In the last week, I have gotten a few new toys for the Pretty Gee.
The first is my box of flares. Some of my friends start worrying when I start to receive large boxes marked with HazMat stickers. They keep mumbling something about how incendiaries and explosives should be more closely watched. I’ve gotten SOLAS/USCG rated flares—two orange smoke canisters, four each of red handheld, white handheld and red parachute flares. They’re currently stored in a metal ammo container. They came with a bright yellow container for use on the boat. I think I might keep them in the ammo container.
The second toy is a Garmin GPSMap 192C, with complete BlueChart coverage of the coastal United States. This is going to be the primary GPS for the boat. I will have a backup unit, a Garmin GPSMap 76CS, which is a handheld unit I’ve owned for a few years.
The third toy is a Raymarine Autopilot Smart Controller. This nifty little device is a remote for the Raymarine Tillerpilot that is going to be one of the self-steering solutions on the boat. I am also planning on adding a windvane, but that will have to wait a while. The Smart Controller also can act as an instrument repeater for the Raymarine Tridata and Wind instruments that are going to be aboard the boat. I see this as a very useful addition, as it allows me to steer the boat from outside the cockpit, as well as read the instruments from anywhere on the boat.
Installing the Smart Controller and the GPSMap 192C should be relatively easy. The Smart Controller will probably be installed above the nav station. The GPS unit I am planning on mounting on a swing arm, so it can be seen either in the cockpit or the cabin.
That only leaves four major items left to get for the boat. These items aren’t really necessary for day sailing, but some of them are essential safety gear. The others are essential for longer bluewater passages.
The first of them I will get is the Jordan Series Drogue. This is an important heavy weather safety device. Once it is setup, it can be dropped overboard and then you can hide in the cabin during really bad weather. Don Jordan, the inventor, has likened it to an ejection seat—pull the handle and hold on for the ride.
The second is a boom brake. The one I’ve decided on is a Dutchman Boom Brake 500. This is a bit oversized for a boat as small as the Telstar 28, but I’d rather have the boom brake oversized than undersized. This is to help prevent accidents like this. Fortunately, Carol Anne is recovering nicely and back sailing a boat.
The third item is a windvane. This is a fixture on many long-distance cruising boats. I have decided on the Monitor windvane and MRUD. I probably won’t get this until a few months before any very long bluewater passages. I believe this is the same gear that my friend Webb uses on his boat. This will give me an option for self-steering that isn’t dependent on electricity. Windvanes are also quite good in heavy weather, unlike most autopilots. Finally, the MRUD gives me a backup steering system.
The last major item is a watermaker. The one I like the most is the Waterlog watermaker. It has several major advantages over most of the other watermakers, as it doesn’t require a complex installation or use any electricity in its normal configuration. In normal use, it is towed behind the boat, and uses the energy of being towed to create fresh water. It also has a manual operation kit for use in a life raft, as well as a DC motor for use at anchor.