The goal is to garner feedback from those of you having first-hand experience with a better approach/ solution/ product...
We never assume what we are sharing is the ideal or only; it just seems to best suit our needs [and/or habits and/or budget] from our experiences thus far...
Sometimes these Tidbits originate from a topic of discussion on one of the forums we participate in, and this happens to be one: Link to original post [27-Mar-2024]
Since we encounter this question on occasion, it made sense to post a more detailed response for future reference.
➛ ➛ Peruse the right-hand sidebar for the up-to-date list of Tidbits ➛ ➛
Many users [ourselves included] use hand held Marine VHF radios to maintain comms when some or all crew are off the mother ship [on land or other watercraft] in remote areas.
Sometimes these are not appropriate- especially if you need to issue radios to several different guests off exploring in different directions since other vessels in the area might also hear the conversations [and we might occupy marine channels those actually boating need to use…]
Therefore, we have always keep a few [5; lost 1 over the years] cheaper, general use GMRS radios onboard for years for the same purpose.
They work great.
And once [so far…] on a remote kayaking trip, these radios were of great assistance during an emergency when one of 3 of kayakers [each with their own GMRS Radio] broke their wrist [during inclement weather; e.g., It was a dark and stormy night…] because of a fall on ice while hiking alone.
There are several Walkie-Talkie radio types available, and are well described on this forum post.
Note: Last I knew [in the US anyway] technically you need an FCC license to use the high power GMRS channels, but that may have changed.
We issue them to guests whenever they are venturing off the boat [e.g., kayaking, SUP, dinghy, or hiking on land- remote or in a town.]
For safety, we do also issue those off on their own waterborne adventures from the mothership Marine VHF radios [and PLBs] for emergency use. [e.g., As we tell visitors ‘In case the mothership is struck by a meteor while you are away…’]
Coordination with users who may not be used to using radios:
About 15 years ago, we color coded ours with a wrap of different colored electrical tape on each antenna [useful when wanting to hail someone anonymously; original tape is still going strong…]
Photo taken Mar-2024; Taped applied ~ 2008?
We have fun making up bogus call signs: [Sounds cool and officious; Less prone to interruptions by other radio users not in your group in crowded locations- like big cities- where we would likely be using cell phones anyway…]
Charley-Alpha-Kilo-Oscar, this is Charley-Alpha-Kilo-Bravo
[Candy-Ass Kayaker Orange (antenna tape), this is … Blue…]
For distance use when separated, our protocol is to start/ hail first on a specified low power channel (e.g., GMRS 13; 1 watt- for better battery life) then, if unsuccessful raising the other party(ies), switch to a specified high power channel (e.g., GMRS 14; 5 watts?) and try again… [This works best with a comms schedule- e.g., everyone check in every 30 mins.]
Battery considerations:
We prefer electronics that can use the Panasonic Eneloop rechargeable batteries [AAA, AA] we standardized on almost 20 years ago [still rate among the best for low self-discharge rates; e.g., long shelf life once charged.] This is so we can issue spare batteries for the GMRS issued to those traveling a distance from the boat [just in case… There aren’t any charging stations handy when traveling by kayak, sup, or hiking in remote locations…]
Sidebar: Radios are half - duplex [only one can speak- or more accurately, be heard- at a time, and then you have to release the PTT button to listen… If you want to…] Even if VOX [voice activation] is used. This is very adequate for most of our use cases, and what VHF radio users are used to. [This paradigm is also perfect for certain couples; some have even confided they found that judicious use of their personal volume control very satisfying…]
But for ‘real time’ comms on the boat [volume up; e.g., anchoring, hauling anchor, mooring, etc.- especially in sporty conditions] we prefer full-duplex headsets [you can still hear the other person if you are talking- like a phone; no PTT (push-to-talk) button.]. Nothing missed that way…
We do recognize that some relationships claim to attribute their longevity to only one member being able to [or being the only one to ever] speak [be heard?] at a time [half-duplex; the other party remaining silent until the speaker is finished- reportedly sometimes for long periods thereafter- or has released the button on the radio in our case…]
But there are situations when the ability to interrupt is necessary [if not sometimes risky…] hence our preference for full-duplex headsets for real-time comms during boat maneuvers… [Always with carefully modulated volume— of one’s own voice of course. After all, they didn’t nickname these headsets ‘Marriage Savers’ arbitrarily…]
Please share your experiences, choices, and recommendations. We learn something new every day…
This is one of a series of brief, no nonsense posts that we call a Tidbit:
noun; small and [possibly] particularly interesting item of gossip or information...
The purpose is to share succinct posts about lessons learned, or things we use or do that work [or don't...] that are common to most of us boaters.
