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Friday, 21 April 2017

Near the Mouth of the Connecticut

We put in on the back channel of the Connecticut River, not more than a half mile from the sea. This spot is known for the number of osprey that one can see and from the launch there are twenty-some nests in sight. But, the osprey are gone for the season.

Near Great Island

K lives not far up the Blackhall River, which comes in just a hundred yards or so from here. She is an artist friend of mine and this is one of those bonding canoe trips that I take my art buddies out on.

I steer us upriver into some waters that she's not been in. The tide is out, but it is not a particularly low low tide, so there is enough water all along the route. We pass the Watch Rocks without seeing too many birds...a few great blue herons and a docile pair of yellow legs that let us pass close.

In the Lieutenant River

We continue up the Lieutenant River, which I tell K is probably one of the best three mile long rivers in the state. It is actually longer, but the upper mileage is not canoeable.

It is a fairly spectacular fall day.

At the top of the paddling in the Lieutenant River

This time of the year is quiet when it comes to birds. It is in the top of the Lieutenant that we find the most birds, a family of seven mute swans, a flock of Canada geese, a few golden eye ducks, some kingfishers and some common mergansers.

We return with the wind in our face and a gentle flood current against us. But that just makes the trip last a bit longer...

Wednesday, 19 April 2017

A Solomon Islands Canoe at the Vatican

On a trip to Italy this month, we visited the Vatican Museums, eager to see masterpieces like the Laocoon group and the Apollo Belvedere. Upon entering, however, the first thing we saw was this plank-built canoe, an eye-catching introduction to an extensive temporary exhibit of boat models and paddles from around the world.

Stern view of a Solomon Islands mon canoe at the Vatican. (Click any image to enlarge.)

Bow of the Solomon Islands mon canoe at the Vatican.

The Vatican's stated purpose for the exhibit is to represent of the diversity and interconnectedness of world cultures. The curators were far more interested in communicating that ecumenical message than in the details of the items on display, for we saw nothing to identify the boat or paddles on exhibit, and the models were accompanied by only scanty information. Nevertheless, we'll concentrate on the exhibit's sole full-size boat in this post, and move on to the paddles and models in subsequent posts.

We believe the canoe is from the Solomon Islands. Haddon and Hornell (in Canoes of Oceania, Vol. 2) identify four types of plank-built monohull canoes in the Solomons. Those with continuous washstrakes like the one here were called mon and were characteristic of the central Solomons, including Bougainville, New Georgia, and Choiseul.

In contrast, canoes called lisi, with discontinuous washstrakes both fore and aft, were characteristic of the southern part of the chain (including Guadalcanal, Malaita and San Cristoval) and of the tiny island of Buka, at the chain's northernmost end. With the exception of its discontinuous washstrakes, the following image of a Buka canoe observed in 1753 by Labillardiere is very much like the canoe in the Vatican. (See also our post on a Solomon Islands canoe at the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, which we now recognize as a lisi.)

Solomon Islands "lisi" canoe from Labillardiere (1800)

"Buka Island Canoe (Solomon Islands)" from Labillardiere (1800), Atlas pour servir a la relation du voyage de la recherche de la Perouse.
(Source: University of Cambridge)

Frame and plank lashings, Solomon Islands canoe

Bent (?) frames amidships, with decorative carving at the upper ends, are lashed to cleats on the planks' interior surface. Also in view is the seat riser.

The exhibit canoe is built of long parallel planks with no keel. Each plank is gotten out with cleats left standing proud on its interior surface near the lower edges, one cleat per rib. These cleats are lashed to ribs with vegetable fiber and caulked with resin made from the "putty nut" (Parinarium laurinum).

Carved frame/thwart units in a Solomon Islands canoe

Carved frame/thwart units near the bow.

Most of the ribs are roughly round in section and appear to be bent to shape, their top ends being carved with faces that are decorated with eyes of shell inlay. The two forward-most frames and accompanying thwarts are carved from single pieces of wood, and painted, carved decorative elements appear within that perimeter. Continuous thwart risers are lashed to the ribs and run nearly the whole length of the boat, supporting multiple seats for paddlers and passengers.

