Sweet Chariot

Vessel Name: Sweet Chariot
Vessel Make/Model: Sunward 48
Hailing Port: Dartmouth, Devon
Crew: toby.norman@gmail.com and Samantha Norman
About: Toby and Samantha Norman and our Siberian husky Sophie
Social:
06 January 2015 | Fort Pierce Inlet
29 December 2014 | Jenson Beach
27 December 2014 | North Lake Worth
26 December 2014 | Lake Worth
26 December 2014
22 December 2014
19 December 2014 | Lake Worth
17 December 2014
17 December 2014
17 December 2014
17 December 2014 | Fort Pierce Inlet
01 November 2014 | SV SWEET CHARIOT
21 September 2014
Recent Blog Posts
06 January 2015 | Fort Pierce Inlet

Well its been a frustrating first week of 2015. After a wonderful Birthday and New Year in Jenson Beach we headed north to Fort Pierce....again.

29 December 2014 | Jenson Beach

Sam and I left Lake Worth early doors Sunday morning to head north towards Melbourne. What a mistake!, never sail on a Sunday in the ICW! Moreso when crossing two inlets. We were overtaken, undertaken, knocked sideways by wakes all the way. More powerboat idiots than i have ever seen in my entire life. [...]

27 December 2014 | North Lake Worth

Duffy's bar for a quick lunch

The most unbelieveable thing has just happened to Toby and I. After lunch and a couple of drinks at the bar in Duffy's a lovely american couple, Larry from Georgia and Marty (Martha) from South Carolina sat next to us at the bar. A very interesting couple who have been married for 46 years and have recently celebrated their 46th anniversary on the 21st of December. As they left, it turns out they had paid for our entire meal with drinks. A complete shock and a clear act of generosity out of kindness. Yet another amazing memory as we depart the US.

26 December 2014 | Lake Worth

Its Boxing Day and Sam and I are in the Publix foyer checking our emails etc. Christmas day was great as soon as the wind abated. We spent Christmas Eve in anchor watches with 30kts of wind threatening to drag us into the multi million dollar houses alongside the ICW.

26 December 2014

Lake Worth (North)

24th December, 2014

22 December 2014

Lake Worth (North)

We are enjoying the sheltered and safe anchorage here at Lake Worth. Nothing much to update other than first few coats of varnish on the cockpit combing, looks great only 6 coots to go!

19 December 2014 | Lake Worth

Back in the Atlantic!

After an early start Wednesday 17th Dec we excited Fort Pierce with the ebb back into the Atlantic. Light aires yet again made for a painful passage south to Lake Worth inlet and our planned anchorage south of Peanut Island.

17 December 2014

Just a tad chilly at the top of the mast!

17 December 2014

Best view in the marina!

17 December 2014

Fort Pierce

Fort Pierce anchorage.

17 December 2014 | Fort Pierce Inlet

We are away!

01 November 2014 | SV SWEET CHARIOT

This is a test remote post

This is a test of the remote processor. If all goes well, this message will appear in my weblog very shortly.

06 January 2015 | Fort Pierce Inlet
Toby
Well its been a frustrating first week of 2015. After a wonderful Birthday and New Year in Jenson Beach we headed north to Fort Pierce....again.

Our hard top is still not completed although its getting there slowly. Its now fully in primer and undergoing sanding before more high build primer and top coat imron paint. Hopefully should be completed within the month fingers crossed.

onboard we have been bombarded with high winds for over a week now, gusting 30kts yesterday in a confined anchorage. Needless to say we have not ventured ashore for some days. The huge Rocna 40 anchor is great and has more holding power that i imagined, that said, its new to us an trust has to be earned in ground tackle.

Whilst running the generator yesterday it died. On opening i found a snapped alternator belt half melted. Loads of smoke filled the boat but thankfully the automatic shut down on high temp worked! On further inspection i found a seized alternator, something i struggled to understand how such a thing could seize? I thouht it dead so decided to open it up and take a look at what caused it. Annoyingly it was the simplest skateboard type bearing that had siezed tight. The wierdest part was whilst removing the alternator i found its not even connected up? It simply acts as a pulley or belt tensioner!