The goal is to garner feedback from those of you having first-hand experience with a different approach/ solution/ product/ or additional useful information to share... We never assume what we are sharing is the ideal or only; it just seems to best suit our needs [and/or habits and/or budget] from our experiences thus far...
Note: The original blog post [below] has been inducted into Tidbits since it qualifies, but was originally published almost 2 1/2 years before we initiated the Tidbit series in Jan-2019...
[First published 24-Aug-2016]
➛ ➛ Peruse the right-hand sidebar for the up-to-date list of Tidbits ➛ ➛
One of the many joys of cruising is the feeling of liberation once you gain trust in your ability to anchor, in your ground tackle, and your method(s) of maintaining situational awareness.
Denali Rose at anchor in Traitors Bay, Alaska [Near Ketchikan...] Great bear viewing area for only a 1/2 mile walk on shore... Hence the occasional float plane brings a load of cruise ship passengers for a quick tour.
Here we are anchored in 80 ft with rocks not necessarily close to shore bared at lower tides in several quadrants, and a large, very rapidly shoaling head of the bay which is aft of the boat in this photo. [e.g., if the anchor dragged, the depth change is so abrupt, we would go aground before the anchor reached an uphill portion to reset upon...]
Just another typical anchorage in paradise...
Trustworthy anchoring is not unlike that feeling of accomplishment earned once you can quickly- and repeatedly- parallel park an automobile in a tight spot on a steep, icy road in heavy traffic. Not everyone gets there... But this is not a discussion about how to anchor [nor parallel park...] This is about being able to relax afterward, while maintaining awareness... What do we do? [Nothing unique...]
Trace our route into the anchorage in case we need to follow it out in the dark
Anchor like we're expecting 60 knot sustained winds [Force 11] with higher gusts
Capture the coordinates of the anchor
Take bearings on landmarks when possible
Set at least two proven and reliable anchor alarms
Set wind and depth alarms
Keep broadcasting our position on AIS
Illuminate the boat well at deck level- to supplement the masthead anchor light
Set a RADAR guard zone [when the situation warrants]
Stay aware
Set an anchor watch if needed [at least then everyone else can sleep...]
Details:
We begin by always recording a GPS track on one or more chart plotters when transiting, and especially when entering an anchorage area. [Many have tricky entrances and some require certain stages of tide as well for either optimied depth or current- or both...] That gives us a trail to follow should we have to bail-out of our anchorage in the middle of the inevitable tempest in the dark... [The author learned this the hard way.; a long story from eons ago (pre-GPS) but with a happy— yet expensive— ending...] While still tracking, we scout the area(s) where we would like to drop the hook by slowly driving in a circle repersenting the anchoring perimeter. This is how we evaluate the bottom and any obstacles within our chosen anchor zone... Our forward looking SONAR is also used during this stage. Before dropping the anchor, we will place the boat at the position we believe we want to drop the anchor [the center of the previously scouted perimeter] and perform a 360° turn-in-place [a back and fill maneuver...] to map the bottom with the forward facing SONAR from the anchor's view if you will. This is helpful later as we watch our swing at anchor. [Are we staying within the anchoring area we already scrutinized?] This also helps us to properly calculate the anchor scope required at high tide- especially on a bottom with uneven depth where the depth can often change by 100% or more depending where the boat is in the circle of swing...
Side note: The 15-20 foot tidal variations in our present cruising area have negligible effect on the diameter of the circle of swing at anchor. [Use Pythagoras' Theorem to demonstrate this to yourself...] However, the scope ratio is affected more in shallower anchorages [rare for us...] when tidal fluctuation is a significant percentage of the depth.
We always mark the anchor location and continue GPS tracking on the chartplotters and navigation apps once anchored. It is very informative to see where we have wandered while on our leash. [This is automatic on our Vesper Watchmate Vision; more below.] It is also extremely enlightening if conditions worsen or we start getting hit with williwaws [a type of katabatic wind gust.]
Next, we always anchor as though we expect it to blow 60 knots. [Force 11] It only takes about 5 extra minutes to do this every time [and that includes deploying a bridle...] Because of this we rarely have to get up at o-dark-thirty to deal with an anchor related issue. [Our own anchor anyway...]
Okay. We're anchored. Now what?
Diligently maintain situational awareness while we enjoy doing other things...
This means staying cognizant of our boat's position with relation to land; other vessels and obstacles around us [above and below the waterline...]; the tide, weather, etc.
When we anchor with the intension of leaving the boat [e.g., kayaking, a shore trip, visit another boat, or whatever...] we always wait at least an hour after anchoring to confirm our swing [wind/tide] at anchor is as anticipated, and that the anchor location doesn't move without our knowing... This also gives us time to recheck the weather, tide, anchor scope calculations, etc...
