On A New Tack

Update: 7 Oct 2024 Before we get to the blog article, which I wrote in March of 2023, I want to let you know that I just found out about Google's NotebookLM, which is an AI powered tool that allows you to create a Podcast style audio piece based off of whatever input you provide, in this case, the following article. Here is a link to the "podcast" it created . Honestly, I'm blown away! Original Article follows... Introduction  I received a list of questions from Steve and Lisa Heidenthal (Hull #13, Sla'inte) about how we set up our boat, where we purchased things in SA and instead of just answering them for Steve, I thought I might as well make a blog article to also help others. All of these answers will be from the following perspective: sailing the boat over from SA to where-ever having the boat built with strictly 230V/50Hz power If the boat is being shipped, I wouldn't suggest buying much in SA, as you will have an easier time finding more options (and us...

Introduction We are about 370 NM from Fernando de Noronha, Brazil on our Atlantic crossing from Cape Town to Grenada and with a few miles under our belts (3400, give or take), we have formulated a good understanding of, and some opinions on, the Oxley Levante Wing sail. As a reminder, the Levante is the lighter of the two wing sails that Oxley make, with the Bora being the one designed for stronger winds. Oxley Levante being flown somewhere between Cape Town and St Helena Use on a Vision 444 (or other boat without provisions to cam lock two lines by each aft winch) First, it takes some getting used to and to make it work at its best/easiest on the Vision 444, you will need a few additional blocks and lines. I have these blocks ordered and ready for pick up in Grenada and will post a video to YouTube( youtube.onanewtack.com ) detailing the setup once we have it in place. On the plus side, these added pieces will also be very handy for flying the asymm off of a bow, or to transition from...

 A few people have asked for more details about out network on-board.  Instead of trying to describe it, and because I should have one anyways, I decided to create a Network Diagram. So far, the network has been working great.  On occasion, the 2.4 GHZ radio in the MNC-1250 stops responding, however I am working with their tech support to get to the bottom of it.  We have that device mounted upside down to the "ceiling" of what I call the network area in the owners cabin.  I have a suspicion that it maty be overheating as it it not sitting in the orientation it was designed to be in.  As it turns out, I have a spare 12v computer-type fan that I am going to wire into the 12V fuse block in there and mount it to the router and see if that makes a difference.  I also went into the configuration settings and turned down the output power of both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz radios, since the signals do not have to go very far to cover the boat.  This should also...

Let's Make Some Fiberglass! With the external layers of Chopped Strand Fiberglass Mat already added to build thickness, the strong, quadraxial layers of E-Glass are laid next.  They have fibers running in four different directions which builds stiffness and rigidity into the hull. Strength layers added to Chopped Strand Mat Next, layers of Closed Cell Foam Core are added after being shaped.  Kerf cutting is required with other types of foam to allow the foam to have a curved shape.  Kerf cutting refers to adding multiple cuts with a saw blade that go about 2/3rds of the way through the material inline with the intended curvature to allow the foam to bend.  The foam used by Vision Yachts does not require kerf cutting to bend it, so the gaps in the material that result from kerf cutting are not there.  These gaps would results in extra vinyl ester resin that would add weight and cost without adding strength.  The foam sheets do contain small holes throughout ...