Oh what a life you live..... I always remain envious ..... first was the bus..... and now the boat.... am and will continue to be a loyal fan of your adventures. Another great video.
I loved the closing with the talking fish. The boat is looking good with the upgrades you've done and your plans for the future. I just keep seeing dollar signs and thinking this is even more expensive then rving is. We are going to enjoy following your great adventure!! I'm glad you are able to follow your dreams and wish you well.
We just bought a boat and are learning about all the projects boats require. We just started our winter projects! Oh it's funny watching us newbies.... We are planning on doing the loop in the next two years, so we are really looking forward to seeing all that you do. I love the info about land transportation. (We have 3 boys. I wonder if we can get 5 bikes on board?)
Truly jealous of your adventures! Keep it up! Garmin, Garmin, Garmin... I cannot say enough great things about Garmin. My first choice for upgrade when I purchased my Sea Ray years ago (I know, I know.... but I'm one of the nice Sea Ray guys)
Wow great video, you've got a big to do list but based on what you did to the bus I'm sure you will get it done. I'm surprised you have no plans to fish, you may not have fished in the past but you now live on the water and will have access to some of the best fishing hands down. Buy a decent fish pole or 2, while you're on the hook, throw out a line and you'll have a fantastic lunch or dinner for free while the rest of us have to go to the store and pay $12/lb for fish that was caught a week ago. Nothing better than fresh caught fish. Good luck with your projects and hopefully the community will bring the best craftsmen to you, and with your exposure for their businesses on your channel hopefully you can get some fantastic prices. Best of luck and may calm seas follow you on your journey.
We'll happily pay for fish that has already been caught, cleaned and stuff. Just not of interest to us. We have plenty of other things to fill our time.
Probably no Ham for us.. we're both licensed, but honestly, have never found a use for it. VHF radios is what is used in marine, and we won't be going out of site of land much at all.
Hey guys looking great. We are on a three year plan to do Florida/Bahamas in our Gulfstar 44 MC. We have just travelled from NY to Norfolk and are poised to travel down the ICW next trip at Christmas. Anyway we invested in a Raymarine Axiom plotter with a thru hull transducer at a cost of $1500 and that did not include installation. It has been the biggest disappointment ever. It freezes and it's impossible to shut it down if it's been on all day other that to switch off the breaker. I am in the process of trying to get some help from Raymarine and it is not going too well. I would suggest Garmin and stay away from Raymarine. Ye have a lovely boat and best wishes for the cruising season. Sean
I do know an excellent cabinet maker that has his shop in Naples...Very reasonable in price. He actually just redid a sailboat in Marco Island. Looing great!!
I have used plain old Thompsons water seat on my canvas T top for 15 years and it is in constant weather on East coast Middle Atlantic. A lot cheaper effective waterproofing than 303.
You guys should get two fishing poles and while you are cruising put on a fishing lure and try your luck .Yous may love it nothing better then fresh fish that you have caught ! I have a 40' SPORTFISH ive been a fisherman for yrs my wife enjoys it also . Good luck and enjoy !
Hi Guys, I just went thru the electronics replacement ordeal. You might want to take a look at the newer "Broadband" type of radar. Here's the RUclips search "Broadband 4G™ Radar" I bought the B&G brand because I have a sailboat and their GPS/Chartplotter has sailtrak which is very useful for sailboats plotting courses. Not so necessary for stink pots...LOL! Some of the advantages are extremely low power consumpution, light weight and instant on capability compared to the older more traditional radars. Also, you can get return right up to the antenna not possible in traditional radar. I just thought you might want to check that out. I wish you guys were up here in New England, I'd love for you to design an interior lighting system for my boat sounds like yours is going to be spectacular! Can't wait to see it! Really interesting video! Thanks please keep em coming! Bill S. s/v ODIN
Thanks.. we'll add that to the research list. Don't think you'd want us designing you lighting system.. this will be our first, and "design" may be a bit of an overstatement.
Watched with interest RE windows. Just what I thought in a hot climate. The M/Y I have my heart set on has huge windows and I'm tipping the A/C will be running 24/7 in the Med and Carribean.
The engine room hatch idea sounds perfect. I was surprised that you didn't mention the big plus (for Loopers) of the cramped engine room space - the very shallow draft of the 4788.
We've covered that in our shopping for a Great Loop boat & Selecting the 4788 videos before. If we covered every aspect of everything in every video, every video would be hours long :)
So just replace the base with something that is movable instead of being bolted down but keep the Recaro seat. You will love it after sitting for a couple of hour in it. Saved many medical bills at work.
We have sat in it for extended amounts of time... decent for driving and stuff. But definitely not an ideal as computer work station chair. EXTREMELY uncomfortable for that, not ergonomic and leans back way way too far for good computing posture. (We actually kinda hate the thing ;) ).
I know one couple that always tries to move the boat when the weather is bad so the weather is good wherever they stop. That would give you more use of the inside helm and the seat. Even though they were spending years cruising around the world and had plenty of time, it still made efficient use of rainy days. Or chuck the seat altogether, get a remote control, and conn the boat from the settee. I hope you enjoy your adventure as much as we do watching.
Now I see why you are still in Florida. Can't wait for you to move on. I BET you are having priority discussions. Lots of changes coming. Let's travel.
We've actually been long overdue for an extended stay in one spot.. all of the hyper mobility over the past few years wore us out, plus the boat hunt. It's felt so good to be here for a couple months. But, we are getting ready to move here in the next couple of weeks. We're in no rush. Nomadism isn't about how many miles you cover... and we're NOT going to feel pressured to move faster than we want because fans want more travel videos.
