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Far Reach Voyages

~ The sailing, maintenance, and upgrades of a highly modified and custom built Cape Dory 36 sailboat. Please visit our other website that documents the six year rebuild and modification of the sailing vessel Far Reach at www.farreachvoyages.com.

Far Reach Voyages

Category Archives: Modifications

Getting the FlexOFold Propeller Right

19 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by farreachvoyages in Installing an Inboard Engine, Modifications

≈ 1 Comment

As part of the new engine installation and modification I installed a two blade FlexOFold propeller.

With the boat back in the water the most pressing issue was to get the propeller pitch right. Farron Peffer at Beta Marine was adamant that we should strive to get the max RPM at wide open throttle (WOT) within 50 RPMs of the designed 3,600 RPM. He explained that even though we might never operate at max RPM having the pitch and diameter of the propeller correct would insure the engine was operating in its sweet spot at any RPM and would not be working in an overloaded capacity which could shorten it’s life. The other thing Farron mentioned was you want to make sure you can achieve the full 25 HP if necessary and you can’t do that if you can’t attain max specified RPM when under load. Last, he said it is better to be slightly over max designed RPM than under.

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Finally, Relaunch and Underway

19 Monday Jul 2021

Posted by farreachvoyages in Installing an Inboard Engine, Modifications

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Installing an Inboard Engine

It was a long 22 month project. It was a great day to get the Far Reach back into her element.

Needless to say it was a great day to relaunch the Far Reach after nearly 22 months on the hard. It was long complex project and I am glad it is behind us. She went into the water easily. I checked the seacocks and stuffing box. No leaks. We pulled her out of the slings and secured her alongside the dock. I started the engine and let it run about ten minutes. We shifted into forward and reverse to make sure the linkages were connected correctly. I rechecked the stuffing box and had a few drips. That’s what we wanted but I had nothing to compare it too.

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Big Changes…Part IV: Installing the Engine

04 Friday Jun 2021

Posted by farreachvoyages in Installing an Inboard Engine, Modifications, Upgrades

≈ 4 Comments

With the engine and all of its support systems installed including, the cabinetry that comprises the engine box, we are ready to relaunch the Far Reach.

This is part IV and the conclusion of the engine installation project.

This post covers installing the inboard engine, installing the fuel system, aligning the shaft, building and installing battery boxes and the batteries and cables, installing the engine throttle control head, starting and test running the engine, stripping and reapplying barrier coat and anti fouling paint, installing the two blade folding propeller and making final preparations for relaunching the Far Reach after 20 months on the hard.

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Big Changes…Part III

06 Saturday Feb 2021

Posted by farreachvoyages in Installing an Inboard Engine, Modifications

≈ 2 Comments

Building and Installing the 12v panel and Supporting Systems.

Before I started the project I made a sketch of what I envisioned for a new 12v DC

With the engine beds installed it was time to start work on the new larger electrical panel to replace the small one I used for the last five years. I decided to reuse the 8 breaker Blue Seas 12v panel. I only used four of the breakers before: 12v accessory plugs, LED lights (which I added for the second voyage to the West Indies), AIS, and compass light. I also decided to move the panel from its previously hidden location near the inboard side of the quarter berth to under the bridge-deck, where it would be more accessible, and combine it with the Beta Marine engine instrument cluster, battery monitor, and battery switch. The new panel will be hidden by sliding doors.

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Sculling an 18,000 lb Boat? Yes You Can.

13 Tuesday Aug 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Equipment, Modifications, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Upgrades

≈ 1 Comment

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Blue water sailing, Cape Dory sailboat, engine free sailing, Engineless Sailing, Lin and Larry Pardey, sailboat restoration, sculling a displacement sailboat, Sculling oar

Sculling the FarReach out of her slip on 25 Nov 2018 at the beginning of my singlehanded voyage to the Virgin Islands.

During the six year rebuild of the Far Reach I decided to remove and sell the original Perkins 4-108 50 hp diesel engine (you can read more about the decision process to ditch the engine here). We initially relied on a sculling oar to propel and maneuver the boat for the first year after the launch which included 3,500nm of sailing and a voyage to the Virgin Islands and back to North Carolina.

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Patience….

02 Sunday Jun 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Local Sailing, Modifications, Planning, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Upgrades, Voyaging

≈ 2 Comments

Sailing wing and wing from Christmas Cove to Elephant Bay, USVI.

The wind in the SW North Atlantic north of the Caribbean remains elusive. I discussed it with Chris Parker of Marine Weather Center last week. Together we came up with three options:

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Rain: Collecting Water

01 Saturday Jun 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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Our current rain collection system is exceedingly simple.

I was having morning coffee and lounging in the cockpit chatting on the phone with Gayle. I could see the rain coming…a lot of rain. I signed off and sure enough it was a real gullywasher.

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The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing the Main Thing….

23 Thursday May 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Musings, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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Everyone needs a place of Zen and happiness…this is mine.

My good friend Colonel Steve Davis USMC was the first person I ever heard say “the main thing….” He was a terrific leader and had a unique gift for preventing his unit from getting distracted. He never lost sight of the mission and knew how to keep the team focused like a laser-beam.

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Our Surface Supplied SCUBA System or Hookah

11 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Maintenance, Modifications, Uncategorized, Upgrades

≈ 1 Comment

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The basic hookah is the first stage, 50’ of air hose, and the second stage regulator. I added a pressure gauge to the second stage after the photo was taken.

I have a fair amount of diving experience. I earned my PADI card when I was 17. I’m also a military trained diver and served in dive billets for nine years. But I don’t have diving gear anymore and I think I made my last dive about 2003. I just snorkel now.  But I always think about options….

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Easy Living

26 Tuesday Feb 2019

Posted by farreachvoyages in Modifications, Musings, People, Repairs, Techniques, Tactics, Tips, Uncategorized, Voyaging

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The Far Reach has proven to be wonderfully comfortable during extended live aboard. 

For the last month or so it’s been pretty easy living. The Far Reach and I have mostly remained here in Elephant Bay, St Thomas until Gayle could join us.  The pace of living has been slow and relaxed. There has been plenty of time to read, sleep, swim, eat, study the sky, think, and meet new people.

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