How do we maintain situational awareness full time while at anchor? [Hint: You can't if you ever plan to sleep...]
Since we spend a majority of our time in our pilothouse when on the the boat at anchor, we are always visually aware of what is going on around us [except when very dark or when sleeping...] If we are concerned about anything around us, we sleep in the pilothouse where, with just a sit-up, we can quickly glance outside. If an anchor watch is needed, the pilothouse is a comfortable watchstanding location in foul weather...
What about when we both sleep with no anchor watch? [i.e., normal circumstances...]
We typically set multiple anchor alarms, may set RADAR guard zones, always transmit and receive AIS, always depth and wind alarms, and sometimes marine radio(s), etc. as needed.
On prior boats in the days before GPS [and then for a time, dithered GPS; hence no accurate anchor alarms] a tell-tale compass in one's berth area was somewhat handy to help with orientation when awakened at anchor and during a passage. But it didn't show one's position nor surroundings. One had to get up and look around.
Another habit from the old days is taking some bearings on lights, landmarks, etc. I can also spot in the dark. [e.g., lights, some high points on land (e.g., unique trees, rock formations, mountain tops, etc.)— the silhouettes of which would be discernable in the dark.]
Now, we always set anchor [and depth and wind] alarms on our Vesper Watchmate Vision AIS transponder. We will often also set an anchor alarm one of our Zeus2 MFDs. And depending upon circumstances, we might also set one or two tablet anchor alarms and RADAR Guard Zone alarm(s). If we are within cell phone range and plan to be away from the boat, we used to* also set a geofence on our remote vessel monitoring system— essentially a remote notification anchor alarm [among other alerts... e.g., bilge pump, battery status, etc.]
* Our older remote vessel monitoring system was dependent upon 2G cellular data— which has been deprecated worldwide. We haven't upgraded yet.
We can also set up remote anchor alarm notifications using two iPhones [one on the boat] using the Remote feature built-in to several navigation apps. [More below]
What Anchor Alarm apps do we use on tablets/ smartphones?
[Also see the Additional Resources section at the end of this article for more info.] For back-up anchor alarms [on our smart phones or tablets] we currently use either Anchor! and/or the anchor alarm function built into the AquaMap Marine or TZiBoat charting apps. Thus far we find them both to be the best, most robust, adjustable, and detailed graphic anchor watch applications available...
As brought up in the comments section, below, false alarms can be a sleep-depriving nuisance when using anchor drag alert apps. [Usually due to momentary loss of GPS signal— and in the case of our Vesper Watchmate, momentary loss of wind or depth data on the NMEA2000 network.]
What might help? Add user adjustable delays before an alarm is sounded, and more granular sub-settings.
As an example, AquaMap Marine has the best alarm tunability I have seen so far:
Update Apr-2023: AquaMap announced cell phone to cell phone anchor monitoring so you can be alerted if your anchor drags while away from yor boat [in locations with cell signals at the boat and your location. [Not shown below.]
For information about other boating related applications we are using/evaluating, see our maintained page about Computers, Devices, and Applications.
All redundant alarms are set with ever increasing- but safe- parameters. The goal is for them to sound one at a time [if things are happening slowly...]
Setting several alarms takes very little time and provides the needed redundancy for our comfort. [On those rare occasions when it is important to be awakened by an alarm clock (e.g., to catch a flight) we set two; this reduces inclination to wake up toandpeek to see of a single alarm failed to awaken us...]
An important note about the geometry of anchor alarms:
Are you familiar with the GPS position error [up to 2x...] so common in most anchor alarms? If not, read this article from Boat US- which includes description of a fail-safe technique for setting two alarms on different apps.
Note that Vesper AIS transponders with anchor alarms updated in 2016 compensate for this error, as do the two apps I cited above.
Do you know of other products that compensate for this error? Please let us know by leaving a comment.
We also each have tablets with very accurate built-in GPS running navigation software as well as a mirror of the MFD showing the vessel's position and an overlay RADAR image, etc. These are always within reach- especially when sleeping.
If expecting weather or vessel traffic, or if either occur unexpectedly, we set zone alarm(s) on the RADAR [our 4G consumes very little power...] to warn of other vessels [or land, etc.] encroaching on our comfort zone.
The RADAR image is also viewable on our tablets- which is handy when awakened by a RADAR alarm while sleeping. We can quickly assess and mute the alarm from the tablet, and of course get up if necessary, or roll over and go back to sleep if not... [e.g., a dinghy passing through our RADAR watch zone is not worth getting up over unless they are coming to see us...] Changing the depth alarm to suit is also important to us on those rare occasions we anchor in water shallower than 60ft at low tide... [This is another anchor watch function of the Vesper Watchmate Vision AIS.] The Vesper AIS also allows us to set wind alarms [directional and/or speed changes.] If we could only set one anchor alarm, which one would we choose today?
