PassageMaker.com - Bill Parlatore's Blog Entries

Fluke Flies From Toolbox To BBQ

2007-05-30T09:40:33.667

Okay, I did the piece on the Fluke Volt Alert for the next issue, so it was kind of on my mind. And it is summer now, and the barbeque has been busy, both at home and on Growler. I love cooking on the grill, as it spins even a boring evening into a party.

If you work in the kitchen like me, you are always on the lookout for a tool or cooking instrument that promises to make cooking more fun, produce even better results when it is time to serve up another meal.

I know a couple of slick corkscrews have found their way into my life, as did the right knife. Well, I???ve had some good and bad luck with those oven thermometers with food probes and remotes. Ideally, these units measure the cooking temperature of various foods and let you know when the food has reached a specific temperature. Most have alarms to alert the cook when the chicken or turkey is close to its ideal internal temperature. That???s pretty handy???when it works.

In complete frustration, I threw mine in the garbage last week. It was the third such unit I???ve purchased in recent years, this one sold through Taylor. I???ve had the Weber version, and I recall using one sold by Pyrex. They are all made to the same poor standards in China, and they are similar in looks and operation. Frankly, while I love the concept of such products, in my experience, they are manufactured to a price point, rather than a focus on quality in operation and accuracy. What is the point of spending even a paltry $20 when it only works once or twice, then starts annoying everyone in the house when the remote blasts its alarm from a lost signal, or the probe temperature goes nuts?

A lot of things seem like that these days, where high quality is manufactured out so as to create cheaper, disposable products. From light bulbs that seemingly last about a week to oven thermometers that irritate people, a lot of products aren???t really very good anymore.

Annoyed and somewhat perplexed that I couldn???t find a quality oven thermometer, I researched the various thermometers out there, Googling the world market, as it were, and none of the available products seems to have many fans. The consumer remarks on some sites, such as those on Amazon.com, were in complete agreement with my experience. The concept is good, the products are not.

Why can???t a Swiss company produce a high quality oven thermometer, like a Rolex for the oven? I would pay for such quality. Maybe that???s why I love my boat, and all of its hardware and equipment. It is refined, handcrafted quality that I can see, touch, and be proud of.

The reason I am so interested in this is that I know the importance of cooking food to the proper internal temperature. We???ve all seen the recent scares of e Coli, salmonella, and other microbial food-borne illnesses, even in pet food. Today we must accept the need to cook food thoroughly. But without the right galley and kitchen gear to ensure proper temperatures, what???s a cook to do? The traditional ???touch??? test works to a point, but why take chances when feeding your family and friends?

Back to the Fluke. It occurred to me, after my London Broil came out a little overdone, that my boat???s Fluke multimeter also measures temperature. So I wondered if I could use the stainless steel probe from the failed Taylor unit on the Fluke meter somehow. After all, the Fluke???s line of meters defines professional ruggedness and accuracy, and Fluke meters surpass every standard of measurement accuracy I know of.

My mind clicked into high gear and I looked at the meter with that goal in mind. It took a little investigation, but I located a Fluke accessory for the meter, an adapter (Fluke Part #80-AK, less than $20) that could be used to attach the probe wires to the meter. The set up won???t have remote capability, which really isn???t that important, as the grill is a social center during the summer on my deck, and in the cockpit of Growler.

My first experiment was an utter failure, as not minutes into cooking a chicken, the Fluke meter showed an open circuit, and it took me a bit to understand what happened. The small print on the Taylor product sheet (and the many consumer comments I subsequently found in product reviews) indicate the probe can???t be used in temperature ranges beyond about 350 degrees. It just stops working from an internal meltdown. I guess that might have been the culprit for all of the other low-quality units I???ve purchased over the years. After a couple of uses, they just aren???t reliable anymore. A number of comments verify the short lifespan of these temperature probes.

In my mind, a probe that can???t be used in ovens or barbeques over 350 degrees is a major handicap, as a gas barbeque is always hotter than 350 degrees???the very reason I enjoy cooking on the grill so much. Hot is a good thing. Ever make a pizza on the grill? Outstanding!

