SEWING ON BOATS
SEWING ON BOATS:
PHIFERTEX BRINGS ON THE SHADE &
TAKES DOWN THE TEMPERATURE
By Nicole Smith on SV MAISON DE SANTÉ
Phifertex is a very effective for use on the inside of your boat and the outside. We have large dual pane glass windows in our salon which are great for seeing outside while cooking/eating/hanging out inside but they get hot and radiate lots of heat inside the boat. I did not want to have to install snaps on the outside of our boat for Phifertex shades but wanted the UV protection, shade, and cooling effects. So, I made individual shades for each of our 9 windows and they are great! It’s hard to see in the pictures but with the shade it’s 82 degrees with the heat gun. Without the shade it shows 135 degrees! Of course there is some variance in degrees depending on where you point the gun on the window but wow, do these help (for reference it’s 9am with sun beaming on these windows). I used Velcro at the corners to keep in place and for some of the shades used coated flexible garden wire sewn inside the outside trim so it keeps it shape and doesn’t droop down. An added bonus is that they provide decent shade like a curtain but we can still enjoy our views. I hope others might find this useful 
It’s a hot sunny morning in Panama 
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SY MAISON DE SANTÉ 🇺🇸 Nicole & Keenan - Cal 46'
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR RECENT UPGRADE THAT KEEPS YOUR BOAT COOLER IN HOT PLACES!
SAFETY: THE DREADED DIESEL BUG
THE DREADED DIESEL BUG
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ABOUT THE DIESEL BUG |
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Usually, fuel can stay in a usable condition under storage for up to a year, after which it may begin to develop sediments. Vessel in the the tropics are wise check any stored diesel before putting it into action. Fuel in tanks deteriorates over time as it reacts with the oxygen in the air. Water in a fuel tank harbors bacteria and fungi that feed on diesel. Water can form in fuel tanks due to condensation from the tank heating and cooling over a 24 hour period. This creates the perfect petri dish for bacteria and fungi. One of the most common microorganisms that can grow under these circumstances is the diesel bug. The diesel bug deteriorates your fuel and creates a sludge capable of damaging your engine. Once you get underway the sediments slosh around and the fuel pickup hose quickly gets clogged. The bug clogs the fuel system. |
ACTUAL CAUSES
- Humidity in the air
- Fuel tank condensation
- Fuel tank insulation
- Air leak on seals on fuel tank filler cap inc damaged o-rings
- Poor fuel station storage quality
- Low volume of sales at fuel station
REMEDIES
Once you have the bug ...
1) Separate the water from the diesel
2) Shock and kill the diesel bug with biocides
3) Remove sediments from the bottom of your tank
To Prevent the bug
1) Fill the tank
2) Use a fuel filter to take on fuel from the pump
3) Use Enzymes to prevent the bug from forming in the first place
*For ongoing maintenance. Fuel Doctor, Soltron and Star Tron have result oriented enzyme formulations.
A full rundown on tests and solution lives here >>
OPENING YOUR BOAT BACK UP AFTER BEING AWAY
OPENING YOUR BOAT BACK UP AFTER BEING AWAY:
How to Combat Mold, Mildew, or Vermin
Many Ocean Posse members will put their boat 'up' at some point throughout the year whether it is to leave for an overland trip, leave to avoid hurricane or cyclone season, or just to take a break for a bit. We shared, "Laying upon the hard or in the water: Details to Consider" by Rob Murray in the April 1, 2023 Newsletter. (https://oceanposse.com/fleet-update-2023-04-01/) Now it is time to address the other side of this coin: Opening your boat back up after being away...and dealing with what is there. Specifically what options are available to combat mold, mildew, or vermin that may have made themselves comfortable in your absence.
MOLD AND MILDEW:
Mold and Mildew can and will attach themselves to many different surfaces on a vessel particularly in warm or humid environments and when left unattended.. Returning to mold and mildew after being gone, there are a number of different options to employ depending on the surface, your product preference, and your cruising plans:
- SPRAYS FOR HARD AND SOFT SURFACES to rid and prevent: There are a variety of sprays available to make with basic household products such as borax, baking soda, vinegar, tea tree oil, hydrogen peroxide, bleach and of course there are a multitude of sprays one can purchase for specific hard or soft surfaces. The most general purpose spray used about SV WHIRLWIND is 1:3 parts water and white vinegar with 10 drops of either tea tree oil or four thieves oil. With the spray of choice, one can use a microfiber cloth to wipe down all hard or soft surfaces with this spray. The key is to pick your product and use it because any mold or mildew that is not killed or cleaned off will continue to grow.
