The snow is starting … says the Raspberry Pi GarageCam
Posted By RichC on December 13, 2016
Morning …
Afternoon…
Glad to see them travel, but good to know they are home safe too
Posted By RichC on December 13, 2016
Katelyn and Drew are back home in Minnesota after a great time in Europe. Drew’s lung cancer presentation went well in Vienna and they enjoyed the extra couple of days traveling by train and transit back to Paris before flying home. We are looking forward to a few more photos but they sent enough photos for me to be officially envious.
It is great to watch your kids grow up and enjoy their work and time away (now that “Baby Oostra” is coming, they will not have the luxury of jetting off on a moments notice! BTW … Happy Birthday Drew!)
Tom Brady over 400 yards in win against the Ravens on MNF
Posted By RichC on December 13, 2016
Once again the England Patriots lead by the 39 year old Tom Brady pull off another win, this time against the top defense of the Baltimore Ravens. Even with injuries, Brady is able to find new targets and amassed 400 yards to win on a Monday Night Football game. The Ravens didn’t give up as they fought back in the second half, but there wasn’t enough time for Joe Flacco to mount a final drive. I’m not a fan of Brady or the Patriots, but they know how to win. Wish I could say the same for the Bengals.
NE Patriots 30 – Baltimore Ravens 23
It is great to work in the garage shop with the woodstove
Posted By RichC on December 12, 2016
One of the pleasures of winter and colder weather for me is hanging out and monkeying around in my garage shop with a fire in the woodstove. It has worked out perfectly for those weekends that I know it is going to be "just me" at home …or when I need a man cave (really dislike that term) to escape to.
This past weekend I worked on a long overdue project (update on that later this week) and probably ended up sitting in front of the fire more than I should have, but I did finish our annual Christmas letter … an arduous task considering it gets reviewed, edited, changed and criticized by my wife. She holds final "veto" authority and always contributes the closing paragraph. Our original letters were all her doing (just like her mom) but nowadays we share the duty – the way it should be.
Although … sometimes I can get the temperature a little too hot (or maybe the Packard thermometer is hanging in an inappropriate place???)
Blogging question: How many people want to know about you?
Posted By RichC on December 11, 2016
A friend is thinking about writing a “subject oriented blog” (unlike MyDesultoryBlog) and asked me if I thought it was important to have an 
“about the author page.” I said yes, people will want to know if you are knowledgeable on the subject matter or if you at least have the researching and objective ability worthy of reading.
His follow up to me was “How many people look at your “About” page?” I really never gave it much thought and started to dig into the statistics. Come to find out, the ABOUT link was the 14th most common click in the last 30 days and in the past year it was the 12th most common link clicked … although falling well behind the the most viewed link this year. Who knew almost 10,000 views about a Honda Odyssey sliding door problem (I should have given that short post more thought!)
Generator, Curtain, Solar and overheating diesel on Encore
Posted By RichC on December 11, 2016
Wrapping up a weekend trip with a few photos tinkering aboard Encore. Some needed cleaning and a few improvements were the items on the agenda.
First up, I semi-fitted the new generator cage for the Honda EU2000i. I welded the aluminum up in the summer/fall and hope that once bolted in place it will keep the generator from walking away. I don’t intend to keep the generator on deck all the time, but having it handy will make recharging batteries and using higher wattage devices easier.
Currently the generator cage has been sized for the starboard aft corner, but I may end up moving it depending what happens with davits. Before drilling more holes in the deck, it will be a good idea to know just where I’m going to need to locate mounting points. (see current thinking)
My "Suzy Homemaker" attempt at sewing a single curtain has worked out well. It fits and looks decent … unfortunately I have too many to make now Here’s a photo before puckering the top (strings in the binding edge).
I’m still fighting with an overheating Volvo diesel engine … 
indicating that the new strainer and water pump impeller have not solved the problem. I’ll do one more thru-hull inspection prior to digging into the heat exchanger, etc.