As a fellow gen x'r I'm looking forward to watching your solution for lead acid cells. Marine Lithium batteries are still out of my league cost wise for the amount I use them, but in your case it might make more sense. Keeping everything ABYC and USCG compliant gets very pricey. My biggest issue has always been running the generator (4 hours) to charge Lead Acid batteries, as most boats like yours will have 7-10kw gennies, and the charger is such a miniscule load, the generator is not loaded enough for motor longevity (diesel or gas). Sometimes I will run an electric heater to the outdoors just to load it enough - or bake a loaf of bread etc. Most generators consume 1-2gph regardless of load too. A 30 min charge cycle to 100% would be a dream... Solar isn't as useful up North, where it can sometimes cloud for weeks. Please keep us appraised of price if you can during the install. Thanks.
Indeed - lead batteries need to be regularly fully charged, but they charge so slowly from a generator this is nearly impossible to do if you are regularly anchoring out. There are so many downsides!
Most of the electronic upgrades you mentioned are useful, but is upgrading the VHF marine transceivers with AIS going to offer much advantage on the great loop?
From what we've heard from others, having AIS is hugely useful on the rivers so that you can see the details of tow barges long before they come into visual site.
When both of you were going through the proposed modifications, I was wondering about BayLiner mfg home port and services. I'm the guy who always has mfg service on vehicles because of all the old reasoning.......it's their product and they would have the in depth knowledge, the market availability of upgrades, how to do structural mods and maintain hull rigidity and sea worthiness. The usual retort is their cost vs DIY. My reply is "how many times do you want to do each project?" Who would serve you better? (IMHO) Get on the phone and at least let them know what you want and get a serious discussion going with knowledgeable people. BTW, great ideas!
We tend to be a bit more DIY in our approach, but if there's a Bayliner Motoryacht speciality shop along our upcoming route we're open to considering it (but haven't heard of any). Remember, they quit making this model & general style of boat back in 2002 and Bayliner is now focused entirely on day / sport boats. Probably not many techs left there who know the pilothouse model well enough.
Hi Guys! I enjoy your videos. Is your battery bank salvageable? The application would be for an off grid travel trailer at a getaway camp, mostly weekend use? We use generators for Air Conditioning but would like to have more 12v for evenings or cooler wearher. I'm looking to get started/experiment cheap? If so, I am in Florida and have a truck...
Take it from an experience captain do not get rid of the helm chair on the main driving deck you’ll be sorry they’ll be times where the water is very unstable and you will need a stable spot to drive your yacht keep it. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So far in 18 months of owning our boat - we've not yet even needed to use the pilot house, never mind had conditions worthy of a bolted helm chair. The chair is still there, mainly because we've found the pilothouse too warm to be office space. It's pretty much is just the cat's room these days.
Technomadia I think today I watch three hours of your videos I live in Melbourne Beach in a community called Beechwoods I live in a condo in a high-rise on the fifth floor I wonder if I saw you pass by months ago but it’s nice to know that you were from here safe travels and I will be one of your fans be well. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Technomadia. You've been motoring in warm areas. Won't you want the pilot helm up in the cooler north? Love your channel and boat. You work well together on camera and your information is always useful and interesting.
If we were doing more open water stuff, or extended cruising days.. we'd be much more tempted. We intend to be fair weathered cruisers. Everything is a trade-off, and it seems like in this case - have usable work space will win for us.
Very nice boat - similar to what I want. One question - if you have to dock in a slip stem first, how is the visibility from the lower helm? Looks like it woudl be very hard to see the stern from there.
how much are you planning on spending on these upgrades? i understand that 10% of the purchase price per annum for maintenance and upgrades is the "rule of thumb", has that been your experience?
Really depends where your line is between maintenance.. and opportunities for upgrades :) We don't really budget or plan, we just tackle projects as we find the right people and have funds available.
You guys are really good with economics n keeping track of expenses. Have you thought about checking w broker about which upgrades would help the value of your Bayliner? Otherwise the upgrades would just stay with you when and if you sell later on.
Resale value is a concern, but not a big enough to one to influence too many decisions. Out top priorities are safety, operating costs and quality of life. We plan to keep Y-Not for many years.
Your boat is beautiful I love the upgrades where are you going to finally call your place home? Are you staying in Fort Lauderdale going to the Florida Keys? Glad you weren't there for the big hurricane at least I hope you we're not there. What do you do on really windy nights and windy days does the boat Rock a lot?. DRS
Luv your channel!!! I have a 2003 Meridian 490 PH (same boat ) and I would love to know who you use for the TV installation because I want to do the same install on my boat...
We'll likely just hire a capable mechanic along our route when we have time to tackle that project. but check out the Bayliner Owner's Club online - there are step by step instructions posted there in their forums.
We don't think a project system would work very well in here.. there's way too much ambient light during the day. We also don't NEED the storage space, and there's really no where else we'd want to watch movies at anyway.
Keep everythink you do that pertains to electronics as simple as you can #1 the stuff thats here today is gone in 3 to 5 yrs ...#2 replacement parts or units will not be available where ever you are when it breaks...#3 a sound system .....can you really hear it with the engines and /or generator running.....NO and when you are underway you want to listen to your engines at all times.
Oh the obsession with electronics. Unlike an RV, where you can just stop and pull over to the road, that is not an option for a boat especially in open water. Analog gauges are easily restored, and very reliable (just look at how old they currently are but still functioning). Isolate the fluff (weather, internet, stereo, depth finder, radar etc.) from the core (engine and charging). Something will fail in the chain.. guaranteed. Enjoy the journey!
Hi! Nice projects going on! i can recommend a KNX system for smart "house" future safe and possible to integrate audio, security, and much moore of your boat electrics like all of your future nmea2000 equipment. KNX is verry big in Europe but in U.S?
canvasdesigners.com There from Ship Shape tv a Florida boat how to show. It`s been on 25 years now. Great info you should check the show out. If you go to the web site they have links to other suppliers & services. SEE YA OUT THERE!!
