What we’ve been up to since we got home.

The first two weeks after our return on April 2nd were an adjustment period. First, not living on a boat after almost a year was an adjustment, and second, not being with other boaters was an adjustment. Fortunately, there was a string of our Looper friends behind us who stopped to visit.

Harbor Hosting

We hosted a number of our looper friends and picked up our Harbor Hosting duties at the Palm Coast Marina.

Brenda has been watching NEBO (our Looper Tracker App) for Loopers headed for our local marina and pops a batch of chocolate chip cookies when they are about 30 minutes out. We then head over and welcome them on the docks. (The dock hands also benefit as she makes extra for them!)

Our friends Brenda and Tim on Indigo, who we had started the trip, stopped in on their way north a few days after we got home. Our long-time friends Marilou and Mike on Inshallah stopped in before heading to the Bahamas. We had a “Cruise-by” from Kim the Director of the AGLCA and her partner Michael on The Perch.

Our friend, Tim, on Pangur Ban, went past with some of his friends. We went to our neighborhood gazebo to wave as they sailed past.

Charlie and Robin, on The Lower Place, who we cruised with on our first Loop, stopped in for a visit. We visited them when we were in Iuka, Mississippi, at Aqua Yacht Harbor in October.

In May, Edie and Steve, on Brand New Day, stopped in for a few days, and we went to St. Augustine with them. They treated us to a hotel on the beach, and we took them sightseeing around St Augustine and to the “Black Fly” for an excellent dinner! (If you are in St. Augustine, give it a try! It’s just across the Bridge of Lions from downtown.)

Some Loopers from Canada that we traveled with on Bell Esprit, Becky and Dave, wanted to stop for breakfast and a quick catch-up. They tied up at Palm Coast Marina for a few hours, and we took them to the Metro Diner for breakfast before they continued north to St Augustine.

Other old cruising friends from South Carolina, Robert, and Diane on Morning Starr, came south on their summer cruise and stopped in Jekyll Island, Georgia. Jekyll is only about a two-hour car drive north of us, so we went up to see them and spent the day there. It was great to spend time with them again, as they are planning on selling their boat after this season.

Harbor Hosting was quite busy until about June 1st when most non-Florida residents had to be North of the Florida/Georgia border for insurance reasons. We had a few stragglers around due to mechanical issues that we helped out, and we have one couple, Deb and Gregg, on Breakaway, who have decided to keep their boat here in Palm Coast for a year while they take care of getting new knees! They will be using their boat as a Floating Condo, so they will be in town off and on.

An interesting story. Deb’s father lived in Palm Coast and frequented a local Irish Pub up the street from the marina. He frequented it so much, in fact, that he had a chair with a brass plaque with his name on it. He passed about a year ago, and the Pub gave his chair to Deb, and we gave them a ride to pick it up.

Neighborhood Events & Miscellaneous Activities

On our return, we hung up the stained glass “Frog” our daughter gave us for Christmas. It looks good in the dining room window. Brenda took all of the pins that we collected during our trip and mounted them in a shadow box, which we hung on the wall next to our previous trips’ collection.

We also resumed our neighborhood activities! I attended the Marina Board of Directors meeting in person for the first time in a year. In our absence, I was re-nominated vice president. We also had Kentucky Derby Day with lots of fancy hats and a Memorial Day BBQ for the neighborhood.

Brenda had joined the Mexican Train and Mahjong groups that meet on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

We’ve also picked back up with watching the frequent rocket launches from Cape Canaveral and the many passing boats and tugs on the ICW.

Boat Projects

We knew that after a 6,000-mile trip, we would need new bottom paint and some other general maintenance on the boat and engines. We also had a list of enhancements we came up with during the trip we wanted to make before our next big trip.

The big maintenance items are refreshing the bottom paint that keeps the sea critters from building their homes on our hull. We also needed to have our engine valves adjusted, a leaky seal replaced, new raw water impellers installed, and sacrificial zinc replaced—all normal maintenance items.

