Nothin' To It - Solar Installation

We were ready to plunk down our money.  Months ago, back when I had a job… I decided that I wanted wind and solar power installed on the boat before we left to go cruising.  That was August, 2013, back when I thought we would be cruising off the edge of the earth.  We still had expendable cash and money was no object.  I wanted quick and easy and the price really didn’t matter…  I wanted Solar Stik.  

We contacted the company and were ready to place our order.  Upon receiving the specs and looking over our mounting options… we realized that there was no way it would work on our boat.  So… with the “easy” option removed, we did some more research in to Solar panels and Wind Generators.  We came up with more questions than answers and got so overwhelmed with information, we decided to just take off cruising without either of them.  We have a generator… the boat has been successfully cruised for years without either… lets just wait until we get to Florida and revisit the issue before we head off to the Bahamas.  We switched off our search for alternative power sources indefinitely...

Getting these solar panels to the boat was FUN!

Now here we are six months into our Cruising Career, and what have we learned? We learned that if you’re coastal cruising in the ICW and near shore, you will most likely be using your engine…  A LOT!  Even without a generator, you probably won’t need wind or solar energy.  So save your money.  We did just fine with running the generator to supplement times when we were at anchor for a few days or weeks.  

But things are changing for us now.  We haven’t been plugged into shore power since February 1st.  We have spent days and weeks at a time either on the hook or on a mooring ball between passages.  We are poised on the verge of jumping off to the Bahamas and it’s time to revisit the alternative power issue.  We've been running our generator about two hours a day to keep things charged up.  The switch was flipped back on again and we began our research anew while on the mooring ball in Ft. Myers Beach.  

Panels stored in the v-berth

We spoke to friends and read articles on the internet.  We spent days trying to decide what size panels we would need and how we would mount them.  Bruce had pretty much decided that the Kato mounting accessories that work with our Kato dinghy davits were his first choice.  We called Kato and ordered the mounting kit.  We did not order the optional bar to mount the panels on as we didn’t know the width of our panels.  We figured it would be easy to find one locally… we were wrong.  We ended up placing a second order for the bar after we picked our panels.  It just isn’t easy sourcing parts when you have no car and are not familiar with your location.  We ended up ordering the bar from Kato and having to wait for it...

During our internet search for information we lucked onto a company called eMarine Systems.  I called their toll free number and spoke to Corey in Sales.  I told him that we are ready to buy a solar panel system for our boat, and that if he can answer our questions there's a good chance he will make a sale today…  Corey jumped right on it and was SO nice and accommodating.  He really did explain things to me in a way that I could understand, enough so that I felt prepared to make the decision and feel good about it afterwards.  And I’m a GIRL!!

Corey asked some questions about our current setup, guided us about wattage choices and controllers, and in the end, he helped us zero in on a solar panel/controller combination that would suit our needs.  He put together a complete package of items we would need to do the entire installation… a “kit” if you will… and sent us a quote.  We called him back and gave him our credit card number, then sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed Ft. Myers Beach while we waited for all of the new toys to arrive.  

We had three days of deliveries before it was all aboard and ready to install… then we chickened out.  Now what???  We don’t know how to install solar panels!  We need advice, we need assistance, we need hand holding.  Neither Bruce nor I felt qualified to open those boxes and dig in to this project alone.  So, we put it off until we got to Marathon.  We knew that there would be help nearby if (when) we needed it.  

We left Ft. Myers Beach headed for Marathon.  We plunged into life in Cruiser Mecca and forgot about our looming project for a while.  But when the day for our visitor’s arrival came closer, we could put it off no longer.  We opened the boxes and started poking around.  We read the information that came with the controller and the panels… but there weren’t any real “instructions”… What to do?  The obvious first order of business was to install the mounting hardware on our davits.  Jerry from Encore came over and helped get us started.  

Installing the mounting hardware

The guys got the mount installed in a day, leaving the installation of the brackets onto the panels themselves for the next day.  Bruce and I went to work on that the following morning and ran into a snag.  The mounting brackets we received from eMarine were for a two bar mount… we had ordered a one bar mount.  This meant that the pre-drilled holes used to affix the bar cleats were in the wrong place.  We would have to re-drill 12 holes.  That caused us a day’s delay in that we didn’t have the appropriate drill bit.  

Jerry to the rescue

Enter again, friend Jerry.  He brought some tools over and helped us get our holes done and we were once again making progress.  

