Here you can see a time lapse video Shellerina doing Lock O6 and Lock O7 today with others we met along the way.
Click to see Time Lapse:
Fortunately we saw patches of blue sky amidst the clouds by 8:30am. We were underway by 9:15.
Tuesday’s WX Window still looks promising 36 hours before start.
Cluck on the video below.
It was an interesting day on all-new waters for us.
4 stages…
Stage Two:
I was amazed that the 1”[ID] sanitary hose run in my 2000 Mainship 390 was 17.5 feet long! I actually had to go back to Home Depot to get the 25 foot version of this auger snake. The 15 footer wouldn’t make it all the way. (I did not attempt to return the “used” + wet ‘n’ dirty 15 footer.) <wink>
There are several twists and turns AND several horizontal runs where rock-hard calcium can accumulate. The snake did not work for me until after the chemical soak for 24 hours. I found the ability to rotate the auger snake is essential. The clog is “hard” as rock and the twists and turns all mean “I need to be able to push AND rotate the thing.”
When done, I hosed this snake down on the dock and I will oil it before pushing back into the crank’s storage / crank end.
But, we are NOT done yet!
Stage Three
Check out Ben Kayfetz’s highly acclaimed Youtube video!
For my Stage Three, I pretty much followed Ben’s example to cycle the CLR product through a circuit of hose to get all the calcium “rocks” out and into a strainer as shown in the vid. About 30-60 seconds of flushing every 10-15 minutes over 2 hours got it all. (1.5 gallons of CLR for this stage.)
Shelly suggested, “Sometimes “pulsing” the electric flush switch is more effective to get things started.” She was right! Try this if ‘laying into it’ fails.
After “straining” out all the calcium “rocks” and saw only clean “coffee” circulating thru, I began to pump the coffee into a 5 gallon pail.
Stage Four
We Started to pour clean fresh water into the toilet bowl to “cycle” it and watched the magic as clean water went through our “new” sanitary hose!!! (When clear water reached me, I moved the hose back into the toilet bowl to let the new clean water to go around the long hose “circuit” for a few minutes.
We see and hear the difference! Flushing now “hums” whereas before it sounded like a loud low frequency dentist’s drill.
The flow is 2x better than anything we have ever seen in the 4 years we have owned this 24 year old boat! No exaggeration. I’m pretty sure I will be able to retire the cleaned plunger to a storage spot in back of more commonly needed things! LOL
Clean up and Credits
Then I Re-attached all our plumbing with some plumber’s putty, and cleaned things up. Sanitized everything, including the tools!
Note: Simply replacing the 17.5 feet of sanitary hose would have been nice. But many boats, including this one, make that impossible; the hose runs behind the shower, cabinets, and bulkheads.
Bottom Line:
This combination of chemical soaking, and auger snaking, followed by a chemical flush cycle worked great.
A special thank you to Ben Kayfetz for his Youtube video.
A special thanks to Shelly’s brother Capt Rich Charette for his research and finding the video. Also to Capt Gene of Galene who prompted the research effort in the direction of a chemical compound-type approach. He also owns a Mainship 390. I bet Gene and I do this preventative maintenance on his 390 next time we are together in FL next Nov or Dec.
My recommendation is to do this every five years as shown in Ben’s Youtube video so you do not get the more severe clog that our week started with. It is a lot easier to do this as a preventative measure than a restorative measure if the hose gets fully clogged up such as ours did.
This project cost us two weather windows to cross Lake Ontario. Net loss=1 full week of cruising progress.
Do you need this? Evaluate the need.
IF you are experiencing the need to use a plunger or loud (or slow) flushes, your toilet may be fine. The sanitary waste line may be getting constricted. Read all the comments by others thanking Ben on his Youtube vid!
Know: This problem will not solve itself. AND we have used “digester” chemicals such as Noflex and Thetford for years. They do not prevent this problem.
Do this type of preventative hose cleaning for a remarkable improvement in your head system’s operation on your vessel (or RV.)
Note: we did this with zero waste going into the waterway (or holding tank). We only consumed 2 gallons of CLR, which is “septic safe” and the 2 gallons of waste was simply flushed in the marina’s head… easily carried in a single 5 gallon bucket.
So, It is an environmentally sound solution.
Plumber’s putty enhances all final hose-clamp joints for a leak-free, worry free finish.
Boat Soap and an extra 5-gallon bucket or two comes in handy for the clean up. Lysol wipes are a nice finishing touch for all surfaces and tools.
