Friday, 25 April 2014

New blog launching soon - please join us in 2014!




G'day and thanks again for joining us in 2013. We are currently working on a major redesign and relaunch of the blog that will be live early May 2014 (returning to www.finallymydarling.com). Please check back soon or in the meantime, like our Facebook page where we’ll announce the relaunch. Our Lagoon catamaran finally my darling is currently undergoing pre-season maintenance in Marmaris, Turkey and our family adventure will continue very soon!

During 2013 and our first nine months in Europe we dropped anchor in Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Turkey and made a quick visit to Venice, Italy. We’ve embraced simple living and are excited for the year that lies ahead. In 2014 we’ll head west across the Mediterranean toward Italy, France, Spain, Gibraltar and Morocco to name a few. With plans to later cross the Atlantic to the Caribbean.   

Our family adventure is the realisation of dad’s 40-year-long dream to retire and explore the world by sailboat. That dream took effect in March 2013 when we landed in Croatia to take possession of the newest Darling family member – a 2006 Lagoon 440 catamaran. With 20 years in the Navy and several casual stints skippering commercial motorboats with a Master license, dad has salt water running through his veins. Although this is his first time owning a sailboat. Join us as we adapt, explore and make some hard lessons settling into the wonderful lifestyle of fulltime cruising.   

Sunday, 8 December 2013

Col’s Tech Update: winterizing & annual maintenance








Like most sailing boats, finally my darling (FMD) needs her annual maintenance. Without that maintenance, both the systems on the boat and hull of the boat itself would start to rapidly deteriorate and ultimately let us down. It’s a bit like insurance. It costs to have these insurances in place and maintained, but it’s the protection you must have not just for the boat, but also for the safety of those who will continue to enjoy cruising in her. Like the saying goes, there are no service stations when at sea!

With the benefit of having cruised in the Mediterranean for almost eight months, we have pretty much worked out what we’d wish the boat to be like going forward. So in addition to the maintenance costs that were to be carried out, there were improvements we decided upon that also required some expenditure on our part. As was the case this year, we actually spent more on improvements than on maintenance. But the monies spent for those improvements are now permanent, their benefits to be enjoyed for the life of the boat. Thus ongoing annual costs should be almost entirely on maintenance. There can be no doubt that value of the boat in terms of re-sale value will have improved as a result of the changes, making FMD stand out when being compared by potential future buyers.

Maintenance

This year’s maintenance costs will come in at about A$3,900. Here’s a summary of where that money was spent:

  • Rebuilding one of three electric flush toilet macerator/flushing pumps. Here’s a great example of a saying in Turkey: “don’t throw anything anyway”. Most large town or cities in Turkey have an area/s called “the Sanai”. Where can be found an amazing range of mostly small workshops and technicians who, for years have re-built just about anything for a fraction of the cost of buying the new part. If indeed the new part can even be found locally or is still available from the supplier at both a reasonable cost and in a timely fashion.

  • Replacing toilet “joker” or one-way valves. A relatively small outlay, but essential considering what occurs at sea if a toilet blocks or effluent can be held in the holding tanks while at sea or in a small, pristine harbour or waterway.

  • Rebuilding a failed Harken 42.ST electric sailing winch gearbox where the bronze bevel gear failed almost three months earlier, forcing us to use a winch handle.  It was fun trimming by hand for a week or so, but it was bloody frustrating when both Harken and the Italian gearbox manufacturer Bonfiglioni failed to respond, didn’t reply to emails or via their service department web sites, and when they did reply, they never really gave a concise answer. A new gearbox, had it been available in a timely fashion was quoted at A$775. Whereas the gearbox was completely rebuilt in the aforementioned Turkish workshops, including installing all new bearings and seals, and the machining of a new hardened bronze bevel gear, all for A$390.

  • Replacing two failed stainless steel gas struts that supported the heavy fibreglass hinged water maker compartment lid.

