Meet the new La Rea!

LaRea · April 12

Yeah, it's quite a makeover. In this "before" pic, you might think the helm looks okay. But the ergonomics were just terrible -- nothing was located in a logical place. The chartplotters were crap, the autopilot wasn't connected to them, the VHF was barely working, and the engine monitors were primitive.

At some point, I'll post some videos with a tour of the new setup.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/ik/q6d03jirbf9o.jpg

Liberty44140 · April 12

Looks great! Did you eliminate a thruster? Looks like you went from a dual to a single?

Also I noticed your volvo keys are in the ignition. Do you leave them in the ignition in the off position? I always take them out when not in use as I'm worried about a battery draw or other issues but I'd rather just leave them in the ignition.

aero3113 · April 12

Great work!!⚓️

LaRea · April 13

@Liberty44140 - good catch. She did have a dual thruster control, but there was no stern thruster and no wiring or battery for it. After seeing how easy the boat is to dock, I decided not to spend $15k to add a stern thruster. (But if I ever change my mind, I left room in the helm for a dual controller.)

I leave the keys in the ignition in the OFF position. Even if it somehow draws a few milliamps, we'll probably never be off grid/genny power for more than 5-10 hours at a time.

Liberty44140 · April 13

Well nice that you have the dual control in storage in case you ever decide to add it but yes it’s easy to put one main in forward, one in reverse, and then use the bow thruster alone to move sideways. I’ve considered a stern thruster so that the admiral can start to dock the boat but otherwise I’ve not felt the need.

good info on the keys, may start doing that, just easier to leave them in

LaRea · April 13

Phone chargers are in. Trying to remember the last time I went a week without drilling holes in the boat!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/5f/xgdbhnk8ow8m.jpg

Now I just wish the wind would lay down. I want to take that dinghy out for a spin, but this is the wind meter at my pier.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/xf/qp2h0cx8yfbo.jpg

LaRea · April 14

Today I flushed the cooling water lines for the seven air conditioners. Fresh hose water to the input side, and the output side went out onto the swim platform so I could see what it looks like. Had some nasty Potomac River mud all up in that place.

This photo deserves to be seen on a big screen! The water jet (coming from bottom center) is straight outta Hollywood.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/ng/6nica071lgi2.jpg

aero3113 · April 15

D@mn! ! I’m sure that was a satisfying project 👍🏻⚓️

captkevin · April 15

Wow hard to believe.

LaRea · April 15

Here's the hatch I cut in the salon floor so I can reach the air conditioners and a huge storage space. It's hard to believe there was no way to reach this space and service the air conditioners.

That's now the official Tools Place for our boat. On the underside of the door, I mounted a bunch of Milwaukee Packout toolboxes. Man I love those things!

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/fh/fdyz1xjjaz6c.jpg

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/x8/fllqg55d6bbn.jpg

oscar1 · April 15

I have to do a project like your to keep tool in the coach

captkevin · April 15

What an amazing use of a previously wasted space.

MH342 · April 17

Wow that’s impressive. Nice work!

LaRea · April 18

Today we had a nice shakedown cruise! Considering the extent of the modifications over the winter layup, the problem list was surprisingly short:

* Stbd transmission fault (easy fix, bad cable connector hacked by a past mechanic)
* Trim tabs acting strange
* Bow thruster control wired backwards -- my bad!

One bright spot was the Furuno autopilot. Total plug-and-play. I hooked up the wires and punched a few buttons. Japanese engineers figured out the rest.

The helm display is everything I was hoping for.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/uo/x52q2qrlhcrm.jpg

Rich_ · April 18

Fine work. Furuno does make the best electronics. 21.8 kts is a nice cruise. What is gph at that nearly 2000 rpm and what are you getting for max rpm actual vs what they are rated at?

Formulaben · April 18

LaRea said:

That's now the official Tools Place for our boat. On the underside of the door, I mounted a bunch of Milwaukee Packout toolboxes. Man I love those things!

OK, stupid question time...what hardware do you need to have them do that on the door? Is it included with the kits? I see this in my future!

rasbury · April 18

Looking at my dash problem and how nice yours came out...ready to give up!

LaRea · April 18

@Formulaben - I'll do a separate post about the toolboxes. It's all aftermarket stuff.
EDIT: see this post. https://rinkerboats.vanillacommunities.com/discussion/14215

@Rich_ - numbers from yesterday.
Cruise: 1960 rpm, 21.8 kts, 50 gph, 0.50 mpg
WOT: 2360 rpm (rated 2400), 28.5 kts, 80 gph, 0.41 mpg

She's heavy right now. The holding tank is 100% full (around 600 pounds), fresh water 75%, and I added the 460-pound dinghy. Probably needs to have the hull cleaned too.

Dream_Inn · April 18

Full holding tank! Sounds like you need to empty some crap for lighter weight!

Let me guess, you have it filled up with a cleaning chemical.

LaRea · April 18

Haha -- no, it's 100% full of "recycled coffee" because I used the heads all winter during the renovation!

Yesterday's shakedown cruise was really a pumpout trip to Fort Washington. Unfortunately, their pump didn't work. (Well, it took my money, but didn't take my waste.) This afternoon we'll run up to National Harbor and pump it out.

mattie · April 18

@LaRea
Amazing thread.....
Revised dash going from zero - to four - drink holders. THE BEST!

davidbrooks · April 18

@LaRea with that new dash it looks like you have to ask for clearance from the air traffic controller prior to leaving the dock. What an amazing transformation.

Lake_Bum · April 18

That beautiful new dash, somehow made me think of the song "Ground control to Major Tom" hahahahaha. Literally looks like an airplane. I know you love it

captkevin · April 18

Congrats on successful shakedown ride.

aero3113 · April 18

@LaRea , you need to get two phones up there! Have one with Navionics running and the other with the Anchor Alarm app running 😂⚓️. Looks great!

Rich_ · April 18

LaRea said:

This afternoon we'll run up to National Harbor and pump it out.

You just want another excuse to take a ride

LaRea · April 20

Today I made a $2000 mistake.

Okay, that's the splashy headline. Truth is, today I confronted the reality that I need to replace the 14-year-old Blomberg galley refrigerator. A shelf support broke, and I found the part for $6. But when I tried to install it on the glass shelf, this happened:

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020499/uploads/editor/6k/io1rw3wx5imu.jpg

Yup, the glass shelf exploded in my hands (an exciting moment for sure). Replacement shelves can't be found anywhere, and the inside of the fridge has some other cracks, so it's headed for the landfill. Blomberg makes a drop-in replacement, and I found one in New Jersey.

Willhound · April 20

@LaRea I think you can talk yourself into anything..😉. How bad are the cracks inside? Surface? A glass shop could cut you a new piece of tempered glass for way less than 2 G's. That's a lot of Looper diesel...

Aqua_Aura · April 20

@Willhound that sort of money saving nonsense talk won't be tolerated on this forum 😂.

aero3113 · April 20

@LaRea , could you have had a new piece of glass cut at a local shop?

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