Awesome weekend

[sunshinecoasting]

I spent three days on the boat last weekend, fantastic weather ideal for sailing. Just a simple weekend around Mooloolaba, anchoring each night in the anchorage upstream from the marina. Tested a few mods I have done and was especially pleased with being able to use the head on board as I finally fitted a mascerating pump which enables me to be able to either empty at sea where permitted or to a sewer line at home. Gotta say that being fully independent is liberating, not having to rely on marina's or public conveniences. Now I need a bigger fresh water tank. Saw some dolphins including a Mum and baby swimming beside our boat for some time, babies are sooo cute, only about half a metre long. Also sailed under 100 metres off the beach in front of Mooloolaba and Alex surf clubs, very spooky being that close to the surf breaking but so cool being that close to shore, I had the motor down and ready to start just in case I got too close to the breaking surf, however all was good, I wont do that again but it was something I always wanted to do, dont know why? Probably just the dare devil in me, people walking on the beach and swimming were very interested in how close I was.

Cheers Dennis.

[NiceAft]

Dennis,

Keep those sort of posts coming

Since Nice Aft is now sitting on her trailer in our driveway, and awaiting her winter tarp, your post was nice to read.

Ray

[Mac26Mpaul]

Fantastic Dennis, I think you have gotten more use out of your boat than I have in 4 years LOL (Young children means theres always other things in the way...Don't worry, I will catch up later!).

Have you put a holding tank in your boat?

As to water. I have a 50 litre plastimo bladder under the galley unit, if you leave water in them, they develop mould. I have had to clean mine out a few times with a kitchen scourer/sponge tied to the end of a piece of wooden broomstick and a ton vinegar (real pain). We don't drink the water from there and just use 15litre water bottles to store water onboard. Have about 8 of them bought from Woolworths for about 5 bucks each or so I think. We just refill them each trip and store mostly under the V birth (or anywhere else we can squeeze em.

[sunshinecoasting]

Hi Paul and Ray, I like to journal my trips here even though I suspect people don't want to read them, nonetheless I will continue to do so for those interested. Paul I have a 35 liter bladder tank under the forward birth, it gets an air lock in it so it needs a bleeder vent and I reckon I only get about 20 liters in it, the toilet is a ceramic flushing type with a 35 litre holding tank, lasted me three days and was only half full. I pumped it in to the sewer when I got home although I technically can empty it at sea if I want. The toilet flushes from the fresh water bladder and uses about 1 liter per flush, both sinks have pressure pumps from the same bladder so it doesn't last long once you include some dishes and hand washing. Yes I too discovered the Wooly's 10 litre drink bottles as per your picture, I too do not drink from the bladder. At Mooloolaba boat ramp is an ice vending booth with chilled filtered water for 50c per liter so I refill those 10 litre bottles there, the taps on those bottles work really well for drinks or for filling the kettle. The ramps there are perfect for a weekend on our boats, two double ramps and a T shaped jetty to tie up to when you need water or fish and chips from the shops just 200 meters away. Here's a pic of my boat at that jetty last weekend and a pic of the head. By the way Paul, you and I have the same taste in torches, those LED torches are really good on the boat. Ray, where Paul and I live it is boating weather all year round, our winters are mild and offer excellent sailing opportunity, the summers are hot and wet, was about 34 here today (that's about 98 in your speak) so definitely not Phily weather, think of our area more like south Florida. Paul, stick your boat on the trailer, pack the family and get up here for a weekend, I will gladly meet you in our boat at the boat ramp and guarantee you a fun weekend in the harbour. Cheers, Den.

[Mac26Mpaul]

Trailer sailer sailors always like reading about other trailer sailer sailors adventures Dennis. Not everyone will post, but there will definitely be people enjoying your trip reports. And to make them more interesting, the more pictures the merrier

Boats looking good there Dennis

Where did you get the 35l holding tank? Is it solid, or a bladder? how much was it?

[sunshinecoasting]

Hi Paul, I have added to the post above so you may want to re-read that one. The boat came equipped with the self contained toilet, a pressure pump for the toilet and head sink, a smaller pump for the kitchen sink and the bladder already installed, it is a cubed shape rubber bladder (about 40x40x25 cm's similar to what they make the old fashioned red and blue lilo's out of, it is mounted in a frame made from 1" poly tubing in the area under the front birth, the main pump is mounted under the seat on the port side (opposite where your toilet would be) and the galley pump is smaller and mounted under the galley itself, they all plumb back to that 35 liter tank which has a deck fill inlet above the front windows on the starboard side, the previous owner went to some trouble to install it all, he even installed tiny LED lights in all of the light fittings including the head so you can move about the cabin at night without putting on the main lights. It has mains power outlets everywhere too but they are still 110V AC USA so I need to change them before Christmas.