Throughout the trip, we noticed a slight vibration from the propellers at certain RPMs. We’ve had our propellers checked and tuned, so we knew it was not those that left the propeller shafts as the next logical source. When we were getting close to home, we reached out to our local boat yard, St. Augustine Marine Center to schedule having the boat hauled and the maintenance work done. They set our expectation that we could get on the list for mid-July to early August. When we got home, we let them know we were back in the area, and they told us that they had a cancellation and we could bring the boat up on April 22nd! So, after only two weeks at home, the Frog left again for St. Augustine!

The haul-out went fine. The bottom was cleaner than we expected, but the ablative paint was flaking in lots of places. We’ve had this happening on our last few bottom paintings, and we decided that it was time, after 19 years, to give the hull a complete strip down and re-finish. This involves bead-blasting (like sandblasting) the old paint off until it reaches the fiberglass layer, then applying multiple coats of epoxy-based paint to re-seal the fiberglass, and then putting on multiple coats of the red ablative paint. (Ablative paint for non-boat owners is copper-based paint that discourages plants and water creatures from attaching to it. Also, as you move through the water or have your hull cleaned by a diver, a thin layer of the paint washes off, taking anything that has been attached to it. Every couple of years, you need to apply a new coat of the top red layer.)

While the boat was out of the water and having the bottom painted, we had the boat yard pull our propeller shafts and check them for straightness. Both shafts turned out to have bends in them, not a lot, just a couple of 10’s of a millimeter, but enough to introduce some vibration. Also we noticed that there was a lot of wear and scoring on the shafts where they ride in the cutlass bearings along the struts. This is caused by sand and grit getting into the groves that allow water through to cool them.

On our first Loop, when we hit the rock in Canada, we bent the shafts, and they heated them up to straighten them. The shaft experts have told us that stainless steel has a memory. You can straighten it, but over time, it will start to return to the bent shape. So, with the issues, we decided to order new shafts. The manufacturer is in France, and it would take several months to get new shafts made and shipped over from France. There are manufacturers in the US that will custom-make shafts for about the same price, and they use better-quality stainless steel. The shafts are 50mm (about 2 inches) thick by just over 6 feet long. Quite a chunk of metal!

The propeller shaft shop in Georgia that made them took about two weeks, so they were back and ready for installation about the same time as the bottom paint was done.

While consulting with my Master Mechanic, Michael, at A&M Marine, about the work (Michael refers to the Frog as HIS boat), he told me about some new Cutlass Bearings that are becoming popular with the sports fish boat community. They look for products that will give them just a few more tenths of a knot in speed or a bit better fuel economy. They are called KRYPTOQUIET bearings and are milled out of a solid piece of a special polymer resin that is super slippery and long-lasting. They are also designed to allow more water flow for better lubrication and clearing of any grit that gets into the groves. The boatyard had already installed new rubber bearings from Beneteau. Still, given the benefits and to protect our new propeller shafts, we ordered a set of the Kryptoquiet (Green like Kryptonite) bearings and had them swapped in when they installed the new shafts. They cost about 25% more than the OEM bearings, but I’ll spend an extra $150 to protect $10,000 worth of propeller shafts! The mechanics at the boatyard were impressed with them!

Everything was finished on June 14th, and the boat was put back in the water. We needed to have the engines re-align because we had new shafts, swapped to our main set of propellers, and put in new cutlass bearings. Many people skip this step and end up damaging engine bearings and propeller shafts as well as getting vibrations. It’s an important step! When the boat is out of the water, the hull will flex some as the pressure points are different, and it is important to let the boat sit in the water for at least 24 hours to acclimate before aligning the engines. The boat was put back in on a Friday afternoon. I took it out for a short test run to verify the engine work and check for any oil or water leaks. Then, we let it sit for the weekend. On Monday morning, the mechanic did the engine alignment, and we picked it up and brought it back home in the afternoon.

