We are in the starting block and ready to go first thing in the morning. Things are not completely ready but the event cannot be postponed. Weather projections are perfect. Cold but perfect. We will try to remember to turn on the SPOT so that you can follow our actual progress in real time if you click on the link under “Route”.
This morning we thought we would have a quiet day of reflection but everything went kerfluey. The lights were dimming for no apparent reason. A quick visit to the engine room to look at the battery charger showed no activity on the indicator board. I put a volt meter on the house battery (these are huge and weigh about 150 lbs.. apiece) and it was very low. So either the battery was dying or the charger was not charging. Luckily I keep a portable charger on board and could hook it to the depleted battery and get things back online. All of the built in lights, the water pump and all instruments work off battery power. Even the refrigerators go to battery if we are not plugged into shorepower or running the generator.
This three bank charger is brand new having been installed in July and is supposed to be the best one made. I contacted customer service and was instructed how to test to determine if it was their charger or my battery that was defective. It was their charger. So now we must set off with the backup charger and arrange to have the replacement shipped approximately 3 weeks ahead on our route. My best guess is Dog River Marina in Mobile Bay. This occupied the morning and the rest of the day began unraveling. My watch quit working which meant a trip to Sword’s Jewelers. They fixed it for free! I love these small towns. You would never get that in Atlanta.
Two transient yachts pulled in from Fort Loudon Yacht Club after lunch. They will be traveling our route tomorrow so we formed a fleet and will “buddy boat” downriver. Now I need to try and sleep. Sort of like a little kid trying to get to sleep on Christmas Eve.
This morning we thought we would have a quiet day of reflection but everything went kerfluey. The lights were dimming for no apparent reason. A quick visit to the engine room to look at the battery charger showed no activity on the indicator board. I put a volt meter on the house battery (these are huge and weigh about 150 lbs.. apiece) and it was very low. So either the battery was dying or the charger was not charging. Luckily I keep a portable charger on board and could hook it to the depleted battery and get things back online. All of the built in lights, the water pump and all instruments work off battery power. Even the refrigerators go to battery if we are not plugged into shorepower or running the generator.
This three bank charger is brand new having been installed in July and is supposed to be the best one made. I contacted customer service and was instructed how to test to determine if it was their charger or my battery that was defective. It was their charger. So now we must set off with the backup charger and arrange to have the replacement shipped approximately 3 weeks ahead on our route. My best guess is Dog River Marina in Mobile Bay. This occupied the morning and the rest of the day began unraveling. My watch quit working which meant a trip to Sword’s Jewelers. They fixed it for free! I love these small towns. You would never get that in Atlanta.
Two transient yachts pulled in from Fort Loudon Yacht Club after lunch. They will be traveling our route tomorrow so we formed a fleet and will “buddy boat” downriver. Now I need to try and sleep. Sort of like a little kid trying to get to sleep on Christmas Eve.