Bow detail showing a carving of a horned beast (or demon?) at the waterline, extensive shell inlay, and cowry shells lashed to the forward surface of the stem well above the waterline.

The most distinctive feature of the canoe is its tall, elaborately decorated prow and stern. The outboard surfaces of these features are inlaid with thousands of pieces of carved shell in circle and cross patterns, and the decks feature diamond-pattern shell inlays. A grotesque painted and carved animal head (a goat? a demon?) sits right at the waterline on the cutwater with its horns on either side of the stem. Cowry shells are lashed to the fronts of both the stem and sternpost high above the waterline. The stem is capped with a painted carving of two parrot-like birds facing one another over a bulb-topped post that might represent fruit on a tree. The sternpost also features a painted carving at the top of an obscure geometric design.

Stem-head decoration of Solomon Islands canoe

Carved stem-head decoration

Sources:
Canoes of the Solomon Islands by R.J.A.W. Lever.
"Canoes of the Solomon Islands," from The Maori Canoe by Elsdon Best
Canoes of Oceania, Vol. II: The Canoes of Melanesia, Queensland, and New Guinea, by A.C. Haddon and James Hornell

Tuesday, 18 April 2017

Modern Shaggy Rugs and what they bring to the table

You probably think that we’re over the worst of the bitter winter weather but there is still a cold chill in the air! Are you fed up of the ridiculous heating bills or are your slippers simply not doing the job? Could your favourite room be a lot more inviting and warm? Well let me introduce the glamorous and affectionate alternative – Modern Shaggy Rugs.

These rugs are a very rare breed; they look to bring a contemporary guise to the well-adored Shaggy rugsrange. Shaggy Wool rugs are renowned for their super soft sentiments and luxurious textures. They have been a popular doughy floor decoration for many years and have prevailed within the rug market, and just like trends have changed over the years, Shaggy Wool rugs have had to accommodate the common cultural climate and contemporary fashionable moves.

Unlike average Shaggy Cream rugs, which are still rife movers in the market, Modern Shaggy rugs seem to bring a whole different outlook to Shaggy Wool rugs that have helped pave the way. Not only do Modern Shaggy rugs enjoy the squashy and cushioned dense piling found in standard Shaggy rugs, but they also compliment these textures with innovative and wicked designs. As technology has advanced, so has the designer’s eye for creative glory. Fringes Rugs see more and more Modern Shaggy rugs being supplied to their showroom by the best rug artisans in the world! There are even Modern Shaggy rugs for sale on discount prices.

So why should you think about installing one?

Well, I put it to you - Why buy a rug with amazing colourful designs and imaginative flare when all of these attractive design methods can be implemented onto a much more absorbent piled rug? Modern Shaggy rugs are a state of the art acquisition and are the perfect choice if you seek to bring both warmth and style to your interiors. Modern Shaggy rugs have the ability to display multi coloured stripes, soothing swirls, floral decorations, chequered designs and even mystical tint changes which can be demonstrated in the Large Modern Shaggy Haze Rugsrange.

Comforting, fashionable and affordable. That is all I need to say. Modern Shaggy rugs have been created by using the highest quality materials and are guaranteed to serve both your floors and your cold feet extremely well for many years to come.

Written by Thomas Bray.

Thursday, 6 April 2017

New Paddling Partner Welcomed to the World

What a crazy last few days! I'm extremely excited and proud to announce that my wife gave birth to a healthy son on Sunday (Sept 28th) after a very rapid labour progression. The doctors were amazed at how quickly her labour advanced, especially for a first time mom....0 to full 10cm dilation & birth within 5 hours. Guess he was impatient...that's definitely from his mom's side.

