ANNAPOLIS BOAT SHOW AND TELL

Back in October I found myself in Washington D.C. on the same weekend as the Annapolis Sailboat Show. Even though I never consider replacing my current boat and never feel compelled to go on any new models. I do like wandering around the tents looking at the wares and asking questions. After buying my ticket on line it was a quick forty five minute drive from D.C. to the Annapolis Navy Academy parking lot where I took the free shuttle bus to the show site. It was an unusually warm day for October so it was a little hot inside the tents:

There was not much I really needed on the boat but, I did spend a little time at the Raritan booth discussing the upcoming replacing of the head hoses and a new Macerator pump on BIANKA:

While there I did pick up a bottle of their excellent product C.P. (Cleans Potties) cleaner. That was available at a special boat show price saving me a few bucks:

Been using the product for years to clean the head area on board BIANKA. I also did a quick glance at the BETA Marine Motors on display:

I was thinking about when I visited the same booth back in 2007. It was when I was looking for a replacement of my dead diesel on board BIANKA. I seriously considered a Beta engine before my epiphany of converting my sailboat to Electric Propulsion. So glad I went with EP though instead.

I stopped by the Annapolis Hybrid Marine booth distributors of the Thoosa 9000 electric propulsion system used on my boat. I also stopped at the PropEle Electric Motors booth. To see their new EP Carry out board which I had pre-orderd a few months before.  Soon I was getting hungry and sweating from the heat. It was time to duck into the normally members only Fleet Reserve Club for lunch. The air conditioning felt good and the New England Chowder and fresh Pretzel for dipping into it hit the spot:

After lunch I checked out a few more booths like FORESPAR where I checked out their dingy davit system which I am considering installing on BIANKA at some point:

Another quick stop at the SAMPSON ROPE booth to get some information about  replacing BIANKA's aging wire life lines with some new high tech synthetic lines. After that the heat just about wiped me out and I decided to take the bus back to the car and head back to D.C. I did not get to see every booth but, got what I came for in terms of information. All and all not a bad way to spend part of the afternoon at the end of the season.

REPORT FROM ANNAPOLIS: PART 5: A PORTA-BOTE IMPROVEMENT

 I use an eight foot Porta-Bote for a dingy and have since 2001. I find it a rugged lightweight dingy for my use. I can carry it on board folded up or as usually do on deck.

Porta-Bote has improved it's design over the years. From changing the original seats from wooden marine plywood to more lightweight Styrofoam filled plastic. On my boat they have gotten a little beat up but are still functional. The transom on my Porta-Bote is still plywood but, after nine years exposed to all kinds of weather and sitting in water on occassion it is showing signs that it really should be replaced.  Happily, the Porta-Bote people have once again improved their unique boats design as I saw at their booth at the Annapolis Boat Show.

They have streamlined the seats even more and made them more rugged and stiff than the molded plastic ones I have.  They have also replaced the wooden transom with a marine plastic one that will not have the problem of delaminating over the years like my wooden one is.

Like the Garhauer Blocks I reported about in an earlier post. It's good to see there are some companies like Porte-Bote that continue to refine and improve their products making for happier customers like me.

REPORT FROM THE ANNAPOLIS BOAT SHOW:PART 4: ELECTRIFYING

I first went back to the Annapolis Boat Show back in 2007. At the time I was looking around for a replacement for the dead Westerbeke 27 diesel on board BIANKA. I was also debating between repowering with a new diesel or going electric. I was leaning toward a new BETA MARINE diesel. But, was hoping to  find out about the going with electric propulsion. Sadly, there was only one electric system at the 2007 show that I found and it was expensive and made for a much larger boat than my 30 foot Nonsuch. But, happily in 2010 I found several booths where they were selling electric propulsion systems:

I spent a good part of the afternoon at the Annapolis Hybrid Marine booth. Who are the new U.S. distributors for the system I have on board which is an ASMO MARINE Thoosa 9000.

They had a very nice display that showed an actual entire system working:

There was a lot of interest from the crowd. I chimed in from time to time extolling the virtues of electric propulsion from my experience of having it on board BIANKA for the past three years. I also got to meet some readers of this blog which was fun too.

And for those who just can't live without the smell of diesel in the morning. BETA MARINE had an interesting Hybrid system that consisted of a Beta Marine diesel engine which had a Lynch electric motor attached.

 You could motor with electric or diesel. It would also regen when under sail. Lastly, you could disconnect the output shaft from the prop and use the engine as a generator by having the engine drive the Lynch electric motor as a generator directly to charge the batteries.

I was glad to see BETA had chosen the same Lynch motor that is used on Thoosa 9000 on BIANKA.

