Our planned haul out facility next to the Marina where we are currently docked has informed us that they no longer have space for us. This was not welcome news, we have already made plans to travel north by car come July and we aren't willing to leave LR in the water during hurricane season without us being close by. So we have been researching other places to get hauled. It looks like we will be taking her up to Stuart and down the St Lucie river to another facility. We would like take the outside route up to Stuart if we can get a decent weather window. It's about a 35 nm trip from inlet to inlet if we go out at Lake Worth and back in at the St Lucie inlet. We can do it inside if we don't have a window but it means timing bridge openings and tides. We can take the ICW up to Lake Worth and anchor there prior to popping out and then plan on stopping for a night when we get to Stuart. The Marina where we will haul out is about 10 statute miles up the river and requires negotiating a lock along with the river. It's probably best to do that the day after we arrive in Stuart as its all new territory for us. The logistics of the whole trip have thrown a monkey wrench in our plans. We'll need to rent a car to get back to the condo and carry what we need to take off Light Reach before she is put to bed. Since we will be on board up to 5 nights we'll need to provision her and use the galley and facilities. That will all have to be cleaned and closed up for the summer when we get to the haul out marina. Not quite as convenient and easy as the place closer to our land base but we'll figure it out.
Since we will be traveling new territory it has become more of a priority to get the chart plotter working again. It had lost its mind in Marathon and seemed to think we were in Virginia?? Okay even I knew that isn't where we were! The unit was displaying a no GPS Fix and no AIS icon. I tried trouble shooting it but it soon became evident that the procedures in the owners manual were woefully inadequate so I let the fingers do the walking and tried the internet without t much luck. Even Ray Marine's website was pretty scanty on information on a unit as old as ours.
I did not feel comfortable disassembling the unit, especially after I had witnessed the installation of the AIS unit before we left Maryland. It was a tight squeeze to get those wires run. We had a working depth meter and if I screwed that up I would really be on the captain's S-List. Time to call in a pro to give her a look over. Bob from Tidewater Marine had no issues taking the face off the unit and checking the connections. They all looked good and the wiring was intact mmmm. After a call to Ray marine the problem was traced to a battery in the GPS antenna for the unit. Okay what brain trust puts a battery in an antenna which is meant to be mounted where it's pretty inaccessible?!?! Since the unit requires wires to transmit to the chart plotter screen would it really have been a problem to wire power to the antenna??? Oh and did I mention there is nothing that references there even is a battery in the antenna in the manuals or on the website. Since batteries do have a life don't ya think it might be worth a mention???
And our antenna is oh so conveniently located high above the radar dome on the aft of the boat. Bob, and Scott emptied lockers, cleared the decks and climbed up to retrieve the antenna, no easy task and certainly not one you would want to perform underway. Thank goodness Bob was taller than us vertically challenged sailors. When they unhooked the antenna water gushed out of the unit......not a good sign but hopefully not a deal breaker. Bob took the unit back to his workshop to replace the $3.80 battery! Good grief.
Our chart plotter is now considered to be quite a relic, as a matter a fact Bob told us he normally tears them out and replaces them. We're trying to avoid that if possible as it would also require us to replace the radar and find some way to keep the working depth sounder. Not an inexpensive proposition. Modern units use wireless technology and our radar unit and depth sounder would not be compatible.
Tech support at Ray Marine seemed surprised that the display unit was still working. Apparently the display normally fails before the battery dies ..... not a very good recommendation for their product. Or maybe its planned obsolescence. It is maddening that electronics are out of date before they leave the showroom floor.
Just after coffee this morning Bob returned with the antenna and he and Scott reversed yesterday's procedure and reinstalled the antenna. Fingers crossed we powered up the unit and waited. It took a while for the antenna to find satellite signals but after a few minutes we had correct position, chart and heading on the screen. Hallelujah. Thank you Bob of Tidewater Marine for a quick and fair repair.
We'll be keeping an eye on it with plans on a full electronics upgrade in the not too distant future. As soon as the money tree grows some leaves which is not looking promising right now.
With the chart plotter working we can continue on with getting LR ready for haul out. I'm still working on lockers and teak down below. Still on my list, barnacle removal on the dingy motor and boarding ladder, stainless polishing and deck cleaning. Time is flying by and the temps are climbing to uncomfortable levels in the afternoon. With having to get her up to Stuart some things may have to wait until fall.
The picture is the sunrise the other morning looking over the ICW on Light Reach at the dock.