The Blue View - Installing New Batteries

A few weeks ago, I did a blog on the latest and greatest in battery technology, and which type of battery would be best for Nine of Cups.  After a little analysis, a lot of hemming, hawing, and harrumphing, and a fair amount of pontificating, I finally narrowed the field down to either a replacement set of my old Lifeline AGM batteries or a set of Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) AGM batteries.

My Lifeline AGM batteries had lasted longer than expected - a little over eight years. Buying a new set would make the installation quite easy as they would be identical to the old ones. On the other hand, after a few years of use, I had to equalize them frequently (every 3 months or so) to reduce the build-up of sulfation. They are also more expensive than the TPPLs. In the end, I did some shopping around and bought six new Odyssey 100 amp-hour TPPL batteries.

The new batteries are smaller and lighter than the old batteries, but also only about half the capacity. (The six Odyssey batteries have a total capacity of 600 amp-hours vs. the original 820 amp-hour capacity of the four Lifelines.) Given that our plans for the next few years will more than likely be more coastal and shorter offshore passages rather than the major ocean crossings and high latitude sailing of the past, the smaller battery bank should suit us quite well, however.

Installing the new batteries took about two days. The hardest part was lugging the old 135 pound (61kg) batteries up out of their lockers and hauling them out and onto the dock. Removing the braces that held the old batteries and replacing them to secure the new wasn't difficult, but took most of the time.

Unless the new batteries are identical to the old ones, it is likely that at least a few of the battery cables will have to modified and a few new ones made. I have a lug crimping tool which was quite inexpensive on Amazon.

It is the kind that is smacked with a hammer, so I can make or modify battery cables myself. I strip one end of the cable, insert the wire into the lug, place the lug in the crimper and whack it a couple of times with a small sledge hammer. Then I measure the length needed, cut the cable to the correct length and repeat the process on the other end. Some suggestions:

• I cut the cable with heavy rigging cutters, but it can be cut with a hacksaw, a small angle grinder with a cutting wheel or even a Dremmel tool.
• Before crimping the second lug, I make sure the cable fits. I also rotate the lug if necessary – it's better if the cable doesn't twist in the lug after it is crimped. I use a marker to mark the proper orientation of the lug and wire.
• I finish the lug with a short length of heat shrink tubing.

As the installation is planned, there are a few considerations to be aware of:

Mechanical security. Each battery must be secured so that it cannot move more than 1 inch in any direction – right, left, forward, back or upwards. To accomplish this, I built a frame around the base of each battery out of 1x2 lumber, then bolted it in place. This prevented the battery from moving horizontally. Then I attached pad eyes to opposite sides of the frame and strapped each battery down. I've used either webbing or light line.

Overcurrent protection. A short circuit between the positive battery cable and ground will create some terrific on-board fireworks. The ABYC requires a suitable fuse or circuit breaker on the positive cable within 72” of the battery. An exception is the starter battery. A direct, un-fused connection is permitted between the starter battery and the starter motor.

Terminal isolation. The positive battery terminals should be protected, so that if a metal object is dropped onto the battery, it can't short the terminals. On terminals that have only one wire connected, I use a rubber boot. This doesn't work well if there is more than one wire connected, in which case, I use a small section of clear, heavy plastic to protect the terminal. The last time we replaced the windows in our dodger, I kept the excess plastic window material, and this works quite well. I hold it in place with cable ties. I also protect any other terminals connected to the positive side of the battery – terminal posts, fuse connections, etc. Another alternative is to enclose the entire battery in a battery box.

Ventilation. Most battery types – even the sealed ones – can release explosive hydrogen gas while charging. The battery compartment should be vented to allow this gas to dissipate. Since hydrogen is lighter than air, at least some of the vents should be at the top of the compartment.

Cables. The battery cables must be stranded, and obviously large enough for the current that will be carried. This is a whole subject unto itself and will be the topic of next week's blog.

Fuel fittings, tanks and filters.

• Batteries should not be located directly above or below fuel tanks, filters or fittings.
• Any metallic fuel lines located above or within 12 inches of a battery must be shielded with an insulating material.

In actuality, it took more like three and a half days for the installation – two for the actual installation, half a day to round up all the supplies and another day to look up all the rules and regs and. The good news is that I only have to do this every 5-10 years – the bad news is that I will have forgotten all the regs by then and will have to look them up again.

Off the Boat and Back to Las Vegas

Once again, we are on the move. Nine of Cups is staying put at Atlantic Yacht Basin and we are heading back to Las Vegas for some family time. As usual, the boat is a total shambles as we haul out duffel bags and suitcases, preparing for the trip back. This time, along with our usual clothes, laptops and other gear, we're transferring the contents of many bins that had been stored for years at Lin's back to Las Vegas. We carted it all down by car just after the holidays and now we're trying to jam it all into suitcases and duffels to get it back across the country, compliments of “two bags fly free” on Southwest Airlines.

Cups' front berth has been laden down with it all and I swear I can hear her sighing in relief as we frantically try to cram it all into our existing transit bags … which have, I must say, seen better days.

It's mostly memorabilia. You know, the topper to our wedding cake, love letters and diaries and journals, photo albums and framed pics from another time. I used to collect Christmas ornaments from each port, but we haven't celebrated Christmas aboard in a long time. All those ornaments are carefully packed in a bin which we're taking back, too.

