SO WHAT DID YOU DO WITH OR ON YOUR C-DORY TODAY??

I just installed Dana's Icom 706 lll G, 100 watt transceiver (photos in our gallery). I looked at several ways to install an antenna system but in the end I used the 3 section 23' mast from our Ranger Tugs system, along with the Icom 140 auto-tuner and copper foil ground because it is simple and I know it works. The antenna looks crazy high on a CD, and we will have to fold it down and remove the top section while underway. This radio is set up to transmit on all civilian frequencies including vhf. In Mexico the marine SSB and Ham radio nets are sometimes the best way to get weather forecasts and check in, as cell service is spotty.

We also have a satellite InReach for texting, Dana having just bought the latest generation (her 3rd in 10 years) for text communication.

I also installed a new Standard Horizon vhf with AIS, before I used to have the AIS as a whole separate piece of equipment, but as we are now rarely in big shipping lanes I'm sure this minimal, small screen system will be adequate.


Well I guess it is on to the somewhat challenging Spectra watermaker system I've begun so I can get it up and running before we leave for Baja, after replacing every system on the boat except the steering on the boat, myself, over the last year I am getting a bit burned out and need it finished, SO I CAN GET OUT OF DODGE AND ACTUALLY ENJOY THE BOAT!!!
 
Dana is somewhat vertically challenged, so today I added a nice polished SS "folding mast step" between the head and galley windows so she has access to the arch and cabin top. (Sierra photos)
 
Finally installed stereo system. This project has been on the workbench for seven months. One thing that I enjoy while cruising and at anchor, is having music playing softly in the background. This new unit has lots of features, including blue tooth, which not only includes music from my phone, it also passes phone call conversations through the stereo.
The stereo is an inexpensive Sony purchased on sale from Crutchfield and the speakers are all Poly Planar, purchased on eBay.
Way better that 8 track and cassette systems of our past...
 
Spent a few days at Apache Lake with my son prior to his upcoming deployment.

We had a great time in a unique and beautiful location.
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I'd like to hear more about how you got there. Especially if you drove in from the west! :mrgreen: Colby
 
colbysmith":1igqhjzf said:
I'd like to hear more about how you got there. Especially if you drove in from the west! :mrgreen: Colby
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Lol... Apache Trail is still closed from Tortilla Flats to the Apache Lake marina. The east side route reopened a week or so ago and was actually not too bad. The Rangers told us it's been graded 3 times in the past week. A bit narrow in spots but not bad. We launched at Burnt Corral so it was only 5 miles on the dirt.

For those wondering, the Apache Trail is the only way in to Apache Lake. Earlier this summer there was a pretty big fire on the mountains above the trail. Then the monsoons came and, with no vegetation left on the mountains, there were some pretty serious erosion issues that resulted in some temporary closures. Then, about a month ago, we had some storms that absolutely destroyed sections of the road, mostly West of the Apache Lake marina.

Even on the best of days, with the best road conditions, towing a boat to Apache is a hair raising, white knuckle ride. especially coming in from the West. The benefit here is, due to the ride in, a lot of folks from the Phoenix area will just go to Canyon, Saguaro, or Pleasant instead. FAR less crowded at Apache because of this.

Slow and careful is the ticket on this road.
 
Looks like it could be a great place for a C Dory gathering, for those of us who are "altitude challenged"...You had photos of several sand beaches--are there many? Also the temperature Oct/Nov. looks very good.
 
Yesterday turned the boat into a work platform and helped a friend install a platform for an osprey nest. Worked great!

However, a while back, I had a leak from the forward hatch. The water was discolored so knew it probably wasn't good. So about a week ago I pulled the hatch off to rebed and found soaked core. Luckily that area is kind of isolated. So yesterday, after we finished the osprey platform, I spent part of the afternoon replacing the core around the hatch area. Supposed to rain today so probably won't get the hatch rebed until the weekend.

Great fun!
 
