Marital Discord Island (aka Thomas Island) (Cumberland Islands, Queensland, Australia)

Posted February 10, 2024
about September 21, 2022

We woke up to another somewhat foggy morning, but I knew it would soon clear into a sunny day. The anchorage had a slight roll but nothing significant. In areas like this, sheltered behind a barrier reef, high tide brings more water over the reef, resulting in increased movement. Sometimes the difference is dramatic; other times it’s subtle enough not to matter. Today was the latter, making for an overall lovely morning.

Today we planned to sail on to the next group of islands, the Lindeman Group, bypassing the Anchor Islands which didn’t seem particularly interesting. At this point we weren’t feeling rushed, but we wanted to keep up our steady northward pace. The destination was Thomas Island, lying about seven miles to the north. With intriguing anchorages on both its northern and southern shores, I wondered if it might be worthwhile to visit both sides. Below, Thomas Island . . .

Reviewing the weather forecasts proved frustrating, with breezes shifting from north to northeasterly. This meant we needed an anchorage offering shelter from both directions. My chosen anchorage would be fine for northerlies, but Rich was concerned about easterlies, specifically an easterly swell. I proposed that we could give the spot a try, and if it wasn’t good, we could move.

I checked the map for a backup location and realized the perfect spot for today’s conditions would be right here at Goldsmith! When I shared this with Rich, he made a peculiar comment, something like  “only if you want a body on the boat.” Huh? He elaborated that he’d have to kill himself if we stayed here. Huh? I should have paid more attention to this, but instead I let it pass.

In human relationships, odd comments that don’t fit in the other’s perception of the big picture can be like little ticking bombs, warning of an explosion to come. Yet their oddness is the very thing that makes them so easy to overlook.

So, we brought up the anchor and headed north. Below, a map of the area:

Today was another motoring trip. One nice thing: the current flowed only half a knot here, much less drastic than it had been on our previous trips between islands. We’d been managing to go with it so far, but if the time came we had to go against it, it would be doable. The breeze was light, and we had our cockpit water misters on for the trip.

I was studying Thomas Island’s south side through the binoculars when the bomb went off. I don’t remember what triggered it, but suddenly Rich was exclaiming how unhappy he was with our cruise since leaving Gladstone. He didn’t like the daily short hops, the crowded, rolly anchorages, the poor water quality, and the lack of things to do. Huh? Gazing at him, I wondered if an alternate version of Rich had teleported here from a parallel universe, starkly different from the one where I’d been living.

Obviously we needed to have a discussion, difficult to do when both of us were now upset. I could counter all his issues, but that would be pointless. The bottom line was his unhappiness with our present circumstances, likely stemming from a combination of issues.

One thing was that for Rich, the negatives were weighing more heavily than the positives. My attention was on the nice places: enchanting Middle Percy, delightful Keswick, and picturesque Goldsmith. Meanwhile the less appealing spots–harrowing Hexham, menacing Curlew, and ominous Brampton island–cast a longer shadow for Rich. He was ready to move on from this region, wanting to bypass the Whitsunday Islands, now just a few hours ahead of us. I protested that skipping the Whitsundays would be like visiting Anaheim and deciding to skip Disneyland because you didn’t like the wax museum along the way!

We hashed things out. I proposed we could skip the entire Lindeman Island group and head directly for the Whitsundays. Once there, we could cruise through that area as quickly as possible. Rich agreed, and we proceeded to bypass Thomas Island. Below, I did manage to get photos of the island’s south side anchorages . . .

After a time, Rich softened and said he’d be willing stop at Shaw Island, just ahead of us, for the night. I set aside my own temporary apathy, spurred by a bout of grumpiness, to grab the opportunity and began scouting the best anchorage option.

Meanwhile I thought about our situation. A while back, I’d realized Rich wasn’t exactly enamored with Queensland coastal cruising and had taken care to pick only the best spots. I thought I’d accomplished this, but I hadn’t been “reading the room” and needed to do better.

Since the Whitsunday Islands are considered the cream of the crop for this area, they should be reliably nicer than the islands we’d visited so far.  However, I’d have to be even more discerning in my selection of anchorages, bypassing places that were merely “nice.” The challenge would be greater since I’d be depending on guidebook opinions as, astonishingly, there was no cell service/internet access in these islands.

