Atlantic Ocean, almost there, we can't wait!

Johanna

N 28° 0.442', W 16° 39.628'

I haven't forgotten  you all, but, well, I've been busy. Sorry about that. I promise I'll make it up in the near future. 

It's been a long almost two years in the Canaries. The Canaries are not a bad place to be, but we have just been here long enough. We left Finland to go sailing and we haven't done that much here.

We haven't set the excact date when we leave, but it's in the very near future.

Before we left Las Palmas we took care of the bottom. Now "Iiris" behaves like she's supposed to behave. It was kind of funny, how deffirent it was to manouver her with the dirty bottom.

Here we are testing our new furling system for the gennaker. The sail is not new, but we exchanged the sock for the furler.

We have already been provisioning for the past two months. When ever we have had a rental car for some reason, I've been bringing home some cans. Last week we did an inventory. We have plenty of food, we'd survive for much longer time than just across the Atlantic. Anyway we'll be still buying some more. We know that the stores in the Caribbean are more expensive and don't always have the things we might want.

Last summer I ordered me a Sailrite sawing machine, I hadn't had the time to power it up yet. 

My mother came to see us before we go. With her mental support I set up the machine and did my first stiches on it. We didn't quite have the materials we needed so I'll continue by myself sometime, somewhere else.

It was nice to have my mom around for two weeks. We don't plan to visit Finland anytime soon, and the flights to visit us are becoming longer and more complicated. We sailed to La Gomera with my mom. We loved the island. I'm so happy we finally got to see something else than Gran Canaria and Tenerife

We don't miss Finland, but we do like some things that come from Finland. Here we have some rye crispy bread stored for the crossing. And I must tell you, this is not all we have. We also have a lot of other Finnish crispy bread on board. This means we don't need to start baking yet.

We are now in Las Galletas, Tenerife. We'll be doing some last minute things before we set sail for the Caribbean (most likely via Cape Verde).

When we finally set sail (hopefully next week) I hope I have more time to update this blog. At least we'll be checking in with the Spot, so you'll see on the map where we are.

How to install Spinlock endless line clutch

timo

N 28° 7.628', W 15° 25.492'

We needed clutches for our new endless rope furler. Since we have Spinlock XTS clutches, and we like them, we decided to try XTS/M clutches that are designed for endless rope.

Information about this option is quite limited on Spinlock's web pages. We bought a triple XTS/M3 which seems ridiculous for endless rope, and we soon figured out that the middle one is not usable for this. The endless rope only needs two clutches, but we wanted to get the triple for it to look symmetrical to the other side.

When we got the much more expensive clutch than a normal triple, we realized that the only difference for normal triple was the open bullseyes. Very expensive bullseys!

We wanted to make the installation so that we don't have to uninstall the clutches from the deck if we need to change the rope. That is not possible with triple or double because one plastic part cannot be removed when both side fairings are not removed. 

We had also two singles and so we got what we wanted by changing the open bullseyes to single clutches. There went the symmetry.

Next I show how to put endless rope to clutch without uninstalling the clutch from the deck.

Here are the parts for single clutch.

Line must be forced into bullseye.

For example by using screwdriver.

All the bullseyes in endless rope.

Base is installed and insulated with Duralac and sealed with Sikaflex. 

This is the part that makes it impossible to change the endless line without uninstalling the whole clutch for others than singles. The small notches go under the base and can come up only on the sides, not in the middle.

Put that part in place.

Cam assembly comes next.

And the other parts.

Notice that the bolts keeping the clutch together can be assembled both ways.

Another try to get Wi-Fi on board

timo

N 27° 48.999', W 15° 45.949'

All cruising boats have a VHF-radio and most also have either a SSB-radio or a satellite phone (or both). However, most of us spend way more time near the shore than off shore. There seems to be one radio connection more important than the others; Wi-Fi. 

We have had many tries to pick up a Wi-Fi signal to share it inside our boat (or at least have it working on one computer). Now it seems that we have a working solution.

We like to use the Internet on laptops, tablets, etc. in our boat. Usually that's impossible because there is no Wi-Fi coverage inside the boat. Our steel hull and aluminium deck are not helping us, it's a bit different with GRP. We have tried external antennas outside the boat, but that is sometimes a bit difficult. What we need is an outside antenna with a system that connects to the Wi-Fi providing the internet connection, while devices inside the boat share that connection through our own Wi-FI access point.

We had the idea to implement that with Raspberry Pi, but fortunately found out that there were already many devices for this task.

We had to make the decision between Ubiquiti and Mikrotik products, both have very interesting devices. We chose Mikrotik Metal  2SHPn, because of its more powerful transmitter. It also seemed a bit more robust, which is always a good thing on the water.

There is an antenna included in the package with the Metal, but we decided to have more gain with a better antenna. Omni-directional antenna is simple to use, especially when anchored out. We bought a TP-Link TL-ANT2415D.