So again I hit the computer, searching for food service-grade probes that could stand the higher temperature of a real oven and grill environment. I found a company in Utah, ThermoWorks (thermoworks.com), which offers a high temperature probe that can stand heat up to 662 degrees. The Smoke House Penetration Probe, which comes with a six-foot long cable with stainless steel armor sheathing, is perfect for my needs. While it costs $65, I am willing to pay for quality and performance that fits how I cook. The plug on the probe fits into the adapter which plugs into the Fluke meter. Now I???m good to go, on my deck or in my cockpit.

As you can see from the images, the yellow Fluke meter (it is the 87V model), with the six-foot long cable, can sit far enough away from the grill to stay safe, yet it accurately displays the temperature of whatever is being cooked. From a cookbook, I made a chart of the correct internal cooking temperatures for rare, medium-rare, medium, and well done for the variety of things that I typically grill or cook in the oven. (We never use the oven on Growler, by the way, as we use the grill.) I???m a medium-rare guy.

Now, I not only have a useful tool for electrical troubleshooting around the boat, but also an accurate way to prepare food that is safe to eat without becoming overcooked, dried out mutton.

And that is something I can get excited about. Another job well done???er, completed successfully.

A Most Excellent Italian Adventure

2007-05-31T14:44:20.827

I just wanted to pass on that Garmin???s Nuvi is an absolutely first class piece of personal electronics. Steve D???Antonio and I were in Italy last week, visiting seven companies in four days, traveling almost 1,200km across the Italian landscape. It was an intense but exciting trip that took us into the lives/stories of businesses that pride themselves on innovation, passion, and family.

Our plan was to call on Italian companies that manufacture high quality marine equipment and accessories far from the sea, an oddity that still intrigues me. Why are such quality marine products coming out of the mountains of central Italy? It was a mystery that I hoped to solve.

I had loaded the Nuvi with the European travel guide and maps just days before the trip. I???d heard great things about the Nuvi product line for overseas travel (garmin.com//products/nuvi/), and was anxious to see for myself how well it served us.

Once we had our rented Ford diesel sedan loaded and ready to hit the road, we relied on the Nuvi 660 to get us around. We quickly found it so accurate and useful I never really looked at the maps we had, and the level of detail contained in the Nuvi was so much richer than any of the paper maps we had.

Despite the poor Nuvi-woman???s voice trying to provide directions while we sped along the many switchbacks on some of the mountain routes, notably from Sant???Agata Feltria to Pesaro, and the fact that few businesses have street numbers to allow pinpoint navigation, Steve and I praised the Nuvi every hour, every day. I was the navigator for the trip, and I routinely called out which of the confusing, in-rapid-succession right turn exits off the Autostrada was the right one, as I judged our progress on the Nuvi screen. And it would find shortcuts that took us on roads no tourist would ever travel. It was technology enlightenment on a grand scale.

And we had some fun experiences with the Nuvi as well. For instance, when we drove from Guissano to Sarnico, to visit Besenzoni, the Nuvi chose the nearest end of Via Foppe, the road leading to Besenzoni. We entered what was essentially a dirt cow path, drove under a waterfall of sorts, then through a stream, but we soon came upon the rear entrance to the Besenzoni facility, spot on. Later, we found the other end of the road was paved as it took us on to our next visit on the coast.

In all, we visited Veco, Besenzoni, C-Map, Indel, Vitrifrigo, CNP yacht builders, and Quick. It was a terrific trip that opened our eyes to Italian innovation, creativity, craftsmanship, and passion. And the food and wine was simply outstanding. From truffles in Sant'Agata to pizza diavolo in Pesaro, we got a taste of the cuisine of this magic land. Our hosts were gracious, informative, and we learned so much it will take some time for Steve, Natalie, and me to sort through it all. Which we'll do after the crew comes back from Trawler Fest in Poulsbo.

As for the Nuvi, I am convinced we could not have had such a stress-free travel experience, were it not for the enormously helpful Nuvi. If only our female voice spoke with an Italian accent, that would have been perfect. But as it was, we were thrilled to have it along, and it is now an essential piece of my travel gear.

