High Time We Went!

 (Don’t you think?)
 

It’s been a cold (50's), rainy, windy (12-16 mph)  Memorial Day weekend here at Herrington Harbor North near Deale Maryland.   Brrrrr.  Takes us back to our early blue-tarp-and-propane-heater boating days at Pend Oreille and Priest Lakes in North Idaho.  We have enjoyed some social time with Loopers Bab and Nancy Volkwein aboard their Mainship 39, Zinzer, and here on Irish Lass with our Airbnb hosts Troy and Heather and our new Deale friend Melanie.   And we have learned how to use the reverse cycle function in our AC system to produce HEAT. (Amen!)

But now….

….it appears…..

….with repairs and commissioning complete, and……..

….with Chesapeake Bay weather forecast to moderate……

…..we have no choice…….

…..but to go ahead and…..

SET SAIL, DEPART, CAST OFF, VAMOOSE!

At roughly  8:00 am Eastern on Monday we will exit Herring Bay and proceed north up the Chesapeake to The Middle River area just north of Baltimore, specifically to the Baltimore Yacht Club, for the night.  The distance is charted at 45.2 miles.  The weather at the beginning of this voyage may still be a little sporty and we expect to take about 4 hours to make the run.

On Tuesday, we will proceed from Middle River across the Bay and north to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal which will take us to Delaware City near the head of Delaware Bay.  This is a sea-level canal (no locks) that provides a path for ocean-going vessels from the Atlantic to the north end of Chesapeake Bay via Delaware Bay.  Our distance will be just over 50 miles, but with calmer weather, we expect to cover this distance in 4-ish hours as well.

On Wednesday, we will proceed down Delaware Bay to Cape May, NJ and the Atlantic Ocean, a distance of 61 miles.   This is more than we like to run in a day, but Delaware Bay provides few options for an interim stop.  So, we will use the speed (and fuel capacity) of the boat to make a straight run.  We have to watch wind, tide, and weather carefully on this stretch, but we expect about a 5-hour cruise.   (We hope this stops stirs  pleasant memories of pushups, barracks inspections, and marching for our ex-Coastie friends Erin, Mark, and David.  Semper Paratus and  Thank you for your service!)

From Cape May, we will run up the NJ coast in open water with an ultimate goal of New York City by the weekend.  More on that to come………..

 

Meanwhile, thanks for following.

When it comes to Idiot Lights, exactly who’s the Idiot?

 

(WARNING: TMI on boat DC electrical systems ahead.)

Since shortly after we bought the boat we have been frustrated by an apparently false alarm from a battery voltage sensor on the starboard engine.  We say apparently false because the engine runs fine and the starboard starting battery always seems to have adequate voltage.  And the digital voltage gauges on both engines show nearly identical readings.  But, boy that flashing light (and its now-silenced horn) has been annoying.  Last year, we even had a new alternator installed and had the alarm issue checked subsequently by two mechanics, but to no avail.  The little light stayed with us. But things ran fine so we left it for the winter to-do list with our chosen engine specialists here at Herrington Harbour North Marina.

And boy were WE wrong!

The boat electrical expert that (finally)   came to look at it could find no problems with the warning circuit.  He fed it proper voltage and it went out.  But he did deduce that the new starboard alternator we bought last year was producing no power.  In 2020’s COVID-disrupted supply chain, we had settled for a less expensive but available, aftermarket alternator manufactured in an unnamed  Pacific Rim country that doesn’t recognize Taiwan independence.   And we paid the price with a very short lifecycle.

BUT!

It turns out that the boat’s DC electrical system is designed in such a way that it can mask this type of failure from the uninformed (i.e. us and apparently some mechanics).  

To WIT…….

(WARNING TMI gearhead stuff ahead!)

The boat has five separate battery banks.   Port starting, Starboard starting, Generator starting,  Bow thruster, and House (lights, fridge, electronic, etc.)   These are all connected to a beast called a battery isolator, a bit of diode-infested magic that distributes incoming charging current to the various battery banks according to their need.   Charging current can come from onboard battery chargers when we have shore or generator power available  OR from the two (count ‘em, two)  engine alternators when we are underway.  By this configuration, the two alternators provide some redundancy.  One can feed a marginally adequate power level to the isolator to keep all the batteries at a minimal charge level, even when the other alternator is not functioning properly.  (But it takes both to really charge things up.) 

And THEREBY hangs the tale!

While the starboard alternator had failed, the port alternator was shouldering the whole charging load, including keeping the starboard starting battery at an adequate voltage level.  And little did we know that the warning light (Despite displaying a battery symbol. Hello Volvo?) was really warning us about no output from the starboard alternator.    So, we sat fat, dumb, and happy seeing 12.5 volts on the starboard battery gauge, even in the presence of the Idiot Light.  Logical conclusion = false alarm.

WRONG, bucko!

Bench testing of the knock-off starboard alternator verified its failure.  And the installation of an OEM-spec alternator Friday morning (and a corresponding lightening of our wallet) now gives us 13.8 volts on the starboard battery voltage gauge and NO WARNING LIGHT!   

