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Season 0

Getting Garuda ready to sail

We're Leaking!
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.19 We’re Leaking! : Replacing the Dripless Shaft Seal

by herbc

This is one my nightmare leaks – the kind I’m convinced will immediately sink the boat. Probably not entirely accurate, but still… the thought of a leak that I can’t contain scares me. So when an alarm goes off telling me there is too much water coming onto the bilge, it has my attention.

After a quick investigation, we discover a leaking dripless shaft seal (or as I’ve been saying, “our dripless seal is no longer dripless”). We get plenty of good advice leading to our first (and primary) decision: can we change this seal in the water (scary procedure) or haul out again in the boatyard (expensive procedure)? Scary vs. Expensive… And since this seal is all that lies between the propeller shaft and the ocean, it isn’t exactly optional.

After a lot of thought, we decide to avoid scary and haul the boat out for some relief from the water and some experienced help. It turns out to be a very good decision. Complications arise immediately… pulling the prop shaft back, removing a bear of a coupling, and some part restoration and fabrication are just a few of the obstacles we encounter.

Follow along as we clean up the dungeon of a bilge, make some fiberglass repairs, and replace our dripless shaft seal.

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

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Installing a BRNKL
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.18 How to Install a BRNKL: Monitoring our boat while we’re away

by herbc

In this episode I’ll show you how I installed a BRNKL remote monitoring system in our 1980 Pearson 365. This is some cool, fairly new tech (which is always welcome on Garuda) but I want to say right off the top that I settled on the BRNKL system because of it’s promised result: peace of mind.

If you own a boat, you know what I’m talking about (and if you don’t you might be surprised to learn this)… leaving the boat unattended is one of the biggest sources of cruiser anxiety. So much can happen! … and the worst things always happen in your imagination while you’re away. So this week we’re installing some piece of mind… er, “new tech”… and it doesn’t take long to prove it’s value.

We also go ashore for a much needed break and explore Crane Point Hammock in Marathon,, Florida – easily one of the best excursions we’ve enjoyed to date. We learn a bit about the role of Bahamians in settling the Keys as well as some of the earliest conservation efforts by a New England couple who, like so many others, decided to call the Keys home. We also get a fish pedicure… and if everything goes according to plan, we’ll monitor the important systems on Garuda while away.

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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Shakedown Sail
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.17 Our First Shakedown Sail: Putting Everything to Test

by herbc

In this episode we embark on a shakedown sail – cruising from Marathon in the Middle Keys down to Key West to meet up with some good friends and then back again – and putting everything to the test.

We drop the anchor for the very first time in an unknown place and spend a sleepless night worried about… well, everything. 😀 We’re mostly stressed because we’re looking forward to spending many more days on anchor in the near future… more on that in upcoming episodes. But the real reason we’re out here on a shakedown cruise is to see what’s working and what’s not. We’ve done so many boat projects and even though we test them the best we can after they’re complete, it’s a good idea to see them all working (or not working) together.

So two days of sailing down to Key West where we stay a new dock and enjoy one of our favorite destinations from a new perspective – great food and friends and a few adult beverages later, we’re back on the water retracing our steps. And while sailing the tropics and the Florida Keys in the waning days of hurricane season always has it’s risks, on this trip Mother Nature has other plans for us. Come along as we put everything to the test!

Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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Hurricane Hauout
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.16 Hurricane Haul-Out: Caught in the Boatyard During Hurricane Season

by herbc

We’re hauling out in the boatyard to get a few things done, and wouldn’t you know it, a hurricane arrives. Now we’re caught in the boatyard during storm season…

We headed into the boatyard to replace a thru-hull or two – and since we’ll be hauled out and working on the hull, we’ll put a top-coat on the hull or maybe just do the bottom job. But the boat often has a mind of it’s own. Just as we were pulling out of our slip in Islamorada, the shift cable broke… nothing that a pair of channel locks couldn’t temporarily fix, but now we’ve got that on the list too. “Good timing,” don’t you think??