Without question it would be the Vesper Watchmate Vision AIS. [It is always set first regardless...]
If we didn't have the Vesper, then we would choose one or both of the anchor alarm apps mentioned above. [Which we typically use as back-ups anyway...]
Update Feb-2023: Vesper has been acquired by Garmin. Garmin has decided to discontinue all Vesper AIS models except the Cortex. The Cortex has an even better anchor alarm that what we describe here. We will continue to use our Watchmate Vision AIS until it no longer serves its purpose.
Every sailor knows that being at anchor is no guarantee of total safety. In particular, anchors can drag without those on board being aware. Thanks to Anchor Watch, however, you can be safer and sleep well at night. That’s because Anchor Watch sounds the alarm if you drift outside a zone defined around your anchor position. Activate the anchor watch when you drop the anchor touching the Vision screen or using a mobile device to activate it remotely from the windlass or anywhere on-board.
Wind speed, wind direction change or minimum water depth alarms
Get added safety at anchor by setting wind speed, wind direction change and minimum water depth alarms and take quick precautionary action when these alarms are triggered.
Move Anchor Position
If your Anchor position needs fine-tuning after you have marked it, you can do that with the Move Anchor Position.
Breadcrumbs.
Vision plots your position in relation to the anchor and marks your positions over time for easy visual identification if you are dragging. It also works well on smartphones and tablets.
Anchor Watch on our Vesper Vision
Enhancement suggestion for Vesper [Now Garmin- which deprecated this model…]:
There is one feature I believe would make the Vesper Watchmate Vision Anchor Alarm even more useful; being able to choose screen orientation. [Update: Now available on their Cortex model.]
Currently it will only display North-up. There are times when it would be far handier if it would display Heading-up. However, I realize this could make the view jump around and not be useful in certain circumstances... [But then we could switch back to N-up just like a chart plotter...]
What about the flip-side: helping others become aware of [and see] us? Proactive measures include: RADAR: To improve the chances of returning a strong RADAR signal, we have a large Blipper radar reflector mounted high on the main mast. [I imagine some may wonder why we stow a fender way up there...] AIS: We also broadcast our position on AIS 24/7 when away from a dock. Additionally, our Vesper Watchmate Vision AIS transceiver allows us to tune alarm thresholds for different scenarios [including AIS Filters, depth, and wind direction and velocity.] Therefore, while at anchor we don't have any distant vessel alerts waking us up- only potential close encounters as established by values we set... [And the AIS is wired to an optional, very LOUD external alarm...] Like our B&G Zeus2 MFDs, theVesper Watchmate Vision is viewable [and controllable] via WiFi on our smartphones and tablets... Improved Visibility: To enhance our vessel's visibility to others when we are at anchor in the dark [remember it doesn't always get dark overnight in higher latitudes during summer...] in addition to the masthead anchor light, we also deploy 2 portable anchor lights; one on the inner forestay on the bow about 12 feet above the deck [and under the black anchor ball day shape] and one amidships- typically inside the cockpit enclosure to serve two perposes. We have a 3rd anchor light [like the portables but with a mounting bracket] permanently mounted on the stern davits- which also serves as a 'dinghy garage' light...
And what do the international rules say? (COLREGS Anex I)
(i)All-round lights shall be so located as not to be obscured by masts, topmasts or structures within angular sectors of more than 6 degrees, except anchor lights prescribed in Rule 30, which need not be placed at an impracticable height above the hull. (ii)If it is impracticable to comply with paragraph (b)(i) of this section by exhibiting only one all-round light, two all-round lights shall be used suitably positioned or screened so that they appear, as far as practicable, as one light at a distance of one mile.”
Denali Rose from ~2.5 miles- taken with a smartphone camera from our dinghy.
Masthead anchor light is off in this photo; you are seeing 3 of these portable anchor lights. Bow is on the right in this photo. (Highest light.) There are no shore lights or other vessels in this (calm) anchorage- which is the norm for us. [Note that the snip of red light seen in the photo is showing through a cabin port; i.e., it is not a NAV light.]
These deck level anchor lights are visible for 2+ miles and, since they hang upside down, do a nice job of illuminating the deck, too. This makes our boat very visible both from both water level and a distance. [Mast head anchor lights are difficult to spot/ triangulate from water level when close-to. Ours is 60 feet above the water, so we rarely use it...]
All [4] of our LED anchor lights have dusk-to-dawn photo sensors, so they are self managing.
Of course, it never hurts to keep the habit of flying the appropriate day shapes as well... [This is enforced in some areas/countries; for our sailboat a black sphere while at anchor, and a black cone pointing down while motoring...] Dayshapes signal our vessel status in daylight to anyone near enough to care... And we can always hail them on the Marine VHF radio...