If you can afford all of these upgrades why not save up a nice down payment and have a new boat built with some custom touches? just curious, it seems like you are going to rebuild every part of an almost 20 year old boat. thanks for the interesting video. I hope to do the great loop one day. stay smiling!!!
Having a brand new boat built to our custom specs would easily be in the $500-750k or more range.. way way beyond our budget. All said and done, our cost should be way way less than that. Not to mention, take a heck of a lot of time. Same reason we renovated an older bus as our RV. Start with good solid bones that are affordable, and renovate as we're enjoying the journey and learning what the changes are we actually want.
Technomadia yep, it's much cheaper these days to update older boats than buy new. Cost of new boats is ridiculous these days. Not only that, but you learn the ins and outs of the systems when you upgrade/ repair/ replace yourself. Neat to see you guys started out in Punta Gorda. We have a vacation home there in burnt store isles on the canal way. What made you pick that spot?
We're the Mobile Internet folks (we run www.mobileinternetinfo.com) - if we can't manage that, we might as well quit our day jobs :D. We'll be staying well within cellular connectivity most of our Great Loop adventure) for internet access. Even so, internet access is not needed to control things on a local area network.. just Wi-Fi networking (which is not the same as internet), which will be supplied by any number of our routers.
so odd question maybe, but how are/will you handle arachnids and rats? Iknow it seems like a what if? kind of issue regarding the rats, but they are an issue at some marinas and once on board..... spiders are another bane to all boaters. Just curious. Cheers! DonP
We have a huge list of winter projects and wiring the lights correctly is one of those projects. For a backup we bought stick on lights with batteries..... that's what boating is right...plan B
A word of caution with the indoor admiral chair. You do not want a free floating portable seat. It only takes 10 minutes of bad seas to die. We would all miss you guys - please don't change what you have in place.
Besides - 99% of the Bayliner 4788's in existence have a free floating helm chair, which was stock. I do actually have some plans on how to use the existing bolt holes to be able to clamp in our future helm chair when needed too.
We specifically bought our boat to do the Western Erie, it can get down to 12' bridge clearance with the folding arch. We have no intentions of changing that.
Get in touch with Jeff Cote. He founded and operates Pacific Yacht Systems. He is the best in North America and does the training sessions on boat electronic upgrades at the Annapolis in water boat show. He does electrical audits on various boats and is a true professional. Go to you-tube and type in his name, his company name, and Annapolis In-Water Boat Show 2017 and you'll be able to watch some of his videos on boat electronics; new equipment; how they are used and why; how he does an electrical audit; but most of all he just tells you like it is. Subscribe to his channel and just soak in the information. His contact information is on you-tube and he does alot with solar and inverters and finding the balance your boat needs in electronics. I used to live and boated up in Ohio on Lake Erie. Many people used to tell me "he was the guy to get when you want your electronics to just work like they were ment to on your boat." Love your Bayliner and think he will do the best for you and not oversell you. Both of you and Jeff speaks the same language, if you know what I mean. - Fair winds and following seas... Cal
"Sailing SV Delos" just did a complete electronics re-fit and he also gave the reasons for his brand selection. He knows his stuff when it comes to electronics, I think his college degree is in electronics. Here's a link to the RUclips video. ruclips.net/video/FJUSrbKS1-A/видео.html
I Love You Folks! A Lifetime Of Sailing And Boating And Dingying Under My Belt, And At 63 I Have A Couple Of Observations On The Davit System. Imho Only. First, The Purchase Ratios Are Not High Enough To Lift Your Dingy Comfortably. The Whole Contraption Is Undersized For Your Dingy, Rain Water Will Still Enter Into The Bilges, It Just Seems Like A Contraption With Too Much And Too Many Lines And Attachment Points Running All Over The Place, Even The Videos Looked Like A Pain In The A__ The Rated 400lb Capacity Is Not High Enough For The Motor Side Of The Dingy. You'll Be Tangling Lines Till Cow Fishies Come Home! Lol All In Love, G Ps. Plus You Can Not Lower The Dingy Transom To Drain The Bilge!, Of Course I Understand This Might Be Temporary Till The Hydrolic Swim Platform Is Built...?
The combined weight of our dinghy boat & engine is 244 lbs - the Dinghy Caddy is more than rated for our size & weight. And we'll have a cover on the boat to keep water out. We looked at lots of options and consulted lots in the industry (including other owners of this model of boat, and Achilles) - and this seems like the overall right choice for us. How will it play out in actuality? Only time can tell.
244+30(cover)+20(PFDs)+10(Lighting)+20{Fuel)+10(Boat Hook & Lines)+20(Anchor)+5(Glasses,Pack Of Smokes & A Hidden $100, Etc) Oh! +40 (The Manufactures Underestimation Of Their Gross Weigh Lol That's 400lbs Right Their!!! ...Now Let's Figure The COG Of The Dingy Is Lets Say 30/70....IMHO...THE PORT SIDE DAVIT WILL BE WAY OVERSTRESSED!! A Driving Rain WILL Allow Water Ingress No Matter What You Cover It With...If You Cannot Release The Water From The Dingy, Your Looking For Trouble, Trouble Right Here In River City! IMHO...At The Very Least You'll Pull Down That Contraption AT THE DOCK While Your Sleeping...
