Vessel Documentation

The Peregrine is a documented vessel.

A documented vessel is one that is registered by the Federal Government through the U. S. Coast Guard, rather than titled and numbered by a state. I pay $26 per year for this privilege.

This changed in 2022 when we now have an option to renew between 1 - 5 years.

Never pay more than $26! There are multiple companies that want to charge you 3x the amount. They may be legit and get the job done, but it's still a scam. Here’s what you need to know to avoid overpaying when renewing your boat’s U.S. Coast Guard documentation.

Some benefits of federal documentation are:

• TITLE ASSURANCE You have better assurance of title because the U.S. Coast Guard has more stringent chain of title requirements than do most states. Once a vessel is documented, the complete history of the vessel is available on the Abstract of Title.
• FOREIGN TRAVEL If you sail in foreign waters, your Certificate of Documentation facilitates clearance with foreign governments and gives you the status and protection of a U.S. flag vessel.
• FINANCING Most lenders require documentation so that their interest may be secured by a Preferred Ship’s Mortgage recorded by the U.S. Coast Guard.
• OTHER REASONS Many boat owners like the prestige of having their boats documented. Others object to state registration because they do not want to display the numbers on the hull. A major advantage becomes evident when you sell your boat, as ownership and encumbrances are easy to check.

Documented vessels do not display their official numbers on the outside of the hull, but are identified by the name and hailing port.

Documented vessels still need to pay the annual state registration fee. For Washington State, you can do this in person or online here.

Additional Information:

• Renew your documentation at the official National Vessel Documentation Center website
• USCG Documentation FAQ
• Warning on vessel documentation "services"

New Stove and Propane Delivery System

Propane is heavier than air so it will sink into the bilge if given a chance. There are lots of opinions on how best to rebuild your system, but it's critical to educate yourself, don't rush, test everything (and retest often), and only take expert advice.

Our original stove was looking pretty sad. We had not used the oven in years so the decision was easy to simply replace the old 4 burner stove top with a new Force 10/ENO 3 burner unit. The oven is completely disconnected from the propane and electrical, and only used for storing pots and pans and makes a good faraday cage for electronics during the occasional lightning storm.

During my annual check I discovered a crack in a propane compression fitting. It was not leaking (yet!), but nothing is scarier on a boat than a propane leak. Since most of the components were original, and I have no desire to enter the annual Darwin Awards, it was time to replace the complete system. ABYC standards have also changed since 1972 to require an uninterrupted supply line from the propane locker to the stove. My original line was copper, with a short flex hose at the stove to accommodate the gimbal. This was out of current code so out it came.

I was able to take the old stove top, remove all the old propane burners and cut out all around the burners. This created a sold foundation to drop in the new unit.
   

The 16 feet long copper line came out in 8 pieces. The flex hose was another 18 inches. A new, 18 foot one-piece braided hose with swaged flare fittings was ordered from Sure Marine. So was a new solenoid, regulator, pressure gauge, fittings and 2.5 gallon tank. All parts and pieces were packaged and ready for pickup in 3 short hours.

TEFLON TAPE
One of the important learnings from this experience was the proper use of PTFE yellow teflon tape. White teflon tape is for water fittings, is thinner and does not resists degradation from propane. Yellow teflon tape is thicker, and is NOT used on compression fittings. The connection is made inside the flange fitting, not by the threads. If you use tape on the threads then the compression fitting cannot mate and seal properly. The only place to use yellow teflon tape is on non-compression fittings.

The main purpose of a thread seal tape is to seal out micro abrasions or surface irregularities on threads. If you have a major gash or nick on a thread, you will need to replace the pipe section or re-thread it, rather than applying a thicker seal tape layer.

Minimize your clock-wise turns around threads. Only add more than 3 if you're trying to align a component properly. Don't over tighten!

TANK
Steel propane tanks are required to be inspected every 12 years and every 5 years thereafter. I went with the only tank that fits my low-profile propane locker, a 2.5 gallon tank. This same tank worked well over that last decade and only needs to be refilled onece a year. Since it's steel, and it will be exposed to plenty of salt air, rust is not its friend. To keep it off the bottom of the locker floor and away from the inevitable corrosion, I used an old fuel line and split it down one side. I then pressed it on the foot of the tank and added a few dabs of silicone to ensure it doesn't inadvertently slip off. The tank weighs 20# full.

PRESSURE GUAGE
A pressure will not measure of tank volume, but it it good for checking for leaks. A pressure gauge only informs you of the internal tank pressure, which changes with air temperature. Weigh it with a fish scale to determine how much propane you have in the tank.

