Setting a Date

This has actually been the hardest decision for us to make. It is a balancing act between saving for retirement and leaving soon enough to be reasonably fit and in good health. The financial advisers warn those contemplating early retirement that medical insurance until Medicare kicks in at the normal retirement age is extremely expensive.

Neither of us has retiree medical insurance. Linda lost hers when her employer totally revoked the benefit and, in its place, added a small amount to her 401(k). Norm lost his in one of the many corporate reshuffles that he otherwise survived. Norm could work just another year plus and again qualify for retiree medical insurance, but that would delay our departure by two years, since we could not leave until the fall of the following year. It sounds enticing, but the trend has been to shift more and more of the premium burden to the retiree, and we don't have confidence that the program will not be dropped in the future.

In the end, we decided not to wait for this benefit and to struggle through the gap with individual insurance plans. 

So then what happens in 2007? Norm will reach the 30th anniversary mark with his employer. This is special because he can then draw a full unreduced pension. The timing could not be better. His anniversary is in August, and we want to leave in September.

Linda is already retired. She retired when we moved from Ohio to Massachusetts. She no longer had a career as such, but a job with little opportunity for advancement. During one of the campaign periods for an increase in the local school levy, they restricted school buses to the state minimum of outside two miles from school. We lived just within a two-mile radius, so Linda gave up her position in the Trust Department and accepted a part-time bank teller position with the same employer to be closer to home and have more flexible work hours. Within a couple of weeks, bus service was resumed, but the change had been made, and she was never considered for a position in the Trust Department again. Over time, she was assigned to branches farther and farther from home. It was an easy decision to retire when relocation provided another good excuse.

Norm is not so anxious to retire as he is to pursue our dream while we can. For the last 10 years, he has been a consultant configuring SAP software. This is project work, which, by nature, is very demanding, with long hours and a high level of travel. It is also extremely rewarding as the teams, conditions, and challenges are constantly changing. If we did not have this dream, he would not even think of early retirement.

Boat Tour – Guest Cabin

The guest cabin is on the port quarter. This features a double berth which extends under the cockpit. We have changed this area significantly from the original design. Island Packet included a small sink in a slide-out drawer under a lift-up top in the cabinet. While interesting and functional, this just wasn’t a practical use of the space for us.

We removed the sink, water supply, and drain lines. We re-routed the hot water line to the cockpit shower, which had previously been cold-water only. This involved adding a mixer in the cockpit to regulate the water temperature. We converted the sink drain through-hull to use for the generator exhaust water. We then built a teak desk that slides out just as the sink did, and it also has leaves that fold out to create a reasonably sized work area. The desk was designed primarily as a station for the laptop computer. When the laptop is not in use, it is stored safely in the desk compartment.

We finally added a chair for the desk. This chair uses a pedestal system that allows for easy removal, leaving a plate flush with the cabin sole. While guests are aboard, the chair is stored at the helm in the cockpit. 

This compartment also includes a hanging locker. While rarely used as such, this space is used to store a toolbox and a wet/dry vacuum, both of which are too bulky for other storage areas but are now readily accessible.

Generator Installation

The biggest project we undertook was installing a generator. We get many of our ideas from the Island Packet Discussion List, a forum for exchanging ideas via email hosted by Sailnet.com, and from Islandpacketphotos.com, a site hosted by Hayden Cochran, also an IP owner. We had been searching for a small generator at a reasonable cost. We were drawn to a 4.2kw generator made by Entec West. The size and price were right, and they are very supportive of owner installation and maintenance. We made the decision and traveled to the Annapolis Boat Show to see the model in person and place our order. We immediately started creating a space for it on Ariel. We decided the best location was directly under the helm. This is on the centerline, which we felt was important since the generator with sound enclosure weighs 234 pounds.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

This space was already occupied by the hot water heater. We took a radical approach and moved the hot water heater all the way forward to a space under the berth. It just fit through the opening. This meant re-routing the water lines and running electricity to the water heater at the new location. Normally, the water is heated from one of two sources. While the engine is running, the engine cooling system will provide heat to warm the water through a heat exchanger. The second source is 120-volt AC power, provided by shore power or a generator. The space now occupied by the hot water heater is not readily accessible, as it is under the mattress, so we felt it was an easy trade-off.

