RMS here. To follow up from Sue's last post, a few notes on gear that has worked well, not so well, or crap.
Our engine, a Yanmar 4JH3E, 56 HP, was installed new before we left. It has run without a hitch, and the only maintenance has been regular oil and filter changes. It has plenty of power and it's been easy to find parts all through the islands. We now have over 1100 hours on it (so much for beam reach trade wind sailing).
Batteries: 4 six volt golf cart providing 450 AH, charged by 90 amp alternator on main engine, require about 1 1/2 hours running per day. These have proven totally reliable and ample power for what we run. Engine start battery is a group 27 105 AH Surrette.
Our anchor windlass, a Lofrans Tigres 1200W electric horizontal, is indispensable. Life is so much easier when all you do is step on a foot switch and 150 feet of chain and 45 lb. of anchor come whizzing up. Susan does all the anchor work with no problems [actually, I do lift the anchor onto the bowsprit manually, and lift it off and hang it by muscle power...). We carry 300' of high test 3/8" chain and have a variety of anchors, including a 45 CQR, our work horse; 35 Delta, 50 Bruce type, and a FX-55 as a storm anchor. See "need to have" section for update.
Our dinghy is a 10' Achilles with 8 HP Suzuki outboard: love/hate relationship. Great for carrying big loads, but wet in a chop. Engine has generally been reliable but is prone to fits every once in a while. Watch for water in the gas down here, it's been the main source of problems. I now use my water separator filter every time I fill the tank. We also have the lapstrake 10' rowing dinghy we got in Carriacou, by far our favourite except in strong winds when rowing is difficult.
Things we don't have and haven't really missed are a watermaker (the rain catching awning that does just fine and otherwise finding fresh water is no problem), television, pets, and socks.
Things on our list to purchase include an autopilot, alternate energy source (solar panels, wind generator or portable gas generator), larger main anchor (probably a 55lb Delta), satellite phone, and maybe a stuffed parrot or a peg leg. (ARRRGHHH)
Our engine, a Yanmar 4JH3E, 56 HP, was installed new before we left. It has run without a hitch, and the only maintenance has been regular oil and filter changes. It has plenty of power and it's been easy to find parts all through the islands. We now have over 1100 hours on it (so much for beam reach trade wind sailing).
Batteries: 4 six volt golf cart providing 450 AH, charged by 90 amp alternator on main engine, require about 1 1/2 hours running per day. These have proven totally reliable and ample power for what we run. Engine start battery is a group 27 105 AH Surrette.
Our anchor windlass, a Lofrans Tigres 1200W electric horizontal, is indispensable. Life is so much easier when all you do is step on a foot switch and 150 feet of chain and 45 lb. of anchor come whizzing up. Susan does all the anchor work with no problems [actually, I do lift the anchor onto the bowsprit manually, and lift it off and hang it by muscle power...). We carry 300' of high test 3/8" chain and have a variety of anchors, including a 45 CQR, our work horse; 35 Delta, 50 Bruce type, and a FX-55 as a storm anchor. See "need to have" section for update.
Our dinghy is a 10' Achilles with 8 HP Suzuki outboard: love/hate relationship. Great for carrying big loads, but wet in a chop. Engine has generally been reliable but is prone to fits every once in a while. Watch for water in the gas down here, it's been the main source of problems. I now use my water separator filter every time I fill the tank. We also have the lapstrake 10' rowing dinghy we got in Carriacou, by far our favourite except in strong winds when rowing is difficult.
Things we don't have and haven't really missed are a watermaker (the rain catching awning that does just fine and otherwise finding fresh water is no problem), television, pets, and socks.
Things on our list to purchase include an autopilot, alternate energy source (solar panels, wind generator or portable gas generator), larger main anchor (probably a 55lb Delta), satellite phone, and maybe a stuffed parrot or a peg leg. (ARRRGHHH)
posted by Susan at 2:46 PM
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