s99part13 » Page 1 of 2

As I mentioned in the previous part, while at Hollywood, Fl we bought a bunch of stuff including the repair part for the generator. Most of the other bits also required installation. The Keys, with all of the various boating facilities, would be a good place to do this work. After that, we could make a decision of where to go.

It's a two day run back to Marathon and Boot Key Harbor from Hollywood. We spent the first night at anchor at Angelfish Key. Remember that's a jumping off point to cross the gulf stream toward the Bahamas. Several boats were there waiting for a weather window to cross. The following day was a long run and we arrived back at Boot Key Harbor late in the afternoon. The Harbor was packed with boats and although there were many anchoring spots left, they were all tight having only two to three boat lengths of swinging room. For security and to minimize our swing, we always put out two anchors.

Over the last two years, through a lot of head scratching, trial and error, I have worked out a couple of anchoring schemes that are useful in maintaining the boat on a constant heading for satellite TV reception. Both methods involve placing two anchors at about 45 degrees off the bow. Then, depending upon the wind and current, I will either carry one anchor line back to the stern or put a snubber line from one of the bow anchor lines back to the stern. The stern can then be pulled around just enough so that the bow swings wide from the wind/current. Done properly, the boat will hold its heading within the few degrees required. Usually before turning in for the night, I will carry the line on the stern back to the bow for normal anchor conditions and security.

Sometimes, that technique is just as clumsy as it sounds. Other times it works so slick that the boat looks like its set in concrete. Either way though, it always makes other nearby anchored boats nervous. They aren't sure if you're a newby or a nut, but are thoroughly convinced you're one or the other.

Returning to the cruise, the next weeks were spent installing repair parts, a new dinghy, davits (little crane on the stern of the boat to hold the dinghy), the hf ssb radio, a watermaker and so on. Just about the time all these things we coming together and we were ready to make the decision to go to Cuba, both engine heat exchangers began leaking. Inspection also revealed that it was about time to replace all of hoses on both engines. A call to the manufacturer, two weeks and a thousand dollars later, that work was done too. (B.O.A.T. bring out another thousand).