Captain’s log
Dateline: 13.07.2022

USCG documentation

Turned out to be that documentation for my vessel won't be mailed for at least four more weeks. Another thing to delaying me, but it's okay, it's all part of it.

Long story short is that the USCG have changed their forms at the end of April, and my paperwork was submitted right before then, so they had to re-fill and re-submit everything. Bad ~~timing~~ luck. Despite my boat being in the registry, I have no papers on hand that prove that I own the vessel, ergo unlikely to be able to pass through the Panama Canal until I get my papers together, but we'll see.

Will likely have to ask UPS to forward me those papers from Hawaii to wherever I'm gonna be at in 4+ weeks.

Captain’s log
Dateline: 14.07.2022

Rain shields

Curious Cat has six portlights: one for each stateroom, plus two midship. They’re Lewmar Atlantic Size 32, 400mm (15-3/4") by 200mm (7-7/8"). Originally the boat had four or five rain shields that weren’t even for rounded portlights, they were for rectangular ports, and to be honest, looked a bit out of place: old, dirty, mounted on 3M double-sided tape. Likely a wave big enough could easily knock them off — perhaps that’s why there wasn’t six of them in the first place. I removed all of that beauty, took them to Hawaii, and donated to Salvation Army in Lahaina.

They were all PortVisor™ 18-R by Seaworthy Goods. One of the previous owners likely didn’t like rain getting into the boat every time it poured, and closing those portlights and removing flyscreens is no big fun, hence I get the desperation to put at least something and call it a day. I see they have 17-RE today for $43 a pop, it’s a buck cheaper than 18-R, and fits the shape of the portlight much closer. Maybe that model wasn’t around back in the day, who knows. Have to confess, it’s very tempting to splurge a couple hundred on new rain shields, but I’m going to sail back to Hawaii soon, so it’s not a good long-term investment. I’m thinking of 3D printing something like a flyscreen with that rainshield built into it, so it’d only be there when the portlight is open, not at all times. My boat is wide enough without those plastic things hanging off her sides. Maybe I’ll design something compact that gets permanently attached to my portlights and won’t get knocked off whenever I dock or do crossing.

On a side note, it's really shocking how much stuff can be simply picked off by passer-byers on dinghys with little to no effort: parts of winches, helms, sun covers, rain shields, personal flotation devices, fishing rod holders, solar panels, lines, fenders, wind turbines… even propellers can be detached easily from the outside, all you need is a wrench and snorkel mask.

Captain’s log
Dateline: 15.07.2022

Flanges

My E-Tech motors came with beefy rigid couplings. They’re not stainless but very well made.

I’m having a very bad feeling attaching 50kg motors to my 30mm prop shafts using those. Long story short is I feel that using something like Combiflex by Vetus instead would allow me to reduce noise and vibration, plus prevent subtle movements of my motors from possibly bending the shaft, damaging shaft bearings, or wearing out its own internals. The motors are going to be mounted on antivibration engine mountings that will let them swing a little bit. It only makes sense to use flexible couplings here, my cat is a sailboat after all.

The prop shaft is 30mm in diameter, the motor’s shaft is 35mm with 8mm key. I’ll have to design and custom-manufacture flanges that go along with those Combiflex couplings, but once that’s done the connection will be as close to perfect as it can be.