...you can now get it here. You may still send me personal e-mails for information regarding the system. *pop One more thing... The Boat Babe & I are planning a return trip to the Bahamas for the month of May. *bzz If anyone would like to cruise over with us, let us know! We would love to share the experiences (good & bad) and intend to sail to the Exumas. It will be 3-4 days from the time we leave the U.S. If weather becomes a problem and delays parts of the passage, we may opt to put Empty Pocket into port somewhere and fly home, leaving the boat for a later return trip. Either way, it should be fun... ...any takers? *5
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You found my systems biggest flaw
I have to adjust my course to get true optimum solar angle. This is not too much of a problem unless you're in a narrow channel.
Usually I settle for a level panel and it does a pretty good job. On a typical trip up to the San Juans from my home on Whidbey Island for instance I may leave early in the morning and adjust the angle and then hold a course that keeps the sun on the stern all morning. The new panels claim to have a wide angle of acceptance unlike some of the early ones so level is usually good enough for me. I accept some compromises to keep it as simple and light as possible but I would like to supliment it with a couple of medium size panels that I could hang somewhere and use just when I'm anchored out.
I have to adjust my course to get true optimum solar angle. This is not too much of a problem unless you're in a narrow channel.
Usually I settle for a level panel and it does a pretty good job. On a typical trip up to the San Juans from my home on Whidbey Island for instance I may leave early in the morning and adjust the angle and then hold a course that keeps the sun on the stern all morning. The new panels claim to have a wide angle of acceptance unlike some of the early ones so level is usually good enough for me. I accept some compromises to keep it as simple and light as possible but I would like to supliment it with a couple of medium size panels that I could hang somewhere and use just when I'm anchored out.Brian, your boat
Brian, I, like many here, have been following your trips with awe. I have always come back with the same question and that is why the HUnter25 and not a bigger boat. I am looking at retirement in the near future and have been thinking about taking a trip down the Atlantic Intra-coastal Water Way. I recently sold my Catalina 22 and have been looking for a bigger boat just not sure how big I need. I am taking my time to make sure I get what I want (and need). How have you coped with the size of your cabin on long trips? Does the lack of head room affect the confort you two enjoy on your adventures? I would love to keep my next boat around the 25 to 26 foot range but worry about things like showers and marine heads (verses pota-potties. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I am sure there are others out there that would love to hear your take on the issue. Thanks for your time and all that you two bring to this forum Robert
Brian, I, like many here, have been following your trips with awe. I have always come back with the same question and that is why the HUnter25 and not a bigger boat. I am looking at retirement in the near future and have been thinking about taking a trip down the Atlantic Intra-coastal Water Way. I recently sold my Catalina 22 and have been looking for a bigger boat just not sure how big I need. I am taking my time to make sure I get what I want (and need). How have you coped with the size of your cabin on long trips? Does the lack of head room affect the confort you two enjoy on your adventures? I would love to keep my next boat around the 25 to 26 foot range but worry about things like showers and marine heads (verses pota-potties. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I am sure there are others out there that would love to hear your take on the issue. Thanks for your time and all that you two bring to this forum Robert
I have a 30 foot Islander and my friends
Had an O'Day 27. The cockpit on the O'Day was about three feet shorter than the cockpit on the Islander. So the cabin space was just about the same. Their rudder post was smack up against the stern and on the Islander it is four feet forward of the stern. The tiller dominated the cockpit on the Islander. My friends lived aboard for about four years with a cat and a large dog and a parakeet. They bought a small cottage a couple of years ago and moved ashore. As Brian has just said it is all a matter of how well organized the space is. Almost every space on a boat has multiple uses. Just as in the small homes in the past the kitchen table was the sewing table during the day, the homework table after school, the supper table, and the home office.
Had an O'Day 27. The cockpit on the O'Day was about three feet shorter than the cockpit on the Islander. So the cabin space was just about the same. Their rudder post was smack up against the stern and on the Islander it is four feet forward of the stern. The tiller dominated the cockpit on the Islander. My friends lived aboard for about four years with a cat and a large dog and a parakeet. They bought a small cottage a couple of years ago and moved ashore. As Brian has just said it is all a matter of how well organized the space is. Almost every space on a boat has multiple uses. Just as in the small homes in the past the kitchen table was the sewing table during the day, the homework table after school, the supper table, and the home office.
