9 Year Report, the boat

As Furthur enters her tenth year of travels in exotic places, let us see how the old gal is doing.

The relatively trouble-free Cummins engine is still purring along happily. To date I have only replaced one non-maintenance part, the pre injector fuel pump. I did have some problems with the injectors on the generator leaking but replacing a tiny copper ring solved that one.

original screen now dead

new one gives almost all the data

The only real angst came from the digital read out systems of the engine, the Smartcraft screens simply became unreadable. I bit of internet time and I discovered that this was epidemic, thousands had failed. Cummins, who is usually ahead of the game simply ignored this problem and did not produce an replacement. A second market device became available so I ordered one from an independent supplier. It worked ok, missing one vital bit of data, the digital RPM readout, the graphic gauge worked but not the digital. Happy enough I ordered a second one, only to find they had changed models, increased the price by $300usd and made a smaller unit. It [digital RPM number! Many emails to the supplier who simply said, hey not our problem and I gave up,, so $2300 later I have two units that together give me all the data. I plan on a harsh visit to Cummins on my next trip to the states.

In 05, Furthur had the best electronics money could buy, a complete Simrad package. As with the Smartcraft, the screens have mostly failed, and again no replacements or repairs available. This sent me scurrying to Ebay where some parts are sold, I buy any I can find. It is amazing that the most popular auto pilot sold, the AP25, aka the Robertson AP does not provide replacement parts like their remote. Ahh planned obsolescence strikes again.

As with previous years, we were plagued with battery problems, at the end of the season I pulled all the Trojan AGM’s out to find 2 dead ones, which killed the system. Four tested good. The Trojan dealer was helpful and showed me his handy dandy new tester, I ordered one instantly. With Lithium in my plans I just needed batteries to get me by one year, so I bought six old fashioned, cheap, truck, wet 8d’s. (look into future, now 4 months cruising later they are doing great)

The year before we replaced all interior cushions, so this year all the exterior seats got new Sumbrella. I also added a few covers inspired by the 2 months of rain we got in Subic Bay. The rules in Subic Bay Yacht Club are a dash Draconian, one prohibits hanging any laundry outside of the boat. I got a warning for hanging my swim suit out to dry. This prompted building a cockpit enclosure, something I have always detested on other boats. This was fortuitous with the heavy rains we experienced so know I am a big fan of our new enclosed cockpit.

The big score! Our marble upper dinette table top. The isle of Romblon is almost solid granite, it is everywhere. Roads are built with it, sea walls, even our mooring anchor is marble. The worker at the near by factory came out and took my worn out fiberglass table top, returned it the next day with a gorgeous inlaid top, complete with inlaid whale tale with northwest Native art pattern. It is beautiful! How much I asked? To which he replied 1200 pesos, (24 bucks!) gotta love the Philippines.

As I am writing this a dash late, half way thru the next cruising season, all is well on the boat. A few items of age cropped up; a blown hydraulic line to the APU, inspiring an upcoming replacement of all lines. A few new items but mostly planning for work planned a long term, the big one is repainting the top sides. Again the savings doing this here are immense.

One constant irk, I bought a cheap wind generator 2 years ago, makes more noise than power so disabled now. I considered replacing it but let it slide, only to experience the windiest cruising season ever. Each day I see the wind passing by without stopping to donate to my batteries. Next year I will get a good wind gen. We have warned our sailor friends that there will be no wind next year hahaha.

So ended nine years of great service from Furthur, one could not ask for a more reliable, comfortable boat. On to the tenth year we go!