YABBA DABBA DO DO DO!

We would have only noticed the underlying truth if we lost the use of the other alternator and after both engine batteries died.  But by then, of course,  we might have been stranded at sea……. 

One can almost hear the over-worked port alternator sigh with relief.  

So, who’s the Idiot?  Not us! (At least not anymore. 😊 )

 

Thanks for following.

There are known knowns, there are known unknowns, and there are unknown unknowns.*

 

But then there are BOATS!

 So, here we are, still on-the-hard in Maryland, trying to get Irish Lass fully prepared for departure.  (heavy sigh)

We selected this location to store Irish Lass partially because of the immediate proximity to multiple boat maintenance and repair providers.  And when we left here last September, we thought we had made arrangements with four different providers for a long list of maintenance and repair tasks to be addressed over the winter.  In February, we began inquiring with the designated providers about the status of the work.  Here’s what has transpired since:

1. The company charged with buffing and waxing Irish Lass’s exterior and shrink wrapping her against the elements performed perfectly.  They even got her unwrapped as we arrived and performed a very thorough carpet cleaning during our first week here.
2. The week before we arrived, the crew at Herrington Harbour North Marina completed a first-class bottom paint refresh and zinc replacement.   
3. In March, the company charged with a list of engine maintenance tasks finally responded to our repeated entreaties and began the 1,000-hour service on our Volvo engines.   The completion of this work requires that the boat is in the water, so they choose to leave the engine room in disarray.   We had to get them back aboard to clean up their act before the carpets could be cleaned.
4. After repeated (and unanswered) voice and email messages, the company we asked to address a list of below-the-waterline work “woke” as we were driving east and finally began their work.  We arrived in time to supervise the placement of the new dinghy davit and for them to complete some of their other tasks.  But missed out first intended launch date of May 10th.  
5. But wait, there’s more!  Now  they informed us as we arrived (six months after we requested it) that the critical cutlass bearing replacement was beyond their capabilities and referred us to yet another provider.
6. To accommodate all of this, we traded COVID Adventurer for a more economical rental car and we extended our Airbnb stay by a week.
7. We caught the designated “new” provider in the midst of a family emergency,  but they did finally obtain and install the new cutlass bearings under our supervision late on May 17^th.   
8. But in that process, we determined that the port propeller had significant bends in two blades and needed a trip to the prop shop before it could be remounted.  So we have missed our 2^nd launch window of May 17th.
9. Both props are at the prop shop and we are hopeful (a naive state?) they will be done on Friday (the 21^st) and that we can make our scheduled launch on the 24^th.
10. We have extended our rental car.  But our wonderful (and wonderfully convenient) Airbnb is unavailable this weekend.  And pet-friendly Airbnb’s do not grow on trees.  We have been fortunate to locate another pet-friendly Airbnb property from the same provider.  But it is 13 miles away. 

So, those who have followed us for a while will recognize our historical pattern in all of this.  It’s called “WAITING FOR PARTS”, a well-honed skill, but not one in which we take much joy.  We are prepared to admit that COVID delayed work over the winter.  And that maybe some providers are experiencing staffing challenges as a result.   And it's now Spring and lots of people want their boats prepped and launched.   We’ll give you all of that.

But why are phone calls and emails ignored for weeks and months?  And why isn’t it all “A-holes and Elbows” (i.e. nights and weekends) to get the work caught up?   What secret in all of this aren’t we privy to”?  Or has coastal Maryland has joined our new nation of idlers? 

Regardless, everything takes longer and costs more.  Or as Commodore Kathleen puts it, “This trip better be fun, because it sure is expensive.”

Thanks for following

(*Thank you for nothing Donald Rumsfeld)

A Word About Our Ride

 Battle of the (former) Titans

Once again, we availed ourselves of a one-way SUV rental from Budget.  After last year’s GMC Yukon XL, “Hernando”, we opted this year for the FoMoCo equivalent.  He is a maroon Ford Expedition Max (fka Excursion) we dubbed “COVID Adventurer”.  So, our 2021 journey became a bit of a comparison test.

2021 COVID Adventurer

As long-time followers may recall, we found “Hernando” to be a very satisfactory cross-country ride.   Smooth, quiet, and comfortable with ample space for us, Fur-Admiral Maggie, and a huge pile o’ stuff.   A very confident 80 mph cruiser with a full suite of “nanny” features to keep the inattentive driver out of trouble.    

“COVID Adventurer”,  while not quite so comprehensively equipped, provided comparable load capacity, speed, and range.  

2021 Cargo

But he fell short in two important areas, IOHO:

• Fuel Economy:  “ COVID Adventurer” retuned an average of 20.1 mpg or 2,865 miles, vs “Hernando’s” 21.0 mpg performance over a similar distance.  This despite COVID Adventurer’s allegedly more efficient 3.5L twin-turbo  “Ecoboost” V6 and 10-speed automatic.   “Hernando’s” old-school (?)  5.3L V8 and 8-speed transmission.      In this case, at least, Ford’s “Ecoboost”  bet in the C.A.F.É.* races seems to have been misplaced.  (Admittedly, 0.9 mpg is a small margin of victory, but it is compounded by the distance involved and the $1/gallon higher fuel prices we experienced this year.  Sheesh!)

