Dakota Crew
04/05/2012, Maple Bay, BC

Today was the day...it was sunny, not too hot and no wind to speak of....today was up the mast day. We got the mast steps out (first time to use them) and also the first for the bosun chair....actually the first time to go up the mast!
We needed to fix two things....the anchor light and the radio antenna.
Up I went, going 2 steps at a time with rests along the way. Chatty Captain Dave at the bottom and I just wanted to be at the top and finished.....up I went.
Got to the top and first...undo the antenna and pull the old radio wire up through the mast....not going well! I got it about 3 inches and no futher. Skip this and go to the light. Just unscrew the little screw and the top will come off and just wiggle the light! Little screw undone and with the turn of the light....the whole thing came off. Not the screw! Back on it went and there was no other screw....but wait there are two screw/bolts....didn't bring that screw driver.
Back to the radio wire....another 15 mins of pulling and shoving and pulling some more. No way...it is caught on something. I felt like I was too weak and have failed. So down I go....and down and down.
Captain Dave went up next....and I was on winch duty! This time he is taking a bag of tools up with him....and a multihead screwdriver. He got to the top with a few rests along the way and I got him secured, then went to the mast inside and wiggled the radio wire. He pulled and pushed and pulled some more.....not coming out....maybe I wasn't as weak as I thought.
Skip that...on to the light. I turned on the light and he tapped the cover...it went on. I could have done that! Nevermind....back to the radio wire....another 15 mins of pulling and it wasn't coming out.
Down Captain Dave comes and we come up with plan B. Rehook up the said radio wire and check the connections one more time and pray to the radio Gods that it works....that will be tomorrow.....or it will be on to plan C....we are discussing that.
All in all a not so productive day but in a way very productive. We now know both of us can go up the mast, that the steps can hold us, and the bosun chair is rather comfortable.
Tomorrow is back to the boat for a much needed clean up so we can move some stuff back on board. May is coming up soon...too soon...and we are planning our first trip.

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Dakota Crew
03/29/2012, Maple Bay, BC

Really....is there ever really an easy project! I think not! I never really believe Dave when he says 'it's really easy....I'll just________. It won't take more than a couple of hours'.....fill in the blank and it's always the same.
The latest project is finally on the home stretch....and believe me when I say this was a doozy of a project. Sometime in the fall all our gauges in the cockpit stopped working....not an unusual thing to happen to us! But all of them? Dave traced all the wires to a mass of wires bunched up, wrapped with duct tape and then wrapped again in plastic bag.....what was the previous owner thinking?
The long and the short of it is we ordered all new gauges (at Christmas) and finally it's been clear enough for Dave to work in the cockpit....so on the new gauges went on. Still they don't work....ordered new sending units and they all work, except the fuel gauge....another project! Dave is down on the boat adjusting the tachometer and oil pressure gauge. He had to actually completely rewire all the gauges since the previous owner had all the wires crossed and mixed up.......I think the joke when we bought Dakota was that we will have to replace all the hoses and rewire the whole boat....it looks like it's not a joke any longer!
In the meantime, he took the alternator into get serviced.....it's the original 1982 peice and needless to say....we now have a new alternator. Nothing that a couple hundred dollars can't fix!
We are getting closer to being able to move our stuff back on board with the varnishing, rewiring, replumbing, servicing, cleaning, patching and researching that has gone on all winter. We have a haul out date and inspection booked for May and then if all is well.....we can start our summer sailing.
At least we now know the boat is a lot safer and Dave pretty knows where everything is and how it works! That will come in handy!

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Dakota Crew
02/25/2012, Maple Bay, BC

Well....the projects are on going....it's winter so that's the best time to do them, I guess! Captain Dave is down on the boat contemplating the battery box and how he has wired everything up. He tirelessly explains the minute details to me....I do understand about 70% of what he is saying....which is better than the 1 or 2% I understood several explainations ago!
So far we only have 2 batteries- now with the wind generator and the alternator on the engine we have 2 ways to generate power. The Captain has installed 2 bus bars and 2 isolators....wires are connected to on or the other....yada, yada....positve, negative...voila....the batteries are isolated from each other but connected all at the same time! It's like magic....I'll have him post a picture that explains it better!
So....he's down there today to see if, with all this wind, the whole thing works.
I think he likes spending time on the boat and dreaming! I'll head back down there when it's time to do some none electrical, plumbing or mechanical work...in a word....when the 'pink' jobs start!
In the mean time.....a cute group of pics we found....it is so true.
Happy sailing everyone!

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dreary
02/16/2012, Maple Bay

This morning found me in front of the fire, reading about bloggers cruising in warm weather. Took the dog for a long walk in the rain and then headed down to Dakota to put the first coat of varnish on the floor, has been a long project, stripping old varnish and trying to save the original flooring.

Battery project next, how to wire in isolators and our wind generator, our engine and our heart interface. throw in a second house battery and I am getting in over my head.

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Dakota Crew
01/24/2012, Maple Bay Marina

Well, reading the various blogs has inspired me to look into connecting our facebook page with sailblogs.....I'm behind the times you know!
After many attempts and a few muttered curse words, between Dave and I, we finally figured out the buttons to secure the link. So please feel free to visit our facebook page and 'like' us. We are still mainly doing projects but it could be interesting anyways. I am one of those computer users that if it doesn't start with Step 1: turn on computer.....it will take me several trys to figure it out.
On going boat projects have been worked on by Dave....right now the remainder of the wood is being stripped and revarnished, fiberglass is being scrubbed clean and updated taps in the galley and head are being installed. This summer in Desolation Sound is going to be so much fun!
With the snow on the ground almost gone and the winter rains pounding down out there we are dreaming of sailing in warm, sunny places.

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Winter/Dakota Crew
12/22/2011, Maple Bay Marina

The new gauges have arrived and are already inserted into the new instrument panel. Dave has hooked up the power to them and the back light works...that'll be great when we need to see them at night. Next will be to actually contortion himself into the lazarette to install the panel and hook up all the new wiring....have I told you how clever he is?
Right now as I bake Christmas goodies he spends his days off down on Dakota stripping the old oil off the wood and varnishing with a high gloss varnish....it makes the wood gleam like glass.
We have until May to get Dakota back up and running and in to 'inspection' shape. As with both our works, we have already put in for our whole next years vacation wishes...mostly we got what we wanted and some we didn't....every year our seniority gets better and by the time we retire we will be able to get all that we ask for!
So, Dave has the month of May off and we will be hauling Dakota out of the water to inspect and paint the bottom and then get an insurance inspection. We shouldn't have anything to worry about.....Dave is a perfectionist when it comes to wiring/plumbing and general safety on board Dakota...thank goodness!
Until then we will keep you updated and informed about how the projects are going.
Merry Christmas Everyone!

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