On a positive note, I attempted to live as a "Twelve Volt Man" for the few days I was there and stretched the 3 – 105 amp/hr batteries for most of that time … with a little help from my "single 120 watt solar panel." I can feel an upgrade to more solar panels and maybe a MPPT controller in my future?
| Twelve Volt Man (One Particular Harbor) | Jimmy Buffett – 1983 |
"Twelve Volt Man"
I never got a grip in penmanship
Could never make those small l’s flow
Seldom found the trick to arithmetic
Three plus two be faux pas
But ask for some palm trees
Or tales from the South SeasI never had the clout to knock one out
But hitting was the name of my game
Standing on third as the coaches conferred
So close to my first claim to fameJust give me the steal sign
And I’ll make home plate mine
And I just might turn some headsSometimes I may get a little drastic
Sometimes I just let my feelings show
Sometimes I may be a bit sarcastic
Most times that’s the way the story goesNow I know this Joe down in Mexico
He went there to work on his tan
For years he’s been plugged into blenders and songs
They call him the Twelve Volt ManHe don’t need no charge card
Just give him a die-hard
And he’ll make sparks fly round your head
Or just ask for some palm trees
Or tales fromthe South Seas
And I’ll make sparks fly round your head
Round your head
In your head
In your head
Still thinking about davits for Encore in 2016
Posted By RichC on December 10, 2016
In continuing the quest to be able to bring along our fully inflated Zodiac dinghy when gunkholing aboard Encore, I am still pondering an inexpensive davit option. The dilemma has been trying to keep the Capehorn Steering gear (hopefully functional) while still "safely" toting along a dinghy. The foredeck space is limited since the baby stay prevents deck storage of a dinghy so we’re down to towing, davits or a roll-up inflatable (our current Zodiac). Eventually I would like a large tubed, lightweight aluminum bottom ultralight AB inflatable, but still would need a way to hoist it out of the water.
Big concerns are stability and reach in our current set-up not to mention the "rolling" problem and having windage (and following seas) messing with whatever we have hanging on the stern. If I can get the above at the right price, it will be worth experimenting … besides fastening to the deck with SS plates, I could clamp the upper support arm to the middle stern rail?
TechFriday 2: Just a couple camera and lens images
Posted By RichC on December 9, 2016
The top image is a daylight test image while trying a new camera and lens combination (Panasonic Lumix GX8 and 14-140mm lens) and is a very large original image … so if you click it, it will prove to be a larger image download (be warned).
The image below as been reduced in size but was a photo of a photo collage taken at about 25 feet away. The detail of the image is good considering the lighting was poor. (image was a collage of photos from when my daughter was younger)
TechFriday: Kickstarter Raspberry Shake and other item arrived
Posted By RichC on December 9, 2016
I helped fund the Raspberry Pi based computer Kickstarter project known as the RaspberryShake networkingworking a large number of inexpensive earthquake monitoring station around the world (www.raspberryshake.org/quick-start-guide). The idea of connecting hundreds if not thousands of independent volunteer monitoring stations isn’t new, but it is a growing force in data collection. Hopefully I’ll be able to program on of my little Raspberry Pi computers to serve double duty and monitor for earth movement too? (a great winter project)
Shh! … my Christmas present arrived, but before wrapping it up I had to be sure it worked. Unfortunately the extra battery and free UV filters did not arrive yet.
A couple test photos in dim light … depth of field and focus test (click for larger).
Above are all with 14-140mm and one of the instruction pages in evening wide open.
The bottom 3 images are with the 100-300mm. Flowers at 100 and outdoor views maxed out at 300mm. All have been reduced in size for the blog, but click for larger.
John Glenn, the 1st American to orbit Earth, has died at 95
Posted By RichC on December 8, 2016
Godspeed, John Glenn. Astronauts were heroes to kids like me in the 60s. I remember it well when he visited our flooded Ohio home on Lake Erie in 1973. He was on a PR stop and making a run for the U.S. Senate … yet took time to talk and inspire impressionable 14 year old me — a very special moment.
WASHINGTON (AP) — John Glenn, whose 1962 flight as the first U.S. astronaut to orbit the Earth made him an all-American hero and propelled him to a long career in the U.S. Senate, died Thursday. The last survivor of the original Mercury 7 astronauts was 95.
Source: John Glenn, the 1st American to orbit Earth, has died at 95
Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee
- lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
- digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.