Captain's Blog

     After using the boat with the new dinghy mounts last summer, ( Dinghy Time ) it became apparent that it was not as great an idea as I had hoped. Each time we wanted to use the dinghy, we had to lower the dinghy into the water (the easy part), then hook up the outboard to the upper davit & lower it to the rear deck, then transfer it to the swim platform, then install it on the transom of the dinghy. The other issue, with the existing transom mounted dinghy brackets, if the boat deflated some, the Forespar bracket would punch a hole in the rub rail and "hook" the dinghy making it difficult to get it off. When it's that much of a PIA to do, we tended not to use the tender...I needed a better solution. My current setup     The boat came with two well made very nice "lifting" davits on the flybridge, one port & one starboard that we use to get the outboard up and down from the flybridge. hmmm...     I looked up the company,  KATO Marine ...

    We are roughly 9 months out from our planned Great Loop start. The boat really is as ready as she will ever be but there are still a few items I would like to get done.     I was never too fond of the 15 kg (33#) Bruce style anchor on Pau Hana. It sometimes didn't set well. Old 33# Bruce Type Anchor     I had heard a lot of great things about Mantus Anchors from  Mantus Marine . In fact one of the Loopers we met passing through Crystal River also had a 31 Camano  Sweet Day  They commented that "the Mantus never failed us once". I put off ordering the anchor and as the price started to increase I lamented that I didn't do it earlier. Looking through the AGLCA Forum, someone commented about the spring "Promo Code". I jumped on it and it saved me $82! Ready for Assembly The anchor comes disassembled but a snap to put together with a couple 3/4" wrenches.  New Mantus 35# Anchor     Still on "Anchor Detail" I found 2 Tow Bridles...