Weird…, I’m alone. Sam and Guin went back to Ft. Myers to visit family for the long weekend. It’s so strange with it being quiet around here. I was nice for a few hours but I’m really ready to have them back, funny how that works : )
With all my alone time I’ve really been able to focus on getting the 2 new solar panels wired up (24v), and installing the MPPT charge controller that I bought a few months ago. I had 2 old 30 amp shore power cords onboard that I cut open for the 10 gauge wire inside. I don’t have a shore power cord anymore but I never plug in anyway. I’ll have to find one at some time in case I want to plug in and use a lot of juice but the addition of the 2 new panels was much more important, and I just didn’t have the money for wire. I checked eBay and you can find used 50′ cords for under 20 bucks which relates to 150′ of 10 gauge copper strand wire. It’s a pretty nice way to save a few bucks. I’d like to buy a few for future wiring projects, God only know Splendid can use a lot of new wire. It’s funny the things we throw away without thinking. I’m the first one to admit that I’m a “Dumpster diver”. I’ve come across so many useful things in the dumpster in Fort Myers. It’s funny that I put a good working Television in it. I don’t think anyone needs an extra TV!
I need to go to west marine today to get some fuses and a threw deck fitting (wire), but I should have my project finished today. I’ll be putting out 400 watts of clean solar power at 24 volts, how sweet is that? I have a 500 watt controller and want to find another panel at some point but I’m pretty happy now. The new panel will have to be a 100 watt 24v panel, or I’ll have to find 2 12v 50’s? I’ve only ran the motor 3-4 hours in the past month and I’m hoping with the new panels I can get that down even more. We just had a cloudy 3 days and solar energy has been scarce. I’m really looking forward to a wind generator to fill in the gaps. When it’s not sunny, its usually windy.
A really nice guy came by that I’ve been speaking to through the site for years. It looks like he has a spinnaker he doesn’t, WOOT! It’s funny he mentioned “pay it forward”, what a great concept, like my “operation TRAKS” (Totally Random Acts of Kindness). I know a lot of you think I don’t have much but I’ve given so much away as well. I always help the sailors that have less than I do with equipment, tools, and time. I think it drives Sam a little batty because I save old stuff that we really don’t need. I have a few old VHF radios, GPS’s (all working) and other stuff (hardware/line) on board which are earmarked for give-away. I don’t know if you guys remember but when I was at the Ahi atoll in the Tuamotos I gave one of the local guys a VHF radio and antenna for his small skiff. The squelch didn’t work but he loved it. It turned out that he was a pearl farmer and came by the following day with a weighty handful of black pearls for me. Kindness and generosity are like a boomerang, it always seems to return. Thanks Tom!
Maybe you guys could go out of your way to help someone and post in in the comments below. Perhaps it will inspire other to take the time, think forward, and help someone else? Eventually I’ll have the TRAKS section up on the site and we can all boast about how much we went out of our way to do something kind for someone. It really is something to be proud of.
Anyway, it’s 9:30 and I want to get to work.
Peace everyone.
Sail far and live slowly!
– Alex