  • Rub back and sand the entire hull below the waterline to remove and smooth imperfections in the anti-fouling paint layer. Damaged areas were filled with epoxy resin filler and faired to give an even finish ahead of applying two coats of (expensive) anti-fouling paint. The application of anti-fouling paint won’t in fact be undertaken until a few days before the boat goes back in to the water.

  • Cut and polish the hull from the waterline upwards, including the underside of the bridge deck, the deck and superstructure areas. It should be noted this cut and polish task shouldn’t be required again for another two to three years, with a light buff now and then for maintaining a nice lustre.

  • Service of all three onboard diesel engines being the two Volvo Penta D2-55Hp engines and their sail drive units, plus the 4-cyl Perkins diesel powering the massive 11kVa 220V electric generator. This year, all three engine-cooling systems were flushed and re-filled with coolant and all three engines received new water pump impellers and water pump seals. Two of the three engines had noticeable weeps develop around the housings over the year. Total costs for these three services that exclude labour as it was all done “in-house” totalled in the order of A$400. The costs include oils, fuel and oil filters and parts. The coolant for example and hopefully the water pump impellers and seals, shouldn’t need replacing for about three years. So again, next year’s costs will be less than this year.

  • Carry out minor gel-coat repairs: minor bumps and scratches almost always occur. With modern repair kits and a bit of practice, the owner can generally get an acceptable finish especially when the job is followed by the hull cut and polish.










Improvements

As mentioned earlier, a number of improvements were carried out in the 10-day period immediately after FMD was lifted onto the hard stand at Marmaris in Turkey. In a couple of cases, elements of these improvements will be completed by local contractors while the boat is out of the water; to be completed over the five month European winter storage period. These improvements include:

  • Making an additional cylindrical cushion for the backrest railing, located behind the full-width helm bench seat. The standard Lagoon 440 helm position can seat five to six people with comfort, but gaps in the cushions mean someone is sitting half-on and half-off a cushion which can be uncomfortable. FMD’s cushions are now seven years old and losing their lustre. So Velcro–secured dark blue Sumbrella-type material covers have been made to completely re-cover the existing cushions and as well as the new cushion. The covers can be removed for ease of cleaning; and cover colours match the other Sumbrella blue trimmings.

  • Using sail cloth material from our Code 0 reaching sail, that was unfortunately severely damaged from an incident two months back, a set of screen covers have been made for the outside of our Lagoon saloon windows. They completely cover all the windows during times of longer storage or absence, and are affixed by secure clips matching the colour of the boat. The screens not only provide privacy, but also will protect the interior curtains and furnishings from fading.

  • Again using the former Code 0 sail material, a full lace-up cover has been manufactured to cover the three large 275Watt hinged solar panels.  The remainder of the otherwise excellent condition sail cloth was sufficient to make not only window and solar covers for our boat, but for fellow cruising partners Viv & Frank’s boat: Dominos.

  • In adding 1.5M long, 3700nm gas struts to each side of the existing solar panel lifting frame, makes the task of changing angles of the solar panel as the sun moves during the day, a one handed operation.

  • We relocated the large Outback Flexmax80Amp solar regulator to a more sheltered and accessible position in a shaded, waterproof cockpit cupboard. Next increasing the cable sizes from the solar panels to the MPPT unit, and then onto the batteries. The result has seen better cooling of the MPPT unit and virtually no voltage drop in the circuit. Also added to the circuit were individual 40Amp circuit breakers allowing each, or all panels, to be individually isolated.

  • The complete removal, straightening and bracing of the weakly designed Lagoon anchor cable roller and bow support frame. Many Lagoon 440’s suffer the same breaking of mounting bolts and resulting bending of the frame. A new brace designed by fellow cruiser Frank Maunders was fabricated for both our Lagoons, and the new installation is completely bullet proof.

  • Relocation of the salt water feed pump for the Aqua-Tec 140Lph water maker. The original feed pump and piping, installed by a Lagoon contractor immediately following construction in 2006 was, in my view poorly routed and potentially inefficient. The improvement saw the removal of over five meters of hosing removed, hopefully saving in friction loss along the line.

