Marine refrigerators are built to operate efficiently. They cool slowly and don't have an energy hogging frost-free feature. Typically the cooling coils are in the top freezer and the cool air from the freezer keeps the refrigerator compartment cool. Like at home, refrigerators operate 24/7 for at least the boating season and sometimes year round... Continue Reading →
I have been a Marine Park Host at Blake Island for two years. While it has its routine, the weeks are not without excitement. Blake Island Marine State Park Blake Island is accessible only by boat, offering a change of pace just a few miles from the Seattle waterfront. The island is nearly 500 acres and... Continue Reading →
Fiddler’s house/inverter battery bank got so weak that I couldn't brew a pot of coffee without triggering an inverter shutdown because of sustained low voltage. For the last several trips where anchoring was involved, I would start the generator in the morning to brew the coffee and recharge the batteries. The inverter also powers the... Continue Reading →
Meander: a winding path or course There are still a few places in Puget Sound that we haven't visited and one of our boating goals this summer is to see some of them. With the Canadian border closed, there are hoards of boaters in the popular places. Plus, there are a lot of people that... Continue Reading →
We look forward to the crabbing season to restock the freezer and enjoy delicious crab cakes throughout the year. In the first two trips of the season, we brought home over 12 pounds of crab meat! That likely isn't enough to last the winter, so there will be more crabbing to come. This year local... Continue Reading →
Fiddler came equipped with a hot/cold handheld shower installed in the transom. I didn't think I would ever need a warm shower outside and I have never seen others showering outside either. It was a wasted item for me, plus it leaked. The way it was installed prevented easy access to fix the leak so... Continue Reading →
Whenever we pass Quartermaster Harbor as we go to Tacoma, Gig Harbor, or venture to the South Sound, I say that I would like to visit it sometime to check it out. Now is that time. Vashon Island sits in Puget Sound between Seattle and Tacoma and is the largest Washington island south of Whidbey... Continue Reading →
The Governor imposed many restrictions on social activities over the last two months due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as did the rest of the world. Recreational boating has been impacted by these restrictions as many marinas have closed their guest moorage and reciprocal yacht club access. Onshore activities are severely reduced by closure of restaurants... Continue Reading →
The last weekend in February was the third MBYC Winter Cruise that we have attended. All of them are held at Bell Harbor Marina on the downtown Seattle waterfront. It is only a couple of miles from Elliott Bay Marina where we dock Fiddler, so the engines barely get warmed up on the short trip... Continue Reading →
Good reliable data is important when boating. Coolant temperature, exhaust temperature, oil pressure, fresh water level, fuel level, boat speed, wind speed, wind direction, GPS location, battery charge, holding tank level, and others all work together to make the pleasure boating experience, well, a pleasure. The level of the black water (sewage) holding tank tells... Continue Reading →
Fiddler 