220 Volt Boat Systems, In A 110 Volt World

Charge Master Multi Voltage / Multi Frequency

Sailing the Eastern Coast of the USA for the past couple of months, we've learned to be careful with our AC power management.  Crystal Blues is of course a 220volt /50cycle boat, basically incompatible with the 110volt/60cycle power supply typically available in the USA.

We have friends who plugged in to local shore power this year, thinking all would be well, only to find they destroyed a set of house batteries in just a few days - the battery charger was not actually charging. Other friends blew up a perfectly good air conditioner. Both boats thought the dual phase 220 volt service that many US marinas offer would be OK - an expensive mistake. It's actually two phases of a 110 volt service, without a neutral conductor (which is kind of dangerous) and it runs at 60 hertz - be real careful with that.  Even a transformer won't save the day - sure it can convert the voltage, but does nothing to correct the frequency problem.

So the number one item for sailboats cruising in the USA, Caribbean and South America, is a battery charger that will deal with all voltages and frequencies. We upgraded ours specifically for this task, when we arrived in the Caribbean. This allows us to keep the batteries charged from shore power whilst at the same time running the systems on the boat from the inverter. More detail on that topic in a recent post here.

But what happens when something fails - when a frequently used electrical device stops working?  Traveling north through the Caribbean I worried about our microwave oven, which was starting to make nasty noises. So we replaced it in St. Martin, almost the last place (heading north) with 220volt 50 cycle appliances for sale. I definitely did not want to have it fail here in the USA, where I could not replace it.

A Quiet Beer To Celebrate The Installation!

Then, as we cruised through US waters, we were dismayed to hear warning signs - bad noises again - coming from our washing machine. Now we were in trouble!

However our friend Steven Shaw was absolutely sure we'd find 220 volt / 50 hertz products for sale in the USA - check the internet he said. Sure enough, we came across a supplier who specialises in 220 volt / 50 hertz products, based in Illinois. 220 Electronics had four different washing machines in stock, one of which was a perfect fit in the space we had available.

It was ordered last week, arrived on  Monday and is now installed and working - I'm pleased to say the Admiral is a happy lady again. The folks at 220 - Electronics have everything from power tools to refrigerators, kitchen appliances and gensets, all running 220 volt 50 hertz, and they ship anywhere.

Newport Rhode Island, Social Cruising Continues ......

After a relaxed 50 mile passage we sailed into Newport, Rhode Island, arriving on schedule for a much anticipated dinner date. Coming into the harbor we dodged beautiful schooners and even more beautiful 12 Meter Americas Cup boats, all carrying passengers on commercial harbor cruises. Newport just oozes sailing tradition, money and tourists. We were lucky - old acquaintances and business connections had come forward, inviting us to dinner at the spectacular  New York Yacht Club facility in Newport.

So the mighty Crystal Blues, flying her Royal Yacht Club Of Victoria and Ocean Cruising Club burgees, rested on a mooring in front of the New York Yacht Club, while Ley and I prepared ourselves for dinner, not such a simple task!

New York Yacht Club At Newport, R.I.

  
Barbara Horton Lees and Steven Lees were relaxed and gracious hosts, having arrived in Newport themselves just that afternoon. We enjoyed a magic dinner on the great balcony of that beautiful building, looking out over the lawns, then standing with the members for the traditional cannon firing and flag lowering at sunset. After dinner we toured parts of the club house, once the Brown family mansion.

Of course this is the club that had just lost the Americas Cup to team New Zealand, though the spirit at the clubhouse didn't show it, and by the end of the evening we might have felt just a little guilty for cheering on the New Zealanders a few weeks earlier .... though I have a feeling that the New York Yacht Club won't hesitate to take up that proud fight again.

They have an incredibly active sailing program, hosting numerous race series for many classes, plus active sailing development programs.

Our hosts, Barbara and Steven, have lived on board their own boat for many years, and are working toward a full-time cruising life, so we were able to share stories of our own experiences.