- ELIMINATE WATER ENTRY: If any mold or mildew is due to water intrusion, it is best to deal with it. Water is best to float in not to let it.
- DEHIMIDIFY AND/OR CIRCULATE FRESH AIR: Many cruisers will leave a dehumidifier running in their absence if they are able to and many still will run a dehumidifier once they are back on board as well. Dehumidifiers use a bit of power but will give you a jumpstart on freshening up the indoor air environment if the boat has been closed up for a while. Additionally or alternatively there is dampness in the air at all times so encouraging air circulation will move the moisture in the air along. Ideally, you want the air inside the ship to be replaced at least every hour. Ventilation systems can be installed that pull air in and exhaust air out. Alternatively, to improve circulation of fresh air open all hatches and consider fans or a windscoop to get the air flowing through the boat.
- SUN TIME: Many fabrics that have been folded and stored for a long period of time will benefit from simply airing out in the fresh air and sunshine. Consider this for pillows, bedding, towels, etc...
- IONIZATION: For boat owners with air conditioning systems, one can circulate ions in the system that are said to help eliminate mold spores in the air being circulated.
VERMIN like cockroaches, , mice/rats, or weevils:
Yuck, no one likes to think about these uninvited guests and yet at some point everyone has to contend with them. Specifically, I am thinking of weevils, cockroaches, and/or mice. Thankfully there are a depending on the severity of the problem there are a variety of options.
- GIVE BOAT A DEEP CLEAN: Clean boats are less attractive to vermin: there are less hiding places, nesting places, and it is easier to see evidence of their presence on a clean boat. Keep alert all season for evidence of vermin. Be on the lookout for droppings, gnawed or damaged packaging and/or wires, finely shredded material in an odd place, and listen for unusual scampering sounds at night. Once they are observed be quick to remove food source/s, entry/exit points/nesting material, trap or otherwise remove them from your boat.
- DO NOT BRING THEM ONBOARD: These pests like to find ways onboard. Do not let them. Weevils like grains so carefully choose fresh grains and keep them moving through your galley not sitting in your stores. Cockroaches like hiding in fruits and vegetables and cardboard boxes so monitor these items as they come aboard. Cockroaches lay eggs in cardboard so keep this off the boat. Cockroaches, mice, and rats can crawl up docklines so some people put borax around cleats to discourage them from go to the docklines.
- ELIMINATE FOOD SOURCE: This is important for all vermin. If they have a food source they will thrive. Remove any food with weevils in it and remove or properly store in lock tight storage bins food that is only meant for human or pet consumption.
- REMOVAL: COCKROACH SPECIFIC: There are many options for eliminating these vermin. Most involve chemicals and or traps. The most effective way to eliminate cockroaches onboard SV WHIRLWIND has been with cockroach gel. Think about where they travel and put the gel on or near their travel paths or where they have been sighted. Do no put the gel anywhere it can get on people's hands casually or in human or pet food. Like mice and rats, cockroaches use their shoulder and a wall or edge to navigate so their paths will follow these when they can. Once cockroaches are gone, bay leaves in food lockers and spice cabinets are said to be a non-toxic cockroach deterrent.
- REMOVAL: MICE/RAT SPECIFIC: If there are mice or rats aboard consider borrowing a cat or dog for a bit. If that is not possible, traps are the next best step. There are live traps and snap traps. If using a live trap be sure to release the mouse very far from your vessel. If a snap trap is used look for their pathways and put it in their path so they almost have to run over it. Tempt them with peanut butter or something sticky. Like cockroaches, mice and rats use their shoulder and a wall or edge to navigate so their paths will follow these when they can. If traps do not work, consider alternate methods of removal. When choosing this final method, it is important to consider your environment, and the safety of everyone nearby. Poisons are the last resort because they are known to not only kill the mouse or rat but can harm or kill another animal that eats the infected vermin.
WHEN THE HALYARD SKIES OFFSHORE...WHAT DO YOU DO?
WHEN THE HALYARD SKIES OFFSHORE...WHAT DO YOU DO?
On every passage there are sail changes and shifts that go smoothly or even better than expected...and then there are the surprises. Some surprises are more or less demanding than others. Our most recent surprise underway gave Captain Mike the opportunity to go up the mast in the middle of the ocean under clear blue skies over gentle 2 meter seas.