We checked in with the manufacturer of the davit and the maker of dinghy while picking our system out - and they both thought the setup was well matched. We also contacted several people who have the same davit (and one who has the same exact dinghy and engine!) who love the combination and have had years of usage with no problems. If we do run into any issues - we will of course be sharing them. But short of a $20k hydraulic swim platform, this seemed to be the best davit option out there for our needs by far. BTW - where on earth are you buying 20lb PFDs?!?! ;-)
Lol, I Thought You Might Be Bringing The Whole Party Back To The Boat! You Know 20 People 20 Life Preservers...BTW A Little Temporary Auto Bilge Pump In The Dingy Might Bring Peace Of Mind While Road Trekking? Or (Extended Leave)......I'll Be Back...:)
If y'all are looking for a whole boat electronics solution, which can include all engine, navigation and even entertainment system, suggest checking out, www.maretron.com/ also integrates amazing wireless functions. Have you thought of going hard top and incorporating solar into it.
I've looked a bit at Maretron - and they are on my list to look into deeper. As for hard top... That is an option, but we do want to keep the ability to drop the top to get under 15' bridges.
oh yeah the batteries...WHAT is the real advantage of li-po batteries and what else do you have to change to make everythink work together?????=$$$$$$ spent on BS that could have been buying FUEL. Rem its a big hole in the water.
I have Ray Marine multi function chart Plotter, radar and autopilot . I've never been impressed with them . My fishing buddies have Garmin which are solid units but not many of them are impressed with those either. Many marine mechanics where I am are recommending Symrad. If you attend any boat shows you begin to notice that many of the manufacturers are now installing Symrad components. Additionally which Symrad you can get rid of all your analog gauges. all that functionality is built in. so you can see your tachometers your oil pressure your engine heat. It's just a menu function of their Glass Bridge electronics. But hey other people have other opinions. For me if I was the upgrade today I would move to Symrads Glass Bridge, I like the graphics better I like all the integrated components
Oh what a life you live..... I always remain envious ..... first was the bus..... and now the boat.... am and will continue to be a loyal fan of your adventures. Another great video.
Aww.. thanks Ronald!
Idk how I started watching your videos... but this is my 3rd one and they are awesome! Thank u
I will live my dream through you two, thank you for allowing us to come along
This girl is so chill...... Love it....
It will be exciting to see the upcoming changes to Y-Not. Thanks for sharing!
It looks great! May you have wonderful adventures and memories in your new home! Thanks for sharing!
Everything looks awesome so far and the future upgrades sound great!
I'm a huge fan of you guys now - following your great loop adventures!! Love the tech stuff!!
Thank you for joining along for the adventure!! :)
I loved the closing with the talking fish. The boat is looking good with the upgrades you've done and your plans for the future. I just keep seeing dollar signs and thinking this is even more expensive then rving is. We are going to enjoy following your great adventure!! I'm glad you are able to follow your dreams and wish you well.
We also did lots of high tech upgrades on the RV. It's just our style. Many boat on a budget, just as folks RV on a budget too.
I too love seeing your dreams and plans. We are dreamers too. But yall are inspiring us to get going
My daughter and her husband had same boat in marina Del Rey. Very nice. Took trip to Santa Carolina. Really fun
If no one has spoken up fot the Recaro, I would love it!
U guys r great. Really enjoy your vids
We just bought a boat and are learning about all the projects boats require. We just started our winter projects! Oh it's funny watching us newbies.... We are planning on doing the loop in the next two years, so we are really looking forward to seeing all that you do. I love the info about land transportation. (We have 3 boys. I wonder if we can get 5 bikes on board?)
Useful, practical knowledge. Thanks for sharing.
Truly jealous of your adventures! Keep it up!
Garmin, Garmin, Garmin... I cannot say enough great things about Garmin. My first choice for upgrade when I purchased my Sea Ray years ago (I know, I know.... but I'm one of the nice Sea Ray guys)
Wow great video, you've got a big to do list but based on what you did to the bus I'm sure you will get it done. I'm surprised you have no plans to fish, you may not have fished in the past but you now live on the water and will have access to some of the best fishing hands down. Buy a decent fish pole or 2, while you're on the hook, throw out a line and you'll have a fantastic lunch or dinner for free while the rest of us have to go to the store and pay $12/lb for fish that was caught a week ago. Nothing better than fresh caught fish. Good luck with your projects and hopefully the community will bring the best craftsmen to you, and with your exposure for their businesses on your channel hopefully you can get some fantastic prices. Best of luck and may calm seas follow you on your journey.
We'll happily pay for fish that has already been caught, cleaned and stuff. Just not of interest to us. We have plenty of other things to fill our time.
Another great video! I also will be looking forward to any ham radio installs too! Oh, and thanks for a few morning 'chuckles'
Probably no Ham for us.. we're both licensed, but honestly, have never found a use for it. VHF radios is what is used in marine, and we won't be going out of site of land much at all.
I understand.
Hey guys looking great. We are on a three year plan to do Florida/Bahamas in our Gulfstar 44 MC. We have just travelled from NY to Norfolk and are poised to travel down the ICW next trip at Christmas. Anyway we invested in a Raymarine Axiom plotter with a thru hull transducer at a cost of $1500 and that did not include installation. It has been the biggest disappointment ever. It freezes and it's impossible to shut it down if it's been on all day other that to switch off the breaker. I am in the process of trying to get some help from Raymarine and it is not going too well. I would suggest Garmin and stay away from Raymarine. Ye have a lovely boat and best wishes for the cruising season. Sean
I do know an excellent cabinet maker that has his shop in Naples...Very reasonable in price. He actually just redid a sailboat in Marco Island. Looing great!!
Awesome... we're leaning towards heading that way next. If you don't mind, either pass along our info or his (contact@technomadia.com). Thanks!
We are going to Marco Island next summer. What advice can you give us for where to anchor and what marine to go to if needed?
I have used plain old Thompsons water seat on my canvas T top for 15 years and it is in constant weather on East coast Middle Atlantic. A lot cheaper effective waterproofing than 303.
Thanks for the tip!
