2014-05-30 Week #2.5 In The Yard

We have been here in Galesville MD at Hartges Yacht Harbor for just 2 1/2 weeks but don’t know where the time has gone. We arrived with our list of boat chores as you could see from the Week #1 article we got right to it and have not let up yet. My big job was getting our Single Side Band (SSB) radio installed.

While Magnolia was in the Bahamas we just did not have the level of weather information that we wanted. We made the commitment of time and money to make sure we had access to the information we required. Annette and I both studied and passed our FCC licenses while still in the Bahamas. On the way north we examined the equipment options and purchased what we needed ready for installation upon our arrival. The installation started at the stern of Magnolia where the mast backstay does double duty as the antenna.

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First thing was to install the antenna tuner in the lazarette along with backstay connection and counterpoise grounding loop.

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The 15 kV (that’s 15,000 volts) wire connecting to the backstay.

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The counterpoise grounding loop across the deck of the lazarette.

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Below is the additional electrical wiring I installed for the radio. Those are 60amp fuses!

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The Admiral took the below during my first “contact.” Granted it was with our friend Frank Quigly aboard Eleanor Q and they were anchored a mere 15 miles north in Annapolis. We have since made connections in Melbourne FL and Wilmington NC. Things seem to be working!

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If you thought we can only install radios well we do plumbing as well as seen by the aft head faucet.

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Meanwhile the Admiral has been making repairs to the canvas swim platform cover. Remember Annette’s latest post can always be seen on www.seamlesssailor.com.

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We hired our “rigger” to install an additional small winch on the port combing. This will allow Annette to roll the head sail on her own when the winds get a bit sporty.

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Magnolia will be pulled out of the water next week while Annette and I stay in Washington. She will have some bottom paint done along with her waistline raised. (Since we moved aboard she gained some weight which lowered her in the water a couple of inches.) Once we get her back in the water we will have the rigger do some work on the dinghy davits and then we will be ready to get going again!

Lori, sorry, next entry I PROMISE!

2 thoughts on “2014-05-30 Week #2.5 In The Yard

  1. Did you have to modify the backstay itself, or do you cover the first few feet so that you don’t ‘accidently’ short antenna to human if a hand goes on the rigging.

    • When we had had mast and rigging done a couple years ago we had the foresight to add insulators that to the backstay 10 feet above the deck so no kids put there tongue on the wire while the mike was key’d. (The Admiral made me and ruined a great game)

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