To test for leaks, turn on the propane tank valve but not the solenoid. The line up to the solenoid will pressurize. Then turn the valve off at the tank and wait at least 3 minutes. If the pressure decreases, you have a leak. Locate the leak with soapy water and a paint brush and look for bubbles.

When I first installed this gauge the ambient temperature was 70° and the new tank the pressure guage read 125psi. Later, at 57° the tank pressure gauge read 105psi. Air temp has a direct correlation to tank pressure.

REGULATOR
This is a low pressure regulator that reduces 125psi to .44psi.

SOLENOID
This is a low pressure solenoid thats circuit is actuated by a switch on the electrical panel which can be easily accessed from the stove.

SUPPLY LINE
Braided, marine grade 3/4" OD. My line is 18' long and in one piece from locker to stove. I added rubber grommets to reduce chafe where the hose passes through the bulkheads. This also creates a airtight barrier in the propane locker.

TANK TIE DOWN
Still got some work to do!

LEAKS
Once the system is intact, testing for leaks is absolutely crucial. As with all plumbing, you never want to over tighten a connection as it could crack the fitting. I like to thread the fitting on by hand first to ensure there's no cross threading. Then tighten the fitting as much as you can by hand. Then use tools to snug up the fitting by tightening 1/8 - 1/4 of a turn. Cracks in fittings that have been over tightened can appear over time due to vibrations. A bit too loose is often best to start out with, then tighten incrementally to stop any leaks. Most of this is done in the propane locker but also check the compression fitting connection at the stove.

1. Your nose is going to be the first indication of a leak.
2. Soap and water dabbed on with a paint brush will help you pinpoint any leaks with a bubble stream.
3. Opening the tank valve then shutting off the valve will pressurize the system. Watch the gauge for at least 3 minutes to see if any propane escapes. My first fill indicated 125 psi. If the pressure goes down at all over time, you have a leak. It's best to check this every time you use the stove.

REFERENCES
This is one project you'll want to read everything you can. If you're in the Seattle area Sure Marine is a excellent resource for parts. I spent a fair amount of time picking Graham's brain. He is sharp and teaches at the Northwest School of Wooden Boats. He is also quoted in the NW Yachting article below.

• Boat US: How to handle propane
• Boat US: Don Casey
• NW Yachting
• Practical Sailor: Propane dos and donts
• Teflon Tape: When to use

Anchoring Tips

Anchoring in a crowded harbor is challenging enough for the most experienced captains - but it shouldn't be - if you know where to look for a good spot and what to do when you find it.

Once you've found a good location, the secret is to come up parallel to your closest neighbor, ensure safe distance, and when 90 degrees from his cockpit, drop your anchor. The key is to slowly motor up and drop your hook close to abeam (just forward of his stern) of an anchored/moored boat. Then drift downwind back to the perfect spot to spend the night. Obviously you'll need to ensure there's plenty of depth and room to swing.

When you drop your hook, don't immediately gun the engine in reverse; pay out plenty of chain as the boat drifts to leeward, and when you have about 4 times the water depth worth of chain out, let the boat drift back gently and naturally before you start to set the hook.

After the bow has been pulled into the wind, pay out some more chain, and again let the boat set itself. When you've paid out enough scope to reach 5:1, and you're happy where you're sitting, give the anchor 5-10 minutes to work it's way into the bottom before you back down on it.

Once you're set, put the engine in reverse at 1/2 throttle (~2000rpm) rest a hand or foot atop the rode forward of the anchor roller. If the anchor is dragging, you will clearly feel it bounce over the bottom. If you're happy with your set, then apply your snubber and relax. If someone comes in and anchors too close to you, do not be afraid to tell them you're uncomfortable.

That's the bare minimum of what you need to know. Sailing Fair Isles has an excellent anchoring video that is worth your time. These guys are great, discuss kedges, types of chain, and freeing a stuck anchor.

2020 Maintenance

Pardon me (again) for the administivia. I like to keep this information at my fingertips as I am constantly referring to it and would hate to ruin a good trip with having to work on the boat in some far off port.