Some ask;
Why didn’t I try “Barnacle Buster?” (BB).
Answer: The BB product as described online simply did not mention sanitary hose as one of its recommended applications. CLR did. (Both are great products for what they do.) BB might have worked; I don’t know. CLR is sold in more places than BB. Plus CLR claims to be “Septic Safe”.
Final details
Our head is 3 years old. Electric, 12 vdc, Jabsco Model 37010. US Standard full size bowl. This is not one of the Jabsco “Quiet Flush” units, but it is a LOT quieter now, with no obstructions in the sanitary hose! (If they made an extended size bowl, marine head, we’d buy it!)
Admittedly, for months we were a bit perplexed. “Why is it less reliable recently?!” This week’s diagnosis and subsequent project proved it was not the head at all.
Remarkable improvement to a critical system used every day.
Addendum:
I did the math. The volume of this 1” ID hose x 17.5 feet comes out to 2.86 gallons! (Amazing).
659.73 cu” = 11.43 quarts = 2.86 gallons
So, if you want to occasionally flush out the whole length of sanitary hose in your MS390, you gotta put more than half a 5 gallon bucket down the head. ((Which we did today!))
Looks like Friday is the next great crossing day.
On-site at Pirates Cove Marina.
He is kinda hard to get along with, as you can see.
Get in touch with Dan if you need a free slip near Green Turtle Bay in TN. That’s his home port. Use NEBO to contact him.
The score is 1-1 in game 7 of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Northern-most team vs. Southern-most team.
Owners Ethan “Radar” and Kim of Ess Kay Yards show off their new illuminated Sponsor of the Year Award from 2020. Married 31 years!
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I picked up some new sanitary hose here this afternoon. My suggestion that these folks carry USED sanitary hose for half price didn’t seem to take root for some reason. They didn’t even offer me anything for my 24 year old, used + clogged sanitary hose … even if I can get it unclogged. A steel snake did not work.
So: new sanitary hose is goin’ in tomorrow a.m. provided by Ess Kay.
Sorry no pics of this failed system.
Thank you for lunch!
Of course the nasties (T-Boomers) never materialized, as sometimes happens. But we all agreed that it was a no-go call.
Details of the last time we were together follow:
Shelly and I will leave for a 5-hour trek to Oswego in the morning setting up for a Tuesday crossing of Lake Ontario for a very good “weather window” Tuesday for 42 miles of open water: Oswego NY to Kingston ON.
The pool was wonderful!
Dock’s Grill (Burger & Pizza better than their broiled Haddock.)
“New waters” for us tomorrow as we take the right onto the Oswego Canal towards Lake Ontario.
3 years ago:
https://shellerina.com/2021/06/05/final-decision/
Three years ago we went LEFT. Tomorrow we will go RIGHT!
We have some special guests coming aboard at Lock O1 in Phoenix. Looking forward to that!
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VWZ 5G = very tempermental
VZW 4G LTR = very tempermental
Marina WiFi = very temperamental
We are NOT accustomed to such difficulty.
Getting us ready for Canada Internet problems???i
We’ll soon see.
We first met these folks in Peoria in Sept 2021. They have since become lifetime friends.
Mac is recovering from some medical issues. We love you guys! Glad to report your boat is in good shape here!!!
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https://shellerina.com/2024/04/27/major-powerhouse-meeting-tonight-beaufort-nc/
https://shellerina.com/2022/10/28/rendezvous-with-janthenas-crew/
Tammy and Haille greeted us at the fuel dock. Filled up at $3.7899999999. Our last dose of U.S. diesel fuel until after our Trent Severn Waterway trip up in Canada in the weeks ahead.
We feel like we won the lottery cuz tonight Ess Kay Yards is hosting an AGLCA Reception co-sponsored by them and Curtis Stokes and a local whiskey distillery from Phoenix NY near Lock O1.
5:00pm be there or be square!
Partial List of Loopers in Attendance:
M/V Remedy Steve & Mary Ellen
Bella Rumore Katie & Darryl
Nabi Ms Chen & Peter
Carolina Girl Allison & Greg
Shulan Voyager Legia & Larry
Lady in Red Alan & Renetta
Survivor II Michael
Survivor II Scott for National Pediatric Cancer Foundation
Survivor II Captain Red Flowers
Shellerina Shelly & Ray
KSera II Mike & Lynne
Magic Jeannie Art & Jeanne
At Last Karen & Lee
Liberty Sandy & Tom
Kittywake Dan & Gena
Sweet Equity Kim & Andy
Grand Ole Gal Brenda & Michael
Shingebiss Steve & Liz
Andy Stratton & Curtis Stokes
If you were here but don’t see yourself listed, let me know!