I was hesitant to share this but decided it’s pertinent. This sort of scenario can be an unavoidable part of the cruising life. It’s common for some to feel a deep connection with certain locales, while others might experience an immediate aversion to a place or individual without any clear rationale.

For those not sailing solo, navigating this dynamic is likely inevitable unless one partner completely stifles themselves in favor of the more dominant person, which sadly I’ve witnessed out here, or if one person assumes complete control, disregarding the preferences of their companions. (This last dynamic is most often seen between parents and children or, quite naturally, between older captains and their younger crew.)

The best advice I can give is to try to keep the lines of communication open, but it’s easier said than done. Coming up next, Shaw Island in the Lindeman Islands. –Cyndi

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Technical Consultant

January 8, 2024

I have been struggling with a decision for a few weeks about changes in my battery charging settings. Today I asked ChatGPT for help making the decision. I asked…

Can I talk something over with you? It’s regarding my lithium batteries and charging them with my alternator and Balmar regulator. Right now, the settings on the regulator are such that the charging cuts off too early, especially when we motor long distances. The batteries get to 100 percent, but just. I am considering changing the regulator settings to force the bulk charge time to be longer and setting the absorption voltage to be the same as the bulk voltage.

On the other hand, I’m thinking if it ain’t broke… I worry that the cells in the batteries aren’t getting equalized as they spend very little time at or near 100%. I opened the batteries and measured the individual cell voltages and they are within 0.002 volts of each other after almost two years of use since the last measurement. Maybe I shouldn’t mess something that’s working?

ChatGPT’s Response to Me…

It sounds like you’re carefully considering how to optimize the charging of your lithium batteries to ensure they are maintained in top condition, especially during long motoring distances. Your concern about the batteries cutting off too early in the charging process is valid, particularly with the goal of maximizing their lifespan and performance. Here are some thoughts and considerations:

  • Bulk and Absorption Voltage Settings: Setting the absorption voltage equal to the bulk voltage can indeed ensure that the batteries are fully charged, especially if the current setup seems to cut off the charge too early. This adjustment could help in achieving a deeper charge, potentially benefiting the battery’s longevity and usable capacity.
  • Equalization and Cell Balance: Your observation about the cell voltages being within 0.002 volts of each other is a good sign of balanced cells, which is crucial for lithium battery health. This balance indicates that your current setup has not adversely affected the battery’s internal equilibrium, which is a positive outcome.
  • If It Ain’t Broke: The adage “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is often wise, especially in complex systems where changes can have unintended consequences. Given the batteries are showing good balance and have been performing well under the current settings, there’s an argument to be made for maintaining your current setup, especially if it has been reliably supporting your needs.
  • Risks of Adjusting Settings: While adjusting the settings might improve charging efficiency or depth, it’s important to weigh this against the risk of potentially overcharging or stressing the batteries, which could affect their lifespan. Lithium batteries have specific charging requirements, and deviations from these parameters can sometimes lead to negative outcomes.
  • Consulting Manufacturer Guidelines: If you haven’t already, reviewing the manufacturer’s guidelines or reaching out to them (or a knowledgeable community) for advice on charging settings might provide insights tailored to your specific battery type. They might offer recommendations on whether your proposed changes are safe and beneficial for your battery model.
  • Monitoring After Changes: Should you decide to adjust the regulator settings, closely monitoring the batteries’ response to these changes would be crucial. Keep an eye on cell voltage balance, any signs of overheating, or unusual behaviors. This vigilance can help you quickly revert any adjustments if adverse effects are observed.

Given the balanced state of your battery cells and your thoughtful approach to their maintenance, either decision requires weighing the benefits of potentially improved charging against the risks of altering a currently stable and effective system. Your inclination to maintain a cautious approach reflects a wise strategy in managing sophisticated marine electrical systems.

My Conclusion:

While Chat didn’t give me any direct, conclusive answers, somehow it moved me more firmly into the “If it ain’t broke” camp. I think I’ll leave it alone and check the cell balance in another year.

I posted this incase it helps someone else, maybe with some other issue. While Cyndi is brilliant, talking things like this over with her isn’t usually productive.

ChatGPT has been a great consultant for technical issues. My last conversation was about our troublesome outboard engine. Again, I didn’t get a direct, conclusive fix for the issue but the discussion helped me figure things out. Now, with a new carburetor, it runs better than new!

-Rich

Parsun Carburetor Issue

January 24, 2024

We’ve been having problems with our Parsun 3.6HP 2-stroke outboard for the past few months. At first, I thought it was an ignition system issue, but after replacing all the components in that system with no change, I moved on to other possible causes.

The spark plug was fouling badly. After about 30 minutes to an hour of running, the plug would be so badly carboned up, the engine would just die and would not restart until I cleaned the plug. I thought that maybe the fuel was the issue, but no, not that either.

Parsun Outboard Carburetor

I took the carburetor apart to inspect and clean it. There was no obvious issue but I decided to try to replace the entire carburetor. Getting a new one was not a simple task here in Indonesia. Google showed me that quite a few other small engines use a carburetor that looks the same as mine. One was a Tohatsu and a local parts store was able to get one for me.

The Tohatsu part has some minor differences from the Parsun version. I was able to use a few of my old parts (choke and throttle attachment) to make it work. In doing so, I found something I hadn’t realized before.

I believed there was no mixture control on the Parsun carb other than the jet sizes. When I started swapping components, I found I was wrong. This is a little frustrating as there’s nothing I could find online or in the manual about this.

Above are the components that move in the carburetor to control the engine speed. The black cylinder moves up and down to control the air flow and the brass needle attached to the bottom of the cylinder controls the fuel flow.

It turns out there’s a little circlip on the needle that sets its position relative to the cylinder. I might have been able to make the fuel mixture more lean by moving this circlip to a higher slot in the needle. Oh well. Live and learn.

I offer this information so that others might learn how to make this adjustment if necessary, though actually, the carburetors are so inexpensive that if I had access to a supply of them, I would have changed it out earlier.

It seems to run great now, though I haven’t really given it enough of a run to know for sure. It was too windy here today to risk having to row back to Legacy.

Update: January 25, 2024

We just took about a 45 minute test run and WOW, WOW, WOW! I don’t remember our outboard ever being this quiet and smooth. It just purrs. How can the carburetor make this kind of a difference?

I asked ChatGPT about this and here’s its response…

The carburetor plays a crucial role in the performance of your outboard motor, as it’s responsible for mixing the correct ratio of air and fuel necessary for the engine to run efficiently. When the carburetor is functioning properly, it ensures that the engine receives the optimal mixture, leading to several improvements:

1. **Improved Efficiency:** A well-adjusted carburetor ensures that the fuel is thoroughly mixed with air, which leads to more efficient combustion. This means that every drop of fuel is used effectively, contributing to smoother operation and less noise.

2. **Smooth Operation:** An engine with a properly functioning carburetor will typically run smoother. This is because the engine is receiving the right amount of fuel at the right time, reducing rough idling and enhancing overall performance.

3. **Reduced Noise:** Engines can be noisier when there’s an imbalance in the air-fuel mixture, often caused by a faulty carburetor. With a new carburetor that’s correctly adjusted, the engine runs more quietly as it’s operating in its optimal state.

4. **Better Throttle Response:** A new carburetor can improve the responsiveness of the engine to throttle adjustments. This means when you increase or decrease the throttle, the engine responds more quickly and smoothly, enhancing your control over the boat.

5. **Lower Emissions:** A correctly functioning carburetor also helps in reducing emissions. By ensuring that the fuel burns efficiently, it reduces the amount of unburnt fuel and other pollutants released into the environment.

In summary, replacing or repairing a carburetor can have a significant impact on the performance of your outboard motor, leading to quieter operation, smoother running, improved fuel efficiency, and better overall engine health.

-Rich

3D Printing (again)

January 21, 2024

Our fuel jugs, like all fuel jugs, soon had broken caps.

3D printer to the rescue! The cap in my hand is the original (broken) cap and the cap on the yellow jug is the first generation of my printed replacement caps. It turns out that the printed plastic was no match for heavy-handed fuel station attendants. As long as I was the one doing the tightening, there was no problem, but as soon as vice-grip-hands Vern got ahold of it, crack!

Today, I printed fuel jug caps, Gen 4. This one has stainless wire wrapped around it. Go for it Vern. I dare you!

(We’ll see how long these last.)

Here’s another post about some of our 3D printed boat parts.

-Rich