Reactive measures:
What do we do when other vessels enter our self proclaimed 'safe zone'? [e.g., A 200 ft radius Guard Zone set on the RADAR.]
Illumination and light signals:
Remember, our deck is already well illuminated and defined by the 3 deck level and an optional masthead dusk-to-dawn anchor lights...
The first thing we do if there is vessel traffic encroaching on our safe zone in the dark is turn on our two LED deck lights [one on each mast of our ketch...]
We have a switch next to our berth as well as in the pilothouse and cockpit. We can also turn the deck lights on remotely with our smartphones via the remote vessel monitoring system when we have cell signals. [This is handy when returning to the boat from the dinghy, kayak, or when on a dock.]
This adds even more light to our deck, and perhaps indicates to the other vessel we know they are there... We can also activate a 900 lumen 'back-up' light on our stern from within our sleeping cabin. [In the future, once we install the forward looking LED 'headlights' for night running, we will add the ability to activate them remotely as well.] On the masthead there is a (SOS) strobe light which I wouldn't hesitate to activate if warranted. We also have a variety of extremely bright, portable signaling devices, flashlights, emergency dive lights, floodlights, and long distance spotlights [all of which have rapid strobe functions, and several with automated SOS] we can use to gain the attention of another vessel in our vacinity. In addiiton to handheld lights, we can also deploy one of our laser signaling devices [kept with our PFDs.] Not to mention pyrotechnic flairs...
Sound Signals:
We also have a switch in our sleeping cabin [as well as both helms] that allows us to sound the air horn [and a klaxon] if necessary should we decide a wake-up call is warranted for another vessel... [Or to alert uninvited guests on deck we are aware of their presence, which is a non-issue in our current cruising grounds— unless herons count...] In dense fog, or if we have to anchor in a non-traditional area [e.g., an emergency requires we anchor where we are- possibly in the open location or fairway where other traffic might not expect it...] or other extenuating circumstances requiring appropriate sound signals, we broadcast the appropriate sound signal over the PA horn via our VHF radio. The PA is also useful for one or two-way communication, so we can speak to others if needed. Since it is also a microphone, we can hear waves, other boats, people talking, fog horns, etc.— especially useful when motoring in poor visibility... We can also use our very loud Storm whistles, oral blow horns, and portable compressed air horns.
And we can always hail them on the Marine VHF radio... Conclusion:
Using these techniques and approaches, we typically sleep very well at anchor- but always with a heightened level of situational awareness.
All of these modern electronics consume so little power that we don't hesitate to avail ourselves of their charms as needed.
Of course, we don't rely solely upon electronics to keep watch- they are like any other aid to navigation; we don't count on any single one... Instead we post anchor watches during times of concern [regardless of reason] and I always check the physical world anytime I have a 'feeling' [What was that?] or am up for any other reason...
Always anchoring as if it will blow 60 kts with excellent, proven ground tackle and having a selection of trustworthy, dependable, proven electronic aids to back-up our physical monitoring enhances our levels of relaxation and comfort while at anchor. [And we are typically the only boat at anchor where we are exploring these days...]
Do you take any special measures to to help you relax while at anchor? Favorite Sundowner recipes included! Please leave us a comment.
We have always used hand signals when anchoring, but there are times when a conversation [or both hands are required for the task-at-hand...] may be better, or even necessary.
Hand gestures are nothing new...
In fact, gestures most likely preceded oral language- and still do if we don't know a language... [And I'm reminded speaking volume is no substitute for lack of language skills.....] Unfortunately, Technology rarely helps in such cases... Once the anchor is down, communicating with the helms person regarding present depth and how much anchor chain is out is also simply accomplished using hand signals:
...or not so simply... [blurring is intentional to demonstrate the clarity with which gestures are sometimes received... ]
And no, these are not in our abbreviated arsenal of hand/finger gestures for anchor teamwork...
Walkie-Talkies [or any half-duplex radios] work for this need, but we found too many safety issues with years of use for these purposes. [e.g., one hand for the radio; missed dialog because you were both keying the mike/speaking at once; VOX (Voice Activation) is activated by ambient sounds, effectively muting the other party; etc.] Therefore, we decided to go with full duplex capability [like telephones- all parties can speak/hear simultaneously.]
We proofed that concept for ourselves using our smart phones with headsets and one of the many freely available bluetooth walkie-talkie apps.
That cemented it for us. And since we had already decided not to risk our smart phones in inclement conditions, we tried two different, robust commercial offerings; one with a belt-clip transceiver with corded headset, one pure headset version. [They cost about the same...]
