Gizmo

There are many reasons for Gizmo's late launch last week -- travel, getting old, boatyard miscommunications, etc. -- but perhaps the most interesting one is what it took to properly retest Pettit Hydrocoat Eco bottom paint.

I was already inclined to try Firefly Oasis AGMs, and the switch from two conventional 8D AGMs to a four Firefly bank naturally led me to rethink Gizmo's battery storage, cabling, charging, and monitoring systems.

The time has come. I'd already sensed that Gizmo's AGM batteries were on borrowed time; But the real issue is what to do next.

Behold the 39-foot trawler Bliss about to anchor behind Gizmo in Pulpit Harbor. She's a custom Jay Benford design that already turns heads, but note the cabin top presence of both Inmarsat FB150 and Iridium Pilot antennas.

The competition around sonar burns hot on many fronts and the more the merrier, I say.