The celebrations continued next morning with breakfast on board their boat, before we parted ways, hoping to meet at sea again in the future. We departed Newport later that morning in a light fog, bound for Bristol, Rhode Island, accompanied by beautiful sailing schooners and memories of a very special evening.

The Great New England Social Cruise - Part 2

Noank Waterfront Homes

Leaving Norwalk, we motor sailed against a 25 knot north easterly wind to reach shelter in New Haven, Connecticut. Once again, this was a slightly disappointing harbor destination, however it did allow us to stage our way to the North East along Long Island Sound, in quite poor weather.  Life looked better the next day when we arrived at the village of Noank, at the southern end of the Mystic River channel, this time in beautiful sunny conditions.

Crystal Blues At Ram Island Yacht Club

First some perspective - Ley and I vacationed in Noank some 22 years ago, before we owned a boat.  In those day we just did a lot of boat looking, and there are very few ugly boats in Noank ... these folk have been raised with proper values! Everything is a classic, even the fiberglass versions.

This is a picture perfect New England village, set on a peninsular that sprouts beautiful scenes at every turn. All traffic for the Mystic Seaport Museum goes upriver past Noank, so it is a great place to sit and watch the passing parade of fabulous wooden and classic boats.

We were welcomed and hosted here by Sidney and Sandy Van Zandt, who are the Ocean Cruising Club Port Officers in Noank, having settled here after there own circumnavigation in a boat they built with their own hands - more power to them!

Sidney and Sandy also arranged a mooring for us to use, right across from their yacht club, made available by other club members.

Being social and resourceful folk, they also invited several members of the local Ram Island Yacht Club to welcome us, at their home, the very evening we arrived. The club is a family run organisation, supported by the goodwill of volunteer members and shows great family spirit, with an active junior sailing program.

So our three nights in Noank became a celebration of cruising and sailing, with many local guests visiting on board Crystal Blues.  We had gracious support from the Ram Island Yacht Club and it's members, who invited us to use the club wharf on our last evening in town. We really did not want to leave.

However we had to move on, as our very social cruise had forward bookings. So we sailed from Noank, onwards to the North and East, heading for yet another social event .....

Moonrise Over The Mystic River

Very Social Cruising In New England

Beautiful New England

Since leaving New York City our cruising life has become extremely social. An unplanned series of connections somehow linked up, to create a cruise through beautiful New England like no other.

We started with a visit to the New York Athletic Club Yacht Club, at Travers Island, Pelham, just north east of the city.

Here we celebrated Independence Day on July 4th, with our good friend Steven Shaw and his sons Eli & Ethan. Steven's friends Paul and Elaine Osmolskis arranged access to the club for us, and became truly sensational hosts. I should say here that Steven was Best Man at our wedding, and Ethan is our Godson, so it was a great and long overdue reunion.

It is hard to understand how important the 4th of July really is, unless you call America home. Its a time of family reunion, contemplation, celebration and fireworks.

We dressed Crystal Blues with signal and club flags, plus our big battle flag, and made ready to join the party. We learned that night that the New York Athletic Club was pivotal in the start of the modern Olympic Games - together with a similar club in Chicago they basically kicked the ball off and started the modern Olympics. While berthed at the club we also received a visit from Thomas and Linda Delaney, OCC Port Officers for New York, who had seen our burgee flying and wanted to make sure we were looked after ... which we certainly were.

Incidentally, the US Declaration Of Independence is reprinted and published each year on July 4, by the New York Times. Check it out here.

NYAC Yacht Club Launch - A Proper Way To Go Ashore

The 4th Of July Picnic Cruise

      
We started the 4th of July with a delightful picnic cruise on Long Island Sound, before heading back to the yacht club for a serious overdose of fireworks that night.

Two Old Friends - Now Very Old !

Next day we moved on, arriving in the town of Norwalk, Connecticut, after a four hour passage. There we met with David and Jody Neaderland, long time friends that started with a business relationship back in the 1980's.

Dave and Jody were at our wedding in 1998, and also cruised on Port Philip Bay with us.

Now they have two great children, a growing business building AV middle-ware and a marvelous newly renovated home. It has been a long time ....