I just picked up my trailer yesterday after having oil bath hubs installed. My trailer has Kodiak brakes and hubs and 14 inch tires. I had oil bath hubs and 15s on the Tugs trailer they always ran cool and were low maintenance and watertight. Bringing the CD25 back to California from South Dakota every hub I felt was a different temperature, one hot, they were the type that you pump grease from the front of the spindle back and then back out through the bearings and basically onto the ground, really messy. I pumped synthetic Green Grease through the bearings at every stop and brought the temperatures down. I think if you maintained these hubs constantly they would work well but are a big question if they haven't been maintained by the book, did I mention the huge greasy mess?
Kodiak has a system now to add oil bath hubs with an easy visual check which will give me peace of mind.
I originally thought the hubs would have to be replaced but this system works with the originals and looks pretty easy in comparison to a total replacement.
Cost installed was less than 600 dollars with new bearings included and including a 5th set of everything as spares.
 
Swapped out my Perko battery switches for a BEP console.
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I've been getting interference with my fishfinder from low voltage caused by fluctuations from the starter batteries. We had the boat hauled out last year and the mechanic wired the batteries and all 12volt wires in some convoluted way. I had to identify every wire first before moving some of them to the fuse panel.

Adjusted the shift cable linkage on my starboard motor. I was going to replace the cable, but when I pulled the linkage off I noticed it was about 1/2" short of pulling the shifter all the way into forward gear. It had been grinding into gear the past couple of weeks.
 
Winterized Midnight Flyer a week ago. Good timing I guess...

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Part of winterizing was pulling the wheels and bearings to check the electric brakes. They all looked pretty much the same, but here is after two seasons on new brakes. This also included two salt water dunkings on my Inside Passage trip this past summer, but I also have a fresh water rinse system on the brakes that I used during that time.

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Just some surface rust.
 
Winds are blowing, fires are burning in SoCal. Replaced the side boards on the trailer, and replaced the ladder stowage clamps in the cockpit. Lubed the snaps on the storage canvas.
Hoping to get out soon for lobster if the winds die down and the small craft warnings expire.
 
I replaced the shift cable for my starboard motor. I made a rookie mistake of putting the controls back together before finishing the job. It wouldn't shift into forward gear after I put it all away so I had to pull the controls out, take them apart and adjust the connection. Everything is perfect now but it added another half hour to the job.

The new battery switch solved our electrical issues. Both motors start right up and the fishfinder no longer gets interference from the other batteries.
 
Last week we had a rain storm that exhausted my batteries. 2-3 inches fresh water in cockpit. A neighbor living on board pumped it out, and my car jump starter got everything going again. The next day I went over to our local marine services and had them check out things. (also did a spectacular fall from dock to cockpit - in a particularly inept move, but still at old age can tuck and roll - LOL). Batteries worn out at 5 years, one dead and the other weak so replaced them both. We are having some unseasonably good weather, so have done a road trip, and will do a longer day cruise this week.
 
RobLL":2rudlcmb said:
Last week we had a rain storm that exhausted my batteries. 2-3 inches fresh water in cockpit. A neighbor living on board pumped it out, and my car jump starter got everything going again. The next day I went over to our local marine services and had them check out things. (also did a spectacular fall from dock to cockpit - in a particularly inept move, but still at old age can tuck and roll - LOL). Batteries worn out at 5 years, one dead and the other weak so replaced them both. We are having some unseasonably good weather, so have done a road trip, and will do a longer day cruise this week.
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Been there done that!

Broke down and put a rear cover on. Dry as a pin all the time now! :D
 
Trailer work is now complete... Carpet was removed from bunk boards and 1/2" gray King Starboard was milled and installed in place of carpet Fasteners used were stainless 1/4" carriage bolts, countersunk below the surface.

The carpet was rotted and had a tremendous amount of friction when loading and unloading the boat. The new bunk surface should prove to be a huge improvement in future evolutions.
 
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