My Hunter 25.5
Brian. As a previous owner of the same 25.5 vessel you have, and after following your Bahama adventure I am still amazed how you got that ship looking the way it does!! We had our Hunter for roughly five years and although the interior was near bristol (prior owner installed an AC powered fridge behind the companion way ladder and a microwave under the stove, new cushions, curtains, etc) we found that the v-berth was to small to sleep in, the quarter birth was cramped for two, the settee limited in space, the converted dinette table to berth was troublesome and storage and tankage in general was minimal! Add the small locker behind the head, lack of standing headroom (with pop-top down) and you had generally a small pocket cruiser with a generous beam that was a great weekend sailor. For me, moving up from the 25.5 was the next step, but then its different strokes for different folks. You sir, on the other hand took this vessel and tranformed it into a well finished floating shelter equipped with all the luxuries and cruising fineries. I never thought a Hunter 25.5 could be transformed so well! Maybe, you missed your calling and should venture over to the Hunter/Catalina design teams. Your electronics and power generation systems are a super installation complete with a bulkhead built-in TV/DVD. Thats really cool! Many travel and even live aboard small vessels and your correct in saying that less may be more! When we sailed over to West End in our Coronado 35 many years ago we came across many 25 footers, outboard powered and loaded with amenities throughout the Islands. The owners never complained a bit about space. If your comfortable, I guess thats all that matters. One of my college buddies lived aboard his Catalina 22, but thats another story. I wish you luck in your next voyage and look forward to your next series of photodocumentation. Do not forget a stronger painter for the dinghy this time! I would hate to hear the dink parted ways again. Bob Catalina 30 "Breezin II" Lake Lanier, GA
Brian. As a previous owner of the same 25.5 vessel you have, and after following your Bahama adventure I am still amazed how you got that ship looking the way it does!! We had our Hunter for roughly five years and although the interior was near bristol (prior owner installed an AC powered fridge behind the companion way ladder and a microwave under the stove, new cushions, curtains, etc) we found that the v-berth was to small to sleep in, the quarter birth was cramped for two, the settee limited in space, the converted dinette table to berth was troublesome and storage and tankage in general was minimal! Add the small locker behind the head, lack of standing headroom (with pop-top down) and you had generally a small pocket cruiser with a generous beam that was a great weekend sailor. For me, moving up from the 25.5 was the next step, but then its different strokes for different folks. You sir, on the other hand took this vessel and tranformed it into a well finished floating shelter equipped with all the luxuries and cruising fineries. I never thought a Hunter 25.5 could be transformed so well! Maybe, you missed your calling and should venture over to the Hunter/Catalina design teams. Your electronics and power generation systems are a super installation complete with a bulkhead built-in TV/DVD. Thats really cool! Many travel and even live aboard small vessels and your correct in saying that less may be more! When we sailed over to West End in our Coronado 35 many years ago we came across many 25 footers, outboard powered and loaded with amenities throughout the Islands. The owners never complained a bit about space. If your comfortable, I guess thats all that matters. One of my college buddies lived aboard his Catalina 22, but thats another story. I wish you luck in your next voyage and look forward to your next series of photodocumentation. Do not forget a stronger painter for the dinghy this time! I would hate to hear the dink parted ways again. Bob Catalina 30 "Breezin II" Lake Lanier, GA
Thank you
Brian, Ross, Bob Thank you for the insight. I would love to stay around 26 - 27 foot for reasons of cost and maint. I worried whether it was smart to consider an adventure like the ICW in a smaller boat or to even consider a boat with an OB. Brian, not sure what your head room is but has it ever been a proble. I am guessing you guys spend most of the time in the cockpit or water. Thanks again for the information. It has been a BIG help. Wish you were going tothe Dallas Boatshow so we could pick your brain.
Brian, Ross, Bob Thank you for the insight. I would love to stay around 26 - 27 foot for reasons of cost and maint. I worried whether it was smart to consider an adventure like the ICW in a smaller boat or to even consider a boat with an OB. Brian, not sure what your head room is but has it ever been a proble. I am guessing you guys spend most of the time in the cockpit or water. Thanks again for the information. It has been a BIG help. Wish you were going tothe Dallas Boatshow so we could pick your brain.
RG, It sorta depends. If you are bigger
than the average bear then the accomodation in a 25 foot boat might be a little tight. But if like me you are a towering 5ft 5in then a 25 foot boat seems quite spacious. For very tall people that visit Bietzpadlin I tell them that we have full standing headroom on deck, please mind the boom!
than the average bear then the accomodation in a 25 foot boat might be a little tight. But if like me you are a towering 5ft 5in then a 25 foot boat seems quite spacious. For very tall people that visit Bietzpadlin I tell them that we have full standing headroom on deck, please mind the boom!
