Meet the new La Rea!

YYZRC

Thats too bad re: the Atmos. Slick unit but missing what I think could have been the biggest win.

For the Starlink, do you have the dish heating enabled? I've heard it cycles on even when ambient temps are well above freezing.

LaRea

I'll start paying attention to when it trips.  Not sure if heating is on, but it has been a while since the temperature dropped below 60*F.

YYZRC

Its a setting in the Starlink app.

LaRea

New trim tab installed, with screws long enough to retain the hinge pins.  Ironically, the stbd tab actually had no interference with the swim platform, so no need for cutouts, so no need for reinforcing brackets, so the whole thing was an exercise in futility.  

In the background is the drill press that I bought expressly for this job.  Can't drill 304 stainless without a drill press.  It'll probably get sold before we move aboard.  

LaRea

Yesterday was our first real chance to zip around on that Williams Minijet, and that thing is a friggin rocket ship!  We finished the engine break-in and got to hit full throttle for the first time.  She jumps up on plane like she was shot out of a cannon, and she'll do zero to 40 mph in about 5 seconds. 

This is my good buddy Alexi heading out for a joy ride ...



I also learned how to remove the water jet assembly.  We were doing about 25 mph and sucked up a chunk of thick plastic -- maybe part of a paddle or a 50-gallon drum.  This time, it took me 60 minutes to remove and reinstall the pump ... next time, probably 30.  

Here's the offending chunk.  We were able to continue at 5 mph and get back to the mother ship.

LaRea

Today I replaced the stern docking camera, and wow is this one better.  It's an Annke (formerly known as Hikvision) FCD600, which has two cameras with an onboard processor that stitches the image into a single 180-degree image.  



Here's a snapshot from the stern.  The wider field of view will be great for docking.  Bonus, it sees all the way up to the horizon, so I can see boats behind me when we're underway.  



I'm impressed with this camera.  The image stitching is seamless, and it has good resolution all the way out to the edges of the picture.  

Ian

A shame it doesn’t dewarp

LaRea

Yeah, I'll have to train my brain how to interpret the image without thinking about it.  Gonna have two more cameras like this for the port and starboard sides, all pulling double duty as docking cameras and security cameras.

Another weekend project: I removed the crappy windshield tint film from the bridge windshield.  Looking through the film was like wearing glasses smeared with oil -- blurry and wavy.  Here's a before-and-after from only 200 feet away, and it was much worse when looking at distant objects with binoculars.  

captkevin

Wow thats hard to believe how bad the tint was. Are you going to replace? Or go without?

LaRea

I think go without.  I'm guessing any tint will have similar distortion.  If we start cruising the tropics and the bridge gets too warm, I'll upgrade the air conditioners!  

LaRea

Last major project before we get underway:  Fitted the cockpit with Flex Dek flooring from snapincarpet.com.  Looks great, comfortable on the feet, and safer because it adds better non-slip to the steps. 

This is a PVC foam product, so it's not as durable as hard products such as DEKit.  I suspect it will not last more than 5 years.  But it's affordable!  I paid a guy $400 to make the template.  Even with that, the total cost was only $2k.  The local DEKit installer estimated $11k.  

Before and after ...

aero3113

Looks great @LaRea !! ⚓️

captkevin

Very nice

LaRea

Thanks!  Peel and stick ... the whole installation only took 90 minutes to install 26 pieces.  At first, I was disappointed they couldn't do the main cockpit area as a single piece.  But now I realize:  If something gets damaged, I can easily replace that piece.  

YYZRC

LaRea said:

At first, I was disappointed they couldn't do the main cockpit area as a single piece.  But now I realize:  If something gets damaged, I can easily replace that piece.  

Plus it’s great for tic tac toe on rainy days. 

rasbury

Awesome to see the upgrades you continue to process- another boat that will have better to have run across you! 

oscar1

It look very nice.

goalie59

Nice update. I low the look of that stuff. 

LaRea

Well, we did it -- started our Great Loop on Wednesday!

We had about 100 people at the sendoff party.  Such a great community of friends, and we will miss them.  We led the club's July 3rd Parade of Lights for the 22nd time, then spent the first night at anchor.  Motored to Colonial Beach to visit friends.  Then two days at Annapolis with some good buddies in a Sea Ray 510 who also cruised with us to our current stop (Chesapeake City).  They are heading home today and we're going to Lewes Delaware.

LaRea

You can follow our adventures here:  https://www.LaRea.net

Liberty44140

Congrats on the departure. Will be watching!

Ian

Safe travels guys and hope to catch up at the end of the month.

aero3113

Good luck @LaRea !!🍾⚓️
Looking forward to hearing your stories.

Willhound

Bon voyage!

davidbrooks

Safe travels Chris.

raybo3

Have a great and safe trip.

Grahamu

Look forward to meeting you both in Canada. Safe travels.

Pat310

Hope its everything you dreamed it would be. A lot of here have had that same dream!!

goalie59

Safe travels, looks like it will be an awesome trip.

oscar1

CONGRATS