So far he's been a quiet but very responsive little baby. He seems to actively observe and study people & the surrounding sounds. May be too early to tell yet, but he seems to be soothed when I softely whistle different birding calls especially the repetitive "po-tat-o chip, po-tat-o chip" call of the American Goldfinch and the "Oh Sweet Canada Canada Canada" call of the White Throated Sparrow. I'm hoping he'll equally enjoy these real bird sounds in a nature when he grows up a bit.

Welcome to our beautiful world, son!

How are the principles of physics applied to sailboat design

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Thursday, 23 March 2017

Local boats I like the Eco Trekker

I didn't know what to think. At a glance my first thought was it seemed to be an anorexic trimaran sailboat that was demasted. I snapped a pic with my phone took a few more steps, looked again, and went back to the truck to get my real camera. There's more than meets the eye here, and the more I learned the better I liked it.

To the best of my knowledge this is a one off Kurt Hughes design and it's called a "38' Power Trawler". I guess technically it's a full displacement design, but unlike the more portly designs I associate with trawlers, this one only draws a foot and a half of water. The term long wetted waterline comes to mind.

So given the name of the vessel, with its very shallow draft. The fact that it's loaded with kayaks and paddle boards I can only agree as mentioned on the designer's website its mission is to comfortably deliver passengers to thin water locations to use small watercraft. A cool idea.

My eye typically disdains less than traditional designs but, the more I looked at this boat, the better I liked it. It has a sleek appearance, but at the same time exemplifies form follows function in a very elegant way.

Despite its initial skinny appearance it's actually more commodious than it appears. If you look at the website drawings and the rendering you can see it comfortably sleeps four in two double berths, with the aft one being the largest. I guess you you could sleep a fifth on the settee. It has a pretty substantial head, and galley configuration.

The cockpit has seating for four with a bimini and a smallish helm, but with room for the needed electronics. In general the layout is good, plenty roomy enough and no space has been thrown away.

The magic is in the power plants. Propulsion is provided by two 9.9 electric start Yamaha's with power tilt.

The website has a link titled "vessel range" that's worthy of a look. It's based on two 15 HP outboards, and this boat has a third less power. The range numbers are based on 100 gallons of fuel.

With the two 15HP engines at full power with a speed of 12.3kts it has a range of 435nm. That's 4.35 nautical miles per gallon. I don't know of any other boats at 38' that can achieve this.

At the other end of the range running one engine at low power the speed is 5kts with an incredible range of 2958nm. You could go from Florida to Maine and back with 100 gallons of gas. *Depending on where you started in Florida and where you went in Maine. I don't want to imply that if you started in Pensacola, and went to Eastport Maine and back you could do it with 100 gallons. You would probably have to stop in Savannah and buy another 30 gallons.

Running one engine at 3000 RPM gives you 8kts of speed and yields a range of 1965nm. Almost 20 miles to the gallon without feeling like you're crawling. The point is, "To say this vessel is fuel efficient is a gross understatement".

Is this specific design good for me? The answer is yes with a couple of mods. The designer shows a trampoline spanning the aka's Those are the aluminum tubes that connect the ama, (the outboard pontoon) floaty part to the vaka, the main hull in the middle. Look at that, you just learned three Polynesian words and are now even more boaty. Now ditch the blazer and scuff up those boat shoes so you look like a real mariner.

On this boat the trampoline is missing and the small watercraft are bridging the aka's. I would replace the trampolines with a modestly cantilevered solid (perforated) deck on both sides with life lines on the fore and outboard sides. One side could be used for a dingy, the the other side would make a nice place to have an umbrella, with a table and deck chairs. A great little patio deck to enjoy the sunset, and have a good bourbon with the dulcet tones of Pink Floyd wafting in the background.

The other thing that would be nice to include in the design is room for a gen set, maybe built into the transom. Because there is no engine room per se because of the outboards, the interior gains all of that extra space. But if you use a boat in Florida, sleeping with with no air conditioning during the summer is akin to being staked out in Death Valley, and you will likely be charged for spousal abuse in the morning.