His thought was, "I'd rather see what it's like now under these conditions in case I have to consider going up the mast in anything else."
Here's what happened:
Last week, we sailed from the Marquesas to the Tuamotus. Conditions were excellent; we decided to go dead downwind and fly our Main and Jib wing and wing. We poled out the jib, adjusted our course, set the main, and put a preventer on it. The boat felt rock solid sliding down waves and sailing at 9-10 knots.
The wind slacked, we shook out the reef and sailed for maybe 5 more minutes before we heard a "floosh" sound and SURPRISE our mainsail lay a limp pile on the boom.
After minimal discussion, Mike went up the mast to retrieve the halyard. He used his ascenders on one of our spinnaker halyards and we backed it up with our second headsail halyard. At the second spreaders we swapped and he was raised the rest of the way on the headsail halyard and the spinnaker halyard was his backup. Now with all these halyards, where is the backup main halyard? THAT and a backup mizzen halyard are now on our list. Had we had a backup main halyard we could have waited to ascend the mast on anchor instead of underway. Hindsight is indeed 20:20!
Once down with the skied halyard, we found that the shackle had opened, the main twisted out, and bent the shackle arms open. We fixed that, reattached the halyard to the sail, raised the main.
Mike's Take-away:
"It was about what I expected. The hardest thing was staying on the mast. I would definitely not want to go up in anything more than that without more in place to make it easier...like maybe some mast steps or a better climbing set-up."
SV WHIRLWIND Mike, Maurisa, Russell, & Josea - Alajuela 48
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR ADVENTURES UNDERWAY
Send our editor your story to editor@oceanposse.com
BOATWORK IN PARADISE: RE-SPLICING HALYARDS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NUKU HIVA
RE-SPLICING HALYARDS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF NUKU HIVA
Following through after our June 9th article:
Chafe: Find It, Fix it, Get Ahead of it
(LINK????)
Cruising offers so many takes on life. Among them "Boatwork in beautiful places" rings true time and time again aboard SV WHIRLWIND. Granted this 'grind' is part of the fun of raising our sails, putting miles beneath our keel, watching dolphins surf our bow, sharing sundowners, and sailing for days and days to distant shores.
This week Captain Mike set about to re-splice the portside Spinnaker halyard that had chafed on our Pacific Crossing in May. Once we found the trades en route to French Polynesia we had the opportunity to fly the spinnaker for days on end before the conditions changed and a new sail was required. It was on one of these sail changes that we noticed that the head of the halyard had been chafing on something at the top of the mast. While the cover was shot, the core was fine and we had to put that halyard to rest until now.
(Side note: Redundancy to the rescue! Thankfully, when the conditions called for a spinnaker again, we were still able to raise ours as we have a starboard spinnaker halyard that carried us the rest of the way.)
Getting geared up to Re-splice the halyard where it was damaged, Mike took the opportunity to do a few upgrades that had been on his 'list for sometime'. We hadn't had a shackle in at the head of the line. We had been attaching the halyard with a bowline. Additionally, he put a new eye splice in the bitter end. See photos below for Re-splicing inspiration.
SY WHIRLWIND 🇺🇸 Maurisa, Mike, Russell & Josea – Alajuela 48’
YACHT CARE: HURRICANE SEASON IN PORT IS A GREAT TIME FOR BRIGHTWORK
Last July, SV WHIRLWIND pulled into Vista Mar Marina in Panama and promptly began tackling some much needed boat maintenance. Cruising season was so full with the fun of sailing to new ports, dinghying up estuaries, snorkeling with colorful fish, hiking ashore, exploring coastlines, taking in the sunset, eating tacos, and making new friends. These activities and more regularly took precedence over certain (dare I say: more grueling) boat maintenance projects. During the 'off' season jobs like sanding and recoating the brightwork, re-plugging the teak decks finally got attention they were due. And when the projects were complete, the gruel was forgotten because the brightwork looked beautiful and the decks stopped leaking.
WHAT PROJECTS ARE YOU WORKING ON IN PORT OR UNDERWAY?
Share your successes and your head scratchers, projects in port, on the hook, and quick fixes underway.
Send your pictures and stories to Maurisa at editor@panamaposse.com or share with the posse directly in the line ap.
Inspire one another.
While we may be spread across oceans and distant shores...we are not alone...and we are all on boats.
