27th November.

Still alive but taking life easy.

Mounted EPIRB and Garmin Inreach mini2.  Going to start on stainless pull and pushpits and boarding ladder soon.  Also got to make a gas bottle storage arrangement.  Going to vacuum seal each container (not a strong vacuume) to protect them from rusting as well as will be able to see if they are leaking.

Also time to start  getting my trailer organized.   Got to modify my fishing boat trailer.  I want to mount the keel at home and have to make adjustable supports so I can lower the hull onto the keel on the trailer for the bolting process.  The supports have to be easly removable so I can bring my fishing boat home.  (Only got 1 spot in the marina).  Im very glad I have prefitted the keel while the hull was upside down so I know it all fits and just have to bolt on.

Winter has arrived here in the Azores with stormy weather but still quite warm.

Cheers

 9th November

I decided to keep my little fishing boat in my marina slip over winter to do some fishing on the few good days over the windy and rough season.  Therefore going slowly on Nuts as only planning to launch in spring.  Only a few jobs left to do and plenty of time over winter.

Windvane support all epoxy glassed and painted and mounted in position.

Power outlet for tiller pilot (not allowed on challenge)  or floodlight etc plus inlet for solar panels.  Coax for AIS antennae through a waterproof gland and ready for soldering a PL259 to connect.  I received my radio station license and MMSI a while back and have programmed the AIS (ONWA KP25A) and VHF radio for DSC calls.  All tested and NMEA connection working fine.  Also did an AIS test from my car to check reception and transmission.  Was picking up ships from 20 miles away and got my position registered on vessel finder after about 5 minutes of transmission activated  Had to wait for the cross channel ferry to dock to not confuse them!  Using the identification name  "Solo Sail NUTS" to hopefully give shipping some info.  I notice many of the IMOCA yachts also put solo sail as a prefix.

All electrics finished. 

Crappy photo in bad light.  Not much equipment.   VHF,AIS/plotter, 2 interior lights, compass light, tricolour nav light and anchor light.  A 12v outlet plug (Hella) for whatever might be needed and several usb charger outlets for phone, tablet, Garmin Inreach . Kindle etc.

Been checking out navigation options.  ONWA have free K Charts which you can download.  I have downloaded heaps. Got coverage of the whole of Africa, South America, Carribean, North America.  Very nice to get free coverage for ONWA products but not the best detail.  I also have been using Navionics and it is much better.  I have purchased the NV charts to get up to date paper charts but have not yet activated the electronic chart app as is it is only valid for 1 year before having to pay again for the next year.  Does not make sense to activate yet.  The paper charts are very detailed and easy to use and come in an A3 book form which folds out.

Some examples - 

K Chart on the top and Navionics on the bottom of Horta port.  Both would work.

Lages port in Pico Island.  K Chart on top and Navionics on the bottom.  K chart almost useless with very little info.

Looking at Lisbon the K charts looked pretty good so I think they are very dependent on where you are.  I had hundreds of charts which I gave away but they were from the 1980s and even though the land hasnt moved much- most ports and anchorages have changed a lot.

Mrs Nuts started doing the upholstery but not in a rush.

My last jobs are the push and pullpits and railings, boarding ladder and engine mount.