Stay tuned to hear all about our travels and what we found to explain the mystery of this Italian phenomenon.

Thats Just Not Right

2007-06-28T13:46:19.673

You know, life can be tough on lots of levels, but don???t you just hate it when things get complicated or stupid for just no reason? I???m not just talking about boats, but there is plenty there to highlight that sentiment as well.

I do the cooking most days, and like anyone who spends duty time in the kitchen, I have a supply of favorite sauces and pantry items to whip up something at the end of the day. If I can???t stop for some fresh fish, I can make do just fine.

My current pet peeve is the Knorr sauce product line. These products, originally from Switzerland I believe, are dry sauce mixes that combined with water or milk, and butter, to create tasty carbonara, garlic herb, pesto, and other sauces, and the similar gravy mixes are perfect when you need additional gravy to complement traditional pan drippings. Knorr products have a long shelf life and I think they are perfect for variety and ease in both kitchen and galley. Mingle a little meat or fish, some fresh or frozen veggies, and pasta du jour to make a really fine dinner that goes well with a bottle of red.

Okay, so what???s my beef? Well, some time ago, the company decided to go for a new look. You know, one of those corporate decisions that originate in some buffoon???s zeal to make his or her mark on the business turf, ???fixing??? something that isn???t broken.

From the moment I picked up the new packaging, I was upset. Now encased in a light green package, the product inside is the same, but the printing on the light green foiled pack is also light green, and the font size is so small it is unreadable. To make matters worse, some designer, in cahoots with the bumbling bureaucrat, chose to put style above function, and the directions are moved into the left corner, on top of graphic art (or behind, hard to tell), and the type size is even smaller. I???m not blind, but even with reading glasses on, I just can???t make the direction out.

It is mind-numbing stupidity at its finest. Make it pretty, make it sassy, and make it unreadable. Considering the age of its customer base, I know I am not the only one who finds this offensive due to it being completely unnecessary. You know what I mean?

While we???re in the kitchen, have you ever tried to use those packaging wonders that might have seemed like an inventive solution to someone locked in a building, but which are completely impossible to use in the real world? How about those flour tortillas, pick any brand, and try to open the closure without destroying it. Impossible. The plastic is too thin for the zip closure and pulls apart when you try to open the zip closure, destroying the closure.

Or how about cheese packaged in its own, reusable zip storage bag? Ever try to get the block of cheese out of the bag for the first time? The bag is just big enough for the cheese, but not large enough to maneuver it out of the bag without ripping the opening. Another worthless attempt to imply utility, and of course it costs more.

How many cardboard boxes, for cereal, pasta, cookies, or crackers, do you have open in your pantry that didn???t rip when first opened? Yes, the nice instructions on the top show how easily the two ends can mesh together for storing what???s left, but every one in my pantry has at least one tear in the top of the box, as the glue is stronger than the box top.

Okay, enough of the kitchen tirade. How about last weekend, when we anchored Growler in a snug little anchorage? It is a lovely spot that locals find perfect for weekends when you don???t want to venture far but want to feel like it.

We were snug as a bug, and settled in for a couple of days. Other boats came in, and soon the anchorage was full of boats. The day boats, most filled with squealing children on inflatable watertoys, enjoyed an afternoon on the water, then took off as the day ended, to perhaps a barbeque at home.

Our Rocna anchor was set like a pit bull, and our chain rode lay lazily down to the bottom and we felt like we were in paradise. Until???

You know those damn ugly boats, the ones no authentic boat designer would ever really pen, the ones with windows that don???t open? White fiberglass disguising the heart of Darth Vadar, the boats that blend so perfectly into the scenery you don???t even noticed them until you are deprived of your other senses, like when the evening is upon us and the anchorage becomes a quiet scene of towels on lifelines, the sparkle of anchor lights, dinghies hugging close by, the smell of grills turning steaks medium rare. And then you first notice it.

A generator. The sound that plagues our community, those older-style generators that have no relations to today???s quiet gensets. Oh, please don???t tell me the boat that is just over there, that ugly white boat with windows that don???t open, has swung around and now its genset exhaust, spitting water and gas high above the waterline, is facing me. No, please no.

