We have wanted to go to Victoria, BC for awhile. In fact, we tried to go two years ago as part of the Desolation Sound trip but the weather kept us away with constant high wind warnings. Maybe it's the geography there, located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island and sitting on the northern... Continue Reading →
It was a gorgeous spring day to take a boat trip. One of our go-to spots for a day trip is Blakely Harbor on Bainbridge Island. We left our home marina just before lunch. The weather was awesome. While we have anchored in Blakely Harbor many times, we have never gone ashore to explore... Continue Reading →
Update August 2018: The registration numbers are on. Cathleen stenciled them with permanent paint rather than using the stick-on numbers that inevitably rip and fall off. It looks great! While she was at it, she stenciled Fiddler on the life ring. Love it! I sold the dinghy that came with the boat. It was an... Continue Reading →
It's starting to feel like boating season again. The temperatures are increasing, the days are getting much longer, and the rain and wind are less onerous. We had especially nice weather for the four day trip with our yacht club to Poulsbo. The Poulsbo marina's largest slips are 40' and Fiddler is nearly 52' overall.... Continue Reading →
It was September when we last took Fiddler on a cruise. Shortly thereafter, the weather patterns shifted to unsettled and unpredictable, making it difficult to get away during the brief windows of good weather. Our yacht club organized the first scheduled cruise of the year to Bell Harbor on the Seattle waterfront. Not knowing what... Continue Reading →
Every couple of years Fiddler needs to come out of the water. Usually it gets hauled out for a visual inspection of the hull, to apply a coat or two of anti-fouling paint, and to clean up the propellers, drive shafts, thru-hulls, and struts. In addition, this time Fiddler's seals on the shafts and rudder... Continue Reading →
Wires are sized based on the amps that will flow through them, and the length of the wire run. If the load is heavier than the wire can handle, it will get very hot and potentially cause a fire. Fuses and circuit breakers are used to protect the wiring. So when an appropriately sized wire... Continue Reading →
Maintaining Fiddler takes a lot of time and requires an understanding of multiple systems. Unlike a car where the maintenance is related primarily to the engine and drive train (changing the oil and other fluids, spark plugs, brakes, and rotating the tires), Fiddler has two diesel engines, two drive trains, two propellers, two rudders, hydraulic... Continue Reading →
Fiddler 