An early start this morning and some local advice i rode 5 miles on the bike to the alternator repair shop. 10mins later and 15 dollars i had both bearings replaced! Awesome news. On return i fitted it back onto the genny and fired her up.

We again have much needed electricty!
Next job to add more solar so supply meets demand a little closer!

29 December 2014 | Jenson Beach
Toby
Sam and I left Lake Worth early doors Sunday morning to head north towards Melbourne. What a mistake!, never sail on a Sunday in the ICW! Moreso when crossing two inlets. We were overtaken, undertaken, knocked sideways by wakes all the way. More powerboat idiots than i have ever seen in my entire life. Some appear to have absolutely no idea what side of the river to passage, how to overtake or generally be on a vessel underway.

We eventually anchored at Jenson Beach just as the afternoon effect wind set in. A great anchorage in mud so no worries at all. We might stay here for NY as the bars and restaurants here in town are amazing.

Cannot believe im 40 in two days!

Duffy's bar for a quick lunch

27 December 2014 | North Lake Worth
Sam
The most unbelieveable thing has just happened to Toby and I. After lunch and a couple of drinks at the bar in Duffy's a lovely american couple, Larry from Georgia and Marty (Martha) from South Carolina sat next to us at the bar. A very interesting couple who have been married for 46 years and have recently celebrated their 46th anniversary on the 21st of December. As they left, it turns out they had paid for our entire meal with drinks. A complete shock and a clear act of generosity out of kindness. Yet another amazing memory as we depart the US.

26 December 2014 | Lake Worth
Toby
Its Boxing Day and Sam and I are in the Publix foyer checking our emails etc. Christmas day was great as soon as the wind abated. We spent Christmas Eve in anchor watches with 30kts of wind threatening to drag us into the multi million dollar houses alongside the ICW.

We did not budge an inch and eventually at 0230 the wind veered through 180 degrees and eased to 15kts. 36hrs of anchor checking was at last over!

We opened our presents early Christmas morning and Sam made a fantastic roast beef, lamb and gammon and sausage roll dinner! It was awesome, homemade sausage rolls and cheese twists and pigs in blankets!

A great Christmas Day together in the USA, awesome, roll on the NY.

Happy Christmas to all our friends and family

Lake Worth (North)

26 December 2014
Toby
24th December, 2014
Last night was windy, gusting 25 kts with a constant 20kts. With new, to us, ground tackle it made for a sleepless night, both of us taking turns to check the transits and the chain. We noticed a marked difference in Sweet Chariot in that she yaws a huge amount around her anchor, more so than the other boats in the anchorage but she certainlys does not roll like Free Spirit. Digging back to my ship technology days at BRNC I think it might be the long keel giving directional stability until the sideways wind force is applied causing yaw. Not something terrible but in the back of my mind I know its possible for the yaw to trip the anchor. Setting a second anchor is rarely possible in small anchorages with other boats and has potential for a monumental screw up!
Onboard we are enjoying the US Monopoly set donated by someone in Waterline Marina. Either Sam cheats or im getting my arse kicked every time! Our Samsung smart tv is great but the hugely powerful, 3kw inverter steals 3 amps from us just to turn it on! As a result film night is also becoming running the generator night.
The water colorifier replaced recently by Jim is not heating the water through the generator as a result we are boiling the kettle to wash up! Logically it must be something simple as I cant imagine the thermostat has died on a new calorifier. Granted the engine will heat the water but we never like to run the engine in neutral for any period of time.

Lake Worth (North)

22 December 2014
Toby
We are enjoying the sheltered and safe anchorage here at Lake Worth. Nothing much to update other than first few coats of varnish on the cockpit combing, looks great only 6 coots to go!