  • Purchase of a stainless steel water manifold, ball valves and clamps to again tidy-up a poor Lagoon installation. The new manifold allows both water tanks to be individually isolated at the manifold ends and each distribution line to vessel services can also be individually isolated. Previously, a leak or rupture in any one hose would see all fresh water potentially lost overboard.  

  • Manufacture and installation of an easily removable 2.1M high stainless steel support post for our auto tracking satellite TV antenna. In the antenna dome’s former position, it restricted access on the cockpit roof, became a tripping hazard, and the satellite signal was often blocked by the boom. The dome’s new location on the pole fixed on the extreme starboard quarter means it is well out of the way, easy to access and in direct, unrestricted line to satellites being sourced.

  • Finally, and not being undertaken until we return to FMD in March 2014, will be a replacement of the main sail halyard, the Spinnaker halyard, foresail sheets and mainsail sheets. All of these lines are original and at seven years of age, are either starting to show signs of fatigue, but have also developed “memory”. This memory causes them frequently to twist to the point where for example, the main sail cannot be hauled fully up, and is then often difficult to lower.








Upgrade and improvement costs will by March 2014 have cost in the order of A$6,000. This is a lot of money when added to the annual maintenance cost, but in each case, the works will not need to be borne again and will almost certainly add significantly more value to the boat’s potential re-sale value than the initial cost. When both FMD and Dominos are eventually offered for sale in Australia, they can genuinely be advertised as two of the best fitted-out Lagoon 440’s ever to come to Australia.
  
For those of you closely interested in the technical detail of maintaining and winterizing a boat, should you have any further questions or comments, please direct them via the comments field below. We look forward to returning our darling lady to the water next spring and will be sure to update here on any new learnings or developments. Wishing you the merriest of festive seasons and happiest of New Years! May 2014 be the year for chasing your dreams.

Cheers, Col. 




Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Istanbul - the city that never sleeps



Zipping and zigzagging in our taxi through a moody labyrinth of backstreets in the Taskim and Beyoglu districts was a speedy and exhilarating re-introduction to Istanbul. Mike and I had visited as fresh-faced twenty-one year olds more than a decade before and at the time stayed in a hostel in the touristy Sultanahmet district (as you do). Yet on researching via the trusty Lonely Planet, this time we opted for modern day Istanbul‘s Beyoglu neighbourhood, across the Golden Horn on the European side and where the city’s next generation prefers to reside. Istiklal Caddesi is the pedestrian shopping stroll that runs downhill from Taskim to Tunel Square. An endless river of people and faces, the boulevard pulsates all hours of the day and night, and its iconic red tram somehow manages to part the sea of bodies as it plies to and from Taskim Square.

Mama Shelter Istanbul is the latest in a growing chain of new age hotels (also in Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Bordeaux) catering to the youthful yet discerning independent and business traveller. Ranging in price from 69 euro for a single-bed room to 149 euro for a deluxe double terrace – when each accommodation offering morphs into the next, this stylish yet fun loving and affordable establishment stood out in the crowd. Conveniently located a stones’ throw from Istiklal, contemporary Mama Shelter is not yet a year old; oozes cool and exuberance through its slick reception area, colourful brasserie and expansive rooftop bar overlooking Istanbul’s mosque minaret-accented skyline. The rooms are small yet bright, white and super functional, and the fluffy queen bed is the kind of blissful comfort you wish you could replicate at home. Our sunny double terrace, a corner room on the highest (sixth) floor, was perfect for morning coffees or sunset beers – where we could toast Mike’s birthday, our first wedding anniversary and reflect on the surreal last eight months at sea. Though our favourite feature of Mama Shelter must go to the gracious and cheerful young gents behind reception. Their welcoming and personal service was refreshing and an invaluable asset to the hotel. Mama loves you!



































































The sheer offering of historical and religious monuments in this great city is astounding and you need more than just a few days to do it justice. Most key sights are conveniently located within the Sultanahmet district on the European side of the Bosphorus. To get there, we crossed the Galata Bridge lined with local fisherman trying their luck in the murky Golden Horn waters far below, ate customary fish sandwiches from the boats bobbing alongside Eminonu wharf and passed all manner of street stall hawkers selling BBQ corn, BBQ chestnuts, fresh-squeezed pomegranate juice and genuine fake watches.  