Despite my initial reaction on first seeing this little vessel, I have grown to really like it. You could likely scale the design up a little more and get an even larger version that would retain the majority of the fuel efficiency and give you some more room. It's a really clever design Mr. Hughes.

Kurt Hughes Multihull blog.

Saturday, 11 March 2017

Surviving the Stress Of Moving House

Moving house - some people argue that it's the most stressful thing that anyone can do. While that is probably pretty close to the truth, there are lots of ways to reduce the stress and anxiety of Move a house.

Getting Yourself Organized

Managing your time effectively when moving house can help to alleviate the stress of moving. Make a list of all the things that you need to do, then divide them up and allocate them to the weeks leading up to your move, allowing yourself enough days to accomplish everything on that week's list.

Cut the Clutter!

Clearing your house of all the unnecessary extras will help you be, and feel, more organised. It will also mean that when you start packing, you'll only be packing the items that you need to. There's no point packing items that will just be thrown out once you have moved, it can be frustrating and time consuming.

Eliminating clutter also helps you relieve yourself of some of the old things that might have been holding you back.

The process of eliminating old belongings from your possession will assist you in transitioning from one stage of your life to the next, leaving the past in the past and looking forward to the future.

Get Help When You Need It

Most people find little pleasure in calling for assistance with their move if they are finding it too difficult to coordinate everything on their own. Your loved ones have probably moved at least once in their life and can understand how trying this stressful time can be. Ask friends and family if they can come over for a few hours and help you pack. If you're moving far away, this could be one of the last chances you have to spend time together for a while and they'll likely appreciate some extra time with you before you move.

Saying Your Farewells

Parting from a place that you've come to call home can be a stressful and emotional experience. Don't ignore the feelings of loss, sadness and anxiety that sometimes accompany the other feelings associated with moving away from your house, friends and family. Allow yourself time to say goodbye. Throw a farewell party, or invite friends over for dinner. Take an hour to walk through your neighborhood and visit your favourite places. Allow yourself to relive the memories and feel the emotions they elicit.

Plan Some R&R

When Moving house, it's all too easy to spend long days packing boxes and cleaning the house, forgetting entirely to take care of yourself.

Neglecting yourself over the course of moving house can often result in more stress, both emotionally and physically. While it may seem like you're being efficient with your time, by making personal sacrifices for the sake of the move, you're also neglecting the most important thing that is moving: yourself!

Allocate some time in your task list for some chill out time. Allow yourself treats like having dinner out with friends and family, visiting your favorite coffee or book shop, or seeing a movie. It doesn't need to be a huge extravagant event, just something small that ensures you're taking time out from the hectic moving process to balance yourself, stop, breathe and release the anxiety.

Kids require special handling during a move; they notice a lot more than we think they do and will know when their parents are stressed out. They'll need time from you, perhaps more so than usual. The adjustments and changes can be daunting and require patience, understanding and attention. This may be difficult to give if you are putting all your energy into moving house and not enough into the people behind it all!

Don't Worry if Your Plans Fall Through

Despite your best efforts in organizing and preparing everything to the best of your ability, things still go wrong. Unforeseeable obstacles and events will happen, so you need to be flexible and allow yourself some extra breathing room to deal with these problems. Don't stress about extraneous variables that are beyond your control, it will only upset you and a solution is more difficult to come across when you are anxious and stressed out. Make allowances in your task list for unforeseen events and delays. Then, in the case that things do go wrong, you have some room to breathe and work through the issue. And if everything goes smoothly then these days can be used to treat yourself!

Plan B

A full back-up plan may not be necessary, but having a list of options in case some things don't fall into place as you have planned will avoid panic and fretting setting in. Leave a few days on either end of your move out/move in day should your cleaners not show up, or if there are problems with the real estate agencies that you are operating through. These events are rare, but it's worthwhile accounting for them.

Prepare to Feel Out of Sorts

You're going to be living in disarray for some time once you have settled into the new house; boxes will be everywhere and things will feel out of control. Just remember to keep on track by continually referring to your task list so you know that you are on track for your move and have achieved a great deal already.