You guys should get two fishing poles and while you are cruising put on a fishing lure and try your luck .Yous may love it nothing better then fresh fish that you have caught ! I have a 40' SPORTFISH ive been a fisherman for yrs my wife enjoys it also . Good luck and enjoy !
Enjoy your fishing.. not our thing. Nor do we want to manage gear and keeping track of varying licensing requirements as we travel.
beautiful boat
Hi Guys, I just went thru the electronics replacement ordeal. You might want to take a look at the newer "Broadband" type of radar. Here's the RUclips search "Broadband 4G™ Radar" I bought the B&G brand because I have a sailboat and their GPS/Chartplotter has sailtrak which is very useful for sailboats plotting courses. Not so necessary for stink pots...LOL! Some of the advantages are extremely low power consumpution, light weight and instant on capability compared to the older more traditional radars. Also, you can get return right up to the antenna not possible in traditional radar. I just thought you might want to check that out. I wish you guys were up here in New England, I'd love for you to design an interior lighting system for my boat sounds like yours is going to be spectacular! Can't wait to see it! Really interesting video! Thanks please keep em coming! Bill S. s/v ODIN
Thanks.. we'll add that to the research list.
Don't think you'd want us designing you lighting system.. this will be our first, and "design" may be a bit of an overstatement.
We are also looking at replacing the radios and GPS this year. We are going to the Houston boat show soon. What does everyone recommend?
We'll have our overview of what we just installed up as soon as we can. We went all Garmin.
Watched with interest RE windows. Just what I thought in a hot climate. The M/Y I have my heart set on has huge windows and I'm tipping the A/C will be running 24/7 in the Med and Carribean.
The engine room hatch idea sounds perfect. I was surprised that you didn't mention the big plus (for Loopers) of the cramped engine room space - the very shallow draft of the 4788.
We've covered that in our shopping for a Great Loop boat & Selecting the 4788 videos before. If we covered every aspect of everything in every video, every video would be hours long :)
Keep the Racaro seat and just change the base if you want. We spend hour in them on the streetcars and buses, they are great.
It's not the base that is the issue. We want something move-able.
So just replace the base with something that is movable instead of being bolted down but keep the Recaro seat. You will love it after sitting for a couple of hour in it. Saved many medical bills at work.
We have sat in it for extended amounts of time... decent for driving and stuff. But definitely not an ideal as computer work station chair. EXTREMELY uncomfortable for that, not ergonomic and leans back way way too far for good computing posture. (We actually kinda hate the thing ;) ).
I know one couple that always tries to move the boat when the weather is bad so the weather is good wherever they stop. That would give you more use of the inside helm and the seat. Even though they were spending years cruising around the world and had plenty of time, it still made efficient use of rainy days. Or chuck the seat altogether, get a remote control, and conn the boat from the settee. I hope you enjoy your adventure as much as we do watching.
Now I see why you are still in Florida. Can't wait for you to move on. I BET you are having priority discussions. Lots of changes coming. Let's travel.
We've actually been long overdue for an extended stay in one spot.. all of the hyper mobility over the past few years wore us out, plus the boat hunt. It's felt so good to be here for a couple months. But, we are getting ready to move here in the next couple of weeks. We're in no rush. Nomadism isn't about how many miles you cover... and we're NOT going to feel pressured to move faster than we want because fans want more travel videos.
No problem here. I was just excited to hear you would be traveling inland. There are plenty other, quality, travel videos for me to watch.
As a fellow gen x'r I'm looking forward to watching your solution for lead acid cells. Marine Lithium batteries are still out of my league cost wise for the amount I use them, but in your case it might make more sense. Keeping everything ABYC and USCG compliant gets very pricey.
My biggest issue has always been running the generator (4 hours) to charge Lead Acid batteries, as most boats like yours will have 7-10kw gennies, and the charger is such a miniscule load, the generator is not loaded enough for motor longevity (diesel or gas). Sometimes I will run an electric heater to the outdoors just to load it enough - or bake a loaf of bread etc. Most generators consume 1-2gph regardless of load too. A 30 min charge cycle to 100% would be a dream...
Solar isn't as useful up North, where it can sometimes cloud for weeks.
Please keep us appraised of price if you can during the install. Thanks.
Indeed - lead batteries need to be regularly fully charged, but they charge so slowly from a generator this is nearly impossible to do if you are regularly anchoring out. There are so many downsides!
Fascinating.....thanks !
Most of the electronic upgrades you mentioned are useful, but is upgrading the VHF marine transceivers with AIS going to offer much advantage on the great loop?
From what we've heard from others, having AIS is hugely useful on the rivers so that you can see the details of tow barges long before they come into visual site.
very nice boat
Great video, great thoughts on your upgrades.
happy travels.
When both of you were going through the proposed modifications, I was wondering about BayLiner mfg home port and services. I'm the guy who always has mfg service on vehicles because of all the old reasoning.......it's their product and they would have the in depth knowledge, the market availability of upgrades, how to do structural mods and maintain hull rigidity and sea worthiness. The usual retort is their cost vs DIY. My reply is "how many times do you want to do each project?" Who would serve you better? (IMHO) Get on the phone and at least let them know what you want and get a serious discussion going with knowledgeable people. BTW, great ideas!
We tend to be a bit more DIY in our approach, but if there's a Bayliner Motoryacht speciality shop along our upcoming route we're open to considering it (but haven't heard of any). Remember, they quit making this model & general style of boat back in 2002 and Bayliner is now focused entirely on day / sport boats. Probably not many techs left there who know the pilothouse model well enough.
good team work dude .. keep going .. wacthing you from kuwait 😀
Hey guys, great video. Just wondering how loud the living room is when cruising at max speed. Thanks
Don't really know... we're usually up on the fly bridge driving, and don't cruise at max speed hardly at all.