 More expensive of course than a diesel alone. Plus you had the weight of both a diesel engine and batteries on board. Made for those who like the idea of electric propulsion but, don't want to make the leap to a pure electric system. But, for me I have gotten use to the smell of clean on board BIANKA to ever go back to having a diesel on board. My electric propulsion system provides everything I need in terms of propulsion without the mess of having a diesel on board. But, at least there are more choices out there.

REPORT FROM ANNAPOLIS: PART 3: GARHAUER IS GOOD

I use mostly Garhauer Blocks on BIANKA. That is what Hintehoeller Yachts installed when the Nonsuch came from the factory in 1986. Over the years I have replaced just about everyone of them as the original plastic sheaves worn out or degraded in the sun. Garhauer has continued to modify and improve their blocks over the years. Earlier this year I discovered a plastic piece on deck that at first puzzled me but, I later discovered was part of one of the main sheet block at the end of BIANKA's boom. It  comes with a small set screw to make it a fixed shackle if you want. This was the piece I found on deck. At the boat show I came upon the Guarhauer booth.

They had quite an array of blocks and hardware on display. I picked up the block that was the same as mine and started to explain what had happened to my block on board BIANKA. He asked "Is that the same type of block?"  I said yes. "Well then consider it replaced." he said.  This was a pleasant surprise and one of the reasons why I really like Garhauer blocks. Very good customer service. I also found out from him that Garhauer had replaced the plastic locking piece that failed on my block with aluminum. Another reason I like Garhauer they have constantly improved their products over the years. For these reasons Garhauer products get Capt. Mike's seal of approval.

REPORT FROM THE ANNAPOLIS BOAT SHOW: PART TWO: THIS SHOW IS RIGGED!

Wandering around the Annapolis Boat Show there were the usual retailer sellers like West Marine and others. There were also a lot of manufacturers with their own booths:

Then there are some interesting specialized booths like the one below primarily selling anchoring sails:

There was also lot of hardware and rigging available at the show. But, since I have an unstayed Nonsuch 30 they really had nothing to offer me. But, if you happened to be sailing along in the Caribbean and all of sudden your mast fall down and go boom then you probably would be interested in looking at this boat:

It's a Yawl rigged with synthetic rigging from Colligo Marine:

Since buying my Nonsuch catboat I no longer concern myself with worrying about things like shrouds, chainplates etc... But, I have seen or heard about a number of rigging failures on other boats. So I post this for others who might be interested in just how this new way of rigging ones boat can help eliminate some of the metal fittings and cable previously relied upon to keep the mast standing vertical above the deck:

It looks easy enough to rig and no concerns about crevice corrosion. It seems to tension the rigging you just take the line to a winch and tighten it. The folks at Colligo booth had a large selection of thimbles and eyes to help rig the boat using this system:

  According to my discussions the synthetic line should last at least five years minimum. Seems like a good alternative to stainless usually used on board. Spare rigging would be easier and lighter to carry on board too. Plus it could also be used as spare for other purposes like running rigging. Looking at the Colligo site I could see a use for synthetic line even on my unstayed boat. I am thinking about replacing the lifelines and using synthetic life lines like those offered by Colligo might be the way to go.

TO BE CONTINUED

REPORT FROM THE ANNAPOLIS BOAT SHOW: PART ONE

I interrupted my fall cruising for a quick trip down to Washington D.C. by car. On the way I thought I would stop by the Annapolis Boat Show. This the second time I visited the show. To say it can be crowded and over whelming is an understatement. But, it is a great place to see some of the latest products, innovations and ideas for sailing on the water. In the afternoon I spent there I did not see it all. But, I thought I would spend a few posts on some of the things I did see and those that caught my eye.

I guess for some people it is all about looking at the boats. But, since I bought my Nonsuch 30 in 1995 I have not felt the need to look at another boat. So I did not spend time on the docks looking at the latest designs and models from the usual manufacturers but, they certainly were there with the flags a flying:

Though if a new production boat is not on your radar or in your wallet. You might be interested in a nicely varnished used sailboat. Only $371,000 and you can sail it away today! Or rather after the boat show is over in two days. Since it is locked in by the dock layout arranged for the show.

There were also some fine looking smaller craft on view too:

And if you are just in the market for nice sailing dinghy you certainly had some choices:

Then if you are a fan of Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson's song BOATS TO BUILD and just happen to need a neat little nesting dinghy for carrying on board. Here you go:

Speaking of Guy Clark, Verlon Thompson and BOATS TO BUILD:

Unfortunately, there were also little reminders to those of us here in northern waters that the sailing season was coming to an end and that preparations for winter might soon be in order. Though on this beautiful 70 degree day it was hard to imagine it being possible:

TO BE CONTINUED: