Lorgadoir Eolais

Cruising Log, 2005

December 21, 2005

Completed the refrigeration system. This includes the freezer, separate refrigerator, and two zones of air conditioning. This is all powered by a Glacier Bay Whisper Jet compressor and other components. The freezer plate cools down in about twenty-five minutes of run time. We checked the air temperature from one of the air conditioning units. It was 31° Fahrenheit.

We also have the Shuttle computer and SCS PactorII modem connected to the Icom M802 radio. We can send and receive email over the WinLink system and send out live position reports. The boat's position on the FindU page is now actually sent from the boat instead of land-based email from home.

December 16, 2005

More Christmas ships! This time we were joined by Brandon, neighbor Tom Atiyeh, Heather's daughter Sharla Settlemier, Sharla's husband Frank Bryant, their daughter Adrienne and a friend of hers.

This time it was colder and a lot windier. The ships put on another great show. As they passed, they would stop and do a slow 360° turn in unison. Several of the ships had Christmas music playing over loudspeakers and one had a group of live singers on the bow.

We picked up the pizzas between the two shows. The pizza supplier is Pizza Mia off Marine Drive across from Delta Park at 925 N Anchor Way. If you're in this part of North Portland they really serve some fine food.

See the video of the Christmas ships (10 Meg). VIDEO

December 9, 2005

Christmas Ships! Portland area boaters dress their boats in lights and parade along different routes each year. At our current location along North Portland Harbor we have front row center seats for the show. This evening Heather and I were joined by our neighbors Shirley and Jerry Thomas and my assistant Brandon Mathis.

The thirty or so boats passed within fifty feet of us and put on a fine show. We had to miss the second half of the show because Shirley insisted we leave to go get pizza. It's all her fault.

November 2, 2005

Leonard French has completed the bow pulpit, stern pulpit, stanchions, gates, and life lines. All the type 316 stainless steel polished tubing is 1 1/4 inch (32mm) diameter. He even custom made each stanchion base plate and adjusted the angles to match the deck at each base. Each stanchion is fitted with a ring and braced to the existing bulwark. His work is really beautiful. Next will be the aluminum dodger.

September 23, 2005

Brandon and I have completed the closed-loop hot water circulation system. This gives us cabin heating and domestic hot water. Yeah!

September 19, 2005

Brandon Mathis started working with me today on the boat. My current medical condition doesn't allow me to do all the work required. Brandon will be my hands to get things done. The first thing will be all the work needed on the mast.

To Hayden Island

September 3, 2005

First trip. We moved the boat from her slip at Rocky Pointe to the end of "B" row at Tomahawk Island Marina along the North Portland Harbor. This is the big city compared to our rural home along the Multnomah Channel.

Connie Ralph and Dennis Clements joined us for this trip. The boat will remain at this marina while we have all the exterior stainless steel work done by Leonard French. He will be building the bow and stern pulpits, stanchions and lifelines, radar arch and tower, wind generator tower, dingy davits, outboard motor lift, boarding ladder, mast granny bars, and Dorado vent protector bars. We will also have him build a permanent aluminum dodger.

August 20 and 27, 2005

On a Max-Prop VP the adjustment ring has numbers. After much soul searching I finally gave in and read the manual. When the adjustment ring is set to fourteen that's not the pitch, it's the blade angle in degrees! Fourteen degrees is about nine inches of pitch, way under the amount I calculated we would need. My brother Paul Rust came out and dived on the prop multiple times and I checked the maximum engine RPM after each adjustment.

I think we are really close to the right setting now. Our speed through the water changed from one and a half knots to almost seven knots. We may need another step up in pitch at a later date to lower the maximum RPM a little bit more.

First test outingAugust 13, 2005

First time moving under her own power. My brother Paul Rust and his bride-to-be Deb Dyar came along to help us out. Had some issues like lack of power and some strange noises. We brought the boat back to it's slip and burped the stern tube. We checked everything in the engine room and after a break took it out again. No problems this time except the prop seems to be severely under pitched. It's a Max-Prop VP so we'll check it out.

November 10, 2004

Launch day! Heather christened the boat with a bottle of champaign. We were very pleased to see it actually floated! Moved boat to new slip at Rocky Pointe Marina. Still have lots of work to do completing the plumbing and electrical systems.

See the video of the christening and launch (7 Meg). VIDEO