Hi Guys! I enjoy your videos. Is your battery bank salvageable? The application would be for an off grid travel trailer at a getaway camp, mostly weekend use? We use generators for Air Conditioning but would like to have more 12v for evenings or cooler wearher. I'm looking to get started/experiment cheap? If so, I am in Florida and have a truck...
It probably has some life left in it. When we are ready to tackle the project, we'll offer it up to where we are locally.
Technomadia Thanks
FOR MULTI EXCELLENT WIRELESS BLUETOOTH SOUND. GO WITH SONOS. SMALL AND SIMPLE UNITS.
Take it from an experience captain do not get rid of the helm chair on the main driving deck you’ll be sorry they’ll be times where the water is very unstable and you will need a stable spot to drive your yacht keep it.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So far in 18 months of owning our boat - we've not yet even needed to use the pilot house, never mind had conditions worthy of a bolted helm chair. The chair is still there, mainly because we've found the pilothouse too warm to be office space. It's pretty much is just the cat's room these days.
Technomadia
I think today I watch three hours of your videos I live in Melbourne Beach in a community called Beechwoods I live in a condo in a high-rise on the fifth floor I wonder if I saw you pass by months ago but it’s nice to know that you were from here safe travels and I will be one of your fans be well. 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Cool, I (Cherie) actually lived in Indiatlantic and then IHB before hitting the road back in 2007.
It is indeed the cat’s throne - she loves to sit in that helm chair.
Technomadia. You've been motoring in warm areas. Won't you want the pilot helm up in the cooler north? Love your channel and boat. You work well together on camera and your information is always useful and interesting.
Looks like an interesting lifestyle.
sure seems fun.
Have you seen the Capisco chairs? They're supposed to be very good for sit/stand/variable seating positions.
Thanks, we'll look into them.
Removing the Recaro chair is a tough call. I'd be temped to see that as a life safety item.
If we were doing more open water stuff, or extended cruising days.. we'd be much more tempted. We intend to be fair weathered cruisers. Everything is a trade-off, and it seems like in this case - have usable work space will win for us.
Good report, thanks. So, 12 ft is the minimum bridge clearance that you will encounter doing The Great Loop? I'm taking note for my own adventure!!!
For the routes we'll be pursuing (western Erie), the minimum is about 15'5". But the basic Loop route is around 19'.
Dam. Just love my Nordhavn 52.
I had that same Mowen faucet and replaced it with the same faucet you have.....
Make sure you check for the need of reinforcing before cutting up that portion of the deck above the engine bay.
Already checked... the baylingerownersgroup.com is awesome!
Very nice boat - similar to what I want. One question - if you have to dock in a slip stem first, how is the visibility from the lower helm? Looks like it woudl be very hard to see the stern from there.
We almost always 100% of to the time drive/dock from the flybridge. Great vis up there.
Have you considered re powering your boat. And going electric/hybrid?
+Brian's Quest In a fantasy world I would absolutely love to. But going hybrid is probably not affordable or practical anytime soon.
how much are you planning on spending on these upgrades? i understand that 10% of the purchase price per annum for maintenance and upgrades is the "rule of thumb", has that been your experience?
Really depends where your line is between maintenance.. and opportunities for upgrades :) We don't really budget or plan, we just tackle projects as we find the right people and have funds available.
You both are so cute!
You guys are really good with economics n keeping track of expenses. Have you thought about checking w broker about which upgrades would help the value of your Bayliner? Otherwise the upgrades would just stay with you when and if you sell later on.
Resale value is a concern, but not a big enough to one to influence too many decisions. Out top priorities are safety, operating costs and quality of life. We plan to keep Y-Not for many years.
Your boat is beautiful I love the upgrades where are you going to finally call your place home? Are you staying in Fort Lauderdale going to the Florida Keys? Glad you weren't there for the big hurricane at least I hope you we're not there. What do you do on really windy nights and windy days does the boat Rock a lot?. DRS
You have a bit of catching up to do.. we did indeed go through Irma in the Keys.
Luv your channel!!! I have a 2003 Meridian 490 PH (same boat ) and I would love to know who you use for the TV installation because I want to do the same install on my boat...
We'll likely just hire a capable mechanic along our route when we have time to tackle that project. but check out the Bayliner Owner's Club online - there are step by step instructions posted there in their forums.
I would think a projection TV would be better than loosing the storage space plus you could move it around easy.
We don't think a project system would work very well in here.. there's way too much ambient light during the day. We also don't NEED the storage space, and there's really no where else we'd want to watch movies at anyway.
Miles per gallon? lol I think you have that backwards...I love your boat.
no you just have absolutely no idea what your talking about
This boat has twin cummins engines. @@-BUFFALOMan
Keep everythink you do that pertains to electronics as simple as you can #1 the stuff thats here today is gone in 3 to 5 yrs ...#2 replacement parts or units will not be available where ever you are when it breaks...#3 a sound system .....can you really hear it with the engines and /or generator running.....NO and when you are underway you want to listen to your engines at all times.
Yes your right if you think of fishing as a bother and not a great time you are right no your thing .
Oh the obsession with electronics. Unlike an RV, where you can just stop and pull over to the road, that is not an option for a boat especially in open water. Analog gauges are easily restored, and very reliable (just look at how old they currently are but still functioning). Isolate the fluff (weather, internet, stereo, depth finder, radar etc.) from the core (engine and charging). Something will fail in the chain.. guaranteed. Enjoy the journey!
Something will always fail - the key for us is redundancy. Digital and analog gauges working together is actually a great combination.
Wow! did you win the lottery? that is a very expensive list. $20k in marine electronics alone without installation. Sounds like fun though. Good luck.