We by far prefer the SENA SPH10 bluetooth headsets.
Cruising Solutions sells them and has some great instructional videos. (These are very feature-rich headsets...)
We still almost always use hand signals when playing with the anchor(s) but there are times while anchoring, docking, dealing with something on the foredeck, in the engine room, etc.- especially during inclement conditions- when coordinating in civil tones works wonders.
This is especially true for situations for which the hand signal is not visible to the receiving party, or has not yet been developed [and it is not a convenient time to make up a new one...]
Or perhaps the hand gesture chosen under stress might not be appropriate, intended, nor well received...
Hands-free, simultaneous voice communication is also very useful when at the top of the mast, in the engine room [these work well even with the diesel engine running...] in a crowded nightclub, etc.
They are very quick to put on and turn on, easy to mute [e.g., when in the engine room, or when speaking to someone else...] comfortable, waterproof, have many features [bluetooth pairing to smart phone for music, phone calls, etc.] and just plain work.
We have also used them on the road [their original development was for motorcycle riders after all...] when driving separate vehicles, and especially like them when backing our truck/camper and one of our 27ft trailers into tight spaces.
Hand signals just don't apply in such situations- especially in the dark...
As back-up we still have intercom capability with our wireless VHF radio mike, handheld VHF radios, and FRS [walkie-talkie] radios [which we always issue to away teams...]
But for us, nothing beats reliable, phone-like conversation capability- especially in sporty situations.
There is good reason why this type of capability/technology is often categorized as Marriage Saver in nature...
What communication styles, practices, and technology [if any...] work best for you in similar situations?
Updated 4-Apr-2017 Donna laments that it seems like the boat is getting all the gifts this holiday season... Perhaps she is right... We will soon find out... As a prelude to this post, I'm reminded of the PS: from our Prologue page written long ago:[... 2014 seems like long ago; as boat-years go anyway...]
Some of our posts are about products and/or services we opt to use or jettison in the moment. None of our choices are motivated by anything other than our objective reasoning [and occasionally rationalization and discount pricing...] at the moment of need [or desire...] This type of post simply represents a synopsis of how and/or why we arrived at a decision to spend [what little remains of...] our money... YMMV
We have been laying in wait for deals on our wishlist items, and have done well so far. We may even take advantage of some post Christmas sales, so stay tuned... So what is the damage so far? What new boat jewelry have we adorned her with? Wha'd she get?! Wha'd she get?!
This has been on our upgrade list for some time to replace our secondary anchor [60# CQR] on the bow, and become the best bower. [Hey, what's another 40 pounds or so around her neck. After all she already has 550 ft of necklace...]
Spade had a one day sail the day after Thanksgiving we couldn't ignore... [25% off and free shipping in the 'lower 48' as we say in Alaska...] Donna's son will be bringing it when he flies up with his family right after Christmas. [What stories he will have to tell... 'Yes, we are spending the holidays with Mom... But boy does she sport some heavy baggage- especially around the holidays...']
No gift season is complete without at least one appliance: [It is difficult not to violate our longstanding agreement that appliances are not gifts when living on a boat...]
Well, its a temporary state I assure you... She wanted some upgrades to her existing machine, and with a limited time special from the manufacturer, we were able to purchase a new machine bundle [with table] for about the price of the upgrades to the existing machine... if we sell her original, very low hour machine...
We learned some dear friends have been looking for one, so the outcome is a good deal for everyone. [Thank you John and Artha!] We should get some photos of Donna on the dock working two machines before we are back down to one...
Of course, this is more evidence that Donna sports some heavy baggage... Yup, enter faithful son again...
Anything else?
Why, yes... A little electronic love...
A new EPIRB w/ GPS. I was hoping to find one with AIS as well, but while they exist, they are still awaiting FCC approval, so we have to wait a while longer before a US version is available... Why a new EPIRB? The usual reason: the old one's batteries expired this year, and the new one only cost about 30% more than it would cost to have the batteries replaced in the retiring EPIRB... And the new one has batteries that are certified for 10 years; twice that of most EPIRBS...[Next year we need to also buy a special class of EPIRB rated for colder waters... I have my sights on a meander up the Northwest Passage... I'm hoping to hold out for one which includes AIS as well... ]
We will keep the old one around as a back-up for a few years based upon a battery test I did a while back on a very expired model... [And we each have a PLB, and a 3rd PLB is vacuum packed in with the life raft...]
This new unit is much smaller than the old one....
...Especially when you compare their mounting brackets...
I guess our guests will have to find something else to bang their heads on now...
What else?
We each carry a DSC VHF Radio on our PFDs... They are emergency radios.
"Uh, Denali Rose, have you noticed you are one crew lighter? Please don't let someone else eat my lunch..."
or the TWEEDLE-TWEEDLE-TWEEDLE... of the electronic DSC hail alarm built into all DSC radios...