For the entire night, I keep waking to the sound of this exhaust. There is no need for air conditioning, yet this vintage all-electric boat, never apparently intended to leave the dock and its shorepower, is running its genset 24/7. I swear at the gods for letting such a boat exist???and in this anchorage. Among maybe 40 boats, all quiet during the night, this solitary generator can be heard by all.

It???s just not right.

Composite LPG tanks are GREAT!

2007-08-06T10:44:15.89

I always keep my eyes open for new technology and products that make sense in this ever-changing world of boating. And recently I found a product that makes so much sense I needed to get one right away.

Called the Composite Cylinder, it is manufactured by the Lite Cylinder Company of Franklin, Tennessee. Lite Cylinder is one of a growing number of companies that manufacture LPG tanks in composite material. Lighter than steel, corrosion free, these cylinders are the next step above what we have been using for LPG storage for years. I have two 10-lb aluminum tanks on Growler, and the genrally dank environment of the propane locker keeps them grungy looking, even though they don't rust.

What I really love about the new tank is that the level of propane can be readily seen through the composite tank material, so there is never any guesswork about how much propane remains for shipboard use. Trying to judge tank contents by lifting the tank by hand is guesswork at best, as one never really knows the amount left in the tanks.

I ordered the tank from one of the online retailers listed on the Lite Cylinder website (litecylinder.com), although I have since noticed similar composite tanks available from various marine suppliers. I ordered a 10-lb tank (three gallon) as a direct replacement for one of Growler's aluminum tanks. The Internet price was $89.

The parchment-colored Composite Cylinder is slightly narrower than the original aluminum tank, and a couple of inches higher, and it fit inside Growler's propane locker just fine. And best of all, I can see the propane level by just looking at the side of the cylinder.

Great stuff. I guess I'll be buying a second 10-lb cylinder for the boat, as well as a couple of 20-lb cylinders for the grill at home. My selection of steel and aluminum tanks will gather dust in my garage until I can find another use for them. Perhaps as components of a fluxgate capacitor for my DeLorean? Hmmm, I'm sure I can think of something.

Life As A Turtle

2007-10-29T15:28:40.09

Just before Trawler Fest in Solomons, we decided to bring Growler down to the event from Annapolis. Another single-screw boat was needed for the women-only boat-handling course because of a last-minute change. So my lobsterboat was assigned duty.

Coincidentally, our neighbors had planned to head down to the event as well on their Selene 40. Early one morning, the two boats slipped their docklines at precisely the same moment to begin the 50-mile trip south on Chesapeake Bay to Solomons, on the Patuxent River.

We had not planned to travel together, but the timing of our departures seemed so serendipitous that I decided to accompany Lunar Lady at her displacement speed, rather than blasting down the bay at Growler???s 15-knot cruise speed. Winding around Whitehall Creek???s zigzag channel into Whitehall Bay, I sat back in the helm chair and prepared to enjoy a trip in the slow lane. Lunar Lady cruises at 7.5 knots, and with the help of an ebbing tide, she made a solid 8 knots on her course south. The run would take between five and six hours at that speed.

I opened my ???Home to Solomons??? route in Coastal Navigator and saw that I???d last used it on Oct. 1, 2006???for my trip home from Trawler Fest last year. As I dodged crab pots in the shallow waters that border our entrance to Chesapeake Bay, I thought about all that had changed since last October.

While one part of my brain pondered the past, another part suddenly realized how relaxed I was, and how my mind wasn???t nearly as focused on driving the boat as it is at 15 knots. Watching Lunar Lady in front of me and seeing my friends on their flybridge enjoying an early morning run in calm conditions, I noticed that the chart plotter was not redrawing the screen as quickly as when running hard, nor did the engine seem to be working very hard at 1150 rpm. The world around me was quiet, with no spray and not much wake, and a noticeable lack of frenetic energy.

I???m on boats all the time at this speed, but running Growler at 8 knots for any distance is not my normal deal. My eyes weren???t darting across the gauges as they usually do, constantly scanning the horizon in all directions. The boat demanded much less from me. And it was delightful.