Securing the mounting brackets

Bruce and I hefted the giant panels, one by one, onto our bed for installation of the mounting brackets.  We bolted them on tight and then wrangled them out of the cabin, through the cockpit, across the back deck and up onto the waiting davit mount.  

Not sure how we got them up there... but we did it!

This was no easy task let me just tell you.  They weigh about 30 lbs. each and I was desperately afraid that we would bump the glass face and it would shatter into a zillion pieces.  Of course that didn’t happen, and after a bit of sweat and a few choice words… we had both panels in place and LOOKIN’ GOOD!

Looking up at the inside deck

Now comes the hard part.  We have to figure out a way to get the power from the panels, to the engine room where we planned to mount the controller.  Even more difficult… figuring out where to drill a hole in our precious boat!  I’m a BIG proponent of "measure thrice, cut once”, so with the help of my trusty camera (who can get into places my big head can not…), and multiple trips to the transom and back down below… 

Here is where the hole ended up...

I took pictures of underside of our exterior transom from behind our bed in the aft cabin.  This gave me the layout of what was in there and where we might safely drill a hole to pass the wiring through.  

O marks the spot

To say that I was nervous would be an understatement.  Bruce drilled the hole while I listened.  It took a while to drill through the thick fiberglass, but suddenly, we’re THROUGH!  And we didn’t HIT anything!  And the hold is in the right place and all is well…  

Bruce fed the thick wire through from outside, while I pulled it from the inside and directed it across the holding tank beneath our bed and over to the hole in the bulkhead where other wires passed through.  

Working blind at my direction...

Bruce came down below fed the wire into the hole, and then pulled up the flooring for the last few feet.  This was MUCH more easy than we thought it was going to be!  How often can you say THAT about a boat project!!!?  

The home stretch

We ran the wire loosely and didn’t pull it all through until the final hookup.  The next job was to mount the box for the controller inside the engine room.  Bruce found a spot for it and it took both of us squeezing into the tight spot from different directions to get the holes drilled for screws and to mount the box.  

Bruce’s strength and my dainty fingers got it done, again with more sweating…  Oh, and we found an automatic fire extinguisher inside the engine room that we never knew was there!!!  Bonus!

Dainty fingers at work

Moving on… we had to attach the wiring from the panel to the controller and then place it into the newly mounted box.  I took that job, since my fingers are more nimble.  Four little wires firmly attached!  Snap in the wire leading to the remote panel which goes will display the status on our power wall… We’re almost done!  

Attaching the panels to the batteries

Bruce took the next job, attaching the wires leading out of the controller to the batteries themselves.  Here we ran into another snag.  The diagram (that’s all we had to work from… a diagram) showed a single battery bank.  We have two battery banks (total of three batteries, two purchased more recently and one that is a bit older).  More internet searches and phone calls… we would need a battery combiner.  Still more internet searches and a final phone call to Cory at eMarine  Systems.

Fuse will probably be replaced with a switch

Cory told us that the Perko switch already installed for use with our inverter would act as a battery combiner.  All we need to do is to make sure that it is switched to “all” when we’re solar charging and we can hook directly to the batteries.    So… back to work.  Bruce hooked the ground to the single battery, and then, after installing the 30 amp fuse, attached the hot wire to the double bank.  Plug in the remote panel…  

The last connection...

The final step…  Hook the panels to the wiring!  We took out the fuse so that the power wouldn’t start until we could get back down to the remote panel to watch what was happening. Why, I have no idea…  If something was going to blow up… wouldn’t THAT be where the action is?  Bruce snapped the black to black and red to red, then we returned to the battery banks and, with breath held… he inserted the fuse…  

We've seen over 20 since then...

Suddenly the remote panel came to life.  It lit up like it knew what it was doing and told us that we were already bringing in 15 amps of beautiful power from the sun.  We DID IT!  With no detailed instructions.  The “kit” that eMarine Systems sent us was just that easy… no instructions were needed.  

While we were securing the wires in their final positions with bundle ties and putting the boat back together, we kept glancing over at the panel and gleefully calling out the climbing number!  I can’t tell you how relieved we are to have this project behind us.  It had been looming menacingly for so long, and we are proud to have it done!  We are happy with our choice of vender and the products we bought.  And if WE can do this… anyone can… Nothin’ to it!

Three Cheers For The Rebel Heart

Hooray for Rebel Heart!

When my two daughters were much younger, we took a family rafting trip with their grandparents on the Guadalupe River.  My (then) husband’s family had been joining countless other families camping and rafting the river for many summers. This particular year was my first time river rafting and I tried not to be a chicken.  