The portable radios are in addition to our Person Over Board [POB] AIS beacons, and our PLBs- all of which we have had for ~3 years as of this writing...
Side note: If we were buying POB AIS devices today, this is the unit we would get because in addition to broadcasting an AIS POB alert, it also has manual DSC POB signaling capability.
Side note to the side note... Recent firmware upgrades allow us to program our Vesper AIS Transceiver [Watchmate 850] to use the external [i.e., wake the dead] alarm for only specific AIS alarm types. This is compared to it squawking for any AIS alarms as in the past.
We now have the Vesper programed to use that screeching alarm only in the event of POB and Emergency AIS broadcasts. Perfect. We no longer need to remember to activate that supplemental siren when needed...
Our requirements for the handheld VHF radios we carry on our person include GPS, DSC, must be truly waterproof [at least IPX8], float/alert when in the water [e.g., turn on, sound an alarm and/or flash a light, etc.], large screen and easy to see display, easy to use, has back-up alkaline battery tray, etc.
We are trying to standardize models since they all have a learning curve... [not to mention different batteries and charging docks...] Two years ago, the ICOM M92D seemed a good choice. But... the screen and fonts are too small to see with our unaided eyes- something that doesn't work well when we are in the water or other conditions when we cannot wear our glasses... ICOM remedied that with the M93D model, but boy are they proud of those... [...and we less so of ICOM, read on...]
Enter the Standard Horizon HX870. It meets all our criteria including a nice extra of having an alkaline battery pack for emergencies when you cannot recharge the lithium battery it comes with. [But at the cost of only 1 watt of transmit power, vs. 6 watts with the lithium battery...]
You guessed it; on sale and with a $40 rebate, we got one... So far I like it better than the ICOM M92D [And the HX870 is a true Class D DSC radio, unlike the ICOM M92D- EVEN THOUGH ICOM MISLEAD US INTO PURCHASING ONE BY ADVERTISING IT AS A CLASS D INITIALLY... Shame and blame on ICOM...]
So what's not to like- especially when we bought two of these [on sale and with the rebate] for the cost of one ICOM M93D... No contest. Same features, quality, and size...
But wait; there are more electronics...
We use a satellite phone for voice, text, and email communications when we don't have cellular or WiFi access. Our Iridium Extreme phone [model 9575] is very stoutly built, but obviously not designed by Apple... The bases you must plug into it to attach the external antenna and USB cable to the computer are flimsy- but at least they are expensive to replace... And there is no convenient way to secure the phone and cables without procuring a dock. Well, until recently the docks have cost almost as much as the phone... [$US900+] So needless to say, we have gotten by using RAM mounts of various types... until now... The Australian manufacturer of Iridium docks, Beam Communications, also makes a 'lite' version for the more affordable price of about 1/3rd to 1/4th the price of the other, more fully featured cousins. [Capabilities we don't need on our boat...]
This dock keeps the phone securely mounted and charged. We can grab the phone from the cradle in a snap to take is with us... It also ties into the computer, external sat phone antenna, phone charger [12 VDC or 110 VAC] and a GPS puck- which is very important to us. Why? because while the phone has built-in GPS for use with the SOS button, it doesn't receive GPS sat signals well below deck. And I don't know of a way to feed the sat phone GPS data from our other sources already onboard. Accurate sat phone GPS position reporting is also important to us because the UUplus email service we use with our sat phone has a feature to automatically add your location to emails you send. Those were off 5-10 miles using the phone below deck. Now our automated position reports will be more accurate with the external GPS puck in place. [Note: We know of no way to use GPS data already available on our N2k network with the Iridium Extreme... Please leave a comment if you do...]
What else could we possibly give her this holiday season?
Well, she likes to accessorize, so we got her a few...
First- because conditions aren't always conducive to easy parallel parking- we got her something that helps... A lot:
The E-Z Docker [No, it doesn't dock the boat for you...]
It is really well made and even fits the mega sized bull-rails we have on our main docks. Excellent! No more having to put amidships within a foot or so of the dock in windy conditions [or cross-currents...] to step off and land the boat... I can see Donna twirling the E-Z Docker over her head like a lasso...