Nope.. no lottery. Just working our butts off for years to earn the lifestyle we desire :)
They seem like techies and no kids are visible so money is probably not a big issue for them.
after installing flowscan can you share any mpg numbers from idle up to full speed?
We haven't installed a flow scanner since this video 6 years ago. And don't know that we will.
@Technomadia ahh ok that makes sense. Any estimates on fuel economy from trip experience?
We get about 1.8 mpg
@@Technomadia thats not bad!!
oh, yes, Billy needs to stay!
Ha. You two remind me of a young Bette Midler and Penn Jillette. I bet youve heard that before?
Heard the Bette Midler many times.. but Penn is new for Chris :)
More like Bette Midler and Johnny Galecki ;-)
Love you guys, your living on the water. What's your aversion to fishing?
It sounds completely boring, messy and expensive.
Hi! Nice projects going on! i can recommend a KNX system for smart "house" future safe and possible to integrate audio, security, and much moore of your boat electrics like all of your future nmea2000 equipment. KNX is verry big in Europe but in U.S?
Thanks, we'll put it on the research list.
Found it thanks
a hard top for the the foldable might be less prone to leaking
That is a great captains chair you guys can make it removeable .
canvasdesigners.com
There from Ship Shape tv a Florida boat how to show. It`s been on 25 years now. Great info you should check the show out. If you go to the web site they have links to other suppliers & services. SEE YA OUT THERE!!
If you can afford all of these upgrades why not save up a nice down payment and have a new boat built with some custom touches? just curious, it seems like you are going to rebuild every part of an almost 20 year old boat. thanks for the interesting video. I hope to do the great loop one day. stay smiling!!!
Having a brand new boat built to our custom specs would easily be in the $500-750k or more range.. way way beyond our budget. All said and done, our cost should be way way less than that. Not to mention, take a heck of a lot of time. Same reason we renovated an older bus as our RV. Start with good solid bones that are affordable, and renovate as we're enjoying the journey and learning what the changes are we actually want.
Fair enough. Thanks for the reply. Hope you got some sleep!!!
Technomadia yep, it's much cheaper these days to update older boats than buy new. Cost of new boats is ridiculous these days. Not only that, but you learn the ins and outs of the systems when you upgrade/ repair/ replace yourself.
Neat to see you guys started out in Punta Gorda. We have a vacation home there in burnt store isles on the canal way. What made you pick that spot?
Where do you plan to get the wifi so you can control lights from your phone?
We're the Mobile Internet folks (we run www.mobileinternetinfo.com) - if we can't manage that, we might as well quit our day jobs :D. We'll be staying well within cellular connectivity most of our Great Loop adventure) for internet access. Even so, internet access is not needed to control things on a local area network.. just Wi-Fi networking (which is not the same as internet), which will be supplied by any number of our routers.
Find a metal fabricator to weld up a new base for the Recaro chair.
so odd question maybe, but how are/will you handle arachnids and rats? Iknow it seems like a what if? kind of issue regarding the rats, but they are an issue at some marinas and once on board..... spiders are another bane to all boaters. Just curious. Cheers! DonP
Not an issue we've run into yet.. nor have we heard about.
Kiki lets us know that she'd LOVE to have a rat on board. We'd prefer to avoid one though.
How many bilge pumps do you have and what is there GPH?
We have 6 on board... 3 automatic triggered by float switches, and 3 manual. Each rated at 1000 - 1100 GPH.
Keep a close eye on them they clog very easily. I wouldn't remove the helm chair myself. You'll find out why if you ever get in rough weather.
You might consider at least two more powerful pumps like these: www.fisheriessupply.com/johnson-pump-high-capacity-bilge-pumps
Well.. if you want the chair, you are more than welcome to it.
How do you plan on "smartifying" the lights?
When we have that figured out.. we'll share :)
Technomadia Ok. Great! Looking to do same thing.
We have a huge list of winter projects and wiring the lights correctly is one of those projects. For a backup we bought stick on lights with batteries..... that's what boating is right...plan B
the rocardo is a really nice seat and if not needed in the boat the bus rv my be more confontable with a recardo seat
There's no room in the bus for the seat... nor any reason to move it there. The bus renovations are done :)
A word of caution with the indoor admiral chair. You do not want a free floating portable seat. It only takes 10 minutes of bad seas to die. We would all miss you guys - please don't change what you have in place.
We don't plan to be in 'bad seas'. We'll only be moving during good weather windows.
Besides - 99% of the Bayliner 4788's in existence have a free floating helm chair, which was stock. I do actually have some plans on how to use the existing bolt holes to be able to clamp in our future helm chair when needed too.
Remember, you wish to fit under a 19 ft. clearance bridge in Chicago. Do nothing that can't be taken down if it is higher.
We specifically bought our boat to do the Western Erie, it can get down to 12' bridge clearance with the folding arch. We have no intentions of changing that.
Where did you get the caddy by the sink?
Why, Amazon of course! amzn.to/2vgfHIj
(We love it... we're planning an upcoming video on some of the domestic touches like this)
Check out a product called Interactio. A very smart Bluetooth fuel flow system.
Oscar Lyytikainen Looks pretty nifty, but their fuel flow sensor is only for gasoline engines and can not work with diesel.
My dad has a canvas shop on near your route in cape cod
I don't think our current bimini will last that long - it may be a year or more before we get that far north. :-)
your first long range trip you will need the pilots chair because you still have to monitor the engines and watch for traffic.
Yes, we will absolutely have a pilot's chair... just not this one bolted down in one spot. That's how the Bayliner came equipped originally anyway.
Furuno. I have a raymarine but it turns off all the time.
no bathroom or bedroom tour?
Check the boat tour video we did.. full tour there.