The boat ran great! There was no vibration, and we could feel the performance difference at the top end from the new paint and bearings.

Engine Room Sound Insulation

We can drive the boat from two locations. Our favorite is up on the flybridge, as it’s out in the open air and gives us a great view. However, if it is raining or cold, we can also run from downstairs inside the boat. On our recent trip, we drove from inside for a lot of the time due to the cooler than normal temps this past summer, especially in Canada.

There are two downsides to running from downstairs. First, when you are going fast, the front of the boat rises, and it can be hard to see over it, especially if you are shorter (like Brenda). When we were stuck in Canada on our First Loop trip, we made a platform for Brenda to stand on that takes care of the first issue (more on this later).

Second, it is loud as the engines are right below you. There is sound insulation in the engine room, but the sound level is about 70 decibels, which is about the same as standing next to a washing machine or being in a noisy restaurant. You have to raise your voice to be heard. To quiet it down, I ordered some special soundproofing insulation that is 1.5 inches thick and has two layers of foam with a special rubber membrane sandwiched in between. I added this to the existing insulation on the ceiling of the engine compartment.

This was a hot job. Our water temperature here in Palm Coast is 86°, and as the engine room is below water level, it stays at a constant 86°, and I had to wiggle around and behind the engines to attach the foam to the ceiling with glue, screws, and tape.

The effort was worth it! The sound level of the engines running went from 70dB to 35 dB, which is more like rain on the roof or a refrigerator. Also, the reflective foil surface and extra insulation should help keep the salon cooler after we’ve run the engines for the day.

Bathroom Mirror

In our master bathroom, there is a three-pane mirror. When we bought the boat, the mirror had already started to flake off the silver backing, and it’s gotten steadily worse over the last year, with large flakes coming off. I’ve read that this is due to moisture making its way between the silver coating and the glass. The mirrors were starting to look pretty bad. We checked with the manufacturer, but given the age of the boat, they don’t have any replacements. In one of the boating forums, I read that another owner had new mirrors custom-made. This is not as simple as going to your local glass shop, as there are curved corners and a large circle in one of the mirrors for the porthole.

I checked around and found a company in Jacksonville that cuts glass, metal, and stone with a high-pressure water jet. I reached out to them, and they said they could cut new mirrors for us. I made full-size templates on poster board of the existing mirrors. They used those to make CNC programs to cut new mirrors for us. The mirrors came out great. To protect them, I sprayed the backs and sealed the edges with silicone to keep water from intruding.

Now I had to install them! One of the existing mirrors was already loose, so I thought getting them off would be relatively easy. WRONG! I tried to pry it off, but it was stuck. I tried heating them, but they were too large to get the entire mirror hot enough to release the adhesive. So… I taped them over and went at them with a hammer. That worked pretty well. The mirrors were stuck on with adhesive automotive tape (The 3M stuff). Once all the glass was down, I removed the remaining tape using acetone and a razorblade scraper.

The walls cleaned up pretty well. If we had not already ordered the new mirrors, we might have left it as is. I put the new mirrors on using the same kind of 3M tape. I used a liquid adhesive accelerator that 3M makes to ensure the tape stuck to the silicone spray I put on the mirrors. After a couple of test fits, I peeled the covering off the tape and stuck the mirrors to the wall. I learned quickly that you get ONE shot at placing the mirror with the accelerator. Once the tape touches, it’s stuck. Those mirrors will NEVER come off!

The new mirrors look great!

Brenda’s Step

We mentioned earlier that one of the issues with running from inside the boat is seeing over the bow when up on plane. On the helm side, the manufacturer installed a fold-down platform. On the galley side, where Brenda stands, there was nothing. We tried tall chairs, but the area is pretty narrow, so they don’t work well. While stuck in Canada on our first Loop, we built a wooden platform for her to stand on that we could take in and out. We had limited tools (only a small hand saw and a drill), but it came out well and worked well. It raises her about 10 inches and gives her a place to sit when the boat is rocking in waves. The only issue with it is that it is large and cumbersome to take in and out, and we don’t have a good place to store it when it is not in use.

