Category: Hemispheres

Been waiting a couple of months for the latest Axiom software upgrade. Full autopilot integration and remote management with the RayControl and RayView IOS apps.

Hemispheres has been on the hard for 13 days, getting the hull waxed and bottom painted. Hopefully the bottom will be fine for two years. Used the SeaHawk Cukote Semi-hard, self-polishing ablative finish in Teal.

…And happly back home in River Dunes

Well it’s been about two years since the last haulout, bottom needs some work and we’re trying to figure out this paint bonding issue. Usually in the same spots, paint is just not adhering all the time, driving me nuts.

One thing about moving to RD is that it’s a longer trip to the boatyard. A little over an hour but who’s counting when it’s a beautiful day on the water.

Then theres the castiron keel. Once saltwater finds its way into the pourous iron, it starts corroding, from the inside. I was told though that I’l lbe long dead before the keel eats through. Estimating it has another 40 years on it.

So this week the bottom will get prepped, two coats of hard ablative, hull wax, prop treatment, dilithium crystals refreshed, antimatter containment field calibrated and touch up those plasme blasts on the armour. Hopefully have her splashed this Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

After years and years of checking it out, I finally took the plunge and moved down, or up? the river to River Dunes Marina this past April. The six yers at Pecan Grove Marina were good, loved my fellow sailmates and friends there though it was time to look at other places.

I’ve always liek the floating docs at RD and the deeper channel to get in and out, though it’s a longer motor before raising sails. Correction, I now raise the main while in the harbor to the second reef and head out. The facilities are great and having some friends move up with me was awesome too.

Thanks to Zoey Zalata (coolest name ever) for such an expert job on adding chaps to my AB dingy. If you need anyting done in the Oriental area and beyond for inflatible boats, @OffshoreRafting is the place to go. Love it.

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The wind was consistantly out of the southwest staying over 20kts. Waves were up to five feet. Close-hauled the entire time. double reef in the main, half the headsail out and at times was hitting seven kts. There were times where it got bumpy when those rollers came by at that weird interval against that flat bottomed hull.

So here’s some videos when I was able to shoot them when the weather eased up a bit.

First up, a little explaination of what was happening. Did have an issue with the ignition when I wanted to start the engine, it wouldn’t. So the plan was to sail all the way to NR1 and then call Towboat, but the ignition button finally worked. Going to spend some time looking at that next week.

Next up are a couple of clips after the wind and seas calmed down a bit and I could let Alfred the autopilot resume his duties.

Lsst clip is from down below showing the aquarium, also knows as being heeled over so hard that the porthole is underwater….ignore the rambling of me talking to myself. That usually happens after hours of singlehanding.

So needed to redo the lazarettes according to usage and ease of retreival and stowage. Adding the generator threw everything out of whack but got the logistics worked out. I just love the cavernous space in Bene 361. Plus, there’s still room for two fullsized bikes!

Done with the shopvacs, found the buckedhead at Home Depot, just use the industry sized multi-purpose bucket, I got two from West marine because they’re short and fit under the shelf in the port side lazarette, even with the head on.

It’s a way to soothe the should, calm the nerves and provide space for clarity balancing the heart and mind….Hemispheres.