We tried the system in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Metal was able to see more than 60 access point at once!  That's a lot compared to the old 10 or so . The system was really working as we expected it to.

A bit of a warning! Mikrotik Router OS is not the easiest user interface to work with. Here is the screen where you connect to the WiFi.

This is only a part of the screen. However, if you can handle mail via SSB, this should'n be too difficult to handle.

We believe that Metal can also be configured as a Wi-Fi access point for on board devices. We haven't tried that yet. We just happen to have some extra Wi-Fi routers (leftovers from work in Finland) with us and configured one of them to serve as our access point.

We sailed to Las Galletas, Tenerife. There was one windy day in the marina and all of the sudden there was no more antenna.

Well, there was the antenna, but the fiberglass tube had flown away (fallen to the bottom of the sea). Antenna was sold by Manhattan Computer in Las Palmas. We tried to talk to them about guarantee, but the guy just told us, that we should also have the fiberglass tube with us. We might as well have used it as a sword and broke it :) That much for the guarantees here... 

Oh well! We still have the Metals own antenna and it is also working pretty well.

We are sailing again!

Johanna

N 27° 48.999', W 15° 45.949'

When we first arrived in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, we thought we'll stay for a month or so... We had had some boat work in mind since back in Finland. The plan was to change our hatches on deck and some other minor things (what seemed like big jobs back then). 

Our planned one month stay became one year and two months. When we left Finland behind, we thought that was it for any stress in life. We were so wrong. Our life in Las Palmas was an stress after an other. Sometimes it was the work load, sometimes the schedules and well, sometimes there was just too much hard work to do.

Here I am, happy to be sailing again. I had the longest break in my whole life from sailing while in Las Palmas. 

Our first sail to Tenerife was quite a struggle, we had no boat speed what so ever.

In Las Galletas I took my wetsuit and snorkel and took a look at our bottom.

OMG, I knew it was dirty, but I didn't expect it to be this bad. I tried to clean some of it with a strong spatula, but it didn't help much. I only had energy and skills to clean very small area near the water line.

Now we are back to Gran Canaria and the sail back was not horrible but nearly that. I have never yet had a sail that I would say I'd have rather stayed on dry land. This leg was nearing the feeling.

We had planned to sail on to La Gomera. El Hierro and La palma from Tenerife, but we changed our plans to meet up with some friends of ours next week in Las Palmas. And then before sailing again we have to find someone to clean our bottom. We love to sail, but this floating home of ours is not a sail boat at the moment. It's not only the missing boat speed, we could almost live with that, but it's the way a sail boat works. It just doesn't work when the hull is in this shape.

Anyway, we are now happily in Puerto de Mogan and we are very glad that we are at least able to move again. Our life is once more becoming the dream we want to live in the real life!

Navico Broadband Radar and OpenCPN

timo

N 28° 0.437', W 16° 39.626'

Our former radar was old but very reliable Furuno. The only problem with it was that the CRT screen was taking too much space and power. We didn't want any new screen either. We want to use a regular laptop or a tablet as a display for all navigational data. We are currently using OpenCPN as chartplotter, so it was interesting to find out that there is a radar plugin for OpenCPN. Navico Broadband radar has some interesting features like low power consumption and good visibility at close range. It seems like the perfect choice for us.

First view of the new radar. Our heading sersor still needs a bit of calibration.

We got the system working but there were some difficulties with installation.

My first mistake was that I didn't read carefully OpenCPN plugin documents before buying the radar. Navico 3G and 4G radars are sold under the brands Simrad, B&G and Lowrance. Our heading sensor uses NMEA 0183. By reading Navico documents I thought that Simrad 3G with RI11 interface was suitable for us and I ordered it. When I got the radar I read the plugin manuals through and found out, we didn't need any interface box at all. Lowrance 3G would have been cheaper, because it doesn't include an interface box. We chose 3G and not 4G because we don't need the longer range. Besides it costs more and uses more power.

Navico Broadband radar without interface box has radome and cable. Cable is an ethernet cable with additional power wires. It doesn't use PoE! When used with chartplotter like OpenCPN, it also needs heading and position data. OpenCPN plugin must provide this data to radar. Without position and heading there is no radar view! If you are using OpenCPN, you probably already have position data. We have an Airmar H2183 heading sensor with NMEA 0183 cable connected directly to our auto pilot. OpenCPN receives NMEA from serial port or ethernet. Our goal is to put all our NMEA data to ethernet, but now we made a temporary wiring for NMEA 0183.

Routing heading sensor data to OpenCPN was easy, but it didn't work. Plugin document states that used heading sentences are HDT, HDM or HDG. Airmar was sending HDG as default. I programmed Airmar to send HDT which it did, but without data. HDT means true heading. Sensor probably has variation database, but it needs position. Ok! I routed nmea position sentence (RMC or VTG) to Airmar and it started to send heading data.