Remember that it might take some time for your new house to feel like home. As you unpack, and as the next chapter of your life unfolds you will find that it's only a matter of time before things start feeling normal again.

How to raise a house

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5916391

Buying Odin the RV

Our Class A RV, Odin the Winnebago

First of all, is it an RV (recreational vehicle)? Motorhome (sounds fancy)? Coach (sounds expensive)? Rig (a fifth-wheel)? It's our home, so recreational vehicle doesn't feel right. Technically, Class A's are motorhomes (which has the word "home" in it.) However, the DMV considers RV a legal term. I've been flip-flopping back and forth.

When we announced on our Facebook page that we were buying an RV, I received a lot of questions from friends contemplating their own RV purchase. "Gas vs diesel?" "Class A vs Fifth-Wheel?" Here's how we did it. Was it ideal? No. But as usual, we did a ton of research before taking the leap. Friends who own RV's gave us a lot of advice along with forums and salesmen(?). This is our experience:

It was similar to buying a boat:

Start your research online early to find out what is in your price range, what is available in your desired shopping area (and around the country), what are standard features, how long they are staying on the market before being sold, etc. Try to have realistic expectations going in.
Initially, travel to an area where you can walk through as many as possible (for the boat it was Annapolis. For the RV, it was Florida.). It will help you learn your likes and dislikes. Look at smaller and larger that your desired length. Look at units over (and under) your price range to get ideas and understand the differences. (I didn't get The Colonel to walk through a Class B until the very end and it was too late to "turn the ship around." We already had a Class A we were interested in.) After day two of shopping, we had a checklist of likes/dislikes/things to check and the search was revised at the end of each day (and meeting several salesmen will help you decide who you want to do business with).
Call ahead to confirm the RV's you are interested in are still in stock. Just like boat shopping, not all RV dealers keep their websites current. (Camping World Bartow does. Our RV was immediately changed to "pending").
It is difficult to find a sound mode of transportation and fully furnished home that you both love. When you do, it's easy to get attached and over look problems (or compromise and buy something that isn't perfect because you're tired of shopping. I probably won't be happy I don't have an oven in the long-term. And it's feels HUGE but it may be our full-time home at some point.)
When you get serious and especially when you are interested in specific models on the lot, avoid weekends. There are a lot of tire kickers on the weekend and the salesman (and boat brokers) may not take you seriously.
Stand in the shower. Lay on the bed. Sit on the couch and look around. Root through all the cabinets. You'll be amazed what you'll see if you take your time.
Like boat shopping with a broker, don't be bashful about having a salesmen walk with you so you can ask questions. We quickly learned to speak our mind. "Nope, I don't like the layout. What else have you got?" Or use key phrases to get your spouse to move on. "I was really hoping for an oven" (from me) or "It smells funny," (from him) means NEXT! (I ended up without an oven, but our home doesn't smell funny).
Similar to boat shopping, our budget almost doubled as we discovered our minimum likes and dislikes. Be prepared for disappointment and to walk away.

What we learned:

Similar to buying a boat, learn the key problem areas of RV's in general. Water leaks result in structural damage that is VERY expensive to repair, ie. "project boat". A full set of tires for a Class A is $$$$. Learn to how to check tire dates. In our case, it was finding an RV with fully functional air conditioning--check the dash air AND the "back" a/c. The Colonel's focus was, "I can do the work. What damage/repair requires cost-prohibitive parts?"). Frequent owner's forums. Research recalls. Learn class specific strengths and weaknesses (See below. Many of our friends have fifth-wheels. That was our original intent, but research showed finding a used diesel in FL in our price range was going to be difficult--and we'd have to shop for two vehicles, instead of one while homeless and staying in hotels...)
Don't be bashful about asking to have it powered up earlier instead of later (a/c not working in July is a deal breaker. Find out early before you get attached). Ask for the slides/awning to be run in & out (you definitely MUST do this before leaving a deposit, but asking early will reveal a salesman who is reluctant, not knowledgeable or not taking you seriously).
If you are shopping in hurricane season in FL (JUNE/JULY!) shop early in the day. It quickly becomes unpleasant as the RV interiors heat up and even a good unit takes awhile to cool down.