… not so fast. It turns out that Hurricane Ian made a northward turn and is threatening the lower Keys… and we’re still in the cradle on the hard. Time to hunker down and hope for the best.

We “rough it” at the Marriott and between the laundry room, swimming pool, and bar, manage to get a few more projects done than we initially intended… but such is #boatlife.

Many thinks to the great folks at the Marathon Boatyard for all of their assistance and support!

Also a big shout out to the staff and family of the Marriott Courtyard in Marathon for taking such good (and safe) care of us all during the threatening storm.

As always, you should know that we upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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Oh No... Maiden Voyage
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.15 Maiden Voyage – Our First Sail

by herbc

In this episode set sail on our Maiden Voyage… and while that should be enough of a stress creator on it’s own, we somewhat have a schedule to keep. So we set sail in less than ideal conditions – dodging a few mid-day squalls and putting our projects to the test – to reposition the boat for a haul-out next week. 

Did I mention that this is quite literally Heather’s first time being on a sailboat that is underway? It is (maybe we should have made that the title?). We don’t show it in the episode but I got the opportunity to see her breakfast for a second (and third; and fourth…) time along the way. But she was a trooper and made it through just fine.

As you can imagine, there were a few challenges to us getting underway. Just as I was ready to pull off the dock, our shifter cable broke ($#!T)… the alternator gave us a high voltage alarm… oh and we forgot to check the mizzen halyard which found itself wrapped around a step high on the mast (lesson learned there). It’s all part of the adventure of owning a boat!

This was also our first time navigating to a new marina… which we arrive at after dark (I know… lesson learned there too). Okay… so there are a lot of lessons learned on this one, but that’s what happens when you change your life dramatically and begin life anew in a floating tiny home.

As always, you should know that we upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

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Happy Holidays Update
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.14 Happy Holidays Update

by herbc

We’re breaking the timeline for this Happy Holidays Update and to wish everyone a wonderful and safe Holiday Season! There’s a lot happening here in Boot Key harbor, marathon, Florida – lighted boat parade, egg nog on the dinghy dock, Xmas carolers, a holiday potluck… and so much more. We put together a few of our favorites to share with you in this short update.

Winter has arrived here (it’s in the 50’s F! 😳) and folks in the harbor are all bundled up. But there’s sunshine just around the corner and we’re looking forward to getting back into the post-holiday swing of things very soon. So stay tuned… there’s still a lot of great stuff to come.

In the meantime, we simply want to pause to thank everyone for their subscriptions, likes, comments, and continued support. We didn’t know what to expect when we started posting vlogs and couldn’t be more thrilled to hear it’s being enjoyed and shared. So thank you, thank you, thank you… you’re being here is greatly appreciated.

 

As always, you should know that we upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

 

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Installing an Electric Windlass (SVGaruda Ep. 13)
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.13 Installing an Electric Windlass

by herbc

In this episode we upgrade a bit by installing an Electric windlass – removing our old manual windlass first and re-fiberglassing the deck to address a leak. The leak was likely more annoying than problematic, because every time it rains heavily, water makes it way through the deck (yikes!… not good… we don’t need a wet deck core because it will eventually rot and lose it’s structural integrity), down the new anchor locker door, and end up dripping on our feet in the V-berth. Enough is enough… time to put an end to this leak.

…and as long as we’re going to be removing the windlass to do so, why to get a new, powered windlass?!?!  (At least that’s the logic I used to convince Heather that this project would be worthwhile.)

Of course, removing the old manual windlass and replacing it with a new powered one is only the beginning of the project. We also have to install new wiring runs to power everything… and take a quick detour to make a new panel in the cockpit to fit a secondary switch along with the autopilot controller.

Like all boat projects, it’s a little bigger project once we begin…

As always, you should know that we upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

 

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Putting Starlink on a Boat
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.12 Putting Starlink on a Boat

by herbc

In this episode we finally get around to putting Starlink on the boat… and we couldn’t be happier with it!