It has lasted for almost five years! It needed a new coat of paint, and Brenda wanted some holes in the sides to make it easier to lift in and out, so I took it to our garage to work on it. I drilled the holes in the sides and was about to get paint for it when I thought making a platform like the one on the helm would be better. The helm side platform is hinged, but you can’t hinge the galley side as it would cover either the sink cabinet doors or the oven door. So, I just made two L-shaped rails and a reinforced platform that is easy to lift in and out. It conveniently stores on the helm side when not in use! The hardest part of the job was trying to match the color of the varnish on the cabinets. We came close. It works very well and is a significant improvement over the box.

Cockpit Deck

The most recent project was refinishing the teak on the cockpit deck. I did it before we left on our last loop, and it was in need of a good cleaning and re-oiling. When we are traveling, we have bikes, a portable freezer, mats, shoes, and lines on the back deck, so it’s hard to keep up with oiling it. The back deck is exposed to the elements, sun, rain, salt water, foot traffic, and lots of moving things around, so it takes a lot of abuse.

I used a two-part teak cleaner and brightener, which works very well. You just wet the deck with water, spray on the cleaner, and go over it with a stiff brush. The cleaner removes all of the dirt, old teak oil, and stains. You end up with a slurry of wood pulp, so it’s actually taking off a fine layer of wood. After rinsing off the cleaner, you go over it again with a brighter. Again, it’s just a spray-on and light brushing with a stiff brush. It bleaches the teak. After a good rinse, you let it dry, and it looks like you spent days sanding! Great stuff!

Once the deck had dried, I brushed on a good coat of Danish Teak Oil and let it soak in for a day. The wood really absorbed the oil, and I had to give it a second coat the following day. It came out looking great and should last for at least another year. I’ve promised myself that I’ll clear off the deck and give it another coat in six months to keep it fresh without having to strip it again completely.

Between visits, events, and projects, we have been taking care of everyday life things like doctors, dentists, optometrists, car maintenance, and the like. The only other big project was that we had to replace most of our kitchen appliances. While we were gone, the electronics on our stove fried, and we had to get a new one. Our dishwasher was acting up, and we decided to replace that and our microwave/stove hood at the same time.

So, that’s what’s been keeping us busy for the last three months! That and trying to stay cool in the Florida Summer. Usually, we can complain about our 95° temperature with 100% humidity Florida weather, but it seems like most of the country has been putting up with the same conditions!

Once the weather cools down, we plan to make a couple of short boat trips. We plan to go to Titusville, FL, across from Cape Canaveral, to watch a rocket launch from the boat. We’ve seen a few from nearby Cocoa Village, and this time, we plan to go to the NASA facility and take the tour.

We also want to go back up the St. Johns River to Sanford, FL, which is a 4-5 day trip. It goes north to Jacksonville, FL, then back south, UPSTREAM along the St. Johns River. We made the trip just after moving to Palm Coast and want to do it again. Sanford is also very close to where our daughter works, so it’s easy for her to pop by after work and visit.

In the long term, we are planning another trip back north into Canada in the spring. We plan to go through the Chesapeake, visit Philidelphia, through New York City, and up the Hudson to the Erie and Oswego Canals, then cross into Canada in Kingston, Ontario. We’ll go up the Rideau Canal to Ottawa, then to the St Lawrence River with visits to Montreal and Quebec City before returning to the US by way of the Champlain Canal, rejoining the Hudson River near Albany and back to New York City. If there is enough time and the weather is good, we might turn north and go up through Long Island Sound, the Cape Cod Canal, and make a stop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, our old stomping ground. Time will tell!

We hope you all are having an enjoyable summer and finding ways to stay cool! We will update the blog again when we take another trip or if we experience a hurricane!


Kiss Some Frogs To Find Your Prince
Thanks for visiting! –Tom & Brenda

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