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Carina's Upgrades
It's hard to know when you and your boat are both ready to cast off the dock lines. Our priority was to concentrate on health and welfare items first. As you cruise and meet other cruisers it's interesting to see what innovations others have incorporated into their boats but also what priorities they have chosen. Most cruisers do not have unlimited funds, so everyone makes choices. For example, we did not have a watermaker (which is used to "make" fresh water from seawater through reverse osmosis), for six years and now only have a small system to be used where we absolutely cannot collect or obtain water. We wouldn't have left the dock without an SSB and modem for email, weatherfax and cruiser nets, but many boats opt out of this expensive system. We wouldn't be without paper charts for all destinations (though we use some electronic charts), while many vessels don't even carry them anymore. One certainty of cruising - which means living aboard and using your boat constantly - is that systems you thought were solid will break down. The result is that the project list is never, ever complete. Carry spares.
Hull, Deck and Cabin in Awlgrip Paint
Chainplates of Grade 316 Stainless Steel
Standing Rigging of Sta-Lok Terminals
Tangs and Tang Bolts for Upper and Lower Shrouds
Running Rigging including - Spare Jib Halyard, Trysail Halyard
Rope Clutches - Mast, Cabin Top & Furling
Whisker Pole
Trysail Track
Cabin Top Staysail Tracks - Port Townsend Rigging
Topping Lift
EZ Jax
Main - Neil Pryde
Upgraded Genoa - Neil Pryde with Upgrades by North West Sails
Staysail, Trysail, Storm Staysail - Port Townsend Sails
Ready Bag - Staysail & Storm Trysail
Auxiliary Diesel Engine - Yanmar 30GM30F
New Shaft 2010
Shaft Zinc
Thordon Composite Cutless 2011
Dripless Shaft - PSS
Drivesaver by Globe Rubber
Fuel Tank (aluminum)
Campbell Sailor Prop
Single Sideband / Ham Radio - Icom M710 RT
Radio Modem - SCS PTC-II Pro with Pactor 3
VHF with Remote Microphone (Command-Mike) - Icom M402
Depth Sounder - Raymarine ST60 & Standard Horizon
Fishfinder - Garmin 140
406 EPIRB/GPS - ACR
Radar - Raymarine (died a few deaths), later Furuno 1715
Bonding System
Lightning Dissipator
LED bulbs for anchor, navigation, steaming & tricolor - Dr. LED & Bebi Electronics
Multistage Battery Charger - Truecharge2 20
Wind/Solar Regulator - Trace C40
High Output Alternator - Balmar
Smart Alternator Regulator - Balmar
Wind Power Generator - KISS
Solar Panels (300 Watts, Kyocera and Shell Solar)
Honda 1000 Portable Generator
Link 10 Battery Monitor
Galvanic Isolator
Upgraded Propane Control/Alarm
Through-Hulls, Ball Valves & Hoses
Lazarette Gasketing & Secondary Latching Mechanism
Head (twice replaced!)
Seawater Foot Pump in Galley
Watermaker - Pur Powersurvivor 40e, purchased used Nov 2009
In line Drinking Water Filtration
Corian Countertop at Sink
Flexible Water Tank
Refrigeration - Technautics Cool Blue
Hard Dodger - WaveStopper (Stamoid replaced with Top Gun 2012)
Teak Cockpit Table (gift from Alkahest)
Nesting Dinghy - modified Chameleon
Outboard Auxiliary for Tender - Mercury 3.3 hp
Liferaft - Winslow 4 man Offshore
Parachute Storm Anchor - Paratech
310' 5/16 High Test Chain for Primary Anchor
220' 5/16 High Test Chain + 150' 1" three strand nylon rode on secondary anchore
44 lb. Bruce (later stolen), 20 kg CQR, Fortress and 20 kg Spade Anchors
Lifelines and Lifeline Netting (failed vinyl-covered lifelines replaced with 1 x 19 wire 2011)
Full Sun Cover
Bimini Side Shades (Phifertex)