Trying to maintain my sanity
07 February 2012
• Shelburne NS
by Mike
Thank heavens for sailblogs! It is one of the things that is helping me maintain an even keel while on the hard. Damn I miss Nelleke! I miss being on the water! I miss the warmer weather! Sniff Snivel.....
I'm not sure is reading our friend's blogs helps or exacerbates the problem. It's rather like an addiction. I just gotta have my boating fix and right now the only way that I can get it is to read what friends are doing. Al and Jenifer on Close Knit are particularly poignant since they are at present cruising the waters of the West Coast of Florida where we spent our first Christmas aboard. Mustn't complain. Whay we are doing must be done and hopefully when it is over we will be back 'attter with a vengance.
I got some suggestions regarding the solar air heater panels from some of my friends which seem to coincide with some of my own thinking. It's always nice when folks agree with you. My research has shown that you can build your won panel for about $200 and on average it will raise the temperature by about 5 degrees from whatever it is presently at as long as there is direct sunlight. That is the one issue with our place. For me to get direct sunlight I will have to situate the panel up on the roof which means that I will have to get the warmer air back into the house and down to the ground floor for the full effect. As well there are numerous DIY styles of collector systems all of which essentially have a black absorber and collector inside an insulated box with a clear pannel facing the sun. The collectors range from dryer hose to PVC piping to beer cans to empty space with baffels. I just have to pick one. Ah well. Challenges. Challenges.
I must say once again that we are enjoying our adopted town. Any thoughts that we might have had about having nothing to do int he winter have long ago been put to rest. Our problem is more along the lines of sorting out our social schedule there is that much to do, that many invites out. It will be strange to get back on the boat with days, if not longer, to ourselves.
Comments