By the time we pack up the one-way rental car with all the luggage and head to the Baltimore airport, Nine of Cups will be lighter and happier and all tidied up once again, bobbing at the dock, waiting for our return at the end of February. We've got our to-do list for leaving and another one for all the chores we need to do once we get back to Vegas.

So, what will we do with all the “stuff” when we get to Las Vegas? Well, there's a closet that we all share that's large enough to house a small family. We'll take up our share of it with all the bins and assorted crap ... I mean, stuff ... I mean precious mementos until we have the time to sift through them seriously and the courage to discard some of it. That day may never come, but David keeps hoping.

A Weekend on Solomons Island

We have been working non-stop lately (read that David) trying to get as many projects and as much boat work done as possible before we head back to Las Vegas at the end of the month. There's the alternator project and varnishing and installing new batteries and … the list goes on and on. My anti-all-work-and-no-play philosophy kicked in and I convinced the captain that a weekend in Solomons Island, Maryland would be a fine diversion. After nearly 35 years together, my coaxing methods are well honed. With a $9.99/day weekend rental from Enterprise, we set off before the break of day on Saturday. We wanted to make the most of the daylight hours once we got to Solomons and it's about a 3.5 hour ride/200+ miles ride away. Road trip!

It really didn't matter much because although the forecast called for “partly cloudy”, it turned out to be foggy, misty and raw … none of which dampened our spirits in the least.

Solomons Island, Maryland is located at the mouth of the Patuxent River just off Chesapeake Bay. Apparently part of a land grant dating back to 1680 when it was known as Bourne's Island, it's also been known as Somervell's Island and Sandy Island until it was purchased in 1865 by Isaac Solomon who renamed it … you guessed it … Solomons Island. Solomon built and operated an oyster packing plant here for many years, one of the main industries of the island until the oyster beds were depleted. Today the island is best known for recreational boating, charter fishing and tourism.

Part of the reason for our visit was to explore the possibility of finding Nine of Cups a temporary home in the Chesapeake for the coming year. We had originally thought we'd head to maritime Canada this summer, but family commitments will preclude us from spending much time there. So instead, we're rethinking the possibility of spending more time exploring the Chesapeake and its many rivers, tributaries and unique ports. There's so much to see and we've seen so little of it. Having a home base for Cups will allow us to come and go as we please. Plus we'll have a nice place for folks to visit if they're so inclined.

The island is only about 1-1/2 miles long, so we parked the car at our hotel and walked from marina to marina, taking in the town as we went. We ventured to several marinas, four of which were of interest. No decisions have been made yet, but Solomons Yachting Center is a likely candidate.

One benefit of walking all over the island was checking out what it might hold in store for us if we decide to keep Cups here. There's the “world famous Tiki Bar” which surprised us with its life-size Easter Island moai. Unfortunately, it was closed for the season until mid-April.

The two-lane main street is lined with shops and restaurants and a very pleasant boardwalk runs along the shores of the Patuxent River. The damp, overcast day scared away all the tourists and we pretty much had the places to ourselves.

There's a gem of a museum in town – the Calvert Marine Museum. Once the business of marina exploration was complete, we couldn't resist a visit.

The museum is modern, well-laid out and very informative. The highlight for us was the tour of the Drum Point Lighthouse which was decommissioned in 1962 and saved from extinction when it was moved to the museum back in 1975. It's not your usual tower lighthouse, but rather a “screwpile” lighthouse, a style unique to the Chesapeake Bay.

We stopped at the small craft shed where the local small craft guild work on traditional wooden boats.

There's a wooden marsh walk and a live river otter exhibit. Watching the otters was fascinating and the otter tank was quite popular with the little ones. There's even a live webcam of the otters which is pretty cool.

Inside, the varied exhibits explore the history, geography, fauna, flora and industry of the Chesapeake Bay area … and so much more. We wandered through at a leisurely pace, each caught up in our own interests. David spent time learning about this area's involvement in the War of 1812. I enjoyed learning about fossils and the flora and fauna of the area. The seahorses caught my attention.

We enjoy discovering something new when we visit a museum. For instance, we learned the differences between a skate and ray (the tail tells it all at a glance). We observed a skate nursery and finally identified the weird natural objects we'd seen on many beaches as skate egg sacs (and some sharks, too), aka mermaid's purses. That's another of the differences between the two – rays have live births vs. the eggs of the skate.

We learned that a “bugeye” is a type of distinctive sailboat developed in the Chesapeake Bay for oyster dredging. There's a sculptured plaque illustrating a bugeye located along the river walk, a monument to fishermen and watermen who have died plying their trade in the Bay.

Who would have expected (or given it any thought to it at all) that it was Benjamin Lewis who first invented and patented the crab pot?

All and all, we had a great day, walked our dogs off (16,000 steps!!!) and retired to our hotel room exhausted, but satisfied. Sunday dawned dark, grey and dismal with a forecast of heavy rain and thunderstorms. Ah, well … so much better than snow.

Will Nine of Cups end up here in the Solomons? We're not sure yet, but you'll be among the first to know.