Fiddler received routine maintenance, a couple of repairs, and a few small upgrades in 2026. Fortunately I filled the tanks (700 gallons) prior to the spike in prices which lasted the season. With no major upgrades or purchases, this was a typical year in terms of baseline cost of ownership. Nonetheless, things wear out or... Continue Reading →
This year was the 13th season of boating aboard Fiddler. It has been, and still is, a great cruising boat. At about 50' in overall length, it is comfortably accomodating for up to four people and perfect for two. However, I spend a significant amount of time single-handing Fiddler and after 13 seasons I know... Continue Reading →
For literally the last 12 months I have been troubleshooting a vacuum leak in my marine sanitation system, aka "head". The system, called VacuFlush, uses a vacuum generator to create a vacuum between the pump and the toilet so when it is flushed, the vacuum sucks out the bowl contents and pumps it to the... Continue Reading →
Every Commodore of the Port Ludlow Yacht Club gets to plan one of the club cruises, appropriately named the Commodore Cruise. This year that fell on me. I was a little uncomfortable planning a trip for others and usually don't follow an agenda while boating. Too many variables can disrupt a schedule, the biggest being... Continue Reading →
I have wanted a diesel heater on Fiddler from day one. Although I have been relatively happy with the current reverse cycle heating and air conditioning, the drawback is that it runs on AC only. I have to be plugged into shore power or running the generator in order to use it. That is fine... Continue Reading →
Fiddler runs navigation software on a desktop PC with a helm-mounted monitor. The original monitor was installed in 2010 and at that time was a high-end, high-brightness marine monitor. It served us well for over a decade. However, the screen began to delaminate a couple of years ago and I began searching for a replacement.... Continue Reading →
After ten years of minimal maintenance, the caprail is showing its age and wear. It is made of a composite material and painted, not teak like many boats have. The caprail actually needs little annual maintenance to keep it looking good. Several years ago I put on a clear coat and that is wearing off.... Continue Reading →
From Fiddler's log book: Over the last ten years, we have taken 145 trips, from just a few hours to months away from the dock. These trips covered 10,470 nautical miles (12,041 statute miles), ranging from Olympia, WA in the South Puget Sound to Juneau, AK. They required 1,592 hours of engine run time for... Continue Reading →
Most boaters in the Puget Sound area head north to the San Juan Islands when they want to get away for a one- or two-week vacation on the water. Many others spend their time in the Central and South Sounds. A few choose to go to Hood Canal. Cathleen and I live in Port Ludlow... Continue Reading →
If you haven’t been to Bremerton lately you will be pleasantly surprised. The city has leveraged its long naval presence and capitalized on its convenient waterfront location to provide a destination for tourists, especially for us recreational boaters that enjoy a good port with interesting sights and fun activities. The city of Bremerton is located approximately... Continue Reading →