Our checklist. Everyone's will be different but some items we considered mandatory since it will be our full-time home part of the year. Other items were deal breakers. When you are trying to decide between two RV's, items like oven or convection and extra awnings can be tie breakers.
Here's a link: https://www.dropbox.com/s/2mzuzfblhjxdqxn/RV%20Prepurchase.pdf?dl=0

Get an idea where to start by your planned usage and price range. (Yes, renting one to get an idea of your likes & dislikes is a good idea, but expensive)

Class A: Odin is a Class A (looks like a tour bus!). Class A's are criticized for being hard to drive (we learned the basics quickly and keep the days short but it's not for everyone) and using a lot of gas (see gas mileage below). We liked the idea of going back to grab a soda while rolling down the road (we used to say sandwich, but honestly, we just pull over and take a break when it's lunch time) and the cat being able to wander around the house without having to be put into a carrier. Tons of basement storage. Frankly, Odin the Winnebago feels bigger than our boat (and your living space also expands outside if weather permits) and the basement storage is nice. We are hoping to clean out a storage unit in MO (without increasing our gas mileage too much). Don't forget you'll be using truck stops instead of normal gas stations because of your height.

Class B Winnebago Era

Class B: A camper van. I get B's and C's confused. I believe the lines are becoming blurred. However, in general, this is a van chassis (yawn!)

Class C Winnebago Aspect

Class C: Based on a standard truck chassis, you can differentiate by the truck "cab". These are AWESOME! They are starting to make them with slides so they would have been the perfect size for us (although, if we ever full-timed instead of just 6 months a year, this may become a little small). We found one we liked with the overhead bunk for a reading nook or storage, Captain's chairs that swiveled for additional seating, a slide to increase to the living area and a slide to increase the bedroom area (we prefer a queen size bed and want to get away from someone having to crawl over like we do in the boat). You give up space somewhere, so you have decide if that's the shower, the bed access, kitchen or the aisle in the living area. You can park it anywhere including almost any grandkids driveway. Easier to drive. The downside is the PRICE! We bought a used Class A for half the price of a new Class C. There aren't a lot on the used market. People hold onto to these. They are very popular right now. (And the reviews are mixed as to whether they tow a vehicle well. See gas vs diesel)

Fifth-wheel courtesy of http://haw-creek.com/fifth-wheel-rvs/

Fifth wheel: Fifth-wheels are distinct for the RV overlapping the truck bed. Several friends swear by their fifth wheels. They love the space and "not feeling like their car is in their living room." Many have multiple slides. Advantage is you have a second vehicle or toad/dinghy when you want to leave the rv park for groceries. Cons are: you need a good size diesel truck that can pull the weight. (Don't get stingy here). If you already have the truck and want to full-time, this is probably the way to go. Another con is putting the cat in a carrier to ride in the truck on hotter days, which is most of them for us right now. Also, we've been told that maneuvering in hilly campgrounds can result in the hitch dragging.

Let's talk towing capacity. A Prevost pulling a pickup truck with a golf cart in the bed.

Gas vs diesel pusher:
The Colonel should really be writing this section but that's not going to happen. These are my notes as we learned the pros & cons. Any good info is his. Any typos or incorrect statements are mine.

It's common knowledge in the RV world that diesel is preferable over gasoline. So why aren't they all gasoline? Sticker price! As we continued to research, we learned it's not only for durability and gas mileage but various other factors. Here's some food for thought. (One salesman said to estimate your mileage vs budget. He sees many people pay the additional for a diesel and end up putting very little mileage on it, negating the advantage.)