The reunion in Norwalk was warm and memorable, however once we recovered the next morning we needed to move on, and departed before the Norwalk dock authorities could attack our bank account again ..... (fifty US dollars for every six hours on a very crappy town dock was a bit steep).  Dave & Jody - we'll be back guys!

And the unusual part about the start of our New England cruise ? In two consecutive ports we met with old friends who were present at our wedding - couldn't have planned it better.

In One Day, In New York .....

The Guggenheim Experience Is Mind Expanding

OK, so our last post didn't really cover the New York experience ... suffice to say it was a mix of excitement, culture, history, art education and grief. Our first stop, the impressive 9/11 Memorial, certainly brings home the scale of the disaster, and I'm not showing images here, simply because they don't do it justice. Its a powerful place.

 The amazing Guggenheim Museum filled most of our time, with the Frank Lloyd Wright architecture competing with (and in some cases dominating) the great master art works on the gallery walls. It's a staggeringly beautiful building.

New York is BIG, so big that moving around town efficiently means spending big on cabs, or using the subway.

I'd forgotten just how tricky the subway system can be - in the image at left I'm sitting happily on a platform waiting for a train that eventually never came - that wiped the smile off my face. We were on the wrong platform, in the wrong station. Not very efficient.

We finished the afternoon at the Russian Tea Room on West 57th Street, right by Carnegie Hall. We had cocktails, they make an outstanding dry martini, though the place has lost some of its former charm following a refit in 2009. Still, we both loved it for the decadence, and the Faberge eggs were very New York - BIG. Back on the train at Penn Station, we were home to Port Washington in time for a late dinner. Didn't see a show, didn't hear any jazz, but had a great day.

We'll visit New York again later in the summer, for music and retail therapy, though I'll need more training on those subway numbers and routes.

The Russian Tea Room Also Plays With Your Mind, With A Different Aesthetic

Sailing New York City

Sailing in to New York Harbour is a blast - we did it once before in the year 2000, but this was the first time in our own boat. Entering under the Verrazano Bridge the wide sweep of the harbor opens up, with lady Liberty on port side and Manhattan on starboard. With sails down, we motored around Liberty Island for the essential photo session, then headed north up the Hudson River to anchor near the 79th Street Boat Basin, passing first Governors Island (where I was a guest back in 1972) then lower Manhattan to starboard.

Heading Up The Hudson River, June 29

The boat basin provides moorings for visiting vessels, but we found they were all out of commission. We were encouraged to anchor to the north of the mooring field, which turns out to be at West 98th Street - a very long way from the boat basin. Looking forward to a meal ashore we persevered, only to find that the wind-over-tide conditions were so bad we didn't dare leave the boat, which was dancing around the anchor constantly.

One night was enough - next morning we retrieved our anchor (with some difficulty - lots of snags in the river) and headed out, determined never to anchor on the Hudson River again!

Here's To New York City - My Bloody Mary Was Perfect

So down river we went, then turned to port at the bottom of Manhattan and headed north again up the East River, timing our run to cross the confluence with the Harlem River, "Hells Gate", at slack tide. Continuing north west we moved out onto Long Island Sound within a couple of hours.

From there it was just a few miles to beautiful Port Washington, a large protected harbour that offers free mooring for two days to visiting boats.

The local town has all the required services, and we were able to ride the Long Island Rail Road to Penn Station in New York in only 40 minutes. It's a perfect way to visit New York by boat - anchored in a safe and friendly rural environment, but with easy access to the city. We visited the 9/11 Memorial in the morning, had lunch in Chelsea and toured the Guggenheim Museum in the afternoon.  By dinner time we were back in Port Washington, no stress, and no wind-over-tide. Port Washington is a cruiser friendly place that deserves better recognition.

Early Morning East River Transit

Cruising USA - Generous Folk In Every Port

This is Ben, a clam fisherman who works the waters of Sandy Hook Bay, just 20 miles south of New York City. Ben is a "clammer" - hard work on these cold waters, as all the retrieval is done with muscle power, no engines permitted when actually fishing - he rakes the bottom with long rakes. He's also a sailor, and one of the very many Americans who have been incredibly gracious and generous hosts to us, since we arrived on the East Coast of the USA.