The absence of charging water rushing past the hull put me in a wonderful mood, and I sat back and watched the world go by. There was no need to close the windows to keep out the salt spray, no need for wipers. All the hatches and windows remained open, and the breeze felt great as the morning grew mature. Our two boats slid along with grace, and on the second half of the trip we began seeing other trawlers homing in on Trawler Fest.

A number of miles before reaching Solomons, I bid Lunar Lady goodbye and brought Growler up to speed to put a load on her engine. Running at 80 percent load for a while would be good for the diesel, especially since the majority of the upcoming boat-handling course would be conducted at idle.

On this lovely, cool day, I thoroughly enjoyed being on a boat at 8 knots, especially as I was alone and in no hurry. While I can easily make a case for speed that includes all the reasons we routinely discuss, I think the idea of displacement speed generally suffers a bad rap in today???s busy world. That???s not to say there aren???t times when pedal-to-the-metal gets the job done, no question.

For some, the price of fuel may dictate a reasoned adjustment in one???s approach to travel in the future. Cost advantages aside, traveling along like the proverbial turtle is pretty neat. The boat sips fuel, and you chill out while truly seeing the world that surrounds you, rather than being blinded by the blur of high-speed travel that emphasizes the destination over the journey.

There is room for both in our cruising world, of course. But, as so many trawler folks already know, the best thing about being a turtle is that wherever you stop, you???re home.

Going, Going, Gone...

2008-01-15T09:39:58.14

We planned it pretty carefully, and hopefully we???ve thought of most everything. Our friends Jerry and Wendy Taylor, who are professional delivery captains, took Growler a week ago and headed south to Stuart, Florida. I needed to stay in town to get the March issue done, as well as other timely commitments that kept us engaged in Annapolis. It's funny how hard it is to get away from the demands of everyday life. But no matter, when we turn around and begin our leisurely way north back to Annapolis, Laurene will get to see the ICW in all its glory and shallowness.

I was quite surprised how much stuff we were able to get aboard Growler in the weeks before she left. Laurene put most of three months worth of dog food under the V-berth, including 30 pounds of dog treats. (Our rescued 12-year-old golden retriever, Katie, has a sensitive stomach, so she needs special treats that Laurene has figured out. Dried duck breast, sweet potato fries, and pigs??? ears seem to be among her favorites. We doubt we???ll see those in any marina stores in Florida!)

We tried to hold back on how much clothing we took on this trip, how many pairs of shoes, trying hard to figure out how we???ll live while enjoying life in Marathon during February. The plan calls for lots of long walks, water activities as much as we can, and my continued efforts to write, shoot pictures and video, and blog along on a regular basis. Folks have already invited us to share their stories and boats, and I figure being embedded in the cruising community will be an awesome experience, perhaps even more than I can imagine now.

Our plan is to head down to Marathon after Trawler Fest then cruise around the Keys and slowly work north over the course of March and April. The only commitment on my schedule is Natalie???s wedding. Our managing editor ties the knot on April 12^th, and I can???t possibly miss that event. So that date is our deadline for returning to Annapolis.

While in the ICW, I plan to spend quality time in Charleston, Beaufort, and many other points along the way that demand some time ashore. Cruising guide writer and lecturer, Claiborne Young, has offered to help sort out the many possibilities for us to visit, and he???ll no doubt figure heavily in our northern journey.

But all this is yet to occur, still out in front of me, and it is enough for now to know that we are prepared for many new and interesting twists and turns. Stepping into a life with no specific goal is a big change for me. But that makes it even more exciting.

In a matter of days, it begins. See you along the way!

In The Thick Of It

2008-02-10T13:31:31.903

Okay, we've been in Marathon for one full week, and I can positively report there are lots of you in the Keys this time of year. It is amazing how many variations of the cruising dream have found their way here. While we are in Marathon Marina and Boat Yard (actually, the yard was sold and renamed but the original name seems most well known), there are dozens and dozens of trawlers here and in the surrounding mooring fields and marinas.

