were engine parts, rigging parts, sail repair materials and tools, hull and fiberglass repair (especially for below waterline collisions), and first aid supplies.

4. Food, Water, and Fuel

This is what everyone thinks of first, but it is a fairly normal part of our daily lives.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic and associated potential quarantine times we now keep a minimum of 14 days of extra “normal” food plus emergency freeze dried on the boat at all times. Stocking up for an ocean crossing is really just topping up our existing supplies.

Water is another normal part of life. We always have 5 gallons of emergency drinking water as well as a watermaker onboard. Prepping for water is really just a matter of making sure our existing 120 gallon tanks are full.

We do carry extra fuel in jerry cans when going for sails over 1000 miles. Normally we keep our extra cans empty and tucked out of the way, so before we leave we make sure they are filled with an additional 20 gallons of fuel. A quick run in the dinghy to the gas dock with our jugs takes care of this.

3. Watch the Weather

As sailors, the weather or more specifically the wind, waves, and currents drive our course to the next destination as well as when is the best time to leave. A good weather window makes for a smooth and fast trip.

We use multiple tools to stay on top of this, but we find the most important are our optimal routing tools.

Expedition software allows us to estimate our projected best route, sails we will use, and fuel we will require to complete the trip based on the expected weather (downloaded via grib files). It also gives us an estimated total time of completion, which is good to compare weather windows on different days.

When still on land and we have internet on our cell phones, we supplement routing data with other quick to view weather sources such as Sailflow, Predictwind, and Windy.

2. Boat Maintenance and Checks

Our boat is not only our home, but it is our means of transportation and our primary safety and survival system.

Before we left we went through and did our own survey on the boat. We repaired or replaced anything that was worn or in question.

We replaced most of the boats original hatch seals, ridding ourselves of a few annoying drips, but more importantly preventing small problems from becoming bigger ones at sea.

We also checked our rigging, sails, steering gear, engine, seacocks, hoses, and safety equipment. We dove the boat to check the prop and driveline, checked thru hulls had no obstructions, and that the hull was clean and otherwise OK.

1. Relax

It is important to decompress and relax a bit after all of the boatwork and prep. Take some time to breathe and see the sights if you can. A good meal and easy night out is a great way to end your time in a location.

Careful though, don’t overdo it as you don’t want to start a long offshore sail tired and not feeling 100%.

The post 7 Things We Did To Prepare for an Atlantic Crossing appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

#sailing #saillife #boobies

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This is the real cruising life aboard Sailing Sweet Ruca. Even though our transatlantic voyage is on hold we don’t stop having fun and continue the adventure in a beautiful new country. In this satisfying video, we test negative for da’vid and get to escape the quarantine anchorage. We met some new sailing couple friends from SV Dragonfly and SV Kuma Too. Join us as we explore the island of Grenada from the top to the bottom. As the title says, if you hang in there to the end you will get to see boobies!

Special Guests:

SV Kuma Too: Mandi & Joe

The crew from Kuma Too charters their Leopard 47 in St. Thomas USVI as they work toward their around-the-world sailing plans. Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAvgJoOMfDY8EiOJ0TpXALw

SV Dragonfly: Jen & Ryan This power couple is cruising the Caribbean with their daughter aboard their Leopard 46 catamaran. Link: http://www.addyatsea.com/about-me.html

The post [Ep. 30] BOOBIES on Board! – Welcome to the Jungle appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

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#sailing #sailinglife #travel #vlog

After being offshore, sailing in the blue water on a fast 2 day reach from the USVI to Grenada, we arrive and spend almost a fortnight in quarantine.

In this satisfying video, we do some sailing, but you get to see a lot of us making funny videos while stuck on the boat for over a week at anchor. You know what’s awesome about being at anchor in for that long?

There is no CNN, no MSNBC, no Fox News, no parties, no drama. It’s just the two of us and the asmr sounds of the ocean and birds, Kate playing beautiful music as she is learning the guitar, and enjoying sunsets and nature.

We have a smooth sail and show the checking in the process via MAYAG into Grenada. It was overall a good and motivational experience! (A note, now you need to use SailClear).

The post [Ep. 29] Unplanned Detour – New Stop on Route to Sail Around the World appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

#sailing #sailinglife #spinnaker #travelvlog

In this episode, we finally make it to St. Thomas after a 700 mile offshore ocean passage from the Bahamas. We are glad to see land but after so much time in the deserted islands of the Bahamas, we are smacked in the face with the full force of big brand marketing in the USVI. We have lots to do while we are here, especially some much-needed plumbing work. Don’t ask, just watch and you will see.

We also need to make some repairs after the hard sailing passage. We still make time for fun though. Kate’s mom joins us for a few days, and our friends from Jamestown Boatyard in Rhode Island, Dave and Denise, make an appearance for some spirited sailing and fun in St. John.

The post [Ep. 20] Sailing FAST & Living Slow! – FUN with Spinnakers in the USVI appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.

0:00 Intro

0:36 Bahamas Sailing

We raise our anchor at the deserted island in North Eleuthera Bahamas and head west. We sail through the crystal clear but shallow water of the Bahama Banks to Chub Cay, Whale Key, Bimini, and then on to Miami.

3:49 Gulf Stream Crossing

We crossed the gulf stream with a northeast wind, perfect for some downwind spinnaker sailing on the way to Miami and Biscayne Bay. We hit 10.9 knots of boat speed during some great and fun sailing conditions.

7:00 Stiltsville

We entered Biscayne National Park through the Stiltsville Cut. It was pretty cool to sail between the old houses and buildings on stilts, which have been long since abandoned. This is a tricky entrance and we must be careful as we draw over six feet.

7:25 Coconut Grove Sailing Club

We got the last open mooring ball at CGSG, which thankfully was the only one that would fit our 46 foot sailboat. We were very thankful for the clubs hospitality. What an amazing place with excellent staff and friendly members. It helped that they were a racing club and we had visited there before while racing Melges 24’s.

7:41 Sail Loft

One of the main reasons for coming to Miami was to get our staysail fixed up. When it was originally re-cut down from a #4 jib in Annapolis the sail loft there made a mistake and made the sail longer than the hoist. So we were able to have the sail re-recut and fixed in under a week. We were super thankful to get this done.

8:39 Melges 20 and Bacardi Winter Series in Miami

It just so happened that the Melges 20 Winter Series and Bacardi Miami Winter Series was going on. Was this planned? Well, it certainly was a good enough reason to sail back to the USA and see all of our racing friends. On top of that, the race committee boat broke down, so we volunteered to be the RC boat for the day. It was lots of fun, but there were a few close calls. Luckily no boats were harmed in the filming of this video and SV Sweet Ruca came away without a scratch in her Awlgrip!

12:52 Coconut Grove

We ended our time in Miami with a stroll through Coconut Grove. It is a lovely little suburb on the south side. We took advantage of this time to get our last meals out in the USA for what we be a long time. We were also invited to go to the CGSC staff Christmas party, so we celebrated the holiday in style with our new friends before we sail away again to the Bahamas.

#sailing #boatlife #bahamas #sail #sea #boat #yacht #sailboat #yachting #travel #ocean #sailor #yachtlife #boating #boats #sailingboat #sailingyacht #adventure #yachts #vlogger #youtubesailing #vlog #rescuedog #sailingdog #boatdog #snorkeling #paddleboarding #desertedisland #jboats #saltydog #saltlife #sailingvlog #liveaboardlifestyle #rocna #anchoring #cruising #sailaway

The post [Ep 15] Hard Decisions…Do We Turn Around? appeared first on Sailing Sweet Ruca.