I know we didn’t get everyone’s name.
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Tomorrow is the third and last day of the heat wave affecting the NE states.
I guess when we cross over to Ontario in a few days, everything will be copasetic!
While there is traffic noise from the highways nearby, it is less invasive than the train whistles of the last few stops!
48.7 miles to Ess Kay Yards tomorrow + 3 locks. Long day. But it’ll be a 1 or 2 hours shorter because of our passage today!
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Continue reading
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She’s the one you pay $1 / foot to, and in return, she’ll give you all the “secret codes”.
If you ask nicely, she’ll show you a number of great slices of history on display inside this welcome center.
We’ve got the POW-WA!
How do you spell WiFi?
Yep, they include WiFi too.
Below: Her hubby Wayne snuggles with others when asked by bloggers like me.
E-17: 40.5 foot lift – largest lift of any other lock on the Erie Canal. No pipes. No cables. Just hangin’ nylon. More on this to follow.
BTW: Port side only in E-17 (Westbound).
ADDENDUM
Day 2 at Rotary Park
We decided to stay a second day / night here. Since most all the other boats cleared out, two of us took advantage of the empty space on the floating docks and moved from the wall!
Dockmaster #3 James
James is a former [local] restauranteur. So he can advise on the best places to go out to eat. Head’s up: Mondays and early weeknights are tough.
Shellerina is in the background.
ADDENDUM 2
Open on Monday nights!Across the parking lot is this food truck. The burrito was fantastic. It’ll feed 2 or 3.
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We took a day off at anchor Saturday after a physically and emotionally stressful day Friday.
The Admiral had us up earlier today to make the first westbound transit at Lock E-11 in Amsterdam NY. Less wind in the mornings make for easier line handling for her on-deck as we lock through.
The plan today is to pass through E-17, the largest single lock on the Erie Canal, then tie up less than a mile later at Little Falls Canal Harbor and Rotary Park.
Shelly boasts that Shellerina transited the Rogersville AL lock with a lift of 93 feet in the fall of 2021. However, its floating bollards made things easier than what we are likely to deal with today.
With both of us teaming up on a single nylon 1” hanging line we were able to stay in control nicely.
All secured for the night. Little Falls Canal Harbor [wall] just west of E-17. We even have shore power!
Rumor has it that this food truck has awesome Mexican food Monday-Friday.
Happy Father’s Day to all the moms out there. We couldn’t have done it without ya!
He spent Mother’s Day with his other siblings and their 88 year old Mom, Nora last month in NH.
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He has joined his wife Becky who also died young a couple years ago. They lived in Rockland Maine. He is survived by four adult children.
Photo by Vern & Lisa Sessler of Out of the Blue whom we followed here today on the Erie Canal.
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((Whenever possible, we use the pipes or the lock’s “coated cables” to a line “round turned” on the midship cleat; we use the “hanging ropes” when there is no alternative.))
On Monday, while transiting “The Flight” she was on her feet for two or three hours…NOT good for someone with MS. It was unhealthy.
Problem solved, and she now has more confidence with all the locking we have coming up over the next several months.
Most (not all) lock masters let us pick which side we prefer. For the rare occasions when we NEED to lock starboard-side-to, she can sit on the molded F/G stairs on that side.
If we need to do the same project to starboard, we will.
It will be a bit more complex as we have a door on that side, and the gunwales are not “level” aft of the cleat. We’ll MacGiver somethin’ with spacers if need be.
Total Project Cost today: $112 incl 8% NYS sales tax; (the 1/2” plastic sheet of ‘Starboard’ brand stock was most of that.)
5 Tips:
When screwing into fiberglass, 1) countersink your pre-drilled holes a bit so the gelcoat won’t develop “spider” cracks from the holes in the months following a screw going in. 2) F/G does not ‘give’ like wood, so finding the right drill bit size will be just a hair smaller than the threads of your screws. 3) for a truly very permanent screw into F/G I dip the screw threads into 3M 5100 before screwing them in. (That was not necessary for this project.) 4) I purchase SMALL tubes of 3M 5100, cuz most of my projects don’t require much product! 5) When resealing my tube, I put the tube in a zip-lock bag, and put it in the boat’s refrigerator. This makes that tube last for months instead of days… (without hardening) for the next time I need some!