The generator needed a solid base, so during the winter, a base was constructed to beef up the existing platform that previously supported the hot water heater.

Most of the work during the installation was focused on the supporting services. A new through-hull was installed to provide cooling water. Just after the through-hull, a new strainer was installed to filter out any debris that may be drawn in. A new fuel line was required and well as a fuel return. We designed a fuel system that included a fuel filter identical to the one used to support the main diesel engine. We also designed a manifold that permits the main engine or generator to use either fuel filter. If one fuel filter becomes clogged, we can immediately switch to the other, continue on, and then change the dirty fuel filter later.  We also had to install the cables from the starter battery to the starter motor. The generator shares the same battery for starting with the main engine. We added the control panel, which is mounted in the cockpit. This particular one will shut down the generator if problems are detected, such as overheating or low oil pressure.

We added the electrical wiring, which required a set of circuit breakers to prevent sourcing 120-voltt AC from shore power and the generator at the same time. We added the exhaust system, which required routing the exhaust through a water lift muffler and then to the transom, where a new exhaust port was added. Marine engines mix the cooling water and the exhaust. We knew this would create a splashing sound, but decided to try the system one season before deciding whether we needed an air-water separator. The air-water separator does exactly what the name implies. It separates the air and water and then routes the exhaust air to the transom exhaust port and sends the water to an underwater through-hull. The following year, we added this feature. While the generator has its own very good sound enclosure, we decided to add another layer of sound insulation to the area where the generator would be installed. Finally, we lowered the generator into place, using a chain fall attached to the spare halyard. This operation went smoothly, and after making the final connections and bleeding the fuel lines, it started quite readily. We have been very pleased ever since and are very satisfied with the sound level. The unit produces 35 amperes, which can power everything we have on board, but not all at once. We added an amperage gauge at the electrical panels to monitor our consumption and the generator load. Access to the generator for maintenance is through the starboard cockpit locker. The sound enclosure is removed as shown in the first photo to provide access.

Tucked Away for Winter

Ariel is now ready for its final winter in the Northeast. It is a required ritual in the north to prepare for winter and, of course, in the spring to re-commission for another season. There is actually quite a list of tasks, all of which are extremely important to avoid damage from freezing and severe weather. We had a custom cover made in the first year we had Ariel. In addition to keeping the freezing rain and snow off, it also protects it from the sun and from boat yard hazards such as paint overspray. We remove all items that could freeze; many of these are items from the head and from the galley. We put antifreeze (pink pop) in all of the systems. The engine, generator, and air conditioning units all use seawater for cooling. This seawater has to be replaced with antifreeze. The water tank and the hot water heater are drained, and the antifreeze is run through all of the fresh water lines. This antifreeze is non-toxic, so in the spring, the lines are flushed and are ready for normal use. All other systems are also winterized in the same fashion. These include the head, wash down system, and sump pumps. We then open compartments and place cushions on end to allow air circulation. On the exterior, we start maintenance at the bottom. In the spring, we will put on new coats of bottom paint. This is paint with a high copper content, which helps prevent marine growth. The propeller (Autoprop) is greased to force out any water that may be inside the hub. We scrape the few barnacles that have accumulated. Barnacles attach to any metal surface, so the prop will have several. Once all of this is done, Ariel is pretty safe left alone. We check on things about once a month during the winter. This gives us a chance to see if any water has accumulated in the bilge, and if not frozen, it is removed. We also run the battery charger to keep the batteries left aboard topped off.

Those are the tedious details of putting Ariel away for another winter. But this year is very special for us, as this is the last time we will go through this process. The alternative to all of the above is to take the boat to a warmer climate. So stay tuned, as next year we will do just that. Now we have the long winter to endure. We will turn our attention toward cruise planning and start putting some more details around the dream.