Built in the early 1600s to rival is grand neighbour, the Sultan Ahme Camii (or more famously: the Blue Mosque) stills functions as a daily place of worship despite the long line of tourists that file through the viewing area. In respect of the religion and culture, female visitors must cover their head, chest and legs (scarves provided if needed) and all shoes removed.

Across the sprawling gardens, the somewhat haphazard additions and extensions to the landmark Aya Sofya (or Hagia Sophia) monument tell a story of a dramatic and volatile history. It was originally constructed in 537 AD as the world’s grandest Christian church, until the Ottoman conquest in 1453 saw the Greek Orthodox Church converted to a mosque. With incredible foresight Ataturk, the first president and eternal father of Turkey, had Aya Sofya declared a museum and today elements and symbols of Allah and Islam sit alongside images of Christ, the Virgin Mary and his Saints. Intricate Christian mosaics that were once plastered over and hidden from view when converted to a mosque have been painstakingly chipped away to reveal the original intentions and are a testament to Istanbul’s remarkable past. Walking into this awe-inspiring building with its towering, seemingly unsupported dome roof and elaborate decorations is one of those wondrous moments that truly take your breath away. 
 
Seven Hills is a rooftop restaurant perched between, yet just downhill of both the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya. This was the perfect spot to be precisely when the call to prayer, the broadcast hymn to Allah, was bounced effortlessly back and forth between the two towering edifices. A goose-bump inducing daily custom that will forever remind us of our Turkey visits!  

Disappointingly our mid-October visit to Istanbul coincided with the national weeklong religious holiday Kurban Bayrami (or Feast of the Sacrifice).  Most commercial districts, including the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar, were completely closed. Fortunately we experienced both markets on our previous visit, although they had been a highlight and we missed the opportunity for new photographs and hard haggling for souvenirs that we’d been holding out to buy. Probably a blessing in disguise given there was barely a spare square inch left in our loaded luggage!











































































We simply loved Istanbul the second time around and understand the city has rejuvenated and progressed significantly in the past decade.

While densely developed there is little in the way of high-rise construction, and with a growing number of rooftop bars and restaurants, it’s easy to get elevated above the rooftops and admire evening Istanbul’s dusty pink-red city skyline. Popular restaurant 360 is one such stop for metropolitan vistas with your cocktail, and Leb-i Derya just off Istiklal came highly recommended by Mama Shelter for our joint birthday-first wedding anniversary celebratory dinner. This stylish, moody rooftop venue dished up tasty share plates, both international and contemporary Turkish mains and smooth cocktails overlooking the twinkling lights of the city and its illuminated minarets. We couldn’t have been any further from Fiji where we wed this time last year, but are thankful to share another milestone in such a memorable location.    

Sidestepping north off the main Istiklal thoroughfare quickly immerses you in the crowded and electric Nevizade Sokak eating precinct. Crammed with simple restaurants and meyhanes (tavernas), we could barely take more than five steps without an attempt made to usher us to the first vacant table and once seated could almost reach across the narrow laneway to the adjacent restaurant. Come for the atmosphere, not the food. If there is still energy for shopping – buy from fruit, spice or fish market vendors well into the night, or for a nightcap with the locals – visit Beyoglu’s cay (tea) garden crowded with students and young professionals playing backgammon, chain smoking cigarettes and ordering endless cups of cay served in small glasses. This is sensory overload at its peak. And as the Lonely Planet accurately states: “simply put, if you miss Beyoglu, you haven’t seen Istanbul.” 











































The final stop on this short visit was fittingly a Beyoglu tattoo parlour for Mike to collect two small, yet lifelong souvenirs of both our Mediterranean summer escapade and a new nautical bond that we realize is now firmly planted in our short and long term futures in one capacity or another. Let’s just say we already know what we’d dream to do with our own retirements! 

Istanbulanother for your must visit list!