Yanmar 3GM30F - 1849 hours - 01/01/2020

• Jan - Oil + Filter + Racor Filter
• Mar - Clean deck + tightened all hose clamps on engine
• Apr - Gelcoat applied to all non-skid 
  + Water tanks cleaned, flushed + both water filters replaced.
• May - New stove top + propane tank + pressure gauge + regulator + solenoid + supply line + teak cleaned and stained + blower replaced.
• Jun - Honda outboard maintenance: oil, gear oil (manual) +
  Friday Divers (Johnny 360-908-5414) scraped prop, checked zinks currently at 80% + new Magma BBQ (manual) + batteries (2 - 85Ahr) secondary bank located next to mast step + keel bolt maintenence inspection, derust/cleaning/Lanocoat + bilge paint (Rustoleum) on base plate + new bilge pump float switch
• Jul - New Jabsco marine head pump assembly
• Aug - New LED anchor light
• Oct - New Whale Gusher manual bilge pump
• Dec - Engine oil + Oil filter + Tranny oil + Racor filter

To do list:

• Gelcoat deck
• Seal forward toe rail drain holes.
• Add 1/4" aluminum backing plates to toe rails.
• Refrigeration

2019 maintenance &raquo

2018 and earlier maintenance records &raquo

Fall Bounty

Sometimes you just get lucky!

Fall is when the salmon come in. Maybe it's the time when I finally slow down and put the rod out and see what's biting.

An extended crab season was an unexpected bonus this year.

And sometime you have to toss a few back.

SIGHT. SMELL. SOUND.
Salmon have three sense mechanisms they use to find their prey. They are sight, smell and lateral line response (sound). If you are trolling and your lure passes within a few feet of a salmon and he sees it, you will probably catch him. The problem is the ocean and most bodies of water salmon can't see more than a few feet. This gets worse as you go deeper. If you are relying on sight alone you probably won't bring home many salmon.

The second is smell. Salmon have an extremely sharp sense of smell. But that doesn't help unless you get the bail right in front of him.

The third sensing mechanism is the one you want working for you. Down a salmon's side and on his head and back there are tiny hair like projections called cupula. Each of of these has a nerve cell at the end. These cells are used to pick up vibrations in the water. This is the mechanism that you want to take advantage of. If your lure is putting out erratic vibrations twenty or thirty feet from a salmon you can pull him in like a magnet. He will follow the vibration like a radar beam and attack your bait.

Lures like a Crocodile, or the Apex put out an erratic powerful vibration that will get you salmon. A trolled cut plug gets you the same vibrations.

When you put a bait or lure in the water, you should carefully check its action. You want to convey that their buddies are attacking baitfish. Boat speed, depth and current are critical.

Gelcoat Repair

How to Apply Gelcoat and Make a 47 Year Old Boat Look 'New'

I've been thinking about what to do with my worn out decks for years. High wear areas have also worn smooth the thin layer of gelcoat in the smooth areas. Chips and cracks have become home to a tenacious type of mold that only comes off with a wire brush. Wire brushing is effective but doesn't solve the problem, and allows the growth to return after a few short months.

BEFORE and AFTER
   
Left: High traffic areas in the cockpit showing a bit too much 'love'. Right: New gelcoat on port non-skid, old on starboard.

The debate has always been to paint like most folks (and then re-paint every couple years) or try to gelcoat the worn areas. Gelcoat, despite its polyester base and nasty smell seems like the best choice. Gelcoat with its quick dry time and ability to mix small quantities is perfect for me when I only have a couple hours to work. Only time will tell if it's the right choice.

After much research and internal debate the solutions I've chosen is to purchase and apply the gelcoat using two very different techniques; using waxed gelcoat for the non-skid and unwaxed gelcoat for the smooth parts.

AFTER
   
Using a chip brush a light coat gives a finish that doesn't compromise the non-skid and will (hopefully!) last for another 40 years. Bottom photo shows the purple PVA (polyvinyl alcohol) that is used on the unwaxed gelcoat to create the air barrier to speed up drying. It's applied with the Preval sprayer and removed with a wet rag after the gellcoat has dried, about 3-4 hours.

NON-SKID
The waxed gelcoat allows me to brush on two thin layers without having to tape off any areas. A wire brushing using a wire wheel on a drill removes the dirt and oxidation from the surface. An acetone wipe with a clean white cotton t-shirt removes the dust. A second wire brushing between coats ensures good adhesion and provides excellent opacity and thickness without adversely affecting the grip of the non-skid. Clean up with MEK 5 to 10%. Color: Greystone. Quantity: 5qts.

       

DECK
I first removed the propane locker hatch, cleaned it, and took it down to Fiberlay so they could match the gelcoat color. Because the deck is in pretty good shape, I had them only mix one quart or unwaxed. This should allow me to thin the gelcoat (5% best but no more than 10%) with MEK, and apply 2-3 coats. I can also easily feather between different areas I'm working and patch sections if I need to rebed deck fittings.

