More reviews...

So after changing the oil, fuel filters, etc... wiring up the steaming/foredeck light, and a good thorough cleaning- I decided to install more of the LED stuff I've been experimenting with. A buddy of mine got a good deal on a new LED chart light and it is really nice- but it retails for over $200. I got a Nighthawk from www.doctorled.com (light in bottom picture) and wanted to see how it was. It's great! My only complaint is that it is kind of big, but its functionality and tiny power draw more than make up for it. Given that result, I also ordered replacement bulbs for my reading lights (bulb shown in top pictures) and was very impressed with them as well. Nice light, much warmer than the bulbs I put in my dome lights, and not badly priced (about $30 each) given that they will most likely outlast the boat. This company is going to have a dome light to match the ones on the boat (their current ones are a little small, but the bigger ones are coming out this summer) that I'm going to replace a couple of the more commonly used dome lights with those when they come out. I would suggest the Doctor LED products to anyone interested in making the move to this power saving light. I'm really looking fwd to being able to have a bunch of lights on with out draining the batteries that I need to run the fridge.

Getting ready for our annual week long cruise around the bay- boat's clean, dinghy is pretty much ready, fridge is packed, weather is supposed to be nice...

Shakedown Cruise

I got everything put on the mast- all new wiring, new LED anchor light (pictured left), all the hardware and sheaves and stuff, and all the new standing rigging--and left off a few things so they weren't damaged during the stepping of the mast such as the new Steaming/Foredeck light... but the wiring is all there. Then had to get all the gooseneck and other fittings, cleats, and hardware on- then got the boom on. It's got all it's upgraded internal rigging for outhaul and boom lift...
We went on a shakedown cruise over the weekend- and everything worked great. Got lots of nice compliments on the rigging and the paint job... only issue we had was that a friend had helped me take all the mast wiring apart in the boat (I have busbars right near the mast up in the headliner to make it easy) and I'm not sure where he put all the busbar screws-- oops. So I didn't have the wind instruments hooked up... I did have enough to hook up the anchor light--

Quick review of the OGM Led anchor light with Photodiode:

• Easy install- 2 wires (note that they are 20 ga wire--) that don't care about polarity.
• Will run on very low power- I made it work with 3 AA batteries in series... It only draws 0.2 amps. The old Perko draws 1.2 amps. In my constant fight with battery draw, this is going to be a great tool.
• Looks great- got great reviews from the people who saw it... very bright, white, light.
• It is advertised as having a rediculously long life- like 50,000 hrs- Which equates to about 6250 nights at anchor. Which equates to a little over 17 yrs if you are at anchor every night as a live aboard.
• Seems like a good purchase- just note that the photodiode means you have to test it at night!

I'm also looking into LED interior lighting- I got some 9 LED festoon bulbs for our current dome lights to see what that looked like. Not real pretty light, but quite bright in the dark. And they draw 1/10th of what the old ones did. I think I'm going to place them in strategic locations around the interior and have them available, but keep some regular bulbs for esthetics sake. Also trying a Dr. LED chart light (the Nighthawk- or whatever it's called)... we'll see how that goes. Purchased a small dehumidifier with a Peltier Motor as it's cooling method... it's supposed to pull up to 16oz of water per day. Which would be perfect for the boat.

Next couple of weeks will see basic seasonal maintenance- oil, trans, filters, winches, etc...

Felt good to be out sailing again.