Torque: This is the first thing a salesman will say (YAWN!) Diesel's have more torque. Hands down. It has to do with being able to get over the mountains, la, la, la. (Our first trip took us through the Smokies and on to Loveland, CO. No pulling over to wait for the transmission to cool on steep climbs. That's a good thing.)
Engine access: Now I'm paying attention. The Colonel is a mechanic. There is a good chance if we break down, he may be able to fix it! Diesel engines are in the back of the RV and generally have better access (you can tell if a motorhome is diesel by noting if the engine grill is in the back). Engine access is usually under the master berth mattress which gives lots of room for maintenance and troubleshooting. (Just like boats, don't forget to see the engine access of each model. Deal breakers!)
Handling: Another biggie we didn't know. Because diesels have the engine in the back, there is less noise and vibration in the cockpit, which results in less driver fatigue (and less wear & tear on the structure overall). I can't testify to the ride of a gas RV, but our diesel is very quiet up front while on the road.
Turning radius: With the engine in the rear, the turning radius of the front wheels is usually increased to 55-60 degrees (increased turning radius GOOD when you're trying to turn your house around in that campground that looked good on paper).
Air-ride suspension: We've heard complaints that gas-powered RV's are squirrely when it's windy, when towing or when passed by semis. Diesels have an air-ride suspension that smooths the ride out, resulting in less rattling dishes (I can't explain WHY! Sorry. We have it and it's a good thing!)
Air braking: Diesels have air brakes (like semis) that help when coming down large hills without overheating the brakes. We learned our air brakes quickly in the Smokies. They would hold us at about 55 mph (depending on what gear you were in before they were applied). Easy peasy.
Increased towing capacity: Since we are full-timing (6 months a year) we will eventually buy a dinghy (car that we will tow). Diesels can pull from 5000 to up to 10,000 lbs easily. You can pull a full-size pickup with a Class A, if you want to (nascar pic)
Durability: The estimated service life of a gas engine is 100,000 miles versus diesel engines which are designed to run a million miles before needing a rebuild. Diesel runs at a lower RPM, thereby increasing the engine life (this is a long-term investment or means you can buy a used diesel with higher mileage diesel than gas)
Chassis: Gas will likely be a Ford chassis (used you may find a Chevy). Diesel is usually Freightliner, Road Master, Spartan which are basically the same as an over-the-road semi!
Gas mileage: Both have similar mpg but the cost of diesel fuel is higher (Supposedly offset by the decreased lifetime maintenance)
Operating cost: The operating cost of a gas RV is less than diesel. Instead of going to a normal shop, you'll be going to a specialty diesel maintenance shop. There are more filters and oil is gallons instead of quarts. I mentally blocked out the cost of a set of tires for a diesel-pusher. See gas mileage above.
Increased living area: The diesel manufacturer's claim that since the entry door in front of the passenger seat (instead of behind in a gas) you have increased living area. This is a weak excuse to me, but may affect your interior layout preferences.
Storage: The diesel RV has increased basement storage because of the raised frame
Resale value

So the moral of the story is, decide what's right for you (and in your price range).

Whew! That felt like a book report!

Sunday, 5 March 2017

Death revealed in the bilge

Sherlock Holmes said, "When you have eliminated the impossible, what ever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." This is part II of Death hides in the bilge, and we will apply Mr. Holmes' logic to this discussion.

Let's start with a base line. These four batteries, are arranged as two pairs of 12 volt batteries wired together in series, then the two pairs are wired in parallel together to make one 24 volt bank. The 24 volt positive input from the charging systems goes to one pair, and the ground is on the other pair. It is wired as it should be.

The batteries were about two years old, and are used as the house bank. There is another identical battery bank that is used for engine starting.

This is what we know. The batteries had been checked a week earlier, and were full of water. The batteries boiled out, creating a lot of hydrogen sulfide gas, and had become toasted into oblivion when they were looked at a week later. The batteries were replaced, and the cores were disposed of before any forensic analysis could occur. Four new batteries were installed, and the system is now operating normally. The charger voltage output to the batteries is as expected, and the temperature sensor is operating correctly. So the trick here is to try to develop a scenario in which this could have happened.