We are struggling to keep up with the electricity monster at present, running the genny much more than we would like! Sweet Chariot is amp hungry to say the least! Actually missing Free Spirits frugal consumption. Granted we do have a huge fridge and two freezers

After a smelly hour in the shower sump checking for a blockage it turns out there isn't one! The little bilge pump is just not man enough to pump water up hill to the through hull. I will design a simpler and more efficient way to pump the water out without the need for a sump.

The Keys are looking a long way away with the now strong southerly's, next stop Miami when the wind permits.

Back in the Atlantic!

19 December 2014 | Lake Worth
Toby
After an early start Wednesday 17th Dec we excited Fort Pierce with the ebb back into the Atlantic. Light aires yet again made for a painful passage south to Lake Worth inlet and our planned anchorage south of Peanut Island.

After just an hour under jib amd mizzen with the engine chugging away at 1000rpm Sams fishing line went mad and we brought aboard our first fish in Sweet Chariot. A nice sized King Mackeral was quickly filleted by Sam into four nice sized portions. Another new fish to us and not only christened the boat but the rod and line.

The wind did not pick up throughout and after Sam pulled in a small Jack that we quickly released the Lake Worth Sherriffs boat passed so close astern that Sam lost her lure. The Sherrif stopped momentarily shouted something and left..with three 250hp outboards he was over the horizon in minutes.

Peanut island anchorage made for possibly the worst anchorage know to man. Luckily we found a small spot where dredging, pipe laying and every other possible works permitted. The Mackeral was amazing! One of the best eating fish we have had so far! Not oily like its English Channel cousins but a white meaty fish.

Unfortunately our evening went wrong when a Benateau owner anchored just behind us and the tide changed. We became so close we had no choice but to weigh. We decided to pick up a white buoy which proved a nightmare with the high freeboard in SC.

After a completely restless night we left this morning and anchored just 5nm north in north Lake Worth. This is one of the nicest, most beautiful anchorages we have found! Looks like we may stay a day or two with light winds forecast until Monday.

17 December 2014
Just a tad chilly at the top of the mast!

17 December 2014
Best view in the marina!

Fort Pierce

17 December 2014
Sam
Fort Pierce anchorage.

17 December 2014 | Fort Pierce Inlet
Toby
We are away!

Sam and I sailed in light aires Monday lunchtime and anchored at Dragon Point just a couple of miles from the marina. Pleased to report no significant problems in doing that and a huge smile on both our faces throughout!

Tuesday moring we weighed anchor, finding our first fault, an intermittent soleniod which was hanging open. Luckily having already replaced the switch I had a spare. Solenoid fitted and we were underway enroute Fort Pierce Inlet. Actually we had only planned to head to Vero Beach but when we realised 1000 rpm and a jib had us at 6.8 knots we knew Fort Pierce was achievable in a day.

The ICW was, as always, frustrating with variable winds and an engine running more than anyone ever wants. Fort Pierce 50nm south is the nearest exit to the Atlantic for us, Cape Canaveral being the northern exit from Melbourne before freedom to properly sail.

We anchored at 1600 in just 2.5m of water and lit the gas bbq for our tuna (bought!) and jacket potatoes. Sam pre-cooked the jackets in the microwave whilst the engine was running.

Today I think we missed a trick in all honesty as the wind would have made a passage to Lake Worth possible but general lack of sleep and lethargy made the early start a non starter. We need the ebb to exit Fort Pierce as it runs fairly fast around the inlet. Being back at sea on a new boat is like starting again and learning to trust your ground tackle something that doesn't happen overnight.

Tomorrow we will leave and head offshore to Lake Worth inlet. Sam is desperate to troll her fishing lines and we know the Mahi are running as our friend Jon had two crossing to the Bahamas last week.

This is a test remote post

01 November 2014 | SV SWEET CHARIOT
Toby Norman
This is a test of the remote processor. If all goes well, this message will appear in my weblog very shortly.

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