We had two big rafts for our group, all decked out with coolers, tons of sunscreen, life jackets and were having a blast as we coasted down the seemingly lazy river.  But the River’s benign surface could change in a moment... and it DID as we came to one of the many rocky parts where it became a white water maze.  My Father-In-Law was in charge of managing the raft through the rapids as we all paddled as directed…

I remember going over a tiny waterfall and passing a small child, perhaps 8 or 10 years old… a skinny little boy on an inner tube.  He floated around a boulder and over the short drop and disappeared beneath the falls…  I watched for his little head to pop up as we were carried down the river.  Rounding the bend, I lost sight as people were drawing closer to the boy’s last position… I never did see his head reappear.

I didn’t have time to think about it as we continued our river trip, but once back on dry land… it hit me.  My legs started to shake and I couldn’t believe I had willingly taken my young children into this dangerous situation. I never went back and it was years before my kids were allowed to returne, much older, to the river.  

Many people might think I overreacted in my fear.  Just as many others might say that I should NOT have subjected my children to the danger of drowning in that river.  But that’s what people do.  They overreact.  Fear of things unknown or misunderstood can make people speak out and perhaps judge unfairly.  And what could be a more fearful endeavor than sailing across the Pacific Ocean?…

These past several days I have watched anxiously for word of my friend Charlotte aboard S/V Rebel Heart. I have never met Charlotte in person, but she is the founder of Women Who Sail, a closed Facebook group created to provide a forum where sailor women can find information and support.  She and I share a common bond and I consider her a major contributor to making our current lives aboard Dos Libras a reality.  It’s phenomenal how Facebook friendships can develop into something “real” without the two friends ever laying eyes upon one another… but that’s a blog post for another day.  

I blanched when I first learned of the rescue mission already under way, of the sailboat Rebel Heart.  I went about my day but kept coming back to the internet to look for an update on the situation, hungry for the “all’s well” that I just knew would be coming.  I knew it because I could not accept any other outcome.  And soon enough, it did come.  Rescue teams had arrived and stabilized the sick baby.  The family was awaiting rescue but the immediate danger had passed.  

And then it started… the (pardon-my-french) shitstorm of blame and judgement.  The ugliness that resides within us all is released and spewed at the latest poor recipient of our derision…  It is a sad thing to watch and frankly, I'm glad that we're so out-of-touch out here on the boat, so I don't have to look at it! 

I would like, in the only small way that I can, to counter some of that venom by pledging my support and hope that my readers will join me in giving Charlotte and Eric your support as well.  Let’s say that they are good parents who love their children and want a better life than the “normal” one that society dictates.  Let’s say they want their children to grow up in a more broadly defined world than most of us will ever know, and be educated with open minds and big hearts.  Let’s say they want their children to be accepting of others who make different choices and live differently.  Let’s say that they want to spend TIME with their children the way most parents can not.  Let’s say that they planned and prepared to take on these challenges the best way they know how… and really, what more can we ask of any parent these days?

Different is not bad.  Please help stop the Media Madness and show your support if you can, to this extraordinary couple and their children.  Finally it looks as if that "All is well" is coming.  

Getting Straight With US Customs & Border Patrol

Riding the bus down the Keys was like being in a foreign country

Flying by the seat of my pants.  That’s how I’ve handled this SVRS thing.  I used to be so organized and meticulous and could knock a project like this out neatly.  But I just couldn’t seem to get a grasp on it and I’m not entirely sure that it’s my fault… I’m not going to tell you that this is how it will go for you, but this is how it went for us.  And if I can save you a little aggravation… well, you’re welcome!

Lets begin at the beginning.  What is SVRS and why do I need it?  Well, you DON'T.  SVRS - Small Vessel Reporting System is available to qualified persons and offers facilitated customs and immigration clearance for low risk recreational boaters at the time of arrival from foreign ports.  If you haven't registered with the SVRS system you must go to Customs within 24 hours of entry to the US in person.

The ICW where it meets the Seven Mile Bridge

If you DO have it, you may be able to satisfy your Customs & Immigration requirements with a simple phone call.

Is it absolute?  No. (nothing is absolute with the government)  MOST will not be required to go to CBP (Customs & Border Patrol) personally.

What does SVRS cost?  It’s free.  You complete an online application which puts you into their system.  You go to a designated CBP location for a personal interview where you will be photographed and fingerprinted, maybe asked some questions.  That’s it. 

