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Thread: Nightmare's Saga

  1. #61
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
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    586

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    I bought the gimbal through New Ocean Wave.
    http://www.newoceanwave.com/shop/

    Pretty pricey but works fantastic.
    No affiliation.

  2. #62
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    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
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    My wife came to help this weekend so we tackled those projects that require two people.
    Re-bedding the jib tracks and re-installing the toe rails.

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    All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it is vanity; but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they act their dream with open eyes, to make it possible.

    T.E. Lawrence

  3. #63
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
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    586

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    I've been working with the Iridium Go lately.
    The initial setup wasn't too painful and using the texting and voice call feature is pretty straight forward.
    It compresses photos from my phone or iPad and sends via text or email. They are not hi-def but decent.

    it has a three day spot forecast similar to the Ocens from the Inreach.

    The GMDSS bulletins download quickly.
    The gribs from Predict Wind load slowly but consistently.
    We have a lot of trees and the signal is pretty jumpy as the satellites pass, but the download doesn't have to start over with the handoff.

    Getting the gribs through Inavx is mostly elusive. I was able to download one yesterday but am unable to duplicate today.

  4. #64
    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    907

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    Quote Originally Posted by Daydreamer View Post
    The gribs from Predict Wind load slowly but consistently.
    I also use PredictWind. For racing it's outlawed so I chose SailGrib WR, an app, to easily download Grib files. qtVlm is another option I know of. If I had the money I might consider a Windows based tablet and use OpenCPN, qtVlm and maybe a few plug ins for OpenCPN.

    My unsolicited two cents ...

  5. #65
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
    Posts
    586

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    Thanks PJ, looks like a nice app, however I don't have any android based devices.

    The InavX is my chosen WX delivery system. I just need to get the settings right with the iridium mail.

  6. #66
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
    Posts
    586

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    As a backup for weather data I bought a Tecsun PL-880, made by Kaito, and loaded the Black Cat app on the iPad.
    I can occasionally tune in Honolulu and hear the fax signal but there is too much noise to decode a clear picture.
    Talking with Ken, our local ham guru, he suggested being on the water and away from interference might help.
    We plugged my radio into one of his antenna and improved the signal but not to the clarity of his high end equipment.
    I am going to lengthen the external antenna and run it up a halyard to see if that helps.

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  7. #67
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    San Francisco Bay
    Posts
    156

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    I've had the PL-880 for several years. Great radio! I experience MUCH lower noise out on the ocean.

  8. #68
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
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    586

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Smokester View Post
    I've had the PL-880 for several years. Great radio! I experience MUCH lower noise out on the ocean.
    Good to hear that!

    I also bought adapter cables to use the line out jack from the radio. The iPad needs a TRRS connector adapted to the TRS on the radio. Actually the radio would be TS as line out is one way but TRS will work.
    Found them on Amazon.
    Last edited by Daydreamer; 06-04-2018 at 09:46 AM.

  9. #69
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
    Posts
    586

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    Getting the GRIBS from saildocs has become consistent. YAY !

    Does anyone know how to get the OPC surface pressure charts through the iridium go sat-phone?
    I can't seem to get it from the web. File too big?

    Hoping offshore the SW receiver will pull in a clean enough signal to get the fax with Black cat app.

    I did manage to get over to Berkeley Marine Center for a haul and hang so I could get the lower rudder bushing fitted properly. Tiller is light and smooth.
    The AP and the skipper don't need to work any harder than necessary steering all the way to Kauai.

    Building a spare gooseneck and mount for the mast from stainless. Just in case.

  10. #70
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Arnold, CA
    Posts
    586

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    Difficult to fathom it's been two months since we left for Kauai !?!
    Did I really just sail a tiny plastic boat to Hawaii and back?!!! Yep.

    Nightmare is an amazing boat and did all the work.

    Solar panels, 200 watts, kept the batteries charged even through overcast days with the autopilot driving most of the time.

    The Iridium Go downloaded gribs to the iPad twice a day. Texted my wife and friends daily and got email position reports from the race committee.
    Phoned home every three days. Connection dropped occasionally and had poor audio couple times. Redialing seemed to take care of that.

    The autopilot was a trooper steering. However the response to quartering seas could have been better. That's when I steered more, and when the swell built.

    Food and water supplies were plentiful and the Jetboil on the gimbal worked great.

    Only had a couple things break during the race. The swivel for the spinnaker pole downhaul parted from the deck, and the bridle for the pole parted as well. All on separate occasions.
    Kept fixing those things and trying the fly the stupid thing anyway.

    The biggest trouble with the kite was the apparent wind. Trimming for 130-150 app. the boat would surf and accelerate bringing the wind to 90 apparent or less.
    Things worked best with the kite over trimmed and me steering to help the wind back of 120.
    It was really sloppy and wasn't any faster than surfing DDW with a poled out jib, which is what I used most of the time.
    Last edited by Daydreamer; 03-09-2019 at 08:27 PM.

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