Past Week in Pictures.....

Today is  Thanksgiving Day in Grenada which celebrates the US led interdiction to rescue the island from  Russian // Cuban occupation.  HAPPY THANKSGIVING, GRENADA !!

The action is brisk as Lynn (Silver Heels III) reels in a barracuda under the
watchful eye of Ronnie (sv Campechano) and hubby Ken (seated)

Gotta love pink shorts !!

Our friends Mark and Willie on 's/v Liahona' arrived in Grenada after spending the summer in Trinidad.  Saturday was Willie's birthday so Capt Dave put on his Sunday best for the occasion !
   

  Willie prepares to blow out the candles on her birthday cake....

5th Dinghy Concert

Late on Monday afternoon the rain let up and off we all went to the 5th Dinghy Concert in Clark's Court Bay (a five minute dinghy ride through the reefs to the adjacent bay)...

Dinghys arrive at 1700 hrs for the concert

 Hors d'oeuvre get passed from dinghy to dinghy...

Enjoying the concert.......

One of the performers from Switzerland wrote a song called "Flying to Grenada". To join the concert, just click on the following link....  http://youtu.be/2ZPhUq2RsUo    ENJOY !!!




 





Alarm System....

A bit off topic.....

I have received several emails, and a couple of comments to the Blog (see prior Blog under comments)  concerning the alarm diagram,  our security system and plan.  Just a couple of comments:

George...the switches are momentary 'horn' type switches.  The first relay (relay to the far left) is a 'locking' or latching relay circuit.  Once the horn button is pushed, the circuit is activated and the bells etc continue whether the switch is being pushed or not.  The only way to shut it off is to shut off the power at the circuit breaker.

Mike picked up a similar issue...ie. there is no 'reset' in the diagram.  This is correct.  I wanted the alarm to be 'difficult' to deactivate.  So, as mentioned above the only way to shut it off is to cut the power.  That is the primary reason why I used a 'horn' type switch, and not a regular on//off toggle switch.

Geoff... The sleeping area on Persephone is the V-birth; so an open hatch over the V-birth is necessary for ventilation.  The hatch is nearly 22 inches square, big enough for a perp to jump through. When speaking with Kate and Allen, their attackers entered their boat through the V-birth hatch.  So, I put 1" stainless steel tubes across the opening to prevent this from happening.  The tubes are attractive, and don't interfere with airflow, the screen or operation of the hatch.  The main midships hatch is closed and locked at night.  We have screens in solid frames for the companionway entrance and the slider is locked with a barrel bolt so that it can be securely locked from inside (and unreachable from the cockpit).   If Persephone were in an area that was very insecure (St. Vincent for example),  I can substitute the screens for the solid 3/4 teak hatch boards.


Bottom line, the cabin can secured,  with lots of outside noise and light... Hopefully, it will never be needed !This is a picture of the the hatch security system.....   

1" stainless tubing, Taco brand standard end caps, and bimini attachment
hardware tapped into the aluminum frame of the hatch.  The
result is incredibly strong and unobtrusive.

Goeff on "Beach House" sent a comment quoting Dylan:  "The times they are a changing".  This Blog used to be dedicated to beaches, bars, and beers.....promise to get back there soon...

Capt Dave

Pirates of the Caribbean.....

Kate and Allen anchored next to
'Persephone' in Grenada

I am not talking about the Disney, romanticized Pirates of the Carib, I am talking about the dirtbags that prey on cruisers.  This summer, our friends Kate and Allen on 'Mendosino Queen' were viciously attacked in the Tobaggo Keys.  The Keys are a National Park and turtle sancuary located just north of Grenada in the Grenedines.  This is a prestine reef system, frequented by cruisers for snorkelling, diving and turtle watching.  While anchored there, Kate and Allen were the victims of an armed robbery.  The full details are available on the following link: http://www.noonsite.com/Members/sue/R2011-07-12-2     

As a result (and as part of our systems upgrade), we have installed a panic alarm system as suggested by Kate and Allen.  Panic buttons are located in the V birth, and in the nav station.  A push of the button activates two LARGE bells, turns on the deck lights, and turns on a bright cockpit light.  One bell is located in the cabin, to disorient and the intruder, and to prevent any intruder from hearing what is happening outside;  the other bell is located in the cockpit to alert other cruisers.  We have also installed a remote radio microphone in the sleeping quarters; along with stainless steel bars over the hatch above the V birth.  I am sharing my design of the Panic Button Alarm System with fellow cruisers....hopefully none of us will ever need it....

   

Happy Thanksgiving....

Persephone flys a Canadain flag in celebration !! 

   Today is Canadian Thanksgiving....so a hearty HAPPY THANKSGIVING to our friends from the north.... !!  A full turkey dinner is planned at a local marina.

Our Canadian friends Lynn and Ken  (Silver Heels III) just completed hoisting a giant flag to honor the day !  In addition to the national celebration, it just happens to be Lynn's Birthday....So, its a double celebration on Silver Heels III.  Special "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" wishes to a great friend, Lynn. Have a great day !! 

The BLOG is BACK !!

    First, I want to thank all of you in the Blogisphere who have written me to make sure all was OK.  The simple answer is all is fine.  So,  how come there hasn't been a Blog in over a month ?  I got carried away with a major boat project.
    The navigation equipment on Persephone was over 12 years old, and nearing the end of its useful life.  Raymarine had a great rebate offer, so the decision was made to completely upgrade the entire chartplotter, radar, GPS, AIS, DSC, and MARPA  systems on Persephone (don't you just love all the initials !).  It took over a month to remove (and sell) the 'old' nav equipment, install the new system, and completely intergrate it.  During that month, the entire boat was pulled apart for wire runs, especially the nav station.  So, here is the result of all the hard (and sweaty) work......

The new chartplotter/GPS is the large screen in the left of the picture.  The grey box below is the AIS (anti- collision device).  Above the chartplotter is the WIFI router and Pactor (radio modem).  In the center are 3 radios; SSB (long distance shortwave), a VHF (short range marine comm), and ordinary stereo with Sirius Sat capability. 

An idential chartplotter was installed at the helm.  This is networked with the plotter at the nav station.  Below the plotter is the auto-pilot control, a data repeater (depth and speed) and controls for the anchor windless (so the anchor can be controlled from the helm).











This is the 'back' of the helm from the cockpit.  All of the wires from the nav system were run down the stainless tubing (which I had custom made here in Grenada).  The blue "square" is a sunbrella cover over the teak cockpit table.  The table was designed to swing down against the pedistal (and covered) when not is use.  Before, the table was stored down below when not in use and had to be carried out to the cocpit for each use.  I am now busy with the sewing machine finishing the covers for the new instruments.

The project is essential complete, everything works and all the instruments are 'talking' to each other.  It is a great system which should make navigation easier, safer and increase our situational awareness.  It was a big project and now that it is done, I promise to update you on all of the fun things that happened over the past month.  Stay tuned.....Capt Dave