She's finally home!! Rickk's 230

[RickK]

Now that you post that pic, the fish did have a black topside - I was pretty sure it looked like a tuna.  
I'm sure I've caught Bonita before - been a long time though and I didn't remember the black on them.  Too many years on the inside I guess.  If we would have been trolling a spoon or two, we'd have had a ball.
I have to get some heavier fishing gear.  I have one medium rod, maybe 40-60 lb class - that would have done it for sure (my "inside dock pole" would have slayed them).  Need one for my wife now or give her that one and get myself a similiar "new" one.
Thanks for clearing that up JJ.

[JimCt]

Figuring out Christmas presents is going to be easy in your household this year Rick.

Any idea as to what you did specifically to get the tach going?  Did the Terminals look corroded?

[RickK]

Figuring out Christmas presents is going to be easy in your household this year Rick.

Bimini and all that covering stuff for this year.
My wife made me promise that we wouldn't get anything else for each other this xmas.  Boat plus Bimini is enough I guess for one month.  (Truck was just a few months ago too.)

Any idea as to what you did specifically to get the tach going?  Did the Terminals look corroded?

Nothing in particular, I disconnected the 2 plugs while I was looking behind the access panels and then reconnected - they both looked good - so dunno.

Last night, I pulled out all the anchor rope from the locker.  Out came a big mud dauber nest attached to the rope - they get everywhere .  The anchor is almost rusted though where it pivots so it needs to be replaced. I bought an anchor from JJ that he had laying around - good shape.  
The previous owner had 2 - 150' sections of 3/8" in the locker and they were joined together with zip ties.  Had some kind of knot and the free end was zip tied up the 2nd section about a ft, with about a dozen ties.  I don't think this is a preferred way to join rope together but apparently it held.  He also had the bitter end zip tied to the front eye's bolts on the inside of the locker - good idea - I'll have to borrow this for the new rope. The ropes didn't look to be in too bad of shape.  I think I'll dunk them in some fabric softener for a while to soften them up and then I'll use them for spare.  There's that hoarder in me
The 2nd or Aft anchor's rope is in good shape but the hardware is pretty rusty. I guess the shackles will rust unless they're stainless. I'll cut the shackle off and replace.
I bought some galv shackles and a 250' roll of 1/2" rope from the surplus house yesterday (doesn't count as a xmas present ).  This week or weekend I'll zip tie the bitter end of the rope to the same place the previous owner had his (unless you guys have some tricks for me), load up the locker with the new rope and attach the new anchor and old chain.  Is there a magic way to do this so you don't get the "memory" from the rope roll?  I was thinking that since I have to unwind the rope anyway, to get to the bitter end (why do they call it this anyway?), maybe I should lay all of it flat on the road for a while and let it relax?  What do you guys think?
Next, I removed all the stuff from the cabin, opened all 4 storage area covers (lots of storage room in there - but I'm sure will never be enough)and the anchor locker "tarp" and then set a bug bomb off in it.  Not that I've seen any bugs, just those few mud dauber nests, so who knows.

[John Jones]

Here is a handy site for splicing, knots, etc.

I can see anchoring the end of the anchor rode with zip ties, maybe, but Zip Tie splicing     It's amazing what one can find that previous owners have done.  


http://www.animatedknots.com/

[GoneFission]

Bitter end is a nautical expression describing the end of a cable, rope, or chain attached to the "bit."  The Unabridged Oxford English Dictionary provides this citation:  "1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk. 103 A ship is 'brought up to a bitter' when the cable is allowed to run out to that stop. When a chain or rope is paid out to the bitter-end, no more remains to be let go..."

[John Jones]

When a chain or rope is paid out to the bitter-end, no more remains to be let go

Been there, done that, once...

[RickK]

Looked like he did one half-hitch through an eye splice on the 2nd line and then zip tied the loose end back up the line about a foot.  Maybe he was trying to keep it small?  Not like there is a windlass on the boat.

[pete]

I put a brass spring clp on my "bitter end" to attach it to the inside of my anchor locker,this way I can remove it in a hurry if I have to and don't have to worry about losing my anchor line.

[RickK]

Pete, what did you attach the clip to?  The eye bolt threads?  Have a link to where you got it so I can look at the clip?  It would be nice if there is a ring that would thread onto the threads of the eye bolt and then the bitter end could be tied to that.  I've got about 3 inches of thread left on the inside.

[John Jones]

I went down and dirty.  I took a small piece of aluminum and drilled it to match the bow eye threads.  Slipped it on and secured with two Nylok nuts.  It works and it's out of sight.

[JimCt]

Side comment regarding anchor lines... as part of the yearly maintenance on the boat, it's good policy to end-for-end the anchor rode.  Same theory as rotating the tires on your vehicles; evens out the wear.

[pete]

the way my anchor locker was built there are drain hole fore and aft,I simply went through them and around the locker base,Ill get a pic of it this weekend

[RickK]

I went down and dirty.  I took a small piece of aluminum and drilled it to match the bow eye threads.  Slipped it on and secured with two Nylok nuts.  It works and it's out of sight.

I have heavy aluminum I can easily make something like that - good idea. Now I know why I hang out with you guys.

[RickK]

Side comment regarding anchor lines... as part of the yearly maintenance on the boat, it's good policy to end-for-end the anchor rode.  Same theory as rotating the tires on your vehicles; evens out the wear.

One end has a premade eye/splice (whatever you call it) in it - now what?  Gotta have one on each end?

[JimCt]

Put an eyesplice on the other end.  It's easy to do.  There should be lots of instructions available if you Google the question.  Laid rope is easier to splice but braid can be done with a few simple tools. It's not unlike knitting. Splicing is a handy bit of knowledge to have up your sleeve.  Once you know how, you'll be making all sorts of lanyards and custom docking lines.  Good winter work on an evening in front of the fire when the snow is flying.