We don’t have all the considerations that a residential customer might (our “dishy’s” view is rarely blocked from viewing the sky, for example), but installing residential Internet hardware on a 40 year old sailboat is not without some challenges – including more than one attempt at where/how to mount the dishy. It takes us a while to make some space, remove some old stuff, and get the latest technology on board, but in the end it was well worth it.

Our system has been running for a while (Yes; we have activated the “roaming” version of the Starlink service) all along the Florida Keys without issue. Hopefully this streak holds…

As always, you should know that we upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

You can also find and connect with us here:

Oh… Here is the equipment and link for the mounting post I used:

(We’re not affiliated in any way – I ordered off of Amazon – just pop the name in your search bar)

Winegard DS2000A Universal 22-inch Mount for Antennas

 

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How I Upgraded the Raymarine Navionics
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.11 How I Upgraded the Raymarine Navionics

by herbc

In this episode I’ll show you how I upgraded the Raymarine Navionics on this old boat. Everyone want’s to have the latest, coolest navionics and electronic doodads on their boat… or at least I do! Unfortunately, adding anything means first understanding what you have. And if you own a used boat, you likely know exactly what it feels like to inherit someone else’s installation (or several someone else’s, in this case)… arrgg!

I’m unraveling the current mixed bag of electronics on Garuda this week with an eye on upgrading into something new. The old system was a bit of mystery – a hybrid of technology from the past fifteen years or so – but some of it could certainly be used… right? What I find is a splice-fest of SeaTalk1® and NEMA 1083 that I need to get into the latest SeaTalkNG® networking.

The first goal is to incorporate a Raymarine Axiom 9 RV Multifunction Display (MFD) with Sonar, AIS and digital Radar. From there, I plan to add a second MFD at the Nav Station and incorporate a (very old) Raymarine Autopilot. 

We also manage to escape Garuda for a bit of an adventure – paddle boarding and kayaking Dove Creek in Key Largo. Dove Creek is a popular destination for those visiting Key Largo due to the abundance of sea life, shallow depths, and light currents of this mangrove tidal area. Nurse sharks, parrot fish, snapper, horseshoe crab and sea turtles are just of sampling of sights along the way.

We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your YouTube feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

Finally: Here is the equipment list I promised: (we’re not sponsored by or affiliated with any brands or retailers so you don’t have to worry about clicking on any links)

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How To Make a Hardtop Bimini - FAIL (SVGaruda Ep9)
From the BeginningSeason 0

Ep.10 How To Make Another Hardtop Bimini – PLAN B

by herbc

In this episode I’ll show you how to make a hardtop bimini – for the second time. After a few weeks work on Plan A, the new hardtop didn’t fit on the boat. $#*&!

It turns out that my mistake wasn’t in the process, it was in the setup. Letting the hardtop sit upside down while applying more fiberglass and resin caused the original shape to be lost. The hardtop was bowed outward and to make matters worse, the areas that were most out of line were those with the thickest fiberglass. So now what?

Putting my “seamstress” (“seamster?”) hat on, I considered how to cut in some relief and then perhaps fiberglass some new seams (much in the way a piece of fabric could be taken in). But I wasn’t going to get many attempts at it without mangling what I’d already accomplished. So I decided I needed a “practice run” first… or at least a “form” to see where alternations needed to be made.

So off to the big box store to buy some fiberglass shower panels, then a bit of “stitch and glue” using zip ties to form the base of the form before putting a layer of fiberglass on top to make the shape. Is it just me or does this “form” look better than Plan A? hmmm… maybe run with this “Plan B” a while??

So… some cheap shower panels, zip ties, duct tape, nidacore for the gutters, and the usual fiberglass steps… and Bimini 2.0 begins to take shape. Come along for the second installment of how to make a Hardtop Bimini.

We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.

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