Monday 23rd September 2013 - My Anchor Watch

Living in the UK at anchor with a dog and a toddler - what can possibly go wrong?!
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Jeff
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Monday 23rd September 2013 - My Anchor Watch

Post by Jeff »

We planned an overnight off Shinglehill cove in the Dart approaches but despite near flat conditions it was so rolly we headed back into the river. Nina enjoyed the beach though, which was dubbed 'Dinosaur Beach'... everything is dinosaur related at the moment, since a trip to Torquay's Dinosaur World.

(Since then Lunar hasn't been able to keep anything down. We think she ate some dead seagull on the beach. I've been to the vet today. Gastroenteritis apparently. Didn't stop her trying to eat a live seagull in Dartmouth on the way back to the boat!)

Engine behaved flawlessly but 24 hours later completely refused to start until I bled a considerable amount of air out of the last screw. I investigated the 2nd to last screw and found the 'missing' washer I'd noted previously was not missing but in fact in parts in a recess under the bleed screw. I'm almost 100% sure that these two last screws are the source of the trouble. New washers will be with us tomorrow!

But the big news is that our handheld GPS which has our most up to date charts on it has vanished. It lived near the door so I have to wonder if a certain person (Nina) perhaps grabbed it and fed it to the Dolphin (which we've had close encounters with recently)... it suddenly dawned on me how reliant we were on this one device!

Problem was quickly solved however with two 'apps' on my smartphone, for a total of £23.50. Amazing!

App 1
Navionics
Full, detailed charts of the UK, France, Holland etc, all for £20. And fully up to date, with other users' content added to the charts. You can even overlay satellite imagery too if you have 3G singnal, but without ANY signal, my phone is now a superb electronic chart plotter. Note that we always carry paper charts for the areas we sail, and I use the paper chart primarily, but I always double-check everything with the electronic charts. Especially in close quarters anchoring behind 'Meg Rocks' as we were in Shinglehill Cove.

App 2
My Anchor Watch
I used my handheld GPS as an anchor drag alarm. It was a pain in the bum - forever giving false alarms. This problem is solved, and then some, with a £3.50 app, 'My Anchor Watch Pro'. It takes a little getting your head around it but it's brilliant! If we leave my phone aboard when we go ashore, if there's cause for an alarm, it will send a text to the phone of our choice! And better yet, if we send a text to it (with a password in the text), it will respond with the boat's current position, distance from anchor, gps accuracy and phone battery level. Absolutely wonderful!

The authors point out that if you turn off all sounds and vibrations on a phone, and conceal it in your car or boat, with 'My Anchor Watch' running - and it gets stolen - you will a) get notification of it moving and b) be able to request its current location and so hence track it down and get it back. Fab!

Here's a short video of Rose, Nina and Lunar ashore at Shinglehill Cove, with Towser rolling in the background...

http://youtu.be/UWx0egbuJt4

Lunar very excited about Danny the Dolphin (local name for him) while Nina and I do colouring in...

Image
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Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

Nice to see your posting vids again Jeff. Bet you're glad you're not anchored out there to day. We are on the hard fo a week .mainly to check for weed etc after a summer of using the Briso hullmate . last anti fouled 2years ago and whoopee no growth at all didn't need to come out . 10out of 10 for the cleaner
:cheers:
Discus
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Post by Discus »

Nice rock and roll there, bet that felt luuuuverly :puker: Hope the dog is feeling better and she hasn't redecorated the whole of the boat (the thought is a bit grim!). Me thinks you were having more fun colouring in than Nina!!
You will have to keep us updated with progress with the Navionics app. I have considered it but when I switch the GPS on, on the phone, the battery craps out in about an hour. Mind you, it's a bit long in the tooth now so due for replacement.

Get those washers on!!

Rob 8)
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Thanks for replies chaps!

Terry that's excellent news about the hull cleaner! How often have you used it through the season? And how long does it really take to do? And surely there must be some parts of the hull you couldn't access with it? Around the prop, the rudder, the bottom of the keel?

