Doing the "Happy Dance". Crewing on Galaxsea for the Southern Cross Race this coming Saturday. Race starts on the "City Front" of San Francisco, goes out the Golden Gate Bridge, then about 8 miles S/W on the Pacific and back. Should be a good day. Ebb on the way out, flooding when coming back in. Haven't crewed for a race for several years...will be good to be back out "mixing it up" a bit.

I want to thank the sailors I've received additional suggestions for the "Recommended Reading List". These sailors participate in the "Yahoo Liveaboard" and "Yahoo Sailing Online" Discussion Groups.

Below are posted their suggestions and comments.

Ahmet (Liveaboards):
The Annapolis Book of Seamanship by John Rousmaniere
Chapman's Piloting & Seamanship by Elbert S. Maloney
"The above are overlapping, but I consider them to be the bibles, especially for beginners", Ahmet (How could I have possibly forgotten Champan's! My bad!!Cj)

The Seaworthy Offshore Sailboat by John Vigor
Twenty Small Boats To Take You Anywhere by John Vigor
"Great read about the "reasons" why a boat can, or cannot take you anywhere", Ahmet
(Twenty Small Boats is also recommended by Andres Espino (Liveaboards) and posted editorial comments about this book @ the Liveaboards Discussion Board, Cj)

A Year In Paradise by Stephen Wright Watterson
" A great description of the voyage down and up the East Coast with details about anchorages, marinas, decision factors, etc. Great read.", Ahmet

And, of course, the Cruising Guides for the areas you are in. , Ahmet
(I want to add Paper Charts in addition to electronic charts and GPS! Cj)

Just Me! Renee (Sailing Online)

Don Casey's Complete Illustrated Sailboat Maintenance Manual:
Including Inspecting the Aging Sailboat, Sailboat Hull and Deck
Repair, Sailboat Refinishing, by Don Casey

"I'm not a liveaboard but I have found this book to be priceless It's a compilation of several of Don Casey's books. Inspecting the Aging Sailboat is a must read for anyone considering purchasing a sailboat.", Renee


Roland (Sailing Online)
Liveaboard Magazine "is a nice magazine, especially for newbies considering moving aboard fulltime", Roland
This magazine can be found at liveaboard.com

I've been reading blogs at other sites with inquires from individuals who are planning on purchasing their first boat. The questions range from types of boats they should be looking at purchasing, monthly expenses of maintaining a boat, what does it cost to liveaboard and/or cruise, and many more questions.

Below is a list of books that I have read, and continue to refer to, over the last 12 years I have lived aboard and sailed the Hakuna Matata. This is not a complete compilation of the books I have on board in regards to sailing/boats...just what I continue using and referencing on a regular basis.

This list (not in any specific order) gives an idea of the variety of skills you should become proficient in if you want to be self-sufficient and capable in the safe handling, management, and operation of your boat. If you are not planning on cruising offshore, some of these books will not be pertinent.

Desirable and Undesirable Characteristics of Offshore Yachts, by the Technical Committee of the Cruising Club of America, Edited by John Rousmaniere

Cost Conscious Cruiser by Lin and Larry Pardey

This Old Boat, by Don Casey

Cruising 101 by Amy Sullivan & Kevin Donnelly

Boatowner's Mechanical and Electrical Manual, by Nigel Calder

The Sailmaker's Apprentice, by Emiliano Marino

The Complete Rigger's Apprentice, by Brion Toss

Canvaswork & Sail Repair, by Don Casey

Heavy Weather Tactics Using Sea Anchors & Drogues, by Earl R. Hinz

Boatowner's Handbook, by John Vigor

The Essential Knot Book, by Colin Jarman

Marine Diesel Engines: Maintenance, Troubleshootine, and Repair, by Nigel Calder

The Boatowner's Guide to Corrosion, by Everett Collier

Offshore Cruising Encyclopedia, by Steve & Linda Dashew

Piloting and Small Boat Navigation

American Practical Navigator

Piloting and Dead Reckoning, by the Naval Institute

Marine Navigation: Celestial and Electronic, by the Naval Institute

The Sailor's Sketchbook, by Bruce Bingham, N.A.

World Cruising Routes by Jimmy Cornell

International Marine's Weather Prediction Simplified by Carr

And... the manual for each piece of equipment on your boat!!!

Enjoy the learning process!

Fair Winds,
Cassaundra James

As the Nature's Head Waterless Compost Toilet has been used aboard the Hakuna Matata, there have been absolutely no odors in the "loo", or on the deck of the boat where the head is vented... NONE. And it has been so easy to keep this toilet clean!

What a civilized way of conducting "business"!

Now, five weeks into using the Nature's Head Compost toilet full-time, and it's apparent that it is time for the "solids" bin to get emptied.

When the toilet seat was removed from the base, there was only the slightly musty odor of compost; even though "business" had been conducted into the "solids" bin the day before. Inside the bin, it looked like soil; and there was no evidence of "fresh" feces. ,

Removing the solids bin, and carrying it topside to empty into a trash bag, was quick and easy. Even though the solids bin is larger than the urine container, it was lighter than the urine container and easy to manage.

A kitchen size plastic trash bag fit right over the container. The compost container was tipped into the trash bag...and the job was completed! No fuss...no mess! I didn't even need to "double bag" the compost as there was very little weight to it.

Again there was no overwhelming smell of feces, just the musty smell of compost. The inside of the bin was not cleaned, as the small remaining bit of compost helps "start" the next batch; along with the pre-moistened COIR.

If you would like more information on the Nature's Head Compost Toilet, please contact me at sailingcj@earthlink.net

I just received an email from a member of a Discussion Board I participate in (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/liveaboards) asking if I had pics of upgrades I've completed on the Hakuna Matata.

When I received this email I started laughing as I reviewed in my mind...11 years of projects and the accompanying "stories".

Anyway, I'll make it a point to start loading up pictures and the details on why particular projects happened, and the decision process in regards to various products and installations.

I need to comment that whenever I make changes/upgrades on the Hakuna Matata, I consider whether it makes sense at the dock, at anchor, daysailing, and also offshore in various conditions and climates. At one point this boat may be in Chile (there are penguins in So. Chile!), crossing the equator, or hanging at anchor in Australia! Flexibility, safety, reliability, and KISS are all important in this environment.

Cj

The average American uses 7,665 gallons of water annually...just to flush the toilet. That equates to 30,660 gallons annually for the "average" American household. That we use such a precious resource, when other viable methods (i.e. compost toilets) are available, astounds me.

This means that 21 gallons of water is used per day to flush feces. We are supposed to drink 1/2 gallon, 64oz. of water per day to hydrate (have you had your allotment of water today?). We probably consume what equates to about a gallon of food per day (that's a lot of food, folks!). So, approximately 1.5 gallons of liquid/food are consumed by an individual per day; and 21 gallons of precious water to send it down the sewer system...every day.

Let's put this into perspective. If I "invested" $21 of my hard earned cash, and only received $1.50 back in "earnings", I'd consider this a HUGE loss (sounds like a lot of 401k's these days...eh?)...and go looking for another investment vehicle.

Why don't we as a society view our precious resources in the same manner?

How does this pertain to the Hakuna Matata? I installed a Nature's Head Compost toilet in the aft head ("bathroom" for landlubbers!) I am so sold on it, that I became Distributor's of the product.