Refrigerator   This project started four years ago. I used components from a household refrigerator to convert my icebox into a powered refrigerator. After four years, I had to replace the compressor with a 12V DC model, which I had planned to do from the beginning. So far, everything has worked well with an inexpensive Chinese-made thermostat like this one. Link to AliExpress    However, I went through three of these thermostats in four years. I think the main problem lies in the sensor and sensing circuit: moisture and vibration seem to make them unreliable. After just a few days, the latest one started showing +26°C when the refrigerator was cold and +2°C when the box was warm. Maybe interference from the AC power lines affected it, but I got tired of fighting this battle. Welcome to my life ;-) I decided to design my own solution with a 1-Wire digital temperature sensor, remote refrigerator control, a connection to my boat computer, a food safety alarm if the te...

 New main sail, new Shrouds. Sailing morning.  Saturday morning we hoisted new sail and get out for sea trail new standing rigging.       We went out today in 15–20 knots of wind. It was a great sail. Unfortunately, the weather didn't give us a chance to hoist the full mainsail, so we spent most of the day cruising at about 5–6 knots with the first reef in the main and just the "corner" of the jib. At one point a stronger gust hit—probably around 20+ knots—and the boat heeled all the way to the toe rail. Nothing excessive, just a normal reaction to a decent gust. About 5–10 minutes later I heard the bilge pump alarm. I jumped into the cabin and found 2–3 inches of water under the cabin sole. My boat has a very shallow bilge, so even 5–10 gallons of water creates a pretty dramatic-looking situation. My first thought was, "Houston, we have a problem." Since we weren't far from the marina, my immediate reaction was, "Let's head back." But that fee...

 Two days - one work on boat, one to have pleasure on it. Work day Mast adjustments again.  I readjusted  mast again using forward lowers to straight it. It was not easy, but at some moment i realised that top shrouds have BIG effect on this "natural", as I thought, spreaders level bend to port side. However i was able to play with forward lowers and top shrouds to make mast almost straight and without dramatic difference in tension. But sea trial showed the problem is not completely fixed but I have some progress. B ut now I’m starting to think the issue is more related to the top shroud settings. Monday I “confirmed” this with GPT chat ;-) The correct name for my rigging is: Masthead sloop with discontinuous standing rigging with single inline spreaders. Actually, it looks like my mast “virtually” has two spreader levels, but the upper spreader is absent. Instead, intermediate shrouds run from the spreader plates to about 3/4 mast height. That changes the whole mast adj...

 Lake Travis get water back it was 20 Ft in 24 hours  We have got a lot of water! Some sailing fun on Saturday (~4 hours). We decided to go lake upstream direction and after about 1.5 hours nice sailing we was stopped by police and POLITELY asked to return back to marina.  Then we found the lake is closed for recreational boater for now due to a lot of floating trash on the water and search operation is steel in progress.    Refrigerator Since day one I installed refrigerator, I think how to make it work more efficient. couple years ago I have converted my ice chest to embedded refrigerator, it was done by re-aranging parts from the smal household refrigerator. I ended up mount evaparator inside the ice box, compressor is located under LPG locker and condencer in between LPG locker and starboard side of the hull. it is appeared pretty "cozy" space, but not a lit free airflow to keep condenser cool well a specially when it is working hard to cool 20-30 lb of...

 Engine. Final decision made. I convinced myself to get engine out and repair engine mount stringers bonding to hull as well do check/repair engine "on side". Taking engine on my own was an interesting challenge. I am very pleased to boat designers for big engine compartment hatch! it was the game changer. Process to get engine out. Disconnect drive shaft coupler. Before disassembling I started engine put on gear and cleaned and slightly filed cylindrical surfaces on rotating coupler to have good reverence surface for alignment later.    There was no surprises but one bolt had not lock washer and bolts was not tighten well. Remove and starter, alternator  No surprises on alternator, but starter mount nuts are hard to reach due to starter body diameter does not give space to put 19mm socket on the nut (starter is to "fat") and I had to use 20mm socket sitting little "on side". Starter and alternator removed  Undo aft engine mounts.  Nuts on mounts are tight...

 Fixed port windows  Made and replaced port windows, New windows screwed to the cabin every 75mm. Set on DOW795. fiberglass and gelcoat sanded with 220grit and cleaned with 50/50 IPA solution.  Detailed story is Here Interior Installed back finished doors in front cabin.   Installed head door.   Cabin sole. Tried to lite grind (350grid) stained floor gelcoat in main cabin under the table. Get pretty good results. Gelcoat has descent thickness to be re-sanded and re-polished.  Small piece at time. Was  Result   Refrigerator chest lid support Epoxied two slats on long side of opening.

  Refrigerator Tided up refrigerator compressor area   Temporary solution to make air circulation around condenser better. Interior Mail cabin hatch, internal trim originally was mounted " in air", all screws was just put in frame but it capt juts on silicon. just no material to put screws. To fill the gap I temporary mounted plywood planks wrapped in waxed paper. gap filled with epoxy thickened with chopped glass fibers, adhesive filler (404) and colloidal silica. Waxed paper gets out easy Frame  support built and ready to install the trimming frame. Frame installed back. Dry fit the frame around companionway. Sanded and per-installed front hatch trim Just plus diameter And now... sanding all primed surfaces to prepare for painting.  Plywood surface primed to be solid color painted. smooth surface feels like plastic ;) All sesanded (all what i can do with random orbital sander)