--

Rob - fortunately Lunar has only done one vomit inside - and it was on the hard wood floor in the wheelhouse - so not too bad.

PS. Any smartphone's battery will only give you a couple of hours if it's working hard and the screen is on the whole time - like it is when navigating. My phone is plugged in constantly during the day, and will be always when we're making way and need electronic charts. Get yourself one of these:

<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00B ... -21">Anker 18W / 2.4A + 2.0A (3.6A max) Dual-Port Car Charger - The First and Smallest Adapter to Provide Simultaneous, Full-Speed Charges to iPads and Smartphones [White]</a><img src="http://ir-uk.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t ... B00B8M4IMK" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="">

We have a 300W inverter we use for most things but one of the above is more efficient - drawing less from your house battery.
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Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

hi Jeff used it about 3times . Most of any fouling in on or near the waterline however cleaning is easy one handed infact . The infinite buoyancy is great it holds it against the hull a treat . it take a bit to work out where the keel anodes etc are but once known. It really is a piece if cake . Takes about half and hour for the whole boat. The sponges don't like anodes or sharp edges tho and they cost £20 a throw :cry:

I was very apprehensive at spending £200 on an unknown product but it's come out trumps . Here's to 3 years next time ......just to check it of course

how's the sailing going Rob . if you're in yacht Haven area any time pop in . kettle is always on and cellar well stocked .
Jeff knows he's always welcome !! :roll: :lol:
Discus
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Post by Discus »

Hi Terry. Sailing going well although juggling other things has led to less time on the water than I hoped to have this year. Boat has been much much better than we had anticipated - no flying machine but we seem to be able to keep up with most people. Upwind, she is great - now a point of sail I actually look forward to. Will have to meet up with everyone at some point as it would be nice to put faces to names ( although even I would be able to recognise Jeff!!!). We are coming out at Yacht Haven Quay at the end of October and will be spending a few weekends doing some work so perhaps an evening pub meet may be in order. I'll have to try and talk all the folk on here into a forum trip across to Ireland next year!! Hope this weekend weather wasn't too carp. We didn't even go down as it looked poor.

Rob :P
Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

Discus wrote:Hi Terry. Sailing going well although juggling other things has led to less time on the water than I hoped to have this year. Boat has been much much better than we had anticipated - no flying machine but we seem to be able to keep up with most people. Upwind, she is great - now a point of sail I actually look forward to. Will have to meet up with everyone at some point as it would be nice to put faces to names ( although even I would be able to recognise Jeff!!!). We are coming out at Yacht Haven Quay at the end of October and will be spending a few weekends doing some work so perhaps an evening pub meet may be in order. I'll have to try and talk all the folk on here into a forum trip across to Ireland next year!! Hope this weekend weather wasn't too carp. We didn't even go down as it looked poor.

Rob :P
Hi Rob , will look forward to a beer or two . let me know when you are out :wink:
trip to Ireland would be good ...... Count us in if it bears fruit !
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Pub trip would be good if we're in the area when you are. Will see what happens.
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Terry T
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Post by Terry T »

Jeff wrote:Pub trip would be good if we're in the area when you are. Will see what happens.
That would be great Jeff. How's life at anchor ? We are now back in the water awaiting some half decent weather to go ..........anywhere !! :roll: Not looking good at the moment tho' :twisted:
Discus
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Post by Discus »

Hmmm! Well we all seem to have agreed on the topic of beer. Perhaps meeting in the flesh may be on the cards. Terry - the Ireland thing may well be a reality as we are pretty sure we will be at least moving the boat up to the West Coast of Scotland next season. First stop will hopefully be the south coast of Ireland Kinsale/Cork area. Hope everyone is well - including Lunar the amazing vomiting dog!!!

Rob :colors:
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Thanks Rob. Going to make a new blog post in a sec.
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