In general, the way battery chargers work, is they measure the voltage of the battery in between charge pulses, and adjust their output voltage accordingly. The lower the voltage in the battery, the harder (more voltage) the charger works to charge it. If the battery is fully charged, the charger just puts a little bit of current into it to maintain the charge. The actual technique is more sophisticated, but this is basically what is going on. Your alternator is doing the same thing. Now for the geeky stuff. The average 12 volt battery is made up of 6 cells, each of which generates 2.1 volts. These are connected in series in the battery case. So 6 times 2.1 volts equals 12.6 volts, and voila, you now know how your boat battery is put together.

Okay, lets take a scenario where one of the cells gets shorted. The battery will still work, but now instead of having six operating cells, it now has five, and the fully charged battery voltage is now 10.4 volts. To the charger, it now looks like it needs serious charging, and it cranks up the current. The reality is that the battery is at full charge, and pumping in extra current, when it is not needed causes the battery to heat up. The extra heat starts to evaporate the water at a faster rate, and the plates in the battery get exposed. When the plates get exposed, the hydrogen gas combines with the sulphates on the plates, and bad gases are made. By the way, these gases are why you see that white or blue stuff growing on your battery terminals, and a sign that something is going awry.

So what's the safety back up? The answer is the temperature sensor. In this case, if the temperature sensor reached 140 degrees, the charger should have shut off, and it eventually did, but it took a while for this to happen. There could be several reasons for this. If the sensor was not making good contact with the surface of the battery, it wouldn't provide an accurate reading, meaning the reading would be lower than the battery's real temperature. I have seen these sensors pushed into blobs of silicone goo, and the goo insulates the sensor from the battery if you use too much. The other thing that could have happened, is the sensor was not attached to the battery that actually shorted in the bank. It could have taken some time for the non-shorted batteries, to finally get hot enough to trigger the sensor. In the end, extended overcharging of batteries creates heat that boils the water away, causes a battery's early demise, and creates explosive gases.

So in the end, the problem was caused by a shorted battery, in the engine room, with a poorly attached temperature sensor, or one that was not on the shorted battery, or both. Colonel Mustard gets off the hook, this time. When you look again, at the second picture, the temperature sensor is now straddling, and glued to two of the batteries in the bank, and is additionally pined down in place by a battery jumper cable. This insures good contact, and now two of the four batteries are being measured.

I have to admit that this was an unusual, but not that unusual of an event. Batteries can be dangerous if not properly cared for, and even if you do, sometimes bad things can still just happen. So here is some advice from the Installer:

I think AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) batteries are better options for a boat than the lead acid versions. They are much less prone to out gassing, and cell shorting. Both can happen, but but it is much less likely. They also do not require water, so if your batteries are in a location where it is hard to fill them, human nature says they won't get checked, or filled as often.

If you smell "Rotten Egg" gas, leave the boat immediately if you can, and turn off the engines if they are running. Shut off the battery charger, by throwing the shore power breakers, and allow plenty of time for the gas to dissipate. Remember the rotten egg smelling gas is very explosive, and very poisonous.

Allow gas to dissipate before re-boarding. Turn off all DC/AC power breakers, and battery switches prior to dealing with the batteries to reduce ignition risk.

When changing out damaged batteries, wear safety glasses, and take off that long gold chain with the Atocha coin, and any jewelry that could cause a short.

I view lead acid batteries with some suspicion after two years on a boat. I know they can last much longer, if properly used, and charged, but I would load test them at two years old or so, to see how they are doing, and then yearly after that.

And I just want to mention, showing an abundance of caution, that on the vast majority of boats, it is a bad idea to run the battery charger via the generator, and engines at the same time. Each charging system can fool each other, and unpredictable things can, and will most likely happen.

Batteries are heavy, powerful, full of dangerous chemicals, and require sobriety, and respect when you deal with them.

Some humorous thoughts about batteries, and chargers from "Bruce the Surly"

Wednesday, 1 March 2017

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