Get in touch with Jeff Cote. He founded and operates Pacific Yacht Systems. He is the best in North America and does the training sessions on boat electronic upgrades at the Annapolis in water boat show. He does electrical audits on various boats and is a true professional. Go to you-tube and type in his name, his company name, and Annapolis In-Water Boat Show 2017 and you'll be able to watch some of his videos on boat electronics; new equipment; how they are used and why; how he does an electrical audit; but most of all he just tells you like it is. Subscribe to his channel and just soak in the information. His contact information is on you-tube and he does alot with solar and inverters and finding the balance your boat needs in electronics. I used to live and boated up in Ohio on Lake Erie. Many people used to tell me "he was the guy to get when you want your electronics to just work like they were ment to on your boat."
Love your Bayliner and think he will do the best for you and not oversell you. Both of you and Jeff speaks the same language, if you know what I mean. - Fair winds and following seas... Cal
you could always try placeing the recardo chair i to the bus
Not sure why?
Always a project to do on a boat, huh?!
"Sailing SV Delos" just did a complete electronics re-fit and he also gave the reasons for his brand selection. He knows his stuff when it comes to electronics, I think his college degree is in electronics. Here's a link to the RUclips video. ruclips.net/video/FJUSrbKS1-A/видео.html
Thanks.. we watch Sailing Delos regularly.. fantastic channel!
I Love You Folks! A Lifetime Of Sailing And Boating And Dingying Under My Belt, And At 63 I Have A Couple Of Observations On The Davit System. Imho Only. First, The Purchase Ratios Are Not High Enough To Lift Your Dingy Comfortably. The Whole Contraption Is Undersized For Your Dingy, Rain Water Will Still Enter Into The Bilges, It Just Seems Like
A Contraption With Too Much And Too Many Lines And Attachment Points Running All Over The Place, Even The Videos Looked Like A Pain In The A__ The Rated 400lb Capacity
Is Not High Enough For The Motor Side Of The Dingy. You'll Be Tangling Lines Till Cow Fishies Come Home! Lol All In Love, G
Ps. Plus You Can Not Lower The Dingy Transom To Drain The Bilge!, Of Course I Understand This Might Be Temporary Till The Hydrolic Swim Platform Is Built...?
The combined weight of our dinghy boat & engine is 244 lbs - the Dinghy Caddy is more than rated for our size & weight. And we'll have a cover on the boat to keep water out. We looked at lots of options and consulted lots in the industry (including other owners of this model of boat, and Achilles) - and this seems like the overall right choice for us. How will it play out in actuality? Only time can tell.
244+30(cover)+20(PFDs)+10(Lighting)+20{Fuel)+10(Boat Hook & Lines)+20(Anchor)+5(Glasses,Pack Of Smokes & A Hidden $100, Etc)
Oh! +40 (The Manufactures Underestimation Of Their Gross Weigh Lol
That's 400lbs Right Their!!! ...Now Let's Figure The COG Of The Dingy Is Lets Say 30/70....IMHO...THE PORT SIDE DAVIT WILL BE WAY OVERSTRESSED!! A Driving Rain WILL Allow Water Ingress No Matter What You Cover It With...If You Cannot Release The Water From The Dingy, Your Looking For Trouble, Trouble Right Here In River City! IMHO...At The Very Least You'll Pull Down That Contraption AT THE DOCK While Your Sleeping...
We checked in with the manufacturer of the davit and the maker of dinghy while picking our system out - and they both thought the setup was well matched.
We also contacted several people who have the same davit (and one who has the same exact dinghy and engine!) who love the combination and have had years of usage with no problems.
If we do run into any issues - we will of course be sharing them. But short of a $20k hydraulic swim platform, this seemed to be the best davit option out there for our needs by far.
BTW - where on earth are you buying 20lb PFDs?!?! ;-)
Lol, I Thought You Might Be Bringing The Whole Party Back To The Boat! You Know 20 People 20 Life Preservers...BTW A Little Temporary Auto Bilge Pump In The Dingy Might Bring Peace Of Mind While Road Trekking? Or (Extended Leave)......I'll Be Back...:)
Whole party? It's just the two of us and the cat.
U need to fish nothing like fresh mahi mahi or wahoo or tuna two lines out rigged ballyhoo along east coast of Fla sit back and hold on
We'll be all ICW, those fish don't swim there :)
It's a galley!!
Nice shirt Chriss!
If y'all are looking for a whole boat electronics solution, which can include all engine, navigation and even entertainment system, suggest checking out, www.maretron.com/ also integrates amazing wireless functions. Have you thought of going hard top and incorporating solar into it.
I've looked a bit at Maretron - and they are on my list to look into deeper. As for hard top... That is an option, but we do want to keep the ability to drop the top to get under 15' bridges.
oh yeah the batteries...WHAT is the real advantage of li-po batteries and what else do you have to change to make everythink work together?????=$$$$$$ spent on BS that could have been buying FUEL. Rem its a big hole in the water.
www.technomadia.com/lithium for our full documentation (BTW.. we've already done our LFP conversion)
Forget Garmin and RayMarine go with Simrad.
sea ray Tell us why - I'm planning to research them all, and am looking for deeper reasons than the typical Ford vs Chevy level of blind advocacy.
I have Ray Marine multi function chart Plotter, radar and autopilot . I've never been impressed with them . My fishing buddies have Garmin which are solid units but not many of them are impressed with those either. Many marine mechanics where I am are recommending Symrad. If you attend any boat shows you begin to notice that many of the manufacturers are now installing Symrad components. Additionally which Symrad you can get rid of all your analog gauges. all that functionality is built in. so you can see your tachometers your oil pressure your engine heat. It's just a menu function of their Glass Bridge electronics. But hey other people have other opinions. For me if I was the upgrade today I would move to Symrads Glass Bridge, I like the graphics better I like all the integrated components
lol thats a pilot house not a office
john s