Good thing I usually handle the dock lines... And perhaps it might also be useful for snatching weakened swimmers from the water... No cleats? How do you tie to bull rails? There are many ways. We usually just fix a line to a cleat on deck, go under the bull rail and back to the boat. That way we can slip our lines from the boat by undoing the last end made fast and tossing it on the dock. Pulling the other end pulls it all under the bull rail without friction... If we had originally gone over the top of the rail and back to the boat, tossing that line on the dock would leave a wrap on the bull rail, making it difficult to retrieve the line from the boat deck... We also see a lot of people use something like a Douglass Hitch:
What if there are willing line handlers on the dock? We toss them a breast line [and only a midship line...] That way they can't pull the bow or stern in more than we need as we finish maneuvering... Once the breast line is secured [under the bull-rail and back to the boat] we secure bow and stern lines. After that we replace the breast line with spring lines. And if we expect weather, or will be leaving the boat unattended for any period, all lines are doubled-up...
We were running out of gift ideas by this point... But since our boat is also into muscle [a fetish we cannot always satisfy] we decided to look for bionic winch handles and found her a rechargeable deck gorilla; TheUltimateCranker!
This makes all of our winches electric, and is a back-up if our windlass ever goes on strike... [Our windlass has a kedging socket on top that achieves over 10,000 lbs pull with a winch handle.... I think we can pull the boat up a tree with the Cranker in the kedging socket of the windlass- let alone a crew member in a bosuns chair from a halyard winch. [
The Ultimate Cranker [AKA Arm Breaker...] is a very heavy duty drill motor [1081 inch-pounds of torque; for perspective that is 90 foot-pounds. Can you grind on your wench consistently with 90 lbs of force?] In place of the chuck is a stainless steel Cranker bit:
But wait; haven't I seen another device dedicated to grinding winches? Yes, for about 50% more money you get dedicated purpose device with about 10% less power, no drill chuck, and built-in batteries so you cannot have spares ready to go... ["Do you mind sitting halfway up the mast for a few hours while I recharge the unit...?"] Since the Ultimate Cranker still comes with the original drill motor chuck, you can use it to drill holes in things too! [Like the boat...]
What about inside the boat? Well, we are spending some time at the dock this winter working on some projects... [between boating junkets] Therefore we are also concentrating on the galley. We have a nice Force 10 propane stove, broiler and oven combo, and a table top, one burner butane stove for back-up. We also have a 10kw generator we run as needed, so I bought an induction cooktop and cookware to go with it. We will use it almost exclusively while at the dock, and, when out cruising, we can use it as back-up to the propane stove when our generator is running. Wow, is this thing sweet! We had a very nice ceramic top electric range in our home, but this heats up induction compatible cookware [more below...] almost instantly, and has precision temperature control. Talk about searing proteins! This thing is hot and fast. And cooking temperatures change as fast as you can press the buttons- like with a gas stove... [I'm sure those of you with induction cooking experience are getting a good chuckle out of this...] When cooking on the propane stove I usually do prep work as I'm doing preliminary cooking. [e.g., browning onions, etc.] This thing is so quick and efficient I have not time to do anything else while, for instance, browning onions, because they are done in a couple of minutes... To have a place for the induction cooktop, I closed the top cover of the propane stove. [It matches the rest of the countertop...] This keeps the cooking in the same place, and under the galley ventilation hatch.
...and my very well traveled tea kettle from my very first boat in the early 70s...
And speaking of induction compatible cookware, [i.e., magnetic bottoms- including some stainless steel, like my umpteen year old teapot in the photo above...] when we bought our Magma nesting cookware ~3 years ago, we didn't buy the induction ready set. [In fact, it may not have been available then...] The Magma cookware is excellent, heavy duty, and nests very well. [Always a trade-off...]
Backtrack to our 2 week trip from Fairbanks to Wrangell in our camper this fall where were were wishing we had a better cook set in the camper... [This after I melted the excellent straining lids by cooking things that didn't require water... Enough said...]
So I went and bought another Magma nesting cookware set- this one induction compatible and with ceramic non-stick.
And since I needed a good omelette and sauté pan, [and since Denali Rose likes to accessorize...] I completed the set with two needed additions that also nest into the main set:
Oh yeah, my 25 year old pressure cooker was showing its age, so I upgraded that to a modern design [i.e., not a jiggle-top...] and induction capable as well:
I have used this cooker several times now on the induction cook top, and boy does it take the care and fuss out of cooking with a jiggle top pressure cooker on a gas stove. [Soups, roasts, curries, corned beast, bread, deserts, etc.] I have had Lorna Sass' pressure cooker books for ages, and just keep buying the updated volumes every few years. You can't go wrong with her recipes and pressure cooking tips as starting points...
Did you remember to get her some stocking stuffers?
Of course!
Mostly upgraded LED bulbs for various outside lights- including navigation fixtures. We also got her some bling for her cabins; more LED light strips for hidden, direct lighting in obscure areas.
There are also a couple of [what are hoped to be] surprises, but in case she reads this post, those will have to wait for a follow-up. There must be runners-up?
Now that you mention it... Still on the list, but awaiting more research and deals good enough to entice action, are the following notables:
