Tuesday

November 15th, 2016

Electrical Problems

A couple of times now, while we were sleeping we’ve been having one of the CO2 detectors go off with a high pitch alarm due to low voltage,  not C02 detection!  So, last evening around 3 AM this happened again.  I unscrewed the CO2 detector and threw a voltmeter across it…. 8.2 VDC… very low.  Before leaving on our trip we replaced all 4 battery’s… one standard starting battery for the generator, one deep cycle #29 for the Starboard engine and two deep cycle #29’s connected in parallel for the Port engine and house draw. After seeing just over 8 volts I cleared the cockpit to opened the hatch over the engines and batteries… When checking the single #29 battery for the starboard engine I was a bit baffled because it was just over 8 volts.  I then went topside to see if this battery would start the Starboard engine, it did…but in trying to start the Port engine, it just clicked and wouldn’t turn over.  So the single #29 is on the Port engine not the Starboard engine.  Thinking back when ever I’ve had trouble starting any engine due to low power it’s always been the Port engine…This was my first misunderstanding…  I checked the two #29’s that are connected together in parallel and I had a nice 12.7 volts….this is why the starboard engine started right up.  So what the heck is drawing this single battery down that just happens to have one of the hard wired CO2 detectors connected to it?  I decided to pull the positive cable from this low battery only to find  out that the refrigerator was connected to it.  I don’t know who set this up prior to us purchasing this boat, but why would you put a device (refrigerator) that draws the most power on a single battery when you have a double battery bank.  I open the AC/DC panel, installed a new breaker on the Battery 2 side which is connected to the dual battery’s and moved the wire running from the fridge over to that buss.   Tonight will be the test to see if all is well…

I’d like to personally thank my Generator for always starting and running 110 VAC to power the battery charger.

Back into Gulfport, Fl to look at some of the shops.

Found these rather nice, large carvings....

Enjoying the Super Moon while anchored in Boca Bay...

Free Fireworks tonight from someone ashore...

Yahooo...

Monday

November 14th, 2017

Look close... a motorized Tiki Bar.....sweet...

Big High Rises...

Inside Seabreeze Restaurant watching the Packers loose...

Fish?

Inside Seabreeze Restaurant...

Low income housing...

Love the different boat hulls here...

Another...

Great Greek food in Gulf Port...

Inside Salty's Pub

O'Maddy's was too busy to enter....

a bird?

Parked at the free dock for the day in Gulf Port...

bird head...

One big bar.....I think they had 4 different bars in this place...

Joell holding her first Manatee..

Sunday 

November 13th, 2016

After being awake for 30 hours, this was the first place we stopped for dinner... 

I think I had Mahi Mahi...

From across the street...

This place is excellent!! Great food, service and atmosphere...

Dunedin, FL is very dog friendly... Elwood laid right under our table, and they brought him water right away...

Hog Island Fish Camp...

Joell sampling my Manhattan...  easy girl!

Very friendly manager...

This is only the second Gator we've seen so far...

No problem taming this one!

Downtown Dunedin, FL.

Olde Bay Cafe was right at the marina...

This parrot sure made a lot of noise... The parrot was on one of the boats that will take you out on a cruise.

During the "Super Moon" the water changed almost 3' here!

Joell got up in the middle of the night to let Elwood out and had to wake me so we could loosen 2 lines....

The start of sunset...

Another restaurant at the marina  $$$$ we stayed away from there!

Looking out of the flybridge...

Since we've been in Fl. you find one boat after another sunk.  Here this sailboat was right at the marina in one of the day slips...now no-one can use this space...

I guess if your boat's sinking, just swim away and leave it..... there'll be more...

Today (Sunday) we move on south, heading for Sarasota, Fl.  After a week of anchoring we will be staying at Sara Bay Marina for one full week starting Nov. 20th, while we visit Joell's brother David and another couple that I used to work for when I was much younger.. Jim and Aura Rasmussen, who owned the A&W in Fond du Lac, Wi.