Refit Work Completed, Here is the List

...There it is... 4G RADAR, AIS, B&G Zeus...

What was I thinking?! Refitting our Island Packet 35 while on a mooring ball in Stuart, FL. Really, what WAS I thinking? After one month, we have completed the most extensive project to date on Island Spirit. We wanted to replace our old 1994 and 2002 B&G electronics with new B&G gear and to add a Spectra Ventura 200t watermaker. Plus we installed new head sails from Mack Sails. All of this since we launched the boat 4 weeks ago. To add to the challenges, we did it all while NOT at a dock!

The view of our mooring ball, 2nd one on right

We completed the work while on mooring ball #25 at one of the best marinas we have ever encountered, Sunset Bay Marina and Anchorage in Stuart, FL. We are really thinking that Martin County Florida is #1 in Florida. They simply have it figured out. The town is well planned and we find very nice people live here. Top that off with a marina staff whose number one focus is customer service and making the grounds and facilities spectacular, and we have found a perfect place to refit.

Mack Sails for all your refit work

Add the full support and constant encouragement of Colin Mack of Mack Sails along with my fantastic B&G rep Steve Hamber and these are the reasons we have been so successful with our projects. If you have any need for refit, sails, electronics, chain plates, etc, I highly recommend that you contact Colin Mack and give him your list of items. Colin will work with you and he will get you the best price out there. I never knew that they did more than sails, but they do and they can do it all. Mack Sails has become THE place to go for Island Packet Yacht refit work. Thank you Colin for all your support and help. Your company is amazing! Your attitude is wonderful, your team is well respected!

People have been asking us what have we added? So here is the list:

B&G Gear:

• 2 Triton2 Data Displays
• 4G Radar on the mast
• Zeus2, 9" Multifunction Display
• DST, Depth Speed Temperature sensor in a new 2" thru hull
• 508 Digital Anemometer on the mast head
• NAC-3 Digital autopilot computer
• Rudder Reference
• Compass 9
• Autopilot control head at the helm
• GPS on the bimini frame

NMEA 2000

• New backbone run from mast head to nav desk, to qtr berth, to sail locker, to helm NavPod
• 2 end terminal resisters
• 11 tees 
• 50 feet of Simrad/B&G shielded Ethernet cable

NavPod

• New SailPod with Zeus2 cut to the right
• Autopilot control cut to the left
• New RAM Mic added to the pod
• 2 USB ports
• 1 12 volt port
• 1 RAM Mic port
• 1 LED table light

VHF and AIS

• New Standard Horizon Explorer VHF with built in GPS
• New RAM Mic wired to the helm
• AIS antenna upgrade
• AIS wiring new 8x coax end fittings for best signal
• VHF GPS output wired into ICOM 802 SSB for position feed

Watermaker

• Spectra Ventura 200t, 8.3 gallons per hour at 8-9 amps 12 volt DC
• New dedicated 3/4" thru hull in the galley floor for watermaker saltwater feed pump
• New plywood epoxy platform built to mount the 35 lb Clark pump
• Feed pump and filters mounted up high on outboard side of cockpit seat ice box
• 1/4" product water hose teed into sink hand pump
• 1/4" sample water hose coils into cockpit ledge, pulls out to flow into cockpit drain
• Product/sample valve just under cockpit sail locker lid ledge
• Gauge mounted next to valve
• Brine discharge teed into cockpit ice box drain

So, now it is time for us to prepare this boat for sea trials to shake down all the new gear. We may do that as we sail out, but we really think we need to make some offshore runs testing the pilot install and the ability to sail to wind via autopilot. We do that frequently and we want to make sure this boat sails as well as before on autopilot. We also need to work out the new reefing system yet to be installed. We have the new sails on, but we have not even opened them up to see them and test them. Refitting is nearly complete, now it is onto prep for departure.

Here are some photos...

Running the old RL70C from a 12 volt plug
to download our 900 waypoints....oops, we forgot!

Success, we downloaded them and my B&G rep converted them to B&G waypoints.
Then we uploaded them into the new system.

While doing refit, we are working with our friend and customer
who is buying an IP 38. Sea trial is next, very exciting!

Our sunset views from the porch where locals and cruisers share wine and snacks.

Our beautiful porch and comfortable teak furniture

Rewiring the underside of the helm with
new RAM Mic and new Radar control wires.

Every day, it seems, we go to West Marine. This one is in Ft. Lauderdale the mega store.
(Bob and Nina of Moondance, where are you??  We ran into you unexpectedly the last two times we were here!)

Diversion to Ft. Lauderdale downton to see Team SVDelos

The Ft. Lauderdale Winterfest Boat Parade was a pleasant surprise!

The last water hose needed, 1/2" to connect fresh water to the watermaker flush.

Back to Stuart West Marine

Here is the white 1/4" sample product water outflow hose.
I spent about a week working the sail locker.

Connecting the 1/4" product water into the hand pump hose.

We added a shut off valve to keep the hand pump usable in an emergency.
Thanks for the good advice from our plumber in Pennsylvania, Fred!

This was the last job of the refit.

We are now labeling all items.

The product valve. Sample water to measure salinity, then
product water plumbed into the water tank.

10 AWG wire with a 15 amp breaker powers the watermaker.
This is wired directly to the battery charger, which is connected to the battery bank.

The direct power feed, 15 amp breaker, 5 micron filter and pressure cylinder,
all mounted on the back side of the cockpit ice box.

We are so relieved to be finished! Overall, when you look at this work, one month for two people is not too bad, especially when out in the harbor. We can now return to our regular program of routine maintenance, provisioning, sailing and traveling. Again, our goal is to sail into the Bahamas and then onward to the Caribbean Sea where we will base for the next 3 to 4 seasons. These are exciting times. Thank you for sailing along.