Well, that’s not entirely it.  If you have a vessel 30 ft. or more in length, you must also provide information about your vessel and apply for a DTOPS decal.  DTOPS- Decal/Transponder Online Procurement System - The application is available online.  There is a yearly fee (as of now) for this decal of $27.50.  Your decal number is linked to you in the SVRS system.  The decal is displayed on your boat and it may lessen your chances of being detained or boarded for inspection by CBP.  

The "OLD" Seven Mile Bridge

Sounds simple right?  Mmhmm.  Well in the end, it is.  But the application process is a little bit disjointed.  

I learned about SVRS and DTOPS long before we left home to go cruising.  It would have been great if we could have applied for the decal while we were still at home where getting mail was easy.  There were two reasons why we didn’t.  One, because of the annual fee for the decal.  You don’t need it until just before leaving for the Bahamas.  

The second reason, is that SVRS processing is not available at all CBP locations.  There wasn’t a local office where we could appear in person for the interview in Port Aransas, TX. (where we lived).  So, we waited until we arrived here in Marathon, with the Key West office (Miami Processing Center) a short bus ride away.  You can go to the list of eligible CBP locations to choose the most convenient one for yourself. 

The Bus Ride was the best part.  Just LOOK at these colors!

The DTOPS decal can take 4 to 6 weeks processing time so plan ahead. I completed the online application for the decal and received an email confirmation.  A couple of days later, we received another email notification that a receipt was available for viewing by logging in to our online account.  Important:  This is where I got the decal number needed to complete your SVRS application when linking a vessel.

Moving on…  The SVRS application is separate from the DTOPS application.  If you are associating a vessel to your application, have your decal number ready. The application is very short and it asks for very basic information. We used our passports as identification.  Important: Everyone on your vessel must submit an application and schedule an individual interview. 

A weather balloon?

What made it interesting for us?

We didn’t have a mailing address to receive our DTOPS decal for where we planned to be in 4 to 6 weeks, so we used our home address.  This means that once the decal arrived in Texas, we had to figure out how to get it to the boat. Inconvenient.

We use Mac and iPad for internet.  The DTOPS and SVRS online applications work best using Internet Explorer.  We had to download Chrome on the iPad to complete the DTOPS process.  We had some problems in trying to complete our online applications with Safari and were unable to link our vessel online. (we completed the application WITHOUT adding a vessel and brought our US Documentation certificate with us to our personal interviews to have it added manually.  It was not a problem.)

The streets of Key West.  NOT what I had expected...

We had not realized that BOTH of us needed to be in the SVRS system.  I had to scramble to enter myself (I had applied in Bruce’s name) the night before and was unable to get an interview scheduled.  When we arrived at the interview, we just played it off as if we both had appointments.  When they told me that I wasn’t on the schedule, I told them we had computer problems…  (Is that lying to the government?) They were very good about it and did my interview anyway… (Uncle Sam, if you're reading this... I apologize for that little white lie)

The busses run from Marathon to Key West approximately every two hours.  The traffic can make a huge difference.  This means that you either need an appointment well after 1:00 pm or you should take the really early bus.  We took the 10:18 am bus and barely made it to the airport in time for our appointments.  Had the traffic been worse, we would have been late.  The good news is, the CBP officers seem to be used to this and told us it was fine if we were a little late.  But you should call.

Yes, there really ARE roosters running around in Key West

Another reason you should call the day of your interview… is that the location of your interview stated on your confirmation email, may or may not be correct.  Call the number when you head that way to see if you need to go to the airport or to the Simonton St. location.  I think they literally decide where they’re going to work each day on the morning of…  This has caused many people to scramble when they show up in the wrong place… otherwise known as the place stated on their appointment confirmation…

CBP at the Airport

So, to wrap it up… 

• Plan ahead, review the list to pick your processing location.  
• Get your DTOPS decal on its way. (Ours ended up arriving at our home in about a week)
• Use Internet Explorer to do both DTOPS and SVRS applications online if possible.  
• Register every person on board individually and set up your interview dates and times.  They only do interviews two days a week in Key West, and at limited times.  Try to get your times together.
• If you’re riding the bus to get there, review the bus run times and make your interview appointments leaving lots of time to get there.
• Pack a lunch.

After it was all over with, we found food at the airport.  

Now... we're straight with the government.  We are photographed and fingerprinted and will have to give up any thoughts of a future in crime.  But we probably would have made poor criminals anyway...

The ride home!