Know Your Boat

We have been aboard this boat for over five years yet we are still learning how all the systems interact.  Last Wednesday, I came home to find that the battery monitor reading 11.7 volts and the batteries showing significantly drained.  We had no idea what was wrong.  The charger was working (we checked both AC input and CD output with the multi-meter.

Well as it turns out, we looked t the DC panel and noticed a switch on the battery panel.

Island Packet's Main Battery Panel

Notice the switch to the right that has guards above and below it - this one:

Charger Output Switch 

I had noticed this and then again NOT noticed it until I took a good look and found it was OFF.  Turn it on, and all is well again.  The battery monitor again reading as it should when on shore power:

Xantrex Battery Monitor Reading As It Should 

I have seen that switch a thousand times and yet when I had a problem, it never occurred to me to check it.  Lesson learned:  KNOW YOUR BOAT'S SYSTEMS!

Bimini Enclosure Curtains

We've started the process of making the Bimini enclosure curtains.  We added the zippers and patterned the side curtain.

Port Side Zipper Added to the Length

Aft End of the Port Zipper

The Aft Zipper Can Be Seen as the Second Black Line

Aft Portion of the Starboard Zipper

We will have more pictures of the pattern and subsequent work on the enclosure.