Watermaker

We ordered our Aquamarine watermaker today.  It uses 110AC to power the processor pump, so we will have to run the generator in order to make water.  Sounds okay to me.  We will be able to make up to 24gph in saltwater at 78deg F.  More if the water is warmer.  Should be delivered by next week (1st week of January, 2011), but probably won't be installed until we make Key West.  There are just too many projects to finish up between now and then.  We may not get the SSB in until then either.  Doggone it.  There just isn't enought of Jon to go around.  Happy New Year!!

Radar Down

After several frustrating hours of working on my Raymarine E-80 over the last 3 weeks, I finally had to come to the conclusion it wasn't me!!  I pulled out the E-80 controller and with the help of my friend Kent, I climbed the mast and retrieved the radar antenna.  It wasn't as easy as I had thought, as the bolts for the antenna rack have frozen.  I ended up just pulling the antenna down - petrified I might drop the antenna on the way down.  With the antenna rack I could have sent it down on a line, but without, I had to carry it down as I was being let down the mast.  I was concerned the 15-20 kt wind might have been a difficulty between getting the bolts out and the process of getting off the spreaders and into a position where I could hold it.  But it came down perfectly.  Packaged it up and returned it to Raymarine.  That was yesterday.  Hope it will be repaired and back by Jan 15!!

New Batteries

R&I decided we didn't want to leave the mainland without new batteries.  So the other day, after dropping our granddaughter off at the airport, we splurged and bought 4 new 6-volt batteries (bigger than the existing ones) and I mounted them in JonNe' today.  I forget sometimes how much those babies weigh!!  So the old ones are still in the cockpit.  Got to take them back.  I really do need to get to the SSB in my car and get it installed!!

Where is JonNe' today

To explain, JonNe' is a contraction of our names.  Renne's nickname while she was growing up was Ne', and many people remember boat names, but not the owners names.  So when we were naming her, we thought it would be cool if people could remember both Jon and Ne'.  So now you know the derivation of her name.

If you are reading this post, you are invited to our re-christening/departure/retirement-Renne'/retirement-Jon party on Saturday, January 15, 2011 at Portofino Harbor Marina in Kemah, Texas.  We will christen JonNe' at 3pm at the docks over by the main Club House and from there retire to the pool area for our celebration.  The gate code for the day will be 0115 (as in January 15).  We aren't changing the boat's name, but like most Presbyterian/Methodists you are born, named, (or vice-versa) and christened at some other time in the future.
When we changed her name, we knew we wanted the blessings of Neptune and the Lords of the Deep, so we will toast JonNe' formally and share our bounty with Neptune and our friends.  So let us know if you can come and join us for an afternoon of enjoyment.

We will be leaving sometime late in January or early in February.  Of course we can't leave on Jan 16th as we will be recovering from the 15th.  We can't leave on the 17th either, as we will be recovering from the 15th.  So anytime after that we will be looking for a week of decent weather to cross the Gulf.  For those of you who are asking, we don't intend to go via the ICW.  We have a sailboat with an engine to supplement our sailing.  The idea of going the ICW just isn't very attractive.  So we will decide to go across to Key West, South to Port Aransas then east, or east to Venice, Louisiana then southeast.  It will depend on our weather, seas, winds, atmospheric pressure and general all around luck.