Prep by sanding with 80-100 grit sandpaper and wiping with acetone.
Option 1) Apply gelcoat in one Preval sprayer. Then coat with polyvinyl alcohol in a separate Preval sprayer.
Option 2) Brush 90° and then come back another 90° with a fully loaded brush.

MIX
4oz gelcoat to .04oz monomer catalyst (14 drops per ounce)
Thin with methylethylketone (MEK) up to 10%
Use Acetone to clean up

FINISH
Take down the orange peel with 240 grit wet sandpaper.
Wet sand with 800 grit
Buff with 3M 05954
Wax with Collinite Heavy Duty Paste Fleetwax

NOTES
Temp 50deg or warmer ... let dry overnight
Temp 80deg ... will dry much faster
Thinning seems to add to dry time, significantly

MORE ON SANDING PREP
The heavier fast-cut grits (40/80/100) are used to feather sand and ground out a routed area prior to filling. Also, they are used for the first sanding of gouges, dock dings, scratches, and blisters. When sanding areas that have been filled with putty I suggest using 40 or 80 grit sandpaper, depending on how large the repair is. Once the fill area is level or contoured to the desired shape, sand with 100 grit paper to remove the course scratches from 40 or 80 grit. You should also feather the surrounding area of the gelcoat repair with 220/330. At this point, the repair is ready to prep and spray/brush with gel coat. When sanding flat areas use a rubber block.

FIBERLAY
http://www.fiberlay.com
6608 S 211th St #105
Kent, WA 98032
(206) 782-0660

MORE INFO
How to apply gelcoat

Be Careful Anchoring in Deer Harbor

Warning to those anchoring in Deer Harbor, Orcas Island

There is an unmarked, submerged, derelict sailboat in 45' of water, 100 ft from the opposite shore of the marina. The coordinates are:
North 48deg 37.136’
West 123deg 00.401’

UPDATE 08/2020: Deer Harbor Marina and residents have now has added 7-8 new bouys in the bay, as seen on Google Maps. Two of them now flank the derelict vessel making it all but impossible to set your anchor in it's hull and rigging.

I found this the hard way...

After fueling up at the Deer Harbor fuel dock we motored over to the West side of the harbor and dropped the anchor in 45’ of water approximately 100’ from shore. We let out approximately 140 feet of chain and set the anchor normally. The anchor, a Lewmar 35# Delta, appeared to set normally with a solid bite.

We have anchored in this harbor many times but not in this exact spot. The bottom is sand and mud throughout the harbor and we have never had any issues of any kind.

The next day we decided to travel to another island. We motored forward using the windless to pull up the anchor chain vertical so that the boats bow was directly over the anchor. We then cleated off the chain and eased the boat forward expecting the anchor to lift out of the mud. The chain did not budge.

We then eased the boat forward a second time giving a little more throttle. Again, the anchor held fast as we heard a pop as the forward bolt snapped on the anchor roller. The chain then pulled the anchor roller horizontally clockwise, so that it rotated almost 45 degrees from its normal position away from the forestay. As the anchor roller rotated, it also tore the starboard navigation light off the toe rail and splintered the teak toe rail. The chain then jumped off the anchor roller and onto the base of the bow pulpit and onto a locking device I use to hold the anchor shank so it doesn’t bounce underway. The bow pulpit then bent with the load of the chain and anchor.

With my anchor roller now unusable we then tried to pull the anchor up from different angles by hand. No luck.

I called the Deer Harbor Marina and asked them if they knew of any problems on my side of the Harbor. They said yes, there is an unmarked sailboat in this area that catches anchors. They told me that someone had posted a warning map with GPS coordinates in their laundry room. I suggested that this should be posted at the fuel dock before folks have moored. They gave names for several divers and I left messages with them all.

I got a call back from a diver in an hour. We agreed on a fee and soon ferried him out to my boat using my dingy. He said he was not aware of any obstruction in this area. He dropped down and within 10 minutes had my anchor free. He said I had lodged the anchor into the side of a fiberglass sailboat. It took a fair amount of effort to dislodge the anchor. He then climbed back in the dingy and I pulled the anchor in by hand. We then motored back to the fuel dock where he unloaded his gear and was paid.

I updated the information in the Deer Harbor laundry room with my new coordinates above. I have also submitted this information to the Waggoner Cruising Guide where they then posted this location and a warning.

The damage

The repair is complete!

New anchor roller, 1/2" stainless plate under the roller and headstay, navigation lights and pulpit. Thanks you Port Townsend Shipwrights Coop for the excellent work.