Here are some photos of a few things we've added to Pine Knot.
Owners Plaque presented to us by Krogen. Silk-flower arrangement.
Owners Plaque close-up view.
We replaced the small reading lights in the Master Stateroom with some larger ones. The bedspread was made from a king-size spread we found at Stein Mart.
I took the Master Stateroom lamp apart, added a longer threaded rod, drilled a hole in the cabinet top and put the extended rod in the hole. I screwed a wing nut onto the threaded rod, anchoring the lamp to the cabinet top.
We added an inexpensive mirror to the bottom of the Guest Stateroom Pullman berth.
TV/DVD player in the Guest Stateroom.
Galley ceramic starfish, toaster, Tassimo coffee maker, and spice rack.
Galley soap dispenser and spigot for Seagull drinking Water filter
Seagull drinking water filter
Abaco Bahama Sailing Dinghy Half-Hull Model and silk flower arrangement
Weems and Plath clock and barometer
Galley trash compactor
Galley towel holders
Galley ice maker
Shower soap dispenser and more towel holders
Bookshelf stereo (note lockdown straps on side of stereo)
I made this spring loaded curtain rod with rubber feet on ends to hold books in place while cruising.
Saloon TV/DVD (before wires hidden) DVD player in cabinet below
Saloon ceramic fish platters from ceramic shop in Stuart, FL
Saloon lamps were taken apart and longer threaded rod installed. Rod was put through hole in cabinet and wing nut screwed on from underneath to secure them to cabinet. The teak bases for these lamps are actually sailboat winch pads.
Saloon Ottomans and silk flower arrangement. We use the Ottomans as dining chairs.
Pilot House rug is a piece of indoor-outdoor carpet with a canvas border. The brown mat is a padded anti-fatigue mat.
Pilot House swing-arm lamp, printer and pencil box
Pilot House lamp and catch-all box. The lamp is attached to cabinet top with heavy-duty double-stick tape.
Pilot House chart flats with cork-sheet tops. I cut the cork sheets to protect the chart flat wood tops.
Pilot House table with protective "mouse-fur" mat
Large Mag-Lite flashlight
Small Mag-Lite flashlight, clear lens
Small Mag-Lite flashlight, red lens
Raymarine Autopilot remote control
Teak cleat in shelf to hold toolbox
Pilot House toolbox
Another set of cleats for toolbox
Another Pilot House toolbox
Dry-erase board added to engine room hatch
Engine Room anti-fatigue mat (one on each side of engine)
Engine Room fuel polisher
Sign boards
Pine Knot decal was applied to Lexan panels. Panels are attached to sign board with ss screws and spacers. (Ben III idea)
Rack for ice chest I made from PVC pipe and big rubber feet. Ice chest doesn't slide around in cockpit
Cockpit ice chest rack
Red and Green Reminder Markers. These help keep us on track in channels so we're not as likely to forget what side to keep what color buoy. We switch them from one side to the other to fit the situation.
Made this from wooden spool, wooden toy-car wheel, and wooden dowel.
Made this one from wooden spool, wooden toy-car wheel, wooden toy flower pot, and wooden dowel.
Hand-Bearing Compass with Teak Holder
SCUBA Tank. We keep the tank in the pilot house so it won't get stolen. It's attached to the wall with a suction cup tank holder.
Another view of the SCUBA tank mount. We can move the mount to the cockpit when diving.
Teak paper towel rack. Finished with two coats Minwax Wipe-On Poly.
Hose-coil in engine room.
Spare-Parts Storage Engine Room
More Spare-Parts Storage Engine Room
Tools Storage Engine Room
Sample of Maintenance Tags we use to monitor systems aboard.
Documentation Number Plaque and Fuel Polisher Maintenance Tag
We use the Sparkle Rinse Portable Water Softener, a good little unit, made by Sparkle Tap Water Company in Bacliff, TX, just down the road from Pine Knot's home marina in Seabrook. Again, the softener was recommended to me by our friend Robert. The softener filter and tank come attached to a neat Marine Starboard mount with a carrying handle and a nonskid base. It's really a great design.
The best thing about the Sparkle Rinse softener, I think, is its refillable salt canister used in recharging. The refillable canister makes recharging quick and easy. You simply take out the pre-filter, replace it with the salt cannister, run some salt water through the softener tank, let it sit a few minutes, then rinse the softener tank with fresh water. The softener will handle 3,000 to 5,000 gallons before needing a cleaning. The salt cannister can be refilled with regular water softener salt pellets, the type you buy in the big yellow 40 pound bags.
After riding bikes something like 20 miles around the Venice area a couple of days ago (See posting "In Search of Carcharadon Megalodon"), you'd think we would have had enough bike riding to last us awhile. But, despite our sore butts, Louisia and I realized that bikes are a pretty good way to get around. If you can stand the pain and all that exercise, you can cover quite a bit of ground on a bike.
So, we got on the internet and found a good bike shop, Chaiwheel Drive, here in Clearwater. We checked out a few folding bike models and settled on two Dahon Mariners. We think the fold-up bikes will be best for us since we want to store them in Pine Knot's lazerette, the big storage area under her cockpit, or back porch as we like to call it.Our friends back at Seabrook, Robert and Laura, have folding bikes aboard their Ferretti and told us we should get some for this trip, but I just saw that as more gear to store and something to be in the way. Robert is a smart guy and I usually listen to what he has to say about boating things.
Robert researched folding bikes before buying theirs, and ended up buying Downtube Bikes. Any of you interested in folding bikes should check out Downtube. They seem to be well made, offer lots of models, and are reasonably priced. We would have had to order the Downtubes and then figure out some way to get them over to Pine Knot in Florida, so we chose to go with the Dahon's since we could buy them right here in Clearwater.
The shop had only one ready to go, so we're going to pick both bikes up tomorrow and go out for a test run. We'll let you know how they work out.
Update: The Dahon bikes are working out well for us. They have added a whole new dimension to our cruising, giving us a much greater circle to explore around various ports.
While in Panama City, Louisia and I decided to ride the bikes out to Panama City Beach. It turned out to be 28 miles round trip! Along the way we spotted "Bay Cycle and Fitness," a good looking bicycle shop.
The owner, Dallas Smalley, (sounds like a character in a Carl Hiaasen novel) was extremely accommodating. He helped us outfit the bikes with new padded seats and LED headlights and taillights. It's a good thing we added the lights since we didn't make it back to Pine Knot until 9:30 that night.
[Kelton and Dallas attaching the taillight]
[A couple of Zip-Ties did the trick!]
We ordered ten Peek a Boo Shutters for Pine Knot's port lights in the master stateroom, guest cabin, and head.
[Peek a Boo Open]
[Peek a Boo Closed]
We think the shutters look and work great. The Peek a Boo's do a good job of blocking light as well as adding to our privacy when we're in crowded marinas. The installation was easy, they attach with little Velcro pads, and they fit perfectly...a much simpler and neater solution than curtains.
*****
Other Items with photos to come:
- Saloon Life Jacket Storage
- Saloon Screen Door
- Cockpit Boat-Hook Mounting
- Bowseat Locker Dri-Deck
- Anchor Bridle
- Pfifertex Window Covers
- Engine Room Oil Change System
- Flybridge Cup Holders
- Flybridge Autopilot Remote
