Improving my sailing and boat repair skills.
1990 E32-200
1990 E32-200
32-200 Projects - Sure Shot
- Author goldenstate
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E32-200
Notes on hiring a delivery team
I had permission from my family to sail to Hawaii from San Francisco, but also sailing back solo was going to be too much time away in the midst of a busy summer, concluding a house remodel, moving towns and relocating my three boys to new schools. What then, to do about the boat?
One...
E32-200
Brightwork
I had put this refinishing work off for all of my boat ownership. Many entries made the process seem laborious and the work does nothing to make the boat safer or faster. Sailing skills are not improved by the effort. But I relented this week. It is laborious but satisfying.
Heat gun with a...
E32-200
Dodger-mounted Solar Panels
Solar panels meet the standard: “any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Really. You just lay these man-made things out in the sun and they squirt electricity out of attached wires. How good is that? Why don’t we all have these always and everywhere?
Our most...
E32-200
Garmin InReach Mini 2 Set-Up
If I were invited to join a boat as crew for an offshore trip, after an iPhone, a Garmin Inreach Mini2 would be the next piece of personal safety and electronics that I would bring along.
Purchase Cost: $432 including CA sales tax, on Amazon.
Monthly Subscription: $15 to $65 per month...
References:
Balmar Manuals Section
Balmar 2019 Service Bulletins Re Lithium Programming
MaineSail – Rodd Collins on Programming a Voltage Regulator
PKYS Victron Lithium Programming Example
Summary
I explain how I (as an inexperienced DIY boat owner) installed, programmed, and tested my...
E32-200
Balmar SmartLink Network and App
A careful user of a sailboat (or any boat, really) should want to periodically know the answer to the questions:
How well-charged are my batteries?
Is my alternator operating normally?
A careful installer of a system monitoring the batteries and power supply of the same sailboat will ask...
Summary
I recently installed a new power supply system for my sailboat utilizing lithium batteries and a new alternator. The total cost was about $3,600 and it took me about 30 hours to install everything, which was mostly making lots of wires and cables and running them through difficult to...
Product Selection
For house batteries I believe I can fit two group 24 style 50ah batteries and a small start battery in my aft battery compartment.
House Batteries: Renogy 50ah Lithium 2A
These will be separated as “House Primary” and “House Reserve” batteries.
There seems to be a...
Battery System Requirements
Basics
The battery/power system has to be safe.
The battery/power system should be “set-it and forget-it” as much as possible.
The system should have redundancy built in for when things go wrong.
Batteries should be able to be recharged without excessive engine...
Until recently I had been ignoring the battery/power supply system of my boat. The previous owner had advised me with some emphasis, “Leave everything set to BOTH!” The ‘Both’ in this case being the four-position 1-both-2-off switch that (in theory) governs which batteries power the electrical...
E32-200
Aries Vane Control Line Updates
I made a couple of updates to the routing of the control lines for my Aries wind vane.
My boat is set up with both control lines leading from the vane itself to the port side of the cockpit and then to the wheel hub. The cast aluminum from which much of the vane is made is not smooth and...
E32-200
Good work by Pineapple Sails
I recently had a 3rd reef point installed on my Main sail. In the photo below I already have my first reef in. The new third reef appears at the sail numbers.
I worked with Pineapple Sails in Alameda and had a good experience. The staff were friendly and I am pleased with the work. Theirs...
E32-200
How to Sew Reefing Dog Bones
“Dog Bones? We make them ourselves!” So says Professor Williams.
A “dog bone” in this context is a helper ring assembly that allows one to reef his sloop’s mainsail in the event the placement of a reefing cringle combined with the sail slides prevent the cringle from being attached to the...
E32-200
How to Sew Sheet Bags
Summary
I bought a Sailrite sheet bag kit and modified the design to suit my tastes. The project is fairly simple and it is not necessary to drill holes in the boat to attach the bags to the cockpit.
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My boat had been suffering from chronic TMDR/TMDL syndrome, which is of course the...
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E32-200
How To Sew Fabric Winch Covers
Summary: I bought a fancy sewing machine and made winch covers out of Sunbrella canvas by following a how-to video from Sailrite. It costs some time and money at the front end, but this small project was doable (about 3-4 hours of sewing time in my novice state) and it’s nice to have another...
Summary
I replaced the battery charger on my sailboat. The most important lesson I learned was the value of using larger diameter wires from the charger to the batteries being charged.
I have done AC wiring before and DC wiring before and I am comfortable with how not to electrocute myself...
Summary
I replaced an 18 gallon freshwater tank in my sailboat. Determine the correct part number from your existing tank to be replaced, or review the substantial Ronco catalog of tanks. Take pictures of the fittings on your existing tank and send them to Ronco to ensure exact replacement...
Summary:
I rebuilt the manual pump for the marine toilet on my sailboat with a kit from Defender.com. It was an unappetizing project, but I now better understand how everything is supposed to work and this knowledge I hope will help to prevent future problems.
Introduction
If you have never...
E32-200
Yanmar 3GM30F Fuel Filter Change
A novice level how-to video on changing a primary fuel filter:
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