• Nanny features: We have no objections to systems in cars (or boats, for that matter) that warn the operator of matters requiring their attention.  We do; however, object to those which add to the danger in the process.  At issue is the lane departure warning feature.  Both vehicles have the ability to sense when one is drifting too close to the lane edge and to provide both visual and tactile alerts.   In GMC’s case, the latter is to “buzz” the driver’s seat cushion.  But Ford elects to actually “twitch” the steering wheel (and thereby the front tires) to warn of impending doom.  Effective, to say the least, but downright terrifying in an 80 MPH turn in the left lane next to a double-trailer semi.   (Fortunately, it has an “off” switch.)  “Buzz my butt” gets our vote.

To each his/her/its own.  Thanks for following us.  Your mileage may vary……..

*Corporate Average Fuel Economy

SCATTER!!

 
It was high time to blow the popsicle stand that is Spokane!

Signs were appearing everywhere to tell us it really was time for us to go.   Consider these:

·       Spokane County appeared to be headed back to Phase 2 COVID restrictions.

·       The Washington Legislature has enacted the latest in a long line of  transportation “solutions” requiring another 5 cents per gallon gas tax, to a lofty 54.4 cents!  (We’re #4!  We’re #4!)

·       One more evening  of the “Do we need to take….?” game would overwhelm our cargo capacity

·       It's starting to look like yard work out there.

·       All the Scotch is packed. As is the Malbec. And the Fireball.  And the Cabernet.  And the……..

So, it was clearly time to escape east.   Here’s our journey, state by state.

Idaho:  Friday 4/30 saw us zip across the Panhandle with a quick stop in Post Falls to bid adieu to Wade’s Mom, Gratia.  We love you, Mom!

Montana:  Friday’s travel brought us to Bozeman.  Good roads, 80 MPH speed limit, the whole Big

Sky thing.   What’s not to like about long-distance travel in MT?  Yeah, BABY   (Memo to self:  Mircotel by Wyndham is truth in branding. It's like a ¾ scale hotel room.  Everything is small; the room, the towels, the beds, even the soap.  Ok for one night, but just barely.)

Wyoming:  Saturday took us to Wheatland, Wy, where Wade’s friend Scott Rodin assured us we would find “nothing”.  Instead, we found a nearly new pet-friendly hotel replete with all mod cons PLUS an 8-bay Tesla charging station. (An interesting juxtaposition to the two shuttered coal-fired generating plants we passed.)  And we had the dining room at the Hilltop Café and Golf Course almost to ourselves.    Before leaving on Sunday, we partook of Mass at St Patrick’s Catholic Church.  (But we left before the discussion of their fundraising drive.

  Whew!).

Colorado: We rolled into Colorado Sunday morning under gray, rainy skies.  Made a stop in Ft Collins for lunch with Wade’s college roomie Dave MacPhee, Professor Emeritus of Much at Colorado State U.   Our short day ended at the lakeside home of Jim and Ginny Deitchler in  Loveland.  Dinner followed with the CO arm of Clan McLauchlan (Kathleen’s cousins).  As we prepared to eve on Monday morn, Fur-Admiral Maggie announced she would rather stay on the grassy lakeside, despite the two cats, and had to be manhandled into the car.  Sheesh.

Kansas: Journeying thru eastern CO and across Kansas we saw our rate of advance dwindle in the face of lower speed limits, headwinds,  and deteriorating weather.  No wonder Dorothy and Toto wanted out.   Monday night brought us to Topeka (absent the Atchison and Santa Fe).  Ho Hum……

Missouri and Indiana: We blew through Missouri (and a little corner of Indiana) in the driving rain and  crossed the Mighty Mississippi at St Louis to arrive at Louisville, KY (pronounced 'Lou-vulle', BTW) on Tuesday night.  Strangely, we could find no sign of the monument TO Kathleen’s birth in Kansas City, MO.  (A stern letter to the mayor is pending.)  Indiana continued to underwhelm us (See 6/11/2020 post).  In all, it was a very long day, but we enjoyed a good steak and some decent ribs for dinner.

West (By God!) Virginia: West Virginia charmed us on Wednesday with sunshine on the mountain tops and mist in the valleys.  Not to mention good roads and light traffic.  But these eastern states have GOT to figure out their speed limits.  70, 65, even the dreaded Double Nickel in places.  Don’t these people ever have to GET somewhere?  Sheesh!  At least it was a blessedly shorter day, ending with  a nice hotel in Morgantown, WV. 

Maryland:  Our final day (Thursday) was a relaxed 4 hour downhill slide out of WV and into Maryland.  Very scenic and sunny, but it did seem the traffic got heavier and stupider the closer we got to the seat of the federal government. Go figure.   But our route and timing allowed us to dodge the worst and slip quietly into coastal Maryland unscathed, joyfully greeting the Irish Lass!

Irish beauties all around!

2865 miles.  11 states.   4 time zones.   143-ish gallons of rot-gut regular gas.  

Finnis!