Addendum:
We have absolutely fallen in love with the people here. It does NOT feel like 3 years since we were first here.
https://shellerina.com/2021/05/30/crescent-boat-club-a-real-gem/
They use Dockwa.com
Then call them to be guided into their docks. There is adequate depth for most cruisers, IF you get their guidance.
Without much if any public notice, this major spot of interest was essentially shut down today. We have no idea for how long.
We were originally scheduled to pick up a family with young teens today… to give them som “hands-on” experience of Locking Thru the “Waterford Flight” on the Erie Canal. Fortuitously, they had to cancel, as I’m not confident we could have taken them aboard here today. It would have been a 2.5 hour drive for them to get here!
By the way, if you ask for a slow pass OR if one is offered, best practice is to slow to idle speed so the other vessel is not inconvenienced by giving YOU the courtesy of a slow pass. Courtesy begets courtesy! It works both ways.
Anthony recommends a visit to the famed Uncle Sam statue here in Troy. This real historical person, Sam Wilson, is an inspiration to him. He supplied the US Army with provisions during the war of 1812. The Uncle Sam statue is less than 0.25 mile walk from this marina. So: no brainer to get your ‘steps’ in after a day sitting on the boat!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Sam
Anthony is also a mariner and a guy who did mechanical and maintenance work aboard the famous Rip Van Winkle II excursion boat out of Kingston.
Go to https://www.snagaslip.com to make your dock reservation.
They publish VHF 13 and 68 as monitoring channels.
FYI: Saturday mornings are the best here in Troy as that is when the largest Farmers Market is held… all walking distance from here.
I have to say, this is the first true BBQ place I have been to with vegetarian items on the menu. Signs of the times. Maybe I’ll it NEXT time thru! (I’m confident it’ll be worth a try. But not this time! LOL)
Two other establishments are very close by: Ryan’s Wake and Brown’s Brew Company.
Clearly a narrow anchorage. We dropped the hook just east of the WWG anchor symbol, and found this to be totally adequate. A stern anchor may be advised in certain wind conditions. For example, the southern [wooded] shore is lined in rock. So if a stiff north breeze was in the forecast some added insurance would be prudent to keep one centered. Does not appear to be any current here.
This is one of the most scenic areas in New York.
Docking is alway fun in current.
The Hudson River affords me the almost unique place to show this phenomenon of our Doppler Radar.
With this feature turned “On” moving objects coming towards us from any direction show up in RED. Moving objects that are moving away from us show up as GREEN.
There are long freight trains frequently passing on the west side of the Hudson River. Passenger trains traverse the east side, and they are generally shorter.
So what you see on the screen shot above are freight cars traveling toward us (RED), and some others, part of the same train, moving away from us (GREEN).
Below is a small BOAT heading south towards us;
After the boat passes, the Doppler Radar shows it as a green object on-screen.
Here is the Doppler Effect of a large freighter passing us in a narrow section of the Hudson.
Here are a few more pics of this sweet anchorage to add to yesterday’s.
A blog post from 7 years ago:
https://shellerina.com/2017/09/15/the-little-red-lighthouse/
The first book I ever remember reading!
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Below is the newest major bridge to cross the Hudson River.
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Water is warm enough for a swim!
We’ve been paying for dockage for the past 10 nights. So, it was time to exercise the anchor again!
But the wind shifted east and this famous island offered no protection.
Long Day – 46 miles today from Merrick NY – but now that we are up and “inside” the Hudson River, weather windows will be easier to negotiate. No big open water until Lake Ontario!
Weather / sea state was best today… so we had to take advantage!
We should be back in-town around Labor Day to see you guys again!
We have been watching reports of NYS Canal System O1 Lock being closed for the past week. O1 is Oswego Canal #1 in Phoenix NY.
The bridge and/or lock has been closed to all boat htraffic for a week or more. But the latest word is, “We are open to traffic.”
SO, our Plan A to head up the Hudson River to the Erie Canal, then take the right to go up the Oswego Canal to Lake Ontario is a “GO”. We leave Wednesday June 5 after celebrating our son’s 31st birthday on June 4.
Ultimate destination for Summer 2024 is the Trent Severn Waterway in Canada.