The best part of this experience so far has been the people who just walk up to Growler and ask if she is "The Growler?" A conversation begins and I get to hear all about what they have done with their boat, where they're headed, and how much they enjoy this lifestyle and magazine. It has easily been repeated 50 times this past week. I love it.

We were invited to the weekly Krogen breakfast every Tuesday at the 7 Mile Grill, and Laurene and I had a great time meeting more than 30 Krogen owners who all enjoy their boats and the close fellowship with other owners. Lots of laughs and inside jokes in this crowd, and it is clear they enjoy coming here to spend the winter months with friends in Marathon. Even retired couples, who have traded their boat for waterfront condos, join the weekly event. Great fun. (See some of these owners having breakfast at the grill in the attached image.)

Surprisingly, we've also met lots of dogs, and Katie is around other dogs as much as we are around PMMers. It seems the dog-aboard equation works for a whole lot of folks who would not do without.

To get the feel of the area, we rented a car for a couple of days, and Laurene has checked out the shopping and other sights of Marathon, even spent a day in Key West while I finish the April issue from my laptop at the chart table. It is a schedule that works just fine for now. Next week, I'll rent a car again to drive up to Miami for the show, and enjoy the chance to see the latest in gear and boats, while talking to some companies about products I've used these last few weeks. Nothing like using equipment on the water to develop an opinion!

So far, writing from the boat has been a good experience, and there is so much around me, as the cruising community is alive and well in the Florida Keys. We've met couples on Flemings, Alaskans, GBs, Krogens, Mainships (old and new), DeFevers, Nordhavns, American Tugs, Hatteras LRCs, PDQs, Great Harbours, to name some of the brands. And more keep coming in all the time. I've even met readers who live aboard sailboats and slick motoryachts that sure don't qualify as traditional trawlers. But it doesn't matter to anyone, as the lifestyle is enjoyed all the same.

The issues of living aboard and dealing with life are clearly common among the cruisers, and one just has to ask some questions and there is plenty of advice to be had. Just as I expected, everyone hits the same potholes on this road, no matter how big or equipped their boat is. It is part of the experience, after all.

There is no better time to be cruising than now, and I'm glad we're here, in the thick of it here in the Keys.

Slowing It Down

2008-04-07T14:52:54.293

I've noticed that as the price of fuel continues to spiral upwards, with no ceiling in sight, the effect on the trawler community is that we are generally slowing down. Owners of large motoryachts tell me they now travel at nine knots on a regular basis because they just can't justify the fuel burn of planning speeds. No surprise there.

As if to highlight this trend, while we were in the Florida Keys this winter, five couples from the Annapolis area got together for dinner at Little Palm Island, a lovely island setting with a resort atmosphere. It was a treat, although in sharp contrast with the Crocs and flip flop daily life that is the Keys.

We were one of the couples, and I found it interesting that the other folks, all boat owners who are very active during the season on Chesapeake Bay. Yet Growler was the only boat in Florida from this group that made the trip south. One of the reasons for this was the cost of fuel to make the round trip from Annapolis to the Keys. And that seemed odd to me, for boat owners to decide to winter around tropical water without their boats.

On our way back north, we ran in Hawk Channel up to Miami, and as we got north of Ocean Reef, a fleet of Grand Banks overtook us, all coming from their rendezvous event and headed to points north. Several large Eastbays blew past us with serious speed, and I wondered if I'd ever seen these boats run slow. I don't think so, and they looked beautiful as they ran past us.

However, a few days later we stopped at the Palm Beach Show, and a great many similar boats, with speed as a key ingredient in their design, found fewer people aboard them. Only a few years ago, that was the direction of the cruising community, to go faster, to increase horsepower, while not compromising on creature comforts. That comes at a price, of course, and the fuel burn on some of these boats is truly amazing. When I hear someone tell me a boat's fuel burn approaches a 100 gallons an hour, my brain goes numb, thinking of the very real dollars with diesel at $4.00 and moving higher.

So it seems for the near future, slowing down is a more acceptable solution than the alternatives of either blowing through great quantities of cash or not using one's boat at all.

And that works for me.