Brian, I wish
Brian, I wish I could make the time. I teach high school so I take all my vacation during the summer. That is why I have been asking the questions about suitability of a boat the size of Empty Pocket. My biggest quandry is inboard diesel or outboard motor. I think I could live with tiller or wheel steering. The motor issue is my biggest question. I plan on buying and keeping the boat in a lake until I get ready to retire and push away from the dock one last time. Then I want to do the ICW from Texas to Florida, across Florida, and up to Virginia. Then, who knows, it's just me, my boat and God's beautiful earth. I like the idea of a boat your size allowing more money for QUALITY upgrades to improve the comfort factor. You guys have the plan. Good luck in ya'lls future.
Brian, I wish I could make the time. I teach high school so I take all my vacation during the summer. That is why I have been asking the questions about suitability of a boat the size of Empty Pocket. My biggest quandry is inboard diesel or outboard motor. I think I could live with tiller or wheel steering. The motor issue is my biggest question. I plan on buying and keeping the boat in a lake until I get ready to retire and push away from the dock one last time. Then I want to do the ICW from Texas to Florida, across Florida, and up to Virginia. Then, who knows, it's just me, my boat and God's beautiful earth. I like the idea of a boat your size allowing more money for QUALITY upgrades to improve the comfort factor. You guys have the plan. Good luck in ya'lls future.
RG, The best reason to go with an inboard
diesel is fuel economy. Ten horse power diesel will cost 3 or4 times what an outboard will cost but on my thirty foot Islander I get close to 20 miles per gallon with my inboard diesel.
diesel is fuel economy. Ten horse power diesel will cost 3 or4 times what an outboard will cost but on my thirty foot Islander I get close to 20 miles per gallon with my inboard diesel.
Brian post more photos of EP
Ok Brian, I'm starting to change my opinion a bit. I had commented earlier that it seems like a pretty large and elaborate structure. One thing the Admiral and I agree on is that we like the lines of our boats to remain simple and uncluttered as much as possible, hence our frame with it's limitations. The thing that I like most that I've heard about your system is that it is removable without too much hassle. That would be a very good thing because it could supliment a more streamlined permanent mounting. The 130w panel in a level mount can handle all of our electrical needs when I'm sailing like reefer, autopilot, chartplotter, plumbing incl electric head, etc. It would be nice to double or triple that amount when we're at anchor. I even have an electric motor on my dinghy so I can use all the juice I can make. I was thinking of hanging a couple of panels off of the stern pulpit at those times but the stick might be a better approach for that. I'm still not sold on keeping it mounted all of the time but I know many others do have masts for radar and wind generators that apparently do alright. It doesn't look too bad on your little Hunter. I'd like to see more photos of Empty Pocket after what I read it sounds like you have it worked out pretty well. Do you have any shots of the interior on line? And of course, we're all still waiting for more shots of the "boat babe".
Ok Brian, I'm starting to change my opinion a bit. I had commented earlier that it seems like a pretty large and elaborate structure. One thing the Admiral and I agree on is that we like the lines of our boats to remain simple and uncluttered as much as possible, hence our frame with it's limitations. The thing that I like most that I've heard about your system is that it is removable without too much hassle. That would be a very good thing because it could supliment a more streamlined permanent mounting. The 130w panel in a level mount can handle all of our electrical needs when I'm sailing like reefer, autopilot, chartplotter, plumbing incl electric head, etc. It would be nice to double or triple that amount when we're at anchor. I even have an electric motor on my dinghy so I can use all the juice I can make. I was thinking of hanging a couple of panels off of the stern pulpit at those times but the stick might be a better approach for that. I'm still not sold on keeping it mounted all of the time but I know many others do have masts for radar and wind generators that apparently do alright. It doesn't look too bad on your little Hunter. I'd like to see more photos of Empty Pocket after what I read it sounds like you have it worked out pretty well. Do you have any shots of the interior on line? And of course, we're all still waiting for more shots of the "boat babe".
Ham
Brian - Nice installation of the Icom 706. What did you do for an antenna/tuner for HF? You guys get your General ticket yet? Would be fun to chat on 20 meters... Gregg KE2SX
Brian - Nice installation of the Icom 706. What did you do for an antenna/tuner for HF? You guys get your General ticket yet? Would be fun to chat on 20 meters... Gregg KE2SX
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