Fresh New York Clams

When we anchored in the Shrewsbury River near Pacific Highlands, Ben was on his way home.  He stopped his boat and said he'd like to offer us a meal of New York clams - could we pass over a bucket ?

Of course we could, and Ben loaded us up with a decent meal of large clams. They were delicious, and we owe Ben a beer or two when we pass his fishing grounds again in a few months.

Ben isn't alone in his generosity to cruising travelers - from the first day we arrived in Charleston (South Carolina) people approached us, seeing the Australian flag, and offered to help. In two days on the dock in Charleston we were offered moorings in three different harbours on Long Island Sound. One passing sailor watched me removing the Raymarine wind vane from the top of the mast and immediately offered us a spare that he had at home in his garage. Others have simply been there when we needed them, helping with local transport and sharing local knowledge, opening their homes and sharing meals and social time together.

Some of the support is tendered through connections with sailing associations - the Seven Seas Cruising Association and the Ocean Cruising Club in particular - those clubs have a network of friendly volunteer port officers in many of the harbors and towns along this coast. Club membership does have it's benefits.

Frankly, we've never felt quite so loved, there is a real sense of engagement and support here that we didn't expect - despite the many times we've toured and worked in the USA in the past. Yacht Club members are quick to offer support and if possible share their club facilities. So, hats off to the friendly people of the US east coast - from the Carolinas, to Chesapeake Bay and on to Long Island Sound, it is a delight to cruise here - we thank you all!

One Of The Protected Berths We've Been Able To Use - Thanks Walt & Mary !

Chesapeake Bay to New York City - Just Cruising

The Lady Maryland, Sunrise Off New York City

We departed the city mooring field in beautiful Annapolis on Monday morning, heading north up Chesapeake Bay. The bay narrowed as we moved north, and we found ourselves surrounded by beautiful wooded countryside and rolling farmland, a sea of green.

Bridges On The C&D Canal

 At the top of the bay we turned to starboard, running east through the C&D Canal. As required, we lowered our sails for that section, concentrating on the (truly) beautiful scenery along the canal shoreline.

This canal carries quite large ships, car carriers, tugs and barges, traffic of all types, but we had a quiet passage and exited just in time to anchor in the Delaware River before dinner.

Where the canal exits, the Delaware River is a massive tidal estuary, at times miles across.  We set out at 5:00am with a run-out tide, seeing 9.4 knots SOG at times, and traveled over 50 nautical miles before reaching the Atlantic Ocean once again, right at Cape May.

The Delaware River - Tankers, Container Ships, Tugs & Barges, plus Nuclear Power Plants

Beautiful Cape May

Cape May has a fierce reputation as somewhere to keep well clear of, however we found calm conditions, sunshine and blue skies, and were able to cut across the (very shallow) inshore shoals at Cape May to hug the shoreline as we turned north towards New Jersey and New York City.

Charting Caution - Cruisers should note that the Navionics chart data card we purchased for our Raymarine chart plotter, only weeks ago here in the USA, was woefully incorrect through that area of shoals - clearly that sand moves around a lot. However the Navionics Sonar Chart data on our iPads was absolutely spot-on accurate. I really do need to update the chart plotter card with the latest data from the iPads ..... it seems that Navionics crowd sourced depth data, known as Sonar Charts, is paying dividends. It also seems that buying a new data card at West Marine, or any chandlery, doesn't mean the chart data will be "fresh".

Update, September 7, 2017 - check the story here for our updated (disastrous) experiences with Navionics Sonar Charts - we won't ever use them again!

From Cape May we continued north west along the New Jersey shoreline, passing Atlantic City and its network of high rise towers just before dinner time. Over night we motor sailed on, in company with the schooner Lady Maryland, arriving off the entrance to New York Harbour just after sunrise - it was a fine welcome to New York. After breakfast we motored in to the Sandy Hook Channel and found a very sheltered anchorage in the Shrewsbury River.