We got a two second glimpse of radar picture in OpenCPN. OpenCPN was receiving gps and heading data through two different serial ports in our windows laptop. After a few seconds the other port died away.

Next step was to route heading sensor data through NAIS-400 AIS box. Now all NMEA input was in one serial port and it works.

We tested the new system by sailing at night from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to Las Galletas, Tenerife. Radar targets and AIS targets were equal and we were very satisfied.

Installation would have been very easy by using a heading sensor with built-in GPS.

Our home is starting to look like home again

Johanna

N 28° 7.632', W 15° 25.510'

We have been back in the marina for an other four weeks already. We are in the same pontoon where we were before. We think it's the best one in this marina. The whole pontoon is very small, hidden behind the gas station. On the other side we have the marina office and on the other side a couple of Guardia Civil vessels. Here is a big problem with bicycle thefts, but ours have been ok since January, parked right next to the office (knock on wood that our good luck continues). Toilets and showers are also very near and they are the best ones here, not too many users, so we mostly get a hot shower. They are also the kind that you can control the temperature, not just one push button. We are quite far from everything, but walking is good exercise, so we don't mind a bit.

After our vacation in the anchorage we have been kind of slow to start the boat work. But you know, schedules make all the difference. New Years Eve is getting closer and two days ago half of the boat was still under construction. 

We thought, it's best to start solving the puzzle with the biggest part. After that Timo put all the parts together very easily. It was much easier than what I had expected. There were only a few small details that he had to build from the scratch. Mostly all the screws just went into the old holes. 

Next was my turn. I put all the plywood where it belongs. Once more we have too bunks in the aft cabin. It was time for my test rest.

Until today our home has been full of things that we have been moving around all the time. Now I have put lots of stuff under the new built bunks. Tonight is the first time in more than six months that my home actually looks like home again!

Our vacation is almost over

 We have now been on vacation for almost four weeks. On Sunday we go back to the marina. Yesterday I already talked to a marinero and we have a place reserved in the exact place where we want to be. I think it takes you a long way here when you smile to everyone, be polite and try to speak as much Spanish as you can.

But back to the present and past, Sunday is still in the future.

First we were a bit irritated about the ARC fleet taking over the marina. It felt really stupid to do some temporary installations, just to be able to move to the anchorage. There was also the brighter side. We really had a dead-line when we had to be able to move back on board. You know how you just somehow finish things a bit faster when under pressure. It was only a couple of weeks difference anyway, because we were staying in an ARC-boat and they were coming back soon. 

This four weeks have also been very good "practice" for our future life, where we plan to be on the hook most of the time. We left Finland 15 months ago, but we have only been in the marinas, not counting some odd nights in the anchorage on the way.

Now it was time to test how our solar panels and wind generator work in real life. For the first 2 and half weeks everything was fine, but then we had some calm and cloudy days. Finally we had to start the engine and let the alternator do it's job. We use our computer a lot, especially Timo, since he has been working on his own anchor watch application. And you know how laptop wants a lot of juice from the batteries.

I have seen a lot of big boats from outside, but this week has been very special for me. Leopard by Finland is trying to (I mean it is going to) break the ARC record. I've known the Finnish project leader since I was a kid. We were invited to their welcome party on Wednesday. What a yacht! 100 feet of the latest technology.

This is Leopards command center. For a nerd like me, it looked really fascinating. 

There is also an other interesting Finnish project here. These guys are on board Volvo 70. 

I happened to be there at the right time to help these guys out a bit. They had stickers to put on the side and it's a bit difficult if you can't walk on the water or you don't have a tender. So I let them borrow our dinghy for the job.

Meanwhile they were doing their job, I got a really good and long tour on the boat :) The boat participated in the Volvo Ocean Race 2008-2009, it has been kept as it was in the race. They have only made one modification, you don't have to do your business in the public... In the race they really don't have any walls or even a curtain to give you privacy.

For the first two weeks we were in a real vacation mode. I guess we were just so tired after all those months of hard work that we needed to sleep late and take everything very easy. After a while I started to get some of my normal energy back.

We are still missing half of our storage space, but I have made my best to have our things in order. I sometimes get surprised myself when Timo asks me for something and I actually know where things are.

We also had to do some engine maintenance that was long overdue.

Living on board while doing any work means endless job moving things around. Here is our bedroom in the living room.

I don't like to live too much to the dead-lines, but some are really good for us. Next we have to build our aft cabin back to a livable two bunk cabin for my brother-in-law and his daughter for New Year.

Last winter we were planning to sail to the Caribbean this winter. Now we know it's not going to happen. We are going to spend an other winter here in the Canaries. I hope it's not going to be as cold and rainy as the last one was. Anyway, it's much better than back in Finland. Southern Finland got their first snow today, and I definitely don't miss that.