Knotty Dog

Friends of ours went shopping up in Port Townsend and came across this print by Jayne Hemmerich. It’s a card with envelope that was for sale up there. How cool is that?

Automatic Identification System. As of December 2004, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) requires all vessels over 299GT to carry an AIS transponder on board, which transmits their position, speed and course, among some other static information, such as vessel’s name, dimensions and voyage details.

Although we don’t fall into the category of vessels which are required to have AIS, for us it’s an added layer of safety. The shipping lanes in and out of Puget Sound are heavily traveled with freighters and gigantic cargo ships. Personally, I think it’s great if they can see us on their plotter, with speed, track, name, closest point of approach, etc. It’s cheaper to get a receiver, so you can see them (which is very useful around some of the blind corners up in the San Juan channels). But I prefer that they can see me too. It’s completely integrated with the chartplotter, so all info shows up on the flying bridge and the main helm.

But if you just want to see what we’re up to or where we’ve been (or just gawk at other gorgeous boats, which I’ve been known to do), just go to Marine Traffic and pull up “Katherine Jane” under vessel. Sometimes if we’re just at home, it will be turned off. But hopefully more often, we’ll be out playing somewhere!

And very, very loud. Every boy wants a train horn, right? Magic Brock has one now.

Electronics on the upper deck now match the electronics on the main helm station. She’s getting more civilized every day. Next big thing will be adding AIS to the  system. Love this stuff!

She is complete; she has been formally christened and her name is recorded by Poseidon in his Ledger of the Deep. Champagne was liberally shared with the god of the seas and with all who attended the auspicious event. 

Natalie took special care to ensure that Venganza was clean both inside and out. We ended up going with an AwlGrip finish and are quite pleased (to the point that I am concerned that Katherine Jane will end up with AwlGrip as well, a much more costly venture than a 9′ sailing dinghy).

The Goncalo Alves turned out to be strikingly beautiful. We put a Daly’s Teak Oil finish on it, simply because it’s so easy to maintain that way and has a warm look to it.

And then Magic Brock and my Nity went off into the lake. Nit commented when she got back that she would have to get used to the different motion of the sailboat. When it starts to heel to one side, her eyes get very wide. Just not a motion she’s used to on our 66 ton KJ! Looking forward to a great summer of sailing.